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Air-Conditioned Luxury Buses With Free Wi-Fi Hit Abuja Roads As Wike Commences Capital Transport Repositioning
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With the introduction of 15 air-conditioned 60-seater luxury buses fitted with free wi-fi in Abuja yesterday, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike has begun a repositioning process for intra-city transport needs of Abuja residents, the Director of FCT’s ‘Transport For Abuja’ project, Dr. Yakubu Terry has said.
Speaking during the inauguration of the initial batch of 15 buses that will ply various parts of the capital city under a public/private partnership (PPP) programme, Dr. Terry stated that under the FCT Minister, renewed hope is manifesting for urban mass transit.
During a brief ceremony at the Eagles Square, both Terry and the FCT’s Mandate Secretary for Transportation, Mr. Uboku Nyah emphasised that with the ‘Transport For All’ (TFA) project, the FCT has commenced a secure, convenient and affordable transportation that is for all Nigerians across various locations in the city.
“Our vision for transport for Abuja is not just about buses and routes, it’s a commitment to building a connected, sustainable, and efficient transportation system that will elevate the quality of life for every resident. We envision a city where commuting is seamless, where people can rely on a modern and reliable transit system, and where transportation becomes a facilitator of progress.
“To turn this vision into reality, ‘Transport for Abuja’ has devised a strategic plan that focuses on key city areas and their environs and by connecting the dots efficiently. We aim to create a web of convenience that thread through the fabric of Abuja; our strategy is not just about the number of buses on the road, it’s about creating a comprehensive and accessible network that serves the diverse needs of our community.
“We will prioritize lucrative routes and leverage technology to optimize routes, reduce wait times, and enhance the overall commuting experience; as we strive for efficiency. A crucial aspect of our strategy is the introduction of cutting-edge digital payment offerings,” he said.
According to Terry, passengers’ convenience is paramount and the introduction of various digital payment methods and user-friendly mobile apps, will ensure that passengers can effortlessly purchase tickets and thereby eliminate the need for physical cash, reduce transaction time and speed up the boarding process with seamless and efficient experience for valued riders.
Aside from the free onboard wi-fi and air-conditioning for passengers, Terry said the buses are equipped with live surveillance features for passenger safety.
According to an official, Mr. Roy Kweku, who conducted government officials, including Zacharia Nyampa and other members of the House of Representatives on a short intra-city tour, the goal of TFA is to use innovative methods and ICT towards transforming urban transportation experience for Nigerians with a vision for more efficient, highly reliable, accessible and secure transportation system that can help towards improving citizens’ lives.
limits Ways, Means borrowing
The Senate on Tuesday proposed a six-year single term for the Governor and Deputy Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Red Chamber also sought to limit amount the Federal Government can borrow from the apex bank under the Ways and Means Advances.
For external Directors appointed on the board of the CBN, the Senate proposed that they should hold office for a non-renewable term of five years (one year less than the six-year tenure of the Governor and Deputies).
This followed the second reading a Bill which seeks to amend the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act
The Bill, among others, also seeks to make the CBN comply with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (APC – Lagos East), and 41 other lawmakers sponsored the Bill, titled: “A bill for an Act to amend the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Act No 7, of 2007.”
On Ways and Means Advances, the Bill proposed that advances the apex bank can grant the Federal Government should not exceed 10 per cent of average government actual revenues during the preceding three years.
“For the purpose of determining the government’s actual government revenue, proceeds from asset sales shall be excluded to avoid capturing revenues from exceptional items.
“Also, such temporary loans should be repaid in full within three months from the date it is made available. In order to minimize default risk, any sum which becomes outstanding at the end of the expiration of the credit period should be held against and recovered from the proportion of the Federal Government’s FAAC Receipts,” he said.
Abiru, in his lead debate, noted that the current CBN Act of 2007, which charges the Bank with the overall control and administration of the monetary and financial sector policies of the federal government, “has not been amended for over 16 years despite growing changes to the Bank’s Balance sheet as well as challenges in monetary policy implementation occasioned by fiscal dominance and the rapidly changing financial landscape.”
