spot_img
17.1 C
Munich
spot_img
Friday, March 29, 2024

Nigerian newspapers headlines Tuesday morning

Must read

Reconciliation: Buni-led APC Moves To Fortify Structure In South-South [Leadership]

Efforts by the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to consolidate the party’s base in the South South geopolitical zone got a major boost yesterday as minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi and his Petroleum Resources counterpart, Timipre Sylva, yesterday settled the rift between them.

The ministers, after meeting behind closed doors with the party caretaker committee chairman and Yobe State governor at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, resolved to work together to reposition the APC in the geo-political zone.

Amaechi and Sylva who are former governors of Rivers and Bayesla States respectively disclosed their resolve to forge a united front to journalists after the closed-door meeting  with Buni.

Both chieftains of the party from the Niger Delta region had been maintaining a sour political relationship for some time, while APC’s inroads in the South-south zone suffered a setback after it lost Bayelsa State through a Supreme Court judgment.

The governing party also lost Edo State after Governor Godwin Obaseki defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, as part of moves to fortify the party’s structures across the country, the Buni-led caretaker committee had initiated reconciliatory moves which yielded a major success yesterday.

Indications that the reconciliation process between the two South South party chieftains was on course manifested when the minister of Transportation, Amaechi, arrived at the APC national secretariat around 1:15 pm.

He however left the premises shortly after few minutes and returned to the party secretariat with Governor Buni to join the minister of state for Petroleum, Sylva, at about 2pm for a closed-door meeting that last almost an hour.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Amaechi who was accompanied by Sylva said, “We have agreed that both of us will work together.”

 

Budget Deficit: Senate Mulls Mop Up Of N2trn From Revenue Agencies [Leadership]

The Senate announced yesterday that it was considering mop up of N2trillion from revenue generating agencies to fund the budget deficit.

The chairman of the Joint Senate Committee on Finance and National Planning, Senator Solomon Adeola, stated this yesterday at the public hearing on the 2021 – 2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

He said all the revenue generating agencies must be ready for self-funding or be ready to remit revenues fully into the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account.

Adeola (APC Lagos West) said, “Out of N5 trillion budget deficit we are looking for, the revenue generating agencies alone will contribute N2 trillion. So, if we can pull this N2trillion off, we will be left with N3trillion.”

The panel accused the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of concealing vital information on revenues collected on behalf of the federal government.

It also faulted reports by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and asked it to return today for details of its expenditure and revenue generated for 2018, 2019 and 2020.

The panel told the commission to be ready for sacrifices.

“We don’t have the luxury of funds to toy with; for now your capital will go off, while you take personnel and overhead cost.”

Also, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, (APC Ondo Central) pointed out that civil servants were capitalising on loopholes in the budget system to take advantage of the government.

The minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, however opposed the suggestion that money should be mopped up from aviation agencies and the Bilateral Air Service Agreement to fund the budget.

He said, “On the question regarding challenging times and whether the overhead of the agencies will be mopped up to fund the national budget, I don’t think so. I don’t think so because of the nature of both the ministry and its agencies and what is facing us.

“Take for example the COVID-19 pandemic; we are the greatest hit sector. At the time we started implementing our agenda, the Aviation Road Map, we gradually became the second fastest growing sector. Just before COVID-19, we became the fastest growing sector in the Nigerian economy.

“But unfortunately, COVID-19 came and we shut down. With this COVID-19, I think until the fourth quarter of 2021 and perhaps first quarter of 2022, we will continue to see sharp decline in passengers and that is directly proportional to the revenue that we collect because people’s confidence has to be raised.

“If the government is not able to fund us because of the challenge of income, then the government should not take the little that we have.”

The federal government had while announcing that it proposes to spend the sum of N12.658 trillion in 2021, informed that the budget is to be financed by a revenue estimate of N7.498 trillion, leaving a deficit of N5.160 trillion.

 

COVID-19 Fatality Rate On Steady Decline – FG [Leadership]

The federal government announced yesterday that the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) was progressively on the decline in the last five months.

