Author: Vardiafrica

The Minister for Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu has ordered the Transition Company of Nigeria (TCN) and all other relevant agencies of the ministry to begin the immediate implementation of the recommendations of the inter-agency committee, set up to address the incessant grid collapses in the power sector. This is as the TCN appealed for understanding among Nigerians on the possibilities of intermittent disruptions as repair work begins on the grid. The Minister’s matching order came as the transmission company reported that the national grid experienced a disturbance at approximately 11:29 am, on Thursday, November 7, 2024, which was caused by…

US President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) named his campaign manager Susan Summerall Wiles as White House Chief of Staff, his first major appointment since winning this week’s election. Her appointment was confirmed by US Vice President-elect JD Vance. “This is great news. Susie was a huge asset to President Trump on the campaign and will be a huge asset in the White House. She’s also just a really good person. Onward!,” Vance posted on X. Vance said that Wiles would serve as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in the history of the US. In a statement posted…

Ghana’s outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo is facing a storm of criticism on social media after unveiling a statue of himself outside a regional hospital in Sekondi. According to Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the statue, presented during a “thank-you tour” in the Western Region, was meant to commemorate Akufo-Addo’s development projects during his two terms in office. However, many Ghanaians see it as an act of self-promotion rather than public service, sparking backlash online. Opposition MP Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah condemned the statue, posting on X that “the people of the Western Region deserve better than these self-serving displays.” Others echoed…

Speaking during the ground-breaking ceremony at Okarki in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said that the project would reduce flooding in surrounding communities and mitigate its impact on the Ahoada axis of the East-West Road. He stated that the channelisation project would also boost commercial activities in the area, improve aquatic life and reduce the threat of water-borne diseases to the rural communities. The NDDC Chief Executive Officer observed that although the project was expensive, the benefits for the people far outweighed the cost, stating: “We have started the project,…

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has inaugurated the Chemical Forensics Laboratory at the EFCC’s Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate. The laboratory, funded by the MacArthur Foundation and implemented by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), marks a milestone in enhancing the Commission’s capacity to tackle financial crimes. Olukoyede hailed the project as pivotal in advancing transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. “This is a significant milestone in our journey to foster transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector. “The launch of our state-of-the-art chemical laboratory, a facility…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has given the green light to the commercial, merchant, and non-interest banks operating in Nigeria to trade with tradeable foreign currencies deposited in dorm accounts created under the foreign currency disclosure, deposit, repatriation, and investment scheme which were not invested immediately. The bank disclosed this in its recently approved guidelines for the implementation of foreign currency disclosure, deposit, repatriation, and investment scheme which is billed to commence on November 6, 2024. The CBN explained that the foreign currency deposits being invested by the banks should be made available upon request by participants. Furthermore, the…

The Acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede has paid a condolence visit to Mrs Mariya Lagbaja, the widow of the late army chief, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja. Lagbaja passed away on Tuesday night in Lagos after a brief illness. He was 56 years old. A day after his death, Oluyede led a delegation of top military brass to commiserate with the Lagbaja family. This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the Director Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu. He said Oluyede was accompanied on the visit to the Flag Staff House, Niger Barracks…

Ali Pate, minister of health and social welfare, says cesarean sections (C-sections) will now be provided free of charge to women across the country. Pate made the announcement in Abuja on Thursday at the launch of the maternal mortality reduction initiative (MAMII) during the ongoing joint annual review (JAR) of the sector wide approach (SWAp) for health. He said the move is part of the government’s push to tackle Nigeria’s maternal and neonatal mortality rates, which rank among the highest globally. The initiative aims to improve access to quality healthcare for mothers and newborns, with a particular focus on primary…

The national grid has collapsed for the second time in 72 hours, leaving Nigerians in total blackout. Data obtained from the Nigerian system operator’s portal showed that the grid recorded zero megawatts (MW) as of Thursday. The generation power dropped from 3,743MW at 10am to 2,709MW at 11am. As of noon, the grid only recorded 3.70MW and 4.10MW at 1pm. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is yet to confirm the incident at the time of the report. However, on its social media platform, Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (IKEDC) said it is experiencing a system outage affecting its supply. “Please…

Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) have announced revised prices for various electricity meter models, marking the second price hike in four months. According to the DisCos, the cost of a single-phase meter has risen from approximately N117,000 to as much as N149,800, depending on the distribution company and meter vendor. The new prices, scheduled to take effect on Tuesday, reflect the deregulation of Meter Asset Providers (MAP) as directed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). This upward revision follows an earlier increase in August 2024, further amplifying concerns among electricity consumers about affordability and accessibility. The meter prices vary across…