STATES are not doing enough COVID-19 tests despite the increased capacity, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 Control said on Monday. As at the last count, there are 71 molecular laboratories in the country excluding the accredited private hospitals where COVID-19 tests can be conducted. Apart from not collecting many samples and conducting enough tests, many states are no longer filing reports on the tests to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The PTF said yesteron Monday that only 13 states reported their figures in the last 24 hours (on Sunday). It warned that although the number of…
Author: YemieFash
Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, speaks with reporters on the 2020 Goalkeeper’s Report. Excerpts: Fourth annual Goalkeeper’s report We’re hosting this call to answer any questions about our fourth annual Goalkeeper’s report. Obviously, this is the report card tracking the progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Now, the first three years, we were able to report the steady and gradual progress towards those goals, and so hence the very positive story about the reduction in childhood deaths, the reduction in malnutrition, the improvements in literally, all things that the Development agenda, in…
The US says it has imposed visa restriction on some individuals for their actions during the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections. In a statement on Monday, Mike Pompeo, secretary of state, said actions have also been taken against some persons in the run-up to the September and October 2020 governorship elections in Edo and Ondo. “In July 2019, we announced the imposition of visa restrictions on Nigerians who undermined the February and March 2019 elections. Today, the Secretary of State is imposing additional visa restrictions on individuals for their actions surrounding the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa State elections and…
John Oyegun, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has refused to endorse Osagie Ize-Iyamu, his party’s candidate in the Edo governorship election. In a statement he issued on Monday, Oyegun rejected what he described as “primitive politics”, calling on the people of Edo to vote their conscience. He criticised the “forced exit” of Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, from the APC, saying the governor suffered “unacceptable indignity” while standing for the people. “My views and statements on the Edo state political situation have been consistent. I strongly advised against the mistreatment of Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki by…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday said it would provide braille ballots to guide visually challenged persons for Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State. Mahmoud Yakubu, chairman of INEC, said this in Benin City during an expanded stakeholders’ meeting organised by the commission. The meeting had in attendance the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, chairpersons of the 14 participating political parties in the election and their candidates, civil society organisations, among others. Mr Yakubu said the commission would be deploying magnifying glasses and braille ballot guides to assist persons who need it so as to vote unaided. “As in previous…
The Ondo Police Command has said that the fire outbreak at the Akure office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was caused by faulty electrical connections. It said talks of saboteurs causing the fire were untrue. Over 5000 card readers to be used for the October 10 governorship election were razed in the inferno. The card readers were kept in two containers inside the premises of INEC. Some political parties had called for a thorough investigation into the incident for the purposes of arresting the perpetrators. Ondo Police Commissioner, Salami Bolaji, who spoke at a press briefing in Akure…
Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai has stressed that the Nigerian Army will continue to carry out its duties of tackling insurgency, banditry, criminalities and safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country without partiality. Buratai gave this assurance when he led other top officials of the Nigerian Army on a courtesy call to Oyo State governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, at government house, Ibadan, on Monday. Speaking, Buratai emphasised that the Army has continued to strengthen its theatres of operation to sustain its several anti-banditry and anti-insurgency operations across the country. “For some days, I have been on a…
The Oyo State government, on Monday, announced September 21 as the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic session for primary and secondary schools in the state. It will be recalled that the new calendar was approved on July 21 at a meeting of the State Executive Council, to guide resumption of schools and other associated educational activities in the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected educational activities around the world. A statement by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, indicated that the first term of the new academic calendar will run between September 21 and December…
Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Monday, commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai for leading a professionalised Army, declaring that his administration would continue to maintain a cordial relationship with the Nigerian military. Governor Makinde, who stated this at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, while receiving the Chief of Army Staff during a courtesy visit, said that the impartiality of the Nigerian Army in the nation’s political process is equally commendable. According to him, the government of Oyo State would continue to cooperate with the Army in order to ensure the security of lives and…
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has said when Dangote Refinery kicks off next year, it may not significantly reduce the price of petrol because the refinery will be selling at the international price. Ahmed said this is because the refinery is located at the Export Processing Zone in Lagos State. The minister said this on NTA’s ‘Good Morning Nigeria’ programme on Monday, which was monitored by our correspondent. She said the only thing Nigeria would not need to pay is shipping cost. Zainab said, “What we are doing is enabling the petroleum sector to actually grow. There…