Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has faulted the latest review of the 2020 budget by the Federal Government, saying it shows that the regime has lost touch with current global economic realities.

Rather than reviewing the budget, Atiku advised the FG to sell eight or nine of the presidential jets and cancel the N27bn earmarked for the renovation of the National Assembly complex.

Atiku said this in a statement in Abuja, on Thursday. He expressed disappointment that despite the crash of oil prices in the international market and the nation’s inability to expand its revenue base, the regime only slashed the budget by a “mere 0.6 per cent.”

The former Vice President explained that significant cuts in funds budgeted for presidential feeding and transport as well as non-essential sub heads will go a long way in ensuring that Nigerians get a better deal.

Atiku said, “It is to my consternation that despite the crash in the price of oil, and the inability of Nigeria to expand our revenue base through the non-oil sector, the Federal “Government of Nigeria has only seen fit to slash our budget by a mere 0.6 per cent, from N10.594trn to N10.523trn. This represents a reduction of only N71bn.

According to him, as at the time the budget was first presented to the National Assembly on Tuesday October 8, 2019, it was predicated on a crude oil production of 2.18 million barrels a day, at an expected oil price of $57 per barrel. He said this situation has since changed.

He pointed out that Saudi Arabia, a nation with a much stronger production capacity than ours and with a larger global market share, as well as foreign reserves that is 12 times ours, has slashed her budget by almost 30%. Ditto for other oil economies.

He said, “My counsel to the Federal Government of Nigeria is this: put Nigerians first and cut your coat, not according to your size, but according to your cloth.

“Realistically slash the budget. Every pork barrel has to go. The billions budgeted for the travels and feeding of the President and Vice President has to be reduced. The N27bn budget for the renovation of the National Assembly has to go.

“The massive budgets to run both the Presidency and the Legislature has to be downsized. The budget for purchasing luxury cars for the President, his vice, and other political office holders must be jettisoned. Leave the salaries of civil servants alone, but reduce the salaries of political appointees. Sell 8 or 9 of the jets in the Presidential Air Fleet.

“Any budget slash that is less than 25% will not be in the interest of Nigeria. And beyond a budget slash, Nigeria needs a budget realignment, to redirect expenditure away from running a massive bureaucracy, into social development sectors like education infrastructure, and above all, healthcare. We must invest in the goose that lays the golden egg – the Nigerian people.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has reassured Nigerians that he would not spare any cost in his resolve to see that peace and security were achieved across the country.

He also said he would redouble efforts to ensure Nigerians got their constitutional rights as regards security.

The President gave the assurance during his meeting with members of the National Security Council (NSC) in Abuja on Thursday.
National Security Adviser, Maj.- Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), related the President’s message while briefing State House correspondents after the meeting in Abuja.

Monguno also said Buhari briefed the council on the challenges facing the country, including terrorism in the Northeast as well as banditry and kidnapping in other parts of the country.

He said: “Mr. President noted all the issues raised and of course in due time, he will be able to address these issues.
“Arising from this meeting, I will like to assure all Nigerians that Mr. President is fully on board. He is committed to doing whatever is necessary to reduce the spate of violence and insecurity in the country.

“He is also committed to spending whatever resources he has at his disposal to bring to a quick end to all the issues affecting Nigerians and bringing a lot of sorrows to Nigerians. That is the most important takeaway from today’s meeting.

”Mr. President’s reassurance that issues are being addressed and that he will redouble his effort in ensuring that the primary responsibility of government, which is to ensure the safety of lives and property, is realised.”

He said the meeting kicked off with a briefing by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, on the gains made so far, highlighting areas of concern, areas which needed to be addressed as well as making projections for the next couple of weeks.

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has taken a swipe at the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government over the slash of the 2020 budget by a mere 0.6 per cent from ₦10.594 trillion to ₦10.523 trillion.

Atiku who fired this salvo in a statement he personally issued on Thursday said the reduction represented only the sum of ₦71 billion, stressing that politics aside, the sum “is grossly insufficient and betrays the fact that we have lost touch with the current realities in the global political economy.

The statement read in part: “For the avoidance of doubt, when this budget was presented to the National Assembly on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, it was predicated on a projection that our nation would generate crude oil production of 2.18 million barrels a day, at an expected oil price of $57 per barrel.

“Today, that is no longer the case. Both our production and the price of oil have been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, to the extent that we have unsold vessels, and our income has tanked by more than 50%.

“Given that this is the case, how can anyone justify a reduction in expenditure of just 0.6%? We cannot be the only nation bucking the trend?

“Saudi Arabia, a nation with a much stronger production capacity than ours and with a larger global market share, as well as foreign reserves that is 12 times ours, has slashed her budget by almost 30%. Ditto for other oil economies!

“Nigeria cannot make up for the loss of expected revenue by taking out more loans and issuing out more bonds. Debt will be the death of our economy and bonds will put our people in bondage.

“The best way out of this economic quagmire is to reduce our expenditure. And a 0.6% reduction is no reduction. It is only window dressing.”

Accordingly, the 2019 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP tasked government to let go of financial indiscipline by focusing on the essentials necessary for purposeful governance.

“My counsel to the federal government of Nigeria is this: put Nigerians first and cut your coat, not according to your size, but according to your cloth.
“Realistically, slash the budget. Every pork barrel has to go. The billions budgeted for the travels and feeding of the President and Vice President has to be reduced. The ₦27 billion budget for the renovation of the National Assembly has to go. The massive budget to run both the Presidency and the legislature has to be downsized. The budget for purchasing luxury cars for the President, his Vice, and other political office holders must be jettisoned. Leave the salaries of civil servants alone, but reduce the salaries of political appointees. Sell eight or nine of the jets in the Presidential Air Fleet.”
Continuing, the Wazirin Adamawa insisted that “any budget slash that is less than 25 per cent will not be in the interest of Nigeria. And beyond a budget slash, Nigeria needs a budget realignment, to redirect expenditure away from running a massive bureaucracy, into social development sectors like education, infrastructure, and above all, healthcare. We must invest in the goose that lays the golden egg – the Nigerian people.

