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13Aug By Felix ShammahNo Comments

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Niger Delta Contractors Appeals to Buhari, Akpabio, Akwa to Pay for Completed Projects

By Emma Eyibio A coalition of Niger Delta contractors have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari,  the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and the Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Effiong Akwa, to pay for all completed contracts. This was contained in a statement issued Wednesday by its Chairman and Secretary, Engr. Kelvin Douglas and  Preye Briggs, the coalition said their members “are dying on a daily basis as a result of pressure from banks loans, harassment and intimidation”.  They added that some other contractors have developed high blood pressure already. To this end, they also begged the Presidency to intervene in the matter, stressing that some contractors completed their jobs two years ago or more and are yet to acces...

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2Aug By Dayo OmoogunNo Comments

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NNPC Records Petroleum Product Sale of ₦234.63bn in March

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced that its downstream subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), recorded ₦234.63 billion revenue from the sale of white products in the month of March 2021 representing a 24.7% increase from the ₦188.15billion sales recorded in the previous month of February 2021. This is contained in the March 2021 edition of the NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR), according to a press release by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Dr. Kennie Obateru. The report indicated that total revenues generated from the sales of white products for the period of March 2020 to March 2021 stood at ₦2.129trillion, where petrol contributed about 99.24% of the total sales with...

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30Jul By Skye ZacharyNo Comments

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Looming Hunger: Former VP Warns over Looming Calamity in Nigeria

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Friday stated that the warning given by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), on Wednesday, of a looming acute food crisis in Northern Nigeria should not be ignored. According to him, the dire warning should be seen and heard as a whistleblowing moment that ought to draw the focus of the Federal Government, being that Northern Nigeria is the food basket of the nation, and any famine there will have a national impact on the rest of the country and cross border impacts in the West African sub-region. Atiku said the laissez-faire approach taken by the federal government to this most important issue is regrettable. Food security is a vital part of national security, and where this issue is not resolved, t...

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30Jul By Gami TadanyigbeNo Comments

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FG Reiterates Commitment to Addressing Challenges of Infrastructure Development Deficits

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, says the Federal Government is committed to addressing the country’s challenges on infrastructure development. Mustapha said this on Thursday in Abuja at a Townhall Meeting organized by a group called the Business Hallmark Public Policy Forum with the theme, `Nigeria’s Infrastructure Revolution: Road to a new future.’ He said that the meeting was dedicated to an aspect of development that requires effective collaboration between the public and the private sectors for the development of the country. “It is important that we appreciate where we are coming from, where we stand, what we need to do to get to our desired destination and what government is doing to facilitate reaching the destination. “At inceptio...

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26Jul By Skye ZacharyNo Comments

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FG Extends NIN-SIM Verification Deadline to October

Federal Government has approved the extension of the deadline for National Identity Number (NIN)-Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) data verification to October 31, 2021.   The decision to extend the deadline was made following a request by stakeholders to accommodate registration in hard-to-reach remote areas, foreigners and diplomatic missions, diaspora and address low enrolments in schools and hospitals, as evidenced by enrolment statistics.   The decision also followed a review of the progress of the exercise which indicated significant progress, hence the need to consolidate the gains of the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process across the country.  As at July 24, 2021, there are over 5,500 enrolment systems within and outside the country and this woul...

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18Jul By Dayo OmoogunNo Comments

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Sallah: Parks, Recreational Grounds in FCT Remain Shut

As the Muslim festival of Id- El Kabir approaches and with the declaration of Tuesday(20th July,2021) and Wednesday ( 21 July,2021) this week as public holidays by the Federal Government to mark the event, the FCT authorities have emplaced measures to pre-empt a rise in COVID-19 victims in it's jurisdiction. Rising from a meeting of the FCT Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) on COVID-19, chaired by the Hon. Minister of the FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello on Friday, 16th of July 2021, the authorities have, among others, decided to maintain the shutdown of parks and recreational grounds within the territory all through the festive period.This decision was taken in view of the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country and the FCT and the possibility of a third wave in it's s...

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16Jul By Dwelleth MorountodunNo Comments

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Eid-El-Kabir: FG Declares Tuesday, Wednesday Public Holidays

The Federal Government has declared Tuesday, July 20 and Wednesday, July 21, 2021, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulates all Muslim faithful and Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on this occasion. “I call on Muslims to continue to imbibe the spirit of love, peace, kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and to also use the period to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the country, considering the challenges of insecurity we face at the moment. These mainly are bandits in the North West and North Central, insurgents in the North East, kidnappers, armed robbers, et...

