Author: straightnewsng.com

The Federal Government has awarded contract worth about N1.1 billion for the construction of a road linking two local government areas of Akwa Ibom State. A letter of contract award leaked to Straightnews in Uyo showed that the job spans Atan Ikot Okoro-Ukana Ikot Ngwo with a bridge at Ikot Inyang all in Essien Udim and Ikot Ekpene local government areas of the state. Our reporter learned that the road users have over the years encountered untold hardships and losses owing to years of neglect of the road by successive administrations. Awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works to Raycon…

By Akanimo Sampson A damning report by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), a London-based organisation that tracks attacks on sea vessels, that Nigerian waters are still risky for vessels, has helped in  jerking the obviously jolted Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch into action. With 30 incidents so far recorded this year, the Gulf of Guinea is widely regarded as the world’s most pirate-infested sea. Last year, the Bureau reported 72 attacks on vessels at sea between Ivory Coast and Cameroon, up from 28 in 2014. Max Williams of Africa Risk Compliance (ARC), a security consultancy, has been quoted…

Callers on a radio programme have in unison pointed accusing finger on secret cultism as the root of rising criminality rocking different communities in the Nigeria’s 21st Akwa Ibom State, calling on law enforcement agents to step up surveillance and patrol to stem the tide. Speaking on Atlantic FM, Uyo under “Politics Matter” on Wednesday, July 10, the callers complained of the increasing insecurity to life and property in the villages caused by people they described as ‘secret cultists.’ Last year, Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel had on March 13, 2018 signed the proscription order in accordance with Section 70…

Despite the promotion of Lamidi Adeosun, a Major-General to the rank of Lieutenant-General in the Nigerian Army, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, still maintains his position as the Chief of the Army Staff. President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the promotion of Adeosun who is the Nigerian Army Chief of Training and Operations. The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, said apart from Adeosun, the President also approved the promotion of “Brig Gen AB Biu, General Officer Commanding 7 Division to the rank of a Major General.” Musa said, “The President and Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the accelerated…

President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated Nigerian writer, Lesley Nneka Arimah, for winning 2019 Caine Prize for African Writing. Arimah was awarded $12,500 (£10,000) for her winning Caine Prize for African Writing story called Skinned. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Tuesday, Buhari congratulated the writer for the literary masterpiece, “Skinned,’’ that won the award. The President commended her for the depth of insight and skilfulness in bringing up the issue of women inclusiveness, which had continued to occupy the minds of leaders across the world, especially in Africa. “Arimah’s…

Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel has directed Ministry of Works to take remedial measures to control the incessant flooding that has caused loss of property worth millions of Naira in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital. Emmanuel who on Tuesday, July 9 undertook an on-the-spot-assessment tour of flood-ravaged areas in the state capital said “Our terrain maybe flood-prone but I have given instructions that we would continue on our long term strategies to eliminate flooding in the state.” In recent times particularly in 2019, flood has turned Uyo to native drum resulting in many people living near flood-prone areas writhing in…

By Akanimo Sampson The persisting rift between the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) cum former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole and his successor, Godwin Obaseki, is currently taking a turn for the worse. Some aggrieved citizens are pressing the incumbent governor who is locked in a re-election battle with his hitherto political godfather (Oshiomhole) to bring him to account for his stewardship as the governor of the state for eight years. While the Edo Government under the watch of Governor Obaseki has already promised to probe contracts for the construction of structures and supply of…

By Akanimo Sampson Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State and Chairmen of local government councils in the state are locked in a tug-of-war over the control of the funds flowing to the councils from the Federal Government. The governor is busy arm-twisting the council chairmen in a seeming desperate bid to have his way. On Thursday, he met with the Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGAs) before jetting out to Abuja to perfect his strategy of wrestling them to the ground this week. He is billed to meet with them again this Tuesday to compel them to do his…

By Akanimo Sampson The alleged plan by the Nigerian Government to reintroduce the controversial land-grabbing Ruga settlements for Fulani herdsmen is stoking fresh tensions in parts of the shaky country. Already, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council has started sounding their war drum, warning the Coalition of Northern Youths in the process not to misconstrue their peaceful approach to issues of Nigeria as weakness. The warning by the obviously aggrieved Igbo youths is coming as a report by The Punch has it that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, are calling on Nigerians to…

The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay, has said the Supreme Court ought to have addressed the validity of Osun State governorship re-run election. Sagay said the apex court was right to have nullified the verdict of the tribunal but should have made an affirmative pronouncement if INEC was right to have declared the poll inconclusive and subsequently held supplementary poll. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared the September 2018 governorship election as inconclusive and scheduled a re-run after which Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was declared winner. But Ademola Adeleke, candidate…