Edo gov poll: Political parties mobilising huge funds for vote-buying - may pay N20K per vote
AFOLABI
There are indications that the leading political parties in the Edo governorship election are ready to outdo one another in vote-buying to win the poll scheduled for next Saturday.
Our correspondents gathered that the parties had started amassing “war chests” in a desperate bid to compromise voters.
A highly credible source said the Edo poll could set a new record for vote-buying in the history of elections in the country.
“A vote could go as high as between N15,000 and N20,000. There are plans by agents of some of the parties to mop up voter cards. How they intend to use the cards is what nobody knows. This is why the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission are being deployed for the election,” the source added.
Another source confirmed plans by the parties for what he called “heavy vote-buying”.
“I can confirm to you that the parties are ready to do whatever it takes to win this election and that includes paying as high as N20,000 for a vote.
“Unfortunately, doling out of gift items during campaigns has become entrenched in our political system with voters themselves mortgaging their votes for a ‘pot of pottage’. The voters are all partners in crime and what they fail to understand is that collecting gift items and cash from candidates and political parties makes them vulnerable.
“They will not have the moral justification to question the government if it fails in its responsibility to provide developmental projects in the state. After all, they (the electorate) have been paid upfront.
“Unless the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies work together to ensure that citizens are discouraged from selling their votes, this might be an election where the buying of votes becomes an all-time high,” the source added.
Another source urged INEC and security agencies to monitor the activities of parties and their agents on election day.
He said, “I have spoken to some members of two of the leading parties and they said that they are preparing to bring out cash to induce voters. So INEC and security agencies should be ready to combat this.”
Parties already paying voters
A frontline election monitoring organisation, Yiaga Africa, said both the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress had been inducing voters ahead of the election.
Yiaga expressed worry that the parties had abandoned the election mandate and resolved to induce voters with cash and materials.
The Media Officer of the organisation, Jennifer Dafwat, while speaking with Saturday PUNCH, said the group witnessed and documented political parties and politicians distributing cash, presents, and food items to entice voters.
“Election mandates are becoming less credible as a result of this sad trend. These incidents were primarily noticed or heard about in the Uselu market, Egor LGA, where market women received monetary gifts ranging from N1,000 to N2,000 from the APC and PDP parties during their campaign tours.
“Similarly, PDP campaigners gave wrappers to women who joined the campaign gathering in the Amiebonkhian community of Esan North East LGA. In the Ubiaja community of Esan South East LGA, PDP campaigners also gave several store owners shirts, caps, umbrellas, and as much as N2000,” she added.
The Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the Conference of Registered Political Party, Samson Isibor, described the plans as unwholesome.
He noted that whoever bought votes did not mean well for the masses.
While admitting that it would be difficult for people to reject such offers due to economic hardship, he urged the electorate to vote their conscience.
He said, “What they are engaging in is transactional politics, where buying and selling of votes becomes the order of the day.
“We do not want politics to degenerate into this. Those who buy votes are not coming to serve the people. You don’t need to buy votes from the people you want to serve. All you have to do is sell your manifesto to them.”
PDP, APC, LP exchange tackles
The Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, Timothy Osadolor, told Saturday PUNCH that the APC had demonstrated a significant propensity for vote-buying.
Osadolor stated, “The APC has shown that they are not prepared for the election; they are gearing up for violence and vote buying. That is why they have not campaigned on issues but have instead relied on federal might.
“In contrast, the PDP is ready for this election and any future elections because we have done our homework and the people are with us. We also have the most credible candidate, and the incumbent Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has achieved a lot, which will swing votes to the PDP.
“The APC has demonstrated a significant propensity for violence and has even recruited some members of the Nigeria Police Force into their scheme. We also know they are planning to engage in heavy vote buying, which will be resisted.”
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, also said the APC had shown signs it was not committed to a free, fair, and credible election.
He said, “Since it became evident that the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, is heading towards decisive victory, the APC and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo, have become desperate, resorting to violence and intimidation to undermine the will of Edo State voters. Reports indicate that the APC has set up a torture squad to abduct innocent Edo residents and take them to undisclosed locations.
“This use of violence and intimidation reveals that the APC and its ineffective candidate are intimidated by Dr Asue Ighodalo’s growing popularity in Edo State.”
Ologunagba also claimed that the APC was importing thugs from Imo State to assist in an election manipulation scheme.
He noted that residents were prepared to use every lawful means to confront and resist attempts to disrupt the governorship election.
But the APC dismissed the allegations, insisting that Governor Obaseki was plotting to rig the September 21 governorship election.
The National Publicity Director of the party, Bala Ibrahim, said, “The PDP has made a name in rigging. But because their rigging mechanism has been uncovered and defeated, everything about them falls around rigging. Now that they can not unleash their rigging tactics, they have refused to sign the Peace Accord.
“They have seen that the people are ready to protect their votes and won’t allow rigging; this is why they are making noise all over the place about arrest, rigging, vote-buying and others. This is even a sign that the PDP has lost grip and the real meaning and intent of democracy.”
Ibrahim denied that the APC had plans to buy votes, adding that the party lacked the means.
Also, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Edo State, Peter Uwadiae, said his party had no reason to engage in vote-buying.
He said, “We are not in the business of buying votes and we don’t have any reason to do such. We are not paying for votes. Buying of votes is an electoral offence and we cannot be seen to be committing an offence when we are planning to win the election.
“The only party that will buy votes is the one that feels it has not been accepted and this is a wrong step to be taken by any political party that means well for the Edo people.
“We are a decent party, we have done so well in our campaign and the people have shown that we are accepted and are ready to demonstrate that on election day.”
The Labour Party Public Relations Officer, Sam Uruopa, distanced his party from vote-buying, saying only the APC and PDP were known for such.
He said, “The APC and the PDP are the ones involved in vote-buying if what you heard is correct. That has been their practice, they also rig elections and are involved in other electoral malpractices. We are urging INEC and the security agencies to watch officials of these political parties closely, especially during the election.
“For the LP, we are not vote buyers and the people are with us. However, we are scared about this age-long practice they have been known for, that they have used to cripple this country and used to bastardise the electoral system.”
The Deputy Director General, Media, Asue/Ogie Campaign Management Council, Olu Martin, said parties that did not have popular candidates engaged in the practice.
He said, “I can’t speak for other parties but it is not unusual in a democracy to see people trying to induce voters, especially for parties who don’t have popular candidates.
“For us in the PDP, our fellowship is organic, our candidate is known, our manifesto is clear, we have endeared ourselves to the people. We even have people who are donating to us and ready to mobilise people to go out and vote. They are even ready to give us money to run the campaign. If you buy votes, you now become like a social contractor hoping to recoup what you have spent. It is the people that will suffer.”
EFCC, INEC warn parties
The spokesman for EFCC, Dele Oyewale, said vote buying is an economic crime and the commission would not tolerate it.
“We will not allow any kind of criminality in any form,” he stated.
“The same spirit and focus that we have been using to fight all other crimes, will be deployed be the commission to fight criminality including vote-buying.”
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the electoral body had asked security agencies to go after vote buyers.
