Debt: AEDC Issues Ultimatum to Government Agencies Or Risk Disconnection

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has sternly warned 86 government agencies and departments, including the Presidential Villa, CBN Governor, EFCC, FIRS, FAAN, and various ministries, to settle outstanding electricity bills totaling N47.1 billion within the next ten days.  Failure to comply will result in disconnection effective Wednesday, 28th February, 2024, as stated in the notice issued on Monday by AEDC. “The Abuja Electricity Distribution PLC is constrained to do this publication with the details of Government, Ministries, Departments and Agencies with long outstanding unpaid bills for services rendered to them through the provision of electricity supply in that our previous attempts to make them honour their obligations have not achieved the desired results. “The relevant MDAs are hereby given notice that the AEDC shall after the expiration of 10 days from the date of this publication, that is, after Wednesday, 28th February, 2024, embark on the disconnection of my our services to them until they discharge their obligations to us by paying their debts,” the notice read.

NYSC Reacts To Report Of Corps Members Crying Over Rising Food Price

The National Youth Service Corp has reacted to a news reports were corp members expressed dissatisfaction with the soaring food prices in the Mammy market. The report alleged that a camp coordinator suggested that the Corp members exit the camp if they couldn’t cope with the surge in food prices. Reacting in a statement on Saturday, the NYSC described the report as untrue and intended to cause mischief. The statement read below: “The attention of NYSC Management has been drawn to the publication with the above headline making the rounds on the social media. “Management wishes to state that the story is nothing but a tissue of lies, intended to cause mischief, and generate traffic to the social media handles of the purveyors. “It is very laughable, absurd and unfortunate to allege that a State Coordinator addressed Corps Members, encouraging them to leave the Orientation Camp, because of food shortage. “Indeed, one with a probing mind will know that the allegation is fallacious, as no State Coordinator of the NYSC, many of whom are of the substantive rank of Deputy Director and have put in over 25 years in Service will utter such careless, very indicting and unintelligent statement. “For the avoidance of doubt and purposes of information, NYSC Orientation Camps are operated under a framework of checks and balances, built on so many layers. “In each camp is a Resident Officer posted from the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, to assist the camp managements run a hitch-free Orientation Course. He is resident in the camp for all through the three-week duration of the programme.  “Part of their mandate is to ensure that camp managements comply strictly with the laid down policies and rules concerning feeding of Corps Members, among others. “Officers of the Scheme of the directorate cadre also visit the camps on monitoring duties. They in turn play oversight functions on the Resident Officers and camp managements. “It is pertinent to state that the ultimate authority in the day-to-day running of the Scheme, the Director General, Brig Gen YD Ahmed goes round the NYSC Orientation Camps nationwide with his team, each camping season, primarily to see to the welfare of Corps Members. “It is imperative to emphasise that camp markets are highly regulated, so as to prevent exploitation of Corps Members by the operators. However, the markets are not insulated from the vagaries of inclement economic weather which is of global dimension.  “It is therefore unthinkable and immoral for one to manufacture lies in order to generate traffic for pecuniary benefits, throwing caution to the winds, while mindlessly generating anxiety among the parents and relatives of Corps Members. “NYSC from the highest echelon of authority to the least runs an open door policy, and will gladly answer enquiries concerning her operations for clarification”.

FG Meets Dangote, BUA Over Rising Cement Prices

The Federal Government is set to convene a meeting with key cement manufacturers, including Dangote, BUA, and Lafarge, to address the surging cost of cement.  Minister of Works, David Umahi, expressed concern over the significant price increase, which has jumped from N4,000 to a range of N8,000 to N10,000 per bag in recent weeks.  Umahi emphasized the need to investigate the substantial gap between ex-factory and market prices and explore solutions to address the challenges faced by cement manufacturers. Orji Uchenna Orji, media aide to the minister, said: “Worried by the escalating cost of cement despite huge patronage by road and housing contractors to cement manufacturers, the Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency Sen Engr Nweze David Umahi CON, has summoned an urgent meeting of all cement manufacturers in Nigeria”. Orji quoted his principal as saying that the disparity between ex-factory price and market price is huge. “It is common knowledge that the manufacturers have their challenges, which we shall look into, but from our findings, the disparity between ex-factory price and the market price is wide,” Umahi was quoted as saying. “We therefore need to look into the situation and other issues with a view to finding a common front.”

