NEWS
COVID-19: World reaches one million deaths in 2022 – WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the world has recorded one million COVID-19 deaths in 2022, a ”tragic milestone” that must lead to more people being vaccinated against the disease.
Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said this on Thursday during an online media briefing.
“We cannot say we are learning to live with COVID-19 when one million people have died with COVID-19 this year alone.
“When we are two-and-a-half years into the pandemic and have all the tools necessary to prevent these deaths,” Ghebreyesus said.
He urged all governments to step up action to vaccinate all health workers, older persons, and others at highest risk, as part of efforts toward inoculating 70 per cent of the global population.
The WHO boss said he was pleased to see that some countries with the lowest vaccination rates were now gaining ground especially Africa.
“In January, WHO and partners launched the COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery Partnership, focused mainly on the 34 countries that were at or below 10 per cent coverage. All but six are on the continent.
“Today, only 10 countries still have less than 10 per cent coverage, most of which are facing humanitarian emergencies,” he said, adding that vaccinations were still lagging.
He said that though there was a welcoming progress on coverage of high-priority groups, more must be done as one-third of the world’s population remained unvaccinated.
Ghebreyesus said that such included two-thirds of health workers, and three-quarters of older persons in low-income countries.
“All countries at all income levels must do more to vaccinate those most at risk, to ensure access to life-saving therapeutics, to continue testing and sequencing.
“Also, to set tailored, proportionate policies to limit transmission and save lives. This is the best way to drive a truly sustainable recovery,” he said.
According to him, intense Monkeypox transmission continues in the Americas region, although the number of cases globally fell by more than 20 per cent last week.
He said that most cases in the early stage of the outbreak were in Europe, with a smaller proportion in the Americas, adding that the situation had now reversed.
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Ghebreyesus said that currently, less than 40 per cent of reported cases were in Europe and 60 per cent in the Americas.
He said that there were signs that the outbreak was slowing in Europe, where a combination of effective public health measures, behaviour change, and vaccination, were helping to prevent transmission.
“However, in Latin America in particular, insufficient awareness or public health measures are combining with a lack of access to vaccines to fan the flames of the outbreak,” he said.
Ghebreyesus thanked vaccine manufacturer, Bavarian Nordic, which on Wednesday signed an agreement with WHO’s Regional Office for the Americas to support access to its Monkeypox vaccine in Latin America and the Caribbean.
He expressed hope that the development would help to bring the outbreak under control in the region.
Hundreds of pensioners in Benue State on Wednesday took to the streets of Makurdi to protest the non-payment of gratuities, pension arrears and the failure of the government to harmonise pension payments, lamenting that many retirees are dying due to hardship and lack of access to healthcare.
The protesters, under the umbrella of the Concerned Pensioners Association of Benue State, staged a peaceful demonstration and threatened to occupy the Benue State Government House if their demands continue to be ignored.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Pay Us Our Pension, Our Members Are Dying” and other messages demanding justice, the retirees expressed frustration over what they described as years of neglect and broken promises.
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Speaking during the protest, the association’s chairman, Akosu Orban, said pensioners had exhausted all avenues of dialogue with the state government without achieving any meaningful result.
“We have exhausted all avenues for dialogue and resolution with the Benue State Government over our demands without success. That is why we have decided to embark on this peaceful protest,” he said.
According to Orban, gratuities dating back to the year 2000 remain unpaid, while pension arrears owed to state retirees stand at 38 months and those owed to local government retirees have accumulated to 62 months.
He also raised concerns over the non-harmonisation of pensions, claiming that some retirees still receive as little as N2,000 monthly despite existing provisions for improved pension payments.
“It may interest you to know that some pensioners who retired many years ago are still being paid N2,000 monthly pension. If pensions were properly harmonised, they should be receiving up to N40,000 per month,” he stated.
The pensioners lamented that the prolonged delay in settling their entitlements has pushed many retirees into extreme poverty.
“Pensioners are dying on a daily basis because they cannot afford drugs and special diets required for age-related ailments. We have become scavengers, beggars and destitute in the land we served diligently,” Orban added.
The association accused the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia of failing to fulfil promises allegedly made during the 2023 election campaign to clear pension arrears and gratuities within 100 days of assuming office.
The retirees further alleged that they withdrew several court cases against the government after receiving assurances that outstanding payments would be settled on a first-retired, first-paid basis, only for those promises to remain unfulfilled.
Warning that their patience was running out, the protesters vowed to escalate their action if their demands were not addressed.
“We are hungry and angry. If our concerns are not addressed, we will have no option than to occupy the Benue State Government House until justice is done to pensioners,” Orban declared.
