Ebola: Rivers, FG Clash On School Resumption Date

The Rivers State government and the Federal Government have clashed over the September 22, schools resumption date as the state government insisted that schools may not yet resume.

According to Vanguard, the state commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker, who made this known on Wednesday, explained that schools in the state may not resume because of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD.

READ ALSO: Hold Jonathan Responsible If Ebola Spreads – APC

The commissioner also revealed that currently, there were about 340 persons under surveillance in the state. He said they want to be certain that the situation had been completely brought under control before schools would be allowed to resume.

In a related development, Nicholas Brunet, the Deputy Managing Director, Total E&P, Port Harcourt district, who donated an ambulance and two pickup trucks to the government on behalf of the oil company, described the outbreak of EVD in some West Africa countries as a big challenge to the world.

Meanwhile, Daily Independent had earlier reported that the commissioner for Health, Sampson Parker, said the state government, in collaboration with Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) on Ebola in the state, has earmarked a whooping sum of N1 billion to combat the dreaded Ebola virus disease in the state.

READ ALSO: EBOLA: My Survival Story – Dr. Ada Igonoh Recounts Ordeal

The EOC comprise state Ministry of Health and international partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

Meanwhile, Dan Nwomeh, the Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the Minister of Health in his tweets below confirmed that Ebola Virus has been brought under control in Nigeria.The deadly Ebola virus was brought into the country by the late American-Liberian Patrick Sawyer. It would be recalled that Federal Government had earlier announced that primary and secondary schools across the country should resume academic activities on 22 September, 2014. The disease has so far killed seven people across the country. The Nigerian Ministry of Health on September 2, 2014, announced the death of an elderly woman who contracted the deadly virus in Port Harcourt, while on admission in the same hospital wherelate Dr Enemoah died.

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PDP Suffers Mass Defection In Edo

No fewer than 2,000 members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reportedly defected to the major opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Igueben local government area of Edo State.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole who received the defectors led by Eronmosele Aisabor, used the occasion to reveal his administration’s transformation in the education sector, Leadership reports.

[caption id="attachment_2036" align="aligncenter" width="296"] Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State[/caption]

READ ALSO: Crisis-Ridden Council In Edo Gets Leadership

The governor said the Colleges of Education in Ekiadolor, has been upgraded to a degree awarding institutions- University of Education in order to cede people the opportunity of taking a teaching job. He said Igueben College has also been converted to a campus of the University of Education.

Oshiomhole promised the people of Igueben that in the next two and a half years of his administration, more transformation would be recorded and the future of the state would been completely replaced with politics of educating the people and not that of “wuru wuru”.

“I have not spent eight years only six and by the time I have spent eight years I would do more. So don’t listen to them when they tell you to decamp to a torn umbrella that has failed to produce any meaningful development in years. Did the umbrella build schools, roads and water? So ask before you act,” he said.

The comrade governor, who further urged the people to help rescue the country, assured them that he would not play politics of individual but politics of development. He said he would not listen to calls of individualism, and pointed out that Nigeria is failing because most of its leaders put themselves first before their people.

READ ALSO: Nigerians Slam President Jonathan

“You must understand the basis for political contestations. The times are gone when people would vote without asking questions. The times are gone when the welfare of the few is seen as the basis for the decision of the majority. This is why I ask an open question: in the ten years of PDP, what can any of you count?” the governor questioned.

It would be recalled that on September 9, 2014, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, declared that it would prevail on Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Adams Oshiomhole to support the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid in 2015.

Meanwhile, on Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, also made his stand known against members of the state All Progressives Congress (APC) who defected to the PDP.

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EBOLA: Minister Reveals Date For Resumption Of Education

Nigeria’s Health Minister Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu has today revealed that students could go back to school by Mid September in the country.

The Education Ministry though Minister  Ibrahim Shekarau had formerly stated that school is to start by October 13 due to the spread of Ebola virus in the nation.

Chukwu however disclosed this at to the State House correspondents at the end of Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The briefing was attended by the Ministers of Information, Labaran Maku, Transport, Umar Idris, National Planning, Abubakar Suleiman and Power (State), Mohammed Wakil.

Chukwu revealed that the Education Minister Ibrahim Shekarau will announce the particular date after meeting with states Commissioners for Education and other stakeholders, who helped to fix the proposed October 13 date.

Health Minister also gave a report on the state of the nation as concerning the Ebola recent surge in the nation.

He said that Nigeria now has 296 under surveillance, he said, include 255 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and 41 in Lagos State.

He revealed that about 320 persons have been removed from surveillance list in the state.

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