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Expert appeals to FG for urgent attention to Ekiti-Ado-Ifaki-Abuja road

Michael Ale, a development expert and Chief Executive Officer of Global Development Initiatives (GDI), has appealed to the Federal Government to urgently address the Ado-Ifaki-Abuja federal road corridor in Ekiti State, particularly sections passing through the Ayegbaju Oye and Ilupeju communities.

Ale said the road is an important link between the western part of the country and the Federal Capital Territory, noting that its strategic importance to commerce, transport and regional development makes its rehabilitation worthy of urgent consideration.

In a statement made available to journalists in Lagos on Thursday, Ale said improved road infrastructure would facilitate the movement of people and goods while supporting economic activities along the corridor.

According to him, some sections of the road have deteriorated, resulting in occasional traffic challenges and delays for motorists and other road users.

He recalled a recent gridlock along the Oye-Ilupeju section of the road after erosion created large potholes, leaving some vehicles stranded for extended periods and forcing other motorists to seek alternative routes.

Ale also noted another traffic challenge on Wednesday, September 9, when a truck reportedly fell across the road, causing hours of gridlock.

He said the situation was particularly significant because the corridor serves the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, with students, staff, residents and other road users relying on the route daily.

The development expert further expressed concern over reports of accidents along some portions of the road, urging relevant authorities to consider appropriate measures to improve safety and ease movement along the corridor.

Ale appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Works to consider rehabilitating the affected sections as part of ongoing efforts to improve road infrastructure across the country.

He said, ‘A very good road network is needed for viable commercial and development activities to thrive. The road network we are talking about here links the western parts of the country to the Federal Capital Territory and provides an important route for commercial vehicles and trucks conveying goods.

‘It is a very important road axis that deserves adequate attention, and we believe that improving the condition of the road will further enhance its economic viability and potential.

‘This is why, as a development expert, we are appealing to the Federal Government to give urgent consideration to the condition of this road and explore ways of rehabilitating the affected sections.’

Ale commended the Federal Government for ongoing road projects across the country, particularly the Ibadan-Ado-Akure axis and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

He said the projects would contribute significantly to economic growth, improved connectivity and national development.

‘The President and his team at the Works Ministry have been doing a great job on the Ibadan-Ado-Akure axis, and Nigerians appreciate the efforts being made in this direction. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road is also a major project with the potential to significantly impact our economy and accelerate development.

‘We therefore appeal for similar attention to be given to important federal road corridors in Ekiti State, particularly the Ado-Ifaki and Ilupeju axis, in the interests of motorists, communities, businesses, students and other road users.

‘We believe that timely intervention will go a long way towards improving transport and supporting economic activities in the area. May God bless Nigeria.’

North West ADC gov’ship candidates tackle incumbents on performance

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, governorship candidates of the seven North West states on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, ADC on Wednesday, carpeted the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors of the zone saying they have failed in implementing projects that will move the people out of poverty.

The governors signed a development agreement to implement a minimum wage of N110,000 for workers across the states in the region.

Speaking on behalf of the candidates, former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami disclosed that this is contained in a blueprint for the socio-economic emancipation of the region.

‘Rather than progress, our people are more impoverished today than at any time in history. Sadly, the current APC governors live in obscene affluence, building new government houses, buying exotic cars, travelling by private jet and displaying an opulence that offends the sensibilities of the very citizens whose commonwealth they were entrusted to steward,’ he stated.

The declaration entitled ‘Northwest ADC Governorship Candidates’ Compact 2027-2031′ is aimed at protecting citizens through reform and how to manage public resources responsibly for the benefit of the people.

He said Wednesday was chosen because the Independent National Electoral Commission has approved the commencement of campaigns.

He stressed that the region is ‘crisis ridden as over 16,000 lives have been lost on account of insecurity between June 2023 and August 2026, and more than 1,583 kidnapping incidents since January 2023 have taken over 10,000 of our people from their homes and farms.

‘Tens of thousands of households have been displaced, and more than 533,000 hectares of farmland in Zamfara and Katsina alone now lie abandoned. Our region also accounts for 45 percent of Nigeria’s out-of-school children.

