₦airaland Forum

Maxmilliano111:
OP seems like you have just resurrected from the dead abiii..

News wey don cast finish werey

If you found the news uninteresting, I expected you to have ignored it. The fact that you had read it somewhere else doesn't mean you should talk to me in such an uncouth manner.

There are two demeaning and insulting names that the Fulani gave to southerners: “Nyamiri” (meaning ‘fetcher of water’) in reference to the people of the South-East and “Yoruba” in reference to the people of the South West.

The South East rejected that name but the South West accepted it. The name “Yoruba” derives from “Yoruba” and it means “shady and unreliable”. I reject that strange name and label and I hope and pray that the good people of South Western Nigeria will see the wisdom in doing so too.

I am not a “Yoruba” or “Yoruba” but an “Omo Karo Jire” or an “Ooduwan” and my language is not “Yoruba” but “Anago”. We are what we call ourselves. We are not “shady and unreliable” (Yoruba) and we must not accept names that are given to us by our historical adversaries.

Any Omo Karo Jire or Ooduwan that continues to call himself a “Yoruba” is lost and does not know the implications of what he is doing to his own people. He is simply affirming and confirming an insulting label which has deep sinister, mystical and spiritual connotations.

The word “Yoruba” did not even exist until the 18th century and even then most of the tribes of the SW, including the Oyo’s, rejected it due to its origin and meaning. The word “Yoruba” is alien to our culture and not known in the Anago language. Ooduwans please take note.

The first time the word “Yoruba” was used as a generic term for ALL the people of the South West Nigeria was in the 19th century by Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther. He did us a great disservice there given the fact that it derives from the word”Yoruba” which the Fulani used to describe our people.

The meaning of the word “Yoruba” is “usurper, deceitful, shady, treacherous, cheating usurer and double-dealing bastard”. Once again I reject that name.

The good people of South West Nigeria are “Anagos” or “Omo Karo Jire’s” or “Omo Oluabi’s” or “Ooduwans” and we are NOT ‘Yaribas’ or ‘Yorubas’.

I, FFK, a proud Ife, an Anago, an Omo Karo Jire, an Omoluabi, an Ooduwan and a son of Oduduwa, will NEVER answer to the name “Yoruba” again or use it to describe my people. We are better than that.

The British named our nation “Nigeria” meaning “area of darkness” and the Fulani named our ethnic nationality “Yoruba”.

Put together this means “a group of deceitful, shady, treacherous usurpers and bastards from an area of darkness”.

Is it any wonder that we are still in servitude and bondage? What a terrible combination. We have been snared by our names.

May God open our eyes, may He help us and may He deliver us! We must start helping ourselves by rejecting these deeply demonic names, labels and terms.

We are FAR better than the baggage that those horrific names carry.

If the Lord can change the name of Jacob (meaning ‘shady character, rogue and trickster’) to Israel (meaning ‘God contends’) then He can change ours too.

If Jabez (meaning ‘one who was born in sorrow’) can call on the Lord to break the chains and remove the limitations of his name, to enlarge his coast and to bless him abundantly so can we.

Remember: we ARE what we call ourselves!

https://dailypost.ng/2019/10/23/femi-fani-kayode-how-the-fulani-named-south-west-people-Yoruba/

Sunday Dare, minister of youths and sports, says members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will enjoy the new minimum wage.

Dare disclosed this in a tweet on Wednesday evening.

“New Minimum Wage: NYSC members to enjoy new minimum wage/ allowee Details coming …,” he tweeted.

More to follow…


https://www.thecable.ng/breaking-nysc-members-will-enjoy-new-minimum-wage-says-minister/

Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

Grassroots politicians and kinsmen of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Robert Enogha and Chief Claudius Enegesi have dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

Prior to his defection, Enogha was the Chairman, Bayelsa Environmental Sanitation Authority and former two-time member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

Enogha, who was until his defection one of the restoration leaders in Ogbia, was also a former Commissioner for Environment in the state.

Enegesi, one of the political associates of Jonathan, was a Speaker in the old Rivers State when Ada George was the governor.

The party stalwart, who was the pioneer Chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa when the party was formed in 1998, was a former national executive member of the party and a former caucus chairman of PDP, Ogbia chapter.

Also in Nembe, Chief Bright Erewari-Igbeta, a former House of Assembly member and presently Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment resigned his appointment from the government and also from the party.

In the same council, Chief James Jephthah aka Octopus after series of meeting with leaders and supporters of PDP under the Octopus Umbrella said he and his political associates had decided to withdraw their membership of the PDP.

But Enigha while jointing the APC cited dictatorial tendencies in PDP as a reason for his decision to leave the party.


He said: “I write to formally inform you of my withdrawal of membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). I am doing this with so much pain as a founding member of the party which was truly democratic as at then.

“I must acknowledge the immense benefit and experience I have gathered over the years through service as a loyal and faithful member. However I have lost confidence in the party’s ability to accept where the opinion of majority counts, hence my resignation”.

Also in Brass, Chief Beimo Spiff the coordinator of the PDP governorship campaign council in Brass Local Government Area and brother to Senator Inatimi Rufus Spiff, Chairman of the PDP reconciliation committee, dumped the party for the APC.

Spiff and his supporters were received by the Secretary of the party, Alabo Martins.

Beimo- Spiff in his letter of resignation addressed to the Chairman of the party said he was resigning from the party due to some “despicable injustices in the party”

https://thenationonlineng.net/just-in-jonathan-kinsmen-others-dump-pdp-for-apc/

A school in India has apologized after photos emerged of students wearing cardboard boxes on their heads during an exam in bizarre anti-cheating measure.

The stunt, which had been intended to stop the students of Bhagat Pre-University College in Haveri, Karnataka state from copying each other’s work, went viral on social media, after a staff took to Facebook to share pictures of the students during the exam.

The images show the students wearing the carton boxes of sold-out merchandise, that had been cut open on one side, on their heads, as the examiner supervised the hall.

Following the public outrage that trailed the “unorthodox measure”, officials of the school issued an apology, admitting that the school had only implemented the boxes on an “experimental basis” after seeing it being done elsewhere.

“There was no compulsion of any kind. You can see in the photograph that some students were not wearing it. Some who wore it removed it after 15 minutes, some after 20 minutes and we ourselves asked them to remove it after one hour,” MB Satish, the college administrator, told BBC Hindi.

“When I got a message on this, I immediately went to the college and ordered the management to stop the practice,” he was quoted by the Times of India as saying.

“I also issued a notice to the college management and am contemplating disciplinary action against them for implementing this idea.”

Suresh Kumar, the state education minister, also disclosed that the issue would be aptly dealt with as “nobody has any right to treat anybody, more so students, like animals.”

https://lifestyle.thecable.ng/students-made-to-wear-boxes-on-their-heads-during-exam-to-prevent-cheating/

A banker, Mr. Lawrence Akande, Monday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that sometime in 2014, he received money on behalf of former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, at the Akure Airport in Ondo State.

Fayose being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an alleged N6.9bn money laundering charge.

Akande, a banker with Zenith Bank Plc, testified as the first prosecution witness.

He said the bank received deposits in tranches from the embattled ex-governor after it solicited patronage from him.

Fayose was arraigned on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatotegun, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd, on 11 counts of fraud and money laundering offences.

He pleaded not guilty and was granted N50 million bail on October 24, 2018, with two sureties in the like sum.

The defendant was re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, on July 2.

He repeated his plea and was allowed to continue on the earlier bail granted, while the case was adjourned for trial.

At the resumption of proceedings Monday, Mr Adebisi Adeniyi announced appearance for the prosecution while Messrs Ola Olanipekun (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) appeared for the first and second defendants respectively.

During examination-in-chief, the witness said he supervised 20 Zenith Bank branches in the three states of Oyo, Ogun and Osun.

He said in 2014 he was in Ibadan as Zonal Head of the bank.

