Author: Halimah Olamide
Halimah Olamide Holds a degree in History and Education. She also holds professional certificates in graphics and passionate about reporting issues of politics, economy, and gender
By Halimah Olamide The Federal Government has assured the public that the Alau Dam in Borno did not collapse during recent flooding, attributing the overflow to climate change and unusually heavy rainfall. Prof. Joseph Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, extended the government’s condolences to the people of Borno State during a press conference in Abuja on Friday, following the devastating floods. The minister noted that earlier this year, a flood risk warning identified 31 states, including Borno, as high-risk areas. He said a team of technical experts from the ministry, various agencies, and the Chad Basin Development Authority…
By Olufemi Soneye In the face of the challenges in the oil sector, particularly the current tightness in the supply of petrol, it has become fashionable to blame the national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC Ltd), for everything. Last week, it was Prof. Pat Utomi who railed and fumed at the NNPC Ltd calling it one of the most opaque and unreliable companies in the world. Before then, The Punch had published an editorial in which it described the NNPC Ltd as a danger to Nigeria. The latest of these vitriolic attacks is by Dr. Muiz…
HALIMAH OLAMIDE takes on the one year after of the death of singer, Ileri Oluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly called Mohbad, wading through the litany of controversies, the alleged coverups and efforts by concerned Nigerians to get to the root of what killed the singer Twelve good months after the mysterious death of music artiste, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly called Mohbad, fans and other Nigerians believe there is still more that meets the eyes. With many controversies, suspects, opinions, twists and turns, the last one year brings forth a confounding series of events that have unfolded since September 12th, 2023 when…
By Halimah Olamide The Lagos State Government has announced that traffic will be diverted away from the Eko Bridge to facilitate emergency repairs by the Federal Ministry of Works. The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, made this known in a statement on Friday, noting that “the traffic diversion will commence on Sept. 16 and will last for 18 weeks. “The repairs will be carried out in four phases, during which the bridge will be intermittently, fully or partially closed, depending on the work schedule. “Motorists are advised to use alternative routes during the repairs, but motorists heading to the…
By Halimah Olamide The House of Representatives has asked Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) to remit Value Added Tax (VAT) on the commission received from Remita between 2015 and 2022 to the Federal Government recovery account. The Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (PAC), of the lower chamber, Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP- Osun), gave the directive on Thursday during the ongoing investigation into alleged revenue leakages through REMITA platform. The committee is also investigating non-compliance with the standard operating procedure and other related matters. Remita is a financial technology used by the Federal Government for collection of revenue from agencies of government into…
By Halimah Olamide The Federal Government has unveiled the National Youth Skills Programme (NYSP), a transformative initiative aimed at addressing youths unemployment and equipping them with essential skills for the future. Dr Jamila Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development, spoke at the unveiling event on Thursday in Abuja. Ibrahim said that the programme was developed to tackle unemployment and equip young people with employable skills. “The key goals are to reduce youth unemployment by 20 per cent in the next five years and achieve up to a 50 per cent increase in youth-led enterprise. “Through regular assessment, feedback loops and data analysis, we…
By Halimah Olamide The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commenced sustained medical outreach to assist residents of Maiduguri affected by the recent devastating flood in Borno. This was contained in a statement by Group Capt. Kabiru Ali, Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, on Friday in Abuja. Ali said that the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, gave the directive in response to the devastating floods that ravaged parts of the state. He said the NAF units in Maiduguri launched the initiative on Thursday, to offer medical assistance and essential relief materials to the affected population.…
By Halimah Olamide The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Thursday said it responded to 121 incidents in August. The Permanent Secretary of the Agency, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, made this known in a statement. According to him, the number was the lowest recorded from January till date. Oke-Osanyintolu disclosed that road accidents ranked highest among emergency incidents attended to in the month, with a record of 39 incidents. “This comprises 36 accidents and three breakdowns. “Followed by the truck and tanker category comprising 34 incidents made up of 27 accidents, one fallen container, four broken down trucks, and two…
By Halimah Olamide Gov. Usman Ododo of Kogi visited and comforted traders whose shops were destroyed by an early morning fire at the Lokoja GSM village. This was contained In a statement issued by the Governor’s media aide, Ismaila Isah, in Lokoja. Ododo described the incident as “very unfortunate” and “worrisome”, given the extent of the damage and losses.” The governor reaffirmed his administration’s support for businesses and pledged the state government’s assistance in rebuilding the GSM village ravaged by fire. He visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and sympathised with the victims, describing the extent of damage as…
Defeats Tems, Ayra Starr, Others to Win Best Afrobeats Category By Halimah Olamide South African music star, Tyla has made history as she is now the first South African to win an MTV Video Music Awards. The Joburg-born star clinched the award for Best Afrobeats category, therefore defeating Tems, Ayra Starr, BurnaBoy and others. The ‘Water’ crooner stated boldly that she represented the amapiano despite winning in the Afrobeats category. Tyla also had words for the organisers and their classification of African music. “I know there’s a tendency to group all African artists as Afrobeats. Even though Afrobeats has run…