A Belgium court has sentenced 12 Nigerians to various terms in prison for recruiting and trafficking girls to Belgium for prostitution and exploitation.
Belgium’s Chief Inspector, First Detective Hendriks Willem, disclosed this to a Benin High Court while testifying against Felicia Osagbovo (62) who is standing trial over alleged recruiting and trafficking girls to Belgium for prostitution and exploitation.
Felicia was earlier arraigned by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on a 24-count charge bothering on recruiting and organising travelling for girls for prostitution in Belgium contrary to Section 13 (14)c of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act.
Willem said the Belgian government had already convicted 12 of her collaborators, including the suspect’s three children, after a thorough investigation.
He said the suspects convicted were Iyare Evelyn, who was sentenced to 40 months with a fine of €12,000; John Gladys, five years with a €47,000 fine; James Omoh Kate, four years with a €12,000 fine; Okoduwa Rachael, five years with a €24,000 fine; Ataba Ibrahim, 12 months with a €12,000 fine; and Azemy Alex, 12 months with a €6,0000 fine.
Others are Aigbe Egberanmww, six years with 108,000 fine; Idehen constance, 45 months with €48,000 fine; Idehen Tina, 40 months with €12,000 fine; Idemudia Oscar, five years with 108,0000 fine, Osagbovo Nath, five years with €108,000 fine and Daniel, five years with €48,000 fine.
He further said that during investigation the victims told the investigators that the suspect (Felicia) recruited them in Nigeria for her children in Luxemburg and Brussel in Belgium, adding that the suspect’s children who had been convicted in Belgium also confessed that Felicia was recruiting girls in Nigeria for them.
Counsel to the suspect, O. I. Asemota, sought adjournment to enable him to prepare his defence.
The Judge, Justice Geraldine Ono Imadegbelo, adjourned the case to June 14.
The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has fixed Friday to rule on whether to strike out, at this preliminary stage, an application filed by the Labour Party’s (LP) candidate in the March 18 election, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, for being incompetent.
The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Arum Ashom, fixed the date after taking submissions from parties in the matter.
At the pre-hearing proceedings, Dr Olumide Ayeni (SAN), counsel to Rhodes-Vivour, sought the leave of the tribunal to argue two out of nine applications which he said are ripe for hearing. One of the applications is seeking two prayers including leave to file a list of additional witnesses while the second one is seeking consolidation of the Rhodes-Vivour’s petition with that of Olajide Adediran of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The petitioners’ counsel also told the tribunal that counsel representing Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Muiz Banire (SAN) and Bode Olanipekun (SAN) have filed an application asking the tribunal to strike out and reject the petitioners’ application.
Dr Ayeni urged the tribunal to take all applications and their responses together so that all matters could be dealt with expeditiously.
But counsels to the respondents, in their various submissions, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition of the petitioner for being incompetent and for lack of jurisdiction.
Counsel to INEC, Dr Charles Edosomwan (SAN), has also told the tribunal that the electoral body filed a counter affidavit and written addresses in opposition to the two applications and written addresses filed by the petitioner.
“Our position is to discuss this petition on grounds that your Lordships have no jurisdiction to hear or entertain it,” he stated.
Dr Edosomwan further told the tribunal that INEC’s application for sundry prayers includes a pre-trial hearing and striking out of some paragraphs in the petition of the petitioner on the grounds that it raises weighty constitutional matters in which jurisdiction and competency lie elsewhere.
Dr. Banire in his submissions also informed the tribunal that the Governor & his Deputy filed applications in opposition to the motion for consolidation of applications by the petitioner.
He said that they have three pending applications, requesting the tribunal to strike out Rhodes-Vivour’s application on grounds of lack of competence and lack of jurisdiction.
He said the second application has four paragraphs seeking an order striking out all the averments and list of additional witnesses in the petitioner’s application.
Dr Banire said that their prayer was to ask the tribunal to halt the proceedings in the matter until petitioners ensure due compliance with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
Counsel to the APC, Norrison Quakers (SAN), also informed the tribunal that they have filed counter affidavits to all the applications filed by the petitioner along with supportive affidavits and written addresses.
He said the APC is also seeking leave of the tribunal to strike out some paragraphs in the petitioner’s applications before the tribunal.
Responding, Dr Ayeni said all applications are ripe for hearing except the one asking for leave to join additional witnesses.
