Author: straightnewsng.com

No fewer than 1,000 traders, marketers and artisans are to benefit from N1billion soft loan under the Kwara State Social Investment Programme, KWASSIP to run their businesses. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State noted that the proposal has been sent to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval. The governor said this on Thursday at a maiden breakfast meeting with journalists in Kwara State that the focus of his administration centred on human capital and infrastructure development to attract investments, combat poverty and take Kwara to the top of the table of revenue generation and competitiveness. “Under the…

A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja Thursday withdrew from a suit the immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Abdulazeez Yari, filed to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from seizing some of his assets. She is Justice Evelyn Maha who backed out of the case for an undisclosed reason. At the resumed proceeding Thursday, Justice Maha, who is sitting as the vacation Judge, announced her decision to return the case-file to the court’s registry to enable the Chief Judge re-assign it to another Judge. However, Justice Maha adjourned the matter till September 30 for possible…

The organised labour, Thursday, renewed its opposition to the proposal by the Federal Government to concession the 22 Nigerian federal teaching hospitals. Labour told the government that health remains the foundation of development around the world and should not be for profit-making venture. Comrade Ayuba Wabba, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, spoke at the 2019 Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nurses Week/Scientific workshop in Abuja, said if the government was allowed to concession the teaching hospitals, it could lead to exorbitant cost of medical treatment beyond the capacity of majority of Nigerians. Wabba, at the workshop organized by the National…

The World Bank in collaboration with Adamawa State government of Nigeria, says plans have been concluded to disburse $62 million on a number of intervention projects in the state. Mr. Solomon Kumangar, the Director-General, Media and Communications to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, stated this in a statement on Friday, in Yola. Kumangar said the governor had held several meetings with various developmental partners, with the aim of boosting the state’s economy and infrastructure. He said the deal was struck during one of the meetings with officials of the bank, where they agreed to commit 200 million dollars on some projects across…

Serena Williams will look to avenge a 2016 defeat at the Rio Olympic Games in Thursday’s US Open semi-final against Elina Svitolina as the American targets a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title. A run to the last four in New York, bookended by crushing routs of long-time foe Maria Sharapova and China’s Wang Qiang, brought up a century of US Open wins for Williams, chasing her first Slam crown since the 2017 Australian Open. Williams, who turns 38 later this month, holds a 4-1 career advantage over Svitolina, but the Ukrainian triumphed in their most recent encounter — a…

Despite Federal Government’s decision to boycott the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Capetown, South Africa, some Nigerian governors are said to be attending the forum which began on Wednesday. But Geoffrey Onyeama, the minister of foreign affairs, explained that the presence of state governors at the froum was not in any way a gesture of flouting the federal government’s order. Speaking to State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, September 5, Onyeama explained that the Nigerian delegates were already in South Africa before the federal government made a decision to boycott the forum, The Nation reports. The foreign affairs minister…

By Akanimo Sampson The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for West and Central Africa marked the International Day of the Disappeared last Friday by paying tribute to all those who lost their lives or their loved ones during their journeys across the region and beyond. Those like the traveling companions of ‘Favour,’ a Nigerian who witnessed several deaths attempting to cross North Africa. “The journey to Libya was very tough as we drove past many dead bodies and a lot of people fell ill on the way”, said Favour, now returned to Nigeria. She added: “Whenever someone was…

Against xenophobic attacks on Nigerians by South Africans, the diplomatic tension between Nigeria and South Africa has heightened for the worst. In the meantime, Nigeria has recalled its Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Kabiru Bala. The nation has also pulled out of the World Economic Summit. This is even as MTN has shut down its operations nationwide and Shoprite has also shut its outlets to avoid some hoodlums venting anger on the malls. It also demanded full compensation to Nigerians affected by the attacks, the News Agency of Nigeria has reported, quoting a “presidential source.” The move, it is learned,…

By Akanimo Sampson It seems the state-owned firm is seeking to diversify geographically and boost capacity. In 2017, CMG’s container throughput was over 100 million TEU for the first time, which makes the company the Chinese biggest, and a world-leading terminal developer, investor and operator. The company is the largest toll road investor and operator in China, which has invested in 8354 kilometers toll roads, bridges and tunnels in 19 provinces, namely Beijing, Tianjin, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Guang Xi etc. 18 National-class and provincial-class Research and Development Platforms have been launched to tailor full-chain toll road businesses covering exploration, design, construction,…

Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in real term is said to have declined quarter-on quarter (QoQ) by 0.16 basis points to 1.94 percent in the second quarter of 2019 (Q2’19), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Tuesday said. The bureau said the GDP performance was aided by stability in oil output as well as the GDP. It noted that the oil sector contributed 8.82 percent of total real GDP while the non-oil sector contributed 91.2 percent to the nation’s GDP during the period. Data from the NBS GDP report for Q2’19 showed that in real terms, QoQ, real GDP declined…