President of the African Development Bank Group, Akinwumi Adesina, has added his voice in defence of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the CEO of the Dangote Group, following his vilification by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited on alleged monopolistic practices in the oil sector.
Adesina, a former Minister of Agriculture, in a statement on Tuesday, said destroying and disparaging Dangote was sending a wrong message to potential investors who will be sceptical about investing in the country.
The AfDB chief expressed shock at the controversy surrounding Dangote’s operations, warning that it is creating bad waves for Nigeria globally.
In the statement shared by businessman Femi Otedola via X, Adesina stated that monopolies often arise in industries with high entry barriers or capital costs, citing railways and large-scale refineries as examples.
“This whole issue on Dangote is shocking and creating bad waves for Nigeria globally,” Adesina argued.
“Monopoly often exists where there are high barriers to entry or high capital costs.
“How many individuals or companies can do railways? How many can do refineries of the scale of Dangote Refineries?
“In a nation that has been importing refined petroleum products for several decades, the abnormal simply became very normal.
“No smart investor would make a $19.5 billion investment and want it to be undermined by importers.
READ ALSO:NNPC boss, Kyari, denies Dangote allegations, vows to punish staff involved in overseas petroleum plant
“To manufacture is extremely expensive and risky. This is even more so in Nigeria, given the very challenging business and economic environment, fraught with policy uncertainties and policy reversals, and where the self-defeating default mode of “simply import it” is always so easily rationalized and chorused to solve any problem.
“Competition is good for everyone. But is Dangote refineries anti-competitive? What is the evidence?
“Has Dangote refineries prevented any other company from setting up refineries? Why have others not done so? How come they have not done so for several decades? Was it Dangote that held them back?
“But Dangote refineries surely cannot be asked to compete with importers of petroleum products.
“That is not competition. Let the importers set up local refineries and compete by refining in Nigeria. That is fair and justified competition.
“We cannot and must not undermine, disparage or kill local industries, talk less of one that is of this scale — a jewel of industrialisation in Nigeria.
“It is more than simply delivering the cheapest product to the market. It is about domestic supply security, driving (and yes, protecting) globally competitive industries, maximizing forward and backward linkages in the local economy, job creation, reducing forex expenses and shoring up the Naira.
“We must not be myopic. This whole disparaging of Dangote is uncalled for. It is self-defeating. And it is very bad for Nigeria. Who will want to come and invest in a country that disparages and undermines its own largest investor?
“Investing is tough. Pettiness is easy. It sadly sends a signal that the price for sacrificing for Nigeria is to get sacrificed,” he stated.
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Destroying Dangote bad for Nigeria —AfDB president, Adesina
ASUP suspends planned industrial action
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has suspended its plan to embark on strike to protest the new scheme of service approved by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE.
Chairman of the union, Federal Poly, Offa chapter, in Kwara State, Dr Atilola Moses Idowu, disclosed this to TVN in Ilorin on Tuesday.
He said the institution is in full session following the suspension of the strike action on Monday.
The decision to suspend the strike action was taken at the union’s NEC emergency meeting on July 22, 2024, to review its position on the controversial new scheme of service approved by the NBTE.
“The NEC resolved to suspend the earlier scheduled industrial action in recognition of the fact that the demands of the union have been met substantially,” a statement by the National President of the union, Shammah Kpanja, stated.
The statement appreciated the productive intervention of the Federal Minister of Education and the receptive disposition of the Executive Secretary of the NBTE in arriving at the decision as well as the media for being worthy partners.
TVN reports that the two weeks ultimatum which was to expire on Monday, July 22, 2024, involved vexed issues in the new scheme of service for polytechnics as released by the NBTE on June 19, 2024.
The union has reviewed the document and identified several positions that fundamentally altered the tertiary education system of polytechnics in the country, and deepened the condemnable and age long discrimination against holders of the Higher National Diploma certificates.
The new scheme of service, according to the union, distorted employee relativity in the Nigeria polytechnic system and unnecessarily expanded the overheads of the institutions, among others misgivings.