He, however, drew the attention of the tribunal to the fact that one of the witnesses (Jandor) who the petitioner, Rhodes-Vivour, wanted to add was the candidate of the PDP in the March 18 elections.
After listening to all the submissions of the counsels, the tribunal chairman, Justice Arum Ashom, adjourned till Friday to deliver its ruling.
Rhodes-Vivour who scored 257,502 in the elections is seeking an order of the tribunal nullifying the election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy Dr Obafemi Hamzat on grounds that they were not qualified to contest the March 18 election.
He asked the Tribunal to disqualify the governor for “non-compliance” with the Electoral Act 2022 and the guidelines of INEC and to declare him the winner of the election.
Rhodes-Vivour also argued that the governor was not duly elected by a majority of the lawful votes cast at the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Gov. Sanwo-Olu, Dr Hamzat, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are 1st to 4th respondents in the petition.
Femi Fani-Kayode, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated the outgoing Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila over ‘his appointment as Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
While there’s no official statement confirming Gbajabiamila’s appointment, Fani-Kayode’s reaction is coming on the heels of reports claiming that Gbajabiamila had, in a meeting of President Tinubu with Security chiefs on Thursday, been introduced as new Chief of Staff to the President.
Fani-Kayode, in a statement via his personal Twitter handle, reacted to the appointment , describing it as well-deserved.
He said, “Congratulations to my friend and brother of over 40 years, the Hon. Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on a well-deserved appointment as Chief of Staff to our leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. (@officialABAT)
“This appointment proves to the world that in this dispensation and under this administration appointments are made based on merit, loyalty and competence,” he said.
According to him, Gbajabiamila’s resilience and commitment is second to none, noting that he is confident that lawmaker will do an excellent job in his new role as Chief of Staff.
“The Speaker’s courage, resilience, determination, sense of justice and commitment is second to none and I am very proud of him.
“I wish him well in his new assignment and I have no doubt that he will do an excellent job,” he added.
- declared end to sit-at-home in Enugu
The governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has declared an end to sit-at-home in the state effective from Monday, June 5, 2023, saying such orders were restricting creativity, entrepreneurship, and productivity in the state.
He, however, expressed government’s readiness “to engage in dialogue with people, who have genuine grievances towards bringing lasting peace and security to Enugu State”.
This was even as he called on President Bola Tinubu to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to quicken the much-needed healing process in Nigeria.
Mbah made the declaration while listing out the decisions reached at the end of his first security council meeting with the heads of all the security agencies at the Government House, Enugu, on Thursday.
At the meeting, which also had the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, in attendance, the governor reminded the people of Enugu that he had hit the ground running on the day of his inauguration by signing three Executive Orders for the good governance of the state, including Executive Order 002 for the removal of “Unauthorised Street Barriers Across the State Within 100 Days”.
“There is no time to waste. The clock has started ticking on the mandate you gave me and deliverables I promised,” he reiterated.
“A time comes in the lives of a people when they must decide whether they genuinely want to move forward or remain stuck with the conditions of their underdevelopment.
“The creativity and sense of industry of Ndi Igbo are remarkable. Our DNA is wired with commercial and entrepreneurial prowess.
“If this is what we are known by, then it becomes inconsistent with reality that the spirit of entrepreneurship, commerce and creativity are killed every Monday in our land. Our restless spirit of industry abhors laxity and indolence.
“The idea behind sitting at home on Monday, the first working and business day of the week, is abominable and antithetical to greatness and the spirit of industry we profess to have inherited from our forebears. This cannot be us. Tufiakwa (God forbid). It does colossal damage to us”, he further added.
Mbah reminded the people of the direct connection between his lofty promises he made to them and the vibrancy of commerce in the state.
“For us to transit from a public service economy to a private sector-driven one, we must free our markets from the shackles of restriction to commerce. If indeed we aspire and anticipate an influx of private sector practitioners and investors in Enugu State, we must know that this will not happen where the perception of us is that of unproductive people.
“Therefore, those that strike on Mondays, putting restrictions in the way of our Igbo spirit of creativity, cannot be our true representatives. In fact, they kill our spirit.
“We know that our land is a fertile ground for commerce. However, businesses, entrepreneurship and commerce require a vibrant workforce and big markets where they can flourish and make money.
