Zainab Ahmed, the minister of finance, says the federal government is considering introducing excise duty on carbonated drinks. The minister made this known while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group. Excise duty is a levy placed on the manufacture and sale of
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of six new aides to the First Lady of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Aisha Buhari. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of Information to the First Lady, Suleiman Haruna. The appointments come days after the First Lady returned from a long holiday in the
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi on Wednesday re-launched the social security Scheme for elderly citizens in the state with, a pledge to commit more resources to social investments and human capital development. The program is called ‘Owo Arugbo’ (stipends for the elderly). Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; with
President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, says she has acquired a property in Abuja on which she will construct a regional secretariat for the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM). She did not state whether it was a personal fund or government’s fund that was used to acquire the property. The AFLPM, established after
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said there are plans to review the wages of all political office holders in the country. “The last holistic wage review took place in 2011 and a new one is being planned,” Ngige told members of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) during a visit
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed five bills passed by the 8th National Assembly into law, Mr Umar Yakubu, his Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives) has said. Yakubu who made the announcement at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the Acts were to ensure good governance in the
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said it had changed the name of one of its ongoing internal security exercises, Python Dance or Egwu Eke in the South-East region to Atilogwu Udo. The Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Col Aminu Iliyasu, stated this in a press release, saying the exercise’s new name would not affect the
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that 81 persons with disabilities were among ad hoc staff it had recruited for the Nov. 16 governorship election in Kogi State. Alhaji Ahmed Biambo, Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC office, Lokoja, disclosed this on Wednesday on the sideline of a one- day sensitisation forum organised by
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State had described the All Progressives Congress, APC as a group of persons notorious for lies. He said that the assertions credited to the APC chairman in the state, John Ochala over his return to school to pursue a Master’s degree in law at UNICAL were as laughable and
The Central Bank of Nigeria has directed the strict implementation of Merchant Service Charge, which would impose more charges on all point of sale (PoS) transactions. This is coming few days after the apex bank announced new charges on withdrawal and deposit of funds above N500,000. The directive on the ‘Unbundling of Merchant Settlement Amounts’
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Delta chapter has started to shut offices and schools in Asaba ahead of the planned strike over delay to implement the new minimum wage. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports on Wednesday that the NLC members were seen patrolling Asaba in a marked Hiace mini-bus, closing government offices and
Bauchi State Ministry of Education has sacked the Principal of Hasan Usman Katsina Unity College for under-feeding his students. A statement by the Commissioner for Education, Dr Aliyu Tilde, said the sacked Principal along with two storekeepers were found serving the food of 350 students to over 1,200 students last weekend in spite of the
The nation’s total public debt rose by N3.32trn in one year to N25.7trn as at the end of June 2019, the Debt Management Office said on Tuesday. The Federal Government owed N20.42trn as of June 30, 2019, while the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory had a total debt portfolio of N5.28trn. The debt
FIRST Lady Aisha Buhari on Sunday said it was not her duty to confirm or deny the rumour that her husband President Muhammadu Buhari wanted a second wife. She told BBC Hausa that the responsibility to confirm or deny the rumour was that of those involved in the matter. She said: “He (Buhari) is the
The 106 schoolgirls are currently attending the American University of Nigeria, Yola, founded by former Vice-President and Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the last election, Atiku Abubakar. Incidentally, Atiku had said in a tweet in 2014 while contesting the Presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress that his school would provide scholarships
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has sought the endorsement of the House of Assembly for a loan of N250 billion. The governor’s letter was read on the floor of the House during plenary on Tuesday by the Clerk of the Assembly Mr. Sani Azeez. According to the governor’s letter, the loan was broken down as:
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the deployment of drones, aircraft and geospatial technology for the monitoring of borders, it was learnt on Tuesday. A source said the strategy was part of the e-Customs that the nation will use for the surveillance of the movement of illicit goods and persons. With the procurement and deployment of
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investment, Maryam Uwais, has disclosed that the Nigerian government was working on how to “disengage” over 200,000 beneficiaries of the government’s social intervention programme, N-Power. Uwais made the disclosure while featuring on Nigerian Television Authority, NTA. She disclosed that the government was in talks with
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday sought the approval of Senate for N10.069billion promissory note for Kogi state. He also forwarded to the upper chamber for consideration and passage the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) Amendment Bill 2019. President Buhari had in a letter to the Senate read at plenary by the
