₦airaland Forum

Happening Today: Official Commissioning of Federal Housing Authority Zuba Housing Estate, Federal Capital Territory by President Muhammadu Buhari.
#GovtAtWorkNG
#SeasonOfCompletion

Earlier today, President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned 748 Housing Units of Federal Housing Authority Estate in Zuba, Abuja.

The entire estate covers a total of 18.5 hectares of land area. In the course of executing the estate project, over 13,000 Nigerians were employed directly and indirectly.

President Muhammadu Buhari at the commissioning presented keys to some new homeowners at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Estate Zuba who subscribed through FHA Rent-to-Own delivery model, urging them to live together in peace and harmony.

Commending the Chairman, Managing Director, Members of the Board and Staff of FHA on the successful completion of the Estate, the President noted that the project was another testament of his administration’s commitment to lift people out of poverty.

In his address, Minister @FMWHNIG, Babatunde Fashola said "we now have 748 completed housing units for Nigerians and their families to shelter,’’ adding that 75 contractors were engaged in the course of the project.

The Managing Director of FHA, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, described the commissioning of the project as a manifestation of the visionary and deliberate housing policy of the President, who in keeping with the promise of providing shelter to Nigerians approved the grant to FHA.

Ashafa disclosed that the Authority has also commenced the development of Bwari Estate, Abuja near the Nigeria Law School, which will deliver 336 units of various houses under the first phase of the project.

Women's World Cup: Fifa president Gianni Infantino threatens tournament blackout in Europe

By Tom Mallows
BBC Sport

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has threatened to not broadcast the Women's World Cup in five European countries unless TV companies improve their rights offers.

Infantino said "disappointing" offers from the UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and France were a "slap in the face" of the players and "all women worldwide".

He added it was Fifa's "moral and legal obligation not to undersell" the event.

The World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, starts on 20 July.

Infantino said European broadcasters had offered world football's governing body $1m-$10m (£800,000-£8m) for the rights, compared with $100m-$200m for the men's World Cup.

"Should the offers continue not to be fair, we will be forced not to broadcast the Fifa Women's World Cup into the 'big five' European countries," Infantino said at a World Trade Organization meeting in Geneva.

"I call, therefore, on all players, fans, football officials, presidents, prime ministers, politicians and journalists all over the world to join us and support this call for a fair remuneration of women's football. Women deserve it, as simple as that."

Rights offers for previous tournaments were bundled together with other events including the men's World Cup, but Fifa has now separated the bidding process.

In calling for improved offers, Infantino said all TV revenue for the tournament would be reinvested in women's football and that public broadcasters in particular, such as the BBC, have a "duty to promote and invest in women's sport".


The BBC held the sole broadcast rights in the UK for the 2019 Women's World Cup but shared the rights for the recent men's World Cup in Qatar with ITV.

It has widely been reported that the BBC and ITV will share broadcasting rights for this summer's tournament, although no announcement has been made.

A BBC Sport spokesperson said it did not comment on sports rights negotiations.

Last year the Women's World Cup and European Championship were both added to the 'crown jewels' of British sporting events, which require free-to-air coverage.

The official spokesman for UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he had not seen Infantino's comments but added: "I think the Prime Minister, like everyone in the UK, would want to see such an important event televised, not least following the huge success of our Lionesses."

Infantino added that Fifa had trebled the total prize money to $152m compared with the 2019 tournament in France and reiterated the organisation's desire to have equal pay for the men's and women's World Cups by 2026 and 2027, first announced at its annual congress in March.

According to Fifa's data, 1.12 billion people watched the 2019 Women's World Cup in France - the most watched women's tournament ever.

Almost half of total viewing hours were from Europe, with the average viewing time of 4.14 hours per person across the whole tournament more than double the average of the rest of the world.

That could be partly attributed to the favourable time zone and that seven of the eight quarter-finalists were European, with England reaching the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners the United States.

Kick-off times for the 2023 World Cup are less favourable, ranging from 01:00 to 12:00 BST, though England's three group games start between 09:30 and 12:00 and the final is scheduled to kick off at 11:00.

"Maybe, because it is in Australia and New Zealand, it's not played on prime-time in Europe, but still, it is played at 9am or 10am, so it is quite a reasonable time," added Infantino.