“To this end, therefore, from Monday June 5, 2023, there will be no observance of any sit-at-home in all nooks and crannies of Enugu State.
“Government will enforce this with all the powers at its disposal.
“My charge to all of you – market men and women, the corporate world, industries, schools, civil servants, and all strata of workers in Enugu State is for us to take back our sense of industry, pride of place and re-enact our glorious past.
“By heeding this call, you would have set us on the path of actualising our mandate”, he stated.
Mbah, however, said the release of Kanu was important to the healing of the country.
“I call on our newly sworn in president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to consciously work towards the release of MazI Nnamdi Kanu. We believe that his release will expedite the healing process Nigeria needs at this time.
“It will also be a pointer to his administration’s extension of brotherly hands of fellowship to Ndigbo”, he concluded.
Prof. Pat Utomi, a political economist and staunch ally of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has dismissed a purported list of “new appointees and ministers,” claiming that he will serve in the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The said list has been circulating on social media, purporting that Utomi and some other persons will serve in Tinubu’s government.
In a statement issued through his Director of Media and Communications, Charles Odibo, Utomi asked Nigerians should ignore the list.
The statement reads, “Nothing can be further from the truth,” Utomi said, describing it as the second failed attempt by ‘purveyors of fake news’ in nearly three months to smear his name or link him with the new government.
“The attention of Prof. Pat Utomi has again been drawn to a disingenuous ‘list of new appointees and some new ministries’ currently circulating on the social media, purporting that Utomi will serve as a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s government. Nothing can be further from the truth.
“We have been in constant touch with Utomi who has been out of the country for over two months working on his new book, and he has confirmed that he has not held discussions with anyone with regard to any government appointment.
“He, therefore, urges Nigerians to ignore the obviously fake list associating him with the new Federal Government.
“We recall that this will be the second failed attempt in nearly three months by the purveyors of the fake news to link Utomi with the new government.”
It added, “In a statement in March entitled, ‘President-elect already working to move Nigeria forward’, these same fifth columnists atrociously stated that ‘Pat Utomi and Emir Sanusi, were listed to lead the planning for Nigeria’s growth and development.’”
“Our initial instinct was to ignore this illusory piece of fake news and thereby not dignify the purveyors with a response, but after deep reflection and in consideration of the peace of the graveyard that pervades the nation, we consider it expedient to dismiss this unfounded fake news,” the statement aaded.
Congratulates AIG’s Aishatu, Olofu on National Honours
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba on Thursday announced the promotion of a total of Thirty-One Thousand, Four Hundred Sixty-Five (31,465) policemen as part of his manpower development policy targeted at promoting deserving police officers on the basis of competence, qualification, and length of service.
They comprise 24,991 from Sergeants to Inspectors, 194 from Corporal to Sergeant, and 6,280 from Constable to Corporal.
The IGP charged the affected officers to add more pep in promoting the lofty principles and values of modern policing and discharge their duties as expected of them in line with the provisions of the extant laws.
A statement by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi said
the IGP also congratulated two Assistant Inspectors-General of Police on the conferment of national honours on them.
The very senior police officers include AIG Aishatu Abubakar, who was conferred with the award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), and AIG Olofu Tony Adejoh, who was conferred with the individual award of National Productivity Order of Merit Award (NPOM) by the National Productivity Centre, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on the approval of the immediate past President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
“The Inspector-General of Police charges the Senior Officers to bring their experience gathered over time and the well-deserved national recognition to bear in their national policing duties,” the statement said.
The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, has disclosed that the administration of President Bola Tinubu will rehabilitate one of the country’s refineries before the end of the year.
Kyari said this when he visited the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a meeting with the party’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
The NNPC helmsman, who arrived at the premises at about 12.30 pm, was warmly received by the chairman and members of the National Working Committee.
Addressing journalists after the session, Kyari clarified that following the hike in pump price and the consequent effect on commercial fare, the president is working out some palliative measures to ease the pains of Nigerians.
He also added that there is an ongoing process of fixing to enable one of the refineries is ready this year.
Kyari said, “I’m aware that Mr president has directed some engagements and some palliatives will be put in place. I am very sure this will happen. There is an ongoing process of rehabilitation. One of them will come this year, the second one will come on stream next year and then the third will follow thereafter.
