At least three labourers died in a building collapse in the Taura local government area of Jigawa State on Saturday.
The spokesman for the state police command, Lawan Shiisu, confirmed the incident in a statement in Dutse.
Shiisu said police received information about an incident that occurred at Gujungu town of Taura LGA on Saturday morning.
He added that the two-storey building was under construction when it collapsed.
The spokesman revealed four other persons sustained varying degrees of injury in the incident.
He listed the dead persons as Nafi’u Mohammed (28), Abdurrahman Ibrahim (60), and Usaman Lawan Muhammad (62).
The injured victims were Umar Lawan (26), Aminu Mohd (25), Mudansir Nasiru (26) and Usman Mohammed (20).
“In light of this, the Jigawa state Commissioner of Police, CP A.T Abdullahi, expressed his sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for quick recovery of the injured persons,” Shiisu added.
The post Three dead, 4 injured in Jigawa building collapse appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Three dead, 4 injured in Jigawa building collapse
Nigeria’s poverty crisis stems from leadership deficit
The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has drawn attention to Nigeria’s escalating poverty crisis, attributing it to a severe leadership deficit in the country.
Obi highlighted this when he spoke at the installation ceremony of Rotary International’s new District Governor in Awka, Anambra State.
“This leadership failure has resulted in Nigeria having the highest number of homeless people globally, with over 130 million Nigerians living below the poverty line, a figure that has worsened significantly over the past eight years,” Obi said in a statement on Saturday via X.
The former Anambra State governor emphasised that Nigeria’s challenges are not due to a lack of resources but rather stem from accumulated leadership failures over the years. He pointed out that despite the country’s wealth of resources, its global standing has continued to decline.
He said, “I took the opportunity to re-echo my firm belief that Nigeria’s challenges are not due to a lack of resources but rather a severe leadership deficit in the country.
“Despite Nigeria’s wealth of resources, the country’s global standing has continued to decline, primarily due to accumulated leadership failure over the years.”
Obi called for a paradigm shift in leadership, urging for transformational leaders who prioritise national development over personal gains.
“There is therefore a need for transformational leadership to address these issues and steer Nigeria towards a more prosperous future. I emphasised the need for leaders to show commitment to national development by prioritising the well-being of the people over personal gains, and I urged the Rotary community to be at the forefront of this leadership transformation in the country,” he said.
Addressing the Rotary community, Obi encouraged them to be at the forefront of this leadership transformation in the country. He stressed the importance of focusing on service to the community, nation, and humanity through local and global projects.
“Taking on projects in areas of education, health and fighting poverty will greatly transform our nation,” Obi added.
The former presidential candidate congratulated the newly installed District Governor, Rtn A. U. Nnonyelu, and urged him to uphold Rotary International’s vision of service.
NERC removes NBET from Discos’ power purchase transactions
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has terminated the involvement of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc in transactions between distribution companies and power producers concerning the purchase of electricity.
In its new order on the Transition of Bilateral Trading in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry released on Friday, NERC stated that distribution companies (Discos) can now purchase electricity directly from generation companies (Gencos) without NBET acting as an intermediary.
“NBET shall forthwith cease to enter into new contracts for the purchase and resale of electricity and ancillary services in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry,” the commission ordered.
This directive is in accordance with Section 7(2) of the Electricity Act 2023.
It was also stated that any contract executed by NBET in violation of this order shall not be approved by the commission and will be treated as an infraction subject to regulatory sanctions.
According to the regulator, the order aims to steer the electricity market towards bilateral contracting for energy and capacity between generation and/or trading licensees and distribution licensees, thus limiting the Federal Government’s fiscal exposure to market risks.
The new order is also intended to foster a more competitive market structure, as envisioned by the Electricity Act, by repositioning NBET from its current role as the sole bulk electricity trader in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
NERC stated that the order will “provide an equal opportunity for all hydro and thermal GenCos with existing ‘take-and-pay’ contracts with NBET to reduce their contracted capacities by trading directly with Discos on a bilateral basis.”
It will also transition the contractual framework for bulk energy trading in the NESI to “take-or-pay” contracts, thereby fostering increased certainty and market discipline among market participants.
The commission revealed that since 2022, it has issued trading licenses to ten private companies interested in trading electricity bilaterally with Discos and eligible customers.
This interest in electricity trading indicates significant potential in wholesale electricity trade outside the NBET single-buyer pool.
“The commission has further received requests for regulatory approval from some aspirational Discos for the purchase of electricity from parties other than NBET, i.e., directly from the Gencos or through other trading licensees.
