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The Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has challenged the northern elite to fix the economic, political and security crisis in the region as a way of fixing the country’s problems.
Onaiyekan spoke yesterday in Abuja when the League of Northern Democrats (LND), led by former governor of Kano State, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, paid him a courtesy visit.
The cardinal, who commended LND for championing a northern renaissance, challenged them to inquire why there was too much poverty and insecurity in the northern states, when compared to the south of Nigeria.
He stated, Let’s face it, if the north does not move well, Nigeria cannot move well. It’s the same discourse. If Nigeria does move well, Africa cannot move well.”
According to him, “I think we must face the reality that the way northern Nigeria is today is not what we can be proud of. All the various indices of good governance and standard of living, we have a very poor record. If Nigeria is poor, the epicentre of the poor is the north.
“And when there is a league of northern democrats, who are interested in addressing the issues and finding out, why is it that things are not moving as they should, I think things will move because a league of elite northern democrats should be able to engage those who call themselves political leaders, especially as some of you have had good experience in government.
“So, you can tell them, listen, look around you, are you proud of what you see? Out-of-school children all over the place, and it is not an excuse to say we are poor because if we continue about being poor, the issue will remain.
“We are in a federal government and federal resources are being distributed, so what has happened.”
Onaiyekan added, “There is no room for one section of the country to be lagging behind. What it does mean is that the entire nation should be interested in what you people are doing. If for no other reason but for what they normally call enlightened self-interest.”
He stressed the need for all regions of the country to move together, adding that his doors are open to leaders from other parts of the country who share the same interest of ensuring good governance.
The cardinal said the country needed many leagues of democrats to improve the quality of governance.
He stated, “Your initiatives of coming together to form the league of northern democrats for the purpose of trying to reinvent the north is a welcome development. I support what you are doing.
“Go further, ask questions, because when you reinvent the north, you are on the sure positive way to reinvent Nigeria. When you reinvent Nigeria, Africa would reinvent itself. We are the largest black nation in world.”
Onayekan called for harmonious relationship between Christians and Muslims in the north. He said a peaceful relationship between Christians and Muslims was another sure way to build a stable and united northern Nigeria.
The Catholic cardinal went down memory lane to discuss how the Nigerian inter-religious council was formed during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He said though the expected goal of complete religious harmony was yet to be desired, with time Nigeria would realise the goal.
Earlier, Shekarau told Onaiyekan that the visit was to acquaint him with the group’s plans to reinvent the north from poverty and the challenge of insecurity by engaging leaders from the region.
Shekarau, who was a two-time governor of Kano State, told the Catholic cardinal that his group was not partisan, but was worried about the level of poverty and insecurity in the northern states.
The former governor stated, “We are an apolitical group, who are worried with the level of economic, security developments in the 19 northern states. We have members from all political parties. Our mission and goals are to reinvent the north from its present economic situation.”
[ThisDay]
The 23-year-old stated that contrary to what people think, her mother and every member of her family were against her marriage to the politician.
She disclosed this during her a live on Instagram.
The mother of two disclosed that she met her husband during an outing with one of her ex-boyfriends.
She said, “I went to visit my boyfriend and I was so angry about why we had to go sightseeing, but when we got there I met a cute man.
“The moral of the story is that your boyfriend should not stop you from seeing your husband.
“When I started with my husband I forgot I was to have boyfriends; of course, I had like 20. When people think I don’t have a choice, I’m like what?
“People were saying mummy forced me not knowing that she was against the marriage, my full family said no.”
Nwoko married Regina Daniels in May 2019 in Aniocha Local Government Area, Delta State despite the huge gap in age.
Explaining why he married the 23-year-old actress, the 63-year-old politician said he tied the knot because Regina Daniels was from his place.
“For her particularly, I married her because she is from my place. I wanted to marry a wife from my place, and I was looking for the right person. By the time I met her, I knew she must be the one,” Nwoko had said.
[NaijaNews]
Governors of the 19 northern states met in Kaduna yesterday, alongside top traditional rulers from the region, where they discussed various issues and challenges affecting the region, and resolved, among others, to reject the Nigeria Tax Reform Bill sent to the National Assembly recently by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Monday’s meeting was part of the Northern States Governors’ Forum’s initiative to engage key stakeholders over pressing matters, including insecurity, poverty, the education crisis and other socio-economic challenges affecting the region.
