Author: straightnewsng.com

As the organised labour is poised for a showdown with some state governments in the country over the non-implementation of new National Minimum Wage, the possibility of Akwa Ibom State government to pay it before the December 31 deadline as directed by the national Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is slim. President Muhammadu Buhari signed the National Minimum Wage Bill into law on April 18, 2019, empowering employers of labour in Nigeria to pay a worker N30,000 after the National Assembly had passed it into law. Buhari had in November 2017 set up a 30-member tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee for…

The 94-year-old Oron Union in Akwa Ibom State has been reconstituted with new leaders to wheel the affairs of the body for the next two years. Bishop Etim Ante (Nsoh) polled 208 votes to emerge the President-General of the body after flooring three contestants. The election which was held at Oro Civic Centre took place on Saturday, December 28, 2019. Ante takes over from Chief (Mrs) Janet Amba, the first female to be elected to that position from December 31, 2017, now a Senior Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel. Barr Mrs Ann Eyo emerged as the Vice…

The Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Sunday, said it has phased out unclaimed dividends in the Nigerian capital market, stating that henceforth, there would be no future unclaimed dividends on those currently being declared by companies. In a statement in Abuja, Ms. Mary Uduk, acting Director-General of SEC, said the commission had gone far in addressing the unclaimed dividends problem, stating that the decision to eliminate it completely, going forward, was a major milestone. Uduk who was represented in a television interview by Mr. Okey Umeano, the Head, Office of the Chief Economist of SEC, said the commission had engaged…

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, has said that Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, lacks powers to order the release of any detainee out of mercy. Falana was responding to Malami’s claim that he ordered the release of Omoyele Sowore, convener of RevolutionNow movement, and Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser, on compassionate grounds. Malami had said the Department of State Services, DSS, which had detained Sowore and Dasuki against court orders, was asked to release the duo not because of international pressure but on the grounds of respect for rule of law…

Beginning from the 2020 Fiscal Year, it will no longer be business as usual with taking public funds as the Federal Government has planned that only verified Constituency Projects would attract payments from the treasury. The sum of N275.678 million had been provided for the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to verify all Zonal Intervention and Constituency Projects, nation-wide, for payment authorisation. In addition, N240. 671 million was budgeted for the purchase of Project Motor Vehicles for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) activities. President Muhammadu Buhari had stated that the nation lost about N1 trillion to Constituency Projects in 10 years,…

An environmental expert and lecturer in the University of Calabar, Cross River State has raised the alarm that water channels in the Niger Delta region are under serious threat. Speaking with Vanguard in Abuja, Dr. Ralph Offiong, who is also an Associate professor in the university said that aquatic life was under serious threat in the region except something was done to salvage the situation. According to him, “If you look at the Niger Delta, one of the most troubling scenarios is the issue that has to do with the blocking and taking over the waterways, water surfaces, water bodies,…

Ahead of the 2023 general polls, plots by some state governors to remove the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole from office are thickening. Some governors and stakeholders had expressed fears that the APC might fail given the way Oshiomhole, in their estimation, was running the party more so as President Muhammadu Buhari will not be on the ballot. Those opposed to Oshiomhole cited APC’s fate in Rivers and Zamfara states where avoidable squabbles made the party not to have valid governorship and other candidates in the 2019 polls, a development that gave the opposition…

Frank Lampard revealed a feisty half-time exchange inspired Chelsea to ruin Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s home debut with a thrilling fightback in their 2-1 win on Sunday. Lampard was furious with Chelsea’s lethargic first half at the Emirates Stadium after they fell behind to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s early goal. The Chelsea boss was so frustrated he changed his side’s formation in the 33rd minute, hauling off Emerson and sending on Jorginho. That switch proved an inspired move as Chelsea gradually took control and equalised in the 83rd minute after Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno’s mistake allowed Jorginho to tap in. Tammy Abraham…

By Akanimo Sampson Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is poised to capture a small but growing portion of the international bunker fuel market in the United States and across the globe, according to S&P Global Platts, the leading independent provider of information, benchmark prices and analytics for the energy and commodities markets. This is expected to be so as shipping companies prepare to bring their fleets into compliance with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) 2020 on low sulfur content. The IMO new regulations will come into effect from January 1, 2020, when the ocean-going vessels have to cut the sulfur content…

A 19-year-old man has been arrested for killing a suspected paedophile priest by ramming a crucifix down his throat and suffocating him. Alexandre V., who is alleged to have been abused by the priest, attacked the 91-year-old Catholic Roger Matassoli at the holy figure’s home in Agnetz, Oise, northern France. Matassoli had been accused of sexually abusing at least four boys, including Alexandre and Alexandre’s father, between 1960 and 2000. The priest had to be shifted from the diocese of Clermont in 1967 to the diocese of Saint-Andre-Farivillers, and was then moved to Agnetz, following allegations of paedophilia, reports Franceinfo. And…