Naija News
It’s dangerous to introduce COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria now – Virologists
Virologists have advised the Federal Government against the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine at the moment, saying it is unnecessary to introduce it now to Nigerians.
A virologist at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Prof. Rosemary Audu, in an interview with our correspondent, said there would be no need for vaccine if 70 per cent of the population in the country had developed antibodies against the virus.
She said, “We do know that so many people have been infected; we’ll like to know whether we have herd immunity already. Do people have antibodies? Do they have protective immunity already? What percentage of the population has the immunity?
“If we have up to 70 per cent of the population who have developed antibodies towards the virus, then we would say we’ve had herd immunity and may not necessarily need the vaccine. That is something that I’m sure within the next few months we should be able to tell.
“NIMR is conducting an epidemiology survey where we are checking citizens for their antibody levels to this virus. I’m sure very soon, we would be able to advise whether the vaccines will be useful for us or not.”
The Director, Human and Zoonotic Virology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Prof. Sunday Omilabu, said it would be dangerous to introduce COVID-19 vaccine to Nigerians at the moment.
He said, “There is something in us that is mitigating the virulence of the virus in our body. We may like to call it a kind of immunity that we enjoy through our environment. This is coming to us as an advantage; we have that herd immunity now, if anything comes in now, it may derail what are benefiting from
“For us, I would suggest that they allow people to still use their herd immunity which they are enjoying and is a natural gift. They should concentrate on those
few people that have some medical conditions that have made their level of herd immunity very low. The vaccine is dangerous now because we don’t know how it is going to behave in the long run.”
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Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, has approved the implementation of N30,000 as minimum wage for the workers in the state.
The secretary to the state government, Folashade Ayoade disclosed this on Tuesday after an extensive meeting with the organized labour in Lokoja
She blamed the delay in the implementation on the inability for the committee to meet regularly due to the covid-19 pandemic which has been overcome.
The SSG equally commended the organised labour for their understanding and patience, which she said has resulted into the signing of the implementation of the new minimum wage.
Read Also: FCTA Set to Implement Minimum Wage for FCT Workers
Author: Eunice Johnson, Abuja
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has put Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) on notice that it will stop selling forex to them by the end of 2022. CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele made this known in Abuja on Thursday at the end of the Bankers’ Committee Meeting where he also introduced the RT200 Programme.
Emefiele said the time had come for the banks to go out there and source for forex by funding entrepreneurs with ideas. The CBN, Emefiele said, will support the banks by granting rebates and other support until the banks find their feet in sourcing their forex by themselves.
He also disclosed that the apex bank’s policies and measures have led to a significant improvement in diaspora inflow from an average of US$6 million per week in December 2020 to an average of over US$100 million per week by January 2022. He added that the CBN would be reviewing these intervention programmes going forward to ensure that they continue to achieve the desired results.
He said international bodies, including some embassies and donor agencies, have been complicit in illegal forex transactions that have hindered the flow of foreign exchange into the country.
Read Also: CBN Encourages Nigerians to Accept E-Naira
Author: Gift Wada, Abuja
The Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) has approved the deployment of 37 Comptrollers to various Units, Departments and Commands across the country.
This was disclosed in a release signed on Tuesday by the Customs Deputy National, DC Timi Bomodi for the Comptroller General of Customs.
Among those deployed are the present National PRO of Customs Comptroller Joseph Attah who will assume the office of Area Controller of Kebbi Command, Comptroller AAS Oloyede who shall be moving from ICT/MOD to Tin Can Island Port Command, while Comptroller SI Bomoi to FCT Command. Other postings are Comptroller BA Jaiyeoba to Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller A Dappa-Williams to Eastern Marine Command, Compt. MA Umar Kano/Jigawa, Compt. KC Egwuh ICT/MOD, Compt. LM Mark Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi, Compt. T Tachio CTC Kano, Compt. AA Umar Western Marine, Compt. M Dansakwa North Eastern Marine, Compt. AC Ayalogu T & T and Compt. KD Ilesanmi will assume duty as Comptroller Board among others.
Ali in postings released on 7th of February, charged the newly posted Comptrollers to justify the confidence reposed in them by NCS Management by bringing to bear their years of experience and training in trade facilitation and anti-smuggling activities on their new assignment.
Given the enormous expectations of government regarding revenue generation in the current year, the Comptroller General reiterated the need for all Area Controllers and Unit heads to take full charge of the affairs of their Commands by ensuring absolute compliance with extant fiscal policies while leveraging on the efficient management of data to optimize trade facilitation and revenue collection.
Furthermore, the CGC directed all officers to be extremely vigilant in protecting the lives and wellbeing of Nigerians by ensuring the full fortification of our borders against the incursion of smugglers and other cross border criminals.
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