Governors in attendance included: Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Dauda Lawal Dare (Zamfara), Abdullahi A. Sule (Nasarawa), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), and Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa). Deputy governors from other Northern states were also in attendance.
The meeting, which held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, also had in attendance notable traditional rulers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III; Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba Al- Amin El-Kanemi; Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli; Ohinoyi of Ebira land, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani Anaje; Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar; Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najib Hussaini Adamu; Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu, among others.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, was also present at the event.
‘Tax reform not favourable to North’
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the group decried the contents of the recent Tax Reform Bill that was forwarded to the National Assembly, saying they were against the interests of the North and other sub-nationals, especially the proposed amendment to the distribution of Value Added Tax (VAT) to Derivation-based Model.
President Bola Tinubu had on the 3rd of this month transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly for consideration.
Tinubu, who was on vacation in London by then, sent the bills via a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen. The letter was read on the floor of the House during plenary that day.
The bills are the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which is expected to provide the fiscal framework for taxation in the country, and the Tax Administration Bill, which will provide a clear and concise legal framework for all taxes in the country and reduce disputes.
The others are the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, which will repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, which will create a tax tribunal and a tax ombudsman.
Tinubu said the bills were designed to support his administration’s objectives and strengthen fiscal institutions in the country.
“The proposed tax bills present substantial benefits that align with my government’s objectives and fiscal reform on the economic growth by enhancing taxpayer compliance, strengthening our fiscal institutions and fostering a more effective and transparent fiscal regime,” he said.
The president further stated that he was confident that if the bills were passed, they would encourage and stimulate the economy.
Explaining their decision to reject the Tax Reforms Bill yesterday, however, the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Governor Inuwa Yahaya, while reading the communique of the forum’s meeting said: “This is because companies remit VAT using location of their headquarters and tax office and not where the services and goods are consumed. In view of the foregoing, the forum unanimously rejects the proposed Tax Amendments and calls on members of National Assembly to oppose any bill that can jeopardise the well-being of our people.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Northern Governors’ Forum is not averse to any policies or programmes that will ensure the growth and development of the country. However, the forum calls for equity and farness in the implementation of all national policies and programmes so as to ensure that no geopolitical zone is short-changed or marginalised”, the group said.
‘We’re worried’
The forum’s chairman, while reading the communique, also said that the economic hardship currently faced by Nigerians is more pronounced in the Northern region than the Southern region due to what he called “disparities in economic inequality.”
Speaking further, he said: “On the present economic hardship affecting the country, the forum is appealing to all citizens to remain calm, as the states and federal government are working hard to implement measures that will cushion effects of the hardship”.
The governor noted that the #EndBadGovernance protests which took place in August, served as a wake-up call for all northern leaders.
According to him, youth restiveness is a growing concern, driven by illiteracy, poverty, and a lack of economic opportunities.
He said it was essential for leaders to adopt measures to alleviate the suffering being experienced through targeted social welfare programmes, support for small and medium enterprises, and policies that would attract investments to their states.
“Our young people are calling out for change, and it is our responsibility to listen and act. We must scale up efforts to tackle the root causes of youth restiveness by investing in education, skills development, and job creation. Let us focus on creating pathways for the youth to channel their energy into productive ventures, thereby reducing their vulnerability to crime and social vices.
“The economic hardship faced by many Nigerians today is undeniable, and considering the North-South disparity in economic inequality, it is even more pronounced in northern Nigeria. This calls for urgent intervention,” he said.
The chairman further added that they must work with the federal government to ensure that fiscal policies are sensitive to the realities of the day.
“As we speak today, most of our Northern states are in darkness due to the vandalisation of electricity transmission infrastructure. This, not only underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure but also the need to build additional transmission lines and diversify our energy supply to better connect our region and improve our energy resilience.
Daily Trust reports that most parts of the northern region have been in darkness for almost 10 days due to a fault on the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line, a development that has further worsened the hardship being experienced in the region.
“Northern Nigeria holds immense agricultural potentials, which, if fully harnessed, can significantly alleviate hunger and boost economic growth,” he said.
The governor also commiserated with victims of terrorism, banditry, and other criminal activities in the North, including the victims of the Maiduguri flood and the recent tanker explosion in Jigawa State.
He said they would continue to work with the federal government and relevant agencies to provide the necessary support and relief to those affected.
