NIGERIAN NOTCH

The Federal Government says it has not come to a point where it is convinced that schools should be reopened for academic exercise after their closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This was disclosed  in Abuja on Thursday by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, at a meeting of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 with the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee (NTLC) on National Primary Health. Presided over by the Minister of Information and Culture on behalf of the Chairman of PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the meeting was to seek the support of the traditional rulers towards preventing community spread of COVID-19 NAN reports.. Responding to a question from Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar, on school reopening, Nwajiuba said the federal government is still evaluating the situation. “At the moment, we have not come to the point where we can say we are convinced that schools can manage themselves...

The Nigerian University Commission (NUC) has approved the take off of the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences in October this year. The approval underscores the efforts which the Imo State government ably led by Governor Hope Uzodimma has made towards the establishment of a second university for the state. It will recalled that recently, the NUC panel was in Imo State to carry out the necessary verification exercises on the state facilities, human and physical infrastructures. It is however, cheery news to Ndi Imo, at the end of the weekly Executive Council Meeting at Government House, Owerri presided over by Governor Uzodimma, that approval have been gotten for the formal take off, of the University of Agriculture and Environmental sciences Umuagwo, Imo state. The Commissioner for Information and Strategy,   Declan Emelumba flanked by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, Commissioner for Health Dr. Damaris Osunkwo and the Chief P...

By Prince MacDonald Enwere In Igbo cosmology, the word "Iseee" is a definite symbolic word as revealed through the Igbo language and culture.  In Igbo tradition, anytime a prayer is offered , the attendants who would want the fulfilment of the prayer by the ancestors will unanimously chorus and affirm the prayer by saying "Iseee"  During breaking of kolanuts , when the person breaking the kola mention the good wishes and expectations of the people from God, the people will unanimously affirm by chorusing "Iseeee!. During libation sacrament, after pouring libation and offering of prayers to the ancestors the people will also affirm by saying"Iseee!"  During breaking of kolanuts or libation sacrament, everyone points his fingers or 'Ofo' to the ground. This proves that the spontaneity of the unanimous drama is a clear indication that"Iseee" is associated with the soil which is represented in the mystic concept as the primordial god. Nu...

The APC Senatorial Candidate for the forth coming IMO North senatorial bye election, Hon. Frank Ibezim has continued to bask in the glory of his recent victory at the primaries. Hon. Frank Ibezim had on the 4th of September 2020, in a keenly contested election won with a wide margin of 13,637 votes to beat other contestants in the primaries. Despite the fact that there were results from other quarters claiming victory to the said election, which though they conducted at places unknown to the party in Imo state, the APC, National Caretaker Committee has since described there elections as a sham.  However, the recent visit of Hon. Frank Ibezim, to the former Senate President, H.E Senator Ken Nnamani, Prince Nlemigbo, the recognized state Chairman of APC and former Deputy Governor H.E Prince Eze Madumere and an APC stalwart,Hon Chidi Nwogu, has further proved that he has the endorsement of the party at the National and state level, which leaves no one in doubt where the pendulum will ...

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned “the patently unfair and arbitrary hike in electricity tariff and fuel price by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is unjust to many people living in extreme poverty, and entirely incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations.” Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP deputy director said in a statement today: “The hike will endanger lives and increase inequality and poverty exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. SERAP will challenge this travesty in court if the Federal Government does not immediately drop these retrogressive measures against the Nigerian people.” “Specifically, the increase in electricity tariff and fuel price clearly violates Nigeria’s obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which the country is a state party,  not to take ‘deliberately retrogressive measures’ unless th...

