Author: straightnewsng.com

Search engine, Google, Wednesday announced a $1 million fund for African start-ups who have innovative ideas on privacy, trust and safety of families online. This is also as the company announced a landmark child online safety programme, “Be Internet Awesome” in the Netherlands, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya simultaneously. The programme seeks to help minors explore the internet safely and confidently. Google made the announcements in Abuja during this year’s Safer Internet Day celebration. Safer internet day is an annual celebration created by Google to showcase ideas and activities aimed at helping kids to be safe, confident explorers of the…

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Government for late filing of an amended two-count charge against the pro-democracy activist and convener of the RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawole Bakare. The court, therefore, awarded a fine of N200,000 against the Federal Government for stalling the trial of Sowore and Bakare, in the service of same on the defendants in the open court through frivolous adjournment request on Wednesday. Trial Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu berated the prosecution over its conduct in the trial of the defendants. Though the court described the adjournment…

 As the process of another constitutional review has begun, the Senate, Wednesday, said it would consider recommendations of the 2014 National Conference. The Upper Chamber, which said the report of the 2014 conference would form the working document of the current view, said the 58-member Constitution Committee would also consider the recommendations of the All Progressives Congress committee report on restructuring headed by Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai. Speaking shortly after the inauguration of the Constitution Review Committee, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the Committee, APC, Delta Central, said that the committee would also liaise with…

South-East governors, traditional rulers and other stakeholders, Wednesday, arose from a security summit in Enugu, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to declare the Fulani herdsmen as terrorists, saying they are dangerous. The summit had the Anglican Archbishop of Enugu Diocese, Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma and Inspector-General of Police, Mohammad Adamu. Archbishop Chukwuma said President Buhari has been pampering Fulani herdsmen despite atrocities they have been committing across the country. Bishop Chukwuma spoke on a day the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo lamented the level of extortion police and army carry out on the people of South East at the numerous…

The Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, has appointed Joseph Yobo, as Assistant Coach of Super Eagles of Nigeria. Yobo who replaces Salisu Yusuf is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a centre back. He was the captain of the Nigerian National team until his international football retirement in June 2014, and is Nigeria’s joint record appearance holder. From Khana in Rivers State, Yobo had been capped 101 times and represented the Super Eagles at three FIFA World Cups and six Africa Cup of Nation tournaments. During his soccer years, he had played for Everton and Norwich, among other foreign…

Suspected bandits have killed a family of 16 members during an attack on a village in Kaduna State. The incident occurred on Tuesday in Bakali village of Fatika district in Giwa Local Government Area of the state. The bandits were said to have invaded the predominantly Hausa community at about 4 p.m. and started shooting sporadically. While the villagers scampered to safety, the assailants set fire on houses, vehicles, motorcycles and farm products in the village. A community leader told Channels Television on Wednesday that the bandits who invaded the village in their number locked up 16 members of the…

In this interview, Comrade Tina Essien, Akwa Ibom Chairperson, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) expresses satisfaction with the agreement signed between the state government and the organised labour on the implementation of New National Minimum Wage in the state. But, she laments that furniture allowance was left out in the last negotiation for payment of N18,000 Minimum Wage to workers. Excerpts: How was the signing of the agreement for payment of the New National Minimum Wage in the state? It was quite fine and very interesting. And I think we had what we were supposed to get for the…

The proposed establishment of the Nuclear Power Plant in Akwa Ibom State has drawn the bile of members of the State House of Assembly. The project proposed by the National Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) for Oku Iboku community in Itu local government area of the state had been opposed by Etetim Onuk, the Itu chairman, Prof. Okon Ansa of Concerned Patriot and Pastor Patrick Henry Edet of Grace Family. In a resolution passed on Tuesday, February 11, the House vehemently rejected the plan and called on the state government not to release any parcel of land in the state for…

An estimated 87% of poor people in Nigeria come from Northern part of the country, the World Bank has reported. A report by the Bretton Wood institution entitled ‘Advancing social protection in a dynamic Nigeria,’ says “the South-South region of the country recorded the most significant drop in poverty from 2011 to 2016. “Poverty in the northern regions of the country has been increasing especially in the north-west zone. Almost half of all poor lived in the north-west and the north accounts for 87 percent of all poor in the country in 2016.” According to the report, “Poverty rates in the southern…

In this interview, Comrade Sunny James, the chairperson of Nigeria Labour Congress, Akwa Ibom State council, states that the 2019 negotiations of Akwa Ibom minimum wage will be completed when Grade Level 07-14 Consequential Adjustments and Health Workers’ Salary are concluded and agreed upon by all. He, however, accuses Joint Council of being the people who negotiated promotion of public servants without arrears in the State. Excerpts: Are you satisfied with the New National Minimum Agreement signed between organized labour and Akwa Ibom State government? In one word: I am not satisfied. But, I want to appreciate the government of…