The Federal Government said although it had been under pressure to reopen schools amidst the COVID- 19 pandemic , it would resist such .
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba , made this known during a briefing in Abuja .
He said , “ The Ministry is indeed under intense pressure to reopen schools but will never succumb to such pressure until the infection curve begins to flatten .
“ The Ministry of Education reaffirms its commitment to the safety of the Nigerian children and would , therefore , not do anything to compromise their safety . The Federal Government is aware of the damages coronavirus has caused to the lives of people and economies globally , including Nigeria . We will, therefore , not compromise an inch in this regard, no matter the blackmail .
“ The Honourable Minister of State and indeed the Ministry is also of the belief that no child should die of COVID – 19 due to schools being reopened at the wrong time and therefore , will resist all pressure to do so . ”
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State , Kenneth Ebrimson has disclosed that the recruitment of special constables in the state would commence this week.
Ebrimson said the recruitment which is aimed at fighting crimes at the grassroots , is part of efforts to encourage community policing in the state .
Ebrimson said this, after the inauguration of the new state chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee , Samson Popoola .
He added that the recruitment would commence shortly after arrangements have been finalised at the Area Command , Local Government Areas and the divisional levels , this week.
The Commissioner noted that the constables would be trained on police operation and would be given police uniform , although without badge .
According to him , the constables would assist the command to prevent criminal activities, gives the command intelligence report and resolve crisis among members of the public .
He said , “ All other strata of the community policing , the Area Command , the Local Government Area and the divisional level will be concluded without any doubt this week.
“ Thereafter we will now start with a pilot scheme of the recruitment of the constabulary who will now form the bulk of the community policing practitioners at the community level to assist the police in prevention , information and intelligence gathering and conflict resolution.
“ So , in no distance time when all these level of advisory committee of the community policing has finalised we will now see the next level will now be the consolidation of the recruitment of the constabulary and sending them to a modicum training of the police operation which will translate to bringing them in as part of our partners and remember also part of the concept .
“ The idea is to give them a sense of belonging is that when recruited they will be given the police uniform but the only difference will be the signal , the badge , so that one can give them that sense of belonging and they will now see the police as our police not their police . ”
The CP applauded the PCRC’ s contributions and support towards fighting crime in the state , and urged members of the PCRC to further corporate with the police command to make the state free of criminal activities.
In his remarks, the new chairman of PCRC pledged that his administration would transform the community policing in the state .
He said “ We want to bring out that innate African security consciousness back to our people so that they will be able to work with us . They will be able to see police as one of their people, they will be able to see police as their own people.
As South Africa prepares to launch the continent’s first coronavirus vaccine trial, the Rainbow Nation has opened a new field hospital for people with COVID-19 in a de-commissioned Volkswagen plant.
According to the country’s health authorities, 3,300 beds have been installed in the new field hospital, bringing the total number of beds across the country to 27,000 for COVID-19 patients at more than 400 quarantine sites.
“A total of three thousand three hundred beds, coming along with oxygen reticulation. All of this is a very important combination of what our needs are at this point, this has been now established within record time”, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, South African Minister of Health said.
Coronavirus cases in South Africa rose to more than 100,000 Monday, while the number of deaths neared 2,000.
About 3,500 doctors and nurses have contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic, and at least 34 have died of respiratory illness.
But the southern African nation is in the process of vaccinating 2,000 people with the vaccine, developed by the Oxford Jenner Institute, which is already being evaluated in Britain, where 4,000 participants have enrolled in the trial.
The University College Hospital has denied receiving any money from the Oyo State Government in its fight against COVID – 19 in the state .
The Public Relations Officer of the hospital , Toye Akinrinlola, made this known in a press statement .
While giving the breakdown , the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinola Ojo , said a total of N 900 . 5 million was spent on procurement of the COVID- 19 palliatives and seedlings ; N370 . 6 million was spent on the upgrade of the Infectious Diseases Centre at Olodo ; N 453 . 7 million on securing borders , security trucks and personnel; N118 million as support to the University College Hospital , Ibadan , for COVID- 19 tests .
But the hospital said it only got donations from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control , some corporate bodies , well- meaning Nigerians , alumni associations , staff and students .
The statement read in part , “The attention of the management of the University College Hospital , Ibadan has been drawn to the content of a press release from the Oyo State Government that the sum of N118 million was given to the hospital to fight against the COVID- 19 pandemic .
“ We contacted some officials of Oyo State for clarification on this , but it seems there is a misunderstanding in the difference between the College of Medicine of the University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital Ibadan . It, therefore , behoves the Management of the UCH to put the record straight.
“ We hereby state emphatically that the University College Hospital , Ibadan did not and has not received any monetary donation from the Oyo State Government.
“ The Chief Medical Director of the UCH is a member of the Oyo State COVID- 19 task force . He should know if any money was given to UCH outside the 250 pieces of the PPE given to the hospital .
