₦airaland Forum

Alhaji Abdul-Samad Rabiu, Chairman of the BUA Group, said that the company would maintain its promise of selling cement at the price of N3,500 from January 2024.

He said this while speaking with State House Correspondents after a visit to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in Lagos.

He said the company would also make the product accessible and affordable to customers despite various challenges.

“You know the price that we have set will be N3,500 per bag. You know x factory of course plus VAT and then delivered to customers depending on the region.

“As you know, the factories that we have; one is in Edo, the other one is in Sokoto state. So for example, if you want us to deliver cement to you from Sokoto say to Lagos from Adamawa or to Maiduguri, the distance is quite far.

“So dependent on the distance and dependent on the location. You know the price changes but we intend to keep that promise,” he said.

Rabiu added that the cement company site in Sokoto that would be inaugurated by January 2024 is expected to further expand the market across the country.

“And as we all know, the volumes that we will be having will be about six million tonnes per annum combined. And we expect those volumes to have an impact.

“Though we’re having some issues here and there, but these are issues that I believe we can address and we are addressing them.”

Rabiu said his visit to the President was to felicitate with him on the Christmas and New Year festivities, adding that it was a pleasant one.

Unlike any other year, 2023 witnessed a whirlwind of policy changes by the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The impact of the monetary policy reviews — described by some global observers as ‘bold’ — reverberated through every segment of the economy, including households and businesses.

From the unification of the foreign exchange (FX) windows to the naira redesign policy, 2023 would remain etched in the hearts of Nigerians as a period marked by economic pain due to the CBN’s policy strategy to revive a dying economy.

TheCable looks at the most impactful CBN policies that shook the economy in the year.


NAIRA REDESIGN POLICY

The naira redesign policy was a major highlight of the year. It was announced on October 26, 2022, by Godwin Emefiele, the former CBN governor. The policy entailed the redesign of the high-valued currency notes: N200, N500, and N1000.

The authorities said the goal was to control money supply and support security agencies in tackling illicit financial flows. On November 23, 2022, former President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled the new notes.

Following the unveiling — a development that essentially kicked off the policy’s implementation — Nigerians were directed to deposit the old notes in their banks before January 31, 2023, when they would cease to be legal tender.

As days began to count towards the deadline, chaos suddenly engulfed Nigeria — a country that had been quietly coping with an already bad economy. Pockets of violence erupted across the nation. Citizens, overwhelmed by the attendant cash scarcity, damaged some banks’ facilities while others were burnt.

The unsavoury events elicited criticisms from the government, the private sector, and several civil society groups (CSOs), leading to a short extension of the deadline to February 10, 2023, after an ex-parte order by the supreme court.

After several attempts to bring relief to Nigerians, the supreme court, in another ruling in March 2023, said the old N200, N500, and N1000 notes should remain legal tender until December 31. This successfully doused tensions as commercial banks resumed the dispensing of old currency notes.

On November 14, 2023, the financial regulator (under a new government) further extended the deadline, declaring that the old naira notes will remain legal tender beyond December 31, 2023 — and no longer have a deadline.

Validating the change, the apex court ruled that the old and new notes should co-exist until further notice, allowing the CBN to direct banks to accept and issue both the old and redesigned naira notes indefinitely.

A LIBERALISED FX MARKET

As part of a series of policies to ensure economic recovery, the CBN in June 2023, announced the unification of all segments of the forex exchange (FX) market into the investors & exporters (I&E) window.

The FX market liberalisation policy saw the devaluation of the naira as the willing buyer, willing seller model was introduced.

Since the development, the FX market has continued to witness high levels of volatility, resulting in a further widening of the gap between the parallel and official rates continues to widen.

The policy also worsened inflation evidenced by the skyrocketing prices of goods and services across the country.

Meanwhile, the apex bank’s policy followed a declaration by Tinubu that the “monetary policy needs thorough house cleaning. The Central Bank must work towards a unified exchange rate”.

Other significant reforms have since been implemented in the financial sector, including the removal of restrictions on inflows into domiciliary accounts.

FX BAN ON 43 ITEMS LIFTED

Meanwhile, amid the high levels of volatility experienced in the FX market following the unification policy, the CBN announced the lifting of the ban on 43 items previously restricted from accessing forex.

The regulator said the decision was part of efforts to boost liquidity in the foreign exchange market.

In 2015, the bank had restricted some items from accessing FX. The restriction was placed to reduce FX demand for products that could be locally produced.

According to the CBN, the forex restriction placed on cement, rice, tomatoes, and 40 other products, had pushed the demand for FX to the parallel market, causing a hike in the black market exchange rates.

Some of the 43 items are; rice, cement, margarine, palm kernel/palm oil products/vegetable oils, meat and processed meat products, vegetables and processed vegetable products, poultry chicken, eggs, turkey, clothes, Indian incense, tinned fish in sauce (geisha)/sardines, toothpicks, galvanised steel sheets, roofing sheets, wheelbarrows, head pans, among others.

CASH WITHDRAWAL LIMITS

In addition, on August 1, 2023, the apex bank exempted microfinance banks (MFBs) and primary mortgage banks (PMBs) from paying processing fees for withdrawals above the cash withdrawal limits.

The gesture had come months after the CBN initiated the cash withdrawal limits policy – which commenced on January 9, 2023.

In December 2022, the CBN directed deposit money banks (DMBs) and other financial institutions (OFIs) to ensure that over-the-counter cash withdrawals by individuals and corporate entities per week do not exceed N100,000 and N500,000, respectively.

However, following a public outburst, the bank increased the maximum weekly limit for cash withdrawals across all channels by individuals and corporate organisations to N500,000 and N5 million, respectively.

The apex bank said in compelling circumstances where cash withdrawals above the specified limit are required for legitimate purposes, a processing fee of 3 percent and 5 percent will be charged for individual and corporate organisations, respectively.

According to the CBN, the aim was to boost the cashless policy and reduce the amount of cash outside the banking system.

CONTACTLESS PAYMENT

Also, to encourage the adoption of cashless transactions, the regulator pegged daily transaction limits to N50,000 for contactless payments in June 2023.

The CBN said the policy became necessary due to the high potential of risks.

The financial regulator said transactions above N50,000 would require verification.

“Following the issuance of the guidelines on contactless payments in Nigeria and cognisance of the risks associated with contactless payments, the bank, hereby, defines transaction limits above which verification and authorization are required,” CBN had said.

“Transaction limits for contactless payments through accounts/wallets in Nigeria shall be as follows: transaction limit 15,000, daily cumulative limit N50,000.”

SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES FOR KYC

In June this year, commercial banks were further directed by the apex bank to collect and verify social media handles as part of their know-your-customer (KYC) procedures.

The apex bank issued the directive in its gazetted legislation, titled, ‘Customer Due Diligence Regulations 2023’.

According to the CBN, the objective of the regulation was to prevent financial crimes and terrorism while boosting the precision and thoroughness of customer identification.

The regulator also said financial institutions would be required to identify their customers, regardless of whether they are permanent or occasional clients.

The dust over the probe of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is yet to settle.
Titan Trust Bank Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Lemo, and two others have been invited by the Special Investigator on CBN, Mr. Jim Osayande Obazee.

The other invited shareholders are Mr. Cornelius Vink and Mr. Raul Savara.

Lemo, who was CBN deputy governor between 2004 and 2014, is expected to appear with the shareholders for further grilling on Thursday.

It was learnt that the big stick might be wielded should those invited fail to honour the invitation to enable the investigator to unravel other details on the $ 500 million acquisition of Union Bank by Titan Trust Bank (TTB).

A conglomerate, the Tropical General Investment Group (TGI), on Sunday, said the USD500 million capital used to pay for the transaction was transparent and unimpeachable.

TGI insisted that it is the majority owner of TTB and Union Banks.

Obazee and his team of crack detectives alleged that their findings proved otherwise.

In a report to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Investigator alleged that the two banks were owned and bought by the proxies of the former CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who has denied the claim.

But attempts by the investigators to interact with the Chairman of TGI, Vink, since August have not succeeded.


TGI said Vink, who has been in Nigeria since 1978, is an elderly person and has recently been medically advised to limit his movement.

The Special Investigator insisted that since TGI assured his team that the two shareholders would “soon” honour the invitation, it was time for them to come for interaction.

In a December 24 letter, the Special Investigator asked Lemo and the two others to appear before his team on Thursday.

The letter, titled: RE: CBN INVESTIGATION ACTIVITIES INVITATION FOR A FOLLOW-UP MEETING WITH THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR, said Obazee has not heard from the two shareholders or received the requested documents from them.

The letter was signed by the Head of Operations, Office of the Special Investigator, Eloho Okpoziakpo, a deputy commissioner of police (DCP).

The letter, which was addressed to Lemo, reads in part: “Please refer to your discussion with the Special Investigator earlier today regarding the offensive defence that your good self-issued in Punch newspapers, on behalf of TTB which you chair, as well as the email you sent to the Special Investigator today wherein you tried to provide clarification on your reaction to the report on TTB.

“The defence seems contrary to the statements, made under caution, by the persons connected with these transactions, including your good self, before the Special Investigator at the Department of State Service (DSS) in August.

“In the said newspapers, you referred to both Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara as ‘prominent global entrepreneurs and having thriving businesses in Nigeria.’

“In your email as well as your earlier discussion with the Special Investigator, you suggested that both of them be invited to provide clarification on their share ownership and given seven days to make such clarification; failure which they will forfeit their shares to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“We are surprised at your request with regard to these two shareholders. They were given this opportunity via a letter to them dated 28th August 2023.

“Instead of honouring the invitation and providing the requested documents, we received a letter from the Company Secretary of Union Bank, Somuyiwa Sonubi, dated 15 September 2023, informing the Special Investigator that Mr. Cornelius Vink was out of the country on medical grounds and that both ‘Messrs Vink and Savara will be available for the meeting as soon as they are in Nigeria which will be soon’.

“Up until this offensive defence that you put in the public domain, the Special Investigator has neither heard from them nor received the requested documents.”

Obazee said he and his team have decided to give a timeline for Lemo and others to come for interaction.

The letter added: “Accordingly, you are hereby invited to come along with Messrs Cornelius Vink and Mr. Rahul Savara to meet with the team of Special Investigators by 2pm on 28th December 2023 without fail or excuse.

“Please inform them to come along with all the documents /information requested from them by the letter to Mr. Cornelius Vink dated 28th August 2023.

“You will also be required to make additional statements to your earlier statement on that day.”

The Special Investigator said if Vink and Savara refused to honour the committee’s investigation, they may forfeit their shares in the Titan Trust Bank and Union Bank.

The letter said: “Kindly note that if Messrs Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara refuse to attend this meeting and provide/defend the requested documents /information, it will be construed that they have decided to forfeit the purported shareholdings in TTB and Union Bank of Nigeria, irrespective of which vehicle that they are using to own the purported shares.

“Should you also refuse to attend the meeting to provide additional statement to your earlier statement made in August 2023, it will be construed that you misled the Nigerian public with your reaction in The Punch Newspapers today which has gained wide publicity in both electronic and print media.

“This invitation is to further ensure that it is beyond reasonable doubt that the Federal Government of Nigeria has given you a fair hearing.”

Earlier in a 28th August 2023 letter to Vink and the Managing Directors of Titan Trust Bank and the Union Bank, the Special Investigator made a seven-point demand from them.

In the letter, signed by Dr.Ojogbe Rueben U, some of these requests included the documentation on the licensing of Titan Trust Bank, minutes of Board meetings and foreign exchange dealings transacted with the CBN.

The August letter read in part: “The Federal Government of Nigeria is currently investigating some activities of the CBN and Related Entities as well as some key Government Business Entities (GBEs).

“The investigation is led by a ‘Special Investigator’ appointed by the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria. They have since commenced the assignment.

“To this end, kindly avail the Special Investigator with the under-listed documents/ information:

“The details of the under-listed entities which should include company registration, ownership, shareholding structure, profile, particulars of directors and related entities:

· Luxis International DMCC, Unit 1141, DMCC Business Centre, Level No. 1, Jewellry & Gemplex 3, Dubai, UAE (Magna).

· Magna International DMCC, Unit 1024, DMCC Business Centre, Level No.1, Jewellry & Gemplex 3, Dubai, UAE Magna.

“Further details of the said companies should include the documentation that led to the licensing of Titan Trust Bank and the acquisition of controlling shareholding of Union Bank of Nigeria by these entities, proof of funds, internationally verifiable bank statements (from the incorporation of the entities to date) and the shareholder that gave interest-free loans to the two entities separately (names, nationality, source of the fund, proof of such funds, bank statements as well as the relationship of the entities with Mr. Andrew Chukwudi Ojei, Jerome Olagunju Shogbon, Rahul Savara, Winston Odeh, Adaeze Udensi, Ekene Samuel Louis, Godwin Emefiele, Macombo Omoile, Tunde Lemo, Mudassir Amry, Faruk Gumel, Oluremi Oni, Vink Corporation Middle East FCZ (together with the details of the shareholder that also gave Vink Corporation interest-free loan) and your good self.”


Other demands were:

· Details of how Trust receipts (from Standard Chartered Bank), Zenith Nigeria Plc and Zenith Bank (UK) were involved in the entire arrangement.

· Minutes of the Board meetings, copy of the audited financial statements and management letter that arose from the Audit of the financial statements of the two entities listed in (1) above as well as those of TTB and UBN from 2018 to date.

· Details of any forbearance received from the CBN for UBN (before acquisition by TTB) and why. “Should you not know, please come along with anyone who knows about it (with evidence).”

· Details of the loan capital from Afrexim Bank (Egypt), collaterals thereto and the involvement of the CBN in the entire arrangement.

· Any Foreign Exchange dealings that transacted with the CBN as a retail or wholesale facilitator with TGI, TTB, UBN, Luxis, Magna and other related entities no matter how remotely connected.

