Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said they shortened the traditional Friday prayers until the end of the summer due to intense heat. In many countries, Muslims perform the Friday noon prayers, which include a religious sermon, in open-air arenas inside and outside the mosques. The UAE has directed all the preachers across the country to limit the Friday prayers to 10 minutes until early October to ensure the safety of worshippers. In Saudi Arabia, the presidency of Religious Affairs said that Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina are limited…
Author: Editor Francis
Governor Peter Mbah says gaming has enormous potential to drive and contribute meaningfully to the country’s economy and tourism industry. The governor disclosed this during the Enugu State Gaming Conference, which was held on Thursday at Amaedo Event Centre in Enugu. Mr Mbah said Enugu was eager to drive the innovation and regulatory process. The governor said the government keyed into the industry to boost its revenues and local economy. However, he urged the operators and investors in the gaming and lottery Industry to imbibe the spirit of innovation and creativity to provide consumers with excellent services. Mr Mbah advised…
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the release of results for candidates who participated in the supplementary Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This supplementary UTME was conducted on Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, 2024. Fabian Benjamin, the spokesperson for JAMB, stated that the supplementary examination was held for 28,835 candidates. These candidates were unable to be biometrically verified during the main 2024 UTME and thus could not take their examination. Benjamin provided instructions for candidates to check their results. He said, “To check their supplementary UTME results, candidates should send UTMERESULT to either 55019 or…
In a bid to improve the commuting experience in Lagos, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, has called for the collaboration of public transport bus operators. Giwa made this appeal during a meeting held on Thursday in Lagos, which included the Ministry of Transportation, the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority, and bus operators discussing the Bus Reform Initiative programme. The initiative aligns with the Strategic Transportation Master Plan for Lagos State and aims to restructure the current public transport system. Giwa highlighted the chaotic nature of existing bus operations, emphasising the urgent need for regulation…
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has expressed optimism that the new minimum wage will be implemented before the end of July. This assurance came from the union’s president, Festus Osifo, during a meeting with Onuh Edoka, Special Adviser on Labour Matters to the Kogi State Governor, and his delegation in Abuja. Osifo emphasised the importance of the National Tripartite Negotiation Committee, comprising the government and organised labour, reaching a consensus to ensure the bill receives prompt attention from President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly. He underscored the urgency of improving workers’ welfare amid the country’s economic challenges and rising…
At a recent National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the governors of Nigeria’s 36 states did not address the pressing issue of the minimum wage. This omission disappointed millions of Nigerians and members of organised labor, who had anticipated a resolution since the removal of the fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023, the day Tinubu assumed office, and the expiration of the N30,000 minimum wage set in 2019. The NEC meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima and attended by President Tinubu, raised hopes that the new minimum wage threshold would be settled. The 37-member Tripartite…
The Federal Government has dismissed three personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), including a Controller of Corrections, for various misconducts, including gross negligence of duty, absence without leave, trafficking in illicit items, general inefficiency, and falsification of results, among others. According to a statement by Abubakar Umar, the NCoS spokesperson, the decision aims to uphold high standards of discipline and professionalism within the service. However, the name of the dismissed Controller was not disclosed. Daily Trust reports that a letter issued by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) revealed that a total of 20 personnel…
The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the arraignment of Yahaya Bello, the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, to July 17, 2024. Bello is facing a 19-count charge, including money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to approximately N80.2 billion. These charges have been brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). During Thursday’s proceedings, Bello’s legal representative, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), requested to withdraw from representing Bello. Adedipe highlighted that an application had been submitted to the Chief Judge to transfer the case (charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024) to the Federal High Court…
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has affirmed that all petroleum imports, including diesel, meet current quality specifications, dismissing allegations of ‘dirty fuels’ entering the country. Following a meeting with oil marketers and local refinery operators in Abuja, Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure at NMDPRA, reassured the public that the regulator strictly ensures the quality of imported petroleum products. This statement comes in response to recent accusations by Dangote Refinery. Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), criticised the NMDPRA for granting import licences ‘indiscriminately’…
On Thursday, former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello requested that the Federal High Court in Abuja transfer his case to Kogi State. Bello is currently facing charges of alleged N82 billion in fraud brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Representing Bello, lawyer Adeola Adedipe argued that since the alleged offences occurred while Bello was serving as governor in Kogi, it would be appropriate for the case to be heard in that state. The case is currently being presided over by Justice Nwite. Further details are expected to follow.
The Debt Management Office (DMO) has clarified that Nigeria’s fresh borrowing in the first quarter of 2024 amounted to N7.71 trillion. This includes N2.81 trillion as part of the new domestic borrowing of N6.06 trillion outlined in the 2024 Appropriation Act, and N4.90 trillion as part of the securitization of the N7.3 trillion Ways and Means Advances approved by the National Assembly. In a statement titled “Explaining the Q1 2024 Public Debt Data,” the DMO explained that the N24.33 trillion increase in the total debt was due to a combination of fresh borrowing and naira devaluation. The exchange rate shifted…
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has approved the disbursement of student loans to successful applicants. This decision was made during NELFUND’s inaugural board meeting held on Wednesday. The board, chaired by Mr. Jim Ovia, marked this milestone with a decision to immediately release funds to students in need of financial support. This announcement was made in a statement released late Wednesday on NELFUND’s X account. The press release, titled “NELFUND Holds Inaugural Board Meeting as Student Loan Disbursement Tops Agenda,” was signed by Nasir Ayitogo, Head of Media and Public Relations. Attendees at the meeting included the fund’s management…