‘Insecurity has emptied our farms, and those empty farms have brought hunger, driven our children out of the classroom, and have denied them the education the region requires to dry up the recruitment pool for future banditry, kidnappings and all associated crimes.’

Following these challenges, Malami said their commitment is to ‘reorient governance to respond effectively and efficiently to break this vicious cycle of crisis, and restore peace, security and normalcy to our region.’

According to him, states and Local Government Areas within the zone have received over N8.33 trillion in federal allocations between June 2023 and August 2026, and yet these revenues have not translated into accessible transport, affordable food and healthcare, functioning schools, and improved living conditions for our people.

He therefore vowed that individually and collectively; they have signed to take deliberate measures to ‘reverse this unacceptable reality and ensure that public resources deliver measurable improvements in the lives of our citizens. This is why we commit to reform with responsibility, relief with accountability, and growth our citizens can feel.’

He said the level of looting across the Northwest under the current administrations is unprecedented, adding that the APC-led administrations in the region have little or nothing to show for their stewardship, or in the lives of our people..

Malami, flanked by other candidates and running mates also declared their support for the promise by the ADC Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar that he will reverse the removal of fuel subsidy.

Gas explosion in Bille: CAPPA calls for immediate govt action

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has alerted the Federal and Rivers State governments to another explosion from gas leakage in Bille, an island community in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, warning that urgent action is required to prevent further explosions and mass casualties.

The blast occurred just two weeks after CAPPA presented its documentary and report, Danger! Bille Is Highly Flammable, which called for urgent government intervention over worsening gas bubbling and seepage across the community. During a visit on July 6, CAPPA documented emissions from wells, boreholes, residential compounds, waterways and school grounds, and warned that continued inaction could lead to a major disaster.

In a statement on Saturday, CAPPA said the latest explosion occurred at about 8 a.m. on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at No. 18, Opu Ibiila Community, Bille. The blast set part of the house ablaze, blew out its windows and severely burned the occupant, Joy Amos.

Video footage obtained by CAPPA shows Ms Amos in serious pain after sustaining extensive burns. CAPPA said she required urgent specialist care and called on the Rivers State Government to ensure that she received immediate treatment, and that all related medical and rehabilitation costs were covered.

CAPPA said the incident confirmed that Bille was facing an escalating emergency that could no longer be met with official visits, sample collection and silence.

‘Bille exposes the inhuman bargain at the heart of reckless extraction in the Niger Delta. Wealth is taken from communities and transferred to corporations and the state, while residents are left with polluted water, damaged livelihoods, illness and danger. Companies continue to earn from extraction, yet the people living closest to oil and gas infrastructure are expected to bear its gravest risks,’ said Zikora Ibeh, CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director.

‘No industry should be permitted to transfer the human and environmental costs of its operations onto communities. Whatever the investigation ultimately establishes as the source of these emissions, the failure to protect Bille after months of warnings is indefensible.’

As an immediate precaution, the group demanded the suspension of all oil and gas activities in and around Bille until the cause of the bubbling and seepage is established and independent experts confirm that the community is safe.

It said the explosion showed that the danger could no longer be treated as confined to isolated locations. Emergency measures must cover the entire community, including the deployment of emergency-response teams, the evacuation of residents to safe temporary accommodation, continuous monitoring of air and water quality, and clear public guidance on the risks and necessary precautions.

CAPPA called on the Rivers State Government, NOSDRA, NUPRC, NMDPRA, the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and other relevant authorities, working within their respective mandates and with independent experts, to launch a transparent and coordinated investigation into the crisis. It said the exercise should identify the source of the emissions and assess all active, ageing, idle and abandoned oil and gas infrastructure in and around Bille, including wells, wellheads, pipelines and production facilities.

The organisation urged the authorities to resolve, isolate or decommission any unsafe infrastructure without delay. It also asked them to publish all test results and investigative findings, explain the risks to residents and provide a clear timetable for ending the emissions and making the community safe.

CAPPA further called on the government to treat the situation as a public-health emergency. It demanded multidisciplinary medical teams specialising in respiratory illness, toxic exposure and burn care; round-the-clock emergency clinics; ambulance and hospital referral services; and free diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.

