Say, their allowances ‘re scandalous, unacceptable
They ‘re insensitive to the hardship in Nigeria
No positive impact of their laws on people’s living standard
Want their allowances cut down
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo last Friday stirred fresh controversy concerning the outrageous take-home pay of our federal lawmakers when he chided them for fixing their own salaries and allowances which he described as immoral.
President Obasanjo made the accusation while receiving six members of the House of Representatives who are co-sponsors of bills on single term / rotational presidency led by Ugochinyere Ikenga representing Ideato North and Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo state.
At the meeting, Obasanjo said, “With all due respect, you’re not supposed to fix your salaries. But you decide what you pay yourself, the allowances that you give yourselves. You give yourselves all sorts of things, and you know it is not right.
It is immoral, yet you are doing it, the Senate is doing it, and you are beating your chests about it. In some cases, the executive gives you what you’re not entitled to. You all got N200 million each.”
The Senate in a statement last Sunday refuted the claims by Obasanjo stating that they were lies. Putting up a defence of the lawmakers however, Mohammed Shehu, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, the body responsible for fixing salaries and allowances of public servants, in a statement last Tuesday said that “each of the 109 senators in the upper chamber receives a total of N1.06m as salary and allowances per month.”
A breakdown of their monthly earnings as prescribed by the Commission showed that each Senator collects a monthly salary and allowances of N1,063,860, consisting of a basic salary of N168,866:70; motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance, N126,650:00; and personal assistant, N42,216:66. Others include domestic staff,126,650:00; entertainment, N50,660:00; utilities, N50,660:00; newspapers/periodicals, N25,330:00; wardrobe, N42,216,66:00; house maintenance, N8,443.33:00; and constituency allowance, N422,166:66.
The Chairman of the Commission in the statement noted that “any allegation regarding other allowance(s) being enjoyed by any political, public office holder outside those provided in the Remuneration (Amendment) Act, 2008 should be explained by the person who made the allegation”.
However, in a riposte to the claim by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission that senators are paid N1m as salary, serving senator, Sumaila Kawu, representing Kano South senatorial district on Wednesday disclosed a hitherto closely-guarded secret about the exact amount senators take home every month. Speaking on BBC Hausa Service, Senator Kawu said, his salary and allowances were about N1m and after deductions, it amounted to about N600,000 but his total take home package every month was N21m.
Recall that the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt in the 8th Senate, Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central at the Senate had once publicly disclosed that each Senator then, collected a monthly running cost of N13.5m in addition to the monthly N750,000 prescribed by the commission which has now been reviewed upward.
Senator Kawu’s disclosure that each senator now earns N21m monthly has elicited sharp reactions from Nigerians who described it as scandalous in the midst of the country’s struggling economy and widespread poverty.
They decried a situation whereby 80% of the citizens cannot afford three square meals per day while a selected few are receiving humongous pay for doing next to nothing. Nigerians lamented that our representatives do not go into political office to serve Nigeria but to make money for themselves to the detriment of the general well being of the country.
They therefore want the relevant government agencies to prosecute members of the National Assembly for contravening the extant laws by fixing their own salaries and allowances.
Our lawmakers are there for themselves, not for the people — Abia monarch
Paramount traditional ruler of Abiriba ancient kingdom of Abia State, HRM Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu (Anachoken Abiriba), said that “Nigeria lawmakers are only after their personal welfare and not bothered about the needs of the masses.
It is regrettable that some of our public office holders had taken Nigeria as their personal estate where only making profits is all that matters to them. It is very sad. Nigerian youths should therefore keep asking questions and demanding that the right things be done for the good of all”.
Leaders should be thinking of how to fix the country — Archbishop Raphael Opoko
The Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia Ecclesiastical Diocese, Archbishop Raphael Opoko, said it called for concern if indeed senators go home with such a jumbo allowance every month especially at a time many Nigerians could not afford their daily meal.
According to him, “if it’s indeed true that a Senator collects a monthly allowance of N21 million, and minimum wage for workers is N70,000, then something is definitely wrong with the country.
Our hospitals are not working; the economy is collapsing. Leaders should be thinking of how to fix the country, and not how to collect jumbo allowances. This casts doubt on the quality of persons we have as leaders”.
Those fleecing the nation should be punished—Algoa Morris
Former chairman Civil Liberties Organisation, Bayelsa State, Algoa Morris, said: “Those who have been given the privilege to man public offices have turned such to their cocoa farms. Today Nigeria does not have a national carrier, after they milked and grounded the Nigerian Airways. The NNPCL too is wobbling.
Nigeria should do something about this fleecing of the nation by political office holders. Legislators can work on a part-time basis or their number can be reduced and allowances slashed drastically.
If these people in the National Assembly are patriotic, they should not even take N10m in the name of allowances. It is very sad, unfortunate and unacceptable.”
Our lawmakers are insensitive — Elder Joseph Ambakederimo
Elder Joseph Ambakederimo, Convener South South Reawakening Group said: “It is preposterous that the salary of public officers is being shrouded in secrecy. What are they hiding that is not an open secret already.
It is insensitive for a set of people to appropriate such humongous amount as allowances. These outrageous salaries and allowances drain our limited resources at a time when our finances are low. Therefore the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission should be bold and prosecute those who have gone out of their way to appropriate resources outside of the law to themselves.”
