Guus Hiddink has expressed his sadness that John Terry is set to be denied a proper Chelsea send-off after his red card at Sunderland. The former England defender, who has been tipped to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer, will serve a two-match suspension after collecting two late yellow cards in the dramatic 3-2 Premier League defeat at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. That means the 35-year-old Chelsea great will miss the midweek trip to Liverpool, and the final day visit of Premier League champions Leicester City, bringing an abrupt end to a near two-decade career at the London…
Author: David Folami
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the economy will be reflated with the 2016 budget. The minister made the promise on Friday in Lagos when he paid a working visit to the headquarters of the Guardian Newspapers. NAN reports the minister was received by the Executive Director of the Newspaper, Toke Ibru, the Editor-in-Chief, Emeka Izeze and other senior members of staff. Mohammed said that with the signing of the budget, the economy would be reflated by increasing aggregate demand, increasing money supply and job opportunities Mohammed said that against the N13 billion earmarked for roads…
Nigeria President, Muhammed Buhari has boasted about his government saying it’s like no other government in the history of the Nation. While noting that Nigeria is experiencing probably the toughest economic times in its history, Buhari acknowledged the sacrifice and resilience of Nigerians whose confidence of a great future remains his strength. In his words at the signing of the 2016 budget, the president said, “Permit me to say that this government is also like none other.” Continuing, he said, ‘We are absolutely committed to changing the structure of the Nigerian economy once and for all. We are working night…
Ex-minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has said that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration created 10,000. According to Daily Post, Okonjo-Iweala made this revelation while speaking at a forum of Finance Ministers across the world. She further said the over 10,000 jobs were created through a special entrepreneurship programme for Nigerian women. “We developed a program for women entrepreneurs. A World Bank team supported us, and again we achieved spectacular results. We used a portion of the budget to incentivize young entrepreneurs, 40 and younger, who would register their businesses, get peer learning and mentoring, and a grant if they won…
Nigerians will like to know if the N80 billion Calabar – Lagos rail project is included in the 2016 budget recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari. An Elder Statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, Leader of the Northern Elders Council, stated this on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. He also expressed happiness that controversies generated by the passage of the budget had finally been resolved. “I think everybody in the country is happy that at long last the budget has been passed and all controversies about it had been put to rest.…
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has assured the populace of an increased power supply. According to a report by Punch Newspaper, Fashola noted that with the new roadmap designed by his ministry, the assurance is guaranteed. Speaking at an event in Lagos recently, Fashola said that every megawatt of electricity supply is harnessed and made available to the people in more quantity. In his words, “I believe we must depart from the routes we had previously travelled if we must overcome the electricity challenge and I am optimistic that we can. ‘In charting the roadmap for change,…
The Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr Kola Oluwawole, has urged civil servants in the state to exercise patience, saying relief will soon come their way. Oluwawole, in a Workers’ Day celebration message issued in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday by his Media Aide, Mr Stephen Gbadamosi, lauded the resilience of workers across the nation in the face of dwindling revenue. “I particularly want to praise the resilience of our workforce and the entire citizens of Ekiti State in particular and Nigeria in general. “The resilience and perseverance during the months of economic recession has been legendary and unprecedented. “But I…
The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has attacked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over the detention of ex-President Jonathan’s aide, Warimopei Dudafa. In a report by Daily Post, Fayose claimed that the EFCC is been used by the All Progressive Congress led government to witch-hunt members of the Peoples Democratic Party and office holders in the past administration. “EFCC under President Mohammadu Buhari is acting as if it is above the law and Nigerians and the international community must remind the commission that we are in a democracy where rule of law is sacrosanct,” Fayose reportedly said.…
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Plateau has convicted 62 motorists of various traffic offences in Jos. The Public Education Officer of the commission in the state, Mr Andrew Bala, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday that the offenders were arrested during a mobile court proceedings carried out by its officers and men on May 7. He said the exercise took place on some highways within Jos-Bukuru metropolis. According to him, mobile court has become a veritable tool that the corps uses to curtail the many anomalies on highways to reduce road traffic crashes. “Our men…
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has paid the sum of N69.544 billion into the Federation Account in March. This is contained in the corporation’s monthly financial report for March released in Abuja. It said that amount had brought the total amount paid to the Federation Account for Domestic Crude Oil and Gas and other receipts from April 2015 to March 2016 to N1.118 trillion. It added that NNPC also recorded N107.826 billion revenue in the month of March against N104.804 in February. It said that the revenue rose marginally by 2.88 per cent, adding that the expenses of the…