The group also demanded safe water, compensation, and livelihood support for households whose lives, fishing, and other sources of income had been disrupted.

‘The authorities were warned. A woman has now been severely burned, while the people of Bille remain exposed to potentially dangerous gases. Government must move residents out of harm’s way, provide urgent medical care, identify and stop the source of the emissions, and account publicly for its response,’ Ibeh said.

‘The wealth extracted from the Niger Delta cannot continue to enrich corporations and public coffers while host communities are left to breathe contaminated air, drink unsafe water and fear explosions in their homes. The people of Bille have carried this burden long enough. Government cannot wait for deaths before acting.’

U-19 T20 World Cup: Akpata sets agenda for Junior Yellow Greens after Tanzania feat

The Nigeria Cricket Federation President Uyi Akpata has challenged Nigeria’s Junior Female Yellow Greens to improve on their previous World Cup showing, setting out his expectations for the squad after their qualifying campaign in Tanzania secured a return to the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup.

Akpata addressed the team at a reception organised by the Nigeria Cricket Federation to celebrate the qualification, contrasting the squad’s current standing with their sixth-place finish at the previous U19 edition in Malaysia.

‘The first time when we went, we did not have any experience. We didn’t know what to expect, and we came sixth. So what do we expect this time? We know what to expect, we are better prepared, and we have a group of talented young stars,’ he said.

He stopped short of demanding a specific result, instead urging full effort from the players.

‘Let’s just give it 100%,’ Akpata said.

The NCF President also pointed to the team’s qualification as a marker for the wider federation, expressing hope that Nigeria’s U19 boys’ team and senior national sides could follow with qualifications of their own.

‘More importantly, you have set the standard,’ he said.

Akpata used the reception to also announce full scholarships through university for every member of the squad, tying the reward to a wider message about balancing athletic development with academic achievement.

‘On behalf of the Nigerian Cricket Federation, I want to say that you are all on full scholarship until you finish your university education,’ he told the gathering.

‘We must also continue to do our best when it comes to schooling… it’s those intelligence, those things you do and, more importantly, the family that separates you from others,’ he added.

Nigeria secured their place at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup following an unbeaten campaign in Tanzania, sealed by a tense final-over finish in which the team defended a narrow target. Captain Christabel Chukwuonye credited the composure of bowler Anointed and the collective effort of the squad under Head Coach Sarah Bakhita for the result.

Chukwuonye said the coaching staff – Bakhita, Coach Agatha, Coach Theo and team physio Gift Udeh – had created an environment that allowed players to focus solely on the tournament.

The team now turns its attention to preparation for the World Cup, with the NCF pledging improved support structures ahead of the tournament.

Billionaire ex-Glencore chief pleads not guilty to bribery charges in Nigeria, others

Alex Beard, the billionaire former head of oil at Glencore Plc, pleaded not guilty to bribery and corruption charges involving oil deals in Nigeria and several West African countries.

The case is being heard at court in London, setting up a highly anticipated trial next year.

Beard and his former colleague Andy Gibson are accused of conspiring to make corrupt payments to government officials and state-owned oil firm employees in Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Ivory Coast.

The trial, which is expected to run for as long as 6 months, will hear UK’s Serious Fraud Office’s case against six former Glencore employees, including Beard and Gibson.

Gibson entered not guilty pleas to four charges of conspiracy to give corrupt payments and one for conspiring to falsify documents on Thursday at Southwark Crown Court.

Beard pleaded not guilty, setting up a highly anticipated trial next year.

Mbarali mothers to benefit from Yas maternity support

Expectant mothers receiving care at Mbarali District Hospital are set to benefit from improved maternity services following a donation of medical equipment and supplies by Yas Tanzania.

The donation, made through the company’s Tumaini Campaign, is intended to address shortages of essential supplies used in maternal and newborn care and provide health workers with additional equipment.

Speaking during the handover, Yas head of Southern Zone Frank Antony said the support was aimed at responding to practical needs identified within communities. ‘Our focus is on the mother who comes to the hospital to give birth and the health workers attending to her,’ he said.

