•Urge FG to declare an emergency in food security
•Tackle insecurity caused by herders
•Initiate a national food production policy
NIGERIANS have said the distribution of palliatives by the Federal Government was not the solution to the food shortage facing the country.
They urged President Bola Tinubu to declare an emergency in food security, introduce a national food policy, and tackle insecurity caused by herders, which had forced farmers in different states of the country, especially in southern Nigeria, to abandon farming.
Misplaced priority– Adima, political activist
A political activist, Mr Blessing Adima, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard in Delta State, said “Buying grains and rice for distribution to Nigerians is a misplaced priority. It goes to show that the federal government itself does not care about food production and doesn’t know how to tackle the problems that we are facing in Nigeria today.
Herdsmen have chased farmers from their farmlands and now, we import the rice that Benue State alone could have produced for Nigeria, and we also import the rice that southern Kaduna, Zamfara, Ebonyi and Taraba could have made for Nigeria.
The federal government does not know what to do. The money they are spending to import rice could have been used to tackle insecurity, banditry, terrorism and herdsmen menace and the problem would be solved.
You are talking about the Ministry of Livestock; Nigeria is not one of the greatest exporters of cow meat and milk and the top 10 countries do not practice this kind of archaic open grazing system; it is ranching that they resort to. Let us come to the South, if they are importing rice, will they import garri from China too? Agricultural produce is scarce. When Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration introduced its agriculture revolution, we saw how he addressed it.
Today, fertilizer is not what the peasant farmer can afford and the government is not thinking in that direction. We want to see insecurity tackled in the rural areas, and let farmers go to their farms. We want to see tractors, fertilizers and farm implements distributed to the farmers.
That is what will solve the food crisis, palliatives will not cure hunger, rather they will increase hunger because the people who should have gone to farms are in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. How will food be produced when 30 percent, if not 40 percent are in IDP camps? The government should tackle the problem of insecurity.”
Encourage farmers to return to the farm – Akene, development consultant
A development consultant, Furoebi Akene, stated, “All efforts should be made for the farmers to return to their farms. Beyond that, how honest and patriotic are the people entrusted with the distribution of the rice to ensure they get to the targeted beneficiaries? The same dubious and fraudulent characters will play out.”
Palliatives offer temporal relief- Idi, Ndokwa youth leader
The Secretary of the Ndokwa National Youth Movement, NNYM, Comrade Presley Idi, said: “For us, we believe that the pathway to solving the food crisis bedeviling Nigeria right now is to ensure a secured environment for our farmers. Without providing the needed security for farmers to return to their farms, we will continue to experience food shortages. Not only are palliatives like the
distribution of rice and other food items temporary solutions, but it will always be difficult for the items to get to those who truly need them because of the high level of corruption amongst the political elite.
We reiterate the only way to solve the current food crisis is to provide better security, once this is done and our farmers are back to their farms, the prices of food items will come crashing down.”
Govt not addressing the problem – Wills, legal practitioner
A legal practitioner in Bayelsa State, Iniruo Wills, said, “Extravaganza is not governance, and public spectacle is no strategy. Whenever the government decides to start rational governance, food and other crises will start to subside. That is if it is not too late by then.”
Palliatives not sustainable – Ekerefe, ex-IYC spokesperson
Ex-spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Ebilade Ekerefe, asserted, “Sharing billions of trailer loads of rice and distributing money as palliatives is not the solution to our food security crisis in the country. Even if it is a temporary stopgap, it must be noted that the items and monies do not even get to the end users in most cases. Corrupt government officials at the federal, state, and local government levels divert and resell the items to market vendors and make huge profits. This is the reality and it is not good. Instead of distributing food items and money as palliatives, which corrupt government officials usually divert, the federal government should urgently declare an emergency in food security.
“The government should introduce a holistic national policy to address this challenge before it gets out of control. We know the problems that led to the high cost of living in the country.
