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Tag: Oyo

  • Controversy over disbursement of N2.7bn Covid-19 funds in Oyo as UCH denies receiving N118m

    Controversy over disbursement of N2.7bn Covid-19 funds in Oyo as UCH denies receiving N118m

    The University College Hospital has denied receiving any money from the Oyo State Government in its fight against COVID-19 in the state.

    The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Toye Akinrinlola, made this known in a press statement on Wednesday.

    Recall that TheNEwsGuru(TNG) had earlier reported that Oyo had claimed that over N2.7 billion had been spent on the fight against COVID-19 in the state.

    While giving the breakdown, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinola Ojo, said a total of N900.5 million was spent on procurement of the COVID-19 palliatives and seedlings; N370.6 million was spent on the upgrade of the Infectious Diseases Centre at Olodo; N453.7 million on securing borders, security trucks and personnel; N118 million as support to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for COVID-19 tests.

    But the hospital said it only got donations from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, some corporate bodies, well-meaning Nigerians, alumni associations, staff and students.

    The statement read in part, “The attention of the management of the University College Hospital, Ibadan has been drawn to the content of a press release from the Oyo State Government that the sum of N118 million was given to the hospital to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “We contacted some officials of Oyo State for clarification on this, but it seems there is a misunderstanding in the difference between the College of Medicine of the University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital Ibadan. It, therefore, behoves the Management of the UCH to put the record straight.

  • COVID-19: Oyo gives new directives on schools resumption after FG’s warning

    COVID-19: Oyo gives new directives on schools resumption after FG’s warning

    The Oyo State Government has modified the resumption of schools slated for June 29.

    Accordingly to the new arrangement, only teachers are to resume on June 29th while the terminal classes students resume a week later.

    The Government had earlier directed all terminal classes including Primary Six (Pry 6), Junior Secondary School Three (JSS3) and Senior Secondary School Three (SSS3) to resume on June 29 ahead of preparations for their various exams.

    Top government source hinted the change in plans became imperative in view of a latest expert report, which indicated the non-readiness of schools in terms of meeting government protocols.

    Recall that the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba has earlier said plans by the Oyo State Government to reopen schools from June 29 when the country is still battling the novel coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic was insensitive.

    A statement by Governor Seyi Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Taiwo Adisa, confirmed Commissioner for Education, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye and experts from the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) had been going round the schools to determine compliance with the COVID-19 prevention protocols put in place by the schools.

    Adisa said: “The Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force has modified the resumption date for Primary six, Junior Secondary School III and Senior Secondary School III students in the state.

    “The Task Force, which rose from a two-and-a-half-hour meeting on Monday, reviewed the state of preparedness of the schools ahead of the planned resumption.

    “The Commissioner for Education, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye and experts from the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) had been going round the schools to determine compliance with the COVID-19 prevention protocols put in place by the schools.

    “The team has since discovered that a space of one week was needed to enable the schools test-run the facilities, especially the hand washing points and the security measures.

    “By the new arrangement, teachers are to resume to the schools on Monday June 29, 2020, while students in critical classes including Primary 6, JSS3 and SS3 will resume a week later on July 6, 2020.

    “As of Monday, June 22, no fewer than 372 heads of schools have been trained by the EOC on the management of the COVID-19 containment procedures, while each of the schools is to appoint an Incident Manager, who will ensure compliance with the approved COVID-19 protocol.

    “Each student is expected to wear face masks, while the schools are to prepare well laid out hand washing spots to guarantee regular washing of hands by the students and teachers.

    “The Task Force also resolved that by July 15, the state government would have reviewed the situation with the schools and come to a conclusion whether the remaining classes would be able to resume or whether the students would have to wait to resume the new session in September 2020.”

