Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) Joe Ajaero on Thursday, 18 July, 2024 gave reasons why the Organized Labour accepted the proposal of N70,000 minimum wage from the President, Bola Tinubu. Ajaero, who spoke to State House reporters after the meeting with the President, said the unions agreed to the offer because of other incentives attached. According to him, another reason for accepting the offer is because “the President promised a review every three years as against what obtained in the past.” Recall that the President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on Thursday, 18 July, 2024 announced…

Stakeholders in the education sector on Thursday, 18 July, 2024 have agreed to peg the minimum benchmark score for admission into universities at 140. The benchmark score is not the cut-off mark for admissions for all universities, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB) Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, explained during policy meeting in Abuja on Thursday, 18 July, 2024. Recall that various institutions had sent their minimum benchmark scores to JAMB. Institutions such as Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos; Covenant University, Ogun state, Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun state and the University of Lagos were the only universities that recommended 200 and…

The Federal Government on Thursday, 18 July, 2024 announced a new curriculum would be introduced for secondary schools nationwide by September 2024. The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, Tahir made this disclosure at the 2024 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board policy meeting in Abuja on Thursday, 18 July, 2024 in ABuja “We are working hard to ensure that a new curriculum is introduced for secondary schools by September,” Mamman said, adding that the exercise has been on for the past year and a stakeholders meeting will be held on August 6,2024. “It is our plan that by September, this programme will…

The Federal Government on Thursday, 18 July, 2024 announced a ban on admissions for candidates under the age of 18 into tertiary institutions in the country. The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, made the announcement on Thursday, 18 July, 2024 during the 2024 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board. “JAMB is hereby notified that there is now a ban on underaged students, those under the age of 18 into our tertiary institutions from this 2024 admissions,” Mamman said According to the Minister, the Federal Government was considering the adoption of 18 years as the entry age for admission…

President Bola Tinubu has approved N70, 000 as the new National Minimum Wage. The approval followed a just concluded meeting at the Presidential Villa Abuja, on Thursday, 18 July, 2024

The Coalition of Accredited Election Observers for Delta State local government elections held on Saturday, July 13, has released its preliminary report, affirming that the election was generally peaceful, free and fair. In a communique issued on Monday, 15 July, 2024 in Asaba, the Coalition which is made up of 25 accredited NGOs, said the local government elections in the state were conducted within the international best practices.  According to the communique read by the team leader of the DSIEC Accredited Election Observers, Comrade Fidelis Nweke, the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the relevant state electoral law. The…

The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (OYOSUBEB) has fixed Monday, July 22- Friday July 26, 2024, for the computer-based test (CBT), for applicants for primary school teachers recruitment from the just-ended application held in the the State. The Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, stated this in Ibadan He said a total of 50, 097 applicants scaled the application exercise to take part in the computer-based tests for the available positions. Adeniran said specific date and time for individual applicants is already being communicated to them via their email and/or their phone numbers. Dr.…

Some indigenes of Oyo State based in Canada recently presented medical equipment and hospital-related items to the Oyo state government. The indigenes, under the umbrella, Ibadan Descendants Development Union (IDDU) made the presentation at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Adeoyo, Ibadan on Tuesday. The Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde said his administration was glad to be associated with the diasporans. Represented by the state Commissioner for health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, the Governor said IDDU’s contribution to the healthcare system in Oyo State is immense. The Governor reiterated the efforts of his administration in improving thr health sector in the state. He…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has named the 12.5 kilometres Kemta-Idi Aba-Somorin road in Abeokuta, after the Noble Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka. Governor Abiodun, who spoke at a reception organized by the state government to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Noble Laureate, in Abeokuta, on Wednesday, said the naming of the road after the world renowned playright was as a result of his achievements in the academia and literature that has brought honour not only to Ogun State and Nigeria, but the black race. Abiodun said that apart from using his writings to expose human conditions, Prof. Soyinka…

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Wednesday, 17 july, 2024 decried the delay in new minimum wage negotiations and urged the Federal Government and the leadership of organised Labour to ensure that any agreement reached must be backed up by stakeholders’ ability to pay. The Governors also threw their weight behind the recent Supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy to local governments and pledged continous support to the third their of government. At a meeting of the Forum held at the Enugu State Government House, the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Bauchi State,…

A New York federal court on Tuesday, 16 July, 2024 convicted a wealthy Chinese businessman Guo Wengui, a self-styled opponent of the authorities in Beijing, of defrauding customers of more than $1 billion. Guo presented himself as a fierce critic of the Chinese Communist Party and a fervent defender of democracy, while keeping links with US right-wing figure Steve Bannon, recently jailed in a separate case. The FBI arrested Guo in March 2023 at his luxurious Manhattan apartment, in a building overlooking Central Park, accusing him of using his online fame to convince thousands of investors to fund his companies…