According to him, Fayose maintained three accounts with the bank, namely; Spotless Investment, De Privateer, and Fayose’s personal account which he said is domiciled in Apapa.

Akande told the judge that in June 2014, he received a call from the Fayose informing him that there would be a business transaction in Akure.

The witness called one Biodun Oshode, who was based in Akure as Zonal head of the bank, to handle the transaction.

Under cross examination, the witness explained that it was his bank that solicited for patronage from the defendant.

Narrating how the patronage was sought, he said: “He has always being my governor, and yes, as a good zonal head of my bank I solicited patronage from him.”

Defence: “You knew the defendant (Fayose) to be someone of high net worth through whom you got sufficient funds into your bank?

Witness: “Yes….A man of low means does not become the governor of a state…

He also told the court that he received a call from the Fayose to pick up money from the Akure Airport, sometime in June 2014.

At the prosecution’s instance, Justice Aneke adjourned further proceedings till today.

According to the charge, on June 17, 2014, Fayose and one Abiodun Agbele were said to have taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion, for purposes of funding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti, which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

Fayose was alleged to have received a cash payment of the sum of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from the then Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution.

He was also alleged to have retained the sum of N300 million in his account and took control of the aggregate sums of about N622 million which sum he reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

Fayose was alleged to have procured De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd, to retain the aggregate sums of N851 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

Besides, the defendant was alleged to have used the aggregate sums of about N1.6 billion to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja, which sums he reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

He was also alleged to have used the sum of N200 million, to acquire a property in Abuja, in the name of his elder sister Moji Oladeji, which sum he ought to know also forms crime proceeds.

The offences contravenes the provisions of sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

https://thenationonlineng.net/alleged-n6-9bn-fraud-i-received-money-for-fayose-at-akure-airport/

The Central Bank of Nigeria has opposed plans by MTN to charge their subscribers for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data access to banking services from Oct. 21.

The Governor of CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, gave the bank’s position at a news briefing by the Nigerian delegation to the just-concluded World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings, in Washington on Sunday.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that MTN, in an SMS message to its subscribers, had said the decision was on the request of the banks and would take effect from October 21.

“Yello, as requested by your bank, from October 21, we will start charging you directly for USSD access to banking services.

“Please, contact your bank for more info,’’ the message said.

Responding to a question seeking his reaction to the announcement, the CBN governor said the bank would not allow that to happen.

“About five, four months ago, I held a meeting with some telecom companies as well as the leading banks in Nigeria at Central Bank, Lagos.

“At that time, we came to a conclusion that the use of USSD is a sunk cost.

“What we mean by a sunk cost is that it is not an additional cost on the infrastructure of the telecom company.

“But the telecom companies disagreed with us. They said it was an additional investment on infrastructure and for that reason, they needed to impose it.

“I have told the banks that we will not allow this to happen.

“The banks are the people who give this business to the telecom companies and I leave the banks and the telecom companies to engage.

“I have told the banks that they have to move their business, move their traffic to a telecom company that is ready to provide it at the lowest possible, if not zero cost.

“And that is where we stand, and we must achieve it,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the transactions to be affected by the charges include intra- and inter-bank money transfers, through USSD, among others.

(NAN)

https://punchng.com/cbn-opposes-mtns-planned-charges-for-ussd-transactions/

Despite the clever and seemingly unrepentant comments by former military president Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), over his annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election which was won by Late Chief MKO Abiola, the former military ruler has told his sons, Muhammad and his brother, Aminu, that the action will haunt him all through his life.

According to Muhammad, a security consultant, his father must have been compelled by some external forces to take the decision, adding that IBB told them that the particular action “is something that will haunt me for the rest of my life.”

In an interview with the Sun, Muhammad, said, “Like June 12, we all understood that it would be one of the biggest things that would remain as something that would haunt us for the rest of our lives.

“We understand that. But I am sure deep down, my dad would have passed on the mantle of leadership to his friend. There is no doubt about that.

“Yes. Like he said to me when I encountered him [IBB on the issue]. I said: why did you do this? He said, ‘Well, it’s part of governance that you don’t understand’ as a young boy at that time.

“So, to me, mistakes have happened, (what matters) is how you rise above those mistakes. We have learnt as a country.

“There have been tremendous benefits for some group of people who benefitted from that mistake, who are in the helm of affairs currently today.

“Because it was from that, that you saw the Southwest become so strong and is now developed to a point whereby their leader was able to create a bloc for the region where most of his protégés were in leadership positions at that time. And these were people who benefitted from the annulment of June 12.

“So, there was always the positive side of that annulment which gave rise to what we are saying today. In as much as it was a painful experience, the nation has, I think, grown out of that by now; and we have mended fences from that hurt.
“The president now has been able to recognize the family, he has been able to cool the tempers, and we hope from that, we should just be able to move on. That is just my position.

“I didn’t challenge him. He came to us, me and my brother, Aminu.

“Yes. We were at the (Aso Rock Presidential) Villa at the time. We were in the living room when he had done the recording.

“He came and he said, ‘I just annulled June 12.’ We both looked at each other and we looked at him, and said: why would you do that? And he said ‘you are too young to understand the intrigues of governance.’

“And we said, but it is about you and your administration. And he said, ‘well, perhaps, this is something that will haunt me for the rest of my life.’

“So, you could see that his hands were tied. He was limited. He couldn’t do what he would have wished to do. And this is probably a story most Nigerians don’t know.”


https://www.independent.ng/june-12-annulment-will-haunt-me-for-the-rest-of-my-life-ibb-tells-his-sons/

Mr Simon Achuba has insisted that he is the Deputy Governor of Kogi State.

He stated this in a telephone interview with Channels Television on Friday, shortly after he was impeached by members of the State House of Assembly.

“What they have done is nothing. I am the deputy governor of Kogi State and I remain the deputy governor of Kogi State,” Achuba said while condemning the action of the lawmakers.

Earlier, the House in a unanimous decision impeached the embattled former deputy governor following the submission of a report of the committee set up by the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajana, to investigate an allegation of gross misconduct against him.

Majority Leader of the House and member representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Mr Hassan Abdullahi, had told reporters that the Speaker, Mr Mathew Kolawole, received the committee’s report which was studied and deliberated upon before the lawmakers took the decision.

A Complete Illegality?

Moments later, Mr Achuba stressed that his impeachment by the lawmakers was illegal, saying they didn’t follow the due process involved.
He said, “Impeachment has processes and the last process of impeachment is the verdict of the panel.

“If the panel says the case of the complainant is proved, it means that the accused which is the respondent in the case can be removed. But if their case is not proved, they can’t do anything concerning my office and that is the situation.”

According to Mr Achuba, the report before the Assembly stated that the case brought against him was not proved.

He explained that he did what was expected of him and presented himself before members of the seven-man panel set up by the Chief Judge in the state.

“So, what you have seen is the continuation of the illegality that I have complained about loudly.

“I will get a copy of the report in no time to prove to you that what they have done is complete illegality,” Achuba said.

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/10/18/impeachment-i-remain-deputy-governor-of-kogi-state-simon-achuba/

Zainab Ahmed, the minister of finance, says the federal government is considering introducing excise duty on carbonated drinks.

The minister made this known while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group.

Excise duty is a levy placed on the manufacture and sale of locally produced goods.

Information provided on the Nigeria Customs Service website shows that excise is currently placed on non-alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, beer, stout and alcoholic beverages.

According to Ahmed, the government is working on maximising existing revenue streams while trying to identify new revenue streams.

“Our objective is to be able to harness the existing revenue streams that we have by ensuring that enforcement is effective to expand the tax base and also to identify new revenue streams that we can add to expand the revenue base,” she said.

“So in expanding the revenue base, we have proposed the increase of VAT but there are also other revenue streams that we are looking at and some of them include the introduction of excise duties on carbonated drinks but there is a process to doing these things.

“Any tax that you are introducing will involve a lot of consultations and also amendments of some laws or introduction of new regulations.

