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7Mar By Gami TadanyigbeNo Comments

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VON seeks partnership with NCPC to project positive narrative about Nigeria

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer The Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace has solicited for partnership with Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) to project positive narrative of Nigeria, Africa and the good works of the Commission. Ndace during a courtesy visit with his management team to the new Executive Secretary of NCPC, Bishop Stephen Adegbite said President Bola Tinubu has a mindset of appointing the best hands to run affairs of his government. He commended Adegbite for all his prayers for the country and expressed confidence in his capacity to bring positive changes to NCPC. "I am here to, first, let you know about VON. It is the only public broadcast established by the Federal Government to tell the stories about Nigeria, Nigerians, Afric...

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5Mar By BolarinwaNo Comments

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Aiyedatiwa’s School-leaving Certificate Authentic, Says Campaign Organisation

Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers (LACO-FS) on Monday took a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr. Olugbenga Edema, to the cleaners, describing him "a clueless roadside critic, who is always not having facts to back up his claims". Edema had in a statement over the weekend queried the authenticity of the secondary school-leaving certificate of Governor Aiyedatiwa, who is also vying for the governorship ticket of the party. Responding, the LACO-FS in a statement by its State Director of Information, Mr. Kayode Fasua, said photocopies of the school-leaving and other certificates obtained by the governor were duly submitted to theIndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC). "Not even a drunk of the Ogogoro-dringing pe...

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3Mar By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Vietnam-Bound Businessman Nabbed With Cocaine Consignment At Abuja Airport-NDLEA

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a 40-year-old businessman, Ejike Chibuke, with 1.45 kilogrammes of cocaine at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja. This is contained in a statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Babafemi said the drugs were concealed in the suspect’s luggage while he attempted to board an Ethiopia Airlines flight number 950 to Vietnam via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from the NAIA. He said the suspect was arrested at the Abuja airport on Saturday, March 2, after NDLEA officers subjected him to a thorough search. Mr Babafemi also said that it was in the process the illicit substance was discovered concealed, factory-fitted, in his bag. “In his statement, the suspect cla...

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3Mar By Gami TadanyigbeNo Comments

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Police pledges justice for 10-year-old victim of assault

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says it will ensure justice for the 10 year-old victim of assault by an Anambra based lawyer, Mrs Adachukwu Okafor. Okafor, presented herself at the Police station after she was declared wanted and a N2 million bounty was placed on her for allegedly using knife, electric pressing iron and other weapons to brutalise the underage househelp. ACP Olumiyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), while addressing the media at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), on Friday in Abuja, said it was a case of attempted murder and child abuse. Adejobi, represented by CSP Olabisi Okuwobi, National Coordinator, Police Campaign against Cultism and other Vices, explained that the househelp worked for two weeks in the house of the suspect befo...

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2Mar By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Nigeria’s Constitution Can’t Address Economic Hardship, Insecurity-Emeka Anyaoku

Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, has said that the current Nigerian constitution would not adequately address the nation’s economic predicaments and other challenges. Mr Anyaoku spoke with journalists on Saturday in his country home, Obosi village of Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra. He said the current challenges being faced in the nation like poverty, insecurity, and delapidated infrastructure among oethers were serious challenges bedevelling the country. “I am on record for saying that these challenges can not be effectively addressed under the constitution and governance system we have at the moment. “We can not effectively address these challenges that have assumed nationwide dimension especially insecurity which has parveded the ...

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2Mar By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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House Of Reps Clarifies Position On NGO Regulation Bill, Seeks Cooperation With CSOs

The House of Representatives says it is not at war with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) over a bill to regulate their activities in the country. Victor Obuzor (PDP-Rivers), chairman, House committee on CSOs and development matters, said this on the sidelines of a meeting with CSOs and development partners in Abuja. According to him, the bill to regulate the activities of NGOs just came up for the first reading and will go for the second reading, adding that it was even stepped down by the speaker for further consultation. We are not at war with CSOs. What they do for nation-building cannot be overlooked; we are their friends and we have the same objectives. “Our aim is to build up the nation and make Nigeria great, and we should wor...

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2Mar By Gami TadanyigbeNo Comments

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International Wheelchair Day: PWDs call for domestication of disability laws

By NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA The National Association Of Persons With Physical Disabilities (NAPWPD), FCT Chapter, has called for full domestication of disability laws and accessibility standard code. The Chairman of the NAPWPD, Mr Chris Agbo, made the call at a media conference to commemorate the day in Abuja. Agbo explained that the International Wheelchair Day was a reminder of the importance of wheelchairs to the millions of individuals around the world. He added that Wheelchairs constituted a massive difference in a person’s ability to function in the world. “Unfortunately, not everyone who needs a wheelchair is able to get one. In fact, there are tens of thousands of people around us who need wheelchairs. “The primary focus of the day is on promoting accessibility and...

