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Large crowds of people are still flocking to Sydney's beaches despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The index case of the Coronavirus in Nigeria, an Italian man, who flew into Lagos from Milan, has been declared free of the virus.

The yet to be identified man is now free to go home after testing negative to the second Coronavirus test on him after making full recovery.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, made the announcement on Friday night in a tweet. 

He said, "I am glad to inform you that the index case; the Italian, is now negative. 

"Through a combined effort of Lagos, Ogun and Federal health authorities, we were able to limit the transmission of the virus to a single contact."
 

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The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency on Friday recovered another body from the rubbles of the explosion that rocked Abule Ado, Lagos, on Sunday.

The body was recovered from one of the buildings in the area during the ongoing clearance operation. 

Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, DG/CEO LASEMA, disclosed this in a statement, adding that the total confirmed number of deaths was now 22.

“An additional body was retrieved today, bringing the total number of fatalities to 22.

“468 people were displaced from their homes and 100 of them are now in the relief camp," Oke-Osanyintolu said.

LASEMA DG also revealed that one person has been declared missing during the ensuing pandemonium as a result of the explosion.

The emergency agency added that its help desk would continue to manage enquiries and arrange transfer to the LASEMA relief camp for those in need of shelter and food.

The DG also appealed for calm and urgef members of the public to keep away from the scene.

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Governor of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi, has shutdown the state over the outbreak of Coronavirus.

The governor directed all workers (private and public) to work from home as he outlined safety measures to be taken in public places.

In a statement on Friday, Fayemi also banned public gatherings of 20 persons and above including worship and prayer services, night vigils, house fellowships and social gatherings.

The governor however, stated that health and security workers were exempted from the stay-at-home order, adding that all directives were to be implemented immediately until further notice.

The statement reads partly, “All non-essential workers in private and public sectors are encouraged to work from home from Monday 23rd March 2020. 

“These include civil and public servants from level 12 and below; except essential services like health workers, caregivers, social welfare officers, fire service officers, emergency response officers, and security guards/watchmen in public institutions. 

“Government officials are advised to keep their phone lines open as they may be required to come to the office when needed.”

Fayemi also said that public transport operators should refrain from overloading passengers in order to reduce contact with someone infected with the virus.

He added that public places must provide hand washing equipment.

Governor Fayemi also placed a ban on travelling in and out of Ekiti except when necessary.

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From environmental improvements to acts of kindness, there are glimmers of light amid the crisis.

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What if older relatives or friends prefer to ignore the risks and don't want to stay in?

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Nigerian Victor Olaiya, who died last month, was a musical pioneer and mentor to the Afrobeat legend.

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Australia is severely restricting access to remote Aboriginal communities amid coronavirus fears.

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The first case of Covid-19 in the United States appeared in Seattle, Washington on 21 January.

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The BBC's China correspondent Stephen McDonell met people venturing out for the first time in weeks.

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Whether it's music, art or 'modifed block parties', coronavirus is changing the way we interact.

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The launch is the third this month, according South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

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Musicians due to play on the British Embassy stage at SXSW in Texas have been offered a platform of a different kind.

Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari, has been forced to cancel his trip to Guinea as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

A top government source confirmed the development to SaharaReporters on Friday evening. 

According to the official, Buhari together with presidents of Ghana, Ivory Coast and Niger were supposed to arrive Guinea this weekend ahead of a rescheduled referendum in that country but has now shelved that plan as a result of the rapid rate at which the pandemic was spreading on the continent. 

President of Guinea, Alpha Conde, plans to amend the country's constitution in order to keep his hold on power despite already serving two terms of five years each that elapses at the end of this year. 

The situation has led to widespread violence in the West African country with at least 31 civilians and a policeman killed already. 

The referendum should have held on March 1 but was moved to March 22, which has eventually been put on hold as a result of of the deadly virus. 

The pandemic has already hit several African countries including Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Togo, Egypt, Algeria, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Benin. 

Nigeria has 12 confirmed cases of the virus with one of President Buhari’s daughter just back from the United Kingdom already in self-isolation like every other traveller from high risk countries as advised by the World Health Organisation. 

