Author: Vardiafrica

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved the creation of MediPool, a group purchasing organisation aimed at reducing the cost of essential medicines and healthcare products across Nigeria. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said MediPool would operate as a public-private partnership, leveraging the government’s purchasing power to negotiate better prices from suppliers. “So it’s using the monopsony power of government as a large buyer of those commodities to negotiate lower prices and then channel those commodities,” Pate said. According to him, the scope of MediPool includes “procurement planning, distribution monitoring, supply chain, logistics management, quality…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in newly appointed Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC. The commissioners took the oath of office at the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting of the day, at the State House, Abuja. The swearing in ceremony followed introductory remarks by the State House Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye. The new INEC Commissioners are ⁠Mallam Tukur Abdulrazaq Yusuf, representing Northwest , Professor Sunday Nwambam Aja, representing Ebonyi State. The President also swore in 2 Commissioner members of Board of the Code of Conduct Bureau CCB. They are Ikpeme Kenneth…

NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, in a statement sent to Persecondnews on Monday in Abuja, quoted the agency’s Chairman/CEO, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, as saying, “The newly constructed laboratories will enable us to enhance our forensic analysis capabilities, increase our capacity to process cases efficiently, and strengthen our fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.” Marwa said that the two new facilities are set to commence operations, while the existing Lagos lab has undergone a comprehensive renovation, transforming it into a state-of-the-art facility. “This project was made possible through the sponsorship of the US…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced an immediate review of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) following public outrage over alleged technical malfunctions and an alarming rate of mass failure. In a statement issued by Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor on Monday, the board confirmed it had received an “unusual volume of complaints” since the release of the UTME results last Friday. The controversy gained momentum after statistical data revealed that over 1.5 million of the 1.9 million candidates who sat the 2025 UTME scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks. Candidates and…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a significant reduction in the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, from N835 to N825 per litre. The new pricing, effective immediately, comes as a relief amid Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to stabilise fuel supply and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products. Industry analysts suggest the reduction could lead to lower pump prices across the country if marketers pass on the savings to consumers Sources confirmed on Monday that the refinery has reduced its price to N825 per litre for its customers, through a rebate of N10 after successful loading of…

Care workers will no longer be recruited from abroad as part of a crackdown on visas to “significantly” bring down net migration, the UK home secretary, Yvette Cooper has said.  Yvette Cooper told Sky News’ Sunday Morning, May 11, with Trevor Phillips programme the government will close the care worker visa route as part of new restrictions which aim to cut the number of low-skilled foreign workers by about 50,000 this year.  She said: “We’re going to introduce new restrictions on lower-skilled workers, so new visa controls, because we think actually what we should be doing is concentrating on the higher-skilled migration…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has established a reconciliation committee led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki as part of efforts to unite aggrieved members ahead of the party’s crucial National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for the end of May. This decision was made during a high-level gathering at the Abuja residence of the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, on Sunday night. The meeting brought together key figures in the party, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who was present but did not address the media. Also…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “personally” in Istanbul on Thursday for talks over ending the war. His post on X came shortly after Donald Trump demanded Ukraine agree to Putin’s offer of direct talks between the two countries in Turkey. “There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally,” Zelensky wrote. He had earlier said his country was open to talks with Russia but only after a ceasefire was in place. Western powers called for a 30-day pause in fighting to…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has confirmed that the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, approached him for reconciliation. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Wike disclosed that Fubara visited him with two governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to seek a peaceful resolution to their ongoing political dispute. Wike and Fubara have been embroiled in a political conflict since Fubara assumed office as governor in 2023. The rift escalated to the point where President Bola Tinubu intervened, declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspending Fubara for six…

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are holding a meeting with leaders of the party at the Bauchi governor’s lodge in Abuja. The meeting, which was convened by the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, also has the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in attendance. Some of the governors currently present for the meeting include Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Peter Mbah (Enugu). Others who are in attendance include former governors of Cross River, Liyel Imoke, Achike Udenwa…