The Federal Government has said it was unaware that Dangote Refineries imports its crude oil from the US.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Heineken Lokpobiri, said the country is blessed with enough crude to supply all the refineries in the country, including the modular ones.

The Minister stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the Ministerial Sectoral Updates as part of activities to mark President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s one year in office.

The first session of the Sectoral Briefing was attended by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Minister of FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike; Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim Bio; Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmud; Minister of State Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and Minister of State for Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande.

“I’m not aware that Dangote Refinery has started importing crude oil from the US. That’s the reason why we’re talking about an increase in production.

“That’s why we’re talking to servicing companies to come back and start drilling. The only way we can increase production is to continue drilling…” He stated.

Speaking on the rumours that the Tinubu administration still pays fuel subsidy, he added, “On the issue of subsidy, all of us know that from the first day the President took over office he said subsidy is gone.

“And I can confirm to you today that the subsidy is gone. But the point is, all over the world, governments find a way to subsidise. It may not be fuel but may be food … there’s no responsible government that will not find a way to ameliorate the suffering of its citizens. But pls I want it to be official that there’s no subsidy for fuel as of today.”

The Federal Government has announced the immediate start of construction work on sections three and four of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, beginning from Calabar.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made the announcement at an engagement with representatives of communities within the alignment of the road between Eko Atlantic (Chainage Zero) and Eleko inside (Chainage 47.4klm) on Thursday in Lagos.

He said that section three would start from Calabar and section four from Akwa Ibom.

Umahi said, “Let me announce also that Mr President has directed that section three that is starting from Calabar and section four that is starting from Akwa Ibom should commence immediately; and so, we are in the process of concluding the procurement.

“And for those who have been saying why not start these roads in Calabar, one, the zero point is Lagos and what wrong has Lagos done to these people?

“However, an impartial President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bola Tinubu, has directed that section three and four be started from the end of the project. So while this is moving, the other one will be moving.

“I’m sure that sections five and six will also start in places like Port Harcourt and Bayelsa.”

Umahi also announced that the president had given approval for the commencement of construction work on the road connecting Sokoto to Badagry.

He said: ” Just the last Federal Executive Committee meeting on Monday, Mr President also approved another project; because this road have two spurs , that we start the design and procurement of that Sokoto to Badagry.

”It’s a 1,000 km, its running through a lot of irrigation, lands and dams where you can have a lot of power generation and its running from Sokoto to Kebbi, Kebbi to Niger, Niger to kwara, Kwara to Oyo, Oyo to Ogun state, and then to Badagry in Lagos State.”

The minister, who acknowledged potential criticism about the project’s scale and chosen sections, mentioned that section one, a 47.7 kilometers, was ambitious for an interstate road project.

He said that the federal government’s plan was to recoup construction costs through tolling and selling land along the road corridors.

The aim, according to him, is to create a scenic route similar to coastal highways in other countries.

Additionally, he said that the return on investment would start immediately the first section was completed and would come from tolls and land sales along the completed section one.

The minister pointed that the country loses money daily due to cargo transshipment at Apapa Port.

He explained that Apapa Port’s water depth was insufficient for large ships, forcing them to use deeper ports elsewhere for cargo transfer (transshipment), which incurred millions of dollars on daily basis.

He said that the new roads would act as an evacuation corridor for the Lekki Deep Sea Port to other parts of the country.

Controversy has surrounded the death of a final-year student of the Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, identified as Favour Ugwuka, on Wednesday night.

Our correspondent gathered that Ugwuka took her life in her hostel at the Ishieke Campus of the school in Abakaliki.

Further investigations revealed that the deceased, a final year student in the Department of English, passed all her courses but repeatedly failed a particular course, whose lecturer was said to have vowed she would never pass.

It was learnt that the late Ugwuka went into depression after several attempts to pass the said course and was frequently seen on the campus wandering alone until she decided to take her life on Wednesday night.

In a video seen online by our correspondent, a woman said to be the deceased’s mother blamed a lecturer for making her daughter commit suicide.

