The Tinubu-led Federal government has disclosed that it has uncovered 32 routes through which food items are smuggled out of the country.

Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this while addressing a conference on Public Wealth Management held in Abuja on Tuesday, February 20.

He said on the midnight of Sunday, February 18, 45 trucks loaded with maize were intercepted while making their way to neighbouring countries.

“Just three nights ago, 45 trucks of maize were caught being transported to neighboring countries. Just in that Ilela axis, there are 32 illegal smuggling routes. And the moment those food stuff were intercepted, the price of maize came down by N10,000. It came down from N60,000 to N50,000. So, there are forces that are hell-bent on undermining our nation but this is the time for us to coalesce into a singular entity,” he said.

Shettima, who acknowledged that Nigeria is passing through turbulent time, assured the people of the country that the pain will not last forever.

He, however, condemned a situation whereby some persons fuel the embers of division and violence because of the current situation.

“We have to make this country work. We have to move beyond politics. We are now in the face of governance. Sadly, some of our countrymen are still in the political mode. They are the practitioners of violence, advocating that Nigeria should go the Lebanon way. But, Nigeria is greater than anyone of us here. Nigeria will weather the storm. Forces are hell-bent on plunging this country into a state of anarchy. Those who could not get to power through the ballot box, instead for them to wait till 2027, are so desperate,” he said.

The Nigerian Government has disclosed that the N23 trillion Ways and Means debt that has now stuck in its throat like the proverbial fish bone will be reviewed and audited.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, made the disclosure on Tuesday at the ongoing Public Wealth Management Conference organized by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated.

Edun ststed the Federal Government would soon send a bill to the National Assembly that would authorize the removal of “all taxes and levies that constitute nuisance from the country’s tax system”.

This he said was a measure to free the government from future Ways and Means indebtedness.

According to the minister, the government will vigorously pursue policies that will allow it to harvest revenue in real time from Government Owned Enterprises and Corporate entities

The Senator representing Ogun East senatorial district, Gbenga Daniel, has said the myriad of problems Nigeria is grappling with today are caused by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the administration of former president, Muhammadu Buhari.

He said Tinubu can’t speak on these challenges, especially the hunger and hardship ravaging the nation, because his political party is the one responsible for the country’s woes.

He said he wished President Bola Tinubu could tell Nigerians about the already failed economy that was bequeathed to him and what he’s doing and has done to salvage the situation.

Speaking during his tour of Ijebu Ode Local Government Area of Ogun state on Monday, the senator appealed to Nigerians to be patient and preserve, expressing confidence that this administration would turn things around.

Daniel, who admitted hardship in the country, hinted that the menace was caused by the past government but hoped for better days.

“Our president Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot. I wish he could talk now but he can’t talk because this is the same party he stood for, so he can’t, but from what I know we just have to praise his courage. We know things are very difficult but we need to encourage Mr President, we urge our people to be patient, by the special grace of God everything will be alright.”

Nigerian singer, Flavour, has issued a public advisory regarding people using his name and photos to defraud unsuspecting victims.

He disclosed via his official X account that fraudsters are still impersonating him online and noted that he will never ask fans for money.

The ‘Nwa Baby’ crooner said anybody who has come in contact with such impersonators should report them to the appropriate authorities.

Flavour wrote;

“Scammers are still in the business of impersonating me online. Please be aware that I will NEVER ask fans for money or any personal information.

If you’re contacted by someone claiming to be me, DO NOT engage with them and please report the account to the appropriate authorities.”

In a similar post in 2023, a scammer impersonating popular actor, IK Ogbonna was arrested and charged to court after defrauding unsuspecting victims.

Also actor Frederick Leonard reacted to the arrest of a scammer who impersonated him and scammed a woman of N104m.

The imposter identified as Kelvin Aisosa Orhue was arrested by the EFCC and arraigned before the FCT High Court in Kuje.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has declared his administration’s dedication to establishing tuition-free schools across the three senatorial zones, with a focus on providing skills currently lacking in the state.

Prince Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, revealed this after the state executive council meeting in Umuahia on Monday.

The one-year residential program will encompass skills like solar power assembly, POP designing, painting, masonry, tiling, and more. Graduates of the program will receive financial empowerment to kickstart their businesses, aligning with the government’s emphasis on self-sufficiency.

Kanu also announced the suspension of the monthly sanitation exercise due to the commissioning of a geometric power plant on February 24, urging residents to clean their immediate surroundings on that day.

