Japan is urging its citizens to leave Lebanon and has decided to prepare military flights for their possible evacuation, the government said Friday.

Israeli bombing has killed hundreds of people this week in Lebanon, particularly in Hezbollah strongholds while the militant group has retaliated with rocket barrages.

“We’re currently checking the safety of Japanese citizens living in Lebanon, as well as urging them to leave the country while regular commercial flights remain in operation”, chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday morning.

Hours later, the defence ministry said air force planes had been ordered to go to Jordan and Greece to be on stand-by in case Japanese nationals need to be transported out of the region.

The C-2 transport aircraft would be used to evacuate around 50 Japanese citizens currently in Lebanon, media outlets including Kyodo News said, citing unnamed government sources.

Yoko Kamikawa, Japan’s foreign minister, said Wednesday that Tokyo is “strongly concerned about the escalation of tensions between Israel and Hezbollah”.

Japan, she added, “strongly urges” all parties to “exercise the utmost restraint to avoid further escalation”.

Israel has rejected a push by allies for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon and has vowed to keep fighting Hezbollah militants.

AFP

The Edo election has confirmed what every discerning Nigerian knows: the Mahmoud Yakubu-led INEC is a fraud with no moral fibre to conduct free, fair and credible elections. If I were Asue Ighodalo, the latest victim of Nigeria’s soulless electoral mafia, I will not go to court. The matter will be settled on the streets of Edo. If that is what those inclined to being politically correct call anarchy, so be it. Truth be told, unless and until Nigerians show the capacity to resist the malfeasance of INEC and their enablers on the streets, not in courts, this impunity will not stop.

I had very instructive discussions with two A-list Nigerian politicians before and after the Edo State governorship election; the first being on Wednesday, three days before the poll. Both men have held positions of responsibility in government both at the state and federal levels.  

The first politician dismissed the optimism of those who believed that given the pedigree of the 18 candidates and sophistication of the Edo electorate, the odds favoured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he was unequivocal that the result of the election had already been written. “I don’t know why Nigerians are so naïve. They don’t seem to know what they are up against. Which election are they talking about? The same election which result had already been written?” he asked.

That was incredulous. I reminded him how the Edo electorate stepped up to the plate in the 2020 governorship election. He riposted that times have changed and INEC has become more brazen, emboldened by the unscrupulousness of the new kids on the leadership block.

We left it at that, but I hoped to prove him wrong. It turned out on Saturday that he was spot on and I was wrong. On Sunday, at exactly 2.33 pm, when INEC’s deviousness was on full parade, he sent me a text message: “I told you.”

Earlier on Sunday, at exactly 9.37 am, the second politician called to lament. What he said was spine-chilling. “Have you seen what is happening in Edo? These guys have become so brazen. This is unbelievable. What this means is that anyone contesting elections in Nigeria today will be doing so at his own risk.” He was hoping to run for the governorship of his state in 2027. Not anymore after the Edo electoral heist by the APC, he said.

None of them is from Edo. So, they had no dog in the fight, so to speak. But as stakeholders, they are as worried as every other well-meaning Nigerian. But I am more worried now because of what they said.

Before now, the risk we faced as a result of the insufferable duplicity of INEC was voter apathy. Over the years, as people came to the realization that their votes never counted, voter enthusiasm waned.

According to INEC records, only 28.63 per cent of all eligible voters participated in the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections. That was a new low in what has become a steady decline in the turnout of voters during elections. For instance, while as in 2011, voter turnout was an impressive 53.7 per cent, it dropped to 43.7 per cent in 2015 and 34.75 per cent in 2019.

After the 2023 elections, it was apparent that the voter apathy will intensify and the Edo governorship election where only about 22 per cent of the 2,629,025 registered voters voted has confirmed that. One would have thought that such embarrassing statistics will make the electoral umpire have a rethink. No! Instead of thinking of how to clamber out of the putrid hole of electoral malfeasance, the hardened enablers of electoral fraud are still digging.

Now, the consequence stares us in the face. Even politicians no longer have faith in INEC and if things remain the way they are, no credible Nigerian will waste his time and resources contesting elections again. The implication is that going forward, certificate forgers, age cheats, drug barons and sundry fraudsters will have the electoral field all to themselves.

The Edo election has confirmed what every discerning Nigerian knows: the Mahmoud Yakubu-led INEC is a fraud with no moral fibre to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

But by this brazenness, INEC has also finally overreached itself. As the legendary Chinua Achebe said in his book, A Man of the People, Yakubu now epitomizes that vile character, Josiah, the local shopkeeper, who tricked a blind beggar and stole his walking stick. As one of the villagers said, “Josiah has taken away enough for the owner to notice.” In the same vein, Yakubu and the INEC gang have crossed a line with the conduct of the Edo poll and longsuffering Nigerians have noticed.

Already, director of the Abuja school of social and political thought, Dr. Sam Amadi, has called for the disbandment of INEC as presently constituted, insisting that evidence abounds the electoral umpire was to blame for every bad election conducted in the country.

