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Benue gov establishes committee to reclaim stolen public property

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Benue gov establishes committee to reclaim stolen public property

The Benue State Government has established a commission to reclaim all stolen government property from the previous administration.

Recall that Governor Hyacinth Alia recently denounced the recent government led by Samuel Ortom for stealing government cars through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula.
Tersoo had claimed, “The PDP robbed administration House to a point where the new administration under governor Hyacinth Alia met not a single automobile or truck in government house. During the governor’s travels to agencies and parastatals, the level of rot found there is at its greatest point in Benue State’s history.

However, Terver Akase, a former special adviser to the recently-departed governor, said in his statement that the State Executive Council of the previous administration had given government personnel permission to travel in their official vehicles.

With regard to automobiles, Akase had stated, “The current administration may wish to be advised that the Benue State Executive Council resolved that government personnel, including the Governor and his Deputy, be given waivers to enable them to travel in the official vehicles assigned to them.

As a result, when Governor Ortom drove away in the assigned official vehicles, he didn’t break any laws.

Tersoo Kula, the governor’s chief press secretary, however, said in a statement that the governor had established an assets recovery committee at both the state and municipal government levels.
The committee members are required, among other things, to determine all government assets, such as lands, cars, homes, furniture, and other machinery.

The announcement stated that security agency representatives would be sent on the recovery effort.

Former state attorney general, Barr. Joe Abaagu, former permanent secretary Hingah Biem, Dennis Akura, Ioryue Yajir, Peter Egbodo, Joseph Ojob, Jonathan Modi, Shaageer Matins, Yuhe Jerome, Tom Uja, and Tormbuwua Terlumun as member/secretary are all members of the asset recovery committee.

Jude Tyo, Aondowase Apera, Kwaghgba Amande, Richard Dzungweve, Anthony Sende, Olofu Ogwuche, Terver Kachina, and Nick Eworo, Member Secretary, are members at the local government levels.

The Department of State Security, the Police, the Military, and the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps would all have capable representatives on both committees, according to the statement.

The Governor has established a fact-finding committee for Benue State University in the same vein.
The committee has its chairman, Paul Biam, and members include;
Jacob Ajene, Terkimbi Ikyange, Prof. Eugene Alyegbe and Agbo Ochekpe as Member/Secretary.

Subsidy removal: Groups intend to protest on June 12

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Subsidy removal: Groups intend to protest on June 12

About 120 civil society organisations have designated Monday, June 12, as a day of protest against gasoline price increases and fraud involving petrol subsidies since President Bola Tinubu announced the elimination of the subsidies.

The organisations claimed to have seen firsthand the suffering and chaos that the shift of the price and burden of the bogus subsidy scheme had caused for common Nigerians.

“The coalition directed all of its affiliates, allies, and stakeholders in the 36 states and Abuja to jointly mobilise for the June 12 Citizens Mass Protests and to engage in dynamic protest actions and demonstrations, during their June 12 commemorative events that are in line with their peculiar environment, in order to pressure the Tinubu government to end its imposed economic and political crisis in the country.”

The groups said that factual data demonstrated that the expense of governance and the privileges of certain elites in the nation were mostly to blame for the difficulties in the Nigerian economy in a statement that was signed by the Head of the Secretariat of the National Coordinating Centre, Olawale Okunniyi.

According to Okunniyi, the groups made the decision to organise and “lead the collective intervention” in order to stop the subsidy reduction from turning into another way to further cripple the country’s economy while depriving the poor of their rights.

He added that the leaders, at their meeting, had also consensually agreed that all forms of “phantom subsidies” must be removed, adding that “targeting just the fuel subsidy is anti-people”.

“The coalition has decided to mobilise and lead the collective intervention of Nigerian citizens, youths and the masses to ensure that the elite consensus to remove the fraudulent fuel subsidy in Nigeria, does not become another opening for state finance cartel to manipulate and exploit the subsidy removal policy, to further dis-empower and pauperize the vulnerable and poor in Nigeria, in order not to plunge the vast majority of Nigerians into deeper economic crises, crimes and insecurity.
Since the national elite appears to agree that the bogus fuel subsidy scheme should be scrapped, it is clear that all other subsidy programmes in Nigeria suffer from the same ailment of government corruption and poor administration. Choosing to focus only on the fuel subsidies is anti-human. All fraudulent or dishonest handouts must end.

Okunniyi also stated that the organisation would compile and generate citizen concerns regarding the $800 million World Bank loan that the Buhari administration has secured and how it will be used. Additionally, the group would raise concerns regarding whether or not the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission Limited would “remain as an arm of government, and its true powers in the context of Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, its holistic implementation, and the pricing of PMS in Nigeria.”

