The Supreme Court on Thursday barred governors from dissolving democratically elected local government councils.
The court ruled in a landmark judgement on Thursday, doing so amounts to a breach of the 1999 Constitution.
The apex court said the defendants (governors) just wasted their time in the suit.
TVN reported earlier that the Supreme court granted financial autonomy to the 774 local government councils in the country.
In its lead judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the Supreme court scolded governors for their decades-long refusal of autonomy for local governments.
BREAKING: Supreme Court bars Nigerian govs from dissolving LG councils
BREAKING: Supreme Court bars Nigerian govs from dissolving LG councils
Rains kill six, displace hundreds in China
Six people were killed as record rains struck southwest China, state media reported Thursday, as the country endures a summer of extreme weather.
Torrential downpours struck Dianjiang county, near the megacity of Chongqing, from Wednesday night to Thursday morning, state news agency Xinhua said, citing county officials.
State broadcaster CCTV, citing the county flood control office, reported that four people had died in “geological disasters” and a further two had “drowned” as of 1:50 pm (0550 GMT) on Thursday.
Xinhua said one of the people had perished after a house collapsed, and at least three had been caught in a landslide.
Nearly 7,000 people have been affected by rainstorms and 170 have been told to evacuate, according to Xinhua.
It added that up to 254.6 millimetres (10 inches) of rain had been measured in parts of Dianjiang, the highest daily maximum since records began.
China is enduring a summer of extreme weather, with heavy rains across the east and south coming as much of the north has sweltered in successive heat waves.
The country is the world’s leading emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say drive climate change and make extreme weather more likely.
Beijing has committed to bringing its emissions of planet-heating carbon dioxide to a peak by 2030 and to net zero by 2060.
AFP
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ECO will minimize forex losses, boost African trades, economic integration – Financial experts
Financial experts have said that the proposed ECOWAS single currency, ECO, when it comes into effect, will minimise foreign exchange losses and integrate and economically unify the countries.
In separate interviews in Calabar with the Director-General of Non-Interest Finance of West Africa, Asiwaju Busari Shaamsuddeen Akande, and Eneyi Ogosi, a banker, along with Iwora Agara, an economist, they said the advantages of the single currency outweigh the odds.
Akande said, “The issue of foreign exchange losses will be minimal. Also, economic integration and development. Trade between various states will become easier, as evident in European countries after the adoption of the single euro.”
He further stated that price instability will be a thing of the past because uniformity will be the order of the day.
According to him, Nigeria would not suffer as much as countries that solely produce their own currency with raw materials readily available within.
“Remember, Nigeria prefers borrowing to printing more money into circulation to control hyperinflation. With a single currency, there wouldn’t be freedom to supply or control the value of a universal currency through monetary policy. Monetary policy in areas such as minting or fixing interest rates overnight.”
Akande revealed that 8 out of the 15 countries in ECOWAS are already using a single currency known as CFA, adding that the decision is apt and timely.
“Coming into these countries as a businessman is like transacting in the same country because of its uniformity.
The ECO currency will bring about standardization and will be beneficial to all. For Nigeria, maintaining ECO as a currency will reduce corruption to a large extent.
A banker, Ogosi, said the introduction of a single currency in the West African subregion would have various impacts on the member states, both positive and potentially challenging.
“The overall impact on member states will depend on a variety of factors, including the level of economic convergence among the participating countries, the strength of regional institutions, the specific design of the single currency, and the political commitment to the integration process.”
He said careful planning, effective policy coordination, and consideration of the diverse needs of member states will be vital for maximizing the benefits and mitigating the potential challenges of a single currency in the subregion.
He disclosed that the economic impacts will include increased trade and investment integration within the region, leading to expanded market opportunities and economies of scale.
“The ECO currency will reduce transaction costs and exchange rate risks, boosting business competitiveness and reducing costs for consumers.
“It will have the potential for more stable and predictable macroeconomic policies, reducing the risk of currency crises and volatility.
“There will be the possibility of improved access to international capital markets and reduced borrowing costs, among others,” he said.
On his part, economist Agara said, “The development would result in a stronger currency that would be acceptable in many countries.
“This will also improve transnational trade, especially within Sub-Saharan Africa. Ultimately, the local currencies would give way.”
ECO will minimize forex losses, boost African trades, economic integration – Financial experts
PIA Act designed for money, contracts sharing, says Agbakoba
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, has said the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act were designed for money and contract sharing and not the country’s development.
He also challenged politicians and other stakeholders to highlight one successful commercialised or privatised government entity in Nigeria.
He alleged that privatized Nigerian-owned entities are for the benefit of a few individuals rather than the entire Nigerians.
Explaining his stance against the Petroleum Industry Act while featuring on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Thursday, the legal luminary insisted that the PIA was designed for revenue sharing for the benefit of a few individuals.