· Any other document(s) that can assist the Special investigator in arriving at an informed decision on the investigation of TTB, UBN, CBN and any person(s) of interest in the entire arrangement.

“You are to come along with Mr. Rahul Savara (in person) along with the requested documents to the National Headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja by 4pm on Friday, 1st September 2023 for interaction in connection with this investigation. Accept the assurances of the utmost regards of the Special Investigator.”

The Investigator also showed that he gave the Union Bank of Nigeria ample time to prevail on Vink to appear before it.

He said although the bank complained of a “short notice period,” it said “Messrs. Vink and Savara will be available for the meeting as soon as they are in Nigeria.”

The bank’s response was contained in a September 1st, 2023 letter to the Special Investigator by the Company Secretary of the Union Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Somuyiwa Sonubi.

It said due to Vink’s medical condition, he was unable to make the appointment as proposed.

The letter was titled “CBN INVESTIGATION ACTIVITIES: INVITATION FOR A MEETING WITH THE SPECIA INVESTIGATOR.”

The letter said: “We write in response to your letter dated 28″ August 2023 on the above subject matter and to submit the documents/information requested in printed and electronic formats for ease of your review and analysis.

“Furthermore, and with all due respect to your office, we wish to inform you that Mr. Cornelius Vink is currently out of the country on medical grounds.

“Given the short notice period in the said letter and Mr. Vink’s medical condition, he is unable to make the appointment as proposed and craves your indulgence in this regard.

“Please find attached copies of Mr. Vink’s medical report for your kind review. Messrs. Vink and Savara will be available for the meeting as soon as they are in Nigeria which we hope will be soon.

“Mr. Vink sends his sincere apologies in this regard, whilst assuring you of his commitment to support your mandate. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”

By Daniel Abia



P/Harcourt: There is apprehension everywhere. People can’t discuss politics freely again for fear of victimization by opposing political camp. There is distrust among the citizens. Rivers State has a history of turning political rivalry to a potential street fight. With President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s peace accord collapsing, it is difficult to predict what becomes of the crisis.

Just last Wednesday, one of the signatory projects of former Governor Peter Odili administration, the House of Assembly Complex, christened “The Dome”, was brought down by the order of the state government. The excuse for the action was that the building had some structural defects and must be corrected to avoid possible disaster.


With the demolition of the Complex, it presupposes therefore that the faction of the lawmakers led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Martins Chike Amaewhule cannot access the Chambers of the Complex to carry out any legislative function again.

But not wanting to play a weakling, Amaewhule and his men on Thursday found alternative location when they adopted a motion to convert the auditorium of the Assembly quarters to new hallowed chambers for their sitting.

The cliché that when two elephants fight, the grass suffers is a stark reality of what is currently playing out in Rivers state. Obviously, some sterling legacies of Dr. Peter Odili have either been touched or out rightly brought down whenever political gladiators in the state engage in political war of attrition or otherwise.

First, in 2013, the judiciary complex containing world-class buildings undertaken by Odili to give lawyers the needed comfort to carry out their legal responsibilities in the state was locked up for about two years and nobody could access the court for any legal matter.

Next was the sale of gas turbines built by the Odili government. Odili’s vision to build gas turbines in Omoku, Eleme and Trans-Amadi was to provide sufficient power to the state to boost the economy. That vision was frustrated on the slap of political interest when they were sold out and the money accrued diverted to politics. Today, the state is struggling with erratic power supply and partial blackout in some areas.

Now, watching the exquisite edifice that was the pride of the state, (House of Assembly complex), gone down in rubble, only brings a sad reflection of the Edo state government’s experience when a governor sent bulldozers to remove the roof of the state Assembly building.

In the course of the Rivers crisis, no fewer than three court orders had been issued by courts of competent jurisdiction to the effect that the two factions in the Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule and Rt Hon Edison Ehie should not access the Complex until all pending cases to that effect were resolved.


On November 30, 2023, a court order for interim injunction was granted restraining the National Assembly from taking over the legislative functions of the State House of Assembly and empowering a faction led by Amaewhule to start sitting to perform legislative functions pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice also filed by Amaehule’s camp. This interim order was obtained at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division.

Before now, on November 9, 2023, the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Judicial Division made an order stopping the two factions of the State Assembly from siting, pending the determination of a motion on notice also pending before the said court.

Again, another suit was pending before the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Judicial Division. One of the prayers was for an order of the court directing the National Assembly to take over the legislative functions of the Assembly since the House has been fractionalized and unable to perform their legislative functions.

While the order of the court restraining both factions of the Rivers State House from performing any legislative functions was still pending, the faction led by Amaewhule quickly rushed to Abuja to obtain another order from the same Federal High Court empowering his own faction of the House to start sitting for legislative business.

Comrade Solomon Lenu, convener of Ogoni Development Drive, ODD, in his assessment described the attitude of these lawmakers as a direct affront to the Rule of Law. “Their action amounts to disobedience of court order”, he said.


Lenu whose group, ODD, had since commenced a constitutional process of recalling four indigenous Ogoni lawmakers from the Assembly for their role in the impeachment plot against Governor Fubara, observed that the judge who gave the order that came from the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court might have been misled and may not have known that there was a pending order from the same Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Judicial Division, restraining both factions from sitting for any legislative function.

The evolving drama in the state also saw yet another group of people who claimed to be members of the social democratic party, SDP and a faction of APC in Ahoada West local government area of state on Sunday declare their support for Governor Fubara. They also announced their defection to the PDP.

What most people crave to know is, can the independent national electoral commission, INEC, by the prompting of the PDP, declare the seats of the 26 defected lawmakers vacant? With the above conflicting orders coming from the court with the same constitutional powers, can Nigerians truly trust the judiciary to do the needful in this regards?

In March 2022, a Federal High court in Abuja sacked 20 members of the Cross River state House of Assembly for defecting from the PDP. PDP had instituted a suit against the lawmakers over their defection to the APC. The judgement was in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021.

Ruling on the case, Taiwo Taiwo, the presiding judge, held that the lawmakers should vacate their seats, having abandoned the political party that sponsored them to power.

INEC, speaker of the House of Representatives, National Assembly, Clerk of the National Assembly, Cross River state House of Assembly, Clerk of the State House of Assembly and the APC were also joined as defendants in the suit. Mike Ozekhome, counsel to the 4th-25th defendants, had challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit.

Giving a legal insight into the matter, Barrister Shogbeye Eli, former spokesman of the Rivers state APC 2023 campaign council said “Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) forbids the defection of legislators elected on political party platforms to other parties before the expiration of their four-year term in office.

“The above constitutional provision has also received judicial ventilation by the Supreme Court in the case of Ifedayo Abegunde v. Labour Party where the Appellant who defected to another political party lost his seat. Abegunde had defected from Labour Party on whose ticket he ran for membership of Ondo State House of Assembly to another party.

“In the very recent past, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja towed the line of precedent set by the Supreme Court in dismissing former PDP members of the Cross River State House of Assembly loyal to former Governor Benedict Ayade for defection to the APC”.

Barrister Sogbeye, a staunch member of the APC in Rivers state described the defection of the lawmakers as “unlawful, unconstitutional and illegal”, he added that “lawmakers should not be lawbreakers. They should be custodians of the law”.

Meanwhile, a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt had since ordered the factional Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, to preside over the activities of the legislative arm of the state pending the determination of a motion before it.

Justice M.W Danagogo, gave this order, Tuesday, in an Experte Motion, Suit No. PHC/3030/CS/2023 in which Rivers State House of Assembly is the 1st claimant and Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, (Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, 2nd claimant and Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, as 1st defendant while Rt. Hon. Dumle Maol, is the 2nd defendant.

But could the crisis between Wike and Governor Fubara be qualified as having any ethnic coloration? Professor Benjamin Okans is the President General of Ijaw National Congress, INC, a socio-political group that speaks for the Ijaw people worldwide. “INC is fully in support of Governor Fubara. We are also fighting impunity to sustain our democracy”.

Professor Okans noted that “it will not be palatable if the governor is impeached. People including the Ikwerres, the Etches and other ethnic nationalities are fed up with autocratic tendencies against the governor. Wike is over-ambitious. Ijaw people will come out to protect their own”.

Looking at it from any perspective, Fubara enjoys the solidarity of majority of Rivers people both indigenes and non -indigenes alike. What they want to see is a governor who is ready to take on his former godfather head-on.

“Governor Fubara should show that he is the governor of the state. He has what it takes to engage Wike power for power, money for money”, said Franklin Kim, a social commentator.

Nevertheless, Wike would not back down. He wanted to prove to the APC leadership, particularly President Tinubu that he still holds the political soul of the state. This prompted the defection of the 25 lawmakers followed by the resignation of key officers of the government.

So much money is said to have exchanged hands as the fight rages. Landed properties have also been promised those who will be loyal to end. Obviously, so much will unfold in the coming days, weeks and months.

Fathers opt for secret DNA

Many fathers, our correspondent gathered, now conduct secret DNA testing for their kids.

This is as a leading DNA testing centre, Synlab, noted that Nigeria had the second-highest rate of paternity fraud in the world. It added that two in five Nigerian men were not biological fathers of their children and three in five paternity tests turned out negative.

A father of four, Nnamdi (surname withheld) told our correspondent in a telephone conversation that he took his kid’s sample along with him on his last trip to China where he went to buy some goods and had them checked out.

“I came back with joy in my heart. I even bought my wife a car. She did not know what I had done. If she knew, she would just kill me. I trust her, but I just want peace of mind. I don’t want to raise someone else’s child even if it is by mistake,” he said.

Another father, who said he was a preacher in a Pentecostal church in Lagos, responded to a request by this reporter, saying he had tested his two daughters and found out that they were his.

“I did it secretly. I don’t want any problem from my wife,” he added.

Mr Okechuwku (surname withheld) was not that lucky. He told this reporter in confidence that he just found out five days before our correspondent’s request that he was not the father of his supposed son.

“I have four children – a seven-year-old son and three daughters aged eight, 10 and 12. I have been married for 10 years, but I started living with my wife for over 15 years. I haven’t told her. I haven’t even gone home since I found out,” Okechukwu said.

When asked what he intended to do, he did not respond.

His story is similar to those of some Nigerian men who may have to face the tough reality of finding out the truth that will tear their families apart.

In a survey conducted by our correspondent, out of 123 respondents, 70 men said they would get a DNA test done for their kids if they had the means, mostly for “peace of mind.”

Only 11 of the 53 women said they did not mind having their husbands conduct DNA on their children, adding that it would only build trust in their unions.

The remaining 42 were split between ‘undecided’ and ‘no’. Most said they would leave the marriage should their husband demand a DNA test. The ones who were single among them said they would not marry any man who did not trust their ‘judgment’.

One of the women, a pastor with a Pentecostal church in Rivers State, who opted for an interview, Mrs Selene Ohakwe, said she would be disappointed if her husband came up with the idea of doing a DNA test for her five children.

However, she said she was confident that all five belonged to him.

“My husband married me a virgin at 22. No man except him has seen my laps. I am not afraid of DNA of any sort. It will only make him honour me more, but I will be disappointed at first,” she said.


Genotype exposes paternity fraud

A Nigerian doctor on X, @Maxvayshia, recounted how a soldier discovered that his wife allegedly committed paternity fraud following a medical emergency involving their 10-year-old son.

Maxvayshia in his tweet on Friday, stated that upon admission, he discovered that the child presented with some physical features likened to those of sickle cell patients.

The doctor added that his suspicions were later confirmed after the ordered genotype test showed that the child carried the SS genotype, while the soldier was AA.

His tweet read, “Just this afternoon, I admitted a 10-year-old child who had a few physical features of a sickle cell child. Index of suspicion made me order a genotype test with the knowledge of the mother who brought him in. The test result showed the child to be SS.

“The father, a soldier, was informed and immediately reacted sharply, saying he is AA. He said he had run the test several times. He came down from his station to our facility.

“He insisted on carrying out genotype testing again at our facility. He is AA. It has been a hectic day.”

In 2014, Afrobeat maestro, Femi Kuti, noted that a DNA test proved that two of his children were not his.

The publication, which went viral at the time, left Nigerians in shock. He has since returned the children to their father.

“I never knew somebody could give you what is not yours” he lamented.


Swapping babies

A Nigerian lady, Oriaku Enwe Iroh, took to Facebook to narrate how a nurse swapped her friend’s sister’s baby a few hours after birth.

According to the lady, the nurse who swapped her baby after birth said she did it on the instructions of the hospital’s matron, adding that the incident occurred in Lagos.

She wrote, “Dear husbands and wives, when you’re due to deliver a baby or in labour, please take a birthing partner with you. Did you hear me? Study the hospital’s exit doors and put a name to the faces of the nurses.

“Secondly, tell the nurses that you don’t want your baby to be taken away from the delivery room. Once they cut the umbilical cord, hold your baby. I know the pain! I know. But, hold the baby and never let go.

“Thirdly, if you’re having a Caesarean Section, please take a birthing partner with you, and tell the doctor you don’t want the nurses to wash the baby. Tell your doctor to hand over the baby to your birthing partner.

“Washing of a new baby is not compulsory in the United Kingdom. The midwives in the UK don’t wash the baby that day. Nne, don’t panic.”

Narrating further, she said her friend’s sister gave birth to a baby boy in the morning, but the nurse who took the baby to clean it, came back with a baby girl.

Iroh added, “She came back with a baby girl that looked like a two-week-old baby. But the God we serve was awake. The nurse mistakenly came back with a wrapper that was not hers (the woman who had just delivered the baby) and they found out that the baby had this local tangerine (eyeliner) in her eyes, which means the baby is not her baby. All her scans had shown it was a boy they were expecting.

“Her husband was the first to spot the eye tangerine and gave the nurse a sound slap to produce his baby. He called his elder brother, who is a lawyer in Lagos, to come with people. Within 20 minutes his brother and their friends had filled the hospital.

“The nurse said it was the matron who asked her to replace the baby with the baby in the chief matron’s office. The matron denied telling the junior nurse to do such.

