Michael Ojuroye Initiative (Ngo)

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE Orities have closed the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip “indefinitely” for security reasons after a day of deadly violence nationwide, a security official said Thursday. Hundreds of Palestinian travellers were left stranded on both sides of the crossing, the only gateway into the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory that bypasses Israel, witnesses said. The measure follows widespread unrest in Egypt on Wednesday after a bloody crackdown by security forces on loyalists of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. The Egyptian authorities closed the border crossing for several days after the military overthrew Morsi on July 3. It later re-opened for four hours a day. Hamas, the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, strongly denounced Wednesday’s crackdown by security forces on protest camps set up in support of Morsi, who also hails from the Brotherhood. At least 464 people were killed in violence across Egypt sparked by the crackdown, the h...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday congratulated Mali’s President-elect, Mr. Ibrahim  Keita, on his victory in last Sunday’s run-off presidential election in the country. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President also congratulated and commended Malians for successfully conducting the elections and taking a major step towards the full restoration of democratic governance to their country. The statement read, “President Jonathan and Nigeria look forward to the conclusion of the process with Mr. Keita’s inauguration as President in keeping with the wish of the Malian people as expressed at the polls on Sunday.”

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE Did Jackie Chan, the 59-year-old action star who does his own stunts, really fall to his death while filming a movie in Austria? UPDATE: The "Jackie Chan is dead" rumors are alive and well, just like Chan himself, reports the International Business Times. The rumor, once again, is that Chan died while doing one of his own stunts, this time falling off of a 12-story building. Unlike last time, Chan, who must be tired of having to convince the world he's still alive, has not Tweeted or messaged his fans to inform them that he's still alive. But like last time, all of the rumors are coming from less than reputable sources. Previous story: FALSE: The death hoax strikes again Jackie Chan, the 59-year-old action star famous for doing his own stunts, reportedly died while filming a movie in Austria. But it's all a hoax, reports the International Business Times and Snopes. Snopes says the report of Chan's death originated at mediafetcher.com, w...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE Political tension is brewing at the Kaduna State House of Assembly as some members are moving for the impeachment of Speaker Usman Gangara and other principal officers. A source told SaharaReporters the members on Wednesday engaged in a series of closed-door meetings but did not agree on the impeachment.  It was also speculated that some of the members have been financially induced to carry out the agenda, an allegation SaharaReporters has not been able to authenticate.  One source in the Assembly alleged that the executive arm of the government and some powerful politicians based in Abuja are behind the plot to impeach the Speaker, accusing him of not being forthcoming in implementing the bidding of the executive. The source, who is also a member of the House said, “We are seeing the handwriting on the wall, that there are indeed moves to effect a certain agenda by changing leadership of the assembly. They just came and started saying that they w...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE Yenagoa — OFFICERS and ratings of Central Command of the Nigerian Navy have arrested the grounded crude oil laden barge in the St. Nicholas River on the Brass Island and the crew of a tug boat accused of trying to pull the barge and its alleged stolen content in Bayelsa State. The Brass-Akassa corridor on the Atlantic fringe has been identified as a notorious spot for crude oil theft by the country’s security operatives. The Flag Officer, Commanding the Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sidi-Ali Usman, yesterday, said that the grounded barge identified as MV LILA, was discovered in Odioma area of the St. Nicholas River while  engaged in alleged suspicious movement. According to him: “On August 10, 2013 at 18:25, a Naval team on routine patrol was attracted to a suspected barge movement from Odioma to St.Nicholas River. “On approaching the self propelled barge, it was discovered to have gone aground. The Barge was later identified as MV LiLA.” The Navy auth...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE MINISTER of Health Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu last year announced that  more than 90 per cent of Nigeria’s population, 150.3 million (the population of ECOWAS countries without Nigeria), is at risk of malaria infection. His prescribed emergency plan was use of more mosquito nets. Like all those before him, the Minister summarises the malaria scourge in clichés that belie the ruination from malaria.  “Malaria is a major public problem in Nigeria; Nigeria contributes a quarter of malaria burden in Africa. Over 90 per cent of the country’s 167 million people are at risk. It contributes 30 per cent to childhood mortality in the country and contributes 11 per cent of maternal mortality. I must add that it reduces Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product by one per cent annually. It is estimated that malaria-related illnesses and mortality cost Africa’s economy about $12 billion annually,”  the Minister chanted. So what is the next step? How can malaria be ...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE Chief Oderinlo Sunday, 1, Fagbola Street, Agege, Lagos State, +23481402443: The Federal Government has spent too much money on electricity supply recording no success. The defunct Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, the Nigeria Electric Power Authority and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria are all mere change of names without any improvement noticed in power supply. We have observed that over the years, rot and corruption have eaten up the system. A female employee of the PHCN attached to Adura office, Aghado admittedly swindled out N15,000 of a consumer under false pretences to process a single phase pre-paid meter since September 2011. The PHCN use obsolete meters to rob consumers of money for services not rendered to meet targets as the case with 20 Ifekoya Street Dopemu, Agege. The PDP-led government that supervises the rot and collapse of the PHCN still expects the consumers in anguish of spirit to vote for her.