RMAFC are partners with National Assembly — Furoebi Akene
Furoebi Akene, chairman, Centre for Environmental Preservation and Development (CEPAD) said: “Nigeria is known to be notoriously and fantastically corrupt.
They assume every other person is a fool to believe them. They always say the Nigerian populace are toothless who can talk but cannot bite.
Can someone spend hundreds of millions of naira or even over a billion naira to contest elections just to go and earn a million naira a month for four years? The RMAFC cannot tell Nigerians the truth because they are partners in crime with the National Assembly and others”.
Our legislators should cut down their allowances — Mohammed Danlami
Speaker of Arewa Youth Assembly, Mohammed Salihu Danlami said: “It is so sad today that our elected representatives have abused the trust we invested in them by their selfishness. It is quite disheartening to know that those we elected to represent us at the Senate and the House of Representatives and Houses of Assemblies across states, now represent only themselves and their families.
Our Senators and Rep Members should as a matter of urgency, show some solidarity by cutting down their bogus allowances so as to free funds for other human capital projects that can better the lives of the people they represent.
Compromises, corruption responsible for lawmakers’ recklessness — MBF
The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, blamed a governance system that thrives on compromises and corruption for the humongous allowances Nigerian lawmakers take home in relation to their performances and commitment to duty. The National President of the MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus who spoke on the issue in Makurdi, said, “nobody is ready to serve Nigeria, people look for offices just to make money and this is really unfortunate.
The problem we have is that we have a governance system that has only survived on compromises, corruption and bribery. The executive allows the legislators to do whatever they like, appropriating money for themselves because of the fear that the executive has for the legislature.
The Revenue Mobilization Commission is supposed to fix salaries, but the lawmakers ignore it and do whatever they feel like and nobody in the executive can do anything about it because the executive wants to survive and to survive it must allow the lawmakers to have their way.
The only way to tackle this problem is for us to go back to the parliamentary system where the Prime Minister is also a member of Parliament who doesn’t have to bribe his colleagues to allow him to be a Prime Minister or to do his job. Also, legislation doesn’t have to be a permanent job”.
The allowances are scandalous, they should be scrapped — Tope Temokun
Tope Temokun, human right activist and lawyer, said that “All the explosive allowances for public office holders and lawmakers should be scrapped. The first sincerity test for the government is to cut the running cost of governance.
Corruption won’t go as far as public office holders see public offices as business. The allowances of political office holders drain the country of blood and oxygen for survival. Politicians break the banks to bankroll elections because they see politics as business. The first thing to do is to cut the earnings of political office holders to make it more of selfless service than business.
The citizens groan under the yoke of hunger because the country’s resources are used to subsidize the extravagant lifestyle of those in government through fraudulent allowances being paid to both elected and appointed public office holders. The allowances are scandalous, they should be scrapped. It’s not just the allowances that eat deep into our Commonwealth, but the luxuries of elected public office holders that we fund.
RMAFC acting criminally in defiance of court orders – Ogwuche
A Constitutional Lawyer, Chief Festus Ogwuche, submitted that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC, should be blamed for the confusion in the remuneration of the federal lawmakers, by acting in defiance of 2021 court order.
According to Ogwuche, “there is a subsisting judgment of a Federal High Court, Lagos division presided by Obiozor J in 2021 which compelled the RMAFC to regularly review downward the salaries and allowances of the legislators and bring it in conformity with the economic realities of the day.
That order of court only re-echoed the Constitutional provisions alongside the Commission’s mandate under its establishment. Justice Obiozor had rightly stated in the judgment that given the level of extreme poverty ravaging the land, the failure of the Commission to review the salaries and allowances of the legislators is a gross violation of the Constitution.
As at the date of the judgment, the commission had failed to make any such review for more than ten years. Even upon that well thought out decision, the Commission remained indifferent to the clear orders of the court.
That’s where the crux of the matter lies. Having failed to abide by the decision of the court in the direction of the downward review of the emoluments we now have a situation where the total take home package for the average lawmaker could get to as high as N21m monthly aside the N1m salary”.
We’re tired of a system that prioritizes wealth over welfare — Abiodun Bamgboye
The Acting National Chairman of the Socialist Party of Nigeria, Abiodun Bamgboye said , “It is a grave injustice for lawmakers to thrive in luxury while the majority of Nigerians struggle to survive.
A government that fails to address the needs of its people is a government that has lost its way. We demand accountability now! Reform is not just necessary, it is imperative. We need a legislative system that reflects the values and struggles of the people.
The growing outrage among Nigerians is a powerful signal. The people are tired of a system that prioritizes wealth over welfare.”
Lawmakers’ allowances not in the best interest of Nigerian workers —Lanre Ogunsuyi
Public analyst, Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi, described the bloated remuneration of lawmakers in the National Assembly as the height of insensitivity to the plights of Nigerians. Ogunsuyi, said that the ‘bloated salary’ is a shame to the nation, as it is not in the best interest of Nigerian workers.
According to him, “it is a shame of a nation for a group of national workers employed by Nigerians to fix their salaries and allowances in contravention of extant laws which mandated the relevant body to fix. These allowances and benefits are not inclusive of other perks like free medical care, housing, and security details. Their total package should be reviewed to reflect the country’s economic realities”.
Similarly, another public affairs analyst, Mr Debo Ajayi stressed the need for lawmakers to carry their constituents along by interfacing with them through regular communication.
