Month: June 2023

In celebration of Father’s Day on June 18, actress Ini Edo took to her social media to share a special moment with her daughter, Light, in a rare photo.

The picture, accompanied by the caption,

“Happy Father’s Day from me and mine,” showcased the bond between Ini and her daughter.

Ini Edo welcomed Light into her life on March 15, 2021, through surrogacy. In a previous interview, she candidly shared her decision to choose a sperm donor, explaining that it provided her with peace of mind and helped avoid the disagreements that often arise between fathers and mothers during separations.

President Bola Tinubu, in a groundbreaking move, has authorized the addition of a rapid firefighting mini truck to his esteemed presidential convoy, marking an unprecedented milestone in the annals of Nigerian Presidency.

The Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Jaji Abdulganiyu, revealed this momentous development during a meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Oluwatoyin Akinlade, held on Thursday, June 15, in the capital city of Abuja.

Amidst discussions surrounding the remarkable accomplishments of the service, the CGF proudly announced, “We have recently accomplished and inaugurated the first-ever Fire House props in West Africa, situated within the premises of the National Fire Academy Sheda.

“Furthermore, he shared the significant progress made in terms of procuring 15 Ford Built Rapid Intervention Vehicles, which have already been delivered to the service and await official commissioning and deployment.

Most notably, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has granted his resounding approval for the inclusion of the Service’s Rapid Intervention Vehicle in his motorcade.

This historic decision by Mr. President signifies a remarkable first for Nigeria, underscoring the administration’s commitment to fire safety and emergency response.

On Thursday morning, June 15, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the National Economic Council, which is led by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The inauguration took place a week after President Tinubu instructed the NEC to convene and develop interventions to alleviate the impact of the petroleum subsidy.

President Tinubu charged the council with providing support to his administration in the transformation of the country’s economic prospects.

He reminded the council of the commitments outlined in his inaugural address, emphasizing his focus on eight priority areas, including Security, Economy, Job creation, Agriculture, and Infrastructure, among others.

President Tinubu acknowledged the immense task of growing the economy but emphasized that he and the Governors should not complain.

Instead, he emphasized the importance of harnessing the nation’s potential to drive significant growth.

In a tragic incident during a friendly football match held in Madalla town, Niger State, a referee named Mustapha Bello, also known as Mustafa Coach 02 among football fans and a member of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFA), lost his life after being struck by lightning.

The unfortunate incident occurred on Tuesday evening, June 13, 2023, at the primary and secondary schools’ field within the community.

An eyewitness named Muhammed Musa recounted that the match, involving the participation of Suleja and Madalla youths, was on a halftime break at approximately 5:20 pm when the tragedy unfolded. Due to the ongoing rain, the footballers and their fans sought refuge inside the school’s classrooms.

However, the referee and his assistant (line man) hurried back to the field, urging the players to join them.

As they positioned themselves at the center of the pitch, lightning suddenly struck. Emergency measures were taken, and both individuals were swiftly transported to a hospital.

Unfortunately, the referee was pronounced dead upon arrival, while his assistant was successfully revived.The deceased, identified as Mustapha Bello, was laid to rest on Wednesday morning in Suleja town, his place of residence.

A family member of the deceased, who only provided the name Ibrahim, confirmed the burial arrangements.

Nigeria has floated its naira currency after years of a fixed exchange rate, allowing buyers and sellers to quote rates in the foreign exchange (FX) market.

The Investors & Exporters (I&E) window is currently quoting rates between N750 and N755/$, marking a 21 percent decline compared to the previous rate.

The decision follows the suspension of CBN governor Godwin Emefiele due to his unconventional monetary policies. The exchange rate may temporarily rise to N800 before stabilizing.

This move is expected to reduce activity in the parallel market and attract more FX supply to ease rates. However, further steps are needed to fix Nigeria’s FX market, such as providing a hedge mechanism, attractive market yields for foreign investors, transparency, removing controls on domiciliary accounts, and clearing the dollar backlog.

The focus now is on increasing the supply of dollars. Foreign investor participation will depend on the lifting of capital restrictions and the free flow of capital. The harmonization of exchange rates should narrow the gap between official and parallel market rates.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has made an announcement regarding the foreign exchange market in Nigeria.

They have decided to bring together all segments of the market into one window called the Investors & Exporters (I&E) window.

This move is aimed at improving the availability of money and stability in the market, as well as attracting foreign investors to the Nigerian economy.

The CBN has also decided to stop two programs called the RT200 program and the naira4dollar remittance scheme starting from June 30, 2023.

These programs were designed to encourage people to send money back to Nigeria and to increase the inflow of foreign currency, but they will no longer be in operation.

The bank has abolished the division of the foreign exchange market into different windows.

From now on, all transactions will be conducted through the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window, where the exchange rate will be determined by market forces.

However, certain transactions like medical expenses, school fees, travel allowances, and small and medium-sized enterprises will still be processed through regular banks.The CBN has also reintroduced a model called “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” at the I&E window.

