Author: Kwara Reporters

The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) in May 2024, increased astronomically to about ₦937 per litre in the Northern part of the country, according to the latest report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).The report ‘Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch (May 2024)’, said on a state profile analysis, that consumers in Jigawa State paid the highest price of ₦937.50 for petrol, signaling a continuous rise in the price of the commodity since the removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023.The report further said the average price paid…

Siraj Abdullahi, executive director of the hydroelectric dam in Zungeru, Niger state, says there was no explosion at the facility.Abdullahi was reacting to reports that there was an explosion at the dam that caused injury to some workers, including a Chinese national.The reports said the unnamed Chinese engineer was conducting a routine check when the explosion happened.In a notice, the executive director described the reports as a “wicked lie”.“There is a fake news on several media houses,” Abdullahi said.“This is a wicked lie. We are fine in Zungeru nothing happened and we are on the Grid.“Please disregard this hate news.…

The first batch of 313 pilgrims from Kwara State who performed this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia have arrived Ilọrin.They arrived safely at the Babatunde Idi-Agbon International Airport, Ilorin via Air-Peace flight APK 7911 which departed the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia weekend.Two female officials of the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Hajia Ahmed Hassana Mariam and Hajia Otunyo Habibat accompanied the pilgrims.Speaking in a telephone conversation, the chairman of the Pilgrims Welfare Board, Professor Mashood Mahmud-Jimba, assured the remaining pilgrims that they would be airlifted according to the schedule of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria…

Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NIS) has generated N10.027 billion into the federal government’s coffers between January and May 2024.The command under review also seized 21 prohibited items worth a total duty-paid value of N35,416,140.The contraband and prohibited items seized by the customs officers included 507 bags of foreign rice, one unit of used vehicles, 1,055 pieces of used tyres, and 164 Jerry cans of petrol, each 25 litres, totalling 4,100 litres.The customs area controller, Kwara Area Command, Faith Ojeifo, made these disclosures in Ilorin, the state capital while briefing newsmen on the command’s activities in the…

A former federal lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has vowed to tackle the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his comment at an event recently.Sani, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, was reacting to Wike’s comment challenging the former lawmaker to list his contributions to democracy when at the Senate.Seemingly furious Sani accused Wike of intentionally asking to speak last at events so as to escape responses to his comments.“Wike is my good friend. I would have preferred to reply to him at an event…

As the nation awaits the new minimum wage promised to be sent to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, the burden of implementing the minimum wage may make many states bankrupt.The Federal Executive Council, at its meeting last Tuesday, stepped down a memorandum on the report of the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage, to allow for more consultations among the federal and state governments on one part, the private sector and the labour unions on the other part.Last Thursday, Tinubu met with the governors at the National Economic Council meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima. The…

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, IRCC, has said over 71,459 Nigerians obtained Canadian citizenship between 2005 and 2024.IRCC is a department of the government of Canada responsible for matters relating to immigration to the North American country, refugees, and Canadian citizenship.The number places Nigeria in the 10th position on the list of new Canadian citizens by country of birth.The data released by the immigration office showed that while new Canadians come from at least 196 countries and territories, the top 10 places account for nearly half of all new citizens.IRCC said the data highlighted the diversity of Canada’s new citizen…

The Consumer Credit Scheme of the Federal Government will take off with a target of N180 trillion available as loans to the beneficiaries, the agency in charge said at the weekend.The Consumer Credit Corporation (CreditCorp) plans a take-off with 500,000 beneficiaries by the end of next year.Already, two million Nigerians have enrolled through the agency’s website.No fewer than 80 million have been identified by the agency as qualified for the scheme.This is part of key major campaign promises of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, along with the student loan scheme, which is also due to begin in September. Chief Executive Officer of…

A group under the aegis of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights, CDWR, has urged the Organised Labour to quickly mobilise and declare a nationwide strike over the minimum wage and the recent hike in electricity tariff.This is contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah.The group recalled that organized labour had been at loggerheads with the government and private sector over a new minimum wage, and negotiation had been deadlocked for over three weeks and still counting.It stressed that the Government and Private Sector insistence on paying N60,000 provoked the declaration of an indefinite strike…

By Funsho AbdulmalikThe upcoming local government elections in Kwara State have brought to light concerns about the affordability and inclusiveness of the political process. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed exorbitant prices for its nomination/intent forms, charging the sum of N250,000 for counselorship positions, while members of the party willing to secure tickets for chairmanship positions will have to cough out a whooping N1million. In stark contrast, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demonstrated a commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, fixing cost of its forms at ₦25,000 for counselorship aspirants and ₦100,000 for chairmanship aspirants. This disparity…