NEWS
FG will address decline in school enrollment – Minister
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, has disclosed the Federal Government intention to phase out the phenomen of out-of-school children plaguing the country.
This was contained in a press statement made available to newsmen by the Press Unit of Government House, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Sunday.
Mamman said he was impressed by the initiative and imprints of the state government, describing the gesture as creating an “attractive environment and enticement to boost school enrollment.”
This, the minister said was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of reversing the decline in school enrollments, adding that there was a need for collaboration among the local government, state and the Federal Government to get it right.
Youths protest against purchase of SUV for lawmakers, demand living wage.
Some youths have gathered in Lagos to protest against the purchase of Sport Utility Vehicles for lawmakers at the National Assembly.
The youths who gathered in their numbers at the Ikeja area of Lagos on Monday held placards and chanted, ‘Fund education not SUVs, ‘Pay living wage not SUVs, and ‘Fund hospitals not SUVs,’ among others.
According to the protesters, “lawmakers buying SUVs with public fund is insensitive when the majority are suffering.”
One of the protesters, Juwon Sanyaolu, told newsmen that “workers are still battling for a living wage as the N33,000 minimum wage is not sustainable but we have people at NASS taking delivery of exotic vehicles with about N160bn. Students are dropping out of school because of costly fees. It’s insensitive.”
He further said, “They’re the ones receiving hardship allowance. What hardship are they facing? What hard work are they doing?”
‘I am not going away’, says Atiku
The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, says he will not leave the political arena regardless of Supreme Court verdict of October 26, 2023 that affirmed the electoral victory of President Bola Tinubu.
“As for me and my party, this phase of work is done. However, I am not going to go away, if you think I am going to go away, forget about it,” the former Vice President said at a press briefing on Monday in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
“For as long as I breathe, I will continue to struggle with other Nigerians to deepen our democracy. I will continue to work for the return of political and economic restructuring that the country needs,” he added.
There’s No Plan to Redenominate Naira — CBN
The Central Bank of Nigeria has stated that it has no plan to redenominate or restructure the naira notes in 2024.
This was revealed on Tuesday, in a statement signed by its Director, Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, and shared on its X (Twitter) handle.
The CBN urged Nigerians to disregard the wide circulation of a text message suggesting that the Bank plans to redenominate the country’s legal tender next year, noting that the contents of the message are misleading.
However, it added that while the bank may be considering reforms, “such are subject to laid down procedures in line with the provisions of the CBN Act, 2007.
Zak Adedeji’s Nomination as FIRS Chairman Approved by Senate
The nomination of Zak Adedeji, as Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has been approved by The Senate.
Adedeji, who appeared before the upper chamber for his screening on Tuesday, where he discussed his plans to improve the nation’s revenue, also raised concern over the dearth of information in the oil and gas sector.
He promised that most of the leakages would be halted. According to him, the core problem in the country is that of proper data, adding that developing data upon which decisions will be made is fundamental.
According to him, it will enable sufficient information on the exact number of vessels of crude brought into the county and the concomitant tax. “The data would be used to identify those in affluence who pay insufficient tax, the FIRS boss added,” he said.
Adedeji also vowed to centralize the identification system in Nigeria and advance the nation’s data mining capacity. Adedeji’s confirmation is coming over a month after President Bola Tinubu appointed him, his Special Adviser on Revenue, as the new FIRS.
Court adjourns kingmakers’ suit against Makinde till Thursday
The High Court sitting in Oyo State on Tuesday adjourned till Thursday, November 2, for hearing a case instituted by five kingmakers against the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, the State Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Matters, as well as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, over the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo.
The kingmakers in Oyo town had on October 25, 2023 dragged the governor and two others to Court to abort the process for the selection/appointment of the candidate for filling the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo candidate by kingmakers.
The lead Counsel to the claimants, Kazeem Sobaloju (SAN), had in his argument pleaded for a stay of status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Sobaloju said, “The claimants have two motions before the court. Motion exparte on an interim order of injunction and motion of notice on the interlocutory injunction.”
But Counsel to defendants, E.O. Ojebisi said they have just been served the motions not up to five days as required by the law on the service of notice. Ojebisi, therefore, asked for more time to file a counter affidavit.
Justice Ladiran Akintola, however, told the counsels to agree on a date for the hearing as there is no urgency in the matter, adding that the defendants should be allowed to be joined in the suit with the filing of a counter affidavit.
Justice Akintola said, “It is after this that I can rule on the stay of the status quo.” He, therefore, adjourned the hearing of the case till tomorrow, Thursday, November 2.
NLC President in hospital, battles to save right eye
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, accused Imo state police command of arresting and brutalising the Congress President, Joe Ajaero. But the command said he was only rescued from a mob and put in protective custody.
Medical experts at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, are said to be currently battling to save the eyes of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero.
NLC’s Head of Media and Publicity Benson Upah said this in a statement, confirming the release of the Mr Ajaero.
He said, “Contact was made with Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero this evening around 1530 hours at the Police Hospital in Owerri from where he was taken to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri where he is receiving medical attention.”
The police had said Mr Ajeoro was taken into custody for his protection, but the NLC said he was brutalised after his arrest.
