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By Harry Awurumibe, Head, ABUJA BUREAU ABUJA – Nigerian Government on Saturday said an informed decision would be taken on the deployment of 5G after wide consultations with experts. The news making the rounds says the federal government has agreed to deploy 5G in the country, raising public concern about the health implications. Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, in a statement assured that President Muhammad Buhari would consider the health of Nigerians before taking such a decision. “The attention of my office has been drawn to the public concern about the health implications of…

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed on Saturday met with the leadership of the National Assembly to intimate it with an Executive proposal to establish a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund. Mrs Zainab, with senior officials from her ministry, held the meeting with the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The meeting held at the National Assembly was also attended by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase and some other principal officers from both Chambers. The meeting…

Some parents in Kano have expressed worry over stress associated with child control sequel to the lockdown order and school closure occasioned by Coronavirus pandemic. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had, on March 20, ordered the closure of schools and directed workers to stay at home as part of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. The development of compeled parents and guardians to stay with their wards at home. A cross-section of the parents, who spoke with NAN in separate interviews on Saturday in Kano, said that they had been overstretched with…

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has handed over five ambulances to Secretary to Government of the Federation, cum Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce for the Control of Coronavirus (COVID-19), Boss Mustapha. A release today in Abuja by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, quoted the corporation’s Group Managing Director as saying that the ambulances marked the first installment of Industry collective donation of N11billion, now shored up to N21billion. Aiteo Exploration and Production Company Limited, an NNPC Joint Venture Company partner donated the ambulances. Handing over…

The Osun Government has commenced the fumigation of public places in Ile-Ife in efforts aimed at curtailing the spread of the coronavirus. A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who monitored the fumigation exercise in the ancient city on Saturday, reports that areas to be covered included markets, local council secretariat, and the Ooni’s palace among others. The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Obawale Adebisi, while speaking with NAN at the Ooni’s palace, commended the residents of Ile-Ife for complying with the government’s stay-at-home order. Adebisi said the fumigation exercise was part of the efforts of the…

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has felicitated with Mr Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on the occasion of his 68th birthday anniversary celebration. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, on Saturday in Lokoja, Bello described Oshiomhole as a quintessential and astute politician of quality, ethics, and virtues. The governor congratulated Oshiomhole for being a dogged fighter as a labour union leader, who recorded remarkable accomplishments when he was the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). He said that Oshiomhole remained a role model and an example of selfless service to…

The House of Representatives is to consider a fresh Stimulus Bill that will ensure that Nigerians get free electricity supply for two months to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Speaker Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has said. The Speaker said the proposed Bill is to help in boosting the economy through the informal sector as the country prepares for the aftermath of the coronavirus. The proposed Bill, which will be the second Stimulus Bill by the Green Chamber, is to be considered immediately the House reconvenes from its ongoing break, declared due to the pandemic. It has, however, been agreed…

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, on Saturday, met with the leadership of the National Assembly to intimate it on an Executive proposal to establish an N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis, Intervention Fund. Ola Awoniyi, the Special Adviser to the President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in a statement said that the minister held the meeting with the President of the Senate and senior officials of the ministry at the National Assembly Complex in the Federal Capital Territory. Also in attendance were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy President of the Senate, Sen.…

The Osun Government says it has found the missing COVID-19 patient who reportedly absconded from the Isolation Centre in Ejigbo in the early hours of Saturday. Mrs Funke Egbemode, the State’s Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Osogbo, said the unnamed female patient had been returned back to the isolation centre. Egbemode said the state government was still in the process of tracing individuals she might have come in contact with. The commissioner added that security within and around the isolation centre had been beefed up . She gave an assurance…

The Nigeria Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has so far realized N19.4 billion to help fight COVID-19 pandemic. The update of the contribution was made known in a document released by Mr Isaac Okorafor, Director, Communications of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Abuja on Friday. Okorafor disclosed that Wacot Rice Limited, Tolaram Africa Enterprises and Bank of Industry made donations of N500 million each. He said former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar among other donors gave N50 million to the relief fund. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CBN and Aliko Dangote were the highest contributors of…