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Sanwo-Olu Sets Up N2bn Relief Fund for Victims of Lagos Explosion
Published
5 years agoon
By
EricGovernor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has set up a N2 billion relief fund for victims of the recent explosion in the state.
He made the announcement while addressing journalists at the scene of the explosion on Monday.
”I have set up Abule-Ado Soba emergency relief fund. It is a N2billion fund and the state government will immediately be putting N250 million in the fund. Overnight, I have gotten three banks to open accounts for that fund. This is certainly beyond what the state government can undertake on its own. I am aware that some of my fellow governors have called and I have also received phone calls from the private sector. So what this fund will do is to give everyone the opportunity to be part of it and to be able to donate into it,” he said.
”We express our condolence to the family that have lost their loved ones, to the students that have lost their teachers, to everyone in this neighbourhood that has lost one person or the other. We express condolences to our citizens that have lost their lives and to all our citizens that we can see their goods have been destroyed extensively. I would confess that I have never seen anything of this magnitude before. It is like a war zone. It is unfortunate that it has to get to this for us to be able to make all the amends.
”A lot have lost their lives. I do not have the numbers but LASEMA is still compiling that report but at the last count, it is certainly over 15 and I think it is really very sad that this incident has happened.
”What we will do as a government is to set up a fact-finding mission. We are setting up a panel that will start working from today and will need to give us a report in the next two weeks as to the reasons and real cause of this huge loss of lives and properties. It is a multi-sectoral committee which will be headed by my deputy.”
The incident which happened at Soba community in Abule Ado area of the state led to the loss of lives and property.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had said over 50 buildings were destroyed in the explosion.
It also said 15 corpses, including a family of four, were recovered from the scene of the incident.
At least 60 students of Bethlehem Girls College located within the area who sustained various degrees of injuries were taken to the Nigerian Navy Hospital in Satellite town.
Reacting to the incident, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the explosion happened when a truck hit gas cylinders around the corporation’s pipeline right of way.
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Are Nigerians Happy with Tinubu’s Reforms?
Published
11 hours agoon
November 25, 2024By
EricBefore about 300 editors, Tinubu said his administration took a bold step to end the ruinous fuel subsidy regime that deprives Nigeria from investing in critical physical and social infrastructure and the foreign exchange regime that was prone to unimaginable levels of arbitrage and abuse.
“While oil remains a significant source of revenue for Nigeria, we are investing heavily in other sectors to diversify our economy for sustainable growth.
“The launch of the Presidential Initiative on CNG is a deliberate strategy to harness our abundant gas resources.
“This is to bring down the high cost of transportation by about 60 per cent and also foster a clean and healthy environment for our citizens.
“This initiative has unlocked close to $200 million in private sector investments in the last one year,” he said.
He added that “You can also access funds from the Bank of Industry at a single-digit interest rate for the development and expansion of your business.
“Our goal is to ensure that the benefits of growth reach every Nigerian, especially those who have been marginalised.
“The Social Investment Programme has been retooled to ensure economic relief is provided for our most vulnerable groups systematically and transparently. At the last count, 25 million Nigerians received N25,000 under the Conditional Cash Transfer.”
In the same vein, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, added that non-implementation of economic reforms by past administrations is the reason Nigerians are in pain, discomfort, and difficulties under Tinubu’s reforms.
Speaking at the launch of ‘Federal Civil Service Policies and Guidelines on Rewards’, Edun stressed that despite the pains and discomforts and difficulties experienced by Nigerians due to the policies, the successes and gains are coming through.
“After 18 months of bold and necessary reforms that Mr. President has implemented, the country has changed, and yes, the reforms were so long overdue that it caused an element of pain, discomfort, difficulty, and increased cost of living. But the successes and the gains are coming through.
“Market-based pricing of foreign exchange was fully in place. The result was immediate benefit to the federal coffers, to the state coffers, and to the local government coffers because an amount of 5 percent of GDP is what goes to subsidies,” he said.
But the defence of the government and its agencies and cronies notwithstanding, situations and reports have proved that Nigerians are far from happy with the policies as hunger and untold hardship continue to be the order of the day.
