Tells Workers To Be Battle Ready Against The Anti-People Policy
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has accused the courts in the country of being responsible for the present sufferings; hardships and underdevelopment the citizenry are passing through.
NLC also urged Nigerians to disregard the alleged state-sponsored rallies aimed at enslaving workers, stressing that the rallies are clear reminders of the Youth Earnestly Ask for Abacha movement days that forced them to reminiscence the days of the bespectacled dictator that ran roughshod over the nation and trampled upon all known democratic and civil rights of the citizens and workers.
President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who stated this in his address at the closing ceremony of the 2023 Rain School of the congress in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, told workers to be battle-ready and brace for another round of struggle for the emancipation of the people and the workers.
He said that the earlier nationwide action organized by labour over the removal of fuel subsidy was allegedly sabotaged by an abnormal injunction procured and served on NLC in “unholy circumstances” from the Courts by the Government.
“Whether this antics of manipulating the Courts to sabotage our collective resolve will work this time is going to be left in the hands of Nigerians and the seriousness with which they see the imminent peril which our lives are being subjected to. That is why we want Nigerian workers and Nigerian people to blame all our present sufferings, hardships and underdevelopment on the Courts,” he said.
He said, “It is said that after the rain comes shine! Today, it is shining brighter and brighter! At the end of every journey is a time of reckoning and a time to say goodbyes! Time to evaluate what has been done and what has been accomplished! We have all spent a fruitful week learning new skills and getting empowered for the battle ahead; the struggles for a more humane and inclusive globe where workers will no longer be seen as appendages but as critical players towards greater wealth creation and development.
“Comrades! That is why it is indeed with great pleasure and honour that I stand with you on this auspicious occasion that marks the end of this year’s Rain School. The hard work has been done and we believe, the harvests and its various outcomes would soon be demonstrated in new deeper and more robust engagements with the social partners especially as we grapple with the increasing threat of neo-liberalism and its offshoots such as the incipient and burgeoning anti-poor; pro-capital policies of the government of Nigeria.
“It is important that we quickly draw your attention to the insensitive and utterly unacceptable hike in the prices of Petroleum products by the government of Nigeria in the midst of the suffering occasioned by the earlier hike of same product price to N537/litre on the 29th day of May 2023. Nigerians were yet to grapple with the shock of that inauguration day price increase when just few days ago, we were shocked with the announcement of a fresh price hike to N617/litre by the agents of the federal government. To us comrades, this is most unconscionable and a further attempt at emasculating an already suffering and bent Nigerians who are currently groaning under the yoke of an unbending malevolent group presently occupying the corridors of power.
“We have pointed this out so as to prepare all of our minds on the battle that awaits all of us as we leave this place. The skills we have acquired here must be used to strategically respond to this nascent wickedness if we must remain relevant as the people cry out and ask; where is Labour and where is the NLC? A cry is out there in the streets comrades and we must respond creatively and timely to those calls. It is in the nature and robustness of our response that the testimony of what we have acquired these past days will be borne. It is truly going to be a demonstration of our resilience which is anchored on how we are able to meet with the desires and expectations of those who look up to us for the articulation and defense of their rights and privileges.
“It is on this note that we call on all Nigerians to get ready to join hands with us as we begin preparation to build a coalition of all Nigerian people; from the North to the South and from the East to the West. A Coalition of the suffering, oppressed and deprived where everyone will be a leader and everyone will be a follower. Hunger and poverty transcend ethnic and religious boundaries and it is our collective and indeed civic duty to save ourselves and our nation from the clutches of these mindless policies.
“Nigerians must disregard the state sponsored rallies aimed at further enslaving us. These rallies are clear reminders of the Youth Earnestly Ask for Abacha movement days and truly forces us to reminiscence the days of the bespectacled dictator who ran roughshod over our nation and trampled upon all known democratic and civil rights of the citizens and workers.
“As we brace for another round of struggle for the emancipation of our people and ourselves, we call on all of us who have attended this year’s programme to take charge and provide leadership in their various constituencies so that together, we can generate the critical mass needed to compel this government to listen to the wishes of Nigerian people.
“Comrades! Our earlier nationwide action was sabotaged by an abnormal injunction procured and served on us in unholy circumstances from the Courts by the Government.”