This model allows eligible transactions to access foreign exchange based on specific guidelines.

The goal is to promote transparency and fair pricing in the forex market by allowing market forces to determine exchange rates.Under the new framework, the operational rate for government-related transactions will be determined by the average rate of previous day’s transactions at the I&E window.

The CBN has also made changes to trading limits on oversold and overbought foreign exchange positions to provide more flexibility and prevent excessive accumulation.

To ensure transparency and smooth trading, the CBN has reintroduced order-based two-way quotes and implemented a Central Counter Party (CCP) to clear all forex transactions.

They have also defined the operational hours for forex trades from 9 am to 4 pm Nigeria time.These decisions by the CBN are in line with the government’s commitment to unify the different exchange rates in Nigeria and address concerns about the transparency of the country’s exchange rate system.

The government aims to boost the economy and achieve a GDP growth of at least 6%.

ASUU Opposes Student Loan Bill, Fearing Adverse Impact on Students’ Education

The Student Loan Bill, recently approved by President Bola Tinubu, has drawn strong criticism from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), who argue that it poses a threat of forcing numerous students to abandon their education.

In a conversation with Daily Trust, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, President of ASUU, expressed concerns that this legislation could have detrimental consequences for millions of prospective students who rely on tuition-free higher education institutions to access knowledge.

“In a country where over 133 million people live below the poverty line, the introduction of tuition fees would be counterproductive,” remarked Prof. Osodeke.

He further explained that if tuition fees were implemented, a large majority of students whose parents cannot afford the financial burden would be compelled to withdraw from their studies out of frustration.

This outcome, he warned, could ignite social unrest as these students may feel compelled to fight against the society that failed to provide them with equal educational opportunities.

However, Prof. Osodeke emphasized the need for accurate information regarding the legislation before determining the appropriate course of action.

In a significant development, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced its plans to initiate the disbursement of student loans starting from September and October of this year 2023.

This update was shared by David Adejo, the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, during a press briefing held in Abuja on Wednesday, June 14.The announcement comes as a result of the president’s commitment to fulfilling one of his campaign promises, demonstrated by his recent signing of the bill on Monday, June 12.

This bill aims to enhance access to quality education for Nigerian students by providing them with financial support in the form of student loans.The Federal Government is currently in the process of finalizing the necessary arrangements and modalities to ensure a smooth and efficient disbursement of these student loans.

This meticulous planning is undertaken with the utmost importance placed on the successful implementation of the program.

The student loan disbursement is expected to commence in September and October, coinciding with the beginning of the new academic year.

This strategic timing aims to facilitate students’ educational pursuits without causing undue financial burden on their families.

The initiative holds significant potential for empowering aspiring students across Nigeria by granting them the financial means to pursue higher education.

By reducing the financial obstacles that often hinder students from pursuing their academic dreams, the Federal Government aims to foster a more inclusive and equitable education system.

The upcoming disbursement of student loans represents a landmark step towards building a stronger and more prosperous nation.

It not only demonstrates the government’s dedication to fulfilling its promises but also underscores its commitment to investing in the future of Nigeria by equipping its youth with the tools and resources they need to succeed.

As the Federal Government continues to work diligently on finalizing the necessary arrangements, students and educational institutions are eagerly anticipating the commencement of the disbursement process.

This development marks a positive turning point in the nation’s education landscape, fostering a brighter future for Nigerian students and paving the way for their academic and professional growth.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu officially endorsed the Nigeria Data Protection Bill, 2023, by signing it into law on Wednesday, June 13.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive legal framework for safeguarding personal information and regulating data protection practices within Nigeria.

During the NDPD Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) validation workshop held in Abuja, Dr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), confirmed the enactment of the bill.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari had forwarded the bill to the Senate and House of Representatives for thorough examination and subsequent approval in a letter sent on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.

As an Act now, the newly enacted law establishes the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, superseding the previously instituted NDPB initiated by former President Buhari in February 2022, as stated by Dr Vincent Olatunji.

Six individuals believed to be involved in internet fraud, commonly known as “yahoo boys,” have been apprehended by the Bauchi State Police Command in collaboration with the Nigerian Army.

The suspects are accused of kidnapping Ojo Tobi David, a 400-level student at Bauchi State University.According to SP Ahmed M Wakil, the spokesperson for the command, the incident took place on June 13th. The victim, Ojo Tobi David, a 23-year-old student, was abducted from the Federal Low Cost area of Azare town in Bauchi State.

The kidnappers also forcefully took a Toyota Camry 2010 with the registration number KYW-925-SB, which belonged to Amaechi Ikechukwu, residing at the same address.

The suspects swiftly drove away with the victim towards Misau Road in Azare.

Upon receiving a distress call, soldiers stationed at the Azare/Misau military checkpoint promptly responded and intercepted the stolen vehicle along with the suspects.

As a result, the victim was rescued unharmed.