Breaking News in Nigeria this Morning, Today being Wednesday, 24th of June, 2020

1. Ghana President phones Buhari, and apologizes over Nigerian Embassy demolition.

The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo yesterday, apologised to the President Muhammadu Buhari for the demolition of a building on the premises of the Nigerian High Commission in Accra, Ghana.

Akufo-Ado in a phone call informed Buhari that he had directed a full investigation of the unfortunate incident.

He hinted that some suspects had been arrested and will be arraigned in court

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Ferdinand Nwonye, disclosed this in a statement.

The statement read; "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo called President Muhammadu Buhari, on June 23, on the phone, to express his sincere regrets and apology for the demolition of a building on the premises of the Nigerian High Commission in Accra, Ghana.

He informed President Buhari that he had directed a full investigation of the unfortunate incident."

The ministry called on Nigerians to remain calm 'despite the highly provocative attack on the High Commission of Nigeria in Accra, Ghana, and to reassure Nigerians that the Federal Government is engaging the Ghanaian Authorities at the highest level.'

2. The House of Representatives has rejected Ghana's apology over the demolition of Nigerian Embassy.

The House of Representatives has faulted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, on the claim that Ghana has apologised to Nigeria on the demolition of buildings of the Nigerian Embassy in the country.

The House, while dismissing the call for diplomatic negotiations by the minister, asked that Nigeria should reciprocate the demolition, which the parliament described as an attack on the country.

Onyeama had appeared before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Tuesday, where he was being grilled over demolition of the buildings.

The minister said that the Government of Ghana is very remorseful and had apologised profusely for the invasion.

Responding to Onyeama, Speaker of the House of reps, Femi Gbajabiamila, dismissed the apology the minister said had been tendered to Nigeria by Ghana.

3. How we spent 2.7billion Naira on Covid-19 - Oyo State government reveals.

The government of Oyo State has said on Tuesday that it had spent a total of 2,779,000,000 Naira on the fight against COVID-19 in the state.

Giving the breakdown after the State Executive Council meeting was the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinola Ojo.

Ojo said a total of 900.5 million Naira was spent on procurement of the COVID-19 palliatives and seedlings; 370.6 million Naira was spent on the upgrade of the Infectious Diseases Centre at Olodo, 453.7 million was spent on securing borders, security trucks and personnel, then 118 million Naira as support to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for COVID-19 tests.

Also, a total of 614.7million Naira was spent on testing, kits and medical consumables, while 321.2 million Naira was expended on purchase of ambulances.

He stated further that 156 million Naira was set aside for volunteers as 15,000 hazard allowance from June, backdated to March.

He puts the donations from individuals and corporate institutions at 1.2 billion Naira.

4. Governor Uzodinma to pay Imo State pensioners on Friday.

The Government of Imo State has released a statement that they would pay pensioners in the State on Friday.

The Imo state pensioners yesterday, protested about unpaid four months pension arrears, even as the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, has vowed to pay them by Friday this week.

The pensioners led by the Chairman pension intervention committee, Iyke Ohaneje, who arrived at the Government House, said that they were not happy over the delay in the payment of their pension and that it was the reason for which they came out to complain to the government.

While addressing the pensioners, the Imo state Secretary to the State Government, Cosmos Iwu, said; "I commend the pensioners for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner and I have given them the assurance that they will be paid their pension by Friday, and that the reason for the delay is that the government is still sorting out the names of retired pensioners because some people who are still in civil service also receive pension. So, we are cleaning up the payroll system.”

In the same vain, the leadership of Imo state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), that was led by Austin Chilakpu, has reacted to pensioners protest saying that NLC, has dissociated itself from a protest by some pensioners in the state.

Chilakpu said that, the pensioners are aware that discussions between the government and NLC, to completely clean up the rot in the pension payroll and pay all outstanding pension was already in progress.

5. Presidency summons Governor Matawalle, over the insecurity crisis in Zamfara State.

The Governor of Zamfara State, Governor Bello Matawalle, has on Tuesday, updated the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, on the security situation of the state.

The governor said that security agencies were working hard to tackle the menace of banditry and violent crimes in the state.

Speaking with State House correspondents shortly after the closed-door meeting in Abuja, Matawalle said that his government had intensified efforts towards restoring peace to all the troubled parts of the state.

Matawalle said, "I am here to see the Chief of Staff to the President because of the issue currently bedevilling Zamfara. We discussed intensively about the security issue in Northern Nigeria, not just in Zamfara."

6. PDP Chairman in Edo State says Primary will hold with Obaseki's name on the ballot box.

The Chairman of People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Mr. Anthony Aziegbemi, has insisted that the party's primary election will still hold as scheduled, with Governor Godwin Obaseki's name on the ballot box.

Mr Aziegbemi during an interview with Channels Television, explained that his decision is, however, subject to legal advice over the court order.

7. Nigeria records 452 new cases of Covid-19, and 8 new deaths.

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has announced 452 confirmed new cases of the Covid-19 in Nigeria, and thereby bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 21,371.

Also according to the new published reports yesterday night, 299 new patients were discharged, and that brings the total number of recovered patients to 7,388.

The NCDC also reported 8 new deaths, bringing the total number of deaths caused by the virus to 533.

Out of the 452 new confirmed cases, Lagos state, which is the epicentre of the virus in Nigeria topped the number of confirmed cases with 209 new cases, taking their total number of confirmed cases in Lagos alone to 9,073.

Oyo state recorded 67 new cases, Delta State reported 37 new cases while Ogun, Federal Capital Territory and Abia recorded 36, 22 and 20 new cases respectively.

Other states are Enugu-16, Bauchi-15, Kaduna-8, Ondo-8, Osun-7, Imo-3, Benue-3 and Borno-1.

These are some of the breaking News in Nigeria this Morning, Today being Wednesday, 24th of June, 2020.

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