Enugu Gov. Mbah Appoints 13 PermSecs, Insists, No Honeymoon Period
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, on Monday swore in 13 newly appointed permanent secretaries, charging them to immediately align with his administration’s delivery-oriented governance model. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Government House, Enugu, where the governor emphasized accountability, performance, and service delivery across the state civil service. List of Newly Appointed Permanent Secretaries in Enugu State The newly sworn-in permanent secretaries are: Appointments Based on Merit — Gov. Mbah Governor Mbah said the appointments were strictly merit-based, following a rigorous and transparent selection process. He noted that the exercise also filled existing vacancies in the Enugu State civil service to promote fairness, inclusion, and efficiency. According to the governor, there would be no honeymoon period for the new permanent secretaries, stressing that greater responsibility comes with higher office. “I believe you worked very hard to get to this level in your careers and went through a very rigorous process to be selected. It is well deserved,” Mbah said.“But the honeymoon is over. To whom much is given, much is expected.” Permanent Secretaries Are Engine Room of Government Mbah described permanent secretaries as the engine room of government and custodians of institutional memory, adding that his administration is implementing far-reaching reforms across all sectors of the state. He urged the appointees to support the government’s reform agenda and ensure effective policy implementation. New Permanent Secretaries Pledge Commitment Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Ikechukwu Ezenwukwa, thanked Governor Mbah for the confidence reposed in them. Ezenwukwa acknowledged the administration’s achievements in revenue generation and infrastructural development, pledging their full support. “We pledge to add value to these achievements and assure you that you will not be disappointed in appointing us,” he said.
Revenue Target: Senate Urges Customs to Aim Higher
Worried by the dire state of the Nigerian economy, the Senate has ordered the Customs Service to jack up its revenue target currently at N5.079 trillion to a higher value by mid-2024. Members of the upper legislative chamber insisted that this measure must be adhered to if the federal government hopes to wean itself of further borrowing. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, Isah Jibrin stated this, Monday at a crucial meeting with the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi and top management of the revenue agency. He said, “first of all, Nigeria is saddled with a lot of debt obligations, and we need to wriggle ourselves out of that trap, and one of the ways to do that is internally generated revenue. Customs is one of the major providers of internally generated revenue, and as it is today, we expect them to play one of the major roles in this drive to reduce our debt burden. “We need to pay off what we are owing now and minimize additional loans we are going to take. Customs is in a very good position, if they are able to block all perceived leakages, they should be able to generate significant amount of income that will enable Nigeria get out of debt, at least partially. On concessions given to some sectors of the economy for example, agriculture, the Kogi East senator said it is for those who are into agricultural services, those who are into solid minerals and those whose services have direct impact on the economy. “If somebody is bringing agricultural equipment into the economy and you try to take something out of that person in a way of import duty, that will discourage the person, and that is what we are saying. It is not that anybody took that money or custom compromised in the course of their services. “Concessions were in the interest of Nigeria to encourage importers who are going into specific areas in the economy. There is a trade-off here between importers and the country, particularly the things you think you are generating. Talking about the rate of unemployment in Nigeria, which he described as “very high”, Senator Jibrin said “Customs is not the only employer of Labour. They can only employ the number they believe they can adequately take care of, and we are putting them under pressure to exceed the 1,600 benchmark. “We may not get beyond 2000, but for sure, we will get 1,6000 and like we all know, there are so many unemployed Nigerians out there, I will always say, it is difficult for the Nigeria Customs Service to absorb all unemployed Nigerians, but they can only employ those they can. Answering questions from the law makers, the CG, NCS also disclosed that the service is seeking approval from government to allow them give waivers to owners of smuggled cars to allow them regularise their payment of Customs duties. He said the approval is given they could say that within a window, say within 3 months, if you are in possession of vehicles that were illegally imported into the country or that have not paid duties, you have this opportunity to go to Customs House for assessment and payment of duties. This he said will be done after adequate publicity so that those who find themselves in such a situation can get their vehicles regularise through payment of duties. On the naira exchange rate, Adeniyi said he is equally pained by the volatility in the exchange rate regime. In fact, even if it stays high and people can predict that this is what it will take me to clear, perhaps it is not particularly too bad, but when it is so volatile, today it is X, tomorrow it is X+10, X+20, it does not make for adequate planning and things like that. “Correctly, it 8s the mandate of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to fix the rate, either the one we use during Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF or the one we use for importation or the one used for payment of Customs duties. I have been in discussions with my minister. Perhaps what you are going to advocate is that there would be a meeting point between authorities of government that are in charge of monetary policy and those in charge of fiscal policies. “Personally, what I think we can do is to get a spot rate for a period of time. We can agree that for Q,Y 2024, this will be the spot rate for payment of Customs duties; we could say for the first half of the year”, he said.
