Television Nigerian

House of Representatives

By Lawani Mikairu

The House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Aviation, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji yesterday appealed to airlines and private organizations within the aviation sector to pay staff their wages in this period of uncertainties occasioned by COVID19 pandemic.

Nnaji appeal is coming on the heels of the memo issued to its staff by Max Air airline to the effect that it would not pay them salaries for the period of the two weeks lockdown directive by the Federal Government.

He said that “the memo which has now gone viral further stressed that the state  of no pay would extend if the situation persisted and my major worry is that other organizations may do same if care is not taken.”

Also read: Max Air, Azman Air commence flight operations to Benin

Hon. Nnaji, however, appealed to the management of the airline to reconsider this hard-line posture by retracing its action in this regard and equally urged other organizations in the sector to see this trying period as a time of sacrifice and show extreme compassion to their staff.

“Am aware that elsewhere, governments are providing palliatives for employers of labour to cushion the impact of this pandemic but because of our peculiar circumstances the Federal Government may not immediately offer such at the moment”.

He also said he was optimistic that some form of relief would definitely come at the end of the day to assist the airlines.

He further urged the Hon Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sariki to step in and hold talks with the various stakeholders in the industry to avoid ripple effects of Max Air airline action.

The Committee Chairman also used the opportunity to call for understanding among the people and leaders of the South East Region over the shift in date of the reopening of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu which was earlier planned to be opened before the Easter celebration.

He lamented that the development was caused by the COVID19 pandemic which has forced the workers of both the contractor and consultants handling the project out of sight.

The aviation committee chairman however assured that as soon as the prevailing pandemic died down works would resume ” at an accelerated speed and new date of commissioning of the airport would be unveiled”.

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Amosun

The immediate past governor of Ogun, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun,  has donated N25million to support the state government in its ongoing efforts at checking the spread of the coronavirus in the state.

Amosun, in a letter dated March 31, written to Gov. Dapo Abiodun, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, said the donation was a personal contribution to the fight against the pandemic.

“Please be informed that the sum if N25million has been transferred and cleared into the Access Bank Account (No 1384210113 Ogun Coalition Against COVID-19) as my personal contribution for the management of COVID-19 challenges in Ogun.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: Capital Market can rescue Nigeria’s economy —Amosun

”I am in constant touch with federal agencies in and outside Ogun with a view to offering maximum assistance to our people in these trying times.

READ ALSO: Abiodun won’t abandon Amosun’s projects ― Ogun CPS

“In addition, arrangements are also in place to assist in ameliorating the challenges arising from the lockdown in Ogun within the period by supporting 25,000 households across the state.

” It is my fervent prayer that the Almighty God will see our people in Ogun and indeed Nigeria through the COVID-19 pandemic,” the letter stated.

[NAN]

Vanguard News Nigeria.

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Health minister, governor agreed to resolve the controversy – Elder brother

By Chioma Obinna  & Gabriel Olawale

As controversy trails the purported COVID-19 index case in Benue State, the family of Mrs Susan Okpe Idoko Lawani, the woman at the center of the controversy, has demanded a rerun of the coronavirus test which earlier indicated she tested weakly positive.

A spokesperson for the family, Dr Felix Lawani, who is Susan’s elder brother, alleged that the purported test results earlier generated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, was never showed to the family or the hospital where she was admitted.

In a telephone interview with Vanguard, Lawani, disclosed that the Minister of Health, Professor Osagie  Ehinare and the State Governor, Samuel Orton have agreed that a rerun of the test for Susan should be done.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Ogun ex-gov, Amosun, donates N25m to state

Lawani, who is a Pathologist and Medical Consultant on contract with the Federal University of Agriculture, Markudi, said Susan came in from the United Kingdom, for their mother’s burial but fell ill four days later.

“My sister is a British citizen, she had earlier tested herself and children for COVID-19 and they were allegedly negative.  Five days later she complained of pain and feverish condition so we took her to the hospital.

