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Tuesday, 14 April 2020 05:47

‘It is a matter of life and death,’ Buhari says as FG extends coronavirus lockdowns for 14 more days

Federal government has extended lockdowns in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states for an additional 14 days to combat the new coronavirus, President Muhammadu Buhari said in an address to the nation on Monday that acknowledged the sacrifices of the country’s poor. Initial 14-day lockdowns in the three areas began on March 30. Mr Buhari said it was crucial to extend the lockdown due to an “alarming” increase in positive cases in a number of states. “It is a matter of life and death,” Buhari said of the nation’s response. “The repercussions of any premature end to the lockdown action are…

Tuesday, 14 April 2020 05:44

FG to spend 48 percent of revenue on debt servicing

Revision of the 2020 revenue framework has raised Federal Government’s debt service to revenue ratio from the initial 29 per cent to 48 per cent. The Executive last Wednesday sent a revised 2020 budget proposal to the National Assembly following a drop in crude oil prices caused by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Federal Government had in the budget proposal revised downward the revenue projection for the 2020 fiscal period by N3.3tn from the initial approved amount of N8.41tn to N5.08tn. The reduction in revenue projection was due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has so…

Tuesday, 14 April 2020 05:43

Covid-19: IMF excludes Nigeria as it approves debt relief to 25 countries

International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved immediate debt relief for 25 countries, most of them in Africa. Nigeria is excluded from the list. In a statement by Ms Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of IMF, the international lender said it would provide $500 million in grant-based debt service relief to these countries. “Today, I am pleased to say that our Executive Board approved immediate debt service relief to 25 of IMF’s member countries under the IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) as part of the Fund’s response to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Georgieva said. “This…

Tuesday, 14 April 2020 05:39

I won’t return to Abuja until Boko Haram is defeated - Army chief

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Mr Yusuf Tukur Buratai, has vowed that he will not leave the theatre of Operation Lafiya Dole until he gives a final blow on the Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast. Buratai had earlier announced his relocation to the Northeast following the pounding of the insurgents by the Chadian Army from the Lake Chad axis where President Idris Deby is claiming to have held a section of Nigeria, waiting to hand over to Nigerian troops. Chief of Army Staff, who had a special Easter celebration with the troops yesterday at Ngamdu Special Super Camp, regretted…

Tuesday, 14 April 2020 05:37

China faces diplomatic crisis amid outrage over mistreatment of Africans

Beijing is facing a diplomatic crisis in Africa after reports of alleged coronavirus-related discrimination against African nationals in China sparked widespread anger across the continent. African students and expatriates in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou were last week subject to forced coronavirus testing and arbitrary 14-day self-quarantine, regardless of recent travel history, amid heightened fears of imported infections. Large numbers of African nationals were also left homeless, after being evicted by landlords and rejected by hotels in the city. Having reportedly contained the virus within China, concerns have grown in recent weeks over a so-called second wave, brought into…

Tuesday, 14 April 2020 05:36

Nigerians shake off coronavirus lockdown boredom with group exercise

The bored and the brave have taken over the six-lane highways of Nigeria’s capital, now on coronavirus lockdown. Vehicles in Abuja are mostly gone. In their place: hundreds of people doing group workouts with little concern for a disease that has so far killed 10 and infected 300 in Nigeria. “Since the lockdown, we are just at home doing nothing, no work, no food, nothing, nothing, so we decided to come and exercise our body instead of us sitting at home and just getting fat,” said Akinyemi Busayo, a trader, who was doing aerobics and other exercises in a group.…

Tuesday, 14 April 2020 05:35

Woman loses entire family to coronavirus in matter of days

'There’s not even a word created to describe my pain. It’s unimaginable' A Michigan woman has lost her entire immediate family to coronavirus after her husband and son died within days of one another. Sandy Brown of Grand Blanc told The Detroit News she was in unimaginable pain after she lost both her husband, Freddie Lee Brown Jr and her son Freddie Lee Brown III to Covid-19 in three days. "There's not even a word created to describe my pain. It's unimaginable," she told the newspaper. Her husband, who had a kidney transplant in 2012, fell ill in mid-march and…

