Tag: federal government

12May By MosesianNo Comments

Sport

Confusion Grips Sports Sector as COVID-19 Restrictions Return

The Nigerian sports sector has been thrown into confusion following the Federal Government’s announcement of new COVID-19 restrictions on Monday, The PUNCH reports. The FG re-introduced a nationwide 12am to 4am curfew as part of efforts to curtail further spread of COVID-19, while mass gatherings in public spaces have been restricted to 50 people at any given time. A member of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Dr Mukhtar Mohammed, added that “indoor recreational facilities and gyms remained closed until June 11, when the situation will be reviewed while non-contact outdoor sports such as golf, polo and tennis among others are not affected.” Last year, sporting activities were grounded to a halt globally during the lockdown occasioned by COVID-19, with sports in ...

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11May By MosesianNo Comments

News

FG approves new security measures for South-East and South-South, tactics will no longer be disclosed

New security measures to tackle the insecurity in the South-East and South-South region of the country has been approved by the federal government. Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali disclosed this at the end of the security meeting President Muhammadu Buhari had with heads of security agencies on Tuesday May 11. Alkali also revealed that operational tactics will no longer be disclosed. He said; “We have some measures which we have outlined and have been approved by the council and we will see how we can change the narrative within the quickest possible means to restore law and order and restore peace in that area. “We solicit all law-abiding citizens to work with us to identify and deal with the situation. That is that; I may not go into the details of how we will do ...

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11May By MosesianNo Comments

News

FG Extends Work from Home Directive for Civil Servants till June 11

The Federal Government's work-from-home directive for civil servants on Grade Level 12 and below, has been extended till June 11. Civil servants were directed by the Presidential Steering Committee On COVID-19 domiciled in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to work from home till June 11, 2021, after which the directive may be reviewed. PSC's  National Incident Manager, Mukhtar Mohammed who gave the directive said;  “All Government staff on GL. 12 and below are to continue to stay at home until 11th June, 2021."

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11May By MosesianNo Comments

News

FG to Sanction Returning Travelers who Fled Quarantine Facilities

The Federal Government has vowed to punish returning foreign passengers who fled quarantine facilities and violated the compulsory requirement. Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha who made the announcement at the resumed briefing of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 in Abuja on Monday May 10, said the decision became necessary after they received reports of some persons who recently returned to the country violating the mandatory quarantine requirement under the advisory by escaping from the facilities. He said the PSC has also considered several pre-emptive measures to be taken to mitigate the likely impact of the variants of concern, should they get imported into Nigeria. The statement reads;   REMARKS BY THE CHA...

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7May By Ajiboye IfeoluwaNo Comments

News

FG says prominent Nigerians to face trial for terrorism financing

The Federal Government says some prominent businessmen and organisations will soon be prosecuted for alleged offences relating to terrorism financing in the country. Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, revealed this when he fielded questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday. According to him, far-reaching investigations have indicated that high-profile individuals have been implicated in various cases of terrorism financing across the country. He said: “As you will actually know, sometimes back there were certain convictions of Nigerians allegedly involved in terrorism financing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “That gave rise to wider and far-reaching investigations in Nigeria. “I’m happy to report that arising from the wider inves...

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3May By MosesianNo Comments

News

FG Establishes Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons

The establishment of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has been approved by the federal government. In a statement released on Monday May 3 by the Head, Strategic Communication, Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakariya Usman, it was gathered that the new center will be domiciled in the office of the National Security Adviser and Retired Major General AM Dikko has been appointed as Pioneer Coordinator. The Centre which will maintain international cooperation and also operate zonal offices in the Six Geopolitical Zones to ensure quick response and effective mobilization of resources, will serve as the National Focal Point on SALW in Nigeria and lead a multi-stakeholder process involving Government Ministries, Departments, Agencie...

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3May By MosesianNo Comments

News

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige Blames Past Government for Strikes in Nigeria

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has blamed the Jonathan-led administration for continuous strikes in Nigeria, especially in the education sector. According to Ngige, the agreements reached between past governments and workers is what is leading to the continuous strike in the country. He also alleged that the federal government then earned more. The Minister maintained that the present government is earning less than a third of former government's revenue, and still delivering on capital projects. Watch the video below.......

