The Anambra State Government has unveiled electronic identity card for civil servants and other government employees to curb impersonation, ghost workers and other ills in the system.

The card was unveiled at the weekend by the Head of Service of Anambra State, Mrs Theodora Igwegbe, at the Jerome Udorji State Secretariat in Awka, the state capital.

While unveiling the identity card, Igwegbe said it would strengthen the identity management of workers in the state by enabling the government and citizens to easily identify civil servants and all other government employees.

She said: “This scheme can significantly enhance service delivery for Anambra State civil servants. By digitizing identification processes, civil servants can access government services more conveniently, reducing paperwork and minimizing the need for physical presence.

“This digital transformation empowers civil servants to engage in online training, access relevant resources, and collaborate remotely, thereby facilitating professional development and fostering knowledge-sharing within the civil service.

“Moreover, streamlined processes and faster turnaround times result in improved public service delivery, ultimately benefiting the citizens of Anambra State.

While explaining the processes involved in getting enrolled, the managing director of Anambra State ICT Agency, Fred Agbata whose office built the electronic identity card database said every civil servant is expected to enroll as not doing so may amount to excluding oneself from several benefits, including salaries.

“The card has a QR code, and all you need when you present it anywhere is for anyone who is in doubt to scan it using an Android device.

“Once done, the data of the said card holder will be revealed, even though only limited information will be revealed. This will curb identity theft, loss of revenue, ghost workers among others.

“Government is also providing free internet for all workers, and only civil servants that have requested and received their Anambra State government email will be able to access the WiFi.

“All civil servants will only be able to use the government email to transact government businesses and keep their personal email for personal use. Those are the innovations we are bringing,” Agbata said.

A private firm, Lamash Property Limited, which entered into a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with government of Kano State on the redevelopment of Daula Hotel, has demanded N10 billion compensation following the demolition of the property by Governor Abba Yusuf-led team on Saturday.

In the same vein, another firm White Nig Ltd that have a Public private partnership arrangement with the kano state government to develop the Hajj Camp in the state said there were taken aback by the primitive action of the confused government of Kano state.

The Managing Director of the organisation Hassan Yusuf Baba said.

“The most unfortunate thing is that we were not notified we only wake up to see on the social media that all structures were demolished this is a gross injustice which we will not fold our arms to see it happening in our state we have concluded all arrangements to go to court to seek redress.

In the same development, a developer Dan Asabe Abubakar whose building was pull down Saturday before the demolition of Daula Hotel and Hajj Camp who had developed the Race Course shopping complex that houses a gymnastic, medical laboratory among other vital sections laments how he expanded over N1:4billion on the project.

He frowned at the brazen manner the state government is going demolishing public properties without recourse to the Land d used Act.

Lamash Property Limited, in a statement titled ‘KANO GOVERNMENT DEMOLITION OF DAULA HOTEL: OUR STAND’, signed by its management on Sunday, said it would institute a legal action to claim the N10 billion-which is the amount already invested in the project and to stop the Kano government from further taking actions that will negatively affect its activities.

The firm, which expressed surprise that the new Kano government could go as far as to demolish a multi-billion naira hotel owned by it under any guise, said the project was initiated under the administration of the then governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, through PPP, to create jobs for the people and generate revenue for the state.

Lamash Property Limited further said the move by the Abba Yusuf-led government will send negative signals to investors, adding that it never claimed ownership of the land that Daula hotel was located.

The statement obtained made available to newsmen read in full : “Lamash Properties Limited is a property development company that was invited by Kano State government alongside other companies sometimes in the late 2020 to bid for the redevelopment of the old Daula Hotel under a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

We submitted a bid of three components:

1- Residential – to comprise 25 luxury apartments
2- Commercial Hub – Various sizes of lettable commercial space
3- Daula Boutique Hotel – A 90-room five star hotel

Our bid like every other bids submitted, went through all the processes including going before the State Executive Council after which we won the bid. We were issued the letter of award and we signed a PPP contract agreement with the Kano state government after which we began work on the project.

The value of the land being the equity contribution of the Kano State Government into the project plus the agreed profit share of the state government all in the sum of Two Billion Two Hundred and Ninety Seven Million Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred and Twenty Two Naira Eighty Nine Kobo (N2,297,016,622.89) only was converted into the Hotel and its ownership was given to the Kano State Government as its share into the project under the PPP arrangement.

On May 27, 2023, the immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje performed commissioning ceremony of the hotel and it was handed over to the state government as its share in the project.

To our utmost surprise, we received a call around 2am on Sunday June 4, 2023 that officials of the state government led by the new governor Abba Kabir Yusuf have mobilized to the site of the project with bulldozers and were tearing down all the buildings on the land including the already completed 90-room 5-star Daula Boutique Hotel, the 90% completed commercial area (malls) as well as the ongoing residential apartments.

It was to say the least a development most appalling that in this era of paucity of funds available to government and high rate of unemployment in the country, the state government under whatever guise, decided to demolish a property (the Daula Boutique Hotel) that belongs to it and was supposed to bring in huge revenue to the government and also help reduce unemployment in the state, among others.

We wish to put it on record that at no point did the state government or any of its officials notified us or invited us for clarification on the project and thus negating the globally acceptable principle of fair hearing.

We have made it clear on several occasions that we did not purchase the supposed land but that it was made available to us to provide facilities, one of which was the Daula Boutique Hotel which formed the equity of the state government in the project. This action of the state government is a minus and a negative development which will scare away other potential investors willing to invest in the state.