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14Jul By Skye ZacharyNo Comments

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N/Delta: With $1bn Contributions from IOCs, FG Lists Achievements, Challenges of Ogoni Remediation

The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar, has said International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria have contributed $1 billion to the Ogoni clean-up even as he added that the federal government has made considerable progress on the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) mandates since project began in 2016. Briefing a cross-section of the Media in Abuja on the update of the clean-up, he said 21 out of the 69 lots delineated have been remediated assuring that very soon more of the delineated lots will be cleaned of the pollution and pollutants. While admitting that the clean-up is one year behind schedule, he said the achievements made by President Muhammadu Buhari Administration in the project will remain a litmus test ...

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13Jul By Seun AdamsNo Comments

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Grinding Insecurity: Buhari Meets 109 Senators Tonight 

Following public outcry and concern over the growing insecurity across the country, President Muhammadu Buhari will tonight at 8pm meet with the 109 Senators of the National Assembly. The venue is at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.  The scheduled meeting between members of the upper chamber and President Buhari was conveyed in a letter received from the State House and read during plenary by President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan.   The Senate on April 27, 2021, reached a resolution for the leadership of the upper chamber to schedule a meeting with the President to enable all 109 Senators meet with him to discuss the issue of insecurity in the country.  The invitation letter for the scheduled meeting between the President and members ...

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13Jul By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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How FG’s Robust Strategy Helped in Curtailing COVID-19 – Aregbesola

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has attributed the timely strategic and aggressive measures deployed by the Federal Government during the COVID-19 Pandemic since year 2020 as responsible for the success attained in curtailing the pandemic in the country especially in the Nigerian's Correctional Centers (NCCs).  Aregbesola acknowledged that the initiative of the Ministries of Interior and Justice to secure presidential pardon and amnesty for some inmates while also recommending others to State Governments for release was helpful. The Minister stated this in lecture he presented at the Third Annual Lecture on Economy and Security during COVID-19 at the Faculty of Arts, Ekiti State University, Ado -Ekiti, Ekiti State. He commended the University and the Faculty for...

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13Jul By Dwelleth MorountodunNo Comments

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We are Not Involve in Official Kidnapping

Following the outcry from the public over the rising involvement of men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in aiding and abetting kidnappers carry out their trade, the FCT Police Command on Monday dissociates itself from involving in such crime. A trending article in some sections of the social media had accused the Police Operatives of aiding and abetting in ‘official kidnapping syndrome along Game Village axis, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). ASP Yusuf Mariam, the Command’s PRO, in a statement said: “The Command wishes to categorically state that there was no record of such incident within the FCT as at 1000hrs of Monday 12th of July.” It is funny to hear my doctor talk about Xanax. Me have been taking it for 20 years, but what do I know. Cause after all they know b...

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12Jul By Felix ShammahNo Comments

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NCC Debunks Records of Additional 3m New Lines in Q1

By Frank Momoh  The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been drawn to an online media report alleging that mobile telephony subscriptions in Nigeria somehow grew by 3,000,000 new subscribers in the first quarter of 2021. This the online medium says is coming despite the suspension on the registration of new subscribers which took effect from December 9, 2020 and was only lifted in May, 2021.  The Ericsson Mobility Report cited in the online publication is essentially a forecast of trends based on Ericsson’s analysis and does not refer to the NCC or any official channel as source for its data and/or projections.  It is therefore inaccurate that Nigeria recorded 3million new lines in the 1st Quarter of 2021 as stated in the media report. ...

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8Jul By Seun AdamsNo Comments

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FIRS Appoints Banks to Recover N1.8trn from Multichoice

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Thursday appointed some commercial banks as agents to recover the sum of N1.8 trillion as tax liability from accounts of Messrs MultiChoice Nigeria Limited (MCN) And MultiChoice Africa (MCA). This was contained in a statement signed by the Chairman, Mr. Muhammad Nami, as released by the Director, Communications and Liaison Department of the Service, Dr. Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad, who quoted the Chairman as confirming that the decision to appoint the banks as agents and to freeze the accounts was as a result of the group’s continued refusal to grant FIRS access to its servers for audit. FIRS, said the companies persistently breached all agreements and undertakings with the Service, adding that they would not promptly respond to correspondenc...

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8Jul By Skye ZacharyNo Comments

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Minister Congratulates Matazu on WMO Appointment

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has congratulated the Director-General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, on his appointment into the Executive Council of the World Meteorological Organisation. In a statement made available to the Media by the General Manager/PR of the agency Mr. Muntari Yusuf Ibrahim, said Prof. Matazu who is also the Permanent Representative of Nigeria with the Meteorology regulatory body, was elected at the 73rd session of the Executive Council of the WMO. In a letter signed by the Secretary-General of the WMO, Professor Petteri Taalas congratulating the NiMet DG, said: “I look forward to your future participation and effective contribution to the work of the Council for the benefit of all our...

