Our Reporter

The Presidency on Thursday faulted the Transparency International (TI) report on Nigeria, describing it as an inaccurate portrayal of verifiable facts about the country.

In its 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index report, TI listed Nigeria as the second most corrupt country in West Africa, dropping 13 steps to fill the 149th spot on the global rating.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the government deserved credit for its records in reducing corruption.

He said in a statement: “The Buhari administration deserves credit for diminishing corruption in the public service and will continue to vigorously support prevention, enforcement, public education and enlightenment activities of anti-corruption agencies.

“We are currently analysing the sources of data used in arriving at the latest Transparency International (TI) report on Corruption Perceptions Index in Nigeria since, by their own admission, they don’t gather their data.

“This report is not an accurate portrayal of the facts on ground.

“In the coming days, the Government’s Technical Unit on Governance Research (TUGAR) will be providing more detailed information on the sources of the TI data.

“While this is being awaited, the examination carried out on their 2019 report showed that 60 per cent of their data was collected from businesses and other entities with issues bordering on transparency and the ease of doing business at the ports.

“Although this is a government ready to learn from mistakes and make corrections, the economy of this country, in its fullness, is bigger than the seaports we have.”

Shehu said there were errors and misrepresentations of facts in the report.

It indicated that the organisation had all along allowed itself to be a tool of avowed opponents of the administration and those harbouring ill-feelings against President Buhari.

The Presidency added: “We are also not unaware of the characters behind the TI in Nigeria whose opposition to the Buhari administration is not hidden.

“We have repeatedly challenged TI to provide indices and statistics of its own to justify its sensational and baseless rating on Nigeria and the fight against corruption. We expect them to come clean and desist from further rehashing of old tales.

“A naira denominated review that excludes recoveries in dollars, pounds, euro shows that a sum of N1.2trillion was recovered by EFCC between 2009 — 2019.

“N939billion of that total was recovered between 2015 – 2019 with less than N300billion recovered in the first six years.

“Additionally, preventative instruments deployed by this administration such as Treasury Single Account (TSA), Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) coverage expansion and the removal of 54,000 ghost workers from federal civil service saving us N200billion annually serve as evidence that perception is not reality.

“Reality is based on verifiable facts and data. And any evidence-based analysis would prove that whether it is by prevention or punitive measures in recoveries and prosecution, this administration would be rising fast up these rankings rather than standing still.

“Organisations should be factual in their analysis and be prepared to rely on inputs outside of sensational media reports and age-old narratives which have not been updated to reflect today’s reality in Nigeria concerning its globally-respected war on corruption.

“In the existential fight against this multi-pronged malice and manifestations of corruption, President Muhammadu Buhari has avowed that he would take-no-prisoners, guided by respect for the rule of law.”

The Nigerian economy slipped into recession in third quarter of 2020 after a two consecutive quarterly decline in national output. This was due to the adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic on key sectors of the economy. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is exercising its development financing role to get the economy exit recession through funding support for affected sectors, writes COLLINS NWEZE.

Nigeria, Africa’s leading economy was not spared by the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging other global economies.

A health crisis morphed into an economic crisis, the pandemic pushed Nigeria economy into recession, with the transport and hospitality industry grounded for months.

The economic impact of the pandemic was devastating. The Nigerian economy which grew by 1.87 per cent in real terms in first quarter of 2020, contracted by 6.1 per cent and 3.62 per cent in second and third quarters of 2020, respectively. The economy slipped into  recession in third quarter of 2020 after a two consecutive quarterly decline in national output. This marked the country’s second recession since the 2014 commodity price shock.

The economic environment not only deteriorated as the pandemic claimed lives and kept many people out of job, but also triggered humanitarian, and some cases, security challenges.

The Covid-19 pandemic is not the only shock that the Nigeria economy had faced in decades. There were the 2008/2009 financial crisis as well as the 2015/ 2016 crisis but in all the crises, the economy came out stronger to sustain strong macro-economic stability and growth.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele  projected that Nigeria will exit its recession in the first quarter of 2021. Speaking at the 55th Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) dinner in Lagos, he said there is no cause to panic. He said prior to the recession, Nigeria witnessed 12 consecutive quarters of economic expansion after a similar experience in 2016.

“As we are all aware, prior to the onset of the virus in December 2019, the Nigerian economy was on a positive growth trajectory, having made a significant recovery from the 2016-2017 recession, which was triggered by the drop-in commodity prices in 2016,” he said.

“We however expect that Nigeria would emerge from the recession by the first quarter of 2021, due to high frequency data that indicates continued improvements in the non-oil sector of our economy”.

“We also expect that growth in 2021 would attain two per cent. However, downside risks remain, as restoration of full economic activities, particularly in service related sectors, remains uncertain until a Covid-19 vaccine is produced and made available to millions of people across the world,” Emefiele said.

The economic recovery and subsequent growth, analysts said, would be quickened by the CBN’s strategic policy implementations promoting real sector growth through development financing.

According to the apex bank, development financing, the supply of finance to various sectors of the economy will promote the growth of the economy in a holistic manner and this, will make development, welfare improvement to proceed at a faster rate.

This involves the formulation and implementation of various policies, innovation of appropriate products and creation of enabling environment for financial institutions to deliver services in an effective, efficient and sustainable manner.

To achieve this goal, which is in line with the CBN Act, the apex bank is implementing intervention programmes to support key sectors of the economy ravaged by the pandemic.

From agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, health sector to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) among others, the CBN has channeled funds at single interest rates to operators and is implementing positive policies that would see their operations come back to life.

In the agricultural sector, the CBN authorised commercial banks to give up to N2 billion maximum loan to youths interested in going into agriculture.

The loan, which comes under the Accelerated Agriculture Development Scheme (AADS) at five per cent interest rate per annum was created by the regulator in collaboration with state governments to engage 370,000 youths in agricultural production.

According to the loan guideline signed by CBN Director Development Finance Department, Yusuf Yila Philip, the maximum loan accessible under the scheme shall be N2 billion per obligor.

Philip said the country’s population pyramid is bulging around the youth segment, with an estimated 75 per cent of the population identified to be aged below 35 years, saying a large segment of this population would have eked out a living if adequate opportunities were harnessed in agriculture given its potential of employing over 70 per cent of the nation’s workforce.

He listed agricultural commodities eligible for consideration under the scheme as rice,  maize, cassava, cotton, wheat , tomato, poultry and fish, among others.

Philip said obligors are to have a contiguous land of not less than 20 hectares  provided for specified agricultural commodities cultivation. Also, there should be evidence of land ownership in form of any acceptable title including lease of a minimum of 15 years.

He said the CBN will bear 50 per cent of the credit risk in the event of default by the participant while repayment of the facility will be made on installment basis through the participating banks and spread over the Economics of Production (EOP) of the cultivated commodities.

Reals sector funding to the rescue

To unlock the potential of the real sector to engender output growth, value added productivity and job creation, the apex bank recently established a N300 billion Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF).

The facility is supporting large enterprises for startups and expansion financing needs of N500 million up to a maximum of N10 billion in key sectors of the economy, especially manufacturing, agriculture, agricultural value chain, and services.

The facility is also meant to increase output, generate employment, diversify the revenue  base, increase foreign exchange earnings and provide input for the industrial sector on a sustainable basis.

“The fund is to be managed by the Development Finance Department which shall be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the facility. The activities to be covered under the facility are new, startups and/or expansion projects in the manufacturing, agricultural value chain (non-primary product), services and trading shall not be accommodated under this facility,” the apex bank said.

Globally, the relationship between the financial system and real sector development remains very critical for any economy to achieve its potential. No economy can grow and improve the living standards of its population in the absence of credit to the real sector. That is why the real sector depends largely on the flow of funds from the banking system.

N100 billion lifeline for health sector

The CBN also approved N100 billion lifeline for the health sector. The fund was established to cushion the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the economy and to support healthcare providers.

It was also meant to ensure that the sector meets the expected rise in the demand for healthcare products and services.

The guideline, signed by CBN Director, Financial Policy Regulation Department, Kevin Amugo, said working capital loans shall be considered based on 20 per cent of the average of three years of the proposed borrower’s turnover, subject to a maximum of N500 million per obligor.

Also, where the loan is a term loan, a maximum limit of N2 billion per obligor and five per cent interest rate up till February 2021 shall apply.

Interest rate for the facility shall revert to nine per cent as from March 1, 2021.

