Nigeria expects first Covid-19 vaccines doses in February
Nigeria has been experiencing the coronavirus second wave which has proven to be deadlier than the first wave. But there is some good news as the FG has announced that the country expects to take delivery of its first set of Covid-19 vaccine doses in February. The health workers, top government officials and vulnerable people to be given priority. The vaccines, which could be as many as 100,000 doses of Pfizer Inc.’s shot, will be procured through the Covax initiative backed by Gavi the Vaccine Alliance. The first batch of vaccines will be enough for about 50,000 will be allocated to health-care professionals working in Covid-19 isolation centers and those supporting them.
Biden inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States
Joe Biden having won the presidential elections was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States took place on January 20, 2021marking the commencement of the four-year term of Joe Biden as president. The inaugural ceremony took place on the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. being the 59th presidential inauguration. Biden took the presidential oath of office pledging to confront an array of convulsing challenges and bring healing and unity to a deeply fractured nation.
Kamala Harris sworn in as America’s first female Vice President
Making history on the inauguration day was Kamala Harris who was sworn in as America’s first female, Black and South Asian American vice president at the West Front of the Capitol. Vice President Kamala Harris drew applause as she entered the chamber to deliver the oath of office to the new Democratic senators, Jon Ossoff, Raphael Warnock and Alex Padilla just hours after taking her own oath at the Capitol alongside Biden. Moments after her swearing in, she tweeted “Ready to serve” from her official handle Vice President Kamala Harris.
Read Also: Osinbajo raises hope for Nigeria-made COVID-19 vaccine
US reverses immigration visa ban on Nigerians
Joe Biden, the new President of the United States in one of his first acts has signed an executive order reversing the immigration ban placed on Nigeria by the former president, Donald Trump. Trump issued a statement February 2020 that Nigeria has been added to a list of countries whose citizens will in some way be restricted from entering the United States. Biden has reversed this ban not only for Nigeria but also for over a dozen other countries including Eritrea, Yemen, and Sudan. This is just one of the 17 other executive policies reversed from the previous tenure. This reversal makes it possible for Nigerians to obtain green cards in the coming days.
Vice President Osinbajo promises to lift 20 million Nigerians out of poverty with N5000 monthly
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the current administration has a plan to lift 20 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next two years by giving out N5000 monthly. This statement generated a lot of buzz on social media with many Nigeria making comments about how it is impossible to lift any one out of poverty with N5000 monthly. Nigeria has one of the highest poverty rates in the world with almost half of the population living in extreme poverty. The World Bank has projected that another fresh 11 million Nigerians with be added to the poverty list, thanks to the pandemic and the economic recession.
FG says no SIM card will be blocked until February 9th
Various agitations for the government to cancel the ongoing NIN registration and linking has fallen on deaf ears as the federal government has urge Nigerians to comply with the directives of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) or risk getting their SIM cards blocked on February 9th. About 47.8 million Nigerians already have their NINs collected by the mobile operators. Many Nigerians continue to lament over the strenuous procedures to register for NIN with the spike in COVID-19 cases in the countries.
Heirs Holdings expands oil and gas portfolio
Heirs Holdings (HH), in partnership with Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp), announced the acquisition of a 45 percent participating interest in Nigerian oil licence OML 17 and related assets from the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Total E&P Nigeria Limited and ENI. The deal was struck through TNOG Oil and Gas Limited, a related company of Heirs Holdings and Transcorp, which will have sole operatorship of the asset. With a financing component of US$1.1 billion, industry sources say the transaction is one of the largest oil and gas financings in Africa in more than a decade.
Museveni wins Uganda presidential poll, Bobi Wine rejects result
Uganda’s electoral commission has declared incumbent Yoweri Museveni the winner of the country’s presidential election, extending his 35-year rule as his main rival Bobi Wine alleged fraud and urged citizens to reject the result. Museveni secured 5.85 million votes, or 58.64 percent, of the total votes cast, while main opposition candidate Bobi Wine won 3.48 million votes or 34.83 percent. Bobi Wine rejects this results saying they would not live like serfs and that the results were fabricated.
Violent youth protest hits Tunisia
Several attempt to end the 5-day violent protest by the Tunisian youths has provided abortive. The youth are enraged that North African country is on the verge of bankruptcy and has dire need for public services. The youth are disappointed that the 10 year anniversary of the revolution that ousted autocratic president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has little to show in terms of improvement.
