Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja, Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

The planned evacuation of over 200 Nigerians in Canada has suffered a setback following refusal of Canadian government to grant landing permit to the designated carrier, Air Peace Airlines.

Confirming the development, the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, Canada, in a statement, said: “Due to some logistics issues that are beyond the control of the High Commission (failure to secure overflight and landing permits from the Canadian authorities in time), the Air Peace special flight No. APK 8711 that was earlier scheduled to depart from Canada to Nigeria on Thursday, 14 May, 2020 will not be taking place as previously scheduled.”

The High Commission said the challenges were as a result of the fact that Air Peace was flying the route for the first time.

“The High Commission opted for Air Peace because the airfare was relatively more affordable compared to the offers of other airlines that were contacted, coupled with the fact that only Air Peace had agreed to convey the evacuees from more than one location in Canada.

“The High Commission is awaiting information on the overflight and landing permit from the Canadian authorities and the new date would be communicated as soon as the clearance is secured. Any inconveniences caused by this painful development is highly regretted.”

When contacted, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had nothing to do with landing permit.

Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye, who spoke with  Daily Sun, said the flight was rescheduled indefinitely.

All our confirmed positive cases entered Enugu illegally –Ugwuanyi

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, yesterday, disclosed that all 11 cases were people who entered the state illegally despite the presidential order on restriction of inter-state movement and the state government’s closure of all boundaries and inter-state transportation.

He said the 11th case announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on May 12, was a 40-year-old male who had been in Kano since April and returned to Enugu on May 4.

The governor declared that “it has become imperative that we all take responsibility to protect our dear state from the illegal influx of people into the state.”

He, therefore, asked all those charged with the responsibility of protecting all land boundaries in the state “to put more efforts to ensure that our boundaries are properly secured to curb this unfortunate importation of the COVID-19 into the state.”

He reassured that his administration will continue to do all within its powers to effectively contain its pandemic in the state.

“On the 28th of March 2020, Enugu State had its index positive case, a couple from Isi-Uzo Local Government Area who then just returned from the United Kingdom and Dubai. Both have been successfully treated and discharged.

“One month after the index positive cases was confirmed, on the 28th of April 2020, Enugu State had its 3rd confirmed positive case, a female indigene of Bauchi State with a history of travel to Bauchi and Plateau states.

“On the 1st of May, 2020, Enugu State had its 4th confirmed positive case, a female indigene of Umuchigbo in Enugu East Local Government Area who together with her nine-year-old daughter returned to Enugu from Lagos State where they reside after falling ill.

UCH better positioned for COVID-19 

Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Abiodun Otegbayo, has said the teaching hospital is now better positioned to handle COVID-19 challenges.

He made the disclosure when he featured on a radio programme in Ibadan, pointing out that the hospital had trained and retrained its personnel to handle current and post COVID-19 era challenges.

According to him, the lessons of COVID 19 had challenged the hospital to look beyond containing, curtailing and prevention of the disease and to plan for the future.

Otegbayo also lauded the relationship between UCH and Oyo State government in the fight against the coronavirus saying the insinuation  that all was not well between the two establishments was wrong.

Meanwhile, the stock of protective equipment against COVID-19 to the hospital was increased by the donation of hand washing soap and sanitisers from the Oyo State Secretariat of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC).

Otegbayo while appreciating the NYSC for the gifts, encouraged other well meaning organisations to donate to the cause of fighting the COVID-19 by the hospital.

NMA lauds health workers

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has commended the commitment and selfless service of frontline health workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

NMA National President, Dr Francis Faduyile, made the commendation during a solidarity visit to the state, in Kano, yesterday.

Faduyile said the visit was aimed at boosting the morale of health workers in the campaign to stem further spread of the pandemic in the state.

“The fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is a collective responsibility, hence, all efforts needed to be put in place to ensure that the stated goals are achieved.

“We are in Kano to identify with our members, to show concern to the people of Kano, especially  now that COVID-19 has become an issue of great concern in the state.

“We need to show them that we are with them and boost the morale of our staff that are stretched beyond limit,” he said

Faduyile noted that Nigerian health workers were working assiduously to curb the spread of the pandemic in the country.

He advised health workers to observe safety protocols to stay safe and ensure proper utilisation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The NMA President urged authorities to adopt proactive measures to boost the morale of health workers to facilitate successful campaign against the pandemic.

Chairman of the Ministerial Committee on COVID-19 to Kano, Dr. sani Gwarzo said the state had achieved a lot  in the fight against the coronavirus.

OPC donates to COVID-19 patients in S-West states, Kwara, Kogi

The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), yesterday, donated the sum of N3 million for procurement of food and other essential items to patients of COVID-19 across the six South West, Kwara and Kogi states.

Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland and national coordinator of the group, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, said the palliative was aimed at assisting governments in ensuring better treatment for all the  patients receiving treatments at the various isolation centres across the states.

He said the new measure became imperative following the intervention and initial  efforts of  members of the sister’s organisation in the Diaspora, the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU), that donated  funds and food items in the first phase of the palliative.

The Yoruba leader said the second phase of the palliative was done with the intention to keep faith with the ideology of the group, saying it was the best way to extend the group’s  hands of generosity to victims of the disease in the South West and beyond

Publicity Secretary of the group, Yinka Oguntimehin, said the donation was necessary and timely, adding that OPC will be willing to play its roles to the Yoruba race in every situation.

I’ve cure, Daboh, ex-Rep, claims

A member of the fifth National Assembly (2003-2007) on the platform of the defunct United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP),  Aondona Daboh-Fiase, has claimd she is in possession of COVID-19 cure.

Daboh-Fiase, who represented Vandeikya/Konshisha federal constituency of Benue State and famous for her herbal lounge, an effective herbal home remedy-therapy, told Daily Sun in Abuja that the cure is all herbal and organic.

Daboh-Fiase added that it is not just a cure, but also a prevention and a cure which is immune booster and body resetter.

“It resets the whole body and the whole system because aside from preventing all, curing coronavirus as the case may be, also takes care of other issues like arthritis and even blood pressure if it is taken in large quantity. So, it is all about herbs,” Daboh-Fiase said.