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  • BRICS: New Nation To Jail People Who Use The US Dollar

    BRICS: New Nation To Jail People Who Use The US Dollar

    A new South African nation is following the BRICS de-dollarization mission, planning to jail any people in the country who use the US Dollar.

     

    As the economic alliance has continued its efforts to abandon the US Dollar, Zambia has become the latest country to ditch the greenback and plans to force its citizens to do the same by law.

    A draft document released by the Bank of Zambia on Saturday revealed that individuals caught using foreign currency for local transactions could face up to ten years in prison or substantial fines. Zambia is a smaller country in the South African region, this latest drafted rule is likely targeting the US Dollar specifically to garner attention from the BRICS bloc.

     

    Former Zambian president Thabo Mbeki also appears on board with the new initiative to abandon the US Dollar. In a recent discussion around the US Dollar, he said that China, India, many African countries, and those in Latin America had been questioning the use of the US currency as a trading currency in the world. He added if two countries who did not use the dollar as their currency got into trade agreements there was no use in using it.

     

    The proposed anti-US Dollar law in Zambia will require all local public and private transactions to be conducted in Zambian kwacha (ZMW) and ngwee. Zambia Central Bank’s Deputy Governor for Operations, Francis Chipimo, at a trade fair in Ndola, emphasizes the importance of using local currency during your travels in support of this new law. Chipimo highlights the detrimental effects of dollarization on the country’s economy. The Deputy governor adds that it hinders effective monetary and exchange rate policy management. Thus, ending reliance on the US dollar will only help the country, which is a similar sentiment in other countries across the continent.

     

    ndeed, multiple other African nations are working in similar veins to ditch the US greenback for trade. Recently, BRICS member China has had a strong influence across the continent, especially in Zambia. The Bank of China, for example, offers services in Zambia, South Africa, and Kenya’s Nairobi. That is not just a development that marks greater Chinese cooperation, but one that is indicative of a much greater economic shift.

     

  • Sanwo-Olu wants CAC to simplify registration for startups as deadline for PoS operators nears

    Sanwo-Olu wants CAC to simplify registration for startups as deadline for PoS operators nears

     

    The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appealed to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to simplify its registration process, especially for startups and small businesses that might struggle to pay registration fees.

     

    The Governor stated this on Thursday during a courtesy call on him by the Registrar-General of CAC, Mr Hussaini Magaji, at Alausa, Ikeja.

     

    This appeal comes amid the struggle by Point of Sales (PoS) operators to meet the July 7, 2024 registration deadline set by the CAC.

    Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, suggested that the CAC could adopt a model similar to the state tax card, which provided a database for the government to manage infrastructure needs without burdening businesses.

    While expressing the state government’s willingness to collaborate with the CAC to ensure seamless registration of businesses in the state, he emphasized the need for more sensitization to correct the perception that registering with the CAC was difficult.

     

     

  • Ogun emerges worst among Southwest states with bad roads

    Ogun emerges worst among Southwest states with bad roads

     

    Ondo, Oyo, Osun follow the suit

    …Prices of foodstuffs, service, and transport up by 100%

    …Ogun govt has constructed at least 2 roads each in 20 LGs – Abiodun

     

    Trending news on social media such as Twitter now X, Facebook, and TikTok, among other social media platforms, indicate that Ogun State is regarded by Public Opinion as the worst among the Southwest States in terms of the presence of bad and less motorable roads.

     

    Some citizens and residents of the State who posted various messages on social media that the Sunrise Daily reported on Channels Television on Wednesday mentioned Alagbole, Akure, Ogijo, Sango-Ota, Ifo, Ewekoro, among others as different portions of bad roads which dotted all the three Senatorial Districts of the State.

     

    Statements like “#DapofixOgunroads: Nigerians call on Dapo Abiodun to suspend ‘steeze lifestyle’, focus on government”, and “This is Sango-Ota in Ogun State. Mr Governor has done nothing to fix the floods in that area”, among others, came to the fore on Wednesday on both social media and during Sunrise Daily aired on Channels Television.

     

    According to some people, this is putting more hardship on the residents, especially those living around the border towns such as Ojudu, Alagbole, Akure, Sango-Ota, Ogijo, and Magboro.