FG Says NYSC Will Soon Be Revenue Generating Agency
The Bola Tinubu-led federal government has unveiled a fresh plan to transform the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into a revenue-generating agency. The Minister of Youth Development, Jamila Bio-Ibrahim, disclosed this during an interview with ChannelsTV on Sunday night. Asked if there were immediate plans to increase the monthly allowance of corps members, the minister said the government was working on reforming the NYSC scheme to reflect the present realities of the nation. “We all understand that resources are dwindling, even oil revenues are not as they used to be but we will find innovative ways of ensuring that corps members’ welfare is well-taken care of,” she said. “When it comes to remuneration and looking totally at the holistic funding of the NYSC, we have announced a reform of the NYSC scheme itself. So, we want the scheme to go beyond that social programme of government to be that revenue-generating scheme and agency. “The reforms which transform the NYSC into a revenue-generating agency and prepare the corps members for the job market and to be decently and gainfully employed or to be employers of labour through entrepreneurship and of course, perfect matching into primary assignment and all the support they need in that career path.” She noted that corps members were no longer posted to states deemed unsafe in the wake of worsening security conditions in the country. “As an immediate intervention of the government and the NYSC as an agency, we have actually stopped posting corps members to the very unsafe states. “We have been doing it. We have been doing it in the past. There are states we have not been posting corps members to to ensure their safety,” she added. According to her, the security of corps members requires collaboration with other agencies of government. “When it comes to security matters, it is a multi-sectoral approach. So, it is not the NYSC alone and the ministry that is involved. We are working with security outlets to ensure corps members are safe,” the minister said.
FCTA Demolishes 11,705 Shanty Colonies, Generates N2.5bn Revenue
The Department of Development Control, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished 11,705 shanty colonies across the city, Abuja, from January to October, according to an official. The department also generated N2.5 billion and created 13,873 direct and indirect jobs within the period. Mr Mukhtar Galadima, Director, Development Control, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, FCTA, disclosed this during a media briefing on the activities of the department in Abuja on Sunday. Galadima explained that the shanties and illegal developments were demolished in conjunction with the Ministerial Enforcement Task Force Team. He identified the affected areas as Kabusa, Kasuwan dare, Galadimawa junction, Mabushi scavenger colony and Gudu District along Oladipo Diya way. He equally said that the department also removed obstructing structures on waterways at Lugbe, Jahi and Lokogoma. This, according to him, has curtailed the flooding being experienced within the city in recent years. He also said that the encroachment on rights of way and security black spots were equally dismantled in collaboration with security agencies in the FCT. The director also disclosed that a total of 1,764 building plan applications were received within the period, out of which 1,422 were granted approvals, including backlogs of previous years. On revenue generation, Galadima said that the N2.5 billion was generated from building plan approval and land use contraventions from January to October. He said that amount represents 68.5 per cent of the N3.7 billion target for the year, adding that of the N2.5 billion, N1.7 billion was generated from building plan approval alone. The director also explained that the 13,873 direct and indirect jobs were created at different stages of construction at various sites as approved by the department. Another achievement according to Galadima included the inauguration of One-Stop Vetting Team to treat backlog of files and fast -track of building plan approval for Plots within areas serviced with infrastructure. He added that the department also established Regional Offices to decentralise monitoring and enforcement activities in the Area Councils and Satellite Towns. “We equally inaugurated a Committee on the Prevention of Building Collapse in the FCT to proffer modalities and institutional framework to avert building collapse in the territory. “The department also inaugurated a Post-Development Audit which commenced at Dawaki as a pilot scheme. “The staff of the department equally carried out routine monitoring of physical development activities within the territory where contravening developments are served either with stop work, quit notice or demolition notice,” he said. On staff welfare, Galadima said that the department has institutionalised end of year activities where it appraises itself, enhances staff bonding as well as presents awards to deserving staff to boost morale. “There is also a monthly medical fitness check for all staff and monthly sporting activities to boost physical fitness of staff,” he added. He identified increasing cases of land grabbing and harassment of the department staff by security agencies as some of the challenges recorded within the period under review. “There is also the problem of non-resettlement of indigenous communities which created pockets of expanding slums throughout the city. “Another challenge is the inadequate and obsolete utility vehicles for monitoring and heavy-duty equipment for enforcement to cover the ever-growing territory. “Others are inadequate office accommodation, slow adoption information and communication technology, and non-0utilisation of land after removal of squatter settlements. “There is also the challenge of slow pace of infrastructural development especially in the satellite towns and abandoned buildings serving as criminal hideouts among others,” he said.
