Tag: FG

17Jul By Ajiboye IfeoluwaNo Comments

News

FG’ll Take Possession Of Looted Benin Artefacts When Returned —Lai Mohammed

FG’ll take possession of looted Benin artefacts when returned —Lai Mohammed… The Federal Government will take possession of 1,130 looted Benin Bronzes when returned by Germany, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said. The minister stated this on Saturday at a press conference in Lagos State. Mohammed; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; and some government officials had visited Germany recently to further talks on the repatriation of the artefacts allegedly looted during the invasion of the Benin Kingdom in 1897 by the British led by Captain Philip. The Benin Palace and the Edo State Government have been at loggerheads over where the artefacts will be housed. While the palace wants the artefacts kept in the Benin Royal Museum, which will be built within the ...

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24Jun By MosesianNo Comments

News

Adamu Garba reacts to allegation of taking money from FG to develop his app

Former Presidential aspirant and businessman, Adamu Garba has reacted to allegation of taking money from FG to develop his app. Some news platforms had reported yesterday that the "federal government has for two years been funding IPI Solutions, a software engineering firm owned by Adamu Garba to produce Crowwe, a platform, that would help the government silence existing social media platforms in the country." The news platforms which claimed that the "app was largely unusable pushing Buhari, his administration officials and supporters to move to Indian platform Koo following their exit from Twitter earlier this month", also alleged that they have bank documents to support the claim. However reacting to this, Adamu shared a Facebook post in which he called for a "party" to shame...

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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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29Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Insecurity: FG To Partner With China To Secure Nigeria From Bandits, Terrorists

The federal government of Nigeria has reached out to China over the insecurity situation in the country. According to the minister of police Affairs, Mohammad Maigari Dingyadi, Nigeria is ready to partner with China to enhance the security of the country. He stated this during a courtesy visit by the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Cui Jianchun to the Ministry Headquarters in Abuja. In a statement made available, the minister said as a result of Nigeria's security situation, there is a need to work with the Asian country. The minister said with the support of international communities, Nigeria should be able to solve these problems. Meanwhile, the minister lamented the poverty and unemployment situation facing the country. He said the FG is doing everything to ...

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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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29Apr By dthataNo Comments

Business

FG Grants Dangote Cement ₦22.32bn Tax Credit

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has issued Dangote Cement Plc, tax credit certificates valued at ₦22.321billion. The tax credit certificates are for construction of Apapa-Oworonshoki-Ojota road in Lagos and Lokoja-Obajana-Kabba road straddling Kogi and Kwata states. While Julius Berger is handling the construction of the two federal roads, Dangote Cement Plc is providing the funding. To compensate Dangote Cement, the Federal Government has issued the company the certificates to cover for the tax that Dangote Cement would have paid. Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Muhammad Nami, represented by Coordinating Director, Tax Operations Group, Mr. Femi Oluwaniyi, gave the clarification in Abuja on Wednesday when he presented the two tax credit certificates to Dangote Cement....

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28Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

FG Deploys Security Operatives To Airports Nationwide Over Threats

The Ministry of Interior has directed the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to work with other security agencies to deploy its operatives to airports nationwide over the looming security threats received through intelligence. The ministry in a memo dated April 15 and obtained by SaharaReporters gave this directive to the NSCDC Comptroller-General who has been instructed to liaise with other security agencies to quell the threats. Information about security threats around airports nationwide came through intelligence from the Office of the National Security Adviser and it was shared to the ministry. The Ministry of Interior through its Joint Services department wrote the letter, dated April 15, to the CG, titled, “Re: Looming Threat of Attack on Nation’s airports.” I...

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27Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Insecurity: FG Is Reorganizing Nigeria’s Security Architecture – Osinbajo

The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has said that the Federal Government is reorganizing the entire security architecture in the country because policing is very difficult. Osinbajo stated this Monday when he received at the Presidential Villa, His Royal Majesty, Yakanaje Uke, (in Nasarawa State), Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Abdullahi Hassan who paid him a courtesy visit. He assured that the present challenges would prepare Nigeria for a greater and prosperous future, urging the traditional institution to support the re-engineering process. This was disclosed by Laolu Akande, the Spokesman to Osinbajo, in a statement on Tuesday. According to the Vice President, “there is no question at all that we are facing security challenges, but we are able to overcome them. The role of the leade...

