Congratulations Messi (World player of the Year) FIFA Ballon d'Or BallondOr

Southern California Filipinos hold their own Nazareno 2016 procession and novena in Bellflower

Youth player of the year - Nigeria

Victor Osimhen was awarded the youth player of the year.

Lagos shuts down electronic market over planned Biafra protest

Lagos - The Lagos State government on Sunday sealed the main electrical and electronic market in Oshodi.

Officials of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit on Sunday morning stormed the market to shut it.

It was gathered that as early as 06:00, hundreds of armed police officers stormed the market and shut it down.

Several police vans were stationed around the market to scare away traders.

Most of the traders had gone to the East to celebrate the Christmas and New Year festivals.

The market was shut following information that traders in the market had decided to stage a protest in support of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who is being detained by the Department of State Security Services (DSS).

Before the closure, it was gathered traders were planning to organise a rally to protest the continued detention of Kanu.

Similar protests were organised by traders at the popular Alaba International Market before the Christmas holiday.

An official of the task force who pleaded anonymity, however, said they were at the market to seal it due to the traders nonchalant attitude to environmental sanitation.

He noted that the traders have taken government’s threat lightly and did nothing to remedy the situation.

Most of the traders, however, disagreed with the government position.

They noted that they have always abide with environmental laws.

They wondered why government had to shut the market when most of the traders had gone to the East to celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays.

 

Distribution of election materials for Bayelsa rerun begins on Wednesday

Yenagoa - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would commence the deployment of sensitive materials for the Bayelsa State supplementary election by Wednesday, report Thursday

The election is scheduled to hold on January 9 in Southern Ijaw Local Area and 101 polling units across the state.

The commission also said it had put the inter-agency committee on election security on alert in view of the contentious nature of the re-scheduled poll.

INEC’s Director of Publicity, Nick Gadzama, said preparations for the election had reached final stages.

He stated that materials were being packaged for deployment to various locations where elections would be held on Saturday.

Election in these areas were cancelled following widespread violence, ballot box snatching and hostage taking of electoral officials.

 

Buhari presents N6.08trillion budget for 2016

Buhari presents N6.08trillion budget for 2016

 President Muhammad Buhari has presented a N6.08 trillion budget for the fiscal year 2016.

Mr. Buhari presented the budget Tuesday morning before a joint session of the National Assembly.

In the budget, capital expenditure takes N1.8 trillion, marking a significant over 300 per cent increment from the 2015 vote of N557 billion.

According to the estimate, N396billion is voted for education, being the largest sectoral allocation.

The health sector gets N296 billion while defence has N294 billion.

This is the first in three years a Nigerian President would personally present a budget before the National Assembly.

That approach by Mr. Buhari earned him commendation by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who joked that he had expected the President to tweet or email the budget details.

The last two budgets were presented on behalf of then President Goodluck Jonathan by the then Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

In his speech, Mr. Buhari said he was aware Nigerians were losing confidence in the government.

“But I promise the 2016 budget would address the problems,” the President said. “We are here to serve Nigeria and indeed Nigerians will get the services they have longed for.”

According to Mr. Buhari, the budget would ensure reduction in taxes for small businesses.

While reiterating his commitment to economic diversification, he said farming and mining would be given special focus.

He also promised that 500,000 new teachers would be recruited.

He assured that the Nigerian economy would cease to be oil dependent and would instead be characterised by inclusive growth.

“We must deliver security, jobs and infrastructures,” Mr. Buhari said.

On the hardship been faced by Nigerians as a result of fuel scarcity, the President apologised for the situation, admitting he was aware the scarcity had caused social dislocation across the country

He blamed the scarcity on speculators and those “resisting change” and assured Nigerians government was working hard to cushion the difficulty.

The President said has directed the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Authority to continue the sell of petrol at N87 per litre for now.

Breaking: N86.50 per litre is the New Petrol Price in Nigeria from 1st Jan 2016

A statement by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) lists the the pump price of petrol effective from January 1, 2016.
The price will be N86.50 per litre.

BN News received the statement which was signed by the PPPRA Executive Secretary, Farouk Ahmed.

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), hereby announces the implementation of the revised components of the Petroleum Pricing Template for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Household Kerosene (NHK).
This follows the approval of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, for the implementation of the revised template.
Accordingly, the Ex-depot price of PMS shall be N77.00 per litre, while the pump price shall be N86.50 per litre in line with the prevailing market trend. This new price regime is with effect from 1st January 2016.
All Marketers are hereby advised to adhere strictly to the PPPRA Ex-depot and pump prices, as PPPRA in conjunction with relevant government agencies shall enforce compliance.