Folarin Kehinde

The Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has pledged to disburse the 13th-month salary to civil servants in the state ahead of the New Year.

Makinde made this announcement on Sunday night during the 2023 Christmas Carol Service with the theme “Unto Us a Child is Born” held at the Remembrance Arcade, Government House, Agodi, Ibadan

Taking to his verified X account, he shared, “Tonight, we celebrated the 2023 Festival of Carols and Nine Lessons under the theme ‘Unto Us a Child is Born.’ It provided us with another occasion to express gratitude to God for His mercies and faithfulness throughout this challenging year economically.”

Makinde reassured the civil servants in Oyo State, stating, “Consistent with our practice since 2019, I want to assure the civil servants in Oyo State that, once again, we will be disbursing the 13th-month salary before the close of this year.”

It’s noteworthy that Makinde’s administration has consistently implemented the payment of the 13th-month salary since 2019.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has increased the registration fees for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for 2024.

In an official statement shared by JAMB, the updated registration fees are outlined as follows: Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred Naira Only,(N7,700 )for UTME registration inclusive of a mock examination, and Six Thousand Two Hundred Naira Only (N6,200) for UTME registration without the mock examination.

Before the recent adjustment, the cost of the JAMB form without a mock exam stood at Five Thousand Seven Hundred Naira (N5,700) and the application form inclusive of a mock exam was priced at Six Thousand Seven Hundred Naira (N6,700).

The board also said the application documents for foreign candidates will now be available at $30.

JAMB is expected to give a comprehensive breakdown of these fees when it unveils the registration details on or before January 15, 2024.

In addition to UTME registration adjustments, JAMB has released information on the registration period for the sale of Direct Entry (DE) application documents in 2024.

2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination/ Direct Entry
This is to inform all prospective 2024 UTME/DE candidates that creation of Profiles for registration has officially started, while the sale of application documents would commence on Monday 15th January, 2024.

The sale of Direct Entry application documents is scheduled to kick off on February 28, 2024, and will conclude on March 28, 2024.

Moreover, JAMB has confirmed that the ongoing process of creating profile codes for registration is currently in progress. Detailed guidelines on how to generate profile codes will be disseminated at a later date, leading up to the initiation of registration on January 15, 2024.

Motorists in parts of Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa, and other states faced mounting queues at petrol stations on Friday, signalling a surge in demand for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.

Despite the queues, oil marketers have assured the public of sufficient product availability to meet the demands throughout the Yuletide season.

The extended lines at filling stations operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) were reportedly due to lower pricing than other outlets, leading to increased patronage of NNPCL stations.

However, some oil marketers have expressed concerns over the competitive disadvantage posed by the lower prices at NNPCL stations, branding it detrimental and anti-competitive within the downstream oil sector.

Instances in Abuja highlighted this disparity, with major outlets remaining closed and causing massive rushes at the few stations dispensing PMS.

Observations by Punch at various locations, including the Central Business District and the Kubwa-Zuba Expressway, revealed long queues at NIPCO and NNPCL outlets. At the same time, several private stations either shut down or lacked products.

Ukadike Chinedu, the National Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, attributed the queues to heightened vehicular movements and panic buying, reassuring the public of ample supply to sustain the country through the festive season.

Another member from the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria echoed this sentiment, confirming the product’s availability but raising concerns about the pricing dynamics that create a price war in the market, particularly at NNPCL stations.

Responding to inquiries, Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, attributed the fuel queues to a price war in the market.

He highlighted the price variance, with NNPC retail selling at a lower rate than other marketers, thereby drawing larger queues to NNPCL outlets.

Despite assurances of adequate supply, observations on Friday indicated a disproportionate volume of motorists at NNPCL stations compared to private stations.

A former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, was on Saturday installed as the Gbobaniyi of Ijebuland by the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru  Adetona.

El-Rufai is said to be the first Nigerian outside the South West to receive a chieftaincy title from the Awujale of Ijebuland in his nearly 64-year reign.

Expressing his delight on the installation, the former governor tweeted on his X handle late Friday, “I am pleased to announce that on Saturday, the 16th of December 2023, His Royal Majesty Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona the Paramount Ruler and Awujale of Ijebuland will honour my brother and confidante Otunba Jimi Lawal with two chieftaincy titles for his contributions to the Ijebu Kingdom and Nigeria, along with his wife Maryam Lawal.

“I also am privileged to be the first Nigerian outside of South-West of Nigeria to be conferred with a chieftaincy title by the Awujale in his nearly 64-year reign.

“I am to be recognised as the Gbobaniyi of Ijebuland. I am grateful to Kabiyesi Awujale for the recognition and thank all those who have wished me well for this.”

President Bola Tinubu has described his immediate predecessor Muhammadu Buhari as a man of absolute and undiluted integrity.

Tinubu said this in a statement issued on Saturday by his spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, celebrating the ex-president on his 81st birthday.

President Tinubu extolled the leadership credentials and feats of the former President, recalling his service to the nation at various times as Head of State and also civilian president.

He further described Buhari as the finest paradigm of sacrifice, devotion, patriotism, and fidelity to the national cause.

“President Buhari is from the rarest phylum of virtuous servant-leaders. He has devoted his life to the service of the nation, even earning himself detention for his patriotism and service to our Fatherland.