“Therefore, it will be a big mistake for any political party to think that its members can engage in vote-buying on election day because law enforcement agents will move against them. I would strongly advise anyone thinking of doing it to have a rethink. Apart from the fact that vote-buying is an electoral offence, it will also go against the spirit and letter of the Peace Accord that the political parties and their candidates signed only on Thursday here in Benin City,” he added.
Obaseki raises the alarm
Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor Obaseki, has alleged that INEC is working in cahoots with the APC to postpone the governorship poll on the eve of the election.
A statement on Friday said the governor spoke while addressing members and leaders of the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.
Obaseki, who had earlier refused to sign the peace agreement, noted that the country’s democracy was at risk.
He said, “They plan to postpone the election on the eve of the election to destabilise us. But whenever they postpone the election, we will win the election. It will be a long fight but we know it’s a struggle.”
“APC has not offered us an alternative. They have not campaigned on any meaningful thing we can hold them onto. They don’t have any credible candidate but all they boast of is federal might. They say they will write the results and we can go to court. We will not go to court because they can’t write the results. If they write the results, they will meet the consequences.”
Many women are growing increasingly fearful following the rise in cases of boyfriends killing young women for ritual purposes in different states.
The women view the killings as a reflection of societal failure, greed, and cruelty, leaving them feeling unsafe, even in public spaces.
One recent case involved a 25-year-old man, identified simply as Elisha, who was arrested on May 14 for allegedly killing his lover in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Similarly, Christiana Idowu, a female student at the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Ogun State, was kidnapped and killed on August 19 by one Ayomide Adeleye, who had previously been accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend in 2018.
Other cases include the August 6 arrest of Fatai Mogaji in Lagos State for allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend, Opeyemi Shoyinka, to death, and the chilling murder of 19-year-old Damilola, a student at the Federal University in Lokoja.
Damilola’s killer, 20-year-old Jeremiah Samson, was arrested after dismembering and burying her remains in a shallow grave.
These violent incidents have caused widespread panic, particularly among young women in southwestern Nigeria.
A 22-year-old lady, Adenike Araoye, expressed fear about dating in light of the alarming rise in ritual killings.
“I am single, but I’m terrified of entering a relationship. The news of boys killing their girlfriends is terrifying. Good guys seem rare these days,” she said.
A student at the Osun State University, Mariam Oyebamiji, while speaking on general insecurity in the society, said, “I don’t want anyone to destroy my parents’ joy.”
Another lady, Oluwatobiloba Ajiboye, 30, also shared her concern over how easily women had become targets for ritualists.
She, however, urged women to be vigilant in relationships, pointing out that many relationships were based on deception.
“These killings show that some men never truly loved these women; the relationship was just a cover for their sinister plans,” Ajiboye said.
She also warned that materialism and dating fraudsters, often referred to as Yahoo boys, increased the risks for women.
Ajiboye attributed the rise in ritual killings to the harsh economic climate and societal pressure, which she believed had pushed many young men to seek quick wealth through deadly means.
Also, a journalist, Nafisat Oyedele, lamented society’s disappointing reaction to femicide, often blaming the victims instead of addressing the root cause.
“It’s heartbreaking to see so many femicide cases in Nigeria, yet society blames the victims. Girls are told to stay home, but even at home, they aren’t always safe. Many are killed by people close to them,” Oyedele said.
An activist, Titilope Adako, identified the killings as a form of gender-based violence.
She explained that some perpetrators enter relationships with the intent of using their partners for rituals.
Adako said, “The fact that intimate partners, who should offer love and support, are committing these brutal acts is a clear sign of societal failure.”
She also pointed out that the crimes were fueled by a toxic mix of superstition, desperation, and ignorance.
She explained that the belief that human sacrifice leads to wealth, combined with a lack of effective law enforcement, creates an environment where violence is normalised and criminals feel emboldened.
Adako added, “The lack of remorse shown by some of these killers highlights the severity of the issue.”
The Chinese arm of PriceWaterCoopers (PWC) has been banned in China for six months with a fine of Rmb441 million, around $62 million slammed on it for auditing failures related to the collapsed property developer Evergrande, in Beijing’s toughest action yet against a Big Four firm. Techeconomy has reported.
The move follows a March announcement by China’s securities regulator that PwC China had approved Evergrande’s accounts even though the developer had inflated mainland revenues by nearly $80 billion in the two years before its default in 2021.
The penalty surpasses the $31 million fine and three-month partial business ban imposed on Deloitte last year for “serious audit deficiencies” related to its work with China Huarong Asset Management, one of China’s largest bad-debt managers.
China’s finance ministry said PwC issued “false audit reports” of Evergrande and that the audit procedures had “serious defects” in design and implementation, leading to many false conclusions. It also accused PwC of not maintaining “professional scepticism” and failing to point out errors and a lack of information disclosure by Evergrande during the audits.
The securities regulator said 88 per cent of the records kept by PwC regarding the real estate projects were inconsistent with the actual implementation and were “seriously unreliable.” When on-site investigations were carried out, some projects were still “a piece of vacant land” despite being considered to have met the delivery conditions, the regulator said.
“The work performed by PwC Zhong Tian’s Hengda audit team fell well below our high expectations and was completely unacceptable,” Mohamed Kande, global chair of PwC, said in a statement on its website. Hengda is the principal subsidiary of China Evergrande Group.
[Leadership]
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says its operatives have arrested four suspects over alleged crude oil theft in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
The suspects are Emmanuel Nwachi, Adamu Bala, Nura Musa, and Bashir Abubakar.
In a statement on Friday, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said the suspects were arrested by the operatives of the IGP special task force on petroleum and illegal bunkering (IGP-STFPIB).
Adejobi said the operatives discovered a storage facility used for “dealing and processing illegally acquired crude oil” in Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt.
“This operation had led to the arrest of four (4) suspects, namely, Emmanuel Nwachi ‘m’ 58 years; Adamu Bala ‘m’ 35years; Nura Musa ‘m’ 22 years; Bashir Abubakar ‘m’ 28 years, and the recovery of 40,000 litres of petroleum products, stored in 67 white storage tanks,” the statement reads.
“The team, however, destroyed the site and recovered the equipment and machines used in committing these crimes.
“The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM., has reemphasized the commitment of the Force to tackling every form of crime, criminality, and corruption, extending to those involved in this economic sabotage.”
Over the past few years, the federal government and stakeholders in the petroleum industry have been finding ways to checkmate crude oil theft in the country.
In July 2024, George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), said over $1.5 billion has been spent on protecting oil infrastructure and addressing crude oil theft since 2020.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to succeed in its bid to return to power at the national level after nine years and two consecutive attempts.
The acting national chairman of the party, Alhaji Umar Iliya Damagum, believes, however, that the party won in the 2019 and 2023 elections.
Though he assumed position as national chairman of the party after the 2023 presidential elections, he has not been spared blame for the loss.
Damagum, who spoke in an interview with Weekend Trust, said though he inherited the problem, he has chosen to remain calm so as to accelerate the healing process.
He says, “Well, when you have a fragmented party that is full of people that are not happy they lost, people have played different roles; so my duty here is to take the bullet for all sinners so that the party will remain an indivisible party.”
Just like other chairmen before him, Damagum has come under fire for the seeming inability of the party to mend its cracks ahead of the 2027 elections.
