The Ondo State House of Assembly has issued a warning against violating the resolutions reached during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu and other stakeholders to address the political crisis in the state. The House, in its first plenary session since the meeting, disclosed that part of the resolutions involved the deputy governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, writing an undated resignation letter to be submitted to the President. During the plenary session, Speaker Olamide Oladiji revealed that the President appointed him, the Secretary of the Ondo State Government, Mrs. Oladunni Odu, and the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC),…
Author: Editor Francis
The Advisor, Non-communicable Diseases, Injuries and Mental Health for AfricaCDC, Dr Naeem Dalal, has stressed the need to stop cultural stereotypes that prevent African men from seeking emotional and mental wellness help. Dalal spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lusaka, Zambia, on the sideline of a parallel session on Youth Mental Health in Africa, at the International Conference on Public Health in Africa on Tuesday. The CPHIA, an annual event, is organised by the Africa Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention, with the 2023 edition being hosted by the Government of Zambia. According to Dalal, stopping cultural stereotypes…
The Minister for Power in Nigeria, Adebayo Adelabu, declared on Monday the imperative of ensuring that electricity generated is effectively supplied to end consumers. Speaking at a roundtable organized by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) in Abuja, Adelabu emphasized the need for the nation’s power sector to function efficiently, stating that the government is committed to making it work. Adelabu expressed dissatisfaction with the practice of increasing power generation without ensuring its delivery to consumers, stressing that the focus of his ministry is to ensure that all available electricity reaches customers. He highlighted the importance of addressing challenges…
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has unveiled its Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in 2023. In a tweet from its official account, ICPC outlined the purpose of the Scorecard, which evaluates MDAs’ compliance with ethics, integrity, statutes, policies, and regulations based on three key performance indicators: Management Culture and Structure (MCS), Financial Management Systems (FMS), and Administrative Systems (AS). The report highlighted the findings from the 2023 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard deployment. Notably, 26.36% (97 MDAs) did not conduct annual needs assessments in preparation for procurement, as required…
The World Economic Forum (WEF), in collaboration with Accenture, has revealed in its recent report, ‘The Net-Zero Industry Tracker 2023,’ that a substantial investment of $13.5 trillion is required to decarbonize challenging-to-abate industries and achieve the global net-zero target. The report assesses the progress of net-zero emissions in eight key industries, including steel, cement, aluminum, ammonia, oil and gas, aviation, shipping, and trucking, which collectively rely on fossil fuels for 90% of their energy demand. Roberto Bocca, Head of the Centre for Energy and Materials at the World Economic Forum, emphasized the crucial role of decarbonizing industrial and transport sectors,…
Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on both local and foreign investors to consider Nigeria as their preferred investment destination. Speaking during a meeting with the management of First Surat Group and top executives of MTN Nigeria at the presidential villa in Abuja, Shettima conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive. Vice President Shettima specifically urged MTN Nigeria to take a lead role in promoting digital mobile money and digital education, aligning with the government’s vision for technological advancements. He emphasized the willingness of the Tinubu administration to collaborate with diverse stakeholders…
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that the automation of passport applications in Nigeria is nearing completion, with 99% of the process done. In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Tunji-Ojo stated that the automated system is expected to go live next week. He emphasized that the new automated system will significantly streamline the passport application process, making it more convenient for applicants. With the automation, Nigerians will only need to visit an immigration center for biometrics, such as fingerprinting. Other steps, including uploading passport pictures and supporting documents, can be completed from the comfort of one’s…
The Senate has given its nod to the appointments made by President Bola Tinubu for the key positions within the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC). The approval encompasses the appointment of Professor Tunji Olaopa as the Chairman of the FCSC, along with a slate of 11 other distinguished individuals who will steer the course of the nation’s civil service, effective from November 30, 2023. President Tinubu, in an announcement made in October, designated Professor Tunji Olaopa to lead the FCSC, emphasizing the importance of a capable leadership team to guide the country’s civil service. The Senate has now ratified these…
Financial statements from leading telecom giants MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa reveal a significant upswing in the amount spent by Nigerian subscribers on airtime and data services. The figures show a robust 32.57% increase, reaching at least N2.59tn during the first nine months of 2023 compared to N1.95tn in the corresponding period of 2022. Airtel Africa attributes part of this surge to a rise in data subscriptions and the devaluation of the naira. In 2022, Airtel generated $1.41bn from airtime and data, equivalent to N647.71bn at the exchange rate of N461/$. However, in 2023, the company’s income from these sources…
The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has issued a seven-day contravention notice to owners of buildings on Orchid Road, Agungi, Ajiran, Conservation Road, Osapa all along the Ikota River. The Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adesina, made this known in an X post on Monday in Lagos. Adesina said Wahab made the declaration alongside the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, after an inspection tour of the Ikota River corridor. He added that the inspection tour was to ascertain the level of compliance by property…
USAID Administrator Samantha Power held talks Monday with Cindy McCain, head of the UN World Food Program, to discuss providing urgent humanitarian relief to Gaza during a temporary ceasefire. In the call, Power thanked WFP personnel in Gaza for “putting their lives at risk” to deliver food and assistance on the ground. She reaffirmed U.S. commitment to reach Palestinians impacted by recent violence. For her part, McCain updated Power on WFP operations in Gaza including challenges staff face in getting aid to those in need. The two discussed coordinating efforts between USAID and WFP to accelerate and expand assistance to…
In a statement from the White House on November 27, 2023, President Joe Biden expressed his deep engagement in sustaining a deal brokered through extensive U.S. mediation and diplomacy, ensuring positive outcomes. Over 50 hostages, including young children and mothers, have been released, among them Abigail, a four-year-old American girl held captive by Hamas terrorists since October 7th. President Biden assured ongoing support for Abigail’s recovery. The humanitarian pause facilitated increased humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, with the United States leading these efforts. ‘The humanitarian pause has also enabled a significant surge in additional humanitarian assistance to the innocent…