I agree in toto! And I make bold to say that the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, didn’t win last Saturday’s Edo governorship election. He lost woefully to the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, no matter what the fraudulent INEC says. And this is not a speculation. Results announced at the polling booths confirm Ighodalo’s victory to the eternal shame of those who toy with the sovereign will of the people. What INEC did was a perpetuation of the electoral fraud that has made Nigeria a laughing stock in the comity of democratic nations.

If you are still in doubt, consider the fact that all the accredited civil society organizations (CSOs) that observed the poll have rejected the result, insisting that it lacks integrity. The problem, as it has always been the case, started at the point of result collation from the ward, local government to the state level, which flew in the face of the Electoral Act 2022.

A coalition of civil society groups, including Advocacy for Quality Leadership and Health Awareness Foundation; Grassroots Development and Peace Initiative; Citizens Rights and Leadership Awareness Initiative, etc., alleged on Sunday that INEC used two sets of result sheets — one used in the field and another that favoured the APC – during the collation in specific senatorial districts.

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and some of its accredited member organisations, including Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), Yiaga Africa, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), and TAF Africa, were even more scathing in their report.

In a statement on Monday, they noted that while as “the voting process was concluded in a relatively peaceful atmosphere, the results collation process in some LGAs were not peaceful and did not meet electoral integrity standards.”

Concerned that the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines on collation were wilfully compromised, particularly in Egor, Ikpoba Okha, Oredo, Esan West and Ovia South-West LGAs, they said: “Our observation of the collation process shows that it was neither transparent nor opened to representatives of the various candidates in some cases. In addition, it lacks transparency in the application of the provision of the Electoral Act and the INEC Guidelines on over-voting and cancellation of results from polling units.”

Bemoaning the over-voting that was reported from more than 370 polling units across the State, they returned a damning verdict: “It is our observation that the Edo State Governorship election 2024 failed to fulfil the requirement of the conduct of credible elections, and again, raises questions about election credibility in Nigeria. As with recent polls, INEC’s ability and willingness to conduct credible elections in Nigeria remains questionable.”

The big elephant in the room has always been collation and Yakubu knows. As a history professor, he is most likely aware of the admonition of the Soviet dictator, Joseph Stalin, to his party apparatchik in 1923 thus: “I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this — who will count the votes, and how” because, “Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything.” The devil in Nigeria’s elections is always in the counting.

So, INEC allowed the electorate to vote in Edo and then willfully manipulated the counting to decide the “winner.” What is even more worrying is the impunity. For instance, as at 8:40 am on Sunday, results from 4455 out of the 4,519 polling units where elections were held – 98.58 per cent – had been successfully uploaded on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), which means that Nigerians knew as a fact who won the election. Yet, bypassing its own portal, the self-same INEC had the audacity to collate results from only God knows where that was totally at variance with what was uploaded.

Those who want to be diplomatic have called for calm, asking those holding the short end of the electoral stick to follow due process in seeking redress.

Due process would mean going to court. That will be foolhardy because it is another layer of the fraud. As Mr. Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), noted recently, “No matter the volumes of evidence, the judiciary appears to have taken stand and seems to be siding with the people who have no regard and respect for the sovereignty of the people.”

To be sure, no petitioner can successfully sidestep the daunting legal banana peels starting from dubious concepts of demonstration of documents, dumping of documents and calling of agents polling unit by polling unit, to the requirement that certified true copies of public documents must be tendered by the makers and the new, albeit impossible proviso that no subpoenaed witness can testify unless his or her frontloaded statements on oath are filed along with the petitions within 21 days.

Here, Okutepa’s advice, for me, suffices. “It is my proposal to all ‘losers’ of elections in Nigeria not to waste time and resources to file election petitions because it is easier for an elephant to go through the eyes of the needle than for anyone who was robbed of victories in our elections to get immediate remedies and electoral justice.”

If I were Asue Ighodalo, the latest victim of Nigeria’s soulless electoral mafia led by Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, I will not go to court. The matter will be settled on the streets of Edo. If that is what those inclined to being politically correct call anarchy, so be it. Truth be told, unless and until Nigerians show the capacity to resist the malfeasance of INEC and their enablers on the streets, not in courts, this impunity will not stop.

UNITED Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, as usual, told us what we already know. On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, he announced that: “Hell is breaking loose in Lebanon”. But, sadly, he is behind the news because hell is not breaking, it has already broken loose in the Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, and has merely expanded its occupation into Lebanon.

Guterres should know this because 220 UN staff in Gaza along with 174 of my colleagues in the journalism profession, have already been despatched from the hell that is Gaza.

Then he made a Freudian slip. As part of his suggestion to stop the war, he declared that the Lebanese state “must have full control of its weapons” throughout the country. He added: “We support all efforts to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces.”

