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FG Threatens To Shut Down FGGC Umuahia Over Poor Sanitary Condition

By
Alex Enemanna
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1

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has threatened to shut down the Federal Girls College Umuahia over poor sanitary and maintenance culture by the management of the school.

Nwajiuba, who issued the threat during a visit on Monday expressed disappointment over the level of infrastructural dilapidation and poor sanitary condition of facilities in the school.

The minister, who was visibly angry as the management conducted him round facilities in the school, scolded the management over his observations.

Read Also: Being Nigeria’s President Will Be A Demotion For Me – Oyedepo

“Are you running a prison here? Even prisons are better than this! Are parents allowing their children to be here? You people are in trouble. This school will fall into the category of schools we will close for two years”, the minister said.

At the school’s clinic, the minister called on the cameraman covering his visit to take shots of the poor and dirty condition of facilities there.

He was also dissatisfied with the management over the state of COVID-19 isolation centre which, he said, was not in compliance with the federal government’s guidelines.

Source

Being Nigeria’s President Will Be A Demotion For Me – Oyedepo

By
Alex Enemanna
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1

Presiding Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo on Sunday said he would consider it a demotion if invited to become Nigeria’s president.

Oyedepo, during his sermon, said God specifically, in 1984 asked him if he was interested in going top and that he answered in the affirmative.

He said God told him, “Then whatever I tell you to do, do it. Don’t run around: whatever I tell you to do, do it. Don’t muse about: whatever I tell you to do. Don’t do what they do: do what I tell you to do.

“1984! Do you know that’s what led me to say, “I will consider it a demotion…” and I’m saying it again, some are very upset about it, that’s their problem.

“I will consider it a demotion if I were invited to be the President of this great country. It’s a great country, it’s a great honour for anyone to be President but that’s not where I belong. I belong to ‘above all nations,” he said.

https://abntv.com.ng/2020/10/governors-in-support-of-sars-ban/

State Governors In Support Of SARS Ban

By
Alex Enemanna
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0

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has backed the decision by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to ban with immediate effect the operations of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and a range of other Tactical Squads of the Force.

The NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in his reaction on Monday, lauded the IGP, saying the decision was received with “great relief and satisfaction”.

Fayemi, however, expressed hope that the announcement this time would promptly be followed by action and that there would be no reversal to the “unorthodox enforcement practices being complained against.”

He called for appropriate sanctions against law enforcement officers that had been “lawless and irresponsible” in the exercise of their duties against ordinary Nigerians.

He said: “We also completely agree with the directive of the IGP that ‘no personnel of the Force is authorized to embark on patrols or tactical assignments in mufti’ forthwith.

Read Also: Face Your Journalism Job And Leave Sen. Kalu Alone – Group Tells Premium Times

“This, in our view, will significantly reduce the various infractions of the Force that the ordinary Nigerian people have been complaining about and bring an end to the menace of SARS brutality on the people they are meant to protect.

“The IGP’s instructions could not have come at a better time when the majority of Nigerians are unhappy with this cohort of police officers who have routinely engaged in unlawful killings and torture, thereby giving the Force a bad name.

“It is helpful to recall that SARS has been cautioned in the same manner before only for it to go back to its old ways.

“Our young people should not be criminalized simply on account of how they look or their mode of dressing or the cars they drive, the type of phone they carry, etc. This is an assault on their fundamental human rights.

“We think this is a timely clinical response by the leadership of the Nigerian Police Force and must specially commend IGP Adamu for his promptness and boldness.”

Source

Face Your Journalism Job And Leave Sen. Kalu Alone – Group Tells Premium Times

By
Alex Enemanna
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1

A socio-cultural group North West Good Governance Forum (NWGGF) has berated a popular online newspaper Premium Times for what it called ‘political reportage’ asking the newspaper to stay away from politics.

