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Politics / Re: The North Is Coming With Destruction, War And Death - Asari Dokubo by agwom(m): 3:47pm On May 12, 2020
undecided
Politics / Re: US Judge Grants FG's Access To Bank Records Of Goodluck Jonathan, Diezani by agwom(m): 8:48am On May 12, 2020
Chai
Crime / Re: Why I Sold My Baby For N130,000 — Orphan by agwom(m): 8:10am On May 12, 2020
Poverty bad

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Politics / NESG Forecasts 4.1% GDP Rate Decline For Nigeria by agwom(m): 8:07am On May 12, 2020
The Nigeria Economic Summit Group on Monday projected that under a best case scenario, with global oil price averaging $35/barrel and Nigeria’s oil production standing at 1.3 million barrels per day, the country’s real GDP may drop by 4.1% while investments will drop by 39.4 percent this year.

The group’s latest projections for the economy was contained in its May 2020 report titled ‘Macroeconomic Outlook Update: COVID-19, Global Oil Price and The Nigerian Economy’ sourced by Daily Trust.

Under the scenario, the economic think tank group also foresees government’s revenue plunging by 40% while inflation rate may rise to an all-high level of 15%. It clarified: “GDP will decline by 4.1 percent in 2020, driven by contraction in Agriculture, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas and Trade sectors. Investment will decline by 39.4 percent in 2020 as much investment would have gone into social security and palliatives.

“Government revenue will plunge by 40 percent in 2020 as oil and non-oil revenues are constrained. Inflation averages 15 percent in 2020 sequel to the global supply chain and devaluation of naira from NGN306/US$ to NGN360/US$.

Under its second scenario or ‘Business as Usual situation, in which global oil price averaged $20/barrel and Nigeria’s oil production per day remains at 1.3 million barrels, the nation’s real GDP may decline by 5.3% while investment and government earned revenue for the fiscal year will dip by 50% and 51% respectively. It projected that inflation rate may hit 17.5%.

The group predicted that in a third scenario or ‘Worst Case’ whereby global oil price averaged $15/barrel and Nigeria’s oil output is maintained at 1.3 million/bpd, the nation’s real GDP may decline by 7.3% just as investment level may dip by 65% and government’s revenue by 63%. It projected that the inflation rate may hit an all-high rate of 18.4% .

The NESG stated that its projection was done based on the regional-wide Dynamic CGE model of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG-DynCGE-Model), which was revised to accommodate the uniqueness and peculiarities of the issues under consideration, being COVID-19 and the impact of weak oil price on the economy.

According to the group, the model involves dynamic optimization behavioural assumption while we extracted projections for 2020.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nesg-forecasts-4-1-gdp-rate-decline-for-nigeria.html
Politics / Buhari Makes New Appointments In RMAFC, CMD Lagos by agwom(m): 11:30pm On May 11, 2020
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mohammad Bello Shehu, as Secretary, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for initial first term of five(5) years with effect from 19th March 2020.

This is contained in a statement Monday night and signed by Willie Bassey, Director, Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

According to the statement, the President also approved the appointment of Mr. Bitrus Danharbi Chinoko as the Substantive Director General, Centre for Management Development (CMD) Lagos, with effect from 27th April 2020. Until this appointment, Mr. Chinoko was in an acting capacity at the CMD.

“The President congratulates the new appointees and urge them to bring their wealth of experience to bear on their appointments,” the statement said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-makes-new-appointments-in-rmafc-cmd-lagos.html
Health / COVID-19: FG Lists Lagos, FCT, Kano, Ogun, Kaduna, Sokoto For WHO Drug Trials by agwom(m): 11:20pm On May 11, 2020
The Federal Government has said that Lagos, FCT, Ogun, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kano states have enrolled on the World Health Organisation (WHO) treatment regimen on solidarity drug trials. The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said this on Monday in Abuja, at the 29th joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

Daily Trust reports that the WHO announced that Nigeria expressed interest to be part of the global solidarity drug trial to tackle COVID-19 pandemic and that the process would soon start in the country. The Officer in charge, WHO Nigeria and member of the PTF on COVID-19, Dr. Fiona Braka, told Daily Trust in an exclusive interview in Abuja that what Nigeria signed up for was drug trial and not vaccine trial, as there was yet no vaccine for the COVID-19.

According to her, the four drugs that will be monitored in the solidarity trial are Remdesivir; Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine; Lopinavir, and Ritonavir. However, Ehanire said at the briefing that the Federal Government is cooperating with the WHO on treatment regimen Solidarity trial with the aforementioned states. He also said that as at Sunday the country has ramped up testing by additional 1,127 to make a total of 27,078 tests, which yielded 4,399 cases in 35 States, with a gender ratio of 70 to 30 percent for men and women.

The minister said 778 persons have been discharged and that the nation sadly recorded 143 deaths, giving a case fatality rate of three percent.