Responding to the protest, Benue State Commissioner for Finance, Michael Oglegba, said the current administration inherited pension and gratuity liabilities estimated at N300 billion.
He noted that the government was making efforts to settle the obligations despite limited resources.
“That is what we inherited, but we are doing our very best to pay what we can. They have the right to demonstrate, but government, in its wisdom, is doing its best,” Oglegba said.
The commissioner added that the administration had fully paid gratuities of workers who retired since it assumed office in 2023, while also working to reduce the backlog inherited from previous administrations.
The protest highlights the growing frustration among pensioners in Benue State, many of whom say years of unpaid entitlements have left them struggling to survive.
A total of 268 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks are expected to arrive in Lagos today as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to protect its citizens abroad.
The returnees, who form the first batch of those seeking voluntary repatriation, are being transported aboard an Air Peace evacuation flight scheduled to land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:00 a.m.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, is expected to receive the evacuees on behalf of the Federal Government upon their arrival.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, who said the Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria in Pretoria, Ambassador Alexander Ajayi, would accompany the returnees and formally hand them over to Nigerian authorities.
The evacuation follows renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which have left many foreign nationals, including Nigerians, fearful for their safety and seeking a return to their home countries.
According to the ministry, the ongoing screening exercise for Nigerians willing to return home voluntarily has been extended until Sunday, June 14, 2026, to enable more affected citizens to participate in the evacuation programme.
The ministry said the extension underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare, safety and protection of Nigerians living overseas.
It also assured that relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have made adequate arrangements for the reception, documentation and support of the returnees upon arrival.
The latest evacuation marks another chapter in the long-standing concerns over xenophobic violence in South Africa, where Nigerians and other African migrants have periodically faced hostility, attacks and displacement.
Federal authorities have reiterated their commitment to safeguarding the interests of Nigerians abroad while continuing diplomatic engagements aimed at addressing the situation and ensuring the safety of affected citizens.
A coalition of civil society organisations, activists, labour groups and youth movements has declared June 12, 2026, a day of nationwide protest against worsening insecurity, economic hardship and deteriorating living conditions across Nigeria.
The protest, scheduled to coincide with the country’s Democracy Day celebration, is being championed by prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana and popular musician-turned-activist Falz, alongside several civil society leaders and advocacy groups.
In a joint statement released ahead of the demonstration, the coalition expressed concern over what it described as the growing suffering of Nigerians amid rising insecurity, inflation and poverty.
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According to the group, millions of citizens have little reason to celebrate Democracy Day as many communities continue to battle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The statement was jointly endorsed by Falana, National Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB); Hassan Taiwo Soweto of the #EndBadGovernance Movement; Yinka Folarin of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR); Falz and several other civil society advocates.
The coalition lamented that innocent Nigerians are being killed, abducted and displaced while many families continue to live in fear due to the worsening security situation across the country.
“The Nigerian people deserve a government that places the protection of lives and property at the centre of governance,” the coalition stated.
The group further demanded the immediate release of citizens currently being held captive by kidnappers and criminal groups in various parts of the country.
It also criticised what it described as inadequate responses to insecurity despite repeated assurances by authorities that the situation was improving.
According to the coalition, schools remain vulnerable to attacks, farmers face challenges accessing their farmlands and many major highways are still considered unsafe for travellers.
Beyond security concerns, the coalition highlighted the growing economic hardship facing Nigerians, citing rising fuel prices, currency devaluation, increased electricity tariffs and the soaring cost of essential goods and services.
The statement noted that food prices have continued to rise sharply, making it increasingly difficult for families to meet their basic needs.
It added that transportation costs have become unbearable for many citizens, while small and medium-sized businesses are struggling to survive due to high operating costs, unstable electricity supply and declining consumer purchasing power.
The coalition also expressed concern over stagnant wages and persistent inflation, arguing that workers’ incomes can no longer adequately support their households.
Explaining the purpose of the June 12 protest, the organisers said the nationwide action is intended to compel the government to take urgent and practical steps to tackle insecurity and implement policies that will ease the economic burden on citizens.
The coalition called on workers, students, traders, artisans, market women, professionals, unemployed youths, religious organisations and labour unions to mobilise and participate peacefully in the demonstration.
“The time has come for Nigerians to speak with one voice and demand security, dignity and a decent standard of living. Enough of the killings. Enough of the kidnappings. Enough of the hunger. Enough of the suffering,” the statement added.
The organisers described the planned protest as a democratic expression of citizens’ frustrations and a collective demand for a safer and more prosperous Nigeria.
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