Presidential task force on COVID-19 noted that it continued to study the CFR, which it said had been on a steady decline over the last few months, adding however that there is a need for caution.

Speaking at the daily briefing of the PTF, the chairman taskforce and secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha gave the progressive decline of the fatality rate as follows: April 30- 3 per cent; May 31- 2.8 per cent; June 30 – 2.3 per cent; July 31- 2.0 per cent and August 22 – 1.92 per cent.

“We are however convinced that our sample collection is still low. We, therefore, encourage States to ramp up their testing and to declare correct results because early detection will ultimately translate to treatment and ultimately leveling of the curve,” he said.

According to him, with the statistics standing at 52,227 cases, 1,002 fatalities, and 38,945 recoveries, Nigeria maintains the 4th highest cumulative cases on the continent.

“Sadly, the global cases have increased by another 1 million from 22.5 million on 19th to the current 23.5 million in about four days,” he noted.

Meanwhile, as the country prepares to open the international airspace, the federal government has disclosed that airlines will be fined $3500 per passenger for airlifting passengers without negative COVID-19 test results.

This was revealed by the coordinator of the presidential task force on COVID-19, Dr Sanni Aliyu, at the daily briefing of the PTF.

Speaking on the new protocols that will commence on August 29, 2020, the coordinator said it was expected that every passenger coming into the country must present a PCR COVID-19 test result conducted within seven days.

He also explained that when a passenger arrives in Nigeria and presents a PCR negative result, the passenger is expected to self- isolate for

seven days, and submit his or her COVID-19 test before being allowed to enter the community.

Aliyu, however, raised concerns over cases of passengers coming into the country with a negative COVID-19 test result and testing positive in

Nigeria, noting that the PTF was studying the situation and will take a decision when the need arises.

He also stated that health workers would monitor passengers on self-isolation, and if any passenger fails to present his or herself for testing after seven days, the immigration will assist and proper sanctions will be meted out.

The minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had revealed that the country would ban flights from countries that have placed bans on flights from Nigeria when the international flights resume.

He explained that notice of meetings had already been communicated to the affected international flights where these decisions have been revealed to them.

The minister, while speaking on preparation so far, said, “We are almost there. Just a few things to be done but we will be ready in the coming days. By Monday, we will have comprehensive details for the resumption.”

About 1,280 passengers will be allowed on a daily basis in Abuja and Lagos airports, which have been billed to commence first when international flights resume.

 

6.1% shrinking of economy: FG won’t be able to service rising debts, fund budget –MAN, others [PUNCH]

Key players in the nation’s economy including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday said the government may not able to service rising debts and fund budgets as the economy shrunk by 6.1 per cent.

The National Bureau of Statistics on Monday disclosed that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product contracted by –6.10 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the second quarter of 2020, ending the three-year trend of low but positive real growth rates recorded since the 2016/17 recession.

The NBS disclosed this in its GDP report for the second quarter of 2020.

The decline was attributed to significantly lower levels of both domestic and international economic activity during the quarter, which resulted from nationwide shutdown efforts aimed at containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The domestic efforts ranged from initial restrictions of human and vehicular movement implemented in only a few states to a nationwide curfew, ban on domestic and international travel, closure of schools and markets among others, affecting both local and international trade.

When compared with Q2 2019, which recorded a growth of 2.12 per cent, the Q2 2020 growth rate indicated a drop of 8.22 per cent points, and a fall of 7.97 per cent points when compared to the first quarter of 2020 (1.87 per cent).

Consequently, for the first half of 2020, real GDP declined by 2.18 per cent year on year, compared with 2.11 per cent recorded in the first half of 2019.

Quarter on quarter, real GDP declined by 5.04 per cent.

Furthermore, only 13 activities recorded positive real growth compared to 30 in the preceding quarter.

In the quarter under review, aggregate GDP stood at N34.02tn in nominal terms, or -2.8 per cent lower than the second quarter of 2019 which recorded an aggregate of N35.001tn.

