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Adamawa cuts 2020 budget by 24 per cent

The Adamawa State Executive Council has approved a downward review of the 2020 budget by 24 per cent, affecting only the capital expenditure and overhead costs. The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Umar Pella, disclosed this shortly after an Extraordinary meeting of the council presided over by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri in Yola on Tuesday. The decision was reached after the council considered and approved a review of the 2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper in line with the extant laws of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission 2018. Newsmen report that the state House of Assembly in December 2019, approved the 2020 proposed budget estimate of N183.3 billion presented by the governor. Pella explained that the measure was taken by the council after a holisti...

Akwa Ibom takes delivery of fourth aircraft for Ibom Air

The Akwa Ibom State Government, on Tuesday, took delivery of the fourth aircraft in the fleet of Ibom Air. Speaking during the delivery of a Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft, Governor Udom Emmanuel said the aircraft was still within warranty of planes in domestic aviation. Emmanuel said the arrival of the plane was in fulfillment of the business case and operational timetable that had been set by the government. “This is the latest in the addition to this fleet. I don’t want to be boastful, but check the domestic flights in Africa. “I want to believe when you have an airplane that is still within warranty in domestic aviation, you can hit your chest and praise yourself, even if no one does that. “We had a dream and I shared that dream with just one man; we held our hands and started the documen...

Zamfara denies recording 10 new coronavirus cases

Zamfara Government on Tuesday said the figure of 10 new COVID-19 cases in the state announced on Monday by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) was wrong, as the state had only recorded two new cases. Alhaji Yahaya Kanoma, the state Commissioner of Health told newsmen in Gusau that the state government had alerted the NCDC of the error and demanded that it be rectified. “We were shocked and bewildered by this latest figure from the NCDC which said 10 new cases were confirmed when we know it was only two. “Our records have shown that when results from the center returned, we had a total of 76 cases made up of 45 discharged persons, 26 in isolation and five dead, so we didn’t know where NCDC got the additional eight. “We approached the center which could not give a convincing explan...

Speaker Gbajabiamila inaugurates coronavirus committee, to interface with government

The House of Representatives on Tuesday inaugurated the 18 man ad-hoc Committee on Coronavirus pandemic. The committee has the task of working in tandem with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and by extension, the entire relevant machinery of the federal government to find a solution to the challenges posed by the epidemic. Performing the ritual at the national assembly complex, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila charged the members to give utmost attention to the welfare of frontline workers. He said: “The 18 man Committee we have come to inaugurate reflects the intention of the House of Representative to engage the executive arm of government in a partnership that serves the best interests of the Nigerian people as we join hands to confront and conquer the most severe chal...

Four arrested in Abeokuta for riding bike from Minna

Operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested four Northern Youths who sneaked into the State from Niger State despite an inter-state travel ban by the Federal Government. Parading the youths in Abeokuta, the State Commandant of the Corps, Mr. Hammed Abodurin, said they were intercepted at Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta at about 10:30 Tuesday for violating the State lockdown rules and for being in the public without using face masks and riding unregistered motorcycles. Abodurin said, “further interrogation showed that the youths who are from Niger State with their motorcycles. They claimed to have boarded a truck conveying foodstuff from Kotangora to Lagos, alighted at Ogere and continued the journey with their motorbikes to Abeokuta where they were arrested”. The ...

TUC tackles TCN chief over sack of labour leader

File Photo Following the sack of a labour leader, Comrade Chris Okwonkwo, by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has condemned the sack, describing it as an embarrassment to labour community. Comrade Chris Okonkwo was the General Manager, Special Duties, Transmission Company of Nigeria and he is also the President General of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC). His appointment was terminated allegedly by the Managing Director of TCN, Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed, in a letter dated April 24, 2020. In a letter condemning the act and sent to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, TUC stated that the sack was in futility due to the fact that the originating matter is yet to be addressed by the minister. “The crisis ...

Senator Lawan: Why privatisation of power sector must be reviewed now

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has called for the immediate review of the privatization exercise of the power sector by previous administrations. Lawan gave the charge in his concluding remarks on a motion considered on the floor during plenary on Tuesday. The motion titled: “Power Sector Recovery Plan and the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic” was sponsored by Senator Gabriel Suswam (PDP – Benue North East). The Senate President, who bemoaned what he described as the “inefficiency of Power Generating and Distribution companies” in the country, called for a review or eventual reversal of the terms of privatization. According to Lawan, parties involved in the shared purchase agreement with the federal government can only seek the intervention of the latter when sufficiently justified. “The...

House of Reps queries health minister on whereabouts of Chinese doctors

Lawmakers at the House of Representatives have questioned the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, demanding activities and whereabouts of the Chinese doctors. The lawmakers at their plenary on Tuesday said they are not satisfied with the statement of the Minister that the Chinese doctors are not guests of the Federal Ministry of Health but that of a Chinese firm in Abuja. The resolution of the House stems from a motion of urgent public importance raised by Representative Dachung Bagos. The House, in a separate motion, also resolved to investigate the status of medical and pharmaceutical research in the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria. They expressed worry that Nigerian scientists and researchers have not been given the necessary support and funding for medical research. The Minister o...

Nasarawa lifts ban on worship centres for two weeks

The Nasarawa State Government Tuesday lifted the ban it placed on worship centres in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the world. This was even as the state equally lifted the ban on operations of tricycles in the state but with a condition that each tricycle operator must not take more than two passengers. The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dogo Shammah, announced the lifting of the bans on worship centres and tricycle operations in the state at a press briefing at the Government House, Lafia. However, Shammah added that the lift on both bans would last for two weeks, thereafter it would either be sustained or reversed based on the compliance of worshipers to the rules of safety. He said: “Clergies in the state are therefore directed to ensure the compul...

House of Reps urges speedy production of local coronavirus vaccines in Nigeria

The House of Representatives has stressed the need for speedy production of local vaccines for the treatment of COVID-19 in Nigeria. The House also mandated its standing Committees on Healthcare Services, Health Institutions and Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria to invite the Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Health, the Executive Director/CEO, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Executive Director, May and Baker Nigeria PLC to brief the Committees and deliberate on possible ways of getting the needed legislative support to fast track the production of vaccines in Nigeria and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action The resolutioms followed the adoption of a motion on notice, moved by Rep. J...

Victor Moses delighted to be back in training

Nigerian winger Victor Moses is delighted to be back in training with his Italian club Inter Milan. The former Nigerian international flown back to Italy last week after the Italian government agreed to allow teams to return to training as they prepare to restart the season. The 2019/2020 Italian Serie season and other sporting activities were suspended back in March, following the coronavirus pandemic which have ravaged the country. Teams were allowed to train the first time since March, but under strict conditions, in order to reduce the risk of the spread of the virus. It would be recalled that the Inter Milan hierarchy announced that none of their playing staffs tested positive for the dangerous virus. Meanwhile, it is unclear when the league will be allowed to return, but the Italian ...

Senator Orji Kalu files application seeking release from prison

The former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has filed an application before the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking his immediate release from the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Kuje, Abuja. The application has been assigned to Justice Mohammed Liman. The former Director of Finance, Abia State Government House, Ude Jones Udeogu, an aide to the former governor was listed as a respondent to the application alongside Orji Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited. The former governor also wants an order of the Court setting aside his conviction dated Dec 5. 2019, under the Hand of Hon. Justice Mohammed Idris since the Supreme Court in its judgment on May 8, 2020, held that it was given without jurisdiction. Besides this, Orji Kalu has also asked the court to set asi...