Author: straightnewsng.com

No fewer than 10 persons, Saturday, died following a pipeline explosion in Kom Kom community, Oyigbo local government area of Rivers State. Confirming the incident, Nnamdi Omoni, Rivers State Police Command said the police were unable to ascertain the actual number or casualties. Omoni said: ”Yes, I can confirm it. Early, this morning there was a pipeline explosion at Kom kom in Oyigbo local government area of Rivers on PPMC’S pipeline.” According to him, “Some engineers staff of Shell Petrol Development Company, SPDC were carrying out routine maintenance of the pipeline and repairs works at a portion of the line.…

“The Super Eagles were forced to work hard for that by a valiant Burundian team. The debutants gave as good as they got in the first half, but Nigeria gradually found a higher groove in the second half. And their goal was a marvel, Ighalo producing a neat finish after a sumptuous back-heeled pass from Aina.” A fan of Eagles tweets. Ola Aina provided one of the most sumptuous assists in 2019 to gift Nigeria the opportunity to take the lead against Burundi at the AFCON 2019, and Odion Ighalo tucked it away beautifully. Odion Ighalo came off the bench…

Four high ranking officers in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service are joining the rank of Permanent Secretaries in the state. They are Barr. Janet Nsemeke Daniel, Dr. Patrick Anietie Eshiet, Mrs Beatrice M. A. Udoinyang and Mrs Ekaette Iniobong Ekanem. Until their appointment, Barr. Janet Nsemeke Daniel was Secretary, Finance and General Purposes Committee (FGPC), Governor’s Office, Uyo while Mrs Ekaette Iniobong Ekanem was the Director of Administration, Deputy Governor’s Office, Uyo. A public service announcement signed by Elder Effiong Essien, Head of Civil Service says Governor Udom Emmanuel Emmanuel has approved the appointment. This brings the number of Permanent…

By Akanimo Sampson A new wave of industrial policies and increasing competition for international investment has sparked a boom in the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2019. The global tally of zones has increased to nearly 5,400, up from 4,000 five years ago, and more than 500 new SEZs are in the pipeline. The industrial zones, which offer fiscal incentives and streamlined regulations to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), are common in most developing and many developed economies. More than 145 economies operate such zones…

By Akanimo Sampson The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Nigerian government under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly seeking to foist a siege mentality on the citizenry and ultimately destabilizing the country for their selfish political gains. The National Working Committee (NWC) of Nigeria’s main opposition party made the weighty allegation while condemning in totality, the invasion of the Abuja residence of Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State by some operatives of the Nigeria Police alleged to have been detailed by Presidential authorities. The party’s missile came as a joint committee…

By Akanimo Sampson Apparently burdened by the oil pollution nightmare in the Niger Delta, Nigeria’s main oil and gas region, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the Federal Government is determined to enter partnership with any company for the promotion of environmental protection and sanitation. Osinbajo speaking during the commissioning of the $8 million (about N2.9 billion) Port Harcourt Dockyard Liquid Waste Management Treatment Plant constructed by African Circle Pollution Management Limited in Rivers State reiterated the government’s readiness to lead the way in the environmental improvement. Describing the commissioning as another opportunity for Nigeria to lead the way in the improvement…

Hosts Egypt made the ideal start to the Africa Cup of Nations by beating Zimbabwe in the opening game of the tournament in Cairo. Mahmoud Trezeguet scored the only goal of the game with a curled finished just before half time. Liverpool forward Mo Salah came close to doubling his side’s lead in the second half but his low drive was kept out by Zimbabwe keeper Edmore Sibanda. Ovidy Karuru had Zimbabwe’s best chance with a 30-yard strike late on. This year’s tournament is the biggest Africa Cup of Nations ever with 24 teams, and the first to be played…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has promised to offer loans on a seven-year tenor to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members for establishment of small and medium scale enterprises. The Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, stated this while receiving the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig. Shuaibu Ibrahim, in his office in Abuja. Emefiele noted that the loan disbursement was borne out of the need to curb the rate of unemployment in the country. He advised corps members to attend the bank’s entrepreneurship training centres for skills acquisitions in various vocational areas for economic survival after passing out from…

By Akanimo Sampson The economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has pushed 3.9 million persons to migrate or flee, according to recent estimates of the Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants in the troubled country. The figure is bursting out as the 15-year-old Nelsmar, who attended a middle-class school in central Venezuela not long ago, is now in Colombia. Her family is one of those uprooted by the crisis. Nelsmar’s family made the move over a year ago. They walked for eight days, and spent the rest of the journey traveling by bus, before reaching the border with Colombia. When they…

A research group led by Professor Wang Feng at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently developed a method to produce diesel fuel and hydrogen by exploiting light energy (solar energy or artificial light energy) and biomass-derived feedstocks, Rael-Science says. A publication by Nature Energy indicated that Biomass, including agricultural straw and forest waste, is the largest source of sustainable carbon resources in nature and is able to replace petrochemical resources to provide abundant derivative products. As an alternative to photocatalytic water splitting to provide hydrogen, splitting of biomass or its derivatives usually yields…