“There are several cost-cutting measures also in the Strategic Revenue Growth Initiative (SRGI) and also a number of cost-cutting initiatives such as innovation and automation as well as capacity building of our people.”

The minister described it as an anomaly that Nigeria’s previous budgets have been funded largely with oil revenue.

“The budget of countries is supposed to be based on taxes that the country is able to generate. It is an anomaly for us in Nigeria that our budgets have not been focusing on revenue,” she said.

“We can only develop in a manner that is sustainable when we are using tax revenues to fund our national and sub-national budgets. It is an anomaly that we are depending largely on oil and gas revenue, which is a resource that is finite. It is going to go out of existence before you know it. So we have to develop the domestic tax base. The main focus will be on expanding the tax base ensuring enforcement of the existing laws and then blocking leakages.

“What we are trying to do in 2020 is to harness the full potential of revenue mobilisation. The only increase in taxes in 2020 budget is just VAT. Everything else is just maximizing the potentials of existing tax streams that we have and we hope that we will be able to do this to be able to move our tax to GDP ratio from the current seven to eight per cent of GDP to 15 per cent.”

Ahmed also expressed hopes that the finance bill will be passed along with the 2020 budget so that the government’s capacity to finance the budget is enhanced.

https://www.thecable.ng/fg-mulls-new-tax-coke-bigi-other-soft-drinks/

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has imposed the sum of Twenty Thousand Naira (N20,000) as the fee for forms, to transfer pupils from outside the country into the State public schools.

The Governor has also directed that transfer of pupils from other states of the federation such as Lagos, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja into the state public schools will cost the sum of Fifteen Thousand Naira (N15,000).

Makinde made this declaration via a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, a copy of which was made available to DAILY POST.

He said that his government-imposed fees on the transfer of students from private to government-owned schools, in order to offset administration procedures.

Makinde in the statement informed that the costs of forms for prospective students seeking transfer from private to public school would be determined by the part of the country such candidate was coming from.

The statement added that forms for transfer from outside Nigeria is N20,000.00, form for transfer from major cities across the country including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt is N15, 000, other states of the federation is N10,000 while transfer within the state is N7,500.00.

He said, “The Government of Oyo State has announced that it was pleased to discover that measures taken thus far in the implementation of the free education policy have started yielding fruits. The huge number of parents applying to register their wards in the state’s public primary and secondary schools is a clear evidence that the free education policy of the administration is well received by the people.

“We are particularly pleased that a number of parents have been besieging the Oyo State Ministry of Education in the past few weeks to make inquiries on steps to be taken to transfer their wards from private schools to public schools.


“The huge turnout of parents and guardians seeking transfer for their wards to our public schools in view of the free education policy of Governor Makinde’s administration, has, therefore, necessitated the introduction of some administrative measures which are meant to control admission and safeguard illegality in the admission process.

“Some costs have, therefore, been introduced to offset administration procedures as approved by the administration. The cost of obtaining forms for transfer of pupils/students to Oyo State public schools are stated as follows:

“Inter-state; from major cities across the country including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt-N15,000 (Fifteen thousand Naira);


“Other states of the federation-N10,000 (Ten Thousand Naira);

“Those seeking transfer from within Oyo State-N7,500.00 (seven thousand five hundred Naira;

“Transfer from outside Nigeria-N20,000.00 (Twenty thousand Naira).


“As we have started before now, the policy of the state government is to promote free education in line with its desire to uplift the standards and enhance excellence in educational pursuits.

“In line with the current administration’s four-point service agenda, Education, Health, Security and Economic expansion via agriculture value chain have been so designated as the major pillars. The administration hereby assures the people of its commitment to implement the agenda for the good of all in Oyo State. Let us also place on record that the decision to implement the charges listed above is not aimed at constraining the people, but to ensure standardization in the process of transferring pupils and students from private to public schools.”

https://dailypost.ng/2019/10/16/makinde-imposes-n20-000-n15000-fees-transfer-pupils-state-public-schools/

• Workers demand documents as FG hikes
salary adjustments

• Lagos will pay more than N30,000, says
Gov Sanwo-Olu

Olufemi Atoyebi, Abuja

Organised labour on Tuesday demanded documents from the Federal Government to support its claims during a negotiation on the consequential adjustments on the New National Minimum Wage.

Labour suspended its planned strike as both sides agreed to continue negotiations today (Wednesday).

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, at the opening of the meeting, said the demand of the workers before the negotiation would shut down the economy.

But a source at the five hours meeting, which started at 2.45pm, confided in our correspondent that the labour leaders and the government’s representatives made concessions. He added that they failed to reach a definite agreement on the salary adjustments.

Before the meeting, labour was demanding 29 per cent salary increase for officers at salary grade levels 07 to 14 and 24 per cent adjustment for officers at salary grade levels 15 to 17, while the Federal Government proposed an 11 per cent increase for officers at grade level 07 to 14 and 6.5 per cent adjustment for workers at grade level 15 to 17.

The meeting broke into sessions on a few occasions when labour and government teams had to leave the general session to meet their teams separately before continuing with the joint session.

Our correspondent learnt that the labour team demanded a number of documents from government’s team to verify claims made by the Federal Government during the negotiation.

According to a source, who was part of the workers’ team at the meeting, labour lowered its position to 20 and 25 per cent, while government increased its offer to 17 per cent for workers at grade levels 07 to 09, 15 per cent for those at grade levels 10 to 14 and 12 per cent for workers at grade level 15 to 17.

The source said, “The two sides made concessions but in addition to the Federal Government concession, the team also introduced innovations which is strange to us. But we have asked for documents to back that position. However, whatever figures presented now at the meeting are mere proposals that labour is going home to examine critically before tomorrow’s (today) meeting.”

It was also learnt that the minister pleaded with the union leaders to consider the present state of the nation’s economy in their demands.

He said after the meeting that he was happy that there was no walkout or fight during the deliberation.

Briefing journalists, Ngige said, “I serve as the conciliator so I am not on any side. I belong to the two parties. As you can see, there was no fight and no walkout. That shows thatthings are going on well. We will continue tomorrow (Wednesday) because of areas that we could not touch.”

Addressing the media, the Nigeria Labour Congress Deputy President, Amaechi Asugwuni said, “For us at labour, the matters are straightforward but negotiations are still going on. We thought the meeting would be concluded today but that prediction was not successful. Therefore, adjournment became necessary. The struggle will still continue.

“We will meet again tomorrow (Wednesday) and that meeting will decide the fate of both parties. So far, commitments have been shown by both parties but we believe that the areas that are still in contest are critical and we urge government to see how it can shift ground positively. We expect that Wednesday’s meeting will end positively.”

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, who spoke for the government team added, “We have worked together and both sides have made a lot of concessions but we discovered that there are areas to be ironed out. There are some documents and information that are being sought and which we are providing. We will continue tomorrow with the belief that we will reach an agreement.

But earlier on Tuesday, the Federal Government said the economy would be shut down, if it met the demands of the organised labour on the New National Minimum Wage.

Ngige, who stated this during the Federal Government’s meeting with labour leaders in Abuja, said the unionists should not misinform workers about the government’s position on the consequential increase in workers’ salaries as a result of the new minimum wage of N30,000.

The labour leaders had at a meeting with the minister on Monday submitted their proposal on percentages on consequential increases in the new minimum wage.

Ngige, in his opening speech before the technical session that government had with labour on Tuesday, said government would not intimidate workers.

The minister said the Federal Government’s personnel cost had increased astronomically and that accommodating more wage bill like what labour was demanding could shut the economy down.

Ngige stated, “It is a matter of balancing a budget that is 76 per cent recurrent and 24 per cent capital. For me, it is nothing to cheer about. In the 76 per cent, government has captured N200bn for the consequential adjustment for the minimum wage and so on. These are all parts of personnel.

