Giant stride

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the implementation of the Steve Oransaye committee report on the rationalisation of government agencies. The committee set up by the Goodluck Jonathan administration had recommended the scrapping of some federal government agencies to reduce Nigeria's over-bloated recurrent expenditure and ultimately the cost of governance. It recommended a reduction in the number of statutory agencies from 263 to 161, while advocating for the merger of some agencies. Minister of finance, budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed, has disclosed that the president will be implementing the recommendations. She made the comment when she appeared on a programme on Channels Television. Ahmed said the federal government had started to address the issue of high costs of governance by implementing the report. Her words:  “The president has approved that this administration should implement the recommendations of the Oransaye report. “So, the Orans

The Senate has agreed to give an accelerated approval to  President Muhammadu Buhari’s  request to raise a fresh loan of N850bn from the domestic capital market to fund projects in the 2020 budget. The approval was given soon after the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan read a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking for the approval to go for fresh loan of N850 Billion from the Domestic Capital Market. The upper chamber also mandated it’s Finance and Appropriation Committees to liaise with the Finance Minister to obtain more details of the loan request.

The President, Muhammadu Buhari addressed the nation on Monday 27th April from the State house, Abuja regarding the current covid-19 lockdown in the country. The full speech: 1. Fellow Nigerians 2. I will start by commending you all for the resilience and patriotism that you have shown in our collective fight against the biggest health challenge of our generation. 3. As at yesterday, 26th April 2020, some three million confirmed cases of COVID nineteen have been recorded globally with about nine hundred thousand recoveries. Unfortunately, some two hundred thousand people have also passed away as a result of this pandemic. 4. The health systems and economies of many nations continue to struggle as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 5. Nigeria continues to adopt and adapt to these new global realities on a daily basis. This evening, I will present the facts as they are and explain our plans for the coming month knowing that some key variables and assumptions may cha

The  Kaduna State  government has extended the quarantine order in the state by 30 days. This was confirmed in a statement released by Governor  Nasir El-Rufai’s  spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye. The Kaduna State Governor stated that only Wednesdays will be lockdown-free until the trajectory of Coronavirus infections becomes clearer. Residents of the state have been directed to wear facemasks and observe social distancing everywhere they go. While public gatherings have been prohibited in the state, the only category of persons exempted are workers in essential services such as health workers, the fire service, water corporation, electricity distribution, and security personnel.

Minister of State in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT),  Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, says palliatives for residents cannot be diverted by anyone but would get to residents. The minister had last week placed a curse on any individual who would attempt to steal any of the items from the palliatives. According to her, since the distribution began a week ago, there has been no diversion of any of the items in the Federal Capital Territory as alleged in some quarters. Aliyu made the clarification on Saturday during the inspection of 50, 000 bags of rice and other food items meant for distribution across the 10 Wards of Gwagwalada Area Council of the Territory. “I will be very clear with you, it is not possible with this team. I want to put it to you that the composition of this team is so strong across the 62 Wards of the six Area Councils of the territory. It is not possible for all of them to unite with 10 representatives each from all security agencies, civil society, Christ

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to scale down the total lockdown imposed in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja. This was contained in a letter dated April 24, 2020 and signed by NGF chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State. The letter was addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha. The Governors have asked Buhari to allow free movement in all the states, but with restrictions on large gatherings. The other things the governors want incorporated into President Buhari’s impending pronouncement on the lockdown are: “Inter-state lockdown, excluding movement of essential supplies- food, beverages, medical and pharmaceutical, petroleum supplies and agricultural products; internal free movement but with restrictions on large gatherings and assemblies; overnight curfews; lockdown of flights; and compulsory use of face masks/coverings in the public.” Fayemi said NGF

The  Sultan of Sokoto,  President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA),  Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar  has announced that Ramadan will start on Friday, April 24th. Abubakar made the announcement on Thursday, April 23, after confirming that the new moon had been sighted. Following the coronavirus pandemic, Muslims across the country will not be able to perform the special evening prayers, known as the taraweeh.Muslims have been asked to pray in their homes. Ramadan which is regarded as a holy month is the period when Muslims observe fasting and prayers.