Customs Auctions 462 Seized Vehicles For N556m

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a successful outcome from its ongoing e-auction, raking in a substantial N556.74 million from the sale of 462 impounded vehicles. Dismissing rumours of impropriety, the NCS refuted claims by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) 100 Compliance team, which had accused the e-auction committee of engaging in a monumental fraud. According to Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim, the National Coordinator of the Compliance Team, the committee allegedly allotted over 300 impounded vehicles to a single individual at the remarkably low rate of N10,000 per vehicle. However, the NCS National Public Relations Officer, CSC Abdullahi Maiwada, countered these accusations in a statement, revealing that 13,605 applicants registered on the e-auction portal during five successful bidding windows.  Out of the 476 impounded vehicles uploaded, 462 found new owners, resulting in a revenue of N556,738,736 for the government. Maiwada strongly denied any fraudulent activities or underhand dealings within the e-auction process, emphasizing the NCS’s commitment to accountability and transparency.  He expressed concern over the serious allegations, asserting that the NCS operates within the confines of the law, adhering strictly to established guidelines for disposing of seized/overtime goods. In response to claims of allotting vehicles to a single individual, Maiwada stated, “This is entirely false, misguided, and spurious.” He also refuted the suggestion of a token sum of N10,000 collected as duties, emphasizing that such claims were misleading and a misrepresentation of facts. The NCS reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining a high level of integrity in the ongoing e-auction process, designed to provide a fair playing field for all Nigerians.

FG Reopens Abuja Store After Being Sealed Over Misleading Pricing

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has reopened Sahad Stores, a popular supermarket in Abuja, following its temporary closure on Friday, February 16.  The closure was prompted by the store’s alleged lack of transparency in pricing practices, as revealed by FCCPC investigations. The commission accused Sahad Stores of displaying lower prices on shelves while charging higher prices at checkout, leaving customers with no choice but to pay inflated amounts.  This was labelled as “violations involving misleading pricing and lack of transparency” by the FCCPC. In a statement issued by the acting Executive Vice Chairman, Adamu Abdullahi, on Saturday, it was confirmed that Sahad Stores had been reopened after a temporary closure.  The FCCPC conducted random checks and found that deceptive practices persisted, prompting the initial closure under Section 18(f) of its authority. The statement highlighted the reopening on February 16, 2024, at around 7 p.m., following a commitment from Sahad Stores to implement transparent pricing practices. The FCCPC emphasized the importance of businesses displaying transparent pricing information, especially during challenging economic times. The commission reiterated its commitment to combating exploitative or misleading practices and protecting consumer rights.  It urged all businesses to adhere to fair and transparent pricing practices, emphasizing potential penalties outlined in Section 115 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018. Providing background information, the FCCPC recalled its initial investigation on January 8, 2024, which revealed misleading pricing practices at Sahad Stores.  Following this, the commission issued a summons to the store’s staff to discuss corrective measures on February 12, 2024, but they failed to appear without justification, raising concerns about potential violations under Section 33(3) of the FCCPA.

Edo Election: Imasuen Withdraws From APC Gubernatorial Primaries 

Lucky Imasuen, ex-deputy governor of Edo State, has decided to step back from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in the state. Imasuen cited the party’s National Working Committee’s decision to zone the ticket to Edo Central Senatorial district as the reason for his withdrawal. In an open letter addressing supporters, Imasuen stated, “I have come to the conclusion that since members of our National Working Committee (NWC) have expressed their preference for zoning the governorship position to Edo Central Senatorial District, it is wise to align with the decision of the party.” Despite being screened and cleared along with 11 other candidates on February 10, Imasuen’s decision adds another twist to the unfolding dynamics of the Edo APC governorship primary election, scheduled for today (Saturday).   His withdrawal follows closely on the heels of Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s surprising exit less than 24 hours ago, further intensifying the intrigue surrounding the contest.

Akpabio Seeks Saudi Arabia, Nigeria Collaboration On Security, Through Intelligence Sharing

