Author: darelasisi@gmail.com

Thirty-one Nigerian academics and research interns including nine professors and four senior lecturers were last weeks inducted for a one-year sabbatical programme and research internship in Shell companies in Nigeria at a ceremony held at the Port Harcourt Headquarters of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC). Drawn from 10 Nigerian and one British universities, the 31 participants are the highest in the 40-year history of the Shell Nigeria sabbatical programme, and the number represents a 40 percent increase over the 22 intake for 2019 who concluded their programmes last December. “The annual sabbatical and research internship programmes continue to…

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja  The introduction of electronic offerings in the Nigerian capital market has been described as a major achievement that will help solve the problems of unclaimed dividends. Director-General of  Securities and Exchange Commission, MS Mary Uduk who stated this in Abuja at the weekend, said the rules have been developed and espoused to the market. A statement by SEC Spokesperson,  Mrs Efe Ebelo, said the commission is excited about electronic offering and is in full support hence the need to develop the rules to guide its implementation. “We believe that electronic offerings will help solve the problems…

Some politicians and other stakeholders in Bauchi are having ‘sleepless nights’ as they await the outcome of Supreme Court verdict on the governorship election, to be delivered on Monday. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent monitoring the development reports that for the past one week, supporters and members of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), had been voicing their optimism of emerging victorious. The level of anxiety, as well as optimism by both sides, are being reflected on a daily basis in political programmes aired by radio stations across the state. Alhaji Uba Nana, Chairman of the…

Revelations from the ongoing forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are a clear justification of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to take a look at the books of the interventionist agency. According to the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), the fact that NDDC’s interim management committee is also digging into what it described as fraudulent contracts between 2017 and 2019 showed that the President is not prepared to provide cover for anyone found wanting. In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO said this reflects the President’s zero-tolerance for corruption and his expectations…

Former Vice President Atiku Abuakar has declared support for ‘Operation Amotekun’ recently launched by the Governors in the South West, saying “the issue need not controversial.” The PDP chieftain hinged his support on the fact that the “centrally controlled police architecture cannot exclusively” deal with security challenges confronting Nigeria. Atiku, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, stressed the need for the creation of additional policing structures in the country to address the rapidly growing challenges of insecurity and crime. Ibe states: “As enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, the primary responsibility of government, at any level, is the…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court to: “declare the life pension edict/law 2019, passed by the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) null, void, illegal and unconstitutional; and to restrain and stop AMAC, its chairman; deputy chairman; speaker; legislature and/or their agents from paying life pensions to former officials, and ultimately, to themselves under the edict/law.” SERAP is also seeking: “an order to direct and compel AMAC, its chairman; deputy chairman; speaker; and legislature to recover all previous payments made under the AMAC life pension edict/law, from those who have…

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, on Sunday inaugurated erosion control project at Ibiaku and Nduetong Oku communities in Uruan and Uyo Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Akwa Ibom. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the N1. 69 billion projects was initiated in 2018. Speaking at the inauguration, Akpabio said that it was one of the 18 ecological intervention projects approved by President Muhammadu Buhari in the first quarter of 2018. He commended the president for intervening in the area, noting that the project would stabilize the socio-economic wellbeing in the two communities. “I have…

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Osogbo field Office, has sealed 10 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) skid stations for operating without valid licences in the state. It’s Operations Controller, Mr Ademola Makinde disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Osogbo. Makinde said the illegal gas stations were sealed in Osogbo the state capital and Ilesa town. The Controller, who noted that the proliferation of illegal gas plants in the state was worrisome, said the department would continue to ensure that appropriate standards were strictly adhered to in LPG business in the state. He said the…

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau has approved layouts for serving and retiring officers and men of the Nigerian Army in the state, the Commissioner of Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Mr Yakubu Dati, has said. Dati disclosed this during an advocacy visit to Maj.-Gen. Nuhu Angbazo, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 3rd Armoured Division, Nigerian Army, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos, on Sunday. He also said that self-paying layouts which came with Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) were created to assist the growing number of retiring officers and men who had chosen Plateau as their home. The commissioner who…

The African Development Bank (AfDB), says it plans to invest 250 million dollars in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to improve water supply and sanitation in satellite towns. AfDB Senior Director, Mr Ebrima Faal, made the disclosure when he led a delegation to visit FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu in Abuja. Mr Austine Elemue the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. He quoted Faal as also saying that AfDB would invest in the development of Abuja Technology Village. Elemue explained that a number of studies were ongoing in…