Plateau Security: Lalong Relaxes Curfew In Jos, Bassa

By

-

August 30, 2021

Governor of Plateau State Simon Lalong has relaxed curfews imposed on parts of the state due to insecurity.

The Governor, in a broadcast on Monday, said the 24-hour curfew in Jos North is now to be enforced from 6pm to 6am until further notice.

“The curfew in Jos South and Bassa is to also be further relaxed,” Lalong said.

“As from Monday 30th August 2021, the curfew shall be enforced between 10pm to 6am until further notice.”

The Governor noted that the ban on tricycles (Keke Napep) and hawkers remains in place within Jos/Bukuru metropolis.

Also, he announced that the Plateau Economic and Investment Summit earlier scheduled for September 1 and 2 has been postponed.

“A new date will be announced and communicated to all our invitees,” the Governor said. “We apologise for any inconveniences this postponement might cause.”

U.S. Investigating Civilian Deaths In Kabul Strike

By

Koko Lawrence

-

August 30, 2021

0

The U.S. military has said it is investigating after at least nine Afghan civilians were reportedly killed in a drone strike which aimed to prevent an attack on Kabul airport.

The strike targeted a vehicle carrying at least one person associated with the afghan branch of the Islamic state group, us central command said. It is unclear how the civilians died.

Information being shared by Kabul residents suggest four young children were among the casualties.

The U.S. has been on high alert since a suicide bomber killed more than 100 civilians and 13 U.S. troops outside the airport last Thursday.

Nigerian Govt. Implements Cooking Gas Import Taxes, Price Jumps By 100%

By

Koko Lawrence

-

August 30, 2021

0

The Federal Government has implemented a 7.5 per cent tax on imported liquefied petroleum gas, popularly called cooking gas, as the cost of the commodity leaped by over 100 per cent within a period of eight months.

It was gathered that the government implemented the VAT on LPG imports about three weeks ago and some dealers were also mandated to pay the tax for commodities imported several months ago.

Operators told correspondents that Nigeria imports about 70 per cent of the commodity, while the rest was mainly supplied by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company.

It was also gathered that the cost of a 12.5kg of cooking gas that sold for about N3,500 in December 2020 had jumped to as high as N6,800 in parts of Abuja.

A resident along the Lagos-Ibadan road said she bought the commodity on Sunday at N7,200 in Lagos, as dealers projected that the cost might hit N10,000 in December this year.

Operators stated the development had made small businesses and homes in rural and semi-urban areas to revert to firewood and charcoal, as the purchase of cooking gas had plunged in recent months.

The National Chairman, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association of Nigeria, Michael Umudu, said there were three factors that caused the surge in price.

He said, “There are three major factors to the hike in prices. Firstly, about 70 per cent of the gas we consume in Nigeria is imported and importers have to contend with the high cost of foreign exchange.

“Secondly, there is a rise in the price of petroleum products in the international market and because of that, the cost of LPG has equally gone up. So importers now pay more on imports.

“And thirdly, the government added VAT on imported LPG about three weeks ago. It (VAT) was 7.5 per cent of the cost of the commodity and this exacerbated the price hike of cooking gas in the past three weeks.”

Poor Nigerians Welfare: SERAP Sues F.G, Seeks Details Of Payment Of ₦729bn

By

Koko Lawrence

-

August 30, 2021

0

The socio-economic rights and accountability project (SERAP) has sued the Federal Government, asking for details of the ₦729bn payment to 24.3m poor Nigerians across the country.

SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, disclosed this in a statement, adding that the suit was filed at the federal high court in Lagos.

He said the group is seeking “an order directing and compelling the federal government to clarify whether the proposed payment to poor Nigerians is part of the ₦5.6 trillion budget deficits.”

The suit followed the group’s freedom of information (foi) request to the minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk.

UAE Says There Is No Official Ban On Work Permit To Nigerians

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 30, 2021

1

The United Arab Emirate says there’s no official ban on the issuance of work permit for Nigerians living and working in the UAE.

The Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Fahad Obaid AI Taffaq, stated this when he received the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa at the Embassy in Abuja.

He said just like others, he read about the ban in the social media, stressing that the UAE has no restrictions against any nationality.

According to him, there are possibly isolated cases of individuals whose work visas were not renewed for one reason or the other.

Obaid added that last week, the UAE issued over 50 visas to Nigerians and that there are thousands of Nigerians working and living legally in the UAE.

The UAE Envoy noted with optimism that Emirates Airlines would soon resume flights into Nigeria.

Responding, Abike Dabiri, said the clarification was reassuring given a barrage of calls and inquiries by Nigerians within and outside the UAE on official stoppage of issuance of work permit to Nigerians in the UAE

The NIDCOM Chairman urged Nigerians in the UAE to always obey the laws of their host country, be good Ambassadors and excel in whatever they do.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa further added that any Nigerian with consular issues should approach the Nigerian Mission in UAE for advise and clarifications noting that each case would be treated on its own merit.

