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COVID 19 Second Wave: FCTA To Embark On Rigorous Enforcement Of Health Guidelines

Published

6 years ago

December 19, 2020

Joel Ajayi

The FCTA will embark on rigorous enforcement of all extant COVID-19 health and safety protocols to stop the spread of the disease in the FCT.

This was disclosed by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello in a press briefing on the second wave of COVID-19 in the Territory held on Friday, 18th December 2020.

Malam Bello said that the fight against the virus in the FCT had been mostly effective as had been attested to by stakeholders including members of the National Assembly, the Presidential Task force on Covid-19 and members of the public. He also said that the FCT had maintained a high testing ratio and recorded relatively few mortalities.

He however decried the rising number of positive cases in the Territory which he said were unacceptably high adding that this was mainly because residents of the Territory had ceased to comply with recommended health guidelines put in place to curb the spread of the virus.

In his words “our recorded figures over the last 3 weeks have been unacceptably high and there is an urgent need to contain it as much and as fast as possible”.

Malam Bello disclosed that the enforcement teams will step up their activities and return to the streets of the FCT working very closely with the judiciary through the mobile court system under existing laws.

The Minister also disclosed that the Administration will re-enforce it’s communication and public enlightenment strategies that will involve the active participation of local youth groups and non-governmental organizations adding that “it is our intention that they drive these campaign processes to reach the nooks and crannies of the Territory”

He urged residents of the Territory to play their roles if the FCT is to overcome the second wave of the pandemic.

Malam Bello called on residents of the Territory not to be carried away by the euphoria of the festive season and let down their guard against the virus which he said had not lost its potency or capacity to make the afflicted very ill.

The Minister also revealed guidelines to curb the spread of the virus which are based on resolutions reached during a stakeholders meeting held earlier in the week, the Public Health Advisory of the NCDC, and the Federal Executive council meeting

The guidelines as released are;

“The Abuja Market Management Limited and the various market associations should work together to carry out sensitization activities and also ensure compliance of all extant health protocols.

“All extant regulations issued as conditions for re-opening of places of worship on the 4th of June 2020 still subsist and heads of the various congregations are to ensure compliance.

“All extant regulations guiding the operations of entertainment and recreational centers still subsist and operators of such places are enjoined to ensure strict compliance.

“Public transportation facilities such as buses taxis and tricycles must also obey all already established protocols.”

However, other COVID -19 guidelines in offices and business premises are; Mandatory temperature checks must be carried out on all employees and customers entering office and business premises in the FCT

“ No mask, No entry, No service – all staff members, visitors, and customers entering workplaces, shops, or business premises must wear a face mask that should cover the mouth and nose.

“All office and business premises must have a handwashing station with running water and soap or hand sanitizer

“Restrict all physical meetings and instead opt for virtual meetings, whenever possible..

“Office, shops and business premises must be well-ventilated and cleaned regularly throughout the day.

“Employees, who are feeling unwell or have COVID-19 symptoms, should notify their supervisor immediately, or stay at home and seek medical attention to confirm diagnosis, by doing a COVID19 test.”

Malam Bello also expressed the appreciation of the Administration to all medical and other frontline personnel in the fight against COVID-19.

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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

20 hours ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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