It will be recalled that the investigative journalist with the Daily Nigeria newspaper reported recently that he bagged a degree within six weeks of being admitted into one of such universities and also served as a corps member in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, with the certificate obtained.

The undercover journalist stated that he received both the transcript and certificate of the Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologies, Cotonou, Benin Republic, after only six weeks.

In an interview with Channels Television yesterday, he stated that it is worrisome that the security system in Nigeria does not give journalists the confidence to do their job without fear of victimisation.

When asked by the presenter if he had received any threats following his report, he stated that while he has yet to receive any threats, he is away from the public as he needs to prioritize his safety.

He said, “There is a lot of concern from friends and family members regarding my safety. They have been genuinely worried, and as a journalist, I believe I should be allowed to carry out my job without any threats or intimidation.

“This situation highlights the type of society we live in, where journalists should be able to conduct their work peacefully and be assured of their safety.

“I want to use this platform to call on the authorities to ensure my protection, even though I am currently in a safe place. However, I am uncertain about what might happen next, as I have been giving interviews and my report has gone viral without any threats so far.

“I hope the government remains vigilant and if there are any threats, I will promptly reach out to them to ensure I receive the necessary protection.”

When asked how much he spent to acquire the fake certificate, Umar said: “I spent roughly N600,000. I did not go to the border; I only gave an Immigration officer to help me get an ECOWAS passport and a backdated stamp of Nigerian Immigration and Benien, which I spent N150,000.”

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Oil marketers confirmed the development and stated that the plant would supply refined Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, Automotive Gas Oil, otherwise known as diesel, as well as other products to 12 states, including Abia, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Delta, among others.

The NNPCL stated that the ongoing test-running of the plant would be completed shortly, adding that commercial production of refined products would also begin shortly.

This came as experts and downstream operators stated that though the cost of refined products would reduce once the Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries start pumping out products, it would not lead to a massive price crash.

On December 21, 2023, the Federal Government announced the mechanical completion of rehabilitation work on the Area-5 Plant of the Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State.

It said the first phase of the plant had been completed, as the facility would start refining 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily after the Christmas break.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, stated that the first phase of the PHRC was completed on December 20, 2023, adding that refined products’ production would commence after the Yuletide.

“This is to announce to Nigerians that, in fulfilment of our pledge to complete phase one of the Port Harcourt refinery by the end of 2023 and the subsequent streaming of phase two in 2024, we happily announce the mechanical completion of flare start-up on December 20, 2023.

“This heralds the commencement of the production of petroleum products after the Christmas break. We want to thank Nigerians for their patience and trust in the NNPC to deliver on our promise and mandate in the rehabilitation of our refineries,” the minister stated.

NNPCL supplies crude

When contacted on Sunday to state whether the plant had started producing refined products as projected by the minister, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, said crude oil was being supplied to the facility.

He said the refinery was being test-run, as this was in line with international best practice, and assured Nigerians that the plant would commence commercial production of refined products shortly

“We’ve successfully completed the mechanical phase of the PH refinery Area 5 plant, installing all vital components. Licensor inspection has been done, and catalysts have been delivered.

“Now, industry-based testing remains, focusing on leaks, air, line blowing, flushing, drying, steaming out, calibration, plant inerting, and then hydrocarbon (crude oil) introduction.

“While we share the optimism, adherence to global best practices is crucial. Testing will conclude shortly, ensuring the refinery’s efficient operation. Production should commence shortly,” he stated.

Supply to 12 states

The President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, who led other marketers to the Port Harcourt refinery, confirmed on Sunday that the plant had started receiving crude oil.

He said testing was ongoing at the facility and noted that the 60,000 bpd crude oil production was enough to serve about 12 states in Nigeria.

“I can confirm that they (the refinery) are now receiving crude because I have been in Port Harcourt and was at the refinery with some of our members. The testing is going on, and it is going to take some time because they will have to ascertain the parts of the refinery that are working and those that are not working yet.

“And all that must be stable, which is why the management of the refinery must be supported to ensure that they deliver and start the production of products for commercial purposes. However, I can confirm to you that what they (NNPCL) told you is correct,” Gillis-Harry stated.

Asked whether the 60,000 barrels per day that would be refined from the plant would be enough to meet the demands in some states, the PETROAN boss stated that about 12 states could get their supply from the facility.

He said, “Nigerians should be cheerful about the 60,000 barrels per day of crude that is to be refined by the plant. Even if it is producing at 50 percent capacity, it will produce what will consistently augment and make sure petroleum products are available for domestic consumption.

“And this will help curb the depletion of our foreign exchange. The volume of petrol and other products that will come out of 60,000 bpd refined crude is not small; it is a lot. In fact, it can serve about 12 states. It is a considerable volume that can serve about 12 states.

