Former Ecuador President , Rafael Correa , was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison for corruption while in office , the attorney general ’ s office said .
Correa , who was president from 2007 to 2017 but now lives in exile in Belgium , where his wife was born , was one of 18 people convicted of bribery , the office said on Twitter .
Correa , who has always claimed to be a victim of political persecution and accuses his country’ s judges of complicity , hit out at the sentence .
“ I know the process and what the judges say is a LIE . They ’ ve proved absolutely NOTHING . Pure false testimony without evidence, ” he wrote on Twitter .
He was found guilty of accepting funds from private businesses for his 2013 election campaign in return for state contracts .
Amongst the others sentenced was former Vice- President Jorge Glas , who had already been sentenced to six years in prison in a separate case for accepting a bribe from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht .
The court also banned all those convicted from political “ participation ” for 25 years .
“ This was what they were looking for : manipulating justice to achieve what they never could at the ballot box , ” said the leftist Correa , who turned 57 on Monday .
The former leader said he was “ concerned ” for his colleagues, adding : “For sure we ’ ll win (an appeal ) at the international level because all this is ridiculous . ”
Oyo State has recorded two new cases of coronavirus , bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the state to 11 .
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, announced this in a tweet .
He said , “The COVID- 19 confirmation test for two suspected cases came back positive, today . One of the new cases is a 28 – year- old woman who returned to the country from the United Arab Emirates on March 22 , 2020 . The second case is a 42 – year- old man who is a contact of an earlier confirmed COVID- 19 case .
“ The isolation process has been initiated , contact tracing and collection of samples have commenced . This brings the number of confirmed cases in Oyo State to 11 . Two cases have been discharged . So , there are nine active cases .
“ Please , keep following the directives of the Oyo State COVID- 19 Task Force : Wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol – based hand sanitiser regularly . Also , continue to maintain social distancing . ”
The President , Major – General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , has approved the suspension of the payment of interest on debts owed by state governments .
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed , who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja , said this was part of measures to reduce the debt burden on state governments .
The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning is expected to meet with the Central Bank of Nigeria to work out details of the moratorium.
The moratorium, according to the minister , would be granted on the Federal Government and CBN- funded loans in order to create fiscal space for the states , given the projected shortfalls in FAAC allocations .
Accordingly , she said as soon as monthly average FAAC receipts fell below a specific threshold, interest and capital payments by states would be suspended till monthly average FAAC receipts exceeded the threshold.
She said details of this moratorium would be expeditiously worked out with a view to submitting the final proposals for the President ’ s guidance and final approval.
The minister described the intervention as vital to creating fiscal said states would be encouraged to explore similar arrangements for their outstanding debts to commercial banks .
Osun State Government has said it would begin the distribution of relief materials to cushion the effects of the coronavirus lockdown on the residents effective Wednesday(tomorrow) .
The government had ordered a 14 – day lockdown , starting from Wednesday , April 1 to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state .
The Secretary to the State Government, Wole Oyebamiji , said the distribution would be done across all polling units in the state , adding that the items would be distributed without preference for any party or religion.
He further explained that the government was working on ways to prevent the cluster of persons at the distribution centres in compliance with the social distancing directive of government .
Oyebamiji said , “ The distribution would start as from tomorrow ( Wednesday ) at each of the polling centres . It is believed that people within a particular polling centres know themselves and they will distribute among themselves .
“ It will cut across party lines and it will be done from door to door to avoid an unnecessary crowd . ”
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, there are 20 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Osun State .
The era of subsidy on petrol is gone forever , the Group Managing Director , Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation , Mele Kyari, said .
Kyari, who spoke during a live programme on African Independent Television , stated that with the current fluctuations in global crude oil prices , the cost of refined products would be determined by market forces going forward .
He explained that although the NNPC was not responsible for petroleum products pricing , the country was currently transiting into a market situation where the forces of demand and supply would determine the cost of Premium Motor Spirit .
Asked whether there was still petrol subsidy or under – recovery on PMS by the NNPC, Kyari said , “ Subsidy and under – recovery are zero today . And it is zero forever . ”
In March , the Federal Government reduced the pump price of petrol from N145 / litre to N125 /litre .
On April 1 , the price was further reduced to N123 . 50 / litre, although many Nigerians expected a much lower cost.
The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency explained that the reduction was due to the sharp fall in the price of crude oil in the international market following the outbreak of coronavirus.
