Many NIRSAL, NSPMC, NIBSS Executives Undergo Interrogation
No fewer than 20 persons with links to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and its immediate past governor, Godwin Emefiele, have so far been questioned by the special investigators appointed by President Bola Tinubu to probe the apex bank.
Among those interrogated were the four deputy governors of the apex bank, some directors and some drivers including Emefiele’s, sources said yesterday.
According to one of the sources, the drivers were interviewed because “they were the ones who carried the big men around.”
The sources added: “Many directors, especially the ones directly under the deputy governors, were interviewed.
“They have also invited officials of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) and those in charge of all those intervention programmes were also invited.”
Some officials of NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (NMFB), Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), were similarly summoned.
The special investigators paid a quiet visit to the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc) on Friday in furtherance of their assignment.
But no arrest was made on that occasion, it was gathered.
Sources also said Shuaib Ahmed, the Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), and his deputy, Iheanyi Anyahara, were invited to appear before the panel in connection with the preparation of the CBN audited financial statements from 2016 to 2022.
One source said: “Some of those summoned are detained till the following day if their interrogation takes longer than anticipated or if they need some documents from their office and they did not bring them along. They will be detained while they send for the documents.
“Also if they are interrogating someone and he is being linked with someone else, the person is kept there till they invite the other person, and they will be interrogated separately.
“We can’t put a number to those invited yet. Let’s just say close to 20 have been invited.
The special investigator’s invitation may also be extended to retired directors.
“Any director who has retired and has anything to do with the case will be invited. Even board members who have retired can be invited,” the source added.
A parallel investigation of the CBN is being carried out by the Department of State Services (DSS) under the inter-agency committee.
It was the inter-agency committee that detained deputy governors Aisha Ahmad and Kingsley Obiora.
Continuing, the source said: “The DSS investigative team is different from Obaze’s team.
“What I don’t understand is where they submit their own report. Or do they just want to keep it for their own (inter agency) information since it is not stated anywhere who ordered them to do that.
“Everybody knows Obaze’s team gets its directives from the President.”
President Tinubu, in a July 28, 2023 letter, appointed Obaze, the founding Executive Secretary of the FRC, to probe the activities of the apex bank and its related entities.
He is looking into the books of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPCL), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and other government business entities, which the President, in the letter he personally signed, said was in continuation of government’s anti-corruption fight.
The letter reads: “In accordance with the fundamental objectives set forth in section 15(5) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), this administration is, today, continuing the fight against corruption by appointing you as a Special Investigator, to investigate the CBN and related entities.
“This appointment shall be with immediate effect and you are to report directly to my office.
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has rebuked his former boss and ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo, for what he deemed as an “embarrassing” treatment of Yoruba traditional rulers during the recent inauguration of a project in Iseyin, Oyo State.
The incident occurred on Friday when Obasanjo attended the commissioning of the Iseyin Campus of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Iseyin, alongside the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.
During the event, Obasanjo reportedly ordered traditional rulers in attendance to stand and greet Governor Makinde — an action that was deemed a desecration of the traditional institution in Yoruba land.
Expressing his dismay at the incident, Fani-Kayode, who served as Obasanjo’s Special Assistant (Public Affairs) from 2003 to 2006, censured his former boss for ridiculing the monarchs in public.
“I am deeply saddened and utterly mortified by the way in which former President Olusegun Obasanjo lambasted our reverred (sic) traditional rulers in Oyo state and “ordered” them to “stand up” and “sit down” as if they were children.
“This is the same OBJ that, once upon a time, displayed his respect, humility and I daresay greatness by bowing, kneeling and prostrating before our monarchs, even when he was President, yet today he talks to them as if they are his garbage collectors and orders them to jump up and down like a molue driver talking to his beleaguered passengers and a motor park tout talking to a bunch of jobless and worthless underlings,” Fani-Kayode wrote in a Facebook post.
The former minister further criticized Obasanjo’s association with Peter Obi in the last presidential election, saying Obasanjo’s support for Obi’s presidential bid had diminished and demystified the former president.
Fani-Kayode had supported President Bola Tinubu’s presidential bid and worked in his campaign organisation.
