FG Committed To Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria- Sirika

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April 6, 2023

Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to ensure the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria to ensure safety and security of the Nigeria’s airspace.

The Minister who gave the assurance during his visit to the Headquarters of CXR Networks the Company engaged by the Federal Government of Nigeria to manufacture the equipment required for the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) project of the Nigeria’s airspace in Paris, France on Tuesday,
stated that the project was one of the legacy projects of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR in the aviation sector as it is meant to ensure that the Nigerian airspace is safe and secured.

He applauded and thanked the Government of France for its support towards the project and its implementation.

The minister assured that the project would enhance the capacity, efficiency and capability of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency , the agency of Government statutorily empowered for the management of the Nigerian airspace.

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Sirika further stated that the various components of the equipment are some of the best that could be found in any part of the world, as they were manufactured in line with the best international recommended practices and standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

He made it known that the equipment, when delivered, would be deployed to aid civil and military aviation’s operations at designated airports and flying routes in Nigeria.

Receiving the Honourable Minister and his team, the Chief Operating Officer of CXR Networks, Marco Di Valerio said the company’s Management was happy to receive the Honourable Minister and his team, and reassured of his Company’s readiness to ensure that the project was delivered on time and in line with the terms of engagement.

He also stated that the company had all the necessary certifications of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and operates from 96 countries of the world. He stated that the equipment are of the best standards and are the latest in air traffic management and security.

The Minister who later went on a guided tour of the facilities of the world class manufacturing company of aviation equipment, was accompanied on the trip by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole, the Managing Director of NAMA, Lawrence Matthew Pwajok and some Directors in the Ministry of Aviation.

Oshoala, Nnadozie, & 8 Others Swell Falcons No To 19 Ahead Of Haiti, & New Zealand Games

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Emenike Agu

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April 6, 2023

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Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie, and eight other Super Falcons have arrived in Antalya, Turkey where Nigeria will play friendly games against Haiti, and New Zealand.

Tosin Demehin, Rofiat Imuran, Ashleigh Plumptre, Gift Monday, Ngozi Okobi, Toni Payne, Christy Uchiebe, and Rasheedat Ajibade increased the number in camp to 19.

Super Falcons in Camp

1.Yewande Balogun
2. Regina Otu
3. Esther Okoronkwo
4. Onome Ebi
5. Etim Inyene
6. Abiodun Deborah
7. Halimatu Ayinde
8. Vivian Ikechukwu
9. Glory Ogbonna
10. Tosin Demehin
11. Chiamaka Nnadozie
12. Ashleigh Plumptre
13. Gift Monday
14. Asisat Oshoala
15. Ngozi Okobi
16. Toni Payne
17. Christy Uchiebe
18. Rasheedat Ajibade
19. Rofiat Imuran

Falcons will play against World Cup-bound Haiti women’s national team at the Emir Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey on Friday, 7th April, 4pm Nigerian time

Before taking on World Cup co-hosts New Zealand at the Mardan Sports Complex also in Antalya on Tuesday, 11th April, 2 pm Nigerian time.

U17 Afcon: Golden Eaglets To Embark On Training Tour Of Germany

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Emenike Agu

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April 6, 2023

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Few weeks before the commencement of the 2023 U17 African Cup of Nations, the Nigeria Football Federation has concluded plans to have Golden Eaglets embark on a training tour of Germany.

The 5-time World champions are among the 12 countries that will participate in the biennial competition slated to hold in Algeria.

The team under coach Nduka Ugbade has been camping in Abuja training and playing a series of warm-up games to put the team in shape.

The Nigerian football authority is already working to obtain German visas for the players and the technical crew.

Inter’s Lukaku Wants Action From Serie A On Racist Abuse

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Emenike Agu

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April 6, 2023

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Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku has urged Serie A to take action after he was subjected to racial abuse during Tuesday’s Coppa Italia draw with Juventus, with the Turin side saying they were collaborating with police to find those responsible.

Lukaku scored a stoppage-time penalty to cancel out a late goal by Juve midfielder Juan Cuadrado and earn Inter a 1-1 semifinal first-leg draw in Turin.

