…Lagos, Abuja airports fees highest amid poor infrastructure

The International Air Transport Association has warned the Central Bank of Nigeria that some foreign airlines may be forced to quit the Nigerian markets if nothing is done about the $790m ticket revenue currently trapped in the country.

The IATA Regional Vice President, Africa & Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, at a media presentation with African journalists at the IATA Global Media Day in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday also said Lagos and Abuja airports had been ranked the most expensive gateways in the region despite the poor state of their infrastructure.

According to him, the Nigerian government is currently holding the highest amount of airline-trapped funds.

On blocked funds, the IATA VP listed Nigeria as the country with the highest amount of airlines’ blocked funds at $792m followed by Egypt ($348m); Algeria ($199m); AFI zone ($183m) and Ethiopia $128mn.

While Ethiopia has mapped out a strategy to defray the debt, he said that Nigeria had yet to do anything on its own.

Al-Awadhi said, “Ethiopia is seeking a way to resolve this issue even though the blocked fund is rising. The first step for us to solve these blocked funds is for both parties to engage. If parties don’t engage, it is very difficult to move forward. I have not been able to engage with Nigeria’s CBN Governor. He said he would engage with me when he had a solution. He is not promising but I have engaged with the Aviation Minister who is very understanding, new to the position, or maybe wowed by the situation he inherited will help to resolve the matter.”

“The airlines in Africa are owed $34 million. That $34 million is blocked. Depreciation has set in on the money. They have already lost $10 million because of depreciation. That is not fair for the airlines because they have paid all the dues to the operators of the airports. Every due has been paid for. They carry Nigerian officials on these flights and they can’t get their money.

On the state of aviation in Nigeria, the IATA boos said with 25 per cent interest on loans, high airport taxes and insurance premiums which it said was six times more than anywhere in the world, it would be difficult for Nigerian airlines to make profit.

According to Al-Awadhi, any airline in Nigeria operating outside of Nigeria has a cheaper operating cost and better prices than Nigerian airlines.

He said, “Every airline has its challenges and it depends on where it operates. To answer this question, I will use Nigeria as an example. Nigeria has two most expensive airports; their fuel is higher than elsewhere in the world, and insurance is six times more expensive than anywhere else in the world.”

“The interest on loans is 25%. It is ridiculous. It is the highest interest I have ever seen. When you set up these airlines, you are already disadvantaged. Any airline in Nigeria operating outside of Nigeria has a cheaper operating cost and better prices than Nigerian airlines. You can see why it is difficult for African airlines to make profit.

He added, “IATA is identifying why these costs are high and we are trying to tackle them one by one by seeing how they can reduce the costs. We are expecting that the operating costs of the African airlines will be lowered and they can become profitable”, said Al-Awadhi.

IATA is identifying why these costs are high and we are trying to tackle them one by one by seeing how they can reduce the costs, hoping that the operating costs of the African airlines will be lowered and they can become profitable. “

[Punch]

HENRY (Heinz) Alfred Kissinger, the most infamous United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, passed away  peacefully  at 100 on November 29, 2023 and is guaranteed a marked grave. Not so for the tens of thousands Africans, Latin Americans and Asians who experienced violent deaths in their youth and had no tomb stones in their names due to the policies formulated and implemented by Kissinger.

A prolific author, brilliant academic and highly cerebral intellectual, he, like his fellow German, Adolf Hitler, used his knowledge and skills to perpetuate unspeakable crimes against humanity.

One of the most vulnerable periods of Africa was in the 1970s, and tragically for the continent, it was the era Kissinger was most active, and perhaps most vicious, with no human compunction.

In that decade, Africa was in the struggle for life as a vicious regime in Portugal massacred Africans in Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and Angola in an attempt to perpetuate its colonial rule. It was also the time, the Saharawi people led by POLISARIO, fought the Spanish for independence, and the Apartheid regime, assisted by the racist Ian Smith gang, tried to exterminate Africans in Zimbabawe (Rhodesia) Namibia (South West Africa) and South Africa itself.

Kissinger was a major supporter of Apartheid and got the US to prop up that evil regime which was also invading various independent African countries.

An opportunity for freedom opened in 1974 when a Portugal in turbulence virtually abandoned its four to five centuries colonialism of Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and Angola.

However, rather than hand over to the main liberation movement, the MPLA led by Dr Agosthinho Neto or organise elections, Portugal simply abandoned Angola.