Inflation and fuel hikes are some of the major causes. Insecurity, bad roads and lack of incentives provided by the government to farmers to become more productive and efficient is another.
Therefore, it is a whole gamut of issues and the government must be sincere enough to address the challenges holistically rather than just providing palliatives that are not sustainable and efficient. They should act now. The country is currently nose-diving and it affects all sectors of the economy. Hunger and starvation are pervasive and Nigerians are dying daily. It has not been this bad in our country.”
No clear policy direction – Rukevwe, educationist
A Warri, Delta state-based educationist, Mrs. Edna Rukevwe, said, “It has become clear that President Tinubu did not prepare for economic reactions to his removal of subsidy on petroleum. So no clear policy direction. Throwing money and food at the problem of hunger in the country is not a solution.
The government should work out modalities to redress insecurity so that farmers can return to the farms. Also provide fertilizers and allow tax-free importation of farm tools into the country. The government should also acquire farming tractors for the local government areas. The tractors should cultivate farmlands for farmers across the country and be monitored by the local government councils.
“The government should drop propaganda and focus on real governance. The condition that Nigeria is now, is not the time for propaganda. The All Progressives Congress (APC) is a party that thrives in propaganda, but sadly, this is not the time for such. The people are wary of the government’s lies.
Tackle farmers’ insecurity, distribution of palliatives alone can’t stop hunger—AFAN
Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, representing South East in the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Chief Israel Amanze, also argued that “distribution of palliatives and trucks of food items to Nigerians is only a temporary measure and not a permanent one to address food insecurity in the country. The government missed it a long time ago. The way it’s going is not how to take Nigeria out of hunger. They promised to support farmers with inputs and the rainy season farming for Southern Nigeria is almost over.
Distribution of palliatives can only bring down the cost of food for a few months but it is not a lasting solution. They should first address the insecurity that drove away farmers from the farm. The government should subsidize fertilizer and farm inputs. In this way, they will encourage farmers to go back to farm.”
Saviour Akpan, Executive Director, of COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peacebuilding, said: “Instead of donating trucks of food to the citizens, the government subsidize and make available to the citizens organic seedlings and fertilizers. This will encourage self-reliance as production will be based on two folds namely Subsistence and Commercial production. The citizens should also be educated on the danger of living a wasteful life which includes purchasing commodities not based on their needs but according to their want which contributes to inflation and scarcity.
Furthermore, the Land Use Act of 1978 should be amended to make land more and readily available for all agricultural purposes without hindrances.”
Ogunbiyi Olajunwo is a rights lawyers based in Uyo said: ”The Federal Government doesn’t have its priorities right. The first thing the current administration should have done immediately it came to power was to open the borders. Nothing was hindering us from importing food. We are not self sufficient in food production. We are not even at war with our neighbours, so why are we closing the borders to food coming in? It’s common sense that the government opens the borders for food to come in. And they need to reduce tariffs on essential goods, not just rice and wheat.
They need to reduce it so that food can come and reduce the burden on Nigerians. The hardship Nigerians are facing is not natural, it is man made. Then government needs a clear plan to tackle insecurity that has not allowed the farmers to go to the farms. And they need to stop giving those stupid subsidies and palliatives. Even with fertilizers, the federal government needs to stop it, those are not solutions. There is need for purposeful investment into food chains. Same way they look for investors to come and farm our oil and gas, that’s how we need investors to develop agriculture.
Ten mega farms can feed this nation. It is about capacity, not the number of people struggling to farm. We need to move away from this crude, subsistence farming and move into real mechanised farming. That is how we can feed ourselves, not by sharing food or giving fertilisers that can’t reach even the common man. Some of the farmers they give fertiliser sell it. It goes back to those who are rich and they commit it to some other personal purpose.
In Jos, Plateau state, an Executive of Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria, SWOFON, Mrs. Mary Afan said, “Women should be encouraged to continue to put food on the table of every household. When we talk about food security, people look at big farms but what you find in the markets are what the small-holder farmers produce. The big farms target exports or industrial use.
