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http://ift.tt/2rchwHL Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State The Kwara Government says it requires N2.1billion monthly for the payment of salary of workers and pension of retirees of the 16 local government councils. Dr Muideen Akorede, the Senior Special Assistant (Media), to Gov Abdulfatah Ahmed, via a statement issued on Saturday in Ilorin, said the figure was released at the monthly meeting of the State Joint Accounts Allocation Committee. Akorede added that during the meeting, it was revealed that Kwara local governments’ allocations have dropped from an average of N2.7billion monthly to N1.6billion in May. He said that the state government was also faced with paucity of fund due to drop in federal allocation from N3.4billion on the average to N2.4billion in May. He stressed that the state government was not in the sound financial position to assist the councils, adding that only the Federal Government can bailout the local governments. Akorede said that for the local g...

http://ift.tt/2rchwHL Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State The Kwara Government says it requires N2.1billion monthly for the payment of salary of workers and pension of retirees of the 16 local government councils. Dr Muideen Akorede, the Senior Special Assistant (Media), to Gov Abdulfatah Ahmed, via a statement issued on Saturday in Ilorin, said the figure was released at the monthly meeting of the State Joint Accounts Allocation Committee. Akorede added that during the meeting, it was revealed that Kwara local governments’ allocations have dropped from an average of N2.7billion monthly to N1.6billion in May. He said that the state government was also faced with paucity of fund due to drop in federal allocation from N3.4billion on the average to N2.4billion in May. He stressed that the state government was not in the sound financial position to assist the councils, adding that only the Federal Government can bailout the local governments. Akorede said that for the local g...

http://ift.tt/2rZxBzX Voters arrive at a polling station set up in the garage of a private residence in Croydon, south London, on June 8, 2017, as Britain holds a general election. As polling stations across Britain open on Thursday, opinion polls show the outcome of the general election could be a lot tighter than had been predicted when Prime Minister Theresa May announced the vote six weeks ago. / AFP PHOTO / Ben STANSALL The London stock market and pound slid on Thursday, with investors nervous as Britons vote in a snap general election. Investors were also on their toes as the ECB hinted at the end of its easy monetary policy, describing a rosier outlook for the eurozone and dropping a long-standing commitment to cutting interest rates yet further if necessary, and as they waited for crucial testimony from sacked FBI chief James Comey in the United States. “Super Thursday is finally here,” said analyst Konstantinos Anthis at ADS Securities, referring to key events on both si...

http://ift.tt/2sXsEVs (L-R) England’s defender Kyle Walker-Peters, forward Dominic Solanke and forward Ademola Lookman celebrates a goal during the U-20 World Cup semi-final football match between England and Italy in Jeonju on June 8, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JUNG Yeon-Je Dominic Solanke struck twice as England beat Italy 3-1 to reach the Under-20 World Cup final for the first time in their history on Thursday. Liverpool-bound Solanke cancelled out Riccardo Orsolini’s early opener when he scored in the 66th minute, before Everton’s Ademola Lookman put England 2-1 up 11 minutes later. With two minutes left, Solanke buried a glorious strike from distance to confirm England’s place in Sunday’s final against Venezuela, who edged Uruguay on penalties. Neither side has reached the final before and for England, it will be first time they have played a World Cup decider since their 1966 victory in the senior edition. Solanke and Lookman have been two of the stand-outs for England, who...

http://ift.tt/2rZxBzX Voters arrive at a polling station set up in the garage of a private residence in Croydon, south London, on June 8, 2017, as Britain holds a general election. As polling stations across Britain open on Thursday, opinion polls show the outcome of the general election could be a lot tighter than had been predicted when Prime Minister Theresa May announced the vote six weeks ago. / AFP PHOTO / Ben STANSALL The London stock market and pound slid on Thursday, with investors nervous as Britons vote in a snap general election. Investors were also on their toes as the ECB hinted at the end of its easy monetary policy, describing a rosier outlook for the eurozone and dropping a long-standing commitment to cutting interest rates yet further if necessary, and as they waited for crucial testimony from sacked FBI chief James Comey in the United States. “Super Thursday is finally here,” said analyst Konstantinos Anthis at ADS Securities, referring to key events on both si...

http://ift.tt/2sXsEVs (L-R) England's defender Kyle Walker-Peters, forward Dominic Solanke and forward Ademola Lookman celebrates a goal during the U-20 World Cup semi-final football match between England and Italy in Jeonju on June 8, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JUNG Yeon-Je Dominic Solanke struck twice as England beat Italy 3-1 to reach the Under-20 World Cup final for the first time in their history on Thursday. Liverpool-bound Solanke cancelled out Riccardo Orsolini’s early opener when he scored in the 66th minute, before Everton’s Ademola Lookman put England 2-1 up 11 minutes later. With two minutes left, Solanke buried a glorious strike from distance to confirm England’s place in Sunday’s final against Venezuela, who edged Uruguay on penalties. Neither side has reached the final before and for England, it will be first time they have played a World Cup decider since their 1966 victory in the senior edition. Solanke and Lookman have been two of the stand-outs for England,...

http://ift.tt/2pK1SPv South African President Jacob Zuma listening to a speaker during the second sitting of the session of the fifth national house of traditional leaders at Tshwane Council Chambers in Pretoria. South Africa's scandal-hit President Jacob Zuma faces a no-confidence vote in parliament on November 10, 2016 but looks certain to survive despite mounting anger within his party. Zuma has fought off a series of damaging controversies during his presidency, and last week came under further pressure after a corruption probe raised fresh allegations of misconduct. But the 74-year-old, who came to power in 2009, retains strong loyalty among ruling Africa National Congress (ANC) lawmakers and many party activists, particularly in rural areas. / AFP PHOTO / STRINGER South Africa’s ruling ANC party on Friday asked the government to explain leaked emails detailing alleged bribes and corruption, as President Jacob Zuma faced a fresh wave of scandal. Thousands of emails have e...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J There was a mild drama Wednesday as a member of the House of Representatives Mr Pwajok Edward Gyang representing Jos South/Jos East federal constituency dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to for the ruling All progressive Congress (APC). The decision by Gyang who a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) representing Jos South/East federal constituency of Plateau state, however, stoked a mild drama immediately after Speaker Yakubu Dogara read a letter, intimating the House of the development at a plenary session. The House minority leader, Mr Leo Okuweh Ogor raised a point of order and drew the attention of Speaker Dogara to the provision of section 68 of the constitution which specify that Gyang should vacate his seat in view of his defection from the PDP which offered him the platform to occupy the seat. Amidst chants of “No” , Speaker Dogara jocularly reminded Ogor that it was an established fact that the PDP is factionalised along the lines of Senator ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday solicited private and public sector partnership to boost infrastructure financing in Africa. He made the appeal while opening the African Infrastructure Summit, organised by the African Finance Corporation (AFC) in collaboration with the Federal Government in Abuja. At the event, tagged “Infrastructure Revolution” to mark the 10th anniversary of AFC, Osinbajo called for a new thinking between AFC and Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) partners to save the continent from huge infrastructure deficit. “So the times certainly call for new thinking. “AFC and DFI partners must now begin to look for new ways of engaging with the African governments, giving the difficult things and problems that are now clearly the case. “Unless corporations like AFC recognise what is important to do in these times, the next 10 years will indeed be very difficult for our own economies, for African economies. “We will be relying on AFCs, especia...