The hospital collected her history and treated her for malaria and typhoid.  The next day her temperature came down and we insisted that she needed to be screened for COVID-19 since she was coming from a high-risk country.

“Her sample was taken with the hope that the result would be out on Saturday, but what we saw was a press conference by the Governor of the State calling her name before the press that she was positive and that she was an index case. The state government officials, security men and ambulance besieged the hospital.

“We didn’t like that because we expected that if the result was positive, the doctor looking after her would have told her at least.


Till now, she doubts the result. We prevailed on her for the government to take her to the isolation centre because you cannot fight the government. She agreed and went with them to where they called Isolation Centre at Benue state University Hospital in Makurdi, and she has been there since.”

Responding to Susan’s refusal to cooperate with the government, Lawani alleged that during the first two days she was at the isolation centre, no medical personnel came to take her history and she was angry because she believed she was being used for a show.

READ ALSO: COVID-19 Lockdown Day 2: Delta records appreciable compliance

Lawani said Susan was further annoyed and irritated each time the officials came to talk to her, she was being videoed and recorded.

“Most annoying part is that each time they want to come and talk to her they will be videoing her, and that really irritated her”

He told Vanguard that the Minister of Health, Prof Osagie Ehanire contacted the family on the issue with a promise to rectify the situation.

“The latest is that the Honorable Minister of Health was approached, he called me and spoke to her briefly, he promised to rectify mistakes made by the state.

The Governor and the Minister spoke to me that they will make a decision on whether to move her to Abuja or re-runs the test. She is reacting uncooperative because she is traumatized.”

“Right now, she is traumatised.  For me, as the elder brother, I don’t want to be distracted by the mistakes of the state government. Obviously the situation is affecting her physiologically to the extent that she has refused to speak to any of her relations even me.

“The summary is that the result purportedly to be weakly positive was not shown to her, instead they decide to forcefully take her to isolation centre and that didn’t go well with her.  They are contemplating moving her to Abuja. That is her request.”

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Says FG not fully prepared in fighting COVID 19

James Ogunnaike – Abeokuta

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned the federal government’s decision to relax the lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Ogun and Lagos State.

The students’ body berated the Federal government for relaxing the lockdown order, insisting the government is not fully prepared to fight the spread of the deadly pandemic.

NANS position was contained in a press release signed by its National Public Relations Officer, Azeez Adeyemi, and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

NANS insisted that the Federal government’s directive that selling foodstuffs be opened between 10 a.m to 2 p.m in Ogun, Lagos and Abuja has further exposed the government’s “unseriousness, unpreparedness, and lack of policy directive” in the fight against the spread of the virus.

READ ALSO: NANS leadership writes DSS over impostors, inaugurates new executives

“Radical problems require radical solutions. The Federal government cannot relax the lockdown by opening market and there won’t be vehicular and mass human movement.”

“This new development will do no good but to further increase the risk of more people contracting the virus. The government’s decision will further expose innocent Nigerians to the risk of the contracting viruses even on a large scale.”

“The government has done nothing good but to further promote the spread of Coronavirus by opening markets. And as the concerned and responsible body of students in Nigeria, we call on  the Federal government to immediately reverse the decision.”

“If we want to really defeat the evil plaguing this country called COVID-19, we must be ready to pay the price no matter the cost. The number of victims is drastically increasing every day and we must not allow the virus to get out of control.”

“It is a shame that the Federal govt is not considering COVID-19 a dangerous pandemic that consumes the entire nation if not properly managed otherwise what else can we call this unseriousness and deliberate carelessness on the part of the Federal government.

NANS also called on President Mohammadu Buhari to probe the alleged distribution of N3billion by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq to the vulnerable people within 24 hours.

The students’ body challenged the Minister to provide Nigerians with adequate information on how the money was spent.

READ ALSO: NANS warns against politicising Amotekun, flays AGF’s comment

NANS also called on President Buhari to set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the alleged distribution of cash with the view of finding out if the money was really distributed to the vulnerable Nigerians.

