The University of Opole in Poland has introduced an obnoxious policy that demands that applicants who failed to fulfil its admission deadline would be made to forfeit tuition fees paid without a refund.
According to SaharaReporters, the deadline for deferment or admission is September 15 while students are expected to resume classes by the first week of October.
But due to glitches and delays with the processing of visas, several Nigerians and other African students affected are at the risk of losing the money paid to the institution which insisted that they cannot get a refund anymore.
In a letter from the varsity granting the extension request of one of the affected students, the institution had said those having difficulties with visa application must resume latest by November 10.
It, however, noted that those who failed to defer their admission after the September 15 deadline would not be able to get a refund.
The letter, signed by the institution’s rector, read: “Dear Student, please, be informed that due to the difficulties with visa application and arrival to Poland for study, you are allowed to arrive at the University of Opole after the 1” of October, but no later than the 10th of November.
“The missed classes should be worked off upon arrival. Please note, that after the 15th of September, the tuition fee refund or deferral of admission will not be possible.
“At the same time, please be informed that the originals or certified copies of your documents should be delivered to the International Students Office by the 24th of September.”
The development has continued to generate concerns among students affected, with many of them calling on authorities to ensure the policy is reversed.
The sources had called on the institution to refund their already paid tuition fees if it fails to approve the extension requested.
According to a source, “There’s a university in the city of Opole, Poland. It’s called the University of Opole. This university is trying to scam people of the fees paid under the guise of ‘refund and deferment deadline’. As a policy with the university, the deadline for deferment or admission is the 15th of September and they have only one annual intake which is Winter (October)
“However, on account of difficulty associated with visa appointments at Polish Embassy in Abuja, admitted students are being coerced into forfeiture of fees paid on the ground that deadline for either refund or deferment has passed.
“For example, one admitted student got an extension letter allowing her to resume on the 10th of November, although, school resumes 1st of October.
“This extension was granted due to challenges associated with appointment booking at Polish Embassy. Now, the admitted student, after gotten an extension from the school got an interview date with the embassy for the 17th of November.
“This student has reached out to the university asking for an additional extension in order to allow for the interview date and the visa processing time, which is about one month after the interview date.
“Surprisingly, this university refuses outright to grant an extension. Worse is the fact that the said admitted student can neither seek a refund of the tuition fees nor defer the admission, all because, according to the university, the deadline has passed.
“Evidently, the university knows that the inability to or difficulty associated with appointments isn’t the fault of students, but the way and manner embassy of Poland has chosen to handle it. Ideally, one would’ve expected the university to be understanding, reasonable and make some compromise to ameliorate the situation, but they want students, who have only been admitted to forgo their fees even when they haven’t started attending classes.
“In another instance, a student didn’t only pay tuition fees, he paid for accommodation and all of this is non-refundable all because of a nonsensical deadline set by the university.
“I’ve interacted with two students on this and clearly, what they want is for the university to either grant them an additional extension of six weeks or refund the fees that have been paid as there are other European universities with February/March intake and they would need their money to move forward with it.
“Personally, I find the position of the University of Opole selfish, unreasonable, fraudulent and heinous. In one of the replies, the emails sent to them by one of the admitted students I spoke with yesternight, the university of Opole threatens never to reply any inquiry on this matter again.”
About three months after the implementation of zero Value Added Tax (VAT) on commercial aircraft and spare parts, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has allegedly restored the collection of 7.5 per cent VAT and sundry charges from operators.
Airline operators told The Guardian that Customs had lately opened a new window of charges that is comparatively more expensive and complicated than the former regime.
Indeed, it has been a hard-fought battle that dates back to 2016 to exclude aviation from VAT, as it is the case with general transport in other parts of the world. Though the Ministry of Aviation rallied against the charges as part of measures to support the local airlines, the Ministry of Finance and NCS have continued to impose charges on operators.
Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had in June 2021 applauded the removal of mandatory charges that airlines had erstwhile paid, following the intervention of the National Assembly.
Vice Chairman of the association, Allen Onyema, had said the AON, at a Senate hearing, presented the issue of the partial implementation of the Finance Act 2020, which prohibits the payment of duties and VAT on imported aircraft and aircraft spares by the Customs Service, and “thankfully, we no longer have to pay VAT on aircraft”.
But as of last week, VAT collection has resumed.
Chief Operating Officer (COO) of a local airline said Customs have started demanding VAT, “except you notify them in advance before the process of importing a spare part begins.
