Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson A seeming desperate bid by the Imo State Government to slash the exploding Rivers State oil revenue by N15 billion has failed. Ihedioha had asked the Federal Government to direct the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to undertake payment of N15 billion to Imo for oil wells allegedly belonging to the state, but which are being counted for Rivers. But a Federal High Court in Abuja has declared that Rivers is entitled to continue to receive and retain revenue from the Federation Account and other accounts maintained for the purpose in respect of oil revenue…

No fewer than 12 million Nigerians have benefited from the various life-touching programmes of the Federal Government. These are School Feeding, Cash Transfer, N-Power, and Small and Medium Enterprises otherwise known as Market Money. In an exclusive interview with the publisher of Straightnews on Tuesday, Mrs Maryam Uwais, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investments said her office has made a direct impact on the lives of at least 12 million Nigerians. Mrs Uwais who was one of the resource persons at the Social Media Week held in Lagos said: “When you consider the family index- the farmers,…

Pep Guardiola warned his Manchester City players that Real Madrid are more than capable of a Champions League fightback after a historic 2-1 last 16, first-leg win for the English champions at the Santiago Bernabeu. City struck twice in the final 12 minutes through Gabriel Jesus and a Kevin De Bruyne penalty to beat the 13-time European champions for the first time in their history. Madrid will also be without captain Sergio Ramos for the second leg after he was sent off late on for bringing down Jesus, but Guardiola is wary of Madrid’s history of comebacks in the Champions…

A total of 184,426,187 persons are said to be mobile subscribers in the country, a report by National Communications Commission has shown. The major mobile companies are MTN, Airtel, 9Mobile and Glo. Temitope Benson of and Austrian-based Delivery Lead- West & Central Africa, Out There Media who stated this during the ongoing Social Media Week in Lagos on Tuesday said he obtained the figure from the commission. Speaking on Mobile advertising: a more inclusive approach, Benson announced that 58,697,859 mobile subscribers on online. According to him, 125,728,328 are internet subscribers showing 48 per cent according to PEW Research Centre.  …

By Akanimo Sampson Stakeholders at Onne Port in Rivers State say it is far easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for businesses to operate at the port. They are blaming it all on lack of scanners at the port which they say, is negatively affecting Nigeria’s economy. According to them, that is largely responsible for the slowdown of business at the port. They made this known at a meeting with the Comptroller, Customs Area11 Command, Aliyu Galadima Saidu, last week. Generally, the stakeholders comprise the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, (ANLCA) National…

By Akanimo Sampson Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says the security challenges be-devilling Nigeria cannot be wished away so easily without a re-jig of the country’s twisted federalism. According to him, allowing real federalism is the only way to put Nigeria on the path of accelerated development. Sanwo-Olu says decentralisation of some Exclusive functions of the Federal Government, including the provision of security, will provide an instant answer to the current agitations threatening the unity of the country. “The emergence of beggar-states as the major constituents of Nigeria’s federation will not take the country to the future it desires…

By Akanimo Sampson Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has sparked off a potential national controversy, saying that Nigeria, the supposed giant of Africa, is sliding into darkness. “This is because judges in the country are afraid to function in line with their oath of office,’’ says Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was speaking during a courtesy visit by the National Association of Women Judges, South-South chapter on Tuesday. In a statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike stresses that judges “must’’ always uphold the law. “The problem with Nigeria today is because people…

By Israel Umoh Since the defection of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio to All Progressives Congress in August 2018, the political configuration of Akwa Ibom State has been significantly altered. The defection has shattered the walls of hitherto unipolar political leadership in the state and has created a gulf in the political algorithm between two persons seen as the political masqueraders of the two major political parties having strong following up to the ward level unlike the rest with shrinking membership. While Akpabio is the gladiator in APC’s train, Udom Emmanuel takes charge of the PDP stronghold. Without equivocation, Emmanuel, the…

The dominant role played by a digital form of communication in promoting and growing businesses in the digital age took a centre stage during the second day of Social Media Week 2020 in Lagos. Speaking on the topic Will Traditional Media survive in the Digital Age? Amaka Nwoko, the Vice President, Sales of Skoleeo Technologies emphasised the important role played by digital technology to the development of the society vis a vis business and harped on the need for governments and individuals in Nigeria to embrace digitalisation. Nwoko expressed the hope that in the next 10 years, digital communication would…

By Akanimo Sampson Residents of oil-polluted communities in Kolo Creek, Bayelsa State, have started to ring an alarm on their health conditions. Angelina Ngeribo, says “there is crude oil on our drinking water source. This is affecting us in many ways.’’ According to her, ‘’there is no way to even bathe in the creek again. Some of those who dared to go in, come out from the creek with oily substances on their bodies. We are suffering as a result of the current condition of the river. “When we are paddling in our canoes, all our hands, our chest, clothes…