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The African Development Bank has cancelled travels for all of its officials.

The decision was taken as part of "extraordinary measures to protect staff, families and operations," said Akinwunmi Adesina, President of AfDB.

He added that staff are to work remotely as visits to the bank had been cancelled.

"All official travels are cancelled. All meetings are cancelled. 

"All staff to work from home. All visits to the bank are cancelled," Adesina added. 
 

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The African Development Bank has cancelled travels for all of its officials.

The decision was taken as part of "extraordinary measures to protect staff, families and operations," said Akinwunmi Adesina, President of AfDB.

He added that staff are to work remotely as visits to the bank had been cancelled.

"All official travels are cancelled. All meetings are cancelled. 

"All staff to work from home. All visits to the bank are cancelled," Adesina added. 
 

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Students Writing WAEC

The 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination has been postponed indefinitely by the West African Examinations Council.

The decision was announced by WAEC Nigeria’s Head of National Office, Mr Patrick Ehidiamen Areghan, as part of efforts to contain the spread of the Coronavirus.

Areghan announced that the exam scheduled to commence on April 6, 2020, will not hold. 

He added that the board had suspended the timetable and would review it after getting clearance.

"The West African Examinations Council in Nigeria has decided to put on hold the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for candidates, earlier scheduled to commence on April 6, 2020.

“This is as a result of the impact of the novel and deadly Coronavirus pandemic and the serious implications it has for the conduct of the WASSCE for school candidates, coupled with the anxieties it had generated among the populace.

“This decision is a demonstration of the organisation’s concern and support for the various protocols being put in place by the federal and state governments of Nigeria and the governments of other member countries to check the spread of the disease."

The Nigerian Government has announced the closure of schools, churches, mosques and public gatherings in order to stop the spread of the virus.
 

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Surveillance contractors in charge of oil pipelines in Bayelsa have berated the state government over calls for the review of the contract.

Deputy Governor of the state, Lawrence Ehwrudjakpo, had during a visit of the House of Representatives Committee on Nigerian Navy called for a review of surveillance contracts in the state.

Ehwrudjakpo, who accused the surveillance contractors of encouraging crime and criminality, said the contracts should be awarded to the Nigerian Navy.

However, Sam Kojo speaking on behalf of contractors providing security for oil installations in the state accused the Bayelsa Government of campaign of calumny.

He said, “For those conversant with the war former governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, waged on oil surveillance contractors since 2015, Ehwrudjakpo’ s comments is only a rehash of the baseless and unfounded allegations peddled by the Bayelsa State Government which was tabled as a motion in the National Assembly but failed because of its spurious content.”

According to Kojo, before the engagement of surveillance contractors, Bayelsa was the hotbed of illegal bunkerers and it was their efforts that rescued restored sanity.

Kojo advised Diri and his administration to focus on confronting the challenges afflicting Bayelsans instead of waging war on persons trying to ensure peace reigns in the state.

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Surveillance contractors in charge of oil pipelines in Bayelsa have berated the state government over calls for the review of the contract.

Deputy Governor of the state, Lawrence Ehwrudjakpo, had during a visit of the House of Representatives Committee on Nigerian Navy called for a review of surveillance contracts in the state.

Ehwrudjakpo, who accused the surveillance contractors of encouraging crime and criminality, said the contracts should be awarded to the Nigerian Navy.

However, Sam Kojo speaking on behalf of contractors providing security for oil installations in the state accused the Bayelsa Government of campaign of calumny.

He said, “For those conversant with the war former governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, waged on oil surveillance contractors since 2015, Ehwrudjakpo’ s comments is only a rehash of the baseless and unfounded allegations peddled by the Bayelsa State Government which was tabled as a motion in the National Assembly but failed because of its spurious content.”

According to Kojo, before the engagement of surveillance contractors, Bayelsa was the hotbed of illegal bunkerers and it was their efforts that rescued restored sanity.

Kojo advised Diri and his administration to focus on confronting the challenges afflicting Bayelsans instead of waging war on persons trying to ensure peace reigns in the state.

