Arik Air Suspends 90% of Workforce, Implements 80% Pay Cut

Nigeria’s major carrier, Arik Air has ordered 90 per cent of its staff to proceed on leave without pay till further notice.

It has also implemented 80 per cent salary cut for its personnel for the month of April.

This was contained in the mail the Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Captain Roy Ilegbolu sent to the staff, where he promised that the suspension would be subject to monthly review.

Ilegbolu noted the global economic crisis triggered by COVID-19 pandemic and how it has affected the world, creating uncertainty.

“After careful deliberation and analyses, management has decided to implement an 80 per cent pay cut for all members of staff across the entire organisation for the month of April 2020. Furthermore, commencing from May 1st 2020, no less than 90 per cent of our staff will proceed on leave without pay until further notice. This position will be reviewed on a monthly basis and communications on further developments will be shared by our HR department as the situation evolves”.

“Of huge significance to us is that we have suffered a sharp decline of over 98 per cent in our revenue streams since the suspension of our scheduled flights almost four weeks ago. Added to this is the rapid decline in the value of the naira by over 35 per cent against the benchmark and with oil prices now falling well below $15 per barrel, it is evident that we must, without further delay, take decisive action to preserve our organisation".

“Our focus as management has always been hinged on the well-being and safety of our staff, managing our liquidity as an organisation and creating the opportunity to ride out of inclement circumstances such as the one we are faced with today.

Pursuant to this, recently, we reached out to our suppliers, specifically negotiating reduced rates on all our contracted services and mitigating operational expenses due to changes in demand. We also implemented contingency plans for staff and introduced operational support flexibility,” he said.

The CEO however noted that notwithstanding that some of the measures taken so far have contributed to conserving “our limited resources”, he remarked that the outlook for the near future is not encouraging, adding that the airline’s current level of business simply cannot support its operations for much longer.

“For this reason, to safeguard the survival of our organisation, we are constrained to introduce additional measures to curtail our costs, as dictated by the turn of events".

NLC Warns Against Extension of Lockdown in Nigeria

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned of likely social unrest if the current lockdown imposed on some states to curb the spread of COVID-19 is further extended.

It faulted the palliatives being provided by the federal government to the poor, urging for an expansion of the social register to cover most Nigerians affected by the pandemic.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, NLC said that the stimulus package should be in consultation with other social partners.

The letter signed by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, also warned that the extension of the lockdown beyond one month may trigger social unrest.

Wabba urged the federal government to consider how Nigerians are coping with the lockdown before taking any decision on the issue.

“While we understand the public health imperatives for extending the lockdown in some parts of the country, it is also very important to underscore the fact that the states currently under total lockdown are the economic and administrative nerve centres of Nigeria.

“This is very dicey. As much as it is important to keep many Nigerians from dying in the hands of coronavirus, loss of income and the accompanying destitution can also be a pathfinder for numerous other sicknesses and deaths. This is the time to play the balancing game.

“The truth is that our economy might relapse into prolonged coma if the current lockdown in the nation’s nerve centres goes beyond the current extension,” he said.

Wabba added that prolonged lockdowns are best effective in the short-term, while with the medium to long-term, the human instinct to survive would kick in and restraint might lead to the collapse of law and order.

He said within the first two weeks of the lockdown in some parts of the country, “there were widespread acts of civil disobedience, inducement of law enforcement agents to gain passes and even various forms of violent crimes.

“No one is sure how long this dam would hold. We fear that the situation will get out of hand if the lockdown exceeds one month.

“While we commend government for being proactive, we opine that the stimulus package would be best served through consultation with social partners.

“Labour and private sector employers have a good understanding of industries where jobs and production are in most danger,” it said.

On palliatives, the NLC called for an improvement in the distribution system through increased stakeholders’ participation.

“Mass-based organisations such as labour has the grassroots presence, especially at wards and units, and can ensure that palliatives get to those who really need them – the poorest of the poor who cannot afford a meal per day. We posit that using the old platform will not deliver the desired result.

“The most critical need of the poorest of the poor among us is to beat hunger. Government palliatives should be tailored in a way that guarantees poor Nigerians, especially daily income earners at least two daily meals. Thus, we call for an expansion of the national social register to capture individual Nigerian workers who do not live with their families,” it said.

NLC also explained that resources provided for the national school feeding programme should be re-channelled to feeding the poor, the aged and the destitute.

The union also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to include other social partners on the inter-ministerial economic response of the pandemic.

“Beyond the threat of COVID-19 to health and life, there are also very real threats to livelihood. Jobs are under threat. Many employees are finding it difficult to source money to keep workers at work and sustain the production lines. It has been projected that the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 would ripple on, at least, for the next two years.

“Many countries around the world are mobilising resources to deal with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many governments have set up COVID-19 response teams devoted to economic and income recovery. 

Governments are also engaging with organised labour to find a human faced approach to dealing with the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic,” the NLC stated.

Extending Lockdown in Nigeria is Catastrophic says Gov Ayade of Cross River

Cross River state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has warned that any further extension of lockdown on the country in response to the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic will spell doom for the country.

He said further extension of the lockdown will give rise as to uncontrollable youth restiveness, adding that it was better to lockout than lockdown because it would be catastrophic.

The governor spoke on Wednesday in Calabar at the Industrial Park said the recruitment of 8000 youths was targeted at avoiding social tension in view of the harsh economic impact created by COVID-19.