What the UN chief is saying is that Hezbollah, the Lebanese party Israel claims it is fighting, should be disarmed. So, in whose interest will this be? In that of the Lebanese people who are being subjected to the type of genocide going on in the Palestine, or Israel which, without Hezbollah, would annex Lebanon as it did to East Jerusalem, or occupy it as it is occupying the Palestine and the Syrian Golan Heights?

This is not a theoretical conception as it has occurred twice. Israel had in 1982 invaded Lebanon in the name of cross-border pursuit of Palestinian fighters. This, in 1985, became a full-blown war in which it seized many parts of Lebanon, including its capital, Beirut. Although Israel later withdrew, but for 15 years, it continued to occupy parts of Lebanon which it called its “security zone”. It was forced to leave on May 24, 2000.

Then, six years later, it again invaded Lebanon, this time from July 12, 2006 to August 14, 2006. However, it could not continue its occupation due to the armed resistance of Hezbollah which had come to replace the collapsed Lebanese military. In other words, but for Hezbollah, Lebanon would have been another Gaza or West Bank under Israeli occupation with settlers from Europe building illegal settlements.

Gueterres is supposed to be a peace maker. But the mind-set of a peace maker should be to work for an immediate ceasefire, not advocate the disarming of one side of the conflict.

The Gueterres position of disarming Hezbollah does not tally with that of Lebanon which sees the Israeli attacks as a blatant violation of its sovereignty and human rights.

Mohammad Najib Azmi Mikati, President of Lebanon’s Council of Ministers, said Lebanon is the “victim of an electronic cyber aggression and of an air and maritime aggression that can turn into a ground aggression and can become an all-out regional war”.

US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron along with Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement saying: “We call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement.”

It seems to me a matter of common sense that since the Israeli War in Palestine is linked with that in Lebanon, a ceasefire on all fronts is what is required. The question is: what happened to the UN Security Council, UNSC, June 2024 ceasefire resolution on the war in Gaza? Fourteen of the 15-Member UNSC had passed that resolution which the USA guaranteed Israel would obey, but the latter said the USA was talking nonsense.

So, the issue is not a ceasefire; the fact is that Israel operates outside international laws, resolutions and conventions because it has the solid backing of the USA. It gets away with whatever actions it carries out, including genocide. All attempts over the decades to make Israel obey international court rulings and UN resolutions have been foiled by the USA. The latter has used its Veto in the UN 85 times, 47 of them were to shield Israel from international resolutions, charges of crimes against humanity and genocide.

Coincidentally, the renewed war in Lebanon is coming when the world is discussing the expansion of the UNSC to accommodate more permanent members. The USA, claiming to love Africa, is campaigning that two of those seats should go the continent because as its Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said: “It’s what our African partners seek, and it’s what we believe is just.” But, trust the American establishment, there is a caveat: provided the new members would not have the Veto! It is like saying a person should be allowed to own a cannon provided he will not have balls. The magnanimous USA would tolerate Africans at the UNSC Permanent Security court provided they are eunuchs: castrated men.

The Veto power derives from Article 27 of the UN Charter which provides that: “Each member of the Security Council shall have one vote; Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members (and) Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members, including the concurring votes of the permanent members…”

In other words, the power of the UN permanent members is principally based on their power to veto any issue in the organisation. To have the veto is to have the power to override any decision of the UN even if backed by the 192 other member countries.

Incredibly, some are debating whether this should be accepted or not since half bread is better than none; supposing the half-bread is poisoned?

The Veto in practice is used as a personal weapon by the permanent members which include three European countries: France, United Kingdom and Russia; one Asian, China and, one North American, USA. Shut out of this exclusive club are regions like Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America.

The Veto, itself, is a violation of Article 2 of the UN Charter which states that: “The Organisation is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members.”

The most fundamental reform that can be carried out in the UN is to scrap the Veto power. The UNSC should, of course, continue its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, provided it is democratised with no permanent seats.

The proposed reforms of the UN system are part of the “Pact for the Future” resolution passed on Sunday, September 22, 2024. The five planks of the Pact are international peace and security; sustainable development; youth and future generations; science and technology; and transforming global governance.

For the Pact to truly impact on humanity, the UN must be reformed and reoriented based on equality for all and social justice.

Japanese auto giant Toyota is to end their top-tier Olympics sponsorship, its chairman has said, citing the sporting showpiece’s “increasingly political” influence that puts athletes on the back burner.

Toyota struck a 10-year sponsorship deal in 2015 with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

But now, with the Paris Games over, the carmaker decided to end the contract, chairman Akio Toyoda said during a podcast episode uploaded Thursday on the firm’s own YouTube channel.

“I’ve wondered for a while now whether the event is truly putting athletes first”, Toyoda said.

“It is also becoming increasingly political”.

The withdrawal means Olympics logos currently carried by Toyota products will be phased out, and its vehicles will no longer be provided to assist with the event, the chairman said.

Public broadcaster NHK said the company is also ending its Paralympics sponsorship deal.

“For me, the Olympics should simply be about watching athletes from all walks of life, with all types of challenges, achieve their impossible,” Toyoda told the US auto dealers.

