₦airaland Forum

Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state, says he has been told that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will come knocking when his tenure elapses next week.

Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will be handing over to Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on November 12.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, during the EdoBEST National Results-Sharing Session, ThisDay reports Obaseki as saying that he would spend his time in EFCC custody doing some research.

“I hear that the EFCC will pick me next week after my tenure. Wherever they keep me, I’ll spend time doing research,” he said.

Obaseki, who has served as Edo governor since 2016, said he has left a legacy in the state.

“There are many things we have done that can be described as legacy projects,” he added.

“I believe in Edo state. One of the things that will last for a very long time to come is the fact that we were able to focus on Edo people and the things that matter to them, reform and implement those things.”

Obaseki said he is being hounded by a “cruel and wicked” opposition in the state, adding that he would gladly hand himself over to the anti-graft agency when the operatives come calling.

“Why should I have fears? I just focused on what I believe in and today, you can see what has been achieved. What happens after that is not up to me,” the outgoing governor said.

“They can continue with their political witch-hunt and do all they can to hurt me, that’s their problem.

“I’m not afraid, I’m not worried. They have written all sorts of silly petitions against me and that’s part of the challenge. In fact, I can even hand myself over, and if they call me, I don’t have anything to hide.

“You know how this country is, it is all about bitterness, it is all about vendetta, wickedness.

“People who have opposed me in Edo state are cruel, very wicked people, very jealous and envious and this is because they cannot show as much as the achievements we have made in the past eight years.

“But what is important to us is to focus on our people in order to make Nigeria better because the suffering is too much.

“We have the advantage and privilege to make things happen. So, we should focus on issues and not on vendetta.”

On September 22, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Okpebholo winner of the Edo governorship election with 291,667 votes.

Asue Ighodalo of the PDP and Obaseki’s preferred candidate, polled second with 247,274 votes.

Ighodalo has promised to challenge the outcome of the election in court.

Vitol Group, Trafigura Group and BP Plc are the dominant buyers of fuels from Nigeria’s giant new Dangote oil refinery near Lagos that’s reshaping petroleum trading in Africa and Europe, Bloomberg reported yesterday.

The trio have accounted for the vast majority of the plant’s shipments since flows began ratcheting up around the middle of this year, according to data from Precise Intelligence, a new oil-and-gas trading analytics firm based in Geneva.

Once it’s fully up and running, Dangote should be able to process about 650,000 barrels a day of crude into products including gasoline and diesel.

That will far exceed the fuel-making capacity of any single plant in Europe or Africa, helping to reshape the regions’ oil and fuel trading. The emergence of Dangote has already trimmed a glut of Nigerian crude, it said.

Since starting up, the refinery has loaded almost 6 million tons of fuel, Precise’s data showed. That’s equivalent to almost 45 million barrels. Loading rates averaged about 35,000 tons a day in October, its data added.

Dangote itself said late last month that the refinery had reached processing rates of about 420,000 barrels a day of crude. The plant is also selling into the Nigerian market.

Vitol and Trafigura declined to comment. Dangote and BP didn’t respond to requests to comment, Bloomberg stressed.


The composition of fuel cargoes loading from Dangote is closely watched because it offers clues into where the refinery is at in terms of starting up different processing units.

Precise’s figures show that automotive gasoil — diesel — is the biggest cargo type being lifted, followed by fuel oil. Together, they account for more than 60 per cent of what’s being collected from the plant. Other fuels include gasoline or petrol and jet fuel.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has highlighted Africa’s pivotal role in defining its own energy future.

Speaking on the topic: “Global Energy Security: The Imperative of Africa’s Energy Development,” at the opening panel of Africa Energy Week (AEW), he asserted that African-led initiatives are essential for achieving true energy security across the continent.

The minister stressed the importance of Africa shaping its own energy policies and priorities, free from external pressures to conform to global energy transitions at the expense of its own urgent needs, the statement added.

“Africa cannot be compelled to undergo a rushed energy transition dictated by external trends. Our path will be one we chart ourselves, with a focused effort to first address the continent’s immediate energy challenges,” he argued.

The minister noted that Africa holds approximately 12 per cent of the world’s oil reserves and 7 per cent of its natural gas, yet over 600 million Africans lack access to electricity.

He emphasised Africa’s dual role in both powering industrial growth and alleviating energy poverty, stressing that the continent’s energy wealth must benefit its own people first.

To support this vision, Lokpobiri spotlighted the recent establishment of the Africa Energy Bank (AEB), an institution created to provide funding that aligns with Africa’s specific energy needs.

With the bank headquartered in Nigeria, African nations, he said, now have a unique mechanism to secure financing for energy projects tailored to their developmental goals, reducing dependency on foreign financing.

Global energy trends, he noted, present substantial investment opportunities for Nigeria and Africa at large.

“We invite global investors to consider the vast potential within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector,” Lokpobiri said, outlining lucrative prospects in upstream exploration, midstream infrastructure development, and downstream facilities.

By investing in these areas, he suggested that partners can support Nigeria’s energy transformation goals, stimulate job creation, and promote sustainable growth.

The minister commended APPO’s collaborative approach, which aims to foster a resilient, self-sufficient African energy sector.

He expressed confidence that Africa, with its abundant oil, gas, and renewable resources, is well-positioned to become a green energy hub.

With Africa’s vast solar, wind, and hydro resources, the continent, he said, has the potential to power not only its local markets but also to contribute to global energy stability.

“Africa can lead in renewable energy while also responsibly managing its oil and gas resources,” he affirmed.

Lokpobiri urged African governments and private sector players to capitalise on the current global energy trends and embrace the vast investment opportunities they bring.

He emphasised the need for a unified regulatory framework that would facilitate cross-border energy projects and strengthen investor confidence.

“Africa is poised to build a secure, sustainable, and prosperous future. To our global partners and investors, I extend an open invitation: join us in shaping the energy future of tomorrow,” he said.

The Federal Government has revealed plans to provide Nigerians with at least 20 hours of daily electricity by 2027.

However, it has conditioned this target on sufficient investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, which it has said is currently far below expectations.

The Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, made this statement at the Energy Week in Cape Town, South Africa, in a release by the State House Director of Information and Publicity, Abiodun Oladunjoye, on Thursday.

“By 2027, Nigeria aims to ensure 20 hours of electricity daily for consumers in urban areas and industrial hubs,” Verheijen said.

The statement is titled, ‘At African Energy Week in Cape Town, Olu Verheijen Invites Global Players to Invest in Nigeria’s Energy Sector.’

Verheijen’s comments come amid the frequent collapse of Nigeria’s national power grid, which has led to widespread blackouts across the country.

The grid collapsed on Tuesday, marking the 10th such incident since January 2024. The Federal Government has attributed these recurring collapses to ageing infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, and insufficient investment in the power sector.

Despite having an installed capacity of approximately 12,500 megawatts, Nigeria often generates only a fraction of this, leaving many areas without reliable electricity.

At the Energy Week, Verheijen told participants about efforts by the Tinubu administration to revitalise the nation’s power sector, with plans to provide more reliable electricity access for the 86 million Nigerians currently underserved.

She said the scheme aims to improve revenue assurance and collection.
Other key measures include tackling legacy debt, deploying seven million smart meters to reduce losses, and expanding off-grid solutions for remote communities.

Highlighting recent macroeconomic reforms, such as the removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign exchange liberalisation, she expressed confidence that Nigeria is poised for unprecedented growth.

“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria is championing reforms to unlock its vast economic potential and create jobs,” she said, inviting foreign partners to participate in Nigeria’s next chapter of growth.

While discussing the recent reforms implemented by President Bola
Tinubu’s administration to attract investment, Verheijen noted that the country has historically underperformed in oil and gas production despite its wealth in the sector.

She referenced how countries like Brazil, which have only 30 per cent of Nigeria’s oil reserves, have outperformed Nigeria by producing 131 per cent more than the country’s current output.

“Despite our abundant resources, we have underperformed against our potential. For example, Brazil holds only 30 per cent of Nigeria’s oil reserves but produces 131 per cent more. This is largely due to under-investment,” she said.

She lamented that since 2016, Nigeria has attracted only 4 per cent of African oil and gas investments, while investment has surged in other, less resource-rich nations.

“Since 2016, Nigeria has managed to attract only 4 per cent of total investments in oil and gas, while less-resourced countries in Africa have enjoyed a larger share.

“When we analysed investment data, we also found that, between 2013, when Nigeria’s last deepwater project reached FID, and now, International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria have committed more than $82bn in deepwater investments in other countries they deemed to be more attractive destinations for their capital,” she told the audience.

Recognising this trend, the presidential aide highlighted efforts by President Tinubu’s administration to enact reforms aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s investment landscape.

She cited the government’s introduction of fiscal incentives targeting deep offshore and non-associated gas projects, marking the first time Nigeria has outlined a fiscal framework specifically for deepwater gas.

