By Pius O. Ughakpoteni Across the Niger Delta, where dark mangroves intertwine with winding waterways, a wondrous transformation is taking place. Spearheaded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), under the visionary stewardship of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director, a staggering 56,786 solar streetlights ascend like quiet guardians. Their soft glow heralds a new era across the region, signalling the NDDC’s ambitious “Lighting Up the Niger Delta” project. This change is rippling across the region, fuelled by the immediate and tangible benefits of solar lighting. “The solar streetlights have brought a sense of security we didn’t have before,” remarks Mr.…
Author: The Gazelle News
By Willie Etim When the idea was first muted, a number of cynics dismissed it, typical of naysayers in our society. They thought that all the effort will end in futility. The resilience of Chief Samuel Ogbuku, (PhD), Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who nurtured the birth of the Niger Delta Chambers of Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA), came to bear when all other such chambers in the region put up a resistance against the registration of NDCCITMA, a battle that lasted over nine months. As the initiator and benefactor of the NDCCITMA, the management…
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has assured workers in the State that his administration will implement the new minimum wage that is approved by the Federal Government. He made the commitment in response to the demands of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) during the Workers’ Day celebration held on Wednesday, 1 May, 2024, at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos. The Governor, while speaking on the current fuel scarcity, advised Lagos residents against panic buying and storage of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, saying the Federal Government and the major stakeholders in…
For the people of Sokoto East Senatorial District, the 2023 Budget was not their friend. The Senatorial District came out not only with the lowest constituency project allocation in the budget but also with the lowest valued. Sokoto East has only one project captured in the budget at a miserly cost of N50,000. Yet Sokoto East has a population of 2,558,200 people. This information and other are contained in the Phase Five project-tracking report of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offences Commission (ICPC). The report showed a glaring lopsidedness in the distribution of projects across all the states of…
Federal Government, on Tuesday, 30 April, 2024, announced an increase in the salaries of workers. The increment of 25 per cent and 35 per cent covers civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures. The salary increase, announced on the eve of the Workers’ Day celebration, is contained in a statement by Emmanuel Njoku, Head of Press, at the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC). The statement said the increase takes effect from January 1, 2024. The salary structures are: the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS),…
I acknowledge the immense contributions of our nation’s workforce that is renowned for its dedication, resilience, and innovation. I therefore salute the teachers who nurture young minds, the farmers who cultivate our land, the doctors and nurses who safeguard our health, the engineers who build our infrastructure, and countless others who dedicate their skills and energy to building a better Nigeria. Today, let us not only celebrate work, but also reflect on how we can be a better and more productive workforce. On this Workers’ Day, I celebrate the spirit of work with pride. May it continue to be a…
President Bola Tinubu has extended his deepest sympathies to the victims of the gas explosion at Ita-Oshin, Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State. The explosion from a solitary gas truck rippled through the community, resulting in the loss of life and property last Saturday. The President also sympathized with the Ogun State Government and residents of the state over this tragedy. President Tinubu commended Governor Dapo Abiodun on his valiant efforts to arrest the situation and immediately restore calm to the community. The President assured the people of Ogun State, particularly the victims of this harrowing incident, of…
The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, has appreciated Nigerian workers, especially Lagos State workers for their forthrightness, dedication and resilience. Felicitating the workers on the commemoration of the 2024 Workers’ Day, Ojelabi said since no administration succeeds without a happy and productive workforce, all the successes recorded so far in the state were due to the efforts of the workers who, he commended for being very dedicated and responsible. He praised the Nigerian workers for their diligence and commitment to duty, but called for more resilience and patience so…
By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), has disclosed that the commission has tracked over N219 billion constituency projects across 176 ministries, departments and agencies in five years. Aliyu, who made this disclosure during a media briefing held at Marriott Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, on Monday, 29 April, 2024, said the Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Group tracked a total of N219,843,922,945.48 since its inception in 2019. The tracking exercise focused on critical sectors like education, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure, spanning 26 states and the Federal Capital…
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Jim Ovia, CFR, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Mr. Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana. The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all…