Don’t threaten govt with strike, Ngige tells labour

“I don’t want labour to misinform workers. They should not be misinformed. Workers should know that this is a consequential adjustment and not a holistic wage review. We must give the government the benefit of the doubt. I am for labour and I will not sit and watch them being cheated. I will also not sit and watch labour intimidate government. If you dangle a strike, it is intimidation and the International Labour Organisation Convention does not permit it. People should negotiate freely. If government threatens you in the course of negotiation, it is intimidation.

“I am your friend and friend of government. In fact, government feels I am not doing enough. That is why I am talking to you so that you can talk to your people. We cannot allow the government to shut down the economy because it wants to pay salaries and wages.

“The 2020 budget of N10.3tr has N3.8tr as personnel cost without overhead. If you add running cost and other incidental costs, the total recurrent budget as presented to the National Assembly has taken 76 per cent. Where do we get the money to build roads, airport, rails, health centres, schools etc.?”

Congress, Amechi Asugwuni, leading the labour team

Before the meeting, Ngige received the leaders of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, led by its president, Ibrahim Khaleel.

Strike will fail – Labour faction

Workers were on Tuesday divided on whether they should go on a strike over the new minimum wage.

A breakaway faction of the NLC, condemned the strike being planned to embark upon by the Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress.

The ULC president, Joe Ajaero, in a statement, said the union said critical sectors that would make the strike to be successful were left out of the decision.

The statement said, “We were part of the 16-man technical committee that gave birth to the Tripartite Committee on the Review of the National Minimum Wage and in which we participated vigorously in all the processes leading to its negotiation and the various struggles to deliver it for the benefit of Nigerian workers and peoples.

“The dynamics of the struggle dictate that we mobilise all our constituents both primary and secondary to make for a successful strike. A man that intentionally goes to war without its most critical weapons has prepared himself to fail.

“Nigerian workers cannot be forced to negotiate from a position of weakness as in this case. Why would we want to go into a nationwide strike without mobilising all the national stakeholders and civil society organizations, market women and students?

“Obviously, the proposed nationwide strike is designed to fail or at best watered down to achieve nothing but to bring few Nigerian workers on the street to dance and wave flags without shutting down the economy which is the effect a nationwide strike ought to have”.

Lagos will pay more than N30,000

In Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said that the state was ready to pay more than the N30,000 benchmark for the new National Minimum Wage.

Sanwo-Olu, who said this during a meeting in Ikeja with the organized labour in the state, said the payment would start after the conclusion of the Federal Government and labour leaders’ negotiation.

He said, “As a government, we take the issue of minimum wage very seriously. We know how important and germane it is to the wellbeing of our people. We are technically ready to implement the new minimum wage. I made a commitment during my previous interactions with the labour unions before my assumption of office and I am still keeping to the promise made. However little it is, we will certainly pay more than N30,000 minimum wage.

“We understand the position Lagos occupies and we understand the challenges workers are facing in Lagos. If other states can raise that amount, I believe Lagos needs to show a bit more to appreciate workers’ contribution to the growth of our state.”

During an interaction with the labour union leaders, Sanwo-Olu listened to various demands of the workers, which included arrears of workers’ medical allowance, introduction of premium insurance for the workforce, timely pension payment for retired workers, mortgage scheme for housing, befitting labour secretariat and representation of workers’ unions in MDA boards’ appointments.

Zamfara ready for strike

Meanwhile, the NLC in Zamfara State has directed its members to stay at home as from Thursday if the Federal Government and the organised labour unions fail to agree on the new minimum wage.

In a statement in Gusau on Tuesday, the state NLC Secretary, Bitrus Gyang, said the congress had written all unions in the state to mobilise their members.

NLC, TUC fail to honour Reps’ invitation

The House of Representatives Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity has decried the failure by the organised labour to appear before it in Abuja on Tuesday.

The committee said the invitation was part of the lawmakers’ intervention in the crisis between the workers and the Federal Government over implementation of the new minimum wage.

Chairman of the committee, Mr Ali Wudil, said the intervention by the lawmakers was to prevent the looming industrial action by labour scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

The NLC, in its letter to the committee said it could not honour the invitation because of the Tuesday meeting with the Federal Government on the consequential adjustment of salaries.

https://punchng.com/labour-suspends-planned-strike-as-talks-continue-today/

Femi Asu

The nation’s total public debt rose by N3.32trn in one year to N25.7trn as at the end of June 2019, the Debt Management Office said on Tuesday.

The Federal Government owed N20.42trn as of June 30, 2019, while the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory had a total debt portfolio of N5.28trn.

The debt stock is made up of N8.32trn ($27.16bn) external debt and N17.38trn borrowed domestically, according to the DMO.

The nation’s public debt, which stood at N22.38trn as of June 2018, increased to N24.39trn in December 2018 and N24.95trn in March 2019.

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria noted last month that the rising public debt was one of the headwinds to the nation’s growth prospects.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said in August that the country did not have any debt challenge but a challenge with generating sufficient revenue.

“There is a lot of insensitivity around the level of our debt. I want to restate that our debt is not too high; what we have is a revenue problem. Our debt is still very much within a reasonable fiscal limit. In fact, amongst our comparative countries, we are the least in terms of borrowing,” she had said.

https://punchng.com/breaking-nigerias-debt-hits-n25-7trn-rises-by-n3-3trn-in-one-year/

The Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to, without further delay, call the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai to order.

The Yoruba elders pointed out that the campaign by the north to contest the 2023 presidency with the South will plunge the country into a major crisis.

It said there should be no controversy over 2023, adding that it is the South’s turn in 2023 to takeover power.

YCE, scribe, Dr Kunle Olajide warned that Northern politicians must not make careless statements or remarks that can plunge Nigeria into crisis since Nigeria is a fragile country, and presently tottering and bleeding.

“Buhari should call APC members to order over 2023. He should call his party members to order. Buhari should call Governor el-Rufai to order. These people are not only distracting Buhari, but they are also disturbing the peace of Nigeria,” he was quoted by Sun.

“There should be no controversy over 2023. It is the South’s turn in 2023. Zoning is sacrosanct, and el-Rufai, Tofa and these groups from the North calling for the scrapping of zoning in 2023 are not only greedy and unpatriotic, but they are also enemies of Nigeria. They want to derail Nigeria. Northern leaders and elders should call el-Rufai, and Tofa to order.

“Nigeria is a fragile country, and presently the country is tottering and bleeding, politicians have to watch it. They must not make careless statements or remarks that can plunge Nigeria into crisis.

“This is what el-Rufai, Tofa and others calling for the scrapping of zoning are doing. If they truly love Nigeria, they should stop making inflammatory statements. They should not allow their personal interests and greed to put Nigeria’s unity in jeopardy.

“Nigeria is already deeply divided, and scrapping zoning is like inviting anarchy. Scrapping zoning will create further division among Nigerians.

“The present zoning arrangement should not be tinkered with. Scrapping zoning will have grave consequences for Nigeria.

“For Tofa and el-Rufai to say that zoning is dead or should be scrapped when it is supposed to be the turn of the South in 2023 is an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians, and it is not acceptable.

“I believe that Gov. el-Rufai is just testing the waters by saying that zoning should be scrapped, and perhaps he is doing that because of the rumoured reports that he has presidential ambition in 2023, but if he has that ambition, he should just drop or forget it because by now his eyes should be clear that he and others in their group in the North who also have same interest will be resisted.

“Why must el-Rufai, Tofa and others in the North be calling for the scrapping of zoning in 2023 when it is supposed to be the turn of the South? This is why I said earlier that some of these politicians are greedy and very unpatriotic. They don’t think of Nigeria first. They are selfish and self-centred.

“Then again, Tofa and el-Rufai should not think there is one monolithic North again. The North is divided now and you can see that the people of the Middle Belt are already saying that they are no longer part of the North.

“For me, I believe that all these jostling for power at the centre will stop if Nigeria is restructured. If we return to a true practice of federalism like it was done in the First Republic, all these struggles for power at the centre will stop.

