The Governor’s confirmation was contained in a circular issued by the State Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola.

Sanwo-Olu who wished the new Commissioner a successful tenure in office and congratulated her on this new feat, first appointed Ms Olusanya in to the State Executive Council on the 20th of August, 2019 as a Special Adviser on Agriculture.

She was similarly appointed as the Acting Commissioner for Agriculture on 8th June, 2020 upon the resignation and subsequent coronation of the erstwhile Commissioner for Agriculture, HRM Oba Omogbolahan Abdulwasiu Lawal, Abisogun II as the 15th Oniru of Iru Kingdom.

Ms. Abisola Olusanya is a tenacious and result-oriented professional with ten year professional experience in leadership roles in sales and marketing and supply chain management executing strategies towards food security, SME inclusion, growth and profitability within a sustainable eco-system.

She is a leader with a participatory management styles and proficiency in establishing and managing an entire operation with key focus on a sustainable organisational culture and she is well tuned to global management practices.

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The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal disclosed this over the weekend at the launch of the Decontamination Exercise of Livestock/Live Bird Markets, Abattoirs and other Animal Related Areas in the State in commemoration of this year’s World Veterinary Day celebration with the theme, Environmental Protection for Improving Animal and Human Health at the semi-mechanized abattoir in Ikorodu.

Lawal who was represented by the Director, Veterinary Services Dr. Rasheed Macaulay stressed the roles of veterinarians as advocates of animal health and welfare by supporting the responsible use of natural resources, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change and assiduously working together to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 and other zoonotic diseases in the State.

“We are celebrating the World Veterinary Day and at the same time, commencing the flag- off of the decontamination of all abattoirs in the State including the livestock and live bird markets in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 as it is a zoonotic disease, originating from animals, and other zoonotic diseases of animal origin. That is why we have taken it upon ourselves to decontaminate all animal areas in the State to commemorate the World Veterinary Day. This is a collaboration between the Veterinary Council of Nigeria and the Lagos State Government,” the Commissioner asserted.

He noted that the 3-week long continuous decontamination exercise would see to the decontamination of no fewer than 50 animal areas including abattoirs, slaughter slabs, animal clinics as well as livestock and live bird markets adding tha the exercise was not new to these areas as there was a constant disinfection and decontamination of live bird markets across the State which has greatly influenced the fight against zoonotic diseases in Lagos.

“Even before this pandemic, the State Government through the Ministry of Agriculture has been decontaminating all abattoirs, livestock markets and live bird markets across the State. It is not a one-off thing; it is going to be a continuous exercise. That is why we don’t experience any meat-borne disease in the State. It is because of the continuous decontamination and disinfection of all our abattoirs, live bird and livestock markets,” Lawal noted.

The Commissioner listed the animal areas to be decontaminated to include Ikorodu Abattoir, Sabo Cattle Market, Sabo Sheep and Goats Market, Owode Elede Sheep and Goats Market, Agege Abattoir, Agege Animal Market, Abattoir Second Gate Goats and Sheep Market, Ojokoro Sheep and Goats Market, Mangoro Sheep and Goats Market, Awolowo Live Bird Market, Mushin Main Live Bird Market, Cairo Live Bird Market, Bolade Live Bird Market (Arena), Olaleye Live Bird Market, Adebayo Live Bird Market, Ketu Live Bird Market, Mile 12 Live Bird Market, Surulere Clinics, Tejuosho Live Bird Market, Oyingbo Live Bird Market, Jankara Live Bird Market, Lagos Island; Pelewura Live Bird Market, Lagos Island; Animal Hospitals, Oja Oba Live Bird Market, Abattoirs 1 and 2 Live Bird Markets, Idera Live Bird Market, and Isaleoja Live Bird Market.