Opera News, Vanguard, Punch, Linda Ikeji, Others Generate N250m In Q3
Nigeria’s most visited online news platforms under the news and current affairs category received a cumulative traffic volume of 250.6 million between August and September 2023, according to the latest Digital News Ranking report by Squirrel Media Technologies for Q3, 2023. The news platforms include Opera News App, Vanguard Online, Punch Online, Legit, Daily Post, The Guardian Online, Premium Times, The Nation Online, Sahara Reporters, and Tribune Online. Launched in March this year, the Quarterly Report is intended to provide media relations professionals with resources that offer deeper insights into the performance of Nigeria’s digital news platforms. The latest ranking rated hundreds of digital news publishers based on their total quarterly traffic volume, and covered publications in the most popular news categories, including News and Current Affairs, Business and Finance, Technology and Startups, and Entertainment and Lifestyle. The latest reports show that Opera News App, Vanguard Online, Punch Online, Legit, and Daily Post emerged as the most visited platforms in Q3. Opera News tops the chart with 45.2 million cumulative views. Vanguard online traffic volume recorded a 5 per cent increase in Q3 to 40.2 million, up from 38.2 million in Q2, making it the second most visited platform in Nigeria within the period under review. New Telegraph joined the millionaire’s club – a group of online news platforms with a traffic volume of at least a million per quarter. The platform’s traffic grew by 28% to 1.2 million from 908,674 in Q2’23. All the news platforms with less than 50K traffic per month were also excluded from the Q3 ranking In the online Business News Ranking, only 10 platforms with more than 50,000 traffic volume were included in the report with Business Insider Africa, Nairametrics and BusinessDay generating over a million traffic volume per quarter. The total impressions generated by all 10 platforms reported in Q3 stood at 25.5 million, up from 14.7 million total impressions from 16 platforms in Q2. Business Insider Africa, Nairametrics, and BusinessDay accounted for 88.55% of the total traffic share generated by this segment. Brandspur continues to make an incredible push with more than half a million traffic impressions. Other platforms with notable traffic volume include iBrandTV, Business Post and MSME Africa. In the Tech News Category, TechCabal sustained its lead of the category with a total traffic volume of 2.5 million, a 13% increase from the 2.1 million traffic volume in Q2. Only TechCabal, Technext and GadgetStripe generated more than a million impressions per quarter. Consolidating on its gains in Q2, Technext joined the millionaires club, as its traffic volume surged 82% to 1.8 million in Q3 compared to 977K recorded in Q2 2023. In the Entertainment & Lifestyle Category, only 7 platforms that are worth their onions in this category were considered in the ranking. Linda Ikeji’s Blog remains the leader in this segment, accounting for more than 65% of the industry’s total traffic volume. Commenting on the report, the co-founder of SuirrelPR, James Ezechukwu said the latest reports reveal the growing influence of the dominant players and the tremendous opportunity available to advertisers looking to reach their target market through these digital news platforms. “We remain committed to providing performance-based insights that will enable our partners to make informed media placement decisions. From this report, we see how events influence readership and how some platforms leverage their creativity in content marketing to maintain their dominance of each category,” Ezechukwu said.
