Author: nationalpoint

LONDON (AP) — Families stranded, honeymoons and vacations canceled, thousands of workers laid off: The sudden collapse of British tour company Thomas Cook and its network of airlines and hotels sowed chaos for hundreds of thousands of travelers and businesses around the world Monday.Brought down by a variety of factors, including crushing debts and online competition, the 178-year-old travel agency that helped pioneer the package tour ceased operating in the middle of the night. Its four airlines stopped carrying customers, and its 21,000 employees in 16 countries lost their jobs.The company’s failure rippled across the tourism industry, particularly around the…

Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEUMOG) has called on the Federal Government to jettison its plans of increasing the Value Added Tax (VAT) but to block financial leakages, illicit flows and capital flights in all sectors of the economy.This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the group’s two-day workshop in Akwa Ibom State.The communiqué was signed by the chief executive officer, Dr. George-Hill Anthony; Olakunle Oyegoke of Ondo State Tax Justice and Governance Platform; Ugochi Ehiahuruke of Anambra State Tax Justice Platform; Ogunjobi Olalekan of Ogun State Tax Justice Platform; Stiv Obodoekwe of Port Harcourt Shadow…

As things continue to dangle, Princeton N. Lyman, the former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria and South Africa, has called on Nigerians to wake up to the reality that the country is fast slipping into a failed state.The former ambassador in a no-nonsense terse speech delivered speech on a panel titled “The Nigerian State and U.S. Strategic Interests” at the Achebe Colloquium at Brown University, USA.Lyman said the days of Nigeria as a giant in Africa or oil production are over.“There is a de- industrialization going on in Nigeria a lack of infrastructure, a lack of power means that with imported…

Patrick Naagbanton was a fearless and inspirational human rights champion, who dedicated his life to helping others, Amnesty International said today, mourning the death of the 49-year-old activist and writer in Port Harcourt, Nigeria on 21 September 2019“Patrick’s life work was to campaign for justice and defend the rights of ordinary Nigerians. He leaves behind an enormous legacy – not only in terms of all those people he helped, but also the countless activists he mentored and inspired,” said Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty International’s Secretary General. Patrick worked across the country, but his primary focus was on the situation in his…

Comrade Patrick NaagbantonWith a deep sense of sorrow and shock, the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development, CEHRD, a foremost NGO in Port Harcourt, announces the passing of Patrick Naagbanton, a committed human and environmental rights defender, poet, humanist, and independent, investigative journalist.He was knocked down by a reckless driver along Eliozu Road in Port Harcourt on Friday, September 13 at about 3 pm while he stood at the roadside. He was rushed to a private hospital in coma and placed under intensive care. He died after about eight days of battling for survival, on Saturday, September, 21, 2019.Patrick,…

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaGovernor Ifeanyi Okowa has congratulated the victorious Team Delta for winning the 5th National Youth Games (NYG).Okowa praised the team for doggedness and determination which culminated in its back-to-back victory at the 5th edition of the games, which ended in Ilorin, Kwara, on Tuesday.With this victory, Team Delta has won the games for the fifth consecutive time.In a statement issued by the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, Governor Okowa particularly expressed delight that the team surpassed last year’s record in winning the competition.He congratulated the athletes, their handlers and the management of Delta…

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaOne person has been reportedly killed and three others were seriously injured at the Anwai Campus of the Delta State University (DELSU) when a concrete slab of a lecture hall under construction collapsed.It was learnt that one of the workers had stepped on the concrete slab at the ongoing lecture hall building and suddenly collapsed killing the victim who was under it.It was also gathered that the concrete slab was not dried at the time the incident happened leading to the collapse of the section on the unidentified worker who was scooping sand beneath.The incident, it was…

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaThe Government of Delta says it will spend more than N1 billion to rehabilitate degraded federal roads in the state.The Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, made this known while briefing newsmen on the outcome of State Executive Council meeting on Tuesday in Asaba.Aniagwu, who was in company of his Economic Planning counterpart, stated that the meeting which was presided over by the Deputy Governor, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, also approved the construction of some roads in the state.He listed the federal roads whose failed portions would be rehabilitated by the state government as Benin-Sapele, Benin-Onitsha and Agbor-Abraka-Eku.He…

By Chiemeka Green, YenagoaThe gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming November 16 Bayelsa State governorship election, Senator Douye Diri said that the monthly allocation coming into Bayelsa is infinitesimal compared to the money taken away from the state by the federal government.Senator Diri made this known today during an interactive session with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists at the Ernest Ikoli Press Center in Yenagoa.The PDP flag bearer also lamented on the level of development in the state since its creation, saying he is not satisfied with the performance of PDP successive administrations in the…

By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba There is an upward review of the cash prize for the 2019/2020 edition of Zenith Bank Delta Principals’ Cup.This was disclosed by the commissioner For Basic Education in the state, Chief Patrick Ukah while briefing journalists in Asaba on the commencement of the 2019/2020 edition of the tournament.The commissioner also revealed that as a result of the increase in the sponsorship prize, cash prizes would be given at local government level.He explained that the matches would be spread across the state as much as possible but proximity to the teams involved in the matches, would also be…