“The new cases breakdown are Lagos 81, Jigawa 35, Bornu 26, Kano 26, Bauchi 20, FCT 13, Edo 12, Sokoto 10, Zamfara seven, Kwara seven, Kebbi four, Gombe two, Taraba two, Ekiti two, Ogun two, Osun and Bayelsa one each.

“Kogi and Cross River states have not reported any cases, but we are optimistic that we can work with the State Health Ministry to validate this in due course, when we engage the state authorities. A team from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), made up of experts from various specialties, including NCDC, is on standby to proceed to Calabar (Cross River) as soon as travel arrangements can be made, taking with them, resource to support the health system,” Ehanire said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/covid-19-fg-lists-lagos-fct-kano-ogun-kaduna-sokoto-for-who-drug-trials.html

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Politics / Re: COVID-19: All Schools Remain Closed, Says FG by agwom(m): 9:00am On May 11, 2020
E-learning is better now
Politics / Re: COVID-19, Kogi: Sagay Advises FG To Send NCDC Officials Back With Full Security by agwom(m): 8:16am On May 11, 2020
hmm
Business / We Have Enough FOREX, CBN Tells Investors by agwom(m): 7:44am On May 11, 2020
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has told investors not to panic, saying the CBN has enough foreign exchange to meet repatriation. He also assured them of the security of their investments in the country despite dwindling revenue from the sale of crude oil globally.

A statement on Sunday from the CBN quoted Emefiele as saying that “investors interested in repatriating their funds from the country were guaranteed to get their money, notwithstanding the drop in the revenue from crude oil.” He said the CBN had put in place policies to ensure an orderly exit for those that might be interested in doing so.

He, however, urged investors to be patient as such repatriations were processed owing to the CBN’s policy of orderly exit of investments. Recalling a similar situation that occurred in 2015 over declining revenue, Emefiele said the CBN was able to settle all commitments in an orderly manner.

He said the foreign exchange available would be devoted to strategic importation or service obligations that were priorities. On the plans of the apex bank to tackle the economic impact of the COVID-19, he said the CBN, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, was committed to galvanizing the manufacturing sector in a bid to reset the economy.

While disclosing that the CBN had met with the banks, manufacturers in the health sector and the larger manufacturing group, he said the challenge posed by the pandemic necessitated that the fiscal and monetary authorities must work together to moderate the health and economic impact of the COVID-19.

He said the COVID-19 presented Nigeria with an opportunity to reset the economy and as such, there was need for the country to prepare itself to get the manufacturing sector to work, while the banking sector supports the economy.

With the revenue drop from crude, Emefiele said Nigeria had no choice but to diversify its economic base.

According to him, the time has come for Nigerians to produce what can be produced in the country and consume what is produced in the country.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/we-have-enough-forex-cbn-tells-investors.html

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Politics / Re: Herders Attack Benue Community, Kill 2 Women, Injure 5 by agwom(m): 7:35am On May 11, 2020
cry
Business / ‘Dangote Refinery, Fertilizer Plants Will Boost Nigeria’s Economic Recovery’ by agwom(m): 7:02am On May 11, 2020
Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Muda Yusuf is a renowned economist and also a private sector advocate. In this interview, he spoke on the potential roles and impact of Dangote Refinery and Fertilizer plants on Nigeria’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery agenda

The management of Dangote Industries Limited recently announced the completion of one of the biggest fertiliser plants in the world. The company is also on the verge of completing the world’s biggest single train refinery in Nigeria. How would the coming on stream of the two plants help in the country’s post-COVID-19 economic recession crisis?

The Dangote Refinery is one of the best things that have happened to this country. Annually, we spend billions of dollars on the importation of petroleum products. In fact, the importation of petroleum product is the largest single product that puts the greatest pressure on our foreign reserves and also on government revenue. Therefore, the coming on stream of the Dangote refinery will save the Nigerian economy the trouble and agony of spending billions of dollars on the importation of petroleum products. The President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote is a leading proponent of self-reliance, economic diversification and backward integration. And he has demonstrated this conviction severally in practical terms. To build an economy that is sustainable and resilient, this is the way to go. Our current experience with this COVID-19 pandemic illustrates this fact even more graphically. We also commit huge foreign exchange to the importation of fertiliser annually. As a country with strong comparative advantage in agriculture, the setting up of this fertilizer plant will help to reposition the agricultural sector, enhance agricultural productivity, reduce the cost of fertilizer, as well as conserve foreign exchange. It is therefore a very important investment, which all Nigerians should be very proud of.

The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote is leading private sector leaders, under the auspices of Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) to raise funds to tackle the spread of Coronavirus. How do you assess the importance of this coalition to the country?

