Investigative journalists, Hopewell Chin’ono, David Hundeyin and Feminist Coalition (FemCo), a gender advocacy group, have won the Gatefield People Journalism Prize for Africa 2020 (PJPA). Mr Adewunmi Emoruwa, founder of the award made the announcement in a statement in Abuja on Monday. He said that the PJPA 2020 comes with a $3,000 reward for the selected journalists and $15,000 worth of strategic communications support to FemCo from Gatefield. He said that Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, won the People Journalist for Africa 2020, Nigerian David Hundeyin won the People Journalist for Informed Commentary 2020, while the Feminist Coalition were the winners…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Flicthers Association in Ondo state 0n Monday, protested alleged illegal extortion, molestation and coercion by the Ogun State Revenue agencies. The protesters, who blocked the ever busy Lagos/Benin Road at Ajebamide area, a border community in Odigbo Local Council Area of Ondo State, hindered the free flow of traffic movement for about 40 minutes. The protesters carried different placards with inscriptions: “Stop Unlawful Collection of N50,000 only from Our Members at Atoyo Junction”, ” Abiodun, Call Your People to Order”, “Stop Illegal Ticketing on the Highway” and “Unlawful Ticketing by Ogun State Govt. at Atoyo Junction”. Leading the protest, Comrade Mayegun Oloruntobi…
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, says as at December 2020, Federal Government recorded 89 per cent release to Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for capital component of the 2020 budget. Ahmed, who made the disclosure at an interactive session with the leadership of National Assembly on Monday, said the 89 per cent was occasioned by the release of N1.74 trillion. She also revealed that N118.37 billion was also released for COVID-19 capital expenditure from the fund. Ahmed said the Nigerian economy faced serious challenges in 2020, with the macroeconomic environment significantly disrupted by COVID-19 pandemic.…
Lt.-Col. Yusuf Dodo, officially assumed duty as Aide-de-Camp to President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja, as Col. Mohammed Abubakar, departed for a promotional course in Chile. Dodo, the Academy Adjutant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), was appointed ADC to the President last month to replace Abubakar. Dodo’s appointment was confirmed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement in January. Abubakar, who handed over on Monday after Dodo understudied him for almost three weeks to learn the ropes of his new responsibilities, in a brief ceremony, was accompanied by…
The freed passengers of the Niger State Transport Authority, who were abducted by armed bandits, say the abductors humiliated them while in captivity. The victims in separate interviews in Minna on Monday said that the bandits made them to trek inside bush amid starvation and beating. Recall that 52 passengers of the transport company were abducted by gunmen in Kundu village of Rijau local government area on February 14, while returning to Minna. One of the victims, Mohammed Ndagi, a civil servant with the state Science and Technical Board, said that their vehicle was intercepted by the bandits at about…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, says a new variant of COVID-19 has been discovered in Nigeria and 15 other countries. The new strain, B.1.2.5, which is different from the highly infectious B.1.1.7 has, however, not been described as a variant of concern yet. Disclosing this at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing on Monday in Abuja, NCDC Director-General Chikwe Iheakweazu said that researchers and scientists were still working hard to understand if the variant had any effect on the virus’ transmissibility, immunity as well as diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics. “As we shared, a total of 54 cases…
The Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, on Monday, started sensitisation/ mobilisation ahead of its step-down training for 600 crop and livestock farmers in selected Benue communities. The step-down training, an initiative of FAO, aims at training local crop and livestock farmers on alternative fooder/ livestock and commercial opportunities. The training to be conducted by the already trained extension workers, is slated to hold in rural communities between March 1 and March 5. Speaking on the exercise, a cross section of the extension workers said they had successfully mobilised the required number of people for the training. Mrs Tondo Salome, an…
The Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday, ordered the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to pay N10.6 million to veteran journalist, Geoffrey Anika, as damages against unlawfully blocking the highway. The blockage was said to have caused a ghastly motor accident involving Anika in 2012. Anika, is currently a traditional ruler in Atta Kingdom in Ikeduru Council Area of Imo. The amount was awarded in favour of Anika, whose vehicle, a Peugeot 406 was damaged beyond repairs as a result of the unlawful blockage. Justice Babatunde Quadri, while delivering judgment in the suit instituted against the NNPC by Anika, agreed…
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and USAID in collaboration with Partnership Initiative in Niger Delta (PIND), says plans are underway to boost local production of fish in the country. Dr Ime Umoh, Director of Fisheries in the Ministry disclosed this in Abuja on Monday said the aim was to ensure food security and meet huge demand potentials. He spoke at a virtual valedictory workshop on Aquaculture Most Impactful Practice (MIP) under the Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services Activity. The Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services Activity is a five-year (2020-2025)…
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in collaboration SANO Foods Limited, on Monday began a public-private sector initiative to promote the cultivation of improved cassava varieties in Nigeria. The partnership under the Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System, Phase 2 (BASICS-II) began with a joint public exhibition of fortified foods and cassava varietal display in IITA, Ibadan. Dr Kenton Dashiell, IITA Deputy Director-General (Partnerships for Delivery), noted that the partnership was to promote consumption of locally produced products in Nigeria. He said part of the deal was to create awareness on the newly released cassava varieties as…