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Thursday, 18 June 2020 04:53

FG perfects plans to cede 10 highways to private operators. These are the roads you’ll soon pay to ply

Federal Government has perfected a plan to concession 10 major highways in the country. Minister of Works, Mr Babatunde Fashola, stated this on Wednesday while presenting details of the plan to National Assembly Joint Committee on Works. He told lawmakers that the project titled, “Highway Development and Management Initiative,” was anchored on a private sector engagement. The minister said investors would carry out the development and management of the road networks. He said the rationale behind the private sector engagement was to provide an avenue to mitigate paucity of funds. Fashola said the first phase of the project would attract…

Thursday, 18 June 2020 04:52

FG, States, LGs share N547.3bn for May allocation

Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) wednesday shared N547.309 billion among the three tiers of government as allocation for May. A statement by Director (Press) in the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mr Hassan Dodo, said from the shared amount, which included Value Added Tax (VAT), Exchange Gain and Excess Bank Charges recovered, federal government received N219.799 billon; states, N152.436 billion; local government councils got N114.095 billion while oil producing states received N37.021 billion as 13 per cent derivation. The statement noted that cost of collection/Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) refund/allocation to North East Development Commission (NEDC) was N23.958…

Thursday, 18 June 2020 04:50

Only passengers will be allowed into terminal buildings when flights resume - FG

Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says passengers who are not travelling won’t be allowed into the airport terminal building when commercial flights resume. “Covid-19 flight resumption protocol for passengers: Non-travelling passengers will not be allowed into the airport terminal building,” the agency said in a statement on Tuesday. This means that only passengers with valid travel documents will be allowed inside the airport terminal building. This directive is part of FAAN’s measures to ensure smooth operations when airports reopen and commercial flights resume. Presidential task force on Covid-19 (PTF) had announced June 21, 2020, as the tentative date for…

Thursday, 18 June 2020 04:49

Buhari rejects recommendation for states to take over electricity companies

President Muhammadu Buhari has foreclosed the possibility of federal government backing a unilateral takeover of the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) by state governments following poor performance of the Discos since the power assets were handed over to the private sector in 2013, investigation by Thisday has revealed. Buhari made his position known in response to recommendations of National Economic Council (NEC) Adhoc Committee on Ownership Review of the Discos and Power Sector Review. The committee was headed by Governor of Kaduna State, Mr Nasir El-Rufai. The president’s response to the El-Rufai-led committee’s report also coincided with moves by stakeholders,…

Thursday, 18 June 2020 04:48

Nigeria, North Korea sign agreement on healthcare delivery

Federal Ministry of Health has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), to boost Nigeria’s health care delivery. Minister of Health, Mr Osagie Ehanire, made the announcement in a statement signed by Director, Information, Media and Public Relations in the ministry, Mr Olujimi Oyetomi, on Wednesday in Abuja. Ehanire said the agreement came at a time when Nigeria and the world were experiencing the trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic. The minister named the areas of interest to Nigeria in the cooperation between the two countries as public health and primary health care. “It…

Thursday, 18 June 2020 04:47

Youths protest bad roads in Lagos, block Lekki-Epe highway

Angry residents blocked Ibeju-Epe road in Lagos State to protest against deplorable state of the roads leading to the ancient town yesterday. The protest, organised by members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), in conjunction with Epe youths, began in the early hours, which crippled both vehicular and human movement and caused gridlocks on the Lekki-Epe Expressway corridor. The protest also paralysed commercial activities in the area as the youths barricaded the road, chanting solidarity songs. According to them, the exit roads from Epe through Ibeju, Ijebu-Ode and Ikorodu had become deplorable, while the present states of the…

Thursday, 18 June 2020 04:45

Trump signs bill to punish China over ethnic crackdown

President Donald Trump signed legislation Wednesday that seeks to punish China for its crackdown on Uighurs and other ethnic minorities. The bill includes sanctions on Chinese officials involved in the mass surveillance and detention of Uighurs and other ethnic groups in the western Xinjiang region. The legislation represents the most significant action to date by any country to punish China for a crackdown in which more than a million people have been detained in camps under harsh conditions. It was expected to further inflame already tense relations with China. Congress passed the bill with little opposition. Trump signed it Wednesday…

