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Thursday, 20 December 2018 04:35

FG withdraws $1.6bn from Excess Crude Acct in 3 weeks

Between November 25 and December 19, money in Excess Crude Account declined by about $1.68bn, statistics obtained from Federation Account Allocation Committee have revealed. As of November 25 when FAAC committee meeting was held to allocate revenue for that month, the balance in ECA was put at $2.319bn. However, at the resumed meeting on Wednesday at headquarters of ministry of finance, the balance, according to Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Mahmoud Dutse, had dropped to $631m. Dutse, who briefed journalists shortly after the meeting, said withdrawals were made by Federal Government from ECA to settle the last tranche of…

Thursday, 20 December 2018 04:28

3.3m Nigerians jobless in 9 months - NBS

Data made available by National Bureau of Statistics have shown that the number of unemployed Nigerians has risen to 20.9 million from 17.6 million. The report, released on Wednesday, contained employment trends from Q4 2017 to Q3 2018. According to the report, the working-age population (people between 15 – 64 years) increased from 111.1 million to 115.5 million. “The total number of people in employment (i.e with jobs) increased from 68.4 million in Q3 2015 to 68.72 million in Q3 2016, to 69.09 million in Q3 2017 and 69.54 million in Q3 2018,” the report read. “The total number of…

Thursday, 20 December 2018 04:26

How explosion rocked Lagos community

The explosion that rocked Abule-Egba community of Lagos Wednesday morning was caused by activities of pipeline vandals. Residents and passers-by, who thronged the community Wednesday morning told this newspaper that the incident occurred in the early hours of the day when vandals scooped petrol from a pipeline that runs through the community. This newspaper earlier reported how cars, houses and offices around Awori, Tipper Garage bus stop and some parts of Abattoir areas of the community were consumed by the inferno. Tajudeen Salako, a resident who spoke to our correspondent, explained that the incident occurred around 5 a.m. when residents…

Thursday, 20 December 2018 04:22

FG declares holidays for Xmas, New Year

Federal government has declared Tuesday 25th, Wednesday 26th December 2018 and Tuesday January 1, 2019, as public holidays to mark Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year celebrations respectively. Minister of Interior, Mr Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the declaration on behalf of the federal government in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. According to the statement signed by Mr Mohammed Manga, Director of Press of the ministry, the minister enjoined Christian faithful and all Nigerians to use the period to pray earnestly for progress and development of Nigeria. He called on Nigerians to strengthen their resolve to maintain peace and unity in…

Thursday, 20 December 2018 04:20

Ajimobi commissions rural roads

Daniel Agbolade Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has commissioned 5.76km rural roads at Ikereku in Akinyele East Local Council Development Area of the state. The road project with 19 culverts was the pilot scheme of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) which cut across Ikereku - Oloronbo – Abidogun – Ileba – Abebi - Onigbongbo Village, linking Iware Road. He said the commissioning ceremony was another success story of his administration, stating that the project was aimed at improving living standards of the people at the grassroots and providing access roads for them to convey their farm produce…

Wednesday, 19 December 2018 06:04

FG facing serious financial challenges – Budget Office

Less than two weeks to the end of the year, Director-General of Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze, has said that the nation is facing financial challenges, with Federal Government’s budgeted Independent Revenue performing at a mere 36 per cent, as of September. Addressing chief executive officers of Government-Owned Enterprises, GOEs, in Abuja, yesterday, the D-G put revenue not remitted by Federal Government organizations at about N2.81 trillion. The figure came from a long list of 50 defaulting GOEs with unremitted revenues in the current year, as well as those brought forward from previous years. Top on the list were Petroleum…

Wednesday, 19 December 2018 06:03

Buhari refuses to sign another bill passed by National Assembly

President Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to a bill that seeks to amend the law establishing National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). National Assembly had earlier passed the amendment bill that guides NBC, which regulates Nigeria’s broadcasting industry. Mr Buhari stated this rejection in a letter addressed to Senate President, Mr Bukola Saraki. The letter was read by Saraki on Tuesday at the Senate plenary. In it, the president explained that his decision to withhold assent to the bill was because the amendment to the powers of the commission “deletes” existing paragraphs 21(U) which contains an important omnibus clause that grants the…