Smallholder farmers produce vegetables, grains, tubers, and others. But when the government wants to support, you hardly see the smallholder farmers benefit. It is either the political farmers that will get it and resell it because they don’t have farms or it is the big farmers that would benefit. That is why we are facing food insecurity; small farms are neglected, the real farmers don’t get the needed support. Insecurity is also stopping women from going to the farms because some of them are raped and killed in the farms, so people are afraid.”
Another resident, Jamila Benzies-Buyengum said, “People should be encouraged to go back to the farms, and implements should be subsidized and made available. When the government at all levels do these, food will be available. Farming has evolved, the capacity of citizens should be built to engage in farming dynamically at homes using sacks and these will improve the availability of food.”
On his part, Adamu Musa noted that, “More youths should be trained and modern farming tools deployed to enable them to go to the farms. This will reduce insecurity, and promote food production and food availability.
To Daniel Dazang, “The grassroots dwellers should be actively involved and supported to produce food. When they have enough to eat, the leftovers will be taken to the market and others will buy them. The government giving out palliative measures is not sustainable and by the way, how many people have access to the palliatives? The best thing is to engage the people in farming and this will be possible when insecurity is curbed and farm inputs are provided by the governments at all levels.”
[Vanguard]
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has imposed a fine of $220 million on Meta, parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, for multiple data privacy violations.
According to a statement on Friday signed by Adamu Abdullahi, FCCPC’s acting chief executive officer, the penalty is in accordance with the FCCPA 2018, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (administrative penalties) Regulations 2020 (APR).
More to follow…
Temi Otedola, the Nigerian actress, has celebrated Mr Eazi, her partner, on his 33rd birthday.
In an Instagram post, Temi referred to Mr Eazi as her “forever favorite person” and “soon-to-be husband”.
“Celebrating you today + every day!!! Happy birthday to my forever person, my favorite person, my soon-to-be oko,” she wrote.
In another post on her Instagram story, Temi reflected on how her life changed since meeting the singer.
She also expressed gratitude for his positive influence over the past eight years and shared her excitement for their future together.
“My entire life changed when I met you! Over the last eight years, you’ve inspired, supported, and continually shown that you’re the kindest soul I’ve ever come across. I’m so excited to spend the rest of your birthdays by your side,” she added.
Temi and Mr Eazi began their relationship in 2017 and engaged in April 2023.
Last year, the actress called Mr Eazi her “husband” in social media posts and said she had moved in with him.
In November 2023, Mr Eazi clarified that their wedding was not a secret.
He added that their wedding details were subtly revealed in the music video for his song ‘Legalize.’
Temi made her acting debut in Kunle Afolayan’s film ‘Citation’.
The film earned her the ‘Best Actress’ award at the Ghana Movie Awards and a nomination for ‘Revelation of the Year’ at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards.
Born on July 19, 1991, Mr Eazi gained fame in the Nigerian music industry with his hit song ‘Skin Tight’ and has since received numerous accolades for his musical talent.
The National Assembly is set to receive an executive bill on the new national minimum wage following an agreement between President Bola Tinubu and labour leaders.
This agreement reached on Thursday during a meeting at the Aso Presidential Villa in Abuja, establishes ₦70,000 as the new minimum wage, replacing the previous ₦30,000, which expired on April 18, 2024.
The meeting, which included the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), was led by their respective presidents, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo.
The discussions concluded with a consensus on the increased wage, aiming to provide better remuneration for Nigerian workers amidst rising living costs.
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed to Punch that the executive bill would be presented to the lawmakers by next week Tuesday.
This legislative move is intended to give legal backing to the agreed-upon minimum wage and facilitate its implementation nationwide.
He said, “The minimum wage will reach the National Assembly by Tuesday. He (President Tinubu) told labour in the meeting that it will be ready by Tuesday.”
Naija News had earlier reported that President Tinubu, while approving the minimum wage on Thursday, promised to review it every three years.
