₦airaland Forum

Davash222:
I rather praise the palm wine trees in my community so they can bring more fresh wine.

Davash222:
How did he try?
400 cartons for 8 LGA?
Each ward gets 4 and half cartons.

A serving Senator for that matter o.

As governments around the world fight hard to halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, there are about 15 countries on earth without any reported COVID-19 cases. Since the virus infection was first discovered in China’s central city of Wuhan, Hubei Province in December 2019, it has recorded over 2.6million confirmed cases worldwide, with 185,504 deaths and 730,843 recoveries as of Thursday (April 23) noon amidst throwing global economies into one of the worst recessions in recent history.

But as of April 22, two African nations, out of the 54 that made up the continent, are yet to report any single case of the COVID-19 infection alongside 13 others from other continents.

They are Lesotho and Comoros. Lesotho has a total population of 2,139,031 people, just as Comoros has 865,950 based on Worldometers elaboration of United Nations data. While Lesotho shares borders with South Africa which has reported 3,635 confirmed cases, according to Worldmeters, Comoros is an island nation located about 180 miles off the eastern coast of Africa.

Comoros’ remote location may likely accounts for the lack of COVID-19 cases in the Island nation.

Other countries of the world with no confirmed COVID-19 case include: Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and North Korea.

This is coming as Nigeria recorded 108 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total confirmed cases in the country to 981, with 31 deaths while 197 have fully recovered, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Lagos, Nigeria’s largest commercial city, also reported additional two COVID-19 related deaths on Thursday afternoon, bringing to 18, the total COVID-19 deaths recorded in the Nigerian state alone.

Aside nations without cases, there are also 11 human-inhabited territories or islands with no confirmed cases as of April 22.

They are: Pitcairn Islands, UK; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, UK; American Samoa, US; Wallis and Futuna, France; Svalbard, Norway; Christmas Island, Australia; Norfolk Island, Australia; Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia; Niue, New Zealand; Tokelau, New Zealand and Cook Islands, New Zealand.

* Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi breaks 40-year streak to deliver tafsir from home

Following the suspension of religious gatherings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Islamic organisations will conduct regular Ramadan programmes like lectures and fafsir virtually, Daily Trust gathered. Religious scholars in various states of the country told Daily Trust that the prevailing circumstances have necessitated a change of approach and most intend to use the media to reach their adherents.

One of this imams is Kano-based Dr Muhammad Sani Umar Rijiyar Lemu, who said he would not conduct tafsir this year at Masallacin Gwallaga in Bauchi State, however, he said his tafsir would be posted on Facebook and some selected radio stations operating in various states across the federation.

“The decision was taken following the situation we find ourselves regarding the COVID-19. The decision to suspend tafsir was part of the efforts to curtail the spread of the deadly disease among Nigerians,” he said. Sheikh Rijiyar Lemu urged Muslims to always ensure personal hygiene and observe social distancing, embrace hand washing and other advice from the experts.

Meanwhile, the Kano State government has reached an agreement with Islamic clerics on suspension of all types of gathering during Ramadan fasting including tafsir and the famous congregational prayers of taraweeh and tahajjud respectively. The state’s Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Muhammad Tahir Adamu, who made the disclosure shortly after a meeting with leaders of three popular Islamic sects; the Izala, Tijjaniyya and Qadiriyya sects said all three groups agreed to suspend such activities in the state during Ramadan fasting.

Adamu, also revealed that the state would sponsor the broadcast of tafsir of some prominent Islamic scholars during the fasting period. “This will enable people to listen to various tafsir and lectures while staying in their homes. Government will ensure that people did not miss anything as far as tafsir is concerned during Ramadan despite the fact that they are observing the lockdown,” he said.

In Kaduna, renowned scholar, Dr Ahmad Gumi has commenced this year’s Ramadan tafsir from his residence with only a radio crew allowed to record him. Dr. Gumi who has always held his annual Ramadan lecture at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna said his decision was in accordance with the recommendations of health experts to avoid crowded gatherings and maintain social distancing.

