ECONOMIC activities are beginning to gather pace in states like Sokoto, Taraba, Adamawa, Kebbi following the first day of the hunger protest across Nigeria. But in cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt in Rivers State, and Benin City in Edo State among others, the protests have continued as the demonstrators demand for the betterment of the harsh economy. In Lagos State, the protesters gathered in Ojota. Security operatives were on the ground to ensure a hitch-free exercise. The state’s Commissioner for Information Gbenga Omotosho addressed them and assured them that the government would address their demands. It was a similar situation…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
THE Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to increase the percentage of Ways and Means loans the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) can give to the Federal Government. The upper chamber of the Nigerian legislature raised the credit facility obtainable by the Federal Government from the apex bank from 5% to 10%. Known as the Ways and Means, the apex bank offers short-term financing to the Federal Government to cover its budget shortfalls. To do this, the Senate amended the CBN Act to increase the total CBN advances (loans) to the Federal Government. The bill for the amendment of the…
AHEAD of the planned nationwide protest billed to start August 1, the Federal Government has declared all its 256 custodial centres across the country as “red zones” whose sanctity must not be violated under any guise. The Controller General of Corrections (CGC) Hailey Nababa gave the warning in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja. “In view of the purported national protest scheduled to be held on the first day of August 2024, the Nigerian Correctional Service wishes to inform the public that the Custodial Centres have been designated as red zones; therefore, any person or group of persons who…
SENATE President Godswill Akpabio has warned against the nationwide protest over hardship, claiming some people who lost elections may take advantage of it. He spoke at the State House in Abuja on Monday after President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage bill into law. “People who probably do not have their fortunes in the 2023 election are thinking they can come through the back door, and that will amount to anarchy,” he said. “It’s very clear that people who are behind this are very amorphous, very faceless. So what it means is that people are preparing to loot and…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to sell crude oil to Dangote Refinery and other local refineries in naira and not in United States greenback. Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) boss Zack Adedeji disclosed after a FEC meeting chaired by President inubu in Abuja on Monday. He said the measure would reduce the strain on the country’s foreign spendings and stabilise the pump price of petrol, diesel and other products in Nigeria. Adedeji said FEC ordered that the state-owned NNPCL immediately begin the full implementation of the directive to boost local production of…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has signed the minimum wage bill into law, ending months of deliberations between government authorities, labour unions, and the private sector. News Point Nigeria reports that the President signed it at the State House in Abuja on Monday days after the National Assembly had passed the bill. A National Assembly delegation led by the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio and some members of the House of Representatives were around to witness the ground-breaking event. Following the signing, the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters Basheer Lado said the move is a promise kept. “The…
THE Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has called for an emergency meeting of the Senate. A circular seen by News Point Nigeria and signed by the Clerk, Chinedu Akubueze on Monday, said the meeting was of “National Importance”. The internal circular did not give further details on the emergency meeting. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, just one day before the commencement of the nationwide planned protest against hunger and hardship. The memo wrote, “Dear Distinguished Senators, the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, has directed that an emergency plenary sitting of…
AHEAD of the planned nationwide protest, the Minister of Education Tahir Mamman has directed vice-chancellors of universities to take proactive steps to ensure the security and safety of the university community, including staff and students. A Monday statement by the acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Chris Maiyaki asked vice-chancellors to issue specific statements to assure staff and students of their safety. “Consequently, the Honourable Minister has directed that Vice-Chancellors of all Nigerian Universities should take proactive steps to ensure the security and safety of the university community, including staff and students,” the statement read. “In addition,…
AHEAD of the planned #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest in August, human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has asked the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to probe telecommunication operators’ alleged disconnection of subscribers. In a statement on Sunday, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria warned that telcos should not attempt to sabotage the forthcoming protest against economic hardship in Nigeria by restricting internet access among displeased citizens. “For the past few days, some telecom companies have been disconnecting their subscribers for flimsy and untenable reasons. Some allege lack of NIN registration or linking while some didn’t give any reason at all,” Adegboruwa said. “This action…
THE House of Representatives has vowed to call for the sack of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, if he continues to work against the smooth operation of the Dangote Refinery. Deputy spokesman of the House, Philip Agbese, disclosed this on Saturday while briefing journalists in Abuja, the nation’s capital. This is just as the Benue lawmaker stated that the legislative body had already expressed support for the call for the sack of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Mr Farouk Ahmed. According to the…