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More than 24 years after prominent environmental rights activist and writer, Ken Saro-Wiwa, was killed by the military regime in Nigeria for his efforts in drawing attention to the pollution by multinational oil companies in the Niger Delta region, activities in the area have continued to degrade the environment. 

Yearly, an average of 240,000 barrels of crude oil is spilled in the Niger Delta due to unknown causes (31.85 per cent), third party activity (20.74 per cent), and mechanical failure (17.04 per cent). 

Active oil spillage which has continued and is threatening the lives of about 20 million inhabitants of the region which covers 20,000 km within wetlands of 70,000 km formed primarily by sediment deposition.

The estimation by the Nigeria's Department of Petroleum Resources, which puts the total depletion of oil reserves in the country to 49 years from 2019 can cause the region to experience a loss of 40 per cent of its inhabitable terrain in the next 30 years, research shows.

John Udoh, an academic researcher in the area, attributes the continued pollution of the Niger Delta to corruption and gross mismanagement. 

“I have worked here for 20 years, collecting samples and analysing to track the level and impact of degradation and I can tell you that every time I go into the creeks and wetlands, the only thing that is on my mind is how greed and lack of foresight has kept this region on the same spot for 50 years.

“There is nothing that stops the Nigerian Government from diversifying the economy and switching to cleaner alternatives but because they collect kickbacks from the multinationals and it is easier money than renewables, they do it with consideration for posterity. 

“Oil is a quick fix, an executive at one of these companies once told me in a friendly chat that he will expose the corruption of any official who attempts to stop their operations; you can see that our leaders are not honest or wanting change,” he said.

In 2016, the Nigerian Government announced that it had set up the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Program to clean up Ogoni land, one of the most polluted areas in the region. Around $187m was set aside for this project. Despite this effort, the pollution in most states in the region continues.

In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, there is an ever present grey cloud, which eventually blackens white walls, floors and even some people's lives forever.

“It started to be more noticeable around 2015, you would sneeze and the contents of the handkerchief would be black. 

“We knew the soot was coming from seized crude that government was burning but what I personally did not know was that it would give me shortness of breath and asthma,” says Anthonia Amos, a local fruit vendor in the city.

She feels betrayed and blames government for her condition. 

“If they know it was going to be this bad for us, why are they still doing it? All my profit from selling goes to buying inhalers and I am not the only one,” she adds.

Research by Best Ordinioha and Seiyefa Brisibe show that health hazards created by oil exploration and exploitation are covert and slow in action.

Oil spills contaminate the surface water, ground water, ambient air and crops with hydrocarbons, including known carcinogens like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and benxo (a) pyrene, naturally occurring radioactive materials and trace metals that were further bioaccumulated in some food crops. This could lead to a 60 per cent reduction in household food security and capable of reducing the ascorbic acid content of vegetables by as much as 36 per cent and the crude protein content of cassava by 40 per cent. These could result in a 24 per cent increase in the prevalence of childhood malnutrition, the research suggest.

The damage is immeasurable. However, there is still time to act; the switch to cleaner alternatives can help the region recover while creating new and innovative jobs for locals in the area. But this requires the will to act and follow through, says Bibiye Cracker, an activist in the area.

“The damage has happened and continues and at this point there is no going back but there can be a turnaround with action backed by political will and finances. 

“Give the people the support of your will and everything else will follow,” he said.

This article was written with the support of Climatetracker.org as part of the 2019 Climate Tracker Data Journalism Fellowship

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Nigeria's crude oil reserves will run out in 49 years, according to the country's Department of Petroleum Resources.

The reserves, which stood at 37.45 billion barrels in 2014, fell to 37.06 billion barrels in 2015 and 36.74 billion barrels in 2016. It however, rose to 36.97 billion barrels in 2017 and 37 billion barrels in 2018.

“The nation’s depletion rate and life index are 2.04 per cent and 49.03 years respectively,” DPR data shows.

Despite the grim reality facing the sub-Saharan country, there are no real efforts on the ground to shift to sustainable alternatives.

