The spread of novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria continues to record significant increase as the latest statistics provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reveal Nigeria now has 45,687 confirmed cases.

On the 7th of August 2020, 443 new confirmed cases and 6 deaths were recorded in Nigeria, having carried out a total daily test of 3,835 samples across the country.

To date, 45,687 cases have been confirmed, 32,637 cases have been discharged and 936 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. A total of 310,729 tests have been carried out as of August 7th, 2020 compared to 306,894 tests a day earlier.

COVID-19 Case Updates- 7th August 2020,

• Total Number of Cases – 45,687
• Total Number Discharged – 32,637
• Total Deaths – 936
• Total Tests Carried out – 310,729

According to the NCDC, the 443 new cases were reported from 19 states- Plateau (103), Lagos (70), FCT (60), Ondo (35), Edo (27), Rivers (27), Kaduna (20), Osun (19), Borno (18), Oyo (18), Kwara (11), Adamawa (9), Nasarawa (7), Gombe (6), Bayelsa (4), Imo (4), Bauchi (2), Ogun (2) and Kano (1).

Meanwhile, the latest numbers bring Lagos state total confirmed cases to 15,697, followed by Abuja (4,301), Oyo (2,843), Edo (2,367), Rivers (1,938), Kano (1,609), Delta (1,557), Kaduna (1,550), Ogun (1,430), Plateau (1,397), Ondo (1,278), Enugu (880), Ebonyi (838), Kwara (826), Katsina (746), Borno (652), Gombe (626), Abia (625), Osun (605), and Bauchi (576).

Imo State has recorded 476 cases, Nasarawa (367), Benue (356), Bayelsa (346),  Jigawa (322), Akwa Ibom (234), Niger (226), Adamawa (185), Ekiti (159), Sokoto (154), Anambra (142),  Kebbi (90), Zamfara (77), Taraba (72), Cross River (68), Yobe (67), while Kogi state has recorded 5 cases only.

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Lock Down and Curfew

In a move to combat the spread of the pandemic disease, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the FCT for an initial period of 14 days, which took effect from 11 pm on Monday, 30th March 2020.

The movement restriction, which was extended by another two-weeks period, has been partially put on hold with some businesses commencing operations from May 4. On April 27th, 2020, Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari declared an overnight curfew from 8 pm to 6 am across the country, as part of new measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19. This comes along with the phased and gradual easing of lockdown measures in FCT, Lagos, and Ogun States, which took effect from Saturday, 2nd May 2020, at 9 am.

On Monday, 29th June 2020 the federal government extended the second phase of the eased lockdown by 4 weeks and approved interstate movement outside curfew hours with effect from July 1, 2020. Also, on Monday 27th July 2020, the federal government extended the second phase of eased lockdown by an additional one week.

On Thursday, 6th August 2020 the federal government through the secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 announced the extension of the second phase of eased lockdown by another four (4) weeks.

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The scarcity of petroleum products appears to be looming in Lagos as the leadership of Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has directed its members to withdraw its services in Lagos with effect from Monday, August 10, 2020.

This is due to the failure of government authorities to address the various issues that have been causing serious pains and harrowing experience on the petroleum tanker drivers in the state for several months now.

This was disclosed in a press statement by NUPENG on Friday, August 7, 2020.

NUPENG in its statement revealed that the entire rank and file members of the Union are deeply pained and frustrated by the so many challenges being consistently faced by Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Lagos State.

They said that they are left with no other option but to direct its members to withdraw their services in Lagos State until the State Government and other relevant Stakeholders address these critical. challenges.

The statement from NUPENG reads, ‘’The National Leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has directed the withdrawal of services of Petroleum Tanker Drivers from Lagos State with effect from Monday, 10th August 2020 following the failure of various authorities in the State to address three major issues that have severely caused pains and harrowing experiences on the hapless Petroleum Tanker Drivers in the State for several months now.’’

‘’The entire rank and file members of the Union are deeply pained, frustrated and agonized by the barrage of these challenges being consistently faced by Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Lagos State and are left with no other option but to direct the withdrawal of their services in Lagos State until Lagos State Government and other relevant Stakeholders address these critical challenges.’’

The Union reiterated that It is sad and disheartening to note that they had made several appeals and reports to Lagos State Government and the Presidential Task Force for the decongestion of Apapa on these challenges but all to no avail.

They said that they cannot afford to fold their arms while their members are being consistently and continually extorted, intimidated, harassed and victimized by different groups and segments in Lagos.

NUPENG LEADERSHIP DIRECTS WITHDRAWAL OF SERVICES BY PETROLEUM TANKER DRIVERS IN LAGOS STATE WITH EFFECT FROM MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020
Read more:https://t.co/TV5sFoBOcO@followlasg#Lagos pic.twitter.com/tAuOpsMc3a

— NIGERIA UNION OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS WORKERS (@officialNUPENG9) August 7, 2020

President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Companies and Allied Matters Bill 2020, which was recently passed by the National Assembly.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by a media aide of President Buhari, Femi Adesina and shared by the Personal Assistant to the President, Bashir Ahmad, via his Twitter handle.

According to the statement, the President’s action on the document repealed and replaced the extant Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990, and introduced several corporate legal innovations geared toward enhancing ease of doing business in the country.

After 30 years; President @MBuhari today, assented to the Companies and Allied Matters Bill, 2020 recently passed by the National Assembly. pic.twitter.com/8yZNqeqNPV

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) August 7, 2020

Key innovations in the new Act:

* Filing fee reductions and other reforms to make it easier and cheaper for small and medium-sized enterprises to register and reform their businesses in Nigeria;

* Allowing corporate promoters of companies to establish private companies with a single member or shareholder, and creating limited liability partnerships and limited partnerships to give investors and business people alternative forms of carrying out their business in an efficient and flexible way;

* Innovating processes and procedures to ease the operations of companies, such as introducing Statements of Compliance; replacing “authorised share capital” with minimum share capital to reduce costs of incorporating companies; and providing for electronic filing, electronic share transfers, e-meetings as well as remote general meetings for private companies in response to the disruptions to close contact physical meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic;

* Requiring the disclosure of persons with significant control of companies in a register of beneficial owners to enhance corporate accountability and transparency; and

* Enhancing the minority shareholder protection and engagement; introducing enhanced business rescue reforms for insolvent companies; and permitting the merger of Incorporated Trustees for associations that share similar aims and objectives.