Author: statereporter
The federal government has approved an upward review of statutory allocation of Universal Basic Education matching grants accessible by state governments for infrastructural projects to Three Billion Five Hundred and Fifty-Four Million Six Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand Five Hundred and Eighty- Four Naira Forty-Six Kobo Only (N3,554,642,584.46). The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi stated this today during a 5-day financial training for SUBEB Chairmen and Board Secretaries in Ibadan. In his remarks, the increased matching grants to the States for the implementation of projects comes from 2% of the consolidated revenue fund alloted to support…
The Federal Government has announced its decision to invoke the ‘no work, no pay’ policy in response to the ongoing strike by resident doctors, according to a statement released by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Thursday. The statement, signed by Ado Bako, the ministry’s Assistant Director on Information and Public Relations, expressed disappointment over the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ (NARD) decision to embark on a seven-day warning strike, despite ongoing negotiations and efforts by the government to address their concerns. State reporters informed that the warning strike, which began on Monday, was initiated by NARD…
The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Ethiopian Airlines, Mesfin Tasew, has stated that the creation of a national airline in Nigeria has been influenced by political factors. Tasew expressed that Ethiopian Airlines, recognized as the largest airline in Africa, aimed to assist the Nigerian government in establishing a successful airline; however, the initiative faced opposition from local airlines, leading to its politicization. State reporters revealed that this marks another occasion in which the airline’s CEO has commented following the annulment of its selection as the equity partner for Nigeria Air. It is important to note that the Minister…
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced September 14, 2024 deadline for the completion of the Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) linkage to National Identity Numbers (NINs). The NCC, in a statement on Wednesday, August 28, said it expects that no SIM operating in Nigeria will be without a valid NIN effective September 15, 2024. The statement, signed by the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, urged all members of the public who have not yet completed their NIN-SIM linkage, or who have faced issues due to verification mismatches, to visit their service providers promptly to update their details before…
Truckers under the auspices of the Coalition of Maritime Truck Owners and Allied Services have concluded plans to protest against the vandalism of trucks and the death of their members along the port access roads. The group also blamed the ugly incidents on the activities of what they described as state and non-state extortion bandits within and outside the port corridors. This was contained in a letter on Tuesday signed by the Public Relations Officer of the coalition, Mordechai Seyi, obtained by The PUNCH. Seyi added these activities have led to an increase in the cost of doing business. He…
A meeting between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities has begun in Abuja. The meeting is coming following a recent threat by the university lecturers’ union to down tools over the alleged Federal Government’s failure to meet its demands. Public university lecturers, following resolutions reached at the union’s national executive council meeting held at the University of Ibadan on August 19, 2024, threatened to go on a nationwide strike over the Federal Government’s failure to honour the 2009 renegotiated agreement. ASUU’s demands include improvements in welfare, university funding, and halting the proliferation of universities across the…
Popular prophet of the Celestial Church of Christ, Israel Ogundipe, has revealed how a bank offered him N1 billion loan. Ogundipe, who is the founder of Genesis Global Ministry, Lagos, said he was offered the loan to help him expand his ministry to reach more members globally. He revealed this while speaking on a show of popular Nigerian On-Air Personality, Ifedayo Olarinde, also known as Daddy Freeze on Tuesday. He also mentioned that the bank, which he refused to name, showed him details of churches that have collected similar loans. Ogundipe explained that from the list he was shown, some…
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command has arrested a Nigerian Navy personnel, Abdul Rasheed Muhammad, for the murder of Aminu, the son of former Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral I. I. Ibrahim (retd). The Commissioner of Police in FCT, Bennett Igweh, while parading the suspect said Muhammad killed Aminu and stole his car two weeks ago. Igweh confirmed that the car had been recovered. He said, “About two weeks ago, Aminu Ibrahim, the son of Vice Admiral I. I. Ibrahim (retd), a former Chief of Naval Staff, was robbed and killed in the Maitama area of Abuja, and his…
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has called on the National Assembly to enact legislation that supports the whistleblower policy, emphasising the importance of protecting those who expose corruption and financial crimes. He made this appeal during the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Lagos, with the theme, ‘Lawyers in the Spotlight: Essential Anti-Money Laundering Considerations for the Legal Profession.’ Mr. Olukoyede stressed that such a law would ensure mandatory protection for whistleblowers by law enforcement agencies. The EFCC boss tasked lawyers not to indulge in activities that will encourage people to commit…
An urgent call for action. The renewed Hope Agenda clearly recognizes the power of technology and innovation to enable inclusive economic growth and development. It is an important acknowledgement that if we can create the conditions within which innovation can thrive, we can maintain, or even accelerate the already rapid growth in the digital economy. Since the liberalisation of the telecoms sector in the early 2000s, the ICT sector’s contribution to GDP in Nigeria has grown progressively. Today, it delivers 17.89% of annual GDP. That is more than double the contribution of oil and gas. From the initial development of…