FEATURES
‘My Ex-Husband Blocked Me From Movie Roles After Our Divorce’ – Nollywood Actress, Mama No Network
AFOLABI
Yoruba Nollywood actress, Atinuke Kazeem, better known as Mama No Network, has opened up about her broken marriage to her colleague, Baba Lanko.
Naija News reports that the comic actress, in an interview with her colleague, Biola Adebayo, on the YouTube show, ‘Talk with B’, revealed how she and Lanko worked together to produce films.
The movie star said Lanko sought to marry another wife after he found fame and money.
Atinuke also stated that after the dissolution of their marriage, Lanko blocked her from appearing in the same films as him.
The thespian further recounted the struggles she faced with infertility during their marriage, including undergoing extreme measures like drinking kerosene, which made her bloated.
She added that God eventually “answered her prayers” by making her conceive naturally.
In her words, “My ex-husband, Lanko, and I worked hard to produce many films. But when money and fame came, he told me he wanted to marry a new wife.
“After we parted ways, he told producers not to feature me in the same projects as him. Today, however, he now uses his money to call me for movie roles, and I give glory to God.
“I wasn’t the one who left the marriage; he simply stopped coming home. During our time together, I faced immense difficulties while trying to have a child. I went through hell.
“At one point, I was given kerosene to drink. All those desperate measures affected me, leading to my bloated stomach. When I finally gave up hope, God answered my prayers, and the pregnancy came naturally.”
In May 2023, Mama No Network tied the knot to a younger partner.
Popular Ghanaian actress, Habiba Sinare, has tied the knot with Akeju, a Nigerian media and music executive based in the U.S., in an intimate and beautiful wedding ceremony.
The joyous event celebrates the union of two creative forces from the entertainment industry, merging the worlds of film and music uniquely.
Known for keeping her personal life private, Habiba surprised her fans by sharing glimpses of her special day on Instagram.
In one heartfelt post, she expressed her gratitude and happiness, writing, “My Answered Prayer, Alhamdulillah. Mr and Mrs Akeju,” reflecting the deep emotional bond she shares with her new husband, describing their marriage as a dream come true.
The wedding came after months of speculation and rumours about their relationship, which the couple had kept relatively under wraps.
Sinare’s decision to share moments from their wedding on social media has since put the speculations to rest, confirming the love story that has captivated the public’s interest.
Fans and fellow celebrities were quick to congratulate the couple, flooding Sinare’s social media with warm messages and well-wishes.
The news of their marriage has not only excited their fans but also brought attention from the entertainment community, uniting the support of both film and music industry colleagues.
Akeju, known for his impactful work as a producer and executive in the music industry, has also made a name for himself with his diverse talents and contributions.
His marriage to Sinare, a celebrated figure in the Ghanaian film industry, symbolizes a blending of their artistic worlds, and many are looking forward to seeing how their partnership will inspire their creative journeys.
The couple’s beautiful union has inspired many of their followers, who continue to celebrate their love story. Fans are now eager to see what this new chapter holds for both stars, who have proven that love can bloom in even the most private corners of the public eye.
[TheNation]
Analysis: Nigeria inflation rose from 22.4% to 32.15% in 16 months - Here’s why prices of goods and services are likely to continue to rise
AFOLABI
The sustained rise in the prices of goods and services in Nigeria is driven by a complex interplay of domestic economic challenges, monetary policy decisions, and external factors. The trends identified by manufacturers, agricultural experts, and economic analysts reveal that inflationary pressures are likely to persist, affecting both the productive and service sectors. This analysis will explore the various underlying causes and how they are expected to shape price trends in Nigeria.
1. Monetary Policy and Rising Interest Rates
The continuous increase in the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), now at 27.25%, has had a ripple effect across the Nigerian economy. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has expressed concerns that higher borrowing costs, which now exceed 35%, are compounding the challenges faced by the manufacturing sector. With the cost of credit rising, manufacturers are forced to either raise prices to cover costs or reduce production capacity, exacerbating supply shortages.
As production costs rise, the prices of manufactured goods inevitably increase, further eroding consumer purchasing power. This cost-push inflation is particularly damaging for a country like Nigeria, where many industries depend on imports for raw materials. As the Naira continues to depreciate, manufacturers pay more for inputs, worsening the inflationary spiral.
2. Depressed Consumer Demand and Inventory Buildup
Despite rising production costs, many manufacturers face the challenge of declining consumer demand due to reduced purchasing power. With inflation soaring, consumers are spending more on essential goods like food and fuel, leaving less disposable income for other goods and services. As a result, manufacturers are accumulating unsold inventory, which reached ₦1.24 trillion in the first half of 2024—a significant increase from ₦869.37 billion at the end of 2023.