“Not only that, restructuring will also put an end to all the present socio-economic woes facing Nigeria. This is what I expect all these elements in the North and APC talking about scrapping zoning in 2023 to tell President Muhammadu Buhari to do.

“If Buhari truly loves Nigeria and also shares the same vision and ideals with the founding fathers of Nigeria, he should take the issue of restructuring serious, and ensure that he does it before the expiration of his second term.”

https://dailypost.ng/2019/10/12/2023-yoruba-elder-sends-message-buhari-el-rufais-presidential-ambition-reveals-region-takeover-power/

The convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, and co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, charged with treasonable felony, among others, are yet to perfect the bail granted them on October 4, 2019 by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

It was learnt on Friday that both men are still in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) where they are being held.

Sowore and Bakare were granted by in a ruling last Friday by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, but attached conditions, which his lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) described as stringent.

The Nation learnt that their lawyers were planning to return to court, with an application to request for a reduction in the bail conditions to those which the defendants could readily meet.
Justice Ojukwu had, while granting them bail, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu also barred them from participating in any form of protest pending the conclusion of their trial.

The judge, who granted Sowore bail at N100million and two sureties in the same amount, barred him from travelling out of Abuja.

The judge also ordered him (Sowore) to deposit N50m in the account of the court as security.

She granted Bakare bail at N50m with a surety in the same amount and barred him from travelling out of his base in Osogbo, except while coming for the trial in Abuja.

The judge added that the sureties, who must be resident in Abuja, must also have landed assets worth the bail sum in Abuja, and should deposit the original title documents of the assets with the court.

Justice Ojukwu ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) pending when they are able to meet the bail conditions.

https://thenationonlineng.net/revolutionnow-sowore-bakare-unable-to-meet-bail/

Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

Thursday met behind closed doors with the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan had arrived at the forecourt of the State House around 2.58pm

The meeting, which started at the President’s office around 3pm, lasted for about 8 minutes.

Jonathan however did not speak with journalists on the purpose of his visit when he emerged from the President’s office.

He went straight to his waiting car after exchanging pleasantries with a presidential staff at the forecourt of the State House.

Jonathan’s visit to the Presidential Villa on Thursday was the first time under the second term administration of President Buhari.

Under Buhari’s first term, Jonathan had come to the Presidential Villa about twice for private visits.

Before the official announcement of the winner of the 2015 Presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Jonathan had called and congratulated Buhari.

Jonathan, who was at the helm of affairs during the 2015 elections, had strongly declared that his ambition of winning the election was not worth spilling of the blood of any Nigerian.

https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-jonathan-keeps-mum-after-meeting-with-buhari/

Jigawa state governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, has appointed a special assistant to each of his three wives. Of the 51 Special Assistants that were appointed by the governor, there is also a special assistant for street light as well as for population control.

According to a copy of the lists of the appointees obtained by Daily Trust, indicated that Sa’adatu Bashir Muhammed, is a special assistant to the first wife of the governor, while Mariya Muhammed Muktar and Aisha Garba are special assistants to the second and third wife respectively.

Hassan Usman Bulama and Surajo Musa Gwiwa are Special Assistants to the governor on Street light and population control.

The responsibility of all the aides to the governor was clearly stated with the exception of the three special assistants to the governor’s wives. Daily Trust reports that official responsibilities assigned to the offices of the wives of the governor are also yet to be made public.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/gov-badaru-appoints-special-assistants-for-his-wives-streetlight-in-jigawa.html

Okechukwu Nnodim

The Federal Government on Saturday said it did not make any policy statement to suggest that it would reintroduce toll gates across federal highways in Nigeria any time soon.

It said if such move was to take effect soon, there would be proper explanations on how it would commence.

When asked to state if the government had rescinded its decision to reintroduce toll gates, the Special Adviser on Communications to the Minister of Works and Housing, Hakeem Bello, told our correspondent in Abuja on Saturday night that the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, never made any policy statement on toll gates.

Bello said, “Look, why the so much excitement over nothing? The minister never made a policy statement. If the government wants to make a major policy like that (toll gates reintroduction), there will be explanations, press conferences, briefings and all of that.

“It was during the course of the press briefing (at the state house) that someone asked about tolling and the minister responded by saying that there was no law against tolling. So why would people hold this high as if tolling is starting tomorrow?”

“Of course, that cannot be a policy statement for one to say tolling is coming tomorrow or very soon. He (Fashola) didn’t make a policy statement on when there will be toll gates on our roads.”

https://punchng.com/no-policy-statement-yet-on-toll-gates-reintroduction-fg/

•Says threat to downsize cheap blackmail
•Ngige: the times call for sacrifice

Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

Organised labour on Friday dismissed as cheap blackmail a statement by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, that the Federal Government might lay off some workers in the public service should labour insist on having its way on the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage.

The Secretary, Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Alade Lawal, told The Nation that labour would not be cowed by such threat.

He also faulted claim by Ngige that government would require N580 billion annually to pay workers the minimum wage across board as demanded by labour.

“As far as we are concerned, anybody talking about retrenchment is blackmail. It is just cheap blackmail,” Lawal said.

He added: “We don’t subscribe to that. If they like, let them come to the negotiation table so that we can reach an agreement and implement so that everybody can move on. If they like, let them leave it.

“They will say they can’t meet labour’s demand because they are not doing their homework. How will they say it is not feasible (to meet labour’s demand?).

“The figure they are parading is not correct. They don’t need N580 billion. They don’t need it to implement the minimum wage.

“The number of employees in the federal public service is not up to one million. They say it is 1.33 million. Let them disaggregate it and tell Nigerians. Break it down and let us do verification.

“The component part of these 1.33 million employees they are talking about is the consolidated public salary structure which majorly is domiciled under the IPPIS platform.

“As we speak, the employees there are not up to 70,000. They said in their own papers they are using for negotiation is 183,000. Where do they get all those things from?

“Because you want to negotiate something now you come to negotiation table and you start playing with figures. It is so sad. They think they are talking to the labour of pre-independence. Some of them are just lucky to be there. It is not that they are better than some of us.”

He said the government team negotiating the consequential adjustment on minimum wage was yet to reach out to labour to tell them when negotiation would resume.

Lawal insisted that labour would not back down on its percentage increase demand from government for workers on levels 7-14 and levels 15-17.

“Up till now, they have not reached out to us. They are the owners of the knife and they also have the yam with them, so they can do it the way they like. But if this is the way we want to run our country, then I am sorry, because we have a long way to go.

“You know where we started from. We started from 66.66 per cent across board because the minimum wage was increased from N18,000 to N30,000, an increase of 66.66 per cent.

“So we said apply that across board. They cried that the federal government would not be able to pay. For levels 7-14, we came down to 50 per cent. Then for levels 15-17, 40 per cent, but they said they cannot pay.

“We came down again for levels 7-14, 40 per cent and levels 15-17 30 per cent. They cried loud and said they could not pay. We came down again; levels 7-14, 35 per cent, levels 15-17 30 per cent. Again, they said they cannot pay. We came down again. Levels 7-14, 30 per cent, levels 15-17, 25 per cent, yet they said they cannot pay before we came down to this 29 per cent for levels 7-14 and 24 per cent for levels 15-17.

“To start talking about going down now will make us look unserious; that is the meaning.”

Lawal also said labour was not sure if President Muhammadu Buhari had been properly briefed on the stalemate.

He said: “Now they are not telling Mr. President the truth. That is my worry. “Truly, they are his aides.

“If we cannot reach him, they are the ones that will reach him. And if we say it is A and they go to him and say it is B, since he has not put on the table the machinery to fact-check most of the things they are telling him, it will be difficult. That is the tragedy of the whole situation. It is very, very sad.”

He also said that all the promises made by government after the fuel price increase from N87 to N145 are yet to be fulfilled.

His words: “Let me explain one thing to you: when fuel price was increased from N87 to N145, an increase of about 60 per cent, the landing cost of fuel was less than N100 at that time.