Continuing, he said, “As we gird our loins with the lessons from our various discourses here and as we eagerly prepare for our various destinations in and out of Nigeria, we urge you not to remain forever as students. The success of this week can only be measured by what you are able to do with it and how you are able to impact lives and your different unions. Nietsche reminds us that the worst thing we can do to our teachers is to remain students forever!
“We therefore urge you to impart on others the lessons learnt here. Apply them and use it to change whatever platform or society that we come across. Be worthy ambassadors of this school and let the light that has been lit in you here shine brightly wherever you go and in whatever you do”.
The Federal Government has approved 19 fund managers to manage the finances provided by oil and gas companies for their various Host Communities’ Development Trust.
HCDTs are trust funds by international and domestic oil and gas companies which are meant for the development of communities where oil and gas operations take place.
The Federal Government gave the approval for the fund managers through the Nigerian Upstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, adding that more companies would be approved in due course.
The Assistant Director, Host Communities Department, NUPRC, Olatokunbo Karimu, disclosed this in Abuja, on Friday, at a stakeholders’ engagement on the deployment Host Comply Technology Solution developed by the commission.
He said, “The fund managers are very important because this a long term sustainability programme for the host communities after the cessation of oil and gas operations. So we have received a total of 37 applications from the fund managers, and those fully approved to play in the arena are 19.
“They are on our website, where you (oil companies) can get the fully approved fund managers, so that you can advise your management committees or your board of trustees to select from this list. More fund managers are going to be approved.”
Karimu said chapter three of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 was fully dedicated to host communities’ development, adding that the regulation of the NUPRC on this came out in June 2022, and was being operationalised gradually.
He said the funds for host communities’ development would come from three per cent of operational expenditures of oil companies, donations, gifts, grants, among others.
According to him, “We are looking at the situation where we can grow these donations, gifts and grants further down the line. We’ve done some unveiling of BOTs (Board of Trustees), and we’ve had the privilege of educating them on this particular section.”
Presidential Tribunal: Atiku Claims Victory In 21 State In Final Address Seeking Tinubu’s Removal
AdminThe former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar has urged the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja to recognize his victory in the presidential election, claiming he won in 21 states.
The claim, submitted via his legal team led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, is based on a response filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Atiku’s petition challenging the election of President Bola Tinubu.
Atiku argues that INEC neither disputed nor denied his victory in the states he listed in its final brief of argument. He contends that the electoral body’s silence on his claim is an admission of its validity.
In his appeal, Atiku lists Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Osun, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara as states where he emerged victorious.
Atiku insists that because INEC did not refute his claimed victories throughout the proceedings, the court should accept his claim as valid and uphold his election victory.
The PDP presidential candidate’s final written address, read in part: “Very importantly, the 1st Respondent (INEC) who conducted the election, made an open admission in paragraph 18 of its Reply to the petition, where it unequivocally stated thus:
“The 1st Respondent further avers that in compliance with extant laws and regulations, it diligently discharged its duties when it collated the 1st Petitioner’s scores at the election which aggregates to 6,984,520 winning only 21 States to wit: Adamawa, Akwa Ibom. Bauchi. Bavelsa. Borno, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina. Kebbi. Kogi. Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Osun, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.
“Indeed, as admitted by the 1st Respondent (INEC), the 1st Petitioner (Atiku) won in these 21 States.
“It is important to note that throughout the trial, the ist Respondent (INEC) neither refuted nor countermanded this critical averment nor denied it.
“We urge your Lordship to hold that this constitutes an admission that requires no further proof. It also constitutes an admission against interest.
“The 1st Petitioner contested election to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the platform of the 2nd Petitioner, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which held on 25th February 2023, along with 17 other candidates, including the 2nd Respondent (Tinubu), who was the candidate of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in whose favour the electoral body, the ‘Independent’ National Electoral Commission (INEC) manipulated the technologies earlier put in place to ensure transparency, and wrongfully returned the said 2nd Respondent as winner at about 4.00am on is March 2023, at a time the 1st Respondent admitted that substantial percentage of the results had not to be transmitted to the collation system for verification as required by law.
“Under the cover of the so-called ‘technical glitch’ excuse which the Respondent never explained, the results were deliberately manipulated through suppression and discounting of the votes of the 1st Petitioner and inflation of the votes of the 2nd Respondent.
“This deliberate bypass of the use of the prescribed verification technology was nationwide and substantially affected the outcome of the election.