“It can serve Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia, Imo, Delta, Edo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and even beyond, and this is a conservative estimate. Also, don’t forget that it is going to be produced daily. So if every day we are loading about 50 tankers of 33,000 litres each, that is going to serve a lot of purposes.”

The NNPCL, which is the manager of the refinery, had also revealed that the second phase of the facility would be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024 and would lead to the refining of 150,000 bpd crude by the facility.

The Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, explained that as of December 15, 2023, about 84.4 percent of Area-5 Plant, a key component of the Port Harcourt refinery, and 77.4 percent of the entire rehabilitation project had been completed.

“In our quest to ensure that this refinery is re-streamed to continue to deliver value to Nigerians, we made a promise that we will reach the mechanical completion of phase one of the rehabilitation project by the end of December and get the other plants running in 2024. Today, we have kept those commitments,” Kyari stated during the announcement of the mechanical completion of the plant.

The GCEO, who commended the NNPCL’s staff and the EPCIC contractors for ensuring that the refinery achieved a significant milestone, stated that the second phase would be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024. “We are done with phase one. We will complete phase two as promised within 2024, maximum—the last quarter of 2024,” he stated.

Price reduction imminent

Oil marketers and experts stated that the commencement of operations of the Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries would cause a reduction in the cost of refined products but would not warrant a huge crash in their costs.

The Dangote refinery is projected to start delivering refined diesel and aviation fuel this month (January), as Nigerians express optimism that the cost of refined products will drop.

The National Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief John Kekeocha, said the cost of refined petroleum products would drop once the refineries come on stream, but this may not happen immediately.

“If the refineries should start producing as they promised, then we should be hopeful of price reduction. However, this may not happen immediately, and it will not mean that the cost of petroleum products will crash significantly.

“But if what they are saying now is going to come to reality, absolutely, it is going to affect the prices of refined products downward. This is because the crude will be sourced here, and it will be cheaper. Also, the cost of importing refined products will be eliminated.

“Therefore, if the Port Harcourt refinery and that of Dangote are going to start production, sincerely speaking, the cost of refined products is not going to be as costly as what we are buying today,” Kekeocha stated.

On his part, the PETROAN stated that he corroborated the position of his counterpart in IPMAN, but noted that it would not be a massive crash in price.

“We expect a reduction in the prices of refined products, not a massive crash in their costs. But certainly, there is a chance of a reduction in the cost of refined petroleum products once the refineries start supplying them.

“This is because we will no longer pay import charges and all other fees that we pay in dollars. So that should give some relief. But by how much is what we cannot tell until the refineries start producing?” he stated.

Also speaking, the National Public Relations Officer, IPMAN, Chief Ukadike Chinedu, said the commencement of operations at the refineries would impact the cost of products positively.

“We are optimistic to see the commencement of refined products from the facilities because it will impact the cost of products positively. Whether the drop in price is significant or not, the fact is that Nigeria has commenced local production.

“But the truth is that there will be a reduction in the prices of refined products, though this may not mean that the cost of products will experience a massive crash,” he stated.

Ukadike stated that oil marketers were optimistic, as the wait for the refineries to start production had been so long, adding that it would be something to cheer about once the facilities start pumping out products.

 NLC knocks FG

But the Nigeria Labour Congress, on Sunday, knocked the administration of the Federal Government for failing to deliver on many promises made to Nigerians, including the promise that the Port Harcourt refinery will begin working in December.

The NLC, in its New Year message, also said the government failed to faithfully implement the minimum wage award it promised to pay to civil servants and inaugurate the minimum wage committee.

In the message, signed by its National President, Joe Ajaero, the NLC said, “This government has shown enormous unfaithfulness in keeping to agreements. The N35,000 wage award has not been faithfully implemented; the Port Harcourt refinery has not come on stream as projected, while the National Minimum Wage Negotiation Council has not been inaugurated as agreed; the CNG has been distorted by agents of government for the benefit of a few.”

According to the NLC, most of the economic policies of the Tinubu government have made life harder rather than bringing respite to workers and Nigerians in general.

“Workers continue to grapple with the worst forms of deprivation, thus being unable to meet their basic needs while transportation to work continues to be a nightmare. The Nigerian masses have experienced the worst form of angst and suffering as access to basic nutrition has become more difficult while education and basic social utilities have become the sole purview of the rich. This year’s festive season has been made so difficult for the masses that the usual joy associated with the season has been replaced with worries and anxiety all over the nation.

“The government’s half-hearted attempts at providing succour were largely mere propaganda and never had any impact on the high cost of transportation across the nation.

“Our naira continues in its free fall in all markets while governments, both federal and state, continue in their reckless borrowing and spending in the name of governance.

