Pandemic
Subsidy removal: Nigerian government sets up modalities to disburse 2,000 buses
The Federal Government on Monday in Abuja has set up modalities for the disbursement of 2, 000 buses to cushion effects of subsidy removal. Dr George Akume, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs in his speech at Inter-Ministerial Stakeholders meeting on Poverty Alleviation, said the initiative was also part of programme to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. Akume said the initiative was in collaboration between his ministry, Agriculture and other government agencies saying the disbursement of the buses would be through cooperative societies of Nigeria. He recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari in his 2019 democracy speech, promised to lift 100 Nigerians out of poverty through numerous governments` initiatives. “The alleviation of poverty in Nigeria has been and...
South Africa minister reprimanded for party’s trip on airforce jet
South Africa’s defence minister has been reprimanded and will lose three months of salary after ruling party officials took an air force plane to Zimbabwe earlier this month, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday. The African National Congress (ANC) delegation’s presence aboard the flight sparked widespread criticism over the use of state resources for party business. Their trip to Harare was for crisis talks with Zimbabwe’s Zanu-PF ruling party aimed at helping tackle the country’s political and economic woes. But they tagged along aboard Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s plane, rather than travelling privately. She had a scheduled meeting in Zimbabwe to discuss regional issues following a recent summit of the Southern African Development Community bloc. Mapisa-Nqakula will no...
Nigeria@60: Aisha Buhari calls for prayers
The First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has called on Nigerians to continue praying to witness the end of COVID-19 Pandemic as Nigeria prepares to mark her 60th independence anniversary. The First Lady during a Public Lecture to mark Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary at the National Mosque, Abuja, urged Nigerians to offer special prayers for peace, progress and sustainable development of the country. “We need to pray for forgiveness and a special prayer for forgiveness. The world is no longer the same as a result of the pandemic, and the pandemic is a sign that almighty God is not happy with us. I think we have no choice than to continue asking for forgiveness from Almighty Allah”, she said. Aisha urged leaders to always do the needful by ensuring justice for all. She, later joined other Musli...
Frank Lampard urges Premier League clubs to help save struggling EFL
Frank Lampard has urged Premier League clubs to ‘have a heart’ and help save Football League sides amid the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic. The impact of the pandemic and continued absence of supporters is being felt right across the sport, but nowhere more so than the lower leagues who remain without a vital source of income as fixtures continue to be played behind-closed-doors. Sporting authorities have approached the government warning of the disastrous consequences potentially awaiting without financial aid, though the Telegraph are reporting that elite level football will not receive support given the riches at the highest level of the game. The government believes that the Premier League – the richest division in world football – should be responsible for providin...
Anthrax Announce “Stop Spreading the Disease” Hand Sanitizer
Anthrax’s 1985 sophomore album, Spreading the Disease, turns 35 on October 30th, but the band is celebrating the anniversary by encouraging the opposite: The thrash legends have announced their own “Stop Spreading the Disease” hand sanitizer. Yes, as revealed by drummer Charlie Benante in an Instagram post (below), Anthrax now have their own line of hand sanitizer. Without the revenue from touring — guitarist Scott Ian thinks he’ll be out of a job as a touring musican until 2022 — metal bands have improvised new ways to shift merch and stay connected with fans. What’s more practical during a pandemic than branded hand sanitizer? Anthrax are here to make the otherwise mundane act of squirting your hands with ethyl alcohol a lot cooler. Besides, the band recently released its own bourbon whi...
Nine Inch Nails’ Pandemic Merch Is Both Clever and Grim
Tackling bleak subject matters is nothing new for Nine Inch Nails, but even Trent Reznor hasn’t seen the likes of the COVID-19 pandemic before. Now, some of NIN’s past works have inspired a new line of “Pandemic 2020” merch. For a limited time, Nine Inch Nails are selling five new T-shirts for “modern times” via their official online store. The tees display song titles and lyrics from throughout the band’s career to address the strange world in which we’re currently living. One such design uses the lyrics “New world/ New times/ Mutation feels alright” from the song “Shit Mirror” off the 2018 album Bad Witch. Another repeats the song title “Everyday Is Exactly the Same” from 2005’s With Teeth. Two of the shirts display U.S. maps, with one featuring the line “Used to stand for something” fro...
