Category: 📈Trends

Tragedy hits Jos as a school building collapses on students writing their exams.

The incident occurred at a school Saint’s Academy located in Jos North of Plateau State.

It was gathered that the students were writing their exams when a part of the building unexplainably collapsed on the students.

Search for survivors have already begun, and photos and videos making the rounds online show the body of some of the kids who didn’t make it.

At the time of writing, the death toll and number of survivors are yet to be ascertained.

JayfmJos wrote …

“BREAKING:Several feared dead as two storey school building collapses in Plateau
A two storey school building in Plateau state has collapsed leaving many students and teachers trapped with many of them feared dead.
It was learnt that the school -Saint Academy located at the Busa Buji community in Jos North Local Government Area of the state collapsed on Friday morning around 830 am when many of the students and teachers were already in classes.
The news of the collapsed building jolted the community as distraught residents and parents who had their wards in the school were said to have rushed to the institution to ascertain their fate .
When Jay FM visited the school ,many of the residents were seen wailing on the ground while security men and emergency workers were busing trying to pull survivors from the rubbles”

See some photos below …

School building coll@pses on students writing exams in Jos.

A two-storey Secondary School building, Saints Academy, located in Jos North LGA, Plateau State, coll@psed this morning, July 12, 2024, in Busa-Buji Area. pic.twitter.com/p2DOyeLBBO

— Queencookie (@BOnyemaech84573) July 12, 2024

 

 

A former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, collapsed on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja where he was arraigned for alleged N33bn fraud.

Mamman, who served as a N33bn fraud: Ex-power minister collapses before trial, remanded in prisonminister under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, was led into the dock in drenched clothes, prompting his lawyer to explain to Justice James Omotosho that he collapsed on the court premises and had to be revived by medical personnel just before the case was called for hearing.

The defence lawyer, Femi Ate (SAN), said his client was only served with the charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after he was resuscitated.

Ate prayed the judge to adjourn the arraignment till Monday, given the ex-minister’s condition.

Justice Omotoso, however, declined the adjournment prayer, noting that his docket was already full for Monday.

Instead of an adjournment, Justice Omotoso granted a one-hour stand-down of the case for Mamman to feel better, though the ex-minister maintained that he was fine enough for the case to proceed.

He was later arraigned on 12 counts, in which he was accused of money laundering to the tune of N22bn.

After Mamman pleaded not guilty to the charges, the EFCC prosecutor, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), asked the judge to fix a date for trial.

But the defence counsel said he had filed an application for his client’s bail.

The judge, however, said the application was not before the court, holding that the bail application would be adjourned till today (Friday) for hearing.

Meanwhile, he ordered that Mamman be sent to the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application today. for an hour.

Mamman, who served as minister under Buhari between 2019 and 2021, was accused of conspiring with staff of the ministry in charge of the accounts of the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects to divert about N33bn.

 

 

 

The Federal Government FG , on Wednesday, declared that with the strategic measures aimed at addressing the high food prices nationwide, prices of the items would crash in the next 180 days (January 2025).

It said the measures which include the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes for the importation of certain food commodities through land and sea borders, as well as the importation of 500,000 metric tonnes of wheat and maize, would tackle the rise in food prices.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, who disclosed this on his official X handle on Wednesday, explained that the imported food commodities would be subjected to a recommended retail price to maintain the required and acceptable standard.

This came as the All Farmers Association of Nigeria expressed optimism that the price of staple food in Nigeria would crash should the government implement the policies adequately, stressing that in-country food production had been insufficient.

Similarly, the organised private sector commended the Federal Government for the initiative, describing it as robust, comprehensive, and all-inclusive.

In his posts on X, the agriculture minister said, “Our administration has unveiled a series of strategic measures to address the high food prices currently affecting our nation. These measures will be implemented over the next 180 days: 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities; suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes for the importation of certain food commodities through land and sea borders. These commodities include maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas.

“Imported food commodities will be subjected to a recommended retail price. We understand concerns about the quality of these imports, especially regarding their genetic composition. The government assures that all standards will be maintained to ensure the safety and quality of food items for consumption.

Wheat importation

“The Federal Government will import 250,000 metric tonnes of wheat and 250,000 metric tonnes of maize. These semi-processed commodities will be supplied to small-scale processors and millers across the country; engagement with relevant stakeholders to set a GMP ( good manufacturing practices) and purchase surplus food commodities to restock the National Strategic Food Reserve.”

Kyari said the government would ramp up production for the 2024/2025 farming cycle, adding that there would be continued support to smallholder farmers during the ongoing wet season farming through existing government initiatives.

He outlined other measures as  “strengthening and accelerating dry season farming nationwide, embarking on aggressive agricultural mechanisation to reduce drudgery, lower production costs, and boost productivity, collaborating with sub-national entities to identify irrigable lands and increase land under cultivation.

The minister said the ministry would be  “working closely with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to rehabilitate and maintain irrigation facilities under river basin authorities across the federation. Developing strategic engagement for youths and women for immediate greenhouse cultivation of horticultural crops such as tomatoes and pepper to increase production volume, stabilise prices, and address food shortages.