Toyota follows another Japanese company Panasonic in ending their association with the Olympics.

Panasonic announced their withdrawal earlier this month citing “management considerations”.

The electronics giant said it agreed with the IOC not to extend their sponsorship agreement when the current contract expires in December.

Panasonic became an “official Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games” in 1987 and expanded its sponsorship to the Paralympics from 2014.

But it decided to let the contract expire “as the Group continually reviews how sponsorship should evolve with broader management considerations”.

“As a result of this review, and after extensive consultation with the IOC, the parties agreed to refrain from renewing the Olympic and Paralympic Partner Agreement,” Panasonic said without offering details.

[Vanguard]

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says investigations into allegations of bandit sponsorship in the north-west of the country are ongoing. 

Bello Matawalle, minister of state for defence; and Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara; have lobbed allegations of bandit sponsorship each other’s way. 

Matawalle challenged Lawal to swear by the Holy Qur’an that he was not involved in sponsoring bandits.

Responding, Lawal pledged to reveal evidence against the minister. He said he had reported the issue to Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA).

Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, spoke on the military’s interest in the allegations during a press briefing on Thursday.

Buba noted that relevant agencies are thoroughly investigating the matter.

He added that the military remains focused on defeating banditry by breaking the resolve of the criminals.

“And when you talk about what’s going on about the sponsors, I can assure you that the relevant agencies that are saddled with that responsibility are doing a good job. And sooner than later, you will hear some announcements in that regard,” he said.

“Winning a war is destroying the enemy’s will to fight. When you destroy the enemy’s will to fight, the war is over, you have won the war. And that’s why we are focused on destroying the enemy’s will to fight.”

ELIMINATING BANDIT KINGPINS

Speaking about the military’s operations from July to September, Buba noted that 1,937 terrorists had been killed, including 65 key leaders.

“Troops’ offensive actions culminated in the neutralisation of over 65 notable terrorist leaders, commanders, and combatants across all theatres of operations. Significant terrorist leaders were eliminated from the battlefield,” he said.

“The bandit leaders include Munzir Arika, Sani Dilla (Dan Hausawan Jubillaram), Ameer Modu, Matawal Bitrus, Thomas Benedict, Mohammed Sani, Rimamy (aka Omo), Terkimbi Injoko, Jacob Uzege, Ibn Kasir, Kachalla Ɗan Baleri, Kachallah Halilu Jimmare (Buzu), Kachalla Dan Ali Garin Fadama, Kachalla Dan Mani Na Inna, Kachalla Basiru Zakarriya, and Ofem Igwe.”

Buba added that 2,782 suspected terrorists and other criminals were arrested, and 1,854 kidnapped hostages were rescued in the third quarter of 2024.

He said troops recovered 1,304 weapons and 43,347 rounds of ammunition.

He also noted that within the same period, crude oil worth N13 billion was recovered by the troops.

“Troops denied oil thieves of an estimated sum of over N13,081,605,534, 12,143,870 litres of stolen crude oil, 2,623,216 litres of illegally refined AGO, 6,970 litres of DPK, and 31,450 litres of PMS amongst other items,” he said.

“Accordingly, the nation’s daily crude oil production output is at an all-time high, with the nation’s daily target in sight.”

[TheCable]

Mrs Patience Umo Eno, the wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, is dead.

The state Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong, announced the first lady’s death in a statement issued in the early hours of Friday.

According to the commissioner, the Mrs Eno died at a hospital on September 26, 2024, surrounded by family members.

The statement, titled, “Unexpected Sunset” read: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of the Wife of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Her Excellency, Pastor Mrs. Patience Umo Eno, following an illness.

“She passed away peacefully at the hospital on 26th September 2024, in the presence of her family

“The family submits to the will of the Almighty and asks for the prayers and support of kind-hearted individuals during this difficult time. Further details will be provided by the family as necessary. In the meantime, the family kindly requests privacy as they mourn their beloved wife, mother and grandmother.

“Further details will be provided by the family as necessary. In the meantime, the family kindly requests privacy as they mourn their beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.

“His Excellency, the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno appreciates all who have stood by the first family in this period and assures all the citizens that despite this huge personal loss, his commitment to the service of the state is unwavering.”

[newspeakonline]

The nation can at last heave a sigh of relief; the eagerly awaited Dangote Refinery is here at last, solid. The much longed-for stability in energy flow for the country is assured. It calls for dancing and rejoicing, for clinking of glasses to toast this development. Aliko Dangote deserves hearty congratulations. The nation owes him our thanks and unremitting encouragement. We salute him for his courage, commitment and doggedness to public good, daring all odds to free the nation from the strangle-hold on her energy supply needs. To arrive at this point, it had been a thorny journey. All manner of mines were buried in the ground on his path to stop him from achieving this feat by those who placed private interest over national interest. But he was undeterred even though at some point he knew discouragement. He picked up the gauntlet again and he forged ahead. 