This gave the US and its Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, the opportunity to try stopping the radical MPLA from running the country. First, Kissinger helped revive an old CIA asset, Holden  Roberto leader of the FNLA who was living in Zaire (DRC) under his in-law, then President Joseph Mobutu Seseseko, to race to Luanda and take power. When the chances of Roberto did not appear bright, US propped up Jonas Savimbi of UNITA. When it did not appear these could stop the MPLA government, Kissinger engineered a combined force of the FNLA, UNITA, American mercenaries and the awesome Apartheid military, to seize power in Angola.

These forces pushed towards Luanda but Africa was angry that Apartheid was trying to claim another African country. A meeting of the Organisation of Africa Unity, OAU (now AU), was called for January 11, 1976 to take a position. Kissinger flew to Africa, warning the African leaders not to dare recognise the MPLA government.

An enraged Nigerian Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, who had previously decided to send his Deputy, General Olusegun Obasanjo, to represent him at the summit, changed his mind, deciding to personally attend.

In his blistering speech at the OAU, Mohammed regretted that: “Rather than join hands with the forces fighting for self-determination and against racism and Apartheid, the United States policy makers clearly decided that it was in the best interests of their country to maintain White supremacy and minority regimes in Africa.”

He went on to deliver the killer punch: “Africa has come of age. It’s no longer under the orbit of any extra continental power. It should no longer take orders from any country, however powerful. The fortunes of Africa are in our hands to make or to mar. For too long have we been kicked around; for too long have we been treated like adolescents who cannot discern their interests and act accordingly.” With that and other speeches, Africa recognised the Angola government. Thirty two days later, General Mohammed was gunned down in Lagos in an attempted coup.

At the US National Security Council Meeting of May 11, 1976, Kissinger told President Gerald Ford that his actions in Angola and Africa were because “a communist victory in Angola would quicken events in Southern Africa, encourage radicalism and discourage moderates.” At the time of this Kissinger briefing, Apartheid South Africa was massacring African children in Soweto and here was Kissinger asking the US to prevent the collapse of Apartheid!

Kissinger also told Ford that the continent  must not be allowed to develop because “Africa is important to us. Many key products—coffee, cocoa, cobalt, chrome, iron ore, diamonds—come from Africa, 30 to 60 per cent of our consumption; and for our European allies, the figures are even higher. The radicalisation of Africa would turn the Europeans, vis-a-vis Africa, into commercial enterprises rather than governments (we must) arrest the armed struggle in Southern Africa… The strategy was to slow down the struggle and get control of the process as we did in the Middle East.” Cuba, led by Fidel Castro sent troops into Angola to stop the Apartheid-led push towards Luanda; that changed the tide of the war and led to the eventual collapse of the racist regime in Zimbabwe and the Apartheid regimes in Namibia and South Africa.

In Chile, Kissinger was a main co-ordinator of the bloody 1973 coup by General Augusto Pinochet against elected President Salvador Allende. That coup took the lives of over 3,000 Chileans with tens of thousands imprisoned and over 200,000 fleeing the junta. As humanity  raised its voice in horror at the massacres of the innocent in Chile, Kissinger lied that it was a communist propaganda against the Pinochet regime. Yet, with the CIA assisting Pinochet with the repression and the US having an embassy and diplomats in Santiago, Kissinger was well informed about the horrors being perpetuated in Chile.

One of the most criminal acts of Kissinger against humanity was the carpet bombing of Cambodia from 1969. The US was not at war with that country, yet it dropped about 500,000 tons of bombs on innocent Cambodians. Kissinger claimed that the bombs were targeted at Vietnamese soldiers whom the US suspected were hiding in that country. It was a precursor to the 2023 Israeli bombing and destruction of hospitals in Gaza because it had the false belief that the Hamas is operating beneath hospitals.

In December 1972, the US, desperate to withdraw its troops from Vietnam, dropped over 20,000 tons of bombs on Hanoi over a 12-day period to force a quick peace accord. Kissinger said the bombing was designed to shake the Vietnamese “to their core”.

The following year, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to both  the warmonger, Kissinger and Vietnamese revolutionary, Le Duc Tho. The latter, pissed off by the such blatant hypocrisy, rejected the award.  

If the world were built on justice, Kissinger would have spent the rest of his life in jail for crimes against humanity. But he was from God’s Own Country. God bless America!

 

Bamike ‘Bambam’ Olawunmi, the former BBNaija housemate, has recounted her struggles with childbirth and postpartum depression.