In January 2020, Nigeria’s junior minister for petroleum said in Davos, Switzerland, that “Climate change is not really a big issue for us”.

This is despite a statement by the Nigerian Government in September 2016 saying that the country was committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions unconditionally by 20 per cent and conditionally by 45 per cent “in line with Nigeria’s nationally determined contributions.”

The country was also among the 187 that ratified the Paris Agreement, a United Nations-backed framework on climate change.

Back home, Nigeria is shopping for more oil. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in 2019 said it discovered hydrocarbon deposits in the Kolmani River II Well on the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin, in the North-Eastern part of the country.

The NNPC said it acquired 435.54km2 of 3D Seismic Data over Kolmani Prospect in the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin. 

“The well was drilled with “IKENGA RIG 101” to a total depth of 13,701 feet encountering oil and gas in several levels.

Nigeria's first oil discovery has led to environmental degradation, health challenges for locals in host communities and even civil unrest. So, why is Nigeria choosing to ignore cleaner alternatives in preparation for its future?

“The corruption in Nigeria is so great that those who oversee its affairs do not see beyond the money that oil churns. They are not concerned about the future of anyone and this is why I advocate for young people to speak up and pioneer alternative conversations for Nigeria's future,” says Tamuno Philips, a community organiser in Nigeria's Niger Delta region.

He believes young people, who make up about 70 per cent of Nigeria's 200 million population hold the key to Nigeria's diversification. But do they?

Irawo Ade is a 27 year-old postgraduate student in Lagos. She says the current crop of politicians must not abandon the responsibility of a sustainable future on the next generation; advising for a "now" approach to the matter.

She said, “It's funny that anyone thinks my generation will diversify Nigeria from fossil fuel. There are no programmes to show us the agreements being signed with nations, we have no idea the exact revenue from crude oil, so how do we know what is available to invest in alternative? We need action now, it's not a matter of young or old people.”

A viable option for diversification, according to a study by Evbuomwan Grace, an Agricultural Economist, can happen in the agricultural and solid mineral sectors in view of Nigeria’s resource endowment. She opines that Nigeria has a large expanse of agricultural land. This constitutes 77.7 per cent of Nigeria’s total land area which is 910.8 thousand square kilometres. Of this total, 37.3 per cent is arable land.

Whichever option Nigeria seeks in creating a future for itself, it is important that the decision happens soon in order for the country to break loose from the problems inherent in a monotype-economy largely dominated by oil such as depletion, international price shocks, mass unemployment, lack of innovation and poverty.

This article was written with the support of Climatetracker.org as part of the 2019 Climate Tracker Data Journalism Fellowship

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Nigeria's reliance on crude oil over the years has been subject controversy.

In recent times, the demand for oil globally has slumped. Global oil prices fell by as much as 15 per cent in March to $27 per barrel. This is threatening to destabilise Nigeria's plan of funding its budget by raising N2.64trn from oil sales of two million barrels a day at an assumed benchmark of $57 per barrel.

The dramatic change in oil prices occasioned by calls from environmental activists and more recently the Coronavirus (COVID-19) may force Nigeria to borrow more than it already plan to in order to fund the 2020 budget. But what do Nigerians think about all these?

“Nigeria’s continuous reliance on its crude oil is suicidal,” says Elias Ozikpu, a rights activist in the country.

He argues that Nigeria's failure to diversify its economy to sustainable alternatives despite modern realities would portend grave consequences for citizens in a short time.

“It cannot be considered sustainable. This is why Nigerians should not believe the daily delusional press statements from the Presidency in defence of the perilous economic situation confronting us. The truth is that other oil-producing countries across the world foresaw the present realities and immediately sought economic diversification. As usual, Nigeria didn’t.

“For instance, recall vividly that in 2016, Saudi Arabia launched what it called “Vision 2030” aimed at diversifying the country’s economy from oil. Tourism was then penned down as one of other numerous new ways to boost the country’s economy.