The apex bank also set the exit date for all the facility under the scheme at December 31, 2030 and stipulated a joint monitoring of financed activities by the CBN and participating financial institutions.

“Term loan shall have a maximum tenor of not more than 10 years with a maximum of one year moratorium on repayment. In terms of construction, the tenor shall be determined by the completion date,” the guideline stated.

Operators in the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry commended the CBN for the N100 billion Health Sector Intervention fund.

Speaking with finance journalists in Lagos, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria ( PSN) Sam Ohuabunwa said:  “From the feedback we get , most of us that have accessed the loans. The beneficiaries have  put the money into equipment adding that the requirements for accessing the facility are such that can be easily met”.

“Practitioners in the industry have all they can to access these funds and I am aware that many of them who applied especially those who are called the first tier has received approvals and I am aware that they  have also accessed the funds through corresponding commercial banks.

“I am also aware that a couple of them have also been able to apply them to effect what they wanted to do with the money. Most of them on capacity increase expanding plants, getting new equipment, starting new processes and procedures and expanding manufacturing both in terms of the type of area and other value addition,” Ohuabunwa.

Eligible participants listed

Further analysis of the N100 billion health sector intervention fund guidelines said the eligible participants under the scheme shall include healthcare product manufacturers- pharmaceutical drug and medical equipment; healthcare service providers/medical facilities- hospitals/clinics, diagnostic centers/ laboratories, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, dialysis centers, blood banks, among others.

Also to benefit are pharmaceutical/medical products and logistic services, and other human healthcare service providers as maybe determined by the CBN from time to time.

The CBN guideline said: “The modalities require that a corporate entity submits its application to a participating financial institution of its choice with a bankable business plan.

“The participating financial institution shall appraise and conduct due diligence on the application. Upon approval by the participating financial institution’s Credit Committee, the application shall be submitted to the CBN with relevant documents attached. The CBN will process and disburse funds to the participating financial institution for onward release to the project.”

It stipulated that indigenous pharmaceutical companies and healthcare practitioners that want to expand or build their capacities would benefit from the facility.

According to the guidelines, the scheme will be funded from the real sector support facility, with Deposit Money Banks, Development Finance Institutions named as participating financial institutions.

According to it (guideline), the fund will reduce health tourism to conserve foreign exchange, provide long-term, low cost finance for healthcare infrastructure development, and improve access to affordable credit by indigenous pharmaceutical companies.

It was also meant to support the provision of shared services through one-stop healthcare solution to enhance competition and reduce the cost of healthcare delivery in the country.

The CBN announced the N100 billion package for the healthcare industry to strengthen the sector’s capacity to meet potential increase in the demand for healthcare and services.

The CBN said the scheme was also expected to increase private and public investment in the healthcare sector, facilitates improvement in healthcare delivery and reduce medical tourism to enhance foreign exchange conservation.

Way out by stakeholders

On what will drive performance of major sectors in 2021, ex member of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Dr. Doyin Salami, said addressing post-harvest losses in agriculture will enhance sector prospects in the short-to medium term as well as value chain development in the longer term.

He also called for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill in the oil and gas sector, which said is the biggest policy dynamic in the sector.

Salami, who spoke at the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) virtual program in Lagos, called for reforms in the agricultural sector to drive infrastructure improvements, adding that specific sectors like pharmaceuticals may benefit from successful value chain domestication.

According to him, in there was need to resolve the right of way infrastructure issues as pertains broadband in the ICT sector.

In the economic outlook for 2021, released by Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, its Director-General, Muda Yusuf, said several governments globally provided fiscal stimulus to support households, small businesses, and their economies generally, while central banks eased monetary policy conditions through large-scale purchases of financial assets and interest rate reduction to rescue their respective economies.

He explained that back home, the Federal Government developed the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) with a total stimulus package of N2.3 trillion to address liquidity concerns of small and medium-sized businesses mostly impacted by the pandemic, provide financial support to the vulnerable segment of the populace, and create jobs, among others.

Similarly, the CBN shifted its policy focus from price stability to the stimulation of economic recovery and growth in the year 2020 to complement the federal government’s fiscal stimulus in a bid to support business continuity and economic sustainability.

Yusuf said he expects the economy to return to the path of positive growth in the second quarter of 2021 and this would expectedly impact on the macroeconomic environment which may ease some of the critical economic conditions currently impeding economic growth.

“The country needs the right policies and institutions to spur productivity growth and to have this achieved requires adoption of best practices in human and physical capital development, governance, and economic openness,” he said.

Managing Director, Agriculture Holdings Nigeria Limited, Michae Martins, said government’s efforts at revitalising key sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, solid minerals and manufacturing, among others, will impact positively on the economy.

He explained that when the economy is diversified, Nigeria’s growth will not be determined by the prices of crude oil.

“This is because much revenue would be derived from taxes, loyalties and levies. For instance, through taxes, government can secure the fund to finance major developmental projects that will impact on the people’s lives. We need to achieve internal food security and have the opportunity to export agro-based products in processed form,” he said.

Martins commended the CBN’s efforts to support the recovery in the economy. Overall, he said the intervention funds would help increase the flow of credit to the private sector and revive sectors badly hit by the pandemic.

Responses from other economies

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) report on economic responses governments are taking to limit the human and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic showed that the United States inaugurated the US$483 billion Paycheck Protection Programme and Health Care Enhancement Act.

The legislation includes US$321 billion for additional forgivable Small Business Administration loans and guarantees to help small businesses that retain workers; US$62 billion for the Small Business Administration to provide grants and loans to assist small businesses; US$75 billion for hospitals; and US$25 billion for expanding virus testing.

For China, an estimated RMB 4.2 trillion of discretionary fiscal measures have been announced. Key measures include increased spending on epidemic prevention and control, production of medical equipment, accelerated disbursement of unemployment insurance and extension to migrant workers, tax relief and waived social security contributions.

According to the IMF, in Australia, fiscal stimulus, consisting of expenditure and revenue measures worth A$134.5 billion put in place through fiscal year 2023 to 24, with measures like sizable wage subsidies, income support to households, cash flow support to businesses, investment incentives, and targeted measures for affected regions and industries.

In Canada, government carried out key tax and spending measures worth CAD $262.6 billion, with $5.7 billion to the health system while around $171.9 billion in direct aid to households and firms, among others.

In this concluding part of a series, Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF sheds light on the COVID-19 challenge in Lagos.

As a matter of COVID-19 response policy of the state government, all treatments are entirely free – from testing to admission in the isolation center. Some of the patients, who spoke with The Nation in the male ward, said the government provides free treatment, including basic COVID-19 pack containing antiretroviral drugs, vitamins and so on.

However, as one doctor explained, many COVID-19 patients do come into the facility with pre-existing debilitating ailments such as diabetes, hypertension or asthma, which require extra drugs and resources to manage. It is such categories of patients that are required to procure drugs for their additional ailments. “When you are in the ward, you will need basic things, which you must get ready because you may have anybody to send around. The cost of assembling doctors and the cost of care – everything is free. Admission, which is probably N5,000 per night in some public hospitals, is free. Consultation is free. The cost of care is free. Oxygen, which costs a minimum of N5000 in some government hospitals, is free. Bed space is free. Nursing care is free. COVID-19 drugs are free.”

A state-of-the-art bio-bank to the rescue

Even long before Nigeria joined the rest of the world to slip into the fierce grip of Coronavirus, Lagos appeared to have imbibed the motto of the Scouting movement: “Be prepared.” Signs of having prepared ahead for any major public health challenge emerged in October 2018, when the state government inaugurated a world-class bio-bank facility and held a stakeholders’ engagement forum that attracted top local and international professionals ranging from medical doctors, nurses, biomedical and mechanical engineers to nurses, veterinary doctors, laboratory technologists and pharmacists.

Thus, with a state-of-the-art bio-bank already in place by the time the dreaded virus sneaked into the country like a thief in the night in February last year, many stakeholders in the health sector believed it merely tapped Africa’s most populous city on the shoulders to roll up its sleeves and start reaping the reward of planning. But the feat did not just happen in isolation. The outbreak of Ebola in July 2014, which started when an infected Liberian man flew into Lagos, caught the country unawares. More than expected, the outbreak, which claimed at least seven lives in Nigeria before it was nipped in the bud, provided the much-needed fillip that propelled into action, as officials disclosed that it was the Ebola crisis that provided the right learning curve on which the state leveraged to prepare for future public health emergencies.

