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Covid-19: Oxygen demand in Lagos State has risen 5 times – Sanwo-Olu
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COVID-19 Update in Nigeria
Daily Parallel Market Exchange Rate – ₦470/$1
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Nigeria spends N29 trillion on recurrent (non-debt) expenditure in last 10 years
Business News
Federal Government spends N2.3 trillion on Subsidies in 3 years – PwC
The subsidy spent by the Federal Government on the consumption of petrol and power gulped about N2.3 trillion between 2015 and 2018.
The Federal Government has spent about N2.3 trillion as subsidies on petrol and power consumption between 2015 and 2018. This is according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a global accounting and consulting firm.
The report has it that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration spent N1.12 trillion as electricity subsidy and another N1.2 trillion on petrol subsidy within a period of three years.
[READ MORE: NNPC spends estimated N33.60/litre on petrol subsidy]
According to the report, the highlighted subsidy expenditures within the reviewed period represent 17% of the country’s current foreign reserves and 26% of the 2019 federal budget.
The report PwC report, which was presented to power sector stakeholders at a roundtable organised by Mainstream Energy Solutions-operators of the Kainji and Jebba hydropower generation companies (Gencos), by the Chief Economist of PwC Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Nevin, also has it that the total electricity subsidy for the period alone could cover the current budget of the ministries of health and education.
The report read partly: “The Federal Government has expended about N1.2 trillion as petroleum subsidy over the past four years (2015-2018). The tariff shortfall in the electricity sector which technically is the electricity subsidy payable by the federal government stood at N1.12 trillion between 2015 and 2018.
“Both subsidies amount to N2.3 trillion, which represents about 17 per cent of current foreign reserves and 26 per cent of the 2019 budget.
Is subsidy payment healthy for the economy? Fuel subsidy in Nigeria has been a subject of discussion among the stakeholders of the country’s economy. In what appears to be another attempt to save the country’s economy which presently bites, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had reiterated the need for Nigeria and other countries that still retain the policy of subsiding fuel consumption to put an end to the policy.
[READ ALSO: FG spent N650.2 billion on petrol subsidy within a year –New report]
In a blog post titled, “Fuel for Thought: Ditch the Subsidies”, the IMF made known that the fuel subsidy which some countries pay as an attempt to reduce the price of fuel for consumers, typically benefits the rich more than the poor.
Coronavirus
Covid-19: Oxygen demand in Lagos State has risen 5 times – Sanwo-Olu
Governor Sanwo-Olu has lamented the rising second wave of the pandemic in Lagos as the demand for oxygen increases by 5 times.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has warned that the rising second wave of the pandemic in Lagos has seen the demand for oxygen rise 5 times from 70 six-litre cylinders per day to 350 six-litre cylinders at Yaba Mainland Hospital alone.
The Governor also urged that all malaria-like symptoms should henceforth be considered as COVID-19 virus infection unless and until proven not to be so.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the Lagos State Government on Tuesday.
“Over the last few weeks, the demands for oxygen has risen from 70 six-litre cylinders per day to 350 six-litre cylinders in our Yaba Mainland Hospital. This is projected to more than double to 750 six-cylinders, before the end of January 2021,” the Governor said.
He added that the State Government has decentralized provision of oxygen and other services needed for Covid-19 patients, citing provision of oxygen kiosks.
“ln addition to providing oxygen at our isolation centres, the Lagos State Government has decentralized the availability of oxygen across the State through the provision of 10 oxygen and sampling kiosks. Oxygen therapy and other related services will be provided to patients that require them.
“Five of these 10 oxygen centers have been commissioned while the remaining five will be ready for use within the next four weeks. It is our expectation that these sampling kiosks would be easily accessible to residents that require oxygen therapy at the level of LGAs as stabilization points prior to onward transmission to our Isolation centres, if required.
“This strategy is to further increase the fighting chance of Lagos residents that have contracted the virus and require immediate oxygen therapy,” he stated.
The Governor said that Lagos is closely monitoring plans by the FG to acquire vaccines and said the State has also resumed discussion with potential manufacturers. He also said the State is building its own regulatory framework for vaccine distribution.
