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Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has commenced the fumigation of public places as part of efforts to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state, Igbere TV reports.

Our correspondent who monitored the flag-off of the fumigation exercise in Umuahia, said the governor was represented by the state Commissioner for Environment, Dr Solomon Ogunji.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Commissioner said the exercise was part of measures adopted by the state government to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19, as the state is yet to record any case.

“We thank God that Abia State is yet to have a confirmed case of COVID-19 but we must collectively do everything possible to prevent the disease from getting to our state and if for any reason it gets here we must be prepared to stop it from spreading,” he said.

“We have provided isolation centres, delivered palliatives to our people, and now, it is time to get public places in the state fumigated to further protect our people.

“No effort will be spared by this administration in protecting the people of this state from COVID-19 and other challenges because our understanding of good governance is simply that of government of the people, for the people and by the people. By the grace of God, we shall continue to live up to that understanding,” Ogunji added.

He called on private sector organizations to ensure they take a cue from the exercise and use the window provided by the lockdown to also fumigate their premises.

The Enugu State Government at the weekend commiserated with family of the late Commissioner of Health in the state, Prof. Anthony Ugochukwu.

Prof. Ugochukwu whose death was announced on Saturday, died of chronic kidney disease April 3, according to a statement by the family.

In a statement made available to Igbere TV on Sunday, the Enugu State Government expressed its “deepest condolences” to the family of the late health commissioner.

Signed by the Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, the state government also condoled with the entire medical community and the people of Oji River Local Government Area.

Aroh said the state government was deeply saddened by the demise of Prof. Ugochukwu “who passed on Friday, 3rd April, 2020, after a long battle with chronic kidney disease as already announced by his family.”

The information commissioner added that “the Enugu State Government is very proud of the various contributions made by Prof. Anthony Ugochukwu, in the different capacities he had served the state, particularly as Commissioner for Health, until December 2019 when he was kept out of duty due to this health challenge.”

The state government, therefore, beseeched God Almighty to grant his soul eternal rest and also “grant us all the fortitude to bear this great loss.”

http://igberetvnews.com/1346226/enugu-govt-condoles-family-late-health-commissioner/

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44

The family of the late Commissioner for Health, Enugu State, Professor Anthony Ugochukwu, says their son died of chronic kidney disease.

A statement formally announcing his death, made available to Igbere TV on Saturday, said the late Commissioner died on the 3rd of April, 2020.

Signed by Dr. Kingsley C. Ugochukwu, on behalf of the family, he said the late professor died “after a prolonged but valiant battle with chronic kidney disease”.

Igbere TV reports that Prof. Ugochukwu was until his death a Consultant Surgeon, Professor of Medicine, serving Commissioner for Health, Enugu State and immediate past Provost of ESUT College of Medicine, Enugu State.

May his gentle soul rest in peace, Amen.

http://igberetvnews.com/1346125/enugu-health-commissioner-died-chronic-kidney-disease-family/

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44

A video had gone viral earlier today on social media creating an impression that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi of Enugu State, hosted a lavish birthday party amidst the coronavirus scare.

A report attached to the video had alleged that the governor, who recently turned 56, broke his own rule of social distancing, by hosting a crowd to mark his birthday anniversary.

However, a thorough investigation launched by Igbere TV into the development, revealed that the video is not new, neither was it an “organized gathering” of the governor's friends who came to celebrate with him, as being alleged in some quarters.

Findings by Igbere TV on Thursday revealed that the said gathering was a meeting of all political office holders, who had met to discuss how to tackle the coronavirus pandemic in Enugu. Coincidentally, the meeting fell on a day that happens to be the governor's birthday.

We had reported how a well wisher and attendee presented a surprise birthday cake to the governor during the course of the meeting, as seen in the viral video on circulation. The meeting was chaired by Gov. Ugwanyi himself.

According to findings, the governor had almost rejected the cake on the grounds that business of the day was for serious deliberations and not for any celebration, but for other attendees who prevailed on him to accept the cake.

It was at this point that merry songs broke out, with the political office holders in attendance singing and chanting birthday songs and hailing the governor, as captured in the viral video.

A reliable source at the meeting informed us that Senator Ike Ekweremadu was asked by the State PDP Chairman to moderate the cutting of the cake, which he did as seen in the video.

It is, therefore, surprising to see people peddling lies and trying to misconstrue what really transpired on that day. For the records, the video in question was recorded and shared by Rt. Hon. Chima Obieze, a member of the Enugu House of Assembly.

