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The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has urged the Federal Government to call Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to order over his claims that there were no cases of COVID-19 in the state.

NMA also challenged Kogi State Government to show Nigerians evidence that the state was actually free from COVID-19, rather than downgrading the results released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, which listed the state among those with confirmed cases.

Recall that Kogi State government had earlier reacted to the publication by NCDC, that two positive cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the state on May 27.

A statement by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Saka Audu, described it as a “fallacy,” Insisting That Kogi Was Free From COVID-19 .

According to the statement, “we have also continued to insist that we will not be a party to any fictitious COVID-19 claims, which is why we do not recognise any COVID-19 test conducted by any Kogite outside the boundaries of the state, except those initiated by us.

“Any attempt to force us to announce a case of COVID-19 will be vehemently rejected.”

However, in a chat with Vanguard, the President of NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyile said: “The state government should show its own evidence. The people that did the laboratory tests have shown theirs.

“It is expected that the state government should give Nigerians evidence that they have tested hundreds of people and could not find a case of coronavirus.”

Faduyile, who warned that the pandemic was not politics, said: “This problem has nothing to do with politics, because it is science. So it is not about what the state accepts or what they do not accept.

“I call on the Federal Government to call Governor Yahaya Bello to order. We have been talking about this and asking the governor for his understanding.

“We don’t live in a world which one man rules. We live in a world where we are governed by scientific evidence. There is something we call reproducibility. If he is not convinced, let us reproduce it again. But not on the state government’s terms. Let us take the samples and do it again.

“We want the Federal Government to ensure that the right thing is done.”

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , abruptly lost connection while address a United Nations event .

The virtual meeting tagged “ High -Level Event on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID- 19 and Beyond” , was at the instance of the United Nations Secretary – General , António Guterres .

Canadian Prime Minister , Justin Trudeau and his Jamaican counterpart , Andrew Holness , co -hosted the high – level discussions, with over 50 world leaders participating.

Buhari ’ s connection from Abuja had hitches right from the start , as he went on and off for seconds before the video connection went off completely .

The organisers quickly called on the Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayut Chan- o – cha , to make his own presentation.

Chan- o – cha too seemed to have connection issues , but he substituted his presentation with a pre – recorded video speech .

A number of connections from other leaders also had brief hitches .

Before his connection went off, Buhari had highlighted the impact of COVID – 19 on African countries , particularly their loss of revenues , making it difficult for them to fund their 2020 budget .

For Nigeria , he said it was hard – hit by the crash in oil revenue , the mainstay of its monolithic economy .

However , Buhari informed his co -participants that his regime had introduced measures , including retooling the economy through “ home- grown strategies ” to ensure that Nigeria survived the pandemic now and beyond .

Punch

US President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order after threatening to shutter social media platforms following Twitter ’ s move to label two of his tweets misleading .

After long resisting calls to censure Trump over his truth- defying posts , Twitter on Tuesday accused the president of the first time of making false claims .

Trump had tweeted — without any evidence — that more mail- in voting would lead to what he called a “ Rigged Election ” this November .

Twitter ’ s slap on the wrist was enough to drive Trump into a tirade — on Twitter — in which he claimed that the political right in the United States was being censored.

Trump would sign an executive order “ pertaining to social media ” his aides said , without offering any details .

But an undated draft version of the order obtained by The Washington Post on Wednesday said : “ we cannot allow a limited number of online platforms to hand – pick the speech that Americans may access and convey online. ”

The order would make it easier for federal regulators to argue that the companies are “suppressing free speech when they move to suspend users or delete posts , ” The New York Times reported , citing two senior administration officials .

Both newspapers also reported that the order , which they said had not yet been finalized, could see tech companies such as Twitter, Facebook and Google held legally responsible for content posted on their platforms .

Twitter ’ s move to tag the president ’ s tweets comes after years of being accused of ignoring the president ’ s violation of platform rules with his daily , often hourly barrages of personal insults and inaccurate information sent to more than 80 million followers .

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg waded into the row , telling Fox News that his social network — still the biggest in the world — has a different policy .

“ I just believe strongly that Facebook should not be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online, ” Zuckerberg said in a snippet of the interview posted online Wednesday by Fox .

“ I think, in general , private companies , especially these platform companies , shouldn ’ t be in the position of doing that . ”

Twitter founder and CEO Jack Dorsey fired back on Wednesday night , saying that his platform ’ s effort to point out misinformation did not make it an “ arbiter of truth. ”

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria has reduced the Monetary Policy Rate , also known as main interest rate, to 12 . 5 per cent from 13 . 5 per cent.