“We are worried at the haste with which those in government rush to eat the future of Nigerians by borrowing and frittering them away, putting the future of our unborn generation in jeopardy. As it stands today, Nigeria needs about 12 percent more than our annual revenue to service our debt stock, meaning that we have to borrow to ever be able to service our debts. Another debt trap has been unleashed on the population. Governments should act more responsibly in their debt activities,” the NLC said.

It vowed that it would, in 2024, be committed “to ensuring that a living wage becomes possible for all Nigerian workers by working with others to secure a national minimum wage that approximates the dictates of the various parameters that make incomes humane and grants access to basic necessities of life for the average worker.”

. Additional reports by Kenneth Ibinabo

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According to Reuters, the suspension is in order to discuss the conversion of the prospecting licence to a production licence.

Eni confirmed that the arbitration at the World Bank’s dispute resolution body concerning the OPL 245 oilfield has been suspended.

“Eni … has agreed with the Federal Government of Nigeria to mutually and temporarily suspend the arbitration proceedings in order to discuss with the government the necessary steps for achieving the conversion of the licence from prospecting into mining (extraction),” an Eni spokesperson said.

The move comes days after Nigeria opted out of its $1.1 billion civil suit against Eni in relation to OPL 245.

An oil prospecting licence (OPL) allows a company to explore for oil, but once it finds recoverable oil, the licence needs to be converted to an oil mining licence (OML) for it to be able to produce and export.

According to the source, Eni’s request to stop the arbitration came on November 16, a few days after the beginning of the proceedings.

The source added Nigeria is currently seeking better terms for the block licence than what has been agreed up to this point.

THE OPL 245 SAGA

On April 9, 1998, the federal military government awarded OPL 245 to Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd, which was said to be owned mainly by Mohammed Abacha, son of Sani Abacha, and Etete, who was the petroleum minister at the time.

On July 2, 2001, President Olusegun Obasanjo revoked Malabu’s licence and assigned the oil block to Shell — without a public bid.

Malabu went to court and ownership was reverted to it in 2006 after it reached an out-of-court settlement with the federal government.

Shell fought back and commenced arbitration against Nigeria but when President Goodluck Jonathan came to power in 2010 and implemented the consent judgment returning the oil block to Malabu, the controversy appeared to have been resolved with Shell and Eni agreeing to buy the oil block from the Nigerian company for $1.1 billion.

The oil companies also paid $210 million as signature bonus to the federal government of Nigeria.

But activists launched an international campaign alleging that the OPL 245 deal was fraudulent and that the proceeds were used to bribe government officials.

The post Eni suspends OPL 245 arbitration at World Bank, days after FG withdrew $1.1bn suit appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

Benson Upah, media head of the NLC, said on Thursday that the union is considering a foreign medical trip for Ajaero due to the nature of injuries sustained in Imo on Wednesday.

“Because of the deteriorating situation (referring to Ajaero’s health), talks are being held about taking him outside the country. He is currently in Nigeria,” he said.

On Wednesday, Ajaero was reportedly picked up from the Imo council secretariat of the NLC in Owerri by heavily armed police officers.

The NLC said Ajaero was beaten and blindfolded immediately after he was arrested by security operatives.

The union said the NLC president was taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri for medical treatment.

Denying the arrest, the police command in Imo said the NLC president was taken into protective custody to avoid being lynched by a mob.

The police said Ajaero had a heated argument with some individuals who resisted the picketing of the airport in Imo.

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Earlier, published report had shown how Sam Larry came under fire on social media after a video of him and some people harassing late singer, Mohbad surfaced on social media.

In the video, Mohbad and Zlatan were on set for a music video when Sam Larry, who is said to be an ally of Naira Marley, stormed the scene with some boys targeting Mohbad, who scampered away in fear.

The video left many Nigerians on social media furious as they stormed Larry’s Instagram page to attack him for bullying and threatening the late singer.

In a statement shared on SnapChat, which has since gone viral, Sam Larry claimed to have paid Mohbad N2 million to perform at his mother’s annual remembrance concert, but that the late singer failed to show up.

He wrote “Two year’s ago, I gave Ileri N2 million to perform at my mother’s annual remembrance concert at Ikorodu. The boy never turned up. So I called him to ask why. He then said he was not feeling well.

“When I asked for a refund, he said he lost his phone and money recently when the NDLEA raided his place and since he was leaving Marlian Records, he is now broke, with no commitment to repay.

“I then left, all for me to later hear that this same boy was having a musical video shoot next door, practically the next street to my house.

“So I went there to ask for my money again. We had an argument that lasted five minutes. Even one of his friends insisted he was going pay the money. Up till today one kobo they have not paid me. This was early last year. I have since moved on.

“I travelled to Kenya to find new African act that can perform at my mother’s concert this year. I have been away since August 202!

“Till now I don’t know anything other than what was written in the blogs and press. I don’t even know where he lives I only know his former label boss and their house.

