Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 17th October, 2024
1. No Leadership Vacuum, Tinubu To Return Before Vacation Ends – Presidency
The Presidency has stated that there is no vacuum in leadership as President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima are out of the country.
Naija News reports that Shettima jetted out of the country today for an official visit to Sweden, while President Tinubu is currently observing a working vacation.
Reacting in a statement to enquiries by journalists as to who is in charge of the country as both leaders are away, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that Tinubu is still carrying out his duties on vacation.
According to Onanuga, the President is expected to return to the country soon before his vacation officially ends.
2. Vice President Shettima Departs Nigeria For Sweden
Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed the shores of Nigeria for an official visit to Sweden, where he will represent the country and President Bola Tinubu in bilateral engagements with the Scandinavian nation.
This was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha.
According to the statement, Shettima, during the 2-day visit, will engage in high-level bilateral talks with key government officials, including a meeting with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and the Swedish Prime Minister.
Senator Shettima will also use the visit to explore opportunities for strengthened collaboration between Nigeria and Sweden in areas such as ICT, innovation, education, digitalisation, sustainable transport, mining, and agriculture.
During his time in Sweden, the Nigerian Vice President will also meet with key stakeholders in both the Government and Private Sector.
Shettima will meet with Norrsken, a Stockholm-based venture capital impact investor, which recently launched Norrsken22, a USD 205 million tech investment fund for Africa, Nkwocha explained.
3. ‘Nigeria’s Struggle With Hunger Is Saddening’ – Peter Obi
The Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has lamented about Nigeria’s struggle with food crisis and hunger.
Naija News reports that Obi, in commemoration of the 2024 World Food Day celebration, declared that Nigerians can no longer afford sustainable food with the nature of their income.
In a statement via X on Wednesday, the former Governor of Anambra State noted that households are suffering due to hunger despite the rich arable lands Nigeria is blessed with.
Peter Obi stated that the government should prioritize investment in agriculture by combating insecurity, which has kept farmers away from the farms, and adopt modern ways of mechanized farming.
4. Lagos Approves ₦85,000 As Minimum Wage
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, announced that the minimum wage for civil servants in the state is ₦85,000.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Wednesday during an interview with Channels Television.
He said, “I’m glad to let you know that the minimum wage for Lagos, which we have discussed with our union, is ₦85,000 today.
“It is not a competition. I am not going to say that we are paying more than some people, it is a function of affordability and capacity.
“We know too well that when people live in Lagos, Lagos has a premium in terms of the cost of living. We are fully aware.
“We also increased our salary earlier in the year. I will want to come back in January and say that I have been able to increase the minimum wage of Lagos to ₦100,000, not because I want to make anybody look bad, but because I want my people to have a living wage.”
5. Present 2025 Budget To Parliament Now – Reps Tell Tinubu
The House of Representatives urged President Bola Tinubu to, without further hesitation, present the 2025 budget to the parliament.
The lawmakers criticized the executive arm of government for its delay in submitting the 2025 budget estimate to the National Assembly.
The House called on the Executive to adhere to section 11(1)(b) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007 and to submit the 2025 Budget Proposal to the National Assembly without any further postponements.
Naija News reports that this resolution was reached following the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance put forth by Representative Clement Jumbo.
In presenting the motion, Jumbo expressed concern over the executive’s failure to deliver the 2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Appropriation Bill for 2025, as required by the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA).
He noted that the FRA mandates the submission of the MTEF and Appropriation Bills to the National Assembly at least four months prior to the conclusion of the financial year.
It is worth noting that the current budget cycle is set to conclude on December 31, 2024, which leaves only two and a half months remaining.
Jumbo emphasized that a delayed presentation of the appropriation bill to the National Assembly would hinder lawmakers’ ability to examine the budget document thoroughly before its approval.
6. Tinubu Issues Directive Over Death Of 105 People In Jigawa Tanker Explosion
President Bola Tinubu has expressed grieve over the death of 105 people in the petrol tanker explosion that occurred on Tuesday in Majia town, Jigawa State.
Naija News reports that Tinubu, in a statement through the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to lead a high-level delegation to Jigawa state to console the residents.
He said the delegation, while in Jigawa, would visit the incident scene to assess the situation and visit injured persons in the hospital.
Tinubu prayed for divine comfort for the bereaved families and the peaceful repose for the souls of the departed.
He also reassured the nation that the Federal Government, in collaboration with states, is committed to the swift and comprehensive review of fuel transportation safety protocols nationwide.
7. Akpabio Speaks On Alleged Plot For His Impeachment
The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has debunked a viral report speculating a plot of his potential impeachment.
“We are here, sitting peacefully, doing our work, oblivious to the mischief happening behind us.
“If they have a lot of traffic… Whoever brought out this fake news must be getting a lot of payment because of the traffic going on. I hope the public understands that this is totally fake news and the chamber is very stable and the issue of impeachment does not come up,” Akpabio said while debunking the report during plenary on Wednesday.
“This kind of falsehood is part of what we face daily. They use AI to manipulate stories, probably to drive traffic and earn money from platforms like YouTube,” the Senate President added.
Akpabio immediately referred the fake news to the Committee on Special Duties for further investigation.
8. Reps Demand Immediate Petrol, Cooking Gas Price Hike Reversal
The House of Representatives has taken action in response to the recent increase in the pump price of petroleum products, demanding an immediate reversal of the hikes in petrol and cooking gas prices.
This move was initiated by Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki and supported by 111 other members of the House.
In their resolution, lawmakers expressed concern that the rising prices are inflicting hardship on Nigerians and jeopardizing job security across various sectors.
The urgency of the situation prompted the Green Chamber to call upon the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to enhance local refining capacity to alleviate some of the pressures on fuel prices.
Additionally, the House urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to implement monetary policies aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of the fuel price increase on inflation.
The lawmakers’ intervention comes amid growing public dissatisfaction and economic strain resulting from the latest price hikes.
9. Pay Your Taxes, Govt Needs Money – Wike Begs Nigerians
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged Nigerians to pay their taxes.
The minister noted that the government, at all levels, need to make money to provide social services to Nigerians.
Wike stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at the first edition of the Abuja Business and Investment Summit organised by the Abuja Investment Company Limited.
He said the theme of the event, ‘Optimising Investment Through Partnerships’, resonates with the Federal Government’s drive to deploy the power of collaboration to foster investment opportunities.
According to him, the notion that the government does not need money was incorrect.
While citing examples of the government’s partnership with the private sector that went sour, Wike said the government won’t continue to commit billions of naira and land to investors who can’t guarantee a return on investment.
10. Tinubu’s Aide Dismisses DSS Take Over Of National Assembly For Akpabio’s Impeachment
The presidency has rubbished reports that alleged that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) were deployed to the National Assembly on Wednesday in relation to a plan to impeach the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Senate Matters, Basheer Lado, in a statement on Wednesday, said the reports are baseless and intended to sow seeds of discord between the executives and the legislators and among the lawmakers themselves.
Lado emphasized Tinubu’s respect for the separation of power between the executive and other arms of government.
While urging members of the public to disregard the reports of a planned impeachment, the presidential aide noted that any security presence within the National Assembly Complex is for the routine safety and protection of legislators and staff.
He stressed the commitment of the President to the free function of the legislature without interference.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
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