‘Loading Bay Empty,’ Port Harcourt Refinery Halts Operations +REASON

‘The refinery started operations truly, but trucks loaded at the gantry contained “dead stock.”’ You actually want to read the revelation by a staff at the refinery + what Saturday PUNCH found out after an unscheduled visit to the facility   Operations at the newly rehabilitated Port Harcourt refinery have been temporarily halted as the loading gantry of the newly revamped installation is now empty. The Lagos-based PUNCH newspaper, which reported this in its Saturday edition, declared that a visit by its correspondent to the refinery on Friday revealed that…

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Nigerians Spend $40m On UK Visas In Just One Year

The British government collected over $40 million from processing more than 225,000 UK visa applications from Nigerians between June 2023 and June 2024, according to official figures. Despite this significant revenue, rejection rates for Nigerian applications have surged, fuelling dissatisfaction and shifting interest towards alternatives like the United States, the Nigerian Sun newspaper reported. During the launch of Africa’s largest UK visa application centre in Lagos, Marc Owen, Director of Visa, Status, and Information Services at UK Visas and Immigration, revealed the figures. ‘In the year to June 2024, we…

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Lightning Strike Kills Four Malawian Students

A devastating lightning strike claimed the lives of four students and seriously injured two others in Malawi’s Dowa District, officials confirmed on Friday. The victims, aged between 15 and 17, were pupils of Kaungwe Community Day Secondary School. The group, along with four others, had sought shelter in a house near the school during Thursday’s heavy rains. Tragedy strikes during storm Macpatson Msadala, a police spokesperson for the district, described the tragic incident. ‘They were all in the house when the lightning struck. Four died on the spot, while two…

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Minor Who Racially Abused Vinicius Jr Banned – Real Madrid

Real Madrid have said a minor who racially abused the club’s forward Vinicius Junior has been given a one-year stadium ban and also been fined. The incident occurred during a La Liga game against Rayo Vallecano last season. The Spanish champions said the minor had admitted his wrongdoing, apologised to Vinicius in a letter and accepted the punishment imposed by the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office. The undisclosed fine was imposed by the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport. Real said in a statement: “The minor who made…

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Measuring National Progress, NBS Data, And Scepticism, By Bayo Onanuga

Recent reports from the National Bureau of Statistics have become a focal point of criticism and scepticism, especially by the political opposition and perpetual doubters of any positive report about our country. In its Q2 labour survey report, the NBS says the unemployment rate fell from 5.3 percent in Q1 to 4.3 percent in Q2. Compared to the unemployment rate of 5.3 percent in Q4 2022, the report shows some progress, as it also indicates a lower level of youth unemployment. The NBS also reported that GDP growth in the…

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Assault Of Corps Member: Government To Punish Teacher

The Kwara State Government says a teacher, Fatima Amuzat, involved in the alleged assault of a National Youth Service corps member has been summoned and that necessary disciplinary procedures will be taken. This was confirmed by the Press Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Peter Amogbonjaye, on Friday. Amogbonjaye quoted the Commissioner, Hajia Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu, as condemning the assault. The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that a female corps member was allegedly beaten up by teachers at the Government Day Secondary School, Kulende in Ilorin. The corps member…

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Why Can’t A Side Chick Have A Side Guy?, By Funke Egbemode

I had not seen Fey (short for Feyikemi) in a while, a year and some weeks, I think. Until that bright afternoon last week. I was getting out of my car in the parking lot of my favourite spa in Victoria Island, Lagos. I had finally decided that I was ripe and ready for some head-to-toe professional pampering to take out the crinks and deep massage for the bunched-up muscles. I deserve a treat after all those tension-soaked months, even if I say so myself. As I stepped out of…

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Why We Marked Gov Adeleke’s 2nd Anniversary With Food, Cash Gifts In Ode Omu – Abimboye

In a heartfelt celebration of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s second anniversary in office, Hon. Babatunde Michael Abimboye, a stalwart of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), extended goodwill to members of the party in Ode Omu, Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State. The event, held on Friday, November 29, 2024, brought together party loyalists to commemorate the Governor’s remarkable achievements over the past two years. The atmosphere in Ode Omu was vibrant, as PDP members gathered to receive food items and cash gifts distributed by Hon. Abimboye. The initiative, which underscored…

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Port Harcourt Refinery Still Selling Fuel From Dangote – NNPC

The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has not yet commenced bulk sales or opened its purchase portal, as essential processes are still being finalized,the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, has said. Platforms Africa reports that Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd, who disclosed this in a statement, maintained that the products the company is currently selling originate from the Dangote Refinery and include applicable NMDPRA fees. ‘To Appreciate Nigerians For Support,’ Dangote Reduces Petrol Price To 970/Litre Private Refinery Owner Who Created Monopoly In Cement And Sugar Behind…

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‘Crass Display of Ignorance,’ NNPC Ltd Addresses Self-Acclaimed ‘Community Person’ Claims On Port Harcourt Refinery

Six reasons Nigerians should disregard Timothy Mgbere’s video – Olufemi Soneye   The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has described as crass display of ignorance the video of citizen Timothy Mgbere on the Port Harcourt Refinery. Mgbere, a self-acclaimed “community person has alleged that the much-publicised restreaming of the Port Harcourt and truck-out of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) which held earlier in the week were all false. Reacting to the video, spokesperson for the NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, who stated in a statement to Platforms Africa that Mgbere’s…

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