Federal Government
#EndSARS: Why Nigerian government didn’t shut down social media during protests – minister
File Photo Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has said the Federal Government had the option of shutting down the social media space during the #EndSARS protests but chose not to tread the path. Dare, who spoke on Monday while featuring on Channels Television’s programme Sunrise Daily, said the government did that to allow freedom of expression. He said other countries had taken certain measures to exercise some level of restraint over the cyberspace but Nigeria has not done so. The minister, however, said the internet and the social media have tremendous benefits but “as a country, we must start to think of how to curtail fake news. There must be some level of responsibility and some level of punishment to those that create chaos out of mischief in our country.” He sai...
Nigerian government clarifies position on social media regulation
File Photo The Federal Government says it has no intention of shutting down social media. It said its plan is to regulate social media to be responsible and refrain from being purveyor of fake news and hate speech. The Minister of Imformation and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the clarification on Saturday in Lagos when he inspected the headquarters of The Nation newspaper and TV Continental (TVC) that were attacked during the #EndSARS protest. Newsmen report the minister was accompanied on the inspection by heads of parastatal agencies in his ministry. Speaking at the premises of The Nation, the minister said the Muhammadu Buhari administration has high regards for freedom of the press. He said his recent call for the regulation of the excesses of the social media should not be miscon...
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...
Lagos government lifts curfew
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has lifted the curfew he imposed on the state after the #endsars protest was hijacked by looters and hoodlums. Lagos residents are now free to go about their businesses without any restriction or hindrance. The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on New Media, Jubril Gawat announced this in a statement posted on Twitter on Saturday, October 31, 2020. However, the 12 am to 4 am curfew imposed by the Federal Government to curb the spread of COVID19 remains. The statement reads, “The curfew imposed on Lagos State after the hijack of the peaceful #EndSARS protests has been lifted immediately. The 12 am to 4am curfew imposed by the Federal Government to curb the spread of COVID19 remains. “Lagosians are free to go about their businesses with...
UN lauds Nigeria for implementing programmes on women
The United Nations (UN) has commended the Federal Government on the implementation of its (UN) Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 1325 programmes on women, peace and security in Nigeria. Ms Comfort Lamptey, UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria, gave the commendation during the launch of activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the UNSCR 1325 in Abuja. Lamptey who is also the UN Women Country Representative to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), noted that government had implemented the resolutions of the UNSCR by mainstreaming gender perspective in its programmes. She noted that this had been achieved by promoting women participation, peace keeping mission across Africa and inclusiveness on security issues, particularly in traditional settings. Accordin...
Governor Okowa begs Nigerian government to revive Warri port in order to decongest Lagos
Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, has called on the federal government to quickly resuscitate the Warri port, in order to curb unemployment in the state. The governor made the call at a town hall meeting with youths, including #ENDSARS protesters, civil society groups, students, social groups, community leaders and stakeholders across Delta South and Delta Central Senatorial Districts in Warri this week. He said that with the congestion of the ports in Lagos, the federal government should revive Warri port and other seaports in Delta State to boost the nation’s economy and create employment for the youths. He stated that the rate of unemployment in Nigeria is very high, and that checking unemployment is not just about employing people into public service. Okowa disclosed that to tackle the une...
Nigerian government announces two-day total closure of Third Mainland Bridge
The Federal Government on Thursday announced a two-day total closure of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State for a concrete work on some sections. The Federal Controller of Works in the state, Olukayode Popoola, revealed this to newsmen in Lagos. Popoola said the closure would begin from midnight of October 30 and end at midnight of November 1. “We are planning to cast two number expansion joints, and we shall close the Third Mainland Bridge from midnight of October 30 until midnight of November 1,” he said. The Controller said that there was the need to shut both bounds of the bridge – from Adeniji Adele to Adekunle – in addition to the closed bound of the bridge, to complete the work. According to him, the closure is to ensure that there is no vibration on the bridge during casting i...
NCC contributes N2.272 trillion to Nigeria’s GDP – chief
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Umar Garba Danbatta, has said that the contribution of the Telecommunication sector to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has risen from 8.5 per cent in 2015 to 14.3 per cent as at September this year amounting to N2.272 trillion. Danbata disclosed this when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Telecommunication led by its Chairman, Rep. Akeem Adeyemi visited the Commission on an oversight The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission also disclosed that Investments in the sector had risen from 38 billion dollars in 2015 to over 70 billion dollars now while the Commission had also paid over N344 billion into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation within the period under review, an a...
#RevolutionNow: Appeal court strikes out Omoyele Sowore’s appeal
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Wednesday, struck out the notice of appeal that convener of the 2019 #RevolutionNow protest, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, filed to challenge his bail conditions. Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in the last general election and publisher of an online news outlet, Sahara Reporters, is facing treasonable felony charge the Federal Government preferred against him before the Federal High Court in Abuja. Though he was initially arraigned alongside his co-defendant Olawole Bakare (A.K.A. Mandate) on September 30, 2019, on a seven-count charge that bordered on conspiracy, money laundering, cyber-stalking and for allegedly insulting President Muhammadu Buhari, the prosecution subsequently reduced the charge to two counts. Meanw...
Ex-Lagos governor discovers mystery camera at Lekki toll gate
The Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday, discovered a hidden camera at the Lekki Toll Gate, Admiralty Circle, in Lagos. Fashola, led a Federal Government delegation on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to commiserate with the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, over the loss of lives and destruction of properties in the violence that rocked the state last week. Those in the FG’s entourage include: Ministers of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Mines and Industries, Olamilekan Adegbite, Niyi Adebayo, Trade and Investments and Olorunnibe Mamora, Health state. Also, some South West Governors such as: Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, and Lagos States, Kayode Fayemi, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, Seyi Makinde, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, respectively, were on the inspection t...
#EndSARS: Nigerian government sets up N25 billion youth fund – minister
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, on Saturday, said the federal government has created a N25bn youth fund as part of efforts to address the dissatisfaction of #EndSARS protesters and other youth-related restiveness in the country. The minister made this known at a stakeholders’ meeting with the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, in Kaduna on Saturday. According to Ahmed, the meeting was in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to ministers and governors to dialogue with stakeholders and the youths with a view to addressing their agitations. The minister, who explained that the youth fund would be increased to N75bn within a period of three years, explained that the fund aims to support youths to actualise their entreprene...
Sokoto commences distribution of virus palliatives
The Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on Saturday commenced the distribution of the Federal Government COVID-19 palliatives to beneficiaries at Isa, Sabon Birni and Gada Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state. Malam Zubairu Albadau, the Special Adviser to Gov. Aminu Tambuwal on Relief and Rehabilitation, flagged off the exercise. He said that other LGAs in the state will receive their own share of the palliative within the week. Albadau reassured that the state government will continue to ensure that the hardship, occasioned by the pandemic, is limited. “Today, we are commencing the distribution of the FG-COVID-19 palliatives to ease the pain inflicted by the pandemic. “The Federal Government, through the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social D...