The intervention of the private sector under the hospices of the Nigeria Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 is a laudable idea. It is a reflection of the commitment of the private sector to the ideals of business sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Businesses operate in a society, and the well-being of a business is dependent, to some extent, on the well-being of the society in which it operates. A business can only be as good and as stable as the community in which it is operating. Social stability is crucial for business sustainability. This private sector intervention is also significant because the federal government has serious funding limitations at this time. The COVID-19 pandemic is a major threat to humanity and demands that all hands must be on deck. I must also commend the leadership demonstrated by Alhaji Aliko Dangote in mobilising the private sector for this historic intervention.

The coalition has so far raised over N25 billion to support the Federal Government’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19. What are the best ways to utilise this fund?

The spending priorities of the money raised should be guided by a robust needs assessment as established by medical teams in the frontline of managing this pandemic. They know better what the gaps are and this should guide the targeting of expenditure. This approach will also make it possible to get better outcomes from these donations. It is not advisable, in my view, to hand over cash to the government or its agencies. It is much better to identify the critical needs and provide resources directly for the acquisition of the needed items -medications, food items and personal protective equipment (PPE). Delivery and execution of the intervention projects are much faster and efficient.

There are many companies that are yet to signify interest in contributing to the private sector’s COVID-19 funding. What is your message to these companies?

I will appeal to companies that have not joined the coalition train to please do so. They should take a cue from the private sector coalition led by Aliko Dangote. Any socially responsible organisation should be part of this fight against COVID-19. This is not just a philanthropic gesture; it is a matter that borders on business sustainability. The success of a business is not measured only in terms of the returns to shareholders; it is also assessed by the impact that the business makes on other stakeholders. One of these stakeholders is the society and the environment in which the business operates. We also need to understand and embrace the principle of total stakeholder management – recognising the importance of all stakeholders in a business.

There has been a steady drop in the global crude oil prices. However, Nigeria depends on the revenue from crude oil to fund its 2020 budget. What role do you think the private sector can play in the post-COVID-19 economic recession?

The role of the private sector in the economy is to commit quality resources into the process of wealth and value creation. This typically takes the form of making sustainable investments. Most of the socio-economic objectives of government are achieved through private sector contribution to government revenue [via the payment of taxes and import duty], job creation, poverty reduction and many more. All of these are key drivers of economic progress. The private sector also has a responsibility to offer advice to guide policy formulation in order to ensure quality outcomes from policy makers. The investors are in the best position to advise policy-makers on the appropriateness or otherwise of economic policies, from an empirical perspective. This could be in the area of monetary policy, trade policy, tariff policy, tax policy, energy policy and investment policy. The impact on policy outcomes would depend on how receptive the policy-makers are to public-private dialogue.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dangote-refinery-fertilizer-plants-ll-boost-nigerias-economic-recovery.html

6 Likes

Religion / The Miracles Of Jesus Christ by agwom(m): 3:43pm On May 10, 2020
One of the most essential parts of Christianity lies in recognizing the fact that Jesus Christ was divine. And one of the ways in which his divinity is proved by scholars in the Bible is to emphasize the several miracles that Jesus in academic circles, are oftentimes categorized according to the act that was carried out.

Hence, miracles which involves conquering physical barriers are considered miracles of nature, those wherein Jesus cast out demons are known as exorcisms, and those miracles which involved healing are cures.

The Miracles of Nature-- although Jesus miracles at times did not involve people, they usually served an illustrative purpose (the major one being to prove and manifest divinity). And these are known as miracles of nature. It actually included walking on water, feeding large crowds with relatively little food and causing His followers to catch numerous fish though they had been failing all night. (He also at several times raised people from the dead and He also walked through a crowd that wanted to throw Him off a cliff.)

But Jesus' first ever miracle of nature recorded in the Biblical canon was when He turned water into wine at a wedding. His mother Mary was one of the guests at that wedding and He and His disciples also came. When the wine ran out, Mary approached Him and told Him that His time had not yet come. Still, He proceeded to turn the water that was to be used for cleansing into wine, which the master of ceremonies declared to be the best-tasting wine he ever had in his life, as opposed to normal conventions which had the host bringing out the inferior wine second. This miracle could be interpreted to demonstrate Him using all things to His ends, making the unclean clean, and of being straightforward in the introduction of His message. His Miracles of Exorcism.

Another category of miracle that He performed are involved casting out demons on afflicted individuals. He is recorded as having cast demons out singly and in large groups after having them name themselves and recognize His authority. These differ from His healing miracles in that they vividly portray a struggle of good versus evil instead of conquest over the natural. Jesus Healing Miracles.

The healing miracles of Jesus offered some insights into His character and His mission as a whole. And these are the best recorded in the Bible, because so many illnesses he healed were regarded as a death sentence by the cultures of that time. Jesus demonstrated His mission of loving the unloved, at the same time of course demonstrating His divinity.