“On the supply side, the commission has received notifications from several Gencos signalling their intention to exercise their partial or full exit rights contained in their Power Purchase Agreements with NBET to contract for the supply of electricity directly to Discos, other bulk traders, and eligible customers, in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
“The key incentive for Gencos contracting bilaterally for energy and capacity with Discos is to secure satisfactory off-take commitments backed by some form of payment guarantees, thus enabling more predictability in generation and gas availability,” the order read in part.
This order comes at a time when NBET has appointed an acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.
The management appointed Johnson Akinnawo as the acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Nnaemeka Ewelukwa, whose four-year tenure ended on July 24.
A statement from NBET management noted that the acting managing director was previously the General Manager of Origination, Contract Management, and Administration.
“Mr Akinnawo now leads NBET at a time when the company is implementing measures to stabilise the electricity market and address liquidity in the electricity value chain. He is working collaboratively with the regulator, other critical sector participants and the Federal Government of Nigeria to ensure the sustained and continuous settlement of all obligations to GenCos, including those from Discos and the government.
“As the Chairman of NBET’s Working Group on the implementation of an Energy Exchange, Mr Akinnawo is also leading the company’s efforts to facilitate a more sustainable electricity market in the country,” the management disclosed in a statement.
NBET has been the manager and administrator of the electricity pool in the Nigerian electricity supply industry. It was incorporated on July 29, 2010, by the Federal Government to act as a credible and creditworthy off-taker and to receive credit support and/or capitalisation from the Federal Government, thus enabling the company to guarantee payments to GenCos while facilitating bankable project-financed independent power projects.
NBET was subsequently licensed as a bulk trader by the Commission on August 23, 2011, with a key mandate of procuring and selling bulk electricity and ancillary services to Discos.
However, the Electricity Act 2023 mandates the regulatory commission to steer the industry’s development from its current transitional electricity market stage to subsequent stages of the market as provided in the Market Rules or amendments to such rules as the Commission may approve.
Section 7(2) of the Act provides that: “For subsection (1) and in preparation for the initiation of medium-term and long-term Electricity Market stages as recognised under this Act, the commission shall, by its directive and within such period as it may specify, direct NBET Plc, the trading licensee holding the licence for the bulk procurement and bulk sale of electricity and ancillary services, to cease, by its licence, entering into contracts for the purchase and resale of electricity and ancillary services and to novate its existing contractual rights and obligations to other licensees.”
#EndBadGovernance: Shettima urges Nigerians to shun planned protest
Vice President Kashim Shettima has appealed to the youths to shun the planned nationwide protest slated to begin on August 1.
Shettima, according to a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by his media aide, Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, made the appeal at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Dr. Abubakar El-Kanemi, in Maiduguri.
The Vice President was the Special Guest of Honour at the wedding ceremony of four daughters of the Shehu of Borno.
H noted that it is time for unity and focused development in the country.
He stressed that protest has never been a solution for nations to solve their challenges, but rather an avenue for destruction of human lives and properties.
The Vice-President, who called for peace and unity, appealed to Nigerians to shun the planned protest.
He said: “I want to use this opportunity to call on our people to eschew violence. There can never be development without peace; there can never be peace without development.
“I wish to implore all our youths not to follow the part of anarchy and destruction.”
He implored Nigerians to keep faith with the Federal Government.
“In no distant time all of the administration’s efforts at emphatically repositioning the nation as one with the most powerful economy and social welfare for its citizens will become obvious,” he stated.
The post #EndBadGovernance: Shettima urges Nigerians to shun planned protest appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Apply properly, pay security costs, Wike tells organisers
The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, says protesters who wish to use Eagles Square must apply properly and pay security costs for their scheduled #EndBadGovernance protest on August 1.
The Minister stated this at a Town Hall Meeting held in the Conference Room of the Federal Capital Development Authority in Abuja on Saturday.
Recall that a group, the Take It Back Movement, had written to the minister requesting the use of the Square for its protest, as well as the provision of security and utilities for the duration of the protest.
In its letter, signed by its Director of Mobilization, Damilare Adenola, on Friday, the group also stated that the minister must “ensure the provision of a 24-hour power supply, toilet facilities, water, and security for the convenience of Nigerian citizens who will be camped out at Eagle Square”.
However, Wike said the group had only applied via social media and television appearances, adding that they must apply properly, meet with him, and pay a security cost before such a request could be granted.
“I’m just reading on social media that they have applied to me to grant Eagle Square. Do you apply to me through social media? You will write a letter to the Minister. I will see you, who are you, what do you want to do, how many days will you spend, how much will you pay?
