The allocation and sale of foreign currency, gradual easing of the COVID-19 lockdown and the phased restarting of the Nigerian economy are some of the trending stories in the local press on Thursday.
The Leadership newspaper said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has resumed the provision of foreign exchange to all commercial banks for onward sales to parents wishing to pay school fees and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to import needed materials to revamp economic activities in the country.
This Day said that the federal government has unveiled plans to restart the economy that has been paralysed for more than four weeks due to the measures adopted to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government also outlined operational guidelines in furtherance of President Muhammadu Buhari’s broadcast on Monday to relax the lockdown imposed on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun States from Monday, May 4.
The Nation newspaper said that workers in the banking, construction, manufacturing and food processing sectors are free to return to operations from Monday, the Federal Government gave the green light on Wednesday.
The Daily Trust reported that the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has inaugurated a committee to engage 774, 000 Nigerians for the Special Public Works (SPW) programme.
Channels Television said Nigeria has recorded 196 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the country’s total infections to 1,728. The country has recorded 51 deaths and 307 recoveries.
The Sun newspaper said Nigeria’s national grid system again recorded another major collapse, thereby throwing several parts of the country into total darkness.
The Guardian said reprieve has come the way of 24 states whose financial records have been adjudged by the World Bank as transparent. Accordingly, they are sharing a $120.6 million grant (about N43.416 billion) provided by the global lender under its Assisted States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Programme-for-Results.
MM/GIK/APA