Author: Opalim Lifted

The National Minimum Wage Amendment Act, which introduces a new N70,000 national minimum wage, has been passed into law by the Senate. The Senate on Tuesday speedily passed the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 (Amendment Bill) This followed the presentation and adoption of a report on the bill by the leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti). The bill which was transmitted to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu on July 23 was given accelerated consideration, resulting in its first and second reading in line with Senate rule 80. Opeyemi in his lead debate on the general principles of the…

The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, has denied owning a blending plant in Malta with the exception of a local mini-agricultural venture. Kyari stated this on Tuesday, reacting to claims by the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, that some officials of the NNPC have blending plants in Malta. Amid the crisis surrounding his $20bn refinery, Dangote had said: Some of the terminals, some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened blending plants somewhere off Malta. We all know these areas. We know what they are…

Andy Murray has confirmed he will retire from tennis after the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 37-year-old is planning to play in the singles and doubles at what will be his fifth Games. “Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament,” Murray wrote on X. “Competing for Team GB has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time!” The Scot’s first Games appearance was in Beijing in 2008, when he lost in straight sets to Lu Yen-hsun in the first round. Four years later, Murray swiftly…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna Zonal Command, has arraigned a “fake content creator”, Audu Ishida, also known as Baddie Kylemilli, over allegations of internet fraud. In a post on its X page on Tuesday, the antigraft agency said Ishida is facing a single charge of impersonation, retention of proceeds of crime, and money laundering before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna State. Ishida was arrested alongside other members of an internet fraud ring in Jos, Plateau State, following an intelligence-driven raid by operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC. The agency…

Former Anambra state governor and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has lent his support for the Dangote Refinery, urging the Nigerian government to resolve ongoing conflicts and provide necessary assistance for the project’s success. In a statement on Tuesday via X, Obi emphasised the critical importance of the refinery to Nigeria’s economic future. “The recent conflicts between Dangote Industries and some government agencies are deeply troubling,” Obi stated. He stressed that the issue transcends political affiliations and personal grievances and is fundamentally about Nigeria’s economy and the well-being of its citizens. Highlighting the refinery’s potential impact,…

World record holder Tobi Amusan has been selected as the country’s flagbearer for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This appointment marks a historic moment for Nigerian athletics, as Tobi Amusan becomes the first track and field athlete in two decades to receive this honour. A tweet by Making of Champions on social media platform X on Tuesday said, “Tobi Amusan has been named as Nigeria’s flagbearer for the opening ceremony of #Paris2024 #Olympics – she becomes the first athlete from Athletics in 20yrs, since Mary Onyali at the Athens 2004 Games, to have such honours.” Amusan,…

Police were out in force on the empty streets of the Ugandan capital Kampala on Tuesday ahead of a planned anti-corruption protests that has been banned by the authorities. Chronicle NG reported that President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the East African country with an iron fist for almost four decades, had warned the demonstrators at the weekend they were “playing with fire”. Three opposition lawmakers were remanded in custody late Monday, police said, after opposition leader Bobi Wine said his National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters was “under siege” by police and army officers. The call to action over corruption…

The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Command has busted a fake sachet water-producing company at Oluwole Market in the Apapa area of the state. The suspects were said to be fraudulently using another company’s brand name to sell their products. Benjamin Hundeyin, Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, disclosed this in a post on his X handle, said the perpetrators also duplicated the NAFDAC number of the company. Hundeyin noted that their activities were discovered after a tip-off by residents in the community. He wrote, “Thank you, Lagosians, for giving us information and safeguarding the health of others. Consumers slam sachet…

Nigerian actress Dakore Egbuson-Akande has issued a court notice to Gistlover, following reports by the controversial social media blog over her alleged affair with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Dakore on Tuesday demanded through her legal representatives that Gistlover pull down their viral defamatory publication and to apologize within the next 24 hours of receiving the court notice. Chronicle NG reported that Dakore denied allegations of an affair with Akpabio and vowed to reward anyone with video or audio evidence with a sum of 5 million naira. Dakore wrote, “It has come to my attention that a post featuring my likeness…

Famous Nigerian actress Dakore Egbuson-Akande has denied a report that she had an affair with the Senate president, Godswill Akpabio. Chronicle NG reported on a viral report by controversial blog Gistlover on Sunday named Dakore among other female celebrities that are allegedly Akpabio’s ‘side chicks.’ In a post on her official Instagram page on Monday, the actress denied the allegations, stating that she had never met Akpabio before. “I saw text messages and calls this morning, alerting me to a very wicked lie from the pit of hell. I must say that I’m very disappointed, shocked and appalled. And I…