When it became obvious that there was no stopping the refinery from coming on stream, an attempt was made to de-market its product and send cold shivers down our spine. There was this claim that its quality fell below the mark, and this was by an organization that was said to lack a laboratory of its own. Fitch ratings as of August 5 put Dangote oil at B+ which was considered as quite a drop. However, be that as it may, Dangote as of that time already had its laboratory and the lab test certified the product as meeting international standards. As of the time, its diesel oil was already being exported to the international market. The construction took him eight years. It cost $20billion Dollars. He built his own port and constructed roads within the expansive complex on a reclaimed land. Babatunde Fashola facilitated the acquisition of the land on which the refinery stands for $100million. Right now there is a ding-dong battle over the pump price and who fixes it. Is it not strange that a manufacturer is not the one fixing the price of his product? But Dangote has taken everything in his stride! The goal was far more important. It stabilizes fuel supply in the land; it is taking 100, 000 out of the unemployment queue. 

President Bola Tinubu did well by bringing out a surprise from his armoury of masterstrokes: Dangote Refinery is to pay in Naira for the crude oil that it requires. This will no doubt wipe the sweat off his brow in having to source for Dollars to buy crude from our own backyard where Mele Kyari is the lord of the manor and NNPCL is the sole merchant. As we all know the language of oil business is in Dollars. Yemi Cardoso himself must know relief that he does not have to worry himself silly on how to rake the Central Bank’s safe for what may remain after paying the international creditors to whom crude oil and Dollars have been mortgaged. As I once stated on these pages, Bola Tinubu was reckless in peremptorily removing fuel subsidy in his greatest hour of glory. Yes, Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, had said she did not put fuel subsidy in the budget she was leaving for him to inherit; Bola Tinubu was too experienced in governance and public communication not to know the place of tact and how to couch pronouncement appropriate for a certain occasion in order to sooth nerves, especially a situation about which the public was not even aware. He should have allowed himself firm thoughts of alternatives. The Law of Gradualism is unswerving in delicate matters such as that with grave implications. As a result of the mishandling, the nation has been plunged into untold and deepening misery since then. 

A smart guy, give that to him: he gave Nigerians some relief with the love letter he wrote to Oluremi, the First Lady, toasting her all over again. The letter soothed nerves no end. It relaxed tension. I was expecting the First Lady, though, to ask him to write to her in Latin. The world, indeed, has changed. Young men of my generation, and the generation before ours, had to write wooing girls in Latin, and they would not reply. Uncle B, Chief Bola Ige, a polyglot, provided a classical example in his book, Kaduna Boy, in which he narrated his experience when he wooed the then Miss Atinuke Oloko. All the notes to her in Latin did not impress her. She did not reply to them. She played very hard to get, even after Ajibola Ige became the Head Boy at Ibadan Grammar School; not until a friend of hers, placing herself as an intermediary as was the custom at the time, teased her and mounted subtle pressure on her did she give in. The couple lived happily together ever after as Chief Bola and Justice Atinuke Ige until death “did them part”! Bola Tinubu’s love letter to Oluremi worked great magic, soothing nerves in the land. Little wonder Professor Femi Osofisan once asked Tinubu the magic, what language he used in winning the heart of such a beautiful lady. When Remi is 70, the letter must be in Latin! He should not have allowed the relaxed mood to pass unutilized, again to further soothe nerves!

Aliko Dangote, a business mogul, cannot be lectured on how to run a company and make it flourish. Any attempt to do so will be laughable. That he has come this far in a totally unfamiliar terrain of an oil refinery has already proven his wizardry. It is the Nigerian market that will need to exercise patience to allow him work out his cost recovery template to be able to continue in business, his capacity building plan, loan repayment, provisioning for assets replacement, recording a little surplus to fire enthusiasm and providing for reserves. A gigantic company like the Dangote Refinery cannot but give thought to parts and assets replacement. Tinubu’s gesture will undoubtedly go some way to moderate the pricing decision. Distribution of the Refinery’s product will in part be by sea. It is considering transportation in particular to Calabar, Port Harcourt, Warri, Apapa and Atlas Cove by sea, according to the organization’s Vice-President Devakumar Edwin. Above all, the Dangote Refinery must see to it that it strikes a balance in its pricing as Law of Balance governs and as the Law of Motion does in every facet of life. Do we not exhale in order to inhale? It is unwise that only NNPCL will be the soul buyer of the product and then sell to marketers. All marketers should have equal access to the refinery. Competition makes for efficiency. It is good that the NNPCL stake does not exceed the 7.2 per cent by its own choice. All lose ends should be tightened to ensure that the equity through investment of $1billion Dollars does not rise higher than that. Here is an organization that sank a whooping $4trillion into fixing the four public refineries, without much to show for it. The assurance given on television by Mele Kyari that the Port Harcourt Refinery would unfailingly roar back into production in August did not yield result and already September is running out. Before then on 8 July, 2019 he had said It was a legitimate expectation from Nigerians that “how can we be an oil producing country and be importing fuel sometimes 100 per cent of our needs”. He then gave an assurance that before the end of the Buhari Administration in 2023, the four refineries would be delivered.  The pledge that received loud ovation was not kept.