“These are the types of sacrifices that we need in a time of crisis. We do not need empty gestures that will lead to empty treasuries. In times of austerity, no nation, not the least a mono-product economy, such as ours, should be living in luxury at a leadership level.”

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The Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Justice Ishaq Bello, has directed the courts under the FCT judiciary to reopen for regular sittings on Monday.

Justice Bello, who issued this directive in a Practice Direction on May 8, however, directed judges and magistrates in the FCT judiciary to enforce social distancing measures.

He stated, “The honourable judges and learned magistrates should organise their cause lists to ensure that no more than five cases are fixed per day.
“In keeping with demands of social distancing, the court shall indicate in advance the sequence and specific time for hearing cases on the cause list in order to avoid the convergence of counsel and parties in the courtroom from the beginning of the day’s proceedings.

“The court shall allot time for each party to present his/her case, taking into consideration the peculiarities of each case in all cases (whether criminal or civil), only the parties and their counsel shall be allowed into the courtroom, subject to a maximum number of 10 persons (excluding court officials) at any given time.”

The chief judge added, “Hearing in criminal matters requiring the production of defendants in custody is hereby suspended until further notice”, saying it was “to avoid a situation where traffic in and out of correctional centres (prisons)” which might “catalyse the spread of COVID-19 to inmates”.

He said the new practice direction was issued in the exercise of his powers under Section 259 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) Section 109 of the High Court Act Cap. 510 Laws of Nigeria, 2004, Order 1 Rule 3 of the High Court of the FCT (Civil Procedure Rules, 2018; Section 490 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Tragedies occurred on Sunday when a policeman was allegedly killed by a hit and run motorist at Marwa area, along Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos.

In a similar incident same day, a yet-to-be-identified commercial motorcycle operator, popularly called “Okada” rider, died in a lone accident after ramming into an electric pole at Ikota, along Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The two incidents, it was gathered happened late evening within the hours of 8 pm to 6 am curfew, occasioned by rising cases of COVID-19 in the state.

The dead Policeman, who was in mufti at the time of the incident was later identified as Mr. Paul Omaji. (Rank was not stated).

Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Director-General, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed the unfortunate incidents.

According to Oke-Osanyintolu,” In a late night operation LASEMA Response Team, LRT, recovered remains of a victim of a “Hit and Run” accident along Lekki EOE Expressway after an unidentified motorist flee the incident scene immediately with the vehicle where the accident occurred.

The deceased later identified as a Police officer, male, named Paul Omaji, who was in mufti, was found dead at Marwa along Lekki-Epe Expressway where he was reportedly knocked down by an unidentified vehicle which ran into the officer on his way to resume his duty.

“Preliminary Report on the incident has it that, on arrival at the scene, Omaji was found dead.

“Investigation conducted at the scene revealed that an unidentified motorist rammed into the officer on his way to resume his duty and sensing danger, the driver sped away immediately after the accident.
The deceased body was later bagged as the LASEMA responders alongside the Officers on ground (Edoh Samuel) transported the deceased body to Marina General Hospital with the aid of the agency’s Ambulance.

“The corpse was handed over to another officer, (Superintendent of Police, SP Onajide Olabode) and has been deposited in the morgue.”

•Mystery deaths: District head, two others die in Kano
•47 health workers test positive for COVID-19
•Serving commissioner dies in Sokoto


Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State yesterday berated his Kaduna State counterpart, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, asking him to stop politicizing the issue of almajiris evacuated to the state who tested positive to COVID-19.

Recall that Governor El-Rufai had last week, said over 50 almajirai evacuated to the state from Kano State had tested positive for cOVID-19, besides 16 and eight from Jigawa and Gombe states respectively.
Governor El-Rufai had posted on Twitter that, “COVID-19 Update: The Kaduna State Ministry of Health this evening confirmed receipt of 16 more positive results, 15 of them from almajiris. The state has now recorded 50 cases from repatriated almajiris. Active cases have risen to 59.”

But Governor Ganduje in a statement said some of the almajirais also evacuated to Kano State during the exercise, tested positive for COVID-19 positive and that he did not make noise about it..

Governor Ganduje in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, said among others, “We are not making politics out of it, no noise making. To put record straight on the movement of Almajirai across states of the federation and how Kano embarks on the exercise, “We agreed at the Northern Governors Forum that all Almajirai be moved to their states of origin. That is why we are sending, in good faith and procedures, all Almajirai that are not from Kano state to their respective states of origin. The exercise was not political and should not be politicized.

“The way we are sending back almajiris to their states of origin, we are also receiving Almajiris from other states who are Kano indigenes. But the fact that we are not making noise about it does not mean they are all healthy without COVID-19 infections.

“Let’s make it categorically clear that, some of the Almajiris brought to Kano during the exercise, are also COVID-19 positive, but we are not making politics out of it. Because we all believe that what they need most now, is not noise making or publicity. What they need at this critical point in time is, care giving.
“People should also understand that, these children were not infected in the process of transporting them to their respective states. So noise making is not fit as a way forward. All we are doing is simply to comply with the Northern Governors’ Forum decision that all Almajiris in our states should be taken back to their respective states, simple,” the statement however reads.”

Meanwhile, Coordinator, Kano State Task Force on Coronavirus, COVID-19, Dr Tijjani Hussain, yesterday said no fewer than 47 health workers in the state had tested positive for the virus.

The Coordinator who spoke during a briefing by the state taskforce on COVID-19 said with the additional 29 new cases recorded in the state Saturday night, “ we have recorded 576 confirmed cases, out of which 29 were new recorded on Saturday. Out of the total number of the confirmed cases, we also discharged 10 patients bringing it to 32 so far discharged. Similarly, out of the total number we have in Kano, we recorded three deaths on Saturday, making the total number of deaths recorded to be 21.

In a related development, Ganduje has told health workers in the private health facilities not to reject patients, noting that sending them away could equally mean helping COVID-19 to wreck more havoc on people.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ganduje, Abba Anwar, said among other “We don’t want you to be sending away patients who come to you for other illnesses. Even though we are in the COVID-19 pandemic era, that does not mean other illnesses are gone. We want you to be running your other services.