The different camps
Currently, the PDP is embroiled in a serious crisis with several of its leaders refusing to concede positions.
Within the last one year, the PDP has had cause to change its leadership for a record three times and has not been able to hold a convention to elect a new chairman due to internal crisis.
The party is yet to elect a substantive national chairman since the exit of Iyorchia Ayu and had to postpone taking a decision on the matter till the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party while asking the acting chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum, to continue.
Split into two major camps – one led by former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the other led by former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike – both sides have been implacable and have tenaciously held on to their positions with righteous indignation.
There also seems to be an emerging third camp which does not align with any of the two camps led by Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, who is equally believed to be nursing a presidential ambition.
It is believed that it is the Atiku camp that is pushing for the election of a new national chairman from the North-central zone while Wike’s is okay with Damagum continuing as chairman.
Aside the issue of camps, the North-central zone of the party is insisting on Damagum’s removal, saying the position of national chairman ought to return to the region since the ousted chairman, Iyorchia Ayu is from there.
Even as the matter has temporarily been calmed, there are mixed feelings over whether the party would be able to put its house in order and do better in 2027.
Former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federal, Anyim Pius Anyim, who served in both offices on the PDP mandate, and former deputy speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, recently left the party.
This is even as 60 federal lawmakers have threatened to leave the PDP if Damagum does not step down from his position.
How the problems started
National chairman of the party in 2015, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, under whose leadership the party lost the presidential election, also suffered the same fate.
Mu’azu resigned his position as the party’s national chairman on May 20, 2015, owing largely to this disagreement and that opened the flood gates to fresh issues.
A fresh crisis arose over the need to retain the chairmanship position in the North, after the then deputy national chairman, Uche Secondus, held the position in acting capacity for some months. In February 2016, a former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who had joined the party, was asked to step in to replace Secondus.
Sheriff acted as chairman for three months when former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, was asked to take over as caretaker chairman leading to a legal tussle between Sheriff and Makarfi, which was finally won by the latter at the Supreme Court.
The party was able to hold a convention and Secondus was returned as chairman on 10th December 2017, in an election.
Another crisis erupted and Secondus who was said to have overstayed his tenure was made to leave and on October 31, 2021. One time Senate President Iyorchia Ayu emerged through a consensus as the new national chairman of the party.
Ayu led the party to the 2023 elections during which a major rift occurred in the course of electing a presidential candidate for the party.
After so much back and forth, the party for the first time jettisoned its principle of zoning which enabled former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, to contest the primary from where he was duly returned as the flag bearer.
This caused a major rift in the party as the then governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who was eyeing the ticket, felt betrayed and decided to fight back.
Following the emergence of Atiku, Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, insisted that Ayu should resign as chairman of the party. The problem continued up till the elections, in which the party lost the presidency, and even after the polls.
Damagum on his part attributes the party’s loss of power in 2015 to contests for the presidential ticket, adding, “the presidency was supposed to rotate after Yar’adua’s term, but when it didn’t, many people were aggrieved. Unfortunately, we couldn’t put those grievances aside to sit down and say, “Okay, even if it’s just another four years, let him finish, and then we’ll move on.” We failed to realise that the consequences of not addressing those grievances would be so severe for the party.”
Why erring members have not been sanctioned
The inability of the party to discipline erring members is seen as the biggest encouragement to such acts of defiance. This comes as surprising for a party which in the past did not condone any act of indiscipline and which at the slightest indication of anti-party tendencies moved to enforce discipline and order.
In the past, the party took disciplinary actions against powerful members like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar even as a sitting vice president and other state governors.
In the current dispensation, almost all the leaders of the party have been accused of working against the interest of the party at one time or the other but without consequences.
The G-5 governors led by Nyesom Wike, which had Samuel Ortom of Benue; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, as members also challenged the party at various instances with some of them working openly for presidential candidates of other parties.
Their stance is believed to have contributed to the defeat of Atiku, the PDP presidential flag bearer in that election.
Wike, who is the leader of the G-5 took the matter beyond the general elections by accepting to serve as a minister in the APC-led government and has continued to poke his fingers at the rib of the party.
Former Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has said openly that the G-5 governors would replicate its support for President Bola Tinubu’s candidacy in 2027 if he decides to seek re-election.
“Our leader, Nyesom Wike, has already made a declaration that in 2027, we are supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he stated.
Resolving the crisis
In the bid to resolve the issues facing the party, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party recommended the setting up of two committees – the reconciliation and the disciplinary committees.
The disciplinary committee headed by a former minister of foreign affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi, has started work and has invited those accused of working against the party’s interest to appear before it.
Some believe not much can come out of the exercise because those accused are the leaders of the party.
In an interview with Weekend Trust, Sule Lamido said, “They are not ordinary Nigerians or voters. The erring members are former presidents, vice president, governors; I mean leaders who invented the PDP. They are supposed to lead by example and understand the legacies of the party and what is ahead of it.”
But the infighting has not abated even as the party is trying to show that it is capable of managing the crisis.
Only recently, Wike threatened the PDP governors for trying to intervene in the matter between him and the Rivers State governor Sim Fubara.
Why PDP is hopeful
Despite the crisis, the PDP believes its structures are still intact and is able to pull a surprise in the 2027 elections.
Inside sources in the PDP say though the perception outside is that the party is dying, happenings within it indicate that it has maintained its position as the ‘strongest’ party in Nigeria.
“I can assure that you will see what will happen once the whistle is blown. During our last congress, we know the number of people from the other parties who approached us,” one of the party leaders stated.
The view appears credible given that the PDP is recording a high number of interests in its presidential ticket even when political activities are yet to start.
So far, former vice president Atiku Abubakar is believed to be interested in vying, while the governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, is also said to be interested, even as there are moves to convince former President Goodluck Jonathan to run on the platform of the party.
Evidence that the party is doing well, according to another source, lies in the fact that the PDP has held its National Working Committee and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings as well as ward, local government and state congresses successfully in 24 states.
“So, how can anyone call such a party a dying party when it is doing all that a political party is supposed to do and functioning well?” the source queried.
[DailyTrust]
As transportation costs continue to rise in Nigeria due to the recent hike in petrol prices, the situation remains a source of anxiety for millions of Nigerians, especially low income earners.
For many, the daily journey to work, school, or the market has become a huge financial burden.
The situation is even more dire for low-income households, who are already struggling to survive on meager earnings.
Public outcry has been growing, with many calling on the government to address the rising costs.
It is one of the reasons for the recent nationwide protests with the hashtag #EndBadGovernance.
Protests have also been held in major cities, with citizens demanding immediate action to reduce the cost of living.
Findings by DAILY POST revealed that the increase in petrol price has driven up prices of essential goods and services, exacerbating financial hardships for many, especially the low income earners.
The price hike, which came into effect early last week, has seen petrol prices soar to a record high of between N850/litre and N1,400 per litre depending on the area, adding to the already mounting pressure on household budgets.
Due to the hardship this has caused Nigerian citizens, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Archbishop Matthew Kukah, urged President Bola Tinubu and the leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to take measures to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians and also reverse the petrol price hike.
He said, “I once asked a girl if she is in the APC, PDP, or Labour and she said ‘I am hungry.’ And so, since I am speaking to those who are in power, please know that we, Nigerians, are hungry.
