The United States Department of State has reaffirmed its commitment to combating child labor globally on World Day Against Child Labour. In a press statement, Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller highlighted the urgent need to protect children from hazardous work and criminal exploitation. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), an alarming 11% of the world’s children are engaged in work that poses risks to their health, development, and education. This includes work that is excessively demanding or dangerous. The US government is taking a multi-faceted approach to address this issue. US embassies worldwide contribute to the preparation of key reports,…
Author: Editor Francis
In a recent interview on Arise Television’s News programme, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, addressed criticisms from Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka. Soyinka had previously stated that Obi was unfit to govern Nigeria and accused him of inciting his supporters to attack and insult him, particularly online. When asked about Soyinka’s comments, Obi emphasized his respect for elder statesmen, saying, “I will not make any comment on that. Wole Soyinka is a father. I have a policy as a father: I don’t respond when my fathers talk. I leave it to them because when…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused influential Nigerian politicians of protecting former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who faces allegations of N80.2 billion fraud. The EFCC declared Bello wanted after he failed to respond to multiple invitations for questioning. Despite a botched attempt to arrest him and his repeated absences from court, Bello remains at large. The Nigerian Immigration Service has placed him on a watchlist. An EFCC official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed frustration over the situation, stating that the ex-governor is being shielded by the political system. “That politically-exposed Yahaya Bello, whose crime…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed disappointment over President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech, particularly his failure to announce a new minimum wage. Acting President of the NLC, Comrade Prince Adewale Adeyanju, responded to the speech, noting that while Tinubu accurately recounted parts of Nigeria’s democratic journey, he appeared misinformed about the progress of the wage negotiation process. The NLC had anticipated that the President would reconcile the two figures submitted by the Tripartite Committee in favour of workers, a gesture they deemed fitting for Democracy Day. Quoting President Tinubu, “As we continue to reform the economy, I shall…
In response to recent allegations, Russian authorities have firmly denied reports claiming that African students, particularly Nigerians, are being coerced into fighting in the ongoing war with Ukraine in exchange for visa extensions. The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has labelled these reports as fake news. Bloomberg had previously reported that Russia was allegedly sending thousands of migrants and foreign students, including Nigerians, to fight alongside its troops in exchange for visa renewals. In a statement released on Wednesday, June 12, the Russian Embassy declared that the claims are entirely unfounded. “The Embassy of the Russian Federation is compelled to emphasise…
In life, during our trying moments, we often talk about things that hold great importance to us. Every viewer loves a happy ending in a film—a conclusion that suggests a continuation of the characters’ stories . It’s not unreasonable to ask for this, as it makes viewers happy, and there’s nothing wrong with that. We often forget that actors are humans first, even before they take on the realities of their characters. Given this thematic preoccupation, it’s natural for them to get tired—after all, humans do. I’ve seen films that aren’t properly scripted or have a loose plot. Believe me,…
The Federal Government today unveiled the world’s largest painting on canvas at the 25th Anniversary of Democracy Day, held at Eagles Square in Abuja. The innovator behind the monumental artwork, Mr. Opeyemi Alaba, described it as a message of hope for Nigerians and the African continent. Created by a team of 37 painters representing Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, the painting symbolises unity and collaboration. Alaba revealed that the inspiration for the portrait came from iconic images of former U.S. President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth. Further details about this historic unveiling are expected shortly.
TEXT OF PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU’S NATIONAL BROADCAST ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNBROKEN DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA, DEMOCRACY DAY 12TH JUNE 2024. My fellow Nigerians, let me begin by congratulating all of us for witnessing the celebration of another Democracy Day today, the 12th day of June 2024. This year also marks our nation’s 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance. On this day, 31 years ago, we entered our rites of passage to becoming a true and enduring democratic society. Going through this passage was hard and dangerous. During the fateful six years that followed, we fought and struggled for our…
In a recent report titled “Value Added Tax (VAT) Q1 2024,” the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced a significant increase in Value Added Tax collections for the first quarter of 2024. VAT revenue rose to N1.43 trillion, marking a 19.21% growth compared to the N1.2 trillion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023. The report detailed the composition of VAT payments, with local VAT payments contributing N663.18 billion, foreign VAT payments accounting for N435.73 billion, and import VAT bringing in N332.01 billion. Sectoral analysis revealed that accommodation and food service activities experienced the highest growth rate on a quarter-on-quarter…
The Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a public alert regarding planned protests by certain individuals and groups scheduled for June 12, Democracy Day. Dr. Peter Afunanya, Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications at DSS National Headquarters in Abuja, made this announcement in a statement released late on Tuesday. The DSS revealed that the protests are intended to coincide with the Democracy Day celebrations and are designed with sinister objectives. While acknowledging citizens’ rights to assembly and expression, the DSS emphasized that such freedoms must not be used to compromise public safety and national security. The statement highlighted…
The naira appreciated for the second consecutive day in the foreign exchange market, driven by a surge in FX supply turnover. According to FMDQ data, the naira strengthened to N1,473.66 against the dollar on Tuesday, up from N1,483.62 on Monday. This marks a gain of N9.96. In the parallel market, the naira remained stable at N1,470 against the dollar on Tuesday, the same rate recorded on Monday. This positive trend coincides with a significant increase in foreign currency transactions, which soared to $385.91 million on Tuesday from $161.69 million the previous day. Recalled that the naira also appreciated against the…
President Bola Tinubu is set to deliver a nationwide address to Nigerians as part of the Democracy Day celebration. This announcement was made through a statement issued by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity. According to Ngelale, the President’s address will take place at 7 am on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. He urged television, radio, and other electronic media outlets to connect to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) to broadcast the address.