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Buhari Extends PTF Mandate Until March, 2021
In view of the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic and in a bid to secure vaccines, President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the mandate of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 until March, 2021.
According to the President, the country cannot afford to lose the gains of the past nine months in the fight against the pandemic.
Buhari, who said he has received a total of eight interim reports along with one mid-term report, in the past nine months of the PTF work, apprising him progressively of developments on the Covid-19 pandemic, announced the extension, yesterday, in Abuja while receiving the End-of-Year Report of the task force.
The President said he has extended the mandate of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 ‘for a further period till the end of March, 2021 bearing in mind the new surge in the number of cases and the bid for vaccines.’
According to him, “recent reports reaching me indicate that Nigeria is now facing a rise in confirmed Covid-19 cases nationwide which is similar to the second wave of infections occurring in other countries across the world.
“New epicentres have been identified and the nation cannot afford to lose the gains of the last nine months. I have critically evaluated the situation and remain convinced that urgent measures have to be taken to halt the spread and the attendant fatalities.
“Closely associated with the foregoing is the need to speedily and strategically access and administer the Covid-19 vaccine in a safe, effective and timely manner. This is an important obligation that we owe Nigerians as we go into the year 2021 and it must be carried out through efficient machinery.”
The President added that “the nation is clearly in a perilous situation given the virulent nature of this second wave and we must act decisively to protect our people. I, therefore, urge all sub-national entities, traditional rulers, religious and leaders of thought to collaborate with the PTF by taking up the responsibility for risk communication and community engagement at all levels. Now is the time for collective efforts to be intensified.
“As the festive season approaches, I urge all Nigerians to remain vigilant and stay safe. Non-essential trips and large social gatherings should be avoided or shelved completely.”
Buhari reiterated that he has authorised that the PTF should coordinate the process for planning and the strategy for accessing, delivery and administration of the vaccines using the existing health structures that have worked in the past in vaccine administration; authorised the PTF to engage with the states for them to assume full ownership of the current stage of the response by deploying legal structures and resources, including enforcement to manage the pandemic within their jurisdictions.
He has also authorised the PTF and the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure that all in-bound passengers who failed to show up for post-arrival Covid-19 test are sanctioned within the ambit of the law, for breaching the public health protocols.
Buhari noted that the impact of the Covid-19 on global and national economies cannot be fully assessed, adding that no nation of the world has been spared the experience of different degrees of the economic downturn as several countries, including Nigeria went into negative growth territories.
He said during the period of the lockdown, the National Social Register was expanded to accommodate 3.6 million beneficiaries across 36 states, support provided to 8,827,129 households through the 70,000MT food grains released from the Strategic Reserve; and support to 1,289,405 vulnerable households that benefitted from the Conditional Cash Transfers across 34 states.
Buhari further noted that the pandemic also revealed “the vulnerabilities in our health system which compelled our determination to ensure that its support is given top priority in terms of infrastructure, human and institutional capacities, legislative support, etc.
“It must be emphasised that this administration recognises that an effective and efficient health sector represents a significant component of our security and economic growth strategy.
“It is in this regard that I am pleased to note the legacy improvements made in the health sector in the areas of laboratory infrastructure, treatment centres, training of health care personnel, improvement in surveillance and Port Health capacities, etc.”
The President, thanking the private entrepreneurs who sourced and installed impressive healthcare facilities in some strategic places as their contribution to this National Emergency, added that there was more work to be done.
He said: “There is still more work to be done in the health sector to help us cater for our citizens and minimise the drain on our foreign exchange and trained manpower through medical tourism. For Nigeria to enjoy a lasting legacy from the huge investment in the health sector, a comprehensive Health Sector Reform that will achieve the following, amongst others, must be instituted.
“The objectives include to, build the human and institutional capacity to provide a world-class 21st-century health care system, capable of responding effectively to future pandemics; develop a viable strategy for our primary and tertiary healthcare system; re-align institutional mandates and functions within the health sector for effectiveness and efficiency; distinguish policy and coordination from implementation responsibilities; and strengthen the statutory and regulatory capacities within the health sector.”
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.