Jesus words after curing many people are the same;through your faith, you are healed.(Matt 9:22). Jesus demonstrated through this that people come through Him through their own faith rather than through His compulsion. For instance, lepers were regarded as outcasts of society. They had to carry bells and cry unclean whenever they come nearer to other people. In order to cure these lepers, He would often touch them, to the apprehension of His disciples. He then made it clear through His healing that it was the faith of the people that He healed that caused the cure.

Source: www.mychristianlifeministries.com
Religion / Re: Bishop Isaac Idahosa Distributes Food, Cash To Over 600 Nigerians by agwom(m): 9:06am On May 10, 2020
good one
Religion / Is The Seventh Day Really The Sabbath? by agwom(m): 8:58am On May 10, 2020
The Bible tells us that God implemented the Sabbath day, at the time of creation as a memorial to his wondrous work. It says, Gen 2:2-3 “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made”.

This shows clearly that at the beginning of time the seventh day was the day set apart by God as His Sabbath. This was later reiterated on Mount Sinai when He wrote the Ten Commandments in stone and gave them to Moses. The fourth commandment plainly states Exo 20:8-11 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it”.

This means that in Moses time the Sabbath day was still the seventh day, but did it change after the cross?

Undoubtedly a lot of things changed when Christ died and was resurrected. All of the old Jewish ordinances, with their feasts, fast days, sacrifices and ceremonies (which had been written by Moses in his handwriting and placed in the side of the Ark of the covenant) were abolished. They were no longer necessary as they had all been pointing to the coming of the Messiah, and with His one perfect sacrifice that allowed forgiveness of sins for all time through grace, they were no longer needed. However Jesus never said anything to in any way even imply that the Sabbath day would be changed or altered, and in fact if He had, He would have been contradicting what he had previously said about the Law of God, which included the Sabbath commandment, and that was Mat 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”.

Why does God want us to keep the Sabbath, and how do we do it?

The biblical Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday night and ends at sunset on Saturday. The Bible describes how to keep it as follows. Isaiah 58:13-14 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight…not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth…” This means we are not to do any kind of real work on the Sabbath like our normal occupation, personal business, housework or any laborious activity. Of course, preparing or cleaning up after a light meal would be all right as we find a number of occasions when Jesus enjoyed a Sabbath meal with others. He never condemned acts of hospitality on the Sabbath (see Luke 14:1-6). Since Jesus said in Matthew 12:10-12 “…it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath”, such as healing the sick or rescuing an animal, obviously performing medical services is fine.

The point of the Sabbath is that, whatever we do, God must be an intrinsic part of it. Taking a walk with your family through a natural setting is a wonderful way to get in touch with God who made the beautiful creations we see. To keep the Sabbath in the true spirit, we have to focus our minds on God and those things He wants us to be concerned with during His holy time. Then, as God promised, we will be truly blessed. As it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath, it is a great time to make encouraging phone calls or visit the sick. The Sabbath is also a Leviticus 23:3 “…sabbath of rest, an holy convocation” and is an ideal time for worship services. When we fellowship with others in whom God dwells, we are also fellowshipping with Him (see 1 John 1:3, 7). We should view the Sabbath as a very special day, a period when we can take time to deeply study and thoughtfully analyse the scriptures. It is a time when we can sit quietly, meditating over and contemplating the truly big issues of life and eternity. In addition, the Sabbath is the perfect time for heartfelt prayer to our Father in heaven to commune with and worship Him, to get to know Him intimately. This is why we can call God’s Sabbath a delight.

All Bible references are from the King James Version.


http://www.mychristianlifeministries.com/2020/05/is-seventh-day-really-sabbath.html

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Religion / 6 Rules For New Christians by agwom(m): 8:42am On May 10, 2020
Much of the focus in churches is filling the pews. That's good; one of the church's primary duties is to reach the lost. The church is here to spread its message and to save souls. To evangelize.

The next step, often neglected, is discipleship. After we get them in the pews, we don't teach them what it means to be a Christian. Fortunately, almost two centuries ago, Brownlow North, a bishop of the Anglican Church from 1770-1821, wrote down six steps for new Christians to help them grow in the faith. I think that every Christian, be he on milk or meat, can benefit from applying the steps on this list.

1. Never neglect daily private prayer; and when you pray, remember that God is present, and that he hears your prayers (Heb 11:6).

Being omnipresent in our reality, God is present during your prayers and he hears your request. This doesn't obligate him to answer affirmatively, but he is present and he does hear you. That's simple, yet very deep. I've heard it said that it is impossible to stumble while on your knees.

2. Never neglect daily private Bible reading; and when you read remember that God is speaking to you, and that you are to believe and act upon what he says. I believe all backsliding begins with the neglect of these two rules (Jn 5:39).

Daily prayer and daily Bible reading are the most important factors of becoming a Christian. The necessity of God for the universe is an awesome, if abstract, idea to think of and discuss. However, the necessity of God for one's own life is more interesting, making the discussion less abstract and much more personal.

