Author: David Great

Cross River, Kwara, Lagos, Anambra complete top five Jigawa replaces Zamfara at the bottom Nigeria’s oil-rich state, Rivers, has been named the number fiscal performing state in the most populous Black nation in the world, according to a report. In the 2024 edition of its annual State of States Report, themed ‘Moving Healthcare Delivery from Suboptimal to Optimal’ by BudgIT, a prime civic-tech organisation leading the advocacy for fiscal transparency and accountability in Nigeria, Rivers topped the assessment and ranking of the 36 States’ fiscal performance from most to least sustainable. “The fiscal performance ranking saw a reshuffling of the…

The Northern Governors’ Forum has rejected the newly proposed distribution of Value Added Tax (VAT) in Nigeria, urging its members in the National Assembly to oppose the bill. At a joint meeting of northern states governors and traditional rulers held on Monday, October 28, the Forum argued companies remit VAT using the location of their headquarters and tax office and not where the services and goods are consumed. In a communiqué signed by Governor Inuwa Yahaya, the chairman of the forum, after the meeting, the northern governors called for additional transmission lines to be built to ensure diversification of energy…

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti and United States Women’s National Team coach Emma Hayes were celebrated as the inaugural winners of the Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year awards at the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony. These new categories at Ballon d’Or award ceremony recognized their remarkable achievements during the 2023/24 season. Ancelotti, 65, received the honor for his outstanding season with Real Madrid, where he led the team to victory in La Liga and secured a fifth career Champions League title. Despite his triumph, Ancelotti was not present at the ceremony, as Real Madrid reportedly boycotted the event upon…

Manchester United are holding talks with Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim to become their new manager after sacking Erik ten Hag on Monday, according to multiple reports. Ten Hag was released after a disastrous start to the season, with former Red Devils striker Ruud van Nistelrooy named interim boss. Amorim, who is currently in charge of Sporting Lisbon, is close to agreeing a deal to take over at Old Trafford, according to Sky Sports, The Sun, the Daily Mail and the Athletic among other media outlets. Amorim is considered one of Europe’s leading young coaches. Man United sack Ten Hag after…

Italian striker Mario Balotelli has been signed by Genoa as a free agent, the Serie A club said on Monday, marking a return to the Italian top-tier after more than four years for the 34-year-old who has been without a club since the end of last season. Genoa, third from bottom in the standings, have scored just seven goals in nine league games, and manager Alberto Gilardino will hope that Balotelli can add to the 52 goals he netted in 141 Serie A games. Balotelli’s previous club was Turkish side Adana Demirspor, where in his second spell hampered by a…

The National Orientation Agency in Akwa Ibom State has commenced a sensitisation exercise to educate the people on the prevalence and prevention of Mpox disease in the state. This is coming as a report from the Ministry of Health indicated that Akwa Ibom State has recorded eight cases of the Mpox outbreak. The Agency’s Coordinator in the state, Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, stated this while interacting with newsmen on activities of the agency in Uyo, the state capital on Monday. Mkpoutom stated that the agency’s staff have been dispatched to the affected councils since last week after receiving instructions from the ministry…

Honorable Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives representing Aba North & South Federal Constituency, is at the centre of controversy following a viral video that appears to capture him assaulting an Uber driver at his residence in Maitama, Abuja. According to the Uber driver, the dispute began when he requested that the lawmaker personally come outside to receive a delivery. The video shows Hon. Ikwechegh, visibly upset, berating and cursing the driver, expressing anger over the perceived disrespect in being asked to step out. Abia Federal House of Rep member Alex Ikwechegh ass@ults delivery driver, thre@tens…

Britain’s ruling Labour party has suspended one of its MPs, Mike Amesbury, after footage emerged appearing to show him punching a man to the ground and then continuing to attack him. The party said late on Sunday that Mike Amesbury, had been suspended “pending an investigation” after the Mail Online published a video of the violent incident. It appeared to show the 55-year-old MP, who represents a parliamentary seat in northwest England, repeatedly hitting another man as others nearby shout: “Stop it”. Police have confirmed a 55-year-old man was voluntarily interviewed under caution in relation to the incident, which occurred…

Lebanon’s health ministry said Israel struck the southern city of Tyre on Monday, killing at least five people and wounding 10 others. An “Israeli enemy strike this morning on a building” in the centre of the coastal city “led to a provisional toll of five dead and 10 wounded”, a health ministry statement said. It added that “work is ongoing to remove the rubble”. An AFP video journalist saw emergency personnel rush a survivor to an ambulance on a stretcher, while other rescuers worked to put out a heavily smouldering fire at the site, where a residential apartment block had…

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has confirmed the recovery of another body from last Thursday’s helicopter crash in the Atlantic Ocean. This announcement came barely seven hours after the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau debunked earlier reports claiming that two bodies had been found. In a statement on his X account, Keyamo revealed that the NSIB notified him on Sunday of the recovery of one more lifeless body, identified as a victim of the Eastwind Aviation helicopter crash. “An additional body was confirmed by matching the T-shirt worn to the description provided. Although it took time, photographic…