The Federal Emergency Management Agency is deploying or supporting vaccination efforts in at least 11 states after President Joe Biden ordered the government to get on a war footing in his mission to vaccinate 300 million Americans by summer's end.
The states are Arizona, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, according to a FEMA official. Federal workers are also supporting efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the official said.
Four of those states, Arizona, Nevada, Texas and Washington, were home to nine federally supported vaccination sites running since Wednesday, the agency said in a statement. FEMA personnel were already working in multiple other states, the agency said.
"Additional staff across the country are supporting virtually, while the U.S. National Guard Bureau is providing staffing, administrative and logistics support to vaccines sites in 22 states," it said.
The agency, which has budgeted $1.2 billion for its Covid-19 mission, said it will reimburse states that deploy their National Guard troops to assist at vaccination sites.
Federal assistance will also go to states' pop-up and mobile vaccination clinics, FEMA said.
On Friday Johnson & Johnson said its own Covid-19 vaccine, which would be a third vaccine to the U.S. arsenal against the virus, could be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization as early as next week.
Last week Biden ordered FEMA to begin setting up vaccination sites.
The president on Monday set a goal of 150 million vaccinations in his first 100 days in office. He has acknowledged that, in order to do this, he will need to command a massive federal effort on the ground.
"It is going to be a logistical challenge that exceeds anything we've ever tried in this country, but I think we can do that," he said.

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria evacuated hundreds of its citizens from Saudi Arabia on Thursday after they overstayed their visas and were left stranded, two Reuters witnesses said.
The first returnees, clad in masks and flowing robes, could be seen walking across the tarmac after their plane landed in the capital Abuja.
High unemployment and two recessions in four years have pushed thousands of Nigerians to seek work overseas. But the coronavirus pandemic has reduced employment opportunities in other countries and travel restrictions have left many stranded.
A video circulating on social media in recent weeks had shown Nigerians who said they had been held in a camp in Saudi Arabia for more than three months while other countries had flown out their stranded citizens within two weeks or so.
"A camp generally is not a luxury hotel, but when people have waited for some time agitation comes in," said Akinremi Bolaji, a foreign affairs ministry official.
The government had said on Monday it was working with Saudi authorities to repatriate 802 Nigerians via two flights on Thursday and Friday.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), said last Friday that evacuations had been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We appeal to Nigerians to resist travelling abroad without proper documents. It becomes very dangerous and more difficult," he said.
(Reporting by Camillus Eboh and Abraham Achirga; Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Alexis Akwagyiram and Catherine Evans)

Nigeria’s President has approved N6.45bn ($16.9m) plans to set up 38 oxygen plants in sites nationwide to help treat Covid-19 patients as oxygen usage surges in the country amid a second wave of Covid-19 infections.
A statement from Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s Office said President Muhammadu Buhari approved the release of the funds at a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.
“The President approved the release of the funds for the production of oxygen, necessitated by the increased number of patients who need oxygen due to the surge in Covid-19 infections in the country,” the statement said.
A further N255m ($668,940) has been approved for repairs of oxygen plants in five hospitals, the statement added.
At the time of writing, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has reported 121,566 Covid-19 cases and 1,504 deaths.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria, Professor Josiah Ajiboye, has lamented that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the progress being made by Nigeria towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He noted that education was particularly worst hit with about 63 million primary and secondary school teachers around the world were affected by school closures in 165 countries at the peak of the crisis.
Ajiboye said it was against this backdrop that TRCN, has planned to bring together experts in the education sector and teachers to brainstorm on teaching and learning in the context of COVID-19 and other emergencies.
He confirmed that more than 400,000 professional teachers have registered to participate in the
the two-day workshop organised in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Abuja regional
office, noting that it would be the first virtual national conference of registered teachers holding next week.
In Nigeria, he said though states and other education practitioners adopted different strategies to mitigate the impact of the virus on the sector, some of which involved the application of digital technology, many were faced with the stark reality of lack of internet connectivity as well as Iack of requisite skills by teachers.
“In private schools, many teachers faced uncertainties regarding their employment and wages, some salaries were cut or stopped. Some other teachers were under pressure to deliver learning and support their learners, whereas they equally needed socio-emotional support.
“There is therefore the need to examine the fallouts of the pandemic and prepare teachers to build back better in order to face future emergencies. We must also devise more context-specific strategies that promote learning for all rather than widening the gaps against disadvantaged populations,” he stated.
Among some of the core areas, the conference might sought to find solutions are: constraints faced by education sector with the COVID-19 pandemic, strategies adopted by professional teachers to ensure continuity of learning, tools and skills teachers would be requiring to support continuity of learning during an emergency and how community relations can ensure inclusion during a crisis.
Key speakers expected at the conference includes Opeifa Olasunkanmi, 2018 Maltina teacher of the year award winner, Mamadou Lamine, Director, UNESCO multisectoral regional office for West Africa, Ministers of Education, Adamu Adamu, and Emeka Nwajiuba, Folawe Omikunle, CEO Teach For Nigeria among others.

