Metro

Pandemonium as Police teargas protesters for demanding CJN’s resignation 

November 29, 2022 Bode Olagoke and Abdulrahman Zakariyau 0

There were high tension and pandemonium in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Tuesday as Police teargassed and dispersed hundreds of protesters staging protest to demand resignation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Tajudeen Ariwoola, over his alleged partisanship comment recently made in Rivers state. The protesters who brandished several placards and banners while marching towards the Federal Ministry Read More

Recurring fuel scarcity, citizens’ agony

November 4, 2022 Blueprint 0

For several weeks now, Nigerians have been experiencing hell on earth as a result of fuel scarcity. While many spend hours on queues at filling stations or at the mercy of black market operators, others pay high fares. PAUL OKAH in this report looks at the scenario, especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). What could be the reason for Read More

Ebonyi 2023: Tension, uncertainty as violence mars campaigns

October 28, 2022 Blueprint 0

Despite the appeals by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police for peaceful campaigns, violence has marred electioneering in Ebonyi state as opposition politicians have been allegedly attacked, leading to tension ahead of the 2023 general elections. PAUL OKAH takes a look at the unfolding events. There is palpable tension in Ebonyi state as a result of the Read More

Humanitarian Affairs Ministry: How N5, 000 can lift one out of poverty

October 21, 2022 Blueprint 0

To many people, N5, 000 is an insignificant amount as they spend more than that on a daily basis. However, many poor and vulnerable households require such an amount to open or sustain businesses. The federal government, through the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has been distributing N5, 000 conditional cash transfer (CCT) Read More

Police nab man, 29, for Abuja pharmacy murder, kidnapping

October 14, 2022 Chizoba Ogbeche, Abuja 0

Personnel of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, have arrested a 29-year-old man, Emmanuel Okoi, in connection with a robbery and kidnapping incident, Wednesday night, at a pharmacy in the Maitama District of Abuja. Blueprint gathered that two clients had driven into the premises but while one proceeded into the pharmacy, the other remained by the car waiting when Read More

2023 Senate: The unease in Ebonyi over Umahi’s replacement

September 30, 2022 Blueprint 0

There are a lot of intrigues in Ebonyi state over who replaces the governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, in 2023 as prepares to run for Ebonyi South Senate seat. For Ebonyi state residents, stakeholders and politicians, the stakes have never been higher as the battle for who succeeds the state governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, gathers momentum ahead of 2023. Read More

Public debt: CSOs urge FG to redefine purpose of borrowing

September 28, 2022 Bode Olagoke 0

Following the increase in Nigeria’s total public debt portfolio, representing the domestic and external debt stocks which stood at #42.845 trillion ($103.312 billion) as of June 30, 2022, the Centre for Social Justice, ActionAid Nigeria, BudgiT, and ChristianAid have reviewed and made a recommendation on the 2023-2025 medium expenditure framework and fiscal strategy paper. Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, the Read More

2023 presidency: Obi the messiah?

September 16, 2022 Blueprint 0

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has been making promises to restore the country’s past glory if elected president in 2023. In the face of the worsening insecurity, economic woes and other challenges facing the country, PAUL OKAH wonders if Obi could the Messiah. “And so it came to pass” Read More

Exposed! How wife plotted husband’s abduction

September 2, 2022 Rosemary Moribirin 0

A 40-year-old woman, Joy Sunday, has opened up to the Akwa Ibom Police command, Friday, on why she masterminded her husband’s abduction. Revealing to the police, Joy said she involved herself in the act because her husband had starved her of sex and money for too long. Blueprint gathered that the kidnappers demanded N10m as ransom and later reduced it Read More

Worsening insecurity: What exactly should the govt do?

