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Governor Sanwo-Olu warns of ‘potential’ COVID-19 fourth wave, flags off mass vaccination campaign

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3 years ago

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Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, says the state runs the risk of experiencing a fourth wave of the COVID pandemic.

He said this yesterday while flagging off a COVID mass vaccination programme in the state.

The programme aims to vaccinate four million residents before the end of 2021.

Sanwo-Olu flagged off the campaign, tagged ‘Count Me In! 4 Million Vaccinated Against COVID-19’, yesterday at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Lagos COVID vaccination campaign, which is in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), will cover residents who are 18 years and above.

Speaking during the event, Sanwo-Olu said the mass vaccination campaign is necessary to prevent the “catastrophic” events witnessed in the previous waves, considering that the state’s borders would be opened to all during the festive season.

He disclosed that to expand the access to COVID vaccines, mobile vans would be deployed to reach individuals in underserved communities.

“There is potential for the fourth wave of COVID-19, as our borders would be opened to all people coming into Lagos in December,” he said.

“To prevent the catastrophic events we witnessed in the previous waves, the state has developed a robust vaccination drive, leveraging on both the strengths we have in the public and private sectors of our healthcare system.

“In development of our strategy and counter-measures, we prioritise the protection of human lives and keeping our economy open for business.

“To mitigate against this potential damage that will further spread existing variants of COVID-19 in the state, and accelerate efforts towards herd immunity, the need for a different strategy became a front-burner issue.

“This is what has culminated in the campaign tagged ‘Count Me In! 4 million Lagosians Vaccinated Against COVID-19’ to target the full vaccination of 4 million Lagos residents before the end of December 2021.

“Once achieved, this will bring the state closer to reaching our promise to vaccinate 30 percent of our population within one year.”

The Lagos governor said individuals who want to get vaccinated in approved private facilities will pay an administrative charge of N6,000.

He added that the state will not force anybody to get the vaccine, but that his administration wants everyone to take the vaccination as personal responsibility.

“We have set up COVID-19 vaccination in all our 205 public primary health centres, 14 of the state’s second and tertiary hospitals,” he added.

“And we are hoping that this partnership can be implemented in over 400 private health centres across seven underserved local government areas in the state.

“Let me re-emphasise that we are not compelling anyone to get vaccinated. But we want everyone to take it as personal responsibility, which is highly important.

“What we seek to achieve by this campaign is to ensure there is access to the vaccines and availability. Then, give people an opportunity to get vaccinated at centres close to them. This will give nobody a reason not to get the vaccines.”

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Governor Okpebholo approves free rides for residents

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29 mins ago

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November 27, 2024 2:46 pm

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The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has approved free bus services for the people of the state through the Edo City Transport Service.

In a press statement on Tuesday issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Fred Itua, the initiative is part of the Okpebholo administration’s drive to entrench his policy direction.

The free bus service, according to the statement, will cover Benin metropolis and the three Senatorial Districts of the state (Intra and Intercity routes) and is part of the governor’s commitment to enhance the welfare of all Edo people.

The statement added, “The bus services will ease the transportation stress. Our people who plan to move around within the Benin metropolis and out will be able to do that without any extra financial burdens.

“Edo Central, like Ekpoma, Iruekpen, Irrua, Uromi, and other places, are also part of the routes the free transportation services will cover.

“Edo North is fully captured. Agbede, Auchi, Okpella, Fugar, and other parts of Edo North are covered in the free transportation scheme of Governor Monday Okpebholo.”

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Court remands Yahaya Bello in EFCC custody

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55 mins ago

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November 27, 2024 2:20 pm

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The federal capital territory (FCT) high court has remanded Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Bello was arraigned on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering on Wednesday.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

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Yahaya Bello pleads not guilty to N110bn fraud charges

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4 hours ago

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November 27, 2024 11:21 am

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The immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.

Bello was docked before trial Justice Maryann Anenih of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Maitama, alongside two other defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.

The defendants were accused of complicity in a N110billion fraud.

It will be recalled that the erstwhile governor’s whereabouts remained unknown till yesterday when he surrendered himself after a protracted hide-and-seek game between him and the anti-graft agency.

Dressed in white caftan and blue cap, Bello, mounted the dock around 9:45am.

The charge against the defendants, marked: CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property.

Specifically, the EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).

Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury, included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).

More so, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.

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