The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, has explained why the lockdown measure should not be relaxed amid efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), had on March 29 ordered a lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states for 14 days to curb COVID-19 spread. Many states had also followed suit. However, as the number of COVID-19 cases increased, the President on April 13 extended the lockdown for 14 more days.

114 new cases were reported on April 24th; 80 in Lagos, 21 in Gombe, five in FCT, two each in Zamfara and Edo, and one each in Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna and Sokoto states. Currently, the coronavirus has spread to 26 states and the FCT, with a total number of 1,095 cases recorded across the country by the NCDC. While 208 patients have been discharged, 32 deaths have been recorded. 

READ ALSO, FG Unveils Free E-learning Portals for Primary, Secondary School Students

Speaking on Friday at a media briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said it was not yet time to relax the lockdown.

He noted that although the lockdown was having negative effects on the economy as it was impeding Nigerians’ ability to go about their daily activities, he said it was vital to be patient and endure the lockdown further to ensure a safe and healthy society when the economy would be reopened.

He said, “We will eventually exit this stage and restart our normal life but that stage is still a while to come and I ask for your endurance, support and patience. Lots of efforts are going on across the world to find new therapy, to find vaccine.

“Everybody is pushing hard along this direction. We need unprecedented level of caution to continue carrying out the preventive measure that we have advised many times on this platform.

“Many families have not been able to bury their dead, rescheduled their marriages and baptism and everything they are doing. In a way, life is in suspense. Everyone recognises the sacrifice Nigerians have made but we really have to encourage one another to continue to a position where we can relax some of that (lockdown) but until we get to that place, we have to continue in the short term.

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“We are working hard to reach a point where we can relax some of these measures but we are not there yet. We ask you to join us to continue this journey with us and amplify these messages that we are giving. We are happy to have the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress here with us today (Friday).”

Ihekweazu added that the citizens must remember that the most vulnerable people were the elderly and people with other illnesses.

“We must protect them. In protecting them, if they are living in the village, leave them there and support them with whatever resources you have. But please, now is not the time to encourage travelling,” he added.

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Meanwhile, at the briefing, the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said although the body considered using part of the funds lodged in the Contributory Pension Fund for COVID-19 palliative, it decided not to touch the money after considering the “ravaging” impact of the pandemic on the world economy and health of the people.

He said, “We looked at the issue of (contributory) pension fund and we even asked the Minister of State for Education to do a position paper but our conclusion was that the time was not ripe for us to go there because the entire world order, in terms of economy and health system, have been disrupted by COVID-19 and nobody can imagine the consequence all over the world until the dust is settled.

“The $48m given by the Chinese Government (to support Nigeria’s fight against COVID-19 fight) and other donations go into separate accounts that have been created by the Account General of the Federation in five commercial banks. On a daily basis, he will mop the account and move the money to the two CBN accounts created for COVID-19.”

Earlier in his address, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, warned against the use of the pension fund, saying it was contributed by workers and meant for life after service and added that it was important to protect the fund.

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COVID-19: Why Lockdown Can't Be Relaxed As Cases Hit 1,095- FG

Airtel Users Already Have Free Access While MTN And Glo Adjust

The Federal Government has launched free e-learning portals for all students in primary and secondary schools following the closure of schools nationwide to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, announced this on Friday in Abuja during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. He added that all students in Nigeria have free access to following e-learning portals; the schoolgate.ng and the mobileclassroom.com.ng app.

READ ALSO, Oyo to Return FG’s 1,800 Bags of Weevil-infested Rice

“These e-learning platforms have been declared subscription free for Nigerian students in primary and secondary levels during the period of this lockdown as necessitated by COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Mobile Classroom is an indigenous mobile application that enables students to learn audio-visually through devices like phones and computers.

It had earlier offered all Nigerian students free access to its online portal without subscription for the period of suspension of academic activities in schools nationwide.

The minister said the timetable for online classes in all the states of the federation that have keyed into the programme have been provided in the platforms and could also be access at the Federal Ministry of Education website.

Nwajiuba said the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, is collaborating with telecommunication sectors and network providers to grant the students free access to the portals on their mobile phones.

