Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Sunday 24th May 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 24/05/20
Read also
E2%80%99s-response-covid-19 United Nations Secretary-General Hails Africa’s Response To COVID-19
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has described Africa’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak as remarkable.
Guterres in a statement said most African countries have moved rapidly to deepen regional coordination, deploy health workers and enforce quarantines, lockdowns and border closures as measures to tackle the virus.
The statement said, “The African continent’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has provided valuable lessons for the rest of the world in meeting this challenge. Most African countries have moved rapidly to deepen regional coordination, deploy health workers and enforce quarantines, lockdowns and border closures. Governments and health authorities are also drawing on the experience of HIV/AIDS and Ebola to debunk rumours and overcome mistrust of officials, security forces and health workers.
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
“Nonetheless, continued vigilance and preparedness are critical as the virus remains a threat to life, livelihoods and health across the continent.
“Many countries across the continent have enjoyed strong economic growth in recent years. Standards of living have risen; the digital revolution has taken hold; and the African Continental Free Trade Area is moving from vision to reality. “This is now at risk, as COVID-19 aggravates long-standing inequalities and deepens hunger, malnutrition and vulnerability to disease. Millions could be pushed into extreme poverty. Tourism, remittances and demand for Africa’s commodities are already declining, and the opening of the trade zone has been delayed. “The United Nations, and I personally, stand in total solidarity with the people and governments of Africa, and with the African Union, in tackling COVID-19. UN agencies, country teams, peacekeeping operations and humanitarian workers are providing training, expertise and other support. United Nations solidarity flights have delivered millions of test kits, respirators and other supplies. “The policy brief just issued by the United Nations calls for urgent international action to strengthen Africa’s health systems, maintain food supplies, support education, protect jobs, keep households and businesses afloat, and cushion the continent against lost income and export earnings,” he said.
The UN Chief said since the start of the pandemic, he has called for a global response package amounting to at least 10 per cent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product.
“For Africa, that means more than $200 billion as additional support from the international community. I also continue to advocate a comprehensive debt framework — starting with an across-the-board debt standstill for countries unable to service their debt, followed by targeted debt relief and a comprehensive approach to structural issues in the international debt architecture to prevent defaults. “It will also be essential for African countries to sustain their efforts to silence the guns and address violent extremism – and I welcome African support for my call for a global ceasefire. Political processes and elections in the coming months offer potential milestones for stability and peace. “And African countries, like all countries, must have quick, equal and affordable access to any eventual vaccine and treatment for COVID-19. These must be considered global public goods. “Women will be central to every aspect of the response. Stimulus packages must prioritize putting cash in the hands of women, increasing social protection and targeting them for grants and loans. Creating jobs, training and educational opportunities for Africa’s young people must be another central goal. “Many difficult decisions will need to be taken as the pandemic unfolds; it will be essential for governments and health authorities to build and retain the trust and participation of their citizens. The response to this pandemic must be based on respect for human rights, the rule of law and the dignity and equality of all. “These are still early days for the pandemic in Africa, and disruption could escalate quickly and spread uncontrollably. Global solidarity with Africa is an imperative – now, and for recovering better.”
International
PUBLIC HEALTH
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%99s-theory-monkey-and-nigerian-politicians-festus-adedayo Amaechi’s Theory Of The Monkey And Nigerian Politicians By Festus Adedayo
Festus Adedayo
Away from the ravages of COVID-19 and the dispiriting news of multiple infections and rising deaths, the interview granted last week by Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to the Punch newspaper made an interesting reading.
In the interview, Amaechi revealed a lot about himself, the nature of Nigerian politics, the vicissitudes of Nigerian politics and the landmines-filled terrain that politicians walked. Some takeaways of note for me and which have become the catchphrase on many lips since the interview was published, are the Minister’s damming review of the politics that got him fame, high political positions in the land and of course, humongous wealth that he stumbled into via politics. Aside these, however, two very instructive submissions of his must detain the reader of the interview. They are Amaechi’s candid disclosure on what drew him into politics and his intriguing conversations on political treachery.