“How can a man who dedicated his life to and fought for a united Nigeria support a closet secessionist, a political fraud, a patently deceitful, vainglorious and dishonest man and a religious bigot like Peter to be President?
“That the great OBJ is now a flaming Obidient is the 8th wonder of the world. It really makes no sense and it is simply mind-boggling. What we witnessed when OBJ insulted our traditional rulers in Oyo state yesterday was the Obi spirit which is now firmly embedded in him at work.
“First, he was at a gathering in Awka where the Yoruba race were labelled “political rascals” by some Igbo leaders without a response from him and now he has the guts and effontry (sic) to tell our traditional rulers to jump up and down like yoyos and clowns?
“Baba this is too much. Please respect yourself and stop embarrassing those of us that still have some affection and respect left for you.”
THE WHISTLER reported that the Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, had similarly voiced his disapproval of Obasanjo’s action toward the monarchs.
A bill proposing amendments to the law governing the maintenance of former governors and their deputies in Benue State has successfully passed its second reading at the state’s House of Assembly.
Our correspondent reports that the immediate past assembly under former Governor Samuel Ortom had enacted the law, making bogus provisions as retirement benefits for former governors’ and their deputies.
The House presided over by Deputy Speaker, Lami Danladi, debated on the matter.
During the debate, Samuel Agada, representing Ogbadibo State Constituency, led discussions on the bill.
Agada emphasised that the bill sought to amend the “Maintenance of Former Elected Governors of Benue State and Their Deputies Law, 2023,” which was hastily passed without a public hearing.
He expressed concerns over the ‘extravagant’ benefits provided by the existing law to former governors and deputies, contrasting this with the financial challenges faced by retirees who served the state for 35 years without receiving their pensions and gratuities due to supposed fund shortages.
Agada argued that the law’s provisions were out of touch with Benue State’s current economic realities and were counterproductive.
Deputy Speaker Danladi instructed the Clerk, Bernard Nule, to read the bill for the second time and referred it to the House Standing Committee on Appointments, Public Services, and Pension Matters for further review.
Brain Drain Impacts Nigerian Hospitals as Medical Professionals Relocate
As Nigeria grapples with healthcare workforce challenges related to universal health coverage, a Sunday PUNCH investigation has uncovered that 281 Nigerian doctors are currently practicing in various African countries. This exodus of medical professionals is taking a toll on Nigeria’s healthcare system as hospitals struggle to retain skilled medical workers.
Data obtained from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) reveals that Nigerian doctors are actively seeking opportunities in other African nations despite recent warnings from the World Health Organisation (WHO) about Nigeria and 54 other countries facing critical healthcare workforce challenges.
Professor Emem Bassey, the Chairman of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals, raised concerns about the increasing poaching of Nigerian medical doctors by African countries such as Sierra Leone and Gambia. These countries are reportedly offering attractive incentives of up to $3,000 to $4,000 to lure Nigerian medical professionals.
The MDCN data shows that the highest number of Nigerian doctors practicing abroad is in Sudan (153 doctors), followed by South Africa (41 doctors), Egypt (17 doctors), Ghana (17 doctors), Uganda (13 doctors), and Gambia (7 doctors). Several other African countries also have Nigerian doctors in their healthcare systems, further depleting Nigeria’s healthcare workforce.
According to the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom, the number of Nigerian-trained doctors practicing in the UK has surged to 11,872. Nigeria ranks third in the list of foreign countries contributing medical professionals to the UK, after India and Pakistan.
Professor Muhammad Muhammad, President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, explained that Nigerian doctors practicing abroad often receive higher remuneration and better working conditions than their counterparts in Nigeria. He emphasized that the government needs to take measures to address the root causes of this brain drain, including improving the welfare, working conditions, and security of healthcare workers.
Dr. Emeka Orji, President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, expressed his dismay at the brain drain, highlighting the irony that Nigerian doctors are leaving for African countries offering superior working environments, incentives, and remuneration.
Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State Chapter, echoed the call for the government to address the brain drain issue by increasing the welfare of doctors, enhancing remuneration, and providing special allowances to doctors practicing in rural communities.
