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#ICan’tBreathe: George Floyd’s funeral under way in Houston
The funeral is under way in Houston, Texas, for African American George Floyd whose shocking death in police custody caused global outrage.
His coffin will be taken from a church where it was on public display on Monday, to be buried beside his mother.
Mr Floyd died in Minneapolis last month as a white police officer held a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes, his final moments filmed on phones.
Four police officers involved have been sacked and charged over his death.
“When there is justice for George Floyd, we will truly be on our way to racial justice in America,” Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said in a video message broadcast at the service.
He had visited the Floyd family to offer his sympathies on Monday.
Mr Biden has sharply criticised President Donald Trump, who is standing for re-election as the Republican candidate on 3 November, accusing him at the weekend of making “despicable” speculative remarks about Mr Floyd.
The Democratic politician was himself recently accused of taking black American votes for granted when he said African Americans “ain’t black” if they even considered voting for Mr Trump.
What is happening at the funeral?
A service is being held at the Fountain of Praise church, attended by some 500 guests including politicians and celebrities.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called on people to honour the funeral by observing silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the time Mr Floyd was pinned to the ground before he died.Image copyright EPAImage caption Mourners visited George Floyd’s coffin before the service
The coffin will then be taken to a cemetery in Pearland, south of Houston. For the last mile of the procession it will be conveyed in a horse-drawn carriage.Image copyright Getty ImagesImage caption Mr Floyd’s coffin was brought back to the church on Tuesday for the service
Barriers have been erected along the route to allow members of the public to pay their respects safely as the procession passes.
Mr Floyd will be buried in a private ceremony.Image copyright EPAImage caption Mr Floyd will be interred in a mausoleum in Pearland
His body was on display at the church for six hours on Monday.
Memorial services were also held in Minneapolis and North Carolina, where Mr Floyd was born.
What did Biden say about Floyd’s family?
“They’re an incredible family, his little daughter was there, the one who said ‘daddy’s going to change the world’, and I think her daddy is going to change the world,” Mr Biden told CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell.Image copyright @jmilleresqImage caption Joe Biden meeting George Floyd’s family
“I think what happened here is one of the great inflection points in American history, for real, in terms of civil liberties, civil rights and just treating people with dignity.”
Floyd family spokesman Benjamin Crump, who tweeted a photo of the meeting said Mr Floyd’s relatives welcomed Mr Biden’s comments.
“That compassion meant the world to this grieving family,” he added.
Aides to the former vice-president said he would also record a video message for Tuesday’s service.
News
Patients, Relatives Groan As Power Disconnection Cripples UCH
Patients accessing healthcare services at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan and their families are facing a hell of time following the disconnection of electricity supply.
Recall that Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, cut off power supply to the hospital. This is the second time the Disco will disconnect the hospital this year.
Earlier on 19th March, 2024 the Disco cut off power supply to the hospital over a N495 million debt.
The power supply was later restored when prominent indigenes of Ibadan and other stakeholders intervened.
However, the electricity distribution company has disconnected the hospital for the second time this year.
It took the action on 26th October, 2024 due to another accumulated debt by the hospital.
Sources hinted DAILY POST that major activities such as surgery, water supply, tests and other things that require electricity have been put on hold.
A staff of the hospital, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that activities at the laboratories and other areas have been suspended as a result of the disconnection.
“It was disconnected on Oct 26, 2024. They brought a N99 million bill for October. But, the management was able to pay N60 million.
“I am not sure of the accumulated debt, but it is said to be over 200 million. None of the services are available for now,” he said.
UCH reneged on its promise to settle accumulated debt – IBEDC
Meanwhile, IBEDC has accused the hospital of reneging on its promise to offset the accumulated debt.
IBEDC spokesperson, Busola Tunwase told DAILY POST on Wednesday that the electricity distribution company disconnected the hospital from the national grid due to the accumulated debt.
