Subsidy Removal: Protest Shuts Down FCT As Over 5,000 Storm NASS

August 2, 2023August 2, 2023 admin

The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has been witnessing a mass protest staged by the organised labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) as well as their Affiliates.

The protesters numbering over 5,000, who have been peaceful, first converged on the Unity Fountain, Abuja, close to Transcorp Hilton Hotel, from where they matched to the Federal Ministry of Justice before proceeding to the National Assembly.

At the National Assembly, security personnel initially prevented the protesting crowd from gaining entrance to the complex, but upon their superior officers’ intervention, the gate was thrown open.

Labour has been adamant about carrying out the protest to press home their grievances over hardship being felt by the majority of Nigerians since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the fuel subsidy removal policy.

Both Joe Ajaero, the NLC president, and Festus Osifo, his TUC counterpart, were seen at the forefront leading the protest in the nation’s capital.

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November 13, 2026 admin 0

Ghana Redesigns Cedi To Celebrate National Heritage

In her move to modernise its currency and strengthen protection against counterfeiting, Ghana Thursday introduced a new series of banknotes featuring prominent historical figures and national landmarks. The new notes, known as the Heritage Series, were unveiled by the Bank of Ghana on November 12, and will enter circulation on December 1, 2026. They will replace neither the existing currency nor its value. Instead, the redesigned notes will circulate alongside the current banknotes, which remain legal tender. The series retains Ghana’s eight denominations: GH₵1, GH₵2, GH₵5, GH₵10, GH₵20, GH₵50, GH₵100 and GH₵200. The central bank said the redesign came after more than two decades of using the core designs of the existing notes. Each bank note highlights a different aspect of Ghana’s history, culture and national identity, featuring influential figures alongside important landmarks. The GH₵1 note honours Agnes Oforiwa Tagoe-Quarcoopome, a pioneering Accra market trader and market queen. It also features Makola Market, reflecting the contribution of market women to Ghana’s economy. The GH₵2 note celebrates religious heritage, featuring Cardinal Peter Dery, a prominent Ghanaian Catholic leader, and the historic Larabanga Mosque in northern Ghana. Education takes centre stage on the GH₵5 note, which features James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey, an influential educator and Pan-Africanist, alongside Achimota School. The GH₵10 note honours Annie Ruth Jiagge, Ghana’s first female judge, with imagery of the Supreme Court building representing justice and equality. Ghana’s cultural and artistic heritage is represented on the GH₵20 note, featuring composer and music scholar Ephraim Amu alongside the National Theatre. The GH₵50 note pays tribute to Theodosia Okoh, who designed Ghana’s national flag, while the GH₵100 note honours former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and features the peace-keeping training centre named after him. The highest denomination, the GH₵200 note, features Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, and his mausoleum in Accra, reflecting the country’s independence and sovereignty. Traditional Adinkra symbols also appear across the series. Bank of Ghana governor, Johnson Asiama, said the redesigned currency includes improved security features, greater durability and modern designs intended to reduce counterfeiting. The notes have also been made more convenient to handle and carry. ...

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November 13, 2026 admin 0

Nigerian Opposition Insist After Campaign Event Attack…’Nothing Will Stop Us’

Police fire tear gas to disperse men who attacked supporters of the opposition party National Democratic Congress (NDC) during a town hall meeting in Ikeja, capital of the State. Armed men attacked supporters and journalists at a campaign event for Nigerian opposition candidate Peter Obi, witnesses told journasits, as the country prepares for presidential elections in two months. Elections in Africa’s most populous country are repeatedly marred by violence, often carried out by “thugs” — as they’re locally called — with links to rival politicians. Videos on social media showed men wielding sticks, machetes and axes rushing into a hall of Obi supporters in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital, dispersing the crowd. Said Osa Director, Spokesman of Nigeria Democratic Congress: “Nobody is going to intimidate us, we will exercise our right to participate in this election”. He blamed the violence on the ruling All Progressives Congress. Obi came in third in the 2023 elections, behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is seeking a second term in the January 16 vote. Said Felix Morka APC spokesman: “When a person makes an allegation, it is their duty to substantiate and provide evidence”. Thursday’s violence came after the NDC had previously blamed a slew of event cancellations on the government, which it said was pressuring venue owners — claims the government denied. Mansur Ibrahim, a Nigerian photojournalist at the scene, said a large group of men barged into the venue ahead of Obi’s arrival. Stated Ibrahim: “They actually came into the hall, broke all the entrance doors and the glass walls. “The NDC guys repelled them, chased them out of the hall into the road, and they started throwing stones at each other in the middle of the road”. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd as people chanted “APC must go”. Stated an NDC supporter said in an interview clip shared in media: “See my head, they broke my head with (a) bottle but it’s nothing, I’m still standing”. His forehead was wrapped with bloodied bandages. The unnamed man blamed the attack on supporters of the APC who he said were trying to intimidate the opposition, “thinking that we will back down”. ...

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November 13, 2026 admin 0

2027: Amupitan Pledges INEC’ll Obey Court Decision On Atiku Eligibility

Prof. Joash Amupitan INAC chairman. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will abide by the decisions of the courts on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s eligibilit to contest the January 2027 presidential election, the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has pledged. He said the INEC would not take any action that contradicts a valid court decision, stressing that it would be guided by the law and relevant judicial pronouncements in determining the status of candidates ahead of the election. This development came amid a legal controversy over the emergence of Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following a Federal High Court judgment that nullified the leadership structure of the party led by former Senate president, David Mark. The judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja on November 5, invalidated the Mark-led National Working Committee and decisions taken under its leadership, including the process through which Abubakar emerged as the party’s presidential candidate. Amupitan made the clarification while responding to questions from journalists in Abuja, where he also addressed the Commission’s position on recent court orders relating to the 2027 elections. He explained that INEC would not act on information circulating on social media or rely on media reports to determine the implications of court judgments. Amupitan said the Commission must first obtain the Certified True Copy (CTC) of any judgment, examine its contents and seek professional legal advice before taking a decision. Said he: “As of today, I have not received a Certified True Copy of the judgment of the Federal High Court because we don’t just act on the basis of what is on social media”. The INEC chairman explained that judgments received by the Commission would first be forwarded to him for consideration, after which the relevant departments would provide legal advice before the matter was presented to the Commission. He said the process was necessary to ensure that INEC acted on the actual orders of the court rather than interpretations or reports that might misrepresent the judgment. The Commission’s position has become particularly significant following the legal battle over the leadership of the ADC and the validity of decisions taken by its disputed national leadership. ...

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