The Nation learnt that the biosecurity initiative was conceived to strengthen the state’s capacity to contain and respond to all biological threats – from infectious disease outbreaks to biological terrorist attacks or bioterrorism. The the $4.5 million biobank laboratory was a dream that came true through a partnership arrangement between the Lagos and Canadian governments. It was birthed during the administration of Akinwunmi Ambode. The facility, located in Mainland Hospital in Yaba, was designed to ensure effective management of infectious disease outbreaks with a special focus on containing and strengthening the state’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to all biological threats.

Abayomi explained that the biobank is equipped with laboratories such as the biosafety level (BSL) 1 for normal laboratory procedures, BSL 2 for dangerous pathogens, and BSL 3 for very dangerous pathogens. There is only one BSL 4 in the whole of Africa – in South Africa. The biobank is a containment laboratory and secure storage facility for biological samples. In other words, it’s a place where human elements (blood, tissue, urine, cells, etc.) and their data are stored or preserved, to support research, the development of vaccines and treatments, personalised medicine, and more. The facility, manned by specially trained professionals, has come in handy as the fire of COVID-19 rages.

But Lagos is not relying on its bio-bank resources alone in the prosecution of its war against the spread of the virus. In June last year, as part of efforts to expand the diagnostic testing capacity to ensure a larger number of people have access to the Covid-19 test, the state approved the inclusion of seven private laboratories, namely Total Medical Services, SynLab, 54 Gene, Medbury Medical Services, Biologix Medical Services, 02 Medical Services and Clina Lancent Laboratories.

While formally introducing the private laboratories to the public, Abayomi explained that a key element in the next phase of the state’s response strategy is to expand diagnostic testing to strategically ensure a larger number of people have access to the COVID-19 test, stressing that the state government has developed an inclusive strategy that aims to harness the public and private sectors to rapidly expand the state’s capacity to meet the growing demand for testing in the next stage of the state’s biosecurity road map.

“We recognise the need to expand our testing capacity, especially to the local government areas that are most affected by the community transmission of the virus and, as Lagos State continuously manages the public crises caused by COVID-19, it simultaneously attempts to open up various aspects of its economy. Both efforts make it imperative that COVID-19 tests are widely available to members of the public.

“In a bid to ramp up our testing capacity, we have taken a strategic decision to include private laboratories in the testing of COVID-19. However, the State’s COVID-19 response will remain a centrally managed emergency response by the state government and the need to test will be surveillance driven and based on a clear case definition,” he said.

Abayomi, who said Lagos has increased its daily testing capacity from 2,000 to 3,000 samples daily, stressed that the state’s goal from inception was to flatten the curve. He promised that the state would intensify its strategies of identifying, testing, isolating, and management of cases to reduce the rate of transmission.

“Living with the pandemic means that you should wear your face mask everywhere, follow physical distancing rules, avoid social gatherings, ensure regular hand washing or hand sanitising. If you feel unwell, get tested; if positive, self-isolate or present to any isolation centre or follow up clinics.”

Why Lagos is witnessing rising infections

Immediately after lifting the grinding nationwide lockdown imposed on human and vehicular movements in June to curtail the spread of Covid-19 in the country, not a few Nigerians saw it as a moment to return to normal ways of doing things in a season of the new normal. In many quarters, it was a feeling of déjà vu, as club houses, recreational centers, worship houses, schools, and other avenues of mass gatherings began to do business as usual. Pronto, international travels into the country followed suit as long as evidence of a recent negative PCR test can be presented to immigration officials at the airports, which opened vistas of opportunity for unscrupulous individuals to do brisk business by facilitating fake PCR test results for desperate travelers.

Sadly, Lagos, home to one of the nation’s two busiest international airports, is one of the states that seem to be reeling from unintended consequences of the new policy. While analyzing factors that plunged the country into second wave of Coronavirus, Abayomi hit the nail on the head, saying Nigerians simply let down their guards in false belief that the war against the virus has been won. He listed general laxity among the populace, false sense of security, non-adherence to guidelines, reopening of schools and the economy, large social, political and religious gatherings as some of the reasons that pushed Nigeria back into a new and probably stronger wave of infections.

To win the battle against the virus, the renowned expert in internal medicine and bio-banking urged Lagosians and Nigerians in general to embark on lifestyle adjustments, including adhering to the gospel of non-pharmaceutical protocols being preached by the state and federal health authorities. For Lagosians, he admonished residents to follow COVID-19 safety protocols by always using face masks, observing social and physical distancing guidelines, and avoiding mass gatherings as much as possible.  This should be complemented with regular hand washing and respiratory hygiene, while people feeling unwell should submit themselves for tests or present early to an isolation centre for treatment.

“People need to take responsibility for the infection.  We will deploy effective messaging and education via our various public information channels and platforms, while we enforce all guidelines through the respective state agencies.”

The Commissioner, while reiterating the resolve of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to win the fight against COVID-19 transmission, also urged the general public that “it is also important that citizens take responsibility and adhere strictly to safety protocols and government guidelines to curtail the spread of the infection.”

While enforcing all guidelines through the respective state agencies, he also vowed that the state would deploy effective messaging and public enlightenment campaigns education through its various platforms.  Abayomi, who revealed that Lagos has increased its daily testing capacity from August to December from 2,000 and 3,000 samples daily, said that the state’s goal from inception was to flatten the curve. He promised that the state would intensify its strategies of identifying, testing, isolating, and management of cases to reduce the rate of transmission.

“Living with the pandemic means that you should wear your face mask everywhere, follow physical distancing rules, avoid social gatherings, ensure regular hand washing or hand sanitising. If you feel unwell, get tested; if positive, self-isolate or present to any isolation centre or follow up clinics.”

On COVID-19 positivity of inbound travelers, Abayomi said imported infections are high among such travelers, a problem he attributed to the large number of Nigerians in the Diaspora returning to Lagos.  All inbound travelers to Lagos should self-isolate for seven days after arrival and submit themselves for testing at government-accredited private laboratories upon expiration of the self-isolation period, he said.

“According to the provisional quarantine protocol, all intending inbound passengers must test negative by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) done in the country of departure within 72 hours of boarding and are required to register via – http://nitp.ncdc.gov.ng and pay for a repeat (second) PCR test to be done upon arrival in Nigeria on day 7 at an accredited lab of their choice. Passengers must also before boarding fill in an online Health Declaration/Self-Reporting form located on the Nigeria International Travel Portal which must be submitted online or printed for presentation on arrival in Nigeria.

“On arrival in Nigeria, passengers must show evidence of payment with an appointment for a repeat PCR test in-country following which passengers will be cleared through the Nigeria Immigration Service. Passengers must then proceed on a 7-day self-isolation as per protocol and present at the designated accredited sample collection sites on the 7th day of arrival. Passengers who test negative after seven days will end self-isolation on the 8th day.”

Commendations galore for LASG

Moved by the quality health care being offered at the hospital, patients and their families were effusive in praises for the team of medical professionals who work under tremendous pressures and risks to deliver care in the facility and the state government in its handling of COVID-19 emergency so far. A patient, who spent a week in isolation 2 and was about to be discharged, said he will forever remain indebted to the state government for nurturing him back to full health.

He got infected when he attended a Christmas dinner party. Although everybody at the party put on a face mask, he said things changed when it was time for drinking and eating, as many people pulled off their masks as they bantered during the festivities. Trouble began three days later, which took him to IDH after home treatment failed.

“The experience has not been an unpleasant one. The nurses and the doctors have been generally helpful. They are trying always trying to cheer us up. Except that they go on errands and you don’t see them again for about thirty minutes for something you need to do immediately. If there are some people out there who still believe COVID-19 is not real in spite of everything in the news, I don’t know what to say to convince them.

“They need to come and see that this place (isolation ward) is full; as they discharge people, other people are taking over the vacant space immediately. I am sure if I leave later tonight, somebody else will take over my bed space.”

But a retired major, Peter Omoniyi, 77, was not infected through a breach of COVID-19 protocols. In fact, he still did not know how the virus penetrated and compromised his fragile body. Having imbibed the strict military discipline, he said he observed all necessary non-pharmaceutical guidelines religiously to the point that people almost started mocking him.

After recovering in isolation 2, the ex-soldier was so impressed by the quality of care, which he admitted is free, that he declared that “Lagos has shown it is the father of Yorubaland.” “As an instructor in the army, I followed all the COVID-19 rules. I fumigated my surroundings every time. I did everything possible not to get the virus. It is still a surprise that I have the virus – maybe because of my age.”

