Author: The Gazelle News

By Willie Etim When the idea was first muted, a number of cynics dismissed it, typical of naysayers in our society. They thought that all the effort will end in futility. The resilience of Chief Samuel Ogbuku, (PhD), Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who nurtured the birth of the Niger Delta Chambers of Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA), came to bear when all other such chambers in the region put up a resistance against the registration of NDCCITMA, a battle that lasted over nine months. As the initiator and benefactor of the NDCCITMA, the management…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has assured workers in the State that his administration will implement the new minimum wage that is approved by the Federal Government. He made the commitment in response to the demands of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) during the Workers’ Day celebration held on Wednesday, 1 May, 2024, at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos. The Governor, while speaking on the current fuel scarcity, advised Lagos residents against panic buying and storage of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, saying the Federal Government and the major stakeholders in…

For the people of Sokoto East Senatorial District, the 2023 Budget was not their friend. The Senatorial District came out not only with the lowest constituency project allocation in the budget but also with the lowest valued. Sokoto East has only one project captured in the budget at a miserly cost of N50,000. Yet Sokoto East has a population of 2,558,200 people. This information and other are contained in the Phase Five project-tracking report of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offences Commission (ICPC). The report showed a glaring lopsidedness in the distribution of projects across all the states of…

Federal Government, on Tuesday, 30 April, 2024, announced an increase in the salaries of workers. The increment of 25 per cent and 35 per cent covers civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures. The salary increase, announced on the eve of the Workers’ Day celebration, is contained in a statement by Emmanuel Njoku, Head of Press, at the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC). The statement said the increase takes effect from January 1, 2024. The salary structures are: the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS),…

I acknowledge the immense contributions of our nation’s workforce that is renowned for its dedication, resilience, and innovation. I therefore salute the teachers who nurture young minds, the farmers who cultivate our land, the doctors and nurses who safeguard our health, the engineers who build our infrastructure, and countless others who dedicate their skills and energy to building a better Nigeria. Today, let us not only celebrate work, but also reflect on how we can be a better and more productive workforce. On this Workers’ Day, I celebrate the spirit of work with pride. May it continue to be a…

President Bola Tinubu has extended his deepest sympathies to the victims of the gas explosion at Ita-Oshin, Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State. The explosion from a solitary gas truck rippled through the community, resulting in the loss of life and property last Saturday. The President also sympathized with the Ogun State Government and residents of the state over this tragedy. President Tinubu commended Governor Dapo Abiodun on his valiant efforts to arrest the situation and immediately restore calm to the community. The President assured the people of Ogun State, particularly the victims of this harrowing incident, of…

The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, has appreciated Nigerian workers, especially Lagos State workers for their forthrightness, dedication and resilience. Felicitating the workers on the commemoration of the 2024 Workers’ Day, Ojelabi said since no administration succeeds without a happy and productive workforce, all the successes recorded so far in the state were due to the efforts of the workers who, he commended for being very dedicated and responsible. He praised the Nigerian workers for their diligence and commitment to duty, but called for more resilience and patience so…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), has disclosed that the commission has tracked over N219 billion constituency projects across 176 ministries, departments and agencies in five years. Aliyu, who made this disclosure during a media briefing held at Marriott Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, on Monday, 29 April, 2024, said the Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Group tracked a total of N219,843,922,945.48 since its inception in 2019. The tracking exercise focused on critical sectors like education, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure, spanning 26 states and the Federal Capital…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Jim Ovia, CFR, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Mr. Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana. The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all…

Seasoned journalist & former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has raised concerns over the American International School Abuja’s acceptance of a $760,000 advance fee for former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello’s children’s school fees. He made this known on Friday, 26 April, 2024, on Channels Television’s programme InsideSources With Laolu Akande. Akande, a Nigerian-American, who himself practiced journalism in leading US newspapers before relocating to Nigeria, said “Unknown to many people, besides the several other billions which Bello is alleged to have stolen, the EFCC has also secured a refund of over $760,000 paid in by his nephew, Alli Bello who…