“I watched them on Channels News telling the IG they had applied. You don’t apply to me through Channels; you must apply properly. You must pay what we call Security Cost. So that if there’s any damage to the facility, we will take that security cost and repair it. We don’t just give people the venue because they have applied; you must fulfil the conditions,” the minister said.
Wike also stated that some persons had previously paid for the use of the venue, adding that the protesters could not ask to use Eagle Square on short notice.
“People have paid, yes, booking. Should I go and cancel those people’s bookings because you want to protest? He who comes first will take the approval. First come, first served,” he added.
Osun lawmaker partners varsity on entrepreneurship programme
To empower young women in the Obokun State Constituency, the Adewumi Adeyemi Foundation, in collaboration with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, has commenced the first phase of an entrepreneurship training programme.
The initiative, which began this week, according to the Foundation, aims to equip participants with essential entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, fostering economic self-reliance and sustainable development.
The training is designed to provide practical knowledge and skills necessary for successful entrepreneurship, reflecting a commitment to the belief that true empowerment begins with education and skill acquisition.
The founder of the Foundation, Honourable Adewumi Adeyemi, also known as Irekandu, a member of the Osun State House of Assembly representing the Obokun State Constituency, expressed his dedication to supporting education, innovation, and sustainable development.
“Education is key, and knowledge is vital. This initiative is beyond politics; it is about making a lasting impact on the community.
“This training programme is the first step in a broader empowerment strategy. We received about a thousand applications from around the constituency. 200 young women were selected for this phase, the programme will continue in subsequent batches of 200 participants each,” Adeyemi explained.
He also thanked the EDC for their invaluable collaboration and support.
“I am committed to continuing this initiative and supporting these young women in their business ventures. The impact of this programme will continue for years,” he added.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from According.
Contact: [email protected]
Hoodlums may hijack August 1 protest – NPA chairman Adeyeye
The chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, has raised the alarm that hoodlums, miscreants and evil people will hijack the protest billed to start on August 1 across the country.
Adeyeye made this declaration while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Saturday.
TVN reports that a nationwide protest to kick against the current economic hardship and inflation across the country has been scheduled to start on August 1.
Adeyeye, in his reaction, appealed to Nigerians to shelve the August 1 protest.
Adeyeye, who is also the chairman of South West Agenda for Asiwaju, SWAGA, told journalists: “The fear that we have is that hoodlums, miscreants, and evil people will hijack the protest, turn it violent, and bring untold hardship on innocent people.
“I appeal to Nigerians to be patient, exercise restraint, and give the government more room to operate. I am confident that the president’s economic policies will ultimately yield fruitful dividends for the people of this country.”
Hoodlums may hijack August 1 protest – NPA chairman Adeyeye
Orodata unveils tool to check primary health centres condition
A foremost civic tech organisation, Orodata Science, is set to launch a tool for checking the status of primary health centres in the country.
In a release on Friday, the organisation said the ‘CheckMYPHC’ platform would encourage sub-national participation in governance while strengthening health institutions.
Orodata Science has been combining data science, technology and research for over 10 years, to spearhead advocacy for fiscal transparency and accountability in Nigeria.
The organisation explained that the ‘CheckMYPHC’ platform was developed to empower government, journalists, citizens and all other key stakeholders with access to rich baseline data and resources necessary to understand the true status of primary health centres across the federation towards making more informed decisions in such a sensitive sector.
The statement said: “CheckMYPHC was developed under the African Data Hub (ADH) initiative, and is a part of a larger project called the My PHC Project which has 3 facets; the FrontLine Data Collection Programme, the FrontLine Investigative Programme, and the digital platform called Check MyPHC.
“On the platform, users can explore the status of primary health centres by state and local governments across Nigeria, download data, and request more. They can also search for specific primary health centres (PHC) in their communities, compare them with one in another community, and view key insights on building structure, infrastructure, personnel, and more.
“The platform also has a key feature that allows users to provide feedback based on their experiences using a PHC. This is to enable users—community champions and community organisations to capture continuous and real-time situations of PHCs in their localities to guide better interventions towards revitalising dilapidated and abandoned PHCs across Nigeria.
“With the recent claim by the Nigerian government of disbursing over 12 Billion Naira to NPHCDA Gateway through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), non-state actors need to support stakeholders, with essential baseline healthcare data necessary for effective service delivery through optimised resource allocation, tracking of spending, and strengthening the feedback loop between the government and citizens.
