Gunmen abduct school principal, teachers in Ondo
Some gunmen reportedly abducted no fewer than five persons along Auga-Ise Road in Akoko East Local Government Area of Ondo State on Thursday evening. The victims include, the principal of the Auga Community Grammar School , Joshua Adeyemi; the Vice Principal, Ifedayo Yesufu; a teacher of the school, Mrs Oloyede Bukola; as well as two NPower teachers in the school; Adagunodo Funmilayo and Mrs Blessing Okeke. However, it was gathered that one of the victims, Blessing Okeke, who was pregnant was released following her condition but the rest were still in the custody of the bandits. The wife of the abducted school principal, Hellen Adeyemi, said it was Okeke that broke the news to her saying her husband’s vehicle was abandoned on the spot where they were kidnapped. Adeyemi, as at the time of filing this report, said the kidnapers had not contacted the family on ransom.
Source:Punch
November 26, 2021 10:49 UTC
The World Bank’s bad news about our economy
The bad news is that our national economy remains stubbornly defiant. And the World Bank continues to dish out the bad news to the chagrin of President Muhammadu Buhari who verily believes that his many policies and programmes combined have chained our rogue economy. This new World Bank report means that we now have some 108 million people officially classified as extremely in the land out of our estimated proud population of 206 million. The World Bank has never cheered the managers of our national economy. That fuel subsidy has defeated every government because it is not, contrary to the World Bank view, a bad economic decision.
Source:The Guardian
November 26, 2021 09:18 UTC
FG threatens oil firms with sanction over spillage
…Plans to meet with Ogoni communitiesFederal Government, yesterday, announced its resolve to apply stiffer sanctions against oil companies linked to spillage in the country. It also expressed concern over the level of devastation in the Niger Delta region, describing it as massive. Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, stated this at a weekly briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team in the State House. We need to put stiffer penalties, build the capacity of NOSDRA, which is the regulatory agency in the oil sector to be able to have the teeth to bite. These are areas we are looking into, it has to stop.”According to the minister, the company operating OML29 in Nembe, Bayelsa State has blamed recent oil spillage in the country on sabotage by locals.
Source:The Guardian
November 26, 2021 09:04 UTC
AIPCC energy targets local refining of 50,000bpd by 2024
Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in the refining of petroleum products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), is bearing fruit as AIPCC Energy is putting infrastructure in place to refine 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil by 2024. The Chairman, AIPCC Energy Limited, Mr Micheal Akemere Osime, made this known, on Thursday, in Abuja, when he visited Mr Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). In addition, he said that partnering with their Chinese investors, the AIPCC has a five-year plan to increase production to 30,000bpd by 2023 and 50,000bpd by 2024. Mr Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer, NMDPRA commended the AIPCC for its investment which will lead to self-sufficiency in petroleum products refining in Nigeria, in line with the Authority’s mandate of boosting local refining to meet demand. The content of the article published by these online platforms is not new; it has been recirculated several times and has been debunked.AIPCC energy targets local refining of 50,000bpd by 2024AIPCC energy targets local refining of 50,000bpd by 2024
Source:Nigerian Tribune
November 26, 2021 06:48 UTC
Why Nigeria must decisively end rape menace
Sir: Rape is dishonourable, immoral and sinful to humans and must be outrightly condemned by all. We have heard the government of Nigeria speak against it but with no pragmatic line of action. One of the challenges of rape is the low level of prosecution despite the high number of media-reported cases. As a woman, there’s a need to take it upon yourself to resist the societal attempt to objectify yourself. A special anti-rape unit should be created in the Nigeria Police dominated by trained women.
Source:The Guardian
November 26, 2021 03:18 UTC
Concerns as fleet size, traffic surge outgrow infrastructure
• Passenger demand surges by 50%Local aviation sector may not reap the full benefits of new investments and surge in passenger traffic if it continues to ignore yawning gaps in airport infrastructure. Starting from a recent upsurge in passenger traffic in the first half of 2021, two local airlines recently placed orders for new fleets worth $1.2 billion. The passengers and air traffic have only improved above 2020, not the traffic of 2019 and those before it. Passengers Traffic Statistics Report showed that a total of 5,513,098 domestic and 907,722 international passengers travelled in the period under review. Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, processed the highest number of international travellers with 670,938 passengers, followed by Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja with 225,985 in the first half of 2021.
Source:The Guardian
November 26, 2021 03:14 UTC
Local stock market dips further as Investors lose N71bn
Equities trading at the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) extends negative outing into the fourth trading session of the week leaving Investors with N71 billion loss. This also pegged the Equities market capitalization at N22.494 trillion as investors lost N71 billion in the session. Seplat dominated the volume charts as the top traded stock by volume for the trading session. With regards to the value of traded stocks, GTCO took the lead of the top five performers. The content of the article published by these online platforms is not new; it has been recirculated several times and has been debunked.Local stock market dips further as Investors lose N71bnLocal stock market dips further as Investors lose N71bn
Source:Nigerian Tribune
November 26, 2021 03:01 UTC
It’s time to end ‘business as usual’ with Nigeria
Nigeria is failing to fulfill basic tasks of a nation-state, and its partners need to halt “business as usual” to open an honest dialogue about the current failings. For the United States, this means dropping some old practices in the way America engages Nigerians. Nigeria routinely suffers pre-election violence, although most international engagement on elections continues to focus more narrowly on the actual day of voting. Neither the United States nor any partner can truly help Nigeria recover from its decline unless it is as energetic and focused in its engagement with Naija as with the government of Nigeria. Shifting America’s partnership more toward Nigeria’s states is vital to the work of ending Nigeria’s dozens of armed communal conflicts.
