Category: Governance

Bill Gates as “a wailing wailer” – Reuben Abati

Emporium Reporters

“I do not enjoy speaking to you this bluntly when you have been gracious enough to invite me here…” – Bill Gates. Mr. Bill Gates, Microsoft founder, friend of Nigeria and one of the richest men in the world was in Nigeria recently, but he ended up violating the official interpretation of “table manners” in Nigeria’s corridors of power. When you are a guest in people’s home, you don’t count their nine toes one by one. It is an essential part of African tradition and culture that when people host…

MARTIN LUTHER KING FAMILY VISIT TO NIGERIA: THE FACTS

Emporium Reporters

The office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa in a statement signed by her media Assistant, Abdur-Rahman Balogun has reacted to an online news reports on the visit of some members of the MLK family to Nigeria. Balogun said the members, led by the Matriarch of MLK, Naomi Barbara King, were in Nigeria as part of the activities initiated to celebrate a low- key Black History Month in Nigeria as part of deepening partnership between Africa and its Diaspora. As…

Senate Passes Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB)

Emporium Reporters

The Senate on Wednesday passed the much-awaited Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), with the approval of five percent levy on fuel sold across the country. This was sequel to unanimous adoption of the report on the Bill presented by Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), Sen. Tayo Alasoadura, by the lawmakers at plenary. The Bill is the culmination of several years of efforts at reforming the oil and gas industry. The process began under former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2000, with the establishment of Oil and Gas Implementation Committee (“OGIC”).…

FAAC: FG, States, LGs Share N647.390bn, Adeosun to Meet NNPC

Emporium Reporters

The Federation Accounts and Allocation Committee meeting which was declared inconclusive yesterday, was today concluded and revenue figures presented by the AGF was adopted and shared among the three tiers of Government. The acceptance of the figures by the members of FAAC followed consultations made by the Minister of Finance, Accountant-General of the Federation with some States’ Governors and representatives of States’ Commissioners of Finance. Accordingly, a total sum of N647.390 billion was shared as FAAC allocation among the Federal, States and Local Government Councils as revenue for the month…

MLK AWARD PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT BUHARI : A Rejoinder

Emporium Reporters

An online news blog, News Nugget described MLK Awards presented to President Muhammadu Buhari as fake, the faceless author also alleged that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa and a certain Ghana-based African-American, Erika Faye Bennet, who was introduced as Ambassador Erika Bennet in Abuja during the event. scammed the President. To put the record straight, The First Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018, presented to President Muhammadu Buhari by the Martin Luther King Jr…

Buhari’s Visit: Lagos Declares Free-Day, Diverts Traffic Routes

Emporium Reporters

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday declared Thursday, March 29 as work free day in the State. A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan disclosed that this will enable Lagosians come out enmasse to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari who is on a historic two-day visit to Lagos State. The statement urged residents to adhere to the security guidance earlier announced to make the visit as peaceful and orderly. Announcing traffic diversions and alternative routes ahead of a two-day visit by President Muhammadu Buhari to…

If President Buhari Can’t Call Osinbajo To Order, We Respectfully Call on GO Enoch Adeboye to Intervene

Emporium Reporters

Again, my attention has been drawn to rehashed lies in the media by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, against the person of former President Jonathan. Speaking at the 7th Presidential Quarterly Business Forum for private sector stakeholders at the State House conference centre, the Vice President said as follows; “We saw from the presentation of the Minister of Finance that N14 billion was spent on agriculture in 2014, transportation got N15 billion, while infrastructure in three years got N153 billion, and yet in two weeks before the elections, N150…

Hon Ogunwuyi Donates Desks, Chairs, Past Questions to Schools

Emporium Reporters

The ancient city of Ogbomoso on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday was a beehive of educational activities as Member representing Ogbomoso North, South and Oriire Federal Constituency in the Federal House Of Representatives, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi made another germane contributions to the educational sector of the Land of Valiants. Hon Ogunwuyi in his bid to compliment efforts of the state government on quality education,donated notebooks, modern classroom desks and chairs to various public schools as well as series of past questions to Senior Secondary Certificate Examination candidates respectively in his constituency.…

GOV SANI-BELLO SET UP COMMITTEE ON BIDA MARKET INFERNO

Emporium Reporters

Niger State Governor, Alh Abubakar Sani-Bello on Wednesday set up a 13 man committee to look into the causes of the recent fire outbreak at the Etsu Musa market in Bida. Inaugurating the committee during the weekly state executive council, the governor directed the committee to unravelled the remote cause of the fire outbreak and to identify the list of victims affected. “We are all aware of the unfortunate incidence that happened in Bida market and this calls for an urgent need to set up a committee to investigate the cause of…

Lagos, garbage and its profiteers By Louis Odion, FNGE

Emporium Reporters

When this writer and the likes of Professor Pat Utomi, Sahara desert explorer Newton Jibunoh, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) and Lagbaja were named Lagos State Ambassadors for Environment in 2009, then Governor Tunde Fashola was trenchant in his expectation: deploy your individual talent and platform to help create awareness for the sustainability of the environment in a world ensnared by climate change. As we left the inauguration ceremony that day, I doubt if anyone of us harboured the illusion that what lay ahead was a glamour ride. I am…