Amid the breakup rumours with his wife, famous afrobeat musician, Kizz Daniel has requested a refund for all his expenses. Recall that it was earlier rumoured on the internet that Kizz Daniel’s marriage had crashed after his wife caught him with another woman in his studio. Speaking in a post on its X handle on Wednesday, 17 July, 2024, the singer requested a refund for all that he has done for her if she insists on breaking up with him. In a now trending deleted post, Daniel wrote; “If you won breakup with me, Follow no My problem just pay…

A final year student of the Niger Delta University, NDU, identified as Francis Palowei, has been reportedly killed by some youths from Amassoma community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, on Monday, 14 July, 2024 over N150 levy at a sand dump, a popular relaxation spot in the area. It was gathered from a resident of the community who spoke on the condition of anonymity, that the sand dump is a popular spot where students often go to relax, socialize and climb the height of it for fun. He said some youths in the area, seeing the…

By Gbenga Akingbule Fifteen-year old Maryam Mohammed Ali life time ambition is to become a medical doctor where she can utilize her expertise to give care to her community in Baga, a town located on the fringes of Lake Chad Basin that had suffered several attacks from notorious Boko Haram Insurgents. Boko Haram which is translated in Hausa language to mean- Western Education is forbidden, almost succeded in making Ali give up on her dream when they invaded Baga town in Kukawa Local government Council of Borno state. Ali , like many other students couldn’t go to school as the…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, with effect from August 14, 2024. Mrs. Walson-Jack was appointed as Federal Permanent Secretary in 2017 and has served in several Ministries. The new appointee will take over from the incumbent Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, CFR, who is due to retire on August 13, 2024. President Tinubu, while thanking the outgoing Head of Service for her stewardship, tasked the incoming Head of Service to discharge her duties with innovative flair, integrity,…

Operatives of the Jigawa State Command have arrested 23-year-old Islamic school teacher, Yusuf Yunusa for allegedly sodomizing twelve of his students in Gwaram Local Government. State Commissioner of Police A T. Abdullahi made this disclosure on Wednesday, 17 July, 2024 this while parading the suspects at the Command’s headquarters, Dutse, the state capital. According to him “on 11/07/2024 at about 2100hrs, information was received at Gwaram Divisional Police Headquarters that, on the same date at about 1400hrs, one Yusuf Yunusa, 23 years of Gwaram town, a teacher of an Almajiri Islamic school, formed the habit of taking some of his…

The United Kingdom Government has hosted a multi-stakeholder meeting in Abuja to discuss how its Serious & Organised Crime (SOC) Prevent Programme is making significant strides in deterring vulnerable young people from joining Organised Crime Groups in Nigeria. Launched as a three-year pilot in December 2021, the programme is designed to disrupt Nigerian Organised Crime Groups by redirecting at-risk youth towards positive alternatives in Bayelsa, Edo, Zamfara and Lagos states. In select local governments of these states, the SOC Prevent Programme has established robust structures and delivered various interventions, including Back-to-School Initiatives, Digital Skills Acquisition, Dance and Drama Workshops and…

Stiffer measures to cut raw mineral exports and boost value addition topped talks among African ministers of mining at the Ministerial Roundtable held yesterday to flag off the annual Africa Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) in Abuja. The measures include an upward review of licence fees, royalties and charges, support for indigenous miners, and value addition as a condition for licences. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, who chairs the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), urged member-countries to ensure control of their mineral resources, leveraging the global shift to green energy to maximize the benefits…

Abdullahi Hurso Bashir, a former councilor from Marte Local Government Area in Borno State, has shared his harrowing tale of survival and resilience in the face of Boko Haram’s insurgency. Bashir’s life was forever changed when his community was attacked in 2014, forcing him to flee and become an internally displaced person (IDP). This was disclosed in a statement yesterday by Ahmed Mustapha, the spokesperson of The Truth Alliance, which is a a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) dedicated to exposing the evil agenda and countering the narratives of Boko Haram terrorists and splinter groups like the Islamic State…

The United Kingdom has appointed Mr. Mark Smithson the Country Director for the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in Nigeria. He takes over from Chim Chalemera who recently concluded a three-year posting in that role. Smithson is an experienced civil servant having undertaken a wide variety of roles both in the UK and overseas. In this new role, he will lead on the UK-Nigeria’s trade and investment relations to deliver an increased high value inward investment and greater exports into the UK and Nigeria as well as support market access and trade policy priorities. To mark his arrival…