The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to engage in dialogue with planned protesters to address their grievances, emphasizing the need for amicable resolution.
Chairman of the caucus, Kingsley Chinda, speaking to reporters after a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, expressed concerns about the planned protests amidst prevailing insecurity in parts of the country.
“We also appeal to the government to dialogue with the planned protesters and look at some of the messages they are raising, the critical areas that need government’s intervention,” Chinda stated.
While discouraging protests due to past incidents where peaceful demonstrations were hijacked by criminals, Chinda highlighted the potential risks in the current security climate.
“Some unscrupulous people may use the opportunity to create chaos. Therefore, we are discouraging any protest but we appeal to government to dialogue and also look at critical areas that are necessary and address them amicably,” he emphasized.
Chinda also called for a balanced approach in tackling insecurity, advocating for a “carrot-and-stick” method to effectively protect Nigerians.
Read also: Nigerian govt speaks on how it’ll handle planned protests amid hardship concerns
“We acknowledge the insecurity situation in the country and call on the government to use carrot-and-stick by ensuring that the result is seen and felt by the people. Let all the security chiefs do what is right to ensure Nigerians are protected,” he urged.
Furthermore, the caucus underscored the importance of empowering citizens economically to mitigate the effects of the ongoing economic downturn.
“We also acknowledged in our discussion that there is hunger in the land and we appeal to the government not only to be giving palliatives but to also create ways and means whereby people can be self-reliant,” Chinda added.
The post Reps minority caucus urges dialogue, cautions against protests amid hardship appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Reps minority caucus urges dialogue, cautions against protests amid hardship
NEPC rallies support for increased non-oil export
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council has solicited stakeholders’ support in the non-oil export market to drive Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.
The NEPC Director, Trade Information Department, Dr Joe Itah, speaking on the sidelines of a two-day Export Mentorship Programme in Lagos on Wednesday, said the move is apt considering the 0.05 per cent decline in non-oil exports the nation recorded in 2023.
Itah said, “Nigeria’s non-oil export is doing well, for instance, we had returned from the Pre-Shipment Inspection Agency and these are reliable figures.
“In 2022, we had a return of N4.8 billion and N4.5 billion in 2023 representing a 0.05 per cent drop due to election and climate change. We can fare better in terms of Nigeria’s non-oil export, but all hands must be on deck.”
He also said it was a result of the decline that the organisation was organising the EMP to raise a new set of exporters to boost Nigeria’s non-oil sector, particularly from the small and medium-scale enterprises who he said the council hopes to grow into formidable exporters of products and services.
According to him, the move would also help these new exporters prepare for the risk involved in the export market terrain in its bid to simplify their routes to export business.
He said, “So we were able to select this number we are training in what we call the zero to export which is a programme that is designed with seven modules starting from the introduction of exports to beginners, documentation through packaging and labelling, through certification and also financing and use of international commercial terminologies for exports and logistics.”
“So at the end of this training of the 70 participants, we hope to bring out what we call semi-champions. We floated this programme with 20 SMEs with 15 graduating that we sent to the fields to work with established exporters,” he said.
Also speaking, a participant at the event, Tai Oyekan, said the programme would help exporters to re-strategize while also keying into the federal government’s policies.
He said, “In fact, we need this kind of programme often. I want to use this medium to appeal to NEPC to train more capacity builders because we have more exporters than capacity builders. Nigeria is a vast nation and would require trainers all over the country to reach out to exporters in different parts of the country. Nigeria is blessed and there is no local government area where you cannot get something to export out of this great country.”
Nigerian govt speaks on how it’ll handle planned protests amid hardship concerns
The Federal Government responded to mounting concerns over national hardship and calls for nationwide protests against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, pledging to handle the situation as a “family matter.”
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, conveyed the government’s stance following a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume. He emphasized the government’s commitment to resolving issues in a manner that ensures national peace and stability.
“We came together to discuss. You can see that this is not happening at the council chambers, it is happening in the office of the SGF and many of the ministers are here,” Idris stated.
“No one is going to sleep. Those who are agitating and asking for protests are Nigerians, they are our brothers, they are our sisters, they are all Nigerians and those in positions of authority – the ministers, the President, everybody, we are all Nigerians too.”
When asked about engagement with protest organizers, Idris affirmed ongoing dialogue with stakeholders, underscoring the government’s commitment to engaging in the interest of Nigeria’s welfare.
Regarding assertions by notable figures like Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana that protests should proceed, Idris noted, “He (Falana) is an individual. This is a democracy, everyone is entitled to his opinion.”
Read also: Falana urges govt to dialogue instead of threats against protest organisers
Idris reiterated President Tinubu’s call for calm and patience, urging Nigerians to allow more time for the government to address their concerns. He concluded by emphasizing the government’s dedication to constructive dialogue and peaceful resolution of grievances.
Key ministers present at the meeting included Nyesom Wike (FCT), Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs), and Bello Matawalle (Defence), among others.