“They raked in a lot of money; trillions of naira. They promised heaven and earth, social intervention. What did they do for workers? Nothing.

“For the fuel price increase from N87 to N145, they set up a palliative committee to placate labour, to ensure that we didn’t go on strike. I served on that committee and we made far-reaching recommendations.

“Labour was not given anything. Whereas, to placate us, they said that they had earmarked N600 billion for intervention that we should just come and meet and discuss how we were going to apply that N600 billion across the various sectors, including adding something to workers’ salaries in the area of transport.

“All the recommendations that we made, they didn’t do anything; not a single thing. At the negotiation table, they said they didn’t say so. Is that seriousness?

“Again, as at 2011 when the last increase was effected, dollar was 150 to the naira. Now it is 350. In effect, what you are saying is that if the foreign exchange receipt of the Federal Government is $20 billion, at 150 to a dollar, you know how much government will get to spend.

“Then at N360, that’s a difference of two hundred and something naira. You have a basket full of naira.

“Now you are spending on the so called infrastructure, you are spending on the sectors of the economy, you are answering to the greed of the political elite; those who are making the wealth for the government you kept them, you didn’t do anything. How can somebody now come in 2019 when all these things have happened within the national economy?

“Even on this VAT thing they are talking about, they are saying they are going to rake in trillions of naira; on this VAT increase that they have not even done something for workers.”

Workers should ignore Ngige – TUC

Speaking separately in Enugu on Friday on the issue, the Enugu State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Chukwuma Igbokwe, asked workers to ignore Ngige’s statement that government could not pay the new minimum wage unless some workers were laid off.

According to him, Ngige probably did not know what he was saying when he said that government could not afford to pay the consequential salary adjustment unless the workforce was downsized.

He said that government could pay N580 billion workers wage bill, pointing out that government had already paid N500 billion on arrears of salary.

“I don’t think Ngige knows what he is saying,” the labour leader said.

He said that the organised labour had made it clear that upward increment in worker’s salary became necessary because of the prevailing economic realities in the country such as the increase in monetary foreign exchange, VAT as well as general high cost of living in the country.

“Labour has been magnanimous in scaling down their demand from 66.6 per cent to 29 per cent and 24 per cent, and for this reason, government should heed their demand,” Igbokwe said.

Ngige: The times call for sacrifice

A statement issued by Ngige’s Special Adviser on Media, Nwachukwu Obidiwe, yesterday, quoted the minister as asking workers to make some sacrifice for the country.

It also described the minister’s warning about the consequences of meeting labour’s demand as patriotic.

The statement said: “The statement made by the minister yesterday (Thursday) concerning the consequential adjustment on the minimum wage is patriotic.

“Government has promised a thorough ventilation of all issues.

“When negotiation resumes government is going to open its books for labour to see the federal government income and expenditure.

“The times call for sacrifice.”

Receiving a delegation of the United Labour Congress (ULC) led by its President, Mr. Joe Ajeiro, on Thursday, Ngige had said that the implantation of the new minimum wage based on figures worked out by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) was not sustainable.

Government, according to him, does not want a situation where it will have to lay off workers, as doing so will add to the burden of the citizenry.

Ngige appealed to labour to accept the consequential adjustment from levels 7 to 17, adding that the federal government had only three months left to implement the new minimum wage.

He said: “Government cannot afford that kind of money now. Besides, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is more interested in the lowest cadre of workers which are those on grade level 1 step 1 and level 6 step 1. These are the ones who the N30,000 will have greater impact on.

“Government has done their own homework and brought out what they can use to defend this consequential adjustment. Grade 1 to 6 does not have any problem, but 7 to 14 band and 15 to 17 band, this is where we have the problem.

“So if you push government to go and accede to an increment which its resources cannot accommodate, you are indirectly asking them to retrench workers so that the few that are remaining will get this ‘big big’ money. We don’t want that.

“From 2015 the president has made it clear that he is not out to inflict pains on Nigerians and that he does not want to create unemployment.

“But even at that our increase in population is galloping and our resources are not consequentially increasing to meet up. That is why we have a lot of unemployed youths on the streets today.

“We need to arrive at an agreement as soon as possible so that we can use the 2019 budget allocation to defray this consequential adjustment because it will be bad if we are unable to do it and we finish this financial year by December because the budget circle is going to return to January/December 2020.

“So we have three months only before this recurrent fund are swept back into government treasury. That is the law.”

He regretted the inability of the joint negotiating team of both the government and labour to agree on the consequential adjustments, insisting that the new wage may become bloated by workers on grade levels 7-14 and 15-17.

Organised labour is already mobilising its members to embark on strike on the 16th of this month.

https://thenationonlineng.net/minimum-wage-fg-workers-face-off-worsens-as-labour-rejects-sack-option/

President Muhammadu Buhari is billed to depart Abuja on Wednesday on a three-day State Visit to the Republic of South Africa.

The trip followed an invitation by President Cyril Ramaphosa, to discuss welfare of Nigerians, and find common grounds for building harmonious relations with their hosts.

The visit comes against the background of recent xenophobic attacks, the evacuation of hundreds of Nigerians and the exchange of visits by Special Envoys of Presidents Buhari and Ramaphosa.

While in South Africa, the Nigerian leader, according to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, will hold a town hall meeting with Nigerians living in the country, with a view to sharing in their experiences and reassuring them of Nigerian government’s commitment to working for the protection of their lives and property and promoting peaceful co-existence.

https://thenationonlineng.net/buhari-visits-south-africa-wednesday-over-welfare-of-nigerians/

President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to broadcast to the nation on Tuesday, October 1, 2019 at 7am.

The broadcast is part of activities to commemorate Nigeria’s 59thIndependence Anniversary Celebrations.

A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said “Television, radio stations and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/just-in-buhari-to-broadcast-to-the-nation-october-1-2019/

Coordinator of a youth group that organised a political rally for Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, last week in Akure, Bamise Akintomide, has been arrested by the police in Ondo State, SaharaReporters has learnt.

It was learnt that he is currently being detained at the Criminal and Investigation Bureau Department of the Ondo State Police Command headquarters in Akure, the capital.

A source, who confirmed Akintomide's arrest to our correspondent on Monday, said he must have been picked up for organising a rally in support of the Vice President.

The source said, “He (Akintomide) was arrested by the police. I cannot really say if he was directly picked up or invited for questioning.

“But I can confirm to you that he has been at the police headquarters in Akure since weekend and has been detained over there.

“I know his arrest must be connected with the rally he organised last week for Vice President, Osinbajo, at the APC secretariat.

“A day after he organised the rally, he received lots of strange calls asking him irrelevant questions.”

Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Undie Adie, denied the arrest of Akintomide when contacted on Monday.

However, a police source told SaharaReporters on Monday that, “He is in our detention although his people are trying to ensure his bail.

“His arrest was an instruction from above and that is all I can tell you for now.”

Akintomide had on Thursday organised a rally for Osinbajo's candidacy by unveiling his 2023 presidential campaign poster and banner on the streets of Akure.

Spokesperson for the APC in Ondo, Alex Kalejaye, said that the party had no link whatsoever to the group.

http://saharareporters.com/2019/09/30/ondo-police-arrest-detain-organiser-‘osinbajo-2023-president’-campaign-akure

The Department of State Service on Friday September 27, 2019 lost two of its personnel in a fatal car crash.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer, Department of State Services, National Headquarters, Abuja, Dr Peter Afunaya, indicated that the incident occurred in the evening at Gidan Busa Katari, along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

“The team was heading to one of the States in the North-West zone for an operation when the Hilux vehicle in which they were travelling somersaulted.

Two (2) persons died in the accident while another was injured. He is presently receiving required attention in a medical facility.

