₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government on Monday announced that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kano States, have enrolled on the World Health Organisation (WHO) treatment regimen on solidarity drug trials.

According to the Health Minister, Osagie Ehanire, stated this during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 today.


The four drugs that will be monitored in the solidarity trial are Remdesivir; Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine; Lopinavir, and Ritonavir.

Ehanire also confirmed that Nigeria has increased testing by an additional 1,127 to make a total of 27,078 tests.

Of that number, 4,399 cases have been confirmed in 30 states.


Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Borno States have the highest numbers with 1845, 602, 356 and 185 cases respectively.

At least 17 out of the 20 airports owned and managed by the Federal Government have turned out to be unviable and have operated at a loss for three years.

Except the trio of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja; and Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Rivers State, none of the other airports has sufficient revenue to cover the cost of operations alone.

Investigations by The Guardian showed that additional funding from high-traffic Lagos and Abuja airports’ excess revenue to the tune of N26.1 billion cushioned the operational cost deficits incurred by the unviable airports in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

With zero revenue being recorded following the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic and recent flight restrictions for another four weeks, the Federal Government is in a dilemma on what to do with the airports; either to keep running them at a loss regardless of liability or temporarily closing them till the economy and passenger traffic start looking up.

Apparently due to the political uproar that forbids shutdown, some stakeholders have urged the government to expedite the concession programme for the airports, and attendant restructuring of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for sustainability.

FAAN owns and manages all the public airports in the country on behalf of the Federal Government. Among them are 20 that are directly owned by the Federal Government and four state-owned airports.

A fact-sheet of revenue and expenditure of the 20 federal airports and FAAN headquarters in the last three years, obtained by The Guardian, showed huge revenue shortfall and deficits across the board.

For instance, the Kaduna International Airport that was upgraded during the 2017 closure of Abuja airport has in the last three years pooled a total of N1.027 billion in generated revenue. Of the sum, N716.7 million was collected. However, the expenditure was in excess of N4.41 billion, leaving a deficit of N3.69 billion.

The Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, did not fare better. The airport in 2017, 2018 and 2019 pooled a total of N8.28 billion in generated revenue and collected N7.16 billion but its expenditure totalled N9.6 billion, leaving a shortfall of N2.44 billion.

The Kastina Airport managed to make a total of N250.8 million in generated revenue in three years, out of which only N42.1 million was collected. Its cost of operations was put at N1.58 billion, leaving a deficit balance of N1.54 billion.

In the same situation, Sokoto Airport had a total of N725.7 million generated revenue, out of which N400.1 million was collected. The cost of operation was in excess of N2.71 billion, which gave a shortage of N2.31 billion.

In the South, Ibadan airport in three years made a total of N349.2 million in generated revenue and collected N244.9 million. The expenditure amounted to N1.39 billion with a deficit of N1.14 billion. Ilorin International Airport generated a total of N437.1 million revenue in three years and collected N264.2 million. The expenditure was in excess of N2.453 billion, giving a shortfall of N2.19 billion.

Ditto for Akure airport. The facility pooled a total of N175.8 million in generated revenue and collected N168.7 million. But the expenditure was N1.06 billion, leaving a difference of N893.7 million.

The Benin airport in Edo State also ran at a loss. The airport generated a total of N993.2 million in three years and collected N930.1 million. The total cost of operations was put N2.02 billion, leaving a shortfall of N1.09 billion.

The Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, had a total of N540.8 million generated revenue, though collected more put at N559.6 million, the expenditure was as much as N2.50 billion, giving a deficit of N1.94 billion.

Similarly, Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, amassed a total of N1.25 billion in generated revenue and collected N1.08 billion. Expenditure was, however, N2.50 billion, with a shortage of N1.42 billion.

The Guardian learnt that the poor revenue and zero profit sprees were not unconnected with the perennially low traffic inflow in and out of the airports.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) lately stated that for an airport to be viable and self-sustaining, it must have at least five million passengers a year. Today, only Lagos and Abuja airports could boast of at least five million passengers annually.

Apparently without consideration for viability, some state governments, like Abia and Ekiti, are bent on building new airports.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government is at a crossroads on what to do with the airports that are still operating at a loss. The 2016 plan to concession the airport is still on, yet sustaining all the airports at FAAN’s N4 billion monthly overhead is a tough call during lean times.

A temporary closure of some of the airports was considered but not feasible given the political hullabaloo that awaits such a move, The Guardian has learnt.

Aviation consultant and Chief Executive Officer of Beljune Konzult Limited, Chris Aligbe, said it was expedient for the Federal Government to keep supporting FAAN and other regulatory and service providers with grant, pending the time the airlines will return to pre-coronavirus capacity.

Aligbe said aviation infrastructure abhored temporary shutdown. More so, they are readymade tools in the hand of politicians. He observed that some of the unviable government-owned airports were built by state governments for political aggrandizement.

“It was after building them that they found that they did not have resources to run them and quietly pushed them to the Federal Government through the back door. That was how they got into the care of FAAN.

“But we cannot shut them down, especially for political reasons. It is never going to be easy. If you try to do that, the impact will be more on the northern airports than on the south. The airport in the south that has become the ghost of its old self is that in Calabar. It records only one flight a day since Donald Duke left as governor of Cross River State. The Uyo Airport has taken over. Owerri is bubbling. Enugu will pick up because, at a time, it was behind Lagos and Abuja, even ahead of Port Harcourt International Airport.

“But in the north, you will have to shut down Sokoto, Bauchi, Gombe, Minna, and Ilorin maybe, among others. In the west, maybe Akure. Hence, it becomes highly political and more dangerous. So, for the length of time that it will take the airlines to bounce back, the agencies and the airports will have to keep running with the government’s support,” Aligbe said.

The Secretary General of the Aviation of Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), urged the government to concession all the airports, and not the big four alone, to run efficiently and profitably.

Ojikutu advised that the Lagos and Abuja airports should be concessioned in blocs with four or six others.

“Lagos could go with Kano and some others in the south but not Enugu or PHIA. Abuja could go with Enugu but not with PHIA. PHIA could go with Kaduna and others but not with any other mentioned.

“My idea of concession is only for the non-aeronautical. These include the passenger terminal buildings, cargo terminals, aircraft parking areas, car parks and tollgates. FAAN could become a holding company overseeing the concession airports on behalf of the government,” Ojikutu said.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, earlier called for the unbundling of FAAN ahead of the move to concession major airports. Nnaji said it was a glaring fact that Nigeria’s airports were not just underdeveloped, but grossly underutilised.

Indeed, FAAN headquarters in the last three years generated N16.10 billion in revenue and collected N15.02 billion. Its expenditure was put at N59.41 billion, leaving a deficit of N29.1 billion.

The Chairman, NIGAV Centre, Fortune Idu, said FAAN was overburdened with managing 22 airports and paying salaries of over 12,000 workers from the revenue generated by Lagos and Abuja airports.

Idu said it was only FAAN, among airport authorities in the world, that had such a peculiar business model of airport subsidisation.

According to him, the body remains critical to the “fragile aviation industry” and should be carefully considered and properly repositioned to save the industry.

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike at seaports over the arrest of its members on essential service by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Already, the union has given 48 hours ultimatum, starting from Monday to the Rivers State governor to release the dockworkers or they will be forced to shut down all nation’s port by Wednesday.


The union made its position known in a statement titled: “Unlawful arrest and detention of dockworkers who went to the port to carry out essential services by Rivers State Task Force on COVID-19 lockdown,” which was signed by the President-General of MWUN, Com. Adewole Adeyanju.

He said: “We wish to use this medium to state that if in the next forty-eight (48) hours starting from Monday 11th May 2020, nothing is done to affect the release of our members, the union will have no option but to withdraw our services in the entire nation’s seaport, terminals and jetties in solidarity with our detained members as an injury to one is an injury to all.”

The statement read: “The leadership of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has received with shock and disbelief the arrest of over 20 dockworkers and other that their whereabouts cannot be accounted by the Rivers State Government on Saturday (May 9) on their way home after the day’s job.

“We were informed that the affected Dockworkers were returning from essential service operations to BUA/PTOL terminal, Port Harcourt and were unlawfully and forcefully arrested, and detained by Rivers State Taskforce on enforcing COVID-19 lockdown.

“All entreaties/explanation made by our members to the task force team led by the Governor Nyesom Wike, that they were on essential services fell on deaf ears although they presented duly signed ‘Essential Duty Port Pass’ issued by the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).

“Instead, the governor, mocked them that they should go to Abuja and work.

Consequent to the above, most terminal operators, shipping companies and port users in Port Harcourt port are closing down shop as a direct result of the unsavoury activities of the Rivers State government for not allowing port workers and other stakeholders to work.

“This has direct implication to the nation’s economy and a clear threat to the employment and job security of port workers including dockworkers and shipping companies’ employees. As direct consequences of governor Wike’s action, some terminal operators have closed down their operations till further notice leading to loss of jobs by Nigerians and dock workers.”

The union added: “Consequent to the above, we call on President Buhari, the Minister of Transport – Mr Chibuike Amaechi Rotimi and other well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on Governor Wike to immediately release our members – dock workers and others were arrested and their staff bus impounded on Saturday 9th May 2020 while on their way home having rounded up the day’s work.

“Already, there is restiveness in the entire ports across the country and this appeal to release the arrested workers is to douse the rising tension in the ports which could snowball into full-scale industrial unrest if not quickly apprehended now.”

The lockdown arising from coronavirus appears to have slowed down the fight against corrupt practices in the country for close to six weeks.

Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says there is no cause for alarm as it will ensure that none of its ongoing investigations and cases in court will be aborted.

The Commission is certain that as the federal and state governments begin to reopen the economy, it will ramp up legal actions to bring the suspects of financial crimes to account for their actions.

“These suspects will unfailingly have their days in court,” EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, declared.

Documents reviewed by Sunday Vanguard indicate that the Commission has its hands full of cases awaiting resolution in court, while some cases being investigated are ripe enough for prosecution.

One of such cases is the alleged N7.7 billion Police Equipment Fund’s fraud involving Mr Kenny Martins.

The EFCC is prosecuting Martins, the coordinator of the Police Equipment Fund (PEF), following his alleged connivance with three others to embezzle about N7.7 b belonging to PEF.