“As it is, you cannot be in need of a spare part, import it immediately and not pay VAT. No! Customs has introduced the Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC) process that requires you to apply for exemption and get approval before importation.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way in aviation. It means an aircraft will have to be grounded for two to three weeks because of a spare part of less than $100. To avoid the loss, I have to order my spare parts, pay their VAT, and move on. That is how complicated the matter is in Nigeria. As an operator, everything is skewed against. It is just so unfortunate,” he said.
Aviation consultant and former Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Benedict Adeyileka, confirmed the development, describing the policy flip flop as antithetical to aviation growth and airlines survival.
Adeyileka said the government’s policy on VAT is clear, but for the implementation agencies that are looking in the opposite direction, just to frustrate business owners and private investors.
He noted that all operators with valid Air Operating Licence (AOL) and Air Operating Certificate (AOC) are documented and well known to the authorities.
“But Customs is not interested in that record. They prefer to use IDEC, which means you, as an operator, have to foresee a snag on your aircraft, pay for the duty in advance. And if you cannot predict, you have to pay the full charges.
“That is exactly what is killing the airlines. Customs only go ahead to Google the spare part before them, get the highest rate online, and bill you the VAT. They don’t care how much you actually bought it, whether it is brand new, fairly used, or repaired and returned. “
But you don’t see that in the United Kingdom or United States, or anywhere else. So, how are we to compete with other airlines? With this Customs, no airline will survive,” he said.
In agreement with Adeyileka, Chief Executive Officer of Zuma Jet, Capt. David Augustine, added that the Federal Government and its agencies need to make life easier for the operators for local aviation to maximise its latent potential.
While efforts to get reaction from the Customs, Lagos Airport Command, proved abortive, a senior officer of the Service said IDEC proviso was not the initiative of Customs, but of the Ministry of Finance.
“If the airlines have any issue, let them go and meet them at Finance. We only enforce the directive of the Federal Government,” the officer offered.
The Guardian lately reported that foreign cargo airlines and local exporters were fast ditching the multi-billion-dollar worth of Nigeria’s agro-export end over stifling official bottlenecks at airports.
Besides the hurdles of importing into the country, more complicated roadblocks have been mounted by government agencies in the forms of extortions, harassment and multiple charges. Among the 16 sundry charges tracked for each goods coming in or departing the country via airports, only five are officially recognised.
Instagram dancer and influencer, Jane Orezimena, popularly known as Janemena, has written a letter to Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, demanding the sum of N500m for alleged libel and claiming on social media that Janemena has a sex tape.
Dikeh had claimed last month that her ex-lover, Joseph Egbri, aka Prince Kpokpogri, had a sex tape of Janemena who is married.
But Janemena claims that due to Dikeh’s allegation and the trauma it caused, she suffered a miscarriage, losing her one-month pregnancy.
The claims are included in a letter signed by Janemena’s lawyers, Felix, Igelige & Associates titled, ‘Re: Libellous statements published by you on your Instagram and Facebook pages – A demand for immediate retraction of the libellous publications, tendering of unreserved apology and payment of N500,000,000.00 as exemplary damages to Mrs. Usiwo Orezimena Jane, popularly known as Janemena.’
It reads in part, “We write you this letter to demand your immediate retraction of your publication referred to above, render unreserved apology to her and pay her N500m as compensation for the callous publications.”
The lawyers said Dikeh’s post suggested that Janemena, who is married, is having a sexual relationship with Kpokpogri and is cheating on her husband.
They stated that Janemena is a graduate of Mass Communication, Delta State University, Abraka, and is also a freelance photojournalist who has worked for various media houses, one of which is The Pointer Newspapers.
“Janemena is a popularly known professional dancer and an online E-vixen who promotes artistes and brands through her social media accounts.
“She is widely regarded by many as one of Nigeria’s top dance queens as she emerged a winner in Kcee’s dance competition in January 2018 due to her dazzling skills on Instagram and other social media platforms which keep her fans yearning for more,” the letter reads in part.
It further states that she is a brand ambassador to several reputable brands and does lots of advertorial work for many businesses on her Internet pages, music promotions for upcoming and known musicians at a decent fee through her Instagram handle @Janemena.
“Janemena is happily married to Mr. Andre Oyeze. She is a native of Isoko in Delta State whose native law and custom forbid a married woman from having sexual relationship with another man. Indeed, it is a taboo in Isoko Land, Delta State for a married woman to have sexual relationship with any man who is not her husband,” it reads further.
