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Customs Compt. Charges Men On N5.7trn Revenue Target

April 6, 2024

The Nigerian Customs Service, NCS Apapa command has released its revenue collection for the first quarter of this year.

The head of the command, Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba in a statement signed by the spokesman of the command disclosed that over N489 billion was collected during the first three months of 2024.

Jaiyeoba commended the men and officers of the command for working to ensure that more revenues are collected for the federal government.

He urged men and officers of the command to ensure that they work towards achieving the N5.7 trillion annual revenue target set by the federal government for the Service, stressing that the Apapa Command has been directed to collect N2 trillion in other to achieve this.

The command is the NCS highest revenue collector amongst all the commands and formations across the country.

He appealed to all stakeholders for support and tto ensure that the make honest declaration, stressing that such attitude promotes the integrity of the declarants.

He said, “I want to urge all stakeholders in Apapa Port to keep supporting us in achieving an efficient system where everyone plays by the rules to achieve smoother, seamless, and faster import/export cargo clearance

“Making honest declaration puts the declarant at a vantage position to have a credible reputation and enjoy the benefits that come with earned integrity such as fast track and possible migration to the authorised economic operator(AEO)

“Such attitude of compliance saves time and money as examination officers would find the cargo less cumbersome to process and other units of the service including sister government organisations would not need to flag such cargo for seizure or arrest of the importers/exporters.

“The cargo gets cleared on time, and payments for penalties after demand notices are not necessary as no DN is issued on compliant import/export.

“I will continue my weekly engagement of stakeholders at various levels to sustain the tempo of our achievements and consolidate on the gains from regular enlightenment of every member of the port community.”

N3trn Electricity Subsidy No Longer Sustainable, Minister Tackles Nigerians Amidst Protests

James Orji

April 6, 2024

Amidst protests from Nigerians the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has explained the increase in electricity tariff.

The federal government recently increased electricity tariff by over 300 percent, according to checks from the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.

The government said the increased only affects customers that enjoyed up to 20 hours electricity daily, saying customers who are allocated lower power are not affected.

The Northern Elders Council, NEC has condemned the act as reckless.

Speaking on Friday, the minister said the federal government could no longer afford the humungous subsidy on electricity, stressing that over N2 trillion is spent annually to subsidize electricity for Nigerians.

He explained that the increase did not target the poor, adding that 15 percent customers are only affected by the change.

Adelabu explained further that the government’s intension in hiking tariff is to ensure that investors do not only recover their cost of investment, but also make sizable profit.

He said, “Anybody that goes into any business, the first intention is to recover cost, then if possible make some profit.

“The moment you cannot cover your cost, the sustainability of such business is doubtful. It will be run aground.

“But this cost recovery can either be through commercial pricing or a subsidized pricing. Commercial pricing is when the entire cost of producing power is transferred 100% plus the profit to the consumers of power.

“Subsidized pricing regime is when the consumers are not allowed to pay the full cost of production and government has pledged to pay a portion of this on their behalf. That is the regime that we are in Nigeria.

“We are in a subsidy pricing regime, whereby government provides a large portion of the cost of producing, of transmitting, and of distributing power.

According to him, before the current increase the government has was subsidizing electricity to the tune of 67 percent per cent, which he stated represents over 10 percent of the annual budget.

He said: “And I must tell you that as at today, before the introduction of the tariff increase, government is subsidizing nothing less than 67% of the cost of producing, transmitting, and distributing electricity in Nigeria.

“At the current exchange rate this is going to translate into N2.9 trillion for 2024. This is more than 10% of the national budget.

“Power sector is just a single sector out of so many sectors that government has to attend to. We have works, we have housing, we have education, we have health, we have defence and so on and so forth that are all competing for this meager revenue from the government.

“So, it will be very insensitive on our part to compel government to continue to subsidise at that rate of almost N3 trillion for the power sector alone. We just have to be realistic and considerate.”

