Man United keep up top-four chase with win at Palace

Manchester United kept up their chase for a Champions League qualification spot with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial on target in a 2-0 Premier League win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Thursday.

United, with two games remaining are in fifth place on 62 points, behind Leicester City on goal difference with third-placed Chelsea on 63.

United visit Leicester on the final day of the season.

Rashford put United in front on the stroke of halftime, his smart footwork sending the Palace defence the wrong way before he coolly slotted home.

Mid-table Palace thought they had drawn level in the 55th minute when Jordan Ayew slid in a low cross from Wilfried Zaha but the goal was ruled out for the tightest of offsides after a VAR review.

United made sure of victory, vital after Leicesters 2-0 win over Sheffield United, when Bruno Fernandes and Rashford combined smartly to feed Martial, who held off Scott Dann and drove in the second.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaers side are now unbeaten in 19 games in all competitions. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Police IG Mohammed Adamu

By Ahmed Kaigama

The police in Bauchi on Thursday said it had commenced investigations to uncover the mother of an abandoned baby whose remains were found in the suburbs of the metropolis.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Ahmed Wakili, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi that the decomposing remains of the day-old baby girl were found in Gwalameji area of Bauchi

An abandoned baby was found this morning at Gwallameji area and the community informed the Yelwa Divisional Police Station.

Our men went there and took pictures and discovered that the baby had started decaying.

We have launched an investigation into the matter and efforts are on to identify and arrest the culprit, so that she can face the full wrath of the law, Wakili said.

Malam Sanusi Sani, Community Head of Gwallameji, told NAN that his aide alerted him about the incident.

Honestly, I was very sad beyond words over what I saw with my eyes here. Similar thing happened some years back when a baby was dumped in a well.

This is highly disturbing because so many people are in need of children, but here we are seeing babies God gave to some people, being killed and buried.

It is a show of ingratitude to God for the gift. Honestly, I and my community are not happy about this, he said.

Sani claimed that from investigations, most babies that had been found in the area, were brought from other places and dumped there.

He appealed to the people to always report any suspicious acts by young ladies. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

File Photo : Infrastructure

An NGO, Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF) has advocated an infrastructure law to tackle the nations infrastructure deficiency by ensuring bulk of yearly budgetary allocation goes into capital projects.

The board Chairman of ACUF, Dr Chiwuike Uba, made the call in a statement issued to newsmen in Enugu on Friday.

Uba, who is a development economist, said there was the need to increase the countrys investment in the manufacturing and basic infrastructures in order to increase Nigerias productivity output.

He noted that the country had the potential to become the real biggest economy in Africa; not in terms of GDP but in real production and inclusive growth.

Clearly, to address the infrastructure challenges confronting Nigeria, there is a need to have a separate infrastructure bill like the United States.

The proposed infrastructure law shall transcend a particular administration and should be anchored on a 10 to 20-year infrastructure and spending plan.

This should be supported with robust and complete laws that promote and protect Public-Private-Partnership initiatives, with an effective oversight mechanism that includes the communities and citizens.

The law shall provide for the review of the spending plan every five years to adapt it to the emerging realities.

It is also important to make budgetary provisions for the maintenance of the infrastructures for rolling periods of five years, he said.

The board chairman, however, urged executives at all tiers of government to make budgets more transparent and accountable to the people. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, Minister of Mines and Steel Development

By Emmanuel Mogbede
Alhaji Biola Lawal, the Acting Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), has attributed most negative criticism of government policies to lack of adequate information to Nigerians by government ministries and agencies.

Lawal said this on Friday in Abuja when Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, featured on the agencys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) among other things.

Lawal emphasised the need for Ministries and parastatals to assist the federal government by utilising the unique NAN news and projection platforms to get adequate accurate information on government policies, achievements and plans to the citizenry.

He noted that people criticise government negatively when they do not have adequate information on its programmes and policies.

It is not enough to say people are negatively criticising government when we are not dishing out enough accurate information on its programmes and policies.

Lawal, who is a former Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, reiterated the need for government ministries and agencies especially to take advantage of NAN various news platforms to keep Nigerians abreast of their activities.