ABN TV Recalls that Premium Times had on Monday published a story with the title ‘Why we’re yet to re-arraign Orji Kalu — EFCC’ in which EFCC was said to have responded to its enquiry on why the former governor is yet to have his days in court five months after he was discharged by the Supreme Court.

Responding to the report, the President General of NWGGF, Abubakar Hamisu and General Secretary, Noma Ibrahim in a statement issued on Monday wondered why Premium Times has allowed itself to be used by political interests ahead of the 2023 election.

According to Hamisu, some individuals whom he did not mention their names are afraid of Sen. Kalu’s skyrocketing popularity ahead of the 2023 political permutations, adding that they are deploying all evil tools to smear his character, including Premium Times whom he said has abandoned their professional calling in pursuit of evil agenda in the hands of politicians.

“At a time when all hands are on deck in delivering in the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Senate Chief Whip cannot be distracted.

“It is most unfortunate that people are still talking about a case that has since been laid to rest by the highest court in the land. Their action is akin to flogging a dead horse.

Read Also: FSARS Personnel To Be Issued Guns Only When Responding To Violent Crimes

“We’re mostly saddened that a supposedly respected newspaper has made itself a pawn in the chessboard of desperate politicians for a peanut, sacrificing its professional calling.

“We are not perturbed, neither is Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. We must however state that the more they gather to perfect their evil machinations against the anoint of God, the more they are disgraced.

“Severally have they failed and more shall they bow their heads in shame. For the record purpose, Sen. Kalu has been declared innocent by the highest court in the land and that still stands.

“It is also on record that during the period Sen. Kalu held sway as Abia governor, he used his personal funds to run the state as a man who was already made before venturing into politics. Abia was in dire financial strait and couldn’t muster reasonable resources for the running of its affairs. How could a man who used his personal resources to run his state have stolen from it too?

“We know Nigerians who have looted the country blind. Today they walk about freely even when there is no trace they have managed any business in their entire life. We expect the anti-graft agencies to go after such individuals and leave Sen. Kalu alone to face his national assignment.

“Premium Times should advance development with their professional gab instead of promoting Machiavellian political agenda of those who ordinarily should be cooling off by now. They are scheming for 2023 they are not even sure they will see. They have already arrogated themselves the power of tomorrow. We in NWGGF, we are committed to a Nigeria that works for all and one major way to achieve this is by ensuring justice for all” Hamisu said.

justice for all irrespective of religious and tribal affiliations” the statement read.

Source

FSARS Personnel To Be Issued Guns Only When Responding To Violent Crimes

By
Alex Enemanna
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1

In line with directives of the Inspector-General of Police on measures to curb the excesses of policemen attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, (FSARS), and other tactical units, the Commissioner of Police, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS, Imohimi Edgal, embarked on measures towards implementing the police boss’s directives.

According to him, henceforth, no personnel of the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), would be issued firearms except for guard duties, at the base, and to respond to violent crimes as they occur.

He stated that all FSARS teams on routine patrol have been withdrawn in compliance with the IGP’s directive.

According to him, in order to improve on the efficiency and effectiveness of FSARS and ensure they uphold the fundamental human rights of the citizens, the unit has drawn up a training/capacity workshop which will kick off this week in Abuja in collaboration with civilian partners and Non-Governmental Organisations, (NGO’s) aimed at emphasising the tenets of rule of law and fundamental rights of Nigerians.

Read Also: October 12 Resumption: Strike Remains Indefinite, We Can’t Work On Empty Stomach – ASUU

He further said no FSARS personnel will henceforth attend to any violent crimes except he was kitted in his approved jacket to guide members of the public.

In his word, only FSARS operatives have the right to wear a jacket with the inscription ‘FSARS’, saying all other states Special Anti Robbery Squads, (SAR), which are commanded by state commissioners of police are to wear the inscription SARS without F.”

Edgal, therefore, called on state Commissioners and Commanders of tactical units to join hands to ensure the total success of all the directives and reforms regarding FSARS and SARS operations by the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu.