This situation is unsustainable for the manufacturing sector, as companies must either continue raising prices to offset losses or cut production, leading to layoffs and potential business closures. The resulting unemployment would further suppress demand, creating a vicious cycle of stagnating economic activity and rising inflation.
3. Food Inflation and Agricultural Challenges
The agricultural sector, a crucial component of Nigeria’s economy, is also grappling with significant challenges that are contributing to rising food prices. Worsening insecurity, particularly in the northern regions, has severely disrupted farming activities, reducing both output and productivity. Armed conflicts and banditry have prevented farmers from accessing their lands, while attacks on rural communities have driven many farmers away from agricultural activities altogether.
Moreover, Nigeria suffers from a lack of adequate storage and processing facilities. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Nigeria loses up to 50% of its agricultural produce post-harvest due to poor infrastructure, inadequate storage, and inefficient food processing methods. This wastage leads to shortages, driving up the prices of staple foods such as grains, fruits, and vegetables. Even during harvest seasons, when prices typically ease, the lack of proper storage ensures that these gains are short-lived, with prices quickly rebounding after seasonal abundance passes.
The combination of insecurity, high post-harvest losses, and inefficient food distribution systems guarantees that food prices will remain elevated in the near and medium term, putting further pressure on household budgets.
4. The Depreciation of the Naira and Smuggling
One of the most significant factors driving inflation in Nigeria is the persistent depreciation of the Naira, particularly against stronger currencies like the CFA franc in neighboring countries. As the Naira weakens, the price differential between Nigeria and its neighbors increases, creating opportunities for smugglers to move food items and other essential goods out of Nigeria to sell them at higher prices.
This cross-border smuggling exacerbates local shortages, further driving up domestic prices. With the Naira currently trading at around ₦1,700/$ in the parallel market, there is little hope for a near-term recovery. The government’s decision to float the Naira in 2023, while aimed at addressing exchange rate imbalances, has led to increased volatility in the currency market, with speculative activities and weak foreign investment inflows adding to the pressure on the Naira.
Without robust interventions to stabilize the currency, such as increasing foreign reserves or attracting substantial foreign investment, the exchange rate is likely to remain under pressure. This continued depreciation will ensure that imported goods, including food items and raw materials for manufacturing, remain expensive, further fueling inflation.
5. Energy Costs and Petrol Price Increases
Energy prices, particularly petrol, have been a key driver of inflation in Nigeria. The removal of petrol subsidies by the Tinubu administration has led to a sharp increase in fuel prices, with petrol now selling for around ₦1,000 per liter—up from ₦187 per liter when the administration took office. Given that transportation costs account for a significant portion of the cost structure for many goods and services, the impact on inflation has been profound.
Higher fuel prices have not only driven up the cost of transporting goods but also increased the operating costs for small businesses and households that rely on petrol-powered generators due to the country’s unreliable electricity supply. With global oil prices likely to remain high due to geopolitical tensions and the depreciation of the Naira against the U.S. dollar, petrol prices are unlikely to decline soon, ensuring that energy costs will continue to be a major contributor to inflation.
6. Structural Economic Issues and Foreign Exchange Shortages
Nigeria’s heavy dependence on crude oil exports and the chronic underperformance of the oil sector, due in part to oil theft and declining production, have reduced the country’s foreign exchange earnings. This, in turn, limits the ability of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stabilize the Naira through interventions in the foreign exchange market.
With dwindling foreign reserves and limited inflows from non-oil exports, Nigeria has been unable to meet the foreign currency needs of manufacturers and importers. The resulting scarcity of foreign exchange has led to higher costs for imported goods, from industrial machinery to everyday consumer products. Until Nigeria can diversify its export base and increase foreign exchange earnings, these challenges will persist, keeping the pressure on prices.
Crude-for-loans: NNPCL takes out 8million barrels of crude oil monthly to service $8.8bn debt – Report
AFOLABI
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has pledged 272,500 barrels per day of crude oil through a series of crude-for-loan deals totalling $8.86bn.
By pledging 272,500 barrels daily, it means that about 8.17 million barrels of crude will be used for different loan deals by the national oil firm on a monthly basis.
This is according to an analysis of a report by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the NNPC’s financial statements.
Under these deals, notable projects include Project Panther, Project Bison, Project Eagle Export Funding (Original, Subsequent, and Subsequent 2 Debts), Project Yield, and Project Gazelle.
According to The PUNCH’s findings, NNPC has already fully repaid $2.61bn in loans, representing 29.4 per cent of the total credit facility, while $6.25bn or 70.6 per cent, remains outstanding.