NANS also called on the Federal and State governments that have promised to support Nigerians with relief materials like foodstuffs and stipends to focus on the vulnerable people.

The students’ body specifically wants the government to focus on people with daily income whose sources of livelihood would be cut off following the lockdown.

According to NANS, this category of people includes petty traders, widows, aged, artisans, orphans, students and the unemployed, among others.

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By Francis Efe, Warri

There was pandemonium at ogunu community in Warri South Council Area of Delta State as a soldier on Thursday allegedly shot dead a middle-aged man identified as Mr Joseph Pessu, two days into the lockdown order by the Delta government.

The deceased was allegedly killed by the soldier while attempting to escape from his Toyota Camry car after breaching a security checkpoint.

According to a reliable source who spoke to Vanguard under strict anonymity, the deceased had suspiciously drove through a police checkpoint at Ubeji community with his car without a plate number making the police who were not armed to alert soldiers who were on patrol for enforcement.

According to the source, “When the deceased refused to stop, the soldier went after him and shot at one of the rear tyre. The young man continue to drive the car with a burst tyre until he got to Ogunu junction and blocked the road with his car, jumped out and started running.

“It was then the soldier assumed him to be a suspect and shot at him. Immediately, the incident happened, the soldier drove directly to the Area Command of the Nigeria Police to report himself.

Vanguard learnt that angered by the incident, irate youth moment after in reprisal attack allegedly lynched two naval personnel and had their motorcycle burnt at the scene of the incident.

According to a source, the naval personnel were not from the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS), DELTA.

“They were not armed and were going to their respective units when the hoodlums attacked them,” the source said.

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Festus Keyamo

Perez Brisibe, Ughelli

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has condemned the reported killing of a man in Warri by soldiers implanting the lockdown order by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.

The victim, Joseph Pessu, was allegedly killed at the Ubeji community while attempting to escape from his Toyota Camry car after breaching a security checkpoint in the area.

Reacting to the incident, the minister in a statement, said: “I have received disturbing reports and images of the high-handedness and shooting of innocent citizens by men of the armed forces deployed to enforce the COVID-19 lockdown in my State, Delta State.

ALSO READ: Lockdown: Soldier kills man for allegedly breaching checkpoint in Delta

“Specifically, I have received reports of the killing of an innocent young man, Mr. Joseph Pessu in Warri.

“I unreservedly condemn this barbaric act by men of the armed forces who should exercise restraint when dealing with the civilian populace.

“I will be forwarding a petition to the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this murder and bring the officer(s) to book. In the interim, let us not take the laws into our hands, please.”

ALSO READ: Doctor contracts coronavirus while treating infected patients in Edo

Appealing to the people to be calm and not take laws into their hands, he said: “I will also use this medium to sincerely appeal to my brothers and sisters in Delta State to be law-abiding and obey the orders of restrictions imposed by both the Delta State Government and the Federal Government.

“They are lawful orders and they are for our own good. Images and reports of attack on law-enforcement agents by the civilian populace do not help our cause. I call on all and sundry in the entire country too to exercise the utmost restraint at this point.”

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Mr. Charles Aniagwu

Delta State Government has called for an investigation into the alleged killing of a 28 year old Joseph Pessu in Warri on Thursday.

The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu in a statement in Asaba said government was worried about the report of an alleged killing of a 28-year old man in Warri by security agencies on regular patrol duty.

READ ALSO:Court remands painter for allegedly beating wife to death

The Commissioner said the state government has sent a delegation to the deceased family to condole with them over the loss of their son.

He stated that the military authorities have been contacted to carry out an investigation into what led to the killing of the deceased.

He however called on the people to remain calm and not to take laws into their hands while the government conducts an investigation into the killing.

Mr Aniagwu thanked Deltans for their cooperation so far by remaining indoors and called for further cooperation with the State Government in the best interest of Deltans.

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Kano State Task Force Committee on COVID-19 said on Thursday that 22 of the 25 suspected coronavirus cases in the state have tested negative to the virus while three others are still pending.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ibrahim Tsanyawa, disclosed this at a press conference in Kano.