In efforts to enhance the upstream oil and gas sector, she said her office has collaborated closely with the office of the National Security Adviser to create and distribute focused Security Directives, leveraging insights gathered from on-the-ground operators.

Furthermore, Verheijen revealed steps to streamline approval processes by clearly defining the regulatory scopes involved.

This initiative, she said, aims to significantly reduce the extended project timelines that have historically plagued the industry, as well as the high-cost premiums associated with operating in Nigeria.

“Our target is to shorten the contracting timelines from an extensive 38 months to just 135 days, while also working to eliminate the 40 per cent cost premium that currently exists within the Nigerian petroleum industry,” she added.

The presidential aide also revealed efforts by the current President Tinubu administration to further open up the oil and gas sector for larger investments with a set of clear fiscal incentives for non-associated gas and deep offshore oil and gas exploration and production.

“This is the first time that Nigeria is outlining a fiscal framework for deepwater gas since exploration in the basin commenced in 1991,” she said.

According to her, amongst other initiatives, there has been a focus on midstream and downstream investments in compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and electric vehicles as part of the Presidential Gas for Growth Initiative.

She added that the administration has also worked to streamline regulatory processes, shorten project timelines, and reduce the high-cost premium of operating in Nigeria.

“We have also introduced fiscal incentives to catalyse investments in the midstream and downstream sectors, including compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and mini-liquefied natural gas.

“These align with the broader Presidential Gas for Growth Initiative, which seeks to enable the displacement of PMS and diesel in three key sectors: heavy transport, decentralised power generation, and cooking. These incentives are also stimulating demand for electric vehicles.

“Our goal is to eliminate the 40 per cent cost premium within the Nigerian petroleum industry and cut down contracting timelines from 38 months to 135 days,” Verheijen stated.

She said the government has unlocked over $1bn across the energy value chain, with two more major investment projects expected by mid-2025.

“We are also facilitating the transfer of onshore and shallow water assets to local companies with the capacity to grow production while supporting the transition of International Oil Companies with resilient capital into deep offshore and integrated gas.

“We have unlocked over $1 billion in investments across the value chain and by the middle of 2025, we expect to see FID on two more projects, including a multibillion-dollar deepwater exploration project, which will be the first of its kind in Nigeria in over a decade – one of many to come,” Verheijen explained.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, approved a minimum wage of ₦80,000 for the state workforce.

In a statement released by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, in Ibadan, the state capital, it was revealed that the Technical Committee set up by the state government had recommended and obtained approval from Makinde for the implementation of the new salary scale.

Oyelade said, “This new scale will be implemented as soon as the consequential adjustments process is completed by the committee, which comprises both government and Labour top officials.”

Oyelade recalled that, only last month, a federal government agency, the National Bureau of Statistics, in its latest employment statistics published for 2024, rated the state as the most worker-friendly in the whole of Southern Nigeria due to a significant decline in the state’s unemployment rate, following the high-pitched employment of workers into various sectors of the state.

“The Oyo State Government has been paying workers’ salaries on the 25th of every month since Governor Makinde took office in 2019.

“The governor began paying the previous ₦30,000 minimum wage from the start of his tenure over four years ago, including consistent payments of pensions, gratuities, and a 13th-month salary for both workers and pensioners alike.

“Since November 2023, Governor Makinde has been paying ₦25,000 to workers and ₦15,000 to pensioners as a welfare wage award. The Makinde administration introduced the wage award to cushion the effects of the Federal Government’s fuel subsidy removal and has remained consistent with these payments for over a year, even to this day.”

The commissioner reiterated that the governor has paid the backlog of gratuities from 2008 to 2015 for pensioners, with an increase in gratuity payments for those under both the Local Government Staff Pensions Board and those paid by the Ministry of Establishment and Training.

He added that the governor has also reinstated pensioners whose names were removed by the previous administration and continues to provide all pensioners with an annual Christmas/New Year chicken bonus.

Ambali Abdulkabeer

The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has ordered an interim takeover of Heyden Petroleum Limited by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) over alleged bankruptcy.

Heyden Petroleum Limited is owned by Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun.

The ruling, issued on October 29, pertains to the suit marked AMC/67/2024, with Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa presiding.

AMCON was represented by its counsel, O.T. Ogunba, who filed an ex parte motion requesting the court’s intervention in the takeover process.

Following a review of the motion and supporting documents, the court granted the interim order in favour of AMCON.

The court order also affects Innovative Ventures Limited and Optimum Construction & Property Development Company Limited, which are linked to the case.

Mr Ogunba argued that the companies in question are currently financially incapacitated, emphasizing the need for the takeover to prevent further risk.

The hearing on the substantive suit has been adjourned by Mr Lewis-Allagoa to November 21.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it does not import adulterated premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol.

Olufemi Soneye, chief corporate communications officer of NNPC, spoke on Tuesday while responding to protesters demanding the removal of Mele Kyari, the company’s group chief executive officer (CEO).

According to NAN, civil society organisations stormed NNPC headquarters in Abuja to protest the hike in petrol price.

Soneye challenged anyone to provide evidence that NNPC is importing adulterated petrol.

“The NNPC Ltd. does not import adulterated fuel. If anyone has evidence to the contrary, they should bring forward samples of any such fuel imported by NNPC Ltd,” he said.

“We have more pressing projects to accomplish to ensure energy security for our nation.”

On November 3, Dangote Petroleum Refinery said any oil marketer selling petrol cheaper than the refiner is importing substandard products.

Dangote refinery made the claim after some oil marketers said the refiner’s product is higher than imported petrol.

Also, Soneye said Kyari is not responsible for the increase in petrol price.

NNPC raised the price of petrol from N855 per litre in September to N998 per litre on October 3.

On October 28, NNPC increased the pump price for the second time last month to N1,025 in Lagos, and N1,050 in Abuja.

Soneye said only those without knowledge would blame the CEO for the price increase.

“If they were informed, they would know that the GCEO is not responsible for the fuel price increase,” he said.

“In fact, the GCEO ensured that Nigerians had access to fuel at N620 per litre for over a year, even when the landing cost was above N1,100.”

Soneye said despite the protests, NNPC would not be distracted from achieving the goal of implementing President Bola Tinubu’s roadmap for energy security in Nigeria.

Equatorial Guinea has suspended all officials who had sexual relations in the offices of ministries.

Announcing the decision on Monday via social media, Teodoro Nguema, Equatorial Guinea’s vice-president, said the government would take “severe measures” against such acts.

“Today, we will proceed with the immediate suspension of all officials who have had sexual relations in the offices of the country’s ministries,” the statement reads.

“The Government will take severe measures against these acts, since it constitutes a flagrant violation of the Code of Conduct and the Public Ethics Law.

“This action is a decisive step in our policy of zero tolerance towards behaviors that undermine the integrity of the public service.

“Ethics and respect are fundamental in our administration, and we will not allow irresponsible behavior to compromise public trust.

“Responsibility and professionalism must be the pillars of our work as servants of the State.”

In a follow up post on Tuesday, the vice-president said the government would soon install surveillance cameras in all government offices.

“We have taken this measure to ensure compliance with the law on public officials and to eradicate improper and illicit behaviour,” he said.

“We will not admit any fault that denigrates the integrity of our administration and those who engage in these practices will face drastic measures.”


BACKGROUND

The Central African nation has been embroiled in a sex scandal since officials searched the home and office of Baltasar Ebang Engonga as part of an investigation into alleged fraud.

Engonga is director general of the country’s Anti-graft National Agency for Financial Investigation (ANIF).

Investigators reportedly uncovered about 400 explicit videos purportedly featuring the ANIF boss and multiple women.

Among the discoveries were sex tapes of Engonga seemingly having romps with his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the president of Equatorial Guinea, the wife of the director general of police, and about 20 wives of ministers, among others.

The now viral videos were filmed in his office, hotels, and toilets — allegedly with the consent of participants.

An Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Elizabeth Osikolu, on Monday, narrated to the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court how a Lagos housewife allegedly coerced a 19-year-old girl into a sexual relationship with her husband to bear a child for them.

Omolara Alashe, the housewife, and her husband, Ramoni Lateef, face three charges: conspiracy, rape, and sexual assault.

While presenting evidence, Inspector Osikolu testified that the alleged incident occurred in 2022.

She explained that the teenage victim, who had recently lost her mother, was offered shelter by the couple in their Ojota residence.

However, the officer revealed that the girl’s stay soon took a dark turn.

According to Osikolu, the victim disclosed that Alashe regularly pressured her into having relations with Lateef.

In addition, the victim reported physical abuse, stating that the couple allegedly beat her whenever she made mistakes in the household.

The lead state counsel, Mr. Babajide Boye, led the police witness in detailing the abuse, explained the severity of the allegations.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a witness testified in court that Omolara, the first defendant, allegedly woke a 19-year-old girl in the middle of the night and stripped her, allowing the second defendant, Ramoni, to assault her.