[NaijaNews]
The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) has expressed concern over its ability to pay the N70,000 newly approved minimum wage, saying private organisations are over-burdened by high cost of production.
The Director-General, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, who spoke on behalf on the body, however, commended the federal government over the approval of the new minimum wage, urging it to put in place reforms that would strengthen private sector to be able to pay.
“While we commend the president for putting to rest the immediate issue of the National Minimum Wage, we also note, most importantly his commitment to support the sub-nationals and the organised private sector to pay the new wage,” he said.
The NECA DG noted that during the consultations with the National Minimum Wage Committee, the OPS expressed concern about its ability to pay the N62,000 recommended by the tripartite committee.
“In fact, the N62,000 was premised on the understanding and agreement by the government representatives that the government will take definite steps to reduce the current economic burden on the organized private sector,” he said.
He pleaded with the federal government to reverse the increase in electricity tariffs, ensure CBN redemption of all outstanding forwards for companies in the productive sector, put a freeze on introduction of new taxes and levies on businesses for the next five years, and provide a duty exemption on imported conversion kits and government subsidy on procurement of same.
“It should be noted that the ability to pay remains a fundamental consideration. The proposed support by the president to organised businesses should be immediately announced to enable businesses to plan effectively,” he said
[DailyTrust]
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Kingsley Moghalu, has described the N70,000 minimum wage approved by President Bola Tinubu as a good thing.
Moghalu said the next step after the minimum wage increment should be the review of maximum wages and the lifestyle of the political class.
Posting on X, Moghalu wrote, “Good thing that President @officialABAT has approved a N70,000 minimum wage with a promise to review every 3 years.
“As I had argued in past months, 70K was the barest minimum and not beyond 100K, bearing economic realities in the private sector in mind. Next, can we review the “maximum” wages and lifestyles of the political class, especially @nassnigeria members?”
On Thursday, Tinubu agreed N70,000 new minimum wage increase for Nigerian workers.
The agreement was reached during a meeting with representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC.
The president also promised that the federal government would support the sub-national and private sectors to pay the N70,000 minimum wage.
[DailyPost]
Former United States President and Republican Party presidential candidate, Donald Trump, has predicted an “incredible victory” ahead of the November presidential election and called for national unity among Americans.
Trump officially accepted the party’s presidential nomination, describing the upcoming election as a “historical election” and expressing his desire to be the president for all Americans.
“Tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States,” Trump declared during his acceptance speech at the Republican convention in Milwaukee, concluding the four-day event.
This speech was his first since surviving an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania. The attack left him bloodied after a gunman shot in his direction.
The energy among delegates sagged as Trump discussed his policy proposals and asked for their votes, promising not to disappoint them.
“Tonight for your partnership, for your support, and I am humbly asking for your vote,” he said. He emphasized his commitment to making America great again and not letting down his supporters.
“Make our country great again. Every day, I will strive to honor the trust you have placed in me, and I will never, ever let you down. I promise that I will never let you down. To all of the forgotten men and women who have been neglected, abandoned and left behind, you will be forgotten no longer. We will press forward and together we will win, win, win,” Trump asserted.
In his speech, which lasted more than an hour and a half, Trump concluded with a promise to ‘very quickly make America great again.’
“We will save this country. We will restore the Republic, and we will usher in the rich and wonderful tomorrows that our people so truly deserve. America’s future will be bigger, better, bolder, brighter, happier, stronger, freer, greater and more united than ever before and quite simply put, we will very quickly make America great again,” he proclaimed, to which the crowd erupted into applause. Melania Trump and the rest of his family then joined him on stage.
Earlier, the 78-year-old former president detailed the failed assassination attempt, stating he heard a loud sound hitting him “hard” on his right ear, adding that “it can only be a bullet.”
He attributed his survival to divine grace. “As you already know, the assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life. So many people have asked me what happened, tell us what happened, please. And, therefore I will tell you exactly what happened, and you’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s actually too painful to tell,” he said.
