World Bank on glass building. Mirrored sky and city modern facade. Global capital, business, finance, economy, banking and money concept 3D rendering animation. The World Bank has revealed that Nigeria’s public expenditure on education and health is inadequate by any standard. The newly released report titled, ‘Human Capital Public Expenditure and Institutional Review’, noted that the overall public spending, at merely 12 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, falls short of the threshold necessary to underwrite fundamental public services. “This compares to the Sub-Saharan African average of 17.2 per cent and the lower middle-income countries average of 18.5 per cent. Over the past five years, Nigeria’s health and education expenditure has fluctuated between 10 and 12 per cent of GDP.0:00 / 0:00 “When measured against international standards, it becomes evident that this level of investment is insufficient for delivering adequate essential public services. As a result, a large proportion of spending, especially health spending, is out of pocket, which excludes a significant segment of society from accessing health services. “At $23 and $15 per capita, public expenditure on education and health in Nigeria, respectively is inadequate by any standard. Of the $23 per capita spending on education, states spend $14 and the remainder is spent by the Federal Government. “Similarly, of the $15 per capita spending on health, states spend $8.5 This level of spending compares poorly to Nigeria’s peers. It is far more inadequate given the need to tackle significant issues such as the high rates of out-of-school children and child mortality. “The two largest shares of the budget were spending for General Public Services (24.2 per cent) and Economic Affairs (18.4 per cent). Debt charges within General Public Services were the third largest expenditure item at 17.6 per cent of the general government (federal and state) budget. Social sectors—education, health, and social protection—received together less than one-quarter of the national budget in 2021. “The states spend more than the FG on both primary health and basic education. In absolute terms, states spent N1,299 billion on education and N731 billion on health, compared to federal spending of N773 billion and N610 billion, respectively. Thus, education constituted the third-highest spending for state governments, followed by spending on health,” it read. The World Bank said the spending on health and education is low mainly because of the overall level of public spending, which is constrained by the very low overall revenue. It said as a share of the budget, allocations to education and health were 10.1 per cent and 6.6 per cent of overall spending (federal plus state) in 2021, respectively. It recommended that in the medium to long term, increasing state budget execution rates and increasing federal as well as state allocations will be key to ensuring that health and education services are adequately financed.

  Four migrants drowned in the Channel overnight off Boulogne sur Mer on France’s northern coast while trying to cross to Britain, French maritime police said Friday. A navy patrol boat went to the site after being alerted that several migrants had fallen into the sea while trying to cross the Channel, maritime police told AFP. Four people winched out of the water by helicopter were dead but others were rescued alive, the police added. This takes to 19 the number of people who have died this year trying to cross over to Britain from France on often overloaded boats. Five migrants died on April 23 off the French coast while trying to make the perilous journey. F‍our people found “unconscious” could not be saved, police added, while 63 were rescued.

  Friday 12 July 2024 Ex-minister on N33.8b fraud trial collapses outside courtroom ECOWAS court strikes out suit on Niger sanctions Corruption second deadliest affliction of humanity — EFCC chairman Tinubu welcomes LG autonomy pronouncement Bribery reporting rises to 8.6% –NBS Appeal Court affirms Ododo’s election as Kogi governor Over 300 African BASAs compromised –IATA Inflation: Nigeria paying for consequences of N27trn Ways and Means loan –Cardoso Supreme Court Verdict: Local Councils Must Now Account For Own Actions – Tinubu Catholic Bishops, Ulama Reject Samoa Agreement HIV: FG Decries 15, 000 Annual Child Deaths, 22, 000 New Infections Nigerians Buying Yam In Pieces As Prices Soar Minimum Wage: Be Realistic With Your Expectations, Tinubu Tells Labour Leaders Coronation ceremony for 43rd Olubadan holds today CBN’s economic reforms yielding significant results — Cardoso Senate rejects bill to control, monitor forex market in Nigeria Nigerians pay N721bn cash bribes to govt officials — NBS survey Biden introduces Zelensky as Putin at NATO ceremony I convinced my wife to sell our baby to raise money to travel out — Suspect Bill To Create Another South-East State Passes Second Reading Kenya’s Ruto Dismisses Almost Entire Cabinet After Deadly Protests Gunmen Kidnap Ex-Ekiti Varsity Don Professor Olaofe, Demand N50m Ransom   Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  The organised labour consisting of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has maintained that its N250,000 demand and the N62,000 figure submitted by the tripartite committee for new minimum wage remain until after discussions with President Bola Tinubu. While labour insists on N250,000 as a new minimum wage, the committee had pegged it at N62,000. But during a Thursday meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, the organised labour led by the NLC President Joe Ajaero and his TUC counterpart Festus Osifo said nothing has changed about the demands. Ajaero said the meeting – which lasted for about an hour and was later adjourned to next week – was not a negotiation and the two figures remain on the table. In the real sense, it wasn’t a negotiation but a discussion and we have had that discussion. We agreed to look at the real terms probably and reconvene in the next week. So, that’s where we are because we didn’t go down there to talk naira and kobo,” Ajaero said. “At least there were some basic issues that we agreed on. The status quo in terms of the amount N250,000 and N62,000 remains until we finish this conversation.” According to the TUC boss, the labour delegation informed the President of the economic difficulties Nigerians are going through. “In the meeting, we tried to put the issues on the table, issues that are bothering and biting Nigerians today. The economic difficulties and the value of the naira, how it has also eroded, and how these have affected the prices of commodities and goods in the market. “So, we tried to put these before Mr President because he is the president of the country and the bulk stops at his table,” the TUC boss said. “We have had all the conversations with all his agents, but today we said let us meet with the father of the country and have this conversation and make the argument that labour always makes. We made all the arguments, the economic analysis, macro, micro, fiscal and monetary issues. “So, we put everything forward and at the end, the President made his remark as the president and we all agreed let’s go back, we internalise it, we have some conversation, and by one week time, we will come back and we will continue the meeting.” Optimistic FG Meanwhile, the Federal Government is optimistic that the impasse over the new minimum wage will be resolved by next week.   The Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Malagi and his Labour and Employment (state) counterpart Nkeiruka Onyejeocha said this after a closed-door session between President Tinubu and the labour leaders. Recall that the tripartite committee on the new national minimum wage had after the conclusion of its assignment in June, submitted two figures to the President as the organized private sector and the government team offered to pay N62,000, while the organized labour demanded N250,000. The disagreement over a uniform figure has led to delay by the President in sending any figure to the National Assembly through the Executive Bill, choosing to consult will relevant stakeholders before doing that.

