The announcement that Nigeria has 1,133 new infections of the coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total figure of infected persons to 80,922 and the roll out of measures to tackle the resurgence of COVID-19 by state governments are the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Thursday.
The Vanguard reports that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 1,133 new infections of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, bringing the total figure of infected persons to 80,922. NCDC made this known via its verified website on Wednesday.
More than 903,800 samples have been tested by the public health agency since the first confirmed case in February.
The Wednesday figure is the highest single-day tally, NCDC said, adding that the new infections were recorded in 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The agency also announced the discharge of 395 patients from isolation centres across the country within the period, while five COVID-19 related deaths were registered.
“Our discharges today include 134 community recoveries in Lagos State and 96 community recoveries in the FCT managed in line with guidelines,” it said. It stated that Lagos, the state with the highest number of cases, reported 397 new infections, followed by the FCT with 357 infections, while Kaduna, Plateau and Katsina reported 81, 63 and 46 cases respectively.
Thisday says that Nigerians are in for a low-key Christmas celebration tomorrow as states yesterday rolled out measures to tackle the resurgence of COVID-19.
Some of the measures such as restrictions on religious gathering, social activities and suspension of street carnivals that usually characterise the celebration pre-COVID era, will take the shine off this year’s event.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has also ordered the closure of night clubs, pubs and other super spreader events for five weeks to tame the resurgence.
Also yesterday, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF), Dr. Sani Aliyu, said COVID-19 vaccine, which the federal government was still sourcing for, would be administered on Nigerians free of charge when the vaccination begins.
The international community has also stepped up efforts to combat the second wave of COVID-19, exacerbated by the discovery of a new variant of the virus, which is giving the global health authorities serious concerns.
This informed the decision of the United Kingdom to impose flight restrictions on South Africa, following the discovery that two COVID-19 patients with the virus variant in the UK contracted the disease from South Africa.
The newspaper reports that Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, a Nigerian independent energy company has signed a Crude Purchase Agreement (CPA) with Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited (Waltersmith).
A statement yesterday, explained that the CPA was for the supply of between 2,000 and 4,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) from existing working-interest production from the Ohaji South Field within OML53, for Waltersmith’s new 5,000 bopd modular refinery at Ibigwe Field, in Imo State.
It stated that previously, Seplat’s share of Ohaji South crude used to be evacuated to the export terminal via a third-party Crude Handling Agreement with Waltersmith.
“This new agreement benefits Seplat by selling its crude oil directly to Waltersmith for refining, thereby eliminating crude losses and downtime experienced along the evacuation and export route.
“The transaction would also boost the capacity of Waltersmith in providing its products particularly to the immediate region of our operations thereby supporting Seplat’s commitment to national energy security.
“Seplat maintains its guidance of 48,000 – 52,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) for the 2020 financial year,” the statement added. Commenting on the new deal, the Chief Executive of Seplat, Roger Brown said: “We are delighted to sign this Crude Purchase Agreement with Waltersmith as it ensures that Nigerian crude will be refined locally by a Nigerian refiner.
The Punch reports that the Deposit Money Banks borrowed N1.7 trillion from the Central Bank of Nigeria in the third quarter of 2020. The CBN disclosed this in its third quarter economic report.
Part of the report read, “Deposit Money Banks and merchant banks continually accessed the standing facilities window to square up positions in 2020 Q3.
“The trend at the CBN standing facilities window indicated more activities at the Standing Deposit Facility window, compared to the Standing Lending Facility window, owing to liquidity surfeit in the banking system.
“Following the Monetary Policy Committee meeting of September 2020, applicable rates for the SLF and SDF changed from 14.5 percent and 7.5 percent to 12.5 percent and 4.5 percent respectively.
“Total SLF granted during the review quarter was N1.7tn, made up of N866.93bn direct SLF and N833.53bn Intraday Lending Facilities converted to overnight repo. “Daily SLF ranged from N0.13bn to N384.41bn and averaged N58.64bn in 29 transaction days from July 1 to September 25, 2020.”
The Guardian says that as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) gets set to take off in a week, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo, has called on Nigerians, particularly industrialists, to take advantage of the inherent opportunities in the deal to promote made-in-Nigeria goods and boost exports.
Recall that AfCFTA, the world’s largest free trade area in terms of the number of participating countries, is expected to commence on January 1.
The commencement will signal the implementation of the much-awaited implementation of Africa’s single market.
In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Ifedayo Sayo, the Minister said Nigeria cannot afford to be left out of the emerging trade bloc.
He said AfCTA is a $3.4 trillion opportunity Nigeria must play a leading role. Adebayo added, “The journey started on July 7, 2019 when Nigeria became the 53rd African country to sign the AfCFTA treaty.
GIK/APA