Minister
Troop arrests 23 ‘bandits’ in Plateau
The Operation Safe Haven also known as the Special Task Force (STF) has arrested 17 suspected kidnappers and five Armed robbers for attempted kidnapping and robbery in at Lishin village, in Pengana Chiefdom in Bassa and Lamingo in Jos North Local Government Areas of Plateau State. Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Major General Dominic Onyemulu stated this while parading the suspects at the Command headquarters in Jos and vowed to make his area of operation uncomfortable for kidnappers and other criminal elements. “On the 16 of March, troops of Operation Safe Haven responded to a distress call on an attempted kidnap of one Alh. Gambo Yawurp from his residence at Lishin village in Pengana Chiefdom Bassa LGA. “Troops in collection with vigilante members and locals foiled the attempt kidnappin...
Governor El-Rufai urges federal government to increase frequency of Abuja-Kaduna trains
The governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el-Rufai, has urged the ministry of transportation to increase the frequency of trains plying the Abuja-Kaduna rail line. The governor spoke on Thursday when Gbemisola Saraki, minister of state for transportation, and the management of the National Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) paid him a courtesy visit in Kaduna. He said the increase will help to check overcrowding as the trains are “always fully booked”. “There are areas of constraints with the COVID-19 pandemic, but I think that the way our figures are going down with the rollout of the vaccination, there are going to be far more movements within the country, and particularly on that route,” he said. “So, we would like the ministry to consider increasing the frequencies and completing the p...
Gunmen attack home of ex-sport minister
Plateau state police command has confirmed the attack on the Riyom residence of former Minister of Sport, Chief Damishi Sango where three persons, including security men were allegedly shot. Spokesman of the command, Mr. Gabriel Ubah Ogaba said, “The Command is aware of the incident at Riyom and the victims have been rushed to the hospital where they are receiving treatment.” He however said he was not aware yet whether the security personnel were dispossessed of their rifles. Ogaba said, “A team of detectives and intelligence officers have already commenced investigation and manhunt for the criminals.” He assured that the former Minister and his family were safe and unhurt. The gunmen, newsmen gathered, carried out the attack on Wednesday night at about 9pm, when two security personnel an...
Nigerian government begs resident doctors to shelve planned strike
The Federal Government has appealed to Resident Doctors to shelve their threat of embarking on a nationwide strike in the country. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, made the appeal at a conciliatory meeting with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Wednesday in Abuja. Newsmen recall that NARD had threatened to shut public health care facilities beginning from April 1, over unpaid salaries and other welfare packages. Ngige said that majority of the welfare issues under contention were almost resolved even before the letter of compliant and notification of a planned strike action was delivered at the ministry ”We are here because we have started solving your issues. We put up proposals with given timelines on how to deal with them. “We will look at thos...
CAN: Osun governor’s education policy review reduces tension
The Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) Osun State chapter has lauded Governor Gboyega Oyetola for the careful review of the education policy of the previous administration which has drastically reduced tension in public schools. The association also commended what it described as the ingenious and dynamic leadership with which Oyetola has handled critical sectors of the state. This was revealed by the second Vice Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, who also doubles as the minister in charge of the Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim, Oke-Atan Ile-Ife, Pastor Elijah Fagbile, while speaking with the media at the Osun Civic Engagement Office. He emphasized that Oyetola is a man of honour whose character and personal qualities have engendered tremendous development which the state curren...
Minister: 60% of dairy products consumed in Nigeria imported
Nigeria imports at least 60 per cent of dairy products the country consumes, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, has said. Mr Nanono disclosed this when speaking at the National Dairy Policy Stakeholders Engagement in Abuja on Tuesday. He said, “Despite the potentials in the dairy industry, 60 per cent of dairy products consumed in the country is imported while the remaining 40 per cent is produced locally.” The minister said Nigeria’s per capita consumption of milk is 8 litres per year, representing very low consumption levels when compared with the global average of 44 litres of milk, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). According to him, presently, the Nigerian dairy industry is largely subsistence and consists of lo...