AfDB Facilitates USD110,000 Funding Support For Ekiti Electricity Priority Plan

Ayodele Oni

April 6, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State Electricity Priority Plan, (SEPP) has received a boost from the African Development Bank, (AfDB) which secured funding support of up to USD110,000 from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA).

The fund is meant to facilitate development of the State Electricity Priority Plan (SEPP).

Already some parts of the state capital, including government offices are already enjoying electricity power supply from the State Independent Power Project

The State Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof. Bolaji Aluko who disclosed this in Ado Ekiti stated that the approved assistance followed the State request for grant funding to support the establishment of the Power Sector Reform Desk in his Ministry for mainstreaming decentralized renewable energy solutions.

Prof. Aluko explained that the funding approval secured through the Africa Energy Sector Technical Assistance Programme (AESTAP) window would sponsor three delegates from the State to participate in a hybrid training course on Power Sector regulation at the Africa School of Regulation (ASR) in addition to consultancy services.

According to him, the training course which comprises 10 weeks of online sessions and one week of in-person training will commence this month.

Stressing that the implementation of the programme would require the dedication of the project team from the State, Aluko assured that selection of participants would be based strictly on merit to ensure the desired result.

The commissioner reiterated the commitment of the State Government to the rapid development of the State and welfare of the people, adding that no community could optimally develop without first developing its electricity infrastructure from all resources.

Aluko assured that no stone would be left unturned in the Ministry to ensure steady supply of electricity, potable water, responsive fire service and efficient telecommunication system in the State.

Why Price Of Nigeria’s Cocoa Is High In International Market – President CFAN

Ayodele Oni

April 6, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

The National President, Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria {CFAN}, Ademola Adegoke has observed that Nigeria’s deregulated economy has led to rise in the price of cocoa.

According to him, Nigeria Cocoa farmers are presently enjoying best of the moment due to the skyrocketing prices of cocoa beans at the international markets.

He pointed out that Cocoa farmers in the country have not had it so good since after the abolition of the cocoa board in 1986.

Investigation reveals that between March and April, the price of cocoa is one thousand naira per kilogramme, the highest recorded of recent.

In a statement on Saturday, Adegoke stated that cocoa farmers in other West African countries like Ghana and Ivory Coast are not enjoying the present high cocoa price.

“This is due to the system of their cocoa economy which does not give them the opportunity to enjoy the present surge in cocoa prices due to the future contract being executed by their respective cocoa boards.

“In fact, we were reliably informed that the price the two respective giant cocoa origin countries are paying their cocoa farmers were the prices of cocoa as at April, 2023.”

He advised that what Nigeria needs is to firm the control of cocoa economy in order to increase the production and productivity of smallholder cocoa farmers.

This, he said, could be achieved through the provisions of subsidized farm inputs, credit facility, capacity building, thereby improving their livelihoods.

“We must start to regulate and promote the Nigerian cocoa economy through the National Cocoa management Committee (NCMC) where more investment into the sector will be guaranteed.

“If the Committee can achieve stable regulatory framework that controls quality, smuggling, pesticides control, extension management, R&D, traceability, FMAFS & State Cocoa Producing Governments synergy, child labor eradication, deforestation control and National Cocoa Plan implementation.

“The NCMC must not get involved in buying and selling of cocoa beans except cocoa beans stabilization support funding in future when necessary especially when cocoa price nosedived downward beyond cocoa farmers economic capacity as being done in other developed countries on other commodities.

“Nigeria is moving towards a sustainable cocoa economy with a renewed hope agenda of the present administration.”

“Influential People Shielding Criminal Elements And Sabotaging Efforts Of Security Agencies” – Anambra CP Alleges

The Source

April 6, 2024

The Anambra State Police Authorities have lamented that while they are working hard to bring about a regime of sanity, some forces are bent rather on promoting cultism and other criminal activities in the state.

The State Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye who made this startling revelation during an interactive session with the media at the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ Secretariat in Awka the state capital on Friday April 5 2024 regretted that all efforts to control insecurity and other related challenges in Anambra have continued to be frustrated by some highly placed people who are allegedly providing cover to criminal elements in the state .

