The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned operators of nightclubs, bars and gardens across the territory not to open for business until the Covid-19 restriction order is lifted.
Giving the warning on Sunday, when the team went round Kubwa, Gwarinpa and Wuse to monitor the level of compliance by operators, the Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Enforcement Taskteam on COVID-19 Restrictions, Comrade Ikharo Attah reitrated the ban till further notice.
He made this known after the operation, the Chairman hinted that, “the ban on nightclubs, parks and bars is yet to be lifted hence the need for us to sustain routine inspection and ensure compliance. We believe that if we relax too much, with the number of positive Covid-19 cases on the rise it would not be good for the city.”
Attah, however, expressed satisfaction with the high level of compliance by the nightclub operators was however not happy with the high number of suspected commercial sex workers around buildings housing the nightclubs at Kubwa.
He further hinted that, “the presence of the ladies of the night is a violation of the curfew because they are not on the exemption list of essential workers. Their presence made us to carry out full checks on some nightclubs which are truly closed. At moments like this we expect them to stop the unholy trade in their own interest because the men who may patronize them may be Covid-19 positive.”
Speaking on the shutting down of a bar at Wuse 2, he said, “we got several calls that Reset Nightclub and Bar located at Lobito Crescent in Wuse 2 was fully operational. But when we got there we discovered that it wasn’t true. A bar operating in a plaza located opposite the nightclub, as we all found out this night, was the one operating and playing very loud music which necessitated the calls and complaints we got from residents of the area.”
The team shut down the bar and confiscated some of its loudspeakers which were handed over to Enforcement officials from the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, (AEPB).
Attah, stressed that the team would be extending its checks on nightclubs in the suburbs while appealing to FCT residents to stay at home during the curfew periods and not endanger their lives.
The Federal Government has approved a new Advisory for Food Businesses which spells out safe food practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, gave the approval to the document which spells out the new advisory at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
He stated that , the purpose of the advisory is to bring up possible measures to guide what food establishments and food retail markets have to put in place to ensure the integrity of the food supply chain across the country.
According to Ehanire who agreed with the World Health Organization (WHO) that it is highly unlikely that people can contract COVID-19 from food and food packaging however said that because SARS COV-2 virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets that are too heavy to remain in air, they may however land on openly displayed foods at open markets (neighborhood open markets) to go on to affect persons who may not take much care before consuming such foods.
Saying, openly displayed foods at open markets (neighborhood open markets) therefore, the Minister of Health stated are a source of concern for most people even though there is currently no evidence of transmission of SARS COV-2 virus associated with food in open markets.
The Health Minister , therefore , advised strongly that consumers are required to wash fruits and vegetables with potable water and ensure good personal and respiratory hygiene around open food items.
Ehanire said that to ensure food hygiene and prevent COVID-19 in food businesses, all well established food businesses are expected to have some form of Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) in place, and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) to manage food safety hazards and risks.
The provision from these FSMSs laid down the foundation for ensuring safe foods at each stage of the food processing, manufacture and marketing chain. The idea, he said is the prevention of food contamination.
The newly approved ‘Advisory for Food Businesses on Safe Food Practices during COVID-19 Pandemic’ states the imperative for all food business operators to ensure that there are adequate measures in place to protect workers from contracting COVID-19 as well as strengthen food hygiene and sanitation, generally as well as embracing safe food handling practice.
The new advisory document further states the imperatives for the food business operators, retail stores and open markets to provide adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs); strengthen its personal hygiene procedures; make available NAFDAC registered hand sanitizer for consumers on their way in and out of the food premises; introduce and enforce physical distancing measures in the food establishments amongst others.
The Advisory for Food Businesses for Safe Food Practices during Covid-19 Pandemic also directs safe transport of food and food business environment. “Delivery staff should not leave the vehicle during delivery, where possible, and should observe all the precautionary measures provided in the advisory document.”
More so, in the food business environment, the new advisory stated that staff or food handlers who are unwell should, under no condition be at a food business premises. This is because when an infected person handles food, it is possible to introduce virus to the work surfaces such as counter tops, cash register, etc.