Earlier this year, the WHO identified Nigeria and 54 other countries as facing significant healthcare workforce challenges, including a shortage of doctors, nurses, and midwives. These countries were placed on a red list, discouraging active recruitment of healthcare professionals from these nations.
Chairman of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors, Prof. Emem Bassey, emphasized the difficulty of replacing healthcare workers who leave Nigeria, citing the complex process of recruitment approvals and the urgency of addressing critical staff shortages in the healthcare sector.
The ongoing exodus of medical professionals from Nigeria raises concerns about the nation’s ability to meet its healthcare needs and underscores the need for comprehensive measures to retain and support its healthcare workforce.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Ireti Kingibe, on Wednesday, raised concern over the ongoing election petitions cases at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal which, she said, were distracting lawmakers from effectively performing their duties.
According to her, for the past eight weeks that the National Assembly has been inaugurated, 90 per cent of the senators have been completely distracted by NAEPT.
She also pledged to work with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for the development of the nation’s capital.
The federal lawmaker elected under the platform of the Labour Party representing the FCT, said this while speaking with journalists in Abuja.
While applauding the Tribunal for affirming her victory for the FCT Senate seat, she expressed reservations about some of the court verdicts across the country, saying the appellate court must correct some abnormalities.
When asked about what the 10th National Assembly had done so far since its inauguration, she said court cases had affected legislation.
Kingibe said, “Well, the truth of the matter is, I feel that just as you expect your leaders to be kind to you, you also have to be kind to your leaders. Let me give you a scenario of what the last year and a half has been for most of the people in the National Assembly
“Most of the time during sitting, somebody has a tribunal case in one way or the other. He has to raise money for lawyers and all sorts of things. So for the last eight weeks that we have been senators, I will assure you that 90 per cent of the Senators have been completely distracted, which is expected because if you’re not a senator, you cannot represent the people. So that’s the first hurdle you must clear.”
She added that most of the Senators, especially the new ones, are not silent on matters of national importance, adding that matters were properly managed by the Senate President.
Kingibe said, “The only difference is that when we have issues to discuss, and there is going to be a rowdy session, the Senate President calls for an executive session, and you will never know what happens there.
“I know some of the things I have seen in those executive sessions even with the older senators. Sometimes, I’m shocked at how rowdy the House gets, we all are extremely vocal. If not, there are certain things that would have happened that have not. So you need to give us a few months to see what kind of Senators we’re going to be. You cannot judge us for now. We have been on recess for weeks and most of the senators are away. I also went away and I came back because I wanted to be around for my judgment, even if I wasn’t going to be physically in the court.
“The Labour Party members are also not quiet. Even the 50 minority senators are not quiet at all. Also, within the APC, I will tell you that at least 20 per cent of them are definitely not quiet. So you have to wait to see the things that unfold. There were no committees before. But now that we have committees, you will start to see the kind of senators that we’re all going to be, after then, you can judge us.”
Speaking on her relationship with Wike, Kingibe stressed that there are a plethora of problems for them to solve, adding that the FCT needed a lot of by-laws to be passed.
She said, “I have a long list of problems that the minister, I and the National Assembly have to solve. I have also reminded the Senate that the Senate is the equivalent of the State Assembly for FCT. We need a lot of bylaws passed. Before we went on recess, I had brought a motion for urgent discussion but the day it was to be heard was when we started to screen ministers and that was urgent because it had a time constraint.
“I made all the senators know that security was very critical. I know the problems of the FCT. So, as the minister has said that he will work closely with me, we will solve those problems.”
Nigeria’s revenue from sale of crude oil (excluding condensates) increased by N188.7bn in August 2023, following a marginal gain in the production of the commodity by both international and indigenous operators in the sector.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries confirmed that oil output from Nigeria appreciated in August, as against what obtained in the previous month.
It was observed that in August, the country pumped a total of 36,615,125 barrels of crude oil (excluding condensates), which was higher than the 33,761,767 barrels produced in the preceding month of July.
