Nelson Ugwuagbo

Ahead of the festive period, MTN Nigeria is partnering the Federal Road Safety Corps to temporarily open the Amawbia, Anambra State sections of the partially completed Enugu-Onitsha Dual Carriage Way.

Leading Reporters gathered that MTN is the financier of the dual carriageway that connects Anambra and other South-East states.

The Coordinator, MTN Community Liaison Initiative, Dr Reginald Facah, during a press conference in Amawbia, near Awka, Anambra State, said the road was opened to ease traffic flow for South-East commuters travelling during the Yuletide.

Facah noted that there has been a high influx of traffic along the Onitsha carriageway resulting in gridlock because of the Yuletide season, adding that the essence of opening the road is to decongest the traffic to make travelling seamless for road users.

He said, “Today, we are gathered to temporarily open the partially completed sections of the Enugu-Onitsha Dual Carriage Way, not because the entire project is ready, but because December and Christmas have seen unimaginable suffering on the parts of commuters and drivers on this same road.

“However, with today’s opening of the Amawbia section and the opening of Amawbia flyover, an untrammeled driving experience is once again here for human and vehicular traffic which are usually heat during this period.”

On his part, the Senior Manager Sales, MTN, Emmanuel Okereke, said the organisation is excited to partner with the Federal Government on a road infrastructure tax credit scheme to complete the rehabilitation of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

Okereke said, “This road does not only connect Enugu and Anambra states; it is a gateway to the rest of the country and Africa. Our commitment is to deliver an expressway that will be the pride of the South-East people and Nigerians in general.”

In his remarks, Sector Commander FRSC, Anambra State, Adeoye Irelewuyi, said, “At festive periods like this, this section of the road always experienced very serious traffic jam at the slightest obstruction to traffic flow usually causes a pile-up in both directions.

“It is therefore with great joy and relief that the Anambra State Command of the FRSC is marking this occasion of the temporary opening of this section.

“We surely believe that it will ease the traffic jam usually experienced at the Amawbia flyover and underpass, as well as reduce road traffic crashes on the stretch.

The Sector Commander appealed to the people of the state and indeed all road users travelling during and after this Yuletide period to always exercise patience.

Earlier, the Anambra State Commissioner for Transport, Patricia Igwebuike, lauded MTN for their timely intervention and encouraged road users to use the road with caution, especially the Yuletide.

The Lagos State Government has warned residents of the state against improper waste disposal during the Yuletide celebrations.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, in a statement on Wednesday, charged residents across the state to maintain a clean environment during and after the Yuletide for healthy living.

Wahab said it was important to remind Lagosians to show utmost love for the environment even as they celebrate by ensuring that all waste generated during the Christmas and New Year celebrations is properly disposed of.

He said, “I would like to urge all residents to endeavour to maintain a clean, safe and sustainable environment always because if you continue to haunt the environment through improper waste disposal, it will come back to you through flooding.”

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He noted that “to avoid the spread of all forms of diseases, all forms of waste generated during the festive period must be properly disposed of through bagging and placed at the appropriate places for LAWMA officials to pick up.”

The commissioner assured residents that, because of the increased waste that is envisaged to be generated this season, the government, through the combined efforts of the ministry and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, would continue to rid Lagos of refuse heaps.

He added that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was at the forefront of the campaign for healthy people and a cleaner environment, thus encouraging Lagosians to desist from acts that could have negative impacts on the environment.

The House of Representatives at plenary moved to adopt the 2018 policy that will recognise the Chinese Yuan as an official foreign currency for conducting business transactions in Nigeria to curb the continuous depreciation of the naira.

The House also mandated its committees on Banking Regulations, Banking, and Other Ancillary Institutions to liaise with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to explore the appropriate mechanisms, policies, and partnerships required for giving effect to the policy.

Adopting a motion sponsored by Hon. Jafaru Leko, the house said considering the volume of trade between Nigeria and China, the Chinese currency should serve as an official foreign exchange reserve currency alongside other major international currencies.

According to him, the International Monetary Fund proposed diversification of foreign exchange reserves for central banks of developing countries, including Nigeria.

