Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo and his wife, Rebecca were the first Ghanaians to take the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday in a public programme.

Akufo-Addo received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine produced as a patent by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and said it is safe and will help protect against health COVID-19.

Ghana and Ivory Coast are two of some African countries who have received their first doses of the COVISHIELD vaccine from the Serum Institute of India.

The Nigerian government is also expected to receive four million doses of the COVISHIELD vaccines on Tuesday.

Akufo-Addo’s action is expected to fuel other African leaders’ resolve to lead the way in taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

Ghana is one of West Africa’s most affected countries.

Africa has recorded close to four million cases of COVID-19 with more than 101,000 deaths recorded.

Abducted students and teachers of the Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, Niger State, North West Nigeria have been released ten days after their kidnap.

According to the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, 42 people including students teachers and their family members were released on Saturday by the abductors.

The students were kidnapped during a raid on the school in the wee hours of the day as one students was also killed in the attack.

The Kagara abduction is one of the two school abductions Nigeria has recorded in less than two weeks, the most recent being the abduction of more than 300 schoolgirls in Zamfara State.

The Nigerian government is still on a hot chase to rescue the schoolgirls as it continues to contend with a spree of school abductions.

As part of efforts aimed at finding a permanent solution to truck congestion around Apapa and its environs, the Nigerian Ports Authority has commenced the Electronic Truck call-up system designed for the management of truck movement and access to and from the Lagos Ports Complex and the Tin Can Island Ports, Apapa, Lagos.

With effect from today 27th February 2021, the ETO app will be responsible for the scheduling, entry and exit of all trucks into the ports.

According to the NPA, about 7000 trucks have been certified fit for the proposed digitalised call up system.

Henceforth, in order to access the ports, trucks must approach the ports from a holding bay or truck parks with a bar code.

Players in the maritime sector have expressed optimism toward the commencement of the electronic call-up system, saying it will improve access and reduce corruption.

One of the executives of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Alhaji Abdullahi Inuwa said the call-up system will put an end to artificial bottlenecks on the port access road.

Speaking further, the National Vice president, Association of Nigerian Liscenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Kayode Farinto asked the NPA management to be steadfast in enforcing the call-up system.

Farinto said the ongoing repairs on the Oshodi-Apapa expressway must also be completed in good time for the call-up system to be effective.

“The road should be put in adequate place because there is nothing the call-up can achieve without a proper port access road.” he said.