YellowStone Media International

In order to bring to an end the rising spate of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) where women and girls are mostly affected, the European Union, United Nations and the Federal Government of Nigeria have called for the inclusion of anger management in the curriculum of basic and civil education. Also, in its on-going tripartite collaboration which is known as the ‘Spotlight Initiative’ in which the sum of $10million will be disbursed annually to six pilot states for four years beginning from 2019, the agreement is hinged on six pillars which include strengthening institutions, supporting women movement, prevention of social norms as well as the delivery of quality and essential services among others. Development communications specialist and former Commissioner for Information, Sokoto State, Dr. Danladi Bako, who emphasised this in Kano   during a media dialogue with the theme: ‘Ending violence against women and girls’ organised by Spotlight Initiative said with the

The House of Representatives on Thursday ordered an investigation into the alleged violation of labour laws by international oil companies (IOCs), including the casualisation of labour. The House also directed the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, to provide to the Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity a performance update and report concerning plan to reform the process of granting and renewing recruiters’ licence to labour contractors as announced in July 2018. The House took the decision following the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Benjamin Kalu. Kalu e said Nigeria, as a member of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), has ratified 40 international labour conventions, and has through the National Assembly enacted the Labour Act, among other labour-related laws, which Nigeria is sworn to protect the rights of workers in the country. The lawmaker lamented the ugly trend of work in formal

Two United States lawmakers have written to the Nigerian ambassador in the US, Sylvanus Nsofor, over the continuous detention of Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and his co-accused, Olawale Bakare. The congressmen, in the letter dated November 25, said there have been a number of troubling reports about Nigeria’s security agencies assaulting and detaining journalists raised concerns about the continuous harassment of journalists, activists and protesters in Nigeria. The letter was signed by a ranking Senator, Robert Menendez, and a member of the House of Representatives, Josh Gottheimer. Menendez serves as the Ranking Member (most senior Democrat) of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee that helps shape foreign policy of broad significance, in matters of war and peace and international relations. He was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the 113th Congress, where he led the effort to sanction Russia after they invaded Ukraine. In t

The House of Representatives on Thursday directed the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to release the list of illegal filling stations cited at the boarder communities   to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for demolition. The Chairman of House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Mahmud Gaiya, gave the directive yesterday when the Comptroller-General of   NCS, Col. Hamid Ali (rtd); DPR and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) appeared before the Committee over the decision to stall the supply of petrol to filling stations cited 20 kilometres to the boarder without due consultation. The Custom CG had while explaining the rationale behind the decision, accused the DPR of refusing to avail the NCS with the list of illegal and legal filling stations at the border communities. The Committee decried the excruciating pains Nigerians living at the boarder communities are going through due to the decision to stall supply of petrol

The upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly has formally distanced itself from the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) constituted last month by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio. At Thursday's plenary, the Senate emphasised that it has no business with the Commission's ‘illegal’ management team headed by Dr. Joy Yimebe Nunieh. It specifically insisted that the 15-member governing board whose nominations were forwarded to it few weeks ago by President Muhammadu Buhari, screened and approved by it, should be the one to relate with. The Senate stand was sequel to its President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan's referral of the 2019/2020 budget of NDDC received from President Buhari last Tuesday to its   committee on NDDC headed by Senator   Peter Nwaoboshi for consideration within two weeks. Specifically, the Senate president, after approval by senators through voice votes for the bu

Anambra State Government on Thursday said it has flagged off e-registration of foreigners in the state, which will enhance effective monitoring and control of foreigners. The state Governor, Willie Obiano, who stated this at the state Command Headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in Awka, said: "This will help all security agencies and institutions involved in migration management to monitor and coordinate their activities.’’ "This will help the government   to know those that are illegal migrants in the state and what they do, so as to help to fish out the criminals among them.’’ The governor, who was represented during the flag-off of the event by Secretary to State Government (SSG), Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, called on landlords/owners of premises that are accommodating migrants, like Hotels, Guest Houses, employers of expatriates, traditional rulers, market/traders associations, president-general of Town Unions and academic inst