He said, “it’s the height of insensitivity for our leaders not to carry the people along in their legislative duties. The citizens are not foreigners, they are their brothers and sisters. When leaders don’t carry their people along, they are telling them that they don’t care”.
Lawmakers’ allowances not commensurate with their performances — Moruff Balogun
Former Vice Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ijebu Ode branch, Moruff Balogun, said,”The allowances of the lawmakers cannot be matched with their performances. The Nigerian leaders must lead by example for meaningful developments to happen in Nigeria.
They must match their words with actions, and stop throwing dust into the peoples’ eyes. They cannot be living extravagantly and expect those who are led to fold their arms without raising an eyebrow. After the just conducted nationwide protest against hunger, one would expect the leaders to urgently find lasting solutions to the problems associated with the theme of the protest.
No amount of rules and regulations coupled with sanctions can calm a hungry man. It is high time we started the advocacy for the unicameral legislature. The cost of governance is too high, the Constitution should be amended to create room for a unicameral system. The crowd in the National Assembly is not needed”.
Elder Statesman and former Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani said: “Why should our lawmakers earn jumbo pay whereas the laws which they make have never helped the nation socioeconomically, and they are going through hunger and hardship.
Public servants’ salaries, allowances shouldn’t be shrouded in secrecy — Ogunbiyi Olajunwo
Legal practitioner and social justice advocate, Ogunbiyi Olajunwo contended that, “Salaries and allowances of public servants should not be shrouded in secrecy.
The RMAFC needs to be more transparent and come clean to the public. It is unfortunate for our senators to be earning N21m in a month in a country where over 80% of the citizens cannot afford three square meals per day. We, the citizens, need to rise up and demand the truth from RMAFC.”
The real pain is what is looted beyond official entitlements — Zik Gbemre
Zik Gbemre, Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition, said “the most critical factor inducing the extreme hardship in the country is the greater chunk of the commonwealth that these lawmakers steal through corrupt budget padding, underground and ghost contracts from government and her juicy agencies and departments, car acquisitions and numerous channels for looting that have grounded the country. Reducing the lawmakers’ official financial entitlement won’t change anything meaningful.
There is so much being looted to corruption beyond bogus salaries. And this is not just about lawmakers in the National Assembly. It cuts across the spectrum of government at all tiers.
There is a need to overhaul every sector and make the government functional. There is no functional system in Nigeria, the entire system has collapsed. Until we have radical leaders with zero tolerance for corruption, nepotism and tribalism, Nigeria will continue to decline and poverty and unemployment will remain unrestrained.”
They are just sharing the national cake among themselves — Emmanuel Kuejubola
A public affairs commentator, Mr Emmanuel Kuejubola said: “It is so unfortunate that the persons we elected to represent us have decided to corner our resources for themselves. The N1 million pay is their salary and that is what is taxable while the remaining N20m is not taxable. Apart from this, there are also the constituency projects.
They are just sharing the national cake among themselves. The National Assembly is an opportunity for some people to make money for themselves. When you pay such huge amounts of money to some persons in an economy that is not productive, it will surely have a negative impact on the country”.
Our legislators should be paid based on the minimum wage — Ogidi
The president of theNetwork of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (NOCSON), Comrade Emmanuel Ogidi described our Senators and members of the House of Representatives as anti-people and advocated that they should be paid based on the national minimum wage.
According to him, “these legislators are defrauding the people in a country where the minimum wage cannot buy a bag of rice, where citizens cannot access good medical facilities and where the children of the poor cannot afford basic and proper education, as our higher institutions are now for the children of the rich. Many of the legislators we have today, enjoyed free education during their time owing to good leadership and the resources of this country.
All the money voted for our Senators and members of the House of Representatives which are tagged constituency allowances should be made available for our local governments that engage in grassroot projects. It is not those who are making laws that should be building roads, sinking boreholes or engage in empowerment”.
Nigerians need to know the truth — Chief Oladipo Oyewole
Chief Oladipo Oyewole, Secretary General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE,, said, “we believe that this is the moment of truth when our leaders must come clean for us to know the exact situation particularly as the youths are restive and tirelessly asking for reduction in the cost of governance. It is expedient for Nigerians to be told the truth if only to save us any national embarrassment”.
Politicians who breach the laws of RMAFC should be penalized — Adeola Fehintola
An Ibadan based legal practitioner, Mr Adeola Fehintola, said, “it is the height of arbitrariness and reckless lawlessness in a constitutional democracy for parliamentarians to breach the laws they enacted for the people through the 1999 constitution as amended,y.
Excesses like this have drained the purse of the commonwealth and turned our lawmakers to demigods as they are now richer than the state. What they embark on are laws that suit their elitist cravings and luxuries at the expense of the majority of Nigerians who wallow in penury and abject impoverishment.
There is an institution that is given the mandate to determine what should be salaries and allowances of our lawmakers and amendments should be made to check uncontrolled and abuse of awards of what constitutes salaries, allowance and severance allowance by our lawmakers and executive officers as provided by the law.
Now, to evaluate the relationship between the quality and functionality of the representation of these lawmakers can be seen in the fruits of dividends of their laws and oversight functions that have not had positive impacts on the quality of standard of living and state of infrastructure in the country.
It is imperative to make the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission penalize politicians who breach its laws using the anti corruption agencies and Code of Conduct Tribunal.”
Lawmakers’ offices should be identified for micro protest — Esele
Former President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Peter Esele said, “lawmakers’ allowances have been increasing right from the time of Obasanjo as President.
