USA Clinch Olympic Gold With 1-0 Win Over Brazil At Paris 2024

By

-

August 11, 2024

The USA women’s national team reclaimed their position at the top of women’s football with a 1-0 victory over Brazil in the final of the Paris 2024 Olympics, securing their fifth gold medal in the tournament’s history.

Mallory Swanson emerged as the hero for the Americans, scoring the decisive goal in the 57th minute. This match marked Swanson’s 100th cap for the national team, adding a significant milestone to her career.

The game, held at the Parc des Princes, was tightly contested. Brazil, in search of their first Olympic gold medal in women’s football, had an early goal disallowed due to an offside call on Ludmila in the 16th minute.

In the second half, Swanson capitalized on a precise through pass from Korbin Albert, moving into a perfect position to score past Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena. The USA maintained their lead despite intense pressure from Brazil, who introduced the legendary Marta late in the game after her suspension kept her out of the quarterfinals and semifinals.

Brazil’s best chance to equalize came in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Adriana’s header was expertly saved by US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, ensuring the gold medal for the USA.

This victory reaffirms the USA’s dominance in women’s football, as they extend their record with six Olympic gold medals, having won all six of their matches in the tournament.

Nigeria Ranked 9th African Investment Destination

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 9, 2024

0

Latest report from Rand Merchant Bank (RMD) has shown Nigeria as the ninth most investable African country to Invest in 2024.

The report, which was released recently, showed that Nigeria had a score of 0.163 when assessed on the four pillars of economic performance & potential, market accessibility & innovation, economic stability & investment climate and social & human development.

Nigeria was ranked behind Seychelles, Mauritius, Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Ghana, Tunisia, and Senegal.

Algeria capped out the top 10 rankings in the report.

Analysing the investment climate in Nigeria, the report said, “Having topped the rankings as Africa’s largest economy by GDP for some time, Nigeria is now third, following a major currency devaluation. However, Nigeria ends up further down the investability scoreboard than its sheer size may suggest, with an overall ranking of ninth on our model.

“Nigeria boasts $375bn a year in GDP and the continent’s largest population—nearly 220 million people. This is countered, however, by a middling score for GDP per capita at just 15th in the RMB Where to Invest in Africa model. Economic complexity is another stark economic headwind. Nigeria’s reliance on oil exports is reflected in its 29th position on the model for economic complexity. Petroleum and crude oils make up nearly 70 per cent of its trade flows.”

RMB added that the political scene of the country made it a politically fraught place for investors.

“All this makes for a challenging business environment where great benefits are available to those who succeed. At the same time, Nigeria is becoming an easier place for investors to succeed. Its 2016 ranking on the Ease of Doing Business index was 169 out of 190 countries.42 It rose to position 131 in the 2020 edition,” it concluded its brief on Nigeria.

However, Nigeria was listed among the ‘Highflyer’ countries in the report.

“‘Highflyers’ represent the large, well-established economies that offer stability and a range of investment opportunities, such as Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia. Those ‘Cleared for Take-off’ are countries with high economic growth and innovation potential thanks to factors like a young population and abundant resources, including Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire.

“‘People Potential’ markets with a young and growing demographic, creating a sizeable consumer base and a future workforce, such as Kenya, DRC and Uganda. ‘Global Connectors’ are more advanced economies with a strong international presence, such as Morocco, Mauritius, Tunisia and Seychelles. ‘Low-Base Boomers’ are smaller markets with high potential for explosive growth but a corresponding higher degree of risk, including Rwanda, Mozambique, and Benin,” a statement accompanying the report read.

The Chief Economist at RMB, Isaah Mhlanga, explained, “The richness of Africa’s diversity makes fully analysing its nuance and contrast a challenging task, but an important one when it comes to understanding the varied markets that make up this vast regional economy.

“The 2024 RMB Where to Invest in Africa report aims to develop a balanced, robust and actionable view of the drivers, challenges and opportunities that characterise each of the 31 African markets included in the analysis.”

Sales of Crude Oil in Naira Yet to Kickoff – CORAN

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 9, 2024

0

The Crude Oil Refinery-owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) has revealed that it’s members are yet receive crude oil sales in the local currency, naira.

Echie Idoko, the Public Secretary of CORAN, made this information known during a TV interview on Wednesday.

Earlier, President Bola Tinubu, through the Federal Executive Council (FEC), approved the sale of crude oil to the Dangote refinery in naira to facilitate better accessibility and supply to the $19 billion petrochemical plant.

