Nigeria forward, Paul Onuachu could leave KRC Genk for Belgian Pro League rivals, Club Brugge.

Onuachu’s future remains uncertain with few days to the end of the summer transfer window.

Onuachu has been tipped to leave KRC Genk for the past two seasons following his goal scoring heroics for the Smurfs.

The Nigeria international finished top scorer in Belgium with 33 goals in 38 league appearances in the 2020/21 season.

The 28-year-old also netted 20 times for Genk last season.

Club Brugge have identified Onuachu as the man to bolster their attack should they miss out on Strum Graz striker, Ras Hojlund.

The club are currently in discussion with Strum Graz for Denmark international, Hojlund.

Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand has hailed the club’s summer signing, Tyrell Malacia, comparing him to the Red Devils legend Patrice Evra.

Ferdinand said this after Malacia shone on his first start for Man United against Liverpool on Monday.

Malacia had found himself behind teammate, Luke Shaw in the pecking order for the opening first two games of the season.

But after impressing off the bench against Brentford, Malacia was given the nod to play ahead of Shaw at Old Trafford against Liverpool and did not disappoint as Man United won 2-1.

“Malacia was tremendous, outstanding. The whole back four were brilliant,” Ferdinand told the Vibe With FIVE podcast.

“He reminds me of Patrice Evra in many ways. He is athletic, he looks like a pound-for-pound strong kid. There are not many left-backs in European or world football in the last four or five years who have gone out of a game and kept Mohamed Salah quiet.”

Alex Iwobi has been named Man of the Match in Everton’s Carabao Cup win against Fleetwood Town.

Everton won the game 1-0, with Iwobi setting up Demarai Gray for the decisive goal.

It was Everton’s first win in four games across all competitions this season.

Iwobi was announced as Everton’s most outstanding player on the club’s Twitter handle.

West Ham United’s new signing, Emerson Palmieri has given a reason he left Chelsea to join David Moyes’ side.

West Ham United on Tuesday evening announced the signing of Palmieri from Chelsea.

The Italy international signed a four-year contract with a one-year option for an undisclosed fee.

The 28-year-old becomes West Ham’s seventh new signing this summer.

Reacting, Palmieri said he left Chelsea to join West Ham because of the club’s history, adding that the Hammers is a big team.

“I am very happy to be here and to arrive here,” Palmieri was quoted by West Ham’s official website as saying.

“It is a big challenge for me, it is a big team, so I am very happy to be here and I’m ready.

“Personally, since the first day I arrived here in England, I always saw the big clubs and I always watched the big games and I knew the history of West Ham. The history is so, so big for this team and so when I knew about the interest for sure I said ‘Yes, let’s go, I want to go there’ and I’m here now!

“I can’t wait to get started in a West Ham shirt.”

Harry Maguire will stay at Manchester United to fight for his future.

The centre-back was axed from the United first team in their 2-1 win over Liverpool on Monday.

Chelsea are understood to have checked on his availability.

The Mail report that he will stay at Old Trafford in a bid to win back his starting place.

Meanwhile, Everton have asked Chelsea to include either Armando Broja or Connor Gallagher on loan as part of the deal to sign Anthony Gordon, talkSPORT understands.

Chelsea have offered £50m upfront plus £10m in add-ons for Gordon, who has told Everton he wants to move to Stamford Bridge.

Blues owner Todd Boehly has already spent over £180million this summer.

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday, charged people of the Southeast to bury their dead ones within three days.

IPOB said the habit of keeping dead bodies in the mortuary for long was responsible for some of the challenges confronting the Southeast.

The group said Igbos should revert to the old ways of burying their dead ones early because it has a positive spiritual impact on the region.

A statement by IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, said the group would devise measures to curtail the excessive use of mortuaries across the Southeast.

Powerful said IPOB may compel mortuaries across the Southeast to shut down.

The statement reads partly: “The global movement and noble family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu wish to announce to all Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of Biafra freedom that it is high time Biafrans start burying our dead within three days as it was in ancient times. IPOB has gone too deep in the spiritual and finds out that keeping our dead ones for so long is contributing to the major problems of Ndigbo in these present times.

“Our ancestors were burying their dead ones within three days, and that is our culture, and it helped our ancestors spiritually. Igbos have a very rich and spiritually based culture which our ancestors maintained from the beginning of time. The present habit of keeping dead bodies more than three days and even months and years in the mortuary have had dire effects on our land and contributed to the spiritual weakness of Igbo Nation and of the entire Biafraland, moral decadence and all manner of evil that have taken root in our land.