Dr Yakub Sanga, representing the Mbarali District Council director, said the donation would strengthen the hospital’s capacity to provide maternity services and ease pressure arising from shortages of essential supplies.

Head nurse Iman Mwakipusa and acting medical officer-in-charge Dr Albert Sichone said the equipment and supplies would support health workers in providing care to expectant mothers and women during childbirth.

The Mbarali donation is part of the Tumaini Campaign, through which Yas has provided maternal healthcare equipment and supplies to health facilities in different parts of Tanzania.

Ethiopia inflation breaks four-month rising streak, eases to 15.1%

Ethiopia’s annual inflation eased to 15.1 percent in August from 15.3 percent in July, ending four consecutive months of increases, although rising non-food prices continue to put pressure on households.

The latest figures from the Ethiopian Statistical Service showed that monthly consumer price growth also slowed sharply to 0.9 percent in August from 2.6 percent in July.

Despite the moderation, annual inflation remains above the 13.6 percent recorded in August last year and well above the 9.4 percent low recorded in March, when inflation had remained in single digits for four consecutive months.

Non-food prices were the main source of pressure in August, with inflation in the category rising to 15.4 percent from 14.8 percent in July. It overtook food inflation for the first time since November.

Food and non alcoholic beverages inflation, meanwhile, slowed to 14.9 percent from 15.7 percent.

Education recorded the sharpest increase among non-food items, with prices rising 25.3 percent year on year. This was followed by miscellaneous goods and services at 19.3 percent and alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 18.8 percent.

Furnishings and household equipment rose 16.7 percent, transport increased 15.6 percent, while clothing and footwear climbed 14.7 percent. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose 13.7 percent.

Within the food basket, sugar, jam, honey and chocolate recorded the strongest annual increase at 38.3 percent. Non alcoholic beverages and coffee rose 29.2 percent, while meat prices increased 22.6 percent.

Food inflation was partly contained by slower increases in bread and cereals, which rose 8.1 percent, and vegetables, which increased 12.1 percent.

Despite the recent increase in monthly inflation, Ethiopia’s average annual inflation for EFY2018 fell to 11.7 percent from 16 percent in EFY2017, its lowest annual average since EFY2009.

The Ethiopian Statistical Service attributed the decline in average non food inflation partly to tight monetary policy aimed at limiting bank credit.

The latest figures will keep inflation on the radar of the National Bank of Ethiopia, which has said it expects price growth to moderate by December but remain in double digits over its six month forecast period.

The ESS is also expanding its price survey from 120 to 200 markets as part of efforts to improve the consumer price index. The expansion will support a planned rebasing of the CPI using expenditure weights from the EFY2017 National Integrated Household Survey.

PSC sweetens deal for ASIAD athletes

THE Philippine Sports Commission announced additional allowance will be given to every Filipino athlete competing at the Nagoya Asian Games, with more incentives awaiting the delegation if it surpasses its gold medal argets.

‘We will be giving P6,000 extra allowance per athlete in the Asian Games and there will be additional rewards for the athletes should we surpass the four gold medals (in the Asiad) and 10 gold medals in the Asian Para Games.

The 464-strong Philippine delegation to the Asiad includes 387 athletes.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino is hoping the delegation can produce eight gold medals, identifying the elite athletes who can be counted on to deliver, while urging the others to give their best to chip in.

‘I am not pressuring anyone here but I am requesting each one of you to unleash your very best, give it all. Why? Because the next Asian Games will be five years from now in 2031 in Doha, Qatar,’ Tolentino said.

‘You must give your very best, and there is no pressure,’ Tolentino added.

‘Eight gold medals. That’s doable. Four from the combat sports like jiu-jitsu and boxing, and then you have the non-combat sports in gymnastics, the Yulo brothers [Carlos and Eldrew], Alex Eala, EJ Obiena, and our E-Sports. So again, no pressures. We can get eight,’ Tolentino added.

In the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, former national golfer Yuka Saso earned the individual gold and with Bianca Pagdanganan and Louise Kaye Go topped the team event, Hidilyn Diaz won in weightlifting, while Margielyn Didal shone in skateboarding.

