President Donald Trump does not need testing for coronavirus despite having met with an aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who was found afterwards to test positive, the White House said .
“ The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation … tested positive for COVID- 19 , ” Trump spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement .
Trump and Vice President Mike Pence “ had almost no interactions with the individual ” during Bolsonaro ’ s trip to a Trump golf club in Florida last weekend.
They “ do not require being tested at this time, ” she said .
Grisham said that under government guidelines “ there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms , and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self – quarantine ” .
AFP
The Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola has cautioned Nigerians to reduce the culture of handshakes and hugs to avoid contracting coronavirus (COVID-19).
Aregbesola said this at the ground-breaking ceremony of a 3000-capacity custodial centre in Karshi, Abuja .
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the country recorded her first case of coronavirus on Feb. 27 when an Italian having the virus flew in from Milan.
The minister, however, urged the people to always stay three-feet away from one another and avoid crowded places.
”Don’t shake hands again; don’t hug for now except your family members. Maintain three-foot distance between you and the next person,” he warned.
Aregbesola also advised Nigerians to greet by bowing and touching their chests.
He said that coronavirus had become a global emergency and all hands must be on deck to ensure it did not become a serious problem in Nigeria.
“We must be cautious of coronavirus and work towards preventing it. We owe it to ourselves, our family, and community to be very vigilant,” he said.
Aregbesola urged the people not to panic and encouraged hygienic living to prevent the virus.
This is just as the West African country records its first index cases of COVID- 19 , joining its regional neighbours including Nigeria , Togo , Burkina Faso , Senegal , amongst others.
A statement from Ghana ’ s Ministry of Health signed by the Minister , Kwaku Agyeman – Manu , states that the country’ s first cases are a Turkish returnee and a Norwegian returnee .
The minister says , “Laboratory results of the two confirmed cases were received at the same time from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research .
“ Both individuals returned from Norway and Turkey . So these are imported cases of COVID- 19 .
“ Both patients are currently being kept in isolation and are stable . We have initiated a process for contact tracing . ”
Meanwhile , President Akufo – Addo is optimistic that the crisis will help the country advance domestic drug production and reduce foreign imports .
In an address , Akufo- Addo says the country is talking with health stakeholders to explore local production of essential materials to combat COVID – 19 .
He directs the Minister for Finance , Ken Ofori- Atta, to make $ 100 million available to enhance the country’ s response plan.
“ We have begun to engage with the domestic pharmaceutical industry to assist in producing as much of the logistics required to prevent and combat the virus as it is possible under the circumstances.
“ Indeed , we must take advantage of this crisis to strengthen our domestic productive capacity, so we can advance our self – reliance , and reduce our dependence on foreign imports .
“ Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention , ” says the Ghanaian president .
The Premier League will hold an “emergency club meeting” on Friday (today’s) morning regarding whether fixtures can be played in the wake of Mikel Arteta being diagnosed with coronavirus.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi have tested positive for coronavirus as the pandemic continues to strike the sporting world.
Arsenal confirmed on Thursday evening their Spanish head coach had contracted the virus and the entire Gunners first-team squad would be placed into self-isolation. Brighton confirmed soon afterwards this weekend’s fixture against Arsenal at the Amex Stadium had been postponed.
Arsenal managing director Vinai Venkatesham said: “Our thoughts are with Mikel, who is disappointed but in good spirits.
“We are in active dialogue with all the relevant people to manage this situation appropriately, and we look forward to getting back to training and playing as soon as medical advice allows.”
Shortly after Arsenal’s announcement, a Premier League statement read: “In light of Arsenal’s announcement tonight confirming that their first team coach Mikel Arteta has tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League will convene an emergency club meeting tomorrow morning regarding future fixtures.”
Meanwhile, in the early hours of Friday (today), Chelsea said the full men’s team squad, coaching staff and a number of backroom staff would self-isolate after Hudson-Odoi returned a positive test. The club are due to face Aston Villa this weekend.