He added that online learning is being coordinated by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in conjunction with the States Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs).

The Federal Government had announced the nationwide closure of all educational institutions as part of measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the country. According to the minister, this necessitated the need to explore other avenues to deliver lessons to students.

He added that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu had also disclosed that Airtel Nigeria network users could already browse these e-learning portals for free while other telecom service providers like MTN, Glo, and 9mobile are currently making technical adjustment to their systems to accommodate this free access.

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“This is the provision we have already made this in relation to how you can access these platforms,” he said.

On the question of how these classes are conducted, he explained that online classes are the same as off-line classes, and said that students can download them and learn them at their own pace.

“Online can be real-time if you are on the same wave and time when it is being taught.”

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FG Unveils Free E-learning Portals for Primary, Secondary School Students 

Distribution of Palliatives Will Proceed As Planned

The Oyo State Government has, on Friday hinted that it might return the 1,800 bags of rice donated to the state by the Federal Government as COVID-19 palliative on the grounds that the rice had been infested with weevils.

The state government had received the three trailer loads of rice through the Nigeria Customs Service on Monday.

The Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Agribusiness, Dr Debo Akande, explained that the 1,800 bags of rice from the Federal Government had spoilt.

Akande said, “We received these items from the Federal Government via the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and we brought them to the warehouse. It was in the process of further inspection that we discovered that the rice had been infested with weevils.

“On that basis, we formed a committee to re-inspect it so we can be sure of what we have received.

“We don’t want to create another problem while providing solution to one. We have inspected it; we have done random selection and we have seen that similar things apply across the board.

“We have agreed to return them to the source but if there are good ones with good quality that could be sent to us as replacement, we will be glad to receive them.”

Akande promised that the situation would not in anyway delay the planned distribution of palliatives by the state government.

He added, “We all know that a good number of food items have been received by the Food Security Committee of the Task Force and they would be distributed in the next couple of days. We have in place a robust system for distribution and we have finalised it.”

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Oyo to Return FG’s 1,800 Bags of Weevil-infested Rice 

The Chairman of the Victory Estate in the Iba area of Lagos State, Olu James, allegedly shot dead a resident of the estate, Stephen Doubra, who was said to have been a promising footballer. This has sparked a lot of anger in the community as the friends and family of the deceased have been demanding justice.

The incident happened on Saturday, April 18, 2020, while the chairman and other residents were securing the estate against hoodlums. It was gathered that James had an altercation with Stephen, who held on to his shirt after James allegedly hit a helmet on him.

The chairman was said to have pulled out a gun and shot Stephen, in the chest.

According to Stephen’s sister, Helen Barro, James escaped with the victim on a motorcycle, but was later arrested by policemen from the Adoff Police Station.

She said, “The chairman was coming from one of our kinsmen’s place, where he had gone to ask him to speak with his Ijaw brothers that they should only stay by their apartments for vigilante duty when he accosted Stephen and his cousin, who were coming in.

“An altercation ensued between the chairman and Stephen, and James hit Stephen’s head with his helmet and the victim held his shirt and someone went to call the person, who the chairman had gone to report to, and while that one was begging him, James pulled out his gun and shot Stephen in the chest. When the chairman realised what he had done, he put Stephen on his motorcycle and escaped without anybody knowing his whereabouts.

READ ALSO, FCT Approves Neighbourhood Selling Points, Mandates Use of Face Masks in Markets

“Stephen’s father reported the matter at the Iba Police Station when he did not see his son and police personnel came to the scene to investigate. It was not until Monday that we got to know the whereabouts of the chairman and Stephen, when we were taken to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department to see James, and the morgue, where Stephen was taken to.

“Stephen was a footballer, who was supposed to travel to Portugal, but it was the lockdown that made him to stay back. We want justice; we want the chairman to be prosecuted.”

Stephen’s friend, who identified himself simply as Babajide, alleged on his Twitter page that James had earlier threatened to kill the footballer on three separate occasions.

He tweeted, “Prior to the day Steven was brutally murdered by a gunshot wound to the heart, Mr James on 3 occasions was said to have threatened to kill him, his exact words were ‘I will kill you and bury you and no one would do anything’.

