Author: straightnewsng.com

As miners groan under lack of access to finance, Federal Government’s effort to diversify the economy through the mining sector is being threatened by poor support by the banks. Abubakar Bwari, the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development stated this at the Breakfast Dialogue Meeting with Chief Executives of Nigerian Banks and the UNDP Country Director for Nigeria, Samuel Bwalya, with theme, ‘Financial Institutions as Critical Stakeholders in the Development of Mining in Nigeria’ held at the weekend in Lagos. Abubakar said a key constraint identified in the mining roadmap was the underdeveloped financing and business environment for the mining…

Sergio Aguero became the second-fastest player after Alan Shearer to reach 150 Premier League goals as he and Raheem Sterling inspired Manchester City’s crushing 6-1 win over Southampton in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne on Sunday. Belgium international De Bruyne was ruled out with another knee injury this week, but that had little impact as City blew poor Saints away, Aguero taking his tally to 150 goals in 217 league appearances, while the excellent Sterling got himself a brace. Although Saints ended City’s run of six successive Premier League clean sheets with a Danny Ings penalty after half an hour, the home…

The United States Institute of Peace, USIP, has said it was less likely for President Muhammadu Buhari to be defeated in the 2019 election. The organaisation said this in a report it released on the forthcoming general election, adding the report was based on its interactions with Nigerians from different sectors. The report, which analysed the chances of violence marring the elections, is contrary to two recent predictions by The Economist Intelligence Unit, EIU, the research unit of The Economist Magazine, that the incumbent government will be unseated next year.  USIP said though many Nigerians felt that the current administration had not…

The House of Representatives may probe an alleged $1.348 billion power sector scam levelled against General Electric, GE and Rockson Engineering by 10 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs. This development arose from a signed petition by the CSOs on September 26, 2018, and received in the office of the Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu on September 27, 2018. The CSOs alleged actions of the two power sector players were inimical to the economic survival of Nigeria. The CSOs include: Empowerment For Unemployed Youth Initiative, Guardians of Democracy and Development, Civil Society Group for Accountability and…

Students of public universities in the country are to stay longer than necessary as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sunday, began indefinite nationwide strike over poor funding of the institutions. Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, National President of ASUU who confirmed this to a reporter of TVC News, Lagos asked lecturers to withdraw their services with immediate effect. ASUU declared the strike at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State. Ogunyemi lamented that the Federal Government has been insensitive to the funding of the universities, saying…

The 36-year-old Kenyan endurance veteran, who finished second to American Shalane Flanagan in last year’s Big Apple showdown, reclaimed the crown in an unofficial time of two hours, 22 minutes and 48 seconds. Only Norway’s Grete Waitz, a nine-time champion from 1978 to 1988, has won more New York women’s titles than Mary Keitany, who is also a three-time London Marathon winner. Keitany stayed with the leaders from the start, taking on the challenging pace of Ethiopians Netsunet Gudeta and Rahma Tusa in a breakaway midway into the 26.2-mile race over the streets of New York. World half-marathon champion Gudeta…

Despite a Lamborghini gift, the girlfriend of a rich Chinese has rejected the offer and turned down the man’s marriage proposal popped to her on the road. It was a fitting example of ‘money can’t buy love’ that played out on China road when the lady rejected the proposal together with Lamborghini Aventator  costing $402,995. The woman also rejected the Chinese’ elaborate proposal that included balloons, roses and fireworks, according to Mirror UK. Video footage shows the nouveau riche man proposing to the woman who appears to be an expatriate fluent in Mandarin. Not taking the rejection lightly, the man…

As activities of the 24th convocation ceremony of University of Uyo were rounded off on Saturday, Akwa Ibom State government donated N100 million development projects to the institution. Though the university is a Federal-owned institution, the state government under the then Governor Godswill Akpabio helped in the re-accreditation of more than 28 lost courses, tarred streets in UNIUYO town campus and built mock court in the university, among others. Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, who was among the dignitaries at the ceremony where he announced this on Saturday, did not specify the projects. Rather, Emmanuel charged the management…

After the concluded primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in some states, three sitting governors have become high-profile casualties in the risky political chessboard of their party. The dangerous sign became glaring as soon as the national party submitted its final list of cleared candidates to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the major political gladiators in the dicey game are still nursing their deep wounds. A report by The Vanguard indicates that among the major casualties are Abdulaziz Yari, the Zamfara state Governor, his counterparts in Ogun and Imo, Ibikunle Amosun and Rochas Okorocha. There are other…

Muhammadu Buhari’s shuffling of certificates looks like old-cloth story. From Cambridge certificate in 1961 to attestation certificate of West African Examination Council (WAEC) in 2018. Even the Cambridge result tendered to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2015 left with questions than answers Now, the another gambit in 2018 purported to woo voters. Still, many questions than answers still rock the WAEC attestation result given to him. Many observations keep many tongues wagging. He had consistently told Nigerians indeed INEC that his certificate was with the secretary, Military Board. Not wanting to be drawn into the quagmire, the military authority…