People merely have an increased appetite for aggrandizement. This is not just happening in the National Assembly alone. It is there in the executive and other institutions, it has become a way of life.
As a people, we have to identify the offices of our lawmakers and vent our anger by way of micro-zoning our protest in their offices. That way, we won’t disturb the peace of the society.
There must be respect for our value system and the law. Nigerians must hold the leadership of the National Assembly accountable for what they are earning which does not have a commensurate positive impact on the citizens and the media must stay on this development until the NASS does something about it”.
Role of RMAFC needs re-evaluation — Suleiman Abdul-Azeez
Spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum, Suleiman Abdul-Azeez, said, “the fiscal irresponsibility and opacity surrounding the fixing of these allowances are indicative of corruption and misapplication of national resources that could be better utilized for public welfare.
The role of the RMAFC in regulating legislative compensation also needs a re-evaluation to ensure transparency, accountability, and genuine public service.”
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has strongly berated the trend of the repackaging, rebranding, and resale of government palliatives meant for the general populace.
Olukoyede pointed out that such actions compromise the government’s initiatives aimed at alleviating the hardships faced by vulnerable groups.
Naija News reports that the EFCC chairman made these comments during a meeting with Olatunji Bello, the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, in Abuja.
In a statement released on Friday, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, conveyed that Olukoyede called upon the FCCPC to collaborate with the EFCC by sharing intelligence to improve operational effectiveness.
The EFCC Chairman acknowledged that the FCCPC had uncovered various issues concerning the misappropriation of palliatives and stressed that a partnership with the anti-graft agency would be instrumental in preventing such misconduct.
Olukoyede said, “Sometimes when the government releases palliatives, they do not reach the intended recipients.
“Instead, some individuals repackage, rebrand, and sell them. There are all sorts of shenanigans in our systems. It is, therefore, crucial that you share your intelligence with us to support your compliance or surveillance departments and overall operations.
“When you have such intelligence, please do not hesitate to inform us. You have been effective in identifying these issues, but sanctions are also necessary.
“The only thing that deters people is sanctions. We are committed to strengthening our collaboration and taking it to new heights to ensure that people feel the impact of your work.”
In his remark, Bello disclosed that the purpose of his visit was to seek greater collaboration with the EFCC to improve the delivery of the FCCPC’s mandate.
He said, “We believe in a collaborative effort. We need to leverage the strengths of your work, particularly in areas related to surveillance and investigation involving consumers. Our duty is to protect the interests of consumers in Nigeria.”
The Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has berated Governor Godwin Obaseki for failing to recognise the court judgment on his reinstatement to office.
Naija News recalls that the duo have been at loggerheads over issues regarding the governorship election in the state.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Shaibu said he was asked to be Obaseki’s deputy to add political value to the party’s ticket because the Governor was not a politician.
Shaibu also stated that it took former governor, Adams Oshiomhole, three months to convince him to support Obaseki to become governor.
He said, “Obaseki was not a politician, even financially, Obaseki was not financially strong to even contest the election. Oshiomhole brought him and when Oshiomhole brought him, some of us argued that he could not be him. It took Oshiomhole three months to convince me and some of our supporters to support Obaseki.
“And when we decided because of the respect for Oshiomhole to support him, he did not bring money – we brought our resources and our friends to bring money and we brought our political capital to make him governor. So, when you are talking about deputy governors and governors, he is not the one that made me, I made him.”
Nigerian rapper, Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, widely known as Ruggedman, recently revealed his reasons for distancing himself from the controversial self-proclaimed activist, VeryDarkMan.
During a recent episode of the Echoo Room podcast, Ruggedman explained that his support for VeryDarkMan waned when the activist began delving into people’s personal lives.
He expressed concern that VeryDarkMan’s methods had become less logical and more intrusive.
The rapper compared VeryDarkMan’s approach to that of a police officer resorting to extreme measures prematurely, suggesting that as a professional, there are more appropriate ways to handle such situations.
Ruggedman emphasized that while he initially supported VeryDarkMan for his efforts to hold people accountable for selling products without proper NAFDAC approval, he has become disillusioned with the activist’s recent actions.
Ruggedman said, “I liked VeryDarkMan in the beginning when he started with the whole NAFDAC number thing but when he started going personal into people’s private lives, especially with women. That to me, he is just distracting himself.
“But it is like saying a policeman took a shooting which was his last resort as the first. They will tell you but if you’re a professional you are supposed to be used to it.
“So even if someone says something against you there is a way you should address it. Not your mama, your papa. You don’t catch me doing that but that’s me.
“His approach is what I don’t like anymore. He was calling out people that sell products without a NAFDAC number, that’s amazing but now what do you hear about him?
“Iyabo Ojo and her daughter kind of thing, that’s why I said it is his approach I’m not okay with. So any response he gets from them is probably what he said.
“I think what he said stemmed from what I think was Mohbad’s situation. Where he said the old retired actresses are trying to use the situation as clout. Everyone knows it was Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh.
“Now you can’t say something like that and don’t expect people to respond. So he started it. That’s what I meant by people’s private lives.”
Shoplifting Allegations: It Is Ridiculous To Claim That Someone Of My Calibre Is A Thief – Lizzy Anjorin
AFOLABI
Nollywood actress Lizzy Anjorin has said that it is impossible for someone of her calibre to steal gold worth ₦91,000.
The thespian stated this while revisiting the controversial theft case that surfaced on social media months ago.
