April 2019

North East Development Commission?

April 30, 2019 5:09 am

By Odumodu Gbulagu

 

Why can’t the Federal Government prioritise national development rather than continue to set up regional intervention agencies?

In Murtala Nyako’s note calling for the establishment of NEDC in 2015, there was no tangible reason adduced for the establishment of the commission.

He only reeled out statistics that the North-East of Nigeria has the worst socio-economic conditions in the country.
That the zone has the highest rate of poverty in Nigeria, highest number of out-of-school children in primary and junior secondary school, and low percentage of candidates with five credits and above including Mathematics and English.

Are …

Senate orders minister to return ₦14.3b to treasury

April 30, 2019 4:33 am

•Warehousing of fund followed due process, NEPZA boss insists
The Senate has ordered the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, and the Acting Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Terhemba Nongo, to immediately return N14.3 billion of the agency’s 2017 budget votes to the treasury.

A letter by the chairman of its Committee on Trade and Investment, Mohammed Nakudu Sabo (APC Jigawa South West) threatened a “serious legislative action” in the event of non-compliance.

READ MORE…

Dickson declines signing life pension bill for lawmakers

April 30, 2019 4:11 am

Law will deepen poverty, says group as HURIWA seeks EFCC’s probe 
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson has declined signing the bill seeking life pension for former lawmakers as proposed and passed by the state House of Assembly last week.

The bill has caused ripples and attracted condemnation from Bayelsa people, as well as civil society groups, who were planning a showdown with lawmakers.

Commissioner for Information, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, yesterday quoted Dickson as saying that he conveyed the decision to decline assent to the Bill in a letter to Speaker of the House of Assembly.

READ MORE…

BREAKING: Four feared killed in Lagos train accident

April 30, 2019 4:01 am

At least four persons were feared killed after a train crushed a tricycle in Lagos in the early hours of Tuesday.

The incident occurred around 6:45am at Iju Ishaga, a Lagos suburb.

It was gathered the tricycle carrying passengers had attempted to cross the railway when it got trapped and was eventually crushed by the locomotive train.…

More Americans will die if Trump cancels peace talks

Asylum Case: Trump issues new directives

April 30, 2019 3:41 am

US President Donald Trump has directed his administration to charge fees for asylum claims and handle cases within 180 days, the White House said in a statement Monday night.

The announcement came as Trump blasted what he described as the United States’ “weak, ineffective and dangerous” immigration laws on Twitter.

The memo outlined other changes including charging asylum seekers to file work permit applications, and barring people who enter the US illegally — or attempt to — from receiving temporary work permits before being approved for relief.

READ MORE…

Pastor, 5 others slain in attack on church in Burkina Faso

April 30, 2019 3:08 am
Six people, including a pastor, were killed in an attack on a Christian church in Burkina Faso, a government spokesman said.
The violence took place Sunday in the village of Silgadji, in the country’s north, not far from the volatile border with Mali.
…
Trump govt. to divert $40m in aid to Venezuela's opposition

Trump sues banks to stop Congress probing his accounts

April 30, 2019 2:49 am

US President Donald Trump, along with his family and businesses, on Monday sued Deutsche Bank and Capital One in an attempt to stop them from complying with Congressional subpoenas issued as part of a probe into foreign political influence.

The subpoenas — which the Trumps described in their suit as “intrusive and overboard” — were issued to several banks by the Democratic-majority House’s intelligence and financial services committees, which are looking into the president’s finances as part of a larger probe into election meddling by Russia.

The lawsuit is the latest step in Trump’s fightback against the Democrats, and alleges …

More than 20 states willing to pay minimum wage

April 29, 2019 8:32 pm

Twenty states are likely to pay the N30,000 monthly minimum wage.

Their governors spoke on the controversial matter after Jubril Al-Sudani (President Muhammadu Buhari) signed the New Minimum Wage (Amendment) Bill into Law.

Many of the states, however, said certain conditions must be reached between the workers’ umbrella unions and the Federal Government for them to pay.

Some said they were waiting for the implementation template from the Federal Government.

Labour, which vowed not to condone non-implementation of the new wage, plans to pile pressure on the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to release the template to state
…

Organ theft in India

April 29, 2019 3:56 am

By May Ebute 

 

I was planning a trip to India. I had even began to discuss with a doctor over there. But l developed cold feet after someone told me a story when l travelled home for Xmas. His eleven years old nephew needed surgery.

His father had the means so off they went to India. When they arrived, the boy was sedated for the surgery. A minor surgery.

All went well but there was a problem. The boy slept for several hours. He slept for so long that his father became worried.

He decided to ask questions.  “Doctor, …

Merkel, Macron to host Balkans meeting in Berlin

April 29, 2019 3:26 am

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are hosting a meeting of Balkan leaders in Berlin, a move intended to restart deadlocked talks between Serbia and Kosovo.

The meeting on Monday will include the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia, several Western Balkans leaders and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini.

READ MORE…

Nigeria loses $29.3b annually to erratic power supply

April 29, 2019 3:17 am

The Electricity Generation Companies (GenCos) at the weekend said the country loses $29.3billion yearly to low   supply resulting from load shedding and inadequate facilities.

The Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), Joy Ogaji, in an emailed response to questions,  urged the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to upgrade its network to absorb the 8,000megawatts (Mw) capacity of the GenCos.

She said: “In urban areas where electricity access has been provided, the availability of electricity supply is drastically low, due either to load shedding or inadequate power supply facilities.  It is estimated that the Nigerian economy is losing $29.3 …

Bayelsa condemns bill for lawmakers’ life pension

April 29, 2019 3:00 am

A crisis is brewing in Bayelsa State over a bill passed by the House of Assembly approving life pension for all past and current members of the legislature.

It was learnt that stakeholders in the state, including civil society organisations and political parties are preparing to protest.

The House of Assembly had triggered anger last Wednesday when it hurriedly passed the bill sponsored by the Leader of the House, Peter Akpe.

The bill approved N500, 000 post-service monthly pension to a speaker of the assembly, while a deputy speaker will receive N200, 000 and a member N100, 000 .

The …

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