Trump described the critical moment before the shot: “The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be here tonight. We would not be together. I’m only standing here by the grace of Almighty God,”
Referring to the Secret Service, he said, “They’re incredible people. Bullets were flying over us, yet I felt serene, but now the Secret Service agents were putting themselves in peril. They were in very dangerous territory. Bullets were flying right over them, missing them by a very small amount of inches, and then it all stopped. Our Secret Service sniper, from a much greater distance and with only one bullet used, took the assassin’s life, took them out,”
Trump showcased a chart titled “Illegal immigration into the US,” which had been displayed at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, just before the assassination attempt.
“That was the chart that saved my life,” Trump remarked onstage at the convention five days later.
“You know the chart? Oh, there it is. That’s pretty good. Wow. Last time I put up that chart, I never really got to look at it. But without that chart, I would not be here today,”
Trump honored the man killed in the failed assassination attempt by briefly stepping away from the podium to kiss the helmet of Corey Comperatore, which, along with his firefighter’s jacket, stood behind him.
The speech also included attacks on Democrats for “weaponizing the justice system,” despite his well-documented attempts to overturn the 2020 election, insisting he is a defender of democracy.
“We are one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And we must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement, which is what’s been happening in our country lately at a level that nobody has ever seen before.
“In that spirit, the Democrat party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labeling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy. Especially since that is not true. In fact, I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country,” Trump stated.
Introducing his running mate, JD Vance, Trump briefly described him as a “great, great student at Yale, his wife was a great student at Yale, they met at Yale. These are two smart people,”
He also attacked former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, describing her as “crazy Nancy.”
“Crazy Nancy Pelosi, the whole thing, just, boom, boom, boom. They’ve got to stop that, because they’re destroying our country. We have to work on making America great again, not on beating people. And we won. We beat them and all we beat them on the impeachments. We beat them on indictments,” he said.
Referring to the 2020 election, Trump claimed ‘they use Covid to cheat.’
As he recited a long list of policy proposals, the former president said: “And then we had that horrible, horrible result that we’ll never let happen again, the election result. We’re never going to let that happen again. They use Covid to cheat. You’re never going to let it happen again,”
Before Trump took the stage, it was reported by multiple outlets that he would not say Joe Biden’s name.
“And I say it often, if you took the 10 worst presidents in the history of the United States think of it, the 10 worst added them up, they will not have done the damage that Biden has done. Only going to use the term once, Biden, I’m not going to use the name anymore, just one time,” he said.
Trump promised to lower prices for Americans after a historic period of inflation under Joe Biden.
“We must get economic relief to our citizens. Starting on day one, we will drive down prices and make America affordable again. Republicans have a plan to bring down prices and bring them down very, very rapidly. By slashing energy costs, we will, in turn, reduce the cost of transportation, manufacturing and all household goods. So much starts with energy. And remember, we have more liquid gold under our feet than any other country,” he said.
Describing the migration of other nations to the United States as an “invasion”, Trump promised to drill and close the borders on his first day in office.
“At the heart of the Republican platform is our pledge to end this border nightmare and fully restore the sacred and sovereign borders of the United States of America. We’re going to do that on day one. That means two things on day one, right: drill, baby, drill and close our borders,“Drill, baby, drill. Close our borders. Tonight, this is my vow, I will not allow these criminals into our country,”
Trump also vowed to have “the largest deportation operation in the history of our country,” hypothesising that crime is dropping in Central American countries like El Salvador because “they’re sending their murders to the United States of America.”
He noted that his deportations would be “even larger than that of President Dwight D. Eisenhower from many years ago. You know, he was a moderate but he believed very strongly in borders. He had the largest deportation operation we’ve ever had,”
Trump concluded by telling voters ‘your expectations are not big enough’ and centering on the promise of better days ahead.
“For too long, our nation has settled for too little. We settle for too little. We’ve given everything to other nations, to other people. You have been told to lower your expectations and to accept less for your families. I am here tonight with the opposite message. Your expectations are not big enough.
