[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday approved the appointment of a former Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba as Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said the approval was in Pursuant to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Establishment Act 2019.

The President also approved the appointments of the Executive Secretary and members of the Board.

The statement read: Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto is the Executive Secretary while Mr. Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri is to represent the Ministry of Police Affairs. The Inspector-General of Police is representing Nigeria Police Force.

“The Ministry of Justice is being represented by Usman Bilkisu, the Director General, Budget and National Planning, Mr. Ben Akabueze will represent the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning.

“ Engr. Mansur Ahmed is representing Organised Labour while Dr. Michael Bamidele Adebiyi is representing the Civil Society Group.

“The above appointments are in furtherance of the Buhari administration’s commitment and drive to retooling Policing Architecture in the country by emplacing the Police Trust Fund to meet the aspiration of a well-funded, equipped and highly professional Nigeria Police Force in line with international best practices.”

[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has announced a 24-hour total lockdown and a dusk-dawn curfew on Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas as part of the State Government’s measures to check the spread of coronavirus.

In a broadcast on Monday, Governor Wike said: “Consequently, we have decided on the extreme measure of placing the entire Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas under a 24 hours total lockdown from Thursday 7thMay 2020 until further notice.

Governor Wike said with the declaration, all residents of Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas must stay at home.

He said: “On no account should there be any vehicular movements or gathering of more than two persons in these Local Government Areas, except those on essential services with appropriate authorization;

” All shops, trading or business activities, including currency exchange, in these Local Government Areas must also remain closed until further notice.

“All Landlords are advised to ensure that no shop or trading activity is opened or carried out in or around their premises or risk the confiscation of their property by the Government.

“Any person, group or institution that violates the lockdown and curfew in these Local Government Areas will be made to face the full wrath of the law. “

The Rivers State Governor directed the immediate arrest and prosecution of Chief B.A. Worgu and Mr. Isaiah Abraka for sneakily organizing night markets in defiance of existing ban on such activity.

Governor Wike said given the threat posed to the State by oil and gas company workers, it has reviewed all entry waivers and permits earlier granted to Oil and Gas Companies .

The Rivers State Government declared:

“(i) from now on, requests for waivers and entry permits from oil and gas companies will be considered on a case by case basis;

“(ii) all inward-bound vehicles and flights into Rivers State from oil and gas companies with workers for crew change or other essential operations must first submit details of their manifests to the State’s taskforce on COVID-19 for proper vetting of their virus status before they can be allowed to enter the State;

“(iii) all operators of chartered flights into Rivers State for oil and gas operations, especially Bristow and Caverton Helicopters, should please comply with this directive and refrain from jeopardizing the lives of our people for the sake of making profits.

Governor Wike sternly warned the Chief Medical Director of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital to stop politicalizing the issue of coronavirus in the State with his rascally, irresponsible and ill-motivated utterances.

He said: “This Government is focused and therefore will not allow itself to be distracted on its battle against COVID-19. However, we will neither tolerate nor hesitate to deal anyone who dares to fabricate lies to rubbish the hard work and sacrifice we are making to save the lives in our State just to advance parochial partisan interests.

” I wish to reiterate that the hard choices we have to make as a Government and as a people over the COVID-19 pandemic are all premised on upholding the sanctity of human life.

“As a Government, we cannot abdicate this compelling responsibility and abandon our people to chances in the midst of this much dreaded and ravaging pandemic.”

The Rivers State Governor pointed out that the latest of these positive cases was the 14th case that was flown in to Port Harcourt by Bristow Helicopters from an offshore oilfield facility in Akwa Ibom State on the 29th of April 2020.

He said these positive cases have shown and confirmed our fears that unvetted entry of Oil and Gas workers from Lagos, Abuja and elsewhere remains a potential source for the importation and spread of COVI/D-19 in our State.

He said: “We have also observed with disappointment the persistent disobedience to the State Government’s lawful orders and or directives on COVID-19 by a number of communities and residents, especially in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas despite repeated warning.

“On the whole, we can all see that COVID-19 cases confirmed across the country are growing in numbers, meaning that the situation in our State, although still relatively low, can change for the worse, if we relax our measures or become complacent.

