Author: straightnewsng.com

The Nigerian Senate has suspended action on the President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills following public backlash on the proposed legislations. Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, presiding over Wednesday’s plenary session, stated that the committee would work with the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to address the concerns raised by the stakeholders. The Senate announced the formation of a 10-member committee to meet with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to address contentious issues in the tax reform bills submitted by President Bola Tinubu. The committee, chaired by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, will…

Nigerian Senate would begin to investigate reports from the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Responsibility Commission, RMAFC, alleging that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, withheld N8.48 trillion as claimed subsidies for petrol. This is as it mandated its Committees on Finance; Petroleum (Upstream) and Petroleum (Downstream) as well as Gas, to investigate the reports. The Senate noted that the investigation would address issues raised in the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, report, stating that NNPCL failed to remit $2 billion (N3.6 trillion) in taxes to the Federal Government. This is even as the Senate on Tuesday approved the…

Namibia’s ruling SWAPO party was declared winner Tuesday of last week’s disputed elections, ushering in the southern African country’s first woman president after a disputed vote that the main opposition has already said it does not recognise. Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took just over 57 percent of ballots followed by the candidate for the main opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) with 25.5 percent, the election authority announced. Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, becomes the first woman to rule the mineral-rich southern African country that has been governed by the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) since independence in 1990. The November 27 election…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Akwa Ibom State chapter has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if government does not finalise the implementation of the new national minimum wage by midnight on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. The decision was reached at an emergency meeting of the NLC’s State Executive Council (SEC) held on Monday, December 2, 2024, at the NLC Secretariat in Uyo. The meeting, chaired by the state Chairperson of NLC, Comrade Sunny James was convened to address the delays surrounding the payment of the ₦80,000 minimum wage, approved by the state government but is yet to be…

By Agency Report US President Joe Biden has granted an unconditional pardon to his son Hunter, who faced sentencing this month for federal tax and gun convictions. In a statement issued by the White House on Sunday, December 1, Biden said that his son had been “singled out” and “selectively, and unfairly” prosecuted due to his family name. This official grant of clemency cannot be rescinded by President-elect Donald Trump. “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word…

Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, has recovered 22 bodies after the boat mishap that occurred between Baro and Akwanu communities of Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State. NEMA stated that a total of eight persons have been rescued alive. About 200 passengers mostly market women and traders were on the boat that headed from the state of Kogi to neighboring state of Niger when it capsized, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency spokesman Ibrahim Audu told The Associated Press. Also read: Tinubu directs probe of Niger boat mishap as death toll climbs to 36  The agency in a…

Cross River Police Command said that suspected abductors of Prof. Ekanem Phillip-Ephraim, the first female professor of Medicine at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital are in prison custody awaiting trial. This was confirmed through the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 6 Calabar, AIG Jonathan Towuru, has confirmed The 60-year-old renowned professor of neurology was kidnapped 13 July, 2023 around the Atimbo axis of Calabar Municipality by unknown gunmen. The PRO of Zone 6 Police, SP Nelson Okpabi, the AIG, in a signed statement stated this when a delegation from the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Cross River State chapter, paid him a…

By Our reporters Etukudoh reacts, Accugas Ltd denies Accugas Limited, a subsidiary of Savannah Energy Plc, and the Ibom Power Company traded blame over power outages in Akwa Ibom State. The power outages crippled social and economic activities in the state for three days, culminating in the sacking of the Managing Director of the Ibom Power Plant, Meyen Etukudoh by Governor Eno. The former MD had, in a statement while reacting to the power outage in the state, blamed the non-supply of gas from Savannah Energy Plc as one of the reasons for the outage. Also read Exclusive: Rumbles in…

Top Nigerian politicians turned the burial ceremony of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Patience Umo Eno, into a huge carnival. Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday, leading Governors wives, was among the dignitaries who graced the funeral service. Former Presidents, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and wife, Patience; Senate President Godswill Akpabio and wife, Unoma; Barau I. Jibrin, the deputy president; members of the National Assembly; Governors Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, Bala Muhammed of Bauchi, Hope Uzodinma of Imo, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Alex Otti of Abia, and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi were in attendance too. Read…

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has reappointed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as its Director-General for a second term. Okonjo-Iweala, 70, had announced her intention to seek a second term in September. Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, also informed WTO members that no other nominations were received before the 8 November deadline. WTO confirmed Okonjo-Iweala’s reappointment via X on Friday in a terse post. Also read Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Becomes WTO’S DG  Okonjo-Iweala, Mo Abudu make Forbes’ 100 World’s Most Powerful Women  Okonjo-Iweala renounces $57.5bn loan to Biafra Republic Govt  According to the global trade institution, the reappointment…