Author: Chief Editor

• Okays N9.2b civil servants’ life insurance, N1.1b for aviation security uniforms • Revises national policy on climate change The Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, approved the establishment of an oxygen production plant for COVID-19 pandemic intervention in each of the 36 states of the country at N5.6 billion. This followed the Presidential Steering Committee’s (PSC) announcement to increase oxygen reserve capacity in the event of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who briefed newsmen on behalf of Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, shortly after the meeting, said the approval was to…

Tottenham have had contact with former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte about becoming the club’s new manager, reports PA. The 51-year-old is out of a job after leaving Inter Milan last month, having guided them to a first Serie A title since 2010, and could be primed for a return to London. Conte could also reportedly be joined by Fabio Paratici in a director of the football role, with the pair having previously worked together at Juventus. Spurs have been searching for a new manager since firing Jose Mourinho at the end of April and are still interested in former boss…

Israel’s Health Ministry said on Tuesday it had found the small number of heart inflammation cases observed mainly in young men who received Pfizer’s (PFE.N) COVID-19 vaccine in Israel were likely linked to their vaccination. Pfizer has said it has not observed a higher rate of the condition, known as myocarditis, than would normally be expected in the general population. In Israel, 275 cases of myocarditis were reported between December 2020 and May 2021 among more than 5 million vaccinated people, the ministry said in disclosing the findings of a study it commissioned to examine the matter. Most patients who experienced heart…

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday sent an executive bill to the Senate seeking to increase the retirement age for teachers in the country from 60 to 65 years. The bill also seeks to extend the years of service for teachers from 35 to 40 years. Buhari, in the letter addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and read on the floor, explained that the piece of legislation would provide for harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria. He said the move to increase the retirement age and service years was pursuant to Section 58(2) of the…

THE Senate, on Wednesday, passed a bill seeking to abolish the dichotomy between the Higher National Diploma certificate and the university degree holders in the country. The piece of legislation, sponsored by Senator Ayo Akinyelure, passed the third reading on the floor of the Senate at plenary. The Chairman, Senate Committee on tertiary institutions and TETFUND, Ahmad Kaita, presented his report and all the amended six clauses were approved by the Senate. [Punch]

If there ever was a time that this geographical entity that has never been a nation according to our “heroes past”, or a mistake of 1914, may be described as glorious, I must count myself as one of those who lived in this place, right across the geographical entity, at that time! And did I enjoy it, you would ask? Yes, of course! I did so most thoroughly! And I therefore belong to those “Nigerians” who have also watched the place literally work itself to death, by the very people who wanted to but were actually pretending to themselves that…

Given the profile of the dramatis personae and the organisation that is in question, it is not surprising that Hon Rotimi Ameachi and the suspended Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman have been in the news over the past weeks. But while everyone is haggling about whether some monies were remitted or not, or whether Bala Usman subordinated herself to the Minister of Transportation or not, I see a methodical journey for the furtherance of a political ambition that Nigerians have speculated about. Insubordination, if it truly existed between the two, is enough to inspire the torpedo…

Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in the 2019 presidential elections, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, has canvassed electoral reforms that will enable Nigerians abroad to vote from their countries of abode. Moghalu, who made the assertion while declaring his intent to run for the 2023 presidential election, condemned rising insecurity and poor state of the Nigerian economy. He, therefore, urged the National Assembly to urgently make necessary laws on electoral reforms that would enhance the country’s democratic experience. In his letter of interest sighted by The Guardian, he said all votes should…

•Holds nationwide public hearing on constitution review tomorrow •Exercise provides avenue for restructuring, says Gbajabiamila The Senate has given its Committee on Foreign and Local Debts 14 days to process President Muhammadu Buhari’s fresh N2.343 trillion ($6.183 billion) loan request. Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, gave the directive at the commencement of yesterday’s plenary shortly after the Senate Majority Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, drew attention of the upper legislative chamber to the pending proposal. The Senator Clifford Ordia-led panel has so far approved $28 billion of such facilities. The current request would increase the amount to $35.683 billion. Making the demand two…

• No third term agenda, elections will hold – President • N’Assembly tired of observing a minute silence for casualties, says Lawan • Umahi laments killing of Ebonyi indigenes in Benue • A word from Buhari to killer herders will stop violence – Benue dep gov Amid the outbreak of violence and rising calls for secession from agitators in the South, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, issued a stern warning to those promoting crime and insurrection in the country, saying that his administration will treat them in the language they understand and they will soon receive the shock of their lives.…