The Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, has promised to provide relief materials to residents of Oyo State as the coronavirus pandemic rages on.
Mr. Sunday Dare made the disclosure in a tweet on his official handle, Monday, where he noted that several individuals, agencies and organizations are doing their part to curb and cushion the effect of the pandemic.
Although he did not disclose further details about the relief materials, he said he will send them in through the Support Oyo Campaign.
“Individuals, NGOs, Churches and Organizations are supporting the efforts of govt at both state and federal levels to contain COVID-19 and also provide relief,” he tweeted.
“Multiple Sources. Through Support Oyo Campaign I am mobilizing my resources & friends to provide relief for Oyo citizens.”
Individuals, NGOs, Churches and Organizations are supporting the efforts of govt at both state and federal levels to contain COVID-19 and also provide relief. Multiple Sources. Through Support Oyo Campaign I am mobilizing my resources & friends to provide relief for Oyo citizens
This came six days after the governor tested positive for the COVID-19 and was in self-isolation.
The governor had on March 30th, announced via social media that he had tested positive for the virus, stating that though he is asymptomatic, he will continue to self-isolate.
However, in a statement via his official Twitter handle, Governor Makinde in the late hours of April 5th, announced that he had received his second negative test result for COVID-19.
He thanked everyone who had prayed and supported him within the course of his isolation, with a special appreciation of Professor Temitope Alonge who stood in for him as head of Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force.
He also directed the former Chief Medical Director of the University College, Ibadan, Prof Temitope Alonge, to be the Head of COVID-19 Task Force as he recovers.
According to him, “I have designated Prof Temitope Alonge, former Chief Medical Director of the University College, Ibadan, as the Head of COVID-19 Task Force while I recover fully.”
Governor Makinde also urged the people of Oyo State to comply with instructions from the COVID-19 Task Force.
“Stay home, stay safe,” he urged Oyo residents.
He is the third governor in the country to test positive for coronavirus.
I just received my COVID-19 confirmation test result. It is POSITIVE. I am asymptomatic and will continue to self-isolate. pic.twitter.com/SX6UAYBb0S
I have designated Prof Temitope Alonge, former Chief Medical Director of the University College, Ibadan, as the Head of COVID-19 Task Force while I recover fully. Please continue to comply with all the directives from the COVID-19 Task Force. Stay home, stay safe.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, announced this during the Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
He said, “Till date, three persons have been discharged after successful treatment. But sadly, another fatality was recorded over the weekend in the person of a patient who had severe underlying illnesses.
“We have intensified contact tracing and our strategy remains to promptly detect cases, isolate them, and follow up with their contacts and also isolate and treat, in order to reduce the spread of the infection.”
A file photo of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (centre).
Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, announced stringent measures to halt the coronavirus spread in the state on Friday.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Oyo now has three confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.
“As a result of this, I have directed that the following additional measures be put in place: a dusk to dawn curfew (7 PM to 6 AM); no gatherings of more than ten people should be held anywhere in Oyo State,” Makinde said on Friday in a series of tweets.
“From Sunday night, March 29, 2020, all markets will be closed except those selling perishable food items.”
The Governor also suspended inter-state transportation, incoming and outgoing, except for vehicles carrying food items, medical, pharmaceutical and petroleum products.
“This takes effect from Sunday night, March 29, 2020,” Makinde said. “All measures will be reviewed on a weekly basis.”
According to the Governor, 84 other suspected cases have been identified in the state as contact tracing and collection of samples commence.
“The state’s diagnostic centre set up in collaboration with the University College Hospital is now ready,” Makinde said. “The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) certification is still pending but the Director-General of NCDC has made a pre-statement about the molecular laboratory in Oyo State.”
He noted that the state’s “index case remains stable and is still under observation in the isolation unit at Agbami Chest Centre, Jericho.”
Oyo State has recorded its first case of the Coronavirus, adding to the tally of COVID-19 cases recorded across Nigeria.
The COVID-19 confirmation test for the suspected case at Bodija area of the State came back positive on Saturday, March 21.
Oyo State Public Health Officials in a statement said they are collaborating with the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan’s team on the case.
According to the statement, a follow up on the Ekiti COVID-19 case revealed that the deceased was picked up directly from Lagos Airport to a private apartment in Ona Ara Local Government Area.
The health authorities say they have contacted the family concerned and the community has been alerted for intensified contact tracing and self-isolation of identified close contacts.
Health officials, however, state that the information which was given that he stayed in some hotels in Ibadan has been found to be false.
Channels Television gathered that another returnee from Texas, USA, has also been identified at Oluyole Local Government Area.
Authorities say she has been kept in self-isolation with close monitoring by the State Epidemiological Team.
The Oyo State Health Ministry says it has released funds for activation of Emergency Operation Centre at the Ministry of Health, the establishment of Diagnostic Centre for the screening of Coronavirus and other related infectious diseases to be stationed at the UCH, Ibadan, and the equipping of the newly designated Oyo State Infectious Disease Centre at Olodo that has the capacity for over 100 cases.
This was confirmed by Governor Seyi Makinde who put out some tweets regarding the situation in Oyo State.
