President Bola Tinubu has banned ministers, heads of agencies, and other government officials from embarking on public funded foreign trips.

The ban will last for three months in the first instance and will take effect on April 1, 2024.

This was contained in a letter dated March 12, 2024, and signed by the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila; and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

In January, Tinubu issued an order to reduce the number of people accompanying him on both local and foreign trips, noting that his delegation members should not exceed 25 for local travels and 20 for international trip

He also mandated that security agents at his destination should provide his protection instead of being accompanied by many security personnel from Abuja.

This came following the backlash he faced during and after the last twenty-eighth Conference of Parties (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates, which about 590 Nigerian officials attended.

Responding to the public outburst, the government said it provided funding for only 422 out of the 590 individuals in the delegation.

The letter indicating the ban read in part, “Mr President has concerns about the rising cost of travel expenses borne by Ministries, Department and Agencies of Government as well as the growing need for cabinet members and heads of MDAs to focus on their respective mandates for effective service delivery.

“Considering the current economic challenges and the need for responsible fiscal management, I am writing to communicate Mr Presideni’s directive to place a temporary ban on all public funded international trips for all Federal Government officials at all levels, for an initial period of three months from Ist April 2024.”

The ban, according to the letter, was aimed at reducing costs in governance.

It added, “This temporary measure is aimed at cost reduction in governance and intended as a cost-saving measure without compromising government functions.”

Tinubu added that government officials who intend to go on any public funded foreign trip must seek and get presidential approval at least two weeks before embarking on any such trip, which must be ‘deemed absolutely necessary’.

It added, “All government officials who intend to go on any public funded international trips must seek and obtain Presidential approval at least two weeks prior to embarking on any such trip, which must be deemed absolutely necessary.”

The Federal Government has released the full list of individuals and organizations financing terrorism in Nigeria.

The list released by the Federal Government include Tukur Mamu, a close ally of Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.

The list also include six Bureau De Change, BDC, operators.

Recall that information earlier released by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, said those financing terrorism include nine individuals and six Bureau De Change operators.

In its report titled, ‘Identification of Persons and Organizations as of March 18, 2024’, the NFIU said the Nigeria Sanctions Committee convened on March 18, 2024, during which certain individuals and entities were identified for sanction due to their ties to terrorism financing.

Subsequently, a post released on X on Monday by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Media Aide, Bashir Ahmad, reads: “The Federal Government has released names and BDCs funding terrorists in Nigeria. We hope that those individuals will face the necessary legal consequences for their actions.

1. Tukur Mamu
2. Yusuf Ghazali
3. Muhammad Sani
4. Abubakar Muhammad
5. Sallamudeen Hassan
6. Adamu Ishak
7. Hassana-Oyiza Isah
8. Abdulkareem Musa
9. Umar Abdullahi

The six BDCs and firms are:

10. West and East Africa General Trading Company Limited
11. Settings Bureau De Change Ltd
12. G. Side General Enterprises
13. Desert Exchange Ventures Limited
14. Eagle Square General Trading Company Limited
15. Alfa Exchange BDC

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman has met with striking unions in a bid to end the ongoing warning strike.

The meeting took place on Wednesday in Abuja.

The unions include Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, and National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT.

Mamman told newsmen after the meeting that the Federal Government would continue to dialogue with the unions to forestall an escalation.

Recall that the unions commenced a seven-day nationwide strike on Monday to protest the refusal of the Federal Government to release their four-month salaries withheld in 2021 because they embarked on a strike.

“It is our expectation that it will not go beyond what it is. We have a good understanding with the unions to ensure stability in our tertiary institutions.

“We will do everything possible to maintain confidence in the unions so that the issue of the strike can be resolved,” he said.

The General Secretary of NASU, Prince Peters Adeyemi, while commending the openness of the government in ending the strike, insisted that the strike will continue until a favourable response from the government is received.

“We have been duly briefed by the government team led by the Minister of Education on the efforts that the government is making in respect of our demands.

“We have said that since this is a warning strike, these efforts should continue and hopefully, before the end of the warning strike, something reasonable and tangible will come from the government.

“We appreciate their openness but this struggle will continue [until] as soon as we receive a positive response from the higher authorities.

“We assure the Nigerian public that the strike will be reviewed appropriately, but, for now, the strike continues while the government continues with efforts to get the desired results so that the universities will come back on stage,” he said.

Corroborating this, the President of NAAT, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, reiterated the decision of other unions, saying that the parties would further consult with their principals and thereafter would come back and brief the minister.

The Senate has passed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024.

The bill was passed on Wednesday, March 20.

The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND that considered the Bill.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Muntari Dandutse (APC – Katsina South) presented the report during plenary.

President Bola Tinubu had last week transmitted the Bill to the National Assembly for its consideration and passage.

The Senate had given the Bill accelerated hearing by suspending relevant sections of its standing rules and referred the Bill to the Committee of the Whole for consideration.

After debate on the Bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the Bill to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND for further legislative work and to report back in one week.

The Bill seeks to provide easy access to higher education for indigent Nigerians through interest-free loans from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund established in the Act to provide education for all Nigerians.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have stormed the secretariat of the Labour Party to protest the party’s national convention planned for end of this month.

The union also demanded the sack of the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure.

The NLC leadership alleged that Abure was planning to hold a “secret” convention without the inputs of major stakeholders.

Vanguard gathered that the planned convention has pitched Abure against the NLC and the House of Representatives caucus.

The workers accused Abure of planning to destroy the Labour Party.

The protesting workers have been refused entry into the party Secretariat by the Nigeria Police Force.