The NAN Acting Boss added that NAN had various platforms through which it transmits news materials to its clients within and outside the country, saying, NAN reach is unbeatable.

He emphasised that the NAN is known for its publishing accurate information to the public always through its media clients both within and outside the country.

There is need for agencies and ministries to use NAN as a platform to sensitise Nigerians about their achievements and plans, not only on Federal Governments confidence in our democratic system.

NAN platform is a channel that is viable, trustworthy and accurate, when you talk to us, you are practically talking to all media organisations that are hooked to our platforms through subscription in Nigeria and even globally.

We have so many platforms through which we dish out news items these days to keep Nigerians abreast of developments and carry them along, Lawal said.

The minister in his response commended the agency, saying the ministry was ready to collaborate with NAN to sensitise Nigerians on its achievements and activities.

Source: NAN News

Osagie Ize-Iyamu APC candidate for Edo Governorship election

By Nefishetu Yakubu

A group known as the Northern Professionals platform resident in Edo on Thursday pledged their support for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for September 19.

In a statement signed by Abdallah Tureta in Benin, the group said that the Northern Professionals resident in Edo resolved to throw their weight behind Ize-Iyamu because of his leadership qualities.

We are assuring him of our collective support to ensure his victory at the polls in September, he said.

Tureta commended the APC for appointing Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje as the Chairman of APC Campaign Council for Edo election.

Our resolve to back the APC candidate in Edo governorship election is in solidarity with Ganduje appointed as the chairman of the campaign council .

We came to understand that the wisdom behind Gandujes appointment as the Chairman of the Campaign Council is to make sure that no opportunity is left unattended to win the election.

His sophistication and skills in politics are acknowledged across board.

We resolve to do this after our conviction that his leadership of the campaign council is an indication that APC is willing and ready to win the election.

As somebody who has developed his state, both in human and infrastructure, Ganduje could also be a pillar in influencing the blueprint of how to move Edo forward when our candidate wins.

Which we are very hopeful that he would deliver.

It is still fresh in our memories how President Muhammadu Buhari sometime last year, commended Ganduje after becoming the best performing governor for three consecutive months as then rated by the APC Progressive Governors Forum.

This among other things are what informed the decision of the APC to appoint Ganduje to chair this Campaign Council for Edo governorship election.

And we are sure that with our support and that of large chunk of Edo population, Ganduje is shouldering a sellable gubernatorial material.

We challenge the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to come forward and showcase the feats they achieved under their candidate, Tureta said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

NASS Complex

By EricJames Ochigbo

You are, by this letter, requested to explain to the commission within twenty four (24) hours as to why disciplinary action will not be takenagainst you as per provision of Section 6(2)b of the National Assembly Service Act, 2014 (as amended) for this gross insubordination.

Source: NAN News

Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Water Resources,

.es will benefit from its Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme to scale up access to water and sanitation in rural communities.

with the State.

Adamu noted that three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in those states have been selected for implementation.

Ajisegiri said.

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed delight over the strong bonds of friendship that exist between Nigeria and Pakistan which he said are characterized by extensive Military-to-Military engagement.

The president made his feeling known at the virtual farewell meeting with Maj.-Gen. Waqar Kingravi, the out-going Pakistani High Commissioner to Nigeria, on Thursday in Abuja.

President Buhari describedNigeria-Pakistani relationships as wide and far-reaching, going back a long time in history.

He singled out the area of military co-operation between the two countries as mutually beneficial.

In addition to the impressive performance of our two nations in the Commonwealth, the Pakistani Military training of the Nigerian Army is equally important.

This relationship is long and very far. I recalled my colleagues, the late General Shehu YarAdua and the current Emir of Gwandu, His Highness Muhammmad Bashir, a retired General, were both trained in Pakistan, he said.

The president also commended the out-going envoy for strengthening the relations in the area of economic cooperation.

In his remarks, Amb. Kingravi thanked President Buhari and the people of Nigeria whom he described as generous hosts for the fruitful, enjoyable and educative tour of Nigeria.

He pledged his countrys willingness to provide further military support to combat insurgency and promotion of all causes dear to us.