“I didn’t join politics because I wanted to be a leader or because I wanted to solve Nigeria’s problems. I joined (politics) because of unemployment,” Amaechi had told his interviewers pointblank. If this shockingly brutal but forthright statement from the Minister was amazing to those who were encountering the former Rivers State governor’s atypical views for the first time, they would be shocked further if told that Amaechi, in that short sentence, had actually done a frank diagnosis of the ills of Nigerian politics, the burden Nigerians carry about their leaders and an unbiased reportage of why Nigeria has remained stagnant for decades. The truth is, you may have your quarrels with Amaechi’s politics but he is one politician you can say possesses a mind that is untrammeled by the convention of politics and the pretenses of “big men.”
Festus Adedayo
At a conservative estimate, like Amaechi, not less than 95 per cent of Nigerian politicians join or joined politics, not to solve Nigeria’s or Nigerians’ problems. While a huger percentage of this decimal joined politics as an anchor to a means of livelihood, many others join for varied reasons that range from ego trip, the free money therein and its propensity to shoot them to the height of societal reckoning. You seldom can locate Nigeria, Nigerian welfare or the love of country as their anchor for joining politics. The Amaechi revelation constitutes the epistemological foundation of Nigerian politics, governance and government of today and is the knowledge that Nigerians needed to have to be able to come to terms with the mind-boggling bother on why Nigeria isn’t and can’t move forward under the grips of politicians. Recall a leaked comment he once allegedly made on President Muhammadu Buhari.
Rather than pillory Amaechi for this revelation, the minister deserves kudos for untying the ancient knot of our national stasis. Virtually all Nigerian politicians had, at one time or the other, been confronted with this tricky question. They either parried it, dissolved or re-contextualized it to achieve the aim of painting themselves in lofty canvass. Amaechi could have said that his late father, who he said contested as a Councilor, did so well for the people that he ventured into politics to continue his father’s developmental drive; he could have said that politics and service to the people constituted his pedigree. His statement that he didn’t join politics with the aim of bettering the lot of anyone was an explosive, unobtrusive but very symbolic mirror of an average Nigerian politician’s mind on politics and why the foundation of today’s politics in Nigeria is self and not country or nation.
You can argue that this Amaechi brand of politicians is novel and restricted mainly to the period from Second to post-Second Republic Nigerian politics and you will be right. Politicians of the First Republic, perhaps due to the agitative role they played in colonial Nigeria and the nationalistic nature of the era of post-independence, came into politics to play even better roles in the development of their land than the colonizers who bequeathed power to them. They wanted to leave imperishable legacies. It was as if they were in a stampede to outdo the legacies of the British overlords. This was propelled by the belief they had, having schooled alongside many of the British colonial officers, that the colonizers weren’t made of sterner stuffs than them. The experiment of the First Republic, especially the developmental strides recorded by the politicians in administration, some of which, sixty years after, even with their analogue technology, have not been bested, have actually proved that politicians of the period made their entries into politics to better the lots of their people.
From the Second Republic experience, however, the self successfully replaced the collective. The credo became, one for oneself and God for us all. Politicians began to build castles in the air, building fortresses from politics and seeking to make the proceeds a dynastic everlasting inheritance. With General Ibrahim Babangida came a total collapse of perception of country, nation or group. “Self” began to gain ascendancy. Babangida taught Nigerians the eternal values of cutting corners, subverting the state and enriching self and how a slot at the top was a passport to riches. Since then, things have fallen apart irretrievably and the centre of Nigerian politics, political morality and political values has not been able to hold.
The Nigerian electorate, the coterie of political followers who hover around politicians, and indeed, Nigerians as a whole, make the unpardonable mistake of assuming that politicians who join politics do so with them or their welfare in mind. Which is a total falsity. First is that, there is no Nigerian nation, as profoundly argued by federalist scholars who have over the decades submitted that, unlike the Welsh, Flemings, Kurds, Scots, Lakota and Hmong nations and nation-states like Albania, Croatia, Japan, Poland, France and Iran. To worsen it, there is no sense of country in the Nigerian. Nigerians merely see Nigeria as, to borrow from Immortal Obafemi Awolowo, a geographical expression that is incapable of provoking a feeling of togetherness in the people. There is no Nigeria that deserves her nationals’ patriotism or a common goal that deserves to be pursued. Nigeria, even as a geographical expression, has over the years become irresponsible and irresponsive to the yearnings of Nigerians. Unlike those days when Nigeria was both responsible and responsive, offering scholarships to Nigerian students who eventually occupied high political offices and who felt compelling moral needs to repay the good Nigeria did to them, Nigeria, since the advent of the Second Republic, has progressively regressed in the estimation of the Nigerian and everybody merely seeks the kingdom of their households.