“Fast-tracking ongoing engagements with the Nigerian military to rapidly cultivate arable lands under the Defence Farms Scheme and encouraging other para-military establishments to utilise available arable lands for cultivation.

On the Renewed Hope National Livestock Transformation Implementation Committee, the minister stated that the committee, inaugurated on Tuesday, would develop and implement policies prioritising livestock development in alignment with the National Livestock Transformation Plan, adding that a ministry of Livestock Development has been created.

Kyari said the government would enhance nutrition security by promoting the production of fortified food commodities, supporting the scale-up of the Home Garden Initiative by the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Over the next 14 days, in close collaboration with the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit, and the Economic Management Team, we will convene with respective agencies to finalise the implementation frameworks. We will ensure that information is publicly available to facilitate the participation of all relevant stakeholders across the country.

“The success of these measures hinges on the cooperation and collaboration of all relevant MDAs (ministries, departments and agencies) and stakeholders. As our nation confronts this critical food security challenge, I reiterate President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to achieving food security and ensuring that no Nigerian goes to bed hungry. My team and I will work swiftly and diligently to actualise these crucial policies, ensuring food security for everyone in the immediate term while continuing our strategies for long-term interventions to address underlying causes and ensure sustainable and resilient food systems in Nigeria.

Local production insufficient

Commenting on the plans, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria lauded the initiative of the Federal Government on the lifting of taxes on food importation, as well as the importation of 500,000MT of wheat and maize.

The South-West Chairman of AFAN, Femi Oke, pointed out that food prices in Nigeria had continued to rise due to low production, stressing that it was the right thing to do by importing these items.

He stated, “It is a welcome development because the prices of food items have continued to rise and are now very high for most Nigerians. So we believe that with the introduction of a duty-free importation policy on the food items, the cost of these commodities will drop,” he stated.

When asked if the policy would not adversely impact local food production, the AFAN official replied, “No it can’t, because what we are producing in the country is not even enough. Our population is increasing every day and removing the taxes would lead to the importation of more food into the country.

“As the food importation increases, the price of food items in the country will reduce. So the initiative is encouraging this time because the prices of food items are so high and this is affecting all sectors of the economy.”

Recall that Kyari had explained on Monday that the Presidential Accelerated Stabilisation and Advancement Plan was an initiative of President Tinubu to bring about food security and economic stability to Nigeria.

He noted that over the past several months, “we have all been witnesses to the escalating cost of food items in all parts of the country. There is virtually no food item that has not had its price raised to a level higher than what a good many Nigerians can afford.”

The minister stated that the affordability crisis in our food security system had been indexed by the data from the National Bureau of Statistics which by the last count, had put food inflation at 40.66 per cent.

“We have heard the cries of Nigeria over the prices of food items and condiments, with some now describing tomatoes as gold and proposing a variety of recipes to prepare soups and dishes with some of the overly priced food items.

“What in the past were regarded as common items such as yam, plantain, and potato now command excessively high figures and Nigerians are right to wonder how and why things are the way they are.

“As a government under the leadership of President Tinubu, members of the Federal Executive Council and indeed all other operatives in the MDAs are fully aware of the hardship occasioned by the high cost of food items in our country. There is no doubt that food inflation is a direct consequence of a number of factors,” Kyari stated.

He said agricultural production activities had been hampered in some parts of the country by a number of factors resulting in the inability of smallholder farmers to contribute optimally to the country’s food basket.

This, he said, had opened a new dimension to the food challenge from affordability to availability of sufficient food commodities.

“As you may recall, earlier in the year, there were a number of interventions by the Federal Government to make food available and to dampen their prices. Those interventions include the release of 42,000MT of assorted food commodities from the National Strategic Food Reserve, 58,500MT purchase of milled rice from the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria and an additional 30,000MT of rice.

“Regrettably, prices have continued to escalate, and in some cases these days, food items are becoming unavailable. The Government cannot allow this situation to persist. While there are ongoing agricultural initiatives, programmes and projects under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and state governments also have theirs, we must respond to the creeping availability crisis.

“As the government continues to encourage agricultural production on a sustainable and profitable basis for farmers, the time lag between cultivation and harvest makes it inevitable for the government to kick in stop-gap measures that will bring tremendous relief to Nigerians.

“For instance, harvest for 2024 wet season farming will not be due until October-November. On the one hand, while the measures aim to alleviate immediate food shortages, we will strengthen domestic production capabilities to enhance long-term food security,” the minister stated.

Kyari pointed out that the causative factors in the country’s food inflation figures include infrastructural challenges, multiple taxes and levies, and the sheer profiteering by marketers and traders.

OPS lauds govt

Reacting, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Dele Oye, commended the Federal Government on the move.

He said, “The food price crash is a good move, and we are looking forward to it. We are very happy about it and we are in support.”

In a similar vein, the National President of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, Dr Femi Egbesola, said he was optimistic about seeing the implementation of the initiative.

He said, “I receive this news with utmost joy and excitement, praying and hoping that all will go as enumerated. It is very robust, comprehensive, and all-inclusive; no doubt, it will push down the prices of food and agricultural products and will strongly arrest food inflation which indeed is the highest driver of inflation at the moment. Hence, it is a win-win situation for all.

