Westernars

JAMB remits N7b to Fed Govt May 4, 2020 The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has returned N3.5billion to the Federation Account from the excess generated from its operations during the conduct of 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). It said that it had returned N3.5billion to the government following the sales of ePINs to UTME candidates, bringing the total remittance this year by the board to N7billion. The board pledged to make further remittance to the government as soon as its operations are concluded and proper audit of its books done. JAMB’s Head of Media and Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in a statement yesterday in Abuja. Last year, the board returned N5 billion to the government coffers, but was later asked by the government to keep N2billion to enhance its operations. According to the statement, the remittance was done in line with the Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede’s avowed commitment to remit wholly, excess ...

The Peoples Democratic Party, on Sunday, declared that the All Progressives Congress, APC, lacks the parameter to compare the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and that of President Muhammadu Buhari. PDP made the remark in response to APC’s claim that ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar admitted that Obasanjo administration was short-sighted and failed to diversify Nigeria’s economy. APC’s spokesperson, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, had stated this in a statement where he commended Atiku for suggesting how Buhari should improve Nigeria’s economy. However, PDP berated the ruling party for its comment, stressing that APC has “reversed all our national gains in a space of five years.” The former ruling party stated this in a statement titled: “You Lack Parameters to Compare Obasanjo/Atiku Tenure with Buhari’s” The statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Ogbondiyan reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a knee-jerk reaction by the dysfunctional APC to the well-re...

President of Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on Sunday handed over a 400 per day capacity Mobile Test Laboratory to the Kano State government. The laboratory, situated at Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital, is to be upgraded to test over 1,000 persons per day. Other items the philanthropist donated to the state include 10 ambulances and three official vehicles among the corporate support to strengthen the war against the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic in Kano State. At the handover ceremony, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, said the foundation was directly supporting the government’s COVID-19 containment efforts in Kano State. “We are supporting training and incentives for covid-19 health workers. We will provide hazard incentives and protections for the healthcare and lab workers who are working on the covid-19 response,” she said.

Lagos State Government has advised discharged COVID—19 patients to go on self-isolation for 14 days. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Akin Abayomi, gave the advice on Sunday during the briefing on Coronavirus management. The state government has set up telephone hotlines to enable residents report anyone or persons flouting its guidelines on easing the lockdown in the state from today. The hotlines are: 0901-051-3197, 0901-051-3198 and 0901051-3199. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu,who launched the “whistle blower” hotlines yesterday, also said that civil servants below levei 15 will not resume work Tuesday Sandwich-Olu said, “We are encouraging all Lagosians to be on the lookout for those who flout the orders and directives on easing of the lockdown. They should be reported through the hotlines by direct calls or text messages. ”We will investigate all reports, and ensure that we take appropriate action. Penalties and sanctions will be accordingly meted out to all those found con...

He gave the advice in a letter he wrote to the Federal Government on the measures to adopt to address economic challenges arising from COVID-19 pandemic. Abdullahi addressed the memo to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who is also the chairman, Economic Sustainability Committee and chairman, National Economic Council. Titled: “Senate resolution on developing a post Covid-19 Nigerian economy”, the Senate Leader said the letter is his personal opinion and not an official communication from the Senate. He added that the letter was informed by a motion he sponsored with the Minority Leader, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe and co-sponsored by all the senators on April 28. A resolution, he said, was unanimously passed urging the government to take steps to reshape the economy. The Kebbi North senator noted that they agreed to urge the government to “use this grim period to change the trajectory and structure of the economy by appropriating at least 10 per cent of the Gross Domestic Pr...

There is anxiety among workers of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (AUTH) as a patient admitted into the hospital’s casualty ward tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19). A source within the hospital told The Nation that the patient, a man, was admitted on April 25, 2020. It was learnt that when he started showing symptoms of COVID-19, the officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) attached to the isolation centre at the hospital were promptly invited to take his samples for test. The source said when the test came out positive, the workers ran away, leaving other patients in the ward. “The patient was admitted on Saturday evening and those on duty took his medical history. But it did not include cough and fever. It was when the medical team came that it was included. “However, when his temperature became high on Sunday, the workers nursing him raised the alarm and the NCDC officials were immediately notified. They came and took his sample on Sun...

May 1, 2020 The fear of lack of bed space for coronavirus patients at isolation centres has gripped the government. There are 3,500 bed spaces at the various isolation and treatment centres in the country. These will became inadequate given the anticipated spike in positive cases as a result of the planned testing of two million people. Lagos, which is the epicentre of the pandemic in the country, with close to 1,000 case as at Thursday, out of which 718 are active and 192 discharged, is worst-hit. It has about 540 bed spaces, at the five official isolation centres, excluding the spaces at private facilities including the one in Badagry. The government is now seeking the possibility of home treatment. Besides, owners of uncompleted buildings or empty property are urged to donate them to the government for use. Speaking at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire said: “It is true that we are getting a s...