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Saudi Arabia announces Ramadan starts Tuesday
Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest shrines, announced that the holy fasting month of Ramadan will start on Tuesday, as Muslims worldwide face coronavirus curbs. “Tomorrow, Tuesday… is the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan this year,” the kingdom’s supreme court said in a royal court statement. Other Muslim countries, including Sunni-majority Egypt and Lebanon, have also announced that Tuesday marks the start of Ramadan, while Shiite-majority countries like Iran are expected to start a day later. The daytime fasting month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Observant Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, and traditionally gather with family and friends to break their fast in the evening. It is also a time of prayers, during which Muslims typicall...
Analysts: Printing currency could hurt economy
Analysts have expressed concerns over a recent claim that the federal government resorted to printing money to augment the monthly allocation to the three tiers of government, warning that it could heighten inflationary pressure with dire consequences for the country’s exchange rate and economy. The analysts, in separate interviews with newsmen, warned that a sustained policy of printing the currency, if not well managed, would hurt the economy. The concern came on the heels of recent revelation by Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, that due to the dwindling revenue in the face of declining oil revenue arising from the growing sources of alternative sustainable energy, the federal government had to print money to augment the amount available for sharing by the federal, state and lo...
NACC seeks quick visa facilitation for members
The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) has urged the American Embassy in Nigeria to do everything possible to facilitate the Visa processing for members of the bilateral Chamber especially when it involves business trips for national growth and development. The National President of the Chamber, Otunba Toyin Akomolafe, who spoke at the NACC’s 60th Anniversary Public virtual Lecture in Lagos, said this is imperative given the enormous benefits inherent in the natural resources of both countries to be harnessed by mutual benefit. “Given the wobbling economy all over the world occasioned by the global pandemic, it’s expedient for embassies especially the American Embassy in Nigeria to fastrack VISAs and other protocol involved for trade experts going to America for the sole purpose ...
Kano NLC suspends planned strike
The organised labour has suspended the three-day warning strike it planned to commence today (Thursday) in Kano over the deduction of workers salary for the month of March by the state government. The NLC Deputy National President, Najeem Yasin, announced the suspension of the strike on Wednesday night at a joint news conference with other labour movement and affiliates in Kano after a meeting with the State government team led by the Head of Civil Service, Hajia Binta Lawan Ahmed. The NLC had last week given a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to refund and stop what it described as “illegal deduction” from civil servant salaries or face industrial action. Similarly, the labour leaders insisted that failure of the government to stop the “unexplained” deduction before the end of ...
Imo attack: Inmates who voluntarily return to get amnesty – minister
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has urged all escaped inmates from Owerri Custodial Centre on Monday to voluntarily return to custody and be given amnesty against the possible consequences of escaping from lawful custody. The Minister, who disclosed this when he visited the Owerri Custodial Centre on Tuesday, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s stand to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice, adding that additional security would be provided for all custodial centres for the safety of personnel and inmates as well as the security of the facilities. In a statement by the ministry’s director of press, A.B. Lere-Adams, Aregbesola bemoaned the pattern of syndicated attacks on custodial centres in Nigeria, noting that full investigation would commence immediately to unrav...
Plateau governor installs four traditional rulers
Plateau State governor, Simon Bako Lalong, says traditional rulers need to play a greater role in enhancing the security of their domains and the entire nation. Governor Lalong stated this while installing two second class chiefs in Wase local government area of Plateau State. The monarchs are Chief Lot Nden, Ponzhi Kadarko Chiefdom and Alhaji Muhammad Asi, Aku-Jukun of Mavo Chiefdom. While presenting the staff of office to the two traditional rulers after they took the oath of allegiance, Governor Lalong said the restoration of the two chiefdoms was in fulfilment of his campaign promise and the desire to meet the yearnings of the people in the spirit of equity and justice. He says any community leader or traditional ruler who is unable to assist security agencies towards arresting crimina...
