The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) and National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) have resolved to embark on an indefinite strike over the failure of the National Assembly management to implement the subsisting MoU jointly signed by NASC and the National Assembly management and PASAN on the 13th of April, 2021 for the payment of all arrears for staff.
In the strike notice signed on behalf of the unions by PASAN Secretary General, Hammed Awobifa, they said the strike is commencing from 12 midnight on Sunday 5th June, 2022.
The notice read: “The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), National Assembly Service Commission and National Assembly at its joint congress meeting of 2nd June 2022, resolved to embark on an indefinite strike over the failure of the National Assembly management to implement the subsisting MoU jointly signed by NASC and NASS management and PASAN on the 13th of April, 2021.
“PASAN had issued a communique on the 28th March 2022, where it demanded full implementation of the subsisting MoU and the Revised Conditions of Service, it also notified National Assembly management of twenty-one (21) days, fourteen (14) days and seven (7) days service of notice for industrial action if by 31st May, 2022, National Assembly management failed to comply with the congress resolution.
“Highlight of the items in the MoU include but not limited to 24 months arrears of Minimum Wage/Consequential Adjustment in which management paid only 16 months, leaving a balance of 8 months 13 days.
“Full implementation of the conditions of service as entered to in the MoU signed in April 2021. To which implementation had started but stopped. In view of this unfortunate development, the Association is embarking on an indefinite strike commencing from 12 midnight on Sunday 5th June, 2022.”
With less than 3 days left to the time limit the Federal Government gave the Prof. Nimi Briggs Committee to conclude negotiation with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, there are indications that the union may make some concessions in its demands from the government.
Though the concessions may not include overlooking the demands that have financial implications, the union could give more time to the government to meet some demands.
A source told news correspondent that both parties still met on Saturday, as the deadline given the Briggs Committee to conclude its assignment would lapse mid week.
“Demands that have financial implications such as the payment of Earned Academic Allowance, Revitalisation Fund, the payment of withheld salaries are not negotiable. There are some areas we may shift grounds but until it is officially done, let us wait, the source added
“Our children and wards are affected too by the strike. How much do we earn to send them abroad or to private universities here?
“We are not insensitive to the welfare of our students and the anxiety of parents. It is the government that is not getting its priorities right. Education is a vital sector that should not be left to rot,”he said.
When contacted, the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said the two parties had been meeting as scheduled.
“All I can say is that we are meeting and we are discussing and progress is being made. Whatever we arrive at we will make public. Whether their team has a time limit to do its job does not concern us. As a union, we are always ready to negotiate whenever they are ready too,” he said.
Algorand ecosystem is on fire after the launch of Algorand Non fungible Domain (Algo NFD), a fast, affordable name service.
Non-Fungible Domain (NFD) was developed by TxnLab and it was built on the Algorand blockchain to enable users to send and receive cryptocurrency using a name that is easy to type and remember.
Not only that, Algo NFD will empower users to carry their profile avatar and social clout with them using their registered name as they transverse the ecosystem.
This is possible by attaching their meta data to a Non-Fungible Domain (NFD) which acts like a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) but leveraging Algorand’s Standard Assets (ASA)
Upon launch, several Algorand service providers have integrated the Non-Fungible Domain name. One of the service providers is NFT explorer.
myAlgo wallet has also successfully integrated NFD while Perrawallet integration is underway.
Other projects on Algorand blockchain that were integrated live upon launch are ALGOXNFT; Algorand NFT marketplace, Algogator; Algorand portfolio tracker, Algo Node and Staketax.
The Algo NFD is also attached to a .xyz domain. For instance, you can find algofoundation.algo directly by tying algofoundation.algo.xyz
This will take you directly to the NFD marketplace
Crypto Smart NFD
Crypto Smart has gotten its own .algo name as published in this tweet.
Firstly, they have acquired their main NFD
Aside from the cryptosmart.algo name, Crypto Smart also bought other names that are related to their services especially the soon to be launched Bitsave Protocol and also cryptosmartnow.algo
What are name services?
Name services are systems that help us convert an easy readable name to a physical address on a network.
Domain name service (DNS) is the most popular and most used name service in the world.
DNS is the application service that translates the IP address into a more recognized and memorable name.