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1May By dthataNo Comments

News

Attacks On Prisons: FG Issues Shoot-At-Sight Order, Declares Prisons ‘Red Zones’

The Federal Government has expressed great outrage at the recent wave of attacks on Custodial Centres of the Nigeria Correctional Service NCoS, ordering personnel of the Service’s armed squad to shoot at sight any internal and external aggressor. Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola gave the order at an emergency meeting with NCoS Squadron Commanders, Field Commanders and Heads of Armed Squads. This was as he said some of the inmates who escaped from the custodial centres have been rearrested for murder. He also cautioned the personnel against trafficking which he said is one way through which criminals invade the facilities having known that they could smuggle contraband into the facilities. While he declared the centres as “red zones” which must remain inviolable ...

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30Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Nigeria’s Debt Stock To Hit ₦34 Trillion With New Loans

The total debt stock for Nigeria could rise from N33 trillion to N34tr soon as the National Assembly approves another N1.1tr external loan request for the federal government. The House of Representatives yesterday approved the external loan of $1.5 billion (about N571.5bn) and €995 million (about N528.4bn) for the federal government while the Senate had approved the request last week. The Debt Management Office (DMO) had in March 2021 placed Nigeria’s Public debt at N32.915tr as of December 31, 2020. This included the debt stock of the federal and state governments as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “Total Public Debt to Gross Domestic Product as at December 31, 2020 was 21.61 percent, which is within Nigeria’s new limit of 40 percent.” According to the recomme...

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29Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG Declares Monday, May 3rd Public Holiday To Celebrate Workers Day

The Federal Government has declared Monday, May 3, 2021, public holiday to mark this year’s International Workers Day Celebration. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, who made the declaration on behalf of the federal government, congratulated Nigerian Workers for witnessing this year’s celebration. He commended them for their patience, understanding and support in driving the policies and programmes of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in its determination to move the country to the next level of socio-economic development. Aregbesola called for more dedication and patriotism from all Nigerian Workers and the Labour Unions, saying the challenges of the moment will soon be over as the government is committed to the security of lives and pro...

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20Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Asylum To IPOB Members: UK Disrespectful, Sabotaging Terrorism Fight – FG

The Federal Government says the reported decision of the United Kingdom to grant asylum to “persecuted” members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is disrespectful of Nigeria as a nation. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also said that the decision amounted to sabotaging the fight against terrorism and generally undermining Nigeria’s security. Fielding questions at a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) flagship interview programe, NANForum, on Tuesday in Abuja, Mohammed said the decision is unacceptable to Nigeria. “Let me say straightaway that this issue is within the purview of the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs and I am sure he will handle it appropriately. “But as the spokesman for the Federal Government of Nigeria, I will say that i...

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19Apr By dthataNo Comments

Business

Dangote Commits $700 Million To Sugar Production

The management of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc has said it is committing over $700m to its sugar projects to support the Backward Integration Policy of the Federal Government to make Nigeria self-sufficient in sugar production. According to a statement issued on Sunday by Dangote Industries Limited, the company disclosed this to visiting members of the Nasarawa House of Assembly on Friday. The company noted that Nigeria was one of the sub-Saharan Africa’s largest importers of sugar, second only to South Africa with an annual import of over $337m. The Dangote Sugar management however assured the lawmakers that with the completion of its sugar projects in Nasarawa and Adamawa under the BIP, the nation would be saved more than half of the forex expended on sugar imports annually. ...

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18Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Secessionists Will Be First To Run Away When Problem Starts – Lai Mohammed

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, on Sunday said that secessionists will be the first to run away when any problem starts. The minister assured the Federal Government was working hard to improve national security and prevent all secession tendencies. Mohammed, who spoke on Sunday in Lagos when he appeared on Bond FM radio programme, “Ibi Abasede”, urged Nigerians not to listen to promoters of secession. “Those who support separation and secession will be the first to run away when any problem starts. “We should not listen to them as many of them have about four passports of other countries,” Mohammed said. Speaking specifically on issues around security, Mohammed said that Federal Government’s efforts in that respect necessitated the Town Hall...