Steven Brandenburg, the Wisconsin pharmacist accused of intentionally trying to spoil hundreds of COVID-19 vaccine doses last month, has been charged with attempted criminal damage to property.
According to online court records, the 46-year-old Brandenburg was charged in Ozaukee County Circuit Court on Tuesday. The Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to nine months of imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000 or both.
Brandenburg was an employee of the Advocate Aurora Health hospital system in Grafton, Wis., when he allegedly removed more than 550 doses of the Moderna vaccine from cold storage in an effort to render them ineffective.
The Moderna vaccine must be stored between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit and can be left at room temperature for up to 12 hours.
Chief Aurora Medical Group officer Jeff Bahr has said that Brandenburg deliberately removed vials from the refrigerator in two separate incidents on Dec. 24 and 25. Upon that discovery, he said, health care workers were forced to throw out some 570 doses, though the supply had already been used on 57 patients.
Brandenburg was arrested on Dec. 31 on recommended charges of recklessly endangering safety, adulterating a prescription drug and criminal damage to property. Officials said he admitted in a written statement to intentionally removing the vaccine, knowing it would be ineffective if not properly stored.
He later told police that he believed the vaccine to be unsafe, according to Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol. (An extensive Food and Drug Administration analysis of the Moderna vaccine shortly before its authorization in mid-December found "no specific safety concerns.")
As NPR's Vanessa Romo has reported, the pharmacist reportedly told investigators that he knew "that people who received the vaccinations would think they had been vaccinated against the virus when in fact they were not."
Member station WUWM reports that during the court session, Gerol said, "The best evidence at this point is that the vaccine remains viable."
"I included a quote from the resident expert within my criminal complaint," Gerol noted. "That said, it is being sent to Moderna for further testing. If something were to come up, then the charges might change."
Earlier this month, Gerol told the court that if the vaccine is not found to be spoiled, "you possibly have a crime known as attempted criminal damage to property in Wisconsin. That would be a misdemeanor, and that would seem to apply at some point in time in the future."
Brandenburg pleaded not guilty at Tuesday's hearing, according to court records. NPR attempted to reach Brandenburg's attorney, Jason Baltz, for comment, but his voicemail was full.
Brandenburg was fired after the incident, and The Associated Press reports that his license was suspended by a state board last week. One of the conditions of his bond forbids him from working as a pharmacist or distributing medication. Further court proceedings are scheduled for March 18.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday urged Nigerians to do everything possible to avoid a second lockdown in Nigeria.
The Chairman of PTF, Boss Mustapha, made the call at a press briefing in Abuja.
Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said this can be done by complying with the protocols released by government.
He said the government was making progress with the Case Management under the National Response which continues to receive the support of the private sector in the delivery of medical oxygen to the various facilities.
I hope everyone can stay at home consciously to reduce going out, and wear masks to take protective measures. The situation is too bad now. If the virus continues to spread, the consequences will be disastrous.

The Federal government of Nigeria plans to vaccinate more than 140 million people by the end of 2022, about 70% of the population. The announcement was made by Faisal Shuaib (photo), chief executive officer of Nigeria’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency.

According to the official, the government plans to vaccinate 40% of its population by the end of this year and then vaccinate the remaining 30% next year. To do so, Nigeria will benefit from the Covax initiative, which aims to provide 2 billion doses of vaccine to developing countries by the end of 2021.

Negotiations have also begun with Russian, British, and Chinese vaccine manufacturers to cover Nigeria's needs. However, according to several analysts, this goal is unattainable for Nigeria, given the country's current situation.

“We don’t have a) the money, and b) the infrastructure to distribute this amount of vaccines,” Cheta Nwanze, a partner with Lagos-based risk consultancy SBM Intelligence told Bloomberg. Also, with the current situation in the country, many Nigerians may find themselves de facto excluded from the vaccination program.

Moreover, the country will also have to deal with the reluctance of a certain part of the population regarding the reliability of the vaccine. To this end, the Nigerian authorities have made several media releases to reassure the population and disprove rumors about the danger of vaccines.

According to Director Shuaib, the government in collaboration with the private sector is setting up ultra-cold facilities to facilitate the storage and distribution of vaccines.

By the end of January, 100,000 doses of the vaccine developed by the U.S. company Pfizer are expected to be delivered to Nigeria.

A recent report has revealed that 47% of farmers in Nigeria have zero access to any kind of storage facilities during harvest.
SBM Intel, a geopolitical research and strategic communications consulting firm has revealed that 47% of farmers have zero access to any kind of storage facilities during harvest, which could rise up to as high as 60% for tubers, fruits and vegetables.
This was revealed in its report titled: “Nigerians just want to eat: Analysis of Farmers and Food Transporters challenges likely to impede National Food Security,” and seen by Nairametrics.
On post-harvest losses 
“Agricultural products are easily perishable while production remains seasonal, and demand for farm produce is present throughout the year,” SBM said.
They added that bridging the gap entails adequate storage for farm produce, however, farmers of these outputs may be unable to acquire their own storage facilities.
Citing that the absence of storage facilities forces Nigerian farmers to sell their harvest at low prices to middlemen who own warehouses.
“In our survey, almost half (47%) of the farmers interviewed had no access to any kind of storage facilities. The lack of storage facilities contributes to post-harvest losses which could get as high as 60% for tubers, fruits and vegetables.”
They added that lack of storage, however, is not the only factor contributing to losses, as some losses occur during harvests and “others occur while the commodities are in transit, during offloading (due to poor handling), and in varying degrees in the entire process from farm to fork.”
The report urged that for Nigeria to avert a food security catastrophe, state and federal governments need to prevent “even higher food prices across the country through various short and long term measures.”
They said:
“In the immediate, the government must fully reopen land borders and end the ban on using forex to import staple crops.
“After placing maize on the list of items no longer eligible for foreign exchange only on 14 July 2020, the President announced the release of 30,000 tons of maize from emergency reserves on 2 September, and also gave approval to four firms for the importation of 200,000 tons of maize. This could replicate itself for items like rice and cassava in the coming months, items which millions of Nigerians depend on for sustenance.
“For the longer term, wider adoption of irrigation, facilitating the provision of early maturing and drought-resistant crop varieties and a switch to climate-smart agriculture is the best way to guard against crop failure and poor yields.”

