Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Limited, has stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to enhance its crude oil production capacity and optimize domestic crude supply in order to transition from a net importer to a net exporter of petroleum products. He made this call during his keynote address at the summit of the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN), held in Lagos. The event gathered key stakeholders from Nigeria’s midstream and downstream sectors, as well as top government officials. In his speech, Dangote highlighted Nigeria’s untapped potential to lead Africa’s petroleum industry. Despite producing…

A boat accident at Imore town in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State has claimed the lives of at least 21 people, leaving 11 others with injuries. The tragic incident occurred when two passenger boats collided in the middle of the lagoon, capsizing both vessels. The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident in a press statement. He revealed that the two boats, each carrying 16 passengers, crashed while traveling on the lagoon, leading to the fatal capsizing. The police received a distress call about the accident around 7 pm, prompting an immediate…

By Idris Katib The best graduating student, class of 2024, at Crescent University Abeokuta, Daniel Oyeniyi has applauded religious tolerance of the institution, stressing that he was never forced to go to the mosque. Oyeniyi will be collecting, among others, the vice chancellor’s prize for the best graduating student at the 16th Convocation of the institution which prides itself as citadel of academic and moral excellence. Emphasizing religious tolerance of the institution, Oyeniyi said “it’s something I do say every time that there’s no case of religious segregation in Crescent University and they don’t force you to go to…

Daud Olatunji Ahead of the upcoming local government elections in Ogun State, scheduled for November 19, 2024, the Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), Babatunde Osibodu, is facing potential legal repercussions over the controversial imposition of administrative fees totaling N727,200,000. The fees, which include N250,000 for chairmanship candidates and N150,000 for councillorship candidates, have sparked significant protests and raised questions about their legality. PLATFORM TIMES reports that Osibodu’s decision could lead to contempt of court charges, as it directly contradicts a judicial ruling from 2004 that prohibits such levies by the commission. The crux of the matter lies…

Daud Olatunji The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has urged Islamic scholars, leaders, and the entire Muslim community to transcend internal divisions and embrace a unified path toward progress. Prof. Oloyede made this appeal during a three-day conference organized by the Robitatu-l-Aimmah wal Ulamoh fi Bilaadi Yoruba (The League of Imams and Alfas in Yoruba Land) held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. The conference, centered on the theme “Strengthening Islamic Unity and Progress in Yoruba Land,” sought to address critical issues facing the Muslim community in…

Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Prof. Yusuf Dasilva, says men can also be affected by breast cancer, advising both genders to always go for screening. Dasilva stated this in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of a ‘Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness’, organised in Ilorin, as part of the activities marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme, with the theme: “No One Should Face Breast Cancer Alone”, was organised by UITH, in collaboration with the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN). The CMD, who…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has revealed that 84 lecturers died between May and August 2024 as a result of economic hardship and unpaid salaries, further highlighting the dire state of Nigeria’s university system. This disclosure was made by the ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, during an appearance on the socio-political programme Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, aired on Channels Television. Osodeke decried the prevailing economic conditions that have contributed to the untimely deaths of Nigerian academics, stating that their suffering has been exacerbated by the federal government’s withholding of salaries. “In the past three months, from May to…

Daud Olatunji Nigeria is grappling with a critical health and economic crisis as open defecation continues to plague the nation, with an estimated $1.5 billion lost annually due to health issues, reduced productivity, and the far-reaching consequences of poor sanitation. Stakeholders are urging a unified effort to combat this growing menace, which is both a symptom and a driver of poverty in many regions, especially in the Southwest. PLATFORM TIMES reports that open defecation as a practice  is linked to widespread diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, and malnutrition, and remains prevalent in Nigeria, affecting an estimated 48 million people. PLATFORM…

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has expressed deep sympathy to the victims of the devastating floods that have ravaged over 300 communities in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, displacing millions of people and leaving many in critical conditions. The flooding, which has submerged homes and farmlands, primarily affecting women and children, has forced thousands to seek shelter in makeshift internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Sulaimon Arigbabu, HEDA called on both local and federal governments to urgently provide relief to the affected communities. The organization also stressed the importance…

Ayomide Awe Chief Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State, has called on Nigerians to rally behind President Bola Tinubu, emphasizing that his presidency is a product of Yoruba leadership and collective effort. Speaking at the All Progressives Congress (APC) South West Zone Assembly meeting held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, Osoba urged the nation to accept Tinubu’s leadership, assuring that he would serve another four years as a Yoruba son. During his speech, Osoba traced Tinubu’s political journey, recalling a critical decision made by South West leaders in 2007. According to him, that moment marked the beginning of…