However, Idoko said that despite this announcement, actions must be taken to ensure the new FEC mandate is implemented.

He said that regulatory agencies need to provide guidelines to clarify how crude oil can be accessed in naira.

“We have mentioned where we are on several fronts. As it stands right now, none of our members have started uplifting crude oil in Naira. Of course, we did mention that the pronouncement was welcoming, but there were still a few steps that had to be taken for it to become implementable. It was just a federal executive council statement. There is a need to be a regulatory framework that would enable us to access crude in Naira.

“There has to be a guideline as to how we can access it. We have to know exactly what quantity is coming to us in Naira. All those details have to be worked out. We know it’s a recent pronouncement, so we will give the government the benefit of the doubt.

“We are hoping that in the coming days, there will be sitting down with us as stakeholders because you can’t shave a man’s head in his absence. We are hoping that our members should be part and parcel of the processes,” the CORAN chairman said.

FEC had earlier approved selling crude oil to the Dangote refinery in Naira to ensure the plant’s supply and reduce pressure on the foreign exchange market.

This approval followed weeks of conflicts between Dangote and the oil and gas regulatory agencies, providing the refinery a way to obtain crude from NNPC using local currency.

The new directive allocates 450,000 barrels of crude for domestic use to be sold to Nigerian refineries in Naira, with Dangote Refinery as the pilot for this initiative.

In addition, the $19 billion refinery will sell its refined products in Naira, ensuring smooth transactions in the mid and downstream sectors.

Violent Protest: Kaduna Govt. Relaxes Curfew

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 8, 2024

0

The Kaduna State Government has relaxed the 24-hour curfew it imposed on Kaduna and Zaria metropolitan cities from 8am to 6pm daily effective from Thursday, August 8, 2024.

The decision to relax the 24-hour curfew, according to the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, was taken by the state Security Council under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani.

Aruwan explained that the council, after a thorough review of the security situation in Kaduna, Zaria towns and environs, unanimously agreed to relax the 24-hour curfew earlier imposed on Monday 4th August 2024.

Violent Protest: Police Arrest 25 Protesters In Kaduna

By this review, the curfew will now be in effect from 6 pm to 8 am daily, implying that citizens may move freely and carry out their legitimate activities between 8am and 6 pm, and will revert to the curfew from 6 pm to 8 am.

The statement said that the Kaduna State Security Council reiterates its total commitment to the peace and security of the State, and will continue to take all steps deemed necessary for their preservation.

Furthermore, the security forces will continue to vigorously enforce the curfew from 6pm to 8am, and will be decisive in confronting actions which may lead to a breakdown of law and order during periods of movement as well as restriction.

Kano Emir Knocks Looting of NCC Building, Others

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 8, 2024

0

The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, on Wednesday, lamented the destruction of the oldest printing press in the ancient city of Kano, describing it as a wicked attempt to wipe out the monumental edifice.

He explained that his great-grandfather and grandfather worked at the printing press which was built in 1933.

Also, Sanusi expressed dismay over the wanton destruction of the Nigeria Communication Commission building.

Sanusi Reinstated as Emir of Kano

The monarch stated these on Wednesday while assessing the level of damage to the printing press, including the NCC Industrial Digital Park during the hunger protests.

“Security was alerted to the intelligence reports that the office would be attacked. It is therefore surprising that four days before the attack, security was alerted, and until the time the target was attacked, nothing was done by the security. This calls for a real investigation into what happened.

“It is clear that some people are hellbent on destroying Kano, and God knows them, and sooner than later, they will be exposed and will fully fail,” the monarch.

While speaking at the premises of the NCC Industrial Digital Park, Emir Sanusi urged Kano youths to open their hearts to know who loves them and who their enemies are.

“All those who gave you money to act negatively against the state, their children are studying outside the country, and the place was supposed to have been commissioned today, Wednesday, but it was destroyed.

“We are highly pained by what has happened to the NCC facility, but we are assured that the Federal Government will soon rebuild the place. However, we urge Kano youths to shun every negative tendency that was targeted at them,” the monarch said.

Kebbi State PDP Withdraws From Local Govt. Elections

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 8, 2024

0

The Kebbi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced its withdrawal from the forthcoming Local Government Council elections slated for August 31st, 2024.