His words: ” With prices of oil falling, locking out is far better than locking down because another two weeks of lockdown will find this country under siege by young people. There is no way you can hold down these young energies for too long.

“It is demographic, it is statistics. Sixty-Five percent of the population is below the age of 35 and the virus itself does not have penetrative force in such demography and that is what we have to recognize as a country,” he said.

Speaking further, the governor explained that the difference in climate conditions between the west and Africa was the reason the pandemic is ravaging that part of the world.

“Our demography is different from the west. Our climatic conditions are different.

“If you take the wind speed, the wind direction, sun intensity, radiation and the factors that govern the movement of a virus, ours is a situation that makes it difficult to spread with the speed it is spreading in the western world.

“So, our response strategy should reflect our environmental sensitivity. May be what COVID-19 will eventually do is to sharpen the consciousness of young people to come together.

“That will be very dangerous and so, to nip that in the bud, we have to find jobs for them because sincerely, that is the provision in the constitution. Section 14 subsection 2 says the welfare and security of the people are the primary essences of government”, he said. 

Young Health-Worker Dies of Covid-19 in Ekiti State

Ekiti state has recorded its first COVID-19 death. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, who disclosed this at a press conference this afternoon, said the deceased died on Wednesday April 22, around 6:58 am at the Intensive Care Unit of Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido EkitI.

According to Yaya-Kolade, the deceased was a Community Health worker with the Lagos State Government and was pregnant. She reportedly sneaked into Ekiti last week before she fell into prolonged labour leading to the discovery that she had contracted the infectious disease.

The Commissioner said the deceased infected a 45 -year-old medical doctor, who had been identified as the fourth index case by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC).

“The woman showed signs of stability on Monday but unortunately her condition deteriorated yesterday and we lost her exactly 6.58am today” she said

The Commissioner said the state government will liase with the family of the deceased to ensure she is buried according to the guidelines of the NCDC and the World Health Organization.

Ekiti state has 4 confirmed case of COVID19

Bayelsa Extends Border Closure for 2 Weeks

Bayelsa State has extended the lockdown of its borders for another two weeks.

Governor Douye Diri gave the directive late Tuesday night in a statement by his Acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, following the expiration of the earlier two-week deadline.

He said: “the lockdown affects inter-state vehicular movement, closure of drinking bars at night as well as night clubs.

“Worship centres are also affected as they have been directed to close down and hold services at home.”

The state had on Sunday imposed a five-day dusk-to-dawn curfew, which took effect from Monday.

The governor noted that the state was yet to record any case of COVID-19 infection and reiterated his administration commitment to taking preventive measures against the spread of the disease into the state.

He added that the measures were equally necessary to prepare people of the state for any eventuality.

“We are yet to record any positive case of COVID-19 in Bayelsa. But this does not mean we would go to sleep.

“Our administration is seriously committed to preventing the spread of this dreaded disease into our state. So, we must take measures to keep it in check as well as prepare the minds of our people in case of any positive report.

“People of the state should continue to maintain good hygiene habits as well as comply with the social distancing rules,” the governor said.

Covid-19 Shot Policeman dead in Edo State

A 57-year-old police officer has become the latest victim of coronavirus disease in Edo State.

                  EDO CP, LAWAL TANKO JIMETA

The deceased, who was said to be a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), is the second victim to have died of the virus in the state.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Patrick Okundia, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Benin on Wednesday, said the victim died on Tuesday.

He, however, did not disclosed if the deceased was among cases profiled by the state and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and how he got infected by the virus.

Okundia added that the police officer was first treated at police hospital when he took ill, but later died at his house before the arrival of his sample test.

He said: “We had an unfortunate situation of a 57-year-old police officer who passed on (Tuesday). The story is not very clear how he got the infection, but he developed some illnesses.

“Initially, there was no evidence of suspicion for coronavirus disease, but when the symptoms started getting worse he was treated at the police clinic.

“And about two days before that death, our surveillance team were called to have a look at him and it was in that process they took the sample and sent it to the laboratory while he continued with his drugs.

“At the time we could get to his house to move him out, the man had died that same day.

“It is really unfortunate and the result came after the man had died.”

“He was placed on self isolation. However, the result came out and it was positive.

After nearly four weeks in isolation, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has recovered from Coronavirus.

After nearly four weeks in isolation, Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai has recovered from Coronavirus. 

In his tweeter handle, the Governor

announced on Wednesday that after nearly four weeks of observing a strict medical regime, he had received the all-clear after two consecutive negative test results.

He thanked Almighty Allah for His grace and mercy on him, and acknowledged the massive outpouring of sympathy, prayers and public support that followed the disclosure of his infection.

The governor said that his family did not only go through the trauma of potentially losing a member but also the risk of being infected as well.

“The entire family has been supportive as usual, while my many friends and colleagues from all over the World have sent their prayers and best wishes”.

He said it was cheering to see the determined efforts of the State COVID-19 Task Force, chaired by his Deputy, officials of Ministry of Health and enforcement agencies to manage and contain the spread of COVID-19 in the State.

“I wish to acknowledge our Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, for her reassuring leadership of our team in my absence.

“Our senior officials have demonstrated admirable commitment & the flexibility to provide governance in circumstances that are so different from the old normal.”