The Rivers State High Court has invalidated the amended Local Government Law proposed by the Martins Amaewhule faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The ruling was delivered in a suit numbered PHC/1320/CS/2024, which challenged the extension of tenure for LG chairmen for six months after the expiration of their term.
Justice D.G. Kio, presiding over the case, declared the amendment invalid, citing its inconsistency with the 1999 Constitution and Section 9(1) of the Rivers State Local Government law No. 5 of 2018.
The court emphasized that the applicable law governing the tenure of local government chairmen and councillors is the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018, which stipulates a three-year tenure.
The attempt to extend their tenure through the enactment of the Local Government Law No. 2 of 2024 was deemed unlawful and contrary to their oath of office.
The ruling marks a victory for Enyiada Cookey-Gam and six others who challenged the extension, asserting the primacy of constitutional principles in governance.
A former National Vice Chairman, North-West, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Salihu Lukman, has said that contrary to the expectation that President Bola Tinubu will replicate his earlier success as Lagos governor, his administration has succeeded in creating more doubts in the minds of Nigerians.
Lukman, in a statement issued Tuesday titled, ‘Illusive Politics: What is to be Done’, saud Tinubu’s administration had been characterized by policy missteps and reversals.
The APC chieftain lamented that after 25 years of democratic rule, Nigeria was yet to produce leaders that are predisposed to accommodating the interests of citizens.
He said: “Painfully, against every expectation that President Asiwaju Tinubu will reignite the Lagos success story at national level, his government is more and more creating doubts in the minds of Nigerians about the prospect of resolving the country’s challenges with incidences of policy missteps and reversals.
“As a result, crisis of insecurity has remained. Problems of inflation, unemployment and poverty are on the increase.
“If the hallmark of the tenure of former President Buhari is the trauma of dashed hopes for citizens, we must, as Nigerian citizens and as committed progressive politicians, wake up and remedy the ugly and despicable experience of illusive politics.
“After one year in office, the unmistaken message must be conveyed to President Asiwaju Tinubu and by extension all APC leaders that the democratic future of Nigeria is not negotiable.”
Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara will today, Tuesday, screen eight commissioner-nominees presented to them by the governor.
The assembly’s Clerk, Dr. G, N Gillis-West, in a letter on Monday, invited the nominees to appear before the House.
Our correspondent obtained a copy of the letter on Tuesday.
According to the letter, the House, led by factional Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, is expected to screen the nominees by 10 a.m.
Did you know a tribe that digs up corpses, dresses them for celebration?
It listed the nominees as Charles Beke, Collins Onunwo, Solomon Eke, Dr. Peter Medee, Eloka Amadi, Basoene Benibo, Tambari Gbara, and Dr. Ovy Chukwuma.
The clerk further said the nominees are to appear before the House at the State House of Assembly auditorium, Admin Block, Government House, Port Harcourt, the state capital.
“The nominees are expected to come along with 12 sets of their Curriculum Vitae and the originals and photocopies of their credentials,” the letter added.
Our correspondent reports that this is the second time the House of Assembly loyal to Fubara will be screening commissioner-nominees since it emerged as a parallel legislative house.
Last week, the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led assembly screened and confirmed Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as a member of the State Executive Council, and he was consequently assigned a portfolio as the new Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
Last week, an appointee, Prof. Zaccaeus Adangor, SAN, who is loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, resigned from Fubara’s cabinet as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, following the deepened disagreement between Fubara and Wike.
[Punch]
Hollywood actress, Scarlett Johannsson, “angered” at OpenAI’s alleged voice imitation without consent
Admin
Hollywood actress and Oscar nominee, Scarlett Johannsson, has lamented how her voice was allegedly used without her consent by tech giant OpenAI.
The actress noted that she was “shocked, angered and in disbelief” that the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Sam Altman, would go to such length to have her voice used in the current ChatGPT 4.0 system.
According to Sky News on Tuesday, the actress explained how she had turned down Altman’s request for personal reasons, only to find out that the voice “sounded so eerily similar to mine.”
In a 2013 romantic sci-fi movie titled, ‘Her,’ Johannsson’s voice was used to imitate an AI female voice called ‘Samantha,’ who formed an intimate relationship with a human.
The actress, in her statement, said, “Last September, I received an offer from Sam Altman, who wanted to hire me to voice the current ChatGPT 4.0 system. He told me that he felt that by my voicing the system, I could bridge the gap between tech companies and creatives and help consumers feel comfortable with the seismic shift concerning humans and AI.