Commissioner dies

Surajo Gatawa, commissioner of land and housing in Sokoto state, is dead.

A government source disclosed this, last night did not go into details.

Again, the Kano State traditional institution was weekend thrown into mourning with the death of a district head, Dan Iyan Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Bayero.

Before his death Bayero was the District Head of Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area.
A source who confirmed the death said Bayero died on Saturday.

He was also said to be the first district head of Ajingi Local Government Area in the history of Kano state.

Similarly, the leader of bodyguards in the Kano Emirate (Sarkin Dogaran Kano), Muhammad Lawal Bala, has also confirmed dead.

In the same vein, a broadcaster with the state owned radio station, Kano State Radio, Nasidi Hussaini Yakasai has equally been confirmed dead.
All efforts to speak with the Special Adviser to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Emirate Councils, Tijjani Mailafiya Sanka, on the reported the death of the traditional ruler proved abortive as he did not respond to calls put to his phone at the time of this report.

Recall that in the last one week, the traditional institution in the state had lost the former Emir of Rano, Alhaji Tafida Abubakar Ila II and another traditional ruler, the Jarman Kano, Professor Isa Hashim.

On the death of Sarkin Dogaran Kano, Muhammad Lawal Bala, he was said to have died at the of age of 80 years after protracted illness.

Also on the death of the broadcaster, a source in the radio station who confirmed the death , said Yakasai died at the age of 58 years and was the Deputy Director of Programmes Department before his death.

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on Sunday said the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System had saved over N361bn for the Federal Government despite opposition and sabotage from some quarters.

Created in 2007, the IPPIS secretariat is a department under the OAGF responsible for payment of salaries and wages directly to government employees’ bank accounts with appropriate deductions and remittances of third-party payments such as taxes and health insurance.

There were reports that the April 2020 salaries of Nigerian Armed Forces personnel were delayed as a result of “incapability and inexperience” of the operators of the IPPIS.

However, the OAGF refuted the reports in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

The statement, signed by Director, Information, Press and Public Relations, Mr Henshaw Ogubike, said the delay was caused by the lockdown ordered by the Federal Government to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

The lockdown “led to late submission of variations by the agencies concerned and the need to accommodate their input in the April payroll accordingly”, the OAGF said.

Faulting the reports, the statement said, “Suffice it to state that the staff of the OAGF and the IPPIS are competent professionals who have demonstrated the will and capacity to get the job done in line with the presidential directives, despite distractions and opposition from some quarters whose objective is to sabotage the government policy that has saved the nation over N361bn.”

The OAGF, in the statement, disclosed that the Federal Government had completed the payment of the April 2020 salaries of Armed Forces personnel in the country.

According to the statement, the IPPIS department in the OAGF confirmed that as of May 8, 2020, the Armed Forces personnel had been paid.

“According to the IPPIS office, the delay in the salary payment was due to the unexpected lockdown in the country.

“This explanation became necessary in view of a report which alleged that the April 2020 salaries of military and paramilitary personnel were delayed as a result of incapability and inexperience of the operators of the IPPIS.

As mentioned in the report, officials of the IPPIS had given assurances that the salaries would be paid between 4th and 8th May.

“This was promptly carried out as noted earlier,” the statement said.

The OAGF claimed that the said report was a deliberate attempt to misinform and mislead the public with a view to achieving an unholy objective.

“Such report has the potency to incite the Armed Forces and the general public against the operations of the IPPIS,” the statement said.

The Nigerian Medical Association and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives on Sunday cautioned the Federal Government against treating COVID-19 patients at home.

The NMA and the NANNM, in separate interviews with The PUNCH, said the implementation of home treatment in Nigeria, where the majorThe Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, at its press briefing on April 30, had said the Federal Government was considering treating some COVID-19 patients at home.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Director-General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, who disclosed this at the press briefing, said the country had only about 3,500 bed spaces for COVID-19 management.

“We are now trying to make more bed spaces available, but ultimately we might have to change our strategy and start considering homecare in certain circumstances where patients are able to provide rooms for their own management,” he said.ity of the infected people lived in crowded houses would create problems for the country.

The NMA specifically said patients, who would be treated in households with a large number of people might infect others, thus increasing COVID-19 cases in the country.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, at its press briefing on April 30, had said the Federal Government was considering treating some COVID-19 patients at home.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Director-General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, who disclosed this at the press briefing, said the country had only about 3,500 bed spaces for COVID-19 management.

“We are now trying to make more bed spaces available, but ultimately we might have to change our strategy and start considering homecare in certain circumstances where patients are able to provide rooms for their own management,” he said.

As of Saturday, there were 4,151 COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, with 3,278 of them still active and 745 discharged. No fewer than 128 people have died of the highly infectious virus.

Dpharisee:
The online school thing is not working. I tune in to the channels teaching various subjects but the kids will not concentrate, because it's the same TV they watch Cartoons and movies.

They will say Daddy I want to go and drink water, I want to go and ease myself, they are showing primary 5 mathematics and I am in primary 4, let me watch small cartoon before they start primary 4 basic science.

Daddy Favour is making noise, he wants to tear my book.
This is not how our Aunty use to teach us, she is asking what is pollination, daddy what is pollination?

I will tell them go and ask your mummy I want to rest, next minute mummy said nobody should disturb her, okay go back and continue watching the TV teacher. But daddy they have finished basic science can we watch Princess Sophia and Elena of Avalon please. (They know how to check the lineup of the lessons with the DSTV remote.) Let me show you, they will start primary 4 English by 2pm, social studies by 4pm. Mimi if you watch your own lesson by 3pm, me I will watch Ben 10 by 3:30pm and my own primary 3 French is by 5, then you will watch Barney and Friends by 6pm, Mummy will watch Deception on Zeeworld by 7pm.
Nobody puts Daddy into the equation since they have not resumed Premiership and they say they are tired of me watching CNN and BBC showing only Coronavirus, everytime Corona, Coronavirus and we have only one decorder

Abeg, the online school is not working out for me, make school resume abeg and father Lord make Corona vanish abeg

Police in Rivers State have rescued Lebanese born Nollywood actor, Bilal Nosser, from kidnappers’ den in Ndashi forest, Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State.
Nnamdi Omoni, Police Public Relations Officer, Rivers Command, said, Nosser, better known as Mr B, “was kidnapped early hours of Friday in neighboring Imo state and taken to Ndashi forest where a team of police led by DPO of Okehi station rescued him.

