Category: Covid-19 - Page 18 - African News Today

Air Peace Reconsiders, Recalls Sacked Pilots as FG intervenes

12Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Aviation, Covid-19, Economy, Employment, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Transportation

Air Peace Reconsiders, Recalls Sacked Pilots as FG intervenes

The management of Air Peace Airlines has reconsidered its earlier decision to sack about 70 pilots following the intervention of the Federal. The recall of some of the sacked pilots was agreed upon after a meeting convened by Sentaor Hadi SIrika, minister of aviation, between the airline’s management and the leadership of the National Association of Airline Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE). James Odaudu, spokesperson of the ministry in a statement said, “In the verbal agreement reached after a dialogue that was held in a very friendly environment, chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema acceded to the minister’s appeal for the recall of the maximum number of pilots that the airline can accommodate without going under. “Onyema expressed his sadness and disappointment over what he cal...

I Ask for Some Patience With the Acquisition of Military Equipment – Buhari

11Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Transportation

I Ask for Some Patience With the Acquisition of Military Equipment – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Nigerians to be patient with his administration as he strives to equip the military against security threat. Buhari made the call in a tweet on his official twitter handle in the late hours of Monday 10 August, 2020. This call comes after Buhari had a meeting with Governors from the six North-East states, all service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police. The Governors, who on Saturday, elected Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, as Chairman of the region’s Governors Forum pledged to partner with the government to fight Boko Haram and requested for more hardware for the military to tackle insurgency in the region. Buhari said, “We are working very hard to ensure the security situation in every part of Nigeria improves very soon. As pa...

FG Lifts Restriction on Sports, See List

8Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Safety, Sports

FG Lifts Restriction on Sports, See List

The Federal government of Nigeria has granted permission for the resumption of non-contact sports in Nigeria. This was made known by Dr. Sani Aliyu, National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, during its daily press briefing in Abuja. Aliyu said low risk sporting activities could resume as government continues to ease the coronavirus induced lockdown measures. These sports include athletics, lawn tennis, table tennis, golf, cricket, cycling, among others. However, contact sports like football, boxing, wrestling, Taekwondo, rugby, swimming and basketball remain banned until further notice. He said, “For recreational parks/communal sports, restrictions are removed on outdoor communal non-contact sports and the use of recreational parks for supervised physi...

FCT Mobile Court Fines Naira Marley Over Jabi Lake Mall Concert

7Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Judiciary, Music, News, Nigeria

FCT Mobile Court Fines Naira Marley Over Jabi Lake Mall Concert

Nigerian musician Azeez Fashola, who goes by stage name Naira Marley has been fined N200,000 by an Abuja mobile court over his June 13 concert at Jabi Lake Mall in violation of COVID-19 lockdown measures. The fine was pronounced under heavy security at the Eagles square, Abuja. He pleaded guilty to four count charges of breach interstate movement put in place by the Presidential Task Force (PTF), no- wearing of face mask, social gathering and violation of curfew imposed by the FCT Administration. The fine comes after the singer and his manager, Seyi Awonuga had earlier been fined N100,000 each by the State Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile) Court. Recall that African News Today had called for the trial of the singer for the sake of rule of law.

Eased Lockdown: PTF Ratifies Gradual Reopening of International Air Flights in Weeks

7Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Aviation, Covid-19, Economy, News, Nigeria, Safety, Transportation

Eased Lockdown: PTF Ratifies Gradual Reopening of International Air Flights in Weeks

The Boss Mustapha led Presidential Task Force (PTF), on COVID-19 has signed off on gradual reopening of international air flights and train services across Nigeria in weeks, and not months. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that this formed part of the concessions agreed upon at the end of the second extension of the second phase of eased lockdown. This was announced by Boss Mustapha, Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), while addressing the press at the daily briefing of the PTF on Thursday in Abuja. He said, “It’s important to ensure that restrictions are not completely relaxed in order to control transmission. “It is also important that at this Community Transmission Phase of the pandemic sub-national governments step up to tak...