Source: NAN News

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The Federal Government has inaugurated a Campaign Strategy Team for Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is vying for the post of the Director-General of World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Mr Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, while inaugurating the team on Thursday in Abuja, said it was key to the success in ensuring that the Nigerian candidate emerged as WTO Director-General for 2021 2025 term.

Adebayo, in a statement by Mrs Oluwakemi Ogunmakinwa, Assistant Director, Press Unit of the ministry, said President Muhammadu Buharis decision to nominate OkonjoIweala as Nigerias candidate for the position of WTO Director-General was in good faith.

He said the decision was given the overriding consideration of the need to host Africas chance and for the promotion of gender mainstreaming at the worlds top trade post.

He expressed optimism that the Nigerian candidate would emerge as the next Director-General of WTO, based on her capabilities and wealth of experience at the highest level of World Bank, as a Development Economist, Diplomat and one of the Africas most trusted technocrats.

An eminently qualified candidate in the position of Okonjo-Iweala with proven leadership, bold reformer, skillful negotiator with abilities to broker numerous agreements that would promote fair trade should be selected for Director-General of the WTO.

I am confident that she possesses the qualities to lead the most important global multilateral body, the minister said.

He, therefore, charged the team to develop winning strategy for the candidate and also called on stakeholders, media, public, private and trading partners to give necessary support that she required to emerge as WTO Director-General.

The Minister of State, Amb. Mariam Yalwaji Katagum, who is the Team Leader of the Campaign Strategy team, pledged the full commitment of members of the team to deliver on its mandate.

We must all get to work as a team in the most strategic and professional manner to deliver on this important assignment in line with the Terms of Reference, she stated.

Katagum also expressed confidence that OkonjoIweala would emerge as the next WTO Director-General considering her pedigree and commitment in ensuring sustainable development and economic growth, not only for Africa but the world at large.

The Campaign Strategy team comprises officials of the ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; representatives of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President and Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The team also include officials from the Ministry of Finance, Nigerian Ambassador to ECOWAS and African Union as well as Genevabased officials.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Dapo Abiodun

No fewer than 1,165 rice farmers have been empowered with farm inputs by the Ogun Government under the Central Bank Bank (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP).

Gov. Dapo Abiodun made this known during the flag-off of the 2020 wet season held on Thursday at the Ogun State Agro Service Corporation, Imowo, Ijebu Ode.

The governor gave farmers an assurance that his administration would continue to provide support and agricultural incentives to all other value chain actors.

Abiodun who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, urged other farmers to key into the various agricultural programmes of his administration saying, Ogun State-facilitated ABP was exemplary and transparent.

This programme has become the hallmark of our deliberate focus on agricultural opportunities, which is aimed at supporting farmers and other agricultural value chain actors, as part of our resolve to achieve the states agricultural agenda of food security, he said.

He said that documentation of prospective beneficiaries of agricultural opportunities were carried out at the inception of his administration,

The governor added that the distribution of inputs, credit and market linkage to 3,500 cassava ABP farmers were recently flagged-off, noting that rice had been given preference as cassava.

He said efforts were ongoing to replicate same for maize and cotton value chains, among others in the programme.

Abiodun also urged participants to take full advantage of supplementary assistance provided by government and also abide by the terms of engagement of the linkage Programme.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Dotun Sorunke, said the present administration had recognised agriculture as one of the areas the state government could depend on to revive its economy.

He, however, urged beneficiaries to be committed to farming to realise governments drive for food security and job creation.

In her remark, the representative of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs Oluyemisi Olukoya, urged rice farmers to live up to expectation by using the inputs judiciously to enable them refund the loan granted by the apex bank.

Also speaking, the Zonal President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Mr Victor Korede, commended the Federal and State Governments for empowering rice farmers.

Korede said the move would enable the country to be self- sufficient in food production.

Responding on behalf of other beneficiaries, Oluwadamilola Ogunbanjo, commended the government for facilitating the grant and expressed the hope that it would further assist them in their quest for fully mechanised rice farming.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that farm inputs distributed included knapsack sprayer, water pumps, chemicals, fertiliser and seedlings, among others.

Source: NAN News