The union, therefore, demanded a suspension of the implementation of the contentious provisions and the commencement of a thorough review through a stakeholders’ engagement process.
The 15-day ultimatum was to provide the government ample time to address the grievances of the union or face diverse forms of industrial action by the aggrieved members.
TVN gathered that the union’s leadership,was invited to a tripartite meeting with the leadership of the NBTE and Federal Ministry of Education on July 19, 2024, where it was resolved that the implementation of the flawed document on the new scheme of service be suspended and a review process be initiated in line with the demands of the union.
ASUP suspends planned industrial action
No need for protest, Tinubu tells Nigerians
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday appealed to Nigerians who plan to stage nationwide hunger protest to shelve the plan.
He also called on citizens to give his administration enough time to respond to their requests.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this to State House Correspondents after closed-door talks with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.
He said, “On the issue of the planned protest, Mr. President does not see any need for that. He asked them to shelve that plan and he has asked them to await government’s response to all their pleas.
“So, there is no need for strike. The young people out there should listen to the President and allow the President more time to see to the realisation of all the goodies he has for them.”
His comments come days after calls for nationwide protests from August 1-10 against the rising cost of living and the economic hardship.
Details shortly…
With three years of experience, Stephen, The According correspondent, has been covering Nigeria’s presidency, politics, security, immigration and trafficking in persons
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Hardship: Atiku backs nationwide protest, blasts Tinubu
The 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has backed the planned nationwide protests against hunger and widespread hardship in the country, scheduled to begin on August 1.
In a statement, Atiku slammed the government of President Bola Tinubu for attempting to suppress the protesters, saying it was an exercise in futility.
He noted that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are affected by the hunger, anger, and hopelessness caused by the government’s incompetence and cluelessness.
He warned that any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to democracy.
Atiku’s statement reads, “For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of citizens to protest are ENSHRINED in the Nigerian Constitution and AFFIRMED by our courts. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) unequivocally guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association.
“Chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility when it is obvious that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are caught up in the hunger, anger, and hopelessness brought about by the incompetence and cluelessness of this government.
“It is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012. A responsible government must ensure a SAFE and SECURE environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to PEACEFUL PROTEST. Any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to our democracy.”
Hardship: Atiku backs nationwide protest, blasts Tinubu
Kano distributes fertilizers worth N1.2bn to farmers
The Kano State Government has procured a total of 52 trucks of fertilizers at the cost of N1.2 billion and distributed them free to small-scale farmers across the 44 local government areas of the state.
The State Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Danjuma Mahmoud, disclosed on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the State government’s intervention in agriculture in the State.
Similarly, the government had purchased 180 additional trucks of fertilizer at the cost of N5 billion from the State Fertilizer Production Company, and are now being sold to the 44 Local Governments at a subsidized rate of half price of the commodities.
The commissioner also disclosed that the Federal Government is giving to the state NPK, and urea, which would also be distributed to farmers free of charge.
“We are to receive NPK from Minna, Kaduna, and urea from Port Harcourt on the Federal Government support,” he said.
The commissioner explained that a committee had already been constituted under the interim chairmen of the local governments to ensure the effective distribution of the commodity at each of the wards across the 44 LGAs.
“The government has set up a committee of traditional, religious institutions, police, and other stakeholders, to ensure that the commodities reached out to real farmers in the state, “ he added.
According to him, the fertilizers that had already been delivered to the local government areas were procured as parts of the state government’s efforts to make the commodities available and accessible to farmers, especially smallholder farmers in the state.
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Nurses suspend 2-month indefinite strike in Oyo
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, Oyo State chapter, has suspended its two-month indefinite strike.
The union chairman, Dr Samuel Adeyemi, made this known on Tuesday in Ibadan.
Recall that the nurses and midwives in the state government-owned hospitals and health centres began an indefinite strike on May 21.
The industrial action had taken its toll on the patients who throng the hospitals daily with no nurses and midwives to attend to them.
