The Federal Government has disclosed plans to raise $3bn from Eurobond sales in the second week of October.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, who disclosed this during an interview on Bloomberg TV on Thursday said that the $3bn constituted half of the amount needed from external borrowings to fund the 2021 budget deficit.

Ahmed said, “We should be going to the market in the second week of October. The government has approved to raise $6.1bn from overseas. So we are looking at doing half of that in the Eurobond market and the other half from bilateral and multilateral sources. Depending on how the market goes, maybe we can do a little bit more.’’

The minister noted that the Federal Government was targeting single-digit inflation by 2023.

She also said the $3.3bn Special Drawing Rights from the International Monetary Fund had helped to boost the country’s external reserves and will help stabilise the naira.

She said, “We certainly feel we have passed the worst of it. Our projection is that inflation will continue to go down throughout 2021 and 2022. Our target is to get to single-digit inflation by 2023.”

“The central bank is doing everything within limited constraints to stabilise the currency. The SDR of $3.35bn just received from the International Monetary Fund have helped shore up the reserves and will help stabilise the currency.

“Also, the withdrawal by the central bank of funding to unauthorised dealers will increase supply to the formal market to meet demand.”

On the country’s debt, she said, ‘’The government is now working to reduce its debt-service burden by increasing revenue, restructuring its debt portfolio through the conversion of expensive short-term notes into longer tenors, and also reducing its overall borrowing.

“Our target is to triple revenues from about eight per cent of the Gross Domestic Product to 15 per cent, and also grow the economy by seven per cent.”

Jones4190:
A WISE MAN ONCE SAID

1. Don’t call someone more than twice continuously. If they don’t pick up your call, presume they have something important to attend to;

2. Return money that you have borrowed even before the person that borrowed you remember or ask for it. It shows your integrity and character. Same goes with umbrellas, pens and lunch boxes.

3. Never order the expensive dish on the menu when someone is giving you a lunch/dinner.

4. Don’t ask awkward questions like ‘Oh so you aren’t married yet?’ Or ‘Don’t you have kids’ or ‘Why didn’t you buy a house?’ Or why don't you buy a car? For God’s sake it isn’t your problem;

5. Always open the door for the person coming behind you. It doesn’t matter if it is a guy or a girl, senior or junior. You don’t grow small by treating someone well in public;

6. If you take a taxi with a friend and he/she pays now, try paying next time;

7. Respect different shades of opinions. Remember what's 6 to you will appear 9 to someone facing you. Besides, second opinion is good for an alternative;

8. Never interrupt people talking. Allow them to pour it out. As they say, hear them all and filter them all;

9. If you tease someone, and they don’t seem to enjoy it, stop it and never do it again. It encourages one to do more and it shows how appreciative you're;

10. Say “thank you” when someone is helping you.

11. Praise publicly. Criticize privately;

12. There’s almost never a reason to comment on someone’s weight. Just say, “You look fantastic.” If they want to talk about losing weight, they will;

13. When someone shows you a photo on their phone, don’t swipe left or right. You never know what’s next;

14. If a colleague tells you they have a doctors' appointment, don’t ask what it’s for, just say "I hope you’re okay". Don’t put them in the uncomfortable position of having to tell you their personal illness. If they want you to know, they'll do so without your inquisitiveness;

15. Treat the cleaner with the same respect as the CEO. Nobody is impressed at how rude you can treat someone below you but people will notice if you treat them with respect;

16. If a person is speaking directly to you, staring at your phone is rude;

17. Never give advice until you’re asked;

18. When meeting someone after a long time, unless they want to talk about it, don’t ask them their age and salary;

19. Mind your business unless anything involves you directly - just stay out of it;

20. Remove your sunglasses if you are talking to anyone in the street. It is a sign of respect. Moreso, eye contact is as important as your speech; and

21. Never talk about your riches in the midst of the poor. Similarly, don't talk about your children in the midst of the barren.

22.After reading a good message try to say "Thanks for the message".

APPRECIATION remains the easiest way of getting what you don't have....
❤️♥️