The lawyers maintained that no such sex tape exists, nor has she ever had a sexual relationship with Kpokpogri.
They said that due to Dikeh’s ‘recklessness,’ Janemena had been brought to “public ridicule, odium and opprobrium in the comity of Isoko women, her business associates, friends, members of her family, etc.
“The traumatic condition which your publications under reference threw Janemena into caused her miscarriage of her one month old pregnancy,” the letter further stated.
Janemena subsequently demanded an immediate retraction of Dikeh’s statement which must be published in four national dailies along with an apology and payment of N500m.
Meanwhile, the dancer has also written a petition to the Office of the Inspector-General of Police demanding an investigation of criminal libel against her person.
In apparent contradiction of its earlier stance on floating the naira, the Federal Government, yesterday, prevailed on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to allow the currency to reflect market realities.
According to Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the exchange rate is artificially low, and this is deterring investors from bringing foreign exchange into the country, adding that the current practice, which places the official rate at N410, is not a realistic reflection of the nation’s economic fortunes.
Osinbajo spoke at the opening of a two-day Mid-term Ministerial Performance Review retreat, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.
The Vice President stated that the dollar scarcity crisis can only be fixed when the market is made to reflect the real status of the economy, arguing that the current demand strategy of the CBN has kept the rate artificially low.
“Oil price at one point fell even below production costs; about $10 a barrel and then finally settled at about $45 a barrel during the second quarter of 2020. The official rate of the naira was devalued from N305 to the dollar, to N380 to the dollar. This was in the third quarter of 2020.
“We can’t get new dollars into the system, where the exchange rate is artificially low, and everyone knows by how much our reserves can grow. So, I’m convinced that we need to rethink the demand management strategy currently being adopted by the CBN, and that is just my view,” he said.
Besides, the African Development Bank (AfDB), yesterday, also gave a bird’s-eye view on the nation’s economy, expressing displeasure over borrowings that are already in excess of $35.5 billion.
The development bank said the debt is rarely the problem in itself, but for its high debt-servicing ratio that is already stifling domestic investments needed to spur faster economic growth.
And to restore the economy on the path of sustainable growth, President of the Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, advised Nigeria to invest a whopping sum of $15 billion in infrastructure yearly, harness the non-oil potential, reactivate agriculture development initiatives of the last administration, and walk the rope of vaccine sufficiency via local production, among others.
President Muhammadu Buhari, however, said Nigeria remains committed to covering its infrastructural deficit, citing ongoing mega projects that are due for completion in 2023.
Adesina, who was a guest speaker at the Mid-Term Ministerial Performance Review Retreat, said Nigeria has a vulnerable economy that warrants a decisive review of its debt challenges.
Indeed, the VP’s call is coming several months after the Bretton Woods institutions and members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) told the Federal Government to get rid of the premium paid on the parallel currency market and clear a dollar backlog that has hurt policy credibility.
Both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its Article IV report and the World Bank have urged the government to provide a clearer and more predictable foreign exchange management system.
Though the CBN opted for a gradual weakening of the official rate of the naira in an apparent move to allow it to converge with the NAFEX rate, a market-determined rate for investors and exporters, the naira has continued to weaken as demand outweighs supply.
The Guardian had reported that demand for foreign exchange on the back of outstanding obligations has risen to about $2 billion as local producers appear to be running out of options for survival.
Nigeria has multiple exchange rates operating in parallel, a system put in place during a 2016 oil price crash because the government was seeking to avoid a large official devaluation of the naira.
As part of a six-monthly report on Nigeria’s economic development, the World Bank raised exchange rate management as the first of six policy areas where it was advising the authorities to take action within three to six months.
It said Nigeria should communicate an exchange rate management strategy that makes the NAFEX, which it described as the anchor, more flexible. This would boost Nigeria’s competitiveness while helping to reduce inflation, it said.
In his reaction, an economist and Chief Executive Officer, Centre for The Promotion Of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf, noted that what the country is experiencing in the foreign exchange market is largely a consequence of the CBN policy choice of a fixed exchange rate regime and administrative allocation of forex.
According to him, the present policy regime has created a huge enterprise around foreign exchange in the form of round tripping, speculation, over invoicing, capital flight etc.