The FG through the NPHCDA has stated that its distribution plan for the Covid-19 vaccine deployment in Nigeria.
The Federal Government through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), announced its distribution plan for the Covid-19 vaccine deployment in Nigeria.
The FG disclosed in a publication alongside Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) on Saturday that the rate of infection per state/region would determine priority in the distribution of vaccines.
The NPHCDA revealed that all states will initially receive 4,000 vaccines during the first phase, as the FG urges that healthcare workers and the elderly be made priority in receiving vaccination. 
According to NAN, based on infection rates, the vaccines distributed to states would be:
Kano State 3,557; Lagos 3,131; Katsina 2,361; Kaduna 2,074; Bauchi 1,900; Oyo 1,848; Rivers 1,766; Jigawa 1,712; Niger 1,558; Ogun 1,473; Sokoto 1,468; Benue 1,423; Borno 1,416; Anambra 1,379; Zamfara 1,336; Delta 1,306
Kebbi 1,268; Imo 1,267; Ondo 1,228; Akwa Ibom 1,161; Adamawa 1,129; Edo 1,104; Plateau 1,089; Enugu 1,088; Osun 1,032; Kogi 1,030; Cross River 1,023; Abia 955; Gombe 908; Yobe 842; Ekiti 830; Taraba 830; Kwara 815; Ebonyi 747; Bayelsa 589; FCT 695; Nasarawa 661.
NPHCDA added that the vaccines would be given from January to February in its first phase, as the FG targets vaccinating 40% of Nigerians by 2021 and 70% by 2022.
Nairametrics reported last week that the FG stated NPHCDA with its partners, is working to fix healthcare value chain roadblocks that may affect the fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.
Pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and BioNTech also disclosed that they will supply up to 50 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to Africa, starting from March 2021.

Abuja - Nigeria hopes to get 42 million Covid-19 vaccines to cover one-fifth of its population through the global COVAX scheme, said Faisal Shuaib, head of the country's primary healthcare agency, on Tuesday.
Shuaib said the batch of vaccines would come as part of Nigeria's plan to inoculate 40% of the population this year, with another 30% in 2022. By the end of January, 100,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are expected to arrive, he said.
The COVAX scheme was set up to provide vaccines to poorer countries such as Nigeria, whose 200 million people and poor infrastructure pose a daunting challenge to medical officials rolling out the vaccinations as the West African country battles a second, larger spike in coronavirus cases.
Nigeria, where officials recorded low coronavirus numbers through much of 2020, had 1,204 new cases on Monday, its highest ever, as total confirmed cases edged closer to 100,000.
Nigeria will first inoculate frontline health workers, first responders, national leaders, people vulnerable to coronavirus and the elderly, Shuaib said during a regular Covid-19 briefing in the capital Abuja.
He also underscored popular resistance to vaccines and said Nigeria must educate people on their importance.
"We fear what we don't understand," said Shuaib.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with disabilities has not received much attention, perhaps because the disease disproportionately affects older individuals. In this special issue of the Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine experts assess the impact of the pandemic on pediatric patients with special needs, their caregivers, and healthcare providers. They also focus on the growing importance of telemedicine and provide insights and recommendations for mitigating the impact of the virus in the short and long term.
Children comprise approximately 2% of cases of COVID-19 in the United States. In most cases the child is either asymptomatic or has mild symptoms. However, children with disabilities like cerebral palsy (CP) are more vulnerable and are at higher risk for respiratory complications. Some can present with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) and need supportive care.
This special issue addresses many aspects of COVID-19 in vulnerable children with special needs, including spasticity management, autism spectrum disorders, CP, neuromuscular disorders, tracheostomies, MIS-C, schooling, and how to deliver medicines safely and effectively. It also considers the impact of the pandemic on healthcare providers in training including the need for disability-conscious medical education, training, and practice; the disparate influence of the pandemic on Black, Latinx, and Native American marginalized populations; as well as the telemedicine experience and role of virtual education.
There is concern that the virus could have a disparate impact on children with disabilities when viewed through the lens of race and equity. In the US, early data reported from multiple jurisdictions showed that there is a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 when measuring death rates and infection rates in Black, Native American, and Latinx individuals compared with White populations in multiple areas of the country.
The risk of children with disabilities contracting coronavirus is directly related to caregivers and/or family members that share their living arrangements, explains Maurice G. Sholas, MD, PhD, Principal and Pediatric Physiatrist, Sholas Medical Consulting, LLC, New Orleans, LA, USA. He presents a number of measures to mitigate the problems, concluding that "Individual providers, health systems and policy interventions must be accountable and active to ensure that marginalized communities do not continue to be disproportionately impacted."
Patients with pre-existing respiratory disorders such as CP are at greater risk for respiratory complications if they contract COVID-19, notes Joline E. Brandenburg, MD, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA, and colleagues in a review of research on respiratory function and diaphragm muscle force generation in children with CP. They compare and integrate clinical work and basic science research investigating phrenic motor neuron and diaphragm motor unit dysfunction in an animal model and discuss the potential for individuals with CP to experience severe respiratory symptoms from COVID-19.

The spike in the coronavirus infections is showing no signs of slowing as Nigeria recorded 1, 074 new cases on New Year’s day.
The figure, one of the highest so far since the virus began spreading in the country, indicated a slight increase from the 1,031 reported on December 31.
The total infection toll in the country, according to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is now 88,587.
Since early December 2020, there has been a spike in coronavirus cases in Nigeria with more deaths also recorded from the virus.
The total death toll from COVID-19 in Nigeria rose to 1,294 after five more people died on Friday, the NCDC reported.
The spike in new cases is feeding through into fatalities. Hospitals and isolation centres are increasingly becoming overwhelmed.
In the past 14 days, there have been 82 recorded deaths from the coronavirus.
The federal government warned that a significant increase in coronavirus infections in Nigeria appears imminent this January due to continued violation of safety protocols during the Yuletide period.

Two airports in Dallas temporarily stopped incoming and departing flights due to a Covid-19 required sanitization at an air control tower.
Flights were subject to a ground stop at Dallas Love Field and Dallas-Fort Worth International airports Wednesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. A tweet from DFW said that the stoppage was due to a “required sanitization cleaning of offsite FAA facilities that control the airspace” around the airport.
“This will result in possible delays and cancellations,” DFW tweeted.
The FAA told NBC Dallas the stoppage was a combination of weather and Covid-19 related issues. An online dashboard for the FAA’s facilities showed personnel tested positive at Fort Worth Air Route Traffic Control Center three times in the past week, including a new positive on Wednesday. The dashboard also states that the air tower required a cleaning between 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m local time.
Daniel Pitts told NBC Dallas that he was on American Airlines Flight 422 headed to Fort Lauderdale when a pilot told them the control tower was not operating due to Covid-19. The passengers were allowed to deboard and return to the terminal.
The stoppages at DFW and Love Field were lifted by 5:30 p.m. local time, although both airports said to expect further delays.