“I am even impressed that there’s provision to off-take excess agricultural products from farmers, support smallholder farmers, and adopt more technology and mechanisation in the farming business.

“It will positively impact the SMEs, particularly those whose primary inputs are agricultural products. It will also improve sales and profitability if inflation is arrested and driven down. This is the kind of body language and kick-fix policies we expect of a responsive and responsible government.”

He noted that for the food prices crash to succeed, willpower, transparency, collaboration, and a corruption-free process were essential.

Egbesola  said, “I do hope enough will also be done with the collaboration of critical stakeholders in the private sector to implement, monitor, evaluate, and ensure the success of the processes and procedures of this laudable initiative.”

Other implications

But the National Vice President of the Nigerian Association of Small-Scale Industrialists, Segun Kuti-George, however, noted that the crash of food prices was like a two-edged sword

He said, “The truth of the matter is, there are usually two sides to a coin, and that’s one of the dynamics of economics. As you are trying to solve a problem, you are likely to be creating another. While it is good to crash or bring down the cost of food, being the first line of human needs, we have to consider how they intend to do it. If the government wants to crash the price of food by importing food into the country or by removing the tariff, as they said, it has implications.

“Yes, on one side, it would be a good thing for the populace because they will be able to buy food at affordable prices. However, the other part of it is the locally grown food items and the cost of producing them, which will affect the price. If the price of food that is produced locally is higher than that of the ones being imported, it would be to the detriment of the locally produced food.”

Kuti-George canvassed for subsidies on the cost of production of locally produced food or off-take of their food.

He advised, “So, what the government can do in that instance, therefore, is to subsidise the cost of production of the locally produced food or off-take their food, buy it at the price that will give them profit, and then sell it in the market at lower prices. While it is good for the populace to have lower prices of food items, we have to think of how we are doing it.

“The long-term solution would be to boost local production of food items so that when it is available when there is supply, prices will normally come down. How that can be done is to subsidise agricultural inputs, provide modern technology for agriculture, and fund farmers massively through their cooperatives and associations.”

According to him, the issue of security is also on the front burner of what needs to be addressed by the Federal Government.

He added, “We must not forget the fact that the issue of security has to be taken care of. Even where farmers are ready to farm, where you have inputs supplied, where you have modern agricultural implements such as tractors and so on, if people cannot go to their farms, or they go to their farms and bring their cattle to graze, we still come back to the issue of food scarcity. So, this issue of security is very, very critical.

“I learned that President Tinubu is forming a Ministry of Livestock. Well, I do not understand the sense behind that, but I don’t see it solving the problem. What we need is to equip our military to go in there and deal with the situation.

“We can also put laws in place. If you graze your cattle on my land, there is a place to report, and action will be taken. By the time one, two, or three people are jailed or their animals seized, others will learn a lesson.”

Meanwhile, a member of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Dr Ikenna Nwosu, said it was not optimal to comment on an expressed intention.

He said, “When the Federal Government unfolds the measures for crashing the food prices, the duration of the intervention, and the plans for long-term food price control, then the appropriate evaluation will be undertaken, including socioeconomic implications and how the measures reflect the policy targets for food security set out in Nigeria’s Medium Term National Development Plan 2021-2025. For now, the public is simply listening to the Federal Government rhetoric, while awaiting the measures.”

 

Germany-based Nigerian woman claps back at her husband as she breaks her silence after he announced the end of their marriage.

It was earlier reported that the husband identified as Onojie took to the Facebook platform to reveal that he was ending his marriage with his wife, just months after they had wed traditionally.

He had cited reasons for ending his marriage and calling off their coming wedding, which was meant to be held in October 2024.

His estranged wife, Priceless Ora took to her social media page to react to the announcement.

In a series of posts she made on her Facebook page, she claimed that her husband had only married her for a certain document, which she didn’t name.

She also expressed regrets in marrying a man like him, even though they had welcomed four kids together.

“I pray to live long in single mother life than to die in husband house. God give me the power to take care of my children.

“Tell the world wetin make you put money for my head. A man who plan to have children because of document, now the document never come u dey cry eye, lucky to the next woman,” she wrote.

See her post below …

 

 

 

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, has declined the request to transfer the N80.2bn fraud trial of ex-Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, from Abuja to Kogi State.

The CJ, in a letter dated July 2 and signed by his  Special Assistant, Joshua Aji, said he agreed with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that Bello should be tried in Abuja and not Kogi State.

Justice Tsoho rejected Bello’s application dated June 10, praying that his trial for alleged N80.2bn fraud should be transferred to Kogi.

Bello’s lawyer, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), had on June 27 told the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, that his client had applied to have his case transferred to Kogi.

Adedipe said Bello took the decision to seek the transfer of the matter after he was briefed about what transpired at the June 13 proceedings in court.

Adedipe said, “After the proceeding on that day, we gave him (Bello) the report of what happened in court. I was made to understand that a letter had been written on behalf of the defendant to the honourable Chief Judge of the FHC requesting in substance that this matter be administratively transferred to the FHC Lokoja judicial division believed to have territorial jurisdiction.