When told that Nigerians expected a further reduction in petrol price as a result of the plunge in crude oil prices , Kyari explained that several factors determined price crash .
He said , “ I know that we are transiting into a market situation where the forces of demand and supply will regulate the pricing while avoiding the possibility of abuses that can actually come in .
“ So I know that ultimately the market forces will take its shape in a way that everybody will know the various requirements . ”
He noted that the decline in crude oil price would often reflect on the cost of refined products in three to four – week time and not immediately.
Kyari said , “ I don ’ t see oil price going below the $ 20 per barrel price that we saw last week. I ’ m certain , all things being equal , oil price will bounce back . ”
He said the aspiration of the NNPC was to grow Nigeria ’ s crude oil production to three million barrels per day .
“ As of yesterday , our production has , for the first time in many months and years , risen to 2 . 3 mbpd. ”
He expressed optimism that the trend would continue.
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed , says the President , Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , has approved the engagement of 774 , 000 Nigerians on Special Public Works programme in the country to cushion the effect of COVID- 19 pandemic.
Ahmed disclosed this at a press conference on fiscal stimulus measures in response to COVID- 19 pandemic and oil prices fiscal shock , in Abuja .
She explained that 1 , 000 people were expected to be recruited from each of the 774 local government areas in the country.
According to her , N 60 billion for allowances and operational cost has been earmarked from the COVID- 19 crisis intervention fund for the initiative .
She disclosed that President Buhari had previously approved a pilot special public works programme in eight states to be implemented by the National Directorate of Employment.
She added that Buhari had now approved that this programme be extended to all 36 States and the FCT from October to December 2020 and the selected timeframe was to ensure that it was implemented after the planting season .
Ahmed said , “ With regards to the Special Public Works Program , Mr . President had previously approved a Pilot Special Public Works Programme in eight States to be implemented by the National Directorate of Employment from February 2020 to April 2020 .
“ Mr . President has now approved that this Programme be extended to all 36 States and the FCT from October 2020 to December 2020 . The selected timeframe is to ensure that the Programme is implemented after the planting season is over, and it will result in the employment of about 774 , 000 Nigerians (that is , 1 , 000 people per Local Government).
“ The Federal Ministry of Finance , Budget and National Planning is also evaluating how best to extend the Special Public Works Programme, to provide modest stipends for itinerant workers to undertake Roads Rehabilitation and Social Housing Construction .
“ And also Urban and Rural Sanitation, Health Extension and other critical services. This intervention will be undertaken in conjunction with the key federal ministries responsible for Agriculture , Environment , Health and Infrastructure, as well as the states , to financially empower individuals who lose their jobs due to the economic crisis .
“ Mr . President has approved the establishment of N500 billion COVID- 19 Crisis Intervention Fund . The establishment of the Fund will involve drawing much – needed cash resources from various Special Funds and Accounts , in consultation with and with the approval of the National Assembly .
“ The N500 billion is proposed to be utilised to upgrade healthcare facilities as earlier identified by the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 and approved by Mr . President .
“ This will help to finance the Federal Government’ s Interventions to support states in improving healthcare facilities , finance the creation of a Special Public Works programme and Fund any additional interventions that may be approved by Mr . President . ”
The minister noted that although similar challenges were experienced in 2008 / 2009 as well as in 2015 / 2016 , Nigeria had considerably lower fiscal buffers now than in previous economic downturns .
According to her , the decline in international oil prices and domestic production may be magnified if a severe outbreak of COVID- 19 occurs , despite ongoing efforts to curtail the spread of the pandemic through compulsory lockdown of Lagos and Ogun States , as well as the FCT.
The minister said to directly address these health and economic challenges , the president approved the Fiscal Stimulus Package among others as part of an Integrated Policy Framework to ensure that Nigeria ’ s healthcare system , fiscal position and economy were sufficiently supported to weather these shocks.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives , Femi Gbajabiamila , has said that based on the concerns raised by Nigerians , the Chinese doctors and nurses being expected in Nigeria to assist with the coronavirus pandemic would first be quarantined for 14 days .
Gbajabiamila said this decision was reached based on his meeting with the two ministers of health , adding that the doctors and nurses would at no time have “ any physical contact with any patient . ”
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On his Facebook page , the Speaker said , “I just met with the two Ministers in charge of Health over concerns expressed by indigenous medical practitioners and many Nigerians on the engagement of Chinese doctors and nurses for the management of COVID- 19 in Nigeria .
