Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naturenex roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Wednesday, 20th November, 2024
1. Tinubu Writes NASS, Seeks ₦1.767 Trillion External Loan To Fund 2024 Budget Deficit
President Bola Tinubu has requested the National Assembly’s approval for a fresh external borrowing plan of ₦1.767 trillion to partially fund the ₦9.7 trillion budget deficit in the 2024 appropriation act.
The president’s request was read during plenary on Tuesday by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
If approved, the loan will contribute to financing the federal government’s economic and developmental priorities in the upcoming fiscal year.
In addition to the borrowing plan, Tinubu also forwarded the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) for 2025-2027 to the National Assembly.
These documents are expected to provide a fiscal roadmap for the administration’s long-term economic objectives.
The president further submitted the National Social Investment Programme Establishment Amendment Bill to parliament.
2. Politicians Against Tinubu’s Tax Reform Proposals Have Not Read Details Of The Bill – Agbese
The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has submitted that politicians would stop opposing the tax reform bills if they take their time to study the document.
According to him, the lawmakers, Governors and other stakeholders who are against the tax reforms proposed in the bill submitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu lack an understanding of what the bill is about.
He argued that the content of the tax reform bill is in the best interest of Nigeria.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview with Arise News, Agbese said those against the bill would fall in love with it if they could just take their time to read the bill and understand its content.
The lawmaker made the submission amidst the controversies surrounding the tax reform bills by President Tinubu, which are currently before the National Assembly.
He explained that the chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zach Adedeji, has been able to allay fears of lawmakers on the bill when he spoke with them on Monday during an interactive session.
Agbese noted that parliamentarians are working to ensure the reforms promote fairness and equity. He explained that members from the northern caucus, alongside other regional representatives, are holding smaller group consultations to examine the bills thoroughly. This collaborative effort, he said, is intended to balance national interest with regional considerations.
3. FG Lifts Restrictions On Posting Of NYSC Members
The Federal Government has lifted restrictions on the deployment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, allowing them to be posted to private sector organisations, including banks and oil companies.
This decision, outlined in a memo dated November 18, 2024, was issued by the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande.
Naturenex learnt that it takes effect with the 2024 Batch ‘C Orientation Course and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision to address the growing youth unemployment crisis.
The previous policy, introduced by former Youth Development Minister Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, limited corps members to specific sectors such as education, agriculture, health, and infrastructure.
The restriction aimed to prevent exploitation by private companies and to strengthen public sector institutions.
However, the government now believes this policy has hindered corps members from acquiring relevant skills and practical experience, leaving them unprepared for the job market.
According to Olawande, the revamped policy seeks to provide NYSC members with better opportunities to apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings, thereby improving their employability.
4. ‘We Are Only Respecting Ourselves’ – Sultan Denies Traditional Rulers Fear Governors
The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Mohammad Abubakar II, has dismissed claims that traditional rulers are intimidated by state governors.
Speaking at a Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Northern Nigerian Youth Development in Abuja, organized by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, the Sultan emphasized that traditional rulers have a deeper historical and cultural connection to the country than governors.
He noted that traditional institutions were in place long before Nigeria’s independence in 1960.
The Sultan’s comments were in response to remarks by former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, who suggested that traditional rulers feared state governors.
Refuting this, the Sultan stated, “Traditional rulers are not afraid of governors. We respect them as leaders with constitutional authority in their states, but this respect should not be mistaken for fear.”
The Sultan reaffirmed the importance of traditional leaders in addressing the needs of their communities, highlighting their role as custodians of culture and advocates for the people’s welfare.
5. Why I Sent National Social Investment Programme Agency Bill To NASS – Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, forwarded a letter to the Senate and the House of Representatives, seeking the approval of the National Social Investment Programme Agency Establishment Amendment Bill 2024.
The President explained in his letter that the purpose of the bill is to make the National Social Register the primary targeting tool for the implementation of social investment programmes of the government.
Tinubu’s letter was addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
President Tinubu said if approved by the lawmakers as requested, his request would ensure that welfare programmes are data-driven and deliver effective social protection to Nigeria’s most vulnerable citizens.
6. Terrorists Now Using IEDs To Destabilize Communities, Destroy Infrastructures And Cause Fear – Gen Laka
The National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, has disclosed that terrorists and bandits have now taken to the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) as the new weapon for wreaking havoc.
