The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday commenced an indefinite strike over an alleged mass dismissal of about 800 Nigerian workers at the Dangote Refinery. However, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has faulted the action of the oil workers’ union, describing it as “narrow-minded, parochial and unpatriotic.” The Islamic human rights group accused PENGASSAN’s leadership of putting the welfare of more than 250 million Nigerians at risk for the sake of what it called “an infinitesimal minority.” MURIC, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, called on the Federal Government…
Author: Newsdesk
Hospital leaders in Kano State have praised the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) for reforms that have saved money, restored vital services, and reduced financial stress for patients and hospitals. The reforms are part of President Bola Tinubu’s health sector renewal programme, led by the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate. They include higher tariff payments, quicker approvals, and special support packages such as aid for women living with obstetric fistula. Dr. Hussaini Muhammad, Chief Medical Director of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, described the NHIA’s N120,000 fistula support package as life-changing. He said many poor women could not…
The Federal Government has sent Mines Officers to Yabaka Village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State after a mine pit collapsed. The officers are leading rescue operations. The collapse, caused by heavy rainfall and worsened by illegal mining, trapped at least 15 mine workers. So far, 13 bodies have been recovered, but sadly no one survived. Efforts are still ongoing to recover the remaining two workers. Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, described the incident as both avoidable and unfortunate. In a statement through his media aide, Segun Tomori, Alake said that relevant departments of the…
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has approved the recruitment of 771 health workers, including doctors and other professionals, to strengthen services at Primary Health Centres across the state. The state government also expressed concern over the attitude of some pregnant women who still rely on traditional birth attendants for delivery instead of using government hospitals. Speaking over the weekend, Governor Otti announced that the state would also provide staff quarters for health workers to make their work easier. He revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will visit Abia on October 3 to commission several projects, including Ohanku, Ndoki, and…
Nigeria has been re-elected into Part 2 of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). ICAO is a global agency that ensures air travel is safe, secure, and sustainable. Mr. Ben Tukur was re-elected as Nigeria’s representative at the ongoing 42nd ICAO Assembly in Montreal, Canada. The announcement was made in Abuja by Mr. Tunde Moshood, the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo. According to the statement, Tukur won after a tough contest involving 11 other African nations. “Tukur, who has been Nigeria’s voice at ICAO, will…
A coalition of Nigerian civil society organizations has strongly criticized a United Nations proposal to shut down the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) by the end of 2026. The groups warned that such a move would undo decades of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS. They described the proposal as poorly timed and a betrayal of the UN’s promise to millions of people living with HIV worldwide. The statement, issued on Sunday, was signed by several groups, including the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, the Nigeria Key Population Health and Rights Network, the…
The Nigerian government has strongly refuted reports by some international platforms and online commentators alleging that terrorists in Nigeria are carrying out a systematic genocide against Christians. In a statement on Sunday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the allegations as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.” He said portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a religiously targeted campaign was a gross misrepresentation of reality, warning that such narratives only play into the hands of terrorists who thrive on dividing Nigerians. “The violent activities of terrorist groups are not confined to any particular religious or ethnic community. These…
The Livestock Management Services (LMS) has stressed that at least 70 per cent of Nigeria’s dog population must be vaccinated to break the chain of rabies transmission, warning that persistent gaps in coverage continue to fuel outbreaks. Dr. Bala Muhammed, Director and Chief Executive Officer of LMS, said this in Abuja on Sunday while marking World Rabies Day, commemorated annually on September 28. The 2025 theme is “Act Now: You, Me, Community.” Muhammed explained that over 99 per cent of human rabies infections in Nigeria come from hunting and free-roaming community dogs that come into contact with wildlife and spread…
The Zamfara State Government has confirmed that 10 persons died in a mining pit collapse at Kadauri village, Maru local government area. ASHENEWS reported on Saturday that, at least, 100 people died after a gold mine pit collapsed at the Kadauri gold site in Maru local government area of Zamfara State. Rescue workers, supported by local residents, were reported to have rushed to the scene and recovered 13 bodies, including that of a relative of one of the victims. Many more miners were reported to be trapped beneath the rubble, which raisrd fears that the death toll could climb. However, the Special…
The Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has approved N8.2 million as fare for the 2026 hajj exercise. The Director-General of the Board, Lamin Danbappa, confirmed this in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Sulaiman Dederi, on Saturday in Kano. Danbappa explained that the fare was in line with the directive of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and applied to all intending pilgrims. He said pilgrims who had earlier deposited N8.5 million would be refunded the balance after submitting a written request to the Board. The intending pilgrims making fresh payments are required to pay N8.2 million…