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Tag: PTF

  • Covid-19: PTF awaits Buhari’s approval on opening of schools, churches, mosques, others

    Covid-19: PTF awaits Buhari’s approval on opening of schools, churches, mosques, others

    The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Sunday submitted parts of its recommendations on partial reopening of schools, places of worships and some additional businesses for possible consideration by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The Chairman of the PTF, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, made this known to State House correspondents at the end of a closed door meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to Mustapha, the PTF has no problem with state governments that ordered reopening of places of worships in view of the power given to the states to do so by the constitution, adding that the states are sub-nationals.

    He said: “That’s part of what we have considered in its totality.

    “We will await Mr. President on that.

    “Once I receive his approval, going forward, to certain recommendations we have put in place, we will know how that would happen.

    “The issue of easing up, you know we are in the first phase.

    “We had an extension of two weeks for the first phase.

    “The next phase should be the second phase and along with that will come in a lot of recommendations, which we expect Mr. President to consider.

    “So, the issues of places of worships, the issues of schools, the issues of some certain businesses that were not opened hitherto are part of the packages that we have looked at.

    “We have made the appropriate recommendations, but you know that Mr. President is the only one that can take decisions in respect of that.

    “In the framework, the states are sub-nationals, they have their own responsibilities too.

    “So, it is in the exercise of those responsibilities that they had meetings with those religious bodies and agreed on the guidelines and protocols on how they open up, but in the framework of the national response, we are taking that into consideration.”

    On whether Nigeria is winning the fight against COVID-19, considering the rate of infections, Mustapha said: “We are winning.

    “As a matter of fact, you juxtapose the rate of cases with our fatality rate, which is basically about three per cent.

    “In other countries and other climes, it’s over 10 per cent.

    “But the most important thing that you will realise, when we started this exercise, we had only five testing stations, now we’ve ramped it up to 28, without the expected increase in the number of deaths.

    “We have gone beyond 60,000 now.

    “That reflects in the number of confirmed cases

    “We have not reached the peak yet and I won’t want to fool Nigerians by telling them that we are out of the woods.

    “No, we are not out of the woods.

    “As we even open up and accommodate more enterprises, because we are trying to have a balance between livelihoods and life, there’s a likelihood of increase in transmission and cases.”

    Mustapha assured that essential parts of the economy would continue opening up to boost socio-economic activities across the country.

    He said: “We have started.

    “Even in the first phase and the extension that came with it.

    “Essential parts of the economy was opening up by way of allowing agricultural production, people that produce fertilizers.

    “The oil and gas industry was never closed for one day and some aspects of the financial sector were opened.

    “After we receive Mr. President’s approval tonight or tomorrow morning, we will now know which segment of the economy he has allowed to open.”

  • COVID-19 free status: Cross River has low testing capacity, shortage of personnel – PTF

    COVID-19 free status: Cross River has low testing capacity, shortage of personnel – PTF

    The Presidential Task Force Team on Wednesday has said the only state yet to record COVID-19 case in the country, Cross River, has low testing capacity.

    The team said this during a visit to the state.

    The team, which comprises experts from the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), noted that the state was also grappling with other challenges like inadequate surveillance, dearth of personnel, and other logistical problems.

    The PTF said it was in discussions with the state and other stakeholders to find ways to solve those problems.

    It also said although its first visit to Kogi State did not yield expected results, it is, however, hopeful that the second visit will be more productive as there is now better correspondence and understanding with the state.

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adeleke Mamora, who made this known yesterday in Abuja, during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, said: “Kogi is yet to be visited the second time.

    But I can say that we have a better understanding with the government of Kogi this time around and we are hoping that when the team visits Kogi, we will have a better report based on better understanding.

    “For Cross River, we want to commend the Governor for welcoming the team and for the collaboration that took place and better understanding as well.

    Essentially, the findings at the end of the visit revolves around issues of security at the border, inadequacy of surveillance system and the low capacity for testing because of dearth of personnel to make this testing possible.

    “Of course, what was also observed was that the call centre is probably not what it should be, as it is still being set up as at that point in time. The situation may have changed now.

    “There was also the issue of difficulty in shipping test samples from Cross River State to Irrua reference laboratory in Edo state, which is possibly the nearest centre to Calabar. At the end of it all, there were discussions about how to mitigate these gaps and challenges.”

    Concerning updates on the hazard allowance and other incentives promised the frontline health workers, Mamora said: “The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health is currently in a meeting in this regard and I do hope that before the end of the week, the final outcome will be made available.”

    The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, added: “We are focused on supporting all the states in the country.

    Almost every single day I have been having discussions from Governors pushing for labs, treatment centres, commodities, technical support, guidance, and knowledge.”

    “So our hands are full, but the purpose of our existence is to support states and we will continue to do so.

    “I sent out messages to all state commissioners of health and their state epidemiologists over the Sallah holiday to really focus this week on getting in more samples.