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1Mar By Gami TadanyigbeNo Comments

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Group signs MoU with Defence industries to promote local content

By Jessica Dogo AThe Uniccon Group of Companies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to promote local content. This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Friday and signed by the Chairman of Uniccon, Dr Chuks Ekwueme, Elwueme said this when he paid a visit to the Nation’s defence industries office in Kaduna. He said the purpose of the visit was to consolidate on previous meetings to explore further areas of collaboration and robust engagements in meeting material needs for the Nation’s defence industries complex. According to him, the company and its subsidiaries are interested in driving local content in the area of defense technologies. He noted that one of the group’s areas of specialty was bespoke tec...

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29Feb By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Senate Confirms Four Nominees As CBN Board Of Directors

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of four persons, Robert Agbede, Ado Wanka, Murtala Sagagi and Muslimat Olanike, as members of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This followed the adoption of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions report at the Committee of the Whole on Thursday. Presenting the report, the committee chairman, Abiru Adetounboi, said four of the five nominees appeared for screening, while the fifth, Urum Eke, failed to appear. He said their nomination was in accordance with the provisions of sections 6 1 and 2 (d) and 10 of the Central Bank of Nigerian Act, 2007. He said that the committee’s findings indicated that the appointment was in accordance with the provisions of section six of the CB...

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29Feb By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Nigerian Lawmakers Want Mandatory Drug Test For Secondary School Students

The House of Representatives has urged the education ministry to collaborate with the health ministry to develop a mandatory drug test for secondary school students in Nigeria. This followed the adoption of a motion, ‘On Need to Introduce Mandatory Drug Test for Secondary School Students in Nigeria’, by Moshood Oshun (APC-Lagos) at plenary in Abuja on Thursday. Presenting the motion, Mr Oshun said adolescence remained a critical period in human development. He said individuals at this age were usually influenced by factors such as experimental curiosity, peer pressure, poor socio-economic conditions at home and the need for extra energy for daily activities. He said youth were critical stakeholders in fostering socio-economic development in the country, adding that their vulne...

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29Feb By Gami TadanyigbeNo Comments

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ESTI, AUDA-NEPAD Commemorate Launch of African Year of Education Transformation

Barr Tagbo Agbazue, Director, Influence Africa; Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, emeritus AUC Chairperson and incumbent South African Minister in the Presidency for Women Affairs, Youth and People with Disabilities; Mr. Symerre Grey-Johnson, Director, AUDA-NEPAD: and Ms. Unami Dube, Program Manager WorldSkills Africa at AUDA-NEPAD among other delegates The African Union Commission and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), with the support of the German government, has commemorated the successfull launch of the African Union Year of Education Transformation, by hosting a digital Knowledge Marketplace Exhibition. This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday by the Director for Human Capital & Institutional Development at AUDA-NEPAD, Mr. Symerre Gr...

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29Feb By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Tinubu: Akeredolu Was Fearless, Courageous Man

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, described the former Governor of Ondo State, the late Rotimi Akeredolu, as a fearless and courageous man. Mr Tinubu, accompanied by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, eulogised the late Akeredolu when he paid a condolence visit to the immediate family of the former governor and the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye. The president, who spoke at the Olowo’s palace, said all would forever remember the former governor’s legacy. He added that it was honourable to depart the world when the ovation was loudest, adding, “The space left by Akeredolu would be difficult to fill.” Mr Tinubu also praised the late Akeredolu’s passion for good governance. “God will be with you. Your children will do well in life. May you all end well. May God be with you and u...

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28Feb By Gami TadanyigbeNo Comments

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UN to partner with NAN on news production in local language

The United Nations (UN) has declared its readiness to partner with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on production of news in local languages across Africa. Mr Ronald Kayanja, the Director, UN Information Centre (UNIC) disclosed this during his courtesy visit to the Managing Director of NAN, Malam Ali Muhammad Ali in Abuja. Keyanja identified inability by the media in Africa to project countries in the continent positively and promote the understanding of news content in vernacular as major challenge of Journalism within the continent. According to him, East African people promote Swahili as the biggest language on the continent, saying the UN wants to promote Hausa as it’s second indigenous African language because of figures. Kayanja said, “From Swahili you have Hausa as the ...

