Nigeria
NDDC: Nigerian students now beggars in UK – NIDCOM chief
The Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has appealed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to pay the allowances, tuition fees and other incentives of students on its scholarship schemes. In a statement signed by the spokesperson of NIDCOM, Mr. Gabriel Odu, Dabiri-Erewa said NDDC should intervene by promptly paying other incentives of students on their scholarship scheme to guarantee their stay and education in the United Kingdom. According to her, she had in a letter to the Minister of the Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio, in June, drew the attention of NDDC to the plight of the students that are under its scholarships scheme. “The commission counts on the minister’s assurances that all outstanding payments to affected students w...
Senate invites finance, works ministers, others over road projects
The Senate committee on finance has invited the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, over the funding status of three federal government legacy road projects estimated to cost N2.7 trillion. Also to appear before the panel are the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and the Managing Director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Uche Orji. The chairman of the panel, Solomon Olamilekan, gave the directive during an interactive session with the NSIA boss on Tuesday. The legacy projects are the Abuja-Kano road, Lagos-Ibadan expressway and the Second Niger Bridge. They are funded and implemented through a tripartite agreement between the ministries of finance, works and the NSIA. Orji, who was invited for the same r...
Nigerian government declares Thursday, Friday public holidays to mark Eid-el-Kabir
The Federal Government has declared Thursday 30 and Friday 31 July, as public holidays to mark 2020 year’s Eid-el-Kabir. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, through a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, ministry of Interior, Mrs Georgina Ehuriah, on Tuesday in Abuja. Aregbesola congratulated Muslim faithful and all Nigerians both at home and abroad on the occasion. He called on Muslims to continue to imbibe the spirit of love, peace, kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him). The minister also called on Muslims to use the period to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the country especially as the world is witnessing global health challenges cause...
Pastor William Kumuyi authors Yoruba Bible
The General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, has authored a Yoruba Bible concordance, called Bibeli Mimo Atoka. The cleric, with the support of a team of Yoruba scholars, reportedly spent 15 years on the project, which was published by the Bible Society of Nigeria. According to a broadcast by the church, the new scripture is “one of the most reliable and readable Bibles” for personal study and teaching. “Bibeli Mimo Atoka offers the most literally accurate translation from the original while keeping the integrity of the Bible. “This new version takes care of changes that have occurred over time in the meaning of some expressions found in ancient Yoruba and makes the Bible more comprehensible and relevant to today’s readers,” the church added. Kum...
Embattled AfDB chief survives another probe into his conduct
Embattled President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Adewumi Adesina, has survived a second round of investigation into his conduct, giving him a boost in his re-election bid next month. A team of independent auditors demanded for by the US government said they could not find proof he had engaged in corruption or nepotism as anonymous whistleblowers had alleged. The panel was set up on the insistence of the US to review the report of the Ethics Committee of AfDB, which had earlier cleared Adesina of wrongdoings as alleged by whistleblowers. The unanimous report of the independent panel of three said there had been insufficient evidence to prove the allegations. According to the report, the members of the panel said they “considered the President’s submissions on their face and finds ...
WHO: Hepatitis patients at higher risk of coronavirus
World Health Organization Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa says people with hepatitis-related complications are at a higher risk of developing severe cases of COVID-19. Moeti said this in her message to commemorate the World Hepatitis Day 2020, to increase awareness of this public health threat. World Hepatitis Day, observed on July 28 every year, aims to raise global awareness of hepatitis — a group of infectious diseases known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E — and encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment. According to her, people with hepatitis-related complications are at a higher risk of COVID-19 and must continue to receive essential hepatitis prevention and treatment services during the pandemic and beyond. “With political commitme...
NEMA receives 109 Nigerians repatriated from Mali
Akintunde Akinleye/Reuters The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday received 109 stranded Nigerians repatriated from Mali at the International Wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja in Lagos. The Director General of NEMA, Muhammed Muhammadu, who received the returnees, said that they would be isolated for 14 days in Ikeja before they would be free to reunite with their families. Newsmen reports that the returnees, who were received at 3.15am, comprise 11 male adults, 89 female adults, with 4 male children and 5 female children. Muhammadu said that the returnees were assisted back into the country by the International Organization of Migration (IOM). He enjoined the returnees to be careful with those that promise greener pastures outside the country. The NEMA...
Kadiri Attah set to join Belgian club Lommel for €1.3 million
Belgian First Division B side Lommel SK is on the verge of completing a move for Nigeria striker Kadiri Attah from Swedish side, Ostersund, for a reported fee of €1.3 million. Attah has been impressive for Ostersund this season scoring six goals and providing three assists in eleven appearances so far. The 20-year-old had earlier been linked with a move to Belgian champions, Club Brugge, but Ostersund manager, Ian Burchnall, denied the claim. According to Belgian website, www.voetbalnieuws.be via Expressesabout, the attacker played his last game with Östersund against Helsingborg on Monday, before proceeding to Belgium to have his medicals. Attah last played for Nigeria Professional Football League side, Nasarawa United, before making the switch to Ostersund in the summer of 2019. Get more...
Nigerian government deregisters Ohanaeze, Arewa CF, others over security clearance
The Federal Government has deregistered frontline socio-cultural groups in Nigeria as the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has withdrawn the registration certificate of Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), among others. Disclosing this in Abuja, the Registrar General of CAC, Garba Abubakar, said the measure was part of the reforms the Commission was putting in place to subject such applications to thorough scrutiny following security threats that may arise from such registrations. He said: “Yes, we have withdrawn the certificate of Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly because the certificate should not have been issued in the first instance. “We have an established protocol that all organizations; ethnic, religious with political implication should be referre...
Bauchi assemblyman donates land for cemetery extension
A member representing Kirfi constituency in the Bauchi House of Assembly, Abdulkadir Dewu (PDP), on Tuesday donated a piece of land to his constituents for the expansion of their graveyard. He also presented five new vehicles to party loyalists. The lawmaker said the donation of one hectare land to Guyama village was timely. He said his decision to donate the plot of land was informed by the pressing need to expand the current graveyard in the area, which had almost filled up and lacked space for burial. On the vehicles, Dewu said the gesture was done in recognition of the loyalty and commitment of the beneficiaries to the party. He described the beneficiaries as “foot soldiers of the party in his constituency as they were always ready to promote and defend the interest of PDP in the area....
Nigerian government extends Phase 2 lockdown by 1 week
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has extended the phase two lockdown by one week from the initial one month extension. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and chairman of the PTF-COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, revealed this at the daily briefing on COVID-19 on Monday in Abuja. “The PTF has continued to evaluate the developments as well as the level of compliance nationwide. “(It) has regrettably come to the inevitable conclusion that majority of Nigerians irrespective of status, creed and level of education continue to live in denial on the virulent nature of the virus and consistently breach the guidelines and non-pharmaceutical measures put in place. “We informed you two weeks ago that the process of submitting the 6th Interim Report and recommendations for next step...
Henry Onyekuru left out from Monaco pre season tour
The future of Super Eagles attacking winger, Henry Onyekuru, may be hanging in the balance after he was dropped from Monaco’s pre season training tour in Poland. Monaco coach Niko Kovac announced a 26-man squad for the tour on Monday with the name of the Nigerian missing. Although reasons for his exclusion were not disclosed, it appears that his services at the Principality club may not be needed by Kovac who just took over the reins. The player has been on loan with Turkey side Galatasaray after failing to cement regular playing time n his debut campaign in France. Monaco are due to play their third pre-season friendly on August 1 against German club Eintracht Frankfurt during their training stint in Poland. The new Ligue 1 season will kick off on August 22. Get more stories like this on ...
