Author: straightnewsng.com

The Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies, SSASCGOC, has rejected planned sale of Nigeria Communication Satellite Company, NIGCOMSAT by the Federal Government. In a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, the union expressed shock over the plan to sell off NIGCOMSAT to private individuals, and called on the Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE, to halt all process in the interest of the nation. In the petition, entitled “The proposed sale of Nigeria Communications Satellite Company: A call for caution,” the union contended that the NIGCOMSAT, a government company created via the Company and Allied Matters Act, was…

Nigeria is the 16th least peaceful country in the world, according to the 2019 edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI).  At 148 of 163 countries, the most populous black nation retained its position in the previous year—even though its score rose by 0.025, from 2.873 in 2018 to 2.898 in 2019. The report released on Wednesday, “measures the state of peace using three thematic domains: the level of Societal Safety and Security; the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict; and the degree of Militarisation. “The GPI covers 99.7 per cent of the world’s population, using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators…

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Sunday advised men not to treat women, especially their wives, as subordinate, saying women were created equal to men. The Vice President gave the advice while speaking to State House correspondents after celebrating this year’s Fathers’ Day at Aso Villa Chapel, Abuja. Prof. Osinbajo was joined at the service by his aged mother, Mrs. Olubisi Osinbajo; Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, among others. He said: “I think the responsibility of the father is incredible indeed and I think what is most important is to…

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has decried the growing number of ‘commercial’ platforms masquerading as political parties in the country. Subsequently, INEC is proposing alterations to constitutional provisions regarding registration and de-registration of political parties in the country as well as timelines for filing some pre-election cases. This came on a day the runner-up in February’s 23 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has denied planning to lead a street protest over the controversy surrounding the election result. The electoral umpire also announced the registration of Nigeria’s 93rd political party, Boot Party, through the instrumentality of the court, having initially declined…

By  Ikora Ayungbe The Akwa Ibom State government has approached Court of Appeal, Calabar, Cross River State, challenging the judgment of Etinan High Court which in December 2017 ruled in favour of the 6,000 students who graduated from the defunct state College of Agriculture, Obio Akpa, and were not issued certificates on graduation. Recall that the students who graduated from the defunct Akwa Ibom College of Agriculture, Obio Akpa from 2000 to 2009, were not issued certificates on completion of their academic programmes, prompting the graduates to seek legal redress. The college which is owned by the state government admitted…

A 26-year-old woman parked her car on the Homestead Grays Bridge on Friday evening with her three children in the vehicle, jumped over the railing, and killed herself, the Pittsburgh police said. A city public safety spokesman repoirted that police, fire and EMS crews responded to a distressed call that a woman was seen at the outer railing of the bridge about 7:20 p.m., per reports from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. By the time emergency responders arrived at the scene, the woman had jumped into the Monongahela River. The river rescue team recovered her body at about 9:15 p.m. and declared…

Ukraine recovered from the shock of falling behind to an early penalty as they beat South Korea 3-1 to win the under-20 World Cup final in Poland on Saturday. Vladyslav Supriaha was the star for Ukraine, the 19-year-old Dynamo Kiev player scoring twice as his country won the prestigious title for the first time, succeeding the England side who won in 2017. The Koreans had taken an early lead in Lodz in central Poland, with Valencia starlet Lee Kang-in converting a fifth-minute penalty awarded following a VAR review after Kim Se-yun had been fouled right on the edge of the…

Ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt Super Eagles of Nigeria dropped three places in the latest FIFA world ranking released on Thursday for June. According to FIFA official Twitter handle, the Gernot Rohr tutored-side, who are currently training in Ismailia, Egypt for the forthcoming AFCON 2019, dropped three places to land at 45th spot. Senegal’s Teranga Lions remain Africa’s highest ranked national team, after gaining one spot to land on 22nd spot. Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles are second as they are ranked 25 in the world; followed by the Super Eagles of Nigeria who are in the…

The Debt Management Office (DMO), Friday, listed its first Eurobonds on FMDQ Securities Exchange platform to fund the budget deficit and other financing needs of the Federal Government. The listing comprises dual-tranche 2.50 billion dollars and triple-tranche 2.86 billion dollars Eurobonds, News Agency of Nigeria reported. Speaking at the listing in Lagos, Ms Patience Oniha, DMO’s Director-General, said the bonds were raised to refinance the country’s domestic debt. Oniha said the proceeds of the Eurobonds would be used to fund the fiscal deficit as well as other financing needs of the country. She said the 2.50 billion dollars Eurobonds issued…

Hong Kong has indefinitely suspended a proposed legislation that would allow extradition to mainland China, after days of protests across the city. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who formerly rejected calls to withdraw the plan, announced the decision on Saturday, saying that the urgency felt to pass the bill before the legislative year ends “perhaps no longer exists.” “The bill has caused a lot of division in society,” she said. “I have to admit in terms of explanation and communication, there were inadequacies.” “We have to bear in mind the greatest interests of Hong Kong,” she said, which involved…