“…reluctance of private sector employers to participate in new welfare scheme borne out of precedence set by the public sector.” Get it right: precedent.
Ebere Wabara
“Right from the time she served on the guild’s standing committees, she put in her very best.” The face of grammar: ‘best’ cannot be amplified (very best!) because of its superlative form which abhors inflection.
“Firm plans MKO pavillion at poly” Spell-check: pavilion.
“Hence the reluctance of some private sector employers to participate in the new welfare scheme is borne out of the precedence being set by the public sector.” Get it right: precedent.
READ ALSO: Private sector investment in real estate not charity –Iwuanyanwu, LTMS CEO
“Are you hearing me?” This is wrong. ‘Hearing’ cannot function as a verb because of its structural characterization. The correct expression goes thus: ‘Can you hear me?’ It is a noun—unlike some nouns that have dual status – this entry does not have such an attribute.
“14 nude dancers remanded in Kebbi prison” Yank off ‘prison’ on grounds of its redundancy.
The next three schoolboy howlers are from Editorial of the above date: “…and against every tenets (every tenet or all tenets) of democracy.”
“Executive Orders, such as the ones issued by American President are targeted against (at) institutions not against (on) individuals as is the case in Nigeria.”
“But like (as) I said recently during an interview on AIT….” (Politics & Power, October 17)
“Darkness blights Imo oil producing (oil-producing) communities” (Oriental News, October 17)
“2019: APC alerts INEC, security agents on (to) alleged PVC buying in Abia” (South East News, October 17)
“LAUTECH students shut down Ogbomoso, Osogbo over hike in tuition fees” (South West News, October 17) Delete otiose ‘fees’
“2019: Buhari reassures of free, fair elections” Who did the President reas- sure?
“…who is our presidential flag-bearer (standard-bearer)….”
“CKC Onitsha alumni backs (back) Obi as VP” Alternatively, alumni association backs….
‘The Annual UBA Foundation National Essay Competition Prizes—1st Prize: N2,000,000 or it’s (its) local currency equivalent towards university tuition/ fees” (sic)
From Editorial of October 15 come the next four blunders: “…even though those offences are against the spirit and letters (letter) of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.”
“The idea of ‘when we are not winning, we scatter the election’ ought to be severely punished to serve as a deterrence (deterrent)….”
“This is why the tribe of political thugs keep (keeps) swelling at a time it ought to be a disqualifying offence for candidates.”
“The influence of money in politics can be reversed only through civics education.” Lessons from the primaries: civics (noun) or civic (adjective) education
“Breading (Breeding) albino rats: Easy way of earning income”
READ ALSO: MASSOB releases new Biafra income tax
“So far, conservatively, our remittances to the federation account has (have) hit N20 billion from what it was in 2017, where (when) we had a paltry sum of N3 billion.” (Politics & Power, August 29)
“The assailants, who were bent at (on) killing him…,” (Source: as above)
“…said the police have (had) stepped up a manhunt of (for) the hoodlums….” “The fuel tracking (fuel-tracking) device will reveal the accurate figures of fuel consumption.”
“Congratulations on the attainment of 27th year anniversary” Enugu State Housing Development Corporation: on the attainment of 27 years or congratulations on 27th anniversary
“It is in realization of these giant strides that the Nnamdi Azikiwe University salute (salutes) our amiable Governor (unnecessary capitalization)….”
“Contact informations of zonal coordinators of Re-elect Buhari Movement” This way: ‘information’ is non-count.
“2019: Ohaneze Lagos reads riot act (the riot act) to Igbo on PVC”
“Radio Biafra director arraigned in court” Yank off the last two words!
“It has come to the notice of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that certain unscrupulous individuals have been sending unsolicited mails and text messages to unsuspecting bank customers, alerting them about (to) deactivation or suspension of their bank accounts….”
“Lagos police transfer: Residents commend IGP, want same (the same) exercise for Aba”
“NASU gives marching order (orders) to debtor state govts”
“Four drown as flood hit (hits) Calabar-Itu highway”
“There have been casualities (casualties).”
“EFCC have (has) declared ex-Pension boss wanted for stealing N2 billion.”
“The league in America like everybody know (knows) is not….”
“Obiano cries out over erosion ravaged (erosion-ravaged) federal roads in Anambra”
“Port-Harcourt (Port Harcourt) refinery shuts (shut) down” The refinery did not shut itself down—it was shut down!
“Lamenting the fuel scarcity, Kachikwu said the NNPC is (was) speeding up the payment of the subsidy claims….”
“Residents raise alarm (the alarm) on (over) security threat”
“He said if anyone is (was) desperate for power, it is (was) the….”
Now the Editorial which offered readers two infelicities: “Kachikwu also assured that this time ‘government wants to end gas flaring.’” Who did he assure?
“It has become a compelling agenda (agendum) that government cannot ignore its destructive effects on our population and the ecosystem.”
From the editorial to opinion page: “…as we know that transformers matter in all the (the entire) supply claim (chain).”
“…is poised to change the narrative through the exploitation of the tourism potentials (potential) in the area.”Oriental News: ‘potential’ is uncountable unlike ‘potentiality (potentialities).‘
Wrong: PDP flag-bearer; right: standard-bearer
“Expert proffers solution on (to) irregular migration”
READ ALSO: Lagos airport: Nigerian Immigration apprehends 4 Ghanaians for human trafficking
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ADDENDUM: Some readers want me to be elaborate in my explanations. I cannot expatiate more than I do because of space constraint. I would have loved to do that if not for the handicap.