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Residents of Ile Ife , Osun State , were further restricted to only their homes , as Oro procession went through some major streets for spiritual cleansing against COVID- 19 .

A 14 – day restriction to prevent spread of coronavirus, starting from Wednesday , had commenced across the state .

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However , sources in Ife told our correspondent that there was public service announcement aired by a radio station based in the town , signed by one Chief Oyelami Awoyode on behalf of Ooni , Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi , intimating residents that Oro procession would move through some major streets on Thursday .

The announcement was also accompanied by a stern warning that whoever was caught would pay dearly for it.

Also , town criers were said to have gone round the town to announce restriction of movement between 6 am and 6 pm on Thursday .

Also , in the said announcement, many neighbourhoods in the ancient city where the procession would reach were listed.

Residents of Oja titun , Moore , Iyekere, Okerewe and Omisore areas , who spoke to newsmen afternoon , said they were indoors in order not to get caught by Oro .

Tayo Aderibigbe , a resident of Oja titun in a chat, said , “ The Oro procession has not reached my neighbourhood but all of us are indoors . The street is deserted .

“ It is not strange to us . Occasionally, residents would be asked to stay indoors for exercises like this . ”

Meanwhile , Osun State Government has said whenever it would start distribution of relief items to cushion effects of 14 days restriction , the sick and vulnerable would be given priority consideration .

Osun State Government on Thursday confirmed that six more Ivory Coast returnees tested positive for coronavirus .

According to reports,  the development brings the total number of cases in the state to 20 .

Osun State Commissioner for Health , Dr Rafiu Isamotu, told newsmen that all the 127 returnees had been tested and 18 of them had returned positive.

Meanwhile , Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun on Thursday signed the Disease ( Emergency Prevention ) Regulations 2020 law in a bid to enforce the lockdown order to curtail the spread of the coronavirus in the state .

Oyetola, while signing the law , said he made the sit – at – home and state ’ s lockdown order in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , 1999 (as amended ) and other relevant provisions of the State of Osun Public Health Law .

The governor said the law was aimed at preventing and curtailing the spread of coronavirus anywhere within the territory of Osun .

Oyetola said following the signing of the law , anybody who violates the sit -at – home order would be sentenced to six – month imprisonment or with an option of fine upon conviction.

The Lagos State Government has released 11 new patients , who have been receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital , Yaba .
Governor Babajide Sanwi – Olu of Lagos announced this on his Twitter page , @ jidesanwoolu .

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He said , “The patients include two females and nine males . Their results came out negative in two rounds of tests . I want to use this opportunity to , once again , thank our frontline health workers and other professionals for their service .

“ Let me reiterate that this is not the time to relax, but to maintain our vigilance because of the community infection that we are beginning to see . I assure you that in the end, we will hoist a flag of victory – with your cooperation and by the grace of the Almighty. ”

The Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital , Ibadan , Prof . Jesse Otegbayo, has tested negative for COVID – 19 after initially testing positive for the disease .

The Public Relations Officer of UCH , Mr Toye Akinrinlola , said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan .

“ I have the pleasure to announce that the repeat test of the UCH CMD , Prof . Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo has returned negative . He had earlier tested positive to the COVID – 19 Virus last Friday.

“ Otegbayo had on Sunday personally said in a statement that he tested positive for COVID – 19 and admonished all those who had contact with him to go on self – quarantine .

“ However , his samples were taken again on Tuesday , 31 st March , 2020 . Today , at about 3 . 00 pm, the result came out negative , ” he said .

Akinrinlola disclosed that his result also came back negative after being among those in close contact with the CMD .

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed prompt payment of salaries to all employees.

He also directed the ministry to ensure that critical infrastructure like roads, rails are protected and as much as possible, use local inputs so that the country retains value within her economy.

This is as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele has said that the global economy was facing serious problems that could lead to recession and that the government was doing everything possible to rescue the nation’s economy.

President Buhari gave the directive for the prompt payment of salaries when he met with the members of the Presidential committee to review the impact of COVID-19 on the economy at the State House Abuja.

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Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said the committee met with the President to brief him on the current happenings around the world due to COVID-19 and the impact on the nation’s economy.

The Minister who fielded questions from journalists said, “well, he (President) has directed that we should make sure that salaries are paid, make critical infrastructures like roads, rails are protected, as much as possible use local inputs so that we retain value within our economy. And also make sure that we measure that protect the poor and the vulnerable.”

Asked the purpose of the meeting, Mrs. Ahmed said, “This meeting was just to brief Mr. President as the situation we are in keeps evolving on a daily basis.

“As the health crisis gradually expands, affecting States and also the lockdown that has been ordered to help curtail the expansion of the health crisis.

“The consequences of the lockdown is the additional slowing down of the economy and the measures that we need to take to mitigate the negative consequences of the slow trade and businesses.”

Also speaking, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, painted a gloomy picture on the economy, saying that it was not in the best of sharp due to COVID-19.

He also said that the global oil prices were collapsing every day, adding that the situation required regular briefing of the President.

On his part, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Godwin Emefiele, said the economy was not looking as simple as every thought it would be.

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He said: “The global economy naturally like we all know at this time will naturally suffer growth problems and may even lead to recession globally. So we are trying to see what we can do as a country to rescue our own situation so we don’t go the direction many will go.

“It is not going to be easy but we can only assure our people that we are on top of it and that we will resolve it and Nigerians will still be better for it.”

Other members of the committee are
Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mela Kyari.