“However, if a staff is feeling unwell or showing symptoms of COVID-19, food managers should find a well-ventilated room or area for staff, if possible, the managers should immediately contact Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), through its toll free number 080097000010 or contact the respective State COVID-19 emergency numbers while they wait for proper advice, the document stated.
The new advisory also stated that the food manufacturers and retail markets are to liaise with relevant food regulatory agencies such as National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), and Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) for advice to ensure that food produced, marketed and sold are safe and wholesome for consumption.
A Copy of the ‘Advisory for Food Businesses on Safe Food Practices during COVID-19 Pandemic’ can be downloaded from Federal Ministry of Health Website: https://health.gov.ng/doc/Advisory-forFood-Practices-During-the-COVID-19-Pandemic.pdf
World Sickle Cell Day was established by the United Nations General
Assembly in 2008 in order to increase the awareness about the Sickle Cell
Disease and its cure among the common public. It was celebrated for the
first time on 19th of June in 2009.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell
disorders, this means it’s inherited from both parents who are carriers.
According to health experts, Healthy red blood cells are round, and they move
through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. In
someone who has SCD, the red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a
C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle”. The sickle cells die early, which causes
a constant shortage of red blood cells. Also, when they travel through small
blood vessels, they get stuck and clog the blood flow. People with sickle cell anaemia often experience
Episodes of pain, swelling of hands and feet, frequent infections, Delayed
growth or puberty, Vision problems among others.
It has been estimated that over 500, 000 are born every year with SCD,
studies have also shown that 50% of SCD patients will die before the age of 5.
However, this does not mean that SCD is a dead sentence, as long as they
undergo regular check-ups with a doctor, take their medications regularly,
prevent infections through hygienic practices such as hand washing and drink
lots of water, people living with SCD can live as long as others or even longer
than people living without SCD. Ashata Onikoyi- Laguda, is the oldest sickle
cell patient in Nigeria who lived for 95 years.
SCD is inherited when a child receives two sickle cell genes—one from
each parent. SCD is diagnosed with a simple blood test. It is most often found
at birth during routine new-born screening tests at the hospital. Because
children with SCD are at an increased risk of infection and other health
problems, early diagnosis and treatment are important.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the
only cure for SCD is bone marrow or stem cell transplant. In order to maintain
a healthy eating lifestyle, eat.com, an online blog that specialises on
nutrition maintained that, SCD patients, especially children, “must eat healthy
meals which includes fruits, vegetables, grains, and also drink a lot of water
with vitamin D supplements”.
Nigeria is said to be one of the countries with the highest number of
people suffering from SCD in the world. Therefore, it is important to embark on
a rigorous awareness campaign that is aimed at educating and enlightening
people about SCD. This has to be done both at the federal and state government
level. NGOs and religious bodies also have an important role to play in
ensuring people know their genotype before marriage. This campaign must be
taken into all the nooks and crannies of the country, especially the rural
area.
Governments at all levels must establish and ensure compliance of laws
that will enforce testing and genotype compatibility before marriage. The
Anambra state government is at the forefront of this, the parliament has passed
a bill making genotype testing compulsory before testing; it states that no
religious body or registry must join a couple without genotype testing. Therefore, other states must follow suite.
The Federal Government said strigent measures are in place to mitigate the fatality rate from COVID-19 even as new confirmed cases increases.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire made this known at the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 daily briefing on Thursday in Abuja, saying, the increasing number of cases should be a warning that fatalities will increase too; but there are measures we can take, to limit case fatality rate.
He satated that, since majority of fatalities are over 50 years of age, or have preexisting ailments like diabetes, cancer, hypertension, kidney disease, HIV, etc, this group of citizens has to be specially protected.
According to him; ‘This protection begins with limiting their exposure to risks of Covid-19 infection by urging stay at home, except there is urgent and dire need to go out.
