Author: straightnewsng.com

The suspended Director-General (DG) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Mounir Gwarzo is said to have paid 44 members of staff of the commission N1,703,724,840.32 severance package that was not budgeted for in the 2015 SEC budget, finding has shown. Presidency sources revealed that apart from this, he did not obtain approval from either the board or the Minister of Finance who supervises the commission to dole out the huge pay-out referred to as “golden handshake.” It was learnt that the payments were in breach of financial guidelines in the public service as all expenditures have to be…

Akwa Ibom Leaders Vanguard Thursday warned against any attempt by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to re-introduce the onshore-offshore oil dichotomy, saying such a move would spell doom for the country. The group spoke against the recent report submitted to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the National Chairman of the APC by Nasir el-Rufai, the Kaduna State Governor, who chaired the APC Committee on True Federalism and restructuring of the country. Nasir el-Rufai had in the report of the panel to the party made far- reaching recommendations for consideration among which included resource control. But at a press conference in Uyo,…

President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated Mr. Edward Lametek Adamu as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to the Senate for confirmation. In a press statement issued Thursday in Abuja, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity said the nomination was contained in a letter dated January 26, 2018 to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki. Adesina explained that the nomination is in accordance with the provisions of Section 8(1) (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (Establishment) Act 2007. Mr Adamu, from Gombe State, replaces Mr. Sulaiman Barau, from Zaria, Kaduna State, who retired…

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has expressed its commitment to true federalism, describing it as the way out of Nigeria’s current bastardized and unitary federation. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, National Chairman of the party, stated this at the public presentation of the Governor Nasir el-Rufai led committee on True Federalism in Abuja Tuesday. Oyegun described past conferences as “flamboyant set pieces” which ended in nothing, saying what the APC was bringing on board represented the true opinions of the critical mass of Nigerians. He said, “We have held flamboyant conferences on the structures or constitution of this country, but each…

Akwa Ibom people are groaning over the difficulties and the sky rocketing prices of items facing them as a result of buying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol above government-approved pump price of N145 a litre in the state for the past two months. The fuel hike that started December last year nationwide has continued unabated as most petrol filling stations in the state sell between N190 and N200, while in the black market the product goes for N220 and N250 a litre restpectively in Uyo city and some rural areas. StraightNews roving reporter visited such filling stations…

An under-age driver fled after reportedly killing three persons as a result of alleged reckless driving in Gusau, Zamfara State, Zamfara Police Command has confirmed. One of the victims was a female and a final-year student at the state-owned School of Nursing and Midwifery. Confirming the incident, DSP Mohammed Shehu, the Police Public Relations Officer in Zamfara, said the case was being investigated. “The incident happened on Monday and the hit-and-run kid driver is yet to be arrested. Already, we have gotten his details with the ongoing investigation,” he said. Also speaking on the matter, Mr. Nasir Ahmad, the Public…

Nutrition and health stakeholders have raised alarm that malnutrition was on the increase in the country evidenced in the poor nutritional and health indices of children and mothers. Speaking Tuesday during a two-day capacity/development workshop for state Legislators on Universal Health Coverage, South South zone in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Wilbroad Ngambi, the Chief of United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF Rivers Field office, said the recently released Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey report showed an increase in child wasting from 24.2 percent to 31.5 percent. Ngambi said, “Similarly, stunting has increased from 34.8 percent to 43.6 percent. Unfortunately the Northern part of…

What was seen as a minor argument between two policemen in Madagali local government, Adamawa State over N20 has reportedly claimed the life of a police Sergeant. SP Othman Abubakar, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in Adamawa, said Corporal Bala Adamu reportedly shot Sergeant Emmanuel Timothy recently deployed from Mobile 13 Makurdi to the state at close range killing him instantly. Abubakar confirmed that the killer policeman has been arrested and full investigation into the incident commenced while the corpse of the late Sergeant has been deposited at the specialist hospital morgue in Yola. However, an anonymous resident of…

Niger Delta agitators, Thursday, accused the Federal Government of attempting to validate the mayhems by mercenaries masquerading as Fulani herdsmen with cattle colony. The agitators under the auspices of 21st Century Youth of Niger Delta in a statement by the spokesperson, W O I Izon Ebi, said, “The avoidable massacre and silence of the Federal Government over what took place in Benue, Taraba and Southern Kaduna is a wake-up call to all Nigerians to stand up and speak the truth like our former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. “We plead with all Niger Deltans to stop being used by our oppressors…

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, an indigenous oil giant in Rivers State has awarded scholarships to 374 students in its host communities. The company, Belemaoil Producing Limited in a Joint Venture, JV, with Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, put the scholarships in three categories: Post-Graduate, Undergraduate and Post-Primary. Of the 374 beneficiaries, 175 are under-graduates, 78 post-graduates while 121 of them are post-primary students. Chief Tonye Graham-Douglas, the chairman of the occasion lauded the initiative of Belemaoil and charged the beneficiaries not to misuse the opportunity. Mr. Jack-Rich Tein, the Founder/President of Belemaoil, said the scholarship was not…