“He said he felt that my voice would be comforting to people. After much consideration and for personal reasons, I declined the offer. Nine months later, my friends, family and the general public all noted how much the newest system named “Sky” sounded like me.”
The actress expressed her frustration, saying, “When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” adding that Altman had “insinuated that the similarity was intentional, tweeting a single word “her” – a reference to the film in which I voiced a chat system, Samantha, who forms an intimate relationship with a human.”
The 39-year-old actress said that before the release of the ChatGPT 4.0 demo, the OpenAI boss “contacted my agent, asking me to reconsider. Before we could connect, the system was out there.
“As a result of their actions, I was forced to hire legal counsel, who wrote two letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAI, setting out what they had done and asking them to detail the exact process by which they created the “Sky” voice. Consequently, OpenAI reluctantly agreed to take down the “Sky” voice.”
In recent times, tech users have begun using the AI model to imitate people’s voices and pictures without prior consent in most cases – a situation which negates the ethical standards of AI use.
“In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our likeness, our own work, our own identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity.
“I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected,” Johannsson wrote.
However, OpenAI, in a tweet on Monday, stated that it had “paused” the use of Sky while it addresses the process with which it used to create the AI voice.
“We’ve heard questions about how we chose the voices in ChatGPT, especially Sky. We are working to pause the use of Sky while we address them,” it stated.
A check by our PUNCH Online revealed that the company, in a statement titled, ‘How the voices for ChatGPT were chosen,’ on Sunday, May 19, 2024, read partly, “Each of the voices—Breeze, Cove, Ember, Juniper and Sky—are sampled from voice actors we partnered with to create them.”
Sky News reports that in 2023, the New York Times “sued OpenAI over allegations it, and its biggest investor Microsoft, unlawfully used the newspaper’s articles to train and create ChatGPT.”
[Punch]
The long-awaited student loan programme will take off on Friday with 1.2 million students in federal tertiary institutions across the country, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, has said.
Sawyerr, who spoke at a pre-application sensitisation press conference in Abuja, on Monday, said 1.2 million students in federal universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and technical colleges would benefit from the first phase.
Data obtained from the National Universities Commission website indicated that the nation has 226 federal tertiary institutions comprising 62 universities, 41 polytechnics, 96 monotechnics and 27 colleges of education.
President Bola Tinubu, on April 3, signed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, into law.
The assent was sequel to the separate considerations by both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the report of the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
The executive bill titled, ‘A bill for an Act to repeal the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2023 and Enact the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Bill, 2004 to Establish the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as a body corporate to receive, manage and invest funds to provide loans to Nigerians for higher education, vocational training and skills acquisition and related matters,’ was signed in the presence of the leadership of the National Assembly, ministers and major stakeholders of education.
The Act empowers the Nigeria Education Loan Fund to provide loans to qualified Nigerian students for tuition, fees, charges and upkeep during their studies in approved public tertiary institutions and vocational and skills acquisition establishments in the country.
The new law which repealed the Student Loan Act, 2023, removed the family income threshold so students can apply for loans and accept responsibility for repayment, according to the Fund’s guidelines.
Access to education
Speaking after he signed the bill, Tinubu said no Nigerian, regardless of their background, would be excluded from obtaining quality education.
“This is to ensure that no one, no matter how poor their background is, is excluded from quality education and opportunity to build their future,” said the President at the State House, Abuja.
Although the government initially announced that the scheme would be launched in September, it suffered several delays leading to an indefinite postponement.
The Presidency had linked the delay to Tinubu’s directive to expand the scheme to include loans for vocational skills.
Last Thursday, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund announced May 24 as the official date for the opening of the portal for loan applications.
Addressing journalists on Monday, ahead of the opening of Friday’s portal, Sawyerr said, “There are approximately 1.2 million students in federal tertiary institutions owned by the government. Today, by inference, 1.2m students maximum at the federal level (will benefit), but there might be an opportunity to increase the capacity in terms of more institutions, and when we begin to bring in state-owned institutions, then the numbers can go up.’’
He explained that only students whose institutions had uploaded their data on the Fund’s dashboard would be eligible to apply.
While calling on students in federal tertiary institutions to visit the website, www.nelf.gov.ng to apply from May 24, the CEO added that students in state universities and vocational skills centres could apply at a later date.