This indicated that oil production in August was higher than what was produced in July by 2,853,358 barrels.
Data from the World Bank showed that the average cost of Brent, the global benchmark for crude, in August 2023 was $86.16/barrel.
Also, figures from Exchange Rates UK, a global analytical firm, put the average exchange rate of the United States dollar in Nigeria in August at N767.6.
Therefore, by producing an additional 2,853,358 barrels of crude oil in August, Nigeria’s oil earnings rose by about N188.71bn in the review period.
On daily production figures for crude, OPEC stated that oil output from Nigeria increased to 1.181 million barrels per day in August this year.
In its just released monthly oil market report for September 2023, the global oil cartel said oil production in Nigeria rose from 1.081mbpd in July to 1.181mbpd in August.
The country had produced 1.18mbpd in May, which was higher than the 0.99mbpd production figure recorded in the preceding month of April.
Data from the OPEC report, however, showed that though the country’s oil output appreciated in August, it was still lower than the 1.249mbpd recorded in June this year.
A further analysis of the report indicated that the country pumped an average of 1.144mbpd in the second quarter of 2023, which was lower than the 1.277mbpd output recorded in the preceding quarter.
Nigeria’s oil output had been nosediving lately, despite the marginal rise in August. Operators have called for concerted efforts to boost oil output in order to gain more foreign exchange for the country.
The President, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, had told our correspondent that the drop in oil output posed a dangerous sign.
He said, “That is a very dangerous signal of trouble that is coming. This is because we thought that with what the Tompolo team is doing, we should be approaching about two million barrels of crude oil production per day.
“So if the volume of reduction is this frightening, then it is something that calls for urgent investigation. It portends an economic downturn that could be drastic if the situation continues. However, I believe that with all of these new oil discoveries in Nasarawa and Bauchi, and production commencing, there may be a positive change.”
The Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, had called on the Federal Government to work hard and stop crude oil theft.
He said oil theft was not only stopping Nigeria from meeting its production quota as approved by OPEC, but was denying the country a lot of dollars required for the imports of goods.
“The I&E (Importers and Exporters) window is illiquid. There’s no money there. To buy products (fuel), it costs you between $25m to $30m. You can’t find it in the I&E window. So it doesn’t work and that is why people are not importing.
“You can’t access the dollar, you can’t find it right now. Nigeria has to sort out the security issues in the Niger Delta so that we can increase our daily crude oil output.
“If we increase it to 1.8 or two million barrels per day, then there’ll be dollars in the market. So we need to stop oil theft.”
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, weekend, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Indorama Energy Pte Limited for the supply of about 800 million cubic feet of gas that will see the company invest over $7 billion.
The agreement which was signed in Abuja would see the national oil company improve gas supply for Indorama for the production of fertilizer, urea and other products.
Speaking shortly before the deal was signed, the Group CEO, NNPC Limited, Mr. Mele Kyari said the agreement was in line with the Federal Government’s move to improve domestic gas utilization in the country.
He noted that the Petroleum Industry Act mandates NNPCL to do everything possible to boost gas production and utilization.
He said: “The agreement fits into our gasification programme that whoever needs gas because it is available, we must make it available. So that industries can come up, power can be created and ultimately employment will come and the economy will boom.
“We have resources and we will make available the additional gas that is required. We will partner with Indorama so that we sweat the upstream assets and also produce the gas and go down the chain and create the midstream facilities for these slim industries, urea, increased fertilizer production and of course, including the creation of a condensate reel finery.
“They’re very practical and we’re happy with the commitments of Indorama that they are out to, to invest at least $7 billion on this project in the short term. And perhaps this will open more gateway for us to do more business with you and with others.
“And therefore this country is on the threshold of making value out of gas beyond any imagination.
“NNPC is currently pursuing very many other large scale gas projects which we could not take forward but we’re now more than ever before determined to ensure that this also progresses.
“Even in this project alone we are seeing an annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution of over $3 billion in perhaps lifetime government revenues of up to $18 billion for this project because this is a huge project”.
In his remarks, the MD/CEO Africa, Indorama Energy Pte, Mr. Manish Mundra said as a partner that has worked with NNPC for over 15 years, the new deal marked a change in direction between both companies.