In the communique, the group further said: “Particularly, we commend the untiring commitment of the Chief of Defence Staff, General C. G. Musa, whose professionalism and innovative approach has made difference in security architecture of the country at large”.
The group also resolved to provide adequate support to farmers, including access to financing, modern farming techniques and infrastructure such as roads and irrigation systems.
“Agriculture should not only be seen as a means to feed our people but also as a catalyst for industrialisation and job creation across the region. “That can be achieved through re-industrialisation of the North, especially by reviving the textile value chain and development of other agro-allied industries”, it said.
The group further called for roles for traditional rulers, saying, “Forum advocates for increased roles for the traditional institutions to maximise cooperation with security agencies in the fight against kidnap for ransom, banditry, cattle rustling, communal clashes, farmers/herder clashes and other forms of criminality.
“Forum acknowledges the recent gains made against criminals, especially the elimination of bandits and terror leaders.
“Forum emphasised that traditional institutions are critical in the quest for lasting peace and security in the region”.
The group also commended President Tinubu for the reform initiative in the livestock sub-sector and agreed to provide the necessary political will and commitment to ensure its success.
Our interventions would be felt – Uba Sani
In his remarks, the host for the event and Kaduna State Governor, Sani, said the Northern Governors Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council would make their marks as effective platforms for addressing the security and developmental challenges confronting the North.
He emphasised the need for the leaders to work together to realise their vision of a secure, peaceful and prosperous North.
He further used the opportunity to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for reinvigorating the war against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements in the region.
He said the establishment of a joint military command and launch of Operation Fansan Yamma are clear demonstrations of the federal government’s commitment to tackle the multidimensional challenges of insecurity confronting the region.
Almajiri, out-of-school children, major problems– Sultan
Also speaking at the event, the Sultan said the issues of almajirai and out-of-school children remain serious challenges confronting the northern Nigeria.
He urged the governors to include these issues in their discussions, emphasising the need to address them urgently.
The Sultan added that as leaders, they would support the Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Commission.
“The issue of out-of-school children and Almajiri is a core problem for all of us. When you go around the states, towns, cities, and villages, what you see is very unpleasant.
“We have so many children—hundreds, if not thousands, or millions—roaming about. This commission must be supported by all of us so that it succeeds. I am sure if it succeeds, we will all say yes, we are on the way to the world of freedom. Once you educate somebody, you have given him the freedom to be himself, to work for himself, and to work for humanity.
“We are ready to work with you, and you can reach out to us anytime. I have a strong belief that this set of Northern governors will turn the tables and make the North a better and safer place.
“Please, listen to us when we say certain things; we are not criticising you. We are stating things as they are, as we hear from our people. All you need to do is listen patiently because a leader must be patient with the people he is leading.
“You cannot know it all. You don’t know it all and will never know it all. When you bring good people close to you, and they advise you and you act on it, you will take the glory, and people will say this governor is excellent, not knowing there are people working for him 24/7. So, let’s work together because there is a new sense of direction and commitment with the present governors,” he said.
ACF speaks
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), while reacting to the governors’ position, said this is not time for party politics and party loyalty.
Speaking with Daily Trust yesterday, the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba encouraged the governors to get more involved in grassroots affairs, especially things to do with the socio-economic conditions of the people.
While commending the governors for their position, he said it is an indication that some people are aware of what the North is going through.
“The call by the governors and traditional rulers is very much in order because one of the things that have been happening is that most elected public officials have been mute about the suffering of the people in the North.
“The position of the governors is actually commendable. We called for more active involvement of the governors towards addressing problems in the North,” he said.
[DailyTrust]
The Federal Government has confirmed the arrest of three Chinese nationals and two Nigerians suspected of illegal mining in Nasarawa State.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, made the disclosure in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Monday in Abuja.
Alake said that the suspects were arrested at an illegal mining site located at Rafin-Gabas, Agwada, in Kokona Local Government Area.
He stated that the ministry’s mining marshals, established to secure mining sites across the nation, made the arrest in a recent operation following credible intelligence.
“The suspects were arrested for mining without lawful authorisation. Some of the minerals being mined include fluorite, zinc, lead, and tin.
“The arrested suspects confessed to having been on illicit activities at the site spanning five cadastral units since December 15, 2021.