“The responses of the apex bank largely amounts to tackling the symptoms of a problem rather than dealing with the causative factors. The CBN does not seem to believe in or trust the market mechanism. Yet market systems are time-tested as instruments of efficient resource allocation in leading economies around the world. Of course, market failures are recognised in economics, and these are exceptions that can be identified and dealt with. Suppressing the market is like swimming against the tide. It is a difficult battle to win.
“The NAFEX Window is a subsidised window. Managing a subsidy regime is typically a herculean task. We have seen this happen with fertiliser subsidy, essential commodities subsidy and petrol subsidy. The story cannot be different with foreign exchange. The way out of this foreign exchange conundrum is for the CBN to allow the market to function.
“It is also imperative for the apex bank to de-emphasize demand management and focus on strategies to stimulate forex inflows. A fixed exchange rate regime is a major disincentive to inflows and creates enormous pressure of demand for forex. It is a contradiction in terms,” he added.
He urged the CBN to give the market a chance, stating that its current approach will continue to deepen distortions in the economy, perpetuate round tripping, fuel speculation, suppress forex supply and boost underground economy.
Professor of Economics, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Sheriffdeen Tella, said: “It is as if the VP is asking CBN to further devalue the naira to be close to the black market rate. It will be a dangerous action, as the economy will start going through another stress being an import dependent economy.
“Devaluation is to make our exports cheaper and attractive to importers from other countries. What do we have to sell that we also have control over its price? None. Hope the VP is not giving directive but just making suggestion.”
Vice president of Highcap Securities, David Adonri, said the only way out of the current currency crisis is to set up a single forex market where the apex bank, government and other bodies can buy and sell hard currency at the ruling market rate. “It’s only then that the true value of the naira will be established and the allocative efficiency of the forex market restored.”
Another economist, Paul Alaje, warned against further devaluation of the Naira, saying such a step will bring about an increase in huge national debt, making Nigeria’s debt position more discomforting.
“It will bring about high inflation, increased poverty. It will have negative implications for Nigerian businesses competing with those abroad. Poverty will increase. The effect of further devaluation is devastating.”
He argued that economists campaigning for further devaluation do not mean well for Nigeria.
While there could be germane reasons to devalue currencies, Alaje submitted that Nigeria is not in an economic situation to devalue, saying, “there are reasons for devaluation, which may sound good but the end thereof is failure. One of the reasons they have given for devaluation is that Nigeria could stop importation and start producing locally. The question is: where are the machines to produce locally? Where is the electricity to produce locally? Those who are promoting devaluation are those that can afford to live within the economy at whatever rate.”
He further stated that further devaluation may take the naira beyond the minimum wage bracket.
Former President, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Dr. Sam Nzekwe, said no investor local or foreign would like to put his money in a place where he is not safe.
He said the naira, already, has been devalued and that is why virtually every item in the market is now very expensive, adding “because of the high exchange rate, manufacturers are even finding it difficult to import raw materials. What do you think will happen if we have to devalue the Naira further?”
Professor of Agric Economics, University of Calabar, Omo-Ogun Ajayi, said the government should drop the idea of devaluation to avoid massive insurrection that cannot be managed.
The Debt Management Office (DMO) revealed recently that the country’s national debt stock hit N35.5 trillion at the end of June 2021. The new figure is 7.75 per cent higher than the N32.9 trillion recorded at the close of last year.
According to the Director-General of the DMO, Patience Oniha, the external debt accounted for N13.7 trillion or 38.7 per cent while approximately N21.8 trillion was sourced from the local market.
Of the total value, 83.07 per cent was held by the Federal Government, while the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) borrowings accounted for 16.93 per cent.
The percentage of FG’s share of the national debt had increased from 81.94 per cent as at December 2020.
Fiscal policy expert and Chairman of the Debt Management Roundtable (DMR), Taiwo Oyedele, had hinted at the possibility of a debt crisis if Nigeria maintains its skyrocketing debt service cost to revenue.
Adesina said the issue is not about debt-to-GDP ratio, as Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio at 35 per cent is still moderate.
“The big issue is how to service the debt and what that means for resources for domestic investments needed to spur faster economic growth. The debt service to revenue ratio of Nigeria is high at 73 per cent.”
“Things will improve as oil prices recover, but the situation has revealed the vulnerability of Nigeria’s economy. To have economic resurgence, we need to fix the structure of the economy and address some fundamentals,” Adesina said.
He added that the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, including Nigeria, cannot be overemphasised. As the virus burns fiercely, Nigeria’s economic growth rate declined to -1.8 per cent in 2020. This mirrors the pattern across Africa, as the continent posted a -2.1 per cent growth rate in GDP, its lowest in two decades.