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26Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Lift Suspension Of Channels TV Or Face Legal Action, SERAP Tells FG

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately reverse the arbitrary, unconstitutional and illegal decision to suspend Channels Television, and to impose a fine of N5 million on the station purportedly for breaching the broadcast code.” According to reports, the Acting Director General of the Commission, NBC, Professor Armstrong Idachaba in a letter to the Managing Director of Channels Television referred to Channels 7pm live broadcast programme of Sunday, 25th April, 2021, in which it accused the TV station of interviewing a leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) allegedly without “caution or reprimand.” But SERAP in a statement today by its de...

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25Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG To Review Salaries Of Political Office Holders – RMAFC

Elias Mbam, chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), says a review of the remuneration of political and judiciary office holders has begun. The RMAFC chairman disclosed this on Saturday at Amagu community in Ikwo LGA of Ebonyi, during the seventh ‘Ofala’ festival and 30th anniversary of the coronation of Ezeogo Aloh, Erima-Ogwudu III of Amagu kingdom. Mbam was conferred with a chieftaincy title of ‘Aka Ekpuchi Onwa II’ by the traditional ruler on Saturday. Speaking to journalists after the ceremony, the RMAFC chairman said by the end of the year, something concrete would be arrived at. He, however, did not indicate if the review will reflect an increase or decrease. Mbam added that a public hearing will soon be held for Nigerians to ...

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24Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Banditry Now War, FG Should Cooperate – Gumi On Greenfield Students’ Death

Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, has urged the Nigerian government to take his advice and grant amnesty to bandits for them to lay down their arms. Gumi was reacting to the killing of three students of Greenfield University, Kaduna by bandits who abducted them from their school. Speaking to our correspondent on Friday, Gumi said the incident had underscored his position that bandits were now at war with the nation. The cleric, who was involved in the process that led to the release of students abducted by bandits in Katsina and Niger states, said he was helpless in the case of Kaduna State because the state government had not shown any readiness to negotiate with the bandits. Gumi, who is from Kaduna State, said the only way he could intervene as he did in Niger and Katsin...

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23Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Asylum To IPOB: We Provide Protection For Those Who Need It – UK Tells FG

The United Kingdom has said that all asylum and human rights claims from Nigerian nationals are considered on their individual merits in accordance with its international obligations. The British government states that it has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with its international obligations under the Refugee Convention and European Convention on Human Rights. The British High Commission stated this on Wednesday, in response to inquiries by The PUNCH on the Federal Government’s allegations that the UK’s asylum offer for persecuted members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra undermined Nigeria’s security. The UK Visas and Immigration had released new guidelines to ...

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22Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG Didn’t Print ₦60 Billion – National Economic Council (NEC)

The National Economic Council (NEC) has dismissed allegations by the Federal Government printed N60 billion to shore up March allocation to States. Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki had accused the Federal Government of financial recklessness in printing extra cash to meet up with allocations faulting the current administration’s borrowing pattern. Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, had denied the allegation. However, during its virtual meeting on Thursday, NEC presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, having received presentations from Minister of Finance, the Central Bank (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), said it was satisfied with that no money was printed for March allocation. The meeting was attended b...

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22Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Biafra: “Publish Names Of Those That Asked For Money” – IPOB Tells FG

The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has reacted to the allegation by the Presidency that the renewed agitation for self determination in the South East was because the federal government had refused to share money to those behind the agitation. Recall the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Wednesday, April 21, shrugged off threats of Nigeria’s balkanisation by advocates of Biafra and Oduduwa Republics, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari cannot be bullied into giving in to their demands. “President Buhari will pay no one. He is not going to pay and now it is clear that having ignored all of that, reasonable opinions are coming from those states and from those regions,” Garba Shehu disclosed. Reacting, the IPOB’s m...

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22Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Pantami Contracted Islamic TV To Cover FG Event – Mike Ozekhome

Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), says the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, is unfit to oversee critical digital and telecommunications agencies of government because “his antecedents are quite worrisome”. Ozekhome, in a statement on Thursday titled, ‘Isa Patami: The Leopard And Its Unchanging Spots’, said though the communications minister recently renounced his radical pro-Taliban comments, he hasn’t really changed as a “fanatic, fundamentalist and supporter of extremist Islamic sects”. “Has he really changed? What has changed? Can a leopard ever change its spots? Ozekhome asked. The senior advocate said last month, Pantami contracted an Islamic TV to cover a Federal Government event. He said, “In saner climes, Pantami should have resig...