It will be recalled that the EFCC had appealed the judgment of Justice Mohammed Talba of an FCT High Court, Gudu, which discharged him and his co-defendants, Ibrahim Dumuje, Joni Icheka and Cosmas Okpara, after he upheld their “no-case submission” on November 24, 2009.

Dissatisfied with the verdict of the lower court, the EFCC approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, asking it to set aside the judgment on the grounds of perverse verdict and miscarriage of justice.

In its decision, the appellate court, on June 28, 2012, upheld the argument of the EFCC, insisting that its appeal was meritorious.

The Court of Appeal, further in its landmark judgment read by Justice Regina Nwodo, held that Justice Talba erred in his judgement and consequently ordered the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court to reassign the case to another judge for re-trial.

But as the EFCC was getting set to re-arraign the defendants, Martins proceeded to the Supreme Court, asking the apex court to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal.

The Supreme Court, however, on March 23, 2018, dismissed Martins’ appeal, thus giving the green light for the commencement of his trial. To this end, the EFCC amended the charges against Martins and other defendants and arraigned them before Justice Adebiyi on January 15, 2020 for their various alleged roles in forging Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) documents to facilitate the alleged PEF fraud among other allegations.

Hearing on the case is expected to continue immediately after the lockdown is relaxed.

Other cases that may come on stream are those involving four former governors among others. They are former Governors Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano) and Ibrahim Shema (Katsina). Others are Dr Doyin Okupe, a former aide of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan; Mr Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Ismaila Mustapha; a former GMD, Mr Andrew Yakubu; Senator Adeseye Ogunleye; former First Lady Patience Jonathan; Air Marshall Adeola Amosu and Senator Seidu Kumo.

Okupe is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside his two companies, Value Trust Investments and Abrahams Telecoms, on a 59-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of N702, 000, 000.

Babachir Lawal was arraigned for benefiting illegally from the approval of N544, 119, 925.36 for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation.

His trial was adjourned to April 10, 2020, but could not hold as a result of COVID 19.

Social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha (Mompha), and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, were re-arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos.

The EFCC re-arraigned him on second amended charge of 22 counts bordering on money laundering before Justice Mohammed Liman.

Mompha and his company were first arraigned in November 2019 on a 14-count-charge.

In the amended charge, EFCC alleged that Mompha procured his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, to retain N33 billion between 2015 and 2018. The case is ongoing.

Suswam and others are standing trial in three cases pending before the Federal High Courts Abuja.

The latest is a three-count charge of money laundering and illegal possession of firearms on which he was arraigned on July 6, 2018 before Justice Mohammed Ahmed.

Proceedings are expected to resume on October 24.

In the first of the other two cases, Suswam is being tried with his former Commissioner of Finance, Omadachi Oklobia.

They are accused of diverting proceeds of the sale of Benue State’s Investments.

The case is pending before Justice Ahmed Mohammed and has been adjourned to October 9 for continuation of trial.

Suswam, Okolobia and Mrs. Janet Anuga, in the second charge FHC/ABJ/CR/48/2017, were accused of diverting funds meant for SURE-P projects in the state.

The case was pending before Justice Gabriel Kolawole before the judge’s elevation to the Court of Appeal.

The case is expected to be reassigned to a new judge at the resumption of the court.

Dr. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, a former SSA to President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, is on trial alongside Iwejuo Joseph Nna before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

He was docked on June 11, 2018 before Justice Mohammed Idris over alleged N1.6 billion fraud.

The former presidential aide and his suspected accomplice were arraigned on a 23-count charge of alleged conspiracy to conceal proceeds of crime amounting to N1.6 billion.

In the charge, EFCC alleged that the two accused persons, between June 2013 and June 2015, used different companies to fraudulently launder the said money.

Yakubu, on his part, was arraigned by the EFCC on March 16, 2017 before Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering, non-disclosure of assets and fraud.

The former NNPC GMD’s journey to the dock started on February 3, 2017 when operatives of the EFCC stormed a building belonging to him and recovered $9,772,000 and £74,000 cash stashed in a huge fire-proof safe.

Following the raid, Yakubu, on February 8, 2017 reported to the Commission’s Kano Zonal Office, where he admitted being the owner of both the house and the money recovered.

The EFCC says the offence breaches Section 7(4)(b)(ii) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 7 (5) of the same Act.

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano and presided over by Justice Zainab B. Abubakar, on February 14, 2017, subsequently ordered the forfeiture of the money recovered from Yakubu to the Federal Government.

The order was sequel to an ex parte application by the EFCC seeking an interim forfeiture of the sum.

Ogunleye, a former Minister of Works and former Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, was arraigned on November 25, 2016 by the EFCC.

In the case with suit number AB/EFCC/03/16, Ogunlewe, alongside the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, and Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, were arraigned before the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, on 18 counts, bordering on conspiracy, stealing, obtaining money by false pretences and abuse of office in connection with alleged N409 million fraud.

The court sat on the case in January 26, 2017 when Ogunlewe requested that his name be removed from the suit.

Shekarau was arraigned in May 2018 by the EFCC before a Federal High Court sitting in Kano over alleged money laundering.

The erstwhile governor of Kano State, together with Bashir Wali and Mansur Ahmad, are facing a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N950 million.

Lawyer to the EFCC, Mr. Johnson Ojogbane, told the court that the defendants had, between March 26 and 27, 2015 in Kano, conspired and received various sums of money without going through financial institutions.

In one of the several money laundering cases against former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, the EFCC had filed a 15-count charge against her companies, Dudafa; Amajuoyi Briggs, a lawyer; and Damola Bolodeoku, a Skye Bank official.

After the charges were read, the first, second and third accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Meanwhile, each of the four individuals representing the companies listed in the charge pleaded guilty to the charges.

The matter involving the former First Lady has yet to be resolved.

So also are all other pending cases at different levels of our court system.

But the EFCC says it is determined to follow all the cases to a logical conclusion, notwithstanding the hiccup in their trial as a result of Covid-19.

Reviewing the cases, Magu vowed that all pending investigations and cases would be followed up diligently.

“As a commission saddled with the power to rid this country of corruption and bring the culprits to book, we are committed to doing just that to make honest and hardworking Nigerians to have faith in themselves and continue to serve their fatherland patriotically and to show the bad eggs that corruption does not pay,”the Acting EFCC Chairman said.

TWENTY-FOUR hours after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reportedly endorsed its candidate in the 2018 governorship election for the 2022 election, the family of Senator Ademola Adeleke has called on the Osun State chapter of the PDP to give him a break.

The family spoke through the elder brother of the former lawmaker, Dr Deji Adeleke, in a statement made available to Sunday Tribune at the weekend.

He said their son deserved his needed rest after the grueling 2018 governorship poll held in the state and the attendant plethora of litigation.

Dr Adeleke recalled the circumstances that culminated in the emergence of Ademola Adeleke for the 2018 contest, emphasising that the former lawmaker was only dragged into the race as he was never originally interested in the race.

In a clear rejection of the endorsement, Dr Adeleke subtly believed the endorsement was not in tandem to the ideals of democracy.

Part of the statement reads: “I am not a card-carrying member of any political party but I am a sympathiser/supporter of the PDP in Osun State. The Osun State PDP will be better off and well-prepared, for the next general election in the state, if internal democracy is encouraged and enforced.

“All elective positions, including the position of governor of the state should be open to all members of the party to contest in a transparent primary elections. Everyone must be given a sense of belonging, in order to grow the party in Osun State.

“As for the Adeleke family of which I am one, we will like to remind all PDP members that Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke had no intention to contest the governorship election in the first place, but was invited and prevailed upon by the party leadership and party elders to contest the governorship election, which he and his family accepted most reluctantly after receiving assurances and promises that were never kept.

“Everything that followed after this is now history. Senator Adeleke should, therefore, be given a break to take his well-deserved rest and decide what he will do/not do when the time comes.”

The Cross River Government and Security operatives on Saturday intercepted and sent back another set of trucks carrying no fewer than 30 Quoranic education pupils “Almajiri” at the Gakem-Benue border in Cross River.

Dr Betta Edu, the Chairperson, Cross River COVID-19 Taskforce, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Calabar that in quick response, she ordered that the almajiri children be taken back in the same trucks conveying them.

She said the trucks were intercepted by the Commissioner for Youths and Skills Acquisitions, Mr Signor Idiege, with a team of security operatives on enforcing the ”No Entry” directive of the government at the border.


She said Idiege also sent an escort to move with the trucks to ensure that they did not divert through any other route to the state.

“It is important for the Federal Government to support these people where they are rather than allow them move from one part of the country to the other.

“Remember COVID-19 does not move but people move, so, if these people are coming from states that have the virus, of course, for us in Cross River, we do not want them here.

“That is the only way we can reduce the number that is building everyday and contain the virus,” she said.

NAN recalls that on May 6, at about 7p.m., the Cross River border taskforce intercepted and sent back five trucks with goods and almajiri children at the same Gakem-Benue border.

Ibrahim Baba, a former member of the house of representatives from Bauchi, has written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over the “massive outbreak of coronavirus” in Azare, a town in the state.

In the letter dated May 8, 2020, Baba said Azare has recorded over 100 COVID-19 deaths in the last one week.

He said this has resulted in panic and confusion among residents, appealing to the president to direct the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to visit the town.

Baba said the proximity of Azare to Kano and Jigawa could be responsible for the rise in COVID-19 cases there.

Both states have high cases of COVID-19, with Kano recording the second highest number of infections in the country.

“Your Excellency, Sir, I write to draw your kind attention to the massive outbreak of coronavirus in Azare town and environs in Bauchi State, which has already resulted in over 100 in the last one week, and this has thrown the entire area into great mourning, panic and confusion,” he wrote.

“The centrality and proximity of Azare to Bauchi, Kano and some major cities of Jigawa states make the town’s large population susceptible to the virus due to the already existing large cases of the disease in those areas.

“And because media coverage is always largely skewed toward states capital and other more prominent cities, the ongoing horrific situation in Azare has not gotten the attention it deserves, and that’s why I want to use this privilege to appeal to you for urgent action to arrest the unpalatable situations.

“Consequently therefore, I wish to appeal to your Excellency to direct the National Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) and the presidential Task force on COVID-19 to urgently reach out to Azare town with all the necessary facilities and palliatives to assist the communities there.”

