₦airaland Forum

This should be condemned in its entirety.

Where is the north in this ENDSARS protest?

Two days of five hours supply in a week at Etinna Axis, Akwa Ibom State!

sacajawea:
Also Objectives, Assignment, Class Activity etc may be included depending on Subject and class you are teaching

Class entry behaviour

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has lifted the suspension on the printing of admission letters, and inter-university transfers among others.

The organisation said with the development, “all requests for printing of admission letters, inter-university transfers, condonement of illegitimate admissions and other processes for previous years which had been hitherto suspended would now be restored from Monday, August 31 2020.”

The Head of Media and Public Relations in JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, made the announcement in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

He said, “To ensure that candidates who took the UTME prior to 2020, and who require certain corrections of their processes are accommodated, JAMB has lifted the suspension earlier placed on processes covering those years.

“However, it is to be noted that most of these operations are only available at JAMB offices nationwide. Furthermore, as the Board is desirous of sustaining compliance with COVID-19 protocols, it maintains that 2020 UTME candidates desirous of these services will only be attended to through the Appointment Booking Platform which they could access online through their phones to secure a definite date and time for an appointment.

“The Board urged all State offices to ensure that all clients comply with all existing COVID -19 protocols. To ensure that candidates who took the UTME prior to 2020, and who require certain corrections of their processes are accommodated, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has lifted the suspension earlier placed on processes covering those years.

“As you may be aware, the need to prevent overcrowding at its Computer-Based Test Centres and other partner facilities, in line with extant COVID -19 protocols issued by relevant agencies, led it to allow candidates to seek corrections and other processes only through the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination or Direct Entry platforms. This measure had the intended effect of limiting the number of persons visiting the centres.

“As the government continues to ease the lockdown leading to the resumption of students in exit classes, the number of 2020 UTME candidates needing one service or another at the various centres has drastically gone down, thus, the Board has decided to open up its platforms to accommodate more requests especially from previous years.

“Therefore, all requests for printing of admission letters, inter-university transfers, condonement of illegitimate admissions and other processes for previous years which had been hitherto suspended would now be restored from Monday August 31 2020.

“However, it is to be noted that most of these operations are only available at JAMB offices nationwide. Furthermore, as the Board is desirous of sustaining compliance with COVID-19 protocols, it maintains that 2020 UTME candidates desirous of these services will only be attended to through the Appointment Booking Platform which they could access online through their phones to secure a definite date and time for an appointment.”

JAMB also urged all state offices to ensure that all clients comply with all existing COVID-19 protocols.

https://punchng.com/jamb-lifts-suspension-on-printing-admission-letters-others/?utm_medium=Social&utm

LTRAVIS:
Did you get any info ?

No

ORIENTATION101:
olodo there is difference between rerun and fresh Election.

What court order is fresh Election to accommodate another political party which means APC can participate

Will Lyon be allowed to change his running mate? If he could be allowed then he could run. Will Inec allow parties field new candidates? If no, then APC is not in the race.

A loved one just got an interview invite from this company and wants to verify if the company is real or fake. The message is below:

DEAR CANDIDATE, Your online Application was successful. You have been invited for an INTERVIEW with MD of PROWER CONSULTS LTD ON MON17/8/2020 By 7:30am ID:FDD/380/JWN @122B NTA ROAD, LOCATION JUNCTION behind AMAOBA PLAZA MBUOBA PH Bring PEN $ 2 passport helpline: 09097707677

IYC, this NDDC probe should be of interest to you. The silence from Niger Delta elite, since the commencement of the NDDC saga, has been deafening.

Mihzwhitesutana:
If you challenge the school management the other staff that you both planned it will keep quiet and might even turn their back on you

Exactly. I have had that experience.

What if one was falsely convicted of rape and castrated, how do we make reparations? We should think issues through before laws are made. A life sentence or prolonged sentence should be preferred. The justice system is not infallible!

I have really been thinking of learning to code for a while now

Maxymilliano:
2100 ?

Well, In the long run we are all dead.

Are you a Keynesian? Lol

The military has become our de facto police, showing the level of insecurity in the country

Aminu Kano

I still stand on my assertion that the security agencies, especially the military, are agents of conflict proliferation!

I hope to see a better-organised primary compared to what the APC will present, though I am still sceptical that will be the case.

mikeybrainy:
For me I wouldn't try it, I can never marry someone like my mom. If I try that I would end up in an asylum.