Omoni’s response noted that; “In his rescue, one of the gang’s member, Nwagor Faith ‘m’ who was keeping watch over him was arrested while others took to flight.

“He has made useful confessions and named other members of his criminal gang. Consequently, efforts have been intensified to arrest his fleeing members and recover their Operational weapons.”

The Edo State Government has flayed members of the group, Edo Peoples Movement, for trying to absolve Adams Oshiomhole of the violation of government’s regulations to check the spread of coronavirus in Edo State.

In a statement, the Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, on Friday said, “Our attention has been drawn to a vacuous publication by a group of dissidents under the tattered umbrella of the Edo Peoples Movement, who, hiding behind a finger, took the ignoble task of defending the activities of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his minions.
They have tried once again to tender explanations for the indiscretion and uncharitable actions of Oshiomhole in organising a botched All Progressives Congress mock primary amid the coronavirus pandemic, in a futile attempt to choose a candidate from an avarice-stricken lot, with the ultimate mission to unlock the public purse of Edo State for their self-serving ends.

“Before any attempt to engage on the issues, there is need to pose some questions to these characters, which they need to answer before the right-thinking members of the public can take them seriously. Why has Oshiomhole, who has been accused of organising the mock primary not come out openly to distance himself from the action, condemn it and possibly open up investigation within the party to find out the facts of the matter and punish the culprits? Why is the denial coming from third parties?”

He added, “At different fora, these surrogates have made attempts to either say the meeting never held; that it was held for purposes other than choosing a candidate to advance their interest during the elections and yet another version being that it actually held but the participants were no more than 20 persons.”

On questions raised over the state government’s revenue, he said, “Oshiomhole and his muppets are busy taking stock of the revenue purportedly flowing to the state monthly from the federation account, Internally Generated Revenue and other sources. Those who do not know them may be misled to think that the purpose for this stocktaking would be that these persons seek more judicious use of these funds to bring value to Edo people; but far from it, Edo people know them all too well and their interest is not geared to derive more value for the common man in the state.”

The Supreme Court on Friday set aside the December 5, 2019 judgment of the Federal High Court, Lagos in which a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor-Kalu, was convicted and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment over N7.2 billion fraud.

In a unanimous by a seven-man panel, the apex court held that the Federal High Court in Lagos, which tried and convicted Kalu, his firm Slok Nigeria Limited and his former aide, Jones Udeogu, acted without jurisdiction.

The court was of the view that Justice Mohammed Idris, who conducted the trial, was no longer a judge of the Federal High Court at the time he sat and delivered the judgment that convicted the defendants for allegedly stealing N7.65 billion from the treasury of Abia State.

The Supreme Court added that Justice Idris, having been elevated to the Court of Appeal before then, lacked the powers to return to sit as a High Court judge.

The court said the fiat that was issued to Justice Idris by the Court of Appeal President, pursuant to Section 396(7) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act was unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court then proceeded to set aside the judgment that convicted the defendants and ordered a fresh trial of the defendants by another judge.

The judgment was on an appeal lodged by Udeogu, challenging the constitutionality of Section 396(7) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which was allowed by the court.

In the lead judgment, Justice Ejembi Eko held that Justice Idris, having been elevated to the Court of Appeal, was no longer a judge of the Federal High Court and therefore acted outside his jurisdiction.

Justice Eko said Section 396(7) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which empowers the President of the Court of Appeal to issue a fiat to Justice Idris to adjudicate on the case, is a nullity on the grounds that it was in conflict with the provisions of the Constitution.

Section 396(7) of ACJA states: “Notwithstanding the provision of any other law to the contrary, a Judge of the High Court who has been elevated to the Court of Appeal shall have dispensation to continue to sit as a High Court Judge only for the purpose of concluding any part-heard criminal matter pending before him at the time of his elevation and shall conclude the same within a reasonable time; provided that this subsection shall not prevent him (the judge) from assuming duty as a Justice of the Court of Appeal.”

Justice Eko added: “The president of the Court of Appeal acted ultra vires her powers when she issued the fiat to Justice Idris to sit as a judge of the Federal High Court.

“The Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal are established by the Constitution with distinct powers and functions.

“The President of the Court of Appeal has no powers to assign dual powers to a Justice of the Court of Appeal to meddle in the internal affairs of the Federal High Court.

“Justice Mohammed Idris, having been elevated to the Court of Appeal, ceased to be a judge of the Federal High Court and therefore lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the case.”

Justice Eko held that Section 396(7) of ACJA did not give him new powers to perform dual functions.

He added that the Section 396(7) of ACJA was in conflict with Section 253 of the constitution which provides that: “The Federal High Court shall be dully constituted if it consists of at least one judge of that court. It is therefore a nullity.”

Justice Eko said: “The implication is that Justice Idris acted without jurisdiction. It is settled law that jurisdiction is the life wire of adjudication and if a court has no jurisdiction to decide a case, the proceedings remain a nullity ab initio, no matter how well conducted and decided. This is so since a defect in competence is not only intrinsic but also extrinsic to the entire process of adjudication.

“Accordingly, the judgment delivered on December 5, 2019 is hereby set aside. The case file is to be remitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to be assigned to another judge for trial de novo.

“This is because you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand as the whole trial was a nullity ab initio”, Justice Eko said.

In her supporting judgment, Justice Amina Augie was of the view that Section 396(7) of ACJA “has no place in our statute books.

“A Justice of the Court of Appeal cannot go back to the High Court and put up a new cap to preside on cases. The section is inconsistent with the Constitution and is therefore null and void.”