Speaking on Tuesday during a two-day Counter Improvised Explosive Device Training for various security agencies and services, organised by the NCTC in Abuja, General Laka said the use of IEDs by the criminals poses significant national security challenges.
He said the terrorists now use the IEDs to destabilise communities, destroy infrastructure and inflict fear and suffering on innocent lives.
The NCTC Coordinator, however, said the training would assist security agencies in providing appropriate responses and countermeasures to the activities of the terrorists.
He stressed that the training was part of the planning by the Presidential Communication, Command and Control Centre in preparation for the 2024 Crisis Response Exercise, scheduled for November 25 to 29.
He added that the counter IEDs training was further creating a platform for the NCTC to assess the readiness of participants in countering Improvised Explosive Device procedures and operations.
7. EFCC After Okowa Because Of 2027, Allegations Against Him Are Frivolous – Delta SSG
The Secretary to the Delta State Government, Kingsley Emu, says the allegations against former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa are frivolous and politically motivated.
He alleged that the allegations against Okowa are sponsored by his political enemies in order to tarnish his image ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview with Arise News, Emu maintained that Okowa is a man of impeccable character and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has no case against him.
The SSG insisted that Okowa, during his tenure as the Delta State Governor, implemented several developmental projects in the state, insisting that unnamed detractors and political jobbers are behind the accusations.
On the allegations of financial misappropriation of ₦1.3 trillion in derivation funds and other financial irregularities against Okowa, which has pitched the former Governor against the EFCC, Emu stated, “Most of, if not all, of those allegations are pretty spurious.
8. ‘Baseless Allegations ’ – Ladi Adebutu Narrates Ordeal In DSS Custody
The governorship candidate of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Ladi Adebutu, has dismissed allegations made against him by the Department of State Services (DSS) as “baseless.”
In a statement recounting his experience in DSS custody in Abeokuta, Adebutu claimed the accusations were part of an attempt to suppress his voice as an opposition leader.
Adebutu was detained on Monday night and questioned regarding the local government elections held across Ogun State’s 20 local government areas on Saturday. He was released early Tuesday morning.
He described the allegations as unfounded, suggesting they were aimed at silencing his critique of the election.
Adebutu reiterated his position on financial autonomy for local governments, calling it vital for development.
He emphasized that his views align with those of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, highlighting the non-partisan nature of the stance.
Adebutu further criticized the state’s leadership over the past five years, accusing it of undermining local government autonomy.
Despite the circumstances, Adebutu commended the DSS for their professionalism.
9. ‘The Fight Against Oil Theft Is Stepping On Many Powerful Toes In Lagos, Abuja’ – Tompolo
The chairman of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Government Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo, has expressed dissatisfaction over challenges faced while combating oil theft, including a recent clash between his team and the Nigerian Navy in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Tompolo, whose security outfit was contracted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to protect pipelines, raised these concerns during a visit by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) leadership, led by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, to Oporoza, the Gbaramatu Kingdom headquarters in Delta State.
The NBA’s visit aimed to investigate oil theft and its impact on Niger Delta communities.
During the interaction, Tompolo accused some Nigerian Navy personnel of aiding oil theft, citing an incident where Navy officers allegedly fired at Tantita Security operatives, who were accompanied by officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Tompolo revealed that his efforts have upset influential figures benefiting from the illicit trade.
He urged Nigerians and security agencies to support President Bola Tinubu’s “economic recovery efforts, warning of dire consequences if oil theft continues unchecked.”
10. ‘You Need To Borrow Above $50 Billion, Not $2 Billion’ – Senator Ibrahim Tells Tinubu
The lawmaker representing Ondo South in the National Assembly, Jimoh Ibrahim, has supported President Bola Tinubu‘s administration’s planned borrowings.
Naturenex reported that Tinubu has asked the National Assembly to approve a fresh N1.767trn external borrowing plan in support of the 2024 Budget.
The president conveyed his request in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas. He said if approved, the loan would partly be used to finance the N9.7trn deficit in the 2024 budget.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ibrahim said the current administration should borrow above $50 billion, not $2 billion.
However, the lawmaker urged Tinubu to ensure that the borrowings are channelled towards infrastructural projects.
He cited Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as an instance, saying the Middle East nation borrowed a $168 billion loan that was channelled into tourism, innovation, and technology.