She is a good mother, though not perfect (nobody is).

Some of my reasons are:

Nagging (like the neigbours can narrate everything happening in our house if asked to)
Involving strangers in family issues (like she says everything)

She can't ever take the blame for anything (blames everyone for her woes, and she is never wrong)

She wants to collect back every single penny she spends in the house (which is impossible)
Incites the children against their father (never realized this until I grew up and started thinking like a man, and honestly I'm sorry for all the ways I have acted to my dad, though my own is still fair, my siblings have complete disregard for their father)

Other things too that I can't mention here (makes me feel ashamed.

I realized all these when I started looking at everything from the lens of a struggling husband and father, and I'm still contemplating if marriage is worth it after all, I might as well stay single.... (I only date and break up with girls in my mind, Lol) cos I don't think its worth all the stress. Growing up in a broken, dysfunctional home is hard (sighs).

I wouldn't put all the blame on my Mom but I have resolved not to imbibe my dad's bad habits too (I can't even drink 1% alcohol not because I can't or it's bad, but I run away from it when I think of the things dad would have achieved, if he were not addicted to it)

Sorry for the long post.

Can you marry someone like your mom/dad?

Opinions

You are now a man. I always say that a man is not a man until he sees the flaws of his mother. It means you have acquired a mind of your own.

When she graduated from one of the universities in the South-West in 2010 after studying agricultural economics, Oyenike Ojo hoped that she would get a lucrative job immediately after undergoing the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps, a scheme set up by the Federal Government in 1973 to foster development and unity among Nigerians.

Then, after she must have got a job and worked for two years, she also hoped that she would get married – optimistically to a man who is also earning a good income.

However, as the saying goes, “Man proposes, God disposes,” since Ojo completed the NYSC in 2012, she has yet to get her dream job and a man of her dreams.

Instead, she works as a teacher in a private primary school in Ibadan and earns a salary of N15,000, which could barely take care of her personal needs, not to mention caring for her aged parents who depend on her and her two older siblings for survival.

She said, “I applied for jobs almost everywhere, sent my CV to family and friends who asked me to. But there is no job anywhere; that is why I am working temporarily as a teacher earning a meagre salary.

“If someone told me I would end up with a job like this after spending four years at the university and a year plus for a master’s degree, I would probably have cursed them. I have not quit hoping to get a good job, though. I will keep on submitting applications.”

Before she got the teaching job, Ojo, 27, said she enrolled for N-Power – an initiative of the regime of the President, Maj Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd) – which started in 2016 to tackle youth unemployment.

According to the Federal Government, the N-Power is a job creation and empowerment programme of the National Social Investment Programme for young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35.

The programme targeted about 500,000 youths, spread across the 774 local government areas of the country, who were deployed to teach in public schools, act as health workers in primary health centres (as agricultural extension advisors to smallholder farmers in the communities and also as community tax liaison officers).

Ojo was among the first batch of beneficiaries enrolled for the N-Agro category of the scheme in 2016, earning N30, 000 per month, until July 2019 when she was disengaged from the scheme.

She said, “After my NYSC in 2012, I looked for a job for about two years. When I did not get any, I enrolled for my master’s programme which I completed in 2014. I thought it would boost my employability but I still did not get a job until 2016 when I applied for the N-Power.

“In July 2019, I was disengaged and I looked for another job. When I did not get any, I had to look for a teaching job at a private school. Even getting a teaching job was tedious, but eventually, I got one at a primary school at Akobo (Ibadan). I have intensified my job search, though. I cannot settle for this!”

While Ojo continues to search for her dream job, her current salary can be said to be ridiculously less than half of that of a corps member, who earns N33,000. Her salary is exactly half of the new minimum wage of N30,000, which has yet to be implemented in many states of the federation.

In January, the Federal Government increased corps members’ monthly allowance from N19,800 to N33,000 – in line with the new minimum wage of N30,000.

This implies that Ojo’s salary is even less than a corps member’s initial allowance (N19,800) before the increment to N33, 000.

She said, “I apologise to my parents every month because I can’t take care of them. They sent me to school and I am supposed to be paying back now, but it is quite unfortunate I’m unable to do so now.