The investigating police officer (IPO) told the court that her investigation revealed that Omolara and Ramoni had previously lost a baby in October 2022. Since then, Omolara had been unable to conceive, and the couple allegedly decided to use the teenager to bear children for Ramoni to prevent him from marrying someone else.

The witness stated, “The girl reported that one day in the sitting room, Omolara beat her, stripped her, and inserted her fingers into her private parts. Afterwards, she threw the girl out, and seized her ATM card, phone line, and salary to deny her access to her funds.”

Under cross-examination, defence counsel Mr Lekan Egberongbe questioned the credibility of the girl's account, but the witness insisted on its truthfulness, adding that Omolara admitted to some of the acts in her statement.

The witness also noted that if the 19-year-old had consented to the abuse, she would not have reported it to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) or sought a medical examination at the Mirabel Centre.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until February 3, 2025, for further proceedings.

Scores of terrorists roaming the area where Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line is located have been killed by the troops of the Nigerian Air Force who were deployed to provide cover for electricity workers repairing the line.

It was learnt that the terrorists, who were planning to wreck more havocs on the critical facilities and possibly kill the electricity workers were neutralised on Friday when the fighter jets of the force rained airstrikes on them.

Daily Trust had reported how 17 Northern States were thrown into darkness for more than one week following destruction of electricity towers, a major conduit supplying electricity to the North the area by the adversaries.

But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser, Minister of Defence and the Service Chiefs to order troops to provide cover for electricity workers to enable them to carry out necessary repairs on the damaged infrastructure.

Giving an update Monday night, the spokesman of NAF, Olusola Akinboyewa disclosed that the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions carried out by the service confirmed the presence of terrorist fighters in the area.

Akinboyewa, an Air Commodore, explained that they were converging to disrupt the repair of the transmission line, adding that the terrorists were subsequently engaged and several of them were killed in the process.

Many cargoes are currently trapped at the Apapa and Tin-Can Ports following persistent disruption to some online services of some commercial banks in Nigeria due to the upgrade of their electronic banking portals.

Checks by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that many import units of containers have not been cleared because their clearance documents are still trapped in some banks due to ongoing network migration issues.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune exclusively, the National President of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Mr. Frank Ogunojemite lamented that the reason many jobs are stuck is because the moment an agent captures a job in a bank, he cannot move the job to another bank even if the first bank network is bad.

According to the APFFLON National President, “The clearance of cargoes at the ports usually goes through Form M and the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR).

“For you to begin the clearance process, the transaction has to go through a commercial bank because you have to pay your Customs duty.

“If the banking system or network is down, then there is no way you can pay for Customs duty, and if that is the case, then the container will remain in the port accumulating rent which comes with storage and demurrage payments.

“If this kind of situation persists, then there is no way prices of goods can come down because cargoes are spending longer time in the ports due to disruptions to banking services.

“Government should introduce what is called a ‘compensatory law’ where importers are given waivers when delays to their cargoes inside the ports is not from them.

“Most oftentimes, the banks will tell us that they apologise for the network disruptions, but the question is: does this apology make any meaning to the cargo clearance chain?

“There should be a compensatory law where cargo owners are given waivers due to issues beyond them that delay cargoes inside the ports.

“There was a time Unity Bank was down for weeks and then it became the turn of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) and Zenith Bank. Most of the banks are migrating their system to higher versions, and this is telling on cargo clearance.

“Amid all these delays, the cargoes are accumulating storage and demurrage charges which the cargo owners are being forced to pay. How does government expect cost of goods to come down when the same goods have already accumulated charges right inside the ports?

“Naturally, the cargo owners transfer the accumulated charges on the cost of the goods, and that is why the cost of goods in our markets keeps skyrocketing.”

When asked why agents cannot move clearance jobs from one bank to another if a bank has network issues, Mr. Ogunojemite explained, “The moment an agent captures his Form M and PAAR in a particular bank, he cannot move the job to another bank if the bank has network issues.

“If it takes weeks or months for the bank to resolve its network issues, that is when the agent can continue with his job. the agent cannot move his job to another bank once the job has been captured in the first bank.

“We are hearing that First Bank too wants to migrate, and everybody is beginning to panic. However, the bank has come out to say the migration won’t affect customers, but we are watching.”

Also speaking, haulage operators bemoaned the effect of the various banking migrations on picking of containers inside the ports.

“Many of our members have had issues picking up containers inside the ports because monies sent to them by clearing agents often take days to reflect in their accounts.

“Thus, some containers spent longer days in the ports because truckers won’t pick up such cargoes since funds have not been received, particularly if it’s a first-time customer. In some cases, the funds eventually arrived days or weeks after, but the container would have spent extra days inside the ports.

“In some case, the agents would have reached out to other haulage operators and by the time the money will reflect in the account of the trucker, the cargo has been moved out of the ports, thus costing the trucker the client. Many of us lost customers due to the ongoing banking migrations while some cargoes spent extra days in the ports over same issues,” Chief Remi Ogungbemi, Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) told the Nigerian Tribune.

The current economic headwinds in Nigeria have caused a significant decline in passenger traffic at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

LEADERSHIP Sunday investigation showed that outbound foreign travel dropped by over 60 per cent in Nigeria this year.

It was gathered that the continuous high rates of foreign currencies, especially the United States dollar, had made foreign travel very expensive for Nigerians, who usually embarked on overseas trips for holidays and weekend visits, which aviation stakeholders described as “frivolous or casual travels.”

Statistics from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other sources in the sector showed that in 2023, 2.04 million Nigerians travelled out of the country, but recorded a drastic decline in 2024.

According to insider sources, the number of passengers reduced from 2.04 million in 2023 to a paltry 816,000 from the first quarter (Q1) to third quarter (Q3), 2024, representing a 60 per cent drop in the load factor.

The statistics showed that a total of 2,856,000 million passengers travelled in 2023 and 2024, with a decline of 1,226,000, representing a 60 per cent fall in the current year.

Also, travel agents attributed the decline to the over 600 per cent increment in the prices of foreign air tickets in the last few years.

It was gathered that an economy seat to the United States of America that was N350,000 prior to the floating of the naira in May 2023 rose to between N2.7 million to N3 million, thereby, making foreign travel a necessity and no more a fun.

The above fare for US routes increased by N2,650,000, representing 57 per cent increase for air tickets.

Although, the president of the Association of Foreign Airlines Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN), Dr Kingsley Nwokoma, who corroborated LEADERSHIP Sunday findings, said foreign travels declined by over 40 per cent due to the nation’s economic conditions, the available data indicated 57.14 percent.

Nwokoma said holiday makers now seek cheaper alternatives because foreign travel is now a luxury.

He said, “It is true, traveling has declined by 40 to 50 per cent. The decline is due to poor showing of every other sector in Nigeria. It’s not limited to only the flying public, you need money to buy air tickets before you can go anywhere and holiday makers are now looking for cheaper alternatives such as going for vacation in the West Coast, Nigeria and when you go within West Coast buses or in their vehicles.

“It’s unfortunate, this is where we are, but we hope things get better because it’s a chain and it’s not limited to aviation. We hope things return to normal where families can all travel for summer.

“For instance, for a family of four to buy tickets, you will pay through your nose and parents have school fees and other important bills to pay. Even for local flights, from Lagos to Abuja is over N200,000 and to the South East, it is over N300,000; this is a reflection of our economy.”

Similarly, the group managing director, Dees Travels and Tours Limited, Daisi Olotu, said the high exchange rate had compounded the fortunes of outbound foreign airlines in recent times.

Olotu said, currently, only a few Nigerians can afford foreign travels due to the high cost of air tickets, adding that overseas travels are now a necessity and no longer for pleasure.

“Yes, it (foreign travel) has gone down by 40 per cent,” he said in a response to an enquiry by LEADERSHIP Sunday.

Olotu said, “No doubt about the drop because a look at any of the foreign airlines, you will see that they are half empty out of Nigeria, though this is low season.

“Also, the exchange rate is high and the airlines are charging in dollars. For instance, $1,000 is about N1.7 million with some fraction so that’s why it’s only a few people that can afford travelling.

“Dollar is not legal tender in Nigeria. So, we pay for goods and services in naira but with the exchange rate, if you are giving a fare of $1,500 that means you are paying about N2 million upward and only a few Nigerians can afford it.”

Olotu therefore urged the government to resuscitate the nation’s tourist sites, saying family travel and expenses now cost over N20 million.

“I will tell you that if it’s not important that you travel, you stay back and that’s why we are advising the government to work on our tourist sites because if they are okay, holidaymakers will stay back. A family of four will need N20 million to travel for holiday. Currently, travelling is on the high side and only a few can afford it.

“Travelling has gone down and the way out is that if the naira should appreciate, the load factor will go up. It’s only the government that can arrest this situation. If the exchange rate comes down, airfare will be reduced and the market will boom but as long as naira continues its depreciation, the people will be impoverished, you can imagine one person spending an average of N2.7 million to N3 million on air ticket to the United States,” Olotu lamented.