“The matron was given a beating of her life. They have involved the police and must go to court. The doctor on duty is claiming innocence. Her baby has been returned to her. They are home now.

“If possible conduct DNA before leaving the hospital, just to make sure you’re taking your real baby home. Things are happening o!”


How DNA testing works

According to the National Human Genome Institute, deoxyribonucleic acid (aka DNA) is the molecule that carries genetic information for the development and functioning of an organism. DNA is made of two linked strands that wind around each other to resemble a twisted ladder — a shape known as a double helix.

Each strand has a backbone made of alternating sugar (deoxyribose) and phosphate groups. Attached to each sugar is one of four bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T).

The two strands are connected by chemical bonds between the bases: adenine bonds with thymine, and cytosine bonds with guanine. The sequence of the bases along DNA’s backbone encodes biological information, such as the instructions for making a protein or RNA molecule.

The report published on the website of the NHGI notes that the DNA from any two people is 99.9 per cent identical, with that shared blueprint guiding the development and forming a common thread across the world.

“The differing 0.1 per cent contains variations that influence our uniqueness, which when combined with our environmental and social contexts, give us our abilities, our health, our behaviour,” it added.

A Canada-based molecular bioscientist, Dr Opeyemi Lawal, while explaining the workings of DNA testing, notes that each individual has a unique genetic fingerprint.

A biological child, according to him, is known to acquire 50 per cent each from both biological parents.

“So, to determine if a man is the biological parent of a child, the DNA from both persons will have to be compared using specific markers. The more matching DNA markers in both persons, the more the likelihood that they are related. The man must match the child’s data at every marker tested to be considered the biological father. According to studies, DNA paternity test has more than 99 per cent when performed and interpreted correctly.”

According to the Synlab Diagnostic Centre, the DNA test can either be paternal or maternal.

The paternity of a child means being the father of that child.

“Paternity testing provides strong scientific evidence by using DNA to establish whether a paternal biological relationship exists between a man and a child. The use of several segments of DNA called short tandem repeats allows paternity to be practically proven with a 99.999 per cent probability. When the probability is zero per cent, paternity is excluded,” Synlab noted.

Maternity testing, which works like the paternity test, establishes whether a woman is the biological mother of a child.

“Kinship testing is used for non-parental biological relationships such as a grandparent, brother or sister, aunt or uncle. It also utilises DNA to determine the likelihood of a biological relationship between individuals,” Synlab added


Requirements for paternity testing

Synlab noted on its website that to assure confidence in its results and to make the same suitable for legal purposes, paternity testing in Synlab was a tightly controlled process.

According to the centre, the conditions which need to be complied with include signed consent of all parties involved; all parties must provide valid means of identification; provision of additional documents as required (court assignment of custody); compliance with Nigerian data protection regulations; compliance with general data protection regulation of the European Union and agreement on the mode of results delivery.

Required documentation includes a valid identification of both parents (driving licence, passport, national identity card); the birth certificate of each child and two passport photos per child.

It added that it would take five days to two weeks, depending on the complexity of the tests.

It further added that using DNA to test the paternity of a child was the most accurate method available.

This method, according to Synlab, can determine with about 99.999 per cent probability that an alleged father is the biological father of a child.


How much is DNA in Nigeria?

Smart DNA, another leading DNA testing centre based in Lagos, reveals that the price for DNA testing begins at N150,000.

For the personal paternity test (also called peace of mind), the price is N150,0000. Prenatal paternity test costs N1.5m. An immigration test costs N270,000, while a legal paternity DNA test costs the same.


DNA reliable – Molecular biologist

The molecular bio-scientist, Lawal, noted that DNA testing to determine paternity or maternity was very reliable and accurate if done by professionals.

He said, “Paternity fraud is becoming a regular topic in the news nowadays. I have read several articles ranking Nigeria as second in the world, but as far as my search goes, I have yet to see published data or well-curated data to support this claim. As we speak, I am not sure there is any extensive survey on paternity fraud in Nigeria.

“For this to happen, first, there would have to be an increased capacity for DNA testing in the country, which is gradually picking up.

“Paternity fraud is a complex and sensitive phenomenon, especially when the long-lasting effect is taken into consideration. It does not only tend to ruin the stability in the mini-society (family), but it undoubtedly has a lasting emotional effect on the children.

“Subscribing to mandatory paternity tests at birth would either deprive the child of a father or get them a different one (biological father) who may be unwilling to step into that role.

“On the other hand, finding out later would have a devastating effect on the child and increases the possibility of losing the person the kid has grown to know as a father.

“Besides, as it stands, the paternity fraud statistics across the globe are generally low. I would like to suggest that society or the public should not be empowered to determine the extent of faithfulness of a mother, rather fathers should exercise their will to demand paternity tests when or if in doubt.”


Two fathers, one twin

Lawal also noted that a set of twins can have two fathers.

“This is an extremely rare phenomenon called Heteropaternal superfecundation. This is a phenomenon that occurs when two eggs are released simultaneously during the same menstrual cycle but are fertilised at different times by sperm cells from two different men in separate sexual intercourses that take place within a short time from the first one. This is different from identical twins that arise from one egg splitting into two after fertilisation.

“There is a low frequency of this phenomenon in humans. To date, about 24 cases have been documented. In the last five years, six cases have been documented, including three cases in China and a case each in Columbia, Iraq, and the United States,” he noted.

By Godfrey George


Recent studies have revealed that one in every four tested men turned out not to be the biological father of their child(ren) and ranks Nigeria as the second highest in paternity fraud. GODFREY GEORGE writes that increased DNA testing will open a can of worms in many homes

Mr Olanrewaju (surname withheld) rubbed both eyes with the back of his hands. He was not sure what he saw as the truth.

“How can four of the kids who call me father not be mine?” he wondered.

After secretly conducting a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test to confirm his first son’s paternity at the DCC DNA Diagnostic Centre in Osogbo, Osun State, he received the shock of his life.

Sharing his story in tears on a radion station in Ibadan, Oyo State, the 44-year-old Osun State indigene said his wife, whom he married in 2007, brought another man’s children for him to father.

The children who are 16, 12, eight, and five years old were tested after Olanrewaju discovered what he termed ‘promiscuous moves’ from his wife.

After the first child’s DNA did not match his, he decided to carry out tests on all four, which returned negative.

Crying profusely, he said, “I want Nigerians to come to my rescue because I must not suffer this in vain. I married Toyin in 2007 and she gave birth to four children. But none of the children belong to me after subjecting them to DNA tests.”

However, reacting to the development, his wife disagreed with the results, saying that she was not there when the samples were taken, adding that she also did not know which samples were taken.

She stated, “I don’t accept the result. I don’t accept it because I was not there when they took samples, and I don’t know which samples they took, so I don’t accept it.

“I can’t accept it because I know how I conceived those children.”

After a few days, Toyin made a U-turn, revealing on air that the four kids indeed were not her husband’s, adding that they belonged to her pastor.

She also stated in Yoruba that her husband only fathered one, and that the other one belonged to a meat seller at the local market.

The shock on her husband’s face was met with hot tears that trickled down his cheeks and onto his chest.

The question on the lips of many is; what now will happen to the children? Although several sources close to the matter told our correspondent that the duo had since then lived apart, not much is said about the children’s welfare and whether or not their fathers had come to take responsibility, as all of them are minors under the law.

After his wife’s death in May, a Facebook user shared an anonymous post on NGL detailing how he found out that the two kids who called him father were not his.

He said he simply just decided to do the DNA test just for the sake of doing it only to be hit with the thunderbolt of the finding.

He wrote, “My wife passed away and left me with two children but I just found out through DNA that they are not my children. I am 36 years old. Please, advise me.”

In another string of posts on that anonymous thread, another Facebook user, who claimed to be living in the United Kingdom, said he only found out that his three kids were not his at the embassy when he wanted to move his family to the UK.

He wrote, “It was a rude shock to me when I found out that my three lovely kids were not mine. Three beautiful girls! I went mute for two weeks and almost died by suicide. But, after a long thought, I processed their visas regardless and moved them to the UK on a visit visa, which I renewed.

“As for their mother, we ended things the same day.”

In another related development, a Nigerian doctor on Twitter known as Dr PenKing shared a story of how a man undergoing vasectomy found out that the three kids he called his were not biologically his.

A vasectomy is a surgical procedure of cutting or sealing the tubes that carry a man’s spermatozoa to permanently prevent him from fertilising a woman’s eggs.

The doctor said the man contacted him in February 2022 for consultation about getting a vasectomy done and was assured of how safe the procedure was.

After welcoming three kids – a boy and two girls – the couple decided that they were done with having kids.

The doctor said he was astounded when the patient shared a DNA test result sheet with him, which showed that all three children were not his.

The chances of the man fathering those kids, according to the DNA, were zero.

The doctor wrote, “I’ve battled so much to avoid saying this, but I still got to say it because the guilt is enveloping me.”


‘You should have asked’

It was in 2019 when popular comedian and talk show host, Chinedu Ani, aka Nedu, found out that a son he fathered for years was not his after he had a DNA test done.

His then-wife, Uzoamaka Ohiri, said she did not intentionally give another man’s baby to him, adding that she too did not know that the child was not Nedu’s.

Uzoamaka also stressed that she did not cheat on Nedu during their brief marriage, but that she was in a relationship before meeting the comedian.

She added in an interview she granted PUNCH Live that it was Nedu’s insecurity that made him conduct the DNA test on the last child only to find out that the first one was not his.

She said, “I was seeing someone before Nedu; he (Nedu) was on the side disturbing me; he had invited me a couple of times. I turned him down. After the relationship ended, Nedu and I met up.

“Along the line, I found out that I was pregnant. Trust me, if I knew that my first child was not for him (Nedu), I wouldn’t have married him. I can’t deliberately pick another man’s child and give it to another man. If I knew, I wouldn’t have gotten married to him. On my wedding day, I was pregnant, everybody saw it.

“Nedu was insecure so he did a paternity test for the last child, but unfortunately he discovered that the first child was not his biological son.”

The mother-of-three, who married Nedu in 2013 and insisted that she was faithful while she was married to him, said the comedian did not deserve her son.

Earlier, The PUNCH had reported that Nedu posted a DNA test result which was signed by one Dr Harvey Tenenbaum, President at Viaguard Accu-metrics, Ontario, Canada, on June 24, 2019.

The document stated that the possibility of Nedu being the father of the child in question was zero per cent.

While stating that Nedu should have asked if the pregnancy she carried on her wedding day was his, Uzoamaka said she was certain that he was the father of the two other children.


Justice for the judge

In February 2021, social media went agog when a judge of the Delta State High Court, Anthony Okorodas, revealed that he was not the biological father of three children from his marriage with his former wife.

Okoroadas, who was appointed a judge two years earlier, stated this in a statement he signed, dated January 28, 2021, a copy of which was sighted by Saturday PUNCH.

The judge alleged that his former wife, walked away from the marriage when the youngest child, now 17 years old, was just six.

Okorodas, who described the development as traumatic, said he and his current wife had been wholly responsible for the well-being and the education of the three children, two of whom are university undergraduates since their mother walked away 11 years earlier.

Okorodas, who noted that he had four children with his current wife, said he first got information from an anonymous source indicating that the three children were not his during the COVID-19 lockdown in April 2020.

He, however, said he was only able to confirm the claim to be true through the DNA test in August 2020.

He stated, “I have taken the decision to address the press in respect of certain traumatic developments that have arisen between me and my ex-wife, Celia (surname withheld) of the Yenagoa Local Government Area in Bayelsa State.

“The DNA test result, which came out in September 2020, confirmed that I was not the biological father of the child.”

He said following the result of the first DNA result, he convened a joint meeting of his extended family on the one side, and Celia’s paternal and maternal families on the other side, where he “confronted her with the paternity fraud allegation.”

“Although she initially strongly insisted that I was the biological father, she has since confessed to having the child with another man during our marriage,” he added.

He said following the development, his current wife “had to agree to have DNA tests on the four children of our marriage.”

The judge insisted that he would not stop taking care of the first wife’s kids following the revelation, adding that the first two are already university graduates.

“For Celia and her boyfriend or boyfriends, we leave them to their consciences,” he added.


Paternity fraud

Smart DNA, a DNA testing and diagnostic centre in Lagos, revealed in a study that one in every four tested men who visited the clinic turned out not to be the biological father of their child(ren).

The comprehensive data analysis of all relationship DNA tests conducted at its facility between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, on thousands of users, provides an unprecedented insight into the DNA testing trends across Nigeria.

Findings of the report showed that Lagos accounted for the highest percentage of tests, with 82.89 per cent of the total, followed by Oyo (3.29 per cent), Ogun (3.07 per cent), FCT (2.63 per cent), and Rivers (2.41 per cent).

The report showed heavy concentration in Lagos, particularly the Mainland (68.14 per cent) compared to the Island (31.86 per cent). This may be due to the location of Smart DNA’s office, the purchasing power of the residents, and the high population density of the state.

On the test type, the report disclosed that the majority of tests (89.10 per cent) were conducted for what they termed, ‘peace of mind’, followed by ‘immigration’ (8.97 per cent), and ‘legal’ (0.64 per cent).

Individuals primarily seek DNA testing to confirm biological relationships for personal reasons rather than legal or immigration purposes, the report stated.

On the gender of individuals seeking tests, the report stated that men were the predominant initiators of contact, making up 86.44 per cent of the first contacts, compared to 13.56 per cent made by women.

This further indicates that men are more likely to have doubts about paternity or other relationships and take the initiative to seek testing.

The report also disclosed that positive results, indicating that the man tested was the biological father of the child, accounted for 73.88 per cent of tests, while negative results made up 26.12 per cent.

“This suggests that in the majority of cases, the men seeking testing are indeed the biological fathers, but in more than one in four cases, the tested father is not the biological father of the child,” the report added.