“This maiden version of CheckMYPHC platform holds data from primary health centres from 6 states (Sokoto, Taraba, Benue, CrossRiver, Anambra, Osun) from the 6 Geo-political zones (North Central (NC), North East (NE), North West (NW), South West (SW), South East (SE) and South (SS)) in Nigeria unearthing insights and actual state of over 345 PHCs in these hard to reach areas. Phase 2 of the Data collection anticipates reaching over 1000 PHC in 16 states as this will gain momentum immediately after this Launch.”
USA, Australia teams win 4x100m freestyle relay gold
A United States team spearheaded by Caeleb Dressel stormed to the men’s 4x100m Olympic relay gold medal ahead of Australia on Saturday.
The quartet of Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong and Dressel came home in 3min 09.28sec with Australia taking silver in 3:10.35 and Italy bronze in 3:10.70.
But they had their work cut after the opening leg with Chinese 100m world record holder Pan Zhanle putting in a scorching two laps.
The dominant Americans hauled themselves back into contention with Dressel powering them to the finish line.
Kyle Chalmers put in a cracking final leg to hand Australia silver, with his 46.59 the fastest split of any swimmer.
The United States have long dominated the event, winning 10 of the 14 times it has been on the Olympic programme before Paris.
They only missed top spot in 2000 (Australia), 2004 (South Africa) and 2012 (France), and as a result of the boycott in 1980.
Meanwhile, Australia swam the second fastest time in history Saturday to clinch the women’s 4x100m freestyle gold medal ahead of the United States at the Olympics.
Their team of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris proved too hot to handle, touching in 3min 28.92sec ahead of the Americans (3:30.20) and China (3:30.30).
Harris brought them home with a sizzling 51.94 after O’Callaghan led off to give them an immediate advantage.
It was the fourth successive Olympic gold Australia have won in the event, with the time second only to their own world record of 3:27.96 set last year.
They have held the world record since 2014, lowering it four times since then.
AFP
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from According.
Contact: [email protected]
UNILORIN students’ agric projects win BAT N6m grant
Four graduates of the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, have bagged N1,500,000 each in the 2024 British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation Agripreneur Programme.
The winners, identified as Mustapha Ibrahim, Olajire Adekunle Sherif, Oluwadare Ogunmoye and Anuoluwapo Akinboye, emerged from the eight innovative project proposals presentations in various aspects of agriculture.
According to a statement on Saturday by the BATNF General Manager, Oludare Odusanya, the Agripreneur initiative aimed to empower graduates with entrepreneurial skills and opportunities in the agricultural sector.
While announcing the winners, Odusanya noted that Ibrahim emerged best in the Tomato Awakening Project, Sherif was best in catfish production, Ogunmonye emerged best in maize production and Anuoluwapo was the best in tomato paste scaling production.
Odusanya said, “This initiative aims to empower graduates with entrepreneurial skills and opportunities in the agricultural sector. Out of eight innovative project proposals presented, four outstanding graduates have been selected as winners. Each winner received an award of N1,500,000 to support their agricultural venture.
“The four winners awarded from the University of Ilorin are: Mustapha Ibrahim who presented a proposal on the Tomato Awakening Project, Olajire Adekunle Sherif on Catfish production, Oluwadare Ogunmonye for Maize production and Anuoluwapo Akinboye presented a proposal on scaling up his Tomato paste production.”
“The Graduate Agripreneur Programme is a testament to our dedication to nurturing young talents and promoting innovation in agriculture. We believe in the potential of these graduates to transform the agricultural landscape and drive economic prosperity.”
He added that the winners were selected based on the innovation of their proposal, commitment to sustainable agricultural practices, and potential for scalability.
“They will each receive mentorship and support from industry experts to ensure the successful implementation and growth of their ventures,” Odusanya said.
Reacting to the students’ feat, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Olubunmi Omotesho, who represents the Vice-Chancellor, described the achievement as aligning with the mission of the university in producing graduates with skills that could drive economic growth.
The statement quoted Omotesho stating, “We are delighted by the achievements of our graduates in the BATN Foundation Graduate Agripreneur Programme. This initiative aligns with our university’s mission to produce graduates who are not only academically sound but also equipped with practical skills to drive economic growth.
“We congratulate the winners and look forward to their impactful contributions to the agricultural sector.”
Speaking on the importance of the grant, one of the recipients, Akinboye, noted that the grant would help to contribute to food security in Nigeria.
“I am honoured to be selected as a winner of the BATN Foundation Graduate Agripreneur Programme. This award will enable me to scale up my tomato cultivation project and contribute to food security in Nigeria. I am grateful for the support and mentorship provided through this programme,” he said.