“Of course, it is very obvious that we can no longer afford subsidy. Subsidy bills have piled up. The country is not able to settle NNPC for the money we are spending on subsidy. Therefore pricing this petroleum at the market price is the right thing to do at this point in time and I believe it would benefit the country in the long term,” he said.
Recall Tinubu at the his inauguration on Monday said that his government cannot sustain the fuel subsidy.
He said the Federal Government was struggling to fund subsidies, noting that it was no longer justifiable to continue.
The development had sparked a 100 per cent hike in transport fares, while long queues resurfaced at fuel stations across Lagos, Abuja, Ilorin, Benin, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Kano, Makurdi and other major cities and urban areas.
The resultant effects have made many outlets to close their facilities and refused to dispense fuel to motorists, further creating scarcity and panic buying at the fuel stations that were opened to customers.
But Kyari boldly said on Thursday said that the country can no longer sustain such an expensive regime.
According to him, over 38 per cent of the total fuel distributed in this country is consumed by four states namely Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Rivers.
He said, “There was subsidy in 2022 but in 2023, not a single naira was provided for the purpose. And ultimately while we held back our fiscal obligations, we still have a net balance of over N2.8trn that the federation should have given back to the NNPC.
“For any company, when you have negative N2.8 trn, there is no company in the whole of Africa that will lend to you. You cannot have receivables. The provision of subsidy is there but absolutely there is no funding for it. It means it is only on paper. It doesn’t exist.
“We can no longer bear it. If we continue, we will run into defaults and the defaults of NNPC is the default of Nigeria. Once NNPC goes into defaults and liquidity, it affects every borrowing done by the country. Even the subnational.
“Your lenders will come back to you and say your country can no longer pay. The only way you can stop this is to stop this conversation around subsidy. It is why Mr President announced that the subsidy is gone. In 24 hours, the bond market appreciated.
“It is nothing else other than the statement around subsidy and balancing of the apex market. These two elements are major concerns that every investor all over the world, and every partner that we have is worried about.
“Before today, the average subsidy level was N400bn every month. There is nothing anybody can do about it. There is this common argument that the masses will suffer. I agree that once you increase prices of this proportion, as it has happened, it will have an impact on inflation.
“There is no doubt about it. The market determines what happens next. Even inflation in very many countries goes up when you have the economic indices become difficult.
“Mr president’s target is to have seven per cent growth of GDP. You cannot have it if you have this disruption in your demands and consumption pattern. Very many of us here have at least two cars in our houses including myself. When you buy fuel of 100 litres in an SUV, you are literally subsidising three litres with 100 naira for all of us.
“Even the consumption itself is clearly skewed in locations and states where the level of economic activities are higher than the others. It is very understandable and that is why people can afford it in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Kano. So over 38 per cent of the total fuel distributed in this country ends up in these places. All the other parts of the country suffer for it and you can see the relativity. Imagine the per capital basis?”
The Executive Governor of Katsina State, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda alongside other Governors visited former Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari, in Daura, Katsina State.
The meeting was held behind closed doors, Vanguard learnt that it was centred on the national interest.
The delegation includes Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Babajide Sanwo Olu, Lagos State; Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa State; Bala Muhammad, Bauchi State; Hope Uzodinma, Imo State and the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Abdulsalam.
Others in attendance were former Governors of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello; Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru; Kebbi State, Sen. Atiku Bagudu; Plateau State, Barr Simon Lalong and that of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Clearly, the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, into the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA in 2021, remains one of the most outstanding accomplishments of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in the oil and gas industry.
Before then, several administrations, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan, had made immense contributions but were unable to evolve from PIB to PIA, due mainly to politics, suspicion, and disagreement over issues such as provisions for host communities and fears of non-oil states.
It is on record that the government established the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, to regulate activities in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors, respectively.
The government also appointed Engr. Gbenga Komolafe as the commission’s Chief Executive for the NUPRC, and Engr. Farouk Ahmed as Authority Chief Executive, as well as transferred old staff and engaged additional staff for the agencies. It went further to collapse the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, into the two agencies.
But the Buhari-led administration did not demonstrate commitment to its implementation. It was at best very selective in the implementation of the new law and left behind many unfinished issues, especially the deregulation that appears to be very dear to operators and other stakeholders, who expect the comprehensive legislation to lead to structuring, enhanced operations, increased efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the industry.
