The Pan Niger Delta Forum has called on President Bola Tinubu not to scrap the Niger Delta Ministry. This is just as the group expressed displeasure at the failure to name a Minister for the Ministry following this week’s assignment of portfolios to ministerial designates by Mr President. The forum made the call on Friday after an emergency meeting of its National Executive and Board of Trustees at the Abuja residence of its national leader, Edwin Clark. In a communique signed by Clark and its National Chairman, Emmanuel Essien, PANDEF reminded President Tinubu that the Niger Delta Ministry was created by former President, Umaru Yar’ Adua to among others, focus on the infrastructural development of the oil-producing states of the country. The communique read in part, “The meeting discussed issues pertaining to the ongoing appointment and assignment of Ministers, as it affects the States of the Niger Delta region and South-South geo-political zone, particularly, the omission of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.” The meeting “Expresses great surprise that in the published assignment of Ministers to their various cabinet portfolios, there is none designated for the existing Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. “Reminds Mr President that the Ministry of Niger Delta was created, specifically, to ‘focus on infrastructural development, environmental protection and empowerment of youths in the oil-rich Niger Delta region,’ which continues to be greatly impacted by the oil and gas industry, and remains the live-wire of the national economy. “That the Ministry was created by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2008, and was sustained under his two immediate predecessors (Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari) to help advance the course of the peace in the Niger Delta region.” While calling on President Tinubu to urgently address the omission, the Forum warned “That any misguided step toward scrapping or submerging the ministry will create an unfavorable environment with adverse consequences. “We further caution the Federal Government to desist from tampering with any institution(s), which along with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, have been flagship institution(s), to ensure peace and development in the Niger Delta region. “We are hopeful that the Federal Government will be properly advised on this matter, even as we reiterate the commitment of the leadership of PANDEF and the people of the region to enduring the reign of peace and stability in the overall interest of the country.”

  The Department of State Services (DSS) has picked up the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Abbas Umar Masanawa, Daily Trust has learnt. Although the reasons he was picked up by the operatives were yet to be ascertained, sources familiar with the matter said his arrest was in connection with the ongoing investigation of the embattled former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. Daily Trust had last year exclusively reported how Masanawa’s predecessor, Aliyu Abdulhameed, allegedly mismanaged over N5bn meant for farmers in Kano and Jigawa states and how he was fired later by the former President Muhammadu Buhari. Recall that Masanawa was the Managing Director of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) popularly known as ‘The MINT’ before he was appointed to succeed Abdulhammeed. The senior banker, who reportedly sought to contest the governorship of Katsina State under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022 was a close ally of Emefiele. He was the executive director in charge of finance and strategy of the same company before he was recommended to head the company by the suspended apex bank governor. Speaking to Daily Trust anonymously, a security source said the ally of Emefiele, who was picked up in his Abuja residence was fingered in the investigation of Emefiele and the one ongoing at the headquarters of the apex bank. The spokesman of DSS, Peter Afunanya, was yet to reply to a text message sent to him for official confirmation and further details as at when filing this report.

  Two senior civil servants in Bauchi State Ministry of Finance have been sacked for diverting the sum of The sum of N332,000 belonging to deceased staff. The two civil servants Nasiru Sama’ila, Chief Clerical Officer and Awwal Jibrin, Assistant Chief Clerical Officer were sacked for alleged forgery and diversion of fund by the Bauchi State Civil Service Commission. BSCSC spokesperson, Mr Saleh Umar, in a statement on Friday said they were dismissed having confessed to have perpetrated the crimes. “The commission took the decision during its 18th plenary Session on 15th of August, 2023 during the deliberation on disciplinary cases the two officers were found guilty of forging documents. “This act enabled them to divert the sum of N332,000 belonging to former and deceased staff, Jibrin Zalanga of the ministry. “The act contravenes section 327 of the Public Service Rule (PSR) and they admitted to have committed the crime in their responses to the queries issued to them individually by the ministry. “They were earlier arrested by the police and arraigned before the Chief Magistrate to get the wrath of the law,” said Umar. The information officer further revealed that the commission had, also during the session promoted 73 officers during the routine activities in the plenary session. He explained that the State Ministry of Religious Affairs took the centre stage with 59 personnel promoted to various grades. Umar added that the Chairman of the commission, Alh. Abubakar Husman, had lamented that the issues of financial disciplinary had become worrisome. “The chairman however , enjoined the workers in the state to be grateful and fear God in the discharge of their official duties. “He further urged the workers to be mindful of the financial instructions in their day-to-day activities,” he said. The commission also approved the termination of one Ibrahim Garba attached to the state Pension Board during its 17th plenary session held on Aug, 1. for a similar offence

