Category: Metro

Photo: CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi By Mandy Park CAPPA Urges FG to Raise Tobacco Control Budget, Slams Rising Youth Targeting Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has renewed its call on the Federal Government to significantly increase funding for tobacco control, warning that Nigeria’s current budgetary allocation remains grossly inadequate to address the growing public health threat posed by tobacco and emerging nicotine products. In a statement at the weekend, the organisation urged the government to raise the annual tobacco control allocation to at least N300 million and…

By Daniel Kanu The Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC) has strongly opposed moves to privatise water resources across the continent, warning that such policies would further deny poor communities access to safe and affordable water, while worsening the burden on women and girls. The coalition, a network of civil society organisations, grassroots communities and trade unions across Africa, reiterated its stance against what it described as the growing corporate capture of water systems, insisting that water must remain a public good accessible to all. Speaking at a press…

Photo: Gov. Otu, at the scene of the explosion By Mandy Park Governor Bassey Otu has visited the site of a gas fire explosion at Edibe Edibe in Calabar South, describing the incident as shocking and assuring victims of immediate government intervention. The governor, who assessed the level of damage at the scene, lamented the scale of destruction caused by the explosion, noting that both lives and property were affected. “What I’ve seen here is shocking. It’s a huge, huge damage,” Otu said. He expressed concern over the siting of…

Photo: Mr Peter Obi By: Daniel Kanu The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party Nigeria, Peter Obi, has felicitated with Nigerian Muslims on the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, calling on them to sustain the virtues of the holy month of Ramadan. In a goodwill message issued on Thursday, signed by Ibrahim Umar, spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Obi congratulated the Muslim faithful on the successful completion of the 30-day fast, describing the occasion as a powerful reminder of faith, discipline, selflessness and devotion to Almighty Allah.…

Photo: Prof Ogunwole, FUOYE VC By Bunmi Olarewaju The Ilupeju community in Ekiti State has handed over buildings and equipment valued at over N300 million to the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) to support the take-off of its Institute of Nursing Sciences. Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, described the gesture as a landmark demonstration of the community’s commitment to education and human capital development. Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Tajudeen Bolanle Opoola, Ogunwole made the remarks during the formal handover ceremony held in Ilupeju-Ekiti.…

Photo: Gov Otu at the NIPR investiture By: Mandy Park The Member representing Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Bassey Akiba, has congratulated Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, on his investiture as National Patron of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. In a statement made available to the media, Akiba described the honour as a well-deserved recognition of the governor’s commitment to excellence in governance, strategic communication, and people-centred leadership. He commended Otu’s efforts in fostering public trust, promoting inclusiveness, and strengthening government-citizen relations through effective…

By Mandy Park Civil society organisations have called on the Federal and state governments to introduce mandatory salt reduction targets and clear front-of-pack warning labels on processed foods to protect Nigerians from rising cases of diet-related diseases. The call was made by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), and the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI) in a joint statement issued to mark this year’s World Consumer Rights Day. The groups said the 2026 theme, “Safe Products, Confident Consumers,” highlights…

Photo: Emeka Alex Duru, Editor, The Niche By: Daniel Kanu Outstanding journalist and Editor of the prominent Nigerian online newspaper The Niche, Emeka Alex Duru, has earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from Lagos State University after successfully defending his doctoral thesis on the interplay between the press and politics in Nigeria. Alex-Duru’s research, titled “Press and Politics in Nigeria, 1970–2023,” examines the evolving role of the media in shaping Nigeria’s political landscape over more than five decades. The study provides a comprehensive analysis of how the press has…