Other members of the panel are Justices Mary Odili, Bode Rodhes-Vivour, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Inyang Okoro and Olukayode Ariwoola.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on Friday said the state may record between 90,000 and 120,000 cases when the spread of Coronavirus reaches its peak by July or August.

Abayomi disclosed this at a news conference at the state secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja yesterday while giving an update on the spread of the virus in the state.
He said the spread of the virus in the state was yet to reach its peak, which will likely be in July or August.

Abayomi said that Lagos has ramped testing to reach large number of people in a bid to flatten the curve.

He attributed the increase in cases being recorded to the decentralisation of sample collection to the 20 local government areas.

According to him, if government had not been proactive, Lagos would have by now recorded 6,000 cases rather than the 1,491 cases it has now.

Abayomi disclosed that Alimosho, Oshodi and Isolo have begun to record more COVID-19 cases.

He, however, noted that 97 per cent of positive cases at its isolation centres were mild and moderate, adding that only three per cent were severe cases.

The commissioner said COVID-19 mortality rate has occurred mainly among males, adding that males with pre-existing ailments such as diabetes, cancer and hypertension are prone to dying.

He said 80 people at the State House, Marina, including the governor and his family were tested but only 10 were found to be positive.

He said the positive 10 had been taken to isolation centres.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Incident Commander of the Lagos Covid-19 team, yesterday announced the discharge of 42 more patients from the state’s isolation facilities.

He said the 42 discharged persons were made up of 22 males and 20 females, all Nigerians.

The governor said that 32 patients were discharged from the Eti-Osa (Landmark) Isolation Centre, 8 from Lekki and 2 from Onikan, having fully recovered and tested negative to COVID-19 in two consecutive readings.

This brings to 448, the number of #COVID19 confirmed cases that have been successfully managed and discharged in Lagos State Isolation facilities.

Several shops, cars, motorcycles, excavator including the motor park close to Akinyele Local Government Area headquarters were destroyed by the inferno which lasted several minutes.

It was all commotion as commuters, traders and residents in the area scampered for safety from the flames after the tanker caught fire.

One of the eyewitnesses, who gave his name as Tunde Adedayo, said men of the Oyo State Fire Service arrived at the scene about 35 minutes after the fire started. persons died when a fuel-laden tanker went up in flames at Moniya area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday.

The tanker conveying diesel lost control while descending the slope beside a filling station at Moniya, crushing a vehicle travelling to Ogbomoso.

There was a loud blast which was followed immediately by huge ball of fire with thick cloud of smoke. It kept touching everything on its way.

“No one could move near the fire. Everybody was scampering for safety,” Adedayo said.

On response to the distress call, Chief Fire Officer, Oyo State, Adewuyi Moshood, said his men arrived at the scene in good time considering the distance they needed to cover to get to the spot.

The fire started when a fully laden tanker conveying diesel lost control while descending the slope beside a filling station at Moniya. There was brake failure and it crushed a vehicle going to Ogbomoso.

“One passenger, who was trapped in the vehicle got burnt. One other life was lost,” Adewuyi said.

Badeggi in the Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State was thrown into confusion when one of the passengers that violated the interstate night travel ban died in a commercial vehicle.

It was learnt that a commercial bus with registration number, JJJ 349 XN, was travelling from Lagos to a northern state through the Bida- Badeggi-Lambata high way when the vehicle broke down at Badeggi.

Our correspondent gathered that one George Udom, alerted the Niger State Task Force on COVID-19 to the presence of the bus at Badeggi in the early hours of Thursday.

The Bida zonal unit of the task force upon getting there discovered that one of the passengers suspected to be a COVID -19 patient had died.

The Chairman of the state COVID-19 task force, who is also the Secretary to Niger State Government, Ibrahim Matane, briefed Governor Abubakar Bello about the development.

Director General of ICT and Public Enlightenment in the Governor’s Office, Abdul Bergki, who also confirmed this in his official Twitter handle, said, “To avoid infection, the chairman has been directed to call mechanics, fix the vehicle and escort the bus out of Niger State with security personnel back to where they are coming from and hand them over to the authorities there.
“All those to be involved must wear face mask, hand gloves, eyeglasses before touching the vehicle for repairs.”

The Emirates Airlines aircraft evacuating Nigerians from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

Regional Manager, South West, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Victoria Shin–Abah, said the aircraft arrived 7.30 pm.



The 260 evacuees are on their way to the isolation centre prepared by the Lagos State Government and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

After alighting from the aircraft, they were profiled by security, health, and border control officials at the Lagos Airport.

Tragedy struck on Wednesday when a 26-year-old man, Olajide Asade, was crushed to death by a commercial car, while he was making a video call to his girlfriend at the Adedero village on the Abeokuta-Siun-Sagamu Expressway.

The accident involved a Honda Odyssey car with number plate AAA 589 FV, which was conveying crates of eggs.

It was gathered that the deceased was reportedly making a video call to his girlfriend while crossing the road when the accident occurred.

An eyewitness told our correspondent that the deceased and his brother boarded a car from the Kuto motor park in Abeokuta, but the vehicle developed a mechanical fault on the road.
The eyewitness said while the other passengers were standing by the roadside waiting for the driver to repair the vehicle, the deceased reportedly concentrated on the video call.
The deceased’s brother, Azeez, said they were both travelling to their mother’s residence in the Ajah area of Lagos State.

Azeez confirmed that his brother had been making a video call to his girlfriend since they took off from Kuto in Abeokuta.

He added that they left their apartment at Ijoga in Abeokuta very early in the morning to embark on the journey.

Azeez maintained that the driver of the car, who hit Olajide, was on a normal speed.

The driver, whose car hit the deceased, Bolaji Balogun, said Olajide was the one who bumped into his vehicle.

Balogun, an employee of an agro firm, said he was going to the Obasanjo Farm to purchase crates of eggs for his company.

The driver stated that the deceased had already got to the front of his car before he could apply the brake.

Confirming the crash, the Public Relations Officer of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said there were two male occupants in the vehicle that killed Olajide.

