Victor EzejaHere we present to you the top 10 stories across Nigerian newspapers today, 23rd April 2023, on business and economy, politics and entertainment.
1. Nigerians Ask INEC To Produce, Prosecute Adamawa REC
With the claim of not knowing the whereabout of the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barr Hudu Yunusa Ari, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigerians have risen in protest, asking the Commission to Produce and prosecute him.
INEC’s spokesperson, Festus Okoye on Friday said Ari has not reported to INEC headquarters and the Commission does not know his whereabout.
He maintained that since the electoral body does not know the whereabout of the Adamawa REC, it was the duty of the police to fish him out.
President Muhammadu Buhari had within the week ordered the suspension of Ari pending completion of investigations by the Inspector General of Police on the conduct/actions of the REC during the Supplementary election in Adamawa State.
2. Building Collapse: Sanwo-Olu Orders Demolition Of Three Houses In Banana Island
Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered the demolition of three two-storey buildings in the highbrow Banana Island, Ikoyi.
Sanwo-Olu gave the order on Saturday during an assessment of the site where a seven-storey building collapsed recently.
Reasons for the order of demolition included that some the buildings were constructed without approval, others were built under power lines and water.
3. Nigeria Witnesses Rise in Agro-produce Exports To Europe, Asia, Others
A report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that export of agro-products from Nigeria has increased significantly within the last five years with Europe, America and Asia being the major destinations.
The NBS data shows that a total of N598.2 billion worth of agricultural products were exported in 2022, accounting for 18.5 per cent increase when compared to the figure recorded in 2021. This has, in no small measure, pushed the interest of Nigerians into export business.
4. Nigerians Raise Concern Over New Naira Notes Scarcity
As the Central Bank of Nigeria reversed the naira redesign policy following the Supreme Court order and released old notes back to circulation, there is fresh concern that the new notes meant to replace them are currently scarce in major commercial banks branches across the country.
According to the Supreme Court order in March the old notes are to continue being in circulation alongside the new ones until December 31, 2023.
However, scarcity of the new notes raises fresh concerns as to how that would be possible if it persists until the time given by the apex court expires.
5. Sudan Conflict: Trapped Nigerians Continue to Cry Out as Govt Raises Evacuation Panel
Nigerian students trapped in the Republic of Sudan have continued to cry out to the Federal Government to make urgent moves to evacuate them from the northeast African country currently enmeshed in severe conflict.
The government on Friday said it is extremely risky to embark on evacuating the students as the crisis has halted all flight operations into the country.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said though the Nigerian Mission in Sudan and the National Emergency Management Agency had put in place arrangements to evacuate the citizens, it was impossible for any flight during this period of war.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government on Saturday said that while all airports and land borders in Sudan were closed at the moment due to the emergency situation in the country, a search and rescue committee had been established to come up with the safest way of evacuating Nigerians stranded in the troubled nation.
6. FG Begins 40% Pay Rise for Workers, Excludes Doctors, Lecturers
As the Federal government begins implementation of the new 40 per cent peculiar allowance introduced recently, only the 144,766 federal civil servants under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure will benefit from it.
This implies that other workers under the employment of the Federal Government but operating under different salary structures will not benefit.
7. Internet users in Nigeria rose to 154m in Q4 2022
Nigeria’s internet users grew to 154.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed.
NBS made this known in its latest data released Saturday.
The increase portrayed 9.07 per cent from 141,971,560 in Q4 of 2021.
The report further revealed that the number of active voice subscribers in Q4 2022 rose to 222,571,568 from the 195,463,898 reported in Q4 2021 which indicates an expansion rate of 13.87 per cent.
8. Nigerian Govt Targets N180bn Revenue in 5 Years From Cassava Bioethanol
The Nigerian government says it is targeting to raise N180 billion as revenue within five years of active operation through the concessioning of the cassava bio-ethanol value chain.
This is as the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the concessioning of the cassava bio-ethanol value chain.
Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) which gave this estimation, said that the FEC approval indicated that the project is also targeted at providing jobs, reducing poverty, improve food security including the provision of renewable energy to reduce carbon footprint, with the help of agriculture research institutions across the country.
9. EFCC Beams Searchlight on Fraudsters Investing in Real Estate
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it will now focus on fishing out those hiding under real estate investments to perpetrate money laundering and other fraudulent acts in the country.
10. Senate Presidency: APC Senators-elect divided Along Regional, Religious Lines
There appears to be no consensus yet by the Senators-elect of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on criteria for the zoning of the leadership of the 10th Senate as inauguration approaches.
While many of the Senators-elect are clamouring to have a Christian Senate President to emerge from the South-east or South-south, others are insisting that the position should be zoned to the North-west.
READ ALSO: Why Gov Umahi Feels Qualified For Senate President
This is as the incumbent Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who is reportedly said to be also eyeing to retain the position, is keeping mum over it, thereby making other aspirants to remain anxious.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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