Month: June 2020

How 1,800 students contracted COVID-19 in South Africa – Minister

ADEOLA YUSUF

Western Capetown Provincial education minister, Debbie Schafer, has given details of how 1800 students in South Africa contracted COVID-19. While proving that the reopening of schools has not spiked new cases, Schafer disclosed that 1,537 of the 1800 students had contracted the virus at their various homes when schools were close. The remaining few number, she said, were detected after the school reopened. In South Africa, where schools were reopened earlier this month, 98 teachers and 1,800 students have been infected by COVID-19. “Schools will be disinfected in the Western…

Read More

Yes, data is life but at what cost?

ADEOLA YUSUF

COVID-19 pandemic exposes, among other things, how data providers smile to the bank and data/internet users frown at their purses. Here is a review of Nigeria’s 100 million internet users in the hands of data providers by Gregg Obi   More than ever, mobile data has proved to be a necessity. The need to gain access to the internet becomes increasingly important daily because of its endless benefits and attractions. The awesome possibilities of having access to the internet can’t be over-estimated. The internet has brought about new businesses, improved…

Read More

Anger as Nigeria’s Refinery makes Zero Naira, spends N64bn in one year

ADEOLA YUSUF

Nigerians have taken to Twitter to angily demand the shut down and sell off of one of the three refineries in Africa’s biggest crude exporting country, Kaduna Refinery, which generated zero naira but incurred N64 billion in 2018. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) owner of the refinery had on Sunday broken a 43 year-old jinx as it published the first ever audited report since its establishment in 1977 where it showed the gross ineptitude of the refinery located in Kaduna. The 2018 audited financials of the corporation showed that…

Read More

FACT CHECK: Top 6 fake COVID-19 news spreading after Burundi President Nkurunziza’s death

ADEOLA YUSUF

The death of Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza has been followed swiftly by some pieces of information in the category of rumour, fake news and fear mongering on COVID-19 in and about the country.  They are spreading like a wild fire across African countries of Kenya, Congo, Uganda and Nigeria among others. A few of the Media from the West also alluded to some of the information that have turned out to be unverified, lies and fake. Here is a fact check by Platforms Africa on six of the news items.…

Read More

Enter the Daredevil Journalist by SIMON KOLAWOLE

ADEOLA YUSUF

Our paths crossed in 2014. I was about to set up TheCable online newspaper. The biggest challenge was getting a good editor to take charge. Having practised journalism for over two decades, I wanted to take the back seat and concentrate my energies on other businesses. But unable to get a suitable candidate, I began to panic. I virtually gave up. Then the application of ‘Fisayo Soyombo arrived. He performed excellently well in the written test — and even better at the interview. Surprisingly, he gave up a bigger salary…

Read More

Panic as Ghana’s Health minister contracts COVID-19

ADEOLA YUSUF

The Ghanian Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, who usually brief countrymen and women on how to prevent the COVID-19, has contracted the viral infection, raising apprehension among the people. He is currently on treatment at the University of Ghana Medical Center after testing positive for coronavirus, citinews reports. Kwaku Agyemang Manu’s status comes as a surprise due to his regular caution to Ghanaians in his bi-weekly press briefings on COVID-19 by the Information Ministry. Sources at the hospital who, according to citinews, confirmed the information said the Dormaa Central MP was…

Read More

Nigeria power sector’s debts surge, weigh in on gas investments – NGA

ADEOLA YUSUF

Apex group of stakeholders in Nigeria’s gas sector, the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), has bemoaned the worsening debts profile of power sector in gas-to-power value chain, stating that this is already taking a toll on the industry’s viability. The group, which declared at a webinar it organised for stakeholders including tepresentatives of  the government agencies,  investors and journalists, rallied the stakeholders for solutions to Nigeria’s gas sector challenges. President, NGA, Mrs. Audrey Joe- Ezigbo, voiced the frustration of her members involved in supply of gas to power plants during a…

Read More

Togo, Benin, Niger’s electricity debts profile to Nigeria hit N32.04bn in one year

ADEOLA YUSUF

The debt profile of three of Nigeria’s international electricity customers – Togo, Republic of Benin and Niger – has hit  N32.04 billion in just one year. Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), which disclosed this in its latest  report sighted on its website on Sunday, declared that debts which was for power supply to the neighbouring countries in 2019 alone, has contributed to financial burden threatening the sustainability of the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). The commission had, proor to this, said that the three countries classified as international customers owe Nigeria…

Read More

DPR releases strategic policy for Nigeria’s oil sector survival Post COVID –19

ADEOLA YUSUF

Nigeria’s oil sector regulator, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has released strategic plan and policy for the survival and success of the industry post COVID-19. Director/CEO of the agency, Engr. Sarki Auwalu, who made this known in a Keynote Address at the Webinar organised by Future Energy Leaders Nigeria (FEL) entitled; “Nigeria Oil & Gas Sector: Surviving and Thriving Post COVID –19,” underscored four key areas the country is deploying to stay afloat despite troubles and threats posed by the Coronavirus pandemic to the economy. “There is no better time…

Read More