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18Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Over 1 Million Jobs Will Be Provided From Digital Switch-Over – FG

The Federal Government announced, on Saturday, that it will commence the Digital Switch-Over (DSO) in Lagos, on April 29, as the country gradually transitions from analogue to digital broadcasting. It also said over one million jobs are expected to be provided from the scheme. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this when he led the Ministerial Taskforce of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture on Digital Switch Over (DSO) on a courtesy visit to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Lagos House, Marina. Mr Mohammed said that the decision to transit to digital television followed an agreement signed at the Regional Radio Communication Conference (RRC-06) in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16, 2006, to usher in ‘all-digital’ terrestr...

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18Apr By dthataNo Comments

Religion

FG Suspends Adeboye’s Helicopter From Flying Over Expired Papers, Safety Concern

The Federal Government through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has grounded a private chopper belonging to Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God at the Lagos Airport, investigations by Sunday PUNCH, has revealed. It was learnt that the aircraft, AgustaWestland AW139 chopper, with registration number 5N-EAA, was suspended from flying over two weeks ago, following the expiration of some of its papers and spare parts. The suspension, officials said, would also allow the regulator to conduct vital safety checks on its safety-critical components, especially some spare parts that are due for replacement. Adeboye had, last Saturday during a special meeting with all ordained ministers of the mission at the RCCG, Region 21, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital,...

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17Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG Yet To Rebuild Chibok College Seven Years After Destruction – Ndume

Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Ali Ndume, on Friday, lamented that the Federal Government had yet to rebuild the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, which was destroyed seven years ago by Boko Haram insurgents. Ndume, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, said the Federal Government had adopted the Borno State-owned college, following the abduction of 276 schoolgirls by the terrorists in 2014. Ndume, who spoke with journalists in Abuja, also noted with concern that parents of the abducted schoolgirls were still living in pain without comfort since the unfortunate incident. He said, “It is seven years since the Chibok girls were abducted. Up till today, 112 of them are not accounted for. We hear storie...

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17Apr By MosesianNo Comments

News

Money Printing Scandal: PDP asks Buhari to sack finance minister, Zainab Ahmed

The People's Democratic Party has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed for “attempting to mislead Nigerians” over allegations of the federal government printing N50-60 billion to support states’ allocations in March. Recall that while Zainab Ahmed denied claims of the federal government printing money for states to share,  Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele said "there's no need for all the controversy around money printing as the concept of printing of money is about lending money." However in a statement released on Friday April 16 by PDP's spokesperson Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party said "the admission by CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, that the apex bank has been printing money at the bidding of governme...

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15Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

Issuance Of New SIMs To Resume April 19 – FG

The Federal Government says the issuance of new SIM cards will resume on April 19. Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, made this known in a statement released by Femi Adeluyi, his technical aide (information technology), on Thursday. In December 2020, the government suspended the activity as it embarked on an audit of the subscriber registration database. Pantami announced that the country is set to implement a revised national digital identity policy for SIM card registration, adding that the national identification number (NIN) is mandatory at all levels. “The policy includes guidelines on new SIM Acquisition and Activation, SIM Replacement, New SIM Activation for Corporates and Internet-of-Things/Machine-to-Machine (IoT/M2M), amongst others,” the...

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15Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG To Auction ₦150 Billion Bonds In April – Debt Management Office

The Debt Management Office on Wednesday disclosed that the Federal Government would offer N150bn bonds for subscription in April. A circular by the DMO on its website showed that the breakdown of bonds comprised of three bonds worth N50bn each. They are 10-year reopening bond to be offered at the rate of 16.2884 per cent and to mature in March 2027; a 15- year reopening bond to be offered at 12.5 per cent and mature in March 2035; and the third and longest bond which is a 25-yeaer reopening bond to be offered at 9.8 per cent and mature in July 2045. According to the DMO, the bonds which would be auctioned on April 21, 2021 have a settlement date of April 23, 2021. The DMO had earlier disclosed that the Federal Government’s bonds for March worth N150bn which were auctioned wer...

