Socioscope News Agency

The Chairman Senate Committee, Army, Senator Ali Ndume on Thursday said the National Assembly will adjust the defence budget to meet current security challenges in the country. Ndume said in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna that the allocation for the Armed Forces contained in the 2020 budget proposal before the National Assembly was grossly inadequate in view of the current security challenges. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ndume led joint members of the National Assembly on fact-finding mission, needs assessment and oversight to Army formations in Kaduna State. The committee members also paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai at the Kashim Ibrahim Government House in Kaduna. Although N100 billion was allocated to the defence sector in the budget, the Senator said the amount, which is less than one per cent of the total budget size, was grossly inadequate. “There is nothing more important than security to Nigerians. Even if half of that budget is to be spent ...

American boxer Patrick Day died Wednesday after suffering a serious brain injury during his knockout defeat to Charles Conwell last weekend , promoter Lou DiBella said in a statement . The 27 - year -old super welterweight had undergone emergency surgery after being knocked out by Conwell on Saturday at Chicago ’s Wintrust Arena . “On behalf of Patrick ’s family, team , and those closest to him , we are grateful for the prayers , expressions of support and outpouring of love for Pat that have been so obvious since his injury , ” DiBella said . Day , who had been in a coma following surgery at Northwestern Memorial hospital, died surrounded by family and friends. The American fighter had been carried unconscious from the ring on a stretcher on Saturday following his 10 th round knockout.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Lai Mohammed , has said the Federal Government was already perfecting legal instruments to enable it to take over all assets of the Process and Industrial Developments Limited in the country . Mohammed stated this when he led agencies under his ministry ’s supervision to defend their 2020 budgets before the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation. He said the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice , Abubakar Malami , was working towards achieving total confiscation of all P & ID assets in Nigeria . He said , “I am aware that the AGF is also working on registering the judgment in which the Nigerian court ordered the winding up of P & ID Nigeria . “The important thing about it that when this judgment is registered , it means that whatever belongs to P & ID now belongs the property of Nigeria . “I am also aware that we are also working on instituting an action to set aside th...

The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investments , Mrs Maryam Uwais , on Thursday , said 80 per cent of payments for social investments come from the recovered looted funds by former Head of State , Sani Abacha . She added that the remaining 20 per cent came from credit from the World Bank . She spoke as a keynote speaker during a training and advocacy programme on tracing and recovery of illicit funds and assets in Abuja . The training was organised by Human Environmental Developmental Agenda supported by MacArthur Foundation and Open Society Initiative for West Africa in collaboration with Kent Law School, The Corner House , Finance Uncovered and Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism. Uwais said the beneficiaries of the fund had been very responsive and productive, adding that they had saved about N567 m . According to her , over 18 ,200 of them had taken loans from the intervention while less than 1 ,000 had defaulted . She said , “The funds ...

                PMAN logo The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has officially appointed Lafrique Promedia Limited as consultant for progressive development in the music industry. Obi Okwudili Casmir, new PMAN President, said this in a statement signed by Ademola Adetunde, Legal Consultant of Lafrique Promedia Ltd on Wednesday in Lagos. Casmir said that Lafrique Promedia would be responsible for effective distribution of music works in the country. “Lafrique Promedia Limited will provide comprehensive technical and other relevant supportive advices and services to address challenges we are facing. “The services will conduct comprehensive census, enumeration and database collation of practitioners in the entertainment and creative industry in Nigeria, as well as issuance of performing permit to Nigerian and non-Nigeria musicians; ”Negotiating convenient funding structure for music industry with the committee ...

        Rotary Club of Maitama, Abuja, restates commitment to eradicating polio The Rotary Club of Abuja, Maitama chapter, has reiterated commitment to eradicating polio in the country. Mrs Eucheria Ekweozoh, President of the chapter, said this in Abuja at an awareness forum which is part of activities leading to the commemoration of the coming World Polio Day on Oct. 24. Ekweozoh said that the chapter was working hard to ensure that the commitment to kick polio out permanently becomes a reality. “Rotary International is at the forefront of eradicating polio, globally. “For three years, we have not had any polio case in Nigeria; we hope that next year, the World Health Organisation willl certify the country polio free. “That is why we are raising awareness about it to ensure that everyone is an advocate of polio free Nigeria. “We also call on the government to ensure that when we are certified polio free, everythingshould be done  to e...

                Mrs Gloria Shoda, NCWS President The National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), says it has concluded arrangements to honour female ministers and legislators who were serving as torch bearers for other female politicians in the country. Dr Jumai Ahmadu, an official of the body, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. She said that NCWS President Gloria Laraba Shoda has approved Oct. 24, 2019 as the date to honour seven female ministers, six female senators and 22 female members of the House of Representatives. She revealed that resource persons had been invited to speak on the theme: “Mentorship: A Panacea for Capacity Building of Women In Politics and Governance”, at the event slated to hold at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja. “Though the number of women in politics and governance, both at the state and national levels, falls short of our expectation, we are determined to enco...