During his celebrations, the Belgian striker held his finger up to his mouth in front of Juve fans. The gesture was judged to be provocative and he was sent off after a second yellow card.

In a statement released late on Tuesday, US-based sports agency Roc Nation – which represents Lukaku – demanded Juventus apologise to the striker.

“Tonight’s racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted,” Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark said.

“Before, during, and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse. Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals. The referee’s response was to award a yellow card to Romelu.

“The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse.”

Serie A organises the Coppa Italia.

On Wednesday, Juventus said they were “collaborating with the police to identify those responsible for the racist gestures and chants which took place last night.”

Lukaku, on loan at Inter from Chelsea, was also the target of offensive chants in 2019, which he condemned in a social media post at the time.

“History repeats… Been through it in 2019.. and 2023 again..,” Lukaku said in a post on Instagram on Wednesday.

“I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone…”

Racism has been a long-running problem in Italian football and authorities have been criticised for not taking strong enough action.

On Wednesday, Serie A put out a statement condemning racism, adding, “clubs, as they have always done, will identify the guilty individuals and ban them from their respective facilities for life.”

The league did not name Lukaku in their statement.

Ceferin Re-Elected UEFA President Unopposed

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Emenike Agu

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April 6, 2023

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Aleksander Ceferin was re-elected as UEFA president unopposed during the Ordinary Congress of European soccer’s governing body in Lisbon on Wednesday.

The Slovenian has been re-elected for a four-year term until 2027.

Ceferin was elected UEFA’s seventh president in 2016 to replace Michel Platini, who was banned from soccer administration in 2015 for ethics violations and forced to quit UEFA in 2016 after losing his appeal against his ban.

The 55-year-old faced his biggest challenge in April 2021 when some of Europe’s top clubs attempted to form a European Super League.

The competition was a direct threat to UEFA’s continental club competition, the Champions League, and Ceferin called on fans, soccer federations and governments to oppose the “disgraceful, self-serving proposal”.

In his address ahead of his re-election, Ceferin said, “European football is already global. And while we are reaping the benefits, we are also paying the price.

“There have been temptations, and even attempts, to create new models, but they conflict with the European model that we know so well and cherish so dearly.

“Our model is based on sporting merit. Where we come from, merit doesn’t have a price. Merit can’t be claimed. It can’t be acquired. It can only be earned. Season by season. On and off the pitch. There’s no room for cartels on this continent.”

Ceferin also highlighted the need to clamp down on the abuse of players.

“Football is an inclusive sport, open to everyone,” he said. “Unfortunately, some people have still not grasped this concept, which is why we’re going to have to rethink our approach.

“We need to target offenders more effectively when a player is subjected to racist, homophobic or sexist insults during UEFA competitions. We’re here to protect the players.”

Ceferin, a lawyer, was first re-elected unopposed for a four-year term in 2019.

Osimhen Tops Goal Chart In AFCON 2023 Qualifiers

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Emenike Agu

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April 6, 2023

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Victor Osimhen may have shot blank in two matches against soft target, Guinea Bissau, he remains a leading scorer in the on-going qualifying series of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations which finals hold in 2024.

With 88 matches concluded out of the projected 144, there have been 209 goals, making an average of 2.38 per match.

Of the 209 goals, Nigeria’s Osimhen scored five to tie with Senegal’s Sadio Mane who scored the same number.

Four of Osimhen’s goals came in the 10-0 defeat of Sao Tome & Principe last June. The match is Nigeria’s heaviest win, eclipsing a 1959 10-1 defeat of Dahomey (now Benin Republic).

Osimhen’s fifth goal was the one he scored in the 2-1 defeat of Sierra Leone in Abuja.

AFCON qualifying scorers so far

5 goals

Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
Sadiq Mane (Senegal)

4 goals

Dango Quattara (Burkina Faso)
Louis Mahouta (Central African Republic)

Rivers United To Face Young Africans Again

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Emenike Agu

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April 6, 2023

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Rivers United beat Young Africans home and away in 2021

Nigeria’s sole survivors in Africa’s inter-clubs competition, Rivers United have been drawn to face familiar foes, the Young Africans of Tanzania in one of the quarter final matches of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Both teams met two years ago in the Champions League with the Nigerian side winning both legs by 1-0.