Richard Joseph, Northwestern University’s Director of The Program of African Studies, studying Nigerian politics of the Second Republic, propounded a theory he called prebendalism to describe what he called patron-client relationship of Nigerian politics or what he also described as neopatrimonialism. He laid all these out in his highly respected Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria: The Rise and Fall of the Second Republic, published in 1987. High sounding as the theories may sound, they explain how in Nigeria, we build political systems which ensured that elected political officials, as well as government workers, see government revenues as their right, which they share among their political supporters, co-religionists and ethnic group. Joseph explained this thus: a politician elected in his home base to represent it in Abuja would steal the money that belongs to a Nigeria he doesn’t owe any allegiance in Abuja and use the proceeds to benefit his people at home. In most instances when he is caught, the people often sing publicly or in conversations among themselves that same song locals sang for the petrel of Western Nigerian politics, Adegoke Adelabu, when he allegedly embezzled local government money, to wit “Continue to embezzle our money, Igunu masquerade owns the Tapa and the Tapa owns the Igunu.” Joseph argued that such politician cannot do same with local money because he sees it as his and he could see the locality in himself. Unfortunately, Joseph will today be downcast at how Nigerians have destroyed that thesis of his because they steal from even their local money as well.
I didn’t join politics because I wanted to be a leader or because I wanted to solve Nigeria’s problems. I joined because of unemployment, rather than be a shocking expository of the nature of Nigerian government and politics, is actually a correct reading of the situation that confronts Nigerians today. It is reason why Nigeria cannot progress and reason why there is a scamper by politicians to steal and liberate as much as they can from the Nigerian purse. Many of them get to positions by accident of appointments, rather than a concerted effort to make a difference in the polity. From President Muhammadu Buhari, one-time Head of State, who cried publicly when he failed in his attempts at becoming Nigeria’s No 1, to the lowest councilor and even political appointees, the Amaechi thesis applies to them. None is in those positions because they love Nigeria or Nigerians. They are there, a la Amaechi, either due to joblessness, crave for filthy lucre, the ego that the offices confer on them or in some queer sense, to even up scores against their political enemies.
One other submission Amaechi made that has become a subject of scrutiny is his disappointment at the familiar pattern of treachery that seems to be an umbilical-cord of Nigerian politics. In fact, he submitted that Nigerian politics was not something “one would want one’s child to go into because there are no rules” as “one can be easily destroyed” and this is because “it is a man-eat-man world.” Amaechi lamented the followership fatality he suffered in Rivers State as “young men, who God used one to help rise in politics are now turning against one… There is a lot of betrayal…One has to be a hard man to survive the betrayals in Nigerian politics. Imagine someone you used to sleep on the same bed with and have given both financial and political assistance to selling you out because of his ambition. One of them said he helped make me!”
Though he seemed to be speaking in parables, it is an open secret that the current Emperor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, whose tyrannical rule would makeFrançois and Jean-Claude Duvalier, also known as Papa and Baby Doc of Haiti, envy with pride, was one of Amaechi’s referents above. This disappointment expressed by Amaechi is however laughable because it is public knowledge that he himself dealt his benefactor, former governor of Rivers, Peter Odili, same treacherous dagger while he was governor. Amaechi was Personal Assistant to Odili who the latter made Speaker of the State House of Assembly. Amaechi’s terms as governor should be one of the darkest periods in the life of Odili, a period Amaechi spent witch-hunting the former governor and seeking to neutralize him in the politics of Rivers. It is thus no wonder that Odili is today one of Emperor Wike’s besotting mentors, in his bid to neutralize Amaechi.
All in all, Nigerians must thank Amaechi for this frankcommentary on Nigerian politics and politicians. The commentary is analogous to James Hadley Chase’s The Paw in The Bottle. It is the story of Julie, a young girl working in a West End café, home to the underworld and where thieves, pickpockets and all sorts converge. Julie is introduced to a robbery and asked to play the role of a maid in a wealthy household, tasked with finding the safe. Describing how hunters catch monkeys in Brazil, Julie is asked: “Have you ever heard how they catch monkeys in Brazil, Julie? . . . Let me tell you. They put a nut in a bottle, and tie the bottle to a tree. The monkey grasps the nut, but the neck of the bottle is too narrow for the monkey to withdraw its paw and the nut.”