However, the AfDB boss projected that the GDP growth rate for the continent will recover to 3.4 per cent this year, while Nigeria’s economic growth rate will rebound to 2.4 per cent in 2021, and reach 2.9 per cent by 2022.
“The recovery will depend on two critical issues: access to vaccines and tackling debt issues. Africa has only two per cent of its population vaccinated, compared to 54 per cent in the U.S and 75 per cent in Europe. So, while developed countries are receiving booster shots, African countries cannot get basic shots.
“Nigeria must build quality health care systems that will protect its population, today and well into the future. Nigeria must also build world-class local pharmaceutical industries, able to effectively tackle the production of therapeutic drugs and vaccines. Nigeria must revamp its local pharmaceutical industry and launch strategic investments for local vaccine manufacturing. Africa should not be begging for vaccines; Africa should be producing vaccines. The African Development Bank will invest $3 billion in support of local pharmaceutical industries in Africa, including in Nigeria.”
Adesina said further that Nigeria’s challenge is revenue concentration, as the oil sector accounts for 75.4 per cent of export revenue and 50 per cent of all government revenue.
Already, bureaucratic bottlenecks and multiple charges that are levied by diverse government agencies have been identified as major barriers against potential exporters and impediment to the non-oil revenue worth $250 billion a year.
He reckoned that the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents a major opportunity for Nigeria, as consumer and business expenditures in Africa are projected to rise to $6.7 trillion by 2030.
Adesina advised that significant support should be directed toward boosting industrial manufacturing capacities, moving rapidly to the top of selected value chains, such as automobiles, computers and electronics, textile and garments, and food manufacturing, transport, and logistics.
“Much will depend on the ports of Nigeria. According to the sector operators, the cost of exporting 100 tons of cargo in Nigeria is $35,000, compared to $4,000 in Ghana. Today, the leading ports for West Africa are in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin Republic. All these countries have modernised their port management systems, leaving Nigeria far behind.
“Nigeria can learn from Morocco’s world-class Tangier-Med port. The port is unique in that it is an industrial port complex, and a platform that has over 1,100 companies. They collectively exported over € 8 billion worth of goods in 2020.
“Your Excellency, we should not be decongesting the ports in Nigeria, we should be transforming the ports. This must start with cleaning up administrative bottlenecks, most of which are unnecessary with multiple government agencies at the ports, high transaction costs or even plain extortions from illegal taxes, which do not go into the coffers of the government.
“Nigeria should rapidly modernise and transform its ports. Ports are not there for revenue generation. They are for facilitating business and exports, and stimulating industrial manufacturing, and competitiveness of local businesses and exports,” Adesina said.
Going forward, infrastructure is critical for unlocking the full potential of the economy. The AfDB president said Nigeria will need $15 billion a year for investment in infrastructure.
To achieve that, “Financial innovations should be prioritised as governments alone cannot afford these huge financial costs. The private sector should be given incentives to invest in infrastructure. The Federal Government’s N15 trillion Infrastructure Fund is a good idea, so is the initiative for tax credits for private sector investment in infrastructure. To be sustainable and more efficient, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) should be accelerated to finance major infrastructure across Nigeria.”
Also, Nigeria must boost food security, reduce the price of food, and ensure greater competitiveness of the agricultural sector.
“While I was Minister of Agriculture, we deployed a highly innovative mobile phone system to reach farmers with subsidised farm inputs, a programme called ‘Growth Enhancement Scheme’ and the e-wallet system. To be clear, this was the first time in the world that such a system was deployed to reach farmers with subsidised farm inputs via mobile phones. And it worked!
“It brought in transparency. It brought in accountability. It brought in all the major commercial banks. More importantly, it delivered impressive results and led to massive food production. It reached 15 million farmers with high quality seeds and fertilizers, right in their villages. Nigeria’s food production boomed and expanded by an additional 21 million metric tons. It is time to also take bold policy measures to drive the structural transformation of agriculture, with infrastructure and spatial economic policies.”
Meanwhile, President Buhari has assured that the 11.9km Second Niger Bridge, 120 km Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and other key projects under the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) will be completed by 2023.
President Buhari had declared open the two-day mid-term ministerial performance review retreat amid rumours of likely ‘sack’ of some more of his Ministers for poor performance. The president, on September 1, during the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, announced the sack of two of his ministers.