“It is a fact that the National Bureau of Statistics’ October 2024 headline and food inflation figures rose to 33.88 percent and 39.16 percent, respectively, weakening the purchasing power of many Nigerians,” An economic analyst told The Boss.
“However, we see no tangible evidence of this assurance in the actions of President Tinubu, his cabinet or the broader government apparatus. Instead, we witness a continuation of profligate lifestyles, excessive spending and the dissemination of dubious economic statistics that do little to alleviate the suffering of the Nigerian populace.”
“It is imperative that we act swiftly. Our nation is at a critical juncture, with time running out for meaningful intervention. Mr. President, it is time to act decisively for the sake of the nation’s future. Let us rescue our people from the grip of despair so that you may indeed dance before the music comes to an end,” he said.
The Communique, which promises genuine hope for Nigerians, reads “The Forum empathizes with Nigerians who are groaning under the oppressive economic hardship foisted on the nation by the policies and decisions of the APC-led Federal Government.
“The Forum calls on the President to urgently review both macroeconomic and fiscal policies that will address the welfare and well-being of Nigerians.
“The Forum wishes to pledge that all PDP Governors will continue to aggressively pursue policies and programs that will reduce the hardship and ensure progress and development.”
“The Forum notes the concerns of Nigerians, PDP founding fathers, elders and members of our great Party of seeming divisions within the ranks and files. The Forum wishes to state categorically that it remains resolute in its determination to ensure unity and cohesion of this great Party that Nigerians have come to trust as the best platform for democratic governance.
“The Forum is constrained to accept the latest postponement of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Party in empathy with our colleague, H.E. Governor Eno Bassey, whose late dear wife will be buried on the same day earlier scheduled for NEC. Once again, the Forum wishes to commiserate with our colleague and pray that God will grant him and the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
“The Forum is strongly advising the NWC to call NEC by the first week of February 2025 to allow for elaborate consultations with critical stakeholders of the Party. The period between November and February is to address the existential problems confronting the Party, with a deliberate timeline of activities within the period under review to address issues of leadership and litigations confronting the Party.
“The Forum notes with concern the rape of democracy in Edo Governorship elections. It is clear to everyone with a conscience that INEC manipulated results in favour of the APC candidate when, in fact, the majority of lawful votes were won by the PDP candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo. Meanwhile, we are still examining the documents in the Ondo elections, where the APC manipulated results after openly buying votes. The Forum calls on the judiciary to save Nigerian democracy and the National Assembly to look into our electoral laws to make it difficult for institutional sabotage of the will of the people.
“The Forum recognises the good work that the majority of members of NASS are doing. NASS is therefore called upon to critically interrogate all bills to ensure fairness, equity, national balance and even development nationally.
“The Forum commiserates with the Government and people of Plateau State on the recent Katako market fire incident, which destroyed properties worth millions of Naira. The Forum also commiserates with the Government and people of Jigawa State on the recent tanker expulsion whereby scores of people lost their lives, and several others were injured.
“The Forum expresses its gratitude to the Government and People of Plateau State for not only hosting the meeting but extending to all the participants the hospitality for which Jos is reputed. In particular, the meeting commends the Government of the State for the visible and laudable transformation in social services, tourism and transportation that have taken place and ensures all Nigerians look forward, with GENUINE HOPE, to the replication of this not only presently but after 2027 when the party would reclaim its rightful position in the Nigerian political scene.”
In Brazil at the G20 Summit, during his interaction with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, President Bola Tinubu has stressed that he is committed to reducing the “hardship” resulting from the implementation of his administration’s ongoing reforms in Nigeria.
“I assured IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva @KGeorgieva during our meeting that our economic reforms are already yielding positive results. Our administration remains committed to reducing the hardship that has resulted from the implementation of these reforms, while also protecting the most vulnerable in Nigeria.
“Social safety nets, education, investments in infrastructure, and inclusive growth are key to our agenda,” Tinubu stated.
He also acknowledged the hardship associated with his policies but promised to reduce its effects on Nigerians.
He outlined that while his government is fast-tracking investments in several sectors, discussions are ongoing regarding stakeholders’ tax awareness and compliance responsibilities.