The Leadership of the Nigerian Army has described Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State as a peace and loving governor whose support to the Nigerian Army is unwavering. The Chief of Army State, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai made the assertion on Monday when the leadership of the Nigerian Army paid a courtesy call on Governor Uzodimma ahead of the opening ceremony of Regimental Sergeant Major Convention 2020 holding in Owerri, the Imo State Capital. Represented by the Army Chief of Policy and Plan, Lt. Gen. L. O. Adeosun, the Army leadership said they were in Government House, Owerri as “mark of respect” for Governor Uzodimma, and in appreciation of all the support he has shown to the Army in Imo State, since he became Governor. The Army leadership also  commended the good people of Imo State under Governor Uzodimma’s watch, describing Imo as “a friendly State to the Nigerian Army.” Lt. Gen. Adeosun, however stressed that the event which brought the Army to Imo is not the first and ...

The Federal Government on Thursday approved phased return of students to classrooms, and asked state government and school administrators to start making arrangements for full reopening of schools in the country. Schools in the country were shut in March as part of measures to control the spread of the coronavirus disease. But, the government had on August 4, announced the resumption of graduating pupils to write this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination from August 17, 2020, through September 12, 2020. The National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, who spoke during a briefing at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, said the task force recommends phased return of students to classrooms. “For educational institutions which include daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase. “However, we strongly recom...

From Ikenna Aniagboso  Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has restated his commitment to the development of smart cities in Anambra state.  The Governor stated this while performing the ground breaking ceremony of the Anambra Luxury Place Estate, Nkwelle Ezunaka - a PPP housing initiative between the Anambra state government and Rotech energy services Ltd.  Speaking at the event, Gov Obiano commended the CEO of Rotech Energy Services Ltd, Chief Austin Oguejiofor for embracing the think home philosophy. He described the estate as a modern, smart and hitech city and encouraged Ndi Anambra to buy property in the estate.  According to Gov Obiano, "what we are building here is a smart city. It is very close to Anambra state international cargo airport, Umueri. The closeness of the estate to the airport, the commercial city of Onitsha and the capital city, Awka makes it a choice location". Going further, he said that his administration has remained committed "t...

Harvard-educated and longtime World Bank economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is bidding to become the next director-general of the World Trade Organization under a nomination from her native Nigeria while also holding dual U.S. citizenship. Okonjo-Iweala obtained American citizenship in 2019, her spokeswoman told Bloomberg News, after spending most of her career at the World Bank and living in the Washington suburbs. It’s not uncommon for international civil servants who spend long stretches working abroad to take a second citizenship, especially when their families have been living overseas with them, a spokeswoman for Okonjo-Iweala said. She’s humbled by the support of the government of Nigeria and its people, the spokeswoman said. Okonjo-Iweala has a resumé full of qualifications, and there is no citizenship requirement for the job. Still, the revelation of her dual status may become magnified as protectionist sentiment rises around the world and national allegiances are questioned, obser...

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Owerri zone, has urged the federal government to expedite action to deploy the University Transparency, Accountability Solution, UTAS, over the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, to resolve the issue of irregularity of salary payments among university staff. Speaking at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state, the zonal coordinator, ASUU, Owerri Zone, Comr Uzo Onyebinama, explained that ASUU is unveiling the UTAS as a credible alternative to IPPIS, since IPPIS has failed to address major issues that border around personnel information and payroll system. In his words; “IPPIS does not respect the nature, structure and character of the Nigerian University System. The IPPIS does not recognize agreements entered into between the government and university-based trade unions as well as does not ensure simultaneous payment of employees’ salaries and third party deductions such as Tax, pension, u...

​•••••••• Says the Force Remains Committed to protecting the Sanctity of the Ballot The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A. Adamu, NPM, mni has warned politicians and their supporters in Edo and Ondo States, where gubernatorial elections are scheduled to hold on 19th September, 2020 and 10th October, 2020 respectively, to conduct themselves properly, play by the rules and steer-clear of tendencies capable of undermining the electoral process in the two States.   The IGP gave the warning having reviewed the Election Security Threat Assessment Reports submitted by the Commissioners of Police from both States in a meeting held Tuesday, 25th August, 2020. The Election Security Threat Analysis reveals amongst other indicators: arming and movement of political thugs, use of inciting statements during political campaigns, high likelihood of violence and possible cross attack by political opponents, misinformation/disinformation aimed at heating-up of the polity and deliberate effor...