More people have access to mobile phones than toilets in Nigeria - UNICEF

More people have access to mobile phones than toilet facilities in Nigeria, UNICEF’s Chief of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Zaid Jurji, has said.

Speaking yesterday at a two-day media dialogue on European Union (EU) Niger Delta Water Project in Port Harcourt, River State, Zaid said it is important for Nigeria to triple her investment in water sanitation and hygiene to achieve the SDG water and sanitation target of 2030.

Quoting the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) report released in January 2018, Zaid said 140 million Nigerians have access to telephone facilities while only 97 million have access to toilets facilities. He added that though people need a cell phone because it has improved a lot in the area of communication, hygiene is most important to environmental and human health.

South Africa Highest court grants approval to private use of cannabis

South Africa’s highest court on Tuesday legalized the use of marijuana in private places.  Pro-marijuana activists who include members of the Rastafarian movement and traditional healers greeted the ruling with loud applause. They have held marches over the years to demand that the law allow people to smoke ‘weed’, which is called ‘dagga’ in South Africa.

In a unanimous ruling read by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the Constitutional Court decriminalized home consumption, saying “the use of cannabis must be for the personal consumption of the adult”. The ruling also approved growing marijuana for personal consumption.

I Can Take Nigeria To Greater Heights – Bukola Saraki

Bukola Saraki has said that the current administration of President Buhari lacks the will to rescue Nigeria.

The Senate President was in Ondo to gather support for his 2019 presidential ambition.

According to theinfostride, Saraki said “You cannot give what you don’t have. With all due respect to the leadership we have now, they don’t have it. It is time to have the leadership that is vibrant, that’s young, that’s credible, that’s courageous and determined.

“When a man has shown leadership, it’s time to give it to him.

After church's van stolen, anonymous donor buys them a new one

Tom Worstell

Somebody stole an old van from the Southview Christian Church, Pastor Tom Worstell and his congregation felt heartbroken and sorrowful.

According to KCTV5, Pastor Tom Worstell said seven days the church received an outpouring of support throughout the metro.

"People were sharing, it posting about it," he said. "People from all over the country were sharing it."

Comparing Goodluck Jonathan to Muhammadu Buhari is like comparing Jesus Christ to Lucifer" - FFK

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani Kayode was at the Morning Show on Arise TV. 
During the interview, he said:
 "Comparing Goodluck Jonathan to Muhammadu Buhari is like comparing Jehova God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Living God to Lucifer,the Prince of Darkness and Satan. The devil is alive and well and he lives in the Presidential Villa"

"Comparing Goodluck Jonathan to Muhammadu Buhari is like comparing Jehova God,the Lord Jesus Christ and the Living God to Lucifer,the Prince of Darkness and Satan.The devil is alive and well and he lives in the Presidential Villa"- FFK,The Morning Show,Arise TV, 17th Sept. 2018

— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) September 17, 2018

Boko Haram kills 25-year-old Nigerian midwife, Saifura Khorosa, kidnapped in Rann

A Nigerian midwife, Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khrosa, who was abducted alongside two of her colleagues in Rann, Borno state in March this year, has been killed.

A statement from the International Committee of Red Cross where Saifura worked, confirmed her death. The statement in part reads

Buhari urges African countries to improve ports infrastructure

According to TheSun President Muhammadu Buhari has Advised African countries to improve on ports infrastructure and utilize all natural maritime endowments to facilitate trade.

Buhari made the plea on Monday in Abuja during the first Regional Conference of International Africa Ports and Harbour (IAPH) with the theme: “Africa Ports and Hinterland Community.”

He said that interconnectivity would improve African countries’ economic competitiveness as targeted under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

Buhari advised that every port should have the complement of rail infrastructure.

“To complement the improvement in trade facilitation, we have improved on upgrading infrastructure.

China threatens to reject US trade talks over fresh tariffs

 © Reuters

China has hinted that it will back out for the anticipated new trade talks with the U.S. if President Donald Trump goes on with the additional tariffs covering $200 billion worth of Chinese products. Foreign Ministry says China will take 'necessary countermeasures'

"If the U.S. imposes any additional tariffs on China, we will have to take necessary countermeasures and resolutely safeguard our legitimate and legal rights and interests," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told reporters Monday.

Monday Motivation

Always keep your eyes on the goal, even though you are not there yet. Once you take your eyes off the goal, obstacles sets in. Keep the goals front and center at all time. Set the goal and go for it no matter the obstacle that comes in the way. 

Linda Ikeji gives birth to a baby boy

Photo credit: Instagram (officiallindaikeji) 

Nigerian celebrity bloggers, Linda Ikeji has given birth to a baby boy, in  Atlanta Georgia,  United States.

The blogger, whose pregnancy has made headlines in the past months, took to her Instagram account to announce the good news and wrote: 

“Oh dear Lord, I am a mum. Baby J is here! . He was born today 17th September. This is so surreal . Thank you guys so much for the love through this journey and thanks for all the well wishes. Love you guys! "
Congrats to her!

African Countries Lose N15.12tn to Climate Change Annually

Chairman of the African Union (AU) and President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, has called on African governments to put measures in place to protect Africa’s rich marine resource and the environment, saying the continent already loses a whopping $42 billion (N15.12 trillion) annually to the devastating effect of climate change.

The AU Chairman stated this in his address at the 4th Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) conference holding in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Cristiano Ronaldo finally scores first goal for Juventus as the Italian giants beat Sassuolo

Superstar footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo has finally broken his duck for Juventus after the Portuguese forward scored the opening goal in the 2-1 win over Sassuolo on Sunday at the Allianz Stadium.

The 33-year-old Portuguese went three games without scoring for the Turin-based side after moving to the Italian club in July. But in today's clash, it took the striker only 15 minutes to get his brace in the clash which ended 2 - 1 in favor of Juventus.

Kirk Franklin reconciled with his dying father who gave him up for adoption as a child

He took to his IG page and posted a photo of himself and his father and wrote: 

'So.....Two days ago, I received an anonymous call that my biological father, who I never knew, has 3-6 months to live. I’ve lived my entire life hating this man. He and my biological mother gave me up for adoption, and it left me never feeling good enough....to this very day. I took my hate for him and used it as fuel to be the best father I could be for my own. But what I did wrong, is I never took that fuel, and turn it into forgiveness....and that is wrong. Wrong for him, me, and the God I proclaim to represent. How can I preach what I don’t practice. So I flew to   Houston yesterday to do that. It’s painful, it’s a process, but how disappointed I would be in myself for this man to leave this earth without being forgiven. He deserves to receive what God gives me everyday. Pray for him, and for me. God this is hard...I weep as I write.

Hundreds flee Cameroon’s anglophone areas ahead of vote

According to today.ng, Cameroonian authorities Saturday banned the “massive exodus” from the country’s restive anglophone regions, where violence has mounted ahead of next month’s presidential election.

A humanitarian source in Buea, the capital of the South West Region, told AFP that “hundreds of families are in the process of fleeing for ‘safer’ regions,” adding: “There is an atmosphere of fear.”

South West Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai Saturday was quoted as saying by the national television and radio network that “journeys were authorized (but) relocations and a massive exodus are forbidden.”

At least nine killed in Burkina Faso twin attacks

According to Modernghana, At least nine civilians have been killed in twin attacks in eastern Burkina Faso, a poor West African country where jihadists have been gaining ground in recent months, local authorities said Saturday.

"Two terror attacks were carried out in the villages of Diabiga and Kompienbiga" overnight Friday in eastern Kompienga province, the regional governor said in an earlier statement.