We are the monkeys that politicians have mastered pretenses as weapon to deal with us overtime, with a make-believe that they are in office to benefit us. They use the electorate as ladder to climb to huge wealth, fame and enough heist to last generations. The sucker is the Nigerian who assumes that politicians love them or are in governmental or political offices to better their lots. Amaechi tells us that, all this while, we had been given a sucker punch by Nigerian politicians.
Opinion
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Festus Adedayo
Disable advertisements
:
Lagos Discharges 45 COVID-19 Patients
The Lagos State Government has discharged 45 COVID-19 patients from its isolation facilities to reunite with the society after making full recovery and testing negative twice.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made this known in a statement on Saturday.
Sanwo-Olu said 19 of the patients were discharged from the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, three from Onikan, eight from Agidingbi, seven from Lekki, one from Eti-Osa and seven from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH Isolation Centre.
He said the latest figures brings the number of patients successfully managed and discharged from the state’s isolation facilities to 707.
He said, “19 are from the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba; three from Onikan; eight from Agidingbi; seven from Lekki; one from Eti-Osa (LandMark) and seven from Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Isolation Centres.
“With this, the number of patients successfully managed and discharged from our Isolation facilities has risen to 707.
“As we look forward to more great news in the coming days, I urge you all to take responsibility and play your part for a #COVID19FreeLagos #ForAGreaterLagos.”
PUBLIC HEALTH
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%99s-minister-information-lai Journalist Unlawfully Detained For Allegedly Criticising Nigeria’s Minister Of Information, Lai Mohammed, Charged To Court 16 Days After Arrest
The Nigeria Police Force has arraigned a journalist, Rotimi Jolayemi, also known as Oba Akewi, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Jolayemi was arrested on May 6 over a poem, which was considered critical of Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Before the journalist turned himself in to the police, the minister ordered the arrest of his wife, Mrs Dorcas Jolayemi, and two of the media practitioner’s brothers, John and Joseph, who were all locked up for eight, nine and two days respectively.
SaharaReporters gathered that the police filed a one-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/104/2020 against the journalist on May 22, 16 days after he was detained.
See Also
Free Speech
Nigeria’s Minister Of Information, Lai Mohammed, Orders Detention Of Journalist, Family Members Over Poem Read On Radio
0 Comments
5 Days Ago
The offence, according to the police, was contrary to section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.
The charge sheet reads, “That you Jolayemi Oba Akewi ‘m’ aged 43 years on or another the 14th day of April, 2020 at Osola compound Ekan nka, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court did send a audio message through your android phone device to a group WhatsApp platform known as “Ekan Sons and Daughters” and which went viral immediately after it was posted for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, hatred and ill will go the current Hon. Minister of Information and Culture, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Culture committed an offense contrary to section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.”
Free Speech
Journalism
Police
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Zamfara Spends N2.9bn To Feed Muslim Faithful In State During Ramadan, N55.2m To Buy Cows For Eid-Fitr Celebration
Governor Bello Matawalle
Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, has said his government spent N2.9bn for Ramadan feeding as the fast comes to end.Matawalle made this known in a state-wide broadcast to celebrate this year’s Eid-Fitr on Saturday.
The governor said N55.2m was earmarked to procure 280 cows which were distributed to civil servants, groups and communities to mark this year’s Eid-Fitr celebration.
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State.
He said, “We have equally distributed a consignment of guinea brocade and textiles fabrics to 40,000 orphans across the state to enable them have new dresses for the Sallah celebration.
“I instructed the Ministry of Finance to ensure that salaries are paid from 18th of May to enable the civil servants prepare for the occasion.
“From the reports I received, most of the civil servants had received their salaries by the 20th of May.
“I urge you to adhere to the safety measures prescribed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control such as wearing of face masks, avoiding crowded places and ensuring social distancing in all unions and congregations throughout this festivity and beyond.”
Islam
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
DSS Refuses To Release Detained Journalist In Akwa Ibom Despite Court Order Granting Bail, Insists On Governor’s Directive
Kufre Carter
The Department of State Services has refused to release Kufre Carter, a sports journalist based in Akwa Ibom State, despite a court order from the state’s Magistrate Court.
