President Buhari nominates Okonjo-Iweala as Nigeria’s candidate for World Trade Organisation’s DG election

   

  President Buhari has nominated former Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as Nigeria's candidate for the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) election coming up in 2021. 

The announcement was made on Thursday June 4, through the Nigerian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. President Buhari said in the diplomatic note that he was communicating Nigeria’s decision to withdraw the candidacy of Yonov Frederick Agah for the election and replacing him with Mrs Okonjo-Iweala. 

 Though he never revealed the reason for the withdrawal of Agah's candidature, he solicited for the support of AU member-States, as well as Permanent Missions and Embassies in Addis Ababa for Mrs Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy during the elections.

 

The letter reads in part; 

“The embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and permanent mission to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) presents compliments to all embassies and permanent missions in Addis Ababa and has the honour to inform that the Federal Government of Nigeria has withdrawn the candidacy of Ambassador Yonov Frederick Agah for election to the position of director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). 

“Nigeria is therefore pleased to request the support of esteemed AU member states as well as permanent missions and embassies in Addis Ababa in favour of the candidacy of Okonjo-Iweala.”

 Mr Agah is currently one of the four deputy directors-general of the WTO. He was first appointed deputy director-general October 1, 2013 and reappointed for a second four-year term on October 1, 2017. His tenure runs out on October 1, 2021.

Brazil overtakes Italy as country with third-highest Coronavirus deaths; Toll tops 34,000

 

  Brazil has overtaken Italy as the country with the third-highest Coronavirus death toll after a daily record of 1,473 fatalities took its total tally to more than 34,000.

   The figure published by Brazil’s health ministry on Thursday night showed that only the United States and the United Kingdom have registered more deaths from the disease.   The official number of infections rose to nearly 615,000, the second-largest caseload in the world, behind the US.

 

Odion Ighalo Considers Super Eagles Return

 

  Nigeria forward Odion Ighalo says he is open to a return to international football with the three-time African African champions – Super Eagles.

  Ighalo who is performing brilliantly with Manchester United announced his retirement from international football after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. The Manchester United striker was the top scorer in the competition with five goals, while the Super Eagles finished in the third position.

   Speaking to Brilla FM, Ighalo said: “I am still in contact with Gernot Rohr and Amaju Pinnick, and they congratulated me on my loan deal. I am still thinking about returning to the national team, but right now I want to concentrate on my club career. I left the national team because of the distance between Nigeria and China, but now that I am in Manchester and just like life and in my career, you never can tell.”

COVID-19: Kogi lifts total lockdown on Kabba/Bunu LGA

 Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has Lifted the total lockdown imposed on Kabba Bunu Local Government Area less than one week after a reported COVID-19 positive index case in the state.

  The 14 day lockdown was imposed to enable contact tracing and testing of people who might have had contact with the index case in the state.

  The governor now said the outcome of contact tracing and testing was successful and residents of Kabba/Bunnu local government can return to their normal lives.

  Governor Yahaya Bello has always insisted that Kogi state remains COVID-19 free but urged citizens to comply with the established precautionary measures against the spread of the virus.

Kenya to soon begin home treatment for coronavirus patients

 

Kenya’s health ministry has said it will soon roll out home-based care for Covid-19 patients because the country’s isolation facilities are almost full.

Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said they will first publish guidelines for home-based care before patients can be released to their families so as to free hospitals. He urged Kenyans not to stigmatise patients who will be allowed to recover at home.

Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, has two isolation facilities whose bed capacity is almost full. The country on Thursday recorded 124 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 2,340 including 592 recoveries and 78 deaths.

The World Health Organization’s guidelines for home-based care for Covid-19 patients say patients are to be isolated in their own rooms and minimise interaction with other people.

Shared items and facilities are to be thoroughly disinfected and caregivers are to wear protective gear.

 

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.

Students protest over the rape and murder of Uwaila Omozuwa

   

   A group of students are protesting the rape and murder of Uwaila Vera Omozuwa, a 100-level student of the Univeristy of Benin, inside a church while reading.

   The group, all clad in black gathered at the entrance of the institution and organised a march in her honour. They call on the police to bring the culprits to book so as to serve as a deterrent to others.

NAFDAC warns of fake COVID-19 drugs in circulation

  

  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has warned of fake COVID-19 drugs in circulation.

  Prof. Moji Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, said the agency discovered fake Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in circulation across the country.

Speaking during a webinar in Lagos State on Wednesday, Adeyeye also disclosed that fake face masks and hand sanitizers were in circulation. She explained that this was discovered during post-marketing surveillance of COVID-19 medical products.

The NAFDAC boss said: “Post-marketing surveillance is part and parcel of NAFDAC. We stepped it up because we knew that companies were changing formula and formulations for us. “We see falsified Chloroquine without any active ingredients in it. Of course, we also have had fake sanitizers and masks, which we have to deal with regulatory-wise.

Akpabio got N300m fence construction contract from NDDC - Senator Peter Nwaoboshi

 

    Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, the chairman of senate committee on Niger Delta has accused the minister of Niger Delta affairs, Godswill Akpabio of getting a N300 million fence construction contract from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

  According to The Cable, while still the senator representing Akwa Ibom north-west, Akpabio requested for a N500 million contract from the NDDC in 2017. The Minister was reportedly given the contract of fencing Federal Polytechnic Ukana, Akwa Ibom, (N200 million), and Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene (N100 million).

  The publication reported that Akpabio got N150 million for entrepreneurship training on the use of modern farming implements for youths and women of Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial district and N50 million for the renovation of a hostel at University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu state.

  Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday June 3, Senator Nwaoboshi said the contracts were fully paid for but there was nothing to show for it.

    He said;  “Findings show that while there was no physical evidence of implementation of these projects, checks show contracts were awarded and fully paid for.  “Such practices have turned the region to sites of abandoned projects.”

   This is coming after Akpabio said he would not allow the NDDC to be raped under his watch. Few days ago, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom state raised an alarm about NDDC abandoned projects and the agency being "turned to an ATM" by politicians. 

Akpabio said; 

   “We have also had a lot of political interference, people have not allowed NDDC to work as it ought to, people coming with ideas not to move the region forward but to move their pockets forward. It has always been so… I think people were treating the place as an ATM, where you just walk in there to go and pluck money and go away, I don’t think they were looking at it as an interventionist agency."