Nigerian
Presidential elections in Ghana, others top agenda at ECOWAS meeting
The 44th Ordinary Meeting of the Mediation and Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States has called attention to the ongoing insurgency in Nigeria, Gambia and Guinea Bissau as well as the political crisis in Mali. The Council at its meeting in Niamey, Niger, on Friday, also focused on forthcoming presidential elections in Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Niger. The meeting was presided over by the Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Mediation and Security Council, Kalla Ankourao. Ankourao recalled the challenges COVID-19 has brought upon the region coupled with the breakdown in democratic governance in Mali. He urged the ECOWAS body to take the necessary steps for the preparation and smooth conduct of the upcoming presidential electi...
David Ugolor: Water Bill is elite looking for alternative to declining oil money
Executive Director, African Network for the Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor, has said the controversial Water Resources Bill had nothing to do with tribe or religion. He alleged that the bill was the brainchild of the Nigerian elites that live on rent from crude oil money, but are now looking for an alternative cash cow since oil money was declining. According to Ugolor, “it will be wrong for people to continue to give tribal and religious colouration to every attempt by the Nigerian elite to continue to look for ways to sustain their access to rent collection. “Once you introduce tribal or religious or regional sentiments, you undermine the whole debate. What has happened with the water bill thing is not about the North or South or East or West. “It is about elit...
Arthur Eze slams Senator Ngige as accidental minister
The media directorate of Anambra billionaire industrialist, Prince Arthur Eze has released a statement slamming the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, as an ‘accidental’ minister. The statement, a response to the call by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige for the further banishment of the suspended 12 Anambra traditional rulers and their sponsor. The crisis began with the visit of 12 monarchs from Anambra State to Aso Villa to meet with President Buhari, at the instance of the billionaire businessman Prince Arthur Eze. The traditional rulers who embarked on the trip to Abuja, to thank President Buhari for his developmental strides in the Southeast, did so without approval from the Anambra State government. The monarchs after failing to meet with Presi...
NOA mobilizes Sokoto communities against open defecation
File Photo The National Orientation Agency (NOA), has commenced active community engagements against open defecations in rural communities in Sokoto State. The state Director of NOA, Alhaji Maude Danchadi disclosed this at a stakeholders meeting on ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign, held on Wednesday in Sokoto. He said that the campaign was in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. He said that NOA would deploy its robust structures and officials in local government areas to promote reorientation and mobilise Nigerians for social change and prevention of open defecations. Danchadi noted that open defecation and poor sanitation have implication on public health, especially in the outbreak of water-borne diseases, and high mortality rate in rural areas. According to...
CAN: CAMA 2020 dangerous to national interest
File Photo The Christian Association of Nigeria on Tuesday demanded the suspension of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020. CAN, in a position paper, said CAMA 2020 “has the potential that can further undermine the faith of stakeholders in the Nigerian-state.” This is just as the Presidency said CAMA did not target religious organisations. It accused some politicians of latching on to the criticism of CAMA to wrongly characterise its purposes as an anti-religious law. The Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and former National Assembly Presidential Liaison Officer, Senator Ita Enang, made the clarification during a brief ceremony at the secretariat of CAN in Abuja where he received the position paper of CAN on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari. The letter sign...
Nigerians embrace British Council digital library
As part of efforts to restore and encourage a reading culture among Nigerians, the UK embassy’s British Council in Nigeria has launched a globally renowned digital library following temporary closure of its physical libraries. The newly launched digital library is to facilitate self-paced convenient learning, make educational and entertainment resources available and also provide access to numerous IELTS preparation content to support a large number of Nigerian youth and test takers. According to the British Council Country Director, Nigeria and West Africa Lead, Lucy Pearson, for many years, the British Council has been renowned all over the world for its libraries and the closure of its physical libraries in Nigeria was a sad one. Lucy said she is delighted to see the launch of the new B...