More tests were conducted on male children (56.62 per cent) compared to female children (43.38 per cent), the report showed, as it disclosed that this might suggest a cultural preference for confirming the paternity of male offspring, although further research would be needed to confirm this hypothesis.

“The most tests were conducted on children aged zero to five years (58.02 per cent), followed by the six to 12 age group (25.95 per cent). This indicates that paternity tests are mostly done on children when they are younger rather than when they get older. Men between the ages of 31 and 40 (40 per cent) and 41 and 50 (23 per cent) conducted the most DNA tests. This age group is likely to have young children and may be in a financial position to afford the testing,” it added.

Another study conducted by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research found that 27 per cent of paternity tests conducted in Lagos State revealed cases of misattributed paternity. These findings indicate a distressing pattern of deceit affecting countless Nigerian families.

A senior geneticist with the DNA Centre for Paternity Test, Allen Avenue in Ikeja, Lagos, Abiodun Salami, revealed in an interview with Premium Times that from his experience, most firstborns were not fathered by the husbands at home.

According to him, this is because the ladies had a prior relationship before getting married.

“Most times, they continue with that relationship and don’t leave it even after marriage,” he added.

As of 2021, the geneticist said he used to do an average of 100 DNA tests in a month, but now handles as many as 400 cases monthly.

He added, “We have discovered that almost 60 per cent of the tests that people come to do are negative. Six out of every 10 paternity tests turn out negative.

“Statistically, in DNA paternity testing, most times, in Nigeria, we see that six out of every 10 children might not be fathered by their biological father.”

Another cell biologist and geneticist based in Lagos, who did not want to be named because of her company’s policies, corroborated Salami’s claim.

“At our clinic, we have an almost 70 per cent negativity rate. This means that if 10 men walk into our facility to get a test done, seven come out with a negative result. There is a lot of promiscuity and paternity fraud going on, and only an increased testing capacity will reveal that,” he stated.

Another geneticist based in the United Kingdom, Dr Sola Dele, said from the samples received from most Nigerian centres that send them for a second and foreign opinion, between four and five turn out negative.

“I never thought the issue was that bad until during COVID-19 when we started getting a lot of samples from centres in Nigeria. After they might have conducted the necessary tests and shown the clients the results, they (clients) would reject the results and seek foreign and more expensive opinions to tell them the same thing,” Dele said.

She advised fathers, who are having any doubts about their child’s paternity, to walk into any DNA centre with the child and have it done.

“It is your right to know the child you are raising is yours. You can then decide to raise the child even after finding out the truth, but it is in your right to know,” she added.

Despite the prevalence of stories related to paternity fraud, there is currently no Nigerian law that criminalises it. However, falsely naming a non-biological father on a public document like a birth certificate constitutes a criminal offence. In such cases, the woman involved may potentially face charges for criminal deceit or perjury arising from paternity proceedings.

A legal practitioner, Maryam Bello, in an article titled, ‘Addressing Paternity Fraud: Legal Aspects in Nigeria’, noted that in Nigerian law, children born within a valid marriage were presumed to be legitimate, with parents assuming responsibility for their care.

She wrote, “Section 165 of the Evidence Act, 2011 reinforces this presumption, granting legitimacy to children born during a valid marriage or within 280 days after its dissolution. This presumption can only be challenged through proper legal procedures, including the use of scientific methods like DNA testing, with valid evidence required to refute it.”

Regarding the use of DNA tests to determine paternity, Nigerian law recognises it, but it must adhere to specific standards outlined in sections 63 to 67 of the Child Rights Act, 2003, consistent with laws in 24 other states.

“These provisions govern the conditions and procedures for conducting scientific tests to establish parentage,” she added.

The Federal Government has said contrary to the claim by the World Bank that government is still paying subsidy on petrol, the era of petrol subsidy is “gone for good”.

Speaking in an interview on Channels TV on Thursday morning, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said President Bola Tinubu made it clear from his first day in office that his government would not sustain the payment of subsidy on petrol.

The minister said the subsidy removal had translated to increased revenue accruing to the federation account.

The World Bank hinted on Wednesday that current fuel prices in Nigeria were not cost-reflective and that the Federal Government might still be paying subsidy on petrol.

The bank said Nigerians should be paying about N750 per litre as against the current price of N650 in some parts of the country.

The World Bank’s lead economist for Nigeria, Alex Sienaert, during his presentation of the Nigeria Development Update (NDU), December 2023 Edition in Abuja on Wednesday, insisted that there was still subsidy on petrol.

He stated, “It does seem like petrol prices are not fully adjusting to market conditions. So, that hints at the partial return of the subsidy if we estimate what is the cost reflective of the retail PMS price of the would-be and assume that importation is done at the official FX rate.

“Of course, the liberalisation is happening with the parallel rates, which is the main supplier, the price would be even higher. These are just estimates to give you a sense of what cost-reflective pricing most likely looks like.

“We think the price of petrol should be around N750 per litre more than the N650 per litre currently paid by Nigerians.”

But speaking on the issue, the minister stressed that government was no longer paying any subsidy on petrol.

He stated, “Subsidy is gone, and the President told Nigerians from his first day in office that there won’t be subsidy (on petrol). It is because subsidy has gone that we have so much money available for government to do so many things. Of course, it’s never enough, but fuel subsidy is gone and it’s gone for good.

“There are instances where government needs to come in to see that things don’t go so bad. That’s the responsibility of government. Every rule will also have its self-adjusting mechanism, but I can assure Nigerians that subsidy is gone.

“If you look at the monies accruing to the federation account and the kind of money the states are receiving, you would know that everybody desires that subsidy should go. What do we do with that subsidy, I think, is the next question. We need to scrutinise that, so that Nigerians would have the benefit of the subsidy that has been taken away. Subsidy is gone.”

Daily Trust had reported that petrol was already selling at around N690 in Kano and Sokoto states, and over N700 per litre in far North-Eastern states of Yobe and Borno.

With the current prices, many Nigerians have been forced to abandon their vehicles even as the cost of basic items has skyrocketed and the value of citizens’ income eroded by inflation.

Many observers have already condemned the World Bank’s prescription and advised the Federal Government to look for a home-grown solution to the prevailing economic challenges in the country.

Daily Trust had reported in September that despite the repeated assurances by President Bola Tinubu that the petrol subsidy regime was gone, the government paid N169.4bn as subsidy in August to keep the pump price at N620 per litre.

If Nigeria’s economy tumbles off this current cliff the next moment, it would not happen for want of sufficient early warning signs but, perhaps, for lack of the required willpower to make necessary adjustments and damn the soothsayers.

There are, indeed, plenty and consistent red lights flashing on the dashboard of the national economy in the form of nose-diving social conditions, worsening macroeconomic indicators, falling support infrastructure, dying or existing businesses and several others, which successive administrations have dismissed, sometimes with jest.

Yesterday, again, three different data sets, including one issued by an agency of the federal government, painted a scary picture of the deteriorating condition of an average Nigerian.

Whereas the data were released by different agencies – government and non-government alike – the studies are somewhat validated by the government or its ‘affiliate’.

First, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) unveiled demographic data curated from the archives of the National Population Commission (NPC), showing that the country’s resident population grew by almost 30 per cent in the past 10 years, from an estimated 167 million in 2012 to 216.78 million last year.

Economic development theories demand that the economy would grow at the same speed to maintain, at least, the default living conditions of the people. Sadly, in the same period, the economic performance has been anaemic and sluggish, at best, ‘snailing’ at less than an average of three per cent, from $464 billion to $477.4 billion.

This implies that an increasing number of citizens are scrambling for fewer goods and services, a reason the country’s misery index, a measure of economic distress felt by everyday people, reached an all-time of nearly 80 points earlier this year.

Sadly, the future looks bleaker as the government has increased the total public debt from less than N10 trillion to over N80 trillion in the same period without significant investment in infrastructure, which should stimulate the growth of future revenue to ease repayment of the loan.

The underdevelopment of the economy, of course, is taking a toll on the living conditions, pushing up the bar of poverty and associated crises daily. For one, the NBS Demographics Statistics Bulletin 2022, suggests that the future generation, who should be supported well enough to pay off the piling liabilities, are being shortchanged, based on their nutritional level, education and other indicators.

According to the report, about nine out of every 10 children under five go about their daily routines without eggs. A similar proportion cannot afford dairy products, which are key sources of protein and mental growth. Also, about 60 per cent of Nigerian kids eat their foods without meat, says the survey.

Poor nutritional intake, across the globe, is a sign of over-population. With the population expected to hit 400 million in 2050, projections suggest Nigeria’s population growth has not peaked yet.

The latest NBS report also validates the bullish stance on the country’s population. For instance, at a national average of 78 per cent, non-usage of contraceptives – whether traditional or modern – is still extremely high.

Only 18.4 per cent have adopted the globally-certified modern techniques of family planning, which implies a robust path to population growth and a sign the pressure on scarce resources is not slowing in the short to medium term.

For countries like India that have been able to turn their huge population into a demographic dividend, large populations are considered a blessing. But for a country that sits at the bottom of local capacity utilisation, infrastructure funding and social investment, a rising population could be a nightmare.

Nigerian joblessness stood at 33.3 per cent until the most recent survey, which experts dismissed as flawed, put the figure at 4.1 per cent. The more believable figure underpins the burden of population growth on the few employed citizens. And the referenced NBS report puts the official active population (25 to 64 years) at 36 per cent, that is, a dependency ratio of close to 2:1.

The World Bank also released its first post-reform Nigeria Development Update (NDU). The report scored the country high on readiness to embrace economic reforms but warned of dire consequences if the ongoing exercises, including fuel subsidy removal, are aborted.

The report, tagged, ‘Turning the corner: From reforms and renewed hope to results’, admitted that the country has started the long-awaited reforms but saw the likelihood of regress, which could wipe the moderate gains recorded and spike a more disastrous economic outcome for the country with debt service to revenue ratio climbing from 101.5 per cent last year to 236 per cent by 2026.

The bank had last year painted reform-or-die scenarios and warned that the debt service to revenue ratio would balloon to 160 per cent by 2027 unless the government adopts radical reforms such as subsidy and markets led foreign exchange reform.

The World Bank, in its International Debt Report, a different statement released yesterday, shared concern about the impact of huge debt service on developing countries, including Nigeria, saying they have a record $443.5 billion to service their external public and publicly guaranteed debt in 2022.

The increase in costs shifted scarce resources away from critical needs such as health, education and the environment, the bank said.

Debt service payment, which includes principal and interest, increased by five per cent last year across all developing countries.

For Nigeria, the government intends to spend N8.25 trillion or 30 per cent of the projected total expenditure to service debt, with dire consequences for social services. The amount is only about five per cent higher than the estimated N8.7 trillion capital expenditure. But the challenge of capital expenditure, the only part of the budget that benefits the broader populace, is more about its misuse than its lean size.

Each time there is a revenue shock, the government dips its hand in the capital votes to meet its obligations to debtors and civil servants at the expense of infrastructure and social spending. The running budget is an example of how the capital budget underperforms at the expense of other components of the expenditure. The amount released for capital projects in the first three quarters, for instance, was less than one-third of the pro rata N4.73 trillion estimates for the period.

On the other hand, the actual cost of debt service was about N1 trillion higher than the pro rata N4.8 trillion earmarked for the government’s external and domestic debt holders.

Also, the NDU is worried about the unresolved ways and means (W&M) financing. Whereas N22.7 trillion was restructured at the twilight of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the Bank said the figure soared to N26 trillion or 11.1 per cent of this year’s estimated output value as at May when the administration ended its eight-year reign with nothing done about over un-restructured N3 trillion.

The bank canvassed long-term structural reforms, which it said would guarantee poverty reduction and more sustainable growth, noting “the economic outlook for Nigeria in the short to medium term hinges on the continuation and effectiveness of its macroeconomic stabilization agenda”.

“Successful implementation of the initiated reforms will be the first step toward improving Nigeria’s growth prospects. With the implementation of these first macroeconomic stabilization reforms, the economy is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 3.5 percent during 2023–2026, or 0.5 of a percentage point higher than in a scenario in which the reforms had not been implemented. Services, especially banking and ICT, together with industry will benefit from a more stable and predictable macroeconomic environment and easier access to FX and imported inputs,” the World Bank noted.

Another report, Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA) 2023 Access to Financial Services (A2F) Survey, also noted daunting challenges before Nigeria in its efforts to break through the ceiling of inclusive growth.

The report released at an event attended by top officials of the Central Bank said about 85 per cent of adults currently battling liquidity challenges or cannot cover their monthly expenses from retained incomes. The proportion rose from 72 per cent in 2020. Severely financially distressed adults also rose from 62 per cent in 2020 to 74 per cent this year.

Unlike previously when a larger proportion of the population lived in rural areas, the survey validated that there is a shift in favour of urban (55 against 45 per cent), a trend that could increase the pressure on infrastructure in urban centres and reduce the number of people involved in agriculture activities.

Islie:
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The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun has said that President Bola Tinubu has directed the implementation of an executive order that will ensure that all foreign exchange held in private hands across the care paid into the banks.

He also disclosed that the president directed the implementation of an executive order that allows the issuance of foreign currency financial instruments in the domestic economy so that as people bring that cash into the banking system, they can have investments.

The minister was responding to questions from members of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance when he appeared to defend the Ministry’s 2024 budget estimate.

He also said that the government was working on the possibility of replacing the waiver which has cost the country huge revenue losses with a rebate.

He said: “Essentially, there is the need to increase our foreign reserve given the import dependency and given the fact that we want to produce more locally which requires importing machines and, in many cases, raw materials so that value can be added, jobs can be created and we can give people incomes and reduce poverty.

“There is a need for foreign exchange. The primary source is oil revenue and if we look at what has gone on at the concluding COP28 in Dubai, UAE, the conversation there is that there is no clear agreement that you should suddenly phase out fossil fuels.