Why I’d like to run for House of Representatives Speaker — Jaji

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Why I’d like to run for House of Representatives Speaker — Jaji

Aminu Jaji, a candidate for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives for the tenth time, has asserted that if he is elected to the position, he will prevent the House from being referred to as a “rubber stamp.”

The lawmaker also mentioned that he would make it his mission to ensure that the legislative and executive branches of the government cooperate with one another in a concerted effort to advance the interests of the nation.

Jaji is reported to have made these assurances to lawmakers during a meeting that took place on Friday. This information was made available to our correspondent working in Abuja on Saturday.

Jaji mentioned, while he was speaking to the newly elected members of the House of Representatives, that he was still in the running for the seat.

The candidate for the position of Speaker of the Lower House stated that, if given the opportunity to serve in that role, he would like to preside over an inclusive and diverse legislature.

Jaji was quoted as saying, “I want the 10th Assembly to be independent, and that is why I am running for this office.” My campaign is an independent effort that is not influenced by anyone, so I decided to call it a unity project to reflect both the shared goal and the lack of outside influence.

“It is unfortunate that some people are running for office based on the influence of another individual. It is a tragic fact that we must allow external factors to determine who will be our leader.

In order to contribute to the cohesiveness of the nation, the National Assembly cannot simply serve as a formality for passing laws. My leadership will not inflame relations with the executive branch of government, but rather will collaborate closely with them to bring peace to the nation.

Because each and every member is qualified and able to serve in the National Assembly, it is imperative that they be given the power to select their own leaders. Let us work together to find a leader who we can sit with and share the dividends with, rather than someone who will be given a list of who should get what or who should speak in the plenary meeting. Let us work together to find this leader. My project is the only campaign where no one can claim that they have contributed kobo in order to obtain any benefits, and that makes us unique.

According to the statement, there were more than 150 newly elected members of the House of Representatives present at the meeting.

10th Assembly: APC group supports Betara

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10th Assembly: APC group supports Betara

A support group for the All Progressives Congress urged the electors of the House of Representatives and Nigerians on Saturday to reject attempts by the APC to impose a leadership with about 72 hours until the start of the 10th National Assembly. The group was operating under the banner of the Progressive Support Group.

According to the group, the advice was necessary to prevent the nation’s democracy from being undermined and the parliament from fulfilling its constitutionally mandated duties to the electorate.

Nigeria is bigger than any political group or individual, said the group’s spokeswoman, Silas Audu Wettok, in a statement, urging the lawmakers to put Nigeria’s interests first.

The APC had listed Tajudeen Abass, chairman of the House Committee on Land Transportation, and Benjamin Kalu, chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, as its top choices for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House, respectively.

Their decision has, however, been met with criticism, with many stakeholders describing it as an attempt by outside forces to seize control of the House during the subsequent political era.

Wettok therefore urged members-elect to support Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, a representative of Borno state’s Biu/Bayo/Shani Federal Constituency, in his bid to become Speaker of the 10th National Assembly.

He claimed that while most Nigerians wanted complete transparency, accountability, and fairness among the three tiers of government, some egotistical people were planning to game the system for their own benefit.

The majority of Nigerians are with us and will continue to support this course, he assured them, adding that they were prepared to defend their rights as stated in the quote “The government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Some of us will never permit this in our lifetimes, he added.

“The 9th Assembly has just completed its tasks, and everyone is anxiously awaiting the inauguration of the 10th Assembly, which will be carried out by the President and Commander in Chief in the coming days. We formally state here today our commitment to your records and, as applicable, contributions.

“For the country to truly improve in delivery and lasting impact in the new legislative governance in this dispensation, the Progressive Support Group wants to draw the attention of all well-meaning Nigerians to resist any form of imposition of candidate at the upper or lower House of these two Hallowed Chambers.

“This is to prevent the truncation of democratic ideals and the pocketing of the legislature from fulfilling its statutory obligations to the electorate.

“As a political support group and progressive Nigerians, we believe that the House should be led this time around by a charismatic, courageous, and more importantly, someone with experience and the ability to lead appropriately. Because Nigeria should always come before the interests of any political party or individual because Nigeria is a much larger entity.

In search of a qualified candidate to head the lower chamber of the National Assembly, which is more accessible to the general public than the upper House, the Progressive Support Group launched a massive consultation across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT immediately following the general elections in March.

“Our research team and consultants have come up with a name for someone who is impartial, modest, and prepared to move forward with the Nigeria project.

“He is the best-performing member in delivering on constituency projects and other legislative actions, including the sponsoring of community-compatible bills in recent times, and has demonstrated leadership qualities over the years at the National Assembly to date,” reads a statement from the National Assembly.