“Thankfully, my siblings are better paid where they are working, so my parents get some stipends from them. But as the last child and only female, I ought to also care for my parents while they are still alive. I hope to be able to do that soon.”

But Ojo is not the only graduate earning less than corps members in the country.

Another graduate, Moses Akano, who teaches at a private secondary school in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said he was earning N25,000 per month, which is N8, 000 less than a corps member’s allowance.

After being posted to one of the riverine communities in the state in 2015 for the NYSC programme and not knowing whether he would get a job if he returned to his home town in Osun State after the programme’s completion, Akano said he had to stay back in Yenagoa after he was offered a job of N25, 000.

However, the 28-year-old said he was doing private tutorials for some secondary school students and through this initiative he had been making extra income.

He said, “I was posted to Oporoma, a community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in 2015 for the NYSC scheme. In 2016 when I completed the programme, I contemplated returning home but, of course, there was no job waiting for me. I got a teaching job here and I stayed back. The pay is low but I do some private teachings to support it.”

Twenty-seven-year old Chika Nwabuikwu, who graduated from a polytechnic in Edo State, said she had to settle for a sales attendant job in Benin City when she couldn’t get her dream job.

She said she had submitted several CVs to companies both within and outside Edo State for the past two years but she had yet to get positive feedback.

Because of this, Nwabuikwu said she had no choice but to take up the sales attendant job, where she was being paid N20, 000.

She said, “Life is difficult. Sometimes I ask myself why I went to school to end up with a job that even secondary school leavers could do. It is quite ridiculous and embarrassing. I can’t even take care of myself talk less of catering to the needs of my siblings who look up to me.

“My parents are retired and thank God they earn monthly pensions; if not, I don’t know how I would be able to take care of them at their old age. I am intensifying efforts to get a better job because I feel awkward every morning going to a job that is far below my skill.”

Graduate unemployment in Nigeria

In the Nigerian context, a graduate is someone who has successfully completed their first academic degree in a university approved by the National Universities Commission or a polytechnic approved by the National Board for Technical Education.

As of 2019, there were 170 universities (43 federal, 48 state and 79 private) in the country, according to data from the NUC.

On the other hand, there are 134 polytechnics (29 federal, 48 state and 57 private) in the country, according to data from the NBTE.

By some estimates, these tertiary institutions chunk out around 500,000 graduates every year, to join the labour market where around 25 million graduates are said to be unemployed, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

According to 2018 data from the NBS, graduate unemployment has almost tripled within three years, from 12 per cent in 2015 to 30 per cent in 2018. But the national unemployment rate is around 23 per cent.

The NBS also stated that the number of persons in the labour force had increased from 85.1 million to 90.5 million. Over 9.7 million Nigerians were said to have absolutely done no job within less than a year.

Likewise, in its 2019 report, the International Labour Organisation estimated youth unemployment rate in Nigeria to be around 20 per cent, even though the country has the largest economy in Africa, in addition to high human and natural resources.

“Unemployment in Nigeria is largely attributed to the phenomena of jobless growth, increased number of school graduates with no matching job opportunities, rise in employment in many public and private sector institutions and continued job losses in the manufacturing and oil sectors,” ILO stated.

To tackle youth unemployment in Nigeria, the organisation said emphasis must be placed on entrepreneurship, employability, employment creation and equal opportunities.

Meanwhile, while many Nigerian graduates are unemployed, many are said to be among the underemployed in the country, representing about 20 per cent of the labour force.

Labour that falls under the underemployment classification includes highly skilled workers working in low-paying or low-skill jobs. In this case, an individual is working but not working at their full capability.

‘We’re working just to stay alive’

A second class upper graduate of Biology, Margaret Ekwealor, works as an attendant at a grocery supermarket in Ikeja, Lagos, earning N30,000 per month, which is also below a corps member’s monthly allowance.

When she deducts about N10,000 from the salary which she spends on transportation, she is left with N20,000. By the time she subtracts other expenses, she is left with nothing at the end of the month.

She said, “The job is just to stay alive, nothing else. If not that I’m living with my parents, probably I would have been depressed. For now, my parents still take care of me. It’s not too good but this is what life has thrown at me now. Actually, I got a teaching job at a private secondary school which offered me N35,000 but I found out I don’t have a passion for teaching. For now, I’m managing with the sales attendant job.”

