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Tag: Ayade

  • Cross River suspends doctor over death of Ayade’s aide

    The Cross River Government says it has suspended Dr Offiong Okoho, over an alleged unprofessional practices leading to the death of Prince Otu-Otu Duke, a patient under his care.

    Duke, who was the Special Adviser to Gov. Ben Ayade on Waste Management, died on April 3, 2020, after undergoing surgery for hernia at the Covenant Clinic and Maternity, owned by Okoho.

    The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu, told newsmen on Thursday in Calabar that Okoho has been suspended and his private clinic, Covenant Clinic and Maternity also closed down.

    Edu said that the state Ministry of Health took the decision based on complaints from some patients and clients against Okoho.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the family of the late Prince Duke, had earlier wrote petition against Okoho over the mismanagement of their late brother’s health leading to his dead.

    A younger brother to the deceased, Mr Orok Duke, had sent a petition to the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Uche Anozia, about poor handling of his late brother’s health.

    In his petition, Duke alleged that “Dr Offiong did a surgery and mismanaged the deceased health in Offiong clinic.

    “By the time my brother, who had fallen into a coma was evacuated and taken to Asi Ukpo Medical Centre for proper medical treatment, he died on April 3, 2020.”

    Edu said that investigation into the various allegations against the physician by members of the public was ongoing.

    She explained that the suspension was to give way for transparency in the course of investigation.

    The commissioner said that a committee had been set up to invite persons or relatives of people who have been victims to testify.

    “Shutting down of the hospital is a clear indication that government is doing something.

    “The facility has been shut down by the state Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Nigerian Medical Association.

    “The first step was to shut down the facility, and investigation is ongoing. And of course, outcome of the committee’s report will determine the sanctions.

    “At the same time, Okoho has also been suspended from working at the General Hospital until investigation is over.

    “Remember, we can’t just act on what we hear, we must investigate it so that we don’t just punish somebody wrongly. We have reached out to some persons whom he had treated as well.

    “Those testimonies would form the background of next line of action to take,” the commissioner said.

    When contacted, Okoho told newsmen that as a medical professional, he took an oath to save lives and not otherwise.

    He said the deceased, who had a history of diabetes, was brought in for surgery at his clinic on March 25, 2020, adding that the surgery was successfully carried out.

    Okoho explained that seven days after, the deceased patient developed partial stroke.

    He noted the deceased was then referred to a specialist for appropriate treatment, but the patient refused to go for the referral.

    “It was after the situation deteriorated that he was placed on oxygen and finally moved to Asi Ukpo Medical Centre, where he died,” Okoho said.

    On his suspension from the services of the Cross River Government, Okoho said there was nothing he could do other than await the outcome of investigation by the Ministry of Health.

    Reacting to likely cause of the death, Okoho said: “the patient could have died as a result of Aspiration Pneumonitis, because the nurse at Asi Ukpo said he vomited before he died.”

  • Churches, mosques to run full sitting capacities as Ayade lifts ban on religious activities

    Churches, mosques to run full sitting capacities as Ayade lifts ban on religious activities

    Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has lifted the suspension on public worship centres in the state.

    In a statement signed by Mr Christian Ita, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor, the order lifting the suspension will take effect from Sunday, May 24, 2020.

    Ayade said conscious of the spiritual economy and in response to appeals by religious leaders in the state, lifting the suspension on public worship became necessary.

    “The order suspending public worship in the state is hereby lifted with effect from Sunday, May 24, 2020.

    “Consequently, starting from Sunday, May 24, 2020, church services are permitted but should be limited to the sitting capacity of the church, the same applies to mosques.

    “Use of face masks is compulsory for all worshipers, churches and mosques should provide buckets for hand washing, or sanitisers.

    “Churches and mosques are hereby advised to strictly adhere to the instructions as the enforcement team will still go around to check compliance,” he said.

    He added that the understanding and cooperation of religious leaders contributed immensely in keeping the state COVID-19 free thus far.

  • Gov Ayade boasts, gives scientific formula to stopping Coronavirus immediately [Video]

    Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has faulted the Federal Government’s approach to fighting the novel coronavirus [COVID-19] disease in Nigeria while also offering a detailed scientific explanation on how to produce effective vaccines that can cure and help contain further spread of the deadly virus in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Ayade, a Professor of Microbiology whose Doctoral Dissertation in Environmental Microbiology was awarded the best at the University of Ibadan (UI) as far back as 1994 is not new to science.

