Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

A bill to establish the Federal Institute of Entrepreneurship and Technical Skills Development in Osisioma, Abia State, sponsored by Senator Austin Akobundu, has passed its First Reading in the Senate. This bill is part of Senator Austin Akobundu’s legislative mission to harness the unique advantages of the Abia Central Senatorial District. It aims to enhance the entrepreneurial and technical skills of the people in Osisioma LGA and the nearby city of Aba. A statement by his Media aide Chief Jude Ndukwe, revealed that Senator Akobundu has previously sponsored bills for the establishment of the National Sports University in Nsulu, the…

Residents of Damaturu were thrown into chaos following an early Tuesday fire that ravaged a market popularly known as the “Bayan Tasha” market, in Damaturu, Yobe State capital. Report says that property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the inferno. The quick response of the fire service helped to contain the situation before it spread to nearby residential areas The distress call about the fire, coupled with the prompt intervention of the firefighters, helped prevent further damage. The call was made just as the fire was beginning, allowing them to respond swiftly. During a visit to the market, our…

The Senate on Tuesday at plenary confirmed the appointment of Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede as the substantive Chief of Army Staff (COAS). The confirmation followed adoption of the Committee on Army’s report on the Oluyede screening. The report was presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Abdulaziz Yar’adua (APC-Katsina). Yar’adua said the committee was impressed with the high level of understanding, achievements, and excellence stated in the credentials of the nominee. He said the nomination of Oluyede is in line with Section 217, Subsection 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended. He also said…

The House of Representatives at the plenary on Tuesday urged President Bola Tinubu to mandate the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun to ensure that all frozen accounts of the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) are unfrozen within 72 hours to enable the smooth recommencement of all programmes and the release of funds to NSIPA for the payment of outstanding stipends owed to 395,731 N-Power beneficiaries nationwide. The House also urged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to ensure that all the administrative bottlenecks hindering the smooth operations of all programmes…

The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has declared as null and void the purported suspension of the federal Lawmaker representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Awaji-Inombek Abiante from the Peoples Democratic Party. Abiante, an ally of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and representative of the Governor’s Federal Constituency, was allegedly suspended in May by a parallel PDP Ward Caretaker Executive loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike in his Ward 1, Ngo, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. The factional caretaker executive led by its chairman, Dike Bara and 13 others, had announced…

The Chairman of the Tax Reform Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has debunked speculations that President Bola Tinubu is trying to use consultants to collect revenues for the Federal Government with the proposed Tax Reform Bills. When asked whether the President is trying to empower a consultant to collect revenues like he did in Lagos State with Alpha Beta during Channels Television’s Townhall on Tax Reform Bills on Monday, Oyedele Answered in the negative. “The answer is no, in fact we had interesting debate at the committee level, and we wanted to put a language in the law that says no government…

President Bola Tinubu has said that Nigerians lived fake lives before the petrol subsidy removal in 2023. Tinubu stated this while speaking at the 34th and 35th combined convocation ceremonies of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in Ondo state on Saturday. According to the president, the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of exchange rates was necessary to save Nigeria from the brink of collapse. Represented by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof Wahab Egbewole, Tinubu disclosed that his administration took decisive action to avert economic disaster and secure the future of Nigerians.…

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has chided the lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial district, Senator Ali Ndume over the latter’s consistent criticism of the President Bola Tinubu’s government. Dogara spoke on Monday at Channels TV’s Town Hall meeting on the controversial Tax Reform Bills introduced by the executive. DAILY POST reports that Ndume and other northern stakeholders, including governors have been vocal against the tax bills. Senator Ndume had in an interview on Channels TV launched an attack on some of his detractors who call him ignorant, saying he schooled in Nigeria and America. Wondering…

Abia pensioners have appealed to Governor Alex Otti to take a second look at the issue of arrears of gratuity of Abia retirees and rescind his decision on it as agreed by the leadership of the Abia State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) The pensioners noted that though these arrears were not incurred by the present government, they want him to extend his compassionate intervention by clearing them like he has done on salary arrears. They said they would not mind if the Governor clears the arrears of gratuity in instalments. Briefing the press in Umuahia, the…

The Presidency has dispelled concerns about the speed of coming up with the Tax Reform Bills, emphasising the extensive efforts that have gone into the process. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, highlighted on Monday via X that the reforms are the result of contributions from over 80 professionals over a 14-month period, warning that any delay in their passage could mirror the protracted 20-year legislative journey of the Petroleum Industry Bill. According to Ajayi, postponing the tax reforms would be a costly mistake the nation cannot afford. “It is very disingenuous to say…