Interest in women's football continues to rise, with a record global audience of more than 365 million watching last summer's Euro 2022 in England, with 50 million tuning in for England's victory over Germany in the Wembley final.

Domestically, the Lionesses' triumph was watched by a peak BBC One television audience of 17.4 million, making it the most-watched women's football game on UK television. There were a further 5.9 million streams of the game on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Research from the Women's Sport Trust (WST) revealed that the amount of time the average UK viewer spent watching women's sport in 2022 was more than double the 2021 figure.

In a statement, the WST said: "Given this is the first women's tournament that Fifa has sold broadcast rights unbundled from the men's, it is hugely significant. Broadcasting major events like the Fifa WWC are key to igniting fandom.

"British broadcasters have been big supporters of women's sport over the last few years so this roadblock won't be about not wanting to show the tournament. Going forward it's important to have more open conversations about value.

"We hope that all parties involved will find a solution that gives the players, fans and sponsors the World Cup they deserve."

PRESS STATEMENT

Re: South East Coalition accusation of ethnic bias on boarding of citizens stranded in Sudan: a wicked lie

Abuja: Tuesday, May 2, 2023.

It has come to the attention of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) of a fabricated lie from the pit of hell that the Chairman/ CEO, Hon. (Dr) Abike Dabiri- Erewa, prevented some Nigerians, especially of the South East extraction from boarding buses hired by the Federal Government to evacuate stranded Nigerians from the war-torn Khartoum in Sudan.

The ridiculous allegation which was first published by one Chukwujekwu Ilozue of the Daily Independent Newspapers on May 1, 2023, and syndicated by This Day Newspapers, Nigerian Tribune online and other online media, is the height of rascality and mischief.

The said group never bothered to cross check the sponsored false story on Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa or get her own side of the story before spreading the falsehood all over the media in the spirit of fairness, balancing and objectivity.

The allegation by the faceless group, a Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, (COSEYL),
signed by one Hon Goodluck Ibem against the indefatigable Abike Dabiri -Erewa who was busy coordinating the two-day conference of Global African Diaspora Symposium (GADS), with 64 countries in attendance in Abuja, is most wicked, divisive and a ridiculous fabrication.

Reports from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff on ground in Khartoum, indicated that when the boarding of buses began , the situation was so chaotic that some people (including Non Nigerians) jumped in violently , some with daggers, through the windows . To bring sanity and to abide by the instruction of the Minister of Foreign Affairs that priority should be given to women , children and students, the officials started calling them in according to states in alphabetical order , beginning with Abia State.

Reports from Sudan indicate that all who converged at the prescribed locations, were to be picked up, have all been moved in 40 buses either towards Port Sudan or towards Egyptian borders.

However , if some arrived after the stipulated time or did not show up at the point of pick up, they can’t blame it on any one.

NIDCOM is focussed, working with other relevant agencies ,on the safe return of stranded Nigerians and will not be distracted by nonsensical, illogical , irresponsible , rascal and unfounded comments meant to distract from the success , safe and secure return of Nigerians from Khartoum, Sudan.

E-signed
Abdur-Rahman Balogun
Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit NiDCOM, Abuja.
Abuja,
May 2, 2023.

[JUST IN] Sudan: Azman Air receives FG’s approval to evacuate stranded Nigerians

1st May 2023

By Lillian Ukagwu

Azman Air, a Nigerian airline, has received approval from the Federal Government of Nigeria to evacuate stranded Nigerian citizens in Sudan.

The airline disclosed this on Monday night via its official Instagram handle.

According to the airline, the evacuation will begin tomorrow (Tuesday).

The statement reads, “Azman Air has received the approval of the Federal Government to Evacuate Nigerians stranded at the Egyptian border amid the Sudan crisis with the 409-Seater Airbus A340-600.

“Evacuation is expected to commence from Tuesday, May 2 as we await final clearance from Egypt.”

JUST IN: Azman Air have received the approval of the Federal Government to Evacuate Nigerians stranded at Egyptian border amid Sudan crisis with the 409-Seater Airbus A340-600

Evacuation is expected to commence from Tue 2nd May as we await final clearance from Egypt to depart