He also appealed to the president to allow a facility the Central Bank of Nigeria built at a Federal Medical Centre in the town to be used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

“And to help in this expected effort, may I draw your attention to the fact that at the Opthamology unit and laboratory have already been built and equipped by the Central Bank of Nigeria at the Azare Federal Medical Centre Since 2013 but have not been commissioned and put to use up till now,” he said.

“This facility can be repurposed to a COVID-19 test and treatment center provided the right equipment are added, including ventilators.
“As a matter of life death, I have the utmost trust in your sense of patriotism and commitment to the well-being of Nigerians that you will assist the beleaguered people of Azare town and environs to overcome this harrowing situation. And while I look forward to your kind response, please, accept the assurance of my high esteem and loyalty.”

Dahiru Saleh, the judge who annulled the June 12, 1993 election, died in Azare earlier in the week.

The Federal Government has deployed a multi-sectoral technical team on a fact finding mission to Jigawa State over the case of repatriated almajirai, many who have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said this yesterday at the 28th joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja.

According to him, the team includes doctors and nurses who will support the state Ministry of Health in setting up and accrediting their Isolation and treatment centers. He said the dispatch of the team was at the request of the state governor.

Daily Trust reports that the team is also expected to look into the reported cases of unusual deaths.

On the controversy surrounding the non compliance with federal government guidelines on testing for COVID-19 in Kogi State, Ehanire said the Ministry of Health team sent to Kogi had returned to Abuja without accomplishing its mission.

“New efforts will be made to engage Kogi authorities for resolution of differences. A team will visit Bornu State for the same purpose in due course.

“State Commissioners of Health will be engaged on a continuous basis to monitor readiness and preparedness, and address matters arising,” he added.

Hundreds of medical doctors and other healthcare givers in public and private hospitals across Nigeria are literally dodging from having face-to-face interaction with patients because they don’t have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that will shield them from contracting the ravaging COVID-19. PPE comprised of face shields, gloves, goggles and glasses, gowns, head covers, masks, respirators (in some cases) and shoe covers.

Some doctors, nurses, lab technicians among others have moved to COVID-19 isolation centres after they tested positive, or locked themselves at home waiting for their results.

The development has created a wallowing gap in health care delivery, with some experts attributing the increased number of deaths not only to coronavirus but to other ailments that deserve constant attention.

The Nigeria Health Work Force Country Profile 2018, launched in February this year, revealed that the number of medical doctors registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) stands at 74,543, meaning there is only one doctor to 2,753 patients in the country.

The coronavirus caught many countries unawares, including Nigeria where federal and state government hospitals lack enough equipment to address large scale emergencies. Although there has been some progress at all levels in upgrading facilities to deal with COVID-19 and other diseases through special intervention by the federal government, support from local and international donors, Daily Trust reports that PPE remains grossly inadequate, subjecting health workers to infections while many patients lost their lives for lack of care.

While most teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres (FMCs) have been overwhelmed by patients suffering from various ailments amidst lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19, medical personnel are battling to cope with the challenge and many contracted the deadly disease in the process.

There are 22 FMCs in the country and when approached to comment on equipping their staff to be in the right frame of mind to attend to patients, most of the officials said they provided enough PPE to their doctors, nurses and other workers. Spokesmen for teaching hospitals and FMCs in Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Lagos and others spoke in the same tone, saying they have enough PPE for their workers.

This is however in contrast to what the health workers in the states said. According to them, there was a need for a new approach to protecting them. One of the health workers at one of the hospital in Lagos, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that they only get new N95 from the management when the old face mask is torn or damaged. She said some used theirs for weeks, adding, “no matter the quality of the mask, it is obvious it will be contaminated.”

“But the management said there is nothing wrong in using the mask again and again,” she lamented. Hospitals attending to emergencies only Findings reveal that many public hospitals only attend to “extremely emergency cases” while private clinics in some states have closed their doors for all categories of patients, all in an effort to protect their staff from contracting the coronavirus. Dr. Ali, a medical doctor who consults in public and private hospitals in Abuja and some states said this is the most trying moments for them.

“We all love our patients and we are passionate about treating them but not at the detriment of our welfare, our safety, and the security of our families,” he said. “We can only work when we are secured and honestly we are getting overwhelmed. “We took the decision of reducing the number of patients we attend to, and in some instances not attending to them at all because the PPE that we supposed to use all the time, which are mostly disposable, are not going round the way they should.

“Sometimes, very few health givers have access to the PPE and considering the rate at which community transmission is increasing, every patient is a potential carrier and you will not just go and attend to him without protection. “Of course, the federal government has done a lot in providing the PPE but they are not enough. Every hospital should have them irrespective of whether that facility has been designated to attend to COVID-19 patients or not.

So, yes, it is true that our colleagues are being circumspect; I don’t want to say they are avoiding patients but every one of us would love to stay away until we have protection garments,” he said.

‘Our fear in Kano is valid’

A doctor at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), who preferred anonymity, confirmed to Daily Trust that he and many of his colleagues stopped going to work due to lack of protective gears.

He said many of his colleagues tested positive for COVID-19, while the results of others are still pending, lamenting that “the worst part of the whole issue is that one of our colleagues who was infected by the disease has transmitted it to her mother.” “We decided to desert our place of work because we have complained severally to the management of the hospital regarding the shortage of working facilities, but no response. “In the last two weeks, we have lost 41 patients and most of us had to go for test…

We have to step back since last week Wednesday. “It is not a strike, but we will not resume work until all our demands are met by the management of the hospital,” he said. Another doctor said, “Our lives are at risk; so also that of our families and the patients we are attending to. We thank God the management of the hospital has started responding to our calls because we have started witnessing changes. “However, we will still not resume until the results of our colleagues are ready so that we will decide who is to resume work and who is to be isolated.

“The management of the hospital should provide a hotel where doctors would be kept for 14 days upon completion of their 2-week duty. “Any doctor that worked for two weeks should be isolated for two weeks before he even go to his family. “This has been the practice in Abuja and it works perfectly. “If you work for two weeks, you will be isolated for two weeks before you go to your home and later report to your duty post again,” he said. Another doctor said, “We are not admitting patients again because many of our colleagues have tested positive for coronavirus.

“It is the same thing at Dala Hospital. Out of the 25 doctors that underwent the test, 15 tested positive. We are sitting on a time bomb, wallahi”. He said AKTH had introduced telemedicine in which the mobile phone numbers of HODs of Specialist Departments have been released to the public for consultation for non-emergency conditions. “But we still continue attending to emergency cases. The medicine side of Accident and Emergency was closed for fumigation, but surgery and other departments in A and E are working.

We carried out an operation on a patient recently,” he said. Daily Trust reports that the Kano State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) said on Tuesday, May 5, that 34 doctors had tested positive to the novel coronavirus in the state while one of the confirmed cases died. The NMA Chairman, Sanusi Bala, explained that many of the victims were the doctors working at AKTH and other private clinics in the state. He said many of them were infected through normal clinical routines while attending to unsuspected COVID-19 cases and therefore appealed to authorities to provide more protection for doctors through the procurement of PPE.

Another doctor said there was a need to establish strong synergy between the Kano State government and the management of AKTH. When contacted on the doctors’ allegation, the Assistant Director Communication of AKTH, Hajiya Hauwa Muhammed Abdullahi, said that the management had done a lot in ensuring that not only the doctors but everyone that mattered is being protected. She added that the hospital had provided adequate PPE to its staff for their safety adding that management had made it mandatory to see that best PPE are being provided.

“You can check for yourself, the PPE we provided to our doctors are of world standard and we make sure that we provide them with the required numbers,” she said.

Lifeline for FMC Abuja

Our investigations at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, revealed that until recently, the hospital had suffered from the shortage of PPE, a development that affected the work of the staff. It was gathered that the First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari recently made donations of PPE to the hospital. A nurse at the hospital who craved anonymity said that they got a lifeline when the Chief Medical Director secured a donation from Mrs. Buhari.

Before the donation, she said the PPE available were normal face masks and hand sanitisers produced by their pharmacy department. She said the pharmacy department started producing for the hospital’s use when the cost of purchase became so high as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. “We also have the infrared thermometer for screening as people come into the hospital, but there was shortage of other PPE for use by staff. Another staff blamed federal government agencies for not providing PPE for hospitals. A staff of the administrative department said there was no time the hospital did not have PPE, but admitted that they did not have enough until recently.

We’ll always make case for our members – NMA

The President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Francis A. Faduyile, said the association had said repeatedly that most hospitals across the country do not have enough protective equipment for health workers, but the problem has not abated. He said even COVID-19 isolation and treatment centres were now suffering from shortage of PPE. Asked if he was aware that doctors were absconding from duties at public and private hospitals on account of lack of PPE, he said he was not aware.

When our reporter asked for his advice for health workers who do not have PPE to work with, he said: “My advice for them is that they should follow what the minister of health has said several times that “health workers should get themselves protected, meaning they must be protected for them to treat patients.” On whether they have their own tally of members infected by COVID-19, Faduyile said he does not have the exact number of health workers infected as at press time, saying many doctors and other health workers tested positive.

He said that the 113 health workers mentioned by the minister do not include six doctors who tested positive in Lagos, and the 30 health workers that tested positive in Kano some days after the minister’s speech. It would be recalled that the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had said that about 113 health workers in Nigeria have so far tested positive for COVID-19. “Latest figure we have is that there are about 113 people in the health sector infected with COVID-19.

Although they are not all public health workers, there are good numbers from private hospitals,” he said. The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) said over 100 of their members in the country have been infected with COVID-19. The union in a statement signed by the National President and Secretary-General, of the union, Biobelemoye Josiah and Silas G. Adamu, called on the federal and state governments to provide large quantities of PPE and other consumables to health workers at all levels to enable them do their work professionally.

“This is important because the health worker is not on a “kamikaze” mission, hence must be alive and healthy before he/she can save other lives,” they said. They also advised their members to observe all known protocols to ensure that they stay safe. They should see every patient as a suspected COVID-19 carrier but be polite when dealing with such patients unless proved otherwise.