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22Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

DSS Informed FG Of Pantami’s Extremist Views Before His Appointment – Amachree

Former Assistant Director with the Department of State Services, Dennis Amachree, has said the secret police informed the Federal Government and the National Assembly of the past radical pro-Taliban views of embattled Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami before his confirmation as minister in 2019. This came as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, said the alleged link of the minister with Al-Qaeda and Taliban some years ago was not discussed at its meeting yesterday. These came on a day the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, at plenary, moved for the immediate resignation or sack of the minister for showing sympathy to the deadly activities of insurgents. Amachree, who spoke while featuring on PUNCH Online interview programme...

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22Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

FG Probes Death Of ‘Stowaway’ On Lagos-Amsterdam Flight

The Federal Government is currently investigating how a stowaway found his way into a Lagos-Amsterdam flight on Monday, Daily Trust can report. The body of a Nigerian man was found underneath a KLM flight that landed in Amsterdam on Monday. Already the Dutch authorities have launched an investigation into the man’s identity and cause of death after he was discovered inside a wheel arch. “We are investigating the discovery of mortal remains in the landing gear of an airplane from Lagos (Nigeria),” the Dutch police force wrote on Twitter. The man, who is thought to have been a stowaway, was suspected to have died of hypothermia ostensibly due to loss of oxygen. The incidents of stowaway are not new in Nigerian aviation with youths taking daring moves to hide under the gear...

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21Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

IPOB/MASSOB Members’ Asylum: FG May Summon British Envoy

The Federal Government on Tuesday expressed anger over a plan by the United Kingdom to offer asylum to “persecuted” members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, said the plan was disrespectful to Nigeria as a nation. Mohammed stated this as there were indications on Tuesday that the Federal Government might summon the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, over the asylum offer. But socio-political groups including the Middle Belt Forum, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere and the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, supported the asylum offer by the UK and berated the Federal Government over th...

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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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20Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG Admits Revenues Crashing, Says Nigeria Faces Hard Times

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, on Monday admitted that Nigeria’s economy was facing a difficult time, saying states must improve their internally generated revenues. Ahmed, who stated this in an interview on a daily breakfast show on the Nigerian Television Authority, Good Morning Nigeria, stated that the money shared at the March Federation Account Allocation Committee was short of N50bn. The minister was speaking on a controversy generated by a claim by the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, that the Central Bank of Nigeria printed N60bn in March to augment the money shared at March FAAC. But the minister and the CBN Governor last week dismissed Obaseki’s claim. In the interview on the NTA on Monday, the finance minister stated the cou...

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19Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

774,000 Jobs: FG Commences Partial Payment Of Stipends

The Federal Government has commenced partial payment of the N20,000 monthly stipend to the 774,000 beneficiaries of the Special Public Works programme. The Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN), disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday. The workers had grumbled about the delayed payment of their stipends which the government attributed to the mismatch of Bank Verification Numbers and other details supplied by the beneficiaries. But giving an update on the payment issue on his Twitter handle, Keyamo said Access Bank has verified accounts for payment while the National Directorate of Employment has commenced payment into accounts with the bank. The minister said the government was waiting for Zenith, UBA, FCMB, Fidelity, Heritage and Yobe Micro...

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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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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

News

FG Supporting Private Developers To Provide Electricity – Osinbajo

The Federal Government is currently supporting private developers to provide electricity through solar energy, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said. He disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja by the Head, Communications and Public Relations, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Olufunke Nwankwo. The NDPHC said Osinbajo spoke at the recent inauguration of the 100,000 Solar Home System in Jangefe community, Kazuare Emirate, Jigawa State. The vice president said government was determined to bring power to un-served communities as part of the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan. He was quoted as saying, “The President’s vision around that plan was that rather than have situations where people lose jobs and opportunities, we could take the opportunities of COV...

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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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13Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

$1.5Bn Repair: Nigerians Won’t Forgive FG If PH Refinery Packs Up Again – Sagay

 Nigerians will come hard on the federal government, especially Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum, if the Port Harcourt refinery fails to deliver at optimal capacity after $1.5 billion is spent on its rehabilitation. Professor Itse Sagay SAN, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), who disclosed this in an exclusive interview with DAILY INDEPENDENT said he was shocked when he heard the refinery will be repaired with $1.5billion. According to him, he believed that Nigeria can get a brand new refinery with $1.5billion rather than spending the huge sum on the Port Harcourt refinery, which is more of a scrap. While praying for the refinery to function effectively just the way the Minister has promised, Sagay said Nigerians may even ca...

