PTF National Incident Manager, Mukhtar Muhammed, stated this in a recent interview with NTA.

He said “The issue of school reopening is something that the PTF has discussed very extensively. The ministry of education decided to open the schools. Based on our own understanding, it was the states that actually wanted to have the schools reopened. Now, the PTF is watching this very closely, we are monitoring what is going on and if we find out that cases continue to rise in the country and we start to have incidences in schools, certainly, we will have the schools closed. In the first instance, we should have delayed opening of the schools but now that the schools are opened, the PTF will continue to monitor very closely with all the schools to ensure that they institute measures and ensure that people follow as much as possible.”

This was disclosed on Monday, August 31, by the Head of Disease Surveillance for the NCDC, Elsie Ilori, who noted that the low testing is due to low sample collection. She added that States like Kano, Lagos, Oyo, Edo, and FCT, had the biggest decrease in the number of samples collected in August.

She said “In the month of August, we had a very low number of samples collected. In July, there were seven states with decreased samples collected, but unfortunately, in August, it increased to 32 states with decreased samples collection. In July, we had 13 states that actually collected over 1,000 samples. For August, no state met that target. That means we had zero states collecting over 1,000 samples. For the local government areas, in July we had 515 that collected samples and it decreased to 478 in August. We can appreciate the decrease in August. In August, states with the biggest increase are Abia (682), Sokoto (331), Bayelsa (314), Zamfara (55) and Yobe (12), but the numbers are not significant at all. In the same month, the biggest decrease in sample collection is Kano (19,108), Lagos (13,146), Oyo (4,902), Edo (3,327), and FCT (3,322). August sample collection has decreased drastically. Concerning where samples are being collected, in July, in Benue, Ebonyi, FCT, Lagos, Plateau, all the LGA in these states had samples collected, while only in Delta, Edo and Ogun, only one local government area did not collect samples. Concerning local government areas that did not collect samples, in July, Kogi had 19 out of 20 local government areas without samples collected. Also in August, no local government in Kogi collected samples. In Katsina, only 24 local government areas collected samples – Jigawa (22), Kano (20), Taraba (16). Even though in Lagos all the local government areas are collecting samples, the number of samples collected was quite low. So, that brought down the number of samples collected for August.”

Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, confirmed this while speaking to the media during their daily briefing earlier in the day.

Mustapha appealed to state governments to ensure compliance with the set protocols, which would stop the transmission of COVID-19.

He stated, “The PTF continues to monitor the level of activities and compliance with the guidelines nationwide. Consultations will continue and tonight, I will be holding another round of video conference with the team of governors appointed by the National Economic Council to interface with the PTF.

“The PTF will re-emphasize its appeal to governments at the sub-national level as well as our security agencies to enforce the guidelines and protocols firmly. The PTF would also be meeting with the heads of these agencies to further fine-tune strategies to ensure compliance.”

On Thursday late night, recorded 14,554 cases of COVID-19, with 4,494 patients discharged from various Isolation centres across the country, while 387 deaths have been recorded.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and also the Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, announced this during the daily briefing of the panel on Monday.

The Chairman, however, said the ban on inter-state travel is still in place.

Details later…

The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, disclosed this while speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to update President Muhammadu Buhari, Vanguard reports.

The PTF Chairman explained that 20 Local governments out of 774 account for 60 percent of confirmed cases in Nigeria today and these 20 local government are in communities.

Mustapha, while addressing the issue of easing of lockdown, said he can assure about one thing, that the ownership of the next phase will be the responsibility of the states under national supervision and coordination because Nigeria has gone into community transmission.

According to him, the communities are in the states so the ownership of the next phase will be that of the states, the local government areas, the traditional institutions, the religious leaders at the different levels of the communities because that is where the problem is.

He further stated that the states are sub-nationals, they have their own responsibilities too, so it is in the exercise of those responsibilities that they had meetings with religious bodies and agreed on the guidelines and protocols on how they open up.

The PTF Chairman, Mr Boss Mustapha, while addressing reporters in Abuja on Thursday, said that the government had received reports of abuse and misuse of chloroquine as a  cure for coronavirus.