In a recent interview with Chude Jideonwo, the media personality, Bambam said she was diagnosed with preeclampsia during her first pregnancy.

The mother of two said pregnancy transformed her body, adding that she went from a dress size 8 to 16.

She praised Teddy A, her husband, for being supportive during the transition phases of her pregnancy.

The reality TV star said she ignored social media trolls who mocked her for gaining weight because “they cannot understand”.

“I would never have imagined that my body would get this thick. I look in front of the mirror and thank God for supportive husbands like mine,” she said.

“Imagine I had a man who was not open to the transition phases I went through with each pregnancy.

“My second pregnancy was even more merciful than the first. What! Zendaya! I went from Maroon to black, I had skin tags, I had acne breakouts and went from size 8 to 14/16.

“I was in shock. I went through postpartum depression. I was a mess. I did not understand. I transformed literally.

“But I mean look at the girl. Now you understand why she did what she had to do.

“I had to ask the doctor, ‘is that my baby?’ ‘How is she so white looking?’ She had grey eyes and now they are brown.

“She looked so different. I had preeclampsia with her pregnancy, she had detached from my placenta by the time I arrived at the hospital.

“So the thought of losing her, if I hadn’t been diligent with my antenatal classes or taking my vitamins. We tried going to have her abroad but there were a lot of setbacks so we had to settle.

“And the hospital we got, thank God they were so diligent. Imagine they didn’t do my urinalysis test and the doctor didn’t call at the time that he did?

“Her birth was a miracle, my pregnancy phase was a miracle. Postpartum depression was because I kept playing all the what ifs in my head.”

[TheCable]

It is with great honour and a deep sense of responsibility that I stand before you today to present our state’s 2024-2026 Multi-Year Budget before this hallowed chambers. This event is of even more import given that it is this administration’s first full year budget, which will go a long way in setting the pace for the achievement of our growth objectives.

It is not so long ago that we presented the revised budget for 2023 before you, honourable members of the House of Assembly, and I must again recognise your expedited consideration of that bill and put on record our appreciation for your commitment. In line with human nature, we have become accustomed to this level of commitment and, therefore, request that you deploy a similar degree of dispatch in your consideration of this current bill.

As you are aware, we had taken a bold view of the growth our state is capable of achieving if we are willing to believe in ourselves and utilise our God-given human and material resources to their fullest. Our vision remains ‘To make Enugu one of the top 3 states in Nigeria in terms of Gross Domestic Product and achieve a zero percent rate in the poverty headcount index.’ We also intend to grow our GDP from the current $4.4b to $30b before 2031.

To achieve these ambitious goals, we have adopted a number of philosophies, which have also found expression in this budget I am presenting today. The first philosophy is that private sector involvement is critical to the generation of the growth that we seek, and consequently we must invest in the factors required to attract private sector investments such as basic infrastructure and amenities (like roads and water supply), transport services as well as modernisation and digitalisation of our public services and their associated processes. Second, we have taken the view that one of the surest ways of ensuring sustainable eradication of poverty is through the aggressive enhancement of our education and public health systems. After all, we know that education corelates all over the globe with economic advancement and prosperity, while health, on the other hand, is critical for the optimisation of the human resources of any nation or sub-national entity.  Finally, but most critically, we have taken the view that reliance on allocations from FAAC has not served us well to date and is unlikely to take us to the ‘promised land’. Consequently, you will see in this budget a philosophy to maximise our internal revenue generation efforts, by improving the efficiency of collections, enhancing the efficacy of government services to the populace and evolving creative new revenue generation sources particularly by optimising our natural resources, for example, improved oversight and regulation of mining activities and landed assets.

Before going into the current budget proposal, permit me to cast a glance backwards at our performance in the past period. By end of year 2022, this Honourable House approved a budget size of One hundred and sixty-six billion, six hundred and two million, four hundred and sixteen thousand, seven hundred and seventy naira (N166,602,416,770).  During the 3rd quarter of 2023 there was need for a supplementary budget to accommodate new projects and programmes arising from priorities of the new administration in Enugu State and also to reflect the price variations due to inflation. The budget was therefore revised to a tune of two hundred and twenty four billion, six hundred and ninety seven million, eight hundred and ninety-nine thousand, and sixty three naira (N224,697,899,063).