Also, Folahan Gbadebo, who graduated from one of the federal polytechnics in the country studying mechanical engineering, teaches physics and mathematics at a private secondary school in Osun State, earning a paltry salary of N15,000, an amount less than half of a corps member’s salary.

He said, “I tried so hard to get a job. I have written several application letters and submitted CVs to many companies across the country but I’ve got no response yet.

“I was jobless for almost four years before I got the teaching job. The income is ridiculously low but I have to cater to my needs. I’m into farming as a side hustle and I hope it will be my main hustle later.”

Also, a graduate of accounting, Kabiru Lawal, works as a marketer in a Lagos firm and earns N30,000 monthly, an amount he said could barely sustain him.

The father of one lamented that despite applying for several job recruitments, his application had yet to be successful in any.

He said, “To get a job in this country is not easy at all. In fact, everything seems to be hard in Nigeria. To get university admission was a struggle for me; now finishing the university and not getting a good job is another struggle.

“That was why I jumped at the marketing job I’m doing currently. It’s not easy but I’m doing it just to stay alive. Thankfully, my wife works as a teacher in a private school and supports with her income. It wouldn’t have been easy to fend for her and our three-year-old son.”

The story of a biochemistry graduate and hotel attendant in the Egbeda area of Lagos, Adedolapo Salam, was not different from others.

After graduating from one of the universities in Kwara State and completing the NYSC scheme with no job, she said she had to take up a hotel attendant job for the time being, adding that she was being paid N30, 000.

She said, “I’m doing the job not to stay idle. Sometimes I sit down and ponder what is going wrong. I mean, for the past two years, I’ve been looking for a better job but I have got none.

“Right now, hotels are shut due to the coronavirus pandemic, so no income is coming in. I have just been barely surviving. However, I thank God that I get some stipends from my elder siblings. If not for that, I would have been totally broke.”

Another graduate, Paul Ogboike, said he lost a N120, 000 monthly salary job in 2016 and since then couldn’t find another one.

To make ends meet, he said he had to take up a marketing job in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in 2018, earning less than N30,000 per month.

He said, “Initially, I was not going to take up any job less than N100,000. I thought to myself, ‘How could I lose a job of N120,000 and then take up one less than N100, 000?’

“Could you imagine I once got a job of N50, 000 but I turned it down because I felt it was not up to my standard? But as time went on and no other job was forthcoming, I became desperate. I now work as a marketer with a monthly pay of N30,000. It’s ridiculous but I need to stay alive as I hope for better things to come.”

Since graduating from the polytechnic three years ago studying insurance, Aisha Madaki, who lives in Bauchi State, said she had been earning N20,000 per month working as an attendant at a restaurant.

She said, “The work is strenuous and the pay is not encouraging but where is the job? I once got employed by an insurance company and they branded me a marketing executive. I was happy as I just completed NYSC programme and I thought it was a great offer.

“I didn’t know the word ‘executive’ added no meaning to my title. I thought the pay was big and I would be chauffeur-driven like a real executive. We even did thanksgiving in my home when I was given the employment.

“But behold, when I resumed at the job, I was placed on commission. I and my colleagues walked several miles per day under the hot sun looking for clients. But I never got any. I quit after two or three months when life was taking its toll on him. Later, I got a job as a waitress at a restaurant. But the pay is low.”

Also, Vincent Nwosu couldn’t get a job with his bachelor’s degree in physics, so he took up a security job at a private firm in Enugu, earning N20,000 monthly.

“What have I got to do when I searched everywhere for a job but got none? I had to take up the N20,000 job but I know this is not my final destination. I will keep searching for a better job and I know it will come,” he said.

Boosting employment and employability skills

Although successive governments in Nigeria have always promised to create jobs, human resource experts believed it was not the job of the government alone to create the number of jobs that graduates needed, hence the need for the government to create the right policies and environment for the private sector to thrive.

An analyst with an investment firm at Victoria Island, Lagos, Mr Tope Oni, said most private companies that paid low income to graduates usually did so because of the huge running costs they incured, hence the need for them to cut other expenses like salaries.

He said, “I know companies that spend millions of naira on fuel expenses alone for generators per month. Imagine if these expenses were not incurred if the government was providing regular electricity, the companies would be able to pay their staff better.

“For some other companies like food and haulage companies, the cost of transportation is on the high side. These are all expenses that contribute to many companies’ inability to pay graduates and other low-skill workers good salaries.