“This clarification has become necessary in order to debunk fake news making the round that the gallant officers were attacked by bandits. The public is enjoined to disregard any contrary information,” the statement read.

https://thenationonlineng.net/dss-loses-two-personnel-in-car-crash/

THE Federal Government plans to devote N2.45trillion (about 24.5 per cent) of its N10.002trillion 2020 budget estimates on debt servicing, according to the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) submitted to the National Assembly on Wednesday.

In the MTEF/FSP document, the Federal Government has also adjusted the 2020 budget figures from N9.789 trillion to N10.002 trillion. The MTEF and FSP document was accompanied by a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari to the Senate which was read during plenary by President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan.

The Federal Government plans to borrow N1.7 trillion. Of this amount, N850 billion will be domestic borrowing while the balance of N850 billion will be foreign. The Federal Government has projected a total fiscal deficit of N2.154 trillion with additional funding coming from: privatisation proceeds of N126,522,715,909; multi-lateral/Bi-lateral project-tied loans N328,128,150,000.

Sale of government property and Non-Oil asset sales are expected to be nil in 2020. The total budget for 2020 is put at N10.002,285,764.998. For 2021, N10,198,623,174,614 and in 2022, N10,507,395,157,584.

In a move designed to erase friction between the monetary and fiscal authorities, the government has restricted the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to its core function of monetary policy issues, while the Federal Ministry of Finance would, henceforth, be saddled with fiscal matters. The development is seen as a proactive measure to prevent a clash and bad blood between the fiscal and monetary authorities.

In line with the new order, the Federal Government has outlined priority areas, which the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has to stick to in managing the economy while the Federal Ministry of Finance will concentrate on fiscal matters.

This is a clear departure from the practice over the years, when the CBN had increasingly played both monetary and fiscal roles in response to the exigency of the time designed to close a noticeable gap.

To take back its control of fiscal matters, the Federal Government has outlined what the roles of the CBN will be in the near future. According to MTEF/FSP document, the priority areas, which the CBN must focus on, include:

Preserving domestic macroeconomic and financial stability
Fostering the development of a robust payments system infrastructure
Improving access to mortgage facilities and credit for small holder farmers, MSMEs.
Supporting the education sector and youth with entrepreneurship skills in the creative industry.
Boosting external reserves.
Accelerating economic growth and job creation.
Supporting economic diversification efforts through intervention programs in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
Promoting price and monetary stability, reducing inflation to single digit, and
Maintaining exchange rate stability.
The letter reads: “It is with pleasure that I hereby submit the 2020=2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) to the Senate.

”Let me use this medium to express my gratitude for the much improved partnership between the legislative and executive arms of the Federal Government in our goal of making the budget process deliver better outcomes for the Nigerian people.

“In particular, I note, with appreciation, the commitment and support the Distinguished Senators have continued to demonstrate.

”Pursuant to provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, the preparation towards submissions of the 2020 Budget to the National Assembly is progressing well.

”The MTEF/FSP was prepared, taking into account key developments in the global and domestic environments.

”We have endeavoured to ensure that forecast revenues are realistic, but also reasonably challenging in the face of our significantly constrained fiscal space.

”Planned spending has been set at prudent and sustainable levels, consistent with government’s overall developmental objectives as set out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

“Given our shared objectives to returning the budget to a predictable January- December fiscal year with effect from 2020, I hereby forward the 2020-2022 MTEF/FSP to the Distinguished Senate and trust that it would be expeditiously considered to facilitate the 2020 FGN Budget preparation.”

The 2020 – 2022 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) outlines Federal Government’s fiscal policies/strategies and macroeconomic projections for 2020 – 2022 and provides the broad framework for the annual budget in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), 2007.

In 2020, the Federal Government plans to cut a whooping N1.16 trillion off capital expenditure from N2.92 trillion in 2019 to N1.877 trillion in the proposed 2020 budget.

Details of the medium term expenditure framework (MTEF) and fiscal strategy paper (FSP) 2020-2022 showed that capital expenditure will suffer successive cuts for the three-year period, despite increases in total expenditure during the same period.

Key assumptions of the 2020 Budget Framework: Oil Production 2.18 mbpd; Oil Price $55/b; Exchange Rate N305/$; Inflation Rate 10.81%; Nominal Consumption N122.75 trn; N142.96 trn Nominal GDP; GDP Growth Rate of 2.93% and Debt Service for 2020 N2.45trillion

A lower benchmark oil price of $55/b (against $60/b for 2019) is assumed, considering the expected oil glut in 2020, as well as the need to cushion against unexpected price shock.

There are strong indications of an oversupplied market in 2020. The three major forecasters – Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), International Energy Association (IEA) and the U.S Energy Information Administration (EIA) generally see non-OPEC production growing by around 2mbpd this year, and by even more next year.

The Federal Government had last week warned Nigerians to brace up as the 2020 to 2022 fiscal years would be challenging.

According to the MTEF/FSP document, the 2020 to 2022 fiscal years would be very challenging with respect to revenue generation and rapid growth in personnel costs.

It attributed the growth in personnel cost to the creation of new ministries and appointment of additional ministers.

The Federal Government is ready to take firm decisions to contain rising personnel cost, and that “any government staff not captured in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) by October 2019 should forget their salaries.”

It further said that from 2020, the budgets of all MDAs and Government Owned Enterprises (GOEs) would be contained and published in the nation’s annual budget.

https://thenationonlineng.net/fed-govt-to-spend-n2-45tr-on-debt-servicing-in-2020/

The Nigerian army has shut down the offices of Mercy Corps, an international non-governmental organisation that operates in Borno and Yobe.

This is coming five days after the army shut down the office of Action Against Hunger (AAH) in Damaturu, Yobe state capital, over allegations of providing aid to Boko Haram.

“Mercy Corps is suspending operations in Borno and Yobe States, Nigeria, following the closure of four of our field offices by the Nigerian military,” the NGO said in a statement.

A source who also confirmed the incident to TheCable said the army has not given any reason for its action but that the closure may be connected to the “belief that some NGOs sponsor the insurgents”.

According to the source, the problem started when the army intercepted a vehicle conveying some contractors who were on their way to purchase items for internally-displaced persons (IDPs) on behalf of Mercy Corps.

“One of their workers (Mercy Corps) called me this morning that the army has shut down their offices,” he said.

“Based on my findings, there are some contractors that supply Mercy Corps with items that they supply to IDPs. So they have paid the people to continue with their supplies to IDPs in Damboa, and they went to Adamawa state to cash the money sent, so that they can continue their purchase in the market.

“On their way, along Damboa, military intercepted their bus. The military asked them what they had in the vehicle …they also saw a cylinder in the vehicle, the one used by welders…. So they asked them why they had the cylinder and they replied that it belongs to a man in Damboa.

“The military then searched the vehicle and as they were searching, they saw the cash, which was about N29million and they asked them how they had such an amount of money. They replied that they are contractors; normally every month when they pay them, they cash the money, put it inside cartons and go to market to get the supplies for Mercy Corps give to IDPs.

“But the military did not agree to what they had said. They said such an amount of money being conveyed without escorts, that they don’t believe them.

“They also had sticks belonging to the battalion in Damboa, and the driver of the vehicle also had ATM cards of some soldiers with him. Some of the soldiers don’t travel. So they give their ATM to the drivers to withdraw cash for them. He showed these to the army so that they would believe them,

“But the impression the army now has is that anybody working with NGO, they think they are sponsors of Boko Haram which is not so.”

https://www.thecable.ng/army-shuts-down-mercy-corps-offices-in-north-east/amp

The Senate will not interfere in the alleged face-off between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, its spokesman Senator Adedayo Adeyeye has declared.

Answering questions from Senate Correspondents after plenary in Abuja, Adeyeye said while the President reserves the prerogative to assign duties to his aides, he is not aware that any roles assigned to the Vice President have been withdrawn.

Adeyeye, who is the Chairman Senate Committee in Media and Publicity, was responding to a question on whether the Senate would intervene to solve the allegedly crisis.

He said: “The Senate is not involved with that and we are not concerned about what happens in the executive (or) things that are happening with the Executive.

