Author: straightnewsng.com

President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday he was committed to Nigeria’s reform, saying he would assent to the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, PIGB, as soon the National Assembly presented it to him. He also appealed to worrkers in the oil and gas sector to accord maximum cooperation to his administration in order to deliver on his promise of reforming the sector. The president,who spoke at the 40th anniversary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers ,NUPENG, in Abuja, said when the bill becomes law, it would address most of the challenges facing the oil and gas industry. Represented…

The Director-General, Defence Research and Development Bureau, Abuja, Air Vice Marshal Jumo Osahor, said yesterday that the Armed Forces of Nigeria need about N9 billion to provide military boots annually to meet soldiers’ kitting needs. AVM Osahor stated this yesterday in a paper he delivered at the Third Annual National Conference organised by the Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists of Nigeria (SLTCN) at the Nigerian Institute of Leather Science and Technology (NILEST), Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna State. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference is: “The Contributions of Leather Science, Technology and Innovation to…

Nigeria has for the fourth year, occupied the third position as the third most terrorised country in the world, according to the 2018 Global Terrorism Index. The report, released on Wednesday, blamed the spate of terrorism in Nigeria and the ”increase in violence involving herdsmen, even as deaths committed by Boko Haram are falling”. Nigeria is ranked only below Iraq and Afghanistan, both in first and second positions respectively. In 2018 alone, hundreds of Nigerians have been killed in attacks by suspected herdsmen as well as clashes between the herders and farmers/communities, while Boko haram has only recently killed scores…

A Kano High Court has ruled that the state House of Assembly lacks the power to investigate or invite the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, over any alleged criminal case. Justice Ahmed Badamasi, who gave the ruling yesterday, said the power to investigate criminal charges was vested in the police, Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC. The judge, therefore, gave an order restraining the House from interview or inviting any person on the bribery allegation against Governor Ganduje as published by the Daily Nigerian newspaper. The judge said the…

Provoked by Tuesday’s protest by National Assembly workers over non-payment of allowances and benefits, the House of Representatives yesterday resolved to invite the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, to appear before its Finance Committee to explain the reasons for the non-release of 2018 budgetary allocations to the legislature and the judiciary. The summon followed a motion sponsored by Edward Pwajok at the plenary yesterday. Moving the motion, Pwajok expressed worry that both arms of government were placed on first line charge, wondering why the Minister was yet to release the funds to enable the management pay staff. He said…

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, has appointed new operational commanders to prosecute the war on terror. This is following the recent directive by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan Ali, that Operation Lafiya Dole be reorganized for effective results. A statement by Brigadier General Sani Usman, Director of Army Public Relations, said: “In order to inject new hands in the fight against terrorism and other operations, the Nigerian Army today (yesterday) 6th December 2018, authorized the posting and appointments of some of its senior officers. “Those affected by the new posting and appointments include some Staff…

Nigerians have been asked to vote President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC out of power in the next year’s general elections. Dr. Bukola Saraki, who is the Director General of the Atiku/Obi Campaign Organisation leading the call Wednesday at the North Central zonal rally of Peoples Democratic Part, PDP, presidential campaign in Ilorin, Kwara state, lamented that the APC has failed to deliver on all its 2015 campaign promises. Saraki who is also the Senate President said the APC-led government has failed in all facets of governance, stressing the need to replace the All Progressives Congress, APC-led federal government as…

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Wednesday, condemned the strike threat issued by some oil marketers over the lingering fuel subsidy debts, describing it as an act of sabotage and an attempt to disrupt the relative peace in the downstream oil sector of the economy. In a statement in Abuja, Alhaji Danladi Pasali, National Secretary of IPMAN, described the seven-day ultimatum issued by the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA, and the Independent Petroleum Products Importers, IPPIs, as an act of intimidation and an attempt to frustrate the effort by…

Following the growing political tension in Akwa Ibom State arising from the lingering battle between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders of PDP are doubling efforts to ensure members of the party approach the 2019 polls as a united front. Thus, the PDP Integration and Harmonisation Committee, headed by former deputy governor of the state, Engr Patrick Ekpotu, has commenced the second phase of interactions with aggrieved stakeholders and other members of the party who have concerns over diverse issues in the party, which include what they refer to as “poor…

An Abuja High Court has directed the Nigeria Police Force to freeze seven accounts operated by Itsekiri Regional Development Council, IRDC, which contains N2.2 billion. The accounts were frozen after which a Delta State High Court sitting in Warri granted a similar order. Rights activist, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor has said that despite two court orders freezing seven accounts being operated by Itsekiri Regional Development Council, IRDC, members of the council have opened new accounts in two different banks, saying those behind the act have no regard for the law. She described the development as being contempt of court, saying she…