“This issue is no longer in the hands of the Bar but the bench. If the honorable Chief Judge has taken an initiative, I need to give him the necessary respect.”

But the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), expressed displeasure about the attitude of the defence, insisting that Bello ought to have been in court for his arraignment.

Pinheiro also opposed Bello’s bid to have the case moved to Kogi State.

In his letter to the counsel, the CJ said he agreed with the EFCC that the case should be tried in Abuja.

In the letter, the CJ’s SA, Aji, wrote: “I am directed by His Lordship, the Honourable, the Chief Judge to inform you that he has considered your arguments in support of the application for transfer of the defendant’s case from Abuja to Lokoja and the response of Dr. ‘Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, to the same.

“His Lordship’s position on the matter is as follows:

“The main complaint in the case borders on the alleged conversion and transfer of funds of Kogi State to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, to purchase property through acts of concealment.

“The law permits the filing of the charge either in Abuja, FCT or in Lokoja, Kogi State, the offence(s) having been allegedly partly committed in both places. Hence, this is distinguishable from IBORI v. F.R.N. (2008) LPELR8370 or (2009) 3 NWLR (Pt. 1127) C.A. 94 and other judicial authorities relied upon by the defendant.

“The prosecution has shown, with documentary evidence, that two criminal charges in the same scheme of alleged fraud leading to the charge against the defendant were earlier filed and are being tried in the Federal High Court, Abuja in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/550/22 F. R. N. v. 1. Ali Bello, 2. Dauda Suleiman and F. R. N. v. 1. Ali Bello, 2. Abba Daudu, 3. Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, 4. Iyadi Sadat.

“In both charges, a formal application was made for their transfer to Lokoja, but the court, in a considered ruling, refused the application. The ruling has not been set aside and cannot be reversed by administrative fiat.

“There is documentary evidence of a pending appeal in Yahaya Adoza Bello v. F. R. N. filed on 17/05/2024, wherein the defendant as appellant sought a consequential order remitting the case to the Chief Judge for reassignment. It is not proper to take any step that will be tantamount to pre-empting the outcome of the appeal.”

The CJ also considered the issue of jurisdiction.

“The main issue raised is jurisdictional in nature and will be more appropriately decided by the court. The matter should, therefore, be presented in the open court.

“Please, accept the esteemed regards of His Lordship, the Honourable, the Chief Judge,” Aji added.

Bello has been having a running battle with the EFCC over alleged N80.2bn fraud.

The anti-graft agency had declared his wanted following his repeated absence in court for his arraignment.

At the June 27 proceedings, the EFCC lawyer, Pinheiro, had urged the court to jail Bello’s lawyer for reneging on their commitment to produce him in court for his arraignment.

Pinheiro said, “Since no reason has been offered by Adeola (for Bello’s absence), Your Lordship should treat this as professional misconduct and contempt of court.

“We urge the court to exercise disciplinary jurisdiction over the lawyers so as to preserve the integrity of the judiciary.

“If a Chief Justice of Nigeria can be put in the dock before an inferior tribunal, who then is a SAN or a former governor in terms of status?”

Justice Nwite adjourned till July 17 for ruling.

..

The value of pension funds (PenCom) in Nigeria increased by 2.23 per cent month-on-month to cross the N20tn mark to N20.23tn in May 2024.

According to the unaudited report on the pension funds industry portfolio for the period ended May 31, 2024, released by the National Pension Commission, the Pension Funds Administrators’ investment in FG securities remained high and increased within the period under review as it cornered 63.22 per cent of the entire funds.

Investment in government securities stood at N12.79tn from N12.40tn in April.

PFAs also dropped about 10.83 per cent of the funds in corporate debt securities, with corporate bonds getting the largest share.

Experts have attributed the PFAs’ interest in government securities and money market instruments to the hawkish stance of the Central Bank of Nigeria, which has seen it raise benchmark interest rates in a bid to reduce market liquidity.

The attractive rates on offer have seen investors, including pension funds, allocate more capital towards fixed-income securities for higher returns for their funds and contributors.

In the high-interest environment of the money market, pension fund investment dipped marginally to N1.93tn from N1.95tn in the previous month.

Appetite for mutual funds increased in May compared to April when that segment of the market recorded a decline.

In April, mutual funds dipped by 19.93 per cent month-on-month to N85.19bn from N106.39bn in March.

However, in May, investment in mutual funds recorded an upswing to N95.28bn.

At the end of May, the pension funds recorded an increase of N440.40bn monthly. This is the second-highest monthly increase this year, next to N1.18tn in January.

In the first five months of the year, the pension funds have appreciated by N1.87tn and on a year-on-year basis, pension funds had increased by N4.12tn.

Between May 2023 and May this year, the membership of the Retired Savings Account has also increased by 356,795 or 3.57 per cent to 10,351,624.

Meanwhile, the National Insurance Commission had ordered African Alliance Insurance Plc to resolve and ensure the settlement of outstanding claims from its customers.

This followed what the commission described as increased complaints by annuitants and insurance claimants against African Alliance Insurance Plc in respect of the company’s delay and/or inability to fulfil its obligations.

