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Gombe governor confident of second term

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Governor Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe State has declared his intention to run for governor in 2023.

Jubrin Danbarde, who wanted to run against Yahaya under the APC, switched to the PDP for a better chance.

In an address at the All Progressives Congress Square Gombe, Yahaya assured his followers that he is ready to contest the election.

Read also: JAMB Donates ICT Centre To Ogun Polytechnic

“Given the enormous support I currently have from the people of Jekadafari and the state, I am confident to confront anyone chooses to run for governor,” he added.

But Yahaya guaranteed the residents of Jekadafari and the state of further democratic benefits.

No Plan To Reduce Doctors’ Allowances – Lagos Govt

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The Lagos State administration has denied ordering the decrease of NYSC physicians’ monthly stipend from N75,000 to N15,000.

The National Association of Resident Physicians (NARD) said on Saturday that it will strike countrywide on August 2 if the federal and state governments did not honor their agreements with doctors.

The group also accused Lagos State of reducing the NYSC physicians’ allowance.

But Establishments, Training and Pensions Commissioner Ajibola Ponnle disputed the NARD’s allegation about proposed decrease of physicians’ allowance as “false and deceptive.”

Read also: The expansion of a 120,000-ton rice mill is backed by a bank

the Nigerian Association of Residents Doctors (NARD) has decided to strike starting Monday, August 2, 2021.

“The decision was made by its National Executive Committee in Umuahia on July 30, 2021.

Notable among the complaints was a reported instruction from the Lagos State Government to cut NYSC Doctors’ monthly pay from N75,000 to N15,000 starting July 2021. This assertion is untrue.

Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the state’s Head of Service, published a circular on employees’ pay structure in response to last year’s National Council on Establishments (NCE) meeting in Lagos.

As a result of the 42nd National Council on Establishments (NCE) Meeting held in Lagos from Monday, 30th November – Friday, 4th December 2020, the Head of Service for Lagos State, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, issued a circular to all public workers in Lagos.

Since the programs are part of the training, they no longer attract Grade Levels in the Salary Structure.

In the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has shown devotion, bravery, and tenacity.

“The state government will host a stakeholder consultation meeting next week on the ramifications of the National Council of Establishments judgment on Internship, Housemanship and NYSC Doctors in the Civil/Public Service, which necessitated this move.

NARD’s decision is rash. As such, we urge the Lagos Chapter and the Nigerian Medical Association to exercise caution. They should wait till these encounters are over.”

NAFDAC condemned the US and EU’s repeated rejection of Nigerian food and agricultural products

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Prof. Moji Adeyeye, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has condemned the US and EU’s repeated rejection of Nigerian food and agricultural products due to claimed low quality.

She asked the port’s regulatory bodies to address the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) Border Rejection Notifications on Nigerian items.

Officials from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Foreign Portfolio Investments, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, and Institute of Public Analysts met virtually to discuss NAFDAC’s future (IPAN).

Prof. Adeyeye lamented the damage done to Nigeria’s reputation by the EU’s continuous rejection of Nigerian exports.

Read also: Youths abandon protest and leave East-West road

“NAFDAC has a statutory obligation to preserve public health via the execution of its mandate,” Prof. Adeyeye said in an Abuja statement yesterday.

Food, medicines, cosmetics, medical equipment, bottled water and chemicals are all examples of NAFDAC-regulated items.

JAMB Donates ICT Centre To Ogun Polytechnic

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The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Isiaq Oloyede, has inaugurated a 500-capacity Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre donated to the Ogun State Institute of Technology (OGITECH), Igbesa.

The ICT project followed the National Tertiary Admissions Performance Merit Award worth N75,000,000 won by the institution as the most Compliant Institution in 2019 JAMB admission guidelines.

Oloyede, alongside Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, inaugurated the state-of-the-art ICT at Igbesa.

In his remarks, Oloyede commended the Rector, OGITECH, Dr (Mrs) Olufunke Akinkurolere, for her doggedness and commitment towards improving standards of education at the institution, which earned it the National Tertiary Admissions Performance Merit Award.