Wednesday, 17 June 2020 14:43

US expresses concerns over killings in Northern Nigeria

United State government on Wednesday expressed worry over the incessant attacks on citizens of Nigeria living in the northern part of the country. The U.S. government, in a statement signed by Mr Michael Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State from its Nigeria embassy said the recent killings are senseless and brazen. “We condemn the recent senseless and brazen killings of civilians in northern Nigeria. “In recent weeks, suspected ISIS West Africa militants launched multiple attacks in Borno State, killing more than 120 civilians, including women, children, and the elderly. On June 9, unidentified armed bandits attacked a village in Katsina State,…

Wednesday, 17 June 2020 05:45

Buhari appoints 12 new permanent secretaries

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of 12 new permanent secretaries in federal civil service. A statement issued by spokesperson of Federal Civil Service Commission, Mr Olawunmi Ogunmosule, said the new permanent secretaries are from the six geo-political zones. The appointees are Akinlade Oluwatoyin (North Central), Alkali Bashir Nura (North West), Anyanwutaku Adaora Ifeoma (South East), Ardo Babayo Kumo (North East), Belgore Shuaib Muhammad Lamido (North Central), Ekpa Anthonia Akpabio (South South), and Hussaini Babangida (North West). Others are Mahmuda Mamman (North East), Meribole Emmanuel Chukwuemeka (South East), Mohammed Aliyu Ganda (North West), Tarfa Yerima Peter (North East) and…

Wednesday, 17 June 2020 05:43

UK parliamentarian groups raise concern over genocide in Nigeria

United Kingdom-based All-Party Groups, comprising informal groups of members of House of Lords and House of Commons have raised concern about genocide in Nigeria. In a 39-page publication endorsed by Chair of the APPG, Mr Jim Shannon MP, which he said was not an official position of both Houses, the group of parliamentarians said Boko Haram terrorists were the promoters of genocide in the country. “They are promoting genocide by frequently abducting and killing those who refuse to conform to their extremist brand of Islam. The lackadaisical attitude and response of the Nigerian government also contribute to the development. “For…

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Wednesday, 17 June 2020 05:42

Buhari pleads with protesters for patience on banditry

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the people of Katsina State to be patient and supportive of the ongoing military operations in the state. Mr Buhari, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesman, Mr Garba Shehu sympathised with those who were bereaved, injured and lost properties to the attacks by bandits. He said the nation’s armed forces are fully capable of dealing with the challenges of banditry and terrorism. The President, who warned that taking to the streets for protest could distract the military operations, urged “Katsina indigenes not to give up on the military who over the…

Wednesday, 17 June 2020 05:40

FG goes tough on striking doctors, orders opening of attendance register

Federal Government has directed all medical directors in the country to open attendant registers for striking resident doctors. The government gave the directive as the meeting between its representatives and leadership of National Association of Resident Doctors ended in a deadlock on Tuesday. Minister of Health, Mr Osagie Ehanire, stated that Federal Ministry of Health would issue a directive to all medical directors in the country to open a register by 7am and record those who come to work and those who fail to come. He frowned at the decision by resident doctors to down tools in a crucial period…

Wednesday, 17 June 2020 05:38

IGP rolls out new rules on social media use by police personnel

Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr Mohammed Adamu, has restricted operatives of the Nigeria Police on the usage of the social media with a ban on police personnel from using pictures of themselves while dressed in police uniforms on their Facebook, Twitter handles, WhatsApp or Instagram pages. The Police chief also banned police personnel from making, sharing or commenting on any post that ridicules, maligns or disrespects any race, gender, ethnicity, tribe, religion or nationality as well as making controversial discussions bordering on politics and religion. The IGP in a statement dated June 9th, 2020 warned that he is giving all…

Wednesday, 17 June 2020 05:37

Lagos suspends plans to reopen churches, mosques

Lagos state government has suspended plans to reopen places of worship after a review of the new coronavirus outbreak, the state governor said on Tuesday. Earlier this month, federal government said it would allow the reopening of places of worship, which the government ordered to close in March to halt the spread of the highly infectious virus. It said each state would decide the terms. Christianity and Islam are widely practised in Lagos and the rest of Nigeria. Places of worship were due to open from June 19. “We will not be proceeding with the opening of the places of…

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