    Adewunmi Adenekan, a resident of Alagbole, told BusinessDay that he had to abandon his car at home and travel to Lagos daily to work. “Having seen the impassable condition of our roads in Alagbole, Akute and Ojodu, I usually go to Lagos on public transport daily”, Adenekan said.

  • Anambra police recover 14 vehicles from gunmen’s camps, invite owners for collection

    Anambra police recover 14 vehicles from gunmen’s camps, invite owners for collection

    The Police in Anambra State have recovered 14 vehicles after raiding camps belonging to gunmen terrorizing the state.

    A press release by the spokesperson of the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga said the raids on the camp and the recovery of the vehicles were done in different parts of the state.

    In a release sent to DAILY POST, Ikenga said: “This is to inform the general public and good people of Anambra State that during several operations on a raid of criminal camps, vehicles, tricycles, and motorcycles were recovered.”

    He said the vehicles were either snatched through armed robbery, stealing, murder and forceful/criminal dispossession of properties by men of the underworld.

    “Owners are requested to come to the office of the State Criminal Investigations Department, Awka, with valid proof of ownership for a claim,” he said.

    He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam assured members of the public that the Command was committed to ensuring that stolen properties were always recovered and returned to their rightful owners to assuage the sense of deprivation the victims of such crimes went through.

    He listed the vehicles to include: Space Wagon Passat with reg number: NNE 48 AS, Volkswagen Golf with reg number: THE 479 AA, shuttle bus with reg number: AGU 364 ZW and a Mitsubishi bus with reg number: CN 25 ABJ.

    Others are a shuttle bus with reg number: JJT 442 ZF, another shuttle bus with reg number: AWK 913 ZQ, a TVS tricycle without reg nos, another TVS tricycle with reg number: AAH 410 VW, a Topstar motorcycle without reg number, a Honda today without reg number, a Honda cub without reg number, a Sanyang motorcycle without reg number, a Keystone motorcycle without reg number, and a Honda today motorcycle without reg number.

     

  • EXCLUSIVE: Ogun Governor, Abiodun To Buy N2.4billion Toyota SUVs For Lawmakers, Earmarks N19billion For ‘Contingencies’ In His Office

    EXCLUSIVE: Ogun Governor, Abiodun To Buy N2.4billion Toyota SUVs For Lawmakers, Earmarks N19billion For ‘Contingencies’ In His Office

    A total of N2.4billon is expected to be spent by the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun for the purchase of 25 Toyota sports utility vehicles for members of the state House of Assembly despite the nationwide economic downturn, a copy of the state’s 2024 approved budget seen by SaharaReporters has revealed.

    Abiodun had on December 30, 2023, assented to the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N703 billion.

    Christened “Budget of Sustained Growth and Development”, the governor claimed the figure was made up of N415.66 billion capital expenditure and N287.37 billion recurrent expenditure.

    In the breakdown of the budget, N2,177,700,000.00 was approved for the procurement of “25 NO OF TOYOTA PRADO VX, AUTO, LEATHER SEAT, HIGH GRADE” under the state House of Assembly.

    Also N161,772,000.00 was earmarked for the for procurement of one Toyota LC3003.5L, twin turbo for the House speaker.

    The budget also revealed that N143,106,000.00 was meant for the purchase of one Toyota LC300GX, 4.0L under the state assembly.

    Under the “Office of the Governor”, a total amount of N18,971,887,528.84 was earmarked for provision of contingencies to address unforeseen circumstances.

    Governor Abiodun has for days been trending on X over bad roads in some communities in the state.

    A user, @HauwaAllahbura had accused him of promising to fix major roads in the state when he was soliciting votes but he had failed to fulfill his promise.

    She had written in pidgin English, “Good morning Nigerians. In 2020, when Dapo Abiodun was looking for votes, he said to us on X that he was fixing a few roads listed in his tweets. Here is the condition of some of the roads in his tweet. He fix am abi him no fix am? I will allow you to judge.”

  • Government alone cannot solve house challenges in Lagos – Gov Sanwo-Olu

    Government alone cannot solve house challenges in Lagos – Gov Sanwo-Olu

    Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, on Tuesday, said that the state government cannot solve the housing problem alone, but promised to bridge the deficit in the state.