Also, out of the $8.86bn credit facility, only about $6.97bn has been received from seven crude-for-loan deals.
One of the key projects, Project Panther, involves a joint venture between NNPC and Chevron Nigeria Limited, backed by international and local banks.
The project secured a $1.4bn loan facility, with 23,500bpd pledged to service the debt. Repayment is set to commence after a moratorium, with financing terms including an SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rate) plus 5.5 per cent margin and a liquidity premium.
Another significant deal is Project Bison, tied to NNPC’s attempt to acquire a 20 per cent equity stake in the Dangote refinery. However, the national oil company only acquired a 7.25 per cent stake.
The project secured a $1.04bn loan from Afrexim Bank, with 35,000 bpd pledged as collateral. NNPC fully repaid this loan in June 2024.
Project Eagle Export Funding comprises three separate loans aimed at meeting various financial obligations.
The original loan, secured in 2020 for $935m, was serviced with 30,000 bpd and was fully repaid by September 2023.
A subsequent loan of $635m was also fully repaid by the same period. The third tranche, known as Project Eagle Export Funding Subsequent 2 Debt, was secured in 2023 for $900m, with 21,000 bpd pledged. Repayment is scheduled to begin in June 2024, and the loan will mature in 2028.
Project Yield, designed to support the Port Harcourt Refining Company, involves a $950m loan, with 67,000 bpd pledged for repayment.
The repayment of the loan, secured in 2022, will begin in December. This seven-year facility is crucial to refurbishing the refinery and enhancing domestic refining capacity.
However, despite this crude-for-loan arrangement, fuel production at the Port Harcourt refinery has yet to commence, despite multiple postponements as of August. Promises from the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and NNPC have repeatedly fallen through.
More recently, there was the Project Gazelle deal, which aimed to stabilise Nigeria’s foreign exchange market.
In December 2023, NNPC secured a $3bn forward sale agreement, pledging 90,000bpd from Production Sharing Contract assets to cover future tax and royalty obligations.
As of the end of 2023, $2.25bn had been drawn from this facility, with repayments scheduled to begin by mid-2024.
These crude-for-loan deals come at a time when Nigeria is struggling to boost its oil production.
The NEITI 2022-2023 report revealed a significant decline in crude oil output, reaching the lowest levels in a decade. In 2022, the country produced 490.94 million barrels of crude oil, a steep drop from the peak of 798.54 million barrels in 2014.
Although production slightly improved to 537.57 million barrels in 2023, this still represents only 67.16 per cent of the country’s peak production capacity.
One of the major challenges facing the sector is production deferment. In 2023, Nigeria deferred 110.66 million barrels of crude oil, down from 153.44 million barrels in 2022.
The deferment was primarily due to unscheduled maintenance, repair issues, and oil theft.
Despite government efforts to curb these issues, including initiatives to reduce theft and sabotage, operational inefficiencies persist.
NEITI reported that oil theft and sabotage resulted in the loss of 5.25 million barrels in 2023, exacerbating production struggles.
The House of Representatives Special Joint Committee recently directed NNPC to halt further crude-for-loan agreements.
This directive follows reports that the company is planning to borrow an additional $2bn in oil-backed loans amid efforts to settle a $6bn backlog owed to international oil traders, particularly following the removal of fuel subsidy.
The PUNCH earlier reported that the NNPC was in talks for another oil-backed loan to boost its finances and allow investment in its business, according to the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC, Mele Kyari.
Kyari said the company wanted the new loan against 30,000-35,000 barrels per day of crude production, though he declined to say how much money it sought.
Nigeria’s government finances rely on oil the NNPC exports, which provides the bulk of crucial foreign exchange reserves. However, pipeline theft and years of underinvestment have sapped oil production in recent years, and the cost of fuel subsidies has further depleted cash reserves.
On August 17, 2023, the NNPC announced that it had secured a $3.3bn emergency crude oil repayment loan from the African Export-Import Bank.
It explained at the time that the oil company would use the loan to support the Federal Government in stabilising Nigeria’s exchange rate.
The facility, among other things, would help the Federal Government attend to some of its dollar obligations, assist the Central Bank of Nigeria in stabilising the foreign exchange market, and provide funding for NNPC.
Providing details about the deal in the document titled, “Everything you need to know about the NNPC Limited’s $3.3bn loan, also known as Project Gazelle,” NNPC said, “This is a financing agreement secured by NNPC Limited to prepay future royalties and taxes to the Federal Government.”
The company also stated that it adopted a lower price benchmark for the $3.3bn crude-for-cash loan to reduce the risk of default and ensure financial stability.
Giving details on the benchmark oil price, the company said the facility used a conservative crude price of $65/barrel to calculate the allocated crude to be produced and sold.