    The governor who spoke passionately in a recent interview with reporters in Calabar said Nigeria is blessed with thousands of renowned virology scholars whose professional ingenuity can help provide a lasting cure to the raging pandemic that has brought the strongest of global economies on their knees. He noted with concern how the renowned scholars were ‘wasting away’ in the universities as the nation continually underuses them.

    Jobs, Healthy lifestyles before vaccines

    To begin with Ayade advocated the creation of jobs for the people and conscious enlightenment of adoption of a healthy living lifestyle. He explained that it was not enough for the world to focus its attention on getting a vaccine when the people are daily living in abject poverty. He said with good jobs and daily healthy lifestyles, diseases will disappear.

    “African should come to the realisation that it is not vaccines, it is healthy living, give people jobs. South Africa’s former President, Thebo Mbeki once told the world don’t tell us about giving us drugs for HIV in South Africa, give us money, let us improve our Agriculture. Let everybody have a job and embrace living healthy. HIV virus will disappear. The same thing with Coronavirus. It will sound very controversial but they should know that I am talking from a very sound intellectual and scientific background,” Ayade explained.

    PCR vaccine test method not reliable

    Meanwhile, the governor also faulted Nigeria’s testing model. According to him, the method (Polymerase Chain Reaction, PCR) adopted by Nigeria and other nations is unreliable and not meant for diagnostic purposes. In his words: “The PCR test method is an unreliable method and was never meant to be used for diagnostic purposes but for genomic sequences (research purpose). But PCR is being used, test kits are being produced and the manufacturers are making cool money. If I test you and you are coronavirus positive, what do I do?

    Scientific analysis, processes of making effective COVID-19 vaccine

    The governor while explaining the best approach to formulate an effective vaccine which is either at conception or testing stage all over the world said samples of recovered COVID-19 patients is key to producing effective vaccines.
    There’s no vaccine today nor is there any established approved international treatment protocol. However, in Nigeria and other countries, announcements of recovered and discharged patients are made daily. To produce an efficient vaccine we must take the serum of those who recovered completely from the virus. This is because they (recovered COVID-19 patients) will naturally develop antibodies against the virus upon recovery. Do a synthesis of their serum based on the electrophoresis and synthesize and mass produce the vaccine.

    Federal Government should fund research, production of vaccines

    Having highlighted the steps to producing an effective vaccine, Governor Ayade charged the Federal Government to fund the research and mass production of the vaccines.

    The federal government should start putting money on the research of the production of COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria. We have intelligent professors of virology in Nigeria laying waste in the universities. With the money you have now you can set up a first-of-its-kind, state-of-the-art vaccine production plant in Nigeria. I teach immunology in the university so I can explain how these things work. Amongst the number of people that you say are now recovered from the virus and discharged, you can extract their serum, take it through the laboratory process to discover which responded to the virus, then synthesize it and mass produce it and that becomes your vaccine.

    WHO warns: ‘recovered COVID-19 patients not immune to reinfection’

    Since the governor’s approach to producing an effective vaccine is centred around the use of the antibodies of recovered and discharged COVID-19 patients, however, TNG reports that the World Health Organisation (WHO) last week cautioned that there was no evidence yet that recovered COVID-19 patients are immune from reinfection.

    In a “Scientific Brief” released from its headquarters in Geneva on Saturday and posted on its website, WHO warned against propagating the idea of COVID-19 ‘immunity passport’.

    “Some governments have suggested that the detection of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could serve as the basis for an ‘immunity passport’.
    “They have suggested that it could serve as an ‘immunity passport’ or ‘risk-free certificate’ that would enable individuals to travel or return to work, assuming they are protected against re-infection.
    “There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection.
    “The development of immunity to a pathogen through natural infection is a multi-step process that typically takes place over one to two weeks,’’ WHO said.

    Governor openly flouts state’s ban on large gathering

    Despite reeling out unambiguous scientific approach to producing an effective vaccine, TNG observed with concern the thousands of people gathered in clusters (with obvious disrespect to the social distancing rule) in anticipation of the governor’s address in the video.

    TNG reports that Ayade like his colleague governors had placed a ban on mass gatherings of people including placing a ban on religious and social gatherings. TNG recalls that the governor also recently ordered the arrest of some religious leaders who held secret services in the state after the ban was imposed. While it is true that Cross River is yet to record any COVID-19 case, however the gross disrespect for ban on public gatherings and the global social distancing rule by the governor himself might lead to severe and easy spread of the deadly virus in the coming days if adequate preventive measures outside the use of face masks are not put in place.

