Author: The Gazelle News

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday, 9 April, 2020, applauded members of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 for their efforts in the management of the outbreak of Coronavirus in Nigeria. Lawan commended the Task Force for standing so firm to execute the assignment given to it. He however advised the Task Force to have a better coordination of the donations received from public-spirited individuals, corporate bodies and Institutions to avoid duplications or the relevant bodies working at cross purposes. The Senate President gave the advice at a meeting between the leadership of the National Assembly…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada where those who have tested positive to Coronavirus are being isolated and treated is set to discharge two patients on Thursday, 9 April, 2020, The Gazelle News.com reports. Seven patients were discharged from the centre on Wednesday, 8 April, 2020 and with with two more being discharged, it brings to 11 the total number of patients discharged from the Abuja centre. Good news is also coming from Lagos as the state has announced the discharge of seven more Coronavirus patients from the Yaba Infectious Disease Centre. The…

The Shell companies in Nigeria have presented eight vehicles to the governments of Lagos and Rivers State to support the efforts at contact tracing and treatment of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases. The companies, comprising The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC); Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo); and Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG), also joined other players in the oil and gas industry to support the Federal Government with $30million to stop the spread of the deadly disease. SPDC’s Managing Director and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting hospital…

Otunba Adejare Adegbenro is an Ogun State High Chief born into two political dynasty. His paternal grandfather, the late Chief Dauda S. Adegbenro was the former Premier of the defunct Western Region. While on the other hand, his maternal grandfather was the late Payment Alfered Rewane, the renown Pro-Democracy activist, who was also a financier of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that fought the military to a stand still. t Adejare Adegbenro, who is the first Otunba Laje of Owu Kingdom and the first Asiwaju Ogbenioja, Ewekoro Owu Kingdom in Igun State had a Mediaparley in Lagos where he suggested…

By Dare Ojelade, Lagos Death of black people residing in the United States of America has been described as alarming and threatening to the entire black race if urgent attention is not paid to the unfortunate development. This warning was given on Wednesday, 8 April, 2020,  in Lagos by the Coalition of Oodua Self Determination groups (COSEG)in a press statement issued and signed by Dayo Ogunlana and Dele Daramola, Chairman and Publicity Secretary respectively of the group warning that efforts must be geared towards the unfortunate incident. The group condemned in strong terms the America Government uncare attitude to the…

By Gbenga Alokolaro, Ado Ekiti In a bid to bring succour to indigent households during the period of movement restriction occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic, Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi on Tuesday flagged-off cash transfer to 5,000 households in collaboration with the National Cash Transfer Office and Ekiti State Cash Transfer unit. The flag-off ceremony which took place at Fajuyi Pavilion, Ado-Ekiti, signaled the commencement of the cash transfer at designated pay points across the 16 local government in the state. It came barely 24 hours after the state government commenced the distribution of food items to indigent people…

The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, has justified the Commission’s decision to give financial support to Niger Delta states to fight Coronavirus disease, COVID-19. Addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, 8 April, 2020, Prof Pondei said that as an interventionist agency, it was important for the NDDC to work in synergy with the nine state governments in the Niger Delta region. He stated: “Having discussed with the different state governments, we didn’t want to duplicate efforts. For instance, we wanted to procure ventilators but most of the people who…

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria in Lagos State has identified the need for more public enlightenment on COVID-19 at the grassroots level. The Amir of the MSSN Lagos, Dr. Saheed Ashafa, made this known in a press statement on Wednesday, 8 April, 2020. He explained that though the government had imposed a lockdown order, many Nigerians at the grassroots were yet to understand the importance. For instance, Ashafa said people at the grassroots still have a wrong notion that the COVID-19 could only be contracted by the rich. He described a situation where youths take the opportunity of the…

By Mariam Uwais My attention has been drawn to the online report of the Nation newspaper of 7th April 2020, with the above caption. Indeed, several other online publications carried similar stories, alleging that the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs), as supervised under the Office of the Vice President, were a ‘scam’. Given the gravity and implications of the narrative conveyed, as well as the caliber of persons involved, it has become necessary to clarify the issues in the public domain. 1.That the National Social Investment Programme has gulped over N2 trillion since 2016, when the fund was created. UNTRUE…