The CP ,who was represented by his Deputy, Akin Fakorade, noted that the recent rise in the spate of security breaches in the state were as a result of the sabotaging activities of some highly connected individuals who he said are in the habit of securing the release from detentions suspected cultists and other criminal elements moments after their arrests and detentions.

” Could you imagine that cultists we arrested ,charged to court and got remanded in correctional facilities some powerful locals are going to the judiciary to lobby to get them released? And some have been released already and they are the ones unleashing mayhem again on the state .

“Besides that ,you must have heard about the AK- 47 that we recovered of late in the Awada area of the state. We were told by the suspect that it was procured for him by some people to engage in a show down with a rival cult group.

“Now if that gun had not been retrieved ,could you imagine what the casualty figure would have been if he had joined in the recent cult related clashes that erupted in the state.?” the CP lamented .

The CP, therefore, queried the real motives of those sabotaging genuine efforts of the police and other security agencies to combat crimes in the state .

He, however,assured that despite all the frustrating antics ,the police in the state will continue to battle criminal elements ,where ever they are and no matter who are backing them.

” We are already going after the cultists,and if we find that anybody is subverting justice and or due process,to get the cultists off the hook ,they will face the law ,no matter how highly placed the person is ” CP Adeoye stated

The state police Command ,has therefore appealed to the people to assist security agencies in their efforts to restore normalcy to the state ,in the over all interests of residents.

Kano Panel Of Inquiry: “You Want To Cover Your Inadequacies And Failures”, Ganduje Hits Back At Gov Yusuf

The Source

April 6, 2024

The immediate past Governor of Kano state, and National Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has described the recent purported constitution of a panel of inquiry to carry out an inquest in to his two-term tenure as Governor, as an ingenuous attempt by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to mask his inadequacies, and inability to deliver on his electioneering promises to the good people of Kano State.

The Source reports that the Kano State Governor, had on Thursday, April 4 empaneled two bodies to look into alleged cases of misappropriation of public properties and politically induced killings and other criminal activities between 2015 and 2023.

Although quick to insulate the move from any perceived witch-hunting and/ or hounding of political foes , many keen watchers of unfolding political events in the political landscape of the commercial nerve centre of the Northern Nigeria since Governor Yusuf mounted the saddle ,will be hard put to buy into such sermons.

Dr Ganduje widely viewed by not a few ,as the major target of the Inquisition in a statement issued on Friday April 5 2024 by his Media aide Edwin Olofu ,said the recent attempt to drag his name to the mud will still fail like others before it .

He noted that the planned inquest into the activities of his administration is a welcome development, regretting however that the probe would have made more meaning if it had stretched from 1999 to date.

” As the saying goes ,that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands .It shouldn’t be seen as targeted at my administration alone.

It should not be seen to be borne out of malice ,vindictiveness and ill will .It should be for public good and interest .

Rather than join issues with my traducers in kano ,over the trumped up charges leveled against me ,I would implore them to redirect their energy towards easing the plights of our people in kano.

In this case ,they still have the opportunity to revert to my blueprint for the sustainable growth and development of kano state .

It is not yet late in the day for them to emulate my developmental strides .They can still salvage the situation as my tenure was devoid of any wrong doings” the former Governor noted

The APC National Chairman ,asserted that having conducted the affairs of the state with utmost regard for transparency, and accountability he does entertain any worry about what ever inquest any body wants to carry out

” The whole thing is an unfortunate and sorry attempt to shift public attention from the fact that there is nothing on the ground in the state to justify the sharp increase in statutory allocations to the state since the inception of the president Bola Tinubu led administration.” Ganduje stated .

On the issue of the kano state Government ,dragging him along side some of his family members to court over alleged bribery and corruption ,the former Governor of Kano,accused his traducers of being desperate to persecute him without caring about the position of the law.