“Nigeria is presently at economic crossroads after failing to heed several warnings on the need to diversify the country's economy, particularly after the significant oil decline in 2015. The most provocative Nigerian policy in this regard, I think, is the reliance on oil resources as a source of foreign exchange earnings to the grave detriment of agriculture which ought to be one of the major sources of revenue generation for Nigeria. The implication of this is that the Nigerian economy has always been vulnerable. And as things stand today, there is no sign that the Nigerian situation will change for good.

“The country is clearly facing the harsh consequences of not having a visionary leader after 60 woeful years of independence,” he said.

Penny wise, pound foolish

The Debt Management Office in Nigeria says the country will borrow at least N1.549trn from domestic and international markets to fund its 2020 budget. This amount is almost the same as what is estimated by environmental activists for the full diversification of the economy into sustainable sources of energy and revenue.

“Truth is for a country like Nigeria to be blessed with diverse yet equally important climatic weather cutting across the six geopolitical zones to rely solely on oil and gas in an age of technological advancement is penny wise, pound foolish,” says Walnshak Guteng, an environmentalist working in Nigeria's North-central region.

He proposes that the country urgently shifts to renewable energy to avoid being obsolete in the comity of nations.

“We have at our disposable several options to explore, invent and utilise for the growth of the nation. What happened to groundnut pyramid and other agricultural products? What happened to the fecund human brains we have? These questions can go on and on. Sadly the structure has been laid in error – it must be oil or nothing.

“Renewable energy is the emerging global trend now and for Nigeria to not shift her attention there means we will soon wake up in a museum,” he concludes.

It's not sustainable

Experts say apart from adding unnecessarily to Nigeria's growing debt profile, which peaked at N26.21trn in 2019 from N25.701trn in 2018 according to statistics from the DMO, the country was missing out on exploring technology with the potential to rapidly grow its economy.

“Nations of the world are becoming less dependent on crude oil and petroleum products for their energy needs. 

“The world through futuristic technologies are tapping into order sources of power generation and these sources tend to be more pure and healthier than crude power," says online marketer, Emmanuel Ejike.

He adds that, “We now have solar, electric and water powered automobiles and automotive engines, countries are even discovering more oil, countries that do not have have their reserves overflowing, we can't even control the price.”

Looking inwards

Nigeria as a country faces a bleak future based solely on economic projections of the sustainability of crude oil. It however, also has an abundance of potential if it hopes to diversify into cleaner, cheaper and more stable alternatives.

“Before we discovered oil, we had agriculture. It's something we can still go back to. We have all the potential to succeed in agriculture,” says journalist, Seun Adewale.

Adewale opines that Nigeria has been unlucky in leadership with a will to change the status quo. He is however, hopeful that things can change soon.

“Another area we can look at is tourism. We have several tourist/tourism attractions, we just have not been lucky to have leaders who are ready to tap into this opportunity.

“Dubai is what it is today because of tourism. Look at Uganda for instance, every time people watch Arsenal football club play, they see ‘Visit Uganda’ on their jerseys. This is a country serious about tourism. Have you ever seen any ad on an international television channel inviting people to visit Nigeria?

“The millennial in the country, I believe they hold the key to change. Their willingness to have a conversation about their future is the hope that sustainable change can still happen in Nigeria,” he said.

This article was written with the support of Climatetracker.org as part of the 2019 Climate Tracker Data Journalism Fellowship

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National Universities Commission (NUC) Premium Times

The National Universities Commission has ordered universities across the country to close for a month beginning from March 23, 2020.

The directive was made know in a statement by the commission's Deputy Executive Secretary, Suleiman Rammon-Yusuf.

It reads, “I write on behalf of the Executive Secretary to inform Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities that as part of measures to contain and prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) throughout the country, approval has been granted for the closure of all schools for a period of one month commencing from Monday, 23rd March, 2020.

”Vice Chancellors are kindly requested to ensure immediate compliance."

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Despite a fresh directive by the Nigerian Government for the price of Premium Motor Spirit also known as petrol to be sold for N125 per litre, many retailers across most parts of the country have continued to dispense the product at N145.

Nigerians, who turned up at various filling stations on Thursday morning to buy the product were left disappointed as they had to purchase it at the old price.

