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President Muhammadu Buhari has approved new appointments in the Parastatals under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s spokesman, who confirmed this development in a statement in Abuja, said the appointments were meant to fast-tracking the targets and mandate of the ministry. The appointments are as follows: 1. Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) (a) Prof. Adeolu Akande (South West) replaces Sen. Olabiyi Durojaiye (South West) as Chairman, Board of Commissioners subject to Senate confirmation. (b) Mr Uche Onwude (South East) replaces Sen. Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume (South East) as Non-Executive Commissioner subject to Senate confirmation. 2. The…

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has waded into the dispute between Govs. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Nyesom Wike of Rivers over oil. The party disclosed this in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, on Monday in Abuja.Ologbondiyan said that the national leadership of the party, having noted the issue, had activated the party’s internal reconciliation mechanism to settle the matter amicably.“The PDP recognizes that the tone of disagreements between the two respected governors was skin-deep and only borne out of their love and zeal for their respective states.“The PDP leadership…

Mr Oluyemi Olaonipekun, the Operations Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Ibadan, has advised residents not to panic as petrol and other petroleum products would be available at official rates. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Olaonipekun stated this in Ibadan on Monday in an interview. He said: “I want to assure you that there will not be any shortage and scarcity of petroleum products now and beyond December 2019 because the Federal Government has ensured adequate supply of the products. “That is why I can confirm that Ibadan depot is loading the products as…

Mrs Olayinka Abe, the Forum Secretary of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Ibadan says it has resolved a total of 435 out of the 580 complaints it received on electricity from January till date. Abe, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Ibadan, said that this amounted to about 75 percent of the complaints. She said that bulk of the complaints bordered on billing and metering, stressing that the issue of over-billing had been a major challenge. “We are aware that it is lack of meter that oftentimes leads…

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Monday advised Lagos residents to shun panic buying and stockpiling of petroleum products at home during the Yuletide. The DPR, which is the regulator of the petroleum industry, also assured the residents that there would be no scarcity of products before, during and after the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Obafemi Ogunbajo, Chief Technical Officer, DPR, Lagos Zonal Office, gave the assurance during surveillance and inspection visits to some petroleum retail outlets in the state. The outlets visited by the DPR team include MRS…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has endorsed the candidacy of Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President of African Development Bank (AfDB) for a second term. The decision was announced in a communique signed by the commission’s President, Jean-Claude Kassi at the end of the 56th ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, held in Abuja. ECOWAS said the development was in recognition of the sterling performance of Adesina during his first term of office as President of the bank. The commission further stated that the authority had endorsed the president of AfDB’s…

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it will conduct its 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) between March 14 and April 4. Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB Registrar, disclosed this while hosting State Commissioners of Education on Monday in Abuja. Oloyede also said the registrations for its mock examinations would hold between Jan. 13 and Feb. 1, 2020 while the mock examinations would hold on Feb. 18, 2020. He explained that the registration for the 2020 UTME and Direct Entry would also run simultaneously between Jan. 13 and Feb. 17, 2020. According to him, the board is bringing in…

The Bauchi State Government has inaugurated a 41-member Joint Public Service Negotiation Council for the implementation of the new minimum wage in the state. Alhaji Mohammed Baba, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), who inaugurated the council on Monday in Bauchi, said they were expected to submit their report on Dec. 27. Baba said the objective was to recommend to the government on modalities of ensuring effective implementation of the new minimum wage. He said with their recommendations, the state government would ensure commencement of the full implementation of the new minimum wage in the state. The SSG therefore…

The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Sunday condemned the killing of a Police Corporal by an inspector who later committed suicide in FCT. A statement by ASP Mariam Yusuf in Abuja said the incident happened on Saturday at the Police Divisional Headquarters in Dutse Alhaji area of the territory. She said that preliminary investigation into the incident revealed that the inspector fired a shot at the corporal and injured a Deputy Superintendent of Police before committing suicide. Yusuf said the Commissioner of Police in Charge of FCT, Mr Bala Ciroma, had ordered a discreet investigation into…

In line with efforts targeted at ensuring peaceful and hitch-free Christmas and New Year Celebrations, the Nigeria Police Force has beefed up security across the Country. To this end, the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, has directed the Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Commissioners of Police in charge of Zonal and State Commands nationwide to ensure that no stone is left unturned towards effectively implementing appropriate crime prevention strategies before, during and after the festivities. The IGP reiterates his call for effective deployment of both human and material assets of the Force in protecting the major highways,…