Mustapha, however, called for caution of the citizens against self-medication, especially when they have the symptoms of COVID-19, stressing that the drug has not been certified for the treatment of the disease and could be harmful to such patients.

He said, “Through the surveillance system set up by the PTF, we have received reports that Nigerians have been purchasing hydroxychloroquine in large quantities.

“We wish to reiterate that this drug has not been certified for use in treating COVID-19 in Nigeria by the relevant health and pharmaceutical authorities. Self-medication of any kind is fraught with the danger of increasing risks of avoidable casualties.

“We, therefore strongly warn against self-medication. If you are sick, please seek medical advice and if you are confirmed positive, kindly self-isolate in an approved facility. The COVID-19 is highly infectious and dangerous.”

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, disclosed this on Monday during the members’ daily briefing in Abuja.

InsideOjodu recalls that the President had on April 27, announced a “phased and gradual easing” of the lockdown in the Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states, while declaring a nationwide curfew with effect from May 4.

Mustapha in his speech at the briefing said,  “The reality is that in spite of the modest progress made, Nigeria is not yet ready for full opening of the economy and tough decisions have to be taken for the good of the greater majority.

“Any relaxation will only portend grave danger for our populace. Advisedly, the current phase of eased restriction will be maintained for another two weeks during which stricter enforcement and persuasion measures will be pursued.”

Mustapha explained that the extension of the first phase of the lockdown ease was to enable other segments of the economy to prepare adequately for compliance with the guidelines, preparatory to reopening in the coming weeks.

According to him, the PTF shares the pains of Nigerians but the future of the country is in their hands and subsequent decisions will depend greatly on their compliance.

The PTF chairman also disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved some recommendations of the task force.

He said, “​The measures, exemptions, advisories, and scope of entities allowed to reopen under phase one of the eased locked down, shall be maintained across the federation for another two weeks effective from 12 midnight of May 18 to June 1.”

Other recommendations approved by the President include ​intensifying efforts to communicate, identify, and manage COVID-19 cases; and ​elevating the level of community ownership of non-pharmaceutical interventions.

The lockdown order in Kano State, according to the SGF, has also been extended by another two weeks.

He noted that the President had announced a phased and gradual easing of the lockdown in Lagos and Ogun States, as well as the Federal Capital Territory in his nationwide broadcast on April 27.

Mustapha added that the President also highlighted the additional nationwide measures aimed at ensuring that the nation’s economy continued to function within the limiting constraints posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PTF Chairman, Boss Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) disclosed this on Monday afternoon at the ongoing press briefing by the Presidential Task Force for the latest update on COVID-19 in Nigeria.

He said, “In spite of the modest progress made, Nigeria is still not ready for full reopening of the economy”

InsideOjodu recalls President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had in a tweet revealed that Buhari will no longer be making any broadcast on COVID -19 updates today, adding that the Presidential Task Force will during its usual media briefings bring the nation up to speed on the next steps.

This was revealed by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Buhari vai his official Twitter handle on Monday afternoon.

Adesina on his twitter handle said there was no plan for any broadcast by the president.  “None was planned,” he tweeted.

He added that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 would update the nation during its briefings.

He tweeted: “No presidential broadcast on COVID-19 updates today.

“None was planned. Rather, the Presidential Task Force will during its usual media briefings bring the nation up to speed on the next steps.”

Mustapha while speaking at the daily press briefing of the taskforce in Abuja, said the task force has been reliably informed of this unhealthy practice amongst some Nigerians.

Mustapha said “The PTF has become aware of the on-going practice of sharing masks and picking of masks for recycling from dumpsites. This places a lot of responsibility on all of us to be self-educated and to educate others. The following points are emphasized: Except for fabric masks, every disposable used mask is a hazardous medical waste and should be disposed of properly, preferably by burning; It is very risky to share masks as the virus is capable of remaining on surfaces for several hours and you could get infected; The unhealthy practice of picking up disposed masks for whatever purpose is harmful to both the individual picking it and whoever procures it later. Particularly, it will be helpful for high-risk people such as the elderly and those with comorbidities, to wear masks or face covering and avoid crowded places. As we reminded you earlier, please keep grandchildren away from their grandparents to avoid any transmission. Most importantly, emphatically say no to stigmatization”.