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Bauchi government commences construction of N7.3 billion road projects
The Bauchi State Government on Tuesday commenced the construction of three strategic roads with the sum of N7.3 billion in the state. Newsmen report that the new roads include a 13.5 kilometres road from Warji in the state to Gwaram in Jigawa. Others are 11.6 kilometres road from Bogoro to Lusa and Malar communities as well as 11.2 kilometres road from Boi to Tapshin, communities in Bogoro LGA bothering Plateau State. Speaking during the event in Warji Local Government, Gov. Bala Mohammed, said the roads were carefully selected in order to deliver a well thought-out project to the teeming populace. He said the state had already made 30 per cent advance payment and the roads were to be completed within 24 months. “The roads where constructions are flagged off today were carefully selected i...
Kogi Assembly passes 2021 budget estimate of N130.54 billion into law
The Kogi House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the N130.54 billion Appropriation Bill tagged “Budget of Accelerated Recovery” into law. Newsmen report that the House considered the bill Clause-by-Clause at the “Committee of the Whole” of the House at plenary in Lokoja. Aderonke Aro (APC-Yagba West) and Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Budget Monitoring and Economic Planning, presented the committee’s report for consideration. Aro declared that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with genuine reasons for adjustments in their allocations were taken care of during the defence of their respective budgets. In the budget presented to the House on Dec. 1, Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi had said that the budget was indicative of the assessment of the amount the state could generate on its ow...
Coronavirus: School reopening, worship centres, others caused second wave – Prof. Abayomi
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has attributed the reasons for the second wave of COVID-19 to the opening up of the economy, the re-opening of schools, large religious congregations, and social gatherings among others. A statement from the Lagos State Ministry of Health quoted the commissioner as saying this while giving an update on the State Government’s response against the second wave of COVID-19 at a press briefing held in Ikeja on Monday. The statement titled, ‘COVID-19: Lagos admonishes residents’, was signed by the LSMOH Director of Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo. “Abayomi attributed the reason for the second wave of COVID19 to include, opening up of the economy; general laxity, false sense of security and non-adherence to safety guidelines by citiz...
CBN: Naira to fall further in January
Barely five days to the end of the year 2020, the Central Bank of Nigeria has disclosed that a survey carried out by its Statistics Department revealed that the naira is expected to depreciate further in January 2021. The report, titled, ‘December 2020 Business Expectations Survey Report’ added that there might also be a steady rise in interest rate from December till the next six months. The naira witnessed a sharp fall in recent weeks, reaching its lowest on November 30, 2020, when it exchanged for N500/$1. Since then, the dollar has been hovering between N460 and N470. As of Friday, however, one dollar exchanged for 465 in the parallel market. Also, the Nigerian economy had on November 21 slid into its second recession in five years when the economy shrank again in the third quarter. Th...
Kebbi governor empowers 205 women vegetable sellers with N6.15 million
The Kebbi Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, on Sunday, donated N6.15 million to 205 women vegetables sellers in the state as part of efforts to encourage them to be self-reliant. Newsmen report that each of the 205 women received N30,000 from the donation, in order to boost their vegetable businesses. Gov. Bagudu, who announced the donation at the graduation of the benefitting women in Birnin Kebbi, said that all the women who benefitted from the program had received training in preservation of perishable items. “The comprehensive training of the women traders was conducted by the state chapter of the Kebbi State Vegetables Sellers Association,” he said, lauding the association for the unparalleled gesture that was worthy of emulation by other groups. “The association needs to be commended fo...
Senator Sani visits survivors of 2012 Kaduna church bombing
CNN Ex-Senator from Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, on Saturday visited survivors of a 2012 Boko Haram bomb blast at St Monica Catholic Church, in Malali, Kaduna. In 2012, about eight worshippers had died at the explosion, with several others sustaining injuries. Those who survived the attack lamented that they have since been abandoned to cater for themselves. The survivors used the former lawmaker’s visit to call on the government and citizens for aid to be able to get back their life. A survivor, Polycarp Lawrence, who lost an eye in the attack, said that he has been paying for his medical bills with the little support from the church, which has not been enough. ‘Since the bomb blast of 2012, I have not found my rhythm back in life. Life has been so difficult for me and my family. There has...
