Year: 2024

Dabiri-Erewa applauds Daniel Ford Foundation for empowering Youth through Table Tennis Tournament

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), has lauded the Daniel Ford Foundation for its ongoing philanthropic efforts to support humanity, particularly in empowering youth through sports.   Dabiri-Erewa, who served as the Special Guest of Honour at the Daniel Ford International Elite Table Tennis Tournament held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, commended Mr. Yemi Edun, the founder of Daniel Ford International, for sponsoring the event and creating opportunities for young talents to shine.   The tournament, designed to uncover emerging table tennis stars,…

House of Reps mourns loss of lives in Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja Stampedes, Calls for Improved Safety Measures

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The House of Representatives has mourned the tragic loss of lives, including children, in three stampedes that occurred in Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja during public events.   The incidents, which took place on December 18 and 21, 2024, resulted in multiple fatalities and left several others injured. The stampedes occurred at Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan; Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja; and in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State. The overcrowded events reportedly led to the tragic outcomes.   In a statement released by the House Spokesman, Rep.…

BREAKING: Atiku appointed Deputy Clerk to National Assembly

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Ibrahim Atiku, a Sokoto-born technocrat, has been appointed as the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly (DCNA), effective February 2, 2025.   The announcement was made in a letter dated December 19, 2024, signed by the Executive Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Engr. Ahmed Kadi Ahmshi. The decision was reached during the 616th meeting of the Commission, recognizing Atiku’s outstanding “hard work” and “administrative competence.”   The letter read in part: “The National Assembly Service Commission, at its 616th Meeting held on Thursday, 19th December, 2024, approved…

IGP Commissions Police Headquarters, ICT Centre in Edo, Lauds OYF,Peter Omoh Dunia

Emporium Reporters

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, has commended the Ogbona Youth Forum (OYF) and a prominent community leader, Mr. Peter Omoh Dunia, for their significant contributions to security infrastructure in Ogbona, Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State. On Saturday, the IGP, represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5 Benin, Arungwa Nwazue, commissioned a newly built Divisional Police Headquarters (DPQ) and a cutting-edge ICT-DATA Centre donated by the community. The facilities, equipped with 10 modern offices, a secured armory, gender-specific cells, a 30 KVA…

Customs’ Contribution Vital to Achieving Nigeria’s ₦48 Trillion 2025 Budget – Finance Minister

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Olawale Edun, has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its instrumental role in driving the Federal Government’s economic recovery efforts, as Nigeria targets a ₦48 trillion expenditure in the 2025 budget.   Speaking during the 61st quarterly board meeting of the NCS on Wednesday, December 18, at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja, Mr. Edun emphasized the agency’s importance in achieving the projected ₦35 trillion revenue, as outlined in the proposed budget, tagged “A Budget of Restoration.”   Highlighting the agency’s impressive performance, the…

Customs LFTZ Renovates Classrooms, Surpasses N341 Billion Revenue in 2024

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Lagos Free Trade Zone Area Command (LFTZ), has reaffirmed its commitment to community development by renovating three blocks of classrooms at the Roman Catholic Mission Primary School, Ibeju Lekki. This Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project was commissioned on Thursday, December 19, 2024.   Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) in charge of Excise, Free Trade Zones, and Industrial Incentives, Uzor Nwafor, stressed the role of education in nation-building. “By investing in our schools, we are investing in the future of…

Harvest of Human Chickens for Xmas,By Festus Adedayo

Emporium Reporters

The unnamed woman had just given birth to a baby five days before. Her body was still wet as Yoruba say of mothers who newly underwent the pangs of labour and delivery. Pains must still be ricocheting round her navel. Ex-Queen of the Ooni of Ife, Prophetess Naomi Silekunola, and an Ibadan-based broadcaster, Oriyomi Hamzat, had promised her and her baby free food. This was done in a blast of publicity inviting her kid and 4999 other children to a funfair. The event was slated for Islamic High School, Bashorun,…

Why Nigerians no longer want to pay tax (1), by Hassan Gimba

Emporium Reporters

There is this hullabaloo that has enveloped the country, with debates all over, in some instances threatening to degenerate into fisticuffs. It is all about the Tax Reform Bills.   Even though, after all is said and done, it may end up as an issue that signifies nothing but being blown out of proportion, it made me recall Macbeth’s speech in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth.   In his speech, he surmised that there is no meaning or purpose in life. Understandably, with his wife dead and armies marching against him, he…

SEDI-Minna signs Performance Bond with HODs to Enhance Innovation and Productivity

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Scientific Equipment Development Institute (SEDI), Minna, Niger State, has taken a bold step to align with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure’s (NASENI) new culture of excellence. On Thursday, December 12, 2024, the Overseeing Officer (OO) of SEDI-Minna, Dr. John A. Hemen, signed a performance bond with the Heads of Department (HoDs) at the institute.   The initiative followed the high-performance expectations recently outlined by NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Mr. Khalil S. Halilu, in Abuja. Speaking at the event, Dr. Hemen noted that the agreement reflected SEDI-Minna’s…

Edo Govt Denies Authorizing Revenue Collection by Transport Unions

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Edo State Government has denied authorizing any union to collect revenue from commercial drivers in the state, following widespread complaints about illegal levies imposed by individuals posing as union officials.   This clarification come after reports that some persons, allegedly under the newly inaugurated leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), have been collecting N1,000 from bus drivers and N500 from taxi drivers. These actions led to a peaceful protest by drivers on December 20, 2024, who decried the forced payments and the subsequent hike in…