The proposed amendments, according to him,
are aimed at strengthening the bank “to discharge its primary mandate of maintaining monetary and price stability in support government’s economic growth objectives as well as align its governance mechanisms with global best practices.”
According to him, “Section 8 (2) of the CBN Act currently grants the Governor and Deputy Governor’s tenure of five years and they are eligible for re-appointment for another term not exceeding five years.
“The Bill proposes to amend this provision to provide a single non-renewal term of 6 years for the Governor and the Deputy Governors.
“This is the practice adopted by many independent Banks such as the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank where their Chief Executive Officers serve only one non-renewable term.
“Empirical evidence shows that a single term for the members of the Executive and Board members of central banks helps to reduce political influence on monetary policy decisions and the time inconsistency problem associated with non-independent central banks.
“In addition, the Bill proposes that where a vacancy is created by the death or resignation of a CBN Governor or Deputy Governor, the President can appoint an acting Governor in the interim pending the appointment of a substantive Governor or Deputy Governor.
“Where a substantive appointment is made, such appointment will be for a fresh term rather than serving the tenure of the previous Governor or Deputy Governor.
“It can be observed that there is no mention of gender as part of the factors to be considered by the President in the appointment of the five external Directors. In line with inclusivity in the governance of the Bank, the Bill proposes to insert the word ‘gender’ in this provision.”
He added: “Section 10 (3) of the current Act stipulates that each Director appointed shall hold office for four years (one year less than the tenure of the Governor and Deputies) and shall be eligible for re-appointment for another term of four years.
“It is therefore proposed that the five external Directors should hold office for a non-renewable term of five years (one year less than the six-year tenure of the Governor and Deputies).”
For proper alignment of monetary and fiscal policies, Abiru disclosed that the new bill has proposed a Coordinating Committee for Monetary and Fiscal Policies to set internally consistent targets of monetary and fiscal policies that are conducive to controlling inflation and promoting financial conditions for sustainable economic growth;
“Applying caps to any fiscal deficit at a level that can be financed without having recourse to direct monetary financing from the Bank, that is Ways and Means; amongst other necessary measures,” he said.
Senators in their contribution supported the Bill and approved that it be read for a second time when it was put to voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Akpabio thereafter referred the Bill to the Senate Commiserated on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions for further legitimacy action and to report back in four weeks.
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) has invited the Central Bank Governor Yemi Cardoso to appear before it on Tuesday, March 5 unfailingly over issues with leakages on the REMITA platform.
The Committee’s Chairman, Hon. Bamidele Salam, conveyed the invite in a letter to the CBN Governor titled RE: INVESTIGATION OF REVENUE LEAKAGES THROUGH REMITA PLATFORM AND NON-COMPLIANCE SUBSTANTIVELY WITH STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE AND OTHER ALLIED SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT 2023 (HR.373/11/2023).
The PAC Chairman stated that the CBN Governor’s failure to appear before the Committee and address the issues has significantly hindered the investigative process on revenue leakages through the REMITA platform.
According to him: “You are strongly advised to take advantage of this invitation and appear before the Committee on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 10:00 am in Meeting Room 446, House of Representatives’ New Building, to respond to the issues that will arise during the hearing session.
“You are also advised to bring along all relevant officers familiar with the issues at stake who may assist you in providing answers to any questions that could arise during the session.”
“Please refer to your representation before the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, by an Assistant Director without a written letter to that effect. Be advised that the Committee does not allow representation; all Chief Accounting Officers are to appear in person to defend their office.
“You will also recall that the Committee has sent several correspondences to your office on the same subject with Ref. Nos: HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/1/2, dated December 8, 2023; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/1/31, dated January 19, 2024; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/1/60, dated January 25, 2024, and HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/2/84, dated February 19, 2024. We observed your absolute disregard for its Constitutional mandate. Please find copies of the letters attached.
“Your failure to appear before the Committee and respond to the issues has significantly stalled this Committee’s investigative process on revenue leakages through the REMITA platform.