“The said 1st Respondent equally proceeded to declare the 2nd Respondent winner when the 2nd Respondent did not meet the mandatory constitutional requirement to secure not less than a quarter of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“This was in addition to the numerous infractions and corrupt practices perpetrated by the Respondents.
“Notwithstanding, the 1st Respondent unequivocally and clearly admitted in its pleadings, namely paragraph 18 at page 13 of its Reply to the Petition, which was never refuted or nor retracted, that the Petitioners won 21 States of the federation in the presidential election, which is an admission against interest.
“As a result of non-use of collation by electronic transmission, the 1st Respondent later altered the admitted result of 21 States for the 1st Petitioner to 12 States.”
Atiku who came second in the presidential election is asking the presidential tribunal to declare him the winner of the election held on the 25th of February, 2023.
Barely a month after the international wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport suffered the loss of almost all its lighting cables to yet-to-be-identified perpetrators, airport authorities have caught another cable thief in the act.
According to reports, vigilant guards on duty at the Nigeria Air Force headquarters gate managed to apprehend one of the three culprits as he attempted to dig up the underground armoured cable at the airport. Regrettably, the other two thieves managed to escape, leaving behind a trail of suspicion and concern.
Confirming this latest incident, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) issued a statement through its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua.
He said: “AT about 01:35hrs on July 21, 2023, the guards on duty at the Nigeria Airforce HQ NADC gate halted three cable thieves along the airport road by NADC perimeter fence who were sighted digging the FAAN underground armoured cable with the aid of a digger, shovel and cutlass.
Tukur Mamu: Lawyers, journalists, others barred from ex-terrorists negotiator’s trial
“On sighting the guards, they took to their heels. A guard however opened fire on them, aiming at the shoulder of Usman Musa. Usman Musa, 28 years old, a native of Adamawa State, residing at Ijora sustained gunshot wounds. He was subsequently arrested and taken to 661NAFH Ikeja.
“He is presently receiving treatment at General Hospital Oyingbo while his other two accomplices escaped. Usman Musa will be properly interrogated after he has stabilised.”
The Authority however believed that this incident could be a relevant clue to unravelling the earlier theft of the Runway Lighting at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport recently.
Recalled that the earlier theft of cable lighting worth several millions of naira at the airport recently led to the suspension of 10 senior officials at the various relevant departments of FAAN while the permanent secretary at the ministry of aviation, Dr Emmanuel Meribole directed a committee set up to investigate the theft.
The Police Service Commission, PSC, said it has approved the dismissal of three senior Police Officers over cases of misconduct.
Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations who disclosed this, in a statement on Friday, said the commission also approved the reduction in ranks of five others found wanting in the conduct of their official duties.
He said the dismissed Police Officers were two Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) and one Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
He said one Chief Superintendent of Police, (CSP), one Superintendent (SP), one Deputy Superintendent (DSP) and two Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) were reduced in ranks for misconduct, adding that fourteen officers received severe reprimands, six others, reprimanded and seven others were given warning letters.
He said the commission also reinstated six dismissed officers who got favourable court judgements or a review of their cases.
Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi have discredited the written address filed by President Bola Tinubu following the outcome of the February 25 presidential elections describing the latter’s outburst as “desperation taken too far”.
In the written address sighted by TRIBUNE ONLINE and dated July 14, the 2nd and 3rd respondents led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), faulted the claims of Obi’s witnesses including the seventh witness, Clarita Ogah who had claimed to be a cloud engineer and a member of staff at Amazon.
The respondents also warned the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), that misinterpreting the law as provided for in the constitution on the 25% of lawful votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, could “lead to absurdity, chaos, anarchy and alteration of the very intention of the legislature.”
However, the petitioners in their final written address filed by Obi’s lead counsel, Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), to the 2nd and 3rd respondents, said there will only be anarchy if the rule of law is truncated.
“This is a cheap, misguided, and destructive blackmail clearly intended to target the country’s judicialism and constitutionalism. It also aims at cannibalising our democracy.
“When has it become offensive for Petitioners to canvass a ground prescribed for the challenge of an election in section 134(1)(b) of the Electoral Act? Desperation taken too far can be extremely dangerous. Let the 2nd and 3rd Respondents (Tinubu and Shettima) know that where the rule of law is trampled upon or truncated, anarchy reigns supreme,” the written address partly read.
