Month: July 2020

Nigeria’s Kwara Gov saves 100,000 private schools’ jobs, offers loans for proprietors

ADEOLA YUSUF

  Governor of Nigeria’s Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has pledged to offer interest-free loan and grants to private school owners to be able to pay their workers and prevent massive loss of job in the sub-sector. President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Kwara State’s wing, Dr Rahman Adetunji Lateef, said that the private schools boast of nearly 100,000 staff strength. AbdulRazaq, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said that he would “not be blind to the plight” of any Kwaran, including…

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Ghana runs out of COVID-19 kits, keeps 3,743 samples in freezer for months

ADEOLA YUSUF

  Trouble is looming in Ghana as country’s Western region keeps 3,743 COVID-19 samples in freezer for the past three months. Reason? The region has ran out of reagents for COVID-19 testing! The state-owned newspaper, Daily Graphic, which reported this, noted that some of the samples have gone bad and have even been thrown away. The ugly incident, Platforms Africa gathered, has sparked fears among health workers who now believe that this development may worsen COVID-19 cases in the West Africa country. The 3,743 samples are left unattended to, Daily…

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Anger as Nigerians reject Airforce’s explanation, demand probe of Tolulope Arotile’s death

ADEOLA YUSUF

  Fatal accide-e-nt!? Head injury? In a barrack where 10 kilometers per hour speed limit is strictly enforced? A top military personnel queried in disbelief as death of first female combat helicopter pilot in Nigerian Airforce history, Tolulope Arotile, generates debates on social media and across the country.   The death of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who at just 23 year-old became the first ever female combat helicopter pilot in Nigeria’s history, has stirred anger and pity among Nigerians who have demanded a probe into the circumstances that led to…

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US, UK, Canada entangle in dirty fight with Russia over COVID-19 vaccines ‘theft’

ADEOLA YUSUF

  The United States (US), United Kingdom (UK) and Canada are engaged in serious bickering with Russia over allegations Moscow is engaged in theft of COVID-19 vaccines being developed in laboratories in Oxford and America. Hackers linked to Russian intelligence services, CNBC report read, are trying to steal information about coronavirus vaccine research in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Quoting security officials, the report claimed that a group known as APT29 — also known as “Cozy Bear” — was likely to blame for the attack. They said the group, which…

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50,000 Nigeria’s IBEDC customers lament 10-year crazy billing, load shedding

ADEOLA YUSUF

Ogijo, a border town between Lagos – Nigeria’s commercial capital – and Ogun State, craves end to a decade of suffering, frosty relationship with Ibadan Electricity DisCo About 50,000 customers of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) in Ogijo, a boundary community between Lagos and Ogun state, have lamented load scheding, crazy billing and, in some cases, total blackout from the utility company. The customers led by President, Ogijo Development Association, a group registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr. Kalejaiye AM Mayor, and a community leader, Alhaja Abolore Owolewa popularly…

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Real reason NNPC stood against fuel Tank Farms’ swift relocation from Lagos, others

ADEOLA YUSUF

  The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has warned against a swift relocation of over 100 fuel tank farms and loading gantries from their current locations in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. Tank farms, Platforms Africa reports, are huge storage facilities for petroleum products where products are offloaded and stored for transportation to retail stations. The location of the plants along Lagos towns of Ijegun, Kirikiri and other parts of the country has been blamed for traffic congestion along the major road that lead to two biggest seaports in Lagos. It…

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South Africa reimposes lockdown restrictions as COVID-19 cases surpass 300,000

ADEOLA YUSUF

  South Africa has reimposed lockdown restrictions after COVID-19 cases in the country surpassed 300,000. The government said it was reintroducing the lockdown restrictions to combat the soaring numbers in the worst-hit country in Africa with over a quarter of a million people infected. South Africa, arguably Africa’s most developed country, is already showing signs of being overwhelmed by the pandemic – an ominous outlook for the rest of the continent of 1.3 billion people. The government insists it is trying to revive the economy – while at the same…

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Nigeria’s Six Southwest States open Schools August 3, widen country’s North, South Education gulf

ADEOLA YUSUF

Six states located in the South-West region of Nigeria have unveiled plans to reopen schools August 3, 2020, widening the gulf in education between the Country’s South and the North. This move by Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states is to have their students sit for the 2019/2020 West African School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) being conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) against the current decision of the Federal Government and 19 States from the country’s North who have embargoed resumption and participation in WASSCE indefinitely. The…

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Drama as Nigerian Cross Dresser, Bob Risky, Announces Two Weeks Pregnancy

ADEOLA YUSUF

  “Can’t Wait to be a Mum.” With the statement above, Nigerian cross dresser and social media influencer, Idris Okuneye popularly known as Bob Risky, got people talking with his recent post which has sparked pregnancy rumors. The single post by the cross dresser which was liked by 49,770 people with 7,750 comments in less than one hour after being shared, has got everyone talking on and outside social media, as some wondering if it is really true. Bob Risky made a post that had the inscription, “I can’t hide…

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Why Nigeria’s Oil Industry regulator, DPR, disowned 2020/2021 ‘recruitment’

ADEOLA YUSUF

  Oil industry regulator in Nigeria, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has given reasons for disowning the recruitment notice particularly on social media. Head of Public Affairs, Paul Osu, who gave the warning in a statement to Platforms Africa, declared that the agency was currently not conducting any recruitment exercise and had not engaged any persons, agents or consultants to act as intermediaries. He told citizens not to part with huge sums of money for employment into the agency. Osu noted that scammers were masquerading as recruitment agencies and…

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