Nigeria
Sultan declares July 31 Eid-el-Kabir
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar, has declared Friday 31st July 2020, as the 10th day of Zulhijia 1441 and the day of Eid-el-Kabir. Abubakar, who is also the President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, also advised on how to observe prayers across the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic. This is contained in a statement issued signed by the Chairman, Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sambo Junaidu. “In view of the current situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Sultan hereby advises all the District Heads and Imams in Sokoto State to observe Eid prayers in their Jumu’at mosques in their respective towns and villages and not at Eid grounds. “Also, the council advises the muslim communities throughout the country to obser...
Three foreigners, six Nigerians arraigned over hijack of vessel
The Federal Government on Thursday arraigned three foreign nationals and six Nigerians for their alleged roles in the hijack of Equatorial Guinean Vessel, MV Elobey VI. The suspects and employees of Pilgrim Africa Limited were arrested by the Nigerian Navy in Port Harcourt following allegations that they conspired and paid 200,000 dollars to a gang of pirates who abducted three sailors. They were accused of facilitating to pay the ransom to the pirates for the release of two Moroccan nationals, Abaamrane Hamid and Chalabi Abdelaziz, and an Equatorial Guinean, Santos Ndong. The defendants were also accused of conveying the hostages to Calabar, Cross River, for onward hand over to the Equatorial Guinean Consul after payment was confirmed by the pirates. They are facing a seven-count charge o...
Coronavirus may reach peak in Lagos by August – commissioner
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said on Thursday that the state may experience the peak of coronavirus by August. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Abayomi said that the COVID-19 prediction model of the state holds that the pandemic will soon reach its peak, followed by the flattening of the curve and a gradual decline in the number of cases. “We believe that in the next week or two, we are going to see an increase in both the private sector testing and public laboratory testing. “We are still seeing a gentle increase in the number of cases overtime cumulatively. Lagos will theoretically peak in the month of August, it will flatten out and over some time, we will see a decline,” Abayomi said. The commissioner earlier said the state will record between 90,000 ...
Stakeholders advocate efficient fiscal policy for oil, gas sector
Stakeholders in the oil and gas sector have called for proactive fiscal policy in the petroleum industry to fast track investment and infrastructure development in the country. The stakeholders disclosed this at the Virtual workshop on Leveraging Fiscal Regulations to Attract Investments in the Petroleum sector, on Thursday. Mr Osten Olorunsola, Chairman, Energy Institute Nigeria, said that the oil and gas sector in Nigeria needed a lot of investment to meet with the current global challenges. He stated that globally, the industry had witnessed decline in product demand and low price regime, adding that only low cost molecules would be able to make it in the market. Olorunsola said that the sector in Nigeria needed to transform to meet with current trend as the sector was not buoyant as pe...
Customs promotes 2,634 officers, appoints 5 ACG
File Photo The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has approved the the appointment of five Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACG) of Customs and promoted 2,634 Officers. Mr Joseph Attah, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the service, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday. Attah said the newly appointed ACG of Customs were Mohammed Boyi, Training and Coordination, Adewale Adeniyi, Commandant C&SC Gwagwalada and Jack Ajoku, Strategic Research and Policy. Others are Olakunle Oyeleke Doctrine, Development and Administration and Emmanuel Edorhe, Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C. He disclosed that the board also approved the dismissal of ACG Aminu Dahiru for serious misconduct, while ACG Bashir Abubakar got compulsory retirement for act of negligence. The spokesperson said the d...
Speaker Gbajabiamila: House of Reps to provide funds for fight against gender-based violence
Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila says the house will provide funds for the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the 2021 budget to be presented to the National Assembly in September. Gbajabiamila said this in response to a request by Ulla Mueller, the Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja. Mueller led a delegation of United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) Spotlight Initiative on a courtesy call to the speaker, a statement issued by Mr Lanre Lasisi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity said. Gbajabiamila said that apart from budget funds, the house would also provide all necessary support and partner with relevant stakeholders for the fight against GBV to succeed. According to the speaker...
Transactions close flat on NSE
Trading at the nation’s bourse closed flat on Wednesday with the All-Share Index (ASI), which opened at 24,174.45, closing at 24,173.53. Newsmen report that the ASI dropped by just 0.92 points or 0.004 per cent. Similarly, the market capitalisation lost one billion naira to close at N12.610 trillion against N12.609 trillion recorded on Tuesday. The marginal downturn witnessed in the market was due to losses in GlaxoSmithKline, Africa Prudential, Caverton, Sterling Bank and Consolidated Hallmark Insurance. Analysts at APT Securities and Funds Limited urged investors to position in fundamentally justified stocks. They noted that the market was set to rally in response to impressive half year earnings results. Eterna dominated the gainers’ chart in percentage terms, gaining 8.89 per cent, to ...
Senator Lawan: Nobody is above scrutiny of the National Assembly
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that nobody is above the scrutiny of the National Assembly. Lawan stated this in his closing remarks moments before the Upper Chamber adjourned plenary till September 15, 2020. Speaking on the gains of a harmonious working relationship between the Legislature and the Executive arm of Government, the Senate President advised appointees of the President against needless confrontation with the Committees of the National Assembly. According to him, engagements with Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government by the Committees of the National Assembly are carried out to serve public interest and in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended. “As for what has been happening recently, let me take this opportunity to adv...
Boko Haram eliminates aid workers abducted in Borno
The Boko Haram terrorists on Wednesday released a video showing the assassination of five humanitarian workers who were recently abducted along Monguno area of Borno state. The insurgents had earlier demanded about $500,000 dollars ransom before the abducted workers can be released. In a video released on Wednesday, the abducted humanitarian workers were all executed. The message, left by the Boko Haram terrorist, reads: “We are sending this as a very strong message to you unbelievers and infidels. And to those of you that are being used by these infidels to repent. “You are working for them but they do not have any concern about you. “You worked for them to achieve their goals but they are very far from your plight. They do not show you any care. Look at you now. When we kidnap you they d...
Senate demands review of Power Sector Reform Act
The Senate on Wednesday called for the review of the Power Sector Reform Act 2005. According to the upper chamber, a new and more dynamic Electricity Act would among others, “consolidate the roles of regulators and policy makers; bridge existing gaps in the legal and regulatory framework; and cater to post-privatization operational issues in Nigeria’s power sector. The position of the Senate was contained in resolutions reached following consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Power on “Addressing Nigeria’s Power Problems.” Chairman of the Committee, Gabriel Suswam (PDP – Benue North East), in his presentation stressed the need for more consumers to be metered to avoid estimated billing. He added that the Federal Government’s intervention since the privatization of the power...
President Buhari, others honour Isa Funtua as FEC meeting begins
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, led other members of the Federal Executive Council to honour his late ally, Isa Funtua, with a minute silence as the council’s weekly meeting started. Although the meeting is virtual, some members are joining Buhari at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja from where he is presiding while others are attending virtually from their offices. At the commencement of the meeting, after the recitation of the National Anthem, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, called for a minute silence in honour of the late Funtua, who died on Monday. Funtua, the founding Managing Director of The Democrat Newspaper and former President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, was a minister in the Second Republic...
Bayelsa set to pay hazard allowances
The Bayelsa State Government has indicated its readiness to pay special allowances to frontline health workers combating the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in the state. Mr Doubara Atasi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor, stated this in a statement on Wednesday. It would be recalled that Gov. Douye Diri, had given the assurance to pay the allowances on Tuesday. He said it at a meeting with the representatives of the labour unions including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Association of Resident Doctors in Government House, Yenagoa. Other unions represented at the meeting include the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and Association of Medical Laboratory Sci...