The Lagos State Government has issued new guidelines for the reopening of markets and shopping malls in the state as part of efforts to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic following Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s announcement of the gradual easing of the lockdown in Lagos from Monday.

The state’s Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr. Wale Ahmed, who disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Alausa, Ikeja, reiterated that all markets and stores in the various local councils/local council development areas across the metropolis would be allowed to open from 9:00 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. on selected days.

He emphasised that everyone attending these markets and stores would be mandated to observe precautionary measures such as physical distancing and high levels of personal and respiratory hygiene.

In a statement yesterday, Ahmed declared that malls would also be allowed to open with the proviso that stores will maintain a 60 per cent occupancy capacity at any point in time, while also ensuring that a two-metre physical distancing is maintained between a shopper and the next person in the store.

The commissioner maintained that food handlers must also wear face-masks and hand-gloves in markets at all times, directing that shop owners must provide hand sanitisers and wash hands with soap and running water at all entry points, conduct temperature checks on customers and ensure that nobody is exempted from the process.

Ahmed disclosed that stakeholders at a meeting attended by the Iyaloja/President, General Association of Commodity Market Women and Men of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo and other major market leaders in the state, unanimously agreed that effective from Monday, May 4, 2020, food sellers and other ware traders should operate on alternate days in all markets across the state, saying: “In essence, those trading in other items and wares apart from food will only be allowed to trade on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while all food and farm produce sellers will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.”

Meanwhile, in readiness for the 2020 rains, which is expected to commence soon and its attendant floods, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and its key stakeholders from relevant industries, have kick-started the flood preparedness plans.

In a statement, Director-General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Okey-Osanyintolu, said to generate adequate and effective mitigation plans against flooding this year with its prediction of high rainfalls, LASEMA had further employed technology to determine the land area of the local councils at high risk of flood.

Okey-Osanyintolu further stated that Lagos State’s re-activeness against flooding was predicated on the agency’s hazard vulnerability analysis, which empirical results determined its vulnerability to flooding in most parts of the state while the vulnerability risk assessment of flood on every part of the state, as a fundamental process in mitigating against flood disaster, helped the agency to provide accurate early warning.

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has ordered the shutdown of the State House of Assembly and quarantine of all its members after one of the members representing Nasarawa central in the Nasarawa House of Assembly, Mr Sule Adamu, died of COVID-19.

Governor Sule made the disclosure on Sunday while briefing newsmen on efforts put in place to curb the spread of the virus in the state.

IT is no longer news that there is a strain in the relationship between Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM) of Oyo State and his deputy, Engr. Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan, over the constitution of the Task Force on COVID-19 in the state.

But what has kept the state on the edge is the ongoing plot to remove the deputy governor by some forces on a flimsy excuse.

If it is true, Oyo State might revert to 1979-1983 era when the then governor of the state, the late Chief Bola Ige squared it up with his deputy, the late Chief Sunday Afolabi.

As a youth, GSM was elected to make a difference, not to repeat history and set the state on fire. Some groups are pleading that the governor and his deputy should resolve their differences amicably.

The Emir of Rano, Dr Tafida Abubakar Ila ll, one of the four emirs of the newly created emirates in Kano State, was taken to hospital yesterday, Daily Trust learnt.

It was not certain whether the illness was related to COVID-19, but a source at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) said Dr Ila ll was brought in critical condition early yesterday.

He said the emir was referred to the Nassarawa Specialist Hospital for further medical attention. “The vehicle conveying the emir to Nassarawa hospital just left the premises of AKTH, the condition of the emir was critical at the time they departed AKTH,” he said.

A traditional title holder in Rano emirate who pleaded anonymity said the emir was first rushed to AKTH but for lack of oxygen he was referred to Nassarawa hospital. “The emir is in critical condition and from the look of things, the situation is alarming, may Allah protect us all,” he said.

The Federal Government has directed officers on Grade Level 14 and above as well as those on essential services to resume work with effect from Monday, May 4. The civil servants are to work three times a week, namely Monday, Wednesday and Friday and close at 2p.m on each day.

Already, the Federal Secretariat Complex has been decontaminated in preparation for the partial resumption of work, while efforts were being made to decontaminate other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, gave the directive in a statement signed by Mrs. Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, Director of Information, Office of the HOCSF.

The directive, according to Yemi-Esan, is furtherance to President Muhammadu Buhari’s broadcast on a phased and gradual easing of the lockdown measures occasioned by COVID-19. “The concerned officers are to ensure full compliance with the directives and advice on the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These measures include maintenance of social distancing, regular washing and/or sanitising of hands and wearing of face masks. “Officers are to limit the number of visitors they receive to the barest minimum, they should also ensure that the visitors comply with safety and health advices/ directives,” Yemi- Esan said. HOCSF also advised Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executive Officers to ensure that hand washing and sanitation facilities are placed at entrances and strategic points in their Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). “Infrared thermometers are to be provided at the entrance of the MDAs for compulsory temperature checks while, as much as practicable, the entrance to the MDAs is limited to only one.

“It will be noted that the Federal Secretariat Complexes have been decontaminated while efforts are ongoing to do same in other public offices,” she said. Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will decide on resumption of normal activities next week following the Federal Government’s planned gradual easing off of COVID-19 lockdown from next Monday. The commission had closed its secretariats nationwide from members of the public on March 23 due to increase cases of coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said in a statement yesterday after the meeting of INEC management, that the commission noted the advi-sory and protocols outlined by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on combating COVID-19.

Okoye stated that INEC would review the situation in its offices across the country when it meets on May 7, and adopt a clear road map and guidelines for resumption of activities in line with the announcement by the PTF.

“The exact date for the step-by-step resumption of normal activities in the headquarters, state and local government offices will be communicated to staff, our stakeholders and the public after the commission’s meeting on Thursday 7 May 2020. “Staff earlier designated for the provision of essential services are to continue with their work,” said the National Commissioner. He advised election stakeholders to wait for further communication from the commission on resumption of normal activities.

“The commission understands and appreciates the Health personnel making use of COBAS system at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) National Reference Laboratory for COVID-19 testing. With this system, approximately 960 samples can be tested in 8 hours.

NAN need for timely resumption of activities in view of the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states and the by-elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Plateau states and is doing everything possible to observe critical protocols that will make for the seamless and gradual restoration of normalcy,” he assured.

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had, on Wednesday, stated that Federal Government establishments, banks, construction companies, manufacturing and others can commence operation from Monday, May, 4, after five-week lockdown.

The National Coordinator of the PTF on COVID-19, Dr. Aliyu Sani, said that the resumption would be based on specific grade levels. He said construction, manufacturing and food processing companies would be allowed to open, while banks would operate from 8a.m. to 2p.m. daily – all observing the new restrictions put in place by the government.

The Lagos State Government on Thursday issued fresh guidelines for public transport operations in the state as part of the controlled measures to ease the lockdown over COVID-19 pandemic.

The state Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, released the guidelines at a news conference in Lagos.

According to him, public transport operations within the state shall be between the hours of 6.00a.m and 7.00p.m daily from May 4.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new guidelines bring a slight difference to the Federal Government directive that ordered 8.00p.m to 6.00a.m curfew in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja as from May 4.

Oladeinde told newsmen that the guidelines should be followed by commuters and transport operators in the state until further notice.

He reiterated that inter-state operation had been suspended until further notice, except for essential services.

According to him, the operations of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as “Okada”, has been suspended indefinitely across the state.

The commissioner said that commuters were mandated to wear face mask at all times, sanitise their hands with alcohol base sanitisers or wash their hands with soap and running water before and after each trip.

”All transport operators/companies are expected to disinfect their vehicles, parks and garages regularly and continuously in collaboration/supervision of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources to ensure standards and safety of the disinfectant being used.

“All transport operators/companies are expected to have at the entrance of their respective parks handwashing equipment with running water and alcohol-based sanitisers.

“Disinfectant companies are to be guided by the Environmental Health Unit of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

“Operators are expected to have alcohol-based Sanitisers in their vehicles for both drivers, conductors and passengers,” Oladeinde said.

According to him, motor parks and garages must not be overcrowded with passengers and commercial activities at any point in time.

He said that social distancing was required for passengers queuing to board buses.

“NCDC recommends that at least 2m (5feet) distance is required between people; operators are not allowed to over crowd/over load their vehicles at this point in time.

“All public buses should be 60 per cent capacity (i.e for busees, one passenger with driver in front seat, two passengers on the back rows each and two passengers for tricycle),” he added.

Oladeinde said trucks and individual transporting foods and other raw materials into the state must comply with the guidelines.

He said that the driver and other individuals on such vehicle must always use face marks and an alcohol based hand sanitisers.

Oladeinde said that all vehicles carrying foods and other agricultural produce in and out of Lagos must not carry passengers more than seven on board.

According to him, vehicles used for the transportation of food items and other services must be disinfected before gaining access into the state’s border and when leaving, under strict monitoring by relevant government agencies.

Lagos State Health Commissioner, Prof Akin Abayomi, says the coronavirus infection affects the kidney and the blood.

He made this known on Wednesday morning during a programme on Arise News.

The commissioner warned that obese, diabetic, and hypertensive persons should be “very careful” as their condition pose a likely risk of being infected with the lethal virus.

“There are new discoveries about the COVID-19 virus. For instance, it is not a straightforward respiratory problem. We have found out that it impacts the blood, the kidneys.

"The common denominator are diabetes, hypertension, and underlying immunological problems. Obesity is also a possible risk factor. We watch such people closely. If you fall into any of these categories, you have to be very careful,” he said.

Awka – Even as American President Donald Trump promised to assist Nigeria with ventilators, officials of Anambra State Ministry of Health have discovered four unused ventilators packed in its central store in Awka, the state capital.

The ventilators were procured by the former Governor and vice presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mr Peter Obi.

They, along with other medical equipment, were procured by Obi as part of the equipment for Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) Teaching Hospital Amaku Awka which he, Obi, built before leaving office.

Speaking on the shocking discovery, former Commissioner of Health in Obi’s administration Professor Amobi Linus Ilika said the ventilators were part of medical equipment bought by the government of that time shortly before it left office before some of them could be put to use.

Ilika told INDEPENDENT: “There could be more. I can’t remember how many we bought. They were part of medical equipment I bought in the United States of America.

They included kidney dialysis machines some of which may be obsolete if not used.