Read also: FCTA works with NADDC on a more environmentally friendly transportation system

In her welcome address, the rector said, “The nature of the building with its robust IT infrastructure makes it a great investment and a huge contribution to the polytechnic community, which corroborates the vision of this great institution as an ICT-based institution, which is to achieve an efficient and effective information technology-driven economy for sustainable development.

The expansion of a 120,000-ton rice mill is backed by a bank

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As the company prepares to double the capacity of its 120,000-ton rice mill in Argungu, Kebbi State, First Bank of Nigeria has affirmed its support for WACOT Ltd, a subsidiary of TGI Group.

The bank stated this during a weekend visit to the mill by its board members, led by Managing Director Dr Adesola Adeduntan.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo commissioned WACOT’s first mill in 2017 and this expansion comes just four years later.

WACOT’s premium household brands, such as Big Bull and Patriot, were praised by Adeduntan as “world-class.”

Read also: Shell chooses Elohor Aiboni as the company’s first female managing director

He stated that the new WACOT mill would continue to develop Nigeria’s rice value chain, thereby improving the lives of many small-holder farmers, in addition to ensuring Nigeria’s food security.

“This is in line with First Bank’s goal of economic development through long-term job creation. We’ve seen the socio-economic impact of locating this factory in this state, so we’re committing to remain a very close financial partner of WACOT Rice Limited,” Adeduntan said.

Farouk Gumel, chairman of WACOT Rice Ltd, said the mill’s expansion would help Nigeria achieve its food security goals.

“We are ecstatic to be hosting the FirstBank Board of Directors in Argungu. Our collaboration has progressed significantly. Our mill’s proposed expansion clearly demonstrates that the future is bright,” Gumel added.

TGI Group’s Group Managing Director, Rahul Savara, stated that the company would not give up on its efforts to develop Nigeria’s agricultural sector and economy.

“Through an efficient value chain, we want to have successful farmers and happy consumers. “We are grateful to First Bank for walking with us on this journey,” Savara said, adding that this investment is another important step in the right direction.

Mars APC Ward Congress In Abia Creates Confusion

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The All Progressive Congress (APC) ward congress in Abia State has been characterized by confusion.

While the congress was taking place in the state, the Chief Donatus Nwankpa-led faction kicked off, accusing a major stakeholder, Chief Ikechi Emenike, of hijacking the entire process, as members flocked to the party’s state secretariat along Azikiwe Road to express their dissatisfaction with the lack of material for the exercise as of 1pm on Saturday.

The crisis that arose in the state during the ward congress last Saturday could be linked to the party’s persistent power struggle among key stakeholders in the state.

Read also: FCTA works with NADDC on a more environmentally friendly transportation system

While the major players acknowledged the exercise as being peacefully handled throughout the state, a faction of the party kicked against it, according to the Daily Independent.

Rt Hon Israel Sonny Goli, head of the National Committee for the State Ward Congress, told reporters after watching the exercise in several sections of the state that it was peaceful.

“The turnout was impressive, and the members’ attitude was also impressive,” Goli stated when asked about his impressions of the exercise.

“I don’t think that is accurate; with events like this, we expect such allegations, and it is not true,” the Ward Congress Committee Chairman remarked in response to the allegation that the congress was being organized by a parallel group of the party in the state.

Shell chooses Elohor Aiboni as the company’s first female managing director

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Mrs. Elohor Aiboni has been appointed as the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, SNEPCO, the company’s deep-water business in Nigeria.

Mr. Bamidele Odugbesan, the Media Relations Manager of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, announced this in a statement issued on Sunday in Yenagoa.

The development follows the oil and gas firm’s recent declaration that it was divesting from its onshore and shallow waters businesses in order to focus on deep offshore business, according to the Nigerian News Agency.

Elohor was the first female to lead Shell’s exploration company in Nigeria’s more than six decades of activities, according to Odugbesan.

She succeeds Bayo Ojulari, who served the Shell group for more than 30 years and retired on July 31 after five years as SNEPCO MD.