“Consequently, the Committee wishes to draw your attention to previous letters on various subject matters, to which you are yet to respond. Please find references below:
“HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/QUE.2/29 dated January 23, 2024; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/FA/1 dated January 23, 2024; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/SE.3/34 dated January 30, 2024, and HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/SE.3/35 dated February 22, 2024. Please also find copies of the letters attached.
“The Committee frowns at this and wishes to remind you of the relevant constitutional provisions in Sections 62 and 89(1) (a, b, c & d) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The Public Accounts Committee has the power to summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence, produce any document in his possession and under his control.
“It may also interest you to note that under Sections 89 (1) (d), the Committee has the power to issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after being summoned, fails, refuses, or neglects to do so.
“Failure to comply with this civil invitation may leave the Committee with no choice but to issue a warrant of arrest against you in line with Legislative Houses (Powers & Privileges Act 2017) (Sections 2 & 3) and the 1999 CFRN (as amended) in line with House Procedures.
“Consequently, the Committee resolved to grant you one last opportunity to appear.”
The Senate on Tuesday, February 27, urged the federal government to introduce the Nigeria version of the food stamps programme as an interventionist measure to cushion the effects of food insecurity/shortage in the country.
This is even as the red chamber mandated the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to liaise with development partners and other relevant stakeholders, especially the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, which introduced Temporary Food Assistance Programme (TEFAP), few years ago.
“This is with a view to working out practicable templates and implementable modalities for the actualisation of the programme,” Senate said.
These resolutions of the Senate followed its consideration and adopted of a motion titled: “Introduction of food stamps in Nigeria as an interim measure to address imminent food insecurity in the country” sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume (APC – Borno South) and co-sponsored by Senator Mustapha Saliu (APC – Kwara Central).
Ndume in his lead debate, said the Senate has noted that at the unveiling of the October 2023 Cadre Harmonise Analysis on food insecurity, it was projected that in 2024, Nigeria is expected to see about 26.5 million people, grappling with high level of food insecurity.
He further noted that the reason for the above projection was not far-fetched, “as several indicators, which include but not limited to the ongoing conflicts across the country, climate change impacts, escalating inflation as witnessed in recent time, and rising costs of both food and essential non-food commodities, due to fall in value of Naira in exchange market.”
He said he is worried that many hungry and angry Nigerians have been expressing their frustration and anger over the recent increase in food prices by demonstrating on the streets in several cities across the country.
According to him, the Senate is also aware that in other countries, like the United States of America, Food Stamp which is a government-issued coupon that is given to low-income and non-income persons and is redeemable for food, “have been used since 1933 to date as a measure to cushion the resultant hardships and sufferings on the poor/less privileged as well as low-income earners.”
He expressed concern that the clamour for wage increase and work support cannot alone guarantee a more effective way of addressing food insecurity without the introduction of time-tested public assistance programme, “as contemplated by this motion with particular emphasis on the need for immediate food support across the country.”
Senators in their contribution supported the motion.
On his part, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, described the initiative as laudable.
He however demanded that measures be put in place to guide against abuse.
Senator Abba Moro noted that “there is no better time than now to devise ways to deal with food insecurity.
“There is dire need for us to provide a system that is fool proof to provide for ordinary Nigerians. Let us give serious thought to this document and encourage the Executive to adopt it as a working document.”
Senator Suleiman Sadiq (APC – Kwara North) said: “This is so apt and we should encourage Mr. President. But we should ensure that people don’t take advantage of it. We should have a fool proof programme to ensure that only those who need the food get it.”
Senator Solomon Adeola (APC – Ogun West) called for deployment of modern technology to curb potential abuses.
“The question is how do we achieve this for over 200million population. Our data must be in place, to ensure that the real vulnerable Nigerians get it. I am in total support of this to take care of the vulnerable Nigerians.”
Senators approved the two prayers of the when they were put to voice vote by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin over presided over plenary during debate on the motion.
The Federal Government said it has fulfilled about 90% of the agreement it had with the organized labour last year.
Minister of Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday.
Onyejeocha said, “We’ve done virtually everything in agreement. 90% of everything.”
According to the minister, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (TUC), Joe Ajaero, told government representatives at a meeting on Sunday that the protest was not about the government’s commitment to the October agreement but food inflation.