We're called "friends of God." In biblical society, serfs probably never saw the sovereign. But, through the power of prayer, we get to talk to the sovereign, confess our deepest fears and desires, and God hears them!

In Genesis 18:22-33, Abraham is able to strike a conditional bargain with God -- if 10 righteous people can be found in the city of Sodom, then God will spare it. God took into consideration what Abraham had said, and did as was befitting a truly righteous judge.

Remember, neglecting the first two rules will cause more backsliding in your life than anything else. So get to praying and reading that Bible!

3. Never let a day pass without trying to do something for Jesus. Every night reflect on what Jesus has done for you, and then ask yourself, "What am I going to do for him?" (Mt 5:13-16).

I once told an atheist, "God created the universe, you, gives you life and sustains your existence, and sent his Son to die for your sins."

He responded by asking what else has God done, really?

God has done a lot for humanity, even though we don't deserve it. Most of the time, we're just not grateful. We never pause to think that this wondrous universe, beautiful planet, and the next breath we will take all come from God. So, let's ask what we can do for God instead of always the other way around. He's done plenty already.

4. If you are in doubt as to a thing being right or wrong, go to your room and kneel down and ask God's blessing on it (Col 3:17). If you cannot do this, it is wrong.

This touches on the instinctual nature of moral duties. Normal people know the difference between right and wrong. My three-year-old, for example, knows that she has to listen to mommy and daddy when we tell her to do things. When she doesn't, she admits that she knows and understands that it was wrong.

But this instinct alone (call it conscience) isn't enough. It's a great start, and this "prayer test" is simple and awesome. It presupposes a generally good nature, and since we are made in the image of God we have enough goodness to know the difference between right and wrong.

5. Never take your Christianity from Christians, or argue that because such and such people do so and so, therefore, you may (2 Cor 10:12). You are to ask yourself, "How would Christ act in my place?" and strive to follow him (Jn 10:27).

Because other people do it, that doesn't make it okay. As a manager for over a decade and a half in the fast food industry, every single time I dealt with someone's tardiness the first thing I always got to hear was an angry litany of names of other people who are "always late."

That's what North is talking about. Using another's behavior to justify your own is not acceptable. Take responsibility for yourself.

We cannot justify our actions by comparing them to what others do. The yardstick for comparison is the instinctual moral standard (see rule #4). It doesn't matter what our peers do.

North might be the first to ask, "What Would Jesus Do?" If we follow rule #1 and rule #2, we're on our way to having a good sense of the correct answer.

6. Never believe what you feel, if it contradicts God's Word. Ask yourself, "Can what I feel be true if God's Word is true?" And if both cannot be true, believe God's Word and make your own heart the liar (Rom 3:4; 1 Jn 5:10-11).

Susan B. Anthony once said, "I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." She's right, and we need an objective measure of truth -- not our "feelings."

Knowing and doing are totally different. Everyone knows it's wrong to steal, yet people are in jail for everything from petty theft to the Enron scandal. Everyone knows its wrong to cheat on your spouse, yet that is one of the main reason couples divorce.

While the conscience is effective at blowing the whistle, we are equally as effective at ignoring the noise. More troubling, we can often delude ourselves into believing that God is on our side.

Look at liberal theologians like Rob Bell. They are very good at redefining God, rendering eternal judgment unnecessary or evil. Suddenly, our choices lose eternal significance. Now, people can be comfortable as they are instead of embracing the life-changing effects of the gospel. Instead of "Go, and sin no more" we are being told "Sin boldly, all will be forgiven." That's quite different than what Jesus would say, and the total opposite of Paul's salvation by grace through faith.
No wonder Susan B. made the statement she did.

The Bible states "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jer 17:9). Though the conscience can be an excellent guide, we can ignore it in favor of pursuing our own passions. Let Scripture stand as the objective measure by which we know what is right and wrong. Don't trust your gut.
Applying North's six short rules to our walk with Christ, every day, will ensure that the gospel message changes us. God, if he is really God, won't conform to our expectations. He will, however, give us the strength and tools to conform to his expectations -- the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.

http://www.mychristianlifeministries.com/2020/04/6-rules-for-new-christians.html?m=1

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Politics / COVID-19: Freedom Without Palliatives? by agwom(m): 7:14am On May 10, 2020
Former South African President Nelson Mandela once said: “Freedom is meaningless if people cannot put food in their stomach; if they can have no shelter, if illiteracy and disease continue to dog them.” Since the outbreak of the life-snatching disease called coronavirus the world over, there have been different measures to stem the spread of the virus one, of which is prison decongestion. Consequently, both federal and state governments have freed quite a number of prisoners. This measure aligns with the social distancing rule and the non-clustering of humans.

However, this measure seems ripe but unsweetened as it portends danger without palliatives. There is the danger of hunger, and may be shelter. Yes, these prisoners have been released, but in the midst of either total or partial lockdown. Under this circumstance, how would they begin to live their lives and fend for themselves when businesses and movements have stalled? How would they feed, clothe and shelter themselves? While the effort of government to decongest prisons as a measure to contain the spread of coronavirus is commendable, it would have been more commendable to grant freedom with palliatives to those privileged freed prisoners.