Tunwase, who did not reveal the total amount, said that the hospital signed an agreement with the electricity distribution company before the power was restored.
She, however, said that the hospital reneged on the promise.
Tunwase said, “They are still owing us. I can’t disclose the amount now. We signed an agreement that they will upset the debt.
“They were owing us over N500m at that time, they signed an agreement that they will be paying it in tranches. But they reneged on the promise”.
Patients, relatives lament
Enquiries showed that some patients have decided to leave the hospital as a result of the power outage.
Some of the families said that they do not have any other option than to move their relatives from the hospital.
A relative of one of the patients in the hospital said, “They do not have light as of today. The problem has been going on since. Many people have left.
“Families of patients that require urgent attention have been coming to take their sick persons to other hospitals.”
UCH PRO declines comments
All efforts made by DAILY POST to get a reaction from the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Funmi Adetuyibi since Wednesday morning proved abortive.
A message sent to her WhatsApp was not responded to.
When called, she gave the phone to someone who claimed that the PRO was in a meeting.
The man promised to deliver the message to the PRO.
Our correspondent repeated the call in the afternoon but the same person answered the call.
The man promised to send a press statement 30 minutes after the call.
He said, “We are writing a press statement now. You will get it in the next 30 minutes”.
After two hours of waiting, our correspondent returned the call severally but they were not answered.
News
NNPCL, Dangote Sign Agreement For 10-Year Gas Supply
A subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the NNPC Gas Marketing Limited (NGML), has executed a Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) with Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.
The agreement, signed by the Managing Director, NGML, Barr. Justin Ezeala and the President/CEO of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote on Wednesday at the Corporate Head Office of Dangote in Falomo, Lagos State, outlines the supply
of natural gas for power generation and feedstock at the Dangote Refinery, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.
This was contained in a statement by NNPCL, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr. Olufemi Soneye.
He said the agreement is a major milestone in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy of utilising Nigeria’s abundant gas resources towards revamping the nation’s industrial growth and kickstarting its economic prosperity.
This development, which sees a huge investment of this nature penned with zero capital expenditure (CAPEX) outlay, has been described by many as unprecedented in the history of NGML or any gas Local Distribution Company (LDC) in the country.
\Under the terms of the agreement, NGML will supply 100 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCF/D), 50MMSCF/D being firm supply and the rest 50MMSCF/D interruptible natural gas supply to the refinery for an initial period of 10 years, with options for renewal and growth.
The statement also revealed that the collaboration is a significant step toward ensuring the operational success
of the Dangote Refinery and enhancing Nigeria’s domestic gas utilization.
NNPC Ltd, through NGML, its gas marketing subsidiary, continues to lead efforts in promoting the use of domestic gas to support industries and businesses nationwide.
The agreement represents a milestone for both NNPC Ltd and Dangote Refinery, aligning with their shared commitment to boosting local production and providing vital products for the benefit of all Nigerians.
It is also a further proof of NGML’s unwavering commitment to business excellence and fulfilling NNPC Ltd’s core mandate of ensuring Nigeria’s energy security through the execution of strategic gas projects across the country.
News
US Election: Trump Returns To Washington, Meets President Biden At White House
After much anticipation, the United States, US, President-elect, Donald Trump has returned to the White House.
Trump met with President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday.
He walked into the White House triumphantly for the first time in four years to meet Biden.
Biden invited Trump for the traditional visit, a show of the coming Jan. 20 peaceful transfer of power in the American democracy between the current U.S. leader and the incoming chief executive.
But the Biden-Trump get-together is rife with political tension.
Biden, a Democrat who ran for reelection for some time, sought to defeat Trump, the Republican, before ending his campaign in July after faltering badly in a debate.
Biden quickly endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, to succeed him.
Kamala, however, failed to defeat Trump at the polls as the former president won by a wide margin.
When Biden defeated Trump in 2020, Trump offered no White House invitation to meet him ahead of the inauguration and then left Washington two hours before Biden’s swearing-in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
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