NAICOM said that it had summoned the board of African Alliance Insurance to its headquarters in Abuja recently and ordered the company to settle outstanding payments due to annuitants and claimants.

They were also asked to submit a turnaround plan for addressing the challenges currently faced by the company, which necessitated putting the company under the commission’s regulatory order.

The regulator warned that it would not hesitate to act if the company defaults on its timelines.

 

 

 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities said it will be meeting with the Federal Government FG on July 25, 2024 over its unmet demands.

This was as non-academic staff of universities declared on Sunday that they were set for a one-day protest on Tuesday on campuses over their withheld four-month salaries. The one-day protest would be a prelude to a nationwide protest planned for July 18.

The National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this in a phone interview with our correspondent on Sunday.

Osodeke said July 25 was the implementation date in the timeline agreed to with the Federal Government.

For some weeks now, ASUU chapters across campuses in the country have been engaging in protests.

The protesting academics, who were joined by students, threatened to embark on another round of industrial action if the government refused to fulfill the promises made to them.

The union also published an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, demanding the full implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Federal Government since 2009.

Osodeke emphasised that the protests yielded a positive result, saying it led to the Federal Government calling the union for a meeting and fixing a timeline to meet some of the promises.

He said, “We have met with the Minister of Education and reached a timeline. They made promises to us and we want to watch if it would be done. We are meeting two weeks from today, July 25th, to see if they have done what they promised.

“The protest made them to call us for a meeting, they should fulfill their promise.”

The letter published in a newspaper, dated June 20, 2024, said the Nigerian academics were compelled to embark on nationwide strike action on February 14, 2022, when all entreaties to the government to resolve the issues in contention fell on deaf ears.

Osodeke said the 10 issues and other emerging ones were the conclusion of the renegotiation of the FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s draft Agreement of 2021.

He said the agreement was on the release of withheld three and a half months’ salaries on account of the 2022 strike action; release of unpaid salaries of staff on sabbatical leave, part-time, and adjunct appointments owing to the application of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System; release of outstanding third-party deductions, such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions; funding for revitalisation of public universities (partly captured in 2023 Federal Government’s Budget).

Other issues in contention include the Earned Academic Allowances (partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government’s Budget); proliferation of universities by the federal and state governments; implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities; Illegal dissolution of Governing Councils; and the University Transparency and Accountability Solutions (in place of IPPIS).

Osodeke said, “Your Excellency is requested to set necessary machinery in motion for bringing ASUU and major stakeholders (Ministries, Departments, and Agencies) together to address the outstanding issues in FGN/ASUU engagements since 2009. This will save our university system the agonies of another round of industrial action and its disruptive potential. The President’s promise of smooth academic calendars in universities at the inception of this administration, we believe, is achievable if the government sincerely sits down to address the issues as listed here.”

SSANU, NASU to protest Tuesday

Meanwhile, unions of non-academic staff members of the university declared on Sunday that they will be embarking on a nationwide protest starting from Thursday, July 18, 2024, over their withheld four-month salaries.

But before that, all branches of the non-academic unions under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee would protest at each of their branches on Tuesday.

The workers, under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, said their meeting with the government officials had collapsed.

The two unions operating under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee disclosed this in a circular jointly signed by the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, and President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, which was obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday.

The circular directed all branches of the two unions to hold a mandatory general meeting today (July 8, 2024) to sensitise members to the insensitivity of the government to their plights.

According to unions, the actions were necessitated by the failure of the Federal Government to pay their members’ withheld four-month salaries despite several meetings scheduled with the Minister of Education and its Labour counterpart.

“The national body of the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU met on Thursday, 4th July 2024 to appraise and take position on the current situation in respect of the withheld four months’ salaries and other grievances of our members in the University and Inter-University Centres.

“Similarly, the National JAC, on invitation, met with the Honourable Minister of Education; Honourable Minister of State for Education; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education; other top officials of the Ministry and National Universities Commission.

“Unfortunately, after the engagement,  the Minister of Education has not shown any convincing commitment to the payment of our withheld salaries and resolutions of other pending grievances of JAC of the two unions.

“It is also disheartening that the JAC was also at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and as usual, the Minister of State was not on seat to receive us, as we were informed that she had an urgent call from the Villa.

“The Permanent Secretary, who stood in for her, could not make any commitment on the issues raised. In view of this disappointment and failure of the government to address the grievances of NASU and SSANU, JAC has decided on a series of industrial actions which, include the following:

“All branches of NASU and SSANU should mandatorily hold a general meeting on Monday, 8th Jul, 2024 to sensitise members to the insensitivity of the government to our plights.

“A one-day protest should hold on Tuesday, 9th July 2024 at each branch simultaneously. Every branch should ensure that all members fully participate in the protest and the press or media is adequately mobilised.

“A national protest, which will hold in Abuja on Thursday, 18th July, 2024 after which JAC will meet to announce a date when the strike action will commence. Further information will be communicated appropriately,” the circular read.

The Nigerian government had withheld the salaries of both academic and non-academic staff in Nigerian universities for taking part in an industrial action that grounded the universities for eight months in 2022.