Carter was arrested on 27th April, 2020 for allegedly criticising the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dominic Ukpong.
Inibehe Effiong, counsel to the detained journalist, who confirmed that he was yet to be released despite perfecting his bail condition, added that DSS officials said his client will only be released from custody on the orders of Governor Udom Emmanuel.
Kufre Carter
He said, “We have waited for the State Security Service in Akwa Ibom State for over 24 hours for them to comply with the valid order of the court served on them on Friday, 22nd May, 2020 for the release of our client, since they have refused to obey the court, I am impelled to issue this press release.
“On Friday, 22nd May, 2020, we fully and completely perfected the varied bail condition imposed on our client, Mr Kufre Carter Akpan. Our client, a journalist and presenter with XL 106.9 FM Uyo, was arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) on 27th April, 2020 over a purported private phone conversation with an anonymous medical doctor which the Akwa Ibom State Government alleged castigated the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, over his poor handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State arraigned our client on a three-count charge bothering on alleged defamation which carries a maximum punishment of only three years imprisonment in the event of conviction. Following the arraignment, we duly applied for the bail of our client which was not opposed by the Director of Public Prosecutions who represented the Attorney-General.
“The trial Chief Magistrate, Winifred M. Umohandy, admitted our client to bail in the sum of N3m with one surety in like sum. The trial court required that the surety must be a Permanent Secretary with the Akwa Ibom State Government or a civil servant of Grade Level 17. The court also asked that our client should obtain a letter from the Village Head attesting to his identity.
“Given the stringency of the bail conditions which our client could not fulfil, we immediately applied to the Akwa Ibom State High Court for variation. Shockingly, the Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Uwemedimo Nwoko, opposed the variation of the bail conditions which was strange since he did not oppose the original bail at the trial magistrate court.
See Also
Free Speech
Mother Of Journalist Detained By DSS For Allegedly Criticising Akwa Ibom Commissioner Protests After Denied Access To Him
0 Comments
2 Weeks Ago
“On Monday, 18th May, 2020, Hon. Justice Archibong Archibong of the High Court of Akwa Ibom State judicially and judiciously varied the stringent bail conditions which the honourable court found to be “stringent”, “excessive” and “unaffordable” and reduced the bail bond to the sum of N200,000 to be executed by a surety who should be resident within the jurisdiction of the court. The court also requested our client to obtain a letter of identification from a prominent person in the State.
“On Friday, 22nd May, 2020, we perfected and fulfilled the bail of our client which was approved, signed and authenticated by the trial Chief Magistrate, Winifred M. Umohandy. The magistrate court mandated a police sergeant attached to the court to go to the SSS and secure the release of our client.
I personally accompanied the police officer to the SSS Command in Uyo along with my colleague, Augustine Asuquo.
“We arrived at the facility at about 2:12 p.m. and the SSS was duly served with the court order made by His Lordship, Hon. Justice Archibong Archibong, along with documentary evidence duly signed by Chief Magistrate Winifred M. Umohandy which shows that our client had fulfilled his bail conditions.”
Inibehe added that on getting to the SSS command in Uyo, he was told by officials that the Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State had written to them and instructed them not to release Carter because the government was proceeding on appeal against the judgment.
He added, “After delaying us for several hours, the Deputy Director, the Director of Operations, the Legal Officer and other officials at the SSS Command in Uyo met with me and told me that I should give them “a little time” for them to study the court order and act on it. I waited for the above mentioned SSS officials for about thirty minutes to enable them study and comply with the valid and subsisting order of the high court.
“When we reconvened, the SSS officials told me that the Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State had written to them and instructed them not to obey the court order because the government is proceeding on appeal against the well-reasoned ruling of the high court varying the stringent bail conditions of our client.
“This is the first time in the history of legal practice in Nigeria that an Attorney-General who did not oppose the bail of a defendant decided to oppose application for variation of bail conditions and after losing, proceeded to appeal. We challenge the Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State to cite any precedent where what he has done in the case of our client has ever been done, whether before or after Nigeria’s independence.
