Govs, Elumelu, Dangote make Tinubu’s economic advisory panel.

Govs, Elumelu, Dangote make Tinubu’s economic advisory panel.

President Bola Tinubu has created an economic advisory committee comprising the federal government, sub-nationals and the private sector.

This resulted from talks between the President and key stakeholders at the State House, Abuja, on Sunday evening.

The development came as the falling naira exchange rate, rising inflation and other economic headwinds have continued to worsen the cost of living crisis.

Some of the prominent members of the private sector that made the list include the Chairman of United Bank for Africa, Mr. Tony Elumelu, and the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote.

 Speaking at the meeting on behalf of the federal government, Tinubu said the goal “is to provide additional efforts” in stabilising the economy and ensuring the “best economic future” for Nigerians.

He said, “Let’s look at what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong to bring life back to the economy. As I have said many times, the people of this country are only the people we have to please.

“And we are very much concerned from students to mothers and fathers, farmers, the traders and realising that everyone of us will have to fetch water from the same well. We’re looking for additional efforts that’s might help the downtrodden Nigerians and we will provide hope and reassurance that economic recovery is on its way.

“We are not saying that we have all the answers. But we will not be blamed for not trying. We assure Nigerians that we will do our best to get our marshall plan in place and fashion out the best economic future for this country.”

At the meeting, Tinubu discussed food security, job creation and the exchange rate.

Dangote, who was part of the private sector delegation on the committee, said Sunday’s gathering stakeholders the opportunity to clarify the specifics of their roles in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He explained, “I think we had a very good meeting. What we discussed is generally about the economy, food security and security of the nation. We discussed everything in detail.

“The economic presidential advisory committee which has been set up…will look at all the issues and address them, coming from job creation and food security.

“So, all these things have been discussed in detail. I can’t give you all the details right now, but we are hopeful and we’re a great nation. We have what it takes to turn around the economy and we’re going to do that.”

Meanwhile, Elumelu noted implementing the decisions made that the gathering “will have propel our economy and help alleviate the poverty in the land, help create employment and help put food on the table of Nigerians.”

The Chairman of the BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, revealed that the committee held frank and exhaustive discussions with the President on the foreign exchange rate.

Citing the recent volatility of the naira against the dollar, Rabiu said, “We discussed on how to bring the foreign exchange rate down because we all know that what is happening as regards the foreign exchange is artificial. It is manipulative and thank God the CBN is doing quite a lot.”

Meanwhile, states have expressed readiness to partner with the federal government’s welfare interventions to alleviate the hardship on Nigerians. They said the advisory committee’s decision would only yield results when execution is prioritised.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State said, “As a governor, I can assure you that all hands on deck. All governors have resolved to join hands with Mr president to ensure that he provides the necessary intervention to cushion the effect of what we’re going through while we are waiting for the implementation and the evidence of the fiscal and monetary policies already in place.

“In my state and other states, we are bringing in rice, we’re bringing food items and selling at rates that can be obtained before the downslide of the naira. So we are going to be doing all these to bring succour to the common man until we begin to see the evidence of the fiscal and monetary policies.”

On his part, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State said the tripartite committee “will be meeting from time to time to evaluate how things are going and make recommendations to Mr. President and the nation as well.”

The Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, affirmed that the private sector “will play a very significant role” in promulgating workable recommendations to the President on economic matters.

Akeredolu was a prophet, predicted I’d be governor – Aiyedatiwa.

Akeredolu was a prophet, predicted I’d be governor – Aiyedatiwa.

The Ondo State Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said he is sure of winning the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress in April and the main election in November this year.

Aiyedatiwa, who became Ondo State governor less than two months ago, said his predecessor, the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, had predicted that he (Aiyedatiwa) would become the next governor of the Sunshine State. He described his late boss as a prophet who foresaw him becoming the next governor.

The governor stated this at a meeting with the officials and the members of the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers in Akure on Saturday.

This was according to a statement on Sunday by the LACO-FS State Director of Information, Mr. Kayode Fasua.

The quoted Aiyedatiwa as saying: “My supporters should continue working and never doubt, as my coming victory in the primary and general elections is the promise of God.