President Donald Trump backtracked Sunday and signed a $2.3 trillion package that combines Covid-19 relief with government funding.
His last-minute decision, coming after he caused days of legislative chaos by lacerating a bill his own aides had negotiated, will restore enhanced unemployment assistance that expired Sunday and avert a shutdown that would have begun Tuesday.
The bill, the result of protracted negotiations between the parties and the Trump administration — which Trump largely sat out — includes a $900 billion Covid-19 stimulus package to extend the unemployment benefits: $114 to $357 weekly payments to unemployed gig workers and self-employed people whose businesses have stalled. The funds have been a lifeline for 7.3 million Americans out of work because of the coronavirus.
The package also extends the federal moratorium on evictions, which was set to expire Thursday. Without the extension, millions of people faced immediate housing crises.
The legislation also funds the federal government through September. Congress passed the bill with strong bipartisan support late Monday, but Trump upended the consensus by suddenly raising an objection to the size of a new round of direct payments, which came as news to his aides who had negotiated them with Congress.
He demanded that lawmakers raise the amount to $2,000 and criticized other elements, which he called "pork," in the mammoth spending package, including routine annual foreign aid payments. Trump reiterated his criticism Saturday, tweeting, "I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill."
The Covid-19 aid package includes additional assistance for small businesses and $600 in direct payments to Americans who earned less than $75,000 in the previous tax year.
The amount represented a compromise between Democrats, who wanted larger checks, and Republicans, many of whom opposed additional direct payments.
In a statement Sunday announcing that he had signed the relief bill while claiming that both chambers of Congress would begin the process of meeting some of his demands, Trump said he had "told Congress that I want far less wasteful spending and more money going to the American people in the form of $2,000 checks per adult and $600 per child."
He continued: "As President I am demanding many rescissions under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974."
"I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed. I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item, accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill," Trump said.
The act allows for a president to request that Congress rescind appropriated funds, but Congress can ignore such requests, and such cuts are highly unlikely. The 116th Congress ends Jan. 3, and President-elect Joe Biden will not go along with Trump's demands.
Trump's statement also claimed without evidence that "the House and Senate have agreed to focus strongly on the very substantial voter fraud which took place in the November 3 Presidential election."
The House is controlled by Democrats, who would never agree to such a demand. Trump's claim of "very substantial voter fraud" is baseless. His campaign has failed to provide any evidence of fraud in the dozens of lawsuits it has filed to overturn the results. Former Attorney General William Barr confirmed this month that the Justice Department had uncovered no widespread fraud in the election, and states have certified the results confirming Biden the winner.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who proposed the $600 checks and negotiated the stimulus package with congressional leadership, said days ago in an interview with CNBC that Americans could see the checks quickly.
Trump said in his statement Sunday evening that the House would vote Monday to increase the amount to $2,000 for individuals and that the Senate would likewise "start the process."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement that Trump's signature was "welcome news," and she called on Trump to encourage Republicans to "end their obstruction" and support House Democrats' standalone effort to boost direct payments.
In his own statement, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made no mention of any of the promises Trump ascribed to the chamber, including any possible vote on increasing the payment amount.
Instead, McConnell thanked Trump and praised him for his "leadership" in preventing the government shutdown that would have been triggered by his continued refusal to sign the bill.
"His leadership has prevented a government shutdown at a time when our nation could not have afforded one," McConnell said.
Trump has been spending the holiday at Mar-a-Lago, his private resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and he visited Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Sunday morning, according to the traveling media pool report.
He hinted at his reversal in a tweet Sunday evening before returning to his golf club.
If the president had chosen to veto the legislation, it would have set up his second showdown with Republicans in Congress who have been reluctant to cross him.
Last week, Trump vetoed the annual military spending bill, which passed the House and the Senate with veto-proof majorities. Congress has until Jan. 2 to override the veto, which would be the first during the Trump administration.

The mandate Presidential Task Force (PTF) in Nigeria has been extended by Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria, according to a report by Today Ng.
Reportedly disclosed in Abuja, on Tuesday, Buhari said while receiving the End-of-Year Report of PTF.
He added, "recent reports reaching me indicate that Nigeria is now facing a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide which is similar to the second wave of infections occurring in other countries across the world. New epicentres have been identified and the nation cannot afford to lose the gains of the last nine months. I have critically evaluated the situation and remain convinced that urgent measures have to be taken to halt the spread and the attendant fatalities".
He explained that tackling the pandemic strategically is a safe manner.
"Closely associated with the foregoing is the need to speedily and strategically access and administer the COVID vaccine in a safe, effective and timely manner. This is an important obligation that we owe Nigerians as we go into year 2021 and it must be carried out through an efficient machinery. The nation is clearly in a perilous situation given the virulent nature of this second wave and we must act decisively to protect our people", he added.
Buhari recommended all sub-national entities, religious leaders, traditional rulers, to collaborate with PTF.

California hospitals are stretched to their limits as intensive care units fill up and COVID-19 cases continue to soar, leaving some facilities facing the prospect of not being able to provide critical care for everyone who needs it.
On Friday, the nation's most populous state recorded 43,608 new cases, while almost 17,400 people are currently hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, according to the California Department of Public Health. Over 3,500 of those cases are being treated in intensive care units, putting immense strain on hospitals.
Nearly all of California is under stay at home orders as ICU capacity statewide hovers around 2%. In Southern California and the 12-county San Joaquin Valley area, ICU capacity has been exhausted, leaving some facilities to go into "surge" mode, putting critical patients in other parts of the hospital like emergency rooms or operating recovery rooms.
Brad Spellberg, the chief medical officer of LA County USC Medical Center — one of the largest hospitals in the state — told NPR member station KPCC that means some patients are waiting hours for care as hospitals struggle to free up beds as quickly as possible.
The state's COVID-19 restrictions have also forced major sporting events to change plans last minute. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena will no longer host this year's College Football Playoff semifinals after the state said it would not make an exception for player guests at the game. The game will instead be held in Arlington, Texas. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers recently announced that they will be spending the remainder of their season in Arizona.
The restrictions and spike in cases come as the first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech began arriving this past week. Gov. Gavin Newsom said some 721,500 total doses are expected in the state by the end of this week — and while the vaccine does provide hope, he urged residents to continue to be careful and stay at home.
"This is a deadly disease, a deadly pandemic, and we're in the middle of it right now," Newsom said. "We're near the end, but we're in the middle of the most acute peak."