Based on this revised budget, we have been able to make some appreciable progress in fulfilling our promises to Ndi Enugu over the last few months. In our view, some of the more notable achievements have included the following:

We have recently launched the ultra modern water scheme at Ninth Mile which has a daily production capacity of 70 million cubic meters (70,000,000m3) of clean water, combined with the production of 50 million cubic litres from Oji River. This gives a total volume of 120 million cubic meters per a day as against less than 2,000,000m3 we met on resumption of office. This achievement disrupts over two decades water scarcity in Enugu urban, and also fulfils our promise to Ndi Enugu to provide Enugu urban residents with water within 180 days. 

 We have awarded contracts for the construction and rehabilitation work on the over 81 roads, including several urban roads as well as some priority non-urban roads such as the dualization of Enugu Airport flyover, to Eke Obinagu and Ebonyi border, approximately 22km, and also the construction of Owo-Ubahu-Ama Nkanu-Neke-ikem road of approximately 45km. As you may be aware, work on these roads has since commenced.

We have also expanded the National Cash Transfer Register of the Federal Government from 43,000 to 260,000 beneficiaries. The expansion was to accommodate more poor and vulnerable residents in the state in line with our vision to eradicate poverty. 

We have commenced the accumulation of 300,000 hectares of land for our land bank, which will be made available to corporate farmers for massive cultivation of agro produce. In line with this, one partner firm is already planting cassava under the pilot scheme of Cassava to Ethanol Programme in Aninri, Nkanu East, and Uzo Uwani LGAs. Related to this, we are advancing conversations with key development agencies for the development of Special Agro Processing Zones (SAPZs) in the 3 senatorial zones of the state.

We also held the Enugu State Investment Roundtable which attracted the best of the private sector as well as development partners such as AfDB, AFREXIM, FCDO, the WB, etc, thus signalling our government’s zeal to transform Enugu State into private sector driven economy.

In line with our commitment to reinvent our education system in Enugu State, we are constructing 260 Smart Model Basic Schools across the 260 wards in the state which will rank amongst the best in the country.  The pilot Smart Model Basic School in Owo, Nkanu East Local Government Area is now ready for commissioning and similar Schools will be replicated in all the 260 wards across the 17 LG councils in the state.

We are also in the process of constructing 260 Type-2 Primary Health Centres across the 260 wards in the state to carter for the health needs of rural communities which are paramount in our health care agenda.

Last but not least, in recognition that no economic growth is possible without security, we have ensured the discontinuation of the ignoble Monday sit-at-home campaign and boosted the security framework within the state with the introduction of the Distress Response Squad, which has recorded several successes, effectively bringing the crime rate in Enugu State to a bare minimum. We are going further by commencing the installation of a CCTV surveillance network around the state. Work is at an advanced stage on this initiative.

The 2024-2026 Multi-Year Budget is named Budget of Disruptive Economic Growth. This is on account of the fact that it is structured to drive growth in a markedly different pattern than we had attempted to do hitherto. This departure from the usual is most apparent in two main areas. First, our approach to basic education where we are bringing into effect our cut-off program through the development of the 260 model schools to which I had earlier alluded. These schools are unique, not only in the fact that they will house the entire basic school classes from creche to JS3, but also in terms of the significant changes we are making to the curriculum of the children, where we will be infusing new subject areas like Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, to mention but three. In addition, the approach to teaching in these schools will be experiential, with extensive use of practicals, examples, dramatization, gamification, and so on. This naturally requires extensive re-training of our teachers to enable them to grasp these new learning approaches as well as the various technology-based teaching and learning tools which we shall deploy examples of which are tablets, interactive white boards, learning management systems, etc. Beyond the ‘hard’ elements of learning, we will also infuse many ‘softer’ elements such as ethics, morals, critical thinking and hygiene to prepare our children to become the leaders we need tomorrow.

 Another major area of positive disruption that finds expression in this budget is our drive to change our approach to public service by infusing the use of technology. In this regard, we are in the process of developing a new automated approach to governance, that will involve the automation of all MDAs in the government both in terms of how they run their internal operations and in terms of how they serve the populace. Upon conclusion of this transition to e-governance, it will be possible to initiate most government services without once visiting any government office or physically interacting with any public officer. This will result in increased operational efficiency in government and a higher level of service delivery with fewer revenue leakages. Implementing this will naturally require extensive training and re-training of our public servants to acquaint them with both the new technological tools required as well as the improved work processes to be adopted in executing their work functions under this new dispensation.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, permit me to present the summary of recurrent and capital allocations and its proposed allocations to each sector that makes up this new Budget of Disruptive Economic Growth.

