COVID-19: VP, Lagos Govt., FIRS shift to teleconferencing to keep businesses going

COVID-19: VP, Lagos Govt., FIRS shift to teleconferencing to keep businesses going

 

COVID-19 in Nigeria: VP, Lagos Govt., FIRS shift to teleconferencing

Inhibition of movements and physical contacts, a fallout of the rampaging COVID-19, is not stopping businesses for some forward thinking organizations in Nigeria as they have fallen back on digital methods to continue to run their organisations.

On Wednesday, Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo shared a photo of his meeting with government officials via Video Teleconferencing. Osinbajo’s virtual meeting received a report of a technical working group which proposed an array of policy options and recommendations on how federal, state and local government can bring relief to the people and respond to the adverse economic effects of the pandemic.

Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo shared a photo of his meeting with government officials via Video Teleconferencing.

Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo shared a photo of his meeting with government officials via Video Teleconferencing.

The Lagos State Government also shared its clips of video-conferencing where the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu chaired the meeting on how to combat COVID-19 in the state.

Lagos State Government also shared its clips of video-conferencing

Lagos State Government also shared its clips of video-conferencing

 

Nigeria’s tax authority, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Thursday also put out its own video teleconferencing activity, saying despite the restriction in movement and physical meetings, tax administration in Nigeria has to go on.

“Despite the lockdown ordered by the Federal Government to control the Covid-19 pandemic, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Muhammad Nami, has been engaging his Management team digitally on important management issues as they affect the operations of FIRS

..it Pays to Pay your Tax”, said the FIRS.

Nigeria’s tax authority, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has also put out its own video teleconferencing activity

Nigeria’s tax authority, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has also put out its own video teleconferencing activity

 

An excited participant in the Lagos online meeting noted: “Banters here and there, waving of hands and laughter. “Can you see me?” Am I connected?” “Yeah, I’m here”.

Suddenly, at about 11.05am, the Chairman enters and announces his presence by calling the house to order. All is quiet.

It was an exciting moment this morning at the Lagos State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting – the first-ever virtual meeting in the history of governance in the State. Nigeria? Well, not clear.

The Chairman is no other person than Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu. The Deputy Chair is Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, the Deputy Governor.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso said the meeting was held via Zoom, a free HD meeting application with video and screen sharing for up to 100 people.

It was all in compliance with the directive against gatherings as part of the anti-Coronavirus”.

As at Friday morning, the total number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Nigeria is 190, according to information from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The NCDC said on its Twitter handle that the six new cases were recorded in Osun State, South-West Nigeria, bringing the number of Covid-19 in the state to 20.

Despite the efforts of the government, cases have been increasing with Lagos State topping the chart with the highest cases in the country as follows:

Lagos has 98 cases, followed by FCT – 38, Osun -20, Oyo – 8, Akwa Ibom – 5, Ogun – 4, Edo- 4, Kaduna – 4, Bauchi – 3, Enugu – 2, and Ekiti – 2. Rivers and Benue have one case each.

Editorial Chief, Nigerian Bureau

Kings UBA is a Nigerian journalist and writer. I have reported for major local and international news organisations. I write satire. In 2017, I started contributing stories primarily to Discover Africa News Network. I can be reached on editorkingsuba@gmail.com. I currently manage Discover Africa News social media handles