December 28, 2018
Ambode asks health workers to inspire confidence in public hospitals (Punch)
The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has called on health workers in the state to strive to increase public confidence in the state-owned health care facilities.
While pledging that government would continue to invest in health facilities, the governor urged health workers to surpass the expectation of the public by keeping faith with their professional oath and ethics.
Ambode, according to a statement on Thursday, spoke through the Chairman of the Lagos State Health Service Commission, Dr. Adebayo Aderiye, at the Alimosho General Hospital. Read more
Police keep vigil at Ojota park after bloody clash (Vanguard)
Anti-riot policemen and an Armoured Personal Carrier have been stationed to restore peace at Ojota Motor Park in Lagos following bloody clash by transport union members on Thursday evening. Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, CP Imohimi Edgal Sources told newsmen that a suspended factional leader of a transport Union allegedly attacked the motorpark with hoodlums on Thursday to reclaim the facility.
Newsmen gathered that there was a free for all as members loyal to the leadership of the park tried to defend the venue from the intruders with machetes, bottles and other weapons. Read more
Lagos seeks media collaboration against fake news (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has solicited the support of community media practitioners to wage a war against fake news in the social media.
The Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Community and Communications, Akeem Sulaimon, made the appeal during at a two-day workshop for community media practitioners on Victoria Island.
Sulaimon decried the negative impact of fake news in the country and Lagos, saying that all hands must be on deck to check it. Read more
Transport union members clash at Ojota park (Punch)
Anti-riot policemen and an Armoured Personnel Carrier have been stationed to restore peace at Ojota Motor Park in Lagos following bloody clash by transport union members on Thursday evening.
Sources told the News Agency of Nigeria that a suspended factional leader of a transport Union allegedly attacked the motorpark with hoodlums on Thursday to reclaim the facility.
NAN gathered that there was a free-for-all as members loyal to the leadership of the park tried to defend the park from the intruders with machetes, bottles and other weapons. Read more
President Buhari is incompetent, rewards failure – Oby Ezekwesili (Vanguard)
Former Minister of Education and presidential candidate of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as incompetent and that he rewards incompetency by keeping his incompetent appointees in office. She made the remarks in Calabar on Friday while speaking with journalists on why she is running for the office of president. Read more
Fayose blasts Buhari for flagging off campaign in Akwa Ibom (Independent)
Immediate Past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has faulted the decision of the All Progressives Congress to kick-off its campaign in Akwa Ibom State.
He said this in his twitter handle on Thursday.
He said that Buhari should have flagged off his campaign in areas where there are killings. Read more
APC bread, Buhari water melon, mineral, milk on sale in Uyo as APC flag-off national campaign (Vanguard)
The Godswill Akpabio International stadium Uyo, is already filled to the brim moments before the flag-off of the APC National Campaign for the 2019 elections.
The stadium was decorated with posters with inscriptions “Buhari and Ekere Together We prosper’’; Next Level 2019 Buhari and Ekere’’; Yes to Buhari and Ekere; Sen. Owan Eno for 2019 in Cross River State; and `Ete Amedio’ (Papa Welcome)’’. Read more
Dangote, Otedola named as APC presidential campaign council advisers (Guardian)
Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Friday released the names of members of its Presidential Campaign Council for the 2019 general elections.
In a statement signed by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the party named two Nigeria’s business tycoons, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola, as part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s seven-man special advisory committee. Read more
Python now to dance nationwide – Army (Vanguard)
The Nigerian Army says it will conduct exercise “Egwu Eke III’’ – Python dance nationwide, to tackle already “observed upsurge’’ in security challenges as the 2019 general elections draw nearer.
Soldiers According to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, who announced this at a news conference on Friday in Maiduguri, the exercise will be conducted from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28, 2019. Read more
Baga not under Boko Haram’s control, say Army (ThisDay)
The Nigerian Army on Friday declared that it never lost control of Baga town in northern Borno, as against reports that Boko Haram insurgents overran the area.
Maj.-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, the Chief of Training and Operations made the clarifications in Maiduguri while fielding questions shortly after unveiling new military operations in the northeast. He spoke on behalf of Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff.
Adeosun said that the gallant troops successfully repelled the insurgents’ attack and secured Baga and its environs. Read more
Publish your shareholders, Shehu Sani tells Etisalat, Keystone Bank (Punch)
The Peoples Redemption Party member representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has challenged the management of the communications giant, Etisalat, and Keystone bank to publish the list of their shareholders without further delay.