In short, it allows users to use human-friendly names by mapping them to corresponding IP addresses.
Blockchain name services on the other hand, map a user-friendly name to a wallet address.
So rather than using the alphanumeric wallet address, you can easily send your cryptocurrency to a name that is attached to a wallet address.
Name service in Algorand blockchain
Name service has been functional in the Algorand ecosystem before the launch of Algo NFD. It is called Algorand Name Service.
Algorand Name Service (ANS) is the first name service on Algorand and it was launched on Feb 25,2022.
ANS allows .algo name for wallet address and also linking social media handles and avatars to your .algo name.
The four person team at TxnLab was awarded Developer Grant by Algorand Foundation and has already received significant Investor’s funding which allows them to work full time.
Non-Fungible Domains leverages Algorand Standard Assets (ASAs) to build a more broad and powerful suite of features beyond relaying addresses.
How can I get Algo NFD?
Getting a .algo name is so much easier than you thought.
Go to app.nf.domains
Connect your wallet
Search for your preferred name
Buy your Algo name
NB: Make sure you have enough Algo in your wallet and the floor price of .algo name is 52.5 Algos for general name.
Nevertheless, based on the number of letters in the name, you might pay more.
For instance, a 7 letters name is currently valued at 130 Algos, 195 Algos for 6 letters, 485 Algos for a premium 5 letters, 517.5 Algos for 4 letters while a premium 3 letters can be gotten for 972 Algos.
In a case where your preferred name is not available, you can buy it if the previous buyer offer it for sale.
Currently algofoundation.algo is available at 10,000 Algos.
Have you gotten your Algo name?
Watch this video on how to set your deposit address after buying your Algo name.
Algorand ecosystem in review
Algorand ecosystem is growing everyday as we have many projects launching on the Algorand blockchain.
Crypto Smart has announced that their SaveFi protocol, Bitsave Protocol, will be launched on Algorand Blockchain.
It was also announced that the biggest crypto project in the world, Nigeria IPR project, will be built on Algorand blockchain.
Plateau United revived their hopes of winning a second Nigeria Professional Football League title after a hard-fought 1-0 win against Kano Pillars in Jos on Sunday.
Jesse Akila netted the decisive goal seven minutes before the break.
Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side reduced the gap between them and leaders Rivers United to seven points.
Rivers United went down to a 1-0 defeat to Wikki Tourists in Bauchi.
Manu Garba scored the decisive goal for Wikki Tourists in the 14th minute.
In Ikenne, Remo Stars returned to winning ways after two consecutive defeats, edging out hard fighting Gombe United 1-0 with Sikiru Alimi scoring the winner in the 17th minute.
MFM looked destiny for relegation from the NPFL after they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Lobi Stars.
AS Roma coach, Jose Mourinho, has decided to remain at the Serie A side this summer and will reject interest from Paris Saint-Germain, who are keen for him to replace Mauricio Pochettino.
PSG are set to part ways with Pochettino, who no longer has the backing of the board after the devastating Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals last season.
Pochettino guided PSG to Ligue 1 success last season, but that is not enough for the club’s board, who are obsessed with winning the Champions League for the first time in their history.
That has led the Parisians to consider Mourinho as their next manager, with the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager leading the race to replace Pochettino.
Mourinho won his fifth piece of European silverware last month when he guided Roma to Europa Conference League success.
However, according to Gianluca Di Marzio, Mourinho is happy in the Italian capital and is ‘more committed’ than ever to stay at the club.
That is a blow for PSG, who will consider a bold attempt to prise Antonio Conte away from Tottenham Hotspur if they fail with a bid for Mourinho.
Joseph Ayodele-Aribo in action against Mexico in Dallas
The Super Eagles’ preparations for Thursday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone continued on Sunday as 24 of the 27 invited players trained in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Friendly matches against Mexico (in Dallas on 28th May) and against Ecuador in New Jersey (2nd June) kickstarted the preparations as the Eagles seek a 20th appearance at Africa’s flagship tournament, this time holding next year summer in Cote d’Ivoire.
