Over the weekend, high-ranking officials, including Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, and Minister of Niger Delta Development Affairs, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, inspected the ongoing reconstruction of the Benin-Abuja express road. This infrastructure project aims to repair the severely degraded route, essential for the seamless movement of goods and people between Nigeria’s southern and northern regions. Joining the ministers were Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North in the National Assembly, and Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate for the September 2024 election in Edo State. Their presence underscored the road’s strategic importance and highlighted the government’s…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has dismissed all transition committee chairmen across the state’s 21 local government areas. The announcement was made through a letter titled “Expiration of tenure and handover to Heads of Local Government Administrations (HLGAs),” dated May 17, 2024. The directive, signed by Collins Nwabunwanne, the state Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Community Affairs, mandates the termination of their duties effective Monday, May 20, 2024. The letter directed the outgoing chairmen to immediately hand over the affairs of their respective councils to the Heads of Local Government Administrations (HLGAs). “Following the expiration of your tenure as…
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated a lawsuit against 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Mr. Nyesom Wike. The lawsuit alleges the failure of these officials to account for trillions of naira received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) since 1999. Filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the suit seeks to compel the governors and Mr. Wike to disclose detailed spending records of FAAC allocations collected by their states and the FCT. This includes providing a list and locations of projects funded with these allocations.…
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of 555 individuals to serve as Pro-chancellors/Chairmen and members of Governing Boards for 111 federal universities, polytechnics, and Colleges of Education. This development follows the submission of a list of nominees by the Ministry of Education.The Ministry of Education, through an advertorial signed by its Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, detailed the appointment of a chairperson and four members for each institution. The official inauguration and retreat for the Governing Councils are scheduled for May 30 and 31, 2024, at the National Universities Commission in Abuja. Confirming the appointments, the President’s Special…
The US President Joe Biden has accused his rival, Donald Trump, of suppressing diversity on Friday. Biden had stepped up efforts to shore up support among Black voters ahead of November’s election. In a speech at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, the 81-year-old democrat said the “extreme” Republican and his allies were trying to “erase history.” “My predecessor and his extreme MAGA friends are now going after diversity, equity, and inclusion all across America,” said Biden, referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement. “They want a country for some, not for all,” he…
Governors from Nigeria’s Northwest geopolitical zone gathered at the United Nations House in Abuja on Friday to seek support from the UN in addressing a myriad of developmental challenges plaguing their region. Led by Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the Northwest Governors Forum, Dikko Radda, the meeting included governors and representatives from Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Zamfara states. In a statement released by the National Information Officer, UN Information Centre in Abuja, Oluseyi Soremekun, the governors highlighted urgent issues such as insecurity, multidimensional poverty, a significant number of out-of-school children, increasing drug abuse, high child and maternal mortality…
Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has shut down several popular establishments in the Surulere and Orile Iganmu areas for noise pollution. Among the affected are Red Pepper Bites Limited, Lacibo Restaurant & Lounge, Krusty Butter Bakery & Pastries, Addie, Don Nelson Resort & Suites, and Revelated Christian Ministry. In a statement released on its X handle on Friday, LASEPA detailed a comprehensive enforcement operation aimed at curbing noise pollution and other environmental violations. Despite multiple warnings and abatement notices issued previously, these establishments continued to flout regulations, leading to their temporary closure. The agency emphasized that this enforcement action…
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have addressed the escalating concerns surrounding nuclear warfare, emphasizing the catastrophic consequences it would entail for all parties involved. The statement comes amidst heightened tensions between the East and the West, particularly in light of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine and China’s territorial disputes, notably concerning Taiwan. The one-sentence declaration, issued as part of their “new era” strategic partnership, unequivocally states: “There can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be fought.” This resolute stance underscores the gravity of the situation and the imperative for global leaders to…
Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has questioned the military presence of former colonial ruler France, which has several bases in the West African nation, saying it impinged on Dakar’s sovereignty. Addressing students at Dakar University on Thursday, Sonko also slammed French President Emmanuel Macron for turning a blind eye to political “persecution” in Senegal. Sonko, a firebrand former opposition leader, was at the centre of a three-year stand-off with the government of former president Macky Sall that triggered bouts of deadly unrest. He was among a group of opposition politicians freed from prison 10 days before the March 24 presidential…
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has announced plans to recruit 7,000 teachers to address the staffing shortfall in public primary schools. This development comes as a fulfillment of his electoral promise and reflects the administration’s commitment to enhancing the quality of education in the state. Dr. Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, the Executive Chairman of Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (OYOSUBEB), made this announcement during a press briefing held in Ibadan on Friday. He stated the importance of this recruitment drive in meeting the educational needs of the state and bridging the gap in teacher numbers. The state government also…
The United States military has started delivering much-needed aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. According to CNN, trucks carrying humanitarian aid began moving ashore through a newly constructed floating pier, established by the US military on Gaza’s coastline. This pier, anchored to a beach on Thursday, will serve as a vital conduit for aid from various countries, addressing the severe humanitarian crisis in the region. With all other border crossings into Gaza closed, the floating pier represents a crucial lifeline for the delivery of essential supplies. The US, which initiated the $320 million construction project in late April, has stressed…
The Republican-led House passed a bill on Thursday aimed at restricting President Joe Biden’s ability to withhold weapons transfers to Israel. The bill, named the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, passed with a 224-187 vote. It saw bipartisan support with 16 Democrats, including Thomas Suozzi of New York, Jared Moskowitz of Florida, and Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, voting in favor, while only three Republicans opposed it. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., praised the bill’s passage, criticizing the Biden administration for halting shipments of certain weapons to Israel, such as 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs. Johnson stated that the bill sends…