NEWS : Nigerians to receive COVID-19 vaccine freely from Buhari govt

 

The Presidential Taskforce (PTF) on COVID-19 on Wednesday disclosed to Nigerians that the vaccine for the deadly virus will be administered free when vaccination begins in Nigeria.

National Coordinator of PTF, Sani Aliyu made the disclosure in Abuja during an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily.

According to the Coordinator, President Muhammadu Buhari has given the PTF the mandate to proceed with preparations with regard to the vaccine.

“The President has also given us a marching order that the COVID-19 vaccine be made available in Nigeria,” he stated.

According to him, the vaccine will be available in the country making use of the GAVI arrangement.

“We already have the assurance that we will have 20% of our population accommodated by GAVI, which is about 40 million Nigerians. They won’t need to pay for that (the vaccine),” the PTF coordinator said.

The Coordinator, however, noted that vaccination is not the major challenge but acceptance.

“The biggest challenge we will have with the vaccine is not going to be the logistics, the biggest challenge will be the public acceptance of the safety of the vaccines and allowing themselves to be vaccinated, the challenge will be very similar to the one we have with polio,” he added.

NEWS : Rep refuses to apologize for calling for Buhari’s impeachment, insists process is still on

 

  The Caucus leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, has refused for apologize for calling for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Chinda, speaking on Nigeria Info 92.3FM in Port Harcourt, also said PDP is sensitising lawmakers as well as Nigerians to move for Buhari’s impeachment.

The Rep, who represents Obio-Akpor Federal Constituency in the lower chamber of the National Assembly, also said comments by the leader of the House, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, to punish him for calling for an impeachment process against the President ridicules the House of Representatives.

“We are talking with our colleagues. We are talking to Nigerians. We are also asking Nigerians to talk to their representatives.

“It is not what you want. If the people that the House leader represents in Kano come together and tell him (Doguwa) we want you to sign this impeachment notice, we are in support. He has no right to do otherwise.

“I owe nobody any apology for calling for the impeachment of Mr. President,” Chinda said.

Chinda had called for Buhari’s impeachment following the abduction of students of the Government Science Secondary School in Kankara area of Katsina State by Boko Haram.

NEWS : COVID-19 Nigeria’s health system too fragile to withstand another outbreak – PTF warns

 

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has warned that Nigeria’s healthcare system is so fragile and may not withstand the effect of another outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Sani Aliyu, the National Coordinator of the PTF, made this known in the task force’s report presented to President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday at the State House.

According to Aliyu, it was one of the three key lessons that the country must learn from the experience with coronavirus in the last few months.

He noted that the government would urgently need to embark on a deliberate and action-oriented reform of the nation’s healthcare sector in order to manage this fragility.

“In summary, Your Excellency, there are 3 key lessons we must carry forward:

“Next year [2021] will be all about the COVID-19 vaccine. This is a huge challenge for the country and will require your leadership and continued commitment, Mr. President.

“All hands must be on deck to deliver and overcome the challenges of securing the supply of safe and effective vaccines, logistics and acceptance.

“Our health system has been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country’s health system is fragile and may not withstand the effect of a major outbreak of COVID-19 or other infections.

“There’s an urgent need for a carefully thought through and action-oriented reform of the health sector that’ll improve our health security and place the country in a better position to manage future health threats.

“However, it’s not over yet. A lot more work needs to be done to enable us to transition back to normal.

“I’m confident that working together and with your continued support, we’ll overcome this challenge once again,” he said.

NEWS : COVID-19 second wave, Nigerian govt told to ban flights from Britain, other countries

 

The Health Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) has urged the Federal Government to ban flights from Britain and other countries currently experiencing the spread of the new COVID-19 variant.

The call was contained in a statement jointly signed by Chioma Obinna and Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu, President and Secretary of the association respectively, on Wednesday in Lagos.

HEWAN is an umbrella body of all health/science reporters and editors in Lagos, registered under the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The journalists’ group appealed to the government not to wait any further before taking necessary steps to keep the variant away from Nigeria.

