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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.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has challenged the Presidency to explain how Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) dividends were distributed among states and local governments, insisting that a reconciliation exercise identified a shortfall of about ₦9 trillion.
Makinde’s position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, in response to the Presidency’s rejection of the governor’s earlier claims over NLNG dividend payments.
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The statement said the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), with the support of the Federal Government, engaged a consultant to reconcile NLNG dividend payments, adding that the exercise identified approximately ₦9 trillion allegedly due to states and local governments.
“The exercise identified a shortfall of about ₦9 trillion due to states and local governments. The Federal Government accepted the findings,” the statement said.
The governor maintained that the reconciliation report remained in the custody of both the Federal Government and the NGF.
“The report remains in the custody of both the Federal Government and the NGF. We trust the Presidency will not deny its existence,” the statement added.
The statement also noted that Makinde is the incumbent Vice-Chairman of the NGF.
Makinde Questions $21.5bn NLNG Dividend Payments
The governor questioned the Presidency’s statement that NLNG had paid $21.5 billion in dividends into the Federation Account since its inception, including $3 billion received under the current administration.
According to Makinde, the Presidency’s response did not explain how the payments were distributed or establish the amounts received by states and local governments.
“The Presidency stated that NLNG had paid $21.5 billion in dividends into the Federation Account since inception, including $3 billion received under the current administration. But it did not explain how these funds were disbursed,” the statement said.
The governor also questioned whether states and local governments had received their shares, how much they received and the basis for calculating their allocations.
“Have states and local governments received their shares? How much did they receive, and how were those amounts calculated? What happened to the $3 billion received under this administration?” the statement asked.
Makinde defended the figures he had previously cited, maintaining that his claims were based on verifiable information.
“Governor Makinde conducts public discourse with decorum and does not make unfounded claims or quote figures without a basis,” the statement said.
The governor maintained that he was ready to provide further clarification on the matter while urging the Presidency to address the substance of the allegations.
“We remain ready to provide further clarification while we urge the presidency to address the substance of the matter,” the statement added.
Recall that Biztellers had earlier reported the Presidency’s rejection of Makinde’s claim concerning NLNG dividends allegedly withheld from states and local governments.
The Presidency stated that NLNG had paid $21.5 billion in dividends into the Federation Account since its inception, including $3 billion received under the current administration.
However, in his latest response, Makinde argued that disclosing the total amount paid into the Federation Account did not address how the funds were distributed among the different tiers of government.
The governor is now demanding clarification on the distribution of the dividends and the findings of the reconciliation exercise that reportedly identified the ₦9 trillion shortfall.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to shut down Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State, if the institution’s management fails to reverse the reported increase in school fees.
The association, in a press release dated Sunday, October 18, 2026, described the reported tuition increment as insensitive, unjustifiable and unacceptable, citing the economic difficulties confronting Nigerian students.
The statement was signed by the NANS President, Dist. Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, GCNS, who warned that the increase could frustrate the academic aspirations of countless students.
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“To be clear, education cannot be commercialised. Students cannot be made to pay for the financial challenges confronting our universities,” the statement read.
NANS acknowledged that universities require adequate funding but argued that their managements, particularly vice-chancellors, should explore innovative revenue-generating opportunities rather than impose additional financial burdens on students.
The association maintained that the Federal Government was investing heavily in education to keep students in school and ensure that access to education was not determined by their financial background or status.
NANS Gives University Management Conditions
The student body warned the vice-chancellor and the entire university management against policies capable of pushing students out of school.
It said the national leadership would not stand by while Nigerian students faced additional financial pressure that could threaten their academic futures.
“Going forward, we wish to make it clear to the Vice-Chancellor and the entire University Management that the National Leadership of NANS will not stand by while Nigerian students are subjected to policies capable of pushing them out of school,” the statement said.
NANS subsequently demanded an immediate reversal of the reported tuition increase and called on the university to restore fees to the affordable and reasonable levels that existed before the increment.
The association warned that failure to meet its demand would lead to a mobilisation of its national leadership to the institution.
“To this end, we call on the management of Alex Ekwueme Federal University to immediately reverse the reported tuition increment and return the fees to the affordable and reasonable level that existed before the increment. Otherwise, we will mobilise the National Secretariat of NANS to Alex Ekwueme Federal University and shut down the school until the fee is reversed,” the statement added.
NANS Reaffirms Commitment to Students
The association reiterated its commitment to defending the interests, welfare and aspirations of Nigerian students.
It pledged to continue speaking firmly against policies that place unnecessary and unbearable financial burdens on students.
NANS maintained that students should not be made to bear the financial challenges confronting universities and called on the management of AE-FUNAI to reverse the reported increase.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has handed over land titles to displaced residents of nine communities in Birnin Yero, Igabi Local Government Area, to enable them to rebuild their homes and regain shelter.
The Kaduna State Ministry of Information and Culture disclosed the development on Sunday, October 18, 2026, describing the exercise as an intervention aimed at helping displaced residents rebuild their homes.
According to the ministry, each beneficiary is being allocated a plot of land to support resettlement and provide shelter for affected residents.
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“ He is officially handing over land titles, giving each person a plot of land to rebuild their homes and regain shelter,” the ministry’s announcement stated.
The ministry also noted that Governor Sani had continued to support displaced communities across Kaduna State since assuming office.
The latest exercise focuses on nine communities in Igabi Local Government Area, with the allocation of land intended to help affected residents rebuild their homes and regain stability.
The development comes amid previous reports concerning land disputes and displacement affecting communities in Kaduna State.
In September 2026, reports indicated that the Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) had resolved more than 5,000 land disputes and restored over 150 property titles.
The agency also reported that alternative plots had been provided to some communities affected by previous demolitions.
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