Author: Chronicle Editor

About 33.3 per cent of Nigerians, which is over 23 million citizens are unemployed, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Monday. The Bureau said unemployment rate in the fourth quarter of last year (Q4 2020) rose from 27.1 per cent in Q2 of the same year. According to the NBS Report released yesterday, 122,049,400 persons, aged between 15 and 64 (working age population) were economically-active during the period under review (Q4 2020). The figure is 4.3 per cent higher than the 116,871,186 – the figure recorded in Q2. By implication, the number of persons in the labour force…

Tottenham and Chelsea are both potential contenders to sign Argentina striker Paulo Dybala, 27, from Juventus. (France Football, via Sport Witness) Paris St-Germain’s Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes has confirmed he was told by club bosses “not to talk about Lionel Messi” amid transfer speculation linking the Barcelona’s 33-year-old forward with a move to the French capital. (Le Journal du Dimanche – in French) Chelsea are considering including 25-year-old Germany forward Timo Werner in a part-exchange deal with Borussia Dortmund to bring Norway striker Erling Braut Haaland, 20, to Stamford Bridge in the summer. (Football Insider) Meanwhile, Manchester United will focus on Haaland as a top-priority signing, while any approach for Tottenham’s 27-year-old England forward Harry Kane is…

Lionel Messi scored twice and made another on the day he equalled Xavi’s record for most Barcelona appearances. Messi was playing for Barca for the 767th time and his curled double, along with goals from Antoine Griezmann and Oscar Mingueza, helped his side to a comfortable win over struggling Huesca. Rafa Mir scored a controversial penalty for Huesca at the end of the first half, but Barca cruised to the victory. They move second in La Liga, four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid. The 33-year-old Argentina forward has won La Liga 10 times and the Champions League on four occasions…

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have signed a deal for an undisputed world heavyweight title fight, promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed. The British rivals have been locked in lengthy negotiations in recent months but have now finalised terms for the blockbuster battle, with a date and venue to be confirmed. Unified champion Joshua will put his WBA, IBF and WBO belts on the line against the unbeaten WBC champion Fury this year. Unruly ???? pic.twitter.com/eA6McGABt6 — Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) March 8, 2021 Joshua’s promoter Hearn told Sky Sports: “All parties have now put pen to paper and we will be…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has signed the bill for the Prohibition of Unlawful Societies and Cultism of 2021 into law, approving 21-year jail term for convicted cultists in the State. The State’s House of Assembly, in February, passed the anti-cultism bill, which also stipulates 15-year jail term for anyone found guilty of abetting cultists and residents who willfully allow their properties to be used as meeting points by cultists. Sanwo-Olu assented to the bill at the swearing-in event for newly appointed members of the State’s Public Procurement Agency Governing Board and two Permanent Secretaries held at Banquet Hall…

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Nigerian music star, Damini Ogulu, better known as Burna Boy, whose entry won the “Best Global Music Album” category in the 2021 Grammy awards, saying he has made notable contributions in the field of music which the world has come to recognize. “Congratulations to Burna Boy on being conferred the 2021 Grammy, the world’s most prestigious musical awards. He has made notable contributions in the field of music which have brought glory to Nigerians at home and abroad. We are proud of his path-breaking achievements,” he said. The President also congratulated Wizkid who emerged as…

President Muhammadu Buhari Monday hosted in audience Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, newly appointed Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), telling her that despite the robust support Nigeria gave to her candidacy for the position, “You also earned it. We are happy you made it, but you earned it with your record of performance both at home and abroad.” The President said Dr Okonjo-Iweala was putting Nigeria more on the world map, “and I congratulate you, as well as the country. I know you will represent us so well.” President Buhari lauded Nigerian women once again, pointing to key positions…

Germany, France and Italy said on Monday they would hit pause on AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots after several countries reported possible serious side-effects, throwing Europe’s already struggling vaccination campaign into disarray. Denmark and Norway stopped giving the shot last week after reporting isolated cases of bleeding, blood clots and a low platelet count. Iceland and Bulgaria followed suit and Ireland and the Netherlands announced suspensions on Sunday. The moves by some of Europe’s largest and most populous countries will deepen concerns about the slow rollout of vaccines in the region, which has been plagued by shortages due to problems producing vaccines,…

The  Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have described as shameful, claims by the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma that it hijacked Eastern Security Network (ESN) from the Southeast governors. The group said the governor resorted to what it termed as cheap blackmail following his attempt to infiltrate and possibly hijack its security network. In a statement issued by the Media and Publicity, Secretary Emma Powerful, IPOB maintained that the ESN was established by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu following South East and South-South Governors refusal to float a security outfit in the region. The group said it was unnecessary convincing anyone…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) says it has concluded all arrangements to commence the sale of 2021/2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) registration forms. The board disclosed this in its Vol. 2, No. 15 Weekly Bulletin of the Office of the Registrar. The board said that official dates for the commencement of the sale of both documents and the conduct of the examinations would be announced not later than March 24. According to JAMB, the 2021 exercise was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ASUU threatens to resume strike The board, therefore, warned that…