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Presidential elections in Ghana, others top agenda at ECOWAS meeting
The 44th Ordinary Meeting of the Mediation and Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States has called attention to the ongoing insurgency in Nigeria, Gambia and Guinea Bissau as well as the political crisis in Mali. The Council at its meeting in Niamey, Niger, on Friday, also focused on forthcoming presidential elections in Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Niger. The meeting was presided over by the Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Mediation and Security Council, Kalla Ankourao. Ankourao recalled the challenges COVID-19 has brought upon the region coupled with the breakdown in democratic governance in Mali. He urged the ECOWAS body to take the necessary steps for the preparation and smooth conduct of the upcoming presidential electi...
Mali: Military opens talks on transition to civilian rule
Mali’s military junta will hold meetings on Saturday to discuss its promised transition to civilian rule after mounting pressure from neighbours to yield power in the weeks since it overthrew the nation’s leader. The West African country has long been plagued by chronic instability, a simmering jihadist revolt, ethnic violence and endemic corruption, prompting a clique of rebel colonels to detain elderly President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita last month. They pledged to step down after an undefined transition period, but the putsch has prompted Mali’s neighbours and former colonial ruler France to demand a swift transfer of power, with fears the crisis could impact neighbouring states. The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc has imposed sanctions and closed...
Delta governor swears in three judges, says judiciary autonomy bill signed into law
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Friday, swore in three new Customary Court of Appeal Judges for the state. The governor, who performed the function in Asaba, said that the bill for autonomy of the judiciary in the state had been signed into law. He charged the new customary court of appeal judges to ensure speedy dispensation of justice at all times. The new judges are,, Justices, Dele Okafor, Grace Abanre and Jessica Gberevbie. Okowa while congratulating the judges, said their appointments were based on their personal integrity and years of experience. He, however, urged them to bring their experiences to bear in the discharge of their duties. He thanked the Chief Judge, Justice Marshall Umukoro and the President, Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Stella Oghene, for their efforts at ensur...
President Buhari approves 5,000mts of maize to support poultry industry
Following hardship faced by poultry farmers, President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday, approved the release of 5,000 metric tonnes of maize from the National Strategic Grains Reserve, NSGR, to support the Poultry Association of Nigeria, PAN, in order to mitigate the challenge of affordability of feed. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director, Information, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Theodore Ogaziechi, where it was also made know that the 5,000 metric tonnes of maize is subsidized at the rate of N90, 000 as against the current market price of N170, 000. The statement reads in part, “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the release of 5,000 Metric Tonnes of maize from the National Strategic Grains Reserve to support the Poultry Association of Nigeri...
Napoli president confirms Kalidou Koulibaly, Arkadiusz Milik are ‘on the way out’
In what will come as interesting news to Manchester City, Juventus and Roma, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed that Kalidou Koulibaly and Arkadiusz Milik are both poised to leave the club. Napoli and City have been haggling over a fee for Koulibaly for a number of weeks and it seems a compromise is close to being reached, with Napoli reportedly demanding in the region of €80m for the defender. While Milik has been linked with a move to Roma as a potential replacement for Edin Džeko, or to Juve as a replacement for Gonzalo Higuaín. “Koulibaly and Milik are both on their way out, transfer market permitting,” De Laurentiis told Canale 21 on Wednesday. “So, if the transfer market allows us to sell these two excellent players, we will know how to replace them. If not, then we...
Nigerian government approves N1.1 billion to accommodate NDLEA officials
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday in Abuja approved N1.1billion for the acquisition of a 156-room accommodation for use by Staff of the Nigeria Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, announced this when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Council. He said: “The memo presented by the office of Attorney General and Minister of Justice is related to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). “It is a memo that seeks council’s approval for the award of contract for the purchase of a property properly known and described as Plot No. 1123-1129 Cadastral Zone 0607 at Aviation Village, Airport Road, Abuja – a property which consists of 156 rooms in a...