The court had given the petitioners and the respondents ten and seven days to file their written addresses and five days for the respondents to reply on points of law
'...Ama gbewale' - Video Of Tinubu Promising Fuel Price Reduction Resurfaces Online Amid Hike of N617 From N197
AdminA viral video of President Bola Tinubu campaigning to reduce the price of fuel upon his assumption as president has surfaced online.
Tinubu at his campaign rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on January 25, 2023, could be heard in the video promising the crowd an easier life under his leadership. The President spoke in the Yoruba language.
On Tuesday, The PUNCH reported another hike in fuel price to N617 from N197, two months since the removal of fuel subsidy by the President upon being sworn into office on May 29, 2023.
Tinubu in his inaugural speech, announced the removal of fuel subsidy, a move that resulted in fuel being sold at N537 per litre barely two days after he ended the subsidy.
Speaking in Yoruba, Tinubu during the rally in Abeokuta, could be heard assuring the crowd that although people believed the petrol price would hit N200, it would actually be reviewed and the price reduced as leader of the nation.
“The great Nigerian youths, the great Nigerian students, the confident Nigerian youths. This is a revolution. This election is a revolution. They are plotting, but they will fail. They said fuel prices will increase and reach N200/N500 per litre. Go and relax, we will crash the prices.”
“They don’t want this election to be held. They want to sabotage it (elections). Will you allow them?”, Tinubu asked his supporters who responded with a resounding “No.”
“Even if they said there is no fuel, we will trek to vote. They have a lot of mischief; they could say there is no fuel. They have been scheming to create a fuel crisis but forget about it.
“Relax, I, Asiwaju, have told you that the issue of fuel supply will be permanently addressed. Whoever wants to eat the honey embedded in a mountain won’t worry about the axe. Is that not so? And if you want to eat palm kernel, you would bring stone and use it to break it, then the kernel will come out. It’s not easy to…
“Let them increase the price of fuel, only them know where they have hoarded fuel, they hoarded money, they hoarded naira; we will go and vote and we will win. Even if they changed the ink on naira notes. Whatever their plans, they will come to naught. We are going to win. Those in the PDP will lose (won ma lule).
“I am a homeboy, I have come here, you will not be put to shame, we will take over the government from them, the traitors who wanted to contest with us. They had no experience.”
Media
The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education has increased the school fees of new students into Federal Government Colleges otherwise known as Federal Unity Colleges to ₦100,000.
This was contained in a directive from the Office of the Director of Senior Secondary Education Department of the Federal Ministry of Education, reference number ADF/120/DSSE/I, dated 25th May, 2023, and addressed to all Principals of Federal Unity Colleges.
According to the circular entitled, “Approved fees/ charges for Federal Unity Colleges (1st Term) for new students“, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, new students are expected to part with ₦100,000 instead of the previous N45,000.
“The latest fees/charge increment will affect virtually all aspects and activities of the school, including tuition and boarding fees, uniform, text books, deposit, exercise books, prospectus, caution fee, ID card, stationery, clubs and societies, sports, extra lesson, insurance, et al.
“Please be informed that the ministry has approved only the underlisted fees and charges for all Unity Colleges,” the memo read.
Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra state, has counseled colleagues from other states to be sensitive and reduce long convoys, following the removal of fuel subsidy.
In his words, “Hey gentlemen, we would need to be sensitive to the times; we need to live within the average of the people that we’re governing, and so on and so forth, and knock off the waste and the irrelevancies, so to speak,” Soludo said.
Soludo said this while addressing journalists after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting which was chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
He noted that the situation in the country has called for some reviews, and it would be insensitive for governors to move around with large convoys.
According to him, the state governor that is going with “20-something vehicles in a convoy and all these have to be fuelled” is not living “within the average of the people”.
Soludo also confirmed there were discussions among the governors and members of the council to also make sacrifices for the people.
Soludo cited examples of what he has done in his state to cut costs.
He said, “When I assumed office, for example, it was costing about N137 million every month to clean up public offices, and so on. Today, in Anambra, we’re doing N11 million a month from N137 million on a monthly basis; this is just an illustration.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima chaired the NEC meeting. The council is also made up of the 36 state governors, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and other government officials.
A Nigerian man, Godswill Okon, took to his Facebook page, Thursday, to celebrate becoming a father 13 years after getting married.
Okon shared a photo of his newborn daughter, penning a heartfelt message alongside, as he celebrated his new role as a parent while gushing over his daughter.
