News
FG Rolls Out New Campaigns To Contain COVID-19
With over 99% of Nigerians being aware of Covid-19, according to NOIPolls, the Federal Government has rolled out a new set of campaigns to contain the rampaging novel Coronavirus in the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed announced this, yesterday, during the daily update briefing by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) in Abuja.
He said that the ministry rolled out a new set of TV campaigns and radio jingles focusing on the NPI interventions after the ministry and its agencies had ramped up their public enlightenment and advocacy campaign to continue to reach Nigerians with information on how they can protect themselves and avoid contracting the disease.
Accordingly, Mohammed explained that the TVCs and the jingles, were packaged in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, and had started playing on the NTA and the FRCN.
This he said is necessary because, in the absence of vaccine or drugs, Non-Pharmaceutical Intervention (NPI) remains the most effective way to contain the spread of the disease and protect Nigerians.
“The campaign has therefore continued to focus on the need for the populace to adhere strictly to social distancing and mass gathering restrictions, wear face mask and ensure good personal hygiene.
“The ministry has now rolled out a new set of TVCs and radio jingles focusing on the NPI interventions.
“The TVCs and the jingles, in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, have started playing on the NTA and the FRCN.
“We are in the process of rolling them out on state and private radio and television stations across the country. We have no choice since information remains the most potent tool that can be deployed against the virus today.
“NTA, FRCN, NAN and VON are also fully engaged in the public enlightenment and advocacy campaign. These agencies have used their own resources to produce TVCs and jingles, which they have continued to air and disseminate, in addition to devoting a large chunk of their programmes and time to the campaign.
“I am also happy to announce that, contrary to the belief in certain quarters, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), despite lacking adequate resources, has shown creativity in its bid to take the campaign to Nigerians.
“The agency has leveraged its relationship with NGOs and the private sector to produce Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials which are now being disseminated to Nigerians in English, Pidgin and some of the major indigenous languages.
“The NTA and the FRCN have provided their platforms for the dissemination of these IECs. The advantage here is that some of these materials can also be disseminated to Nigerians through their phones, thus helping to spread them quickly and widely,” he added.
On the next phase of the public enlightenment and advocacy campaign, the minister said the ministry is to develop and disseminate IEC materials on the need to avoid stigmatizing those who have contracted the virus; the need to shun fake news and the need to reach those who are visually-challenged and hearing impaired. We have already started working on this.
On misinformation, the minister added that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had taken steps to prevent misinformation via the broadcast stations by warning them to adhere strictly to the professional ethics of balance and fairness in reporting Covid-19.
In particular, the commission, according to him, has warned the stations against bringing on their programmes ‘panellists’ with agenda to make reckless statements and insinuations.
“The commission, in its warning letter to the broadcast stations, quoted the relevant sections of the Broadcasting Code.
“The NBC quoted Section 5.4.1, which says ‘The broadcaster shall at all times ensure that the coverage of a disaster or crisis is aimed at overall public interest, guidance and safety’.
“The commission has warned that failure to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Broadcasting Code will attract sanctions, as stipulated by the Code.”
The task force also clarified that members from the same family cannot receive money from the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme currently ongoing in many states.
It also stated that a total of 279 trucks of grains had been deployed to the frontline states that were put on lockdown by the President.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, disclosed this at the daily briefing on Covid-19 updates in Abuja.
She further said the government was focusing on digitalising the CCT scheme and was getting the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of beneficiaries as well as their mobile phone contacts to improve on the transparency of the process.
On claims that two members of a family were paid N20,000 each recently, the minister said it was highly impossible for such to happen.
Umar-Farouq said, “This is near impossible because the process involved is a very tedious one, where all critical stakeholders in the community are involved.
“The faith-based organisations, leaders of the community and other stakeholders are the ones who came up with the list of those to benefit from the intervention in that particular community.”
She added, “And if you go through the list, every particular household must be captured in all three or four of the lists being managed by that community.
“So, it is almost impossible for the same members of a household to get this intervention.”
The minister noted that her ministry would look into the matter to ascertain the claim but insisted that it would be “highly impossible”.
The Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 has said the Kano State Government has set up a team to investigate the increase in coronavirus cases in the state.
Though the task force said it was closely monitoring Kano, Osun, Oyo and Edo states amid the recent surge in Coronavirus cases, it expressed “particular concern” with Kano.
The National Coordinator, PTF, Dr. Sani Aliyu, who spoke during the daily task force briefing in Abuja, yesterday, said, “We note the concerns about increased reporting of cases. We are closely monitoring Kano, Osun, Oyo and Edo.
“I think it is important to let us know that the country is about to witness turbulent times induced by the pandemic Coronavirus. We may soon be hard hit. The reason for this is that, we, I mean the Nigerian Government, delayed in taking proactive action at the onset.
“However, I can assure us that the government is serious about taking necessary steps to curtail the level of casualties. Well coordinated measures are about to be put in place from a broad, diverse spectrum. All the necessary Working Groups have been inaugurated today.
“International bodies such as WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, CDC, World Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as the private sector, civil society groups are partnering the task force, providing technical and financial assistance and support. Donations are quite streaming in.
“From Global Fund, we got $33million, another $3.3million came from another body I cannot give the name immediately. Max Air donated $200,000, the Chinese firm, Huawei, doled out N100million. There are a number of other handsome donations. We have been holding these meetings with some foreign experts.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.
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