SA’s Game stores to exit Nigeria, Ghana, other African countries

By

Henry Williams

-

August 30, 2021

0

Massmart Holdings Limited, a South African (SA) firm and second-largest distributor of consumer goods in Africa has announced plans to dispose of all general merchandise, a total of 14 Game stores across Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, as reported by Reuters.

This was disclosed by Mitch Slape, the chief executive officer of Massmart on Friday. For leaving Nigeria, it is no surprise as its currency volatility and weak consumer demand has made other SA retail stores like Shoprite and Mr Price to exit the country recently.

According to Slape, as part of its turnaround plan to stabilise the business, it will review its store portfolio outside of Southern Africa.

Slape also said the move will result in an annual profit before interest and tax improvement of R750 million ($50.2 million)

CDS Projects: Nysc Member Installs Solar Inverter, Streetlights In FCT Schools

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 30, 2021

0

A serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Engr Umar Farouk Ahmad, has unveiled a solar inverter system and streetlights he installed at Government Secondary Schools (GSS) Jabi and Wuse, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Both the inverter electric system and streetlights are parts of his Community Development Service (CDS) projects.

Farouk Ahmad, a Second Class Upper (2:1) Electrical Engineering graduate of Bayero University Kano (BUK), is currently serving at the foremost construction firm, Julius Berger Limited, in Abuja.

Before installing the inverter and streetlights, Farouk Ahmad had first carried out awareness campaigns on solar electric and inverter system, in the two FCT schools. He also coached final year science students towards passing O’ Level Examinations and securing scholarships.

The projects’ unveiling ceremony, attended by officials of NYSC, FCT Zonal Office; invited dignitaries, the principal, staff and students of GSS Jabi, together with journalists, was held on Friday.

Principal of GSS Jabi, Atanze Sani, while welcoming guests to the school computer room, where the inverter system was installed, commended Faruk Ahmad’s effort. He said the inverter system would tremendously enhance teaching and learning in the school.

The NYSC official attested to Farouk Ahmad’s hard work, commitment, and passion for executing the CDS projects, which he said will impact both staff and students of the beneficiary-schools, in diverse ways.

A Public Relations expert, Mallam Yushau Shuaib, who was one of the sponsors of the projects, extolled the corps members’ zeal in finding solutions to problems.

“Farouk has, on several occasions’ personally fixed serious electrical faults and solar powers in our premises and in the neighbourhood, without collecting a dime. Hence, we deemed it fit to offer our supports for him to properly execute the CDS projects for the benefits of the students, schools and the society,” he said.

While thanking his sponsors and guests, the Kano State-born corps member, Farouk said his inverter electric project, which comprises of an inverter and two batteries, will power 50 mini laptops, one desktop computer, two printers and a projector at GSS Jabi’s computer room. The Security lights installed at GSS Wuse will provide illumination and equally, aid security at night.

Dangote’s $2bn petrochemical plant nears completion

By

Henry Williams

-

August 30, 2021

0

Dangote’s two billion US dollar petrochemical plant located in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State will produce 77 different high-performance grades of polypropylene.

Devakumar Edwin, group executive director, Strategy, Capital Projects, and Portfolio Development, Dangote Industries Ltd., disclosed this in a statement obtained in Lokoja on Monday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The statement sent by e-mail said that Edwin disclosed this while giving an update on the petrochemical project which is nearing completion and said to be the biggest in Africa.

The statement was signed by Tony Chiejine, assistant manager, Group Communication and Branding of Dangote Group.

According to the group executive director, the plant with an estimated yearly turnover of $1.2 billion has the capacity to produce 900,000 metric tonnes of 77 different grades of petrochemical per annum

FG postpones Nigeria @ 60 Awards

By

Henry Williams

-

August 30, 2021

0

The federal government yesterday announced the postponement of the Nigeria at 60 Jubilee Special Award ceremony, scheduled earlier to hold on September 3, 2021,

The Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo, made this known in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Ifedayo Sayo.

According to Adebayo the Nigeria @ 60 Award ceremony, was planned as part of Jubilee celebrations of Nigeria’s independence to honour 60 notable Nigerians, who had made immense contributions to the nation’s growth.

The minister regretted any inconveniences the postponement might have caused stakeholders and the general public.

Tunisia ex-presidential candidate seized in Algeria

By

Henry Williams

-

August 30, 2021

0

Tunisian media mogul and ex-presidential candidate Nabil Karoui has been arrested in Algeria for illegally entering the country.

Mr Karoui, who owns Nesma TV, was arrested in the city of Tebessa on the Tunisian border together with four others including his brother Ghazi who is a member of parliament.

Mr Karoul is also leader of the second largest party in parliament Qalb Tounes (the heart of Tunisia).

In 2019 he was arrested in Tunisia during his presidential campaign – which current president Kais Saied won in a runoff with a landslide – and put in custody for more than six months.

He still is under investigation for money laundering and tax evasion after being released in June. He denies the allegations.