Author: straightnewsng.com

It has been reported that there was an outbreak of Lassa fever in 23 of the 36 states of the federation hit an all-time high in 2018. Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), who stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja Monday, lamented that 50 years after the detection of the first Lassa fever case in Nigeria, the disease was still endemic in several parts of the country. He, however, said last year’s high numbers of Lassa fever incidences brought the disease to the forefront of public discourse and encouraged discussions around lessons…

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, Monday expressed fears over Nigeria’s mounting debt burdens, following the release of the third quarter report of the Debt Management Office, DMO, and the 2019 budget assumptions. Speaking in Lagos, Mr. Timothy Olawale, the Director-General of NECA, said: “Figures released by the DMO showed that the Federal Government’s domestic debt profile rose to N15.814 trillion in September, 2018 from N15.629 trillion in June, 2018 (1.19% increase). ”This figure becomes more worrisome when we look at the total public debt stock, comprising the external and domestic debt of the FGN, the 36 states and the…

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Monday, called on the implementing agency of the 1,000 villages’ project in Nigeria, StarTimes, to expedite action on the installation of the satellite TV systems in the selected villages ahead of the 2019 general elections. Speaking at the flag-off exercise of the 1,000 Villages Satellite TV Project in Kpaduma 3 in Abuja, Mohammed said the installation would go a long way to make it easier for Nigerians to make the right choice of candidates to vote for during the elections. The information minister noted that the project was kick-started by the Chinese President, Xi…

The Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign teams were, Monday, locked in a fierce exchange of words over alleged attempts to derail perceived plans for somebody from the South to emerge as president in 2023. The Women and Youth Presidential Campaign Organization of the All Progressives Congress, APC fired the first shot when it accused Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, candidate of attempting to short-change the Southern part of the country by contesting next month’s presidential election. The directorate said that Atiku’s bid would alter permutations on power shift envisaged after a second term for President Muhammadu Buhari.…

With 32 days to the presidential election in the country, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has banned collation officers from making or receiving telephone calls in the line of duty. This was contained in a 33-page regulations and guidelines released by the commission for the conduct of future elections in the country. INEC said: “In order to remain focused on their assignment, collation officers are not allowed to make or receive telephone calls during collation.” One of the contentious issues in the aftermath of the September 22, 2018, governorship election in Osun State was the decision of the Chief…

President Muhammadu Buhari may have appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Adamu Mohammed, as acting Inspector General of Police, investigation has shown. Vanguard gathered last night that the appointment followed a meeting the President had with the outgoing IGP, Ibrahim Idris, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Efforts to confirm this from spokesman of the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, however, proved fruitless as he said he was not in a position to confirm the information. Similarly, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity also said there was no official confirmation of the appointment. But it was…

More than 40 million people in the Lake Chad region will pose adverse migration and security challenges to the world, if there was no commitment from the international community on redirecting water to the lake, President Muhammadu Buhari Monday raised the alarm. Buhari raised the alarm when he received Letters of Credence from the High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Philip Baker, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He stated that the tragedy of the shrinking Lake Chad would continue to fuel more illegal migrations, banditry and provide willing hands for terrorism since majority of the people have lost their means…

The planned constitution of a task force to reactivate Akwa Palm Industries Limited, Etebi in Esit Eket local government area by Akwa Ibom government is seen by All Progressives Congress, APC in the state as vote-seeking ploy. Located in Etebi, Esit Eket Local government areas with head office in Uyo, the plantation, which was established in 1988 with World Bank-assisted loan, covers 4.5 hectares. The task force contradicts the position of Governor Udom Emmanuel who in September 2018, had called on local investors to partner his administration to reactivate the services of the Akwa Palm Industries, noting that it was part…

Given the tight monetary policy which has affected banks’ investment in the debt instruments, the Debt Management Office, DMO has commenced intensive diversification of investors’ base in Federal Government bonds. Director-General of the DMO, Ms Patience Oniha, who said this on Sunday in Abuja, explained that private investors’ interests in the bonds had been growing steadily in the last few months. Oniha said: “Monetary policy has been tight. I think in some way, because of the monetary policy stance, their (banks’) ability has somewhat been reduced but having said that, our goal is to diversify the investment base. “It’s more…

Marsai Martin is moving towards claimimg the title of the youngest executive producer in Hollywood history. This is so as her film, ‘Little’ will debut the theatres in April 2019. The 14-year-old ‘Black-ish’ actress stars alongside Issa Rae and Regina Hall in the body-switching comedy. The film, according to her, was inspired by the movie, “Big,” which she watched at the age of 10. “It was one of my most favourite films growing up,” Marsai said. “After the Season 1 finale of Black-ish, we told Kenya Barris about it, and he called Will Packer and said: ‘Yo, you know the…