Global notable COVID-19 vaccines manufacturers, Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna are making combined profits of $65,000 every minute from the sales of the vaccines, even as the world’s poorest countries remain largely unvaccinated, a new analysis by AFP has revealed. The companies have sold the vast majority of their doses to rich countries, leaving low-income nations in the lurch, said the People’s Vaccine Alliance (PVA), a coalition campaigning for wider access to Covid vaccines, which based its calculations on the firms’ own earning reports. The Alliance estimates that the trio will make pre-tax profits of $34 billion this year between them,…
Author: Newsdesk
By Justina Auta The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA) and 100 Women Lobby Group (100WLG), an NGO on Wednesday advocated for increased gender response in budgeting to promote awareness, equity and equality in a gender-sensitive way. Felicia Onibun, National Coordinator, 100WLG, at a workshop on Gender Responsive Budgeting Framework for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Abuja said the event aimed at teaching gender desk officers on gender mainstreaming, gender responsive budgeting, amongst others. Onibun, represented by Irene Ugbah stressed the need for gender budgeting, which should be all inclusive and capture women, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and all…
The Pro Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, Dr. Godknows Igali has inaugurated an Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) Committee to prevent and reduce disputes and proffer solution to existing ones in the University. A statement by the spokesperson of the institution, Adebayo Adegbenro on Wednesday said it “is in line with the assignment of the Council as stated by the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari through the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu. Buhari, during the inauguration charged Councils of Universities to see peaceful resolution of crisis as top priority to enable…
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Is-haq Oloyede has disclosed that the board has discovered 706,189 illegal admissions by universities, colleges of education and polytechnics. The Registrar, who made the disclosure during the consultative sensitization meeting with select stakeholders in Abuja on Tuesday, said that the public and private higher education institutions involved in the criminality cut across the six geographic zones. “Approximately 114 universities were responsible for 67.795 unlawful admissions, 137 polytechnics for 489,918,80 Colleges of Education for 142,818, and 37 other schools for 5,678. The admissions by the institutions, which were not made…
…As students win over N1m in NCC’s 2021 National Essay Competition The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta says the Commission had committed over N200 million to promote research and development (R&D) in order to drive innovation in the country’s telecommunications sector. Danbatta stated this during the prize presentation ceremony of the 2021 NCC National Essay Competition held at the Conference Room of the Commission’s Head Office in Abuja on Tuesday. At the event which marked the 3rd edition of the annual competition organised by the Commission, the EVC…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged the Federal Government to prioritise investment in infrastructure to improve the country’s business environment and boost economic growth. Mr Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor made the call Tuesday night in Abuja while reading the communique on the 282nd Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the apex bank. Emefiele said that the MPC observed the impact poor infrastructure on rising domestic price levels. He commended government’s effort at economic diversification while calling for more support to boost non-oil exports. “The committee commended the gradual diversification of the economy with the increased contribution of…
Kano state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje has disclosed that his and Lagos states are demanding for 1 per cent in the new nation’s revenue allocation formula. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Abba Anwar on Tuesday, said that Ganduje made the case when his Lagos state counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, paid condolence visit over the death of Aliko Dangote’s brother, Sani Dangote. “Looking at the population size of Kano and Lagos states and other similarities of mega cities, both states demand for 1 per cent in the new revenue allocation formula. We have already made our submissions.”…
The Nigerian government has inaugurated enhanced e-passport to improve passport application process for Nigerians at home and abroad. Mr Sola Fasure, the Media Adviser to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made known in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Abuja. According to him, the minister made the disclosure at the official rollout of the enhanced e-passport at the Nigerian High Commission, London. The minister, who revealed that the Nigerian passport was the highest affirmation of Nigerian citizenship, noted that it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide the passport without any stress and within a reasonable…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it has so far disbursed N864 billion to 4.1 million farmers to cultivate 5.02 million hectares of land under its Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) since inception in 2015. The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele made the revelation while presenting the communiqué from the recently held Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the apex bank in Abuja. Emefiele said that, between September and October alone the apex bank, under the ABP disbursed N43.19 billion to support the cultivation of over 250,000 hectares of maize, sorghum, soya beans and rice in the 2021 dry season.…
The UNICEF on Wednesday, applauded Sokoto government for signing the Sokoto State Child Protection Bill into law, saying it is a “major step forward for children’s rights in Nigeria.” The state governor, Aminu Tambuwal signed the bill into law on Monday, 18 years after the federal government of Nigeria enacted the Child Rights Act 2003 and urged state governments to domesticate the Act. According to a statement by UNICEF on Tuesday, 28 states, including Sokoto, have so far domesticated the Act into law, with nine remaining. The states that have yet to domesticate the Act are Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe,…