Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

The Federal Government has revealed a new government policy that would permit Nigerians who currently hold dollars outside the formal banking system to bring those funds into the financial system. Such individuals have a nine-month grace period to comply with the directive without attracting legal liability or financial penalties. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun made this disclosure after the National Economic Council meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday, 31 October, 2024 where an update was given on the Excess Crude Account currently standing at $473,754.57, the Natural Resources Fund at…

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is passionate about the health of women and all residents of the state as he charges them to embrace healthy living. Speaking through the Director General of Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, Sanwo-Olu said it was important that the women have adequate awareness about their health. The Governor said: “That health is wealth is not new but more importantly it is important to educate women as our mothers to embrace good healthy living and all round fitness. “The Lagos Women Run is such avenue to make a bold statement on women and…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has received overwhelming commendation from auctioneers for its successful assets disposal exercise, describing it as “transparent”. The 2024 exercise, which the Commission conducted Thursday, 31 October, 2024 at the auditorium of the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja had 40 auctioneers in attendance. The balloting exercise for the assets, which was organised by the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Department (POCD) of the Commission saw twenty-six out of the forty auctioneers winning various categories of assets disposed by the Commission on behalf of the federal government. The assets included plots of…

The National Economic Council, on Thursday, 31 October, 2024 asked President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the Tax Reforms Bills from the National Assembly to allow for wider consultations and consensus building. Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said this formed part of resolutions reached at the 144th meeting of the National Economic Council at the State House, Abuja. Makinde told newsmen at the end of the meting that the council members agreed that it was necessary to allow for consensus building and understanding of the bills among Nigerians. “NEC noted the need for sufficient alignment on the proposed reforms and recommended…

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede has restated his resolve to continue his frontal war against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption in order to sustain and surpass his impressive one year scorecard as the nation’s number one graft fighter. He disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday, October 31, 2024 at a Media Conference to mark his one year in office. Olukoyede who spoke through the Director, Public Affairs, Commander of the EFCC, CE Wilson Uwujaren disclosed that the last one year has been action-packed, record-breaking and result-loaded. “Fighting corruption is not an easy task but you can agree with us that we…

The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has disclosed that the country earned N1.137 trillion as revenue from solid minerals from 2007 to 2023. NEITI disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while presenting the 2023 Solid Minerals Audit Report, according to NAN. According to the report, the top mineral-producing states include Ogun, Kogi, and Rivers states, while Solid Minerals Revenue contributions were led by Osun, Ogun, and Kogi states. The report showed a substantial increase in government receipts from N7.59 billion in 2007 to N341.27 billion in 2022, a significant rise, indicating solid sector growth. The 2023 report underscored the…

The Federal Government has announced a N2.8 billion support grant from Google to boost Artificial Intelligence talent development in the country. Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, ‘Bosun Tijani, made the announcement on Thursday, 31 October, 2024 at an unveiling event organized by the Nigerian Government and Google, in Abuja. Tijani, who said the support fund is part of Google’s $5.8 million commitment to support digital skills programs across Sub-Saharan Africa, also added that the fund will help close the unemployment gap and economic hardship Nigerians face. “This support from Google is a testament to our commitment to positioning…

A 30-year-old man, Musa Garba, is to face arraignment in Adamawa State for alleged sexual assault on two schoolgirls aged four and six. The Adamawa State Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Suleiman Nguroje, who made this disclosure on Thursday, 31 October, 2024 said the man would be arraigned in court on Friday, 1 November, 2024. Nguroje said that earlier on Monday, October 28, the Adamawa State Police Command, in its fight against Gender Based Violence, apprehended Musa Garba, a resident of Angwa Uku, Kano State, for sexually assaulting the two minors in Numan LGA of Adamawa State. He…

A female resident medical doctor at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna State, Ganiyat Popoola, who was abducted by gunmen in December 2023, regained her freedom on Wednesday, 30 October, 2024 after being held captive for 10 long months. Thegazellenews.com recalls that Popoola, a Registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, was kidnapped alongside her husband, Nurudeen Popoola, who is a military officer and her nephew, Folaranmi Abdul-Mugni who lives with them. The abductors had earlier demanded a whopping N40 million ransom, which was paid after which they released her husband on 8 March, 2024, and…