“I am speaking for the Senate. I do not speak for the Executive and I do not want to concern myself with the issue of the Vice President or the Executive. It is not our business.

“That is the executive arm of government and we do not interfere. Why do we have to do that?

“It is not our concern, why do you want to drag me into something that does not really concern me and that does not concern the Senate.

“So, we are not bothered about that and we are not concerned. I am not aware if any role constitutionally assigned to the Vice President has been taken away from him. Nothing like that has happened.

“Constitutionally assigned duties remain the same. Get it right, The President has the prerogative to assign duties to all those who work with him in the executive.

“He has the constitutional power to (assign roles to his aides.) He can call the Minster of Works and say ‘okay go to that ministry tomorrow, Finance (Minister) go to labour. The Senate will not inquire into that because that is his duties.

“He can say my Vice President, I give you this additional responsibilities. Where is the power of the Senate to investigate that.

“We do not have the power… Of course, that will warrant the intervention of the Senate. That has never happened, and that has not happened.

“I do not think that will happen, even judiciary will have a role to play in that as well, not only the legislature, only where the constitution is seen to have been violated.

“I do not think we have any cause to be discussing that, because that itself has not happened. So we are not bothered about that and we are not concerned. I want to tell you that at this moment we are not investigating it.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/we-wont-interfere-in-alleged-osinbajo-presidency-face-off-senate/

The National Chairman of the Reformed-All Progressives Congress (R-APC), Engr. Buba Galadima, has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari will handover power to someone from the Southwest region come 2023.

Galadima, who used to be a die-hard associate of President Buhari said that the president is working to install a president of Southern extraction in the 2023.

According to the former APC chieftain, it was difficult for Buhari to muster the needed intelligence to allow the presidency stay in the North beyond 2023.

“I thought Buhari is working for the South, at least some part of the South. That is what every northerner believes,” Galadima, who is now in the camp of Atiku Abubakar and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, told Sun.

Speaking on recent claim by Babachir Lawal that the North won’t relinquish power because there was nothing like zoning, Galadima added, “Forget about Babachir Lawal. I am not talking about Babachir Lawal. I am talking about Buhari and myself or the North.

“I really wouldn’t know what you regard as the North. But I believe that majority of northerners believe that Buhari is only working in the interest of some section of the South.

“You should figure out which section benefits more than any group.[talking about the Southwest]”

Asked about the possibility that Buhari may be playing with the intelligence of the Southerners, he said, “Well, I wish he has got that intelligence to do that. I wish so.”

“I never believed in anything like zoning. The best should always lead Nigeria, the man with the largest heart and the man who will work for the country, rather than for self or for those close to him.

“It doesn’t matter, for me. If Iyabo Obasanjo wants to contest election and I believe she is the best, I will support her.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sunnewsonline.com/why-im-supporting-atiku-buba-galadima/amp/

The Army has accused some non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the northeast theatre of operation of deliberate sabotage of the fight against Boko Haram members in the region.

Spokesman of the Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole, Col Ado Isa particularly fingered the group known as Action Against Hunger for providing food and water to the terrorists.

The Army lamented in a statement by Col Isa that despite repeated warnings, the NGO continued to commit the infractions.

The statement reads:” The Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE (TC – OPLD)) has observed with utter disappointment and concern the notorious activities of some Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) working in the North East (NE) Nigeria.

“The subversive and actions of the NGO Action Against Hunger (AAH) persisted despite several warnings to desist from aiding and abetting terrorists and their atrocities.

” The TC – OPLD has on many occasions raised alarm over this unwholesome practices of some NGOs and expressed same position during meetings with the NGOs operating in the NE Theater of Operation.
“Consequently, the AAH has been declared persona nan grata for aiding Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State West Africa by supplying them food and drugs despite warning from the TC – OPLD.

“The Command has obtained several credible intelligence indicating AAH as one of those NGOs operating in the NE that is notorious in supplying food and drugs to the criminals in the area.

“Members of the public are enjoined to continue to give credible information on the activities of the marauders/criminals and their supporters in the NE Theatre of operation.

“The OPLD wishes to assure the public of its resolve and determination to always partner with credible NGOs and CSOs to cushion the impact of humanitarian crisis generated by the criminals in the NE in line with the international best standards “

https://thenationonlineng.net/army-accuses-ngo-of-providing-water-food-to-boko-haram-terrorists/

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved activities for Nigeria’s 59th Independence Anniversary Celebration.

This was contained in the schedule of activities released by Director (Information) in the office to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey.

The activities start on Monday 23/09/19 with Press Conference, Media & Publicity at the National Press Center, Abuja.

There will be Juma’at Prayer & Special Lecture on Friday 27/09/19 at the National Mosque, Abuja.

Interdenominational Christian Service comes up on Sunday 29/09/19 at the National Christian Center, Abuja.

On Monday 30/09/19, there will be National Youth Ent. Emp. Summit (NYEES2) Independence Edition at the International Conference Center, Abuja.

On the same day, there will be The Republic2 (Ind. Edition) Youth Concert at the Millennium park.

On Tuesday 01/10/19, there will be Independence Media Broadcast by the President by 7am.

There will also be Presidential Change of Guards and Public Lecture/Gala Night at the State House the same day.

https://thenationonlineng.net/just-in-buhari-okays-59th-independence-activities/

Leader of the proscribed Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will on Tuesday lead a delegation to the UN office in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful who disclosed this on Sunday in a statement, however said the details of these meetings would not be made public.

The statement partly reads: “Going by the relentless engagement of the international community by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) consider it imperative to inform the great people of Biafra, friends of Biafra and lovers of freedom that in keeping with the promise of our leader during his last outing at the EU, he will be leading a delegation to the UN office in Geneva Switzerland on Tuesday 18th September 2019.

“As usual details of these meetings will not be subject to public disclosure as we are well aware of the lengths the corrupt, fraudulent and election stealing cabal will go to hamstring and frustrate our efforts.

“Not many people know that Nigerian Ambassador to the EU personally rang Seb Dance the Member of European Parliament that invited our leader to the EU, to try bullying him into cancelling the event.

“Anytime we make public our critical diplomatic engagements, the corrupt Nigerian Government has used their considerable wealth and clout of sovereignty to cajole, buy-off, bribe, intimidate and threaten their business interests in Africa.

“Nigeria it must be said, sent two female diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to observe our leader’s presentation at the European Parliament.

“Our leader even walked across to these diplomats after the event to thank them for coming.

“Any Nigerian or agent of Nigeria that wants to know the outcome of the Brussels outing should ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after all two of their diplomats were there to hear our leader speak.

According to the statement, Kanu, would during the trip, engage in a series of meetings and would for the first time officially present to various UN agencies and bodies a catalogue of serial killings, abductions, massacre and ongoing reign of terror in Nigeria against Biafrans.

“It is our stated intention to bring the human tragedy that Nigeria has become to the attention of the civilised world.

“For the avoidance of doubt and possible misrepresentation or interpretation, our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his team will appear before the great men and women of the world at the UN headquarters in Geneva and not the General Assembly in New York as being speculated in some quarters.

“Our demand for the recognition of the right of Biafrans to self-determination and the need for urgent intervention of the civilised world in order to avert looming catastrophe will continue to gather momentum.”

While calling on Biafrans living in Switzerland and other European countries to come out to support its leader and his team on the landmark occassion, the group restated its resolve never to stop until Biafra was restored.

“It should be recalled that our leader explicitly stated during his visit to EU Parliament that our next move will be to the UN and after that Washington DC. Today we are glad to say the UN visit is set and in the coming weeks, we will be in Washington DC.

“IPOB is fighting very strongly on all diplomatic and legal fronts to ensure that the right of Biafrans and other trapped ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to self-determination is upheld. We will not leave any stone unturned in our quest to accomplish this.” the statement added.

https://thenationonlineng.net/biafra-kanu-leads-delegation-to-un-on-tuesday/