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Author: Alpha Maidawa

Coronavirus: WHO, ICAO reaffirm commitment to contain virus, protect travellers health
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) have reaffirmed commitment to foster greater international cooperation to contain the coronavirus and to protect the health of travellers.
The assurance was made known in a statement jointly signed by WHO Director General, Mr Tedros Ghebreyesus and ICAO Secretary General, Dr Fang Liu, in Lagos on Friday.
They said the joint statement came amidst increased international cooperation in order to coordinate a more effective response to COVID-19, and was welcomed by aviation industry groups.
The statement noted the importance of states adhering to ICAO and WHO standards relating to the prevention of the spread of communicable diseases and to follow International Health Regulations (2005).
It said ICAO had been working closely with governments and industry partners such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airports Council International (ACI).
“This is to provide guidance to aviation authorities, airlines, airports, and advice to individuals, on appropriate measures that will protect the health of travellers and reduce the risk of transmission.
“IATA and the airlines are working closely with WHO, ICAO, and ACI to ensure that harmonised and updated procedures are made available in order to keep passengers safe, the world connected, and the virus contained.
“Travellers should be reassured that the industry is prepared to deal with communicable diseases as a result of experiences with previous outbreaks.
“The International Health Regulations of WHO are the established foundation for the coordinated global effort that will be required by all involved,” it said.
It also noted that ICAO had issued two electronic bulletins and a state letter to urge member states to adhere to the recommendations and guidance provided by the WHO.
The statement further revealed: “given the importance of considering detailed health and disease information alongside civil aviation policies and procedures surrounding COVID-19, both ICAO and WHO have been working closely together in recent weeks to develop expert advice and ensure coordinated global action.”
It said government aviation and health officials were also reminded to enhance cross-sector collaboration at the national level and establish National Facilitation Committees as required by ICAO Standards.
It also quoted Ms. Angela Gittens, Director General of ACI, as expressing appreciation toward the multi-sector and multi-agency communication.
“The COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on aviation has highlighted the need for effective coordination and a proportionate response from states.
“ACI welcomes the leadership shown by ICAO and WHO in this regard and will urge states to follow WHO advice.
“The health and welfare of travellers, staff and the public and limiting the spread of communicable diseases are the priorities for the aviation industry.
“So it is in all of our interests to have a common, easily understood, approach to help to prevent the spread of illnesses,” it quoted Gittens as saying.
The statement said Gittens welcomed the practical steps suggested by WHO that could assist travellers to protect themselves. (NAN)
March 7, 2020
China’s foreign trade down 11 per cent as coronavirus slows economy
China’s foreign trade plummeted 11 per cent year-on-year in the first two months of 2020 to 591.99 billion dollars, according to statistics released by the General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Saturday.
It is the first time the GAC has released such figures since the new coronavirus broke out in China in December.
Exports dropped 17.2 per cent and imports fell 4 per cent compared to January and February last year, settling at 292.45 billion and 299.54 billion dollars, respectively.
The drop is due “mainly to the effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak and the Spring Festival holiday,” according to a notice from the customs administration.
China’s trade data for January was expected to be released early last month, but the GAC announced it would be combining it with February’s import and export figures to be released in March instead.
The figures have been anticipated as a barometer for how the world’s second-largest economy has suffered due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has caused the closure of workplaces nation-wide and put tens of millions of people under lockdown. (dpa/NAN)
March 7, 2020
U.S. coronavirus death toll rises as 21 test positive on cruise ship
The death toll in the U.S. from the coronavirus rose to 17 on Friday, as the impact of the outbreak continued to have a knock-on effect across the country.
Two deaths were reported in Florida, and four more deaths were reported in Washington state, the epicentre of the outbreak, where 14 people have died.
One person has died in California.
Off the coast of California, some 3,500 passengers and crew aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship, which has been held since Wednesday, remain in limbo after 21 people tested positive for the virus.
