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BREAKING: Reps approves new MTEF, orders abolition of excess crude account
The House of Representatives has approved the review of the parameters for the 2020/2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper.
The House differed with the recommendation of the executive on the oil benchmark of $25 per barrel by increasing it to $28 per barrel.
The other recommendation is the scrapping of the excess crude account.
The House approved 1.8 million barrels per day as a daily production target.
The approval followed the consideration of the report submitted by the House Committee on Finance and the House committee on supply.
Speaking on the report, Chairman of the committee on finance, James Faleke said the excess crude account is illegal and the House decided to increase the benchmark to reduce the deficit of the budget.
“The Excess Crude Account has no backing of the law. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the account be scrapped with immediate effect and comply with sections 80 and 81 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“That the National Assembly should as a matter of urgency amend the fiscal responsibility Act to make it more responsive to present-day realities.”
The National Assembly approved N10,594,362,364,830 as the budget for 2020, however, the outbreak of COVID19 has led to a decline in the price of crude oil, the initial oil benchmark was $57 per barrel.
To mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on revenue, the executive proposed an N84.7 billion reduction to the budget, the new proposal is N10.509billion.
Commenting on the Excess Crude Account, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila said the House will only recognize the ECA when a bill of the national assembly gives the legal backing to the ECA.
June 2, 2020
COVID-19: Ganduje orders reopening of Kano markets
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has granted the reopening of all Kano markets on three relaxed lockdown days of Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays in addition to the adjustment of timing to 6am to 6pm.
The Governor also summoned a meeting with the market leaders on the need to ensure strict compliance to laid down protocols and safety in the markets and business places to stop the spread of the deadly disease.
The State Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, who announced this in a statement on Tuesday said in compliance with the federal government easing of the lockdown and after due consultations with key public health professionals and critical review of the situation in Kano, the markets, places of worship and movement of persons were now allowed on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6:00am to 6:00pm.
Recall that, initially, the state government relaxed the lockdown from 10am to 2pm and only two markets of Yankaba and Yanlemo foodstuffs markets, some selected supermarkets and worship places were allowed to open.
“In compliance with the federal government easing of the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19, Kano state government releases guidelines and established protocols on how to manage access to markets and locations of economic activity to limit the risk of transmission.
“Similarly, after due consultations with key public health professionals and critical review of the situation in Kano, markets, places of worship and movement of persons are now allowed on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 6:00am to 6:00pm,” Garba said.
According to him, the Governor has, therefore, summoned an emergency meeting with market leaders on how to ensure strict observance of safety and prevention protocols in markets and business places.
“It is necessary for such places to ensure compliance with safety rules that include mandatory use of non-medical face masks; provision of handwashing facilities/sanitisers; and extensive temperature checks.
“While these restrictions have been lifted, interstate movements except for goods, agricultural produce, and essential services are still in force.
“Schools will remain closed as students are advised to avail themselves of the opportunity of radio and televised lessons being sponsored by the state government.”
June 2, 2020
Buhari issues fresh directives to DSS, Army, Police
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and other security agencies, to ensure telecom infrastructures across Nigeria are protected.
This follows a request made by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ibrahim Pantami.
The Department of State Security (DSS), the Police and the Civil Defence Corps, are also to join in the fight against vandalism.
A statement from Pantami’s media aide, Uwa Suleiman, also called on telecom companies to reciprocate the gesture, by reducing the price of data.
Uwa noted that the COVID-19 outbreak, has “led to a massive migration to digital platforms”, which has subsequently led to an increase in “the level of importance of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) to the sustenance of our economy and the security of the nation”.
Part of the statement reads: “The Honourable Minister is delighted to inform stakeholders in the telecommunications industry that, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved and also directed that necessary physical protective measures be emplaced to safeguard telecommunications infrastructure deployed across the country.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Security Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have been notified of Mr President’s directive.”
June 2, 2020
BREAKING: Court orders Orji Kalu’s release from prison
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the release of a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, from prison.
Kalu was jailed for 12 years on December 5, 2019, after he was convicted of N7.1bn fraud alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited, and a former Director of Finance at the Abia State Government House, Jones Udeogu.
However, the Supreme Court, in a May 8, 2020 judgment, nullified the trial and conviction of Kalu and others on the grounds that the judge who handled the case lacked jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court’s judgment followed an appeal by Udeogu, contending that the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, concluded the 12-year-old trial and gave judgment after he had been elevated to the Court of Appeal and ceased to be a judge of the Federal High Court.
On Tuesday, Kalu’s counsel, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), urged Justice Mohammed Liman to the release of the ex-governor from prison custody, based on the pronouncement of the Supreme Court in Udeogu’s appeal.
“Our application is brought pursuant to Section 159 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
“This is a fallout of the Supreme Court decision delivered on the 8th of May,” Fagbemi said.
In response, the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the anti-graft agency would not, in principle, oppose Fagbemi’s application for Kalu’s release from prison.
“But we are also urging the court that the order made by the Supreme Court for trial de novo should be complied with by all parties; so that Your Lordship will give us a date when arraignment will be done.
“We want the trial to go on; losing more time will be dangerous for us,” Jacobs added.
June 2, 2020
Nigeria becomes second country with highest COVID-19 cases in Africa
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday confirmed that COVID-19 cases in Africa had risen to over 150, 000.
The WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, made this known on its Twitter page. It said as at June 2, Africa had recorded more than 63,000 recoveries and 4200 deaths.