According to the woman, who was seen lamenting in the video, “The lecturer said he is the best, that nobody can teach like him. He should come and carry my daughter who has committed suicide.”

Also, a graduate of the institution who identified himself as Rex Nwome claimed that the girl committed suicide because she had been failing a particular course repeatedly.

He said, “Favour was my classmate and a best friend to me in the English Department. The above-mentioned lecturer did vow never to allow Favour to graduate.

“You could imagine where she later passed all the courses except that lecturer’s that, she had to pay another extra year tuition fee to rewrite.

“Unfortunately the man failed her again. What resulted in this intense depression is the latest NYSC names that were recently shortlisted, and her name wasn’t there.”

He added, “The girl suffered a lot of depression because she was only left wandering about the EBSU seeking help. She was very desperate to graduate and serve. This and many more of the disgusting stories resulted in this suicide mission.

“I wish she didn’t go this far to end her life. R. I. P. Ugwuka Favour till we meet to part no more.”

The Ebonyi State Police Command confirmed the incident on Thursday.

The command’s spokesman, DSP Joshua Ukandu, told our correspondent that the matter was reported to the headquarters.

He said, “Yes, the command received the report of a suicide by a female student.”

As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get the reaction of the university proved abortive.

The decision of the Governor of Kano state, Abba Kabir to splash N2.6 billion on exotic sports utility vehicles (SUVs) for members of the state Assembly leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Coming at a time when the citizens are barely able to eke out a living as result of the hard times speaks volumes about the insensitivity of the nation’s political leaders.

Only recently, the state Government confirmed that it has purchased 41 SUVs for members of the House of Assembly at a cost of N68 million each amounting to a whooping N2.6 billion.

The governor’s Chief of Staff, Shehu Sagagi, was reported to have said the lawmakers deserved sound working vehicles. And the suffering citizens are asking for the real definition of sound working vehicle.

Must it be the one procured at a staggering N68 million at a time majority of the citizens are looking for what to eat?

In the opinion of this newspaper, purchasing such vehicles for the lawmakers at this critical time is sheer misplacement of priority and we wonder if the state government is fully aware of the current hardship that permeates the entire country including the most populous state and the north’s commercial nerve centre.

In a preamble to its 41-page Manifesto, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) states that “The care for human life and happiness, not their exploitation and extinction, is the first and only legitimate object of any good and innovative government Therefore, the worth of every state through its governments is the worth of her citizens”

Who could have imagined that the only state governed by the NNPP-Kano, with all its development challenges, will be so brazen as to accord priority to the luxurious cravings of the lawmakers at a time majority of the citizens are languishing in penury, bogged down by poverty, high cost of living and other hardships.

The fact that Kano state has almost one million children out-of-school who are roaming the street begging and being exposed to other cruelties of life is all it takes for one to understand how much of a misplaced priority Governor Abba Kabir’s vehicle purchase for lawmakers is.

According to the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), there are 989,234 out of school children in Kano. Deprived of education, the state is trading away the future of these children. Yet the government is comfortable spending billions on vehicles for people who do not urgently need one.

And to imagine that this vehicle purchase is coming at a time the Kano state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) complained of critical systemic weaknesses within the healthcare system of the State. The NMA decried poor remuneration and welfare of health workers, as well as inadequate equipment and consumables in hospitals and noted that such has continued to impede quality healthcare delivery in the state.

We can only imagine the quantity of consumables N2.6 billion can buy for the state health sector. Or what the amount could do if channeled to the provision of potable water in the state that has a long history of acute water shortage.

It is on record that the state has not fully addressed the challenge of acute water scarcity which is taking a toll on some residents of Kano municipality where men, women and children trekking in search of water for their daily chores have became a common sight in recent times.

The most infantile excuse we have heard so far is that the latest purchase followed a familiar pattern as previous administrations did the same so it should not be condemned.

And to those bandying this vexatious reason, we like to humbly remind them that two wrongs have never made a right. When did the ruling NNPP in the state resolve to toe the path of the immediate past administration which, in our candid opinion, it rightly vilified?