“The Government of Mr. Peter Obi bought six container loads of medical equipment and the contents were packed in that big store near Fire Service building along Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

“They should check for more equipment in that big store because there are a lot of them that were procured and secured there before we left office”.

Ilika lamented that when Obi left office a lot of things he started were abandoned and installation of the medical equipment might be part of that.

The present Commissioner of health could not be reached as he was said to be in a meeting.

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a dead former lawmaker from Ebonyi State, Tobias Chukwuemeka Okwuru, to the board of the Federal Character Commission.

The appointment of the late Okwuru alongside 37 others was contained in a letter Buhari sent to the Nigerian Senate for confirmation.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, read out the letter on Tuesday during plenary.

But findings by SaharaReporters has revealed that Okwuru, who once represented Ikwo/Ezza Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, died in February 2020 at the age of 59.


https://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/67D1793E-E718-4B87-BF81-FC38A80BC7CB.jpeg?itok=E8kCS_JC

During his lifetime, he served as state auditor of Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Whip of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, before moving to represent his constituency at the National Assembly.

Late Tobias Chukwuemeka Okwuru
Interestingly, this won’t be the first time President Buhari will be giving appointment to dead people.

In 2017, the list of appointments into the boards of federal agencies and corporations released was enmeshed in controversy after the names of five persons said to be dead appeared on it.

The dead persons alleged to be on that list were Senator Francis Okpozo (Delta), Rev. Father Christopher Utau (Benue), DIG Donald Ugbaja (retd), Garba Attahiru (Kaduna) and Umar Dange (Sokoto).

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo


The federal government is considering reviewing upwards the proposed N500 billion economic stimulus package meant to cushion the debilitating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Besides, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led Economic Sustainability Committee is also putting forward another proposal for a gradual relaxation of the current lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun States in order to ease economic activities grounded by efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari had locked down FCT, Lagos and Ogun States since March 30, 2020, a decision that is due for review today.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, had at a meeting with the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, had proposed an establishment of a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund.

The fund, she said, would be sourced from mopping up resources from various special accounts of the federal government.

The minister had also stated that in addition to the identified special accounts from where the money would be drawn as loans, the fund would also be sourced from grants being expected and loans from multilateral institutions.

THISDAY investigations, however, revealed that the Osinbajo committee, which came up with the proposals to relax the lockdown and increase the N500 billion fund, is scheduled to hold a teleconference meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari’s Economic Advisory Council to harmonise positions on various aspects of their recommendations before submitting a report to the president.

A source confided in THISDAY that “the committee has received reports from its various sub-committees on finance and stimulus package headed by the Minister of Finance, Ahmed; the one on job creation headed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; sub-committee on easing of COVID-19 lockdown headed by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.”

On lockdown, the source said the Fashola’s sub-committee had proposed the easing of the present lockdown in some states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “The committee has recommended that the government should implement a gradual unlocking of movements and activities in the affected areas and to only continue the measures where necessary,” the source said.

He said Osinbajo would preside over another meeting of the committee tomorrow where the reports would be deliberated and harmonised with the economic advisory team before the final recommendations would be forwarded to the president.

“The recommendation is to dwell on measures to be taken on COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 era. The committee will conclude this with the Presidential Economic Advisory Council via a teleconference on Tuesday before sending its harmonised report to Mr. President,” the source added.

On what may form part of the key recommendations by the economic team, the source said: ” What they are looking at is that the N500 billion as announced would be expanded. In the interim, the committee will be working with the N500 billion but it has resolved that an increase will be recommended, which will be significantly above N500 billion.”

The source explained that although no ceiling had been put on the expanded stimulus package, the committee is pushing for a significant increase in the amount.

“The committee is also working assiduously to stem job losses through so many innovations. The target is to first protect the existing jobs and then find ways to create more jobs to take care of the depleting effect of the post-COVID-19 era,” he stated.

The Osinbajo committee comprises Ministers of Finance, Budget and Planning; Industry, Trade and Investment; Labour and Employment; Minister of State Petroleum Resources; CBN governor; NNPC Group Managing Director and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, who serves as secretary of the committee.

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Sunday announced that the state public servants earning, at least, N67, 000 will have 25 per cent of their salaries ‘donated’ to the state’s purse until the end of the quarantine period.

Kaduna is one of the Nigerian states that have confirmed cases of coronavirus. The state put in place a quarantine order to curtail the spread of the virus which has killed over 203, 000 persons worldwide.

El-Rufai himself only recovered from the viral infection a few days ago.

The state government did not say if the ‘donation’ was made voluntarily by affected civil servants.

“Career public servants earning a net pay of N67,000 and above aftertax will also donate 25% of their pay monthly whilst the quarantine conditions are in place,” El-Rufai’s media adviser Muyiwa Adekeye said in a statement while announcing the extension of the lockdown in the state for another 30 days.

“No public servant will have less N50,000 monthly to manage in this emergency period,” he said.

Adekeye said the governor has also asked the state senior appointees, including commissioners, permanent secretaries, special advisers and heads of agencies to each donate N500,000 each in April 2020.

“In subsequent months, they will donate 50% of their salaries until the quarantine ends,” he said.

The quarantine ends at the end of May after being extended by 30 days.

The governor said the contribution from the “less than 100, 000” political appointees and public servants in the state is needed in enabling the 10 million persons living in the state to survive and thrive in this emergency period.

“As a state government, we are also seeking donations from high net worth individuals, the private sector and development partners to support our efforts to contain Covid-19 and its consequences,” Adekeye.

“The Kaduna State Government wishes to inform potential donors that we prefer donations to be in kind: personal protective equipment, PCR machines, medical facilities and equipment, facemasks, food, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizer, seeds and seedlings and other support for farmers.”

Kaduna State will be the first state to take such decision as Nigeria battles the spread of coronavirus that has crumbled the global economy.

Kaduna has 10 confirmed cases of coronavirus. A few other states might also look in the same direction.

Nigeria, like many other countries, has been hit economically by the virus as world oil price keeps dipping. Many of the states in the country have restricted movements and bar large gatherings. A federal government-ordered lockdown is in place in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states.

But a former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Chukwuma Soludo argued that many African nations cannot afford to lock down their economies and prolonged border closure in the long run.

“Our thesis is that lockdowns in Africa suffer time-inconsistency problem without a credible exit strategy; is unaffordable and could potentially worsen the twin pandemic—health and economic—in Africa,” Soludo said in an article published in BusinessDay.

In fact, the International Monetary Fund recently said Nigeria is heading into recession and it may be the country’s worst in 30 years.

President Muhammadu Buhari may address the country on Monday as the lockdown he ordered in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja expires on Monday.

The house of representatives has scheduled its resumption for Tuesday amid the fight to contain coronavirus.

Nigeria currently has 1,182 coronavirus cases out of which 222 persons have recovered and 35 have died.

The lower legislative chamber had suspended plenary on March 24 when the country had 44 COVID-19 cases.

But in a notice on Sunday, Patrick Giwa, clerk of the green chamber, asked members to take note of the resumption date.

“This is to inform all Members of the House of Representatives that the House will now resume plenary session on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, at 10.am,” he said.

“Members are advised to take note of the new date of resumption, please.

“The Covid-19 Guidelines approved by the Federal Government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and additional Guidelines developed by the House will be sent to Members’ pigeon holes for collection on resumption.

“Staff and Members’ Aides are to work from home and will be notified when needed in the office for any special assignment.”

Members of the Federal Executive Council are pushing for the appointment of one of them as the next Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, The Nation gathered last night.

Some of the ministers are already reaching out to key strategists and advisors to President Muhammadu Buhari on why one of them should be in charge of his schedules.

The President is said to be waiting for the mourning period for the late Mallam Abba Kyari to be over before making his mind known on the next CoS.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday that it was not in any way involved in the process of picking Kyari’s successor.

The ministers, according to sources, are rooting for one of them as CoS because of what they term as “better synergy.”

They are also of the view that a cabinet candidate would be able to fast-track decision-making on issues.

It was however unclear last night whether the President was in agreement with the position of his minister although one source said the slot would remain in the North.

Some of the favoured cabinet members are Education Minister Adamu Adamu (arguably the closest to the President); Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha; Water Resources Minister Suleiman Adamu; Minister of State for Transportation(Aviation), Sen. Hadi Sirika; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties, Ya’u Shehu Darazo; Justice Minister Abubakar Malami (SAN); Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq; Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi; and Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Raji Fashola among others.

A top source said: “Although the Chief of Staff is a personal staff of the President, ministers are desirous of one of them as the successor to Kyari. Some of them are lobbying for the appointment of one of them.

“Their argument is that it will enhance synergy between the President and his cabinet since ministers now report to the Chief of Staff.

They are also saying that time is no longer on the side of the government; the President needs a Chief of Staff who can fast-track decision-making and implementation.

“The ministers have no particular preference but they have a mindset on who they like if given the chance to pick.

“The President is still keeping mum on his choice until after the mourning of his late Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “Definitely, the new Chief of Staff will come from the North. The President might favour a loyal and long-standing associate for the job.

“The number of aspirants for the office has grown but it is difficult to say who the President will pick.”


APC not involved in who becomes the new COS

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday that it has no role to play in determining or influencing who emerges as the next Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

It said the appointment of CoS who is a personal aide to the Chief Executive is at the discretion of the President.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu said in an interview in Abuja that the clarification became necessary following pressure being mounted by some party organs, chieftains and close associates of the President on who is to be appointed to replace Mallam Abba Kyari who died penultimate Friday in Lagos.

He said: “The office of a Chief of Staff is not a statutory position. That position is that of a personal aide to the President.

“The office, the power and authority as well as the duties and responsibilities of the person that occupies the position are determined solely by the President.

“The party is not involved and will not be involved in the appointment. We understand perfectly that the appointment of Chief of Staff is at the discretion of the President. It is the President who knows what he wants from the person he wants to appoint, so it does not concern anybody or the party.

“The President has an idea of what he wants from his Chief of Staff and he understands the kind of person that can deliver to him. The office of Chief of Staff is not a constitutional matter. He (President) may not even have the office, he may decide to scrap the office completely and he will not be breaking any law of the land.”