“The first occasion was in December 2019, Steven and his family during the cause of celebrating had their music too loud, this man who wasn’t even their neighbour went over to their house and turned off their generator…this led to a slight argument between him and Steven’s siblings.

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“The second was at a scene when Mr Ojo accused 2 members of the estate of theft, tied them up and was hitting them with machetes. Residents at the estate came out to attest on the identity of the boys and also their innocence, among the crowd was Steven also who said, ‘I know these men, let them go, they aren’t thieves’. Mr James out of shame and anger made the life-threatening comment to Steven and everyone thought it was bluff.

“The third time was after a confrontation from the youths in the estate to disburse the 30 bags of rice and other relief items from the LG to the residents of the estate which Mr James held back to himself.

“Around 3.30am on Saturday, Steven after participating in the vigilante activity, decided to walk home with 2 of his other cousins who worked with him as a team during the guard activity, on his way back, Mr James, who had seen him pass with his cousins laid an ambush at him with 2 other vigilante partners who worked with him (Mr James).

“Steven’s other cousin who witnessed most of the altercation before fleeing the scene said, ‘He saw us on our way back and said, ehen una two…abi I don tell una say na me go kill una for this street’.

“Steven paying him no mind asked they kept going before Mr James screamed to the other two vigilante ‘hold them, hold them’ as they tried to grab Steven’s cousin, the guy punched grabber on the jaw and fled the scene leaving Steven who kept asking what his offence was.

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“Mr James who obviously had the intention of accusing Steven of something kept attacking him with the bike helmet he held in his hand…Steven was in awe as he was very familiar with the two other vigilante guys (who are currently on the run) and never Imagined they could do such.

“While he kept shouting ‘Wetin be that? Ah ah, why? Wetin I do?’ The helmet broke through his head and he began to bleed…before Steven was eventually shot directly beneath his left breast, direct to Steven’s heart…”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, confirmed the arrest of the suspect, adding that the SCIID was investigating the incident.

Community Demands Justice for Promising Footballer Killed by Estate Chairman

﻿Markets Operation Time Now 8am to 3pm, Wednesdays And Saturdays 

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has approved the creation of ‘Neighbourhood Selling Points’ and the use of face masks across all markets in the territory.

The development is part of measures to decongest existing markets and effect more compliance with the social distancing and lockdown policy of government in the wake of the outbreak of Covid-19.

Bello also approved the extension of business hours for markets in the FCT. Markets are to now run from 8am to 3 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Managing Director, Abuja Markets Management Limited AMML, Abubakar Usman Faruk disclosed this while giving an update on the level of compliance by FCT markets with the containment protocols against Covid-19.

Faruk said the minister gave the directives during a review meeting on the Administration’s COVID 19 Pandemic Response Strategy.

“This directive which takes effect from the next market day Saturday April 25, 2020 is against the earlier approved time of 10am to 2pm. The Minister also directed the  decongestion of the existing markets through the establishment of  Neighbourhood Selling Points in the various districts within the Federal Capital City by Abuja Markets Management Limited," he stated.

READ ALSO, Nigeria, Other Developing Countries Face Looming Debt Disaster - UNCTAD

According to Faruk, the AMML is to liaise with the FCT Area Councils to ensure full implementation of all COVID 19 Pandemic protocols with regards to the markets across all the nooks and crannies of the territory.

While urging FCT residents to abide by all emergency regulations in respect of the Coronavirus, the minister said patronising the neighbourhood markets would help to strengthen the Administration’s response plan.

Malam Bello directed law enforcement agencies to “clamp down on residents who hide under the window of market days to flout government directives”.

 The concept of Neighbourhood Selling Points is aimed at taking pressure off the existing markets in the FCT through the provision of an initial 40 units -adopting either public schools or green areas where they exist- across the various districts in the Federal Capital City FCC .

The idea is to further enhance the attainment of social distancing among residents which is a key requirement for eventual winning of the battle against the virus.

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In order to ensure quick set up of the Neighbourhood Selling Points therefore, the Minister further directed relevant FCTA Secretariats, Departments and Agencies to support AMML to actualize this mandate.

Meanwhile, ahead of the take-off of the Neighbourhood Selling Points, “the Minister has insteucted that all users of markets in the FCT must use face mask and also observe social distancing”.

