Nigeria's Health Minister, Dr. Osagie Ehanire during a Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 media briefing in Abuja.
Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has urged state governments not to relent in their efforts at combatting coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Minister gave this charge Monday during the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 media briefing in Abuja.
“We urge all state organs not to relent in strengthening surveillance and scaling up sample collection in all the wards of the hotspot Local Government Areas (LGAs).
“The logistics for sample retrieval & testing must be assured as Nigerian Governors Forum makes provision for at least 1 lab in every state”, Ehanire said.
Commenting on plans by the Federal Government to reopen Lagos & Abuja for commercial & international flights, he emphasised the need to guard against new cases coming into the country.
“It is our collective interest to guard against new cases entering the country. We must review our protocols to ensure early detection, isolation & treatment of positive cases.”
The Minister disclosed that the case fatality rate of COVID-19 in Nigeria has slightly dropped to 1.88% .
“The gradual fall is possibly an indication of improvement in response & treatment strategies to contain COVID19.
“Part of the strategy is to focus on setting up community support centres particularly in remote areas of the country where those who test positive may be kept if they live in high density areas.
“Collaboration with states & FCT health sector structure is crucial”, he emphasised.
Ehanire also noted that to further strengthen government’s capacity, he will commission a study group of the Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee to begin processes that will examine all developments & bring new knowledge that can guide response & government decision making.
Two persons have been confirmed dead, four rescued and one person missing after Lagos State recorded another boat accident on Monday.
This time, the accident involved a passenger boat which capsized in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Investigation revealed that the passengers and the operator had Monday left Makoko for Offin in Ikorodu where they were expected to attend a burial ceremony of their relative.
The passengers, who were all related, left Makoko in Lagos Mainland for Ikorodu with a fishing boat.
The boat, however, by 7pm could not withstand the water current usually recorded around the scene of the mishap.
Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) said the boat overturned in Offin, Ibeshe axis of Ikorodu, adding that five adults including the boat captain and two toddlers were among the passengers on board.
LASWA General Manager, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, while confirming the incident, said the fishing boat was clearly operating outside its fishing capability.
He noted that further investigation revealed that the boat was not equipped with necessary safety gadgets including lifejackets, for a passenger ferry operation.
Emmanuel said the first responder to the incident scene was a passenger ferry that witness the incident before the arrival of LASWA rescue team and narrated what transpired before the boat overturned.
According to him, “Upon further investigations, it was revealed that all seven passengers on board were not wearing a lifejacket. Four passengers were rescued alive, two fatalities were recorded, while one passenger is missing.
“The men of LASEMA and Marine Police have been contacted to support the ongoing search operation for the remaining victim while further investigation is ongoing.”
Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) in Lagos has appointed the General Manager/Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard Newspapers, Gbenga Adefaye, as Acting Provost of the institution.
Chairman, NIJ Governing Council, Olusegun Osoba, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
Osoba, a former Ogun State governor, said Adefaye would serve as Provost of the institution with effect from September 1, pending the appointment of a new Provost.
He succeeds the former Provost, Gbemiga Ogunleye, who has served out his term meritoriously.
Adefaye was a former two-term president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).
NIJ is a diploma-awarding monotechnic established in 1963 by the International Press Institute.
President Buhari presides over the Inauguration of Executive/Legislative/Party Consultative Committee in State House on 31st Aug 2020
President Muhammadu Buhari Monday inaugurated a Tripartite Consultative Committee of the executive, legislature and leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the State House in Abuja.
The President said enhanced consultation within the ruling political party would strengthen its internal democracy, and improve chances of winning elections.
He added that amicable resolution of conflicts in the party through regular consultations would create more understanding.
“Let me welcome all of you to this first Consultative Committee of the APC, our members of the National Assembly and the Executive.
“Our party commands a clear majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Vice President, the distinguished Senate President, the Right Honourable Speaker and I all belong to APC and the working relationships between the executive and the legislative have been excellent so far. Our joint responsibility is to keep things that way and see where we can improve our communication and coordination.
“But we must admit to ourselves that our party has been too often embroiled in bitter and on occasions, totally unnecessary squabbles costing us seats in legislative and gubernatorial elections. These never should have happened. We are here to make sure such occurrences do not happen again. We must now ensure regular consultations between the party and the governments,” Buhari said.
The President urged members of the committee to further align objectives of the party and be alive to electoral promises, reminding party members of the need to always move the country forward.
“I am a firm believer in the doctrine of the separation of powers, which is fundamental to our constitutional democracy. But our practice should be harmonious checks and balances devoid of bitterness and petty rivalry,’’ he noted.
Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said he had great faith in the consultative committee to help improve governance and achievements of the party, assuring them of his support.
Members of the consultative committee are: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Chairman; Senate President, Ahmed Ibrahim Lawal; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase; Yobe State Governor/Chairman, APC Caretaker Committee, Mai Mala Buni; Senate Majority Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi; and House Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa.
Others include: Attorney General/Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari; and Secretary, APC Caretaker Committee, Akpan Udoedehe.
President Buhari presides over the Inauguration of Executive/Legislative/Party Consultative Committee in State House on 31st Aug 2020
Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have disagreed over the Supreme Court judgement, which affirmed the former’s victory at the November 17, 2019 gubernatorial election in the state.
After the apex court pronouncements on Monday, Bello tasked candidates of the other political parties who ran against him to join him in taking the state “to the next level.”
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mohammed Onogwu, described his victory at the apex court as “an affirmation of the landmark victory entrusted to him by the people of Kogi state at the November 16, 2019 polls.”
“The governor calls on the other parties and their candidates to forgo all forms of bitterness and division and join hands with him to take Kogi to the next level.
“[The] apex court’s decision upholding his victory is an affirmation of the identical positions on the matters taken by the erudite jurists at the tribunal and the court of appeal.
“The governor used the moment to pay tribute to His Royal Majesty, Dr. Micheal Idakwo, Ameh Oboni II, the late Attah of Igala who passed on last week. He described the late traditional ruler as ‘a unifier’ who was a great supporter of his administration, a father and a wise counsellor,” the statement said.
PDP has, however, expressed shock over the judgment of the Supreme Court on the 2019 Kogi State governorship election.
The party said though it accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court, as the apex court in the land, “the judgement fell short of the expectation of the majority of the people of Kogi State and Nigerians in general, who collectively looked up to the court to remedy the manifest injustices, manipulations, violence and killings that marred the election.”
PDP said: “Indeed, the judgement had not inspired hope in our national quest to ensure that our elections are violent-free as well as deter unpatriotic individuals who resort to violence and killing to gain access to power, as heavily witnessed in the Kogi election.
“However, as a law-abiding party, we call on the people of Kogi State and Nigerians at large, to remain calm, yet undeterred in their quest for the entrenchment of credible electoral process in our country.
“Our party deeply mourns all those who were gruesomely murdered as well as commiserates with all victims of the violence that was unleashed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 2019 Kogi State governorship election.”
The party also commended the resilience of the people of Kogi State in pursuing the recovery of their mandate to the very end, describing their commitment as “a demonstration of the undying determination of the people to defend their choice of leadership to the end.”
“Our party will continue to stand with the people of Kogi State as they weather the insensitive and anti-people government in Kogi State.
“We charge the people not to allow the judgment make them lose hope in our nation but rather remain united in their commitment, as good citizens, toward entrenching democratic values in our country despite the odds,” PDP advised, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
The Supreme Court had Monday dismissed the appeals filed by Musa Wada of PDP and Natasha Akpoti of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
President Buhari receives in audience General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God Pastor E.A. Adeboye in State House on 31st Aug 2020
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday received the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Pastor Enoch Adeboye at the State House, Abuja.
Adeboye’s visit came when some pastors are protesting against a section of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 recently signed by the president
The CAMA Act bill, which was signed into law by President Buhari on August 7 had generated widespread criticisms from religious bodies in the country.
A section of the law provides for religious bodies and charity organisations to be regulated by the registrar of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and a supervising minister.
US Presidential Adviser Jared Kushner (C), US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien (R) and Head of Israel's National Security Council Meir Ben-Shabbat (L) board the El Al's flight LY971, which will carry an Israeli-American delegation from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi, at the Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on August 31, 2020. (NIR ELIAS / POOL / AFP)
In a sign of easing tension in the Middle East, history was made on Monday with the first direct flight from Israel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Independent has reported.
El Al flight 971 took off from Tel Aviv at 11.14am local time, and initially routed over Jordanian territory.
Forty minutes later, the Boeing 737 crossed into Saudi Arabian airspace, from which the Israeli national airline had previously been banned.
El Al has suspended normal passenger operations until October at the earliest, but dispatched the flight to mark an Israel-UAE agreement to normalise relations.
The passengers on board are members of a US-Israeli delegation, led by Jared Kushner – President Trump’s son-in-law and adviser – and Israel’s national security advisor, Meir Ben Shabbat.
The agreement has been claimed as a foreign policy success by Donald Trump. But Palestinian groups have described the deal as a “stab in the back.”
