Author: Amina Ibrahim

THE UK has announced it would raise the minimum salary threshold for a skilled worker visa and prevent overseas health and social care staff from bringing family dependents to Britain. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office trumpeted the proposals as “the biggest clampdown on legal migration ever”. But critics said it would damage the state-run National Health Service (NHS), which faces staff shortages. Immigration is set to be a key issue in nationwide elections that must be held by January 2025 at the latest, and which the main opposition Labour party is currently favoured to win. Sunak has pledged to reduce…

A RESIDENT of the Federal Capital Territory, Rima Lotu (not real name), who was kidnapped between Bwari and Dutse Market in Bwari Area Council has narrated her bitter experience in the hands of her abductors. She recalled how the abductors butchered a secondary school student, with whom she was abducted, in her presence. The victim narrated to our correspondent that she had boarded a green-coloured taxi from Bwari to Dutse Market in mid November, unknown to her, it was a “one-chance” vehicle. “When we entered the vehicle, because the road was under construction, the place was so dusty, so the…

WARRING factions of the National Association of Nigerian Students have stormed the National Hospital, Abuja on Friday, in protest over alleged delay by medical personnel in treating their colleagues who were injured during a NANS factional crisis earlier on Thursday. This newspaper reports that several patients have been forced to flee their hospital wards and beds following the violent attack by the NANS factions. Meanwhile, police officers are currently at the hospital in a bid to restore law and order. Our correspondent also observed the deployment of police officers in the Central Area of the Federal Capital Territory, where the…

NO fewer than 433 out of the 836 foreign-trained medical graduates who sat the qualifying examination organised by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria failed, The PUNCH has gathered. The qualifying examination was held at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital between November 22 and 23,2023. The assessment for the foreign-trained medical graduates was in a Computer Based Test format with the graduates taking the examination in four different centres, namely: BMG Institute of Information Technology; JAMB Professional Test Centre; Kano Cooperative CBT Centre and Treztech, all in Kano State. The examination comprises a computer-based test, a picture-based test, and…

THE Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended all the wet-leased aircraft in the operations of United Nigeria Airlines (UNA). The suspension is said to be connected with the diversion of the Abuja bound flight from Lagos to Asaba Airport on Sunday by the cabin crew of the airline. A source close to the agency, said on Monday that the regulatory body took the decisive action on after an emergency meeting held at its headquarters in Abuja. It was learnt that at the meeting, the NCAA inspectors were not convinced about the claim of the airline that its crew diverted…

MINISTER of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has summoned heads of aviation agencies in the country over recurring safety issues in the industry. Keyamo will meet the aviation agencies’ bosses on Monday in Abuja, according to a statement by the ministry on X. “Due to safety concerns in the aviation sector expressed by members of the public, I have summoned the heads of the regulatory agencies to my office later today to review the incidents that are the causes of these concerns and to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to forestall future occurrence and to apply sanctions, where…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Shamsudeen Usman as chairman and nine other qualified Nigerians as members to serve on the Board of Directors of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, late Friday. See full statement below: STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of ten qualified Nigerians to serve on the Board of Directors of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI): (1) Dr. Shamsudeen Usman — Board Chairman (2) Dr. Armstrong Ume Takang — CEO/Managing…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Friday, approved the appointment of eight new permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service. The appointment follows “the recently concluded selection process by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation,” a statement signed by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, read Friday. The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu appoints eight new permanent secretaries.’ According to Ngelale, the new appointees include: (1) Ndakayo-Aishetu Gogo (2) Adeoye Adeleye Ayodeji (3) Rimi Nura Abba (4) Bako Deborah Odoh (5) Omachi Raymond Omenka (6) Ahmed Dunoma Umar (7) Watti Tinuke (8)…

NO fewer than 5,000 federal civil servants who have discrepancies in their dates of first appointment and dates of birth may not receive their December salary, National President, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Tommy Okon, has said. Okon, however, said the union was working with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and it has forwarded the names of the affected workers to their Directors of Human Resources for confirmation. The ASCSN President said 2,772 workers have been successfully restored back to the payroll of the Federal Government after concluding their online and physical verification exercise.…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has told international investors that the people of Nigeria, who are highly educated, highly skilled, and naturally industrious are the primary asset and advantage the country wields over other nations in the global race for new investments beyond the country’s natural resources. The president spoke in Berlin, Germany on Monday at a panel discussion titled, “Fostering local value chains and investments in Africa – The role of the German private sector” at the G20 Compact with Africa Economic Conference, hosted by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. President Tinubu said that while promoting the rule of law was…