He said the company would be investing in two more lines of fertilizer, two lines of methanol and one big petrochemical project.
He noted that this would put Nigeria as one of the biggest producers of urea in Africa.
“Nigeria has no reason to stay back in terms of poor downstream sector, that is our responsibility jointly. We have a proven track record in the last 16, 17 years that we have delivered in terms of world class projects in record time, globally.
“And we will now do the same here and we will surprise the nation, we will surprise everybody. And we would like to also thank Mr. President, for his visionary leadership for allowing this to happen”, he stated.
Giving a breakdown of the project, Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, NUIMS, Mr. Bala Wunti said the project would involve drilling for gas.
“The scope of the project involves the delivery of gas, which will require us to do some drilling and development activities. It will require us to put in place a very robust gas delivery infrastructure through pipelines but most importantly, it will also incorporate a liquid management solution in the form of a condensate refinery.
“Overall, the anticipation is that at the peak of the project, about 800 million scuff of gas will be made available for domestic use, part of which will be used to provide the needed quantity of gas by Indorama. And the balance will be supplied to the domestic market to meet power demand, commercial and other activities particularly in eastern Nigeria”, Wunti explained.
In a new twist to counter ECOWAS, three West African countries – Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger – all under military junta, have signed a security pact promising to come to the aid of each other in case of any rebellion or external aggression.
The three countries are struggling to contain insurgents linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State and have also seen their relations with neighbours and international partners strained because of the coups.
The latest coup in Niger drove a further wedge between the three and countries of the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has threatened to use force to restore constitutional rule in the country.
Mali and Burkina Faso have vowed to come to Niger’s aid if it is attacked.
“Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an aggression against the other parties,” according to the charter of the pact, known as the Alliance of Sahel States.
It said the other states will assist individually or collectively, including with the use of armed force.
“I have today signed with the Heads of State of Burkina Faso and Niger the Liptako-Gourma charter establishing the Alliance of Sahel States, with the aim of establishing a collective defence and mutual assistance framework,” Mali junta leader Assimi Goita said on his X social media account.
All three states were members of the France-supported G5 Sahel alliance joint force with Chad and Mauritania, launched in 2017 to tackle extremists in the region.
Mali has since left the dormant organisation after a military coup, while deposed Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum said in May last year that the force is now “dead” following Mali’s departure.
Relations between France and the three states have soured since the coups.
The Oluwo of Iwo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, has described former President, Olusegun Obasanjo’s action against traditional rulers in Oyo as a desecration of Yoruba traditional institution, noting that the Obasanjo cannot do it to emirs.
Obasanjo had, as seen in a trending video, ordered some Yoruba traditional rulers in Oyo State to stand up and greet him. He scolded them, saying wherever a governor or President is sitting, traditional rulers must show them respect.
However, Oluwo, in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo by his media aide, Alli Ibraheem on Saturday, blamed the traditional rulers present at the event for obeying Obasanjo’s order.
The monarch said Obasanjo ought to have shown some respect on dealing with traditional rulers, saying monarchs were God’s representation on earth, and that such a thing would not happen if he were around.
The statement read: “I trust myself and my stool. At death, there are certain things my soul will not take let alone when alive, active and kicking.
“I only blame the monarchs who stood in obeisance to such an ignoble act and desecration of traditional institutions from the old man. Respects should be earned not demanded.
“Traditional rulers respect their subjects too. There is a way respect is accorded to people of old age and position by monarchs. Kingship is an institution of God. As such, relating with kings requires a high sense of modesty, courtesy and respect.
“The display by the former president of Nigeria, General Obasanjo was an affront, an intentional desecration and sacrilege against revered stools of Yorubaland.
“An injury to one is an injury to all. Yoruba traditional rulers are not uniform men anyone can command at will. I don’t blame him, those royal fathers who stood up to obey such an embarrassing direction are to be blamed.
“I’ve strong assurance that such will never happen in my presence and that of some few monarchs I will not mention “Iwo kogba igbakugba”.
