FocalPoint Reports

IYC Warn Against Move To Impeach Governor Fubara, Says Sponsors Must Back Off  The Ijaw Youth Counci (IYC) Worldwide has issued a stern warning to those allegedly hatching plot to illegally impeach the Governor of Rivers State,  His Excellency, Siminalaye Fubara. As a council, we are warning that the proponents of this undemocratic act in Rivers State must refrain forthwith from such plot as the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide will fight with all they have to protect the Governor of Rivers State who is an illustrious Ijaw son. A point must be made clearly that the Ijaws are not push overs in Rivers State or any part of the world, we have sacrificed a lot towards the growth and development of the state Rivers State. The Ijaws have contributed both politically and economically in sustaining the state over the years, this to us is a political battle taken too far and a well calculated attempt to deprive the Ijaws from the governance of Rivers State.  We cannot f

Gbagi Congratulates Tinubu As Supreme Court Confirms Him Winner Of Presidential Election The governorship candidate under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the March 18th general elections in Delta State, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi FNIM, OON, has congratulated Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the overwhelming victory at the Supreme Court. The former Minister of State for Education, stated this Thursday October 26th 2023, in a goodwill message to President Tinubu, after the country's Supreme Court affirmed his victory. Gbagi, a former Chairman of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, also charged him to be magnanimous in victory and leverage the pervading peaceful atmosphere to stabilize Nigeria and establish the country on the path of sustainable economic growth. The Senior lawyer, who expressed his delight at the Apex Court’s verdict in the goodwill message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Kenneth Orusi, urged the opp

Ignore Calls to Rejig Amnesty Programme---- Group urges Tinubu, Ribadu  Some major stakeholders from the Niger Delta have condemned in strong terms an online report credited to a group Movement for the Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta calling for a rejig of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and removal of the Interim Administrator from office. The stakeholders under the platform of Ijaw Integrity Initiative have described the calls as immature, puerile and infantile coming particularly at a time the Programme is being repositioned to correct the years of error and wastage without impacting on the genuine ex-agitators.  A statement by the Ijaw Integrity Initiative signed by the Chairman Victor Binaebi and the Secretary Ebi Ekiofagha wondered why those it described as disgruntled and unrepentant elements in the Niger Delta are persistent on walking the path of perfidy and bringing an entire ethnic group to national ridicule because of their entitlement

BREAKING: Student loan scheme takes off in January 2024 – Tinubu President Bola Tinubu assurance on Monday while speaking at the 29th edition of the annual Nigerian Economic Summit, anchored by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. Tinubu, who spoke extensively on his administration’s plans to stabilise the economy, with the collaboration of all stakeholders, especially the private sector, also noted the need to immediately initiate a sustainable credit scheme, which he said will aid an effective anti-corruption campaign. He said: “By January 2024, the new Students Loan Programme must commence. To the future of our children and students we’re saying no more strikes. There must be consumer credit, scheme will have to come to effect as soon as possible. I thank my team and my colleagues to build this programme, develop it now. We cannot talk about anti-corruption when you have to look for cash to buy a car, when there’s no mortgage for hom

Despite over N200bn expenditure, FG silent on conduct of population census Despite over N200 billion spent on preparations for the Population and Housing Census since 2014, the Federal Government has kept mute on the conduct of the postponed exercise. The 2023 Census preparations had reached their peak earlier in the year, but the exercise, slated to commence on May 3, 2023, was postponed indefinitely by the erstwhile administration led by former President Muhammadu Buhari. According to the National Population Commission (NPC), the major decision to postpone the 2023 census exercise was to allow adequate participation from the incoming administration. said there was a need for the new administration to be abreast of the processes used in the collection of the census data. But, five months after the new administration came on board, nothing has since been heard. Nigeria is one of the countries in West Africa whose actual population is unknown and also bases its figures mostl