“Now that IPOB has come to realise that this alien practice of keeping the dead on land rather than committed to mother earth has had a very negative impact on our people and upon our land. It has therefore become very imperative to urge our people to revert to the old practices that have a very positive effect on our well-being, both spiritually and otherwise.

“After some thorough investigation, we have come to the realization that all the reasons given by our people which cause the unnecessary delay in burying our dead within a short period are neither cogent nor important enough. These reasons are all man-made, mostly monetary conditions from the bereaved families, traditional rites, churches and Umunna. Some of these reasons were self-imposed, while others are just to punish the deceased families and make money from the dead. We, therefore, beg our people, religious leaders, traditional rulers and mostly the Umunna, both men and women, to stop tasking bereaved families as a condition before they are allowed to commit their departed loved one to mother earth. Some of our people have turned burial as a carnival and asking families to pay levies or debt for their dead ones is an abomination and must be stopped forthwith.

“As it was in the past, bereaved families should be allowed to commit their dead ones to mother earth while a date for the burial ceremony is fixed for a later date as well as whatever levies that need to be collected. But using reasons for non-payment of burial levies to stockpile dead bodies in the mortuaries is what IPOB don’t want again in our territory. Our people should revert to our healthy old tradition of burying the dead and do the needful at specific times within their reach.

“IPOB will engage Church Leaders, Town Unions and Traditional Rulers and Umunna in this regard. We are advising them to prepare their minds on this clarion call because IPOB will develop a strategy of curtailing the excessive use of mortuary in our region. This strategy may include compelling the shut down of so many mortuaries littered all over our land. The only dead bodies that can be allowed to stay longer in the mortuary are those in the court or under police investigation.”

Six Boko Haram insurgents have been reportedly killed by troops of the 21 Armored Brigade in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno State during a raid on an illegal market established by the terrorists.

The troops, in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), stormed the illegal market, known as Daula Market, at Bararam village in Bama on Wednesday at 11 am and carried out the operation.

At the time of the operation, commercial activities were going on when the troops busted the illegal market, according to a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, Zagazola Makama.

Makama explained that the terrorists opened fire upon sighting the troops but were swiftly engaged, adding that six of them were neutralised by the troops.

The Abia State chapter of the Action Peoples Party has declared its readiness to take over the governance of the state, saying it will leave no stone unturned in making sure that it emerges victorious in the forthcoming 2023 general elections in the state.

The party also affirmed a former Executive Chairman of the Umuahia North Local Government Area in Abia State, Chief Princewill Ukaegbu, as its new state chairman after the resignation of the acting state party chairman, Hon Sylvanus Nwaji, who is currently seeking for election for Ukwa East and Ukwa West Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives in 2023.

This was disclosed in a release issued at the end of a brief meeting of the State Executive Council, Local Government chairmen and ward chairmen and the APP candidates for the 2023 general elections in Abia State at the party’s state secretariat in Umuahia, the state capital, on Tuesday.

Speaking while handing over the mantle of leadership to Ukaegbu, Nwaji expressed his profound gratitude to the leader and Abia governorship candidate of the party, Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu for allowing him to serve meritoriously.

Nwaji also thanked other party leaders, thousands of members and teeming supporters across the state for the necessary support and maximum cooperation he enjoyed.

Ukaegbu, who recently dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the APP, stated that his decision to join the new party was borne out of the qualifications, leadership experiences and youthfulness of Kalu.

On his part, Kalu, also used the medium to officially announce an ex-House of Representatives aspirant from the state, Elder Mark Ugorji, as the Director General of his campaign organization.

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has backed the Nigeria Police over the controversy trailing the recruitment of constables into the Force.

The students’ body said the politicization of such an important process would do no one any good in such a critical time in the country.

It could be re-called that the Police Service Commission, PSC, had bypassed the Police Authority and advertised for the recruitment, leading to a counter publication by the police hierarchy.

While wading into the situation, NANS said it considered the controversy unnecessary and a distraction to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, who is currently working hard to sanitize the Force.

In a statement signed by the Senate President of NANS, Comrade Chuks Okafor, he said the last recruitment exercise conducted directly by the Nigeria Police was a clear testimony that a new Police Force has berthed in the country.

According to him, “we find it strange that the Police Service Commission will just wake up and begin recruitment for the Force. Can this happen in the military or other paramilitary organizations? Must everything be politicized?

“The only reason we find behind the action of the PSC is to pave the way for a situation where the recruitment will end up in the hands of politicians, thereby denying common masses who are qualified the opportunity to enlist into the Force.