(CNN)As the United States on Thursday surpassed 17 million official Covid-19 cases, a US Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended a second coronavirus vaccine for the country.
The developments come as the US, after starting distribution of its first authorized vaccine this week, is dealing with record rates of daily cases, daily deaths and numbers of Covid-19 patients in hospitals.
The FDA is widely expected to grant emergency use authorization for Moderna's vaccine candidate -- as it did for Pfizer's vaccine last week -- after its vaccine advisory panel voted to recommend it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would need to greenlight the vaccine before shots can be administered -- and a CDC advisory panel is expected to meet on the matter Saturday, raising the possibility that the Moderna vaccine could be used next week.
The recently authorized Pfizer vaccine, meanwhile, has been administered to hundreds of US health care workers this week, and drug store chains CVS and Walgreens are helping to get shots to long-term care residents and staff members.
The Pfizer vaccine requires each patient to receive two doses about 21 days apart, and the Moderna vaccine also would require two doses. Assuming the Moderna vaccine is authorized, the two products could combine for an availability of 40 million doses, for 20 million people, by the end of December, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said.
But as vaccinations begin, recorded cases, hospitalizations and deaths are rising to levels not previously seen, as hospital staff around the country warn they're running out of space and energy to provide sufficient care:
• Average cases: The country's average number of daily cases across a week was 215,729 on Wednesday -- a record high, Johns Hopkins University data show. That's more than three times what the daily case average was during a summer peak in July.
The White House coronavirus task force warned this week that although spread has slowed somewhat in the northern and central US, cases are still surging in more populated states.

The National Council on Sports (NCS) has approved the postponement of the National Sports Festival (NSF) again from January to February 14 – 28, 2021 in Edo State, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Gabriel Aduda, announced in Abuja.
The Council, under the leadership leadership of the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, at a virtual NCS meeting on Tuesday unanimously agreed to the postponement.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministry had in November announced the postponement of the Festival from December 3 – 18, to January 3 – 17, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making the new dates the fourth time the fiesta would be postponed.

COVID-19 is now the second-leading cause of death in the U.S. for 2020. The virus has killed more than 90 people per 100,000, reports Johns Hopkins University.
But in other parts of the world, the virus hasn't been such a big problem. It's not a top killer. Some global health experts are beginning to ask whether immunizing large swaths of the population is the best use of resources for these countries.
That's a question that Dr. Chizoba Barbara Wonodi of Johns Hopkins University has been thinking about as mass nationwide vaccine campaigns begin rolling out in rich countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States.
The inequalities in global vaccine access are already in sharp focus. Over the past several months, wealthier countries have purchased or claimed enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to immunize their entire populations multiple times over, leaving little vaccine for low- and middle-income countries. That's left some governments and global health organizations scrambling to help poorer countries acquire doses.
Yet Africa, as a whole, has fared much better during the pandemic than North America and Europe. The continent, with 1.3 billion people, recorded only about 2.3 million cases, while the U.S., with only 330 million people, has recorded 15 million cases.
Wonodi directs the International Vaccine Access Center for Nigeria. She spent February to October in the country and is now based in Baltimore. She talked to NPR about her views on global vaccine inequities and what a potential immunization campaign could look like in Nigeria — which has 0.6 deaths per 100,000 people, 150 times fewer deaths per capita than the U.S. Her interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Rich countries can get enough vaccines, but what about poor countries? You can only strengthen self-prevention, after all, blocking the virus directly is the most basic method.

Several agencies connected with the enthronement of prudence in government spending, yesterday gave an account of their stewardship, agreeing that there was need to strengthen the tracking of Covid-19 emergency funds to ensure accountability in the country.
In an event to mark the International Anti-corruption Day, organised by the Technical Unit on Governance & Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR) which works on research methods for monitoring anti-corruption and governance initiatives across all sectors in the country, the agencies argued that the nature and manner of release of the funds had made it imperative for more intense oversight.
Some of the participants at the event were the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
Others were the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), among others.
At the programme tagged: "Recover Better with Integrity", the United Nations Secretary General, Mr Antonio Guterres, who was represented by the UNODC representative to Nigeria, Dr Oliver Stolpe, noted that the anti-corruption fight was being weakened by the nature of the release of emergency monies for the containment of the pandemic.
"With Covid-19, the challenges related to anti-corruption work has never been more critical than today. Our collective actions will be critical for recovery. In recent years, anger and frustration have erupted against corrupt leaders and governments.
"In some countries, people have taken to the street with demand for social justice and accountability. Amidst these deep concerns, the Covid-19 crisis creates additional opportunities for corruption.
"Governments are spending rapidly to get economies back on track. They provide emergency support and procurement cum supplies as oversight may be weaker and the development of vaccines and treatments add to the risk of bribery and profiteering.
"Corruption drains resources from people who need them, undermine trust in institutions, exacerbate vast inequalities exposed by the virus and hinders development. Recovery from the virus must include measures to prevent and combat corruption and bribery," he said.
In his remarks, the ICPC Chairman, who was represented by the commission's Secretary, Prof. Usman Abubakar, stated that despite the shortage of human and material resources in the organisation, the agency has recorded huge successes.

Nigeria's House of Representatives has mandated the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to suspend the planned 31st December, 2020 mandatory deadline for the completion of the first phase of 50 percent and 60 percent of the minimum paid-up share capital for insurance and reinsurance companies for a minimum of six months from January 2021 in order to cushion the effects of COVID-19 and other unforeseen circumstances on the insurance industry.
 