Hon. Leko said the global economic landscape is evolving and international trade dynamics are shifting, with China assuming a leading role in global trade.

He said the People’s Republic of China has a stable and globally recognized currency, the Chinese Yuan (CNY), which is gaining recognition in international trade.

He said adopting the Chinese Yuan as an additional foreign exchange reserve currency might mitigate the adverse effects of Naira depreciation, reduce the risks associated with exchange rate fluctuations, and enhance Nigeria’s economic stability.

He argued that doing so would enhance Nigeria’s trade and economic ties with China, a crucial trading partner.

Hon. Julius Ihonvbare, the House Leader informed the house that the use of the Yuan was adopted as a policy by the government after the collapse of the price of crude oil in the international market, pointing out that what should be done is to implement the policy.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Interior, Hon. Ahmed Abdullahi, has pledged the Committee’s support to boosting the country’s internal security, through robust legislation and oversight mechanisms.

Hon. Aliyu Abdullahi gave the assurance on Wednesday at the National Assembly, during the Committee’s Inaugural Meeting.

The House’s Interior Committee, established by Order 20(B) Rule 63 of the House’s Standing Orders, is mandated to oversee certain Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, in accordance with Section 62 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as altered).

According to Abdullahi, the committee, composed of accomplished professionals and public servants, is well poised to fulfil its mandate, thanks to the trust bestowed upon us by our esteemed Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abass.

Hon. Abdullahi explained that the focus of their Committee lies in addressing the nation’s security challenges, with oversight responsibilities covering the Ministry of Interior, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS), and the Federal Fire Service.

He said: “To enhance internal security, we pledge unwavering legislative support, emphasising the deployment of technology and robust hardware.

“Our oversight activities will be comprehensive, ensuring value for allocated resources to the MDAs. Priority will be given to the welfare and provision of adequate equipment for our personnel, enabling swift responses to distress calls”.

Hon. Aliyu Abdullahi called on his colleagues to contribute their ideas towards shaping the Committee’s future activities, in line with the mandate of the 10th House of Representatives and the Federal Government’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.

“Let us collectively commit to positively contributing to the Committee’s activities, justifying the confidence placed in us by the entire House.

Concluding, he expressed gratitude to the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Principal Officers of the 10th House of Representatives for entrusting us with this responsibility.

“We anticipate tapping into your wealth of experience.”

President Bola Tinubu has announced a 50% cost reduction for buses and free train rides starting from December 21st to January 4th for inter-state travels.

This is aimed at cushioning the economic hardship faced by Nigerians.

More to follow…

The immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, has been sworn in as a Senator representing Plateau South.

Lalong, a former governor of Plateau state, took his oath of office on the floor of the senate on Wednesday.

The former minister had tendered his resignation to President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday.

Lalong’s resignation was confirmed in a statement signed by Special Adviser to the outgoing Minister on Media, Dr Makut Simon Macham.

It revealed that the letter was submitted to Tinubu on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.

Lalong explained that after exhaustive legal processes, the Court of Appeal declared him the duly elected senator representing Plateau South Senatorial District and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him the Certificate of Return.

He also thanked the president for appointing him as minister.

The downtime of one of Nigeria’s most popular websites, Nairaland.com, on Wednesday, entered the third day on Wednesday with users showing their displeasure over the site’s inaccessibility.

Nairaland, an online discussion forum, that has dominated Nigeria’s web rankings for almost 20 years, went down on Monday after it was “taken down” by the host of its server.

The forum’s founder, Seun Osewa, disclosed via tweets on his X profile early Tuesday that the downtime was due to an abusive report which he had “overlooked” after it was “originally sent on the 14th.”

He added that the server was taken down by the host after which he “removed the offensive content.”

However, he stated that after taking some hours to get support on how to resolve the issue, the forum was restored on the server.

Osewa added that matters took another turn when “they took the server down again with no warning.”

The forum’s founder, in a tweet early Wednesday, appealed to users and advertisers on the forum, adding that his “neglect of Nairaland is directly responsible.”

The tweet read, “Dear Nairaland members and advertisers, I’m very sorry for this unacceptable, ill-timed outage.

