PIB: PETROL PRICE REMAINS N162 PAR LITRE, COOKING GAS PRICES TO DROP – FG

The price of petrol will still sell at between N162 and N165 per litre despite the signing of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law, the Federal Government has said.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday assented to the PIB passed by the National Assembly in July.

The assent gives legal backing to full deregulation which means oil marketers would now have the power to fix prices based on market forces.

But the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva on Tuesday said fuel price still remains N162 per litre as there would be no immediate implementation of the aspect that covers fuel price deregulation.

“No fuel price increase, at least, for now. We are not starting the implementation of that aspect (deregulation) now. We would do that only when we have put many things in place to cushion the effects on Nigerians,’’ Sylva said.

The minister admitted that full deregulation would cause hardship and sufferings for Nigerians, but he said “that is the best thing to do.’’

He said the Governors’ Forum was agitating for full deregulation because they knew that was the only way they could get more allocations for capital projects.

He said continuing to subsidize fuel price in the country was “like cutting our faces to spite our noses”.

On the 3% host communities' fund in the PIA, Sylva said that is the fairest rate to every stakeholder.

He said giving more than 3% as host communities' fund would scare away investors.

He said the National Assembly and other stakeholders settled for 3 % for Host Communities Fund because that is what will attract more investments into the oil producing areas.

“Everything was weighed before 3% was settled on. It is in our collective interest. If we put the fund at 10%, the oil companies will only add it to their operational cost and that consequence would come back to the country,’’ the minister said.

Out of $50bn oil and gas investments that came to Africa last year, the minister disclosed that only $3bn came to Nigeria because foreign investors weren’t so sure of the investment climate in the country.

On the hike in prices of cooking gas, Sylva said the Federal Government would meet with gas suppliers in the country to know why the increase and find ways to bring the prices down. 

FGN INCREASES COST OF VEHICLE NUMBER PLATES, DRIVER'S LICENCE RATES BY 50%

~Nigerians will now pay N18,750 for standard private and commercial number plates against the old rate of N12,500.

Nigerian vehicle number plates/Drivers license

The Federal Government (FG) has commenced the implementation of new rates for vehicle number plates and driving licence across the country.

According to the Joint Tax Board, Nigerians will now pay N18,750 for standard private and commercial number plates against the old rate of N12,500.

Fancy number plate which was N80,000 is now N200,000; motorcycle number plate is N5,000 from N3,000 while articulated number plates (three plates) attract N30,000 from N20,000. For these rates, the minimum increase is 50 per cent.

Out of series number plate has also been revised to N50,000 from N40,000 while government fancy number plate is N20,000 against the former N15,000 rate.

Driving licence (three years) was raised to N10,000 from N6,000, excluding bank charges; licence for five years is N15,000 from N10,000 while motorcycle/tricycle driving licence (three years) goes for N5,000 from N3,000 while the one for five years attracts N8,000 from N5,000.

The decision was taken at the 147th meeting of the JTB, which held in Kaduna on March 25.

A letter by the JTB titled ‘Implementation of the revised rates for vehicles number plates and driver’s licence in Nigeria’, dated July 30, 2021 and signed by the board secretary, Obomeghfe Nana-Aisha, directed various federal and state agencies to commence the implementation of the rates.

Members of the JTB established by section 86 (1) of the Personal Income Tax Act cap. P8 LFN 2004, include the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service as the chairman of the board; one member from each state and representatives of the Federal Road Safety Commission; Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission; Federal Capital Territory Administration; Federal Ministry of Finance; and Federal Inland Revenue Service.

The letter read, “You may wish to recall that at the 147th meeting of the Joint Tax Board held in Kaduna, Kaduna State on March 25, 2021, the board approved revised rates for the sale of vehicle number plates and driving licence in line with the recommendations of Appraisal and Technical Committee of the JTB.

“In the light of the foregoing, we wish to inform you that the Chairman, JTB, has approved Thursday, August 1, 2021, as the commencement date for the implementation of the new rates.”