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono says Nigeria is producing enough to feed itself, contrary to the narrative in some quarters that there is hunger in the land. Nanono said this at a news conference on Monday in Abuja as part of activities to mark the 2019 World Food Day being celebrated
We were talking with the kidnappers of our children; suddenly the kidnappers said that they the government had come into the case. “They said government should settle them. The governor’s pronouncement in Abuja that the government was on top of the situation has compounded our problem,” said a distraught parent, Chukwuemeka Adindu, whose children were
Fatima, daughter of Mamman Daura, has refuted social media claims that her father is arranging a second marriage for President Muhammadu Buhari. Daura, who is Buhari’s older nephew, is often described as the head of the so-called cabal that takes most decisions under the current administration. The cabal is said to have asked the president
The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari earned N16.647 trillion from the oil and gas industry in its first tenure, from May 2015 to April 2019. According to data obtained from various reports of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the country’s earnings from the petroleum industry was from crude oil and gas sales, royalties, Petroleum
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has confirmed taking control of the federal government’s Social Investment Programmes (SIP). The Minister, who made this known via Twitter on Monday, said she met with Maryam Uwais, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment for crucial briefing on the programme.
The federal Government has announced a total ban on the import and export of goods at the land borders nationwide in the ongoing joint border operation, tagged: “Exercise Swift Response”. The Daily Trust reports that the operation began on August 20, 2019, involving Customs and immigration with support from Army and other security agencies. The
Worried by the intractable problem of fuel subsidy, which has affected the amount of money available for distribution among the three tiers of government, governors of the 36 states of the federation are mulling presenting to the federal government a demand for their shares and those of the local governments from the Federation Account to
All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole on Sunday accused the Edo State government of orchestrating Saturday’s siege to his Benin home. There is a frosty relationship between the party chair, who is the immediate past governor and his ‘godson’ — Governor Godwin Obaseki— ostensibly over the governor’s second term bid. Explaining the Saturday
General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye has kicked against the proposed increase of VAT from 5 percent to 7.5 percent by the federal government. The proposal, he said, will further increase the burdens on Nigerians. Adeboye also said the proposed reintroduction of toll gates on federal government was
Despite the closure of the border, the Ogun 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said it intercepted 2,251 bags of 50kg foreign rice smuggled into the country in September. It said the rice came in through illegal routes in communities at Idiroko border in the Ipokia Local Government Area of the state. The
The Chairman of Council of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Peter Okebukola noted in a recent press conference that two repentant of the insurgent group, Boko Haram have decided to enrol for degree programmes in the institution. At the press conference, Okebukola said the Council of the institution had approved the recommendation of
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has given 50 new cars to magistrates as part of efforts to enhance dispensation of justice. While handing over the vehicles, Sanwo-Olu said that the cars were in the first batch as more would be provided to go round all magistrates in the state. According to him, his administration
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has revealed that he became a billionaire at 25 years of age due to hard work and commitment to duty. Umahi, who made the declaration while interacting with leaders of Abakpa main market in Abakaliki, debunked social media reports that he owns shops at the market and built his house
President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed yesterday that he had instructed relevant agencies all forfeited assets be sold and the money put in the Treasury Single Account. He spoke yesterday while hosting members of Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption at the State House, Abuja. He recalled that in the past, seized assets from officials who could not
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed on Thursay October 10, announced that online news platforms will now be regulated as he inaugurated a seven-man committee to implement reforms in the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). Speaking at the event, Lai Mohammed said President Buhari has approved the upward review of fines from N500,000 to
The federal government on Thursday, October 10, signed a deal of $3.9 billion with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) for the construction of the Abuja-Itakpe railway. The Chinese firm, according to Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, will also handle the construction of a seaport in Warri, Delta state, Daily Trust reports. S :Ppeaking in
The International Monetary Fund has said that Nigeria’s “over-Optimistic” revenue assumptions has made the government dependent on expensive borrowing from the Central Bank of Nigeria. The IMF stated that plans to increase Value Added Tax and minimum wage would also halt the current deceleration of the country’s inflation rate. A statement by the IMF said,
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met with the newly constituted Presidential Economic Advisory Council (ECA). Mr Buhari played host to the ECA when the members of the council visited him at the presidential villa in Abuja. The body was constituted last month with the mandate to advise the president on matters relating to the economy.
