FG URGE SAUDI GOVERNMENT TO REMOVE COVID-19 TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS BAN ON NIGERIANS

15/01/22

DANIELS G.O

PRESS RELEASE

The Nigerian government has urged the Saudi Authorities to as a matter of urgency review the travel restrictions it placed on Nigerians over the Omicron outbreak as already done by many countries.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada made the appeal when he met with the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Faisal bin Ebraheem Al-Ghamdi to discuss the recent restrictions placed on Nigerians intending to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Zubairu Dada stated that although Nigeria understands fully the reason for the ban by Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which was for the best interest of its citizens, but that the steps taken so far by Nigeria Authorities to curtail the spread of the Omicron Variant have made it possible for many countries to consider Nigeria safe and removed it from the blacklist countries.

He commended the cordial relationship that existed for years and continue to exist between the two countries.

While expressing optimism for a timely response on Nigeria’s request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Minister also pledged to continue to give every necessary support and cooperation to the Ambassador in the discharge of his responsibility.

The Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Faisal bin Ebraheem Al-Ghamdi while responding to Nigeria’s request for the lifting of the travel ban, expressed satisfaction with the effort the government is making to contain the spread of Omicron and promised to convey Nigeria’s message to the relant Authorities back home in Saudi Arabia

He said just like in Nigeria where there are Bodies in charge of monitoring the fight against the corona virus Pandemic, Saudi Arabia also has similar agencies that are responsible for monitoring and recommendations on the issues of corona.

Ambassador Al-Ghamdi thanked the Minister for his commitment towards improved bilateral relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

NURSES EMERGENCY MEETING INCLUSIVE

10/01/22

DANIELS G.O

NURSES STRIKE UPDATE,EMERGENCY MEETING INCONCLUSIVE

THE EMERGENCY CONGRESS OF THE LAGOS STATE CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA NURSES AND MIDWIVES ON MONDAY TO RESOLVE ISSUES ABOUT THE WARNING STRIKE HAS ENDED INCONCLUSIVE.

WHILE THE STATE CHAIRMAN OLUROTIMI AWODEJI TOLD NEWS MEN THAT THE WARNING STRIKE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED DUE TO THE INTERVENTION OF THE STATE GOVERNOR AND PROMISE TO MEET MOST OF THEIR DEMANDS, THE NURSES ON THE OTHER HAND,HAVE REJECTED THE DECISION SAYING THEY WANT OUTRIGHT IMPLEMENTATION AND NOT PROMISES

THE EMERGENCY CONGRESS BY MEMBERS OF THE LAGOS CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NURSES AND MIDWIVES BECAME NECESSARY AFTER A PREVIOUS MEETING BY THE EXECUTIVES WITH THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR BABAJIDE SANWO -OLUN OVER THE WEEKEND TO RESOLVE ISSUES THAT RESULTED TO THE DECLARATION OF A THREE DAY WARNING STRIKE THAT WAS TO TAKE EFFECT ON MONDAY 10TH OF JANUARY 2022.

AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF DELIBERATION,THE LAGOS STATE CHAIRMAN OLUROTIMI AWOJIDE WAS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE TO THE PRESS OF A SUSPENSION OF THE STRIKE FOLLOWING THE APPROVAL OF MOST OF THEIR DEMANDS,BUT THE DECISION DID NOT GO DOWN WELL WITH THE NURSES WHO IMMEDIATELY STARTED AGITATIONS IN SOLITARY SONGS

THE CHALLENGE OF HEALTH HUMAN RESOURCES HAS RESULTED TO THE EXIT OF COUNTLESS NUMBER OF HEALTH PERSONAL TO SEEK GREENER PASTURE ABROAD IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AN ISSUE THAT A MEDICAL EXPERT KAYODE ADESOLA WANTS GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS TO FIND A LASTING SOLUTION TO.

NURSES IN LAGOS STATE HAD DECLARED A THREE DAY WARNING STRIKE FOR MONDAY 10TH OF JANUARY 2022 OVER ACUTE SHORTAGE OF NURSES AND MIDWIVES, RETENTION INCENTIVES AND POOR WORKING CONDITIONS.

