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Category: News

  • 97,591 micro pension participants contribute N436m in May -PenCom

    The National Pension Commission (PenCom) says the Micro Pension Plan (MPP) contributions as of May, stood at N435.61 million from 97,591 participants registered.

    Mr Dauda Ahmed, Head, Micro Pension Department, PenCom, revealed this on the sidelines of the maiden Micro Pension Open Day, organised by the Pension Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) in Lagos.

    The event had its theme as “Micro Pension – Challenges, Prospects for Growth and Deepening Financial Inclusion in Nigeria”.

    Ahmed said that the total contingent withdrawal by 150 Micro Pension Contributors (MPC) as of the month under review stood at N30.24 million.

    According to him, the commission recorded N6.51 million as the amount converted by 581 Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) holders, under the informal sector to RSA’s under the formal sector.

    The PenCom scribe explained that the MPP is an opportunity for workers, who are mainly in the informal sector to save for their retirement.

    Ahmed said that the MPP, as revised this year, is expected to extend pension coverage to over 2.2 million informal sector workers by 2024.

    He said, as part of incentives to embrace micro pension, PenCom was working toward adopting a minimum health insurance for eligible MPP participants.

    Ahmed stated that the commission was also engaging with labour unions, trade associations, and several groups on embracing the plan.

    Ahmed listed the challenges to the implementation of the plan including; lack of awareness, mistrust about the pension system, absence of appropriate incentives, and lack of financial literacy.

    According to him, the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) based MPP on short-term perspectives, especially in terms of financial benefits and the perceived associated cost.

    Ahmed blamed the PFAs for poor service delivery, an inadequate awareness campaign for the product, and slow adoption of shared services arrangements.

    The identified other factors impeding the implementation of the MPP as weak economic indices, inflation, and increased poverty level.

    Earlier, Mr Oguche Agudah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), PenOp charged the informal sector workers to visualise how their needs would be met in next 20 to 30 years without a pension plan.

    Agudah noted the PFAs were concerned about improving the micro pension penetration in Nigeria, saying, “The country has the largest informal sectors who are not covered by any form of formal pension”.

    “We, in the pension industry, work to get as many informal sector workers as possible on a pension scheme.

    “Those within a structured organisation or who employ less than three persons and youths growing the informal gig economy; starting businesses on their laptop without any office, yet earning decently.

    “We are passionate about micro pension, as today’s event revolves around the audacious industrial goal to engage as many informal sector workers as possible, to sign up for the scheme for the benefit of everyone,” he said. 

  • Bandits kill 50 farmers, rustle livestock in Niger

    Bandits kill 50 farmers, rustle livestock in Niger

    At least 50 farmers have been reportedly killed by bandits in various communities in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, while several others have fled their homes.

    According to reports, the attacks occurred between Wednesday and Saturday.

    In the latest attacks on about five villages which took place between 2pm on Friday and Saturday morning, an unspecified number of lives were lost and several others abducted including women and girls.

    While 13 people lost their lives in Kusherki community, 12 others were killed in Gidigori village and several others were yet to be accounted for.

    The humanitarian crisis in the area had worsened since Wednesday as hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons including women and children from various villages trooped to Kagara, the Headquarters of Rafi LGA, abandoning their villages for bandits whom they said now sleep in their homes.

    One of the fleeing farmers, Abdullahi Usman, told newsmen that bandits numbering over 100, rode on about 50 motorcycles, took over many villages from around 2pm on Friday and operated unchallenged until Saturday morning.

    “It’s true that bandits have resumed attacks with full force. We have not had it easy in the last two weeks but the situation had worsened since Wednesday.

    “As I speak to you, bandits have taken over most parts of Rafi LGA. They had been in Kusherki Community since around 2pm on Friday; they spent the night in Garin-Zara Community and rustled hundreds of cattle, goats and rams and killed an unspecified number of people,” Usman said.

    Another Resident, Mohammed Yakubu disclosed that “they (the bandits) first came to Kusherki Community on Wednesday during which they killed 13 people.  They came back on Friday afternoon and operated in all the villages around the axis until Saturday morning. People had fled. Right now, we don’t even know where many of our people are because everybody ran into the bush.”

    Also speaking, Abdulmalik Usman, another fleeing farmer said, “they raided several villages including Gidigori, Gando, Kusherki and many others. Our cattle, goats and rams have all been stolen.  After they had raided our villages, they headed to Madaka, Hanna-Wanka, Kukoki through Tegina axis this morning (Saturday). The entire Rafi LGA is not safe now. More than 50 farmers were killed in Rafi LGA this week.”