Issa-Onilu said the party frowned at the tension being generated since the demise of Kyari and warned all those putting pressure on the President to desist from doing so. “People are just making a mountain out of a mole hill. Why should anybody or the party influence who to choose?” he queried.

But when asked if the pressure on the President was not a distraction, the APC Chieftain said the President could not be distracted by the “unwarranted pressure”.

“If we underrate the capacity of Mr. President, we may think he is distracted, but, we as a party understand that the President cannot be distracted. He is a man of his own mind. He knows what he wants and has the capacity to do what he wants to do. He is a man whose decisions are guided by the interest of the nation.”


‘Office of Chief of Staff isn’t a piece of cake’- Ex-CoS to Jonathan

Ex-Chief of Staff to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Brig-Gen Jones Oladeinde Arogbofa has said the office is not a piece of cake as the responsibilities are “highly demanding.”

Speaking on a radio programme in Osogbo on Friday, he said the position demands of the holder immense loyalty and intellectual competency.

He said: “The responsibilities of a Chief of Staff to the president are numerous but it falls under two major descriptions; managerial and advisory.

“A Chief of Staff must be able to manage the affairs of the President in terms of staff and other issues. You have to control the flow of people into Aso Rock and presidency, selection of key Presidential staff, and supervise them.

“Manage the flow of information, manage correspondence of the president, protect the interests of his interest, negotiate with the National Assembly and other branches of government, ensure that physical and emotional pressure on president is reduced to the barest minimum, protect the president from undue influences.

“The CoS must serve as ear and eyes of the president and tell the president the truth even if it is bitter. Guiding of the president on how to act on issues and many others.

“If anyone wants to be chief of staff, such person must have a lot of energy to work because many at times the work is highly demanding and the president calls at every point in time to discuss national issues. Nigeria is big and only one man is managing it, he needs support. The President contends with economic, security, and political development.

“The President needs someone who is loyal, dedicated, ethical, intellectually sound and can take the speck to do the job. You must not embarrass the president in addressing issues. The chief of staff to the president must be trustworthy because the president must rely on the chief of staff and believed that you can’t join hands with others against him. The office is not a piece of cake.”

The Lagos police command has announced the arrest of 620 persons, including 39 at a strip club, who violated the lockdown in the state.

On March 30, President Muhammadu Buhari had restricted movements in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja to limit the spread of coronavirus. The president later extended the lockdown by two weeks.

In a statement on Sunday, Bala Elkana, Lagos police public relations officer, said those who violated the lockdown order were arrested between April 21 and April 24, 2020.

“On 21/4/2020 at about 2000hours, acting on information, operatives from Denton Police Station arrested 95 inter-state travellers at Bhojson area, Ebute Metta in seven commercial buses with registration numbers LG 91 BGT, Lagos to Benue; BDA 690 XA, Lagos to Abuja; BGA 86 EA, Lagos to Abuja; LSD 459 XA, Lagos to Benue; LRN 105 YR, Lagos to Ilorin; LSD 81 XX, Lagos to Ilorin and BWR 975 PN, Lagos to Abuja,” he said.

“The buses were impounded; the drivers and passengers were charged to mobile court and sentenced accordingly. In addition, 211 violators of lockdown order were arrested in different parts of the State and also charged to court.

“On 23/4/2020 at about 2230hrs, operatives from Maroko Police Station arrested 10 suspects for organising a party at Lekki Garden. The suspects were arraigned in Court on three-count charges and found guilty as charged. They were sentenced to 6 months imprisonment and community service, to run concurrently.

“On April 24, 2020, at about 0130hours, acting on credible intelligence, officers from Idimu Police Station arrested 39 persons in a hotel at Idimu for clubbing and striptease.

“Also, on 24/4/2020 at about 2030hours, Enforcement team from the Rapid Response Squad arrested one Suleiman Abubakar, the Imam of Sheik Central Mosque, Mile 12 Ketu, for holding evening prayers (Maghrib and Isha prayers) in the mosque with a large number of worshippers in violation of social distancing regulations.”

According to the statement, Hakeem Odumosu, the Lagos police commissioner, urged residents to continue to be law abiding, and warned them against “spreading fake news and recycling old videos on social media with new captions that suggest that the incidents happened during the lockdown period in Lagos, mainly to create panic”.

As the plan on providing free electricity to Nigerians for two months intensifies, there are concerns that the targeted vulnerable poor will not benefit from the initiative. Sources said there is an ongoing plan between the legislature and the executive arm of government to source for over N110 billion to pay for two months electricity for Nigerians with special focus on the poor who are most hit by the coronavirus. But experts in the power sector, some legislators and experts described the move as “a misplaced priority” and advised those pushing for the project to channel the money to other areas that would have direct impact on Nigerians.

Two weeks ago, precisely on 8 April, the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) announced that it was in touch with the House of Representatives and the federal government to give two months free electricity to consumers as a palliative to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. However, the next day, ANED clarified that the free electricity was not the DisCos’s initiative and that the distribution companies would only honour the arrangement when they get paid for electricity bill covering the proposed two months.

Last Thursday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila held a meeting with the Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman; Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Prof. James Momoh and other stakeholders. In a video of the meeting’s proceeding, Gbajabiamila said the Nigerian masses do not care about anything else but the basic necessities of life especially after government(s) had asked people to stay at home for several days or weeks.

“We need to help the poorest of the poorest at this time in Nigeria. I have repeated that we are not doing them a favour; giving people light is not doing them a favour. It is very important that we focus on that and we are doing this for the Nigerian people. “Let’s forget whether it’s between GenCos and DisCos and whoever it is, and lets just deliver on what we are going to deliver,” the Speaker said.

The Power Minister, Engr. Mamman at the meeting said, “We will give all the support as well as technical advice toward the realisation of this objective. We are ready whenever our input is needed.” On his Twitter handle, the minister further said, “We had a very constructive meeting and a joint panel has been constituted to look into it. We are very much concerned with how it can be implemented to benefit the poorest most vulnerable Nigerians.”

The DisCos on their part assured that they can deliver the mandate once all the details were worked out and agreed on. The committee has a term of reference of identifying the people eligible to benefit from the electricity palliative, and the registered electricity consumers. They will also advise the House leadership on means to attain regular supply after the pandemic period. It’s better to channel the money elsewhere.

A federal legislator who spoke in confidence condemned the whole idea about giving free electricity to Nigerians saying more than 70 per cent of the actual poor Nigerians do not have access to the national grid. “It is actually a misnomer because how many people will be affected by the intervention? The real poor man is looking for food, water and medicine.

“Of course Nigeria can cough out the over N100 billion but it will only end up in the pockets of the GenCos without any benefit for the masses. I don’t know why some people are pushing for this. “I am a representative and I know what my people want. Why not select one hospital in each of the 774 LGAs and buy drugs for them with the money? Or why not buy grains and give the people to cushion their hardship at this trying moment?

Honestly, it is laughable for some of our colleagues to start thinking of giving free electricity that is not there in the first place,” he said. Akan, a power sector consultant said according to records, the vulnerable Nigerians do not have access to electricity. “How would you give free electricity to people in the rural areas who are not connected to the power grid? They should use that money if it is there to connect more communities to the national grid,” he stated.

Zainab Hashimu, a public sector analyst said, “I wonder if there are no other better options to spend the palliatives fund on than free electricity. If the intention is really to impact on lives, there are farmers who can’t sell produce because of the transport and market restrictions during lockdown, buy those produce from them and give to the needy as palliatives. “You would have empowered two groups of the vulnerable while the pandemic lasts,” she said.


No infrastructure to actualise the gesture

While the initiative for the free electricity for Nigerians may be described as a relief, the absence of robust electricity infrastructure especially across rural areas in Nigeria where the poor masses are domiciled may mar the anticipated relief that will come with the two months free electricity.

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) is meant to connect many rural areas with electricity. However, in the last four years, it shifted attention mainly to off grid electricity. This means many targeted communities have not been connected to the national power grid and are not under the DisCos in the core power sector.

Daily Trust had reported in November 2019 that residents in various rural communities raised concerns over the non-connection and the lack of maintenance for rural electricity projects worth N1 billion in some states. There are cases of northern Borno that is completely off the national grid, cases in Benue, Ondo, and riverine communities in the South-south states.


No power consumer fund after 7 years

The absence of the Power Consumer Assistance Fund (PCAF) seven years after the process was initiated by NERC has also left a big vacuum that would have made the initiative being fronted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives workable. Gbajabiamila was informed at the recent meeting on the free electricity by NERC officials that the fund was not yet in existence. He immediately showed his displeasure saying, “If that had been set up, perhaps we would have had the fund with which to assist this proposal. I think we should look into setting up this fund because we don’t know when next this kind of issue may come up.”

Section 83 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) 2005, which was followed to privatise the power sector, created newer agencies, including Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Agency (NERC). It also mandated the establishment of the consumer fund to be managed by NERC. Daily Trust found that NERC had called for consultancy firms to work with it on modalities for establishing the fund in 2012. The consultancy work was to begin in September and concluded by December 2012 for the implementation of the fund.

The parties were to use the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2012-2016 to identify the underprivileged, indigent and poor customers who should be termed as ‘Eligible Consumers’, and ‘Designated Consumers’ to benefit from the Fund in line with provisions of the EPSRA 2005. NERC was to design a rate on contributions to the fund from the GenCos, DisCos and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) – determine the contribution rates by the successor companies.

Other contributors include the Eligible Customers (larger power consumers), the federal government (in form of budget subsidy), and others. “But the fund which would have conveniently solve the free power thing is not there. I can assure that we cannot achieve what we want to do on an ad hoc basis because it will not work,” another legislator said.


Free electricity a hoax, impact bleak – Experts

Key players in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) in their reactions to the free electricity proposal described it as a hoax having no possible impact on the economy or the improvement of the lives of Nigerians. The Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed, in an interview dismissed the claims saying the federal government cannot make power free because it does not own the generated energy.

Apart from the TCN that is a public utility and the transporter of electricity, which government owns, the generation and distribution sections are in private hands. Mohammed said there are huge revenue gaps in the electricity market and government’s intervention has not solved any of them. “The federal government is providing subsidy that is not coming enough as at when due as we still have huge unpaid bills,” Mohammed said.