Chairman of the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has announced the arrest of a Lebanese man, Wael Jerro who put a Nigerian girl for sale. The man had taken to his Facebook page to announce that he has a 30-year-old Nigerian girl for sale. He further stated that the girl had the required documents to work. The post sparked outrage among Nigerians on Social media, and called on Mrs Dabiri-Erewa to take action. It appears that actions have been taken and the culprit has now been arrested. She disclosed this via her Twitter handle earlier today Breaking news on Trafficked Nigerian girl for sale on Facebook by a Lebanese !The Lebenese Government just announced the arrest of Mr. WAEL JERRO for onward prosecution against criminal sales of a human, a young Nigerian girl — Abike Dabiri-Erewa (@abikedabiri) April 23, 2020

Muslims gear up to begin the Ramadan fasting in the next coming days, the sultan of Sokoto and of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has ordered that there would not be public lectures as well as congregation prayers. The instruction was re-stated by Bashir Ahmad, a presidential aide via his official Twitter handle yesterday. He said: As Muslims begin #Ramadan fasting this week, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared that, there will be no Ramadan lecture sessions and congregation prayers in Mosques. As Muslims begin #Ramadan fasting this week, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared that, there will be no Ramadan lecture sessions and congregation prayers in Mosques. — Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) April 20, 2020

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, has said Nigeria did not benefit from the recent debt relief by the International Monetary Fund because the country is not indebted to the IMF. In a tweet on Thursday, she said, “It is true Nigeria is not a beneficiary of recent IMF debt relief for 25 countries. As stated in IMF Executive Board statement, the relief ‘provides grants to our poorest and most vulnerable members to cover their IMF debt obligations for an initial phase over the next six months’. “Since Nigeria is not indebted to the IMF, there is no outstanding debt obligation to be forgiven. Nigeria’s application for new IMF financing is under consideration and receiving attention.” According to the minister, the new application is for financing under the Rapid Financing Initiative. “Nigeria is entitled to access up to 100 per cent of its quota under the Rapid Financing Initiative. Our current financial position at the IMF is public infor

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said that his administration has not forgotten the remaining schoolgirls still being held in captivity and that they are still a priority. The schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents from Chibok community, Borno State, in April, 2014. He expressed optimism that the remaining schoolgirls will still regain their freedom. In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari, said security and intelligence networks in the country were not resting on the task of rescuing the girls. The President extended his good wishes to the people of Chibok community, who held prayers and thanksgiving services to mark the sixth year memorial of the kidnap, however, regretted that the government was unable to make representation in this year’s memorial, owing to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and restriction on movements. The statement reads:  “President Muhammadu Buhari extends his g

With the two-weeks presidential lockdown order coming to an end and the coronavirus continues to spread to more states in the country, Nigerians are yet to know if the lockdown will be extended or not. President Muhammadu Buhari had on Saturday issued a statement to the public through its Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu,  which has left many Nigerians wondering if the lockdown on Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states has now become indefinite as the president was not specific but rather said the lockdown will last as long as necessary if recommended by medical experts. The statement: I wholeheartedly thank all Nigerians for your patience, resolve and strong determination to defeat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. We realize that today, there will be sons and daughters unable to visit their parents, and elders that are isolated from young ones. And there will be those who live day-to-day, eating as they earn, who face real and present sufferi

As Nigerians continue to stay at home following the total lockdown imposed on Lagos, Ogun and Abuja over the coronavirus pandemic, vice president Yemi Osinbajo has stated that President Muhammadu  Buhari  is very much concerned about the daily survival of Nigerians among other issues associated with the lockdown. He made this known on NTA news shortly after meeting with Buhari. “What we are concerned about is how to ensure that the economy remains stable, that jobs are protected and if possible, more jobs are created,” he said. “We are very concerned about that and the President has expressed very serious concerns about the problems that may be associated with the lockdown. “Many of our people work for a daily wage, they have to go out to work, so we have to think in terms of how to ensure that we are able to give them some succour during the period when they are not able to work. “Some of those issues are the issues Mr President wanted me to discuss fully with him.

With a death toll constantly on the rise, the novel coronavirus covid-19 has claimed the life of thousands in its wake. Here are some of the notably deceased: Suleiman Achimugu, ex-PPMC boss, 67 Suleiman Achimugu, an engineer and former PPMC MD was Nigeria’s first coronavirus fatality. His family said Achimugu returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom two weeks prior to showing symptoms of the virus. Christogonus Osuagwu, hotelier Christogonus Osuagwu was the owner of Fancy Hotel, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. He was said to have arrived the country from South Africa via Abuja. He visited Owerri, where he fell sick. Later, he returned to Abuja where he was said to have died of complications arising from the infection. Alfa Sa’adu, medical doctor, 68 Alfa Suda, a prominent Nigerian doctor in the United Kingdom, lost his life to the novel coronavirus after treating many patients suffering from the disease on March 31. Dr Saadu’s death was mourned by the Niger