We have instructed our legal team to institute legal actions against the state government to claim compensation to the tune of N10billion already invested in the project and to stop the state government from further taking actions that will negatively affect us based on the PPP contract agreement we signed with it.

We appeal to the general public in Kano state and beyond to not only understand the nature of our business as against what is being erroneously portrayed but also to know that the action of the new state government on investors that invested hugely in the state under the previous administration is going to affect the perception of other potential investors coming to put their money into Kano state economy. It will also affect employment generation, wealth circulation and urban development of the state.

For us, we are resolute in seeking redress in the court of law and we are optimistic that justice would be served.”

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has said junior police lawyers would be placed in appropriate positions in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Dr Solomon Arase, a former inspector-general of police, stated this in Abuja over the weekend, when he received in audience the leadership of the Unity Bar, (Nigerian Bar Association Abuja branch).

He promised to look into the status of qualified lawyers serving in the Nigeria Police Force and appearing in courts with the ranks of corporals, sergeants and inspectors.

He also said the cases of other junior police officers who acquired additional certificates in other disciplines while in service will also receive the attention of the commission.

Arase said it would give the officers the required self-confidence to perform better.

Chairman of the association, Barr. Afam Okeke, who led the delegation to the PSC chairman had complained that lawyers who came into the police as junior officers but improved their qualifications are currently appearing and defending cases in courts for the Nigeria Police Force but still wearing junior ranks.

The PSC chairman told the delegation that the commission may decide to send these categories of police lawyers and other junior police officers with additional qualifications on a short service training after which they would be properly placed as officers.

He said the Nigeria Police needs the services of more lawyers, stressing that the commission will come out with a decision that will leave all parties in a win-win situation.

Arase used the opportunity of the courtesy visit to call on the Nigerian Bar Association to advise practicing lawyers to stop criminalising civil matters.

He said, “ It is wrong and should be discouraged, civil matters should be treated as civil matters and arbitration should serve the parties and the society better.

“We should avoid wasting time in criminalising civil matters and sending them to the police when it can be better handled outside of the police.”

Arase called for a robust legal system in Nigeria that inspires the citizens to seek redress and justice.

He said offenders must be arrested and prosecuted to restore confidence in the system and informed his visitors that the commission is setting up a Compliance Monitoring Unit to ensure the Police Complaints Response Unit promptly attends to public complaints. This new unit, he said, will be directly under his supervision for effectiveness and efficiency.

Nigeria has agreed to cut its Organisation of Petroleum Organisation (OPEC) crude production, to ensure global oil market stability, a statement by the country’s delegation to the meeting in Vienna, has said.

Alongside other African countries which have struggled in the last few years to meet their production quota, the delegation stressed that the country’s output will now be hinged on its highest volume in the last six months which is 1.38 million barrels per day.

“Nigeria alongside other OPEC and Non-OPEC members at the JMMC meeting agreed to cut production volumes in order to ensure global oil market stability.

“Furthermore, Nigeria, Congo and Angola have agreed that the highest production volumes of the last six months (November 2022 – April 2023) be used as the basis for the determination of their 2024 production quota,” the statement added.

The country has recently blamed massive oil theft as well as years of underinvestment for the development, but has since August last year moved to end the menace by ramping up security in the Niger Delta.

“ Nigeria’s highest production of crude oil only of 1383KBD was achieved in February 2023. OPEC has also agreed to allow these countries to continue to produce maximally to their OPEC quota of 2023.

“This implies that Nigeria can ramp up its production up to its current quota of 1742KBD and subsequently be capped at 10 per cent less as its quota for 2024 subject to verification by independent secondary sources,” it stated.

Besides , the Nigerian delegation said it was confident that the ongoing security intervention under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu will enable the restoration of the country’s production to the tune of 1580KBD crude oil.

“This will be complimented by condensate of about 400KBD. This will ultimately enable Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate production of about 2 million barrels per day in 2024,” the delegation said.

A major step towards averting an industrial action over petrol subsidy removal was taken last night.

The Federal Government said it would consider a list of demands by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), including a minimum wage increase and tax holiday.

Yesterday’s meeting was a follow-up to Wednesday’s parley between the government and Labour over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s pronouncement during his inauguration statement that ‘fuel subsidy is gone’.

Following the speech, marketers raised the price of petrol and Labour announced a nationwide strike to begin on Wednesday.

Negotiations would continue tomorrow on the demands, the spokesman of the government team, Mr. Dele Alake, announced after the meeting.

According to its president Joe Ajaero, the government must reversed the ‘unilateral’ increase of petrol prices before any negotiation.

Former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole faulted the NLC for shunning the resumed negotiation between the Federal Government and the organised Labour.

He expressed the hope that the Joe Ajaero-led union will return to the tomorrow when the government team and Labour officials resume talks.

But the government said it would continue to reach out to the NLC leadership.

There were calls on the NLC to shelve the planned action.

The government got more support for the subsidy removal from manufacturers, investors and business concerns, and was urged to introduce palliatives.

The government team at yesterday’s meeting was led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume.

Alake said: “We are very happy to announce that this engagement has been very productive.

“The TUC presented a list of demands, which will be presented to Mr President for consideration.

“A lot of the items on the list are not impracticable. What we need to do is to study the numbers very well.

“We have asked the TUC to also give us a leeway to consult very exhaustively and reconvene on Tuesday (tomorrow) to look at the numbers’ viability and practicability of all the items.