THE Economic Financial Crimes Commission has disclosed it would charge personnel of the Nigerian Air Force released on administrative bail by its Kaduna Zonal Command to court upon completion of its ongoing investigation. The anti-graft agency made this known on Monday in a release signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, and posted on its website. Earlier, the NAF personnel were granted administrative bail last Friday. “The officers were released to their service in strict adherence to the bail procedures of the commission. The commission reiterates the fact that no one is above the law and the…

FORMER President Muhammadu Buhari has said he does not miss being President much. “Miss? I don’t think I miss much,” Buhari said, responding to a question on what he misses from his time in office in an exclusive interview with the Nigerian Television Authority. This was according to a promo for the interview the NTA shared on its X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday. Months before handing over power, Buhari said he would not miss his time as President of Nigeria because his best was not good enough for Nigerians. “I believe I’m trying my best, but still my best…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Monday night, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, advanced negotiations concerning a multi-billion dollar infrastructure finance facility from the Islamic Development Bank to fund a multi-sectoral portfolio of infrastructure projects at the federal and sub-national levels in Nigeria. This development was the outcome of substantive investment discussions held between President Tinubu and the Vice-President (Country Programs) of the Islamic Development Bank, Dr. Mansur Muhtar, after the President’s return from evening prayers. “Nigeria is the candle of hope that will light the way for Africa. And once Africa is illuminated, the world will be a brighter place for all…

THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterparts, have resolved to commence the planned nationwide strike from midnight today (Monday). The National Industrial Court (NIC) had restrained them from embarking on strike in the wake of the impasse with the Imo State Government. But in a Monday statement, the unions ordered workers nationwide to withdraw their services at midnight. “In furtherance to the decision of the Joint National Executive Council (NEC) of NLC and TUC, all workers in Nigeria are hereby directed to withdraw their services effective 12:00 midnight today, 13th November 2023,” the…

A BOEING 737 passenger jet belonging to Aerocontractors Airlines crash-lands at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Sunday morning. Although no injury or fatality was recorded, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, an agency of the Federal Government, confirmed that the aircraft got involved in a “serious accident” around 10.47 am upon arriving at the NAIA from Lagos. The Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NSIB, James Odaudu, confirmed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, adding that investigations into the accident. “The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has been notified and has commenced an investigation into a serious…

VETERAN actor, Usman Baba Pategi, popularly known as Samanja Mazan Fama, has passed away at the age of 84. The Kaduna-based popular Hausa film actor died around 12:15 am on Sunday. Confirming his death to this newspaper, Muhammad Usman, one of his sons, revealed that his father left behind two wives. “He died at the age of 84 and left behind two wives and 12 children,” he stated. According to Muhammad, the funeral prayer will be held at 10 am at a mosque in Kabala Costain, Kaduna.

SERVICE providers MTN Nigeria have reacted after a ‘system glitch’ in the early hours of Saturday caused a cancellation in the debt of subscribers owed to the company. The company clarified amid jubilation from subscribers who thought the telecom operator intentionally cancelled their debt. In a post on X, MTN stated that a glitch was responsible for the cancellation adding that balances will reflect accurate figures once problem is solved. “MTN Nigeria Communications Plc can confirm a system glitch impacting balance enquiries. As a result, some customers may receive error messages showing that their balances have been cleared. “This is…

A FEDERAL Capital Territory, FCT, High Court has restrained a South African company, Novare and its subsidiaries, from selling off their assets in Nigeria. Novare is the owners of retail malls, including Shoprite malls, in the country. Justice Peter Kekemeke gave the interim order following an ex-parte motion moved to the effect by counsel to the applicants, Darlington Ozurumba. This newspaper reports that Grand Towers Reality Ltd, Grand Towers Plc and Nze Chidi Duru, who were applicants in the suit marked: FCT/HC/0224/2017 with motion on number: M/13811/2023, are the Nigerian partners to Novare Investment, PTY, Ltd, owners of Shoprite. They…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu recently stopped the implementation of a hike in electricity tariff and insisted that subsidy be paid on power consumed nationwide, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, revealed on Wednesday. Adelabu also stated that the Federal Government would investigate the legality of the five-year licence extension given to privatised power distribution and generation companies, stressing that the operating licences of the firms would have expired on October 31, 2023. The minister, who spoke at a press briefing in Abuja, further stated that he would sack any non-performing chief executive in agencies under the power ministry, if their non-performance…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed the 2023 Supplementary Budget N2.17trn at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Last Thursday, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed the N2.17trn 2023 supplementary appropriation bill after a third reading. Before the passage of the bill, the Senate adopted the report of the harmonised sittings of both red and green chambers on the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill as submitted by the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West). The bill expeditiously scaled readings in both upper and lower chambers as lawmakers said it was for the benefit of…