She said food security and economic prosperity were two of the priorities of the Bola Tinubu administration.
Onyejeocha appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the new government as the administration is in its planting season with harvests on the horizon.
She said the Federal Government had ticked about 90% of the 15-point memorandum of understanding it signed with the organized labour in 2023.
On the provision of high-capacity CNG buses for mass transit in Nigeria, the minister said funds had been released for the purpose, but “there are certain things you cannot control; you cannot control the number of days a shipment or a container will stay in the port.”
Recall that some of the agreements include granting a wage award of N35,000 to workers, the inauguration of a minimum wage committee, and the suspension of the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on diesel for six.
The Federal High Court in Lagos, through Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, has restrained telecommunication operators in Nigeria from deactivating or barring any line or SIM that has not been linked to the NIN by their subscribers.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa ruled on a suit filed by lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje, who sought to stop the move to disconnect subscribers over NIN–SIM linkage, stating that it infringed on his fundamental rights.
Ogungbeje, in a suit numbered FHC/L/CS/667/23, named the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, and Airtel Networks Nigeria Limited as respondents.
“That the respondents are aware of the appellant/applicant’s appeal to the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, as the respondents have since been duly served with the appellant/applicant’s Notice of Appeal.
“That despite the pendency of the appellant/applicant’s appeal, efforts are underway by the respondents, specifically on the 28th of February 2024, to ensure further and outright barring, deactivating, and restricting of SIM cards and phone lines of the applicant and that of Nigerian citizens.
“That the appellant/applicant’s appeal to the Court of Appeal of Nigeria has a high degree of success against the respondents.
“There is a need to preserve the rest of the subject matter of the appeal pending the hearing and determination of the appellant/applicant’s appeal at the Court of Appeal of Nigeria.
“That the appellant/applicant is desirously interested in diligently pursuing the instant appeal that has raised a novel and recondite issue substantially jurisprudential, constituting an exceptional circumstance in which this Honourable Court can grant an application of this nature.
“That the court has the power and jurisdiction to grant an application of this nature in the interest of justice,” he stated.
The naira gained against the dollar as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) took more measures including delivering a massive hike in its benchmark interest rate on Tuesday in a bid to rein in rising inflation so as to stabilise the economy.
Following the conclusion of the two-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, the CBN hiked the monetary policy rate (MPR) to 22.75 percent from 18.75 percent.
The central bank also raised the cash reserve ratio (CRR) to 45 percent from 32.5 percent. The asymmetric corridor was widened to +100-700 basis points around the MPR from +100/-300 basis points set in July 2023. However, the liquidity ratio remained unchanged at 30 percent.
The naira strengthened to 1,420 per dollar at the Bureau De Change segment of the foreign exchange market from over 1,800/$. In the parallel market, commonly known as the black market, the dollar closed at N1,550 as against N1,900 on Friday.
However, at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market, naira depreciated to 1,615.94/$ on Tuesday from 1,582.94/$ on Monday, data from the FMDQ indicated.
Bismarck Rewane, managing director/CEO of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, said the CBN was aggressive in its tightening and that this shows that the country is now in a high interest rate environment.
He said this development will strengthen the currency, deflate the stock market in the next few days, and bring some level of sanity in the markets. He expects to see massive appreciation of the naira in the FX market.
A former top official at the CBN said quick execution and steady nerves should bring inflows to stabilise currency and moderate inflation.
He said: “Now deputy governor in charge of financial system stability needs to keep a close eye on bank balance sheets. Higher lending rates may lead to higher loan defaults at a time of reduced real disposable incomes. Higher market rates may lead to losses due to market risk in the event of sell offs to shore up liquidity by marginal banks.
“But priority is to stabilise the macro and this decision is excellent. We just need to keep an eye on risks to bank balance sheets as we move from excessively loose monetary conditions to a more responsible stance.”
According to Abiola Rasaq, former economist and head investor relations at United Bank for Africa Plc, these transitory monetary policy measures reflect the inflation-targeting orientation of the new leadership at the CBN and overall monetary policy committee.
He said this would increase the cost of funds of banks and shrink net interest margin, albeit the MPC’s overarching interest is to stem the pressure on exchange rate and consumer prices.