NNPC also said repayments were strategically planned and tied to future oil sales, with conservative pricing in oil sales contracts mitigating the risks associated with oil price volatility.
The Rivers State Police Command has said it would comply fully with the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja which barred it from participating in the October 5 local government election in the state.
This came less than 24 hours after some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by the state party chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka, and their supporters protested against the conduct of the election by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
The protesters marched to the headquarters of the Department of State Services and the State Police Command in Port Harcourt asking the two agencies to respect the extant court order and hands off the poll, even as Aaron submitted a petition and a copy of the judgment to the officials of both outfits.
The police, however, explained that adhering to the court order does not mean that its operatives will fold their arms and allow security breaches.
The spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Port Harcourt .
Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said the decision is a sequel to the directives by the Force Legal Department that the ruling from the Federal High Court on September 30, 2024, takes precedence.
While insisting that it had studied the two court judgment it received restraining them from participating, she advised citizens to remain peaceful
The statement read, “The Nigeria Police Force seeks to inform all law-abiding citizens and stakeholders in Rivers State about the upcoming local government election, particularly in the light of recent court rulings.
“On July 19, 2024, a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a restraining order preventing the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies from providing security during the local government election.
“Additionally, on September 30, 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a judgment that again prohibited the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies from participating in the local government election.
“Given these circumstances, the Nigeria Police Force has been advised by the Force Legal Department that the ruling from the Federal High Court on September 30, 2024, takes precedence.
“Recently, an opposition party protested, calling for adherence to the court orders and expressing their determination to prevent any disregard for the law.
“The Nigeria Police Force encourages all parties to seek appropriate legal redress if they feel aggrieved by any decisions or actions related to the election process.
“The Nigeria Police Force is dedicated to maintaining law and order and will not stand idly by in the face of potential disturbances.
“Necessary actions will be taken to enforce the court’s orders. All Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and Tactical Commanders have been directed to ensure full compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court.”
It added, “In view of the above, the Nigeria Police Force has been advised by the Force Legal Department to comply with the judgment of the Federal High Court dated September 30, 2024, which bars the Nigeria Police from allowing, participating in, providing security for, or taking part in the Rivers State Local Government Election on October 5, 2024.
“All other security agencies are also implored to comply with the Federal High Court judgment.
“In light of these developments, the Nigeria Police Force calls on all citizens to remain peaceful and orderly and to cooperate with law enforcement in upholding the rule of law during this crucial period.”
[Punch]
The rising cost of maintaining a healthy diet has put a strain on many Nigerians, as the average daily cost of a healthy diet in the country reached N1,255 per adult in August 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
The NBS in a report released on Thursday that the increase represented a 28 per cent rise compared to N982 in March 2024.
The bureau collects retail food prices monthly from over 10,000 outlets nationwide to monitor inflation trends, including the prices of more than 200 food items.
“Animal source foods were the most expensive food group in August, accounting for 37 per cent of the total cost of a healthy diet while providing only 13 per cent of total calories,” the report highlighted.
At the state level, costs varied, with Ogun, Lagos, and Rivers states recording the highest average daily costs of N1,641, N1,615, and N1,572, respectively.
“Katsina, Kaduna, and Sokoto, however, had the lowest costs, at N880, N951, and N980 per day,” the report further noted. These regional disparities highlight the unequal access to affordable nutrition across the country.
“At the zonal level, the South West zone recorded the highest average daily cost of N1,554, followed by the South-South zone at N1,381. “The North West zone recorded the lowest cost of a healthy diet at N1,041 per day,” NBS added.
The surge in costs was attributed to the rising prices of key food groups.
“Legumes, nuts, seeds, starchy staples, and vegetables were the main drivers of the increase in the cost of a healthy diet,” the report explained.
Despite the 28 per cent increase over the past six months, there was a 0.8 per cent decline in the cost compared to July 2024, which was N1,265 per day.
In addition to the rising food costs, the NBS report showed that the price of vegetables dropped by 14.5 per cent on a month-to-month basis in August.
As food prices continue to rise, experts warned that more Nigerians may find it increasingly difficult to access nutritious food.
The NBS also compared the cost of a healthy diet with the general consumer price index, noting that since July 2023, the cost of a healthy diet has been rising faster than the prices of other goods and services in Nigeria.
“The cost of a healthy diet increased at a faster rate than all goods and services in the past year,” it stated.
There are indications that the supply of crude oil in naira by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery which should have started on October 1, 2024, has yet to begin as of Thursday, October 3.
Officials at the Dangote refinery and those at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Federal Ministry of Finance, and NNPC, among others, stayed mute when contacted for updates on the naira-for-crude deal between NNPC and Dangote.