Also, the director of research at Zenith Travels and Tours, Olumide Ohunayo, argued that since some companies had posted losses or closed down, it had affected corporate travel.

He also attributed the drop in passenger traffic to the fall of the naira and the removal of fuel subsidy which have reduced the spending power of Nigerians and their ability to travel.

“The airline industry was recovering from the COVID-19 effects, when the depreciation of naira and removal of subsidy came and affected the purchasing power of Nigerians.

“We have more cargo moving than passengers now. The high inflation rate has also impacted travels. This can, however, be reversed if the government provides some palliatives to cushion effects of the subsidy.

“If we can encourage domestic airlines to fly more international routes, the traffic will increase. It is very key that domestic airlines begin to participate in international flight operations. We must provide more capacity on international routes,” he added.


Passengers Reduce Holiday, Casual Trips Over High Fares

A visit to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the ever-busy international wing of the airport shows that the airport is now a shadow of itself as passenger traffic has reduced drastically.

An airport official, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to do so, said the international wing used to be busy, especially at the weekends.

The official said some passengers would travel on Friday and come back on Sunday or Monday morning to resume their work, “but right now, such frivolous trips for weekends hardly happen again.”

The official said some airlines operating international trips had reduced their frequencies per week to have more passengers when they are travelling.

Some of the airlines flying the international routes include Air Canada (AC), Lufthansa (LH), Air Peace, Qatar Airways (QR), Uganda Airlines (UR), Virgin Australia (VA), Turkish Airlines (TK), KLM (KL), Air France (AF), British Airways (BA), Ethiopian Airlines (ET), EgyptAir, ASKY Airlines, RwandAir and Emirate Airlines, Air Cote d’Ivoire.

Airlines such Uganda Airlines, which launched its direct Entebbe-Abuja operations in September, 2024, operates twice-weekly flights from Entebbe International Airport to Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.


Kano Airport Shows Resilience, Records 13 Flights Weekly

At the Aminu Kano International Airport, aviation officials said flights still remain regular and the passenger traffic is high.

A senior official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who sought anonymity said only drug pushers have shunned the airport because of the tight security in the facility.

He said, “The patronage at the Kano Airport has not changed. The only international flight that has stopped coming to Kano is KLM. This is because the airline has suspended its Kano operations.

“The weekly international flights are carried out by EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Saudi Air and Qatar Air. They arrive in Kano with a large number of passengers and also fly out with large numbers as well.

“For instance, Saudi Air comes with about 300 to 400 passengers at a go and leaves with over 200 passengers. The same goes with EgyptAir. Saudi Air comes to Kano three times weekly while Egypt Air and Ethiopian Airlines come to Kano five times a week each.

“The truth is that even with the current economic hardship, patronage has not reduced at all. Most of those patronising the airlines are normal passengers.”

by Premium Times


The much-anticipated cabinet reshuffle of President Bola Tinubu occurred recently with five ministers sacked. Ten others were either reassigned to other ministries or demoted, while seven new ministers-designate were appointed. Two ministries were scrapped. The administration viewed the changes as “far-reaching actions to reinvigorate its capacity for optimal performance” to deliver on its promises to Nigeria.

But we differ as these changes were, at best, cosmetic. Seismic action is needed in proportion to the manifestly grotesque situation that Nigeria is in. Unmistakably, the country is like a nation at war with the prevailing strangulating socio-economic challenges, with inflation at 40 per cent and spiralling out of control, a devalued naira, mass hunger, a litre of petrol selling above N1,300 in some states and high-level of insecurity pervading the nation.

Truly, the reshuffle was a marked departure from Muhammadu Buhari’s inflexibility, which saw most of his ministers literally left to sleep for almost eight years. Tinubu may have matched his words with action, having charged members of his cabinet to perform or get fired, during their November 2023 retreat. “If you are performing, nothing to fear, if you miss the objective, we review; if there is no performance, you leave us…,” the president had said then.

To make the assessment somewhat easier, a Results Delivery Unit was set up, which the presidential Adviser on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Usman, heads to monitor the performance of ministers and MDAs of the federal government.

The ministers fired were Tahir Mamman (Education), Uju-Ken Ohaneye (Women Affairs), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), alongside ministers of state, Abdullahi Gwarzo (Housing and Urban Development) and Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Youth Development). The ministries of Sports and Niger Delta were scrapped and the Ministry of Tourism was merged with that of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy. While the responsibilities of the sports ministry were ceded to the new National Sports Commission, the Niger Delta ministry transmogrified into the Ministry of Regional Development to supervise the commissions created for the country’s six geo-political blocs.

An element in the overhaul is the presidential directive that limits the number of vehicles in a minister’s convoy to just three and five security details. Before, the paraphernalia around ministers were caravan-like. But these cost reduction measures, while laudable, only scratch the surface.

Looking at the priority areas of the administration, as outlined during last year’s cabinet retreat: food security, job creation, ending poverty, access to capital, fairness and rule of law, and the anti-corruption stance, which should foster development and catapult Nigeria from being a “potential to pragmatic” economic development hub, in relation to the performance of the government and the cabinet tweak, the signs of national redemption are not here yet.

Are the sacked ministers the only deadwoods in this government? We do not think so. There are still ministers who cannot point to what they have achieved within the context of turning around the Nigeria situation from its present malaise. This means that politics may have weighed heavier, rather than the positive notches in the scorecards of many ministers who survived the purge.

It is a ruse for the regime to think of economic development with the kind of erratic power supply and perennial system collapse, confusion and dishonesty in the management of the petroleum downstream sector that the country is mired in. The net effect has been big corporations folding up and leaving Nigeria, just as small and middle scale enterprises are becoming totally dysfunctional.

Corruption remains the reason why the four public refineries are not working, despite the cumulative sum of $25 billion spent on their turnaround by successive regimes. In the case of the Port Harcourt refinery, it has gulped $1.5 billion and missed seven timelines for the resumption of operations since December 2023. This gaffe is inexplicable.

It is beyond debate that this administration is not ready to confront the cabal involved in the fuel subsidy scam and known corporate crude oil thieves and bring them to book. Their criminalities have brought the country to its knees. Therefore, Hadiza Usman’s, or rather, President Tinubu’s pass marks for the ministers in charge of power, the economy, petroleum and several other underperformers, in our view, are suspect.

Having the most expansive cabinet of 46 members ever in the country, enlarged further with the seven new members that the Senate screened and cleared last week, more than the five persons discharged, contradicts the logic behind the reduction in the convoys and security aides of ministers.

The expectation of PREMIUM TIMES was that the recent shake-up would be used to cure the cabinet of its glaring weakness in the absence of acclaimed technocrats in the mould of the Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealas, Amina Mohammeds, Akinwumi Adesinas, Obiageli Ezekwesilis, and Aruma Ottehs, whose stellar performances pivoted the achievements of past administrations, to drive the government’s renewed hope agenda.

Instead, Tinubu chose to retain the cohorts of jaded politicians, some of who are former governors whose investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged corrupt practices while in office were stalled by their appointments. Tinubu has seemingly conferred immunity on them, which is a luxury the constitution did not give them.

A government that is conscious of its integrity, public perception and committed to an anti-graft mandate, should have used this recent opportunity to ask these sets of ministers and aides to go and clear their names with the EFCC first. Not doing so sets up a duplicitous portrait of the president.

An aspect of the Tinubu administration often overlooked is the gross violation of Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which deals with the observation of federal character in the composition of the MDAs and conduct of their affairs. This constitutional provision emphasises that adherence to the principle promotes “national unity.” Key appointments in the government, without question, are mainly in the hands of Tinubu’s Yoruba ethnic stock. This is not how to manage diversity in a complex and fractious political entity like Nigeria.

At the cabinet level, the Ministries of Finance, Power, Justice, Trade, Marine and Blue Economy, Interior Affairs, Solid Minerals, Communications, all have Yorubas in charge. Besides, it appears that the president has appropriated the substantive Petroleum minister position, as only two ministers-of-state are there.

Other similarly staffed positions are those of the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Staff to the President, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Accountant-General of the Federation, Head of Service, those in charge of EFCC, NAFDAC, NIMASA, Nigeria Customs, Immigration Service, Army, SSS and Commander of Brigade of Guards, and much more.

This is extreme parochialism and a vicious assault on nation-building efforts. Buhari, as a critic has noted, might have tried to concentrate power in the North, but he was not as brazen as Tinubu. As such, the president should reflect deeply on the lop-sidedness of the said appointments and address them immediately. A lot of Yorubas are embarrassed by this tactless statecraft and have excoriated him accordingly.

Having shown that ministries could be scrapped or merged, Tinubu should go the whole hog by acting on the decade-old Stephen Orosanye report now, to profoundly reduce the cost of governance and entrench efficiency in our bureaucracy.