With Head Coach José Santos Peseiro taking full charge, Skipper Ahmed Musa led the playing body that included goalkeepers Francis Uzoho, Adewale Adeyinka and Adebayo Adeleye, and defenders Olaoluwa Aina, William Ekong, Zaidu Sanusi, Chidozie Awaziem, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, Leon Balogun, Sani Faisal and Kenneth Omeruo. There were also midfielders Alex Iwobi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Innocent Bonke and Frank Onyeka, and forwards Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen, Cyriel Dessers, Ademola Lookman, Sadiq Umar, Terem Moffi and Emmanuel Dennis.
As at lunch time on Sunday, only defenders Abdullahi Shehu and Calvin Bassey, and midfielder Joseph Ayodele-Aribo were being expected in camp.
During breakfast and lunch periods, Peseiro was able to meet and familiarize with invited players who were unable to make it to the United States for the friendlies, including skipper Musa, defenders Sanusi and Balogun, midfielder Etebo and forwards Chukwueze, Umar and Lookman.
He also met with defender Omeruo, midfielder Onyeka and forward Osimhen, as well as Israel –based goal-tender Adeleye, who were not invited to the friendlies in America but have been called for the AFCON fray.
The Eagles confront familiar foes Sierra Leone at the MKO Abiola National Stadium on Thursday evening, in one of the Day 1 matches of Group A of the qualification series. On Saturday, they will fly to Marrakech for a Day 2 game against São Tomé and Príncipe that will take place on Monday, 13th June.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football has appointed Ivorian officials to take charge of Thursday’s encounter in Abuja, with Ibrahim Kalilou Traore as referee. His compatriots Adou Desire N’goh, Nouhou Ouattara and Kouassi Francois Biro will serve as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.
Moukaila Nassam Adam from Ghana will be match commissioner while Serge Paulin Samuel from Burkina Faso will serve as referee assessor.
SUPER EAGLES FOR SIERRA LEONE AND SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPE
Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain)
Midfielders: Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Innocent Bonke (FC Lorient, France); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal CF, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Cyriel Dessers (Feyenoord FC, The Netherlands); Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England)
Remo Stars FC are back into winning ways as they beat visiting Gombe United 1-0 in their match-day 32 played behind closed doors in Ikenne. Alimi Sikiru’s 17th minute goal shot up the team a step up the ladder into the fourth position behind run-away leaders, Rivers United, Plateau United and Enugu Rangers.
Remo Stars are just a point behind third placed Enugu Rangers owing to a two-point suspended deduction which could be regained if the club comply fully on the two match behind closed doors ruling by the League Management Company.
Remo Stars FC are back into winning ways as they beat visiting Gombe United 1-0 in their match-day 32 played behind closed doors in Ikenne. Alimi Sikiru’s 17th minute goal shot up the team a step up the ladder into the fourth position behind run-away leaders, Rivers United, Plateau United and Enugu Rangers.
Remo Stars are just a point behind third placed Enugu Rangers owing to a two-point suspended deduction which could be regained if the club comply fully on the two match behind closed doors ruling by the League Management Company.
Rafael Nadal reclaimed his crown as the king of the French Open, winning a record-extending 14th title by beating Norway’s Casper Ruud in straight sets.
Spain’s Nadal, 36, won 6-3 6-3 6-0 against eighth seed Ruud to also extend his record number of Grand Slam men’s singles titles to 22.
He moves two ahead of his great rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Nadal, who lost to Djokovic in the semi-finals last year, has won 112 of his 115 matches on the Paris clay.
After also winning the Australian Open in January, Nadal has claimed back-to-back major titles for the first time since 2010 – when he won the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in a row.
Two days after his 36th birthday, Nadal becomes the oldest French Open men’s singles champion and surpasses fellow Spaniard Andres Gimeno, who won aged 34 in 1972.
The left-hander dropped his racquet to the court in amazement after taking his second match point to win in two hours and 18 minutes.
Nadal’s achievements are even more impressive in the context of the physical issues that have hampered him in recent times.
At the end of last year the former world number one thought he would have to retire because of a chronic foot problem and was troubled by the issue at the Italian Open earlier this month.
A stress fracture of the rib also caused him to miss two months of the season shortly after his 21st major win at the Australian Open.
“It takes a lot of energy to keep going. I want to say ‘merci, merci beaucoup’,” Nadal said after lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires.
“I don’t know what will happen in the future but I will keep fighting to keep going.”