    TNG reports that the governor while addressing residents of the state earlier this month said social distancing was not needed as long as the mask was on.

    “I’m a professor of science and I know how this virus moves; I know its etiology, I know it transmissibility, I know its antigenicity; because I do, I know that once you put on this mask, you have already been protected.

    “You don’t need social distancing when you are properly protected because your mucal glands that secretes the mucus and the musins already forms a network of coats to attack the virus,” Ayade announced to a cheering audience.

    TNG recalls that the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu recently said the deadly virus will in a matter of time spread to all the 36 states in Nigeria.

    “The virus will grow to every state in Nigeria, there is no reason why it won’t – it is a respiratory virus,” Ihekweazu said recently on a monitored television programme.

    TNG reports that as at 11:20pm, Monday, 27th April – 1337 confirmed cases of #COVID19 was reported in Nigeria with 255 discharged and 40 deaths. The virus which is now in its communal infection stage has successfully penetrated 33 out of the 36 states including FCT, Abuja.

    TNG reports that the three standing states are Cross River, Kogi and Yobe States. However only time can tell how long these states will continue to be COVID-19 free.

  • COVID-19: Ayade extends stay-at-home order in Cross River

    Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has extended the stay-at-home order for civil servants by one week. The initial order expires on 7 April.

    Mr Christian Ita, Special Adviser Media and Publicity, announced the extension in a statement on Monday in Calabar.

    Ita directed civil servants in the state to stay away from work for a further week.

    Excluded from the order are workers on essential services.

    These are medical personnel, paramilitary and revenue officers.

    “The extension is in furtherance of Ayade’s determination to ensure that CrossRiverians stay safe from the global pandemic.

    “Government’s concerted effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to Cross River is also fully on course.

    “Governor Ayade, therefore, appeals to all CrossRiverians to continue to adopt and adhere to all the preventive measures already in place in the state.

    “The governor has promised to do everything humanly possible to ensure that Cross River remains COVID-19 free,” he said.

  • COVID-19: No nose mask, no movement in Cross River – Ayade

    Following the proliferation of new cases of coronavirus in neighboring states, the Cross River state governor, Sir Ben Ayade has imposed new restrictions on residents of the state as follows:

    1. No citizen or resident of the state will be allowed to leave home without a face mask from Friday 3rd, April 2020.

    2. Failure to adhere to this directive will lead to the arrest and quarantine of the offenders for 14 days.

    3. The Cross River State garment factory has been mandated to produce face masks to be distributed free to citizens and residents alike to meet with the demand.

    4. Those who for one reason or the other are unable to get masks from government before the new restrictions kick in, are advised to purchase theirs from shops selling the item.

    5. All public gatherings remain banned, markets should remain closed except where foodstuff is sold.

    6. All exit and entry points into the state are now completely shut. No human or vehicular movement will be allowed into the state under any disguise.

  • SERAP drags Buhari, Ayade to ECOWAS Court over Agba Jalingo

    SERAP drags Buhari, Ayade to ECOWAS Court over Agba Jalingo

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Federal Government of Nigeria and Cross River State Government to ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja over what it termed “the prolonged, arbitrary detention, unfair prosecution, persecution, and sham trial of journalist Agba Jalingo.”

    SERAP said Jalingo, who is the publisher of CrossRiverWatch, was arrested on August 22 over a report alleging that Mr Ayade diverted N500 million belonging to the state.

    In the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/10/2020 filed last week at the ECOWAS Court, SERAP is arguing that: “The sole objective of the government of Nigeria and the Cross River State Government of governor Ben Ayade is to perpetually keep Agba Jalingo in arbitrary detention and to silence him simply for expressing critical views and carrying out his legitimate job as journalist.”

    According to the suit: “This is not the first time the government of Nigeria and the Cross River state government of governor Ben Ayade have taken actions to intimidate, harass and suppress journalists through the instrumentality of trumped-up charges and use of overly broad and unjust laws, including section 24 of Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act, 2015, which provides for the offence of cyber-stalking.”

    The suit filed on SERAP’s behalf by its solicitor Kolawole Oluwadare, states: “the government of Nigeria and Cross-River state government are using vague laws that give officials massive discretion to undermine human rights. They are punishing Agba Jalingo and other journalists and silencing them for their reporting, thereby undermining Nigerians’ right to information, to public participation, to open and democratic governance in the country.”

