Television Nigerian

For the sake of the country, Rabiu Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria People’s Party’s (NNPP) 2023 presidential candidate, has urged President Bola Tinubu to follow in the footsteps of former Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan and remove the contentious Tax Reform Bill from the National Assembly.

“In the interest of Nigerians, you should reevaluate your steadfast stance on the Tax Reform Bills so that the country will finally get out of it,” Kwankwaso stated.

“Tinubu should reconsider his stance on the Bill for the interest of Nigeria, just as former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan withdrew some critical bills in the interest of Nigerians,” Kwankwaso said Monday, making the appeal through his X handle.

Kwankwaso stated: “I believe that the moment is not right to revisit VAT or impose any new taxes at this time. Such actions would be foolish in light of the current economic difficulties that many Nigerians are suffering.

“Instead of placing further financial strain on the populace, the government should focus on helping and supporting them, especially during these difficult times.

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“I implore President Bola Tinubu to take the National Economic Council’s and other reputable experts’ advice seriously. The common good, not selfish or ego-driven interests, should drive decision-making.

There is precedent for the withdrawal of these bills. Both Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan have taken similar actions in our democratic history, withdrawing important measures for the good of the country. I think the same strategy should be used today.

“To sum up, I humbly ask President Tinubu to change his mind about these bills and make sure that the opinions of the vast majority of Nigerians are respected and heard throughout this process.”

Protests have been started by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)-employed National Identification Number (NIN) agents in the South-West geopolitical zone over the purported nonpayment of a two-year commission.
Speaking to reporters in Ibadan, Oyo State, the Agents’ spokesperson, Mr. Taiwo Odebunmi, claimed that their members had experienced extreme adversity.

Speaking on behalf of more than 120 NIN agents in South West who were purportedly hired by NIMC, Odebunmi urged President Bola Tinubu to step in.

He stated that NIRSAL Microfinance Bank’s (MFB) AGSMEIS lending program was used to finance the purchase of enrollment devices and licenses.

He clarified that a loan of ₦4,109,485.72 was given to each NIN agent in exchange for a monthly commission. According to him, NIMC allegedly paid commissions in April and May of 2021 before ceasing to do so.

Each agent was expected to receive $1 for each enrollment, Odebunmi continued. In addition, he insisted that NIMC revalidate their license, which the commission had purportedly revoked after they had paid for it.

Under the condition that the monthly commissions received by NIMC be transferred into our NIRSAL MFB repayment accounts in order to offset the loan, each agent was given a loan of ₦4,109,485.72.

But following the initial two months of payment by NIMC in April and May of 2021, the Commission’s payment ceased, and we did not receive any money from June to December of the same year.

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For our members, this resulted in a great deal of loss and misery. However, this backlog was paid in March 2022, and when the moratorium ended in February 2022, deductions were made for loan repayment based on this backlog, according to Odebunmi.

Since then, commissions on completed enrollments have been owed to NIMC’s members. Since NIRSAL MFB has started the GSI Recovery procedure on agents with the help of the Central Bank of Nigeria, this nonpayment of commission has caused us a lot of problems.

Additionally, through a fraudulent revalidation process, NIMC revoked our licenses in 2023. Despite the fact that our contract is for five years, these licenses were revoked after being paid for with this loan.

According to Leadership, Odebunmi stated, “We are now pleading with the federal government and its pertinent agencies to act quickly in order to ensure the payment of the outstanding commission of $1 per enrollment and revalidation of our operation license.”

In an attempt to address the nation’s vulnerability, former Chief of Defense Staff General Martin Luther Agwai asked on Saturday for a review of the security architecture’s hiring procedure.

At a House of Justice-organized national summit in Kaduna with the subject “Security, Justice, and National Reorientation,” he made the call.

Agwai voiced concern about the existing hiring procedure, in which high-ranking government officials choose who gets hired, although he appreciated the administration’s efforts to eradicate insecurity in the nation.

The event’s chair, Agwai, emphasized that in order to put the nation on track for growth and development, the existing security concerns must be addressed.

“If properly addressed with the efforts of both the state and federal governments, the issues of justice, fairness, and equity will significantly reduce insecurity,” Agwai said.

“For progress to flourish, insecurity must be reduced to a certain extent. To support this progress, everyone must work together,” he continued.

He added that important progress is being made and that efforts to combat instability are getting better.

He emphasized that progress would be made more quickly if Nigerians cooperated.

Mr. Mike Omeri, the former Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, said in a presentation that the country’s insecurity is being made worse by the ongoing problems with justice, equity, and fairness.

According to him, the system has compelled Nigerians to look for justice through unusual channels like TV series or by approaching well-known individuals.

Barrister Gloria Ballason, the CEO of the House of Justice and the person who organized the summit, spoke about the administration of justice and urged the judiciary to provide it promptly in order to ensure that it is both effective and efficient.

Even if there are undoubtedly honorable judges and attorneys, unethical behavior must be rectified, serious infractions must be punished, and crimes or breaches of trust must be recognized and dealt with.

If the legal system is not above reproach, like Caesar’s wife, it will not be able to win over the public. How can judges compete in a race against horses if they fabricate their age so they can’t keep up with plain mortals? Ballason said.

Additionally, Ballason advocated for a national reorientation and the constant reinforcement of values and behaviors that inspire people to take actions that advance national growth, peace, and harmony.

According to reports, a large number of social, economic, and security professionals from both inside and outside the nation attended the conference.

On Monday, President Bola Tinubu will leave France for Cape Town, South Africa, where he will join President Cyril Ramaphosa as co-chair of the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission.

On December 2, 2024, a cabinet meeting will take place at the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town, which will be followed by the presidential Bi-National Commission on Tuesday, December 3.

Tinubu and Ramaphosa will have in-depth talks on bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual concern, according to a statement issued on Sunday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.

“The two leaders will assess the progress since the 10th session of the BNC, which was held in Abuja from November 29 to December 1, 2021, building on the commitments made during their meeting on June 20, 2024, in Johannesburg, soon after President Ramaphosa was sworn in for a second term in office.

Eight working groups will engage in discussions during the BNC’s eleventh session, each of which will concentrate on a particular topic of shared interest. Political consultations, immigration and consular services, banking and finance, defense and security, manufacturing, the social sector, mining and energy, trade, and investments are a few of them.

Officials from both nations will sign a number of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) during the high-level meeting, Onanuga stated.

Founded in 1999, the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission seeks to deepen the two countries’ friendship and collaboration. The inaugural Heads of State session took place in Pretoria in October 2019.

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The BNC offers a forum for maintaining high-level discussions and encouraging cooperation in vital fields like trade, economic development, security, and diplomacy.

The fact that this year’s meeting falls on the Commission’s 25th anniversary makes it especially noteworthy and demonstrates the long-standing friendship and collaboration between South Africa and Nigeria. A high-level group that includes ministers, state governors, and other high-ranking government officials will go with President Tinubu. Following the BNC meeting, he will return to the nation, Onanuga continued.