Governor of Borno state, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum flew into Abuja, the nation’s federal capital today, April 9 to brief President Muhammadu Buhari on the prevailing security situation in the state, especially as Chadian Military have joined in operations to flush out Boko Haram insurgents. Governor Zulum also pointed out to the President, the implementations to Nigerian national security, of the recent Military action by Chad Republic on the shores of Lake Chad. It would be recalled that Chad, with its president in the lead, responded to the killing of a number of its soldiers, by also killing scores of the insurgents President Buhari and Governor Zulum who reviewed the incident at today’s meeting and expressed the belief that time has come to once and for all put to an end the senseless acts of terror and other criminal elements operating in the region. The President promised to take more decisive and proactive measures towards ensuring that the Boko Haram menace is totally eliminated for sustainable peace and development. Governor Zulum also briefed President Buhari on his administration’s efforts at containing the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic. So far Borno State has not recorded any case of coronavirus.
The leadership of the National Assembly has expressed anger with a section of the Nigerian media for misrepresenting its meeting with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, over the Federal government proposed palliative measures to mitigate the effects of lockdown for the purpose of controlling the spread of coronavirus.
A statement today, April 9 by Ola Awoniyi, Special Adviser on Media
to President of the Senate and
Chairman of the National Assembly said that the federal lawmakers are also angry with the presidency for reacting in a bad manner to such meeting, based on the said media wrong reports.
The statement said that at the meeting, there was nowhere that NSIP was described as a “failure” as reported by The Nation newspaper or a “scam” as reported by the Sun newspaper.
“Also, there was no mention of N2 trillion or any amount whatsoever in the statement.”
The leadership of the National Assembly regretted: we believe this misrepresentation misled the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, Mrs. Maryam Uwais to issue a rejoinder containing unfortunate insinuations which were totally extraneous to the discussions at the meeting and the contemplations of the National Assembly.”
Part of the statement reads:
The attention of the leadership of the National Assembly has been drawn to reactions to some newspaper reports on its meeting with the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, which held on Tuesday 7th April, 2020.
The leadership of the National Assembly had called the meeting as part of the Legislature’s collaborations with the executive arm of government for effective management of the Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria and mitigation of the harsh effects of the measures adopted in this respect on Nigerians.
The focus of the said meeting was the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), which is the vehicle that Government is using to convey its palliative packages to the most vulnerable Nigerians against the backdrop of the lockdown called in many parts of the country to check the spread of the deadly disease. It is worth noting that NSIP has been in existence since 2016 and has been pursuing President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to alleviate the conditions of especially the poorest in society.
At the meeting with the minister, the leadership of the National Assembly made some observations on aspects of the NSIP and recommended that the implementation process be finetuned and the scheme be backed with legislation to make it more efficient, effective and accord with global best practices.
Although the official Press Statement issued at the end of the meeting clearly conveyed the deliberations and resolution of the meeting, some misrepresentations appeared in the reports by one or two newspapers.
Specifically, there was nowhere in the statement that NSIP was described as a “failure” as reported by The Nation newspaper or a “scam” as reported by the Sun newspaper. Also, there was no mention of N2 trillion or any amount whatsoever in the statement.
Virtually all other Media Houses published or broadcast the Press Statement accurately except for the errant reports mentioned above.
The comments at the meeting were not made to denigrate any official but to make the scheme more effective in the delivery of its critical mandate and these comments were well taken by the Honourable Minister and her delegation. The minister was honest enough to admit that the NSIP had some “challenges” and also bedevelled with “intrigues” which she was yet battling with.
The leadership of the National Assembly would not have suggested an enabling legislation for the NSIP if it does not believe in the relevance of the scheme.
We believe this misrepresentation misled the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, Mrs Maryam Uwais to issue a rejoinder containing unfortunate insinuations which were totally extraneous to the discussions at the meeting and the contemplations of the National Assembly.
It is true that the leadership of the National Assembly pointed out gaps in the implementation of NSIP. As the representatives of the people, it is a key constitutional mandate of the Legislature to oversight, review and make recommendations for better implementation of important programmes of Government.
That, in summary, was what was done at Tuesday’s meeting.
The observations made by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and the Speakers of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, captured the views of many Nigerians. These observations also reflect feedback from the people they represent who are the targeted beneficiaries of the scheme.
We, therefore, take strong exception to the innuendo by the presidential aide that her rejoinder was issued towards “safeguarding the entitlements of the poorest of Nigerian citizens, whose benefits are likely to cease because they are not known or connected to NASS members or any other person of influence.” That insinuation is unfair to the members of the National Assembly and entirely baseless.
Public office holders should be receptive to constructive ideas and suggestions expressed to enhance service delivery and to improve the performances of public projects and institutions.
The leadership of the National Assembly is committed to sustaining its cordial working relationship with the other arms of Government as it has seen the benefits of this approach in the improved environment and speed of policy and decision making.
