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The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has threatened to begin another nationwide strike starting from September 7 .

The association in a statement signed by the President , Dr Aliyu Sokomba ; Secretary , Dr Bilqis Mohammad , and the Publicity Secretary, Dr Egbogu Stanley , said the strike would commence after the 21 – day ultimatum it gave to the Federal Government elapsed on August 17 .

The doctors are demanding from the Federal Government the implementation of residency funding, COVID- 19 allowance , hazard allowance as well as the outstanding salary shortfall of 2014 , 2015 , and 2016 .

On June 15 , NARD had embarked on an indefinite strike . The strike was suspended on June 22 after the intervention on the Federal Government and other stakeholders in the health sector .

“ NEC resolved to proceed on indefinite nationwide strike action from Monday 7 th of September 2020 by 8 : 00 am until the following conditions are met ; immediate payment of the Medical Residency Training funding to all her members as approved in the revised 2020 budget ; provision of genuine Group life insurance and death in service benefits for all health workers .

“ Payment of the outstanding April/May and June COVID- 19 inducement allowance to all health workers ; determination of the revised hazard allowance for all health workers as agreed in previous meetings with relevant stakeholders ; immediate payment of the salary shortfalls of 2014 , 2015 and 2016 .

“ Doctors working under the various tertiary health institutions to be placed on appropriate salary grade level and universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act of 2017 in all state tertiary health institutions; payment of all arrears owed our members in Federal and states tertiary health institutions, arising from the consequential adjustment of the National minimum wage, ” the statement read in part.

Members of the Coalition for Civil Societies in Osun State protested against the hike in electricity tariff and petrol price.

The protesters took off from Freedom Park , Osogbo around 8 :30 am .

The protesters displayed placards showing their displeasure over the increase in electricity tariff and petrol price.

The protesters lamented that “ approval of new electricity tariff and increment in the pump price of petrol is the highest level of insensitivity and wickedness from President Muhammad Buhari – led All Progressives Congress government . ”

Petrol prices have increased for three straight months, rising from N121 . 50 –N123 . 50 per litre in June to N140 . 80 -N143 . 80 in July, N148 – N150 in August and N158 – N 162 in September .

The Petroleum Products Marketing Company , a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had, on Wednesday , increased the ex -depot price of Premium Motor Spirit ( petrol ) to N 151 . 56 per litre from N138 . 62 per litre but later reduced it to N147 . 67 .
The ex – depot price is the price at which the product is sold to marketers at the depots.

This comes three months after the tariff hike implementation slated for July 1 was halted by the National Assembly , which prevailed on the distribution companies to shelve the date to the first quarter of 2021 due to the current economic challenges in Nigeria .

A document seen by news correspondent on Tuesday showed that electricity customers , except those receiving less than 12 hours of supply, would have to pay more for electricity starting from September 1 , 2020 .

The Federal Government has received samples of Russia ’ s COVID- 19 vaccine .

Russia ’ s Ambassador to Nigeria , Alexey Shebarshin , delivered the samples to the Minister of Health , Osagie Ehanire , during a visit to the ministry in Abuja.

Also present at the event were the Minister of State for Health , Olorunnimbe Mamora ; top management of the Health Ministry and other Nigerian Scientists.

This was contained in a statement signed by the ministry ’ s Director of Information , Media , and Public Relations, Olujimi Oyetomi .

The statement was titled , ‘ Russian Federation Ambassador to Nigeria , H . E . Alexey L . Shebarshin on courtesy visit to Nigeria ’ s Health Ministers , Russian – made COVID- 19 Vaccine finally here . ’

Ehanire also said the vaccine would be “ quickly referred ” to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control as well as the Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development , amongst other agencies , for review and possible validation .

The minister had said Nigeria was working with the WHO for the allocation of 2 billion vaccine doses as soon as they are available.

The need for a vaccine has become more urgent globally and nationally with Nigeria recording over 50 , 000 COVID- 19 infections and over 1 , 000 associated fatalities , according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control .

Femi Adesina , Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , says only his principal has enough confidence to confront former President Olusegun Obasanjo and tell him his honest opinion on things “ and survive it”.

Obasanjo and Buhari have a few things in common . Obasanjo was Nigeria ’ s military head of state between February 13 , 1976 , and September 30 , 1979 . He later became a civilian President from May 29 , 1999 , to May 29 , 2007 . Buhari also ruled as military head of state from December 31 , 1983 , to August 27 , 1985 , before returning as a democratically elected leader on May 29 , 2015 .

Adesina , in a piece titled, ‘ Buhari Applause For Akinwumi Adesina ’ , compared Obasanjo to “America and some other world powers ” , adding that “ you have every right to shiver in the broiling sun ” when they come after you .