We are proposing a total budget of size of ₦521,561,386,000.00 for the 2024 fiscal year as against the approved revised provision of ₦224,697,899,063.00 for 2023. This represents a 132% increase from the 2023 revised budget. The budget is broken down as follows:

Recurrent Expenditure:                                        

N107,227,266,000.00

Capital Expenditure:

N414,334,120,000.00

Total:

N521,561,386,000.00

In the area of our revenues, we estimated that total recurrent revenues during 2024 will amount to ₦383,789,000,000.00 as against the approved revised provision for 2023 of ₦143,571,592,917. The recurrent revenues for 2024 are broken down as follows:

Opening Balance:

N11,000,000,000

Internally Generated Revenue (IGR):

N252,789,000,000

Statutory Revenue:

N60,000,000,000

Excess Crude and others:

N16,000,000,000

Value Added Tax (VAT):                    

N44,000,000,000

Total Recurrent Revenue: 

N383,789,000,000

For 2024 Fiscal Year, Recurrent Expenditure which is proposed at ₦107,227,266,000.00 is made up of:

Personnel Costs:

N47,583,677,000

Overhead Costs:

N41,804,698,000

Consolidated Rev. Fund Charges:

N17,838,891,000

Total Recurrent Expenditure:

N107,227,266,000

With the total recurrent Expenditure at ₦107,227,266,000.00, this translates to a Net Recurrent Revenue of ₦276,561,734,000.00, which is thus transferred to the Capital Development Fund.

The total Capital Expenditure for the year 2024 is projected at ₦414,334,120,000.00 as against ₦135,715,099,693.00 for 2023 Revised Budget. The current capital expenditure estimate will be funded from the sum of ₦276,561,734,000.00 to be transferred from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and the capital receipts of ₦137,772,386,000.00 to be realized as follows:

External and Internal Aids and Grants:  N27,922,386,000

Public Private Partnership: N6,100,000,000

Domestic Loans/ Borrowings Receipts: N71,000,000,000

International Loans/ Borrowings Receipts: N32, 750,000,000

Total: N137,772,386,000

On a sectorial basis, the capital expenditure is broken down as follows:

Administration Sector    

N20, 877,662,350

Economic sector

N207,837,753,513

Law & Justice Sector

N1,225,643,490

Regional Sector

N1,443,550,000

Social Sector

N182,949,510,648

As I mentioned earlier, education is a key plank in our strategy to eradicate poverty in our state. Consequently, ₦134,587,982,647.78, representing 73.6% of the social sector has been earmarked to help reinvent education in our state by developing the new Smart schools which I mentioned earlier as well as repositioning our senior secondary and tertiary institutions by training and retraining teachers and updating our curricula across all levels of education to infuse technology and technology appreciation and skills. This capital expenditure on education combined with the planned recurrent expenditure in the sector will bring our total spend on education to 33% of the total budget.

Healthcare remains paramount, especially in these challenging times. This budget allocates the sum of ₦ 21,777,421,000 to enhance healthcare facilities, expand access to quality healthcare services, and bolster our response to health emergencies. Our goal is to ensure every citizen has access to reliable and efficient healthcare. We pledge to upgrade healthcare facilities, ensure the availability of essential medicines, and implement initiatives to enhance public health awareness. In particular, we have commenced the construction of 260 Type-2 Primary Health Centres across the 260 wards in the State to carter for the health needs of rural communities.

We also understand the significance of infrastructural development in propelling economic growth. Hence, ₦82,535,147,361.03 is planned for road construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation of public building across the state. This initiative will facilitate smoother connectivity, bolster trade, and enhance overall accessibility, and attract investments that create jobs.

The sum of ₦28, 970, 250, 000 is planned for the enhancement of the water sector to ensure safe and quality water supply to Ndi Enugu. This investment will ensure the expansion of the current water scheme by boosting reticulation of water across the Enugu Metropolis.

Agriculture remains a crucial sector in our drive towards self-sufficiency and economic diversification. We are committed to developing at a Special Agro Processing Zone in each of the senatorial zones. In deed, we have reached an understanding with a development agency for the first one on which work will commence this year. These zones will enable us to support farmers with modern techniques, infrastructure and access to markets, ultimately boosting food production and creating employment opportunities. We are also in advanced stages of discussions with funders for the development of a Quality Assurance Centre in Enugu to facilitate the export of agro commodities from the Enugu Airport. In order to achieve this, a sum of ₦25,184,154,671.81 has been earmarked for this sector in the 2024 budget.