    In Imo state, we just saw a small but significant increase in the number of cases because of their increased testing and the fact that they now have a lab in Owerri.

    “We have enough reagents to test over 100,000 people in our stockpile. The challenge now is how to work with state to reinvigorate the sample collection process, and this is the purpose of our work this week.”

  • FG meets CAN, NSCIA leaders; deliberate guidelines to re-open worship centres

    FG meets CAN, NSCIA leaders; deliberate guidelines to re-open worship centres

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Presidential Task Force (PTF) met in Abuja on Tuesday to deliberate extensively on guidelines to re-open places of worship, especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The parties agreed that it was time for places of worship to reopen, adding that precautionary measures should be followed.

    According to close insider the sources, the guidelines, which was deliberated and adopted by parties present include;

    “Worship centres must disinfectant their premises before the reopening for services. They should provide alcoholic sanitizers, temperature readers, soap and water in their premises to be supervised by medical professionals.

    “Every worshipper must either use soap to wash their hands or apply sanitizers. The temperature  of every worshipper must be screened before admission into the church and people with the high temperature should be advised to see doctors.

    “Every worshipper must wear face mask. Social distancing should be observed in the sitting arrangement with one meter gap between two worshippers. It should be one hour service for a start. All Sunday services are to end on at 5:30pm. There should be a gap of 10 minutes between one service or another where there are multiple services to avoid concentration of crowd. Churches can make use of classrooms and multipurpose halls for services where available especially in big churches in order to accommodate more worshippers at a time. TV circuit and speakers can be used for those who are not inside the main auditorium.

    “Handshaking and hugging should be avoided before, during and after the service. Children should worship with their parents. Prayers should be offered to God for a speedy end of COVID-19 and quick recovery of all that are afflicted by the pandemic. Prayers should also be offered for those frontline workers for divine protection”.

    A source at the meeting said the PTF/NCDC promised to prepare its own recommendations which will be presented to the President for approval and action next week.

    The source said in the guidelines the Muslims submitted included that they wanted their worship to be held the same hour according to the Qur’anic injunctions.

    They are of the opinion that children will not take part.

    Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant (Media and Communications) to the CAN president Rev. Samson Ayokunle confirmed the meeting, adding that part of the guidelines is that CAN would constitute a committee together with law enforcement agencies to enforce full compliance.

  • BREAKING: PTF says it has validated three local cures for COVID-19

    BREAKING: PTF says it has validated three local cures for COVID-19

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 on Wednesday announced that three out of the numerous claims of COVID-19 herbal cure have been validated and forwarded to relevant authorities for validation.

    The Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha made the announcement while briefing journalists in Abuja.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru (TNG) had earlier reported that the Federal Ministry of Health is screening 19 local firms for the production of herbal drugs that can possibly treat or cure COVID-19.

    The firms, it was learnt, made many claims ranging from the outright cure for COVID-19 to the treatment of the symptoms.

    It was learnt that the 19 firms had met with the leadership of the ministry and the Department of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

    The firms have, however, been asked to submit their samples to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control out of which three would be picked and recommended for funding

  • BREAKING: Buhari extends gradual easing of COVID-19 lockdown by two weeks

    BREAKING: Buhari extends gradual easing of COVID-19 lockdown by two weeks

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has extended the gradual easing of the lockdown by two weeks.

    The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, announced this on Monday during the briefing of the members of the task force in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    Meanwhile, recall President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to work closely with state governors.

    The President gave the directive on Monday at a virtual meeting with some members of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari disclosed that the PTF had briefed him on the next steps in the national response to the pandemic.

    He explained that working closely with the governors would bring better harmony in the daunting task of curbing the spread of the pandemic.

    “I have directed that they work very closely with the Governors.

    “The pandemic was beyond technology, power, and resources, countries that had all those, were recording the highest casualties round the world.

    “We have to be very careful. We need to continue to educate and persuade the people to accept the reality of the situation, and do all that is necessary to stay safe,” the President added.

    The meeting also discussed economic and security issues, among others, with the governors commending the President on the “leadership and direction” he has given the country in combating COVID-19.

  • COVID-19: 80% of infected persons don’t require hospital admission – PTF

    COVID-19: 80% of infected persons don’t require hospital admission – PTF

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic has advised against keeping asymptomatic patients of COVID-19 in isolation centres.

    National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja. He said such persons, who constitute about 80 per cent of those infected were better treated in more comfortable places like hotels.

    Aliyu charged states to start preparing and equipping isolation centres with not less than 300 beds.

    He explained that the advice to keep those with little or no symptoms away from hospitals and regular isolation centres was because they would not need serious treatment or monitoring, adding that this would make spaces more adequate for those with serious symptoms.

    He appealed to citizens to take the outbreak with seriousness, warning, “we must do everything to prevent another spike in the spread of the virus during the eased lockdown phase.

