Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Ondo State Acting Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has presented the proposed N384.533 billion 2024 budget to the State House of Assembly.  The budget, named the “Budget of Economic Resilience,” outlines ambitious allocations for various sectors, with infrastructural development taking the lead. In the presentation before the State House of Assembly, Aiyedatiwa detailed the budget, allocating N212,014,859,647.00 for capital expenditure and N172,518,140,353.00 for recurrent expenditure. Notably, the infrastructural development sector received the lion’s share, amounting to N95,482,176,340.36, constituting 24.8% of the entire budget proposal. The acting governor justified the emphasis on infrastructure, citing its pivotal role in stimulating the economy…

In a decisive move against corruption within the police force, the Commissioner of Police for Oyo State, Adebola Hamzat, has taken swift action by ordering the immediate dismissal of two Special Constabulary officers.  The officers, identified as Jimoh Lukman and Kareem Fatai, were publicly paraded at the Oyo State Police Command, Eleyele, Ibadan. The dismissal stems from an incident captured in a viral video where Lukman and Fatai were caught demanding money from a Dutch tourist. The tourist, riding a power bike from the Netherlands en route to Abuja, found himself targeted by the two officers engaging in extortion.…

Daud Olatunji  In a shocking turn of events, the Nigerian Army has come under scrutiny for the arrest of Peter Chibuzo Agwu during his wedding ceremony in Abia State.  The arrest was allegedly triggered by someone on the military’s wanted list sharing Agwu’s wedding invitation on Facebook. Family members express deep concern as Chibuzo remains in solitary confinement at the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu State, unaware of the charges against him. Samuel Agwu, the elder brother, revealed that the military has not disclosed any specific offense committed by Chibuzo, questioning the justification for ruining his wedding.…

The federal government has officially concluded its investigation into the alleged poisoning of 18 pupils at St. James Primary School, Owo-Ope, Osogbo. Contrary to initial concerns, the investigation found no evidence of poisoning and has determined the incident to be a case of misinformation. In a press statement released by Olumobi John Adewale from the Office of the School Feeding Programme, it was revealed that Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, was appointed to conduct a thorough fact-finding mission. The team, during their visit to St James RCM Primary School, discovered that the…

In a decisive move, the House of Representatives on Thursday, December 21, unanimously passed a motion calling for stringent regulations on Point-of-Sale (POS) operators in Nigeria. The focus of the motion was to cease the sale of naira notes by these operators and eliminate excessive charges levied on customers, addressing growing concerns over alleged malpractices. The motion, titled “Need to Curb the Sale of Naira Notes by Point-of-Sales (POS) Operators in Nigeria,” was presented by Hon. Mohammed Dan Abba Shehu. It prompted the House to direct the Committees on Banking Regulations, Digital, and Electronic Banking to summon the Minister…

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported an increase in Nigeria’s unemployment rate to 4.2 per cent in Q2 2023 from the 4.1 per cent recorded in Q1 2023. According to the Nigeria Labour Force Survey for Q2 2023 released in Abuja on Thursday, the NBS defines the unemployment rate as the share of the labor force who were not employed but actively seeking work and available for employment. The report highlighted the unemployment rates concerning educational attainment. It indicated that the rate among persons with post-secondary education was 8.0 per cent in Q2 2023. For those with upper…

Daud Olatunji  The Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, acknowledged the tough times Nigeria is currently facing but expressed confidence in the ability of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to steer the country towards recovery. Edun, speaking alongside the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, highlighted the track record of Tinubu and himself in providing solutions to difficult challenges.  The ministers were honored by the Alake of Egbaland and other distinguished personalities for their nominations and appointments. Addressing concerns about the economic situation, Edun urged Nigerians not to lose hope and emphasized Tinubu’s…

Daud Olatunji  The General Manager of the Ogun State Signage and Advertising Agency, Fola Onifade, has declared a crackdown on unauthorized stickers from other states. Onifade said this on Thursday during a press briefing held in Abeokuta to mark the launch of a mobile advert  app. The GM  who said  vehicles from states with corresponding rates might be exempted, he warned that those carrying stickers designed to defraud the state will face strict enforcement. “Where a state has a corresponding rate, such as Ogun State, we might waive it. However, if a sticker is designed to defraud the state, we…

The Supreme Court has opted to reserve its judgment in the appeal presented by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, challenging the Appeal Court’s decision that led to his removal from office.  The Justice Inyang Okoro-led five-member panel of judges concluded the proceedings after hearing closing arguments from both the appellant and the respondent. The appeal filed by Governor Yusuf, alongside the New Nigeria People Party, seeks to contest the ruling of the Court of Appeal on November 17.  This prior judgment had declared Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the rightful winner of the governorship…

In a recent revelation, Emmanuel Onuorah, the President of the Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria, announced that bread prices are poised to surge by 15 to 20 percent across Nigeria in January 2024.  This alarming increase is attributed to the formidable economic challenges gripping the nation. During a candid interview on Channels Television, Onuorah pointed to a staggering 70 percent decline in bread bakers’ production capacity, a consequence of the harsh economic realities prevailing in the country.  He underscored that the surge in production costs is primarily fueled by the escalating expenses related to cargo clearance imposed by the Central…