The NANNM demands include: urgent mass recruitment of nurses and midwives and correction of wrong notational date on the promotion letters of members who were due in 2017/2018.
Others are the adoption and implementation of lateral conversion/career progression for the nurses, as it is in other states of the federation.
The association is also demanding for the payment of their withheld 2011 salary arrears which, according to it, had been paid to other workers.
Adeyemi said the strike was suspended for one month following the commitments of the state government to attend to their demands.
He added that it was also to allow the implementation of the remaining approved agitations.
“In the light of the above, all our members across the state have been directed to resume duties from Wednesday. We are optimistic that the government will not relent in its effort to meet all our demands,” Adeyemi said.
Nurses suspend 2-month indefinite strike in Oyo
Dakore denies rumoured affair with Akpabio, threatens legal action
Popular Nigerian actress, Dakore Egbuson-Akande has denied reports linking her to a romantic relationship with Nigerian Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and threatened to sue peddlers of such news.
Controversial blogger Gistlover, recently mentioned Dakore among a list of female celebrities that are alleged to be ‘side chicks’ of the Senate President, including Nancy Isime, Hilda Baci, and Ini Edo.
However, the mother of two has now made posts on her Instagram page to refute the claim by Gistlover.
She wrote: “I saw text messages and calls this morning, alerting me to a very wicked lie from the pit of hell.
“I must say that I’m very disappointed, shocked and appalled. And I want to categorically state that I have never ever met the Senate president in my life.
“I have not had any cause to be in the same room with him, not to talk of being his side chick. I’m happily married with two beautiful children.
“So for a jobless, wicked blogger to decide to put my name amongst women who have been with this man is totally wicked and unfounded.
“It is a lie and I am ready for any legal action because, at this point, you have messed with the wrong person.
“I keep to myself, mind my business, I drink water and I do my work. So for someone to want to tarnish my hard-earned name and image for some clicks, no way.
“I want to put it out there. Anyone who can provide video or audio evidence that I have been with this man, I would give you N5 million right now.”
This was followed by a post on Instagram, through her lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba Legal, warning the media outlet to delete the libellous allegation against her.
The law firm has released a Cease and Desist’ letter, calling on Gistlover to delete the post and refrain from sharing any slanderous remarks about Dakore to avoid legal action.
NAN.
Senate passes bill increasing national minimum wage to N70,000
In a significant legislative move, the Senate, on Tuesday, approved the 2024 National Minimum Wage Amendment Act Bill, effectively raising the minimum wage to N70,000.
The bill, presented and supported by Senate leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti), was expedited following its transmission to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu on July 23.
Under Senate Rule 80, the bill underwent both first and second readings promptly. Bamidele, in his address outlining the bill’s core principles, emphasized its intent to amend the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019. He underscored that the amendment not only increases the minimum wage but also shortens the review period from five years to three years.
The decision to revise the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 comes amidst widespread calls and protests from organized labor and other sectors of society. Bamidele highlighted the government’s responsiveness to these demands and its commitment to addressing the economic challenges facing Nigeria.
READ ALSO;N70k minimum wage can only buy a bag of rice —Ndume
The bill’s passage marks a crucial step towards alleviating immediate economic pressures while longer-term solutions are pursued to meet the aspirations of Nigerians.
The urgency of the bill’s approval, as stressed by Bamidele, underscores its importance for Nigeria’s socio-economic stability.
Earlier negotiations between the Federal Government and labor unions had seen proposed minimum wages fluctuate, with organized labor initially requesting N494,000 before settling on N70,000 following discussions with President Tinubu at the presidential villa.
The Senate’s approval follows a series of developments including strikes and negotiations, culminating in the acceptance of the revised minimum wage, which labor leaders believe will help mitigate economic hardships faced by workers nationwide.
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Shelve planned protest -Tinubu begs Nigerians
President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to shelve planned protests against bad governance in the country, slated for next month.
The appeal was made known by Information Minister Mohammed Idris, who briefed State House correspondents after a meeting with the President on Tuesday.
