Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson A United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Specialist in issues relating to gender-based violence, Eri Taniguchi, says there is a strong association between conflict, forced migration and higher rates of mental and psychosocial disorders. According to her, “as we all know, the vulnerabilities of women, girls, youth and adolescents increase in humanitarian settings, while mental health and psychosocial needs tend to be overlooked or considered not a priority.” But globally, a person is said to die from suicide every 40 seconds. And, it is estimated that for every death, 20 others have attempted to take their own lives.…

By Akanimo Sampson By Akanimo Sampson It appears the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma in Imo State is still as unsettled as the water. The governor does not seem to be exuding confidence in himself since the dramatic crash of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Apparently propelled by fear, the Uzodimma administration on Wednesday claimed that the PDP was hatching a plot to stage protests in Owerri, the state capital, in continuation of its efforts to allegedly discredit the Supreme Court judgment that programmed him into the Government House, Owerri. Governor Uzodimma’s media handler, Oguwike Nwachukwu,…

Joe Biden has cemented his position as a front-runner in the Democratic race to take on President Donald Trump in November’s White House election. The former vice-president won Michigan, the biggest prize of primary voting on Tuesday, extending his lead over main rival Senator Bernie Sanders. Five other states – Washington, Missouri, Mississippi, Idaho and North Dakota – voted on Tuesday. Mr. Biden also swept aside Mr. Sanders in Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho. It was unclear if Mr. Sanders would fight on until the party convention in July. The Democrats’ next big election milestone is in a week’s time when…

By Udeme Nana They are not non-indigenes- they are neither tall nor lanky like some Hausa-Fulanis from the Northern parts of the country.They are neither Muslims nor animists.Their dentition does not betray them as people who engage in an intercourse with kolanut every minute. No, they do not carry small plastic plates around and do not turn out in dirty danshiki.They do not look unkempt and are not illiterates. They are able-bodied, some tall, fair and handsome while others are dark-complexioned, stocky and look hard. Some are graduates from tertiary institutions and are not products of polygamous harems.They are not…

By Akanimo Sampson Founder of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Atedo Peterside, has faulted some of the policy measures of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the wake of crashing oil prices. He will also be shunning the apex bank’s forum in protest of Muhammadu Sanusi’s ordeal in the hands of the Kano State Government. Peterside says the stability of Nigeria’s macro-economy is threatened by an unsustainable policy mix like CBN’s resolve to “pursue a low domestic interest rate regime which clearly cannot coexist with high inflation and naira exchange rate stability in the face of collapsed or collapsing oil…

By Akanimo Sampson As the world celebrated the International Women’s Day on Sunday, a lawyer in Cross River State was busy drafting court processes against Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River and the state House of Assembly for allegedly rejecting Justice Akon Ikpeme as Chief Judge of the state. The lawyer, First Baba Isa, says this is best I can do for women on a day like that. “So, today, I have filed a suit at the Federal High Court against the governor and the House, joining the National Judicial Council, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Speaker of the…

Nigeria Professional Football League champions Enyimba will receive N12,827,500 ($350,000) after crashing out in the quarter-final stage of the CAF Confederation Cup. Guinean side Horoya defeated the Nigerians 3-1 on aggregate – winning 2-0 in Conakry on Sunday – a 1-1 stalemate in Aba a week earlier. CAF had released a new prize schedule for competitions run by the federation in November 2016, which was expected to run from 2017 to 2020. In the new schedule, winners of the Africa Cup of Nations would receive $4 million, while those of the Champions League would go home with $2.5 million. In…

By Akanimo Sampson In 22 countries including Burkina Faso, Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, Myanmar, Syria and Yemen, 43 million people are currently vulnerable. For the past three years, the number of people facing acute food insecurity has been persistently above 100 million. The latest addition, are at risk of increased acute food insecurity. Yet, they are agriculture-dependent people. Conflict and insecurity are the main drivers of hunger, exacerbated by climate shocks and economic instability. Many countries are facing a combination of two or all of these drivers at the same time, resulting in major food crises. Conflict and climate shocks have had…

By Akanimo Sampson The number of youths seeking employment in Africa currently surpasses the number of job opportunities available on the continent. At the moment, 10 to 12 million youths are entering the workforce each year in Africa. Consequently, policymakers in the continent are being called upon to adopt sustainable ways to address the rate of employment among youth across the continent. In a study carried out by Esther Lombe Kwaambwa, under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-sponsored CARE project being implemented by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), youth unemployment, currently estimated at 23%, is projected to…

The deposed Kano Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II has indicated interest to sue Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, the Kano State Governor over his detention and banishment in the court. Lawyers to the dethroned Emir have asked the Governor Ganduje to reverse the erstwhile monarch’s banishment from Kano or be prepared to meet them in court. Sanusi’s lawyers also issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Kano State Government to release him from unlawful custody. The former emir’s counsels, led by Abubakar Mahmoud, made the request at a press conference on Tuesday. His lawyers while addressing the press in Kano Tuesday said he has…