The Head of PowerUp Nigeria, a power sector advocacy group, Adetayo Adegbemle who is privy to the recent meeting on the issue dismissed the initiative saying, “It was a spur of the moment thing” as the lockdown effect became glaring. According to him, “Nigerians will appreciate the government doing something for them but how much benefit will it accrue to consumers at the end of the day?

“If it were then, when the federal government had NEPA, it would have been possible but now with other stakeholders, I don’t see the workability of that. That is my opinion,” he noted. President of the Nigeria Consumers Protection Network, Kunle Olubiyo, dismissed any impact of such action saying telecommunications is also an essential service.

Olubiyo insisted that there was no harmony between the House of Representatives and the Senate on the issue. “Except government will give advance payment guarantee like irrevocable Letter of Credit or bank guarantee of which nothing like that exists. So it is just cheap political populism. “It is even difficult to implement across boards, to even identify the vulnerable and isolate them for the free power supply.”


Free power to cost N110bn bills

If the plan comes to fruition, the federal government would get a bill of about N110 billion from the DisCos for electricity supplied to estimated N10 million registered consumers. It may however decide to pay only N17.3bn for Residential 1 (R1) customers who are the poor captured in the current electricity bill template.

As of January 2020, records obtained from the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) showed the 11 DisCos got a monthly bill of N52.2bn from which they were only able to pay N14.9bn. Adopting this template, the federal government would need to provide about N110bn as subsidy or palliative to give registered electricity customers free electricity for two months.

A source privy to the joint committee on free electricity said if the initiative was going to work, the DisCos would have to submit their invoices of the poor masses they had supplied in the two months, especially the number of R1 customers under their MYTO billing template.

By Bolade Omonijo and Yusuf Alli,



The next Chief of Staff to the President is likely to emerge from a field of nine notable public figures, as the seat of power tries to get over the shocking demise of the former occupant of the office, Mallam Abba Kyari.

Kyari died on Friday night and was buried at Gudu Cemetery in Abuja on Saturday.

The Nation gathered on Saturday that the search for Kyari’s replacement has to get underway as early as possible in view of the importance of the office to the smooth functioning of the Presidency.

Several power brokers are already showing interest in who gets the post.

Sources said that the emergence of the next Chief of Staff may depend largely on the advisory of the President’s nephew and confidant, Mallam Mamman Daura, who stuck out his neck for Kyari.

Those being tipped for the position include former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe; Education Minister Adamu Adamu (arguably the closest cabinet member to the President); Customs Comptroller-General, Hamid Ali; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha; and a former Minister, Ismaila Isa Funtua.

Others are Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties, Ya’u Shehu Darazo; a former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Gen. Buba Marwa; and the immediate past Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr. Jalal Arabi.

Five of the nine candidates are considered part of the President’s kitchen cabinet, otherwise called “The Cabal.”

Although El-Rufai is not ranked as a member of the inner circle, he is always consulted when necessity demands.

In the case of Marwa he is seen as the choice of Mrs. Aisha Buhari for the office.

Some bigwigs prefer SGF Mustapha for endearing himself to all with his sterling performance, loyalty and maturity with which he is serving the Buhari administration.

Arabi’s 12 years’ experience as State House Counsel and later Permanent Secretary is considered a plus for him in the race.

Investigations revealed that members of the kitchen cabinet would want the slot for one of them for continuity, having been privy to the modus operandi of the late Kyari.

It was gathered that if the President bows to the demand of “The Cabal”, the search may be narrowed down to five persons: Kingibe, Adamu, Ali, Darazo and Funtua.

A reliable source said: “The choice of Kyari’s successor won’t be easy, especially because he made the office the locus of power. President Buhari is known to have relied on him so much that he is regarded as the pillar of the administration.

“It is expected that whoever succeeds him in official and unofficial capacities must have most of the qualities which made Buhari to strike a bond with Abba Kyari for 40 years.”

A snapshot of some candidates is as follows:


BABAGANA KINGIBE

In the last five years, Kingibe, who will be 75 years old on June 25, has been one of the powers behind the throne.

Going by the permutations of power brokers, Kingibe fits into Kyari’s shoes having served as SGF (2007-2008), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1993-1995), Minister of Internal Affairs (1995-1997); and Minister of Power and Steel from 1997-1998.

A Kanuri like the late Abba Kyari, Kingibe is an astute technocrat and politician. He was, in the stillborn Third Republic, pioneer chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and later running mate of the late Chief Moshood Abiola in the truncated 1993 presidential election. He is, however, disliked in the Southern wing of the progressives where he is seen as a renegade. He bounced back into reckoning under this administration where he has been saddled with official and unofficial assignments by the President.

A source said: “If Kingibe is appointed as the next Chief of Staff, it might change the colour of the jostle for power in 2023 as he might use the office to take a shot at the presidency. This may provoke North-South rivalry because power is expected to shift to the South in 2023 after the eight-year tenure of President Buhari.

“Age factor and its related health challenges may not favour Kingibe who is well-loved by the President. He is one of the key members of ‘The Cabal’ behind Buhari.”


ADAMU ADAMU

Until the miraculous renewal of the tenure of the late Kyari, the expectation of some close aides of the President was that the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who is the only cabinet member who has the ears of the President at any time, would clinch the post. Adamu had acted more as a Personal Assistant to Buhari for decades based on love, shared principles and faith in the President. He was the only minister given the privilege to assess the list of ministerial nominees and to oversee the assignment of portfolios.

A source recalled the politics of the reappointment of Kyari and what happened during a trip to Saudi Arabia.

The source added: “Before constituting his present cabinet, Buhari went on a trip to Saudi Arabia and Adamu was on the entourage.

“While in Saudi Arabia, a respected influential person in the power corridors was even begging the Minister not to decline to be Chief of Staff if offered by the President.

“We do not know whether or not the Minister refused to be the Chief of Staff and Buhari decided to retain Kyari.

“With his Spartan discipline, incorruptible principles and a cosmopolitan outlook, Adamu is actually the man to beat for the job. He likes operating behind the scene than being a minister.”

Born on May 25, 1956, Adamu will be 64 years old next month leaving him with age advantage. He is a shrewd accountant, writer and reputable journalist.

It could not be immediately confirmed if it is true or not that Adamu has some health challenges.


HAMID IBRAHIM ALI

A disciplinarian, Ali was Military Administrator of Kaduna State between 1996 to 1998 with a rare anti-corruption agenda. He has taken the same sanitization drive to the Nigeria Customs Service where he has tightened the noose on corrupt officers and men. In 1997, he sacked about 30,000 striking civil servants and detained 18 local government chairmen. He believes in the carrot and stick approach and he does not care whose ox is gored.

Born 15 January, 1955 (now 65 years), Ali, who is a confidant of the President, was penciled down as Buhari’s Chief of Staff in 2015 until he was outsmarted in palace politics for being “non-conformist and tight fisted.” He is a former Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and a tidy record keeper with disdain for ostentation.


YA’U DARAZO

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties, Ya’u Shehu Darazo may appear little known but to those conversant with the power game in this administration, he cannot be dismissed. He is the Secretary of ‘The Cabal’ and the unseen hand before some appointments, especially some youthful ministers.

Although there was a Presidential Campaign Council for 2019 poll, Darazo headed a team which strategized for the re-election of the President in 2019. All the political accords and manoeuvres which earned Buhari victory in some states were managed and coordinated by Darazo.

Highly organized, Darazo has been a long time associate of President Buhari.


BOSS MUSTAPHA

Calm, cool-headed and polished, SGF Boss Mustapha was not in the reckoning of ‘The Cabal’ until fate dealt him a favourable hand when a former SGF Babachir Lawal quit office. Within a short time in office, Mustapha, who became the SGF in 2017, has brought his background as a lawyer, businessman and politician to bear on his assignment. Between 1998 and 2006, he was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until he joined forces with progressive-minded politicians in the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Two factors might work against him namely being a Christian minority from the North and as well as not belonging to core loyalists of Buhari. He lives a decent and non-aligned life. But he has performed his duties in a manner that he has become a favourite of the President, climaxing in his choice as the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on the containment of COVID-19. On merit, Mustapha would be a right peg in the right hole.


BUBA MARWA

One factor in favour of Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa is his excellent record of performance as Military Administrator (MILAD) of Borno and Lagos States. Born September 9, 1953, the 66 years old general was one of the elite officers in the Nigerian Army who obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.

He had attempted to be the PDP presidential candidate for 2007 polls but withdrew for the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. A former Aide-de-Camp to a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, the ex-MILAD is currently chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse. He is polished, intellectually deep and a pan-Nigerian – qualities needed in a Chief of Staff. But Marwa’s unstable political career could be his undoing.

A source said: “Some forces within the first family, including Mrs. Aisha Buhari, wanted the ex-Military Administrator to be made the Chief of Staff at the commencement of the second term, but counter-forces from the kitchen cabinet frustrated it.

“When the lobbying was stuck, they made a case for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for the former MILAD which also failed. This is a second chance for him.

“Although the ex-MILAD will add value to the government, the only hurdle facing him is how he allegedly abandoned Buhari in the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) in 2011 for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) without deferring to him. Some loyalists of Buhari do not want him near the power corridors.”


JALAL AHMAD ARABI

Said to be liked by the late Abba Kyari, the 1983 Law graduate of the University of Jos was appointed State House Permanent Secretary on November 11, 2015. Before then, he was the State House Counsel for many years. He ran into a storm in 2017 for allegedly being too prudent, including cutting the budget for the Office of the First Lady. But he was saved from suspension by Kyari. He is a very good administrator.

A source said: “If Buhari is tired of having aged administrators as Chief of Staff, he can try a core civil servant and Jalal is a favourite of some power holders.”


ISMAILA ISA FUNTUA

A former President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua, who is a member of the so-called cabal, is eminently qualified. He has been a public administrator, newspaper publisher and successful businessman. He was also a Minister in the Second Republic (1979-1983). Born in 1942, he fits the President’s known preference for older figures.

An Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), he was at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies where he was Monitor General of Course Nine. He will likely have the full backing of another member of the unofficial kitchen cabinet -Mamman Daura.

In an interview with Arise Television, Funtua said: “I’m not a member of any cabal, I’m cabal myself. What is cabal? In short, I think it means kitchen cabinet, people that you trust. People you believe will not deceive you, that they can do things in the interest of the country.”

