Author: straightnewsng.com

In a dramatic manner, three Justices of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo delivered separate judgments in the petition filed by Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, challenging the election of Senator Chris Ekpenyong into Akwa Ibom North Senatorial District. Akpabio, former Senate Minority Leader of the the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 83,158 votes in the National Assembly elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC lost to Ekpenyong of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 118,215 votes. Akpabio, therefore, challenged Ekpenyong’s declaration at the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting…

By Akanimo Sampson With the global shipping industry having just a few months, according to Nicolas Parrot of BNP Paribas, to comply with its new air quality rules, is the sector ready to navigate and finance a more sustainable future? BNP Paribas which has strong roots anchored in Europe’s banking history, supports its clients and employees in today’s changing world and has positioned itself as a leading bank in the Eurozone and a prominent international banking institution. Parrot has warned that as the world’s climate emergency enters unchartered waters, industries are being forced to adapt quickly. In the shipping sector, the…

By Akanimo Sampson The Director of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) Division on International Trade and Commodities, Pamela Coke Hamilton, and the Economic Affairs Officer, Alessandro Nicita, have sent a strong warning to the government of the United Kingdom (UK) on the controversial Brexit affair. They are arguing that in the event  of a no-deal Brexit, and in the absence of replacement agreements (rollover deals), the UK will abruptly lose preferential access to these markets and, by default, and will have to export under World Trade Organisation Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariffs. As a member of…

A member of the House of Representatives for Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency in Cross River State, Dr Alex Egbona, has raised the alarm over threats to his life and family members over his decision to approach the Court of Appeal after the election tribunal nullified his election. Egbona who was a candidate of the All progressives Congress, APC, defeated John Gaul, a candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the February 23 Presidential/National Assembly elections to represent the constituency in the National Assembly. Though the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Egbona winner of the election, National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal…

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has urged the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria, ABCON, to play stronger role in anti-money laundering activities in order to mitigate the risk and vulnerabilities in the financial sector. The apex bank also tasked Bureaux De Change, BDC, operators to embrace effective self-regulation. Speaking during the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa, GIABA, Mutual Evaluation Exercise Sensitisation workshop for South West Bureaux de Change, BDCs, in Lagos, CBN Deputy Director, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department, Mustafa Haruna, said: ” There is need for BDCs to ensure compliance with extant Anti-Money…

The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company, NLNG, Wednesday, announced that SCD Joint Venture, JV, Consortium, comprising Saipem of Italy, Japan’s Chiyoda and Daewoo of South Korea, has emerged the preferred bidder for its Liquefied Natural Gas Train 7 project. The announcement was made by the Managing Director of the Nigeria LNG, Mr. Tony Attah, at the Letter of Intent Signing Ceremony in Abuja. He noted that with the presentation of the Letter of Intent to the SCD JV Consortium, the group had been awarded the contract to undertake the Engineering, Procurement and Construction, EPC, for the Train 7 project. Attah further stated…

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the relevant government officials and agencies to expedite action on the Consequential Adjustment Negotiations on Minimum Wage He also approved the constitution of the Presidential Committee on Salaries and Allowances to handle all requests after the conclusion of Consequential Adjustment Negotiations. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, disclosed this at Ministry of Labour headquarters, Abuja, when the Executive of Labour Correspondents Association of  Nigeria, LACAN, paid him a solidarity visit over his re-appointment. He explained that the directive by the President for quick completion of Consequential Adjustment Negotiations would help to ward…

The United Kingdom has announced a new visa regime which will allow foreign students stay and work in the country for two years after graduation. British Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, who stated this Wednesday, said the new policy would come into effect for students starting courses in 2020. The plan is an overturn of Theresa May’s 2012 immigration policy which mandated foreign students to leave four months after finishing a degree in the UK. According to him, the new policy will allow graduates apply for jobs regardless of their skills or the subject they studied. He said the policy was…

President Muhammadu Buhari, Wednesday, explained that he decided to split the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and that of Transportation and Aviation to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of infrastructure delivery programmes and projects. Buhari also reiterated that majority of Nigerians who voted for his government gave a clear mandate that included enhancement of the security of lives and property across the entire country, create a diversified and inclusive economy that will bring prosperity to all and to install governance and accountability in systems and processes, with a view to eliminating corruption. Speaking in his remarks at the first Federal…

By Akanimo Sampson The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is moving quickly to mobilise resources to assist rehabilitation efforts in Abaco and Grand Bahama, islands in the Bahamas devastated last week by Hurricane Dorian. The rehabilitation initiative is on as search and rescue operations continue.  On Monday, IOM started the distribution of 1,000 tarpaulin coats in Marsh Harbour – the largest urban centre in Abaco.  The tarps will be used as a temporary fix for roofs torn by the violent Category 5 storm. This is, however, happening as a new report by the IOM’s Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC)…