Babatunde Fashola has said overloading of trucks is against road safety rules and regulations and constitutes barrier to prosperity and national development. “Why the temptation to overload trucks against regulation and good practice may be appealing, it is ultimately a barrier to prosperity. “Such practices may provide cheap and perhaps corrupt riches and income in the short term but they do more damage to our roads for which the cheap income is made. “Those who engage in it prosper at the expense of others, this means that in the short run, the road is lost and the opportunities it offers…
Author: David Folami
Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state has said that the economy of Nigeria has become worse under the All Progressives Congress (APC) government. The Governor said that the Buhari’s administration does not have any solution to the challenges facing Nigeria. He said “People that voted Buhari must seek repentance. People thought he was coming to make a difference but he has caused more economic hardship. We are being ruled by fiat. Unemployment is second to none. The Transparency International said corruption had become worse among Nigerians.” Speaking on the upcoming Ekiti governorship election, the Governor advised the people of Ekiti to…
Senator Dino Melaye has lashed out at the allegations that he armed and paid a criminal gang to work for him ahead of the 2019 elections. The police recently said it arrested two suspects with arms in who confessed that they were working for Melaye. A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer Mr. Jimoh Moshood, said the suspects also confessed to the roles they played in kidnappings and armed robbery in different towns across the state. The police spokesman said, “According to the gang leader Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama “31 YRS”, he has been working as a political thug…
Yemi Osinbajo has revisited the alleged massive corruption that characterized the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan. He accused Jonathan and his cronies of sharing N150 billion two weeks before the 2015 election. Osinbajo disclosed this during the 7th presidential quarterly business forum for private sector stakeholders which held at the old banquet hall of the presidential villa, Abuja. Osinbajo said, “In one single transaction, a few weeks to the 2015 elections, sums of N100billion and $295million were just frittered away by a few. “Nobody should talk about the economy when you have this kind of huge leakages and huge…
The Federal Government has said it is committed to employing and empowering the indigenous artisans to boost national economy. Babatunde Fashola made this known recently. “Government is committed to infrastructure because it wants to grow the economy and create opportunities for prosperity. “And no economy can grow bigger than the size of this infrastructure. “But between the period when government commits to infrastructure and when the infrastructure is finally delivered and able to render service that helps the economy, there are so many intervening considerations that happen.’’ He said that people could get employed on the high way of construction,…
Paul Pogba “cannot be happy” with his current happenings at Manchester United, according to France boss Didier Deschamps. Deschamps said: “This is a situation that he must not appreciate because of everything he would have been able to offer. There must be numerous reasons. “He cannot be happy with what he is going through with his club.” Pogba returned to United from Juventus for £89million in 2016 and won the Europa League and League Cup last season. Deschamps added: “It’s not specific to Paul. It can happen elsewhere that a player is a bit down or is going through a…
Antonio Conte hailed Chelsea’s character to overcome Leicester City in extra time to reach the FA Cup semifinals, but insisted that they will not enjoy an easy path to the final against Southampton. “We must be pleased for the character we showed in this game against a really good team,” Conte said. “Don’t forget, in the last game at home [in the Premier League] we suffered a lot against Leicester. They’re a really good team with great players and great talent. “After a game in the Champions League, it wasn’t easy for us to play 120 minutes in this way.…
Mohamed Salah has said he is flattered to have been compared with Lionel Messi. The 25-year-old has now scored 28 league goals, more than any other player across Europe’s top five leagues. And asked whether it was appropriate to put Messi and Salah in the same bracket as two of the best players in the world, manager Jurgen Klopp told a news conference: “Yeah, I think Mo is on the way. That’s good.” Salah said he was delighted by the comparison but added that he would not reveal his personal aims for the season. “Of course, when you are compared…
Georginio Wijnaldum has said that Mohamed Salah is in a three-way battle with Kevin De Bruyne and Harry Kane to be crowned Footballer of the Year. But players cannot vote for their teammates in the PFA award and, speaking before Liverpool played Watford at Anfield, Wijnaldum said: “I haven’t voted yet but, if I had to choose, I would probably vote for De Bruyne or Kane. “Mo Salah has had a wonderful year, the same with Kevin De Bruyne. Mo has scored a lot of goals, De Bruyne has scored a lot of goals and given a lot of assists.…
Zinedine Zidane praised Cristiano Ronaldo’s “unique ambition” after the Galactico’s latest four-goal haul in Sunday’s 6-3 La Liga win at home to Girona. He told the postgame news conference that the 33-year-old’s “positive energy” was good for him personally but also rubbed off on his teammates. “[Ronaldo] is very important for us,” Zidane said. “He transmits a very important, very positive energy for the rest of the group. “On a personal level he has 22 goals, three behind Messi, so I hope [that goes well] for him, as when he is good, the team is good. “He knows himself very…