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15Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

States Face Cash Crunch, Salaries Swallow Revenues, Federal Govt Seeks More Fund

Two top officials of the Muhammadu Buhari regime on Wednesday indicated that the country urgently needed more funds to run government and provide basic amenities for Nigerians. Although the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, in an interview with the State House correspondents faulted a claim by the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, that the Federal Government printed between N50bn and N60bn in March, she said there was a need to improve revenue to run government. On his part, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, at the 2021 retreat for members of the technical sub-committee on cash management, stated that there was increasing pressure on government funds. The minister and the accountant-general of the federation said these as inv...

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14Apr By MosesianNo Comments

News

It is not a Fact – FG Replies Governor Obaseki on Printing of N60bn

The federal government has countered Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State's claim that it printed N50 to N60 billion for states to share in March 2021. Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed denied the claim while answering questions from state house correspondents. Ahmed also defended the government’s borrowings despite the concern expressed by Obaseki by stating that "the country’s debt is still within sustainable limits."  She said what was distributed at the monthly FAAC meetings were generated revenue from government institutions available to the public at the ministry’s website. The Minister said; “The issue that was raised by the Edo State Governor for me is very, very sad. Because it is not a fact. What we distribute at FAAC is a revenu...

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14Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Federal Allocation: Why Obaseki’s Revelation Should Worry Us All – Oke Umurhohwo

On Thursday, Nigerians were left in distress after the Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, revealed that the federal government printed N60 billion to augment allocation shared for March. "We are in trouble, huge financial trouble," Obaseki who appeared not comfortable with the unproductive nature of the country noted and then went on to note that "When we got FAAC for March, the federal government printed additional N50-N60 billion to top-up for us to share." And to stress the extent of the problem, Obaseki said "This April, we will go to Abuja and share. By the end of this year, our total borrowings are going to be within N15-N16 trillion. Imagine a family that is just borrowing without any means to pay back and nobody is looking at that, everybody is looking at 2023, everybody is...

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13Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Criminals Planning Attacks On Airports, FG Alerts Security Agents

The Federal Government has alerted airport security chiefs across the country of impending attacks by suspected criminals. To this end, the government through the Ministry of Aviation has alerted the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to beef up security across the airports. FAAN’s Deputy General Manager in charge of Administration and Logistics, S.M. Mamman, issued a memo to airport chiefs of security to review security measures to stave off the attacks. The airports listed included Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kano, Abuja, and Lagos. The memo read: “I am directed to convey an alert from the Ministry of Aviation regarding security threats by criminal elements against Airports in Nigeria and to request for the immediate enumeration of necessary countermeasures for t...

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11Apr By MosesianNo Comments

News

Resident Doctors Suspend Strike for one Month

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called off its 9-day old strike. The resident doctors reached the decision to end the strike at a virtual National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which ended on Saturday evening, April 10. Confirming the suspension to newsmen, the President of NARD, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi said the association had resolved to resume work following positive consideration of the agreement reached with the federal government at their meeting that held on Friday, April 9. He said all house officers who are yet to be paid will be paid on Monday, April 12. Okhuaihesuyi said the strike has been suspended for one month and that doctors working in isolation centres will resume at 8am on Sunday, April 11 while resident doctors in other hospitals ...

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8Apr By dthataNo Comments

Education

FG Gives Licences To 20 New Private Universities

The Federal Government has presented provisional licences to the 20 new private universities recently approved by Federal Executive Council. The licences, which were presented to the universities on Thursday in Abuja, brings the total number of private universities to 99. ‘A scattered family can’t fix Nigeria’, Nigerians react as Aisha Buhari launches book The Federal Executive Council in February 2021, approved the establishment of 20 new private universities. Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said the approval for the establishment of these universities is a testament to the continued partnership of the federal government with the private sector towards widening access and quality of university education in Nigeria. Represented by the Mi...

