Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson The raging coronavirus pandemic is having a devastating impact on tens of millions of people living in dire humanitarian situations. The Director-General of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), António Vitorino, who made this known says “COVID-19 is having an unprecedented impact on the health, economy, and well-being of people around the world.” Adding, United Nations agency big boss says, “we must not forget the devastating impact this disease will have on the tens of millions of people who already living in dire humanitarian situations.” Already, IOM is joining the health and humanitarian community to launch the…

A 30-year-old Nigerian pastor convicted for human trafficking will serve two years in the correctional centre. Pastor Kelechi Nwankwo was arranged on a two-count charge No: FHC/PH/28c/2018 by the Uyo zonal command of NAPTIP for harbouring a 17-year-old pregnant girl and attempting to sell a two-day-old baby. Justice Emmanuel Obile who presided over the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt on Tuesday said the offence contravened the provision of Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015. Obile noted that Nwankwo harboured the pregnant girl until she delivered the baby whom the pastor attempted to sell after two days…

The number of deaths by the novel coronavirus around the world stood at 19,246, according to a tally compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT Wednesday from official sources. More than 427,940 declared cases have been registered in 181 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. The tallies, using data collected by AFP offices from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), are likely to reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. Manu Dibango, the Cameroonian musician celebrated for his blend of jazz, funk and traditional West African styles, aged…

By Akanimo Sampson A research finding has uncovered why unemployment and mass poverty is worsening in Nigeria and most other countries of Africa. Damning research conducted in Nigeria is showing that the absence of an enabling environment for the private sector to invest in rural areas is fueling the issue of unemployment and poverty in Africa. The rising tide of rural-urban migration amongst youth in the continent is being associated with the incidence of poverty. The major reason for this rural-urban youth migration is, however, attributed to unemployment. The recent study funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), under the Enhancing…

By Akanimo Sampson Scammers are currently taking advantage of the raging coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria to swindled unsuspecting citizens. The Federal Government has gotten the tip of the activities of the con artists and has accordingly put Nigerians on notice even as the anti-graft agencies are hunting for the scammers. The government says an Android-based malicious and fraudulent Coronavirus Ransomware Application, which claims to provide updates on the virus and infections near the user exists. In a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed, says the Ransomware blocks access to users’ personal data and accounts and…

In this interview, Enefiok Ekefre, an elder in the church and a titleholder in Uyo speaks about politics in the state and national level as well as the 2023 governorship in Akwa Ibom. An Honourary Special Adviser on Grassroots Mobilisation to Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel, he profiles performance of the administration in some key sectors and lots more. Excerpts: How will you appraise Akwa Ibom State generally? I am an elder and a titleholder in Uyo. I am involved in the politics of Akwa Ibom. By the grace of God, I am working with the governor of this great…

By Akanimo Sampson Fear of the rampaging coronavirus disease has forced the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to suspend their weekly Federal Executive Council meeting. Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, announced this in Abuja on Monday. Mustapha who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, says the weekly federal executive council will be suspended “until further notice”. The Buhari administration also announced the closure of all land borders for four weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the SGF, “after a further review, Mr. President on the recommendation of Presidential Task Force…

Despite the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee sharing N581.566 billion revenue in February 2020 among the Federal, States and Local Governments in the country, the allocations to the three tiers have suffered a drastic shortfall. The Federal Government received N6.966 billion, 36 State Governments collected N3.533 billion, 774 Local Government Councils got N2.724 billion while the Oil Producing States received N1.976 billion. The N581.566 billion shared in February 2020 is lower by N59.195 billion or 65.97 per cent than N647.35 billion shared in January 2020. A communique issued after a rescheduled meeting of FAAC held in Abuja said the amount comprised…

Senator Rose Oko, who represented Cross River North in the Hallowed chamber, is dead. Until her untimely demise, Oko who died last night at a UK medical facility was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Trade and Investment, and a member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Aged 63, the Senator was elected into office as the first female Senator from her Senatorial District in June 2015 in the 8th Senate and was re-elected in 2019. Her death came after Senator Ignatius Datong Longjan, the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, All Progressives Congress, APC, Plateau South died on Sunday, February 10,…

As part of a comprehensive response mechanism to contain the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic in the country, the Akwa Ibom Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has postponed its State Congress. The congress earlier slated for Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo also known as the Nest of Champions would have hosted more than 2,000 delegates. A press release signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong, the State Publicity Secretary of the party announced that the National Working Committee and Independent National Electoral Commission have suspended political activities following the pandemic scare. “While we are yet to record any confirmed case in…