Despite constantly ramping up testing and treatment services at the flagship Infectious Diseases Hospital, Lagos may soon be deluged by critical-to-severe COVID-19 cases as a result of the rapid rate of infections, reports Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF

As the ambulance screeched to a stop in front of the sparkling clean ward, many apprehensive family members of patients outside the hospital did not even bother to look at its direction. After snaking its way out of the labyrinthine traffic snarls that seem to have defined commuting in the Centre of Excellence nowadays, the branded ambulance from one of Nigeria’s upscale private hospitals soon realised that it had to compete for space in the hospital’s busy parking lot already occupied by exotic vehicles and two other ambulances.

Before transferring its content, an almost lifeless body, into the arms of medical personnel, another ambulance drove in – also with a feverish occupant gasping for breath. The paramedics were both quickly prompted to drive further down in the sprawling premises of Lagos Mainland Hospital, the state’s premier infectious disease facility, nestling in the serene part of Yaba. By the time the two ambulances reached the outpatient section, which now serves as the hospital’s central admission point, the enormity of the public health crisis, which rising COVID-19 infections in the state have engendered, became clearer.

As the two ambulances jostled for space with four other ambulances and three Sport Utility Vehicles whose occupants were being stabilised with oxygen, they were promptly greeted with an unavoidable sight: many giant cylinders – both used and recently refilled – that littered the space. An open space near the central car park, the central admission point in the hospital is where all COVID-19 patients, including referrals, first report to as it is practically impossible for anybody to access care in the facility without having paid ‘homage’ to this section. Even though it does not look like the best part of the hospital, decisions made here by medical officials determine the next lines of action for all COVID-19 patients.

As relatives agonise endlessly, patients battle for their lives 

Throughout last week when this reported breezed in and out of the ever-busy COVID-19 hospital, the central admission point was not a spectacle to behold – certainly not a place the lily-livered would ever like to near. Besides regularly bringing in and offloading severely sick patients, some already gasping for air, ambulances and SUVs were sometimes converted into a temporary mobile clinic where dying patients were first placed on oxygen to stabilize before more intense diagnosis and care commenced. Some were attended to

In the three visits made by this reporter to the central admission section in the course of reporting this story, medical personnel were seen running frantically up and down to save patients who mostly arrived the open place in bad shapes. In the open space, while some healthcare givers were busy connecting face mask to an oxygen source, turning on oxygen at the required rate and adjusting flow rate for newly arrived patients right inside the ambulances that conveyed them to the isolation centre, some equally almost lifeless patients on wheelchairs and iron seats that abound also had oxygen masks either placed on their faces or applied on their noses or both – with medical personnel always adjusting elastic straps as the situation demanded.

Perhaps because the outpatient department, which now serves as the open central admission point in the ravaging virus era, is very close to the spacious car park in the hospital, it often daily evokes a scene that further helps to provide a lens to see Nigeria for what it is – a society that breathes almost solely at the mercy of the high and mighty. As many patients slowly ebb away, many powerful individuals in exotic vehicles parked around the open admission space could be seen working their phones to reach out to persons in high offices as they make frenetic efforts to save their own from the ravages of COVID-19, sometimes seen pestering supervisors of ever-busy health workers.

Last week, among many powerful men and women loudly barking orders and threatening brimstone and fire through telephone conversations, an agitated lady whose father, it was learnt, was also badly in need of help stood out in how not to behave in the public. As she was nervously called Reddington and St Nicholas hospitals on phone, she openly threatened to deflate the tyres of the ambulance and burn it down (though she did not mention the specific ambulance one among ambulances parked at the central admission point).

It all, however, ended as an empty threat because no ambulance was set ablaze throughout the day this reporter lurked around to monitor the atmospherics in the isolation centre. Later, she was as gentle as a dove after coming out of the emergency operations centre (EOC) where she had gone to have an audience with those in charge, perhaps finally trusting in the ability of caregivers to do their utmost to rescue her ailing dad from the claws of death.

Every day, relatives of patients that always abound loitering around in the various sections of the hospital’s premises are a good study in how not to handle moments of agony and despair. Like a man whose pregnant wife is embroiled in prolonged labour, many people waiting endlessly outside the wards have become emotional wrecks, looking hopeless but still somehow optimistic that their loved ones would win the battle against a vicious virus that has held the world by the jugulars.

At IDH, the beginning of what may turn out to be a journey of no return begins at an open space. Officials explained that the central admissions point was purposely designed to be an open, fresh air affair so that questions of people infecting one another may not arise. Here, officials, always without the luxury of time, have the urgent duty to determine who is truly sick and who is not among the deluge of patients thronging the facility daily. But that is not all. They are also under severe pressure to decide who should be tested for COVID-19 and who should not, which sometimes breeds controversies as everyone wants to be tested.

And after conclusive diagnosis is done, the next task involves determining who should be admitted and who should not. At IDH, there are two isolation units – isolation 1 and isolation 2. The first was the same old but refurbished infectious diseases section of IDH; while the second isolation centre is a brand new glittering facility built by the organised private sector, Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), to support the Nigerian government’s efforts in the fight against the deadly virus.

For those whose test results returned negative verdicts, isolation 1 is their automatic destination. The reason is that such individuals are often flagged as suspected, but not confirmed cases. But if a PCR test later proves a positivity case, such patients often graduate from isolation 1 to 2 immediately. And because female and male wards in isolation 1 are all single rooms, it bodes well for managing individual peculiarities often inherent in infectious diseases without endangering other patients.

The rooms in isolation 1, which were built years back specifically for tuberculosis and other infectious diseases management in the state, have undergone massive renovations to keep them attuned for handling the raging COVID-19 pandemic. The rooms, among other things, have been rewired and retiled so that medical oxygen can be piped directly to every bed.

Also, at the back of every ward at isolation 1 are newly built oxygen cubicles where scores of giant cylinders are housed – an innovation that has phased out the drudgery of having to constantly ferry huge oxygen cylinders around hospital floors and reduced chances of having the patients cut off from oxygen supply. It’s from the cubicles that pipes take oxygen directly to every patient on admission. What is more, the cubicles are equipped with sensors, which alert the hospital before the oxygen supply is exhausted so that replenishment can be quickly arranged and effected.

A donation of CACOVID, the 160-bed isolation 2 has a fully contained PCR laboratory, a routine laboratory, a female ward, a male ward, a bouquet of administrative and ancillary facilities, a water treatment plant, a waste management system and three power generators for case management. By the time inbuilt, it was the sixth isolation centre in Lagos specifically committed to COVID19.

As at the last time this reporter checked, isolation 1, which comprises a total of 94 beds, has a sixty per cent occupancy rate. For isolation 2, which can take up to 160 patients in its female and male wards, ninety-five per cent of the bed space has been occupied by COVID-19 patients. As a treatment protocol in the hospital, all persons who tested positive for COVID-19 and require close monitoring are to be moved to isolation 2 without any further delay so that appropriate therapy can commence. Like in normal hospital settings, admission or bed space is on an availability basis, but preference goes for most critical cases and elderly people.

Even as the conundrum posed by many people’s doubt about COVID-19 still subsists, Lagos is witnessing an increasing number of severe cases as infections spread like wildfire in the communities. Since Nigeria was plunged into the second wave of COVID-19 characterised by the resurgence of new variants of the virus, isolation centres in Lagos have been battling with an increasing number of patients.

Although many countries have since swung into action closing their borders against international travels, especially against countries regarded as high-risk, Nigeria has continued to operate a less punitive policy. All travellers need to get access into Nigeria is to produce evidence of a negative PCR test he or she has just undergone. This development, many public health experts said, has sadly opened a window of opportunity for nefarious individuals who illegally exploit the loopholes in the system to do brisk business at the expense of public health.

But, going by daily updates from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), the country is still witnessing rapidly rising rate of COVID-19 infection. As of January 23, Nigeria has recorded 120,602 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and 1,502 deaths. So far, Lagos, Nigeria’s epicentre of COVID-19 crisis, has a total of 44,580 cases, with 285 deaths.

Oxygen as the food of COVID-19

Near the main car park in the hospital stands a newly-built medium-sized oxygen plant that feeds the medical oxygen requirements of the increasing number of patients. It’s another product of collaboration and partnership between the state government, Clinton Health Access Initiative, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation designed to give armour to the hospital’s resolve to provide quality care for COVID-19 patients.