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8Apr By MosesianNo Comments

Sport

Organizers End Edo 2020 Sports Festival Over Lack of Funds, Support from govt

  The Local Organising Committee for Edo 2020 sports fiesta has announced that the national sports festival billed to end on the 14th of this month will now end on Thursday, 8 April due to lack of support from the federal government. According to the Project Manager, Media & Communications, Edo 2020, Ebomhiana Musa in a statement to DAILY POST, the LOC regrets to announce that it will end the games abruptly tomorrow, Thursday, April 8, 2021 for lack of funds. “Rising from an emergency meeting on Wednesday evening, the LOC says it has to take this hard decision due to lack of funds having expended its reserves to kick-start the games. “Regrettably, the FG is yet to redeem its pledge to support us as the host state financially for the cost of postponements. So, we ar...

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7Apr By MosesianNo Comments

News

Over 80 Inmates Voluntarily Return to Imo Custodial Center

Over 80 inmates of the Owerri Correctional center in Imo state have returned to the center. Recall that armed men attacked the correctional center on Monday, March 5, and freed 1844 of the inmates. During a visit to the center on Tuesday, April 6, the Minister of Interior Affairs, Rauf Aregbesola, promised that the Federal government will grant any returnee inmate amnesty. In an interview with DailyTrust on Wednesday, April 7, the Public Relations Officer of the Centre, Mr. Joe Madugba, said over 80 inmates have returned between Tuesday and Wednesday. “We have a total of 82 inmates right now. Remember that we have 36 that refused to escape and six that returned. Presently 40 others have joined them. They might have heeded the advice of the honourable minister to grant them am...

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2Apr By MosesianNo Comments

News

There are 30,000 Armed Bandits in Zamfara and Five Other Northern States – Governor Matawalle

Governor Bello Matawalle has disclosed that there are 30,000 armed bandits in Zamfara and five other northern states. Speaking through the newly appointed State Commissioner for information Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji Dosara at a news briefing in Kaduna on Friday April 2, Matawalle said there are over 100 bandits camps in Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger, and each camp has no fewer than 300 members. The Governor who noted that the Federal Government does not have adequate troops to fight the bandits across the region, revealed that there are less than 6000 troops operating across North-West states.

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1Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

Strike: FG, Doctors Reach Agreement

The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Action (MOA) with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to avert the union’s planned nationwide strike. NAN reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the end of a meeting with NARD on Thursday in Abuja. NARD had threatened to commence a nationwide strike on April 1, accusing the Federal Government of reneging on the agreements it reached with the union. The doctors’ grievances include the non-payment of salaries of between three to five months to some house officers and the non-recruitment of house officers. Others are the abolishment of the bench fees for doctors undergoing training in other hospitals, and the non-payment of National Minimu...

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1Apr By MosesianNo Comments

News

Doctors Commence Strike Despite Signing Agreement with FG

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Thursday April 1 commenced an indefinite strike despite holding a meeting and reportedly signing an agreement with the federal government on Wednesday March 31. It was gathered that an agreement was signed after a 7-hour meeting between the Government and the leadership of NARD at the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige. Issues raised by the aggrieved doctors in their Notice of Trade Dispute including the non-payment of salaries of some house officers, non-recruitment of house officers, abolishment of the bench fees for doctors undergoing training in other hospitals, non-payment of National Minimum Wage and hazard allowances were discussed at the meeting. Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Ngige...

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1Apr By MosesianNo Comments

News

FG proposes to spend N396bn on COVID19 vaccination – Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed

The Federal Government says it is proposing to spend the sum of N396 billion for the COVID19 vaccination exercise across the country between the years of 2021 and 2022. The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed disclosed this after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, which was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday, March 31. Ahmed explained that the figure may significantly reduce as the Federal Government receives more donations of the vaccines from the private sector. She added that the Ministry of Health is working on details of the gap that the Federal Government will be required to fill in the vaccination exercise. She also explains that the size of the proposed supplementary budget agreed by the executive and legislative ar...

