Day: April 16, 2020

COVID-19 Lockdown: A Radical View By Azu Ishiekwene

Emporium Reporters

Until a few days ago, I was a big fan of testing, testing, testing. I still believe testing is important because data, reliable data, ought to direct action. But considering where we are at today (about 6,000 tests so far, and at an official figure of 500 daily), it will take 3,600 days or 10 years to test one per cent, that is 1.8 million of our population or five years, if we double the testing rate. The government did not extend the lockdown by two weeks to punish us.…

Turning the COVID-19 Tragedy Into An Opportunity For A New Nigeria By Godwin Emefiele

Emporium Reporters

…I believe we must now envision and work toward a Nigeria with the cutting edge medical facilities to provide world-class care to the sick and vulnerable; enable our universities and research institutions to provide the requisite education and training that is required to keep these ecosystems functioning sustainably and efficiently; and millions of Nigerians employed in meaningful and well-paying jobs. This is the Nigeria that we must aspire to build. As many people are now aware, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China has rapidly permeated and…

COVID-19 TESTING CENTRE :Gov Sani Bello seeks partnership with NCDC …… as he inspects fifty-beds capacity isolation centre

Emporium Reporters

Niger State Governor ,Alhaji Abubakar Sani-Bello has called on National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to partner with his government for the establishment of Coronavirus (COVID 19) laboratory testing centre in the state. Governor Sani Bello made this request while inspecting the 50-beds Capacity Isolation Centre donated by the El-Amin Foundation in Minna. The Governor who described the state as the gateway from Southwest to Northern parts of the country, said the state needed a laboratory for testing COVID-19 cases to ease the stress of having to send samples to…

Police Nab killers of Chief Fasoranti’s daugther, Funke Olakunrin ..IGP assures diligent prosecution of culprits ….declares gang leader,Tambaya, wanted

Emporium Reporters

Police Operatives have arrested the killers of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughterof the leader of the PAN-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti. The suspects are: i. Lawal Mazaje ‘m’ 40yrs from Felele area of Kogi State ii. Adamu Adamu ‘m’ 50yrs from Jada area of Adamawa State. iii. Mohammed Shehu Usman ‘m’ 26 years from Illela area of Sokoto State iv. Auwal Abubakar ‘m’ 25yrs from Shinkafi area of Zamfara State Recall that on 13th July, 2019, following the attack and…

DUGBE FIRE OUTBREAK : Dare sympathizes with Traders

Emporium Reporters

Youth and Sports Development Minister, Mr.Sunday Dare has expressed deep sympathy to the traders who lost their wares at Alawo, Dugbe Alawo market following the fire outbreak which resulted in the loss of goods worth millions of Naira. According to Dare,”I sincerely sympathize with the traders whose shops were destroyed by the fire outbreak at the famous Dugbe Alawo Market. This incident coming on the heels of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic is unfortunate and quite pathetic. My thought is with those whose shops were destroyed by this unfortunate…

Dugbe inferno: Makinde visits scene, says govt will launch emergency fund

Emporium Reporters

Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, visited the scene of the fire incident that razed some shops in Dugbe market, Ibadan, on Wednesday. Governor Makinde, who was accompanied by a number of government officials, told the victims and a crowd of sympathisers, who had converged on the location to possibly salvage remnants of their wares, that the state government would launch an emergency fund to address disasters and emergencies. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa,said Makinde commiserated with the victims of…

ANTI-LOCKDOWN PROTEST : Omo Agege appeals for calm

Emporium Reporters

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has appealed for calm over the protests in Sapele, Delta State against the state government’s two-week extension of the lockdown. Omo-Agege also condemned, in strong terms, the alleged shooting of one of the protesters by security agents and called for the arrest and prosecution of the culprit (s). According to him, this will serve as deterrent to other trigger-happy security men. While noting that the lockdown has caused untold hardship on the people, the lawmaker pointed out that the long-term benefits…

LOCKDOWN : Ekweremadu Condemns Alleged Extrajudicial Killings by Security Operatives

Emporium Reporters

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has condemned the reported extrajudicial killings in several parts of the country by security agencies enforcing the lockdown ordered by the Federal Government and some states of the federation to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Ekweremadu, who is also a member of the seven-man International Parliamentary Taskforce on COVID-19, made his feelings known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, he then called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies to stem the needless killings immediately. “I am deeply saddened by…

COVID-19: Wase distributes foodstuff as palliatives to constituents

Emporium Reporters

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, has commenced the distribution of food stuff to the less privileged persons across the twenty wards of Wase federal constituency. In a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Mohammed Puma, Wase said the move was part of measures to cushion the effects of the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The distribution which has commenced in all the twenty wards witnessed the dispatching of the items to the various wards for onward distribution to…

Egungun, be careful… – Dr.Muiz Banire (@MBanire)

Emporium Reporters

Ruling the airwaves of recent is the song of Fuji music maestro, Akande Abass Obesere, warning a terrorising masquerade to be careful of his movement as he was approaching the expressway where vehicular traffic is heavy and the masquerade might be involved in an accident. Shortly, the rhythm changes and a sense of righteous indignation pervades as a speeding car crushes the masquerade. It seems the atmosphere in Nigeria right now is succinctly captured by the music referred to above as our political leaders in the country seem to be…