    Governor Sanwo-Olu revealed this during the commissioning of Lagos Building Investment Company and the Rising Lagos Apartment in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of the state.

    He said: “I must commend and congratulate once again the leadership of LBIC and our Public Private Partner, WGC for their dedication, for their innovative mind and their promotion of excellence in bringing these projects to fruition for our citizens.

    “Let me reiterate that the government alone cannot solve these housing challenges in Lagos. We will keep exploring innovative solutions. We will keep forming real, genuine partnerships.

    “We will keep investing in sustainable development to ensure that as much as possible, as humanly possible, every Lagos resident that deserves has access to a decent and affordable housing need.

    “I want to encourage and urge the private sector and all other stakeholders in real estate to continue to seize the abandoned opportunities that abound in our states and our city and to extend a hand of partnership with administration.

    “Together, we believe that we can provide much-needed housing needs that will indeed take a greater Lagos conversation, take it to a reality.”

    Earlier, Managing Director, LBIC, Olusola Faleye, had stated that the scheme was a significant achievement for the state government and its resident.

  • ‘Money miss road’ – Charly Boy reacts to viral picture of Wike

    ‘Money miss road’ – Charly Boy reacts to viral picture of Wike

    Maverick singer, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has reacted to a photo of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, making the rounds on the internet.

    In the viral photo, the FCT minister was captured wearing a blue coat, blue pants, light blue shoes, and milk hat laced with blue, while holding a black staff.

    The picture elicited mixed reactions, with many marvelling at the minister’s “unconventional” style.

    Reacting, Charly Boy applauded Wike’s fashion sense.

    He, however, added that his dress reeks of extravagance.

    Reposting the picture on his X handle, Charly Boy wrote, “Monkey wear shuit and shuit.

    “Whether you like him or not, you must agree that he is brave when it comes to fashion.

    “Kai, money miss road.” (sic)

  • At your age, I would want younger ones to respect me – Obi replies Soyinka

    At your age, I would want younger ones to respect me – Obi replies Soyinka

     

    The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has said that he would always want younger ones to respect him when he gets to age of Noble Laurette, Prof Wole Soyinka.

    Obi said, as a matter of policy as a father, he doesn’t respond whenever his fathers talk.

    He made the statement while fielding questions on Arise Television’s News programme on Wednesday.

    The statement came after Soyinka said Obi was unfit to govern Nigeria.

    He alleged that Obi was inciting his supporters to attack and insult him, especially online.

    However, speaking on the sideline of the Democracy Day celebration, Obi said he had never, knowingly or unknowingly, asked the Obidients or the younger ones to say anything against anyone.

    He said: “Well, quite frankly, I will not make any comment on that. Wole Soyinka is a father. I have a policy as a father: I don’t respond when my fathers talk. I leave it to them because when I became at their age, I would want those other younger ones to respect me. Though I would try to put myself in a position where I will respect myself before that.

    “But one of those he talked about is me inciting the ‘Obidients’. I assure you, I have never, and I will never, knowingly or unknowingly, ask the Obidients or the younger ones to say anything against a priest, immam or elder; it will never happen.

    “I don’t make comments. It’s left for Nigerians to know whether I’m fit or not. I have been a successful businessman in the private sector. I have been in the corporate world, and I will say I am one of the most successful.

    “I have also served in the state, and I ask those who attack to let us put our records and check them side by side.”

  • Wahala: Customs Officials Beat NNPC Station Attendants in Ogun — Because of N100

    Wahala: Customs Officials Beat NNPC Station Attendants in Ogun — Because of N100

    Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) assaulted staff members of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) filling station at the Honda Bus Stop in Ota, Ogun State, on Friday, FIJ has gathered.

    FIJ learned that the customs officers took umbrage and threatened to shoot after a staff member of the filling station asked for N100 charges for their transaction on the point-of-sale machine.

     

    An eyewitness said that the angry Nigerian customs officers beat up the NNPC’s station supervisor and injured a customer.

     

    She said that the point-of-sale merchant at the station had told the customs officers, who wanted to fill up their tank with fuel worth N30,000, that if they paid with an ATM card all at once, they would have to add N100 for bank charges.

