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December 21, 2021

December 21, 2021December 21, 2021 IFM Social Media

Comedian Maraji Is Pregnant

Popular Nigerian comedian Gloria Olorunto popularly known as Maraji is pregnant.

The Instagram sensation took to her Instagram page on Monday, December 20, 2021, where she shared a video debuting her belly bump.

In the video, the popular Instagram comedian danced as she showed off her growing belly bump and captioned it with a quote;

"Hi there😋😋"

Congratulations Maraji.

Maraji is a Nigerian comedienne who hails from Edo state.

She has gained prominence around the country for her hilarious skits.

She holds a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Covenant University.

COVID-19: Gov Lalong Gives Plateau Residents 72 Hours To Get Vaccinated

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau state has given residents 72 hours to present evidence of COVID-19 vaccination or negative PCR test result to be able to access public offices.

Lalong issued the directive on Monday in Jos at the flag-off of the COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign.

“All citizens of 18 years and above will henceforth show evidence of vaccination or present a negative Covid-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours to gain access to any public office.

“This will also go hand-in-hand with observing all COVID-19 safety protocols in schools, markets, banks, weddings, churches, mosques, among other places,’’ he said.

The governor added that the directive became necessary to ensure public safety, especially following the discovery of the Omicron variant of the virus in Nigeria.

He urged residents to avail themselves of the opportunity of the mass campaign to get vaccinated adding.

The governor added that his earlier order to arrest and prosecute those discouraging others from getting the jab was still in force.

Lalong directed local government chairmen to replicate the mass campaign in their areas.

He also tasked religious, traditional, community and political leaders to sensitise the people on the need to get vaccinated.

Speaking at the event, Dr Williams Wadzingi, the state’s coordinator of the WHO, said not up to 50 per cent of the state’s residents had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

He urged the state government and other stakeholders to make concerted efforts to address vaccine hesitancy in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Lalong also inaugurated the state’s task force on integrated immunisation headed by the deputy governor, Prof. Sonni Tyoden.

It has the task of ensuring intensive sensitisation and consolidation of achieved gains in the area of vaccination.

NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Meat Is Expensive In Benue Because Of Ortom’s Ban On Open Grazing – Vendors

Contrary to the belief that beef costs high in Benue at the approach of Yuletide, butchers and meat sellers blame the situation on the removal of meat “subsidy’’ by government.

They say the law banning open grazing, which they termed “removal of meat subsidy’’ is at the root of the high costs.

Meat sellers who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Makurdi said prices of cow meat went up because Gov. Samuel Ortom signed the anti-open grazing Bill into law.

Mr Inusa Bala said that by signing the Bill, Gov. Ortom sent cows and herders away from Benue.

He lamented that livestock guards in Benue always searched for herders into deep forests to impound their cows, some of which die in custody.

The herders, he said, needed to pay heavy fines to re-acquire the surviving ones.

“For example, if you have 100 cows and they are arrested, maybe about five will die in custody and you will still have to sell about 10 cows to be able to settle the fine.

“The anti-open grazing law of Benue has caused a lot of challenges for us meat sellers as it has made it difficult for us to buy cows because of the absence of herders.

“Before now, a herder would call you on phone to buy his cows and it was at cheap rates. That is no longer the case.

“We meat sellers now travel to as far as Kano, Katsina, Plateau and Nasarawa to buy cows.

“Sometimes, the cow dealers will refuse to sell to us because we are from Benue and after much pleadings they’d sell to us exorbitantly,’’ Bala complained.

Another meat seller, Mr Mohammed Abubakar told NAN that travelling to other states to take cows to Benue had been very challenging because of the heavy “taxes’’ to be paid at police checkpoints before reaching Benue.

“They purposely increased police checkpoints on market days and they collect N1,000 per trailer load of cows.

“If we manage to reach Makurdi, we still pay other taxes to Lands and Survey Department; to veterinary doctors; to environmentalists and to our union.

“The money we spend to bring cows to Benue is too much, but if herders were not sent out of Benue as a result of the law, prices of cow meat would not have been this high,’’ he said.

Mr Martin Nwachukwu who also sells meat said big cows which used to be sold for N250,000 now costs N700,000, while the small ones which used to go for less than N100,000 now costs N150,000.

He explained further that a kilogram of cow meat which used to be N1400 now costs N2,500.

Nwachukwu appealed to Benue government to reconsider the anti-open grazing law and find a way to accommodate cattle breeders to bring prices down.

NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Nigeria Records 500% Increase In COVID-19 Infections In 2 Weeks – NCDC

Nigeria recorded a 500 per cent increase in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks across the country.

This is contained in a statement issued and signed by the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC), Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, in Abuja.

Adetifa attributed the 500 per cent increase in infections in the country to the COVID-19 Delta and Omicron variants.

“As of Dec. 19, Nigeria reported 223,887 cases and 2,985 deaths in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“The country is now in a fourth COVID-19 wave.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, the Federal Ministry of Health, as well as NCDC and its partners, are therefore intensifying risk communication efforts to remind Nigerians of the risk we face and need to take collective responsibility to reduce transmission of the virus.

“The response to COVID-19 requires a whole-of-society approach. Therefore, individuals, families and institutions also need to play their part in protecting each other by ensuring adherence to COVID-19 public health and social measures,” he explained.

He also disclosed that the NCDC was launching its yuletide season campaign themed #CelebrateResponsibly as part of the #TakeResponsibility campaign which began in February 2020.

“#CelebrateResponsibly focuses specifically on measures Nigerians need to take to protect themselves and loved ones from COVID-19 during this period.

“The #CelebrateResponsibly campaign targets the entertainment industry, transport industry, religious settings, media, security personnel, young people, and the general public to promote adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures during this festive period,” he added.

He urged Nigerians to adhere to recommended measures by the agency and other public health authorities, as they celebrate Christmas and New Year.

“Please avoid all non-essential travel within and outside Nigeria to reduce the risk of transmission.

“The virus that causes COVID-19 is more likely to spread in mass gatherings especially when held indoors with full capacity and poor ventilation.

“We strongly recommend outdoor events with physical distancing, compulsory use of facemasks, and provision of handwashing facilities or hand sanitisers.

“Please make use of every opportunity provided to get vaccinated against COVID-19,” he advised.

The NCDC boss noted that the government had made the COVID-19 vaccines available for all eligible citizens and booster doses available for those previously vaccinated.

The Celebrate Responsibly campaign which spans from the Christmas holiday through to the start of the new year, he said, emphasises the responsibility of all Nigerians, the government, private sector, institutions, associations, communities, families and individuals in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Religious leaders and heads of institutions, organisations and businesses, he added, are urged to enforce public compliance to COVID-19 preventive measures in their jurisdiction.

“COVID-19 continues to threaten the lives and the livelihoods of Nigerians therefore we must not let our guards down this festive season.

“We urge Nigerians to take all precautions necessary to ensure we and our loved ones live to celebrate many more events and festivities.

“The campaign includes the production of key messages, audio and visual materials for wide dissemination.

“The NCDC urges all individuals, traditional and religious leaders, business owners, the media, transport workers and other institutions and sectors to join the campaign by adopting the key messages and sharing within their networks,” he said.

NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

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Comedian Maraji Is Pregnant

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COVID-19: Gov Lalong Gives Plateau Residents 72 Hours To Get Vaccinated

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Meat Is Expensive In Benue Because Of Ortom’s Ban On Open Grazing – Vendors

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Nigeria Records 500% Increase In COVID-19 Infections In 2 Weeks – NCDC

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