But this commitment will never deter or discourage it from asserting its considered views in promotion and defence of good governance.
We urge officials and agencies of Government to exploit their access to the Legislature in making clarifications before reacting to newspaper reports on its deliberations.
There are indications that Nigerian prisons, known as correctional centres, will soon be thrown open for certain category of inmates to regain freedom under the presidential pardon, as part of the measures to control the spread coronavirus in the country.
This hint was dropped today, April 9, by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu.
The statement said that Abubakar Malami, at the flag-off of the 2020 Presidential Pardon and Clemency, held at Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja said that in furtherance to the efforts to put COVID -19 under control, President Buhari requested appropriate authorities to embark on a visit to all correctional/custodial centres within their respective States to identify and release deserving inmates.
“During the visit, there should be conditional or unconditional
release of ATPs who have spent a substantial number of years in
custody especially those with no sufficient legal basis to remain in
custody,” he said emphasizing that Mr. President has requested that particular attention should be on the aged, especially those with terrminal health issues, low risk offenders as well as the payment of fines for convicts of lesser offences with option of fines, who are in custody because of their inability to pay such fines.
Malami warned all the beneficiaries of the Presidential Pardon and
Clemency to desist from crime and criminality and be of good
behaviour.
“You must rewrite your individual life stories. You must rebuild broken walls in your dignity by diligently using the
experience and various empowerments and trainings received while in custody positively to better your lots to the fullest.”
The Attorney General called the communities and general public to open their hands of fellowship in receiving the beneficiaries and ensure that they are properly reintegrated into the society without any form of stigmatization or discrimination.
“I have confidence in their selection process, and if Mr. President
has pardoned them, you too can forgive them. I urge well-meaning Nigerian to do something positive to better their lots and livelihood including offering them jobs. It is expected that proper reintegration will strengthen their individual resolve to live in line with acceptable social norms and values.”
He reiterated the need to identify new measures to consciously reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian custodial centres beyond the control of COVID – 19 scourges. “We must primarily look into the cases of persons awaiting trial and individuals convicted of minor offences for which fines were the penalty. It is particularly worrisome that about 70% of the inmates in Nigerian prisons are persons awaiting trial and canvassed for the use of non-custodial measures in line with the provisions of the ACJA, 2015 and the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019.
The 2020 flag-off was part of the urgent measures taken by the Federal Government towards the speedy decongestion of correctional/custodial
centres in the country in view of the COVID – 19 Pandemic.
The Federal Government has cut the 2020 budget by N318 billion and sent it to the National Assembly for approval.
The government decided to reduce the budget estimate from N10.594 trillion to N10.276 trillion as a result of falling oil prices and the ravaging coronavirus that has curtailed economic activities globally.
It will be recalled that the federal government had earlier reduced the oil bench mark from $57 per barrel to $30 per barrel, as the oil production volume was dropped from 2.17 million barrel to 1.70 million barrel.
The exchange rate was increased from N305 to N360 per dollar. It was learnt that capital projects across ministries, departments and agencies have been reduced by 20 per cent and pegged at N312.82 billion.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the National Assembly, Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari, had a close door meeting .
Shortly after the meeting, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan took to his Twitter handle stating what happened at the closed door meeting.
He said that the National Assembly leadership was presented with all the facts regarding the current situation on Nigeria’s crude oil and the amendment being contemplated as regards the MTEF and 2020 budget.
Lawan said: “At the heart of all these facts are the various intervention initiatives of the Federal Government to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on Nigeria.”
Medical experts and researchers at the Australia’s Monash University, have discovered an anti-parasitic head lice drug, known as Ivermectin, to kill coronavirus in the laboratory within 48 hours.
It is known however, that the drug has not been approved for treatment of coronavirus by any known authorities, especially the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Ivermectin is an FDA-approved anti-parasitic drug also shown to be effective in vitro against viruses including HIV, dengue and influenza. The study is the joint work of Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity.
According to the researchers, Ivermectin is used to treat parasitic infestations, from head lice and scabies to river blindness and some worm infestation.
But a single dose of the drug stopped the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, from growing in cell culture, the Daily Mail reported
“We found that even a single dose could essentially remove all viral RNA (effectively removed all genetic material of the virus) by 48 hours and that even at 24 hours there was a really significant reduction in it,” Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute’s Dr Kylie Wagstaff said on Friday.
While it’s not known how Ivermectin works on the virus, the drug likely stops the virus dampening the host cells’ ability to clear it.
The next step is for scientists to determine the correct human dosage, to make sure the level used in vitro is safe for humans.
“In times when we’re having a global pandemic and there isn’t an approved treatment, if we had a compound that was already available around the world then that might help people sooner,” Dr Wagstaff said.
“Realistically it’s going to be a while before a vaccine is broadly available.”
Scientists expect it could be at least a month before human trials. Before Ivermectin can be used to combat coronavirus, funding is needed to get it to pre-clinical testing and clinical trials.
The study findings have been published in Antiviral Research.
The Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, has painted a picture of how Nigeria has been subsiding fuel for the whole West Africa.
According to him, “there are many things wrong with the under-recovery because it makes us to supply more than is needed. This makes the under-recovery to be bloated because we unwittingly subsidize fuel for the whole of West Africa. That has to stop.”
Mele Kyari, who was answering questions on Arise TV breakfast programme: “The Morning Show,” described subsidy as elitist.
“Subsidy is elitist because it is the elites that benefit from it. They are the ones that have SUVs, four, five cars in their garages. The masses should be the ones to benefit.”
He stressed that the decision to finally end the fuel subsidy regime “is in the interest of ordinary Nigerians,” adding that it would free up funds for the various tiers of government to develop basic infrastructure in the education, health, transport, and other sectors for their benefit.
According to him, the removal of subsidy would automatically correct the distortions it created in the market such as products arbitrage and smuggling.
Mele Kyari said that subsidy removal would also provide the needed impetus for the NNPC to establish retail outlets in neighbouring countries.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, has said that no data or record was lost in the fire incident that occurred at the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
He said that the fire was caused by a spark from one of the air conditioners on the fourth floor of the building at about 10:00am and was successfully put out by firefighters.
Agba, who spoke to news men today, April 8, shortly after the incidence said: “We have gone round the rooms and offices where the fire affected, and I am glad to report that our data centre where all our records are kept are fully intact.
“There is no destruction, so we haven’t lost any record.”
He said that the only damage to the data centre was the exterior, which houses the cooling units.
Agba said that one of the immediate steps taken was to shut down the data centre since the cooling units were no longer working optimally, adding that a full-scale investigation would be instituted to ascertain the cause of the incident.
The United Nations (UN) has warned that if more proactive measures are not taken, rapid spread of coronavirus in Nigeria will create a lot of socio-economic damages to the country.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, who sounded the warning today, April 8, at the launch of Nigeria/UN COVID-19 Basket Fund in Abuja, said: “from preliminary macro and micro social economic analysis, the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to place immense pressure on Nigeria’s healthcare system and will result in a serious economic and fiscal pressure with a risk of a negative social impact, if proactive measures are not taken to prevent, prepare, respond and cushion the economic impact of the pandemic.
“The International Monetary Fund has reassessed the global prospect for growth for 2020 and 2021, declaring that we have entered a recession – as bad as or worse than in 2009.”
He expressed concerns about the effect and true magnitude of the spread of coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, adding that it s yet unclear.
He acknowledged that this is “a trying moment for all of us as our shared humanity is under threat of COVID-19 pandemic.
‘’Societies around the globe are in turmoil and economies are in a nose-dive. It is still unclear what the true magnitude of the spread and impact of the virus will look like in Nigeria. The available emerging evidence is, however, clear. The only effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic is testing, isolation, and contact-tracing.
Amidst opposition from medical directors in Nigeria, 15 Chinese doctors have arrive in the country through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
They were received today, April 8, by the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire.
The personnel, who are experts in infectious diseases, respiratory illness, intensive care, cardiology, neurology, general surgery and anesthesiology, arrived with 16-ton test kits, ventilators, disinfection machine, disposable medical masks, drugs, infrared thermometer and other items ordered by the Federal Government. Under the directive of the Embassy of China in Nigeria and in response to the Federal Government’s request, the team will also share with their Nigerian counterparts effective methods on COVID-19 containment.
They are to commence their stay in Nigeria by spending 14 days in quarantine.
The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has intervened in the age-long land dispute between the indigenous Gbagy people and their hosts at Tungamaji area of the capital city.
The minister, who arrived at the village yesterday, April 7, first paid a visit on the traditional ruler of the area for consultation.
Dr. Ramatu Tijjani then went round the affected land on Mediation/Peace mission.
The minister vowed to resolve the land dispute that has existed within the area for so many years.
A statement today, April 8, from the office of the minister of state said that the land dispute has been in existence for many years with no attempt to settle or resolve it.
It would be recalled that the indigenous Gbagyi people staged a protest at National Assembly a couple of years ago but since then, nothing has been done to address the matter.
The statement said that the people of the area were so happy with Dr. Ramatu that their traditional head conferred a traditional title of Mummy FCT on her.
They pray that God will uplift the minister to a higher responsibility.
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The leadership of the National Assembly has expressed anger with a section of the Nigerian media for misrepresenting its meeting with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, over the Federal government proposed palliative measures to mitigate the effects of lockdown for the purpose of controlling the spread of coronavirus.
There are indications that Nigerian prisons, known as correctional centres, will soon be thrown open for certain category of inmates to regain freedom under the presidential pardon, as part of the measures to control the spread coronavirus in the country.
Medical experts and researchers at the Australia’s Monash University, have discovered an anti-parasitic head lice drug, known as Ivermectin, to kill coronavirus in the laboratory within 48 hours.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, has said that no data or record was lost in the fire incident that occurred at the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