The word “peace” was painted on the aircraft in English, Hebrew and Arabic.
The flight number, 971, was chosen as it is the international dialling code for the UAE.
The return flight is numbered 972, which is the code for Israel.
Until now, the only Arab nations to establish relations with Israel have been Egypt and Jordan.
Travellers in the region have long faced problems if they have an Israeli stamp in their passport, or a stamp from Egypt or Jordan that indicates they have used a land border with Israel.
Some people have even been refused entry if they have old baggage tags indicating Israeli airports on their luggage.
While Israeli citizens could visit the UAE, previously they have had to take connecting flights.
Ahead of the flight, Israel’s health ministry removed the obligation for arrivals from the UAE to self-isolate for 14 days.
With effect from tomorrow (September 1), subscribers are expected to pay more to view channels on DStv and GOtv networks.
MultiChoice argued that it has adjusted its subscription rates in order to ensure the sustainability of its business, considering financial impacts, including inflation as well as increased content and operational costs.
The company said the price adjustment was arrived at after careful consideration of the market and a review of its business operations.
“We have made efforts to contain any price adjustments on subscription prices. However, to ensure the sustainability of the business, we have to consider financial impacts, including inflation as well as increased content and operational costs.
“As such, we have reviewed the prices of some of our bouquets so that we can continue to survive as a business and bring quality entertainment to our customers.
“To arrive at the decision to adjust prices, we took into account many factors, including the impact on the customer, current inflation, content costs and efficiencies within the company.
“To this end, only the prices of some of the bouquets have been reviewed upwards, while the lower bouquets have been left untouched,” said a statement by MultiChoice Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe.
He added that the packages would continue to be available at varying pricing points to allow subscribers flexibility in price and choice without compromising quality or variety.
Ghanaian Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
Ghanaian government has responded to the allegations contained in a statement by the Minister of Culture and Information, Lai Mohammed, accusing the West African country of treating Nigerians unfairly.
Ghana, in a line-by-line statement by the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, gave what the country described as “a more reflective account of events,” assuring of pursuing “substantive diplomatic engagements to resolve matters.”
Reacting to the allegation that more than 1,000 shops belonging to Nigerians were closed down in 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively, Ghana explained: “It is an incontestable fact that there is widespread abuse and disregard for local laws and regulations governing retail trade by some foreigners, including Nigerians, which need to be addressed without discrimination.
“It is important to note that the compliance exercise under reference is not restricted to either ECOWAS nationals or Nigerians for that matter, but extend to all individuals engaged in retail trade, including Ghanaians.”
Nkrumah also commented on the allegation of aggressive and incessant deportation of Nigerians from Ghana, which claimed that between January 2018 and February 2019, 825 Nigerians were deported from Ghana.
“This statement is not factual. In 2019, seven hundred (700) Nigerians, who were found to have been involved in criminal activities such as fraud, prostitution, armed robbery etc., were deported,” Ghana said.
Read the full text of statement below:
Ghana’s Response to Accusations of Harrassment Made By Nigeria
The Government of Ghana notes, with concern, a statement, dated Friday, August 28, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture and signed by the Federal Minister, Hon. Lai Mohammed, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, concerning current relations between Ghana and Nigeria.
Ghana remains committed to the maintenance of warm relations with all sister nations, particularly, for well-known historical reasons, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and will proceed to engage the Federal Government of Nigeria with a view to resolve comprehensively and exhaustively any matters that have the potential to sour relations between the two countries.
Ghana finds it imperative, however, from the onset, to state, for the public record, that the outline of issues by my Nigerian counterpart is not reflective of the developments in Ghana. Any protests, decisions or actions based on these reports will, thus, be unjustified.
We are obliged, therefore, as a first step, to provide our counterparts, as well as the Ghanaian and Nigerian publics, with a more reflective account of events, even as we pursue substantive diplomatic engagements to resolve matters.
(I) Accusation: The seizure of the Nigerian Mission’s property located at No. 10, Barnes Road, Accra which has been used as diplomatic premises by the Nigerian Government for almost 50 years; and which action, is a serious breach of the Vienna Convention.
Response: This statement is inaccurate. The transaction was a commercial arrangement between Thomas D. Hardy, a private citizen and the High Commission of Nigeria in Ghana on 23rd October 1959.
The terms of the Commercial Lease expired 46 years ago, without any evidence of renewal by the High Commission of Nigeria in Ghana. The Government of Ghana was not involved in the transaction and has not seized the property in question.
