Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported a significant decrease in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last three weeks, with the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria decreasing by 52.6% and the number of deaths decreasing by 26.9%. However, hospitalisation increased by 21.5%. The data from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) showed that 13,769,415 of the total eligible persons were reached with the first dose and 5,199,824 with the second dose. The NCDC has also made repeat tests compulsory for returnees to the country during the first and subsequent waves of the pandemic.

The Federal Government has urged all federal tertiary hospitals, Federal Medical Centres (FMCs) and Federal Specialist Hospitals across the country to key into the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) accreditation programme in order to deliver accurate laboratory test results. The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, disclosed this during the unveiling of MLSCN Accreditation Service as an Associate member of International Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation (ILAC) and the presentation of a certificate of ISO 15189:2012 Accreditation to National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory Saye–Zaria, Kaduna State. The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the MLSCN, Dr Tosan Erhabor, emphasised the relevance of accreditation as a means of demonstrating technical competence.

The National Assembly is prosposing a Bill that will empower the Securities and Exchange commission (SEC) to impose stiff punishment on promoters of Ponzi schemes and other unregistered investment schemes. The Bill is expected to empower the SEC with legal backing to effectively regulate the capital market and emphasise the independence of the commission in line with the requirements of the international organisation of securities commissions (IOSCO). The amendment is tittled: "A Bill for an act to repeal the Investments and Securities Act 2007 and Enact the investments and Securities and Exchange Commission as the Apex regulatory Authority for the Nigerian Capital Market as well as regulation of the Market to ensure Capital Formation, the protection of the Market to ensure protection of investors, Maintain Fair, Efficient and Transparent Market and reduction of Systematic Risk, and for Related Matters."