“To wear a face mask or a covering at any time, once outside the house, or when inside the house with persons who may have been exposed.
“To observe all other non pharmaceutical advisory, like frequent hand washing, social distancing, respiratory hygiene, sanitizer use among many others”.
Ehanire also emphasized that going to places where there can be a crowd, like market or also places of worship carries risk of increased exposure. While stressing that being in a closed room increases the risk of exposure to infection in proportion to the number of people and the length of time spent with them, because the likelihood of presence of a positive person increases with the number and infection with time of exposure.
The minister buttresed that, all persons in the vulnerable group who test positive should go to a treatment center immediately, in their own best interest. A vulnerable person is not among those who should risk staying at home, because complications can arise easily and suddenly or at an odd hour of the day or night when there will be no immediate help available.
Ehanire added that, any person who tested positive and opted to stay home or elsewhere should move to a treatment center at the first sign of fever or shortness or breath. A delay can be fatal because the disease progression can be unpredictable and faster than imagined.
He said that , with these important measures, we could mitigate the fatality rate. The novel coronavirus is still among us and is infecting people daily, including prominent members of the society. Friends and family have an increasingly important role to play in helping to guide compliance with this advisory. Till it goes away, whenever that is, we must take extreme precaution when going to public places.
He stated that , the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) yesterday announced 587 new confirmed covid-19 cases, increasing the total tally to 17,735. We have treated and discharged 5,967 persons and 469 persons have sadly been lost to the disease.
According to him, “I also had the honour yesterday, of joining Mr. President at the China-Africa Extraordinary Summit on Solidarity Against the COVID-19 pandemic, where the desirability of sharing knowledge from research and experience was emphasized, as PTF Chair has reported. This is of value to us because China has considerable experience with covid19.
“Earlier yesterday, I signed a bilateral agreement with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on cooperation in the area of public health and medical sciences. The agreement is to start cooperation between both countries in these areas: Exchanging experience in public health and health sciences; and Facilitation of visits by scientists and Exchanging information in research.
“On Monday, 15th June, 2020, I inaugurated the governing council of the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, where the Council was charged to refocus aspects of the profession to meet up with the realities of today as the Covid-19 Pandemic has brought medicine security to the fore front”, he further stated.
The Minister , however, updated the case management guidelines with reviewed changes like discharge criteria and medication used for the treatment of cases. Our treatment centers will be getting an advisory to test applicability of a drug recently repurposed and found effective for treatment of COVID-19
The engagement of States and support for them in management of covid19 will continue to increase with increased capacity building. The Ministry of Health will also be prioritizing the procurement of oxygen generators alongside ventilators as our experience so far shows that oxygen supplementation is in high demand in treatment, he stated.
Bearly seven days after the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Ministerial TaskForce on City Sanitation unearth, raided and demolished a notorious drug colony within Abuja city centre, the drugs beron have regrouped and threatened to rebuild the colony.
More shocking discoveries were made yesterday when the Task Force again raided the place during their routine surveillance and cleaning exercise where several packages of outlawed hard drugs and some weapons, like knives, axe and clubs were also found in the place.
Chairman of the Task Force, Comrade Ikharo Attah confirmed that several members of the drug cartel fled the Area, leaving their wares but what surprised him most was their constant return to the Colony to continue their trade.
While adding that, two of the gang members were arrested and handed over to operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) who were also in the team.
Attah , also, noted that constant raiding of the areas have become imperative, as total sanitation and safety of the city can’t be achieved with desperate criminal elements left around the fringes of the city’s major road corridors.
According to him, ” it is not late to turn when you discovered you were travelling on the wrong road, the FCT Minister Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello gave us a directive to clear alignment from the Oladipo Diya Junction to the popular Apo Roundabouts .
” After we finished clearing the illegal motor park, we discovered that there is a very notorious drug market going on along that road corridor, and a little bit further up the hill.
He continued; ” We were here last week when we got so many of the hard drugs and arrested the dealers while some persons escaped, but today we have gone back there. Sadly, those we have cleared came back to rebuild their tents. We have cleared the rebuilt structures and recovered the drugs left by those who fled.
