Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Grace Adeleye The World Health Organisation has called for urgent global action to confront the stigma, discrimination and chronic neglect surrounding neglected tropical diseases, warning that millions of sufferers continue to endure not only physical illness but also deep social and psychological trauma. Speaking on World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day, the WHO said diseases such as leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and river blindness continue to thrive in the world’s poorest communities, where access to healthcare remains limited and misinformation fuels exclusion and abuse. The agency disclosed that although progress has been made — with 1.4 billion people now requiring NTD interventions,…

The Ogun State Government has declared that perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV), child abuse and other forms of exploitation will face tougher enforcement measures, coordinated prosecution and zero tolerance in 2026, as it moves to strengthen protection for women, children and other vulnerable groups. The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Adijat Adeleye, made this known on Friday, at the Ministry’s 3-in-1 New Year Programme held at the Valleyview Auditorium, Abeokuta, where she also announced fresh policies to reward excellence and professionalism in the state civil service. Adeleye said the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun was determined…

Former Minister of Communications and retired Major General, Tajudeen Olanrewaju, has mourned the death of a Lagos royal and elder statesman, Otunba Adekunle Ojora, describing him as a “veteran journalist and boardroom titan” whose life embodied integrity, cultural pride and service. Ojora, a prince of the Royal House of Lagos and the Lisa of Ile-Ife, died on Wednesday, sparking tributes from across the political, media and business communities. In a personally signed statement titled “The Passage of Otunba Adekunle Ojora,” Olanrewaju said Lagos State, particularly the Island communities, had lost a rare and invaluable elder whose contributions spanned journalism, entrepreneurship…

The Dangote Industries Limited has entered into a strategic partnership with XCMG Construction Machinery Co. Ltd, one of China’s leading manufacturers of construction and mining equipment, to accelerate infrastructure delivery, industrial growth and green project development across Africa. The cooperation agreement, signed by both firms, will see them collaborate in key sectors including mining, petrochemicals, building materials, agriculture and large-scale infrastructure, leveraging their combined strengths to drive long-term value creation and regional industrial expansion. Dangote Group, Africa’s largest diversified industrial conglomerate, operates across cement production, fertiliser, petrochemicals, food processing, agriculture, ports, logistics and mining in Nigeria and several other African…

A prosecution witness on Thursday told the Federal Cshhhjjjapital Territory High Court in Abuja that $6.23 million was illegally withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria using forged documents during the tenure of former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele. The witness, Bashirudden Maishanu, an assistant director at the apex bank and the 11th prosecution witness, testified before Justice Hamza Muazu in the ongoing trial instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Emefiele. Led in evidence by the EFCC Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, Maishanu said the funds were paid out in cash from the CBN Garki branch on…

Mobile network operators in Nigeria have pledged to ramp up infrastructure spending in 2026, with investments expected to exceed the over $1bn (about N1.4tn) committed to the sector last year, the Nigerian Communications Commission has said. The pledge follows a surge in capital expenditure in 2025, during which operators rolled out more than 2,850 new network sites nationwide, expanding coverage across cities, rural communities and major transport corridors, while accelerating the rollout of 5G services. Speaking on the regulator’s latest network performance report, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the gains recorded across key performance…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reaffirmed its capacity to meet and exceed Nigeria’s domestic fuel needs, pledging daily supplies of 75 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), 25 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and 20 million litres of aviation fuel. In a public notice issued on Wednesday, the refinery said the volumes significantly surpass the country’s estimated daily consumption of about 50 million litres of petrol, 14 million litres of diesel and four million litres of jet fuel, providing a critical buffer against shortages and reducing dependence on imports. The company said, “The management of Dangote Petroleum…

The Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria (PPSN) has urged the Federal and state governments, development partners and other stakeholders to intensify efforts towards eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Nigeria, in line with the country’s National Master Plan and Elimination Roadmap. The call was made as Nigeria joined the global community to mark World NTD Day 2026, themed “Unite. Act. Eliminate.” In a commemorative message, the Chairman of the PPSN Communication Committee, Dr Tajudeen Olusegun Uthman, said the global theme mirrors Nigeria’s strategy of coordinated action, effective implementation and sustainable disease elimination. He noted that NTDs remain a…

… 5,061 Illegal Copies Seized From Nine Bookshops … Commission Vows Tougher Crackdown On Piracy … Offenders Fined, Materials Forfeite Daud Olatunji The Nigerian Copyright Commission has intensified its nationwide anti-piracy campaign with the destruction of 5,061 pirated books valued at N50.6m seized from bookshops across Ondo and Ekiti states. The illegal publications were publicly shredded on Thursday at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps office in Akure, Ondo State, in an exercise led by the NCC Director-General, Mr John Asein, who was represented by the Oyo State Coordinator of the commission, Mr Oluropo Oke. Asein disclosed that the…

Ogun State Government has formally handed over Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, to the Federal Government, marking a major milestone in the institution’s transition to federal status and Nigeria’s push to strengthen teacher education. Governor Dapo Abiodun sealed the transfer on Thursday during the university’s 17th convocation ceremony, where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, who represented the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa. The event was also marked by a major boost for female education as the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, announced a…