IGR: Lagos Leads Other States With N651.1bn, Rivers N172.8bn
*FCT Generates N124,366,774,519.25 Lagos states led other states of the federation in the amount of internally generated revenue in 2022, according to the IGR report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Lagos, Rivers, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) stood out as the leading states in terms of IGR, ranking in impressive amounts of N651,145,633,085.30, N172,823,232,535.44, and N124,366,774,519.25, respectively. On the other end of the spectrum, Kebbi, Taraba, and Yobe were the least successful in generating revenue, managing to collect only N9,146,249,907.83, N10,238,110,125.95, and N10,456,776,796.18, respectively. Collectively, the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) managed to generate a total of N1,925,612,626,650.76 as IGR in 2022. This represented a modest growth of 1.57 per cent when compared to the N1,895,786,762,263.80 generated in the previous year, 2021. The report further stated that the revenue for 2022 came from taxes, including various types, and the income generated by different government departments and agencies. The total revenue collected across all states and the FCT increased slightly compared to the previous year. According to the report, the main source of revenue for the year was the pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) tax, contributing a significant 67.62 per cent to the total tax revenues generated across the country. The report also stated that capital gains tax, on the other hand, played a much smaller role, accounting for only 0.24 per cent of the total tax revenue. In terms of local government area (LGA) revenue, Oyo, Lagos, and Jigawa emerged as the top three states. They reported impressive figures of N11,832,437,020.33, N11,505,586,283.35, and N8,700,993,591.78, respectively. The NBS report also noted that in the year 2022, the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was primarily driven by two major sources: taxes and revenue from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Customs Exceeds Monthly Target, Generates N343bn In August
The Acting Comptroller-General (CG), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr Adewale Adeniyi, has disclosed that the service exceeded the revenue target for the months of July and August. Adeniyi, who spoke while presenting the scorecard for his 100 days in office on Thursday in Abuja, said that the NCS generated N307 billion in July and N343 billion in August “One of our early achievements has been a remarkable boost in monthly revenue collection. “We have witnessed a substantial increase, with an average monthly collection of 202 billion in the first half of the year that concluded in June, surging to an impressive 343 billion in August. “This outstanding growth amounts to a remarkable 70.13 per cent increase in revenue collection. “I am delighted to announce that we have consistently exceeded the monthly target collection, marking a remarkable departure from previous performances,” he said. He said that the ongoing revenue recovery review activities hadl contributed an additional eight billion Naira during the period. “This underlines our commitment to revenue generation. Subject to unforeseen circumstances, our aim is to sustain and even expand this momentum until the end of the year. “This commitment is driven by our resolve to minimise the deviation from the target, especially in light of the substantial shortfalls recorded during the first half of the year,” Adeniyi said. He said that the NCS had recorded appreciable results in its ongoing battle against smuggling “We have successfully intercepted various contraband items, including arms, ammunition, illicit drugs, substandard pharmaceuticals and other prohibited goods that pose grave risks to our citizens. “These seizures accompanied by the apprehension of 62 suspects undergoing legal procedures, underscore our commitment to tackling smuggling and safeguarding our communities. “Notably, a significant surge in impactful seizures, especially involving arms, ammunition, and drugs, has occurred in the past two months, reinforcing our resolve to combat these illegal activities,” he said. He said that NCS had forged stronger alliances and fostered an environment of trust and cooperation among stakeholders in the public and private sectors., as well as international partners. The acting CG said that NCS was at the verge of introducing multiple cutting-edge solutions to support the enforcement strategies, starting with the signing of an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that seeks to put vehicle smugglers out of business for good. “As we reflect on the achievements of the first 100 days in office and the journey we have embarked upon, it is essential to look ahead with a clear vision for the future. “The next phase builds upon the foundation we have laid, and it is characterised by unwavering dedication to our policy thrust of consolidation, collaboration, and innovative solutions. “Looking forward, we envision a service that is not only the most efficient and service-driven government organ but also a pivotal driver of national economic growth and border security. “There are also challenges we face but we are working hard to overcome it and get a better result,” he said. According to him, the NCS plays a pivotal role in facilitating international trade and economic growth and equally serves as a bridge connecting the nation to the global marketplace. He expressed commitment to aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda on economic growth and development.