FG Extends Phase Two Lockdown by Four Weeks, Retains 10pm Curfew

7Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Aviation, Covid-19, Economy, Education, Finance, News, Nigeria, Transportation, Youths

FG Extends Phase Two Lockdown by Four Weeks, Retains 10pm Curfew

President Muhammadu Buhari has ratified the extension of the phase two lockdown measures in response to COVID-19 by another four weeks. This implies that all guidelines introduced to curb the spread of the virus under the second phase of the relaxed lockdown which took effect on June 1 will remain effective with slight modifications to address the economic, socio-political and health concerns as contained in the latest report by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19. This was disclosed by the Chairman of the PTF who is equally the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, boss Mustapha, at the press briefing of the task force in Abuja on Thursday. Mustapha said state governments and authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would be mandated to enforce non-ph...

Botswana Bans Sale of Alcohol, Halts Liquor Licences as Part of Measures to Curb COVID-19 Spread

6Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Economy, Finance, News, Safety, Science

Botswana Bans Sale of Alcohol, Halts Liquor Licences as Part of Measures to Curb COVID-19 Spread

Botswana has banned the sale and consumption of alcohol in public places and withdrawn liquor licenses in the country as part of effort to curb the spread of the fatal COVID-19. This was disclosed by President Mokgweetsi Masisi through a gazette notice released on Wednesday by the government. “NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that His Excellency the President, acting in accordance with regulation 30G of the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020, has with immediate effect suspended all liquor licences issued in terms of the Liquor Act,” the notice read in part. The statement also clarified that “liquor” also included traditional beers, which are brewed by a majority of rural households in Botswana. “The suspension of the sale of alcohol is based on evidence that consumption of alc...

Africa, World Risk ‘Generational Catastrophe’ on Education, UN cautions

4Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Africa, African Development, Covid-19, Economy, Education, Employment, Finance, Interview, Life, News, Press Statement, Safety, Science, United Nations, Youths

Africa, World Risk ‘Generational Catastrophe’ on Education, UN cautions

The United Nations (UN) cautions that Africa and the rest of the world could witness a “generational catastrophe” due to the closure of schools around the world amid the COVID-19 scare. This was disclosed by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a communique. Reports suggest as at mid-July, at least 160 countries had closed their schools keeping more than 1 billion students at home while at least 40 million children have missed out on pre-school. Guterres said ensuring the safe return of students to classroom must be a “top priority”. “Now we face a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities,” said Guterres as he launched a U.N. “Save our Future” campaign. He further stated that, “...

Lagos State Government Shuts Down Eti-Osa COVID-19 Isolation Centre as COVID-19 cases reduce

2Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

African Development, Covid-19, Economy, Finance, Interview, Lagos News, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Science

Lagos State Government Shuts Down Eti-Osa COVID-19 Isolation Centre as COVID-19 cases reduce

The Lagos State Government has closed the Eti-Osa coronavirus patients’ isolation centre. This was announced by Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the 17th update on the management of the coronavirus in the state. The governor while reporting progress in curbing the diseas said the Agidingbi Isolation Centre would also be shut down and patients relocated to a large capacity centre – Indo-Centre in Anthony area, which would soon commence operation. He said, “Over the last four, five months, we have built an excess capacity centre, but that is only the way to go, you cannot over-prepare. “We have got to a stage where we need to balance the economics of this and which of these facilities do we need to keep running. “Some of them now are having less than 20 per cent...

Enugu State’s Civil Servants to Resume Work August 3 -Governor Ugwuanyi

30Jul

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

African Development, Covid-19, Economy, Education, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Safety

Enugu State’s Civil Servants to Resume Work August 3 -Governor Ugwuanyi

The Governor Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has asked all civil servants in the state to resume work on Monday, August 3, 2020. The directive was contained in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya. In the statement, the state government advised returning civil servants to observe all Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols for containment of the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), “including hand washing with soap, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer, compulsory use of face shield/mask and maintaining social distancing”. It would be recalled that following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the Enugu State Government, directed all civil servants in the state to work from their homes since March 23, 2020, as part of meas...