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31Mar By MosesianNo Comments

News

Court Bars FG from Blocking SIM Cards not Linked to NIN by April

A Federal High Court in Lagos State has barred the Federal Government from blocking SIM cards not linked to National Identity Numbers (NIN), come April. The Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy had, through the Nigerian Communications Commission, asked operators to block all SIM cards not linked to NIN by April 9, 2021. This resulted in people disregarding Covid-19 protocols as they trooped to offices of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to get registered. However, a former second National Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association and human rights lawyer, Mr Monday Ubani, filed an originating motion and asked the court to stop the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) from disconnecting all SIM Cards not linked to NINs, Punch reports. The ...

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29Mar By dthataNo Comments

News

Fresh Fuel Supply Crisis Looms As Tanker Drivers Threaten Strike

Tanker drivers, at the weekend, threatened to cause fresh fuel supply crisis with another industrial action if the Federal Government fails to enforce the compulsory installation of safety valves in all petroleum trucks to protect the inflammable contents from spilling over in the event of road mishap. Rising under the auspices of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the tanker drivers also threatened to withdraw services of its members if the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) failed to negotiate the renewal of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for new working conditions for petroleum tanker drivers. PTD, in a communiqué signed by its National Chairman, Comrade Salmon Akanni Olad...

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29Mar By dthataNo Comments

Health

Resident Doctors To Begin Indefinite Strike April 1

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has resolved to commence “a total and indefinite strike” on April 1 2021, by 8am, if the Federal Government refuses to accede to its demands. This was the outcome of its Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held on Saturday March 27 2021 at the Trauma Center of National Hospital Abuja to review its earlier ultimatum and deliberate on burning issues affecting residency training, healthcare delivery and the welfare. The communique of the NEC attended by over 50 chapters of NARD was signed by its President, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi; Secretary-General, Dr. Jerry Isogun and Publicity/Social Secretary, Dr. Dotun Osikoya and obtained by journalists on Sunday evening. The document reads, The NEC unanimously agreed that NARD shou...

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27Mar By MosesianNo Comments

News

FG Raises Alarm Over Fake COVID19 Vaccines From China

The Federal Government has raised alarm over three thousand doses of fake COVID19 vaccines sent to Africa from China. The Director of Hospital Services of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, made this known in a letter dated March 26, 2021, to the Chief Medical Directors/Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions. The letter in part reads “The Ministry is in receipt of a letter from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 regarding the arrest of about 3,000 doses of fake COVID-19 vaccines which were Africa-bound from China. The report further indicates that the fake COVID-19 vaccines are already in circulation in Africa. To prevent the importation of fake vaccines, kindly note that the Nigeria Customs Service has designated Nna...

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25Mar By MosesianNo Comments

News

Nigeria Spent N120b on Petrol Subsidy Monthly – NNPC GMD, Mele Kyari

General Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari has hinted on Premium Motor Spirit also known as Petrol selling between N211 and N234 per litre. Kyari who spoke at the ministerial briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday March 25, said the NNPC can no longer bear the burden of underpriced sales of premium motor spirit (PMS). The NNPC GMD also disclosed that the federal government is working to deepen the auto-gas programme which will serve as alternative to petrol. He said; “The price could have been anywhere between N211 and N234 to the litre. The meaning of this is that consumers are not paying for the full value of the PMS that we are consuming and therefore someone is paying that cost. “As we speak today,...

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25Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Rescue Our Daughter, We’ll Accept Her In Any Condition – Leah Sharibu’s Parents To Buhari

Sharibu, Nathan and Rebecca, have decried the abandonment of their daughter, Leah, with her abductors by the Federal Government, saying her continued captivity is a sad situation. Although the teenager is said to be nursing her second child in captivity, her parents said Nigeria had failed Leah and pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to accept the American offer of assistance to secure the release of their daughter. The parents in a statement by their spokesperson, Dr Gloria Puldu, demanded that President Buhari brings back their daughter with or without children because Leah remains their child and they will take her back no matter the situation or the condition she comes out with. The statement reads in part: “Morning of March 23 was another very difficult day as we woke...