“This (my emergence as governor) is what my late boss, Governor Akeredolu, wanted. A lot of people don’t really know Akeredolu; they don’t know that he was a prophet.

“There was a time after he (Akeredolu) returned from a medical vacation that he told the cabinet members during an executive council meeting that ‘Look, Aiyedatiwa will emerge as the next governor.’”

The governor noted that his ambition to contest for governorship position was beyond the mandate of his joint ticket with the late Akeredolu but a sincere mission to transform Ondo State and uplift the standard of living of the people.

According to the statement, the LACO-FS Convener, Dr. Oladipupo Okeyomi, in his remarks, disclosed that over 250,000 campaigners code-named ‘Foot Soldiers’ had been positioned across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State, to secure victory for Aiyedatiwa in the primary and the major election.

Similarly, the Director-General of the group, Mr. Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, said the group was set to tour all the local government areas starting from this week to mid-March, with Aiyedatiwa leading the campaigns.

Other governorship aspirants on the platform of the APC are a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Mayowa Akinfolarin; a former Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Oladunni Odu; a former Special Adviser to the governor on Health, Prof Francis Faduyile; Chief Olusola Oke, a former Chairman of OSOPADEC, Mr Gbenga Edema, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, Dr Paul Akintelure.

Weird incident as Sheffield United players fight themselves in defeat at Wolves.

Weird incident as Sheffield United players fight themselves in defeat at Wolves.

English referee Darren Bond speaks with Sheffield United’s English defender #19 Jack Robinson (R) after an incident with his teammate Sheffield United’s Brazilian midfielder #21 Vinicius 

Sheffield United players came to blows among themselves during a 1-0 defeat at Wolves on Sunday that pushed the Blades ever closer to relegation from the Premier League.

Pablo Sarabia’s header earned Gary O’Neil’s men the three points which lifts Wolves up to eighth in the table.

In the aftermath of the goal, a heated argument between Sheffield United pair Vinícius Souza and Jack Robinson descended into pushing.

A VAR check was required before both were allowed to continue in scenes reminiscent of a fight between Newcastle players Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer that saw both sent-off in 2005.

However, the visitors showed the right kind of fight in the second half to push Wolves into a nervy finish.

Chris Wilder’s men were inches away from an equaliser late on when Auston Trusty failed to touch in James McAtee’s dangerous ball across the goal.

But a 19th defeat in 26 league games leaves Sheffield United still rooted to the foot of the table, eight points adrift of safety, and staring an immediate return to the Championship in the face.

A season of struggle was also predicted for Wolves after losing manager Julen Lopetegui just days before the campaign began.

But O’Neil is among the contenders for manager of the year in England as he has instead masterminded a challenge for European competition next season.

Wolves move ahead of Chelsea, Newcastle and West Ham and within one point of seventh-placed Brighton.

Liverpool Seals Historic 10th Carabao Cup Victory with Late Van Dijk Goal Against Chelsea.

Liverpool Seals Historic 10th Carabao Cup Victory with Late Van Dijk Goal Against Chelsea.

By Olamide Akinwumi. 

Liverpool secured a dramatic victory in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday, defeating Chelsea 1-0 with a late goal from Virgil van Dijk in extra time.

The match was tightly contested, with both teams battling fiercely for the trophy. However, it was Liverpool who emerged victorious, becoming the first club to clinch the Carabao Cup title for the 10th time.

Jurgen Klopp's side, plagued by injuries, showcased resilience and determination throughout the grueling encounter. Despite fielding a team featuring several young players due to injuries to key stars like Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool remained composed under pressure.

Van Dijk, Liverpool's experienced captain, played a pivotal role in securing the victory, heading home the decisive goal just two minutes before the end of extra time. His goal came after an earlier effort was controversially disallowed by VAR, highlighting the drama of the final moments.

The triumph marks Liverpool's first trophy since the 2022 FA Cup and provides a fitting farewell for Klopp, who announced his impending departure at the end of the season. The German manager will hope that this victory serves as a springboard for further success in the remaining competitions this season.

For Chelsea, it was another bitter defeat at Wembley, adding to their disappointment in previous finals against Liverpool. Despite a valiant effort, Mauricio Pochettino's side was unable to secure the elusive silverware, leaving them without domestic trophies since the 2018 FA Cup.