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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 dthataNo Comments

Politics

“FG Printed 60 Billion Naira For States To Share” – Obaseki

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has said Nigeria is in a huge financial trouble. Speaking at a programme in the state on Thursday, the governor said the federal allocation for March was insufficient, forcing the Federal Government to print between N50 billion and N60 billion for states to share. "When we got FAAC for March, the federal government printed additional N50-N60 billion to top-up for us to share." “This April, we will go to Abuja and share. By the end of this year, our total borrowings is 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 blaming Mr. President as if he is a magician,” he said. Lamenting the overdependence on crude...

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8Apr By dthataNo Comments

Sport

FG Counters Edo Government, Says Sports Festival Continues

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has said it is not aware of plans by the Edo State Government to cancel the 20th National Sports Festival. The ministry further clarified that the ‘+’ will go as planned with competitions going on as scheduled. It will be recalled that the Edo State Government had threatened to end the event abruptly over the failure of the Federal Government to release funds. They took the decision at the end of a meeting of the Local Organising Committee of the Sports Festival Wednesday night. According to the Coordinator of Media and Publicity, National Sports Festival, Ebomhiana Musa, the Federal Government has failed to fulfil its promise to make funds available for the festival. However, in a statement, the Ministry and the Main Organizi...

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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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7Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Panic As Bombs Hit Gunmen’s Hideouts, FG Goes After IPOB

There was panic among residents of the Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday as the military bombarded the Ikot Akpan forest in the area. The PUNCH learnt that the military operation was aimed at flushing out hoodlums who had been attacking police formations in the state. Residents, who share boundaries with hoodlums’ hideouts, told one of our correspondents that the bombing of the forest started at 8am and ended at 12 noon on Tuesday. The military exercise came barely 24 hours after gunmen attacked the Imo State police command headquarters and the Nigerian Correctional Service in Owerri, the state capital, where 1,844 inmates were freed. The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media ...

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7Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG Will Fish Out Criminals, Boost Security Around Custodial Centres – Aregbesola

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has said that the Federal Government will leave no stone unturned in fishing out the criminals who attacked law enforcement agencies in Imo State last Monday, while also promising to further secure Custodial facilities across the country. Aregbesola stated this when he inspected the Nigeria Correctional Service, NCoS, Owerri Custodial Centre which was attacked by unknown gunmen who forcefully released a total of 1,844 inmates in custody. “The Federal Government will react appropriately by going after these criminals and make them to face the full wrath of the law. We will leave no stone unturned in fishing them out. “Make no mistake, they will be hunted to the ends of the earth. They can only run, but they cannot hide. We shall bri...

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7Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Owerri Jail Break: FG To Pardon Escaped Inmates, If They Voluntarily Return – Rauf Aregbesola

Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, says the fugitives who escaped from the custodial centre in Owerri, Imo state capital, will be pardoned if they voluntarily return. The minister gave the assurance while inspecting the centre on Tuesday following an attack on the facility. He said unlawful escape from custody is a crime but assured that willful returnees will be exempted from prosecution. The minister said he will ensure that those involved in the attack are brought to book. Aregbesola said the federal government will leave no stone unturned to fish out perpetrators of what he described as a “dastardly act”. He said: “Unlawful escape from custody is a crime but government in its magnanimity will grant amnesty to prisoners who willfully return. “They will no longe...

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4Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Obasanjo, Gumi Ask FG To Settle And Rehabilitated Bandits Willing To Surrender

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo and Ahmad Gumi, prominent Islamic cleric, have asked the federal government to rehabilitate bandits who are willing to surrender. The call was made after Gumi led a delegation to meet with Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun state, on Sunday. The meeting follows the recent attacks across the country by suspected bandits. “Wean those who are ready to be weaned out of the bushes and crime, settle and rehabilitate them, give them skills, empower them and let them have employment,” Obasanjo and Gumi said in a joint statement issued after the meeting. “Since the end of the civil war, the military are the strongest and most potent instrument and symbol of national unity that we have and we must keep them so. “State governments must have adequate means of ...

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3Apr By dthataNo Comments

Business

FG Intervenes As MTN, Banks Trade Blame Over Shutdown

The Nigerian government says it has intervened in a feud between Nigerian banks and MTN, which left millions of phone users unable to buy airtime Friday. Talks to resolve a row over the sharing of fees on airtime sales between the two sides “reached an advanced stage” for suspended services to be restored, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, announced on Twitter late Friday. “On the fallout between @MTNNG and some banks on USSD services today, I engaged with both regulators, the Governor of @cenbank and EVC @NgComCommission. We have reached an advanced stage of resolving the issues, for the services to be restored to our citizens. Many thanks,” he said. Banks removed the telecom giant from their platforms, disallowing MTN users from accessing their ...