  • COVID-19: FG kicks over reopening of schools in Oyo

    COVID-19: FG kicks over reopening of schools in Oyo

    The Federal Government on Monday kicked against the reopening of schools in Oyo State amidst COVID-19 pandemic, describing such as insensitive to the health of the people.
    Mr Emeka Uwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, said this at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 daily news conference in Abuja.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had earlier ordered the reopening of schools across the state.
    According to the minister, it is expedient to recognise the fact that Oyo State is a government operating under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Federating unit.
    He noted that though the governor had the right to reopen school as he deemed fit, but added that the primary purpose of governance remained the security of its people.
    Uwajiuba said the Federal Government had over 138,000 schools across the country and for the governor to open the schools was in the very least insensitive.
    He, however, urged parents to, as a matter of urgency, keep their children and wards under lock and key, to forestall contacting the COVID-19 pandemic.
    The minister appealed to parents and guardians, whose children and wards would be writing the West African Examinations Council to bear with the government, pending when the necessary arrangements would be made.
    He noted that if there was anything the government could do to help in the present circumstances, it would not failed to act.
    Uwajiuba stated that the ministry had fixed a meeting with WAEC on how it would arrange the examination time for the exit year children, for revisions in their subjects, to be able to prepare well for their exams.
  • My father-in-law is alive – Fatima Ganduje-Ajimobi

    My father-in-law is alive – Fatima Ganduje-Ajimobi

    Fatima Ganduje-Ajimobi, a daughter-in-law of former Governor of Oyo state Abiola Ajimobi, has debunked reports of his death.

    Some Nigerian bloggers had announced Ajimobi’s death, without the confirmation of the family.

    But Ganduje-Ajimobi, in a tweet on Thursday evening, said: “Thank you for all the messages but our father is still alive, alhamdulillah. When it is our time we will all die so wait first…”

    Ajimobi, 70, has been treating a serious COVID-19 illness at the First Cardiology Consultants Hospital in Ikoyi Lagos.

    He slipped into a coma and has been on the ventilator for close to two weeks.

    Ajimobi represented the Oyo state in the senate between 2003 and 2007. He was elected governor in 2011 and 2015.

    He failed in his bid in 2019 to return to the senate.

    He is now the deputy national chairman of the APC and the acting chairman, with Oshiomhole suspended by the court.

  • BREAKING: Oyo Ex Gov. Ajimobi’s aide speaks amid rumored death

    Former Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi is still very much alive.

    According to his media aide, Bolajii Tunji, the immediate former governor of oyo State is still very much alive and kicking.

    Recall TNG had earlier reported that the former Oyo governor was moved to First Cardiologist, a Covid-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Lagos after he was diagnosed of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic, Ajimobi had reportedly slipped into unconsciousness on June 8 while doctors battled to revive him.

    A former Senator, he governed Oyo State for eight years and is currently the APC NWC-recognised National Chairman.

  • Oyo records 68 new cases of COVID-19

    Oyo records 68 new cases of COVID-19

    Oyo State has recorded 68 new cases of COVID-19, the latest figures released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have revealed.

    In the figures released on Monday night, the 68 cases in Oyo were among the new 573 recorded in 20 states.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the latest figure in Oyo has brought the total COVID-19 cases in the state to 575.

    Gov. Seyi Makinde, had, on Monday directed all categories of workers to resume work on June 22 as well as the resumption of classes for primary six pupils, Junior Secondary School III and Senior Secondary School III students on June 29.

    He also announced relaxation of the curfew imposed on the state as the curfew will now run between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. against the earlier period of between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

    Makinde said that the decision was taken by the state COVID-19 task force headed by him and further announced opening up of Mosques and Churches, which were to operate at 25 per cent capacity.

    Some residents have expressed fear over the upsurge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the, especially with the decision of government to reopen schools and and offices.

  • Why we can’t reopen schools, lift ban on religious activities in Oyo – Makinde

    Why we can’t reopen schools, lift ban on religious activities in Oyo – Makinde

    Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has given reasons why the state cannot reopen schools, worship centers for now.

    The governor said the ban will not be lifted without adequate advice from experts.

    He said such decision will be premised on positive risk situation analysis being carried out by experts.

    The Governor gave the hint while delivering his “State of the State Address” during a special plenary to commemorate the first year anniversary of the Ninth House of Assembly.

    The session, which was also attended by top government functionary, was presided over by Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin.

    Makinde said: “For this same reason, we have held off from reversing our directive on religious gatherings. We saw what happened when a private organisation did not follow the advisories we provided to the letter.

    “Over 50 percent of COVID-19 cases in Oyo State can be traced to this organisation. So, I take this opportunity to again plead with our religious leaders to be patient with us. We are keeping our eyes on the numbers and will adjust this directive at the right time.”