A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja has ordered the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, to appear in court on May 13, 2024, to show cause why an order of committal should not be made against him for allegedly disobeying court order. The EFCC boss is facing a contempt charge for carrying out “some acts upon which they (the EFCC) have been restrained” by the Court on February 9, 2024, pending the determination of the substantive Originating Motion. Justice I. A. Jamil, delivering a ruling in Suit No: HCL/68M/2024 and Motion No: HCL/190M/2024, ordered…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has linked the emerging fuel scarcity being witnessed in some parts of the country to logistics issues, reports thegazellenews.com The petroleum however stated that the matter has been resolved. This was disclosed in a press statement by the company on Thursday, 25 April, 2024. The full statement from the company reads this: “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) wishes to clarify that the tightness in the supply of Premium Motor Spirit currently being experienced in some areas across the country is as a result of logistics issues and that they…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The German police on Wednesday, 24 April, 2024 announced the arrest of eleven suspected members of a criminal syndicate from Nigeria, the Black Axe, during nationwide raids, DW reports. All 11 suspects are said to be Nigerian citizens but most of them have been in Germany for many years. They are said to be behind dating platforms where victims are swindled after a promise of marriage. Authorities said the gang worked hand in hand with scammers who transferred money to them in Nigeria as “financial agents”. The crackdown which targeted 19 properties, according to the report, is part…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has implored the nation’s Judiciary to embark on reforms that would ensure a functional justice system that will support a rapidly growing economy, guarantee basic human and political rights of individuals as well as provide security and justice to all Nigerians. According to him, much can be achieved when institutions of government, including the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, unite to acknowledge their challenges and brainstorm with a view to profering solutions to the problems bedeviling Nigeria. President Tinubu gave the charge on Wednesday, 24 April, 2024, when he declared open the National Summit on Justice, 2024,…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has disclose that it arrested a father writing exams for his son during the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME. The board warned that it has improved its technology check for those engaging in all forms of examination malpractices. Speaking in Kaduna on Wednesday, 24 April, 2024, the JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede who inspected the UTME centres in Kaduna, expressed satisfaction over the 2024 examination, which had 1.94 million students this year. He, however, frowned at few cases of impersonation, adding that some people now have multiple National Identity…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Barely 24 hours after one of Dana’s airline craft with registration number 5N BKI which skidded off the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on the morning of Tuesday, 23 April, 2024, the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo has suspended Dana Airline operations due to concerns surrounding the safety and financial viability of their operations. Recall that there was tension at the airport on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024 when a Dana Air plane overshot the runway. The incident happened around 9:30am prompting runway 18L to be closed while all domestic arrivals and departures were…

Barely 24 hours after one of Dana’s airline craft with registration number 5N BKI which skidded off the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on the morning of Tuesday, 23 April, 2024, the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo has suspended Dana Airline operations due to concerns surrounding the safety and financial viability of their operations. Recall that there was tension at the airport on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024 when a Dana Air plane overshot the runway. The incident happened around 9:30am prompting runway 18L to be closed while all domestic arrivals and departures were temporarily diverted to…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Super Falcons of Nigeria have qualified for the female football event of the summer Olympics in Paris, reports thegazellenews.com On Tuesday, 9 April, 2024, the Super Falcons played a goalless draw with their South African counterparts, Banyana Banyana and qualified on 1-0 aggregate score having won the first leg played in Abuja on Friday, 5 April, 2024. It was a cagey affair in Pretoria, but the Falcons proved to be the technically better team with Uchenna Kanu coming closest to breaking the deadlock in Pretoria but her effort from the right was deflected for a corner by…

The Federal Government has declared Thursday, 11 April, 2024, as additional holiday to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr celebration reports thegazellenews.com. A statement by the Federal Ministry of Interior quoted the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo as announcing the additional holiday. The Federal Government had earlier declared Tuesday, 9 April and Wednesday, 10 April, 2024 as public holiday in anticipation that the Ramadan fasting would end on Monday, 8 April, 2024. But with the moon not sighted anywhere in Nigeria, and the Ramadan extending to 30 and ending on Tuesday, 9 April, 2024, the Federal Government had to extend the holiday.…

As expected, the Edo State House of Assembly has impeached the state Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, reports thegazellenews.com. The embattled politician has been at loggerhead with his boss and state Governor, Godwin Obaseki. The bone of contention was the desire of the hitherto Deputy Governor to replace his boss while the latter was not favourably disposed to it. The crisis led to the organization of parallel primaries in the state to pick the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate with Shaibu declaring himself winner in the primary he conducted. However, the Governor’s will prevail and his preferred candidate was…