Author: Olukayode Oke

Pharmacists under the auspices of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, 2023 colloquium have called for legislative action to redress what they described as the ‘vicious cycle’ of drug scarcity in all public hospitals in Nigeria. The pharmacists also in a communiqué tagged: “PSN Colloquium 2023: Repositioning Pharmacy in an Unstable Economy”, jointly signed by the PSN President, Prof. Cyril Usifoh, and the Secretary, Pharm. Gbenga Falabi further called for a disciplined, ethical and professionally inclined pharmacy workforce in the public service. Colloquium emphasized a need for the PSN and Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN, to invoke the disciplinary templates to…

President Muhammadu Buhari departs Abuja for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday to participate in the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU). The theme of the AU Summit is ‘‘Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation.’’ The President, according to a release issued by his spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, will participate in three High Level meetings on peace and security, climate change and the political situation in some West African countries. First is the Peace and Security Council (PSC) meeting of Heads of State and Government on the situation in the Eastern Democratic…

The World Bank Group President, David Malpass has announced his intention to step down from his position by the end of the Bank Group’s fiscal year on June 30. This is contained in a statement obtained from the World Bank website on Thursday According to the statement, Malpass, who has served more than four years as the bank’s president, made his intentions known to the Board of Executive Directors. The statement said that during Malpass’s tenure, he focused on seeking stronger policies to increase economic growth, alleviate poverty, improve living standards and reduce government debt burdens.It said in the last…

The President of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, on Thursday, said he had met with the leadership of at least 15 commercial banks since the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), announced his latest directive on the new Naira policy. Emefiele’s visit comes hours after the President, in a televised message, announced that only the old N200 note will remain a legal tender until April 10, 2023. The CBN Governor was at the State House, Abuja, for a separate assignment (not with the President). He said the meeting with the bank executives earlier on Thursday was to ensure…

The National Examinations Council, NECO, has announced the release of the result of the November/December 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE. Registrar of NECO, Prof Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, who made the announcement in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday, said, 59,124 candidates sat for the examination, with 31,316 males, representing 52.96 per cent, while 27,808, representing 47.03 per cent were female. Wushishi added that the number of candidates that sat for English Language is 58,012, out of which 44,162, representing 76.13 per cent got credit and above, while the number of candidates that sat for mathematics is 57,700, out of which…

Ogun State Government has upgraded its College of Health Technology in Ilese-Ijebu to a polytechnic, and would henceforth be known as, Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences. With a promise to appoint a substantive rector for the institution soon, the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, made the pronouncement on Wednesday, during his re-election campaign tour of Ijebu North East Local Government. Governor Abiodun said upgrading the institution had become imperative because of plans to reposition the school and expand its curriculum. During his engagement with the students, Abiodun emphasised that he had only done what the law empowered him…

Super Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum believes his side will learn from their lastest defeat to Mexico. The former African champions extended their losing streak to six games after going down to a 1-0 defeat to hosts Mexico in their first game at the four-nation invitational tournament tagged Revelation Cup on Thursday morning. Kiana Palacios scored the decisive goal for Mexico five minutes from time. “It’s learning process for us. It was an opportunity to try new things. New ideas and new tactics,” Waldrum said after the game. “We started the game strongly though they dominated the last 20 minutes…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he now has “more belief” that his side can win the title, despite their 3-1 defeat by Manchester City at Emirates Stadium. The loss sees City replace them at the top of the table on goal difference. “They still have it [the belief], I can sense it. They feel they can do it,” Arteta said. After beating Manchester United on 22 January, Arsenal were five points clear with a game in hand, but have taken just one point from nine since. In a predictably feisty encounter between the league’s top two sides, Kevin de Bruyne opened the…

Karim Adeyemi scored a brilliant solo goal to condemn Chelsea to defeat in their Champions League last 16 first-leg tie at Borussia Dortmund. The Premier League side rued missed chances as Joao Felix shot over from a good position and then hit the crossbar in the first half. Reece James also forced two fine saves out of Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel in the second half as the visitors grew in confidence against the hosts, who were themselves struggling to create many chances. But Chelsea were undone on the counter midway through the second period when Adeyemi broke from inside his…

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, approved the restoration of the old N200 notes as legal tender alongside the new notes. Buhari, who spoke concerning issues affecting Nigerians, empathised with Nigerians on the inconviniences they have faced so far as a result of the ongoing cash crunch. Buhari also said the policy became necessary to restore the power and control of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, over money being circulated in the country. Buhari ended his speech by admonishing electorates to stay off violence and actions capable of distorting the elections. He also wished for a successful general elections Full…

Rising from an emergency session and its first meeting this year, the National Economic Council (NEC) has endorsed “Nigeria Agenda 2050” designed to take the country through to Upper Middle-Income Country and subsequently to the status of High-Income countries. At the meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Agenda 2050 was presented by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to State Governors and other members of NEC, including federal ministers. Speaking after the presentation and discussion by the Council members, Prof. Osinbajo observed that the plan “captures a lot of the expectations for Nigeria in the…

South-West governors in the All Progressives Congress, former governors and ministers are expected to receive the APC party presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday. The Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Oyo State, Kehinde Olaosebikan, in a statement on Wednesday, said the rally will hold at the historic Mapo Hall. The presidential rally, which was earlier scheduled to hold on February 7, was rescheduled to Thursday in solidarity with the masses over new naira notes and fuel scarcity, the News Agency of Nigeria reported. According to Olaosebikan, the party presidential…