EVERY HOUR

That those saddled with the responsibility of protecting Nigerians are beginning to behave like assassins is a troubling challenge the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Muhammad Adamu has decided to confront. Henceforth, electro-muscular disruption technology known as teaser will replace the use of firearms for routine patrols, arrest duties and other low-risk operations. This, according to Adamu, is a “strategic approach towards reducing incidents of fatalities associated with misappropriation of lethal weapons by the Police as first line of response to any threat.” Although I am almost certain the order will soon be frustrated and rescinded, that it was made at all is a commendable gesture, given recent spike in the number of extra judicial killings by policemen. “Lagos State has recorded four incidents of misuse of firearms which have resulted in extrajudicial killings of young citizens of this country and injury to others” said Adamu who added that it is “worrisome

The controller general of prisons Ja’fari Ahmed stated this at the decoration ceremony of fourteen assistant controllers general of prisons in Abuja. A report by the African Union on the rights and welfare of the Nigerian child indicates that an estimated six thousand children live in prisons and detention centres. The controller general, Ja’fari explained that the creation of juvenile prisons is to help carter for inmates younger than 18 years and that many prisoners are currently undergoing different educational Programmes in different institutions of the country. While addressing the decorated officers, the controller general charged them to be totally committed to the mandate of the service. Participants at the occasion advised the officers to exhibit the best quality in carrying out their duties. Over seventy-five officers attempted to get the position of assistant controllers general but only sixteen positions were vacant.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has adopted Femi Gbajabiamila as its candidate for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th National Assembly. The Spokesman of the party, Lanre Issa-Onilu, this development was reached after an intensive deliberation with the APC’s House of Representatives members-elect at a dinner with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Banquet Hall of Aso Villa. The APC spokesman, who posted this information on APC platform on Tuesday night, also revealed that Deputy Speaker position has been zoned to the North Central. News Agency of Nigeria reports that President Buhari had on Tuesday night hosted all APC House of Representatives members-elect and later went into closed doors session with them. President Buhari had on March 26 also hosted Senators-elect of the APC to a similar dinner at the Presidential Villa.

Bayelsa State Governor, the Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday said the ongoing reforms in the state public sector was yielding positive results as his administration has recovered about N2.2 billion annually through the exercise. Governor Dickson stated this during a meeting of Labour leaders, members of the Post Primary Schools B oard and Association of All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), in Yenagoa. A statement by his Special Adviser, Media Relations, Mr Fidelis Soriwei, stated that the amount was saved from the ongoing verification exercise in the mainstream civil service and that of the post primary schools in the state. The Governor said that the government had so far recovered N53million per month from the mainstream civil service and N134 million from discrepancies of salaries (grade levels and steps) of secondary school teachers and principals. The Governor who commended the labour unions for supporting the reforms designed to stop t

Governor Dickson Bayelsa State Governor, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson on Monday gave workers in the state a special gift ahead of this year's May Day celebration, as he lifted the embargo on implementation of promotion in the state. The governor as a show of committment directed the immediate implementation and payment of promotion benefits to all workers in the state as well as the arrears of promotion that has been accumulated. At a meeting with labour leaders in the state inside the Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Dickson also approved the spread of the payment to the end of the tenure of his adminsitration. The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson who disclosed this said the governor equally informed the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) of the decision of his government to conduct a special interview for the employment of teachers in the state. Iworiso-Markson explained that as a laudable initiat

"It is instructive to know that the 19 northern states, which account for over 54 per cent of the country's population and over 70 per cent of its landmass collectively generated only 21 per cent of the total sub-national Internally Generated Revenue in 2017."