4. We have released funds for: a. Activation of Emergency Operation Centre at the Ministry of Health. b. Establishment of Diagnostic Centre for screening of Coronavirus and other related infectious diseases to be stationed at the UCH, Ibadan.
As Head of the Task Force and Head of the Oyo State Government, I give you my word that we are going to do everything in our power to see that no life is lost to this pandemic.
Following the confirmation of Coronavirus in Lagos, the Oyo state government has scaled up preparedness by synergizing with relevant stakeholders.
At a press conference at the state Ministry of Health, commissioner for Health, Dr. Bashir Bello noted that Oyo has put all its health facilities on high alert with the deployment of adequate resources to all hospitals in case of unforeseen circumstances.
The commissioner, who maintained that there is currently no outbreak of Coronavirus in the state, said the state government has partnered with the Emergency Epidemic Control Unit of UCH, Ibadan, Nigeria Center for Disease Control, as well as the Nigerian Army 2 division Health Center, Odogbo, Ibadan, in case of any suspected case.
He added that the Oyo state Ministry of Health has been trailing the outbreak of the disease in China, particularly Wuhan and implored the good people of Oyo state to remain calm but ensure strict adherence to necessary hygiene practices.
He also enjoined private based health facilities to conform to the expected universal precaution when attending to clients.
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has met with the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, at the force headquarters, Abuja, over the Southwest security outfit – Operation Amotekun, as well as the raging local government crisis in the state.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting on Wednesday, Makinde explained that he deliberated with the police boss on the issues surrounding the Western Nigeria Security Network.
According to him, the IG agreed to hold a meeting with the southwest governors to review the situation.
“Everybody is aware of the issue with Amotekun, so we deliberated, we had an agreement in principle to have the governors of the South West to meet with him (IG) to review the situation,” he stated.
“We are trying to build a new country where the rule of law is supreme, so everybody should be law-abiding, ensure that they don’t do anything that would create lawlessness.”
When asked about the current status of the security outfit, Makinde said, “It is a work in progress, we are trying to operationalise it and in doing that, all the relevant stakeholders would have to align.”
An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, the state capital, has restrained the 68 sacked council chairmen and chairmen of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) from the forceful and illegal takeover of the council offices across the state.
The court, presided over by Honourable Justice Moshud Abass, granted the four reliefs sought by the lead counsel to the Oyo State Government, Dr. Akin Onigbinde (SAN), including an order of interim injunction restraining the sacked chairmen from forcefully taking over the Local Government Councils or taking steps capable of causing breach of peace in the state.
The orders of interim injunction, which were granted by the Oyo State High Court followed an ex-parte motion filed by the State Government in Suit No: I/78/2020.
Also restrained were the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Mr Shina Olukolu, and the Oyo State APC chairman, Mr Akin Oke.
The parties and their agents were restrained from taking any step that could tamper with the pending hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
According to the court, the sacked chairmen, as well as the four other defendants, their officers, agents, privies or otherwise, were restrained from taking steps that would cause a breach of peace by embarking on self-help to give effect to a letter dated 14th January 2020 with reference number HAGF/OYO/2020/VOL.I/1 issued by the AGF to the sacked chairmen and the IGP pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
Meanwhile, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state has vowed to continue in office despite an injunction purportedly procured by the state government.
In a statement, the ALGON Chairman in the state, Prince Ayodeji Abass – Aleshinloye, noted that it is a fact that there cannot be a restraining order for an action that had already been completed while the purported order had not been served on any member of ALGON.
“It is unfortunate that the state continues to embark on an exercise in futility. Our people have resumed office since Friday 24 and Monday 27, January 2020 and they (State Government) claimed to have an order of restrain procured today, Tuesday, January 28, 2020. Meanwhile, that order has not been served on anyone and if eventually served on anyone, it is of no legal effect. Is it possible to restrain an action that has already been completed?”
The full statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to an unconfirmed order purportedly issued by a Court claiming to restrain elected local government Council Chairmen and Councillors from resuming office in pursuance of our constitutional mandate and as affirmed by the Supreme Court and Oyo State High Court Judgment.
Let all and sundry be informed that we have not been served with any such order and/or process in any fresh suit. We will like to state the following for the purpose of record:
• We were never removed from office in pursuance of any Order and there is no law that can be employed in aid of an illegality that will stand in a constitutional democracy.
• Reference to a purported Court Order in internet chat room does not constitute service of Court process until such order is served on relevant parties.
• More importantly, it is trite in law that an order of injunction cannot lie against acts already completed. All the local government Chairmen and Councillors have since resumed in their offices in 33 the local governments and 35 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) since Friday 24th and Monday 27th January, 2020. Hundreds of witnesses abound to testify about the resumption including the Nigeria Police, Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Shina Olukolu, Division Police Officers (DPO) of various divisions as instructed by the Inspector General of Police to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court Judgment, Local government staff, Peoples democratic Party (PDP) members and the thugs they procured to cause a breach of peace in some Council Areas as well as witnessed by several other citizens of Oyo State.