The post Nigerian govt speaks on how it’ll handle planned protests amid hardship concerns appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
ICAN president urges new accounting technicians to embrace integrity, accuracy
The President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Davidson Alaribe, has advised new Associate Accounting Technicians of the institute to keep integrity and accuracy as their watchwords.
Alaribe said this on Wednesday at the induction of the 828 Associate Accounting Technicians which was held at the ICAN centre in the Amuwo-Odofun area of Lagos State.
He said, “It is pivotal for you to continuously make accuracy and integrity your watchwords. Ensure you uphold the highest standard of professionalism, ethics and integrity in all your endeavours.
“As you progress in your career, remember to constantly uphold the five fundamental principles of the accounting profession – integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, professional behaviour, and professional competence and due care.
“The institute does not hesitate to mete out appropriate professional discipline to any erring accounting technician through our disciplinary mechanism. As you are being inducted today, let the association’s Code of Ethics, constitution, and by-laws be your professional holy book. Let the code guide you in the provision of your professional services.”
Alaribe led the 828 inductees to take their oaths of allegiance.
Already there are over 32,000 Associate Accounting Technicians of the institute under the umbrella of the Association of Accountancy Bodies in West Africa.
Also, speaking at the event, the ICAN’s Vice President and Chairman, AAT Executive Committee, Haruna Yahaya urged the inductees to “embrace the opportunities for professional development and to contribute positively to the various sectors you will serve.”
Yahaya noted that the skills and knowledge acquired by the inductees would enable them to “make significant impacts, not only in your workplaces but also in the broader economic landscapes of our nation and beyond.”
Miss Ayomide Faleye was named the beneficiary of the star prize, ICAN Silver Scholarship, for her outstanding performance in the preceding examinations diet.
Falana urges govt to dialogue instead of threats against protest organisers
Human rights activist Femi Falana has advised the Federal Government against using threats to deter organizers of the planned nationwide protest concerning the challenging economic conditions in Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, Falana emphasized, “But threats do not work. In fact, on some occasions, the desperation of the government also has a way of popularizing such protests.”
He urged the government to identify the leaders of the protest movement and engage them in dialogue rather than resorting to intimidation.
Read also: August 1st: There’s no reason for national protest —Gov Uzodimma
“So, this time around, the government should try to identify the leaders of the movement and then engage them, and then the questions be raised. Some demands are being made, and the government should address these demands,” Falana asserted.
Regarding the government’s upcoming address to the nation, Falana highlighted the importance of transparency from governors about their efforts to alleviate hardship nationwide.
“It is also important for governors to really come out and let the people know what they are doing to address hardship in the country which nobody is denying,” he concluded.
The post Falana urges govt to dialogue instead of threats against protest organisers appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Kaduna Assembly repeals laws establishing metropolitan authorities
Kaduna State House of Assembly has repealed the laws that established the Zaria Metropolitan Authority, Kafanchan Municipal Authority, and the Kaduna Capital Territory Authority.
The repeal was sequel to a recent Supreme Court judgment on local governments in Nigeria.
The Speaker, Dahiru Liman, announced the repeal of the bill after the Chairman of a Joint Committee, Mahmud Lawal, presented a report to the house.
The report highlighted the need to align the state’s laws with the Supreme Court’s judgment and the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
The repealed laws, enacted in 2021, had established the metropolitan authorities to oversee specific functions in their respective areas.
However, the Supreme Court’s judgment and a review of the Constitution revealed that those functions were meant to be carried out by local governments.
Mahmud Lawal, a member representing Zaria City Constituency and Chairman of the Joint Committee, explained that the repeal was necessary to enable local government authorities to perform their duties effectively now that they had gained autonomy.
The House also repealed the Fire and Public Safety Law No.20 of 2018 and enacted the Kaduna State Fire and Public Safety Law, 2024. The new law aims to improve fire safety and public safety in the state.
Kaduna Assembly repeals laws establishing metropolitan authorities
Three die in Lagos building collapse
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency on Thursday confirmed the death of three site workers on a building that collapsed at Arowojobe Estate in the Maryland area of the state.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria.
He said the incident happened at No 13, Wilson Mba Street, Arowojobe Estate, Maryland, Lagos.
He said that the three males who were recovered dead at the building were site workers.
“The agency received a distress call regarding a collapsed building at the above address at about 3.49am.
“This prompted the immediate activation of the agency’s response team to the incident scene at 3.58am.
“It was discovered that a set of three terraces under construction had collapsed.
“Search and rescue operations began immediately and three adult males were recovered dead, two male adults were rescued alive and one adult male trapped under the rubble was rescued,” he said.
He added that the rescued ones were carried out through the efforts of LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Service.
“All the six men were site workers.
“They are receiving pre-hospital care on location while the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit has been contacted for the remains of the three fatalities.
“A combined team of agency personnel, fire service and Nigeria Police are working at the scene.
“LASEMA’s excavator has been deployed to accelerate the search and rescue operations,” he said.
(NAN)
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from According.
