The U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, has expressed his country’s readiness to collaborate with Nigeria in the fight against terrorism. Mr. Entwistle made this known in Jos during a courtesy visit to Plateau Governor, Jonah Jang in his office recently. The American envoy said, the United States have a strong relationship with Nigeria, pointing out that Nigeria is her most important partner in Africa. He emphasized that the American government will also partner with Nigeria on health and education sectors in order to promote development. According to him, he had mapped out strategies towards a peace dialogue between…
Author: FRN News
Many delegates at the ongoing national conference have thrown their weight behind the restructuring of Nigeria; devolve powers to the component units with a view to enthroning fiscal federalism in the country. They are also unanimous in demanding a return to regionalism based on the existing geo-political zones; which according to them, will speed up development by allowing each region to develop at its own pace.Prominent among advocates of restructuring were: the former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba; former People Democratic Party (PDP)’s National Publicity Secretary, Senator Anietie Okon; Prof. Akin Oyebode; Human Rights Lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome…
A delegate at the ongoing National Conference, Atedo Peterside has listed six mistakes, he believes led to the stunted growth and development of Nigeria.According to Peterside, some of the mistakes by the nation’s leadership include: the inability of political leaders to rein in their followers; the 1966 Military coup; deceit by well-meaning Nigerians after the coup; introducing religion into politics; lack of application of well-established corporate governance rules to solve those problems; and the enthronement of injustice and perverse incentives.Atedo Peterside said, “Some mentioned that the first mistake was in 1965. What was the mistake of 1965? It was because…
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the response agencies has carried out the herculean task of evacuating victims of the early Monday, 14th April, 2014 blasts at the Nyanyan Motor park to various hospitals in Abuja and the environs. Further to the evacuation and to ensure adequate care for the injured, the Director General, Mohammed Sani Sidi immediately visited some of the hospitals. Meanwhile, the Agency in collaboration with other response agencies’ spoken to have provided the following updates. Hospital Injured victims Death Abuja Clinic 4 – Nyanya General Hospital 11 – Customs Hospital, Karu 14 1 Asokoro General Hospital 25…
Report from the Dev comm.Office of Rural Access and Mobility Project. ABUJA, April 14, 2014 – More than 200 rural communities from Kaduna State have had their lives significantly improved, following the completion of about 400km of roads and more than 130 river crossings under the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) in the State. This was disclosed by the Kaduna State’s Commissioner Works and Transport, Alhaji Bashiru Aliyu. The Commissioner was receiving a World Bank-led team, made up of the World Bank, Federal Project Management Unit of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Federal Ministry…
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji has expressed shock and sadness on the bomb blast which occurred early this morning at Nyanya, Abuja that targeted innocent citizens and as a result many people, including some civil servants, lost their lives while many others were injured. The Head of Service who visited some hospitals where the victims were being attended to said that it is unfortunate that some of them died on the way to their offices where they were engaged in serving the nation. “At this moment of great shock and sorrow, i…
The Federal Government has performed the flag-off ceremony marking the official commencement of rehabilitation works on the Ilorin – Kabba – Obajana road, Phase 11. The exercise was performed by the Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen yesterday in Kabba, Kogi State. According to the Minister, the 80 kilometre stretch of road which serves as a major economic artery by providing access to not only the biggest cement plant in the continent of Africa, Obajana Cement Factory, also provides access to the Nation’s premier Steel Plant in Ajaokuta, Kogi State. Furthermore, the road connects Kogi and Kwara States while also…
The Bank of Industry approved loans valued at N25.322Billion to 968 enterprises in the first quarter of 2014, the Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of BoI, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, disclosed on Saturday. This information was contained in a feedback document made available to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment by Olagunju, while briefing the supervising Ministry on the activities of BOI. A breakdown of the figures shows that 98 per cent of the beneficiaries are Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. “In line with the focus of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP), all…
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Dr. Martin Uhomoibhi has summoned the Zimbabwean envoy, Mr. Stanley Kunjeku to express the Federal Government’s protest over President Mugabe’s unfriendly remarks which portrayed Nigeria and Nigerians as corrupt. He expressed the dissatisfaction on 11th April, 2014 in Abuja. President Mugabe was quoted as saying that ‘’We are now just like Nigeria where you have to reach your pocket to get anything done.’’ Amb. Uhomoibhi stressed that, “We want to present the strongest protest on that statement. Not only does it not reflect the reality in our country but it…
President Goodluck Jonathan has announced the contribution of the sum of $5,000,000 US Dollars for feasibility study towards restoring the Lake Chad Basin which has receded from about 25,000 square kilometers in 1960 to about 2,500 square kilometers at present. The amount according to him would be used for feasibility studies for Water Transfer from the Central Africa Republic (CAR) to the lake. He revealed this at a Roundtable Donors Conference for the restoration of Lake Chad Basin organized by the Africa Development Bank (ADB) in partnership with member-states in Italy lately. The President, who was represented at the event…
