Tinubu okays N108b for states to tackle flooding, erosion (Nation)
President Bola Tinubu has approved N108 billion for the states to combat natural disasters.
Each state is entitled to N3 billion.
This is coming on the heels of massive flooding ravaging states in the North. Read more
Lagos council inaugurates newly built, tuition-free nursery, primary school (Vanguard)
The management of Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area, LCDA, has commissioned a newly constructed Lagos Island East Montessori Nursery and Primary School five years after it collapsed.
The incident occurred at a period when the State witnessed a significant increase in building collapse that resulted in the loss of lives and livelihoods, as well as the displacement of families on Lagos Island.
One such incident was the building collapse at Ita-Faji area of Lagos where pupils lost their lives, many were injured, and rescued as the building housing Ohen Primary School collapsed in Ita-Faji Lagos Island. Read more
Kano confirms 49 dead, 226 communities affected (Sun)
The Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has confirmed 49 persons killed and 226 communities affected by flood and windstorm in 27 Local Government Areas of the state from January, 2024 till date.
The Executive Secretary of SEMA, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi-Kubarachi, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing newsmen in Kano.
He recalled that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) had earlier predicted high risk of flooding in 14 local government areas of the state. Read more
LAGESC destroys N5m worth of seized styrofoam packs in Lagos (Independent)
As part of intensified efforts undertaken by the Lagos State Government against the sales, usage and distribution of banned Styrofoam and single-use plastics in the State, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly known as KAI destroyed N5m worth of Styrofoam packs seized across various locations in the State in the past month.
The destruction was carried out in the Epe area of the State by the Agency in conjunction with Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) officials.
Speaking at the venue of the destruction, the Corps Marshal of the Agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd) said: ‘‘the State Government has declared zero tolerance on the sales, usage and distribution of Styrofoam packs in the State and there is no going back on this resolve as we are more than committed’’. Read more
Prophet Ikuru condemns NAFDAC over comments on ‘miracle’ products (Tribune)
The Founder of the Jehovah Eye Salvation Ministry, Prophet Godwin Ikuru, has condemned the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over claim that Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fefeyin of Mercyland Deliverance Ministry is not real and that he was only using the agency’s name to deceive Nigerians, concerning his miracle water and soap.
Prophet Ikuru gave this condemnation on Wednesday in a release, copy of which he made available to newsmen in Lagos, describing such attack as insulting, denigrating, derogatory and totally unacceptable, to the body of Christ, even as he quickly demanded an apology from NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye for the insult.
Ikuru vowed that failure to offer the apology, would make him “to lead a protest of men of God” against the NAFDAC boss across the 36 states. Read more
Why FG’s dollar bond was oversubscribed by $400m – Experts (DailyTrust)
Experts yesterday attributed the oversubscription recorded in the first dollar-denominated domestic bond to the attractive yields of the $500m bond just as they called for judicious utilisation of the proceeds in critical sectors that would reflate the economy.
Daily Trust reports that the bond recorded a subscription of $900 million, as against the initial target of $500 million, being the first tranche of the $2 billion bond registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, had unveiled the outcome of the bond, saying the oversubscription “demonstrates that investors, as well as Nigerians, continue to have faith in the country’s economy.” Read more
LASU don charts way for national transport (Nation)
A Professor of Transport and Logistics at Lagos State University (LASU), Samuel Odewumi, has underscored the importance of overhauling all modes of transportation, giving adequate attention to management of road transportation and implementing a robust transportation policy to boost the economy.
Prof. Odewumi delivered the 99th inaugural lecture of LASU on campus in Ojo. It was entitled: “Walking our way back to the garden of Eden: Envisioning a model of the complete metamorphosis of the urban transportation system trajectory.”
According to him, Nigeria’s transportation system is disjointed, hence, road and rail management, inland and international waters, the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which serves as pipeline, and the Ministry of Works (road construction) should all have been under Ministry of Transportation, while an overall minister supervises activities, with a minister of state as head each of the other units. Read more
House of Reps to reconvene September 24 (NewTelegraph)
The House of Representatives is to resume its annual recess on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 11:00 am.
This follows a rescheduling from the original date of September 17, 2024, as communicated to honourable members via an internal memo by the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Danzaria on Wednesday, on the directive of the House leadership.
A statement by the chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs said during the recess, honourable members engaged extensively in constituency outreach across the country, addressing critical issues of concern to constituents, and deepening oversight of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), in accordance with functions spelt out in the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and the House Standing Orders. Read more
Kate Garraway dedicates National Television Award to late husband Derek Draper (Standard)
Kate Garraway has dedicated her National Television Award (NTA) to her late husband Derek Draper, calling for more support for carers as she collected her gong.
She completed a hat-trick in the best authored documentary category, winning on Wednesday evening for Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story, which followed the final year of Draper’s life before he died in January aged 56 after a lengthy battle with the long-term effects of Covid.
It followed on from two other programmes about his battle with Covid and her struggles navigating the care system, which picked up NTA gongs in the category in 2021 and 2022. Read more
Harris and Trump shake hands at 9/11 memorial (DW)
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump stood together on Wednesday in New York City during a memorial to mark the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The two presidential hopefuls shook hands in what was the second time they had seen each other in public.
It was a solemn display of unity, which came after Harris and Trump met on the debate stage the previous evening.
US President Joe Biden attended the 9/11 ceremony along with Harris and Republican vice presidential candidate J.D Vance also in attendance. Read more
Justin Timberlake secures plea deal after DWI arrest (MusicNews)
Justin Timberlake has secured a plea deal over his New York DWI arrest which shocked fans in June.