August 19, 2022 Blueprint 0

The wave of insecurity in different states across the country is leaving thousands displaced and many dead, with major cities and even the hinterlands no longer the safe havens many hitherto regarded them. PAUL OKAH speaks with a cross-section of Nigerians on what should be done to curtail it. Employment, adherence to security reports critical Job creation will help to Read More

Rural Cash Grant as another humanitarian ministry’s poverty alleviation intervention

August 5, 2022 Blueprint 0

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) recently began the distribution of N20, 000 cash grants to 2,900 rural women in the Federal Capital Territory and other parts of the country under its National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP). PAUL OKAH takes a look at the ministry’s poverty alleviation programmes. For the majority of Nigerians, the Read More

NDDC flags off construction of 15km Imoga road in Edo

July 17, 2022 Bode Olagoke 0

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has flagged off the construction of the 15 kilometre Aushan -Ilekpi-Imoga road in the Akoko-Edo area of Edo state. The project which is being executed by an indigenous company, Webster Global Ventures Limited would traverse the whole Imoga town and therefore increase economic activities in the area. Speaking on behalf of the company, one Read More

How GEIL is changing Ikuru town through meaningful community projects

June 17, 2022 Editor 0

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the idea that an organisation ought to play a positive role in the community and consider the environmental and social impact of business decisions. It is closely linked to sustainability, creating economic, social, and environmental value. All these focus on non-financial factors that companies, large and small, consider when making business decisions. In recent years, many forward-thinking Read More

How epileptic power supply heightens insecurity

June 10, 2022 Blueprint 0

The epileptic power supply being experienced across the country recently took a turn for the worse with the citizens and residents lamenting a downturn in businesses. This, according to analysts, has o criminality under the cover of darkness and frustrations. PAUL OKAH reports. In the creation story, as written in the book of Genesis, when God said “let there be Read More

N-Power: Another look at FG’s initiative against drug abuse, insecurity, others

June 3, 2022 Blueprint 0

In this piece, PAUL OKAH analyses how the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is intervening in the war against drug abuse and insecurity through the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), even as it’s in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for the enrollment of rehabilitated drug abuse ‘clients’ into N-Power and other programmes Read More

Humanitarian Affairs: How FG’s school feeding programme encourages pupil enrolments

March 11, 2022 Blueprint 0

The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) was initiated by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2016. In 2019, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development was created with Sadiya Umar Farouq as the minister. She promptly initiated the supply of a meal per day to primary one to three pupils in public schools across the Read More

Child abuse: Should flogging be banned in schools?

February 25, 2022 Blueprint 0

Flogging and other forms of corporal punishment in primary and secondary schools by teachers and students are age-long traditions in Nigeria, especially in public schools. However, the unwarranted flogging of toddlers by school teachers, sometimes to death, has generated a lot of concern from parents, civil society organisations and other Nigerians. PAUL OKAH asks if flogging should be banned in Read More

Rape, teenage pregnancy: Myths, misconceptions of Valentine’s Day

February 18, 2022 Blueprint 0

Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated on February 14, is to mark the remembrance of St Valentine, a 3rd-century Roman saint, by Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches. However, Nigerians, especially the youth, have turned the day into an occasion to engage in sexual activities as proof of love, with cases of rape often recorded, even as teenage pregnancies, traced to the Read More

Rising unemployment: Why tertiary education should be skills-based

February 11, 2022 Blueprint 0

After secondary school, many Nigerians seek tertiary education either in the university, polytechnic or college of education. With the ever-increasing unemployment rate it has become imperative for policy formulators to consider including skills acquisition in the nation’s school curriculums; PAUL OKAH writes. Nigerian graduates these days often regret ‘wasting’ their time in school after all since they often find it Read More

Buni receives APC reconciliation reports, predicts electoral victory in 2023

January 31, 2022 Bode Olagoke 0

Yobe state Governor and National Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Mai Mala Buni has predicated the party’s envisaged electoral success in 2023 on the conduct of a successful national convention on February 26. Speaking Monday when he received an interim report of the Sen. Abdullahi Adamu-led APC National Reconciliation Committee, Buni who Read More

Insecurity in South-east: Ebubeagu to the rescue?

January 21, 2022 Blueprint 0

The South-east security network, popularly known as Ebubeagu, was formally inaugurated by the Ebonyi state governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, in December last year, to assist in tackling insecurity in the region. PAUL OKAH in this report wonders if the outfit is living up to expectations. In April last year, following rising cases of insecurity, especially unprovoked killings, armed robbery, Read More

5 cheap things to buy after Christmas

December 28, 2021 Administrator 0

Despite the fact that many Christmas displays are up when stores are still marking down fake fangs and pint-sized chocolate bars, the winter holidays come and go quickly. In their wake, they leave exhausted credit cards and some purchases that are regretted as soon as the post-Christmas sales—or Boxing Day sales in many countries—roll around. When shopping for so many people, it Read More