In a bold move that underscores growing tensions between political and labour spheres, the Labour Party has demanded the resignation of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, urging him to vie for the chairmanship position within the party. The call comes in response to a letter penned by the NLC Political Commission, advocating for the suspension of the impending convention of the Labour Party scheduled to take place in Umuahia, Abia State. According to a statement released on Saturday by the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party remained resolute in proceeding with its planned convention, citing…
Author: Editor Francis
MainOne, a leading provider of submarine cable systems, has revealed that the repair process for its damaged submarine cable may take up to five weeks. The company disclosed this in a statement on Friday following a fault experienced on its network on Thursday. Preliminary investigations conducted by the company have attributed the fault to an external incident, resulting in a cut along the West African coast, offshore Cote D’Ivoire, in the Atlantic Ocean. The outage had significant negative impacts, particularly on Nigerian banks, as MainOne serves as a prominent internet provider for some of them. The disruption left numerous major…
President Bola Tinubu has officially appointed Mrs. Zubaida Umar as the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Umar takes over from Mustapha Ahmed, who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2021. The Presidency, through a statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Tinubu, emphasized that Umar’s appointment underscores the President’s commitment to gender inclusivity. Umar brings with her over two decades of experience in Human Resources, Finance, and Administration. A member of esteemed professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Bankers and the Institute of Credit Administration, Umar…
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faced criticism from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for urging Senate President Godswill Akpabio to step down amidst allegations of budget padding. The PDP’s call was met with disdain from the APC, with the party’s national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, labeling the PDP as a “meddlesome interloper.” Morka further accused the PDP of lacking focus and purpose, stating that the party was hasty in its judgment without considering facts and due process. He dismissed the PDP’s allegations against the Senate, emphasizing that the Senate followed transparent procedures in addressing internal matters, such…
Ondo State Government has approved the recruitment of 2000 teachers into the state civil service as part of its efforts to reposition the education sector. The state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, made this known on Friday at the inauguration of late Rosa Jane Pelly legacy project at Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School, Akure. Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Olayide Adelami, said his administration would continue to prioritise education. “I am glad to say that the state government’s huge investment in the education sector is yielding positive results as our students are doing well on all fronts. “It is a…
According to the latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria experienced a surge in inflation, with the rate rising to 31.70% in February from 29.90% recorded in January 2024. This represents a notable increase of 1.80%, indicating a faster pace of price growth compared to the previous month. On an annual basis, February 2024’s inflation rate was 9.79% higher than that of February 2023, reaching 31.70%. Additionally, the month-on-month headline inflation rate for February 2024 stood at 3.12%, marking a 0.48% increase from January 2024. Despite efforts by the Central Bank to curb inflation through a…
The U.S. Department of State has revealed its selection of four esteemed scientists to spearhead the 2024 cohort of U.S. Science Envoys. Dr. Rumman Chowdhury, Dr. Stephanie “Steffi” Diem, Dr. Sian Proctor, and Dr. Dawn Wright stand at the forefront of this groundbreaking initiative, marking the first all-female cohort in the program’s history. Established by the Secretary of State in 2010, the U.S. Science Envoy Program harnesses the expertise and global networks of eminent U.S. scientists and engineers to foster international collaboration on pressing challenges, champion innovation, and showcase America’s leadership in science and technology. This year’s cohort boasts a…
At the United Nations Security Council debate on empowering women and youth in peacebuilding, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield emphasized the critical role of gender equality in achieving global peace and stability. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield began by extending gratitude to Japan for hosting the open debate and acknowledging Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo and Ambassador Danese for their valuable insights. She also commended civil society representatives Dr. Williams and Ms. Bhagwan Rolls for their contributions. Highlighting the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield underscored the importance of peace as the linchpin for advancing gender equity and securing fundamental freedoms…
In an official statement released on Thursday, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), confirmed widespread internet outages affecting several African internet service providers due to submarine cable cuts. Signed by Reuben Muoka, the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, the statement highlighted the impact on operators such as the West African Cable System, African Coast to Europe, SAT3, and MainOne. The disruptions were attributed to incidents in Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal, with subsequent effects extending to Portugal. The NCC noted similar challenges along other undersea cable routes, including Seacom, Europe India Gateway, and Asia-Africa-Europe 1, which also experienced cuts, particularly around…
The late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, who passed away at the age of 81 on Thursday evening at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, will be laid to rest today, Friday, March 15, 2024, at his ancestral home in Aliiwo, Ibadan, Oyo State capital. The burial arrangements, according to Islamic rites, were announced by the monarch’s younger brother, Kola Balogun, who is also the Baba-Kekere Olubadan. The burial ceremony is scheduled to commence at 4pm today. While the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has been verbally informed, formal notification will be made early this morning. Oba Balogun,…
The revered Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, has passed away at the age of 81. The demise of the monarch was confirmed in an official statement released by the Chief Press Secretary, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on Thursday. Oba Balogun breathed his last on Thursday evening at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. The late Olubadan, who spent two years on the throne of his forefathers, was presented with the Staff of Office by the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, on March 11, 2022. Governor Makinde expressed profound grief over the passing of the monarch, describing him as…
The House of Representatives has passed the Student Loans Re-enactment Bill for the second reading on Thursday, ushering in a significant stride towards reshaping the landscape of higher education financing in Nigeria. The bill, presented under the executive title “A Bill for an Act to repeal the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2023 and Enact the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Bill, 2004,” aims to establish the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as a pivotal entity to administer funds for the provision of loans to Nigerian students for higher education, vocational training, and skills acquisition. The floor of…