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The African Union says it is in discussion with the Republic of Madagascar over the safety and efficacy of a herbal remedy recently announced by the country for the prevention and treatment of COVID- 19 .

The AU made this known in a statement issued in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and published on its website .

The continental organisation said its Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention would review the potency of the herbal remedy once Madagascar provided the necessary information .

The statement read in part, “ The AU Commissioner for Social Affairs , Amira ElFadil , convened a meeting with the Chargé d’ Affaires of the Republic of Madagascar , Eric Randrianantoandro , on 30 th April at which it was agreed that the member state would furnish the African Union with necessary details regarding the herbal remedy.

“ Once furnished with the details , the Union , through the Africa CDC will review the scientific data gathered so far on the safety and efficacy of the COVID- 19 Organics .

“ This review will be based on global technical and ethical norms to garner the necessary scientific evidence regarding the performance of the tonic . ”

Madagascar ’ s President , Andry Rajoelina in a teleconference meeting of the Bureau of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government on 29 April 2020 had made a presentation to his peers regarding the herbal remedy.

The AU said it was working with member states in developing acceptable solutions and treatment for the coronavirus pandemic which has infected over 46 , 000 people on the African continent with more than 1 , 800 deaths .

The Presidency says the $ 311 m stolen during the Abacha regime and returned to Nigeria from the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey , on Monday , May 4 , 2020 , has already been allocated.

This was contained in a statement released by Garba Shehu , spokesperson to the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ).

Shehu said the repatriated funds would be used in full , for “ vital and decades – overdue infrastructure development” including the second Niger Bridge, the Lagos – Ibadan and Abuja – Kaduna – Kano expressways as well as the Mambilla Power Project .

He said the receipt of the stolen monies is an opportunity for the development of the nation.

“ Indeed , previous monies returned last year from Switzerland – some $ 320 million US dollars – are already being used for the government ’ s free school feeding scheme, a stipend for millions of disadvantaged citizens , and grain grants for those in severe food hardship.

“ Without these funds , the fight against COVID- 19 would be even tougher.

“ The latest return is a testament to the growing and deepening relationship between the government of Nigeria and the government of the United States .

“ Without cooperation both from the UK Government, the US Executive branch and US Congress , we would not have achieved the return of these funds at all, ” he said .

Punch

The Senate has asked the Federal Government to suspend the planned deployment of the Fifth Generation Network in Nigeria .

The red chamber stated this after the deliberation on a motion by Senator Uche Ekwunife , drawing the attention of the senators to the status of the 5 G network in the country.

Ekwunife said her motion was borne out of the need to assure Nigerians of their safety by asking the Federal Government to postpone the launch until a proper investigation was carried out .

The Deputy Majority Leader , Senator Ajayi Boroffice , said the 5 G network deployment remained a controversial issue.

He said the experts should be allowed to handle it and deliberate on the merits and demerits of its deployment .

Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said it would be irresponsible of any government to subscribe to a technology that won’ t be safe for its citizens .

He noted that no scientific research has been done by any agency of the Federal Government on the 5 G network .

He said countries in Europe were already investigating the implications of the deployment and wondered why Nigeria had yet to do so .

The Senate therefore asked its committees on Communication , Science , Technology and ICT , and that of Health to conduct a thorough investigation with a view to determining the status of the 5 G network in the country.

In the interim , the red chamber asked the relevant federal agency supervising the ICT operations in the country to suspend the 5 G deployment until a thorough probe to determine its suitability for human health had been achieved.

The joint committees were asked to submit its report within four weeks

The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic topped a quarter of a million on Tuesday , with the US government predicting a further surge in fatalities as an international vaccine drive garnered $ 8 billion in pledges.

The dire forecast from the United States came as much of the Western world emerged from weeks of lockdown , with hopes that the disease may have peaked in Europe , where deaths in the worst affected countries have dropped after nearly two months of confinement .

But the global progress did little to cool a war of words between the US and China over responsibility for the pandemic — a feud that has been fueled by US claims the virus originated in a Chinese laboratory — a theory the World Health Organization ( WHO ) labelled “ speculative . ”

An AFP tally of official figures showed Europe is the hardest- hit continent with around 145 , 000 fatalities . The US has recorded close to 68 , 700 . Together they account for more than 85 percent of global deaths .

Since the disease first surfaced in China late last year the number of confirmed cases has reached almost 3 . 6 million .

The grim figures were compounded Monday by an internal government estimate in Washington that forecast the daily COVID- 19 infection rate in the US could surge more than eight -fold to 200 , 000 per day by June 1 , and the death toll could rise to 3 , 000 .

As the country struggles to contain the disease the White House has stepped up its offensive against China , with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday saying there is “ enormous evidence” the virus emerged in a lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan .

That claim was rejected Monday by the WHO as well as top US epidemiologist and government adviser Anthony Fauci .

“ Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that (this virus ) evolved in nature and then jumped species, ” he said .