The match was a testament to Liverpool's resilience and determination, overcoming significant challenges to emerge victorious on the grand stage. As they celebrate their historic win, Liverpool will now turn their focus to maintaining their lead in the Premier League and continuing their pursuit of further honors in the FA Cup and Europa League.

With Klopp's tenure drawing to a close, Liverpool's triumph in the Carabao Cup final serves as a fitting tribute to his legacy at the club and sets the stage for an exciting conclusion to the season.

FG to partner private initiatives in provisions of clean energy.

FG to partner private initiatives in provisions of clean energy.

THE Minister of Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh said that the Federal Government will continued to partner private Initiatives in the provisions of clean energy across the Niger Delta region and the country as a whole.

The Minister gave the assurance over the weekend at the inauguration of 91kWp Solar Powered Mini-Grid executed by SAF-AGA Renewable Energy Limited in Okpokunou community in Burutu Local Government area of Delta State.

Okpokunou Mini Grid project is a private Initiative of SAF-AGA Renewable Energy Limited to address the pressing challenges of electricity access in the community which had been deprived of electricity in the past 12 years.

Momoh said the federal government, aside it’s foreign partners in the provisions of clean and renewable energy, will collaborate with private Initiatives, like what SAF-AGA has done in bringing development to the rural communities in the region.

“Let me say in clear terms that these are the kind of projects that are expected in our various communities, not only in the Niger Delta region but across the country because we are going towards renewable green and clean energy in the world over”, he said.

The Minister expressed regret that, though Okpokunou community was connected to national grid, it was not energized for the past 12 years but was happy that with the renewable energy by SAF-AGA Limited, it has now been connected.

“It is heartening to witness initiatives like Okpokunou Mini-Grid that address this critical needs bringing clean energy and opportunities to communities that had hitherto without electricity supply for so many years.

“I have been told that for the past 12 years, inspite of the fact that this community was connected to the national grid before, for the past 12 years, this community hadn’t electricity supply. I think it’s a very good development that the SAF-AGA Renewable Energy Limited is able to do this for the community”, he said.

Chief Executive Officer of SAF-AGA Renewable Energy Limited, Dr. Godbless Safugha said the Okpokunou Mini-Grid has a capacity of 91 kWp and a storage system of 170 kWh, powering 330 households initially which can scale and grow with the community connecting up to 596 households and a capacity of 230 kWp addressing the community’s energy needs.

He disclosed that the Mini-Grid was part of a larger initiative with three other neighboring communities sharing in the benefits of the company’s vision are “Ogriagbene, Enekoragha and Esama in Bomadi and Burutu Local Government areas respectively.

Safugha noted that with the successful inauguration of the Okpokunou Mini-Grid the company expects collaboration with other government agencies to extend the reach of Mini-Grids to more communities in the region.

“We wish to use this opportunity to call on other government agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Delta State rural electricity board, Bayelsa State Electricity Holding Company limited, other international organisations and NGOs to join hands with SAF-AGA in our dream to light up the Niger Delta region and beyond.

“Together, let’s extend the reach of Mini-Grids to more communities, breaking the chains of energy poverty and unlocking the potential within these regions”, he added.

Chairman of Burutu Local Government, Hon Combolous Ikisa expressed appreciation to the firm for lighting up some communities in his council area.

He said though the project was private driven, the community should protect the facility and establish a good relationship with the firm by ensuring there was no interruption in it’s operations.

Fuel subsidy: Tinubu acted in Nigeria’s best interest —Onanuga.

Fuel subsidy: Tinubu acted in Nigeria’s best interest —Onanuga.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, yesterday, explained that President Bola Tinubu acted in the best interest of Nigerians by announcing the removal of the petrol subsidy on the day of his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

Onanuga, in a chat with TheCable, said Nigeria was in serious financial trouble, which prompted the president to act quickly before things got worse.

The presidential aide was reacting to an interview granted by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr Babachir Lawal, who said the announcement of subsidy removal by Tinubu a few minutes after his inauguration was hasty and driven by arrogance without due consultations with relevant stakeholders.

While justifying Tinubu’s action, Onanuga said there was no provision for subsidy in the budget left behind by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

He added that the country was in dire financial straits as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, could no longer import petrol due to N4 trillion debt owed by the federal government.

