The Management of Arik Air has asked for intervention of the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, over the planned industrial action to be embarked by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, and Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, from Monday. The Chief Executive Officer of Arik, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu in a letter to the minister, sought his intervention for the unions to understanding and cooperate. The unions on Thursday, threatened to commence strike on Monday over alleged non payment of staff salaries since April after placing 90 per cent of the workforce on compulsory leave.…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Russians head to polls in regions throughout the country on Sunday to cast their votes in local elections set to test the dominance of United Russia, the party most closely associated with long-time President Vladimir Putin. The elections will be conducted in the course of several days as a precaution to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The main and final day of voting comes up on Sunday, and will take place against the backdrop of months-long anti-Putin protests in the Far East and the near-fatal poisoning of dissident Alexei Navalny with the Soviet-developed nerve agent, Novichok. A nationwide survey by…
The Kaduna Internal Revenue Service, KADIRS, has sealed 13 gaming offices in its ongoing operation to close all unregistered gaming offices in the state. Mr Liye Anthony, Head of Gaming said on Sunday, that the operation, which began on Thursday had so far shut down five offices of bet9ja and King Bet respectively, two Access Bet offices and one office of Derby Lotto. He said that there were about 1,500 gaming offices across the state operating illegally without due registration and license. “We will continue to go after them until all the operators of the gaming companies regularised their operations…
Kano state government says COVID-19 is largely responsible for the decline in uptake and delivery of essential primary health care services in the state. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa announced this during a Zoom meeting on Kano State Health Systems Strengthening Program MOU Review, coordinated from Abuja. “The Covid 19 incidence in the state from April 2020 resulted in a decreased uptake of PHC services due to fear of contracting Covid 19 and movement restrictions”, he affirmed. Dr. Tsanyawa observed, however, that the Ganduje administration made concerted efforts to halt the trend including public sensitization on…
Liberian President George Weah, has declared rape a national emergency and has ordered new measures to tackle the problem after a recent spike of cases in the poor West African state. The moves comes after thousands of Liberians protested rising incidents of rape in the capital Monrovia last month, in a bid to draw attention to the country’s alarming rate of sexual assault. Late on Friday, Weah said he would install a special prosecutor for rape in Liberia, as well as set up a national sex offender registry, a statement from his office said. The government will also establish a…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 160 new infections of COVID-19 in the country, bringing the nation’s confirmed cases to 56,177. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle, @NCDCgov on Saturday. The agency said that in the last 24 hours, two people died from the virus, bringing the death toll nationwide to 1,078. The NCDC stated that the number of recovered patients increased by 90, bringing total number of discharged cases to 44,088. “As of Sept. 12, 2020, 160 new confirmed cases and two deaths were recorded in Nigeria. “Till date, 56,177 cases have…
Naomi Osaka ended Victoria Azarenka’s dream run to claim her second U.S. Open title in three years with a 1-6 6-3 6-3 comeback win on Saturday. The win cemented her status as the sport’s leading light both on and off the court. Unlike the 22-year-old Japanese’s first U.S. Open win in 2018 over Serena Williams, which was played in a frothing Arthur Ashe Stadium, Saturday’s drama unfolded in a strangely quiet arena. COVID-19 health and safety protocols had prevented fans from entering the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre. But the lack of buzz around the stands did not stop…
The Niger state government, has allocated 50 hectares of land to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, for the establishment of a training school in Kontagora. The Chairman of North Central Governors’ Forum and Governor of Niger, Abubakar Sani-Bello who handed over the land to the management of NSCDC, said it is in a bid to provide security to citizens. Sani-Bello explained that in the interim, the state government had signed a lease agreement with the Bako Ranch Limited, to ensure a smooth take-off of the NSCDC training school, adding that some facilities were made available…
On Friday, 11th September 2020, I accompanied the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, who happens to be my mentor and role model to Adamawa state, for the inauguration of the National Cooking Gas Project. She was in the state to flag off the distribution of cooking gas among women and girls, who are the main beneficiaries of the project. Adamawa is one of the 11 states hit by desertification, so the Minister was also there for tree planting in order to mitigate deforestation. This of course, is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s palliatives programme, aimed at alleviating…
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday, condoled Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, on the death of his 23-year old daughter, Sadiya. Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos State said: “We are here to thank God for you . In everything, He has taught us to bring grateful and faithful. “Whatever He allows to happen to us, we must should thank Him . Bereavement is not easy , particularly of a daughter, but that is the way God wants it. “If we lament more than this we will be sinning, hence, we must…