“We are closely monitoring ongoing action by the Federal Government to procure COVID-19 vaccines for use in Nigeria. We have also opened discussions with vaccine manufacturers so that when the vaccine comes eventually we can ensure that Lagosians are catered for.
“In the meantime, we are developing a strategy that will articulate the criteria, guidelines and regulatory framework for providing and monitoring vaccinations in Lagos.
“The Lagos State Government is actively partnering with the private sector in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the areas of testing, oxygen deployment, as well as the clinical management of moderate to severe cases. These partnerships have helped enhance the State’s response to the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic,” Sanwo-Olu added.
What you should know
- The Lagos State Government earlier disclosed that its bed occupancy levels at its public and private COVID-19 care centres increased to 51 per cent.
- The Federal Government also alerted Nigerians that hospitals across the country are running out of facilities to handle more serious cases of coronavirus infections as the virus is spreading fast with mild symptoms in some victims and severe illnesses and death in others.
- Nairametrics recently reported that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Finance, announced the sum of N10 billion for the production of vaccines in Nigeria, to fight the coronavirus.
Coronavirus
COVID-19 Update in Nigeria
On the 19th of January 2021, 1,301 new confirmed cases and 15 deaths were recorded in Nigeria
The spread of novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria continues to record significant increases as the latest statistics provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reveal Nigeria now has 113,305 confirmed cases.
On the 19th of January 2021, 1,301 new confirmed cases and 15 deaths were recorded in Nigeria.
To date, 113,305 cases have been confirmed, 91,200 cases have been discharged and 1,464 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. A total of 1.19 million tests have been carried out as of January 19th, 2021 compared to 1.17 million tests a day earlier.
COVID-19 Case Updates- 19th January 2021,
- Total Number of Cases – 113,305
- Total Number Discharged – 91,200
- Total Deaths – 1,464
- Total Tests Carried out – 1,191,866
According to the NCDC, the 1,301 new cases were reported from 22 states- Lagos (551), FCT (209), Oyo (83), Plateau (65), Kaduna (64), Enugu (61), Rivers (44), Ondo (39), Benue (37), Akwa Ibom (31), Kano (19), Delta (18), Gombe (18), Ogun (16), Edo (15), Kebbi (10), Ebonyi (9), Jigawa (4), Osun (3), Zamfara (3), Borno (1) and Nasarawa (1).
Meanwhile, the latest numbers bring Lagos state total confirmed cases to 41,951, followed by Abuja (14,909), Plateau (6,896), Kaduna (6,389), Oyo (4,778), Rivers (4,473), Edo (3,335), Ogun (2,928), Kano (2,636), Delta (2,140), Ondo (2,109), Katsina (1,723), Kwara (1,697), Enugu (1,644), Gombe (1,518), Nasarawa (1,336), Ebonyi (1,284), Osun (1,263), Abia (1,134), and Bauchi (1,107).
Borno State has recorded 868 cases, Imo (857), Akwa Ibom (698), Benue (694), Sokoto (677), Bayelsa (619), Adamawa (573), Niger (547), Anambra (515), Ekiti (473), Jigawa (429), Taraba (294), Kebbi (261), Yobe (211), Cross River (169), Zamfara (165), while Kogi state has recorded 5 cases only.
READ ALSO: COVID-19: Western diplomats warn of disease explosion, poor handling by government
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.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State announced the closed down of the Eti-Osa Isolation Centre, with effect from Friday, 31st July 2020. He also mentioned that the Agidingbi Isolation Centre would also be closed and the patients relocated to a large capacity centre.
Due to the increased number of covid-19 cases in Nigeria, the Nigerian government ordered the reopening of Isolation and treatment centres in the country on Thursday, 10th December 2020.
READ ALSO: Bill Gates says Trump’s WHO funding suspension is dangerous
Macro-Economic News
Price Watch: Nigerians paid less for Kerosene in December 2020
NBS Report shows that consumers paid less for Kerosene in December than they did in November 2020.
