Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 27th August, 2020

Good morning, Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Thursday, 27th August 2020

1. Presidency Declares Position On NBS Figures About Nigeria’s Economy, Says It Has Done Well

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government has declared that despite the figures reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s economy still performed above expectation.

This, the government attributed to its “anticipation of the impending economic slowdown and the various initiatives introduced as early responses to cushion the economic and social effects of the pandemic.”

The position of the government was made known in a statement on Wednesday, 26th August by Mr. Femi Adesina, special adviser to the President on media and publicity.

It will be recalled Naija News previously reported while quoting the figures released by the NBS that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shrunk by six percent in the second quarter of 2020.

But the presidency on Wednesday, noted that despite the NBS figures, Nigeria has fared well compared to other economies of the world including major economies such as the US, UK, and Japan.

2. COVID-19: Federal Government Approves ₦10 Billion Survival Fund For Transport Workers

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved N10billion as a palliative for transport workers and operators.

According to the Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, the fund will help cushion the sufferings encountered by road transport workers and operators as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She also noted that the fund is currently domiciled with the Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Investment adding that her ministry is currently working on the modalities for its disbursement.

The Minister disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the President of Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association (PTONA), Engr. Isaac Uhunwagho, and the association’s National Executive Committee and Trustees in Abuja.

3. Exam Script Of COVID-19 Candidates Will Be Kept In Special Bank – WAEC

Mr Patrick Areghan, the head of West African Examination Council, WAEC, had given updates on candidates infected with Coronavirus.

The WAEC head called on students who tested positive for Coronavirus not to panic, saying the virus is not a death sentence.

Areghan said this on Wednesday during a monitoring visit to Federal Government Boys College, Apo, Abuja adding that no student infected with COVID-19 would miss the examinations.

He further stated that the council would thereafter proceed to the isolation centre and collect the script which would be put in a special bank designated for the purpose.

4. President Buhari Inaugurates 12 New Permanent Secretaries

The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, inaugurated 12 new federal permanent secretaries.

The inauguration took place at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly before the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting started.

Naija News recalls the new permanent secretaries were appointed in June 2020.

They are Belgore Lamido -Kwara; Akinlade Oluwatoyin -Kogi; Ekpa Akpabio -Cross River; Alkali Nura -Kano; Ardo Kumo -Gombe and Anyanwutaku lfeoma -Anambra, Udoh Omokunmi -Oyo; Hussaini Babangida -Jigawa; Mohammed Ganda -Sokoto; Mahmuda Mamman -Yobe; Meribole Chukwuemeka -Abia and Tarfa Peter -Adamawa.

5. We Won’t Allow IGP Control Amotekun – Western States Reply Presidency

The governors of the western region have rejected the position of the presidency on the structure and operation of its regional security outfit; Operation Amotekun.

The Director-General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), Chief Seye Oyeleye made the position of the western governors known.

His response is coming against the initial comments credited to Mallam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari who was quoted as saying on Tuesday during an interview that Amotekun will be structured based on frameworks determined by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

Oyeleye, however, countered that Amotekun would only be guided by the laws passed by the states which established it, adding that in a federal system, states are allowed to have their security outfits as long as they are backed up by relevant laws.

6. Shiites: Investigate Burning of Police Vehicle – IMN Tells IGP Adamu

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiites, has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to investigate the burning of a police operational vehicle in Kaduna.

Recall that members of IMN and policemen were invloved ina bloody clash on Saturday.

The Islmaic group had claimed that a combined team of armed police and thugs killed three of its members in Kaduna State.

In a petition written to the IGP and signed by President of the Movement’s Media Forum, Ibrahim Musa, charged Adamu to unravel the circumstances leading to the setting on fire of a Kaduna police command vehicle.

The Shiites accused the police in Kaduna of attacking a group of its members without provocation and were seen setting their vehicle on fire.

7. UNILAG: Buhari Govt Inaugurates 7-Member Presidential Panel

The Federal Government has inaugurated a seven-member presidential panel to investigate the crisis that rocked the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and submit recommendations.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu inaugurated the seven-member presidential panel in Abuja on Wednesday.

Speaking during the inaugurated, the minister urged members of the panel to conclude its assignment and submit its report within two weeks from the time of the inauguration.

He pointed out that members by the terms of reference of this panel are expected to view the report of the council sub-committee on review of the University of Lagos since May 2017 and make appropriate recommendations, after affording all those indicted an opportunity to defend themselves.

8. Gani Adams Raises Alarm, Says Terrorists Now In South-Western States Too

The Aare Onakakanfo Council under the leadership of Chief Gani Adams has raised fresh alarms over the infiltration of South-West States by bandits, terrorists, and other criminal elements.

The council claims its alarm is based on credible intelligence and therefore warns the federal government as well as Governors of the region to take necessary action to protect their land and its inhabitants.

The council’s warning is contained in a communique issued at the end of its extraordinary meeting on the state of Yorubaland on Sunday.

Naija News recalls the warning is similar to a recent alarm raised by the government of the United States on the infiltration of some states by criminal elements. Particularly, the US warned the Nigerian government of an ongoing invasion by the deadly terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, through the North-Western region of the country.

9. Peace Will Soon Return To Southern Kaduna – El-Rufai

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday noted that Southern Kaduna will soon experience peace following the reconciliation process initiated by the Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area among the various ethnic groups.

Governor El-Rufai explained, “What the communities and leadership of Atyap Chiefdom have started is the type of grassroots ownership of the responsibility for peace and harmony in communities that the government has advocated as a critical factor beyond the deployment of police and military forces.”

El-Rufai while speaking during the visit of a delegation from Atyap Chiefdom, to present a formal update on the peace and reconciliation process between the communities in the Chiefdom, commended the Atyap, Fulani and Hausa communities of Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area for the successful peace and reconciliation summit they held on Saturday, August 23, 2020.

10. Primate Ayodele Warns Tinubu To Shelve 2023 Presidency, Focus On Health

Primate Elijah Ayodele, the leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, warned the National Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to focus on his health.

Naija News reports that though Tinubu has not declared any intention to contest in the 2023 presidential election various groups and individuals have been clamouring for the presidency to come to the south in 2023.

Primate Ayodele warned that Tinubu should focus and pray for his health not to crumble before 2023.

He noted that Buhari won’t give enough support to the ex-Lagos Governor to realize his presidential ambition.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.