The European Union on Friday signed a 100 million Euros grant agreement (about $97.2 million) for the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT). This is contained in a statement published on IMF website on Friday. The statement said the funds would allow the IMF to make about 630 million Euros worth of zero-interest loans for PRGT-eligible countries, including African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP), facing balance of payments difficulties. “Access to affordable finance is key to helping these countries address the economic and food crisis situation worsened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The EU’s contribution is…
Author: Newsdesk
Indications are rife that the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan has finally lost out because the All Progressives Congress (APC) has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Bashir Machina as the Yobe North senatorial candidate as directed by the Federal High Court, Damaturu. The letter, signed by the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu and Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, directed INEC to also publish the name of Machina on its portal in line with the court order. “We write to notify the commission of the attached judgment dated September 28, 2022, and order dated October 5, 2022,…
The National Security Council has ordered nation’s security agencies to ensure the immediate stoppage of all illegal mining activities across Nigeria. The Council, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, which gave the order at the end of its meeting in Abuja on Friday also directed the National Security Adviser to the President, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno to investigate cases of oil theft in the Niger Delta areas. Ministers of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and his Police Affairs counterpart, Maigari Dingyadi disclosed these when they briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Council meeting held in Abuja on Friday. According to…
By Justina Auta Mr Lamine Sow, Officer-in-Charge of UNESCO Regional Office, Abuja, says over five million girls from 10 states have been empowered on reproductive health, life-saving education, among others. Sow made this known during an interactive session with girls from selected schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on State of Nigerian Girls. He said that the empowerment was under the UN body’s “Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future” (03) Programme in Abia, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Imo, Lagos, Nassarawa, Taraba and the FCT between 2018 to 2022. He added that the programme enabled the girls to realise…
Following an instruction allegedly by a senior official of Polaris Bank last week that Muslim staff were not allowed to attend Jumuah service, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has demanded unreserved apology from the management of the bank to apologise within seven days or face Muslim customers’ boycott of the bank. The boycott threat was issued in a statement by the Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola and made available to ASHENEWS on Friday. “A senior official of Polaris Bank, Damilola Adebara, last week addressed a mail to Muslim staff of the bank in which she instructed them that they…
Following rising insecurity arising from acts of banditry in Zamfara, the state government has shut down three local government areas, nine towns and villages, two markets and closed seven roads across the state. A statement by the Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Magaji Dosara made available to newsmen on Thursday, said the measure was in consideration of the state security council’s recommendation, which followed the rising cases of kidnapping in the communities as well as along some major roads in the state. He gave the names of the local government areas as Anka, Bukkuyum and Gummi; the towns and villages are…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has clarified that the striking out of money laundering charges against former Jigawa state governor, Saminu Turaki by the Federal High Court Dutse on Thursday did not amount to acquittal. This is contained in a statement by the spokesperson of the Commission, Wilson Uwujaren and made available to ASHENEWS on Friday. According to Uwujaren, the strike out of the case by the court was premised on the absence of the EFCC prosecutor and not “on the weight of the evidence by the prosecution or the lack of it” because he added, “the substantive…
The Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Usaini Gumel on Wednesday, held an interactive meeting with executives of broadcast media and online publishers in the state. The move was as political campaigns for the 2023 general elections began. The CP highlighted the Command’s determination to ensure absolute control of critical issues that were likely to trigger electoral violence, including hate speech and fake news; and the need to partner with all media executives in the state. Gumel drew the media executives’ attention to their role in providing peaceful, credible and hitch-free election by ensuring they disallowed the use of your various…
By Anthonia Obokoh, Lagos A recent assessment of the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS-6), conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for the Southwest states, has rated Etiki, Ogun and Oyo high in neonatal, infant and under-5 death in child mortality. UNICEF stated this at a two-day media dialogue organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lagos state Directorate, in conjunction with the Fund in Ibadan on Thursday. The dialogue was tagged: “2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS-6) for Journalists in South-West Zone.” Experts advised Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo…
… The Zonal Director of NBC Sokoto applauds CP Gumel for his giant stride towards media engagements …ICPC pays homage to Sokoto Police Command The Sokoto State Police Command on Thursday, presented cheques amounting to N13 million to three families of Police officers who lost their lives while in active service. Presenting the cheques on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, the Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammed Usaini Gumel said it was in line with Group Life Assurance initiative aimed at improving the capacity and welfare for families of police officers that lost their lives in…