” We recovered so many raps of Indian hem and many bottles of codeine and several hard drugs. We also arredted two persons found at the scene. We have also discovered an illegal abattoir and recovered two rams. We have given 7 days notice to all the commercial people around Oladipo Diya junction, because trading is not allowed here”, he stressed.
Attah further hinted that, all the illegal human settlements along the road , obstructing the road construction, and distorting the city’s master plan will not be spared, but that due diligent procedures will be followed.
Also speaking, a Director in the FCT Department of Resettlement and Compensation, Nasiru Suleiman, said that one of the village constituting a nuisance by the road corridor will be demolished at due time, but those trading there have been given 7 days notice of demolition.
Suleiman noted that the affected villagers have been properly compensated and resettled, and that the processes of removing all the illegal structures were on going.
According to him, ” All the people living in this Village have been resettled, We have given them 135 houses and all we supposed to give have been given. We served them notice since January. We have come to give them the last notice, so that they will move out. They have to give way because they are disturbing the construction of the road interchange”.
Charges Resident To Take Personal Responsibility For Their Health
TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is determined to prosecute all those involved in orchestrating these infractions to the full extent of the law.
Bello also noted that there is a very real possibility that a single positive individual at that event could by now have gone ahead to infect several others thereby leading to a possible exponential spread.
has charged residents of the nation’s capital to take personal responsibility for their health and desist from violating the extant guidelines put in place to contain the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Territory.
FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello gave the warning while reacting to the illegal music concert of Naira Marley held at the Jabi Lake Mall on Saturday.
He further stated that , “Videos of the event which are still circulating on the social media clearly showed a concert going on with music and live performances by a band and dancers. The video also showed attendees dancing to the live performances on the elaborately constructed stage”.
He, however, reiterated that several aspects of the guidelines as postulated by the Presidential Task Force on COVID 19 as well as the FCT Administration were violated with reckless abandon.
“For purposes of emphasis” Bello said, “the PTF and FCTA’s guidelines clearly states the following; There shall be no gathering of more than 20 people outside of a workplace or places of worship; There should be mandatory use of face masks when in public; There should be social distancing of at least 2 meters between 2 people while in public.
More so, there is a ban on all congregational events such as parties, weddings, concerts etc; There is a closure of all clubs, bars, gardens, beer parlors, recreational parks, communal sports facilities, movie theaters and so on; Markets and business premises are to remain open between 8 am and 4 pm; and There is a ban on interstate travel.
All the guidelines as postulated above were clearly violated as the videos available on social media indicate the Minister added.
According to him, The FCT Administration views the actions of the organisers and attendees at this concert as reckless, wicked, insensitive and utter disrespect and disregard both for the law and the wellbeing and welfare of fellow citizens.
The Minister reminded residents that COVID-19 is real and the disease has proven to be fatal. More worrisome he said is the fact that the number of new infections has been on the rise in the country and the FCT. He expressed dissatisfaction with the non-adherence to basic-COVID-19 guidelines.
According to him, “It is disheartening to see residents not adhering to even the basic guidelines of facial covering, social distancing and hand washing or sanitizing. These guidelines have been put in place in order to save and safeguard lives”.
“Adherence to the guidelines could be the difference between life and death. This therefore begs the question; whether that concert or party which is clearly against the law is worth the health or life of a citizen. Clearly, no concert or party is worth the life of anyone” Malam Bello said
The FCT Minister also encouraged residents to report to the relevant authorities when they notice infractions of the guidelines as the FCT Administration will embark on stricter enforcement measures.
Bearly seven days after the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Ministerial TaskForce on City Sanitation unearth, raided and demolished a notorious drug colony within Abuja city centre, the drugs beron have regrouped and threatened to rebuild the colony.
More shocking discoveries were made yesterday when the Task Force again raided the place during their routine surveillance and cleaning exercise where several packages of outlawed hard drugs and some weapons, like knives, axe and clubs were also found in the place.
