Author: Lawal AbdulSalam Olawale

The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Dr Olayemi Cardoso as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

Cardoso was screened alongside four nominees for the positions of CBN Deputy Governors, to steer affairs of the apex bank in the next five years.

The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Dr Olayemi Cardoso as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

Cardoso was screened alongside four nominees for the positions of CBN Deputy Governors,  to steer affairs of the apex bank in the next five years.

Recall that last week, Cardoso resumed as the CBN governor in an acting capacity pending his screening and expected confirmation by the Senate.

 

Meanwhile, the Senate has also scheduled the screening of two additional ministerial nominees by President Bola Tinubu for Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

 

The President, while the National Assembly was on break, appointed the duo of Dr. Jamila Ibrahim and Ayodele Olawande as Minister of Youths and Minister of State for Youths respectively.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have resolved to ground activities nationwide from October 3, 2023, following what the Labour Unions tagged as the “failure” of government to successfully implement policies to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, The PUNCH exclusively gathered.

The PUNCH reports that the NLC national president, Joe Ajaero, during a virtual National Executive Council meeting which was held on Zoom, Tuesday told members of NEC that a meeting was held with the officials of the TUC to deliberate on ways forward. Ajaero noted that it was resolved that the two centres work together to make their stance known to the government.

A source who was present at the meeting noted that some members of the NLC initially objected to the development of the NLC working together with the TUC.

“Initially some members did not want us to work with the TUC but as of now, we don’t have a choice. The government has not been proactive. So it is going to be a definite action this time around.”

The he 21-day ultimatum given by the NLC ended last week. The national president of the NLC, Joe Ajaero had complained that “none of the demands put before the Federal Government had been addressed.”

The union first observed a two-day nationwide warning strike on September 5 and 6 to show its readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month.

Among other things, the NLC and the TUC are asking for wage awards, implementation of palliatives, tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers and a review of the minimum wage.

President Bola Tinubu had on June 19 set up the Presidential Steering Committee and various sub-committees to discuss the framework to be adopted on the palliatives.

Though the FG made a commitment to restructure the framework for engagement with organised Labour on palliatives, the eight-week timeframe set for the conclusion of the process expired in August with no action taken.

The committees were given eight weeks to conclude their assignment and hasten the implementation of the framework in cushioning the effect of petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians but weeks after the timeframe expired, the sub-committees had yet to meet or actualise their mandates, leaving the NLC and TUC leadership frustrated.

Details later…

The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has sacked Mr. Anthony Ogah, his Special Adviser to the Governor on Stakeholders Relations with best wishes,effective from September 24,2023.

The Secretary to the State Government,SSG, Dr.Folashade Arike Ayoade,disclosed this in a statement she signed in Lokoja and released to journalists on Tuesday.

She said:”Governor Bello extends his best wishes to Mr. Anthony Ogah for his future endeavors.

“In light of this press release, Mr. Anthony Ogah is instructed to promptly hand over his identity card and any other government property or documents in his possession to the Permanent Secretary, Administration, in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the State.”

The Federal Government has announced the restructuring of the management team of National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) to ensure effective implementation of national social investment Programme in Nigeria.

Dr Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by her Media Aide, Mr Rasheed Zubair, in Abuja.

The minister said the move was in line with President Tinubu’s directive to restructure the Social Safety Net Programme, address the expanded mandate of the ministry which included poverty alleviation

She announced new appointments in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, to provide durable solutions to humanitarian crises and multi-dimensional poverty in Nigeria.

The statement reported the minister as saying that NASSCO would be chaired by herself while the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Abel Enitan, would serve as Secretary.

Others appointed are Mr Abdulaziz Danladi, as National Coordinator of (NASSCO), Dr Micheal Ajuluchukwu, Head of National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), while Dr Janet Ekpenyong will serve as the Deputy Head of the NCTO Office.

Mr Richard Romanus, National Programme Manager of Youth Empowerment and Social Support Operations (YESSO); Jamalu Kaburu, National Communication Manager, National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) are also on board.

Chidinma Makuachukwu, National Programme Manager, Renewed Hope Shelter Programme for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons and Mr Thalis Apalowo is the National Programme Manager, Grant For Vulnerable groups.

Others include Salia Sanusi Yusuff, Programme Manager, At Risk Children Programme; Dr Joseph Nkang, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme ( MSME Loan Programme).

Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, Programme Manager, N-Power Programme (Renewed Hope Skills Acquisition Programme); Mrs Etcheri Ansa, National Alternate School Programme (Out-of-school children) made the list.

Olubunmi Bello, National Project Manager, Community and Social Development Programme is part of the team.

The minister therefore, charged the new appointees to bring their wealth of experience to bear in driving the Federal Government’s renewed hope agenda to success.

While assuring the appointees that their appointments were with immediate effect, the minister said there would not be room for excuses or failure in actualising the mandate. (NAN)

The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, escaped death by whiskers in a car accident on Monday,

It was gathered that four men were injured in the road accident and they were taken to a hospital around Oke-Baale, Osogbo, the state capital.

Findings  show that the security attached to the Speaker was mostly affected in the convoy.

The Press Secretary to the Speaker, Olumide Tiamiyu, confirmed the accident.

He explained that the Speaker had gone and the security was rushing to meet up with the convoy when their tyre bust.

Tiamiyu said the injured victims are responding to treatment, saying that the accident was not so fatal.

According to him, two of the injured security have been discharged and the remaining two will soon be discharged

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, September 27, 2023, as a public holiday.

This is to mark the Eid-ul-Mawlid celebration and the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

The announcement was made in a statement on Monday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Oluwatoyin Akinlade.

She noted that the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, urged Nigerians to be tolerant.

The statement partly read, “The Minister congratulates all Muslim faithful both home and in the diaspora for witnessing this year’s occasion.

“His admonition to Nigerians is to imbibe the spirit of love, patience, tolerance and

perseverance which are deep spiritual virtues that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) exemplified

“Tunji-Ojo also urged Nigerians, especially our youths, to embrace the virtues of hard work and peaceful disposition toward fellow humans, irrespective of faith, ideology, social class, and ethnicity, and join hands with President Bola Tinubu’s administration in its effort to build a progressive and enviable Nation that all citizens will be proud of.

She noted that the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, urged Nigerians to be tolerant