“The assassin in Pennsylvania wanted to stop our movement. But the truth is, the movement has never been about me. It has always been about you. It’s your movement. The biggest movement in the history of our country, by far, can’t be stopped.”
[TheNation]
Teenage gymnast Shoko Miyata has been pulled from Japan’s team for the Paris Olympics after being caught smoking and drinking, officials said Friday.
The 19-year-old, a world bronze medallist and captain of Japan’s women’s gymnastics team for the Games, was sent home from their training camp in Monaco and admitted she had violated their code of conduct.
“With her confirmation and after discussions on all sides, it has been decided that she will withdraw from the Olympics,” Japan Gymnastics Association (JGA) secretary general Kenji Nishimura told reporters in Tokyo.
Nishimura said the association had been told that Miyata was seen smoking in a private setting in Tokyo some time at the end of June or beginning of July.
She also reportedly drank alcohol in a room at Japan’s national training centre.
Smoking and drinking are both illegal under the age of 20 in Japan.
Nishimura said it was not clear whether Miyata was at a party or drinking alone.
“Being a member of the Japan national gymnastics team is a position where you have high demands on you all the time,” said JGA chairman Tadashi Fujita.
Fujita said that Miyata was already back in Japan after leaving the team’s camp and that the JGA would give her support.
Nishimura said she had “looked exhausted” at the camp in Monaco.
“She understands the importance of the rules and she looked sincere in facing up to her behaviour,” he said.
“It has been tough for her but she has talked openly and honestly about it.”
Miyata won bronze in the balance beam at the 2022 world championships in Liverpool.
She won the all-around title at Japan’s national championships earlier this year.
The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024, PUNCH Online reports
AFP
The Rivers State Government has distanced the governor of the state, Siminialayi Fubara, from the reported proposal of N80,000 as minimum wage for civil servants in the state.
The disclaimer followed a media report on some social media platforms that the governor of the state had proposed to pay N80,000 as minimum wage to workers in the state.
But, in a media statement in Port Harcourt, Friday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, decried the report as false.
Chukwudi hinted that the state has not taken a stand on how much the state would pay as minimum wage at the moment, noting that government would take a decision in due course.
He said: “The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to claims circulating in online media that His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, has proposed to pay a new minimum wage of N80,000 for civil servants in the state and local government areas.
“Therefore, it is important to state that the unverified claims being circulated by Newsweekng.com, and titled: ‘Breaking News: Governor Fubara Proposes N80,000 minimum wage’ is totally false and misleading.
“The general public, and particularly civil servants in the State, are advised to discountenance the false claims in the online media platform. The Rivers State Government will make its position on the issue known in due course.”
[Vanguard]
The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, (NAHCON) Malam Jalal Arabi, has said that the N90 billion subsidy provided by the Federal Government for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage was largely used as intervention to bridge gaps in pilgrims’ flight fares.
A total of 65,000 Nigerian pilgrims performed this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia, while 40 of them died during the pilgrimage.
The House of Representatives had constituted a committee, chaired by Sada Soli (APC Katsina), to probe NAHCON’s performance during the pilgrimage after some state governors expressed dissatisfaction with the Commission, especially over alleged inadequate provision of accommodation in Muna, Saudi Arabia, and insufficient Basic Travel Allowance, BTA, for pilgrims from their states.
Making clarification on the utilization of the fund, Arabi explained that the subsidy was utilized to address the increase in the 2024 Hajj costs.
“The Federal Government granted us a N90 billion subsidy, which we carefully utilised to address the unprecedented increase in Hajj costs.
“The high dollar exchange rate caused the cost per seat to surge above N9 million, necessitating our intervention to mitigate the burden on pilgrims.
“To address the issue, we convened a meeting with representatives from all states to discuss the matter. We then compiled a list of intending pilgrims who had already paid the approved N8 million.