The infected include 19 crew members and two passengers, Vice President Mike Pence said at a news conference on Friday.
He said the ship would be docked in a non-commercial port and everyone aboard would be tested.
“Those that need to be quarantined will be,” Pence added.
Meanwhile, officials in the city of Austin announced the cancellation of the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, a gathering centred around music, film and technology, which draws hundreds of thousands of people to the city.
“This is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place,” the event organisers said in a statement, calling the decision “unprecedented”.
The number of cases of coronavirus is growing around the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control said there were 164 cases nationwide, while a database of cases assembled by Johns Hopkins University put the number at 336.
In New York state, the number of infected people doubled to 44 and 4,000 people are in “precautionary” quarantines across the state, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Friday.
“Im not urging calm.
“I’m urging reality, I’m urging a factual response, not an emotional response,” Cuomo said.
According to reports in Los Angeles and New York City, public health officials have been struggling to provide adequate testing for the coronavirus and are restricting testing to certain patients.
“We are increasing the supply,” Stephen Hahn of the White House coronavirus task force said on Friday, adding that more than one million tests would be available by the weekend.
Earlier on Friday President Donald Trump signed an emergency 8.3-billion-dollar spending package to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, while insisting he saw no reason for the public to be alarmed.
“You have to be calm. It’ll go away,” Trump said, adding that the country and the economy are in “great shape.” Trump said he believed markets would bounce back, even as they continue to sink deeper into correction territory.
Authorities in King County in Washington – home to over 2 million people – have asked residents to work from home if they are able.
Major companies including Microsoft and Google have asked many employees to work from home.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra warned that it is illegal for businesses to drastically raise prices on goods in light of the health emergency, as reports of price gouging for products like hand sanitizer have surfaced.
Speaking from the capitol, Trump urged the Federal Reserve to continue to cut rates, following an emergency intervention within the week to lower the benchmark interest rate in a bid to stave off the impact of the virus on the economy.
“It’s a very conservative approach, but it’s not a good approach,” Trump said about the central bank’s policy.
He said other countries in Europe and Asia had lowered rates and that put the U.S. at a “competitive disadvantage”. (dpa/NAN)
March 7, 2020
Trump replaces White House chief of staff with loyalist lawmaker
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would replace his current chief of staff Mick Mulvaney with Mark Meadows, a Republican congressman who is one of the president’s staunchest defenders.
“I have long known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one.
“I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well,” Trump said in a tweet.
Mulvaney, also a former Republican congressman, served as the chief of staff for 14 months, in a tenure defined by his entanglement in Trump’s impeachment.
In the role, Mulvaney was a stalwart defender of the president, but his political gaffes, including some statements regarding Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, put the president in hot water.
Democrats unsuccessfully sought to compel Mulvaney to testify about his actions related to the withholding of aid to Ukraine, which was at the centre of the impeachment trial.
Meadows will be the president’s fourth chief of staff. Trump said Mulvaney will now serve as the special envoy for Northern Ireland. (dpa/NAN)
March 7, 2020
China to lower logistics costs for enterprises amid epidemic
The China State Railway Group (CSR), says China’s railway department will lower miscellaneous freight charges periodically to reduce logistics costs of enterprises amid the epidemic.
The Chinese news agency which made this known on Friday said miscellaneous freight charges would be halved from March 6 to June 30.
It stated that this development was expected to ease logistics costs by 380 million yuan, about 54.75 million dollars for enterprises and shippers.
“The measure may effectively offset the impact of the epidemic on logistics services and help enterprises resume production as soon as possible.
“Meanwhile, the railway department will give full play to ensure the transport of supplies for epidemic control and work resumption with more precise plans,” it added. (NAN)
March 6, 2020
Gas pipeline project will revive moribund industries in the North – NNPC
The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project will provide the needed energy to revive the moribund textile and other industries in northern part of the country, says the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The NNPC Group Managing Director, Malam Mele Kyari, stated this in Kaduna on Thursday, at the ongoing 41st Kaduna International Trade Fair, organised by the Kaduna Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA).
