Nigeria
Minister calls for transformation of food system
Minister of Environment, Dr. Muhammad Abubakar, has called for the transformation of the food system to aid rejuvenation of soils and forest covers. Speaking at the 14th National Council of Environment virtually held with the theme: “Managing Emerging Environmental Challenges: Need for Strategic Approach to Sustainable Development in Covid-19 Era and Beyond,” the Minister said: “There is urgent need to transform our food system which has been the major factor in the issue of loss of biodiversity, fresh water and deforestation with its attendant effects on climate change. It is therefore, expected that pertinent issues of climate smart agriculture and agro ecological practices that will aid rejuvenation of soils and forest covers, among others,are discussed during this meeting.” He noted th...
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...
Senate summons insurance firms over failure to remit N17.4 billion pension fund
The Senate Public Accounts Committee, on Monday, summoned NICON Insurance Plc, AIICO Insurance and other insurance companies over alleged failure to remit N17.4 billion fund to Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD). The Executive Secretary of PTAD, Dr Chioma Ejikeme, had told the panel that PTAD took over the assets and liabilities of defunct pension offices without a formal handing over. She said, “On taking over, the Directorate wrote all underwriters to make returns and remit whatever amount is in their custody into a CBN dedicated account. Some of the underwriters responded to the request while some did not. “The bank certificate of balances, accounting statements, 3 years financial statements and policy files requested by the Federal Auditor were not handed over to PTAD ...
Nasarawa Assembly: No plan to impeach speaker
Nasarawa State Government The Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Monday, said there’s no plan by the lawmakers to impeach the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi. The House called on members of the public to disregard the impeachment rumour circulating on social media, even as they gave a vote of confidence on the speaker for his leadership qualities. The Majority leader of the House, Hon Umar Tanko Tunga (APC Awe North) gave the vote of confidence while speaking with newsmen in Lafia, the state capital. According to Tunga, the news circulating on social media captioned ” Tension in Nasarawa over plan to impeach Nasarawa State House of Assembly speaker” is a devilish work bent on distracting the development, obstructing progress and causing confusion in the minds of th...
Konshisha crisis: Benue governor apologizes to families of slain soldiers
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has apologized to the bereaved families of the 12 soldiers who were ambushed and killed about a week ago by armed bandits at Bonta community in Konshisha Local Government Area, LGA, of the state. The Governor also condoled President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Army Staff and the leadership of the armed forces in the country over the murder of the military personnel in the state. Speaking Monday at the funeral of the personnel at the Wurukum Military Cemetery in Makurdi the Governor who condemned the murder and described it as unfortunate promised to collaborate with the military to apprehend the masterminds of the dastardly act. “I condole Mr President who is the Commander-In-Chief of the armed forces, the Chief of Army Staff and indeed the leadershi...
MSF: Maiduguri, environs record 1,158 cases of measles
Médecins Sans Frontières Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) known as Doctors Without Borders said that 1,158 cases of measles were recorded within Maiduguri and environs within the past five months. A statement on Monday by Mr Abdulkareem Yakubu, Borno Field Communication Officer of MSF, said that the cases were recorded from December 2020 to April 3, 2021. According to the statement, Zabarmari, a village near Maiduguri, has the highest cases. “So far a total of 1,158 children with measles have been recorded in Gwange Paediatric Hospital in Maiduguri. “In response, MSF strengthened the hospitalisation capacity in both Gwange and Fori health facilities, increasing the number of beds from 65 to 105 in Gwange. “MSF has also launched activities in partnership with the authorities in the town of Za...
Ondo governor dissolves OSOPADEC board
Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu has approved the dissolution of Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) board. This is contained in a statement by the state Acting Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Monday in Akure. He directed the most senior officer to take charge of the commission with effect from April 12, pending the reconstitution of the board. “The erstwhile members of the board are hereby directed to hand over all government property in their possession to the secretary of the commission who is the most senior officer,” he said. The governor while appreciating the board members for their services and contributions to the development of the oil producing areas and the state at large, wished them well in their future endeavours. Get more stories like this on Twitter You ...
House speaker: Local council autonomy not for National Assembly to address
Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that the issue of local government autonomy is not for the National Assembly to address. Gbajabiamila said this during a two-day leadership capacity training, organised by the Minority Leader of the House, Mr Ndudi Elumelu, for ward councillors from Delta, on Monday in Abuja. He said that since the process of constitutional amendment was ongoing and the areas of possible amendments thrown open, it was for Nigerians to decide whether to have local government autonomy or not. “We did it the last time but when we went back to the states, we could not get the required two-thirds. So it is a process and we have followed the process. “While we were working on constitutional amendment, two-thirds of the states did not agree with us....
How love affair gone bad led to imprisonment of Prophet Israel Oladele
When the Lagos State Court of Appeal granted the Senior Shepherd-in-Charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Genesis Global, Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe, a post-conviction bail last week, on grounds of failing health, quite a number of people, particularly members of his congregation, were very happy with the news. This is because the televangelist’s previous bail applications were all turned down. Oladele was arraigned on seven counts bordering on obtaining by stealing, inducing delivery of money by false pretences, unlawful conversion of property and forgery, fraudulently collected N14m and £12,000 in various tranches from the complainant between August 30, 2002 and 2005. He was found guilty on two counts of stealing and unlawful conversion of property not delivered. And on November...
Tokyo Olympics: Minister confident Nigeria will return to track and field podium
Youth and Sports Development Minister Sunday Dare is confident Nigeria’s 13 year wait for a track and field medal at the Olympics will end this year at the Tokyo Games. Nigeria last won a track and field medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 when the women’s 4x100m relay team and Blessing Okagbare (long jump) won silver medals and the Sports Minister is confident track and field will start delivering the medals like it did in 1996 in Atlanta. Track and Field has accounted for 13 of the 25 medals Team Nigeria have won at the Games. The sport has also delivered two of the three gold medals won with a first ever individual gold by Chioma Ajunwa in the women’s long jump. ”The performances of our athletes so far this year have given us renewed hopes that Nigerian track and field athletes can be...
UN expresses worry over violence against women in Nigeria
The United Nations has expressed worries over rising violence against women and girls in Nigeria. The UN National Programme Manager, Patience Ekeoba, lamented that the country’s security is weak in handling gender-based matter. Ekeoba called on the federal government to retrain security personnel, especially the police in handling gender-based matter in order to put an abrupt end to the narrative across the country. She said this while speaking at the 8th Triennial Convention of the Mothers’ Union of the Church of the Lord International held in Ogere-Remo, Ogun. The UN personnel who spoke on the theme “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made” disclosed that 3.85 million of Nigerian girls are out of school, warning that the victims are at risk of social violence. According to her, violence against w...
Southeast governors lunches regional security outfit
The five governors of the Southeast region, on Sunday, launched Ebubeagu regional security to fight terrorism in the zone. The Chairman Southeast Governors Forum and governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi, disclosed this to newsmen at the Imo government house, along side with other Southeast governors. According to him, the regional security would be the joint Vigilante from Southeast with their headquarters in Enugu state. It would be recalled that newsmen had reported that, following the wave of attacks on public institutions especially the police stations in the South East zone, the five governors of the Southeast, have stormed Owerri on Sunday, to take strong decisions on the issue of insecurity in the zone. The governors in attendance were, Governor of Abia State, Okezuo Ikpeazu, Anambr...