Chairman of the Task Force, Comrade Ikharo Attah confirmed that several members of the drug cartel fled the Area, leaving their wares but what surprised him most was their constant return to the Colony to continue their trade.
While adding that, two of the gang members were arrested and handed over to operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) who were also in the team.
Attah , also, noted that constant raiding of the areas have become imperative, as total sanitation and safety of the city can’t be achieved with desperate criminal elements left around the fringes of the city’s major road corridors.
According to him, ” it is not late to turn when you discovered you were travelling on the wrong road, the FCT Minister Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello gave us a directive to clear alignment from the Oladipo Diya Junction to the popular Apo Roundabouts .
” After we finished clearing the illegal motor park, we discovered that there is a very notorious drug market going on along that road corridor, and a little bit further up the hill.
He continued; ” We were here last week when we got so many of the hard drugs and arrested the dealers while some persons escaped, but today we have gone back there. Sadly, those we have cleared came back to rebuild their tents. We have cleared the rebuilt structures and recovered the drugs left by those who fled.
” We recovered so many raps of Indian hem and many bottles of codeine and several hard drugs. We also arredted two persons found at the scene. We have also discovered an illegal abattoir and recovered two rams. We have given 7 days notice to all the commercial people around Oladipo Diya junction, because trading is not allowed here”, he stressed.
Attah further hinted that, all the illegal human settlements along the road , obstructing the road construction, and distorting the city’s master plan will not be spared, but that due diligent procedures will be followed.
Also speaking, a Director in the FCT Department of Resettlement and Compensation, Nasiru Suleiman, said that one of the village constituting a nuisance by the road corridor will be demolished at due time, but those trading there have been given 7 days notice of demolition.
Suleiman noted that the affected villagers have been properly compensated and resettled, and that the processes of removing all the illegal structures were on going.
According to him, ” All the people living in this Village have been resettled, We have given them 135 houses and all we supposed to give have been given. We served them notice since January. We have come to give them the last notice, so that they will move out. They have to give way because they are disturbing the construction of the road interchange”.
Indigenous people of Katsina state based in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency impose a state of emergency on the state following high level of insecurity in Katsina State.
The group under the auspies of Concerned Katsina Youth Vanguard, expressed concerns over the recent developments leading to wanton killings of innocent people in the state was a stestament to the fact that the state government could not guaranty the safety of lives and property of citizens of the state.
Speaking to Journalists in Abuja, the Deputy spokesman of the group, Alh. Shamsudeen Danasibi Faskari, hinted that residents of the state are living in palpable fear, as security agencies in the state appears helpless, stressing that the situation has reached an unimaginable level.
Faskari, affirmed that his local government area was the epic centre of senseless killings since December 2019, observed that other parts of the state are currently under siege by bandits
The group, however, warned that if the Federal Government fails to takeover the state, the recent insecurity may pose a threat to national security, thus further worsening the intractable challenges in the country occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, “Precisely December 2019, we spoke eloquently through the press on the state of armed attack, kidnapping and cattle rustling in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina state. On that very occasion, we came up with a catalogue of 29 different cases of bandit attacks all in the month of December, 2019.
“However, we observed that after our landmark press conference held last December 2019, normalcy was restored to the area. Regrettably, that relative peace was cut short as bandit attacks resumed in full swing in March, 2020, extending their operations to other parts of the state.
“We have watched with a heavy heart how our people are being slaughtered like sheep and goats. We have also watched helplessly how communities are being invaded and how families and kindred are being wiped out by bandits, while security agencies appear helpless.
He continued; “We have crossed the Rubicon and there is no turning back. Therefore, we are calling on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency imposed a state of emergency on the state. Federal Government should takeover the security apparatus of the state until lives and property of citizens are guaranteed. The lives of our people is far more precious than any office.
“In case, government fails to take immediate action towards restoration of peace in the state, then we have no option than to resort to self-defence which might lead to a threat to national peace and security. We did not pray that Nigeria gets to that level of lawlessness because we have too many battles in our hands as a nation,” Faskari stated.