Tsanyawa, who is also a member of the committee, said the state government had adopted proactive measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic in the state.

He listed some of the measures to include the closure of schools, restriction of movements and closure of state boundary, encouraged stay-at-home order, promote the practice of handwashing, environment, and personal hygiene as well as social distancing.

• READ ALSO: COVID-19: Buhari directs prompt payment of salaries

The commissioner added that the state also expanded the scope of its Rapid Response Team, set up additional emergency helplines and isolation centres.

He said: “An endowment fund has been established to mobilise resources for the protection, control and prevention efforts as well as ease hardship caused by measures adopted against the spread of the virus.”

He urged the people to sustain support to the fight against the spread of the virus, which he said has not been recorded so far in the state. (NAN)

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We’re working hard to rescue economy from collapse — Emefiele

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru – Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed prompt payment of salaries to all employees.

He also directed the ministry to ensure that critical infrastructure like roads, rails are protected and as much as possible, use local inputs so that the country retains value within her economy.

This is as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele has said that the global economy was facing serious problems that could lead to recession and that the government was doing everything possible to rescue the nation’s economy.

President Buhari gave the directive for the prompt payment of salaries when he met with the members of the Presidential committee to review the impact of COVID-19 on the economy at the State House Abuja.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Keyamo vows to petition killing of Delta youth by army

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said the committee met with the President to brief him on the current happenings around the world due to COVID-19 and the impact on the nation’s economy.

The Minister who fielded questions from journalists said, “well, he (President) has directed that we should make sure that salaries are paid, make critical infrastructures like roads, rails are protected, as much as possible use local inputs so that we retain value within our economy. And also make sure that we measure that protect the poor and the vulnerable.”

Asked the purpose of the meeting, Mrs. Ahmed said, “This meeting was just to brief Mr. President as the situation we are in keeps evolving on a daily basis.

“As the health crisis gradually expands, affecting States and also the lockdown that has been ordered to help curtail the expansion of the health crisis.

“The consequences of the lockdown is the additional slowing down of the economy and the measures that we need to take to mitigate the negative consequences of the slow trade and businesses.”

Also speaking, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, painted a gloomy picture on the economy, saying that it was not in the best of sharp due to COVID-19.

He also said that the global oil prices were collapsing every day, adding that the situation required regular briefing of the President.

On his part, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Godwin Emefiele, said the economy was not looking as simple as every thought it would be.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: 22 of 25 suspected cases test negative in Kano

He said: “The global economy naturally like we all know at this time will naturally suffer growth problems and may even lead to recession globally. So we are trying to see what we can do as a country to rescue our own situation so we don’t go the direction many will go.

“It is not going to be easy but we can only assure our people that we are on top of it and that we will resolve it and Nigerians will still be better for it.”

Other members of the committee are

Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mela Kyari.

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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Awujale of Ijebu Kingdom, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, on his 60th anniversary on the throne, which makes him one of the oldest reigning monarchs in the country, following his formal coronation on April 2, 1960.

President Buhari in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina in Abuja on Thursday, said that he joined indigenes of Ijebu land, government and people of Ogun State in celebrating the milestone.

ALSO READ: Greatest Nigerian footballer: Shorunmu disagrees with Amokachi on Mikel

He commended the octogenarian for upholding the legendary history and tradition of his forefathers, especially the highly organized political, economic and social structures that preceded many civilizations in Africa.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: Buhari directs prompt payment of salaries

As the royal father marks 60 years on the throne, President Buhari “affirms that his exposure, knowledge, and charisma before ascending the position deeply impacted and expanded the influence of the domain, most remarkably among other traditional rulers and various state governments that rely on him for wise counsels.”

The President said he believes the wisdom, warmth, and friendliness of the monarch also translated into peace and civility in the domain.

He prayed that the almighty God will continue to bless the Awujale of Ijebu Kingdom and grant him more years of fruitful reign.

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