” In their desperate attempt to malign me and my family ,they have either forgotten and or probably cannot conduct themselves by the dictates of the law .

They have failed to take judicial notice of the recent pronouncement by the Federal High Court in Kano ,which ruled that the so called offence iam being accused of is a federal one that can only be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC “the APC National Chairman asserted.

MURIC Alleges That Furore Over FG’s N90bn Hajj Subsidy Spiced Bad Blood, Toxic Faith

Akinwale Kasali

April 6, 2024

By Akinwale Kasali

Controversial Executive Director of Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, has once again alleged “bad blood, toxic faith and tramadolised religiousity over criticism” that trailed the approval of N90 billion by the President Bola Tinubu administration for the 2024 Hajj operation.

Following reactions that trailed the approval, MURIC faulted the biases of those that criticized President Tinubu’s approval of such amount from certain quarters.

In a Statement signed by Akintola, he said, “President Bola Tinubu recently approved a N90 billion subsidy for the 2024 Hajj operation. However, the move has been heavily criticised by some individuals and groups. Some of the critics accused the president of giving undue favour to Muslim pilgrims because he is also a Muslim.

“Some even went as far as describing what Tinubu did as sponsoring Muslims on hajj. We can take it from there. There is a world of difference between sponsoring hajj and subsidising it. To sponsor hajj, government has to pay the whole bill including the return ticket, accommodation in Saudi Arabia, feeding, etc, whereas it is only a part of the bill that government will pay in case of subsidy.

“We need to clarify our position on subsidising and sponsoring hajj as defined above within the context of the recent N90 billion subsidy offered by the Tinubu administration to support 2024 Muslim pilgrims.

“MURIC had opposed sponsorship of hajj by the federal, state, local government or government agencies, We still stand on this pronouncement. Even the Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) took this stand earlier in 2016,” he said.

Akintola, however, stressed that President Tinubu’s subsidy is a horse of another colour.

This, he said, is because the President’s intervention is not outright sponsorship but a rescue mission.

He explained, “Such rescue missions are not uncommon in the past when the nation was faced with a crisis that required Government’s intervention.

“The Muslim pilgrims of 2024 had demonstrated expression of interest and committed themselves to the hajj scheme by paying the initial amount of N4.9 million in full. But the global economic downturn and the Nigerian foreign exchange bruhaha forced the hajj authorities (NAHCON) to demand an additional N1.9 million.

“At this point most of the prospective pilgrims had reached the end of their tethers. Some of them were able to raise the first tranche of N4.9 million by selling their properties. Others raised it by saving over a period of five or more years.

“To fully understand the plight of 2024 intending pilgrims, we may need to compare the fees paid by 2023 pilgrims. 2023 Hajj fare was N1.8m for pilgrims flying from Maiduguri and Yola. Others paid more depending on the distance.

“But the cost of pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia hit the roofs this year for obvious reasons and the unfortunate prospective pilgrims faced a dilemma. It had somehow become a frustrating experience particularly for those who could not raise any additional money.

“The National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) has revealed that 46,000 out of the 95,000 slots given to Nigeria for the 2024 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia have been unable to pay their fares and other charges for the 2024 Hajj.

“No responsible government anywhere in the world will ignore the plight of such a large number of its citizens under such a vulnerable and unpredictable condition. Tinubu’s intervention is therefore in order.

“By the way, it was not as if Tinubu played Father Christmas with the N90 billion subsidy because the actual amount needed to bail out the pilgrims was N230 billion. Many stakeholders, including the House of Representatives, appealed to the president to intervene in the matter of 2024 intending pilgrims before he made the move.

“Yet Tinubu did not pay the whole amount, he did not even pay half of it. At least, no mathematical abracadabra can make N90 billion one half of N230 billion.

“That explains why NAHCON has been appealing to state governments and other stakeholders to come up with the balance. As a result of NAHCON’s appeal, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi and a few others have added their widow’s mite”, he said.