Surprisingly, relevant government officials and the NMDPRA, which lack presence in the sector, also failed woefully to champion the course of the sector by guiding the old and even new governments to embrace PIA.
This culminated in the provocative announcement by President Tinubu that the fuel subsidy was gone. He said: “We commend the decision of the outgoing administration in phasing out the gasoline subsidy regime, which has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor. The subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources. We shall instead re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care, and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.”
Instantly, the market responded as operators shut down depots, apparently because of uncertainty, leading to high prices at retail outlets nationwide on May 29, 2023.
The following day, specifically on May 31, 2023, the government emerged with a new template, stating different prices for different states in the nation. The document communicating details of the new pricing regime also indicated that with N557 per liter, Borno and Yobe states have the highest price of petrol in Nigeria, while Lagos has the lowest price of N488 per liter.
It also showed that petrol will sell for N537 per litre in Abuja, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Benue, and Niger states, while the product will sell for N515 in Kwara State. Under the new price regime, the product will sell at N550 per litre in Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, and Gombe states, while it will cost N540 per litre in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, and Jigawa. The document further showed that the product will cost N545, N540, and N515 per litre in Kebbi, Zamfara, and Abia, respectively.
This culminated in high transport fares that rose by more than 100 per cent in different parts of the nation. For instance, it now costs about N1, 000 to move from Maryland to Mile 2 in Lagos, a distance that used to cost about N500. This is expected to lead to high prices for food, basic goods, and services, as well as inflation. It may also lead to a high rate of crime.
However, the way forward is for the government and relevant agencies to go for orderly implementation of the PIA, which preaches deregulation, not fuel subsidy withdrawal. This will lead to increased domestic and foreign investment in the sector, resulting in the creation of many multiplier effects, including growth, contracts, and employment opportunities.
Later, the government and the National Assembly can go further to work toward the amendment of the legislation in order to correct some anomalies, especially the collapse of NUPRC and NMDPRA into one single commission like the current Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, in the communication sector.
There years after its inauguration and sitting, the House of Representatives adhoc committee on COVID-19, on Thursday laid its report.
Chaired by Hon. Haruna Mshelia, the committee was set to essentially set up “to engage the executive arm of government in a partnership that serves the best interests of the Nigerian people at at critical time of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the House passed ‘A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission Act, Cap. R7 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Enact the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission Bill to Grant the Commission Enforcement Powers in the Monitoring of Accruals to and Disbursement of Revenue from the Federation Account and to bring the Act in conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and for Related Matters’ for third reading.
Other bills that subsequently passed through third reading were ‘A Bill for an Act to Establish the Real Estate Regulatory Agency of the Federal Capital Territory to Provide Globally Acceptable Standard of Service and Transparent Administration of the Business of Real Estate Development, and Prescribed Minimum Standards for the Conduct of the Business of Real Estate Development in the Federal Capital Territory and for Related Matters; A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Explosives Act, 1964 and Enact the Explosives Bill, to Regulate the Manufacture, Storage, Possession, Use, Distribution, Purchase, Sale, Transportation, Importation and Exportation of Explosives and for Related Matters; A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Assembly Library Trust Fund (Establishment) Act, No. 11 of 2022 provides for an Additional Source of Funds for the Management of the Library to enhance the capacity of Legislators and National Assembly staff and for Related Matters (HB.2223)’ and “A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to strengthen the operations of the Agency, empower the Agency to Establish Laboratories, update the list of Dangerous Drugs, review the penalty provisions, enhance the power of the Agency to Prosecute Drug-Related Offences and issue Subsidiary Legislation; and for Related Matters (HB.2195).’
On a similar note, a report of an Executive bill for an “Act to Establish a National Centre for the Coordination and Control of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Nigeria and for Related (HB. 1596) (Executive) was also passed.
Giving the synopsis of the report, the House leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa said that the Bill sought to control the proliferation of small and light arms in order to check and cure the security challenges in the Nigerian society arising from the dangers of such arms in the hands of unverified individuals.
Meanwhile, the House will on June 6 hold its valedictorian session.
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President Bola Tinubu has reportedly blocked Dr Jeffrey Guterman, an American Psychologist and retired Mental Health Counselor following his criticisms on Twitter.