He reassured the public that the era of ‘slap on the wrist or cover-ups’ of any policeman caught involving himself in any matter that will tarnish the image of the force was over, Security and Safety matters reported.

“Henceforth, maximum disciplinary penalty awaits such policemen, he stated.

Source

October 12 Resumption: Strike Remains Indefinite, We Can’t Work On Empty Stomach – ASUU

By
Alex Enemanna
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1

There were strong indications on Monday that students of public universities in the country would stay at home further as the Academic Staff Union of Universities dismissed the Federal Government’s directive that all educational institutions in the country should resume on Monday next week.

The National President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, in a telephone interview with The PUNCH, said the Federal Government was not sincere about negotiations with the union, adding that lecturers would not resume on an empty stomach.

Ogunyemi specifically took a swipe at the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris, for violating a directive of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), that lecturers’ salaries should be paid.

He hinted that Nigerians should be ready for a long-drawn strike in universities with the way government was handing negotiations.

Also, the Non-Academic Staff Union on Monday said the Federal Government’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System was not transparent, saying many of its members were being cheated.

Both NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities began a 14-day warning strike on Monday over the adoption of the IPPIS in universities and non-payment of minimum wage to their members.

The Minister of Education Adamu Adamu, had, at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, said government had approved the reopening of educational institutions beginning from Monday, October 12.

Recall that all educational institutions in the country were shut in March following the outbreak of COVID-19.

But before March, the Federal Government and ASUU had been at loggerheads over the IPPIS, which the later said should not be adopted in universities because it would violate their autonomy.

Buhari, during the presentation of the 2020 budget in October last year, ordered ministries, departments and agencies to migrate to the IPPIS as part of efforts to check fraud.

On March 23, ASUU began an indefinite strike to force the Federal Government to implement its agreements with lecturers and protest against the IPPIS .

Responding to a question on when the strike would end, Ogunyemi stated, “You can’t expect people to go back to their offices on an empty stomach. You don’t expect my members to suspend this action when their demands have not been met. It is a very clear decision that anybody will make in this circumstance.”

He said that on August 18, ASUU wrote the Federal Government, stating that it was ready to demonstrate its University Transparency Accountability Solution, which it designed as an alternative to the IPPIS.

According to him, the union did not receive the government’s reply until September 30.

Explaining contents of the letters, he stated, “They said they were considering our requests for a meeting. Mainly, we raised two points in the letter we wrote to them, that we are ready to demonstrate our platform which is the alternative to the IPPIS. We had earlier presented it to the Ministry of Education, although we told the Ministry of Labour that they should facilitate presentation to other stakeholders, particularly the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation. It is from there we are being dribbled.”

Withholding our salaries not good for negotiations – Union

Berating the AGF, ASUU president stated, “The AGF has withheld salaries of our members. The salaries withheld range from three months to eight months and I don’t think that is good negotiations. If you think you can use hunger as a weapon of war against Nigerian academics, it means the government is not sincere about building an enviable university system in Nigeria.

“All these games of arm- twisting, intimidation and manipulation will not take them far and that is why we want Nigerians to prevail on the AGF to stop this attack on our members. He is using hunger as a weapon of war and he should get ready to be tried for genocide.

Govt wants to frustrate our payment platform – Lecturers

“We have reasons to believe they are trying to frustrate the new platform we have developed and we are not going to take that kind because we used the contributions of our members to develop that platform. We didn’t take a kobo from the government because we thought we should demonstrate patriotism.”

He recalled that at a meeting between the union and the government-held on March 17, issues such as visitation panel to universities earned academic allowances and revitalisation of the institutions were discussed.

“I want to assure Nigerians that while the AGF may claim that he is achieving his objectives by humiliating some lecturers, we have a vast majority of our lecturers who are resolute and they are ready and steady in the ongoing struggle and at the appropriate time the showdown will come and Nigerians will see the truth about what is behind the IPPIS,” Ogunyemi stated.