“The last recruitment exercise, handled under the office of the DIG in charge of Training and Development, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Danmallam Mohammed, was seamless, and we don’t expect anything less this time around.

“It also brought to an end issues of racketeering, which hitherto characterized such exercise in the past.

“All those who participated in the recruitment exercise testified to the transparent process, quality of training environment and facilities.”

“Having said that, we advise that the Nigeria Police should not be cajoled into allowing a process that will not be in the best interest of the populace.

“The PSC should allow the IGP’s team to handle the recruitment exercise, for whoever wears the shoes knows where it pinches.

“We are pleased with the current drive of the IGP and his team to restore the image of the Force, especially in the area of human rights. This is why only the best should be recruited afresh into the Police Force.

“Nigeria is battling a lot of security issues and only professionally-recruited policemen can take up the challenge,” he added.

President Muhammadu Buhari and governors from five states of the federation on Wednesday endorsed a framework for the harmonisation of the digital economy, and e-governmance initiatives at federal and state levels.

DAILY POST learnt that Buhari, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Edo States Governors made this known at the inaugural meeting of the presidential Council on Digital Economy and e-government master plan in Abuja.

This is as President Buhari charged the council members on deploying a concerted approach towards implementing the initiative.

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, who presided over the meeting on behalf of Buhari stated that there have been pockets of digital initiatives going on at the state levels which are not in alignment with the Federal government’s digital economy initiatives.

He recalled launching the National Digital Economy and Policy Strategy (NDEPS) in November 2019 with eight pillars which required the involvement of actors at all levels.

The President said the digital economy cannot be implemented in silos, with FG bearing the responsibility, adding that states and sub-nationals have a significant role to play in ensuring the achievement of NDEPS.

“Many important things have been discussed and we have agreed on all of them and it is because of this we plan to have another meeting as soon as possible.

“The secretariat has been directed to come up with frameworks for the digital economy that can be implemented in our state.

“Many states have good initiatives on the digital economy, however, there is a lack of harmonisation of their activities.

“Framework is going to be developed so that our sub-nationals will play their own role and FG will continue to provide intervention where necessary.

“From the time Mr president launched the policy to date, a lot has been achieved and in some of the pillars, more than 70 per cent have been achieved. However, still, there are issues that require engaging the sub-nationals to look at decision making, implementation, coming up with frameworks, getting their input with regards to regulation and many more and that cannot be easily achieved. It is because of this, this council has been inaugurated, today is our first official meeting after the inauguration by Mr President”, he said.

He further made a case for the establishment of the Ministry of Digital Economy in states to cascade and implement activities at the national level.

“Also after the launching of the policy, the ICT sector contributions to GDP increased significantly to the extent that the sector alone without involving digital services, contributed 17.9 per cent which is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria. With the accommodation of our governors and subnational, I believe many positive things should come out of the sector”, he stated.

The Presidential Council was launched to strengthen the capacity of the government, to develop, adopt and deploy digital technologies to make government more efficient and transparent.

The council is also to ensure the improvement of Nigeria’s global standing in the ease of doing business index.

Imo State to inaugurate Digital Economy Ministry to drive e-governance Implementation- Uzodimma

Meanwhile, the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma has stated that he will immediately inaugurate the Ministry of Digital Economy towards e-governace implementation.

Uzodinma disclosed this in an interview with Journalists after the council meeting.

He said, ”this is a very good idea and we are going to participate. On the level of digitisation in his state, he said there are sectors and pillars. First, we start with proper record keeping, and collection of data and then digitalise the infrastructure department has to be put in place.

”Before this meeting, I was about creating an agency to manage our digital economy but I am going to now create a full-blown ministry of digital economy and IT management in the state as soon as I get back. That is to tell you the kind of attention we are going to give this subject, I will also support a well-thought-out policy in making sure we have a robust digital economy that will create jobs and employment for our youths.

“I am happy to be a member of this council and will do my best to contribute my quota towards national development”, he said.

Digital economy policy harmonization will reduce waste, duplication – Obaseki

The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki stated that the harmonisation of the digital economy initiative will help stamp out waste and duplication in governance.

He added that if Nigeria can get it right on harmonized digital economy strategies, the impact will be tremendous.

In his words, “I am glad we finally have a council in the country that will set the record on the digital economy as the world is about digitisation.