“I don’t know any nurse or doctor or hospital. I don’t know anything about his movement, I don’t have that time. I have lost a lot more money than that before; you win some you lose some.

“That is my story, case close. I came here willingly and happily. I know nothing about how the musician died.”

The post How N2m led to my brawl with Mohbad, says Sam Larry appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

An updated travel advisory issued on September 20 by the U.S. Department of State included a flat “do not travel” warning for Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and Adamawa states due to terrorism and kidnapping; Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states due to kidnapping.

A similar travel advisory was issued for Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states (with the exception of Port Harcourt) due to crime, kidnapping, and armed gangs.

While placing these states on Level 4 – the highest risk category, the U.S. warned that the security situation in the states is fluid and unpredictable due to widespread terrorist activity, inter-communal violence, and kidnapping; and security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning.

The travel advisory, which carpets 18 states in all, excludes Lagos, 17 other states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Violent crime – such as armed robbery, assault, carjacking, kidnapping, hostage taking, roadside banditry, and rape – is common throughout the country. Kidnappings for ransom occur frequently, often targeting dual national citizens who have returned to Nigeria for a visit, as well as U.S. citizens with perceived wealth. Kidnapping gangs have also stopped victims on interstate roads”, the advisory read.

“Terrorists continue plotting and carrying out attacks in Nigeria. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting shopping centers, malls, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars, schools, government installations, transportation hubs, and other places where crowds gather. Terrorists are known to work with local gangs to expand their reach.

“There is civil unrest and armed gangs in parts of Southern Nigeria, especially in the Niger Delta and Southeast regions; and armed criminality and gangs, including kidnapping and assaults on Nigerian security services is also pervasive in this region. Violence can flare up between communities of farmers and herders in rural areas” it added.

The State Department had last issued a travel advisory on August 2 to Niger, which is same Level 4 – Do Not Travel warning, owing to the July 26 coup which deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, placing him on house arrest, a situation that led to the immediate evacuation of non-emergency government employees from the country.

On January 20, this year, in its previous alert on Nigeria, the State Department had updated its travel advisory to Level 3 – Reconsider Travel Advisory.

However, in its updated advisory, it said terrorist groups based in the Northeast routinely target humanitarian camps, security forces, churches, schools, mosques, government installations, educational institutions, entertainment venues, and road travelers. Approximately two million Nigerians have been displaced as a result of the violence in Northeast Nigeria.

The State Department further cautioned its citizens that the government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Nigeria due to security conditions.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu has advised Nigerians in the U.S. to rise beyond failure by adopting a new mentality for success in all aspects of life. Tinubu made the remarks during a Presidential Town Hall Meeting with Nigerians in the Diaspora in New York on Wednesday evening.

The town hall meeting was organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UNGA.

He said: “I want to give you a measure that will resonate with you. I was once a diasporan. What you have been through, I have been through it. Change of mindset is necessary. Take it this night that Nigeria is home for business opportunities.

“Also, anywhere you stay, there is always going to be an opportunity in, and in everything you do, there is always going to be an opportunity, if you know how to search and put your mind into it,’’ he said.

The President also expressed satisfaction with the behaviour of Nigerians who have continued to flourish in their chosen sectors in their host nation.

He added: “You are lucky to be among those who are celebrated for good manners and behavior and are operating in an acceptable manner.

“I’m very proud of you; I have also been a source of inspiration, determination, commitment and perseverance and that is all you need to get through.

“But, we need you back home, Nigeria has arrived; forget the frustration of the previous year’s leadership,’’ he said.

Also, the President Thursday, assured prospective investors of his administration’s determination to adopt necessary fiscal and regulatory measures toward the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

At the Nigeria-U.S. Executive Business Roundtable, the President said he recognised that investment capital is cowardly in nature. He said that was the reason behind his bringing successful Nigerian industrialists and public officials to share their experiences and operational plans, respectively.

Tinubu said this was in addition to all he had done to boost the confidence of the global investment community in Nigeria, by reforming the fiscal, monetary, regulatory and tax policy environment.

“Nigeria is an opportunity that is impossible to replicate or find elsewhere in any part of the world. We have brilliant young people who both innovate and consume at a large scale.

“Our entrepreneurial spirit is a major part of what makes our market totally unique, aside from demography. Nigerians build businesses and Nigerian businesses partner with other businesses to conduct larger business.

“There is enough value to spread around. Be careful of what you hear about Nigeria. You may be dissuaded out of a major opportunity that others will take up. We are here for you. We will give you all the support you need to succeed and succeed abundantly,” he said.

On behalf of the U.S. Government, U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary, Wally Adeyemo, told U.S. business leaders he came back from Nigeria on an official visit that later became a fact-finding mission.

“In Lagos, I saw, first-hand, some of the major reforms you implemented as the governor of Lagos and the transformative effect on Nigeria’s commercial capital.