He said the requirements to apply include the admission letter from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, National Identity Number, and Bank Verification Number as well as completed application forms from its website.
“The loan application process has been streamlined to ensure easy access for all eligible students in federal tertiary institutions. Applicants can access online support to assist with any questions or concerns during the application process.
“We believe that education is a vital investment for the future. We envisage that the student loan initiative of Mr President is a testament to this commitment,” he said.
One of the key features of the programme, he stressed, is the absence of physical contact between the loan applicant and NELFUND.
‘Portal user-friendly’
According to him, the portal provides a user-friendly interface for students to submit their loan applications conveniently.
He encouraged students in federal tertiary institutions to take advantage of the opportunity to secure the required financial assistance for their education, even as he urged the applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible to ensure timely processing.
He revealed that in addition to the interest-free loan, applicants will also receive monthly stipends for upkeep.
He, however, did not state the amount, saying, “That figure will be capped. And we will look very closely at each application and make a decision based on several factors as to what fees will be paid to them.’’
“The fees for the institution are going to be paid not to the students but to the institution. And that will be paid at the maximum of that fee per session. We will only pay for a session at a time because people drop out of institutions, they change institutions,” he clarified.
The NELFUND boss also pointed out that the institutions have vital roles to play in providing the Fund with data on fees payable by students at the departmental, faculty and other levels.
According to Sawyerr, the agency is also working with security agencies to ensure that people do not take advantage and defraud the process.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has called on state governments to ensure responsible and transparent use of the matching grants allocated for the implementation of the Universal Basic Education Commission programme.
The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, emphasised the directive during the inauguration of a six-day training programme for accountants and auditors from UBEC and State Universal Basic Education Boards in Abuja.
Addressing the participants, Bobboyi condemned the undue pressure often placed on financial officers by state officials, urging SUBEBs’ financial officers to uphold integrity and resist such pressures to avoid compromising standards.
“The training aims to update participants on the revised accounting manual and to provide a comprehensive understanding of financial infractions and sanctions,” Bobboyi stated, adding, “This knowledge is essential for ensuring effective service delivery in basic education.”
Highlighting the mandates of UBEC and SUBEBs in implementing the Universal Basic Education programme, Bobboyi stressed the importance of a robust accounting system to ensure the judicious use of government funds.
He stressed the imperative of fidelity to accountability regarding the management of the Federal Government’s UBE Intervention Fund.
To achieve these objectives, continuous enhancement of professional competence among UBEC and SUBEB staff is necessary, he noted.
Bobboyi lamented that despite previous training efforts, there has been limited improvement in financial practices.
He cited findings from regular quarterly financial monitoring by UBEC, which revealed poor record-keeping and infractions against established guidelines.
He explained that the findings and recommendations from these monitoring activities had been communicated to SUBEBs for corrective actions.
Bobboyi stressed the importance of adhering to existing rules and guidelines to ensure accountability and transparency in financial transactions.
“As finance officers, it is your duty to comply strictly with these government stipulations. Engaging in or condoning wrongdoing will not be excused. Remember, reports from UBEC’s financial monitoring can be requested by agencies enforcing compliance with laws and regulations,’’ he warned the officials.
He further urged the participants to fully engage with the training and return to their offices equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to improve accounting practices at both the commission and boards.
To protect the FGN-UBE Intervention Fund, the Director of Finance and Accounts at UBEC, Adamu Misau, noted that a new sanction regime developed in 2022 had been approved for implementation.
The delay in its implementation, he said, was to ensure all financial managers received adequate training, which the current programme aimed to provide.
“We expect that by the end of this training, financial officers will be better prepared to manage the FGN-UBE Intervention Funds responsibly, adhering to financial regulations and due process,” Misau concluded.
• Ariwoola cautions against abuse of judicial powers
• 99 panels sat over election cases, says PCA
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has cautioned judicial officers against succumbing to public opinions, emotions, or sentiments while performing their duties.
He said no amount of threat or intimidation should make a judge deviate from the law and do what is unconstitutional and at variance with existing laws.
The CJN spoke at the opening session of a two-day workshop organised by the Court of Appeal for the review of last year’s election petition tribunals/courts and appeals yesterday in Abuja.