A critical close-examination at the said video by an unbiased mind would show that the gathering was no birthday party at all. Or who organizes a party without drinks, food, music or entertainment?

We, therefore, as a media house, call on all those behind the false narratives attached to the video to discontinue and join the state government in its fight against the dreaded coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus lockdown: Provide relief to Nigerians, Lawan tells Buhari

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has called on the Federal Government to immediately devise ways of providing relief for poor Nigerians whose daily livelihood will be affected as a result of the restriction on movement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawan, according to a statement by his media aide, Ezrel Tabiowo, made the appeal following a meeting between the leadership of the National Assembly and some ministers and heads of government agencies on Wednesday in Abuja.

The Senate President said apart from the lockdown of business activities in the country, a plan must be devised by the Federal Government through the release of funds specifically for the purpose of purchasing food and pharmaceutical supplies for ordinary Nigerians.

He warned that not making provisions ahead of time to address the basic needs of poor Nigerians may likely lead to more problems for the government, and less result in controlling the spread of the disease.

He said, “Our prayer is that we are able to overcome this menace of COVID-19 in good time, because it is really taking a toll on our lives.

“If we have to eventually shut down our country, then as a government we must be prepared to have some relief for the most ordinary people.

“I’m not seeing anything at the moment targeted at providing some relief. If we lock up Nigeria today, then we will wake-up trouble, because majority of our citizens go to market everyday before they can get something to eat.

“So, you lock them up in their houses with a threat of disease and without food. We need to have something, a plan of some sorts, in addition to making sure we don’t lock up the farmers market for example, where people can easily go and buy something, and of course pharmacies.

“We need to have some kind of supplies to people, I don’t know how we can achieve this, but we have to be ingenious.

“This is a time to think deep and wide, to provide for our people, in order for us at least to deal with this challenge at the moment,” Lawan advised.

The Senate President, in addition, urged the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to establish more testing and isolation centres as soon as more funds are released to it by the Federal Government.

kano State Government has ordered the closure of land borders and routes linking the state to other parts of the country with effect from Friday, March 27, to contain the spread of Coronavirus pandemic.‎

Abba Anwar, Chief Press Secretary to the Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, made the disclosure in a statement on Wednesday in Kano.

Anwar said that movements coming in and out of the state were banned ‎beginning from 12:00 a.m. Friday, March 27, 2020.‎

‎He said: “This includes all kinds of movements through the borders of the state, even those coming to Kano through Domestic Wing of Malam Aminu Kano International Airport will remain at the airport, without getting access into the city.‎

“This decision is hard but absolutely necessary, as part of precautionary measures against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

“We urge Kano citizens and all other Nigerians to bear with this difficult situation”.‎

According to him, land borders will be shut while the government ensure close monitoring of the situation to keep the people abreast of development.

Anwar said that the police, members of the Kano Road Transport Authority (KAROTA), Hisbah and other security agencies were mobilised to enforce compliance with the border closure.

‎The governor’s aid reiterated government commitment to adopt proactive measures to safeguard public health and protect the people against the virus.

“People must cooperate with health workers to ensure that our state is safe and the country, adhere to social distancing and stay at home as advised by health workers.‎

“People should maintain high personal hygiene, practice regular handwashing with soap under running water and ensure application of sanitisers,” the statement said.‎

‎The statement further urged people to stay away from going to markets unless for essential needs and cooperate with security agencies.

Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde has reacted to the early morning fire outbreak that gutted more than half of the town’s main market, Akesan on Sunday.

Witnesses say only a filling station close to the market was spared.

Igbere TV gathered that the inferno consumed almost the entire market as a result of poor response from the fire service stationed opposite the market.

However, as at the time of filing this report, no one could quantify the worth of property lost in the inferno.

Reacting, Makinde expressed shock over the fire incident at Akesan market.

He appealed to residents and traders to be calm as investigations have begun.

On his Twitter page, the Oyo governor wrote: “I received with shock, news of the fire outbreak at Oja Akesan in Oyo Town, in the early hours of this morning.

“Words cannot convey my sadness at this incident and I sympathise with the victims.

“I appeal for calm as we investigate the circumstances around the unfortunate incident.”

Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif has mocked the United States (US) Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, describing him as an “arrogant clown.”

Igbere TV had reported how Pompeo slammed the UK, Germany and France for not being “helpful enough” in the fight against Iran and killing of General Qassem Soleimani.

The US Secretary of State had expressed disappointment with the major NATO allies saying they had not been “as helpful as I wish that they could be”.