Monday, 13 April 2020 05:34

Amid pandemic, Christians celebrate an Easter like no other

Christians celebrated Easter Sunday isolated in their homes by the coronavirus while pastors preached the faith’s joyous news of Christ’s resurrection to empty pews. St. Peter’s Square was barricaded to keep out crowds, while one Florida church drew a large turnout for a drive-in service in a parking lot. Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, released from the hospital after a week of treatment for COVID-19, paid an emotional tribute to the country’s National Health Service, saying its doctors and nurses had saved his life “no question.” He especially thanked two nurses who stood by his bedside for 48 hours “when…

Monday, 13 April 2020 05:33

We’re not out of the woods yet, Adeboye says in Easter message

General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Mr Enoch Adeboye, on Sunday urged Nigerians not to relax in the fight against Coronavirus pandemic. He advised Christians to always pray and ensure peace, despite the troubles they are facing. Adeboye, who spoke in a live broadcast by DOVE Television, at the 2020 Easter service monitored by our correspondent, said the good news is that God is in control of the situation. The cleric said COVID-19 will soon be over. In his words, “I want to bring good news to someone. I want to tell you that my God is…

Monday, 13 April 2020 05:31

I’m rebuilding FIRS out of the ruins Fowler left behind - Nami

Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), virtually collapsed under its previous management, its new chief has said. Mr Muhammad Nami, who assumed office as chairman last December, said he had to “build the entire structure of the service again from scratch.” This is not the first time Mr Nami is criticising the administration of his predecessor, Mr Babatunde Fowler. In December, while giving his first Christmas message and felicitation to the revenue agency’s staff, he accused Fowler’s management of superintending a steady decline in revenue collection by the service since the inception of his tenure in 2015. Nami assumed office on…

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Monday, 13 April 2020 05:27

Coronavirus: AU appoints Okonjo-Iweala, others as Special Envoys to solicit economic aid for Africa

Chairperson, African Union, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, has appointed former Nigerian Finance Minister, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Rwandan Finance Minister, Mr Donald Kaberuka as Special Envoys of the AU to mobilise international support for Africa’s efforts towards addressing the economic challenges facing African countries owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also appointed in similar capacity are Mr Tidjane Thiam and Mr Trevor Manuel. Ramaphosa said the envoys, who brought with them a wealth of experience and enjoyed longstanding relationships in the international financial community, would solicit rapid and concrete support as pledged by the G20, the European Union and other international…

Sunday, 12 April 2020 05:54

Buhari extends lockdown, appeals to Nigerians to endure restriction

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday urged Nigerians to comply with the restriction directive “once more” in order to defeat the coronavirus. The President in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, also promised more interventions for vulnerable citizens. Buhari had on March 29 ordered a total cessation of movement in Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory for an initial period of 14 days in a bid to check the spread of the disease in the country. He thanked Nigerians for their patience, resolve and strong determination to defeat the COVID-19 outbreak.…

Sunday, 12 April 2020 05:52

Following public outcry, Wike, Akeredolu make U-turn on lockdown relaxation

Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Saturday backed down from their relaxation of the lockdown they had imposed on their states to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The governors and some of their counterparts in other parts of the country had given Muslims the go-ahead to resume Jumat on Friday, and Christians the nod to celebrate the Easter services in their churches. But the relaxation orders had not gone down well with many who warned that they were not meant to serve the interest of the generality of the citizens. Information…

Sunday, 12 April 2020 05:51

Coronavirus will not overcome us, we need Easter as much as ever - Queen Elizabeth

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth said on Saturday that coronavirus “would not overcome us” as she delivered her second rallying message to the nation in a week. The 93-year-old monarch, who is the symbolic head of the Church of England, also stated that “Easter isn’t cancelled” in her first ever address to mark the Christian holy day. “This year, Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart we keep others safe. But Easter isn’t cancelled; indeed, we need Easter as much as ever,” she said. Last Sunday, Elizabeth gave only the fifth televised address of her 68-year reign…

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