Akinbiyi said eyewitnesses narrated that a pedestrian was on a call while crossing the road and was knocked down by a vehicle heading for Abeokuta.

He stated, “There is a road diversion along the Abeokuta-Siun-Sagamu interchange due to the ongoing reconstruction; the deceased probably assumed it would be better and safer for him to cross to the other side, where road reconstruction is ongoing.

“The man, while crossing back to the other side of the road, was making a video call and was oblivious to the fact that a vehicle was coming from the Sagamu end to Abeokuta.

“The vehicle, a Honda Odyssey, hit him and he died on the spot.

“His corpse has been deposited in the morgue of the General Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta, while the driver of the Honda Odyssey and the vehicle are now at the state Motor Traffic Division, Ibara, Abeokuta.”

The scale of the looming financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has been revealed by Minister of Finance Mrs. Zainab Ahmed.

The Federal Government, the states and the local government councils have lost massive projected revenue which will affect their plans for this year.
Many states may be unable to meet their critical obligations, including payment of workers’ salaries, following the huge reduction in their revenue inflow from the Federation Account. The states expecting to share N3.3 trillion this year will not have more than N2.1 trillion.

The councils, which were projected to share N2.5 trillion will not get more than N1.5 trillion from the Federation Account.

The Federal Government’s share, which should have been N4.8 trillion will now be N2.4 trillion which is 50 per cent of the expected accruals, the minister explained.

She spoke during a citizens dialogue in Abuja, organised by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in conjunction with United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID).

The seminar discussed Nigeria’s response to the fall in oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cut is in projection of revenue expected from oil and gas, Customs, and the Value Added Tax (VAT, she said.

According to her, the projected overall inflow into the Federation Account in 2020 is N8.6 trillion but what is expected now is N3.3 trillion.

The Custom’s projected revenue of N1.5 trillion has shownix to N1.2 trillion, VAT has gone down to N2 trillion from the targeted N2.1 trillion.

The worst-hit is the oil and gas intake which has dropped drastically from the projected N5.5 trillion.

The Budget 2020 oil price benchmark was set at $55 per barrel. The projected was review downwards to $30. Now it is going further down to $20 as oil prices continue the free-fall in the international market.
The other panelists were Prince Clem Agba, minister of State, Budget and National Planning; Mr. Ben Akabueze, director-general, Budget Office of the Federation, and Lade Jaiyeola, chief executive officer, Nigeria Economic Summit Group.

The minister of state said: ”We also expect that from about June, the States might begin to feel the effects of low revenue coming from oil and, therefore, might be having challenges in meeting up with obligations, especially the payment of salaries. To mitigate this, certain steps are to be taken.

“Of the $2.5 billion facilities from the World Bank, about $1 billion of it will be going to the States as loans. These are concessionary loans. Mr President has already approved N850 billion loan from domestic capital market.

“He has also approved $150 milion to be taken from the Sovereign Wealth Account in support of FAAC.

“We are also looking at suspending deductions in respect of the budget support funding which was provided to the States as a way of easing (burden).

“So, discussions are on with the CBN as to provide moratorium on the deductions in respect of the bailout loans.

“Already, N10billion has been given to support Lagos State; we also have additional provisions to cover the remaining 35 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

“We will ensure that about 5 million homes that are off-grid are provided with solar system. This is being driven from the Ministry of Power,” he stated.

“We are also looking at job creation for the youths. You are also aware that Mr President approved a thousand people to be employed within each local government. There are 774 local governments and this translates to 774,000 jobs across the country. This is going to be for three months starting from October.

”We are also providing additional financing to the Humanitarian Ministry for the cash transfers where one million additional household are being added.

“We are also providing support for small businesses, MSMEs, in order to ensure that jobs are protected and ensure that more jobs are created.”

He said that the Aviation sector would be assisted to stay afloat.

According to him, “We are also looking at how to support the Aviation sector. Like you know, a lot of planes are parked and this is causing almost N21 billion (loss) on a monthly basis. We are looking at how to provide some form of bailout support to ensure that the industry doesn’t die.”

• PTF decries dubious concealment of passengers in food trucks

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Wednesday lamented Nigerians’ non-compliance with guidelines on the gradual reopening of the economy.

The task force Chairman, Boss Mustapha, who stated this at the PTF press conference in Abuja, said disregard for the ban on interstate movements and other guidelines was an indication of the danger ahead.

But the Nigeria Governors’ Forum told The PUNCH that security agencies must live up to their responsibilities by stopping violation of the ban on interstate movements.
The NGF stated this as the Arewa Consultative Forum hit northern governors on the shoddy implementation of the evacuation of Almajiris to their states of origin.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had, in his broadcast on April 27, banned interstate movements.

The PTF a few days later issued guidelines on social distancing and the ban on any gathering of more than 20 people.

But despite the ban on interstate movements, trucks carrying youths from the northern parts of the country have been finding their way into the south.
Nigerians yet to come to terms with COVID-19 deadliness

Assessing compliance with guidelines, the PTF chairman, Mustapha, said an early assessment of the ease of lockdown indicated that Nigerians had yet to come to terms with the deadliness and the virulent nature of the COVID-19.

According to him, if Nigerians continue to disregard social distancing and other guidelines released by the PTF, there is danger ahead.

The SGF said some of the PTF worries included non-compliance with social/physical distancing guidelines evidenced by higher-than-advised congregation of people in banks, traffic gridlocks, especially at entry points to metropolitan areas and disregard for guidelines on carrying capacity of vehicles.

PTF decries dubious concealment of passengers in food trucks

He lamented that there was an increased level of interstate movements worsened by the dubious concealment of people in vehicles carrying foods, and unhygienic and ill-advised use and sharing of masks especially multiple fittings before buying from vendors.

He said, “The overall assessment of compliance with the measures and the outcome of modelling we have developed, point in the direction of danger ahead. We therefore need personal discipline, increased awareness and enforcement.”
The PTF chairman also recognised the challenges encountered at banks.

He stated, “I wish to repeat my call to the banks to also quickly address issues related to difficulty with using their online platforms, especially revalidating expired ATM cards, among others.”