President Muhammadu Buhari is bent on crushing Niger Delta vandals that are currently been spearheaded by a new militant group identified as the Niger Delta Avengers. According to a report by Punch Newspaper, the renewed order was given to the military to nip the activities of the ‘economic terrorists’ in the bud before escalating. It was further reported that the renewed order is coming following the group’s attack on Chevron’s platform in Warri, Delta State, on Thursday, May 5, 2016 and its blowing up of pipelines linking Warri and Kaduna refineries on Friday, May 6, 2016. ALSO READ: VP says…
Pep Guardiola is bemused by the dressing-room ‘mole’ at Bayern Munich but says it is a problem for the club to resolve. A report in Bild this week carried claims Guardiola, speaking after the Champions League semi-final exit to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, was furious his medical staff could not bring about the kind of quick recovery from injury that saw Diego Godin start for Diego Simeone’s side. The leak is the latest in a string of claims from an unnamed source in the Bayern camp. There were allegations earlier this season Guardiola had lost patience with some first-team stars…
Jurgen Klopp said there is no big secret to Liverpool’s turnaround in fortunes since his arrival at Anfield as they prepare for the Europa League final. Instead, Klopp said hard work and renewed belief is all it has taken to put Liverpool back in contention for silverware. Liverpool remain inconsistent in the Premier League but are back in a European final after defeating Villarreal in the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday. A win in the final against Sevilla would see Liverpool return to the Champions League – despite sitting in eighth place in the league. Klopp said he always enjoyed…
Manchester United maintained their push for a Champions League place after a Juan Mata goal on Saturday pushed Norwich City to the brink of relegation. The Spanish international midfielder again showed his taste for tormenting the Canaries as he scored his fifth goal against them with his 72nd-minute winner. Cameron Jerome had Norwich’s best chance with a header only to be denied by the excellent David de Gea but a mistake from Sebastien Bassong allowed Wayne Rooney to burst through and find Mata, who provided an excellent left-foot finish. In a game of few chances and little excitement, United were…
Zinedine Zidane is hoping Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo will play in their last two La Liga games in order to reach the Champions League final in peak condition. Benzema missed Wednesday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City which secured Madrid’s place in the Milan final against rivals Atletico, while Ronaldo played having sat out the first leg with a thigh injury. But Zidane suggested both will be available to face Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. He said: “Benzema will be with us, he is ready to play. “I am not sure how [whether he starts or is on…
Premier League champions Leicester City beat Everton 3-1 at the King Power Stadium on Saturday as a Jamie Vardy double completed a perfect coronation for Claudio Ranieri’s miracle men. The 5,000-1 pre-season outsiders were given a guard of honour by Everton and serenaded by opera singer Andrea Bocelli during emotional pre-match celebrations, having clinched the title for the first time in their 132-year history on Monday when closest rivals Tottenham Hotspur were held 2-2 by Chelsea. Vardy converted Andy King’s cross in the fifth minute before King added a second in the 33rd. England striker Vardy then bagged a 65th-minute…
Bayern Munich secured a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title, with a game to spare, on Saturday after a 2-1 victory at Ingolstadt 04 eased the disappointment of their midweek Champions League exit. The Bavarians clinched a 26th German league crown, and their first silverware of the season, thanks to two goals from top scorer Robert Lewandowski in the first half. Four days after their away-goals defeat by Atletico Madrid ensured a third consecutive Champions League semi-final exit, Bayern went eight points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund who lost 1-0 at struggling Eintracht Frankfurt. “A big compliment to everyone in the…
Manchester City and Belgium captain Vincent Kompany has confirmed he will miss Euro 2016 due to the injury he sustained in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid. The 30-year-old centre-back, who has missed large parts of the season through injury, limped off just 10 minutes into City’s 1-0 defeat at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday with a suspected groin problem. And he has now confirmed he will miss the European Championships in France, in a big blow to Belgium’s hopes. In a statement on his official Facebook page, Kompany said: “I’ll miss the Euros. To me…
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has urged his players to stick around for next season after helping the club to a remarkable English Premier League triumph. The likes of Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante have become household names over the last season as Leicester defied odds of 5,000-1 to become English champions for the first time. Their elevated profile has already led to speculation that they could be snapped up by soccer’s more traditional powers over the close season but Ranieri urged them to stay on for Leicester’s maiden Champions League campaign. “If they are intelligent, they stay with us…
Louis van Gaal is targeting two more victories in his Manchester United side’s final Premier League games of the season as they continue their quest for a Champions League spot. Juan Mata’s second-half goal against second-from-bottom Norwich City secured a 1-0 win at Carrow Road on Saturday that left United fifth in the Premier League and one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City who host Arsenal on Sunday. Anything other than victory for City would put United’s bid for a top-four finish in their own hands. FA Cup finalists United head to West Ham on Tuesday before completing their league season…