With a horde of underperforming ministers, worsening welfare of the people, and vulnerability of lives and property, this government risks the loss of its legitimacy, which is the worst albatross any regime could face.

By Daily Trust


The Presidency has denied the allegation that the current administration is favouring the South West at the expense of other regions in terms of appointments in the security sector.

After the appointment of Major General Olufemi Oluyede as Acting Chief of Army Staff, many persons, especially on Social Media, accused President Bola Tinubu of “Yorubanisation”, a term which losely interprets as favouring the Yoruba.

Oluyede was appointed to stand in for General Tahoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff, who has been away from the country treating an undisclosed ailment.

Some Nigerian had argued that there were equally competent generals who could stand in for Lagbaja other than another person from the South West.

Apparently weighing into the conversation, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, shared a list of the heads of security agencies appointed by Tinubu.

According to the list, the North West has the highest appointees (eight), followed by the South West (five) and North Central (four).

North East has three appointees, according to the presidential aide’s list, while South South and South East have one each.

“Facts do not lie. Below we see laid bare the facts about the regional outlook of President Tinubu’s appointments within 20 security agencies. The label of him favouring Yorubas in the Security set up does not fit. Nigeria we hail thee!,” Dare captioned the post.

Facts do not lie. Below we see laid bare the facts about the regional outlook of President Tinubu’s appointments within 20 security agencies. The label of him favouring Yorubas in the Security set up does not fit. Nigeria we hail thee! pic.twitter.com/pRHZ4sCRzA

— Sunday Dare,CON (@SundayDareSD) November 2, 2024

The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) has taken to social media to condemn the lifestyle of Bobrisky, the self-proclaimed transgender.

In a now-deleted Instagram post, the council shared a graphic image showing Olusegun Runsewe, the former director-general of NCAC, striking Bobrisky with a stick.

The picture described Bobrisky as an “idiot” and emphasized that “Nigeria is not Sodom and Gomorrah,” referencing the biblical cities destroyed for their wickedness.

In the accompanying caption, NCAC said: “We are here to correct our youths when they derail. God bless the Republic of Nigeria”.

The post follows the rearrest of Bobrisky by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

On Thursday evening, the self-proclaimed transgender was dragged out of an airplane by airport officials while attempting to leave the country.

Bobrisky took to Instagram, pleading for help and sharing a video of her injured arm.

The crossdresser has been in the eye of the storm since activist VeryDarkMan shared a purported audio conversation wherein she claimed that she paid some EFCC officials N15 million to drop money laundering charges against her.

Bobrisky denied the recording’s authenticity and threatened legal action against VeryDarkMan.

The social media celebrity was also arrested at the Seme border two weeks ago for allegedly attempting to flee the country. She was transferred to the Lagos FCID in Alagbon for investigation.

How the crossdresser got out of detention, including any potential bail, remains unknown.

Bobrisky, the EFCC, and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) are under investigation by a house of representatives committee over bribery allegations.

In 2019, Runsewe described Bobrisky as a “national disaster” that poses a serious hazard to the youth.

”Bobrisky is a national disaster, an embarrassment to the country, engaging in cultural corruption as a cross-dresser and we have to start to curtail his activities before it gets out of hand,” he had said.

”We will not allow Bobrisky to destroy the future of our youths and the unborn Nigerians.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, has suspended Rauf Aregbesola, a former governor of the state, over alleged anti-party activities.

The party accused the former minister of interior of “creating splinter groups in the APC” and making “public outbursts” against President Bola Tinubu, Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun, and Gboyega Oyetola, minister of marine and blue economy.

The state working committee of the Osun APC said it found merit in the allegations levelled against the former minister by the executives of the party in Ilesa East LGA where he hails from.

In a letter to the national working committee (NWC) of the party, Tajudeen Lawal and Alao Kamoru, chair and secretary of the APC in Osun, said Aregbesola breached article 21 (2) of the party’s constitution.

“Following complaints of anti-party activities levelled against Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola by the llesa East Local Government executive committee, the State Executive Committee (SEC), after reviewing the allegations and in accordance with the powers vested in it by article 21(3) (vi) (c) of the party’s constitution, hereby suspends Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from the party pending the outcome of an investigation into the allegations by a disciplinary committee,” PUNCH quoted the letter as saying.

“The State Executive Commíttee has constituted a disciplinary committee to investigate and provide Ogbeni Aregbesola with the opportunity to respond to the allegations of activities deemed to be in violation of Article 21 (2) of the party’s constitution, particularly relating to anti-party activities that undermine the collective interests of the APC.”

They said the disciplinary committee would give Aregbesola a chance to defend himself.


RIFT BETWEEN TINUBU AND AREGBESOLA

Tinubu and Aregbesola fell out in 2020 when the former minister revamped the Mandate Group — a core of Tinubu’s loyalists — and usurped the closely-knitted caucus for individuals he could trust.

The former Osun governor relaunched the group without Tinubu’s approval and named Abdullahi Enilolobo, his protege, as the new leader.

In 2022, there was an attempt by close associates and friends to reconcile both men in the build-up to the 2023 general election – but that did not yield any tangible result as they still do not see eye to eye.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigeria-based refineries to look inward and consider supplying enough petrol and petroleum products for local consumption to stop the persistent reliance on importation.

He said this would enable the channelling of foreign exchange into the development of the real sector.

The president stated this Tuesday during a review meeting of the Implementation Committee on the Naira-based sales of crude oil and refined products at State House, Abuja.

The president said using the naira was conceived to remove the exchange rate hurdle.

“Whatever solution we proffer in crude oil and refined products sales in naira should not take us back to our experience in the last 40 years.

“There can be cost and revenue adjustment in the oil sector, but the issue is that the government will not have to go back to the old way of doing things,” the president said.

The president advised stakeholders to use Afreximbank as a settlement bank to resolve the naira pricing for crude and refined products. Afreximbank is already on board as the financial adviser.

“The market must determine what we are doing. Once you allow the market to determine the profit and loss, independent marketers and the government side can meet on the worksheet. I want the issues resolved without future waste of time,’’ he added.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said the administration’s groundbreaking steps to sell crude in naira would not be reversed, and the government would not be involved in determining the rate of exchange for the oil sector.

The President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, told the president that the refinery had more than 500 million litres of fuel in reserve after supplying 400 million to the economy.

He said the refinery could collaborate with the other refineries managed by NNPC Ltd to meet an estimated 32 million litres of local petrol needs.

Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote has blamed the current fuel scarcity in the country on retailers.

To buttress his claims, Dangote said over 500 million litres of fuel is stored in his tank farm ready for the market, but the retailers meant to buy and distribute the products are not coming forward to pick it up.

Dangote made the allegations on Tuesday, shortly after key stakeholders in the oil and gas sector met with President Bola Tinubu in a bid to address the lingering fuel scarcity despite a hike in the commodity.

According to Dangote, his refinery has the capacity to produce more than 30 million litres of fuel daily but since he is not in the business of retailing, the products cannot get to Nigerians who need it because the retailers are not coming to pick it.

He lamented that he is running at a loss by storing huge stocks of fuel in tanks, while Nigerians are groaning in the streets without stocks.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting, Dangote said, “Yes, we have enough supply of crude, we can actually produce much more than 30 million litres every day. At full capacity, we can even supply whatever is being consumed. But what I estimated as consumption, which I believe may be about 30, 32 million that one we can even start producing by next week.

“It is not really an issue, because, as we speak today, we have 500 million liters, you know, in our tanks. So 500 million liters in our tanks even if there’s no production from anybody or no imports. This will take the country more than 12 days, you know, with no imports, with no production, nothing.

“So we are very ready. We are more than ready. And you know, I’m also putting my own name on the line by giving Mr President my word that, yes, we will be able to supply the market a minimum 30 million litres per day, and we’ll be ramping up. So we’re ready. We’re more than ready”.

But when asked about the rationality of having millions of litres of fuel products in his tank farm that can last for 12 days but the common man on the street has no access to the product easily, Dangote burst out saying, “Well, you know on the streets, one thing that you have to understand is that we are producers.

“I have a refinery. I’m not in the business of retail. If I’m in the business of retail then you hold me responsible. But what I’m saying is that the retailers should please come forward and pick, if they don’t, come forward and pick, what do you want me to do? That’s something that I can do. So I don’t expect either NNPC or the marketers to stop importing, they should come and pick because we have what they need.

“And you know, as they remove, I will be pumping. I don’t know whether you understand what it takes to keep half a billion litres inside our tank. It’s costing me money every day. If I will be able to collect the naira, I can actually charge somebody 32% in interest. So right now, that’s what I’m losing. And you are talking about 500 million, you know, I mean, we don’t print money. But the issue is that if they come and collect then you will not see any queues in the filling stations.

“We have what it takes for them to come and collect. We are not retailers. We also don’t have trucks to send. We have a factory, we have where they can load. If they come and pick the ones…and they have been doing that with importation. So if they’ve been doing that with importation, if it’s true, they are doing 55 million, I see no reason why they won’t come and collect our own and distribute”.