But the President ’ s spokesperson , in the piece published on his website , said , “ President Buhari stood against the wishes of America on AfDB Presidency ” and supported the re – election bid of African Development Bank President , Akinwumi Adesina .

The PUNCH had earlier reported that the African banking institution and its President were in the eye of the storm earlier this year over allegations of impropriety levelled against Akinwumi Adesina by some whistleblowers working in the bank.

However , the 60 – year – old former Nigerian minister of Agriculture , who became the first Nigerian to helm the AfDB in 2015 , had insisted he was “ innocent ” of the charges .

Commenting on the development , Buhari ’ s spokesperson wrote , “The strife is o ’ er , the battle done . But it was by no means easy . It took so much : tact , diplomacy, guts, deft footworks , prayers, yes , prayers, and so many other things .

“ But today , we can noise it all around . Dr Akinwumi Adesina is now elected for another five- year term as President of the African Development Bank.

“ If America and some other world powers come after you , you have every right to shiver in the broiling sun . It’ s like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo telling you to dismount from the horse of leadership in Nigeria . Only a Muhammadu Buhari can look him straight in the eyes , and say; No sir . And survive it. ”

Quoting Buhari ’ s reaction to Akinwumi Adesina ’ s victory , the President ’ s spokesperson said , “ He ( Adesina ) deserves it ( re- election as AfDB president ) . ”

Fuel marketers across the country adjusted their pump prices on Thursday to between N 158 and N162 per litre of petrol , saying a further increase in global crude oil prices would push the pump price of petrol higher.

Petrol prices have increased for three straight months, rising from N121 . 50 –N123 . 50 per litre in June to N140 . 80 -N143 . 80 in July, N148 – N150 in August and N158 – N 162 in September .

The Petroleum Products Marketing Company , a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had, on Wednesday , increased the ex -depot price of Premium Motor Spirit ( petrol ) to N 151 . 56 per litre from N138 . 62 per litre but later reduced it to N147 . 67 .

The ex – depot price is the price at which the product is sold to marketers at the depots.

When the collapse of global crude oil prices triggered the reduction of the pump price of petrol from N145 per litre to N 125 in March , the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency said it would advise the NNPC and oil marketing companies on the monthly “ guiding retail price” at which the product shall be sold across the country.

The Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva , in a statement on May 15 , said deregulation was approved on March 19 this year .

“ But as you all know , PMS and other petroleum products are very strategic commodities , so you cannot allow the prices of these commodities to be determined wholly by the marketers , ” he added.

In June , the Executive Secretary , PPPRA, Abdulkadir Saidu, said , “ For the avoidance of doubt , it is instructive to state that no private individual or group has the mandate to fix prices of petroleum products , however , the statutory regulatory body is saddled with the responsibility of advising guiding prices . ”

But the PPPRA failed to issue any guiding prices in August and September and has remained silent since then , despite repeated calls and messages sent to the agency by one of our correspondents on the issue.

The spokesperson of the agency , Kimchi Apollo , however , told our correspondent on Thursday that he would get information on the development and revert. He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report .

The National Operations Controller , Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria , Mr Mike Osatuyi , told one of news correspondents that the increase in petrol pump prices was a reflection of the global oil prices .

“ In July, the crude oil price was around $ 43 per barrel . But rose to about $ 44 – $ 45 in August . Last Monday , it increased to $ 46 . If the crude oil price falls to $ 40 , petrol prices will come down . But if it goes up to $ 50 , we should be expecting petrol price to rise to about N163 per litre if the exchange rate remains the same, ” he said .
Osatuyi stressed the need for government to create a level playing field by allowing marketers to also have access to foreign exchange at the official rate like the NNPC to enable them to import products .

The Chairman , Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria , Mr Adetunji Oyebanji , said earlier on Thursday that pump prices would have to be adjusted to reflect realities of the increase of ex – depot prices by PPMC.

“ However , the magnitude of the increase , timing and location is a decision left to each company . Consistent with global best practices, MOMAN does not dictate prices to its members as this would be anti -competition in a fully deregulated market .

“ We welcome government ’ s action in allowing the market to determine prices , as we believe it will prevent the return of subsidies, while allowing operators the opportunity to recover their costs. This will, in the long run , encourage investment and create jobs, ” he added.

Punch

Minister of State for Petroleum Resource , Timipre Sylva , says two regulatory bodies in the oil and gas sector will be merged as one regulator in the new Petroleum Industry Bill.

Sylva disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Abuja.

The two agencies are Petroleum Equalisation Fund and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency .

He said the two would be merged under the name : “ The Authority ” as regulator in the industry .