    Victims alleged that the soldiers camped in Kagara and Pandogari did not respond to attacks, saying that they were only patrolling Kagara town.

    One of the IDPs, Sanusi Umar, appealed to the federal and state governments to take quick and decisive steps towards addressing the security challenges, saying that “we don’t know what President Tinubu is waiting for to take action against these people. These people have finished us already. We are hungry and helpless.”

    He added, “The current security situation in Rafi LGA requires immediate and urgent counter insurgency action. The past few days have been very disturbing, rural communities are attacked and people are being kidnapped for ransom while some people are being killed. In Gidigori village alone, 12 persons were killed including the leader of vigilantes. Also, Garun Gabas, Pangu-Gari, Yakila and Kukoki villages have all been attacked between Wednesday and Saturday.”

    The Senator Representing Niger East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa on Friday lamented that the bandits had resumed attacks on Rafi, Paikoro, Munya and Shiroro local governments that formed part of his constituency.

    He said the criminals were out to test the power and capacity of the new administrations at both federal and state levels.

    He, however, said he believed President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Governor Mohammed Umar Bago led governments would deal with the situation.

  • Boris Johnson resigns from UK Parliament

    Boris Johnson resigns from UK Parliament

    Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will give up his parliamentary seat amid a long-running ethics investigation that is expected to produce a report into his behavior as Prime Minister next week.

    In a blistering statement announcing his resignation from the legislature, Johnson described as a “kangaroo court” the parliamentary committee tasked with examining whether he lied to fellow lawmakers about social gatherings inside government buildings that had flouted his own COVID-19 social distancing regulations.

    The committee had provided him with a preview of its report, apparently prompting his decision. His departure statement, the investigative committee responded, had further “impugned” Parliament. Opposition parties termed the turmoil a “soap opera” and wished Johnson “good riddance.”

    He and others — including current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak — had previously received criminal fines for their behavior during the pandemic. But Johnson has long insisted that incorrect and misleading accounts he gave on several occasions to Britain’s legislators denying these “lockdown parties” — as they became known — had not amounted to intentional lies.

    A magazine editor who became a member of parliament then mayor of London, Johnson took power at a time of chaotic division inside his own Conservative Party, stemming from Britain’s botched Brexit negotiations with the European Union.

    After helping oust, then replace Theresa May, he led his party to a seismic victory in a 2019 general election, with Brexit as a rallying cry — allowing him to force through Britain’s eventual departure from the European Union.

    But soon after, the pandemic upended his premiership, and his own personal behavior became problematic for much of the public, and many in Parliament too.

    Controversies centered around those in Downing Street — including Johnson — dominated Britain’s politics, frustrating his legislative agenda and further fragmenting the Conservatives.

    For months, eyewitness accounts, photographs and other evidence about parties piled up, infuriating a British citizenry wounded by more than 200,000 COVID-19 deaths and angered by the apparent hypocrisy of those in power.

    Johnson eventually apologized — and narrowly stayed in the post despite deep discontent among many of his fellow lawmakers.

    But a subsequent scandal involving allegations of sexual assault by a close parliamentary colleague — after Johnson’s appointment of the man to a prominent role — moved many members of his government to resign en masse, and soon after he too was forced to depart from Downing Street.

  • 9th Senate was never a ‘rubber stamp’ – Moro

    Senator Abba Moro (PDP-Benue) and Senator Kabir Barkiya (APC-Katsina) have rejected suggestions that the outgoing 9th Senate was a mere “rubber stamp” to the executive.

    There have been allegations that the 2019-2023 Senate was a mere rubber stamp to the executive, with critics insisting that it did not exercise its role of checking the executive.

    But the duo, on Saturday, said that the 9th Senate, whose legislative year has ended, performed well.

    Moro, who will be returning to the 10th Senate, said that the lawmakers were committed to a better Nigeria.

    “With all sense of responsibility, the 9th Senate has performed fairly well.

    “It’s unfortunate that certain things took place which warranted the nick naming of the 9th Senate as a mere rubber stamp.

    “Sometimes some of the criticisms of the activities of the senate of the 9th assembly are borne out of lack of proper understanding of the dynamics of parliamentary practice.

    “And then, of course, the relationship between the executive and the legislature, law making and providing for good governance does not require avoidable confrontations.

    “It is not everything that comes from the executive that is wrong as people will want to think.”

    Moro said that bills by the Executive that the Senate rejected included the Inland Water Authority (amendment) Bill.