But reacting, Iran’s foreign minister (Zalif) declared that the work to end “US malign presence in West Asia had begun.”

Zarif stated this in a tweet on Saturday which was accompanied by a five-photo collage showing hordes of people waving flags and filling the streets.

One image sighted by Igbere TV shows what appears to be mourners walking behind a flag-draped coffin.

Thousands of furious mourners thronged in the streets of Baghdad Saturday during funeral processions for Soleimani who was killed by US airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump.

The mourners chanted “Death to America” and “America is the Great Satan” as they walked beside Soleimani and al-Muhandis’ coffins.

Zalif added, “24 hrs ago, an arrogant clown— masquerading as a diplomat— claimed people were dancing in the cities of Iraq.

“Today, hundreds of thousands of our proud Iraqi brothers and sisters offered him their response across their soil. End of US malign presence in West Asia has begun.”

Meanwhile, Iran yesterday hosted its red flag of war which clearly indicates that there is no slowing down in its move to revenge the killing of its top commander.

By Ogochukwu Isioma, Abuja

The Ahmad Lawan-led National Assembly will spend at least N37 billion from the 2020 Budget renovating the Assembly complex, investigation by Igbere TV has revealed.

The N37 billion is captured in the N2.5 trillion budgeted for capital projects by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in the 2020 budget.

President Muhammadu Buhari had submitted N10.33 trillion to the National Assembly as budget estimate, but the parliament jacked the figure up by N264 billion before transmitting it to the executive for presidential assent.

Igbere TV reliably gathered that the Presidency had since set up a committee to scrutinize the adjustment made to the appropriation bill before President Buhari will sign it into law.

Meanwhile, the N37 billion earmarked for the renovation of the NASS Complex is different the N128 billion earmarked as statutory transfer to the National Assembly.

The legislative arm had also voted N100 billion for constituency projects in the budget, while earmarking N1 billion for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the lawmakers in 2020.

National Assembly Director of Information, Dr. Rawlings Agada, said only the FCDA could speak on the renovation of the complex and the amount voted.

Agada, who noted that the National Assembly’s edifice needed attention, wondered if N37 billion would be enough for the job to be done.

On his part, Senate spokesman Godiya Akwashiki said the increase in the 2020 Appropriation Bill was due to additional revenue discovered during the budget consideration.

The Presidency on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 declared that the reason why President Muhammadu Buhari is loved by everyone, including Nigerians is because he (Buhari) is a man of integrity.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, stated this in a post on his official Facebook page, while celebrating the Integrity Award recently bagged by Mr. President.

President Buhari was on Thursday, November 28 at a well-attended event at Sheraton Hotels, Abuja conferred with the 2019 “Man Of Integrity In Government” Award by popular online medium, Igbere TV News Agency.

Adesina wrote, “It was my utmost pleasure to stand in for President Muhammadu Buhari, as he was given Man of Integrity Award, during the Igbere T.V Leadership Excellence Awards 2019, which held at Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

“Responding after receiving the award, I told the select audience: “This is one of the reasons we love Mr President. He’s a man of integrity. When he tells you something, you can take it to the bank.” By the way, yours truly also went home with Media Personality of the Year award.”

Other recipients of the Igbere TV Award include Senate President Ahmed Lawan, former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Speaker of House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara; Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio.

Others were: Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; former Governor of Imo, Sen. Rochas Okorocha; Acting EFCC Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu; Rep Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Femi Adesina, among others.

Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu Tuesday paid a visit to the Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu at the Abia State Government House, in Umuahia.

Igbere TV reports that Hon. Kalu who represents the good people of Bende Federal Constituency, was accompanied on the visit by the acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Gbene Joi Nuneih.

Speaking with Igbere TV correspondent at the end of the visit, Hon. Benjamin Kalu who is also a member of House Committee on NDDC, said he was in Abia State Government House to brief the Governor on the ongoing projects’ tour embarked upon in the state.

“We (myself and the NDDC Ag. MD) were in government house on a working visit to brief the governor on the need to assess NDDC projects in the state, and to handover to him a comprehensive list of projects carried out by the Board till date to ascertain if there were any areas the state projects’ were conflicting with that of NDDC,” he said.

The visit, according to the outspoken legal practitioner turned lawmaker, was also to investigate if there were any cases where contractors are bidding for contracts already awarded by the Commission or executed before now.

“We were also there to see the level of works by various contractors handling NDDC projects in the state, and to ensure that projects said to have been completed were truly executed by such contractors,” Hon. Kalu said.