He said the agencies would still be relevant to serve as regulators in the industry , noting that without PPPRA and PEF , it would be difficult to deal with profiteers .

“ PEF and PPPRA will emerge as one under a name The Authority ’ and will be helping to police the pump price of petrol so that nobody will profiteer, ’’ he said .

NAN

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning , Clem Agba , announced that a new economic plan to guide the country’ s development in the next four years would be unveiled in December 2020 .

He said the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ), would unveil the new economic blueprint , as the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan winds down this year .

The ERGP is the Federal Government’ s economic plan from 2017 to 2020 .

The minister explained that the new plan would consist of two Medium -Term National Development Plans , saying it would serve the country for the period of 2021 to 2025 and 2026 to 2030 .

He spoke at a press conference in Abuja on the Medium Term National Development Plans 2021 – 2025 and Perspective Plan , Nigeria Agenda 2050 .

At the conference , which was organised by the budget and National planning ministry , the minister stated that the vision of government was to place Nigeria ’ s economy among the top 20 economies of the world with a minimum Gross Domestic Product of $ 900 bn.

“ This is with a per capita income of not less than $ 4 , 000 per annum at the end of 2020 , ” he said .

Agba said the ERGP came as a child of necessity to pull Nigeria out of recession with a negative GDP growth rate of 1 . 5 per cent in 2016 to the path of positive and sustainable economic growth .

He , however , noted that the new plan would guide the government and its agencies in the preparation of the 2021 national budget .

He said the major political parties , the National Assembly, youth and women organisations , sub – nationals , among others, would participate in putting together the plan .

The Federal Government says the nationwide curfew in place in the country to restrict movement amid the coronavirus pandemic is now from 12 am to 4 am .

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID- 19 , Dr Sani Aliyu , made this known during a briefing at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport , Abuja .

Aliyu said , “ I will first of all start with general movement . We are modifying the curfew to commence from 12 midnight to 4 am nationwide , effective from 12 :00 tonight.

“ This does not apply to people on essential services and international travellers that might be returning from abroad . ”

The PTF, following the lifting of the total lockdown occasioned by the pandemic , had on May 4 , 2020 , imposed a nationwide curfew from 6 pm to 8 am . It later reviewed the timing to between 10 pm and 4 am on June 1 , 2020 .

The PTF had also lifted the ban on inter – state movement and okayed the resumption of domestic and international flights .

Punch

Osun State Government said public schools in the state would return to their previous uniforms before the introduction of common uniform by ex – governor Rauf Aregbesola at the commencement of the new academic session .

The single uniform policy, which was introduced by the Aregbesola administration at the commencement of the 2013 /2014 academic session , saw all public primary and secondary school pupils wearing the same uniform .

But featuring on a radio programme on Rave FM, Osogbo , Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr Jamiu Olawumi, said the new academic session would commence on November 9 , 2020 , adding that at beginning of new academic calendar year , all public school students would return to their old uniforms .

Olawumi said , “ Reversal of the schools ’ names will take place immediately, while the reversal to the old uniforms will commence on November 9 , which is the start of the new academic session . ”

He said , “ We want to assure all stakeholders in the state ’ s education sector that the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has put everything in place to ensure that our pupils are safe in schools .

“ Almost all sectors across the country have opened up , Covid – 19 is already here with us and the situation doesn ’ t look like abating anytime soon , we can ’ t continue to keep our children at home . We just have to find a way around it, the only way is to put safety measures in place at our schools which we have done .

“ Government through the Ministry of Environment have fumigated all private and public schools across the state including tertiary institutions, apart from that , we have also provided enough safety materials for both students and their teachers in all the schools . ”

The Federal Government says the National Youth Service Corps should start making preparations to reopen its orientation camps nationwide .

Orientation camps across the country had been shut in March as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease .

But speaking, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID- 19 , Dr Sani Aliyu , during a briefing at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport , Abuja , said the task force was in the process of developing “strict guidelines” to forestall the outbreak of infections when NYSC camps reopen .

Aliyu said , “ For the National Youth Service Corps, the NYSC is to consolidate on safety measures currently being put in place and start preparing for the reopening of orientation camps when educational institutions open .

“ We are in the process of developing strict guidelines to ensure there is no outbreak of Covid – 19 when this process starts. ”

Reports had earlier reported that NYSC Director – General , Brig. General Shuaibu Ibrahim , said the scheme had embarked on measures to enable safe and efficient conduct of its operations as soon as FG approved the reopening of its camps.

“ Conscious of the possibility of the further or complete lifting of lockdown , the strategies mapped out by the NYSC management had taken care of various scenarios and would be presented to the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Centre for guidance , ” Ibrahim had said .