“She just open her eye since after her birth and we looked eyeball to eyeball. e sweet ooo to be a father.
“We had a father and daughter conversation and at length she smiled at me. And I promised to always teach her the ways of the Lord.
“I didn’t forget to tell her how priceless she meant to me. That I waited for 13 good years with shame, pain and mockery from people for not having a child, but today God decided to silence my accusers and feeds them with shame…Jesus, you are so good to me.”
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Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu has assured concerns raised by Nigerians on result management at the various elections during the 2023 general elections will be addressed.
He said even though some of the concerns raised are sub judice because they are before the courts, the commission intends to discuss them in-house and share experiences on the way forward.
Yakubu spoke at the commission’s post election review meeting with Collation and returning officers who participated in the 2023 general election.
The meeting is the fourth in the series of review meeting to take stocks of the conduct of the 2023 general elections and fashion the way forward.
He said: “The Commission is aware that as collation and returning officers, you worked under extremely challenging circumstances by tediously and manually completing designated forms as provided by law and either moved them to the next level of collation or concluded the processes as Returning Officers.
“Many of you also have the cognate experience of result management, having served in similar capacities in at least three electoral cycles. The Commission appreciates your commitment, dedication to duty and sacrifice to the cause of our democracy.
“More specifically, and from your practical experience in the 2023 General Election, we would like to hear your perspectives on the processes and procedures recruitment, training and posting of Collation and Returning Officers; logistics for movement to and from your places of assignment; the role of technology in result management among others.”
He said when the review engagements are exhausted, a comprehensive report will be prepared.
REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), PROF. MAHMOOD YAKUBU, AT THE POST-ELECTION REVIEW MEETING WITH COLLATION AND RETURNING OFFICERS HELD AT LADI KWALI HALL OF THE ABUJA CONTINENTAL HOTEL ON FRIDAY 21st JULY 2023
National Commissioners Collation and Returning Officers for the 2023 General Election
Other Senior Officials of the Commission Members of the INEC Press Corps Ladies and Gentlemen
1. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the fourth in our planned engagements with key participants in the administration of the 2023 General Election. You may recall that on 4th July 2023, we met with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs). Thereafter, the RECs met in the various States of the federation with our regular staff and ad hoc officials, including those who presided over the elections at polling unit level. Two days ago, we held yet another meeting with our Electoral Officers (EOs) and the leadership of the land and maritime workers’ unions who were engaged to provide logistic support for the movement of personnel and materials.
2. Today, we are meeting with yet another important category of election officials i.e. the Collation Officers. Present here today are the 37 State Collation Officers for the Presidential Election (SCOPEs). Many of you also doubled as Returning Officers for the 28 Governorship elections. For legislative elections, we invited, across the six geo-political zones of the country, the Senatorial District Collation Officers who also doubled as Returning Officers for senatorial elections. It is practically unmanageable to invite all the collation and returning officers for 1,462 federal and state constituencies made up of 109 Senatorial Districts as well as 360 Federal and 993 State Houses Assembly constituencies. We therefore focused on the Senatorial Districts since they are bigger and cut across the other constituencies.
3. The Commission is aware that as collation and returning officers, you worked under extremely challenging circumstances by tediously and manually completing designated forms as provided by law and either moved them to the next level of collation or concluded the processes as Returning Officers. Many of you also have the cognate experience of result management, having served in similar capacities in at least three electoral cycles. The Commission appreciates your commitment, dedication to duty and sacrifice to the cause of our democracy.
4. At the same time, issues have arisen and some Nigerians have raised concerns about result management at various levels. While some of the issues are subject of litigations and therefore sub judice, we can nevertheless discuss them broadly and most importantly share experience on the way forward. It is therefore the Commission’s expectation that at this meeting, we will identify areas of strength and weaknesses as well as the necessary reforms that we need to introduce going forward.
5. More specifically, and from your practical experience in the 2023 General Election, we would like to hear your perspectives on the processes and procedures for:
i. Recruitment, training and posting of Collation and Returning Officers;
ii. Logistics for movement to and from your places of assignment;
iii. The integrity of the collation and declaration procedure, including the application of the law, regulations and guidelines for result management;
iv. The role of technology in result management;
v. Security of Collation/Returning Officers and the collation centres;
vi. Conduct of party agents and election observers during collation;
vii. Conduct of security personnel; and
viii. Any other lessons that will improve the future collation and declaration of results.