On Monday, The PUNCH reported that the Technical Sub-Committee on Domestic Sales of Crude Oil in Local Currency had confirmed the preceding day that the supply of crude in naira by NNPC to the Dangote refinery would begin on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
On September 13, 2024, the committee announced that the Federal Executive Council under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu approved the sale of crude to local refineries in naira and the corresponding purchase of petroleum products in naira.
“From October 1, NNPC will commence the supply of about 385kbpd (385,000 barrels per day) of crude oil to the Dangote refinery to be paid for in naira,” the committee had declared.
The Chairman of the Technical Sub-Committee is Zacch Adedeji, who doubles as Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
The Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS Chairman, Mr Dare Adekanmbi, had responded in the affirmative when contacted on Sunday and asked if the plan for the crude oil supply to the $20bn Lekki-based plant was still intact.
“I can confirm that the Chairman of the Sub-Technical Committee, Zacch Adedeji, is working day and night to ensure that things go according to plans. He knows how important it is to have the agreement implemented as has been planned for the benefit of Nigerians,” Adekanmbi had stated.
But on Thursday, impeccable sources with three domestic refineries stated that they were not aware if the deal had commenced.
NNPC officials stayed mute when contacted for updates on the deal, directing our correspondent to the Ministry of Finance to get answers. The finance ministry did not provide answers when contacted.
However, a senior official with a domestic refinery said crude oil refiners including Dangote were still awaiting the Federal Government for the supply of crude in naira.
The official also noted that the government through its committee on crude-for-naira had assured operators that efforts were in top gear to deliver on the deal.
“You know that said it was to start on October 1, the technical committee is the one in charge now and they are working on it. They are supposed to arrive at a particular agreement and communicate it to us.
“But I can tell you that as of this moment, we haven’t received that communication yet. We are still waiting for them,” the operator who spoke in confidence due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, stated.
Another source with a major modular refinery, who is familiar with the deal, said, “The crude oil refiners’ body in Nigeria hasn’t been communicated yet on the deal. So we await the official communication because up till last week, we spoke with them (the government) and they assured us that the deal was still on course.
“However, I’d like to state that deals of this nature take a while before they are completed. There are a lot of things to be sorted before a final decision is reached. So we have to wait for them.”
The government explained in September that the naira-for-crude initiative would help reduce pressure on the naira, eliminate unnecessary transaction costs, and improve the availability of petroleum products across the country.
“Since then, the implementation committee chaired by the Minister of Finance and we, the technical committee, have worked intensely with NNPC and Dangote refinery to fashion out the details of the modalities for the implementation of the FEC approval,” Adedeji had stated.
While stating that crude would be sold to Dangote in naira from October 1, the committee chairman and FIRS boss said, “In return, the Dangote refinery will supply PMS (petrol) and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid in naira.
“Diesel will be sold in naira by the Dangote refinery to any interested off-taker. PMS will only be sold to NNPC. NNPC will then sell to various marketers for now. All associated regulatory costs (NPA, NIMASA, etc.) will also be paid in naira. We are also setting up a one-stop shop that will coordinate service provision from all regulatory agencies, security agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth implementation of this initiative.”
Adedeji explained that the technical committee that worked to flesh out the initiative would transition to an implementation execution and monitoring committee that would be working out of Lagos for the next three to six months.
There appears to be selective payment of the N70,000 new minimum wage by the Federal Government, which has triggered fresh tension among federal public workers, as most of those yet to be paid have decried the development.
According to some staff of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, who haven’t seen any addition to their salaries, this is the height of insensitivity on the part of the government whose policies brought hardship and hunger.
But sources in the Accountant-General’s and Budget Office painted different pictures of the situation on the ground last night.
While the Accountant-General’s office said the new minimum wage was effected along with September salary, the Budget Office said N40,000 was paid across the board to all federal workers but workers are denying this.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage into law on July 18, 2024, after about two months of protracted negotiations among the tripartite committee members, comprising representatives of government, Organised Private Sector, OPS and organised labour, made up of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart.
One of the staff of an MDA who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said: “We are fed up with the whole system. We do not know what the government wants us to do.
‘’It is bad enough that the government removed fuel subsidy and inflicted unbearable suffering and hardship, including hunger on workers and other Nigerians across the country, it is even worse than the minimum wage that has been signed into law for months, in fact, since July, has not been implemented.
“We even heard that some few workers in the core civil service have seen some amount added to their salaries. What sort of arrangement is that? What sort of selective payment is that? Are we not in the same country and experiencing the same hardship and hunger?