“In view of the foregoing, Government has resolved to impose additional measures by the Executive Order, I have just signed, which are targeted at reinforcing our efforts toward stopping the spread of the virus in the State, as follows:

“(i) All residents must wear face masks before stepping out of their homes to the public space;

(ii) The operations of all private motor parks, taxi ranks and loading bays throughout the State is hereby prohibited;

(iii) No commercial taxi driver should carry more than three passengers in his vehicles per trip;

(iv) No commercial bus driver should carry more than 40 per cent of full capacity of his vehicle;

(v) All tricycles (Keke NAPEP) must limit their passengers to two persons only;

(vi) No private vehicle should carry more than three persons in the car;

(vii) All drivers, persons or passengers in commercial and private vehicles, including tricycles, must wear face masks and observe the use of sanitizers;

(viii) All hotels, guest houses and beer parlours must remain closed;

(ix) A task force has been set-up to:

(a) arrest and prosecute any person without wearing face masks in public places or inside vehicles;

(b) impound and auction any vehicle with persons or passengers without wearing facemasks;

(c) arrest and prosecute any driver loading or off-loading passengers at any private motor-park, taxi rank or loading bay;

(d) impound and auction any vehicle loading or off-loading passengers at any private park, taxi rank or loading bay; and

(e) confiscate and auction any hotel and guest houses operating in defiance of the ban.”

(f) Government will give N100,000.00 to any whistle blower who gives out relevant information leading to the arrest and prosecution of any person, hotelier or motorist that violates these directives.

The Governor said all hoteliers must provide the State Task Force on COVID-19 with the manifest of those already lodged in their hotels before the coming into effect of this directive.1

Governor Wike noted that while the State Government is battling the importation of this virus, the greatest threat to people’s lives is posed not from outsiders but by those residents who are refusing to comply with the established directives and change their behaviour to conform to the new experience.

By: Chidi Joe Elueme

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration on Sunday accused the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of allegedly violating the restriction on large gatherings to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

It said despite the state government ban, Oshiomhole has been holding large political meetings  with a faction of the party in the state under the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM) to undermine the fight against deadly virus.

In a statement noted that the ‘illegal meeting termed APC faction mock primary’ allegedly organized by Comrade Oshiomhole does not only go against the directives of the state and federal government, but also jeopardizes efforts to contain COVID-19, thereby endangering the lives of Edo people.

They said the former governor’s actions are not only reprehensible but callous and selfish, as he has continued his quest to cause crisis in the state and destabilise the state’s chapter of the APC amid COVID-19 pandemic.

According to them, “It is not surprising that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has continued his doom-fated attempt to destabilise the Edo State chapter of the APC. But what is most unconscionable is that he is propagating this move at the expense of the safety and wellbeing of Edo people.

“By organizing the supposed mock primary on April 30, 2020, with more than 50 persons in attendance, he is undermining efforts of different stakeholders in containing the spread of the virus and also dishonouring all those who have died from this virus. Those who organised the political gathering initially held at Lucky Imasuen’s residence in Benin City later moved to different locations to continue their inglorious show of shame, in perpetuation of the wishes of their puppet master.

“The antics of Comrade Oshiomhole are well-known, but it bears repeating that he is on a mission to re-enact what happened in Rivers, Zamfara and Bayelsa in Edo State. He has continued to perpetuate the factionalising of the party in the state, with an intent to cause the party to lose its opportunity to participate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.”

Noting that the actions of the former labour leader have compromised government’s efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus in the state, they urged the Presidency and the leadership of the APC at the National level to reign in Adams Oshiomhole from destabilizing the Edo State chapter of the party.

“The President should know that Oshiomhole’s orchestrated disharmony is a testimony of his desire to re-enact Rivers and Zamfara in Edo State.

“The action is not only anti-party, but a confirmation in some circles of a deliberate decimation of our great Party for clandestine ambitions.

“It must be said that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, not shown remorse for the persons lost to this invisible enemy.

“While Nigeria was losing eminent sons and daughters to the pandemic, for instance, he released videos of himself in a gym house, performing aerobics, as if mocking the dead.

“This was at a time the entire country was mourning the death of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.

“This, among other, indiscretions have painted Comrade Oshiomhole in the most despicable light and leaves much to be desired of his humanity,” they added.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Iyase of Ogwashi-Uku ,a Renowned philanthropist , Chief Michael Chukwuka Nwaukoni, has presented 1000 (25kg) bags of rice and 37 cows to his community, Ogwashi – Uku, to cushion the effect of the just relaxed lockdown on residents of the community.

