Board
AIBA approves new constitution in bid to regain IOC recognition
International Boxing Association (AIBA) has taken a step towards repairing a much-maligned governance structure that has been frequently criticised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after it approved an updated constitution at its virtual Congress. Under the new constitution, AIBA has installed term limits, rebranded the Executive Committee to the Board of Directors and reduced the number of members on the ruling body from 32 to 22. AIBA is hopeful the renewed document will appease the IOC, which last year suspended it as the Olympic governing body for the sport and stripped it of any involvement in the boxing tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games because of concerns over its governance, finances and refereeing and judging. The Inquiry Committee, led by IOC Executive Board ...
Air passengers decry upsurge in fares, seek urgent attention to roads, railway
Nigerians, who travel by air, have decried the “sudden” upsurge in air fares and urged the Federal Government to intervene to avoid poor patronage that could dwindle the fortunes of the aviation industry. Newsmen report that the air fares shot up by about 100 per cent in the last one week, with some airline operators even raising their fares by as much as 120 per cent or more. At Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the fare from Abuja to Lagos, which was N35,300 (Economy Class), rose to between N70,000 and N75,000. Newsmen found that Business Class travellers were charged between N100,000 and N120,000, depending on the airline. Our correspondents, who visited other airports across the country, found that the rise in airfares was the same, a situation that forced some passengers to...
AfDB chief urges Nigerian government to deepen investment in youth
The President, African Development Bank (AFDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has appealed to the Federal Government to deepen investment in youth, to enable them put their entrepreneurial ingenuity to good use. Adesina, who spoke virtually at the 2020 Nigerian Prize for Leadership at the weekend in Abuja, noted that Nigerian youth are plagued by plethora of challenges like unemployment, limited technical and vocational skills, limited inclusion in the socio-political space and lack of finances to develop their businesses. “No nation is perfect. But those who learn from history become greater. Events repeat itself twice when people do not learn. As a nation, Nigeria should do everything possible to invest and reinvest itself by focusing on the youth. “Today, we have 206 million people, 70 per cent ...
Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal transfer European form into Premier League
Mikel Arteta has demanded Arsenal transfer their Europa League form into the Premier League, where he says his side need to start winning matches “immediately”. Goals from Eddie Nketiah, Mohamed Elneny, Joe Willock and Folarin Balogun helped the Gunners ease past Irish side Dundalk 4-2 in Dublin on Thursday to finish top of Group B with a 100 per cent record – the first time they have won six successive European matches since 2005. That fine European form is in sharp contrast to their domestic struggles, where the club have lost six out of their last nine matches to slump to 15th in the table. With the Europa League now finished with until February, Arsenal can focus all their attention on domestic competition, with Arteta stressing the urgent need to pick up positive results, starting wit...
APC chieftain alleges plan to destabilize party using courts in Rivers
Chris Finebone, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, claims he has uncovered plans by a group working in cohort with the Rivers government to use the state judiciary to destabilize the party. Finebone, a former spokesperson for the party in Rivers made the allegation in a statement on Tuesday. He alleged that Governor Nyesom Wike and the Rivers chapter of PDP hatched the plot to destabilize the APC nationwide by making available Rivers State courts to enemies of the party (within and from outside the State) to file all manner of cases against it with a view to destabilizing the party as politics of 2023 approaches. Finebone further claimed that he learned from sources he did not disclose that the decision to use Rivers Courts was hatched at the highest level of government directl...
Ex-President Obasanjo, catfish farmers brainstorm on how to move aquaculture forward
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Catfish farmers in the country on Saturday met to brainstorm and strategize for better productivity in the industry. The farmers, under the aegis of the Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN) met with the former President, who is a founding member of the body at the boardroom of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta. Obasanjo who expressed satisfaction in returning to the association, after what he described as an interregnum, assured that the industry would be at enviable heights in no distance future if they all worked together as a body. Obasanjo said, “I started poultry farmers association and as a result of its achievements, that was why I began the catfish association too. What put me off, was that I was arrested,...