Chelsea’s statement added: “We will continue to adhere to Government and Public Health Guidelines with regard to our facilities and staff and will be discussing next steps with regards to upcoming fixtures with the Premier League on Friday morning.”
The minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige disclosed this after about four hours of engagement between both parties.
Senator Ngige said: “I am pleased to inform you that with the four ministers and permanent secretaries, Accountant-General of the Federation and directors, Acting Chairman, National Income and Wages Commission and ASUU Presidents and executive, we held very fulfilling discussions.
“And where necessary we debated, put forward our points and the Union’s side. Issues we discussed and we used the memorandum of action, which we entered into in February 2019, to look at issues that are outstanding; issues that have not been fully addressed.
“And both sides were satisfied that we made reasonable progress in addressing the few issues that have not been fully treated. Therefore, we move to the next round of a new contentious issue, which is the issues bordering on the non-capturing of some ASUU members on the IPPIS platform.
“This resulted in the withholding of salaries and allowances of most ASUU members; those who did not come under the platform and even some other university non-academic staff members.
“Discussions were open and both sides realised that we are working for our country and that whatever arrangement we put in place would be for a better Nigeria. ASUU has developed UTAS, and we have had some preliminary agreements on what is to be done to accommodate the two systems.
“And ASUU have now to get back to their members, consult the executive committee first and all their members so that they can agree on the modus operandi of trying to couple the two systems.
“In that respect, we are continuing discussions. So the meeting is adjourned till Monday and Tuesday, pending on when ASUU is ready. For us, we have made progress. We thank the legislature for earlier this morning. Our meeting also helped us to smoothen some rough areas.”
The ASUU President, on his part, said: “From our own side, we would say that we had a frank session; frank engagement and issues were thrown up.
“Those issues, like the minister rightly mentioned, came from outstanding issues in the February 2019 Memorandum of Action, which has tended to be overshadowed by IPPIS.
“From the discussion we had, we agreed that we will go and consult. That we cannot pronounce on the proposals that came up until we consult with our members.”
Sanusi was taken to Awe in Nasarawa State and he has been detained in an apartment in the town after he was dethroned by the Kano State Government on Monday .
His team of lawyers led by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN ) , filed a suit marked FHC /ABJ / CS /357 /2020 before the Federal High Court in Abuja , according to reports .
He prayed for an interim order releasing him “from the detention and or confinement of the respondents and restoring the applicant ’ s rights to human dignity , personal liberty , freedom of association and movement in Nigeria , ( apart from Kano State ) pending the hearing and determination of the applicant ’ s originating summons . ”
The PUNCH reports that respondents to the application are the Inspector -General of Police , the Director -General of the Department of State Service , the Attorney- General of Kano State and the Attorney- General of the Federation .
The bill sponsored by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party from Plateau State, Senator Isfifanus Gyang, also prescribes National Diploma or its equivalent as the minimum qualification for federal and state lawmakers , according to reports .
The bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the amendment of Sections 65 (2 ) ( a ), and 131 ( d) .
It will also amend Section 106 ( c ) and Section 177 (d) on minimum education qualification for those seeking election into the State Assembly , Governor , National Assembly and office of the President .
The bill seeks the alteration of section 65 ( 2 ) ( a ) of the Constitution which deals with the qualifications for intending members of the National Assembly
The current law , which the bill seeks to amend reads , “ A person shall be qualified for election under subsection ( 1 ) of this section if he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent. ”
Section 65 (2 ) ( a ) has now been rephrased to read “ if he has been educated to at least a National Diploma level or its equivalent . ”
The bill also seeks the alteration of Section 131 (d) which deals with minimum requirements for anyone running for the office of the governor .
The current Section of the Constitution states that the person must have “ been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent” .
Section 131 (d) is now rephrased to read , “ He has been educated up to at least HND level or ’ its equivalent . ”
For House of Assembly, the bill seeks the alteration of section 106 (c ) of the Constitution .