Others are Adeniji Phase 2 Sheep Goats Market, Achakpo Semi- Mechanized Abattoir, Ajegunle Sheep and Goats Slab, Itire Slaughter House, Ejigbo Slaughter House, Matori Semi- Mechanized Abattoir, Alayabiagba Live Bird Market, Alaba Suuru Live Bird Market, Agboju Live Bird Market, Festac Live Bird Market, Ojo Cantonment Live Bird Market, Alaba Rago Live Bird Market, Okokomaiko Live Bird Market, Ejina Live Bird Market, Ikorodu; Sabo Live Bird Market, Ikorodu; Odongunyan Live Bird Market, Ikorodu; Ajah Veterinary Clinics, Ajah Live Bird Market, Sangotedo Live Bird Market, Epe Veterinary Clinics, T-Junction Sheep and Goats Market, Akodo Live Bird Market, Ibeju- Lekki; Arasi Live Bird Market, Epe; Ilaje semi-mechanized, Otto Awori Slaughter Slab, Igando Slaughter Slab, Badagry Veterinary Clinics, Agbalata Live Bird Market, Kabiyesi Olorun Cattle Market, Fibre Sheep and Goats Market and Agbalata semi-mechanized Abattoir.

Earlier, the President, Commonwealth Veterinary Association, Dr. Olatunji Nasir explained that this year’s event was unique in the sense that it related closely to the COVID-19 pandemic going on in the world right now as without the health of the environment or the health of animals, human health cannot be guaranteed.

“The World Health Organization, (WHO), states that about 75% of human diseases are gotten from animals. So, we as veterinarians serve as an interface in trying to protect human beings from getting zooonotic diseases that are transmitted from animals to man. This is why we chose the abattoirs, livestock markets and live bird markets where they sell chicken to undertake the decontamination of these places because we know that these are places that are visited by multitudes of people; people are going to be consuming products that are coming from these areas so it is our social responsibility to make sure that we do this,” Nasir noted.

He advised that Lagosians to keep to the rules that health authorities have laid down suggesting that social distancing be maintained, encourage washing of hands, avoid crowded places and above all maintain good hygiene in our various homes.

Speaking on behalf of the butchers and meat sellers, Chairman, Butchers’ Association of Nigeria, Ikorodu Division, Alhaji Taliatu Lawal appreciated the efforts of the State Government and expressed his joy and gratitude for the decontamination exercise.

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The Governor also offered more information on how the patient was identified and efforts currently being made to prevent the spread of the virus.

The patient, Sanwo-Olu said, is an Ogun State-based expatriate who flew into Lagos from Milan in Italy via Istanbul, Turkey last Monday evening. The Governor said the patient, whose name was not disclosed, remained in stable condition at the bio-security facility in Yaba, Lagos Mainland, where he is being isolated.

It was gathered that the patient, although, tested positive to COVID-19 virus, is yet to show any respiratory symptoms at press time. He complained of fever and body pain, which prompted his transfer from Ogun State to Lagos for advanced medical investigation.

Sanwo-Olu said a number of persons, who had physical contact with the patient before the virus was diagnosed, are being traced, while others are currently being examined for possible symptoms.

The Governor shared these details during a first press conference held on Friday at the State House in Marina to brief the public on the matter. Top State officials at the conference included Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Gbolahan Lawal, Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji and Director General of Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola.

Sanwo-Olu said there should be no cause for panic among Nigerians over the reported COVID-19 incident, stressing that measures had been set in motion by the State and Federal governments to contain the spread of the virus across the country. He particularly allayed the fear of Lagos residents, saying the two bio-security facilities in the State had the capability to contain the virus.

He said: “At 10pm on Thursday, I got a call from the Commissioner of Health, who reported possible identification of patient with coronavirus in Ogun State. Immediately, we triggered all levels of bio-security responses and containment facilities. After series of laboratory examination, the patient was confirmed to have tested positive to the virus in early hours of today (Friday) and we immediately alerted the federal authorities, including the President and everybody who needs to be aware. We are in constant touch with the company where the patient was engaged. The management and personnel of the company have been cooperative.

