Author: Platform Times Newspaper

…VAT rises by ₦9bn, statutory revenue drops by ₦415bn The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) on Friday said it disbursed a total of ₦2 trillion to the federal, state and local governments for July 2025. The allocation followed the committee’s monthly meeting in Abuja, chaired by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun. According to a communiqué issued by the Ministry of Finance’s Director of Information, Muhammed Manga, the shared funds were drawn from statutory revenue, Value Added Tax (VAT), the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and exchange difference. From the disbursement, the federal government…

Former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, has congratulated Comrade Akeem Abiodun Lasisi on his re-election as Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ogun State. Lasisi was returned unopposed on Thursday, August 21, 2025, following the overwhelming support of delegates who endorsed his leadership for another term. In a congratulatory message personally signed by him, Isola described the victory as a testimony to the confidence Ogun workers repose in Lasisi’s leadership style, which he said has been people-driven and purposeful. According to the diplomat, the renewed mandate represents not just a ballot victory but…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of vindictiveness after a 500KVA transformer donated to Itun Moro community in Ikenne by its governorship candidate in the 2023 election, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, was allegedly removed by state officials. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the transformer, presented to the community on August 6, 2025, by the Ladi Adebutu Development Organisation (LADO), was meant to end over four years of blackout in the area. However, the PDP alleged that operatives of the Abiodun-led administration stormed the community on Thursday, August 21, and attempted to cart  away the equipment,…

…Says Arrested bandits, Oil Thieves Often Regain Freedom The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has blamed Nigeria’s weak and slow-paced judicial system for frustrating military operations and worsening insecurity across the country. Speaking during a Channels Television interview, Musa lamented that the inability of the courts to speedily prosecute terrorism, banditry, and organised crime cases was demoralising troops and emboldening criminals. He decried situations where soldiers risk their lives to arrest high-profile suspects only for them to be released on technical grounds or handed minor penalties. “When people know they can get away with anything, impunity sets in…

.. Empowerment Gulps Over One-Third … Education, Health, Infrastructure Neglected The Federal Government has approved over ₦100 billion for Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP), popularly called constituency projects, in the 2025 national budget, with Ogun, Kano, and Akwa Ibom states emerging as the biggest beneficiaries. Figures from the Budget Office of the Federation and tracked by civic group TrackaNG show that Ogun State leads the pack with ₦8.44 billion, followed by Kano (₦6.46bn) and Akwa Ibom (₦5.34bn). Together, the three states cornered ₦20.2 billion, representing more than 20 percent of the entire ZIP allocation. Other states with significant allocations include Abia…

The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has disclosed that the country’s production of gold, limestone, and bitumen is on the rise, contributing to economic growth and creating new jobs across the nation. The National President of MAN, Dele Ayankale, made this known on Thursday in Abuja during a press briefing to inaugurate the 10th edition of Nigeria Mining Week, scheduled to hold from October 15 to 17. The 2025 edition, themed “Mining from Progress to Global Relevance,” is being organised by MAN in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and VUKA Group. Ayankale attributed the improved output in the sector to policy…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued a fresh warning to residents of flood-prone communities in Oyo State, urging them to immediately relocate to safer grounds as heavy rains threaten massive flooding. The agency’s South-West Zonal Head of Operations, Kadiri Olanrewaju, gave the directive on Thursday during a stakeholders’ roundtable on flood preparedness and response held in Ibadan. Olanrewaju said the warning followed forecasts by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which predicted intense rainfall across several parts of Oyo State in the coming weeks. According to him, at least six local governments including Ona-Ara, Lagelu and Surulere have been…

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a health practitioner over an alleged illegal abortion that led to the death of a 35-year-old woman in Ikot Obio Odung, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area. The command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Thursday in Uyo. According to her, the victim’s mother reported that her daughter, who worked at the Full Life Medical Centre in Ikot Obio Odung, died on Tuesday night during an abortion allegedly carried out by the suspect. John explained that detectives were alerted after neighbours claimed the suspect attempted to secretly…

The Oyo State Government has approved the release of N45 million to boost the fight against HIV/AIDS across the state. Governor Seyi Makinde made the announcement on Thursday at the inauguration of Oyo State HIV/AIDS Control Agency (OYSACA) Ambassadors held in Ibadan. Speaking through his deputy, Bayo Lawal, the governor said the funds, alongside the procurement of HIV test kits, were aimed at strengthening the agency’s capacity to prevent the spread of the virus and improve access to treatment. He said his administration remained committed to reducing the prevalence of the disease, while urging the newly appointed ambassadors to leverage…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a fresh warning of an impending nationwide strike, accusing the Federal Government of deliberately reneging on long-standing agreements on the revitalisation and proper funding of public universities. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the University of Jos, ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said university lecturers have been subjected to over two years of “broken promises and endless delay tactics” from the government. He listed unresolved issues including the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, unpaid salary arrears, withheld promotions, poor welfare packages for retired lecturers, and the government’s failure…