Author: straightnewsng.com

By: Israel Umoh The interactive parley between Governor Udom Emmanuel and members of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Akwa Ibom State on Monday, December 21, was long expected. There were many gray areas, journalists and the public with baited breath wanted to hear from him as the chief servant of the state, to help in restoring hope and building confidence in his administration. The public indeed journalists expected the governor to clear the foul air surrounding the extra-budgetary expenditure contained in the state Accountant-General’s annual report and audited financial statements for 2019. They expected the governor to freshen them…

The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), says it has called off its nine-month-old strike with effect 12 a.m on Thursday, December 24, . ASUU National President, Biodun Ogunyemi, who announced this during a press briefing in Abuja, warned that the union would return to strike without notice if the government fails in meeting its part of the agreement reached with the university lecturers. Ogunyemi, however, stated that the reopening of the schools, considering the COVID-19 pandemic, lies with the Federal Government and Senate. The government and ASUU have been at loggerheads over the reopening of public universities in the…

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Tuesday, confirmed 999 new COVID-19 cases and four deaths in the country. In its tweet, NCDC confirmed 11 new cases in Akwa Ibom State, bringing the total confirmed cases in the state to 413. “On the 22nd of December 2020, 999 new confirmed cases and 4 deaths were recorded in Nigeria. “The 999 new cases are reported from 18 states- FCT (416), Lagos (324), Kaduna (68), Plateau (42), Kwara (32), Kano (24), Gombe (14), Sokoto (12), Yobe (12), Akwa Ibom (11), Bayelsa (10), Rivers (7), Bauchi (7), Ogun (6), Oyo (5), Edo (4), Taraba (4)…

Some members of Akwa Ibom State Executive Council are rattled over planned reshuffle of the cabinet by their principal, Udom Emmanuel. This is as the Governor has dispatched four names of Commissioner and Special Adviser-nominees to the state House of Assembly for approval. The nominees are Uko Essien Udom, SAN who hails from Etinan; Mrs Idongesit Iboro Etiebet from Oruk Anam; John James Etim from Uyo and Pastor Umoh Eno, proprietor of Royalty Hotel from Nsit Ubium. The Speaker, Rt Hon Aniekan Bassey, who presided over Tuesday’s plenary read the names of the nominees on the floor to all the…

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has commenced the closure of 42 Microfinance Banks (MFBs) whose operating licences were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The CBN revoked the operating licences of the failed MFBs with effect from Thursday, November 12, 2020, according to the NDIC. A statement signed by the Director, Claims Resolution Department of the Corporation, Mrs. Nurat Ajigbewu said as the official liquidator of the banks the corporation has commenced the process of closure and payment of insured sums to verified depositors of the banks. In this direction, the Corporation has requested all depositors of the…

Tragedy struck as mother of five reportedly committed suicide over complaints of hardship at Okposi Umuoghara, in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Ifeoma Otubo was found hanging from a mango tree behind her house in the early hours of Sunday, December 20. Straightnews gathered that before the 45-year-old woman took the uneventful action, she had complained of finding it difficult to take care of her children. The deceased’s brother, Christopher Oyibo, who confirmed the incident, said she had attempted to commit suicide in 2014 because of hardship but was rescued. According to a source from the community,…

As Nigeria registered six more deaths and 356 new COVID-19 cases, Akwa Ibom State recorded seven new COVID-19 infections on Monday. So far, Akwa Ibom has 402 confirmed cases with nine deaths, though 343 persons have been discharged. Nigeria has recorded the new cases from 14 states including Federal Capital Territory, according to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. FCT is leading with 79 reported infections followed by Lagos and Kaduna States with 59 and 56 respectively. NCDC tweeted “On the 21st of December 2020, 356 new confirmed cases and 6 deaths were recorded in Nigeria. “The 356 new cases are…

Following a second wave of COVID-19, Nigerian Government, Monday, ordered closure of schools in the country till January 18, 2021. The chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, announced this at a press briefing of the task force in Abuja. Mustapha said schools in the country are to remain shut till announced date in order to enable new measures to take effect. “The PTF on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Education expects that schools would havevacated from the 18th December 2020 and remain closed till at least the 18th of January,2021 to enable the measures…

Following public outcry, the Federal government has yielded by extending the deadline for the provision of National Identification Number, NIN, by telecommunication service subscribers to January 19 and February 9, 2021 respectively. FG stated this in a statement entitled: ‘Extension of Registration Period and Cancellation of USSD and Verification Fees’, signed by the Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Umar Danbatta; and Director-General, National Identity Management Commission, Aliyu Aziz. Part of the statement read: “The National Task Force on National Identification Number and SIM Registration met today, 21st December, 2020. “The meeting was chaired by the Honourable Minister of Communications and…

The Federal Government has gazetted the Ibom Deep Seaport in Akwa Ibom State. The seaport was approved last Wednesday by the Federal Executive Council in Abuja. The seaport is expected to form the nucleus of Ibom Industrial City involving the host six local government areas in the state. Announcing this Monday during a media parley at Government House Exco hall, Uyo, Governor Udom Emmanuel said he would look for more investors to partner in the development of the seaport. “We are waiting for the economy locked by COVID-19 to open globally. As soon as that is done, we will look…