The senator through his verified Twitter handle on Friday said such action by the management of the two organisations would put a stop to the controversies surrounding their ownership. Read more
More trouble for Gana as Falae shuns campaign organisation’s unveiling (Sun)
The political imbroglio besetting the Social Democratic Party (SDP), seems to be getting worst, as its National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, has declined to take part in the unveiling of Prof. Jerry Gana’s presidential campaign organisation ahead of next year’s elections.
Gana had sought the leave of the national chairman to unveil the vision and programme of his presidential campaign and, invited him as chief host at both the event on December 29, and at the summit of stakeholders slated for January 5. Read more
Baro Port Dredging is 85% Completed, Says Niger Commissioner (ThisDay)
The dredging of the Baro Port in Niger State, which was started by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, is now 85 per cent completed.
The Niger State Commissioner for Transport, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Panti,who disclosed this while briefing newsmen Friday, said finishing touches were already being put to the work ahead of its planned inauguration early next year by President Muhammadu Buhari. Read more
Nigeria grows teledensity by 19.1% in one year (Guardian)
Telephone density in Nigeria hit 120 per cent in November, increasing by 2.76 per cent from October.However, The Guardian checks showed that from November 2017 and 2018, teledensity grew by 19.13 per cent.
Specifically, the figure was 101.6 per cent in November 2017 and grew to 120.79 per cent last month. Teledensity is the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area. It varies widely across the nations and also between urban and rural areas within a country. Read more
Police invade Senator Melaye’s Abuja residence (ThisDay)
Scores of armed policemen have stormed the Maitama, Abuja residence of a member of the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye.
The invasion of the residence of the Senator representing Kogi West located at 11 Sangha street, off Mississippi, Maitama, took place some minutes after 1pm on Friday.
Presently, Sangha street where his house is located has been cordoned off by security operatives. Read more
Expert urges govts to improve policy on child rape (Independent)
A Child Protection Specialist, Mr Olakunle Sanni, on Friday urged the three tiers of government to improve policy on child rape and provide special education centres for rape victims.
Sanni, who works with the Child Protection Network in Ogun, said that provision of education centres would empower any rape victims to break the culture of silence.
According to him, children, parents, governments, non-governmental organisations and individuals have a lot of responsibility to keep and protect girl-child from any form of rape. Read more
2019: Remain calm, loyal, Falae tells party members (Tribune)
As controversy continues to trail the presidential candidacy of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following a court order restraining Donald Duke from parading himself as the presidential candidate of the party, National Chairman of the party, Chief Olu Falae has called on the members to remain loyal and calm as efforts are on to resolve the logjam.
A press release from the party made available to Journalists in Bauchi signed by Chief Olu Falae contained that called on all the leadership of the party not to attend the event put in place by Professor Jerry Gana to unveil his presidential campaign vision. Read more
‘Nigeria is the only producer of high-voltage cables in West Africa’ (Guardian)
In the whole of West Africa, Nigeria is the only producer of high-voltage cables and the sixth country to adopt the technology in the Africa. The Managing Director, Coleman Wires and Cables Limited, George Onafowokan, said this in an interview on Wednesday.
He attributed its growth in the sector to many factors, including: strategic planning, commitment, perseverance, training, skilled workforce, Nigerian Content Act and support of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). Read more
UNEP petitioned over activities of HYREP, Shell in Ogoniland (Sun)
Diaspora groups, the National Union of Ogoni Student International and Ogoni Lives Matter INTL have petitioned the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) on the activities of Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) and Shell Petroleum in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
The petition titled: ‘Withdraw Support with HYPREP/Shell’s Remediation Hoax in Ogoni. Re-recommend a Capable International Company’ was dated December 10, 2018. Read more
Salah’s Liverpool face Arsenal, Man City tests in race for title (Vanguard)
Halfway towards ending a 29-year wait to win the Premier League, the next seven days will test Liverpool’s title credentials to the fullest, starting with Arsenal’s visit to Anfield on Saturday.
Then on January 3, they visit Manchester City for another crunch match, that has the makings of a title decider. Liverpool, however, have an advantage, as they have margin for error with a six-point lead at the top of the table. Read more
Cilic pulls out of Maharashtra Open (Punch)
Former US Open champion Marin Cilic of Croatia on Friday pulled out of next week’s Maharashtra ATP tournament to recuperate from a knee injury in time for the Australian Open.
The 30-year-old world number seven led Croatia to a Davis Cup final victory over France last month and was to be a key crowd puller at the season-opening ATP event in the west Indian city of Pune starting on Monday. Read more