Int’l flights: Resumption date to be out soon – FG
Kayode OyeroThe Federal Government says the date for the resumption of international flights in the country will be announced soon, The PUNCH reports. The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known on Monday during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja. Responding to a question about the likely date for the resumption of international flights, the minister said, “The (date for) international (flights) will follow today. Before the end of the day, we’ll be receiving directives or suggestions, practices, and standards from the International Civil Aviation Organisation. “The aviation industry is requested to start developing protocols to allow for domestic flights to resume anytime from the 21st of June onwards.
Source:Punch
June 01, 2020 18:33 UTC
Peace Transit boss shares lesson on business growth | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
Dr. Onyishi told VTv that business growth is chronologically hence there is the need for entrepreneurs to start small and grow as they learn more about the business environment. Using his successful transportation business as a reference, Dr Onyishi said one of the biggest challenges for businesses is bribery which does not incentivize hard work. Despite the challenges, Dr Onyishi, who was once a bus conductor, said Nigeria remains a place of opportunities for entrepreneurs. Dr. Onyishi said people must value education whether formal or informal and know their numbers, about bookkeeping, income, profit, loss and capital. Operations of Peace Transit was disrupted by the outbreak of the pandemic and a ban on interstate travels, nonetheless, Dr. Onyishi said he has investments he can comfortably rely on, a lesson for budding entrepreneurs.
Source:The Guardian
June 01, 2020 17:26 UTC
BREAKING: Banks to operate fully June 2 – FG
Kayode OyeroThe Federal Government has said banks in the country could resume ‘normal working hours’, effective June 2, The PUNCH reports. The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, stated this during a briefing in Abuja on Monday. Aliyu said the curfew would now be between 10pm and 4am daily. He said, “The nationwide curfew will remain in place but the timing will be reduced to 10pm and 4am. “Just to clarify, the purpose of the curfew is to limit social interaction and therefore reduce the spread of the virus.
Source:Punch
June 01, 2020 17:03 UTC
Jihadists kill three in attack on Niger refugee camp | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
Jihadists carried out a coordinated attack on a camp housing thousands of Malian refugees in western Niger, killing three civilians, abducting a guard and sabotaging the water supply, the United Nations said Monday. Around 50 jihadists launched a “well-planned operation” against the Intikane refugee camp in the Tahoua region on Sunday afternoon, the UN refugee agency UNHCR in Niamey told AFP. The three victims were the head of a refugee committee, the head of a refugee vigilance group, and a representative of a Tahoua nomadic group, the UNHCR said. A security source told AFP that before the attack, the jihadists destroyed telephone relay antennas in the area. The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS), carries out frequent attacks over Niger’s western borders, while the southeast faces regular assaults from Nigerian jihadist group Boko Haram.
Source:The Guardian
June 01, 2020 15:45 UTC
BREAKING: Manchester United confirm Odion Ighalo’s loan extension
Sodiq OyelekeManchester United have extended Odion Ighalo’s loan until the end of January 2021. The PUNCH reports that Ighalo joined Manchester United in a Deadline Day move in January from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua. He has scored four times in eight appearances in all competitions prior to the suspension of the Premier League because of coronavirus. Before the formal announcement of his contract extension, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had hinted that the club would retain the goalscorer. He was earlier asked to sign a contract offer until the end of 2024 worth £400,000 a week, but the player prefers to stay at Manchester United despite taking a pay cut.
Source:Punch
June 01, 2020 11:35 UTC
COVID-19: Gov Bello orders two weeks total lockdown in Kabba/Bunu LGA
The Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has ordered two weeks total lockdown starting from 12 midnight on Tuesday in Kabba/Bunu local government council over alleged cases of COVID-19. According to the son, his father, who is Hypertensive/Diabetic had attended a burial ceremony where he was stung by bees. “The Doctor had no reason to refer the patient to FMC Lokoja except on the insistence of the patient because they felt he was not getting better. Governor Bello pointed out that in Kogi state as at today, the state is COVID-19 free adding that the state will always take adequate measures to prevent the virus from entering the state. He called on the people of Kabba/Bunu local government council to exercise cooperate with the committee so that adequate test can be carried out during the two weeks total lockdown.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
June 01, 2020 10:18 UTC
COVID-19: Finland, Norway reopen bars
Finland and Norway were set to open bars Monday after long closures because of the coronavirus pandemic, though with new distancing guidelines and shorter hours in place to keep infections down. Finland, a country of 5.5 million, has reported 6,776 COVID-19 infections and 314 deaths. Meanwhile in Norway, many were expected to take advantage of the warm weather on Monday’s bank holiday to enjoy an “utepils” — a beer consumed outdoors. Bars that also serve food were authorised to reopen in early May. Norway, which has confirmed 8,411 cases and 236 deaths from coronavirus, imposed strict measures to curb the spread of the virus on March 12.