Onanuga said: “Is Babachir still talking? Well, that is his opinion that the subsidy was hastily removed. The truth is, the subsidy was meant to be removed by the end of June 2023 according to what former president Muhammadu Buhari left behind.

“President Tinubu only announced it on May 29 on the day he was sworn in. That is to show you that something is wrong somewhere and that the nation had a problem at that time.

“What I find out is that Nigerians easily forget things, we have a short memory about things. They should cast their minds back to what happened at that period. The NNPCL was saying the government owed them N4tr of subsidy money. NNPCL was the only importer of fuel and towards the general elections; fuel scarcity was all over the country.

“Due to the scarcity, in some places, fuel was selling for about N700 – N800 before President Tinubu was sworn in. NNPCL didn’t have money to import fuel because they were being owed over N4tr by the federal government. People have easily forgotten about that.”

Onanuga said the country would have been in deeper problems if Tinubu did not act swiftly to address the situation.

“Tinubu knew the problem and that was why he made the announcement on the day of his inauguration. The language he used was ‘Subsidy is gone’ because even in the budget, there was no provision for it.

“I will challenge journalists to go and check that budget, when you look at that budget made by Buhari before leaving office, you will find out that aside no provision for subsidy, 97 percent of our income will be spent on servicing debts. If 97 percent of budget is used to service debts, what is left for Nigerians to spend?

“That 97 percent budgeted for debt servicing does not include the money the Federal Government owes the NNPCL. There were serious problems then and Tinubu just needed to do something quickly to arrest the deterioration.

“You can see what has happened in the last nine months with those measures he took. Yes, those measures are painful but they are needed to reset the economy and financials of this country. Otherwise, we would have ended into a much more disastrous situation.”

Tinubu extols late Namibian President Geingob.

Tinubu extols late Namibian President Geingob.

President Bola Tinubu has eulogised the late President of Namibia, Dr. Hage Gottfried Geingob, for his contributions to the development of the Southern African country.

Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), stated this on Saturday at the memorial service in honour of the late Dr. Geingob in Windhoek, the nation’s capital, according to a statement by the media office of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. 

The Nigerian leader, who was represented by Akpabio as Head of the delegation, reflected on the long-standing bilateral ties between Nigeria and Namibia dating to the 1970s.

He reiterated the commitment of the present administration in Nigeria to strengthen the country’s relationship with Namibia, even as he promised to work hand-in-hand with incumbent President Nangolo Mbumba.

“On behalf of myself and the good people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I extend my condolences to the government and the good people of Namibia on the passing of our dear brother, President (Dr.) Hage Gottfried Geingob.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with you, the government, and the good people of Namibia in these very difficult times. May the strength of your nation be amplified in your National Anthem, “The Land of the Braves,” and the grace of God Almighty to provide comfort and solace in the face of this tragic loss. The people of Nigeria in their numbers stand in solidarity with you Namibians, in this moment and beyond this moment.

“As I commiserate with you once more with you and the people of your great nation, the people of Namibia, please accept the assurances Your Excellency of my sincere and esteemed regards in this loss,” he said. 

Tinubu to Nigerians: I pledge to faithfully commit to economic prosperity

Akpabio also noted the solid partnership between the two nations, as well as Nigeria’s influence in trade, economy, and the political growth of the black nation.

The Senate President said: “As I arrived Namibia, I was surprised to meet some of my classmates whom we were together at the Federal Government College, Port-Harcourt, who are also here to commiserate with the country.

“Nigeria happens to be one of the frontline states that assisted greatly in the struggle for the independence of Namibia and assisted strongly in the liberation of South Africa and the liberation of Angola from very far away in West Africa.

“So, we are sharing together in the demise of this great icon and hero. Of course, Nigeria had in the past supported SWAPO, your ruling political party with materials and human development to achieve its objective of ensuring the freedom of the good people of Namibia. We granted scholarships to train a lot of Namibians in the 1970s and the 1980s, some of whom I met on arrival here in Windhoek.

“We supported Namibia to develop its manpower immediately after independence. We have developed a lot of technical manpower for this country through technical aid in the area of education among others.”