“In Edo State, we have already initiated a lot of IT activities, Edo Best educational platform runs on technology, where all our 15,000 teachers have devices, we are implementing technology in our primary health care centres, we have hubs on our own and they are not aligned with what is happening nationally, so this council helps align the different initiatives on digitisation from different parts of the country so that we can reduce the waste that comes with non-alignment and also gain momentum and speed in terms of implementing digital strategy as a country. If we get it right nobody can stop Nigeria in digitisation”.

FG will invest in homegrown technologies to reduce cost, drive industry- Minister

Similarly, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, who represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Otunba Adebayo said the Federal Government will invest in homegrown technologies to reduce costs and drive the digital economy industry.

“We are working with the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to come up with a homegrown device to lower the cost of the devices that will be used through this initiative, we are working in collaboration with the private sector to come up with a device locally”, he disclosed.

The governments of Nigeria and Iran have commenced mapping out the modalities to increase military diplomatic ties.

The nations are working to ensure that the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Iranian Armed Forces partner on mutual benefits.

Minister of Defence Bashir Magashi hosted the Iranian Ambassador Mohammed Alibak on Wednesday at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

The retired General told Alibak that Nigeria was taking note of genuine allies and their support as the country battles multiple threats to its territorial integrity.

Magashi said the proposals for improved military ties between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Islamic Republic of Iran alluded to the saying, “friend in need is a friend indeed”

Magashi urged the Alibak to come up with implementable templates that will emplace robust engagements between the Armed Forces of the two countries.

The envoy, who was accompanied by Political Adviser Mostafa Majdara, thanked the minister for providing strategic direction to the partnership.

The ambassador promised to key into the new plans that will attract a win-win outcome, including the Nigerian delegation’s visit to Iran for assessment of the fighting equipment being offered to Nigeria on a business basis.

Magashi has also inaugurated a committee to plan the hosting of the 6th Edition of the Nigeria-South Africa Defence Forum (DEFCOM) in October.

The forum promotes civil-military relations and formulates procedures for military cooperation between respective Armed Forces.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction and sentencing of the Director of Logistics of the National Association of Nigerian Students Federal University, Oye-Ekiti Chapter, Adeyemi Israel Abiodun, to one-year imprisonment for internet-related fraud.

The NANS leader is among 40 persons convicted on separate one-count before four judges of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan.

The Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, who said this in a statement made available to our correspondent on Wednesday explained that the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC prosecuted the cases.

Their offencees, the anti-corruption agency, said bordered on impersonation, obtaining money under false pretence, obtaining property by false pretence and forgery contrary to Sections 419, 467, 484, 516 and 508 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The other convicts are Yekeen Azeez Ishola, Okeniyi Sanuel Akiniyi, Theophilus Ademola Bukola, Salami Mohammed Adetayo, Pelumi Ajayi Temiloluwa, Lawal Abdullateef Olalekan, Okusanwo Mayowa Daniel, Oluwole Oluwasegun Ayomide, Adedotun Omodele Yusuf, Monday Nnaemeka Samuel, Idowu Adeshina, Olowe Nifemi Ayomide, Adubu Olamiotan Sunday, Kehinde Olatunji Kehinde, Oguntuase Tope Francis, Elijah Isaac Wisdom, Ogbanaya Chukwu Chukwu, Adekola Adekunle, Odebode Temiloluwa Kehinde, Joseph Odunayo Clement, Andrew Adekunle Masika, Usman Mubarak Damilare, Isiaka Olumide Hammed, Uawu Osita Henry, Kareem Afeez Alabi and Ogunyemi Ayobami Samuel.

Others include Mimiola Victor Olamide, Adeeko Kolade Emmanuel, Egberongbe Adedayo Quam, Oyelaran Olayiwola Jeremaih, Hammed Rilwan Ishola, Adefowora Omotayo David, Adedeji Ibrahim Olamilekan, Emmanuel Timileyin Akinbowale, Michael Damola Olanrewaju, Ayanyemi Olaide Samuel, Boye Timilehin Emmanuel, Timileyin Ajibola Idowu and Azeez Tolulope Ayoade.

Abiodun was arraigned before Justice Iyabo Yerima while thirty-nine others were prosecuted before Justices Bayo Taiwo, Akintola Ladiran and Olusola Adetujoye between August 15, 2022, and August 23, 2022.

The one-count charge against Abiodun reads: “That you, Adeyemi Israel Abiodun and Odaise Precious Abiola (aka Prezzy) (at large) on or about 30th March, 2022 at Ibadan, within the Ibadan Judicial Division did conspire to forge various United States of America Banks Cheques and purport same to be genuine and thereby committed the offence of conspiracy to commit forgery contrary to Section 516 and 467 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

In view of their guilty pleas, the prosecution counsel, Modupe Akinkoye, Oyelakin Oyediran, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Chidi Okoli, Abdulrasheed Suleiman, Mabas Mabur and Samsuddeen Bashir reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered confessional statements and documents recovered from the convicts as exhibits and urged the courts to convict and sentence the defendants as charged.

