Ekiti set to establish own COVID -19 laboratory

The Ekiti State Government on Friday expressed its desire to set up a COVID-19 laboratory facility, in order to increase its capacity for more tests for residents of the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, made the disclosure during a COVID-19 update press briefing held by the pandemic task force at the Governor’s office in Ado-Ekiti.

She said the facility would be provided by Governor Kayode Fayemi, in partnership with well-meaning Ekiti indigenes and other private sponsors.

According to Yaya-Kokade, “The Federal government promised to provide a facility but it has not been forthcoming. The Governor, Dr. Fayemi now used his own initiative to reach out to well-meaning Ekiti Indigenes and friends to provide a facility that will boost our testing capacity.

“We are very optimistic that the testing kits, reagents, and other materials to be used will arrive Ekiti next week”, she said.

Yaya-Kolade, who said the state presently has seven patients on admission, hinted that some of them have turned negative but still awaiting second tests before they can be discharged.

“All of them are also stable. We are still tracing about eleven contacts who had contacts with the patients in isolation”.

On the number of results being awaited, Yaya-Kolade stated that blood samples were being taken continuously , especially for those who entered the state through illegal means.

Some people who came into Ekiti and those who are manifesting signs are being quarantined and their blood samples were being taken on a daily basis.

“We are determined to ensure that Ekiti records no death again and our testing capability is still going to be increased with the test laboratory we are planning for Ekiti”.

Yaya-Kolade clarified that Ekiti has not absolutely banned burial ceremony, saying such can be done with proper approval from the state government.

“Burial can be done in Ekiti upon getting approval and it has to be done in compliance with social distancing directive and with such gathering not more than 20 people”.

The commissioner added that Governor Fayemi had ordered compulsory COVID 19 tests for those entering the state through the borders before being discharged from the quarantine centre.

Also speaking, the Director-General, Office of Transformation and Strategic Delivery, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, added that the government had enlisted the services of driver and community associations for increased vigilance on those entering the state illicitly.

“Apart from security agencies, we are getting information from communities, so that we can arrest those sneaking into Ekiti.  Those caught are being profiled and made to face the Magistrate”.

Aluko appealed to whoever wants to help the people with palliatives to distribute it in a manner that is dignifying and in tandem with the laid down rules.

“We don’t want a situation whereby our citizens will be milling rounds and scampering for food, because they can further spread the disease through this action”.

The Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Gbenga Agbeyo applauded the level of enforcement of compulsory use of face masks by the citizens and compliance with other directives. (Vanguard)

FG to NAFDAC: Assess Herbal Option For COVID-19 Treatment

The Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to carry out necessary procedures for the assessment of a plant-based cough mixture as a possible alternative treatment for coronavirus.

This directive was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Mashi Abdullahi, in a memo addressed to the director-general of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye.

The memo, titled ‘Formulation of a Phyto-Medicine-Based Cough Mixture/Syrup for the Management of COVID-19 Patients by Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine Department of the Ministry said Nigeria is blessed with medicinal plants which could be exploited.

The Permanent Secretary stated that the formulation is a Cov-herbal cough mixture whose ingredients are medicinal plants, widely used as food materials and medicines.

According to him ‘these medicinal plants have documented scientific evidence of long use for the management of cough and other respiratory infections, with medicinal properties of mucolytic, antitussive, expectorant, soothing, demulcent, anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects.

“It is heartwarming to note that the Department of TCAM has taken the pains to research into scientific materials to come up with a formulation intended for the management of cough in COVID-19 and other cough-related infections.”

“The ministry is determined to walk the talk in the promotion and integration of herbal medicine into the health care delivery system.

“In view of the foregoing and the desire of the ministry to showcase to the public a product that is 100 per cent sourced locally, you are requested to carry out the necessary procedures for listing.

“The ministerry will contract the packaging of the product to some identified pharmaceutical companies.”

NCDC officials return to Abuja because they refused isolation, COVID-19 test – Kogi Govt

Officials of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, sent to Kogi State have returned to Abuja after they refused to be isolated or tested for COVID-19.

The state government has insisted that the NCDC officials sent to boost their capacity will be isolated for fourteen days and be tested in line with the protocols of the center.

Commissioner for information in the state, Kingsley Fanwo said the delegation decided to leave after a dramatic scene at the Kogi State Government House on Thursday

He said why the officials refused to be tested was a matter of concern to the government of Kogi, calling on the centre to investigate the issue.

It was drama today at the Kogi State Government House as officials of the National Center for Disease Control sent to ascertain the COVID-19 status flee the state ” Fanwo said.

“The Officials said they were not ready to be tested for COVID-19 and went back to Abuja. Today, the Governor showed the statesmanship in him once again by appreciating the support of the NCDC and defending the health interests of his people.

“NCDC quarantined the Chinese professionals that came to give them technical support and also took their samples for test. It is a normal practice and protocol set by NCDC.

“So NCDC will have a lot to explain as to why its officials refused to test for COVID-19. How can we be sure of their status? What are their fears? Why did NCDC send people who are afraid of test to our State? What was their intention? The officials that came have done an integrity blow to the works of the NCDC. Is there something they are hiding? It is time NCDC opened up and apologize to the good people of Kogi State. How will they encourage people to test when its own officials are afraid of test? This is sad.”

