Author: Alaba Rotimi

A Trustee of Shippers Association Lagos State, Mr Odolo Nicodemus, has advised Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and other government agencies at ports to jointly inspect cargoes to reduce time of doing business. Nicodemus gave the advice in an interview with NAN on the sidelines of a one-day Sensitisation Workshop titled : “SON ACT 2015 and Ease of Doing Business,’’ in Lagos on Wednesday. “SON told operators that all its documentation will be online. So if SON’s documentation is done on line, why can’t other government operators adopt the SON electronic system? “After getting permit for Standards Organisation of Nigeria…

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Managing Director, Nsima Udo Ekere, said the agency had revoked more than 600 contracts and projects as part of efforts to restructure the commission. Ekere told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday that the commission’s management and board took the decision to adopt a ‘4R’ initiative as roadmap to development. According to him, the commission’s 4R initiative is restructuring the balance sheet, reforming governance protocols, restoring core mandate and reaffirming commitment to doing what is right and proper. Ekere, who said that the commission’s balance sheet was over bloated with contingent liabilities in excess…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had said resolving the Etisalat debt issue is an incentive to attract the two billion dollars Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) expected from Mubadala of United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said this in a statement by Mr Tony Ojobo, the Director, Public Affairs of the commission in Abuja on Wednesday. The EVC was speaking when he received, Mr Boye Olusanya, the Chief Executive and the Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs, Mr Ibrahim Dikko of 9Mobile in his office in Abuja. “Resolving the issue was partly to forestall any form…

The National Industrial Court, Abuja, has ordered the striking Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), to unblock the premises of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja. In a ruling in Abuja on Wednesday, Justice Maureen Esowe held that the unblocking of the premises by the union would enable the applicant (CAC), take actions that would stop the strike. The union had on July 17 embarked on a warning strike over alleged non- payment of salary arrears. The union blocked the premises of the CAC preventing top management of the CAC from accessing their…

Troops of the Nigerian Army had rescued all the 10 NNPC staff kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Borno on Tuesday. But the effort came with a huge price for the Nigerian military. Nine soldiers  and a civilian died in the confrontation with the abductors. The Director Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, who made this known in a statement on Wednesday, also said that the bodies of an officer, eight soldiers and a civilian, who died in the incident had been recovered. Usman said the bodies had been evacuated to 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital. Suspected Boko Haram terrorists ambushed…

President Muhammadu Buhari who is fast recovering from him ailment, beaming with smiles and life, has received in audience seven Nigerian governors who left Nigeria Tuesday night to visit him in London, where he has been recuperating since 8 May. The governors were led by Governor Abdulaziz Yari, chairman of the Governors Forum. The six other governors are: Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, Udom Emmanuel, (Akwa Ibom), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Abdullahi Ganduja (Kano) and Samuel Ortom, Benue State and Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state. It was the second goodwill visit by Nigerian political leaders. President Buhari had on Sunday in…

A top advisor to Pope Francis, Cardinal George Pell, has denied all charges of historical sexual abuse at his first appearance today in an Australian court. The 76-year-old, the number-three figure in the Vatican as the finance chief, returned from Rome earlier this month to face the charges in Melbourne Magistrates Court. Details of the charges have not been made public although police said they involved “multiple complainants”. The former Sydney and Melbourne archbishop has always maintained his innocence. Looking sombre and frail, he attended the hearing with his lawyer, top criminal barrister Robert Richter, who told the court his…

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, has advised governors in the country to stop pilfering from the public treasury with the aim of accumulating wealth. Instead, he urged them to focus on enhancing the well-being of the masses. The governor gave the advice on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2017 graduation of Internally Displaced Girls under the Organisation of Female Students Scholarship Scheme. The 73 graduating girls were sponsored by the Girl Child Concern (GCC), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in collaboration with the Borno Government, and were selected in from secondary schools in five Northern states. ´´The most important yard…

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the establishment of a Digital Literacy Council of Nigeria, the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, has said. Shittu said on Tuesday in Lagos at the 2017 Digital Citizenship Summit Nigeria, that the Council was for the development of a National Policy on digital literacy. According to him, through the National Policy, appropriate digital literacy guidelines and standards in Nigeria will be promoted. ”The Council is expected to develop a National Digital Literacy Policy and Strategic Action Plan for the implementation of this initiative, as well as identify and harness opportunities for partnerships. ”This…

Vice-Chancellor of Veritas University, Abuja, Prof. Michael Kwanashie on Tuesday urged Nigerians to stop blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for the current economic recession in the country. He made the remark while speaking as lead paper presenter at a One-Day seminar on “The Viability of Federal Government Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017-2020 held at the main campus, Samaru, Zaria. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seminar, which was organised by Institute for Development Research and Training (IDR) was held at ABU main campus, Samaru, Zaria. “Let me emphasis that President Buhari did not bring suffering to…