They were then Minister of Power, Engr. Saleh Mamman and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, informing others that the action would be a continuous one.
Presidency sources, however, have suggested that the President may be waiting for the outcome of the ongoing assessment process to determine his next step, which may involve easing more of his cabinet members, whose performance and conducts would not meet the administration’s standards, out of office.
Some nurses in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State have kicked against the demand of N20,000 from apex nurses in the area as contribution for the retirement celebration of the Directorate Apex, Kudirat Odunoye.
According to the aggrieved nurses, Odunoye allegedly threatened to deal with anyone that does not make the contribution, as she allegedly instructed heads of primary health centres in the LGA to compile the names of defaulters.
The nurses were reportedly mandated to pay the N20,000 between October and November 2021, as the senior officer has been scheduled to retire in January 2022.
One of the affected nurses said that she was afraid that her job could be under threat.
She said, “Alimosho has a lot of primary health centres. The Apex Director, Kudirat Odunoye, who heads directorates in all the primary health centres in the area, is compelling all nurses to pay N20,000 for her send-off ceremony.
“We have been mandated to pay the money between October and November and she has threatened to deal with any nurse that does not pay the money. She made the threat at a meeting and requested the name of any nurse that refuses to pay. The demand is fraudulent; it is oppressive.”
Another nurse urged the state government to intervene, as some nurses have started paying the money out of fear.
“We pay outrageous amounts for people’s retirement. We pay N20,000 annual dues without justification, and now we are to pay N20,000 just because someone is retiring.
“She is the director of all the head nurses in the area, who are further obligated to make nurses under them pay the money. I know two nurses who have been forced to pay,” the nurse said.
The aggrieved nurses provided WhatsApp chats to confirm the demand.
One of the chats reads, “Good evening, great nurses. Based on the meeting we held today with all the Apexes and Directorate Apex Alimosho concerning her sent forth party, each nurses to contribute N20k each for gift and attire aso ebi for (the) day which commences between the month (of) October and November, I pray that almighty will bless each every one of us in Jesus name.”
When contacted, Odunoye denied compelling nurses to pay money for her retirement.
She said, “I will not be the first or last to retire. I don’t know where they see the person that is threatening them. I don’t know who is compelling them; but there is a committee that they set up. Definitely, you know I cannot be part of the committee.
“The committee has a lot of things it has been doing for retirees; mine will not be the first or last. I never compelled or threatened anybody. You can call the chairman of the committee as I never met with any nurse.”
The chairman of the committee, who identified herself only as Onigbanjo, said, “There is nothing like that, although our Directorate Apex is retiring by the grace of God by January 2022 and we as nurses believe that for someone that has served humanity and the state for 35 years, we should give her a befitting send-off.
“We are still at the planning stage and I believe if any nurse is against what we are planning, the person should register her objections instead of running to the Press to tarnish the image of our beloved mother.
“She is not even aware of our planning until you called her and we have not called a general meeting to discuss the financial implications with the nurses.”
The Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Alimosho chapter, Elizabeth Famuyiwa, confirmed the demand, but said that no one was under compulsion.
She said, “We concluded that nurses should pay N20,000 in preparation for the party and we told the apexes to inform the nurses; but no one is compelling them and there is no sanction. It is just an appeal to appreciate her (Odunoye).”
Officials of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development have been accused of failing to distribute $100,000 (N41.1million) allowances donated by three banks to Nigeria’s women basketball team for their Tokyo 2020 Olympic participation.
According to SaharaReporters, a member of the senior women basketball team, D’Tigress, revealed that their allowances, bonuses, training grant worth $4,900 had also not been paid.
She added that none of the D’Tigress team members would show up in camp in preparation for the February 2022 FIBA World Cup if the Nigerian government failed to pay them.
She said, “The last time we checked, some of our allowances, bonuses and training grants have not been paid. All our accounts numbers have been submitted but still no remittance. Donations made by banks for players, officials, volunteer stipends etc. dating all the way back to 2018 but I will let the managers address the vendor/contractor’s situation.
“They forget we all have a relationship and do communicate; $500 each 2018 FIBA World Cup for players and officials; $1,000 each for finishing final 8 in FIBA World Cup; $1,000 each bonus for winning AfroBasket in Senegal for 2019 players and officials.