Why should a government that vowed to address the challenges of development bedeviling the people be so reckless as to prioritise the welfare of an insignificant few over and above that of many? Tellingly, the argument that the vehicles would facilitate the lawmakers’ oversight functions is pedantic and bereft of common sense

Although the lawmakers, most of whom belong to the NNPP have taken possession of their vehicles, we like to remind them that their party’s manifesto is unambiguous in prioritizing the need to ensure “the care for human life and happiness, not their exploitation and extinction”.

Flaunting these vehicles at these critical times doesn’t pass the lawmakers out as people who care for the happiness of their constituents. It is not late. They can return it and ensure the money is used to make the people happy. Knowing the average Nigerian politician for who they are, greedy and selfish, this is asking for the moon.

he house of representatives has passed a bill seeking to reintroduce the old national anthem.

The old national anthem is themed: ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’.

The house speedily passed the bill for first, second, and third readings during plenary on Thursday.

More to follow…

Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman has attributed his career and personality evolution to his decision to play for Nigeria.

Ademola Lookman was born in Wandsworth England on October 20, 1997, to Nigerian parents which makes him eligible to play for both countries.

The 26-year-old striker has played for England’s under-19, 20, and 21 levels before he decided to settle for Nigeria at the senior level in 2022 after failing to get the Three Lions of England invite.

Since then, the tricky winger has made himself a very important member of the national team which he has scored 6 goals in 21 games.

“It’s incredible [to play for Nigeria]. The support and the love I get back home from the people is unbelievable,” Lookman told the UEFA official website.

“It gives me the motivation to evolve in different areas – as a person, not just in my game.”

Just like at the 2023 AFCON where Ademola Lookman recorded some brilliant moments as he helped Nigeria to reach the final of the tournament, Lookman has enjoyed some unforgettable moments at Atalanta this season.

The best of them all was his performance in the Europa League final on May 22, 2024, where he became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Europa League final.

The most mind-blowing aspect of that achievement is that Ademola Lookman achieved the feat against newly crowned German Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen who were enjoying a 51-game unbeaten run before the final.

Meanwhile, Lookman’s national teammate, Kenneth Omeruo has urged the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) to make Atalanta winger the 2024 Africa player of the year.

”@CAF_Online your Arica Player of the Year..@ALookman_ top player”, Kenneth Omeruo wrote on X after Ademola Lookman helped Atalanta to win the Europa League with a hat-trick on Wednesday.

The 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to keep contesting as long as he’s healthy.

Atiku spoke during an interview on the Hausa service of the Voice of America in Abuja.

Asked if he will contest again, Atiku said: “Of course, I will keep contesting again and again as long as I am alive and healthy.

“Even the former US President Abraham Lincoln contested seven times before finally winning.

“However, given the current state of the PDP, it is clear that a single-handed effort will not suffice to win the election. Strong support and collaboration with other parties are required.”

The former Vice President will be 81 by the time the next presidential election comes around in 2027.

Atiku has run for the presidency six times but has been on the ballot as a presidential candidate on three occasions — 2007, 2019, and 2023.

Abubakar said he is consoled by the fact that former United States President Abraham Lincoln did not win the presidential vote on the first time of asking.

He also spoke about the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the party needs to be united and forge alliances with other political groups to win the presidential election in 2027.

This is coming amid speculation of him forming a coalition with other political parties.

Last week, Atiku had met with his counterpart from the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

“This is to anybody that thinks there is going to be a misunderstanding between me and Obi, let me assure you that not even a small issue is going to happen between us.

“Also, we are going to be behind anybody that will be chosen to represent us in the forthcoming elections,” he said about the meeting.

The Federal Government, Organised Labour, and the Private Sector have postponed the new minimum wage tripartite committee meeting until next Tuesday.

Naija News reports that the parties decided to postpone the meeting on Wednesday after organized labour rejected the federal government’s fresh offer of ₦57,000 minimum wage.

Recall the government increased its offer from ₦54,000 to ₦57,000 at the meeting but was rejected by the labour unions. Also, labour reduced its demand from ₦615, 000 to ₦497, 000.

