NIGERIAN NOTCH

Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Lagos State have withdrawn their services as directed by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) beginning from Aug. 10.  The state Chairman, NUPENG, Mr Tayo Aboyeji made the confirmation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos. Aboyeji said that the strike began in the early hours of Aug. 10, following negotiation breakdown between the state government and the union. “Although, we met with the state government yesterday night (Aug. 9), yet we could not reach an agreement. “So, only the tanker drivers in Lagos State proceeded with the strike, because the environment is not conducive for tankers to operate,’’ he said. NUPENG had on Aug. 7 directed its members to down tools with effect from Aug. 10. NUPENG’s National President, Mr Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Mr Olawale Afolabi had in a joint statement said the directive became necessary due to failure of various authorities in the state to

The  Federal Government in its bid to help cushion the effect of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has supported smallholder farmers in Imo State with 20,000 Cocoa seedlings and other improved seeds. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, in a statement issued by the Director of Information, Mr Theodore Ogaziechi, said this on Sunday in Abuja. The minister said the Federal Government was committed to improving  agriculture. Nanono said this during the official roll out ceremony of the distribution  of free agricultural inputs to farmers in Imo State. Nanono added that over 5,000 oil palm sprouted nuts and 1,500 kilogramme of cashew seeds were distributed to the farmers. He stressed that yam farmers through their national association and other cooperative groups would be supported with 20,000 one node vine cuttings and 10,000 foundation seeds of yam and 200 liters of  pathway organic growth enhancer. “Potatoes farmers will benefit from 1,500 bundles of orange fleshed sweet

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 653 new COVID-19 cases in the country as total infections from the virus rise to 35, 107. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle late on Saturday. The health agency said that as of July 18, 653 new confirmed cases and six deaths were recorded in the country. It said that the 653 new cases were reported from 27 states and the FCT. According to the agency, only nine states did not report a new case of the disease in the past 24 hours. The NCDC added that Lagos state reported the highest number of infections with 115 new cases, while Kwara reported 85 new infections. Amongst others were Enugu with 80 cases and the FCT with 78. Rivers had 36 cases, Ondo – 35, Oyo – 30, Katsina – 28, Kaduna – 19, Abia – 19, Nasarawa – 18, Plateau – 17, and Imo – 16. Four states, namely: Ogun, Ebonyi, Benue, and Kano reported nine more infections with Delta, Bauchi, and Ekiti having eight, seven, and six new cases re

………..Afenifere wants coroner inquest into Tolulope Arotile's death   More questions, emerged, yesterday, over the death of the late Flight Officer, Tolulope Arotile, as the umbrella body of Yoruba-speaking areas of Kogi State, Okun Development Association, ODA, called on the Federal Government to order an immediate investigation into the matter. The association described the official explanation on the cause of her death as curious, saying only a proper investigation could clear growing suspicions over the matter. Arotile, who was Nigeria’s first female combatant helicopter pilot in Nigerian Airforce, NAF, died in an accident on July 14, 2020, at the Nigerian Air force Base, Kaduna.   Detail As of the day, the news of her death broke, there was hardly any detail regarding the incident. But a day after, the Nigerian Air force, in a statement by its Director Public of Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said she was inadvertently hit by the reversing