According to the Report of the National Refineries Special Task Force, set up by President Goodluck Jonathan, from 1990 to 1992, Nigeria was self-sufficient in petroleum products and had enough for export. These came from three NNPC Refineries. The probing task force was set up following Jonathan’s unsuccessful attempt to remove fuel subsidy in January 2012.  Warri and Kaduna produced more than 70 per cent installed capacity with FCC units producing PMS. Port Harcourt Refinery was producing at over 90 per cent installed capacity, indeed, producing PMS and other products for export to West African countries, principally Ghana and Togo. While 30, 000 dwt vessels were moved by sea to Lagos every other day, and PMS, AGO and kerosene were transported through PPMC pipelines to Aba and Enugu depots. Kaduna Refinery was pumping all its products by PPMC pipeline through Zaria to Gusau and distributing through tankers to other parts of the North. Warri was pumping through PPMC 2C pipelines from Mosimi to Ibadan. Deterioration of the refineries began in 1993 when the refineries operated at an average capacity utilization of about 20 per cent and they finally collapsed in 2019. The Task Force believed that the industry could still rise. In its words, “The Task Force believes that the Nigerian Refining Industry is potentially capable of achieving self-sufficiency in petroleum products and emerging as an export hub for Petroleum Products in the West Africa sub-region if the root causes of poor performance of the Refineries in particular, and the Industry as a whole, are vigorously resolved.”  

Given the track record of Aliko Dangote, and also his courage, rooted in Margaret Thatcher’s principle that he who dares, wins, the dream of Nigerian Refining Industry becoming the hub in West Africa will be realized with the coming of the Dangote Refinery. It is hoped that the four modular refineries in the works will also come on stream before long. Governor Obaseki of Edo State has said the Edo-owned refinery is ready, but has not succeeded in receiving crude to refine and be able to contribute to reducing the current supply gap in the industry. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo gave out 16 licences for the building of modular refineries. More licencees will be expected to join the train and create competition that will be impossible to roll back and so that the land will be awash with Premium Motor Spirit and allied products. 

The Law of Motion governs the universe. Energy drives motion and motion is inherent in energy. To get to Shoprite to pick a packet of popcorn will necessitate taking a tricycle or a commercial motorcycle, there is recourse to motion. And energy is required to power the means to Shoprite. This is saying, therefore, that motion governs life. It is life itself. Through motion when we sleep, we move from one end of the bed to the other. Absence of motion is absence of life. By extension motion governs all economic activities and the link and vehicles to them are powered by energy. Which is why at all times, a careful thought will need to be given to the cost implications of energy policies to trigger motion. 

THE COMING OF AI AND THE EDUCATION SYSTEM    

 Artificial Intelligence, more known as AI, is stumping through all lands. It is advancing technology to undreamt-of dizzy heights. The modern man is dazed and he cannot wait to see Mr. AI achieve its goal of totally overhauling our lives, of breaking down and rebuilding, of discarding old beliefs and practices and replacing them with the new. Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Patani, is in his elements when he talks about technology and the AI its offspring. He is the chief salesman. He is asking us to fix our gaze on the future and what technology has in store for us. For him it is leading to Eldorado. Although many see Mr. AI as attempting to even take the Creator out of our lives. Is there anything AI cannot dare and do as of now? Patani does not share such concerns, predictably, knowing as Nigerians do, how unwavering, indeed bordering on fanaticism, his hold on the spiritual values he professes. 

AI is transforming lives. Technology, its father, is showing the way. It is facilitating life. In my reflection on the subject with friends, to demonstrate how wonderful the arrival of Mr. AI has meant to human societies, the question was posed: When last were you at the post office? Does it still exist? When last were you in your bank if it is not to renew your credit card? Where are typewriters? Technology has packed them to archival non-retrievable halls. The impact of AI is mind-blowing, in fact, more on the financial system. There is hardly anything that cannot be done online today. Mr. AI has been seen directing traffic. 

There is pressure directed at education authorities to begin to look at school curriculum from primary to secondary up to the university with a view to focusing more on acquisition of skills and self-employment goals. My friend, a revered Professor finds the prospect “quite frightening”, “honestly”, he says, “I do not know how humanity can confront it. AI is a technology that will impact everyone in the future whether we like it or not.” As for me, it is only when we connect education to His Will will we be correct. Mr. AI may soon be seeking to seize control of free will and initiatives from human beings! Yet as The Grail Message states: “So inadequate is the activity of a brain, the basis and instrument of science, and this limitation naturally also affects what it produces, hence all science itself. Thus science does indeed subsequently help to elucidate, classify and arrange all that it receives ready-made from the creative power which precedes it; but when it seeks to assume leadership or offer criticism, it must inevitably fail so long as it binds itself firmly to the intellect, that is to the perceptive capacity of the brain, as it has done hitherto.” It is in this mankind is inexonarably placing their destiny! Pray that we do not in future have a population without content! Without character!