“$300 – $400 each Mozambique Olympic Qualifier allowance balance, were supposed to be paid $100 per day; $2,000 each training grant balance from Tokyo Olympics, players only. The $100,000 donated by three Nigerian banks to all the players and officials that made D’Tigress Olympics qualification possible final roster. The men also got $100,000 assigned to them, the total was $200,000.
“Miscellaneous expenses by players and officials; the full breakdown has been submitted to the outgoing Basket Ball President and the honourable minister, Sunday Dare.
“With all due respect to the association leadership, the Presidency, the Ministry and NBBF administration old and new, if these monies are not paid before the next qualifier of the next tournament in February 2022, FIBA World Cup, the entire D’Tigress team will not show up in camp. We are all saying this as one unit and one voice.”
On the poor outing of the team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic, she said, “Whoever watched the Olympics games and knows Nigerian Basketball could see that something was wrong. We didn’t play our best because we weren’t treated or given the best during one of the greatest stages and moments of an Athletes career.
“Yes, we had some injuries, could have executed better but there were a lot of distractions around us like; Not knowing who we have available on the team. Not having enough practice time with each other to build cohesiveness.
“Our head coach did not prioritize adequate preparation nor trust his staff enough to delegate significant responsibility. Poor decision by the outgoing President Musa Kida, he avoided the D’Tigress in camp because we inquired about our money amongst other basic things, when he made it to the U.S, he bypassed us in Atlanta to Vegas to support the men’s team. He did not support us with any leadership personnel.
“I believe each player that has been a part of D’Tigress since 2017 has their own thoughts and feelings about the dissolved NBBF Board and coaching staff over the course of the time. It is evident that our voices haven’t been heard, our request for little things ignored, we are not being celebrated and recognized as this team deserves, instead allowances and bonuses are being owed by the NBBF and Ministry.
“Once again, not having a General Manager (GM) on the team created unwanted disorder. This was the icing on the cake for all players with the emotional buildup over the years. We knew all we could do is stick together, try to stay positive and enjoy the Olympics the best that we could. As a team, we know if we were well prepared to play in the Olympics, that there would be no doubt we could have advanced out of our bracket. To our loyal Fans that has been by our side, we appreciate you all.”
The slaying of Sankara, a pan-Africanist icon, has for years cast a shadow over the poor Sahel state, fuelling its reputation for turbulence and bloodshed.
Sankara and 12 others were riddled with bullets by a hit squad on October 15, 1987 during a putsch that brought his friend and comrade-in-arms Blaise Compaore to power.
Compaore, the chief accused, announced through his lawyers last week that he would boycott the trial.
He ruled the country for 27 years before being deposed by a popular uprising in 2014 and fleeing to neighbouring Ivory Coast, which granted him citizenship.
He and his former right-hand man, General Gilbert Diendere, who once headed the elite Presidential Security Regiment, face charges of complicity in murder, harming state security and complicity in the concealment of corpses.
Diendere, 61, is already serving a 20-year sentence for masterminding a plot in 2015 against the transitional government that followed Compaore’s ouster.
He appeared in court dressed in military uniform and looked relaxed.
Another prominent figure among the accused is Hyacinthe Kafando, a former chief warrant officer in Compaore’s presidential guard, who is accused of leading the gunmen. He is on the run.
Compaore has always rejected suspicions that he orchestrated the killing.
His lawyers last week announced he would not be attending a “political trial” that they said was flawed by irregularities, and insisted he enjoyed immunity as a former head of state.
A young army captain and Marxist-Leninist, Sankara came to power in a coup in 1983 aged just 33.
He tossed out the country’s name of Upper Volta, a legacy of the French colonial era, and renamed it Burkina Faso, which means “the land of honest men”.
He pushed ahead with a socialist agenda of nationalisations and banned female genital mutilation, polygamy and forced marriages.
Like Ghana’s former leader Jerry Rawlings, he became an idol in left-wing circles in Africa, lauded for his radical policies and defiance of the big powers.
Burkina Faso has long been burdened by silence over the assassination and many are angry that the killers have gone unpunished.
During Compaore’s long rule, the question of Sankara’s bloody death was taboo.
After his ouster, the interim government in 2015 launched an investigation into the episode, and the following year issued an international arrest warrant for him.
Sankara’s widow Mariam, who lives in southern France, came to Ouagadougou for the opening of the trial.
“This is a day of truth for me, my family and all Burkinabe,” she said, referring to the name of Burkina citizens.
The family’s lawyer, Stanislas Benewende Sankara — who shares the same name but is not a relative — said Compaore’ absence was a “slap in the face” to Burkina Faso’s justice system.