“Subsequently, we supplemented the remaining N1.6 million for each of the over 50,000 pilgrims to complete the payment, ensuring that their Hajj journey was not disrupted,” he said.
“The N1.6 million used to supplement the Hajj fares of 50,000 pilgrims would amount to N80 billion, leaving about N10 billion from the money provided by the government. In the interview, Arabi said the remaining funds were prudently used for other logistics but did not provide the breakdown,” he stressed.
Arabi added that, unlike other commissions in Nigeria, NAHCON does not receive regular subventions from the Federal Government, either monthly or annually, to fund its operations.
On the achievements of NAHCON under his leadership, he said: “In our first year in the helms of affairs, we made concerted efforts to deliver optimal results, acknowledging that we faced some obstacles.
“Nevertheless, we have drawn valuable insights from our experiences and are committed to building upon our progress.
“The Commission has already commenced preparations for next year’s Hajj, and we are confident that our services will be even more efficient and effective, surpassing the expectations of our esteemed pilgrims.”
It would be recalled that NAHCON concluded the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, with the arrival of 312 pilgrims from Kwara State.
More...
Numbeo, the world’s largest database of user-contributed data about cities and countries worldwide, has ranked Lagos State as the most severe traffic congestion, followed by Nairobi, Kenya.
Numbeo provides current and timely information on world living conditions including cost of living, housing indicators, healthcare, traffic, crime and pollution.
According to Numbeo, by mid-2024, traffic conditions in various African cities would have deteriorated, resulting in longer commutes and decreased productivity.
It stated that the traffic index assesses commute time, dissatisfaction with traffic, CO2 emissions, and overall system inefficiencies to highlight the severity of the issue.
Numbeo stated that Lagos consistently ranks as one of the world’s most congested cities.
The high Traffic Index of 354.5 indicates severe congestion, with the average commuter spending approximately 68.8 minutes in traffic each day.
It listed high population, poor road conditions and frequent potholes as factors that contribute to the traffic woes in Lagos.
The public transport system is often overcrowded and inefficient, leading many to rely on private vehicles.
Coming second is Nairobi, Kenya that is another major city grappling with severe traffic congestion.
The city’s Traffic Index stands at 249.0, with an average commute time of 52.7 minutes. Nairobi’s position as an economic and administrative hub contributes significantly to its traffic issues.
Also, Cairo, Egypt’s bustling capital is notorious for its traffic congestion. The city’s Traffic Index is 242.4, with commuters spending an average of 49.9 minutes in traffic.
Cairo’s ancient infrastructure struggles to accommodate modern-day traffic volumes.
Overpopulation is a significant factor as Cairo is one of the most densely populated cities in Africa.
In addition, Pretoria, one of South Africa’s three capital cities, faces significant traffic challenges.
With a Traffic Index of 228.1 and an average commute time of 45.0 minutes, the city’s congestion is a major concern for residents and authorities alike.
Also, Cape Town, another major city in South Africa faces significant traffic congestion.
The city’s Traffic Index is 209.3, with commuters spending an average of 42.5 minutes in traffic daily.
The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has expressed deep concern over Nigerians’ severe economic hardships.
His comments came during a ceremony for the distribution of free fertiliser to 52,800 smallholder farmers across Kano State’s 44 local government areas on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering at the Government House, alongside the newly appointed second-class Emirs of Gaya and Karaye, Sanusi highlighted the dire situation many Nigerians find themselves in.
“People are in a dire situation. I’m aware that people now resort to buying half pepper because of the high cost of food items. This is unbearable. But I think with efforts like this, people can get some relief,” he stated.
The initiative, which aims to alleviate economic hardship and promote food security, will see each farmer, including women and persons living with disabilities, receive 25kg of fertiliser.
The Emir praised the Kano State Government for the initiative but urged further action to mitigate the ongoing economic challenges.
On his part, Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, said, “We are determined to support our farmers and ensure that food is available and affordable for all.”