“From my discussion with the SSS official on Friday, they ostensibly made it clear that they will not obey the court order for the release of our client except and until Governor Udom Emmanuel gives them directive to that effect. VIDEO: Mother Of Journalist Detained By DSS For Criticising Akwa Ibom Commissioner Protests As She’s Denied Access To Her Only SonWATCH FULL VIDEO: MrUdomEmmanuel @NigeriaGov pic.twitter.com/UODkDMhgfC— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) May 9, 2020
It should be noted that the high court in its order stated emphatically that “UPON THE FULFILMENT OF THE ABOVE CONDITIONS, THE APPLICANT SHALL BE RELEASED FROM CUSTODY WITHOUT ANY FURTHER CONDITION(S).
“Since our client (the applicant) has fulfilled his bail conditions as signed and attested to by the trial Chief Magistrate, and the SSS has been duly served with evidence of same along with the Court Order, the SSS has no reason in law to keep our client in their custody. No process filed by the Attorney General can override the Order of the Court.
“The SSS is not empowered by law to subject the valid and subsisting order of the court to their own interpretation. The SSS has no power to determine the effect of any motion or appeal filed by the Attorney-General. The SSS also has no power to arrest or detain any citizen of Nigeria for a purported case of defamation which is outside it’s statutorily mandate of safeguarding the internal security of Nigeria.
“By insisting that our client will only be released from their custody on the directive of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the SSS has flagrantly flouted the order of Hon. Justice Archibong Archibong which commanded the immediate release of our client upon the perfection of his bail conditions without any further condition(s).
“Once again, we call on the Federal Government, the Director-General of the SSS, the National Human Rights Commission, civil society, international community, the media and spirited Nigerians to urgently prevail on the SSS Command in Akwa Ibom State to obey the valid and subsisting order of the high court by releasing our client forthwith, and stop subjecting the country to further international ridicule.”
Free Speech
Human Rights
Legal
Police
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Cross River State Medical Association Warns Against Resumption Of Religious Gathering
Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade
The Nigerian Medical Association, Cross River State branch, has warned the state government against the opening of religious activities.
The association also called for more testing of suspected persons in the state.
Governor Ben Ayade had announced the lifting of ban on religious gatherings after about two months due to COVID-19 outbreak.
Ayade said he made the decision after plea from religious leaders.
Reacting to the lifting of the ban, the medical association urged the state government to review its policy, saying the guideline for the reopening of worship centres goes against the social distance guideline.
Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade.
The group said, “Our concern is that the order stipulates the number of worshippers to be limited to the sitting capacity of the church/mosque.
“The usual sitting capacity of most worship centres does not allow for physical distancing of at least one metre that reduces the risk of transmission of COVID-19.
“We advise that this policy should be reviewed, taking into cognisance physical distancing and local peculiarities of various worship centres.”
Frowning against the low number of tests carried out in the state, the medical association said the Cross River State Government currently had no listed NCDC designated Molecular Laboratory Testing Centre in progress or completed on the NCDC Molecular Laboratory Network.
It added that the only available NCDC Laboratory catchment for Coronavirus testing for Cross River State is at Irrua, Edo State.
It added, “Irrua is about 447.9km (7h 50min) from Calabar when compared to Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, another testing centre that is 188.9km (3h 17min) from Calabar, which also shares a boundary with Cross River State.
“The present situation makes sample transportation very expensive and cumbersome occasioned by restrictions in interstate movement.
“We use this medium to call on NCDC to change the testing centre of Cross River State from Irrua to Abakaliki.”
PUBLIC HEALTH
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Activist Accuses Chief Judge Of Victimisation After Exposing His Involvement In Child Trafficking
A human rights activist, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, has accused the Chief Judge of Delta State, Marshal Umukoro, of victimisation by evicting him from his house over child trafficking allegation he levelled against him.
Aghogho alleged that he was unlawfully evicted from his rented apartment on Friday in the Abraka area of the state by court baliffs, members of Abraka vigilante and Divisional Police Officer of Abraka Police Station, Hassan Jimoh, on the orders of Justice Umukoro.
SaharaReporters had reported how the Chief Judge was working in conjunction with Emmanuel Dolor in trafficking children from the state.
He said in a bid to silence him and sweep the allegation under the carpet, the Chief Judge decided to hijack his case with suit number UNACC/384T/18, which bordered on tenancy matter at Ughelli North Area Customary Court in the state.
