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The Nigerian Medical Association in Lagos State has asked its members to embark on an indefinite “sit – at – home ” industrial action over alleged harassment and intimidation by security agents in the state .

The NMA gave the “ stay – at – home directive ” in a statement signed by its Chairman , Dr Saliu Oseni , and Secretary , Dr Ramon Moronkola .

According to the statement , the directive takes effect from 6 . 00 pm.

The doctors accused police officers in Lagos of acting contrary to the directives of the Federal Government on lockdown order, noting that their members are unsafe .

The statement read , “ We have observed that despite the directives of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , President Muhamadu Buhari , through the Presidential Taskforce on COVID 19 , which was clear on the exemption of essential workers including doctors and other health workers from the ongoing lockdown /movement restrictions, ( but ) the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State , Mr . Hakeem Odumosu , has been issuing conflicting directives on social and mainstream media to the effect that essential workers , including doctors and other health -workers are NOT exempted .

“ As a direct result of the conflicting directives of the government and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police , the Lagos State branch of Nigerian Medical Association was inundated yesterday ( Tuesday ) evening of several cases of harassments and intimidation of doctors and other health – workers by officers and men of the Lagos State Police command to the extent that even Ambulances carrying patients with emergency cases were impounded. This has become a recurrent issue.

“ The Lagos State Branch of the NMA has resolved that it is presently unsafe for members to continue to provide healthcare services under the present confused arrangement.

“ You are hereby advised to proceed on a sit – at – home, in your best interest, starting from 6 pm today , Wednesday , 20 th May , 2020 indefinitely , until otherwise advised . ”

Punch

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , and ministers are attending a virtual Federal Executive Council meeting .

Buhari attends from the Presidential Villa in Abuja .

It is the second virtual FEC meeting since the coronavirus pandemic started .

The first virtual FEC meeting was held on Wednesday , last week .

The virtual option was adopted as part of measures to guard against the spread of the virus .

Only ministers with memos to present need to be physically present at the Presidential Villa while others linked up from their different locations .

Four men have been arrested in Cairo after using masks depicting Liverpool star Mohamed Salah as a disguise to rob stores .

The gang of armed thieves was caught by the police while attempting to rob a store on Hassanein Heikal Street, in the Nasr City neighbourhood of Egypt ’ s capital , according to reports .

All four of the robbers covered their face using masks of the Liverpool attacker , who is a huge star in his home country.

The gang tried to escape after being approached by security forces but were eventually apprehended.

Salah has become one of the world ’ s most sought players since joining Liverpool from Roma in 2017 .

The star was subject of interest from Real Madrid during his first season at Anfield , according to Egypt’ s assistant coach Hany Ramzy .

The interest was said to have been months ahead of the two club’ s meeting in that season ’ s Champions League final – concluding a campaign where the Egyptian netted a remarkable 44 goals.

“ When I was working with Hector Cuper , we had a training camp in Switzerland [ in March 2018 ] , ” Ramzy told OnTime Sportsvia Goal , via the Echo .

Punch/DailyStar Uk

The headquarters of the Nigerian Postal Service has been gutted by fire .

The fire incident , affected the Staff Posting Unit at the NIPOST’ s building .

The Postmaster General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of NIPOST, Ismail Adewusi , confirmed the incident .

He assured Nigerians that the fire outbreak would not affect NIPOST’ s operations .

He said , “ No cause for alarm over the fire that touched our Office of ( Staff ) Posting under the Personnel Unit . No damage to any vital document was recorded.

“ It has also caused no disruption to any of our operations . We thank men of the Federal Fire Service who responded promptly and put the fire under control . ”

Lesotho ’ s ex – finance minister Moeketsi Majoro was sworn in as Prime Minister following the resignation of Thomas Thabane who is accused of conspiring in the murder of his wife.

Majoro , 58 , took the took oath of office at a ceremony at the royal palace of King Letsie III in the small southern African kingdom, pledging “ I will be a true and faithful prime minister , so help me God ” , according to an AFP reporter at the event .

AFP

Bakers in Lagos State have called on the Federal Government to intervene in the prices of baking materials , saying the current situation may lead to an increase in the prices of bread .

In a statement jointly issued by the chairmen of the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria , Kosofe and Surulere , Lagos , Taiwo Akintola and Ibitoye Oladapo , respectively , the group expressed sadness over the rates of baking materials due to the COVID- 19 pandemic .

According to them, the cost of the materials is killing the bakery business , as many bakeries are no longer to make profits.

“ A bag of flour that cost N9 , 000 before COVID- 19 , now goes for N13 , 000 , while a bag of sugar now costs N24 , 000 as against the former price of N13 , 000 .