Justice Ariwoola noted that “political matters always tend to occupy the front burner of our adjudicatory activities as all the subsisting electoral laws have placed some time frame within which they must be heard and decided”.
He added: “Besides, the kind of attention and emotions attached to political matters in this country has collectively made our work more excruciating, painstaking and, sometimes, endangering, as we are occasionally exposed to threats, especially from some elements within the political fold.
“But like I always say, no amount of threat or intimidation should make a thoroughbred judicial officer to deviate from the law and pander to public sentiments and emotions, which are often misplaced.”
Justice Ariwoola cautioned judicial officers against abusing their powers by engaging in wrong application of discretionary authorities.
The CJN urged judicial officers to be propelled by their conscience, adding: “Once our conscience leads the way, every other good thing will naturally follow.”
Also, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) hailed the Judiciary for the stabilising role it plays in the nation’s electoral process.
Fagbemi noted that the Court of Appeal, in particular, plays a more pivotal role in shaping and strengthening the nation’s electoral jurisprudence through the exercise of its constitutional mandate in that regard.
Also, the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, announced that 99 panels, comprising three judges each, heard the litigations that arose from last year’s general election.
The PCA said this showed that a huge number of judges was taken out of the judicial system during the process.
She described last year’s election litigation season as “very, very difficult and challenging in view of the volume of cases filed, commended the judicial officers involved for a job well done”.
Justice Dongban-Mensem explained that the workshop was meant to review the last process, identify areas of shortcomings, and find ways to improve the process.
The PCA hailed the judicial officers for working assiduously to determine the various cases within time, to the extent that neither the petitions nor the appeals lapsed.
She sought the amendment of some portions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act to improve the nation’s electoral system.
Justice Dongban-Mensem identified some of the sections as 187, 233, 246, 285 of the Constitution and Paragraph 85(2) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act.
She noted that from “some of these sections, particularly Section 285 of the Constitution, it is either they are in the process because of poor legal draftmanship or for a desire that was not properly expressed and appreciated”.
The Nigerian High Commission in London, United Kingdom, UK, has accumulated £8.4 million as unpaid congestion charges.
A datasheet published by Transport for London, TfL, showed that the amount relates to unpaid fees and fines accrued by diplomats between the launch of the congestion charge in 2003 and the end of last year.
The TfL oversees various modes of transportation in London, including the tube, buses, trams, cars, bikes, and river services.
The scheme involves a £15 daily fee for driving within an area of central London between 7 am and 6 pm on weekdays and between noon and 6 pm on weekends and bank holidays.
There are discounts and exemptions for various groups of people and vehicles, such as residents, taxis, and fully electric cars.
Diplomats have argued that the congestion charge is a tax, exempting them from paying it under the Vienna Convention, but the TfL insisted that the payment is a service charge.
The body, in the datasheet seen by TheCable, said: “This means that diplomats are not exempt from paying it.’
“The majority of embassies in London do pay the charge, but there remains a stubborn minority who refuse to do so, despite our representations through diplomatic channels.”
According to TfL, the envoys representing different countries owed over £143.53 million in congestion charge payments.
[Vanguard]
‘Safety violation’: Air Peace reacts to UK regulator’s claim, says NCAA approved electronic flight bag
Admin
Air Peace, Nigeria’s flag carrier, has reacted to the allegation of ‘violating’ safety measures in the United Kingdom (UK).
The airline, in a statement on Monday, said its operations have been under intense scrutiny by the relevant authorities since its inaugural flight to London.
In a report titled ‘Ramp Inspection,’ and dated April 7, the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UKCAA) raised concerns over Air Peace’s compliance with some safety regulations in the UK.
UK aviation authority said findings showed Air Peace was using electronic flight bag (EFB) functions without operational approval.
However, the airline described the report as false, adding that approval was obtained from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
“Our attention has been drawn to media reports alleging a safety breach by Air Peace in the United Kingdom, which contain a lot of falsehood aimed at creating fears and doubts in the minds of the flying public,” Air Peace said.
“From the commencement of our inaugural flight to London, our operations have been subjected to intense scrutiny by the relevant authorities, which we most welcome as we pride ourselves in our continued pursuit of operational excellence and unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our esteemed passengers.
“We can confirm that the UK Civil Aviation Authority wrote to Air Peace, after their statutory Ramp Inspection on April 7, 2024, to request clarification on our use of the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) and some other concerns. We provided the necessary information, and the matter was resolved without any issues.