(II) Accusation: Also, even though the main reason given for the seizure of Federal Government property at No. 10 Barnes Road in Accra is the non-renewal of Lease after expiration, the Ghanaian authority did not give Nigeria the right of first refusal or the notice to renew the Lease. By contrast, the lease on some of the properties occupied by the Ghanaian Mission in Nigeria has long expired, yet such properties have not been seized.
Response: The Government of Ghana does not, did not and never owned the land, and has not been involved in the seizure of any property of the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana. The land in question is owned by the Osu Stool and managed by the Lands Commission.
In response to the claim that the lease on some of the properties owned by the Ghana Mission in Nigeria has long expired, it must be noted that the Government acquired a freehold land at Pope John Paul II Street in Abuja in 1989 through a commercial arrangement, and built the current structures on it. The staff of the Ghana High Commission in Abuja have been living there since the construction of the current structures.
(III) Accusation: Demolition of the Nigerian Mission’s property located at No. 19/21 Julius Nyerere Street, East Ridge, Accra, which constitutes another serious breach of the Vienna Convention.
Response: This statement is not factual. A search at the Lands Commission indicated that the Nigerian High Commission failed to complete the documentation process after paying for the land in the year 2000 A.D. The High Commission failed to acquire the Lease and Land Title Certificate, which constitute documentation for the said property, as well as a building permit for construction. In Ghana, land is owned not only by the Government, but also by Stools and Families.
The demolition of the property was not carried out by agents of the Ghanaian Government, but by agents of the Osu Stool. Nonetheless, the Government of Ghana, valuing the relations between our two countries, has decided to restore the property, at its own cost, to its original state for the Nigerian High Commission, and has duly communicated same to the Nigerian Authorities. The Government of Ghana has also agreed to facilitate the proper acquisition of title by the Nigerian High Commission, as announced by Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs at the time of the incident.
(IV) Accusation: Aggressive and incessant deportation of Nigerians from Ghana. Between January 2018 and February 2019, Eight Hundred and Twenty-Five (825) Nigerians were deported from Ghana.
Response: This statement is not factual. In 2019, seven hundred (700) Nigerians, who were found to have been involved in criminal activities such as fraud, prostitution, armed robbery etc., were deported.
(V) Accusation: Residency permit requirement, for which Ghana Immigration Service has placed huge fees far higher than the fees charged by the Nigerian Immigration Service. These include the compulsory non- citizen ID card (US$120, US$ 60 for yearly renewal); medical examinations, including for COVID-19 which is newly introduced (about US$ 120), and payment for residency permit (US$ 400 compared to the N700,000 being paid by Ghanaians for residency card in Nigeria).
Response: It must be noted that all foreigners, who apply for resident permit in Ghana, pay same fees as stated above. These fees are not specific to Nigerians.
(VI) Accusation: “Media war against Nigerians in Ghana. The negative reportage of issues concerning Nigerians resident in Ghana by the Ghanaian media is fuelling an emerging xenophobic attitude against Nigerian traders and Nigerians in general.
The immediate fallout is the incessant harassment and arrest of Nigerian traders and closure of their shops.”
Response: The statement is not factual. There is no media war against Nigerians in Ghana.
There is also no negative reportage on Nigerian residents in Ghana by Ghanaian media, which could potentially lead to xenophobic attitude towards Nigerians, particularly Nigerian traders in Ghana.
No Nigerian trader has been arrested. The closure of shops was as a result of infractions on Ghanaian laws. Even then, those affected who are not only Nigerians, have been given ample time to regularise their documents. Furthermore, no Nigerian- owned shops are currently closed.
On the contrary, the negative reportage has been against the Ghanaian Government from high places, (tweets by Foreign Minister of Nigeria and a Nigerian businessman, who appears to have political interests in Ghana), in Nigeria. This is inconsistent with established practice in our very good relations. The Press Release by the Information and Culture Minister of Nigeria is a clear departure from the manner in which officials of the two countries have related with each other in the past.
(VII) Accusation: “Nigeria has time after time demonstrated its fidelity to the long cordial relations with Ghana. But indications especially in recent times, are that Nigeria’s stance is now being taken for granted and its citizens being made targets of harassment and objects of ridicule. This will no longer be tolerated under any guise.”
Response: Ghana has always demonstrated her commitment to excellent relations with Nigeria which is evidenced by the manner in which Ghanaian Government officials dealt with recent issues, which have had severe economic impact on our country.
Ghana did not resort to any media war. However, the Ghanaian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade travelled to Abuja to try to resolve diplomatically the issue of closure of Nigerian borders, and to seek safe corridor for ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) exports from Ghana, all to no avail. It is expected that the response of Nigerian Authorities to situations that evolve in our relations should be guided by the merits of the matter and our mutual interests.