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has called on the Government of Saudi Arabia to assist Nigeria in the fight against insurgency and trans-border terrorism, through sharing of intelligence, assuring that Nigeria intelligence community is ever ready to cooperate with them. Akpabio made the call while receiving in courtesy, members of the Saudi Arabia/ Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship Group, led by Dr Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Salamah, in his office on Thursday. A release by the Special Assistant On Media to the Senate President, Mr Jackson Udom, quoted him as saying, ” let me welcome you to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are very delighted to receive you here. Nigeria as a country, has a very strong diplomatic relationship with Saudi Arabia since 1961.” “Nigeria as a country needs a lot of assistance from the Saudi Arabian Government in the area of security. We can only overcome insecurity and trans-border terrorism through sharing of intelligence and I can assure you that the Nigerian security acrhitecture is also ready to cooperate with you.” Akpabio noted that “if you provide intelligence that would aid the fight against insurgency, you would have succeeded in making the world a safe and peaceful place for all of us to live in, because insecurity in any part of the world is insecurity everywhere in the world.” Speaking further, Akpabio stated that “our relationship today, has gone beyond pilgrimages and oil because Nigerians are now studying and working in Saudi Arabia in various spheres of human endeavours. The mutual economic ties and benefits are worth commending, especially in the aviation sector. I congratulate you and the government of Saudi Arabia on the stability of your economic policies that has brought about prosperity in Saudi Arabia.” Akpabio specifically appreciated the Saudi Arabian Government on its Vision 3030 on women’s rights and a major economic transformation in the entertainment and tourism sectors. “Strategically, you are very important to the world in the Gulf of Guinea and if Saudi Arabia is not stable, the entire area of the Gulf of Guinea will not be stable. Anything you do for Nigeria, is not for Nigeria alone, it is for the entire black race and that is why our bilateral relationship must be encouraged. “In your search for economic partners, I want you to take Nigeria as a major partner. We solicit for more investments from you in the area of Oil, Gas and ICT. We would be happy for your collaboration of relationship with OPEC because if you assist OPEC, you are helping Nigeria and the black race to secure and prevent influx of immigrants,” he stated. Earlier in his speech, the leader of the delegation, Dr Al- Salamah stated that their visit to Nigeria and particularly, the Senate was aimed at further strengthening its age-long bilateral relationship with Nigeria and to look for more ways of collaboration and assistance in the overall interest of the two countries. “We are here today to find out areas of future collaborations in terms of bilateral agreements. Nigeria is one of our very strategic partners. Nigeria is very important to Saudi Arabia. We are very proud of its people, government and culture. We are looking forward to seeing Nigeria become a very prosperous country in the area of commerce, economy and political relationship,” he declared.

Court decides ALGON’s authentic Nat’l Chairman, April 30

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, will on April 30, decide the case seeking a declaration that Akolade David Alabi is not qualified to be national chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON). Petitioners in the suit are the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Honorable Abubakar Abdullahi and Honorable Shaban Oyinoyi Shuabu. Specifically, they maintained that Alabi, who was chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Area in Lagos State at the time, cannot be president of the association as Bariga is not among the country’s 774 Local Government Areas. The Federal Ministry of Finance, Accountant General of the Federation and Governor of Central Bank(first to third respondent), the Attorney-General of the Federation, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Inspector General of Police, State Security Services(SSS) and Honorable Alabi Akolade David( fourth to eight respondents) are the Respondents. In their originating summons filed by Barrister Bartholomew Opara, they maintained that Alabi is not eligible to be ALGON chairman as he was not a local government chairman as contemplated by the 1999 Constitution, the Constitution of ALGON and a Supreme Court decision which had touched on the disput. He argued that Alabi had been removed by ALGON’s National Executive Council in 2019 but he keeps parading himself as chairman. Therefore, he prayed urged the court to affirm the removal of Alabi by NEC and perpetually restrain him from further parading as such. Responding, Counsel to Alabi, Wahab Shittu, in a counter affidavit and preliminary objection, urged the court to decline jurisdiction on the matter. At the resumed hearing on Friday, Okpara, adopted his originating summons and response to the eight defendant’s counter affidavit, asking the court to grant his prayers in the interest of justice. But Shittu told the court to strike out the case and dismiss the entire suit for lack of jurisdiction and for being incompetent. He added that the entire case rests on the constitution of ALGON and the only person that can be sued is the national president but the person sued is the national chairman. The court did not attend to the party seeking to be joined because of the issue of jurisdiction raised by Shittu. Part of his reliefs sought read,” “A Declaration that all the findings and resolutions of the 1st Claimant’s General Assembly convened on 30th May 2020 remain extant and binding on all and sundry; particularly, the resolution affirming its National Executive Council’s decision which removed the 8th Defendant as 1st Claimants National Chairman on 6th September 20I9; and the inauguration of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) mandated to set up an electoral committee for the conduct of a substantive Chairmanship election for the 1st Claimant. “An Order annulling or setting aside the purported General Assembly convened at the 8th Defendant’s instance on 24th March 2021, including all the activities carried out on the said date, to wit: purported resolutions arrived at, amendment of the ALGON Constitution, election /appointment of the 6th & 8th Defendants, alongside their cronies, to different offices. “An Order for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Defendants to forthwith recognise, deal and or relate with the National Chairman of the 1st Claimant, and other persons, who emerged from the election conducted by the electoral committee set up by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) as occasioned by the resolution of the general assembly convened on May 30, 2020.” After listening to their argument, the case was adjourned to April 30th for judgement.