IFEANYI Ubah, Senator representing Anambra South district in the National Assembly, is dead. Senator Ubah was said to have departed Nigeria for the UK, two days ago. The politician and businessman died in the United Kingdom. A close family source said he died in a UK hospital where he went for an operation. He would have been 53 on September 3. Ubah had defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) last year. He was later re-elected into the 10th Senate under the YPP. The late Senator was billed to seek APC’s ticket ahead…
FILLING stations in Abuja and neighbouring states of Niger, Nasarawa, and Kogi, were shut on Friday as oil marketers expressed worry over the planned nationwide protest. Retail outlets, including those operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in Kubwa, Salbas Oil, Eterna, and Gegu Oil, among others located on the Kubwa-Zuba expressway, stopped dispensing fuel. The same scene was also witnessed inside Abuja and parts of Niger and Nasarawa states. Oil marketers told our correspondent that filling stations in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, were also shut. The development led to fuel queues resurfacing in outlets dispensing fuel like…
THE Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Friday said it is a time to solve problems and not protest as the Federal Government announced its participation in the Grand Challenges Nigeria project, a global health initiative aimed at combating malnutrition and food insecurity in Nigeria. He stated this during a high-level meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Shettima emphasised the need for constructive action over protest even as he acknowledged the hardship being faced by Nigerians due to recent economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies. This was disclosed in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has allayed fears of manipulation by any interest group in the ongoing economic reforms, saying his campaign was self-sponsored, without strings, or indebtedness to any individual or institution. The President, who received a delegation of Islamic leaders led by Sheikh Bala Lau, at the State House on Thursday, said his victory at the polls was purely by divine intervention, careful planning, and diligence in getting support from Nigerians. “I have no cabal. I have no sponsors. The money I spent on the elections was my personal fortune. At some point, the odds were against me; banks were…
TRADITIONAL rulers have called for calm over the planned nationwide protest to demonstrate against the prevailing economic hardship in Nigeria. The protest which is billed to begin from August 1st, 2024 has garnered traction on social media, prompting a meeting between traditional and President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday. “We will listen to our youths because they lead the future. The power and the strength of Nigeria are certainly with the young people,” the Dein of Agbor, HRM Benjamin Keagborekuzi said after the meeting. “We feel your pain. I’m a young person myself. It’s been…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has admitted being part of different protests but without violence. The President said this when he received Letter of Credence from the newly appointed United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Richard Mills Jr. at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He emphasized the importance of sustaining democracy and its institutions, noting that protests are an integral part of democracy, but that no government will condone demonstrations that lead to the destruction of lives and property. The President said, “Our relationship with America is rich. We believe in democracy and freedom. Some of your predecessors worked hard during our…
TWO weeks after the Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to local governments (LGs) in Nigeria, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has declared that the electoral umpire is capable of successfully conducting LG elections if saddled with the responsibility by law. The INEC chief made this known when he appeared before a Joint National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters to present the Ondo and Edo off-cycle elections budget on Thursday. He, however, raised the question of funding for their by-elections in the country. Mahmood explained that the commission, which currently conducts hitch-free elections in the…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with Governors from the All Progressives Congress, under the aegis of the Progressives Governors Forum at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting which began at minutes past 02 pm follows growing calls for nationwide protests against economic hardship. Although the agenda of Thursday’s meeting is unknown, it may be connected to the planned protests scheduled for August 1 – 10. The protests, organised under the hashtag ‘EndBadGovernance,’ have gained significant traction on social media even as the organisers remain largely anonymous, with no group officially claiming responsibility. This meeting follows an earlier conclave of…
THE Federal Government says it is open to talks with the leaders of the planned nationwide protests slated for August 1-10. At an emergency meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, all the federal ministers were also directed to visit their respective states between Wednesday (July 24) and Thursday August 1, when the protests are scheduled to begin. This is as select ministers, the National Security Adviser will also meet with state governors at the 143rd session of the National Economic Council at the Council Chamber of the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Thursday (today). This formed part of the action points…
FORMER Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, on Wednesday, met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Anyim served as the 9th President of the Senate from 2000 to 2003 and was Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) during Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency. Recently, he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the All Progressives Congress (APC). Accompanying Anyim to meet with Tinubu were the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru. Briefing journalists after the meeting, the former SGF said he joined the ruling party to contribute his quota towards…