Crystal Palace boss impressed by Carlo Ancelotti’s work at Everton
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson expects a tough test against Everton on Monday night. Palace’s squad are preparing to travel to Goodison Park. “Any time you go to Everton, you’re going to face a very very difficult game,” Hodgson said. “They are a good team, well-coached and the players they’ve brought in have made them much stronger. We have to prepare as well as we can and have faith that if we play as well as we know we can do, we can get a good result. “I think it will be a very different team [to the last meeting at Goodison Park]. Carlo [Ancelotti] is working with them and improving them all the time. Almost a year has gone by so that’s another year of working with Carlo. “He’s brought in players that have strengthened the players even more. We know it will be a tough game, but unfor...
Troop arrests 23 ‘bandits’ in Plateau
The Operation Safe Haven also known as the Special Task Force (STF) has arrested 17 suspected kidnappers and five Armed robbers for attempted kidnapping and robbery in at Lishin village, in Pengana Chiefdom in Bassa and Lamingo in Jos North Local Government Areas of Plateau State. Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Major General Dominic Onyemulu stated this while parading the suspects at the Command headquarters in Jos and vowed to make his area of operation uncomfortable for kidnappers and other criminal elements. “On the 16 of March, troops of Operation Safe Haven responded to a distress call on an attempted kidnap of one Alh. Gambo Yawurp from his residence at Lishin village in Pengana Chiefdom Bassa LGA. “Troops in collection with vigilante members and locals foiled the attempt kidnappin...
Minister tasks NSDC boss on ensuring self-sufficiency in sugar production
Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, has tasked the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the National sugar Development Council (NSDC), Zach Adedeji to work towards the realisation of the Federal Government’s goal in ensuring self-sufficiency in sugar production. Speaking at the inauguration of Adedeji as the Chief Executive Officer of the NSDC at the weekend in Abuja, Adebayo said the Federal Government relied on him to work assiduously towards the realisation of the country’s self sufficiency in the sugar production. He noted that the appointment of Adedeji was based on his performance in his former positions, adding that the nation expected him to leave landmark achievements by the time he would be leaving office. “You are therefore expected to discharge...
Abia by-election: APC candidate urges supporters to accept result
All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the just-concluded Aba North/South Federal Constituency by-election, Hon Mascot Uzor Kalu, has urged his supporters and APC members to accept the result and remain calm. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Chimaobi Ebisike, winner of the by-election held on Saturday. In a statement, Hon Kalu said the by-elect1ion was over and appealed to APC members to accept the outcome of the elections in good faith while appreciating them for making the party stronger in Abia. He said while the PDP wanted the election at all cost , “we chose life over bloodshed and therefore won lives and lost the polls. To us, that was a m victory.” Hon Kalu said the level of thuggery, violen...
Minister: Nigerian government to establish micro enterprises in 774 local council areas
Dr George Akume, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter Governmental Affairs, on Wednesday said that micro enterprises will be established in the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the country. The Minister disclosed this in Abuja at the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) General Assembly with the Theme: Strategic Positioning for the Future: A New Era. “As a ministry, we have proposed the establishment of Micro, Small and Medium enterprises in the 774 local governments in Nigeria based on economic corridors. “We believe that this will create jobs and ensure improvement in the well-being of the local populace,’’Akume said. The minister, who was represented by Mr Simon Tyungu, Deputy Director, Office of the Minister, said that the establishment of the micro enterprise wa...
Feminist group tackles Pete Edochie over ‘misogynistic rants’
The Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF) has described as unreasonable the comments allegedly made by celebrated thespian, Chief Pete Edochie during an interview he granted to BBC IGBO. In a statement by its Communications Officer, Angela Nkwo, NFF said Edochie in the interview “furthered his misogynistic rants concerning his views on Nigerian women in general.” NFF, therefore, called on Edochie to immediately retract the comments, which it said grossly misrepresented his pedigree as an elder in the Nollywood community. The women group also asked him to issue an apology for the gross misrepresentation and cause for concern he had provided for women to experience, tolerate and accept violence meted out to them by their husbands and partners. The statement read in part: “The Nigerian Feminist Forum...