The federal government went spiritual in its bid to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, saying it has partnered with the Nigerian Interreligious Council NIREC to declare a season of prayer and fasting in the country.
Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce PTF on Covid-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha disclosed this during the daily briefing of the Taskforce in Abuja.
The SGF added that schools have not been reopened, explaining that only those in exit classes have been asked to return for revision, preparatory to writing their terminal examinations.
According to the SGF, it has become pertinent to call on Nigerians to seek the face of God in order to end the pandemic.
”In furtherance of the synergy being built, the Co-Chairmen of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council NIREC, His Eminence Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, the Sultan of Sokoto/President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and His Eminence Rev. Dr. Samson O. A. Ayokunle, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN, would be directing Muslim and Christian adherents all over the country to go in for a period of fasting and prayer.
“The NIREC will announce the details and we urge all Nigerians to participate in this effort to seek divine intervention”, he said
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has given the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum to rehabilitate the bad roads across the country.
NUPENG also asked the government to immediately address the issue of multiple roadblocks and extortions from all security agents or the union might be forced to embark “on a serious industrial action to drive home our case.”
The National President, Prince Williams Akporeha, at the end of the union’s virtual National Executive Council meeting , said, “We wish to urgently draw the attention of the Federal Government to the harrowing experiences of the owners of petroleum trucks in the country.
“The only means of moving petroleum products across the country is by roads, using the trucks. We can confidently tell you that this means of distribution is presently endangered and require urgent Federal Government stimulus intervention fund to prevent it from total collapse.”
According to him, most of the nation’s highways are becoming death traps for the union’s members, most especially Calabar-Itu-Uyo, Port-Harcourt-Aba, Mokwa-Jebba-Kaduna, Port-Harcourt-Owerri, Warri-Benin-Auchi-Okene-Lokoja stretch of the country.
He said, “We are shocked at the lackadaisical attitude of local, states and federal governments to the issues of addressing the degenerating state of Nigeria roads before the coming of the current raining season despite all our warnings for them to make necessary construction, repairs and maintenance of all our roads, which are now in a parlous state and becoming practically impassable.
“The issue of bad roads is further compounded by the various security agencies who now set up multiple checkpoints on these deplorable roads to further exploit and extort money from motorists. Petroleum tanker drivers are the worst hit by the exploitative tendencies of these unscrupulous security agencies.
“The brazen extortion of our members, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic was really disconcerting and unfortunate.”
The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency has announced a new price band of N 140. 80 to N143 . 80 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit , also known as petrol .
The PPPRA, in a circular dated July 1 , 2020 to marketers , said , “ After a review of the prevailing market fundamentals in the month of June and considering marketers ’ realistic operating costs , as much as practicable , we wish to advise a new PMS pump price band of N140 . 80 -N143 . 80 per litre for the month of July 2020 .
“ All marketers are advised to operate within the indicative prices as advised by the PPPRA. ”
The agency had on May 31 , 2020 announced a price band of N 121 . 50 to N123 . 50 per litre for the product .
Sources at the Abuja headquarters of the agency said the rise in petrol price for July was primarily due to the increase in global crude oil prices, as PMS had been deregulated .
The National Union of Road Transport Workers , says it is not the intention of the union or its place to increase the cost of transportation in the country .
Mr Kabiru Yau , Acting General Secretary of the union , in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria said the vehicle owners rather than the workers union were responsible for any increase .
Yau was reacting to an earlier publication in the media where the union requested for government ‘ s support in the form of Transport Subsidy or it will increase the cost of transport .
NAN reports that the COVID- 19 guidelines by the government required commercial vehicles to carry fewer passengers than normal on each trip , thereby reducing the income of the motorist.
“ Following an earlier statement that we ( NURTW ) will increase transport cost due to the Coronavirus guidelines by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control .
“ I wish to state that the NURTW is a workers union that has the interest of Nigeria and the general public at heart .
“ It is not our intention or in our place to increase the cost of transportation in the country . The car owners are the ones saddled with that responsibility .
“ The union will continue to do everything within its power to ensure the peace and safety of travellers and Nigerians , ” Yau added .
The National Assembly has announced the suspension of the Special Public Works programme under the National Directorate of Employment to cushion the effect of COVID- 19 pandemic .
The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari , had approved the engagement of 774 , 000 Nigerians under the scheme.
By the arrangement , 1 , 000 Nigerians who would earn N20 , 000 each on a monthly basis for three months are expected to be recruited in each of the 774 local government areas , of the country.
The programme was expected to take off in October this year .
But the nation’ s parliament said the programme has been suspended following the disagreement between it and the Minister of State for Employment, Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo , on Tuesday .