‘’It is pure discrimination and salary slavery designed to keep some of us in perpetual bondage. We have been frustrated, denied and even humiliated by the policies of the government. Many of us have resorted to sleeping in offices, while many others who do not want to sleep in offices trek long distances to work.
“To worsen the suffering, many of us now starve or indulge in self-imposed fasts to cope with the situation. We cannot meet responsibilities to our immediate and extended families. Our children have not resumed school as we have no money to pay their fees and other necessities. We do not know why the government has decided to inflict pain and suffering on us.
“Since the new minimum wage was signed into law, the government has also increased the pump price of petrol and electricity tariff, eroding the value of the new minimum wage that has not even been implemented.
“How does the government want us to survive this assault? Prices of essential communities have continued to rise without any palliative from the government. This is wicked and unfair.”
FG pays N40, 000 in lieu of minimum wage
However, a source in the office of the AGF told Vanguard yesterday that the new minimum wage was effected along with the September salary.
But a source in the Office of Budget and National Planning, who pleaded anonymity, said N40,000 was paid to all Federal Government staff across the board instead of the minimum wage.
He explained that the idea was for those formerly on N30,000 minimum wage to have their wages moved to N70,000 with the additional N40,000.
Some federal workers, who spoke with Vanguard, acknowledged receipt of an extra N40,000 in their September salary.
However, a Federal Government explanatory note on the N40, 000 board payment obtained by Vanguard yesterday, read: “On the 40,000 flat rates narrated as ‘minimum wage’ in the September pay slip, it is just a temporary measure to pay something to civil servants before the official template of the minimum wage becomes available.
“As at the time the September salary voucher was prepared, the template for the new minimum wage was yet to be concluded.
“So, it was concluded that a flat rate be paid to all civil servants, irrespective of level, pending when the template will be available.
“That is why N40,000 was reflected in the September pay slip as ‘minimum wage’. But in October, the official template that was released yesterday night will come into full effect.
Arrears of new minimum wage
“Note the new minimum wage by law came into effect on July 28. This means that there will be arrears for August only. But the issue is a 40k flat rate has already been included in the September salary.
“So, if arrears were to be paid, there will be a deduction of the N40,000 paid to you in August from the normal amount you are to receive as the increasing figure emanating from the new minimum wage template.”
Labour kicks
Reacting to the development, the President of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, AUPCTRE, and Chairman of the National Joint Negotiating Council, NJIC, (on the Labour side), Benjamin Anthony, decried the selective payment of the new minimum wage.
He said “An insignificant number of workers has received an addition to their monthly pay, but the majority have not received anything. What that means to me is that nobody has been paid the new minimum wage.
“We are in touch with the office of the Head of Service, HoS, and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS. They told us they are making efforts to pay. That to us is very bad news.
“It is as if they do not know that there is hunger everywhere and some children have not gone back to school because of lack of money. This is quite sad.
SSANU, NAAT react
Speaking to Vanguard on the situation, the President of the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, Ibeji Nwokoma, said the delay has brought untold hardship to his members.
“Government has fallen short of expectations of public servants. Everybody was expecting that by now the new minimum wage would have been implemented to cushion the effect of an increase in the pump price of petrol.
“People are suffering, people are parking their cars and are unable to take their children to school and families can no longer cope with the present circumstances. We only hear that the government will pay today or pay tomorrow, nobody is sure.
“Government can no longer be trusted. The situation reduces productivity among the working class because people can no longer come to work and expect to go back happy. It’s really affecting productivity and confidence in the public service,’’ he said.
Similarly, the President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the delay is causing a lot of economic distress for his members.
He said: “University workers are worst hit as some of our members travel to far distances to get to work, which has in turn affected their morale in terms of productivity.
“We are frustrated with the delay and urge the government to commence the payment immediately to cushion the effect of high cost of living. The salaries members collect currently only take care of fuel and payment of transportation to work.’’
[Vanguard]
Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has apologised for his previous statement that non-tithers won’t make heaven.
The cleric had initially sparked controversy at one of the church’s conventions when he said, “Anyone who does not pay his tithe is not going to heaven”.
He accused some people of misquoting scripture to avoid paying their tithes. He also stressed the importance of paying 10 percent of one’s income to the church.
“You will have to do both. Pay your tithe, and consider weightier matters of law, judgment and mercy. Do both. I will allow everyone to repent tonight,” he had said.
“And to go back immediately after this convention and restitute your ways with your congregation. Make it clear to them. Anyone who is not paying his tithe is not going to heaven.”
But speaking at the 2024 International Youth Convention, the 82-year-old cleric made a surprising U-turn on his previous stance on tithing.
“I am going to be apologising for making a mistake for saying that if you do not pay tithe you might not make it to heaven. Sorry, that is wrong. That is not in the Bible. What the Bible says is you have peace with all men and holiness without which kò man can see God,” he said.
