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NiMet forecasts 3-day sunshine, thunderstorms from Monday

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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and thunderstorm from Monday to Wednesday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja, forecasts sunny skies on Monday with a few patches of cloud over the northern cities and prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Taraba later in the day.

According to the forecast, sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region with prospects of morning thunderstorm over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kogi and Kwara States.

“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi and Benue States.

“The southern region is expected to be cloudy with spells of sunshine with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Oyo, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo and Lagos States.

“ In the afternoon/evening periods, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Ekiti, Ogun, Imo, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Cross River, AkwaIbom, Delta, Rivers, Lagos and Bayelsa States,” it said.

NiMet also anticipated sunny skies on Tuesday with few patches of cloud over the northern states with prospects of isolated thunderstorms envisaged over parts of Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba and Kaduna States during the afternoon and evening hours.

It envisaged the North Central region to be sunny with patches of cloud during the morning hours.

The agency also envisaged isolated thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Kwara and Niger States, later in the day.

“Cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected over the inland and coastal areas of the South, with chances of morning thunderstorm over parts of Cross River, Bayelsa, AkwaIbom and Rivers States.

“In the afternoon/evening periods, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Cross River, AkwaIbom, Lagos, Rivers and BayelsaStates ,” it said.

It predicted a sunny atmosphere on Wednesday, with patches of cloud over the northern region, during the forecast period.

“Sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa, the Federal Capital Territory and Benue States, during the afternoon/evening periods.

“ Cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected over the inland and coastal areas of the South with prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia.”

Other states to experience cloudy atmosphere, are “Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Cross River, Lagos, AkwaIbom, Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States,  later in the day.”

NiMet urged the public to take adequate precaution as strong winds might precede rains in areas where thunderstorms were likely to occur.

The agency also urged airline operators to get updated weather reports and forecasts from its office for effective planning in their operations.

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Stop using repressive laws to intimidate journalists – SERAP, NGE tell FG

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, and Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, have called on Nigerian authorities at all levels of government to stop using repressive and anti-media laws to target, intimidate and harass journalists, critics and media houses.

The groups made the demand after an interactive session on ‘the state of press freedom in Nigeria’ held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.

In a joint statement, SERAP and NGE said that, “the government of President Bola Tinubu, the country’s 36 governors and FCT minister must now genuinely uphold press freedom, ensure access to information to all Nigerians, obey court judgments, and respect the rule of law”.

They expressed concerns about the escalating crackdown on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom and the flagrant disregard for the rule of law by authorities at all levels of government.

The groups note that the suppression of the press in recent times takes various forms ranging from extrajudicial to unlawful detentions, disappearances, malicious prosecutions and wrongful use of both legislation and law enforcement.

The statement read in part: “We would continue to speak truth to power and to hold authorities to account for their constitutional and international obligations including on freedom of expression and media freedom.

“Nigeria as a country has a long and unpleasant history of press gagging and clampdown on media freedom, which is evidence of extensive state censorship of media and in some cases, the utter control of state-owned media houses.

“This position has not changed considerably despite almost 25 years of unbroken democratic rule in the Fourth Republic.”

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FG adds 625MW to national grid – Minister

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The Federal Government  has announced the  addition of 625MW of power to the national grid, increasing the grid’s wheeling capacity to 4800MW. .
Mr Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser, Strategic Communications to the Minister of Power said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday.
 Bolaji quoted the  Minister of Power, Mr  Adebayo Adelabu as saying  this at the inauguration of the 63  Mega Volt Ampere (MVA), 132/33 Kilo Volt (KV )mobile station at Ajah, Lagos  and at the inuaguration of 60MWA, 132/33KV Power Transformer in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi .
According to the minister, the   pivotal project is a testament  to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola  Tinubu towards transforming the Power sector in the pursuit of reliable and sustainable energy infrastructure for a better Nigeria.
Adelabu said that the mobile substation being inaugurated was a strategic deployment aimed at improving the transmission capacity constraints by over 1300mv across the nation.
He spoke on the significance of the project and other equipment undergoing installation under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).
  Adelabu said that  the mobile substations equally stands as a beacon of hope for businesses, household reliant on uninterrupted power supply,  stopgap measure during maintenance and emergency.
He commended  the collaborative efforts of the FGN Power Company, the German Government and Siemens Energy whose partnership has facilitated the production and installation of the substations.
 The minister also announced the remote inuaguration of a 60MVA power  transformer at Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi .
“Together, these equipment will boost our transmission wheeling capacity by 123mw, thereby paving the way for enhanced electricity supply for all Nigerians”.
”I urgyall Nigerians to  safeguard these vital installations against acts of  vandalisation and sabotage,”he said.
Adelabu noted that the success of governments initiatives hinges on collective responsibility.
He also called on the management of the Power Company and all stakeholders in the power sector to work with  determination to ensure that the timelines set for projects delivery are  achieved.
“Together, we will embark on a journey towards a brighter future for Nigeria, one powered by innovation, resilience and collective determination”, he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr Kenny Anuwe,  Managing Director of FGN Power Company said, ” as Nigeria continues its journey towards energy sufficiency and economic prosperity, initiatives like the PPI.
According to him, this underscores President Tinubu’s unwavering determination to deliver adequate electricity towards unlocking Nigeria’s  full economic potentials.
Anuwe assured  of FGN Power Company’s  commitment in driving progress and delivering tangible improvements in  electricity access for all Nigerians in this transformative era in  Nigeria’s power Sector.
Tunji said that FGN Power was established by the Presidency as a special purpose vehicle (SPV), tasked with implementing the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) with Siemens serving as the technical partner.
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Tax: Court orders FCT-IRS agency to seal off defaulting coys

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A Magistrate Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) to seal off a company, Ifedi A.K. Nigeria Ltd, over allegations bordering on non-filing of annual returns.

The Magistrate, Janada Balami, gave the order after lawyer to FCT-IRS, Michael Towolawi, moved the application to the effect.

Towolawi told the court that the company had failed to file its annual returns from 2019 to 2023 in breach of Section 81 of the Personal Income Tax Act, LFN, 2004, and amended in 2011.

He said all efforts to make the company comply with the law proved abortive.

The lawyer, therefore, applied that the company be compel to appear before the court to explain why it acted in breach of the law.

Balami, who held that the application by the agency against the company had merit, accordingly granted same to seal the No 6, Rudolph Close, Off Katsina-Ala Street, Maitama, Abuja.

She, consequently, ordered the company, the sole defendant in the matter, to appear before the court on May 16.

The Director, Legal Services of the FCT-IRS, Festus Tsavar, told journalists after the proceeding that the service would move against companies that do not file their annual returns as provided by law.

“You know that we have a new minister in FCT that is doing a lot of projects and that hinges on money.

“And of course, you are aware that FCT has come out of TSA.

“So it is the internally generated revenue that will make the government of FCT to be able to do those projects completely within required time,” he said.

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