Addressing a press conference, the party’s chairman, Bello Usman Suru, cited three reasons for the decision:

Kebbi State Government Announces Ban On All Mining Activities

The State Independent Electoral Commission’s leadership, comprising card-carrying members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which raises concerns about the commission’s ability to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.

The introduction of administrative fees for candidates and political parties, which the PDP sees as a violation of freedom of choice and a means of disenfranchising candidates.

The sudden change in the deadline for payment of administrative fees from August 30th to August 7th, which the party views as an attempt to discourage opposition parties from participating.

The PDP chairman emphasized that participating in the elections would signify acceptance of an “illegality, fraudulent system, and stage-managed elections.” He appealed to party members to remain calm and focused, while the party continues to monitor developments and hopes for the Independent National Electoral Commission to take over the conduct and management of Local Government Council elections.

Protests: Security Agencies Call for Calm, Dialogue

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 7, 2024

0

Security agencies in Nigeria have called for calm and dialogue amidst the nationwide protests which started on August 1, 2024 in some states across the country.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa who made this known in a meeting with Heads of Security Agencies in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on the latest security developments in the country vowed to defend the Nation’s democracy.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain focused, committed and going to respect human rights, the rights of everyone who is lawfully performing his task or his duty, but we will not relent in pursuing those that will continue the courage subversion, or those ones are into vandalism or destruction of lives and property adding as they want to make that very clear.

“We remain very professional. We have talked to our men outside in the field that they must respect the rights of everyone. We encourage the youths to dialogue to understand that destruction requires more action. Does nobody know the challenges in the country, and these challenges are not only here.”

Violent Protest: Police Arrest 25 Protesters In Kaduna

According to him, every country is facing one challenge or the other, so Nigerians are not isolated adding that “It is important that we speak with the same voice in support of our dear country, Nigeria that whatever that is happening, the solution is a whole to a society solution, and that’s why we preach egocentrism in everything that we do.”

The Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, said “Long before now, troops of the Nigerian Army have been deployed maintaining law and order”.

The Army Chief noted that for the past 5 days, the protest has been taking a different dimension of destroying properties, loss of lives amongst other things.

He warned that the Nigerian Army stands equivocal in defending democracy and that they are not going to shift ground.

“The report received so far will help them to streamline their performance of the troops.”

The Nigerian Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla said that “The Armed Forces of Nigeria are charged with the responsibility of defence of the nation from both internal and external aggression, and protection of the sovereignty of this country

“In addition to that the Armed Forces Act has given several other responsibilities which enable them to provide aid to civil authorities.”

According to him, they have been working assiduously towards addressing the issue of insecurity and in maritime development which has so far been positive.

“The Armed Forces is the power behind ensuring that democracy thrives in Nigeria which they are committed to do because that is their mandate”.

The Nigerian Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar said that “They are aware of some of the challenges and the hardships that the country is going through and Nigerians, the ordinary Nigerians, are going through right now, and we are also fully aware of every Nigerians on social rights to participate in peaceful protest”.

However, looking back at what has happened in the past few days, it is very clear to every peace loving, patriotic Nigeria that these protests are no longer what they were afforded to be. Instead, it’s very clear to all that the protests have been hijacked by criminal relevance and other groups that do not mean well for the country.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun called on Nigerians to be patient with the government as the government is doing a lot to solve the problem.

According to him, we need to go through hard times for prosperity to come to the country.

The IGP noted that a few states in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Bauchi state groups of people who started campaigns, subversive campaigns, waving flags of other Countries and openly calling for the military takeover of the government.

“This is not a protest but an offence of treason

“The Nigerian police have arrested a number of them which they will be dealt with accordingly adding they will be given appropriate charge.”

He also warned the youths to desist from accepting foreign flags from agents of destabilization.

INEC Releases Edo, Ondo Final Voter Registers

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 7, 2024

0

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has released the final voter register for the upcoming Edo and Ondo governorship elections.

The decision followed a meeting held by the commission on Tuesday, as contained in a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.

The Edo State governorship election is scheduled for September 21, 2024, while the exercise will be held in Ondo State on November 16, 2024.

The new register incorporates new voters from the recent Continuous Voter Registration and includes successful applicants for transfers from other states to Edo and Ondo states.

The statement noted that “Edo State now has 2,629,025 registered voters. Among these, 1,370,061 are male, representing 52.11 per cent, while 1,258,964 are female, making up 47.89 per cent. Youths aged 18 to 35 accounted for 983,133 voters, which is 37.4 per cent.

