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> “gatherings of more than 20 persons are prohibited…”

Ekiti State Governor , Dr Kayode Fayemi , has barred social , political, religious and family gatherings of more than 20 persons as part of efforts to check the spread of coronavirus .

The governor , who announced that “ all public and private schools and institutions in Ekiti State are to close down from Monday , March 23 ” , also directed that “ all non – essential workers in private and public sectors are encouraged to work from home from Monday , March 23 ” .

Fayemi , in a statewide broadcast in Ado Ekiti , said , “ Now that we are aware of its presence in our midst , we must leave no stone unturned to make Ekiti State coronavirus ( COVID- 19 ) free. We must combat and curtail its spread by ensuring our people are actively involved in government ’ s efforts to fight this global pandemic . While the world frantically searches for a cure , our best and only defense is prevention . ”

Fayemi added , “ All public gatherings of more than 20 persons are prohibited from today , Friday, March 20 . These include religious gatherings like worship and prayer services , night vigils , house fellowships , and Asalatu; social gatherings like burials , weddings , family meetings and parties of any kind ; political gatherings , like rallies , congresses , ward meetings ; night clubs , bars, beer joints, and NYSC CDS meetings among others. ”

He listed the non – essential workers in private and public sectors who should work from home to include civil and public servants from level 12 and below ; except essential services like health workers , caregivers , social welfare officers , fire service officers , emergency response officers , and security guards / watchmen in public institutions.

Edited: victorfalade/latestnewsupdates

The West African Examinations Council made this known in a statement .

The statement quoted WAEC Nigeria ’ s Head of National Office , Mr . Patrick Areghan , as saying that the examination scheduled to begin April 6 , 2020 , was postponed as a result of coronavirus pandemic .

Areghan said the timetable for the examination would be reviewed after the coronavirus pandemic situation improves .

The statement read , “ The West African Examinations Council in Nigeria , nay, the West African sub -region , has decided to put on hold the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates, 2020 , earlier scheduled to commence on April 6 , 2020 .

“ This is as a result of the impact of the novel and deadly Coronavirus pandemic (COVID- 19 ) and the serious implications it has for the conduct of the WASSCE for school candidates , 2020 , coupled with the anxieties it has generated among the populace.

“ This decision is a demonstration of the organisation ’ s concern and support for the various protocols being put in place by the Federal and State Governments of Nigeria and the governments of the other member countries to check the spread of the disease . ”

Edited: victorfalade/latestnewsupdates

This is coming a few days after shutting down its orientation camps nationwide .

The suspension of the CDS was contained in a press statement obtained by news correspondent .

The statement , which was signed by NYSC Director of Human Resource Management Abdulrazak Salawu , said the CDS suspension was because of the increasing cases of Covid – 19 .

The statement explained that the CDS meetings have a large number of persons coming in close contact .

It also ordered all Local Government Inspectors to immediately comply with the directive .

The statement read , “Sequel to the pandemic of coronavirus globally and management ’ s concern for the wellbeing of corp members nationwide , I am directed to inform you to suspend all Community Development Service activities until further notice .

“ This obvious course of action is directed by circumstances beyond our control .

“ The sudden changes in many countries warranting social changes between persons and isolation of persons on account of COVID- 19 present no other option but to stop CDS activities because of a large number of persons in close contact.

“ With the abundance of caution , avoidance of errors is easily achievable . ”

Edited: victorfalade/latestnewsupdates

Addressing the press after the union ’ s 97 th National Executive Committee meeting at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede , Osun State , ASUP President , Anderson Ezeibe , said members would embark on strike unless the Federal Government implemented agreement reached with it and meet its other demands .

He also demanded urgent steps to rectify irregularities that accompanied payment of February salary to its members through Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System .

According to him , victimisation of many ASUP officials that participated in lawful struggle had continued unabated , adding that seven lecturers of the Institute of Management Technology , Enugu , and the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo , had been dismissed for participating in union activities, while two others from Yaba College of Technology were suspended .

“ Based on these which epitomise neglect , disregard and disrespect to the sector ; coupled with the insincerity of the government in respecting signed agreements entered into with our union , the union is hereby issuing a 15 – day ultimatum to resolve these pending issues affecting the sector or face industrial action by our union without the benefit of any other warning , ” Ezeibe added .

Punch

Edited: victorfalade/latestnewsupdates

JAMB said the move was to address the public panic over the coronavirus scare whereby schools and other public places were shutting down across the country.

The JAMB Head of Media , Dr Fabian Benjamin , in a statement , confirmed the new dates, saying a large proportion of the total 1 . 9 million candidates who registered had been attended to and only few centres in Rivers and Bayelsa states had till next week to finish the examination.

