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Monday, 29 June 2020 16:13

PTF on Covid-19 has just briefed Buhari. These are the aspects of lockdown approved to be eased

Federal Government has extended Phase Two of the eased lockdown by four weeks, but partially lifted the ban on interstate movement. Chairman of Presidential Taskforce PTF on Covid-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha disclosed this at a briefing Monday in Abuja. He said within this extended phase, there will also be a safe re-opening of schools to allow graduating students back to classes, while interstate movements would only take place outside curfew hours. Announcing the new measures, the SGF said; “I am pleased to inform you that Mr. President has carefully considered the…

Monday, 29 June 2020 05:34

Electricity companies accuse FG of deceiving Nigerians about tariff increase

Electricity distribution companies in Nigeria (DisCos) have accused federal government, especially Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), of trying to dissociate itself from the July 1 increase in electricity tariff. DisCos said the increase in tariff and the commencement date were both approved by NERC. The tariff increase, initially scheduled to commence on April 1, was postponed. A review of the new tariffs showed price increases would have ranged from 60 per cent in places like Ikeja, to about 73 per cent in Abuja, and about 78 per cent in Enugu. Many Nigerians have condemned the tariff increase, saying the electricity…

Monday, 29 June 2020 05:33

‘Nigeria’s Covid-19 doesn’t go to markets, only churches’, Oyedepo mocks Lagos, Ogun govts

Presiding bishop of Living Faith Worldwide, Mr David Oyedepo says Nigeria is now fighting an anti-church virus, accounting for why churches remain closed while markets are allowed to operate. The clergyman spoke on Sunday while delivering a sermon on various topics, including the federal government’s restriction on social gatherings which has prompted the continued shutdown of religious buildings, despite the gradual easing of movement and the lockdown order. Oyedepo, who had previously kicked against the lockdown directive and cursed those he said might be against the church, dismissed claims that places of worship are vulnerable with respect to the spread…

Monday, 29 June 2020 05:32

‘No two airlines will depart at the same time’, FG says on airport reopening measures

Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said on Sunday that it would implement flight spacing at all its airports as part of safety measures ahead of reopening of airports for commercial flights. The decision, according to the Managing Director, Mr Rabiu Yadudu, would reduce the number of people at the airports. The agency had, on Saturday, held dry run simulation exercises at domestic terminals of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos respectively to assess the readiness of airports for reopening. Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, who led members of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19…

Monday, 29 June 2020 05:31

I feel like Bible Lazarus, new Malawi president says

New President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, has told the BBC that his win in the rerun election was a "victory for democracy and justice". He defeated incumbent Peter Mutharika with 58.57% of votes in Tuesday's poll. "I do feel like Lazarus, I've come back from the dead," Mr Chakwera said, referring to the biblical character of the same name. In February, Malawi's constitutional court annulled Mr Mutharika's poll win in May 2019, citing vote tampering. The country was bitterly divided in the run-up to this week's election. But Mr Chakwera said those who did not support him had nothing to…

Monday, 29 June 2020 05:30

Kogi Chief Judge dies at 64

Chief Judge of Kogi State, Mr Nasiru Ajanah is dead. Although the family is yet to issue a formal statement on the matter, source said the chief judge died at an Abuja hospital early hours of Sunday after a brief illness. Ajanah was 64 years old. His demise came barely a week after the death of President of Customary Court of Appeal in the state, Mr Ibrahim Shaibu Atadoga. Ajanah was born in 1956 in Okene Local Government Area of the State. He attended the Native Authority (Central) Primary School Okene where he had his Primary Education between 1962 and…

Sunday, 28 June 2020 06:08

FG conducts test flight ahead of airport reopening

Federal Government on Saturday conducted a flight simulation exercise ahead of the resumption of domestic flights in the country. The exercise commenced around 8am, as passengers went through the stipulated protocols before boarding an Aero Contractor flight at about 11:20am. A Boeing B737 aircraft marked NG110 with 51 passengers on board was used for the simulation exercise to-and-from the Abuja Airport and the Lagos Airport. At the simulation exercise, which was attended by Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, the government tested all protocols designed to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 at airports. For about three months the country’s airspace…