“People have attested to the fact that the reforms you have put in place as President are quickly enhancing confidence. American business is paying attention to that and from what we have seen for ourselves, Nigeria is proving to be a new frontier for investment. We will encourage our companies from our end as those reforms continue to deepen,” Adeyemo said.

The American Business Council President, Sops Ideriah, said the extensive turnout at the roundtable by American business chief executives was impressive.

According to him, the turnout served as a testament to the degree to which confidence is rising in response to the actions and words of the President.

He said that this was with respect to ease of doing business, investment promotion, and his willingness to intervene to clear the historical concerns of American business people about doing business in Nigeria.

“Having all the stakeholders in the room, the President of Nigeria being here, from government actors at the federal and state level to ministers and tax authorities present, as well as private sector industrialists in Nigeria. We are very positive about the potential of Nigeria and we are just reinforcing to our colleagues the message about the economic opportunities that exist there,” Ideriah said.

Acting Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, assured the American captains of industry that the nation’s apex tax authority would not focus on taxing the seed.

He said it would focus only on the proportionate taxation of the fruit of fully formed industry, through efficient policy synergy with Nigeria’s sub-national authorities.

“The President is a business enabler, not a handicapper. Everything we do will be geared toward making your tax assessment and payment processes as digitally efficient and transparent as possible. We are not after the seed, but the fruit and we will keep to this commitment,” Adedeji said.

Furthermore, President Tinubu has said the UN must transform from being one of the world’s foremost talkshops to discuss global issues into becoming the world’s foremost action coordination center.

The president said this on Wednesday evening while meeting with United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, at his UN Headquarters Office in New York City.

He said a situation in which 70 per cent of the resources being devoted to the world’s poorest countries were being spent and sent back out on overheads and administrative costs would defeat the purpose and objectives of the organisation where help was needed most.

President Tinubu, who said the world would ignore Nigeria at its own peril, underscored the need for the global body to work with Africa to address the challenges of poverty and terrorism. He pledged not to rest until people had arisen out of poverty even if it required decisions at home that made him “temporarily unpopular.

“The poverty ravaging our continent and the question of security and counter-terrorism requires us to work in close and effective synergy. The world will ignore Nigeria at its own peril. If we engage in talkshops as real challenges wreak real havoc in real time, we will fail. The time to strike is now. The time to achieve real results is now. I fought for democracy. I was detained for democracy. I am now President and I am determined to prove that democracy can provide the development that our nation and our continent so urgently demands.

“Trace those of us here to our foundations and you will find that we have ties and links with poverty. We must not be ashamed of that history, but poverty is unacceptable. I am one of the lucky survivors of gripping poverty. Nigeria is truly a giant; 240 million people and counting with a massive youth population. We are done saying too much. We seek much action. We have arisen out of poverty as individuals, but until our people have arisen out of that, we will not rest, even if it requires decisions at home that make me temporarily unpopular,” the president said.

President Tinubu also said African nations would no longer accept a situation in which human rights advocacy was used by wealthy and powerful nations to stop developing economies from dealing decisively with malign actors who siphoned and smuggled out the continent’s vast mineral resources while smuggling in western-made weapons, which enriched the wealthiest economies in the world at the parasitic expense of African stability and wealth creation.

“We are facing the great challenge of scavengers ravaging our lands and oppressing our people on illegal mines—taking our gold and mineral wealth back to developed economies by stealth and violence against Nigerians. Where one’s human right ends, the rights of another begin. Most especially for self-protection. If we fight, they say ‘human rights,’ but we will now be aggressive and we will question motives. We will stop what is happening in our land. We require your effective collaboration,” he stated.

In response, the UN Secretary-General emphasised that the UN system is in the process of real reform that will largely address some of the institutional frailties and lack of decision-making power for the developing world, on whose behalf more than 75 per cent of UN resources are accrued.

“We now recognize the need to reform the institution to represent the world as it is today. The questions of debt and SDRs. The fact that middle-income countries have only marginal access to concessional funding. In the SDGs Summit, we believe we have a growing political consensus and now, a declaration, in this regard. We are pursuing this with great determination,” the UN Secretary-General said.

He further assured President Tinubu of the fullest support of the UN system for ECOWAS in light of the series of military coups which have occurred in the West African sub-region in the past few months and years.

“Mr. President, we have high expectations for your presidency after the many bold steps you have taken. Nigeria is an indispensable voice in the sub-region. We will give you every support needed for your success to be achieved. Your success is Africa’s success and we wish you well,” the UN leader added.