BACKGROUND
Nigerians relapsed to a worse form of hardship May 29, 2023, when Tinubu while making his inaugural speech declared that “subsidy is gone”. Ever since, the President has unleashed one reform after another that further pushes Nigerians towards the brinks of collapse while being repeatedly urged to be patient with the administration as they drive the nation towards economic growth.
Following the removal of the fuel subsidy, tariff on essential items including electricity, have been hiked, prices of goods and services have skyrocketed, naira has been floated, causing more hardship, but Tinubu stressed that the pain is temporary.
But on the streets of Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Jos, Maiduguri, Enugu, Kaduna, Minna, Damaturu, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Aba, Calabar, Osogbo, Akure, Abakiliki, Bauchi and more, the story remains the same; hunger, depravity, hopelessness, gloom and uncertainty.
“Nigerians may not know if there would light at the end of the tunnel, but the truth remains that as at today, 18 months after the the coming of Tinubu and his policies, Nigerians are not happy,” a respondent summarized.
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Headline
Rape of Democracy: PDP Dismisses Edo, Ondo Elections As Manipulated
Published
15 hours agoon
November 25, 2024By
EricBy Eric Elezuo
Nigeria’s leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has condemned the processes and outcomes of the just concluded Edo and Ondo states governorship elections held on September 21 and November 16, 2024 respectively, which produced candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners.
The PDP, worried at what it called the rape of democracy, perpetrated by the APC, released a statement in Jos, Plateau State, during its Governors’ Forum meeting, describing the process as manipulated.
In a communique issued after their two-day meeting in Jos, Plateau State, which ended on Saturday, the governors, who also noted the concerns of Nigerians over the seeming divisions within the party’s ranks and files, stated categorically that they remained resolute in their determination to ensure unity and cohesion of what they described as the great party that Nigerians trusted as the best platform for democratic governance.
While accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manipulating the results of the Edo State governorship election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the governors described the poll as a rape of democracy.
The governors also alleged that the APC manipulated the results of the Ondo State governorship election after openly buying votes, adding however that they were still studying the election documents.
“The forum notes with concern the rape of democracy in Edo governorship elections. It is clear to everyone with a conscience that INEC manipulated results in favour of the APC candidate when, in fact, the majority of lawful votes were won by the PDP candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo.
“Meanwhile, we are still examining the documents in the Ondo elections, where the APC manipulated results after openly buying votes. The Forum calls on the judiciary to save Nigerian democracy and the National Assembly to look into our electoral laws to make it difficult for institutional sabotage of the will of the people,” the communique explained.
In the communique which the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, signed, the governors hinted that they also accepted the latest postponement of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in empathy with Governor Eno Bassey of Akwa Ibom State, whose wife will be buried on the same day, November 28, 2024, earlier scheduled for the NEC meeting.
The governors advised the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to call the NEC by the first week of February 2025 to allow for elaborate consultations with critical stakeholders of the party.
“The period between November and February is to address the existential problems confronting the party, with a deliberate timeline of activities within the period under review to address issues of leadership and litigations confronting the party,” the communique said.
The party also noted with dismay at the groaning hardship the government of President Bola Tinubu is unleashing on Nigerians, and called for a review of the policies that have so far impoverished the citizens.
The statement reads in full:
“The Forum calls on the President to urgently review both macroeconomic and fiscal policies that will address the welfare and well-being of Nigerians.
“The Forum wishes to pledge that all PDP Governors will continue to aggressively pursue policies and programs that will reduce the hardship and ensure progress and development.”
The meeting, held at the Plateau State Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, was attended by the principal organs of the party: l NWC, PDP-GF, BOT, NASS Forum, Former Governors Forum, Former Ministers’ Forum and other leaders of the party.
The communique added, “The Forum notes the concerns of Nigerians, PDP founding fathers, elders and members of our great Party of seeming divisions within the ranks and files. The Forum wishes to state categorically that it remains resolute in its determination to ensure unity and cohesion of this great Party that Nigerians have come to trust as the best platform for democratic governance.