Sunday, 28 June 2020 06:07

Group notifies FG about illegal detention, torture of 35 Nigerians in Ghana

Barely a week after the Nigerian Embassy in Ghana was demolished, another crisis is brewing over alleged detention of 35 Nigerians by the authority of that Country. A group named Concerned Citizens Rights (CCR) has written to Federal government lodging complaint over alleged detention of the Nigerians. The group, in a letter signed by its National President, Mr Olusegun Adeola and addressed to Chairman, Nigeria in Diaspora Commission(NiDCM), Ms Abike Dabiri, on June 26, 2020, said the Nigerians were languishing in a border town of Aflao in Ghana located between the country and Togo Republic. In a copy of the…

Sunday, 28 June 2020 06:04

Shiites protest continued detention of el-Zakzaky, wife

Hundreds of members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Shiites, trooped out at the weekend, in Kaduna to protest continued detention of their leader, Mr Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, his wife, Zeenatuddin Ibrahim and the security challenges facing the nation. The protesting Shiites included children, men and women, who marched from Kano Road Juma’at Mosque through Ahmadu Bello Way, and ended at Broadcasting Road in Kaduna. They also displayed placards and portrait of El-Zakzaky, while chanting anti-government songs. The placards carried such inscriptions as: “Free our leader,” “Please free El-Zakzaky,” “We want justice” and “He needs to go for medical treatment,” among…

Sunday, 28 June 2020 06:03

Ondo sacks Resident doctors, suspends residency training

Residents doctors at University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMETH) have been sacked. Their sack was announced in a letter announcing the suspension of the institution residency training programme from August 1st, 2020 It urged all Resident doctors directly employed by the hospital to seek continuation of their programme in other institutions where there are ongoing training program. The sacking of the Resident doctors might not be unconnected to last week’s strike action recently embarked upon by the doctors. Spokesman of the Ondo ARD, Mr Taiwo Olagbe, listed their demands to include provision of PPE and other security measures to…

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Saturday, 27 June 2020 05:20

Obasanjo calls for mass action against ‘ineffective’ govt

Former President, Mr Olusegun Obasanjo says without restructuring of Nigeria’s federating unit, the country “will remain insecure, unstable, non-progressive and stagnated at best or disintegrated at the worst.” Obasanjo noted that the Federal Government is overwhelmed with the spate of insecurity, making restructuring imperative. He spoke on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State at the 2020 Annual Sobo Sowemimo Lecture (Virtual). The lecture titled “Covid-19 Pandemic and Nigeria Security Issues: the way forward”, was organized by the Abeokuta Club. The former President accused governments at all levels of ineffectiveness, calling on Nigerians to launch and promote such a crusade on the…

Saturday, 27 June 2020 05:18

World Bank considering another $3bn budget support loan for Nigeria - Official

Nigeria needs to deepen economic reforms and boost government revenues in order to have a sustained recovery after a Coronavirus-induced oil price shock that slashed income and weakened its currency, World Bank’s country director told Reuters on Friday. Mr Shubham Chaudhuri said Nigerians are aware they cannot simply wait for oil prices to recover as happened during the last crisis in 2016 to rebuild the economy, particularly with the health crisis caused by the pandemic. Africa’s largest economy faces a situation similar to the 1980s when it rationed foreign currency amid shortages caused by a recession and currency weakness. Nigeria’s…

Saturday, 27 June 2020 05:17

FG begins recruitment of new N-Power beneficiaries

Federal government has begun recruiting a new set of Batch-C N-Power beneficiaries. The humanitarian ministry had last week announced disengagement of thousands of graduates comprising of both Batch A and B volunteers benefiting from the federal government’s monthly N-Power scheme. It subsequently began enrolling a fresh Batch C of volunteers yesterday. The ministry explained that the decision followed efforts to provide economic opportunities for more Nigerian youth. In tweets posted on N-Power page on Friday, the government highlighted steps and procedures for intending applicants willing to apply to the scheme. According to the post, N-Power portal would reopen for fresh…

Saturday, 27 June 2020 05:14

US imposes visa restrictions on Chinese officials over Hong Kong crackdown

US Secretary of State, Mr Mike Pompeo said on Friday Washington was imposing visa restrictions on Chinese officials responsible for restricting freedoms in Hong Kong, but he did not name any of those targeted: The move comes ahead of a three-day meeting of China’s parliament from Sunday expected to enact new national security legislation for Hong Kong that has alarmed foreign governments and democracy activists. US visa restrictions apply to “current and former” Chinese Communist Party officials “believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy,” Pompeo said, without naming them. Last month, President…

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