The 43-year-old was pulled over by police in Sag Harbor for driving while intoxicated on 18 June – and the young officer who read him his rights had no idea who he was.
While he was initially charged with one count of DWI, and issued with citations for running a stop sign and for failing to stay in his lane, a new plea deal will change how he is charged.
According to TMZ, the singer’s legal team were able to change his offence to a traffic violation – meaning he will now avoid drunk driving charges. Read more
New lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs alleges abuse (BBC)
American rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is facing a new lawsuit alleging abuse and exploitation from a former contestant of his MTV show, Making the Band.
Singer Dawn Richard filed a complaint on Tuesday in the Southern District of New York against Combs and others associated with him.
The complaint alleges Combs mistreated women, was physically abusive and withheld Richard’s earnings.
Combs’ lawyer Erica Wolff said the rapper was “shocked and disappointed” by the lawsuit and called Richard’s claims “manufactured” and “false”. Read more
US actor who voiced Master Splinter in original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series dies (Sky)
US voice actor Peter Renaday, best known for his role as Master Splinter in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, has died aged 89.
His former Ninja Turtles castmate Townsend Coleman, who voiced Michelangelo in the show, confirmed the news in a post on the X social media platform on Tuesday.
Renaday voiced Master Splinter, a wise and stoic mutant rat who was the turtles’ adoptive half-father and martial arts teacher, between 1987 and 1996. Read more
Churchill portrait stolen from Canada hotel found 2 years later in Italy (CBS)
A portrait of Sir Winston Churchill hung on the walls of the famed Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Canada, for years — but in 2022 it was discovered the iconic photo had been replaced with a copy.
More than two years later, Ottawa Police have found the photograph in Italy and said the buyer is planning to hand it back over to Canada during a ceremony in Rome.
A hotel worker discovered something was amiss with the portrait, named “The Roaring Lion,” in August 2022. He noticed the frame of the print did not match the others, the Smithsonian reported, so the hotel called photographer Yousuf Karsh’s manager. The manager said he took one look at the signature on the replacement photo and knew it was a copy. Read more
BBC chairman admits Huw Edwards “damaged” reputation of corporation as update given on salary (Mirror)
BBC chairman Samir Shah has admitted that disgraced former newsreader Huw Edwards “damaged” the reputation of the corporation.
Director-general Tim Davie and Mr Shah were questioned before the House of Lords’ Communications and Digital Committee on their future strategy, as well as the broadcaster’s funding model amid a decline in licence fee payers.
Mr Davie also gave an update on recovering an estimated £200,000 in pay from disgraced former newsreader Edwards. He admitted: “We’ve made the formal request, and I can’t go into too much detail, but discussions are underway, but I’ve got no further news, apart from the BBC’s position is clear, the money should be returned, and we made the request.” Read more
CAF CL: Rangers ready for Esperanca, boasts Onyebuchi (Punch)
Enugu Rangers defender, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, says the Nigerian champions are positive heading into Friday’s CAF Champions League Second Preliminary Round first leg against G.D. Sagrada Esperanca of Angola at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
Giving the assurance in a chat with the club’s media, Onyebuchi agreed that the match will be tough, given the visitor’s 4-0 aggregate thrashing of St Louis Suns United of Seychelles in the first round. Read more
Mbappé rejects mediation in $60m PSG pay feud (ESPN)
Kylian Mbappé is not ready to compromise with Paris Saint-Germain.
The France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the French soccer league’s legal commission on Wednesday in his dispute with his former club over wages and bonuses.
Mbappé’s representatives met with PSG officials in Paris after the France superstar asked the commission to get involved. Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid this summer on a free transfer, says PSG owes him €55 million (around $60 million). Read more
Kyle Walker snubs Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden as England star names his greatest Man City team-mate (DailyMail)
Kyle Walker gave a surprise answer when asked to name the best player he has played with at Manchester City.
Walker has been at City since 2017 and has racked up over 300 appearances for the club.
The defender currently plays with an array of stars including Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden.
However, Walker instead elected a former team-mate as the best City player he has played alongside. Read more
Alcaraz lifts Spain to winning start in Davis Cup (RTHK)
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz returned to action after his shock US Open loss to help his country get off to a winning start in the Davis Cup on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old French Open and Wimbledon winner was knocked out of the Flushing Meadows Grand Slam in the second round last month.
With time on his hands he made an impromptu trip to Monza to watch the Formula One Italian Grand Prix then was back on court in Valencia as Spain opened their group stage finals campaign against the Czech Republic. Read more
Rahm wants Ryder Cup spot but won’t pay fines (BBC)
Jon Rahm says he has no intention of paying his outstanding DP World Tour fines as the row over his Ryder Cup eligibility rumbles on.
The Spaniard was a pivotal figure in Rome last year as Europe regained the trophy.
But Rahm’s involvement in next year’s contest against the United States in New York remains in doubt because of his move to LIV Golf.
He was fined for playing Saudi-funded LIV tournaments which conflicted with DP World Tour events, without requesting permission from the European-based tour. Read more
Stockport coach heartbreakingly denied dream move to join Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid (Mirror)
Stockport County’s Andy Mangan has been prevented from joining Carlo Ancelotti’s coaching staff at Real Madrid.
Mangan joined Stockport earlier this year, but looked set to make the move to Madrid after an approach from the La Liga giants. The 38-year-old, who played as a striker for the likes of Accrington Stanley, Wrexham and Fleetwood, earned his UEFA Pro License alongside Ancelotti’s son Davide.
Davide is Ancelotti’s assistant and has worked with his father at previous clubs Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton. However, the Times are reporting that the move is now off after Mangan was denied a work permit due to Brexit regulations. Read more