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21Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Hold FG Responsible If Ortom Is Assassinated – Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has warned that the Federal Government will be held responsible if his counterpart in Benue State, Samuel Ortom, is assassinated. He insisted that if Ortom was killed, the country would be plunged into another civil war. Wike spoke while reacting to attempt on Governor Ortom’s life by 15 gunmen, who reportedly trailed him to a river bank in Tyo Mu along Makurdi/Gboko road in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State on Saturday. Wike in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said: “If you kill Ortom, then be prepared to bury Nigeria. If anything happens to Governor Ortom, the Federal Government will be held responsible and they should be prepared that there will be no more Nigeria.” Wike recalled how a former G...

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21Mar By dthataNo Comments

Education, Politics

Some ASUU Demands Can’t Be Met Now, Says FG

The Federal Government has faulted the fresh notice by the Academic Staff Union of Universities to embark on a fresh strike barely four months after calling off a 10-month industrial action. The government said any person conceiving a strike after close to one year of downing tools would be doing a disservice to students “because government is a continuum.” The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who stated this in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said it had been difficult for the government to run the lives of over 200 million people with less than $70m a day in earnings. He said, “Whoever is conceiving a strike after being on a strike for close to one year is damaging the studentship because government is a continuum. Even if we are not in power today, ano...

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21Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Nigeria’s $26.5 Billion Maintenance Cost Enough To Build Three New Refineries

The whopping sum of $26.5b, which the Federal Government has so far spent on the maintenance of its loss-making 445, 000 barrels/day capacity refineries, is capable of building three new refineries of the same size going by the cost analysis of refinery projects across the world. Besides, the latest approval granted by President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the Minister of Petroleum Resources for the rehabilitation of the 210, 000 barrels per day Port Harcourt Refinery is higher than the total capital allocation to the health sector by successive governments from 2009 to 2018. Costing close to the $2b proposed refinery expected to be built in Katsina, Nigeria’s spending on refinery maintenance is, in fact, three times higher than the entire budgetary allocation to education betw...

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21Mar By dthataNo Comments

News

FG Begins Recovery Of ₦100 Billion From Lottery Operators

In a bid to ensure balance and fairness in the operations of games in the lottery industry, the federal government is set to begin recovering the N100 billion that it’s being owed by lottery operators. This, it intends to do by setting up a road map to enable the industry play its role in the economy of the country. In a meeting held with operators in Abuja, the minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, George Akume, said the federal government is set to setup an Extra Ministerial Committee constituted to recover the N100 billion revenue owed it by lottery operators. He said that the committee would be activated within two weeks and the government would not hesitate to do the needful against any operator that is not meeting up in its statutory obligations. Akum...

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19Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Banditry Will Not End In Nigeria Since They’ve Politicised Security – Wike

Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State, says, by politicising insecurity, the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government plunged the security troubled states into an unimaginable scale of banditry that may not end soon. The governor was speaking when he received the Board of Editors of Independent Newspapers Limited, led by the company’s Managing Director and Editor- in -chief, Steve Omanufeme, at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday. Governor Wike said when Rivers experienced issues of insecurity in 2015, he ran to the Federal Government but rather than offering support, they dismissed it as politics out of hatred for the State and desire to see the remain ungovernable. “They didn’t send special forces to Rivers as they’re sending to other states now....

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16Mar By MosesianNo Comments

News

8,000 Nigerians have been Vaccinated with no adverse effect – FG allays fears over AstraZeneca vaccine

The federal government of Nigeria said 8,000 Nigerians have been given the Covid-19 vaccine so far, including President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and none has reported any adverse effect since the vaccination began last week. A number of countries have suspended the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to concerns over reported negative effects. However, the federal government yesterday, March 15, assured Nigerians of its safety. It said no case of side effects of the vaccine such as blood clotting has so far been reported in the country. The number of countries that have suspended AstraZeneca vaccine increased yesterday with France, Germany, Spain and Italy joining the long list. But the World Health Organisation (WHO) advised countries using ...

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11Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Bandits Feel Everyone Is Against Them – Sheikh Gumi

Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, on Wednesday suggested ways the Federal Government can resolve the challenge of banditry in the North. Gumi said the Federal Government should adopt the non-kinetic approach in tackling banditry and insecurity in the Northern part of the country. In an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, the cleric explained that the use of kinetic force was responsible for the current insecurity issue in the North. He stressed that bandits feel, “everybody is against them,” hence they are vicious and aggressively fighting for survival. According to Gumi: “Honestly speaking, there has to be a synergy of armed forces acting towards tackling insecurity. They should adopt the non-kinetic approach which should be about 80 percent because these ...