He said the MPC sought to gradually narrow the negative real interest rate to attract foreign portfolio investors while also incentivising domestic investors as a way of stimulating appetite for naira-denominated assets.
Rasaq said: “It’s a double-edged sword that will hurt money supply and consequently undermine employment creation, but the MPC may have limited options at this time, hence I consider this measure as transitory douses to stem the current crisis.
“Banks profitability will be challenged, and indeed, the policy measure increases the probability of loan default in the banking sector, nonetheless, it’s a short term measure that hopefully will help to cool-off pressures and allow the monetary and fiscal policy authorities some time to reset the system and implement sustainable long term measures relevant for economic growth and development.”
Razia Khan, managing director and chief economist for Africa and the Middle East Global Research at Standard Chartered Bank, emphasised the critical need to stabilise Nigeria’s FX market as an immediate priority.
She highlighted the importance of fostering a better-functioning official FX market before considering the adoption of a formal inflation target.
Analysing the policy response, Khan questioned the adequacy of the tightening measures implemented.
She said the increase in the CRR to 45 percent, acknowledging it as a meaningful tightening move, particularly with the central bank shifting away from ad-hoc CRR debits.
However, Khan raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the previous CRR regime and its effectiveness, making it challenging to assess the true impact of the tightening.
“The Monetary Policy Rate itself was raised 400 bps. The signal on the tightening intent that this sends is important, and we expect that markets will not dismiss it,” she said in an email to BusinessDay.
Reacting to the MPC’s decision, Kingsley Moghalu, former deputy governor of the CBN, said on X: “Correct move by the Monetary Policy Committee to dramatically hike the Monetary Policy Rate by 400 basis point to 22.5 percent. The situation calls for nothing less if we are to check inflation over 12-18 months. We did the same a decade ago to bring inflation from 14 percent to 8 percent.”
Muda Yusuf, CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, said the outcome of the MPC meeting would hurt the real sector of the economy that is already contending with numerous macroeconomic challenges.
He said the increase of MPR and CRR posed a major risk to the financial intermediation role of banks in the economy.
“The increase would constrain the capacity of banks to support economic growth and investment, especially in the real sector of the economy because the increases are quite significant,” he said.
At least 20 students of some boarding public schools in Potiskum, Fika, and Fune local government areas of Yobe State have died from a suspected Meningitis outbreak.
It was learnt that the deaths were recorded in Government Science Technical College, Government Girls Science Technical College, and Federal Government Girls College, all in Potiskum LG.
A source in the town told our correspondent that at least 20 students died, adding that most of the affected students had been admitted to the Specialist Hospital in Potiskum and were responding to treatment.
When contacted, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Muhammad Sani Idris, confirmed the outbreak, saying 20 students were killed by the disease suspected to be meningitis.
He said Governor Mai Mala Buni had directed the state Ministry of Education to temporarily relocate to Potiskum in response to the outbreak.
The commissioner also confirmed that several students had been admitted to Potiskum Specialist Hospital.
Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, yesterday, rejected an allegation of negligence in the death of Mr. Olaleye Adenibuyan, who died at the facility while receiving care from a critical fall.
While commiserating with the family of the deceased, LUTH management explained that the late Adenibuyan, who was admitted unconscious into the facility on January 15, 2024, was attended to at the Emergency Department and stabilised by a team of neurologists and neurosurgeons.
In a statement, the Chairman, of the Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Ayodeji Oluwole said: “In the ICU, his care was coordinated by a team of neurosurgeons, intensivists, and ICU nurses. Throughout his stay in the hospital, the managing team was in direct and constant contact with Mr Adenibuyan’s immediate family, including his wife and son.
“Our records reveal that he was given prompt, appropriate, and professional care for his condition by senior medical professionals.
“In situations when hospital equipment experiences downtime, the hospital policy is for an ambulance and appropriate healthcare professionals to be made available to take the patient to a sister facility for the required procedure to be carried out.
“This was communicated to Mr Adenibuyan’s family when he needed a repeat CT scan. For the records, LUTH has functional imaging facilities including MRI, X-ray, ultrasonography, fluoroscopy, and mammography machines.
