PUNCH News Headlines For 16th September, 2021 As Listed By Chrysora Media

We will welcome Jonathan if he defects – APC

THE All Progressives Congress on Wednesday said it would welcome former President Goodluck Jonathan should he decide to join the party.
It also said he, like every other new entrant, would enjoy the rights and privileges extended to all members of the party irrespective of date of joining.
National Secretary of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe said this while answering questions on a Channels Television Political Programme, Politics Today.
In response to a question whether there was any truth in speculations that the party was wooing Jonathan to join….
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Pay death benefits, salary arrears, NARD tells FG

STRIKING members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors have said that they may shift ground on their ongoing strike that started on August 2 if they see signs that the Federal Government will honour agreements and clear some outstanding payments.
The outstanding payments the association is expecting the government to settle before they can consider ending the strike include death benefits of members who died during COVID-19 pandemic and salary arrears among others.
It was further learnt that the leadership of NARD and that of the Nigerian Medical Association would be meeting the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Friday in continuation of efforts to end the strike.
Our correspondent gathered that the issue of review of hazard allowance will feature prominently in the Friday meeting…..
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Twitter ban is not just about losing billions of naira

The Twitter ban in Nigeria by the Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) regime has stretched for more than 100 days, and the issue still comes up mostly as a matter of economic loss. When we focus on how much money Nigeria has lost due to the ban, we risk overlooking the crucial aspect of the regime’s persistence in maintaining an ill-advised policy. This is not to say the economic angle is insignificant; it is. According to NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool, an agency that tracks the economic impact of the disruption of internet activities, Nigeria loses an estimated $60m daily due to the Twitter ban. That is no mean sum. Even if Nigeria were to reverse the ban, we would never recoup that loss….
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PUNCH News Headlines For 16th September, 2021

Cult threat: Missing student, sister planned disappearance, says Caleb varsity

Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State, has said its internal investigation and information obtained from chats between a missing student, Oluwanifemi Olajide, and his sister, Stella, showed that the student’s disappearance was planned.
PUNCH Metro on Wednesday reported that the student’s father, Oni Olajide, lamented that his son went missing while in the school.
He claimed that Oluwanifemi, a student of Computer Science at the institution, sent disturbing messages to his sister on WhatsApp suggesting that cultists were after his life.
Oni said the 21-year-old disappeared shortly afterwards, as he accused the varsity of not taking any action….
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Assembly okays Ganduje’s N4bn power, others’ loan request

THE Kano State House of Assembly has approved a request by the state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to secure a N4bn loan facility for the completion of Tiga and Challawa electrification projects.
The House approved the request during its plenary on Wednesday.
Ganduje forwarded the request to the House via a letter which was earlier read on the floor by the Speaker, Hamisu Chidari.
The Majority Leader of the House, Labaran Madari, had moved a motion calling on his colleagues to take a critical look at the request and approve the same because of the enormous benefit it would bring to the populace…
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Second Edition Kaduna Schools Sports Festival Begins Next Week

The Kaduna State Ministry of Sports Development has hinted that the second edition of the state’s Schools Sports Festival is expected to begin next weekend.

This was disclosed by the Director of Sports, Alhaji Yakubu Ibrahim during a meeting with zonal sports directors and top ministry staff to fine tune preparations for the sports festival.

Representing the Permanent Secretary, he said that already, they have prepared fixtures for the sports, which is expected to feature over 500 schools in the state.

“We have been given directives to start the competition immediately schools resumes.

“By next week Saturday, we will start the second edition of the schools sports festival,” he assured.

According to him, they intended to have six events this time, against the four held in the first edition.

Second Edition Kaduna Schools Sports Festival Begins Next Week

He said the events to be held are however, limited to four, which are; football, volleyball, handball and athletics.

“We limited the events because we have so many activities coming up within this period, including the National Youth Games (NYG) and the Kaduna State Sports Festival,” he said.

He explained that school sports revitalisation is one of the core mandates of the ministry given by the Kaduna State Government.

“This is one of the mandates given by his Excellency, the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai to the ministry. We would have done second edition last year, but COVID-19 prevented it,” he informed.

He was optimistic that this year, more schools are expected to feature.

“We have 12 educational zones. Last time we had 500 secondary schools that participated in 2019. This time, we will have more than that,” he said.

“The 2019 schools sports united so many of the participants, who at the end when they were seperating, were even shedding tears as a result of bonding they had during the games,” he said.

The meeting had in attendance representatives from all the 12 educational zones in the state.

University of Benin, Shut Down Over New N20,000 Charge

Students have been asked to vacate hostels and the university premises not later then 12 noon on Wednesday, September 15, 2021.

Authorities of the University of Benin (Uniben) have closed the institution with immediate effect.

On Tuesday, September 14, students of the university emptied into streets to protest the imposition of a N20,000 late registration fee by the institution.

The students also mounted road blocks at the entrance of the university’s main campus in Ugbowo, a course of action that affected free flow of traffic in and around the Benin metropolis.

University of Benin, Shut Down Over New N20,000 Charge

A terse statement from the university reads as follows:

“The Vice Chancellor has reviewed the agitation by a section of the students’ body.

“After due consultation, and in the overall interest of the general students’ body, the vice chancellor has, on behalf of the senate, approved the closure of the university with immediate effect.

“This is based on security reports to avoid the students’ action being hijacked by hoodlums; and thereby prevent any form of breakdown of law and order within and outside the campuses of the university.

“Accordingly, all students are to vacate the hostels and the university premises not later than 12 noon on Wednesday 15th, September 2021.”

Benjamin Egwu, President of the Student Union Government (SUG), had said that the decision to charge students N20,000 for late registration was in bad faith.