COVID-19
Serie A side Genoa confirm 14 virus cases
Genoa have announced that 14 members of their match squad, believed to include 8-10 players, tested positive for COVID-19 after the game with Napoli. So far, only goalkeeper Mattia Perin and midfielder Lasse Schone have been confirmed to have Coronavirus. According to Sportitalia, the latest round of swabs following Sunday’s 6-0 defeat to Napoli found the virus had spread throughout the matchday group. It was confirmed with a statement from Genoa, who acknowledged that there are now 14 members of the matchday group – which includes members of staff – who tested positive. Sportitalia and the Gazzetta dello Sport claim the figure is divided into eight players who tested positive – so that could well be 10 in total including Perin and Schone. “Genoa CFC announce that after the tests, the numb...
Lagos financially, economically viable – official
Contrary to the publication by BudgIT, a public finance analyst, the Lagos State Government said it is economically and financially solid. The state Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, made the assertion in a statement on Monday in reaction to BudgIT, publication, titled: ‘Ability of States to Meet Monthly Recurrent Expenditure and Loan Repayment Obligations, 2019’, which the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, administration described as “misinformation”. According to Olowo, BudgIT has apologized for its error in the report. According to Olowo, the facts are: “Lagos State continues to meet all its recurrent and loan service obligations and the information that was published in incorrect, inaccurate and a gross distortion of the actual facts. “The accurate information that ought to ...
Subsidy removal: Nigerian government sets up modalities to disburse 2,000 buses
The Federal Government on Monday in Abuja has set up modalities for the disbursement of 2, 000 buses to cushion effects of subsidy removal. Dr George Akume, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs in his speech at Inter-Ministerial Stakeholders meeting on Poverty Alleviation, said the initiative was also part of programme to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. Akume said the initiative was in collaboration between his ministry, Agriculture and other government agencies saying the disbursement of the buses would be through cooperative societies of Nigeria. He recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari in his 2019 democracy speech, promised to lift 100 Nigerians out of poverty through numerous governments` initiatives. “The alleviation of poverty in Nigeria has been and...
How CIOs can Help Build Revenue Post Pandemic
Amid a historic global economic slowdown and societal crisis, CIOs can show their mettle and drive their organisations to a more prosperous future by practising the skills and embodying the attitudes that mark out all great leaders. The first stage in achieving that goal will be to act fast to reset cost bases as even relatively small expenses come under extreme financial scrutiny. Today, every IT investment needs TCO written through it like a stick of rock and CIOs need to go the extra mile to calibrate the value of the investments they recommend. In short, more than ever they need to lead as digital transformation and adoption of new technologies become existential issues of survival and critical factors to overall success. Of course, a large part of being a CIO has always been about cos...
Kaduna: FRSC convicts 262 traffic offenders in 8-months
File Photo The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kaduna State Sector Command, says it has convicted no fewer than 262 traffic offenders from January to August in the state. The Sector Commander, Mr Hafiz Muhammad, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Kaduna. Muhammad said that seven mobile courts across the state carried out the 262 convictions while 19 others were discharged. He said that 75 out of them were convicted for driving licence violation; 48 for overloading; 42 for seat-belt violation; 39 for failure to Install Speed limiting devices in their vehicles and 30 for driving with scattered windscreens. Others were convicted for other offences, he said. Muhammad, however, called on motorists to avoid speeding, over loading and drunk driving...
CSCS sensitizes financial market stakeholders on cyber-security
Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Nigeria’s capital market infrastructure, is ramping up its cyber-security advocacy as it sensitizes financial market participants on rising rate of cybercrime. In a webinar organized by CSCS, financial market stakeholders, including bankers and capital market operators dialogued on innovative measures for preventing cybercrimes, dire need for increased campaign and exigency of collaborative investments to reign in the rising rate of cybercrime. The online event themed “Cyber Security and Information During the Pandemic” was lauded for its timeliness, as COVID-19 pandemic and attendant remote connections may have increased cyber-security risks in many organizations, particularly as the crime rate surges globally, with rising exposure of financi...