“The most important is the issue of the minimum wage, which the Labour movement has demanded given the consequential impact of this removal of subsidy.

“The government will look at that and Mr President is most likely going to constitute a tripartite committee of Federal Government, states and the organised Labour as well as the private sector.

“The committee will study all the dynamics of a wage increase in percentages, the numbers and the categories that will be affected.

“So, by Tuesday, when we reconvene to meet with the TUC again, we should have very concrete items to present to the world.

“But, the most important thing for today is that we are making appreciable progress with the Labour.”

Alake admitted that the cost of living will rise with subsidy removal.

“Labour argues that there is an immediate impact on the workers, on the purchasing power, because the price of fuel has gone up.

“That will necessarily reduce the purchasing power of the average worker. So, the next thing of immediate consequence is to increase the purchasing power of the worker.

“That to me and all of us on this side is the topmost priority on the list.

“There are other things like the tax holidays in which some categories of workers will be beneficiaries. But the most important is the minimum wage,” Alake said.

On the NLC, he said: “We all agreed that we are going to meet here, but again, in this game there are dynamics.

“Sometimes, they could be meeting with their executives and not able to meet with us, or they could want to postpone or they have not articulated their list of demands as the TUC.

“But we cannot second-guess why they are not here. But efforts are being made to reach them; we are not isolating them at all.”

Osifo said his team attended the meeting as directed by the union’s National Executive Council (NEC).

He said: “Yes, we have presented the list of our demands and they received it in good faith. They will go back to their principal and come back to us on Tuesday.

“So we’re hopeful that the demands that we have presented will be reviewed in the best interest of Nigerian workers and the entire Nigerian masses.”

He confirmed that part of the demands is the review of minimum wage, which he said has been eroded by the subsidy removal.

“Because they are going back to Mr President, we also think that we should also give them that benefit of the doubt,” he said.

Others members of the Federal Government team are Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefie; Senator-elect Adams Oshiomhole; and Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.

Also at the meeting were the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Zacch Adedeji; Executive Vice President, Downstream, of the NNPCL, Yemi Adetunji; House of Representatives member James Faleke, among others.

NLC: strike to go on

The NLC yesterday debunked claims that its ranks were divided, saying it was going ahead with its planned industrial action.

The Congress said all the affiliate unions of the NLC stand together.

Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, said: “Whereas primordial sentiments such as religion, region or ethnicity may be a refuge for some, at the NLC, they have no place.

“What counts for us are issues such as the mindless and criminal increase in the pump price of PMS whose burden will be borne by the already impoverished communities of the poor across Nigeria.

“The burden of this malevolent policy will not be borne by other segments of the country to the exclusion of the North or Southwest. Thus, there is no reason for these regions to back out of the strike.”

More unions are mobilising for the industrial action.

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) directed its members to withdraw their services nationwide on Wednesday.

The NUEE, in a notice signed by its acting general secretary, Dominic Igwebike, urged its members to comply with the directive and stop work from the early hours of Wednesday.

“All national, state and chapter executives are requested to start the mobilisation of our members in total compliance with this directive,” the statement stated.

The Nasarawa chapter of the NLC is also mobilising its members.

Its chairman, Ayuba Oko, after an emergency meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC), said there was no going back unless the subsidy removal is reversed.

Sanwo-Olu, Ndume, urge Labour to shelve plan

But, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urged the NLC to shelve the action.

Speaking after a post-inauguration thanksgiving service at the Cathedral Church of Christ, he said: “This is not the time to go on strike. Recall that all presidential candidates said the first thing they will do is remove fuel subsidy. So what has changed?

“What has President Tinubu said or done that is different from what others would have done? The president has not even spent one week in office.

“We need to be very patient and reason together. Let us not make the issue about politics, but let’s support this man. We should allow him to go and reflect.

“Strike will not resolve anything; it won’t address the issue. The point should be how to ensure a sustained turnaround in our economy…

“So, I plead with the NLC to not turn the subsidy issue into a political one. The leadership should know they are leading people and so there is a need to restrain themselves. Let us be patient and work with the president.”

Former Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, also urged the NLC to call off the planned strike.

He said: “This fuel subsidy removal is something we must do now or never. We need to open the wounds now and begin to heal them.

“The NLC needs to work with the government and see how the effects can be minimised. If we don’t remove the subsidy now, some people will continue to milk this country.

“NLC should go to the negotiation table with the Federal Government.”

But, Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, asked petroleum marketers to revert to the old price.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor said the marketers still had old stock that was supposed to be sold at the previous rate.

“I am disheartened to see our dear people of Kano suffering as a result of an unjustified fuel hike, and the situation must be stopped right away,” Yusuf said.

IPMAN predicts price crash

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) believes petrol prices will drop when more companies are licensed to import the product.

Its Chairman Enugu Depot (comprising Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu), Chinedu Anyaso, said: “The competition that will begin in the coming days will surely ease the pain of high prices of products.”

‘Dialogue needed’

Director General, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Comrade Isa Aremu, called for continuous dialogue.

He said: “What makes the current reform different is that there is a national consensus among all stakeholders that prohibitive costs of subsidising a single product (PMS) in the wake of declining public revenue and other national needs are unsustainable.”

He added: “Neither policy reversal nor mass protest is an option. Genuine negotiation and social dialogue would make the deregulation policy a reality without compromising the welfare of the citizens concerning welfare and secured jobs.”

National Chairman of Tinubu Support Network and Director-General of Amalgamated All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Groups, Kailani Muhammad, applauded President Tinubu for the prompt announcement of subsidy removal.

