Author: Our Reporter

The 17 Southern governors Sunday advocated for fundamental structural reforms to uphold the country’s federalism. The governors asserted that the country’s future would be endangered without devolution of powers to the states, vowing to sustain their resolve through regular meetings. At the closed door session, the governors deliberated on the agenda, following the opening address by Governor Ambode, Governors Emmanuel,  Aregbesola, Nyesom Wike and Okezie Ikpeazu bemoaned what was described as “the country’s distorted federalism which has limited the progress of the country.” The governors who also lauded Governor Ambode for the initiative for the meeting endorsed him as the…

The recall of Abdulrasheed Maina to Federal civil service has divided Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Department of State Service (DSS) along operational duties. The EFCC accused DSS of involvement in the recall of Maina, yet DSS washed its hands off the affair, saying it did not smuggle the embattled officer who was on the wanted list of the EFCC into his new office. The DSS in a statement made available to journalists last night said: “The DSS, hereby, states categorically that it has no hand in the recall or reinstatement of Mr Abdullahi Abdulrasheed Maina. “There was…

Crayfish business is a flourishing one, but a tough job to do- from sourcing to taking the finished product to consumers. From fishing in the high seas to the time they are used as seasoning, it takes precious man-hours and energy. Men, women and children are major players in this business. And there is no is dull moment in preparing them for sale. Yet, the effort handsomely pays off as the people doing the business declared “It is rewarding in this period of economic recession in the country.” StraightNews undertook a trip to Mkpanak village in Ibeno Local Government Area…

The 17 governors  from South West, South East and South South are to meet in Lagos on Monday to discuss latest national issues forge stronger partnership. A report from News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) says the meeting is coming after 12 years of a similar gathering. A statement by the Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello, said the meeting would be co-hosted by the Governors of Lagos State, Akinwunmi  Ambode and Akwa Ibom, Emmanuel Udom. Bello said the meeting is in line with the realisation that the different states in the South have since 2005 developed…

Akwa Ibom State Government has explained that the suspension of operations in the Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo was as a result of failure of the managers to live up to the terms of agreement. The government also said that the managers could not offset the cost or declare any profit despite the huge investment made by the state government. Governor Udom Emmanuel who made this known during the October edition of Government House Prayer meeting held at the Latter House Chapel, Governor’s Lodge, Uyo, stressed that state government had not received any profit since the referral hospital commenced operations. He…

Despite efforts by the Federal Government to make kerosene affordable for households, the average price of the product stood at N304 per litre in the first nine months of 2017. A report from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS), indicated that the product was sold at an average of N433.84, N352.42, and N311.30 in January, February and March respectively in the entire states of the nation. Specifically, the price of the product dropped to N280.80, and rose again in May to N303.29 in the period under review. Also, in June, the product also dropped to N287.27, and continued on a…

The Senate has warned against what it described as “reckless borrowing” by the Federal Government, saying that it must be done reasonably in order not to mortgage the future of unborn generation. The Upper House had Wednesday quizzed officials of the Ministry of Finance over the federal government’s plan to borrow $5.5 billion from external sources. In a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Finance, Senator Shehu Sani, Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans Debts, said ”It has become clear that if Nigeria must borrow, we must borrow responsibly. We cannot afford to mortgage the future of…

The once bustling Abak Substation of Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) in Akwa Ibom State that donated oil palm seedlings to Malaysia in 1960 is in a grim state of dilapidation and abandonment. The 71-year-old substation with oil palm and coconut plantations spread across seven villages of Abak and Oruk Anam Local Government Areas is in a rotting state caused by perceived neglect by the Federal government occasioned by vandalisation of its property by unsuspecting persons. StraightNews gathered that the visiting Malaysians collected the oil palm seedlings; cross pollinated them in Ikot Okpong, one of the host communities…

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed relevant agencies in the country to compile documents on names of looters and publish same in compliance with the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos. In her judgment delivered on July 5, 2017, Hon. Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari agreed with SERAP that “the Federal Government has legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.” Abukabar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, said the court had ordered the government to publish names of high-ranking public officials from whom public funds…

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, says in the face of clamour for restructuring in the country, there was need to open windows to the yearnings of stakeholders and Nigerians in order to come up with an exercise that meets the expectations of all. Dogara told State House correspondents after meeting with the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, Wednesday night, saying “So, our feeling is that we should not just close the windows to the yearnings of majority of our people. We should listen again to all the stakeholders, listen more…