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Five of the transactions under investigation, it wa learnt, are:

• The mysterious payment of $496 million to Global Steel Holdings Ltd (GSHL) as settlement for the termination of the Ajaokuta Steel concession nine years after the Indian company had waved all claims for compensation
• His handling of the sale of assets worth billions of naira forfeited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by politically exposed persons
• His role in the $419 million judgment debt awarded to consultants who claimed to have facilitated the Paris Club refunds to the states
• The strange agreement to pay Sunrise Power $200 million compensation in its dispute with the federal government over the Mambilla power project
• The duplicated legal fees in the transfer of $321 million Abacha loot from Switzerland to Nigeria.

NewMailNG understands that his name has cropped up in a number of questionable deals under the last administration.

A security agency will handle his interrogation, sources said.

Malami agreed to $496 million compensation to Global Steel over Ajaokuta steel plant despite the company having withdrawn claims for compensation in 2013

AJAOKUTA DEAL: THE SETTLEMENT AFTER ‘SETTLEMENT’

In September 2022, Malami announced that the federal government had finally resolved the “long-standing contractual dispute” with Global Steel over the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL) and the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), Itakpe, concessions. He said instead of paying the original claim of $5.258 billion by GSHL over the termination of the concessions by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, Nigeria had secured a 91 percent reduction and would pay $496 million only.

In 2013, Smart Adeyemi, then senator from Kogi state, had said the Goodluck Jonathan administration — which was in power at the time — had recovered the Ajaokuta mill “without any attendant financial obligation whatsoever”.

Malami’s settlement also came five years after Kayode Fayemi, then minister of mines and steel development, announced that Nigeria had resolved all the issues around Ajaokuta and recovered ownership.

Global Steel had entered the Nigerian steel industry in 2004 after securing five major concessions and entering share purchase agreements by the Obasanjo administration. Things went sour when the new administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua came to power.

The government, in June 2008, revoked Global Steel’s 10-year Ajaokuta concession on the ground that the company was involved in asset stripping. It also terminated Global Steel’s concession for NIOMCO. This prompted Global Steel to opt for arbitration against Nigeria.

In 2010, a committee headed by Abdullahi Yola, then solicitor-general of the federation, recommended that the Jonathan administration should pay a compensation of $525 million to Global Steel for the revocations. Jonathan opted for mediation, with the Indian-owned company agreeing to mediation reportedly after its “underbelly” was exposed.

It was alleged that Global Steel had violated the terms of the concessions by not bringing in any foreign investment but rather leveraging on the assets of the companies to raise loans from Nigerian banks. It was also alleged that Global Steel had engaged in asset stripping — that is, selling the assets without regard for the company’s fortune. The company was accused of tax evasion and its promoters were to be prosecuted in a Nigerian court.

Faced with possible criminal charges, the promoters gave up their claims to Ajaokuta without any payment by the Nigerian government. In return, Itakpe was to be restored to them because the process of termination was considered faulty, unlike in the Ajaokuta case.

In 2016, the Buhari administration approved the execution of the modified concession agreement with Global Steel which allowed the firm to retain Itakpe. In September 2017, Fayemi announced that all agreements had been signed and Nigeria had now retrieved full ownership of the mills . Yemi Osinbajo, who was then vice-president, executed the agreement on behalf of Nigeria.

“With this development, both NIOMCO and Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited have now reverted to the Federal Government Nigeria, and we can now proceed to engage a new core investor with the financial and technical capacity to run the steel complex,” Fayemi said.

In May 2020, Global Steel curiously threatened to return to arbitration at the ICC sitting in Paris, France, in respect of all the contracts cancelled by the Yar’Adua administration. This was kept out of public knowledge by both the federal government and the company, with some insiders suggesting that the new threat was made in connivance with some senior government officials. The company’s lawyers threatened to claim up to $14 billion in damages but later reduced it to $5.258 billion.

On September 3, 2022, Nigeria announced that it had reached a settlement of $496 million with Global Steel, said it had rescued the Nigerian steel, iron ore and rail industries “from a variety of interminable and complex disputes”. Meanwhile, the legacy allegations of asset stripping, tax evasion and violation of the terms of agreement remain unresolved.

SELLING RECOVERED ASSETS IN THE DARK

In August 2022, Ladidi Mohammed, head of asset recovery and management unit, ministry of justice, was grilled by the EFCC over allegations of fraud but no charges were brought against her.

Mohammed, who is very close to Malami, was grilled over allegations of fraudulent sale of recovered assets worth billions. She was granted administrative bail with strident bail conditions which she could not meet immediately, and was later invited for further questioning.

She reportedly told EFCC that she acted under Malami’s instructions in disposing of some assets which were forfeited to the federal government by persons undergoing corruption trials. She was unable to produce any documented evidence to back her claims but said instructions were given to her verbally.

Malami had reportedly secretly granted a company and its attorneys a multibillion-naira assets recovery contract. The AGF gave the firm, Gerry Ikputu & Partners, an estate valuer, the task of recovering significant tracts of lands and structures believed to belong to the federal government in 10 states and the federal capital territory (FCT), Abuja. The firm also hired a legal firm, M. E. Sheriff & Co, to act as its agent.