Meanwhile, the FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, has dismissed a report circulating on social media that the agency was behind the hike, noting that the FRSC was not a revenue generating agency.

He also described as incorrect the report that the standard number plate was N55, 000.

BREAKING: NIGERIA'S CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR, EMEFIELE HOSTS LAVISH BIRTHDAY PARTY IN JAMAICA, DANGOTE, BANK EXECUTIVES, OTHERS SHOW UP IN PRIVATE JETS

The crème de la crème in the Nigeria’s banking and finance industry as well as Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, gathered at the weekend in a frontal display of wealth at a private birthday ceremony in Jamaica organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

According to SaharaReporters, Nigerian bank executives, flew private jets to the South American country and stormed the party to impress Emefiele, who turned 60 last week.

The lavish display of wealth by Emefiele and the bankers is in sharp contrast with the sorry state of the Nigerian economy reeling under more than $33billion foreign debts and the unstable banking sector which Emefiele superintends.

“Some big boys and Emefiele were at Montego Bay City, Jamaica, last weekend to celebrate his 60th birthday. They flew there quietly with their private jets. The party was organised and held in secret to keep it away from prying eyes,” a source stated.

“Those in attendance included the usual suspects; Dangote, Nduka Obaigbena, Herbert Wigwe, Tony Elumelu and Adesola Adeduntan and so on,” the source added.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last week sent a congratulatory letter to Emefiele, having celebrated his birthday on August 4.

Recall that Emefiele served as the governor of Nigeria’s apex bank since June 3, 2014.

In March 2016, Emefiele was appointed first by President Goodluck Jonathan and was reappointed to the position in May 2019 by Buhari, shortly before the expiration of his first tenure.

Under Emefiele, Nigeria has experienced rising inflation, jumping to 17.33 percent at the end of February 2021 from 16.47 percent in January 2021, according to the governor himself.

The governor had also been accused of engaging in underhand dealings and fraudulent practices which continued to frustrate the activities of the bank and the country’s banking sector.

SaharaReporters in 2016 for instance obtained a list of at least 91 people tied to influential or highly placed Nigerians who were at that time offered juicy appointments by the CBN under Emefiele.

The list of beneficiaries of the CBN’s job largesse had included a daughter of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, a son of Mamman Daura, a nephew of President Buhari and one of the closest members of the president’s inner circle, a son of the then Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, a daughter of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’aba,  also daughter of former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, and at least 86 others.

-SaharaReporters

PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES CHANGE OF FEDERAL MINISTRY'S NAME

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the change of name of Ministry of Science and Technology to Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, announced this in a news briefing on Friday in Abuja.

He said the change of name was to facilitate economic growth and global competitiveness as well as to make Nigeria a nation of innovators.

The minister said that in 2017 the Federal Executive Council, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, approved the National Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmap (NSTIR 2017-2030).

“This was to use Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) to catalyse Nigeria’s economic growth and competitiveness.

“This document laid out a core policy for driving positive socio-economic outcomes through science, technology and innovation in all activities of the economy,’’ Onu said.

The minister said this had necessitated the ministry’s change of name to the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, as approved by the Presidency.

He noted that the new development would require the ministry to drive the Innovation Agenda by embarking on a branding campaign, in line with its expected mandate in ensuring productivity and economic growth.

Onu said that the change would help to meet the need of other sectors of the economy and all stakeholders by supporting the generation and application of knowledge to solve socio-economic challenges.

He said as an enabler of government, society and industry through policy, the ministry shall focus on ensuring the provision of STI-based solutions to overcome societal challenges.

Onu explained that the approval of the change of name would be in gazette to enable legal and policy frameworks to reflect institutional and organisational arrangements, effective coordination, among others.

According to him, the new development will help the ministry to bring a shift in Research and Development which is industry and service demand-driven, resulting in rapid commercialisation and improved global competiveness.

“We all know that there has been a missing link with the statutory responsibility of the ministry.