The House of Representatives on Thursday directed the Ministry of Works and Housing to implement the National Building Code in order to regulate construction, as part of effort to curb the rising incidences of building collapse in the country. The House also directed the ministry to liaise with the Building Collapse Prevention Guild to carry out assessment of buildings prone to collapse in order to alert residents and avert impending loss of lives and property. The directive by the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Wale Raji at the plenary yesterday. He noted that the incidences of building collapse across the country have reached an alarming proportion, with on less than 60 cases within the last four years, according to a report by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, resulting in tragic loss of lives and destruction of properties. The lawmaker observed that the frequent cases of building collapse could be attribute

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the 2019 state governorship election is a victory for the people of the state who gave him a second term mandate. The governor on Thursday said the appellate court verdict has not only validated the earlier judgment of the Governorship Election Tribunal but also confirmed the choice of Benue voters in the 2019 polls. He once more returned all the glory and praise to God Almighty for giving him the opportunity to lead the state for another term. Ortom also deeply appreciated the leadership and members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, as well as Benue people for the support given to him. He specially commended his legal team for its outstanding performance at the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. The governor stressed that the task of building the state is the responsibility of its entire people. He therefore restates his call on the candidate of All Prog

Oil-producing communities in Bayelsa State on Wednesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to fast-track the payment of the statutory 13 percent derivation fund accruing to the Niger Delta to them directly. Coming under the umbrella of   Concerned Citizens of Oil and Gas-Producing Communities of Bayelsa State, the people said despite the huge funds available for the purpose, many areas remain in poverty and desolation.   In a letter addressed to the president and made available to journalists in Yenagoa, the representatives of the affected towns lamented the level of deprivation they had suffered as citizens of Nigeria, despite the wealth they contribute to the country. The petition was signed by 15 representatives of the oil-producing communities, including Dressman Arthur from Shidi-Ama, Allison-Kulo Faith from Egwe-Ama, both in Brass Local Government Area, and Bishop Okorotie from Ekeremor in Ekeremor Local Government Area. The people n

  A bill seeking to provide 40 per cent of the country's annual budget for capital projects in the next 10 years has passed second reading in the House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who sponsored the bill, described it as an economic stimulus bill. Speaking at the plenary yesterday, he said the reason there are abandoned projects all over the country is as a result of the paltry sum allocated to capital projects. He argued that the issue of how the federal government would generate revenue to meet up with the 40 percent target to fund the projects is 'very simple' inasmuch as the executive plug all the loopholes, funding the projects won't be a problem. Gbajabiamila said: "With the current economic challenges confronting us as a people, coupled with the decaying state of infrastructure across the country, we cannot undermine the importance of this bil

States governed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday commenced a two-day seminar on how to improve their states’ internally generated revenue (IGR), as party challenged states to move away from oil, suggesting that buyers may be scarce in the nearest future. The governors in unison said they were already preparing themselves with creative ideas and solutions to improve IGR so that when federal government can no longer share as much as it does now, they would still be in a position to fulfill their obligations to the people. The revenue drive workshop organised  under the auspices of the  PDP Governors Forum in Abuja, tagged: ‘The 2019 Internally-Generated Revenue Summit has the theme: ‘The Imperatives of Developing Internally Generated Revenue Options for State Governments in a Recessed Economy’. Declaring the seminar open, the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, stated that beyond the issue of enhancing IGR, the PDP s

By Sunday Okobi In order to tackle the present economic crises in the country through small and medium enterprise (SME), the management of Ultimate Onelove Empowerment and Investment Company Nigeria Limited, a loaning and investment and empowerment firm in Lagos, has charged the federal government, through the ministry of commerce, to constantly offer free and easy business development plans for those in the SME sector on the loans provided to them for business. The firm also urged the government to intensify easy access to small business loan as well as set up council to educate and supervise the growth of their businesses. These advices were offered to the government and public at a press conference held recently in Lagos by the company to herald its seventh year anniversary and end of the year party taking place   on December 1, 2019, at Jonel Garden Hotel, Iyana-Ejigbo, Lagos. At the event, the Managing Director of the investment firm, Mrs. Lynda E