Anjorin was accused of stealing a gram of gold worth ₦91,000 at Idumota market in Lagos.
However, speaking during an appearance in a podcast, the actress stated that the value of the alleged gold could be compared to a grain of rice.
She dismissed the case, adding that someone of her calibre, who deals in heavy gold and other fashion accessories worth millions, could not stoop so low as to steal gold worth ₦91,000
According to her, “Let’s establish the fact that we are talking about N91,000 gold when a gram of gold was around N150,000. A gram of gold is less than a grain of rice, so how can I go into the market to steal something less than a grain of rice? I am a certified jewellery seller, I sell gold and I sell diamonds. You can tell just by looking at me. I am a certified fabric merchant, and if you watch me closely, you will realise that I am not a simple person when it comes to fashion—I love it big.”
Continuing, she said, “What I am wearing right now is like 350 to 400 grams, and everybody knows I don’t sell small gold jewellery, I sell 19 to 22 carats. I sell the best jewellery. So how can I stoop so low as to steal a gram of gold at Eko Idumota? That is ridiculous. I am not a thief; I will never be a thief. I am just too disciplined and too straightforward to become a thief.”
On July 10, the federal government officially announced the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on the importation of food commodities as part of initiatives to curtail the prevailing economic hardship worsened by high prices of commodities.
Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, said the measure is a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities, which involves the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes for the importation of food maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas.
On Wednesday, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announced the implementation of the policy after it received a letter on the presidential approval for the initiative to be implemented.
The federal government believes the measure would ameliorate the high cost of food items in the Nigerian market.
‘REDUCING HIGH COST OF ITEMS WHILE LOSING REVENUE’
But analysts are divided over the federal government’s strategy which seeks to address the high cost of food items through the tax waiver.
Olorunfemi Toyin, the country representative of Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), described the policy as a short-term palliative meant to address food security but said it would affect Nigeria’s internally generated revenue (IGR) significantly.
“The revenues that has been suspended for now, would have been money generated to address some challenges in the country, isn’t it? Because what we are saying is that revenue should stop,” Toyin said.
“We are also having problems of internally generated revenue. It can no longer meet our needs. It’s like we are surviving on loss and incurred debt. So for me, it’s very important that there should be a broader strategy beyond these palliative.
“Because for consumers, he’s looking at price reduction, for businesses, it is having them to reduce their production costs and all of that but the global thing is to ensure that we are having very strong plans.”
Also, Toyin said the policy is “not impactful,” as it has a “very low shelf life” in terms of impacts to both businesses and the system.
It is almost detrimental to the economy, according to the expert.
‘TAX WAIVER ON WRONG FOOD COMMODITIES’
In the announcement by Kyari, the federal government limited the tax waiver to maize, husked brown rice, wheat, grain beans, and millet.
However, Emmanuel Oparah Ogu, former president of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), said the tax waiver would have “no positive impact” because the main food items that Nigerians need were not included.
“The announcement has not reduced hunger in the country. Then when you talk of other food items, I don’t know another food item that people talk about if not rice,” he said.
“The husked rice is basically for farmers and not for the end users to access. They are not finished product. The announcement that Mr. President made it to please people because that is exactly what you want to hear.
“So, I understand that it is a way of them bringing down the price of food items but I mean, giving waivers to goods that are not the major things is what I don’t understand.”
Ogu urged the government to make all food items “duty-free both from land and sea” as that would go a long way to helping everyone, especially the poor.
‘HIGH FX RATE AFFECTING FOOD COSTS’
With the official foreign exchange rate at N1,564.48 per dollar as of Thursday, there are questions as to whether the tax waiver on imported food items would crash the prices of food since a high FX rate remains a challenge for importers.
The high FX rate has led to imported inflation, which affects goods sold to the end users.
With the naira trading at over N1,500 against the dollar, experts believe that the policy would only succeed in achieving availability — not affordability.
Also speaking on the role of FX in the prices of food items, Ogu said the high exchange rate should have also been considered.
“You know the problem, our politicians are wiser than us. How can you float exchange rates? What stops them from reducing exchange rates? Let them peg it at a particular amount so importers will know what they are doing.”
However, Toyin said the affordability of the food items will not be a challenge as the FX rate has been stable.
‘A QUICK FIX’
On his part, Shakirueen Taiwo, an economist at Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), described the tax waiver as a quick fix.
Taiwo said the goal of the government is basically to reduce the “current level of high food insecurity in the country by reducing the price of goods and services”.
“So it means the government will have to work towards bringing down the cost of food as much as they could. The government has two ways; the quick fix and the short and meantime. Both measures are aimed towards increasing the availability of food,” he said.
“The first is that the government should ensure massive importation of those grains either from neighbouring countries, from developed countries, or developed or international commodity markets.
“The second is that the government must increase our productivity, agricultural productivity in the country. This is the medium to long term.
“That cannot be achieved in the next one or two months. It’s not possible. So government then has to go for the quick fix which is to ensure massive importation of goods and services.
“The government has to be sure that the imported goods are coming at a minimal cost so that the final cost to the end users will also be affordable or at a price lower than the current market price.
“So for this policy at this moment I would say it is good but it is even coming so late. The eradication of hunger will not come with one government policy. We would need to ensure that Nigeria’s agricultural potentials are at optimal level.”
