Author: straightnewsng.com

Senator Emmanuel Diffa has urged the executive director, finance and administration, EDFA of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to work in synergy with other board members in clearing debts owed contractors for jobs duly completed. Diffa from Bayelsa State speaking in an interview with journalists further called on Mr Maxwell Oko, the new EDFA together with the board members to identify dilapidated roads in the Niger Delta region and fix them. He also urged the newly appointed boards of the NDDC to move with compassion and eradicate the suffering of the people, noting that by so doing their living standard…

As the diplomatic spar between Nigeria and South Africa is worsening, President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, directed the immediate evacuation of Nigerians willing to return home. Buhari gave the order as he received report from Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, the Special Envoy he sent to South Africa to meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians. This is as Air Peace has announced plans to evacuate free of charge more than 400 Nigerians willing to return home on Wednesday. The President further directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama to continue to engage with appropriate authorities…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Sunday, said it has secured a judgment from a United States Southern District Court of New York, dismissing a suit filed by ESSO Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited and Shell Nigerian Exploration and Production Company Limited as of no-consequence. In a statement in Abuja, the NNPC stated that both companies were seeking an arbitral award of $2.699 billion against Nigeria, despite the fact that a Nigerian court had earlier dismissed the award. The NNPC said: “The court hearing was held on February 1, 2019, in the protracted litigation arising from the disputes between NNPC…

By Akanimo Sampson A global seaborne shipping and logistics company, Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., has reported its financial results for the second quarter and six month period ending last June 30. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Angeliki Frangou, said “I am pleased with the results of the second quarter of 2019 for which we reported revenue of $147.2 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $62.6 million.” According to him, “charter rates in the dry bulk sector have been robust lately. While NM earned a TCE rate of $10,500 per day for the second quarter of 2019, the capesize 5TC rate is…

By Akanimo Sampson Expectedly, the climate crisis will be far-reaching for all people and nations, but small island development states are at the forefront of its impacts. It also stands to wipe out trade gains of these vulnerable islands if not addressed now. This reality has brought the world’s island nations, the trade community, policy-makers, and the United Nations’ top agencies together for the first-ever United Nations Trade Forum slated for this September 9-13. Leaders of the small island developing states of Barbados, Saint Lucia and Vanuatu, ministers, senior government officials and experts will affirm global trade policy’s integral role…

The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen has condemned the recent upsurge violence against migrants in South Africa, describing it as sad and unacceptable. Tallen made this condemnation at the weekend during a media conference to mark resumption of school children. She appealed for calm, adding that Nigeria contributed immensely to the defeat of apartheid in South Africa and its independence. “What happened in South Africa is heart-breaking and I condemn it totally. Mr President has taken the matter with all seriousness by sending envoys are already meeting with Ambassadors to ensure Nigerians are safe. “I appealed for calm and pray for all Africans to…

Indications emerged at the weekend that the Federal government has written off Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) awarded a $9.6 billion judgment by British Court as non-existent enterprise. This is as Nigeria plans an appeal to set aside the huge cash awarded by a British commercial and arbitration court to an offshore company over a botched gas supply contract. The government is said to have been convinced by several documents at its disposal that the company, which claims to be registered both in Nigeria and abroad merely exists in the minds of those trying to extort money from Nigeria…

By Akanimo Sampson In spite of the seeming showy public stance of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on corruption, a report by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has revealed that the cancer of corruption in Nigeria is actually festering under the watch of the President. An intimidating profile of Buhari as an anti-corruption fighter, to a greater extent, contributed to his emerging as the country’s President in 2015. But that larger than life image of President Buhari appears to be fading away by the alleged unwholesome activities of some key functionaries of his administration. In its 2018 annual…

Rafael Nadal battled past an inspired Daniil Medvedev 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4 in a thrilling final to claim his fourth U.S. Open crown on Sunday. The win moved Nadal within one Grand Slam title of matching his great rival Roger Federer’s all-time record. Already the King of Clay, the Spaniard has been a master of the Flushing Meadows hardcourts this New York fortnight but he had to dig mighty deep to beat the Russian and bring his Grand Slam career tally to 19, just one behind Swiss Federer. The 33-year-old lefthander became the second oldest U.S. Open champion in…

Professor Bola A. Akinterinwa, an international relations expert, has expressed sadness over what he described as ‘unserious attitude’ of Federal Government in handling the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians by South Africans. Last Sunday, some South African locals were alleged to have killed more than three foreign nationals in addition to looting their property and torching their houses and businesses in the outskirts of Pretoria. Speaking during TVC NEWS, Lagos under Deji360 programme, Akinterinwa expressed worry over what he described as ‘soft actions’ by Federal Government as announced by Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs against South Africa in connection…