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7Jul By Dwelleth MorountodunNo Comments

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Osinbajo: Nigeria’s Leather Industry to Rake-in $1bn by 2025

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday said Nigeria’s leather products industry will generate over $1 billion by the year 2025 and create employment for over 7000 Nigerians. The Vice President made this known on Tuesday in Abuja at the formal launch and sensitisation workshop on the National Leather and Leather Products policy implementation plan. Adetayo Otuyemi and Maryam Zakari in a joint statement, quoted Osinbajo as saying that the leather products value chain will afford Nigeria over 70% increase in foreign exchange earnings in a few years’ time. He described the implementation of the leather products policy as holistic, adding that it will also provide a more sustainable infrastructure development plan and guaranteed access to credit facilities for business pe...

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7Jul By Skye ZacharyNo Comments

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FG Commends Security Agencies for curtailment of Kanu, Igboho

The federal government on Tuesday commended the security agencies for curtailing the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu even as it traces the organisation's sources of funds from proceeds of suspected illicit criminal activities. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, in a statement made available to the Media on Tuesday, said the government had long been monitoring the activities of IPOB and had strong cause to believe that their funding sources include proceeds of suspected illicit criminal activities. However, he added that the government attributed the curtailment of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Adeyemi aka Igboho to the enhanced collaboratio...

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4Jul By Skye ZacharyNo Comments

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Senate Urges Nigerian Vocal Public to Help Democracy

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has urged members of the public who have access to the media to help democracy to prosper in Nigeria by saying the truth.The Senate President made the appeal in his keynote address at the Conference of Presiding Officers of the Nigerian Legislature which began in Abuja late Friday.The theme of the conference which is yet ongoing is Public perception of the role of Legislature: Post Legislative Scrutiny and Independence of the Legislature.Lawan spoke against the backdrop of attack on Federal lawmakers and misinformation that followed the recent leakage of the roof of the National Assembly complex.The Senate President said it was unfair to assume that the N37 billion that was initially budgeted for the rehabilitation of the National Assembly complex ...

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4Jul By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Firefighers’ Challenge: FG Mulls Establishment of Fire Police

As part of efforts to addressing the challenge often  faced by firefighters during operations, through mob action and vandalization of firefighting assets in the country, the Federal Government has disclosed that it would create an arm bearing unit to be referred to as "Fire Police," whose duty would be, to provide armed outer cordon during operations. Mrs. Lere Adams-Blessing, the Director of Press in the Ministry, quoted the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Chairman of Council, disclosed this  during the opening Ceremony of the National Council on Fire, held in Jos, Plateau State. Aregbesola, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, said the Ministry would initiate the process of repealing the 1963 obsolete Fire Service Ac...

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1Jul By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

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Exclusive: How One Soldier, Five Igboho associates Were Killed In botched arrest attempt.

A fresh indication has emerged into how the attack was carried out in the house of a Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo known as Sunday Igboho. A source who spoke with our correspondent on the conditions of anonymity said that soldiers from Brigade Guards, Abuja were drawn to effect the arrest of Igboho. According to the source, the mission of the team was to effect the arrest of Mr. Adeyemi. Upon arrival at the residence, a soldier who tried to scale the fence was shot dead by Igboho boys. This according to the source infuriated the soldiers who then launched massive attack before they gained entry into the house and engaged Igboho boys in a shootout. The source added that Igboho and some of his aides, had to find a way of escape, as five of their associates were unlucky ...

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30Jun By Skye ZacharyNo Comments

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Buhari: Blame Nigerians for Nigeria’s Woes, Not Ethnicity, Religion

President Muhammadu Buhari has reflected on the complexities of the Nigerian condition, concluding that neither ethnicity nor religion was to blame, “but we ourselves,” for inherent injustices.The President spoke recently while receiving members of the Muhammadu Buhari/Osinbajo (MBO) Dynamic Support Group, who visited State House, Abuja, to present a compendium of five years achievements of the administration.Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement on Wednesday, said Buhari went into the trajectory of his struggles to get justice at the courts, after disputed results of presidential elections in 2003, 2007, and 2011, submitting that people who ruled against him were of his own ethnic stock and religious persuasion, while those who stood up for him were of other faiths and ethnicity.“Our problem ...

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