He said, “The big question is if the PIA is such a fantastic bill, why are we having fuel scarcity that I first experienced in 1972. Why is it continuing? So something is wrong. There was a misconception and I regret I was part of the misconception that commercialisation necessary means efficiency, it doesn’t.”
According to him, China does not commercialise anything, China runs state capitalism. Saudi Arabia and Aramco also run state capitalism.
Agbakoba said, “So, I personally retract what I felt initially that commercialisation and privatisation are vehicles of development, they are not in so far as Nigeria is concerned.
“Because I will challenge anybody to show me one successful privatised entity since this started in 2000. What has happened is that the state enterprises have been privatised into private pockets of individuals. Nothing has come to Nigerians as specified in Section 14 and we remain very poor. Poverty is everywhere to the point… we must be careful about food riots.
“How can Section 64 of the PIA appropriate our federal revenue to the NNPCL? Section 64 (of PIA) allows the NNPCL to draw money outside Section 62 of the Constitution that says all resources, whether taxed or not taxed shall be paid into the federation account. But section 64 of the PIA, a lower law to the Constitution enables the NNPCL to draw out money and you want me to support it?”
The former Nigerian Bar Association president added, “Now, what I see in this thing (PIA) is the usual ‘chop chop’ and contract sharing. PIA is designed to be a sharing thing. I am positing that the surrender of our national resources to IOCs in the context of production-sharing contracts or joint ventures contradicts the meaning of my sovereignty given to me in Section 14. What did the IOC come here to do? It is just to make money. So, the joint ventures enable the IOCs to take their own share and the government to take its own share.
“Neither the government nor the IOCs have developed Nigeria. So, I am saying we should move from contract oil which is all about sharing and nothing about development. There is not a word in the PIA apart from the host communities that talk about the people of Nigeria. So, how can that be a bill or a law that is for the good of Nigeria and Nigerians? So, that’s my general concept on why the PIA should go.”
Supreme Court in historic ruling grants local govts full financial autonomy
The Supreme Court, on Thursday morning, ruled that it is unconstitutional for state governors to withhold funds budgeted for local government administrations.
The court held that the Federal Government should pay any money standing to the credit of the Local Governments in the Federation directly to the Local Government Areas managed by democratically elected officials.
READ ALSO:Supreme Court to rule on local council autonomy Thursday
Justice Emmanuel Agim, in a lead judgement, on the historic ruling also held that it is unconstitutional for state governments to retain and use allocation meant for the LGAs on their behalf without transferring the same to them as provided in Section 162(3) of the Constitution.
The apex court’s judgement followed a suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, seeking full autonomy for the 744 LGAs in the country.
More to come…
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UK-US relations ‘stronger than ever’ – PM Keir Starmer
UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has said that the special relationship with the US remains stronger than ever.
Starmer stated this when he met with the US President Joe Biden.
According to the BBC, the new prime minister met President Biden for the first time at NATO’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington just hours before their private talks in the Oval Office.
The new UK Prime Minister said his first face-to-face talks with President Biden were an opportunity to recommit to NATO and the special relationship between the UK and US.
Speaking with journalists in the White House, Starmer reiterated the importance of the special relationship, saying that it was forged in difficult circumstances, endured for so long, and stronger now than ever.
On his part, President Biden described the US and UK as the best of allies, saying that the UK was the transatlantic knot that ties NATO together with its European members.
The meeting comes as Starmer is looking to form a new security pact with EU nations to strengthen co-operation on defence.
The two leaders’ meeting came as Nato agreed further support for Ukraine at the Washington summit.
Starmer also confirmed that the UK’s £3bn a year military aid for Kyiv would continue.
President Biden said “things are moving in the right direction, I’m feeling really optimistic”.
UK-US relations ‘stronger than ever’ – PM Keir Starmer
Flooding, winds batter South Africa’s Cape Town
Several areas of Cape Town were flooded Thursday after heavy winter rains and gale-force winds battered the city, ripping off roofs from homes and damaging thousands of makeshift dwellings, South African officials said.
The City’s Disaster Operations Centre said informal settlements around the city, including the major township of Khayelitsha, had been particularly affected by the flooding.
Several roads, including major highways, were flooded and there were concerns about rising water levels at dams.
“We are working on between 14,000-15,000 structures that have been affected but that number keeps changing,” provincial disaster management centre spokesman, Wouter Kriel, told AFP.
“Some are houses, some are structures… including informal settlements which have been badly affected,” he said.
An AFP correspondent saw several houses that had lost their roofs in strong winds that also bent power lines, with electricity outages reported in several areas.
Cape Town resident Sammy Gelord said the wind ripped off the roof of his home in the Wynberg suburb.
“I never saw something like that in my life — it just took the roof and everything,” he told AFP.
The Western Cape education department ordered dozens of schools across the city and other parts of the province to close Thursday because of severe weather warnings in place until Friday.
