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Today, Tinubu sends second list of ministers.

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Today, President Bola Tinubu will submit to the Senate for review a fresh set of nominations for ministerial positions.

The names would either arrive on Tuesday night or very early on Wednesday morning, according to a Senate insider who is quite trustworthy.

The insider confidentially informed our correspondent that today’s plenary would read the names of the new group of ministerial nominees.

The congressman further stated that today will see the completion of the screening of the 28 applicants, allowing for the screening of the next group.

“The fresh slate of nominees will be announced by Wednesday, and we’ll finish screening them by Monday.

We want to finish the screening before we break for a break. The member stated, “We wouldn’t want a situation where we would go on break and then start summoning MPs back to come for screening.

Out of the 28 ministerial nominees the President had previously presented, the Senate had on Monday already vetted 14.

Tuesday saw the screening of nine of the 14 remaining candidates. Those screened on Tuesday were Senator David Umahi (Ebonyi), Olawale Edun (Ogun State), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna State), Ahmed Dangiwa(Katsina State), Uche Nnaji (Enugu State), Stella Okotete (Delta State), Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo State), Ekperikpe Ekpo (CrossRiver State) and Hannatu Musawa(Katsina State).

Edun, a financial expert, provided opinions on the country’s exchange rate during his screening.

According to Edun, Nigeria may duplicate India’s success in palliative sharing through the acquisition of biometric data.

Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Adelabu criticized the Federal Government’s economic management ministries for failing to monitor and oversee the CBN’s operations.

“The President’s objective is that we’ll have no power outages in this country within seven years,” El Rufai stated during his screening.

“The president is saddened by the fact that nations like Benin Republic, Niger, and Cameroon, our neighbors, have consistent electricity yet with all of our resources, capabilities, and the caliber of people we have as a country, we are unable to provide electricity to our households and businesses,” he continued.

Earlier, Senator Sunday Karimi, a member from Kogi West, spoke out against El-Rufai during the ministerial screening.

Following El-Rufai’s presentations, Karimi got up and informed the audience that he had filed a petition against the former governor on the security situation in Southern Kaduna.

“Your performance in each office you have had in the nation has been extraordinary,” he remarked. Your performance in the Bureau of Public Enterprises is on record, as is your performance as a minister in the FCT, and as the two-term governor of Kaduna State, you did well.

But I have a very compelling petition against you that touches on the security, togetherness, and cohesiveness of the Nigerian nation, Karimi continued, holding up a brown package.

“And I believe that this screening process ought to take the petition into account.”

Karimi then went on to present the petition to Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who was overseeing the screening process at the time.

I don’t know if you followed the standard procedure, but Barau responded, “This is the chance for nominees to explain and display themselves; subsequently we will come to confirmation and approval.”

El-Rufai received praise from other senators, who noted that the former governor was capable of serving as a minister.

The Senate then decided to wait until Wednesday to conduct the ministry nominees’ background checks.

BBNaija All Stars: Frodd sends warning to his mechanic from Biggie’s house [VIDEO]

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Big Brother Naija All Stars housemate, Chukwuemeka Okoye, aka Frodd, has warned his mechanic to make sure he sent a car to his wife, Chioma.

Frodd said there is car he instructed his mechanic to send to his wife before coming to the Big Brother house.

He gave the warning during his diary session on Tuesday.

He said he misses his pregnant wife, stressing that he would do all he can to stay till the final day of the show as his wife approved.

Frodd said: “I want to say something but Biggie it’s not really for you or us in the house. I want to tell my wife that I miss her so much. But she gave me a mandate to stay here till the last day. I’m going to try my best and stay.

“But I want to warn my mechanic. There is a car that he is supposed to take to her [my wife]…”

Biggie inferred: “Frodd, your diary session has come to an end.”

https://twitter.com/AssistantEbukaa/status/1686416623291322369?t=_qGTedhoRiu8M6ohQiAe2w&s=19 – #BBNaijaAllStars #Biggie’shouse #Frodd #mechanic #Entertainment

Sanwo-Olu wants to domesticate NHIA Act

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The National Health Insurance Authority Act of May 2022 should be domesticated, said Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Sanwo-Olu reportedly remarked this at the inaugural Lagos State Health Insurance Summit, according to a release from the Lagos State Ministry of Health.

He urged key participants in the state’s health insurance value chain, such as employers of labor and employees, health management organizations, health care providers, corporate organizations, and providers of health insurance coverage, to support, collaborate, and corporate with the Lagos State Health Management Agency.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, spoke on Sanwo-Olu’s behalf. He said, “At the outset of this administration, we made a commitment to improve the quality of life of our people and steer the State towards Universal Health Coverage, where Lagosians will have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.