Overall, the nominal growth rate was –16.81 per cent lower than what was recorded in the second quarter of 2019, and –14.81 per cent points lower than what was recorded in the first quarter of 2020.

The acting Director-General, MAN, Mr Ambrose Oruche, the contraction posed a challenge to debt servicing and funding of both recurrent and the capital expenditures.

Oruche said, “The effect is that government will not be able to generate much revenue for the debt servicing we are doing, to take care of the current expenditure, and maybe capital expenditure will not be there.

“Although, the government is saying they need to borrow more so that they can finance themselves out of recession, we already have a debt hang over because we don’t have much revenue to pay for the ones we already borrowed and we have to be cautious on borrowing.”

For an average consumer, he said, “Inflation is also going up; unemployment is going up. So, it is a big challenge for the economy and I don’t know how we are going to cope at this period because the economy is in a very bad shape.”

He said government should implement policies that would find a way of generating revenue for the government, but not over-taxing those who are already paying tax.

The Director-General, LCCI, Dr Muda Yusuf, noted with concern the decline in national output.

He said the 6.1 per cent contraction was not a surprise as the number reflected the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Nigerian economy.

Yusuf said, “The Nigerian economy is currently in dire straits.

“Apart from the urgent need for policymakers to reflate the economy, it is critically important for policymakers to also tackle the twin challenge of rising inflation and unemployment rates.

“With inflation and unemployment at record high of 12.82 per cent and 27.1 per cent respectively.”

Yusuf said, “It is imperative to ensure effective synchronisation of fiscal and monetary policies and proper implementation of the sustainability plan among other measures.

“The structural bottlenecks to productivity in the economy needs to be urgently removed through a mix of fiscal, monetary and regulatory measures.”

He said it was imperative to reduce policy uncertainties in order to inspire the confidence of investors, both domestic and foreign.

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, on the other hand, called for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to pull the economy from the downward slide.

The Director-General, NECA, Dr Timothy Olawale, in a statement on Monday, said the contraction was not only alarming but also worrisome.

He said although it was expected that the COVID-19 pandemic would create economic shock and disrupt business activities, the data had shown that the level of shock and disruption was highly underestimated.

The NECA boss said it was highly worrisome that the economy was facing unusual times similar to pre-2016 recession.

Olawale described it as a period of increasing inflation, unprecedented high youth unemployment and underemployment rate, dwindling value of naira occasioned by limited access to foreign exchange and a negative growth rate.

He said, “This season calls for a re-appraisal of monetary and fiscal policies to stabilise the economy in order to reduce the social economic consequences of a major recession.”

Proposing a way out, Olawale urged the government to take bold steps by refocusing monetary and fiscal policies to support economic sectors that had the potential for large scale production and employment as a means to kick-start the economy.

He asked government to channel foreign exchange to productive sectors to increase capacity utilisation and pull other sectors in the value chain along with it.

Olawale called for total deregulation of the downstream oil sector and a more deliberate effort at curbing wastages and leakages in government.

The Chief Investment Officer, Sigma Pensions, Pabina Yinkere, said, “We had expected to see a sharp decline in Q2 2020 GDP growth resulting from the COVID-19 induced lockdown, steep decline in oil prices and associated low economic activity for much of the quarter.

“This comes as no surprise as other world economies have faced similar sharp contraction in output because of the global pandemic.

“We expect that Q3 2020 GDP numbers will show an improvement from the 6.1 per cent contraction in Q2 as world and domestic economies lift lockdown restrictions.”

The Chief Executive Officer, Economic Associates, Dr Ayo Teriba, said growth figure or GDP figure was not a predicator of employment or poverty or other things in the economy.

Liquidity, he said, was the leading indicator of stability and growth in the economy.

“The more liquid an economy is, the higher the likelihood an economy will be stable and grow, and the higher the likelihood that poverty will reduce,” he said.

He said in other parts of the world, money was made available to those who did not have, to curb poverty.

“If there is liquidity, you will have employment; if credit is available to small and medium enterprises, there will be growth and employment,” he said.