    “The bill to amend the Inland Water Authority Act was rejected. It is a bill that the executive had long wanted, by our own understanding.

    “That bill would have been introduced through the back door because the House of Representatives would have passed it. They needed the concurrence of the Senate to make it go through.

    “Some appointments by the immediate past administration were rejected.

    “It is not in all circumstances that the Senate had looked like a lame dog senate or a rubber stamp.

    “In exceptional circumstances, I think the senate had stood up to the bidding and had done the right thing to ensure that the right things were done for Nigerians.”

    On the successes of the 9th Senate, the lawmaker said that it introduced some innovations.

    “Some reformative activities are taking place, amendments have been made to old and traditional ways of doing things.

    “We have created a new innovative platform for activities to take place with less human touch, and more digital application or technology.”

    Moro further said that the electoral process, in spite of the human errors that had complicated the electoral process, witnessed a fine attempt at introducing technology into the electoral process.

    He said that the intention was to minimise the human limitations that had occasioned the scuttling of the electoral process.

    “Our efforts were targeted at introducing fine technology.

    “For some of us, who would have expected that the electoral process is digitised all through from accreditation to voting to the transmission of results, calculation of results, all of them would have been technology-driven.”

    For Barkiya, the actions taken by the 9th Senate were nothing compared to attracting the tag “rubber stamp”.

    He said that all bills and motions were debated and voted for, so calling the 9th Senate rubber stamp would hold no water.

    Barkiya said that the outgoing assembly had recorded so many successes including passing the Constitution amendment bill and the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), now an Act.

  • I’m not a thief, Orji-Kalu declares at NASS valedictory session

    I’m not a thief, Orji-Kalu declares at NASS valedictory session

    *9th Senate served Nigeria in turbulent times- VP Shetimma

    The Chief Whip of the 9th Senate, Sen. Kalu Orji-Kalu, went emotional and broke down on Saturday at the valedictory session to signal the end of legislative activities, which began on June 11, 2019.

    Kalu thanked his colleagues for giving him unalloyed support as Chief Whip for four years.

    He also thanked his colleagues who visited him while in prison.

    Orji-Kalu said his election to the Senate gave him a better opportunity to continue to fight for a united Nigeria.

    He stressed that he was not a thief before he took to politics, saying that he never lacked anything and could buy anything money could buy.

    He said he brought money in 1997 and 1998 to fund and support the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before he became governor, stressing that he was never a thief.

    He said those who put him in prison had their reasons to do so, adding that they also took over his businesses.

    According to him, Nigeria is not fair to people like him.

    He said he built factories and manufacturing companies to employ Nigerians and all he got was to be labelled a thief.

    Present at the session were Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, Malam Ibrahim Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State.

    Also in attendance were the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom, Dr Akon Eyakenyi and former Deputy Governor of Zamfara, Alhaji Hassan Muhammadu.

    They were members of the ninth Senate, before their election into new positions on March 18.

    The former lawmakers were ushered into the chamber following a motion to suspend the Senate order as moved by the Leader of the Senate, Abdullahi Gobir (APC-Sokoto).

    Before the session, senators present were presented with certificates of service and a copy of the Legacy Report of the ninth Senate each.

    Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Sani Tambuwal, presented certificates to the Senate President, Sen. Ahmad Lawan and Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege.

    Lawan, in turn, presented certificates to other senators.

    The senators thereafter took turns reminiscing experiences of their four years of service in emotion-laden tones.

    Words of thanksgiving to God, commendations, love, apologies and admonitions formed the bulk of expressions of senators at the session.

    Sen. Omo-Agege (APC-Delta), said it was a solemn moment as he was grateful and honoured to be elected deputy president of the Senate, saying that it was a rare privilege.

    He commended colleagues for defiling odds to pass the landmark Petroleum Industry Act, the Electoral Act, the Finance Act and for ultimately returning the budget cycle to January-December.

    Omo-Agege thanked senators for their patriotic disposition and urged incoming senators to support the new leadership of the Senate that would be elected on June 13.

    In his remarks, Shettima noted that debates at the ninth Senate defined Nigeria’s politics, saying the Assembly was leaving behind indelible memories to guide generations, successors and followers.

    He said Nigerians would continue to need the services of members of the ninth Senate as they had served Nigeria in turbulent times.

    He said the ninth Senate was a testament to the possibility that could transpire between the Executive and the Legislature, realising the fact that they were bound for the same destination.

    Shettima said the senate chamber would continue to bear memories of the lives the senators touched by serving humanity.