“Deployment of equipment such as the intracranial pressure, ICP, and monitors requires consumables such as probes. Such consumables are supplied by private vendors, and the costs are borne by the patient for which they are used. It is these consumables that were required to be made available in this case. The decision on the timing of deployment of the ICP monitor was taken by the Neurosurgeons, with due consideration given to the potential benefits of ICP monitoring versus the potential risks that may arise from placing a foreign body within the brain.”
[Vanguard]
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its two-day nationwide protest.
The NLC had declared a two-day nationwide mass protest for February 27 and 28, over the economic hardship confronting millions of Nigerians since the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023.
The NLC and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), had on February 8, given a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government over the rising cost of living in the country.
A late night meeting on Monday between the federal government and NLC was not enough to convince the latter to shelve the nationwide protests.
On Tuesday morning, the protesters began their marches from the Labour House in Abuja and the Ikeja under-bridge in Lagos, while chanting solidarity songs and slogans.
Joe Ajaero, NLC president, and Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, led the Abuja rally.
But in a communique at the end of its national executive council meeting on Tuesday, the NLC said the objectives of the protest were achieved on the first day of the demonstration.
“Consequently, NEC-in-session resolved as follows: to suspend street action for the second day of the Protest having achieved overwhelming success thus attained the key objectives of the 2-day protest on the first day,” the communique reads.
“However, Nationwide action continues tomorrow with simultaneous Press Conferences across all the states of the federation by the state Councils of the Congress including the National Headquarters.”
The NLC NEC also resolved in its meeting, to “reaffirm and extend the 7-days ultimatum by another 7 days which now expires on the 13th day of March, 2024 within which the Government is expected to implement all the earlier agreement of the 2nd day of October, 2023 and other demands presented in our letter during today’s nationwide protest”.
“To meet and decide on further lines of action if on the expiration of the 14 days Government refuses to comply with the demands as contained in the ultimatum,” the communique reads.
[TheCable]
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Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress has called out President Bola Tinubu.
According to Punch, he rejected what he described as the excuses and blame game dished out by the presidency as the cause of the deepening economic woes.
Eze says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his team seem entrapped in a quagmire as hope is nowhere in sight to get the country out of the pickle.
The APC chieftain claims that the Nigerian economy has progressively continued in a free fall while the value of the Naira to other convertible currencies is steadily on a downward trend and is nearing a state of worthlessness in the international money market.
He noted that the effect of the uninterrupted journey of the Naira to its place of final rest is the hike in the price of food and other basic commodities.
Eze noted that the attendant reality is the hunger and starvation that is feasible on the faces of angry Nigerians, who, according to him, are unsure of a square meal for each passing day and most of whom go to bed each night hungry.
Despite the overwhelming challenges of the time which has sealed Nigeria’s place as the poverty capital of the world, Eze wondered why some analysts still hold the view that Tinubu is right in his policies.
Countering the assertions of pro-Tinubu commentators, Chief Eze said: “Assuming the policies were good, with very little or no thought towards the complex chains of reciprocal interactions and variables required in the translation of policies into actions, there is bound to be a widening gap between intentions and results as is the case in the present.”
In a statement made available to the media, the politician expressed shock over a recent comment credited to Vice President Kashim Shittima, who had inferred that politicians who lost in the 2023 general election were orchestrating a plot to destabilize Nigeria.
Describing Shetima’s claims as inconsequential, Eze said Tinubu was never prepared to make any meaningful impact in Nigeria, adding that his only concern was to be President and nothing more.
“The pernicious effects of perpetual poverty have become real under his administration and these are his chief legacies,” he said
“There seems to be no efforts by the present administration in tackling the economic concerns of the country and if there are, he said, it means such efforts are not good enough and shifting blame to patriots who are in their private capacities thinking out ways to help the country is to say the least myopic.
“I laugh at the reasons expounded by some of our leaders and Scholars as the factors behind our present food Crisis. They failed to highlight insecurity as the main bane of the present economic woes facing Nigeria.