During visits to filling stations in Lagos, Ondo, Abuja, Adamawa and Bayelsa by SaharaReporters correspondents on Thursday, it was observed that nothing significant had change as managers and attendants at facilities visited totally ignored the new directive by government. 

At Total filling station in the Maryland area of Lagos for example, the price of petrol per litre was still set at N145. 

An attendant at the station, who asked not to be named, said he had not received directives from his manager to sell at the reviewed price.

Just across the road at the Oando filing station, Onigbongbo, it was the same story as the product was still being sold for N145 per litre. 

“The way you heard it in the news was the way we also heard it. We are not clear on the directive, so we are still selling at N145. 

“Maybe if you check back by weekend, it may have changed,” said Ayo Kazeem, an attendant at the station.

At Eterna filling station in the Aguda, Ogba area of Lagos, petrol still sells for N143. 

An attendant SaharaReporters spoke with, said they were still having old stock and cannot sell at a loss.

“The management is yet to issue a directive for us to reduce the pump price,” the attendant said. 

A survey of some petrol stations in Ikeja, Lagos, showed that the product still sells for the old price of N145 per litre.

At MRS filling station in Ikeja, one attendant, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said he was aware of the reduction but had not been directed to sell at the new rate.

He said, “I heard from news that the government had ordered the reduction in price but my boss has not directed me to start selling at the new price.”

The attendant said the branch office will immediately start selling once they got the order to do so.

The case was same at Total filling station also in Ikeja as petrol was still being sold for N145 per litre.

Meanwhile, commercial transport operators have expressed concern over the situation, calling for filling station workers to implement the new price regime.

A cab driver plying the Lagos/Abeokuta route, expressed hope that petrol marketers would obey the directive. 

He said, “We still buy petrol at the same price, nothing has changed yet. 

“We hope they can start selling at the reduced price, which in turn will lead to a reduction in price of transportation fares.”

A bus driver urged government to enforce compliance, stating that marketers were not ready to reduce the pump price of petrol.

Ondo 

In was the same tale in Akure, Ondo State, when SaharaReporters correspondent went round the city to observe the situation.

Most major marketers still sold the product for N145 per litre apart from the NNPC station on Ado/Owo Expressway. 

It was also observed that Bovas and Rano filling stations on Oke Ijebu axis of the state capital had complied with the directive. 

At a filling station on Fiwasaye Road in Akure, a female petrol attendant told our correspondent that the management of the facility was yet to comply with the new directive.

General Manager of the facility, Mr Olumide Adegbote, said the station still sold at the old price because they were yet to exhaust old stock.

He said, “We still have to sell at N145 because we got the product at a high price, so it will amount to a huge loss for us if we sell at N125. 

“But I'm optimistic that starting from weekend, we must have pushed the old stock out fully and start selling for N125 per litre.”

Abuja

Petroleum marketers in Abuja and environs have also continued to sell at N145 per litre despite the new price regime announced by government on Wednesday.

Checks within the metropolis revealed that many stations refused to sell the product while others, who retained the old price, said that they would revert to the new price when their stocks were exhausted.

Only NNPC filling stations and Oando complied with the new directive to sell at N125 per litre. 

The situation led to long queues of vehicles and traffic at the NNPC facility around the Central Business District near Wuse Zone 1.

Other stations visited by our correspondent, who have refused to comply with the new directive include Eterna, Forte Oil, Conoil and Total. 

A station manager, who refused to be named, told SaharaReporters that they cannot afford to yield to the directive because they would run at loss.

He said, “Government has said their own but we have to sell what we have at hand or are they going to pay us our money? 

“What of people who loaded 20 to 30 trucks of petrol at the old price, what are they going to do?

“Government should have given us one week notice ahead for people to sell what they have in stock.”

Adamawa

SaharaReporters can confirm that only the NNPC mega station in Yola, the state capital, has adjusted its price to the N125 new price in Adamawa.

The situation has also created long queues of vehicles at the NNPC mega station as motorists scrambled for the product.