Elohor was previously the Bonga Asset Manager, in charge of monitoring end-to-end production delivery for Nigeria’s first deep-water Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading vessel, the Bonga, which has produced over 900 million barrels of oil since its inception in 2005.

“Elohor’s appointment is the result of his diligence, competence, and dedication to Shell’s goals and fundamental values, all while maintaining a strong focus on diversity and inclusion.

Shell’s Senior Vice President for Nigeria, Marno de Jong, was quoted in the statement as saying, “We take pride in our intention of being one of the most diverse and inclusive organisations in the world, and focus on further improving inclusion and representation in critical areas, including gender.”

Elohor now joins almost 300 women in senior leadership positions in the Shell Group, accounting for more than 31% of the company’s executive positions, according to Odugbesan.

“During her 19-year tenure at Shell, she has worked in a variety of capacities, including production operations, project and asset management, and operations readiness and assurance.

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“She was the Executive Vice President for Shell Sub-Saharan Africa’s Business Adviser at the time, and she also oversaw third-party interaction across various Shell properties in Nigeria and Kazakhstan.

Elohor led production delivery for shallow offshore as Asset Manager for Sea Eagle FPSO in Nigeria’s Niger Delta prior to her role as Bonga Asset Manager.

Elohor has a master’s degree in Integrated Environmental Management from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Benin in Nigeria.

“She is dedicated to the development of talent and leads a varied team that seeks to streamline work processes and make constant improvements.

“Under her guidance, the Bonga team received multiple honors, including the Shell Group’s CEO HSSE Awards, Upstream Impact Award, and Asset of the Year Runner Up in 2019,” Odugbesan stated.

Youths abandon protest and leave East-West road

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On Sunday evening, hundreds of teenagers from Eleme and neighboring villages in Rivers State, who had laid siege to a part of the east-west road in Rivers State, paused their protest and will leave the road at midnight.
Following assurances from the Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Obarilomate Ollor, that the contractor awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the road has been mobilized to the site, the demonstrators have ceased their protest, according to our correspondent.

Ollor, who spoke to reporters at Trailer Park, Ejamah, Ebubu Eleme, where the contractor deployed its equipment to begin work, said the decision to suspend the protest was reached after careful consideration of several factors, including the need to allow work on the road to begin, the suffering of the people, and the collapse of business activities in the area.

People will not hesitate to return to the road if action is not made to reconstruct it within a specified time frame, he said.
He bemoaned the road’s poor condition, which connects the area’s main ports and businesses with Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and many local government regions.

Read also: Navy deployed eight ships and helicopters to the Gulf of Guinea for a special mission.

Fyneface Dumnamene, one of the protest’s organizers and the Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocate Centre, stated that the demonstrators will leave the road by midnight on Sunday.
He stated that if nothing major is done on the route, the demonstrators will return in 14 days.
The youngsters had been on the road since Monday, July 26th, when the local council issued two ultimatums to the federal government to reconstruct the route, both of which were ignored.
Passengers and commuters were forced to walk for long distances, and economic activity in the vicinity ceased as a result of the siege on the road.
Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, stated last week Thursday that the government had provided N2.5 billion to the contractor to move to the site, and that attempts to secure the N85 billion needed to complete the project from the Sovereign Wealth Fund would be intensified.

FCTA works with NADDC on a more environmentally friendly transportation system

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The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has stated that it will assist the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in building an environmentally friendly public transportation system to help make Abuja a green metropolis.

Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), announced this when he received the NADDC administration, led by its Director General, Jelani Aliyu.

After enjoying a test drive in a Hyundai Kona, an electric vehicle produced in Nigeria as a significant mode of public transit, the FCT minister stated that the administration’s long-term goal was to turn Abuja into one of the country’s greenest capitals.

“The suggestion presented by the DG fits into our long-term plan for the city,” he stated. As you are aware, we take pride in making Abuja one of the country’s greenest cities, from the creation of vegetation and tree planting to deliberate efforts to ensure that sophisticated trash disposal systems are established.