“We are a fossil fuel nation and we still have oil revenues to rely on and they are a veritable source, not just of government revenue, but foreign exchange.

“We need to emphasise that we better maximise the revenues and foreign exchange revenues from oil production and sales. That is the primary source for Nigeria as of this time.

“But in addition, we need to encourage and we have committed ourselves as a government and as the key priority of Mr President to attract investments, domestic investments and foreign direction investments. That too is a source of liquidity in foreign exchange.

“I must say that included in the sources of foreign exchange available, is foreign exchange held by Nigerians in cash outside the banking system which is in the billions.

“Mr President has authorized an executive order to facilitate the payment of that cash into the banking system, so it can form part of the money supply which can be of use to the Nigerian economy.

“Similarly, there is also an executive order that allows the issuance of foreign currency financial instruments in the domestic economy, so that as people bring in that cash into the banking system, they can have investments.

“Also by the time we have foreign currency dominated investments in Nigeria, then Nigerians with huge financial savings in banks abroad can bring it back home and save it in their own economy and not feel that they are going to suffer foreign exchange losses.

“These are some of the measures, some of the initiatives aimed at shoring up foreign exchange. They are being implemented imminently even though I think it is unwise and in fact even unnecessary to quote specific figures or timetables, but we can be optimistic that the foreign exchange liquidity would improve in the short term”.

The minister also said that the government was looking at the possibility of replacing the annual waivers with a more manageable rebate system

He said: “In terms of tax waivers, exemptions are basically incentives. There is a set of incentives which effectively is government expenditure. What that means is that the government is spending on encouraging, manufacturing, encouraging exports and others.

“It is worth approximately as you rightly said about one percent of GDP and I know the Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee is looking very closely at this and the Ministry of Finance will do so as well.

“But the arrowhead for a comprehensive analysis and cost-benefit analysis of those incentives and the spending on incentives, tax exemptions, duty waivers, and so forth, is being done right now and we expect tremendous savings from there.

“In particular, we feel that a policy of rebate is probably better than upfront allocation of incentives. When the transaction is carried out, it is entirely feasible and practical and possible to immediately give somebody a rebate on funding that they have spent.

“It can be done seamlessly and with the technology these days, what could have been cumbersome in the past and taken too long and be self-defeating can now be done simultaneously, so that if you pay your duty and you claim the rebate, immediately the transaction is consummated and we see that you have actually imported the machinery you said you would import, you get your funds back. So that is the direction in which that is moving.”

Responding to a question on the possibility of merging the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service to form one revenue-generating agency, the Minister said revenue collection should be the focal point for the government.

He said: “In terms of the merger, what you are really indicating and speaking to is the fact that revenue collection should be through a focal point.

“There is no reason why, just because you are a revenue generating agency, you give out assessments which people pay. It does not mean they should pay to that agency.

“They can pay to a centralized point. The Federal Inland Revenue Service can collect on behalf of all the agencies. So, these are the types of innovations, these are types of efficiencies and improvements that we must look at.

“I am just agreeing wholeheartedly with you that given this day and age, given the technological advancement, given the digital tools available, we really should be doing better in terms of revenue generation, collection, and monitoring.”

Former President Goodluck Jonathan says Nigeria lacks proof to be called the “Giant of Africa”.

Nigeria, predicted to become the world’s third most populous country by 2050, has been nicknamed “Giant of Africa” primarily due to its vast population.


‘NIGERIA’S DEVELOPMENT PACE TOO SLOW’

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, at the launch of a book titled “Development as attitude” authored by Osita Ogbu, former minister of national planning, Jonathan said the attitude of leaders must change to reflect the country’s national interests.

The former president who authored the foreword of the book, added that leaders must also be guided by a clear vision that is required to restore the respect Nigeria commanded.

“I actually believe that for us as a nation to develop, it’s not just about being elected president. Even if you bring angels from heaven as the president and the attitude of Nigerians doesn’t change, we may not move very fast,” Jonathan said.

“Every leader must be guided by a personal philosophy. I agree that holding a political office does not automatically make somebody a leader.

“I had the privilege of holding a political office but leadership requires some attributes and those attributes mean that you must have a clear vision and you must have something that guides you.”

While recounting efforts he made while in office to advance Nigeria’s science programmes, the former president said the over-domestication of politics in the country has also stunted national progress.

“I remember when I was in office, we had a nuclear and satellite programme but somehow the rate we are moving is too slow and even when I was an acting president, I was invited by the president of the US when they had the first nuclear summit and why I was invited was because Nigeria has a nuclear programme,” he said.

“In society now, in any country, you are respected because of what you can offer to the world, especially in terms of development. In Nigeria, we have the best brains but until we encourage these best brains, our satellite programmes will become vegetative and our nuclear programmes will just be rotating without any movement.

“We came up with a programme that we called the presidential special scholarship for innovation and development, it was my own idea. I called the NUC chairman then, Professor Julius Okojie, the minister of education, and other key stakeholders.”

However, Jonathan said the house of representatives faulted the programme because “certain states were left out”.

“We must see how we must tap our best brains in the STEM areas and see how we can send them to the best universities in the world,” he continued.

“If we run this programme for another 10 years, believe me, Nigerians will also be thinking about going to space.

“We cannot continue to say we’re giants of Africa and we crawl like garden snails. People say we’re giants but giants are crawling. Our respect is almost going down because technologically we’re not going anywhere.”

Jonathan hailed Ogbu for writing the book, saying it would be useful to navigate the nation’s challenges.

In response, Ogbu said many bad decisions by citizens are fuelled by the widening gap between the rich and the poor and tasked stakeholders to draw up innovative ways to tackle poverty.

by Josiah Oluwole


The palace of the Deji of Akure has explained why it revoked the approval for the use of a community facility for a planned protest to demand the resignation of ailing Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

The protest by the Take-It-Back Movement is being promoted by political activist, Omoyele Sowore, and is planned to be held at the Akure Town Hall on Saturday.

Mr Sowore was said to have paid N100,000 for the use of the facility for a meeting to precede a street protest.

However, the approval was later withdrawn by the palace.

Mr Sowore had accused the State Security Services of putting pressure on the palace to withdraw the approval granted to the organisers.

But the palace denied the claims by Mr Sowore.
In a statement on Monday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deji, Michael Adeyeye, said the approval was withdrawn because the organisers concealed the intentions behind the use of the venue.

The statement reads thus:

“The attention of the Palace of the Deji & Paramount Ruler of Akure Kingdom have been drawn to a recent publication on the verified Twitter handle of Mr Omoyele Sowore which had gone viral on some social media alleging that men of the Department of State Security Services came to threaten His Majesty, the Deji of Akure to reverse the initial approval granted for the usage of Akure Town Hall.

“We wish to state unequivocally that, there was never any time that the DSS threatened the Deji’s of Akure or anyone on the premise of seeking the reversal of the temporary approval granted for the usage of Akure Town Hall by the Deji’s Palace Property Committee

“For the avoidance of doubt and save for the unsuspecting Public, the withdrawal of the approval earlier granted by the Deji’s Palace Property Committee which is saddled with the responsibility of managing the facility was sequel to the fact that the request for the usage of the facility was done under a pretentious manner which conceals the real motive of the usage of the Hall.

“It is an established standard that, anyone or organizations requesting the usage of the hall or any community facilities for any activities must make full disclosure of the purpose of the usage.

“Without mincing words, the hall is made available for all activities including social events, religious activities, and political gatherings and rallies amongst others. However, concealing the real motive for a gathering for which approval for the usage of the hall is sought negates the standing rules for getting the facility approval.

“However, the initial approval granted which necessitated the payment of a deposit of one hundred thousand naira was for a roundtable meeting of a coalition of civil societies and not for a meeting point for any procession.

“While the palace strongly acknowledges the right of individual organizations and societies to lawful assembly, procession and protest as the case may be in a democratic society, But, seeking the approval for the usage of palace facility or any other should not be done in a deceitful manner as such action will leave the Palace Property Committee with no option than reversing any approval granted under such manner.

“We wish to inform the General Public that the approval for the usage of the facility was not in anyway as a result of any form of threat or harassment from DSS or any quarter but rather on the fact that the approval was sought in a fraudulent manner which negates the rules for seeking the usage of the hall.”

A political crisis is raging in Ondo State over the incapacitation of Governor Akeredoku who has been out of the state since April due to ill health.

Some people are demanding the governor’s resignation so that his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, can complete his term which expires early in 2025.

But supporters of Mr Akeredolu have accused Mr Aiyedatiwa of disloyalty to his boss and had orchestrated a foiled move to remove him from office through the state legislature.

President Bola Tinubu last month met with the warring factions in Abuja where they agreed to keep the governor and deputy in their offices.

Shortly after the agreement, an allegation emerged that those close to the ailing governor were forging his signature to carry out government activities in his name.

The federal government may soon begin the unbundling of electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) to limit their franchise areas to states, instead of the current regional arrangement. This was disclosed by Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, at the weekend, during a meeting with the governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, in Abuja.

It was widely perceived that many of the Discos did not have the required capacity to effectively manage the unwieldy franchises they were allocated during the privatisation programme in 2013, thereby contributing to Nigeria’s deplorable power supply situation.

On his social media handle, Adelabu, who said he shared the federal government’s short, medium, and long-term strategies with the governor, reiterated his commitment to collaborating closely with state ministries of power/energy to tackle challenges in the distribution segment, considering its retail nature.

The minister stressed the crucial role of state governments in transforming the power sector, describing it as essential.
He stated, “States’ involvement is essential for improving infrastructure, reducing metering gaps, enforcing bill collection, rural electrification, tackling power theft, and securing right-of-way for transmission lines.

“To enhance states’ involvement, we’re exploring the idea of unbundling regional Discos into different states for more localised oversight. We’re also looking into financial collaboration between federal and state governments.

“This will potentially be involving a swap of stakes in Discos with states’ stakes in the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).”
Adelabu explained that his vision included active collaboration in rural electrification. He encouraged states to establish rural electrification boards in coordination with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

“States’ support in providing distribution transformers and replacing weak power lines is crucial for maintaining reliable power supplies,” he added.

Adelabu further disclosed that the ministry was hosting the inaugural ministerial retreat for the power sector from December 12 to 14. He said the gathering would be a platform to extensively discuss strategies for revamping the sector.

He invited Otti to the event, recognising the sector’s importance to the economic growth at both national and state levels.

In response, Otti and other dignitaries expressed support for the transformative efforts coming up in the sector. He noted that Abia State’s commitment aligned with the federal ministry’s vision for a robust and efficient power sector. The governor stressed that he looked forward to a productive collaboration to drive positive change in the Nigerian power landscape.

Nigeria, a country of over 200 million people, currently supplies an average of 4,000mw of electricity to its citizens, with majority of the people depending on generating sets to power their homes and offices.

Bauchi State Police Command has disclosed that the slain 500-level student at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) was stabbed while trying to retrieve his girlfriend’s handbag from some assailants.

Daily Trust had reported that hundreds of students on Monday held a peaceful demonstration to protest the killing of a 500-level student, who was stabbed to death by suspected robbers.

Subsequently, the protest degenerated into breakdown of law and order, a situation that compelled the management of ATBU to close down the institution for a period of one week.

The police in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer SP Ahmed Wakil, said, “On 02/12/2023 some unknown persons, numbers not ascertained, snatched a handbag containing a mobile phone belonging to a lady, one Philomena Ahobee, 28 years, a student at Abubakar Tatari Polytechnic (ATAP), Bauchi.

“As a result of which her boyfriend Agbaidu Joseph, 28 years, of Anguwan Ngas who is a student at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, tried to help her to retrieve the handbag containing the phone. The assailant stabbed him on the left-side of his chest with a sharp knife. The victim was rushed to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi for treatment but he was certified dead while on admission by a medical doctor.”

Wakil said that the Commissioner of Police Bauchi State Command, CP Auwal Musa Mohammed, received in audience the leadership of two students bodies (NUBAS and SUG) in his office at the state command headquarters.

While addressing the CP, the leadership of the students union kicked against the violent protest by some students and applauded the CP for his swift response that nipped it in the bud.

The students leaders presented a letter of request to the Commissioner of Police soliciting more security presence around their communities.

While accepting the letter, the CP assured them of the deployment of the intelligence and operational asset of the command to the affected areas. He also ordered the posting of more personnel and patrol vans for constant visibility patrol in the area.

The CP lamented that it was wrong for the students to have taken laws into their own hands in a matter that only the higher institutions and other relevant stakeholders can adjudicate, thereby creating a vacuum for unscrupulous persons to highjack the protest and turn it into a violent one leading to a confrontation with the school authority.

He further encouraged residents of the state to remain law-abiding, be vigilant, and promptly report suspected criminals and their activities to the police.

He said efforts were being intensified to apprehend the culprits that perpetrated the dastardly act, adding that justice would be served.

President Bola Tinubu has set aside N10 billion for the reconstruction and repair of the official residence of his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

This is contained in the President Bola Tinubu’s total allocation of N21billion for Femi Gbajabiamila, in next year’s budget estimates presented to the National Assembly by the President last month.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that the 2024 Nigerian budget proposal also showed that Tinubu and his Vice, Kashim Shettima would spend N10.13billion on meals and travels.

The N27.5trillion budget proposal is still being examined by the National Assembly.

According to the budget proposal, Tinubu will spend N638.5m on local trips and N6.9 billion on foreign trips, totaling N7.6 billion.

Shettima’s travels will gulp N1.8 billion out of which N618.4 million is for local journeys and N1.2 billion for international trips.

According to the breakdown the proposed figure, Gbajabiamila proposed N104million for the purchase of computers and printers. For “local travel and transport for international training,” the CoS office plans to spend N579million, while “miscellaneous” is expected to gulp N103 million.

The budget presentation, made to a joint session, requested a legislative approval of a total spending plan that included 1.78 million barrels per day of crude oil, a borrowing plan of N7.8 trillion, and an exchange rate of N700 to the US dollar.