“Find a way of reducing the price of fuel. Find a way of keeping our country secure. That will be the greatest legitimacy of any government.”
In the same vein, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, also condemned the recent increase in the pump price of petrol and warned the federal government not to take Nigerians for granted.
The President-General of the forum, Yerima Shettima, in a statement criticised the hike in the pump price of petrol, noting that the government has lost touch with the reality of things in the country.
“The government urged Nigerians to refrain from protests with promises of improvement, only to exacerbate their struggles by unexpectedly raising petrol prices.
“For me, the federal government should have a rethink on the numerous challenges. President Bola Tinubu must allow Nigerians to breathe, because with the current state of affairs, angry and hungry Nigerians are being pushed to the wall, and the reaction of a hungry and angry person may be unimaginable,” he said.
Speaking to DAILY POST, a cross-section of Nigerian low income earners lamented the hardship the hike in the price of petrol has caused them, appealing to the government to revert to the old price.
A sales representative, Amina Abubakar said, “I’m finding it difficult to balance my budget.
“The increase in petrol price has added to my transportation costs, and I’m struggling to afford necessities like food and rent.
“We expected so much from this government, but what we are seeing now is heartbreaking.”
Another FCT resident, Eche John, complained that he usually spent N800 to work but now spends N1500 since the announcement of the new fuel pump price.
He said, “This transport thing is something else. The truth of the matter is that salaries have not increased while many people are already losing their jobs.”
Another Abuja resident, Glory Adetunji, expressed concern about how the rise in fuel price has not only affected the cost of transportation but also started to drive up the cost of goods and commodities in general.
Ojetunde said, “The fuel price increase has already led to an increase in the price of goods.
“I bought a sachet of milk recently for N300 instead of N200 that it was sold initially before the fuel price increase.”
Another low income earner, Johnson Okpe, who is a Point of Sale, POS, attendant said the situation has deteriorated, adding that he may have to stop going to work for lack of transport fare which has just skyrocketed.
“I don’t know how I’ll manage to feed and still have money to spend on transportation.
“House rent is still there staring me in the face. If nothing is done to ease this hardship, hunger will kill everyone. I virtually spend my salary on transport fare.”
A sales girl, Chioma Eze who commutes from Mararaba to Wuse market in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria, said her transportation fare has gone more than double compared to how it was in the past year.
“I used to spend about N1000 on transport every day, but now it’s over N2000. It’s really getting out of hand.
“I might be forced to stop this work because how much are they paying me that I will be spending N2000 on transportation on a daily basis, excluding feeding,” she lamented.
A secondary school teacher, Auwal Ibrahim, who did not mention the name of his school, shared his struggles thus:
“My salary hasn’t increased, but transportation costs have gone up significantly. I now have to spend nearly over 50% of my income on transport alone.
“It’s hard to see how this can continue without some form of intervention.”
A private security personnel, Hassan Abdul, who resigned from his job recently, decried the hardship orchestrated by the hike in petrol price, saying he is confused over the next line of action.
“My salary was N40,000 and I have a wife and a kid to cater for. Now, after calculating how much I would be spending on transportation alone, I discovered I would still be borrowing money to meet up.
“Instead of continuing, I had to resign and begin to think of what to do next. I don’t even know what next as I speak with you now,” he lamented.
A housekeeper, Ekaete Frederick, also said she had to resign because of the same issue of hike in transportation fare.
“Imagine I go from New Nyanya to Garki, in the FCT on weekdays on a N50,000 job and I spend N2000 daily.
“Calculate it and then subtract it from the N50,000 and see what is left. Instead I better resign and then look for another job close by or go into hawking sachet water,” she lamented.
A commercial motorcyclist, Uche Emeka decried lack of passengers and the pain of getting fuel for his motorcycle, saying most people have resorted to trekking and that has affected their work.
“These days, people no longer enter okada. They rather choose to trek to their destinations.
“I don’t blame them anyway, because after they must have spent over N2000 on transportation already, they would like to cut down on the cost. How much is even the salary? We are just in trouble in this country,” he stated.
As for Paul Owoicho, he fears that the new development would increase the already inflated level of criminality in the land, calling for urgent intervention to avert a lawless society.
“People are hungry. Someone who does not want to do anything evil before might be tempted to do so just to survive.
“There will be a high rate of uncontrollable social vices in the land and the innocent Nigerians are the ones at the receiving end,” he cautioned.
[DailyPost]
The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has reopened the verification portal for nurses and midwives on its website.
Checks by our correspondent on the NMCN portal on Saturday showed that nurses and midwives can now submit verification requests.
Our correspondent confirmed that the verification portal was reopened on Friday.
When our correspondent checked the portal, it read, “Good news, verification requests are back online.
“Please note that henceforth expiration dates on renewal applications will be calculated based on the date you applied.”
Also, a nurse, Anthony Ijeoma at Nursingworld Nigeria, confirmed that the portal has been reopened.
Ijeoma commended the efforts of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives for bringing the change to fruition.
“I also commend NMCN for listening to reason and reopening its verification portal for nurses within and outside the country,” he stated.
PUNCH Online reported that the sudden deactivation of the verification portal by the council in February plunged countless Nigerian nurses and midwives working abroad into turmoil.
Already, some nurses without the necessary verification from the NMCN find themselves in violation of visa conditions and employment laws, resulting in legal consequences.
Many nurses abroad, including those in the United Kingdom and the United States, have been forced to return to the country over the issue.
On February 7, the council released a circular on the guidelines for requesting verification of certificates for nurses and midwives in the country.
By the circular, nurses and midwives must have a minimum of two years post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing licence, and the council shall request a letter of good standing from the chief executive officer of the applicant’s place(s) of work and the last nursing training institution attended and responses on these shall be addressed directly to the Registrar/CEO, NMCN, among others.
This led to state councils and chapters of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives in Nigeria in Lagos, Ogun, Kwara, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Kaduna, Yenagoa, Ondo, Plateau, and others to petition the nursing council and the headquarters of their association to demand the withdrawal of the circular on certificate verification.
Some nurses and midwives also protested the guidelines, and some dragged the NMCN to court, and the court case was withdrawn.
On February 27, the House of Representatives also asked the council not to implement its revised guidelines for issuing verification certificates to nurses and midwives in the country.
The professionals have said that the council’s action is an attempt to hinder their freedom to pursue career opportunities abroad.
They also said it was not unconnected to the plan of the Federal Government to reduce the number of health workers emigrating out of the country to seek greener pastures abroad.
On Friday, NANNM appealed to the Federal Government to address the association’s demands with urgency.
The National President of the association, Michael Nnachi listed some of the pressing needs of the association as the re-opening of the nurses and midwives certificate verification portal, payment of salaries of all staff of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, constitution of the board, creation of special nurses salary structure or immediate review of nurses peculiar professional allowances.
More to come…
[Punch]
Five people have reportedly died in an accident that involved the campaign convoy of Monday Okpebholo, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo.
The accident occurred on Thursday at Warrake road in Uzebba of Owan west LGA, Edo state.
It was learnt that one of the vehicles in Okpebholo’s campaign convoy hit a Toyota Camry conveying five persons, killing the occupants, including the driver.