Efforts to get reactions of the Director of Information in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Henshaw Ogubike, did not succeed as he had not responded to questions sent to his phone as of the time of sending this report. He had earlier requested that the questions should be sent to his phone.

Every lecturer has been paid, all ASUU members now on IPPIS – FG

But the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, in an interview with The PUNCH, said all lecturers had migrated to the IPPIS.

He said, “I think every ASUU member has been paid. They received their last salary in July, which was the period transfers were made last. What they haven’t received are their August and September salaries.”

On the allegations against the AGF, he said funds for salaries were not being given to universities, but paid into individuals’ accounts.

He stated, “You remember that the President gave a directive that they should be paid, so they submitted their details which were then used to migrate them to the IPPIS. So while they were still protesting that they didn’t want to be on the IPPIS, the IPPIS platform accommodated and paid them.

“ Even when they were on strike, we kept paying them. We paid in March, April, May, June and July. They are now on the IPPIS because during the period of the lockdown, there was no other way to pay them. When they gave us their bank verification numbers, we migrated them to the IPPIS and we are now paying them on the IPPIS.”

NASU says IPPIS not transparent, FG condemns strike

Meanwhile, the Federal Government on Monday condemned the 14-day strike embarked upon by SSANU and NASU.

The Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “The strike action is unfortunate, unnecessary and uncalled for.”

However, the General Secretary of NASU, Peter Adeyemi, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, asked, “How can someone in the Federal Ministry of Education be saying our strike is uncalled for? “

He said although the union initially supported the IPPIS, it later discovered that government was not keeping its promise.

Some of our members are not paid, some shortchanged – NASU

Adeyemi stated, “Government started implementing the IPPIS and started shortchanging our members. If we did not agree to key into the platform, they would call us irresponsible. But we have discovered that they are not transparent. The problem started in March. We will only call off the strike when they correct all the anomalies. Some of our members were shortchanged, while some were not paid at all. There are a whole lot them.”

Nigerian Education Graduates, Students To Receive Automatic Employment, Stipends From FG

By
Alex Enemanna
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0

The payment of stipends to Bachelor of Education students as well as granting them automatic employment after graduation is now federal government policy, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has said.

He said this in Abuja at the commemoration of the World Teachers Day on Monday.

President Muhammadu Buhari has also approved a special salary scale for teachers in the country.

He also increased the number of years of service from 35 to 40.

The education minister, Mr Adamu, who represented President Buhari, said the implementation of the new salary scheme was to encourage teachers in delivering better service.

The 2020 theme of the World Teachers’ Day is Teachers: leading in crisis, reimagining the future.

He said teachers have the power to shape and reshape the lives of young people and help learners to enhance their potentials.

“Only great teachers can produce excellent people and students that will make the future of our country great. A positive or negative influence of a teacher on any child will have an effect on that child. Therefore the federal government is ensuring quality education to access,” he said.

Mr Buhari also said his administration has resolved that quality education of teachers in terms of engagement of continued professional development has to be given priority.

“To address these challenges, my administration has approved the following for teachers and the teaching profession. That in order to attract investment in the teaching profession, the quality of the introduction of bursary award has been restored,” he said.

He said there will be a special pension scheme to enable the teaching profession to retain its experienced talents as well as extend teachers retirement age to 65 years and the duration of teachers years to 40 years.

“My administrative has resolved that quality education of teachers in terms of engagement of continued professional development has to be given priority,” he said.

He said there will be Special Salary Scale for Teachers in Basic and Secondary Schools, “including provisions for rural posting allowance, science teachers allowance and peculiar allowance”.

Other promises include building low-cost housing for teachers in rural areas, sponsorship to at least one refresher training per annum to benchmark best practices for improved teaching and learning.

