With the utmost concern, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) notes the latest attempt by a Reverend Father Mathew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese to destroy the quest for national integration by instigating violence through exploiting cleavages of religious nature to cause disharmony and facilitate the further emasculation of northern Nigerian Muslims. The CNG finds it ironic that a Reverend would choose the revered occasion of the celebration of the birth of Christ to needlessly incite hatred against a section of the country. This statement by Kukah only goes to testify to the growing trend by bigots of selectively…
Author: Editor
By Okeoghene Akubuike It is five years after the Paris Agreement on Climate Change was adopted by 196 parties (countries) at the Conference of Parties (COP) 21 in Paris of which Nigeria is a signatory. Since then, there have been calls by state and non- state actors for Nigeria to undertake more ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects. According to the United Nations Climate Change publication of 2020, the COP is the supreme decision making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). All states that are parties to the Convention are…
By Tosin Kolade The relevance of water to Nigeria’s national development is very pivotal to population growth, urbanization and increased efforts at agriculture and industrial development. This relevance has increasingly brought to the fore very key issues of the country’s existence, thus occasioning the need for increased access to water for Nigerians. The water sector is a pillar for food security, job creation, water supply, sanitation and hydropower generation. President Muhammadu Buhari has described the statistics on open defecation and access to pipe borne water service and sanitation as disturbing, and has declared commitment to implement the National Water Supply,…
The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 838 new cases of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the country. The centre announced this on its verified website on Sunday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 925,215 persons have been tested since the first confirmed case of the virus was announced on Feb, 27 2020. According to the centre, the country has recorded a total of 84,414 cases and 1,254 fatalities since the pandemic began. The health agency also confirmed the discharge of 539 patients from isolation centres across the country, bringing the total recoveries to 71,034. NCDC explained that the 838 new cases…
Alhaji Salihu Lukman, Director-General, Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), says a holistic approach is required to address recurring Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strikes in the country. Lukman said this in a statement in Abuja. ASUU had been on strike since March 23, paralysing academic activities in public universities before the recent agreement to end the strike. “Many who simply want to reduce these issues to opinions and commentary, may hardly recognise that this is not a matter that any government can resolve by fiat. “It is also not a matter that any group can sustainably achieve, no matter how…
A Chinese court on Monday sentenced citizen journalist, Zhang Zhan, to four years in prison for her live stream reporting of COVID-19 breakout from Wuhan. Zhan, who was detained in May, was convicted on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in her coverage of the chaotic initial stages of the outbreak, the Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported. Dozens of her supporters and diplomats had gathered outside Shanghai Pudong New District People’s Court on Monday morning before the trial began, according to the report. The police were compelled to push journalists and observers away from the court’s entrance. The…
Senate President Ahmed Lawan has called on Nigerians to put their tribal, religious and political affiliations aside and unite to make the nation great. Lawan made the call on Sunday during a thanksgiving service and 10th anniversary celebration in honour of the late Chief Johnson Kalu, the father of the Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Kalu, at Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of Abia. He said that the country had great potential to be great, if Nigerians would unite, irrespective of their tribal, political and religious backgrounds. He said: “Nigeria is designed by the grace of God…
Cristiano Ronaldo, knocked out three other top contenders, for the Player of the Century crown at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Sunday. The Juventus forward attended the awards to receive the top prize for which Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah and Ronaldinho were also shortlisted. “Thank you, to everyone who voted for me, to my family, to my mother and sisters,” Ronaldo said. “It is an exceptional achievement. It gives me the motivation to move forward. “To be named the best is a great honour, I hope that this situation is over next year and that we can have…
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday night said he had signed the $900 billion (N349.2 trillion) coronavirus relief package. The action came just hours before a government shutdown, and days after the president opposed the bill over “wasteful and unnecessary items’’. In a statement, Trump called on Congress to make more amendments to reduce excess spending and expunge the “wasteful items”. “I will sign the Omnibus and COVID package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed. “I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item, accompanied by the…
The Nigeria’s Police Service Commission, PSC, has reacted to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which recently faulted the recent promotion of officers and asked a revision of the exercise. However, PSC in a statement by the Spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani issued on Sunday said against the thinking of Ohanaeze, promotions in the force were based on availability of vacancies, seniority, free of any pending disciplinary matter and merit except in few cases of special promotion. “Promotions of senior Police officers, including promotion into the office of Commissioner of Police are based on availability of vacancies, seniority, free of any pending disciplinary matter and merit…