L – R Speaker oh the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; and President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday at a meeting between the Leadership of the National Assembly and the Presidential Committee on COVID-19 in Abuja.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Wednesday, 8 April, 2020 urged the Executive arm of government to ensure equity and fairness in the distribution of the stimulus package across the country. Lawan made the appeal during a meeting of the National Assembly leadership with some members of the Presidental Committee on COVID-19. In attendance were: the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed;  the Minister of state for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. The meeting was also attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt.…

The State government of Osun on Wednesday, 8 April, 2020 commenced the distribution a total number of 6,020 bags of rice to residents as part of efforts to cushion the effects of the lockdown in the state. The 6,020 bags of 50kg rice according to the government will be distributed across the 3,010 polling units in the state. The state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola disclosed this on Wednesday, when he flagged off the distribution exercise at the Government Secretariat, Abeere, Osogbo. Oyetola said the food items were procured solely by the state government as a way of mitigating the effect of…

By Kunle Oyatomi One of the perplexing complexities of nature is its bundles of ironies and seeming contradictions. If you want a huge yield on your farm, you would have to part with the little you have by burying it into the earth. That is to say your little must die. That ‘death’ is necessary if you want life, as it were, in the form of abundance. Isn’t it somehow contradictory, that to have plenty you must ‘kill’ even the little you have? Consider this also: the athlete who must wear the diadem must shed weight, that is, he must…

By Abdulwarees Solanke The Muslim Coalition Against COVID-19, Wednesday, 8 April, 2020 rose from a strategic meeting to chart the path of raising N500 million appeal fund for #COVID19 palliatives for all Nigerians. According to its National Coordinator, Disu Kamor, the appeal is for all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, tongue or faith as the pandemic affects all humanity. A major outcome of the meeting held by the heads of the eight committees whose membership is drawn from industry, corporate sector, medical and allied field and the academia is to appraise the readiness of all the committees for flawless start up.…

Mankind was created by Allah and was strengthened with the Glorious Qur’an to guide him in all his endeavors. Allah says in the Qur’an thus: “This is the Book (the Qur’an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who fear Allah” (Qur’an 2:2). In another chapter, Allah says: “There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have We omitted from the Book (for man’s guidance), and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end” (Qur’an 6:38). To…

By Dare Ojelade, Lagos The Commander, who was leading a team of police officers on intensification of enforcement of COVID 19 stay at home to Lagos Island detoured at ketu – Alapere where a long queue of vehicles were making their way towards Ojota Bridge inward Ibadan. The state Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu had yesterday evening directed the Commander, RRS and Area Commanders in the State to supervise and intensify enforcement of the Stay at home directives on COVID 19. The Commander had earlier directed his men to disperse over 150 youths who had equally converged in front…

The Oyo State government, on Wednesday, 8 April, 2020, affirmed that cattle markets were not affected by the order of the government closing the markets as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement signed by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Ojemuyiwa Ojekunle, said that cattle market operators were allowed to run their businesses within the limit of COVID-19 restrictions. According to the Commissioner, the cattle market is involved in essential commodity, which are not covered by the closure of the markets, adding that the failure to open the cattle markets was already leading to meat scarcity in parts of the state. The Commissioner directed operators…

Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde,said on Wednesday, 8 April, 2020 that the state will explore home-grown solutions towards the prevention and cure of COVID-19. He stated that the state was not ruling out local solutions to cure the virus,adding that sinceNigerians have always had their ways of dealing with flu, catarrh andcough, in ways different from the Western world,the state would explore avenues and find a cure. He said that he was convinced that Nigerians have the capacity and intellect to look at things that work locally, statingthat the State will encourage that. A statement signed by the Chief…

Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading financial institution, has introduced an automated voice banking service, an interactive voice response (IVR) solution which enables customers to perform basic banking transactions by dialing a dedicated phone line through their registered phone numbers and following the prompts. By simply dialing +234 (1) 278 7000 from the phone number linked to their accounts and following the prompts, customers can pay DSTV/GOTV bills, restrict their accounts or block their cards, request account statement via email, view the last five transactions, transfer funds, buy airtime, and do lots more. Speaking on the launch of the product, the…

By Dare Ojelade and Blessing Williams, Lagos Odiolowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area has started distribution of food packs to vulnerable and indigent residents of the council area. The Gazelle News.com reports that a total of 6,000 households will benefit from the programme aimed at cushioning the effect of the Coronavirus-induced lockdown on the residents of the council area. The Chairman of the LCDA, Hon Rasak Olusola Ajala, in an exclusive chat with The Gazelle News.com stated that the distribution of the items is part of the council’s efforts at complementing the measure put in place by the state government. “We…