    He thanked the senate president for his leadership, patriotism and dedication to democracy.

    He urged incoming senators to note that the “stability of Nigeria is superior to the stability of their pockets’’ and urged them to vote wisely on June 13 at the election of principal officers.

    In her remarks, Sen. Tinubu thanked God for sustaining her as a three-term senator, saying that it entailed a lot of sacrifice to serve Nigeria.

    She also thanked her husband, President Bola Tinubu for his unflinching support and freedom to make contributions for the people, especially women and youths.

    She said God used her to make exploits in the Senate, saying she did virtually everything required as a lawmaker, sponsoring bills and motions that were signed into law.

    She said a nation that young Nigerians would be proud of could be built given the crop of lawmakers that emerged from the Legislative to the Executive arm of government.

    “It is not due to share luck that the president passed through the Senate before, so has the vice-president and myself; the president’s Chief of Staff, the deputy; governors and deputy governors.

    “We can only say God is good.

    “We need to give so much to this nation; this new administration beckons hope, and we have to make the necessary sacrifices which starts with the 10th Assembly,’’ she said.

  • SERAP sues Tinubu over ‘missing $2.1bn, N3.1trn subsidy payments’

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over “missing subsidy payments”.

    The organisation is seeking a probe of allegations that $2.1 billion and N3.1 trillion budgeted as fuel subsidy payments are unaccounted for.

    The suit followed the grim allegations documented by the Auditor-General of the Federation in the 2016 and 2019 annual reports that the public funds are missing.

    In the suit, number FHC/L/CS/1107/23 filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus to compel Tinubu to act.

    It wants the President to direct the anti-corruption agencies to probe subsidy payments made by governments since 1999, name and prosecute suspected perpetrators and recover missing funds.

    The recovered proceeds should be used as palliatives to address the impact of the subsidy removal on poor Nigerians, the suit demanded.

    The group said misuse of public monies was a “fundamental breach of anti-corruption laws and international obligations including under the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a party.”

    “The Tinubu government has constitutional and international legal obligations to get to the bottom of these allegations and ensure accountability for these serious crimes against the Nigerian people,” SERAP added.

  • Suspended Emefiele in our custody, DSS confirms

    The Department of State Services (DSS) on Saturday confirmed that suspended CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele is in their custody.

    In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya and made available to NIGERIAN ANCHOR, the DSS said the embattled Emefiele is being held for some investigative reasons.

    The security agents further admonished the media to be accurate in it reportage of the situation since he was suspended by President Bola Tinubu yesterday.

    “The DSS hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is now in its custody for some investigative reasons.

    “The public, particularly the Media, is enjoined to apply utmost caution in the reportage and narratives concerning this,” the brief statement said.

    The media has been awash with reports that Godwin Emefiele is being held over connections to terrorism financing, the recent Naira redesign policy, amongst other charges.

  • June 12: Tinubu to address Nigerians on Monday

    *Says 2023 Democracy Day celebration will be low key

    President Bola Tinubu will on Monday, June 12, 2023 address Nigerians in a live television broadcast to celebrate Democracy Day in Nigeria.

    The broadcast by Tinubu will be transmitted on all major stations by 7am.

    The President, through the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, said the celebration of the June 12 Democracy this year will be done on a low key.

    Adding to the announcement by SGF, George Akume, Dele Alake said the low key celebration of this year’s June 12 Democracy Day is to symbolise the cost cutting policy of the present administration.

  • DSS arrests Godwin Emefiele

    The just suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, was in Friday evening arrested by the Department of State Security (DSS).

    According to media reports, Mr Emefiele has been slammed with 10-count charges bordering on terrorism financing.

    1. Funding Unknown gunmen, ESN and IPOB with money he raised for his failed presidential bid last year and funds diverted from government coffers;
    1. Mismanagement of Nigeria’s social investment program (NISRAL and the Anchor Borrowers Scheme);
    2. Illegal economic crimes of National security dimension;
    3. Money Laundering
    4. Unwholesome activities through proxies
    5. Round tripping
    6. Conferment of financial benefits to self and others
    7. Threat to National Security
    8. Criminal conspiracy to divert government resources
    9. Terrorism financing

  • Tinubu suspends CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended Godwin Emefiele as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor. 

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended the Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, CFR, from office with immediate effect,” the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Willie Bassey said in a Friday statement.

    “This is sequel to the ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy.

    “Mr Emefiele has been directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), who will act as the Central Bank Governor pending the conclusion of the investigation and the reforms.”

    More details later…