He disclosed to Daily Trust that his Ramadan lecture commenced officially on Tuesday adding that the lectures would be aired on radio stations in the state. He said those who listen to tafsir from their homes are more in number than those who visit the mosque for the lecture yearly and urged other Islamic scholars to follow the preventive guidelines that will stop the spread of coronavirus. “We are also not going to do taraweeh in the Mosque. People will do it in their homes with their family members.

When a man prays alongside his wife in congregation at home, it’s all the same and even better to pray taraweeh at home,” Dr. Gumi said. He said he is aware that some members of the Muslim Ummah may be displeased with his decision, he urged them to take the happenings around the world as the will of Allah adding that, “We must pray to Allah at the same time abide by what the health experts say.

If you follow all the precautionary measures and yet become a victim, God willing, you will be rewarded as a martyr but if one goes contrary to the measures, then he should not expect to be rewarded as a martyr. This is because you can’t disobey the Prophet’s Sunnah and be a martyr.”

The Adamawa State Government on Saturday said it has quarantined returnees from Lagos and other states in Numan and Demsa local government areas of the state. This, according to the Secretary to the State Government, Bashir Ahmad, is in line with the directives given by the state governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, regarding the lockdown order in force in the state.

Ahmad, who also doubled as the Chairman of the Adamawa State COVID-19 containment committee, said he had ordered the isolation of the 188 returnees to enable the government screen them for COVID-19. He expressed concern over the number of returnees in the state despite the interstate travel ban, adding that some states are not collaborating with the lockdown.

Sources revealed that most of the returnees are factory workers from Lagos and Ogun states, out of which 59 have been isolated in Numan Isolation Centre while 40 have been quarantined at the Kpacham isolation facility in Demsa local government area of the state.

Police spokesperson in the state, DSP Suleiman Ngoroje, confirmed the development to Daily Trust adding that some of the returnees were intercepted along Gombe while others were intercepted at Numan-Gombe boundary axis. Ngoroje said that a special Police task force team led by a deputy Commissioner of Police was formed to ensure total compliance with the lockdown order.

He urged the leadership of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and that of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) to warn their members to adhere to the strict warnings and restriction or face the wrath of the law. Our reporter observed that Adamawa is yet to record any case of the coronavirus pandemic but noted that road transport workers, tricycles operators and town service cab drivers were defying the lockdown order and continue to engage in late night journeys.

The Oyo State Government says wearing of face mask in public places is now compulsory. Gov. Seyi Makinde announced this on Friday in Ibadan while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State COVID-19 Taskforce meeting held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan. Makinde, who noted that the directive was one of the measures to prevent, curtail and control the spread of coronavirus, said that the State COVID-19 Taskforce had reached a decision to implement the measure. “If you must leave your house to any public place, then you must wear face mask,” he said.

He also said the state government would produce an initial one million face masks to kick start the mask wearing policy in the state. The governor also said that 100 tailors would be inaugurated on Monday for the production of 10,000 face masks each, adding that his government was collaborating with experts who had designed the face mask model to train the tailors. Makinde said that each of the 100 tailors would engage the services of others and each cluster would be able to produce 2,000 daily thereby hitting the target of 10,000 within the week.

The governor further said that the resumption date for workers had been tentatively shifted to April 27, adding that the new resumption date would still be subjected to further evaluation. He attributed the postponement to the report of the new cases of COVID-19 in the state. The governor further disclosed that two persons tested positive to the coronavirus on Friday. According to him, two persons also tested positive to the disease on Thursday, bringing to 15 the cases of COVID-19 in the state.

“The total number of people that have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state has risen to 15; out of this number, seven have been discharged and one transferred to Lagos,’’ he said. Makinde said his administration had taken proactive steps to ensure food security in the state by working with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and other Ibadan-based agricultural institutes to provide seeds and seedlings to farmers.

“Efforts have been made to enlighten the farmers on how to stay safe from COVID-19 so that they will not miss the present planting season. “On palliatives, a lot of pressure has been mounted on the government to share palliatives, but the date we met on ground is not accurate.

“If we had used it, the items would have gone to the wrong hands. But now, we have our own data and we have double checked and the data is authentic. “Hopefully, before the end of next week, we will share the palliative to the public,’’ the governor said.