“This decision by the President will ensure that the missing link will be adequately addressed.

“Immediately we are able to commercialise Research and Development breakthroughs, the nation’s global competitiveness ranking will improve tremendously with varying degrees of development that are sustainable.

“These include a robust STI ecosystem that will accommodate continuous system improvement, product quality enhancement and guaranteed standardisation of ‘Made-In-Nigeria’ goods and services,’’ he said.

He said Nigeria would experience irreversible indigenous industralisation with adequate platform for higher productivity.

Onu also assured of continuous improvement in value-added components of the economy, with quality employment generation in the economy, among others.

YOUSEF’S STUDENTS, COLLEAGUES START CAMPAIGN TO KEEP HIM IN THE BBNAIJA S6 HOUSE

Yousef's students campaign to keep him in BBNaija S6 House. Source: Instagram/@officialking_yousef

Students and teaching colleagues of Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye housemate, Yousef, have started a campaign for the housemate, who has been put up for eviction.

This was made known on Yousef’s official Instagram handle on Wednesday, where a video of the students and their teachers was shared.

Yousef, whose full name is Yousef Garba, is a mathematics teacher, was put up for eviction, alongside Whitemoney, Beatrice, Yerins, and Niyi, after the nomination show and need votes from fans to keep them in the house.

A video shared on Yousef’s page showed the students could be seen holding placards with various inscriptions, in support of their teacher, Yousef. Some of the inscriptions read, ‘Vote Yousef’, ‘We love uncle Yousef’, ‘Rantya high school supports Yousef’.

At the introduction of the video, a woman was seen saying, “The students, the parents, the teachers, we all are supporting Yousef.”

The video was captioned, “It is not how much you have but what you do with what you have that makes a difference. -Dr. Lucas D. Shallua

“Wherever you find yourself, leave a trademark of impact. Let positivity milk the hearts that come in contact with you.

“Let them swim in the goodness of your being and have a smooth ride to great things untold of. Just be you and watch the world have a good spray of your own perfume.

“The students of Rantya High School, Jos where I taught are everything amazing. Thank you to the teachers and students for this show of love. I don’t take this for granted.”

Yousef is a 29-year-old Secondary School Teacher and describes himself as a “soft-spoken, fun-loving, down to earth go-getter”. Apart from being a big food enthusiast, Yousef enjoys hiking, reading, travelling and sports.

This is a complete profile of Yousef BBNaija Housemate, which contains his real name, age, state of origin, Hobbies, and Occupation

• Yousef’s Full Name: Yusef Garba
• Yousef’s Age: Yousef is 29 years old at 2021
• State of Origin: Nassarawa
• Yousef’s Occupation: Teacher
• Yousef’s Gender: Male
• Hobbies: Yousef loves reading, travelling and sports.

BREAKING: NIGERIA SINGER, SOUND SULTAN IS DEAD

Nigerian singer, Olanrewaju Fasasi, popularly known as Sound Sultan is dead. 

SaharaReporters in May 2021 reported that Sound Sultan was battling with throat cancer in the United States of America.

SaharaReporters also reported that the artist had commenced chemotherapy in one of the hospitals in the country.

Chemotherapy is an aggressive form of chemical drug therapy meant to destroy rapidly growing cells in the body. It’s usually used to treat cancer, as cancer cells grow and divide faster than other cells. 

Sound Sultan's career in show business started in the 1990s, when he hosted shows to raise money for studio sessions. 

By 1999, he had won numerous local talent-hunt shows. He released his first single "Jagbajantis" in 2000, which was a hit in Nigeria

After independently releasing other singles and featuring in hit songs of other artists, he was signed by Kennis Music.

Sound Sultan began a working relationship with Wyclef Jean when featured alongside 2face Idibia and Faze on "Proud to be African" from Wyclef's Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101 album.

In 2012, it was announced that Sound Sultan was made a UN Ambassador for Peace for his exemplary lifestyle and career.

