people
NASU: Decision to reduce civil servants salaries ’provocative’
File Photo The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) says plan by the Federal Government to slash salaries of Federal civil servants is “provocative’’. NASU made this known in a statement by its General Secretary, Mr Peters Adeyemi on Sunday in Abuja. It will be recalled that Mrs Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, had given the hint on May 4, at the National Policy Dialogue on Corruption and Cost of Governance in Nigeria, organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja. Ahmed said during the dialogue that the review of salaries of civil servants and some federal agencies were part of measures to reduce cost of governance. She said the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) had bee...
Nollywood actress: Why I changed my name
Nollywood actress, Belinda Effah, has revealed that she will now be officially addressed as Grace-Charis Bassey. The actress recently announced this development on her Instagram page. Speaking at a press conference which held on the set of “Nollywood Queens” reality show during the week, Effah disclosed that she changed her name from Belinda Effah to Grace-Charis Bassey. According to the actress, her divine encounter with God prompted the name change. Her words; “I had to change my name and the only thing that can make me change my name will be the most supreme being which is God. A lot of people will not understand that. So I don’t bother to explain to people when they ask me why. On the 15th of August last year. I had a divine encounter with God to change my name to Grace. Nobody changed...
Elon Musk says he is first SNL host with Asperger’s syndrome
Elon Musk kicked off his “Saturday Night Live” debut by declaring himself to be the first person with Asperger’s syndrome to host the US comedy sketch show. “Or at least, the first person to admit it,” he said. In his opening monologue, the eccentric tech entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX offered an explanation for some of his past eyebrow-raising behavior. “Look, I know I say or post strange things but that’s just how my brain works. To anyone I’ve offended I just want to say, I reinvented electric cars and I’m sending people to Mars in a rocket ship,” he said. “Did you think I was also going to be a chill, normal dude?” Musk has previously drawn criticism for moves like publicly mocking the US Securities and Exchange Commission and calling a cave diver who rescued boys trapped in Thai...
Ebonyi governor: I believe in united Nigeria, not secession
Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi on Saturday declared his belief in a united Nigeria and condemned calls for secession by some groups in the country. Umahi said this in Abakaliki during the conclusion of the 8-day prayer and fasting session organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ebonyi Chapter, over the security situation in the state. The governor said he believed in a country where oneness, freedom, equity, justice, fairness among other virtues prevailed. “I do not believe in second-class citizenship where a section of the country is being seen to be superior to others. “We are all created by God and no one should talk of disintegrating the country,” he said. He admitted that most of the secessionist groups’ agitations were genuine, noting that they could however be addressed...
Minister: Diaspora voting to start soon
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, has assured Nigerians abroad that Diaspora voting may be realised soon. He said Nigerians abroad are part of the county and as such should be allowed to exercise their franchise. The minister disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission and the National Assembly were currently working to make this materialise. Dada spoke during the Diaspora Quarterly lecture series of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission which was monitored online by our correspondent on Saturday. The minister expressed the hope that participating in elections by Nigerians in Diaspora would soon be a reality as done in other climes. He said, “NIDCOM is working closely with relevant committees of the National Assembly and relevant stakeholders, particu...
AKA: I’m not a suspect in my fiancée’s murder investigation
Superstar South African rapper, Kiernan Forbes, has stated that he is not a suspect in the ongoing investigation into the death of his fiancée, Nellie Tembe, by the South African Police. Fondly referred to as Anele, it was reported that the rapper’s fiancée fell from one of the upper floors of the hotel to the intersection of Loop and Bloom streets in the Cape Town central business districts. AKA and Anele had gotten engaged in February this year. In March, he paid ‘lobola’ to her family, describing her as ‘the love of his life’ when he announced their engagement on social media. The rap artiste revealed that some people whom he and his late fiancée trusted with their deepest troubles now use them as weapons against him. He said, “It is a sad day when I find myself having to speak to the n...
Ebonyi governor: Igbos can’t solve problems by insulting the president, others
Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has urged the Igbos to stop insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and leaders from other regions. Umahi said this in Abakaliki during the conclusion of the 8-day prayer and fasting session organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ebonyi Chapter, over the security situation in the state. He declared his belief in a united Nigeria and called on Igbos to drop secession agitations. He, however, admitted that most of the secessionist groups’ agitations were genuine, noting that they could however be addressed. He said: “I do not believe in second-class citizenship where a section of the country is being seen to be superior to others. “We are all created by God and no one should talk of disintegrating the country. “I want Igbos to submit these agitations...
CBN governor seeks PPP model to improve healthcare infrastructure
Bloomberg The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged stakeholders in the public and private sectors to collaborate to build a more healthy and robust healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria. The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, made the call at a movie launch titled: “UNMASKED”, a feature documentary on leadership, trust and the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The movie was produced and directed by Mr Femi Odugbemi, a Nigerian documentary filmmaker, and co-produced by Ms Kadaria Ahmed, a renowned journalist, media entrepreneur and television host, on Friday in Lagos. According to Emefiele, addressing the public health crisis along with the downturn in the economy required strong coordination. He said the measures and interventions put in place by the CBN and private sector to improve governme...
President Buhari mourns Senator Al-Hassan’s demise
File Photo President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he is deeply saddened by the death of Hajiya Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan, “Mama Taraba’’, who was Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development during his first term in office. The Nigerian Mission in Cairo, Egypt, announced the passing of the former minister and Senator. Buhari in a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said: “The demise of the notable politician, Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan has left many saddened. “Both in office and out of office, her concern for the education of the girl child, especially those of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, who were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists, shone through. “Her death is a huge loss not only to the female gender activist community but to the country as a whole. Our...
Taraba governor: Senator Alhassan’s demise a personal loss
Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku has described the death of former minister of Women Affairs Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan as a personal loss to him. In a statement issued in Jalingo on Friday night and signed br Bala Dan Abu Special Adviser to the governor on Media, Ishaku said that he received the news with rude shock and is still trying to come to terms with it. He described Alhassan as a woman of courage and rare asset who have contributed immensely to the political emancipation of wen and her death would leave a gapping hole on the political landscape of the nation. “Governor of Taraba State, Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, has received with deep shock news of the death of Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan, a former governorship candidate in the state and frontline member of the People’s Demo...
Afenifere: We’ll not support military takeover
Pan-Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, has said it is against military takeover of any kind. In a statement, National Publicity Secretary of the group, Comrade Jare Ajayi, described military intervention in government as a curse. He said the recent clamour for change in the country was borne out of frustration over the state of the nation. Ajayi said, “Going by what the nation went through under the military, we will certainly not support another military rule in Nigeria under any guise. “It is on record for example that apart from the general abridgement of the rights of Nigerians under the military, members of the the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) masterminded by Afenifere suffered greatly. “It is on record that we lost a lot of patriotic Nigerians all because they were prot...
Two killed as robbers attack bullion van in Ondo
Two persons were on Thursday feared dead at Elemosho Village along Akure-Ondo expressway in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State when armed robbers attacked a bullion van on the road. An eyewitness said the robbers waylaid and attacked the billion van belonging to one the commercial banks. The bullion van according to the source was heading towards Akure, the state capital. It was gathered that the robbers made away with an undisclosed sum of money, while some people were also injured. The eyewitness said, in the operation which lasted for about 20 minutes, the robbers shot three people and ran away into the bush . On hearing the sporadic gunshots, the villagers were said to have abandoned their houses and ran into the bush for safety . Th eyewitness said, “the robbers came to the...