Read Also: Abia Assembly Seeks Suspension Of Ikpeazu’s Commissioner

“Expansion of the annual Presidential Teachers and Schools Awards to cover more categories and for the outstanding,” he said.

Mr Buhari said he has approved the reintroduction of bursary award to education students in Universities and Colleges of Education with the assurance of automatic employment upon graduation.

“The payment of stipends to Bachelor of Education students as well as granting them automatic employment after graduation is now government policy,” he said.

He said the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND) will now fund teaching practice in Universities and Colleges of Education.

Similarly, the Minister of State for Education, Chukuemeka Nwajuiba, identified the teaching profession as the greatest profession in the world which must be accorded adequate recognition and respect.

”In those days, very comfortable and important figures in the society would send their children to a teacher’s house for grooming. That was the teacher then,” he said.

According to him, teachers children and those that lived with them became “the crème de la crème of the society. The society sadly has tilted towards ephemeral appearances that negate the standard of teachers as role models.”

”We think this should stop. Teachers deserve recognition and respect. The first step is to have qualified teachers in practice.”

He said the education ministry through the Teachers Registration Council (TRCN) is making concerted efforts to withdraw unqualified teachers from the classroom nationwide.

Source

Abia Assembly Seeks Suspension Of Ikpeazu’s Commissioner

By
ABN TV EDITOR
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1

Members of Abia State House of Assembly have recommended the suspension of the state Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon Cosmos Ndukwe for allegedly assembling thugs to attack an investigative panel at Ekeoha shopping centre Aba.

The Assembly also recommended the suspension of Chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Center Traders Association, Mr Friday Dimiri for working in connivance with the Commissioner as well as the the Chief Security Officer of Ekeoha Shopping Center, Aba, to ensure adequate security of the environment.

This is part of the resolution of the Assembly after Monday sitting.

Recall that the Assembly had set up an adhoc committee on 26th of August, 2020 to investigate an allegation of “Indiscriminate Erection of Stalls at Ekeoha Shopping Center, Aba, A Genocide Waiting to Happen” a petition brought before the Assembly by traders in the market.

The Chairman of the Committee and Member representing Ugwunagbo State Constituency, Hon. Munachin Alozie, had completed his assignment and laid the report as follows, according to a statement signed by the Media Unit of the Speaker’s office.

The Report of the committee is as follows:

To properly carry out its assignment, the committee notified both the petitioners and respondents of the date and venue of its Sitting being the 31st of August, 2020, at the Abia State House of Assembly Committee Room.

At the first Sitting, parties were given opportunity to present their cases. The Petitioners presented their case through their lawyer while the Respondents namely: Hon. Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon Cosmos Ndukwe and the Chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Center Traders Association, Mr Friday Dimiri requested to be granted an adjournment to enable them reply to the petition by their counsel which was granted.

However, the Committee ordered the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe to submit to the committee copies of all approvals for construction of stalls in the said market granted during his tenure as Commissioner for Trade and Investment.

At its second Sitting being the 3rd of September, 2020, the said Commissioner for Trade and Investment did not appear but sent his lawyer, Bertram Faitu Esq while the Chairman of Ekeoha Traders Association, Mr Friday Dimiri, appeared with his Lawyer.

It is Important to note that on the said second Sitting, Cosmos Ndukwe did not obey the earlier order of the Committee ordering him to submit to the Committee copies of all approvals for construction of stalls in the said Market made by him.

It is Important to note that the Committee had three Sittings at the Committee Room of the Abia State House of Assembly on 31/8/2020,14/9/2020 and with agreement of all concerned including Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe who appeared before the Committee on 14/9/2020, the Committee adjourned its Sitting to 10am on 22nd of September, 2020 at Ekeoha Shopping Center Aba for an on the spot investigation and verification of the contents of the petition.

All parties were ordered by the Committee to appear before them and the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon Cosmos Ndukwe was also ordered, once again, to present copies of all approvals of shops construction authorized by him.