Petrol pump price hits N630/litre as more filling stations shut down Amid the ongoing crisis regarding the availability of fuel across the country, the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) now stands at approximately N625 to N630 per litre. Oil marketers continue to voice concerns about the mass shutdown of filling stations and the inability to transport petroleum tankers due to the skyrocketing costs associated with importation, lifting, transportation, and distribution of petroleum products. Due to a lack of foreign exchange, marketers are struggling to import petroleum products, compounded by their inability to access products from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), leading to the current scarcity. Investigations reveal that most filling stations within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are either not dispensing products or are selling them in the N625-N630 per litre range. In response, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL),

Journalism must probe society , Soyinka says Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka said Thursday that journalism must tread new grounds to probe not just the state, but the society itself. The professor of Comparative Literature said that society needs to be nudged into consciousness of where it is and where it is headed. “The state stands to save or ruin the society, we know that. But sometimes, as this is what led to my chronicles, society itself has to be taken to task,” Mr Soyinka said in a recorded goodwill message played at the third-anniversary celebration of  Naija Times,  a Nigerian newspaper. The newspaper also launched a compilation of its Editorials for the past three years into a book titled; ‘For a Better Society’ at an event in  Abuja . Mr Soyinka noted that journalism must tread and break new grounds to confront society with what it has become. He said the challenge must be taken up and accepted to save society from sliding completely into what he called an “inescapab

Bayelsa guber: Monarch denies endorsing Sylva’s governorship bid The Paramount Ruler (Ibenanawei) of Koluama Kingdom in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, HRM King Solomon Ebifatei Edi-Mangi (Kolu X1), has denied endorsing the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, adding that as a custodian of culture and tradition, he is not in a position to endorse any candidate ahead of the November 11th poll in the state. According to King Edi-Mangi, he has consistently maintained a position of neutrality when it comes to politics, while urging all political actors and their followers to embrace peace and shun violence as they work together to build a progressive Bayelsa State. The revered traditional Ruler, who was reacting to unfounded claims made by some unscrupulous politicians on the social media, said that he believes that it is his sacred duty to ensure that the cultural heritage and values of the people of Koluama Kingdom

N160m exotic cars for lawmakers, height of insensitivity  In the face of Nigeria’s worst economic downturn, former Labour Party presidential aspirant, Joseph Faduri, has lambasted the country’s lawmakers for their controversial purchase of N160 million exotic cars each, calling it the height of insensitivity. This came at a time when many Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship, exacerbated by an unguided announcement of fuel subsidy removal and mounting unemployment. Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Faduri voiced his dismay at what he described as the lawmakers’ reckless disregard for the plight of the average Nigerian. “It’s so shameful that at a time when our dear country, Nigeria is going through the worst economic downturn since the history of the existence of the country, our lawmakers could use borrowed funds by the government to buy exotic cars for themselves; at the cost of over N160 million per lawmaker,” he said. Faduri pointed out that despite the econom

Why naira is weak  A former Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, has explained that the naira would continue to experience a free fall if Nigeria remains an import-dependent country. He said it was not a wise decision to defend the naira with billions without appropriate investments in the manufacturing sector to drive the country’s exports. Aganga made this known on Thursday at the 3rd Adeola Odutola lecture, during the 51st Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. He added that Nigeria must produce for local consumption and more importantly for export, for the naira to be strong. Vanguard reports that the local currency plummeted from about 450 per dollar to an average of 760 per dollar following the exchange reforms of President Bola Tinubu. The naira further weakened to 1045 per dollar on Thursday at the parallel market. Speaking on the state of the local currency, Aganga said, “What is the wisdom in spending billions defending the naira when

Tinubu approves ₦35,000 minimum wage for civil servants President Bola Tinubu has officially approved the sum of ₦35,000 minimum wage for all federal civil servants. The approval was announced in a circular issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on Thursday. The circular, which was signed by the NSIWC Chairman, Ekpo U. O, stated that the wage award is effective from Friday, September 1, 2023. I hereby convey the approval of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the grant of a wage award of N35,000:00 (thirty-five thousand Naira) only per month to all Federal Government workers with effect from 1 September 2023 pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law,” it reads. The circular, which was addressed to various government officials, also stated that the implementation of the wage award for treasury-funded federal government ministries, departments, an

