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Greg Ikhenoba has been named the head coach of Bendel Insurance, a team in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). His appointment was announced by Hon Desmond Amadin Enabulele, the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission. It is noted that Ikhenoba took temporary charge of the team after the resignation of Monday Odigie about two months ago. Under Ikhenoba’s guidance, the Benin Arsenals have successfully moved out of the relegation zone. He is currently preparing the team for the upcoming second half of the season, which will start on Saturday, January 25, 2025.

Serie A teams Cagliari and Empoli are competing to acquire Rangers forward Cyriel Dessers, according to DAILY POST. Dessers is contemplating his future with Rangers after falling down the selection rank recently. As reported by Sky Sport Italia, any potential move to Cagliari or Empoli will likely be a loan deal with an option to buy at the end of the season. DAILY POST adds that the 30-year-old previously played in Serie A with Cremonese during the 2022/23 season, scoring six goals in 26 league matches. He was transferred to Rangers after one season following Cremonese’s drop to Serie B. This season, Dessers has scored 12 goals and provided four assists in 30 appearances in all competitions for Rangers, and his contract with the club runs until May 2027.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, announced that the Federal Government has disbursed N22 billion as compensation to communities displaced by the 700-megawatt hydroelectric power project in Zungeru, Niger State. He made this statement during a recent meeting with the Compensation and Resettlement Committee for the Zungeru power plant in his Abuja office. Adelabu also confirmed that funds totaling approximately N2.2 billion are still earmarked for communities yet to receive compensation. Initially, 133 communities were identified for compensation or resettlement at the start of the Zungeru project, but this number has now increased to over 300. “I’m pleased that we have already paid N22 billion towards compensation, and according to our records, we still have N2.2 billion left to distribute,” he stated. Some recent statistics have been shared today, but as a ministry, we need to return and confirm these assertions. “We must all remember that the Federal Government is dealing with a shortage of funds.” “There are numerous issues vying for government focus, and we must prioritize them based on our revenue capacity,” he stated. Additionally, Adelabu expressed concern about the number of communities designated for compensation having increased threefold. He emphasized that the government needs to confirm the count of impacted communities before disbursing any new compensation. “It’s quite surprising to me that additional communities are now being included for compensation or resettlement,” he remarked. It is worth mentioning that in March of last year, a court in Minna, Niger State, ordered the federal government to pay N1.1 trillion in compensation to displaced communities affected by the Zungeru power plant project.

Ex-Liverpool forward Emile Heskey has labeled Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes as the season’s biggest disappointment. The former England player argues that the midfielder hasn’t performed adequately as captain, highlighting only one strong showing this season, which occurred against Liverpool. In an interview with Instant Casino, Heskey expressed that the Portuguese player hasn’t been active enough and is missing the necessary aggression during games. At 46, Heskey hopes to see the captain step up his performance. “Bruno Fernandes.” “In previous seasons, he’s been scoring goals and significantly contributing to the team’s success,” he stated. “Now that he’s wearing the captain’s armband, you expect a bit more from him.” I would like to see a little more motivation. I would like to see more leadership. I don’t believe he has done that. “For a captain, delivering one strong performance like he did against Liverpool every so often isn’t sufficient. “Every player should at least put in effort, tackle, and show aggression. “The captain needs to contribute more, leading by example and establishing the standards for the team to emulate.” “I don’t believe he has been that,” he remarked. The captain of the Red Devils has scored only four goals and made six assists in 19 Premier League matches this season. Additionally, he has scored two more goals and provided the same number of assists in three Carabao Cup games.

Nigerian winger Chidera Ejuke has rejoined full training at Spanish club Sevilla after being sidelined for three months due to injury. He picked up the injury during Sevilla’s 5-1 loss to Barcelona at Camp Nou last October. The 27-year-old received a guard of honour from his teammates, as seen in a photo posted by the club on social media. Ejuke is expected to take part in Sevilla’s league match against Girona on Saturday. Prior to his injury, he had a strong performance and was named Rojiblancos Player of the Month for October.

Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, has suggested that the upcoming Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona will be an ‘exciting’ match. Ancelotti’s team defeated Mallorca in the semi-finals on Thursday, thanks to goals from Bellingham, an own goal by Valjent, and Rodrygo. Real Madrid will now compete against Barcelona for the title on Sunday. King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Barcelona won their semi-final match against Athletic Club with a score of 2-0 on Wednesday. In a post-match interview after Real Madrid’s victory over Mallorca, Ancelotti stated that Real Madrid aims to perform better than Barcelona. “Recently, the Clásico has been quite unpredictable,” Ancelotti remarked. “There have been matches where we’ve won comfortably and others where we’ve lost 0-4. It’s hard to predict what the final will be like, but it should be exciting as there will be plenty of talent on the field. I’m not sure how it will turn out.” “We will aim to surpass Barcelona.”

Premier League icon Michael Owen has praised Cristiano Ronaldo for his exceptional skill and enduring presence in football. Ahead of the match between Al-Nassr and Al-Akhdoud in the Saudi Pro League, Owen, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2001, commented on Ronaldo’s performance. Ronaldo helped his team secure a 3-1 victory over Al-Akhdoud on Thursday, scoring a penalty while Sadio Mane added two goals. Ronaldo first gained attention at 18 when he moved from Sporting CP to Manchester United in August 2003. Since then, the Portuguese star has consistently excelled, tallying over 900 goals for both club and country. Now approaching his 40th birthday next month, Ronaldo continues to be a vital player for his team and the national squad. Owen, providing analysis before Al-Nassr’s league match on January 9, took the chance to commend Ronaldo, remarking on his remarkable longevity. His longevity is remarkable, not just the quality. Not many players can start their careers as early as he did and maintain such a high level of performance. I certainly couldn’t do it. I joined the first team at Liverpool when I was 17 and retired at 33, whereas he will be turning 40 very soon. “And as they say, he always maintains his high standards, which is truly remarkable,” Owen remarked.

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has sanctioned a monthly wage of N80,000 for casual hospital employees throughout the state. This decision follows complaints from casual staff at the Minna General Hospital about their work conditions. Bago announced this during a meeting with dissatisfied casual workers in Minna who felt they were underpaid during a recent conversion initiative by his administration. He stressed that this measure ensures that casual employees are compensated according to the state’s approved minimum wage. However, he mentioned that fully integrating all casual workers into the state civil service is not practical. He stated that casual workers with degrees who have been employed for 10 to 15 years will automatically receive appointments, while those with diplomas will be hired on a probationary basis, with the requirement that they upgrade their qualifications within three years.