April 9, 2019

Senate okays ₦1.64tr borrowing plan

April 9, 2019 11:11 pm

The Senate on Tuesday adopted the N1.64 trillion proposed by the Executive for new borrowing to fund this year’s budget deficit.

The upper chamber also approved the proposed N500 billion special social intervention funds.

The adoptions were parts of the 2019-2021 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) passed Tuesday by the upper chamber.

Jubril (President Muhammadu Buhari) sent the MTEF/FSP to the National Assembly on November 6, last year, for consideration and approval.

The passage of the MTEF/FSP came as the Senate is set to receive the report of the 2019 budget from its Appropriation Committee.

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Measles emergency in New York

April 9, 2019 11:04 pm

A measles outbreak in Brooklyn, primarily among Orthodox Jewish children, prompted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday to declare a public health emergency, requiring unvaccinated people in the affected areas to get the vaccine or face fines

The city’s largest outbreak since 1991 of the once virtually eradicated disease has mainly been confined to the Orthodox Jewish community in the borough’s Williamsburg neighbourhood, with 285 cases confirmed since October, de Blasio said at a news conference.

That’s up sharply from only two reported cases in all of 2017.

“This is the epicentre of a measles outbreak that …

Atiku hires US lobbyists to take ‘fight’ to another level

April 9, 2019 10:41 pm

Atiku Abubakar, the defeated presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party is not solely casting his lot on his legal challenge of President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the 23 February election as he has enlisted the assistance of two high-powered Washington, D.C. lawyers.

Their role will be to lobby those in President Donald Trump’s inner circle and the US Congress to delay recognising Buhari as the winner as declared by Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) on 27 February. Instead, Atiku craved to be recognised as the ‘authentic president’ of Nigeria.

In addition, he has set up what he called a “US …

Amnesty office justifies ₦88m barbing salon contract

April 9, 2019 10:28 pm

The Amnesty Office has maintained that it breached no public procurement law in the award of N88 million contract for the empowerment of 22 Niger Delta youths in barbing and beauty salon business under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

The contract awarded to Messrs Tovo Vicks Nigeria Enterprises Limited, it said, was in line with its mandate of providing human capital development and skills acquisition for beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme towards deepening peace and stability in the Niger Delta.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mr. Murphy Ganagana, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Special Adviser to the President …

FG approves ₦100bn for completion of East-West road

April 9, 2019 10:13 pm

The federal government has approved N100 billion for the completion of Sections 1 to 4 of the East-West road project.

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani made the disclosure in Abuja at a meeting with the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), led by its National Chairman, Chief Style Benjamin Tamaranebi.

At the meeting, HOSTCOM, the parent body of all oil and gas producing, impacted, satellite communities in the Niger Delta region, appealed to the federal government for the release of the lingering gas flare penalty fund as discussed and approved by late President …

Boko Haram attacks Damaturu

April 9, 2019 10:01 pm

Boko Haram on Tuesday evening launched a daring attack on Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

The attack forced the town into a lockdown as vehicles were not allowed in or out of the town.

Many of the residents were forced to stay in door as the military engaged the insurgents, who were said to have tried to gain entry into the town through Maisandari, on the outskirts of the town.

Some of the residents of Maisandari, who spoke to our correspondent, said the attackers came through the eastern part of the town and started shooting sporadically.

One of them, Abba …