Fed Govt to pay N500m fine on 4,000 inmates’ freedom Relief may soon come for some indigent inmates. The  Federal Government  yesterday said it would settle their N500 million fines to regain their freedom. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who dropped the hint, said 4000 inmates would, in the next four weeks, be released from correctional facilities across the country. The fines, the minister assured, would be cleared within the next four weeks. The minister, who spoke on a monitored television programme, lamented that many inmates remained in custodial facilities because of their inability to pay the fines and penalties awarded against them. Tunji-Ojo said: “The ministry, as well as other stakeholders are working round the clock to raise the money. Within in the next four weeks, the fines would be cleared and the inmates would be released. “Immediately I resumed, I set up a committee to review the situation at our correctional centres. We discovered that over 4,000 in

Nigeria listed among countries to see worsening hunger — Report The latest Global Hunger Index (GHI) reveals that nine countries, including Nigeria, are expected to witness worsening hunger levels throughout the year. The GHI is a comprehensive tool used to measure and track hunger at global, regional, and national levels. In addition to Nigeria, the countries facing deteriorating hunger situations in 2023 are Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen, Burkina Faso, and Mali. The GHI report highlights that many countries are currently experiencing severe hunger, with the situation anticipated to worsen in the coming year. While conflict and climate change play significant roles in driving these crises, the report emphasises that economic downturns are even more pervasive factors. “Many countries are experiencing severe hunger in 2023, with the situation expected to worsen throughout the year. Though circumstances in 2023 are not yet captured by the data in this year’s GHI

Oborevwori urges police to investigate brutal killing of school teacher Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori has directed the police command in Delta to investigate the case of the brutal killing of a school teacher, Mr Sunday Ufua, allegedly by a parent, and bring the perpetrators to book. Ufua, until his untimely death, was a teacher at the Alihami Secondary School in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state. The deceased was reported to have disciplined an errant child. Oborevwori, in a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Festus Ahon, said: ”As a state government, we frown seriously at parents going to bully teachers for genuinely meting out disciplinary measures against students for bad behaviour such as is alleged in the extant case. “I have directed the State Police Command to investigate the case properly and bring the perpetrators to book. “On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I commiserate with the Ufua family and teachers across th

Delta council passes bye-law to regulate land grabbing It is no longer business for land grabbers in Oshimili north council area of Delta as its legislative arm has finally passed a bye-law aimed at addressing the worrisome act which had hitherto led to loss of lives and wanton destruction of property within the council area. Cited as the ‘ Oshimili North Local Government Public and Private Properties Protection Bye-Law 2023′,  the law is intended to prohibit forceful entry and illegal acquisition of public and private landed properties. It is also to prohibit violent and fraudulent conduct in relation to public and private landed properties as well as regulate real estate business; among others within locality. The passage of the law during plenary at the Senator Peter Nwaoboshi Legislative Building at the council secretariat in Akwukwu-Igbo followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader of the House, Nweke Anthony, which was seconded by his Deputy Majority Leader, Emmanue

Journalists: spokesman to drive NNPCL’s brand penetration Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has hailed the appointment of Per Second News publisher, Femi Soneye, as chief Communications officer of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPC ).  The union commended Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, for the choice of Soneye, saying he has experience in journalism, information and communications. It spoke in a statement by NUJ’s National Secretary, Shuaibu Usman Leman. The statement said: “NUJ National Secretariat lauds the appointment of the publisher of Per Second News, Femi Soneye, as chief Communications officer of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). We commend Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL, Malam Mele Kyari and the management for picking professional as its spokesperson and the union congratulates Soneye, who is a member of the union, on his well-deserved appointment. The union is excited by this  appointment coming a