LASSA FEVER ALERT

10/01/22

DANIELS G. O

PRESS RELEASE

LASSA FEVER ALERT

The Nigeria Centre, NCDC, For Disease control Has Confirmed The Death Of One Hundred And Two Persons From Lassa Fever.

The agency noted that cases of lassa fever have risen to 4,632 in the country, thus putting states in Nigeria on red alert of the virus.

The NCDC therefore warns of possibilities of the virus showing symptoms of malaria.

The agency noted that so far of all the cases confirmed last year, three states accounted for 84 per cent.

Edo state has 42 per cent, Ondo 34 per cent, and Bauchi eight per cent.

In the last ten weeks, Nigeria has been battling to contain Lassa fever outbreak across the country which has been overshadowed by the new coronavirus outbreak.

NCDC has, however, assured members of the public that it was closely monitoring and responding to the disease outbreak.

A Livable Anambra Megacity: Ownership, Duties And Obligations Of Ndi Anambra.*

08/01/22

Joe C Anatune*

*A Livable Anambra Megacity: Ownership, Duties And Obligations Of Ndi Anambra.*

All eyes are in Anambra for some miracle of sorts on the heels of the emergence of Cee Cee Soludo as Governor Elect. Good enough, Soludo takes things in their strides as he often quips that the rather oversized expectations are the reason why the masses of Anambra clamoured for him, kept faith and against all odds overwhelmingly elected him in an election adjudged as the most peaceful, freest and fairest in recent political history of Nigeria.

From March 17, 2022, Anambra will commence the journey to a livable and prosperous homeland which Soludo envisions. And why not? A livable Anambra one-state Megacity will provide access to good sanitation, clean water, clean air, safe affordable housing and heathy foods. Overall, it will translate to heathier and happier Ndi Anambra. Making it happen demands giving our talents, time and treasures.

An important civic duty that needs to be urgently upscaled is the payment of taxes and levies which should be made part of our culture. It is not possible to make an omelette without breaking an egg. We are however optimistic that the same excitement that greeted the clamour for a Soludo governorship shall resonate in making payment of taxes a way of life. It is an important building block for this alluring future we want.

Concomitant to the foregoing is the need for all and sundry to come to terms that development without protecting and preserving our environment is not sustainable. Harmful habits and behaviours that hurt the environment such as bush burning, indiscriminate disposal of waste, felling of trees without planting new ones, flouting approved building plans and other environmentally harmful practices should be avoided. Attaining the status of a livable Megacity demands so much from everyone but the reward is a prosperous home in which children born in Anambra will not have the lure to look for greener pastures elsewhere. Of course, it will be ennobling for Anambra to begin benchmarking with Auckland, Osaka , Adelaide, Wellington, Tokyo, Perth, Zurich and Geneva; ten cities that took the first ten positions in the Economists Intelligence Unit (EIU) global livability ranking, 2021.

We therefore see a livable Anambra in Africa that will be the next travel destination.

Very fascinating. Be of good cheer!!

*Joe C Anatune* anatunejoe1@gmail.com
Writes from Awa

PROPHETIC PICTURE OF THE YEAR 2022 By Daniel Olukoya… Calls For Prayers To Avert Another Covid Like Situation

01/01/22

#Cross Over Service To 2022

PROPHETIC PICTURE OF THE YEAR 2022
By Daniel Olukoya

This year is a subtle year, a dribbling and a two phased year

1. It is a year for true sons of God to have a voice

2. It is a year of new and better things for the children of God. So, make sure you serve God wholeheartedly in year 2022.

3. It is a year of falling away of the old and the emergence of the new.

4. The Lord said new, accurate, prophetic voices will emerge, not like what we have now.

5. The Lord says that for many, all the doors that were shut against them shall be forced opened.

6. The year shall be a year of new beginning for many.

7. We need to pray really seriously on strange and great movement in the waters, in the rain, in the river and in the sea.

8. It is a year of positive dislocation; some will be dislocated, they will think it is for evil but it shall be for good.