“ Butter is now N12 , 000 against the former price of N 7 , 500 , while milk , which was hitherto N29 , 000 , now goes for N52 , 000 . And there is an increase in the bread packaging cost, which is now N12 , 000 , against the former price of N10 , 000 , ” the bakers said .

They added that the prices of salt , yeast and other baking materials had hit the rooftop .

The association explained that the instability of foreign exchange, high cost of diesel and other baking materials , were reasons given by flour millers for the hike in the prices of baking materials .

They said appeals to the millers and others for reduction in prices had not yielded any favourable response .

“ And that is why we are pleading with the Federal Government to intervene in this matter by talking to flour millers and baking material sellers to bring the prices down .

“ Master bakers association is one of the largest employers of labour in the country and most of the bakeries are folding up ; many Nigerians working in the sector are already losing their jobs, ” the group added .

The association maintained that if the situation continued, the prices of bread might be increased by 60 per cent.

Punch

The Federal Government has slashed the salaries of airport workers in the country, according to reports .

In a circular to staff dated May 19 , 2020 , the Management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria said the reduction in salaries is due to airport closures occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic .

The memo signed by FAAN General Manager , Administration , M. D. Musa , read , “ This is to notify all staff that due to the dwindling revenue generation amidst COVID- 19 pandemic , management may not be able to pay full salary to staff as from May 2020 .

“ However , as soon as revenue improves , the balance will be paid . This measure is to ensure the survival of the organisation . ”

The PUNCH reports that the country’ s airspace and airports , both local and international , were shut in March by the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ), as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID- 19 .

The President ’ s directive , however , permitted emergency flights such as those for medical and humanitarian purposes.

On May 6 , the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 , Boss Mustapha , announced the extension of the closure of the country’ s airports and airspace by four weeks .

Punch

The Senate has asked the Federal Government to consider a comprehensive review of the power privatisation policy with a view to reversing the current arrangement.

The red chamber said Nigerians would not enjoy stable power supply in the next 10 years if the activities of the distribution companies were not reviewed and restructured .

The Senate President , Ahmad Lawan , stated this after the Senate had considered and approved a motion by Senator Gabriel Suswan on the power sector recovery plan.

He said , “ We gave power to them ( power generation and distribution companies ) and they still come to the public to ask for funds .

“ I think it’ s time for Nigeria to consider reversing the privatisation of the power sector or they should just cancel the entire privatisation process completely .

“ If we leave it , we may not have power for another 10 years . ”

Lawan said , “ The privatisation of the power sector has , so far , not been successful . We expected efficiency and effectiveness in the power supply.

“ The Discos have no capacity to supply us power . The Gencos have challenges too .

“ It is not a good commentary that we should continue to give them money . They ’ re private businesses . We need to review this privatisation .

“ Our committee needs to investigate trillions spent . That ’ s a lot of money.

“ Try to find out what has happened so far . Government needs to look at this whole thing .

“ Maybe, government is not doing its own part. We need to find out .

Punch

The Inspector – General of Police , Mohammed Adamu , contrary to a directive by the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , on Tuesday ordered police commands not to exempt anybody , including workers on essential duties , when enforcing the ban on interstate movements and the nationwide curfew .

The IG gave the directive to the zonal assistant – inspectors general of police and state commissioners of police during a virtual conference .

The President had, in his first COVID- 19 address to the nation on March 29 , ordered a lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states .

Buhari , however , exempted health workers , journalists as well as the staff of telecommunication companies from the lockdown .

In his second COVID- 19 on April 13 , when he extended the lockdown in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun states , the President also emphasised that workers on essential duties were exempted from the lockdown .

Commenting on harassment by security agencies , the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 on March 30 said journalists needed only their identity cards to move around during the lockdown .

On April 27 , when he ordered a ban on interstate movements and imposed an 8 pm to 6 am curfew on the nation, the President repeated that workers on essential duties were exempted .

The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Mr Boss Mustapha , while announcing the extension of interstate lockdown and the nationwide curfew at the task force press conference on Monday , said exemptions granted by the President in the first phase would subsist .

Punch

The National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu , said the allowance for security personnel deployed in the enforcement the COVID- 19 lockdown was receiving attention .

He said this at the PTF press briefing , according to reports .

The security agencies , especially the police , had accused the Federal Government of neglecting their welfare and not providing them with personal protective equipment on the “ delicate” assignment .

Responding to a question , Aliyu said , “ We are currently processing this . We have been awaiting paperwork ; the paperwork needs to be completed before we go ahead to pay . ”

He , however , absolved the PTF of the responsibility of providing the PPE .

“ As regards the PPE , we distributed some PPE to frontline non – health workers last week, but a lot of agencies that deal with security do have budget lines for the PPE and we expect them to procure the PPE using their budget , ” he said .