N35,000 FOR COVID-19 TEST, N10M ALLEGED BRIBE

N35,OOO For Covid-19 Test

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), says the claim that some officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are charging N35,000 to collect samples for COVID-19 test is not true. While fielding questions on Wednesday at the presidential task force on COVID-19 briefing, Mustapha who is the chairman of the committee said journalists should not take such stories seriously. [THE CABLE]

43 Million West Africans

The World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday said over 40 million people across West Africa will face desperate food shortages in coming months. According to a report on the United Nations (UN) website, the food shortages are coming with COVID-19 restrictions as a new factor adding to people’s vulnerability.[PREMIUM TIMES]

8% GDP Slump

The task facing Nigeria’s economic managers will get even more daunting after a poll of economists suggested that Africa’s largest economy would shrink by at least 8 percent in 2020 as a result of a contraction inflicted by Coronavirus. The initial forecast by the IMF was for a GDP slump of just under 4 percent, but emerging trends, say the economists, mean Nigeria’s economic recession will be worse than first thought.[BUSINESS DAY]

N10m Alleged Bribe

THE House of Representatives on Tuesday made a U-turn on its earlier bid to pass the contentious Infectious Disease Control  Bill without subjecting it to a public hearing. It passed first and second readings in the House last week but attracted outbursts from the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) which alleged that the lawmakers had been offered $10million to pass it, [THE GUARDIAN]

4 Weeks Extension

The Presidential Task Force on the control of the pandemic has announced a four-week extension of the ban of all flights in Nigeria which is due to expire on Thursday. Chairman of the task force and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, said at its briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. [TRIBUNE ONLINE]

300 Beds

Dr Sani Aliyu, the National Coordinator of PTF, gave the advice during the daily briefing on Wednesday in Abuja. He said, “In terms of case management, we’ll like to again appeal to state governments, particularly those who are yet to ensure the provision of isolation facilities, to please make sure that they have at least 300 beds available per state so that they can isolate persons that are positive with COVID-19 infection.[SAHARA REPORTERS]

N25,000 Daily Allowance

The Kwara State government has announced that medical doctors and other categories of health workers at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 in the state will be paid N25,000 daily. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq approved the new daily allowance amidst clamour for an improved welfare condition of the health workers.[PREMIUM TIMES]