Apart from their previous encounters, both also began the quest for honours in the mote prestigious CAF Champions League but dropped to the lower cadre Confederation Cup.

The Nigerian side will play at home first in Uyo on 23 April while the return leg holds in Dar es Salaam a week later.

Kaduna Reinstates 1,288 Sacked School Teachers

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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April 5, 2023

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The Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has approved reinstatement of 1,288 public primary school teachers sacked in June 2022.

This was contained In a statement issued by the Public Relation Officer, State Universal Basic Education Board, Hauwa Mohammed on Wednesday.

1,266 teachers who failed the competency test were reinstated, while 22 others who were removed from government payroll as a result of one discrepancy and the other were reinstated.

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According to the statement, the board had dismissed 2,192 teachers for their failure to sit for the test and 165 teachers were sacked for poor performance.

The affected teachers, complained that they wrote the examination and passed, but were still sacked, while others claimed to be sick at the time of the test and provided proof.

Some others claimed that they have been kidnapped at the time of the exams with others on suspension due to verification of their certificates, while claiming to be central administration staff, and as such, exempted from writing the test.

After examining and verified the various complaints, the state government approved the reinstatement of 392 teachers, who wrote and passed the test, and 515 central administration staff that were officially exempted from the test.

“Others are the 298 teachers, who were verified to be sick at the time of the test, as well as 61 teachers that were kidnapped or involved in accidents verified by their respective Education Secretaries.

“22 others, who were permanently removed from the payroll formerly unsubstantiated claims were equally reinstated, amounting to a total of 1,288 reinstated workers.”

However, The board advised affected teachers to collect their reinstatement letters from their respective Education Secretaries immediately.

Bauchi Governor Inaugurates Transition Committee

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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April 5, 2023

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Bauchi State Governor-elect Bala Mohammed, has assured his administration’s continued commitment to consolidate the gains recorded in the provision of critical infrastructure, as well as human capital development across the state.

Governor Bala Mohammed disclosed this during the inauguration of the state’s Transition Committee at the Government House, Bauchi State.

The incumbent governor who was declared winner of the 2023 Governorship election in Bauchi, thanked and appreciated the people for giving him the mandate to serve for another four years.

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Governor Mohammed inaugurated the transition committee to help in providing his administration with a complete working document that will fulfil the expectations of the electorates.

The Governor further assured his maximum commitment to rebuilding the state to compete favourably with its counterparts across the nation.

Though the transition is within the same government, the committee chairman, who is the former Deputy Governor, Architect Audu Sule Katagum, solicited with all the parties involved to cooperate to enable them succeed in their assignment within the stipulated time frame.

The committee members according to the governor, were carefully selected to represent the state’s character for improved service delivery.

British High Commissioner Pays Buhari A Farewell Visit

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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April 5, 2023

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Outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Her Excellency Catriona Wendy Laing, says she’s fascinated by Nigeria, particularly the music, dance, culture, and she’s had “a fabulous time here.”

This was disclosed in a state house press release, signed by the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) Femi Adesina.

The high commissioner on Wednesday during a farewell visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at State House, Abuja, after a four-and-half years tour of duty said she was sad leaving.

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“I’m sad to be leaving, Nigeria is so much fun, I had a fabulous time here, and I’ll be back. I love the dance, the music, the culture. It’s been good to experience Nigeria. I’ve been to over 20 States, and I’ve told my successor to also do the same. I’ll be back, and still travel wider.”

She congratulated President Buhari for very successful 8 years in office, saying he had done very well to hold the country together.

The President said the United Kingdom was second home for many Nigerians, and relations between the two countries will continue to wax strong.

“In fact, some wealthy Nigerians don’t feel complete till they’ve had a home in the UK,” he added.

President Buhari who said he looked forward to retirement in Daura, Katsina State, after handing over on May 29, lauded the United Kingdom for their cooperation on many fronts, particularly in the rebuilding of the North East, hitherto ravaged by insurgency.