“The emergence of leaders like my good friend, Buhari, happens only by divine orchestration. He is a man of absolute and undiluted integrity. His yea is yea, and his nay is nay,” the President said.

Barely 72 hours after assuming office as the acting Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has temporarily suspended Bola Alabi, the chief of protocol to ailing Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

This came after Mr Aiyedatiwa was declared as the state’s acting governor by the House of Assembly following a fresh medical vacation embarked upon by Mr Akeredolu, who had been battling with an underlying health challenge for more than a year.

In a circular issued in Akure, the state capital at the weekend, Mr Aiyedatiwa replaced Mr Alabi with the deputy chief of protocol, Olusegun Omojuwa. He is to take over government engagement in all the departments and agencies pending the governor’s return.

Peoples Gazette obtained a copy of the circular titled, ‘Preparation of the acting governor’s engagements.’

According to the circular, Mr Alabi will resume his duty post when the governor returns from his medical vacation in Germany.

“The acting Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has directed me to inform all members of the State Executive Council and top government functionaries that the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor will be responsible for the preparation and signing of his official engagements for the time being.

“The Chief of Protocol (Mr Bola Alabi) will take charge of this responsibility as soon as Mr Governor resumes from his medical vacation.

“Kindly take note for your guidance and co-operation from time to time,” the circular read.

Earlier, before Mr Aiyedatiwa assumed office in an acting capacity, there had been pressure on Mr Akeredolu to resign from office due to his ill health.

The governor’s long absence from the state had led to a political quagmire as cabinet members fought dirty to gain control of power.

There is tension among the newly appointed caretaker chairmen in the 18 local government areas and 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) that they might be sacked by the acting governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The fear aroused following the freezing of the accounts of the local councils by Aiyedatiwa.

The acting governor also told the newly created LCDA not to open new accounts.

A letter to the local councils reads: “Distinguished HOLGAs, Your Excellency the acting governor of Ondo state had directed that all spending/expenditure from local government account should be suspended, no signing of cheques, no change of signatories, no withdrawal of any sort until further directive.

“Please adhere strictly to instruction and be guided.”

One of the caretaker chairmen who confirmed the report under anonymity said the development was worrisome.

The caretaker chairman said that Aiyedatiwa made the move to assert authority in line with his vision as well as cut a niche for himself.

He said: “Yes, he has blocked account of the local government. He is doing it to make the caretaker chairmen fall in line ahead of the party primary next year. He believes the local government fund has been diverted.”

Besides the freezing of the local councils’ account, Aiyedatiwa ordered that the deputy chief of staff, Omojuwa Olusegun, would be responsible for the preparation and signing of his official engagements for the time being.

A letter signed by Omojuwa and addressed to members of the State Executive Council and top government functionaries reads: “The acting governor of Ondo state, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has directed me to inform all Members of the State Executive Council and top

Government functionaries that the deputy chief of staff to the governor would be responsible for the preparation and signing of his official engagements for the time being.

“The Chief of Protocol would take charge of this responsibility as soon as Mr. Governor resumes from his medical vacation.”

Jumia’s food delivery service will shut down operations in Nigeria by the end of 2023.

The company, which announced this in a statement, said its current priorities are the Jumia Pay platform and its primary physical goods business, which it operates in Nigeria and ten other countries.

It also said it will shut food delivery service in Kenya, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Uganda, and Algeria.

Speaking about the exit, Jumia CEO, Mr. Francis Dufay, stated that in order to increase profitability, the company’s physical goods division will now receive more attention.

“The more we concentrate on our physical goods sector, the more we see Jumia has enormous growth potential and a clear route to profitability.

“We have to focus on our physical goods business, the more we realize that there is huge potential for Jumia to grow, with a path to profitability.”

Jumia Food has agreed to decrease its workforce as a result of the change, with some staff moving to the company’s core physical goods division.

With prices skyrocketing, business conditions in Nigeria have become extremely difficult. Jumia Food faces competition from companies in the food industry, such as Glovo and Chowdeck.

According to Q3, the total amount of food sold on Jumia Food between January and September 2023 was $64 million (or 11% of $581 million). This shows that Jumia Food has had difficulty turning a profit since its inception.

This comes months after Bolt Food, a big participant in the African food delivery industry, declared that it will be leaving South Africa and Nigeria in December 2023.

The Nigeria Police Force has stated that citizens have the right to video and take photos of police officers on duty.

Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, revealed this on Thursday while responding to an X (formerly Twitter) user who said some police officers extorted N10,000 from him for videoing them during a stop-and-search operation, emphasised that it is not an offence to video or take photos of police officers on duty.

The X user, @Boy_Cyril wrote on his handle, “Sir, is it a crime to video during stop and search because I had to pay N10,000 for those officers to give me back my phone after taking it forcefully from me just now.”

In his response, the Force spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said that the police had announced several times that there is nothing wrong with Nigerians taking photos or videoing police officers on duty.

He added that anyone who is harassed by any police officer for videoing or taking photos should report the case to the police authority.

He said, “You can video or take pictures of policemen on duty. We have said it severally. There is nothing wrong with that.

“You can take up the case. Send an sms to me or to our email box, Pressforabuja@police.gov.ng. you can as well talk to your PPRO.”