  The decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under President Bola Tinubu to float the naira is illegal and being challenged in court, human rights lawyer Femi Falana has said. On June 14, at a time when the naira traded between 730 and 755 to the dollar at the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window, the apex bank reportedly told Deposit Money Banks to freely float the naira against the dollar and other international currencies. As of Friday, the CBN website puts the exchange rate between N744 and N746. But Falana, who appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily Friday, said the CBN Act made it compulsory for the apex bank to fix the exchange rate. There’s no provision for floating the naira. It’s illegal. You say, ‘The value of the naira will be determined by market forces.’ That is not there in the law,” he said. “I’ve had to sue the Central Bank of Nigeria at the Federal High Court because Section 16 of the Central Bank Act has imposed a duty on the Central Bank to fix and determine the rate of the naira vis-à-vis other currency.” He noted that Section 20(1) of the CBN Act provides that the only legal tender in Nigeria shall be the currency notes issued by the Central Bank: “only the naira.” Section 20 (5) of the Act also provides that anybody who spends any other currency in Nigeria without the approval of the central bank has committed an offence “and shall be prosecuted”, he explained, adding, “The penalty is six months’ imprisonment.” Falana argued further that as long as government officials are not prepared to strengthen the naira and make it the only legal tender in Nigeria, “we’re not going to go far”. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also commented on the Federal Government’s approval of N5 billion for each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). While the National Economic Council (NEC) said this enabled them to procure food items for distribution to the poor in their respective states, Falana argued that the measures were diversionary. “They are temporary measures. Some of them are quite diversionary and the people in government have not addressed the root of the crisis, which is the dollarisation of the economy,” he said. “Whatever palliatives that are announced will be eaten up by dollarisation of the economy.”

  Nigerians and other individuals living within Nigeria have used Bolt for over 250 million rides since the firm began operations in 2016. The firm disclosed this recently as it commemorated 10 years of global operations in Europe and Africa. It further stated that it has seen over 3 billion kilometres in distance recorded by users on the app. According to Bolt, it has surpassed 150 million customers in over 45 countries and 500 cities, and these customers are spread across a suite of mobility products which include ride-hailing, micro-mobility (scooter and e-bike rental), food delivery, grocery delivery, Bolt Drive, a free-floating car-sharing service, and Bolt Business, a corporate mobility service. It noted that it now has over 3.5 million partners (drivers and couriers) using the app to earn a living, including over one million in Africa alone. In a statement, the Country Manager, Nigeria, Yahaya Mohammed, said, “As we reach these remarkable milestones in the ride-hailing market, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring safety, affordability, and reliability for all users on our platform. “Even amid the challenges posed by the ever-changing macroeconomic landscape, our dedication to providing exceptional service remains unwavering. We also remain dedicated to collaborating with our driver partners, regulatory bodies, and other industry stakeholders to ensure the growth of the ride-hailing industry in Nigeria.” Commenting on its strides in Nigeria, the firm added, “Implemented innovative safety features and protocols to safeguard the welfare of both riders and drivers. For example, the audio trip recording feature which empowers both drivers and riders to initiate an audio recording of their trip within the Bolt app, offering a solution in situations where they may feel uncomfortable during the ride.”

  Friday 18 August 2023 Family faults release of Lagos chief’s suspected killer Banditry: North-Central, N’West plunge into N902bn debt, poor revenue persists FG begins minsters-designate documentation Saturday Using official hours for private business punishable – CCB Subsidy Removal: FG Approves 5bn Palliative For Each State, FCT Subsidy Removal Is For ‘Better Tomorrow,’ Bear With Us, Tinubu Tells Nigerians ECOWAS Activates ‘Standby Force To Restore Constitutional Order’ In Niger Appointing Petroleum Minister Of State From Niger Delta Wrong Signal — IPAC 36 Military Officers Killed In Niger State, Says DHQ Lagos Court Okays Withdrawal Of Firearm Charge Against Emefiele West African Military Chiefs To Meet Over Niger Coup SEMA Distributes Relief Items To Over 600 Flood Victims In Katsina Uzodimma, Okorocha Visit Aso Villa Northern Forum Berates Senate, Wants Kaduna Ministerial Slot Reserved For El-Rufai We’ll invade Niger if diplomacy fails — ECOWAS Emefiele: FG showing signs of disobeying court orders —Judge 2,300 soldiers for poll — Imo REC Illicit Financial Flows draining nation’s revenue, foreign reserves – ICPC UNICAL suspends Prof accused of sexual assault, bars him from campus Palliatives: FG Gives N5bn To Each State CBN introduces FX price verification system portal for importers Automakers chart path for electric vehicles adoption, development Every kobo spent will count, says presidency Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  The Civil Society groups have called on Federal Government and Anambra State Government to immediately begin rehabilitation of Onitsha end of Onitsha-Owerri Road, which has become an unpassable death trap. The Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE) made the call in a joint statement they made available to newsmen in Awka, Anambra State weekend. In the statement signed by the chairman of CD in South East and Executive Director, HURIDE, Dede Uzor A Uzor, the groups lamented that the portion of the road from Upper Iweka to Oba has not only become impassable death traps but a den of robbers. The groups lamented that the breakdown of vehicles especially heavy-duty types also posed a danger to road users as they can cause accidents as well gridlock. “The terrible state of the road has led to an upsurge of the breakdown of vehicles and made the place a hideout for criminals who attack people, injure them, collect their money and other valuables,” said the groups in the joint statement. The rights groups called on the Federal Ministry of Works to immediately commence the rehabilitation of the major economic road. They also called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to as a matter of urgency start palliative works on the road given its strategic importance to Onitsha, the major economic city of the State not minding its status as a Trunk A road. The groups said the Anambra State Government should urgently tackle the road because it is Anambra and Igbo people that make use of the road daily, although it is a Federal road. They also said that the road links many major markets in Onitsha such as Electrical Parts, Stock Fish, Ogbaru Main Market, Ochanja and even the Onitsha Main Market, hence the strategic economic importance of the road. The rights groups also called on the security agencies in the State especially the Nigerian Police, Dss and the Nigerian Navy that mounted roadblocks on the road to deploy their crack squad and intelligence team to forestall the activities of criminals who took undue advantage of the deplorable state of the road to perpetuate and unleash crime along the road, especially around 6 pm till 9.30 pm between the new Obosi bridge and Oba Dede advised