PTF warns against neglect of virus protocols
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has warned against perceived neglect of the non-pharmaceutical protocols and other measures aimed at tackling the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country. The PTF chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, gave the warning at the daily briefing by the PTF on Monday in Abuja. He said that there was increasing disregard for basic non-pharmaceutical measures that have proven to be very successful. He said face masks have now been turned into chin masks, social distancing and gatherings are returning to the pre-COVID era. Mustapha, however, called for vigilance in order to forestall any danger of second wave of the pandemic as the countries in Europe were currently facing. According to him, th...
Survival Fund: Nigerian government releases registration schedule as portal opens Monday
As the portal for the registration of prospective beneficiaries for the Survival Fund opens on Monday, the Federal Government has released the timetable for categories of businesses to register. A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Project Delivery Office stated that the portal which opens at 10 PM, will have educational institutions as the first category of beneficiaries to register. “Nigerians interested in the Payroll Support scheme are to note that the site for registration will be open from 10 pm Monday, September 21, 2020. “In order to ensure a seamless registration process, the Project Delivery Office (PDO) has designed a registration schedule. “Registration for Payroll Support will start with educational institutions on Monday and will be followed with businesses in the hos...
Youths should be drivers of innovation, creativity for a better Nigeria – don
Prof. Isaac Adeyemi, the former Vice Chancellor, Bells University of Technology, Ogun, has charged Nigerian youths to harnessy their knowledge via the internet to be drivers of innovation and creativity for a better Nigeria. Adeyemi gave the charge at the Mentoring and Capacity Building Summit of Shining Star Initiative International (SSII), an NGO, in Ibadan on Sunday. According to him, the outbreak of COVID-19 is a game changer; it has changed everything and as such one should think of post COVID-19 activities and actions that will enable one to stay afloat. “The youths are the most vulnerable to the post COVID-19 events, including the educational system. “To position themselves for a successful career, the youths being exposed to technology should take the initiative to see to it that t...
Gianfranco Zola hails Victor Osimhen’s ‘important qualities’ ahead Parma vs Napoli
Getty Images Gianfranco Zola is in awe of Victor Osimhen’s talent, suggesting that the Nigerian attacking ace has important qualities with which he can help Napoli to succeed this new season. Napoli will kick-start their 2020/21 Serie A campaign against AC Parma at the Ennio Tardini Stadium on Sunday, September 20, and Zola believes Osimhen can continue his fine pre-season form. The Super Eagles striker since joining Napoli earlier this summer from Lille for a fee of 70 million euros has scored six goals – two hat-tricks, in three pre-season games. Zola, ex-Napoli and Parma striker told Radio Kiss Kiss: “Napoli with Gattuso has found equilibrium. it will be an open game. Napoli has grown a lot with Gattuso. “He will be among the protagonists if Osimhen also enters immediately, he has impor...
Dee Snider Slams “Moronic” Anti-Maskers Who Shouted Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It”
Dee Snider has blasted a group of anti-maskers who stormed into a Target store in Florida while shouting along to the Twisted Sister classic “We’re Not Gonna Take It”. The band’s legendary frontman dubbed them “selfish assholes”. Snider recently voiced his disdain for Donald Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic while speaking with us over Zoom. “The president’s response [and] the White House response has been to politicize [the pandemic] and to separate us more, and make it about politics, instead of joining together and helping each other,” the singer told us. On Tuesday night, Snider shared a video of a bunch of people who marched into a Target and urged shoppers to take off their masks, all while blasting and shouting along to “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” In his Twitter post, Snider ...
Ekiti governor swears-in four permanent secretaries
Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, on Tuesday, sworn-in four permanent secretaries, charging them to uphold the tenets and doctrine of anonymity and neutrality in civil service. The new permanent secretaries are Mr Samson Tayo Olauyi, Mr Olugbenga Odesanmi, Dr Michael Ibikunle and Mrs Titilayo Olayinka. The governor charged them to see their appointment as a call to service and an opportunity to be part of positive history in the state. Fayemi identified the civil service as the engine room, upon which the five pillars of his administration is hinged. He commended the leadership of the state civil service for their doggedness as evident in the collective efforts against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. The governor reiterated his commitment to transparency in corporate governance, saying tha...