Eberechi Eze named Crystal Palace Player of the Month
Eberechi Eze has expressed his delight after he was named Crystal Palace’s W88 Player of the Month for November. “It’s a great privilege and I’m grateful the fans have been entertained by my performances. It’s a great pleasure. “Leeds was a huge game for me. It was the perfect opportunity for me to come in and to stake my claim. It was a great performance by the boys, great points on the board.” The summer signing shone for netting his first Premier League goal in style, rifling home a free-kick against Leeds United at the start of the month and bagging an assist in the same game. Frustrating results followed for the Eagles, but fans felt Eze stood out, choosing him for the POTM accolade with almost 64% of the vote. Eze beat Nathaniel Clyne (10%) to first place in the vote after the defend...
Senate threatens labour ministers over absence at hearing
The Senate Committee on Local Content has threatened to sanction the Ministers of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and Festus Keyamo, over their failure to appear at an investigative hearing on diving operations in the oil and gas industry. It also threatened to sanction the managing directors of international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria for the same reason. The IOCs MDs include ExxonMobil, Total and Chevron. The chairman of the committee, Teslim Folarin, said this at the hearing on Thursday after they all failed to show up for the event which was meant to review the challenges experienced by diving operators in the sector. The invitation followed a debate on a motion on the urgent need to ensure strict compliance with statutory regulations and provisions on Nigerian diving sector. P...
Nigeria most expensive for upstream projects – NNPC chief
The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mele Kyari, has disclosed that Nigeria remains one of the most expensive countries in the world for petroleum upstream projects. Upstream is refers to points in production that originate early on in the processes of crude oil production. Its activities include exploration, drilling, and extraction. Kyari made this known at the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State during a review meeting with the Permanent Secretary, directors and chief executives of agencies in the Petroleum ministry. According to him, “Nigeria is one of the most expensive territories in the world for upstream projection and part of the corporation’s mandate is to reduce cost by at least five percent. “We have reduced costs substantiall...
Donald Trump’s bias hawk FCC nominee one step closer to confirmation
On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Committee voted to advance the nomination of Nathan Simington, a Republican in favor of greater government oversight of speech on the internet, to the Federal Communications Commission. Simington’s nomination now awaits a floor vote for final approval. President Donald Trump nominated Simington to be the next Republican FCC Commissioner in September. If approved, Simington would fill Republican Commissioner Mike O’Reilly’s seat, leaving the agency at 2-2 deadlock when Chairman Ajit Pai steps down on January 20th. Without a Democratic majority at the FCC, the Biden administration will likely have difficulties rolling through any major policy measures until another nominee is vetted and approved. In August, Trump abruptly withdrew O’Reilly’s renomination for...
NAICOM issues operating licenses to 4 insurers, 1 reinsurance firms
File Photo The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has granted operating licenses to four insurance firms and one reinsurance company to operate in the nation’s insurance industry. The four insurance firms are Heirs Insurance Limited (General); Stanbic IBTC Insurance Limited; Heirs Life Assurance Limited; Enterprise Life Company Nigeria Limited; and FBS Reinsurance Limited. The Commissioner for Insurance, Sunday Thomas, while presenting the licenses to the companies in Abuja, said that they have met the statutory requirements to carry out insurance business in Nigeria. Meanwhile, Heirs Insurance Limited (general) has appointed Olaniyi Stephen Onifade as its Managing Director; Stanbic IBTC Insurance Limited appointed Akinjide Orimolade as Managing Director; Heirs Life Assurance Limited a...
FRSC to introduce NIN information for vehicle registration, license — Oyeyemi
Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), says that the corps will introduce the National Identity Number (NIN) information by first quarter of 2021 for vehicles registration. Oyeyemi revealed this when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Friday. The corps marshall said that the essence of the NIN was to enhance road safety through the use of technology. He also said that from December, drivers license would no longer be issued without the NIN information. “I must commend the government. With the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), now we have one national database, one identity. You cannot use double identity now. “You know before some people have about five different identities but now you are forced to pick one. Once yo...