The Taraba State University has expelled a 100 level student of the university for consistently criticising the state governor, Darius Ishaku (PDP) , on Facebook. Joseph Israel, who was admitted to study Chemistry but later switched to Laboratory Science in the state-owned university, had his admission withdrawn on the excuse of not signing a matriculation
President Muhammadu Buhari says the impact of hundreds of millions of dollars which international organisations claimed to have been spent on the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East is “rarely” seen on ground. President Buhari said this on Wednesday in Abuja while administering oaths of office on members of the newly constituted Presidential
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday assured that his administration will do its best to carry everyone in the country along as it goes through the second term. He gave the assurance while receiving some of the Ministers who served with him as military head of state between January 1984 and August 1985.A statement by the
The Nasarawa State Police command has confirmed the abduction of a cleric, Mr John Egla, who is reported to be a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Lafia. The Spokesman of the command, Mr Nansel Ramhan, confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday
The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KDIRS) has sealed off three branches of Access Bank in Kaduna metropolis over non-remittance of over N175 million Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bank branches, located along Bida Road, Ahmadu Bello Way, and Isa Kaita Road were sealed-off in the early hours of
Six weeks after a street sweeper, Folasade Ogunniyi, was knocked into a lagoon in Lagos State while performing her duty on the Third Mainland Bridge, family of the deceased is yet to receive the promised N45,000 compensation by the Highway Manager, which was her three months salary. Ogunniyi’s body was recovered from the lagoon underneath
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Leader, Chief Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has lamented that death awaits “all Biafrans” agitating for the Republic of Biafra if they don’t rise up and fight for their rights. The IPOB leader made this comment during his second broadcast of the month on Radio Biafra on Monday, October 7. During
The sexual harassment scandal rocking the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has claimed another lecturer, Dr Samuel Oladipo, who was suspended Tuesday by the university’s management. Dr Oladipo, who is a lecturer in the Department of Economics, was featured in the second stream of the BBC Africa Eye video titled “Sex for Admission”, where he is
Elder statesman and Second Republic lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed, on Tuesday said the Igbos are free to carry out their threats of secession if denied the Presidency in 2023. He admonished politicians from the South-Eastern part of the country who are nursing the idea of becoming President in 2023 to perish the thought. Speaking in a
The Dunamis International Gospel Centre, on Tuesday distanced itself from an online Ponzi scheme called “Dunamis Investment Platform.” The church, under the leadership of Dr. Pastor Paul and Dr. Mrs. Becky Paul-Enenche, declared that the ministry does not operate a Ponzi scheme, stressing that such was a “scam.” This warning was contained in a statement
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday has said that he is suffering from cold. He, however, attributed his ailment to his hard work as the President of the country. Buhari disclosed this while presenting the 2020 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja. Immediately after observing protocols and before presenting the
Babatunde Fowler, chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), says there is no harm in introducing a communication tax. Fowler made this known on Monday while speaking to TheCable on the sidelines of the ongoing Nigerian Economic Summit Group conference holding in Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. “I will put it this way, Nigerians talk
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has warned the Federal Government not to build toll gates in the South-East region. The Federal Government recently made known it decision to reinstall toll gates on federal roads across the country. In a statement by its spokesman, Uchenna Madu, the secessionist group