6. Consistent with the Commission’s commitment, when the review engagements are exhausted, a comprehensive report will be prepared. It is therefore expected that you will share your field experiences candidly. We would like to hear from you and what can be done to improve this critical aspect of the electoral process.
7. On this note, it is my pleasure to welcome you once again to this review meeting.
8. I thank you all and God bless
...N190,000 For Medical Students
The University of Lagos has increased school fees amid rising inflation and hikes in petrol prices following the removal of fuel subsidy.
The school increased its tuition from about N20,000 to over N100,000 depending on the course of study.
The new tuition ranges from N100,750 to N190,250 depending on whether the course of study requires laboratory or studio work or if the student is in the college of medicine.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola held a meeting with the representatives of non-teaching staff unions on July 20, 2023, at the Senate Committee Chamber of the school.
During the meeting, Ogunsola disclosed the proposed fees for undergraduate students of the school.
A statement issued by the school’s chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) said during the meeting that lasted approximately three hours, the “proposed fees for undergraduate students at Unilag were disclosed. Students without lab or studio use would pay N100,750, those with lab use would pay N140,250, and college of medicine undergraduates would pay N190,250.
“The SSANU representative, Comrade Rasaki Yusuf requested a rebate for staff members with children in the university, but the vice chancellor explained that the charges were set nationally and could not be modified for specific student categories.
“However, she offered the option of paying in instalments for staff wards with a condition to pay up one month before the final exams.”
In June, President Bola Tinubu signed the Student Loan Bill into law which allows Nigerian students to access loans from the government.
The bill will also enable Nigerian students to access loans at interest-free rates.
The piece of legislation passed the second reading at the House of Representatives on May 25, 2023.
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the president; Dele Alake, a member of the President’s Strategic team; Tunde Rahman, spokesman for the president; and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, David Adejoh, witnessed the signing.
SaharaReporters had reported that the government inserted a jail term of two years or a fine of N500,000 or both for any students who breach the new Student Loan Act.
While perusing the Student Loan Bill which was introduced to the Nigerian National Assembly in 2019 by the Former Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, SaharaReporters learned that section 22(5) of the newly enacted bill states that any person who breached or aided anyone who breached its provisions would be jailed for 2 years with or without a fine of N500,000 if found guilty by a competent court of law.
The provision reads: “Anyone in default of the provisions of sub-section 4 above, or found to be aiding the default of any of the provisions of this Act is guilty of an offence and if convicted shall be liable to imprisonment for two years or a fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) or both.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reassured his administration will focus on providing adequate security for Nigerians in every part of the country.
Naija News reports that the president stated this while speaking at the graduation of Course 45 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State.
Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, pledged more support for the military as he commended them for protecting the territorial integrity of the nation.
The president, who also congratulated the graduating officers, described the military officers serving Nigeria as the best group of people out of the over 200 million citizens of the country.
Two hundred and ninety-one participants graduated and were conferred with the Passed Staff Course (PSC) honour.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Prince Adewole Adebayo has slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the removal of fuel subsidy.
Adebayo described President Tinibu as a hypocrite for opposing former President Goodluck Jonathan when he wanted to remove fuel subsidy in 2011 and went in the opposite direction when he came to power.
In an interview with Arise News on Wednesday, Adebayo said Tinubu and his advisers should have provided palliatives and other plans to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal for Nigerians before the announcement.
He said, “When we talk about hypocrisy, it didn’t start with the labour unions. Hypocrisy started with President Tinubu himself who opposed former President Goodluck Jonathan when he had a smaller amount of subsidy adjustment and all of them went on the streets against it.
“And when they came to power, they went in the opposite direction; finished everything once and for all. It is not a political statement when you say people are hypocritical. We predicted all this.
“We were discussing it then. Nobody can pretend that he/she is not aware that it will affect factor cost. And if it affects factor cost, it will affect cost of living. If it affects the cost of living, more people will go into poverty.”
Speaking further, Adewole said the fuel subsidy removal has thrown more Nigerians into poverty in the last two months, warning that unless President Tinubu and his handlers rethink and have a backup plan, the government would fail woefully.
He said: “I think it is not too late for the government, starting with President Tinubu and co, to rethink and have a backup plan because I have a feeling, and I am saying it with every sense of responsibility, that if they go the way they are going, they will fail woefully. Not because they hate the people but because they are adopting models that never worked.”