  • COVID-19: Cases rise to 317 in Oyo as 15 more test positive

    COVID-19: Cases rise to 317 in Oyo as 15 more test positive

    Oyo State has recorded 15 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the state to 317.

    The latest figures, released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on Tuesday night revealed that the 15 cases in Oyo were among the 241 new cases recorded in 14 states.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) of the state COVID-19 Task Force said it would begin the community testing for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

    The exercise is to determine the behaviour of the virus in the state.

    The testing, expected to hold in 10 locations, will kick off in three different sites in Ibadan.

    NAN also reports that the task force, on Tuesday, alerted residents that the ban on religious gathering and the curfew, imposed as a result of the pandemic, still remains in force in the state.

    The task force, chaired by Gov. Seyi Makinde, stated that it would not be able to follow the decision by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, which relaxed the ban on religious gathering and the curfew.

    It said that the position was informed by the ongoing risk situation analysis being undertaken by a team of experts.

    “The task force is awaiting a risk situation analysis report by a team of experts, earlier commissioned to do so.

    “The report is expected at the end of the week and it is only after the report has been analysed by the task force that it can be in a position to make further clarifications,’’ it stated.

  • Why we can’t relax ban on religious gathering now – Makinde

    Why we can’t relax ban on religious gathering now – Makinde

    Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says ban on religious gathering in the state can not be relaxed now due to advice from medical experts that COVID-19 transmission occurs more easily in enclosed places.

    Makinde made the explanation on Monday during the briefing by the state Task Force on COVID-19, at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.

    The governor said that he had received request from some religious leaders to relax the ban so that religious services could hold.

    “Experts’ advice is that we can not, at this point in time, relax the directive.

    “However, they (experts) are carrying out a situation analysis and will be sending in their reports before the end of May.

    ” This will determine our next step,” he said.

    On the confirmation of 38 COVID-19 cases in an organisation in Ibadan in the last two days, Makinde said the task force withheld the name of the organisation so as to allow the Emergency Operations Centre to gather intelligence and complete investigation.

    He said the identity of the organisation would be revealed on Tuesday, “so that those who had visited the company recently will be able to present themselves for testing”.

    On management of COVID-19 cases, Makinde said the task force would continue to allow confirmed cases who were isolating at home to do so, in order not to overrun the capacity of isolation centres.

    He said the task force would, however, keep tracking those self-isolating through the use of technology, to prevent spread.

    He further said that the task force would ensure that the state isolation centres would be available for those who would need hospitalisation.

    Giving advisory on foods and natural products useful as preventive measures against COVID-19 and other viral illnesses, Makinde urged the people to eat bitter cola, tumeric, ginger, garlic, zinc and citrus fruits as well as bitter leaves.

    He said all the items were readily available in “our environment”, but emphasised that the items were not cure or treatment for COVID-19.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 11 new cases reported on Sunday night brought the total number of COVID-19 confirmed in the state to 118.

  • 30 workers in same company test positive for COVID-19 in Oyo

    30 workers in same company test positive for COVID-19 in Oyo

    Oyo State recorded 31 new Coronavirus infections on Saturday, its biggest in a single day since the pandemic broke out in country.

    Governor Seyi Makinde announced this in a statement, saying that 30 of the cases came from workers of the same company in Oyo State.

    “The COVID-19 confirmation tests for thirty-one suspected cases came back positive. Thirty of these cases are members of staff of the same organisation based in Ibadan South West Local Government Area. The organisation has been shut down and will be decontaminated.

    “We urge members of the public to remain calm as the situation is under control. Intensified contact tracing has already commenced. We will give an update on any additional measures that may need to be taken,” he said.

    Makinde added that the remaining one case was from Egbeda Local Government Area, saying that the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State as at 8pm on Saturday stood at 107.

    “We advise the following categories of people who have not already done so, to register with the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 | 08095863000 | 08078288999 | 08078288800, for the ongoing drive-through/walk-through testing at Adamasingba Stadium:

    “People who believe they could have come in contact with a COVID-19 case in Oyo State; People with COVID-19 symptoms: cough, fever, tiredness, body ache and shortness of breath; people with respiratory disease symptoms; healthcare workers who have been in contact with the high-risk groups, above,” he said.

    Makinde urged people to also call the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 | 08095863000 | 08078288999 | 08078288800, if they find travellers from other states arriving in their community.