Furthermore, the information boss also disclosed that the government has banned “One way traffic” across the state, warning that driving against traffic would now be considered a serious offense, aligning with efforts to enhance road safety and discourage reckless driving practices.

“A special task force would be established to enforce traffic regulations and crackdown on traffic violations in the state

“This is in keeping with the culture of doing things right as being preached by this government.

“We don’t like people who engage in unwholesome acts, people who revel in impunity and drive against traffic causing accidents and all kinds of confusion on the roads.

“Going forward, driving against traffic will be a very serious offence in the state, and like I informed you not too long ago, some special taskforce is being set up.

“It’s a one-stop task force that will handle every form of enforcement in the state.

“So in the days and weeks ahead, those of us who are in the habit of driving against traffic should be prepared to face the full wrath of the law,” the Commissioner noted.

Some days ago, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), sealed up some supermarkets in Abuja. One of their reasons for doing that is that the stores did not attach the prices of the items displayed on the shelves which is in breach of the law. 

Section 115 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCP) Act has mandated vendors (both offline and online vendors) to attach the price of any item they display or advertise for sale. 

Here are the full provisions of Section 115 of the FCCP Act; 

“115(1) An undertaking shall not display any goods or services for sale without adequately displaying to the consumer a price of those goods or services.

(2) For the purposes of this subsection, a price is adequately displayed to a consumer if, in relation to any, particular goods or services, a written indication of the price, expressed in the currency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is annexed or affixed to, written, printed, stamped or located upon, or otherwise applied to the goods or services or to any band, tickle covering the label, package, reel, shell or other thing used in connection with the goods or services, or on which the goods or services are mounted for display or exposed for sale, or published in relation to the goods or services in a catalogue, brochure, newspaper, a circular or similar publication available to the consumer

or to the public generally.

(3) An undertaking shall not require a consumer to pay a price for any goods or services higher than the displayed price for those goods or services, or if more than one price is concurrently displayed is higher than the lower or lowest of the prices so displayed. 

By implication of this s. 115 of the FCCP Act, posting an item for sale without affixing the price is an offence and asking interested buyers to dm you for the price as online vendors usually do is an offence as well. You are expected to charge in Niara so far your patrons or customers are residents in Nigeria or your business is conducted within the territorial jurisdiction of Nigeria. If your price tag is in any other currency other than the Niara, you have run a breach of subsection 2 of this section 115. 

The intention of this law and the reason for the establishment of the consumer protection agency is for the protection of the final consumers; to ensure that consumers are not exploited by greedy sellers who can Jack up their prices at any time and charge exorbitant prices. The agency is to ensure that dealers and sellers charge consumers a market fair price for the items, any price charged for an item which is above what is considered to be the fair price of the item is extortion and it is illegal. 

Sellers are therefore expected to charge customers the prices that were attached to the item, once a seller charges a customer a price different from the displayed price, it becomes an offense. If there is a change in price, it is expected of the seller to quickly update the price change to avoid running a breach of the law.

Stan Alieke is an Abuja based legal practitioner. 

The 2024 edition of the iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival will hold March 21^st – 24^th at its primary home, Lagos. The prime project of the Foundation for Promotion of Documentary Film Festival in Africa (FPDFA), the leading platform for documentary film promotion in Nigeria and West Africa, will also be hosted in virtual format.

Founded in 2010, the iREP Festival has the founding generic theme Africa in Self-Conversation, which encourages cross-exchanges of ideas and developmental aspirations among the diverse peoples of Africa and the global black family.

iREP 2024, the 14^th edition of the annual ritual, will feature conversations, screenings, workshops, networking sessions, and other related activities.

Over 45 films are expected to be screened at the two venues hosting the festival this year vis: Freedom Park, 1 Hospital Road, Lagos Island, and Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi. The films – short are long features -- have been drawn from largely Nigerian filmmakers and their counterparts from 25 countries in four continents, who submitted their entries via Filmfreeway. However, there are alsosome specially curated films selected for the festival, some of which have made the round of international festival circuits and have won awards around the world.

Theme

The 2024 edition’s theme, RIGHTING THE FUTURE, is deliberately chosen to instigate conversation between the present and the future of the continent, as well as encourage deeper dialogue between the young people and their elders. The provocative theme is set in the context of happenings in this season of political anomalies and leadership failures in many countries of the continent.