“Health workers and emergency officials are on the field to track all persons that had physical contacts and interaction with the patient. Our bio-security facilities have been fortified to continue any form of test and contain any other potential case. We are in constant touch with the Federal Ministry of Health to harmonise our response to the incident. For us in Lagos, we are doing anything that needs to be done. The patient is stable and every health intervention required is currently being given to him.”

On how the patient scaled through health screening at the Lagos airport without being detected, Sanwo-Olu said investigation showed the virus did not manifest in the patient at the time he passed through the airport. The incident, he said, prompted the Government to immediately trigger advanced end-to-end screening for passengers flying into Nigeria, especially from high-risk countries.

The Governor said there would not be prohibition of public gatherings and regular activities in Lagos despite the diagnosed case of COVID-19, pointing out that such measure may give rise to needless panic among the general public. He said the condition of the patient was not “highly contagious” at the moment, adding that the State would only ban outdoor gatherings in the case of escalation in person-to-person transmission of the virus.

He said: “It is only when there is a high level of escalation that the public can be panicky and this is when we realise that it is getting to person-to-person transmission. As we have said, this isolated case has been contained right from the hospital where he was first admitted and the guesthouse he slept after his arrival in Nigeria. It is when there is a person-to-person infection that we can trigger another level of isolation and curtail public events where large number of people can gather. I don’t think we have gotten to that level yet.”

Sanwo-Olu also cleared the air on why the patient was transferred to Lagos after the incident was reported in Ogun State, saying the Federal Government only established testing centres to prevent to coronavirus in States that have international airports. Lagos, the Governor said, is the only State in the Southwest that has testing centres. He said the State was also considered based on its sophisticated bio-security facilities, which were established during the outbreak of Ebola virus.

Prof. Abayomi explained how the diagnosis was carried out, following the patient’s complaint of fever and body pain. He said the patient started to show signs of illness on Wednesday afternoon, after which he was presented at the Ogun State-based firm’s hospital where investigation began.

He said: “Investigation began at the hospital after the patient gave history of his trip to Nigeria. The medical personnel at the company’s hospital kept the patient in isolation overnight and contacted us at the bio-security in Lagos for assistance. We immediately asked them to transfer the case to Lagos. The patient was brought to our high-containment in Yaba on Thursday morning.

“Immediately the patient arrived, he was put in proper isolation and appropriate tests were conducted on him. Within hours, we received signals that the laboratory tests were showing signs of positivity. At that point, we informed the Federal Minister of Health and Governor Sanwo-Olu, who is the Chief Incident Commander in Lagos.”

The Health Commissioner said the patient was responding well under a supportive therapy, saying efforts were on to identify all persons that had physical contact with the patient to break the cycle of transmission.

He disclosed that the State remained prepared to contain potential spread of the virus, observing that Lagos had wrapped up the capacity of its containment facility to 80-bed as a result of the emergency funds released by the Governor.

Prof. Abayomi said more capabilities were being put in place by the State to deal with increase number of cases. He said aggressive public awareness campaign was going on to sensitise residents on hygiene and activities that can prevent the spread of virus.

The post Coronavirus: Don’t panic, patient in ‘stable condition’, says Gov. Sanwo-Olu appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

Olanusi who was removed by 22 of the 26 state lawmakers Monday, 27 April, was accused of gross misconduct, corruption and causing disaffection in Mimiko’s cabinet.

The Peoples Democratic Party, Ondo state chapter, has lauded Olanusi’s removal, in a statement by Ayo Fadaka, state publicity secretary, PDP, commended the lawmakers for their “tenacity in prosecuting this action”.

“It is important to declare that the Parliament displayed its commitment to good governance that will be bereft of undue encumbrances by removing from office a man who not only discharge his responsibilities with levity and mostly in abeyance, but also view with disdain his oath of office to bear true allegiance to the government he was an integral part of.

“This attitude is unbecoming of a senior citizen who should ordinarily serve as a shining example to younger generations who look up to him for inspiration”, Fadaka stated.

Fadaka accused Olanusi of working at cross-purpose with Mimiko and nursing “phantom ambitions of how he will covet the position of his boss, this to say the least is dishonorable and treacherous”.

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