Idris said Tinubu urged the organisers of the protest to shelve the plan and await the President’s response to their complaints.
“The issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that. He’s asked them to shelve that plan. He’s asked them to await the government’s response to all their pleas,” the minister said.
The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to hold across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, starting from August 1.
TVN reports that the prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months.
Many Nigerians currently are battling one of the country’s worst inflation and economic crisis sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.
Shelve planned protest –Tinubu begs Nigerians
What Tinubu should do to avert planned protest
The convener of Country First Movement, Prof. Chris Nwokobia, has outlined what President Bola Tinubu ought to do to avert the planned nationwide protest fixed for Thursday, August 1, against prevailing hardship in the country.
Nwokobia said rather than resorting to brandishing treason allegations against some political figures in the country and lavishing funds to dissuade some groups, the President need to come to terms with the prevailing realities and address the situation pragmatically.
Recall the Presidency had described calls for nationwide protests under the hashtags #TinubuMustGo and #Revolution2024 as treasonable.
In a lengthy tweet published on his X account on Saturday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and his supporters were those behind the call for protest.
According Online reports that there have also been several sponsored conferences held by socio-cultural groups, political groups and student groups, among others, to declare their resolve against the protest so as to dissuade the rising crusade for the protest.
While some state governments have also made efforts to dissuade youths from the protest, it was gathered some other groups would today and in a few days distance themselves from the protest.
Speaking to the issue on Tuesday, while featuring on Arise TV Morning Show Programme. Nwokobia said rather than resorting to threats and efforts by “operators of state” who he said have been “spending money and calling conferences and throwing money at youth groups and cash thieves and asking them to disown and denounce the protestation”, the President should be responsive to the present realities.
He mentioned that such an approach to lavish money on groups would not prevent the protest, but would only further “deepen the resolve of those who want to protest.”
“It does not dissuade them”, he said, mentioning “Mr. President must begin to tell those who are using this to cash out, that you’re provoking the people who love their country.”
Speaking on what he would do to avert the protest if he were to be in the shoes of the President, Nwokobia said “I will speak to the Nigerian people and first of all lampoon spokespersons of state who are inciting conflict and anarchy, then I will talk to Nigerians and tell them I understand their pains. Then I will begin to cut the cost of governance and reduce the size of my cabinet.”
He said President Tinubu ought to move to the lawmakers of the National Assembly “and say to them you cannot be taking N29 million when Nigerians barely have food.”
“We must cut the cost of sustaining the National Assembly. We cannot continue to spend hundreds of billions on 469 members of the National Assembly every year,” he said.
Lamenting the heavy drawings of the National Assembly on the country’s purse, and the need to cut down the emoluments of lawmakers, he said “I’m not talking about the paltry tokenist tendency of cutting salaries for six months by half. I’m talking about the total package.
“469 members of the National Assembly members should not be taking more … than over 10,000 workers. There must be a holistic overhaul of our system.”
On what President Tinubu ought to do, he continued, “I would come back to the Nigerian people and say to them that this is my total emoluments and I’m cutting it by so per cent and make it effectual. Salaries are going to be paid this week. Show to the Nigerian proof that this has begun.”
Nwokoba submitted that the President should rather overhaul the system of governance to be responsive to global realities, particularly cutting down the cost of running government, than gaslighting the people.
“What is important is for the president to address the fundamental issues that agitate the people, cut down the size of government, cut down the cost of running government, sell some of those presidential aircraft, convince the people that you did not spend another $100million for aircraft, ensure that your ministers and your aides are accountable to the people, cut down the salaries and emoluments of those who serve in government,” he submitted.
He knocked Onanuga for throwing allegations at Obi as the architect of the rousing campaign, saying those surrounding the President who refused to speak the reality of things to the President are his real enemies and of the nation.
“There is absolutely no truth in what Bayo Onanuga said”, Nwokobia mentioned, adding that “you cannot expect a country without critical opposition.”
“If anybody is stoking the fire or stoking the embers of conflict, it is Bayo Onanuga,” he said.