Revive idle wells to meet revenue shortfall, expert urges FG
Industry expert, Dr Victor Ekpenyong has urged the Federal Government to revive idle oil wells to boost oil production in order to meet revenue shortfalls. Ekpenyong, who is the Chief Executive of Kenyon International West Africa Limited, said this during an interactive session with journalists in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Kenyon International is a Well Control Services firm. Ekpenyong noted that vandalism and oil theft have hampered the country’s oil production and kept the nation from harnessing its full production capacity. He explained that oil production was being limited by breach of pipelines that evacuate crude from oilfields to export terminals. He noted that with the rebound of the Forcados Export Terminal which has been out of service, there will be an increase of export capacity by at least 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) when scheduled repairs on the export trunkline is completed in the next one week. Ekpenyong commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for ongoing repairs on major oil export pipelines, noting that upon conclusion of repair schedules, export capacity would rise significantly. He said that there was the need to revive idle assets to boost oil production to meet the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota of 1.8 million bpd quota for Nigeria. Ekpenyong noted that there was existing production capacity to meet the shortfall in production from a little over one million bpd current output. “Reports available from NNPCL have it that repairs on Trans Forcados Export Trunkline is almost concluded and the Forcados Export Terminal will be up again and it has capacity to handle up to 400,000 bpd of oil export. “The sections of the Trans Niger Delta Pipeline (TNP), which feed the Bonny Crude Export Terminal, are also scheduled to be ready as well, so we need to revamp the idle wells to produce enough to meet our OPEC quota and earn more revenue,” Ekpenyong said. He noted that the country is yet to produce more and leverage the supply cuts occasioned by the Russian-Ukrainian crisis which has pushed up international crude oil prices. He noted that proposed divestment by the government from oil assets in non producing oil reserves would provide opportunities for investors to enter into partnerships with the government to increase oil production. “The efforts being made by the government to increase local refining is very massive. I learnt that the rehabilitation work at the Port Harcourt refinery has gone far for the President to promise that the plant will be back in December. “There is also ongoing work in Warri Refinery and these will increase local production of refined petroleum products and reduce imports and subsequent pressure on the naira at the foreign exchange market,” Ekpenyong said. He said that NNPCL remained the dominant importer of refined petroleum products saying the $3 billion facility being put in place by the government would enable more private sector players to augment the supply deficit.
Difficult but necessary reforms needed to ramp up tax revenue – JTB
For Nigeria to attain optimum tax revenue collection capacity across the Federal, States and Local Government tax authorities, the country must make hard but necessary reforms that would yield long term benefits. This was the position stated by the Chairman of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), Mr. Muhammad Nami, who is also the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) at the 153rd Meeting of the Board which held today in Abuja with the theme: “Harmonization and codification of taxes at the National and Sub-national levels: Key to achieving a tax friendly environment in Nigeria.” Nami, while delivering his address to the Board stated that for progress to be made in taxation, tax authorities must continue to explore and adopt measures and innovative initiatives that will lead to the optimisation of tax revenue for all levels of government. “As the new administration’s attempt to address the many socioeconomic challenges facing the nation on many fronts, it becomes imperative for all the levers of State to shake-off any lethargic antecedents and focus on the goal of a national resurgence. “The unique and privileged offices we occupy as drivers of the nation’s tax administration processes presents us with a rare opportunity to take hard, but necessary decisions that are expected to yield long term benefits and add immense value to our collective prosperity as a nation. “In recent years, especially since the dawn of our current democratic dispensation, the importance of taxation has continued to be reiterated and reinforced by all, and the critical role that tax-revenue plays in funding government and governance cannot be over-emphasized. “However, as we continue to make progress in our unique model of taxation, it is appropriate that we continue to explore and adopt measures and innovative initiatives that will lead to the optimization of tax revenue for all the levels of government, in more efficient, more effective, more inclusive, and more sustainable ways. “It is only by achieving this, that our efforts as tax administrators can trigger