The spokesperson for the Senate, Ajibola Basiru , who announced the suspension of the programme at a press conference in Abuja , said the National Assembly has summoned the Minister in charge of the Ministry to appear before the federal legislature , to explain the recruitment modalities.
He said , “ In view of the foregoing , the implementation of the programme shall be on hold pending proper briefing of the National Assembly by the Minister of Labour and Productivity . ”
The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd ) , has warned political appointees and other government officials against using their positions to bestow undue advantage on anyone seeking government jobs .
According to him , using their positions for undue advantages and other favours was “ antithetical to the character of the administration . ”
THE PUNCH reported that members of the National Assembly had walked out the Minister of State for Labour , Employment and Productivity , Festus Keyamo , during an investigative hearing over the 774 , 000 jobs offer of the Federal Government.
The programme seeks to employ about 774 , 000 youths for three months and they would be engaged in unskilled jobs such as sweeping streets , clearing drainages, controlling traffic and road construction among others.
The Federal Government had also appointed members of the All Progressives Congress , Alhaji Mutiu Are ; the daughter of APC national leader and Iyaloja – General , Folasade Tinubu – Ojo ; and the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Lagos State , Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo into the 20 – member committee that will undertake the recruitment of 20 , 000 youths in Lagos .
The Minister of Information and Culture , Lai Mohammed , conveyed Buhari ’ s position in a statement sent to journalists in Abuja .
He said , “ The President ’ s repeated warning followed persistent reports of fraudsters using the business cards and purported referral letters from presidential aides and other government officials to solicit employment , contract and other favours . ”
Mohammed told Ministries, Departments and Agencies to disregard any purported request from government officials aiming to confer undue advantage on anyone seeking such favours .
He said Buhari ’ s regime has put in place a systematic and disciplined approach to ensure that the government runs smoothly for all Nigerians , whether in the area of employment or contract procurement.
“ This system should be allowed to work for all Nigerians without interference ” , the Minister stated .
Keyamo was on Tuesday walked out following his refusal to apologise after the legislators accused him of raising his voice against them.
The incident happened during an investigative hearing organised by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Employment, Labour , and Productivity .
Keyamo was asked by the lawmakers to explain the modalities he had adopted to carry out the recruitment process and why he was not carrying out the NDE along .
The minister explained that an Act that established the NDE gave his ministry powers to oversee the affairs and programmes of the agency .
Trouble started when the minister said he had inaugurated a 20 – member committee to implement the recruitment process and that the committee had started work.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour , Employment, and Productivity , Mr . Godiya Akwashiki , asked why NDE was not being carried along in the process .
Keyamo said the Director – General of the NDE , Nasiru Ladan , is a member of the committee but when asked to defend himself , the NDE boss said the minister was in a better position to answer all questions relating to the N52 billion budgeted for the recruitments of 774 , 000 Nigerians under the NDE .
The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , has requested the approval of the Senate for the confirmation of 42 ambassadorial nominees .
One of the nominees from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was appointed as career ambassador , while the rest are non – career nominees .
Some of the non – career nominees are , former minister , Ademola Seriki ( Lagos ) , Debo Adesina ( Oyo ) , Dare Sunday – Awoniyi (Kogi ) , among others.
The President in another letter , asked the upper chamber to confirm the appointment of three nominees as commissioners in the Federal Civil Service Commission .
Buhari in yet another letter , sought the approval of the Senate for the appointment of a federal commissioner for the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission .
President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed to suggestions by National Assembly leadership to prevail on electricity distribution companies in the country to suspend their planned electricity tariff price hike.
The the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had announced that the the new price regime for electricity consumers would take off from Wednesday, July 1, 2020.
However, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Pawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, held separate meetings with President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), in the State House on the matter.
The leaders of the federal legislature said they met with the President to make him consider the time factor in the price hike plan, adding that both the President and the Vice President listened and reasoned along the same line with them on the need to suspend the plan for now.
It would be recalled that the National Assembly had intervened in the matter on Monday and had suggested that the plan be kept on hold for the time being.
According to Gbajabiamila, both President Buhari and Osinbajo were on the same page with the National Assembly leadership on the deferment of the hike given the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the people.
“Let me just say that we saw the President earlier this morning and we have seen the Vice President today. The whole idea is that when there is a major policy decision, it is always good that the legislature and the executive are on the same page so that we don’t sing different tunes.
“I will like to say that I think we have all agreed on an increase in cost reflective tariff but the issue is that the timing is also important. Sometimes, timing is more important than even the policy decision that you make.
“There is a saying that the road to hell is often paved with good intentions. So the intentions is good but what about the timing?
“We have all agreed to suspend this for a while, tarry a while and get the buy-in of the people, explain to the people why this has to be done, that it is for the betterment for the electricity to get stable.
“They (DisCos and GenCos) are businessmen and cannot be undercutting themselves.