Why Reps Shifted Resumption Date To April 23

Ayodele Oni

April 5, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

The House of Representatives has announced postponement of members resumption date by a week.

The green house, which was earlier scheduled to resume on the 16th of April, has shifted it to 23rd of same month.

A statement on Friday by house spokesman, Akin Rotimi Jnr, explained that the shift was necesitated by the ongoing renovation work of the assembly’s complex.

The statement reads “The House of Representatives wishes to inform the public and stakeholders of the rescheduling of the resumption date from the ongoing recess.

“Originally slated for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, the new resumption date is now set for Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

“This adjustment is necessary to accommodate the completion of renovations to the main chamber of the House of Representatives to ensure its readiness for plenary sessions, henceforth.

“During this recess, Honourable Members are continuing with productive constituency engagements, while House Committees continue to hold meetings and perform oversight functions.

“This development was conveyed to Honourable Members by the Clerk, House of Representatives, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, Esq. in an internal correspondence on Thursday.

“This information is being provided in line with our legislative agenda that prioritizes transparency and accountability. We kindly request all members of the public and stakeholders to take note of this change.”

Edo: Labour Party Denounces Alleged Plot To Assassinate Julius Abure

Ayodele Oni

April 5, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

The Edo Labour Party, (LP) in Edo state has flayed the alleged plot to assassinate the National Chairman of the Party, Barr. Julius Abure, and the burning of his Abuja residence.

The party in a statement on Friday, claimed that the inferno was a deliberate attempt to assassinate Abure and his family.

Sam Uroupa, Publicity Secretary of LP in the state stated that “These acts of violence and destruction not only target an individual but also strike at the heart of democracy and the fundamental rights of citizens to express their political beliefs without fear.”

Uroupa stated that the party denounced the heinous actions that have endangered the life and property of its National Chairman and family.

“Such cowardly acts have no place in a civilized society and must be met with swift and decisive action by the authorities to ensure that justice is served and the perpetrators are brought to account.

“The Edo Labour Party stands in solidarity with its National Chairman and family during this challenging time, offering prayers, support and assistance to help him recover from this traumatic experience.

“The safety and security of all political leaders and members are paramount, and the party reiterates its commitment to upholding the rule of law and promoting a peaceful and inclusive political environment.”

Uroupa emphasized that individuals questioning the National Chairman’s hard-earned reputation, which he has diligently upheld over the years, should refrain from engaging in such destructive and despicable behavior.

“In the face of adversity, the party remains resolute in its pursuit of justice, peace, and progress for the people of Edo State and Nigeria at large, and hope a swift and transparent investigation will shed light on the cause of the fire and ensure the safety of its members.

“These cowardly acts will not deter the National Chairman, Barr. Abure from his mission to advocate for the rights and welfare of all citizens, and to work towards a society where differences are respected and dialogue prevails over violence.”

CBN Investigator Completes Assignment, Submit Report To President Tinubu

Ayodele Oni

April 5, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

The Special Investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to look into the books of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) and related entities has concluded its assignment.

Jim Obazee, former Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Reporting of Nigeria, (FRN) who headed the team has since submitted final report to President Tinubu.

Obazee was appointed in July 28, 2023 to assist government probe into the activities of the CBN following the sack of Godwin Emefiele as CBN governor.

In a statement on Friday, Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngalele expressed the President gratitude to the team of Investigators for a job well done.

Ngalele stated that “President Bola Tinubu thanks Mr. Jim Obazee, former Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), for his services as the Special Investigator of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other related entities, upon his appointment on July 28, 2023.

“The President commends Mr. Obazee for the dedication and professionalism he exercised in handling the complexities of this critical national assignment.

“Subsequent to the conclusion of the assignment and the submission of a final comprehensive report, and with the winding up of all apparatuses used during the scope of the task which terminated on March 31, 2024, the investigation is formally closed, with all appropriate law enforcement and regulatory agencies already conducting follow-up action.

“The President thanks Mr. Obazee for answering the call of duty while wishing him success in his future endeavours.”

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