Additionally, this budget prioritizes job creation, empowerment programs for our youth, and initiatives to attract private sector investment. We are dedicated to fostering an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and innovation, thereby unlocking the full potentials of our vibrant populace.

Furthermore, we are committed to ensuring good governance, accountability, and the prudent management of public funds. We will work tirelessly to eradicate corruption and promote a culture of transparency in all government activities. Fiscal prudence and accountability will remain at the core of our financial management. We will ensure transparency in the utilization of resources, optimizing every naira to deliver maximum value for the citizens of Enugu State.

To support our fiscal initiatives and improve implementation effectiveness, this administration will also pursue the following initiatives:

Sustain an effective collaboration with security agencies and strengthen our logistic support to remain among the most peaceful states in Nigeria; increase Public Private Partnership (PPP) with relevant investors to invest in the key sectors of the state economy and undertake robust human capital development;

expand the industrial base of the state through rapid industrialization and harnessing of untapped mineral resources in the state; provide an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive through extensive improvement in the ease- of-doing-business ranking of the state; increase the domestic revenue base (IGR) significantly by eliminating evasion and leakages in collection and expenditure; develop the tourism potentials of the state and enhance creative industry;

stimulate the agricultural and agro-allied industries to boost production of local farmers to ensure food sufficiency for local consumption, exports as well as the provision of raw materials for the industries; rapid empowerment of children, women and youths through capacity building, empowerment, skill acquisition and elimination of gender discrimination practices; re-orientation of public servants through training & retraining, effective intra and inter MDAs collaboration by digitizing operations to enhance service delivery; provide recreational and sporting facilities to increase life expectancy, boost sports development and ensure improved performance of the state representatives at local, Nlnational and international sporting competitions; strengthen performance monitoring mechanism with a central coordinating unit at the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning Commission; improve fiscal transparency and accountability in all MDAs with emphasis on due process and cost effectiveness in all programs and projects of government.

Mr. Speaker and Honourable Members, this budget of Disruptive Economic Growth of ours represents our collective aspirations and endeavors to build a more prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Enugu State. Consequently, I urge all stakeholders to join hands in this journey towards a better future for all residents. Together, we will achieve greatness and leave a legacy of progress for generations to come.

Thank you and God bless you and the entire people of Enugu State. I wish you a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

 Certainly, our Tomorrow is here!

Being the text of Governor Mbah’s speech during the presentation of the 2024 Appropriation Bill at the Enugu State House of Assembly on 5th December 2023

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, is set to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) about one year after angrily leaving the party for Accord Party, following his inability to secure its governorship ticket for the 2023 general election in Oyo State.

To the surprise of APC members in the state, President Bola Tinubu nominated Adelabu to his cabinet in August despite quitting the party before the elections.

In a letter dated December 6, 2023 and addressed to the Oyo State chairman of APC, titled, “Ceremony To Announce My Return To APC”, by the Minister, a copy of which was obtained by LEADERSHIP, he notified the State Executives and leaders of APC in Oyo State of his intention to officially return to “our Great Party at a ceremony to be held at the Party Office in Oke-Ado on 15 December, 2023.

“I want this ceremony to be anchored by the State Executives with all Local Government Party Chairmen and Leaders in attendance.

“You will recall that I left the party alongside my faithful and loyal followers at the peak of the crisis rocking the party emanating from the manner the state Congress and consequently the Primary Elections were administered. However, having consulted with our National Leaders and National Executives, I have decided to return to the Party. My first demonstration of this was a courtesy visit to the Party National Chairman where we agreed on the imperatives of my return to the party.

“As a serving Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under President Tinubu led Administration, I look forward to a robust working relationship with the State Executive, Party Leaders and entire party members towards achieving the renewed hope Agenda of Mr. President and the party at large, and in particular, in installing an APC-led Government at the State level in 2027 for an unprecedented development of Oyo State.”

From January 1, 2024, the cost-of-living financial requirement for study permit applicants will be raised to $20,635 from the initial $10,000 so that international students are financially prepared for life in Canada.

Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Honourable Marc Miller, announced the review on Thursday. He said that moving forward, the new threshold will be adjusted each year when Statistics Canada updates the low-income cut-off (LICO).

LICO represents the minimum income necessary to ensure that an individual does not have to spend a greater than average portion of income on necessities.