“For the story to change, most of the solutions still lie in the government’s hands. There must be improved infrastructure, especially electricity and transportation network. If only these two are well taken care of, I can assure you that many companies will be able to pay their workers better salaries.”

Meanwhile, as the job market is saturated, a Lagos-based career coach, Dr Jadesola Bamidele, said getting a dream job was no longer served on a silver platter.

She, therefore, encouraged graduates to boost their employability skills to secure their dream jobs.

She said, “It’s no longer enough to graduate with a first class or second class upper or whatever and think employers will be wooing you. If a graduate is unable to demonstrate that they have the skills and abilities employers are looking for, then they will keep complaining of not getting a good job.

“The game has changed and a graduate really needs to go the extra mile, no matter what qualification they have, to have their dream job. For instance, one will be shocked to see a graduate who can’t write in English correctly. I’ve seen this on many occasions. Could you employ such a graduate in a media company, especially print? No one would, even if the graduate studied mass communication in a reputable institution and had a good grade.

“These are the issues. There is unemployment so there is fierce competition out there. It’s only graduates who have something fantastic to bring to the table that would be employed.”

A human resource professional, Mrs Joyce Ugochukwu, also noted that employers wanted graduates with a variety of well-honed life skills, adding that getting the job done was no longer a skill.

“Employers want graduates who can take initiative and develop innovative ideas. Having a good attitude, working hard and smart and staying enthusiastic are some of the things any graduate would need to compete well in the labour market,” she said.

Similarly, HR professional and career coach, Dr Eric Babatunde, said graduates needed 21st-century skills to be successful in today’s job market.

He said, “It’s no longer just about having a good grade and graduating from a reputable school. Today, the skills needed to be successful while job-hunting include ability to think critically and creatively; collaborate, communicate and lead.

“Other required skills are information, technology and media literacy. Some graduates can’t even write a good CV. Some make unprofessional mistakes on their CVs like misspelling their institutions. These are some of the areas any graduate should pay attention to, to get a good job. The job market is competitive. Only great people get the best offers.”

https://punchng.com/pains-of-nigerian-graduates-who-earn-less-than-corps-members

zenith4biz:
Use the startimes on app to change your bouquet

Thanks

I need somebody to explain something to me. I subscribed to Classic for one month (1,900+100) and the message I got was that, it was going to expire in a week's time. I don't understand it and feel surcharged by StarTimes. I was on Super before now!

The 36 state governors, on Wednesday, unanimously resolved to adopt a two-week inter-state lockdown as part of measures aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus across the country.

The resolution was passed during the sixth teleconference chaired by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, during which the governors harped on the need to decentralise the COVID-19 response.

“We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today deliberated on the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and resolved as follows:

“The forum held a minute’s silence in honour of all Nigerians who have lost their lives from coronavirus, especially health workers who were in the front lines of the pandemic.

“Members also conveyed their condolence to President Muhammadu Buhari and the people of Borno State on the passing of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Abba Kyari, who passed away on 17th April 2020 in the line of duty to the country.

“The NGF Chairman briefed the forum on the rapidly evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and coordination efforts with the Federal Government, multilateral and bilateral partners and the private sector through the Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID).

“With over 25 states now affected by the spread of the virus and increasing evidence of community transmission, state governors called for the decentralisation of the COVID-19 response as the best chance of nipping in the bud the spread of the virus in communities.

“Following an update from the NGF Secretariat on the number of COVID-19 cases in the country, members expressed concern over the rising spread of the virus among health workers and resolved to work with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to ensure that health workers are adequately provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) and are constantly trained on the use of protective gears.

“In order to strengthen coordinated implementation of necessary public health recommendations across states, governors resolved to set up COVID-19 committees at the regional level, headed by their state Commissioners of Health.

“The forum also received briefing from the governors of Lagos, Bauchi, Oyo and Ogun states who shared their experiences and lessons from the fight against COVID-19.
“Regional committees will continue to interface with the State Task Force Committees on COVID-19 already established in each state.

“Governors unanimously agreed to the implementation of an inter-state lockdown in the country over the next two weeks to mitigate the spread of the virus from state to state. Only essential services will be permitted.
Lastly, the forum congratulated the Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, who after nearly four weeks of testing positive and observing very strict medical regime, has now received two consecutive negative test results for the coronavirus,” the communiqué read.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/covid-19-governors-adopt-two-weeks-inter-state-lockdown/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1587582252

A medical doctor, James King, and others who had contact with the coronavirus index case in Kano State, have tested negative for the virus.