“It is, therefore, wrong to say we do not have approval for our EFB. Air Peace received approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and all our Boeing 777 aircraft are certified to operate with EFBs.”
‘WE ENSURE ALL OUR B777 AIRCRAFT HAVE IPAD MOUNTS’
Responding to the claim that the B777 aircraft lacked iPad mounts and charging ports in the flight deck, Air Peace said this is incorrect.
“All B777 aircraft are equipped with charging ports in the cockpit, and we ensure that all our B777 aircraft have iPad mounts,” the airline said.
“Another issue raised by the UK CAA was the location of our cockpit library on the B777. The B777 designates two locations for storing manuals and books: one behind the captain and one under the jumpseat.
“During the inspection, the books were stored under the jumpseat, as it is commonly practised. We understand the inspector’s preference for the books to be placed behind the captain and have ensured this preference is accommodated for all operations going forward.
“There was also a concern about the captain’s choice of runway exit after landing. Instead of exiting at the middle runway exit, the captain, out of his professional discretion, opted to exit at the end of the runway.
“This may have delayed the arrival of another aircraft. We acknowledge this deviation and have addressed the matter with the captain to ensure adherence to preferred exit procedures in the future.
“Ramp Inspection is a normal procedure carried out by aviation authorities globally, and the UKCAA did the right thing by notifying the NCAA of the outcome of their inspection.
“However, we are shocked to see several media publications with exaggerated and sensationalised accounts of this matter that were closed with the authorities over a month ago.”
Air Peace said its safety record is second to none, adding that it complies with all established safety standards.
[TheCable]
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, on Monday, May 20, supported the proposed 300 percent increase in the salaries and allowances of judicial office holders in the country by President Bola Tinubu.
The National Judicial Council (NJC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC), among others, also endorsed the proposal.
The AGF, NBA, NJC, RMAFC, and other critical stakeholders spoke during a one-day public hearing on a Bill titled: “A Bill for an Act to Prescribe the Salaries and Allowances and Fringe Benefit of Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria and Related Matters, 2024.”
The public hearing was organised by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters chaired by Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC – Borno North).
Fagbemi in his presentation, urged the committee to note that the efforts to improve the remuneration of judicial officers in the country has a chequered history.
He said: “I wish to remark that the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Bill 2024 is quite innovative, aside from the increment in the basic salary, it also took cognizance of certain peculiarities of the administrative structure and operation of the judiciary.
“This Bill will birth an appropriate and commensurate remuneration that will ensure judicial independence and integrity.
“The present-day but sad reality is that the judiciary has stagnated on the same salary scale for over 16 years, this is totally unacceptable and quite antithetical to any meaningful judicial reform.
“I strongly commend this Bill for your kind consideration and do urge the Senate to support and ensure the passage of this Bill in the national interest of promoting the rule of law.”
He added: “In consultation with the judiciary and other key stakeholders, we are also interested in ensuring a holistic review of our judicial system to respond to the justice needs of Nigeria.
“This is why I am taking immediate/urgent steps to establish a Working Group on the review of the Constitution and other relevant laws. The Working Group will, among others, focus on the key provisions aimed at achieving the judiciary that responds to the evolving justice needs of Nigerians.
“At the appropriate time, and I promise very soon, we will come up with proposals for Constitutional and Statutory reforms of the Judiciary in particular, and the Administration of the Justice System in general.”
Details shortly…
[TheNation]
More...
Ahead of the formal opening of the Students’ Loan portal this Friday, the Nigeria Education Loan Fund has said it will commence with students in federal tertiary institutions.
This comes as the Fund has said only students whose institutions have uploaded their data on its dashboard would be eligible to apply.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, Akintinde Sawyerr, stated this on Monday at a Pre-Application Sensitisation Press Conference in Abuja.
He said 1.2 million students from federal government-owned universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and technical colleges would benefit from the first phase of the scheme.
While calling on students in federal tertiary institutions to visit the website, www.nelf.gov.ng to apply from May 24, the Managing Director said students in state universities and vocation skills centres would apply at a later date.
He said the requirements to apply include the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board admission letter, National Identity Number, Bank Verification Number, and a completed application form from its website.
“The loan application process has been streamlined to ensure easy access for all eligible students in federal tertiary institutions.
“Applicants can access online support to assist with any questions or concerns during the application process.