…Taps 30% of Tetfund income to fund NELFUND

…To deploy tax tools to drive jobs, exports

The federal government is making plans to bring more eligible individuals and entities into the tax net to increase its revenues and meet obligations to the citizens.

It aims to actualise this objective through a project named, “Tax Identification Consolidation and Collaboration (TICC).”

The project will widen the tax net and the tax base in line with the newly proposed Economic Stabilisation Bills (ESB) set to be sent to the National Assembly.

The initiative is part of the 15 bills set for amendment as approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday, Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, said on his X handle.

“Part of the plan is the introduction of ‘Tax Identification Consolidation and Collaboration (TICC)’ initiative to expand the tax base, widen the tax net, and create a level playing field for businesses,” he noted.

Collaboration with states

The government is also planning to collaborate with state governments to suspend certain taxes on small businesses and vulnerable population to give them a breath of fresh air.

The federal government intends to woo states to eliminate taxes such as road haulage levies and other charges on transportation of goods; business premises registration; animal trade and produce sales tax; bicycle, truck, canoe, wheelbarrow, and cart fees; shops, kiosks and market taxes and levies.

“The ESB seeks to amend about 15 different tax, fiscal, and establishment laws to facilitate economic stability and set the country on the path for sustained inclusive growth,” Oyedele said.

Other objectives contained in the proposed bills include changes designed to achieve inflation reduction and price stability.

The proposed bills are also expected to promote fiscal discipline and consolidation, enhance job creation and poverty alleviation, as well as serve as catalyst for export promotion and diversification.

The key changes to be made to the various laws include amendments to the income tax laws to facilitate employment opportunities for Nigerians in Nigeria within the global value chain, including the digital economy.

FG eyes TETFUND’s 30% revenue

On the amendment to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on information and strategy, told journalists in Abuja on Wednesday that the government has successfully pushed an amendment to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Act, which provides for the deduction of 30 percent of revenue accruable to the agency to fund the newly established National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

“There is an amendment to the TETFUND 2011 Act, which now says it shall fund the disbursement of NELFUND. This means that TETFUND, before it disburses the amount in its fund, shall set aside an initial one-third of the amount to be transferred to the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, This is 30 percent of whatever TETFUND gets from the federation account. The amount will now be passed on to a readymade source of fund to NELFUND,” he said.

Onanuga confirmed an amendment of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act and that of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) such that all their fees, charges, levies, fines and other monetary accruals will now be paid in naira at the applicable exchange rate.

“You will recall that, hitherto, those agencies were charging their fees in dollars. So, those agencies can now collect naira.

“This affirms that the government wants to place emphasis on our national currency instead of dollarising our economy.”

Nigeria’s poor fiscal position

Nigeria wants to generate more revenue not just by raising taxes but by bringing more persons and entities into the net.

The nation’s revenue to the gross domestic product (GDP) stood at 9.4 percent in 2023, but it was a decline from 10.9 percent in 2021, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

South Africa’s revenue to GDP stood at 25.1 percent in 2023, according to South Africa Revenue Service (SARS).

Ghana’s tax to GDP is estimated at 14 percent. Rwanda is currently at 24 percent, while Kenya’s is 14.3 percent, says the World Bank.

Nigeria’s total public debt stood at N121. 67 trillion in the first quarter of 2024, from N97. 34 trillion in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023.

Bill Gates, co-chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in his recent visit to Nigeria said, “Nigeria’s economy has stagnated. Earlier this year, your debt exceeded 50 percent of your GDP for the first time since 2001.”

“And while your revenue-to-GDP ratio has grown, it’s still lower than what it was 15 years ago. The result is that Nigeria spends less per-capita on its people than other African countries with a fraction of your wealth.”

He further said that the Nigerian government must demonstrate that it is properly utilising tax revenues before propping the citizens to pay.

“Taxes are never popular. That’s true in America too. But they’re part of a social compact. People are more likely to pay them when they see the government spending that money to give Nigerians a better life.”

The Nigerian Economic Society (NES) recently warned that Nigeria’s slowing revenue generation may pose significant challenges to its economic growth and social wellbeing of its citizens.

This is contained in a report presented by Adeola Adenikinju, president of NES, at the 65th annual conference of the economic group in Abuja.

Adenikinju noted that with the level of revenues generated in the country, Nigeria may find itself among countries with lowest revenue collection, raising concerns over its economic sustainability.

“Nigeria’s fiscal performance benefited from the foreign exchange liberalisation in 2023, but the country still suffers a revenue problem and could remain among the bottom 10 countries with the lowest revenue in the medium-term,” NES president warned.