  Operatives of Imo State Police command have arrested three notorious vandals for looting properties at Imo State University Teaching Hospital in Orlu Local Government Area of the State. This was contained in a statement in Owerri on Thursday by the command’s spokesperson in Imo, Henry Okoye. The statement reads, Sequel to a series of compliant of vandalism and looting of the medical equipment and properties of Imo State University Teaching Hospital Nursery Primary (IMSUTH), Orlu by hoodlums, most especially at night. The DPO in charge of Orlu Divisional Headquarters, strategically deployed his men on surveillance patrols which resulted in the apprehension of a 21-yrs-old Kelechukwu Nwode, ‘M’, of Ukwuinyima in Ikwo LGA in Ebonyi State, who was caught in the very act of looting the Hospital properties after diligently gathered actionable intelligence while others took to their heels. “In the course of the investigation, the suspect confessed to being a member of a notorious syndicate that specializes in vandalizing and looting the medical equipment and properties of (IMSUTH), took the determined Division’s detectives to his house where most of the items he looted were recovered. They include; 1. Tricycle 2. Large quantity of Copper Wire 3.Sid big Iron Rod 4. One IMSUTH foam 5. ONE CYLINDER 6. One Generator 7. Some Scrabs 8. One Air Condition Compressor 9 One Television “The suspect furnished the curious detectives with actionable intelligence that led to the arrest of other members of his syndicate at large namely; 1. Jeremiah Oliver, ‘m’, 28yrs of Ibiasoegbe, Oru-West LGA and Paul Okeke ‘m’ 44yrs of Umudara Amaifeke, Orlu LGA. They have been arraigned in court. “The Commissioner of Police, Imo State, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, psc(+) reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring maximum safety of the life and properties of the good people of the State and commended the DPO of Orlu division for a job well done. The CP encourages Imolites not to relent in supporting the Police and other security agencies with credible and timely information that will assist the onslaught against criminality in the State. In case of emergencies, the Command can be reached via 08034773600 or 08098880197

  The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced a foreign exchange (FX) price verification system (PVS) portal to enable importers to access forex. The CBN, in a statement on Thursday night, said a price verification report from the portal is now mandatory for all Form M requests, effective from August 31, 2023. The Form ‘M’ is a declaration of intention to import physical goods into Nigeria. “Following the successful conduct of the pilot run and various trainings held with all the banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria hereby announces the Go- Live of the Price Verification System (PVS),” the statement reads. “All applications for Forms M shall be accompanied by a valid price verification report generated from the price verification portal. “For the avoidance of doubt, by this circular, the price verification report has become a mandatory trade document precedent to the completion of a Form M.” “All authorised dealers are, hereby, advised to bring this to the attention of their customers”. CBN also said any case of infraction would be appropriately sanctioned. “Please, ensure compliance,” the bank urged exporters. In June 2023, the CBN announced the unification of all segments of the foreign exchange (FX) market, signalling the end of its control of the forex market. Since the decision — which was in compliance with the federal government’s directive — the exchange rate of the local currency has been experiencing significant volatility as market forces continue to determine prices. Last week, the naira fell to an all-time low of N950 to the dollar at the parallel market, before recovering to N890 at the black market of the FX market. The recovery came after the CBN said it would implement new measures to stabilise the naira against the dollar. While it is unclear if the PVS portal is part of the said measures; on Wednesday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, secured a $3 billion emergency crude repayment loan to support the naira and stabilise the FX market.