Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson The leading independent provider of information, analysis and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets, S&P Global Platts, has said that there will be high geopolitical risks to oil supply this coming 2020. Though their 2020 outlook presumes continued high geopolitical risks to oil supply, it, however, indicated a slight recovery in oil demand driven by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) 2020 low-sulfur, bunker-fuel specification changes. It equally paints oil as the bright spot in an otherwise largely bearish energy outlook. Head of analytics, S&P Global Platts, Chris Midgley, said: “As the new decade begins, the first…

By Akanimo Sampson Four changes have helped to define the last 10 years as a decade of growing voices and choices for women and girls. Though Climate change is beginning to ravage communities everywhere, the global displacement crisis has however, reshaped demographics on an unimaginable scale, contributing to political upheaval around the world. Interestingly, information technologies enabled the creation of vibrant online communities that also sparked the spread of extremism and misinformation. In spite of all these, it is worth looking back at the gains humanity has made, especially in addressing gender inequality. For millennia, women endured inequality, discrimination and violence in relative silence.…

The detained wife of a top-ranked officer in the Nigerian Army was unable to explain to American authorities the millions of dollars allegedly found in her account, according to Sahara Reporters. Brigadier-General Charles Nengite of the Nigerian Army as well as his wife has been arrested by the authorities of the United States of America for an unexplained $16 million found in the wife’s account. Wondering how she could amass such wealth, the US authroities reportedly invited her for questioning, but she could not explain it. However, Obong Nsima Ekere and Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, the former Managing Directors of the…

People around the world are beginning to wave goodbye to 2019 and welcome 2020. The Pacific Island nations of Tonga, Samoa, and Kiribati were the first to see in the new year — when it was still 5 a.m. on December 31 on the East Coast of the United States and 11 a.m. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time, the global standard). New Zealand was next, an hour later. American Samoa, just 101 miles from Samoa but in an entirely different timezone, must wait a full day before seeing in 2020. There are39 different local times in use – including two which…

Unlike other years, the Federal and State Governments are in a last-minute rush to pass their 2020 budgets into law and publish the same in the first week of January’s deadline given by the World Bank. Before now, the Federal Government and states used to pass their budgets late in the year while the financial year begins January. For instance, most governments passed and signed their 2019 budgets into law this year, ignoring the implications of running budgets without adhering to due process. Findings by Straightnews show that late passage of the budget into law coupled with operating the same…

The non-implementation of the new National Minimum Wage approved by the Federal Government eight months ago is putting a wedge in the relationship between the state governments and the organised labour. Though few states in the country have paid the new national minimum wage pending the time the governments and organised labour will reach an agreement on the implementation of consequential adjustments for their workers, Akwa Ibom government has paid neither the new minimum wage nor the consequential adjustments to its workers. At the moment, the workers who collected their December salary last week are in a fix when the…

By Akanimo Sampson             From 1991 to 2018, the share of women-owned businesses in Central America rose by almost 60 per cent (from 13.9 to 24.5 per cent), according to a new International Labour Organisation (ILO) publication. Case studies from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico (Chihuahua) and Panama show that, on average, 22.3 per cent of business owners in Costa Rica are women, 29 per cent in El Salvador, 15.3 per cent in Chihuahua, Mexico, and 22.4 per cent in Panama. The factors driving many women to start their own businesses are precarious economic conditions, lack of career prospects in companies…

By Akanimo Sampson The Oscars of energy, S&P Global Platts Global Energy Awards, has bestowed 23 awards to companies and individuals before nearly 500 energy and finance executives, at a black-tie ceremony at Cipriani South Street in New York. Energy companies from 11 countries spanning four continents received honours for leadership, innovation and exemplary performance at the 21st annual programme. President of S&P Global Platts, Martin Fraenkel, said: “This year’s programme is a true reflection of the future of the energy industry. Finalists and winners are rethinking traditional businesses and demonstrating an infusion of new ideas, which importantly incorporate sustainability in their…

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…