This decision was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) and 15 others at plenary on Tuesday.
 
Moving the motion on behalf of others, Kalu recalled that NAICOM is established by the National Insurance Commission Act 1997 to act as the primary regulator for the insurance sector and the Insurance Act 2003, particularly Section 9(1) and (4) empowers the Commission to prescribe minimum paid-up share capital for insurance companies and intermediaries.
 
He also recalled that NAICOM had issued a Circular No. NAICOM /DPR/CIR/25/2019 dated May 20, 2019 on the minimum paid-up share capital requirement for insurance and reinsurance companies.
 
"The circular effectively increased the minimum paid up share capital for insurance and reinsurance companies. The original deadlines were 29 May 2019 for new companies, while, 30 June 2020 was to apply to existing companies," Kalu said.
 
"The changes to the minimum paid up share capital were as follows Life Insurance N2 billion to N8 billion, General N3 billion to N10 billion, Composite N5 billion to N18 billion and Reinsurance Nio billion to N20 billion. This was later moved to 31 December 2020," he said.
 
The lawmaker said as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline was moved by NAICOM, vide Circular NAICOM/DPR/CIR/25-04/2020 and dated 3 June 2020.
 
"In the Circular, NAICOM introduced a two phased recapitalisation programmes, wherein, 50 percent of the minimum paid up share capital for insurance companies must be met by 31 December 2020 and 60 percent for reinsurance companies must be met on the same date. Total compliance with the total minimum capital requirement must be achieved on or before 30 September 2021," Kalu said.
 
"In addition to the negative economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigerian economy was just announced to be officially in a recession. This signifies that there will be significant slowdown in economic activities and the liquidity position of both the government and businesses are seriously impacted, albeit, negatively," he said.
 
Kalu said in times as this, the best move by the government and by regulators is to push more liquidity into the economy in a bid to stimulate economic activities, encourage spending and prevent job losses as well as support the indigenous businesses in the country.
 
"This is pertinent because in addition to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry was also affected by the aftermath of the ENDSARS protest in which several insured properties were affected and to this effect, most of these insurance companies have huge liabilities to settle in order to fulfil their obligations so as not to deny the rights of these affected insured persons.
 
"These are the types of fiscal, monetary and regulatory approaches that are being adopted in most countries. Hence, it may not be suitable at this time for NAICOM to even proceed with its planned phased recapitalization progrmame because of the overall impact it may have on the already fragile economy and the insurance sector," Kalu said.
 
He noted that if NAICOM is allowed to proceed with its programme as planned, it could negatively affect the economy and slow down the recovery process.

Nigerians spent a total of N46.99 trillion on household consumption expenditure in the first half of 2020 (January – June). This is contained in the Nigerian Gross Domestic Product report (Expenditure and Income approach), released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
According to the report, the final consumption expenditure of Nigerian households in nominal terms stood at N46.99 trillion in H1 2020, indicating a 4.2% decline compared to N49.06 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2019.
In terms of quarterly breakdown, household consumption expenditure grew by 8.62% in Q1 2020 to stand at N25.49 trillion, while it dipped by 15.96% at N21.5 trillion in the second quarter of the year.
Consumption expenditure is an important factor in determining economic growth for any country. Thus, as Nigerians suffered the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown in the second quarter of the year, consumption expenditure dropped meaning more Nigerians spent less as they stayed at home.
The Nigerian economy contracted by 6.1% in the second quarter of 2020, and consequently slipped into recession after enduring a second contraction in Q3 2020.
The decline in economic activities in the country can be attributed to the disruptions brought about by the lockdown as a result of covid-19 pandemic.
Household disposable income, which measures the income of households after taking into account net interest, dividends received, payment of taxes, and social contributions grew by 2.55% and 0.66% in Q1  and Q2 2020 respectively.


Household consumption expenditures continue to decline, indicating that the impact of COVID-19 has not been eliminated. Everyone has no psychological security, so I hope the government can stimulate people's consumption and promote economic development.

With many businesses struggling to wade through the impact of COVID-19 and the aftermath of the EndSARS protests, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), and other stakeholders have advocated improved support and intervention for small businesses in reflating the economy.
According to them, it is also very crucial to facilitate discussions on strategies that would help position small and medium business operators for sustainable growth in the new normal.
LCCI President, Mrs Toki Mabogunje, during the yearly webinar of the SME Group themed, “Repositioning SMEs for growth in the new normal,” noted that small businesses account for as much as 50 percent to aggregate economic output and constitute about 96 percent of businesses in Nigeria.
Mabojunje, who was represented by the Chamber’s Vice President, Leye Kupoluyi, said: “From employment perspective, SMEs are equally important by accounting for about 75 percent of employment in the country. They play a significant role by providing various goods & services, creating job opportunities, developing regional economies and communities, stimulating competition in the global market, and fostering innovation.
“However, SMEs have been unable to harness these tremendous potentials as the country’s operating environment characterized by high production costs, declining purchasing power, excessive regulations, high borrowing costs, policy uncertainties and poor trade facilitating infrastructure made it increasingly difficult for SMEs to survive, thrive and compete favourably with global peers.”
She noted that while interventions by the fiscal and monetary sides of the authorities are commendable, such efforts should be sustained.
The Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperative, Dr. Mrs. Lola Akande, acknowledged the impact of the new normal on many businesses, especially those in the entertainment, hospitality and tourism sectors.

Akande, represented by a Director at the Ministry, Mrs Titilayo Adesina, said failure to bolster the vulnerable SMEs with necessary tools to overcome this new normal will lead to loss of employment, a reduction in the spending power of the average citizen, and ultimately, an exponential increase in poverty and insecurity.
While the government continues to work on its own end to cushion the effects of the hard times on businesses, she advised MSMEs to look inwards not just to survive but to also thrive in the ‘new normal’.
Akande identified the need to embrace optimisation, adaptation, innovation and collaboration as strategies to succeed in the COVID-19 environment and beyond.

