President Bola Tinubu has urged members of the National Assembly to exercise restraint when summoning heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) before parliamentary committees. In a statement issued on wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, titled ‘President Tinubu Appeals To National Assembly: It Is Within Your Rights To Summon Heads Of MDAs, But Let Them Do Their Job’. partly reads; “I have been watching various committees summoning ministers and heads of agencies. I have complained to the Speaker to let the poor breathe. Let these people do the job,” Tinubu said. “We…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
The National Assembly passed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) 2024 Bill on Wednesday. This followed thorough considerations by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, meticulously examining the report of the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund. Initially signed into law in June 2023, the Student Loan Bill aimed to facilitate interest-free loans for Nigerian students, ensuring broader access to tertiary education. However, last Thursday, President Tinubu’s letter to the Senate requested amendments, prompting a temporary suspension of the loan scheme’s commencement. Senator Muntari Dandutse, the chairman of the committee responsible, presented the…
Clashes between two communities in eastern Chad have killed at least 42 people, the public security ministry said Thursday, in a desert region of the vast Sahel country often hit by land disputes. The ministry did not say exactly who was involved in the fighting or how long it went on, but the area regularly sees clashes between sedentary farmers and nomadic breeders, or other groups, over land. It said in a statement that the fighting led to the arrest of 175 people at the scene, where “a large part” of the village of Tileguey in Ouaddai province…
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has declared the continuation of its nationwide strike following a meeting with the Federal Government, which ended without reaching a resolution. The meeting, which also involved the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU), failed to bring resolution. Muhammed Ibrahim, the National President of SSANU, reaffirmed the decision to prolong the strike, stating, “Strike continues,” in response to the outcome of the meeting. The strike action, initiated by SSANU and NASU, commenced on Monday with a seven-day duration. The protest aims to address the issue of four-month salaries withheld by…
Bernie Moreno will win the Republican Senate primary in Ohio, a victory for presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, who had endorsed the Cleveland businessman in the three-way contest. Moreno will next take on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in a fall election that will be crucial to deciding Senate control. As one of two Senate Democrats running for reelection in a state Trump twice carried, Brown is a top target for Republicans looking to pick up the one or two seats they need to flip the chamber, depending on who wins the White House. “I want to thank…
The House of Representatives has approved a bill to extend the implementation period for the 2023 supplementary budget. President Tinubu, in a letter read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen on Wednesday, requested the extension of the capital segment of the 2023 appropriation bill and the supplementary appropriation act from March 31, 2024, to June 30, 2024. The President stated the need of this extension to ensure the full implementation of the provisions outlined in both acts.
Some Nigeria nurses has taken legal action against the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and the Minister of Health, along with other relevant authorities, over newly revised certificate verification guidelines. The dispute arises from the NMCN’s issuance of a circular on February 7, 2024, outlining updated protocols for verifying certificates for nurses and midwives. According to the revised guidelines, applicants seeking verification of certificates from foreign nursing boards and councils must have two years of post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing license. These guidelines came into effect on March 1, 2024. In…
A fire outbreak wreaked havoc in Idumota market in Lagos on Wednesday, consuming three buildings and causing huge damage of properties. The fire, which reportedly began around 7 am on Wednesday at the junction of Nnamdi Azikiwe and Docemo streets, engulfed two two-storey structures and one three-storey building. The affected buildings housed numerous shops and warehouses, containing merchandise valued at millions of naira. As flames tore through the market, traders watched helplessly as their livelihoods turned to ashes. Margaret Adeseye, director of the Lagos State Rescue Service, confirmed the incident, stating that firefighting efforts were immediately initiated…
The United Kingdom government Home Secretary, James Cleverly, has initiated a review of the international student visa route amidst growing apprehensions of its exploitation. Cleverly expressed concerns that some international students might be leveraging university courses as a means to obtain work visas, thereby potentially compromising the integrity and quality of the UK higher education system. In a letter addressed to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), Cleverly stated worries that the graduate visa entitlement, allowing international students to work for two or three years post-graduation, might not be effectively attracting the “brightest and the best” talents to the UK.…
The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) announced the destruction of an arms storage facility belonging to one of the most wanted terrorists in Niger State. Acting on actionable intelligence, NAF operatives conducted precision strikes targeting the facility, located near Shiroro in Niger State. According to Edward Gabkwet, the Air Force spokesperson, credible intelligence led to the identification of the terrorists’ storage facility. On March 15, 2024, NAF aircraft conducted precision strikes on the facility located in Palele near Shiroro, Niger State, resulting in its complete destruction. The operation, authorized beforehand, saw a secondary explosion confirming the elimination of arms and ammunition.…
Abia State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill to stop the payment of pensions to former governors and their deputies in the state. It is entitled, “A Bill (H.A.B 11:) for a Law to Revoke The Abia State Governors and Deputy Governors Pensions Law No 4 of 2001 and for other Matters connected therewith.” It was sponsored by Mr Uchanna Okoro, the Majority Leader and member Representing Arochukwu State Constituency. The Speaker, Mr Emmanuel Emeruwa, announced the passage of the bill after its first, second reading, consideration at the committee of the whole and its third reading during…
The U.S. Representative to the UN, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, gave a speech on March 18, 2024, at a UN Security Council meeting amid rising tensions and growing fears over nuclear proliferation. Her remarks were on the urgent need for international cooperation to advance nuclear disarmament efforts. Thomas-Greenfield referenced President John F. Kennedy’s renowned speech at American University in 1963, stating the shared responsibility of all nations to ensure global peace and security. However, she noted the strains on the existing nuclear non-proliferation framework, citing specific concerns regarding Iran, Russia, China, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Thomas-Greenfield expressed…