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Author: Alpha Maidawa

Thailand to give free mobile data for those homebound by coronavirus
Thailand will give the public free mobile data as companies initiate work-from-home policies and schools use remote learning amid the coronavirus outbreak, am official said on Tuesday as operators considered investment to expand capacity.
“Individuals can register for 10 gigabytes (GB) of mobile data each month starting from April 10,” said Takorn Tantasith, the Secretary-General of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission.
The commission would compensate the operators, a spokesman said separately, but no details were available.
Thailand’s main three mobile operators did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“The government is giving the data so the public can stay home and limit the spread of COVID-19,” Takorn said.
Thailand on Tuesday reported 127 new coronavirus cases, bringing the national tally up to 1,651 since the country’s first case was reported in January.
There have been 10 deaths.
Third-ranked mobile operator, Total Access Communication Pcl (DTAC) said it was considering accelerating investment to expand its mobile data footprint based on new patterns of usage.
In the past, data use has usually increased in areas with dense populations, but the current increase is widespread, including residential areas outside city centres, DTAC Head of Investor Relations, Sirawit Klabdee said.
“This is a challenge because (when) increasing capacity in areas outside the city … there are uncertainties like the duration of the heightened data use,” he said.
The company was considering increasing its annual capital expenditure this year to 15 billion baht (457 million dollars) from 13 billion baht, he said.
The government declared a state of emergency last week and urged companies to adopt work from home policies to limit movement of people.
Top mobile operator, Advanced Info Service Pcl has seen mobile data and broadband volume growth of more than 10 per cent in the last month, chief consumer business officer Pratthana Leelapanang, said.
Video conferencing grew more than ten times, partly due to the increase in remote learning because of the closure of schools and universities, he said.
Rival operator, True Corporation Pcl said last week it would triple its broadband capacity after seeing a 52 per cent increase in broadband use and 18.4 per cent jump in mobile data usage in the last month. (Reuters/NAN)
March 31, 2020
ASUU joins campaign against coronavirus, distributes sanitisers
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has joined the campaign to curb the spread of the coronavirus by providing some intervention materials.
The materials included sanitisers, handbills and posters as well as jingles aimed at sensitising Nigerians on the pandemic.
ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, flagged off the distribution of the materials in Ibadan on Tuesday.
Ogunyemi, who was represented by Dr Ade Adejumo, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, commended the University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU for blazing the trail in activating the union’s programme toward stemming the tide of the dreaded coronavirus.
” To demonstrate our concern for the welfare and well-being of the Nigerian people, ASUU members nationwide shall be willing to work with medical and paramedical workers as volunteers in their public enlightenment and professional intervention initiatives.
“All our branches shall explore areas of strategic collaboration with federal, state and local governments to provide support in terms of information and expert skills drawn from our membership across the nation.
“For us in ASUU, this is not an occasion for blame game or buck passing. However, it calls for sober reflection on what we need to do differently with our health and education.
“We talk of our health because that holds the key to our wealth, and our education because, without it, we are going nowhere in the advancement ladder among the comity of civilised nations,”he said.
In his address, the Chairman of University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU, Prof. Ayo Akinwole, said curbing the spread of the disease called for the patriotism of all Nigerians.
“This is a huge task and calls for patriotism among Nigerians to stay isolated, stay safe and report people with the symptoms associated with COVID-19 to the authorities.
“The federal and state governments need a command structure to be able to stem the tide of this global problem in our country.
“This structure should include teams of researchers, scholars and medical scientists not groups dominated by bureaucrats and politicians.
“The governments need to get input from the Committee of Chief Medical Directors at both the state and federal government levels.
“These people can provide an objective state of readiness of isolation centres in each hospital, state responses and their state capacity to cope.
“All universities have epidemiologists who should play critical roles in the fight against COVID-19.
“Data from these experts will give the required pathways for speedily arresting the pandemic,”he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of University of Ilorin ASUU, Prof. Moyosore Ajao, urged members of the public to adhere to safety protocols of hand washing with soap for 30 seconds and use of hand sanitisers.
According to Ajao, the use of nose mask sold on the road is not effective against COVID-19 while maintaining social distancing and staying home are the ways to go.
The intervention materials included 1000 bottles of hand sanitisers produced by members of the union who are experts.
Other items are 500 copies of posters and handbills printed in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, English and Pidgin.
The event featured presentation of the items to some media organisations, Jaja Clinic of the University of Ibadan and University College Hospital. (NAN)
March 31, 2020
COVID-19: Coalition wants FG to make mask wearing compulsory
Sen. Eze Ajoku, President, Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN), on Tuesday called on Minister of Health to make masks wearing compulsory for all Nigerians to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Ajoku, who is also Managing Director, Darlez Nig Ltd that manages, FMC, Jabi laboratory, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja that the minister would achieve it by collaborating with Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
He explained that radio and television stations would be directed to intensify campaigns and awareness aimed at encouraging the wearing of masks especially in the rural areas.
“Please, mandate the wearing of masks, any type of mask will help in our rural areas.