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, disclosed this while announcing the decision of the MPC at its meeting .

He said the committee also decided to retain the Cash Reserves Ratio at 22 . 7 per cent and the liquidity ratio at 30 per cent .

The central bank had held the MPR at 13 . 5 per cent since March 26 , 2019 when it was reduced from 14 per cent. The MPR is used to determine bank lending rates and the cost of credit for borrowers.

Early this month , the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress , Asiwaju Bola Tinubu , called on the CBN to seize the opportunity of the coronavirus crisis to lower interest rates in a bid to boost the nation’ s economy .

He said the country must retreat from high interest rates “ if we want investment borrowing to attain levels that actually increase private – sector growth and job creation” .

According to Tinubu , high interest rates , along with an unreliable power supply, combine to form a steep obstacle to sufficient real – sector investment , growth and productivity .

“ The economic fallout from the coronavirus may present the best , most pressing case for revising the CBN’ s high interest rate policy . The undue rates penalise domestic investment and consumer borrowing, ” he said .

The Inspector General of Police , Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the redeployment of Edo, Ondo and Oyo State Commissioners of Police .

Eight other CPs were also redeployed in various Commands and Formations , according to a press statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba .

The statement said , “ The IGP has ordered the immediate posting /redeployment of the following Commissioners of Police to Commands / Formations as follows: Edo State , CP Johnson Babatunde Kokumo ; Osun State , CP Undie J. Adie ; Bauchi State CP Lawal Jimeta Tanko ; Ebonyi State , CP Philip Sule Maku ; Gombe State , CP Ahmed Maikudi Shehu ; Ondo State , CP Bolaji Amidu Salami; Oyo State , CP Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu; Eastern Port, CP Evelyn T. Peterside ; Explosive Ordinance Device ( EOD ), CP Okon Etim Ene ; Airport Command , CP Bello Maikwashi ; and Anti – Fraud Unit ( FCID Annex Lagos ), CP Olukolu Tairu Shina . ”

The statement also quoted the IGP as urging the newly deployed CPs to prioritise community policing , crime prevention , public security , public safety , and general crime – fighting among others.

“ The IGP also enjoins the citizens of the affected states to cooperate with the Commissioners of Police to enable them to succeed in their new areas of responsibilities.

“ The IGP charges the newly posted officers to ensure they consolidate and advance the gains of their predecessors particularly in the implementation of community policing , crime prevention , public security , public safety , and general crime – fighting. ”

Punch

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , has written to the House of Representatives to request for the approval of fresh external borrowings totalling $ 5 . 513 bn.

Buhari , in the letter read by Speaker of the House of Representatives , Femi Gbajabiamila , at the plenary, said the funds were for 2020 budget deficit , financing of critical projects , and some states of the federation.

The President also presented a revised 2020 Appropriation Bill and 2020 – 2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper .

The National Assembly had recently approved a loan of N850 bn for the Federal Government, while another of $ 22 . 79 bn, which the Senate has already approved , is pending before the House.

Punch

The Christian Association of Nigeria has expressed hope that the ban on religious gatherings in the country may be lifted by the first Sunday of June .

The ban is among the safety precautions in place to combat coronavirus in the country .
CAN President Rev Samson Ayokunle gave the indication in a statement .

He said they had been consulting with the Federal Government on the modalities to follow.

He said if the government did not entertain any fear in opening markets and banks , there would not be any basis to hesitate in opening churches considering the fact that they are more organised than markets and banks .

Ayokunle said , “ As a law – abiding institution , the church in Nigeria and the Christian Association of Nigeria that binds all of us together complied, hitherto, with government ’ s directive suspending church services for the past eight weeks now.

“ However , the Church is well prepared for resumption of worship and as one of the most organised institutions in the country with trained leadership and good guidance by the Scripture .

“ We are in discussions with the Federal Government and are drawing the guidelines that churches would follow in order not to endanger the life of any worshipper and equally prevent COVID- 19 infection.

“ We are sure of compliance if the government allows our compliance team to work hand- in – hand with their law enforcement agencies to monitor compliance . If the government didn ’ t entertain any fear in opening markets and banks which are not as organised as the church , why should government entertain fear about the compliance of the church ?

“ We are hopeful that latest by the first Sunday in June , all our churches would open again for congregational worship under COVID- 19 prevention regulations. As I said before , we are consulting with the government on this . ”

Meanwhile , CAN , the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs , Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 met over the issue.

The CAN delegation was led by the Chairman of its North Central chapter and President of FCT Baptist Conference , Rev . Israel Akanji.

