NIGERIAN NOTCH

  Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Saturday debunked the rumour making the rounds that he is nursing a presidential ambition ahead of the 2023 general elections. Lawan, who was reacting to recent publications about his purported plan to contest the 2023 presidential election, described the rumour as “beer parlour gossips” that should be disregarded as it has the potential of dragging the noble profession of journalism into the gutters. Lawan had through a statement signed by his Media Special Adviser, Ola Awoniyi, described the publications as mere distractions, adding that it would be too early in the day to be talking about 2023 when the country has pressing national issues to attend to. The statement reads in part: “It is easy to see that the report emanated from the sort of practice that drags the noble profession of journalism to the gutters as it only dresses up the lazy fantasy of its unimaginative authors as a fact. “The report apparently has its source in beer parlo

Kaduna State has directed its civil servants to report to work on Monday, July 20, 2020, after working remotely for over three months at home, following the invoking of the Quarantine Act and Kaduna State Public Health Law, which quarantined all residents on March 26. A circular issued by the office of the Head of Service on Thursday, stated that different category of workers will work in different days of the week, from 9am to 3pm. According to the circular which was signed by Ibrahim Jere, Permanent Secretary (Public Service Officer), all Permanent Secretaries, Directors General, Chief Executives of Agencies and Parastatals, as well as Directors will work from Monday to Friday. The circular further stated that officers on Grade Level 14 and above will work for three days, including Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while officers on Grade Level 7 to 13 will work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only. The circular also noted that in an effort to contain the spread of Covid-19, visi

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 653 new COVID-19 cases in the country as total infections from the virus rise to 35, 107. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle late on Saturday. The health agency said that as of July 18, 653 new confirmed cases and six deaths were recorded in the country. It said that the 653 new cases were reported from 27 states and the FCT. According to the agency, only nine states did not report a new case of the disease in the past 24 hours. The NCDC added that Lagos state reported the highest number of infections with 115 new cases, while Kwara reported 85 new infections. Amongst others were Enugu with 80 cases and the FCT with 78. Rivers had 36 cases, Ondo – 35, Oyo – 30, Katsina – 28, Kaduna – 19, Abia – 19, Nasarawa – 18, Plateau – 17, and Imo – 16. Four states, namely: Ogun, Ebonyi, Benue, and Kano reported nine more infections with Delta, Bauchi, and Ekiti having eight, seven, and six new cases re