In 2015, Sound Sultan released the rap single "Remember" after a long absence from the music scene.

After the fallout of the African Basketball League, he joined forces with the organisers of the Continental Basketball League to become a team owner of Lagos City Stars (the 2017 champions) and a facilitator of the league entertainment.

He was 44 years old. 

ABU DHABI APPEAL COURT SENTENCES SIX NIGERIANS TO PRISON FOR FUNDING BOKO HARAM

Abu Dhabi appeal court sentences six Nigerians to prison for funding Boko Haram

SIX Nigerians have been handed jail sentences by an Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after their conviction for funding terrorist sect Boko Haram was upheld.

At the hearing, the appellate court upheld a lower court ruling which found that between 2015 and 2016, the convicts were involved in cash transfers totalling $782,000 to Boko Haram. Two of the convicted Surajo Abubakar Muhammad and Saleh Yusuf Adamu were subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.

Four others named as Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, AbdurRahman Ado Musa, Bashir Ali Yusuf and Muhammad Ibrahim Isa, got 10-year prison sentences each. Their act was deemed contrary to Article 29, Clause 3 of the UAE’s Federal Anti-Terrorism Law No 7 of 2017.

According to the UAE’s National Security Bureau, the investigation of the Nigerians confirmed their involvement and membership of the Boko Haram. They were arrested between April 16 and 17, 2017 and their homes searched after a search warrant was issued by the National Security Prosecution office dated April 16, 2017.

Abubakar and Adamu were charged for joining Boko Haram knowingly in negation of Article 22/2 of UAE’s Federal Anti-Terrorism Law No 7 of 2017 punishable by death or life imprisonment. Alhassan, Musa, Yusuf and Isa for their part were charged with assisting the sect knowingly, which under Article 31, Clause 1 of the same law, is punishable by life imprisonment or at least five years in jail.

According to the court, most of the transactions were facilitated by two undercover Boko Haram agents based in Nigeria. One of them was named as Alhaji Sa’idu, while the other, one Alhaji Ashiru, was described as a Nigerian government official, who reportedly funnelled misappropriated public funds to terrorists.

According to the court, Sa’idu’s method of operation was using unidentified Arab persons on a visit to Dubai from Turkey to hand over US dollars to one of the convicts, who would then remit naira equivalents to the agent. However, the families of the convicts say they were framed, insisting their bureau de change business in the UAE was legitimate.

IJAW LEADERS MEET BRITISH GOVT, SEEKS SUPPORT TO LEAVE NIGERIA

The leadership of Ijaw nation has met with the British government seeking support to leave Nigeria and end the suffering of the people.

A delegation of the Ijaw leadership led by the President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof Benjamin Okaba made this known during a meeting with representatives of the British High Commission led by Mr John Kekeh, at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

 

Okaba who presented a seven-page address on behalf of the Ijaw nation to the British High Commission delegation  lamented that the British government abandoned the Ijaw people after deceiving them to join Nigeria with the assurance that they would be well taken care of.

The Ijaws in their summation said the people are no longer at ease with the contraption called Nigeria.

“Again in the light of truth, good conscience, fairness, equity and justice would the British people and her government be perpetually silent and feign ignorance to the excruciating plight of the Ijaw people.

 

“Furthermore, perhaps the once colonial masters would with all intent and purpose act to rescue the ugly situation- may we ask if not now then when?

“We are indeed eager and anxious to know: is your intervention coming when we are completely ripped off our God given Oil and Gas natural resources and abandoned to our fate in a wallowing and criminally degraded environment without remediation.

“In all honesty, would that not be a crime against humanity where the British government would be seen as accomplices,” he said.

Okaba while reiterating that the Ijaw people would leave Nigeria peacefully and legally called on the British government to come and undo what they did decades ago by forcing them into Nigeria.