The first phase of Magboro Power Plant Kicked off Monday 28th October 2024 with official signing and unveiling of the 30 MW Power purchase agreement between Bresson A S, Magboro Power Company and Ibadan Distribution Company.

Premium customers around Magboro, Mowe are expected within 11months to benefit from 24hours uninterrupted electricity supply as a result of collaboration between Bresson and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company at a price below current band A charges.

The Magboro plant designed as a 90 MW plant is expected to receive its first shipment of Titan 130 Solar Turbine by the end of April 2025.

In his remarks, Engr. Francis Agoha, the Acting Managing Director of IBEDC, emphasised that the partnership aligns with the company’s strategic goal of improving customer energy availability.

“This agreement marks a significant milestone in our continuous efforts to ensure consistent and affordable power for the Magboro community and beyond.

“We are committed to forging partnerships that foster progress and deliver lasting solutions to the power challenges faced by communities within our network,” he stated.

The Chief Security Officer (CSO) to President Bola Tinubu, Adegboyega Fasasi, has refused to leave the Aso Rock Villa despite being redeployed by the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Ajayi, since October 20, top sources in the Presidency revealed to SaharaReporters.

SaharaReporters gathered on Tuesday that Fasasi has the backing of some state governors and other influential people to remain in the Villa, having allegedly received monies from them to ensure regular access to Tinubu.

Some other officials in the Villa, however, accused the CSO of a pattern of receiving bribes to screen those who could see Tinubu and those who would not.

Some officials at the Villa accused the CSO of having a pattern of receiving bribes to control access to President Tinubu, deciding who gets to see him and who doesn't.

"There is a lot of pressure by governors and influential people from whom he has collected money to keep him, saying that he has to be there. We can confirm from Villa that the CSO refused to leave," one of the sources said.

"He’s accused of shaking down people to visit Tinubu. The logic of those supporting his stay is weird. They claim that if he leaves, they will have to bribe the new person afresh to have access to Tinubu," the source further revealed.

"Some powerful people are backing Fasasi and are negotiating to let him leave in December," another source corroborated.

SaharaReporters on October 20 reported that the Director General of the DSS or State Security Service (SSS), Ajayi, had removed Fasasi from his position as the CSO to Tinubu.

Fasasi was replaced by Rasheed Atanda Lawal, a deputy director of the SSS, who is currently enrolled in a fellowship course at the National Institute for Security Studies.

According to reports, President Tinubu approved Fasasi’s removal at the request of the DSS DG, who cited the need to send him for a “strategic course” — a common pretext for replacing top security officials close to the president.

It was learnt that Lawal was due for promotion to the rank of Director in July 2023, but the former management stalled his advancement, reportedly because he was not favoured by the previous DG.

In March 2019, then President Muhammadu Buhari approved the redeployment of his Chief Security Officer, Bashir Abubakar, and appointed Idris Ahmed as his replacement.

Then Director General of the SSS, Yusuf Bichi, reportedly persuaded the president that Mr. Bashir needed to attend a “strategic course” at a university in Buenos Aires, Argentina, leading to his replacement.

Meanwhile, in September. the DSS redeployed its spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, and has not named his replacement.

While addressing a press conference at the headquarters of the service in Abuja, Afunanya explained that the new media policy of the service is to be less visible in the media and public spaces.

The recent decision signals a regression to the service's former practice of secrecy, characterized by a lack of transparency, accountability, and openness in its interactions with the public and media.

Grenada is set to become a major energy hub as Nigerian oil and gas company, Oceangate Oil and Gas Engineering, has secured a historic multi-billion dollar deal with Global Petroleum Group, to launch one of the Caribbean’s largest oil and gas ventures.

A statement by the Group CEO, Dr Aisha Achimugu, made available to PUNCH Online on Saturday, stated that this transformative partnership aims to develop Grenada’s significant hydrocarbon reserves, paving the way for the island nation to emerge as a major energy hub in the Caribbean and beyond.

Achimugu said, “We are thrilled to enter this partnership with Global Petroleum Group, which will bring substantial economic benefits and energy resources to Grenada.

“This venture underscores Oceangate’s commitment to investing in sustainable energy solutions that drive economic prosperity while respecting environmental standards. We believe this project will lay the foundation for future economic collaborations between Africa and the Caribbean.”

He added, “With a vision to fuel long-term economic growth and sustainable development, this ambitious project promises not only to elevate Grenada’s energy production capabilities but also to foster job creation, infrastructure development, and technology transfer within the local economy.

“Set against the backdrop of the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape, the venture is expected to provide unprecedented economic opportunities, delivering benefits across sectors and positioning Grenada as a key energy supplier in the region.”

A Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has tackled Kemi Badenoch over repeated bashing of Nigerians in her bid to replace ousted former UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, as leader of the Tory party.

In an interview with Mail Online, the 44-year-old British Nigerian, criticized Nigeria, saying she doesn’t want Britain to become like the place she ran away from.

“This is my country. I love it the way it is. I don’t want it to become like the place I ran away from. I want it to get better and better, not just for me, but for the next generation,” the UK Conservative Party leadership hopeful said.

Earlier, she had also claimed that her childhood in Nigeria was filled with tales of horror, with screams of neighbors every night being attacked, leading to fears whether their apartment could be the next.

Reacting, Fani-Kayode, in a post via social media on Saturday, Literally descended heavily on Badenoch.

“A very s****d little girl and notoriously self-righteous b***h barks. Ever considered staying in the place you “ran away from” and trying to fix it? You are worse than Aunty Jemima, the female version of Uncle Tom.

“By all means try your luck at being elected leader of the British Conservative party but leave my country out of your pretty yet stinking mouth,” the former minister wrote.

By Saawua Terzungwe


The Senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack more ministers who are underperforming to fastrack the implementation of his “Renewed Hope” agenda for the country.

In a statement on Saturday in Abuja, Ndume described the rejigging of the federal cabinet, and the establishment of the ministry of regional development to oversee all regional commissions in the country as a welcome development.

The lawmaker said, “More needs to be done because some ministers are still missing in action.”

Recall that President Tinubu on Wednesday reshuffled his cabinet by sacking six ministers and naming seven others. The president also swapped the portfolios of 10 other ministers.

Ndume, former Chief Whip of the Senate also called on President Tinubu to convene a national economic summit as part of efforts to proffer home-grown solutions to the economic situation in the country.

He suggested that former minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; former minister of education, Oby Ezekwesili; Mansur Muktar, Akinwumi Adesina, Aruma Oteh and Tope Fasua, should drive the economic summit.

“This national economic summit should be purely led by these eminent Nigerians, and they will come up with recommendations instead of the IMF and World Bank’s prescriptions that are harsh and hard on the ordinary citizens.

“I believe if the recommendations are good, President Tinubu will implement them, and this will help the country in no small ways,” Ndume said.

The senator hailed the move by President Tinubu to reduce the cost of governance in the face of economic difficulties and urged other arms of government to do the same.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has officially commenced the process of settling its $6 billion debt.

This is according to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun.

Edun addressed concerns about the NNPCL’s financial situation, which had become stressed due to its outstanding obligations to suppliers.

He explained that although the fuel subsidy was removed in May 2023, the company faced financial challenges due to foreign exchange costs.

“In terms of NNPC and their situation, the reality is that although the subsidy was removed on May 29, 2023, and is no longer on the government’s balance sheet, it did rear its head—not in terms of petrol subsidy, but foreign exchange subsidy, which was borne elsewhere, mainly by NNPC,” Edun said during a meeting with investors in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, October 23.

Expressing optimism about the company’s future, Edun stated: “I think what I can say about their own situation is with where they are now, they have a route to paying down their payables and I’m sure that in no time at all, they will start.

“From what I understand, they have even commenced the process of paying down their payables.”

Last month, the NNPCL had admitted to owing the sum of $6 billion to suppliers of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol.

Speaking on the issue, chief corporate communications officer, Olufemi Soneye, said the NNPCL is facing a serious financial strain due to the petrol supply costs — a development that is affecting the company’s ability to sustain PMS supply.

Despite a stream of promises to complete the rehabilitation of the state-owned refineries, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited is battling to conclude the turnaround maintenance at the Port Harcourt refinery, insiders have told TheCable.

The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) operates two refineries; the old plant with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) and a new facility with an installed capacity of 150,000 bpsd — bringing the refinery’s combined crude processing capacity to 210,000 bpsd.

Since the federal executive council (FEC) approved $1.5 billion for its rehabilitation in 2021, the refinery has remained moribund despite NNPC’s repeated assurances that it would become functional.

According to insiders, efforts to commence operations at the refinery have suffered significant setbacks.

A source said the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor has been unable to fully revamp the refinery “due to obsolescence, corrosion, lack of baseline data for structural integrity verifications” and the absence of “as-built data to help engineers draw on the history of the facility”.