Consequently, Abiodun, Daniel and Ayomide were convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment each without the “option of fine”, while Akiniyi bagged three months jailed term and six months of community service.

Other defendants were convicted and sentenced to six months of community service each.

Furthermore, the court ordered Abiodun to pay the sum of $1,000USD (one thousand United States dollars) in restitution and forfeit a white Mercedes Benz CLA-250 with a customized NANS plate number worth a million, a gold neck chain and one ice neck chain worth N3.6million, bitcoin worth $58, 854.88USD, one Apple MacBook Pro 2020 Model and an iPhone 12 Pro Max to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Other convicts were ordered to restitute their victims and forfeit all items recovered from them.


It will be recalled, that Abiodun, a 200-level student of Economics and Development Studies of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State was arrested on March, 30, 2022, alongside 79 (seventy-nine) others in a sting operation by the operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC at Sango area of Ibadan, Oyo State for alleged internet fraud.

Investigations revealed that, between July 2021 and March 2022, Abiodun benefited N195, 274, 331.00 (One Hundred and Ninety-Five Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Four Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty One Naira) as cumulative heist from cyber-fraud involving forgery of over 25 US banks cheques.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, on Tuesday, inaugurated the National Council on Infrastructure, saying the move would bridge the nation’s infrastructure gaps while widening the frontiers of Public-Private sector collaboration.

This was according to a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, titled ‘Osinbajo notes progress in infrastructure, inaugurates new council with public-private collaboration.’

Prof. Osinbajo, who formally inaugurated the Council during a virtual meeting which he presided over on Tuesday, stated that, “For efficient and effective implementation of infrastructure projects, the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan recommended the establishment of the National Council on Infrastructure and its Technical Working Group.”

He noted that the Buhari regime’s National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan was developed to provide “an integrated view of infrastructure development in Nigeria with clear linkages across key sectors and identifies enablers for successful implementation in line with the current economic realities.

“The success of the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan will depend, to a large extent, on the establishment of a strong implementation mechanism and framework that promotes performance and accountability.”

He revealed that the NIIMP takes stock of existing infrastructure and is aimed at raising Nigeria’s infrastructure stock to at least 70 per cent by the year 2043.

“A well-coordinated and strategic approach will be required to harness private resources to increase the stock of Nigeria’s infrastructure to the desired level by the year 2043,” Osinbajo said.

He added that the National Council on Infrastructure is to provide policy direction on infrastructure matters and drive the creation and sustenance of the expected synergy and linkages between the public and the private sector to enhance the implementation of the Infrastructure Master Plan, while the Technical Working Group is to provide guidance to the Council and advise on all infrastructure related matters.

He further cited the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road (funded through the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund); the construction and upgrading of about 5,000 km of major road projects across the country through the Sukuk bond, as evidence of the Federal Government’s deliberate and massive investment in road, rail and power infrastructure for rapid economic development.

Prof. Osinbajo said the regime “is investing more than $2bn in Distribution and Transmission through the Siemens Presidential Power Initiative, the Transmission, Rehabilitation and Expansion Plan, the CBN-financed Transmission-Distribution Interface Programme and the recently approved $500m World Bank DISREP program for the Distribution segment.”

Similarly, the VP noted that the Federal Government launched the N15tn Infrastructure Corporation (InfraCorp Nigeria) in 2021 and the President also signed Executive Order 7, which had informed the right policy framework and created some opportunities for Public-Private Partnership in infrastructure development.

The private sector, he added, “is expected to play an increasingly important role either directly or in collaboration with the government through Public-Private Partnership with the Government providing a supportive environment with stable and transparent policies, rules and regulations.”

In his remarks, the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, thanked the Vice President for his leadership and selfless service to the nation.

Private sector members of the new Council include the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mansur Ahmed; and a representative of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, Tasiu Wudil, both of whom were in attendance, also welcomed the inauguration of the Council, to which they are also members.


The Vice President is Chair of the National Council on Infrastructure, and members include representatives of the State Governors; Federal Ministers, heads of government agencies and members of the private sector.

They include the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Works, Babatunde Fashola, SAN; Power, Abubakar Aliyu; Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo; Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami; Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu; Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba; and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
Others include the President of MAN, Mansur Ahmed; National President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture, John Udeagbala; the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Mr. Babatunde Irukera; Managing Director/CEO, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Uche Orji; among others.

The Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, through its Infrastructure Delivery Coordinating Unit, will serve as the Secretariat for the Council.

Rotary Club of Iyaganku-Ibadan, on Wednesday, planted 20 trees to tackle the effect of climate change in the country.

Speaking on the tree planting programme, the guest speaker, Past President of the Rotary Club of Ibadan Jericho Metro and also an agriculturist, Mr Adekunle Are, said tree planting is very important and should be encouraged in society.

He noted that one of the ways to address the issue of unemployment in the country is tree planting.

Are said tree planting should be integrated into the master plan in most states so as to create a conducive environment for people to live.

He said the exercise is aimed at stemming the issue of climate change, prevent floods and also to beautify the environment.

“The issue of climate change is an issue all over the world now; we are more concerned with our environment, so tree planting is a key aspect of addressing climate change and I believe that from the issue of perspective, from the economy, environment, tree planting is very key and it should be encouraged in our society.

“The population is growing, so there will be a need for more houses, and what is important is to have a balance between houses and maintenance of the environment. Tree planting should be integrated into the master plan in most of our states, so that we are not only talking about residents but creating a good environment for people to live because trees are very healthy for the environment.”

In her address, the Club President, Mrs Kemi Akinpelu, disclosed that tree planting is very significant to Rotary Club, saying trees add value to life and also help reduce erosion and dust hazards.

“Of the trees, we are planting today as part of our 34th Club anniversary, they have so many benefits, especially economic benefits; we are planting today coconut trees, tangerines, oranges and so many other trees that are going to bring forth fruits and they are going to be of economic importance.




“I will advise Nigerians to plant more trees in our communities; most houses don’t have gardens where they can plant vegetables, I will just urge them to reduce locking up their compounds in the name of beautification of interlocking, having concrete all round the houses, but we should have more fruits and different plants so that we will live well and live long.

“The exercise is also in line with the introduction of the seventh area of focus of the Club, which was aimed at beautifying the environment, as well as making the environment safe.”

Speaking on the tree planting programme, the guest speaker, Past President of the Rotary Club of Ibadan Jericho Metro and also an agriculturist, Mr Adekunle Are, said tree planting is very important and should be encouraged in society.

He noted that one of the ways to address the issue of unemployment in the country is tree planting.

Are said tree planting should be integrated into the master plan in most states so as to create a conducive environment for people to live.

He said the exercise is aimed at stemming the issue of climate change, prevent floods and also to beautify the environment.

“The issue of climate change is an issue all over the world now; we are more concerned with our environment, so tree planting is a key aspect of addressing climate change and I believe that from the issue of perspective, from the economy, environment, tree planting is very key and it should be encouraged in our society.

“The population is growing, so there will be a need for more houses, and what is important is to have a balance between houses and maintenance of the environment. Tree planting should be integrated into the master plan in most of our states, so that we are not only talking about residents but creating a good environment for people to live because trees are very healthy for the environment.”

In her address, the Club President, Mrs Kemi Akinpelu, disclosed that tree planting is very significant to Rotary Club, saying trees add value to life and also help reduce erosion and dust hazards.

“Of the trees, we are planting today as part of our 34th Club anniversary, they have so many benefits, especially economic benefits; we are planting today coconut trees, tangerines, oranges and so many other trees that are going to bring forth fruits and they are going to be of economic importance.

“I will advise Nigerians to plant more trees in our communities; most houses don’t have gardens where they can plant vegetables, I will just urge them to reduce locking up their compounds in the name of beautification of interlocking, having concrete all round the houses, but we should have more fruits and different plants so that we will live well and live long.

“The exercise is also in line with the introduction of the seventh area of focus of the Club, which was aimed at beautifying the environment, as well as making the environment safe.”

Bella of the Big Brother Naija, BBNaij season 7 has given reasons she nominated fellow housemates, Hermes and Chichi for possible eviction this week.

On Monday, housemates nominated two persons each for possible eviction shortly after the Head of House game (HOH)

Bella when asked why she nominated Amaka and Hermes said they are both strong competitors.

She said this during her diary session with Big Brother.

Bella said, “I nominated Hermes and Amaka because they are strong competitors to me in the house.” Recall that Biggie nullified all nominations on Monday and put all housemates up for eviction for disobeying his rules.

At least one of the housemates will exit the reality show during Sunday live eviction.

Meanwhile, Bella and Sheggz were issued a stern warning about their behaviour to tasks when not paired.