The group used the occasion to blame the state government on the spate of insecurity in the state, noting that the cease-fire deal reached with the bandits has not yielded any result.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti has said that Clinical trials are underway to evaluate the effectiveness of using plasma from the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients to reduce the severity of illness among people infected with COVID-19.
Adding that, this approach was used by Guinea in the Ebola epidemic in 2014, prior to the availability of Ebola vaccines and therapies.
She made this known in her message to commemorate the 2020 World Blood Donor Day, saying, blood donors give the gift of life, and more lives will be saved if more people volunteer to donate blood on a regular basis.
This year we are calling on people to “give blood and make the world a healthier place” because by regularly volunteering to donate blood, we can all contribute to solidarity and saving lives.
She added that, ” Safe blood is a critical resource in severe infant anaemia, postpartum hemorrhage and trauma care. It is also vital in surgeries and the treatment of malaria, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, inherited blood disorders, and AIDS.
“In the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply of safe blood is at risk. Regular blood donation drives are being postponed, and stay-at-home orders and fear of infection are preventing donors from accessing services. Disruptions to the global supply chain also put countries at risk of shortages of critical supplies and equipment needed for blood donation and transfusion.
She continued: “In Mauritius, 150 people who have recovered from COVID-19 have indicated they are willing to give plasma in line with the national decision to use serum plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients in intensive care”.
She further stated that the biggest challenge with this approach in many African countries, is the insufficient resources of national blood services to safely collect, process and store COVID-19 convalescent plasma in a quality-assured manner. However, the current pandemic is also an opportunity to improve this situation. Kenya, for instance, has allocated a portion of funding from the World Bank specifically to improving blood services during the pandemic.
Universal access to safe blood is a key component of a resilient health system and contributes to achieving universal health coverage. In the African Region, countries are making progress in improving access to quality-assured blood and blood products. In 2019, eight countries collected 10 units or more per 1000 population as recommended by WHO and 19 countries reached the target of over 80% voluntary non-remunerated blood donations in line with the regional strategy for blood safety.
At WHO, we are also exploring partnerships with Facebook to set-up a regional Blood Donations feature, and 15 countries have expressed interest in piloting this tool. The feature connects blood donors with nearby opportunities to donate in collaboration with approved blood banks.
In closing, this World Blood Donor Day, I urge governments, in collaboration with blood donor associations and nongovernment organizations, to increase investment in blood transfusion services in line with WHO guidance.
She thanked all voluntary, unpaid blood donors for the life-saving gifts they offer to communities and all the phlebotomists and other health workers who contribute to blood donation and transfusion services – because of your commitment, safe blood saves lives.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through its Ministerial Taskforce on Covid -19 restrictions on Sunday sealed up the popular Jabi Lake Mall in the nation’s capital for violating the Presidential Task Force’s order on the ban of public and social gatherings.
The leader of the Taskteam, Comrade Ikharo Attah said these measures are put in place to contain the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic that is ravaging the world.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Abuja after sealing off the mall, Attah lamented that despite many warnings from the presidential Task Force and the FCT Administration on guidelines to operate, the management of the Jabi Lake mall chose to encourage and permit a concert by their customer Naira Marley and also conducted business activities to exceed the normal hours allowed by the authorities.
He, however, stated that the administration has secured a judgement from a mobile court headed by Magistrate Idayat Akonni who sat in the mall’s premises in Jabi to seal up the mall for two weeks for the default of the COVID-19 protocols bearing three count charges on the Mall.
He further stressed that the seal up order was necessitated by the the unlawful and embarrassing event at the mall on Friday night.
When asked if the FCT administration plans to declare Marley wanted, Attah noted that: “ He flew in to Abuja Friday from Lagos and returned back same day. We are convinced that the Lagos state govt who had in recent past had unpleasant experience with the artist will do the needful since he also breached the inter state travel ban which applies to Lagos State “.