Following the palliatives scandal rocking Nigeria's secret police, the Department of State Services, the DSS Director General, Yusuf Bichi, is currently lobbying to get an ambassadorial appointment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a presidency source has informed SaharaReporters.

The source noted that Bichi would soon leave the service, but he “is pleading to get an ambassadorial position for Saudi Arabia" to escape any probe.

“The DG of DSS, Bichi is pleading to be made an ambassador of Saudi Arabia following the recent palliatives scandal. The man has been asked to go but he is demanding for a juicy ambassadorial position for Saudi Arabia,” the source revealed.

The All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration since the regime of former president, Muhammadu Buhari, has been notorious for “rewarding” loyalists and cronies with ambassadorial positions.

Buhari had gifted ambassadorial positions to some military chiefs under his government after they were asked to tender their resignation.

One of them was former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, who was appointed as Nigeria's Ambassador to the Benin Republic, despite reports of embezzlement of funds for arms procurement.

SaharaReporters exclusively had reported several how Buratai used a military property firm to build a Bakery for his relations, and sponsor his wives on pilgrimages.

SaharaReporters reported on June 23, 2022, how the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) recovered N1.85 billion from a house and office said to belong to Buratai in Abuja.

Bichi, like Buratai, is currently being considered for the ambassadorial position he requested by the presidency and the powers that be whom he had meritoriously served their interest while he holds away as DG DSS not minding the scandal on the palliative.

It should be recalled that Bichi was lately in the news, on the allegation of appropriating subsidy grants meant for staff and paying himself a purported “goodbye allowance” as he was believed to be on his way out of the DSS.

The DSS Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Peter Afunanya had denied both charges.

“The Service hereby states that the allegations are entirely false. It wishes to clarify that neither the DG nor anyone acting on his directive has looted staff subsidy grant. No such grant has been made available to the Service and once that is allocated, staff will, as usual, receive what is due them. Mr Bichi has, in all ramifications, evidently catered for the welfare of active and retired personnel.

“This is common knowledge and can be verified by Ude. Similarly, the so called "goodbye allowance" which Ude accused the DG of granting himself is non-existent. It is only an imagination of the writer and his sponsors.

“But assuming the DG is paid any severance package at the end of his tenure, how is that unethical and outside established public service rule? While Ude is at his mischief once again and has continued to smear the image of Mr Bichi as well as present him as corrupt, facts at the DSS show otherwise. Recalled from retirement in 2018 and appointed the DGSS, Bichi is seen as spartan, accountable, transparent and indeed, incorruptible.

“He has remained resolute in running the Service and shown uncommon commitment in the management of its affairs. His top priorities are staff welfare and judicious application of human and material resources. Any misleading narratives to the contrary are therefore unacceptable. Notably, the Service is aware of the desperation and antics of Ude and his other hirelings to associate it with unnecessary controversies either during the 2023 Presidential election or the subsequent litigations following it,” he had said.

Several workers at federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are yet to receive their November salaries, TheCable can report.

One of the affected civil servants who spoke with TheCable said some workers at the federal ministry of labour and employment have not been paid since October.

The staff, who asked not to be named, said they were told that the government is broke.

“Only a few members of staff have been paid half of their November salary while the previous two months are still outstanding,” the labour ministry worker said.

Some of the workers said they have received no explanation from the authorities regarding the reason for the delay.


‘TECHNICAL GLITCH’

Bawa Mokwa, director of press at the office of the accountant-general of the federation, said the delay in the payment of November salaries was due to a “glitch”.

Mokwa, who spoke on Tuesday via a phone call with TheCable, said the integrated personnel and payroll information system (IPPIS) unit, which is responsible for the payment, had technical issues.

The director of press said the issue had been sorted, assuring that all the workers would be paid.

“I just left the IPPIS office. It has been confirmed, the director in charge of the payment said they have done what they are supposed to do,” he told TheCable.

“It was a glitch and it has been settled today. All errors have also been corrected. You can quote me. All federal workers will receive their November salary tonight.”

TheCable had recently reported that the December salaries of over 5,000 federal civil servants may be delayed due to discrepancies in dates of first appointment and birth.

Tommy Okon, national president of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), had said the union was working with the head of civil service of the federation to resolve the issues.

Some social media users are currently tackling the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

This was after both agencies announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sunday.

In pictures shared on Social Media by REA, Ahmad Salihjo, REA CEO and Khalil Halilu, NASENI CEO, can be seen signing the MoU and posing with the documents.

This signing was done in the UAE during the ongoing Conference of Parties (COP28).

The agencies, among other things, announced the MoU’s objectives are to collaborate towards electrification of rural and underserved areas in Nigeria, share knowledge, data and information related to rural electrification and promote the use of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass in rural electrification.

Following the post, some Nigerians began to knock both agencies for not signing the agreement in Abuja, where their headquarters are.

Amidst rising cost of goods and services in the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said it would ensure that the next national minimum wage to be negotiated in 2024 reflects the prevailing cost of living.

It lamented that following the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government, life has become extremely unbearable for workers.

Addressing participants at the opening of the 19th edition of the NLC’s Harmattan School holding in Abuja, President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, said it had become necessary for governments at all levels to recognise that life and living conditions were exceedingly difficult, especially for working people in both the formal and informal sectors of the economy.

He said removal of subsidy on petroleum products further exacerbated challenges faced by working people, unleashing severe pain and contributing to galloping inflation and increasing inequality and poverty.

“We must reckon that a well-motivated and well-remunerated workforce has a positive impact on productivity and national development.

“As we anticipate the commencement of negotiations for the national minimum wage in 2024, we seek the understanding of all stakeholders to ensure that we use this opportunity to arrive at a minimum wage commensurate with the prevailing cost of living,” he said.

Ajaero, who was represented by Deputy President of the NLC, Benjamin Anthony, said the ultimate goal of negotiating a new minimum wage was to establish a living wage that covers the cost of living and make allowance for some savings by the workers.

He noted that since the adoption of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in the mid-1980s and subsequent wholesale adoption of neoliberal economy framework, there had been a sustained disruption of the social pillars of society and cut on public spending on the provision of social services.

According to him, the series of austerity measures adopted by government have, “significantly impacted on the quality of life of workers, peasants and the poor, thus creating an urgent need for collaboration with broad segment of the society to form a formidable force for sustained policy engagement with the governments at all levels.”

The NLC president also spoke on the face-off between organised labour and the Imo state government.

According to him, as far as the Congress was concerned: “the thing that can assuage its pains is for the Imo State Government to address all labour issues and return the so called ‘ghost workers’ to their jobs, pay all outstanding salaries and pensions and call back all victimised workers to their jobs”

On his part, NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, said the situation was becoming highly unbearable for the workers and indeed most Nigerians.

Ugboaja added: “Up till now the federal workers are yet to receive their November salaries and that means December salary might be paid in January. “This is not what it used be and if we don’t combat this now, then it becomes absolutely difficult for the average worker to appreciate what is called policy engagement.”

He said payment of salary which was a primary function of government was now becoming difficult to fulfill. “It is unimaginable that payment of salaries will now become collective bargaining issues,” he said.

The theme this year’s Harmattan School was “Building Workers Skills for Policy Engagement.”

Speaking on the goal of the Harmattan School, Ugboaja said the NLC had made it a compulsory for any worker who would contest for any office in the unions to show evidence of having attended training courses organised by the NLC.

Ugboaja, also said this year’s Harmattan School had been scaled down to exclude participants from other African countries due to paucity of funds resulting from the removal fuel subsidy.

Chairman of the Federal Capital Teritory chapter of the NLC, Stephen Adalo Knabayi, said the theme was apt and timely considering so many happenings in the labour sector that calls for serious evaluation.

The Country Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Vanessa Phala, urged the NLC and other trade unions in the country to take active part in the implementation of the Abidjan Declaration trade unions in partnership with other tripartite partners.

She said the unions were expected to participate in policy dialogue to achieve the priorities identified in the areas such as productivity growth; skills development, formalisation, extension of social protection coverage; addressing gender inequality and discrimination; just transition; decent work and the reduction of inequalities.

Phala, said the NLC had demonstrated commitment and capacity to engage on issues on trade, investments, and decent work in general.

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, will commission the tallest Christmas tree in Africa on Monday, December in Asaba. The tree stands 123 feet tall.

The commissioning is one of the events put together by the organisers of Christmas In Delta, a 45-day Christmas extravaganza that kicked off on Friday, December 1.

In a statement released to LEADERSHIP, the yuletide fiesta is aimed at giving Deltans and visitors alike a Christmas like no other. The Executive Assistant (EA) to the Governor on Culture and Tourism, Dr (Mrs.) Josephine Odunze who embarked on an inspection tour of projects, noted that the initiative aligns with the vision of the state governor, Oborevwori to create a festive atmosphere that captures the spirit of the ‘’Big Heart’’ state.

Odunze said that the commissioning of the giant Christmas tree is part of the 45 days of unforgettable Christmas experiences in the state, even as she commended the governor and the organisers for the event.

‘’People have asked me why the Christmas tree is positioned where it is. I tell them that we cannot be selling Delta to Deltans by positioning the tree in town. We should be marketing Delta to outsiders. It is happening here in Delta State; 45 days of endless fun’’ she said.

In his remark, a member of the organising committee, Fred Onojeta, said that the initiative was to explore the state’s tourism potential, even as he commended the Oborevwori administration for an enabling environment for such enterprises to thrive.

‘’When the team put this event together tagged ‘’Christmas in Delta: 45 Days of Fond Memories served daily’’ it was audacious to put the tallest Christmas tree in Africa here in Asaba. We thought it was impossible’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the EA also visited other sites that will add flavour to the Christmas experience. Sitters visited include the Floating Bar and Water Park at Grand Hotel Asaba and several other facilities located at the Maryam Babangida Leisure Park and Film Village, Asaba.

By Bakare Majeed


Governor Umar Bago of Niger State has signed an executive order for the transition of Niger State into a green economy.

The executive order, titled, “Niger State Green Economy Initiative Order (No.3),” was signed on Wednesday at the commencement of the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting at the Council Chambers, Government House, Minna, the state capital.

This was contained in a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Bologi Ibrahim.

According to the statement, the executive order provides the guidelines for the transition of the state’s economy into a green economy.

“Green economy initiative shall be driven by the state blueprint that details the strategic pillars and outlines the strategic key performance indicators, targets and timelines of the transition into a green economy,” it reads in part.

The order also provides that the “Niger State government shall produce a state-wide land use and economic development plan to guide investment decisions and ensure investments that would stabilise the green transition is properly coordinated and planned.”

The Order further directed all the ministries, departments and agencies of the state to adhere strictly to the initiative as appropriate sanction would be carried out on any violator.

After signing the order, the governor explained that it will ensure effective implementation of the green economy policy.

Mr Bago, a former member of the House of Representatives, has been very keen on the green economy since he emerged as governor.

In October, he held a green economy summit in Niger State to encourage investors to invest in the state.

The governor also recently declared the planting of 10 million trees in six months in the state to stop the impact of climate change and also earn carbon credit.

This latest move by the governor is coming at a time the Conference of Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is in progress in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

President Bola Tinubu and other world leaders are gathered in Dubai to take decisive action on climate commitments to prevent further impacts.

Mr Tinubu, in his budget presentation speech on Wednesday, also highlighted the green economy as one of the major opportunities Nigeria must tap into.

“I have directed relevant government agencies to diligently work towards securing substantial funding commitments that will bolster Nigeria’s energy transition.

“It is imperative that we seize this opportunity to attract international partnerships and investments that align with our national goals,” the president said.

Energy transition and climate financing are the core components of the year’s COP conversations.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, has said that Nigerians are more concerned about the rising food prices and less bothered about the 2024 budget.

According to Rewane, many Nigerians are less interested in the details of the 2024 budget recently presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu but more worried that the rising food prices are making life difficult for them.

Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Business Morning’ show, on Thursday, the respected economist said, “In the end, budgetary arithmetics, budgetary mathematics in economics is of no use to anybody except when by this time, six months, if we are buying rice at N40,000 a bag rather than N60,000 a bag, if we are buying bread N900 a big loaf instead of N1,300 which we are doing today. If we are buying garri at lower prices.

“The people are not interested in whether the budget is balanced and what the debt is. How does it (the budget) affect their day-to-day livelihood? That is the key thing.”

Tinubu, on Wednesday, said his administration is targeting a 3.76 per cent economic growth in the 2024 fiscal year, as he presented the 2024 budget proposal to a joint session of the 10th National Assembly in Abuja — his first since assuming office exactly six months ago.

This was as the president spotlighted national security, local job creation, and poverty reduction as the top priorities of the 2024 Appropriation Bill which he called the ‘Budget of Renewed Hope.’

On the economy, Tinubu argued that a stable macroeconomic environment is crucial in his administration’s quest to catalyse private investment and accelerate economic growth.

According to The PUNCH analysis, funding to the education sector (N2.18 trillion) is 101.85 per cent more than the N1.08 trillion that was budgeted for the sector in the 2023 appropriation, while the health sector was earmarked N1.33 trillion, and N534 billion has been budgeted for social investments and poverty reduction, amongst many others.

However, Rewane said that many people have become more frustrated in the face of the hard economic realities facing the country.

The economist said the high level of poverty is already causing mental health challenges for many people.

He said, “You will notice that on the streets of Lagos in particular, the number of lunatics has increased and part of it is driven by poverty.

We are having “many mental health issues. People are pushed to the wall. Some of them walk across the road even in moving traffic.”

Rewane added, “People need to feel the impact of the budget. the impact is not going to be felt because of 10 or 12 per cent of GDP, that is N27 trillion; it has to be more. Where is the more going to come from?

“It’s going to come from investors and investors are going to come here when they are sure that their money is safe and the environment is clean, and they can look forward to a brighter future.”

He said the government must be honest with Nigerians on the economic realities, noting that people cannot start pretending to be happy.

