Day: 26 March 2020

Breaking: Nigeria records 14 new COVID19 cases, total now 65

Jide Ige

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control announced that Nigeria recorded 14 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 65. National Infinity reports that the agency made this known via its Twitter handle Thursday evening. According to the NCDC, two of the 14 new cases are in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and 12 in Lagos State. The breakdown of the cases showed that Lagos now has 44 cases. The NCDC tweeted, “14 new cases of #COVID-19 have been confirmed in Nigeria; two in FCT, 12…

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COVID19: Access Bank pledges 1000-bed capacity centres

Jide Ige

Leading financial institution, Access Bank is leading other corporate bodies to build four fully equipped 1000-bed centres. It also plans to fly in technical partners to train Nigerian doctors. The bank’s CEO, Herbert Wigwe, said: “In addition to the safety measures we have put in place and extending continuity, we are also bringing in mobilisation, support and thought leadership and resources. We are putting measures in place to complement government efforts in the fight against Covid-19.” “We would be bringing in Chinese experts to provide technical and training support for…

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FG to close motor parks, ban inter-state travel -Lai Mohammed

Benjamin Chukwudaalu, Political Reporter

The Federal Government has announced plans to ban inter-state travel and possibly close down motor parks as part of measures to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus. Minister for Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said this at a press briefing in Abuja, on Thursday. According to the minister who also affirmed that the President, Mohammadu Buhari is in a perfect state of health, “It is now time for enforcement,” of a possible lockdown, he said. Mohammed also clarified as fake news reports that the President, Mohammadu Buhari has been coughing…

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COVID19: UBA prepares N5bn war chest for Africa

Jasmin Ekua, Banking & Finance

Africa’s global bank, the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has announced a donation of over 5 billion Naira (USD14 million), through its UBA Foundation, to catalyse a comprehensive pan-African response to the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. The donation will provide significant and much needed support to Nigeria and 19 other African countries, by supplying relief materials, critical care facilities, and financial support to Governments. The UBA support programme will be allocated as follows: § N1 billion (USD2.8 million) to Lagos State Government in Nigeria § N500…

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COVID19: FirstBank to provide e-learning facilities for students

Jasmin Ekua, Banking & Finance

The CEO of FirstBank Dr. Adesola Adeduntan has announced that the Bank in partnership with government and other stakeholders is extending its attention to immediate needs in our society in the face of the widespread COVID-19 by putting in place complementary efforts in education to support students and minimize the disruption to education resulting from schools’ closure.  This is following the activation of the Bank’s Business Continuity Process and subsequent deployment of safety initiatives and measures implemented across its business outlets nationwide, to help flatten the curve and ensure the…

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COVID19: Lagos making progress, set to discharge 6 more patients

Yemi Thomas, Entertainment Editor

The Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr Tunde Ajayi, has disclosed that six of the patients at the Infectious Disease Hospital have recovered just as the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, at a briefing on Wednesday said the state was tracing over 2,000 contacts. Ajayi via his twitter handle, @thetundeajai, said the patients would be discharged soon. “Six of our #COVID19 inpatients have recovered and will be discharged soon. There is something Lagos is doing right. Lagos takes the lead,” he wrote. According…

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COVID19: Scare in Health Ministry as Minister, Ehanire disappears from public glare

Jide Ige

The disappearance from the public glare of the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, is generating panic thereby leading to insinuations that the minister has gone into self-isolation after suspected contact with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, who tested positive to Coronavirus on Monday. National Infinity reports that Kyari had travelled to Germany via Egypt on March 7, 2020, and developed severe cough during a meeting on containing the coronavirus in Nigeria on Sunday. Ehanire’s last public appearance was on Monday when he presided over a…

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