“We believe that education is a vital investment for the future. We envisage that the student loan initiative of Mr. President is a testament to this commitment,” he said.
One of the key features of the programme, he stressed, is the absence of physical contact between the loan applicant and NELFUND.
According to him, the portal provides a user-friendly interface for students to submit their loan applications conveniently.
He encouraged students in federal tertiary institutions to take advantage of this opportunity to secure the required financial assistance for their education, even as he urged applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible to ensure timely processing.
He revealed that in addition to the interest-free loan, applicants will also receive monthly stipends for upkeep. He, however, did not state the amount, saying: “That figure will be capped.
We will look very closely at each application and make a decision based on several factors as to what fees will be paid to them.
“The fees for the institution are going to be paid not to the students but to the institution.
And that will be paid at the maximum of that fee per session. We will only pay for a session at a time. Because people drop out of institutions, they change institutions.”
The NELFUND boss also pointed out that institutions have vital roles to play in providing the Fund with data on fees payable by students at the institution, departmental, faculty and other levels.
Sawyerr said the agency is also working with security agencies to ensure that people do not take advantage and defraud the process.
President Bola Tinubu had last month signed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, into law, with a promise that no student would be denied the opportunity to build his future regardless of background.
The Act empowers the Nigeria Education Loan Fund to provide loans to qualified Nigerian students for tuition, fees, charges and upkeep during their studies in approved public tertiary institutions and vocational and skills acquisition establishments in the country.
The new law which repeals the Student Loan Act, 2023, removes the family income threshold so Nigerian students can apply for these loans and accept responsibility for repayment according to the Fund’s guidelines.
[Punch]
Leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterparts have put the civil society allies on notice over their planned industrial action should government fail to reverse the hike in electricity tariff and conclude the minimum wage by May 31.
In a joint communique issued today leaders of the two labour centres, gave the federal government and National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, month ending to reverse the hike.
This came as they reiterated their May 31 ultimatum for government to conclude the new minimum wage or face a national strike.
Details soon...
[Vanguard]
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, says he still faces difficulties travelling in Africa with his Nigerian passport.
Dangote spoke recently at the Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali, Rwanda.
“I still complained to President Kagame. I told him that as an investor, I have to now apply for 35 different visas on my passport, and I told Mr. President, I really don’t have the time to go and be dropping my passports in embassies to get a visa,” he said.
“But you see, the most annoying thing is that yes, if you are treating everybody the same, then I can understand.”
Using the French passport as an example, Dangote said Patrick Pouyanne, chairman of Total Energies, does not need 35 visas on his French passport to gain access to African countries.
“You don’t need 35 visas on your French passport. This means you have a freer movement than myself in Africa,” he said.
Speaking further on businesses within Africa, he said right now, “our main job is to make sure the regional markets all work. Once they work, then we can now go to Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). But then, for AfCFTA also, we need to make sure that it works”.
“We cannot have a very promising continent and our intra-trade rate is less than 16 percent. Okay, so we Africans will have to do it. If we are waiting for foreigners to come and do it, both the development of Africa, it’s not going to happen,” he said.
“So it can only happen to us Africans. We must risk our sources and make sure that we lead, then we will have people who actually trust and believe in Africa like Patrick to come and help us to push to the next level.”
Also, at the event, the business mogul announced that Nigeria will not have to import petrol into the country by June when Dangote refinery commences production of the product.
[TheCable]
A member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof Usman Yusuf, has accused former President Muhammadu Buhari of neglecting his home state, Katsina, throughout his eight-year tenure.
Yusuf, who spoke while appearing on a Channels Television programme on Sunday, noted that Buhari’s administration executed legacy projects in different parts of the country but failed to do any meaningful projects in the North West zone.
The former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) said even though the northern region had a “good representation” in Buhari’s government, there was nothing to show for it.
Yusuf insisted that Buhari did not do much to develop in his home state, Katsina and North generally, stating that he couldn’t even complete the Abuja-Kano highway for eight years.
He said, “The chief of staff was the one who pushed for the creation of the NEDC. Now, there is a Vice President, National Security Adviser and others from the north. What are they doing to address this issue? But we complain in the North West that we had a president that we never got anything from.
“Go to Katsina today where I come from, there is nothing to show we had a president for eight years. In the North West, let him tell us what he has done.”
Yusuf also blamed the governors of the northern region for the poor level of development of the region.