Kailani, a former staff of the defunct Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), argued that if Tinubu had not announced the removal of the subsidy at the time he did, the oil cabals would have frustrated the effort as they did past administrations.

At a briefing in Kaduna, he said: “This is the right decision because the immediate past administration shifted it. We have been postponing the evil day. A time has come for this country to measure up with the comity of nations.

“Nigeria as a member of OPEC should enjoy gains that accrue from sales of oil to develop infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, etc.

“I think we are good to go. Subsidy removal will increase competitiveness and prices will fall back. I believed he did it in a good fate.”

Also, Chairman APC USA, Prof. Tai Balofin, urged Nigerians to trust President Tinubu to work out palliatives to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

“I trust that the president will put some measures in place to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal so it does not go overboard,” he said.

A chieftain of APC U.S.A, Mr Tunde Doherty, said the United Kingdom does not pay subsidies on its petroleum products.

“In the UK today, we have Costco Oil selling for £1.3 and we have Sabre (Oil and Gas) selling for £1.7. So it is a liberalised economy with petrol.

“There is no subsidy in the Diaspora and we enjoy fuel. We have never experienced fuel scarcity. The time for us to enjoy that Renewed Hope is here,” Doherty stressed.

‘Provide palliatives’

A former Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi, urged President Tinubu to roll out palliative measures to cushion the effects of subsidy removal on Nigerians.

“Even though we want the subsidy to go, it should have been done in such a way that it won’t cause people unnecessary pain,” he said.

A group, the Community of Advocacy for Positive Behavioural Patterns Initiative (AFPBPI), also called for palliative measures to ameliorate the effects on the masses while welcoming the policy.

Its spokesman, Bamidele Mann, said in a statement: “We want you (President Tinubu) to protect and cushion the effect of the removal especially on the low incomes and youths to enable us to secure the right to an adequate standard of living and to avoid further hardship.

Substitute Annabelle Chukwu scored twice in extra time Sunday to send Canada to next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with a 5-3 comeback win over Costa Rica in the third-place match at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship.

Kayla Briggs dispossessed a Costa Rican defender and Ella Ottey sent in a perfect cross for an unmarked Chukwu to knock home in the 101st minute. Chukwu had come off the bench to open the second half and had a string of scoring opportunities, hitting the post with one of them before delivering the go-ahead goal.

The 16-year-old from Ottawa added an insurance goal in the 121st minute, curling in a shot past the outstretched Genesis Perez.

The defending champion United States faced Mexico in the championship game later Sunday, with both having already booked their ticket to the World Cup.

The two finalists and third-place side at the eight-team CONCACAF tournament will represent North and Central America and the Caribbean at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Down 3-2, Canada tied it up in the 74th minute with a lunging Olivia Smith poking in a low cross from Briggs before crashing into the goalpost. It was Smith’s fourth goal of the tournament.

Tied 2-2 in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time, Costa Rica’s Josselyn Briceno scored from a spectacular free kick taken from more than 40 yards out. Canadian goalkeeper Faith Fenwick, who stands five foot seven, got her hands to the dipping moon shot but only managed to deflect the ball into the roof of the goal.

The Canadians had chances late in the second half to pull ahead but could not convert. And there were more scoring opportunities in extra time, with substitute Jaime Perrault’s header flashing wide.

Briceno tried two more long-range shots early in extra time but Fenwick gathered one in and the other flew just high.

Florianne Jourde and Ottey also scored for Canada, which trailed 3-2 at the half.

Smith (two caps) has played for the Canadian senior side. Chukwu and Ottey were called into camp last year but have yet to make their senior debut.

Marian Solano and Sheika Scott also scored for Costa Rica, which fought back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits.

The Canadians had qualified for eight of the 10 previous FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups, missing out in 2010 and 2018. Canada was runner-up to the Americans in 2002 when it hosted the event, which was then an under-19 competition. The U.S. also won the U-20 World Cup in 2008 and 2012.

Costa Rica qualified for the 2014, 2014 and 2022 U-20 World Cups, never making it past the group stage.

It was 30 C, feeling like a steamy 38 degrees, for the noon kickoff at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez. The game paused for hydration breaks in both halves.

Ottey opened the scoring for Canada in the 16th minute. Perez flew through the air, diving to punch a Rosa Maalouf cross away, only to see the ball drop to Ottey, who controlled the ball neatly with her thigh before launching a shot that deflected in off a defender.

Solano tied it up eight minutes later, deftly making room at the edge of the penalty box to escape a defender and curl a left-footed shot that beat a diving Fenwick.

Canada went ahead in the 27th minute after a pass from Smith, who had a Costa Rican tugging at her jersey, put Jourde behind the defence. The midfielder from St-Hubert, Que., slid a low shot past Perez.

Smith was taken down by Briceno in the Costa Rican penalty box in the 33rd minute, with video review eventually confirming a penalty. But Smith, the Canada captain, slotted the penalty low and wide.

After video review, Costa Rica was awarded a penalty in the 43rd minute after Veronica Matarrita was caught by Clare Logan’s leg as she tried to twist free. Matarrita made the most of the contact, tumbling dramatically to the turf.

Scott made no mistake with the spot kick, finding the corner of the goal in stoppage time to tie the game at 2-2 with her sixth goal of the tournament.

Canada coach Cindy Tye sent on Briggs, Chukwu and Jadea Collin to open the second half.