“My neglect of Nairaland is directly responsible. I was also unprepared to move to a new host at a moment’s notice after nine years with the current host. The process is ongoing but slow.”

However, users of the forum and tweeps of the social media app, X, have been expressing their displeasure and disappointment over the development.

A user, @BashirAhmaad, tweeted, “Does anyone have information on what’s happening with Nairaland? Typically, it is part of my nightly routine to check the site before bed, but it appears the page is down tonight. Could it be a technical issue, hacking, or something else?”

@jigslionheart wrote, “You mean you have never thought about investing in your own server? As big as NL is?”

Another tweep, @ebunleyi stated, “@seunosewa still think Nairaland is a joke. You overlook what? Imagine if Google experienced such downtime. You really do not rate Nairaland like we rate it sha. Get an active team in place and upscale this site. It means a lot to a lot of Nigerians.”

@rani_reine tweeted, “No wonder. I have tried logging in multiple times in the past six hours. Please get it back.”

Another user, @akintollgate, wrote, “Nairaland is bigger than being at the mercy of a host! Scale! Scale! Scale…..I open Nairaland at 7am, 12pm, 5pm and 11pm daily! You have built a true indigenous brand! It’s bigger than what your preferences are….build a team and let it unleash its potential! All the best…..”

One user, @Bimfo, stated, “Own the Abuse team. Have your server at your disposal. As you said in 2014 when we were hacked, Nairaland is bigger now. Oga Mii, Employ people. You are capable. If you really want to consider this advice, you can start by employing me, sir. I will manage any amount.”

Kwara State Commissioner of Police Victor Olaiya has warned residents of the state against the use of fireworks, knockouts, bangers, or firecrackers for the celebration of Christmas or New Year in the state.

In a statement, the spokesperson of the state police command, Ejire Adetoun Adeyemi, said the commissioner understands the excitement and passion that accompanies these celebrations but stressed that “it is imperative to maintain law and order, respecting the rights and well-being of others in our community.”

Warning the citizens of the state to refrain from acts that may disrupt the peace and tranquillity within the neighbourhoods, Commissioner of Police Olaiya said a “ban on the use of fireworks or any other explosive device is still in force.”

He warned against the use of these dangerous or harmful devices as they can lead to extensive damage to properties, severe injuries, pose a threat to the safety and security of citizens, and disturb public peace.

“Anyone caught in this act will be made to face the wrath of the law,” he warned.

He enjoined citizens to be law-abiding and shun all forms of criminal acts, stressing that he has ordered all area commanders, divisional police officers, and heads of tactical units in the command to provide maximum security within their area of responsibility before, during, and after the Yuletide.

The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has approved the provision of free health insurance for pensioners in the state to cater to the health needs of senior citizens.

The Director-General of the Edo State Health Insurance Commission, Dr Rock Amegor, said the free health insurance service would also cover operatives of the State’s Security Vigilante Network.

Amegor, who stated this in Benin on Tuesday, said the government is committed to ensuring quality and affordable healthcare delivery, noting that the service would mitigate out-of-pocket spending for the beneficiaries and facilitate the attainment of Universal Health Coverage for all residents.

Describing the governor as a pacesetter, Amegor said the government has set out N1bn to cover the free health insurance service to the pensioners and vigilantes, among others.

He noted, “We want to thank the Governor of Edo State for this initiative and for being a pacesetter as Edo State is the second State in Nigeria covering for pensioners for free of charge.

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“I want to use this opportunity to call on all pensioners across the 18 local government areas of Edo State to take advantage and start enrollment as soon as details of enrollment come out.”

“As part of the government’s initiative for Universal Health Coverage for citizens of the State, Edo State Government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki has decided to cover pensioners across the 18 local government areas of the State free of charge.

“This initiative has been borne out of the economic downturn as pensioners who have served us should not worry about paying out-of-pocket when they get to the health care facilities as it brings stability to the pensioners.

“The service covered is robust medical care that can take care of about 70 to 80 per cent of all medical challenges expected at one point in our lives and the services include medical, eye care and dental care amongst other care.

“We thank the Edo State Government and are urging other state governors to emulate Edo State to ensure our pensioners are covered and need not to worry about their health.”