THE PH REFINERY AND PROMISES OF HOPE

On May 6, 2021, the NNPC commenced repairs at the plant.

After many failed delivery targets, on December 21, 2023, the NNPC said it had completed the mechanical phase of the turnaround maintenance.

Speaking at the event held to mark the milestone, Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), said production would commence after the Christmas festivities — but the plans fell flat.

In an interview with Reuters on January 4, 2024, Femi Soneye, NNPC’s spokesperson, said testing would be completed at the facility that month.

On March 15, Mele Kyari, NNPC’s group chief executive officer (GCEO), said the refinery would begin production by the end of the month. This has also not happened.

Four months later, Lokpobiri assured Nigerians that the refinery was in its final repair stage.

In the latest deadline, Kyari said the refinery would begin operations in early August.

The refinery, however, has yet to produce a drop of petrol since the NNPC chief made the promise.


‘EXPLORING OPTIONS’

Insiders close to the rehabilitation efforts said since the refinery is yet to produce petroleum products, the NNPC is considering various options to ensure that it does not remain moribund.

According to documents seen by TheCable, one of the options available to the national oil company is to retrofit the refinery into a blending plant.

An oil blending plant has no refining capability but can be used to blend re-refined oil (a used motor oil that has been treated to remove dirt, fuel, and water) with additives to create finished lubricant products.

In a memo dated August 27, a representative of the PHRC reached out to an official at NNPC Trading Limited, an NNPC subsidiary, over the supply of petrol.

“PHRC is desirously[sic] of procuring high RON gasoline from your company to blend with Naphtha produced from our 60,000bpd refinery (Area 5 plants),” the document reads.

The PHRC representative asked the NNPC trading official to “supply to us” two cargoes of petrol with RON 94 specification.

The requested cargo size was said to be 28 kilotonnes (KT) each, and the product was to be delivered in the second week of September and the first week of October, respectively, to the Okrika Jetty in Port Harcourt.

“Due to the draft limitations at PHRC Okrika Jetty (9.2 meters) the maximum cargo size is 30KT,” the PHRC representative said in the correspondence.

However, when TheCable contacted NNPC, the national oil company denied planning to convert the refinery to a blending plant. The NNPC said a blending plant “does not align with the company’s business model”.

“Similarly, there are no plans to import off-spec RON 94 for blending. As for the PH refinery, NNPC Ltd, together with its engineers and partners, is working tirelessly to complete the commissioning of the old refinery, while rehabilitation efforts for the new refinery are still underway,” Sonenye, spokesperson of the national oil company, said.

The United States has appreciated the Nigerian government for releasing the Binance Holdings Limited executive, Tigran Gambaryan.

Mr Gambaryan, an American and senior employee at the cryptocurrency exchange, who had been detained since February, was released on Wednesday.

The Binance executive and the exchange British Kenya regional manager for Africa, Nadeem Anjarwalla, had been facing money laundering charges to the tune of $35 million brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

But in a statement from the office of the National Security Advisor, the U.S. government confirmed that Mr Gambaryan was released by the Nigerian government on humanitarian grounds.

“I am pleased that American citizen and former U.S. law enforcement official Tigran Gambaryan has been released on humanitarian grounds by the Nigerian government and he is on his way back to the United States so that he can receive needed medical attention.

As soon as we secured Mr Gambaryan’s release, I called his wife Yuki to share this good news. I am grateful to my Nigerian colleagues and partners for the productive discussions that have resulted in this step and look forward to working closely with them on the many areas of cooperation and collaboration critical to the bilateral partnership between our two countries,” the statement signed by Jake Sullivan read.

President Bola Tinubu’s long-anticipated cabinet reshuffle finally happened on Wednesday. There were no earth-shaking changes — to the disappointment of many Nigerians. It still sent ripples across the political landscape — with a mix of strategic swaps, surprise exits, and bold firsts. Promises of downsizing have taken a backseat, sparking debate about political priorities amid the current economic strain. As Nigerians dissect the winners and losers of this reshuffle, TheCable presents seven notable takeaways.


1. BETTA EDU IS GONE — OR ISN’T SHE?

Among the new faces was Nentawe Yilwatda, appointed to replace Betta Edu, who was suspended in January as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction. Edu was temporarily let off following an alleged diversion of N585 million meant for vulnerable persons. Although Edu vanished from public glare, she sent a condolence message to victims of the Jos building collapse in July using the ministry’s letterhead. This stirred speculations that she might have been secretly let off the hook. Yilwatda’s appointment has silenced the whispers and uncertainties. It should be noted though that officially, Edu is still on suspension. The report of the probe panel has not been made public, neither has her fate been officially announced. We can only assume she is gone for good.


2. BIANCA OJUKWU’S APPOINTMENT — A SLAP IN THE FACE?

In a surprise, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was designated as minister of state for foreign affairs. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, her late husband, was the moving spirit of APGA in Anambra state. Some see this as a slap in the face for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. She was also an appointee under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government, serving as Nigeria’s ambassador to Ghana and Spain and Togo. She was the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 1988, Miss Africa 1988 and Miss Intercontinental 1989. Ojukwu famously slapped the wife of Willy Obiano, former governor of Anambra state, at a public event in 2022.


3. ‘DISCHARGED’ IS THE NEW ‘DROPPED
’
Although the media went with the headline of ‘Tinubu sacks 5 ministers’, the word used in the official announcement was “discharged” — very similar to what the military uses when it disengages soldiers. But those expecting Tinubu to cut the size of his cabinet were also “discharged”. Five ministers were sacked and seven were appointed. That’s an addition to the cabinet, but since Simon Lalong resigned and (we assume) Edu is finally gone, we are still back to the 47-strong cabinet. Nothing gained, nothing lost. Nevertheless, young students will be celebrating the exit of Tahir Mamman as minster of education . He fought tooth and nail to get U-18s banned from sitting for university admission exams.


4. NSC IS BACK — YET AGAIN

The biggest “abiku” in Nigerian public institutions has to be the National Sports Commission (NSC) which has been coming in different shapes and sizes since 1910. The body was set up to regulate sports in Nigeria. It was officially named National Sports Council in 1962 when it was established and placed under the ministry of labour. It became National Sports Commission in 1971 and started reporting to the minister of sports. Since then, it has either been scrapped or relegated to the background when there is a minister of sports. Former president Muhammadu Buhari scrapped it entirely in 2022. It is back again. The new chairman is Shehu Dikko. Notable previous all-powerful chairmen (in the absence of a minister) were Alex Akinyele (under the Ibrahim Babangida government) and Shola Rhodes (under Sani Abacha).


5. TAKE A BOW — WE KNOW YOUR PORTFOLIO!

When was the last time you knew the designated portfolios of ministerial nominees before they were screened by the senate? 2019? 2015? 1999? The correct answer is 2024. For the first time in this democratic dispensation, portfolios were assigned to ministerial nominees before senate screening. Many public commentators had been yearning for this. At senate screenings, nominees are usually questioned on portfolios that they may eventually not get. For the record, these are the nominees and their designated portfolios: Nentawe Yilwatda (humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction); Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi (labour & employment); Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (state, foreign affairs); Jumoke Oduwole (industry, trade and investment); Idi Mukhtar Maiha (livestock development); Yusuf Abdullahi Ata (state, housing and urban development); and Suwaiba Said Ahmad (state, education).


6. THE RETURN OF SUNDAY DARE

Former minister of youth and sports development, Sunday Dare, is back — this time as a presidential adviser serving in the office of a minister. He was named special adviser to the president on public communication and orientation and will work from the ministry of information and national orientation. He was executive commissioner, stakeholder management, at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) from 2016 to 2019. He currently owns a football club and a radio station. Dare, an accomplished journalist, was once head of Hausa service, Voice of America (VOA). He was Tinubu’s chief of staff and media adviser until 2016.


7. OGUN AGAIN?

Jumoke Oduwole’s appointment to head the ministry of industry, trade, and investment makes her the fourth minister from Ogun. Others are Adekunle Salako, the minister of state for environment; Bosun Tijani, minister of communications, innovation, and digital economy; and Wale Edun, minister of finance. It is unusual to have more than two ministers from a state but now we have four from the state that produced Olusegun Obasanjo, Obafemi Awolowo, Oladipo Diya, Ernest Shonekan and Yemi Osinbajo — all who served at the highest level as president or vice-president (or, in the case of Awolowo, deputy chairman of the federal cabinet and minister of finance).

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has revealed that the sack of some ministers was based on Nigerians’ scorecard and empirical facts.

He also relayed the role the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, played in the ministers’ dismissal from the cabinet.

Tinubu on Wednesday relieved Barr. Uju-Ken Ohanenye, former Minister of Women Affairs, Lola Ade-John, his counterparts ministry of Tourism, Prof. Tahir Mamman (SAN) who headed the Education ministry, Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, previously the Minister of Youth Development of their portfolios.