US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that deaths will go beyond his earlier prediction of 60 , 000, saying: “We ’ re going to lose anywhere from 75 , 80 to 100 , 000 people” .

His prediction underscored the tough , politically – tinged debate over reopening , which pits concerns about a rising death toll against the need to restore national economies shattered by prolonged shutdowns .

US manufacturing giant General Electric announced it will cut an additional 10 , 000 jobs from its aviation sector as the coronavirus pandemic decimates the industry .

AFP

Nigerians will pay much higher tariff for power in 2021 , going by promises made by the Federal Government to the International Monetary Fund while seeking the $ 3 . 4 bn emergency financial assistance recently approved for Nigeria .

The Executive Board of the IMF approved the Rapid Financing Instrument, which the Federal Government plans to use to address the economic impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic in the country, on April 28 .

A Letter of Intent , jointly signed by the Finance Minister , Zainab Ahmed , and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria , Godwin Emefiele, and addressed to the IMF Managing Director , Kristalina Georgieva , indicated that the Federal Government made a number of promises to the fund in order to secure the financial assistance.

One of the promises , or commitments , which the government made in a bid to assure the executive board of the IMF of its readiness to reposition the Nigerian economy after the pandemic , is that Nigerians would pay full cost-reflective tariff for power in 2021 .

The Federal Government also told the IMF it intends to cap electricity tariff shortfalls to N380 bn in 2020 .

“ We are also advancing in our power sector reforms – with technical assistance and financial support from the World Bank – including through capping electricity tariff shortfalls this year to N 380 bn and moving to full cost- reflective tariffs in 2021 , ” the Federal Government said in the letter .

On January 4 , the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission approved an increase in electricity tariff for the 11 electricity distribution companies in Nigeria .

It, however , could not implement the tariff increase after labour unions , lawmakers and other Nigerians kicked against the move, which would have commenced on April 1 , 2020 .

Although the NERC – reviewed tariff was not cost- reflective enough as required by power distributors , it showed that Nigerians would definitely pay more for electricity if it had been implemented .

This , therefore , implies that once the government enforces the payment of full cost- reflective tariff , in line with the promise to the IMF, power users might pay far higher than what was projected in NERC ’ s recent tariff review .

The commission had explained that its directive on the January 2020 tariff regime for different Discos superseded the earlier one issued on the subject matter .

According to details of the review published by the commission in January , for the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company , residential customers in R3 category who were paying N27 . 20 per unit would have been paying N 47 . 09 , had the regime started on April 1 , 2020 .

The customers would have paid N19 . 89 more per unit .

The Federal Government has decried the nationwide non -compliance with the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 ’ s guidelines for gradual reopening of the economy .

The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control , Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu , who stated this during the task force press briefing in Abuja , warned that the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , could restore the lockdown if the guidelines were not observed and there was a surge in coronavirus cases.

The President had, on March 30 , imposed a two – week lockdown on the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states , but at the expiration of the first lockdown on April 13 , he extended it by another 14 days .

In his broadcast to the nation on April 27 , Buhari said phased and gradual easing of the lockdown would begin on May 4 ( yesterday ). He also imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on the nation.

Besides banning interstate movements, the President imposed a total lockdown on Kano State , which had witnessed a spike in COVID- 19 cases.

Guidelines on gradual reopening of the economy issued by the PTF a few days after the presidential address mandate anyone in public spaces to use non – medical face masks.

They also prohibit interstate travels , apart from for essential services. The guidelines ban gathering of more than 20 people outside of a workplace .

Commercial vehicles are only allowed to operate outside the curfew hours and should practise social distancing in the number of their passengers .

But news correspondents , who monitored activities in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun states on Monday observed that people did not observe the PTF guidelines, including social distancing .

Although banks limited the number of people that entered their premises, customers ignored social distancing as they crowded at bank gates.

Pedestrians and motorists from Ogun State crossed over to Lagos in violation of the ban on interstate movements.

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ), in Abuja said only a collective international approach would mitigate the effect of COVID- 19 .

He also assured that the Federal Government would intensify efforts to monitor , test , and isolate more people, especially at the community level .

Buhari , who participated in a virtual Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non – Aligned Movement , said national, regional and global strategies would be required to tackle the pandemic .

This was contained in a statement by Buhari ’ s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity , Femi Adesina .

He said , “ The theme of this extra -ordinary Summit ‘ United Against COVID- 19 Pandemic , ’ aptly reflects the importance for a proactive approach and the need for multilateral cooperation in finding quick solutions to the challenges that COVID- 19 pandemic poses to our nations .

“ Since the outbreak of the disease , countries have made concerted efforts to limit the spread of the pandemic within and outside their borders as well as treating those infected by the virus .

“ Two weeks ago , we in West Africa came together to work out a common sub – regional response to the crisis . The summit appointed me the Champion to lead our efforts on fighting the pandemic in our region . ”

The president said the task before the international community remained daunting, adding that more needs to be done to reduce the impact of COVID- 19 .