Dr Jeff as fondly called by his admirers disclosed this in a tweet on Thursday.
The American Psychologist who has been advocating for Peter Obi’s presidency ever since he was followed by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party on Twitter, said “Tinubu can block, but he can’t hide”.
This is not the first time Guterman would be blocked on Twitter by the handler.
On July 27, 2022, Bola Ahmed Tinubu posted a video on Twitter. In the Twitter post, he called himself “City Boy”.
The post garnered reactions from Nigerians as they could not help but share thoughts in the comments section.
However, Guterman was among the people who commented on the post.
In his comment, he told Tinubu that he needs to rest.
Displeased by his comment, the handler of Tinubu’s Twitter account blocked him.
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Amidst concerns over petroleum subsidy removal, Tinubu ‘Welcome Nigerians to era of renewed hope’
AdminAmidst concerns over petroleum subsidy removal, President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, said renewed hope has dawned in Nigeria with his ascension into office.
In a recent tweet, Tinubu wrote; “Welcome to the era of the Renewed Hope”.
Welcome to the era of the Renewed Hope #RenewedHope pic.twitter.com/sfynlDiBT0
— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) June 1, 2023
This comes on the heels of the recent hike in fuel prices in the country with a litre of petrol hitting N700/litre, as Nigerians count losses following scarcity of the product in the country.
TRIBUNE ONLINE reports fuel queues returned to Nigerian cities Monday, May 29, as many motorists scrambled to get petroleum products hours after Mr President announced that his government will put an end to the fuel subsidy regime.
Mr Tinubu on Monday in his inaugural address at Eagle Square, Abuja, declared that there would no longer be a petroleum subsidy regime as it was not sustainable.
“We commend the decision of the outgoing administration in phasing out the petrol subsidy regime which has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor. Subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources.
“We shall, instead, re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions,” Tinubu said
Following the dissolution of the disciplinary committee of the Park Management System (PMS) in Oyo State led by Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary, an Interim Management Committee is set to be established to manage transport operations in the state.
This was disclosed after a stakeholders’ meeting on transport management in Oyo State held at the House of Chiefs, State Secretariat, Ibadan, on Thursday.
The organogram of the management team, sighted by Tribune Online, showed that the management team will be headed by a chairman, who would be a technocrat/professional in Transport Planning and Management, and to be appointed by the governor.
Next to the chairman are consultants, then committee members followed by branch leaders to head local government areas and unit leaders to be in charge of the various parks.
Members of the committee are to be drawn from the various identified transport operator groups, government representatives from various ministries, departments and agencies, security agencies.
The committee is to handle collection of transport revenue, with an office for the committee to be created within the State Secretariat.
The committee, to test run the system for three months and prepare operational reports for government, will also profile all transport operators and take census of all fleets.
Consensus at the meeting was also that government should have a succession plan for PMS operations in the State.
The event, chaired by Professor Duro Adeleke, had notable factional leaders of the motor transport union, security agencies, transport unions, chairmen of local government areas, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, Dr Saka Balogun, Senator Hosea Agboola, Mogaji Adanla.
Notable transport leaders to include Alhaji Lateef Akinsola, Abideen Olajide, Hamidu Were, Tomiwa Omolewa, Rasheed Oladele, Kamorudeen Adeyemi pledged to work in consonance with the state government’s new arrangement.
They stressed that their concern had always been that all should be allowed to share from transport revenue rather than a situation where a few persons lord themselves over the revenue.
Giving his remarks, Oyo Commissioner for Police, Adebowale Williams, represented by DCP Akinade Adejobi said the police will continue to take decisive action against individuals, groups fomenting violence.
He particularly said the police was on the look out for people with unauthorized weapons, those selling drugs and alcohol.
He told park leaders to profile their members noting that they would be held responsible if their members are found in possession of unauthorized weapons and hard drugs.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has released the list of shortlisted candidates to proceed to screening/interview stage of the recruitment process.
The agency made this known in a Twitter post on Thursday.
“The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has invited Superintendent Cadre Candidates who passed the recent assessment test and shortlisted Narcotic Agent/Narcotic Assistant Cadre applicants for screening/interview in locations indicated in the respective batches under which their names appear at 8am from Monday 5th to Friday 16th June 2023,” the statement reads.
Applicants can check HERE for their names