The president’s action climaxed weeks of speculation and the imminent rejig that heightened after his return from France at the end of his vacation.

In an interview on ARISE TV, Onanuga said Tinubu acted on Nigerians’ perception.

According to him, Bala Usman was assigned to oversee a performance appraisal, which involved gathering public feedback on the ministers’ work.

The presidential aide further defended Tinubu’s decision to appoint seven new ministers to his cabinet.

He said the Nigerian government needs a lot of hands to tackle the problem that the country is facing.

He said, “When the ministers were sworn in, the President actually told them that as the president, he has the power to hire and fire, and that he would not hesitate to remove ministers who could not perform.

“There was a retreat in October last year where he also repeated the same warning about his plan to always try to rejig his cabinet in case some are not performing well.

“It was not just something that was done whimsically, I think Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination in fact brought technology into it by asking Nigerians to score the minister. So, whoever was removed was based on some empirical facts and their public perception. Nigerians actually did the scorecard and the President acted on the results.”

Onanuga added that the dismissals did not necessarily mean that the ministers were not meeting Tinubu’s expectations.

“But the expectation of the public. Some weeks ago at the cabinet meeting, the President actually challenged the ministers to go out and tell Nigerians what they have been doing for the past one year or so.

“According to the president, the perception outside there by the people is that the people feel that the government is not performing, and the government believes that the government is performing, but the ministers were not going out to really project government the appropriate way”, he submitted.

By Daily Trust


On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu reshuffled his cabinet, naming seven new members, sacking five and swapping 10 others.

In the course of doing this, some ministers became senior ministers.

MORUFU ALAUSA (MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH), NOW MINISTER OF EDUCATION

Alausa’s appointment as the Minister of Education followed the dismissal of Prof. Tahir Mamman.

A medical doctor specialising in nephrology, Dr. Alausa studied Medicine & Surgery at the University of Lagos, graduating in 1993. Не completed his residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, where he served as Chief Medical Resident.

IMAAN SULAIMAN-IBRAHIM (MINISTER OF STATE FOR POLICE AFFAIRS), NOW MINISTER OF WOMEN AFFAIRS

Sulaiman-Ibrahim replaced the former minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, who topped the list of the major casualties of President Tinubu’s first cabinet reshuffle.

AYODELE OLAWANDE (MINISTER OF STATE FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT), NOW MINISTER OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Olawande, formerly Minister of State for Youth Development, now serves as the Minister for Youth Development.

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has approved a new minimum wage package of N80,000 for employees of the state government.

The governor has also constituted an implementation committee to ensure the smooth commencement of the new wage regime with the Head of the Civil Service (HoCS), Elder Effiong Essien, as Chairman.

The committee has a one month ultimatum to deliver its report on the wage increase harmonisation

Disclosing this to Journalists in Uyo, on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, listed other members of the committee include the Chairman, Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) and Permanent Secretaries in the Ministries of Finance and Department of Establishments.

Others are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning; Permanent Secretary/Solicitor General, Ministry of Justice; Permanent Secretary/Accountant General; Permanent Secretary, Local Government Service Commission (LGSC); Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Civil Service; Director of Budget and the State Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council.

The list also has the Secretary, Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council; State Chairperson, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); State Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the State President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) as members.

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has declared that the ruling party will capture the SouthWest by winning the November 16 off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State.

Ganduje declared this when he led members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, the state capital, on Sunday.

Daily Trust reports that the APC National Chairman was joined by Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Talabi Olatokunbo.

Others include Isaac Kekemeke (APC, Deputy National Chairman (South), Senator Ajibola Bashiru; (APC National Secretary), Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, among prominent members of the party in the Southwest region.

Speaking at the meeting, Ganduje said the ruling party is working very hard to ensure it spread its tentacles ahead of the 2027 general election.

He stressed that both Oyo and Osun states must also be under the capture of the progressive party to boost President Bola Tinubu’s support, especially in the south.

While stating that the party would not reveal its strategy in winning the states in the region, Ganduje urged leaders of the APC to close ranks and ensure unity among members and followers of the party.

He said the governorship election in Ondo is a walkover for the APC, adding that all the leaders at the national level have thrown their support for incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

“In this geopolitical zone, we must deliver 100 percent in favour of APC. Therefore, Ondo State, you must be the forefrontl the two other states – Oyo and Osun – we will capture them, but I will not reveal our secret. We are strategising. Everything must be 100 per cent behind President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In this coming election, we are solidly behind Governor Aiyedatiwa. We have made arrangements at the national level to have a successful election and I announce Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the Chairman National Campaign Council.

“This election is a task that must be done. We are encouraged by this large crowd of stakeholders. It shows there is unity, solidarity, and vigour in the party. We are expecting 90 percent votes in the forthcoming governorship election. You have to visit house to house. Neighbour to neighbour and ensure that people come out to vote,” he said.

Ganduje, however, pleaded with the party’s aspirants who contested the governorship ticket with Aiyedatiwa to sheathe their sword and rally behind the governor in November election.

“Let me remind those who contested the primary election with Aiyedatiwa that are not losers because there is no victor, no vanquish in the exercise.”

On his part, Sanwo-Olu said the party becomes stronger when the people come together in unity.

He stated that the party could not afford to lose Ondo to the opposition parties, arguing that all warring factions must set aside their differences and support Aiyedatiwa in the election.

“The entire party formation has come to Ondo to appreciate you. You may have gone through turbulent time and feel aggrieved, but it is more important that we come together again as one.”

“Nobody should be left behind because all of you are important to the delivery of our victory in the coming election. This gathering is to embrace all of us and for all of us to agree. This message of unity must go around the 18 LGAs of the state. Mr. President is fully aware of what we are doing here, and he has given his consent to this.

“When we come together, we are even bigger than whatever force that wants to come within. We need everybody in that train in respect of our difference. It is the reason why we need to work together as one.”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he once suffered 25 per cent hearing loss without knowing it.

Obasanjo stated this in Bauchi on Sunday when he paid homage to the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman-Adamu.

According to him, many people in the world are deaf without knowing it until they go for medical checks on their hearing capacity before it would be revealed to them.

He recounted that he was abroad and couldn’t hear clearly when someone was talking to him, and insisted nothing was wrong with his ears, and the man asked his permission to check on the ears.

Obasanjo said the result of the clinical analysis showed he was 25 per cent deaf.

“After my result came out, I had to ask the man to also check on my Chief Security Officer then but shockingly enough, he was more deaf than I was,” he said.

This experience, he said, formed the creation of the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, adding that thousands of Nigerians had benefitted from its ear treatment and provision of hearing aids in partnership with Starkey Hearing Foundation.

The former president said he would inaugurate the distribution of hearing aids targeting about 10,000 indigent people in the North-East, starting from Bauchi State where 2,000 people would benefit.

by Agency Report


The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, says he donated over N200 million within a week for education in a bid to provide a future for the younger generation.

Mr Obi made this known during the 70th Anniversary of Queen’s School Enugu organised by Queen’s School Old Girls Association on Saturday.

“On Monday, I was in Onitsha, where they started a new university. From there, I went to Borromeo College of Nursing.

“On Tuesday, I was at Anyigba in Kogi State to attend to students’ needs, and on Thursdays, I was at Almajiri School in Kaduna to attend to their needs also.

“I have donated over N200 million within the week on education,” he said.

While emphasising the importance of investing in education, Mr Obi said that no country would succeed without education.

He said that he was investing in the future of the young ones to discourage them from crime.

Mr Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said that a country’s future depends on its investment in health and education.

He decried the state of the Queen’s School Enugu which he said has produced many great people but had lost its glory due to negligence.

“Those of you who studied in this school will be wondering how we got here. A school that has been celebrated has turned into nothing to be celebrated.

“I am urging you to pull your resources together toward rebuilding this school.

“My appeal to old girls of this school and other Nigerians is: Let’s go back and fix our schools than build new ones.”

He pledged to partner with the association to give a facelift to the school.


Rebuilding the school

Earlier in her remarks, the National President of the Queens School Old Girls Association, Ifeanyi Egbunike, said that many things had gone wrong with the school.

She said that the school lacked new structures.

“I graduated from this school in 1974, and we are celebrating Queen School because it has come a long way. I am celebrating 50 years of being part of the school.

“The school has groomed and added value to many. We chose Obi because he was a man with vision, he is result-oriented and a lover of education,” Mrs Egbunike said.

Queen’s School Enugu was established on 4 October 1954 by the defunct Government of Eastern Nigeria.

The Chairperson of the Enugu Chapter of the association, Maureen Atuonwu, said that the school’s alumni came from all over the world to celebrate its 70th anniversary, adding that the association was working toward uplifting the school.

“We have come together to discuss ways of rebuilding this school, as government alone cannot do it.

“We are partnering with Enugu State Government to see how to take this school to greater heights.

“This school has produced a lot of professionals who excelled in their various fields of endeavour, including Prof. Ngozi Okwonjo-Iweala,” Mrs Atuonwu said.