“The show by the former general is condemnable. Yoruba traditional institutions demand an apology for the open desecration to molest and bring down the institution.
“He needs to prove himself as a core Yoruba man with an apology letter. Kings are not toddlers. We are fathers. He will never dare that against the northern emirs.
“This action should be a great challenge to the Yorubas, most especially the royal fathers. This is the result when monarchs joined Ogboni confraternity and became junior to a road side mechanical engineer or carpenter.
“As a responsible monarch, you don’t have to join any secret society where you may be controlled by a teacher or even a herbalist.”
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has described as malicious and untrue reports that there are plans to unseat him as a presiding officer of the 10th Senate.
He further noted that the Senate under his leadership is stable and harmonious and cannot be distracted by “the innuendo of the merchants of political tar brush by what appears to be a syndicated media attack from outside the precincts of the National Assembly.”
There were media reports on Saturday stating that plans were underway to unseat Akpabio as the president of the 10th Senate when the Senate reconvenes on September 26, 2023.
The report also noted that two prominent senators from the North West and other senators across the national assembly are already meeting and mapping out plans to carry out the daring move.
The reports also alleged that the senators believed that the Senate President was a rubber stamp for the presidency and may be unable to carry out his duty effectively.
In response to this, Senator Akpabio, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) Hon Eseme Eyiboh, said the reports were “complete imaginations and sometimes laced with malice to achieve what senators are yet to comprehend.”
Noting that the Senate has since gone past the experience of the keenly contested leadership election, Eyiboh said the plot to drag in Senators who initially did not support the emergence of the present leadership into a conspiracy that does not exist was uncharitable to the senators and a needless umbrage.
Eyiboh said, “Senators are presently concluding their holidays in their constituencies and other places they have chosen to spend their time after the rigours of the inauguration and ministerial screening and other constructive engagements.
“All senators are also refreshing themselves ahead of the resumption, therefore, any suggestions that they are presently engaged in other subversive plots against the institution is rather uncharitable. It is mostly uncharitable for those senators who initially did not support the emergence of the leadership but who have all unanimously endorsed the Senator Akpabio-led leadership. Continuing to link these senators with needless conspiracy with barely disguised innuendo is rather unkind.
“We call on the media not to give in to the conspiratorial tales, and not to give damage to the reputations that they have built over time,” Eyiboh added.
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An early morning rainfall in Lagos on Saturday has left many communities in the commercial city flooded with houses submerged and properties damaged.
The flood that followed the rainfall took residents by surprise and kept them indoors in a pool of water.
The areas most affected include Satellite Town; Oko-baba in Agege; Egbede; Ikotun; Ajegunle; and Ojo.
As the floods continue to sweep through streets and houses, residents have called on the Lagos government for help.
Bunmi Aduloju, a resident of Satellite Town, who spoke to TheCable, said the flood entered her family’s living room, adding that she has never experienced such.
“The heavy downpour started at about past 6 a.m. The intensity of the rain didn’t reduce until past 9 a.m.,” Bunmi recounted.
“It seemed like a joke at first when the compound was waterlogged. I thought it wouldn’t go past the compound.
“But, it flowed into the living room for the first time in the over 10 years that I have lived on the street. We had to use small buckets to drain the water. I panicked.”
While thanking God that the flood did not destroy any of the family’s valuables, Bunmi said other residents were not so lucky.
“Some residents on my street didn’t have it easy. One told me of how her two young daughters had to stand on her cushion chairs for hours as she watched her gadgets and other valuables float in the water,” she added.
Lagos was among the states predicted to experience heavy rainfall and thunderstorms by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
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Founder of Peace House, Bro Gbile Akanni has sent a stern warning to the newly installed Soun of Ogbomosho, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye.
According to him, the new monarch must refrain from marrying more wives while advising him not to be materialistic in his new position.
Akanni gave the warning while preaching at the first public appearance of Oba Olaoye on Thursday, September 14.
The event which was monitored online by our reporter garnered large turnout who watched as Bro Akanni stood in front of Oba Olaoye preaching the gospel of Christ.