“Now, let me tell you, it is possible to be right and wrong at the same time. I am a scientist I know about it. For years, we taught that light travels in straight lines.
“Later on, we discover that not just straight as a road, light travels in waves. Going in one direction but in waves. It is wrong to limit you to 10 percent. At a time when some of you should be 20 percent, 30 percent, and 40 percent. 10 percent should be for beginners. Giving should be violent.”
[TheCable]
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— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) October 4, 2024
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has apologised for saying that Christians who don’t pay tithe might not make it to heaven.… pic.twitter.com/cPxMVz0sRh
The House of Representatives, on Thursday, approved a bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Surrogacy Regulatory Commission for the monitoring and supervision of surrogacy arrangements in Nigeria.
The bill aims to “provide for the registration, regulation, and monitoring of surrogacy agencies in Nigeria and related matters.”
Leading the debate on the general principles of the proposed legislation, the sponsor of the bill, Ayodeji Alao-Akala, stated that the bill seeks to regulate and evaluate surrogacy in Nigeria to ensure that medical and health laws are not violated.
He added that it will also protect those seeking to overcome infertility.
Alao-Akala highlighted that a black market has emerged within the system, which takes advantage of the needs of expectant parents and exploits them.
He further stated that surrogate mothers and the children to be born also require legal protection.
Following its adoption, the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, referred the motion to the House Committee on Healthcare Services for further legislative action.
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A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has stated that he does not know a controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky and does not have any business dealings with him.
In a viral audio posted by a blogger, Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky had claimed that he bribed some Economic and Financial Crimes Commission officials with N15 million to drop the money laundering charge against her.
In the purported recording, the crossdresser also claimed that her “godfather,” alongside the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, ensured she served the six-month sentence in a private apartment and not in prison.
Sharing his opinion on the development, VeryDarkMan alleged that Falana sought a presidential pardon for Bobrisky in exchange for N10 million.
However, the blogger, who appeared before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions on Monday, apologised to Falana over his recent derogatory innuendos against him.
But speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Falana denied having anything to do with Bobrisky or ever meeting or speaking with the crossdresser.
The senior lawyer said he has assisted 280 convicted people both home and abroad in getting a pardon, and never on any occasion has he or his law firm demanded or received a dime from anybody granted a pardon.
He said, “Bobrisky never spoke to me, I have never met him, I do not know him from Adam. He was alleged to have spoken to my son Folarin (Falz).
“Yes, my son said this guy was appealing to people for assistance and called my son I think on May 4 this year – please can you give me N3 million to be placed in a special part of the prison, we call it the VIP section.
“My son asked him, are you calling me under the authorization of the superintendent of prisons? He said no – please don’t call me again, I am unable to assist you to bribe the prison authorities and be very careful since you are already in prison for an offence.
“Please if you are you are going to call me next time, you either do through the superintendent or you write a letter endorsed by the prison authorities and that was the last. Somebody now start releasing tapes somewhere and went out to lampoon and rather defame me by saying the guy has spoken to me.”
Embattled Rivers All Progressives Congress chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, made startling admissions about his involvement in rigging local council elections during the tenure of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Okocha, who served as Chief of Staff to Amaechi from 2007 to 2015, was recently ousted as the Rivers APC Caretaker Committee chairman by a Port Harcourt High Court presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku.
Premium Politics reports that Justice Aprioku reinstated Chief Emeka Beke’s party leadership following his removal from office by the national leadership of APC.
Speaking during an appearance on a Channels TV programme on Thursday evening, Okocha, supported by the Rivers APC National Working Committee, also claimed that Beke was also involved in the election rigging during the Amaechi administration.
“On the issue of whether I rigged the election, I did not hide it. I should be praised as a whistleblower.,” he said before being cut by the interviewer who told him that election riggers should be behind bars. “No,” he responded, “If you were an armed robber yesterday, and today you came to confess that you stole something somewhere yesterday. Are you saying that the law will now take a retroactive effect? The answer is No.
“The reason why we say and keep saying is because of what is going on as we speak. When you have an idea of a thing and you see the other person also wants to use the tactics that you already know. You will shout. That is the reason why we went to court.”
When quizzed about who gave the orders to rig the elections, he added, “Yes, all of us were together including Emeka Beke,” implicating the reinstated Rivers APC chair.
However, Beke who was in the interview with Okocha quickly dismissed the allegations, adding that the police would arrest him (Okocha) for rigging the election.
Beke said, “During the election, was I part of it? Have you ever heard me say rig election?” before being countered by Okocha who asked, “Are you saying that under the Amaechi government, you never participated.”