According to him, liquidity also affected forex and indicated if the reserves would decline.

Professor of capital market at Nasarawa State University, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, said, “I think this is going to be the worst this year. A negative real GDP growth is also most likely to be recorded in Q3 2020 but the size will be smaller as the economy gets restarted and crude oil price gradually picks up.

“To ensure, the impact of these economic headwinds are moderated, it is important to increase the size of the various interventions by the government and the CBN and ensure they are well targeted and implemented.”

Uwaleke said the negative growth was in line with global expectations as similar trends had been seen in countries such as the United Kingdom and Japan.

 

International passengers who evade Nigerian tests face travel ban –PTF [PUNCH]

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday at the its  briefing in Abuja said International passengers who evade tests in Nigeria will be put on the travel watch list of the government.

The National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, said this while announcing that the Federal Government had introduced new COVID-19 protocols for travellers as Nigeria reopened its airspace for international travels on Saturday.

He said passengers coming into Nigeria must have undergone Polymerase Chain Reaction test for COVID-19 before departing the other country, while they must undergo another test after in Nigeria.

While only travellers with negative PCR results would be allowed into Nigeria, Aliyu said any airline who failed to ensure that its passengers present negative results risks being fined $3,500 per passenger.

The PTF also warned travellers against shunning the second test to be conducted from seven days after their arrival, threatening that the “Nigerian Immigration Service could suspend their passports or put them on travel watch list.”

Aliyu said, “We will be continuing with the process of requesting for a negative PCR result from all passengers boarding to travel to Nigeria. This COVID-19 test must be PCR test. We will not accept any other result. We are concerned about the quality of some of the results and the discrepancy we are getting when passengers are subsequently tested in the country.

“For this reason, the protocol that has just been approved will be reviewed after four weeks and we will also be looking at the level of discrepancy between negative and positive results, with a view to developing a list of accredited laboratories for countries that we frequently receive travellers from.”

“We are narrowing the period of validity for the PCR test from the current 14 days to seven days, from 29th of August. Preferably, the PCR test should be done as close as possible to the point of departure for Nigeria, preferably within 48 to 72 hours, but we will still accept results that are valid for seven days.”

Aliyu stated that travellers arriving Nigerian would pay for their PCR tests. According to him, Aliko Dangote Foundation has been footing the bill of tests conducted on the over 13,000 stranded Nigerians evacuated by the Federal Government from different parts of the world.

 

$500m Chinese loan already approved, probe unnecessary – Reps [PUNCH]

The House of Representatives on Monday defended its decision to suspend activities of its standing and ad hoc committees, saying there was no hidden agenda.

It also faulted its Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements for investigating the $500m loan facility Nigeria recently secured from China, saying it had already been approved by the National Assembly and captured in the 2020 Appropriation Act.

But before activities of the committees were suspended on Thursday, the Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements had written the Ministry of Transportation,  demanding documents containing loan agreements with China from 2000 to date.

Among the facilities the committee is probing is  the  $500m loan secured from China-EXIM Bank to finance railway projects under the Ministry of Transportation.

The Peoples  Democratic Party had, on Saturday, asked the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to step aside for allegedly frustrating investigations into executive corruption.

The party stated this in a statement titled, ‘PDP Berates Gbajabiamila For Frustrating Corruption Investigation in the House of Representatives … Asks Speaker to Step Aside,’ signed by its National Publicity Secretary,  Kola Ologbondiyan.

But the Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, who is also the leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress caucus in the House, in a statement on Monday, berated the PDP for faulting the decision of the House to stop committees from investigative hearings.

The statement was titled, ‘’You’re suffering from horrific political hallucinations –  Doguwa replies the PDP.’

 

Judge handling suits against Ize-Iyamu’s candidacy linked with Wike – APC [PUNCH]

The All Progressives Congress has petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, asking for the transfer of two suits filed against the candidacy of Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the party’s flag-bearer in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, from Justice Taiwo Taiwo to another judge of the court.