According to the information posted on the website of the Canadian Government, the cost-of-living requirement for study permit applicants has not changed since the early 2000s, when it was set at $10,000 for a single applicant. As such, the financial requirement hasn’t kept up with the cost of living over time, resulting in students arriving in Canada only to learn that their funds aren’t adequate, a development that can put them in a financial crisis.

Consequently, for 2024, a single applicant will need to show they have $20,635, representing 75% of LICO, in addition to their first year of tuition and travel costs. The change will apply to new study permit applications received on or after January 1, 2024.

While this will help prevent student vulnerability and exploitation, Minister Miller said: “We recognize that the impact of the change could vary depending on the applicant. Next year, in collaboration with partners, we intend to implement targeted pilots that will test new ideas aimed at helping underrepresented cohorts of international students pursue their studies in Canada.

“Today’s announcement follows important reforms to the International Student Program announced on October 27, 2023, regarding the development of a new framework to recognise learning institutions that provide top-quality services and support, including housing, to international students. We expect learning institutions to only accept the number of students that they can provide adequate support for, including housing options.

“In welcoming international students, we have a responsibility to make sure that students are supported when they come to our country. Ahead of the September 2024 semester, we are prepared to take necessary measures, including limiting visas, to ensure that designated learning institutions provide adequate and sufficient student support as part of the academic experience. In order to achieve this result, it is imperative to work together with provincial and territorial governments, learning institutions and other education stakeholders, so we can ensure international students are set up for success in Canada.”

LEADERSHIP reports that Canada is a top destination for international students, owing to her high-quality educational institutions; her welcoming, diverse society; and the opportunities for some to work or immigrate permanently after graduation. While international students have contributed to life on campuses and innovation across the country, they have also experienced some serious challenges, such as finding adequate housing, as they pursue their studies in the North American country.

Federal allocation to states and local government areas may increase by 109.74 per cent to N14.04tn in 2024.

This is according to the Federal Government’s revenue projections in its Revised 2024 – 2026 Medium-Term Fiscal Framework.

Based on these projections, disbursement to states and local governments has been predicted to increase from the N6.69tn projected in 2023 to N14.04tn in 2024.

Revenue available in the Federation Account is expected to increase by 124.43 per cent to N26.61tn in 2024 from N11.86tn in 2023. This projected rise in revenue is supposed to happen because of exchange rate effects, higher oil production projection, and the removal of subsidy.

So far in 2023 (January to September), revenue available in the federation account was N7.48tn. Of this, states and local governments have received N2.00tn and N1.54tn, respectively.

While presenting the 2024 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly, President Bola Tinubu noted while speaking about revenue, “We are currently reviewing our tax and fiscal policies. Our target is to increase the ratio of revenue to GDP from less than 10 per cent currently to 18 per cent within the term of this Administration. Government will make efforts to further contain financial leakages through effective implementation of key public financial management reforms.”

Meanwhile, while presenting the breakdown of the 2024 budget, the Minister of Finance and Budget Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, highlighted that revenue generation remained the major fiscal constraint to the country’s fiscal viability.

He also stated that the government was reviewing the current tax and fiscal policies, with the intention of improving revenue generation.

Recently, the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Okokon Udo, at a Federal Account Allocation Committee meeting in Delta, noted that allocation to states has improved from an average of N650bn monthly before subsidy to over N1tn monthly post subsidy.

He said, “The economic reforms which this administration has undertaken since its inception in May 2023 clearly outlined the right steps to transformation of the country’s economy.

“In less than six months of the administration, we have witnessed the introduction of important reforms, such as petroleum subsidy removal, fiscal and monetary policies reforms aimed at removing multiple taxation among others. The Federation Account in particular is witnessing improved revenue inflow since the removal of subsidy from an average of N650bn monthly to over N1tn in the last four months.”

He noted that the Federal Government was ready to restore government revenue, promote fiscal balance and prudent management of government expenditure.

The projected boost in federal allocation to stated and local governments is expected to improve the pace of development in the subnational who are largely dependent on these funds.

Gunmen believed to be bandits have stormed Gandu community and kidnapped some students at the Federal University of Lafia.

A resident, who lives within the university community but pleaded for anonymity, informed our correspondent that the gunmen came at first in their numbers at about 7:30pm on Wednesday and started shooting into the air to scare the residents of the area, but when they noticed that security operatives were coming after them, they ran into the bush to hide for several hours.

An eyewitness, who also didn’t want his name in print, told our correspondent that the gunmen stormed a conference hotel situated along Makurdi road opposite Nasarawa Housing Estate on Thursday at 2:am and kidnapped five students.

