Nigerians
Presidency: Nothing wrong with taking more loans
There is nothing wrong in taking more loans to finance specific projects, the Presidency said on Sunday. It urged those criticising efforts in borrowing to develop the country, to desist. Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said Nigeria has more capacity to accommodate loans. He spoke while featuring on Southwest Political Circuit, a popular political interview programme on Ibadan-based radio station, Fresh F.M. Adesina called from his Aso Rock office to take questions on aspects of COVID-19 management and economic issues. He said that there was no need for Nigerians to raise concern about the country’s rising debt profile because the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is applying loans to the specific projects they are meant for. Although he pointed out that the huge debt, which th...
NIDO flays Nigerian government’s directive on payment of N297,600 by stranded nationals in Thailand
Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Thailand, has described the directive by the federal government that stranded Nigerians in Thailand must pay the sum of N297,600 for their quarantine, isolation, accommodation centres or hotels before their departure as insensitive and harsh. Its President, Dr. Lloyd Nwafor, in a letter dated May 17 and addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, titled: ‘Appeal to Reconsider Decision on Payment for Quarantine, Isolation, Accommodation Centres or Hotels’, said it came to the stranded Nigerians in Thailand as a shock. He said that some of the evacuees are families who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic, some are at the Immigration Deportation Camp (IDC), while others are visitors stranded in Thailand. Nwafor...
PDP asks President Buhari to explain whereabouts of Chinese doctors
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has given the federal government a 48-hour ultimatum to declare the whereabouts of the Chinese medical team it brought in to assist in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in our country. The PDP’s position is predicated on the declaration by the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, that he could not account for the whereabouts of the Chinese team, who were brought into the country from the global epicentre of the pandemic. The 15-member team of Chinese medical personnel arrived in the country on April 8 “to share their experiences in fighting the COVID-19.” Some Nigerians had kicked against the federal government’s decision to invite the medical experts, saying the country had enough doctors to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. The Nigerian M...
53 more Nigerian returnees from Ghana, Benin Republic arrive Seme border
Another batch of 53 Nigerian returnees from Ghana and Benin Republic arrived Seme Border Post in Lagos State on Saturday. Newsmen gathered that 39 out of the 53 returnees who came from Ghana were brought in two luxurious buses with registration numbers, Lagos KTU 833XY and LSD 614 YR. Newsmen also gathered that the remaining 14 Nigerian returnees from Benin Republic were dropped by different vehicles at the border by Beninoise officials. An official of Port Health Services (PHS) in Seme, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that the Nigerian returnees, comprising 39 males and 14 females, had been screened by health officials. “They arrived at 3:30 a.m. today from Ghana and Republic of Benin. “While those from Ghana came in two luxurious buses, the returnees from Benin Republic were dropped ...
President Buhari gets Madagascar herbal formula
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday at the State House, Abuja, received Covid Organic, the Madagascan native formulation against the COVID-19 pandemic. Samples of the solution were delivered to him by President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau who brought them along as part of the traditional medicine shared to African nations by the government of Madagascar. According to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) in Abuja, President Buhari however reiterated that he will listen to science before allowing traditional or any new medicines to be administered on Nigerians. He said his position on all such herbal or traditional medicinal postulates had remained the same. “We have our institutions, systems and processes in the co...
Minister lauds NNPC, offers land for hospital
As the battle against COVID-19 rages, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT), Mr Muhammad Musa Bello, has commended the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for rallying the oil and gas industry to support the nation to defeat the pestilence. Speaking at the NNPC Towers during a courtesy call on the Group Managing Director on Thursday, the Minister said he was impressed with the quality of interventions coming from the NNPC-led oil and gas industry coalition. Bello, who also commended the GMD for his sterling performance since assumption of office, said the FCT Administration had been holding discussions with the NNPC Medical team on the possibility of developing a healthcare facility in Abuja for the benefit of all residents and other Ni...
National Assembly leadership meets finance minster over 2020 budget amendment
The Leadership of the National Assembly on Thursday met with the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning to be briefed by the latter on the plan by the Federal Government to amend the N10.59 trillion 2020 budget passed by the National Assembly in December last year. The meeting which had in attendance principal officers from both chambers, was presided over by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila. The Senate President, in his welcome address told the Executive arm of Government to ensure that the interest of Nigerians remains protected in the proposed cut to the 2020 national budget. Lawan also expressed the willingness of the Federal lawmakers to expeditiously consider the proposed amendment to the 2020 budg...
NAFDAC warns against use of Chloroquine for coronavirus treatment
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has, again, warned Nigerians against taking Chloroquine as treatment for Coronavirus (COVID-19). “Nobody should buy Chloroquine and use it. If you have COVID-19, go to a doctor. We have warned Nigerians and shall do that again. Do not take Chloroquine,” Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director General, told newsmen on Thursday in Abuja. “The delay in approving some of the drugs for treatment of the virus is because of the clinical trials the agency is carrying out on them. “So far, no group or individual has proffered any solution to the treatment or management of the pandemic,” she said. Mrs Adeyeye, a professor, said the Chinese government carried out lots of trials on Chloroquine before it approved its use for treatmen...
Lawmaker applauds appointment of Ibrahim Gambari as presidential chief of staff
A member of the House of Representatives, Wole Oke (PDP-Osun), on Thursday applauded the appointment of Prof. Ibrahim Gambari as Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari. Oke, in a statement to newsmen in Abuja, said that Gambari’s global wealth of experience in administration, spanning several years was a great asset to the nation at this time. The lawmaker, representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun, said that Nigerians would benefit from this action of President Buhari. He said that Nigerians and friends of the country should work together to move the nation forward. “Nigerians, across the federation and in the diaspora, must work concertedly with one another, to promote common grounds, on which the survival of our great nation depends. “The surest way of attaining this...
Aisha Buhari, NDE support production, distribution of face masks to northern states
The First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, is collaborating with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to produce 180,000 face masks for distribution to six Northern states of Nigeria as part of efforts aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Speaking on Wednesday at the training of about 15 women who will produce the face masks in Bauchi, the Director-General, National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Nasiru Ladan Argungu, said the production and distribution of the face masks will be done in collaboration with the pet project of the First Lady, Future Assured. Argungu, who was represented at the event by the Bauchi State Coordinator of the NDE, Ali Lawal Yaya, informed that the benefitting states are Bauchi, Sokoto, Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi and Zamfara. According ...
NASC: Farmers to access 81,000MT seeds during lockdown
The Director-General of National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), Dr Philip Ojo has said that Nigeria has about 81,000 metric tons of seeds during this COVID-19 lockdown period. Dr Ojo who said this during a Webinar press conference with journalists noted that the seeds would ensure that agricultural activities were not disrupted as a result of the lockdown imposed across the country as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19. He said efforts were being made by the Council and relevant agencies to ensure that seeds reach the farmers in the grassroots amid the COVID-19 lockdown. “The National Agricultural Seeds Council is doing all within reach to ensure that seed sector-related activities are sustained and promoted even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic for Nigeria to be able to have a c...
House of Reps wants local airlines to evacuate stranded Nigerians abroad
The House of Representatives has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Federal Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Aviation to ensure that local airlines enjoy the right of first refusal, where Nigerians need to be evacuated. This was sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Mohammed Bello (APC-Kano) and eight other lawmakers, at the plenary on Tuesday. While moving the motion, Bello said that the two ministries and the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID–19 had engaged foreign airlines to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Dubai, London and America, due to the COVID-19 currently ravaging the world. He listed the airlines to include Ethiopian Airlines, British Airways and Emirates. According to the lawmaker, the economic objective of Nigeria, under the 1999 Constitution, ...