“The company defied all lawful advice to regularise their activities and continued syphoning the nation’s resources, causing significant revenue losses to the Federal Government,” he said.
According to the minister, more than 200 illegal miners have been arrested so far, and about 140 are undergoing prosecution across the country.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to reforming the mining sector, emphasising that the mining marshals would remain steadfast in ensuring a secure and safe environment for legitimate investors.
[DailyPost]
An Ikeja Special Offences Court has heard how former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele instructed his erstwhile despatch rider, Monday Osasuwa, not to formally acknowledge millions of dollars collected on his behalf from various sources.
Osasuwa, who is the first prosecution witness (PW1) in a case the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed against Emefiele, said this yesterday during re-examination by counsel to Emefiele, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), before Justice Rahman Oshodi.
The witness told the court that he had no record of all the money he collected and handed over to the former CBN governor.
The court had recalled Osasuwa, following the granting of an application Ojo filed over the case.
The lawyer asked Osasuwa if he produced any documents to the EFCC showing Emefiele’s instructions, and the witness said: “He advised me not to write anything down for all the money I brought to him. I did not produce any document because my boss told me not to keep any records. I only obeyed my boss.
“Whenever my boss was not around, he instructed me to give it to the second defendant (Henry Omoile).”
On April 12, Osasuwa had testified that Emefiele, on different occasions, used him to collect funds from different sources as the ex-CBN governor’s despatch rider.
The witness said after he became a CBN staff member, he collected over $3 million in tranches on behalf of Emefiele.
When Ojo asked the witness who his direct boss was at the CBN, Osasuwa said: “I did not have one direct boss. In my office, we have the Secretary to the former CBN Governor Emefelie.”
When the lawyer further asked Osasuwa if in his appointment letter as a senior supervisor, it was stated that he was to run personal errands for Emefiele, the witness replied: “If my boss gives me instructions, I can’t refuse.”
He told the court that based on the errands he ran for Emefelie, the EFCC said he was charged with money laundering.
“I have been carrying some dollars for him; so, the EFCC tagged it money laundering. It was based on the messages my boss sent me.”
Emefiele is standing trial for alleged abuse of office and money laundering to the tune of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
The EFCC had, on April 8, arraigned the ex-CBN governor on 23 counts bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage.
Omoile was arraigned on three counts bordering on acceptance of gifts by agents.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Emefiele was admitted to N50 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
[TheNation]
Ministerial nominees have begun the documentation process ahead of their screening and confirmation by the Senate, set to commence today (Tuesday).
This was announced on Monday evening by the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Basheer Lado.
Lado said, “Nominees were already submitting relevant documents as the first in the series of procedures for the screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees.
“The nominees are expected to be screened and confirmed by the Senate in compliance with Section 147 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended).”
The Senate received President Bola Tinubu’s formal request for the screening and confirmation of seven ministerial nominees last Thursday.
The President’s request was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, which was read at the start of plenary on Thursday.
The nominees listed in the President’s letter are Dr Nentawe Yilwatda as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment; Bianca Odinaka Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Dr Jumoke Oduwole as Minister of Industry, Trade and Development, Idi Muktar Maiha as Minister of Livestock Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata as Minister of State, Housing, and Dr Suwaiba Said Ahmad as Minister of State, Education.
In his letter, President Tinubu requested swift consideration of the nominees by the Senate.
Akpabio subsequently referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for prompt deliberation.
This development followed the President’s recent reshuffle of his cabinet.
In the process, five ministers were relieved of their positions. They were Uju-Ken Ohanenye (Women Affairs); Lola Ade-John (Tourism); Prof Tahir Mamman (Education); Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo (State, Housing and Urban Development) and Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Youth).
[Punch]
The pressure on the naira in the foriegn exchange market, and the removal of fuel subsidy have taken a toll on earlier projections on what the Federal Government would require to complete inherited ongoing road projects nationwide.
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, who disclosed this at a briefing yesterday, said President Bola Tinubu’s administration would now require over N19 trillion to get the job done.
The new cost represents an increase of N3trillion over the N16trillion projected for the projects as at August, 2024.
Umahi had at a briefing on August 23rd said: “The funding gap to complete all the inherited projects is about N13 trillion as of May 2023; that will be more than N16 trillion when all projects are reviewed in line with current market realities. This is due to the removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the naira.”