“You can fake news but you can’t fake prosperity,” Rewane noted.

Sweden fell into a recession in the third quarter as its economy contracted by 0.3 percent and consumers tightened their belts for a fifth straight quarter, Statistics Sweden said Wednesday.

The Scandinavian country is one of the worst economic performers in the European Union, with the European Commission forecasting average growth of 0.6 percent in the EU in 2023.

Sweden’s economy shrank by 0.8 percent in the second quarter. A recession is usually defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction.

“The downturn is mainly explained by a decrease in inventories and reduced household consumption,” the statistics agency said in a statement.

Household consumption shrank by 0.6 percent in the third quarter from the second, while decreased industrial inventories contributed a negative 1.4 percentage points to the economy’s performance.

The country has been struggling with stubbornly high inflation for more than a year as well as a depreciating krona — prompting the central bank to successively raise its key rate to four percent, its highest level in 15 years.

Consumers have been hard hit by the higher prices and interest rates, with many households having mortgages with variable interest rates.

“Household consumption was much weaker than expected and posted a negative contribution to GDP for the fifth consecutive quarter, which is in line with the previous longest decline from 1992-93,” Swedish bank Swedbank said in an analyst note.

Exports were however up by a solid 1.4 percent from the previous quarter, with net exports contributing positively to GDP by 1.5 percentage points.

Compared with the third quarter of 2022, the economy shrank by 1.4 percent, Statistics Sweden said.

“Overall … the outcome confirms a weak development in the Swedish economy,” Swedbank said.

The government recently expressed concern over the country’s “prolonged economic winter”, as unemployment rose to 7.7 percent in the third quarter.

The government forecasts a contraction of 0.8 percent for 2023 as a whole.

Cross River State governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has inaugurated a new aircraft in the fleet of the state-owned Cally Air, with a promise to add three additional aircraft as the airline resumed flight services at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar.

Inaugurating the Boeing 737 with Registration No. 5N BYR, Tuesday, at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, the governor said: “We have about three aircrafts that would be joining the fleet in no distant time. Calabar has been an international airport and we want to raise it to that standard,” a statement by his chief press secretary, Emmanuel Ogbeche, stated.

According to the statement, Governor Otu commended his predecessor, Senator Ben Ayade, for initiating Cally Air and putting Cross River on the aviation map, saying with the 32-day non-stop fun to begin on November 30, 2023, the two planes would be flying the Lagos-Abuja-Calabar route twice a day.

The governor used the event to commend aviation authorities for installing night landing systems, expressing the hope that the airport would soon be operating optimally.

“Permit me to thank the Ministry of Aviation and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for making it possible that flights, very soon, would be landing here till 9pm. The lighting is being restored and the airport is returning to total functionality to exist as an international airport,” he said.

The governor used the opportunity to also welcome tourists to the state for the 2023 Carnival Calabar International Festival and called on them to explore the option of Cally Air as they visit for business and other recreational activities.

“I want to thank Aero Contractors, our partners, in this business. We have agreed to build even stronger and to make sure that this partnership becomes a very viable business for the state,” Otu said.

In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, commended the governor for midwifing the return of services of the two aircraft to Calabar, while describing the Governor Otu-led administration as one “poised to repositioning Cross River into an economically viable state.”

He called on air travellers to embrace Aero Cally as the state-owned aircraft operate the most pocket-friendly fares in Nigeria.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Aviation, Captain Eno Inah, expressed delight at the return of Cally Air services to Calabar, adding that the development has brought the needed relief to a lot of those looking forward to Africa’s biggest street party – Carnival Calabar International Festival.

He said with three additional aircraft to be added to the Cally Air fleet, Cross River State was primed for robust aviation business.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has told President Bola Tinubu not to allow his cabinet members travel when they are expected to defend the 2024 budget at the National Assembly.

He said this when the president presented N27.5trn budget proposal before a joint session of the National Assembly, on Wednesday.

Tinubu had appealed to the lawmakers to pass the budget within 30 days.

Responding, the senate president said the lawmakers will, on Thursday and Friday, consider the 2024 budget for first and second readings and then adjourn plenary till December 12 for budget defence with MDAs.

He assured President Tinubu that the budget proposals will be diligently considered accordingly.

He therefore urged ministers and the heads of government agencies to shun travelling engagements during the budget scrutiny.

Akpabio said, “We assure you that the proposals you have come to present will be diligently considered accordingly.

“We approach this moment with a sense of duty, unity, and purpose. To ensure maximum attention to the review of the Year 2023 Budget performance and the consideration of the Year 2024 Budget Proposal, we request that Mr President would mandate Honorable Ministers and Heads of Agencies to avoid any travelling engagements that would prevent them from honoring our invitation to promptly appear before our committees to defend their budget estimates.

“As we embark on the journey of reviewing the 2024 budget, let us remember that our actions today will shape the future of our nation. Together, let us work towards a budget that reflects the aspirations and dreams of every Nigerian citizen for a greater country.”

The Nigerian Senate has invited 15 companies including Dangote Oil Refinery, NIPCO Gas Limited and NIPCO Plc to explain how they spent over N120billion intervention fund disbursed to them by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The Senate in a memo to the companies, signed by Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe, Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, and obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday, said the companies are beneficiaries of the disbursement from the Nigeria Gas Expansion Program (NGEP) Intervention Fund by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The invitation said they must appear on Thursday, November 30, at a meeting room in the National Assembly complex.

The memo read, “The following Companies who are Beneficiaries of the Disbursement from the Nigeria Gas Expansion Program (NGEP) Intervention Fund by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are Invited to an Investigative Hearing with the Senate Committee on Gas;
COMPANY

1. NIPCO GAS LTD – N25billion
2 NIPCO PLC – N5billion
3. HYDE ENERGY LTD – N2billion
4. LEE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY – N15billion
5 PINNACLE OIL AND GAS FZE – N10billion
6. TRANSIT GAS LIMITED – N8billion
7. ALMALGAMATED OIL COMPANY NIG, LTD (AMOCON) – N5billion
8 GAS NEXUS LTD – N10billion
9. FIRST MODULAR GAS SYSTEMS LIMITED – N4.3billion
10 NOVAGAS LIMITED – N1billion
11. GREENVILLE LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS COMPANY – N10billion
12. AP LPG LIMITED – N8billion
13 DANGOTE OIL REFINERY – N5billion
14. DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT – N20billion
15. MOB INTEGRATED SERVICES LIMITED – N2.5billion

“The invited Companies are required to appear with their Progress Reports stating Location of Projects and the Current Status of the Projects. The meeting is scheduled as follows; Date: Thursday, 30th November, 2023; Time: 2:00pm; Meeting Room 107, New Senate Building, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.


“Venue: Accept the assurances of my highest regards.”

In a recent related development, SaharaReporters had on November 23 reported that the Senate committee probing the rehabilitation of the country’s four refineries threatened to demand for dismissal and trial of senior officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, (NNPCL) and other relevant agencies for shunning its invitation.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Isa Jibrin, had issued a threat following the failure of the senior executives of the NNPCL and other agencies to appear before it.

The agencies, he said, were those involved in the Turn-Around Maintenance (TAM) projects of refineries.

Some of the agencies whose chief executive officers failed to turn up at the session but sent representatives included NNPCL; Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and others, Daily Trust reports.

The senator noted that from 2010 till date, over N12 trillion had been spent on the rehabilitation of the refineries, yet none of them was functional.
He said, “We will ask for a refund and dismissal of all the chief executives involved in the Turn Around Maintenance.”

Jibrin said that for weeks, they had been asking for documents, which had not been given by the oil companies, a development that created suspicion.

“We sent them an invitation more than two weeks ago requesting for documents and the documents have not been released after two weeks. So, we want the chief executives to be present.

“More worrisome is that between 2010 and 2020, the sum of N4.8 trillion was said to have been spent as operational expenses.

“How do you incur operational expenses that have to do with purchase of raw materials and similar expenses on factories that are moribund? How do we come about operational expenses? We need to know.

“These are issues that Nigerians want to know; they want solutions to all these leakages. We know they are leakages. Whether you accept it or not they are leakages and they are all forms of compromise within your various establishments.

“We know and we will not hesitate to escalate it to the highest possible level, including the possibility of refund and outright dismissal of some of the heads of some of these agencies and possibly go to jail,” he had said.

There is no respite in sight for university workers under the umbrella of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, who are agitating for the release of their withheld salaries resulting from last year’s industrial action.

DAILY POST reports that the union last week lost its suit against the federal government over the salaries withheld for the period they were on strike in 2022.

The development came after the National Industrial Court, NIC, dismissed the case filed by ASUU against the Minister of Labour and Employment and the Accountant General of the Federation.

ASUU was on strike which lasted for eight months in 2022 over issues revolving around revitalisation of public universities and a review of lecturers’ salaries and allowances, among other matters.

After several meetings and efforts to resolve the strike ended inconclusively, the federal government headed to the National Industrial Court to challenge the union’s action.

In its ruling, the industrial court granted the federal government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike pending the determination of the substantive suit.

However, early in November last year, when they returned to work, the members of the union were bewildered following the payment of half salaries for only 18 working days in October to its members by the federal government.

The development followed the federal government’s insistence on implementing the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy when the university workers were away from their duty posts.

The then Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had said that the lecturers were paid in pro rata for the number of days they worked, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action.

The National Industrial Court further upheld the no work, no pay rule when it ruled in the suit filed by the federal government against the ASUU.

The union had demanded salaries of members from February 14 to October 7, 2022, when the strike was called off.

But according to the court, it was within the right of the federal government to withhold salaries of workers who embark on industrial action.

In June this year, ASUU filed a separate lawsuit against the federal government over what it described as discriminatory, unfair and illegal treatment of its members.

The suit was filed by Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, on behalf of ASUU.

The union asked the court to determine whether having paid the salaries of members of the Joint Staff Union, National Association of Resident Doctors and lecturers in the Medical Facilities/Medical and Dental Academic of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Anambra State during the period of industrial actions, the decision of the defendants to withhold the salaries of the members of the claimant from February to October 2022 was not discriminatory and illegal.

The union also wanted the court to determine “whether the members of ASUU were not entitled to payment of their salaries for the months of February to October 2022, of which their members were on strike.

While ruling on the matter last week, the President of the NIC, Hon. Justice Benedict Kanyip, dismissed the case on the basis that it was an abuse of court process, frivolous and vexatious.

Justice Kanyip also awarded the sum of five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000) payable by ASUU to the Attorney-General of the Federation within 30 days.

“This stance is further reinforced when the supporting affidavit of the instant suit is considered. In paragraphs 6 to 12 and 15 of the affidavit in support of the instant suit, the Claimant recounted what constitutes the work of a lecturer, how the strike it embarked upon does not abrogate the responsibilities of its members as lecturers, how, despite that the defendants refused to pay its members their salaries for the period of the strike, how the strike continued thereby, how the teaching job component of their job was only restored upon the orders of this Court and the Court of Appeal, etc. These were matters ASUU ought to have canvassed in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/270/2022 if they had filed their defence processes. But ASUU ‘strategically’ chose not to.

“ASUU accordingly has itself to blame for all these ‘strategic’ blunders. It cannot, by the instant suit, re-litigate a suit it deliberately refused to file a defence to. To do so would be re-litigation through the backdoor. I so hold,” the court ruled.

Recall that before the court judgement, President Bola Tinubu had last month approved the partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order against ASUU members.

According to the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu approved the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding establishing that the exceptional waiver granted by the President would be the last one to be granted to ASUU and all other education sector unions.

Ajuri said the waiver would allow for the previously striking members of ASUU to receive four months of salary accruals out of the eight months of salary which was withheld during the eight-month industrial action undertaken by the union.

He said Tinubu invoked the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, seeking to “mitigate the difficulties being felt during the implementation of key economic reforms in the country, as well as his recognition of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the deliberations between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria”.

Findings by DAILY POST indicated that the union was not amenable to the condition attached to its members receiving the four months of salary accruals out of the eight months of salary.

A top official of the union told DAILY POST that signing the agreement would amount to ‘slavery.’

He said the union would never relinquish its rights because of the withheld salaries.

Speaking to DAILY POST about the matter, the ASUU UNN branch chairman, Comrade Nobert Oyibo Eze said the government was yet to reach out to the union concerning the eight months’ backlog of salaries – a fallout from last year’s strike.

He also said that the national body of ASUU has not come out with any statement on the recent court pronouncement on the matter.

Eze said that the leaders must consider the interest of the people for things to work well in the country.

He further warned that ‘‘it is going to be worse for this country if the courts are no longer doing what is proper’’.

He said, ‘‘As far as the idea of four months salary and signing documents are concerned, ASUU has not received any official communication from the government. And the truth of the matter is that we have done the work. And you cannot deny us our salaries after we have done the work.

‘‘You see, the problem with the Nigerian system is that we have a political class that is hypocritical, that is self-centred and extremely wicked.

“Why would they want to answer a doctor and a professor and claim they have attended university, which they did not? They claim all sorts of titles from the educational sector, they want to be doctor, professor; they want to claim they have the degrees. So, education is good to them but they cannot fund it in this country. What exactly is the government of this country doing?

“Recently, it was reported all over the place about the N160 million they appropriated to each one of the members of the National Assembly to buy bulletproof vehicles. So, they are the only ones to be secured.

‘‘The major salary they are paying the workers, they cannot pay it. Whenever it comes to their own, there would be money.

“I read somewhere two days ago about how N104 billion was sandwiched, smuggled into the budget as an end of the year parting gift, where a senator will take N300 million and a member of the House will take N200 million.

“Whenever it comes to their own needs, there would be money. But when it comes to taking care of the workers who generate this money, they will be talking about empty treasury. Are they talking to kids?

‘‘President Tinubu said during his campaign that if he becomes the president of this country, he will make sure that he stops strikes in the university by ensuring that whatever the universities need to be functional that he provides them.