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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 dthataNo Comments

News

PDP, Others Criticises FG As US Alleges Massive Graft In Buhari’s Regime

The US stated this in the ‘2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,’ released on Tuesday, but made available to The PUNCH on Wednesday. In their separate reactions on Wednesday, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and a former President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Malachy Ugwumadu, berated the regime of Muhammadu Buhari. Expressing concern about corruption in Nigeria, the US, in the report, stated that it was widespread and pervasive at all levels of government, including the judiciary and security services. Against the backdrop of President Muhammadu Buhari regime’s anti-graft stance, the US Department of State, which authored the report, said there were numerous allegations of government corruption last year. It cited the arrest and in...

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31Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

MSME: FG Has Supported 9,085 Beneficiaries In Gombe – Osinbajo

No fewer than 9,085 persons have benefited from Federal Government support for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises in education sector. Revealing this on Tuesday at the 27th edition of National MSME clinic in Gombe, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said over 10,000 artisans had so far enjoyed the support. He added the state had over 6,000 business names registered free of charge. Osinbajo said, “A look at the programme you will see those that have benefitted already. Thus far in the payroll support for Gombe state, we have ensured that about 9,085 employees from close to 2,000 micro small and medium enterprises from educational sector have benefited from the scheme and another 10,000 artisans have also benefited from the scheme and up to 6,000 new business name have been registered...

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30Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG, States’ Debt Profile Rise To ₦32.92 Trillion – NBS

Nigeria’s total public debt portfolio as at Dec. 31, 2020, stood at N32.92 trillion, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals. It made the revelation in its Nigerian Domestic and Foreign Debt report for Quarter Four, 2020, obtained from its website on Monday in Abuja. It added that the debt profile was for the States and the Federal Government. According to the bureau, Nigeria’s total public debt showed that N12.71 trillion or 38.60 per cent of the debt was external, while N20.21 trillion or 61.40 per cent of the debt was domestic. “Further disaggregation of Nigeria’s foreign debt showed that 17.93 billion dollars of the debt was multilateral, 4.06 billion dollars was bilateral from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Exim Bank of China, Japan International Cooperat...

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29Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

“Try Out Tinubu’s Suggestions On National Issues” – Gbajabiamila Tells FG

The Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has called on the federal government to look into and implement some of the suggestions made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on important national issues. He made the call in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, on Monday. Gbajabiamila, who was quoted while speaking on the 12th Bola Tinubu’s Colloquium, which he participated via Zoom, said Tinubu’s suggestions on how to tackle some national issues be “practicalized.” “Today, we have listened to him and picked from what we have learned and what we have heard. “I want to say let’s practicalize those things and get to our Eldorado in Nigeria,” he said. It could be recalled that Tin...

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29Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Recruit 50 Million Youths Into Army To Fight Insecurity – Tinubu To FG

All Progressives Congress chieftain, Bola Tinubu, on Monday, urged the Federal Government to recruit at least 50 million youths into the Nigerian Army to boost Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, banditry and all forms of internal and external security threats confronting the nation. Tinubu spoke at the 12th colloquium to celebrate his 69th birthday in Kano State. He said, “We are under-policed and we are competing with armed robbers and bandits to recruit from the youths who are unemployed —33 per cent unemployed?” “Recruit 50 million youths into the army,” he stated, adding that “what they will eat —cassava, corn, yam, will grow here.” The APC chieftain, while reacting to recent statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics that over 23 million Nigerians are jobless, als...

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28Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Malaysian Firm Battles FG Over Multi Billion Naira Passport Printing Contract

A directive by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in 2019 that the Nigerian passport booklets should be produced locally has not been carried out two years down the line. Sunday PUNCH gathered that the delay was due to the inability of the Ministry of Interior to terminate the contract awarded to Smart Technology Nigeria Limited for the production of the passport booklets. Smart Technology Nigeria Limited works in partnership with its parent company, Iris Corporation, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The e-passport booklets are produced in Malaysia, but the Nigeria Immigration Service activates the passport through the biometric data transfer. It was gathered that the Ministry of Interior and the NIS officials have been holding meetings with ISTL for o...