Speakership: Tinubu meets G-7 member three times in three days

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Speakership: Tinubu meets G-7 member three times in three days

President Bola Tinubu met Yusuf Gagdi, a member of the G-7, a group of aspirants who were dissatisfied with the All Progressives Congress’ endorsement of Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu for Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.

According to Gagdi, this was his third meeting with Tinubu in three days as part of the President’s interventions in the crisis caused by the APC’s 10th National Assembly leadership zoning plan.

Gagdi, who represents the Pankshin/Kanye/Kanam Federal Constituency in Plateau State in the House, made the announcement on his official Twitter account.

The outcome of the “deep discussions and consultations” would be announced soon, according to the lawmaker.

“Within the last 72 hours, I have visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu three (3) times at the Presidential Villa on one-on-one meetings that totaled more than one hour,” Gagdi tweeted. The discussions are about my ambition to become Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, as well as the issue of leadership in the 10th Assembly.

“I am grateful to Mr. President for this honour and one-of-a-kind display of love for me and the good people of the Pankshin/Kanake/Kanam Federal Constituency.”

“I appeal to my supporters, particularly my honourable colleagues, to remain calm while I am in deep discussions and consultations with my fellow aspirants and some national leaders.”

“An official statement will be issued in this regard following all deliberations.” Thank you, Mr. President and my father.”

NIPOST, NIS reduce passport collection delays

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NIPOST, NIS reduce passport collection delays

The Nigerian Postal Service and Nigeria Immigration Service plan to speed up passport collection.

When he led NIPOST management on a working visit to the Acting Comptroller General, NIS, Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju at the Service Command Headquarters, Sauka, Abuja, Sunday Adepoju said this.

The Postmaster General said NIPOST’s integrated service delivery model necessitated collaboration.

“This service provides various government services and information to citizens in a one-stop shop environment using several channels to meet different needs at selected post office locations nationwide.

He said NIS would use NIPOST infrastructure to collect passports and use the postal network as an e-fulfillment centre to boost the digital economy.

Adepoju said the development’s roles and responsibilities are to create a sustainable and integrated framework for e-passport, courier, and address verification validation.

He said this would unify the agency’s e-government initiatives and consolidate NIPOST’s productivity synergy with NIS.

The acting CG NIS praised NIPOST for creating a standard digital postcode system to help the agency issue Nigerian passports.

She said the collaboration would ease Nigerians’ pain when registering for passports, reduce the waiting time before biometric data capture, and streamline passport processing.

She also praised NIPOST management for developing an address verification system, a breakthrough in identity management and a major forensic crime management initiative.

She added, “The service will continue to explore ways and cultivate strategic partnerships to help her fulfil her mandate to Nigerians.”

The Postmaster General and acting CG agreed to develop a working relationship framework later.

Breaking: DSS apprehends Emefiele

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Breaking: DSS apprehends Emefiele

Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s suspended governor, is currently being held, according to the Department of State Services.

On Saturday, June 10, 2023, this information was released in a statement via the agency’s Twitter account.

The Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s suspended governor, is currently in its custody for investigative purposes, according to the statement.

The general public, in particular the media, is urged to exercise extreme caution in their reporting and narratives about this.

Emefiele was reportedly removed from office on Friday night with immediate effect by President Bola Tinubu.

Following his suspension, Emefiele was instructed to immediately turn over control of his office to Adebisi Shonubi, the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), who will serve as the CBN governor while the investigation and reforms are being implemented.

Late on Friday, there were unconfirmed reports that DSS agents had taken the suspended CBN governor into custody.

However, the suspended CBN governor is now in the DSS’s custody, according to Peter Afunaya, the DSS spokesman.

Industry insiders worry about rising airline prices

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Industry insiders worry about rising airline prices

High air fare levels may persist for some time to come despite the recent drop in oil prices, according to professionals and experts in the airline industry.

After the Covid-19-related travel restrictions were lifted last year, demand for travel gradually resumed. This signalled the need for higher fares.

However, prices have really risen this year, just as the airlines are anticipating a nearly pre-crisis level of passenger traffic.

According to the French Civil Aviation Authority, the average price of a plane ticket in April was 32.6 percent higher than it had been four years earlier.

For travel to the Asia-Pacific region, this increase reached 51%.

According to the St. Louis Federal Reserve’s index of airline ticket prices, the cost of airline tickets in the United States increased by 11% between April 2019 and April 2023.

The price of oil has decreased since peaking in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, despite this.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), they will average $98.5 per barrel this year as opposed to $135.6 last year.

Fuel typically has a significant impact on ticket costs, accounting for between 25 and 30 percent of airline expenses.

However, IATA’s chief economist Marie Owens Thomsen stated earlier this week in Istanbul that “labour costs and other costs associated with the supply chain… seem to be higher or rising.”