Manchester United’s Paul Pogba has said he would love to play alongside Neymar one day. In an interview with La Liga’s website two years ago, Neymar sung Pogba’s praises and stated an ambition to play in the same side as the Frenchman. “I remember [what he said]. I really like him, too,” Pogba told the Argentine TV channel. “He is truly the definition of joy on the pitch. He also has this. “I know that in Brazil, football is everything. It’s life. Everyone plays football in Brazil. When I see him play on the pitch and enjoying himself, with his…
Arsenal and Real Madrid will stage two legends matches this year, with former club greats getting together to raise money for charity. Arsenal said their side for the games is expected to include former “Invincibles” Robert Pires, Sol Campbell, Freddie Ljungberg, Gilberto Silva and Lauren, with Tomas Rosicky also set to play. Madrid’s team will include greats like Raul Gonzalez, Roberto Carlos and Xabi Alonso. Arsenal staged their inaugural legends match against an AC Milan side at the Emirates in 2016, which helped raise £1 million for the Arsenal Foundation. “This double-header against Real Madrid will help us use football…
Lionel Messi has suggested he won’t get another chance if Argentina fail to win the World Cup in Russia this summer. Messi and his teammates have had a strained relationship with the Argentine media, feeling unfairly criticised, and he told La Cornisa TV: “It’s just the feeling that this group of players has. It seems that having reached three straight finals didn’t mean anything. Obviously, we depend on results and unfortunately, we reached three finals and we didn’t win them. “A lot was said about us. The criticisms hurt back then. But the demand is going to be there for…
Mohamed Salah wants his feats in the Premier League to serve as inspiration for his fellow countrymen. Salah, who had stints at Fiorentina, Chelsea and FC Basel before his time with the Giallorossi, says that it has been a hard road to get to the upper echelon of world football — and hopes he can be the first of many Egyptians to make the journey. “It was difficult for us — for any Egyptian player — to be at that level and continue playing that level for many years,” Salah said. “I knew from the first day I went to…
Liverpool’s club-record signing Virgil van Dijk insists he still has improvements to make despite making an immediate impact on his side’s defence. Asked whether the settling in period had been easier than anticipated, he said: “Quicker than I might have thought? I don’t know. Obviously you come here with expectations and you want to play as soon as possible and as much as possible this season and be as fit as possible and quick as possible. “Now I’m getting better and better and the understanding with all of the players is getting much better. I’m just playing my game and…
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Chinese President Xi Jinping on his re-election as the President of the Peoples Republic of China. Buhari praised his Chinese counterpart for his wisdom and vision, in a congratulatory letter, `personally signed’ by the President. “On behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I congratulate you most sincerely on your re-election as the President of the Peoples Republic of China. “Your re-election is an indication of the trust and confidence reposed in you by the people of China on your ability to bring your vision and wisdom to bear…
Muhammad Sanusi II has said he earned his position as a monarch, noting that his outstanding work and rise in the banking sector was a precursor to the throne. On his ascension to the throne, Sanusi said: “It was what I’ve always wanted to be. As a Muslim, we believe that God decides who will be emir, then He creates a situation such that circumstances conspire to lead to that predetermined result. “It’s not for me to say but the kingmakers look at a number of qualities. I spent my life as a successful banker. I taught economics at the…
A group, Free Rivers Development Initiative, has accused Governor Nyesome Wike of arming cultists in Rivers state under the Neighbourhood Safety Corps. Addressing journalists in Abuja at the weekend, President of the group Ngerebala Sampson said there are about 200,000 cults and militia and armed groups in the state. Ngerebala noted that arming the youths under the guards of vigilante group was an attempt to create a private militia for political purpose. His words: “You all know that before, during and after the 2015 general elections, Rivers State experience unprecedented number of political assassinations, were members of our party were…
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State recently said that the combination of the experience of political elders and the innovative ideas of youth was crucial to achieving good governance and sustainable development in the country. Ambode said this at the second edition of Bola Tinubu Youth Summit in Lagos. He stated that the summit was apt especially with the clamour for increased participation of youths in governance and the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill that was fast gaining ground at the National Assembly. “I urge youths in the country to be steadfast and continue to demonstrate good character in their quest to make…
The professionalism and determination of ‘Operation Deep Punch 2’ led to the fall of Sambisa Forest in the North East part of the country. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said this at the 2018 West Africa Social Activities (WASA) programme which ended late on Saturday in Apapa, Lagos. He explained that it was usually organised to mark the end of a training year and the beginning of another. “Various field training exercises such as ‘Shirin Harbi,’ ‘Harbin Kunama 2’ and ‘Crocodile Smile 2’ were successfully conducted in all parts of the country in 2017. “The climax…