“There are over 150,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent – with more than 63,000 recoveries and 4,200 deaths.”
According to the figures released, South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria have the highest reported cases on the continent.
South Africa has 34,357 cases and 705 deaths, followed by Nigeria with 10, 578 confirmed cases and 299 deaths, while Algeria has 9,513 confirmed cases and 661 deaths.
It said Ghana had 8,070 reported cases and 36 deaths, while Cameroon recorded 6,397 confirmed cases and 191 deaths.
Countries with the lowest confirmed cases were Lesotho, Seychelles and Namibia.
Lesotho had only two confirmed cases with zero death, Seychelles had 11 reported cases and zero death, while Namibia recorded 25 confirmed cases with no death.
June 2, 2020
Full list: 20 LGs account for 60% COVID-19 cases in Nigeria – PTF
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 says 20 Local Government Areas account for 60 per cent of coronavirus cases in Nigeria.
Daybreak reports that Lagos Mainland Local Government, Abuja Municipal, Mushin (Lagos), Eti-Osa (Lagos), and Tarauni (Kano) have the highest cases in the country.
The chairmen of PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, made this known at the COVID-19 daily news conference on Monday in Abuja.
According to him, Nigeria is ready to allow science and data to determine her cautious advancement into the second phase of the eased lockdown for a period of four weeks.
He said, “It is the consideration of the PTF that while Nigeria’s confirmed cases have increased in the period under review, the following factors should inspire confidence in the response.
“The majority of the confirmed cases are in a handful of local government areas in the country as 20 out of the 774 LGAs nationwide account for 60 per cent of the cases.”
Mustapha explained that Nigeria has not reached the “peak” of COVID-19 infections.
June 2, 2020
Bayelsa government announces death of COVID-19 patient
Bayelsa State government has announced the death of one COVID-19 patients.
The State COVID-19 Task Force Committee, on Tuesday, disclosed this in a statement issued to Daybreak by the Director, Public Health, Dr Stow Jones.
The deceased was a middle-aged Bayelsa resident, who was at one of the public hospitals a week ago.
Jones said the patient was critically ill with signs suggestive of kidney disease.
“He was thus managed as such and had some sessions of dialysis.
“Further clinical investigations revealed he also had signs suggestive of a possible COVID-19- 19 infection.
“Samples were thus collected from him, which returned positive for COVID-19.
“His test result was among the nine positive results announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), for Bayelsa on May 31.
“He was still due for a final session of dialysis on Monday, June 1. He, however, passed away on the night of May 31,” Jones said.
He, added that the victim was the second COVID-19 death in the State and had been buried by the COVID-19 Safe Burial Team.
The burial was witnessed by his relatives and friends.
June 2, 2020
COVID-19: FG bans street trading, hawking
The Federal Government says artisans can go about their normal businesses but prohibits street trading and hawking, Daybreak reports.
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, stated this on Monday while announcing new guidelines for the second phase of the eased lockdown during a briefing in Abuja.
He said, “In terms of general movements, persons may go out for work, go out to buy necessary foods and for exercise, provided they abide by the curfew hours. Movement between local government areas is strongly discouraged unless for critical reasons such as health care and work.
“I will like to emphasise that it is still safer to stay at home and avoid crowds. The pandemic is not over in this country and the relaxation of some of the rules does not mean that it is safer to go out. If you do not need to go out, please continue to stay at home.
“Hawking and street trading is also prohibited and we will be looking into this in greater detail with state authorities.”
“With interstate travels, movement across state boundaries remains restricted other than the free movement of goods and essential travels. Security services are requested to please cooperate with members of the public and ensure that goods are provided with free passage, as this particular phase is directed at ensuring the economy starts moving again.
June 2, 2020
COVID-19: Yahaya Bello must apologize to Kogi people for deceiving them – PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has advised the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to apologize to people of the state for misleading them on COVID-19 pandemic.
Recall that the Kogi State government had in May insisted that no resident tested positive for COVID-19 in the state.
The state, however, recorded its index case last week and this led to the declaration of a total lockdown in Kabba Bunu Local Government Area of the state be the governor.
Reacting to lockdown, PDP said Bello should apologize for not allowing people of the state to be tested.
The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Bello should apologize because he failed to provide the needed leadership since the pandemic started.
Ologbondiyan said the governor needs to “apologize for mounting his treadmill and shadow boxing with COVID-19 when he was expected to lead the campaign against the pandemic.”
He disclosed that the governor did not “show the required seriousness in leadership in the fight against the pandemic in the state,” adding that as a governor, he ought to apologize for also not funding even the committee he set up to fight the pandemic and for not providing palliatives to the people as done in other states.
June 2, 2020
El-rufai confirms 31 new cases of COVID-19 in Kaduna, discharge of 15 patients
The Kaduna State government on Tuesday announced the discharge of 15 COVID-19 patients.
The State government on its official Twitter page also confirmed that it recorded 31 new COVID-19 cases.
It said the cases were recorded in Zaria, Kaduna North and Sabon-Gari.
“Covid-19 Update: 15 patients are due for discharge. Out of 145 samples tested today, 31 were positive: 20 in Zaria, 5 in Sabon-Gari and 6 in Kaduna North.
“The cases are mostly contacts of other cases. A further rise in cases is anticipated as more tests are conducted.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria on Monday recorded 416 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths.
The country’s total cases now stands at 10578.
June 2, 2020