Author: Chronicle Editor

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, on Monday said Nigerians would not get the full details of the disbursements to the 36 state governments in respect of the Paris Club Refunds until the final reconciliation of the records were completed. In what appears a reaction to PREMIUM TIMES’ exclusive report, which accused the government of lack of transparency by refusing to avail the public of the details of disbursement so far, Mrs. Adeosun said the Federal Government had consistently complied with all extant rules and regulations in the disbursement of the Paris Club refunds to state governments. “The Federal Government’s…

Tiger Woods may have been absent on the Golf circuit; he may be nursing a nagging back problem. But the 14 time major winner has been busy with something else: promoting a book about his Golf feats. The UPI reported that Woods appeared on the ABC show in New York today to promote the book, “The 1997 Masters: My Story.” The book is a reflection on his historic Masters win, the twentieth anniversary of which it is designed to celebrate. Woods won the first of his majors 20 years ago at Augusta National by a record 12 shots . He…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has offered additional S180 million to meet bids for wholesale auction and requests for invisibles such as medicals, school fees and personal travel allowances valued at $80 million through the inter-bank window. In a statement, on Monday in Abuja, the CBN’s acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mr Isaac Okorafor, said the wholesale requests will be settled on Tuesday, 21 March 2017. He said that with the development, it is expected that the Naira would further strengthen in the foreign exchange market in the days to come. He reiterated that the CBN would ensure sustainable forex…

Pope Francis has asked Rwandan President Paul Kagame for forgiveness for the “sins and failings” of the Catholic Church during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. During a meeting with Kagame Monday at the Vatican, the Pope expressed “solidarity with the victims and with those who continue to suffer the consequences of those tragic events,” according to a statement from the Vatican. Pope Francis acknowledged that priests, nuns and members of the Catholic church had succumbed to hatred and violence in Rwanda, “betraying their own evangelical mission,” the Vatican said. Rwandan bishops asked for “forgiveness for sins of hatred and disagreement that…

Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey has been banned for life by world football governing body FIFA for what it calls “match manipulation’’. The ban results from a penalty kick he awarded to South Africa in a 2-1 win over Senegal in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in November. He penalised Kalidou Koulibaly for handball, but replays showed the ball hit his knee. FIFA said it would give more details “once the decision becomes final and binding”. Lamptey can now appeal to FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). One of his assistants, David Laryea, also from Ghana, had charges…

Thousands of protesters on Monday barricaded the Abuja office of Amnesty International, demanding the international organization within the next 24 hours should quit the country. Addressing the protest, Executive Director Global Peace and Rescue Initiative( GOPRI), Comrade Melvin Ejeh said if in the next 24 hours Amnesty International does not shut down its operations in Nigeria and leave the country the group as well as other Nigerians shall begin a Five-Day Occupy Amnesty International Protest as a first warning. He said, “Let us warn at this point that there will be no interval of respite if AI failed to leave…

House help, Lydia Joel, aged 50, who was sentenced to 7 years in prison over a missing wrapper of her employer has narrated how she was set free through the effort of a philanthropist and oil mogul, Stanley Uzochukwu few years after her imprisonment. It could be recalled that the young philanthropist, extended his love and generosity to some prison inmates in Jos in 2016 where he influenced the release of 25 inmates including one Lydia Joel who was jailed by her boss for allegedly stealing her wrapper, an allegation Lydia had denied. The Chairman/CEO of Stanel Group, Stanel Uzochukwu,…

Despite the economic recession, Nigerians are Africa’s sixth happiest people, according to a new report released on Monday that called on nations to build social trust and equality to improve the well-being of their citizens. Algeria leads the rest of Africa in happiness, followed by Mauritius. Strife-torn Libya is surprisingly ranked third, ahead of Morocco. And even a bigger surprise, another crisis-torn nation, Somalia is Africa’s fifth happiest country ahead of Nigeria and South Africa, ranked 7th. Tunisia is eighth and Egypt ninth, while Sierra Leone is tenth. At the bottom ten are Benin, Madagascar, South Sudan, Liberia, Guinea, Togo,…

Lionel Messi struck twice as Barcelona beat 10-man Valencia in a thrilling match to move two points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid. Eliaquim Mangala headed the visitors in front from a corner, before Luis Suarez steered in an equaliser. Messi’s penalty made it 2-1 after Manchester City loanee Mangala was sent off for dragging back Suarez, but Munir El Haddadi swept Valencia level. Messi scored his second after the break and Andre Gomes made it four late on. Barcelona desperately needed a victory after losing ground in the title race with a surprise 2-1 defeat at Deportivo last weekend.…

Juan Cuadrado’s early header gave Juventus a narrow win over Sampdoria as the champions went eight points clear at the top of Serie A. The Colombia winger, who is on a three-year loan from Chelsea, met Kwadwo Asamoah’s seventh-minute cross with a diving header. Roma stayed in second with a 3-1 win over Sassuolo, while third-placed Napoli beat Empoli 3-2. The only negative for Juventus was a first-half injury to Paulo Dybala. The Argentina forward limped off after 28 minutes, but coach Massimiliano Allegri was quick to allay concerns. “Paulo felt a twinge at the back of his thigh but…