News

Tinubu commences clearing NPOWER backlog

Published

5 months ago

December 22, 2023

It was jubilation among the NPOWER beneficiaries across the country as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday night commenced the payment of the backlog of the NPOWER program.

The payment commencement followed a painstaking verification exercise initiated and concluded by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Announcing the release of funds Wednesday night, Nigeria’s Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty, Dr. Betta Edu, said it was indeed a renewed hope for the Nigerian youths during the Christmas and New Year celebration.

Edu said President Tinubu’s interest in Nigerian youths is evidenced by the numerous policies and programs of his administration largely tailored toward providing opportunities for them.

She wishes the beneficiaries who went through the painstaking process of the verification exercise, a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year with their loved ones.

“I stayed awake with the NPOWER team till 3 am at the office to ensure NPOWER Beneficiaries get paid before Christmas in line with the directive of the President.

“Now, I can confirm to you the payment of NPower Beneficiaries has commenced and the evidence is in their account Merry Christmas”, the Minister said.

Aminu Muhammed from Kano said in a message to the minister” Thank you Mr President and the honourable minister for fulfilling your promise, I just received my alert.

The same confirmation of alert receipt came from Sanni Baba in Bauchi, Uche Nnaji Obi from Enugu, Kayode Babatunde in Ibadan, and Kolo Nda from Niger amongst about 400,000 beneficiaries who successfully went through the verification process and got paid.

Headline

Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

Published

4 days ago

May 11, 2024

Alero Danjuma

Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.

The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.

Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.

Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.

News

Senate approves death penalty for drug traffickers

Published

6 days ago

May 9, 2024

Alero Danjuma

Senate on Thursday, May 9, approved the death penalty for those convicted on the charge of drug trafficking in the country.

The punishment prescribed in the extant NDLEA Act is a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of a report of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs and Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters presented the report during plenary, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North).

The bill, which passed its third reading, aims to update the list of dangerous drugs, strengthen the operations of the NDLEA, review penalties, and empower the establishment of laboratories.

Section 11 of the current act prescribes that “any person who, without lawful authority; imports, manufactures, produces, processes, plants or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life” was amended to reflect a stiffer penalty of death.

Although the report did not recommend a death penalty for the offence, during consideration, Senator Ali Ndume moved that the life sentence should be upgraded to the death penalty.

During a clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, put the amendment on the death penalty to a voice vote and ruled that the “ayes” had it.

But Senator Adams Oshiomhole objected to the ruling, saying that the “nays” had it.

He argued that matters of life and death should not be treated hurriedly, but Barau said it was too late, as he failed to call for division immediately after his ruling.

The bill was subsequently read for the third time and passed by the Senate.