Porto sign Nigerian left-back on five-year deal
FC Porto have confirmed the signing of Nigerian left-back Zaidu Sanusi on a five-year deal from rivals Santa Clara. The 23-year-old defender has become the latest addition to Portuguese champions after successful medicals. Sanusi caught the eye following his impressive showing for Santa Clara after scoring one goal in 24 league appearances in the Portuguese Primeira Liga last season. Porto beat off strong competition from Greek club Olympiacos to sign the left-back. “I will give everything on the field, for the fans and for everyone at the club,” Sanusi told the club’s official website. “I’m really happy to be a FC Porto player. I don’t even know how to explain it, but I’m very, very happy to be wearing this shirt. ” “I hope to do a good job and help the team. This season we will win every...
Group condemns Nnamdi Kanu for urging IPOB members to attack security operatives
Agence France-Presse/Getty Images The Good Conscience Forum (GCF) says the call by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu for his members to attack security operatives is a “significant threat to the peace and tranquility in Nigeria”. The group, in a statement signed by its National President, Dr Edwin Ogbu, on Friday urged relevant authorities to take proactive action to avoid a breakdown in law and order. Recall that the Department of State Services (DSS) had said that two of its operatives were killed on Sunday in a clash with IPOB members in Enugu State. While condemning IPOB for the attack, the group reasoned that the proscribed sect may just be carrying a plot by its paymasters. “The Good Conscience Forum is in receipt of the call by the leader of the Indig...
Nigerian banks urged to address increasing numbers of customers visiting daily
Prof. Olayinka David-West of Information Systems/Academic Director, Lagos Business School, has urged banking institutions to embrace digital economy to address the increasing numbers of people visiting their branches daily. David-West gave the advice on Saturday at the first ever Virtual Graduates’ Induction and Prize Awards Day organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Lagos. Newsmen report that theme of the programme was: “Digital Economy: The Role of Professional Bankers”. David-West said: “Our financial services ecosystem has recorded significant progress in areas like Bank Verification Number (BVN) and Instant Payments. “The surge on bank branches after the first phase of the lockdown presented some interesting challenges to the ecosystem and the digital eco...
Senator Basiru: Senate has no plan to secretly pass social media bill
Senator representing Osun Central and Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, has said the Red Chamber has no plan to hurriedly pass the controversial Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation and Other Related Matters Bill 2019 into law. An online platform, SaharaReporters, has published that the Senate on its resumption on September 15 has sealed a plot to pass the Bill popularly known as Social Media bill for presidential assent. Sponsored by Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa, the bill was unanimously rejected at the Senate Public Hearing. Reacting to the report at the weekend, Senator Basiru dismissed it as “false and a lie concocted by the medium to ridicule and tarnish the image of the senate.” The former Attorney General and ...
Ovie Ejaria completes Reading move away from Liverpool
Liverpool forward Ovie Ejaria has left the club to join joined Championship club Reading on a permanent basis. The England born Nigerian youngster sealed signed four-year contract with Reading to bring an end to his Liverpool adventure. Ejaria joined Liverpool at the age of 16, he then struggled to break into the first team and therefore spent most of his career away from Anfield. Ejaria, first signed for Reading on loan back in January 2019, however, the club has now triggered their right to sign him on a permanent deal. “Reading Football Club are very pleased to announce that midfielder Ovie Ejaria has put pen to paper on a permanent move to the Madejski which will secure his future as a Royal until the summer of 2024.” Reading wrote on their official website. The FIFA Under-20 World Cup...
Central bank grants 9mobile service payment bank license
9PSB (Payment Service Bank), a subsidiary of 9mobile, says it has been granted approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to commence operations in the country. 9mobile, in a statement on Saturday, said that its *990# payment service banking platform would help drive financial inclusion in Nigeria’s ecosystem. It said that CBN’s approval to 9PSB would also save bank customers from long queues in banking halls, consistent network failure, stringent documentations to access credit facilities and frequent transaction/dispensing error, among others. Speaking on 9PSB’s entrance into Nigeria’s financial sector, 9mobile Chief Executive Officer, Alan Sinfield, said there was a huge potential in the market and 9PSB was strategically positioned to expand its operations into financial services. “W...