Tinubu Approves Immediate Upgrade Of Key Health Infrastructure

President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate upgrade of key health infrastructure and equipment across all six geo-political zones in line with his administration’s vision of overhauling the health and social welfare sector for enhanced service delivery to all Nigerians. Upgrading health infrastructure and equipment is a top priority of President Tinubu’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.  To advance this landmark effort, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) will carry out the comprehensive upgradation of cancer-treatment infrastructure and other critical developments in six tertiary hospitals across several geopolitical zones, in addition to the full renovation and expansion of prior investments to improve broad-based access to high-quality healthcare in all six geo-political zones of the federation. The following teaching hospitals across geo-political zones have been marked for the establishment of oncology and nuclear medicine centres per facility as part of President Tinubu’s bid to ensure that world class cancer diagnosis and care is accessible across the country: (1) University of Benin Teaching Hospital (2) Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (3) University of Nigeria (Nsukka) Teaching Hospital (4) Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina (5) University of Jos Teaching Hospital (6) Lagos University Teaching Hospital The following ten critical health care service expansion projects across the fields of radiology, clinical pathology, medical and radiation oncology, and cardiac catheterization will be carried out in ten hospitals across all geo-political zones: (1) North-West: Reference Hospital, Kaduna — (Radiology, clinical pathology, medical and radiation oncology) (2) South-East: Medical Diagnostic Centre Complex, Enugu — (Radiology, clinical pathology, medical & radiation oncology) (3) North-West: Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto — (Diagnostic and intervention radiology, clinical pathology, and cardiac catheterization) (4) South-West: University College Hospital, Ibadan — (Diagnostic and intervention radiology, clinical pathology, and cardiac catheterization) (5) South-South: University of Uyo Teaching Hospital — (Radiology and clinical pathology) (6) North-East: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi — (Radiology and clinical pathology) (7) South-South: Federal Medical Centre, Asaba — (Radiology and clinical pathology) (8) North-Central: Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre Complex, Ilorin — (Radiology and clinical pathology) (9) North-Central: Jos University Teaching Hospital — (Radiology and clinical pathology) (10) North-East: Federal Medical Centre, Nguru — (Radiology and clinical pathology)

Court orders AGF to re-open prosecution of Dele Giwa, other journalists killers…Orders FG To Ensure Safety Of Journalists

Justice Inyang Ekwo Of Federal High Court in Abuja, Friday, ordered the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF) to re-open investigation and prosecution of those who murdered the founder of Newswatch Magazine, Dele Giwa, in 1986. The Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda, MRA, had dragged the AGF through the court for the enforcement of fundamental rights of media professionals to safety as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution and African Charters on Human Rights. The applicant deposed an affidavit showing the names of journalists killed at different times in 1986, 1998, 1999, 2008 and 2023. Justice Ekwo held that the office of the AGF was under obligation to prosecute and penalize killers of media practitioners in the country. Recall that Dele Giwa was murdered on October 19, 1986, in his Lagos office through a letter bomb. Apart from Dele Giwa, the court ordered that the killings of other journalists in the discharge of their lawful duties must be investigated and perpetrators brought to book in line with the provisions of the law. Justice Ekwo in the judgement ordered the Federal Government to ensure adequate protection and safety of lives of journalists as enshrined in sections 33, 39 of the Constitution and Articles 4 and 9 of the African Charters on Human and Peoples Rights. The applicant, through its lawyer, Mojirayo Nkana, said there have been various violations of the Nigerian journalists’ right to life for several years. She said some journalists are still being harassed by security agencies with the AGF allegedly doing nothing about it. Passing his judgement on Friday, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that it is noteworthy that Nigeria ratified several international treaties regarding the protection of fundamental human rights and the country’s government is legally bound by the treaties and is obligated to enforce same. He said that society is better informed when there is an effective press, adding that the respondent has not denied that journalists were killed. “It is deemed therefore that the respondents have admitted that the persons mentioned in the affidavit were journalists who were killed,” Ekwo said. The judge said an extrajudicial act cannot take place without the Federal Government investigating and prosecuting them. The judge found that the applicant has established its case and judgement was entered in its favor. “I make an order directing the federal government to take measures to raise awareness and build the capacity of various stakeholders particularly journalists and other media practitioners, policymakers, law enforcement, security, intelligence, military as well as other officials on the laws and standards in ensuring the safety of journalists and media practitioners.”