The German Mission in Nigeria has pledged € 5 . 5 m to the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund , says the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nigeria , according to reports .

The donation , according to an online currency converter , Oanda , as of 2 pm on Thursday(today) , exchanged for N 2 . 2 bn.

This is coming as the West- African country grapples with the attendant effects of economic shocks as a result of the coronavirus pandemic which has paralysed most activities in the country while infecting over 170 people with two deaths .

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There have been cries by the populace for the government to cushion the effect of the lockdown by providing relief materials including foodstuffs and other essentials .

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nigeria announcing on its Twitter handle , @ OCHANigeria , said the donation by Germany would help vulnerable persons in Nigeria have access to potable water , food and shelter amidst the crisis .

UNOCHA Nigeria tweeted , “ Germany pledges € 5 . 5 m to the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund . It’ s more critical than ever for vulnerable people to have access to clean water , food & shelter . This will enable partners to continue delivering life- saving aid amidst COVID- 19 . ”

The Federal Ministry of Finance , Budget and National Planning has deleted a tweet in which it pleaded with American billionaire, Elon Musk , for ventilators to treat the COVID- 19 pandemic .

The ministry also issued a statement apologising to Nigerians for the error .

The Special Adviser, Media and Communications to the minister , Yunusa Abdullahi , said in a statement that the tweet was not done with the permission of the minister .

The statement read , “ An unauthorised post was made on the verified Twitter handle of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. The fact of the post is regrettable because of which it is brought down.

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“ We have made sure our internal processes are strengthened that such doesn ’ t happen again . The error is highly regrettable. ”

However , the President ’ s Personal Assistant on New Media , Bashir Ahmad , who also appealed to Musk for assistance , refused to delete his tweet and even re- tweeted similar pleas .

Buhari ’ s aide tweeted, “Hello Elon , I woke up to this your tweet all over the timeline , in this period of worldwide emergency getting ventilators is pretty hard no matter how much money you get , and that ’ s understandable ! Nigeria , my dear country is in need . Kindly send 100 s here , we really need them, thanks !”

The Governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called on the federal government to extend the lockdown measures to other states of the federation as the means to eliminate the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.

He stated this against the background of the three new confirmed cases in the state .

More news👉 https://latestnewsupdates.news.blog/2020/04/01/breaking-coronavirus-cases-top-900000-worldwide/

However, newsmen gathered that the three new cases are part of the 127 returnees from Cote d’ivoire, who have been at an isolation centre in Ejigbo.

The three new cases returned positive after 24 suspected cases were tested.

Speaking last Tuesday night, Oyetola said the total lockdown of the country was necessary to avoid what he termed trans-border transfer of the virus.

The governor insisted that the only way to properly safeguard entry and exit into the country and between states in the country was to announce a total lockdown of the country.
Oyetola stated this while on a special programme tagged: ‘Journalists Hangout’ on Television Continental (TVC) last Tuesday evening.

According to him, “The war against coronavirus must be total. We should not be concentrating on three or few states alone. We should see this as a national emergency. “I am advocating for a total lockdown so that what is happening in Lagos and Ogun States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) can be extended to other states as a better way to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“About four days ago, my colleague governor in Ogun State alerted me to the fact that some Nigerians of Osun State origin were coming in from Cote d’ivoire. I thanked him for his efforts because he also provided escort for them to reach us.

The federal government has issued a three-month ultimatum to power Distribution Companies (Discos) to improve the quality of power supply to their customers or be sanctioned.

The Minister of Power, Mr. Mamman Saleh, in a statement in Abuja, said before the three-month delay on the take-off of the implementation of tariff measures, the Discos must be willing to supply meters, improve power supply and agree on what is the reasonable tariff for consumers.

More news👉 https://latestnewsupdates.news.blog/2020/03/31/updated-labour-warns-against-increase-in-electricity-tariff/

However, power Generation Companies (Gencos) have blamed the epileptic electricity supply on the federal government for its inability to guarantee adequate gas supply to generate electricity.

The minister said there would only be a rise in tariff when the Discos had committed themselves to play their roles effectively, rather than waiting for Nigerians to pay more for electricity.

“Tariffs will only be raised as the Distribution Companies (Discos) improve the quality of supply, meter consumers, and agree with consumers on rates. Discos that fail to improve will be sanctioned,” he said.

Mamman added that the ministry of power remained supportive of a “service-reflective” tariff system, which he said would be more equitable and would encourage investment in the sector.

He said: “The ministry will work with NERC to ensure that improvements happen in the entire Discos network and estimated billing is capped per NERC Order 197/2020. This will eliminate arbitrary billing that Nigerians have raised issues with.

“We are also implementing other key emergency measures to support the NESI (Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry). We are working with the CBN to ensure payments to the generators and gas suppliers through the Payment Assurance Facility (PAF) are expedited to support power supply.

More than 900, 000 cases of coronavirus have been officially detected worldwide since the pandemic emerged in China late last year , according to an AFP tally at 1900 GMT using official sources.

More news👉 https://latestnewsupdates.news.blog/2020/04/01/exclusive-the-6-african-countries-yet-to-record-coronavirus-infection/

At least 905, 589 infections including 45 , 719 deaths have been recorded in 187 countries and territories globally , with 203 , 608 cases and 4 , 476 deaths in the United States where the pandemic is spreading rapidly .

Italy with 110 , 574 detected cases has the highest number of fatalities with 13 , 155 deaths . Spain has 102 , 136 cases including 9 , 053 deaths and China has 81 , 554 cases and 3 , 312 deaths .

AFP