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28Feb By Gami TadanyigbeNo Comments

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Gov. Alia’s Solid Steps To Exploit Benue’s Solid Minerals

By Bridget Tikyaa Ikyado In spite of efforts of governments at various levels to diversify the economy, earn foreign exchange and create jobs, reports of illegal mining of solid minerals across many states of the federation are very disturbing. Data from the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Development show that illegal mining activities have continued to thrive in spite of government's repeated threat to prosecute culprits. Benue might not be the state with the highest number of mineral resources in Nigeria but the state has abundant mineral resources that have not been fully tapped and can be used to develop the state. Some of the minerals found in Benue State, both mined and untapped, include Baryte, Limestone, Gypsum, Natural gas, Lead, zinc, clay, coal, gold amongst several other...

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27Feb By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Senate Confirms Hafsat Bakari’s Appointment As NFIU Director

The Senate has confirmed Hafsat Bakari’s appointment as the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) director. Her confirmation followed the adoption of the Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes screening report at the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday. The report was presented by the chairman of the committee, Emmanuel Udende (APC-Benue). Mr Udende, while presenting the report, said after a thorough screening of the nominee, the committee was satisfied with her capacity to be appointed as director of NFIU. He urged the Senate to confirm her appointment. Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno) said her appointment was a square peg in a square hole, given her steering performance and experiences over the years in fighting financial crimes. He said Ms Bakari’s experien...

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27Feb By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Death Toll Rises, Fresh Corpse Recovered From Lagos Boat Crash

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has recovered an additional corpse from the scene of the boat crash at Ikorodu. Wuraola Alake, the spokeswoman for LASWA, said in an update on the crash on Tuesday in Lagos the boat had been recovered. She also shed more light on the capsizing in the update. In continuation of the search and rescue operations on the current mishap involving Oluwaseyifunmi boat, one additional corpse has been recovered along with the submerged boat from the scene of the incident. “The exact cause of this incident is still being investigated, as some of the rescued passengers denied the claim that the affected boats were engaged in boat racing. “The passenger at the Addax Jetty filled out no manifest before passengers boarded the boat, but nine out ...

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27Feb By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Civil Servants: Tinubu’s MDAs Merger Plan, Right Decision At Right Time

Some civil servants have lauded President Bola Tinubu’s decision to merge, scrap and subsume departments and agencies of federal ministries to reduce the cost of governance. The civil servants who spoke on Tuesday in Abuja said, “It is a right decision that came at the right time,” as the country is battling an economic downturn. They commended Mr Tinubu for his courageous and purposeful leadership in implementing the Steve Oronsaye reports on cutting down the cost of governance, which they said previous administrations failed to implement. The Oronsaye report was submitted in 2012 to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, which released a white paper on the report. Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari inherited the report and released a second white paper on it in 2022 bu...

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26Feb By Gami TadanyigbeNo Comments

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EDO APC DIASPORA COUNCIL DRUMS SUPPORT FOR OKPEBHOLO’S CANDIDATURE

…Describes Him as a Transparent, Compassionate man The Edo All Progressives Congress (APC) Diaspora Council, has called for the support of Senator Monday Okpebholo, the party’s candidate for the September 21 governorship election in the state, describing him as someone who has consistently demonstrated transparency and integrity in his actions and decision-making, adding further that as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Hon. Okpebholo has always shown empathy and compassion towards the concerns and challenges faced by his constituents. In an open letter to the people of Edo state signed by Ambassador Osarodion Osagie, the group’s Director of Media and Publicity, the Edo APC Diaspora Council while congratulating Senator Ekpebholo, over his emergence as the party’s guberna...

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25Feb By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Navy hands Over Two Suspected Fuel Smugglers, 5,100 Litres Of Petrol To NSCDC

The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operation Base, Ibaka, in Akwa Ibom has arrested two suspects and impounded their wooden boat laden with 5,100 litres of petrol. The commanding officer of the base, Navy Capt. Uche Aneke, handed over the suspects, the boat and the petrol over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ibaka on Sunday. Mr Aneke said a patrol team of the Navy arrested the suspects on February 22 following an intelligence report about suspected smuggling activities in the area. Patrolling Naval gunboats were deployed to intercept the wooden boat. “In the boat were the two suspected smugglers and 5,100 litres of petrol concealed under bags of yams, cartons of drinks, other beverages and several cartons of floor tiles, all covered with tarpaulin,” he said....

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25Feb By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Foden Now World Class Player-Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, says England forward Phil Foden is now a world class performer in his own right. Gifted as he is, Foden has often been overshadowed by Manchester City’s big hitters but Guardiola noted after Saturday’s win at Bournemouth that he had grown into a top player. Foden’s ninth league goal of the season secured the unconvincing 1-0 win that pushed champions City to one point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. With Erling Haaland not back to his best after injury and playmaker Kevin de Bruyne used as a late substitute on Saturday, Foden was the spark that kept City’s bandwagon firmly on track for a fourth successive title. The 23-year-old Foden has also contributed seven assists this season and has stepped up to be one of Manchester City’s...

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