President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed door with the newly re-elected President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, at the State House, Abuja. The president commended Adesina for his support for Africa in general, and Nigeria in particular, stressing that the infrastructural deficits the country has in roads, rail, power, could not be overcome without support. “There can’t be sustainable development without infrastructure. Our efforts should be seen in the context of lack of resources, but you do your best to support us. “I wish you all the best in your final term,” he said. Buhari,…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria ”not to issue a kobo” of the country’s reserves for the importation of food items and fertilizer. Malam Garba Shehu, one of the President’s spokesmen, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, said the president gave the order at a meeting of the National Food Security Council at the State House, Abuja. According to the president, the order has become imperative as the Federal Government rolls out the Economic Sustainability Plan and sets goal for National Food Security. Buhari restated his earlier verbal directive to the apex bank, saying…
The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu says voters for Edo and Ondo governorship elections must wear their face masks or be prevented from voting. Yakubu disclosed this at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) briefing on COVID-19 on Thursday in Abuja. The INEC chairman explained that with the pandemic, it had become necessary to wear a face cover, which does not necessarily need to be medical mask but any material that could be used to cover the nose and mouth. Yakubu also stated that the non pharmaceutical measures like physical distancing of about two meters would be applied, while…
The National Working Committee (NWC), of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has dissolved the Kaduna State Caretaker Committee of the party and reconstituted a new committee. The Party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Thursday, said the decision was taken on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC). Ologbondiyan said the action of the NWC was according to Sections 29 (2)(b) and 31(2)(e) of the PDP Constitution, 2017, as amended. He said that the newly constituted Caretaker Committee would be chaired by Bashir Dutsenma and Ali Abdullahi as Secretary. Other members of the…
The International Press Centre, IPC, Lagos-Nigeria, hereby condemns the unlawful arrest of four journalists, Ifeoluwa Adediran of Premium Times, Abiodun Ayeoba of Sahara Reporters, Awoniyi Oluwatosin of Objective Media and Daniel Tanimu of Galaxy Television early today, September 10, 2020, while covering a peaceful protest on the fuel price increase in Yaba, Lagos State. Spokesperson for the organizers of the protest – the Socialist Party of Nigeria – Comrade Hassan Soweto, who was equally arrested confirmed that, “The cameras and phones of the journalists were seized while they were taken to the Lagos State Police Command.” IPC disapproves the harassment…
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has described as the highest display of insensitivity to the plight of suffering citizens, the arrest of Nigerians protesting over recent hike in price of patrol and increment in electricity tariffs in parts of the country. Reacting to news reports that some citizens, including journalists, were being hounded into detention by the police, the CNPP in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu advised President Muhammadu Buhari to “allow citizens to freely express their displeasure over government policies. That is the only way the government can understand the pains the…
Mr Tola Johnson, Special Assistant to the President on Micro Small and Medium and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), says 100,000 small businesses will get N50,000 each as part of COVID-19 economic stimulus. Johnson disclosed this at the inauguration of the Implementation of Survival Fund and Guaranteed Off-Take Stimulus Schemes for MSMEs on Thursday in Abuja. The special assistant, who is also the Project Coordinator, said that the schemes were part of the Economic Sustainability Plan drafted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led committee and approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. Johnson said that the schemes would go a long way in mitigating the…
The Northern Governors Forum says the Mobile Testing Vans it ordered to conduct COVID-19 tests in the North will also be used in the diagnosis of about 30 clinical conditions such as Hepatitis, Ebola, Tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong, said this in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Macham, on Thursday in Jos. Lalong said the forum in a virtual meeting it held on Wednesday resolved to combat the pandemic headlong to restore normalcy in the region. He expressed delight at the…
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved additional N8.9 billion for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) hazard allowances to all medical health workers in the country. The Chairman, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, disclosed this at the PTF briefing on Thursday in Abuja. Mustapha also stated that in addition to this, the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for hospitals and isolation centres would be given priority. The chairman also admitted diffusion in registration for passengers coming into Nigeria. He said, “the PTF is aware of and working with our partners…
Some African farmers have highlighted the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the continent’s food system supply chain. The farmers said the pandemic disrupted access to inputs, technologies, labourers and traders/aggregators. They made the submission at the Day 3 virtual media briefing of the African Green Revolution Summit 2020 on Thursday, holding in Kigali, Rwanda. The summit has as its theme: Feed the cities, Grow the Continent: Leveraging Urban Food Markets to achieve Sustainable Food System in Africa. Mr King-David Amoah, President, Ghana Federation of Agricultural Producers (GFAP), said that the pandemic slowed down agricultural activities in his…