Rep James Faleke (Ikeja Federal Constituency) has called on Nigerians to treat the outbreak of cholera in some parts of the country with the same level of seriousness they applied to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Faleke made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) recently reported that 53 deaths due to cholera had been recorded in the country.

The Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, stated that the Federal Government had activated the National Emergency Operation Centre for cholera.

Idris said, “As of June 24, 2024, 1,528 suspected cases and 53 deaths were recorded across 31 states and 107 LGAs with a case fatality rate of 3.5 percent since the beginning of the year.”

Reacting, Faleke said Nigerians should do more to curb the cholera outbreak.

“Every Nigerian needs to be careful; our attitude to cleanliness matters,” he said.

Faleke urged Nigerians to be more cautious about what they eat and drink.

“The way we took COVID-19 seriously is the way we should take this cholera outbreak.

“Cholera has killed many people. We expected that, in this modern age, we should not be experiencing an outbreak of cholera in Nigeria.

“However, it has come; so, we have to deal with it. People should be more careful with what they eat and drink.

“There are many fake products out there. Stop consuming fake products. You don’t have to drink just anything; take clean water,” he advised.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has declared that he has no regret as governor because he surpassed all his election promises.

Obaseki said he has impacted all areas and sectors since assuming office as governor.

Addressing journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, the governor said his government has laid a solid foundation for the state’s progress and development.

According to Obaseki: “As Edo State Governor in these last few years, I don’t have any regrets. In fact, when I look at my manifesto, what I said I was going to do; I’ve surpassed everything I said I will do.

“I have exceeded everything I said I will do and there was not one area I mentioned, that I talked about that I didn’t have a kind of impact on.

“I’m a realistic person. One administration or one governor cannot do it all. What I have done is to lay a foundation and by the grace of God, we have a successor who will continue to build on that, in the direction that I started with and someone who shares the same values of service to the people.

“Democracy is not a destination in itself; it is a process. It will always be better; things will always be better than when you met them.”

Justice James Omotoso of a Federal High Court, Abuja has just dismissed a N1 billion suit filed by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu against the Federal Government and the Department of State Services (DSS).

The Judge held in his judgment that the IPOB leader failed to show evidence that his conversation with his lawyers was bugged by the DSS or that his lawyers were stopped from taking notes from him during the conversation.

Justice Omotoso therefore held that there was no evidence before him to show that he was denied a fair hearing as claimed in his suit.

Consequently, the court dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

Kanu had, through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, filed the N1billion suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1633/2023 for the enforcement of his fundamental rights while in detention.

In the originating motion dated and filed December 4, 2023, the applicant sued the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), DSS and its DG as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.

The suit was filed pursuant to Order II, Rules 1 & 2 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, among others.

In the motion, the detained IPOB leader prayed for, “a declaration that the respondents’ act of forcible seizure and photocopying of confidential legal documents pertaining to facilitating the preparation of his defence which were brought to him at the respondents’ detention facility by his lawyers, amounted to denial of his rights to be defended by legal practitioners of his own choice”.

He also sought a declaration that the respondents’ act of refusing or preventing his counsel from taking notes of details of the counsel’s professional discussions/consultations with him at DSS detention.

This, he said, amounted to denial of his right to be given adequate facilities for the preparation of his defence by legal practitioners of his own choice.

Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has set up a disciplinary team to probe two officers of the agency.

The officers were seen in a viral video “manhandling a female worker” at the Regional Hotel in Ojo, Lagos.

The operatives reportedly invaded the hotel in the early hours of June 27.

Olukoyede had ordered the arrest of the officers on Thursday, while promising a detailed investigation of the incident.

In a statement on Sunday, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the operatives will appear before the panel on Monday.

He said members of the investigative team are drawn from the promotion and disciplinary committee and the department of ethics and integrity.

“Mr Ola Olukoyede has raised a Disciplinary Team to look into the case of two errant officers of the Commission who allegedly assaulted a female staff of Regional Hotel, Ojo, Lagos,” the statement reads.

Oyewale said the team will recommend appropriate measures.

The statement added that “no stone will be left unturned in getting the officers to account for their unprofessional conduct”.

Ecuador ground out a nerve-jangling 0-0 draw with Mexico to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa America on Sunday as Venezuela sealed top spot in Group B with a 3-0 win over Jamaica.

Ecuador, needing only a point against Mexico in Glendale, Arizona to advance on goal difference, withstood a furious late onslaught from ‘El Tri’ to reach the last eight.

Mexico launched wave after wave of attacks in the final quarter, with Johan Vasquez forcing a save from Ecuador goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez in the 71st minute, six minutes after Santiago Gimenez struck the post with a shot from close range.

