Author: Akintayo Adams

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Government has scheduled an emergency meeting on Wednesday in response to a planned nationwide protest slated for August 1, 2024. This is according to a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Richard Pheelangwah, dated July 23, 2024, titled, ‘Planned Nationwide Protest.’ It read, “I am directed to invite you to attend a meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the above subject slated as follows: July 24, 2024, Time: 10 am prompt, Venue: Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Conference Room.” The meeting…

President Brice Oligui Nguema of Gabon has offered the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote the chance to invest in cement and fertiliser production in Gabon. According to a statement on Tuesday, President Nguema made the call during Dangote’s visit to Gabon, where he engaged in discussions with the president and other top government officials. The talks focused on how Dangote Industries could contribute to Gabon’s economic growth by establishing cement and fertilizer plants, which are vital for the country’s infrastructure development and agricultural productivity. Nguema expressed enthusiasm about the potential partnership, highlighting Gabon’s…

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio has said Nigerian employers can’t pay their staff below ₦70,000. He made the declaration while passing the new minimum wage bill into law on the floor of the senate. “If you’re a tailor and you employ additional hands, you can’t pay the person below 70,000. If you have a housemaid, you cannot pay them below ₦70,000. If you hire a driver or a gateman, you cannot pay them below ₦70,000,” he said. This follows Tinubu’s approval of ₦70,000 as the new national minimum wage after several meetings between the Nigerian government and organized labor.…

An explosion at a factory producing Jose Cuervo tequila in Mexico killed five people on Tuesday, local authorities reported. “So far, the deaths of five people are confirmed, workers of the company,” the civil protection unit in the western state of Jalisco said in a statement. Two others were injured, one seriously, the statement added. The cause of the blast in Tequila municipality is not yet known, but the company stated it occurred during maintenance work. The explosion impacted four containers, each with a capacity of 219,000 litres, two of which collapsed, said Victor Hugo Roldan, state director of civil…

Northern Philippines experienced non-stop rainfall on Wednesday, triggering flooding in Manila and landslides in mountainous regions as Typhoon Gaemi intensified the seasonal monsoon. In the densely populated capital, rescuers were deployed across the city to evacuate residents from low-lying homes after downpours turned streets into rivers. People clutched flimsy umbrellas as they waded through thigh-deep murky water or used small boats and shopping trolleys to move around. Government offices were shut, classes suspended, and over 70 domestic and international flights cancelled due to the weather. “Many areas are flooded, so we have rescuers deployed all over the city. There is…

The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has announced a 12.7% reduction in allowances for foreign scholars stranded in Russia, Morocco, Algeria, and other countries. This decision is attributed to ongoing economic crises. Nigerian students in these countries, studying under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) Scholarship, have lamented eight months of unpaid stipends. The BEA scholarship facilitates educational exchange between Nigeria and partnering countries, overseen by the Federal Scholarship Board under the Federal Ministry of Education. The allowance cut was detailed in a memo signed by Ndajiwo H.A., Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, on behalf…

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies detained four officials from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) during an investigative hearing at the National Assembly on Tuesday. The detained officials included Amos Dangut, Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria; Senior Deputy Registrar, Angus Okeleze; Acting Director of Finance, Victor Odu; and Deputy Director of Finance, Segun Jerumeh. The committee’s decision followed a motion by Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo, prompted by Dangut’s assertion that WAEC is not a government agency and thus not accountable to parliament. This statement sparked a heated debate with lawmakers insisting that WAEC Nigeria, created by…

A British Soldier is reportedly fighting for his life after he was stabbed by a knifeman outside the Army Base in Kent. The incident took place near Brompton Barracks, the historic home of the Royal Engineers. Sally Port Gardens Road is the location for Lampard Centre, which is used for activities by soldiers and their families. A witness, who rushed to the victim’s aid, told The Sun he had “wounds all over his body”. “Blood was everywhere as I tried to apply pressure to his wounds until the police arrived,” he added. An Army spokesman said: “We’re very sorry to confirm that…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration is planning to come up with a scheme to accommodate unemployed graduates in Nigeria. This was made known by the Information and National Orientation Minister, Mohammed Idris, after a routine meeting with the President at The State House, Abuja. He said the scheme is one of those plans in stock for the youths of the country by the President to address the lingering economic hardship. According to him: “There is also the intervention the President is making for young men and women who have finished school and who are yet to get employed post NYSC.…

Scientists have discovered that sharks off the coast of Brazil have tested positive for cocaine. Marine biologists from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation found high levels of the drug in 13 Brazilian sharpnose sharks near Rio de Janeiro. The cocaine concentrations were up to 100 times higher than those found in other aquatic creatures. This research, which is the first to detect cocaine in sharks, suggests that the drug may be entering the waters through illegal manufacturing sites or through the excrement of drug users. Packs of cocaine lost or dumped by traffickers at sea could also be a source, though…