The trial “may not be the end of the tunnel, but we are reaching a very important phase, judicially speaking,” he said.
One of the world’s most impoverished countries, Burkina Faso has also been battling a jihadist insurgency since 2015 that has claimed more than 1,400 lives and forced 1.3 million people from their homes.
Deputy Country Representative, United Nations Children’s Fund, Ms Rushnan Murzata, says digital inclusion of girls is crucial to ensuring equitable distribution of wealth and development in the country.
Murtaza stated this in Abuja, at a Policy Dialogue, as part of events to mark the International Day of the Girl-Child.
She said there was need to increase investment to close the exclusive gaps across geographic lines and opportunities, created by the digital divide in order to accommodate more girls in the space.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, represented by His Chief of Staff, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, urged stakeholders and development partners to identify gaps in existing laws that needed amendments.
This, according Omo-Agege, is to effectively accommodate the rights of girls to access digital technology.
On her part, Miss Mariam Samani, the President, 2021 IDGC, said increased investment in the country’s ICT sector would facilitate easy access to the digital space and increase inclusion of the girl-child in ICT.
Also, AIG Aisha Abubakar, Gender Adviser to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, explained that the digital space had security implications, and advised girls to be vigilant while using social media platforms.
Abubakar, during a session on “Safety and Insecurity in Schools; Impact on Adolescents Girls Retention and Transition in Schools”, advised girls to learn the act of self-defence and avoid divulging information on social media.
On her part, Mrs. Abiola Salihu, representative of Education In Emergency Working Group, said Nigeria recorded the highest number of abduction of learners and education personnel between 2020 and 2021.
Salihu, therefore stressed the need to consider the Gender Impact while implementing the Safe School Declaration in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event also, Dr Asabe Vilita-Bashir, Director General, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), said ICT skills would ensure personal security, better access to education and jobs, financial inclusion and access to basic healthcare information for girls.
Former Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye housemate, Tega Dominic, has alleged that her husband cheated on her by bringing his lover to their home.
She alleged that she got to know when she interacted with some neighbours.
She made this known in a recent interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, on his show, WithChude, where she spoke about her marriage and BBNaija.
When asked if her husband cheated on her, Tega stated that she got to know “spiritually” before finding out from the neighbours.
Tega said, “Well, I got to know that he cheated and took someone home. I am deep – spiritually. How I go to know was that one day, I was in class and it was something like a trance. I saw him driving, and a babe was in front.
“And I’m like, ‘What’s this? What’s going on?’ I saw it like twice. So, I called my sister and I asked her what was going on and she denied it. I said, ‘Okay no problem.’
“I relate with the guys in my street a lot. So, I called one of them and I also did some FBI stuff. And then, he came up with ‘Okay, he’s always bringing this babe to the house.’
“My sister was at home, my kid was at home, your brother was at home, and you brought this girl to the house. That was the height of disrespect for me. It was not like I didn’t know he was doing stuff outside. But then, bringing this girl home was just it for me.
“Then we talked about it and he was so defensive. What really broke me was that he said, ‘You went to Lagos to be with a man, that’s why I did all of this.’
“When Big Brother came, I was like, ‘Okay, this is going to fly’. And then my mum spoke to me that I should not do it but I spoke to him and told him, this is what I wanted to do.’”
While Tega was on the BBNaija show, her husband, in a now-deleted post, had confessed to cheating on his wife, stating that the act broke his marriage.
This came even as Tega was being trolled on the internet for engaging in erotic activities with a former housemate of the show, Boma.
Officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday stormed the headquarters of Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Agency (KASUPDA), whisking away the Director General, Malam Ismail Umaru Dikko.
KASUPDA has gained the reputation of Kaduna’s most feared agency due to its demolition of properties across the state.
Its boss, Dikko, was a Special Assistant to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, before he was elevated to head the agency in 2019.
It was gathered that the DG was in a meeting with other staff members when officials of the EFCC took over the office premises a few minutes after 10am, Daily Trust reports.
Eyewitnesses said there was some commotion before the DG entered a black hilux Toyota vehicle of the EFCC.
Sources said two EFCC officials in suit, with two police officers with rifles accompanied the KASUPDA boss into the vehicle.
The source said some staff members at KASUPDA had tried to stop the EFCC from leaving with the DG and security guards at the gate had prevented the car from exiting.
However, the DG asked the security guards to open the gate.