Nigeria’s sluggish economic growth to grind on through 2023 – PwC The marginal growth in GDP by 2.5% in Q2 2023 from 2.3% in Q1 2023 was caused by the lingering effect of the cash crunch," PwC said. The Nigerian economy will limp on at the slow tempo of growth it started the first quarter of the year with through to the end and expand at virtually the same rate next year, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) foresaw in a new outlook for Africa’s largest economy. “The marginal growth in GDP by 2.5% in Q2 2023 from 2.3% in Q1 2023 was caused by the lingering effect of the cash crunch. PwC projects a 2.8% growth rate for Nigeria in 2023 and 3% in 2024,” the consultancy firm said. That marginal projection could be part of the chain reaction from enforcing fiscal reforms in Nigeria, according to the professional services firm. This year’s forecast slightly lags the reckoning this month by the  International Monetary Fund  (IMF), which put Nigeria’s GDP growth rate at 2.9 per cent a

BREAKING: Nigerian Ambassador to Morocco dies at 42 Nigeria’s Ambassador to Morocco, Alhaji Mansur Nuhu Bamalli, also known as the Magajin Garin Zazzau and a biological younger brother of the Emir of Zazzau, has passed away. He died at a private hospital in Lagos while in transit to Morocco. A statement from the Zazzau emirate council’s media and publicity officer confirmed his death, with funeral arrangements to be announced later. Ambassador Bamalli is survived by his wife and two children. Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari had appointed him just a year ago in recognition of his decades of meritorious service in the Nigerian Foreign Service. He was previously a deputy director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nigeria’s foreign ambassadors were recalled across 300 foreign missions, but many are yet to return to the country due to logistical issues, including obtaining the Authority to Incur Expenditures (AIEs) for their return travel.

PTI seeks partners to upscale 200litres refinery to commercial The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) is shopping for partners to upscale its 200 litres per day modular refinery to a commercial plant. Its Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Henry Adebowale made this known yesterday in Abuja during the press conference on the 3rd Biennial International Conference on Hydrocarbon Science & Technology. The theme of the conference, which will be held on October 23rd to 24th in Abuja, he said, is “The Future of the Oil and Gas Industry: The Challenges, Opportunities and Developments.” On the refinery, he noted that “We at the institute have built up our own (refinery). Now, what is next is to scale it up to find a way to make it commercial.” He noted that as a training and development institute, PTI has in the last few years been working on the development of technology in modular refinery space. Adebowale disclosed that the concept is being developed to train artisana

Court jails 26 internet fraudsters in Benin Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court, Benin City has convicted and sentenced 26 internet fraudsters. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed in a statement that the convicts were sentenced Tuesday, October 17, and Wednesday, October 18. The convicts are Pius Innocent Joel, Dortimi Obiagullu Abariowei, Okocha Nduka, Cloud Godspower Aghogho, Wilson Ifeanyi Nwabor, Ogbemudia Wisdom, Orubure Michelle Cyril, Sunday Victor, Akpevwe Edogheji, Emmanuel Omezi Chiedu, Sambo Doubra, Ogribi George Oworo, Success Oghenekevwe Jerry, Ebuka Ohika Okoli and Nnemeka Joseph Nnajiofor Others are Adesioye Ajibola, Omojewe Solomon, Azubudike Emeka Kelvin, Clever Afokoghene Oliver, Favour Ighoatudu, Favour Ogagaoghene Ebebemore, Abariowei Godwin Preye, Eserruoma Bishop Blessing, Miracle Ogonnaya, Agholor Omobude Simeon and Destiny Emuejevoke. According to the anti-graft agency, the convicts were arraigned separately

