Wednesday
CBN: We’ll steer Nigeria away from recession
The Central Bank of Nigeria on Wednesday said it would not be deterred in its effort to steer the Nigerian economy away from the looming recession due to the impact of COVID-19. It said this was in spite of the push by some vested interests to impugn the integrity of the bank. The Bank’s Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isaac Okorafor, said the bank had uncovered sinister plans by some persons in Nigeria’s economic and socio-political space to distract the CBN. He said such persons want to discredit the institution through deliberate misinformation, complete fabrications and outright lies. He, however, noted that the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and his team at the bank would not be deterred by the actions of such persons. Okoroafor said the bank, in pursuit of its mandate ...
Aviation unions warn NAMA over proposed salary cut
NIGERIAN AIRSPACE MANAGEMENT AGENCY Aviation industry unions on Wednesday warned the Management of Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) not to embark on its planned payment of incomplete salaries to staff, predicting dire consequences for the action. Newsmen report that the unions are National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN). Others are the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE). The unions gave the warning in a letter jointly signed by Deputy General Secretary, ATSSSAN, Frances Akinjole; General Secretary, NUATE, Ocheme Aba; General Secretary, ANAP, Abdulrasaq Saidu; and...
CP: Police recruitment to begin this week
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Kenneth Ebrimson, has disclosed that the recruitment of special constables in the state would commence this week. Ebrimson said the recruitment which is aimed at fighting crimes at the grassroots, is part of efforts to encourage community policing in the state. Ebrimson said this on Wednesday, after the inauguration of the new state chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee, Samson Popoola. He added that the recruitment would commence shortly after arrangements have been finalised at the Area Command, Local Government Areas and the divisional levels, this week. The Commissioner noted that the constables would be trained on police operation and would be given police uniform, although without badge. According to him, the constables would a...
ICPC tracks 67 constituency projects in Nasarawa
File Photo The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday said it has started tracking 67 selected constituency projects in Nasarawa State. Mr Clement Obaniyi, the commission’s Commissioner in Benue, also overseeing Nasarawa and Plateau, told newsmen in Makurdi on Wednesday, noting that the projects were 2016 constituency projects of National Assembly members in Nasarawa State. Obaniyi said that the selected projects ranged from construction of boreholes, HIV campaign projects, provision of buses/cars, erosion control and flood, electrification, dams and road construction. He added that the projects were selected for tracking by a team from Budget Office of the Federation, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, ICPC, National Instit...
UCH denies receiving N118 million coronavirus donation from Oyo
The University College Hospital has denied receiving any money from the Oyo State Government in its fight against COVID-19 in the state. The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Toye Akinrinlola, made this known in a press statement on Wednesday. Newsmen report that Oyo had claimed that over N2.7 billion had been spent on the fight against COVID-19 in the state. While giving the breakdown, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinola Ojo, said a total of N900.5 million was spent on procurement of the COVID-19 palliatives and seedlings; N370.6 million was spent on the upgrade of the Infectious Diseases Centre at Olodo; N453.7 million on securing borders, security trucks and personnel; N118 million as support to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for COVID-19 tests. But the hospital s...
Ondo Assembly denies plot to impeach deputy governor
Ondo State lawmakers on Wednesday denied plot to impeach the state Deputy Governor, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over unresolved issues with his boss, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu. The lawmakers who lambasted Ajayi over the bribery allegations against the members of the House of Assembly, saying the claim that the lawmakers were bribed with N10m each by Akeredolu was designed to whip up public emotions. Tension rose in the state early on Tuesday over the planned impeachment of Ajayi by the state House of Assembly while some policemen invaded the State Assembly complex Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Gbenga Omole described as reckless and a ploy to drag th...
Police arrest pastor, 11 others for rape in Akwa Ibom
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command said it has arrested a pastor and 11 others for various cases of rape and defilement of minors. Speaking on Wednesday in Uyo during a press conference, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, said the 33-year-old pastor, Inimfon Inyang, severally raped a 15-year-old girl at his deliverance centre. The pastor, who allegedly lives with eight other girls aged 13 to 16 years, was said to have also attempted to rape a 21-year-old girl. Emmanuel Otu, a 30 years old indigene of Uko Nteghe, Mbo local government area was said to have raped a 28-year-old lady at gunpoint, and robbed her of two phones valued at N42,000 and N9,000 and the sum of N32,000 cash. Another suspect, Ime Sunday, from Ekpene Obo, Esit Eket local government area was said to ...
Zinedine Zidane unconcerned by Real Madrid’s fixture list complaints
Zinedine Zidane has claimed Real Madrid will accept the congested fixture list for what it is, despite the club complaining to La Liga. Los Blancos issued a complaint to top-flight officials on Monday after the schedule for matchdays 33 and 34 of the season left them with less than 72 hours between fixtures against Getafe and Athletic Bilbao. Madrid felt this left them at a disadvantage compared to title rivals Barcelona, who were given five days of rest between games against Atletico Madrid and Villarreal. However, it has since emerged that Madrid will have accumulated more rest – approximately 26 hours in total – than Barca until matchday 35, and asked if he felt the club’s complaints to La Liga were fair, Zidane insisted he is fully focused on preparing his side for the fixture list as ...
Kano relaxes lockdown restriction on Mondays
Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has relaxed the restriction placed on Monday as a lockdown day in the state A statement signed on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Malan Abba Anwar, said the additional day means that Kano State has a total of four free days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday) as opposed to three free days that were previously approved. The statement added that the policy decision was to further cushion the effect and hardship caused by lockdown in the state as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state. “People are now free to move freely on Mondays within the stipulated time of 6am-6pm” said the statement. The governor urged the people to continue to wear their face masks, to maintain social distancing, use their hand sanitize...
NAHCO workers to embark on two-day warning strike June 1
The Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) have directed the staff of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) currently on essential duties to withdraw all services on the 1st and 2nd June following the breakdown in negotiations on their welfare. This is despite the management of NAHCO saying that they are currently engaging the unions to make sure the impasse is resolved without any industrial action. A letter jointly signed by both General Secretary, NUATE, Ocheme Aba, and Deputy General Secretary, Frances Akinjole read: ‘Following the stalemated management–union meeting of Wednesday 20th May 2020 where management attempted to unwittingly reduce to a mere technical excursion our magnanimity of ...
Premier League set to resume as Arsenal take on Manchester City
The Premier League action is set to resume on June 17 as Arsenal take on Manchester City in thir opening game. The teams that have played a game fewer than the rest will start the league when it resumes so that all the teams will be on the same page in terms of games played. The likes of Arsenal, Sheffield United, Aston Villa and Manchester City have all played one game fewer than the rest of the teams in the division owing to the latter two clubs’ participation in the Carabao Cup final. The main games will commence on June 20. Premier League teams have been training in small groups so far, limited to a maximum of five players, but it was agreed on Wednesday that the next phase can now be introduced with contact once again permitted. A statement from the Premier League confirmed: ‘Premier ...
John Boyega strongly speaks against racism
John Boyega strongly speaks against racism on social media in a defiant call to action after the shocking death of George Floyd. George, a 46-year-old black man from Minneapolis, died while being arrested by four cops, with one kneeling on the back of his neck while pinning him to the ground in a report by Huffington Post. He had been stopped for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill at a nearby store but was unarmed and handcuffed when horrific footage showed him gasping for air, telling officers “I can’t breathe” and then becoming unresponsive. No arrests have yet been made, but George’s death sparked riots in Minneapolis last night. All four officers in the footage have been sacked from the force and the FBI has opened an investigation into their conduct. Star Wars actor John called fo...