The party stated that it would not get justice from Justice Taiwo because of his alleged strong affinity with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who belongs to the rival Peoples Democratic Party.

The PDP had nominated Governor Godwin Obaseki as its candidate in the forthcoming September 19, 2020 governorship election in Edo State.

The APC, in its August 20, 2020 petition signed by its National Secretary, John Akpanudoedehe, alleged that Wike had openly boasted that he would do everything to ensure that the PDP won the Edo State governorship election.

Aside the alleged affinity between Justice Taiwo and Wike, the APC also expressed doubts about the judge’s impartiality in the handling of the cases so far.

The party stated, “That on August 10, 2020, when Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/758/2020 came up for mention, the learned judge, suo motu, abridged the time allowed by law for the defendants to respond, even when some of the defendants have not been served with the originating processes, by fixing the matter for August 24, 2020, for hearing and that responses must be filed before then.

“That at the time the learned judge made the said order, a motion on notice to abridge time was pending before the court which had not been served on all parties.”

The APC said it had no confidence that it would get justice before Justice Taiwo Taiwo “and therefore humbly request that the said matters be transferred to any other vacation Judge in the Federal Capital Territory.”

In one of the two suits referred to in the petition, two APC members, Momoh Abdul-Razak and  Zibiri Muhizu, asked the court to disqualify the party’s governorship candidate, Ize-Iyamu, and his running mate, Mr Audu Faniyi.

The plaintiffs’ grounds for the suit included allegation that Ganiyu gave false information to INEC in aid of his qualification for the governorship election.

 

Factors that will shape Ondo poll [THE NATION]

Number of factors will influence the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State. Some of the factors are zoning, incumbency and the 2023 calculations. Seventeen candidates are contesting the election, but if Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi throws his hat in the ring as expected the contest may end up as a three-horse race. They are namely Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Eyitayo Jegede, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Ajayi, who is expected to fly the flag of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Each of the main candidates are from the three senatorial districts; Ondo North, Ondo Central and Ondo South respectively.

It is likely to be a repeat of the 2012 election, where the three main candidates held sway in their respective senatorial districts. A three-horse race means that none of the candidates may be able to win an absolute majority of votes cast. That was the case in 2012 when former Governor Olusegun Mimiko beat Akeredolu and Olusola Oke to win the contest. To keep one’s home base securely, while making appreciable forays into the stronghold of other contestants is vital to doing well in the race. If Ajayi eventually does not throw his hat into the ring, the contest would be between Akeredolu and Jegede.

Going by what has transpired since the advent of civil rule in 1999; zoning does not appear to be a strong factor in Ondo politics. Nevertheless, it is expected to influence the outcome of the election. In this regard, Akeredolu and to a lesser extent Ajayi has an edge over Jegede. Adebayo Adefarati, from Ondo North, spent four years as governor between 1999 and 2003, Olusegun Agagu, from Ondo South, served as governor for over six years between 2003 and 2009. Mimiko came from Ondo Central and he served from 2009 and 2017. Olusegun Mimiko, from Ondo Central, served for two terms of four years each between 2009 and 2016.

With Akeredolu’s first term of four years, it is now being argued that Ondo North has had its eight years since 1999 and therefore power should shift to Ondo South. The above view, however, does not appear to be a popular one. Having put in four years, Akeredolu is likely to benefit from the zoning sentiment because Ondo North under him has put in only four years and there is a clamour that he should be allowed to do a fresh tenure before power shifts to Ondo South. As a result, the governor has been advised to reconcile with all those he seems to have offended in the last four years, to prevent what happened in Oyo State in the last general elections from repeating itself.

Making mining Nigeria’s next oil [The Nation]

The last couple of months have been particularly demanding for the Minister of Mines & Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite. The prevailing economic realities caused by the double shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and revenue shortfall resulting from the crash in oil prices have put him on his toes, as the search for a sector with the potential to reboot the economy appears to focus on the mining sector.