The technology, which became operational in the hospital about two weeks ago, works by directly drawing atmospheric air as feedstock and separating it from other components of air to produce oxygen. It then separates a mixture of different gases from which it extracts the much-needed 21 per cent of the oxygen in the atmospheric air and thrashes approximately 78 per cent of nitrogen and small amounts of lots of other gases such as carbon dioxide, neon and hydrogen. Amidst increasing demand for oxygen occasioned by the second wave of COVID-19 infections, the brand new oxygen plant provides swift support to patients who require oxygen therapy.

For every person that is hale and hearty, 21 per cent of oxygen that is readily available in the atmospheric air is enough to sustain life. But not for COVID-19 patients, especially the critical or severe cases that need oxygen therapy to breathe and stay alive because ordinary air will no longer be enough due to injury to or malfunctioning of the lungs. Doctors said such patients require ninety-nine per cent of medical oxygen, which the newly-built plant produces.

The commissioner explained that the operation of the plant, which produces about 300 cylinders per day and six cylinders per hour for use of patients admitted at the isolation facility, is making oxygen available for COVID-19 patients. Oxygen from the plant is administered to patients through cylinders made available at hospital wards. “We recognise the importance of generating oxygen because of the large number of patients who are currently on admission in our isolation centres and are, largely, depending on oxygen. This has resulted in an escalating and alarming demand for oxygen. The oxygen plant facility could not have come at a better time than now when the state is recording an increase in the number of people presenting with difficulty in breathing and requiring urgent oxygen therapy.”

Disclosing that about 400-500 cylinders of gas are being used a day in the isolation facility, Abayomi said a patient with a critical case may use about six cylinders of oxygen within 24 hours. This is so because COVID-19 is a disease of the lungs. Under normal circumstances, the facility will not need more than sixty cylinders per day, a doctor said.

He explained that oxygen plants are industrial devices designed for regular supply into healthcare facilities, adding that high purity oxygen is needed in hospitals and essential for patients undergoing COVID-19 treatments. “This is particularly useful for patients with comorbidities who require prompt oxygen for survival. Oxygen from the plant will be very helpful for effective treatment due to the proximity of the plant which serves as a source.”

He admitted that the plant has been quite helpful as the state grapples with a deluge of severe cases who often do not present to the hospital until it’s is almost too late to salvage them, with every patient requiring an average of 15 litres per minute to survive. Abayomi, who noted that medical oxygen is the primary treatment for the majority of patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms, explained that the bulk of patients the hospital manages often come in when the situation is already critical and more difficult to salvage, thus costing the state more resources.

Abayomi, however, stressed that the state remains committed to ensuring an improved healthcare system toward enhancing quality healthcare and saving the lives of its residents. “Many of these patients present late to the isolation centres, leading to fatalities. This life-saving gas helps patients breathe when they cannot do so on their own, and timely access to oxygen is critical to ensure the patient’s survival. If anyone is breathless, go to any of these centres, and the doctors and nurses there will assist to stabilise you with oxygen before moving you with the ambulance to the isolation centre.”

• To be continued

Globally, the use of different forms of technology in the election process has been on the rise as more countries use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve their election and democratic processes, writes EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA.

Political analysts believe that appropriate application of technology to electoral processes can reduce long-term costs, increase administrative efficiency, increase credibility, transparency and voters participation.

Electoral Management Body (EMB) around the world uses technologies ranging from basic office automation tools such as word processing and spreadsheets, to more sophisticated data processing tools, such as database management systems, optical scanning and geographic information systems with the aim of improving the electoral process.

For example, technology is used for voter registration to compile voter lists/register, to draw electoral boundaries, to manage and train staff, to print ballots, to conduct voter education campaigns, to record cast votes, to count and consolidate vote results and to publish election results.

In many countries technology is present in activities related to the electoral process, in some cases, it is essential to the conduct of elections, while some have gone a step ahead with its application to e-voting, which is the use of electronic technology in casting or counting votes.

Though Nigeria has yet to adopt e-voting, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has continued to demonstrate its commitment to application of technology in line with existing legal frameworks, to improve on the country’s electoral system.

In recent times, the commission introduced some technology innovations to ensure transparency in the electoral process, including the Permanent Voter cards (PVC), Smart Card Readers (SCR) and regular update of voters register.

Others include the introduction of a dedicated public election result viewing portal, known as “The INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal’’.

The portal which enables Nigerians to view polling unit results in real time on election day, can be accessed by login in to https://inecelectionresults.com.

The portal was introduced alongside Z-pad, a tablet with dual functions of uploading of scanned copies of election results at polling Units (PUs) to the portal, as well as a secondary authentication mechanism to support the smartcard readers on voters’ verification on election day.

The technology were first test-run at the Aug. 8, 2020 Nasarawa Central State Constituency by-election in Nasarawa State, subsequently deployed for  Edo and Ondo governorship elections held on Sept. 19, 2020 and Oct 10, 2020 respectively as well as for 15 by-elections held in seven states.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, announcing the introduction of the portal, said that the commission was aware that result management had remained a major source of mistrust in Nigeria’s electoral process.

“It is a fundamental principle of democracy that in elections, votes are not only correctly counted, but that they also count,’’ Okoye said.

He recalled that in consistent with INEC commitment to transparency in election management, the commission introduced the Form EC60E, which is a poster version of the primary result sheet, the Form EC8A that enables citizens take photographs election results.

“This replica of the polling unit result is pasted at the PU after votes are counted, recorded and announced. This poster, now widely known as the People’s Form EC8, has increased transparency in result management.

Okoye, however, stressed that the result view portal did not constitute electronic collation of results, adding that the collation of election results shall remain as provided for by law, a manual process.

Interestingly, various stakeholders including voters, political parties, civil society organisations, election observers and the international community, commend INEC’s performance in the Edo, Ondo State and the recent by-elections, describing them as  credible and improved elections.

While some see the result viewing portal as a “magic wine’’ in the Nigeria electoral process, others describe it as a key innovation boosting citizens confidence in the electoral process.

According to the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room), the election appeared to have been a marked improvement on recent previous governorship elections.

The Young Progressives Party (YPP) National Publicity Secretary, Mr Egbeola Martins, also described the innovations by INEC in the electoral process, especially the result viewing portal, as welcome development.

Martins admonished INEC to collaborate with the National Assembly to give legal backing to the innovation that has further enhanced the electoral process by making it more transparent.

To further strengthen election management process and enhance transparency of the system as well cope with the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic, INEC on Aug. 6, 2020, released a policy document titled “Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic’’.

The policy led to the creation of e-platforms for certain INEC activities, including accreditation of observer groups and deployment of their field observers.

Online submission of nomination forms for election candidates, submission of polling units’ agents list by political parties, tracking and reporting of campaigns and campaign finance by/for candidates and political parties.

Others include online accreditation of media for election coverage, and the use of online for the registration of members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as ad hoc staff for election.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, making public presentation of the policy document, said that INEC recognised the critical role that ICT play in an electoral process.

He said that electoral process was being vastly reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the growing demands by Nigerians for the deepening of the use of technology in elections.

For instance, the commission on June 1, 2020, announced a dedicated portal designed by the commission through which political parties that contested Edo governorship submitted their nomination forms of their candidates.

The new procedure does not only make submission of political parties’ nominations seamless, it also helped to reduce unnecessary changes in the dates for the conduct of party  primaries for the election, as the portal automatically shut down on the scheduled dates and at fixed hour.

As part of efforts for the future, in September 2020, INEC also received demonstration of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) from more than 40 original manufacturing companies on how their IT solutions met the commission’s specifications.

The commission had in May 2020 announced to pilot the use of electronic voting machines at the earliest time possible towards full introduction of electronic voting in major elections in 2021.

Yakubu, speaking at the opening of the demonstration on Sept. 28, 2020, described the demonstration as another decisive step towards the full automation of the electoral process and INEC’s continuous effort to deepen electoral integrity in Nigeria through the deployment of technology.

He said that over the years, INEC had been automating the critical pillars of the process, including the continuous update of the country’s biometric register of voters.

Yakubu said that at the moment, the INEC register of voters was the largest data base of citizens in Nigeria.

“In addition, the combination of biometric voters’ cards commonly known as the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and the Smart Card Reader (SCR) have revolutionised the accreditation of voters during elections.

“Recently, the introduction of a number of portals has facilitated the seamless nomination of candidates for elective offices by political parties as well as the accreditation of observers and the media.

“The commission now uploads polling unit level results in real-time on election day to a portal for public view. These are significant innovations that have deepened the transparency and credibility of elections and the electoral process in Nigeria,’’ he said.