No injunction can restrain a completed act. We are by this release putting the Police and other security agencies on notice to ensure that the armed People Democratic Party thugs roaming the street are not allowed to breach the peace in aid of any purported order made in futility. We remain in office until the end of our mandate.”
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, says no staff in the State’s workforce would earn below the N30,000 national minimum wage.
Makinde said implementation of the minimum wage would commence as soon as the Committee set up by his government to look into the modalities for the implementation of the wage completes its assignment.
The Governor who gave this assurance on Wednesday during the 2020 inter-religious service. He noted that he was looking forward to a decision that would be agreeable to the civil servants as well as affordable and sustainable for the State government.
“On the new minimum wage, the committee has been set up, they are working and moving towards alignment but I promise you that this administration and the workers of Oyo State are on the same page on this ongoing negotiation.
“When it is concluded, I give you the assurance that we shall stand side-by-side to announce to the whole world what we have agreed.
“Whatever we will agree upon is going to be in the interest of the workers and our state. First, our collective decision will be agreeable to everybody. Second, it will be affordable. Third, it will be sustainable.
“Before this administration came into place on May 29, the government was paying percentages as subvention to the higher institutions. Just a month before the previous administration left, they moved it to 100 percent and we have been paying it since we came in. I know that they do have an agreement in some states and will still breach the agreement. But, here, once we sign that agreement, we will pay it.
“We won’t pay in percentages and I want to also state categorically that no worker in Oyo State will earn below the national minimum wage,” Makinde said.
The service was attended by the Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, the Head of Service (HoS), Mrs Amidat Ololade Agboola, other cabinet members and civil servants.
The HoS in her address commended Governor Makinde for giving the approval for the reinstatement of some officers in the civil/public service who were unjustly dismissed by the last administration among other approved welfare packages.
In his speech, Governor Makinde maintained that though the administration was less than a year in office, it has causes to be thankful to God, because it has continued to enjoy tremendous goodwill.
Governor Makinde also commiserated with victims of fire incidents across the State. He warned civil servants and to work towards preventing fire disasters by setting smart goals and planning adequately in the New Year.
Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital stood still on Thursday to welcome Governor Seyi Makinde back to the state following his victory at the Supreme Court in Abuja.
Governor Makinde was received at the Ibadan airport by his cabinet members, party loyalists and excited residents of the state.
Others troop out to the streets in celebration and welcomed the governor who in return waved at them as he drove around the town in an open van and danced to music from a music band.
Mr Makinde immediately after his assent, transferred the law to the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Oyelowo Oyewo for further administrative actions.
The Governor had, as part of initial declarations upon assumption of office, declared that the State under his watch would establish its own anti-corruption agency to ensure probity, accountability and good governance.
While signing the bill into law Governor Makinde said there is nothing to be scared of as the anti-corruption law has been domesticated to bring governance closer to the grassroots and guard the resources of the state in the same manner.
Makinde added that the law has no political colouration just as corruption and underdevelopment have no political leanings.
An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and a yet-to-be-identified man have been killed by a vehicle in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
A statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, said that a team of FRSC officials who were assigned to monitor and control traffic was approached by a truck driver who intended to make an inquiry from one of the members of the team.
“In the course of the inquiry, a Mercedes Benz ran into the patrol vehicle and in the process killed the arresting Marshal and the other person while they were discussing with the other FRSC Official occupying the driver’s seat who was also seriously affected by the crash.”
It added that the Sector Commander along with her Management Team inspected the area of the scene to conduct a crash investigation and also to gather information from eyewitnesses.
“From that investigation, it was meticulously gathered that the FRSC Patrol vehicle was not in motion when the incident occurred.
“The seriously injured victim has been since rushed to the hospital for medical attention while the deceased have been taken to the morgue.”
File photo: Governor Abiola Ajimobi said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has performed well to see re-election of a second term, during an exclusive interview with Channels Television’s Roadmap 2019.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has reaffirmed the victory of Senator Kola Balogun in the February 23 National Assembly election, in line with the tribunal judgement earlier delivered in September, bringing the legal battle between himself and senatorial candidate of the APC, Abiola Ajimobi, to an end.
In a 45-minute judgement delivered by Justice Haruna Issamani of the Federal Court of Appeal on Friday, the Judge upheld the Victory of Senator Kola Balogun, saying that the petition which had claimed that he was not duly elected through majority votes, was not valid.
He explained in his judgement that the election of senator Kola Balogun was valid as it was in compliance with all necessary electoral rules and regulations as was held by the tribunal in the earlier judgement.
The judge also upheld the decision of the tribunal that the issue of eligibility of a candidate should be challenged at the high court and not at the election tribunal.
The lead counsel to Senator Kola Balogun, Chief Olumuyiwa Makinde said the judgement was in line with the wish of the people.
Counsel representing the PDP, Barrister Bamidele Ogunjinmi, said all the witnesses presented by the appellant were not qualified to appear before the court.
Reacting to the ruling, Mr Balogun thanked God for giving him victory after five legal battles initiated by the APC.
The court of appeal is the final arbiter on election petition matters concerning National Assembly elections.