The victims were said to be returning home after attending a burial ceremony.
The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at a mortuary in Edo State University, Uzaurie, in Etsako west LGA of the state.
One of the victims was identified as Emmanuel Edionwe.
According to the Punch, a relative of Edionwe, who did not want to be named, said the family is devastated about the news of their son.
“We just learnt that five of them have died after the collision with Okpebholo’s convoy. There is just one of them who is in critical condition and is now being nursed to life at the hospital,” the family member said.
“We are devastated beyond words. Emmanuel was a good, easy-going boy who should not have died.”
The newspaper quoted Cyril Mathew, the Edo sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
A source said the lone survivor of the accident is in critical condition at the Irrua Specialist Hospital., adding that a delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state will pay the families of the victims a condolence visit today.
The Federal Government, on Friday, disclosed that the supply of petrol from Dangote Refinery will commence tomorrow after both parties reached an agreement on pricing and supply.
NNPC will remain as the sole off-taker of petrol from the refinery with other marketers getting the product from the national oil company.
Speaking in Abuja, a member of the Presidential Committee on the Sale of crude Oil and Refined Products and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji said in return NNPC Limited would commence the supply of 385,000 barrels of crude oil to Dangote Refinery on October 1, 2024.
Adedeji announced that “all agreements have been completed and loading of the first batch of PMS from the Dangote Refinery will commence on Sunday 15th September”.
He disclosed that Dangote Refinery will in return supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid for in Naira.
He said other decisions reached by the committee include the sale of Diesel in Naira by the Dangote Refinery to any interested off-taker while PMS will only be sold to NNPC.
“From 1 October, NNPC will commence the supply of about 385kbpd of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery to be paid for in Naira
“In return, the Dangote Refinery will supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid in Naira.
“Diesel will be sold in Naira by the Dangote Refinery to any interested off-taker. PMS will only be sold to NNPC, NNPC will then sell to various marketers for now. All associated regulatory costs will also be paid for in Naira”, he added.
The agreement is expected to ease the acute shortage of petrol across the country and also allow the government to continue the payment of subsidies on the product.
The Presidential Committee on the Sale of Crude Oil and Refined Product has announced that loading of the first batch of petrol from the Dangote Refinery will commence on Sunday, September 15.
A member of the committee and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday. Briefing journalists, the FIRS boss said that from October 1, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) will commence the supply of about 385kbpd of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery to be paid for in Naira.
[Vanguard]
Following the present economic hardship in the country, occasioned by the hike in fuel prices and food inflation, Nigerians have devised ingenious means to survive. The hardship has driven many to do the unimaginable just to survive such as feeding on animal feeds.
Some residents have resorted to selling personal belongings to weather the crisis while some have even taken to urban farming.
Many car owners have also abandoned their cars at home and make use of commercial motorcycles tricycles and other means of public transportation to their respective destinations while others have taken to trekking some distances because of the hike in transport fares.
PLATEAU: Resort to animal feeds to stay alive
In Plateau state, many women in Jos have now resorted to animal feeds to stay alive. A resident, Mrs Gladys Tonggang said, “I was heartbroken when I heard of a pregnant mother of four feeding her children with maize chaffs, which is called dusa in local language. Animals are fed with dusa and this is what this woman was feeding her children with after grinding it and making food with it”.
This development was confirmed by a seller of dusa who said the price of the commodity had increased by N500 as many women had been patronising her which they grind and make into two.
A mechanic, Monday Adetola said that in the last six to seven months, his client base had greatly reduced because of the hardship in the country. He said, “I have been calling my clients to know why they don’t come again but they complained about the economic hardship. If they don’t drive the cars, how will they come for regular maintenance? When the price of petrol keeps going higher, many people will park their vehicles and that means less work for us”.
Murtala Musa, a tailor, said he closed his shop and has started selling noodles and eggs because he no longer had customers.
To Mary Friday, “In the past, I was particular about what I eat and how I eat it due to ill-health. But right now, I am unable to afford the kind of food I should eat while I eat what I see now which is giving me concerns because I don’t want my condition to get worse. The suffering is too much, how do we survive? Nobody will go through these and remain sane.”
EKITI: Skipping meals, relying on less nutritious alternatives
In Ekiti State, a civil servant, Deji Ilori noted that it has become increasingly difficult for him to provide staple foods for his family, forcing them to skip meals and rely on less nutritious alternatives.
He said, “fuel is now N1,000 per liter, I can’t imagine when last I drove my car to the office. Before now, when fuel was being sold for N585 per liter at NNPC, I spent an average of N30,000 per week on fuel and we are yet to enjoy the new minimum wage. Even at that, whatever gain is coming with the minimum wage has already been eroded with the new pump price of petroleum. My family and I can no longer eat what we want. We have to prioritize what is most essential. Everything is just getting more difficult with the rise in fuel and commodity prices,” he said.
Uwamba Favour, a small business owner, described how she has been caught in a vicious cycle of increasing expenses and dwindling profits. This unfortunate development has forced her to stop taking orders and, at times, she would sell products at the purchase price to avoid losses.
“Imagine buying something for N5,000 and having to sell it at the same price just to make people buy it so that the product doesn’t go unsold. It got to a point where I was tempted to sell below the amount I bought it, but I pray it doesn’t come to that, which has led me to stop taking some orders,” she explained.
Ganiyat Olanrewaju, a staple food seller, reported experiencing a sharp drop in sales as customers, overwhelmed by the cost of fuel and food, have cut back on their purchases. She noted that many who once bought in bulk were now purchasing in smaller quantities or not at all, forcing her to adjust her operations to avoid losses.
OSUN: Going on the streets to beg for food
Following the hardship in the country, some women in Osogbo, Osun State capital have resorted to begging to feed their families. More well-dressed women now thronged the streets of the state capital and other towns to beg for money to buy food while others put pride aside and approached neighbours for help.
A mother of two who identified herself as Taiwo, while narrating her ordeal said, “Since the beginning of this year, my husband who is a driver has been finding it difficult to make ends meet. My husband sleeps at filling stations in the hope of getting fuel for regular transportation business. On those occasions I had to go to our neighbours to get food stuff to feed our two children. Sometimes I got garri while on other occasions I got tubers of yams or rice. The situation is actually hopeless for us”.
Also, Usman Faruk, a student at the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife described the present economic situation as excruciating, saying his parents could not afford to pay his school fees now, much less provide for his needs as an undergraduate. “Living has been very difficult as a student, I work as a labourer at various sites here in Ile-Ife to make ends meet and the money I made from the sites is not even enough to buy food to survive on campus. Since last year, I have not travelled to Kwara State where I am based because of the cost of transportation”, he added.
AKWA IBOM: Resort to public transportation
In Akwa Ibom State, many public servants have parked their vehicles and resorted to using public transport to work. Even commercial tricycle (Keke Napep), taxi and mini- buses operators appear to be the worst hit following low passenger patronage.
