Category: Covid-19 - Page 15 - African News Today

Buhari Sends Get Well Soon Message to Trump, Wife

2Oct

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, Nigeria, United States of America

Buhari Sends Get Well Soon Message to Trump, Wife

President Muhammadu Buhari, has sent a get-well-soon message to President of the United States of America (USA) Donald Trump, and his wife, Melania, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier today. The message which was contained in a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, also charged Nigerians to comply more with the issued protocols against spread of COVID-19. The statement reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari joins all citizens of United States of America in prayers for quick and full recovery of President Donald Trump and his wife, Melanie, who reportedly tested positive to COVID-19. The President notes, with sympathy, that the incident of COVID-19 in the White House manifests the challenge pos...

Update: FG Orders Reopening of Unity, Private Schools

2Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Education, News, Nigeria, Safety

Update: FG Orders Reopening of Unity, Private Schools

The Federal Government has approved the reopening of all Unity Schools in Nigeria with effect from October 12. Government shutdown schools indefinitely in March as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, disclosed this during a news briefing in Abuja on Friday. Adamu also stated that private and state schools are allowed to fix resumption dates. He added that schools who fail to comply to stipulated COVID-19 safety guidelines, risk being shutdown if there is an outbreak from such schools. “We have come to the conclusion that we have to review our decisions. After consultation with PTF, we have resolved that our Unity Schools be opened on October 12, 2020,” he said.

Senate Resumes Sitting as NASS Installs COVID-19 Sanitizing Devices

29Sep

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, Legislature, News, Nigeria

Senate Resumes Sitting as NASS Installs COVID-19 Sanitizing Devices

The National Assembly has completed the installation of automated COVID-19 sanitizing devices on all entrance points to curb the spread of the virus. The chamber now has a chest containing hand sanitizer. This is different from the automated sanitizer which sprays substances on any individual that walks through it in other to kill viruses or germs that may be attached to the person. The Senate officially resumed from its eight-week vacation on Tuesday and immediately proceeded to an executive session. Items on the order paper of the Senate upon resumption include presentation and consideration of the report of the Committee on Finance on the 2021 – 2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP). The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan will als...

FG Commissions Infectious Disease Centre in UATH

27Sep

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria

FG Commissions Infectious Disease Centre in UATH

The Federal Government on Friday commissioned and subsequently handed over the Infectious Disease Care Centre built and equipped by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), to the management of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada. The Centre has now been mandated to increase the nation's capacity to manage cases of infectious diseases and al respond to outbreaks. Other facilities commissioned in the hospital by the Federal Government include – the Accident and Emergency Unit, which is a 32-bed Unit with an intensive care unit (ICU), radiology suite, dialysis unit, fully equipped dedicated operating theatre and oxygen supply; and the Cardiology Unit with a full complement of facilities for non-invasive procedures including a state-of-the-art 4D...

Fed Govt Confirm Delivery of Sample Collection Booths from Korea

25Sep

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria

Fed Govt Confirm Delivery of Sample Collection Booths from Korea

The Federal Government has taken delivery of three “Smart Walk-through Booths” for COVID-19 sample collection donated by the Republic of Korea on Thursday to assist in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. The handover ceremony of the booths was performed at the National Reference Laboratory Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in Abuja. According to a statement released by the Director of Press of the Federal Ministry of Health Olujimi Oyetomi, the Minister of State for Health Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora expressed appreciations to the Government of Korea for the donation of the 3 Smart Walk-through Booths for COVID-19 sample collection to the Nigerian Government.

23Sep

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Cost of Living, Covid-19, Economy, Finance, Nigeria

CBN Disburses N3.5tr COVID-19 Intervention Cash

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it has disbursed N3.5 trillion to various sectors of the economy to assist in cushioning the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Apex bank says it will also contribute N1.8 trillion into the N2.30 trillion Federal Government’s one-year Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) through its Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs). CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele who stated this on Tuesday after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja also gave a breakdown of how the funds were disbursed. The breakdown is as follows: Real Sector (N216.87 billion); COVID-19 Targeted Credit Facility (N73.69 billion); Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (N54.66 billion); Pharmaceutical and Health Care Support (N44.47 bi...

21Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Ghana, Safety, Sports

Ghana Approves Resumption of Football

The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo has approved the resumption of professional football as part of easing of measures imposed to curb spread of COVID-19. The move was necessitated by a decline in the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country. However, the president said its land and sea borders as well as beaches, bars, cinemas and night clubs remain closed for the time being. President Akufo warned, “Now more than ever, we must be even more disciplined in our adherence to the personal hygiene, mask wearing and social distancing measures that have become part of our daily routines.” He said the easing of restrictions implies that training in contact sports can resume, while Premier League and Division One football will resume on October 30, adding that players and...

Conduct Weekly COVID-19 Risk Assessment – FG Tells Schools

18Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Education, News, Nigeria, Safety

Conduct Weekly COVID-19 Risk Assessment – FG Tells Schools

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control has directed schools to conduct COVIDD-19 risk assessment weekly. The directive comes as part of measures to contain the spread of dreaded COVID-19 virus as more states are set to fully reopen schools on Monday. The NCDC equally ordered local governments and states to conduct monthly and quarterly COVID-19 risk assessment in schools. The assessment will give an insight of schools’ level of compliance with safety measures such as physical distancing, hand-washing and the use of face masks, without which safety of students can be jeopardized. In line with Presidential Task Force (PTF) approval for phased reopening of schools, states such as Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Delta and Kogi States. States, where schools are resuming on Monday, includ...

Economy Will be Revatalised Soon, Buhari Promises Nigerians

16Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Economy, Finance, News, Nigeria

Economy Will be Revatalised Soon, Buhari Promises Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed optimism that the Nigerian economy would bounce back strongly, given the well-planned policy responses to the economic challenges which are fall out of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said his administration had implemented appropriate policies geared towards steadily addressing the challenges created by the pandemic. President Buhari disclosed this while speaking at the 13th annual banking and finance conference in Abuja themed: “Facilitating Sustainable Future: The Role of Banking and Finance.” He said, “So far, government has implemented a wide range of fiscal, prudential and monetary measures that squarely address four key necessities to ensure sufficient liquidity to support government programmes for saving lives and livelihoods, maintain st...

CBN Urges Nigerian Banks to Increase Agric Sector Lending to 10%

16Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Agriculture, Covid-19, Economy, Finance, News, Nigeria

CBN Urges Nigerian Banks to Increase Agric Sector Lending to 10%

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele has asked banks in Nigeria to consider increasing the percentage of loans available to the agriculture sector to 10 percent by 2024. Emefiele advocated for a spike in the current four per cent. This comes on the heels of optimism by Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed that the Nigeria economy will bounce back strongly within the near term with the right policy responses to the multidimensional crises occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CBN governor while delivering an address at the opening ceremony of the 13th Annual Banking and Finance Conference said the sum of N69 billion had so far been disbursed to over N140,000 beneficiaries from the N100 billion CBN COVID-19 support...