According to the source, the gunmen resurfaced again at Gandu, a students community opposite the permanent site of the university, and shot sporadically, forcing students out of their residence.

They reportedly abducted five students in the process while many were injured.

Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen operated freely for about three hours.
Confirming the incident, Mr. Abubakar Ibrahim, the Public Relations Officer of the university, explained that at the moment, the number of students abducted had yet to be ascertained but said it was between three and five students.

He said, “It is too early to ascertain the exact number of students because those affected are not living within the school premises but off campus.

“From available information, the number of students abducted is between three to five. However, the university is working hard to ensure all students live within the school campus.”
Meanwhile students at the university had embarked on a peaceful protest, demanding an end to persistent kidnapping of students.

Our correspondent reports that abduction of students has become a regular incident in the institution as students now live in constant fear.

Our correspondent also reports that more than 15 students at the university had been kidnapped this semester with huge ransome paid amidst harsh economy.

One of the victims, of the previous attack, who spoke to our reporter in Lafia said, “We were five, including a lady. The gunmen beat and threatened us and kept us walking and running all through the night.

“They later collected N500,000 from my parents and released me. I don’t know what happened to the rest because they could not afford to pay.”

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Ogun Command, have arrested a 35-year-old musician, Odewala Iseoluwa Akinleye, for defiling the 16-year-old daughter of his lover.

The suspect was paraded at the command’s headquarters in Abeokuta on Thursday, December 7, 2023.

Spokesman of the command, Dyke Ogbonnaya, said the suspect was arrested following a report at the Anti-Human Trafficking Irregular Migration and Gender Unit of the command.

“On Monday, the 4th of December 2023, the Anti- Human Trafficking Irregular Migration and Gender Unit received a matter which was transferred from the Ofada/Mokoliki division of the command, involving one Odewale Iseoluwa Akinleye, male, 35 years (suspect) and a victim (female) of 16 years of age, name withheld,” he said.

“We got to know about the matter through the family members of the victim and our men went after the suspect, got hold of him and brought him to our division. Going through the matter deeply, they saw that it was something they couldn’t handle on their own so it was brought to the state’s headquarters. And on investigation, he confessed to the crime and would be charged to court,”

Ogbonnaya cautioned parents, particularly mothers, to exercise caution when interacting with men when their female children are within the environment because this could have a negative impact on the kids

Speaking to newsmen, the suspect who is a musician and drummer, said he had been in a relationship with the victim’s mother before she travelled to Israel in 2017.

“We had sex together. I started sleeping with her around 2017, I knew her through her mother who was my band leader. I play talking drum for her and we love each other and we were sleeping together (mother) and she had a son for me before she travelled to Israel," he said.

"When her mom was traveling, she handed her over to my elder sister and her two brothers and we gave her a separate room and I had the opportunity to go inside her room. That was when the relationship started.

"When we were at Oke Aregba, I didn’t sleep with her until we moved elsewhere that was when she confessed to me this year August she has a boyfriend and he has been sleeping with her. So, for me not to tell her mom, she asked what she can do; and I told her that whenever she needs sex she should come to me.

"I can’t remember her age when I started sleeping with her. She’s going to 17 years old by December 14 this year. Her mom travelled in November 2017 and left her with us.

“I didn’t penetrate her then in 2017, we were just cuddling ourselves. It was just a family relationship.”

The suspect admitted giving the victim lime after having intercourse with her in order to prevent pregnancy.

The Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Port-Harcourt Division, Justice Joseph Shagbaor Ikyegh has died.

Justice Ikyegh who hailed from Benue State reportedly died Wednesday afternoon at his Makurdi residence located at the Achussa Community area of the state capital.

The death of Justice Ikyegh was reportedly made known when the Chief Judge of Benue state, Justice Maurice Ikpambese during a public function in Mskurdi called for a minute silence in his honour.

Though no official statement has been issued by his family on his demise, it was gathered that the deceased collapse while making a phone call at home and effort by family members to revive him was unsuccessful.

According to the source “he was then rushed to the Benue State University Teaching Hopsital, BSUTH, Makurdi where he was confirmed dead by medical doctors.”

It was gathered that the 65 years old jurist was known for his sound judgements and forthrightness.

The late jurist recently made the list of the 22 Justices of the Court of Appeal shortlisted by Federal Judicial Service Commission, FJSC, and forwarded to the National Judicial Council, NJC, to be promoted to the apex court from the North Central, on reserve basis.