Read also: After paying a ransom, an ex-Jigawa PDP legislator is rescued from his kidnappers

“So, this basically brings us to the next phase, which is attempting to strengthen the city’s transportation infrastructure, particularly our mass transit system and what’s known as the last mile.

“That is why, as you may have observed, we no longer allow tricycles and motorbikes to operate in many parts of the city, and we are gradually phasing out the usage of diesel buses. But, in the end, my vision and that of my team is for Abuja to go electric in terms of transit systems and even motor vehicles, as we have seen today,” he added.

“This is something that requires a lot of planning, and as you can see, technology for solar, solar batteries, and power retention is gradually improving,” the Minister stated when asked about the availability of technology to enable widespread usage of electric vehicles.

So, if we start today and instill it as a culture, I believe it will only be a matter of time before we get there.”

He promised the NADDC the support of the FCT government in terms of the NADDC’s project criteria, either directly or through a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

He also praised the NADDC DG and his team for their efforts around the country, encouraging them to consider Abuja as a good site for all of their activities.

Read also: Prof. Ibe offers scholarships to Youths in Abia Skills Gap

Mr. Jelani Aliyu, Director General of the NADDC, said his team was at the FCTA to begin discussions with the administration in order to contribute to making Abuja one of the world’s most advanced and green cities.

He claimed that the Hyundai Kona is Nigeria’s first electric vehicle, with a range of 492 kilometers and the ability to be charged from any electric outlet, and that the NDDC has built solar charging stations in Sokoto, Lagos, and Nsukka to support the vehicle.

Buhari has been appointed as a special ambassador for the Indian app.Koo

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Muhammadu Buhari, a citizen of Nigeria, appears to have become a special ambassador for Indian social media platform Koo, since his photograph was included on the app’s social media promotion, promising “exclusive updates from him exclusively on Koo App!”

In June, the app Koo, which is comparable to Twitter, was released in Nigeria. This came shortly after the Nigerian government imposed a ban on Twitter and its activities in the nation.

President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to punish regional secessionists in the country’s South-East area in a post that was deleted by Twitter two days later.

As official federal government social media sites stopped tweeting and switched to Koo, Koo’s popularity skyrocketed.

Top government officials, presidential aides, government agencies, and other pro-government figures joined Koo.

Read also: Police in Ekiti State have launched a manhunt for the suspected killer of an APC member

According to the federal government, all social media platforms functioning in Nigeria must now be registered as a corporate entity in the country. One of the preconditions for the removal of the Twitter ban was that the same requirement be met.

Since then, the Indian microblogging site has stepped in to capitalize on the trend, preparing to open a physical presence in Nigeria and engage with key influencers.

Aprameya Radhakrishna, a co-founder of Koo, suggested on Twitter:

“In Nigeria, @kooindia is available. We’re considering supporting local languages as well. “How do you feel?”

Within days after the Twitter suspension, Koo was accessible in the Apple and Google app stores, and employment vacancies for local language speakers were advertised on LinkedIn.

The circumstances behind Koo’s launch to Nigeria are identical to those surrounding its introduction to its native market.

Thousands of farmers began protesting three problematic agricultural regulations once Koo was introduced, and many others turned to Twitter to express their displeasure. The Indian government has asked that Twitter ban accounts belonging to several news organizations and political parties, claiming that they are disseminating false information.

Because the Prime Minister Modi-led government did not accept Twitter’s loud support for freedom of expression, Koo positioned itself as a government-friendly alternative. As a result, it became a forum for spreading anti-Muslim sentiments and hate speech.

In Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear that he wants to exert control over social media, which has been widely utilized by activists and opposition organizations to question government narratives.

Under the pretext of combating “misinformation,” Nigeria’s ministry of information and culture has enforced increasingly strict rules.

The new advertisement using Mr Buhari as the face of Koo in Nigeria has been slammed by the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD), a civic society organization.

“It’s a pity the #TwitterBan has lasted this long, considering the economic catastrophe it’s proven to be for young people who rely on Twitter for their employment.

We find this commercial from #koo, another microblogging network, both unethical and unpleasant for obvious reasons.

On Sunday, CDD tweeted, “KeepitOn.”