[BusinessDay]

In my years of experience as a journalist, I have encountered situations that have caused me to reflect on the role and perception of journalists in society. One such situation occurred when I was on the verge of renting an apartment from a landlord through an agent. All seemed well until the landlord learned from the agreement form that I was a journalist. Without warning, he abruptly declined to proceed with the transaction. The agent explained that the landlord had become uncomfortable after realizing my profession. Similar experiences have played out in other settings, where conversations halt the moment I enter a room, or people suddenly grow suspicious of my presence, not because of anything I said or did, but simply because I am a journalist. These incidents reveal a broader concern about how journalists are perceived, often viewed with suspicion, mistrust, or even fear. But are these perceptions justified?

Journalists, in their essence, are the eyes and ears of society, tasked with uncovering the truth and reporting facts. Yet, the discomfort many people, especially those in positions of power or influence, feel in the presence of a journalist stems from a misplaced fear. It is as though they see journalists as enemies, waiting to expose every mistake or wrongdoing. But the reality is quite the opposite. Journalists are not enemies; they are society’s friends. Their work helps to ensure transparency, accountability, and the proper functioning of democratic societies. Rather than being afraid of journalists, particularly the elite, individuals should be more focused on doing the right things in their daily conduct, understanding that journalists are trained to observe and report, especially when wrongdoing is evident.

Journalists play a critical role in modern society, one that often goes underappreciated. Their responsibility is to keep the public informed, hold those in power accountable, and uncover the truths that might otherwise remain hidden. This task is not easy, as it frequently puts journalists in uncomfortable or even dangerous situations. But without the vital role that journalism plays, society would be in the dark about important issues, from corruption in government to corporate malfeasance to social injustices.

Journalists shine a light where it is most needed, making sure that the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, is brought to the public’s attention. This transparency is not meant to cause fear or to intimidate. Instead, it is designed to create a more informed and engaged society. If individuals, especially those in influential positions, conduct themselves in ways that are ethical and responsible, they have no reason to fear a journalist’s presence.

The fear of journalists, particularly among the elite and those in power, can often be traced to a fundamental misunderstanding of the profession. Journalism is not about sensationalism or the exploitation of people’s personal lives. Responsible journalism is about reporting facts accurately and fairly. When a journalist investigates a story, they are guided by ethics that require them to be truthful, balanced, and to ensure that their reporting serves the public interest.

However, when people are aware that they are not acting in the public’s interest, they may become fearful of the journalist who could expose their wrongdoing. This fear is not about the journalist as a person, but rather about the uncomfortable reality that unethical behavior can come to light. Instead of perceiving journalists as enemies, individuals should see them as catalysts for positive change. The presence of a journalist should not lead to paranoia or fear but should serve as a reminder that accountability is crucial in every aspect of life.

In reality, journalists are protectors of society’s best interests. They serve the public by ensuring that institutions, corporations, and individuals operate in a transparent and accountable manner. By exposing corruption, inequality, and injustice, journalists push for reforms and changes that benefit everyone.

Take, for instance, investigative journalism that has brought attention to corruption within political institutions or exposed human rights abuses. These stories lead to public outcry and demand for change, which ultimately improves society as a whole. When wrongdoing is uncovered, it is not the journalist’s fault; it is the fault of those who perpetrated the wrongdoing. Journalists are merely messengers, fulfilling their duty to the public by revealing the truth. For this reason, they should be seen as friends who help safeguard society’s moral compass.

The elite, and everyone for that matter, should understand that the presence of journalists is a call to uphold integrity and transparency in their actions. Journalists will report what they observe, and if there is nothing unethical happening, there is nothing to fear. Instead of worrying about how a journalist might portray them, individuals should focus on ensuring that their actions can stand up to scrutiny. If everyone did what was right, there would be no need to fear the presence of journalists.

People in leadership positions, whether in politics, business, or other fields, need to remember that public accountability comes with the territory. A journalist’s role is to report on events as they happen, and if those events are positive, that is what will be reported. The fear of journalists stems from a recognition that one’s actions cannot stand up to ethical scrutiny. But the solution to this problem is simple: act with integrity. When actions are ethical, there is nothing to fear from a journalist’s inquiry.

It is important to note that journalists are trained professionals. They are taught to approach their work with fairness, balance, and accuracy. Journalists are not out to “get” anyone, but they will not close their eyes to wrongdoing. This is a key aspect of the profession. When a journalist sees something that is not right, they are obligated to report it. This is not a personal vendetta or an attack; it is simply a part of the job.

Society benefits from this level of vigilance. Journalists help to keep everyone honest. They ensure that individuals and institutions are held accountable for their actions, and in doing so, they protect the public from harm. If people are doing the right thing, they have nothing to worry about from a journalist’s scrutiny.

Journalists are friends of society, not enemies. Their work ensures that truth, fairness, and accountability are upheld, and this is to the benefit of everyone. Rather than fearing the journalist, particularly among the elite, individuals should ensure that their daily conduct aligns with ethical standards. A journalist’s job is not to cause fear but to report on what is happening, good or bad. Ultimately, society is stronger when everyone understands that journalists are there to serve the public and that accountability leads to positive change. So, instead of seeing the journalist as a threat, we should all see them as protectors of truth and justice, because that is precisely what they are.