  The Caretaker Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chijioke Ihunwo, has faced backlash from netizens after announcing the appointment of 100 special assistants on Wednesday. “As the Caretaker Chairman of Obio-Akpor local government area of Rivers State, I have approved the appointment of one hundred Special Assistants,” he wrote on his X handle. Ihunwo then listed the names of the 100 appointees without specifying their portfolios. He stated, “While congratulating the appointees, I charged them to work effectively and key into my developmental agenda, and inline with the vision of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.” The post gained media attention on Thursday, shortly after the Supreme Court ruled that a state government has no power to appoint a caretaker committee and that a local government council is only recognisable with a democratically elected government. “The judgment stated that the use of caretaker committees to run local governments is a violation of the Constitution, as it constitutes an attempt by the state government to take control of local governments. Nigerians, reacting on X, criticised Ihunwo for the seemingly excessive appointments. Ben Samuel, who tweets as, @flourish007, said, “Guess this is a joke taken too far? Otherwise, I would like you to define their job responsibilities or if they would be working free of charge?? Who are these people for God’s sake?”

  The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, on Thursday, raised fresh alarm over the alleged plans by Terrorists to attack critical infrastructure in the country. Director Defence Media Operations, DMO, Major General Edward Buba who disclosed this to Defence Correspondents in Abuja at a bi-weekly briefing on the ongoing military operations in the various theaters of operations against insurgency activities across the country in the last week however assured the Nation that the Military high Command was doing everything possible to stop the dastardly act. According to him, “We are aware of some of the plans to target some critical infrastructure in the country.   “Accordingly, we have placed measures to forestall such plans. Security agencies responsible for securing critical infrastructure and facilities have also been placed on alert. Accordingly, some of such plans have been frustrated. He explained that the military was keeping up the pressure through ongoing operations in five active theatres across the country namely, the North East, North West, North Central, South South and South East, with the North East and North West having the highest levels of intensity. According to him, “These operations are complex as troops are engaged in fighting in difficult terrains as well as fighting an adversaries that adopts various forms, across the country. Clearly, we have boots on the ground and are fighting in several dimensions to crush the enemy. ” Indeed, troops are fighting on ground, air, at sea as well as in the cyber dimension in several parts of the country. The common denominator in all our operations are the terrorists.   “These terrorists are the enemy that must be fought and defeated. They are responsible for keeping the nation in an almost constant state of counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency. He explained that during the week under review, troops neutralised 187 and arrested 183 persons while Troops also arrested 26 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 109 kidnapped hostages. According to him, ” In the South South, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of One Billion One Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million Two Hundred and Twenty Nine Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninty Naira (N1,127,229,890.00) only. * Furthermore, troops recovered 128 assorted weapons and 3,300 assorted ammunition. “The breakdown as follows: one PKT gun, 80 AK47 rifles, 15 locally fabricated gun, 15 dane guns, 2 FN rifles, 5 pump action guns, 2 single barrel guns, 4 locally fabricated pistols, one fabricated barretta pistol, one locally made double barrel gun, 2 hand grenades, 2 primed IEDs and materials. ” Others are: 1,941 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 729 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 377 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 191 rounds of 5.55mm ammo, 199 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 16 rounds of 9mm ammo, 26 live cartridges, 26 empty case of cartridges, 26 AK47 magazines, 6 baofeng radios, 10 vehicles, 4 motorcycles, 4 walkie-talkie, mobile phones and the sum of N102,010.00 only amongst other items. He further added that the Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 18 dugout pits, 30 boats and 49 storage tanks. According to him, “other items recovered include 66 cooking ovens, 4 drums, 5 speedboats, 15 vehicles, 2 tricycles, one generator, 11 mobile phones and 57 illegal refining sites. “Troops recovered 1,l25,440 litres of stolen crude oil, 213,539 litres of illegally refined AGO and 1,230 litres of PMS.Troops are confronted by a vicious enemy that are constantly trying to kill citizens or have killed citizens. Indeed, these terror group are responsible perpetrating insecurity across the country and will not stop doing what the are doing, until they are stopped. ” In this fight, citizens must understand that, we must never compromise on security, otherwise everyone’s security will be compromised. This is a situation that cannot be over emphasized for us to live in safety and security”. General Buba who assured that he military was doing what was needed at this time to force the terrorist to pay a price for every act of aggression against citizens of the country said “We recognise and have included this as part of our strategy to win the war. According to him, ” overall, we have no choice but to fight for the safety and security of our citizens. We also fight to safeguard our nation and preserve our way of life as a people. For us a force, Defence is the essence of what we do as an armed forces. Accordingly, we would defeat the terrorists on the battlefield and help our nation flourish again.