Big Brother warned that their actions will no longer be tolerated.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Wednesday clarified why Nigeria’s U-20 Women’s team, Falconets overstayed for 24 hours in Istanbul following their exit from the Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.

Falconets were en route to Abuja after bowing out of the tournament on Sunday, following a 0-2 loss to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals stage.

Pictures of the team sleeping on the floor at the Istanbul Airport surfaced on social media with fans blaming the Federation for negligence.

However, Demola Olajire, NFF’s Head of Communications, said in a statement, that the situation was due to the inability to secure transit visas for the team.

Olajire also reported Mohammed Sanusi, General Secretary of the NFF, as saying that the tickets were booked by FIFA and not the federation.

“The NFF did not book the team’s tickets from Costa Rica, FIFA did.

“FIFA also did not envisage the hitches that saw the team delayed for more than three hours in Bogota, and another one hour in Panama. By the time the team got to Istanbul, the flight to Abuja had left,” the statement added.

Members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State Chapter, on Wednesday, reiterated their solidarity, loyalty and support to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the declarations by various groups and senatorial districts mandating the governor to choose his successor as was done by his predecessors.

Members of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, who made their position known when they paid a solidarity visit to Gov. Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, reassured the governor of their unalloyed support and solidarity, stressing that they are solidly behind him and his political decisions ahead of the 2023 elections.

Gov. Ugwuanyi, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Enugu North Senatorial District in the 2023 general election and the leader of the PDP in Enugu State and the South East geo-political zone, had endorsed the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, to succeed him in office, in 2023.

Speaking on behalf of the members of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State Chapter, including the state and local government executives, the youth and women wings, the national officers from the state and Presidents-General of Town Unions, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the state, Prof. Fred Eze, commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for his numerous achievements in all spheres of development despite avalanche of challenges confronting the country.

Prof. Eze applauded the governor for the enduring peace he has entrenched in Enugu State, stressing that “it is not surprising that your remarkable signature of peace is emblematic of everything you touch including the ever contentious party politics”

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo President told Gov. Ugwuanyi that members of the organisation are impressed with the “thousands of kilometers of asphalted roads criss-crossing the nooks and crannies of Enugu State with state of the art bridges and drainages you have constructed.”

He pointed out that the governor “constructed new hospitals and courts of justice more than any other governor in the history of Enugu State,” adding: “You have also empowered thousands of Enugu State youths through exposure to training and skill acquisition.”

Further enumerating Gov. Ugwuanyi’s remarkable achievements, Prof. Eze said: “Our governor has capped it up with a world-class flyover bridge at T-Junction, Nike Lake Road; a new stadium at Nsukka and a brand new State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Enugu State which has been fully licensed for operation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

“We also acknowledge with gratitude the take-off of the Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo which you attracted from the Federal Government.”

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo President stated that the members of the organisation in Enugu State “voluntarily and deliberately” visited Gov. Ugwuanyi “to come and honour you and express our solidarity with you.”

Speaking on Gov. Ugwuanyi’s milestone achievements in the education sector, Prof. Eze revealed that the group is exceedingly delighted at the governor’s investments in the sector which he said have started yielding bountiful results.

“The report of the latest study by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and StatiSense indicates a stellar performance by the Enugu State students at the 2021 WAEC examination with a score of 93.9 percent coming tops of all the state in Nigeria in public schools. This is an outstanding performance and it is kudos to Your Excellency,” he said.

Throwing their weight behind the governor’s political aspirations and choice of successor, the state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo declared: “Your Excellency, as the current political season draws nearer, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Enugu State followed with keen interest the declarations by various groups and senatorial districts mandating you to pick your successor as was done by your predecessors.

“There was an overwhelming agreement by all and sundry in Enugu State that you should also pick your successor from Enugu East Senatorial District. We therefore wrote Your Excellency in November 2021 amplifying and aligning ourselves with the popular mandate of our people on this issue.

“It is on this highly ennobling premise that the gamut of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Enugu State Chapter including our grand patrons, patrons, 17 local government chapters, women and youth wings hereby express our unequivocal solidarity with Your Excellency (Ugwuanyi) and restate our unalloyed loyalty and support to our Father, Mentor, Leader and Provider.”

The President expressed immense gratitude to Gov. Ugwuanyi for his “generous support of the activities of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State Chapter all these years,” and beseeched God to continue to bless and reward him abundantly.

The Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Igwe Amb. Lawrence Agubuzu, the National Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr. Selina Ugwoke Adibua, and the Chaplain and Spiritual Director, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Rev. Fr. John Amadi were among the delegation to the Government House, Enugu, while the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Augustine Nnamani, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prof. Malachy Okwueze, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Barr. Nestor Ezeme witnessed the colourful event.

Bus drivers in London are set to strike over pay for two days this weekend, their union announced on Wednesday, as decades-high inflation prompts walkouts across Britain’s ailing economy.

Around 1,600 drivers from the London United bus company will stage the stoppage on Sunday and Monday over the traditional end-of-summer long weekend, the union Unite said.

The strike, which will affect only a portion of London’s famous red buses, could hinder people trying to reach the annual Notting Hill Carnival, which will take place on both days and typically draws up to two million people.

Unite accused French company RATP, which owns London United, of offering the drivers a “real terms pay cut” in negotiations over pay.

It said the firm was offering an increase of 3.6 percent for 2022 and 4.2 percent in 2023, despite Britain’s inflation rate reaching double figures last month for the first time since 1982.

“It (RATP) can fully afford to pay its workers a decent pay increase, but it is refusing to do so,” Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said.

A spokesperson for RATP said it remained “committed to resolving the dispute as soon as possible and we urge Unite to reconsider our invitation to return to the negotiating table”.

The stoppage is the latest by public and private sector workers in the UK, as the spiralling cost of living has led employees to seek salary hikes to keep up with their surging bills.

London Underground and national railway staff have held a series of walkouts in recent months, while the unrest has hit numerous other industries and sectors.

They range from dock workers at Felixstowe — the country’s biggest container port — and refuse collectors in Scotland, to criminal lawyers across England and Wales.

President Muhammadu Buhari has come under fierce criticism and accused of compromising the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for appointing card-carrying members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as Resident Electoral Commissioners.

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, through a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, described the recent nominations of someone it describes as a questionable character with known political affiliation and record of alleged corruption, as unconstitutional, insisting that such nominees should not be confirmed by the Senate.

Recall that the President had on July 26 forwarded the names of 19 INEC REC nominees to the red chamber for confirmation. Five of the nominees were reappointed for a second term of five years while 14 others had new appointments.

However, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations including the Director, International Press Centre, said the nominee from Sokoto was an APC governorship aspirant in 2015 whilst the nominee for Enugu is alleged to be the younger sister of the APC Deputy National Chairman, South-East.

Likewise, the CSOs said the nominee for Imo, a former Head of ICT at INEC in Imo, is infamous for alleged corruption and connivance with politicians to undermine elections whilst the nominee for Ebonyi, a former Accountant-General in Ebonyi State, was suspended on allegations of incompetence and corruption in 2016.

Commenting, HURIWA said, “We align with the positions of our brother CSOs that these persons are unworthy to hold a sensitive position such as Resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission unless the Federal Government is trying to reward politically prejudiced and allegedly corrupt individuals with sensitive and prestigious appointments.

“The APC government should be reminded of Section 14(2a) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended which states that ‘a member of the commission shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity.’

“Also, Section 14(3b) of the same Schedule states that ‘there shall be for each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, a Resident Electoral Commissioner who shall be a person of unquestionable integrity and shall not be a member of any political party.’

“Similarly, Section 156(1(a) of the same Schedule prohibits the appointment of such individuals with questionable character.

“This is not the first time the President will politicise the appointment of INEC officials. In 2020, the President nominated his aide on social media, Lauretta Onochie, as an INEC commissioner to represent Delta State. He later replaced her after an outrage condemning his decision.

“Also, in October 2019, a self-confessed APC member in Osun State, Olalekan Raheem, was nominated as a resident electoral commissioner by the President though the Senate later rejected the nominee.

“The President must not compromise INEC’s integrity as Nigeria goes into an election year in 2023. INEC as an electoral umpire must be an apolitical institution with objective individuals with no record of political allegiance.

“Nigerians are watching to see how the APC government intends to smuggle its members into INEC top organs to allegedly circumvent the process in favour of the ruling party which intends to perpetuate itself into power after failing Nigerians in all ramifications.”

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State has concluded plans to suspend Chief Derin Adebiyi, the factional Chairman of the party in the state backed by former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, over anti-party activities.

Multiple sources at the APC Secretariat confirmed that Adebiyi and other members of the party loyal to Amosun were discovered to have formed a list of delegates who participated in the primary election of African Democratic Party (ADC) in the State.

Recall that Amosun, a Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, had been at daggers drawn with his erstwhile associate and ally, Dapo Abiodun, who is the incumbent Governor of the State.

Details soon…