Taiwo added that the government must ensure that the bottlenecks concerning logistics are addressed as quickly as possible, deploy tools, enhance irrigation farming, and roads from the farm to the market must be fixed.
Goodnews ‘Gnewzy’ Emuemu, the fast-rising singer, has recounted his ordeal in the hands of his abductors.
In April, Gnewzy was abducted along Eklat road in Ughelli, Delta state while heading home from an event.
Eric Many Records, his music label, said Obas9ice, the singer’s manager and brother, “narrowly escaped” the kidnap.
The abductors were said to have contacted Dilly Umenyiora, the record label’s CEO, via mail demanding a $200,000 ransom.
The fast-rising singer was, however, released on May 3.
Narrating his ordeal in a recent interview with HipTV, Gnewzy confirmed that$200,000 was paid to his abductors for his freedom.
The singer also disclosed that his abductors were “dressed in police uniforms”.
“They actually paid a ransom. It was a ransom of about $200,000. I actually went for a radio tour in Delta state. Which is the state where I came from, Ugheli precisely. After the whole tour, to round it up, it was a Sunday, so I said let me just put up a little listening party,” he said.
“It was Sunday, we all got ready for the party, I performed. We left for the apartment that we were in. After a while, my brother said he wanted to pick somebody up. I was like let me go with you.
“We went to where we wanted to pick the person and the person was no longer willing to follow us. We were going home and around a U-turn, they just ran on us and were like come down. They were putting on police uniforms.
“So we got to one certain point. They stopped and dragged my brother out. He was initially trying to struggle with them but they told him they were going to shoot him. He was told to run into the bush or else they would shoot him.
“We were thinking someone was trying to use me to get to my label boss.
“They then covered my face with something. They took me on Sunday and released me on Friday. They even fed me and did not beat me. They gave me food and told me I should not do anything funny or else they would f**k me up.”
Media
“My Boss paid 100,000 dollars to my Kidnappers” - Gnewzy pic.twitter.com/VqadMAJpUx
— HipTv (@HipTv) August 15, 2024
36-year-old Mother Sentenced To 4 years Imprisonment For Engaging In Sexual activity With Two 13-year-old Schoolboys In Her Son's Bedroom
AFOLABI
A 36-year-old woman, Natalie Harris has been sentenced to 4 years imprisonment for engaging in s3xual intercourse with two 13-year-olds in her son's bedroom while he was at school.
The woman started sending s3xual messages to one of the schoolboys on Snapchat before inviting them both to her address.
In a 'total disregard of any moral compass', the mother-of-six developed an 'obsession for s3x with young boys' and wanted 'attention' after a break-up, a court heard.
She was arrested after a video of the thr33some filmed by one of the boys was circulated around their school.
Harris, from Waterlooville, Hampshire, wept in the dock on Thursday as she was jailed for four years, having admitted four counts of engaging in s3xual activity with a child.
A mother of one of the 13-year-old boys told Portsmouth Crown Court that Harris 'has taken away his childhood'.
Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said both boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were 13 at the time of the incident which took place in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth, in November 2022.
Mr Lawson told Portsmouth Crown Court: 'The case came to light in January of last year.
'There was a video that had been circulating around the school both boys attended.
'The police got a call from a concerned parent which showed an adult female engaging in s3xual activity with a boy.'
The court heard the two boys initially denied involvement before one of them eventually told their mother.
Mr Lawson said Harris was identified as the woman in the video via her distinctive hand tattoos.
Her mobile phone was seized by police and a 'thread of messages' between her and one of the boys was found - who she had saved in her contacts as Rachel.
It was heard she told him he 'shouldn't tell anyone' as she could go to prison.
Telling the court how the boy came forward to tell his mum he had been the one who took the video, Mr Lawson said: 'He said in November 2022, around the time of the World Cup, the defendant had started to message him on Snapchat and by text.
'He said the messages became s3xual and invited both boys to go to her house.
'It was clear to both boys they were going there for s3x.'
The court heard that when they arrived at the address, Harris took them to her son's bedroom, where they had s3x for roughly 40 minutes and left before her own boy was due to return from school.
She was arrested and initially claimed 'no knowledge' of who the woman was in the video.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the mother of the boy who came forward said she had seen her son 'fade away' as a result of the 'awful nightmare'.
She added her 'poor boy' has lost interest in several hobbies and now stays indoors as a result.
'My heart just breaks, I couldn't have imagined this happening to my son - he is a child,' she said.
'Natalie has completely turned our family upside down.
'The worst thing about all of this is she has taken away his childhood and I will never forgive her.
'He will never get back the childhood that has been taken from him. This will stay with us now for the rest of our lives.'
Harris, who has since been diagnosed with bipolar and multiple personality disorder - was suffering from a 'manic episode', it was heard.
In mitigation, criminal barrister Berenice Mulvanny said Harris was 'deeply remorseful' and 'devastated' about her behaviour.
She said it had been 'triggered' by a break-up with a partner.
On Harris' split with her partner, Judge Sarah Munro KC said: 'You reacted to his departure dramatically.
'In your behaviour, you became extremely promiscuous.'
She said a 'dramatic change' was noted in Harris's mood which included 'an obsession in you for sex with young boys'.
'The boy described how you started to send him messages and invited him to your home,' she said. 'You took them to your son's bedroom and engaged in s3xual activity with both boys.
'They left because it was time for your son to come home from school.'
On the boy who reported the incident, she said: 'The impact upon him has been dreadful. He feels guilty about what happened. You have clearly turned that family upside down and taken his childhood away from him.'