Kyari, who was represented by the Managing Director, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Ezekiel Osarolube, said that NNPC was doing everything possible to extend gas supply to northern part of the country.
“Construction work on the AKK Pipeline, which is designed to move gas to power industries in the Northern corridor is billed to commence in the second quarter of this year.
“Upon completion, we envisage that the AKK project will make gas cheaper and provide more environment-friendly fuel to power most of the moribund textile companies in Kaduna and Kano.
“This will revive the industries and create job opportunities for our teeming youth,” he said.
He described NNPC as the “chief enabler” of the Nigerian economy, through its various interventions in critical sectors of the economy.
He said that the corporation has over the years guaranteed seamless nationwide supply and distribution of petroleum products.
“The sanitised fuel supply and distribution network has thus far banished the ugly episodes of petroleum products scarcity and snaky fuel queues across the country.
“With reliable fuel supply system in place, commuters, businesses, transporters and other stakeholders can now engage in fruitful commercial endeavours without the perennial monster of fuel scarcity.
“This is a clear demonstration of how the corporation enables business activities in the country,” Kyari said.
The NNPC boss commended KADCCIMA for organising a hitched-free international trade fair in the last four decades, describing it as a “huge contribution” to the national economy.
He said that the fair has offered the NNPC a unique opportunity year-after-year to interact with its numerous clients and share experiences, successes and challenges.
According to him, the theme of the fair, “Unlocking Nigeria’s Economic Potentials through Regional Integration”, aligns with NNPC’s focus of linking all the regions together with cost-effective energy.
“This we hope will unleash respective potentials for national economic growth.” (NAN)
March 6, 2020
FIRS working to increase PAYE tax compliance — Nami
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says it is working closely with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to increase the rate of compliance with the remittance of Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax.
The service stated this in a statement issued by Mr Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad, Director, Communications and Liaison Department, in Abuja on Thursday.
Ismaila said the FIRS Chairman, Mr Muhammad Nami, said this when he paid a courtesy call on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Adamu, at Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Nami explained that it was necessary to block loopholes being exploited by the MDAs to pay lesser tax than they should pay under the Progressive Tax System being operated in the country.
He disclosed that there were remnants of MDA workers who had not migrated to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS) platform.
He said such workers were exploiting the inadequacies of the old salary system to dodge tax, adding this was unacceptable as the service was moving fast to address it.
Responding to issue raised by some police officers during the courtesy call on variations in taxes among different categories of workers, Nami said: “Nigeria operates the progressive tax system under which the more you earn, the higher you pay.
“However, the progressive tax system also provides a better tax relief package on your dependent relatives compared to the former system through the provision of consolidated tax relief.
“If you earn below N300,000 per annum for instance, you virtually don’t pay any tax. And even if you earn well above that threshold, the consolidated tax relief system gives you N200,000 per person in the first instance.
“If your earning after this first tax threshold is still above N300,000, the consolidated tax relief system still gives you 20 per cent as tax rebate on the total taxable sum of your earnings.
“This was not the case under the old system where you only got N2,500 tax relief per child.” he said.
The FIRS boss commended the Police for making appropriate remittance on PAYE tax deducted from their personnel’s salaries.
He also lauded the Police for their support to the FIRS, especially in enforcing tax compliance nationwide.
Nami however, charged the Police to apply same approach to deduct withholding tax, value added tax (VAT) and one per cent Stamp Duty on contractual transactions they have with their contractors and service providers.
He pledged to continue to engage the Police and other tax payers as well as collecting agents in clearing up all grey areas in tax matters.
In his remarks, Adamu commended the FIRS for its diligence in collecting tax, which he said was applied to pay “our salaries and build public infrastructure,”
He enjoined Nigerians to willingly pay their taxes for their benefits and the country at large. (NAN)
March 6, 2020
FG tasks treasury managers on reform
The Federal Government has tasked treasury directors of finance and accounts, and directors of internal audit on treasury reform.