    “I’ll like to again emphasise the need for us all to take personal responsibility” for themselves and their loved ones, to observe and obey the new eased lockdown guidelines, regretting the level of abandonment that greeted the commencement of the eased lockdown on Tuesday, especially in Lagos State.

    While warning that the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria was far from being over, easing of lockdown notwithstanding, he urged Nigerians to cooperate with security agents in observing the guidelines recently issued for the eased lockdown, reeling out some of the critical rules and regulations to be observed so as to keep the spread of the infection down.

    “Secondly, we also had a bundle of measures which we realised, if fully implemented, if fully delivered by everybody, will have the same impact as that of an absolute lockdown.

    “I must emphasise that the COVID-19 emergency in Nigeria is far from over. Our chances of coming out of this crisis sooner, rather than later, depends on our absolute compliance to the eased lockdown guidelines. The guidelines have specific aspects within them that I’ll like to emphasise.

    “Apart from the mandatory overnight curfew nationwide, from 8pm to 6am, we have also provided guidance to banks with regards to access and ensuring that physical distancing applies as well as rules around mass gatherings. We’ve provided guidance on opening times for buses and motor parks, for construction sites and for restaurants.”

  • COVID-19: Lagos Medical Personnel will be taken to Kano says Aliyu as PTF Reacts to Ganduje’s Allegations

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 said it has deployed seventeen of it’s members to help tame the Covid-19 and other health crisis in Kano State.

    The Nigeria’s National Coordinator of the PTF on Covid-19 Dr Sani Aliyu disclosed this Monday afternoon in an interview with the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC Hausa). Aliyu who was responding to the accusations of the Kano state government of negligence said his team has been working round the clock to ensure that testing centres are been activated in Kano.

    The Kano state government had on Monday morning disclosed to the BBC Hausa of the demands they made to the Federal Government on health facilities but are yet to be given any response.

    The PTF Covid-19 Coordinator also said that some of the medical personnel sent to Lagos will be redeployed to Kano. “…we have seventeen of our members already in Kano….and we have concluded all modalities to begin testing and proper treatments of patients in the state….. you will notice there are plenty of health personnel in Lagos, some of them will be taken to Kano…. we also hard meetings with the UN…. within the shortest period of time, testing will start in Kano. “Aliyu said.

    However, dismissed estwhile Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme Professor Usman Yusuf did not agree with the PTF coordinator. “it is pure politics, they can’t be playing politics with lives of kano people….” Usman told BBC Hausa. Asked why he said its politics since it is the same APC government in Kano and in the national level, Usman said “it is politics within themselves”. “….no one has the time to do this kind of their politics…. I have lost three of my colleagues who are professors and two other professors are still lying sick in Kano…. They are lying, no medical personnel have been sent to Kano, all hospitals are closing because they are not equipped…. Even in the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, the doctors have packed up because their are no facilities.

    Kano state is the worst affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic after Lagos in Nigeria.

  • Fani-Kayode to Pres. Buhari: Do not set Nigeria on fire

    As the 2019 general elections draw near, former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to avoid any attempts by him or his cronies to rig the elections.

    Fani-Kayode made this known in a statement on Thursday stressing, “Any attempt by Buhari to rig the 2019 elections with underage voters and falsification of results will be met with brutal and unrelenting force and resistance from the people”.

    “Buhari, think hard before you rig and be ready to pay the price if u do. Do not set Nigeria on fire!” he urged the president.

    Earlier, the former aviation minister had said President Buhari will fail in his bid to contest the 2019 presidential elections.

    “Buhari has declared his intention to seek for a fresh mandate. He should prepare himself for the biggest demystification in Nigeria’s history.

    “A man whose legacy is nothing but blood, death, destruction, corruption, division, conflict, failure and carnage wants to run. He will fail,” Fani-Kayode said.

    Fani-Kayode’s comment on Buhari vs Obasanjo

    Commenting on the battle between Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Fani-Kayode narrated “Obasanjo was in power from 1976 to 1979. He did very well and he handed over power to a democratically elected government.

    “Buhari toppled that government in 1983 and terrorised and killed Nigerians for 2 years until he himself was removed in a military coup by his colleagues in the army”.

    He opined that the greatest mistake Obasanjo made in his democratic administration was not to prosecute and jail Buhari for looting Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF) funds during his regime as military Head of State.

    “I saw the report and it was shocking,” Fani-Kayode said, adding, “Billions of dollars had vanished. Obasanjo summoned him and showed him the damning report. Buhari begged like a baby. Sadly Obasanjo let him off the hook”.

    “Obasanjo was elected President in 1999 and remained in power till 2007. He did exceptionally well, repaired and strengthened our economy, built up our foreign reserves, paid off our foreign debts, restored our pride and reputation in the international community and so much more.

    “Buhari was elected President in 2015 and divided the country, destroyed our economy, preached hatred, presided over genocide, stole money and hunted his perceived enemies like animals.

    “Buhari is not 10 per cent of the man that Obasanjo is. When compared to Obasanjo, Buhari is nothing,” he further stated.