Source:Punch
June 01, 2020 10:07 UTC
More terrorists surrender, others arrested in North East – DHQ
More Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have continued to surrender to the Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) in the North East. He added that preliminary interrogation revealed that the 19-year-old repentant Boko Haram fighter joined the group about a year ago at Shaharam and participated in the attack on Tumbun Shaje. According to him, Babagana called on his erstwhile colleagues in the forests to surrender to the troops of the Nigerian Army. “Kabudumi confessed to joining the Boko Haram sect in 2015 but denied participating in any of the sect’s operations. “He, however, revealed that he has done duties at Boko Haram criminals’ camps at Abadam, Malam Fatori and Duguri under the leadership of Muhammadu Lawan, a notorious Boko Haram Commander,” he said.
Source:The Guardian
June 01, 2020 09:22 UTC
Armenian PM tests positive for COVID-19
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his family have tested positive for the coronavirus, he said Monday, as the rate of new infections soared in the Caucasus nation. “My coronavirus test was positive yesterday,” Pashinyan said in a self-recorded video message on Facebook, adding that his family were also infected. The prime minister and his wife Anna Hakobyan, who is a journalist, have four children. The prime minister acknowledged his government had failed to enforce anti-virus measures and there had been widespread quarantine violations. Pashinyan was elected prime minister in the wake of mass popular protests he led two years ago against veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian and his Republican Party.
Source:Punch
June 01, 2020 09:22 UTC
Direct primaries better in Edo because of coronavirus, says Iriase | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
Former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Pally Iriase, on Sunday cited reasons why the All Progressives Congress should be consider direct primaries in Edo State due to covid-19 pandemic. APC governorship primary election in Edo state slated for June 22 but model to be adopted for the exercise has generated debates among party stakeholders. While Edo APC supports the indirect mode of primaries, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party insisted on direct primaries. Indirect mode means that delegates alone elect the party’s flag-bearer, while in direct mode, all registered party members do the election. Edo State has 284 confirmed cases of coronavirus out of Nigeria’s 10,162 cases.
Source:The Guardian
June 01, 2020 09:22 UTC
Petrol to sell at N123/ltr as PPPRA reviews ex-depot price
The Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) will now sell at N123.50 per litre following an upward review of the ex-depot price of the commodity by the petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency(PPPRA) for the month of June. The ex-depot price was increased to N104.13 from N102.13/Ltr. The ex-depot price is a price at which depot owners sell the commodity to retail outlets across the country. In the document, the PPPRA also increased the ex-depot collection from N109.78 to N111.78/litre. The agency said the review became imperative after considering the prevailing market fundamentals in the month of May and Marketers’ realistic operation costs.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
June 01, 2020 09:22 UTC
Residents commend Fintiri's one year in office | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
Some Adamawa residents have commended Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s one year in office, describing it as the best to ever happened to the state. Whereas on resuming office, Fintiri declared state of emergency on education and other dead sectors. He said Fintiri’s government rescued his members from ceaseless herders’ attack, stating that RIFAN lost no fewer than 200 members to such hostility. In its own assessment, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the state hailed Fintiri for prompt salary payments. While opening a new petrol station executed by the union, the chairman, Rodney Nathan hinted all that Governor Fintiri promised to promote teachers that have served over 10 years.
Source:The Guardian
June 01, 2020 09:21 UTC
Bayelsa seals six churches for breaching COVID-19 protocols
The Bayelsa government has sealed six churches in the state for breaching ”operational protocols” required to conduct services during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The six churches were sealed for failure to comply with safety measures put in place by the government to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the people of Bayelsa. “The churches will remain sealed until further notice to serve as a deterrent to other churches. He said the security sub-committee of the task force on COVID-19, unsealed two churches earlier shutdown for violating safety measures on the pandemic. Akpor explained that the two churches, the Halleluya Deliverance Ministry International and Embassy Faith churches were unsealed after undertaking to comply with prescribed safety protocols.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
June 01, 2020 08:48 UTC
Reviewing key indicators of the MTEF 2020-2022 addendum
Eze OnyekpereThe Federal Government has prepared and published an addendum to the revision of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework 2020-2022. Other key indicators are GDP growth rate of -4.42%, inflation rate of 14.13% and nominal GDP of N139.52tn. This discourse briefly reviews some of these key indicators with a view to offering insights into the direction of fiscal policy implementation. The projection is for negative economic growth of -4.42% and indeed that Nigeria will soon enter a recession. Unnecessary foreign exchange windows and subsidies create opportunities for arbitrage, distort economic planning and dampen investor and economic players’ confidence.
Source:Punch
June 01, 2020 08:48 UTC
Nigeria records 307 new cases, total now 10,162
Nigeria on Sunday recorded 307 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total infections to 10,162. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on its official twitter handle, also confirmed 287 deaths. The centre said 3,007 patients have been treated and discharged. The NCDC said that till date, the 10,162 cases were recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The health agency said the 307 new cases were reported from 15 states.
Source:The Guardian
June 01, 2020 08:17 UTC