“Where do we get the food to eat when most of the farmers both in the North and Southern sections of this country particularly those in the North Central are now in the IDP Camps leaving their farms in the hands of herders?
“And we are busy fooling ourselves that we don’t have enough food to feed the populace. What part of Nigeria is safe or secure for normal farming activities to take place?
“This is the reality. Our problem is human-induced yet we are expecting God to send us manna from Heaven as he did to the people of Israel who had no means of farming at the period God sent manna to them."
Eze highlighted that apart from insecurity another major cause of Nigeria’s present woes was the inability of the President who in 2012 highlighted the consequences of the removal of subsidy but was carried away by his election victory and announced without a proper study and provision to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians, the removal of oil subsidy.
Most Superior Evangelist Olagbaju Moris Gbade Fadehan, the Shepherd In-Charge of CCC Grace of Comfort Parish, Obaloran Quarters, in Ile-Ife Osun state, was reportedly killed in the church premises on Monday evening, February 26, by his serving assistant, Evangelist Olalekan Ogundipe.
According to reports, Fadehan had a conflict with the suspect and this degenerated into a fight after the close of their service on Monday evening.
The suspect allegedly stabbed Fadehan, causing him to die on the spot. The suspect thereafter allegedly set the deceased ablaze with his sutana on him.
The suspect was immediately apprehended and handed over to the police.
The spokesperson of the command said investigation into the incident has commenced.
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has condemned the policies taken by President Bola Tinubu.
In an interview with TheCable, Lawal said President Tinubu was insensitive and arrogant in his decisions when he took over power.
According to the former SGF, Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy without due consultation.
Speaking on the situation in the country, he said, “I have a different view of what is happening today, and I did say on quite a few occasions that Bola Ahmed Tinubu exhibited an unimaginable degree of insensitivity and arrogance, first in the face of the Muslim-Muslim ticket and in some of the earlier decisions he took.
“My view is that fuel subsidy removal was driven by a sense of arrogance. You are now sworn in, and you believe that since you are now in charge, you can boss everybody around. You just announced the removal of the fuel subsidy without due consultation.
“My experience in life is that when you are going to take a monumental decision, especially one that affects the lives of over 200 million people, you need to have wide consultations.
“Taking such a spur-of-the-moment decision on that very important issue is very insensitive, and probably he (Tinubu) was ignorant of the challenges he was going to face.
“That was why everything came crashing down immediately after he was sworn in because of the removal of the fuel subsidy. He ought to have waited, formed a cabinet, got every relevant person in place, and held discussions among his advisers and the cabinet. By so doing, they will get alternative solutions to the removal of subsidy, whether or not it should be done.
“If they agree that subsidy must go, what are the actions that will be put in place to mitigate the negative outcomes? If the outcomes are positive, they will also consider how to maximise them. They will also list their options. If this happens, then we fall back on this.
“He has enough examples from the past to rely on. When (Sani) Abacha removed subsidy, he created the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) to channel the additional income into social development, and everybody today knows the various projects undertaken by the PTF, such as hospitals, schools, social services, and so on.
“When (Olusegun) Obasanjo removed the subsidy, he created SURE-P to renovate roads and carry out social services. I don’t understand how my friend Tinubu got this arrogance that he could do things radically different from others who were before him and get results.
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“So, he is only reaping the benefits of his hasty decision, and we are also reaping the benefits of putting in power somebody who works in a cavalier manner.”
The Ogun State Skills Fund, an agency under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, has enjoined interested and eligible public and private Training Service Providers (TSPs) to submit their proposals for participation in its 2024 skill acquisition programme.
A release signed by Commissioner in the Ministry, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, indicated that areas of participation include, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills, training for remote, local jobs and ICT start-ups.
Others were, Skill Development for Employment and Self-employment, Entrepreneurship training, including digital and finance literacy, as well as Foundational Skill Training in Basic Infrastructural Digital Literacy.
The release further stated that interested applicants should visit: www.osf.ogunstate.gov.
Applicants were advised to visit the Office of the Ogun State Skills Fund (OSF), Rooms 213 to 216, Ogun State TechHub, Kobape Road, Abeokuta, or e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..