File photo: Coronavirus patient in critical conditionThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced a total of 2,039 cases of coronavirus, with 25 deaths and 351 of them discharged after undergoing treatment.
The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has explained how the palliatives to cushion the effect of lockdown slammed on the residents of the capital city to control the spread of coronavirus are being distributed.
At a meeting with political and community leaders today, April 2, Dr. Ramatu said that adequate arrangements have been put in place to ensure that only those who are entitled to the palliatives actually receive them.
She said that the authority is working with the grassroots leaders made up of councilors, ward leaders, civil society, youth groups as well religious organisations in this regard.
She said that several volunteers in the FCT have been donating their time and resources in the fight against the Coronavirus.
According to the minister, so far about seventy vehicles have been received and ready to be deployed along with vehicles from the FCTA and Area Councils to transport food stuff from five stores where they were currently being warehoused.
She said that while fumigation of public areas have intensified, there is the need for residents to play their part by remaining indoors and stop the spread of the virus,
FCT MInister, Muhammad Musa BelloThe minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has appealed to political leaders in the capital city to do all they can not to allow coronavirus to spread to grassroot communities.
At a meeting today, April 2, with the political leaders, the minister reminded them that should the virus reach the grassroots level and attain community wide spread, it will become extremely difficult to fight.
He therefore appealed to them to resuscitate their political structures and influence to sensitize the populace in the fight against the virus.
“I am appealing to you to reactivate all your political structures in the 62 wards of the FCT. Use all your men and women that you used during your campaigns; use them now to help us all fight this pandemic because it is crucial and that is why we call upon you to support us”.
Muhammad Musa Bello said that coronavirus can be defeated using a two pronged approach of heeding to medical directives and the distribution of palliatives to help the most vulnerable in society.
He called on the political leaders to sensitize their people on the need for personal discipline and hygiene consisting of constant hand washing, maintaining social distancing and abiding by all other medical measures.
Speaking on the flouting of the stay at home directives, by some residents, Malam Bello directed the security agencies not to hesitate to arrest anybody found to be disobeying.
Present at the meeting were the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, Senator Phillip Aduda, Senator representing the FCT, Hon. Micah Jiba representing AMAC Bwari Federal Constituency, Hon. Hassan Sokodabo, representing, Kuje, Kwali Gwagwalada and Abaji Federal Constituency, the FCT Chairmen of APC and PDP, the FCT Commissioner of police, other security chiefs as well as senior members of the FCTA bureaucracy led by the Permanent Secretary, Sir Chinyeaka Oha
Mrs Aisha Buhari reunites with her daughter today | Credit: First lady ‘s Facebook pageDaughter of President Muhammadu Buhari who went into isolation on March 19 after returning from the United Kingdom, completed her 14 days in isolation today, April 2 and reunited with her family.
A statement by Aliyu Abdullahi, media assistant to the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, said that the young lady came out normal and healthy and was received by her mother.
“I’m happy to inform you that the young lady in question, Mr. President’s daughter, has successfully completed her isolation period of 14 days and she’s normal, very healthy and well.
“She has since this afternoon rejoined her family, the mother, her Excellency First Lady, Dr. Aisha Buhari personally received her.
“The lesson here for Nigerians and other parents to learn is that this is a child with all the privileges one can ever think to have in the country but the parents and the daughter insisted in following the NCDC protocol.”
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed has raised alarm that lockdown of some states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as a way of controlling the spread of coronavirus is slowing down economy.
“The consequences of the lockdown are 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.’’
The minister, who spoke to news men today, April 2, shortly after a meeting of the Presidential Committee on the impact of the coronavirus on Nigeria’s economy with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, said that the committee briefed the president on the effect of coronavirus on the economy.
“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 expansion of the health crisis.”
She said that the President directed her ministry to ensure that salaries of workers are paid, adding that the president also directed the committee to put in place measures meant to protect the poor and less privileged members of the society from unnecessary hardships as a result of the virus.
The asked the ministry to also 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.
“Well, he 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 take measures that protect the poor and the vulnerable.”
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed A Adamu has cautioned officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force currently deployed for the enforcement of the lockdown and social restriction orders to ensure the rights of Nigerians are not infringed upon under any pretext.
He said that persons on essential duties, duly exempted from the restriction orders should be accorded due courtesies and unfettered access to and fro their places of duty.
A statement today, April 2, by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba quoted the IGPas saying that the global community is now in extra-ordinary times, with the lockdown taking its tolls on every component of the national life.
“Therefore, all police officers deployed for the enforcement of these restriction orders must be professional, humane and tactful and must show utmost respect to the citizenry. To this end, the IGP has directed Command Commissioners of Police to immediately commence conduct monitoring of Police Officers deployed on enforcement duties in their areas of responsibilities.
“The IGP has equally charged Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) across the nation to ensure adequate supervision of personnel under their watch, as well as due compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure guiding this special task. The AIGs and CPs are also to ensure robust anti-crime patrols and surveillance around vulnerable targets such as medical facilities, shops and markets, residential areas, financial institutions and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) points, amongst others so that criminals do not take undue advantage of the current COVID-19 challenge to perpetrate crimes against the citizenry.”
Meanwhile, the IGP has expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their resilience and voluntary compliance with the social restriction orders and cooperation with the Police at all times.
He urged citizens to continue to observe all precautionary measures issued by relevant health authorities in order for the nation to defeat this pandemic.
Abba Kyari
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has made it clear that Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari is entitled to his privacy like any other Nigerian. Abba Kyari was last week, tested positive to coronavirus and has since gone into isolation in a location that is still shrouded in privacy.
The minister, who answered reporters’ questions at the Presidential task force briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, stressed that Abba Kyari’s location is not important.
“I want to repeat that every person, including each of you here, has a right to privacy. Each of you has the right to tell anyone whether you have been screened or whether you have tested negative or positive and that right is also granted to those who are in public office or VIPs.
“Some VIPs have chosen to disclose by themselves; some have authorised that their own result can be announced and I announced mine, the SGF gave me the permission to announce his, the Vice-President also gave us permission.
“For those who didn’t give us the permission, we don’t announce their results and we don’t tell you who is positive or negative and we don’t go into the fact of whether they are in treatment or not because it is not part of what the public needs to know.
“But let me tell you that all those who are screened and found positive, whether VIP or common man, are all in good care and in custody and are being properly taken care of.”
Source: The Punch.
Isaac Okorafor
A group known as Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), under the auspices of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has made a total of N15 Billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Present of Dangote group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and other donours.
Federal Government of Nigeria is still putting its acts together on the best way to implement palliative measures to alleviate the challenges posed by the Coronavirus and lockdown of Lagos, Ogun States as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
