Benue
Nigeria records 180 new virus infections
Nigeria recorded 180 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, taking the total number of infections in the nation to 63,508. Meanwhile, no death was recorded from the disease in the last 24 hours, meaning that the fatality stays at 1, 155. This is according to the latest statistics provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on Thursday night. Of the 63,508 cases, 59,748 have been discharged across the country and the Federal Capital Territory. A total of 673,183 tests have been carried out across Nigeria. The 180 new cases were reported from 14 states. Thy are: Lagos (87), Oyo (51), FCT (12), Plateau (10), Edo (4), Ekiti (3), Ogun (3), Bauchi (2), Kaduna (2), Niger (2), Kano (1), Ondo (1), Osun (1), Rivers (1) With the latest figures, Lagos still leads in the number of confirmed cases wi...
Senate faults minister for blaming legislature for bad roads
The Senate has described as, “fallacy of the highest order,” a statement credited to the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), on the state of Nigerian roads. Fashola, according to the red chamber, had alleged that the National Assembly members should be held responsible for the poor state of the federal roads in Benue State. The upper chamber accused the Minister of trying to incite members of the public against the federal lawmakers by his allegation. The Senate stated this in a statement by its spokesperson, Dr. Ajibola Basiru, titled, “Senate debunks Minister’s claim on budgetary allocations to road construction,” issued in Abuja on Sunday. The red chamber said it took exception to the statement credited to Fashola, that the National Assembly should be held respon...
Nigeria to spend N75 billion on youth development in three years – minister
Minister for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Senator George Akume, said the Buhari-led Federal Government plans to spend N75 billion on youth development in form of support for communities, skill acquisition and realisation of their potentials within the next three years. Akume, who spoke during a youth rally in Makurdi, said for the year 2020, N12.5billion would be committed to the programme. He explained that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved the funding and commended Benue youths for conducting themselves peacefully during the EndSARS protests. The former Benue State governor and senator said the Federal Government has approved the dualisation of Keffi-Lafia-Makurdi-Otukpo-9th Mile road; the rehabilitation of Makurdi-Gboko-Katsina Ala road, as well as...
Water Resources Bill: Minister decries misinformation of Nigerians
The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, has said that Nigerians are being misinformed about the Water Resources Control Bill. The minister made the statement while interfacing with the House of Representatives Committee on Water Resources in Abuja, following the public outcry that trailed the passage of the bill. Newsmen recall that sequel to a motion of personal explanation by Rep. Benjamin Mzondu (PDP-Benue) the house withdrew the bill which had already been passed on the grounds that it was not gazetted. The minister recalled that the bill was presented in the 8th Assembly and there was a two-day public hearing with Rep. Aliyu Ahman-Pategi as chairman. According to him, there was no issue at all until some unpatriotic Nigerians gave bad and dangerous colouration, and tried t...
NCDC reports 160 new virus infections, two deaths
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 160 new infections of COVID-19 in the country, bringing the nation’s confirmed cases to 56,177. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Saturday. Newsmen report that the 160 new infections were down slightly from 188 recorded on Friday in the country. The agency said that in the last 24 hours, two people died from the virus, bringing the death toll nationwide to 1,078. The NCDC stated that the number of recovered patients increased by 90, bringing total number of discharged cases to 44,088. “As of Sept. 12, 2020, 160 new confirmed cases and two deaths were recorded in Nigeria. “Till date, 56,177 cases have been confirmed, 44,088 cases discharged and 1,078 deaths recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Terri...
Disquiet in South-West PDP as ex-Governor Fayose meets national chairman
There is disquiet in the South-West Zone of the Peoples Democratic Party following the decision of a former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, to lead a delegation of state party chairmen from the zone to hold secret talks with the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus. It was gathered in Abuja on Friday that the meeting, held in the Abuja residence of Secondus on Monday, raised a lot of concerns among party members in the zone. State party chairmen who were at the meeting included those of Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti. Although the meeting was held behind closed doors, it was gathered that ongoing dispute over the control of the party structure by contending forces in the zone, especially in Ekiti State, formed the main crux of the meeting. A top-ranking party member of the party privy t...