One wonders how they would cope at this time without palliatives. Nonetheless, it is not late for the government to consider palliatives for freed prisoners so that they would begin to live their normal lives outside the bars and in the COVID-19 pandemic, with some semblance of comfort.

Benjamin Ngutsav, Agbeede, Benue State

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/covid-19-freedom-without-palliatives.html
Health / How NOT To Wear A Face Mask by agwom(m): 6:50am On May 10, 2020
You’ll start to see more and more people wearing face masks in public. So what’s the right way to wear them? Wearing a mask alone is never enough to protect a person from getting infected or spreading COVID-19. However, it complements measures such as hand hygiene and physical distancing which are critical in preventing the virus transmission.

Almost overnight, masks in a variety of colors, styles and materials have appeared on the faces of people around us. While it’s good news that many people are doing their part to slow the spread of coronavirus, the bad news is that many people are wearing their masks wrong. Wearing a face mask takes some getting used to. To get the most benefit, you need to avoid these common mistakes.

“Wearing a mask takes some getting used to, for sure,” said Dr. Scott Segal, chairman of anesthesiology at Wake Forest Baptist Health. “You are probably wearing it exactly right if it’s a little stuffy.”

One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they fidget with their masks, and pull them under their noses or completely off their faces to rest under their chins. “You should absolutely not be pulling up and putting down your mask while you’re out,” said Shan Soe-Lin, a lecturer at the Yale Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. “If you’re going to go to the trouble of using a mask, leave it on.”

Here are the dos and don’ts of wearing a mask.

DON’T: Wear the mask below your nose. DON’T: Leave your chin exposed.

DON’T: Wear your mask loosely with gaps on the sides.

DON’T: Wear your mask so it covers just the tip of your nose.

DON’T: Push your mask under your chin to rest on your neck.

DO: Wear your mask so it comes all the way up, close to the bridge of your nose, and all the way down under your chin.

Do your best to tighten the loops or ties so it’s snug around your face, without gaps.

Once you’ve figured out the correct position for wearing your mask, follow these tips to stay safe:

Always wash your hands before and after wearing a mask.

Use the ties or loops to put your mask on and pull it off.

Don’t touch the front of the mask when you take it off.

For apartment dwellers, put the mask on and remove it while inside your home. Elevators and stairwells can be high-contamination areas.

Wash and dry your cloth mask daily and keep it in a clean, dry place.

Don’t have a false sense of security.

Masks offer limited protection, and work better when combined with hand washing and social distancing. “It’s not that one excludes the other,” said Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University. “They compound the effects of the other.” Source: www.nytimes.com

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-not-to-wear-a-face-mask.html

Travel / COVID-19: FG To Begin Evacuation Of 4,000 Nigerians by agwom(m): 9:24pm On May 04, 2020
The Federal Government has said the evacuation of Nigerians from different parts of the world originally scheduled to commence today Monday May 4, will now begin from Wednesday May 7, following adequate arrangements made by the government to provide isolation centres for the over 4,000 Nigerians who have indicated interest to return to the country. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said this on Monday in Abuja, at the 25th joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

Those waiting to be evacuated are mainly in China, which recorded maltreatment of Nigerians in the city of Guangzhou in the Guangdong Province; while other include; United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Canada and Middle East countries among others. According to him, the change in date was caused by the constraints in resources but assured that Emirates airline will commence the evacuation from Dubai on Wednesday.

“So, by God’s Grace on Wednesday we would start the process of repatriating our nations from outside the country. There are about 4, 000 Nigerians wishing to come back home. If we had our way, we will bring them all back immediately and all at once, but there are various constraints and the biggest constraints is where to quarantine them.

“We have done everything we can to get beds here in Abuja and in Lagos. In Lagos we have almost 300 beds available, and I would like to take some time out to again express our gratitude to the governor of Lagos state because without his personal engagement it would have been more difficult for us.

So, the first flight (Emirates) on Wednesday will be to Lagos,” Onyeama said. The minister said that the country is also making another arrangement with the British Airline flight that is coming to Nigeria on Friday to evacuate some British nationals in Nigeria. He said that that since the plane would be coming empty, the government has negotiated with the British Government to bring back Nigerians from the United Kingdom (UK) on Friday.

He, however, regretted that the plane would not be coming to Abuja, where the government has made available over 1,000 hotel rooms for the evacuees. He said, “So, we are hoping that on Friday we will be able to evacuate from the UK anything up to 300 Nigerians from the UK. Ideally, we would have liked that flight to be coming to Abuja because we have been able to secure more hotel rooms (almost 1,000) in Abuja than we have in Lagos but unfortunately that plane cannot come to Abuja but only Lagos.