To this end, the minister mandated the AMML boss to ensure that existing selling points for food items within the markets are decentralized immediately to achieve social distancing, even as he encouraged the markets managers to continue to sensitize clients on other hand and respiratory hygiene.

FCT Approves Neighbourhood Selling Points, Mandates Use of Face Masks in Markets

Debt Write-off Will Prevent Economic Disaster 

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development is calling for urgent measures to address the debt burden estimated at $3.4tn in Nigeria and other developing countries facing economic disaster as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

UNCTAD in a report released on Thursday said developing countries were facing a looming debt disaster as most of the revenue of these countries had shrunk. The report was titled ‘From the great lockdown to the great meltdown: Developing country debt in the time of COVID-19.’

READ ALSO, Schools Should Abandon Plans of Resuming Third Term - Lagos Govt

Analysts at the UN agency estimated that in 2020 and 2021 alone, repayments on the public external debt were estimated at nearly $3.4tn, comprising between $2tn and $2.3tn in high-income developing countries and between $666bn and $1.06tn in middle- and low-income countries.

The report said more systematic, transparent and coordinated measures towards writing off developing country debt across the board were urgently needed. It suggested that a trillion-dollar write-off would be closer to the figure needed to prevent economic disaster across the developing world.

It noted that prior to the COVID-19 crisis, a huge percentage of many of these government revenues were expended on debt repayments, squeezing health and social expenditures.

The UN agency had on March 30, called for a $2.5tn coronavirus crisis package for developing countries.

“The international community should urgently take more steps to relieve the mounting financial pressure that debt payments are exerting on developing countries as they get to grips with the economic shock of COVID-19,” UNCTAD Secretary-General, Mukhisa Kituyi, said.

According to the UNCTAD, the coronavirus pandemic hits developing economies at a time when they had already been struggling with unsustainable debt burdens for many years, as well as with rising health and economic needs.

It noted that Nigeria, Ghana, Pakistan and some middle and high-income developing countries had been excluded from recent debt relief packages, despite facing unsustainable debt burdens and potential financial meltdowns.

“Recent calls for international solidarity point in the right direction,” Director of UNCTAD’s globalisation division that produced the report, Richard Kozul-Wright, said, “but have so far delivered little tangible support for developing countries as they tackle the immediate impacts of the pandemic and its economic repercussions.”

The UNCTAD report proposed the establishment of an International Developing Country Debt Authority to oversee their implementation and lay the institutional and regulatory foundations for a more permanent international framework to guide sovereign debt restructurings in the future.

According to the report, this could follow the path of setting up an autonomous international organisation by way of an international treaty between concerned states. It said the swift establishment of an advisory body of experts with entire independence of any creditor or debtor interests was essential to such international agreement.

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Nigeria, Other Developing Countries Face Looming Debt Disaster - UNCTAD

State Sponsored Lectures Continue on TV And Radio

The Lagos State Ministry of Education has warned private schools in the state to shun the idea of resuming for the third term academic session until the lockdown period is over.

Recall that the state government had on March 18 ordered public and private schools in the state to close down from March 23, as part of measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, in a statement on Thursday, said all private and public schools in the state would remain closed to protect pupils from the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adefisayo noted that the state government would intensify efforts in the ongoing free teachings on various media, especially radio and television, rather than reopening schools and endangering the lives of pupils.

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, who disclosed the government’s stance on the reopening of schools for the third-term academic session, urged proprietors aiming to commence academic session for third-term amid the COVID-19 outbreak to abandon the plans.

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She said, “The attention of the Lagos State Ministry of Education has been drawn to the plans by some private schools in the state to resume academic activities for the third term of the 2019/20 session by online teaching. This is with effect from Monday, April 27, 2020.

“The Ministry wishes to state categorically that all schools in Lagos State remain closed and have not yet been opened for the third term. The state continues to offer free teachings on various media, especially radio and television.

“Plans are also underway to ensure that our children in public schools are able to complete their term whenever the lockdown is lifted.”

Adefisayo appealed to the proprietors to persevere and adopt the online teaching strategy to keep their students busy while staying at home to avoid contracting COVID-19.

