Author: Akintayo Adams

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye named what he termed a “breakaway” government on Friday, appointing scores of new faces to top roles following his swearing-in some days ago. The 44-year-old, who has never before held elected office, swept to a first-round victory in last month’s presidential election in Senegal, and carries the burden of millons of Senegalese, especially Youths on his shoulders. Unveiling the 25-man cabinet on Friday was Faye’s appointed prime minister and former mentor Ousmane Sonko, who helped quicken the political newcomer’s rise to power. “The government set up here on April 5 is a breakaway government… that…

Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke has met with the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over the lingering poor supply of electricity to the people of Osun. The Governor revealed this in a post via his X handle, in which he revealed that the complaints of the citizens of his state necessitated the meeting, and he has further invited the team to come to Osun for further dialogue and action. “While in Ibadan for a private engagement, I convened a meeting with the Managing Director of @IBEDC_NG due to numerous complaints regarding the worsening power supply situation across…

Resumption of plenary sessions initially slated for Tuesday, April 16, has been moved to Tuesday, April 23, 2024 by the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. According to the lawmakers, the postponment was needed to ensure the completion of renovations on the main chambers of both the Senate and the House of Representatives in readiness for plenary sessions. This was conveyed in a message sent to senators that read, “Distinguished Senators are hereby invited to note that the resumption of the plenary sitting of the Senate, which was scheduled for Tuesday, April 17, 2024 has been postponed to…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Friday, announced a reduction in the exchange rate for computing import duty at the nation’s seaports by 5.3 per cent. The reduction is coming barely 48 hours after importers and clearing agents operating at the nation’s seaports complained that the Customs exchange rate rises higher than official foreign exchange market rate of the naira and the United States Dollar which is being used for international trade. Former acting President, Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr Kayode Farinto, had earlier bemoaned the fact that the unstable exchange rate is not beneficial to…

Zimbabwe has launched a new gold-backed currency called ZiG – Zimbabwe Gold – in a bid to stabilise an economy that has gone from crisis to crisis over the past 25 years. Speaking while unveiling the new notes, John Mushayavanhu, Central Bank Governor said the ZiG would be structured, and set at a market-determined exchange rate. The Zimbabwean dollar, known as the RTGS, was replaced with the ZiG after it had lost 75% of its value this year. The new ZiG banknotes come in denominations of between 1 and 200. In order to address the lack of US coins, which…

Premier League leaders Liverpool head to Old Trafford to renew hostilities with Manchester United looking to drag themselves closer to equalling their bitter rivals’ record of 20 English titles. In a league that has been full of drama, Arsenal and Manchester City will hope for a Liverpool defeat, while the top four battle and relegation survival fight are also heating up. With memories of their painful FA Cup quarterfinal defeat at Manchester United still fresh for Alex Mac Allister and his Liverpool teammates, it would have been no surprise if the Argentine midfielder had branded their return to Old Trafford…

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration has concluded plans to launch a new identity card for Nigerians, as opposed to the one being used by majority of the populace. According to the FG, the new ID termed “innovative identity solution” is a result of the partnership between the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with a firm named AfriGO. It offers more than being a means of identification and it won’t be available to every individual in the country except the ‘legal citizens ‘. This was contained in a Press…

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has said that no fewer than 50,000 Nigerian intending pilgrims out of the 95000 slots allocated will perform the 2024 hajj in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This was contained in the speech of Jalal Arabi, the Executive Chairman of NAHCON, at a news conference held at Hajj House on Friday in Abuja. ”This year’s Hajj preparations is one of the most difficult and peculiar one. ”You know in the past, we had the luxury of time to prepare at our own pace; but this time around, the host which is the Kingdom…

On Monday, April 8, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will arraign the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court, for alleged abuse of office. He will be paraded in court on a 26-count bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property receipt alongside a certain Henry Omoile. He was also alleged of bestowing corrupt favours on his associates contrary to the Corrupt Practices Act of 2000. One of the counts stated that Emefiele allegedly committed abuse of office between…

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu says the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government is putting in place a number of initiatives to improve the power sector of the country and ultimately improve the economy. He disclosed this at the Ministerial press briefing Series staged by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation on Friday in Abuja. He said that the Federal Government has put in place a presidential power plan to ensure that power infrastructure were upgraded and improved across the sector. ”There is also the Presidential Meter Initiative (PMI) put in place to ensure that the meter gap is addressed.…