These services cover the complete spectrum of necessary medical care, from wellness promotion to palliative care and everything in between. This is one of the main objectives of the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda’s health and environment pillar, he said.

Earlier, the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who was present through Mrs. Olayemi Oke-Osanyintolu, expressed hope that the inaugural Health Insurance Summit would inspire ideas and tactics that would facilitate people’ seamless access to high-quality healthcare services.

Dr. Adebayo Adedewe, the recently appointed Chairman of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, Governing Board, noted that the creation of the Lagos State Health Scheme was a positive step and the perfect model to guarantee that Lagosians have access to high-quality and reasonably priced healthcare services.

Niger captures nine robbery suspects

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After noticing that their car was filled with bullet holes, police officers assigned to the Tafa Division of the Niger State Police Command detained nine suspected offenders.

At the time of their capture, the suspects were allegedly traveling along the Kaduna–Abuja highway in a Volkswagen Sharon with the license plate LKJ 739 BJ in Sabon–Wuse Tafa Local Government Area.

The accused were promptly taken into custody: Mohammed Sani, Hakimi Abdullahi, Aminu Bello, Buhari Abdullahi, Tasiu Abdullahi, Bello Auwal, Kabiru Abubakar, Abdullahi Dabo, and Babangida Ibrahim.

Wasiu Abiodun, the command’s spokesman, stated: “Preliminary inquiry revealed that the nine personnel specialize in targeting and overseeing malfunctioning trucks along the Abuja-Kaduna, Keffi-Jos, Nasarawa-Akwanga, and Minna-Suleja Roads.

The syndicate has been breaking into trucks and containers, robbing the goods and property within, and attacking and damaging them.

“During questioning, the suspects admitted to the theft and said they kept the loot at a warehouse in Akwanga while selling it in Kano State.

“They thereafter made an attempt to bribe the DPO by offering N500,000 to end the case. For further investigation, the SCID Minna has received all the suspects’ arrests and transfers.

MC Oluomo lowers fares, declares Lagos drivers won’t go on strike

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The nationwide protest planned by organized labour groups would not include participation from the members of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee.

Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, commonly known as MC Oluomo, the chairman of the LSPG, said this on Tuesday during a meeting with representatives of the transport industry’s unions and operators.

“We, the state executives and the entire membership of Lagos State Parks and Garages gathered today in Lagos to evaluate the situation in the nation, particularly in Lagos, following the elimination of oil subsidies by the Federal Government,” he added.

“Following extensive deliberation and review, we spoke about the high cost of food, transportation costs, and other topics of public concern, particularly the proposal by the organized labor unions, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to call workers out on strike action.

“After careful deliberation, we came to the decision that we will not take part in any strike or protest rally being planned to call the Federal Government’s attention to the subject under discussion in the nation.

The Lagos State Government has announced several interventions in the industry, so all members of the transportation family would be at work to safely transport people to their various destinations.

In order to lessen the impact of the Federal Government’s suspension of fuel subsidies, Akinsanya also proposed relief measures for commercial bus drivers and passengers at the meeting.

Read Also: King Charles’ Prince Trust to assist in Nigerian unemployment

According to the LSPG CEO, tickets previously offered to drivers at parks for N800 would now be N600, and all booking fees would be decreased by 25%.

Akinsanya, the minister of transportation, announced that some routes’ transit fares, which are currently N500, would be dropped to N300, while other routes’ N200 costs would be reduced to N150.

A 25% discount would be applied to tickets purchased through the union by commercial tricycle and motorbike operators, he added.

In addition to warning various executives of parks and garages to ensure compliance and announcing a task force team that would oversee the implementation of the orders, Akinsanya also announced the creation of a task force team. Those who failed to comply would face penalties.

All state executives, chairmen of the parks, and a few chosen union leaders would serve as the task force’s leaders.

The agency, according to Oluomo, would make every effort to avoid upsetting the general populace.

He said that the instruction came as a result of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s declaration about a decrease in bus fees.

The Lagos State Government has created an environment that is favorable for our operations. So there is no need for us to participate in any strike that may jeopardize the state’s calm. The state government has implemented a number of palliative measures, most notably a 50% drop in government-funded public transportation and a cut in the fares for our Yellow Buses. These steps will significantly lessen the impact of the elimination of the subsidy.

Additionally, we have started implementing internal reforms like union tickets and negative ratings of the Lagos State Government. The cost of transportation for commercial drivers will decrease as a result, according to Akinsanya.

King Charles’ Prince Trust to assist in Nigerian unemployment

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In order to solve the serious global problem of youth unemployment, King Charles III of England founded The Prince’s Trust International, a non-profit organization, which has its official debut in Nigeria.