Educate your members on ban on interstate movements, FG begs transport union

The PTF chairman also urged transportation unions to educate their members on the ban imposed on interstate travels.

He said, “In view of the fact that public transportation is a major clustering area through which the virus can easily be transmitted, we call on the leadership of various transport unions to properly enlighten their members on the danger associated with non-adherence to the COVID-19 containment guidelines.

“Once again, we appeal to the governors to please align their plan for the movement of almajiris with the ban imposed by the President. We shall intensify our dialogue on this matter.”


Mustapha said the NCDC would visit Kogi and Cross River states, which had yet record any COVID-19 case to provide support for them.

He added that Buhari had expressed worry over the infection of health workers in the country.

FG probes Gombe protest

The SGF said an investigation had been carried out into a viral video of infected persons in Gombe State protesting the conditions of their health care.
He stated, “We have similarly received reports about the emerging situation in isolation centres in Gombe circulating in a viral video clip.

“We have investigated and I wish to assure you that the NCDC team is on ground in Gombe to support the state. Similarly, I can confirm that the testing laboratory in Gombe will be activated soon.”
We won’t give any patient to herbal practitioners – Minister
Also at the PTF press briefing, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said many traditional medicines that were being suggested by some herbal practitioners in the country as cures for COVID-19 had not been tested and might be toxic.
He said the Federal Government would not give COVID-19 patients to traditional or alternative medical practitioners to test the efficacy of their drugs as there were no “human guinea pigs.”

He said, “On the cure of COVID-19, the traditional medicines that have been given to us or rather that people said they had, we have referred to them to Traditional Medicine Complementary Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and to the Nigerian Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development to evaluate.

(Reuters) - A former senior North Korean diplomat apologised on Monday after saying leader Kim Jong Un was likely so ill he could not stand, days before he emerged in state media chain smoking and walking briskly at an event attended by hundreds of officials.

Kim disappeared from state media for weeks, sparking a flurry of speculation about his health and whereabouts, and worry about prospects for the nuclear-armed state in the event of an unexpected succession.

But on Saturday, North Korean media published photographs of Kim at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the inauguration of a fertiliser plant.

His re-emergence came as a blow to the credibility of some high-profile defectors from the North who had speculated that Kim was suffering from a grave illness or could even be dead.

One of the defectors, Thae Yong Ho, was North Korea's deputy ambassador to Britain, where he managed secret funds for Kim. Thae fled to South Korea in 2016 and was one of a pair of defectors elected to parliament last month.

"I am aware that one of the reasons why many of you voted for me as a lawmaker is with the expectations of an accurate analysis and projections on North Korean issues," Thae said in a statement. "I feel the blame and heavy responsibility."

"Whatever the reasons, I apologise to everyone."

The other prominent defector elected to parliament, Ji Seong-ho, had said in a media interview he was 99% certain that Kim had died after cardiovascular surgery and an official announcement would come as soon as Saturday.

Ji, who was invited to attend U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in 2018, could not be reached on Monday
Ji told Reuters on Friday he had received information about Kim's death from a source he could not disclose. He added he ran for office to bring attention to human rights abuse in the North.

South Korea's ruling Democratic Party criticised the pair for carelessness that it said could do more serious than just misinforming the public.

One party member said they should be excluded from the intelligence and defence committees.

Daily NK, a South Korean news outlet run by North Korean defectors, reported in April that Kim was recovering from a cardiovascular procedure, sparking international speculation about his health

The Osun State Government on Sunday said its Joint Task Force has apprehended 27 illegal miners in the state.

The government said those arrested were 17 Chinese nationals, nine locals, and a village head.

The Deputy Chief of Staff to the Osun State Governor, Abdullahi Binuyo, in a statement, said no responsible government would fold its arms and watch its land being degraded by unauthorised persons.

Binuyo said apart from ensuring that those arrested were prosecuted, they would also be made to pay compensation.

The Osun State Government on Sunday said its Joint Task Force has apprehended 27 illegal miners in the state.

The government said those arrested were 17 Chinese nationals, nine locals, and a village head.

The Deputy Chief of Staff to the Osun State Governor, Abdullahi Binuyo, in a statement, said no responsible government would fold its arms and watch its land being degraded by unauthorised persons.

Binuyo said apart from ensuring that those arrested were prosecuted, they would also be made to pay compensation.


“As part of the government’s economic reforms, solid mineral is a major sector we are looking to explore. For these reforms to work, it has become imperative to stop illegal mining and step up enforcement activities. The result is what we are witnessing today,” he said.

One of the arrested Chinese, May Zam, said she was not aware they were engaged in illegal mining.

The Health and Human Services Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration said it has discharged the individuals who attended the burial of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, after testing negative for COVID-19.

It explained that the men were released from isolation after 14 days, adding that they have been reunited with their families.

Many prominent Nigerians had attended Kyari’s burial at Gudu Cemetery in Abuja on April 18, where minimal regard was paid to social distancing protocols.
This had generated concern among Nigerians who expressed fears over the violation of the social distancing by the attendees.

Following this, the FCT Administration directed all participants to go on self-isolation for two weeks.

The Presidency equally directed officials who attended the funeral to go on self-isolation and keep away from the Presidential Villa for 14-days.

But some of the attendees, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and other top officials, did not go into self-isolation as directed by the authorities


The Health and Human Services Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration said it has discharged the individuals who attended the burial of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, after testing negative for COVID-19.

It explained that the men were released from isolation after 14 days, adding that they have been reunited with their families.

Many prominent Nigerians had attended Kyari’s burial at Gudu Cemetery in Abuja on April 18, where minimal regard was paid to social distancing protocols.


This had generated concern among Nigerians who expressed fears over the violation of the social distancing by the attendees.

Following this, the FCT Administration directed all participants to go on self-isolation for two weeks.

The Presidency equally directed officials who attended the funeral to go on self-isolation and keep away from the Presidential Villa for 14-days.

But some of the attendees, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and other top officials, did not go into self-isolation as directed by the authorities.


Mustapha, who heads the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 later apologised for violation of the protocols at the funeral.