“Ask all radio and television stations as part of their social responsibilities to encourage wearing of masks.
‘This is how the Czech Republic that has one of the lowest infection rates and later China controlled the spread,” Ajoku said.
The Senator, who reiterated the imperatives of mass media awareness in the use of masks, said it was in addition to social distancing, hand washing and use of sanitisers.
He said: “Encourage tailors, individuals, and organisations to make masks. Masks will be needed in millions for everyone.”
“Aba tailors can mass produce masks. Any type of mask will stop person to person transmission. I see it as important means of controlling this spread in our densely populated areas.
He explained: “the mask protects you from me and protects me from you, so we are both safe.
“There will be no heavy or light droplets on surfaces or floating around from each of us.”
According to him, this made common sense since with a mask, there would be no desire to regularly touch the mouth or nose.
Ajoku also urged the federal government to enforce strict adherence to the rule by mandating police to arrest anyone on the street without a mask since such people will interact with others as they walk or move around.
He, however, called on older people to adopt precautionary measures prescribed by International Organisations and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The coalition boss advised his older colleagues to always wear face masks when in company of younger ones who have higher immunity to withstand the virus.
Ajoku, therefore, urged older people to always wash their hands, use sanitiser and observe social distancing with their children and grandchildren at this time.
He also advised older persons to drink hot tea or water including ordinary water regularly to ensure their throats were not dry.
Ajoku insisted that older persons should stay at home and receive no visitors at this time, and said he was leading by example. (NAN)
March 31, 2020
Indonesia president announces $25 billion spending to fight coronavirus
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, on Tuesday, said he had signed a regulation to let the government significantly raise spending in its fight against the coronavirus and widen the 2020 budget deficit to 5.07 per cent of GDP.
Widodo also announced a national public health emergency and said the government would spend 405.1 trillion rupiahs ($24.85 billion) more on COVID-19 response, social welfare programmes and economic stimulus, including a three percentage point cut in corporate tax rates to 22 per cent.
The emergency regulation is effective immediately, but parliament must approve it to turn it into law in its current session. (Reuters)
March 31, 2020
Europeans send medical supplies to Iran, circumventing sanctions
France, Germany, and Britain have made the first use of a bartering mechanism set up to circumvent U.S. sanctions against Iran, to send medical supplies to the crisis-hit country, the German Foreign Office says.
In Iran, one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis, a complex web of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration—and abetted by Congress members of both parties—is choking off critical medical supplies to a country desperately in need.
While this dip in supply is not new, the scale of the harm is, as doctors frantically try to respond to a catastrophe that now includes 16,169 confirmed cases and 988 deaths in Iran – numbers that are rising by the day.
Amid these dire circumstances, the Trump administration announced sometime in March that it was imposing a fresh round of sanctions on the country.
On March 12 Iran’s Health Ministry reported dire shortages of key supplies, including syringe and infusion pumps.
At the Independent (U.K.), reporter Negar Mortazavi notes that several companies were reluctant to sell testing kits to Iran over concerns about violating a complex web of sanctions, until the WHO stepped in and instructed them to.
“A young father living in Tehran, whose cousin died at a local hospital at the beginning of the outbreak, told me he had all the signs and symptoms of coronavirus and his death report even cited ‘suspected coronavirus’ as the cause of death—but he was not tested for the virus as there is a shortage and test kits are saved for those patients who are still alive,” Mortazavi writes.
Relief International, one of the few humanitarian organisations that has been bringing medical supplies into Iran, issued a stark warning nearly three weeks ago: “There is an extreme shortage of these supplies in-country, where stock is often low due to the steep price of medicines and medical equipment—a consequence of U.S. sanctions.”
The doctors, nurses and pharmacists on the front lines of the crisis have been sounding the alarm about the dire circumstances for days.
“Medical professionals in Iran are seeing the early signs of shortages,” warned Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and Abbas Kebriaeezadeh (the latter is a pharmacology professor at Tehran University of Medical Sciences) in a March 3 article.
“They are calling the Iranian vendors of respiratory masks, surgical gowns, and ventilators only to hear that the goods are out of stock.
“They are struggling to get antiviral medication even to those patients exhibiting the most acute symptoms,” they said further. (dpa)
March 31, 2020
COVID-19: Gov. Makinde tests positive
Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has been confirmed positive of the Coronavirus disease.
Makinde on Monday confirmed this on his personal twitter handle.
The governor, who claimed to be asymptomatic, promised to continue to remain in self isolation.
“I just received my COVID-19 confirmation test result. It is POSITIVE. I am asymptomatic and will continue to Self-isolate.
“I have designated Prof. Temitope Alonge, former Chief Medical Director of the University College, Ibadan, as the Head of COVID-19 Task Force while I recover fully.
” Please continue to comply with all the directives from the COVID-19 Task Force. Stay home, stay safe,” he had tweeted.
Makinde’s confirmation had increased the tally of confirmed cases in the state to eight.(NAN)
March 30, 2020
COVID-19 lockdown: NSE to sustain remote trading
The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has assured investors of seamless trading during the 14 days lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The exchange gave the assurance in a statement issued in Lagos by Mr Olumide Orojimi, Head, Corporate Communications.