9. It is a year that you have to be serious with God; sort yourself out and put your life right. Don’t play games with God in year 2022.

10. We need to pray really hard to prevent another COVID-like situation or anything that is similar to it.

11. Exodus 19:5-6 will play out very well. So, if we comply with this; supernatural protection, supernatural provision, supernatural preservation will take place.

12. It is a year for the saints to shine as light.

13. Corruptions, evil plots and schemes will be exposed in a massive way.

14. (This is for Mountain of Fire) The Mountain of Fire will manifest more like the pool of Bethesda, where people will come and be healed.

15. It is a year for you to key into your positions as light and salt of the earth.

16. The rage of marine powers, releasing seven (7) deadly spirits. They have started releasing them already. – Sexual perversion and immorality, insanity, confusion, lying spirits and infirmity, mammon spirits, adversity and conflicts.

17. Answers to banked-up prayers and long term problems, the answers will begin to manifest.

18. We need to pray hard to avoid useless wars, wars that are completely unnecessary.

19. All over the world, hard-core occultics and ritualists will be put to open shame.

20. The wailing cry of the saints will trigger divine mercy; so, we should pray a lot more.

21. There will be cleansing and purging in the house of God. A lot of people are just taking God for a ride; this 2022 will not be like that. If you come and start joking with God, toying with the things of God, you are playing with your life in this coming year.

22. There will be laughters in places where sorrows have dwell for a very long time.

23. The Lord said it will be a rain of babies for those expextant parents and there will be mysterious breakthroughs for them.

24. It is a year of uncommon divine favour.

25. We need to pray to avert friendly nations disagreeing and betraying each other and going into war.

26. It will be a year of drought for those without store houses

27. Many prodigals will come back to the Lord, willingly or unwillingly.

28. There will be massive shakings that will expose hypocrisy and corruption in the house of God.

29. We need to pray as a church that God should begin to raise politicians like Daniel and Joseph who will prosper in whatever political and financial climates before them.

30. There will be a release of new generation of revivalists to evangelise this end time harvest of souls.

31. We need to pray against inflation and starvation.

32. We need to pray against massive political instability which will put a lot of people in disarray.

33. One other thing that came up in the radar is that we need to pray seriously for marriages. The devil has planned a stormy year for marriages.

34. We need to pray against strange deaths.

35. No believer should miss the opportunity to bombard heavens with high voltage prayers on 2-2-2022. That is a strategic day.

36. The church needs prayers against increased persecution of Christians.

37. The God of the suddenlies is preparing something for Nigeria and will answer the prayers of His children.
For any power that wants Nigeria to sink shall sink, and any power that wants Nigeria to die shall die; they will drink their own blood and eat their own flesh, until they are drunk with it.

In Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries here, our motto for this year is a powerful confession, a proclamation:
2022: My Year of Becoming A Divine Spectacle (1 Corinthians 4:9, John 3:8, Job 9:10, Exodus 15:11).

SANWO-OLU WELCOMES FIRST BABIES OF THE YEAR IN THREE LAGOS HOSPITALS

01/01/22

DANIELS G.O

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

PRESS RELEASE

SANWO-OLU WELCOMES FIRST BABIES OF THE YEAR IN THREE LAGOS HOSPITALS.

……Commends Health Workers for Effective Service Delivery

Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, today, welcomed and presented gifts items to the first babies of the year in three public hospitals namely: Harvey Road Health Centre, Onikan Health Centre and Lagos Island Maternity Hospital.

Baby Abdulganiu, a male who weighed 3.2kg delivered at exactly 12:00:15am by Mrs. Shukurat Abdulganiu is the first baby of the year at Harvey Road Hospital. Another baby, also male who weighed 2.5 kg and delivered at 12:00am by Mrs Adesola Ajila is the first baby of the year at Onikan Health Centre, while the first baby of year at the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital is baby Layembi. The baby; a male who weighed 3.1kg was delivered at 12:10am by Mrs Simbiat Layembi.