Canada came into the match with a 4-1-0 edge over Costa Rica in CONCACAF under-20 play with the Canadians winning 3-1 last time out in 2018.

Tye made four chances to her starting lineup with Maalouf, Renee Watson, Ella McBride and Nyah Rose slotting in.

The Canadians lost a heartbreaker to Mexico in Friday’s semi-final, beaten 2-1 0n a 92nd-minute goal by Alice Soto. Costa Rica was beaten 2-1 by the U.S. in the other semi-final.

Canada finished runner-up to the U.S. in Group A, downing Jamaica 4-0 and Panama 5-0 before falling 5-2 to the Americans.

Costa Rica was second to Mexico in Group B.

The Canadians lost 1-0 to Mexico in last year’s semi-final at the same venue before blanking Puerto Rico 2-0 to finish third. The U.S. beat Mexico 2-0 in the final for its seventh CONCACAF crown.

Canada won the CONCACAF tournament in 2004 and 2008, defeating the U.S. both times, and was runner-up to the Americans in 2006, 2012 and 2015.

[theglobeandmail]

The 10th National Assembly (NASS) will be inaugurated this month. In electing the officials of the NASS, there is need to carry every section of the country along in line with the federal character principle expressly enshrined in the Constitution.

Though democracy is a game of numbers, it also presupposes inclusiveness.

Any country where a section of the populace feels that it is being excluded from the scheme of things, justice demands that the situation should be quickly addressed and resolved.

When the political parties were selecting their presidential candidates, the issue of equity and fairness was raised. Since former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was completing eight years in office then, is from the North, Nigerians expected that his successor should come from the South. The All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) chose southern presidential candidates, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) picked a northerner. Now the country has Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, from South West, as president,  with Alhaji Kashim Shettima, from North East, as Vice president.

With this setting, we strongly feel that for equity, fairness, and justice, the South-East deserves the Senate Presidency position in the 10th Senate, as has been canvassed by many Nigerians, including Vanguard newspapers, which, on June 30, 2023 emphasised it. We are not oblivious of the fact that a number of candidates from other zones are contesting for the same position, but we must remember that since independence in 1960, the South-East has been on the periphery of power in Nigeria.

Take the Presidency, for instance. In the first republic, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the ceremonial President. The real powers resided in the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, a northerner. In 1966, there was a coup that brought in Gen. Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi. The reign of Aguiyi-Ironsi as military Head of State ended disastrously six months later as he was killed in a counter coup in 1966. In the second and third republics, the story was the same.

In the fourth republic, from 1999, things appear to have worsened. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo from the South-West became the President of Nigeria in 1999. His ascension to power was to assuage the South-West which was embittered by the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election presumably won by its son, Chief MKO Abiola. South-Easterners like Dr. Alex Ekwueme had to suspend their ambition in PDP, while former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who earlier emerged the presidential candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP) surrendered it for Chief Olu Falae (South West) to be picked as consensus joint candidate of APP/Action for Democracy (AD), just to allow the South-West candidate to sail through to the Presidency. After the eight-year rule of Obasanjo, a northerner, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua took over the mantle of leadership. He died three years after. His deputy, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (South-South) succeeded him. A northerner, Muhammadu Buhari, succeeded Jonathan in 2015 and has just handed over to another South-Westerner, Tinubu.

During Buhari’s eight-year rule, security and other major appointments eluded the South-East zone. No South-Easterner was found worthy to be appointed a service chief, Minister of Defence or even National Security Adviser. None of them was also found worthy to be Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Controller-General of Customs, Comptroller-General of the Immigration, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The South-East was not also found worthy to present Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker of the House.

Originally, Nigeria used to stand on a tripod: Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo. Now, one leg of the tripod, the Igbo, appears to be broken. The 2023 presidency position should have been ceded to the South-East for fairness and equity. But, the APC and the PDP – in their wisdom, presented candidates from outside the South-East.  This obtains in spite the fact that the majority of the South-East people believe in one Nigeria. They have their businesses and investments all over Nigeria.  They have also paid their dues in the two dominant parties. The APC, for instance, rules in two of the five states in the South-East – Ebonyi and Imo states. PDP rules in one, while Labour Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) rule in one state each.

In APC, which is the ruling party, the South East has shown support. The party has two governors – Hope Uzodimma (Imo) and Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi). There are six senators of APC from the South-East. With these, the expectation is that one of the elected senators should be considered in the 10th Senate leadership, since APC has the majority. The ranking senators who should be considered for the post are capable and ready to lead the Senate, for good result.

We say strongly that since the APC denied the South-East the presidential ticket, the party should consider compensating the zone with the Senate Presidency position. This will be in line with the Federal Character principle as enshrined in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution. It will also be part of the processes to heal the wounds of the 30-month Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970 as well as address the marginalisation of the zone, which has escalated in the current democracy. This is moreso since the Tinubu administration has chosen a Chief of Staff to the President from the South-West and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) from North-Central. Also, none of the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of the Police is from the South East.

Democracy is strengthened when every section of a federation is carried along in the scheme of things. South-East deserves more than it has got from the Nigerian federation. It needs to have a sense of belonging. The voice of the people of the zone should be heard and reckoned with.

Senators should know that everything is in their hands. They should be careful in choosing who leads them at this point in time. Nigeria is sharply divided along ethnic and religious lines. We should not add to that division by our acts of omission or commission. The country deserves peace and unity. It desperately needs growth and progress. Only equity, fairness, political inclusion and justice will make that possible. Justice and fairness will be served if South East produces next Senate President.