SITTING AT EKEOHA SHOPPING CENTRE ON 22 SEPTEMBER, 2020.

On the said adjourned date of 22/9/2020, the Committee members namely: Hon Munachim Alozie, Hon Paul Tharibo,, Hon Obinna Ichita and Hon Sir Abraham Oba arrived at the Sitting venue of the Committee being Ekeoha Shopping Center with the Committee’s staff and aides of the Committee members including security men officially assigned to the Committee, where they met the petitioners and one of the Respondents, Mr Friday Dimiri, the Chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Center Traders Association. Note however that Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe was absent and he did not present copies of the said approvals as ordered by the House.

The Committee observed preliminary protocols and proceeded to carry out its investigation to ascertain the truthfulness or otherwise of the contents of the petition when suddenly one of the aides to the Chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Center Traders Association snatched handset of one of the aides of a Committee member under the pretence that the said committee Member’s aide took snapshots of the said Friday Dimiri, a ploy to disrupt the investigation by the committee by causing an uproar. While the Committee members were asking the said aide to the said Friday Dimiri to surrender the said handset, he took off and disappeared into the market. It took the Chairman of the Committee who commanded the said Friday Dimiri to order his aide to return the said handset before the handset resurfaced and was handed over to the Committee Chairman.

Shortly after the above incident, the Committee proceeded to move round the market. However, the Chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Center Traders Association, Mr Friday Dimiri introduced another gimmick to frustrate the committee by insisting that the Committee would only move to the the areas of the Market pointed out by him and not as alleged in the petition. However, the Committee insisted that they should be allowed to direct their movement in the Market. Suddenly, some thugs, believed to have been sent by the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon Cosmos Ndukwe, and the Chairman of the Traders Association, Mr Friday Dimiri, started hauling packs of sachet water at the Committee Members with the chairman of the Traders Association nodding and giving thumbs up to the thugs.

In the melee that ensued, one of the thugs attempted to snatch a gun from one of the security men in the entourage of the Committee members but for his gallantry.

The Chief Security Officer of the said Ekeoha Shopping Center who was present and on duty during the period of the Attack, made no attempt to protect the Committee members, didn’t attempt to stop the Attack, pretended not to have known any of the thugs, didn’t attempt by himself or his security boys, to arrest the thugs, but kept smiling to himself all through.

Given the circumstances above, the Committee was forced to stop further movement in the market to complete their assignment being to carry out on-the-spot verification of the contents of the said Petition.

COMMITEE FINDINGS ON THEIR ATTACK ON 22ND SEPTEMBER, 2020.

(1) That the thugs numbering about 7 attacker the Committee Members

(2) That the said thugs hauled packs of sachet water on the committee Members to frustrate them from carrying out on the spot verification of the contents of the petition giving rise to their being set up.

(3) one of the aides of the Chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Center Traders Association snatched the handset of one of the aides of a Committee member to stoke agitation against the Committee

(4) Throughout the attack on the Committee Members, the Chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Center Traders Association kept thumbing the thugs up and encouraged them to do more

(5) The said Chairman of the Ekeoha Shopping Center Traders Association, Mr Friday Dimiri, insisted that he would be the person to lead which direction the Committee would go in the Market, an obvious position to frustrate the Committee

(6) The Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe and his counsel stayed away from the said Proceedings of the 22nd of September, 2020 despite the Committee’s Order that all parties be present at the said Ekeoha Shopping Center in an obvious foreknowledge of the attack on the Committee Members

(7) The Thugs made attempt to snatch a gun from one of the Security Officers on the entourage of the Committee.

(8) The Chief Security Officer of the said Ekeoha Shopping Center did nothing to protect the Committee members during the attack on them nor did he attempt to quell the situation or to arrest the thugs.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

(I) That the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe, be Suspended forthwith from exercising the functions of that Office pending the completion of the Committee’s works

(Ii) That the Chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Center Traders Association, Mr Friday Dimiri, be suspended forthwith from exercising the functions of that Office to enable the Committee complete its assignment.