“HEWAN observes, with great concern, the resurgence of what experts say is the emergence of a new variant of the pandemic coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in some countries.

“There is a need for Nigerian health authorities to put measures in place to prevent it from entering the country.

“As at today, the new variant is reportedly spreading rapidly in Britain.

“The World Health Organisation has confirmed nine instances of the same variant in Denmark, Australia, Italy and the Netherlands.

“Several other countries, including South Africa, have also confirmed the emergence of variants similar to the one now ravaging Britain.

“Scientists say the new variant is 70 per cent more transmissible than the previously dominant strain, though there’s no evidence yet that it could be more fatal.

“There’s however, fear that it will spread swiftly to other countries,’’ it stated.

HEWAN noted that expectedly, countries around the world are reacting swiftly to prevent or curtail the spread of the new variant.

It said that presently, over 40 countries had banned flights from Britain, while neighbouring France had temporarily shut its borders.

The association charged health authorities in Nigeria not to be silent about the new development.

“The nation is already experiencing an influx of travellers as expected in this festive period, from different countries, including those now being ravaged by the new strain of COVID-19.

“It is, therefore, imperative that the country acts fast as the world confronts another wave of the pandemic.’’

“The increasing daily number of COVID-19 infections detected in the country in the past two weeks revealed that a second wave of the outbreak had begun.

“We appealed to the government to ensure funds are dedicated for research institutes such as the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) and others to develop a home-grown vaccine that could tackle the virus,’’ HEWAN stated.

NEWS : Hama Bachama takes staff of office, says no plan to flush out herdsmen

 

The new paramount ruler of the Bwatiye (Bachama) people of Adamawa State, Homun Daniel Ismaila, has received his Staff of Office.

The first-class king said after being handed the instrument of office by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri on Wednesday that contrary to insinuations, Fulani herdsmen and other non-indigenous people were free to remain in the kingdom.

The Hama Bachama said, “I have heard the lies and mischief being spread around that the Bachama Kingdom plans to flush out all herdsmen and other non-indigenous persons from the kingdom. This failed effort at blackmailing the kingdom is malicious, self-serving and pedestrian. And like other lies before it, this one too shall fail.”

The new king who spoke against the background of constant attacks by suspected herdsmen within the Numan Federation, the nucleus of his domain, said such incidents do not call for asking all Fulani herdsmen to leave the land.

“No community can claim to truly develop while refusing to accommodate others and without embracing diversity and inclusion essentially,” he said.

The Bachama Kingdom consists of people in many local government areas in Nigeria and northern Cameroon, mostly in Numan LGA where the kingdom has its main political palace and Lamurde LGA where it has its spiritual base.

At the Makwada Square in Numan where Governor Ahmadu Fintiri handed Daniel Shaga his first-class staff of office on Wednesday afternoon, the governor told the new king that he would be relied upon to promote peace and security in his domain.

“We appreciate the role of traditional rulers in security and peacebuilding and I have confidence that you will play this role perfectly well,’ the governor told the newly enthroned king.

NEWS : Insecurity, Wike slams NGF, PGF for keeping silent

 

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has challenged the Nigeria Governors Forum to stop mincing words and speak against the heightened insecurity in the country.

Governor Wike said this during the commissioning of the Obagi-Woji Street in GRA, Port Harcourt.

The Governor, who said his administration is committed to developing the state, added that it was wrong for the Governors forum to sit on the fence in a matter that is ravaging the country.

“Everything has collapsed in the country. Security has collapsed, the economy has collapsed, there is nothing working in Nigeria.

“People should know that we are not just talking because we want to talk. I heard they say the Progressives Governors and the Governor’s forum are speaking on the level of insecurity. No! They should come out and say that the party in power has failed Nigerians.

“Nigerians gave power to the APC. Therefore; they must own up that they have failed Nigerians,” Wike said.

subscribe My youtube channel,