The SOYINKA Edition

IREP 2024 is designated as “The SOYIKA edition” to commemorate the 90^th birthday anniversary of the distinguished global cultural icon, poet, playwright, essayist, polemicist and Africa’s first Nobel laureate for literature, Professor Oluwole Akinwande Soyinka. He embodies the virtues of the quintessential ‘citizen activist’ with the clarity of vision and passion for the betterment of our collective humanity needed to hold power accountable to the people. Over the past six decades and more, he has consistently deployed his intellectual acumen and personal resources to defend human values and the fundamentality of the freedom of the individual to resist oppression. He is renowned for having also displayed a high degree of patriotic zeal to clamour for good governance and participatory democracy by citizens of the country, even at grave risks to his personal comfort and career. For his tenacious hold to his convictions, he has sometimes run into problems with consecutive state authorities and certain sections of the society. But he remains steadfast in his self-imposed battles to always right the wrongs he perceives in his social, cultural and political environments. These are the values and virtues, iREP hopes to spotlight and celebrate at the 2024 festival with the intention to assure members of the social milleu that they can hold on to their beliefs and convictions without being herded by the mob.

The Soyinka section will cover two days of the festival and will be staged at the Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, the day one keynote on RIGHTING the FUTURE: Soyinka & His Engagements will be delivered Prof Manthia Diawara, writer, filmmaker, cultural theorist, scholar, art historian, and distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and Film at the New York University. He is the writer and director of “Negritude: A Dialogue between Wole Soyinka and Leopold Senghor.” The second day keynote on the humanistic ideals of Soyinka as reflected in his works will be delivered by Professor Awam Amkpa, Dean of Arts and Humanities, & Vice Provost at the New York University, NYUAD, and Global Network Professor of Drama, Social and Cultural Analysis, NYU New York. Each keynote will be followed by a panel discussion and screenings of films related to Soyinka’s career.

About iREP:

The iREP International Documentary Film Festival serves as an educational and cultural platform, harnessing the influence of film and related industries to encourage public engagement in the developments of their sociocultural and political environments. The overarching objective of the iREP aims to raise awareness about the documentary format's potential to deepen and share social and cultural education, while also fostering participatory democracy in our societies.

Femi Odugbemi, fta

Executive Director, iREP

+234 803 425 1963

NIGERIA’S foreign exchange and inflation have combined to push the prices of prepaid meters year-on-year, YoY by 80 percent to N147, 610.43 (Single phase) in February 2024, from N81, 975 in the corresponding period of 2023. Similarly, the price of the double phase meter also surged YoY by 80 per cent to N259, 002.43 in February 2024, from N143, 836.10 in the corresponding period of 2023.

This is even as the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, has issued a notice of disconnection of power supply to the Presidential Villa, also referred to as Aso Rock and Federal Government’s Ministries, Department and Agencies over a N47 billion their indebtedness.

Manufacturers, suppliers stop importation

However, checks by Vanguard, weekend, indicated Meter Service Providers (MSP) and Meter Asset Providers (MAP) have not been able to produce or import to replenish depleted stocks. It indicated that many customers, who paid for meters have not been supplied and installed, thus increasing the population of those under estimated billing in Nigeria. In apparent response to the situation, the federal government has liberalised the metering market, meaning that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, would no longer peg or fix meter prices in Nigeria.

Rather, prices of meters would be determined by market forces, including foreign exchange and inflation, targeted at ensuring that commercial stocks are produced, supplied and installed for consumers.

NERC working on modalities

A source in the Federal Ministry of Power, who confirmed the Liberalization of Metering Services, weekend, said: “NERC is currently working on the modalities, targeted at efficient operations.

This involves removing price controls while maintaining regulatory guidelines to safeguard consumer interests and ensure fair competition. By eliminating metering price control, a competitive meter market can be fostered, attracting private sector investments, stimulating innovation, and creating job opportunities.”

According to him, the measure was proposed by the MSP and MAP and endorsed by NERC, after proper consideration, adding that before now, the meter manufacturers had called for the upward review of meter prices to reflect current forex and inflation rates within seven days to prevent market shutdown.

He said: “The manufacturers also called for establishment of a joint committee comprising NERC, Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA, Electricity Distribution Companies, DisCos and MSP and MAP to review recommendations and develop robust framework for a transition to a liberalized metering services market within 30 days.”