“So it is going to put quite a strain on our capacity in Lagos because in addition to just getting the rooms, the Port health authority, the NCDC will have to monitor every one of the evacuees on regular basis and of course the security elements have to be in place and all the other support services have to be in place and they are not all available for the evacuees because the numbers are going up in the country and resources, both human and material are the real challenges that we are facing.”

The minister said that the Nigerian missions in New York, Washington and Atlanta are trying to strike a deal with the American authorities for any flight available to bring back Nigerians. He said that the government is making arrangement with an Ethiopian Airline that does regular commercial operations in US to bring back Nigerians on Monday next week.

He said that Nigerian Air Peace plane chartered for a medical evacuation of a Nigerian couple to take a family member to London will also be engaged to evacuate Nigerians since the plane will be coming back from London empty, thus the government hope to strike a deal with Air Peace on Saturday to bring the citizens. Speaking on Nigerians in China, the Minister said “China is a huge crisis and we are trying to see if we can get a plane quickly to go and evacuate our people who are in large numbers in China, who also have additional challenges.

We are trying to source funds to also support these compatriots of ours, but there are capacity issues. “It has not been easy sourcing a plane but we are making arrangement with one of the carriers and we are hoping that within two weeks we will be able to move to China and bring back our people and those who are in South Africa, India and France,”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/covid-19-fg-to-begin-evacuation-of-4000-nigerians.html

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Politics / Boss Mustapha: Interstate Movement Of Almajiri Violating Buhari’s Order by agwom(m): 9:02pm On May 04, 2020
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, has said that the continuous relocation of almajiri pupils from one state to another, up till Sunday is not in alignment with the guidelines issued by President Muhammadu Buhari banning inter-state movement amidst COVID-19 crisis in the country.

The President had banned interstate movement from Monday May 4 as part of measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Mustapha, who made the complaint on Monday in Abuja at the 25th joint national briefing of the committee, assured that the PTF will engage with the respective state governments on how to achieve their objectives. “​The PTF has also received reports on the level of compliance with the nationwide ban on inter-state movement.

“The objective of the ban is to slow down the spread of virus across state boundaries. “The determination of government to enforce this policy is not in doubt and as we progress, we believe that proper alignment with the directives of Mr. President would be pursued. “​There has been very noticeable relocation of Almajiris from one state to another, up until yesterday. With the ban on interstate movement, the continuation of this exercise will not be in alignment with the guidelines issued.

“The PTF shall engage with the respective state governments on how to achieve their objectives,” the SGF said. Most norther states have been relocating Almajiri pupils to their respective States since the past weeks. They claimed the move was to help in containing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/covid-19-interstate-movement-of-almajiri-violating-buharis-order-sgf.html

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Culture / Daura Emir’s Palace Sealed Over Confirmed COVID-19 Case by agwom(m): 12:02pm On May 04, 2020
The palace of the Emir of Daura has been sealed after it recorded a case of COVID-19.

President Muhammadu Buhari is from Daura.

The secretary to the state government, Dr Mustapha Inuwa, who confirmed the development, said the results of samples taken will determine when the palace will be reopened.

“It is a normal protocol worldwide that anywhere positive cases are recorded, the places are sealed off and samples taken to address spread,” he added.

Speaking on the matter, the spokesman of the state police command, SP Gambo Isa, said “For the police, Daura is under lockdown and so it shall be in every nook and cranny in the town without exception to anybody’s house, the police are just ensuring the lockdown order of the state government”.

Hajiya Binta Umar, the first wife of the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk Umar died on April 17 in Daura at the age of 70, after a protracted illness. Katsina State on Sunday recorded eight new cases of coronavirus, according to data released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 46.

While six persons have recovered and have since been discharged, the state has recorded seven fatalities, including its index case, a medical doctor resident in Daura, Dr. Aliyu Yakubu, who returned from Lagos a week before his death.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/daura-emirs-palace-sealed-over-confirmed-covid-19-case.html

Politics / Re: Buhari Goes Back To School by agwom(m): 11:37am On May 04, 2020
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Crime / Re: Northern Girls Trafficked To Enugu, Raped, Impregnated, Babies Sold - Al-Jazeera by agwom(m): 11:33am On May 04, 2020
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Health / Ogun Doctors Begin Strike Today Over Welfare Package by agwom(m): 6:43am On May 04, 2020
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Ogun State, yesterday announced the commencement of a three-day warning strike effective from today over poor welfare package. The association said the strike action followed the alleged refusal of the state government to yield to agitations on the need for improved welfare package for its members.

The decision was contained in a letter jointly signed by the ARD OOUTH President and the General Secretary, Dr. Popoola Mutiu and Dr. Osundara Tope respectively to the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent in Abeokuta yesterday, regretting the lack of response to the doctor’s plight by the government. The association noted that the attitude of the government to previous strike warning letters showed it was not concerned about their welfare and condemned the increase in hazard allowance from N5,000 to N10,000 as a mere charade.

