Author: Chief Editor

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 says the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will carry out 450 COVID-19 tests in each local government area of the country. The PTF chairman, Mr Boss Mustapha, also Secretary to the Government of the Federation, made this known at the national briefing on COVID-19 on Monday in Abuja. Mustapha said the exercise would start with the states that were in the forefront of resourcing and infrastructure. According to him, the PTF has authorised the NCDC to immediately implement the 450 tests per local government plan nationwide. Mustapha said: “We are aware that…

The Ministry of Finance has released N10 billion to support domestic vaccines production to tackle COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made the disclosure at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) COVID-19 briefing on Monday in Abuja. Ehanire said: “The Ministry of Finance has released N10 billion to support domestic vaccine production. “While we are working to develop our own vaccines, Nigeria is exploring options for licensed production, in collaboration with recognised institutions. We are also exploring the option of local production of the vaccines in the country.” He urged Nigerians to ignore claims by…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, to urgently review the 2021 appropriation legislation to stop the President Muhammadu Buhari from selling public property to fund the 2021 budget. SERAP also urged them to identify areas in the budget to cut such as salaries and allowances for members of the National Assembly and the presidency to address the growing level of deficit and borrowing. The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, had last week confirmed that the federal government would sell some government-owned property…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal to set aside the purported pardon granted to an Indian businessman, Ashok Israni and two officials of Keystone Bank, Anayo Nwosu and Olajide Oshodi by the Lagos State Government. Justice Kudirat Jose of the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere had in December 2019 jailed Israni, Nwosu and Oshodi on an amended 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N855 million. The Judge had sentenced them to five years imprisonment each on counts 1, 3, 4,…

As the nation grapples with the outbreak of the second wave of Covid-19, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has issued a health advisory to all churches in the country. The 11-point advisory issued on Monday by the General Secretary, Joseph Bade Daramola, appealed to all churches to observe all the COVID-19 protocols. The advisory said there should be no entry without masks, adding that all worshippers, including the worship leaders, must wear masks. It said there should be no exceptional cases, adding that people who are sick or too old should stay at home. It also…

Kieran Trippier’s 10-week ban for breaching betting rules has been upheld after FIFA said on Monday the suspension applies worldwide. Trippier’s suspension from the English Football Association had been temporarily put on hold pending an appeal from Atletico Madrid, which FIFA has dismissed. It means Trippier will be banned until February 28 and is due to miss eight La Liga fixtures, as well as Atletico’s first leg at home to Chelsea in the Champions League last 16. “The FIFA Appeal Committee has dismissed the appeal lodged by the club Atletico Madrid in a case concerning the player Kieran Trippier,” read…

Pep Guardiola says England defender John Stones “deserves the best” after he scored twice for Manchester City to underline his return to form for the Premier League title-chasers. City dismantled Crystal Palace 4-0 on Sunday to climb to second in the table, two points behind Manchester United with a game in hand. But it is Stones’s partnership with Portugal international Ruben Dias at the centre of defence has been pivotal to City’s resurgence after a slow start to the season. In the 10 games he and Dias have started this season, City has won nine and conceded just one goal.…

Frustration got the better of Lionel Messi as he saw red in the Spanish Super Cup final, while Inter dealt a major blow to Juventus’s Serie A title hopes but Paris Saint-Germain are back on top in France. AFP Sport rounds up some of the main talking points from across the continent: Messi’s first red card for Barca Lionel Messi was sent off for the first time in 753 appearances for Barcelona at the end of his side’s 3-2 extra-time defeat by Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup final in Seville, after lashing out at Asier Villalibre in a…

The Federal Ministry of Education says no COVID-19 test is required for returning students to be admitted into their schools. The spokesperson of the ministry and Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr Ben Goong told newsmen in Abuja on Monday as schools resumed for academic session. Goong said that only temperature checks should be carried out on students and any other person crossing any school gate. “School authorities should therefore refrain from asking students or parents to undergo COVID-19 test before they are accepted in their schools,” he said. [GuardianNG]

Eze Onyekpere It is a fundamental truth of humanity that the first step towards resolving a challenge is the acknowledgement of the challenge and its magnitude as a basis for its interrogation with a view to devising solutions. Challenges may also be viewed as opportunities to bring out the best in us, to unravel latent potential, to energise our dormant capacities and to question our claims of being equal members of the human race with other peoples. Living in denial never solves a challenge. Instead, it complicates and allows the challenges to mutate.  We must reference a challenge in…