News

Aide To Foreign Affairs Minister Urge New DICAN Officials To Be Proactive

Published

11 months ago

February 24, 2024

By Gloria Ikibah

The Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Al-Kassim Abdulkadir, has urged the newly elected executive of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) to embrace purposeful and proactive leadership in order to reposition the group for maximum impact.

Al-Kassim gave the charge during the inauguration ofthe newly elected DICAN officials on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, quality and transparent leadership is key to breaking new grounds as well as taking the association to its place of pride.

“Under the new exco, I expect the leadership to hit the ground running by fastracking the necessary steps needed for the association to be duly registered with relevant institutions”, he said.

The Minister’s aide further assured the new exco of the full cooperation of the ministry to ensure the success of their tenure.

“In my capacity as the SA to the Minister, I will do everything possible within the powers of my office to ensure a seamless relationship between DICAN and the Minister”, he added.

He therefore promised to organise a familiarisation meeting between DICAN and the Minister.

In response, the elected Chairman of DICAN, Comrade Idehai Frederick, expressed gratitude for the trust bestowed upon him and outlined his plans to unite the association, improve transparency, and increase collaboration with stakeholders.

“As earlier emphasised to my competitors, the election was a brotherly contest as such their input is highly invaluable. In the just concluded election, there was “no victor, no vanquish”. We are all winners. We need the bye in of all for the progress of the association.

“Moving our noble association to an enviable height is a priority for us all. Our commitment, dedication and time is key to getting it done.

“My Exco is open for productive advice from all members as we cannot do it alone” he said.

The Senior Editor of Channel Network Afrique (CNA), further pledged to unite the association and open new channels for its growth. He also emphasized the importance of registering the association and creating a corporate account to improve transparency and attract support.

The Journalist with over 26 years of experience further promised to be a good team player, saying he is a man of his words and will not betray on his campaign promises of carrying every shades of interests along in the discharge of his duties.

“As a man of my words, I will not renege on my campaign promises. My campaign philosophy is “winning together”.

Other elected officials are Emeka Amakor of TV 360 (Secretary General), Fehintola Punarimam of Arise TV (Assistant Secretary General), Vincess Okushi of Quality Television (Treasurer), Joy Odor (Welfare Officer) and Princess Ekwi-Ajide (Financial Secretary).

News

Speaker Abbas expresses sorrow over Niger tanker explosion, multiple fatalities

Published

3 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has described the tanker explosion in Niger State as tragic and unfortunate, saying the death toll is alarming.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that a tanker on high speed conveying Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) had crashed on Saturday morning at Dikko Junction, Niger State, along the Abuja-Kaduna highway

The Niger State authorities had put the death toll at 86, with 55 people injured and taken to hospital. The corpses have been given a mass burial at Dikko.

Speaker Abbas, in a condolence message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, lamented that the accident caused the loss of many lives in a terrific and shocking manner.

The Speaker, who called for proper investigation of the accident by relevant authorities, urged motorists to be cautious while driving.

Speaker Abbas commiserated the families of those who lost their lives while praying for the speedy recovery of those who sustained injuries.

He also extended his condolences to the government and the people of Niger State while praying to Allah to grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus.

News

Fear as Trump’s deportation raids in US to start in Chicago immediately afte inauguration

Published

3 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

US President-elect, Donald Trump’s incoming administration plans to immediately order a series of deportation raids targeting illegal immigrants after his inauguration.

Chicago is expected to be the first major city targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as part of Operation Safeguard, the New York Times reported, citing two people familiar with planning the undertaking.

The massive deportation operation is expected to target criminals and gang members in the United States illegally and run for one week.

Trump has promised to conduct the largest deportation program in U.S. history.

Up to 200 ICE agents are being sent to Chicago to help kick off the operation on Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported. The agency has already asked agents to volunteer for the post-inauguration raids.

“There’s gonna be a big raid across the country,” Tom Homan, who will be in charge of U.S. borders once Trump takes office, told Fox News in an interview.

Homan has previously said he will instruct ICE agents to carry out raids on illegal immigrants at their workplaces.

In addition to Chicago, the sweeping crackdown will also target other major U.S. cities with large immigrant populations.

Trump is set to take the oath of office on Monday, January 20, in an inauguration that will take place indoors.

News

Hajj: CSO lauds NAHCON’s selection of new Saudi-based service provider

Published

3 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A faith-based civil society organization, CSO that monitors and reports on Hajj and Umrah activities, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, for selecting a different Saudi-based Hajj service provider for the 2025 Hajj season.

It said the decision would create healthy competition among service providers interested in efficiently, qualitatively, and satisfactorily serving Nigerian pilgrims.

The CSO, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Muhammed, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and made available to our correspondent on Sunday in Abuja, said the quest for improved Hajj services has been a major challenge for Nigerian pilgrims owing to the repeated failure of providing satisfactory services.

”We applauded the decision to pick another service provider that will cater for the needs of pilgrims within the Masha’ir areas during the five days of Hajj,” he said

The national coordinator, who is currently in Saudi Arabia to monitor the pre-Hajj arrangements, said available information shows that the new company, Mashariq Al Dhahabia, is an experienced provider that has served top-rated Hajj countries, like Indonesia and Malaysia, and ranked among the top five Hajj service providers by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

“The company served 249 706 which is the largest number of Hajj pilgrims during the 2023 hajj. They were awarded as the Best Hajj Service Providers during the 2022 Hajj by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,” he stated.

IHR said it further understood that NAHCON is planning to recruit another service provider to provide services for very important personalities, VIP pilgrims so as not to repeat the experience of previous years, which is also a desired step forward.

It, however, urged NAHCON to set a parameter of performance for the newly selected service providers to serve as a baseline for determining continuous patronage, advising that such criteria should be based on pilgrims’ satisfaction and adherence to contractual terms.