Tag: Covid-19 - Page 14 - African News Today

Rivers Approves October 5 for School Resumption

26Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Education, News, Nigeria

Rivers Approves October 5 for School Resumption

The Rivers State Government has approved Monday, October 5 as resumption date for universities, other tertiary institutions, secondary and vocational schools in the state. This was disclosed during a press briefing by Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kaniye Ebeku after an emergency State Executive Council meeting yesterday, presided by Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt. Ebeku said the phased reopening does not permit primary schools to reopen. He said, “The council approved that schools in the State reopen on the 5th of October, 2020, with only the following – all secondary schools in the state, vocational schools in the state, universities and other tertiary institutions. “For the avoidance of doubt, the council based on expert medical advice did not approve the reopening...

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...

FG Walks the Talk, Bars Emirates Airlines from Operating in Nigeria

19Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Aviation, News, Nigeria, Transportation

FG Walks the Talk, Bars Emirates Airlines from Operating in Nigeria

The Federal Government has banned Emirates Airlines from operating in Nigeria in adherence to its principle of reciprocity in granting permission to airlines to resume flight operations. The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika disclosed the ban will commence on Monday, September 21, 2020. Sirika in a tweet on his official Twitter handle tweeted, “The PTF sub-committee met today with EU Ambassadors to discuss Lufthansa, Air France/KLM ban. The meeting progressed well. Emirates Airlines’ situation was reviewed and they are consequently included in the list of those not approved, with effect from Monday, September 21, 2020.” The ban is in line with the federal government’s commitment to reciprocating flight restrictions. Recall that the Federal Government had prior to resumption of...

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...

16Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Economy, Employment, Finance, News, Nigeria

NESG Vs CBN Faceoff: Prospects for SMEs

Most Nigerians were startled and bemused by the recent revelations by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), against Nigeria’s apex Bank, Central Bank of Nigeria. The NESG is a non-profit private sector organisation setup in 1966 with a mandate “to promote and champion the reform of the Nigerian economy into an open, private sector-led globally competitive economy”. It issued a 15-point statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Mr Asue Igbodalo and the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Laoye Jaiyeola where it made some damning accusations on the integrity of the CBN to stimulate the ailing Nigerian economy to thrive under the COVID-19 pandemic. It concerns bothered on issues such as transparency and efficiency of agricultural intervention under the anchor borrowers programme; foreign e...

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...

Schools in Lagos State to Begin Phased Opening for the 2020/2021 Session from 21/09/2020

13Sep

By adminNo Comments

Covid-19, Education, Lagos News, Nigeria, Press Statement

Schools in Lagos State to Begin Phased Opening for the 2020/2021 Session from 21/09/2020

The Honourable Commissioner for Education, Lagos State Mrs Folasade Adefisayo has announced the plans for *both Public and Private Schools* resumption in the State after the lockdown of schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also wish to congratulate SS 3 students who have successfully completed their WASSCE exams and urge them to stay safe even as they await their results. The plans for reopening for *a new 2020/2021 academic session* are as follows: *PUBLIC SCHOOLS* The Ministry is adopting a phased approach to opening *public schools* . This phased approach to opening will enable *public schools* meet COVID-19 social distance rules and safety protocols and will help us watch the behaviour of the pandemic as we gradually open up our schools. The present JS 3 and SS 2 ...