Many companies struggle to deal with the impact of COVID-19, and small and medium-sized enterprises are the key to the strategy of economic recovery. The government should spare no effort to support the development of enterprises, and SMEs themselves should insist on innovation and transformation. Only in this way can we tide over the difficulties and overcome the epidemic better.

Rajendra K. Aneja outlines the 'must-win' battle against Covid-19
It is the right of all citizens of this world, to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, free of cost, from their governments. All countries need to prepare blueprints to inoculate their citizens within 100 days, of the vaccine being freely available. This is a global challenge. We are short of vaccines now, but we could be flush with them in some months. So, we must galvanise. This 100-Day vaccination challenge should be led by the President or the Prime Minister.
Nations conduct general elections covering their entire populations, within 40 to 60 days. So, inoculating everybody within 100 days, should be feasible.
Covid-19 War Room: Th e President or Prime Minister should establish a 'Covid-19 War Room', which will constitute a central control, with real time information on the inoculations, by region, city, village. Health Ministries should have primary responsibility for executing the 100-Day plan.
Forecasting of Doses: There is need to forecast the precise number of doses the country will require by region, town and village. The Pfizer vaccine needs two jabs; other vaccines will hopefully involve a single jab.
Daily Vaccination Target: There has to be a daily target for inoculation by region and city.This parameter should also be monitored daily.
Boost Vaccine Production: Pfizer can produce 50 million vaccine doses globally in 2020 and 1.3 billion doses in 2021. Even if more vaccines are approved, we could be short, even in 2021. Assuming 80 per cent of the 7.8 billion people worldwide need inoculation, we need 6.24 billion doses. Pharmaceutical companies should augment production exponentially, through their worldwide subsidiaries.
Vaccine Budgets: The Moderna vaccine costs USD 37 per dose. The Serum Institute India, has a target price of USD 3 per dose. Developing continents like South Asia and Africa need the vaccine at about USD 1 per dose. So, the research for cheaper vaccines must continue.
Sourcing Vaccines: The major challenge will be to source the requisite quantities of the vaccine. The USA and European countries have booked vaccines with companies like Pfizer. Developing countries in South Asia and Africa should also start talking to pharmaceutical companies.
Ancillary Equipment: Countries will need vials, syringes, needles, etc., to inoculate millions of citizens. Large population countries like India, Indonesia, Nigeria, etc., should gear private companies to produce ancillary equipment immediately.

It is interesting to compare the way the United States and Canada are dealing with travelers coming across their common border in this Covid dominated time. The sealing of the border is making for some very creative solutions.
The relevant American order governing border entry can be found here and starts off by declaring that “U.S. and Canadian officials have mutually determined that non-essential travel between the United States and Canada poses additional risk of transmission and spread of COVID-19 and places the populace of both nations at increased risk of contracting COVID-19.” The order then goes on to say that for those reasons, “land ports of entry along the U.S.-Canada border will continue to suspend normal operations and will only allow processing for entry into the United States of those travelers engaged in “essential travel.” Apart from health care workers, truckers and farm laborers, other workers who have immigration work permits are regarded as “essential workers” at ports of entry generally and allowed entry.
The order then provides that “individuals traveling for tourism purposes (e.g., sightseeing, recreation, gambling, or attending cultural events)” are not regarded as essential travelers. Strangely, the following passage follows that provision:

“At this time, this Notification does not apply to air, freight rail, or sea travel between the United States and Canada, but does apply to passenger rail, passenger ferry travel, and pleasure boat travel between the United States and Canada.” What’s more, unlike in Canada, there is no formal requirement at the border for travelers to self-isolate once they enter. That is a matter regulated by the checkerboard requirements of state legislatures. The experience of Canadians traveling into the U.S. by air is that, by and large, there really is no follow-up isolation enforcement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is finalizing guidance to shorten the length of time it recommends that people self-quarantine after potential exposure to the coronavirus to encourage more people to comply, two agency officials said Tuesday.
The new guidelines would probably be seven to 10 days instead of the current 14 days, the officials said.
The hope is that doing so will “help make quarantine less burdensome and will, as a result, hopefully increase compliance,” said one official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Here are some significant developments:
Americans are weighing their Thanksgiving options this week, as covid-19 patients overwhelm hospitals and the number of newly discovered cases per day is more than double what it was during the summer surge. State and local leaders are responding with short stay-at-home orders and hard limits on the number of people who can gather.
The federal government plans to send 6.4 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine to communities across the United States within 24 hours of regulatory clearance, with the expectation shots will be administered quickly to front-line health-care workers, the top priority group, officials said Tuesday.
China and Russia are rushing to share their own state-backed vaccines with countries in need, positioning themselves to possibly expand their political and economic interests in the process.
The Dow on Tuesday cracked 30,000 for the first time after President Trump authorized the government to begin the transition processes, and as President-elect Joe Biden nominated his pick for treasury secretary.
In an effort to ensure that its workers gain protection from the coronavirus, Ford said it has purchased a dozen specialty freezers that can store Pfizer’s vaccine at ultralow temperatures.

National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on 21/11 released data showing that real GDP in the third quarter of 2020 of Nigeria fell for the second consecutive quarter , with a decrease of 3.62%. In the second quarter of 2020, Nigeria's GDP fell by 6%. 
Accordingly, the cumulative GDP growth in the period from January to September 2020 is at -2.48%. The NBS believes that the fall in oil prices and the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic are the cause of this situation.
The report for the third quarter of 2020 shows that oil-related GDP decreased by 13.89%, compared with a 6.63% decrease in the second quarter of 2020. Non-oil GDP in the third quarter of 2020 decreased by 2.51%, after falling 6.05% in the second quarter of 2020.
The Nigerian economy suffered its last recession in 2016, and the first in more than two decades.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts that Nigeria's GDP will drop 5.4% this year. The Nigerian government even predicted that the economy could fall by as much as 8.9%.
Nigeria is Africa's leading oil producer, producing an average of 2 million barrels per day. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and low oil prices have caused Nigeria's oil production to be cut to about 1.4 million barrels a day.
The epidemic has not completely ended, and our country is still facing a huge and potential economic crisis. It is hoped that the government will make adequate response plans. Now COVID-19 and the oil crisis are spreading, we must not let things get bigger, we must stop losses in time.