“The Forum is constrained to accept the latest postponement of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Party in empathy with our colleague, H.E. Governor Eno Bassey, whose late dear wife will be buried on the same day earlier scheduled for NEC. Once again, the Forum wishes to commiserate with our colleague and pray that God will grant him and the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
“The Forum is strongly advising the NWC to call NEC by the first week of February 2025 to allow for elaborate consultations with critical stakeholders of the Party. The period between November and February is to address the existential problems confronting the Party, with a deliberate timeline of activities within the period under review to address issues of leadership and litigations confronting the Party.
“The Forum notes with concern the rape of democracy in Edo Governorship elections. It is clear to everyone with a conscience that INEC manipulated results in favour of the APC candidate when, in fact, the majority of lawful votes were won by the PDP candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo. Meanwhile, we are still examining the documents in the Ondo elections, where the APC manipulated results after openly buying votes. The Forum calls on the judiciary to save Nigerian democracy and the National Assembly to look into our electoral laws to make it difficult for institutional sabotage of the will of the people.
“The Forum recognises the good work that the majority of members of NASS are doing. NASS is therefore called upon to critically interrogate all bills to ensure fairness, equity, national balance and even development nationally.
“The Forum commiserates with the Government and people of Plateau State on the recent Katako market fire incident, which destroyed properties worth millions of Naira. The Forum also commiserates with the Government and people of Jigawa State on the recent tanker expulsion whereby scores of people lost their lives, and several others were injured.
“The Forum expresses its gratitude to the Government and People of Plateau State for not only hosting the meeting but extending to all the participants the hospitality for which Jos is reputed. In particular, the meeting commends the Government of the State for the visible and laudable transformation in social services, tourism and transportation that have taken place and ensures all Nigerians look forward, with GENUINE HOPE, to the replication of this not only presently but after 2027 when the party would reclaim its rightful position in the Nigerian political scene.”
The PDP has been engulfed in crisis since the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, assumed office following the removal of the substantive National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu by the court.
At the 98th NEC meeting held on April 18, 2024, the party leaders approved the formation of a reconciliation and disciplinary committee, as well as the conduct of Ward and State Congresses.
They also mandated the North-central Caucus to consult widely on the issue of replacing the acting National Chairman with a substantive National Chairman.
The governors commiserated with the government and people of Plateau State on the recent Katako market fire incident, which destroyed properties worth millions of Naira, and also with the Government and people of Jigawa State on the recent tanker explosion in the state.
Governors who attended the meeting included Senator Mohammed (Bauchi); Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau) – host governor; Agbu Kefas (Taraba); Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara).
The Delta and Enugu state governors were represented by their deputies – Monday Onyeme and Ifeanyi Ossai, respectively.
The meeting, held at the Plateau State Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, was also attended by the members of the principal organs of the party, members of the NWC, Board of Trustees (BoT), federal lawmakers, former governors, and former ministers.
The party vows to regain power in 2027.
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Mike Adenuga is Alive, Hale and Hearty, I Just Spoke with Him – Dele Momodu
Published
6 days agoon
November 20, 2024By
EricBy Eric Elezuo
Africa’s biggest philanthropist and Chairman, Globacom Group, Dr. Mike Adenuga is Alive, hale and hearty!
This has been confirmed by Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu via his social media handles.
Following rumours, whose source is yet to be ascertained that the man, known for his quantum giving, passed away, Momodu wrote that he had just spoken with the billionaire businessman, who affirmed his health while thanking all for their concern.
“Ignore the fake news…DR MICHAEL ADENIYI AGBOLADE ISOLA ADENUGA is hale and hearty. He is right now at his desk working round the clock in support of the Nigerian economy…He just called me to thank everyone for their concern,” Dele Momodu wrote.
In addition, members of the top echelon of the group have separately confirmed that the one known as The Bull is alive and healthy.
Dr. Adenuga has remained in the forefront of many families happy with his direct financial and material gifts as well as consistent promo from his Glo brand.
Only last night, CNN celebrated 15 years of his sponsorship of the African Voices Changemakers, where he has foe a decade and half been supporting budding African entertainers to reach their professional zenith.
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