He said , “ It is now clearly evident that no nation can independently and singlehandedly tackle a pandemic of this nature which is no respecter of borders , regions or status .

“ Invariably , enhancing multilateral cooperation through exchange and sharing of best practices is imperative to overcome the disease . We must , therefore , form a united front against this common enemy by being coordinated and timely in our responses .

“ Furthermore, we must all encourage and empower our scientists and medical experts to join the quest for a vaccine and cure to this universal plague .

“ It is , therefore , essential to fully collaborate and support their initiatives in coordinating the international fight against the pandemic . Such efforts should include the protection of our medical workers , provision of medical supplies , especially test kits and ultimately , finding a vaccine to cure the disease . ’’

President Buhari “urged international financial institutions to assist member states in cushioning the negative impact of the pandemic in the spirit of solidarity , which will include extending concessional loans, technical support, lowering of tariff on medical equipment and consumables , sharing of expertise in case management , adopting open trade policies, as well as outright debt cancellation .

“ Within the spirit of South- South cooperation , we must also assist one another, particularly the less developed and less endowed member states with technical , medical, and financial assistance. It is by so doing that we can rightly claim to uphold the Bandung Principles of equality , mutual interests , and cooperation. ’’

Punch

Ekiti State Government has released implementation guidelines on the new measures to control COVID- 19 pandemic with a description of the type of activities allowed for an initial period of four weeks effective from Monday .

The Secretary to State Government, Biodun Oyebanji , said the easing of the lockdown of the state effective from Monday , May 4 would be characterised by some enforceable actions which included mandatory temperature checks in public spaces and mandatory use of face masks.

Oyebanji , in a statement , entitled, ‘ Implementation of guidelines for containment of COVID- 19 in Ekiti State ’ , stated that “ anyone who presents a temperature of 38 * C will be mandated to return home and call Ekiti State Task Force on COVID- 19 for evaluation ”.

The SSG also stated that “anyone without a face mask / covering will be asked to return home and will be prosecuted . Latex hand gloves should not be worn except for specific medical purposes.

“ The Ojaoba , Oja Bisi , and Shasha markets remain closed . Social distancing must be maintained between people in workplaces and other public spaces , ” he added .

He said there shall be curfew between 8 pm and 6 am daily , adding, “ Anyone violating the curfew in a non -emergency situation will be prosecuted . ”

According to him , all schools , clubs , bars , gardens, and beer parlours to remain closed , restaurants to encourage takeaway system , supermarkets should not have more than 10 persons at a time, while the ban on all travel from and into Ekiti State subsists .

He stated, “ Any vehicle caught in violation (of the inter- state travel ban ) may be forfeited to the state and the passengers prosecuted . ”

Oyebanji said that business activities including intra – city commercial transportation would resume for only Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 am to 4 pm while businesses must provide liquid soap and running water for handwashing .

He said , “ Anyone attending any gathering of more than 20 people or a gathering which is not a funeral will be prosecuted .

“ Institutions that fail to comply with these protocols and guidelines will be prosecuted , and any member of the public who violates the ban on inter -local government as outlined in this guideline will be prosecuted . ”

The Federal Government has announced that it would soon commence the disinfection and decontamination of schools across the country.

Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmood , disclosed this at the Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID- 19 in Abuja.

He said the Federal Ministry of Environment would get the data of schools nationwide from the Federal Ministry of Education.

Mahmood said , “ We are initiating a programme of decontaminating and disinfecting our schools before they open .

“ Because subsequently in the phases ( of reopening the lockdown ), I believe we will get to that point when we start opening the schools .

“ So , we will be liaising with the Federal Ministry of Education to make sure we have the needed data to carry out the exercise . ”

Although the minister did not state when the exercise would start , he said his ministry had been making efforts to commence the programme .

Mahmood said , “ Today we will like to brief you on our first video conference with our Environmental Health Sanitation desks across the country, the 36 states plus the FCT.

“ Also in attendance was a representative of the World Health Organisation , the purpose of which is to build additional capacity and to reiterate adherence to the guidelines in this response to COVID- 19 . ”

The Federal Government, has confirmed the receipt of $ 311 m looted by the late military dictator , Gen. Sani Abacha .

According to reports,  the loot was repatriated from the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey .

The Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu , said approximately $ 311 , 797 , 866 . 11 of the Abacha loot was repatriated from the US and Jersey .

According to Malami, the amount increased significantly from over $ 308 m as stated in a press release in February to over $ 311 m because of the interest that accrued from February 3 , 2020 , to 28 th April, 2020 , when the fund was transferred to the Central Bank of Nigeria .

The AGF noted that the litigation process for the return of these assets titled “Abacha III ” commenced in 2014 , while the diplomatic process culminated in the signing of the Asset Return Agreement on February 3 , 2020 , by the governments of Nigeria , the US and Jersey commenced in 2018 .

“ This agreement is based on international law and cooperation measures that set out the procedures for the repatriation , transfer , disposition and management of the assets , ” he said .