Sentencing her, she continued: 'No sentence I can pass can give him his childhood back or undo the damage you have done to him.'
The judge said the trigger for the 'manic episode' which resulted in 'erratic behaviour' was her split with her partner.
'You felt unloved and you began to act in a way to get attention,' she added. 'In your desire for attention, you gave no consideration on the long-term detrimental impact on these young boys.
'There was significant planning and grooming behaviour used by you, a serious abuse of trust and a very significant disparity in age.'
She added there had been a 'total disregard of any moral compass' and jailed her for four years.
Harris was also made the subject of a ten-year restraining order and a S3xual Harm Prevention Order of the same length.
Gunmen have kidnapped over 20 medical and dental students and a House Officer in Benue State.
The students were en route to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) annual convention in Enugu.
The students, said to be from the University of Maiduguri and University of Jos, were traveling together when they were ambushed by gunmen around 5:30 p.m. in the Otukpo area of the state.
The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, who confirmed the incident, said an investigation had been launched into the abduction.
“Yes, the report of kidnapping is true. The report was received around 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and an investigation is ongoing.”
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says three drug kingpins and 16 other offenders have been convicted and sentenced to a total of 302 years in prison.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Friday, said they were sentenced for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs.
They were convicted for trafficking cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and opioids among others.
To Babafemi, the 19 convicts lead the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court across Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, between July 1st and 31st, 2024, following charges brought against them by the NDLEA.
“Three drug kingpins and 16 other offenders have been convicted and sentenced to a total of Three Hundred and Two years in prison for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and opioids following their arrest and diligent prosecution by the NDLEA,” he said.
“The 19 convicts top the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court in Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe, and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja between July 1st – 31st, 2024, based on charges filed against them by the anti-narcotics agency.”
One of the three kingpins, a 50-year-old Bolanle Dauda, was arrested during an intelligence-led raid by operatives of a special operation unit in NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry Expressway while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana on May 25, 2024.
He was subsequently arraigned before Hon. Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos in charge number FHC/L/537C/2024.
“At the point of his arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilograms were found on him. A swift follow-up operation in his residence at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo road, Agbara, Ogun state, led to the recovery of an additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the cocaine seized from him to 57.5 kilograms,” Babafemi said.
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Popular Nigerian businessman and socialite, Obinna Oyiegbu, aka Obi Cubana, has disclosed that nobody in his family attains the age of 80.
Obi Cubana said his late mother tried to break the generational jinx but could not because she died at the age of 79.
Speaking with media personality, Chude Jideonwu, Obi Cubana said his family decided to throw a lavish funeral ceremony for their mother because she could not break the generational jinx.
He said: “In my family, nobody has lived up to 80 years, and I’m saying this for the first time. My father died at 66, my grandmother died at 75, my grandfather died at 78, and it ran through to my mom.
“All my siblings are married and successful, and we were praying for my mother to break the generational jinx and the kind of party we would throw for her, nobody would have ever done it; we even started saving up for that. And she died on December 31, at the age of 79, after celebrating 78.
“So I said, she tried at 79 and half, so we brought everything together to celebrate her, at least; she tried and almost broke the jinx, that was why we went all out for the burial.”
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed says he is contemplating a presidential bid but will drop his ambition if former President Goodluck Jonathan decides to contest.
Mohammed made this statement on Thursday after a Non-Governmental organisation, NGO, asked him to consider running for the presidency.
According to the governor, Jonathan has experience and would do a good job if he gets the mandate to manage the country.
“With regard to your call for me to present myself, I am still contemplating my chances as the leader of the opposition.
“I know there are good leaders within the PDP, especially my boss Goodluck Jonathan.
“I have always said that as long as Jonathan is around, I will not present myself for leadership of this country, unless he decides not to run.
“If we can persuade him to come forward, I will support him with my blood. Out of modesty, he is still not ready. I hope you will meet him and encourage him to run.
“He will do a better job because he has the experience. We know the prices of things; we know the level of inflation.
“During Jonathan’s regime, he was inclusive, addressing issues like the Almajiri system and creating initiatives for unemployed youths.
“His leadership recruitment was exemplary. We need leaders like him—young people with energy, foresight, and drive,” he said.
Mohammed further stated that his criticisms of the administration of President Bola Tinubu are part of his responsibility to help put the country on the right path
A fresh move to oust the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr Abdullahi Ganduje is afoot by power brokers in the presidential villa.
It was learnt that the move would entail easing off the embattled former governor of Kano State through an ambassadorial appointment in order not to disgrace him out of office.
A source, in the know, confirmed to LEADERSHIP that the villa had actually presented the ambassadorial offer to Ganduje, with the hope that he would accept it and move on.
The source hinted that Ganduje’s delay in accepting the offer is one of major reasons why the formalised ambassadorial list has not been released.
It was further learnt that it was on the back of the aforementioned arrangement that the president gave his nod for the convening of a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for next month.
The plot is reminiscent of how former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Bamanga Tukur, was appeased to vacate office in 2014 by then President Goodluck Jonathan following pressure by aggrieved governors at the time.
Jonathan, in a bid not to disgrace Tukur, appointed him Ambassador-at-Large, having earlier appointed him chairman, Board of Directors of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, after he (Tukur) resigned from the political office.
LEADERSHIP had on Tuesday reported exclusively on an approval by the presidency for the APC NEC meeting to be held next month.