With a confidentiality agreement prohibiting them from disclosing the specifics of the job, Malami’s letter granting them the contract said that they would be entitled to three percent of the value of each successful recovery. The award letter’s “confidentiality” clause forbids contractors from making public “any issue from this engagement without prior consent of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice”.

The letter dated October 5, 2021 gave the contractors six months period to lapse in April 2022. In the contract with M.E Sherrif & Co, Malami said the law firm had the duty of handing over the recovered assets to the AGF “for further necessary action and directives”.

He also asked the law firm “to work as a project team in collaboration with the Asset Recovery and Management Unit (ARMU) under the Office of the honourable attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice in carrying out this instruction”.

As many as 74 properties listed in the letter are located in high brow areas in Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Abia, Anambra, Edo, Enugu, Imo and Delta states and the FCT.

The AGF and the justice ministry came under the spotlight for their role in the recovery and sale of assets which was supposed to be the duty of the EFCC. Itse Sagay, then chairman of the presidential advisory committee against corruption (PACAC), had said there was no justification for engaging private firms to execute the recovery the anti-graft agencies were competent to do.

“The EFCC and the ICPC are authorised to recover stolen public assets. So, there is absolutely no justification for hiring a third party to do what government agencies have powers and experience to do,” he said. “So, it is strange for an outside agency, who does not have that record, and will have to be paid to recover the property. That shouldn’t be; it’s wrong. That doesn’t make sense.”

Ned Nwoko is one of the beneficiaries of a judgment debt against the government. The judgment is defended staunchly by Malami, who is accused of filing a weak defence in court

PARIS CLUB: CLUBBING WITH ‘CONSULTANTS’

In one of the most controversial cases under Malami’s tenure, some consultants, who claimed to have helped the states calculate their share of the Paris Club refunds, sued the federal government to court demanding to be paid their fees.

Malami, in what the governors described as a case of collusion but which he denies, opted for an out-of-court settlement. He agreed that the states — which were still vigorously disputing the claims — would pay $418 million to the consultants and the monies would be deducted from the state allocations over time.

Ned Nwoko, the senator representing Delta north, was to get $68,658,192.83, while Ted Isighohi Edwards would receive $159,000,000. Others are: Riok Nig. Limited, $142,028,941.95; Orji Orizu, $1,219,440.45; Olaitan Bello, $215,195.36; and Panic Alert Security Systems Limited, $47.821,920.

This generated a public spat between Malami and the governors. While President Muhammadu Buhari initially withheld consent, he eventually approved and the consultants were given promissory notes. A federal high court sitting in Abuja has now restrained the consultants from transacting with the promissory notes.

In August 2022, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) said the consultants were using Malami “to hustle” the states’ funds. Malami said that the NGF had no basis to reject the proposed deduction of $418 million, adding that the consultants’ claims were justified.

Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the forum’s head of media and public affairs, said there was no collective agreement between the consultants and the NGF, adding that the forum has requested the consultants to provide evidence of work done.

“There is no component that compels the governors’ forum to pay consultants anything, and there is no agreement between the consultants collectively and governors collectively,” he said. “The Paris fund money has been exhausted, and the consultants and the attorney general are expecting the money to be deducted from states’ accounts from sources over 52 or 58 months. That is unheard of. And what the NGF is saying is that there is no money to be paid and the monies that have been paid are gross errors. 

“Where they are asking the monies to be gotten from is the biggest sacrilege. This money belongs to the states, the masses of this country and because you’re powerful, you want money to be taken and given to you. That’s why they are using the attorney general of the federation to get the money at the source because the state does not have any reason [to pay]. What the attorney general is claiming that there is a consent judgement is what the NGF is saying did not exist. 

“What the NGF is saying is tasking is evidence of work done. Some of them said they have constructed primary health cares across the country, and other said they have provided boreholes, these are physical things that you can show. This matter is in court. The court is the only authority that can determine clearly whether there is a reason for payment or not, why are highly placed lawyers afraid of their own platform?”

In 2021, the governors obtained an order from a federal high court in Abuja restraining the federal government from deducting the money from states’ accounts for the purpose of paying the disputed debt.

Malami inexplicably committed Nigeria to paying Sunrise Power $200 million compensation over the Mambilla project without getting clearance from Buhari

MAMBILLA POWER: THE SUN SHINES ON SUNRISE

Early 2020, Malami committed the federal government to paying Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL) $200 million to as “final settlement” of the dispute over the Mambilla power project in Taraba state. He also agreed to pay a penalty of 10 per cent in case of a default in fulfilling the settlement agreement — in addition to restoring Sunrise as the local content partner for the  $5.8 billion hydroelectric project.