CAN: CAMA 2020 dangerous to national interest
File Photo The Christian Association of Nigeria on Tuesday demanded the suspension of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020. CAN, in a position paper, said CAMA 2020 “has the potential that can further undermine the faith of stakeholders in the Nigerian-state.” This is just as the Presidency said CAMA did not target religious organisations. It accused some politicians of latching on to the criticism of CAMA to wrongly characterise its purposes as an anti-religious law. The Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and former National Assembly Presidential Liaison Officer, Senator Ita Enang, made the clarification during a brief ceremony at the secretariat of CAN in Abuja where he received the position paper of CAN on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari. The letter sign...
NFF to unveil new national team jerseys October
The Super Eagles will launch new jerseys designed by kit-sponsors Nike for national teams in October. This was announced in a statement by the NFF’s Communications Department on Tuesday. Nike Senior Director, Global Communications, Heidi Burgett, had February 5, shared the designs of the new national team’s jerseys on Twitter. “New 2020 kits for Nigeria: Home kit’s hand drawn design fuses the traditional aesthetic of an agbada robe w/ modern football design. Away kit trim is inspired by Onaism. Broader collection of Super Eagles apparel includes a poncho, vest, dress, & more,” Burgett wrote. Burgett’s tweet came after NFF president Amaju Pinnick confirmed to newsmen January 28, that the new national team jerseys would be unveiled in New York, London and Nigeria. Further plans for the u...
Senator Lawan: National Assembly won’t tolerate disrespect from presidential appointees again
The President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, on Monday, said the federal lawmakers would no longer tolerate appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari, abusing the National Assembly. He said the President himself had made it clear that he would not tolerate such. Lawan spoke with State House correspondents shortly after Buhari inaugurated the Executive, Legislative Party Consultative Committee at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said, “I believe that should be the end of it (appointees knocking heads with legislature). We believe that we should work together. “Mr President made it very clear that he is not going to tolerate any of his appointees doing things that are not respectable, things that have no dignity to the National Assembly. “For us in the National Assembly, ...
Mali protest movement proposes two-year transition to civilian rule
The protest coalition that campaigned against former Mali president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has proposed that the military junta that ousted him organise a transition to civilian rule within 24 months, one of its leaders said Sunday. Military rulers received representatives of the June 5 Movement at the Kati barracks near Bamako late Saturday, after announcing they would postpone a meeting with civic groups, political organisations and former rebels on the transfer of power due to “organisational reasons”. The protest movement has demanded that the military junta give it a role in the transition, in keeping with its role in spearheading Keita’s ouster. It has proposed “a transition of 18 to 24 months” with civilians heading a transitional presidency, government and assembly, one of the move...
Nigerian banks urged to address increasing numbers of customers visiting daily
Prof. Olayinka David-West of Information Systems/Academic Director, Lagos Business School, has urged banking institutions to embrace digital economy to address the increasing numbers of people visiting their branches daily. David-West gave the advice on Saturday at the first ever Virtual Graduates’ Induction and Prize Awards Day organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Lagos. Newsmen report that theme of the programme was: “Digital Economy: The Role of Professional Bankers”. David-West said: “Our financial services ecosystem has recorded significant progress in areas like Bank Verification Number (BVN) and Instant Payments. “The surge on bank branches after the first phase of the lockdown presented some interesting challenges to the ecosystem and the digital eco...
DSS quizzes Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage over ‘political statement’
Music producer Don Jazzy and singer Tiwa Savage have been cautioned against making social media comments against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, after an invitation by the Department of State Security, DSS. Tiwa Savage earned the invitation after she ran a campaign, ‘WeAreTired’, in reaction to a rise in cases of rape in the country. She also made social media posts to draw the attention of the Buhari administration to the issue. The singer and Don Jazzy were invited to the Lagos office of the DSS where they were warned to be mindful of the kind of posts they make on social media. Since the meeting with the DSS at their Shangisha office two weeks ago, Tiwa Savage has not continued with the campaign against rape, while Don Jazzy has toned down his activities on Twitter. Sh...