The doctors, however, said their members working at the COVID-19 isolation centre will be excused from the strike action. The letter partly reads: “There has been no commitment whatsoever from the government on the issue of appropriate remuneration, entry level, new minimum wage, hazard allowance and life insurance for our members. “Despite the inadequate response of Ogun State government to the health risks confronted by our members during this COVID-19 pandemic, our members went ahead to continue their work diligently in their various departments and at the isolation centre.

“We were taken aback by the arbitrary change in only hazard allowance to be given as COVID-19 Special Hazard Allowance to all health workers,” the association lamented.
https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ogun-doctors-begin-strike-today-over-welfare-package.html

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Health / As Govt Offices, Economy Open Today: What Nigerians Must Do To Avoid COVID-19 Sp by agwom(m): 6:28am On May 04, 2020
FG, states should provide free face masks, sanitizers Don’t rush to the streets – Experts Our actions key to survival – Doctors PDP caucus wants lockdown extended Government and economic activities will resume today amid fear of a spike as the federal government eases the lockdown imposed on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states that lasted five weeks to stem the spread of coronavirus. Many of the remaining 34 states that took different measures to restrict movement have also keyed into the federal government’s template of directing civil servants from certain grade level to resume work today and granted banks, manufacturing and servicing companies to operate for certain hours daily.

The planned reopening of the Nigerian economy, just like what obtains in other climes has been trailed by mixed reactions with experts saying there would be spike in COVID-19 infection in the event people refused to adhere to safety measures. They stressed that public compliance was critical to maintaining the gains of the five weeks long lockdown.

There have been growing concerns that the opening of the economy may lead to further spread especially as the country continue to witness spike in cases. The federal government and governments of Lagos, Ogun and the FCT have instituted measures to be observed in public places to protect the citizens from the disease. President Muhammadu Buhari had last Monday announced a phased and gradual easing of the lockdown in Lagos and Ogun states as well as the FCT from today.

Following his directive to the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to provide implementation guidelines on the new measures to control the pandemic, the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, issued guidelines for the public, states and security agencies and description of the types of activities allowed under Phase one (4th -17th May, 2020) and other phases. The advisory in the first phase had, among others, made the use of non-medical face mask/covering mandatory for all persons while in public spaces.

The order directed the prosecution of anyone without a face mask/covering, including those who violated the 8.00 pm- 6.00 am curfew as well as anyone attending a gathering of more than 20 people or violates the ban on inter-state movement. Free face mask will reduce spread A medical practitioner and Coordinator, Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), Dr. Aminu Magashi, said government should produce and distribute face masks to local people including cab and bus drivers. He said the FCT and other state governments should also ensure all shopping malls have hand washing spots and sanitisers and direct them to avoid over-crowding in shops.

A virologist with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Sunday Omilabu, urged the populace to wash their hands regularly with soap and water or use hand sanitisers where hand washing was not possible. “People should continue with the precautions they learnt during the lockdown. Avoid large gatherings, no handshakes and if there must be handshakes, both parties should wash their hands thoroughly. Don’t stay too close inside buses and offices,” he advised.

He advised the government to enforce compliance in order to check spread of the virus. People should be wary of going out The Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Ogun State, Dr. Ismail Lawal, has expressed worry that the federal government relaxed the lockdown when COVID-19 cases were on the increase. He however, pointed out that the ease was a “political solution” to the lockdown when the federal and state governments lacked the capacity to provide for “those they asked to sit at home.”

Lawal said that the new cases were as a result of community transmission, adding that it could be curtailed if Nigerians adhered strictly to precautionary measures during the eased lockdown. “Much work has to be done by the security agents to enforce compliance by the residents,” Lawal said. The President of Africa Fertility Society, Prof. Ashiru Oladapo, said people should not be in a hurry to go out after the lockdown. He said COVID-19 an asymptomatic person could transmit the virus to other people unknowingly. “Every country wants to compare the difference between health and economy.

Unfortunately, if people don’t have life, there can be no economy. The smart countries are focusing on having life. When a country shuts down quickly, they don’t lockdown for a long time; but when it takes a country a long time to shutdown, that country will lockdown for a long time. “Countries who opened up like Nigeria end up having a second wave of infection, which is even greater than the first one and that is the pattern for communicable diseases,” he said.

Giving an instance, the professor said, in 1918 when the Spanish flu broke out, some cities including San Francisco were on lockdown. “But while others continued to be on lockdown, they (San Francisco) opened and the infection came back with a vengeance and affected more people. Many lost their lives.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/as-govt-offices-economy-open-today-what-nigerians-must-do-to-avoid-covid-19-spread.html
Politics / Re: Video - COVID-19 Should Make Us Look Into Our Health Sector - Senator Abaribe by agwom(m): 6:15pm On May 03, 2020
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