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By NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA  The Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Baba-Ndace has offered it platform to the Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) to enlighten citizens and global community on the good works of the company. Baba-Ndace presented the offer when he and his management team paid a courtesy visit to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Mrs Nkechi Egerton-Idehen on in Abuja. “We are here to thank you for all that you are doing and to also say that, as government organisations, we need to work together and enlighten the citizens and global community of the good works that you are doing. “VON was established to focus on building positive narratives about Nigeria, Nigerians, African and Africans. It is imp...

By Victor Okoye President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Ifedayo Akindoju, says the federation is committed to promoting gender equality with regards to the participation and officiating of tennis events in the country. He made the remarks while declaring a maiden International Tennis Federation's Advantage All workshop open on Friday in Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria Tennis Umpires Association(NTUA) made history on Friday in Abuja. This was following the successful hosting of it's maiden International Tennis Federation's Advantage All programme thus setting the pace for other African countries. The workshop is being organised by the NTF in conjunction with the International Tennis Federation had no fewer than 20 female tennis offi...

The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has on Friday ordered Multichoice Nigeria to provide a month of free subscription to its DStv and GOtv users. The tribunal also imposed a fine of N150 million on the company for challenging its jurisdiction. This ruling comes after the tribunal had previously barred Multichoice from increasing the prices of its subscription packages. A three-man panel led by Justice Thomas Okosu delivered the rulings. “The jurisdiction of this tribunal extends to all business activities within Nigeria,” the panel ruled. The consumer protection court on April 29 issued an order restraining Multichoice Nigeria Limited from implementing the DStv and GOtv subscription prices hike it had earlier last week. The three-member panel of the tribunal...

As efforts to integrate human immunodeficiency virus with non-communicable diseases to enhance health outcomes continue to gain traction, leading medical researchers met at the 2024 HLB-SIMPle Annual conference in Gaborone, Botswana (28th-30th May 2024), where all the 6 study sites in the 6 different countries in Africa, namely, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana presented updates of their ongoing studies. HLB-SIMPLe is an acronym derived from Heart, Lung, and Blood Co-morbiditieS IMplementation Models in People Living with HIV, and it is an alliance made up of researchers on HIV/High Blood pressure integration across the six African countries.“We held the Gaborone meeting under the theme: Integrating HIV and Non-Communicable Diseases Programmes for Scale-Up...

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday further adjourned until June 25 for mention of a case against celebrity bartender, Pascal Okechukwu otherwise called Cubana Chief Priest for alleged naira abuse. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Mr Okechukwu on April 17 on a three-count charge of allegedly spraying and tampering with the naira notes during a social event at Eko Hotel, Lagos. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of N10 million. At the last adjourned date on May 2, the defence counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), informed the court that parties were exploring settlement and had applied that the matter be settled pursuant to the provisions of section 14(2) of the EFCC Act. Following the position, defence counsel had ...

The Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps has arrested five suspects in Kano for alleged vandalism and theft. The Commandant of the Corps in Kano State, Mohammad Lawal-Falala, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Kano. He said the suspects were apprehended by the anti-vandalism unit of the corps during midnight patrols. Two suspects, Adnan Umar (26) and Musa Shuayb (24), were caught vandalising streetlight armoured cables on IBB Way, Fagge/Kofar Wambai new market. He said they were also attempting to steal three rolls of copper wire. In a separate incident, according to him, three suspected motorcycle thieves, including a receiver of the stolen motorcycle were arrested by the corps. The suspects are Saminu Magaji (19), Haruna Idris (22), and Ahmed Abubakar (38), the rec...

The Federal Government has maintained that idue process will be followed in the financial case brought against Binance. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris disclosed this on Wednesday in a statement. The statement which was signed by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim said said due processes are being applied in all stages of the trial by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The statement reads: "Against the backdrop of continuing interest in the ongoing trial of rogue online platform, Binance, and one of its Chief Executives, who illegally trade in cryptocurrency in Nigeria, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said due processes are being applied in all stages of the trial by the laws of the Federal Republ...

Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, the Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has called for intensified campaign against pipeline vandalism oil theft in the country. Zabbey made the call in Port Harcourt on Wednesday while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in commemoration of the 2024 World Environment Day. He said that oil theft, pipeline vandalism and artisanal refining had become hydra-headed monsters staring the nation’s oil industry in the face.Zabbey said that the world environment day was a wake up call on HYPREP’s mission and the ongoing clean up efforts in Ogoni land. “The day provides us an opportunity to reflect, design and facilitate approaches to protect our land and commonwealth. “It is an opportunity to restore degraded areas a...

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) on Wednesdsy called for full autonomy for Local Government Councils (“LGCs”) to ensure efficient governance in the country. The Chairman of the RMAFC, Mr Mohammed Shehu, said this to newsmen in Abuja. Shehu said that it backs the Federal Government in its ongoing efforts to free LGCs from the firm control of state governments through legal means by giving effect to the provisions of constitution. "The LGCs, as the third tier of government domesticated at the grassroots level, ought to be outside the control of state and Federal Governments as they were solely established to ensure effective governance at the grassroots level. "The constitution of Nigeria recognises federal, state, and local governments as three ...

