Why did I involuntarily yawn on Wednesday last week when I read stories of President Buhari inaugurating the National Steering Committee to develop a Nigeria Agenda 2050 and a Medium-Term National Development Plan, MTNDP? I am not a chronic pessimist. In fact for most of my life I was a chronic optimist until a series of dashed hopes and disappointing events and outcomes over several decades made me to reconsider my outlook in life. According to the President, the Agenda 2050 to be worked out is because two subsisting national development plans, namely Vision 20:2020 and Economic Recovery and Growth…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar, ASECNA, has started to broadcast a SBAS (Satellite-Based Augmentation System) signal over Africa and Indian Ocean (AFI) region, providing the first SBAS open service in this part of the world via NIGCOMSAT-1R Satellite managed and operated by Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd under Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy of Nigeria. This early open service is provided as part of the SBAS for Africa & Indian Ocean programme, which pursues the autonomous provision over the continent of SBAS services, to augment the performances of the satellite navigation constellations GPS and…
A bus conveying six passengers on Monday, rammed in a train at the PWD area of Lagos. The Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the incident, said the bus veered onto the rail track but that non of the passengers died. “A passenger motor GGE 972 GE with six passengers veered onto the train tracks while crossing the rail at PWD inward Oshodi and subsequently collided with a scheduled commuter train. “The bus was then dragged along for a stretch of the journey before the train managed to come to a complete halt. “The Agency…
The Iranian Justice Department on Monday warned European embassies in Tehran against interfering in the case of Navid Afkari, a professional wrestler whose execution at the weekend prompted shock internationally. “Foreign embassies should not become the mouthpiece for Iranian opposition groups and should at the very least adhere to diplomatic norms,’’ Ali Bagheri, deputy head of the department’s office for international affairs, said. According to him, pressure from abroad would undermine neither the Iranian justice system nor the Islamic laws that govern the country. The top official did not mention Afkari by name or which embassies he was referring to.…
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Uche Secondus has said that all Nigerians were worried about the state of the nation, just like former President Olusegun Obasanjo is. Obasanjo on Sunday, declared that the country is drifting and divided during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, a comment that did not go down well with the Presidency. However, Secondus in a statement alluded to Obasanjo’s position, adding that majority of Nigerians shared the former president’s views and concern. The PDP chairman advised President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, to absorb…
Edo governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has alleged that his predecessor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole put the state in serious indebtedness by “borrowing recklessly.” Obaseki made the allegation on Sunday during the Edo Governorship debate organized by ChannelsTV. “Let me make some points very clear. What happened is that my predecessor in office borrowed recklessly and the Federal government had to restructure all the debts that we have taken before I came into office,” Obaseki said while answering a question about the debt profile of the State. “These included a whole series of bank borrowings, borrowing to pay salaries.…
The continued spread of COVID-19 and the scorch of climate change in Africa have caused economies to contract substantially. Lives and livelihoods are put at risk, as COVID-19 and the associated economic challenges continue to spill into an African food crisis. Before COVID-19, half of Africans faced food insecurity (https://mck.co/3mty5rQ) due to climate change and other factors, of which 50% are severely food insecure. And the number of people who are hungry might likely double in 2021. Land is a vital resource. It is essential to agriculture on which 70% of Africans rely for their livelihoods. People-centred land governance is…
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, in Lagos has announced that it will begin “Operation Show Your Driver’s Licence and Vehicle Papers” on Monday (today). The Lagos State Sector Commander, Olusegun Ogungbemide disclosed this in a statement made available on Sunday, saying that the operation is to checkmate the spate of accidents, especially truck-related crashes and fatalities. “With the recent increase in the accidents involving articulated vehicles, there is the need for all drivers to be handy with their driver’s licence and valid vehicle papers as the command begins Operation Show Your Driver’s Licence and Vehicle Licence. …
The Nigerian Muslim rights group, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has condemned the alleged killing of Muslims and Fulanis in Zangon Kataf. MURIC in a statement issued by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akinola and made available to Ashenewsonline on Monday, also stated that the alleged killings, reported to have occurred on 8th and 9th September, 2020, violated the peace pact of 22nd August, 2020. Read the statement below: “Christian youths of Zangon Kataf have violated the 22nd August, 2020 peace pact initiated by the Agwa Atyap, Sir Dominic Gambo Yahaya between the Atyap and Hausa/Fulani. The breach occurred on Tuesday 8th September, 2020 when they launched guerrilla-like…
The National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, says 79 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded. The Centre via its official Twitter handle, @NCDCgov Sunday night also said that total infections now stands at 56,256. According to it, there were four COVID-19-related fatalities in Nigeria in the last 24 hours, bringing the national death toll to 1,082. The public health agency said that the 79 cases were reported from 13 states with Lagos posting the highest figure of 30 cases, Kaduna, 17, Ogun, seven, while Anambra reported five cases. Other states with new cases include Kano with four, while Katsina, FCT and…