The representatives of the Federal Government were said to have promised to prepare their own recommendations to be presented to the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd ), who would decide the accepted ones and present them to the country in his nationwide broadcast scheduled for next week.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 has said the Federal Ministry of Health has shortlisted for further investigations, three Nigerian drugs , which have the potential to cure COVID- 19 or treat its symptoms .

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Mr Boss Mustapha , disclosed this at the PTF press conference in Abuja, where the ministry of health warned that Nigeria ’ s health system could not cope with increasing COVID- 19 cases .

But Mustapha said three shortlisted drugs would be subjected to further investigations by relevant health agencies .

At the PTF press briefing, Mustapha disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health had held a virtual meeting with some researchers and scientists who had made claims about COVID- 19 cure and shortlisted three for further research .

He stated , “As a measure of the importance attached to research and development of local capacity for finding a cure to the COVID – 19 , the Federal Ministry of Health held a virtual meeting with a number of researchers and scientists with claims to cure for COVID 19 and out of the numerous claimants , three were found to deserve further investigation and have been forwarded to the relevant authorities for appropriate review .

“ Similarly, efforts are being made by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to subject some locally manufactured COVID- 19 equipment to verification and subsequent certification . ”

The task force also backed the decision of the World Health Organisation to suspend clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of the novel coronavirus.

The PTF Chairman , Mustapha , therefore cautioned the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and other relevant agencies to ensure that all claims to treatment by scientists and researchers were subjected to scientific certification protocols.

Federal Government has said that it has stopped evacuating stranded Nigerians abroad. Giving reason for its action, Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign Affairs, opined that anybody that is going to be evacuated will first of all undergo a test from the countries they are leaving from, at least five days before travel and not later than nine days before.

His words as reported by TheCable, “There is going to be a change in that protocol and that is going to affect the timing of any further evacuation we are going to undertake.

“Anybody that is going to be evacuated will first of all undergo a test from the countries they are leaving from, at least five days before travel and not later than nine days before.

“That will be a pre-condition for boarding the flights to Nigeria. And if they are positive, they will not be able to board the flight.

“On arrival in Nigeria, Aliko Dangote and his other partners will have in place these units where they will take samples from the passengers coming in and they will retain their passports.

“The passengers will then be able to go home and not into prescribed hotels to self-isolate. Results from those samples will then be ready within a day or two; those who are positive will then be taking in for isolation.

“The whole issue of quarantining in hotels will no longer be necessary. This can also mean more people can also come back more frequently, and it will be a lot easier than it has been up to now.

“What we have been asked to do is to cease or suspend all evacuations for now until this new structure is put into place. We are very hopeful that maybe by next week, we should be able to commence evacuation.

“We are able to evacuate 69 Nigerians, 50 trafficked Nigerian girls from Lebanon and 19 other Nigerians, and they all arrived safely and are in quarantine,” he said, while thanking Lebanese community in Nigeria who “funded the cost of flight and hotel accommodation for the trafficked girls.”

Recall that FG had evacuated about 292 stranded Nigerians from Saudi Arabia. It has also evacuated 69 Nigerians stranded in Lebanon in the last two days.

Vanguard

The Federal Government says it is thinking of sectionalising classes for primary , secondary, and tertiary institutions in the country ahead of school reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic .

The Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba , stated this during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 in Abuja .

The minister , who faulted the reports that schools would reopen in the country on June 8 , said the government could not afford to take any costly risk, especially as it regards the safety of pupils and students in the country.

He said , “Until we are sure these children can go to school , return safely and not bring up with them COVID- 19 and infect people who are more susceptible than they are , then we are running a huge risk and God forbid , in our hurry, something happens to our children, I am not sure how anybody will be able to retrieve what has been lost . ”

Nwajiuba said the ministry was being guided by the advice of experts including those of the World Health Organisation , noting that the decision to reopen schools would be carefully arrived at because education is on the concurrent list of the Nigerian Constitution .
He appealed to private owners of schools to co – operate with the government in ensuring a safe reopening .

“ We are going to publish a specification on what we expect COVID- 19 or post- COVID- 19 reopening to look like . We are not talking about coping with COVID- 19 but in spite of COVID- 19 , we expect that we will adapt .

“ For a country that has over 115 , 000 primary schools , you will understand that 35 , 000 of these who are private must agree to set up the same standard in other to allow children to go in .

“ We may have classes in the morning and classes in the afternoon so that we will have the whole of the infrastructure divided , provided they can serve us . I am not sure we will have classes at night . But we can do with morning and afternoon for now , ” he explained .