The devastating impacts of the deadly COVID-19 virus and dwindling oil prices have forced a strategic refocus on other sectors considered as high growth sectors particularly mining. Consequently, Adegbite has rolled up his sleeves and gone to work to further open the mining sector to increased trade and foreign investments.

Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) Director-General Dr. Abdulrazaq Garba said: “The mining sector is all about data, quality data for investment decision making. The process of mining or extraction of what is in the earth crust requires understanding of how the earth crust preserves these mineral commodities.”

NGSA is a parastatal under the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. It is the nation’s custodian of all geosciences information. Established in 2006, the Agency’s statutory role is to provide relevant and up-to-date geosciences information necessary for economic development.

Garba told The Nation that a bankable geosciences data in the mining ecosystem is private sector-driven, because “There is a limit to government spending on mineral resources evaluation and exploration.”

He, however, said NGSA strives to provide beyond the basics, offering several layers of information required to boost investors’ confidence in the nation’s mining space.

 

774,000 jobs illegal, say PDP Reps [THE NATION]

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Representatives on Monday described the 774,000 jobs to be created by the Federal Government in the 774 Local Government Areas across the country as an illegal scheme.

It also said the scheme known as Special Public Works Programme (SWP) did not only contravene the National Minimum Wage Act, but it was also politically-motivated.

The factional  PDP members in the House, led by Kingsley Chinda, argued that the N52 billion   set aside for the programme could be used to set up about 67 different small and micro-industries in each of the 774 LGAs.

According to the members, each of the 774  LGAs could have N67. 184 million small and micro-industry that could provide sustainable jobs for the youth.

Under the SWP, the 774,000 beneficiaries would earn N20,000 each for the three-month life span of the scheme as against the N30,000 minimum wage.

The lawmakers pointed out in a statement that the Minimum Wage Act required the Nigeria Labour Advisory Council and the National Wages, Salaries and Income Commission to make a recommendation to the Minister of Labour for  an exemption to pay an amount lower than the minimum wage to anyone engaged by the Federal Government.

They stated that while the wages commission has not made any such recommendation, the Nigeria Labour Advisory Council has not been put in place since the coming into power of the Muhammadu Buhari government.

The caucus members also said that they  would seek legal means to address what they described as  “encroachment on their statutory functions and fundamental human rights.”

They accused the leadership of the House, led by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, of being “dictatorial, biased and divisive” in the handling of the affairs of the House and taking decisions on behalf of members without their full knowledge or participation.

Chinda’s faction of the PDP caucus in the House is not recognised by the House leadership, but it enjoys the backing of the national leadership of the opposition PDP.

The Gbajabiamila leadership recognises Ndudi Elumelu as the chairman of the Second PDP caucus in the House.

Police recruitment: IG suspends entry requirements for applicants [Sun]

Inspector-General of Police (IG) Mohammed Adamu on Monday ordered that entry requirements be waved for applicants into the constable cadre of the Nigeria Police, The Nation learnt last night.

The police yesterday kicked-off the screening of applicants for 10,000 slots nationwide.

President Muhammadu Buhari, had declared that an additional 40, 000 policemen would be added to the NPF  in phases  of 10,000 over a period of four years.

Force Public Relations Officer Frank Mba had explained that all applicants were expected to appear at the  screening centres  with their duly completed guarantors forms, National Identity Numbers (NIN); original and duplicate copies of  their  credentials, comprising O’ Level results, ceritificates  of origin and birth or declaration of age.

During the screening yesterday, spokesman of one of the state Police  commands  had said that applicants with bad dentition, bow legs, knock-knees, flat foot, married women or expectant mother would be shut out.

He also said that persons not within the 17-25 age bracket, as well as those below 1.5 feet  tall for women and 1.7ft for men would be screened out.

But in a police signal sighted last night by The Nation, the IG directed that no candidate should be disqualified irrespective of their physical appearance, age and qualification.

Adamu said all applicants who successfully submitted their applications online should be attended to by the screening committees of the state commands..