By NAN The Hon. Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission Abimbola Ayo-Yusuf, said that the Commission under his watch has improved maximally on its core mandate as presently encapsulated in CAP P.37 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Ayo-Yusuf, disclosed this on the occasion of the Commissioners Retreat held on Tuesday in Abuja, as sideline to end his administration which was inaugurated July 5, 2021 inaugurated by the leadership of the 9th National Assembly. The Commissioner said that the dynamics of time within his tenure indeed challenged the status of the organisation and attempted to change the managements structure. According to him, the administration has risen to the occasion and made necessary inputs to stabilize the Commission with pending legal frameworks to...

By Victor Okoye High Chief (Dr) Christopher Ndubuisi and High Chief (Dr) Kenneth Ifekudu, OFR have been honoured and celebrated by Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, the Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines at the Ark in Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ndubuisi and Ifekudu were celebratedat a dinner party reception on Sunday night organised by Okonkwo to recognise and celebrate the two awardees who were recently confered with prestigious awards as men who had distinguished themselves and left indelible martheir various fields of endeavour. High Chief Dr. Christopher Ndubuisi, the Chairman of Pinnatech Group Abuja, emerged the winner of the Sun Investor of the Year 2024 and Champion Newspapers’ 2024 Manufacturer of the Year Awards respectively. While, High Chief (Dr) Ke...

By Joan Nwagwu Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has distributed food items to no fewer than 1,200 vulnerable, internally displaced and people living with disabilities in Nasarawa State. Tinubu inaugurated the symbolic distribution of the Food Outreach Scheme for Persons with Disabilities and the vulnerable groups on Tuesday in Lafia. Represented by Hajiya Nana Shettima, Wife of the Vice President, the first lady said that the gesture was part of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Outreach Scheme, as part of the Social Investment Programme. According to her, the food outreach scheme is specially designed to provide support to the under privileged in line with the resolve of President Bola Tinubu to leave no one behind. “This is also to ensure food security and ...

The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Yemi Cardoso, says strengthening national capacities for debt management is crucial for meeting the government’s funding needs. Mr Cardoso said this on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the Regional Training on Annual Borrowing Plan (ABP) Development organised by the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM). The training was jointly organised by WAIFEM, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Ladi Bala-Keffi, the acting director of the monetary policy department of the CBN, delivered Mr Cardoso’s address. According to Mr Cardoso, countries must prioritise building a balanced and resilient debt portfolio. He said at the core of sound public debt management was the debt manageme...

An unidentified driver has hit and killed a female pedestrian, Elizabeth James, on the Sagamu-Benin Expressway in Ogun. SP Omolola Odutola, the spokesperson for the police in Ogun, in a statement, said the incident occurred at about 9:40 p.m. on Sunday, near Dalof filling station, Sagamu axis of the expressway. “An unidentified vehicle from the Ijebu-Ode direction heading towards the Sagamu interchange hit male and female pedestrians beside the express road. “Both victims suffered injuries and were taken to Live Well Hospital in Sagamu for treatment. “Unfortunately, a 22-year-old female pedestrian named Elizabeth James from Sagamu died at the hospital,” she said. The police spokesperson said the deceased had been deposited at the Fakoya Hospital mortuary in Sagamu. “Poli...

After six hours of meeting on Monday, the Nigerian government signed an agreement with the Organised Labour after the government promised that President Bola Tinubu is committed to a national minimum wage above N60,000. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, announced this after the meeting with the labour leaders in Abuja which started 5pm and ended few minutes to 11pm. He said the President is “committed to a national minimum wage that is higher than N60,000. The organised Labour comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress declared an indefinite nationwide strike over the inability of the federal government to pay Nigerian workers a living wage. Meanwhile, the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (NMW) will now resume d...

The Federal Government and the Labour on Monday signed a pact to return to the negotiation table on the issue of new minimum wage for workers. The Federal Government had proposed N60,000 while the Labour had demanded for N494.At the meeting on Monday summoned by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Labour amd government signed a pact. FG assured Labour that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has undertaken to pay a minimum wage that is more than N60,000 as the meeting of the Tripartite Committee resumes ssittings.consequenrly, it was agreed that the committee will meet every day in the next week to reach an agreement on the new minimum wage.These are part of the agreement signed last night after an eight-hour meeting between the Federal Government officials...

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to enhancing the quality of lives for all Nigerians. Represented by the Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu stated this at the inauguration of the Expansion of the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) from the Villa Roundabout to Ring Road 1 (RRI). He said that the expansion of the outer southern motorway would not only alleviate traffic congestion and improve transportation but would also stimulate economic growth and create opportunities for prosperity. Tinubu said, “What is unfolding in our capital city is a testament to what can be achieved with our government's Renewed Hope Agenda, quality transformation of the Federal Capital Territory and indeed Nigeria. “This ambitious undertaking holds profound signif...

President, ECOWAS Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Edward Asante, has called on staff participants to engage in productive dialogue and decision-making at the institution’s 16th administrative and budget retreat. Justice Asante, who made this known in his address at the event, on Monday, explained that the call was necessary, considering the essential role that budgetary allocations played in the court’s functioning. The retreat is expected to foster thoughtful discussions, open dialogues, and constructive debates, leveraging participants’ collective wisdom, diverse perspectives, and shared experiences. “We have to be able to judge all and put our heads together to come up with the best budget. “When this is presented to the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) and to the...