Stephen Ucheonye, a lawmaker representing Aba Central Constituency is set to commission set of disposal bin as Constituency Project to mark his one year in office.
The pictures of the disposal bin and a circular which was seen on X has gearnred reaction from the social media with many criticizing the honorable for such act despite various needs affecting the state.
Many people were reportedly injured as armed thugs opened fire on the convoy of Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, and Phillip Shaibu, the former Deputy Governor of Edo State at the Benin Airport on Thursday.
The incident occurred around 2 pm as the duo arrived from Abuja aboard a chartered private jet.
Eyewitnesses reported that the unknown gunmen, travelling in a Toyota Sienna bus, positioned themselves at the airport’s exit gate and unleashed bullets on the convoy carrying Okpebholo and Shaibu.
In reaction, the security details attached to the APC candidate and Shaibu retaliated with gunfire.
Reports have it that businesses in the area hastily closed, and drivers abandoned their vehicles to escape the crossfire.
The situation was however brought under control by the timely intervention of the Nigeria Police mobile squad, who fired shots that forced the attackers to flee in their vehicle.
This incident comes on the heels of a Federal Court ruling in Abuja, which reinstated Shaibu as the Deputy Governor and ordered the Inspector General of Police to restore his security details. The court’s decision nullified Shaibu’s impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly.
Meanwhile, men from the Edo State Security Network took over the office of the state’s deputy governor, Marvellous Omobayo, located at Osadebey Avenue in the Government Reservation Area.
Earlier, Shaibu had instructed a large crowd of youths to join his convoy to the office.
Phillip Shaibu’s full security details have been reinstated following the court’s directive, enabling him to officially resume his duties as the Edo State deputy governor.
The governor who was seen in a video shared on X had in his company security details with chants from his supporters cheering him.
Watch video below:
President Tinubu has approved a N70,000 minimum wage for Nigerian workers with a promise to review the national minimum wage law every three years.
The Nation reports the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are at the Presidential Villa, Abuja for a scheduled meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
A statement by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, said: “President Tinubu also promised to find ways to assist the private sector and the sub-nationals to pay the minimum wage.
“President Tinubu announced the decisions at the meeting held with leaders of TUC and NLC on Thursday in Abuja, the second time the parties met in 7 days.
“The Labour leaders applauded President Tinubu for the fatherly gesture as the President also promised to use his discretionary powers meet the demands of university unions demanding unpaid 4 months salaries.”
Access Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading institution in sustainable finance, was one of the participants in the launch of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) Impact Board, a dedicated platform for listing sustainability instruments to integrate sustainability into the core of Nigeria’s capital market.
The event, marked by the attendance of high-profile stakeholders, including the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, and the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama, underscored the critical need for sustainable financing in Nigeria. Lawal emphasised the urgency of addressing environmental challenges, stating, “With issues like flooding, pollution, and deforestation, we urgently need funds to tackle them. This is why we are approaching the market.”
Commenting on the launch of the Impact Board, Gregory Jobome, Executive Director, Risk Management at Access Bank Plc, highlighted the Bank’s pioneering role in sustainable finance, noting, “As a leader in the issuance of corporate Green Bonds in Africa, Access Bank is committed to driving environmental sustainability and supporting projects that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The NGX Impact Board is a significant step towards fostering a greener and more responsible investment landscape.”
The Director-General of the SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, reaffirmed the commission’s support for sustainable finance, saying, “We are ready to bolster the sustainable finance market, aiming to deepen it with diverse instruments that contribute to Nigeria’s sustainable development.”
Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, expressed confidence the NGX’s capabilities, stating, “We possess the capacity, resources, and technology to raise the funds required by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Nigerian economy to achieve the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Access Bank has consistently demonstrated leadership in climate finance across Africa, exemplifying a strong commitment to sustainable environmental practices and financial solutions. In June 2018, the Bank supported the Green Bond Market Development Programme organised by FSD Africa, the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), and FMDQ Group PLC, aiming to develop a non-sovereign green bond market in Nigeria.
This initiative sought to entrench sustainability principles into the Nigerian capital markets and support broader debt capital market reforms to facilitate the transition to a climate-resilient economy.
In April 2019, Access Bank issued its inaugural green bond, valued at NGN 15 billion (USD 41 million), becoming the first African corporate entity to receive CBI certification. The bond, listed on multiple exchanges including the FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, Nigerian Stock Exchange, and Luxembourg Green Exchange, set the tone for the continent’s appetite for green capital. Building on this success, the Bank issued USD 50 million Reg S Step-Up Green Notes in 2022 under its US$1.5 billion Global Medium-Term Note Programme, further solidifying its commitment to sustainable financing.
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, has granted approval for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and Nigerian tertiary institutions to admit candidates from the age of 16.
