Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naturenex roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 10th October, 2024
1. Petrol To CNG: Tinubu Govt Unveils ‘Convert Now, Pay Later’ Portal For Vehicle Owners
President Bola Tinubu’s government has introduced a ‘convert now and pay later’ platform to facilitate the transition to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a practical substitute for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), better known as petrol or fuel.
Naturenex understands that this new online portal will enable Nigerians to convert their petrol-fueled vehicles to CNG, with the option to defer payment for the conversion expenses.
This information was shared in a statement by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) via its official X account.
The government noted that this payment scheme is designed to enable drivers to undertake vehicle conversions immediately while repaying the costs in manageable monthly instalments at competitive rates.
The Nigerian government is expanding CNG conversion centres nationwide through the Presidential CNG initiative.
In the past six months, conversion centres have been established in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as well as in Ogun, Ekiti, Nasarawa, and several other states.
The Federal Government aims to convert 1 million vehicles by the year 2027.
2. NNPCL Releases Adjusted Fuel Price
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced on Wednesday, October 9, that it had increased the ex-depot prices for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), better known as fuel for marketers.
NNPCL Retail Limited communicated this change through a price list, indicating that the ex-depot price in Calabar is now set at ₦1,050 per litre.
According to the National Oil Company, the ex-depot price in Lagos is ₦1,010 per litre, while in Port Harcourt, it stands at ₦1,045. Additionally, the prices in Ogara, Koko, and Warri are all set at ₦1,040 per litre.
Naturenex reports that the latest development on Wednesday forced Nigerians to voice their concerns regarding the hike in fuel prices implemented by the NNPCL, arguing that it will exacerbate poverty levels among the populace.
A report emerged earlier that in Abuja, fuel previously priced at ₦897 is now being sold for ₦1,030.
Similarly, in Lagos, fuel prices have risen from ₦885 per litre to ₦998 and, at some stations, over ₦1,000, resulting in long queues at filling stations.
3. FG Finalizes Executive Order On Zero VAT For Pharmaceutical Products, Ready For Gazetting
The federal government, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, has announced that the harmonized implementation framework concerning the Executive Order on zero VAT for pharmaceutical manufacturers has been successfully finalized and is now approved for publication in the gazette.
This development was confirmed in a statement released on Wednesday by the Head, Information & Public Relations of the Ministry, Alaba R. Balogun.
According to the statement, the order would allow local pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers to begin fully benefiting from the relief measures outlined by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the Executive Order.
Balogun added that the gazetting of the order will ensure a reduction on the cost of critical health supplies and bring relief to Nigerians.
4. LG Autonomy: Senate Gives Fresh Directive To State Govts
The Senate has asked state and local governments to immediately comply with the Supreme Court judgement, directive relating to local government accounts and the funds given directly to them.
The Senate also resolved to take immediate steps to alter sections of the Constitution to give full autonomy to local government administration in the country.
The resolutions were announced by the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Jibrin Barau, after lawmakers reconvened from a closed-door session where the Chamber debated attempts by some state governments to circumvent the ruling of the Supreme Court on July 11.
5. Peter Obi Reveals Next Line Of Action After Latest Court Judgement On Labour Party
The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has appealed for calm following the latest court judgment regarding the leadership of the party.
Obi, in a personally signed statement on Wednesday, said he, Governor Alex Otti, along with the Caretaker Chairman and Secretary of the Labour Party, have met on Tuesday to discuss and review the court judgement.
Naturenex recalls the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, ruled on Tuesday that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must officially recognise Julius Abure as the legitimate Chairman of the Labour Party.
Reacting to the development, Obi said he and others with him would continue to engage in discussions and consultations while refusing to be distracted from the issues affecting the people.
The former Anambra State Governor added that he has always known that the task of creating a new Nigeria will not come without challenges.
6. Appeal Court Sacks Atigwe As Enugu PDP Rep Member, Declares LP Candidate Winner
The Court of Appeal in Enugu affirmed Hon. Simon Atigwe’s removal from the House of Representatives.
Naturenex reports that the court’s verdict backed the previous decision made by the Election Petition Tribunal against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representative.
The court, hence, validated the election of Hon. Dennis Nnamdi Agbo from the Labour Party (LP) as the victor of the re-run election held on February 3, 2024, for the Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency.
This ruling was delivered unanimously by the three-member panel, with the chairman, Justice Ekanem, reading the decision.
A lawyer for the Labour Party, Ifeanyi Ogenyi, corroborated this information in a post on Wednesday.
7. Hardship: “I Am Angry I Can Not Afford Diesel Again” — Rotimi Amaechi
Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed frustration over the perceived complacency of Nigerians in the face of ongoing economic challenges.
In an interview with Igbere TV, Amaechi criticized the lack of proactive responses from the populace, particularly the youth, regarding the rising cost of living.
Amaechi, who previously served as the governor of Rivers State, noted that he anticipated a surge of protests from young people demanding action against the deteriorating economic conditions.
He said, “People should be angry because you cannot see a group of people stealing your money without doing anything. I am really angry with the citizens because they are not doing anything.
“Look at what happened in Edo State, should any politician be campaigning in Edo State? See, some of us cannot afford to buy diesel again because it’s costly.”
8. Petrol Price Hike: NLC Demands Immediate Reversal
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly condemned the recent increase in fuel prices, describing it as an aberration that undermines the principles of a deregulated market.
The NLC argues that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), a government-owned entity, should not be the sole arbiter of fuel prices in a sector that is supposedly open to market forces.
In a statement released by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the union demanded an immediate reversal of the fuel price hike, emphasizing that past increases have not led to any tangible benefits for the Nigerian populace.
9. Matawalle Returns To Sokoto, Vows To Flush Out Bandits, Terrorists
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has made a fresh promise that the government is committed to wiping out bandits, terrorists and all other criminal elements operating in the Northwest.
The Minister made the promise on Wednesday while speaking to newsmen in Sokoto State.
He disclosed that his return to Sokoto State is to coordinate the activities of security forces against the criminals as directed by President Bola Tinubu.
He assured the people of the Northwest states that the federal government would not leave them alone and also appreciated the gallant efforts of the security forces in wiping out the criminals.
Matawalle also commended Gov. Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto state for his support and emphasized the need for all stakeholders to work with the federal government in ensuring total success.
10. Why NNPCL Increased Fuel Pump Prices Again – Petroleum Marketers
Petroleum marketers have confirmed that the recent fuel price hike by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is due to the complete removal of subsidies on Premium Motor Spirit (petrol).
As a result, NNPCL has raised the pump prices to ₦1,030 per litre in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, and ₦998 per litre in Lagos.
This clarification came from spokesperson for the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, during an interview with DAILY POST on Wednesday.
Ukadike’s comments were in response to the latest price adjustment at NNPC stations, which increased from ₦897 per litre to ₦1,030.
This hike follows a previous increase by NNPCL, where the pump price jumped from ₦617 to ₦897 per litre.
However, Ukadike mentioned that neither NNPCL nor Dangote Refinery has yet disclosed their ex-depot prices, which are essential in determining the resale price for marketers.