Yakubu, however, emphasised that the occasion was only a demonstration that would enable the INEC to evaluate the available technology; and where necessary, fine tune its specifications before proceeding to the next stage.

He said that the early passage of the Electoral Act amendment bill, resumption of Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) across the country in the first quarter of 2021 and clean-up of the register of voters would be given priority.

“In doing so, we hope to introduce a new technology for voters enrolment in 2021, drawing from the lessons we learnt in the last exercise in 2017 and 2018.

Yakubu, therefore, urged stakeholders in the electoral process to join the commission in deepening the use of technology and instituting a regime of transparency in electoral process.

He said that the commission was fully aware that the old ways of doing things must gradually give way to the new by deepening the use of technology in the electoral process.

While Nigerians await amendment of the Electoral Act, other legal frameworks and the full automation of the electoral process, it is their hope that INEC will continue to introduce more technology to enhance transparency, credibility, seamless and participatory electoral process ahead of 2023 general elections and beyond.

• Oloniruha is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Our Reporter

The presidential inauguration ceremony Wednesday didn’t look like anything we’ve seen before.

The unparalleled nature of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration encapsulates much of what alarms America’s international friends about the turmoil engulfing the United States and the West. It’s also a neat summary of what’s emboldening America’s adversaries.

Four years ago, a sea of spectators lined the streets and hundreds of foreign diplomats attended a pre-inauguration dinner hosted by Donald Trump.

On Wednesday — prompted by the still-raging coronavirus pandemic, and the security fears after the Capitol riot — much of that looks set to be absent in a relatively quiet Washington, billeted by thousands of National Guard troops.

Security was incredibly tight, given the attack on the US Capitol last week. There were no massive crowds, and coronavirus restrictions were in place for all those who attended.

Moments before the inauguration ceremony began, honoured guests began arriving for the ceremony.

Former President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton attended the ceremony, as did former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.

Shortly thereafter, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were introduced to the crowd at the Capitol.

Only two living presidents did not attend Biden’s inauguration: Jimmy Carter, the 96-year-old who served in office from 1977 to 1981, missed his first inauguration in 44 years, a precaution because of the coronavirus pandemic.

President Donald Trump, who left Washington on Wednesday morning and became the first American president in 152 years to skip his successor’s inauguration.

Shortly afterward, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and President-elect Joe Biden were introduced at the Capitol.

After the dignitaries were seated and introduced, Grammy Award-winning musician Lady Gaga performed a moving rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. others stars also performed at the ceremony.

Kamala Harris, the former Senator from California, was the first to be sworn in ? a historic undertaking in American history, as she becomes the country’s first female vice president and the country’s first person of colour to hold that office.

Then, Joe Bidenn who spent 36 years in the United States Senate and eight years serving as vice president for Barack Obama, was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.

Immediately after being sworn in, President Biden delivered his inaugural address, promising to be a president for all Americans and vowing to work to restore unity in America.

Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State is one of the places most hit by banditry in the State. These incessant attacks have left thousands of people displaced and made many others flee from their villages. As the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the country, JUSTINA ASISHANA visited the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Kuta and Gwada, to see how the IDPs are coping with the challenges caused by the pandemic

Sleeping in a room with 20 people is not something that Zakari Umar ever thought he would have to experience. Umar owned a house in Mazuku village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State where he lived with his wife and children before he escaped one of the never-ending bandit attacks.

Shiroro, which has a population of 235,404 based on the 2006 census, has become the epicentre of conflicts in Niger State related to banditry, kidnapping and pastoralists attacks. Recent attacks have led to increased population displacement.

Niger State currently has five IDP camps located in Shiroro, Rafi, Munya and Wushishi LGAs with over 16,000 IDPs as of February 2020. This is in addition to many others who are in host communities. There are another 10,000 people earlier displaced from their homes between November and December last year, across the three local government areas.

Umar shares the room in Kuta camp with 19 other men. This is because men and women are allocated separate sleeping quarters. He counts himself lucky that there are only 20 in a standard-sized room, which is equivalent to a regular classroom.

“Sometimes the women are more than 25 in a room and they share this space with their children since you cannot separate the children from their mothers,” he says.

Gwada, Kuta and Zumba are three communities in Shiroro with government recognised IDP camps. However, there are countless informal IDP camps spread across the local government area which are not recognized by the government.

The conflict in Shiroro, as in other parts of Nigeria’s North West, is due to persistent herder-farmer tensions, rising crime and infiltration by Islamist militants. Over 8,000 people have been killed since the violence started in 2011, and more than 300,000 people have been displaced.

Youth and community leaders had told newsmen during a press briefing in August 2020 that over 80 communities in about eight wards in the LGA have been affected by the conflict. Many of these communities were said to have experienced repeated attacks by these bandits.

The most affected wards include Alawa, Bassa/Kukoki, Gurmana, Manta, Galadima Kogo, Kwaki/Chukuba, Kurebe/Kushaka and Erena.

According to a consortium of three NGOs which include the Norwegian Refugee Council, Save the Children and Mercy Crops under the auspices of  ACAPS, the activities of bandits in Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, Zamfara and Katsina states have displaced over 160,000 internally since the beginning of 2020.

The Nigeria Security Tracker tracks violence that is both causal and symptomatic of Nigeria’s political instability and citizen alienation. As at 27th December 2020, the Nigeria Security Tracker showed that Niger state has 654 reported deaths caused by violence perpetrated by bandits since May 2011. The data are based on weekly surveys of Nigerian and international media.

Water, sanitation and hygiene issues in the camps

At the Kuta and Gwada camps, there are few sanitation facilities. In Kuta camp, available facilities are pit latrines which were filled. The camp residents have no option but to practise open defecation.

“It is not our wish to do this, but all our toilets are filled up and we find it difficult to use them. We have no alternative but to go to the bush at night,” explained Hauwa Zakari, one of the women in Kuta IDP camp.

She explained that she and other women try their best to clean the usable toilets and their surroundings but they cannot do much now that they are filled up. Kuta camp which is home to over 200 displaced people, has only four toilets and four bathrooms for them to use.

A camp official who spoke anonymously because he did not have authority to speak to the media, expressed surprise that the toilets were filled up saying that he was never informed and added that he would inform the official to let them do something about it.

Taking a tour around the Kuta Camp, the Reporter noticed defecation around the camp which is an evidence of open defecation, also the refuse was at the back of one of the blocks of classrooms which made the occupants of the rooms facing the refuse to be susceptible to airborne diseases.

Relatedly, the IDP camp in Gwada was neater than that in Kuta especially in the area of hygiene as they have 10 toilets erected by the school and additional eight built for them by an NGO alongside bathrooms which one of the leaders of the camp said was more than enough for them. There was no dirt around the camp, their refuse was placed outside the camp and no sight of fresh or dried defecation around the camp. The only thing that made the camp look a bit disorganised were the desks and chairs which were packed in the compound.

“We have adequate toilets and bathrooms available and we ensure that the people abide by the rules of using it. We defecate in the toilet because we are against open defecation,” Pada said.

Both camps have a water supply as the Kuta camp has both a well and borehole while the Gwada camp has two boreholes. This may not be sufficient for a large number of people but the IDPs claim it is sufficient to meet their needs.

There were, however, no handwashing stations around the two camps to encourage frequent washing of hands as encouraged as one of the COVID-19 preventive measures.

Adherence to COVID-19 Protocols

Some of the simple precautions, such as physical distancing, wearing a facemask, keeping rooms well ventilated and avoiding crowds seem to be far from what the IDPs can achieve.

In both camps in Kuta and Gwada local government area of Niger state, the IDPs sleep and live in the classrooms with not less than 10 adults in a room which also has the children of the adults. The reporter observed that the COVID-19 protocols were not being adhered to despite claims by Pada, Ramatu and other IDPs that they observed the protocols.

In Kuta IDP camp, Hauwa Zakari disclosed that her room has 25 people including women and their children.

Ramatu Abdullahi claimed that they sleep one meter apart at night and even at that, they try not to be too close together saying, “We observe COVID-19 protocols. We are aware of it and we observe it. We also observe physical and social distance even in our room and everywhere we gather. When we pray, we also distance ourselves.”

Hauwa said that the government provided them with disposable face masks at the advert of the COVID-19 but they no longer use it because the face masks are no longer usable as it was meant to be worn only once.

For the children who were being taught by a volunteer from the community who took it upon himself to take the children on some lessons in order not to allow them to be idle, there was no physical distancing in the sitting arrangements as directed by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC). Some were seated four per desk as against two.