King, in a Facebook post on Thursday, narrated how the index case (name withheld) had arrived at the hospital and was later taken into isolation.

The Kano-based doctor explained that the patient withheld information about his recent travel and COVID-19 test, adding that the index case had attended several public events.

According to him, the index case visited the hospital on April 10 with complaints of fever and general body weakness, mouth dryness, loss of appetite.

He said, “It was unknown to us that he was alleged to have travelled abroad too before returning to my resident state via Abuja travelling by road. While travelling by road he stayed briefly in Kaduna before arriving at my resident state on the 25th March 2020.

“He denied all this travel history to us. He also denied having the pertinent coronavirus symptoms — breathlessness and cough. He also hid the fact that he had been to several medical outlets since his return to the state.

“And importantly, he did not provide information that his samples were taken by NCDC for COVID-19 testing before coming to us.”

King added that the patient claimed to have felt ill for a few days and denied symptoms of cough, breathlessness or palpitations.

“Of course, he denied all the above in order for him to have our medical care, putting us all and many others at high risk of the novel pandemic. Many other medical questions were asked and documented.

https://punchng.com/covid-19-kano-index-case-hid-travel-history-attended-parties-doctor/

Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister for Social development, Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management has disclosed that Nigerians who recharge their mobile devices with more than N100 and bank customers with over N5,000 in their accounts do not qualify for the palliatives provided to cushion the damning effects of COVID-19 Lockdown.

This is coming after President Buhari extended the lockdown by another 14 days in order to mitigate the spread of the deadly virus which has no cure.

Minister Farouq said the federal government is working with Banks and telecommunications companies to ensure the less-privileged and physically-challenged persons receive the palliatives.

“You are aware that the president in his broadcast of Monday, April 13, directed that we expand the beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer by one million and in this regard, we are going to focus more now on the urban poor.

“These are people who depend on the informal sector to earn their livelihood; they are daily wage earners and these are the people that we are really going to focus on more as well as people living with disabilities.

“Well, we have three options. One, we are going to use the national social register that we already have. Two, we are also going to focus on the urban poor as I mentioned by using their verified BVN accounts to get them, that is, people that have an account balance of N5, 000 and below.

“We are also using the mobile networks, to know people that top up the credit units for their phones with maybe N100 or less. These are people that we consider to be poor and vulnerable. So, these are the three options that we are exploring and I am sure that by the time we get this data, we will be able to give this intervention.

“Let me also say that we have a standard. Twenty five percent of the total population is what we will take out. It cannot go round everywhere, but we are starting from somewhere. Twenty five percent of let’s say the location of Lagos State, for example, is what is going to benefit from this intervention that we are doing. Going forward, we might expand it but this is what is obtainable for now.”

https://www.herald.ng/fg-nigerians-recharge-n100-palliatives/

Boko Haram insurgents on Thursday launched an attack on the Army Special Super Camp at Ngamdu, a border town between Borno and Yobe where Gen. Buratai has relocated to launch a final onslaught on the insurgents.

This daring attack by the insurgents is coming barely 72 hours after the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Buratai sent a damning message to defeat the insurgents within a very short.

Buratai had at the 2020 Special Easter celebration with the troops at the Camp promised to stay with them until the insurgents are “substantially degraded”.

But the insurgents Thursday launched a daring attack on the camp even as Gen. Buratai and his officers were currently at the camp apparently mapping out strategies on how to execute his final blow on the insurgents.

This daring attack by the insurgents is coming barely 72 hours after the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Buratai sent a damning message to defeat the insurgents within a very short.

Buratai had at the 2020 Special Easter celebration with the troops at the Camp promised to stay with them until the insurgents are “substantially degraded”.

Impeccable sources at the camp who are not authorized to speak with the press revealed that the insurgents came in motor gun trucks from the south-western side of the camp and opened fire on the camp.

Other sources also revealed that mortar guns where launched in the camp but no fataIity was recorded. Some of the troops were said to have sustained minor lnjuries.

The Nation gathered that Buratai ordered the troops to chase the ranting insurgents away and warned them to focus on a bigger target.