Indications are pointing the direction that China could engage North Korea following series of missile tests by Pyongyang and the refusal of its leader Kim Jong-un to stop actions capable of endangering peace in the Korean Peninsula. Subsequently, the Chinese military has reportedly been building up defenses along its border with North Korea that coincide with warnings by President Trump that he is considering military action over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons push. The Wall Street Journal, citing a review of official military and government websites and interviews with experts, reported that Beijing has built bunkers to protect against nuclear blasts, established…

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has approved special promotion of 6,199 soldiers serving in Operation Lafiya Dole, to various ranks. The Director Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, who made the announcement in a statement, said Buratai gave the approval on Tuesday. Usman gave the breakdown of the beneficiaries as follows: Staff Sergeants to Warrant Officers, 329 soldiers, Sergeants to Staff Sergeants, 371 soldiers, Corporals to Sergeants 707 soldiers. Others are Lance Corporals to Corporals, 1,290 soldiers; Privates to Lance Corporals, 3,502 soldiers. The army spokesman quoted Buratai as congratulating the newly promoted soldiers and urged them…

Nigeria’s Acting President Yemi Osinbajo will on Thursday, July 27, 2017 inaugurate the world-class fertilizer plant built by Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, a programme obtained by NAN indicates. The petrochemicals complex was originally fully-owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria and commissioned in 1996 but was never properly managed as at no time did the company operate to its potential. According to the programme, the plant which has capacity for 1.5 million Metric Tons of Urea fertilizer is the world’s largest single-train Urea plant, and one of the ambitious green field projects of Indorama…

The Accountant General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris said on Tuesday that the federal, state and local governments shared a total of N652 billion in July, 2017. He said this in Abuja, after chairing the monthly meeting of Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC). He added that the figure comprised of both mineral and non-mineral revenue. He said that the gross statutory revenue of N570.5 billion received for the month of June was more than the N317.5 billion in the previous month by N253 billion. Idris said the gross revenue available from Value Added Tax (VAT) was N81.6 billion as…

The Federal Government has reiterated commitment to end kidnapping and armed robbery on the expressway. The incessant cases of criminal activities in Abuja-Kaduna road is becoming more unbearable. The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, said on Tuesday in Kaduna that the government was concerned about the frequent cases of kidnapping on the road. “I came in here in company of the representatives of the Inspector-General of Police and the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (Corps) for a fact-finding mission. “That has to do with kidnapping along Kaduna-Abuja road which has been occurring frequently and Government…

shots at Iranian vessel A United States (U.S) Naval ship fired warning shots at an Iranian vessel that came too close to the U.S. craft during a military exercise in the Gulf on Tuesday. An Iranian vessel came within 137 metres of the U.S. patrol ship USS Thunderbolt and failed to respond to radio warnings, prompting the U.S. crew to fire warning flares and a danger signal on its whistle, the U.S. military said. When the Iranians still did not respond, the Thunderbolt fired warning shots in front of the Iranian vessel, which then stopped, U.S. Central Command Naval Forces…

Alarm has been raised the Federal Government over an orchestrated plot to discredit the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC), and by extension the government’s anti-corruption efforts, using ‘419ers’ and their ilk. In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the PACAC’s letter head and stamp as well as the signature of its Chairman are being forged and used to con people within and outside the country. In a particular instance, a letter purportedly signed by the PACAC Chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay, entitled ”Presidential Investigation on Outstanding Federal Government External…

The Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu disclosed that the Federal Government stepped in to intervene in the crisis currently faced by Etisalat to save the Nigerian employees as well as the subscribers. The Minister stated this in his Office yesterday when the Etisalat now 9Mobile network provider Management team paid him a courtesy visit. Shittu congratulated the new management team of the company and tasked them to work hard to revive the company back and get it out of debt. He added that even though the company was privately owned it would be an embarrassment to the Federal Government…

Following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, the ongoing industrial action by the Corporate Affairs Commission has been apprehended for full conciliation. Hence, all the members of staff of the Commission are to report for work tomorrow, Wednesday, July 26, 2017, by 8 o’clock in the morning. A statement by the Deputy Director Press in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowookere said the Minister waded into the matter in exercise of powers conferred on him by the Trade Union Dispute Act of the Federation (LFN 2004) in order to ensure that the…

The Central African Republic (CAR) has requested Nigeria to intervene in the United Nations (UN) embargo placed on the country on procurement of military equipment. The request was made when the CAR Minister of National Defence Mr Joseph Yakete led a high powered delegation to the Ministry of Defence. Among other things, the minister solicited for Nigeria assistance to train its Armed Forces which is currently being reorganised. Mr Yakete also want Nigeria to consider investing in CAR agricultural and mineral sectors which he said are 95 percent under utilised. The Minister described Nigeria as a shining example to the…