The activist alleged that Justice Umukoro forwarded all his petitions calling for the probe of child trafficking allegations by the National Judicial Commission to Chairman of the Area Customary Court, Attienie Harrison, and Department of State Service in Asaba.
He said, “The case upon which the unlawful eviction of 22/5/2020 was relied upon is still pending at NJC with a petition dated 7/10/19 and another dated 26/11/19 at the Code of Conduct, Abuja, with the said Ughelli North Area Customary Court Chairman among the subjects.
“Same case is still pending at the High Court of Justice, Ughelli, with suit number UHC/63/2020 where both the CJN and Delta State CJ are parties.
“This is a ploy by the CJN/NJC to silence me in order to permanently kill the allegation of child trafficking levelled against the CJN/NJC and Delta State Chief Judge.”
Aghogho alleged that all adoption procedures in the state were in gross violation of the Child Right Act 2003 vis-a-vis the Delta State Child Right law 2008 and the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015.
See Also
Scandal
Human Rights Activist Accuses Delta Judge Nominee, Emmanuel Dolor, Of Child Trafficking
0 Comments
2 Weeks Ago
He added that the Ministry of Women Affairs in the state under the supervision of the Delta State Judiciary headed by Umukoro was using the following bank accounts: ECO Bank 2152023855, Zenith Bank 1011047631, for the purpose of child trafficking/illegal adoption of children in the state.
The activist also said that his life was in danger as he had been threatened with arrest.
He therefore called on Nigerians and international community to come to his aid in safeguarding the life of innocent children being sold by government officials.
When our correspondent contacted Dolor for reaction, his phone rang out while text message sent to him were not answered.
Public Relations Officer and Head of Protocol, Delta High Court of Justice, Agbaragu Timothy, could not also be reached for comments.
Free Speech
Human Rights
Legal
Scandal
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%99s-election JUST IN: Tribunal Affirms Governor Yahaya Bello’s Election
The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the application filed by Musa Wada, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, in the November 16, 2019 governorship election.
In a ruling, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Kashim Kaigama, awarded the cost of N500,000 to be paid by the PDP’s governorship candidate for wasting the time of the tribunal.
Wada and the PDP had filed petition against the declaration of Yahaya Bello by the Independent National Electoral Commission as winner of the election in the state.
The petitioners said that Bello was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes, arguing that the election was fraught with irregularities, over-voting, lack of proper accreditation and failure to comply with the provision of electoral act.
He therefore, prayed the tribunal to declare him the winner of the election, adding that he scored the highest number of lawful votes or alternatively, the tribunal should nullify the election and order a re-run.
But the tribunal in its ruling, affirmed the victory of Bello.
The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the application filed by Musa Wada, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, in the November 16, 2019 governorship election.
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
EXPOSED: 64 Bank Accounts Linked To BVN Of Lagos Assembly Speaker, Obasa
Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa
At least 64 bank accounts have been discovered to be linked to the Bank Verification Number of Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa.
SaharaReporters discovered that the accounts registered with various names, are being used to siphon public funds in Lagos.
The BVN: 2296663231, reveals that Obasa operates accounts with multiple names in Polaris Bank, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa, First City Monument Bank and Wema Bank.
Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa
HESSO FOTO
To conceal his identity, the Speaker changed his name and date of birth in some of the accounts.
Aside from using Ajayi Mudashiru Obasa, he also used Obasa Abdulrahman Gbadunola and Gabriel Adedoyin Savage to register some of the bank accounts.
Some of the companies linked to the BVN include Adesav International Ventures, Fabric Splash Ventures, Swifthill international Ventures and Quick Solution International.
Others are Quick solution International Ventures, White Honey Enterprises, Cream on Ice Services, A.B DELCO Nigeria Company, and Fabric Splash Ventures, Skye-Macosh Company, Swifthill International Ventures, Silver Section Global, Davedab Global Ventures and Jose-Macosh Company and De Kingrun.
In a series of reports in recent weeks, SaharaReporters had exposed how Obasa awarded contracts to himself using different companies owned by him and how he got the Assembly to approve N258m for printing of invitation cards for the inauguration of lawmakers two months after the event held.
The online publication also exposed how he approved various sums running into several millions of through various guises.
Corruption
CRIME
Money Laundering
Politics
Scandal
Exclusive
News
Reports
AddThis
:
Featured Image
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Read also
You can also check