The police wireless message from NIGPOL DTD Abuja addressed you ad-hoc physical screening team heads all states/Fct S in part, “X Ingenpol directs you to attend to all applicants X who successfully submitted their online applications X to police recruitment portal X irrespective of their physical appearance X age X qualification X you are not disqualify any applicant for any reason whatsoever.

Reports of the screening  from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Imo, Benue and Gombe states showed massive turnout  and adherence to the COVID-19 protocols by the applicants who were all decked in white shorts and T-shirts.

Other states that recorded impressive number of applicants were Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kano, Plateau and  Borno.

Over 14,000 applicants  turned up for the exercise in Lagos, Ogun and Ondo state  Police Commands while 15,000 did in Gombe State where only 132 slots are expected to be filled.

 

Edo Assembly invasion: Court orders suspects to be remanded [SUN]

A Benin High Court, yesterday, ordered that seven suspects, who allegedly invaded the Edo State House of Assembly complex be remanded in police custody.

The suspects are Wilfred Ogbewe, 52, Igbinobono Collins, 26, Salami Osayomore, 25, Odion Osayande, 23, Morgan Uwanboe, 47, Ifeoluwa Oladele, 36, and Agbonrere Festus, 25.

The presiding judge, Justice Efe Ikponmwonba, ordered the Police Prosecuting Counsel, Akomen Adaghe, to remand the suspects in the police custody till September 3 when plea (arraignment) would be taken, after the originating motion.

Earlier,  the suspects’ counsel, Matthias Obayuwana, told the court that there was an enrolment order directed by inspector general of police, adding that suspects were billed to appear in court today for hearing and not yesterday.

Obayuwana said he was surprised that the prosecuting counsel brought the suspects to court.

However, Adaghe said he was not aware of such order.

Justice Ikponmwonba, who also agreed with suspects’ counsel, adjourned the sitting to today for originating motion with respect of enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights

She, however, ordered the suspects should not be brought along to court, adding that the court does not need the unnecessary attention that the presence of the suspects have generated.

 

Katsina, Bayelsa, 3 others insolvent –FG [SUN]

The Federal Government on Monday raised the alarm over low level of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by state governments and declared Katsina, Kebbi, Borno, Bayelsa and Taraba States have become insolvent after their IGR collections were declared “extremely poor”.

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) Chairman, Mr Elias Mbam, who raised the concern noted that the Federation Account was currently over stressed by the unending demands of the three tiers of government, urging states to evolve creative ways of fattening their IGR to lessen the strain on the federal purse.

Receiving the Annual States Viability Index (ASVI) from the Editor-in-Chief of the Economic Confidential, Mr. Yushau A. Shuaib in his office in Abuja, Mbam restated the need for the various tiers of government to endeavour to develop alternative sources of revenue in view of the Federal Government’s declining incomes.

According to the index, Rivers, Kaduna, Enugu, Kwara and Zamfara posted impressive IGR in 2019.

Mbam said: “the annual ASVI report apart from providing a good source of information to the general public also has been identified as a source of information that would drive RMAFC on its mandate to encourage states of the federation to improve their Internally Generated Revenue. “I have come to realise that Economic Confidential has become a household name and its reports that are factual and authoritative should be useful, especially in guiding states whose revenues keep dwindling so that they can improve.”

Speaking on the report, the Editor-in-Chief of the Economic Confidential, Mr. Yushau Shuaib, said the ASVI report assessed and ranked states by their annual IGR in comparison to their receipts from the Federation Accounts Allocation.

He added that the report has shown that “without the monthly disbursement from the Federation Account, many states cannot survive as the indices showed that seven states are insolvent due to very poor IGR that were far below 10 per cent of their receipts from the Federation Account”.

Mr. Shuaib stated that apart from Lagos and Ogun States that ranked high in the revenue generation in 2019, more states have recorded impressive and encouraging IGR in 2019 compared to 2018. The report shows that only Rivers, Kaduna, Enugu, Kwara and Zamfara States did well with regards to impressive revenue generation in 2019 compared to their IGR in the previous year 2018 by improving more than 10 per cent.

- Advertisement -spot_img

Latest article