“I think so far so good, the President listened attentively, the Vice President listened attentively and I think everybody is on the same page and hopefully, we will get some reprieve between now and whenever, but it’s not going to happen today”, he said.
Also speaking, the President of the Senator, Senator Lawan, affirmed that the villa meeting was in connection with the plan in electricity tariff hike, saying that time was not right for an increase.
He said necessary measures, including the provision of prepaid meters, must first be put in place before any hike can be made.
“The joint leadership of the National Assembly sat yesterday with DISCOS and Nigeria Regulatory Agency. We believe that this is not the right time to increase the tariff in the electricity sector. Nigerians have a lot of challenges today because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the situation requires that we do everything possible to make life easy for our citizens.
“Of course, government is doing a lot in this respect but we believe that DISCOS should meet with consumers, find better cost effective tariff. But before then, there must be some steps to ensure that the consumers are properly metered otherwise, you will still go back to guessing what consumers are consuming. That is to say that let the billing be scientifically based, it has to be based on what you actually consumed.
“So we had this discussion with Mr. Vice President and we are sure that that announcement in the increase of electricity tariff in Nigeria is untimely.
“We believe that we need to do more work to ensure that before any increase, there must be some measures, steps, line of actions that must be exhausted including the metering. This is a welcome idea to the Vice President as well.”
On how to achieve billing without overburdening Nigerians, he explained: “I believe that the share purchase agreement signed by the government and the DISCOS at the point of the privatization must be adhered to. These are businesses and they must do everything possible to provide services. It is when they provide efficient and effective services to consumers that they can make money.
“But as a government, we too must make sure that we discharge our obligations as provided for in share purchase agreement signed. Once we are able to achieve that, we will have a better situation in the power sector in Nigeria. It is doable, it has happened elsewhere.
“So, we cannot continue to give DISCOS and GENCOS the resources that we can ordinarily deploy to build hospitals. But whatever it’s necessary for us to do as part of our agreement with them we must do those”, he said.
The Confederation of African Football Executive Committee has announced the postponement of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations by one year .
The continental games will now hold in Cameroon in January 2022 .
The decision was reached after the committee met via video – conference to discuss the future of competitions and other related issues amid the COVID- 19 pandemic .
“ After consultation with stakeholders and taking into consideration the current global situation, the tournament has been rescheduled for January 2022 . The date for the final tournament and the remaining matches of the qualifiers will be communicated in due course , ” the football body said in a statement .
CAF also rescheduled the finals of the African Nations Championship 2020 , shifting it to January 2021 also in Cameroon.
“ The CAF Executive Committee is satisfied with t the Cameroonian authorities for their commitment towards the hosting of the two competitions . Cameroon is ready to host either competition and are within schedule, ” CAF President , Ahmad Ahmad said .
The statement also read , “ The Total CAF Champions League and Total CAF Confederation Cup , will resume in September with a Final Four ( 4 ) format . Semi – Final matches will be played in a single match .
“ Due to challenging conditions, the 2020 edition of the Women’ s Africa Cup of Nations has been cancelled .
“ The 42 nd CAF Ordinary General Assembly has been rescheduled for December 2020 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia .
“ CAF has allocated an additional USD 16 . 2 Million to assist Member Associations to mitigate challenges as a result of the COVID- 19 pandemic . Each Member Associations will be entitled to USD 300, 000 . ”
The Confederation of African Football Executive Committee has announced the postponement of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations by one year .
The continental games will now hold in Cameroon in January 2022 .
The decision was reached after the committee met via video – conference to discuss the future of competitions and other related issues amid the COVID- 19 pandemic .
“ After consultation with stakeholders and taking into consideration the current global situation, the tournament has been rescheduled for January 2022 . The date for the final tournament and the remaining matches of the qualifiers will be communicated in due course , ” the football body said in a statement .
CAF also rescheduled the finals of the African Nations Championship 2020 , shifting it to January 2021 also in Cameroon.
“ The CAF Executive Committee is satisfied with t the Cameroonian authorities for their commitment towards the hosting of the two competitions . Cameroon is ready to host either competition and are within schedule, ” CAF President , Ahmad Ahmad said .
The statement also read , “ The Total CAF Champions League and Total CAF Confederation Cup , will resume in September with a Final Four ( 4 ) format . Semi – Final matches will be played in a single match .
“ Due to challenging conditions, the 2020 edition of the Women’ s Africa Cup of Nations has been cancelled .
“ The 42 nd CAF Ordinary General Assembly has been rescheduled for December 2020 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia .
“ CAF has allocated an additional USD 16 . 2 Million to assist Member Associations to mitigate challenges as a result of the COVID- 19 pandemic . Each Member Associations will be entitled to USD 300, 000 . ”
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