Details later…

Yesterday, the Nigerian Senate passed N446,342,656,992 as the 2024 budget of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The action of the Senate followed its adoption and approval of the recommendation of its Committee on Finance that considered the budget.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sani Musa (APC – Niger East) presented the report.

Of the sum, according to the report, N177,441,479,682 is for Personnel Cost, N156,454,385,053 is for Overhead cost and N112,446,822,255.00 is for capital expenditure.

The committee observed that: “The Service Year 2024 budget estimates are based on Zero Based Budgeting.

“That the 2024 projected Cost of Collection of N446.34 billion is 39 per cent higher than the 2023 approved budgeted cost of collection which stood at N320.90billion.

“The personnel cost is based on staff strength on the payroll including social benefits (such as NHIA, Pension contribution etc.) and anticipated performance bonus for the year.

“The increase in overhead projection can be attributed to the need for more robust operational activities which are critical in driving the achievement of Service core objectives e.g tax automation projects and other critical ones that relate directly to tax collection and administration.

The House of Representatives Committee on Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis has summoned the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Pate and the Permanent Secretary, Daju S. Kachollom over the alleged misappropriation of $300 million in antimalarial funds.

Amobi Ogah, the Chairman of the Committee read the resolutions in Abuja on Tuesday, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Mr Ogah expressed his displeasure over the absence of the Permanent Secretary of the ministry at the resumed sitting of the committee on Tuesday.

“The Committee has resolved that the Permanent Secretary be arrested if she failed to honour the summons, having failed to appear three times.

“Malaria is now an epidemic in Nigeria. The government has always wanted to help the people but most times the civil servants are our problem.

“This money has been made available since 2021. We have been inviting the Permanent Secretary. This is the third time we are inviting her to come and explain to us what has happened.

“Have they used the money? If they have not used the money, where is the money? It is a matter of simple explanation. But they have been running away, calling all manner of people to talk to us,” he said.

The Tinubu-led federal government has commenced the nationwide distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari announced the development during an interactive session with the National Assembly joint committee on Agriculture Production Services and Rural Development, on Tuesday.

The committee chaired by Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC -Kwara Central), had asked the Minister to divulge how the federal government was planning to curb the high cost of food items in the country and make it affordable to the citizenry.

Replying, Kyari disclosed that they had received a directive and approval from President Bola Tinubu to distribute 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains.

According to him, “We have received directive and approval from Mr. President to distribute for immediate impact 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains free of charge to the Nigerian population.

“This was received in mid-February, as we are speaking we have a record of the distribution being carried out, but I will want to plead with the Honorable House Members and Distinguished Senators that some of the movements can’t be made public but a lot of states have started receiving their grains.

“We are distributing to State capitals in the first instance as you all are aware of the risk involved in the vandalisation of foodstuff, so we are working with the office of the National Security Adviser and other national security agencies.

“Furthermore, 58,500 metric tons of milled rice from mega rice millers will also be released into the market for stabilization.”

He said that the action of the Federal Government had become imperative to cushion the impacts of hardship on Nigerians which he said, will soon become a thing of the past.

Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti state has reacted to the statement made by Afe Babalola (SAN), who opined that previous governors of the state did not do well in office hence the reason for hardship in the state.

Recall that the founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), on Monday, said all the past governors who managed the affairs of the state before the incumbent, Biodun Oyebanji, failed to develop it.

Speaking at the commissioning of the multi-system hospital annexe in Odo-Ado, Igirigiri road, Ado Ekiti, Babalola commended Oyebanji for doing a wonderful job so far.

The legal luminary added that the former governors abandoned the vision of those who laboured for the creation of the state.

However, in an interview with Premium Times on Tuesday, Fayose said that contrary to Babalola’s assertion, all past governors of the state did their best and contributed to Ekiti’s development.

However, the former governor said Babalola remained a leader he respects and would never want to join issues on any matter.

Fayose said Babalola himself is trying at everything he is doing, but that he would not finish every good thing he intends to achieve.

He also expressed the belief that Babalola must have been misquoted, adding that the senior lawyer had, in 2018, described him as a patriot not only to Ekiti State and the Yoruba race but also to Nigeria.

He said: “He is our leader, we owe everything to him, we cannot join issues with him, we will continue to respect him. In this case, he must have been misquoted.

“I want to believe he must have been misquoted, Governor Adebayo did his best. Governor Fayemi did his best. I did my best.

“In fact, what Baba said about me in 2018 does not correlate with what you are saying he said about me yesterday.”

Some parts of the nation's capital, Abuja and Kogi State are experiencig blackout due to the collapse of a power station.

The two areas earlier mentioned are under the coverage of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

On Tuesday, the AEDC informed its customers in Zamani Estate, Abacha Road Mararaba, Ruga Juli and other parts of Abuja that a technical fault on 33kv feeder k6 from AT9 Karu Transmission Station was responsible for the power outage.

“The management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc wishes to notify its esteemed customers that there is currently a technical fault on 33kv feeder k6 from AT9 Karu Transmission Station, managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

“The areas affected in Abuja are: Zamani Estate, Abacha Road Mararaba, Ruga Juli, Old Karu Road, Glory Estate and environs,” the Disco said in a statement.

The AEDC disclosed that the TCN maintenance crew was working to ensure the supply of electricity to these areas was restored soon, regretting any inconvenience caused.

Earlier, the TCN had announced its maintenance crew would carry out planned maintenance on its TR3 45MVA and TR2 60MVA power transformers in its 132/33kV Okene Transmission Substation.

The maintenance was scheduled to run from Tuesday to Wednesday, from 10 am to 03pm on each day.