“Since he took over as the President, has he called the members of the union to dialogue? Why do we have this type of system where the people, the masses who are working are being crushed?

“Today, we are buying a litre of fuel at N700, how much is our salary? A professor’s salary cannot feed him summarily for two weeks.

‘‘I want to tell them that if they want things to work in this country, they must consider the people. If all of us die, who are they going to govern?

“Why is it that our political class is self-centred? Other governments are pumping money into the system to have a state-of-art-university. Here in Nigeria, they are busy proliferating universities, which they don’t fund. The health sector is sick.

“I’m saying, unless they pay those salaries, things will not work well in the universities. And they are even using the eight months salaries, which we have worked for as a cover because the major issues why we went on strike, nobody talks about it anymore.

“We went on strike because our take-home-package can no longer take us home. This salary we are receiving today, they were negotiated and effected in 2009. What is the exchange rate now compared to 2009?

“What is a professor in Nigeria earning when you convert the dollars to naira? It is a shame that our people go to places where things work, they send their children overseas to study because things are working well there.

‘‘Why is it that the people who are now in government, those who went to the university, who enjoyed bursary award, free education, federal scholarship cannot even give scholarships, cannot even pay salaries?

“All over the place, the primary and secondary schools are crying. Then come to the universities, colleges of education and polytechnics.

‘‘Nobody is enjoying the strike. If they uplift the system, strike will stop. As long as they continue to play politics, we will continue to go on strike.”

When asked to comment on the court judgement, he said, ‘‘The courts are no longer the hope of common persons. I cannot address that issue because the national body has not come out with any statement.

“You see, they are using courts to do whatever things they want to do. The court is not helping the situation. Nigerian people don’t believe in court any more.

“It is going to be worse for this country when the courts are no longer doing what is proper; nobody will be interested in going to court.

‘‘We did our work. There is no question…Are they saying we did not work?

“After the strike, we went back and made sure that every lacuna was closed up. JAMB has continued to admit people because we are teaching.

Hamas fighters on Saturday released a second group of 13 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, freeing for the first time one of the people snatched during their bloody assault on a music festival.

The hostage-for-prisoner exchange had been delayed for hours in a heart-stopping development when Hamas accused Israel of breaching its side of the agreement, struck as part of a four-day ceasefire which is already past its mid-point.

But after the intervention of Qatari and Egyptian mediators and reassurances from Israel, Hamas agreed to proceed, releasing 13 Israelis and four Thai hostages in a late-night operation.

Israel in turn freed 39 Palestinian prisoners, officials said.

Red Cross minibuses could be seen ferrying the hostages late at night through Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt ahead of their transfer to Israel, AFP photo and video images showed.

Among the freed Israelis was 21-year-old Maya Regev, kidnapped by Hamas in their deadly October 7 assault on the Supernova desert rave, according to a forum of the hostages’ families.

Maya Regev and her 18-year-old brother Itay, who was also snatched by Hamas during the festival, were later shown tied up in the back of a pick-up truck in a video posted on social media.

“I am so excited and happy that Maya is on her way to us now. Nonetheless, my heart is split because my son Itay is still in Hamas captivity in Gaza,” her mother Mirit said in a statement released by the hostage families’ forum.

The family of freed nine-year-old hostage Emily Hand said they were “overjoyed” to embrace her again.

“We can’t find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days,” they said in a statement via the forum.

Prison authorities in Israel said they in turn released 39 Palestinian detainees including 38-year-old Israa Jaabis, sentenced to 11 years in jail for detonating a gas cylinder at a checkpoint in 2015.

The handover of Hamas hostages came hours later than expected after the militant group said Israel was interfering in the selection of prisoners for release and was not allowing aid to reach civilians in northern Gaza.


– Nine-year-old boy hugs father –

Hamas later said it had “responded positively” to Egyptian and Qatari mediators, after they relayed a promise by Israel to “uphold all the conditions of the accord”.

Israeli officials denied any breach of the terms of the pause.

Saturday’s exchange followed an initial swap on Friday when Hamas released 13 Israelis, all of them women and children.

Ten Thais and one Filipino were also unexpectedly freed by Hamas.

Israel in turn released 39 Palestinian women and children from its prisons under an agreement that mandates exchanges at a ratio of three to one.

Israeli hostages who were let go in the initial swap reunited with their families in touching scenes.

Nine-year-old boy Otah, wearing glasses and carrying a stuffed toy, rounded the corner of a hospital near Tel Aviv and broke into a run, hurling himself into the arms of his father, video images showed.

The boy, his mother and grandmother were among those released in the first exchange Friday.

On the same day in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, fireworks exploded and crowds filled the streets to welcome the first release of Palestinian prisoners.

“I was just waiting for the day I would be released from prison so I could hug my mother like this,” said Rawan Abu Matar, who served eight years for attempting to stab an Israeli soldier.

Hamas is expected to free a total of 50 hostages during the truce in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners, under an agreement brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.


– Aid trucks enter Gaza –

Its fighters snatched around 240 people when they broke through Gaza’s militarised border with Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 Israelis and foreigners, according to Israeli authorities.

Following the deadliest attack in its history, Israel launched an air, artillery and naval bombardment alongside a ground offensive to destroy Hamas, killing nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians and including thousands of children, according to the Hamas government in Gaza.

The pause in fighting in Gaza opened the way for more aid to Palestinians struggling to survive with shortages of water and other essentials. Israel had placed Gaza under near-total siege.

A total of 61 trucks delivered food, water and humanitarian aid via a “humanitarian passageway” to northern Gaza on Saturday, the United Nations office for humanitarian affairs said.

Another 187 trucks of vital supplies had been sent separately to aid organisations operating in the Gaza Strip, it said.

The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said that in “several reported incidents” on Friday, “Israeli forces opened fire and threw teargas canisters at people heading northwards; at least one person was reportedly killed, and dozens injured.”

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said seven people had been wounded in similar incidents on Saturday.

Egypt said that it had received positive feedback from both sides about the idea of extending the truce for a day or two and releasing more hostages and prisoners.

“It’s only a start, but so far it’s gone well,” US President Joe Biden told reporters Friday, adding “the chances are real” for extending the truce.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi called for “a permanent ceasefire and a complete end to this aggression”.

But Israeli armed forces chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi insisted Saturday that the war to eliminate Hamas would resume as soon as the pause in fighting ends.

“We will return immediately at the end of the ceasefire to attack Gaza,” Halevi said.


– ‘They destroyed our houses’ –

“We will also do this in order to dismantle Hamas, also to create a great deal of pressure to return as quickly as possible and as many abductees as possible, every last one of them,” he added.

The UN estimates that 1.7 million of Gaza’s 2.4 million people have been displaced by the fighting.

Since the truce, thousands have been returning to what is left of their homes.

“We are civilians,” said Mahmud Masood, standing in front of flattened buildings in Jabalia, northern Gaza. “Why have they destroyed our houses?”

A woman sat on top of a mound of debris with her head in her hands, crying.

In southern Gaza, AFPTV drone images showed people walking or riding in donkey carts along paths cleared through piles of rubble.

Terrorists operating in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Friday abducted more than 100 residents in separate but coordinated attacks in several villages over the failure of the villagers to pay a N110 million protection levy.

The terrorists that carried out the attack are believed to be loyal to a terror kingpin, Damina, who operates around the Dansadau axis of the state.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that those abducted were from Mutunji, Unguwar Kawo, Kwantar Dutsi and Sabon Garin Mahuta.

A local source told BBC Hausa that Mr Damina led a gang of terrorists on motorcycles and surrounded the community a few minutes after the dusk prayer at 8:00 p.m.

“We were sitting in a place called Yar Kasuwa after the Isha’i prayers when the terrorists stormed the community. They surrounded the community while others drove into the community centre. We began running but it was already too late. They matched people into the forest,” he said.

Men, women and children were abducted, he said.

Unknown to the residents of Mutunji, other neighbouring communities were being raided at the time.

“They also attacked other communities including Unguwar Kawo, Kwanar Dutsi and Sabon Garin Mahuta and took away several people. We’ve at least 100 people taken. We’re still counting to ascertain the true number of those taken,” another source said.


Compensation levy

The source said Mr Damina attacked Mutunji because the village failed to give him N50 million he asked them to pay as compensation for “informing soldiers” of the terrorists’ movements.

Mr Damina gave the residents a week to gather the money but the source said they couldn’t gather it.

“We were trying to gather the money reaching out to people when he (Mr Damina) decided to strike.

“He had also imposed such levy on the other communities. Kwana residents were asked to pay N30 million, people of Sabon Garin Mahuta were asked to gather N20 million while residents of Unguwar Kawo were asked to pay N10 million,” he said.

The police spokesperson in the state, Yazid Abubakar, did not respond to calls and SMS sent to him on the attack.

The North-west subregion has been battling terrorists, also called bandits, for over a decade.

The terrorists have killed and abducted thousands of people and tens of thousands of others have been displaced in the region.

The terrorists primarily target schools, religious houses, travellers and rural communities.

The senator noted that from 2010 till date, over N12 trillion had been spent on the rehabilitation of the refineries, yet none of them was functional.

The Senate committee probing the rehabilitation of the country’s four refineries has threatened to demand for dismissal and trial of senior officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, (NNPCL) and other relevant agencies for shunning its invitation.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Isa Jibrin on Wednesday issued a threat following the failure of the senior executives of the NNPCL and other agencies to appear before it.

The agencies, he said, were those involved in the Turn-Around Maintenance (TAM) projects of refineries.

Some of the agencies whose chief executive officers failed to turn up at the session but sent representatives included NNPCL; Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and others, Daily Trust reports.

The senator noted that from 2010 till date, over N12 trillion had been spent on the rehabilitation of the refineries, yet none of them was functional.

He said, “We will ask for a refund and dismissal of all the chief executives involved in the Turn Around Maintenance.”

Jibrin said that for weeks, they had been asking for documents, which had not been given by the oil companies, a development that created suspicion.

“We sent them an invitation more than two weeks ago requesting for documents and the documents have not been released after two weeks. So, we want the chief executives to be present.

“More worrisome is that between 2010 and 2020, the sum of N4.8 trillion was said to have been spent as operational expenses.

“How do you incur operational expenses that have to do with purchase of raw materials and similar expenses on factories that are moribund? How do we come about operational expenses? We need to know.

“These are issues that Nigerians want to know; they want solutions to all these leakages. We know they are leakages. Whether you accept it or not they are leakages and they are all forms of compromise within your various establishments.

“We know and we will not hesitate to escalate it to the highest possible level, including the possibility of refund and outright dismissal of some of the heads of some of these agencies and possibly go to jail,” he said.

The naira fell, on Thursday, to N956/$ on the official Investor and Exporter forex window as dollar supply declined by 46.77 per cent.

This is a 13.78 per cent decline from the N840.53/$ the naira closed trading on Wednesday according to data from the FMDQ Securities Exchange. Also, the turnover of dollars traded in the market fell to $105.50m from $198.21m on Wednesday.

The naira began trading at N800.90/$ for the day before hitting a high of N1136/$ and N615/$ within the day. It eventually closed trading at N956.33/$.

The instability of the naira has persisted despite recent moves by the Central Bank to clear the backlog of foreign exchange forward contracts. The naira is one of the worst-performing currencies in the world, losing about 40 per cent of its value since June, the World Bank recently disclosed.

Recently, the Economic Intelligence Unit, the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, disclosed that the CBN does not have the required firepower to clear the backlog of foreign exchange orders. This is expected to continue to put pressure on the naira.

It stated, “In Nigeria, an unsupportive monetary policy implies that the naira will remain under pressure, while the central bank lacks the firepower to adequately supply the market or clear a backlog of foreign exchange orders, which will keep foreign investors unnerved. High inflation and a continued spread with the parallel market will leave the exchange rate regime unstable and result in periodic devaluations.

Wole Olanipekun, counsel to Abba Yusuf, Kano governor, says the court of appeal does not have the jurisdiction to correct the errors made in the recently delivered judgment on the Kano governorship election dispute.

The appellate court in Abuja had on Friday affirmed the verdict of the Kano state governorship election petition tribunal which sacked Abba Yusuf, candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

However, the certified true copy of the judgment contained contradictory resolutions, with the judge ruling in favour of and against the governor in the document.

Addressing the situation, Umar Bangari, chief registrar of the court of appeal, said the discrepancy was a clerical error that did not affect the court’s decision.

Bangari said Order 23, Rule 4 of the court of appeal handbook “empowers the court to correct any clerical error once detected by the court or any of the parties in the matter”.

Responding in a letter addressed to the court on Thursday, Olanipekun said the 60-day timeline allowed to hear and dispose of an appeal expired on November 18.

“Assuming without conceding that the judgment has some errors, whether typographical or otherwise, we humbly and dutifully draw your attention to the fact that the court of appeal became functus officio in the matter on Saturday, November 18, 2023,” the letter reads.

“Any application for correction of errors can only be entertained by the supreme court. Section 285(7) of the Constitution earlier referred to becomes very handy and imperative to the effect that the court of appeal cannot take any further step in the appeal or subject after the expiration of sixty (60) days.”

Reacting to Bangari’s statement that parties should file a formal application for correction, the senior advocate said: “We are not aware that any of the parties has filed any application to correct any error.

“Even at that, judicial precedents are countless as to the procedure to follow, and which court has jurisdiction to take such an application, after the expiration of the sixty (60) days mandatorily benchmarked by the constitution.”

“Today is the seventh day, effective from Friday, November 17, 2023, since the delivery of the judgment of the court of appeal.

“We repeat that, out of the fourteen days mandatorily prescribed for our client to file his notice and grounds of appeal to the supreme court, he is left with just seven (7) days; and it is only fair that he should be allowed to exercise his constitutional right of appeal without any inhibition, within the fraction of days left for him.

“We reiterate that this response has been borne out of a compelling duty and responsibility to the administration of justice, and, as counsel, it is our responsibility to draw attention to these salient statutory imperatives.”