The nod for the meeting is against the backdrop of President Bola Tinubu’s availability for the top meeting between September 6 and 19.
The NEC meeting will set the stage for the conduct of a non-elective national convention which will be held before the end of this year.
Besides being the first NEC meeting this year, it will also be the first under the national chairmanship of Ganduje.
Ganduje’s assumption of office in 2022 has been dogged by opposition from North Central party leaders who argue that he is occupying the zone’s slot against the zoning arrangement.
His situation was subsequently compounded by an alleged financial corruption probe into his administration as Kano State governor by his successor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.
An APC chairmanship aspirant in 2022, Muhammad Etsu, had filed a legal injunction to stop Ganduje from parading himself as national chairman.
He had argued for the national chairmanship seat to return to the North Central zone, as it was zoned ahead of the 2022 elective national convention.
In the build-up to the 2022 national convention, the APC had zoned the position to the North Central which saw Senator Abdullahi Adamu emerge as national chairman.
He, however, resigned in 2023 paving the way for Ganduje, who hails from North West, to become chairman.
LEADERSHIP Friday learned that some top APC federal lawmakers have also leaned on Ganduje to take the ambassadorial slot.
But another party source revealed that Ganduje had also tried to rally some close friends of the president to save his job.
He is said to have met a former South West governor and close Tinubu ally and contemporary as governor, to intervene in his case.
Meanwhile, APC stakeholders from the North Central yesterday renewed their push for Ganduje to vacate the office.
It was gathered that the plot is to replace Ganduje with former Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura, who had contested the top party seat in 2022 but lost to his predecessor in Nasarawa, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Calls and text messages to Al-makura over his interest in the APC national chairmanship were not responded to as of press time.
However, in a letter addressed to President Tinubu, Concerned North Central APC Stakeholders urged the president to “resolve some of the issues agitating” their zone, “especially the issue concerning the zoning of party chairmanship back to the zone where the seat originally belongs.”
The letter was signed by a former chairman aspirant, Mohammed Estu.
It further said the “emergence of Dr Ganduje was at a severe cost to our zone which has been left high and dry. We have not been adequately compensated. The North Central zone as a collective is the party’s strongest zone politically today. Five out of the six states in the zone are controlled by the party. This is a high percentage,” the letter read.
Earlier, Estu, in a press conference, commended the president for finally initiating the “long overdue” NEC meeting and urged the President to consolidate the acceptance of APC in the zone by rewarding the hard work of party members in the zone.
He said: “But, more importantly, by ensuring that the chairmanship of the party zoned back to the North Central, the president will be ensuring that the yearlong injustice to the zone is righted.
“Since the last reorganisation of the party, all the zones were adequately represented except for the North Central which has still been left in the cold. We want to also take our seat in the comity of our peers,’’ Estu said at the meeting.
Ganduje, APC Mum Over Plans For Ambassadorial Appointment, Substitution Of Legal Adviser
Meanwhile, Ganduje has kept mum over insinuations that he has been tipped for ambassadorial appointment to leave his current position for someone from the North-Central geopolitical zone.
When contacted, the chief press secretary to APC national chairman, Edwin Olofu, did not reply to our correspondent as of the time of this report.
Similarly, the APC national publicity secretary, Felix Morka did not respond to inquiries about the development, including on plans to substitute the party’s national legal adviser position presently in North-central with a North-west occupant.
It was gathered from credible sources in the party that the President planned to return the position of APC national chairman to North-Central, hence the national legal adviser would return to North-West zone which had held the position.
Originally, Ahmed El-Marzuq, the erstwhile APC national legal adviser, had resigned from his position shortly after the party’s former national chairman, Adullahi Adamu bowed out.
Consequently, Prof. Abdulkarim Kana from Nasarawa State was appointed to fill the vacancy, the position he is holding till date.
“Part of the plan is that by the time Ganduje leaves, the position of national legal adviser will go back to North-West as another national chairman will emerge from North-Central. This will likely take place during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting expected in September,” the sources who do not want their names mentioned said.
[Leadership]
There are indications that the persistent fuel shortage across the country is caused by the decision of some marketers not to lift fuel over impending price increase.
Sources who spoke to our correspondent on Friday stated that some filling stations were not selling in anticipation of a price increase ahead of the roll out of petroleum product from Dangote refinery.
A newspaper (not Daily Trust) had reported that independent marketers were anticipating the premium motor spirit (pms) to be sold at N600 per litre when it’s finally rolled out.
But the management of Dangote refinery clarified that the speculation that marketers expect the refinery to sell petrol at N600 per liter is not reflective of the refinery’s position while also denying fixing price at that price.
“We would like to clarify that Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) is not our business partner yet,” said Anthony Chiejina, spokesman of the Dangote Group.
Our correspondent learnt that despite the denial by Dangote, some marketers were hoarding fuel in anticipation of the price hike.
Daily Trust learnt that the Nigerian Midstream and Donwstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has threatened to shut down filling stations that refuse to dispense fuel.
However when contacted, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Olufemi Shoneye, said there is enough supply as far as NNPC is concerned.
“In terms of supply, I can confirm that we have supply,” he simply said when contacted on Friday.
Reports from across the country on Thursday indicated that the scarcity persisted with long queues in a few major filling stations that are dispensing fuel while a litre is almost hitting N1000 at independent filling stations.
[DailyTrust]