In October, President Bola Tinubu ordered the payment of four of the eight months withheld salaries for the academic staff, leaving out the non-teaching staff.

This development resulted in a renewed rift between the non-academic staff union and the government.

Since the announcement, both SSANU and NASU have kicked against the ‘selective payments’ and asked to be included.

However, only the academic staff received the four months’ salaries paid in February.

 

Nigerian Fuel scarcity is gradually surfacing in Lagos and other parts of the country as private depot owners hiked the ex-depot price of petrol from N630 to N720 per litre.

This came as fuel scarcity deepened in Abuja and the adjoining states on Sunday with some filling stations dispensing PMS as high as N900/litre.

Our correspondents report that a number of filling stations in Lagos, Ogun and some states have run out of stock as they refused to buy high-priced fuel from the private depots.

Speaking in an interview with one of our correspondents on Sunday, the National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, said many filling stations did not open for business because they had no fuel in their tanks.

He said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, which is the sole importer of petrol at the moment, should explain to Nigerians what was happening with the product.

“Those that shut their stations do not have fuel to sell. When you don’t have fuel, you cannot open your station. That is the problem. You know the NNPC is the sole importer of this product. I think it is in the best position to tell us what is actually going on.

“Currently, independent marketers cannot buy what the private depots are selling. They are selling fuel between N715 and N720 per litre. How much will marketers sell the product? Look at the cost of bringing it to their depots; with transportation and other depot expenses, it will be too costly for them. That is why the stations are shut down. Some marketers refuse to go and buy because they know the masses cannot afford high-priced petrol in this economy. That is the situation for now,” the IPMAN leader stated.

Our correspondents learnt that the third parties, who are private depot owners, used to sell PMS to independent marketers at the rate of N630-650/litre before now, while the NNPC sells petrol to major marketers at a price below or around N600.

On many occasions, leaders of IPMAN have appealed to the NNPC to supply them with petrol directly like they do to major marketers, but the NNPC has yet to yield to that call.

Fashola appealed to Nigerians to avoid panic buying, saying they should buy what they need so that the fuel in circulation could go round.

It was gathered that the major marketers sold petrol below N650 while the independent marketers sold between N750/litre and N800 /litre.

Multiple officials confirmed to one of our correspondents that officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited stormed the various depots in Apapa on Friday, mandating depot owners to prioritise fuel supply to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where the fuel queues were initially noticed on Friday.

Abuja prioritised

On Saturday and Sunday, many trucks were reportedly directed to Abuja to reduce the queues in the FCT, leaving Lagos and other places with little supply.

One of the officials disclosed that the NNPC was rationing PMS to depots due to the fuel supply gap.

This is coming barely three days after a report by Reuters claimed that Nigeria’s debt to suppliers of Premium Motor Spirit had surpassed $6bn, doubling what it was since early April, as the NNPC struggled to cover the gap between fixed pump prices and international fuel costs.

Although this was denied by the NNPC, the Reuters report stated that the national oil company began struggling early this year when late PMS payments surpassed $3bn.

The company, it said, had yet to pay for some January imports which traders put between $4bn and $5bn.

“The only reason traders are putting up with it is the $250,000 a month (per cargo) for late payment compensation,” one industry source said.

At least two suppliers were said to have stopped participating in recent tenders after hitting self-imposed debt exposure limits to Nigeria, meaning they will not send more PMS until they receive payments.

It was reported that Nigeria’s tenders to buy gasoline in June and July were smaller, traders told Reuters. NNPC will import via tender about 850,000 tonnes in July, according to the Reuters report quoting sources, down from the typical one million tonnes in previous months.

Meanwhile, PUNCH findings show some marketers have refused to supply petrol to independent marketers, who own the larger percentage of the filling stations in Nigeria. This, it was gathered, was because the depots/marketers were getting limited supplies from the NNPC.

“Currently, we focus on our filling stations. We get less than 50 per cent of what we usually get from the NNPC now. So, we make sure we feed our stations first before we consider selling to independent marketers. That is why most of them are out of stock. You know they don’t have access to the NNPC and the little we get is not even enough for our stations,” one of the depot operators told The PUNCH on condition of anonymity because was not authorised to speak on the matter.

The operator mentioned that the few depots selling to IPMAN members sell at higher prices as demand overshoots supply.

Our correspondents report that queues were returning to Lagos as of Sunday, creating fears among residents, who have yet to forget the fuel scarcity that almost grounded the economy in May.

When our correspondent visited some fuel stations across the state, it was observed that some fuel stations had adjusted the prices of PMS upward.

The PUNCH reported that fresh queues for the product surfaced in Abuja, parts of Niger and Nasarawa states on Friday, following the closure of many filling stations operated by independent marketers.

Dealers closed their retail outlets due to their inability to access petrol as a result of the hike in the ex-depot price of the commodity to N710/litre by private depot owners.

Motorists besieged the few stations that dispensed petrol on Friday; particularly those operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and some major oil marketers in Abuja and neighbouring states.

It was noted that the situation was extending to Lagos. Out of about 10 fuel stations along the Ikotun to Egbeda axis, only about two stations were dispensing at the time of filing this report.