“ We extracted the following commitments from them; One , the Doctors and Nurses will follow the protocol and be quarantined for 14 days once they arrive in Nigeria . Two , the doctors and nurses will at no time have any physical contact with any patient .
“ Three , there will be strict compliance with all relevant immigration laws regarding work permits. We remain vigilant and our engagement continues . ”
The Federal Government has slammed critics of an offer by a foreign company, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company CCECC to import an 18-member Chinese team of medical experts including doctors, nurses and public health advisers to share experiences with their local counterparts on the management of the Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.
Several stakeholders had berated the government for its decision to allow the Chinese team into the country, expressing fears that their coming could worsen the spread of the pandemic in Nigeria.
However, Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha said every country needs all the help it can get at this point, adding that even the “almighty United States of America USA” is seeking external help.
According to him, the Chinese will only offer their experiences and expertise as they are not accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to ply their trade in the country.
He, however, said no country on earth has greater experience than China when it comes to managing the Covid-19.
He said; “One major support that has attracted public commentaries is the offer by CCECC, a Chinese company to import about 256 equipment and items in different quantities, notable amongst which are, 1,300,000 medical masks, over 150,000 pieces of assorted personal protective equipment as well as 50 medical ventilators. The company has also proposed, on its own, to sponsor public health experts to help strengthen our public health capacity and advise on processes and procedures.
“However, I wish to clarify that all Countries of the world are seeking assistance and are receiving help in the fight against COVID-19. Even the ‘almighty’ United States is looking for heal elsewhere. The support coming from China is a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative by CCECC, a company with a total value of infrastructure contracts worth over $10 billion in Nigeria. The professionals that have been invited from China are public health specialists and medical engineers that will support Nigeria’s capacity in managing the Pandemic on the advisory basis when necessary while drawing from the experience of the Chinese. In no way shall there be case management and interface with patients. They will train our manpower, advise on procedures and methods, install and test the equipment donated before handing them over.
“I, therefore, use this medium to appeal to our medical professionals to see the positive aspects of this gesture as an extension of development in the field of medicine. The PTF recognizes and respects the competence and capability of Nigerian Doctors and other medical personnel. This is a state of war against the coronavirus and time should not be devoted to unhelpful controversies” Mustapha added.
On the lockdown in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states, the SGF said reports from the Taskforce’s assessment still show substantial compliance in these places. According to him, the federal government is already meeting the objectives of the lockdown saying 35 per cent of infections is by returnees and 25 per cent by close contacts while the sources of 40 per cent of infections are currently unknown.
As a result of the 40 per cent infection whose sources are unknown, the PTF said soon, a new public advisory would be issued in that regard.
“We shall prepare a full assessment by the end of the week in order to advise Mr President on the next step to take before the expiration of the 14days lockdown”, he stated.
He also asked stakeholders not to contest test results issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors ’ Forum , Dr Kayode Fayemi , has said the forum is discussing with World Bank to mobilise support for states in order to mitigate the economic and social costs of the coronavirus pandemic .
This was contained in a statement by the forum ’ s Head, Media and Public Affairs , Abdulrazaque Bello- Barkindo .
He said the forum appreciates the Federal Government’ s reduction in the pump price of petrol amid the COVID- 19 crisis .
Fayemi , who is also the Ekiti State Governor , said , “ The NGF Chairman briefed state governors on ongoing coordination with the World Bank to mobilise support for states to mitigate the economic and social cost of the COVID- 19 pandemic .
“ Ongoing plans include accelerated disbursement of existing and new financing for States under the State Fiscal , Transparency , Accountability and Sustainability Programme – for -Results , and mitigation and recovery support for expenditures to protect livelihoods , support local economic activity and recovery over the next 18 months to 2 years .
“ The forum also expressed full support for the federal government ’ s timely implementation of the petrol price modulation mechanism to eliminate petrol subsidy permanently in the country . ”
The President , Major – General Muhamadu Buhari (retd . ) , has given approval for the withdrawal of $ 150 m from the Sovereign Wealth Fund for distribution to the three tiers of government .
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed , disclosed this , in Abuja during a media briefing on the fiscal policy measures to tackle the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the economy .
She said the amount would be withdrawn from the stabilisation fund component of the Sovereign Wealth Fund .
The fund is currently being managed by the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority , according to reports .
Zainab said the need to withdraw the amount was to cushion the negative impact of the drop in revenue on the federation account .
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