Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, has re-assured corps members that they would start receiving N77,000 minimum wage.

Speaking in Abuja when he commissioned a staff bus donated by Capital Express Insurance company, the DG said arrangements for their increased allowances to be paid have been concluded.

He assured corps members that his priority was their security and welfare, hence in 2025 they would get all benefits that they deserve.

Ahmed noted that the bus donated to the scheme for staff was to ease transportation issues.

He noted that staff of the scheme and corps members serving in the scheme have always complained that it was difficult for them transporting themselves to and from office.

On his part, Chief Executive Officer, Capital Express Insurance company, Mr. Matthew Ogwezhi, said the scheme and his company have been in partnership for a while and the donation was part of the partnership to support the activities of the scheme.

He said the company made the donation to support the staff transportation to and from work as the price of fuel and transportation was expensive in the Abuja metropolis.

He said the legacy of every organization is the impact they make in the society they find themselves, hence, they should always give back to the society.

President John Dramani Mahama has reflected on his fondest memories with former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Addressing a large gathering at the Black Star Square during his swearing-in ceremony on January 7, 2025, Mahama reminisced about his relationship with Akufo-Addo, recalling the moment when he peacefully handed over power to him in 2016, a gesture that has been mirrored in 2025.

According to Mahama, Akufo-Addo has consistently extended warm receptions and hospitality to him, despite both having contested for the highest office in the land from opposing sides.

He shared the lighter side of their relationship, revealing how Akufo-Addo affectionately named him “Johnny”, signifying their friendship and their strong bond for each other.

“It seems fitting that it is with Nana Akufo-Addo that I twice shared this stage and this unique historical distinction. Akufo-Addo and I began our national political careers in Parliament in the same year of 1996.

“He has always greeted me with warmth, a firm handshake and a smile and he is perhaps the only person in my life who has persistently chosen to call me Johnny,” he said.

The distinguished statesman expressed his deep respect for Akufo-Addo, acknowledging the statesmanship he has demonstrated in the period of their political battles.

“While we belong to opposing political parties, we shared a sense of mutual respect. In those early days, we probably couldn’t have imagined that destiny would bring us to the leadership of our respective parties and that we would have to face off three separate times as we each vie for the highest office of the land…” Mahama concluded.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned and completely dissociates itself from the act of violence and attack on members of the Press and the institution of the Media by one of its staff, Emmanuel Okoronkwo.

This is coming after the said staff assaulted a correspondent of Sun Newspapers, Ndubuisi Orji at the party’s secretariat on Monday in Abuja.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba who gave the indication while addressing journalists on Tuesday, stated that, the Party is committed to the Rule of Law and the democratic tenets of freedom of the Press, transparency and openness which is critical to the activities of the Party and the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

He noted that, PDP is reputed for its uncompromising stand in support and defense of the Constitutional freedom of the press and cannot by any means or under any guise whatsoever engage in or condone any act that tends to abridge such legitimate freedom of the Media or any person for that matter.

The National Publicity Secretary therefore assured that the issue will be handled in strict compliance with the Party’s established Code of Conduct guiding activities of staffs at the PDP National Secretariat to serve as deterrent against such condemnable act which has no place whatsoever in the character and comportment of the PDP as a political Party.

He said the Party’s NWC regrets the incident and assured of its unalloyed respect for the Press, particularly members of the PDP Press Corps as they continue as partners in progress for accountability, probity and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.