There was almost a dramatic twist deep into eight minutes of time added on, when Guatemalan referee Mario Escobar awarded what would have been a winning penalty to Mexico after Ecuador’s Felix Torres appeared to foul Guillermo Martinez in the area.

The Mexican-dominated crowd erupted in delight only for the celebrations to be cut short when VAR instructed Escobar to review the decision.

Replays showed Torres clearly got a touch on the ball in his challenge on Martinez and the penalty was overturned.

Ecuador will now face Group A winners Argentina in the quarter-finals in Houston on Thursday.

Venezuela, meanwhile, will take on Group A runners-up Canada in Arlington on Friday as they chase a place in the semi-finals.

The Venezuelans, who were already assured of a quarter-final place after wins over Ecuador and Mexico, preserved their 100% record against winless Jamaica.

Eduard Bello headed Venezuela into the lead after 49 minutes, nodding home at the far post after a perfectly weighted cross from Jon Aramburu.

Veteran striker Salomon Rondon then doubled the Venezuela lead on 56 minutes, latching on to a through ball from Yangel Herrera and then smuggling a low finish into the net past advancing Jamaica goalkeeper Jahmali Waite.

Copa America: 'I won't watch any game or celebrate', Ronaldinho blasts Brazil's squad
A decisive victory was sealed in the 85th minute when Eric Ramirez was sent through on goal by Kervin Andrade before coolly finishing past Waite.

An helicopter belonging to the Nigerian Air Force in the early hours of Monday crashed in Tami village, located in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

It was gathered that the incident happened around 5:00 am causing panic among the local residents of the area.

The helicopter, said to be on a routine operational flight, experienced technical difficulties that led to the crash.

Fortunately, the pilot managed to execute emergency protocols effectively, ensuring his own survival, said eyewitnesses while adding that the pilot emerged from the wreckage largely unscathed.

Residents of Tami village quickly gathered at the crash site, offering assistance where possible and expressing relief that no lives were lost.

“We heard a loud noise and rushed to the scene. We were surprised and relieved to see the pilot alive,” said a local villager who witnessed the crash.

It was gathered that a team of military officers from the Nigerian Air Force swiftly arrived at the scene to secure the area and conduct an initial investigation.

They cordoned off the crash site to prevent unauthorised access and to ensure the safety of the villagers. The officers also began preliminary assessments to determine the cause of the crash, which remains unknown at this time.

As of the time of filling the report the Nigerian Air Force has not released an official statement regarding the incident, but an investigation is expected to be launched to ascertain the factors leading to the crash.

A former Kaduna lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has warned the President Bola Tinubu not to make the mistake of his immediate predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari on appointments. 

Sani issued this warning while speaking in interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

The former lawmaker asked President Tinubu to prioritise competence in his appointments if he is interested in results.

Sani said during Buhari’s eight-year administration between May 2015 and May 2023, nepotism was at its peak yet results were not produced in all areas of governance, majorly security, economy, education and healthcare.

He said, “I will advise President Tinubu to be careful not to make the mistakes of President Buhari, and I believe he is experienced to understand this.

“Under Presdient Buhari, you have ministers that were appointed into office for the whole of eight years; they were with him for the first tenure and the second tenure, and there was no cabinet reshuffle, no removal.

“Even if there was a removal, it takes three to four months to replace a minister. That was the way the country was governed.

“Under Buhari, we have seen nepotism at its peak where people were appointed into office and left there even if they did nothing.

“Service chiefs were retained in office despite their failures, and by retaining them, you destroyed the careers of those behind them. For many years, many officers were retired to appoint one person.”

“If this country has to move forward, we must treat the issue of competency as the qualification for appointment,” he said.

Sani further said the situation in northern Nigeria is a reflection of the failure of political leaders, especially those from the region who failed to use political power to reduce the level of underdevelopment in the 19 states of the region.

“What has all these powers been used for? It has not been used for the benefit of our people for a very long time,” he stated.

Spain came from a goal down to overcome Georgia 4-1 in the second round of the 2024 European Championship. 

Goals from Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Nico Williams and Dani Olmo turned the game against a spirited Georgia side that went ahead in the first half via an own goal at the Cologne stadium on Sunday.

Coming off a historic 2-0 win over Portugal in the group stage, Georgia were on the back foot but took the lead fortuitously in the 18th minute when Robin Le Normand diverted a dangerous cross into his team’s goal.

Spain, the only team with immaculate performance in the competition, restored parity 20 minutes later through a Rodri’s curler into the bottom corner, ensuring both nations went into the interval level.

La Furia Roja took the lead six minutes after the interval through Ruiz’s header from Lamine Yamal’s cross, before the electric Williams left a player for dead before slamming a shot into the top corner for 3-1 on 75 minutes.

Olmo added more gloss to the victory seven minutes from time with an identical goal to Spain’s first.