Expulsion Of Almajiris Now Aiding Spread Of COVID-19- MURIC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has criticized the current trend of the expulsion of almajiris from various Northern states to their states of origin. This is because this mass expulsion has inadvertently aided the spread of, and increased the caseload of COVID-19 in the receiving states.

This was the position of MURIC in a press release issued by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Friday, 8^th May, 2020.

 The statement reads: “Many states of the North have been expelling large numbers of almajiris back to their states of origin in recent times. For example, on April 21^st, 2020, Kano expelled 432 almajiris to Katsina, 63 to Yobe, 198 to Kaduna, etc. Expectedly, the Northern states are beginning to take responsibility and there is every reason to believe that plans are already on ground to take good care of those almajiris on arrival in their home states. The motive behind it is commendable.

 “However, the expulsions have coincided with the COVID-19 outbreak and this is our first concern. The children are being exposed to great danger. To make matters worse, significant numbers of these almajiris are testing positive to Corona virus thereby swelling the COVID-19 caseloads of their receiving states and making the management of this global pandemic more difficult for Nigerian authorities. Unfortunately, some of these almajiris are also escaping to southern states, potentially spreading COVID-19 to every nook and crany of Nigeria.  

 “It is clear that the concerned Northern states appeared to have acted without consulting Islamic scholars who are at their beck and call. Islam opposes the idea of leaving a city under plague attack. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned that, ‘If a plague breaks out in a city and you are living there, do not leave it. And if you are about to enter a city and there is a plague there, do not enter there’

 “The reported expulsions and arrangement of caravan-like trips for the expulsion of almajiris from some Northern states is therefore ill-advised and badly timed. The exercise is already being abused as some of the almajiris are allegedly escaping southwards. Worse still is the fact that some of them have already tested positive for COVID-19.

 “Nigeria would have fared better if we had strictly followed the Islamic teaching on remaining in one place during a plague. Even the world would have been safer today but the phobia for anything Islamic did not allow world powers to take advantage of the wisdom in Islamdom for managing pandemics.

 “We appeal to the security agencies to strictly enforce the ban on interstate travels, including stemming the tide of interstate almajiri ‘exports’. Many of the index cases in some states have been traced to people who came in from outside such states. The police have a case to answer, particularly concerning trailers caught with human and animal cargoes in the south during the week. How did they ply the roads that lead to the south with several roadblocks along the line?

 “As we round off, we enjoin Northern governors to postpone the expulsion of almajiris until the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Instead, the Federal Government, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the NCDC should collaborate with the concerned Northern states to gather all those almajiris in a few central locations, test them for the Corona virus, isolate the infected and treat them promptly. That way, this scourge will be nipped in the bud among them and we would have prevented the spread of COVID-19 via infected almajiris to the whole of the country.

 “Those in charge of the repatriation of almajiris must also ensure that the latter do not successfully escape down south where nobody understands their culture. We charge Nigerians to exercise patience by refraining from travels around this period and, better still, by staying at home, maintaining social distancing, using facemasks and washing their hands regularly or using sanitisers.”

Supreme Court Nullifies Orji Uzor Kalu’s Conviction

The Supreme Court has nullified the judgment which convicted the former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu.

A seven-man panel of the apex court also set aside the judgment which convicted Ude Udeogu, a former Director of Finance and Account at the Abia State Government House.

The Supreme Court gave the judgement on Friday, more than one year after both men were convicted of corruption allegations levelled against them by the Federal Government.

Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos had sentenced Senator Kalu to 12 years imprisonment in his judgement delivered on April 24, 2019.

He had also sentenced Mr Udeogu to 10 years imprisonment on the same day.

Displeased with the judgement of the Federal High Court, Kalu and Udeogu filed an appeal to challenge their sentencing at the Supreme Court.

The apex court, in a unanimous verdict on the appeal delivered by Justice Ejembi Eko, declared that the conviction of the appellants was null and void.

Justice Eko explained that the declaration was on the ground that Justice Mohammed Idris was already a Justice of the Court of Appeal, as at the time he delivered the judgment sentencing the appellants.

He held that a Justice of the Court of Appeal cannot operate as a judge of the Federal High Court.

The apex court, therefore, ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the canse for trial.

Channels Television 

NFF Places Okwaraji, Yekini’s Mothers On 30, 000 Monthly Stipend

The Nigeria Football Federation has placed the mothers of late ex-internationals, Samuel Okwaraji and Rashidi Yekini on a monthly stipend of N30, 000, each.

Sports minister, Sunday Dare announced on Thursday that the ministry has placed the two matriachs, on a monthly stipend of N10,000 each.

The NFF in appreciation of Dare’s gesture has now decided to support the noble initiative and also review the situation of surviving mothers of ex-internationals that died in active service for the country.

“In furtherance to, and in appreciation of, the recent pronouncement of the HM Sports @SundayDareSD to put the mothers of late ex-internationals Sam Okwaraji and Rashidi Yekini on a monthly stipend, the NFF has decided to support this noble initiative with a further monthly stipend of N30k to each of the matriachs,”reads a tweet on the NFF’s Twitter handle on Thursday.

 In addition, the NFF will henceforth review the situation of surviving mothers of our ex-internationals that died in active service for the country and resolve what to do for them on monthly basis.” (Complete Sport)