The Minister for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmad, gave the task on Thursday in Kano at the opening of 2020 management retreat for the directors.
The retreat, themed “Global Best Practice in 21st Century Treasury Management”, was organised by the Office of the Accountant-General of Federation.
The minister, who described the theme of the programme apt and timely, urged the participants to put the training, experiences and skills they have acquired to help the government in managing the limited resources it has and in cutting down unnecessary expenditure.
“Let’s tell ourselves the truth and really help the current administration in putting the economy on the path of growth, especially as the country is facing a very difficult situation,” she said.
She also reminded the participants of the cardinal objectives of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, saying the administration has welfare of the citizens, economic growth and fight against corruption as its cardinal objectives.
“This administration has a strong demonstrated political will to ensure accountability, probity, transparency and openess in all its dealings.
“It is also obvious to all that this administration has zero tolerance for corruption and has demonstrated this beyond rhetorics. Just recently President Buhari launched financial transparency policy guidelines as well as open treasury.
“Stringent efforts have been made by the current adminstration to reposition the public financial sector to achieve the desired effectiveness and efficiency in managing scarce resources and enhancing the overall effectiveness for an value-driven econony,” she explained.
On the issue of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), IPPIS enrolment, the minister said that about 55 per cent of them had been captured.
She also disclosed that only those who had been registered would get their salary henceforth.
Ahmad added that IPPIS system had helped in identifying over 70,000 ghost workers in the federal civil service.‎
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The minister also commended the AGF for remaining steadfast in discharging his responsibility.
Ahmad, however, called on the drivers of the economy to be exposed to the global best practices, adding that it is apt for the routine retreat to focus on directors of finance and accounts, and directors of internal revenue.
Earlier, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Ahmad Idris, said the 2020 Management Retreat would enable the directors to brainstorm for public treasury reform.
Idris said that the overall objective of the retreat was to promote accountability and transparency in all facets of the nation’s public finance and management.
He urged the participants to be the change agents in positioning the treasury for greater height and improving service delivery.
“The objective of this retreat is, among others, to review the progress achieved so far in the implementation of all financial management reforms we have started with specific emphasis on challenges and examining the way forward thereby making them realise the objectives for which we set out to implement them.
“We look forward to well participatory, interactive, engaging and fruitfull discussion and constructive contribution with a view to strengthening and deepening the full implementation of the financial management reform to the overall goal of economic prosperity and financial well being of our dear country,” he said.
In his remarks, the Facilitator, Mr James Kayode Naiyeju, urged the Office of the Acxountant-General of the Federation to take stock.
“We need to take honest stock of where we are coming from, where we are, and where we are going,” he advised. (NAN)
March 6, 2020
Don advocates review of fiscal federalism in Nigeria
A Professor of Economics, Israel Taiwo of the University of Ilorin, has advised the Federal Government to review the fiscal federalism in certain aspects with a view to decentralis and make it more viable
Taiwo made the call in his paper presentation at the 194th Inaugural Lecture of the university, entitled: “Economic policy reset for Nigeria: a perspective”.
The don, who teaches in the Faculty of Social Sciences of the university, stated that the review should cover the legal and institutional framework for the allocation of expenditure responsibilities.
He also explained that the review should include taxing powers, allocation of centrally collected revenue to the three tiers of government and coordination of the expenditure responsibilities of the three tiers.
“Improvement in the fiscal federalism arrangements would enhance public service delivery, promote efficient allocation of resources and strengthen the accountability system in terms of how public funds are utilised.
“In order to fine-tune fiscal federalism arrangements in Nigeria, the Federal Government in collaboration with state governments should adopt human capital development policy.
“They should also mitigate fiscal inequalities across jurisdiction and adopt at federal level, an expenditure model that enables the Federal Government to collaborate deeply with the state governments, like development partners do, for the provision of basic services at the subnational level,” he said.