ABUJA (Women Affairs Ministry Report) “Nigeria is currently witnessing a steady progress in the reduction of the erstwhile alarming rate of child and maternal mortality in the country,” the Minister of Women Affairs, Zainab Maina told the Country Director of IPas Nigeria, Lola Mabogunje in her office on Friday, April 11, 2014 According to the Minister, the nation is half way towards meeting the 2015 target for infant mortality rate and one-third from the less than five years mortality rate. On the maternal mortality rate, the Minister disclosed that the number of women dying during childbirth has reduced drastically to…
ABUJA (RMAFC News) – The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Elias Mbam has urged States and Local Governments to begin to explore alternative sources of revenue with a view to boosting their revenue base and reducing over-dependence on oil revenue.Elias Mbam who made this call on Wednesday April 9, 2014 when he received a high-powered delegation from the Kaduna State Government led by the Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero observed that for the state and local governments to move forward, they have to harness their abundant natural resources and endowments. Adding, they should pay more attention to…
Abuja (Federal Executive Council News) – The Meeting of the Federal Executive Council which held in the Presidential Villa, Asokoro in Abuja on Wednesday March 9, 2014 has approved the payment of compensation to the families of deceased victims of the March 15, 2014 Immigration Service recruitment mishap across the country. While briefing State House Correspondents on the Council’s deliberations after the meeting, the Information Minister, Labaran Maku said that the Minister of Interior briefed the Council on the circumstances surrounding the deaths and injuries at various centres during the Immigration Service recruitment exercise which held on Saturday March 15,…
Abuja (Federal Executive Council News) – The fortnightly meeting of the Federal Executive Council in Nigeria which held in the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Asokoro, Abuja on Wednesday April 2, 2014 has received the report of the outbreak of Ebola disease in some neighbouring countries.In a briefing with State House Correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku reported that the Council after deliberations resolved that the Nigerian Government would carry out investigations on the claim, confirming that it is ‘Dengue fever’ rather than ‘EVD’ that has been testified. He rebuff insinuations of the presence of…
Abuja (Counter Terrorism Campaign) – The Director of Defence Information of the Counter Terrorism Campaign, Chris Olukolade has denied the accusations in the statement issued by the Secretary-General of Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), Khalid Abubakar Aliyu alleging extra-judicial killing of Muslims and people of Fulani ethnic group by the Nigerian military, describing it as spurious and inflammatory. Chris Olukolade said that much as the military is reluctant to join issues with a respectable religious organisation like JNI, the need to set the records straight has made his response imperative. ‘The Nigerian military, he stated has remained non-partisan, non-sectarian and will…
While briefing State House correspondents immediately after the Federal Executive Council Meeting, the Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku, told reporters that the Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Minister of Finance informed Council that the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the National Planning Commission and National Bureau of Statistics had completed the rebasing of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP); adding that the new GDP figure would be released to the public on Sunday, 6th April, 2014. It was revealed that the last rebasing took place in 1990 which was undertaken in line with international best practices with the support of the…
ABUJA (Presidency Report) – The Nigerian Senate has considered and passed the 2014 Appropriation Bill on Wednesday April 9, 2014. The bill which was presented by the Joint Committee on Appropriation and Finance, chaired by Ahmed Maccido had undergone a third reading.In his remarks at the occasion, the Senate President, David Mark congratulated the distinguished Senators for the quick passage of the bill and urged the executive to implement the appropriation act as passed.He further revealed that the Bill which was unanimously passed by the distinguished Senators sought to authorize the issue from the consolidated revenue fund of the Federation,…
Abuja (Ministry of Women Affairs Report) – The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zainab Maina has reiterated the commitment of the Present Administration to the entrenchment of appropriate mechanisms towards ensuring peace, security and the protection of lives and property in the country. She made the remarks while inaugurating a seventeen-member ‘National Steering Committee on the Implementation of National Action Plan on UN Resolution 1325’ on Wednesday April 9, 2014 in Abuja. Adding, the document is a practical and operational tool for the participation of women at all the levels of peace processes. According to her, aside from being a…
ABUJA (Federal Ministry of Justice Report) – The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has drawn the attention of the Nigerian public to media reports in the print and electronic media, particularly on Channels Television on the indictment of the Nigerian Army, the State Security Services and the Attorney General of the Federation by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding the alleged Apo Killings in Some Uncompleted Squatter Buildings in Gudu / Apo District of Abuja. A statement from the Chief Press Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Ambrose Momoh has said that the…
ABUJA (National Sports Commission News) – Nigeria’s Sports Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Tammy Danagogo has called on all well meaning Nigerians, multi-national organisations and private companies to collaborate with the government in the development of sports through sports sponsorships. The Minister made the call on Thursday April 10, 2014 in his office annex at the Abuja National Stadium when a delegation from Global Telecommunication (Globalcom) led by the Group Chief Operating Officer, Mohammed Jameel paid him a courtesy call. Whilst lauding the giant steps of Globalcom in the sponsorship of football in the country, he noted that…