Author: Saint Augustine

The Management of African Steel Limited has debunked some recent media reports of a purported shut down of its Ikorodu Steel Factory by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON for standards infractions, describing them as untrue. A statement from African Steel Limited Management attributed the report to the handiwork of some competitors who thrive in gaining advantage through unfair business practices. According to the statement, signed by Ravi Sharma, a Director in the company, officials of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON recently visited the premises of African Steel, Ikorodu in the course of their regulatory oversight, took inventory of…

The Federal Government of Nigeria has concluded plans to officially commission the much anticipated Funtua Inland Dry Port on Thursday, 9th May, 2024 in Katsina State. The Funtua Inland Dry Port will be commissioned by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR at Funtua IDP Project Site, Katsina State. by 11: 00 a.m. prompt. The Commissioning ceremony will feature key dignitaries, government officials and industry stakeholders. This significant milestone, marks a pivotal moment of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s commitment in facilitating trade in Nigeria. It is also in line with the performance bond signed by the Honourable Minister of Marine…

Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, Founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP has appealed to the Nigerian media to stop referring to him as leader of a faction of the party. Aniebonam in a statement on Monday in Lagos said, “the media in-particular should please do me a favour and stop referring to me as a leader of a faction in NNPP. “I am the founder and father of the NNPP since 2002 till date and it is not in contest. I still hold the certificate of registration of the party. “A faction going by dictionary definition is a small group…

…As FIRS hosts ATAF Council meeting in Lagos Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Zacch Adedeji has challenged tax administrators in Africa to look inwards for local solutions to challenges of the continent rather than turning to the Western world for salvation. Adedeji, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Dare Adekanmbi, spoke at a three-day Council meeting of African Tax Administration Forum, ATAF hosted by FIRS and held in Lagos. Headquartered in Pretoria, South Africa, ATAF is an international organisation established in 2009 to provide a common platform for African tax administrators to build…

The International Organization for Migration, IOM, today launched the World Migration Report 2024, which reveals significant shifts in global migration patterns, including a record number of displaced people and a major increase in international remittances. IOM Director General, Amy Pope formally released the report in Bangladesh, which stands at the forefront of migration challenges, including emigration, immigration and displacement. “The World Migration Report 2024 helps demystify the complexity of human mobility through evidence-based data and analysis,” IOM Director General, Amy Pope said at the launch. “In a world grappling with uncertainty, understanding migration dynamics is essential for informed decision-making and…

By Suleiman Bala Bakori Boxes have a multitude of uses, and the word “box”, lends itself to diverse contexts. For “Ajala Travelers,” the box is a necessity for keeping goods for their endless journeys. In literature, idiomatically, it can be said that “one has been boxed into a corner” another might say to deal with a conundrum: “think outside the box;” then there is the “Pandora’s box” that no one wants opened. To “box one’s ear’s” refers to a hit on the head, especially around one’s ears. For those who celebrate Christmas, “Boxing Day,” which is the 26th of December,…

…Declares him Persona non grata The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF has said that it has expelled and declared a former Secretary General of the association, Mr. Dipo Olayoku a Persona non grata following his role in the crisis currently rocking the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP. Mr. Dipo Olayoku, a former Media Consultant and later, former National Secretary of NAGAFF was seconded to represent NAGAFF at the National Working Committee, NWC of NNPP in the build up to the 2023 general elections. A statement signed by the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of NAGAFF, Mr. Chidiebere…

…Says story handiwork of opposition to undermine peace, security The Anambra State Government has described as untrue and totally false, a recent trending story of abduction and rape which allegedly occurred in Ukwulu, a town in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the State. The State Government in a statement by Mr. Christian Aburime, Press Secretary to the Governor and made available to our correspondent on Tuesday recalled that in recent time, the state government had observed that certain individuals, motivated by political agenda, had persisted in spreading false and baseless stories in an attempt to undermine the peace and security…

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON has maintained lead in the efficiency and transparency compliance ranking scale released by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC. In a report released on Monday, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB and the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC emerged as the overall top-performing agencies. The report had all the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of the Federal Government in Nigeria ranked on the basis of transparency and efficiency compliance, which assesses their ability to provide, cost-effective, timely and customer-friendly services. NCDMB and SON were ranked first and second respectively…

By Khalid Ibn Abubakar Political power play, power game as well as high political interests aggregation, are normal variables that define partisan politics. However, when these correlates are stretched beyond certain limits, there may be the likelihood of ushering in very dangerous instinctual reactions that have huge capacity for destabilizing the polity. For all followers of the politics of Kano, Northwest Nigeria, particularly between May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007, there is a tie-back to the historical precedence of the joint electoral victory between Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as then governor-elect and Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, PhD, as deputy…