Welcoming the first babies at these hospitals, Sanwo-Olu said the birth of a newborn is a symbolic and significant event that brings forth the assurance that human heritage is carried on to the next generation.

“The gift of a new baby is a priceless one from God. It, therefore, gladdens me to be in the midst of the Lagos Health Family to receive and celebrate the First Baby of the year 2022” She noted.

Sanwo-Olu commended the Commissioner for Health Professor Akin Abayomi and the Lagos health family for the laudable work done in tackling the COVID19 pandemic and the improvement recorded in the health sector.

She said: “The State Government, through the Health Ministry, has continued to deliver on its mandate to all residents in the State. Over the years, the State Government has strengthened its Maternal and Child Health policies and programs, upgrading and constructing new Maternal and Child health facilities towards the provision of efficient, accessible, and affordable mother and child services.

“These efforts have paid off, resulting in a significant reduction in the high morbidity and mortality among women and under-five children in the State.

“Therefore, I commend the health family and urge you to continue to do more in terms of infrastructural upgrade, provision of relevant equipment, positive attitudinal change in our workers, and human capacity development, in order to sustain and improve on the level of efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery so far achieved”.

“As we are excited with the safe and sound arrival of the bundles of joy, once again, I congratulate the parents of the babies. May the good Lord bless the newborns with sound health, long life to grow up to fulfill destiny and become useful citizens”, the Wife of the Governor added.

While presenting gifts to the parents of the newly born, the first lady commended all philanthropists, corporate bodies, Non-governmental organizations and civil society groups involved in any form of partnership towards complimenting the vision of the state government in the health sector.

Earlier in his remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi noted that the first baby of the year remains a symbolic event which marks the first activity of the government every year adding that the event is a demonstration of the priority placed on the provision of sustainable health care delivery in the state.

Abayomi stated further that the Ministry of Health remains committed to implementing policies, programmes and projects that will promote maternal and child wellbeing as well as prevent and reduce maternal and child mortality in the State.

He added that the State government through the Ministry of Health will continue to provide qualitative and equitable health care services to all citizens of the State through strengthening of structures, health promoting programs and expanding services that will promote healthy living including neonatal and child survival.

He said: “While we celebrate the birth of babies we are also cognizant that many mothers go through a very difficult time to give birth; and we are still experiencing childhood, infant mortality and maternal deaths in the process of delivering babies.

“So we are constantly aspiring to improve the circumstances, the infrastructure, the equipment and our human resources to ensure that our pregnant women, throughout the gestation of carrying the Baby are looked after properly and when the time comes for delivery, that they are given the opportunity to have a safe birth.

In his remarks, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola assured that the State government will continue to stimulate the required quality of health service delivery that is poised to address existing health gaps.

Muri-Okunola who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, urged residents to embrace the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme for seamless access to quality and efficient health care services in Lagos State.

He stressed that the Lagos State Health Scheme which is now in full swing will continue to give succor to residents.

“I want to use the medium to appreciate all residents in the State for supporting the Government’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19. As we are all aware that the Nation has entered its fourth wave with the emergence of the Omicron Variant, I therefore want to urge you all to go out to receive the available vaccine and continue to abide by all the preventive protocols against the disease”, the Head of Service said.

Signed

‘Tunbosun Ogunbanwo
Director, Public Affairs
1st January, 2022

Lagos Alerts 6,500 Inbound Passengers for defaulting on COVID Testing and Isolation Guidelines …

31/12/21

DANIELS G.O

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

PRESS STATEMENT

UPDATE ON LAGOS COVID-19 RESPONSE

HIGLIGHTS

· Lagos Alerts 6,500 Inbound Passengers for defaulting on COVID Testing and Isolation Guidelines

· Sanctions 81 International Passengers for Non-Compliance to Testing Protocols

· Passport Numbers of non-compliant Passengers for Deactivation

· Says Sanctions and Compliance with COVID-19 Guidelines Lowers Massive Fourth Wave In Lagos

Due to the apparent increased contagiousness of the Omicron variant and the anticipated increase in the numbers of inbound international travelers for Christmas and the New year, Lagos State predicted a fourth wave over this festive season. It is important to note that indeed this did happen and Lagos State Biobank recorded the highest numbers of daily infections in the early part of the fourth wave since the beginning of the pandemic, which is supportive of the fact that the omicron subtype is a more infectious variant.