the manner of activity required in the productive sectors of our economy, towards achieving the immense economic potentials that we are capable of,” Mr. Nami said. The Chairman of the Joint Tax Board further assured Executive Chairmen of State Revenue Authorities present that given the thrust of the current administration’s tax policy direction, the country was on the pathway to eradicating multiplicity of taxes as a core of its overall economic regeneration objectives. Chairman, Presidential Fiscal Policy & Tax Reforms Committee, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, while delivering a presentation on the theme of the meeting highlighted that multiple taxation was causing low tax morale in the country, as well as discouraging investments, while creating room for corruption and making doing business difficult. The Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee Chairman further noted that the solution to the country’s revenue challenges is not to introduce more taxes, but to focus on the few taxes that are high yielding, noting that with these, tax authorities would be able to collect far more than is currently being collected. Oyedele stated that for the government to raise more revenue, it needed to get to a point where the total number of taxes collected at the Federal, State and Local government levels would be at a single digit. “We also need to clarify on taxing rights. We need to integrate tax collection functions—that is, all revenues that are to be collected must be collected by a single revenue agency. Government must also do well to fund our tax agencies well. We also need to harmonise revenue administration and simplify our approach to tax compliance,” Oyedele said. He further advocated for the country’s tax authorities to use more technology, review the country’s constitution and tax laws, as well revisit Nigeria’s concept of fiscal federalism.
Revenue Generation: NRC commissions Police Station, shops, flats
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Thursday inaugurated 48 shops and seven apartments at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Station of the Standard Gauge Railway in Lagos, to increase revenue generation. It also inaugurated a new police station in the area to enhance security. The Managing Director of NRC, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, at the event, said that it was the practice of the corporation to lease property for the land owners to develop it. He said that the Board members had advised the management to be developing properties to enable the corporation to get more revenue. “A time will come where there will be no empty land to lease that we should have something on the ground that will be bringing money so that they can get revenue. “We took that decision, that is why we built a hotel at Apapa Road recently near the Headquarters. “First and Second floor of the building at Marine Road, are 48 shops and the last floor is seven flats of rooms, self-contained, which consist of a parlour, kitchen, toilet, and bedroom,” Okhiria said. He urged the NRC property management to be responsible in managing the investments so that the intention of building them would not be defeated. The NRC boss said that the building was occupied by some railway staff members and they were relocated after a fire incident in 2021. He said that they discovered that a lot of market activities took place in the area, so they changed it to shops with a big parking space. Okhiria said that the commissioning of another NRC Police Station at Bola Ahmed Tinubu Terminal in Apapa would motivate the policemen to protect Railway properties easily within the area. He said that after the inauguration, the station would be handed over to the Commissioner of Police for proper utilisation. The Managing Director, NRC Property, Mr Timothy Zalanga, said that they discovered that the Marine Bridge area was more commercial than residential. Zalanga said that the intention of developing some of the NRC properties was to increase revenue. He commended the Board and the Management of NRC for extending the ideas to them, promising to make the best use of the properties. Zalanga said that the former police station was far from the terminal. He said that after they extended the car parks at Bola Ahmed Tinubu Station, they had to build another station before relocating the police from their former place. The Contractor of the NRC property shops and flats on Marine Road, Alhaji Mutitala Sanni, Managing Director, Lane Ltd., said the building contained 48 shops, 24 toilets, and seven apartments. “It took us six months to complete the building, while we were granted a year to complete the construction. “We faced challenges of squatters, police, and also state government, but we were able to surmount the challenges with the quick intervention of the NRC management. “The contract was awarded with an estimate of N400 million and there are lots of unforeseen circumstances coming up now,” Sanni said. The Director, Railway Transport Services, Federal Ministry of Transport, Mr Finban Zina, commended the NRC for showcasing progress in their duties in spite of the situation in the country. He urged Nigerians to focus on the positive improvement of the society.