[Sun]

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the health sector to address the menacing brain drain.

It noted that while most doctors are competent and patriotic, the poor working environment, welfare, insecurity, among others, pushed many to seek greener pastures abroad.

The union insisted on at least a 200 per cent increment in the basic salary of its members, with the additional allowances, as contained in the letter it sent to the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health on July 7, 2022.

The NARD expressed shock over the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products, following the removal of subsidy, saying this would propel an increased inflation rate and cost of living.

The union urged the government to put measures in place to cushion the effect of subsidy removal on poor Nigerians.

The statement by NARD President, Dr. Emeka Orji, reads: “We call on the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to, as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency in the Nigerian health sector as the era of paying lip service to the monster called ‘brain drain’ should be over.

“We urge the government to set up a high-powered panel to review and harmonise the reports from the former President Obasanjo Health Agenda for Nigeria Committee and the former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led Health Sector Reform Committee in order to generate a plan of action in the Health sector for the President Tinubu-led administration.

“We insist on the demand for at least 200 per cent increment in the CONMESS salary structure and the associated allowances, as contained in our letter to the government, dated July 7, 2022. We have resolved to give the new government some time to quickly resolve this issue which is at the root of the current spate of massive brain drain in the sector.”

NARD added: “We call on Governors Adedapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Alex Otti of Abia State, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq of Kwara State and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to urgently look into the situation in the Health sector in their states since these are capable of breaking down the industrial peace in their states.

“We call on the management of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the Lagos State Governor to discontinue the demand for bench fees as this contravenes the decision of the National Council on Establishment to abolish the fees.

“We call on the West African Colleges of Surgeons and Physicians to immediately discontinue the practice of charging our members using parallel market exchange rates.

“We call on the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to stop the downgrading of the membership certificate as this is not the practice in sister African countries that share the same certificate.”

…As Ajaero mobilises  NLC members for nationwide strike

…Yoruba Council  calls for arrest of Labour leaders

…KPMG forecasts 30% inflation on  N500/Litre  PMS

…SERAP seeks legal action  on alleged missing $2.1bn crude oil, N3.1trn subsidy payments

…Endure, APC Govt is temporary — Atiku

Following the upward adjustment of the prices of Premium Motor Spirit ( PMS) from N175 to average of N500 per litre nationwide by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPCL), stakeholders have called for the reversal of the prices to avoid nationwide strike, galloping inflation and job cuts. The stakeholders led by the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) and SERAP also called for the probe of eight years N3.1 trillion fuel subsidy payments, alleged missing $2.1billion crude oil and provision of actual daily demand figure by NNPCL.

For instance, KPMG Nigeria Partner and Chief Economist , Mr Yemi Kale, said that the updated prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) will jerk Nigeria’s inflation to about 30 per cent in June 2023.

Kale speaking via his twitter handle said, “Using the NBS CPI model+my macro model, the new petrol prices may add about six per cent to Consumer Price Index (CPI) in June over whatever is reported in May, holding other things constant.

“April was 22.22 per cent and May is unknown and won’t be affected. So, June will be somewhere about 30 per cent. Not as bad as I expected.”

He however noted that the CPI for May would not be impacted.

NLC threatens nationwide strike

Following the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy on the price of PMS, the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC), is set for a face off with the Federal Government.

Recall that last week after a meeting between the labour union leaders and representatives of the Federal Government, Dele Alake stated that the discussion with the union was inconclusive.

The NLC has now come out to issue an ultimatum of Wednesday to revert to the old price of N194 per litre or it would direct its members to withdraw their services nationwide across both public and private sectors.

The NLC also directed all its affiliates unions and state councils to commence mobilisation in case the government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) refuses to revert to the old pump price of PMS.

In a briefing with journalists after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, the national President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, noted with regret that NNPCL on Wednesday jerked up the pump prices of PMS by over 200 per cent bringing the price of fuel to between N488 and N557 per litre.

Ajaero said after an unanimous decision of all NLC affiliates, unions were directed to commence mobilisation immediately ahead of the planned nationwide protest.

According to him, “The NLC decided that if by Wednesday next week the NNPCL, a private limited liability company, that illegally announced a price regime in the oil sector, refuses to revert itself for negotiation to continue, that the NLC and all its affiliates, will withdraw their services and commence protests nationwide until this is complied with. The NNPCL doesn’t have the monopoly to act illegally even as a private company. The NLC NEC, therefore, directed all state councils and all industrial unions to commence mobilisation from this moment to make sure that this action is enforced. The action has commenced at this moment.”

Ajaero then called for a probe of the subsidy regime in the past eight years, the amount paid on subsidy and the beneficiaries of the payment. The labour leader also urged the NNPCL to ensure a proper account of the amount of petroleum products Nigerians consume daily. He accused the NNPCL of refusing to disclose beneficiaries of subsidy and landing cost of petroleum products.

He said, “The Nigeria Labour Congress is calling for a thorough probe in the process of subsidy to know those involved and the amount involved. Investigate it properly before it is swept under the carpet. The current attempt to sweep the fraudulent practices in the subsidy regime should not be tolerated by all well-meaning Nigerians.”

Endure for now, Tinubu’s administration is temporary  — Atiku Abubakar

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate in the February 2023 general elections has advised Nigerians to appreciate the PDP Government and regard President Tinubu’s administration as temporary.

Speaking at a one day retreat in Bauchi, Atiku said, “We have the experience as a party in government. That is what we would have done and not just announce subsidy removal without discussion with the affected sectors of the economy. I think Nigerians should appreciate what they have temporarily lost.

