Nigeria
Minister: Broadband subscriptions increased by 4,061,731 in October
Home Telecom Broadband penetration in Nigeria increased to 45.43 per cent by the end of October 2020, the Federal Government announced on Wednesday. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, said the rise was due to an increase of 4,061,731 broadband subscriptions between September and October 2020. He said the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy led to the rise in broadband subscriptions across the country during the review month. Pantami, who disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja by his Technical Assistant, Information Technology, Femi Adeluyi, observed that the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 had impacted significantly on broadband penetration. The minister noted that the plan was implemented alongside the harmonisation of Right-of...
NYSC offers free virus tests for corps members, officials
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Ebonyi State has opened its orientation camps for the Batch B Stream 1A with strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols. The Public Relations officer of the Corps in Ebonyi state, Ngọzi Ukwuoma confirmed this to newsmen in Abakaliki. She said the Old MacGregor College Permanent Orientation camp in the State opened on Monday with free Covid-19 test for all staff and prospective corps members. According to her, all camp officials including the State Coordinator, Mercy Bamai and all prospective corps members took the COVID 19 test before they were allowed into the camp. “All other Covid-19 safety protocols are strictly adhered to here on camp by the members of the camp community”,she said. Mrs Bamai in her own reaction said that due to the Covid-19 proto...
Senator Tinubu hails Governor Sanwo-Olu’s plan to stop ex-governors’ pensions
A former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, has hailed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his plan to repeal the Lagos State law that would ensure life pensions for former governors and deputy governors. The All Progressives Congress chieftain said this in a series of tweets on Wednesday. The former governor tweeted, “Congratulations to Governor Sanwo-Olu over the 2021 budget which he appropriately christened ‘Budget of Rekindled Hope’. This audacious and enterprising budget will empower our people and begin to rebuild Lagos State. “In particular, I would also like to commend the governor for the plan to commence the repeal of the pension law giving pension packages to former governors and their deputies. This is a bold and courageous move by Mr. Governor and I wholeheartedly support him. ...
Broadband penetration hits 45.43 percent in Nigeria
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, says broadband penetration in Nigeria increased to 45.43 per cent in October. Dr Femi Adeluyi, Technical Assistant on Information Technology to the minister, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. Adeluyi said that this was due to an increase of 4,061,731 broadband subscriptions between September and October 2020. “This increase in broadband penetration has been as a result of conscientious implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy for the overall benefit of the economy to achieve a Digital Nigeria. “The Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), along with the harmonisation of Right of Way charges across the states and protection of critical national infrastructure across the country, had a signifi...
Lagos governor confirms appointment of agric commissioner
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has confirmed the appointment of Ms Abisola Olusanya as the substantive Commissioner for Agriculture. The confirmation was contained in a circular issued on Wednesday by the State Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola. Sanwo-Olu wishes the new commissioner a successful tenure in office and congratulates her on the appointment. Olusanya was first appointed into the State Executive Council on Aug. 20, 2019, as a Special Adviser on Agriculture. She was similarly appointed as the Acting Commissioner for Agriculture on June 8 upon the resignation and subsequent coronation of the erstwhile Commissioner for Agriculture, HRM Oba Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II as the 15th Oniru of Iru Kingdom. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money E...
President Buhari mourns deceased former Malian leader
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, commiserated with the government and people of Mali over the death of the country’s former President, Toumani Toure. Buhari’s condolence message was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, titled ‘President Buhari condoles with Mali over passing of former leader, Amadou Toumani Toure’. The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari sends heartfelt condolences to government and people of the Republic of Mali over the passing of former President, Amadou Toumani Toure. “The President commiserates with family of the departed Malian leader, whose ten-year reign in the country contributed to the strengthening of political institutions, and measure of stability, starting with his presiding over a peac...
Edo governor presents N153.4 billion 2021 budget
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Tuesday presented a budget of N153.4 billion for 2021 to the state House of Assembly for approval. Presenting the budget christened ‘MEGA Budget ‘, Obaseki said that it was made up of N94.8 billion recurrent expenditure and N58.6 billion capital expenditure. “Mr Speaker, you will note that the recurrent component is larger than the capital. It is to help us deal with the social and economic consequences of COVID-19. “The total receipts of N153 billion expected for 2021 comprise of N71 billion from the federation account and N36 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). “We also expect N9.8 billion from aids and grants; most of them have already been finalised. We expect to raise N15.3 billion as loan and 13.8 billion as capital development fund rec...
ICPC indicts 88 MDAs for procurement act violations
File Photo The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has indicted 88 Ministries, Departments and Agencies for violating the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 in the last three years. The anti-graft agency also said 53 MDAs were guilty of tax default, noting that they had been on the Federal Inland Revenue Service tax defaulters list for three years. It classified 132 MDAs that did not respond to its assessment as ‘corruption high-risk MDAs’ stressing that they “will be treated as such.” This was contained in the ICPC Ethics and Compliance Scorecard of Federal MDAs 2020 made available to newsmen on Tuesday. The commission in its assessment found that none of the MDAs attained full compliance with ethical and accountability standards for efficiency ...
CAC withdraws registration of ‘Enough is Enough’
The Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, Tuesday cancelled the registration of the Business name ‘Enough is Enough’ with immediate effect. The commission disclosed this on its Twitter handle, @cacnigeria1. “Based on the provisions of Section 579 (2) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, (CAMA), the Corporate Affairs Commission has cancelled the registration of the Business name “Enough is Enough BN 2210728” with immediate effect. “The Business Name “Enough is Enough” which was registered in 2012 to engage in General Contracts, Sales of Sport Equipment/Promotion deviated from its main objectives over the cause of time. “Consequently, the Commission has removed it from its database and advised the proprietors to surrender the certificate earlier issued to them.” Get more stories like this o...
Official: 17 persons died of ‘strange illness’ in Benue
Seventeen persons were reported to have died of a strange illness ravaging the Okpeilo-Otukpa area in the Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State. The State Government in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Health and Human Service, Dr Emmanuel Ikwulono, said, “At the time of the receipt of the report yesterday, 9th November, 2020, about 17 persons were already said to have died of the illness. “We currently have one case which was brought to Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi by a relative of the patient. Others are receiving treatment in different hospitals.” The commissioner, in the statement signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Andrew Amee, said symptoms of the illness usually include fever, abdominal pain, and general body weakness, whil...
200,000 police attached to politicians – Ex-IGP
A former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, says over 200,000 police officers were attached to political elites, a practice he termed “policing the elites against policing security spaces.” He spoke at the second edition of the National Dialogue series of the Political Leadership and Training Institute (POLA) of former governor of Ogun state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel held in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital. “We have about 400,000 police personnel in Nigeria and 200,000 of those officers are with the political elites. What we are doing in this country is that, we are policing the elites, we are not policing security spaces and this is an issue we have to look into”, Arase added. Arase attributed the challenges facing the police to lack of political will to implement reports of many re...
Senator Lawan: Fresh mass protests inescapable if…
Senate President Ahmad Lawan has warned that Nigeria may not escape another mass demonstration in the mode of #EndSARS protest if the Federal Government fails to effectively address youth unemployment. Lawan gave the warning in Abuja yesterday at the 2021 budget defence of the Ministry of Agriculture. He urged the government to take practical steps in its 2021 budget to meaningfully engage the youths. “Our budget, especially for 2021, should be mindful of what we do to provide employment opportunities for these youths. “They demonstrated. They protested because they could do so. There are so many other people who may not be youthful but are also in the same need and they didn’t protest. “Let’s meet them where they are. We don’t have to wait until they also try to grumble or protest. We sho...
