Avarine

By Chioma Obinna PZ Cussons Foundation in collaboration with Foundation for Refugee Economic Empowerment is donating soaps to over 40,000 people towards controlling the spread of COVID-19 in six Nigerian cities. Foundation for Refugee Economic Empowerment (FREE) is the UK and Nigerian Charity that aims to provide high quality, timely, accountable, and inclusive humanitarian assistance to displaced persons towards enabling them to return to normal and sustainable productive lives. Disclosing this in a statement by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of PZ Cussons Foundation, Professor Eyitayo Lambo, the Foundation stated that: “We have since learned that one of the simple ways to stay protected against the coronavirus is by consistent handwashing with soap. READ ALSO:  COVID-19: Reps maintain stand on 2 months free electricity to Nigerians — SPOKESMAN Sadly, however, not everyone can afford to do this. So, the PZ Cussons Foundation has partnered with FREE to ensure that even...

Dr. Chris Ngige By CHRIS NGIGE OVER the years, May 1 has been a unique day in the world of work. As we all know, it is called May Day, a day dedicated to workers as partners in socio-economic development of the nations. Workers on this day are recognised as an important limb in the tripod that sustains enterprises and development. Workers, over the years celebrate May Day and in Nigeria marchings are conducted by trade unions and their Federations in various stadia throughout the Federation. Today, May 1, 2020, is different. The stadia are empty and there are echoes of silence. We are all taking refuge in our respective homes and staying off the streets in a global bid to stay alive and beat an invisible enemy called COVID-19. We stay at home to minimize and eventually stop the spread of the COVID-19 infection which has killed many people in the world and dwindled life and economies. Offices, workplaces, businesses (small and large scales), and nations are closed. The COVID-19 out...

By Theodore Opara   Hiace AS the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact on businesses across the country negatively, Inter State Transport operators in Nigeria under the umbrella of Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association, PTONA, has cried out to the Federal Government to set up a N20 billion COVID-19 intervention fund on a single digit loan of five percent interest to enable them to replenish their fleet. The association in a letter to Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Chairman Presidential Economic Sustainability Committee on COVID-19 pandemic also appealed to the Federal Government to grant its members 10 percent special concession on import duties on buses as against the present 35 percent duty being charged on imported buses. The association said the Federal Government should direct the Central Bank to prevail on all commercial banks to restructure terms of loan for businesses mostly affected by COVID-19 pandemic, especially the inter-state passenger transport. ...

12 patients discharged Professor Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Health Commissioner By Chioma Obinna – Lagos The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, yesterday, disclosed that a 25-year old male patient has died from coronavirus infection in the state. Abayomi who disclosed this in his twitter handle said the deceased was brought in a state of breathlessness due to the severity of the coronavirus infection. He said: “We regret to announce additional COVID-19 related death involving a 25year old male who at the time of admission was in a state of severe breathlessness. READ ALSO:  People Talk: Extension of COVID-19 lockdown and 8pm-6am nationwide curfew “The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Lagos is now 20.” Meanwhile, the Lagos State government has discharged another set of 12 patients who have tested negative for coronavirus after spending some days at the isolation centres in the state. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the 12, including a U...

By Theodore Opara Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) A leading health advocate, Dr. Kelechi Okoro, has commended the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria, TOAN, for taking proactive steps on regulations to ensure safety of tricycle drivers and passengers in the COVID-19 crisis. Kelechi Okoro, who made the commendation via her social media handle, said: “As a medical practitioner, I say kudos to TOAN for taking proactive steps to increase the safety of their riders and passengers, by announcing health and safety norms to help curb the spread of COVID-19. READ ALSO Trump says evidence ties COVID-19 virus to Wuhan lab, threatens tariffs “Kekes can be a safer option of public transport because of limited passengers and open ventilation, and TOAN has gone one step further by limiting passengers to two persons at a time.” Pennultimate week, TOAN, one of the country’s largest tricycle operator unions, issued a circular advising their affiliated tricycles to limit the num...

Garba Shehu The Presidency has again warned that attempts are being made to politicise the mysterious disease claiming lives in Kano State, saying there is no time for wasting energy on political point-scoring by current or former political officeholders. Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, gave the warning in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday. He advised, however, that all concerned citizens should be prepared to accept the medical and scientific result of the autopsies being carried out by experts in Kano and work together to confront the common enemy. ”Nigeria is only weeks into our fight against the invisible COVID-19 that earlier this year, was unknown to almost every nation in the world. ”Only earlier this month Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, made clear that ‘We are at the beginning in Africa’. READ ALSO: Mysterious deaths: Toll rises, as more citizens die in Kano ”There is muc...

Osita Chidoka *Asks Senate to reject northern nominee for FCC chairman By Clifford Ndujihe & Henry Umoru A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Osita Chidoka, has called on the  Senate to reject the nomination of candidates from northern states of Kwara and Taraba as chairman, and secretary, respectively, of Federal Character Commission, FCC. Chidoka said the nomination violated Section 4 of the subsidiary legislation which states that the distribution of position shall be across the zones. He said that it had always been the tradition that Chairman and Secretary are from the North and South, respectively, for the same reason past governments, including that of Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, had appointed northerners as chairmen and southerners as secretaries. According to Chidoka, “where the number of positions available cannot go round the states of the federation or the Federal Capital, the distribution shall be on zonal basis, but in the case...