(III) That the Chief Security Officer of Ekeoha Shopping Center, Aba, be suspended forthwith to ensure a better secured environment for the Committee to revisit the Market.

(IV) All security agencies in the State to carry out a thorough investigation of the attack on the Committee Members including the attempt to snatch a gun from one of the security men on the entourage of the Committee in view of the recent security challenges in the State”.

With the kind permission of the Speaker, the Ad-hoc Committee Chairman laid the Report before the House.

The House adopted the Report as a working document while the Speaker committed the Report to the Abia State House of Assembly Committee of the Whole for further legislative action on a future Legislative Day.

The Speaker announced the reconstitution of the Abia State House of Assembly Standing Committees.

ADJOURNMENT.

The House adjourned Plenary to resume on Tuesday, 6th October, 2020.

Trump, Still Infectious, Removes Mask As He Returns To White House

By
ABN TV EDITOR
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0

President Donald Trump staged a dramatic return to the White House Monday night after leaving the military hospital where he has been receiving an unprecedented level of care for COVID-19.

He immediately ignited a new controversy by declaring that despite his illness the nation should not fear the virus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans — and then he entered the White House without a protective mask.

Trump’s message alarmed infectious disease experts and suggested the president’s own illness had not caused him to rethink his often-cavalier attitude toward the disease, which has also infected the first lady and several White House aides, including new cases revealed on Monday.

Landing at the White House on Marine One, Trump gingerly climbed the South Portico steps, removed his mask, and declared, “I feel good.” He gave a double thumbs-up to the departing helicopter from the portico terrace, where aides had arranged American flags for the sunset occasion. He entered the White House, where aides were visible milling about the Blue Room, without wearing a face covering.

The president left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where his doctor, Navy Cdr. Sean Conley, said earlier Monday that the president remains contagious and would not be full “out of the woods” for another week but that Trump had met or exceeded standards for discharge from the hospital. Trump is expected to continue his recovery at the White House, where the reach of the outbreak that has infected the highest levels of the U.S. government is still being uncovered.

READ ALSO: Trump Returns To White House Takes Off Mask Even As Cases Rise Among His Own Staffers

Still, Trump indicated he won’t be kept from campaigning for long, tweeting before leaving the hospital, “Will be back on the Campaign Trail soon!!!”

Trump made a point of sounding confident earlier. He tweeted, “I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of COVID. Don’t let it dominate your life. … I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”

Trump’s nonchalant message about not fearing the virus comes as his own administration has encouraged Americans to be very careful and take precautions to avoid contracting and spreading the disease as cases continue to spike across the country. For more than eight months, Trump’s efforts to play down the threat of the virus in hopes of propping up the economy ahead of the election have drawn bipartisan criticism.

“We have to be realistic in this: COVID is a complete threat to the American population,” Dr. David Nace of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said of Trump’s no-fear comment.

https://youtu.be/F1mEYuSjQZg

“Most of the people aren’t so lucky as the president,” with an in-house medical unit and access to experimental treatments, added Nace, an expert on infections in older adults.

“It’s an unconscionable message,” agreed Dr. Sadiya Khan of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “I would go so far as to say that it may precipitate or worsen spread.”

There was political pushback to Trump’s attitude toward the virus, as well.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas told the Houston Chronicle editorial board that Trump had “let his guard down” in his effort to show that the country was moving beyond the virus and had created “confusion” about how to stay safe.

Conley said that because of Trump’s unusual level of treatment so early after discovery of his illness he was in “uncharted territory.” But the doctor also was upbeat at an afternoon briefing and said the president could resume his normal schedule once “there is no evidence of live virus still present.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 can be contagious for as many — and should isolate for at least — 10 days.