    The suit read, in part: “If freedom of expression and media freedom are to have true meaning in a democracy, these rights necessarily must include the freedom to criticize the government and its functionaries. Indeed, the idea of a democracy is that the people are encouraged to express their criticisms, even their wrong-headed criticisms, of elected government institutions, in the expectation that this process will improve the process of government.

    “The harassment, intimidation, unfair prosecution and arbitrary detention of Agba Jalingo simply for exercising his human rights violate Nigeria’s international human rights obligations, including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which the country is a state party.

    “Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and full enjoyment of this right is central to achieving individual freedom and to developing democracy. It is not only the cornerstone of democracy, but indispensable to a thriving civil society.

    “In circumstances of public debate concerning public figures in the political domain and public institutions, the value placed by human rights treaties upon uninhibited expression is particularly high.

    “The government of Nigeria and the Cross-River State Government have via the charges of terrorism and treason and denial of bail to Agba Jalingo, violated and continued to breach his human rights.”

    SERAP is, therefore, seeking a declaration that the continued detention of Agba Jalingo violates his human rights, as guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and an order directing the immediate and unconditional release of the journalist.

    Agba Jalingo was arrested on August 22, 2019, and has since been in detention in Calabar, Cross River State.

  • FG trying Agba Jalingo for treason over Sowore’s RevolutionNow protest- Ayade

    FG trying Agba Jalingo for treason over Sowore’s RevolutionNow protest- Ayade

    Governor of Cross River state, Ayade says he is not behind the trial and detention of Agba Jalingo, publisher of CrossRiverWatch.

    Jalingo is standing trial on charges bordering on conspiracy, terrorism, treasonable felony and attempt to topple the government of Cross River.

    He was first arraigned in August after a story he published on how Ayade allegedly approved and diverted N500 million meant for Cross River State Microfinance Bank.

    Speaking to reporters after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Monday, Ayade said the federal government is behind Jalingo’s trial over his involvement in the #RevolutionNow protest led by Omoyele Sowore.

    “The case is between Agba Jalingo and the federal government of Nigeria. On his Facebook page, he posted an ambitious programme as … Please don’t get it wrong. Agba Jalingo is not just from Cross River state; he’s not just from Obudu where I also come from; he’s my brother,” Ayade said.

    “On his Facebook page, he sent pictures where he was being teargassed at the revolution march in Lagos. His own pictures, posted by himself and when Sowore was being arrested, he went back to his Facebook to post that the revolution has just started, ‘we will continue this battle until revolution works’. He admitted this in court.

    “In court, it is federal government versus Agba Jalingo, not Cross River state. The same Agba Jalingo who is in jail, I send him money. I called my chief press secretary and others and said that journalists will not understand that Agba Jalingo is the state chairman of Sowore’s party. From the time he moved into politics, he became a politician.

    “You are seeing him as a journalist, but he is not. He is the chairman of Sowore’s party in Cross River state; so he is a politician. He has a primary calling, which is journalism.

    “Please as Agba Jalingo, that Cross River Watch, the first person to give him money to set up the office was myself. His official vehicle, it was me. I don’t have to list all of these, he knows that I have funded and supported him, but journalism stops where blackmail becomes part of your strategy.”

    Ayade said he is working with Jalingo’s lawyers to secure his release.

    “Today you need something, then Ayade is a good man and you start writing all the good things, but if I take my phone and show you our Whatsapp communication, you will call me a godly man. Today, I need money to set up a computer school. Tomorrow, I need money to feed my birds. The other day, I need to be INNOSON’s sole distributor in Cross River State. I do all that,” he said.

    “But when I don’t get a thing right you go to the social media and write something as careless as Governor Ayade has taken N500 million to Russia. You impugned my father’s name, my character, my family name, for just a personal request that I’ve not met, out of many that I have met. Please for once, put yourselves in my shoes. All I simply did was to stay out of the issue.

    “He’s in court for treason. A state does not have power to try anyone for treason. It’s not me. Agba Jalingo is not a journalist. He is the chairman of a political party and so once he started the campaign to overthrow the government of President Buhari, he ceased to be seen from the point of journalist because he has become the state chairman of a party.

    “I have an intellectual background as a professor. I will stand with journalists at all times and I will never prosecute somebody, but if you ask Agba Jalingo today, I’m the one working with his lawyers for his freedom, I’m the one sustaining him and sending upkeep, the same man who once called me a golden brother, that I’ve stood with him through tough times.