Providing an update on Sunday, acting Secretary, HHSS, FCTA, Dr Mohammed Kawu said, “The Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCT Administration, is happy to announce that the individuals exposed during the burial of the late Chief of staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, have completed their 14 days isolation.

“Tests were conducted on them and they have all tested negative to COVID-19. They have been reunited with their families.”

Nigeria has the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in West Africa, The PUNCH reports.

With 2,388 confirmed infections and 85 fatalities, Nigeria also has the third-highest number of confirmed cases in Africa.

South Africa has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Africa with 6,336 infections while Algeria has the second-highest cases with 4,295 infections.

According to data released by the World Health Organisation, as of 11am on Sunday, no fewer than 11,503 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 280 deaths, and 3,480 recoveries have been recorded in West Africa.
Ghana has the second-highest number of COVID-19 infections with 2,169 cases, 18 deaths, and 229 recoveries.

With 1,586 confirmed COVID-19 cases, seven deaths and 405 recoveries, Guinea has the third-highest number of infections in West Africa.

A further breakdown of the data showed that Benin has recorded a total of 90 COVID-19 cases, two deaths, and 42 recoveries.

In Burkina Faso, 652 cases, 44 deaths, and 535 recoveries have been reported.

Cape Verde also recorded 152 confirmed COVID-19 cases, Ivory Coast, 1,362; Senegal, 1,115; Gambia, 17; Guinea-Bissau, 260; Liberia, 154; Mali, 544; Niger, 736; Sierra Leone, 155; and Togo, 123.

On death, Cape Verde has recorded two fatalities, Ivory Coast, 15; Senegal, nine; Gambia, one; Guinea-Bissau, one; Liberia, 18; Mali, 26; Niger, 35; Sierra Leone, eight; and Togo, nine.

Meanwhile, Cape Verde has recorded 18 recoveries, Ivory Coast, 622; Senegal, 368; Gambia, nine; Guinea-Bissau, 19; Liberia, 48; Mali, 206; Niger, 507; Sierra Leone, 21; and Togo, 66.

The data also showed that Africa has recorded a total of 42, 381 confirmed cases, and 1, 749 deaths.

Giving an update on COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said, “On the 2nd of May 2020, 220 new confirmed cases and 17 deaths were recorded in Nigeria
No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours.

“Till date, 2388 cases have been confirmed, 385 cases have been discharged and 85 deaths have been recorded in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“The 220 new cases are reported from 19 states – Lagos(62), FCT(52), Kaduna(31), Sokoto(13), Kebbi(10), Yobe (nine), Borno (six), Edo (five), Bauchi (five), Gombe (four), Enugu (four), Oyo (four), Zamfara (three), Nasarawa (two), Osun (two), Ebonyi (two), Kwara (two), Kano (two), Plateau (two).

“Thirty-four cases were discharged in the last 24 hours in four states – Lagos (22), Kano (seven), Osun (four), and Ogun (one).

“Seventeen deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours in seven states – Borno (five), Katsina (four), Kano (three), Lagos (two), Ogun (one), Sokoto (one) and Yobe (one).”

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered all civil servants in the state to stay away from work on Monday, May 4.

The PUNCH reports that the five-week-old total lockdown imposed on the nation’s economic capital terminates on Sunday night, May 3, and the new phase of gradual easing starts on Monday, as ordered by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

But the governor in a statement on Sunday evening asked all its civil servants not to resume work immediately, noting that the delayed resumption is a deliberate attempt to prevent overcrowding in the state.
He, however, added that emergency workers and those on essential duties would be allowed to work on Monday.

Sanwo-Olu said, “In amending the work guidelines earlier issued, which stopped members of the public service from Grade Level 1 to 12 from going to work; we have had to review this position and we are extending the directive to all civil servants, regardless of level. All civil servants must stay away from work on Monday.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made his first public appearance in 20 days as he celebrated the completion of a fertilizer factory near Pyongyang, state media said Saturday, ending an absence that had triggered global rumors that he may be seriously ill.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim attended the ceremony Friday in Sunchon with other senior officials, including his sister Kim Yo Jong, who many analysts predict would take over if her brother is suddenly unable to rule.

The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper published several photos of Kim wearing black and smiling as he looked around the factory and cut a red ribbon, his sister looking from behind.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has said that contrary to claims that about 300 medical workers have tested positive for COVID-19, only 113 have been infected.

According to him, the majority of them were those working in private hospitals with no accreditation to treat coronavirus patients.

“As for 300 doctors testing positive, that is feeble; there are not so many people in the health sector who are infected. The latest figure we have is that they are about 113 actually and this 113 are not all public health workers; a good number are from private hospitals,” he said.


“And you could hear us speaking here frequently against people treating coronavirus in private clinics; we are actually referring to people who do so without the necessary precautions, without the necessary training. Because they infect themselves and then go home and give these infections to their family and is not the right thing.


“So the healthcare workers who have no training have no business actually handling coronavirus patients.

“As for those who do not have the equipment, we have said that we have provided PPE for all the people out there. But let me remind you again that there is a global shortage of PPEs; every country is struggling for masks, PPEs.”

South Africa posted 354 confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday, its highest in a 24 hour cycle.

The new cases take the national total to 5,350, making South Africa the most stricken African country.

It is followed by Egypt which has 5,268 cases.

“This is the highest number of cases in a 24-hour cycle recorded to date and represents a 73% increase, relative to the day before,” Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said.

Till date, South Africa has tested 197,127 people, with 11 630 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.


According to the latest figures, the Western Cape remains the epicentre of the virus with 2 135 cases.

It is followed by Gauteng with 1 406 and KwaZulu-Natal 956.


Eastern Cape has 630 cases, Free State 113, Limpopo 31, Mpumalanga 31.

North West has 29 and Northern cape 17 cases.

Ten more COVID-19 related deaths were also reported in the country on Wednesday.

Three of the deaths were reported in Gauteng, four in the Western Cape.

KwaZulu-Natal reported two deaths and Eastern Cape one.

The national death toll is now 103.