He said , “The board has not rescheduled its examination as being speculated . All examination will be finishing on Saturday with only few centres in Bayelsa and Rivers who will be writing in the early days of next week.

“ The board in its determined efforts to give the candidates the best has adjusted the schedules of the remaining candidates in these two states . We have also contacted the few candidates to reprint their slips.

It’ s not a general thing as it is being rumoured . ”

Punch

Edited: victorfalade/latestnewsupdates

President Donald Trump has vowed the U.S. will achieve “total victory” over the coronavirus, describing himself as a “wartime president”.

He spoke as he revived a Korean War-era measure allowing the U.S. to ramp up production of vital medical supplies.

Two lawmakers meanwhile became the first members of Congress to test positive for the infection.

At a White House news conference, the president was asked by a reporter whether he considered the country to be on a war footing in terms of fighting the virus.

“It’s a war,” he said. “I view it as a, in a sense, a wartime president.”

Trump has been holding daily briefings on the emergency this week after being accused of playing down the outbreak in its early stages.

He said: “We must sacrifice together, because we are all in this together, and we will come through together. It’s the invisible enemy. That’s always the toughest enemy.

“But we are going to defeat the invisible enemy. I think we are going to do it even faster than we thought, and it’ll be a complete victory. It’ll be a total victory.”

Edited: victorfalade/latestnewsupdates

Minister of state in the FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu gave the warning in Abuja said upon the declaration of the strike, the Administration had made entreaties to the doctors but that they still proceeded with the industrial action.

The doctors had gone on strike last week over what they alleged were irregularities in their January and February salaries, but the Minister said the problem was not peculiar to the doctors, adding that some of the doctors were even overpaid.

She said in spite of pleas to allow for time to rectify the system error so that all hands could be on deck to contain the spread of the Coronavirus, the doctors have refused to resume work.

“As a result, an emergency meeting of top management staff was held this afternoon where it was resolved that all necessary measures must be taken to ensure that residents do not suffer as a result of the strike by the resident doctors. In the meantime, the Administration has given the striking doctors 24 hours to resume work after which they should consider themselves as having exited themselves from the FCT Administration”, she declared.

Edited: victorfalade/latestnewsupdates

The Lagos State Commissioner of Health , Prof . Akin Abayomi , says the Italian who brought coronavirus to Nigeria now tests negative .

He said this at a press conference , according to reports.

According to him , the Italian will be tested one more time and will be released if he tests negative again .

Coronavirus was first recorded in Nigeria on February 27 when the Italian businessman , who was on a visit to Lafarge Africa Plc , Ewekoro, Ogun State , was diagnosed with the disease and taken to Lagos State .

The second coronavirus case was a Nigerian , who had contact with the Italian and was isolated in Ogun State . Although he tested positive twice , subsequent tests were negative .

Punch

Edited: victorfalade/latestnewsupdates

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity , Garba Shehu , said in a statement that such calls were nothing but cheap politics .

The Presidency further stated that this was the time for all Nigerians to unite against COVID- 19 , adding that this was not the time to attack the ruling All Progressives Congress .

The statement read in part , “ We also plead with Nigerians not to see this most peculiar of times as one to be politicised or seen as an opportunity to regurgitate grudges against the government or the ruling All Progressives Congress . North , South , East , and West – all Nigerians must unite to fight this plague , irrespective of religious or ideological affiliation .

“ In this regard, populist advocacies such as the one accusing the President of ‘ complacency ’ simply because he has not made a television address by ranking members of our respected parliament are cheap and sensational. These are not the times for populism and cheap politics . ”

According to the Presidency , palliatives including the reduction of petrol pump price from N145 to N125 per litre were in place to cushion the effect of the pandemic .

It also stated that N1 . 1 tn fund had been approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria to assist businesses .

The Senate had on Wednesday called on Buhari to address Nigerians on the coronavirus in the country .

It also urged the Federal Government to shut down all international airports except the Lagos and Abuja airports for easier monitoring of the disease .

The lawmakers asked the President to suspend the issuance of visas on arrival at the borders so as to check the spread of the pandemic .

As of Thursday , there are twelve confirmed cases of COVID- 19 in Nigeria .

Punch

Edited: victorfalade/latestnewsupdates

> takes effect from Monday, March 23, 2020

The state’s Ministry of Education in a statement personally signed by the Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, stated that it had become necessary to prevent children and their teachers from getting vulnerable to the pandemic.

“It is important for parents to ensure that their children practise ‘social distancing’ while at home, wash their hands regularly or use hand sanitizers and observe high standards of personal hygiene.

“Children should be encouraged to remain at home.

“The closure is not intended to create panic but to arrest the spread of the disease, which has become a global threat.

“The Incident Command Centre, headed by the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is the Incident Commander, will continue to trace all contacts of the identified cases,” she stated.