There was palpable tension on Wednesday at the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when security operatives denied Senator Dino Melaye and others from entering the premises to submit what was taken to be “additional petition.” Melaye, candidate of the PDP in Saturday’s supplementary election for the Kogi West Senatorial seat, is not happy with the plans of the electoral umpire (INEC) and wants the exercise to be cancelled over what he describes as intimidation of voters and violence in the first conduct of the poll. He approached INEC again with yet another petition, asking the commission to act on his petition and not start preparing for a supplementary election. The PDP candidate, who was later granted entry, asked INEC to postpone the exercise, alleging that the electoral umpire did not include some of the polling units that were canceled during the November 16th election in the forthcoming supplementary poll. No INEC nationa

Former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has enjoined the people of Bauchi State to give their maximum support to the administration of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed for the rapid socio -economic and political development of the state.   Kwankwaso gave the advice while answering questions from journalists   at the Government House in Bauchi on his private visit to the state. The former governor expressed confidence on the ability of Governor Bala Mohammed to overcome the challenges militating against the progress of the state, adding that he.has the capacity and experience to steer the affairs of the state to enviable heights. He said with the support and cooperation of the people of the state regardless of their differences, it will assist the governor to deliver on his campaign promises.   Kwankwaso used the medium to congratulate the governor on his victory in the last gubernatorial election conducted in the state, describing it

The National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Isa Madu Chul, has disassociated himself from the purported call for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Chul said he was part of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting where a vote of confidence was passed on Oshiomhole, expressing shock over the publication where his name was mentioned as part of the signatories calling for the removal of the chairman. He explained that he attended a meeting called by one Nasiru Dano, an ex-official member of the NEC, but in that meeting the issue of asking Oshiomhole to resign never came up. Chul insisted that the publication was full of mischief and a ploy to destroy his reputation before the public, adding that he is loyal to the party and the leadership and would never be involved in any mischief. He said: "Nothing of such was discussed because I cannot ev

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Prime Minister of The Netherland, Mark Rutte, have agreed to work together to deepen trade volume, private investment as well as fight human trafficking among others. Rutte is on a two-day working visit to Nigeria, and is leading a trade delegation of eight Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Dutch multinationals currently operating in Nigeria with huge investment portfolios in the agriculture, finance, oil and gas sectors. According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President,   Femi Adesina,   the two leaders reached the agreement yesterday when they both met in Abuja to discuss bilateral   relations between Nigeria and The Netherlands. A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting revealed that the two leaders reviewed the progress that has been made on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on improving the bilateral relations between the two countrie

The authorities of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) on Tuesday expelled six students of the institution for allegedly bullying of a fellow student. The expulsion of the student, the school said, was sequel to the recommendation of an investigative panel which probed the incident that took place in an off-campus hostel on November 16, 2019. The expelled students are Popoola Olaniyi Agboola IDD/ (300L); Oluwadare Faith Tobiloba FST ( 200L);   Nandi Yohanna Jessica IPE/ ( 200L); Ajuwon Tolani Emmanuella FAT/ (100L); Emmanuel Funmilayo Taiwo FAT/ (100L) and Alao Olabimpe Cecilia CSP/ (100 L) The expulsion of the students was contained in a statement issued by the institution Deputy Director, Corporate Communications, Adegbenro Adebanjo. The statement said the expulsion was in line with the position of page 48 of the 2019/2020 Students Handbook which prescribes expulsion from university for students who engage in “physical assault or battery on

The perennial traffic that has bedeviled Lagos in recent times has encouraged the resurgence of traffic robbers, who take undue advantage of the situation to fleece unsuspecting motorists. THISDAY Executive Director and and Arise TV analyst, Mr. Emmanuel Efeni, his kids and other motorists, were the victims of some of these traffic robbers on the long bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday morning. As was the norm in the past couple of months, motorists were stuck on the bridge due to the gridlock, when the robbers struck and dispossessed them of their belongings. Armed with sharp objects, the gang in true gestapo style, broke the side mirrors of the cars stuck in the traffic and robbed them of their valuables. The robbers held sway at the entire axis for   minutes before the motorists, who were tired of being sitting ducks, mustered together and attacked back. Recounting his ordeal, he said the dare-devil robbers took advantage of the traf