Author: darelasisi@gmail.com

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on Thursday, said its Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE neutralized several terrorists at their hideouts in Ngoske on the fringes of Sambisa Forest. Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said the operation was conducted on Wednesday. “The operation was conducted pursuant to credible intelligence reports indicating that the settlement was one of the locations being used by the terrorists as a staging area from where they launch attacks against own troops positions in the southern part of the state.…

Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, on Thursday said existing laws on defamation and libel are grossly inadequate to tackle hate speech in its form. Abdullahi stated this against the backdrop of pockets of protests and reactions to the introduction of the Hate Speech Bill by the National Assembly, including a legal luminary, Afe Babalola. According to Abdullahi, who represents Niger North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Parliaments across the world have identified ‘Hate Speech’ as a new “threat that dehumanizes and targets individuals and groups, and also threatens peace in a diversified society.” The…

A Multinational Oil and Gas Company, Sterling Global Oil Resources Limited Thursday, donated relief materials worth millions of Naira to victims of flood in the Oil producing local Government Areas of Imo State. Presenting the relief materials, Community Relations Officer of the company, Mr. Louis Jideofor explained that the gesture is part of the company’s commitment to assisting their host communities, while reciprocating the state Government’s gesture of ensuring an enabling environment for their operations in the state. He commended the Governor Emeka Ihedioha-led administration in the state for what he described as a responsive and responsible style of leadership,…

Gov Emeka Ihedioha of Imo on Wednesday presented a budget of N197.6 billion for the 2020 fiscal year to the Imo House of Assembly. The budget proposed N91.4 billion for the recurrent expenditure and capital expenditure of N106.2 billion which represents 53.8 per cent of the proposed budget. The Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges (CRFC) will remain the same with the 2019 budget provision at N16.3 billion. Presenting the budget tagged “Rebuild Imo Budget 1,” Ihedioha disclosed that the personnel cost for Ministries reduced from N15.3 billion in 2019 to N8.9billion representing 41.5 per cent reduction. The governor said that the…

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited has urged employees to always update their information with their Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) to facilitate easy access to their retirement benefits. Mr Eric Fajemisin, the Chief Executive Officer of the PFA stated this at the Stanbic IBTC Pension Employers’ Forum with the theme: “Emerging Trends in the Nigerian Pension Industry’’. He urged employers to encourage their employees to leverage the Enhanced Contributor Registration System (ECRS) newly deployed by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) to ensure that their data was up to date. The ECRS is an electronic platform for the…

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja The Minister of State Budget and National Planning Prince Clem Agba has challenged commissioners of Budget and Economic Planning to devise alternative ways of revenue generation for a sustainable developed economy. The Minister gave the charge at the Forum of Commissioners of Budget and Economic Planning, Community of Practice (CoP) in Abuja. The Minister urged the Economic Planners to re-prioritize states’ needs and address the core areas to ensure effective and efficient usage of the revenue, maintaining that “we are not putting sufficient money in the right sectors of our economy” “Come up with strategies on…

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja The Privatisation of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) was one of the best enterprise/reform initiatives implemented by the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, the Director-General, Mr. Alex Okoh has affirmed. Speaking at the Inauguration of an Inter-agency Committee for the negotiation and resolution of the outstanding claims of the SAHCOL unions in Abuja, Okoh commended the leadership of the unions for their maturity in towing the path of dialogue to resolve all the issues arising from the privatization of the enterprise. He said the Skyway Aviation formerly known as Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited…

Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has approved the appointment of 513 additional aides to serve as his Technical Assistants (TA). The governor’ Principal Secretary, Chief Clement Nweke who made this known in a statement in Abakaliki on Wednesday, said the appointees were drawn from the 171 political wards in the state. The appointees, according to him, are to report to the office of the principal secretary with their credentials for documentation. “Appointees from Abakaliki, Afikpo North, Afikpo South, Ebonyi, and Ezza North Local Government Areas (LGA) are to report on Nov. 27, 2019. “The appointees from Ezza South, Ikwo, Izzi,…

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has pledged to rehabilitate the Awotan Dumpsite off Apete/Akufo Road to prevent environmental hazards in the area. The Governor made the pledge while speaking during a visit for an on-the-spot assessment of the site in Awotan, Apete, Ibadan, assuring the residents of the area and contractors at the dumpsite that all the identified challenges at the site will be addressed by the Government. A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the Governor as saying that the Apete/Awotan axis would witness a huge government presence in the…

Nigerian Government has launched the Campaign For The Return and Restitution of Nigeria’s Looted and Smuggled Artifacts from around the world. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, launched the campaign at a press conference in Lagos on Thursday. “With this announcement, we are putting on notice all those who are holding on to Nigeria’s cultural property anywhere in the world that we are coming for them, using all legal and diplomatic instruments available. Gentlemen, we are under no illusion that this will be an easy task, but no one should also doubt our determination to make a…