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27Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG Leveraging Fintech Innovation To Address Agric, Energy Challenges – Osinbajo

The Federal Government is leveraging the innovative capacity of Fintechs to accelerate interventions, especially those under its Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), including programmes on renewable energy, agriculture, improving access to credit and direct cash transfers, among others, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo said on Friday. Professor Osinbajo stated this at the official launch of the Nigeria Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Fintech Hackathon in Abuja. “This is incredibly powerful for our efforts at resolving the climate crisis, transitioning to cleaner energy, but it also introduces a tremendous opportunity for Fintech companies for payments systems,” he said. The vice president added, “Being able to manage that whole process, collect monies in some cas...

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27Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Outrage As FG Admits Paying Fuel Subsidy After Removal

Outrage on Thursday greeted fresh revelations on how the Fed­eral Government has been secretly running a subsidy regime re­garding petroleum products when the Group Managing Director of Nigerian Na­tional Petroleum Corpora­tion (NNPC), Mele Kyari, disclosed that the adminis­tration currently subsidises the cost of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as fuel, with about N120 billion ($263,248 million) monthly. Kyari stated this during the weekly media briefing organised by the Presiden­tial Communication Team at the State House, Abuja. It would be recalled that Minister of Finance, Bud­get and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, had on Jan­uary 12 during a virtual public presentation of the breakdown and highlights of 2021 Appropriation Act in Abuja said, “We are not bringing back...

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25Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG Rejects TI’s Rating Of Nigeria’s Anti-corruption War

The recent poor rating of Nigeria in its anti-corruption campaign by the Transparency International (TI) received the attention of the federal government yesterday as it punctured the assessment, saying it was full of discrepancies, inaccurate data and indices. The National Contact to TI in Nigeria, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), had on Tuesday, accused the present Nigerian government of not being transparent in its anti-corruption crusade and management of recovered assets. But in a swift response, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told reporters at the end of the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting emphasised that TI has been using incorrect indices to rate Nigeria in the last decade. He said TI had fail...

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24Mar By dthataNo Comments

News

FG Delegation Arrives In Katsina Over Central Market Fire

A Federal Government delegation visited the burnt Katsina Central Market on Tuesday. The delegation was led by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and included the Minister of Internal Affairs, Rauf Aregbesola; his colleague in charge of the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Special Development ministry, Hajiya Sadia Farouq; Minister for Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Srika; and the spokesman for the President, Garba Shehu. The Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Masari on Market Development, Mallam Abubakar Yusuf, stated that some traders lost huge amount of cash kept inside their shops as over 1,000 shops in the market were razed on Monday. He stated, “The fire incident is a real disaster. N...

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23Mar By dthataNo Comments

News

Higher Petrol Price Inevitable, FG Can’t Afford Subsidy – Zainab Ahmed

Petrol price in Nigeria will go higher from its present N165 if the price of crude keeps going up, Zainab Ahmed, the finance minister has said. Zainab spoke on Monday during her contribution in an interaction arranged by the Presidency Media team and State House reporters. According to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Federal Government will allow the prices of petroleum products to be determined by the market forces in line with the deregulation of the oil sector. “We simply cannot afford the subsidy, we don’t have the money to pay for subsidy”, she said. “We do recognise that there will be some increased hardships on a segment of the society. But we are looking at how to address that,’’ she added. In another report published by Reuters, Ahmed ...

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22Mar By dthataNo Comments

News

FG May Sell Port Harcourt Refinery After $1.5bn Rehabilitation – Sylva

The federal government may consider selling the Port Harcourt refinery after the planned rehabilitation which is put at the cost of $1.5 billion, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva has revealed. Speaking in an interview on Channels Television programme ‘Politics Today’ monitored by Daily Independent, the Minister who was responding to questions on why the federal government chose to repair the refinery after several failed efforts in the past, said it is improper to sell a refinery that is not working. He also added that when functional, the refinery will not be managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) but will be handed to a professional operations and management company to manage its affairs. In his words “I know there has been disc...

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21Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Ignore Asari Dokubo At Your Own Peril, Bashir Tofa Warns FG

“It is the sign of backwardness to continue propagating a divisive presidency, rather than the one that will serve all Nigerians equally and justly,”... An elder statesman, Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, has warned the federal government not to ignore the Biafra Customary Government (BCG) proclaimed by Alhaji Asari Dokubo, the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force (NDPSF). Alhaji Dokubo, who had announced himself as the leader of BCG had also said provincial structures would be set up for the government; but the FG, through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had reacted to the proclamation by describing it as a ‘theatre of the absurd by a joker seeking attention.’ Reacting to this development, Alhaji Tofa, in an exclusive interview with Daily...

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