NAF reaffirms commitment to safeguarding nation’s territorial integrity
Wikipedia The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country. Abubakar made the commitment in Gombe on Monday, at the ground breaking ceremony of 203 Combat Reconnaissance Group of the NAF, Sanni Abacha International Airport, Gombe. According to hm, the newly established group is strategically located in Gombe State to enable NAF to carry out its responsibilities more effectively, especially in the North-East. He said the group was also expected to add more value to organisational operations in the fight against insurgency and other security challenges in the zone and the country at large. “The group also marks another milestone in the service efforts to mark its ...
Benue governor canvasses return to parliamentary system
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has called for a parliamentary system of government as a more cost-effective democratic alternative for Nigeria. While inaugurating the State Constitution Review Committee in Markudi, Ortom said, the parliamentary system provides opportunities for power-sharing such that smaller parties also participate in governance, stressing that it is more accountable and considerably less complex. According to the Governor, the current system of federalism where the Federal Government has constitutional powers in nearly 100 per cent performance while states and local governments only function 30 per cent or less is a distortion of the spirit and practice of federalism. He said that Nigeria needed a constitution that sets out a system in which the various tiers could s...
Nigeria records lowest daily virus cases in three months
The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 221 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak in the country. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Wednesday. Newsmen report that the 221 new cases was the lowest number of cases recorded in the country in about three months. It recalls that on Aug. 4, Nigeria reported 288 COVID-19 new cases and 290 one week later, while another low figure of 252 was recorded on Aug. 25. NCDC said that there were more persons who died of COVID-19 related complications in the country in the last 24 hours with the national death toll rising to 1,010. The NCDC said that the number of recovery crossed the 40,000 mark after 317 more people were treated and discharged from isolation centres across the country. The agenc...
Plateau PDP congress date surprises chairmanship aspirant
File Photo Mr Bitrus Kaze, Plateau State Chairmanship aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed surprise at what he called “the sudden decision of the party” to hold the state elective congress on Aug. 29. Newsmen report that the party’s acting spokesperson, Mr John Akans, had on Tuesday announced that the elective congress would hold on Saturday. But Kaze in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Jos described the decision as hasty, considering what called the numerous unresolved issues in the party, including the fact that “the state has taken a decision that the caretaker is not fit to be in office much less conduct a state congress.” He also cited the court cases and petitions by party members, “yet we saw a communication from Akan that a date for the election h...
Benue honours Super Falcons star Francisca Ordega
Benue State government has bestowed its honour on her illustrious daughter, Super Falcons star, Francisca Ordega. Ordega was honoured as the Most Outstanding Female Footballer in the state. The award was organised by Benue Coalition for Good governance. Congratulations to me… I am honored for being recognized by my people of Benue state…as the Most Outstanding Female Footballer in Benue State…The award was organized by Benue Coalition for Good governance..proudly Benue/Tiv..thanking you all🙏🏼🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/hjsP6qIhaL — ordega francisca (@OrdegaF) August 24, 2020 Ordega is however overwhelmed with this honour as she stated on her twitter handle: ‘Proudly Benue/Tiv..thanking you all🙏🏼🙏🏼’ Ordega has been forced to postpone he...
Nigerian government approves N13.3 billion take off for community policing
The Federal Government has approved the sum of N13.3 billion for the take-off of Community Policing initiative across the country. This is as the World Bank has cleared 35 states for the US$1.5billion stimulus package for Nigeria’s states to cushion the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Economic Council (NEC) at its virtual meeting on Thursday, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, resolved that the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, with two other governors, meet with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Finance Minister and the Inspector General of Police to coordinate the proper utilization of the funding of the initiative Attendance at the NEC virtual meeting with state governors, included the Min...