His words; “God has brought you here to be a blessing to the people. Here is the word of God to you. This is not the word of man. God is saying the king must not acquire wives. That is what God is saying.
“The king must not acquire silver and gold. If the blessings come, let it be for the people of the town. We pray that the people of Ogbomoso will experience something new in your time.
“Those who are hungry will be fed during your time. God who blesses us abundantly will rain his blessing on us.”
Nasir el-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna state, says the second term of former President Olusegun Obasanjo was the “most successful” in terms of economic growth, job creation, and inflation rate in Nigeria.
From 2003 to 2007, Obasanjo completed his second term in office, after a preceding four-year tenure.
El-Rufai said Nigeria returned to “proper integrated planning and we also got lucky” at the time.
The former governor spoke on Friday during a session at the Africa In the World conference in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
He emphasised the need for proper planning to aid the economic growth of any country.
“We have a planning commission in Nigeria but it has not been as effective,” the former governor said.
El-Rufai said planning committees are “absolutely relevant” in most developing countries.
“If you look at Nigeria’s economic trajectory, the most successful four to five-year period of economic growth, job creation, and reduced inflation was the period of the second term of President Obasanjo in 2003 to 2007, when for the first time, the country went back into proper integrated planning and we also got lucky,” he said.
“Oil prices began to rise but we did not waste the windfall because we had planned. We had an excess crude account (ECA) that was based on fiscal rule that any surpluses above a certain benchmark price of crude oil goes to that savings account.
“And with that, we were able to get rid of all our foreign debt.”
El-Rufai said Nigeria’s fiscal health was at its best in 2007, such that when the global financial crisis took place in 2008, “Nigeria did not feel anything”.
“Nothing was felt in Nigeria because Nigeria had a big savings account; we had huge reserves and we were able to absorb the shock without any internal problems unlike most countries,” he said.
To achieve accelerated economic growth, el-Rufai said long-term and coordinated planning as well as the inclusion of all stakeholders are crucial.
With a kickoff date scheduled for October 4th, the United Kingdom (UK) Home Office has announced an extraordinary increase in visit visas to the UK for less than six months for £115 (about N111,878.28) as opposed to £15 (14,592.70).
The new fees, which are subject to parliamentary approval, translate to about a 667 percent increment.
According to The PUNCH, the student visa fee has also been increased from £127 (N123,537.58) to £490 (N476,677.59), representing a 286 percent increment.
The UK government noted that the increase in visa fee would enable it to pay for ‘vital services and allow more funding to be prioritised for public sector pay rises,’’ adding that the review would take effect on October 4.
The UK government made this known in a statement, ‘New visa fees set to come into effect next month,’ published on its website, gov.uk, on Friday, following legislation being laid in parliament on Friday.
“The changes mean that the cost for a visit visa for less than six months is rising by £15 (N14,592.70) to £115 (N111,878.28 ), while the fee for applying for a student visa from outside the UK will rise by £127 (N123,537.58) to £490 (N476,677.59), to equal the amount charged for in-country applications,” the statement partly read.
The statement added, “Income from fees charged plays a vital role in the Home Office’s ability to run a sustainable immigration and nationality system. Careful consideration is given when setting fees to help reduce the funding contribution from British taxpayers, whilst continuing to provide a service that remains attractive to those wishing to work in the UK and support broader prosperity for all.”
Recall that in July, the government announced a 15 percent increase in the cost of most work and visit visas and an increase of at least 20 percent in the cost of priority visas, study visas, and certificates of sponsorship.
The new changes include fees for up to six months, two-, five- and 10-year visit visas.
The majority of fees for entry clearance and certain applications for leave to remain in the UK, including those for work and study, were also increased.
Also increased were the fees for indefinite leave to enter and indefinite leave to remain; convention travel document and stateless person’s travel document; health and care visa; fees in relation to certificates of sponsorship and confirmation of acceptance for studies; the in and out of country fee for the super-priority service and the out of country fee for the priority service.
It noted that the settlement priority service would be reduced to align with the cost of using the priority service. Applications to register and naturalize as a British citizen and the fee for the User Pays Visa Application service were also increased.