Airline operators dissociates from unions’ strike
Few hours to the commencement of the nationwide strike over the increase in pump price and hike in electricity tariff, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has disassociated themselves from the action. Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa, the President of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) in a statement said that the association would not join the strike called by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC). Abdulmunaf noted that airlines had suffered huge losses for over three months during the COVID-19 lockdown and were forced due to no fault of theirs to even lay off staff and significantly reduce the salaries of those that were retained. He said: “It would be very insensitive therefore and a show of lack of understanding and compassion for Nigerian aviation workers who ha...
Jordan’s monarch dissolves parliament ahead of November election
Election comes amid popular discontent over economic woes worsened by COVID-19 and corruption allegations. Jordan’s King Abdullah has dissolved parliament, paving the way for an election in November. Under constitutional rules, the government must resign within a week. In July, Jordan’s electoral commission set November 10 as the date for a parliamentary election after the monarch called for countrywide polls to be held at the end of the parliament’s four-year term. The king issued a royal edict ordering the dissolution of parliament effective on Sunday. The assembly comprises 130 legislators, mainly pro-government tribal officials, businessmen and ex-security officials. The move is likely to be followed by a wider government shake-up to ward off popular disenchantment over economic hardsh...
Rivers reopens schools October 5
The Rivers State Government has approved the reopening of universities, other tertiary institutions, as well as secondary and vocational schools in the state, with effect from Monday, October 5, 2020. The decision was reached at the end of an emergency State Executive Council meeting on Friday and presided over by Governor Nyesom Wike in Government House, Port Harcourt. Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kaniye Ebeku, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of the meeting. He said the council’s approval did not include primary schools. “The council approved that schools in the State reopen on the 5th of October, 2020, with only the following – all secondary schools in the state, vocational schools in the state, universities and other tertiary institutions. “For the avoidance of...
Lagos launches N5 billion support capital for low-cost schools
Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Lagos State Government in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria has launched N5 billion Post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) Recovery Support capital for the education sector to support low-cost private schools across the state in mitigating the negative impact of the pandemic. The intervention fund, which targets over 2,000 private schools, was formally launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday at a ceremony held at the Banquet Hall in the State House, Alausa, Ikeja. Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) collaborated with First Bank of Nigeria Limited to facilitate the matching fund, which will be given as a loan to schools and vocational education centres across the State. Sanwo-Olu said the intervention was part of the State Government’s sustainable...
Nigeria@60: Aisha Buhari calls for prayers
The First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has called on Nigerians to continue praying to witness the end of COVID-19 Pandemic as Nigeria prepares to mark her 60th independence anniversary. The First Lady during a Public Lecture to mark Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary at the National Mosque, Abuja, urged Nigerians to offer special prayers for peace, progress and sustainable development of the country. “We need to pray for forgiveness and a special prayer for forgiveness. The world is no longer the same as a result of the pandemic, and the pandemic is a sign that almighty God is not happy with us. I think we have no choice than to continue asking for forgiveness from Almighty Allah”, she said. Aisha urged leaders to always do the needful by ensuring justice for all. She, later joined other Musli...
Nigerian government inaugurates infectious disease centre in Abuja
The Federal Government on Friday inaugurated the first Infectious Disease Centre (IDC), in the Federal Capital Territory, and handed it over to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH). Speaking at the inauguration of the 40-bed centre in Gwagwalada, Abuja, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said that the centre would improve Nigeria’s capacity to respond to all infectious diseases. “With laboratory testing and case management in one location, there is a much shorter time between sample collection and infection confirmation. ”This will ensures early initiation of treatment and thus mitigate mortality during infectious disease outbreaks. “I am very proud that today, we now have an international standard centre where we can manage highly pathogenic infectious disease cases, i...
