Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Fawaz Adebisi The Oyo State government has announced a 19.49 percent increase in its 2023 budget, from N310.432 billion to N352.382 billion, citing the need to adjust to the current economic realities. The government also approved the realignment of the 2023 supplementary budget, which will be presented to the Oyo State House of Assembly for approval. The commissioner for budget and economic planning, Prof. Musbau Babatunde, explained that the budget increment and realignment were necessitated by the twin economic policies of subsidy removal and the unification of the exchange rate, which have led to shifts in macro-economic fundamentals in the…

Daud Olatunji In a high-profile gathering in Paris, former Nigerian Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun and Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz shared valuable insights and recommendations on tackling sovereign debt crises.  Organized by the prestigious panel, the event shed light on the complexities of sovereign debt restructuring and its impact on nations, particularly emphasizing the urgent need for international mechanisms to address the issue. Kemi Adeosun, who served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister from November 2015 to September 2018, spoke passionately about the protracted nature of debt restructuring in countries like Zambia, attributing the delay to inaction before defaults occur.  She highlighted…

Daud Olatunji  Human rights lawyer Morakinyo Ogele has emphasized that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is constitutionally empowered to govern Ondo State from any location within Nigeria, as provided for in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  Ogele made this assertion during a press conference held on Wednesday to address the ongoing debate surrounding the governor’s whereabouts. The lawyer argued that there should be no concerns about the governor’s location, especially since there has been no disruption in the governance of the state. Ogele clarified that the constitution does not mandate a governor to reside within the state they…

Daud Olatunji Cross River State, Nigeria – In a startling revelation, the Cross River State government has unearthed a staggering number of ghost workers within its civil service, with more than 3,000 individuals suspected of being fictitious employees.  This revelation comes as the state grapples with serious financial challenges, including mounting debts, substantial wage bills, and significant deductions from the Federation Account to service these debts. To address this crisis, Governor Bassey Otu initiated a comprehensive personnel audit, enlisting the services of an external audit firm to determine the true extent of the workforce within the state’s civil service and…

Daud Olatunji In a scenario that spells persistent trouble for Nigeria’s electricity sector, a significant metering crisis continues to plague the industry, leaving approximately seven million customers without the crucial meters needed for accurate billing and effective management of power consumption.  This unsettling reality, coupled with a decline in power generation, presents a dual challenge that threatens to extend the hardships faced by both consumers and power distribution companies (DisCos). According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the situation is laid bare in its 2023 second-quarter report.  As of June 30th, 2023, out of the 12,561,049 registered electricity customers,…

….5,000 Applicants May Get Documents Soon- Govt. Daud Olatunji  In what can only be described as an emotional rollercoaster, the fate of 2,500 applicants who eagerly paid millions to obtain their much-awaited title documents through the Ogun Land Administration and Management System (OLARMS) has taken a heart-wrenching turn as they find themselves stranded, one year after their payments to the government.  PLATFORM TIMES’s findings revealed that  there were 2,500  applicants of OLARMS  who placed their trust in the system, but, are now left in a state of uncertainty and despair. Recalls that the  story of OLARMS  began with…

Fawaz Adebisi  The Ogun State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) held its 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) while addressing concerns regarding members’ commitment and participation in the organization’s activities. This 18th general meeting, which took place on Wednesday, was held at the Waheed Kadiri House, NITP Ogun Secretariat, Ijeun Lukosi, Off Abiola Way, Abeokuta, Ogun State.  The event attracted various dignitaries from different institutions, including past presidents of the NITP, such as Chief Francis Oyekunle, TPL Waheed Kadiri, TPL Francis Oyekunle, AGM chairman Adefala Sogbesan, guest speaker Prof. Grace Oloukoi, and outgoing chairman Oyenekan Odeyinka,…

Daud Olatunji  A shocking incident unfolded in the Iba New Site area of Lagos on May 20, 2023, as a housewife, Nabuk Maddalene Afanideh, 36, her brother, Alexander Steve, 42, and sister, Roseline Sotola, 39, were arrested by operatives of the Zone 2 Command and subsequently arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court.  The trio stands accused of conspiring to brutally assault Nabuk’s husband, Mr. Jacob Daniel Ofam, leaving him in a coma. The alleged assault took place after a dispute over an undisclosed sum of money that Nabuk had reportedly lent her husband for business purposes.  The situation escalated when…

Daud Olatunji In a concerning turn of events, a significant cholera outbreak has swept through Ogun State, affecting two local government areas and necessitating urgent intervention to control the spread of the disease.  The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, reported that a total of 217 cases have been recorded in Ijebu-North Local Government Area (LGA), with additional cases surfacing in Abeokuta North LGA last week. Just three days ago, two more cases were identified in Abeokuta South LGA. Prompted by this escalating public health crisis, the Ogun State government has launched a comprehensive response strategy to curtail the…

Aminat Gusanu A devastating fire outbreak rocked Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, on Wednesday, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the fire outbreak occurred around 10 a.m. at the Nine Energies filling station in Asero, Abeokuta. An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the fire outbreak transpired during a diesel transfer operation from one tanker to another. PLATFORM TIMES reported that the individuals feared dead from the incident were the driver of the tanker receiving the diesel and his assistant. At the scene, the burnt tanker stood as a grim…