Nation
Second Wave: FG Orders Civil Servants To ‘Stay At Home For Five Weeks’
The Federal Government on Monday ordered all federal civil servants on Grade Level 12 and below to stay at home for the next five weeks from Monday.
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, made this known in a statement on Monday.
He also announced that all schools would remain closed till January 18.
Mustapha also said restrictions have been placed on social and religious gatherings for five weeks.
He said, “Encourage virtual meetings in government offices. The leadership of such offices are to ensure that all offices are well-ventilated offices, and encourage staff to work from home where possible;
“All government staff on GL.12 and below are to stay at home for the next 5 weeks; Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives are to be held accountable for enforcing NPI rules in their domains with frequent spot checks;
“The PTF on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Education expects that schools would have vacated from the 18th December 2020 and remain closed till at least the 18th of January, 2021 to enable the measures introduced to take effect;
“All persons above the age of 60yrs and/or with comorbidities are to be encouraged to stay at home and avoid crowds;
“All non-essential travels – both domestic and international during the holiday season are seriously discouraged.”
The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control, on Sunday, reported 501 new infections of COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the country.
Since the beginning of the outbreak in February, more than 874,617 samples have been tested by NCDC, out of which 78,434 were positive.
The country recorded three additional deaths in the last 24 hours, raising the overall total in the nation since the start of the pandemic to 1,221.
The NCDC also disclosed that 519 patients have been discharged after testing negative from the virus.
Nation
NOSL Engage Girls To Develop Stem Skills In Nigeria

Nation
FG Partners States For Democracy Dividends
The Federal Government has expressed its resolve to collaborate with state governments to deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
The Minister of State, Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Alhaji Bello Goronyo, made this known during a courtesy visit to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa in Yola on Friday.
He said Adamawa is highly blessed with human and natural resources, as he visited dams and other irrigation sites in the state.
“I want to assure you that the federal ministry of water resources and sanitation is open for collaboration with your state and other states in the federation.
“The 8-point agenda of President Bola Tinubu, particularly on food security, is very important because with hunger we cannot achieve peace and security in Nigeria.
“So we believe much needed to be done, river basins are veritable tool in attaining food security and we have a lot of arable land”, Goronyo said.
According to him, if fully utilised it will solve a lot of problems especially creation of employment opportunities, among others.
Responding, Fintiri pledged to collaborate with the ministry to maximise the benefits of the ministry’s mandate.
He said the State Government is in discussion with investors and other makers on how to take advantage of the available water in the state for public private partnership.
Fintiri also appreciated thebFederal Government on addressing open definition in the country.
“On the health aspect we will be collaborating to ensure that we put our resources, because whatever we do in the health sector if we do not take care of the open defecation is like we do nothing.
“And we will not be free from all the diseases because most of the airborne diseases are surrounded around the open defecation”, he said.
Nation
FEMA Reopens Five Barricaded Roads
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reopened the barricaded slip road interchange and four other roads in the FCT, Abuja, to ease the flow of traffic.
The roads are Galadimawa interchange, Dogon Gada, Dogon Ruwa, Apo-Dutse, and Gada Biyu.
The TIde’s source reports that the roads were barricaded during the rainy season as a mitigating measure against flooding and to prevent loss of lives and properties.
Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation (FEMA) told journalists after the exercise in Abuja on Saturday, that opening of the roads would ease the flow of traffic in the affected areas of the city.
Wenegieme said the roads were barricaded on May 11, because of the recurrent flooding of the roads during the rainy season.
“The onset of the rain in Abuja is usually in the month of May hence the need to barricade the roads. You are all aware of what has been happening around this slip road every year.
“To the glory of God, no life was lost in this area from 2020 to 2022 because we made a tradition to block the road during the rainy season.
“It has become part of our mitigating measures to save lives and properties in the FCT by making sure that this slip road and other vulnerable roads are barricaded.
“This is to stop vehicular movement, pedestrians and those using motorcycles from using this road during the rainy seasons.
“Now we decided to open them to ease traffic since the rainy season is over”, she said.
She commended stakeholders and residents for their understanding and support throughout the raining season, adding that the removal of the temporary barricades would reduce traffic gridlock in the affected areas.
The director also announced the commencement of 2023 dry season sensitisation campaign against incessant fire outbreaks in the FCT.
She pointed out that the season was characterised by fire outbreaks, stressing the need for residents to be cautious while handling cooking gas, petroleum products, electrical appliances, and other inflatable items.
She urged residents to switch off all electrical appliances, keep a fire extinguisher at homes and shopping malls and advised against keeping petroleum and other flammable substances at homes and shops.
Wenegieme also warned residents against bush burning and operating businesses under high tension electric cables.
She appealed for the full cooperation of residents during rescue efforts in the FCT.
-
News5 days ago
Military Recovers 578,900 Litres Of Crude Oil, Destroys 50 Illegal Refining Sites
-
Nation5 days ago
Senate Wants FG To Immortalise Nigerian Flag’s Designer
-
Sports2 days ago
Rivers Hoopers Win 2023 Nigeria Basketball League …Clinch BAL Ticket
-
Opinion2 days ago
Of Dollarised Economy
-
Nation2 days ago
NOSL Engage Girls To Develop Stem Skills In Nigeria
-
News5 days ago
Tinubu Approves Akawor’s Appointment As RMAFC Federal Commissioner
-
Sports5 days ago
No VAR In NPFL For Now – Owumi
-
News2 days ago
AGF Cautions Politicians Against Blackmailing Judiciary, Judges