“ All other services rendered to Oyo State by UCH have been strictly humanitarian and no financial benefits have accrued to the hospital .
“ I , therefore , wish to say once again that the UCH is not in receipt of any N118 m as claimed by the Oyo State Government. ”
Oil workers, under the aegis of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Associated of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), yesterday, suspended the planned three-day warning strike, they had threatened to embark on to protest the Federal Government’s attempt to forcefully enrol its members into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
A source among the oil workers, told newsmen that the strike was suspended to allow the Federal Government address the concerns raised by the oil workers.
In addition, in a statement to oil workers in the employ of the Federal Government, Secretary General of PENGASSAN, Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa disclosed that the union are currently in talks with officials of the government and would provide updates after talks are concluded.
He said, “Refer to our letter dated June 17,2020 on the above subject, which a copy was sent to you. The matter has been apprehended and discussions on going with the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. The Secretariat will get back to you as events unfold.”
NUPENG and PENGASSAN, had threatened to embark on a three-day warning strike, from Wednesday, June 24 to Friday, June 26, 2020, over alleged forceful enrolment of its members into IPPIS.
The workers had written to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Minister of Labour and Employment protesting the decision of the Federal Government to stop the payment of salaries of oil workers in government parastatals yet to be captured on the platform as at Thursday, June 18, 2020.
An official of PENGASSAN had lamented that the oil workers’ unions had been meeting with the management of IPPIS over the matter for a long time without any head way, insisting that oil workers in the public sector have rejected the IPPIS.
The official, who chose not to be named, said: “We have intimated the Minister of Labour and Employment as well as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. Well, the ball is in the court of government to intervene in the matter before it degenerates. Even up till last Friday, we still wrote letters to the government on the need to address the matter.
“We have already asked our members to be ready for any eventuality. So, between Monday and the close of work on Tuesday, if nothing concrete comes from the Federal Government, we will have no option than to direct our members to proceed on three days warning strike from Wednesday, June 24, 2020.”
So far, the Oyo State government has spent N2,779,000,000 in the fight against COVID-19 in the state.
State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinola Ojo, disclosed while speaking with journalists at governor’s office, Ibadan.
The breakdown of the expenses shows that N900.5 million was spent to purchase COVID-19 palliatives and seedlings; N370.6 million to upgrade the Infectious Diseases Centre, Olodo; N453.7million on securing borders, security trucks and personnel; N118million in supporting the University College Hospital, Ibadan, to test for COVID-19.
Also shown in the breakdown is N614.7million spent so far testing, kits, consumables; while N321.2million has been expended on buying ambulances.
Ojo further disclosed that N156million has been set aside for volunteers to each receive hazard allowance of N15,000 from June, backdated to March.
He gave the estimate of contributions from well-meaning individuals and institutions, in cash and gift items, as amounting to N1.2billion.
Out of the N1.2billion, he sai N378.1 million was cash donation, intact in the state COVID-19 endowment account.
Asked about the donation from the Federal Government, Ojo said the state had assurance from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) of getting N100million.
He added that the state also got a donation from CACOVID to the tune of N250million.
The House of Representatives has faulted the Minister of Foreign Affairs , Geoffrey Onyeama, on the claim that Ghana has apologised to Nigeria on the demolition of buildings of the Nigerian Embassy in the country.
The House, while dismissing the call for diplomatic negotiations by the minister , asked that Nigeria should reciprocate the demolition , which the parliament described as an attack on the country.
Onyeama had appeared before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in Abuja , where he was being grilled over demolition of the buildings.
Earlier in his presentation, the minister told the lawmakers that there was an invasion and building in the embassy premises was demolished by non – state actors .
He also said the time it took for the Ghanaian authorities to respond to distress calls made by officials at the embassy “ is extremely troubling and troubling. ”
Onyeama further said the traditional ruler in the area claimed that the property belonged to him , saying that there is no justification for the leader to take laws into his hands .
He also informed the House that the President of Ghana had directed that decisive and severe measure be taken to settle the matter .
Onyema said the legal status of the property will be looked into before further actions will be taken.
He added that Nigeria had sought the security of the embassy , its members of staff , and all Nigerians in Ghana .
The minister also said the Government of Ghana is very remorseful and had apologised profusely for the invasion .
Responding to Onyeama , Gbajabiamila dismissed the apology the minister said had been tendered to Nigeria by Ghana .
He stated that Nigeria must reciprocate the attack on its sovereignty by Ghana .
The speaker said , “ We all have the responsibility to make sure that we uphold , very simply , the honour and glory of the country we serve. Honourable minister , let me commend you for your efforts so far ; what you ’ ve done and what you ’ ve been doing.