However, while addressing the media yesterday, the minister explained that these issues had continued to have an impact on the ministry’s activities, with respect to project delivery.
Umahi said: “The President inherited a total of 2,604 projects as at May 29, 2023. The total cost was N13trillion, that was what the President inherited. And a debt to contractors of N1.6 trillion.
“When you look at the variations by reason of the floating of the naira, you will find that if you review all these projects, you get over N19trillion, the total ongoing projects. “
The minister further explained that the President decided to keep all the projects alive, with the hope to get funding from internal and external sources, including loans, because of his concern for the well being of Nigerians.
According to him, the president has given priority attention to the ministry of works, knowing fully that roads and bridges have the potential of unleashing unprecedented economic benefits for citizens.
He also explained that the ministry would not hesitate to revoke the Abuja-Kano road contract awarded to Messers Julius Berger should it fail to mobilize to site at the expiration of the 7-day ultimatum given to it. The ultimatum expires tomorrow
According to him, negotiation between the ministry and the contractor went on for the better part of 17 months and government decided there must be an end to it.
[Vanguard]
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has blamed the finance ministry for the ongoing strike that has disrupted the resumption of academic activities on campuses.
On October 28, non-teaching staff unions in federal universities began an indefinite nationwide strike over withheld salaries.
The federal government, under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, had withheld the salaries of university staff who participated in an eight-month strike in 2022.
In October 2023, President Bola Tinubu approved the release of four months of the withheld salaries of public university teaching staff.
Left out, non-teaching staff unions including SSANU and NASU accused the government of unfair treatment and discrimination.
In July, SSANU and NASU (Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions) planned a pre-strike protest to evoke a federal response on unpaid salaries.
The unions have since been at loggerheads with the federal government, initiating talks with the education and labour ministries.
A joint committee of both unions said it has issued multiple notices to seek redress on the matter but payment has yet to be made.
Muhammed Ibrahim, the president of SSANU, spoke during a Channels TV programme on Monday night.
He said the presidency has approved for the non-teaching staff to be paid but the matter is being stalled at the finance ministry.
“To be fair, the former minister of education Tahir Mamman and his colleague the minister of state did their best. This issue is being stalled at the finance ministry. The NLC president called the finance minister who kept assuring us payments would be made,” he said.
“This never happened. The NASU-SSANU joint action committee made efforts to see the minister of finance but we weren’t successful.
“Since July, we’ve been giving notices and changing dates based on assurances. What is happening is at the finance minister’s doorstep.”
Ibrahim said non-teaching staff have been struggling to sustain themselves under the heat of Nigeria’s unfavourable economic realities.
“Our universities are in a dire state,” he added.
“To have a productive economy and an enlightened population, universities must be funded properly. Teaching and learning must be seamless to avoid issues.
“The non-teaching staff comprising mainly of SSANU, NASU, and NAAT by extension have been shortchanged several times by operators of government.”
A strike by non-teaching staff, who oversee admissions, examinations, maintenance, security, and other administrative operations in federal universities, typically disrupts academic activities.
[TheCable]
The Ethereum Foundation, led by Vitalik Buterin, has been heavily criticized for selling its token.
The foundation, which is supposed to believe in Ethereum’s long-term potential and hold it more instead of selling it, views this as a bearish move.
Vitalik Buterin the co-founder of Ethereum has come out to clarify the assertions leveled against the foundation for selling their tokens.
In his argument, Buterin noted that the foundation was selling Ethereum tokens to raise funds which it uses to fund various developmental projects on the ecosystem.
This developmental project includes supporting zero-knowledge technology for privacy, account abstraction for user security, and several events promoting Ethereum globally.
Buterin added that the developmental projects funded by proceeds of selling Ethereum tokens have helped maintain the security and stability of the Ethereum blockchain which has experienced no downtimes since 2018.
$11 million worth of Ethereum sold
According to data from the scope scan foundation, the Ethereum foundation has sold over 4,066 ETH worth nearly $11 million. Scopescan further agreed that the Ethereum Foundation could make as much as $20.08 million per year if it staked the 271,000 ETH it owns.
- Vitalik Buterin in his explanation on why the Ethereum foundation does not stake its token explained that one of the main reasons the organization doesn’t stake its ETH is to avoid any “official choice” in the event of a contentious hard fork.
“We don’t want to be in the situation of being forced to make an ‘official choice’ if there’s a contentious hard fork.”