Ayra Starr has now surpassed Yemi Alade as the most-viewed Nigerian female artist of all time on YouTube. The 22-year-old overtook Alade (805 million views) after accumulating 811 million views on the platform. Starr’s most-viewed video on the platform is her hit single ‘Rush,’ with over 395 million views. ‘Rush’ is also the most-viewed music video by a female Nigerian artist on YouTube; a record formerly held by Yemi Alade’s ‘Johnny.’ However, Yemi Alade retains her position as the female Nigerian artist with the most number of subscribers on the platform with 2.41 million subscribers. Ayra Starr occupies the second…

A 36-year-old man, Kazeem Bankole, was on Thursday arraigned before a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court presided over by Chief Magistrate, Mr N.A Layeni, for allegedly stealing 10 bags of rice worth N870,000. Bankole, with no fixed address, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Edet Ekpo, informed the court that the defendant committed the offences with some others still at large, on October 5 at about 2.30 pm at Mosafejo in the Aradagun area of Badagry, Lagos. Ekpo said that the defendant stole 10 bags of rice…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said that his administration would welcome supports from the United States Government in its efforts at improving the lives of the people of the State. Governor Abiodun stated this on Thursday, 31 October, 2024, when he received the Ambassador of the United States of America to Nigeria, Mr. Richard Mills, who paid him a courtesy call in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. The Governor, represented by his Deputy, Engr (Mrs) Noimot Salako-Oyedele informed the Envoy that his administration has invested a lot in the past five years in the area of empowering the…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has emphasized his administration’s commitment to listening to the voices and concerns of its citizens in order to incorporate them into the 2025 budget. The state government concluded its series of Town Hall meetings on the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the 2025 budget with the turn of Ogun Central on Thursday, wrapping up a process that began on October 23 in Ijebu Division. Governor Abiodun, represented by his Chief Economic Adviser and Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, at the town hall meeting, which took place at the June 12 Cultural…

The Aisha Agwai Foundation AAF will hold a Maternal Health Outreach at the Gwarinpa General Hospital in Abuja, the convener of the medical outreach, Ms Aisha Agwai, who is also the organisation’s founder, said in a press statement Thursday in Abuja. “This is the first outreach of the Aisha Agwai Foundation, and we are committed to supporting the country’s healthcare delivery system. As such, we are holding this Outreach. Our main motivation remains that there is a gap in the healthcare system, especially concerning women from low-income households. Primarily because they are unable to afford their medical bills and access…

The European Union and Germany have committed €17.9 million to Nigeria’s Energy Sector. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mahmuda Mamman, made this known on Thursday in Abuja at the unveiling of the 3rd Phase of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme. The event was organized by the Nigerian Government, EU, and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur International Zusammenarbeit, GIZ. EU and German Government is launching the 3rd Phase of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) to foster investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and rural electrification NESP, which was 1% commissioned in 2013, is a technical assistance programme co-funded by the European…

I condole with the Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Gov. Seyi Makinde and the good people of the State over the unfortunate building collapse at Amuloko area of the State. My heart goes out to the families affected by the incident. In this time of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with you all. I commend and thank all the first responders and medical teams who are working tirelessly, for their courage, dedication and compassion, since the incidence. I pray God Almighty Comforts those who have lost their loved ones to this tragedy and wish the injured speedy recovery.…

The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has once again assured Nigerians that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing everything it can to improve the lives of the ordinary man. She pointed out that the various reforms and programmes would yield long lasting effects rather than a flash in the pan approach. The First Lady who was represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima explained that the Food Outreach Programme of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), under its Social Investment programme is a monthly intervention strategy targeting the…

Governors of 19 Northern States of Nigeria, under the platform of the Northern Governors’ Forum, at their meeting on Monday, October 28, 2024, expressed their opposition to the new derivation-based model for Value-Added Tax (VAT) distribution in the new tax reform bills before the National Assembly. Chairman of the forum, Governor Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, read the communiqué. The Northern Governors’ Forum meeting also had traditional rulers from the region, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, in attendance. While we commend the Governors and traditional rulers for supporting President Bola Tinubu over…

Sudan has sent an appeal to the international community to come to its aid to help end the war in the country, alleging that the rebel group was still in the war because it continues to receive support from some neighbouring countries. Addressing a press conference on recent happenings in Sudan, the Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Nigeria, Mr Ahmed Omer Jaboul lamented that his country is not receiving the desired support from the international community in the fight against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Jaboul alleged that the world was watching…

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Audi in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser ( ONSA) in order to avoid any action that could jeopardize the internal security of the nation, have read riot act to the NSCDC officers deployed to all Fertilizer Blending Plants in the country The Commandant General stated this in his goodwill message in an ongoing 3-day programme organized by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), a Directorate under the office of the National Security Adviser ( ONSA); the programme was organized for the NSCDC…