“I did not follow you to the election. I did not partake in any election whatsoever. When you wake up and confess and you want to put me there. I am not part of that. You rigged the election and we are going to ask the police to arrest you that you rigged the election,” Beke replied.
A middle-aged man identified as Odogwu Chibuzor was shot while attempting, along with other fleeing suspects, to siphon diesel from heavy-duty trucks at the Dangote Cement plant in the Ibese area of Ogun State.
Our correspondent learnt on Thursday that three other members of the armed gang fled the scene when security guards swooped in but Chibuzor was apprehended.
PUNCH Metro learnt from a police source in the area who craved anonymity for lack of authorisation to speak to the media that the head of the security unit at the Dangote Cement in Ibese, Egbunu Usman, reported the incident to the Dangote Police Post after one of the suspects, who had sustained a gunshot wound, was apprehended.
According to the source, Usman reported that at around 11:00 pm on Wednesday, four gang members, armed with a Dane gun and other dangerous weapons, stormed the 3 & 4 Section of the plant to carry out the crime.
The suspects, our correspondent learnt, each carrying at least one empty 25-litre jerrycan, had filled three before the security team swooped in on them.
As the suspects tried to flee, PUNCH Metro gathered that the security personnel at the plant opened fire, injuring one while the others managed to escape.
Additionally, a short video recording obtained by our correspondent on Thursday revealed that the suspect confessed to the crime during an interrogation by someone believed to be a member of the plant’s security team.
“My name is Odogwu Chibuzor. I’m from Enugu State, but I live in the Balogun community. Our group has more than 20 members, but only five of us were involved in this. We brought just five jerrycans. One of my friends mentioned that someone in our group had a gun, but I wasn’t aware he was carrying it.
“This was my first time with the group; I had never participated. We were filling the third jerrycan when we spotted the security guards. I was told they usually bribed some truck drivers,” Chibuzor confessed.
When contacted for a comment on the incident on Thursday, the Dangote Group spokesperson Mr Tony Chiejina, asked our correspondent to send a text message.
In response to our correspondent’s text message, Chiejina said he would find out about the incident and get back to PUNCH Metro.
“I will check and revert,” he simply texted.
As of the time this report was filed, Chiejina had not yet responded to the text message sent by our correspondent to his mobile phone as he promised.
But confirming the incident to our correspondent, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, stated that the suspect was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment before being placed in custody.
She said, “The suspect was taken to the Ilaro General Hospital for medical treatment after sustaining a bullet wound in his back. A brief video of his confession was recorded.
“The lone Dane gun used in the robbery has been recovered, along with the five jerrycans they brought to siphon diesel from the trucks. We are collaborating with other local security agencies to apprehend the remaining fleeing suspects.”
PUNCH Metro reported a similar failed robbery attempt in 2017, during which at least two suspected members of a robbery gang were shot and killed by police operatives.
The gang, consisting of about seven members armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, invaded the company, proceeded to the materials section, and attempted to steal armoured cables before being shot dead by the security operatives.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, caused stirs on Thursday after he referred to Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as the Emir of Kano during an event in Abuja.
Naija News recalls that both Bayero and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Muhammadu Sanusi, had battled for the Kano Emirship position some months ago.
Back in March 2020, former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje removed Sanusi from the throne and appointed Bayero as Emir.
However, four years later, Ganduje’s successor, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, dismissed Bayero and reinstated Sanusi.
Bayero, whose removal was announced while he was outside the state, returned to Kano and took residence in the mini palace at Nasarawa, where he has been conducting his court.
Subsequently, Governor Yusuf ordered the immediate arrest of the monarch.
However, rather than complying, security measures were intensified at the mini palace, leading to speculation that Bayero had support from federal authorities.
Reacting to the development, Aminu Gwarzo, the Deputy Governor of Kano, claimed that Ribadu played a role in Bayero’s return by providing him with two private jets.
Ribadu denied these allegations and threatened legal action against Gwarzo.
In a letter from Aliyu & Musa Chambers, Ribadu’s legal representatives, an apology was demanded from the deputy governor, who subsequently retracted his statement.
The dispute over the emirate eventually transitioned to the judicial system, with both parties filing separate lawsuits against each other.
Emir of Kano
Today, during the 1st Annual International Lecture organized by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, themed “Insecurity in the Sahel (2008-2024),” Ribadu acknowledged Ado Bayero as the Emir of Kano.
While recognizing the dignitaries present, Ribadu stated, “Of course the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero,” which was met with applause from the audience.
Naija News reports that the video clip has stirred a barrage of reactions on social media.
See the video clip below as shared on X by a netizen [rabiuuba4].