Blog

By Joan Nwagwu The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), has called for strategic interventions in Small and Medium Enterprises (MSEs), skill development to address the nation’s unemployment crisis. Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, Director General of NECA made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. Oyerinde said that job creation cannot happen by chance but through deliberate policies that foster business growth and skills development. He stressed that government must provide the enabling environment for the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to thrive and encourage skills acquisition among the youths. “The country needs an environment where skills development can take the centre stage. Also, government must con...

After days of power outage, the Kaduna Electric Distribution Company Friday announced that power has been restored to its franchise area of Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi states. The Kaduna State government convened a meeting with the management of the Kaduna Electric Distribution Company and the two in-house labour unions at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, where it was resolved that power be restored immediately. A statement issued after the meeting indicated that the parties had agreed to review past actions and work together to find an amicable settlement. A source said Governor Uba Sani acted as a guarantor and promised to ensure fairness to both sides. He also praised the unions for their understanding and the unions commended the management of Kaduna Electric, led by Dr. Um...

By Marian Okpe--'Abuja The Senate Committee on Aviation has applauded H. E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Captain Chris Ona Onajomo as Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation,.NCAA This was confirmed on Wednesday 5' February at the National Assembly Complex where members of the Senate Committee on Aviation sat to screen the man of the moment, Captain Chris Ona Onajomo. Few of the senators present at the event were. Sen. Agadaga Friday, from Bayelsa, Sen. Okechukwo Eze representing Enugu East, Sen.Wasiu Sanni, representing Lagos Central, Sen. Samaila Dogowa Kaula, Representing Bauchi North, and very importantly, Sen. Ireti Kingibe, representing FCT. The event was chaired by Sen. Fatai Buhari, representing Oyo North respectively. The senators described the appointmen...

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says patients from the United States and other countries are thronging Nigerian hospitals to seek affordable and high-quality kidney transplants. Shettima said this during a courtesy visit by the Nigerian Association of Nephrology at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, ahead of the association’s 37th Scientific Conference. He attributed the choice of Nigeria for treatment to affordability and high-quality expertise within the country’s medical community. “There is reverse medical tourism these days fundamentally because of the level of care at some of our hospitals. “Recently, 13 patients from the United States came to Nigeria for kidney transplants at Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre, because it is much cheaper here. “They received the same level ...

Soun of Ogbomoso Land, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Orumogege III, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State and the Emir of Gombe, Dr Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, after the courtesy visit in Government House, Gombe. Inspired by the peaceful atmosphere and the ease of doing business, the Soun of Ogbomosho Land, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Orumogege III, has has made a commitment to relocate one of his businesses to Gombe. The monarch made his intention known during a courtesy call on Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya at the Government House, Gombe in continuation of his week-long visit to the State. The royal father, who described Gombe State as a shining example of peace, progress, and harmonious coexistence in Nigeria, noted that his expectations were exceeded, particularly reg...

Nigeria has commenced a move to repatriate 7,790 of its citizens taking refuge in Chad Republic. The refugees, most of them indigenes of Borno, were displaced for nearly ten years at the height of Boko Haram activities, taken shelter at Baga Sola in Tchad Republic. Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum led a delegation of government officials from Nigeria to kick start the repatriation of 7,790 refugees. The delegation which includes the Minister of State, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Yusuf Sununu, and the Federal Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) was received on Wednesday in Baga Sola by the Governor of Lac Province, Saleh Haggar Tidjani. In the first batch of...

Four suspects have been arrested for allegedly involved in illegal possession of firearms, gunrunning, kidnapping, banditry and Job racketeering. The suspects were arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). A statement on Thursday by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi said the arrest by the NSCDC Commandant General's Special Intelligence Squad in its ongoing effort in combating economic sabotage and fighting Insecurity across the country. He said the CG's SIS also recovered two automatic rifles with three magazines; an AK47 with 15 live ammunition, one FN rifle with two live ammunition, one live cartridge with nine locally fabricated pistols, one bionet, two pairs of Nigerian Forest Security Services uniform among others items. Babawale said th...

In his bid to diversify the economy while giving a boost to the agricultural sector, Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has directed all 18 local government areas in the state, to go into the cultivation of cash crops that would serve for export. Otu stated this during a Coffee Estate Development Roundtable Conversation, held at the Metropolitan Hotel in Calabar, the Cross River capital. The governor who spoke through the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon Johnson Ebokpo, noted that the directive was imperative as the state must take advantage of its comparative advantage as a unique destination in the country, where varieties of coffee can be grown. "Every local government must be able to have a cash crop, an export crop, as nobody would be left b...

The Yobe state government team visited Morocco's World largest fertilizer company, OCP/Jorf Lasfar fertilizer complex.This is part of the efforts to resuscitate the Yobe state fertilizer blending plant. The team led by the Secretary to the State Government, Baba Malam Wali, had the commissioners of Agriculture Hon. Mustapha Goniri, Higher Education Prof. Bello Kawuwa, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Adamu Jajere, and the Chairman of Damaturu Local government council Hon. Bukar Adamu. The Facility Information Officer of the complex, Amine Jamaleddine, who conducted the delegation around the facility on Thursday, said "the OCP/Jorf Lasfar fertilizer complex is the biggest fertilizer company in the world with an all year round production capacity.” She explain...