High-profile officials, including Ben Llewellyn-Jones, the deputy British high commissioner to Nigeria, attended the unveiling, which took place at a reception in Lagos on Wednesday.

Llewellyn-Jones stated during the launch that the PTI’s entry into Nigeria would close the skills gap by enabling more young people to obtain high-quality training that would increase their employability.

He declared, “This is the beginning of the Prince’s Trust International project in Nigeria to assist in preparing young people for employment and bridging the gap between youth unemployment and youth underemployment here in Nigeria.

“So, it is a really great project. Let me introduce you to Omojolade, The Nigerian Human Calculator. President of the Prince’s Trust is His Royal Highness. Nigeria is the newest nation that the project is attempting to reach. The PTI is a nonprofit organization. It is consistent with the UK government’s goal in Nigeria to assist young people in obtaining employment, appropriate training, and appropriate skills.

It has to do with training. The types of roles that young people wish to play will determine this. It involves teaching them contemporary professional etiquette, new workplace skills, and different approaches to problem-solving, as well as supporting them with both harder and softer skills.

Will Straw, the Chief Executive Officer of Prince’s Trust International, said the project was supposed to start after King Charles visited Nigeria in 2018, but it was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He claims that during the past 18 months, the trust has been assisting young people in developing the skills necessary for the workforce.

Prince’s Trust has been around for about 50 years, according to Straw. When he was the Prince of Wales in the UK in 1976, King Charles established it. It now supports a million individuals and is the biggest charity in the UK. The King established Prince’s Trust International in 2015 with the goal of addressing the global youth unemployment crisis in collaboration with local partners.

“He visited Nigeria in 2018 and, as we heard this evening, he spoke with government and business leaders about the possibility of his trust supporting job initiatives both here in Nigeria and in Ghana. Yes, was the response. Our experience may be useful for regional initiatives. We started looking at how we could build up this program with the help of our Africa advisory board, which includes notable businesspeople from Nigeria like Atedo Peterside and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

According to Arunma Oteh, a trustee for PTI and a former vice president of the World Bank, 60% of Nigeria’s population is under the age of 25, making investments in youth profitable and sustainable for development.

Read Also: Will Nigeria join 12 African countries receive first-ever malaria vaccine

The program’s potential benefits for young Nigerians, employers, and the nation inspired excitement from Oteh, a former director-general of Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission.

Her assessment of Nigerian youth is that they are resilient, diligent, and innovative.

She continued by saying that the introduction of the PTI in Nigeria would spur additional development and progress in the nation.

Additionally, Mr. Oyerinde Adewale-Smatt, Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, stated that unemployment was a significant issue in the nation and was expected to reach 40% in 2023. – #Uncategorized

BBNaija All Stars: Soma wins PMP game, granted immunity from this week’s eviction

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Big Brother Naija All Stars housemate, Somadina Anyama, aka Soma, has been granted immunity from this week’s eviction after he emerged the most saved housemate during Monday night’s “Pardon Me Please” game.

Biggie introduced a new nomination process which in involves the housemates naming the person they want to remain in Big Brother house.

The housemate with the most nominations automatically get immunity from the week’s eviction alongside the Head of House and Black Envelope holder.

Soma got eight nominations to emerged winner of the PMP session.

This was how the housemates nominated:

Angel – soma
Venita – ike
Ceec – ilebaye
Uriel – soma
Ike – venita
Adekunle – soma
Pere – cross
Tolanibaj – neo
Cross – soma
Princess – soma
Ilebaye – doyin
Whitemoney – mercy
Mercy – ceec
Soma – uriel
Neo – tolanibaj
Alex – soma
Seyi – soma
Frodd – adekunle
Doyin – ilebaye
Kiddwaya – soma

BBNaija All Stars: Kiddwaya emerges new Head of House, Angel wins immunity

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Kiddwaya has emerged as the new Head of House of the ongoing Big Brother Naija All Stars edition.

He became the HoH of week 2 after winning the Head of House game on Monday evening.

Kidd took over from Adekunle who emerged the first Head of House of the season last week.

He picked Tolanibaj, Neo, Uriel and Pere as his BBFs.

Kidd and his BFFs are immuned from eviction nomination this week.

Earlier, Angel was granted immunity from nominations for possible eviction this week after winning the Black envelope game.

Centre urges Senate to shun petition, clear Okotete for ministerial position

The Centre for Social Justice Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has urged the Senate to ignore a petition by “disgruntled elements” against ministerial nominee, Stella Okotete.

The Centre, at a press conference on Monday, said the petition is a hatchet job executed on behalf of someone who had expected to be nominated from Delta state.