This followed objections and pleas by heads of tertiary institutions present at the policy meeting on the 2024 admission organised by JAMB and held in Abuja on Thursday.
The policy meeting is a forum for critical stakeholders in the admission processes into tertiary institutions in the country, including university vice-chancellors and registrars, rectors and registrars of polytechnics, provosts and registrars of colleges of education, the JAMB registrar and other officials of the examination body, and principal officers of monotechnics.
LEADING REPORTERS reported that the minister had, earlier in his speech, directed the institutions not to admit candidates under 18.
The minister’s comments drew loud grumbles from the audience consisting mainly of heads of tertiary institutions, registrars, and their admission officers.
But the minister said it was a matter of law and policies, adding it does not require his comments as it was a provision of Nigeria’s policy on education.
“JAMB is hereby instructed from admission this year to admit only eligible students. That is those who have attained 18 years by our laws,” he had said.
“Our laws require students to be in school from six years —Yes, there are those who do that from five—, and remain in primary school for six years, basic education for three years, and secondary school for three years… It doesn’t require a statement of the minister… we are only restating what is in the law,” he added.
However, while considering the memorandum for the 2024 policy meeting on this year’s admissions, heated arguments ensued over the minister’s directive on underage admissions.
The representative of Elizade University moved the motion for objection.
He called for the adoption of 16 years as many of those categorised underage candidates have already taken the UTME without anticipating the directive.
But the JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, who convened the meeting said it was not a new policy or directive.
The minister, however, agreed that candidates from the age of 16 be admitted and the meeting approved it.
“For practical reasons, we will go with that,” Mr Mamman said, finally drawing applause and cheers from the audience.
A Bill seeking to establish a federal agency for the conduct of local government elections on Thursday, July 18, scaled first reading in the Senate.
The Bill titled, “Local Government Independent Electoral Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024” was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, (APC – Niger East).
Details shortly……
Members of the House of Representatives on Thursday, July 18, resolved to sacrifice 50 percent of their monthly salaries to address the current economic crisis in the country.
The speaker inferred that each lawmaker’s salary was about N600,000 monthly.
The Deputy Speaker had proposed an amendment to a motion appealing to young Nigerians planning a protest as a result of the hardship in the country, saying members should consider sacrificing 50 percent of their pay to address hunger in the land.
However, when the Speaker, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen put the motion to voice vote, the majority of members voted in favour of the motion.
In proposing the amendment, Kalu reminded members that the House took a similar decision during the COVID-19 era and that it worked very well for the country.
The Speaker commended members for their resolve to sacrifice part of their salaries to address hunger in the land just as some members asked the Executive to also make sacrifices in line with what the Lawmakers have done.
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, a professor, has directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and Nigerian tertiary institutions to admit only candidates who are 18 years and above into the tertiary institutions.
The minister gave the directive in his address at the ongoing 2024 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions in Abuja on Thursday.
The policy meeting is a forum of critical stakeholders in the admission processes into tertiary institutions in the country including university vice-chancellors and registrars, rectors and registrars of polytechnics, provosts, and registrars of colleges of education, JAMB registrar and other officials of the examination body, among principal officers of monotechnics.
“JAMB is hereby instructed from admission this year to admit only eligible students. That is those who have attained 18 years by our laws,” the minister said as the hall erupted with grumbling.
Responding to the ominous grumbling in the hall, the minister insisted that his position was backed by Nigeria’s law guiding admissions into tertiary institutions. He said it shouldn’t require a statement from him for that to be taken into consideration by admission bodies.
“Our laws require students to be in school from six years —Yes, there are those who do that from five—, and remain in primary school for six years, basic education for three years, and secondary school for three years… It doesn’t require a statement of the minister… we are only restating what is in the law,” he added.
The Federal Government plans to implement a 50% tax on the profits banks earn from foreign exchange revaluation in 2023.
President Bola Tinubu has submitted proposed changes to the 2023 Finance Act to the National Assembly for approval.
This was contained in a statement by Internet personality, Imran Muhammed on Wednesday, July 17.
The statement reads: “The government intends to implement a 50% tax on the profits that banks earn from foreign exchange revaluation in the year 2023.
“The newly suggested changes to the 2023 Finance Act have been submitted by the President to the National Assembly for their approval.
“The funds generated from the windfall tax outlined in the President’s letter to the Senate will be utilized for projects aimed at revitalizing infrastructure, education, healthcare, and other related initiatives under the “Renewed Hope” program.
“The tax labeled as a “windfall tax” on foreign exchange gains will be gathered by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
“”There shall be levied and paid to the benefit of the Federal Government of Nigeria a tax of 50% on the realised profits from all foreign exchange transactions of banks within the 2023 financial year.”