     

    According to the eyewitness, the attendant explained that if the officers were willing to allow her to withdraw N15,000 twice, they would incur no charges, as only transactions of N20,000 and above attracted such.

     

    “As the officers were arguing with the lady, the male attendant trying to sell the fuel to the officers chimed in to explain that the filling station was not benefiting from the charges, as it belongs to Moniepoint, the filling station’s bank, but that made their hackles rise,” the eyewitness said.

     

    “They got so angry that one of them hit the male attendant with a gun. In an attempt to parry the gun, he sustained an injury to his arm. In fear, the attendant ran away.”

     

    She said the customs officers asked the PoS merchant, who was now afraid, not to leave. At that point, she said, the officers then began pointing the gun at other filling station attendants, saying, “You’re all thieves. Is that what Nigeria asked you to do?”

     

    The officers began to cock their guns and charge at everyone at the filling station, so both customers and staffers fled the premises, except a customer who had a flat tyre.

     

    They beat the customer and broke his phone. They said he was recording them, but he was only calling someone to bring some tyres to him. He had to beg them, rolling on the floor, before they let him go,” she said.

     

    “And while doing this, they kept asking for the manager of the filling station. At this time, she didn’t face them but ran to a nearby police station to report the matter. In place of the manager, they beat the supervisor, thinking he was the general manager.

    “They started saying they came here and asked the attendants to sell inside kegs but they refused and now wanted to collect money for charges. They called the attendants thieves.”

     

    She said that the filling station’s general manager returned from the Obasanjo Onipanu police station with four policemen.

     

    The team leader of the police spoke with the commander of the customs officers.

     

    “After their discussion, the police officer told her to forgive the erring officers. She immediately said the action of the customs officers was unfair because her staffers did nothing wrong,” the eyewitness said.

     

    “They then asked her why she didn’t show up when they were asking for the manager of the filling station. She told them it was impossible to confront them at the time as the manager because they were armed, which was why she reported to the police instead.

     

     

    “One of the customs officers said, ‘As you have reported, what do you now want to happen? We cocked our guns, so what do you want to do?’ While they were shouting, people took her away from their midst and back to the station. When they were ready to buy, the attendants refused to sell to them, so they just had to leave the compound.”

     

    Based on the eyewitness’ discussions with the attendants, she believed that the customs officers acted irresponsibly because, on the previous Monday and Tuesday, they refused to sell fuel to them in jerrycans.

     

    When FIJ called the Nigeria Customs Service via the phone number displayed on its Facebook page, they said they had yet to hear of this matter. They asked this reporter to go to the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service for information.

     

  • REVEALED: In March, Presidency Paid N10m Into Private Account to Purchase ‘Consumables’ for Shettima’s Wife

    REVEALED: In March, Presidency Paid N10m Into Private Account to Purchase ‘Consumables’ for Shettima’s Wife

     

     

    Nigeria’s presidency made a N10 million advance payment to a personal account belonging to one Abbas Haruna Katsalla to purchase consumables for Nana Shettima, the wife of Vice President Kashim Shettima, FIJ has gathered.

     

    In what appears to be a violation of multiple laws, the state house headquarters facilitated the payment on March 15, 2024. They logged the transaction as catering to the needs of the “office of the wife of the VP”, a fictional office with no constitutional backing.

     

    FIJ toured the state house’s transaction records for 2024 as published on the Open Treasury Portal and duplicated on the Govspend Portal and found the odd transaction with payment number 1001161608-2 described as: “Being payment of cash advance granted for the purchase of consumables items, for the office of her excellency, wife of the VP.”

     

    Looking  into the legality of Katsalla receiving money into his personal account from the government.

     

    Chapter 7, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations (2009), states: “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account. Any officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with fraudulent intention.”

     

    This legal provision would mean the State House has erred in its dealings with the individual, and such dealing, according to the law, is deemed fraudulent.

     

    It is not the first time a family member of an elected member of the presidency has benefited from such transactions. FIJ earlier reported how the vice president’s office paid N10 million to offset hotel accommodation cost for guests of Folashade Tinubu, the president’s daughter.

     

    Earlier in the year, President Bola Tinubu suspended Betta Edu, humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister, over payments from her office to several private accounts.