Chief Nwaukoni, who delivered the food items to the various quarters in the community, said he was concerned about the welfare of his people and deemed it necessary to ameliorate their suffering with the palliatives, as part of measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The Iyase, represented by his Principal Assistant, Barrister Victor Nobei, urged the people of Ogwashi – Uku to stay safe by avoiding acts that could expose them to contracting the deadly COVID – 19, stressing that they should abide by the necessary precautionary measures even with the partial relaxation of the lockdown.

He promised to continue to use his position and resources as the traditional prime minister of Ogwashi – Uku to impact positively on the development of the community, saying that the people should remain united and supportive of developmental initiatives if the community must move forward.
Chief Nwaukoni urged the committees charged with the responsibility of distributing the food items in the various quarters to be transparent so that every resident, including non indigenes, could benefit from the palliatives.

Speaking on the import of the donation, the Iyase Palace Secretary, Barrister Frank – Mayor Okolie, described Chief Nwaukoni as a development driven leader who had shown genuine commitment to advancing the well being of his community.

Also, the Public Relations Officer of the Ogwashi – Uku Development Association (ODA) Mr Elue Adigwe, said the donation of the palliatives was one of the many things Chief Nwaukoni had done for his community, describing him as a development champion.

Others who spoke, including the Secretary General, Umudei Royal Family, Ogwashi – Uku, Mr Jacob Chukwurah, a former youth leader in the community, Chiejine Onwujei and Mr Anthony Nti, thanked Chief Nwaukoni for the palliatives and pledged support for him.

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s workers in Nigeria and across the globe mark Labour Day on May 1, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has felicitated with those in the state and commended them for their support and contributions to the growth and development of the state.

In a message to the workers, Okowa said that “Stop the Pandemic at Work”, the theme of this year’s commemoration of the Day, was strikingly apt, especially with the global fight against the Coronavirus disease otherwise known as COVID-19.

He said that like the global community, Delta Government had at the onset of the pandemic deployed personnel and resources into the battle to save lives of residents in the state by providing necessary facilities and training and re-training relevant health workers.

He lauded all workers in the state for their commitment and cooperation with the state government in the execution of its agenda, particularly the flagship – the Stronger Delta target.

In the message contained in a statement by Mr Olisa Ifeajika, his Chief Press Secretary, the governor noted that the 2020 Labour Day was being celebrated in a peculiar atmosphere of sobriety engendered by the prevailing COVID-19, which had jolted the world.

He urged workers to imbibe and internalize the new culture of personal hygiene, including the use of face mask and observance of social-distancing while interacting in public, and appealed to them to support government in sensitizing residents, especially at the grassroots, to all matters surrounding the pandemic.

He said that welfare of workers at all times had remained in the front burner of his administration’s priorities, and remarked that the society would remain eternally grateful and indebted to health, transport and media workers as well as utility employees and all those involved in the fight against the pandemic for their outstanding sacrifices to protect lives against the pandemic.

The governor disclosed that to encourage workers involved in government’s measures at combating COVID-19, especially frontline health personnel, enhanced daily hazard allowances had been approved and were being paid to them.

In addition, he said that the government had made sufficient provision for Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs), hand sanitizers, functional washrooms, suitable restrooms and other facilities to make the work of health frontline workers less challenging than it is already.

“We commend our health workers and other frontline personnel in this fight, and in order to encourage them, we have increased their daily hazard allowances and have also approved that they earn half of that allowances when they are off-duty.

“To ensure that workers have a conducive and suitable work place, we embarked on the construction of a new Secretariat Building in Asaba, which will be completed in a few months. The building, which is located on Mariam Babangida Way, is expected to house all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in an integrated network and make service delivery by workers seamless. I am sure that most public servants must have been beholding the edifice.

“As we mark this year’s celebration on a low-key because of the COVID-19 scourge, our administration remains irrevocably committed to the welfare of its workers and Deltans in general.

“To scale up our diagnostic capacity in the state, we have inaugurated a molecular testing laboratory at the Asaba Specialist Hospital to enable us ramp up our testing of suspected COVID-19 patients’ samples and make results of the tests to come out faster, in shortest time possible.

“On behalf of the government and people of the state, I felicitate with our dear workers on this occasion of 2020 May Day celebration.

“Reason for the atypical workers’ day celebration of this year is common knowledge, and we pray 2021 version will be celebrated amid fanfare,” he stated.