Author: admin@theprimetimes

Borno State government has said that failure of the kinetic approach in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency and desire to achieve genuine integration of both victims and former terrorists compelled it to understudy the Rwanda model. It said that what is currently described as Borno model in addressing the challenges of rehabilitating victims and repented insurgents was a child of necessity, stressing that if the military cannot crush the terrorists, the use of non-kinetics method becomes necessary. In separate interactions with The Guardian, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo and Special Adviser to Governor Babagana Zulum…

• African citizens seek action on corruption, unemployment • U.S. plans to commit $55b to Africa over three years • Defence chief warns China, Russia on ‘destabilising’ Africa Amid emerging new scramble for Africa, especially from China and Russia, the much anticipated three-day United States-Africa Leaders Summit, which is exploring collaboration on economic engagement, democracy and climate change, kicked off, yesterday, in Washington DC, with 45 of the 49 invited African heads of government. Of the invited, only South Africa, Zimbabwe, South Sudan and The Gambia were represented by their Ministers of Foreign Affairs. At press time, last night, President…

After many months of poor output, Nigeria, last month, ramped up production, albeit marginally, by 171,000 barrels according to OPEC data, even though the cartel’s crude oil production in November, fell by an average of 744,000 barrels per day. Also, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) yesterday, left its key projections for oil supply and demand unchanged in its latest Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR). Saudi Arabia’s November production fell by the most among its members, by 404,000 bpd, to 10.474 million bpd—Saudi Arabia’s lowest monthly average since May 2022. Other significant production decreases were realised by the…

The Presidential candidates of both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar were absent as the Labour Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso joined others contesting for the position in 2023 to sign an agreement with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country on inclusive government. The event put together by Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), Youth Hub Africa (YHA) and Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) the organisers said was a consolidated agenda to be used as an advocacy tool…

The Federal Government in collaboration with United Nations Habitat have concluded arrangements to carry out a comprehensive review of 2012 National Urban Development Policy (NUDP), to boost the built environment after a decade of operation. Besides, they stated that the direction and pattern of growth and development of urban centres in Nigeria have become a matter of serious concern because of lack of planning and impunity/violation of extant regulations by developers in urban areas. Speaking at the National Validation Workshop in Abuja, the Minister of State Work and Housing, Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub stated that this is intended to revolutionise Nigeria’s…

Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) has implored the Federal Government to consider a full deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector in phases. Its Chairman, Mr Oluwole Adeosun, made the call at a web training for energy journalists Monday in Lagos. Adeosun said that the development was necessary to cushion the effects of the impact of the sharp rise in fuel prices on the hardworking citizens of Nigeria. He said his members eschew cutting corners in the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country. Adeosun also said that MOMAN would continue to work with other key stakeholders, to ensure that…

• Investors’ fortune rises by N333b as analysts predict brighter outlook With the yuletide season and year-end celebrations expected to usher in a bullish run, the capital market has extended its bullish momentum for the fourth consecutive week due to buying interest in BUA Cement Plc (+19.1 per cent), Nestle Nigeria Plc (+1.7 per cent) and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Plc (+11.4 per cent). Consequently, the all-share index and market capitalisation appreciated by 1.51 per cent to close the week at 48,881.93 and N26.63 trillion respectively. Similarly, all other indices finished higher except NGX CG, NGX Premium, NGX Banking, NGX Pension,…

• Canvass adoption of technology to fight insecurity • Want transparency in applications of security votes Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, said on Sunday night that agitations by the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and the Niger Delta militancy would be addressed through restructuring and all-inclusive government. Answering questions at the Channels TV Town Hall programme, the former Vice President said restructuring would give autonomy to the region in such a way that no agitation would be necessary. He also disclosed that in 2007, he had proposed to…

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has faulted critics of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) new cash withdrawal limits, while commending the bank on the anticipated gains of the policy, especially ahead of the 2023 general elections. In a statement by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the CNPP explained that “Nigerians are suffering” because of bad governance and that every sacrifice towards getting the right leadership from 2023 is worth it. “Bad governance is a product of Nigeria’s flawed electoral processes over the years, which threw bad and corrupt leaders on the masses. This became the case as a…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a 48 hours ultimatum to all stakeholders in the oil industry to resolve the ongoing fuel scarcity across the country. The secret agency warned that it would launch a nationwide operation on saboteurs if there are still queues at various filling stations in the country after the ultimatum. DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, stated this shortly after the Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, met with major stakeholders in the oil industry at the agency headquarters in Abuja yesterday. Afunanya said stakeholders at the meeting included: Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Nigerian…