In his address, Executive Secretary, Comrade Ikpa Isaac, said it laughable that the petitioners want Okotete disqualified over a mere court case of which she is still innocent until proven otherwise.

Isaac, therefore, described the petition as hollow “since it did not consider that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu could not have made the nomination without first having the nominee screened and cleared by the relevant law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies.”

Read Also: President Tinubu to address Nigerians today

He added that Okotete is eminently qualified for the ministerial role for which Mr President has appropriately nominated her.

Comrade Isaac, however, advised her detractors to find new vocations, noting that the ship has sailed past the port of distraction where they are currently located.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the petitioners should come up with valid court rulings that convicted the nominee of criminal acts, which would have ensured that she is not fit to hold public office by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended,” he said.

“It is shocking that the strongest point the petitioners could marshal, even as lawyers, is the pending case before the Federal High Court Suite No: FHC/ABJ/C8/2233/2023 /Public Complaint against criminal conspiracy to wit, which is ultimately laughable.

“Their flawed logic will create a dispensation where people are precluded from holding public offices simply because there is one frivolous court case or the other against them. They based their demand for her disqualification on the faulty premise that she would be found guilty, which says a lot about their professionalism as lawyers. It is trite to state that Mrs. Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete is assumed innocent of all court charges against her until she can be proven guilty, for which she even has the right to challenge any ruling up to the Supreme Court until she is sure justice has been done.

“Furthermore, it is frightening that people who called themselves lawyers could openly canvas for the Senate to usurp the judiciary simply out of their desperation to truncate Mrs Okotete’s ministerial nomination for their client(s). If the matters they have raised are so fundamental and germane the logical thing is to approach a competent court with their facts and get the injunctions they are currently forum shopping at the Senate.

“We are at a loss how Juryman Associate Chambers singled out Mrs Okotete for harassment on the strength of a supposed Senate resolution on her suitability for office when immediate past Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who is on the same nomination list was left unmentioned even though the same Senate in December 2013 barred him for life from holding public office on account of being indicted for corruption. One is left wondering how lower the folks from Juryman Associate Chambers are willing to sink.

“The Centre for Social Justice Equity and Transparency (CESJET) is making this intervention, as it has done in the past when people with questionable intent attempted to prevent competent persons from being appointed to public office. CESJET will continue to resist attempts at keeping qualified persons away from occupying public office.

“If the petitioners remain desperate to satisfy whomever their client is, CESJET strongly advises them to shop for other excuses in marshaling their argument on why Mrs Okotete should not be confirmed as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They can also shop for a client who is interested in targeting another nominee with baggage – not that they will find.

“For now, suffice it to say that Mrs. Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete, is eminently qualified for the Ministerial role for which Mr President has appropriately nominated her. Her detractors should find new vocations since the ship has sailed past the port of distraction where they are currently located.”

President Tinubu to address Nigerians today

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At 7 p.m. on Monday (today), President Bola Tinubu will address Nigerians.

Dele Alake, the President’s Special Adviser on Strategy, Communication, and Special Duties, made the announcement in a statement made public on Monday morning.

On Monday, July 31, 2023, at 7 p.m., “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will make a broadcast to the nation.

In order to broadcast the event, television stations, radio stations, and other electronic media outlets were urged to connect to the network services of Radio Nigeria and the Nigerian Television Authority, according to the announcement.

 

The elimination of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, more commonly known as gasoline, and its subsequent impact on Nigerians’ cost of living may not be unrelated to the broadcast.

The Nigeria Labour Congress claimed last week that as a result of the hardship, Nigerians lost their peace of mind as a result of Tinubu’s inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, when he proclaimed, “Subsidy is gone.”

The labour congress criticized the Tinubu administration for its “unfriendly” policies and said that the administration had continued to treat Nigerians like slaves in a statement issued in Abuja and jointly signed by its National President, Joe Ajaero, and Secretary-General, Emmanuel Ugboaja.

The NLC has reportedly started mass mobilization ahead of its planned statewide strike, which is set to start on Wednesday in protest of the hardship caused by the loss of fuel subsidies, according to a report earlier today.

The NLC invited Nigerians to “join us at the Unity Fountain, Abuja on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 7 am” in a schedule that our correspondent in Abuja was able to obtain on Sunday.

There is no country in the world where the government completely abandons its people to the whims of the market without any oversight or protection. Instead of subjecting everyday folks to unwarranted suffering and misery, the Federal Government should take swift and decisive action to address the criminal substance of subsidies.

The NLC stated that fixing all of our refineries was necessary “as a matter of national urgency” in order to meet domestic fuel consumption.