The fourth wave started as expected around the beginning of December coinciding with the influx of inbound travelers into Lagos, some of whom we have established were carrying the omicron variant. There was a significant increase in case positivity from 1% on the 1st of December to 29% as at 21st of December 2021 as the highly infectious variant started spreading quickly in community with a steep unrelenting upward projection.

Lagos State has recognized a typical pattern that triggered all our preceding three waves. This pattern is related to three things:

1. Seasons when there is increased movement of inbound travelers into Lagos such as Christmas and Summer vacation,

2. On-going waves in Europe, America and South Africa where most of travelers into Lagos emanate from,

3. Non-compliance with Lagos State and Federal COVID guidelines. In particular, Lagos State has noticed that failure of airline passengers to observe the mandatory post arrival testing and isolation always results in importation of variants which then start spreading in community and was the trigger of all preceding 3 waves to date.

In the same light, Lagos State recognized the same pattern in November and December of this year where majority of inbound travelers were not turning up for their Day Two and Day Seven COVID PCR tests and this would be the most likely source of the entry of the variant and the catalyst of the fourth wave.

In response to this civil disobedience of our citizens, on the 14th of December Lagos State publicly announced the activation of the mobile court for defaulters of mandatory COVID testing for arriving travelers, peddlers of fake certificates and persons refusing to isolate.

The possible list of sanctionable offences are as follows:

1. Not turning up for the Day Two test on arrival in Lagos if fully vaccinated

2. Not turning up for Day Two and Day Seven test plus not self-isolating for seven days for unvaccinated persons on arrival in Lagos

3. Not self-isolating for persons who were diagnosed positive under any circumstances

4. Being in possession of any fake COVID related documents either PCR tests or Vaccination cards

5. Entering false data and contact numbers on the travel health form such that we cannot reach you on your arrival in Lagos

6. Evading testing on arrival in Lagos by disguising as a child or a diplomat

7. Corporate entities that undermine the State COVID mitigation strategies

8. Travel agents that assist passengers evade the travel guidelines also attracts harsh sanctions

The announcement and activation of the prosecution of defaulters by mobile courts resulted in a sudden trend in travelers complying with the requisite Day Two and Day Seven testing, isolation protocols and other guidelines, causing an almost doubling of our testing volumes per day. This is a very encouraging development. The more test the better we can prevent community transmission.

Many more positive inbound travelers were identified, and many more persons observed the isolation protocols resulting in better control of importation and spread into and within the community.

Our analysis of recent data shows a significant reduction in positivity rates from 29% on the 21st of December to 15% as at 28th of December 2021. The Lagos State Incident Command System attributes this flattening of the curve and current decline in COVID-19 positive cases in the State to effective implementation of fourth wave mitigation strategies; particularly the with introduction of sanctions which has caused more compliance with testing and identification of positive cases.

The activation of sanctions consequently led to sudden compliance to guidelines which has averted the continuous steep upward surge of the fourth wave of infections in Lagos State. This has protected the health system from being overburdened, saved lives, and reduced the appetite for government to restrict social activities. In addition, more passengers are being monitored through our EKOTELEMED service.

The dramatic rise in COVID-19 positive cases seen at the beginning of the fourth wave of infections called for firmer enforcement of guidelines, particularly prosecution of inbound international passengers who fail to submit themselves for Day Two and Day Seven PCR tests, as mandated by the Federal COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.

As a government, we are determined to halt the alarming trend of defaulters whose actions were responsible for previous waves of the pandemic in Lagos State. We have commenced communicating with 6,500 inbound passengers who are suspected of not being compliant with our guidelines established to protect the community, lives and our economy.

