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Strengthen bilateral relations with Ghana to end maltreatment of Nigerians senate urges FG
***PSC pushes for the prosecution of high-profile Nigerians violating Covid-19 travel protocols
The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to liaise with the Ghanaian Government to strengthen bilateral relations between both countries to prevent the maltreatment of Nigerians entering Ghana.
This was contained in the recommendations of the chamber after it considered a report by the Joint Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary); Primary Health and Communicable Diseases; and Foreign Affairs.
The report was on the Motion on “The Urgent Need To Conduct Investigation On The Allegation of Fake COVID-19 Test Result Being Used To Defraud Nigerians In Ghana; And The Obtainment Of Fake Covid-19 Vaccination Cards.”
Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe, in his presentation, recalled that the investigation was necessitated by allegations that the Ghanaian authorities diagnosed Nigerians who travelled to their country of testing positive yo Covid-19 even after testing negative in Nigeria.
He said it was alleged further that Nigerian travellers to the country were committed to isolation for two weeks at N70,000 (NGN) equivalent daily, an amount running into millions of naira.
He disclosed that investigations showed that Nigerians were possibly exploited at the Ghana International Airport going by explanations by the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19.
According to the lawmaker, the Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19, Boss Mustapha, while appearing before the investigative panel, explained that Ghana conducts Rapid-Ag testing on arrival at the airport which has less sensitivity and specificity compared to the PCR test done in Nigeria.
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“For this reason, it is expected that the Rapid-Ag Test will correctly classify Positive PCR tests but may fail to correctly classify all negative PCR test results.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would need to establish and report back whether the reported case is an isolated event or systemic error or fraud”, Oloriegbe said.
On the allegations of obtainment of fake Covid-19 Vaccination cards and test results, Boss Mustapha stated that for the purpose of international (outbound) travels, Covid-19 PCR Tests are conducted by accredited laboratories and are verifiable on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) platform through a QR Code.
He disclosed that the NCDC verification portal which hosts all validated PCR tests for outbound passengers, would be made visible to the airlines so that certification can be done for the airline staff.
Oloriegbe, stated that the PSC utilizes the services of security operatives to deal with passengers who blatantly refuse to comply with travel protocols for both in-bound and out-bound passengers.
He, however, lamented that despite these measures, some “high-ranking officials” or those “connected” sometimes threaten the staff on duty and find a way to escape.
He said that the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19, while before the panel, sought the support of the National Assembly to ensure that all high-profile persons who fail to comply with existing protocols are prosecuted, accordingly.
The Senate, in its resolutions, urged the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) to develop an exit protocol for all outbound passengers where authentication of the vaccination cards and PCR tests certificates are conducted at the airport.
It also called on the Health Ministry through its Port Health Services Department to link PCR results platforms with the airline platforms to ensure effective coordination and detection of any fake PCR test result.
The chamber urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to liaise with the Ghanaian Government to strengthen bilateral relations that will prevent a re-occurrence of any I’ll-treatment of Nigerians entering Ghana.
The Senate called on the PSC to consider the reduction of cost of PCR testing for those who still require it for travel purposes.
It urged the Presidential Committee on Covid-19 to continuously update its travel Protocols/Advisory as the epidemiology of the disease changes, and also promptly brief Nigerians on these changes.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
Nigerians are facing yet another economic blow as petrol prices surge again. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N1,175 per litre, marking the third increase in just one week.
The latest adjustment, announced to marketers on Monday, follows a temporary suspension of petrol sales at the refinery on Sunday. Diesel, also known as Automotive Gas Oil, has also been revised upwards to N1,620 per litre.
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A senior refinery official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the hike, noting that it reflects “prevailing market fundamentals and the cost environment we are currently operating in.”
Industry checks show that depot pricing systems have already updated the new rates, signaling an inevitable rise at retail stations.
In some cities, petrol is now being sold at over N1,200 per litre, adding pressure on Nigerian motorists and businesses alike.
This repeated surge comes after earlier increases that pushed gantry prices from N774 to N995 per litre earlier this week.
Experts warn that the hikes are likely to drive up transportation, logistics, and production costs, potentially impacting the prices of goods and services nationwide.
While the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), is working to secure crude supplies for the refinery via international traders, officials cautioned that this may not immediately reduce prices for consumers.
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