At Ikotun, one of the outlets belonging to the NNPC that was selling for N568 per litre had long queues while others were not dispensing. At the Igando-Ikotun axis, only an outlet belonging to Petrocam sold at N820 per litre.

Long queues

The PUNCH also observed that an outlet belonging to TotalEnergies along Mushin Road, in Isolo, sold fuel at N615 per litre with a long queue of waiting buyers.

Meanwhile, a Technoil filling station at Isolo Bustop was not selling fuel at the time of filing this report. Also, the NNPC filling station on the same axis that sold for N568 per litre was crowded with cars.

Our correspondent further observed that there were no fuel attendants at an AP filling located along Okota Road, as the outlet was closed at the time of filing this report.

Al Morouf filling located along Ilasa Road only sold to a few customers.

A motorist who simply gave his name as Mr Emmanuel Anyebe, said, “They said they have removed fuel subsidy and by that, we assumed that what happened in the telecommunication industry would happen to the oil and gas sector, but it didn’t. It is not as if there is scarcity, there is no scarcity anywhere. I asked at the fuel station why the queue all they could say was that they had not been able to get the product. He said that about six tankers they ordered in the last two weeks were only able to get one tanker delivered to their station. This is just unnecessary suffering that is how I see it, they suffer people and waste people’s time unnecessarily.”

The PUNCH gathered that the AP Fuel Station at Ilasamaja experienced intermittent fuel sales on Sunday.

The station sold fuel in the morning but stopped operations in the afternoon, resuming sales later in the evening. Customers willing to pay a premium could purchase five litres of fuel at a rate of N4,000.

“We sold at N615 per litre today but we have stopped for now. However, if you are desperate, we can sell to you at a higher rate,” a customer attendant at the AP Fuel Station revealed.

Meanwhile, the General Fuel Station in Sadiku had no fuel available when visited by our correspondent, exacerbating the fuel scarcity crisis in Lagos.

A motorist simply identified as Segun in Nepal, Akowonjo, Lagos State, told our correspondent that he purchased fuel at the rate of N650, adding that the queue was becoming unbearable.

“I paid N650 per litre, and it is annoying because I have been buying it like this for the longest time, and I think the government needs to do something about it, but then again, we have no choice.

A commercial driver, Timothy stated that he purchased fuel at Petrocam in Ikeja for N670.

He said, “Things keep increasing, the dollar is high, and all these producers are storing the fuel somewhere. They even mentioned that the prices might be higher.”

In Ogun State, checks by our correspondent revealed that petrol was sold between N700 to N800 amid long queues.

Our correspondent learnt from a resident, Emmanuel Ogbonna, that Ebefem fuel station in Abeokuta dispensed petrol at the rate of N720.

Emmanuel decried the difficulties experienced in getting petrol as there seems to be a return of fuel scarcity.

Emmanuel said, “I bought fuel at N720 in Ebefem filling station. There was no queue at the time I visited the station but major fuel stations like NNPC were not dispensing fuel when I visited yesterday (Saturday) evening. It seems petrol is scarce.”

A fashion designer in Abeokuta who identified himself as Ibrahim told our correspondent that he purchased the product at the rate of N750 at a private fuel station.

“My apprentice got the fuel at N750 at Oyinkansola. This is affecting my business.”

Further checks in the Oloka area of Imeko-Afon revealed that petrol was dispensed at N850 per litre.

A resident, Ade Akinola, told our correspondent that petrol was dispensed at the rate of N850. He blamed the Federal Government’s decision to ban the supply of petroleum products within 20 kilometres of the nation’s borders.

Akinola said, “Over the years, petroleum products have been expensive in border communities because of the 20km ban on the supply of crude to the nation’s border.

“As of today (Sunday), the last filling station permitted to dispense petroleum products sells fuel at N850. In places like Ilara which is the border town, petrol sells for N1,500 per litre. This is making life tough for residents of border communities.”

Ado-Ekiti stations

Our correspondent reports that many of the petrol stations in Ekiti State, particularly in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, have not been dispensing fuel to customers in the past few days.

At the few stations where the product is sold, there are long queues of vehicles especially where the price per litre is a bit low.

On Saturday and Sunday, the filling stations sold for between N650 and N760 per litre.

A motorist, Olaniyi Olaogun, said, “We have been in this fuel situation for some days now and nobody is ready to give an explanation. I bought fuel on Saturday at N650 per litre at a filling station in the Adebayo area of Ado-Ekiti. The queue there was unbelievable at that amount.

“It is only NNPC that sells at N580 per litre, others are above N600 per litre. I know NNPC along Iworoko Road sold at N580 per litre on Friday,” he said.

Another car owner, Mrs Lydia Igbala, said she bought fuel at N750 per litre and N760 per litre at different locations in the state capital on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

In Kwara, The PUNCH gathered that there was availability of PMS in Ilorin, on Sunday as most of the stations were selling fuel to motorists. However, the prices ranged from N600 to N750 per litre in most of the petrol outlets.

The AP filling station at Murtala Mohammed Road, a major commercial area in Ilorin, dispensed fuel at N620 per litre while MJK in the same area sold at N750. The MRS located on Unity Road sold at N600 per litre while Abanik at Sawmill sold at N660.