Orojimi said the exchange would sustain remote trading activities at normal hours and days in line with the guidance provided by the World Federation of Exchanges.
The Federal Government has announced restriction of all movements in Lagos and Ogun States as well Abuja for an initial period of 14 days.
He noted that the exchange was very supportive of the steps aimed at flattening the rising curve of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria.
“Since the outbreak of this pandemic, financial markets, particularly the capital markets around the world, have seen levels of volatility that are only comparable to the global financial crisis of 2007/2008.
“To maintain the integrity of our market and in order for us to continue to stimulate economic growth, we activated our business continuity plan on March 23.
“Through this activation, we have: continued trading during normal hours and days by providing remote trading access for Dealing Member Firms.
“The ability of our financial and money markets to continue to operate during this crisis is a testament to a well-functioning economy,” he said.
Orojimi said that the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria had received presidential approval to include the financial system and money markets in the list of exempted services from the lockdown.
“Given this new pronouncement, we will sustain our remote trading activities at normal hours and days, in line with the guidance provided by the World Federation of Exchanges.
“To comply with government directive, we have activated the second phase of our business continuity plan that will see our essential staff move into a secured accommodation close to our offices with adequate arrangements for healthcare and other matters necessary to their wellbeing.
“Access to our offices will be restricted to these essential staff who will ensure smooth remote trading and provide remote technical support to Dealing Members.
“We will also continue to provide remote access to listed companies and issuers during this period.
“While we hope for a quick end to this pandemic, we encourage everyone to maintain precautions, take responsibility for others by observing social distancing and practicing personal hygiene.
“Most importantly, we advise that you comply with guidelines issued by relevant health agencies of government towards curtailing the spread of the virus in our beloved country,” he said. (NAN)
March 30, 2020
Coronavirus: Nigerian Breweries postpones 2019 AGM
Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc has announced the postponement of its 74th Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for April 22.
Mr Uaboi Agbebaku, NB Company Secretary, stated this in a notice to the investing public and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
Agbebaku said the company’s Board of Directors took the decision to postpone the AGM due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
He said that the board took the decision to ensure full compliance with all health and safety directives issued by the Federal and State Governments in a bid to control and curb the spread of the virus.
According to him, a new date for the AGM will be decided on in due course and communicated accordingly.
Some quoted companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange have already notified the market about the postponement of their AGMS due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Prominent among the firms that have postponed their AGMs are UBA, Transcorp, Transcorp Hotels, United Capital, Africa Prudential and Notore. (NAN)
March 30, 2020
Operations continue at the ports — NPA
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Monday said that operations would continue at the ports in spite of the two-week lockdown of Lagos State to contain spread of COVID-19.
Mr Adams Jatto, General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications of NPA, made this known in a press statement in Lagos.
“Consequent to the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that Lagos seaports, (Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports), should remain open in the duration of the two-week lockdown of Lagos State, NPA states as followed.
“NPA hereby assures all stakeholders that arrangements have been made for operations at the ports to continue without hindrance.
“Safety procedures, which will guarantee the well being and security of stakeholders and staff have been put in place and all are advised to kindly comply with directives of port officials.
“All other government agencies responsible for smooth operations at the ports are enjoined to be at their respective duty posts to discharge their functions in line with the presidential directive of maintaining operational functions at the Lagos ports,” he said.
Jatto pointed out that the management of NPA assured all stakeholders of its commitment to facilitation of trade in Nigeria.(NAN)
March 30, 2020
UN demands $2.5trn virus aid for poorer countries
The world’s developing countries need a support package worth 2.5 trillion dollars to weather the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the UN official said on Monday.
The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Secretary General, Mukhisa Kituyi said this in a statement in Geneva.
This is in the same order of magnitude as the national U.S. 2-billion-dollar stimulus package that U.S. President Donald Trump signed last week.
UNCTAD, a UN think tank and aid body, said that the shock wave from the pandemic is dramatic, even in comparison with the 2008 financial crisis.
In the two-and-a-half months since the virus was confirmed to have spread beyond China, developing countries have been hit by capital outflows, currency depreciation, falling commodity prices and dwindling tourism revenues, according to UNCTAD economists.
“There are clear indications that things will get much worse for developing economies before they get better,” Kituyi said.
The G20 group of major economies last week promised to inject more than 5 trillion dollars into the global economy to limit the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
While the G20 efforts are targeted at the group’s own firms and households, the rest of the world needs additional help, UNCTAD Chief Economist Richard Kozul-Wright said.
“If G20 leaders are to stick to their commitment of ‘a global response in the spirit of solidarity,’ there must be commensurate action for the six billion people living outside the core G20 economies,” he said.
UNCTAD called for 1 trillion dollars of liquidity aid, 1 trillion dollars in the form of cancelled debts, and 500 billion dollars to fund economic recovery. (dpa/NAN)
March 30, 2020