He also noted that the transitioning to a liberalized metering services market provides a sustainable pathway for Nigeria’s Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to serve customers efficiently while achieving financial viability. According to him, “By eliminating metering price control, the selling price would be determined by input costs and market dynamics. This shift creates incentives for a competitive meter market, attracting much-needed private sector investments into the sector.

“Moreover, it alleviates the burden on Distribution Companies’ (DisCos) balance sheets, stimulates innovation, and fosters local manufacturing, thereby generating employment opportunities. “The objectives of Liberalization of Metering Services with Light Regulation aim at eliminating estimated billing by accelerating meter deployment in the NESI. Support a coordinated metering strategy to enhance collections and reduce Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collection (ATC&C) losses swiftly.

“Minimize the financial impact on DisCos’ balance sheets while advancing the goals of accelerated meter deployment, improved collections, and reduced ATC&C losses. Ensure price transparency and cost reflectivity, while ensuring a reasonable rate of return for metering service providers. Stimulate innovation and foster fair competition in metering services provision within NESI.” He noted that the transition to a liberalized metering services market in NESI represents a strategic policy initiative, stressing that it offers a viable and sustainable pathway to achieving stated objectives while addressing the needs of industry stakeholders and customers.

The source explained that the Liberalisation aims at eradicating the uncertainty and financial burden associated with estimated billing, providing them with transparent and fair billing practices while fostering trust and confidence in the electricity supply system, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction. He said the liberalized market will also promote efficiency and innovation in metering technologies and services, capable of leading to the development of tailored solutions that meet the diverse needs of consumers and utilities alike, driving overall sector performance and reliability.

The source said the liberalized market creates opportunities for local businesses to thrive, particularly in the manufacturing, assembly, and ongoing management of meters while supporting economic growth and job creation, contributing to broader socioeconomic development objectives. However, the Chairman/CEO of NERC, Chairman/CEO, Sanusi Garba, could not be reached for comments, yesterday. But the Ministry of Power source said, “I can confirm that NERC is currently working on the details of the liberalisation before making it public.

The Nigerian Navy has uncovered 14 crude oil processing sites in Ataba Creeks in Andoni Local Government Area, where oil thieves use as a processing point for stolen crude oil that is transformed into various petroleum products.

Also found at the sites within a 500-meter radius at Ataba Creek, were plastic drums, and canoes, among other equipment that were abandoned by the oil thieves when the quick response force comprising the components from JTF, stormed the area.

The JTF operatives got wind of the location after being tipped- off by officials of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Ltd PINL, the Surveillance contractor covering the area.

The Operation Delta Safe OPDS, Commander, Real Admiral, John Okeke who led the team of officers told journalists that the task force team kept vigil in the area for three days, but noted that no arrest was made.

He added that the area was discovered based on the information provided by the “intelligence cell, which of course comprises, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, other components like the police, DIA, Civil Defence and of course, our big collaborator in the name of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Ltd, PINL”.

Rear Admiral Okeke said that with the operation the country could sustain its oil production output, noting that the evidence at the sites shows that the oil thieves had been operating for quite some time but that the weekly overflight surveillance by Shell could not detect the sites because of the remoteness of the area and the thick vegetation.

He added: “What we discovered was shocking, a whopping number of 14 cooking sites. On arrival of our quick response force, we met one still very hot, which suggests that they just pulled out on their arrival.

“The task force quick response team has been on ground for 3 days keeping vigil here. And I want to commend them and the quick response team comprises the components from JTF, so it’s not a one-man show”.

He also said that the operation has aided in the removal of “a major illegal refining site, which of course has reduced the quantity (crude oil) that would have been pilfered from our pipeline and what it portends for the task force is that we are sustaining what my predecessor did and I want to thank God Almighty for at least not up to 24-hours and we are able to achieve this feat.

“If not for the intelligence provided through the stakeholders and the naval intelligence and force cell we wouldn’t have discovered this place because the vegetation is thick. It’s an island beside Bonny Island. When you transit through the main channel you will not notice that there is something here”.

Okeke added: “I want to say again, the criminals that are here, I think it’s better they, those hibernating here can relocate for now or I will advise that they can decide to do legit.

“When you do legitimate business you don’t have any business coming to the bush. And the Nigerian Navy will continue to support your business. But in so far that you continue to hide inside the bush, tearing our pipelines we will not allow you to see peace”.