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Nigeria’s Ex-Vice President, Atiku, Donates N50m To Coronavirus Fight

A former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has donated N50m in support of government’s effort at combating the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.

In a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, Atiku said that he believed the donation will help efforts towards curbing the spread of the pandemic.

He said, “As the Coronavirus pandemic ravages the world, I applaud the various Nigerian state governments who have proactively taken measures such as issuing stay at home orders, and shutting down non-essential markets and other places of mass gatherings, while also giving guidelines for social distancing.

“However, we must accept the fact that much of the Nigerian public have a subsistence existence. A large percentage of our people do not have the financial capacity to withstand long periods of self-isolation and even lockdown.

“It is, therefore, incumbent on the Federal and state governments to provide palliatives to the Nigerian people to enable them to survive, even as they abide by these necessary measures put in place for their own safety.

“To this end, Priam Group pledges N50m on my behalf as my humble contribution to a relief fund that will form part of the stimulus package.”

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March 26, 2020
Water bill exemption, electricity bill discount in Sabah beginning April

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah people will be exempted from paying their water bills and will be given a 30% discount on electricity bills for three months beginning April, according to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

He said the exemption and discount were part of the initiatives introduced under the Sabah Covid-19 aid package in an effort to ease the burden and cost of living of affected people in the state following the virus outbreak.

“It will benefit 335,000 domestic water users. In addition, the state will give a 28% discount on electricity bills for three months starting April, on top of the 2% provided by the federal government.

“The discount will involve the state government allocation of RM11.5 million a month or RM35.65 million over the three-month period, and it is expected that 512,000 consumers will benefit from this or equivalent to about 98% of electricity users in Sabah and Labuan,“ he told a press conference, here today.

Earlier, Mohd Shafie announced the RM670 million Sabah Covid-19 aid package comprising three categories namely assistance to frontliners and affected people as well as efforts to strengthen businesses and improve the quality of rural basic infrastructure.

Mohd Shafie said residents of the People’s Housing Programme in Sabah will also be exempted from paying rent for six months starting April, which involved an allocation of about RM21.1 million.

A total of 20,080 households or 110,400 people will benefit from it, he said.

Also included in the package is a 30% discount on quit rent collections for this year, which will benefit 232,774 individuals and 9,184 companies, among others.

However, Mohd Shafie said those who had paid the tax this year would be given rebates next year.

Hawkers are exempted from paying a licence fee by all district councils for this year, which will benefit 26,227 hawkers statewide and rebates will be given for 2021 to those who have paid for the licences this year, he added.

Mohd Shafie said RM30 million would be allocated for allowance payments of 10 months to Village Community Management Councils (MPKK), which will benefit 2,315 MPKK in Sabah. – Bernama

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March 25, 2020
Lessons from Gmail – 3 Tips to Improve Your Email Best Practices

If you haven’t heard by now, Gmail is rolling out a major change to how its users receive emails. Basically, Gmail will be sorting emails for their users and putting them in folders for them. Why would Gmail be doing this? I suspect at least part of the reason is because a common complaint from people who have an email address is “too much email.” Read on to learn how Gmail?s new practice could improve the way you currently use email in your marketing…

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March 25, 2020
World TB Day 2020: It’s Time for solidarity
At this unique time in history when the world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes stands in solidarity with governments and communities as they seek to maintain health services
and continue to address the needs of patients suffering from HIV and tuberculosis (TB).

Despite being preventable and treatable, tuberculosis remains the world’s biggest infectious killer and the leading cause of death among people living with HIV (PLHIV), responsible for 32% of the 770 000 lives lost to HIV in 2018. People
living with HIV are far more vulnerable (nearly 20 times more) to TB infection than people without HIV and are three times more likely to die during TB treatment.

While there are proven interventions that reduce TB deaths – such as provision of TB preventive treatment, adoption of novel diagnostics for earlier TB diagnosis and linkage to treatment, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) – we are far behind
in scaling these up, and diagnostic and treatment gaps remain, with only half of estimated TB cases among PLHIV reaching care in 2018, only half of estimated PLHIV with TB receiving ART, and less than half of PLHIV new on ART initiating TB preventive
treatment in a subset of countries which reported globally.

On this World TB Day, WHO highlights two key interventions to reduce unnecessary TB deaths among PLHIV:
- (1) provision of TB preventive treatment for all eligible PLHIV; and
- (2) increased uptake of newer diagnostic tests such as the lateral flow urine lipoarabinomannan assay (TB-LAM.)
As the new Director for the Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes, I support current efforts to continue and to take to scale TB activities. It’s Time for solidarity!