(VIII) Accusation: That three hundred (300), six hundred (600) and two hundred and fifty (250) shops belonging to Nigerians were closed down in 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively
Response: Upon evidence that some individuals, including Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians, had been involved in various forms of trade, without complying with the laws and regulations of Ghana, several engagements and prior advice had been given to encourage compliance.
Ghana’s Minister for Trade and Industry personally intervened to ensure the reopening of closed shops, pending compliance with Ghana’s laws by their operators.
Among other corrective measures, the Committee on Foreigners in Retail Trade, comprising representatives of various regulatory agencies and institutions in Ghana, was tasked with the responsibility of conducting inspections of retail shops in designated commercial districts in both Accra and Kumasi to ensure compliance with retail trade laws and regulations.
The compliance exercises conducted in the selected markets revealed gross violations of retail trade laws and regulations by Ghanaians and foreigners, including Nigerians. These violations included tax evasion, immigration offenses, trading in sub-standard products, violation of the Ghana Investment
Promotion Centre (GIPC) law, improper registration of firms, under-payment of business operating permits, falsification of documents, among others.
In all cases, non-compliant shop owners are given adequate notice to regularize their documents, before action is taken to close any shop/business.
It is an incontestable fact that there is widespread abuse and disregard for local laws and regulations governing retail trade by some foreigners, including Nigerians, which need to be addressed without discrimination. It is important to note that the compliance exercise under reference is not restricted to either ECOWAS nationals or Nigerians for that matter, but extend to all individuals engaged in retail trade, including Ghanaians.
(IX) Accusation: Harsh and openly biased judicial trial and pronouncements of indiscriminately long jail terms for convicted Nigerians.
Response: Ghana’s courts, at all material times, function independently, and with strict respect for the Laws of Ghana, regardless of the nationalities of accused persons. Judges neither convict nor sentence with a bias for or against nationalities. Nigerians and Ghanaians convicted for same offenses are not treated differently.
(X) Accusation: Outrageous stipulations and amendments of the GIPC Act.
Response: It is untrue that the law has been amended twice, and, accordingly, there is no 2018 GIPC Act. Further, the statement that a review of the Act has increased the minimum capital base for foreign owned businesses to US$1.00m is false.
Perhaps the reference is to sections 27 (2 & 3) of the GIPC Act and relate solely to persons who are not citizens but want to engage in retail trade or trading activities, which are otherwise restricted exclusively to Ghanaians. Accordingly, ‘a person who is not a citizen may engage in a trading Enterprise if that person invests in the Enterprise, not less than One Million United States Dollars in cash or goods and services relevant to the investments. Trading includes purchasing and selling of imported goods and services. The amount does not relate to the broad universe of investors. We are also somewhat astonished to have the laws of a sovereign nation described as outrageous, especially since they have not attracted the rebuff or criticism of any regional organization, especially ECOWAS.
The Federal Republic, on the other hand, is on record to have taken a number of steps in recent months, in pursuit of her national interests, which have gravely affected other countries in the Region. These include the closure of Nigeria’s Seme Krake Border from August 2019 to date and the issuance of executive orders by Nigeria’s Presidency, preventing foreigners from getting jobs which Nigerians can do, to mention a few. Ghana and other West African countries continue to believe redress to even actions like these can be sought, diplomatically, without resort to media statements and related activities that have the potential to aggravate further the situation.
The aforementioned notwithstanding, the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who values very much his excellent relations with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Muhammadou Buhari, will engage President Buhari with a view to develop immediately a framework for validating claims of ill treatment of citizens of either country, and ensure citizens enjoy the full exercise of their rights, while respecting the sovereignty and laws of both countries. Ghana and Nigeria, as they have been doing, must continue to work together for a successful West Africa.
“It is with gratitude to God that I announce the recovery and subsequent negative test for COVID-19 of the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi.
“Following the mandatory isolation, the Commissioner retook a COVID-19 PCR test which returned negative yesterday evening.
“Professor Abayomi is very grateful and humbled by the deep concern shown and expressed by Executive Council members, civil servants, Lagos residents, Nigerians, both locally and in the diaspora, through prayers, messages, phone calls and gifts.
“He will be returning to his full duties gradually and remains resolute in delivering the mandate of Mr. Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whom he says stood by him steadfastly in these trying times and is very appreciative of.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Incident Commander, is excited by the news and urges Lagosians to realise that COVID-19 is still with us; they should keep obeying the guidelines – washing their hands, wearing face masks and avoiding large gatherings, among others,” said a statement by Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso.
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