However, his emergence may be stoutly resisted by the First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari. Some may also raise eyebrows that Funtua is, like the President, from Katsina State and an in-law to the President because his son is married to Buhari’s daughter.


NASIR El RUFAI

He is relatively young, charismatic, brilliant, brutally frank and courageous. He has been a political follower of President Buhari since the CPC was founded just before the 2011 election. He is the President’s confidant who is not afraid of criticism. He is believed to have lobbied for the office before the 2019 elections. Despite being governor of Kaduna State, 60-year-old El-Rufai is said to be interested.

At the moment, he too, like Kyari before his demise, is battling the dreaded Covid-19. Major baggage for him may be the distrust of the cabal and the Northern traditional and religious elite. A presidential hopeful, his penchant for controversy might be his Achilles Heel.

SaharaReporters gathered that Buhari was asked to stay away for safety reasons especially considering the highly contagious nature of Coronavirus and the damage it can do to persons in his age bracket.



acts have emerged on why Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, was advised to stay away from the burial of his late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, which took place in Abuja on Saturday (today).

Kyari, who had a history of diabetes and was in his 70s, died at a private hospital in Lagos on Friday owing to complications from Coronavirus.

He contracted the deadly virus after trips to Germany and Egypt where the pandemic had claimed hundreds of lives.

SaharaReporters gathered that Buhari was asked to stay away for safety reasons especially considering the highly contagious nature of Coronavirus and the damage it can do to persons in his age bracket.

Buhari has a yet to be disclosed medical ailment and in fact spent five months in London in 2017 for treatment.

He has visited the UK several times more since that period for treatment.

Therefore, the advice for him to stay away from Kyari’s burial was for the safety of his health, SaharaReportersgathered.

Apart from Buhari, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, did not also attend the ceremony, which took place at the Defence House in Abuja.

Also, other top Nigerian Government officials including ministers, lawmakers and even leading members of the ruling All Progressives Congress all shunned Kyari’s burial for fear of contracting the virus.

Many top government officials contacted by the Presidency to attend the solemn ceremony aimed at giving Kyari a befitting ‘last respect’ all politely turned down the invite over the safety of their health.

As a result of the situation, the Presidency, through a statement by Garba Shehu, Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, tried to control any damage and embarrassment the boycott may cause the government.

But SaharaReporters reliably gathered that many government officials and APC stalwarts deliberately stayed away over fears of being infected with the highly contagious virus.

“Many of the top government officials and party stalwarts contacted gave various excuses why they could not attend the burial of Mallam Kyari.

“Some claimed that the notice was very short and there was no way they could meet up with the activities lined up to send Kyari ‘home’ especially at this time when it was not certain who and who have the virus already.

“Many of the officials contacted politely excused themselves and said they were going to be offering moral support from their current locations,” one Presidency source said.

•Wearing of face masks now compulsory in all states in the zone

•Oyo to produce 1m face masks as confirmed cases hit 16

…shifts workers’ resumption to April 27

•51 new cases recorded in Nigeria; total now 493
THE governors of the South West states agreed on Friday to shut all entry points to the region as part of the strategy to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the zone.

This was as the nation recorded 51 new cases yesterday to bring the total confirmed cases to 493.

Wearing of face mask is also now compulsory for all residents of the six states in the zone, namely Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo, according to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.

Oyo State, where the number of confirmed cases reached 15 last night, decided on its own to produce one million face masks in the war against the pandemic.

Akeredolu, Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum, said in a statement in Akure that he and his colleagues took the decisions during a virtual meeting yesterday.

The entry points to the region will be “closed forthwith,” he said.

The governor added: “The state governors agreed that people involved in essential services or dealing in medicine, water and consumable items, in particular traders and market men/women, should endeavour to wear nose masks while outside plying their trade to minimize the spread of the deadly virus.

“The governors further agreed that wearing of nose masks will be made compulsory for everybody coming out of their homes effective from Friday, 24 April, 2020 in their respective states.”

Besides, the governors agreed to dissolve the Board of Directors of ODUA Investment Limited with immediate effect.

The Group Managing Director is to take charge of the conglomerate affairs pending the constitution of a new board.

Oyo to produce 1m face masks, shifts civil servants resumption date to April 27

Also on Friday, the Oyo State Government announced plans to provide one million face masks for residents of the state.

It also shifted the resumption date of civil servants from April 20 to April 27.

Governor Seyi Makinde, who tweeted the plans last night, emphasised that wearing of masks would become mandatory at public gatherings in the state once they are provided.

The state government had earlier in the month scheduled resumption of civil servants for April 20.

To ensure their safety, it had decontaminated the state secretariat earlier this week but changed the resumption date on Friday obviously for greater safety of the workers and other residents of the state.

The workers were sent on two-week compulsory leave which would have ended tomorrow.

With two new cases of COVID-19 confirmed on Friday, the state now has a total of 15.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) last night confirmed 51 new cases in the country to bring the total to 493.

They are 32 in Lagos; six in Kano; five in Kwara; two in the FCT; two in Oyo; two in Katsina; one in Ogun and one in Ekiti.

Lagos and Ogun States along with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been on lockdown for the third week running following the detection of the index case, an Italian consultant, on February 27 in Ogun State.

He had passed through Lagos on arrival in Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari declared that the two states and the FCT should be locked down for an initial two weeks.

He extended the lockdown period by two weeks last Sunday.

Coronavirus has since spread to all the South West states.

As at last night, Lagos had 283cases; Osun 20; Oyo 15; Ogun 10; Ondo 3and Ekiti 3.

Overall, coronavirus has claimed 17 deaths in the country while 159 patients have been discharged.

Labour unions in Kaduna State have rejected plans by the state government to deduct 25 per cent of workers’ salaries to contribute to the state’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the state Deputy governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe had in a state broadcast on April 9, announced that modalities were being worked out for all employees of the state to contribute to the Covid-19 Emergency Fund.

Some heads of the labour unions confirmed to NAN that the Head of Civil Service of the State, Mrs Bariyatu Mohammed had met with labour leaders on April 14 on the planned salary deductions.

They identified participants at the meeting to include Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Join Union of Tertiary Institutions in Kaduna State (JUTIKS), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), RATTAWU and other affiliate unions.

The Chairman, Kaduna State Council of NLC, Ayuba Sulaiman told NAN, in Kaduna on Friday, that the planned deduction of 25 per cent of workers salary did not go down well with the union leaders. “The proposed 25 per cent deduction was the decision of the government, we are not involved,” the NLC chairman said.

He however explained that the head of service had invited the union leaders and solicited for workers’ support and contributions to the Covid-19 Emergency Fund. “We excused her and deliberated over the matter among ourselves and some of us suggested 3.0 per cent salary deduction while others suggested 5.0 per cent.

“At the end, we put it to vote and 13 of us voted for five per cent deduction while 10 others voted for three per cent. “We informed her of the five per cent agreed deduction, which to us was reasonable, considering the emergency situation we all found ourselves.

“But the head of service rejected our offer and informed us that the State Executive Council had already concluded to deduct 25 per cent of workers salary.” Suleiman added that the unions were waiting for a circular to that effect for them to decide on the next line of action.

Similarly, Mr Noah Danlami, Chairman, JUTIKS, also distanced the union from the proposed 25 per cent salary deductions, saying “we were not part of the decision.” Danlami told NAN that: “We all thought we were invited for the meeting to agree on the percentage to be deducted, as part of workers contribution in support of government efforts.

“But to our surprise, our resolution as union leaders was turned down by the head of service, insisting that the 25 per cent deduction would be spread across the months April and May. “The good thing is that, we have informed the head of service that we are only consenting to 5.0 per cent deductions and we still stand by it.

“If the government went ahead and deducted 25 per cent, then we are not party to it because we were not part of the decision in the first place. It was pure government decision,” he said. The head of service did not respond to several calls and text messages put across to her by NAN on the matter.

However, a top government official, who did not want his name mentioned told NAN that the state government was yet to take final decision on the 25 percent deduction of the workers salaries.

According to him, what the government has decided firmly is that, political appointees such as commissioners, special advisers and heads of agencies will donate N500,000 in April as their contributions.

“As for civil servants, no decision has been reached, but discussions are ongoing. “However, it is very important to note that Kaduna state is the first to pay minimum wage and workers below level 15 got at least 63 per cent increment on their salaries.

“The state is paying minimum pension and did not default in salary payment. “This rancor by labour union leaders is being perceived as a mark of ingratitude to instigate public campaign against a government that has shown genuine concern for the welfare of workers,” the official claimed. (NAN)

The Boko Haram factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, is considering a ceasefire with the Nigerian government, credible intelligence sources in the North-East Theatre of Operations told The Vanguard.

The source told the newspaper that Mr Shekau had started making frantic efforts to seek a soft landing as he prepares to surrender.

According to the source, the Boko Haram leader has started reaching out to some International Non-Governmental Organizations for a deal with the Nigerian government towards granting him amnesty.

“I think the end of Boko Haram is coming close as Abubakar Shekau has been making overtures through proxies for a soft landing for him to surrender to the Nigerian authorities.

“He has been desperate about it, and the intensity is occasioned with the avalanche of coordinated operations launched in recent times against the group, especially in the Timbuktu triangle,” the source said.

The source further added that in recent times the Boko Haram group had suffered casualties that put the group in a tight corner.

According to him, the gap is closing in on Abubakar Shekau as it stands.

“The series of coordinated attacks on their hideouts has made it impossible for any escape as the military has been attacking from several flanks, and any attempt to escape now is virtually impossible.”

“The Chief of Army Staff has given an order that Abubakar Shekau is captured alive. The Chief has been in Borno State and there is a likelihood that he is going to be around for a long period given his body language of not leaving anything to chance in this critical operation,” the source added.

The newspaper also gathered that the Boko Haram group had also reached out to some International Non-Governmental Organizations to seek a deal with the Nigerian government towards granting amnesty to it.

A top staffer of one of the NGOs (name withheld) confirmed that on several occasions, Mr Shekau had sent emissaries to their organization to help secure an amnesty deal with the government of Nigeria.

“We were shocked in the initial stages, thinking it was a hoax. But this continued, and we were left with no choice than to inform the security agencies in a bid to protect ourselves.”