Spain will face hosts Germany in the last-eight round on Friday, July 5.

On the other hand, England required a last-gasp Jude Bellingham acrobatic-kick equaliser to force extra time before Harry Kane’s header won it for the Three Lions in their 2-1 win over Slovakia.

Saved from embarrassment, Gareth Southgate’s side will face Switzerland in the quarter-final.

A rice farmer identified as Taiwo Paul has been murdered by some suspected herders in the Kata Area of Ewekoro Local Government of Ogun State.

PUNCH Metro further gathered that while Paul was allegedly hacked to death by the suspects at his rice plantation in the community, another farmer identified as Peter Danjuma died of electrocution in the Isoyin area of Atan-Ijebu.

The state Police Command confirmed the two deaths in separate telephone conversations with PUNCH Metro on Saturday.

Our correspondent gathered that 26-year-old Paul was found battling for his life in a pool of blood on Thursday after he was allegedly attacked by the suspects.

The spokesperson for the command, Omolola Odutola, told our correspondent that the rice farmer had left his house at Yobo Village to check the crops owing to suspicions of some herders who they suspected had been roaming the area in the past.

When Paul did not return home on time, our correspondent learnt that his twin brother, Kehinde, went to the rice farm to look for him.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Kehinde heard a faint groan from a distance and discovered his twin brother dying in a pool of his blood, bleeding uncontrollably from severe cuts on his hands and right leg.

PUNCH Metro further gathered that all efforts by the deceased’s brother and other villagers to rush Paul to the General Hospital in Ifo failed, as the victim reportedly died on the way.

Odutola further stated that a doctor on duty at the hospital confirmed Paul’s death on arrival.

She noted that a preliminary investigation had begun to apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

She said, “Detectives from Ewekoro Police Division have visited the crime scene and the hospital for assessment, and photographs have been taken. The deceased’s body was later released to the family for burial.

“Preliminary investigations are ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators, and the case will be transferred to the State Crime Investigation Department at Eleweran for further discreet investigation.”

Meanwhile, another farmer in the Isoyin area, identified simply as Danjuma, was electrocuted to death on Friday morning while feeding birds at a poultry farm.

PUNCH Metro also learnt that he was rushed to the General Hospital in Ijebu-Ode, where a doctor on duty confirmed him dead.

“The detectives of the Atan-Ijebu Police Division have visited the scene of the incident, and photographs were taken.”

As the nation awaits the new minimum wage promised to be sent to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, the burden of implementing the minimum wage may make many states bankrupt.

The Federal Executive Council, at its meeting last Tuesday, stepped down a memorandum on the report of the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage, to allow for more consultations among the federal and state governments on one part, the private sector and the labour unions on the other part.

Last Thursday, Tinubu met with the governors at the National Economic Council meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima. The meeting, which was expected to deliberate on the national minimum wage, was, however, silent on whether or not it considered the issue.

Also last Thursday, the Southern Governors’ Forum released the communiqué of its meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, with the governors asking that each state should negotiate minimum wage with its workforce.

So This Happened (EP 254) Reviews Tinubu's Order To Civil Servants Abroad To Refund Salary, Others0:12 / 1:01
The labour unions have, however, reacted to the stance of the Ni¬geria Governors’ Forum over their overbearing influence on the minimum wage negotia¬tions.

In a document, titled, “Analysis of State FAAC inflows and state expenditure profile,” of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat, the NGF report warned that implementing the new minimum wage could push states into bankruptcy due to increased recurrent expenditure.

According to the report, the burden of recurrent expenditure already left Abia, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Katsina, Kogi, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara in deficit in 2022.

The report predicted that if the recurrent expenditure increased by 50 per cent, 13 states would fall into deficit, with only 10 remaining financially stable.

The tripartite committee’s recommendation of a N62,000 minimum wage would necessitate over a 100 per cent increase from the current N30,000, potentially leaving only a few states like Anambra, Bayelsa, Borno, Ebonyi, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Lagos, and Rivers with positive net revenues, based on the 2022 fiscal data.

A net revenue is the deduction of recurrent expenditure from the total revenue of the state. When it is positive, it means a surplus, but when negative, there is a deficit.

Also, the total revenue of states is calculated from the monthly revenue from the Federal Account Allocation Committee, internally generated revenue, aids and grants and constituency development funds.

According to the documents, sighted by The PUNCH, Abia, with an employment size of about 58,631 workers, pays N5,837,899,980.40 as wage monthly. Anambra has a 20,541 employment size and pays N1,824,851,308.96 monthly as wages, apart from N894,480,399.62 as pension obligation and N579,694,680.33 for debt servicing.