Nadal far from best but still has too much quality
Ruud, 23, was making his debut in a Grand Slam final and facing Nadal for the first time in a professional match.
While fifth seed Nadal was far from his best, he had enough nous and quality to clinically see off his younger opponent.
A miscue from Ruud in the first point of the match perhaps indicated his nerves, but he could do little to prevent Nadal taking his serve for a 2-0 lead with a vicious forehand winner.
Nadal’s serve has been far from impenetrable and he was broken in the next game after two double faults, which were perhaps indicative of the discomfort he has been feeling with his long-standing foot problem.
But he re-established his lead in the fourth game when Ruud’s groundstrokes – a wide backhand, even wider forehand and a poor contact – let him down.
Nadal, often targeting his opponent’s backhand and then forcing him into mistakes on his forehand, held his serve to take the opening set in 48 minutes.
Nadal had won 100 of the 101 previous matches at Roland Garros where he had won the opening set, with last year’s semi-final defeat by Djokovic being the only exception.
More pressure came on the Ruud serve in the opening game of the second set, saving three break points to hold.
That allowed him to then move 3-1 ahead when Nadal produced a terrible service game, although Ruud brilliantly constructed a point for 0-40, and hit a double fault on the first break point.
Nadal instantly broke back, patiently pummelling Ruud on the baseline and punching the air when a forehand went long.
Like in the first set, Ruud could not follow up a break with a hold and lost his serve again for 4-3 when a lob went long.
After saving three set points, he produced a double fault on the fourth to hand over a two-set lead.
Nobody had ever beaten Nadal at Roland Garros from that position in 90 attempts, with few even taking him to a fourth.
That never looked likely with Ruud’s confidence dropping further and Nadal ruthlessly wrapping up the third set in just 30 minutes.
Ruud not Nadal’s’ ‘first victim’
Like so many of the younger players on the tours, Ruud classes Nadal as an idol and watched the Spaniard’s 2013 victory over David Ferrer from the Chatrier stands.
Ruud has trained at Nadal’s academy in Majorca since he was a teenager and has modelled much of his game on him.
Ruud, who will rise to a career-high world number six on Monday, has enjoyed more success on the clay than other surfaces and leads the ATP Tour for total wins (66), titles (seven) and finals (eight) on clay since 2020.
While they have trained together many times, the real thing proved as difficult as Ruud feared.
After his semi-final win over Marin Cilic, Ruud said facing Nadal in a French Open final was the “greatest challenge” in men’s tennis and said he would have to play his “best ever tennis” to win.
But the hallmarks of his game – his aggressiveness from the baseline and ability to unleash his forehand – were missing.
“We know you’re a great champion and I got to feel what it is like to play against you in a final. I am not the first victim,” Ruud told Nadal in his runners-up speech.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Switzerland to move top of their Nations League group.
William Carvalho opened the scoring when he pounced after Ronaldo’s free-kick was only parried by Gregor Kobel.
Ronaldo smashed in from 12 yards after being teed up by Diogo Jota, who then played a part in the third as his shot was saved and Ronaldo reacted quickest.
Joao Cancelo completed the rout when he scored from 20 yards after Kobel raced out and failed to clear a through ball.
A late equaliser for Spain, who snatched a 2-2 draw in the Czech Republic means Portugal go to the top of Group A2, above the Czechs on goal difference.
Those two sides meet in Portugal on Thursday, with the hosts having drawn 1-1 with Spain in their opening fixture.
Portugal were the winner of the inaugural Nations League in 2019 and will be hopeful of repeating that feat after making such a strong start to this season’s competition.
While this was a memorable night for Ronaldo, it was also an eventful evening for his fierce rival Lionel Messi, who scored five times for Argentina in a 5-0 friendly win over Estonia.
That takes Messi’s tally to 86 international goals – 31 behind Ronaldo’s record of 117.
Wales overcame another monumental effort from Ukraine to qualify for their first World Cup since 1958 on a night of high emotion and drama in Cardiff.
Having beaten Scotland in an emotionally draining semi-final four days earlier, the Ukrainians – with the backdrop of their country’s war with Russia – were deeply impressive once again but fell just short in their attempt to reach only a second World Cup in their history.
Instead, it was Wales who achieved that feat at a delirious Cardiff City Stadium.