-Meg Doherty, Director Global HIV, hepatitis and STI Programmes, WHO

HIV programmes are encouraged to ensure that TB preventive treatment, including shorter WHO-recommended regimens, with updated guidance launched today, are provided to all eligible PLHIV as part of a routine package of care, including provision of ART, and that treatment completion is ensured.

In recent months, WHO has also released guidelines for use of a bedside urine TB-LAM test to accelerate earlier TB diagnosis, with significantly expanded eligibility criteria. As this test is “point of care” with the potential for earlier
TB diagnosis and treatment initiation, HIV programmes should consider these recommendations as they enhance strategies for TB diagnosis among PLHIV, including as part of a routine package of advanced HIV care.

It’s Time to urgently scale up TB preventive treatment and TB diagnosis and strengthen referral and linkages to TB treatment at HIV service delivery points in all countries and continue to scale-up ART among PLHIV with TB. This applies to all populations
at risk, including children, pregnant women and marginalized groups, to ensure no one is left behind.

WHO calls for continued collaboration in countries across health programmes for harmonized and integrated policies and service delivery, and engagement with communities and other sectors. Unless HIV programmes scale up interventions to close these
gaps in prevention, diagnosis and treatment both for TB and HIV, countries and their development partners will not meet our common target: a 75% reduction in TB deaths among PLHIV between 2010 and 2020. HIV mortality cannot be reduced without addressing
the leading cause: tuberculosis.

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https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/24-03-2020-world-tb-day-2020-it-s-time-for-solidarity

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March 25, 2020
N3.6bn Fraud: NDDC Confirmed Genuineness Of Contract Leading To Omatsuli’s Trial —EFCC Witness

An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Adamu Usman Yusuf, has disclosed that the contract leading to the trial of a former Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Tuoyo Omatsuli, was genuine.

He told Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court in Lagos that the authenticity of the contract was confirmed by the NDDC in its response to an enquiry sent to it by the anti-graft agency.

Yusuf made the disclosure while testifying in the on-going trial of Omatsuli and three others over alleged N3.6bn fraud.

The EFCC investigator had earlier in his examination-in-chief told the court that investigations by his team revealed that about N12bn was paid to a firm known as Starline Consultancy Services, which was engaged by the NDDC to recover three per cent statutory allocation from oil and gas companies operating in the Niger Delta.

He said a document received from the NDDC revealed that Starline was paid 10 per cent of the money recovered as its commission.

However, while being cross-examined by Omatsuli’s lawyer, Prof Amuda Kannike (SAN), the witness was asked to throw more light on the contents of the NDDC’s document on the contract that led to the charge filed against Omatsuli.

Responding, the witness said, “NDDC’s response to our request for the award of contract to Starline Consultancy Services said that the contract was genuine.

“The House Committee on NDDC also played a crucial role by performing their oversight function in the execution of the contract.”

Further hearing in the trial has been adjourned until June 8, 2020.

The anti-graft agency had on Monday re-arraigned Omatsuli alongside Don Parker Properties Ltd, Francis Momoh and Building Associates Ltd before Justice Saidu on a 52-count amended charge of alleged N3.6bn fraud.

In the charge, Omatsuli was said to have procured the third and fourth accused (Momoh and Building Associates) to utilise a total sum of N3.6bn paid by Starline Consultancy Services Ltd into an account operated by fourth accused.

The prosecution said that they ought to have known that the said sums formed part of the proceeds of their unlawful activities including corruption and gratification.

The offences, which were allegedly committed between August 2014 and September 2015, were said to have contravened the provisions of Sections 15(1), 15(2), 15(3) and 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, as amended by Act No 1 of 2012.

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March 25, 2020
Coronavirus: Rivers Government Orders Closure Of Parks, Night Clubs, Others

As part of measures to prevent Coronavirus from spreading into Rivers, the state government on Monday announced that beginning from Tuesday, March 24, 2020, all parks, night clubs and cinemas will remain closed until further notice.

In a statewide broadcast on Monday, Governor Nyesom Wike also directed religious groups to temporarily stop all forms of open worship.

He said, “With effect from the same date (Tuesday, March 24, 2020), all public parks, night clubs and cinemas in the state are to remain closed until further notice.

“Similarly, after due consultations with religious leaders, it was agreed that all religious organisations are to temporarily stop all forms of open worship.

“Public burial and wedding ceremonies are also banned within this period.

“In view of the fact that the disease spreads fast through body contact, social distance has become imperative if we are to contain the spread.”

The Rivers State governor further stated that with effect from Tuesday, surveillance posts will be set up across the state to enforce the directive.

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March 24, 2020
BREAKING: Nigeria Government Closes Courts Over Coronavirus

Chief of Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, has ordered the closure of all courts in the country.

Tanko gave the directive on Monday evening as part of efforts to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

The order will come into effect from tomorrow (Tuesday).

