Speech
World Forest Day: Nigeria’s forests reduced to less than 25% – environmentalists
Some environmentalists on Monday said that unwholesome human activities had reduced the nation’s forest resources to less than 25 per cent. The environment experts made the assertion during an event in Lagos State to commemorate the 2021 World Forest Day, held every March 21, to raise public consciousness on conservation of forests. Newsmen report that the theme of the 2021 edition is “Forest Recovery, a Path and Wellbeing’’. The environmentalists, who envisaged danger as a result of depletion of forests, advised Nigerians to always replenish nature, whenever their activities caused violation of nature. At the event, Executive Director, Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development, Nigeria, Dr Leslie Adogame, said “with reduced forestry resources the human habitat is under...
2023: Why South South should produce next president – Edo deputy governor, speaker
Deputy Governor of Edo state, Comrade Philip Shaibu, and Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Marcus Onabun, Saturday said the South-South geo-political zone is ripe to produce the next president of Nigeria and while calling on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone its presidential candidate slot to the region. The two spoke at an event to celebrate the emergence of Chief Dan Orbih as the South-South national Vice Chairman of the party held at the Benin residence of late Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Chief Tony Anenih. Shaibu said, “We voted for President Buhari again and he had a second term. South-South must produce the next President of Nigeria. “Chief Dan Orbih being National Vice Chairman South-South of the PDP from our state is not by m...
2023: PDP panel throws presidential tickets open
File Photo Amidst thinking from many stakeholders that North-East and South-East geo-political zones that have had the shortest stints at the Presidency, should be given special consideration, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) panel has thrown open the 2023 presidential ticket. The governor of Bauchi state and Chairman, PDP 2019 election review committee, Bala Mohammed, gave this recommendation on Wednesday while submitting the report of the committee to the party leadership. The Governor said: “In line with certain unwritten conventions of the nation’s history, many people think that, for fairness and equity, the North East and South East geo-political zones that have had the shortest stints at the Presidency, should be given special consideration, in choosing the presidential flagbearer...
Gani Adams: Pan-Yoruba Congress is work in progress
File Photo The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, on Wednesday, restated his beliefs in the unity and progress of the Yoruba nation, maintaining that with the success of the Pan Yoruba congress, there is no doubt that the unity of the Yoruba nation’s is a collective project and it is surely, a work in progress. Speaking at the Pan Yoruba Congress held at Mapo Hall, Ibadan, Oyo state, Iba Adams said the gathering is geared towards focusing the race’s energy and strengths in securing the Southwest against criminal race, and also strategise in bolstering southwest’s agric and economic prospects. The Yoruba generalissimo also added that Congress offered a bigger platform for all groups to meet minds and discuss the way forward for the Yoruba nation. His words: “Today’s event is a ...
PIB: Rivers governor supports allocation of 10 per cent oil revenue to host communities
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has advocated not less than 10 percent fund allocation to host communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill that is still before the National Assembly. Governor Wike said it is also necessary that the bill state in clear terms what specific development projects that the allocated fund should be spent on, so that development of host communities can be truly actualised. The governor gave the charge when the members of the National Assembly Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill, visited him at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday. Governor Wike stated that oil bearing communities have suffered the loss of their livelihood, good drinking water and their socio-cultural life disrupted because of the insensitivity of the International Oil compan...
President Buhari charges security agencies improve Nigeria’s ranking on global security index
Worried by the rising level of insecurity in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday charged the nation’s security agencies to up the ante in their drive towards protection of lives and property. He also directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to improve surveillance and control around the nation’s borders so that criminal elements won’t find Nigeria as a safe haven to hide and perpetrate their criminality. The President, in a speech at the virtual Commissioning of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Technology Building, instructed all security agencies to raise their performance in protecting lives and property, with a mandate that the country’s Global Security Index must be improved. He said “It is imperative that our ranking in the Global Security Index improves and...
Iran won’t resume nuclear commitments until US lifts sanctions – supreme leader
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Sunday the US must “completely lift” sanctions first, followed by verification by Tehran, before the Islamic republic returns to its nuclear deal commitments. “If they want Iran to return to its commitments … America must completely lift sanctions, and not just in words or on paper,” Khamenei said in a televised speech to air force commanders. “They must be lifted in action, and then we will verify and see if they have been properly lifted, and then return,” he added. The 2015 landmark deal has been hanging by a thread since US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from it in 2018 and reimpose sanctions on Tehran. Tehran a year later suspended its compliance with most key nuclear commitments to the deal. The new administration of ...
Rivers governor seeks end to external influence on NDDC
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has regretted the continuous interference of external forces who are not from the oil-rich region on the activities of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, noting that the act frustrates programmes of the commission. Wike, however, condemned the posture of some ethnic groups in the region that behave as if the commission belongs to them, clarifying that NDDC was set up to cater for needs of the states of the region. The governor disclosed this in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, after the visit of the Interim Management Committee of NDDC to Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday. The governor said people are abusing the entire region because the commission has wasted trillions of Dollars without lifting the mass...
Donald Trump impeachment to be sent to Senate Monday – top lawmakers
Donald Trump will go on trial in the US Senate soon after an impeachment case against the former president is transmitted by the House of Representatives on Monday, top lawmakers announced. The House impeached the Republican leader for a historic second time on January 13, just one week before he left office, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to send the article of impeachment to the Senate. The step is necessary in order to launch the trial process. “I have spoken to Speaker Pelosi who informed me that the article will be delivered to the Senate on Monday,” Chuck Schumer, the new Democratic Senate majority leader, said in a floor speech Friday. “A trial will be held in the United States Senate and there will be a vote whether to convict the president,” Schumer told his colleagues. Trump wa...
Report: Cristiano Ronaldo to extend his Juventus contract by a year
Cristiano Ronaldo seems to be getting better with age and his performances for Juventus has earned him a new contract, according to reports. There have been talks of the Juventus attacker leaving the club in the nearest future, however, the latest report from Momblano via Calciomercato says that the attacker will sign a one-year extension to his current deal soon. Ronaldo has a contract with the Bianconeri until 2022, but the report claims that they will extend it until 2023. Despite getting older, his goals have been one of the reasons why Juventus has remained competitive. The club is now looking to reward him and the report says that money isn’t a problem. Juve has renewed their contract with Jeep and Adidas, which gives them the money that they need to pursue their goals. “CristianoRon...
Benue governor: Quit notice to Bishop Kukah a recipe for disintegration
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has warned that the quit notice by a muslim group demanding the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Mathew Kukah to tender an unreserved apology over his Christmas Day message or leave Sokoto State, is capable of causing the disintegration of the country. The Governor however enjoined all Nigerians, irrespective of religious and political inclinations, to uphold unity, peace and dialogue as panacea for the myriad of problems confronting the country. Reacting to the statement, the Governor who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary Terver Akase said the group’s statement was a contradiction of provisions of the Constitution which gives Nigerians the right to live freely in any part of the country. Ortom added that the statement of the group directing...
France to tighten legislation on incest – president
France will tighten its laws on incest, President Emmanuel Macron said in a series of tweets on Saturday, after publication of a book accusing a top French political commentator of abusing his stepson sparked outrage across the country. Macron said on his Twitter account that France needs to adapt its laws to better protect children from sexual violence and he had asked the justice minister to chair a consultation aimed at quickly making legislative proposals. “We will go after the aggressors,” Macron said. Macron said France had already increased the statute of limitations on incest to 30 years, counted from the legal age of majority of the victim, and had tightened controls on people working with children, but he said much more needed to be done. He said that as part of current routine m...