Shafa station sold at N700 per litre; Rain Oil at Asa Dam road and Lao area respectively were selling at N720 per litre; Tigress at Odota sold at N750 per litre, while Bovas sold at N670 per litre in all its stations located in various parts of the metropolis.

However,  the price of diesel at stations that have supply ranged from N1,450 to N1,700 per litre while kerosene was sold at N1,650 per litre.

In Benin, Edo State, independent marketers sold PMS between N700 and N730 per litre, while the major marketers sold between N660 and N680.

Our correspondent reports that the prices were higher in Edo North with a litre going for between N730 and N900 by the Independent marketers who are mostly in that area. In Edo Central, a litre sold for between N750 and N850 on Sunday.

The NNPCL fuel station sold PMS at N591 per litre, but motorists had to queue for long hours to buy the product.

It was learnt that the NNPC filling stations in Rivers State were selling fuel for N591. However, others sold between N750 and N760 as of Sunday.

Sokoto

Long queues of motorists resurfaced at the mega station of the NNPC in Sokoto State as fuel scarcity hit the state. Our correspondent who monitored the development gathered that only the NNPC station sold the product at N620 naira per litre.

Other fuel stations that sold fuel between N720 and N750 before now sell between N850 and N900, depending on the filling stations.

In Kaduna, fuel is sold between N720 and N800 along the Sabon-Tasha expressway by Command Junction, in the southern part of the state.

At the NNPC Mega stations along Stadium Roundabout and Aliyu Makama Road by Living Faith Church, Barnawa, fuel was being sold at N620 per litre but with a long queue.

At the black-market rate, motorists buy a gallon of petrol at N4,000 and N4,500 depending on the locations within the Kaduna metropolis and its environs.

NNPC spokesperson did not immediately respond to calls and messages seeking reaction on the developments on Sunday

Abuja scarcity lingers

Meanwhile, some filling stations in locations far from the city centre of the FCT dispensed Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, at N900/litre on Sunday, as the scarcity of the commodity lingered in Abuja and neighbouring Nasarawa and Niger states.

Hide original message

Hundreds of motorists besieged the outlets operated by big dealers such as Nipco, Salbas, and Conoil, among others, to get the product at between N660/litre to N690/litre, whereas smaller stations operated by independent marketers sold the product at higher rates.

One of the remote stations along the Kubwa Village market road dispensed its product at N900/litre and had fewer queues compared to those at the few outlets of major dealers that sold petrol on Sunday.

Attendants at the Kubwa facility confirmed the position that was earlier stated by the National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, that the ex-depot price of petrol had been increased to N710/litre at depots.

“The price of petrol at depots is now more than N710/litre. You have to pay for transportation to bring it from Lagos, Port Harcourt or Warri to Abuja, That cost has to be factored in. There are other operational costs to include too.

“When you add all this, there is no way you will sell at even N800/litre and be able to get a sensible margin. This applies mainly to independent marketers who operate smaller stations.

“For the major marketers, some of them have their private depots, so they can afford to sell at lower prices,” an attendant who simply identified himself as Austin, stated.

The IPMAN president had earlier told our correspondent that some dealers closed their retail outlets due to their inability to access petrol as a result of the hike in the ex-depot price of the commodity to N710/litre by private depot owners.

He said private depot owners had raised the ex-depot price of PMS to N710/litre, whereas the pump price of the commodity at NNPC retail stations was N617/litre.

Maigandi said, “The current situation is a result of the way private depot owners have been selling their products. It has been very difficult for independent petroleum marketers to get the product and sell it in Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as in other states in the North.

“So the queues you are seeing now are because of the cost of PMS by private depots. The private depots are selling at N710/litre, but if you check the price of the same product at NNPC retail outlets, it is N617/litre.

“Therefore, by the time we independent marketers buy from private depots and bring it to our filling stations, we will not be able to sell our product because our cost price is already so high, while the cost at NNPC retail outlets is far lower.

“And you know that when we buy it at the rate of N710/litre we have to add transportation cost again because there is no equalisation. And when we add the cost of transportation, the pump price is going to be higher than the N710/litre ex-depot price, whereas NNPC stations sell at N617/litre.”

Maigandi explained that because of the widespread number of stations operated by IPMAN, any distortion in the supply of products to members of the group would eventually lead to fuel queues because major marketers and NNPC stations are fewer in number.

On whether IPMAN members cannot get direct PMS supply from NNPC, instead of buying the product from private depots, he replied, “That is what we have been negotiating with them (NNPC), and they promised us that they will start giving us our allocation.

“They have started but the quantity is small compared to the number of retail outlets operated by IPMAN nationwide. We are getting products from NNPC, but the volume is too small for our members.

“So we are requesting additional volumes because in Abuja alone we have over 250 retail outlets belonging to IPMAN members. This is just for Abuja, we’ve not talked about Niger, Kaduna, and other states in the North, not to talk of the number nationwide.”

Maigandi, however, stated that the queues for petrol were not pronounced in remote villages, adding that “when you go to the villages you will see that there are no queues.”