Wednesday, 19 December 2018 06:00

Buhari accuses National Assembly of inflating debts to states

President Muhammadu Buhari has accused National Assembly of inflating debts to be repaid by federal government to deserving states. He also asked National Assembly to review the amount it approved as debt repayment to the states. The debt repayment in promissory notes is for projects executed on behalf of the federal government by various state governments. A promissory note is a debt instrument which one party promises in writing to pay a determinate sum of money to the other, either at a fixed or determinable future time, under specific terms. His request was communicated via a letter which was read…

Wednesday, 19 December 2018 05:56

Yuletide: FG opens Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to traffic

Ahead of the Yuletide and to ensure smooth travelling experience for motorists, federal government on Tuesday opened Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to traffic. The government also inspected the progress of repair works on the Ikorodu/Sagamu road. Opening Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, said the highway was “special and very dear to the Federal Government.” He explained that it was important because the road begins from Apapa ports and terminates in northern part of the country. Kuti added that it took traffic from the 36 states of the federation, hence, the speedy completion of repairs around the…

Tuesday, 18 December 2018 05:16

Give me more time, Buhari begs Nigerians on 76th birthday

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to understand him and give him more time to translate his intentions for the country. Mr Buhari made the call Monday in Abuja after a special parade organised in his honour by Guards Brigade of Nigerian Army to celebrate his 76th birthday. Speaking briefly with State House correspondents in both English and Hausa languages, Buhari said, “Nigerians should continue to pray for me and understand my intentions and give me time.” Buhari also said he would keep reminding Nigerians about his performance in office so far. “We will keep reminding Nigerians about what we…

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Tuesday, 18 December 2018 05:14

ASUU storms out of meeting with FG

Leaders of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday stormed out of a conciliatory meeting with Federal Ministry of Education summoned by Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige. The meeting, scheduled to commence at 5.00pm, started about one hour behind schedule but ended abruptly as ASUU delegation led by its President, Mr Biodun Ogunyemi walked out less than one hour after. ASUU leadership refused to comment on why they walked out of the meeting. Speaking at the commencement of the meeting on Monday, Mr Ngige expressed shock that the issue of short fall in salaries of university…

Tuesday, 18 December 2018 05:11

ASUP strike continues as polytechnic lecturers’ meeting with FG deadlocked

The meeting between federal government and Academic Staff of Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Monday ended in deadlock as both parties did not reach an agreement. The meeting which began at about 11 a.m. at Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja was chaired by permanent secretary of the ministry, Mr Sunny Echono. Speaking with journalists shortly after the five hours meeting, National President of ASUP, Mr Usman Duste, said it was impossible to end the strike as issues in contention had not been resolved. He said a date will be communicated to the union by the federal government team for…

Tuesday, 18 December 2018 05:10

Workers strike: NASS leadership directs DSS, Police to secure complex

As workers of National Assembly under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) yesterday shut down the assembly complex, leadership of the two legislative chambers has directed Police and Department of State Services (DSS) to ensure adequate security within the vicinity of the complex from today to enable members and staff come in and perform their legitimate duties without any hindrance. The workers who are demanding mainly the payment of arrears of 28 per cent increase in their salaries from 2010, stormed National Assembly in the early hours of yesterday blocking all entrances into the complex, preventing lawmakers,…

Tuesday, 18 December 2018 05:08

Customs gets approval to distribute seized items to IDPs, orphanages

Nigeria Customs Service says it has obtained a presidential approval to extend distribution of seized perishable items to Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps and registered orphanages across the country. Mr Joseph Attah, customs spokesperson, said during a breakfast meeting in Lagos on Monday that prior to the approval of the extension, perishable items like rice, second-hand clothes and groundnut oil had been distributed to IDP camps in North-east only. Almost half a million bags of 50 kilogrammes rice have so far been distributed in the region, the agency said. Attah said between January and November this year, customs paid N1.1…

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