- His argument borders on avoiding the challenge of conflict of interest or having the Ethereum foundation wield undue advantage in the Ethereum ecosystem.
- The decision not to stake is aimed at maintaining Ethereum’s decentralized ethos by letting other entities stake on behalf of the network. This would ensure that no single foundation has an outsized influence on the blockchain.
For this reason, the Ethereum foundation’s preference remains to fund development and operations directly, which Vitalik Buterin argues aligns better with Ethereum’s long-term goals.
What to Know
- Staking is when you lock crypto assets for a set period to help support the operation of a blockchain. In return for staking your crypto, you earn more cryptocurrency. Many blockchains use a proof of stake consensus mechanism.
- A hard fork is a branching of a cryptocurrency’s blockchain that splits a single cryptocurrency into two. This happens when the users of a blockchain cannot come to an agreement on rule changes or upgrades to the blockchain. Hard forks are different from soft forks, which don’t create a new blockchain.
Tinubu Committed To New Minimum Wage, Urges State Governments To Ensure Full Implementation – Akume
Admin
The federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, is fully committed to implementing the new ₦70,000 minimum wage.
This assurance was given on Monday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, after a meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Akume appreciated all the state governments that have started implementing the new minimum wage and appealed to those yet to start the implementation to do so as soon as possible.
The SGF emphasized that the new national minimum wage remains a priority for President Tinubu’s administration and urged state governments not just to implement the new minimum wage, but to implement it fully.
“The issue of the new minimum wage has always been central to the thinking of the government of President Bola Tinubu, and that was why he quickly assembled the team.
“They put in place a tripartite arrangement to look at all the issues, and this was properly carried out.
“The governors were represented, the federal government was represented, and the organised private sector was also part of it. So we all arrived at the new minimum wage,” Akume stated.
The SGF commended states that have gone beyond the ₦70,000 benchmark, reiterating that the implementation must not be in half measure.
“We are very satisfied with it. And, some state governments have started implementing; others have even gone beyond N70,000. So, I believe that there’s no problem with that whatsoever.
“We applaud those who have started,” he said.
“For those who have not started, we just want to appeal to them to start the payment. What is that? What is it, at the level of the federal government? Is it fully, as the federal government done? Is in terms of full implementation, quite, quite frankly, the federal government is totally committed. Today is full.”
“There’s no half measure about this at all. It’s full, okay,” Akume added.
The SGF revealed that his discussion with the President also included other matters concerning state governance.
[NaijaNews]
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The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has again expressed confidence that the ruling party in the state will win the November 16th governorship election in Ondo State with a wide margin.
Speaking during the inauguration of the National Campaign Council of the party in Akure, Ondo State capital, on Monday, Ganduje declared that the party will win the forthcoming governorship election in a free and fair contest.
Inaugurating the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led 305-member council, Ganduje urged them to swing into action and build a strong synergy with the state and local campaign council.
While noting that the members must maintain the state for APC through democratic process, the APC Chairman said President Bola Tinubu hails from the zone, hence the need to show him their respect by winning the forthcoming poll.
According to him, “We are here to create an enabling environment so that the election will be free and fair. And the election will be victorious for our party. We appreciate the reform the state governor has introduced. We must support him so that he will continue to provide good governance for the state. He is a lucky man, and he will continue to be lucky.”
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman, APC National Campaign Council for Ondo State governorship election and Lagos State governor, assured the party leadership that the committee would win the forthcoming governorship election with nothing less than 80 percent of the total votes.
Sanwolu who noted that the party had given him the same assignment in the state twice, pledging that the committee members will do everything within their means constitutionally, and professionally to defeat other political parties in the poll.
He said, “The campaign will be issue-based and devoid of insult. We can boldly come out for Governor Aiyedatiwa because he has made us proud within his short period as a governor of the state. We will not disappoint the party and the people of the state. We will win with nothing less than 80 percent of the total votes.”
Earlier, the Ondo State governor and the candidate of the party, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said within the last 10 months in office, he has focused on infrastructural development, public utilities renewal, boosting agricultural production, entrepreneurship and youth development, job creation and security.
“We have focused on strengthening governance institutions through fiscal discipline, improved healthcare, access to quality education, and responsible citizenship.