The bill christened ‘ A Bill for an Act to prohibit/ ban the importation /use of generating sets to curb the menace of environmental ( air ) pollution and to facilitate the development of power sector ’ was sponsored by Senator Enagi Bima (APC – Niger ).
According to the bill, which passed first reading at plenary , “ Any person who imports generating sets; or knowingly sells generating sets shall be guilty of an offence and be liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not less than 10 years .
“ Provided that this subsection shall not apply to the importation or sale of any generating set to be used for essential services. ”
The ban , however , excluded essential services.
The bill added , “ The ban or prohibition of generating sets shall not include generating sets used for essential services which include Medical purposes ( hospitals and nursing homes and healthcare facilities ), airports, railway stations/services, elevators (lifts) , escalators , research Institutions, and such facilities that require 24 hours electric power supply. ”
“ Approval for exclusion shall be obtained from the Minister in charge of Power who shall brief the Federal Executive Council quarterly on approvals granted .
“ The bill further seeks that Nigerians should immediately stop the use of generating sets in order to curb the menace of environmental pollution, which leads to potential health hazards it poses to the whole nation.
“ All persons are hereby directed to stop the use of electricity generating sets which run on diesel /petrol /kerosene of all capacities with immediate effect in the country, ” it said .
Explaining the meaning of generating sets, the bill said , “a machine that is used for producing electricity .
“ This Bill seeks to ban the importation and use of generating sets ( generators) in the country and to curb the menace of environmental pollution which leads to potential health hazards it poses to the whole nation. ”
“ All such insinuations are untrue , malicious and politically – motivated” , it said in a statement by presidential media aide , Mr Garba Shehu .
The statement came a few hours after the former governor of Kano State , Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso , alleged that Buhari knew about the sacking of Sanusi .
Kwankwaso was quoted as speaking in an interview on the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation monitored in Kaduna .
However , the Presidency claimed Buhari has no history of involving himself in matters that were purely within the jurisdiction of state governments unless they had national security implications .
“ The President does not have a history of intervening in the affairs of any state in the country, unless the issue at hand is of national consequence. On such matters which impinge on national security , he has a duty of involvement as the law stipulates .
“ As outlined in the Constitution, the appointment or removal of emirs and other traditional leaders is strictly within the jurisdiction of state governments . It is unfair and disingenuous of opposition politicians to try to link the situation in Kano State to the federal government and the Nigerian President .
“ Although a retired general and former military Head of State , President Buhari clearly understands that under the current democratic dispensation , the government at the centre cannot read instructions or twist the arms of all or any of the 36 state governments making up the federation. They all have their powers specified under the Constitution , ” the Presidency added .
It said Buhari commended the people of Kano for remaining calm in the heat of the dethronement of the emir .
“ President Buhari commends the people of Kano for keeping calm in the past few days of the dethronement announcement.
“ He prays that the will of Allah will be done at all times and that the emirate/state and its people continue to experience progress irrespective of who is on the throne , ” it said .
A human rights organisation , the Muslim Rights Concern , has urged the National Youth Service Corps to postpone its ‘ Batch A’ orientation camp exercise due to the outbreak of coronavirus in Nigeria .
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director of the group , Prof . Ishaq Akintola .
The group said , “ Authorities of the NYSC on Sunday , March 8 , told prospective youth corp members not to panic over coronavirus outbreak .
“ According to NYSC , certain preventive measures have been put in place to prevent any outbreak of the virus in its 37 orientation camps nationwide .
“ But we express doubts over the wisdom behind the resolve of the NYSC to carry on with the orientation exercise in the face of the outbreak .
“ To be on the safe side, the exercise should be postponed by one or two months.
“ We are talking of 350, 000 skilled Nigerians . These are our children . They are the hope of this country . We should not put their lives at risk.
“ Events are being postponed across the world . Saudi Arabia, a highly conservative country, saw the wisdom in halting its annual Umrah ( lesser pilgrimage ). ”
The group said available records showed that coronavirus which originated in Wuhan , China , had killed more than 4 , 000 people and infected over 116 , 000 people across the world .
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