The United States has reached a milestone Wednesday, with a report showing that 250,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 – even more gut-wrenching is data revealing that the number is growing.
According to reporting by NBC News, in the last month, fatalities from the virus have increased by 42 percent per day and the average fatality per day is 1,167.
The U.S. tops the world case number at 11.4 million cases.
There is hope on the way with positive news regarding a vaccine, but distribution is still not set to begin for another month and widespread distribution may be months away.
In an internal report obtained Tuesday by NBC News, the White House coronavirus task force warned there is “now aggressive, unrelenting, expanding broad community spread across the country, reaching most counties, without evidence of improvement but rather, further deterioration.”
President Trump continues to pursue legal battles alleging voter fraud, and refuses to concede to President-elect Joe Biden, making the transition and transfer of coronavirus information all the more difficult to tackle.
Vice President Mike Pence leads the coronavirus task force, but without the president’s concession, Biden’s COVID-19 team has yet to access all of the information needed to take over the job on January 20, Inauguration Day.
“Our team cannot communicate with them,” Dr. David Kessler, a member of Biden’s advisory committee, said. “The sooner the Biden transition team can meet with officials working on these questions, the more seamlessly the transition will be the American people.”

hough researchers in Nigeria have developed a DNA-based vaccine against COVID-19 specifically for Africa, they are struggling to find funding to take it to human trials.
The vaccine was developed using DIOSynVax technology and targets strains of the novel coronavirus circulating on the African continent.
Animal trials showed a high-level of protection (90 percent) in the pre-clinical evaluation, according to Christian Happi, a Harvard-trained geneticist and director of the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) at Redeemer’s University in Ede in southwestern Nigeria, the first lab in Africa to sequence the coronavirus genome.
“That gave us the impetus and enthusiasm to start preparing for phase 1 clinical trials in humans, but we are stuck because we do not have funding and resources,” Happi said.
It’s crucial to develop a vaccine intended for Africa, Happi said. Vaccines previously developed in the Global North, such as those for malaria, have fallen short because they were created without fully considering Africans’ genetic diversity and the pathogens circulating on the continent.
Happi said there are currently 10 different lineages of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in Nigeria alone, and these will keep changing and evolve into new strains. Global vaccine developers are working on lineages A and B, but a lineage C has already been found in South Africa, which means that vaccines developed for A and B might not be effective on C. That’s why it’s essential to understand the situation on the ground before beginning to design a vaccine, Happi said, and consider the lineages, as well as the immune responses of those who will be administered the vaccine.
“We understand that genetically Africans are different from people in the Global North,” he explained. “As such, if you want to design a vaccine for Africans primarily you need to start from Africa and understand how they are responding. And that’s one of the reasons why vaccines developed in the West fall short.”

The spread of novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria continues to record significant increases as the latest statistics provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reveal Nigeria now has 65,305 confirmed cases.
On the 16th of November 2020, 157 new confirmed cases were recorded in Nigeria, having carried out a total daily test of 8,265 samples across the country.
To date, 65,305 cases have been confirmed, 61,162 cases have been discharged and 1,163 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. A total of 705,809 tests have been carried out as of November 16th, 2020 compared to 697,544 tests a day earlier.
According to the NCDC, the 157 new cases are reported from 9 states- Lagos (97), Oyo (37), Kaduna (9), Bayelsa (3), Edo (3), Ekiti (3), Ondo (2), Osun (2) and Plateau (1).
Meanwhile, the latest numbers bring Lagos state total confirmed cases to 22,501, followed by Abuja (6,372), Plateau (3,720), Oyo (3,654), Rivers (2,914), Kaduna (2,773), Edo (2,688), Ogun (2,101), Delta (1,823), Kano (1,764), Ondo (1,722), Enugu (1,332),  Kwara (1,084), Ebonyi (1,055), Katsina (965), Osun (942), Gombe (938). Abia (926),  Borno (745), and Bauchi (744).
Imo State has recorded 648  cases, Benue (493), Nasarawa (485), Bayelsa (426),  Ekiti (346), Jigawa (325), Akwa Ibom (319), Niger (286), Anambra (285), Adamawa (261), Sokoto (165), Taraba (155), Kebbi (93), Cross River (89), Yobe (82), Zamfara (79), while Kogi state has recorded 5 cases only.

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the US President-elect, Joe Biden, to build on US-Nigeria relations, especially on widening the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for integration with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Atiku disclosed this on Saturday evening via his official Twitter handle, while congratulating Biden for his election victory.
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the US President-elect, Joe Biden, to build on US-Nigeria relations, especially on widening the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for integration with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Atiku disclosed this on Saturday evening via his official Twitter handle, while congratulating Biden for his election victory.
“I congratulate Joe Biden on his well-deserved victory at the November 3, 2020, US elections, and look forward to the age-long collaboration of our two nations in the course of the advancement of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people.
“Nigeria and the United States are two nations, united by a common language. Indeed, the first major trip by the leader of an Independent Nigeria was the July 25, 1961, White House visit of the golden voice of Africa, the late Sir Tafawa Balewa, under President John F Kennedy.
He urged Biden to work on economic growth opportunities between both nations, especially with the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), as only free trade will fulfill its potential.
“Not only do I congratulate you on your victory, but I also urge you to build on US-Nigeria relations, especially on widening the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for seamless interplay with the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA).
Nairametrics reported Joe Biden won the 2020 US general elections, after his hard-fought victory in Pennsylvania, which gave him the required 270 electoral college votes.
“Nigeria and the free world, have much to learn from your victory, especially your pronouncement that you would not be a President for only those who voted for you. May such sentiments echo and reecho globally,” Atiku tweeted.