Author: darelasisi@gmail.com

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja  The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in collaboration with the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID),  has set up medical facilities in the six Geo-political zones of the country to assist in combating the spread of the novel coronavirus presently ravaging the world. CBN Director of Public Communications, Mr Isaac Okorafor made the disclosure in a statement he issued on behalf of the group in Abuja on Monday. He said, “We are pleased to announce that work has begun in earnest to provide and equip medical facilities in the six geopolitical zones. This will involve the…

By Harry Awurumibe, Head, ABUJA BUREAU The Federal Government has announced a further reduction in the pump price of petrol from N125 per litre to N123.50k effective from Wednesday, April 1, 2020. Prompt News recalls that the premium motor spirit, otherwise known as petrol was reduced recently from N145 per litre to N125 as part of measures to cushion the effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19). According to a statement released Tuesday night by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, the new price regime is in line with the government approval for a monthly review. The statement signed by PPPRA Executive…

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says part of the tasks given to the Economic Sustainability Committee which he chairs, is to develop further palliatives. According to the vice president, containing the spread of pandemic Coronavirus(COVID-19) and tackling its fallout, is an all Nigeria effort that requires the cooperation of all. Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Tuesday said that the vice president responded to questions at a Google Hangout on Monday in Abuja. The event was organized by the HACK COVID-19 Call Centre, where young Nigerian technology innovators talked about the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and wellbeing…

Ekiti State government, on Tuesday, announced that the only Coronavirus index case recorded in the state had recovered. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, while briefing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, said that the index case, who had been in isolation, was discharged after he had fully recovered. Yaya-Kolade said, “He has now tested negative. Everything is normal; we cannot continue to keep him. “What we told him was that when he gets home, he should still self-isolate and that if he is going out, he should wear a face mask.” The commissioner, however, said that all the contacts, who…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Federal Government to immediately constitute an eminent Nigerians group to manage donations from the private sector and palliatives from the government on Coronavirus — COVID-19. The party made the call in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday in Abuja. He said that the group would be essential to ensure that such interventions reached the desired persons in the overall effort to check the health and economic impact of COVID-19 in the country. “The PDP also asks the Federal Government to halt plans by the Nigerian…

Gov. Douye Diri on Tuesday relaxed the interstate border closure ordered to check the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) to allow food, drugs, and vehicles to convey personnel on essential duty into Bayelsa. Diri granted unfettered passage to their destinations for vehicles conveying foodstuff, medical supplies, and personnel on essential services as the country grapples with containing the COVID-19 pandemic. He announced this during an enlarged meeting with members of the state’s COVID-19 taskforce, including service commanders, labour leaders and representatives of international health organizations in Government House, Yenagoa. The governor emphasized the need for people to have access to food…

The body of Permanent Secretaries has donated some toiletries as part of the effort to assist the Federal Government in the fight against the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic in the country. Dr Folasade Yemi–Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), disclosed this in a statement by Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, Director of Information, Office of the HOCSF, on Tuesday in Abuja. Yemi – Esan, during the presentation, explained that the Permanent Secretaries contributed a large chunk of their salaries to get the items for the cleaning of hands, bodies, clothes, and homes. She listed the items to include bar soaps…

By Harry Awurumibe, Head, Abuja Bureau Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama has said that there is no iota of truth in the news making the round that a certain Nigerian lady is currently in a deplorable condition in Lome, Togo. Onyeama who spoke in a live radio programme monitored in Abuja Tuesday afternoon explained that the said woman went to Brazil with her husband recently for a wedding and on their way back passed through Addis Ababa and Lome. But at the Togolese capital, the authorities, like Nigeria, decided to put both in a Four-star hotel for immediate quarantine.…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has appealed Law enforcement agencies across the Country to allow petroleum products tanker drivers free movement during the lockdown ordered in parts of the country by President Muhammadu Buhari and some state governments. A release today in Abuja by the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said the exemption granted by Mr. President to certain categories of essential workers covers the operations of petroleum products tanker drivers. The release said that the Federal Government counts on the support of the law enforcement agencies across the country to ensure smooth…

Contrary to insinuations in some quarters that the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, who on Monday, tested positive to COVID-19, contacted the disease at a zonal rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, has said that his boss did not contract the disease at the much-talked-about PDP unification rally. The governor’s spokesman, who spoke to Silverbird Television on Tuesday, explained that there was no known incident of COVID-19 as of the time the rally was held. He said: “The issue of the governor is said to…