Contact: [email protected]
Israel Army recovers bodies of hostages in Gaza
Israeli forces retrieved the bodies of five people taken hostage in the Gaza Strip during Hamas October 7 attack on southern Israel, the military said Thursday.
The Army said the bodies of hostage Maya Goren as well as soldiers Ravid Aryeh Katz, Oren Goldin, Tomer Ahimas and Kiril Brodski had been returned to Israel.
The bodies were recovered on Wednesday during an operation in Khan Yunis, the main city in the south of the Gaza Strip, the military said.
The four soldiers were killed during the October 7 attack launched by Hamas militants, it added.
In December, the military had announced the death of Goren, who was abducted and taken to Gaza on October 7.
Thursday’s announcement comes after two Israeli kibbutzim, Nir Oz and Nir Yitzhak, said in separate statements that the army had recovered the bodies of Goren and Goldin.
“Last night, we were informed that in a military rescue operation, the body of the late Maya Goren was recovered,” kibbutz Nir Oz said, adding that her family had been informed and more information would follow.
Later in a separate statement kibbutz Nir Yitzhak said the army had returned the body of Goldin.
“This evening, we were informed about the rescue operation for the late Oren Goldin, a member of the kibbutz emergency team, who fell on October 7” during the attack by Hamas militants, Nir Yitzhak said.
On October 7 Hamas militants attacked southern Israeli communities, which resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Militants also seized 251 hostages, 111 of whom remain in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 39,145 people, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
AFP.
August 1st: There’s no reason for national protest —Gov Uzodimma
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has stated that the planned national protest for August 1st has no reason or programme driving it.
He cautioned against the planned protests set to begin on August 1, spanning 10 days, urging aggrieved Nigerians to reconsider their stance.
Uzodimma who is also chairman of the South-East Governors Forum expressed concerns at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, emphasizing the untimeliness of the protests against the Tinubu administration amid global economic challenges affecting nations worldwide.
During his visit to present Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, a recent defector to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uzodimma argued that organizers had not provided compelling reasons for the protests.
“Democracy is about the opinion of the people, and protest is allowed in a democratic setting. Every protest must be reasonably conceived to make political sense,” Uzodimma stated. “Given the fragile state of the nation and current global insecurity, the political environment needs careful management to prevent potential collapse.”
Read also: NGX records domestic, foreign transactions worth N2.60tr in H1’24
Highlighting past experiences such as the #EndSARS protests, Uzodimma cautioned that protests could be exploited by criminals. He urged organizers to reconsider, noting, “If they have no reason for the protests, I think our advice is that the protest should not hold.”
“We are not in support of the protest, we are not going to support any protest that has no program, that is not discussed, that nobody knows what the problem is,” Uzodimma emphasized. “I advise against the protests.”
Senator Anyim, is a former President of the Senate and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
The post August 1st: There’s no reason for national protest —Gov Uzodimma appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
LAWMA interns sensitise Lagos community
Interns of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, on Wednesday, sensitised residents of Otto Community, Lagos Mainland, to the need to imbibe proper waste management.
The interns, under the aegis of the LAWMA Academy, the 34th set, also known as Team Eco Resilience, took the sensitisation to the community as the state seeks to drive sanitation campaign across the Lagos metropolis.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, represented by the Executive Director, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, told residents to make personal hygiene and proper waste management, a way of life.
He said the task of ensuring a clean environment was not LAWMA’s alone, but a collective responsibility, adding that residents should get covered bins for disposal of their waste, to avoid the spread of diseases.
Gbadegesin also invited interested youths in the Otto community, to register as interns at LAWMA Academy, noting that, “When graduate youths from the community register as interns, they can spread awareness about what they have learned. Various opportunities now exist in waste management. To benefit, we must open our eyes to the possibilities around us.”
In his response, the CDA chairman of Otto community and CDC chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government, Saloko Babatunde, implored residents in the area, to join the weekly clean-up exercise, to be organised by the community, warning that those who failed to join would be sanctioned.
Representative of the Oloto of Otto Community, Fuhad Oloto, and chief of staff to Oloto, Akeem Esuru-osho, pledged support for LAWMA and compliance with environmental regulations.
In a related development, traders of United Amu Market have taken it upon themselves to clean up their business premises, in response to last Sunday’s sanitation awareness effort at Alamutu Market, Idi-Oro, by officials of the Lagos State Government.
Reacting to this, Gbadegesin, commended the traders for their sense of responsibility towards their environment, urging other markets in the state to take a cue from that, and observe proper sanitation and hygiene around their business facilities.
“Achieving a clean and livable city of our dreams requires everyone to play their own part, we cannot afford to watch the beauty of the state erode due to indiscriminate refuse dumping and nonchalant attitude. The environment is ours to cherish and preserve. Let’s keep Lagos clean,” he said.
You would recall that some officials of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and LAWMA, including the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, last Sunday, visited Alamutu Market, Idi-Oro, Mushin, for a comprehensive community sanitation/ sensitisation exercise.