Christmas celebrated under pandemic’s shadow
Hundreds of millions across the world celebrated pared-down Christmas festivities on Friday due to coronavirus restrictions, as Pope Francis called for vaccines for everyone, describing them as “glimmers of hope in this period of darkness and uncertainty”. The pandemic has claimed more than 1.7 million lives and is still running rampant in much of the world, but the recent launching of mass vaccine campaigns has boosted hopes that 2021 could bring a respite. Like so many across the globe, the pope was forced to break with normal Christmas tradition, holding his annual “Urbi et Orbi” speech by video from the apostolic palace, to prevent a crowd from gathering in St Peter’s Square. “I call on everyone, on leaders of states, on businesses, on international organisations, to promote cooperatio...
FCTA prosecutes 20 for breaching coronavirus protocol
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday arrested 20 persons for flouting COVID-19 protocols. The offenders were charged before Chief Magistrate Raphael Egbe of the FCT Mobile Court, sitting at the Eagle Square Abuja, and slammed with a one-count charge of violating COVID-19 protocol by not wearing face masks. The 20 accused persons, who were arrested by FCT TaskForce on COVID-19 were given an option of fines that ranged from N1,000 to N5,000, depending on their conduct during and after the arrest. Chairman of the FCT COVID-19 Taskforce, Ikharo Attah, said seven parks were shut within two days of the exercise for operating in stark violation of the new guidelines on the control of the pandemic. However, an officer of Nigeria Police Force, attached to the taskforce, sus...
FIFA increases Africa’s women’s world cup slot to 6
FIFA has increased Africa’s slots at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand from three to six. The decision was one of the major decisions the Bureau of FIFA Council took on Thursday, December 24, when it met to discuss the fate of upcoming FIFA competitions. Africa in time past had three direct slots, which were given to the top three performing teams at the Africa Women’s Championship. The new decision, which is due to the expansion of the competing teams from 24 to 32 teams, will mean that Africa will have four direct slots and two others fighting in play-offs. The two host countries, Australia and New Zealand, will automatically qualify for the 2023 World Cup and their slots have been taken directly from the quotas allocated to their confederations, nam...
Yuletide: Police chief orders tight security nations wide
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, M.A. Adamu, has ordered 24/7 water-tight security arrangement and proactive high visibility patrols in all the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ahead of the Christmas and New Year Celebrations. The IGP gave the directives to all Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in charge of Zonal and State Commands nationwide to ensure a peaceful celebration. The IGP equally directed the Strategic Officers to ensure massive deployment of intelligence and other operational assets of the Force particularly on major highways, airports, railway stations, recreational centres, motor – parks, places of worship, financial institutions, amongst others. They are also to ensure that personnel deployed are adequat...
Beirut seeks Christmas cheer after devastating year
Near the wreckage of Beirut’s port, a charity is bringing Christmas cheer to a city hammered by a devastating explosion, rising coronavirus infections and the worst economic crisis since Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war. The Solidarity Christmas Village, decked out with flashing fairy lights and glittering trees, has been offering visitors free entry to watch concerts and pick up drinks and snacks, lifting the mood of families who can’t afford seasonal luxuries. People dressed in giant polar bear costumes and others in Santa Claus outfits offer some festive spirit to a country that is a patchwork of Christian and Muslim sects. “We need to make our children happy …. even if we are tired,” said Toni Hossainy, who had brought her son. The Christmas village has been set up in a temporary warehous...
Nigerian National Assembly spends billions of naira on constitution review
The perennial constitution amendment exercise by the National Assembly is characterised by proposals that keep resurfacing despite gulping billions of naira yearly, an analysis has shown. The federal parliament had from the 5th to the current 9th National Assembly made several attempts to amend some provisions of the 1999 Constitution to no avail. At every session, the parliament officially spends N1 billion shared equally between the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are reports that the lawmakers spend more than what is appropriated for the exercise. While some amendments were successful, several others suffered serial failures but kept appearing in new proposals. Considering the huge spending, lawyers and civil society groups have pointed out that no significant amendments ...