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THE National Project Coordinator of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Aminu Bodinga Mohammed has hinted at the expansion of the project to cover the 36 States of the federation. Speaking in Calabar at the annual training and retreat for staff of the project, Bodinga said RAAMP is geared towards making remarkable impacts across the country hence the need to extend the project to all states. In a signed statement by the Development Communication Officer, RAAMP, Khadija Ishaq and made available to News Point Nigeria, the coordinator who noted that, the successes recorded since the start of the project…

THE Cross River state governor, Prof Ben Ayade has called on Nigerians to always put the nation first rrespective of ethnic, religious and political inclination. The governor stated this, while declaring open the 2023 Training and Annual Retreat organized for staff of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) across in the 20 participating states in Nigeria, in Calabar. The Governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Ministry of International Donor Cooperation (MIDC), Dr Inyang Asibong welcomed participants to Calabar, the Cross River State capital and described RAAMP as a multi-dimensional project of several benefits poised to uplift…

A POLICE officer said to be the  Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Pankshin Division in the Pankshin local government area of Plateau state was kidnapped a few days after he resumed work at the Division. The name nor rank of the said officials could not be ascertained at the time of this report and the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Alfred Alabo, was not available to shed light on the development. However, a resident of Pankshin who did not want to be named told Vanguard that kidnapping has been rife in the local community in recent times…

ARGENTINA featured heavily in shortlists for FIFA’s Best awards following their World Cup triumph, with forwards Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and coach Lionel Scaloni receiving nominations in their categories. Messi, along with his Paris St Germain team mate Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, were among the 14 players shortlisted for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, the world governing body said on Thursday. The trio are joined by last year’s winner Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona, Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and PSG’s Neymar and Achraf Hakimi. Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema,…

LATEST data from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics for November has indicated that the price of household Kerosene, also known as cooking kerosene skyrocketed by over 100 per cent in one year. The report showed an average retail price of kerosene per litre rose by about 146 per cent from N441 in November 2021 to N1,083/litre in the corresponding period last year. Also it indicated that average retail price per litre was 4 per cent higher on a month-on-month basis in November 2022 compared to N1,041 recorded in October. On state profile analysis, the highest average price per litre in…

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on his 64th birthday. The president, in a statement issued Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina and made available to News Point Nigeria, said Lawan has a profile of being one of the most experienced legislators in the country, having served eight years in the House of Representatives, 1999-2007, and almost 12 years in the Senate. The president said Lawan, after leaving his career path as a lecturer and researcher, deployed his vast knowledge in shaping policies and strengthening democracy in Nigeria by…

REAL Madrid beat Valencia on penalties in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals at the King Fahd Stadium in Saudi Arabia. Karim Benzema’s penalty put the European and La Liga champions ahead but Samuel Lino levelled just after half-time to make it 1-1 in Riyadh. Madrid won the shootout 4-3, scoring all their kicks, while Eray Comert missed his and Thibaut Courtois saved Jose Gaya’s effort. Real Betis face Barcelona in the second semi-final on Thursday. “Obviously as a goalkeeper you have to study penalties,” Courtois said. “Gaya missed his last one against Sevilla on the left, and scored his last…

MANCHESTER United have agreed a deal to sign Netherlands striker Wout Weghorst on loan for the rest of the season. The 30-year-old Burnley forward spent the first half of the season at Besiktas but is now heading to Manchester for a medical before the move can be completed. A deal has been reached for his loan at the Turkish club to be terminated. Weghorst scored eight goals and registered four assists in 16 league games for Besiktas. His latest goal came in a 2-1 win against Kasimpasa on 7 January and, following that match, he appeared to wave goodbye to…

THE Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted dust haze from Thursday to Saturday across the country. NiMet’s weather outlook released on Wednesday in Abuja predicted moderate dust haze on Thursday with horizontal visibility range of 2km to 5km is expected over parts of the northern region. It forecast prospect of slight dust haze over the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe) and Taraba during the forecast period. “Moderate dust haze with horizontal visibility ranges from 2km to 5km is anticipated over the North-Central and inland cities of the south throughout the forecast period. “Hazy atmosphere with patches of clouds are…

FOR failing to submit its annual accounts, authorities in the United Kingdom, have struck off Next International (UK) Limited, a company largely owned by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi. Premium Times, reported that the company was removed from the record in September 2021, following a first and second gazette notice of “compulsory” strike off of the entity. In the UK, a compulsory strike-off is imposed on a company by creditors or by the Companies House for non-submission of annual accounts or failure to notify Companies House about a change of official registered office address. Once a…

A CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressive Congress APC in Zamfara Musa Mallaha has dumped the party for the People’s Democratic Party. Musa Mallaha was a former chairman of the APC and the Deputy Organising secretary of the party in Zamfara Central Senatorial Zone until his defection. He dumps the party, APC and join the People’s to contribute to the party’s quest for Victory in march general election. Musa Mallaha promise to use his wealth of experience to garner votes for the PDP Governorship Candidate, Dauda Lawal and other Candidates. Mr. Mallaha express optimism that the PDP in Zamfara will clinch…

THE Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a truck carrying substances that tested positive to being Canadian Loud, a variant of cannabis also known as Indian hemp. According to the NDLEA, this latest bust was recorded along Awolowo Road in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State. When weighed, the truck is said to have been laden with 8,960 jumbo pieces of Canadian Loud, a very strong and highly expensive illicit substance. The substances which were loaded in over 100 extra-large polythene bags, weighed a total of 4,878.72kg, and was being escorted by close…

A FORMER militia leader who was acquitted of crimes against humanity in Ivory Coast says he will be president of the country one day. In his first press conference since returning from exile in November, Charles Blé Goudé said he would run in the 2025 election. Known for his charisma and fiery rhetoric he was nicknamed the “street general”. Mr Goudé was transferred to the International Criminal Court nine years ago and acquitted in 2019 along with the former president Laurent Gbagbo. Both men were charged with crimes against humanity committed during violence which erupted in Ivory Coast after disputed…

THE UN has condemned the killing of three aid workers in two separate attacks in South Sudan. The killings are “completely unacceptable and must stop,” the acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Peter van der Auweraert said in a statement. Two aid workers were shot and killed while on duty at a humanitarian facility, when armed men attacked Rumameer village in Abyei, a border oil-rich area being contested by South Sudan and Sudan. Several civilians were also killed, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) said in a press release on Wednesday. In a similar incident,…

ELON Musk has broken the world record for the largest loss of personal fortune in history. From November 2021 to December 2022 he lost around $165bn, Guinness World Records said in a blog on its website. The figures are based on data from publisher Forbes, but Guinness said other sources suggested Mr Musk’s losses could have been higher. It follows a fall in value of shares in Mr Musk’s electric car firm Tesla after he bought Twitter last year. His $44bn (£36bn) takeover of the social media company has sparked concerns among investors that Mr Musk is no longer giving…

THE family of a British-Iranian dual national sentenced to death in Iran have told BBC Persian that authorities are preparing to execute him. Alireza Akbari’s wife, Maryam, said the family had been asked to go to his prison for a “final visit” and that he had been moved to solitary confinement. The ex-deputy Iranian defence minister was arrested in 2019 and convicted of spying for the UK, which he denied. The UK urged Iran to halt the planned execution and immediately release him. “This is a politically motivated act by a barbaric regime that has total disregard for human life,”…

Southampton 2 vs Man City 0 SOUTHAMPTON manager Nathan Jones recorded the biggest win of his short reign as they reached the EFL Cup semi-finals with a richly deserved win over favourites Manchester City. Jones has struggled for approval from Saints fans since his arrival from Luton Town but his rating surely soared with the manner in which the Premier League strugglers maintained their good cup form. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola rested key players such as Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne with this weekend’s derby with Manchester United at Old Trafford in mind, but nothing must detract from…

OLD Trafford. San Siro. Bernabeu. Parc des Princes. The name Beckham has graced some of the most famous stadiums in world football. Now there is a new ground to add to the list – Park View Road, Welling. The home of ninth-tier side Erith & Belvedere is where Romeo Beckham, son of former England captain David, made his debut for Brentford B in a London Senior Cup match on Tuesday. The 20-year-old, who has joined on loan from Inter Miami II until the end of the season, came on as a second-half substitute with the Bees trailing 2-1, before a…

THE Edo State Government has said that only 20 persons were kidnapped at the Igueben Train Station in the State on Saturday, and not 32 as was initially reported. It said with the rescue of seven hostages from the kidnappers’ den, only 13 persons were still in custody of the abductors on Wednesday. The State’s Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nekhihare, who stated this on Wednesday, said the latest information was gotten from intelligence report. According to him, “From intelligence report, the kidnappers only took 20 hostages as against 32 initially reported.” Besides, the Spokesperson of the State Government…

FOUR-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has announced she is pregnant. The Japanese former world number one, 25, withdrew from the Australian Open earlier this week, having not played since September. “2023 will be a year that’ll be full for lessons for me,” said Osaka, adding that she hopes to return in 2024. “One thing I am looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone ‘that’s my mom’. Osaka won the last of her four Grand Slams at the Australian Open in 2021. However, she has spoken of the problems she has…