Lado Pada, one of the camp leaders in Gwada Camp, said that the government had sensitised them about the COVID-19 protocols and also given them face masks and instructional materials.

He, however, said it was difficult to maintain physical distance in the rooms with between 16 to 35 adults.  He added that “At night, we have to close the windows because of mosquitoes, so no cross ventilation. Our spacing when we sleep is not up to one meter apart.”

Nobody in either camp wore face masks when the reporter visited.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are certain places where COVID-19 can spread more easily and they include crowded places with many people nearby, close-contact settings and confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation which is an indication of the classrooms in the IDP camps where the displaced persons sleep.

WHO explains that the risk of getting COVID-19 is higher in places where these factors overlap.

IDPs and Pupils Struggle for Space in Gwada Camp

In Gwada camp, the reporter noticed three sets of children – displaced and regular pupils – being taught under trees. Some of them were sitting on chairs while others were standing due to a lack of seats.

The IDPs during the school period refrain from bathing, cooking or cleaning the environment in order not to disrupt or distract the children from their learning.

Some of them who spoke to The Nation said that they had to endure this because the government did not make adequate arrangements for the pupils to be in another school, neither were they relocated to another location to camp.

“We are not happy that we are displacing children from their classes, but the government is yet to make an alternative arrangement for us. The children had to resume school and since we have occupied the classes, they have no choice but to move their chairs outside to continue learning,” Pada said.

Pada who said 425 persons are living in the camp, including children occupying the 24 classrooms, suggested that the government relocate them to create a conducive atmosphere for the pupils to learn.

Anna Musa complained that “we have to rush to take our bath and cook before the children resume. We cannot be tying a towel or wrapper when the children are here and say that we are going to take our bath. It does not look good. We feel disturbed seeing these children who should be enjoying inside the classes sitting in  the sun to take their lessons.”

Some of the pupils said they did not mind staying outside to learn if it meant giving the IDPs a place to stay.

“My mother told me what happened to them in their villages. It is not good. They are not happy. I am not getting what I used to,  because we stay under the tree and the sun disturbs us sometimes. But if it is to help them, no problem,” 10-year-old Hassan Mohammed who is in Primary four, said.

However, the case was different at the Dr Idris Ibrahim Primary School camp in Kuta, where some classroom blocks are occupied by the IDPs. The students have been moved to other blocks of classrooms leaving the classrooms for the IDP to live in.

Address the insecurity to enable us return home, IDPs urges govt

The IDPs are eager to return home. They call on the State government to address the insecurity bedevilling their communities to enable them to return home and continue their lives.

The IDPs said they have to work to cater for themselves as government interventions are insufficient. And due to this and reduced donations from individuals because of the COVID-19, the men have to go out daily to look for menial work to provide for their families.

The women also go to look for or help in the market, by carrying loads for people in the market or help attract customers to traders, to earn income to help meet their family needs. They are sometimes paid with foodstuffs which they cook to feed their families.

Hauwa Zakari in Kuta camp appeals to the State government to make the necessary arrangement to enable them return home, “These bandits have burnt our houses. Our crops are getting rotten and we cannot harvest them. Please let the government solve these security problems. We are not happy here. Imagine living and sleeping this way for almost a year.”

Pada of Gwada camp said if the government cannot return them to their villages, they should be relocated to a new settlement so that the children can continue their schooling uninterrupted. “This is a place of learning and not a place of living. This condition we find ourselves is not palatable.”

Shiroro residents blame continuous stay of IDPs in camps as failure of government

Residents of Kuta and Gwada communities said that the continuous stay of the IDPs in the camps has further revealed the government’s failure.

Sani Abubakar Kokki, the Co-Convener Concerned Shiroro Youths, said the government ought to have provided security to the citizenry, adding that, the situation where there are so many IDPs in the state reveals a gross negation and abdication of the government of its activities.

He said the lack of basic amenities in the camps makes the living condition of the IDPs pitiable. He said: “The camps are not ordinarily habitable for human beings; these people should not be living in these classrooms for this long.”

He stated that the situation in Gwada camp is sad because sharing classes with school children will negatively affect learning because the environment is no longer conducive for effective teaching and learning.

Kokki, who has been to the camp several times with his group to take note of the conditions of the IDPs, noted that there is gross non-adherence to the COVID-19 protocols, “due to the non-adherence to COVID-19 protocols as directed by relevant agencies, there is every possibility that the IDPs are vulnerable to the killer disease especially with this second wave that is gradually gaining momentum.”

Government’s response

Efforts made to get the response of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) regarding the situation of the IDPs in the camp were not possible as the Director-General of NSEMA, Alhaji Ibrahim Inga, was not available to answer the questions.

However, the Chairman of the Niger state Taskforce on COVID-19, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, explained that regarding prevention of COVID-19 in the IDP camps, the state Ministry of Health will take samples from the residents of the camps for testing to ensure that none will pose the danger of transferring the virus to others in the camp.

“The Ministry of Health is ready to take samples of the IDPs. for this period, we want to focus on the vulnerable people in vulnerable areas where these IDPs fall and subject them to testing so that we will be able to isolate those who are infected.”

Matane, who is also the Secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG), said the isolation centres are ready to take up all cases for as many that needs to be isolated and the government would do its best to ensure that COVID-19 is not spread in these IDP camps.

We are trying our best, says Shiroro local govt chairman

The Chairman of Shiroro Local Government Area, Suleiman Dauda Chukuba, who responded to questions by The Nation regarding the state of the camps in his area, explained that the local government is doing its best to provide a place for the displaced people to stay where they would be protected from the attacks of the bandits.

Chukuba, who lamented that the attacks by the armed bandits are increasing in the council, said that very soon, the camps will be overcrowded as the number of IDPs would increase as the attacks increase.

“It is like the armed bandits are increasing and as they are increasing, more people will be displaced and the camps would be overwhelmed. This is not something that we are prepared for. We have a lot of IDPs, some we don’t even know.

“In a day, sometimes we have up to 10 to 20 attacks and the council will be confused especially with the large number of people who troop into the LG headquarters. Our responsibility is that no matter how inconvenient the camps would be, let the displaced persons just have a place for them to stay. With time, we will see what we can do.

“But we are doing our best despite all odds. In Kuta, the pupils are in the uprising while the IDPs are staying in another building. In Gwada we wanted to do it that way, we want the IDPs to move to the Junior Secondary School while the JSS will shift to the primary school but the accommodation of the school classes were few that couldn’t accommodate the IDPs. We don’t expect them to be sleeping outside, that is why we put them there. We are doing our best.”

He, however, refused to speak about the non-adherence and non-compliance of COVID-19 safety protocols in the camps.

• This report was supported by the Africa Women Journalism Project (AWJP) in partnership with the International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ).

Our Reporter

WORLD leaders reacted to Biden’s inauguration by offering congratulations, jockeying for position at the forefront of his foreign policy agenda, and in some cases pleading for the reversal of his predecessor’s policies.

Among most messages was a palpable sense of relief, as the international community embraced Biden’s pledge to re-enter a series of global pacts and organisations that President Donald Trump cut loose

Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari said the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States of America (USA), and his deputy, Kamala Harris, would be a strong point of cooperation between Nigeria and their country.

In his congratulatory message to the new American Presidency, President Buhari expressed the hope that their coming would bring an era of great positivity between the two countries and indeed with the entire African continent.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President congratulated the leaders, and entire country on the successful transition, which marks an important historical inflection point for democracy as a system of government and for the global community as a whole.

“We look forward to the Biden presidency with great hope and optimism for strengthening of existing cordial relationships, working together to tackle global terrorism, climate change, poverty and improvement of economic ties and expansion of trade.

“We hope that this will be an era of great positivity between our two nations, as we jointly address issues of mutual interest,” the President added.

President Buhari and all Nigerians rejoice with President Joe Biden, sharing the proud feeling that the first woman elected Vice President of the United States has an African and Asian ancestry.

 European Union

“Once again, after four long years, Europe has a friend in the White House,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, leaving no uncertainty about her verdict on Trump’s relationship with the bloc.

“This new dawn in America is the moment we’ve been waiting for so long. Europe is ready for a new start with our oldest and most trusted partner,” she said in the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.

Trump has trashed America&#39’s most important alliance. The rift with Europe could take decades to repair

Trump has trashed America’s most important alliance. The rift with Europe could take decades to repair

Von der Leyen said Biden’s inauguration would “be a message of healing for a deeply divided nation and it will be a message of hope for a world that is waiting for the US to be back in the circle of like-minded states.”