“Between 1999 and 2007, the PDP government initiated the petroleum subsidy removal and I chaired the committee. We achieved subsidy removal in two phases but only after providing palliatives for those most affected by the subsidy removal,” he said.

Atiku further expressed confidence that he will reclaim his stolen mandate at the court.

Probe missing $2.1bn, N3.1trn subsidy payments or face legal action — SERAP tells Tinubu

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to “set up a presidential panel of enquiry to promptly probe the grim allegations that US$2.1 billion and N3.1 trillion public funds of oil revenues and budgeted as fuel subsidy payments are missing and unaccounted for between 2016 and 2019, as documented by the Auditor-General of the Federation.”

SERAP urged him to “name and shame anyone suspected to be responsible for the alleged widespread and systemic corruption in the use of oil revenues and the management of public funds budgeted as fuel subsidy, and to ensure their effective prosecution as well as the full recovery of any proceeds of crime.”

SERAP also urged him “to promptly, thoroughly, independently, transparently and effectively probe all fuel subsidy paid by successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999, and to use any recovered proceeds of crime as palliatives to address the impact of any subsidy removal on poor Nigerians.”

In the letter dated 3 June 2023 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these serious allegations. There will be no economic growth or sustainability without accountability for these human rights crimes.”

SERAP said, “Your government should urgently act to follow due process of law in any policy to remove fuel subsidy, ensure that suspected perpetrators of these crimes against Nigerians are brought to justice and full recovery of any missing public funds.”

SERAP also said, “Arbitrarily removing fuel subsidy without addressing outstanding accountability issues in the alleged mismanagement of oil revenues and fuel subsidy payments would amount to punishing poverty and further impoverishing the poor while letting high-profile officials and non-state actors get away with their crimes.

“Poor and socio-economically vulnerable Nigerians should not be made to continue to pay the price for the stealing of the country’s oil wealth while state and non-state actors pocket public funds.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 3 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.

“The proposed panel should be headed by a retired justice of the Supreme Court or Court of Appeal, and its members should include people with proven professional record, and of the highest integrity that can act impartially, independently, and transparently.

“A comprehensive approach that prioritises accountability and full recovery of missing crude oil and public funds is required to address the problems of the implementation of fuel subsidy since 1999.

“According to the audited reports between 2016 and 2019 by the Auditor General of the Federation (AGF), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) failed to remit N663,896,567,227.58 into the Federation Account. The Auditor-General fears that the money may be missing.

“The NNPC also reportedly failed to account for the allocation of crude oil to refineries in 2019. 107,239,436.00 barrels of crude oil were lifted as domestic crude without any document. The Auditor-General fears that the crude valued at N55,891,009,960.63 may have been diverted.

“The NNPC in 2019 also failed to remit N1,955,354,671,268.66 and N55,157,702,848.74 of generated revenues into the Federation Account, contrary to Section 162(1) of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended]. The Auditor-General fears that the money may have been diverted.

“The NNPC also failed to account for N4,572,844,962.25 of ‘domestic gas receipts’, thereby ‘reducing the distributable revenue in the Federation account.’ The Auditor-General wants the money remitted.

“The NNPC also in 2019 failed to account for 22,929.84 litres of PMS pumped from refineries and valued at N7,056,137,180.00. The Auditor-General fears that the PMS may have been diverted.

“The NNPC also ‘illegally classified’ 239,800 barrels of crude oil valued at N5,498,045,220 as ‘crude oil losses.’ The Auditor-General fears that the crude oil may have been diverted.”

“The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in 2019 also reportedly failed to remit US$1,278,364,595.49 in revenue to the Federation Account. The money was deducted by the NNPC from the Oil and Gas Royalty assessed by the DPR.

“The DPR in 2019 also deducted N19,840,081.29 as ‘stamp duty’ payments from contractors and consultants but the DPR instantly paid back the money to the contractors and consultants instead of remitting it to the treasury.

“The DPR in 2019 also paid N137,225,973.35 to contractors and consultants for various contracts and consultancies but failed to deduct stamp duty. The Auditor-General wants the money recovered.

“The DPR also paid N11,856,088,271.92 as salaries for 2019 but failed to deduct N118,560,882.72 as contribution of 1 per cent Industrial Training Fund (ITF). The DPR in 2019 also failed to transfer US$35,738,342.95 year balance. The Auditor-General wants the money recovered and remitted.

“The DPR in 2018 also withdrew without any explanation $759,387,755.10 from DPR Signature Bonus Account rather than paid the money into the Federation Account.

“Subsidy records show that N443,940,559,974.80 was paid as total subsidy for 2016 but the money was not budgeted for.  The payments were for outstanding Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) commitments for year 2015.

“However, there was no payment in 2016. Only outstanding payments for previous years 2014 and 2015 and interest payments were made in 2016.

“The Auditor-General fears that the oil marketers that received the subsidy payments may not have been ‘eligible to draw from the Petroleum Support Fund ( PSF) as the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Authority (PPPRA) failed to provide any document on the payments.

“N39,141,210,181.74 was also paid from the Federation Account in 2016 to different Oil Marketers in 26 transactions, being Payments of Interest and Foreign Exchange Differential on Subsidy but without any document.

“The NNPC also made ‘zero profit’ and recorded ‘losses from its joint ventures in 2016. This is contrary to expectations that profits should be made from the joint ventures.