Their winning goal came against the run of play as Gareth Bale’s first-half free-kick was inadvertently headed in by Ukraine captain Andriy Yarmolenko, a particularly cruel way for the visitors to concede having dominated before then.
Both teams tired but threw players forward in a chaotic second half, with Bale wasting a golden opportunity and substitute Brennan Johnson hitting the post for Wales.
Ukraine also had several chances to equalise but were repelled by the phenomenal goalkeeping of Wayne Hennessey and defending of Ben Davies.
This was not a vintage Welsh performance but they played with great resolve, and the scenes of celebration inside a deafening Cardiff City Stadium spoke of how cathartic it is for this footballing nation to rid itself of its 64-year World Cup drought.
Now Wales can finally look forward to being a part of football’s greatest competition in November, where England, the United States and Iran await in their group in Qatar.
As for this Ukrainian team, playing to the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of their homeland, they have been an inspiration.
They were cheered on in Cardiff by their passionate supporters, including 100 refugees who were given tickets for free by the Football Association of Wales, while home fans showed their appreciation for the away side with warm applause before kick-off.
However, Wales’ mantra in the build-up to this game – as cold as it may have sounded – was that they had to take the emotion out of this occasion and temporarily put their compassion to one side.
And they did it to realise their own, long-held dream.
Wales’ 64-year wait finally over
Wales celebrated wildly at the full-time whistle in Cardiff
Since their only other World Cup appearance in 1958, Welsh football history has been littered with tales of near misses. From Scotland in 1977 and 1985 to Romania in 1993, Wales have stood on the brink of history before – only to stumble at the final hurdle.
But these are different times. This is Wales’ golden era, in which their players are not burdened by that past.
Qualifying for Euro 2016 ended their 58-year wait for a major tournament and reaching a first semi-final in France took Welsh football to new heights.
Then they followed that success by qualifying for Euro 2020 – but a World Cup is another level again.
And while this Wales side might not be shackled by the memories of previous failures, Robert Page’s men were never going to make it easy for themselves.
Wales started in a panic, hurrying into tackles and picking up yellow cards for Joe Allen and Daniel James inside two minutes as Ukraine controlled the early exchanges.
The visitors dominated possession and forced Hennessey into a flurry of early saves, while Oleksandr Zinchenko had a goal disallowed after shooting from a free-kick taken too quickly.
While Ukraine’s noisy blue and yellow contingent enjoyed their team’s vibrant start, a sense of unease spread through the home fans at Cardiff City Stadium.
Their anxiety increased as Zinchenko, orchestrating matters artfully in midfield, called Hennessey into action yet again with a firm left-footed shot from long range.
Ukraine were devastated after their World Cup dream – and the cheer it had given their war-torn nation – ended
And yet for all the Ukrainian pressure, it was Bale – who else – who conjured the moment, with some luck, which led to Wales’ opening goal.
Peripheral for the first half an hour, the Wales captain lashed a free-kick towards the Ukrainian goal but, as the ball seemed to be drifting wide, it was steered in by the diving Yarmolenko.
Ukraine’s skipper thought he would have a chance to redeem himself when he appeared to be tripped by Allen inside the Wales box but, after a VAR check, no penalty was given.
Fortuitous as the goal might have been, Wales’ lead meant that Ukraine attacked with abandon in the second half and left themselves vulnerable defensively.
Aaron Ramsey had a glorious opportunity as Kieffer Moore pulled the ball back to him inside the Ukrainian penalty area, but the Juventus midfielder miscued his shot wide.
The game soon become so open it was ragged, both sides exchanging chances like two punch-drunk boxers trading blows.
Hennessey blocked instinctively from Viktor Tsygankov, before Davies slid in to deny Yarmolenko in a goal-saving intervention that brought to mind his block against Slovakia at Euro 2016.
Johnson came on to hit the post and, moments later, Bale could only shoot straight at Ukraine keeper Georgiy Buschchan from close range.
The longer Wales went without scoring a second goal, the more the nerves crept back in as Ukraine exerted more pressure.
Hennessey pulled off a majestic, flying save to deny Artem Dovbyk and, the more time ticked away, the more desperate the Ukrainian attacks became.
Their commitment was faultless but so was Wales’ as they held firm to free a nation from its past.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
