Author: Chief Editor

The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has urged Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State to return to the negotiation table with Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to prevent the ongoing strike from crippling the state’s economy. Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi state and Chairman of the forum said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. “The PGF has been following unfolding development between NLC and Kaduna state government over the issue of rightsising local government employees with deep concerns. “Noting all the challenges facing all our states, especially given dwindling revenue, we appeal to all patriotic Nigerians, including the NLC, to…

President Muhammadu Buhari has sought the approval of the Senate for an external loan of 6.183 billion dollars, to fund the deficit of N5.602triillon in the 2021 Appropriation Act. This is contained in a letter addressed to the President of Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan and read at plenary on Tuesday. Buhari said the request was in line with the provisions of section 21(1) and 27(1) of the Debt Management Office (DMO) Establishment Act 2003. He said the loan would be sourced from a combination of multilateral and bilateral lenders and the International Capital Market (ICM) through the issuance of Euro…

The suspended Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman has refuted allegations that she resisted inquiries into the finances of NPA. A Senator representing Adamawa North and former board member of NPA, Binta Garba had alleged that Bala-Usman influenced her removal as a board member of the NPA after she demanded financial transparency But Bala-Usman, in a statement issued yesterday described Garba’s comments as “spurious and unproved allegations”. “Apart from the fact that Senator Binta Garba really said nothing substantial, making only spurious, unproved allegations in the statement she issued on Sunday, she also gave herself…

On Tuesday, May 11, 2021, 17 Governors of the Southern States of Nigeria met in Asaba, Delta State to discuss issues of common interest. They came up with a 12-point communique in which they raised key issues about the future of Nigeria and the Southern region. This was not the first time Southern Governors would meet under the same roof. They are all members of the Nigerian Governors Forum –a pan-Nigeria Forum for all CEOs of Nigeria’s sub-nationals. There is also the Progressive Governors’ Forum which is the umbrella body of the Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday said based on appropriation records, about 91 percent of current funding to the Armed Forces goes to the recurrent overhead, salaries and welfare, leaving only 9 percent for capital purchases. This is as he stated that the country is at war against insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and all manner of insecurity, hence the need to uplift the resources available to the country’s armed services to enable them to procure the best tools to win the war. The Speaker also disclosed that the House would next week host a five-day special…

Tottenham striker Harry Kane has told the club he wants to leave at the end of the season, according to reports on Monday. Kane is unhappy at Tottenham’s lack of progress this season and is willing to leave after 12 years with the north London side, according to Sky Sports. The England captain reportedly wants his future resolved before the delayed Euro 2020 starts on June 11. Kane’s contract with Tottenham has another three years to run and chairman Daniel Levy is known to be a tough negotiator, which could ruin the 27-year-old’s hopes of a quick resolution. Tottenham refused…

Despite concerns by the government and other relevant stakeholders, courts across the country have remained shut since April 6, 2021, when Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) members began their strike to press for financial autonomy of the judiciary. Similarly, members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) in some state Houses of Assembly have been on strike over financial independence of the parliament at the state level. Beyond JUSUN and PASAN, other sectors which members have had course to be on strike include; the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), health workers under the umbrella body of the…

French President Emmanuel Macron Tuesday hosts African leaders and chiefs of global financial institutions for a summit meeting that will seek to provide Africa with critical financing swept away by the Covid-19 pandemic. Africa has so far been less badly hit by the pandemic than other global regions — with a total of 130,000 dead across the continent. But the economic cost is only too apparent, with the International Monetary Fund warning in late 2020 that Africa faces a shortfall in the funds needed for future development a financial gap of $290 billion up to 2023. A moratorium on the…

• ACF backs Southern governors, restates support for open grazing ban • Why Northerners are scared of ‘Asaba Accord’ – Ozekhome • Governors to meet over COVID-19 third wave, judicial autonomy • Tinubu, Southwest APC leaders to meet on state of the nation Exactly a week after the ‘Asaba Accord’ of Southern Governors, which among other things, proclaimed a ban on open grazing, governors on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, yesterday, assembled in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, for a one-day consultative meeting on state of the nation. The forum of PDP governors at the end…

Gov sets up committee to provide support for poor, vulnerable households, others The organised labour in Ekiti State has rejected withdrawal of minimum wage and consequential adjustment by the state government. The organised labour, which comprises the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), met Governor Kayode Fayemi in a closed-door meeting on the state of the economy, calling for release of subventions to state-owned tertiary institutions. In a statement signed by NLC Chairman, Kolapo Joshua Olatunde; TUC Chairman, Sola Adigun and JNC Chairman, Kayode Fatomiluyi, after the meeting, the unions condemned any…