Author: straightnewsng.com

The UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has been given acclaim over the appointment of Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch as a minister in the United Kingdom. Johnson appointed Badenoch, as minister of children and families to work in the department of education. A statement by a senior special assistant on media and publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, described the appointment as “well-deserved.” “The Nigerian leader, who said he had no doubt that Badenoch would succeed given her academic qualifications and parliamentary experience, also enjoined the junior minister to see herself as an ambassador of her fatherland in conduct and performance,”…

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says Bangladesh has laid down an exemplary digital foundation and is striving to prepare her citizens for the digital future. The country’s readiness to engage in e-commerce has shown in an UNCTAD assessment. The enormous growth in her information and communications technology (ICT) sector and its young, dynamic and IT savvy population can only make things better, the assessment report indicates. UNCTAD’s Director of Technology and Logistics, Shamika N. Sirimanne, said “Bangladesh is fertile ground for e-commerce to take root and benefit companies and consumers alike’’ while launching the assessment report…

By Akanimo Sampson Naval chiefs in West Africa are currently under intense heat to crush the menace of piracy that is threatening plans to bolster regional trade among member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). As the naval chiefs were discussing efforts to secure the troubled ECOWAS waters, Ghana’s Defence Minister warned that piracy in the waters off the region is a big threat to regional trade. There is also an increase in sea robbery and piracy related incidents around the Straits of Malacca and Singapore as well as lingering concerns over abduction of crew in…

The National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Chris Isiguzo says Nigeria is heading towards anarchy, asking President Muhammadu Buhari administration to act fast to halt the worrisome security situation plaguing the country. For some years now, Boko Haram insurgents and killer Fulani hersdmen have slaughtered thousands mostly in the North East and North West parts of the country while kidnapping, robbery and secret cultism and other forms of violence have consumed many in various parts of Nigeria. Isiguzo speaking Wednesday at colloquium/session of tributes and luncheon to celebrate excellent stewardship of the outgoing state Chairman and members of…

By Akanimo Sampson People in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) choose to be entrepreneurs because there are few other options, rather than doing so because they have spotted an authentic business opportunity. As a result, businesses that replicate existing activities proliferate, with low entry barriers and low profit margins. Survivalist entrepreneurs like Meskerem, a street-vendor, are unlikely to bring about the type of innovation that can transform the structure of the national economy. Meskerem is a middle-aged Ethiopian woman, who runs a café and bakery with 10 employees in an affluent neighbourhood of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Meskerem once sold corn-cobs on…

By Akanimo Sampson One of the latest Rael-Science posts says you no longer need to speak another language to look like you are fluent in it to anyone, anywhere. Microsoft Executive, Julia White, according to the post, recently took the stage at the company’s Inspire partner conference to demonstrate how it’s now possible to not only create an incredibly life-like hologram of a person, but to then make the hologram speak another language in the person’s own voice. This demo was possible thanks to a combination of two existing technologies — mixed reality and neural text-to-speech — and it foreshadows…

President Muhammadu Buhari said Tuesday he would not name who will likely succeed him in 2023. The President stated this when he received members of Progressive in Academics, Pro-Acad, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He was responding to a request by the group that he should start grooming a youth who will take over from him at the end of his second term in 2023. Noting that nobody should think he could just become a President overnight, President Buhari said identifying anybody as his successor would create problems for him. He recalled that he made three failed attempts in his…

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday commenced the process of defending both his re-election and the allegation that he lacked basic educational qualifications. Buhari, whose victory in the February 23 presidential election is being challenged by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, produced three witnesses that testified for him before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja. He equally tendered 26 exhibits that were admitted in evidence by the five-member panel tribunal, headed by Justice Mohammed Garba. To open his defence, President Buhari first tendered his West African Examination School Certificate, WAEC, in evidence. He tendered the…

Happiness, shocks and disappointment pervaded Senate on Tuesday as President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, rolled out names of chairmen and deputy chairmen of 69 standing committees. While some senators were happy with their positions, others were not comfortable with the committees they were given to chair. It was also a period of compensation as Lawan made some of his loyalists and campaign coordinators chairmen of some strong committees. Meanwhile, the Senate has vacated for its annual break of two months to resume September 24. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, got 20 chairmanship positions, while the ruling All…

President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, described the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola as a bridge builder who could have prevented the religious and tribal issues happening in the country now if he had been allowed to rule Nigeria. Abiola, who was the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections, was prevented by the military junta of General Sani Abacha from assuming office. The election was annulled by the then Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, and the late business mogul later died in detention in 1997 while struggling to claim his mandate. Receiving elders and leaders of Thought…