DPR: Market forces should determine gas prices
File Photo The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has advocated that market forces should be allowed to determine gas prices to guarantee the security of supply and demand of the commodity. Mr Sarki Auwalu, the Chief Executive Officer, DPR, disclosed this while presenting keynote address at the pre-summit conference on “Decade of gas’, in Abuja, on Monday. Auwalu said that the right and market-based pricing of gas was critical, as it would assure producers of returns on their investments. He also outlined five critical levers for gas development, especially as Nigeria moves to leverage its abundant gas resources for national growth, diversification of the economy and to use gas as the fuel for economic transformation. According to him, the levers include availability, accessibility, a...
Presidency: President Buhari never promised to make N1 equal $1
The Presidency has said that there was not a time when President Muhammadu Buhari promised to make N1 equivalent to $1. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said this on a Channels Television programme, Sunday Politics, on Sunday. Adesina, who also addressed complaints about the economy by Nigerians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, said of the often quoted promise by Buhari to make N1 exchange for $1: “It does not exist, it is fake, it is false, it is apocryphal, it doesn’t exist.” He further told Channels Television that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has debunked the claim several times and challenged anyone with clips and publications of the President promising such to make them available. On the critic...
LOC: Nigerian government yet to release funds for 20th National Sports Festival
The Federal Government is yet to release the funds it promised Edo for the hosting of the 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) with less than a week to its commencement. Musa Ebomhiana, a Project Manager in the Media and Communications Sub-Committee of the festival’s Local Organising Committee (LOC), disclosed this on Sunday in Benin. He told newsmen however that, while the Edo State Government still remained hopeful the fund would be released, an early release would be better. “This will ensure smooth planning for the nation’s number one sports fiesta,” he said. Ebomhiana pointed out that the need to have a smooth planning was the reason the state’s Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, had last week appealed for the funds’ early release. “We are taking seriously the promise by the Minister of Y...
Sudan and rebel group sign agreement on separation of religion and state
The Sudanese government and a major rebel group from its southern Nuba Mountains on Sunday signed a document which paves the way for a final peace agreement by guaranteeing freedom of worship to all while separating religion and the state. The signing is viewed as a crucial step in efforts by the power-sharing government headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to reach accords with rebel groups across the country and end decades of conflicts that left millions displaced and hundreds of thousands dead. Last year Sudan signed a peace agreement with many groups, including from the Western region of Darfur. But a key faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, did not join in last year’s agreement because it stuck to its demand that Sudan dispens...
Minister tasks NSDC boss on ensuring self-sufficiency in sugar production
Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, has tasked the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the National sugar Development Council (NSDC), Zach Adedeji to work towards the realisation of the Federal Government’s goal in ensuring self-sufficiency in sugar production. Speaking at the inauguration of Adedeji as the Chief Executive Officer of the NSDC at the weekend in Abuja, Adebayo said the Federal Government relied on him to work assiduously towards the realisation of the country’s self sufficiency in the sugar production. He noted that the appointment of Adedeji was based on his performance in his former positions, adding that the nation expected him to leave landmark achievements by the time he would be leaving office. “You are therefore expected to discharge...
Nigerian government alerts health institutions of fake coronavirus vaccine in circulation
The Ministry of Health has alerted all tertiary health institutions in Nigeria of the circulation of fake COVID-19 vaccine in Africa and the need to be on the lookout. The ministry also dispelled any possibility of COVID-19 vaccines being available for sale or being administered by any unauthorised institution in the country. This was contained in a circular issued by the ministry’s Director, Department of Hospital Services, Dr. Adebimpe Adeblyi, on behalf of the minister, Osagie Ehanire. The circular dated March 26, 2021, a copy of which our correspondent sighted on Saturday was addressed to Chief Medical Directors/Medical Directors of federal tertiary health institutions. Titled “Report of fake COVID-19 vaccine destined for Africa arrested in China,” the circular has C.1693/P&P/T/22 ...