The South African Weather Service warned that “disruptive rain leading to flooding and possible mudslides” was expected for Cape Town as well as the Drakenstein and Stellenbosch areas beyond the city.
Several cold fronts have battered the region over the past few days, with mountainous areas experiencing rare heavy snowfalls. Authorities reported at the weekend that the extreme weather had left thousands of people homeless.
The Western Cape provincial government has appealed to national authorities for emergency aid.
AFP
Nigerian lawmakers launch yet another probe into influx of illegal firearm
Nigeria’s House of Representatives, on Wednesday, announced a probe into the alleged surge of illegal firearm imports, raising concerns about national security and potential links to criminal activity.
This move comes after the recent seizure of a massive cache of weapons at the Onne Port in Rivers State.
In early July 2024, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officials intercepted a 40-foot container containing over 800 rifles and a significant amount of ammunition. This seizure highlighted the vulnerability of Nigeria’s borders and the potential for illegal arms trafficking.
The House Committee on Customs and Excise will spearhead the investigation. The committee chairman, Leke Abejide, has emphasized the need to scrutinize activities within bonded terminals and free trade zones, which are often seen as potential loopholes for smuggling.
Read Also: Every group gets what it wants except Ndigbo —Kanu’s lawyer
Abejide said, “We will scrutinise the operations of the bonded terminals to identify and eliminate any illegal activities and those found to be non-compliant with regulations will face severe consequences, including possible closure.”
He added that it was necessary to prevent the free zones from becoming havens for illicit activities that threaten the nation’s security and economic health.
“This committee is committed to working closely with the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant authorities to enforce strict measures and restore integrity to the bonded terminals and free trade zones while ensuring that they serve their intended purpose of facilitating legitimate trade and contributing to the growth and prosperity of our nation,” Abejide added.
The influx of illegal firearms poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s security. These weapons can easily end up in the hands of criminal organizations, fueling violence, kidnappings, and armed robberies. The readily available firearms can also exacerbate intercommunal conflicts and social unrest.
The probe will likely delve deeper into the source of these illegal imports and the networks facilitating them. Investigating potential corruption within border security and the involvement of international arms traffickers will be crucial.
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Ukraine relies on allies as Russia strikes power grid
With Russian attacks on energy infrastructure causing power cuts, Ukraine is depending on its central and eastern European neighbours to keep the lights on.
Ukraine in recent weeks has resorted to consumption restrictions and rolling blackouts after Russian forces stepped up attacks on the country’s power stations and transmission lines.
Thankfully, Ukraine got connected to the European power grid literally hours before the invasion started in February 2022 after preparing for the move since 2017.
It was initially planned as a brief test of autonomous operation, which required it to disconnect from the Russian grid, but it never reconnected as Russian forces invaded.
Instead, it joined the western network at record speed, which then-EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson hailed as “a year’s work in two weeks”.
Ukraine’s electricity imports from neighbours Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have been growing steadily for months as Russian attacks on its power system have intensified.
In June, the imports amounted to 858.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh), a growth of 91 percent over May, said the Kyiv-based consultancy ExPro.
Hungary topped the June imports with almost 42 per cent of the total amount.
Slovak grid operator SEPS told AFP it had raised power exports to Ukraine from 2.6 GWh in full-year 2023 to almost 40 GWh in January-May this year.
On the other hand, both countries have refused to provide military aid to Ukraine as they foster friendly ties with Russia.
The imports based on bilateral agreements have enabled Ukraine to limit power cuts to certain hours of the day.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s domestic production is shrinking. The Green Deal Ukraine think tank has said the country produced 96,800 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of power in 2023, down from 103,800 GWh in 2022.
In 2021, before the invasion, Ukraine produced almost 158,000 GWh, according to the International Energy Agency.
– ‘Eroding’ defence –
The US-based Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) quoted analyst Maciej Bukowski as saying the dwindling supply was “eroding Ukraine’s defensive capabilities and directly threatening its security”.
“Essential infrastructure is crippled, which reduces civilian and economic resilience,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in June that Russia targeted the sector “to influence and subjugate nations”.
former Minister of State for Education
The late former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, is to be laid to rest in his hometown of Oginibo, Ughievwen Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State on Friday, July 12, 2024.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of the Burial Planning Committee, Chief Emmanuel Avworo, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri on Thursday.
Gbagi, who was Delta State Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, died on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at the age of 62 years.
According to the statement, proceedings will commence with a Vigil Mass at his country home in Oginibo town on Thursday at 4 pm.
The burial ceremony is scheduled for Friday, starting with the Liturgy of the Word at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Oginibo, followed by the interment and entertainment of guests at his country home.
The statement urged friends, family members, political and business associates as well as members of the public, to attend the ceremonies and pay their respects to the late Gbagi, who was described as “one of the finest figures of the Urhobo nation”.
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