“The Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Abuja in 2016 paid N14,490,000.00 for the supply of 3 Nissan Almera Saloon vehicles 1.5 to the Ministry without proper documentation. The purchase of ‘the vehicles were made through direct procurement without competitive bidding by at least three companies, as required by Financial Regulations. There was no advertisement and bidding for this contract.

“Although ‘N12,442,500.00 was approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement for the vehicles, the Ministry made an overpayment of N2,047,500.00 to the car company.

“SERAP urges your government to prioritise getting to the bottom of these allegations and ensure accountability for these serious crimes against the Nigerian people.

“Promptly investigating and naming and shaming suspected perpetrators and recovering any missing public funds would advance the right of Nigerians to restitution, compensation and guarantee of non-repetition.”

Yoruba Council  calls for arrest of Labour leaders

Meanwhile, the apex umbrella body of all Yoruba indigenous people has called for the arrest of Joe Ajaero and Emmanuel Ugboaja led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

President, Yoruba Council Worldwide, Aare Oba Oladotun Hassan Esq. said the council is aghast to see Joe Ajaero and Emmanuel Ugboaja led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLS) to have declared strike action via a trending circulated letter dated 2nd June, 2023 to commence strike action on Wednesday 7th June, 2023 against President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led Federal Government on the removal of the fuel subsidy in the wake of the inauguration on 29th May, 2023.

The Yoruba leader aimed that based on evidence at the Council’s disposal, the proposed NLC planned strike is an act of economic sabotage, calculated at truncating the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, consequently amounting to Double standards and Treasonable felony.

“We are equally surprised to see the ill-motivated chaotic action to picket CBN offices nationwide and not NNPCL if even genuine as a deliberate premeditated ploy of the Labour Party manifested to cause monumental havocs, considering the siamese political affinity and negative positions of NLC and Labour Party at the last Presidential election, and their earlier treacherous declarations led by the Labour Party’s Vice Presidential candidate Datti Baba Ahmed to make the current government ungovernable,” he decried.

“Surprisingly, Are Oladotun said this is the same political campaign Agenda of the Labour Party’s Presidential candidate Peter Obi to remove and scrap fuel subsidy immediately if elected, so what has changed?”

According to him, “It is highly hypocritical to see the Labour Union Leaders and their ilk involved in such a deceitfully clandestine and criminally crafted plans, considering the purveyors of the strike action who are mainly hardcore ‘Obidients’ using the sentiments of the current economic situation to orchestrate the ill-motivated chaotic total shutting down of the economy.

“It is on this premise we call on all law enforcement agencies, particularly the DSS to stop any act of NLC declared protests, for this is a dangerous  prescription to nosedive the ship of government and throw the country into abyss.”

He warned  Nigeria Labour Congress and all her affiliates to desist from political grandstanding evil machinations to disrupt the wheel of progress of governance predicated on successful start of a renewed hope agenda.

“We use this medium to call on all Nigerians to continue to support and rally round the new administration of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima led Federal Government, based on their genuine robust plans to positively reposition the Oil and Gas industry and strategically grow the economy in the overall interest of the greatest number.

“Besides, NLC  and TUC leaders knew since last year November that subsidy will be scrapped from July 1 as no provision has been made in the budget for it, beyond this date. The Federal Government which already commits 96 per cent of its revenue in servicing debt is not in any position to continue selling subsidised fuel, most of which is smuggled across our borders for criminal and obscenely unpatriotic profit.

“Subsidy of fuel is most fraudulent decoy to plunge the nation into bottomless pit of hell and economically no longer sustainable as the Federal Government  is virtually broke. Apart from its N77 trillion debt, it also owes the NNPC Limited about N2.4trillion for past subsidies,” he lamented.

[NewsDirect]

Countries with the highest unemployment have been ranked.

The World of Statistics in its latest release on Sunday via its verified Twitter handle ranked Nigeria high, indicating the country has the highest level of unemployment in the world at 33.3%.

Following in that order of countries with the highest number of unemployment are South Africa 32.9%, followed by Spain at 13.26%, Greece at 11.2%, Colombia is 10.7% and Turkey, 10% making up the top Six.

Here’s the full list according to the ranking.

Average number of Unemployment rate:

Nigeria: 33.3%
South Africa: 32.9%
Spain: 13.26%
Greece: 11.2%
Colombia: 10.7%
Turkey: 10%
Iran: 9.7%
Uruguay: 8.8%
Chile: 8.7%
Brazil: 8.5%
Italy: 7.8%
India: 7.8%
Sweden: 7.5%
Portugal: 7.2%
Egypt: 7.1%
France: 7.1%
Euro area: 6.5%
Pakistan: 6.5%
Paraguay: 6.5%
Venezuela: 6.4%
Argentina: 6.3%
Austria: 5.9%
Belgium: 5.6%
Germany: 5.6%
Indonesia: 5.45%
China: 5.2%
Canada: 5%
Saudi Arabia: 4.8%
Bangladesh: 4.7%
Philippines: 4.7%
UK: 3.9%
Ireland: 3.8%
Australia: 3.7%
US: 3.7%
Norway: 3.5%
Netherlands: 3.4%
Russia: 3.3%
Mexico: 2.8%
UAE: 2.75%
Japan: 2.6%
South Korea: 2.6%
Denmark: 2.4%
Vietnam: 2.25%
Switzerland: 2%
Singapore: 1.8%
Thailand: 1.05%
Cambodia: 0.36%
Qatar: 0.1%

[DailyPost]