Israel-Gaza conflict: World losing its humanity — UNRWA chief The Middle East is on the “edge of an abyss” as a result of the war between Israel and Hamas, UN agency chief Philippe Lazzarini has told the BBC. The commissioner-general of the UN relief agency UNRWA said violence could spill over across the region. And he warned about the dire situation for civilians inside Gaza, calling again for humanitarian aid corridors into the territory. We are in a situation where more than a million people have been asked to be displaced. So this amounts to collective punishment, and collective punishment is a violation of international humanitarian law.” He added: “We call to the Israelis and to anyone relevant in this conflict to respect international humanitarian law. There is no exception for anyone.” Speaking about the growing humanitarian crisis. There is no water. You have four toilets for 4,000 people. They are living on the floor,” he said. “We are on the brink.” “If there is

Nigeria, EU sign over €900m agreements for developmental projects Nigeria and the European Union, on Thursday, signed finance agreements worth over €900m for development projects. The agreements were signed at the EU-Nigeria Strategic Dialogue in Abuja. It formed a central part of the EU-Nigeria cooperation to advance the country’s green, resilient, digitally inclusive transition under Government Priorities and Global Gateway. Developed jointly between the EU and Nigeria, the first signed agreement would drive new programmes through Global Gateway as follows: climate-smart agriculture, €29m); sustainable energy, €37m; access to health services, €45m; and education support to youth and education development in the North-West region, €5m The agreements were signed at the EU-Nigeria Strategic Dialogue in Abuja. It formed a central part of the EU-Nigeria cooperation to advance the country’s green, resilient, digitally inclusive transition under Government Priorities and Global

Amnesty programme sends 75 ex-militants to aviation school The Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Barry Ndiomu, has said no fewer than 75 ex-Niger Delta militants have benefited from the programmes aviation training scheme. Ndiomu said the ex-militants are currently at aviation training organisations in Lagos, South Africa, and France. He noted that after their aviation programmes, the ex-militants would either become pilots or aircraft engineers. Ndiomu disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at an event organised to commemorate the International Day for Eradication of Poverty. He said, “The PAP under my leadership is creatively setting up opportunities to impact the lives of ex-agitators, beyond dependence on N65,000 monthly stipends. “PAP has sponsored 75 pilots and aircraft engineers to various Aviation Training Organizations in Lagos (Nigeria), Johannesburg (South Africa), and Toulouse, (France) for type-rating courses as part of its aviation training sc

Hospitals in Nigeria lack personnel to manage mental illness  On Thursday, a medical doctor, Iyanuoluwa Balogun, from the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro in Abeokuta, declared that most hospitals in Nigeria lacked medical personnel to manage mental health issues. She lamented that this development is making early detection of mental illness almost impossible in the country. She made this disclosure at a programme organised by the National Association of SeaDogs Pyrate Confraternity, Ash Montana Deck, in collaboration with Grund Zero Deck and Long Island Deck in commemoration of this year’s World Mental Health Day.  Balogun, who described mental health, which involved emotional, psychological and social well-being, as critical to the well-being of the people, said mental health care assessment is a fundamental human right for all citizens that the government needs to make available to all.  While noting that mental health is a universal human right, she emphasised that brain

Decentralize pipelines surveillance contracts, Niger Delta ex-militants tell Tinubu Niger Delta ex-militants in Ondo state have asked President Bola Tinubu to honour all agreements reached with them, especially with regards to oil pipelines surveillance. At a news conference Thursday in Abuja, the ex-militants urged the president to decentralize the contracts and allow their colleagues in each of the nine Niger Delta states to secure the pipelines. Leader of the Niger Delta Coastal Vanguard NDDC, “General” Job Omotuwa who was flanked by Chief Ajiroba Lucky (Sustain), Ariyo Adeolu and Joseph Olamide Elias Esq. said the president ought not to award the same contracts to the same people. “We won’t allow our rights to be given to another person form another state. We are operating in the coastline, that is, high seas. Other states operate in the creeks. We know the terrain better than any other group from outside the state. “Oil spillage affects our people who are largely fishe