The Federal Government has declared Friday, June 12 , as a public holiday to mark the 2020 Democracy Day celebration.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola , made this known on behalf of the Federal Government.
The statement , which was signed by the Permanent Secretary in Minister of Interior , Georgina Ehuriah , quoted Aregbesola as congratulating Nigerians for the entrenchment of democratic rule in the country.
The minister also called on “ Nigerians to continue to cherish the selfless efforts made to attain democracy ” .
He reassured “ Nigerians of the Federal Government’ s commitment to battling the scourge of COVID- 19 with the cooperation of all Nigerians ”.
He emphasised the need for all Nigerians to stay safe by observing physical and social distancing , personal and respiratory hygiene , as well as other regulations issued by relevant authorities .
The former Osun State Governor also advised them to “ take responsibility for stopping the spread of the virus ”.
The National Association of Resident Doctors, the umbrella body of all doctors working in government health facilities , has issued a notice of strike effective Monday , June 15 , 2020 .
The association said the call to strike also includes doctors attending to COVID- 19 patients and other emergencies .
The National President of NARD , Dr Aliyu Sokomba , said this in an official letter with reference number NARD /SG / 2019 – 2020 / 070620 / 246 .
The NARD President said the strike would be total regardless of the current pandemic.
Sokomba said the action had become necessary due to the failure of the government to redeem its pledges especially in the areas of salary arrears and working conditions .
The letter read in part, “ The strike shall , therefore , be total and indefinite . No service of any kind , be it emergency , care at COVID- 19 treatment centres shall be exempted and members including all resident doctors , medical officers below the rank of principal medical officer, and house officers are expected to be part of the strike . ”
While sympathising with Nigerians and patients as a whole , the doctors said they could no longer condone government neglect .
NARD said the plight of its members in state health facilities was sometimes worse than those at the federal institutions.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and Heads of Tertiary Institutions are expected to meet June 16 over cut – off marks and other guidelines for the 2020 /2021 Admission exercise .
The exam body announced the 2020 Policy Meeting of tertiary institutions in its weekly bulletin obtained by news correspondent .
According to the bulletin, the policy meeting , which is expected to hold online, will be chaired by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu .
The bulletin read in part , “Part of the protocols put in place by the government to curb the spread of COVID- 19 requires that no gathering of persons exceeding the prescribed number.
“ Compliance with this directive has become imperative as no fewer than 4 , 000 Heads of Tertiary Institutions comprising Degree, Diploma , NCE , and NID- awarding institutions and other stakeholders would normally be expected to congregate at a location but because of extant protocols, they would now be expected to participate in the virtual meeting .
“ The meeting will discuss critical issues bordering on the advances made in the educational sector in the last one year in addition to setting the tone for the 2020 / 2021 Admission exercise .
“ The meeting will also chart policy directions for the nation ’ s tertiary institutions, set admission guidelines, and make a holistic review of application statistics , performance as well as evaluate the 2019 admissions exercise .
“ The meeting , in addition to other deliberations , would take a stand on concessional and acceptable minimum admissions standards to be applied in all admissions to be undertaken by all tertiary institutions in Nigeria . ”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has directed candidates who sat for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination to print their result slips .
The board said this in its weekly bulletin which was released by its Head of Media and Information , Dr Fabian Benjamin .
According to the bulletin, the UTME results , which had earlier been made available through text messages to candidates , could be printed from the board ’ s website on request .
“ All a candidate needs to do after visiting the site is to click on quick links , then on e – facility where the candidate would be required to provide his / her registration details and the result notification slip would be displayed for printing.
“ The printing of the result notification slip is free as it is different from the original result slip that comes with the candidate ’ s picture . ”
Meanwhile , JAMB has said it will hold an online meeting with at least 4 , 000 heads of tertiary institutions over the policy guidelines for the 2020 admissions .
The board added that the virtual meeting was to guard against the spread of COVID- 19 and ensure decongestion .
The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ), has reappointed Umar Danbatta as the Executive Vice Chairman , Nigerian Communications Commission .
In a press statement released by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the minister , Isa Pantami , said the reappointment was in line with the NCC Act 2003 .
He charged Danbatta to improve on the performance of the commission as well as ensure that adequate mechanisms are put in place to facilitate the implementation of all policies of the Federal Government through the agency .
The minister also enjoined him to ensure that the interest of the telecommunication consumers , Nigerians and investors are adequately protected .
The United Nations has completed plans to carve out a new territory from Nigeria and Republic of Cameroon by July 10.
