11082020 - Insecurity: Defend yourselves, Catholic bishops tell Nigerians

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020
:Vanguard
News
COVID-19: No death in
our isolation centres
—Oyo Task Force
• We’ve touched over 200,000
households in Ondo, says Akeredolu
By Dayo Johnson &
Ola Ajayi
IBADAN—OYO State Task
Force on COVID-19 said
yesterday that Isolation Centres
run by the state had not recorded
any fatality since the outbreak
of the pandemic in the state.
This feat, according to the
Chief Press Secretary to
Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr.
Taiwo Adisa, was due to the
holistic approach adopted by
medical personnel managing
the COVID-19 situation.
Adisa, who doubles as one of
the Risk Communication
Coordinators of the Oyo State
COVID-19 Task Force, clarified
that though 31 deaths have
been recorded in the state since
the index case of the virus was
discovered in March, none of
the fatalities took place in the
isolation centres set up by the
state government.
The statement also quoted the
State’s Incident Manager and
coordinator of the Emergency
Operations Centre, EOC, Dr.
Taiwo Ladipo, and the
Coordinator, Oyo State
Isolation Centres, Professor
Temitope Alonge, as confirming
the development.
The isolation centres in the
state include those at the
Infectious Disease Centre,
Olodo, Ibadan; Chest Hospital,
Agbami, Ibadan; Igbo-Ora in
Ibarapa; Saki, in Oke-Ogun;
Aawe, near Oyo; and the
LAUTECH Teaching Hospital,
Ogbomoso.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that
Oyo State has not recorded any
fatality in any of its isolation
centres since the outbreak of
COVID-19 in the state. That’s
a fact and it is a landmark
achievement,” Dr. Ladipo said.
He also stated that the state
has tested 14,356 samples,
recording 2,860 positive cases,
1,420 recovered cases and 31
deaths.
Alonge, who confirmed the
development said: There is
always the God factor. God has
been good to us. Then our
treatments commence urgently
and we pay attention to every
complaint of the patients. Our
health care workers have been
prudent and meticulous,
because, most times, when these
patients come in and claim
they have no symptoms, we
take time to check them and
ask detailed questions.
“So, we found out that in
clerking them, many of them
that claim they do not have
symptoms have. So, we address
those symptoms and we have
added all manners of care to
address their symptoms.
“The symptoms they think
they don’t have or they think
can be ignored, when they
present them to us, we pay
attention and deal with them.
Of course, if we deal with that
along with Coronavirus, we
capture virtually all their
complaints.”
We’ve touched over
200,000 households
in Ondo, says
—Akeredolu
Meanwhile, Governor
Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State,
yesterday, disclosed that over 200,000
households have benefitted from
palliative distributed since the outbreak
of the COVID-19 in the state.
He said this at the flag-off ceremony
of CA-COVID 19 Palliative items
distribution in Akure.
Akeredolu said: “To us, it can be
likened to a state of warfare. We are
fighting an invisible enemy.
“Many are carrying the bullet
wound without knowing and
many are already sent to early
graves and many more might
still go unless we brace up and
do what is right as individuals
and communities.
“We started by setting up a palliative
committee to gather and distribute food
items to the people through the Local
Government Distribution
Committees.
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
Insurgency: Fake news hampering
military operations —Oyetola
By Shina Abubakar &
Deola Badru
IPPIS: ASUU to present alternative to FG
By Ola Ajayi
I BADAN—AS
controversy rages
between the Federal
Government and the
Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, over
the controversial Integrated
Payroll and Personnel
Information System, IPPIS,
ASUU said, yesterday, that
it is ready to present an
PRESENTATION—From left: Oluwakoyejo Oluwatosin, CEO, Chronicles Software; Mrs. Alabi
(recipient's Mother); Tosin Alabi, Winner; Alabi (recipient's father), during SuccessBOX Mega
Excellence Award presentation, at Elizade Plaza, Anthony, Lagos.
O
S
O G B O —
GOVERNOR
Adegboyega Oyetola of
Osun State, yesterday,
lamented that the fake news
syndrome is fuelling
insecurity and hampering
military efforts to end
insurgency in the country.
This is as the Chief of
Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur
Buratai said the Army is
ever ready to end the raging
security challenges, adding
that it would leave no stone
unturned in curbing
criminal activities and
ensuring general security in
Nigeria.
The Governor spoke at the
10th edition of the Social
Media Seminar organised
by the Department of Civil-
alternative system that
would achieve a better
result.
President of the union,
Professor Biodun
Ogunyemi, stated this in a
letter addressed to Zonal
coordinators, chairpersons
and members of the union
in Ibadan by Chairman
ASUU, University of
Ibadan, Professor Ayo
Akinwole.