“Mr President must understand that those who truly love him are those who are critical of his watch and you know that the Holy Book said ‘open rebuke is better than secret love’. Those who are sycophants who pat his back when things are going wrong are the haters of not only the President but haters of the presidency and haters of our country.
“When I read what Bayo Onanuga wrote, I wonder what hate he has for Mr. President and not love.
“Don’t forget the cliche ‘when a man is down he needs fear no fall’ is true and if Bayo Onanuga understands this reality if he understands that when you go to the market you need N10,000 to buy an average tuber of yam when he understands that this Gen Z generation are aware of what goes on around government that over a $100million was spent in the purchase of a presidential craft when roads connecting to farms and the villages are not well and are not good when he understands the fact that they are out of school and are through with youth service and there is no job…. when he understands that the shortage of food and the spiral rates of inflation affects everybody when he understands that hunger, disease and despondency are beyond ethnicity when he understands that the challenge facing the Nigerian people is beyond partisanship, he would write nicely and seek to create a better environment and perhaps dialogue with those who are grieved,” he said.
He said while Tinubu and Onanuga played a leading role in sponsoring the 2012 protest organised against subsidy reforms introduced by the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan, it was baffling that the Tinubu-led government upon coming to power was fighting hard against the right to protest when the situation in the country has grown worse.
“It pains me that we have a government to remove from reality and we have a government of those who believe that protestation and disagreement with the state is noble and suddenly they are now in power and protestation and disagreement with state has become anarchical. They are now in power and protestation and disagreement with the state is a crime.”
Speaking on Onanuga’s involvement in the 2012 protest organised against the Jonathan government, and his recent statement alleging Obi of inciting anarchy, Nwokobia said “A lot has changed, he has his hands now perhaps in the cookie jar; a lot has changed, perhaps he just sing the praise of his master; a lot has changed because when people put egocentric interest over and above public interest, they begin to talk from two sides of the mouth.
“In 2022 when we marched out in Ojota against the fuel price increase by the then president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, even our dear president was absolutely in support, materially and morally of that protest. Bayo Onanuga & co hailed our actions… They saluted it.
“Now Nigeria is worse than it was then. That’s the truth, even the president admitted that in his last broadcast.”
Nwokobia who acknowledged that there was an ongoing global economic crisis, lamented that while leaders of countries in the world are taking giant steps to arrest the situation, the leadership in Nigeria’s case “is taking over by greed and profligacy.”
“That’s the pain here” he said, mentioning that when “Onanuga refuses to understand that the right to protest and protestation is intrinsic in the human nature, he fails to understand the right to say no and disagree is recognised, enshrined and respected by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and decided to allege that those who are behind the protest are the Obidients, are the IPOB people and perhaps sponsored and machinated by Peter Gregor Obi, it shows the fact that he loves half truth and falsehood.
“I want to say without fear of opposition and criticism that the truth is that he is looking a different way. Those who are planning this protest are everywhere across the country. They are the Nigerian young people traumatised by pain hunger and disease.”
He however said, “I want to say that Mr. President understands the anatomy of protest and protestation. So he should call his spokesperson to order. They should stop provoking the Nigerian people because hunger is indiscriminate of ethnicity, religion or region and hunger is indiscriminate of the tendencies they want to whip up.
“It is not about IPOB, it is not about Obidients, it is not about Peter Obi, It is about a generation that wants their nation to work.”
He urged the youths “to be peaceful about their protestation”, ruling out the approach of censoring youths from protests when things are not working right.
“The truth is no matter how much the system tries to gaslight them, no matter how much youth groups and organisations that are paid to discountenance and distance themselves from the planned protest, no matter how badly the system works propaganda against the protest, it’s their right and let me assure you that this generation would protest,” he said.
Nwokobia submitted that “what is important is for Mr President and the security to reach out to them and ensure the protestation is peaceful.”
He argued that efforts to gaslight the protest would not be sustainable, stating that “If the government continues to run this way, there would be more protests after now.”