The country matched that haul in 2023 in China, with Asia’s No. 1 pole vaulter Obiena, the Philippine men’s basketball team and jiu-jitsu warriors Annie Ramirez and Meggie Ochoa winning their events.

Tolentino also announced weightlifter Ian delos Santos and Paris boxing Olympics bronze medalist Aira Villegas as the flag bearers for the opening ceremony on Sept. 19 at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Japan.

‘Alex [Eala] was considered as flag bearer, but her father requested us to find another because she will be tired that day because she’ll be coming from the Singapore Open,’ Tolentino said. ‘We also considered athletes who have no schedule the next day. For the closing ceremony, we will still decide.’

Tanzanite Queens need Canada win to keep last-16 dream alive

Tanzania’s U-20 women’s national football team, the Tanzanite Queens, face a must-win clash against Canada tomorrow knowing that victory alone may not be enough to secure a place in the last 16 of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

The Tanzanite Queens go into the Group B finale without a point after suffering defeats to Brazil and England, but their hopes of progressing remain mathematically alive through the four best third-placed slots. The top two teams from each of the six groups qualify automatically for the knockout stage, with the remaining four places going to the best third-placed teams.

Tanzania currently occupy fourth place in Group B after losing 4-1 to Brazil in their opening match before England inflicted a 5-1 defeat on them on Tuesday. The results leave them with two goals scored, nine conceded and a goal difference of minus seven.

Brazil have already secured top spot with six points, while England are second on four. Canada are third on one point after drawing 1-1 with England before losing 3-0 to Brazil.

A victory against Canada would take the Tanzanite Queens to three points, but their poor goal difference means they would then have to wait for results from the other groups before knowing whether they have done enough to qualify.

The current third-place calculations underline the difficulty of the task. In Group A, Mexico and Benin have one point each, while Canada are currently the third-placed team in Group B on one point. South Korea and France also began the tournament with one point each in Group C, while several other teams, including New Zealand, USA, Costa Rica, Nigeria, Ghana, Portugal and New Caledonia, were yet to collect a point at the time of the latest standings. The picture will become clearer as Groups C, D, E and F complete their remaining matches. Consequently, even three points against Canada could leave Tanzania competing on goal difference with other teams that finish third on the same number of points.

Coach Bakari Shime, however, insists the heavy defeats have not ended his team’s ambition. ‘We still have a chance,’ said Shime, maintaining that the players must focus on the Canada encounter despite the setbacks against Brazil and England.

The coach has reason to point to the team’s resilience. Against Brazil, Tanzania were competitive for long periods and even went into half-time level at 1-1 before conceding three second-half goals.

Against England, however, the Tanzanite Queens struggled to contain their opponents, with Rachel Maltby scoring a hat-trick as the Young Lionesses ran out 5-1 winners. Jamila Rajabu scored Tanzania’s consolation goal.

Canada, meanwhile, have their own motivation. Their 3-0 defeat to Brazil left them on one point and also means they must beat Tanzania to strengthen their own knockout hopes.

RMAFC Rallies Oil And Gas Stakeholders To Drive Investments

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC) is currently rallying stakeholders in the Oil and Gas sector to drive investments in the sector.

Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Shehu who stated this at the Breakfast meeting on Wednesday in Abuja said the Meeting was convened to engage key stakeholders on the proposed Oil and Gas Investment Summit in China.

‘The meeting is an opportunity to exchange ideas, build consensus, and chart a practical course towards attracting greater investment into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

As the global energy landscape continues to evolve, Nigeria must remain proactive in positioning itself to harness emerging opportunities while addressing existing challenges.

‘In carrying out its Constitutional functions, the Commission is empowered under Paragraph 32(a and c) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) to ‘Monitor the accruals to and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account; and Advise the Federal and State Governments on fiscal efficiency and methods by which their revenue can be increased’ the Commission is proposing an Oil and Gas Investment Summit which is scheduled to take place in Beijing China, and is aimed at showcasing Nigeria’s vast investment opportunities across the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments of the petroleum industry.