“We have shown commitment to social welfare to alleviate the sufferings of our people. We have deliberately created a stronger engagement with our women, too.
“We are concerned with leadership with integrity and character. We are not talking about our people; we are talking with them. Remarkably, within our 10 months in the saddle, we have activated the construction of not less than 70km of rural roads to provide access to our farm settlements and villages.
“This is in addition to the new 60km city-based roads recently awarded alongside the ongoing roads, bridges, and public building projects initiated and awarded by our administration. It is significant that our workers are happy and well-motivated as we pay their salaries regularly and promptly. We owe no kobo to workers, even as they enjoy their regular promotions.
“We have employed workers into critical sectors of the public service, such as health and Internal Revenue Service, while processes at an advanced stage to recruit about 2,000 teachers for public primary and secondary schools. We have supported not less than 500 youths with hundreds of millions of naira in grants and loans as part of start-up kits for their entrepreneurial businesses.
“We are supporting our farmers with access to quality funds and finance as well as technology and trade. We are also giving scholarships, bursaries, and financial assistance to students of Ondo State origin in higher institutions across Nigeria.”
Other chieftains of the party present at the inauguration include the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; his Ekiti State counterpart, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo Agege; National secretary of APC, Sen. Ajibola Basiru, among others.
[Leadership]
Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men’s first-team manager.
Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
It added: “Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team whilst a permanent head coach is recruited.”
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called on Nigerians to continue supporting the military’s efforts to tackle insecurity, warning those aiding criminals to desist or face consequences.
Musa, speaking to journalists shortly after attending a joint meeting of the Northern Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Kaduna on Monday, expressed gratitude for the increased support and intelligence gathering from Nigerians, which has enabled the military to take adequate action.
“I want to thank all Nigerians for the support, which has increased. We are getting information as to when due, and we are equally taking adequate action.
“Please, we should not get tired. We want to also call on those who keep supporting criminals wherever they are in this country to stop,” Musa said.
The CDS emphasised the need for collective responsibility in achieving peace, stressing that the friend of a thief is equally guilty.
“For the friend of a thief is a thief, and if you are caught, you will be dealt with just like them,” he warned.
Addressing the recent attack on Shiroro lines, General Musa acknowledged the challenges posed by difficult terrain.
“There’s nowhere anybody is in total control. Some of these areas are supposed to have clear views so that patrols can take place, but some of these areas are dark forests.”
However, he assured that actions were being taken to clear the forests and monitor critical areas.
“The forests will be cleared so that action and repairs can be taken, and then we will be monitoring, which is critical, so that we can do the needful.”
Musa commended the troops for their efforts, urging them to remain focused and disciplined, saying, “For our men, the commanders are appreciating them, Nigerians are appreciating them. We want them to remain focused and disciplined to understand that we are here to protect Nigerians and Nigeria.”
He also reiterated the importance of collaboration between the military and civilians.
“We will continue to call on Nigerians to continue to give us support and to also advise those who think they provide logistics, food, and other items to criminals to desist, as actions will be taken against anyone found.”
The military has intensified efforts to address these issues, with recent successes in operations across the country.
[Punch]
South African grocery retailer, Pick n Pay has disclosed that it will exit Nigeria by selling its 51% share of a joint venture as part of plans to restructure outside of its home market.
According to Reuters, the CEO, Pick n Pay, Sean Summers stated this Monday, that the move is part of its plans to restructure outside of its home market.
The company entered the Nigerian market less than five years ago through a partnership with A.G. Leventis (Nigeria).
It should be noted that the exit of Pick n Pay adds to a growing list of multinationals exiting Nigeria.
On June 24, another South African retailer, Shoprite, announced the closure of its Abuja store, after a thorough evaluation of the store’s financial situation and the current business climate.
The closure followed the earlier shutdown of Shoprite’s store in Kano in January 2024.
In December 2023, Jumia also announced the shutdown of its food delivery business, Jumia Food, in Nigeria.
According to Jumia, the decision was necessary after a thorough review revealed that the current market conditions and economic climate make the food delivery business unsustainable.
Also, several companies, including multinationals like GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Nigeria Plc, Procter & Gamble, Sanofi, and Kimberly-Clark, have exited Nigeria, citing the challenging business environment in Nigeria.
According to Jumia, the decision was necessary after a thorough review revealed that the current market conditions and economic climate make the food delivery business unsustainable.
[Vanguard]