Trump’s expected discharge raised new questions about how the administration was going to protect other officials from a disease that remains rampant in the president’s body. Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany announced she had tested positive for the virus Monday morning and was entering quarantine.

Both Nace and Khan expressed fear Trump won’t properly stay isolated at the White House — and that he hasn’t learned his lesson about wearing a mask.

“We know he hates the mask, we know he hates to be restricted, we know he’s unpredictable,” Nace said. “The rest of the American people are held accountable to a 10-day isolation period.”

There were also lingering questions about potential long term effects to the president — and even when he first came down with the virus

Conley repeatedly declined to share results of medical scans of Trump’s lungs, saying he was not at liberty to discuss the information because Trump did not waive doctor-patient confidentiality on the subject. COVID-19 has been known to cause significant damage to the lungs of some patients. Conley also declined to share the date of Trump’s most recent negative test for the virus — a critical point for contact tracing and understanding where Trump was in the course of the disease.

Only a day earlier, Trump suggested he had finally grasped the true nature of the virus, saying in a video, “I get it.” But then on Sunday afternoon, Trump briefly ventured out of the hospital while contagious to salute cheering supporters by motorcade — an outing that disregarded precautions meant to contain the virus.

White House officials said Trump was anxious to be released after three nights at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where doctors revealed that his blood oxygen level had dropped suddenly twice in recent days and that they gave him a steroid typically only recommended for the very sick.

Trump’s experience with the disease has been dramatically different from most Americans, who do not have access to the same kind of monitoring and care. While most must cope with their symptoms — and fear of whether they’ll take a turn for the worse — at home and alone, Trump has been staying in the presidential suite of one of the nation’s best hospitals and has been given experimental drugs not readily available to the public. He returns to the White House where there is a team of doctors on call with 24-hour monitoring.

Trump was leaving the hospital after receiving a fourth dose of the antiviral drug remdesivir Monday evening, Conley said. He will receive the fifth and final dose Tuesday at the White House.

Less than one month before Election Day, Trump was eager to project strength despite his illness and to press his campaign effort across the country.

Vice President Mike Pence returned to the campaign trail moments after Trump announced he would soon leave the hospital. The vice president boarded Air Force Two to fly to Salt Lake City, where he is to face off against Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris on Wednesday.

Joe Biden’s campaign, meanwhile, said the Democratic presidential nominee again tested negative for coronavirus Sunday. The results came five days after Biden spent more than 90 minutes on the debate stage with Trump.

McEnany, who announced Monday that she had contracted the virus, spoke briefly with reporters on Sunday evening without wearing a mask, but said that no members of the White House press corps spent enough time around her to be considered close contacts.

Trump Returns To White House Takes Off Mask Even As Cases Rise Among His Own Staffers

By
ABN TV EDITOR
-
1
Donald Trump

President Donald Trump left the Walter Reed hospital on Monday night and was taken by helicopter back to the White House, taking off his face mask when he arrived back at the White House on Monday night, despite two staffers standing behind him and his still being infected with the coronavirus.

He exited from Marine One after leaving Walter Reed Medical Center, walked up the stairs to the balcony on the South Portico, removed his mask, and waved.

He also offered a salute, seemingly to the helicopter pilots.

https://youtu.be/F1mEYuSjQZg

It was a shocking move considering the president is still in the infectious period of the disease. His diagnosis was announced early Friday morning.

Two staffers were visible behind him: one filming his arrival back to the executive mansion.

READ ALSO: Trump Is Well Enough To Return To White House – Doctor

His walk up the stairs was no doubt a show of fitness but his flagrant disregard of medical guidelines with his removal of his face mask will add to the criticism he’s faced about how he’s managed his diagnosis.

Also waiting his arrival was trade adviser Peter Navarro, 71, who stood at the entrance waiting for him.

Navarro is himself at elevated risk thanks to his age but he has been an advocate of hydroxychloroquine in the past.

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