Tanko said, “In view of the reality of the COVID-19 in the country and in order to take further preventive steps, all Heads of Courts are from tomorrow, the 24th day of March, 2020, directed to suspend court sittings for an initial period of two weeks at the first instance, except in matters that are urgent, essential or time bound according to our extant laws.”

Nigeria has 36 confirmed cases of Coronavirus with one death recorded so far.

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March 24, 2020
Electric cars really are a greener option than fossil fuel vehicles

Electric cars already have a bigger climate change impact than fossil fuel burning cars in almost every part of the world, according to researchers

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March 23, 2020
BREAKING: Lagos Government Asks Civil Servants To Stay At Home For Two Weeks Over Coronavirus

The Lagos State Government has asked public officers to stay at home for 14 days as part of measures to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

The stay-at-home order affects officers from Grade level 1 to 12.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the order on Sunday during a statewide address.

Nigeria has recorded 28 confirmed cases of the pandemic, raising fears of a further spread.

The situation has forced several state governments to take stringent measures including closing schools and restricting public gatherings.

International flights into Nigeria have also been suspended to curb the spread of the virus.

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March 23, 2020
COVID19: Restrictions On Peaceful Assembly And Movement Without A Law Or State Of Emergency Is Unconstitutional By Inibehe Effiong

A follower on Twitter asked me on Saturday whether it is “constitutional” for the government to restrict religious and social gatherings because of Coronavirus?

By virtue of Section 45 of the 1999 constitution, the rights to peaceful assembly and free movement can be interfered with in the interest of public health and public safety. Is Coronavirus a threat to public health and public safety? The answer is obviously in the affirmative.

Section 14 (2)(b) of the constitution states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”

However, I urge President Buhari to declare a state of emergency throughout the federation in line with Section 305 of the constitution.

Section 305 (3)(d) of the constitution, allows for a state of emergency when “there is clear & present danger of breakdown of public order and public safety in the federation or any part thereof requiring extraordinary measures to avert such danger.” COVID-19 is a clear and present danger to public safety.

Unlike in the United States, States in Nigeria cannot declare emergency. A governor supported by 2/3 members of the House of Assembly can only request the president to do so for them as stated in Section 305 (4) of the constitution. This is an example of the fraudulent nature of our federalism.

Since there is no special law to my knowledge, apart from laws establishing national and States emergency management agencies, to address public health crisis, it is necessary for the President to declare a state of emergency in Nigeria to address the outbreak of Coronavirus.

In the absence of a law enabling these restrictions to social and religious gatherings, the legality of these measures is questionable. This is because fundamental rights cannot be derogated from except as prescribed in a law that is “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.”

It is either a law is urgently enacted across the volatile states or the President invokes the state of emergency clause. As at today, there is no strong legal basis for restricting gatherings. None of the governors or the President has issued even an ordinary ‘Executive Order’.

In the United States for example where we copied our presidential system, President Trump declared a national emergency, and at least 48 States in the US have also declared emergency due to COVID-19. The American Congress also passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

In Nigeria, we are resorting to our usual militaristic way of doing things by relying on arbitrary executive fiat to tackle COVID-19. Nations do not become great just by the “good intentions” of politicians. Nations become great principally by adhering to the rule of law.

In the light of the foregoing, I strongly urge the federal and state governments to urgently take steps to address the apparent legal loopholes in their efforts to tackle Coronavirus. It is obvious that Nigeria is not prepared for an outbreak. We are doing trial and error.

We need a legal framework; not only to give legal backing to the restrictions on the fundamental rights of Nigerians to religion, association, assembly, movement, etc., but to also provide for reliefs for families and victims of COVID-19.

We should not wait for the worst to happen.

I wish to draw the attention of the government to the decision of the Court of Appeal in the celebrated case of Okafor v. Lagos State Government (2017) 4 NWLR (Pt. 1556) 404 where it was held that disobeying the “order” or “directive” of a governor is not a criminal offence.

In that case, Lagos State issued an order restricting movement during environmental sanitation, Okafor was arrested for disobeying the order. The court declared the arrest illegal and unconstitutional since there was no law that criminalized violation of the governor’s order.

Without a law or a state of emergency, it is illegal to arrest anyone for violating a mere executive order. Emotions cannot change the law. If religious leaders whose places of worship have been closed decide to challenge the closure in court, the government will likely lose.

I hope the government at all levels will listen to the voice of reason and initiate appropriate legal frameworks to support the containment of COVID-19. It is either we are a country of laws or a banana republic.

We should not yield to authoritarian rule because of expediency.

Inibehe Effiong is a Lagos-based legal practitioner and human rights activist

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March 23, 2020