Short message service (SMS) have been dispatched to suspected defaulters in the month of December. A dedicated customer care line and personnel was also deployed to call these suspected defaulters. We have also created a dedicated email address to reach defaulters. Subsequently, about 1,000 emails and over 2,000 calls have been received from suspected defaulting passengers. To date, 432 suspected defaulters have been cleared after investigation, and 81 confirmed defaulters have been sanctioned and fined by the mobile courts and the process continues until we clear the backlog.

This process is executed strictly without prejudice, and nobody is exempted. Disregarding the testing and isolation guidelines inevitably introduces new variants of COVID-19 and constitute a State and National public health and security threat which will sabotage all efforts to mitigate and reduce the impact of the fourth wave on citizens and the economy of the State and Country. We have started submitting the names of those that do not respond to the SMS or Emails to the Presidential Steering Committee for the deactivation of their passports for a period of one year.

I advise residents particularly inbound passengers coming into Lagos and Nigeria to adhere strictly to COVID19 protocols and guidelines including isolation, testing and vaccination guidelines to support the government in sustaining the flattening of the fourth wave of infection in the State.

Signed

Prof. Akin Abayomi

Honourable Commissioner for Health

31st December, 2021

*WANTED: GLOBAL BRANDS OF ANAMBRA EXTRACTION*

24/12/21

Joe C. Anatune*

*WANTED: GLOBAL BRANDS OF ANAMBRA EXTRACTION*

The Made In Anambra Standards is the anvil for the economic transformation of Anambra State by Governor-Elect, Cee Cee Soludo. Goods manufactured in Anambra will be safe for human consumption and will not be detrimental to the environment. They will delight their consumers because they meet or exceed international standards in their various categories. They have a distinctive aura or imagery only goods made in Anambra can be associated with.

Today, searching for global brands or even national brands of Anambra extraction is like finding a needle in a haystack. Global brands apart from their wealth creation and employment generation capabilities, have tremendous public relations benefits for their countries or states of origin. You cannot talk about Toyota or Honda without Japan coming to your mind in a very positive manner.

The value and volume of global markets for all manner of brands in different categories are enormous. Ambitious nations, subnationals and corporations strive to play in these global markets as a matter of imperative. This is so because split second changes brought about by technology have turned the world into a global village. Consumer tastes and preferences are converging as the world becomes more and more borderless. This has led to the emergence of global consumers. It is therefore becoming difficult to protect local markets now that e-commerce gives the consumer access to global markets. Consequently, not partaking in this market leaves us with picking the crumbs in fringe markets.

The starting point is to midwife products that satisfy the needs of the consumer or solves a nagging problem for him. The functional attributes of the products must be such that they can find acceptance in the global market. This is where Soludo’s Made in Anambra Standards come in to do the magic. Anambra will have its quality policies that define the quality infrastructure and technical regulations . Luckily, we shall not be reinventing the wheels as there is much to adapt from national and international quality regulatory bodies.

The matter becomes easier from two angles: Ndigbo are an itinerant globalising people. Their global presence will be a plus in market penetration. Secondly, Soludo as the International Chief Marketing Officer of Made in Anambra products will put the global goodwill of his Soludo brand behind the budding Anambra brands in their efforts to partake in the global market.

However, we must warn that brand building is a tedious venture, though one that is rewarding. Since Soludo’s Anambra will be a livable and prosperous society where we can invest happily, let us begin to take the initiative and run with it, starting with our national and continental markets in Nigeria and Africa respectively.

Be of good cheer!!

Merry Christmas.

*Joe C. Anatune*
Anatune is the lead Consultant of b3 Communications Ltd Lagos.

Wife Of Ooni Of lfe Announces Divorce

23/12/21

DANIELS G.O

Wife of Ooni of ife announces divorce .

Queen Silekunola Naomi has ended her three-year marriage with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II.

The queen made the announcement this Thursday via an Instagram post on her page.

She says she no longer wants to be known as the wife to the ooni of ife or as queen of ile ife but as the Queen of the people and mother of her adorable Prince.

In the post, she thanked God for seeing her through the past 3 years. She also made it clear her basis for leaving had nothing to do with the kings side attractions but for her personal reasons.