The creation of the new territory to be known as United Nations Organisation(UNO) State of Cameroon may see Nigeria losing 24 local councils, by way of ceding, to the new country.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Paul Biya of Cameroon, on the invitation of the then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, had in March 2003 signed documents to cede their disputed territories (Northern and Southern Cameroons) to the proposed UNO new country in West and Central Africa.
According to a report in a national daily, the new state will have a total landmass of 28, 214 square km, with an estimated population of 20 million people.
This was disclosed in a May 26, 2020 letter on the UNO State of Cameroon by Prof. Martins Chia Ateh, the United Nations-appointed workshops coordinator in Cameroon and Nigeria, according to the report.
The report also noted that the recent withdrawal of troops by President Paul Biya from the southern part of the planned UNO State of Cameroon, which was said to have been formally demanded by the former President of the United Nations General Assembly, Ali Treki, on May 20, set the stage for the creation of the new state being spearheaded by the UN.
Quoting the letter, the report said Ateh wrote: “Greetings and thank you very much for the attached list of those who were detained in the Nkambe prison of Cameroon in August 2008.
OSUN State Government has unveiled plans to generate 15 , 000 jobs annually through industrial development , technical and vocational centres in the state .
The State Commissioner for Commerce , Industry , Cooperatives and Empowerment , Dr . Bode Olaonipekun, unveiled the plans during a chat with newsmen in Osogbo .
Dr Olanipekun , who spoke after a meeting with the leadership of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency and the management of the Industrial Development Centre , explained that the initiative was aimed at empowering the residents and generating employment for youths .
He said , “ This is a post- pandemic initiative to revive the economy and we are here particularly to address one of the focal areas of this administration – to rejuvenate the economy and empower the citizens . ”
The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, has removed the cap on the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, giving marketers the freedom to fix the price of the commodity and sell above the price stipulated by it.
The PPPRA, in a document released, titled, ‘Market Based Pricing Regime for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) Regulations, 2020,’ stated that, henceforth, the price of PMS would be determined by market forces.
In the document signed by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Abdulkadir Saidu, the PPPRA, however, stated that it would continue to monitor trends in the crude oil market and advise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and oil marketers on the monthly guiding price for the commodity.
The PPPRA said, “In exercise of the powers conferred on it by Sections 7 and 24 at the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (Establishment) Act. No. 8 of 2003, and all other powers enabling it in that behalf, the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (The Agency), with the approval of the President hereby makes the following Regulation:
“Short title: Market Based Pricing Regime for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) using the Pricing Template of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency.
“The price cap per liter in respect of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is removed from the commencement of these Regulations. From the commencement of these Regulations, a market-based pricing regime for Premium Motor Saint (PMS) shall take effect.
“The Agency shall monitor market trends and advise the NNPC and oil marketing companies on the monthly guiding Market-Based Price.
“The price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) advised by the Agency shall be guiding retail price at which the product shall be sold across the country.
“This regulation may be cited as the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) Market Based Pricing Regime Regulations, 2020, made this 20th day of March 2020.”
The PPPRA, in the explanatory note to the regulation, disclosed that the Regulations seek to complement and enforce the provisions of the PPPRA (Establishment) Act 2003 and to notify the general public of the existence of a Market-based Pricing Regime for PMS with effect from March 2020.
Governor Babajide Sanwo- Olu of Lagos State has ordered civil servants from Grade Level 13 to resume work effective Monday , June 8 , according to reports .
The governor stated this during a briefing at the Government House, Marina .
He said , “ As regards public service , we are asking all of our officers on Grade Level 13 and 14 on the unified public service to resume work from Monday , June 8 , 2020 .
“ We are still holding back from Grade Level 1 – 12 till further notice. ”
Sanwo- Olu had in March ordered all civil servants in the state to work from home due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Lagos State Government says the decision to reopen schools in the state will be taken in two weeks .
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu , said this during a televised press briefing .
Sanwo- Olu said the decision would be taken after an extensive meeting with stakeholders in the education sector .
He said , “I know we are all eager to know the plans we have for the reopening of our learning institutions. There is still a lot more works to be done in this regard and we are looking at the educational sector very differently .
“ However , we will continue to have our online learning at our seven higher institutions.
“ On primary and secondary schools , we will be engaging with the Ministry of Education and Lagos State Safety Commission , and we will be coming out with a full and specific pronouncement in two weeks ’ time .
“ Once the protocols have been agreed with the stakeholders at the primary and secondary level , as to when and how the schools will be reopening . ”
He also gave permission to all manufacturing companies to operate between 7 am and 6 pm .
This is as the governor announced that as from June 19 mosques will reopen , while churches can reopen as from June 21 .
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