Source:Punch
November 26, 2021 02:51 UTC
Kogi govt restates commitment towards APPEALS project to improve livelihoods
The Kogi State Government and other stakeholders said the Kogi State Agro-processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support Project (KOGI APPEALS) has recorded more achievements in transforming the agricultural sector of the state. This was stated during the 7th Pre- Implementation support mission to Kogi State led by the National Coordination office of the project. Also, Managing Director, Kogi State Agricultural Development Project, Mallam Bello George Ogirima, said the APPEALS project implementation in the state has recorded a huge success. Earlier in his welcome Address, the APPEALS state project coordinator, Dr Sanni Abdullahi Ozomata noted that though Kogi is the newest state to join the project, it is implementing the project according to the Project Appraisal Document and Project Implementation Manual. The content of the article published by these online platforms is not new; it has been recirculated several times and has been debunked.Kogi govt restates commitment towards APPEALS project to improve livelihoodsKogi govt restates commitment towards APPEALS project to improve livelihoods
Source:Nigerian Tribune
November 26, 2021 02:39 UTC
NLC rejects planned petrol price increase
The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the Federal Government to consider options to help the country embrace developmental governance and accountable leadership while rejecting the planned petroleum price increase. Wabba described as “comical” the bait by the government to pay 40 million Nigerians N5,000 as palliative, to cushion the effect of the astronomical increase in the price of petrol. He said that the total amount involved what he called “queer initiative” was far more than the money government claimed to spend currently on fuel subsidy. “The NNPC GMD said that the price increase would be consequent on the plans by the Federal Government to remove subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, also commonly referred to as petrol or fuel. Wabba said the contemplation by the government to increase the price of petrol by more than 200 per cent was a perfect recipe for an aggravated pile of hyperinflation and an astronomical increase in the price of goods and services.
Source:Punch
November 25, 2021 20:58 UTC
Ralf Rangnick: Man United set to appoint ex-Leipzig manager as interim coach -Report
Ralf Rangnick is close to finalising a deal to become Manchester United’s interim manager as they seek a replacement for the sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it was widely reported on Thursday. The Premier League giants have identified the German, 63, who is currently head of sports and development at Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow, as a potential short-term successor to the Norwegian. United are planning to make a permanent appointment at the end of the campaign, with Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino strongly linked to the job. The Athletic reported that Rangnick, the former RB Leipzig manager, had reached agreement with United to take over, saying the agreement was subject to Lokomotiv agreeing to release him from his contract. They are eighth in the Premier League after losing four of their past five matches, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea and six points adrift of fourth-placed West Ham.
Source:Punch
November 25, 2021 19:35 UTC
Report sees Nigeria’s exports hit $112 billion by 2030 | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
At 9.7 per cent yearly growth rate, the report sees Nigeria’s export volume peaking at $112 billion by 2030. The report reveals 13 markets that will drive much of this growth, identifies major corridors, and five trends shaping the future of global trade. The research found a significant trend towards the adoption of sustainable trade practices in response to climate concerns and a rising wave of conscious consumerism. Executive Director, Corporate Commercial and Institutional Banking, Standard Chartered Nigeria, Korede Adenowo, said: “The predicted doubling of global trade offers strong evidence that globalisation is still working, despite recent dislocation. This includes growing our range of sustainable finance solutions to help our corporate clients implement sustainable and fair-trade practices across their supply chains.”
Source:The Guardian
November 25, 2021 16:44 UTC
Sanwo-Olu proposes N1.39 trillion budget
The financial proposal, titled ‘Budget of Consolidation’, will be the last full-year fiscal plan of the state before the next general election. About N823.4 billion, representing 59 per cent of the 2022 budget is earmarked for capital expenditure. Recurrent expenditure, representing 41 per cent, is N565 billion, which includes personnel cost, overhead and debt services. The state would be earmarking an aggregate of N137.64 billion, representing 9.92 per cent of the 2022 budget, for the funding of green investment in environment, social protection, housing and community amenities. The outgoing year’s budget, Sanwo-Olu said, performed “remarkably well” despite the challenges encountered by the state, noting that the expenditure performance at the third quarter of 2021 rose to 80 per cent.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
November 25, 2021 16:39 UTC
Defence ministry cooperative ex-president, others charged with N810.7m scam
For allegedly defrauding members to the tune of N810.7m, a former President of the Joint Staff Cooperative Thrift and Loan Society, Sunny Antai, has been arraigned before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in the Jabi area of Abuja. The accused, a retired official of the Federal Ministry of Defence, was charged with Emenogu Nwachi (who was then the Treasurer of JSCTLS) in a three-count charge filed in the name of the Inspector General of Police. While in office between 2002 and 2012, they were alleged to have fraudulently obtained N810.7m from members of the JSCTLS on the false pretence to acquire land for them. Delivering his ruling, Justice Hassan Babangida granted Antai bail at N100m with one surety in like sum. The case was adjourned till February 28 2022 for the commencement of trial.
Source:Punch
November 25, 2021 14:21 UTC
Air Nigeria to take off April 2022
THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved April 2022 as the take-off date of Air Nigeria, the proposed new national carrier. He disclosed that strategic partners, including foreign airlines, will be identified to take up the remaining 49 per cent equity. FEC okays April 2022 for Air Nigeria take-offViral Voice Note On WhatsApp Billing FalseClaim: A viral WhatsApp voice note, purportedly made by the director and CEO of WhatsApp, claims users will have to start paying for WhatsApp services. Verdict: The viral WhatsApp voice note claim is a hoax. But before this dreaded disease is greeted by rumours and misinformation, here is what you have to know about the virus.APC states to establish Health Emergency Trust Fund…FEC okays April 2022 for Air Nigeria take-off
Source:Nigerian Tribune
November 25, 2021 10:41 UTC