Ganduje Directs House-To-House Sample Collection For COVID-19 Test

 

  Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has directed the commencement of house-to-house sample collection exercise in the eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The emergency exercise is expected to take place within the metropolitan LGAs such as Taurani, Nasarawa, and Kano municipal, where most of the confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 are concentrated.

Governor Ganduje disclosed this on Thursday at a press briefing organised by the State Task Force on COVID-19.

He said, “We are putting our emphasis within the eight metropolitan Local Government Areas. We are engaging in house-to-house sample collection.

“I think during the political campaign, some politicians engaged in a house-to-house campaign. Right now, for COVID-19, we are engaging in a house-to-house sample collection campaign.”

According to the governor, the state has always improved on its successes in the fight against COVID-19 which is a result of the commitment of the Task Force and the frontline health workers.

He noted that the people were aware of the easiest ways to contract and avoid getting infected with the disease.

“We know the three commandments of COVID-19 which are social distancing, washing and sanitising our hands and wearing our face mask. These three commandments should become our way of life. They should become part of our everyday life,” Ganduje urged the people.

He added, “Relaxation of lockdown is now from 6am to 6pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. We also decided to open our markets in order to improve business activities in the state.

“We are producing face masks in large quantities and the market leaders have promised to produce face masks and distribute them free of charge. They will also provide water and soap for visitors and customers to make use of them.”

The governors hinted that officials have been directed to fumigate all the markets to ensure that they were devoid of diseases, saying the ratio of collection of samples has increased.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the State Task Force on COVID-19 and the state deputy governor, Dr Nasiru Gawuna, said their objective was to contain the spread of the disease in the state.

He noted that since Kano recorded its index case of COVID-19, the task force has continued to work hard in ensuring that the spread of the virus was controlled.

CHANNELS

APC To Screen Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu, Four Others For Edo Gov. Primary Election

   

  The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced six governorship aspirants to be screened for the party’s primary election to elect its governorship candidate in Edo State.

APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu disclosed this in a statement on Friday ahead of the June 22 party exercise.

He noted that the six aspirants have bought, completed, and submitted the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms.

They include Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Dr Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Osaro Obazee, and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

According to Issa-Onilu, the APC is committed to ensuring due diligence and transparency in the screening exercise and learning from its recent shocking experiences.

In a bid to avoid any lapses in the process, he said the party has made the submitted information and documents of the governorship aspirants available to its members and the public for verification of claims. The party spokesman explained that this was also necessary to support the screening panel with information or any objection to the claims contained in the submission by the aspirants.

“Consequently, the various submissions will be displayed at the Party’s National Secretariat in Abuja and in Benin City, the Edo State capital from Monday 8th to Tuesday 9th June 2020 for claims and objections.

“We are inviting party members and indeed members of the public to assist the screening committee by scrutinising the information, credentials and documents provided by the governorship aspirants and availing the Screening Committee of counter and correct information, if applicable,” the statement read.

Issa-Onilu said the APC had released its timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2020 governorship primary elections in Edo State, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.

CHANNELS

Burna Boy speaks against rape, racism around the world

  

   

   The singer stated this as the world took to social media with the hashtag #blacktuesday. Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100 level student of Microbiology at the University of Benin was raped and bashed with a fire extinguisher in the head leading to her death.

This sparked outraged from Nigerians who demanded justice for the lady and others of her kind. Lending his voice, Burna Boy wrote: 

   “Rape and racial injustice are crimes against humanity, they are vicious, insidious and violent acts that no human should commit or commend.

“The stance on rape should be linear and final, there should be no grey areas, no “buts”, only that the perpetrator(s) of the act is to blame and the victim completely blameless.

“From now on, men and women alike need to be educated. Men need to be taught the concept of consent, we need to teach them empathy and compassion. We need to teach men that a woman’s body is hers and hers alone. We need to end stigmatisation and victimization of rape victims, it must STOP.

“Black people deserve and require more than we’re currently getting! I implore you all to get involved, no contribution is too small, no platform is too small #nojusticenopeace #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justiceforuwa #stoprapeculture #justicefortina #stoppolicebrutality #blackouttuesday”

Gunmen abduct two Chinese expatriates in Ebonyi

  

   Two Chinese expatriates working at a mining site in Ebonyi State have been abducted by unknown gunmen

   The abducted Chinese nationals are employees at Greenfield Metals Nigeria Limited, which specialises in lead and zinc mining. The incident, it was gathered, happened at Ihietutu, Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on Wednesday at a mining pit close to the company’s offices.

  Chairman of the company, Henry Ahanaotu said that the gunmen first shot sporadically into the air to scare away workers before proceeding to whisk away the expatriates. According to him the incident happened at the company’s mining pit at Ajirija mining site, 300 meters from the company’s Life Camp.

  Ahanaotu, who doubles as the Managing Director of the company said a formal report on the incident had been lodged with the police command in the state. He said the company has not made contact with the kidnappers

THE NATION

House of Representatives Vote Against Castration As Punishment For Rapists

 

   

   House of Representatives members has voted against a prayer seeking to recommend castration for rapists. The House, at the plenary on Thursday, rejected the motion which was earlier recommended by a member, Mr James Faleke. Faleke had recommended that persons found guilty of rape should be castrated.

  Following the rising cases of sexual violence in Nigeria, the lawmakers also asked the Inspector General of Police to immediately commence an investigation into the cases of Uwa Omozuwa, Tina Ezekwe, the reported rape of a minor in Jigawa state, as well as all other reported cases of violence against women.