Day: January 20, 2021

We will Write an American Story of Hope – Biden’s full Inauguration Speech

Joe Biden

  ‘We will write an American story of hope’ In his inauguration address, President Joe Biden called on Americans to be ‘different and better’ – read his full speech below   Chief Justice Roberts, Vice-President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice-President Pence. My distinguished guests, my fellow Americans. This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day. A day of history and hope, of renewal and resolve. Through a crucible for the ages, America has been tested a new and America has risen to the challenge. Today we celebrate…

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NNPC loses another former GMD,  Festus Marinho

Aliyu Aliyu

  Mallam Kyari mourns pioneer MD, extols the virtues,  achievements of Marinho, the “only one who served twice as Group Managing Director of NNPC having served from 1977-1979 and 1984-1985 respectively.”   The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, has lamented the death of the pioneer Managing Director of the Corporation, Chief Festus Remi Ayodele Marinho. A press release by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, stated that Chief Marinho, who passed away on Tuesday, was the first…

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Confusion as Nigeria spent N1.85trn on Food Import during border closure

Precious Ibekwe

  Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, spent N1.85 trillion to import food for nine months during the shut down of international land borders, a 62 per cent  increase when compared to same period in 2019 when the borders were left opened. President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief economic adviser, Dr. Doyin Salami, who said this during the National Economic Outlook for 2021 organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), maintained that this spending pattern is a signal of the nation’s lack of capacity to feed itself. Salami is the Chairman…

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Uganda bans social media indefinitely as diplomatic rows with US degenerate

Aoko Benjamin

  Uganda has moved to clamp down on social media use in the country even as its diplomatic relations with the US have taken a bad turn after a tense and disputed election. On Monday (Jan. 18), internet services were restored after a shutdown imposed just ahead of polls opening on Jan. 14 but the ban on social media, which was originally imposed on Jan. 13, has remained in place. Only Ugandans with virtual private networks (VPNs) that haven’t already been blocked are currently able to access social media. The concern now is that regulators have issued…

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Nigeria’s N2trn Poultry industry woes worsen, put 10m jobs at risk

Gbenga Adeoti

  The financial woes rocking the poultry industry in Nigeria is worsening, threatening the over N2 trillion investments and 10 million jobs. The South-west wing of the Poultry Association Nigeria (PAN), which on Tuesday declared this, alerted of the imminent collapse of the industry, particularly in the region of the country. Raising the alarm at a press conference held at the Oyo state NUJ Press Centre Ibadan through its General Secretary, Dr Olalekan Odunsi, the association hinted that over N2 trillion investment as well as 10 million jobs were presently…

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Trump offers Steve Bannon, ally in $1m fraud charges, last-minute pardon

Wonuola Olujobi

  President Donald Trump has pardoned his former chief strategist Steve Bannon, who has been prosecuted for defrauding donor over $1 million, in a last-minute decision made only hours before he is scheduled to depart the White House for a final time. Trump, according to a report by CNN, told people that after much deliberation, he had decided to pardon Bannon as one of his final acts in office. “President Trump granted a full pardon to Stephen Bannon. Prosecutors pursued Mr. Bannon with charges related to fraud stemming from his involvement in a political…

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Nigeria’s Cooking gas consumption hits 1m metric tonnes — PPPRA

Dawood Rabiu

  The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) says Nigeria’s domestic consumption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, has exceeded one million Metric Tonnes (MT) in 2020. The agency disclosed this in a statement signed by Abdulkadir Saidu, the Executive Secretary, PPPRA, in Abuja, on Tuesday. He said the consumption rate made 2020 the first year in the nation’s history where LPG consumption had reached the one million MT threshold. “Nigeria consumed 840,594.37 MT LPG in 2019, indicating an increase of 60.5 per cent over 635,452.061MT…

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How FIRS Raked In N4.9trn, 98% of Nigeria’s 2020 Tax Target

Aliyu Aliyu

    The Nigeria’s tax revenue collector-Agency Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has given reasons it realised a revenue collection of ₦4.9 trillion for the year 2020. This figure represents approximately 98% of the national tax target of N5.076 trillion set for the agency by the Federal Government. Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, FIRS Chairman, Muhammad Nami listed key sectors such as the banking, telecommunications and the ICT as major contributors to the feat. “The conscientious taxpayers in the country and dedicated members of staff of the FIRS…

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