“The visitation is about us telling them that you (British) brought us into Nigeria and they should play their role to take us out of this country. The British have the moral duty to take us out. We were deceived to join Nigeria; they abandoned us and deceived us. Let them do the needful. As Ijaw people we are tired of this country. We have suffered in this country; we have carried the burden of this nation on our shoulders for too long. We have placed minimum conditions. The first condition is the restoration of true federalism. Number two, we have to be placed not as balkanised people. We cannot be scattered into different states and make us minorities and slaves. We cannot be slaves in a place where our resources are used to sustain the people. It is unacceptable. So Ijaw people are saying to the Federal Government that if this minimum requirement is not met, we are no longer committed to the Nigerian project. And that if we are leaving as Ijaw republic, we shall do it peacefully and legally. This is the message we are sending to the British High Commission and to the British Government to come and undo what they did.”

Kekeh in his response promised to deliver the message back to the leadership of the British High Commission

BABIES ABDUCTED AS BANDITS RAID KADUNA HOSPITAL

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted babies from the residential quarters of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Centre in Zaria, Kaduna State.

It was gathered that five staff of the hospital, including female nurses, were also abducted.

The bandits, who were said to have stormed the place in large numbers, engaged officers from a nearby police station in a gun battle.

A staffer of the hospital, who did not his name mentioned, told newsmen that 

there was a heavy shootout during the operation.

He also said their principal security guard on duty was among the

people abducted.

“Those kidnapped were our staff living at the staff quarters, some

were abducted alongside their children. So about ten people were taken

away so far,” he said.

Also, confirming the incident, Public Relations Officer of the Medical

and Health Union of the Center, Maryam Abdulrazaq, said she compiled six

names of those abducted.

She said the latest incident made it the third time their staff were abducted by the bandits.

“So far, I have six names of the people abducted but I will try to

get the remaining four names by Monday God willing. The principal

Security guard on duty, two nurses Joy Yakubu and Odor and her baby,

Lab Technician Christiana, Kasim from Auditorium office were among

those kidnapped,” she said.

When our correspondent visited the police division and the centre, bullet holes were visible on the fence.

The attackers were said to have blocked the bridge linking the village with Zaria town, to obviously thwart any reinforcement by the police.

When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Command Public Relation

Officer, Mohammed Jalige, confirmed the incident, saying efforts

are on to rescue the victims.

REVERSE TWITTER SUSPENSION IMMEDIATELY – US TO PRESIDENT BUHARI

The United States Government has asked the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to immediately reverse the indefinite suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria.

This was made known in a statement on Wednesday by an administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, Samantha Power.

The US official stated that Twitter has over 40 million users in Nigeria adding that the country is home to Africa’s largest tech hub.

She described the suspension by the Nigerian government as nothing more than state-sanctioned denial of free speech.

Recall that the US mission in Nigeria had in a statement condemned the ban on the social media site.

The mission described the Twitter ban as an encroachment to the Peoples right to Freedom.

“Nigeria’s constitution provides for freedom of expression. The Government’s recent #Twitterban undermines Nigerians’ ability to exercise this fundamental freedom and sends a poor message to its citizens, investors and businesses,” its statement read.

“Banning social media and curbing every citizen’s ability to seek, receive, and impart information undermines fundamental freedoms.

As President Biden has stated, our need for individual expression, open public conversation, and accountability has never been greater. The path to a more secure Nigeria lies in more, not less communication, alongside concerted efforts toward unity, peace, and prosperity.”

Recall that Twitter had last Tuesday deleted President Buhari’s tweet wherein he spoke about the civil war experience.

The President threatened to deal with those bent on destroying Nigeria through insurrection.

In a post on Twitter, the president wrote, “Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.”

However, the social media platform deleted the message on Wednesday, following widespread condemnation of the tweet.

According to a statement, Twitter said the post violated its rules, hence the need to delete the post.

Angered by Twitter’s action, the Federal Government last Friday suspended, indefinitely, the operations of microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension in a statement signed by his media aide Segun Adeyemi

The minister cited the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.