The Commissioner disclosed that some secondary schools in the state have commenced online teaching to engage their students charging discounted tuition fees, while some schools were charging full tuition rates.

“Parents are concerned about the cost of this programme, ranging from fees charged by schools to the cost of data and devices as well as the cost of fuelling generators to ensure steady electricity power supply. They also have to supervise online teachings to guard against the exposure of children to pornography, in addition to online harassment and bullying," Adefisayo said.

The Commissioner for Education called for a continuous dialogue between school administrators and parents to seek ways to resolve issues related to the inability of parents to earn income during this period, the need for schools to pay their personnel who provide online teaching as well as the purchase of devices for teachers, including the provision of data to prepare for the daily teaching activities.

“In view of the aforementioned, we ask that schools consult extensively with parents and find a win-win solution that will be acceptable to all stakeholders,” she added.

Schools Should Abandon Plans of Resuming Third Term - Lagos Govt 

More People Will Die of Hunger Than of COVID-19

The world is facing multiple famines of “biblical proportions” in just a matter of months, the UN has said, warning that the coronavirus pandemic will push an additional 130 million people to the brink of starvation.

CNN reports that the executive director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, said famines could take hold in “about three dozen countries” in a worst-case scenario in a stark address on Tuesday.

He cited conflict, an economic recession, a decline in aid and a collapse in oil prices as factors likely to lead to vast food shortages, and urged swift action to avert disaster.

READ ALSO, COVID-19: Don’t Extend Lockdown, NLC to FG

“While dealing with a COVID-19 pandemic, we are also on the brink of a hunger pandemic. There is also a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of COVID-19 than from the virus itself,” David Beasley told the UN’s security council.

The WFP had already warned that 2020 would be a devastating year for numerous countries ravaged by poverty or war, with 135 million people facing crisis levels of hunger or worse. Their updated projections nearly double that number.

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Ten countries were singled out as particularly at-risk, after housing the worst food crises last year; Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria and Haiti.

Most of those countries have so far been spared the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, with the epicentre moving from China to Europe to North America, but the state of their healthcare institutions means even relatively small outbreaks could be devastating.

UN Warns Nigeria, Others That Coronavirus Will Cause Famine

Sokoto Partal Lockdown Extended by Two Weeks

The Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has warned against congregating in a large numbers to observe the preaching and voluntary midnight prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.

The warning came on the heels of the suspension of all public preaching and voluntary midnight prayers by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Nigeria Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Tambuwal gave the warning while receiving a situation report from the Task Force Committee on COVID-19 in the state. He also announced a ban on all international border markets across the state and stated that the use of face mask in public places is compulsory.

READ ALSO, Lebanese Who Tried to Sell Nigerian Woman for $1,000 Arrested

He said this step was taken in order to regulate the convergence of people in one place, a situation that would only increase the risk of getting infected by COVID -19.

The governor stated that instead of the traditional public preaching, the state government will now sponsor the airing of the tafsir (preaching) of the Ulamas on television, radio stations in the state as well as online across the various social media platforms.

On the ban on the markets, Governor Tambuwal said it became necessary as the state task force on COVID-19 has submitted that their existence was contributing to the spread of disease.

Tambuwal also approved the extension of the existing partial lockdown by two weeks, insisting the enforcement of the ban on inter-state movement must not be compromised.

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Seeking for more support from traditional and community leaders in the state in the enforcement of the ban on social gatherings, Tambuwal thanked the Sultanate Council, traditional rulers, security agents, and other stakeholders for their unflinching cooperation so far.

In his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar lauded the state government for the myriad of measures being taken against the spread of the disease.

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The Sultan informed the governor that as the leaders of the Muslim ummah, the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs has taken a decision of banning all the tafsir and tarawih in the Muslim ummah, in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

According to him, he held a meeting with all the Imams and Ulamas in the state where they unanimously consented to the decision. The Sultan further thanked the people in the state for their understanding.

Tambuwal Warns Against Large Gatherings During Ramadan

Rescue Status of Nigerian Woman Still Unknown

A Lebanese, identified as Mr. Wael Jerro, who advwetised a Nigerian woman for sale at $1,000 on Facebook has been arrested by the Lebanese government.

The Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made this known in a tweet on Thursday.

“Breaking news on Trafficked Nigerian girl for sale on Facebook by a Lebanese! The Lebanese Government just announced the arrest of Mr. WAEL JERRO for onward prosecution against criminal sales of a human, a young Nigerian girl,” she wrote.

Mrs Dabiri-Erewa, however, did not disclose if the Nigerian woman has been rescued.

The Lebanese, who offered to sell the Nigerian domestic worker had posted on his Facebook page in Arabic language calling the attention of buyers but was exposed when a lady with knowledge of Arabic translated his post to readers.

He wrote “Domestic worker from Nigeria for sale with new legal documents. She’s 30 years old, she’s very active and very clean. Price: $1000.”

Although Wael Jerro’s account could not be found, the Facebook marketplace Jerro tagged in his post – Buy & Sell In Lebanon (Original) الأصلي – still appeared on the social media platform.

Calls to the phone number listed on the Facebook page were not returned. But the operators of the page said it is only to facilitate buying and selling between interested parties and are not responsible for what is posted on the page.

Lebanese Who Tried to Sell Nigerian Woman for $1,000 Arrested

The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the Federal Government not to extend the lockdown order on COVID-19, warning that doing so might cause social unrest in the affected states and the Federal Capital Territory.

In a letter addressed to the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and dater April 14, 2020, which was signed by the NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, the union also frowned at the method employed by the FG in the distribution of the palliative measure, calling for the expansion of the initiative to all Nigerians affected by the pandemic.

READ ALSO, COVID-19: Corps Members Invent Semi-automated Handwash Equipment

The union said, “While we understand the public health imperatives for extending the lockdown in some parts of the country, it is also very important to underscore the fact that the states currently under total lockdown are the economic and administrative nerve centres of Nigeria.

“This is very dicey. As much as it is important to keep many Nigerians from dying in the hands of coronavirus, loss of income and the accompanying destitution can also be a pathfinder for numerous other sicknesses and deaths. This is the time to play the balancing game.

“The truth is that our economy might relapse into prolonged coma if the current lockdown in the nation’s nerve centres goes beyond the current extension.

“There were widespread acts of civil disobedience, inducement of law enforcement agents to gain passes and even various forms of violent crimes.

“No one is sure how long this dam would hold. We fear that the situation will get out of hand if the lockdown exceeds one month.

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“While we commend government for being proactive, we opine that the stimulus package would be best served through consultation with social partners.

“Labour and private sector employers have a good understanding of industries where jobs and production are in most danger.”

COVID-19: Don’t Extend Lockdown, NLC to FG

Incomplete Materials Prevented Equipment from Being Fully Automated

Three serving corps members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in Oyo State have invented a semi-automated hand washing equipment, with soap dispensing mechanism and domiciled underground drainage system. 

The corps members, Afolabi Victor, Ogunmoye Victor and Adeyanju Adeyemi who are graduates of Economics Education, Mechanical Engineering and Microbiology respectively, unveiled the equipment at the NYSC State Secretariat Agodi, Ibadan.

READ ALSO, IPPIS: Buhari Approves Immediate Payment of University Lecturers Withheld Salaries.

NYSC Oyo State Coordinator, Mrs Grace Ogbuoegebe, who commissioned the project commended the corps members for their “innovation, commitment, patriotism and support” for the scheme in the state.

She noted that the innovation was necessitated as the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim had earlier challenged corps members across the country to come up with brilliant measures that will help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Ogbuoegebe further explained that the project was meant to be a complete automated hand washing machine, but due to the lockdown, the corps members were unable to get materials to complete the machine.

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She, however, commended their efforts tasking other corps members in the state to emulate, imbibe and follow their selfless initiative.

Addressing newsmen the corps members stated the project was conducted in a bid to contribute their own quota towards the fight against the pandemic ravaging the country.

He noted that the device is operated with the leg and not the hand to avoid a spread of the virus which as at press time has killed 22 with 665 cases recorded in the country.

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COVID-19: Corps Members Invent Semi-automated Handwash Equipment 

Nigerian newspapers,on one page.