NewsReports

As one of the countries with a high corruption profile as revealed in Transparency International’s latest ranking, Nigeria needs a more robust approach to fighting the scourge, many have said. Bearing this in mind, some analysts have called for actions to strengthen and ensure the independence of the two frontline federal anti-graft agencies — the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) …

Although the Nigerian government is committed to removing the dichotomy between BSc and HND holders, the dichotomy will remain until an ongoing review of the Scheme of Service is completed, an official suggested on Wednesday. Currently, Nigerian polytechnic graduates are awarded HND while university graduates are awarded BSc or its equivalent. However, HND holders are often discriminated against when joining …

Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, has called on the National Assembly to allow the use of electronic means of transmitting results of future elections in the country. Mr Jonathan made the call on Wednesday while delivering a lecture at the inauguration Ceremony/lecture of the National Defence College (NDC), Course 30, in Abuja. The former president, who was the Special Guest of …

The federal government has declared Friday, October 1, a public holiday to mark the nation’s 61st independence anniversary celebration. The permanent secretary of Nigeria’s interior ministry, Shuaib Belgore, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, congratulated all Nigerians on this year’s celebration of Nigeria’s 61st Independence and assured of the government’s commitment to tackling …

Gov Ifeanyi Okowa signs the ‘Delta State Livestock, Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Bill 2021′ on Thursday. Photo: Dele Ogunyemi Ban on open grazing takes effect in Delta State, as Governor Ifeanyi Okowa assented to the Anti-Open Grazing Bill on Thursday. Tagged ‘Delta State Livestock, Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Bill 2021,’ the bill was signed into law by the …

The House of Representatives, on Thursday, asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to designate bandits, who have dominated the North-West and parts of the North-Central geopolitical zones, and their sponsors as terrorists. The Senate had made the demand earlier on Wednesday. Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, at the plenary on Thursday, moved a motion …

•States how Balewa, Gowon, Mohammed, Shagari, others under-developed north •Says another northern president will destroy nation’s unity •Atedo: Zoning is about political expediency, compromise The dust generated from Monday’s statement by the northern governors as well as traditional rulers in the region that, zoning of the presidency was unconstitutional, has attracted the ire of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, which not …

Orobosa Omo-Ojo, Publisher of Midwest Herald, reacts to an article on the propensity of Governor Godwin Obaseki to punish real and perceived opponents My friend and professional colleague, Nseobong Okon-Ekong (Group Politics Editor of THISDAY Newspapers), started his commentary of September 24, 2021 “Beware! Demolition Man Obaseki on Rampage” on a foul note, obviously due to his meagre understanding of …

The Northern States Governors’ Forum was on Tuesday condemned over its silence on the killings, which took place in Southern Kaduna a few hours before it met in Kaduna State on Monday. Groups, including the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Middle Belt Forum and civil rights organisations,  in separate interviews with The PUNCH,  described the forum’s silence on …

The Bank for International Settlements has said digital currencies will reduce the cost of cross-border payments. BIS said this in a report titled ‘Inthanon-LionRock to mBridge: Building a multi CBDC platform for international payments’. According to the BIS, CBBCs can reduce the process speed of cross-border payments from three to five working days to only a few seconds. The bank …