Add cSudan's President Omar El-Bashir and Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika were ousted within two weeks of each other. Sudan and  Algeria  can easily evoke memories of the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions of 2010 and 2011. Like their neighbours, Sudanese and Algerian protesters managed to overthrow their autocratic leaders after decades of rule, in a matter of months, and without a single shot fired. Marching, chanting, resisting and daring, the people of  Sudan  and Algeria pressed on with their calls for freedom and democracy until they were able to disarm the old guard - politicians and generals alike - and force them to acquiesce to their initial demands. It may still be too early to judge, but so far it looks like these latecomers have learned important lessons from Arab as well as other revolutions. In fact, Sudan and Algeria may well be able to deter the counter-revolution and avert the dangers of civil war. The signs are hopeful. Non-violence and inclusi

Atiku Abubakar's father, Garba Abubakar, was jailed for days for refusing to allow Atiku to acquire  western education and wants Atiku to venture into trading until Atiku's mother (Kande) paid a fine before the  father was released. Thereafter, Atiku was enrolled in Jada primary school, Yola. Atiku's paternal grandfather is called Atiku Abdulqadir, he gave birth to Garba Abubakar who then gave birth to Atiku Abubakar in Jada village in November, 1946. Atiku Abubakar  completed his primary school education in 1960 and was admitted into Adamawa Provincial Secondary School in the same year. He later got his West African School Certificate in 1965  and then proceeded to attend Nigerian Police College, Kaduna. He couldn't continue in police collage because he was poor in mathematics. Eyah! Eyah!! Eyah!!! That is not the end. He moved to Kano school of Hygiene in 1966 and graduated with a diploma in 1967. You could imagine how a typical struggling Nigerian youth

"If our country ranks first in Africa, and the whole world is watching us today, it is not because we have the Vatican, the Kabba, the White House, the Elysee or the Taj Mahal here at home. No more because you have a certain Paul Kagame as Head of State, but rather because you have sons and daughters of Rwanda in this country. Men and especially young people and Rwandan women who have forgiven each other, and who have taken the destiny of their country in their hands, by the meaning of work, innovations and patriotism as key to their progress and development . What we are doing here in Rwanda is not a miracle, nor is it impossible elsewhere, it is simply the commitment of an entire nation, especially Rwandan youth and women, but also political will. Soon, we will have the best universities in the world in our country (NYU, Harvard, London School of Economics, MIT ...) We will also have the best hospitals in Rwanda. The intelligence and competence of our children wil

President Nana Akufo - Addo While some African countries are considering increasing Value Added Tax (VAT) also known as Goods and Services Tax (GST), GHANA is already thinking outside the box. To save us the boredom of reading long stories, let me summarize here: *Ghana has abolished VAT/GST on real estate sales. *Ghana has abolished VAT on financial services. *Ghana has abolished capital gains tax on sales of shares on the stock exchange. *Ghana has abolished import duty on spare parts. *Ghana has abolished the 1% import levy. *Ghana has abolished VAT on domestic airline tickets. *Ghana has reduced very significantly VAT on small traders from 17.5% to 3%. *Ghana is going to abolish all import duty on raw materials and machinery imported into Ghana. *Ghana is embarking on a massive industrialization drive called One District, One Factory. And there are 216 districts in Ghana. There is now a focus on production. Now, Ghana has two major advantages: p

The aspiration of Senator Ahmed Lawan to lead the 9th Senate has received a knock as some group of people from his home state has associated with Senator Ali Ndume. Ali Ndume, the Senator representing Borno South has stood firm with his aspiration despite the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) endorsing the candidature of Lawan. A movement surfaced in Yobe State on Sunday calling on all aspiring senators for the Senate President to rest their aspiration and support Ali Ndume. The group, with the name: “Yobe Support Group for Ndume”, on Sunday in a statement, signed by Comrade Abubakar Nguru, it’s Convener, said the ongoing bickering over selection and election of senate president in June would only be addressed amicably if justice and fairness is allowed. He said the leadership choice of the party for the 9th Assembly is undemocratic, unacceptable by the majority of the party’s supporters. Nguru described Lawan, who is the incumbent Senate Leader, as lacking in equal q