“Airlines will have to find a way to cover those costs or they will start making losses again,” she said at the general meeting of her association, which brings together 300 airlines from around the world. This is at a time when they are barely back in the black and have to pay off the enormous debts incurred due to Covid-19.

The primary issue is now “less about oil prices and more about the fact that there are too few seats chasing too many people who want to be in them,” according to Vik Krishnan, a strategy consultant at McKinsey who specialises in the airline industry.

Despite order books that are occasionally full all the way through the end of the decade, aircraft manufacturers are having trouble meeting their delivery deadlines due to supplier shortages of parts or materials.

The complex issue of labour costs is another.

“Many airlines were forced to renegotiate contracts with their flight and cabin crews… but also every supplier, ground handler, and maintenance shop, they all had to pay noticeably higher wages coming out of Covid,” said Geoffrey Weston from the consulting firm Bain & Company.

Pascal Fabre, an expert in the aviation sector at AlixPartners, concurred that there aren’t many factors that will cause ticket prices to decrease.

IATA’s Owens Thomsen sees no relief for consumers any time soon given that the airline industry will need to invest hundreds, if not thousands, of billions of dollars in new aircraft and renewable fuels if it hopes to meet its 2050 decarbonization target.

Until all of these solutions are produced at scale and are commercially viable, costs are likely to rise.

“When that fortunate time comes, we can begin to consider that these costs might decrease once more. Although I am unable to say with certainty when that will occur, I am tempted to say 2040.

Unveiling Okangaism: Evaluating Phillip Agbese’s Political Philosophy

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Unveiling Okangaism: Evaluating Phillip Agbese’s Political Philosophy

By Sunny Green Itodo

Phillip Agbese (Esq.), an esteemed politician in Nigeria, has garnered attention from both political and non-political circles due to his distinctive style of politicking. His approach to politics is still relatively rare in Nigeria’s dynamic political landscape, resembling the egalitarianism of Abraham Lincoln. However, his personal political philosophy remains elusive in English lexicon, leading me to christen it “Okangaism.”

Hon. Chief Agbese proudly identifies as the talking drum of Agila – Okanga. In this role, his beats resonate through his unwavering commitment to philanthropy and community service.

Over the years, the sound of his drum has transcended the boundaries of Agila, Enone (Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency), Idomaland, Benue State, Nigeria, and beyond. Yet, the beats remain the same: philanthropy and service.

It is through his simple acts of kindness that he has endeared himself to many. This was evident in the fiercely contested February 25th election in Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency, where he emerged victorious. His exemplary track record served as his greatest campaigner, earning him support across party lines.

Agbese’s election as the representative of Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives is a response to the long-standing prayers of the suffering people of Enone and, by extension, Nigeria.

A natural leader, High Chief Phillip Agbese adopted the moniker “Enone Servant” shortly after becoming a Member-elect of the House of Representatives. This uncommon “servant-leader” mindset embraced by Agbese has left his constituents ecstatic as he assumes the mantle of representation on June 13, 2023.

Antecedents, they say, shape expectations. This could explain the enthusiasm enveloping Enone as Chief Phillip Agbese’s inauguration as Congressman approaches.

The people of Enone believe they have struck gold with Agbese. They are aware that they are sending a formidable representative to the Green Chambers, a tested-and-trusted illustrious son to the 10th National Assembly.

They recognize his immense potential, sagacity, and oratory skills, supported by undeniable evidence.

I share their sentiments wholeheartedly. With Agbese, one can only anticipate quality and unparalleled representation.

I dare say, congratulations to Okanga Y’Agila! Congratulations to The Land of the Sage! Congratulations to The Heartbeat of Benue South Politics! Congratulations to The Food Basket of the Nation! And, congratulations to our beloved nation, Nigeria!

Sunny Green Itodo,
Public Affairs Analyst/Newspaper Columnist writing from Otukpa, Ogbadibo LGA, Benue State.

Wike praises Tinubu for sacking Emefiele as Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria

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Wike praises Tinubu for sacking Emefiele as Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria

Late on Friday night, Tinubu took action against Emefiele and directed him to immediately hand over Folashodun Shonubi, who served as the bank’s Deputy Governor for the Operations Directorate.

Wike, who was one of the critics of Emefiele’s policies, particularly the redesign of the Naira, described the decision made by the President as courageous and appropriate while reacting to the new development.

According to a statement released by his media team, the former governor of Rivers State commanded President Tinubu for approving uniformity in the retirement age and pension of judicial officers across the country.

Read Also: APC promises not to disrespect South East in political appointments

He stated that the action of the President will breathe fresh air into the nation’s judicial system and give it a new lease on life.

Wike stated that he and the other members of the G5 are impressed by the President’s focused and exemplary leadership, which will lead to the prosperity of the county. Wike also noted that this has led to their admiration.

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