Biden has signalled a warmer partnership with Europe than Trump, who frequently criticised the EU on trade during his administration. His attacks on some European leaders led to frosty scenes at a number of summits.

“From our perspective, Trump saw Europe as an enemy,” a senior European diplomat told CNN last week. “The lasting impact of ‘America First’ is the US having fewer friends in Europe.”

China

Hours before the inauguration, Beijing expressed hope that Biden would “look at China rationally and objectively” to repair “serious damage” in bilateral ties caused by the Trump presidency.

“In the past four years, the US administration has made fundamental mistakes in its strategic perception of China … interfering in China’s internal affairs, suppressing and smearing China, and causing serious damage to China-US relations,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a press briefing Wednesday.

The Biden administration should, Hua said, “look at China rationally and objectively, meet China halfway and, in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, push China-US relations back to the right track of healthy and stable development as soon as possible.”

One of the main planks of Trump’s foreign policy platform has been his trade war with China. The Trump administration’s 11th-hour declaration that China is committing genocide against Uyghur Muslims will heighten tensions with Beijing, though Biden’s nominee for Secretary of State said Tuesday that he agreed with the designation.

“If the new US administration can adopt a more rational and responsible attitude in formulating its foreign policy, I think it will be warmly welcomed by everyone in the international community,” she added.

Iran

Iran’s President, Hassan Rouhani, called on Biden to return to the 2015 nuclear deal and lift US sanctions on Iran, overturning a key part of Trump’s foreign policy program.

“The ball is in the US’ court now. If Washington returns to Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal, we will also fully respect our commitments under the pact,” Rouhani said in a televised cabinet meeting.

He also launched a scathing attack on the ex-President. A “tyrant’s era came to an end and today is the final day of his ominous reign,” Rouhani said of Trump’s departure. “Someone for whom all of his four years bore no fruit other than injustice and corruption and causing problems for his own people and the world.”

Biden has said he plans to return to the nuclear deal with Iran, which was signed when he was Barack Obama’s Vice President. Biden’s national security aides have suggested they would like further negotiations on Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, though Rouhani has said the missile program is non-negotiable.

Germany

The German President said he was relieved that Biden would be sworn in Wednesday, calling it “a good day for democracy.”

“In the United States, (democracy) held up against a lot of pressure,” Frank Walter Steinmeier said in a statement.

“Despite internal hostility, America’s institutions have proven strong — election workers, governors, judiciary, and Congress,” he said. “I am relieved that Joe Biden is sworn in as President today and coming into the White House. I know that this feeling is shared by many people in Germany.”

Steinmeier also warned against the populist brand of politics that Trump embraced. “Despite all the joy we have about today, we must not forget that populism has seduced even the most powerful democracy in the world,” he said. “We must resolutely oppose polarization, protect and strengthen the public space of our democracies, and shape politics on the basis of reason and facts.”

United Kingdom

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was looking forward to a close relationship with Biden’s administration.

“In our fight against Covid and across climate change, defence, security and in promoting and defending democracy, our goals are the same and our nations will work hand in hand to achieve them,” Johnson said in a statement Tuesday.

Boris Johnson will hope to secure a post-Brexit trade deal with Biden’s administration.

Johnson warmly welcomed Trump on his visits to the UK, with Trump once claiming that the Prime Minister was nicknamed “Britain Trump.” But the outgoing US leader was unpopular among Britons, and Johnson will be keen to secure a post-Brexit trade deal with Biden.

The new President could end up making two trips to the UK in 2021, with Johnson saying he looks forward to welcoming him to the G7 summit and to the hotly anticipated 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. “Only through international cooperation can we truly overcome the shared challenges which we face,” Johnson said on Tuesday.

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, was more blunt in her remarks in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday. Sturgeon wished Biden and Kamala Harris well, adding: “I’m sure many of us across the chamber and across Scotland will be very happy to say cheerio to Donald Trump today.”

“I think ‘don’t haste ye back’ might be the perfect rejoinder to him,” she added.

Mexico

Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, wished Biden well ahead of his inauguration on Wednesday.

During his daily briefing, López Obrador outlined three themes as key areas of the bilateral relationship with the US. “Those three themes are very important: pandemic, economic recovery and migration,” he said.

López Obrador also said Biden should take steps to settle the immigration status of Mexicans working in the U.S.

Our Reporter

DONALD Trump vowed ‘we will be back – in some form’ as he left Washington D.C. for the last time yesterday, flying off on Air Force One to Mar-a-Lago to snub Joe Biden – then claiming credit in advance for the new administration’s success.

“Have a good life,” he told a crowd of a few hundred supporters at Joint Base Andrews, after listing his ‘achievements’ in a speech which began after a 21-gun salute.

In the front row, Ivanka Trump cried, while behind the maskless crowd chanted ‘thank you Trump,’ before the first family climbed the stairs to Air Force One for the final time.

The military ceremony had the atmosphere of a Trump rally: Gloria was played as Air Force One taxied, and then the YMCA as Trump hugged and kissed his children and finally My Way as the plan rose into the air.

“We love you. We will be back in some form,” he told the crowd of cheering supporters before signing off: ‘Have a good life, we will see you soon.’

The farewell resembled one of Trump’s infamous campaign rallies, ending with ‘YMCA’ – the song Trump would depart to – as supporters cheered ‘USA, USA, USA.’

“My Way”, which Trump and Melania danced to at his 2017 inaugural ball, played as Air Force One took off.

While he did not show tears, he appeared to feel the weight of the occasion while taking time to enjoy the final moments of his time in office. He notably did not mention the name of incoming President Joe Biden.

‘Hail to Chief’ played as Trump and Melania – who was wearing a Chanel jacket, sunglasses and carrying a $60,000 black crocodile Hermes Birkin bag – walked from Marine One to the platform where the president addressed the crowd.

“We love you,” the supporters yelled as Trump took the stage after arriving while his children watched proudly.

“We accomplished a lot,’ Trump said. ‘We worked hard. We left it all – as the athletes would say – we left it in the field.”

He left behind a last-minute flurry of pardons, including to Steve Bannon, the indicted one-time White House Svengali, Trump-backing rapper Lil’ Wayne and a convicted stalker friend of his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Also left on the field was a shattered Republican Party, whose top ranks are torn apart by his second impeachment. In the dying days of his presidency, Trump floated starting his own ‘Patriot Party’ from his Mar-a-Lago home.

He told his supporters, who he hopes to harness as a power force in future elections, that he will be there for them.

“I will always fight for you. I will be watching, I will be listening and I will tell you the future of the country has never been better. I wish the new administration great luck and great success. hey have the foundation to do something really spectacular and in a position like it has never been,” he said.

He has reportedly discussed forming another party, known as the Patriot Party, to continue his political career.

Melania Trump, wearing black, briefly addressed the crowd. She wore a Chanel, military-style jacket and had her hair pinned up for her final appearance as first lady.

“Being first lady was my greatest honour. Thank you for your support. You will be my thoughts and prayers, god bless you all, god bless the family and god bless this beautiful nation,” she said.

In free-styling remarks, Trump did not use a teleprompter, he listed some of his accomplishments.

“Our people are happy, military is thrilled. We got tax cuts, the largest tax cut and reform in the history of the country by far. Hope they don’t raise your taxes. If they do I told you so,” he said.

He mentioned the number of votes he received in the election but, notably, did not say he was the winner – an argument he made repeatedly after Joe Biden’s win was certified.

“A lot of obstacles, we went to the obstacles and you get 75 million votes in the history of sitting presidents. It is an all-time record by a lot by many millions, really just an honour,’ he said.

And he paid a short tribute to those who died from the coronavirus, which dominated his last year in office. More than 400,000 Americans died from the disease.

“We have to do is pay our respects and our love to the incredible people and families who suffered so gravely from the China virus. It is a horrible thing, we all know where it came from but it is a horrible thing so be very careful, be very careful. We want to pay great love, great love to all the people that have suffered including families who have suffered so greatly,” he said.

After the ceremony, Trump hugged his children and grandchildren, who stood the side of stage. He waved to the crowd, walking through an honour guard hand in hand with Melania, taking it all in.

The first couple climbed the stairs of Air Force One and waved goodbye. The Trump children followed them up the stairs.

It’s unclear what’s next for the ex-president, who timed his departure so he could land in Florida while the plane carried the call sign ‘Air Force One’ – which can only be used when the current president is on board.