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11Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Wike, Amaechi Trade Words Over Corruption

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of shielding the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi, from prosecution for allegedly misappropriating proceeds from the sales of some the state assets. The Governor said it was disingenuous for the Federal Government to commission the rehabilitation of a narrow gauge railway from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri at a time when the rest of the world was building a standard gauge railway. Wike spoke during the inauguration of 6.1km long, 7.3m wide Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri link Road in Aluu Ikwerre Local Government Area on Wednesday. The Governor said it was appalling that the Federal Government had continued to protect Amaechi from prosecution for his alleged inability to acc...

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10Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Over ₦527 Billion Ibori Loot Still Being Expected – Malami

The Federal Government says over £100m (N527bn), allegedly stolen by a former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, and his associates is still being expected. The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said this on Channels Television’s Politics Today’ programme on Tuesday. Malami, who is also the Minister of Justice, said apart from the Ibori loot, $100m traced to the late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, was also being expected. He said, “As it is we have succeeded in recovering £4.2m from the UK. We are still pursuing other assets even as it relates to the Ibori assets. “The quantum of the amount involved was within the region of over £100m (N2.2bn) and it is out of it that we have succeeded in recovering a fraction of £4.2m and we are still pursuing ...

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10Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Buhari Government Had No Plan To Execute Bonny Deep Seaport Project – Wike

Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, says Federal Government, FG, was never willing to executive the Bonny Deep Sea Port it conceived for Rivers state and was only deceiving the people from the outset. Wike expressed the feeling on Monday, March 8, 2021, at the inauguration of Rumuji -Ibaa-Obelle-Isiopko Road in Rivers state performed by former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido who also bashed the All Progressives Congress, APC, as ruling without vision and feeling for the people. Wike declared, “Let them (FG) tell us what they had done for Rivers state. I hear they want to flag off railways narrow gauge from here (Rivers) to Maiduguri. Is that what we need? “They want to do Bonny Deep Sea Port, for how many years now? Before the drawings will come out, has the g...

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8Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Buhari Will Resolve Nigeria’s Challenges – APC Governors

The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has expressed optimism that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government will resolve all the country’s challenges. PGF expressed confidence in a statement by its Chairman, Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State in Abuja, while congratulating Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on his 64th birthday, NAN reports. “We join all Nigerians to celebrate this special day with you and your family, we commend your leadership, vision, commitment and loyalty to our nation and to Buhari. “We are confident that we will be able to resolve our national challenges and move our country forward with your dedicated service to our APC-led federal government under the leadership of Buhari. “We wish you a happy birthday and also say a big thank you for yo...

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7Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

No-Fly Zone: Ganduje Warns Against Politicizing Security Matters

The governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, has cautioned politicians not to toy with security matters, saying negative reactions from states can undermine the efforts of the federal government in securing the nation. He described the declaration of Zamfara a no-fly zone as a well thought-out security strategy by the National Security Council that will help to overcome security challenges not only in Zamfara but other neighbouring states. Reacting to the declaration, the governor, who spoke to journalists at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, noted that politicians should at least wait and see how the strategy works before making comments that are capable of undercutting the efforts of our security services to keep the country safe. Mr Ganduje’s comments, whi...

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7Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

₦10.6 Billion COVID-19 Vaccine Logistics Cost Claim Is False – FG

The Federal Government has debunked media report claiming that not less than N10.6 billion had been earmarked for the transportation of COVID-19 vaccines across the country. A national daily had on Saturday, in its report, claimed to have cited a document put together by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and presented to the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), which set the budget for the logistics distribution of vaccines to the states and council areas at N10.6 billion. However, reacting to the said report on Saturday, the Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, described the quoted figure as incredulous, explaining that the responsibility of distribution of vaccines across the country had been taken over by the Coalition Against COVID-19 (C...

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