Lamenting the sad turn of event, an Estate Surveyor, Madam Chinyere Ndon said: “The high cost of fuel has made prices of every other thing to skyrocket. Feeding is difficult and these days you see people looking emaciated because of hunger. One of the strategies I have adopted to survive is restricting my movement. As a public servant I only go to work twice or thrice in a week. And I have resorted to using public transport instead of driving my car to places. I only drive my car when there is something urgent and necessary, and when going to church on Sundays. For me, it is not economical driving considering the high cost of fuel. The whole situation is saddening, we are suffering”
Also a tricycle operator, who identified himself as Mr Odudu Umoh noted that both the scarcity and high cost of fuel have made transportation business in Akwa Ibom unprofitable. “This increased price of petrol is really killing transportation business in Akwa Ibom. Sometimes you buy petrol worth N5000, it won’t last two hours and you won’t even be able to make any profit because the roads and streets are empty. So, it is that bad now,” Umoh said.
A civil servant, who identified himself as Anietie Emah said, “In order to cope, I have now adjusted my schedule. Before now I used my vehicle to go everywhere but now I use public transport. I don’t drive to work again, I use my vehicle only once or twice in a week, especially on Sundays. There’s a food shortage, so I have decided to cut my coat according to my size.”
CROSS RIVER: Taking to farming, selling personal items
In Cross River, it was the same story as many residents have taken to farming to survive the hardship.
While some took to selling off personal household items, to meet the high cost of living, others who in the past would not touch anything that has to do with the farm with a six-foot pole are now neck deep in it. Many including civil servants trooped out to the outskirts of the towns like Ugep, Ogoja and Ikom among others where there are empty plots of land to farm even on work days. They mainly grow cassava, vegetables, yams, cucumber and okra which they sell by the roadside, and also use some to feed their families. Those who cannot go outside the city owing to high cost of transportation have resorted to using every available space within their homes such as car parks and veranda to grow crops or even breed chickens.
Mr Genesis, a staff of the state broadcasting service who has turned his entire apartment and immediate surroundings to a farm said he was not doing it for fun but for self sustenance. “I grow these things to sustain myself. Much of my salary goes to settle debts, so I have to use the available space around my residence to plant crops. The essence of getting money is to buy food ,so if I get some of the crops from my vicinity to sustain me, so be it” He planted water leaf on the steps leading to his apartment, while he planted pumpkin, okra, and sweet potatoes on the other side of his sitting room, while at the backyard, he has sugarcane, pawpaw and guava trees. “In my car park, I grow yams in used cement bags, while in my kitchen I have a cage for rabbits, so, I can make meals for myself for several days without going to the market so long as I have palm oil and salt,” he said
Another resident, Margaret Ogen, a school teacher said she breeds chickens in her kitchen and living room. “I have about ten chickens presently. Every three months I sell them after killing one or two for my family, I make good money from the sale”.
Agnes Ogbu, a housewife said she travels twenty kilometres three times a week to Odupkani to farm cassava. She said, “Last year I usually paid N500 as transport fare to the farm and five hundred naira back but now I spend N2000 to and fro. It still makes sense to me since the cost of garri is high now. I sell some garri and some we consume from the cassava I planted. I harvest every three months.”
Others who are not farming have taken to selling petty items. Every available spot within the city is occupied by street traders selling all sorts of items while point of sales, POS machines are everywhere. In one premises, one could find up to three POS operators jostling for the few customers around.
Maryjane, a graduate of Economics from the University of Calabar who sells vegetables on a table placed in front of her apartment told Saturday Vanguard that she makes profits to meet her needs.
According to her, “I get the vegetables from Marian market every morning except Sundays. I wash, place them here on this table and I slice the quantity every one that comes needs and from about 8.00am to 7.pm, I have customers patronising me. From here, I can beat the hardship since there has been no job in the past three years”.
OGUN: Resort to trekking
In Ogun, a resident of Abeokuta, the state capital, who identified himself as Mr Bolade Adeniyi said “as a taxi driver, I work in the morning when people are going to offices and markets. This is always between 7am and 10am, after which I will park my taxi, till around 4pm, when those who went to offices and markets will be returning home. But while at home, I have started farming in my backyard. I planted vegetables and peppers to augment my income.
On his part, a civil servant, Mr. Olorode Akinlabi said he has turned his car to a commercial vehicle, shuttling inter and intra-city routes. He said, after the close of work, he normally used his car as a shuttle. I make at least N5,000. This has gone a long way at meeting my financial responsibilities at home.
Mrs Anike Kalejaye, on her part, said she has resorted to trekking. She said, “Now that transport fare has gone up astronomically, I always trek anywhere I go because where we used to pay N200 now costs N400”.
OYO: Switching to biking to save fuel
In Oyo state, Amina, a mother of three, said she could no longer operate her food canteen due to the high cost of foodstuff. Another aggrieved Small Business Owner, Tunde, added that, “the fuel scarcity is killing my business. I can’t transport my goods because there’s no fuel. I’ve had to lay off workers, and I don’t know how much longer I can survive.” Sarah, a student of the University of Ibadan also shared her experience: “I depend on my parents for everything, but they are struggling too. I’ve started selling snacks at school just to help out. It’s embarrassing, but I want to contribute.”
Mr. Adeola, a retired teacher’s story is not different as he said: “This is the worst I have seen in my lifetime. We worked hard all our lives, and now we can’t even afford basic necessities. The government needs to step in.” In the same vein, Chinedu, a former taxi driver, said: “I switched to biking to save on fuel, but now I’m worried about accidents. The roads are bad, and I can’t afford repairs if something goes wrong.”
KADUNA: Surviving through others’ goodwill
In Kaduna, residents lamented that they are currently experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis that is negatively affecting their family life leading to a matrimonial crisis in hitherto peaceful homes.
Muazu Zaria, a civil servant, reminisced on the good old days when he could afford a good breakfast for his family of six. According to him,”my salary was not big but we could take tea and bread in the morning and the children were looking good and cheerful. But with this economic downturn, we only eat once and the children are used to it, they have no choice”.
Jummai Ali, a widow with three children said sometimes they found food to eat through the goodwill of neighbours while at other times they would go to bed hungry. “We were fetching Tafasa leaves from the nearby bush to cook and eat but the Tafasa is no longer available like before because people like us were coming to pluck it. Some of my neighbours who could not endure the hardship in the city have relocated to their ancestral villages”.
BENUE: No more frivolous visits
Margaret Audu, a civil servant and widow and mother of four in Benue said; “since this government came to power on May 29, 2023 and the President announced that subsidy was gone, that was the day our comfort and affordable cost of living disappeared.
Today our situation has been compounded with the recent hike in the pump price of fuel to over N1,000. We are now trekking all over the place even to work because we cannot afford the high transportation fare in town.
Now, you do not visit or expect any visitors because except it is very important and necessary no one moves around to distant places that require fares because it is unsustainable at the moment. We are also engaging in farming activities around our residences to produce food for the family because that is the only way we can beat the high cost of food we are currently experiencing in the state occasioned by the worsening insecurity in the farming communities that has forced the rural people out of their ancestral homes and farms”.
ABIA: Things getting worse everyday
36-year-old Okwudiri Gabriel, a tricycle operator based in Umuahia, Abia State and a father of two from Nenwe in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, said since a litre of petrol started selling above N1,000, life has not been the same again for him and his family. He said: “We are just surviving by the grace of God alone.
What we are doing these days is just to sell fuel for the government. The economy is so hard, it’s only God that is helping us to survive.