“The middle-aged group, aged 36 to 49, comprised 914,806 individuals, collectively constituting 72.2 per cent of the registered voters. 868,764 students constitute the majority of voters or 33.05 per cent. Additionally, there are 4,199 Persons with Disabilities, representing 0.16 per cent of the voters in the state.

“The new register represents a 4.9 per cent increase over the 2023 general election figure of 2,501,081.”

The statement revealed that Ondo state now has 2,053,061 registered voters. Of these, 1,034,006 are male (50.36 per cent), and 1,018,964 are female (49.64 per cent).

“Youths aged 18 to 35 years make up 726,944 voters (35.41 per cent), while the middle-aged group consists of 721,982 individuals (35.17 per cent). Together, they represent 70.57 per cent of the registered voters in the state.

“In terms of occupation, 694,938 students constitute the majority of voters (33.85 per cent). There are 1,782 (0.09 per cent) PWDs.

“The new register represents a 3.0 per cent increase over the 2023 general election figure of 1,191,344.”

The national commissioner noted that INEC had uploaded a detailed breakdown of the voter register by Local Government Areas, gender, age, occupation, and disability to its website and social media platforms for public access.

He further stated that the commission would release the timetable for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards for all categories of voters in both states, including new registrants, those who applied for transfers, replacements, and uncollected cards from previous registrations.

“In the next few days, the commission will release the timetable for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards for the two states for all categories of voters, including new registrants from the last CVR, voters that applied for transfers, replacements and uncollected cards from previous registrations,” he added

Kano Government Further Relaxes Curfew 6PM- 6AM

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 7, 2024

0

Kano state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf has again reviewed the curfew imposed on the state after the nationwide EndBadGovernance was hijacked by hoodlums.

The curfew imposed on the state, has now been relaxed, with new hours set from 6pm to 6am.

Kano state Commissioner of Police, Salman Dogo Garba made the announcement, adding that the decision was taken during the security meeting held in Kano Government House on Tuesday.

Protests: Kano Government Adjusts Curfew by 6 Hours

Commissioner Salman emphasized the government’s commitment to maintaining peace and order in the state while gradually easing restrictions to allow residents to resume their daily activities.

He noted that the decision to relax the curfew hours reflects the improved security situation and the efforts of the security agencies in restoring normalcy in the state.

Our Correspondent reports that calm has returned to the ancient commercial city after the violent protest that claimed lives and property

Protesters Suspend Demonstration Indefinitely In Osun

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

August 7, 2024

0

The protesters of the ongoing protest in Osun state have suspended demonstration against hunger and others over the upcoming 2024 Osun Osogbo festival.

The decision was reached after presenting protest letter to Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke, which was received by his deputy, Kola Adewusi at state secretariat.

Adewusi assured the protesters that the governor would deliver the letter to President Bola Tinubu and also do everything possible to continue delivering dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

The protesters under the aegis of coalition for concerned Nigeria Citizens, Osun state through Comrade Adetunji Ajala during a news briefing at NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Osogbo declared that the demonstration is suspended indefinitely because of the upcoming 2024 Osun Osogbo Festival which grand finale slated for Friday.

Pres. Tinubu Appeals to Protesters to Suspend Protests

Ajala said: “We, the coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, the organizing body of the EndBadGovernance protest in Osun state, wish to address the public and the media regarding the ongoing protest, which began on the 1st of August 2024 and marks its 6th day today.

“Since the inception of this peaceful protest, we have made our demands clear, seeking immediate action from our leaders to address the pressing issues affecting the citizens of our beloved state and country.

“We acknowledge the recent address by the President of Nigeria; however, we express our profound disappointment as the President speech failed to address any of our specific demands. Despite this setback, today we successfully presented our demands to the Governor of Osun State through the deputy governor and secretary to the state government who told us that the governor will forward our demands to the federal executive Council.

“Furthermore, we reviewed the security situation vis-a- vis the Osun Osogbo festival presently ongoing at Osogbo. It is worthy of note to establish that protest is incidentally taking place in Osogbo which is of concern.

“Considering the safety of the influx of tourists coming for the global Osun osogbo festival and the possibility of hoodlums disguising as tourist and unleashing attacks on peaceful protesters amidst other security concerns, we consider it imperative to put the protest on hold today 6th August, 2024.”