NEWS & LIFE

Oyebanji threatens arrest of those rejecting old naira notes

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Lassa fever: Ondo records 106 cases, 8 deaths Prof. Francis Faduyile, Special Adviser to Ondo State governor on Health Lassa Fever By Segun Giwa Akure, Jan. 29, 2023(NAN) Ondo State government has said 106 cases of Lassa Fever and eight deaths have been recorded in the state this year. Prof. Francis Faduyile, Special Adviser to the governor on Health, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Akure. Faduyile said the confirmed cases were in six local governments of Owo, Akure North, Akure South, Ose, Akoko South-West and Idanre. According to him, Owo has the highest cases of 68, Akure North (13), Akure South (11), Ose(9), Akoko South-West(5) and Idanre (1). “Between Jan. 1 and Jan. 23, we have had 268 suspected cases of Lassa Fever, 106 confirmed cases and unfortunately eight deaths,” Faduyile said. He explained that the prevalent period of the disease was during the dry season and part of the rainy season when farmers were cultivating lands for farming. “The farmers during this period will do a lot of bush burning and when they burn the bush, the rats will move from their natural habitat to a place safer and a lot of them tends to come towards homes in that surrounding. “The first way to prevent Lassa is to stop bush burning, and we have sensitised against this,” he said. Faduyile advised people not put their foods where rats can have access. “We have observed that some of our cultural activities like spreading cassava on the road to dry are harmful because rats can come around eat out of the cassava and drop faeces or urine on it. “Besides, we have observed that our level of hygiene, if it is not well improved, it can attract rats, because rats are scavengers and when there is uneaten food, that is not covered, they tend to come,” he said. Faduyile noted that the government has embarked on advocacy through the local governments and traditional rulers as well as other preventive means to stem the disease. “Every year there is ‘deratification’, that is to kill all the rats, and we have started it this year which has been largely successful. “Also, there have been a lot of advocacy to medical personnel for them to have high index of suspicion for any fever,” he said. Faduyile said the government has improved the state Infectious Disease Hospital, Akure, to a standard that can take care of Lassa fever.
Ekiti State Governor, Abiodun Oyebanji

Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti has said the government would arrest and prosecute traders and service providers who reject the old N500 and N1000 denominations.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Olubode and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Ado-Ekiti, Oyebanji appealed to traders and business owners in the state to stop creating hardship for residents.
The governor explained that the old N500 and N1000 denominations remained legal tender by virtue of the ruling of the Supreme Court which extended its validity date till Dec., 31.
Oyebanji said that his office had been inundated with the outcry of the people due to the hardship being faced as a result of the low circulation of the new redesigned Naira notes.

He said the Supreme Court had by its March 3 ruling, extended the validity date for the old naira notes in a case instituted by some states, including Ekiti.
Oyebanji said that the refusal of many business owners in the state to accept the old naira notes as means of transaction was unlawful.

“This is an appeal to all residents of Ekiti to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court, which has provided a reprieve for the people by extending the validity date of the old naira notes till Dec., 31.
“As honourable people, what is expected of us is to abide by the ruling of the apex court and continue to accept the old naira notes as means of transactions and not to inflict further hardship on one another by rejecting it.
“Government will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute business owners found rejecting the old naira notes,” the statement quoted Oyebanji as saying.

He, however, assured that his administration will continue to explore avenues to make life more meaningful for the people, as it continues to build a more prosperous state.
The governor, therefore, appealed to the market women and men, artisans, transporters, filling stations, supermarket owners and school proprietors as well as service providers to remain law abiding and accept the old naira notes.
He also urged the commercial banks and Central Bank of Nigeria,(CBN) to make the old and new currencies available in their branches and at their Automated Teller Machines (ATM) points in order to ease the stress residents go through to get money for their daily and commercial needs

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