Things are getting worse every day. We are all dying but the government is showing no concern. We don’t need the so-called palliative which they claim they are sharing. Let them keep it and reverse the fuel price. All we need from the government is a reversal of fuel price
Similarly, Mrs Ezinne Ejiofo, a seller of cooked bambara nuts known locally as ‘Okpa’, at Isigate Umuahia, said life was no longer at ease for her. She lamented that a bag of 100kg of bambara nut flour which sold for N90,000 in December 2023 and early this year, now sells for N240,000.
The mother of three who said she used to prepare about seven custard buckets of Okpa flour a day, now prepares only three buckets a day following a sharp drop in patronage as prices have gone up. She said that feeding for the family had become very difficult, adding that her biggest concern for the moment was how to cope as school will reopen next week.
Life is hell for me in this harsh economy — Widow cries out
Since her husband jumped into the well and died about two years ago, life has been very hard for Mrs Ajoke Omilani who lives at Isokan Community, Off Ologuneru-Eruwa Road, Ologuneru area of Ibadan. She has been running helter-skelter trying to fend for the three children her late 40-year-old husband left behind.
Narrating her harrowing experience, she said, “Most times, I have to beg neighbours to feed my children. The hardship is boldly written on their faces. They have emaciated a lot. There were days I, as a mother, would go to bed hungry. One evening, my children and I had not eaten anything since that morning, so, I had to go to my neighbour’s house to help me with anything to feed the children. Unfortunately, the family too did not have enough foodstuffs, they only managed to give me two cups of rice and N300. I cooked the rice and added only palm oil. If we spent the N300, there would be nothing the following day. When my children are crying at times, I would trek several kilometers to seek help. It appears the end is near.”
A civil servant, Ayo Bamidele said that “ living in Nigeria is hellish now. We thought things would be better, but the reverse is the case now. We can’t eat three square meals again. My husband has been sick since the hike in the price of petrol because he’s just thinking of how we’ll survive in this period. Our children are resuming next week, we are yet to get their school fees. In fact we’re completely confused. How do we take them to school daily with this new fuel price. Government should do something about this and order a reversal of the price otherwise anything can happen in this country.
Another resident, Alhaji Ali Onisahun, told Vanguard that he was contemplating sending his wife and children back to his village because he could not survive with them in the city.
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La Liga giants Villarreal have added a new defensive asset to their squad after confirming the signing of 21-year-old Nigerian centre-back Ekerette Udom for their reserve team.
The young defender, known for his towering height and strength in aerial duels, arrives from Rivers United, a club in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Villarreal made the announcement on their official website, stating:
“Villarreal CF have reached an agreement with Rivers United for the transfer of young defender Ekerette Udom, who joins Villarreal B’s ranks.”
Standing at 1.98 metres tall, Udom brings both physicality and versatility to Villarreal B, as he is capable of playing as a centre-back and a holding midfielder.
His solid performances in the NPFL, particularly for Rivers United, have caught the attention of European scouts, leading to this exciting move to Spain.
Udom will initially join Villarreal’s B team, which competes in the Primera Federación – Group 2.
The platform will allow him to hone his skills while aiming for promotion to the senior squad. Villarreal B, founded in 1999, plays its home matches at the Estadio de la Cerámica, a 23,008-seat stadium in Valencia.
This transfer marks a significant milestone in Udom’s career, as he embarks on his European journey with a three-year contract.
His experience in the CAF Confederation Cup, as well as stints with various Nigerian clubs like Nasarawa United and Sunshine Stars, have prepared him for this next chapter.
Now with the opportunity to develop further in one of Europe’s top football environments, Udom will be eager to make an impact at Villarreal B and work his way into the first team.
The member representing Biu/Bayo/Shani/Kwaya/Kusar Federal Constituency, Borno State, in the House of Representatives, Muktar Betara, has donated N100m to victims of the flood which recently swept through Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
According to multiple reports, 37 persons have been confirmed dead with over 400,000 others displaced owing to the heavy downpour that caused the collapse of the Alau Dam.
Betara, a member of the All Progressives Congress, donated to Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State during an on-the-spot assessment of the disaster in Maiduguri on Thursday.
While expressing grief over the death and displacement of thousands of Maiduguri residents, the lawmaker lauded the prompt intervention of Zulum towards cushioning the effects of the tragedy.
Betara, who chairs the House Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, expressed solidarity with the victims of the flood and assured that necessary intervention would be provided through relevant institutions to ensure their rehabilitation.
He said: “I wish to, on behalf of myself, my family and the good people of Biu/Bayo/Shani/Kwaya/Kusar Federal Constituency donate the sum of N100 million to support the affected people of Maiduguri.
“Your Excellency, I on behalf of the good people of Biu/Bayo/Shani/Kwaya/Kusar Federal Constituency wish to commiserate with you and the entire state government and all our people who are directly and indirectly affected by this unfortunate flood incident, which led to the untimely death of our dear beloved brothers and sisters.
“As evident, thousands of our people were rendered homeless and their livelihoods washed away. May Almighty Allah condole you and all of us and grant the departed souls of our loved ones aljanah-firdaus.
“I wish to also commend Your Excellency and your cabinet for rallying support for our people who were affected by this unfortunate incident as well as the previous interventions you have initiated to bring succour to the affected people across the state.”
Ahead of the resumption of the National Assembly from its annual vacation; Betara pledged to bring to the knowledge of the House the impact the flood left on the people.
“I will ensure that this flood disaster which remains a major humanitarian crisis is brought to the floor as a matter of urgent public importance when the House resume from the annual recess in the coming weeks,” he assured.
Speaking on the current trend of flooding across the country, NEMA’s Director General of National Emergency Management Agency, Mrs Zubaida Umar, indicated that 29 States and 172 Local Government Areas have been impacted by flooding, affecting 1,048,312 people, displaced 625,239 and have led to the death of 259 lives.
“This unfortunate and almost unexpected incident requires coordinated response, hence the call for this emergency meeting.
“This occurrence is not in total deviation from the predictions as contained in this year’s annual flood outlook released by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency which informed that in July to September 2024, 33 States and 135 LGAs are within flood high-risk areas, while the period between October and November has 19 States and 44 LGAs,” she said.
[Punch]
China said Friday it would gradually raise its statutory retirement age, state news agency Xinhua reported, as the country faces a looming demographic crisis and an ageing population.
“The statutory retirement age for male workers will be gradually extended from the original 60 years to 63 years,” a decision by Beijing officials shared by Xinhua said.
For women workers, the retirement age will be extended “from the original 50 or 55 years to 55 and 58 years, respectively,” depending on the type of job.
The retirement age will gradually begin to rise over 15 years from 2025, state media said.
“Starting 2030, the minimum year of basic pension contributions required to receive monthly benefits will be gradually raised from 15 years to 20 years at the pace of an increase of six months annually,” Xinhua said.
The new rules will also allow Chinese people “to postpone retirement to an even later date if they reach an agreement with employers”, it added.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) report, released in June 2020, highlights a new law passed by the National Assembly in November 2019.
This legislation, the result of extensive consultations with experts, national and local stakeholders, and the general public, is scheduled to take effect in January 2021.