He said the union would
make an initial
presentation of its
University Transparency
and Accountability
Solution, UTAS, to the
Federal Government.
The union president
described IPPIS as “a
business venture of some
interest groups” in Nigeria
adding that “their profit
margin increases by the
increasing number of
University staff they can
capture” and admonished
members of the Union not
to waver in their resolve to
reject the IPPIS.
Professor Ogunyemi
said: “As expected, the
vested interests are
Military Affairs in
conjunction with the
Security Affairs Limited for
social media influencers,
bloggers, online journalists
and members of the Civil
Society Organisations, at
Aenon Suites and Hotels
International, GRA,
Osogbo, Osun.
While advocating for a
collective effort in the battle
against the raging
insecurity in the country,
Oyetola disclosed the need
for collaborative effort and
patriotism from both the
military and the civilians to
win the war against
insurgency.
The governor said: “This
is the right time for this
seminar. The fake news
syndrome is menacingly
fuelling the raging
insecurity and hampering
uncomfortable with the
emergence of the
university transparency
(UTAS) because of its
potential for exposing the
IPPIS fraud.
“The impression earlier
created was that no further
payment of salaries could
be made without data
capture.
“However, the IPPIS
office has forcefully
transferred all academic
staff in federal universities to the
platform and what is being done
now is to formalise the process.
“Deliberate withholding and
distortion of salary paid by the
office of the Accountant-General
of the Federation, OAGF, are
ploys to hoodwink and arm-twist
ASUU members to swallow their
vomit on IPPIS.
“At this stage, it is unedifying
to see ASUU members filling to
the Bursar’s Office of OAGF for
IPPIS data capture. Apart from
betraying the Union, many of
those who attempted to go solo,
have also been ridiculed beyond
description. Even non-members
respect the ASUU for its informed
and principled position on
IPPIS.”
the modest efforts of the
military to stem the tide of
insecurity in the country.
“Communication is
central to military and
security operations. It can
make or mar security
strategies and operations
and consequently secure
the nation or expose it to
jeopardy.
“It is, therefore, gratifying
that the Nigerian Army has
organised this seminar to
provide an avenue for it to
enlighten the civil populace
about its activities and to
collaborate with social
media practitioners to seek
their cooperation and to
curb the fake news
syndrome that is cancerous
to military operations.”
In his remarks, the Chief
of Army Staff, Lt. Gen.
Buratai said the seminar
was one of the fora the Army
uses to disseminate prompt
information to curb the
menace of fake news
syndrome.
Buratai, who was
represented by the Chief of
Policy and Plans, Nigerian
Army Headquarters, Lt.
Gen. Lamidi Adeosun,
said: “The Nigerian Army
under my leadership is
fully aware of a high level
of cooperation and goodwill
we enjoy from the members
of the public across the
country.
“The Nigerian Army has
therefore over the years
taken deliberate efforts in
ensuring it gives back to the
society in the areas of
corporate social
responsibilities as this had
engendered closer
cooperation to the civil
components and ultimately
in providing conducive
environment for the
execution of our onerous
tasks.”
Makinde sacks Works
commissioner, swaps two
others
By Deola Badru
I BADAN—GOVERNOR
Seyi Makinde of Oyo
State, yesterday, sacked the
Commissioner for Works,
Infrastructure and
Transport, Professor
Raphael Afonja.
The governor, in a letter
dated August 10, 2020, and
signed by the Secretary to
the State Government, SSG,
Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun,
said the termination takes
immediate effect.
A statement by the Chief
Press Secretary to the
Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa,
quoted the letter titled:
‘Termination of
appointment’ as saying: “I
wish to convey the approval
of His Excellency, Governor
Seyi Makinde, on the
termination of your
appointment as Commissioner,
with immediate effect.
“Consequent upon the above
development, you are hereby
directed to hand over all the
government items in your
possession to the Permanent
Secretary (Ministry of Works,
Infrastructure and Transport).
“I am to add that your
contribution within the time of
your sojourn is appreciated and
commendable, and therefore,
wish you success in your future
endeavours. I thank you.”
Similarly, the governor
approved the redeployment of two
Commissioners, who were asked
to swap portfolios.
An internal memo signed by
the SSG with the subject:
‘Redeployment of EXCO
members’ indicated that the
Commissioner for Special Duties,
Chief Bayo Lawal, has been moved
to the Ministry of Local
Government and Chieftaincy
Affairs, while his counterpart who
was manning that Ministry, Mrs.
Funmilayo Orisadeyi, is to move
to the Ministry of Special Duties.
The memo indicated that the
redeployment takes immediate
effect.