The expert in Economics observed that the prospects of Nigerian economy are lukewarm in the medium-term based on projections made by several organisationsincluding the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
He stated that: “The size of Nigerian economy would increase only marginally in the medium-term.
“Real GDP growth would average 2.6 per cent during 2020 to 2024, compared to 4.8 per cent in emerging market and developing economies and about 4 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.”
According to Taiwo, there is need to also review Public Financial Management (PFM) to make the system open, orderly and capable of delivering public goods and services, as well as review of wage policy, debt policy and cost of borrowing policy, among others.
He therefore advised the Federal Government to adopt an expenditure model that enables the government to collaborate deeply with state governmente for the provision of basic services at the substantial level. (NAN)
March 6, 2020
Japan committed to hosting Olympics on schedule but Xi visit delayed
Japan’s Olympics minister signalled on Thursday the Summer Games would go ahead as planned from July even as the coronavirus outbreak spreads to new parts of the country.
The minister, Seiko Hashimoto, made the comments on the same day Japan reported its biggest one-day increase in new cases of coronavirus.
Broadcaster NHK reported confirmed cases had risen to 1,036 nationwide as of Thursday morning, 36 more than the previous day.
And while plans for the Games to go ahead were unchanged, a state visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping was delayed following a decision by both Tokyo and Beijing.
The Olympics minister had stirred controversy earlier this week by saying the contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) “could be interpreted as allowing a postponement” of the Games within calendar 2020.
“Based on the fact that the IOC never mentioned about cancelling or postponing the Tokyo Games at its meeting yesterday (Wednesday), I don’t expect a cancellation notice or anything of that sort,” Hashimoto told parliament.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said in a statement the metropolitan government was working in full collaboration with the IOC and organisers “to ensure the delivery of a safe and secure Games.”
Japan’s western prefecture of Shiga reported its first coronavirus infection on Thursday, a day after the announcement of a first case in the southern prefecture of Miyazaki.
National broadcaster NHK also reported new coronavirus infections in Kyoto, Sapporo and Niigata.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Japan and China would arrange a better time for Xi to visit as they have agreed to prioritise the fight against the coronavirus.
The delay in Xi’s visit, originally planned for early April, will not affect Japan-China relations, he told a news conference.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing the two countries would maintain close communication on the timing of Xi’s visit, without elaborating.
Japan plans to impose two-week quarantines on Chinese and South Korean visitors, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.
Twelve people have died from the disease in Japan, according to the health ministry.
The rapid spread of the virus has raised questions about whether Tokyo can host the Olympics as scheduled from July 24, with the effects being felt by other sporting events.
On Wednesday, the Japanese Rugby Football Union announced that next month’s Asia Sevens Invitational has been cancelled due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
The competition doubles as a test event for rugby sevens at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Tokyo marathon was held this month without the participation of non-elite runners, and with fewer volunteers and spectators.
Hashimoto told the upper house on Thursday that the final decision on holding the Games as planned rested with the IOC.
“Cancellation or delay of the Games would be unacceptable for the athletes,” Hashimoto said. “An environment where athletes can feel at ease and focus should be firmly prepared.”
Under the host city contract, the IOC has the right to terminate the contract if it has reasonable grounds to believe the safety of the Games would be seriously threatened.
And organisers have made provisions to cancel Tokyo 2020 in the event of a massive earthquake or other natural disaster, Japan’s Mainichi newspaper reported.
But IOC head Thomas Bach on Wednesday voiced confidence the Games would go ahead, saying organisers were receiving expert information from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and others.
He added that the words “postponement” and “cancellation” had not been mentioned at the IOC’s executive board meeting.
Some Tokyo residents thought differently.
“I think the Olympics should be cancelled in this case because it is a dangerous situation,” 77-year-old Yufumi Tamaki told Reuters on Thursday.
“I feel sorry for the athletes and the people who have prepared for the Games, but it is more important to save lives.”(Reuters/NAN)
March 6, 2020