In what many critics have called misplaced priority, North East Development Commission (NEDC) donated essential office equipment to the North East Governors’ Forum (NEGF). The donation was made to the operations office of the NEGF in Maiduguri on Wednesday. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEDC, Mohammed Alkali made the donation to the Director General of North East Governors’ Forum, Alh. Umar Gulani at the Commission’s headquarters in Maiduguri. The donation was made in order to ease the operations of the NEGF coordinating office based in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital. Alkali, while giving out the items, said: “We had donated a vehicle to the North East Governor’s Forum and this time around we’re supporting the Forum with some office equipment to assi...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced significant leadership changes at several federal universities, including the University of Abuja, now known as Yakubu Gowon University. These changes are effective immediately. At Yakubu Gowon University, President Tinubu dissolved the entire governing council and relieved Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi of her duties as Vice-Chancellor. Senator Lanre Tejuoso, currently Pro-Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, has been appointed Pro-Chancellor of the Yakubu Gowon University. He will be succeeded in Makurdi by Senator Joy Emordi, now pro-chancellor of Alvan Ikoku University of Education. To succeed Maikudi, President Tinubu appointed Professor Lar Patricia Manko as Acting Vice Chancellor at the Yakubu Gowon University for...

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has joined other stakeholders in calling for an end to the harmful.and degrading practice of Practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This is as Nigeria joined the rest of the world today 6th February to commemorate the Day of zero Tolerance for FGM, with the theme Stepping Up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM. NHRC in a statement commemorating the occasion charged citizens, healthcare workers and other duty bearers on the need to strengthen their collaborations to end practice. The statement which was signed by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director Corporate Affairs and External Linkages quoted the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu that the Commission would always be at the forefron...

A fire outbreak has claimed the lives of 17 Almajiri in Malam Aliyu Na Malam Muhammadu Ghali Qur`anic School in the Kaura Namoda, Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara.The Chairman, Kaura Namoda Local Government Council, Mannir Haidara confirmed the incident in Gusau on Wednesday. Mr Haidara said the incident occurred late on Tuesday night. He said “Yes, the fire outbreak lasted for hours and claimed lives of 17 Almajirai while other 17 victims were injured.’’ According to the Haidara, the 17 victims were buried in Kaura Namoda town on Wednesday. He added, “We directed urgent medical treatment for the 17 injured children who are currently receiving treatment in the hospital. We have set up a committee to investigate the cause of the outbreak and level of damage.’’ M...

President Donald Trump revealed an extraordinary plan for the United States to “take over” the Gaza Strip, resettle Palestinians in other countries – seemingly whether they wanted to leave or not – and turn the territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East”. He made the stunning proposal during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he was hosting at the White House for crucial talks on the truce with Hamas. In a scheme that lacked details on how he would move out more than two million Palestinians or control Gaza, Mr Trump said he would make the war-battered enclave “unbelievable” by removing unexploded bombs and rubble and economically redeveloping it. The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it,”...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday urged the National Assembly to increase the N49.7 trillion 2025 budget to N54.2 trillion.Tinubu’s letter of request was read by Senate President Godwill Akpabio during plenary.Tinubu attributed the need for the increase to additional revenues generated by key government agencies.According to the president, the amount and the agencies include, N1.4 trillion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), N1.2 trillion from the Nigeria Customs Service, and N1.8 trillion from other government-owned agenciesAfter reading the letter, Akpabio referred it to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for swift consideration.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday sought the approval of the Senate to sack three Resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).Tinubu’s letter of request was read on the floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary.He said the affected RECs are currently on suspension for misconduct.The letter was titled: “Request to terminate the appointment of suspended Resident Electoral Commissioners of Adamawa, Sokoto, and Abia states.” The letter reads in part: “In accordance with Section 157 Subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended. “I hereby request the Senate to consider and vote for the termination of the appointments of the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioners of Adamawa, Sok...

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Wednesday expressed its readiness to continue to support and partner the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in its bid to rid the country of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking. The assurance was given when the new Country Representative of UNODC in Nigeria, Mr. Cheikh Toure led a team of his top officials on a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja. Toure, while acknowledging the leadership role NDLEA plays in drug law enforcement in Africa and particularly the West African sub-region, said his visit was to re-engage with the agency on how to cascade the successes recorded at the national level to the states. ...

The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the federal government to declare oil-producing coastal communities in Ondo state, disaster zones requiring national emergency.In a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Donald Ojogo (APC, Ondo), he sought the need to save the communities from extinction as a result of sea incursion and ocean surges.Ojogo said the four oil-producing communities of the coastal area of Ondo state are major sources of revenue for the Nation, saying that the communities account for about 5.8 percent of the 60,000 Barrel Per Day (BPD) of Ondo state’s crude oil production output amounting to about 3.7 percent of Nigeria’s total oil production.The Ondo lawmaker argued that this oil production by the communities contributed to Ondo State being ranked 5th a...

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has urged Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu on economic reforms. Wike said this when he led members of the G-5 former governors and other political associates on a condolence visit to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, following the death of his elder brother, Sunday Makinde. Speaking on the state of the nation’s economy, Wike urged Nigerians to remain patient and trust the economic policies of Tinubu’s administration. “I’ve always said that people should be patient. This country was something else a few years ago. Nigerians always forget where we were and what efforts we’ve put in place. "If you want the country to be remedied as Mr President is doing today, we need to be patient, we need to give time...