The Emirs of Gaya and Karaye also voiced their support for the programme. Emir of Gaya, Ali Ibrahim, said, “This distribution of fertiliser will significantly contribute to food security in our state.” Similarly, the Emir of Karaye, Mahammad Mahraz, expressed optimism that the initiative would benefit the farming community.
Representatives of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) were also present, expressing their gratitude for the government’s gesture. “This initiative will help bring down the cost of food items in the state and provide much-needed support to our farmers,” remarked AFAN official Ibrahim Inuwa.
Dayo ‘D1’ Adeneye, the co-founder of Kennis Music, has revealed how he has maintained his over 40-year friendship with Kenny Ogungbe.
In a recent interview with Teju Babyface, the comedian, Adeneye said his bond with Ogungbe, 63, goes back to their college days, where they were practically inseparable.
He said they graduated together and frequently spent time at each other’s homes.
“Keke and I have known each other for over 40 years, going on 50 years now. As a matter of fact, we graduated on the same day, both our undergraduate and graduate,” he said.
“If you were looking for Kenny in those days, just go to my house. He had his own apartment, but he was always at my house. If you were looking for me, I’d be at Kenny’s house.”
Adeneye also revealed that their friendship is built on mutual support and contentment.
He said they ensure that they never pursue ambitions at the expense of their bond.
He added that they handle disagreements privately, without seeking external intervention.
“That has always been the way we approach life: what is yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours. The thing is, what do we achieve together? It’s not like we don’t fight, but we don’t let it get to the level where we need to people to intervene after a quarrel,” he added.
“We’ve never taken things out of context. We are both contented individuals. We aspire for a lot in life but not at the expense of our friendship.”
Adeneye and Ogungbe founded Kennis Music, their record label, in the late 1990s.
The record label was home to artistes like 2Baba, Jaywon, Eldee, Sir Shina Peters, and Tony Tetuila, among others.
The duo have received several recognitions, including induction into the Hip-Hop World Hall of Fame at the 2006 Headies.
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The naira traded at N1,620 on Thursday, extending its depreciation streak to five days at the parallel section of the foreign exchange (FX) market.
The local currency depreciated by 0.3 percent from the N1,615 per dollar traded on July 17.
Currency traders, known as bureau de change (BDC) operators, quoted the buying rate of the naira as N1,600 and the selling rate at N1,620 — leaving a N20 profit margin.
According to the FMDQ Exchange, a platform that oversees official FX trading in Nigeria, the local currency appreciated to N1,566.82 per dollar on Thursday — a 0.94 percent decline from N1,581.65 traded the previous day.
The local currency traded at a high of N1,620 and a low of N1,500.
A FIVE-DAY LOSS STREAK
On July 11, the local currency appreciated at the black market to N1,530/$ — from the N1,550 traded on July 10.
Abruptly reversing the gain, the naira depreciated to N1,545 on July 12, and further to N1,555 on July 15.
Between July 16 and July 17, the local currency depreciated to N1,585 and N1,615, respectively.
Meanwhile, the official market recorded marginal fluctuations. Data from the FMDQ Exchange showed that the naira appreciated to N1,554.65 on July 11 — from N1,561 on July 10.
The local currency fell to N1,563.80 on July 12 at the official market. The decline continued at N1,577.29 on July 15, before the naira recovered again to N1,576.66 on July 16.
However, the local currency, on July 17, fell to N1,581.65 against the greenback.
On July 15, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) called for the stabilisation of the naira’s value.
“The recent fluctuations in the value of the naira have made it difficult for companies to plan and invest,” the association said.
“This is one major reason why multinational companies are leaving. It’s not the fear of subsidy removal.”
According to the association, fixing the FX rate would reset the manufacturing industry.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on July 13, said it has sold foreign currencies worth $122.67 million to 46 authorised dealers in two days to ensure stability and reduce FX market volatility.
On July 18, the CBN approved the sale of FX to eligible BDC operators at N1,450 per dollar “to meet the demand for invisible transactions”.