At the Total filling station along Airport Road, an attendant, Ibrahim Mohammed, told our correspondent that they were waiting for a circular before adjusting to the new pump price.

A vehicle owner, Solomon Egwu, welcomed the new price regime but said that it was long overdue.

He said, “What the government has done is good even though this thing is long overdue because we have been agitating for it for a long time.”

Bayelsa

Filling stations in Bayelsa State are also yet to comply with the new directive of the Nigerian Government to adjust from N145 to N125 per litre of petrol.

When SaharaReporters visited filling stations in parts of the capital, Yenagoa, it was still business as usual while some were under locks.

At one NNPC outlet in Tombia, attendants still dispensed fuel at N145 and when asked of non-compliance to the directive, some of them said their boss hadn’t adjusted meter or instructed them to do so.

It was the same at Sobaz filling station where the product was still being sold for N145 per litre.

The decision to lower the pump price of petrol was announced at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. 

Consequently, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had been directed to ensure the new price was adhered to by all stakeholders.

In a statement signed by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, government said Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency should modulate pricing in accordance with prevailing market dynamics.

The statement reads, “The drop in crude oil prices has lowered the expected open market price of imported petrol price below the official pump price of N145 per litre.

“Therefore, Mr President has approved that Nigerians should benefit from the reduction in the price of PMS which is a direct effect of the crash in global crude oil prices.

“In view of this situation, based on the price modulation template approved in 2015, the Federal Government is directing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to reduce the ex-coastal and ex-depot prices of PMS to reflect current market realities.

“Also, the PPPRA shall subsequently issue a monthly guide to NNPC and marketers on the appropriate pricing regime.

“The agency is further directed to modulate pricing in accordance with prevailing market dynamics and respond appropriately to any further oil market development.”

The current landing cost of petrol is N64.32 after a barrel of oil in the international market dropped to $27 on Wednesday.

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The Management of University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo State, has confirmed that it received a 74 year-old male suspected of having Coronavirus into its facility on March 17, 2020.

This was in confirmation of a story by SaharaReporters that revealed that a man named David, who had returned from Maryland, United States, was rushed to the hospital after showing symptoms of the virus.

The man was first kept at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the facility before being moved to a section where persons suffering stroke are attended to.

The management of the hospital in a statement on Thursday signed by its Acting Chief Medical Director, Oluwole Ige, said the patient showed symptoms of chronic systemic hypertension, complications of cerebrovascular disease (stroke), and chronic and recurrent cough lasting more than four days. See Also PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE: US Returnee Suspected Of Having Coronavirus Moved To 'Stroke Ward' In Ondo Hospital 0 Comments 1 Day Ago

According to Ige, the man arrived Nigeria on February 29, 2020 and was isolated on suspicion of having the Coronavirus.

He said that test results from blood samples taken from the man were expected within the next 24 hours.

The CMD called on all residents in the state to remain calm and follow basic hygiene measures as recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Four new cases of the virus were confirmed in Lagos on Thursday – just a day after five others were announced by the Ministry of Health.

The virus has killed over 9,000 persons in more than 70 countries around the world.

 

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The Christian Association of Nigeria has directed churches across the country to observe special prayers on March 22 and 29, 2020 in a bid to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Four new cases of the virus were confirmed in Lagos on Thursday – just a day after five others were announced by the Ministry of Health.

The virus has killed over 9,000 persons in more than 70 countries around the world.

In a statement on Thursday by Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant on Media and Communications to CAN President, Rev Samson Ayokunle, the religious organisation admonished churches to obey the guidelines handed down by state governments to help halt the spread of the pandemic.

The statement reads, “CAN calls on all churches in the country to set aside Sunday 22nd and 29th March, 2020 apart to pray for an end to Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria and all over the world.

“Churches are advised to strictly follow the guidelines for combating COVID-19 in all their gatherings as we are trusting God for victory over the plague.”

The association went on to urge churches to hold cell-based service or online service.

For churches without online system, CAN urged them to break services into shifts of not more than 50 members, adding that alcohol-based hand sanitisers should be provided.

 

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