However, a source privy to discussions at the meeting told Vanguard that the government team stuck to their offer of ₦57,000, and there is no sign of increasing the latest offer.

The source stated that it is a problem if the government cannot pay an appreciable salary increase, adding that the meeting has adjourned till next Tuesday.

The Labour member said the government’s offer was once again presented by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

He said: “They are crying now. They are stuck at N57,000. There is a problem if the government cannot pay an appreciable salary increase. There is no sign that there is no money. We adjourned until next Tuesday.

“The government is insisting on N57,000, which is like wage reduction, how can you go and negotiate wage reduction because there’s nobody that is earning N57,000 now?

“We came down from N500,000 to N497,000 because when they increased by N3,000, we now came down by N3,000 too so that if they are joking, we also decided to joke, they are not the only ones who know how to joke. We came down to N497,000 when they came up to N57,000. We told them straight away that we didn’t accept the N57,000 offer.

“They pleaded with labour to accept their offer, we told them there was nothing to plead about. We told them to break down the N57,000 offer, so we will know how much they are allocating to transport, how much to accommodation, how much to health so that we know and not lump everything but they didn’t do that.”

Some of the government team members at the meeting included the Ministers of Finance, Wale Edun, and Budget, Atiku Bagudu, and Onyejeocha.

The Zamfara State government has announced that ₦30,000 will be the new minimum wage for workers in the state instead of ₦7,000.

The state governor, Dauda Lawal, who made the announcement yesterday, added that the ₦30,000 minimum wage for civil servants in the state will begin in June.

The Governor revealed this during a meeting with the leadership of the Zamfara State chapter of the Labour Union in Gusau, the state capital.

A statement from the spokesperson of the governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said the implementation of the minimum wage demonstrates the state government’s commitment to improving the well-being of employees.

He said, “The Zamfara State government will start paying a minimum wage of N30,000 instead of N7,000 effective June this year.”

Organised Labour has accused the Bola Tinubu-led federal government of deliberately frustrating Nigerian workers.

The labour movement made the accusation on Wednesday after it rejected the fresh offer of ₦57,000 minimum wage from the federal government.

Naija News reports that the Tinubu government proposed the amount during Wednesday’s meeting of the minimum wage tripartite committee in Abuja.

Recall the federal government increased its offer from ₦54,000 to ₦57,000, while labour reduced its demand from ₦615, 000 to ₦497, 000.

Speaking with Vanguard after the meeting, one of the labour leaders expressed his anger over the government’s attitude toward negotiating the new minimum wage.

The labour leader asserted that the government was not ready to negotiate or was not prepared for negotiation, saying that it was deliberately frustrating Nigerian workers.

He added that the government inflicted hardship on Nigerians with their ill-thought-out and unprogressive policies of subsidy removal and devaluation of the national currency.

He said: “Government cannot be telling us that there is no money; this is an insult. We did not remove subsidies or float the national currency. The government created this problem. Since the removal of the petrol subsidy and floating of the naira, has the government shown proof that the country has no money, no?

“We are aware that the government gave members of the National Assembly no less than N160 million each to buy cars, the same government has released N90 billion to subsidise hajj operations.

‘’The government has renovated the Senate chambers, and the vice president’s office, and it is buying luxury buses for Customs in millions of naira.

‘’They are also buying all manner of SUVs for government officers. Since the removal of subsidies, the government has been making life better for political elites who have been feeding fat on workers.

“Crude oil sales have increased considerably, and it has been getting more money in dollars while workers have been suffering and going deeper into poverty.

“The state governors have been receiving three times more than they were receiving before the removal of subsidy. We cannot accept this. We did not cause the socio-economic challenges the country is facing.

“The government inflicted these problems on the country with their ill-thought-out and unprogressive policies of subsidy removal and devaluation of the national currency. If the country has no money, let it reflect in the lives of government officials, their aides and cronies.

“It is becoming obvious that the government does not want industrial peace. And it is clearly evident that the government is not ready to negotiate. Well, if it is industrial unrest that will make the government do the right thing, we shall give it to them after the end of May.”