The lawmaker said the need to also appraise the need of the people informed them of the visit, adding, “we needed to find out if there were any area the government of the day needs NDDC’s attention in the state.”

According to him, the visiting delegates were able to tour few places in the state where some “pleasant” and “unpleasant” situations were discovered.

Igbere TV reports that the tour continues today, Wednesday December 4 in Abia South Senatorial District, after which the delegates will return to their base in Abuja.

Nigeria’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has finally instituted a N2.5 billion libel against a Presidential aide, Mrs Lauretta Onochie over an alleged libellous publication.

Atiku was sighted by Igbere TV at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja where he formally deposed to his own witness statement on Oath before the Commissioner for Oaths to kick-start the libel suit against Onochie.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 23, 2019 presidential election, had in May this year threatened legal action against Onochie, an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media.

The legal action was in connection to a publication wherein, Onochie on her twitter handle, alleged that Atiku is on the watch list of security operatives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for alleged criminal matters.

Onochie in the said tweet sighted by Igbere TV on her handle on May 7, 2019, also accused the former vice president of shopping for terrorists in the Middle East.

“Atiku on UAE watchlist – security sources; Security operatives in the United Arab Emirates are keeping a close tab on a former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who has been in Middle East nation for several weeks now. What is he doing there? Me: shopping for terrorists?”.

The PDP presidential candidate is insisting that there is no iota of truth in the said publication which he said was beginning to affect public perception of his person.

He said the publication, since it was made, has equally caused him national and international backlash and embarrassment as well as incalculable damages.

Bishop Oyedepo blows hot over hate speech bill

Founder and general overseer of the Living Faith Church, a.k.a. Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo has described the controversial hate speech bill as a ‘crazy idea.’

The cleric, who claimed the aim of the bill was to silence Nigerians boasted that no one can silence a man of God because he is called by God.

Speaking at Shiloh 2019 tagged ‘Breaking limit, Oyedepo said “Hate speech is one of the most crazy idea ever.

“You say something truthful about them and they call it is hate speech? You can’t silence a man of God because he is called by God.

“A prophet is answerable to God only, what God tells him he will say. You cannot stand for God and be a loser.

“I don’t know if anyone loves Nigeria more than I do. Imagine they are not hanging killers, they want to hang ‘hate speakers?

“ Anyways that is dead already, if the wicked will not stop his wickedness God will stop his wickedness.”

A former governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has described Senator Orji Uzor Kalu representing Abia North in the National Assembly, as a foremost and most respected Igbo leader.

Igbere TV reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader (Tinubu) said Senator Kalu, a former governor of Abia state, has what it takes to lead the country, Nigeria to greater heights.

Describing Kalu as a distribalised Nigerian at a recent event monitored by Igbere TV, Tinubu said the Senate Chief Whip is a well respected leader with the passion for a united Nigeria.

“Orji Kalu is one of the foremost and respected Igbo leaders with passion for a united Nigeria,” Tinubu said.

“If given the opportunity, Kalu has the capacity to lead Nigeria to greater heights,” he added.

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has been an advocate of the Igbo Presidency, and remains one of the leading voices in the whole of Southwest Nigeria.

According to Kalu, every Igbo person is looking forward to producing a President from the South-East.

He has equally maintained that producing an Igbo president is a task every true Igbo indigene must key into.

“An Igbo president will bring prosperity to Nigeria, because the Igbo man or woman has the capacity for business and investment in areas outside their homeland”, he said.

Recently, Senator Orji Kalu said Northern political elites should not canvass an end to rotational presidency until the South-East zone had produced the President of Nigeria.

He was reacting to the call by a prominent governor in the North-West geopolitical zone, for an end to power shift in the country.

Kalu, while speaking with journalists, insisted that the Igbo must take their turn in the number one seat of the country.

The APC chieftain also explained that the agreement at the end of the 1978 national conference was that all the major ethnic groups in Nigeria must produce the President on a rotational basis.

Kalu said, “Calling for an end to the zoning arrangement now will not bring peace to Nigeria. We have to complete the zoning system. That was the agreement at the earlier constitutional conference.

“All the major ethnic groups must produce the President before we would all agree that zoning has ended”.

The former governor hinted that the emergence of an Igbo person as president would equally bring an end to protests in the South-East region.

He dismissed the insinuations that Igbos would divide the country if elected as President.

“It is the right thing to do, Nigeria is built on a tripod. You should allow the South-East to have the Presidency by 2023,” Kalu said.