“The Chief of Army Staff told the soldiers to see what happened as a distraction from the main operation that they are going to carryout. But we defended ourselves very well by repelling them,” the source said.

Another source revealed that the insurgents could have been angered by an earlier advance operation that the troops carried out yesterday.

“We suspect it was the advance operation that we carried out yesterday that got them angry and they decided to come to attack us. You know we kiIIed some of their men in the operation and captured others alive so they were angry,” he informed.

https://www.nationalpivot.com/2020/04/boko-haram-attacks-buratais-camp-in-borno.html?m=1

Gboyega Oyetola, governor of Osun, has extended the lockdown in the state by two weeks.

This follows the expiration of the initial 14-day lockdown, which began on March 31, 2020.

In a broadcast on Tuesday, Oyetola said he took the decision to ensure the total defeat of coronavirus in Osun.

He, however, said the lockdown will be suspended between Wednesday and Thursday to allow the people re-stock.

“In order to ensure a total defeat of coronavirus in Osun, we shall extend lockdown by another 14 days. But to allow our people to re-stock, the lockdown is suspended between Wednesday, 15th and Thursday, 16th April, 2020. The second lockdown shall therefore commence on midnight of Thursday, April 16, 2020,” he said.

“All markets and land boundaries remain closed during the suspension of the lockdown and the lockdown period. Also, the ban on all public gatherings remains in force.”

The governor, who noted the decision to impose the initial lockdown was a painful one, said its outcomes had proven that the state government took the best decision as no new case of COVID-19 was recorded in the state during the period.
He state has recorded 20 cases of the virus, while 10 of the patients who recovered have been discharged.

http://www.thecable.ng/covid-19-osun-extends-lockdown-by-two-weeks

The Central Bank of Nigeria says interested stakeholders must meet its set criteria to access its N50bn intervention loans for small and medium scale enterprises.

The CBN introduced the N50bn Targeted Credit Facility as a stimulus package to support households and Micro,Small and Medium Enterprises affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and guidelines to access the funds.

To access, it stated that, “Eligible households or MSMEs shall submit applications directly to NIRSAL Microfinance Bank; and the application must, among others, contain BVN number, business registration (where applicable) and business plan with clear evidence of the opportunity or adverse impact as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

“NMFB shall appraise and conduct due diligence applications; upon satisfactory appraisal of application, NMFB shall forward the applications to the CBN for final approval; and CBN reviews applications and gives final approval for disbursement to NMFB.”

The bank stated that eligible participants were households and existing enterprises with verifiable evidence of business activities adversely affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and enterprises with bankable plans to take advantage of opportunities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Activities covered under the guidelines include agricultural value chain activities, hospitality (accommodation and food services), health (pharmaceuticals and medical supplies), airline service providers, manufacturing/value addition, trading, and any other income generating activities as may be prescribed by the CBN.

It stated that the eligible participating financial institution for the scheme was NIRSAL Microfinance Bank.

The CBN said the loan amount would be determined based on the activity, cashflow and industry/segment size of beneficiary, subject to a maximum of N25m for SMEs; and households could access a maximum of N3m.

It stated that working capital would be a maximum of 25 per cent of the average of the previous three years’ annual turnover (where the enterprise was not up to three years in operation, 25 per cent of the previous year’s turnover would suffice).

It added that interest rate under the intervention would be five per cent per annum (all inclusive) up to 28th February 2021 and thereafter, the interest on the facility would revert to nine per cent (all inclusive) as from 1st March 2021.

The regulator stated that working capital would be for a maximum period of one year, with no option for rollover, while term loan would have a maximum tenor of not more than three years with, at least, one year moratorium.

It stated that the collateral to be pledged by beneficiaries under the programme must be acceptable by NIRSAL MFB, but may include any one or more of others which are moveable assets duly registered on the National Collateral Registry; simple deposit of title documents, in perfectible state; and deed of debenture (for stocks), in perfectible state.

Others were irrevocable domiciliation of proceeds; two acceptable guarantors; personal guarantee of the promoter of the business; life insurance of the key-man, with NMFB noted as the first loss payee; and comprehensive insurance over the asset.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://punchng.com/how-to-access-n50bn-covid-19-intervention-fund-cbn/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiX5vqY8-joAhUIoRQKHTlbB7sQFjAAegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw0F98oCH_DGYgNillL36tYh