    “When he started publishing damaging articles against the state, I called him as a brother. I said look, the former governor told me that you so much blackmailed him that his wife was detained because she was involved in child trafficking. He had to resort to settling him monthly. When journalism gets to that level, it becomes very dangerous and I don’t want you people to support a course that is not fair.

    “I am of the opinion that Agba should be released because I think he was just youthfully excited, but let him not use the power of the pen, let him not use journalism and hide to blackmail, chastise, lampoon, destroy another person just for personal economic benefit.”

  • Cross River Gov appoints Ubi Franklin as Special Adviser

    The Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade has appointed Ubi Franklin as Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism.

    He announced his appointment on his Instagram page this afternoon.

    Ubi wrote; “I, Ubi Ekapong Ofem (Ubi Franklin) wish to inform the public that I have been appointed Special Adviser on Tourism to His Excellency, Professor Benedict Ayade, Governor of Cross River State. It is indeed an honour to be deemed fit by His Excellency to serve the good and resilient people of Cross River State in this capacity.

    “More so, I am most delighted to be functioning in the Tourism sector, one sector which is dear to my heart and one which I believe I fit into appropriately considering my background in the entertainment industry”.

    “I thank God for His grace upon my life. I thank Governor Benedict Ayade for giving me this golden opportunity to serve. I thank my family, friends, and well-wishers for all the support and encouragement”.

  • Ayade signs N1.1trn Budget of ‘Olimpotic Merismasis’ into law

    Cross River Governor Ben Ayade on Tuesday signed the 2020 appropriation bill into law.

    Ayade commended the House of Assembly for beating the deadline of passing the appropriation bill before the 31st December 2019.

    Christened “Budget of Olimpotic Merismasis”, the #1.1trillion budget is geared towards bringing to fruition, the signature projects of the administration, including the 270 kilometre superhighway connecting Cross River with Northern Nigeria.

    82 percent of the budget is for capital expenditure while 18 percent is for recurrent expenditure.

    According to Ayade: “Cross River is the first state in the history of Nigeria to present a budget of over a trillion Naira.The first time in the history of Nigeria that a state, a sub national has presented a budget in the neigbhourhood of over a trillion Naira.

    “There are two types of budgeting. Either you do deficiet budgeting or you do envelope budgeting.

    In envelope budgeting, if you look at your medium term expenditure framework, you budget according to your expectation which is an agenda informed by how much you intend to achieve. Nobody has asked how Cross River which gets the lowest allocation in the country and services debt in the neighourhood of #1.8 billion manages to pay teachers, civil servants, pensioners.”

    Continuing, the governor emphasised that Cross River was able to achieve its objectives “because the deficiency is compromised with intellectual money.”

    “At any point in time a man’s ability is limited by his financial muscle his brain has failed”, Professor Ayade said.

    According to him, “for us in Cross River, with governor and his deputy as Professors, it will be a thing of shame for us to budget based on our envelope size”.

    Enumerating the avalanche of industries he has established since assumption of office, the governor assured that the 2020 budget will create jobs for Cross Riverians.

    “In the 2020 appropriation bill I have just signed into law, we have developed factories that have matured to a point where you need only operating capital to have them start commercial production. It will be the end of suffering in Cross River.

    “Cross River state has 33 industries in four years and you can point at them. So, I want to assure all of you that this budget of N1.1 trillion is something we can achieve, something we can accomplish”

  • Ayade bans Commissioners, Special Advisers, others from granting interviews, posting on social media

    Ayade bans Commissioners, Special Advisers, others from granting interviews, posting on social media

    Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River has directed all commissioners and other political appointees in his government to henceforth desist from making public and policy statements on social media.

    Ayade gave the directive in a press release signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Christian Ita, in Calabar.

    The governor warned the commissioners as well as appointees of government against granting or making both radio and television interviews/appearances without getting clearance from him.

    “Henceforth, no commissioner or political appointee is allowed to showcase or make policy pronouncements on social media without seeking clearance from the governor.

    “Every commissioner is henceforth expected to prove himself or herself on the field rather than on social media.

    “I want to make it clear that there are just two persons designated for the discharge of this function.

    “They are the Commissioner for Information and Orientation as well as the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity,” the release stated.

    The governor also warned that any contravention of the directive would be met with severe sanctions.