For male workers, the retirement age will gradually increase from 60 to 62 years and 3 months, with a 7-year transition period. Full implementation of this change is expected by 2028.
Similarly, for female workers, the retirement age will rise from 55 to 60 years and 4 months, with a longer transition period of 14 years. Full implementation is expected by 2035.
AFP
Amidst lingering supply bottlenecks in the petroleum downstream sector, the uncertainty around pricing has pitched the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and that of Dangote Refinery in a battle to determine petrol price acceptable to all stakeholders in the petrol supply value chain.
The bone of contention includes the social impact factor in balancing market with affordability.
Vanguard learned that a wide gap exists between offer prices given by both parties, a situation which has stalled the negotiations for over two weeks now, making it difficult for Dangote to go ahead with rolling out its product to local marketers.
Insider sources told Vanguard that while NNPCL is going for a subsidy-compatible pricing, Dangote is positioning for a market-reflective pricing.
But the source said both parties are fully aware of each others’ constraints, and they are now going for a middle ground that will ensure stability and sustainability in both supply and pump price.
Another round of meeting, according to the source, has been scheduled for today at NNPCL headquarters where a likely shift in grounds may be achieved.
Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, who confirmed the negotiations, told Vanguard that they are optimistic that a mutually-agreeable price and other terms would be reached eventually.
He, however, said that NNPCL will be guided by its obligations as provided under the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, in agreeing to any price.
We are working to clear supply backlog —NNPC
Meanwhile, the NNPCL said its purchasing portal will be reopened as soon as backlog of orders for petrol is cleared.
Marketers had complained about the portal shutdown, adding that it encourages round-tripping of product supplies, while driving up prices of petroleum products.
In a press statement yesterday, Soneye, said: “We have a significant backlog to address. The closure is intended to prevent us from holding marketers’ funds for an extended period.
“It will be reopened once the backlog has been sufficiently reduced. We are working to address it as soon as possible.”
However, speaking at a just-concluded webinar – ‘Optimising the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry’ – Chairman, Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, MEMAN, Huub Stokman, called for increased collaboration among oil and gas downstream stakeholders to provide quality products and services to consumers.
Stokman stressed the importance of unity among businesses, government agencies, and regulatory bodies to ensure affordable services and products.
He said: “Our primary focus should be on our customers. While running our organizations is important, our ultimate responsibility is to deliver quality goods and services.”
Stokman noted the need for better infrastructure, such as roads and pipelines, to improve product distribution across Nigeria, adding hoarding and high operating costs, due to inflation and inadequate logistics, were impacting the sector.
He also stressed the importance of energy transition and environmental sustainability, urging a shift towards Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), and renewable energy sources, including solar power and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure before proposing the formation consultative committees similar to Nigeria’s Bankers Committee.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer, Rainoil Limited, Gabriel Ogbechie, noted that the price of petrol has surged by 60 per cent to approximately N1,230 per litre in the past few weeks.
Ogbechie made a case for increased investment in infrastructure, including ports to enhance delivery of products and services to consumers.
On his part, President of the Petroleum Retail Outlet of Nigeria, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, stressed the benefits of deregulation, including increased efficiency, government revenue, and regular availability of petroleum products.
Also, Executive Secretary of the African Refiners and Distributors Association, ARDA, Anibor Kragha, harped on energy security, while stressing the need for value addition in the midstream and downstream sectors.
Marketers petitioned President Tinubu over diesel price —Dangote
In a related development, indications have emerged that a new pricing template for diesel may be underway, as marketers of petroleum products in Nigeria, yesterday, petitioned President Bola Tinubu over the low price of diesel at N900 per litre.
Dangote refinery has consistently reduced price of the product from N1,200 to N1,000 and now N900 per litre, in the past few months.
Vice President, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, who disclosed this development, said marketers of petroleum products in Nigeria, have complained that the relatively low price has affected their revenue and profit margins.
Speaking at a Twitter Space session organized by Nairametrics, Edwin said the refinery currently struggles to sell about 29 tankers of diesel daily due to low patronage from marketers of petroleum products.
Edwin said the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) wrote to President Bola Tinubu that the price cut affected their business “due to the large inventory of imported AGO”.
Edwin highlighted some challenges facing the Dangote Refinery while stressing its impact on Nigeria’s fuel supply and prices.
He said: “As a result of this poor local patronage, the refinery exports most of its diesel and aviation fuel.
“We have been exporting aviation fuel, we have been producing kerosene, we have been producing diesel, but yesterday, we started the production of PMS (petrol). So, that was the last stage. The only thing now left out is petrochemicals.
“So, the good news for the country is we have started producing PMS from our refinery,” he had said on a radio programme.
He stated further: “But if the traders or NNPC are not buying the product we will end up exporting the PMS as we are doing with the aviation jet and diesel.
“The philosophy is to take the crude, and instead of exporting the crude, refine it, add value; export the finished products, and supply the finished products locally. But unfortunately for us, we started facing challenges with the crude supply.
“What is happening today? We are struggling to get the crude. We are now importing crude from the US, we are importing from Brazil, and from other parts of the world. So, the whole philosophy has gone upside down. After all these decades, we are exporting crude, importing products.
“The same thing is continuing. We are not getting enough crude allocation, and the crude is still being exported. We are forced to import crude from outside. Yes, we are getting some crude locally, but it’s not adequate.”
In its recent statement, the company quoted the Economist Intelligence as stating that further delays in crude oil feedstock to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals could jeopardise Nigeria’s economic recovery and put additional pressure on the naira.
It stated: “The research and analysis division of the Economist Group said the Dangote Refinery which began production in January has encountered setbacks in petrol production due to a shortage of crude oil feedstock.
“It said the $20 billion facility has successfully exported various products, including fuel oil, naphtha, nitrogen fertilisers, gas oil, jet fuel, and diesel but has been able to ramp up petrol production due to challenges in sourcing adequate crude oil.
“These delays are expected to have significant economic repercussions for Nigeria, potentially worsening the already strained relationship between public finances and the management of the naira, the country’s currency.”
Edwin also disclosed that Dangote Refinery has been forced to export 97 per cent of its refined products due to low patronage by local oil marketers.
His words: “The conglomerate of all the importers is refusing to buy from us. It is very strange that after putting up the refinery to supply the products locally, I have to export every diesel and jet fuel because they do not want to buy from us,” Edwin said.
He added: “We started selling the diesel, we fixed the price, and it was lower than the prevailing market price. Then, we brought the price further down and they (marketers) wrote to the president, complaining.
“I’m selling 2 per cent to 3 per cent to small traders who are willing to buy, while the rest 95 to 97% I’m forced to export.”
He said the refinery may also be forced to export its petrol “if they are not willing to buy”.
Confirming the negotiations with NNPCL over price and other conditions of sell, he said: “But to be very frank and straightforward, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has come forward.
“They have been discussing. Although the discussion has been going on for almost three weeks and it is not yet concluded, they are working to agree with us on the quantity of crude they can sell and they said they will monitor the products.
“They are going to have a team of 10 people sitting in the refinery. They will see the crude which we are going to receive, ensuring that everything is coming into the refinery, and they would watch whether we are producing and processing everything and then, they would watch whether we are giving back all the products,” Edwin said.