“ I think we should look at this thing from the premise that the Nigerian state was attacked . It was not a building that was demolished, no ; the Nigerian state was attacked . I think if we look at it from that premise , we will begin to understand or underscore the importance or gravity of what we are dealing with .
“ In terms of immunity and inviolability , in terms of diplomacy, it also extends to property . We are not just talking about the states . It is trite that the embassy of any country is actually the state – a sovereign location in that , particularly foreign country. That is why if there is any problem in Nigeria today , all the Americans will run to the American Embassies to seek shelter because you cannot even move near there.
“ So , from that point of view , we need to address this in that context that Nigeria was attacked . I ’ m not interested in the land dispute , it is not an ordinary land dispute . It is not ! It has now metamorphosed into dispute between two countries , not by landowners . ”
Gbajabiamila said if it were the United States ’ embassy that was demolished in Ghana , “ do we think the US would be talking about apology or ‘ we will look into it’?”
He also said the US and the United Kingdom would not have taken it lightly with Nigeria if their embassies were tampered with in Nigeria .
The Federal Government has submitted proposed guidelines for the reopening of schools across the country to the National Assembly .
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba made the presentation during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria , he intimated the lawmakers of the ministry ’ s plans for students to resume across the country .
The FG had in March shut schools across the Federation as part of measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease .
At the presentation today , the minister said , “ In the document provided, we have suggested how we can move our education sector forward during this pandemic .
“ We don ’ t want to make it known at this time so that some people will not take our proposed guidelines for school reopening .
“ Even if the Senate has not called us , we would have come to you to discuss with you because we have already discussed with the House of Representatives .
“ The documents were presented to you so that you can criticise and make inputs as major stakeholders. ”
Vice- Chairperson of the Committee, Akon Eyakenyi, who presided over the meeting , expressed fears that the academic calendar could be distorted in public schools where no visible arrangement was being made to teach pupils and students at home , unlike their private school counterparts.
Eyakenyi said , “ Even when the students in the cities have access to education programmes on radio and television , what of those in the villages ? What do we do so that we don ’ t shut them out ?
“ If the government can give guidelines for the reopening of churches and mosques, stakeholders in the education sector could also hold a meeting with the government to agree on guidelines for school reopening .
“ All we need to do is to come up with measures that would ensure the safety of students and teachers .
“ We can design a plan that would ensure that not all the students resume at the same time . We could probably start with the exit classes.
“ We could have the number of students that would go to school for both morning and afternoon sessions .
“ We have to be innovative in our approach to save our educational sector in this country because nobody knows how long the virus will be with us . ”
Doctors under the auspices of the Residents Doctors Association of Nigeria , Ondo State Chapter , have announced the commencement of an indefinite strike effective Wednesday , June 24 .
The health workers lamented that despite their exposure to COVID- 19 , their welfare has been neglected by the state government .
For the same reason , doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Government General Medical & Dental Practitioners, Ondo State also announced that it will join the industrial action starting from Wednesday .
They also frowned at the inadequate provision of personal protective equipment , which has resulted to some of their colleagues contracting COVID- 19 .
Speaking with journalists , state Secretary of the NAGGMDP , Dr Tunde Olasakinju , said five days after the ultimatum given the government to accede to its demands, the government had not responded or communicated them .
Olasakinju said , ” The government has deliberately failed to conclude negotiations on the erstwhile suspended Minimum Wage and Consequential Adjustments already enjoyed by the Non – Medical Staff Since January 2020 .
“ To our dismay and utter disappointment , as high as two and a half per cent of our members’ meagre consolidated basic salaries was deducted in the month of May 2020 .
“ The Special COVID- 19 Hazard and Risk Allowance pronounced and approved for our members to commence from May 2020 , which was to serve as a morale booster to our members working assiduously to fight against the spread of the deadly virus , was not paid.
“ After extensive deliberations , Congress unanimously resolved that our members will commence the total withdrawal of services effective Wednesday , June 24 , 2020 . ”
Inspector – General of Police Mohammed Adamu said the Police can ’ t be everywhere , at the same time.
Adamu stated this in Gombe during the state inauguration of the Community Policing Advisory Committee , which will be co – chaired by the Emir of Gombe , Sheu Abubakar , and the state Police Commissioner, Maikudi Sheu.
The IGP , who was represented by the Assistant Inspector – General of Police , in charge of Zone 3 , Haliru Gwandu , said there was no better time than now for community policing to commence .
He said , “ I consider this timely and very crucial . The Nigeria Police Force has continued to emphasise that while the police cannot be everywhere , our communities are found everywhere . Consequently , safety and security will be better guaranteed when and where members of the communities are actively involved in crime prevention and community safety .
“ Since the formal introduction of community policing approach in 2004 , NPF has made community policing the cardinal focus of efficient service delivery . ”
He added that the emerging crime trend warranted the community policing strategy which , according to him , is citizen- centered .
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