Author: David Great

Governor Nasir El-Rufai-led Kaduna State Government has dismissed 2,357 teachers who failed the recently conducted competency test. Kaduna Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB) announced the sack in a statement on Sunday in Kaduna. KADSUBEB’s spokesperson, Hauwa Mohammed, said the board conducted a competency test for over 30,000 teachers in December 2021. She said that 2,192 primary school teachers, including the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Audu Amba, had been dismissed for refusing to sit for the competency test. Ms Mohammed said that some 165 of the 27,662 teachers that sat for the competency test were also…

Tottenham are hoping to pip north London rivals Arsenal in the race for Manchester City’s 25-year-old Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus with the offer of Champions League football. (Mirror) Jesus has been in talks with the Gunners but nothing concrete has been decided between both parties. Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling, 27, has been asking people about life in west London amid interest from Chelsea. (Athletic) Chelsea’s initial bid of £21.5m for Sterling has been turned down by City. (Fabrizio Romano) Chelsea could also enquire with Manchester City about 27-year-old Netherlands defender Nathan Ake. (Telegraph, subscription required) Chelsea and…

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in the Niger Delta says it has sent additional 450 ex-agitators to train in oil spill response, clean-up and remediation. Its Interim Administrator, retired Col. Milland Dikio, said in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Sunday that the oil spill training is in line with PAP’s Train, Employ and Mentor (TEM) template. He said some of them would train in solar engineering, plumbing, electrical installations, marine, metal and wood works. PAP had earlier sent 400 ex-agitators to various farms in the Niger Delta to learn agricultural skills, bringing the number of beneficiaries in recent times…

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday charged traditional rulers to join hands with the state and federal governments to ensure adequate security of lives and property of Nigerians. Osinbajo gave the charge in Ibadan at a programme organised by a socio- cultural group, Yoruba World Centre, to celebrate Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Olalekan Balogun’s first 100 days on the stool. The vice-president, who was represented by a legal luminary, Niyi Akintola, said the charge became necessary for peace and tranquility to reign across the country. He said traditional rulers should also prioritise promotion of culture and tradition, saying this would enhance…

Bitcoin tumbled more than 13% at one point on Saturday, crashing below the closely watched $20,000 level to its weakest level in 18 months, as it extended a slide on investor worries about growing troubles in the industry and the general pull-back from riskier assets. The digital currency sector has been pummeled this week after cryptocurrency lending company Celsius froze withdrawals and transfers between accounts, while crypto companies started laying off employees. There also were reports that a cryptocurrency hedge fund had run into trouble. The developments have coincided with an equities slide, as U.S. stocks suffered their biggest weekly…

A 2022 survey by BBC has shown that Nigeria is heading in the wrong direction by as much as 95 per cent, as more young people seek to leave the country. The survey also found that economic reasons account for 44% per cent why African youth emigrate, while education, new experiences and corruption are the other factors. The survey of more than 4,500 young people in Africa, aged 18-24, also found that 52% of them are likely to consider emigrating in the next few years, citing economic hardship and education opportunities as the top reasons. BBC spoke to five young…

Liverpool are braced for the prospect of losing Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 30, for free next summer after refusing to meet his £400,000-a-week contract demands. (Mirror) After missing out on main target Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid are already planning on triggering the reported 150m euro (£128m) release clause in the contract of Manchester City’s newly acquired Norway attacker Erling Haaland in 2024 (AS) Chelsea are interested in Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling, 27. (Fabrizio Romano, via Express) Manchester United are hoping Barcelona will reduce their £80m asking price for 25-year-old Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong by £10-15m. (Athletic,…

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) increased to N173.08 in May. This is according to the NBS Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for May, 2022 released in Abuja on Saturday. The report said the increase indicates a 2.99 per cent increase when compared to the value recorded in May 2021 at N168.06. “Likewise, on a month-on-month basis, the average retail price of the product increased by 0.27 per cent from N172.61 in April 2022, compared to the average retail price paid by consumers in May 2022.”…

A National Centre for the Coordination of Early Warning and Response Mechanism has been established with the signing of Executive Order 12 by President Muhammadu Buhari. The order signed on June 10, 2022 establishes the National Early Warning Centre pursuant to Article 58 of the Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Article 16 of the Protocol on the Mechanism related to Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security. Under the ECOWAS instruments, including the 1993 Revised ECOWAS Treaty, each member state is to establish a national early warning centre to address issues related to threats…

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has agreed a new five-year contract with the Gunners. The 23-year-old, who was due to be out of contract at the end of the month, has made 92 first-team appearances and scored 23 goals since his first-team debut in 2017. He finished last season in good form, starting Arsenal’s last eight league games and scoring five goals. “I’m delighted Eddie is staying with us,” said manager Mikel Arteta. “He represents what we are all about and all the values of the club. “We are very happy that he has extended his contract and now we have…