Bayelsa boasts of 48,213 workforce, paying N5,802,435,178.58 monthly, with N1,194,528,784.40 as pension obligation and N3,535,787,992.48 as debt servicing, totalling N10,532,751,955.46 as total recurrent expenditure monthly.

Benue has about 13,366 workers in its workforce and pays N2,040,184,471.85 as monthly wage, N76,838,634.62 for pension, and N64,685,126,826.08 for debt servicing, totalling N66,802,149,932.56 monthly.

Delta has about 50,871 workers, offering N8,973,081,853.50 as wages, N1,499,886,303.39 as pension, and N72,417,433,139.00 as debt servicing, accumulating to N82,890,401,295.89 in a month.

Jigawa has about 44,831 workers in its employ and pays N2,795,662,113.02 as wages, and N345,987,843.12 as a pension, totalling N3,141,649,956.14 monthly on recurrent expenditure.

Katsina, Kwara and Niger have 19,062, 36,048 and 22,225 workers, with accumulated N139,294,944,565.27, N4,457,268,675.54 and N2,653,614,213.35 monthly recurrent expenditure respectively.

According to the document, Abia has a total recurrent expenditure of N111,983,979,958.62, against a total revenue of N147,637,730,867.73.

For Adamawa, the recurrent expenditure stands at N70,369,399,885.57, against a total revenue of N109,722,949,684.65, while Akwa Ibom boasts of a high revenue of N444,288,683,000, with recurrent expenditure of N235,144,539,000.

Of the states, Lagos has the highest total revenue, amassing N1,243,778,878,170 in 2022, with a recurrent expenditure of N621,043,036,000, followed by Delta, with N702,020,717,460.08 and a recurrent expenditure of N377,905,100,451.83.

Rivers amassed N525,588,159,714.88 in 2022, with recurrent expenditure of N186,974,715,774.87; Kaduna had a total revenue of N222,349,875,000 and expenditure of N95,987,999,472.10; Ogun, N297,249,009,626.83, recurrent expenditure of N178,519,010,628.42 and Oyo, with total revenue of N247,156,776,739.70 and recurrent expenditure of N152,077,804,384.65.

Kebbi State had the lowest total revenue in 2022, raking in N92,132,444,588.16 and spent N57,601,464,374.96 on recurrent expenditure, followed by Taraba, with a total revenue of N101,177,283,069.87 and recurrent expenditure of N75,055,201,412.62.

Aside from FAAC allocation, some states recorded poor IGR in the 2022 data compiled by the NGF Secretariat.

Zamfara State generated N6,513,960,477.20; followed by Kebbi, with N8,630,767,122.96; Taraba, N9,744,331,840.01 and Yobe State, with N9,940,554,642.00.

The IGR of Katsina (N12,821,119,042.64), Adamawa (N13,175,774,969.53), Niger (N14,427,373,136.00), Benue (N15,021,223,729.38), Plateau (N15,927,001,739.90) and Imo (N16,711,346,111.18) also showed a poor revenue standing.

The PUNCH reported on October 19, 2023, that 15 states have yet to implement the N30,000 minimum wage for their workers since it was signed into law in 2019.

According to BudgiT, though the 15 states were yet to implement the minimum wage of N30,000, the 36 states of the federation grew their cumulative personnel cost by 13.44 per cent to N1.75tn in 2022 from N1.54tn in 2021.

The civil society organization, in a release, ‘The States of States Report 2023,’ highlighted that the 36 states of the federation grew their revenue by 28.95 per cent from N5.12tn in 2021 to N6.6tn in 2022.

“Put together, the IGR of the 36 states appreciated by 12.98 per cent from N1.61tn in 2021 to N1.82tn in 2022, denoting a strengthened domestic revenue mobilisation capability.

“Nonetheless, the IGR to GDP ratio remained very low at 1.01 per cent. The increase in IGR did not reflect across the board as 17 states experienced a decline in their IGR from the previous year, while 19 states recorded positive growth,” BudgIT said.

The Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Chris Onyeka, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on minimum wage and its implementation, claimed that many state governors were flouting the Minimum Wage Act and listed the states of Abia, Enugu, Bayelsa, Delta, Nasarawa, Gombe, Adamawa, Niger, Sokoto, Imo, Anambra, Taraba, Benue, and Zamfara as defaulting.

Reacting, the Enugu State chairman of TUC, Ben Asogwa, said the state commenced payment of N30,000 minimum wage and its consequential adjustment in February 2020 for state government workers, while local government workers and primary school teachers were paid 25 per cent consequential adjustment.

He, however, said Governor Peter Mbah, on assumption of office, approved the full implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage for both the LG workers and primary school teachers in the state.

The PUNCH reports that the Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, announced during a meeting with the leadership of the labour unions that the state would begin payment of N30,000 minimum wage effective June 2024.