Author: Chronicle Editor

The telecommunication sector contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has risen from 8.5 percent in 2015 to 14.3 percent as at September 2020, amounting to N2.272 trillion. Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) Umar Garba Danbatta disclosed this when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Telecommunication visited the Commission on an oversight. He also disclosed investments in the sector have risen from $38 billion in 2015 to over $70 billion. He told the lawmakers that the commission paid over N344 billion into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation within the period under review,…

The Presidency has accused the Amnesty International (AI) of sharing misleading and inaccurate details about recent events surrounding the Lekki shooting. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, who spoke Wednesday morning on the Channels Television daily programme ‘Sunrise Daily’ said AI’s report on the crisis was inaccurate, misplacing facts and wrong in most cases. According to Adesina, the narrative the widespread chaos in various parts of the country, which had seen many policemen and civilians killed, police stations burnt, private and public properties looted and destroyed, was precipitated by the incident at the Lekki…

The Coalition of Northern Elders for Peace and Development (CNEEPD) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for adopting civil approach in tackling the uprisings that resulted in mass looting and burning of private and public infrastructures in some states. The group, which comprises of elders from the north, said the President’s directive to security forces was why violent protesters were handled professionally in spite of the quantum of looting and destruction of properties during the ugly development. The northern elders said the President’s wisdom in handling the youth uprising was the reason normalcy is returning in a short time in spite…

The Lagos State Government has approved the re-opening of schools for all classes in public and private schools across the state beginning from Monday, November 2, 2020, while boarders in public schools are to resume on Sunday, November 1. Honourable Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo who disclosed this today, said “this has been an unprecedented year with the recent happenings that have regrettably led to frequent closure of schools with attendant learning disruptions faced by all children.” “We pray and hope that there will be no more disruptions in the academic calendar. However, the State Government will always regard…

The ongoing looting of public and private properties took a bizarre turn in Abuja when hoodlums stole items contained in nine trailers. Also taken away from the firm were weighbridge equipment, scales, office chairs, tables, air conditioners, electric motors, armoured cables and tools worth millions of naira, according to the Chief Executive Officer of food processing and production company Zeenab Foods Limited, Mr. Victor Ayemere. Mr Ayemere said doors and glass windows were shattered. It happened in two consecutive days – Monday and Tuesday – in Idu Industrial layout in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The arrival of security agents…

Two of Europe’s biggest economies are reinstating some form of national lockdown, as the continent confronts a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths. From Friday people in France will only be allowed to leave home for essential work or medical reasons. President Emmanuel Macron said the country risked being “overwhelmed by a second wave that no doubt will be harder than the first”. Germany, meanwhile, is imposing a “soft” national lockdown. The measures are less severe than in France, but they include the closure of restaurants, bars, gyms and theatres, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday. Infections are rising sharply…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced 147 confirmed new coronavirus cases in the country on Wednesday. The 147 cases announced by the Centre for Disease Control takes the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 62,371. The NCDC also announced the discharge of 182 patients from isolation centers across the country with four new deaths reported. Lagos state, the epicentre of the virus in Nigeria reported 82 new confirmed cases taking the total number of confirmed cases in Lagos alone to 21,017. Nigeria announces 118 new coronavirus case Federal Capital Territory recorded 20 new cases, Rivers state reported…

The World Trade Organization’s bid to select a new leader was plunged into uncertainty on Wednesday after the United States rejected Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next director-general. Just six days before the US election in which trade is a hot topic, Washington struck another blow at the WTO, which US President Donald Trump has described as “horrible” and biased towards China. Washington has already paralysed the WTO’s role as global arbiter on trade by blocking appointments to its appeals panel. Now it threatens to render it leaderless for weeks or months to come. The WTO itself has called a meeting…

Barcelona provided “the best response” to the “turmoil” off the pitch by convincingly beating Juventus 2-0 in the Champions League, says midfielder Sergi Roberto. It has been a whirlwind few days for the Spanish giants as they lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in El Clasico on Saturday before the club’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu announced his resignation on Tuesday. However, they made it two wins from two in this season’s Champions League group stage with goals from Ousmane Dembele and Lionel Messi seeing off a poor Juventus side, who had Merih Demiral sent off late on for picking up a…

Hakim Ziyech scored his first Chelsea goal as Frank Lampard’s side picked up three points in an emphatic 4-0 victory in the Champions League in Russia. Ziyech, 27, swept in on his first start for the club to add to goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic as Chelsea returned to goalscoring ways in style. Back-to-back goalless draws had signalled that Lampard had made strides in sorting out his side’s defence, and while they will face tougher opposition than Russian new boys Krasnodar, the manager will be delighted that his attacking riches also kicked into gear after midfielder…