The agreement was put together by Sale Mamman, then minster of power, and Malami. Sources told our correspondent at the time that Sunrise Power had previously asked for an $80 million settlement in order to withdraw its arbitration claim against Nigeria in France over an alleged breach of contract. In documents seen by TheCable, Malami and Mamman signed on behalf of the federal government while Leno Adesanya signed as chairman and CEO of Sunrise.

But Babatunde Fashola, who was minister of power, had contended in 2017 that there was no breach of contract as Sunrise had not done any work to warrant any demand or arbitration. Fashola also questioned the integrity of the contract. However, with Fashola’s exit from the ministry, a deal was put together by Mamman and Malami and facilitated by a female figure in Aso Rock.

The project, the biggest plant in the country, was conceived in the 1970s but has suffered severe delays. The 3,050-megawatt facility will be the second largest hydropower plant in Africa when completed.

In 2017, Sunrise Power, which claimed to have been awarded the build, operate and transfer (BOT) contract in 2003, had dragged the federal government and its Chinese partners before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, France, over alleged breach of contract.

In a letter dated June 20, 2017 to the then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo requesting his intervention in the matter, Adesanya accused the late Abba Kyari, chief of staff to Buhari, of taking the unilateral decision of directing the ministry of power to sideline the company from the contract “against the advice of Malami”.

In the letter dated July 24, 2017 to Osinbajo, with a copy to the chief of staff, Malami had said SPTCL should be engaged as a local content partner to the project “as a means of accommodating its prior contractual interests on the project”.

He backtracked a few weeks later. In another letter dated August 17, 2017 to the company, Malami said he issued the previous opinion on the project based on the limited materials provided at the time. He added that there was no requisite federal executive council (FEC) approval for the project.

“The logical conclusion in the circumstances should be that there was no valid contract between Federal Government of Nigeria and SPTC in respect of the project or at all,” Malami wrote.

Not long after that, TheCable understands, Malami and Adesanya became very close, and the former AGF changed his legal opinion. In a memo to Buhari dated March 26, 2020, Malami asked him to approve the payment of $200 million to Sunrise Power as “full and final settlement” to discontinue the arbitration in Paris and set the government free from all liabilities in the dispute. However, Buhari, in his reply dated Monday, April 20, said “FG does not have USD 200 million to pay SPTCL”.

The case is still in arbitration.

Okpeseyi is one of Malami’s closest allies and partook in the sharing of legal fees from the return of Abacha loot

ABACHA LOOT: $17 MILLION BONANZA FOR LAWYERS

In 1999, federal government engaged the services of Enrico Monfrini, a Swiss lawyer, to help trace, identify, freeze and recover all looted funds traced to Sani Abacha, Nigeria’s military ruler, from 1993 to 1998. After seven years of work, including investigations and litigation across various countries, Monfrini traced and recovered $321 million from Luxemborg banks.

However, Malami, rather than write directly to the Swiss authorities to seek the transfer of the funds to Nigeria, engaged Oladipo Okpeseyi and Temitope Adebayo, two Nigerian lawyers, to do the job again. Their involvement was basically to write to the Swiss authorities to return the funds to Nigeria as there was no asset tracing and recovery involved again.

They were paid $17 million as “professional fees” for writing the letter — more than the Swiss lawyer who traced and recovered the funds over a period of seven years. Okpeseyi and Adebayo were both members of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the party founded by Buhari to contest in  the 2011 presidential election. Malami was the legal adviser to the party.

Okpeseyi’s name featured regularly in legal transactions while Malami was in office.

The post Malami faces probe over five suspicious mega deals under his watch appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

“It’s okay, just take a deep breath and shake it off,” Comfort Tanko, her friend sat on a three-legged stool across the room, and cheered her on.

Peace nodded in agreement and began to speak.

“I have not really had a lot of awkward experiences in life. Maybe that’s why that Sunday decided to teach me a lesson. Whenever I am on my period, I always use a rag to control my bleeding. So, that day, I wore it and went to church as usual. The pastor was preaching and he asked everyone to stand up. I felt uncomfortable but I could not immediately tell why,” the 22-year-old said in a voice, a note above a whisper.

“You know when you feel like people are staring so hard at you. I knew something was wrong and I decided to turn back and look around; that was when I saw blood on my seat. I wished the ground would swallow me at that moment,” she said as the bed creaked while she adjusted her weight.

She brushed her hand over the section of the mattress she shifted from, wiping an imaginary stain off the sheets. Soon, the lights came back on and she broke into a nervous smile.

“My friend had to take her head tie off and gave me to tie around my waist. Luckily, I had a handkerchief with me which I used to wipe my seat,” she continued.

“I went into the bathroom and never returned.”

Tanko, her 24-year-old friend, said she has never had such an embarrassing experience, but she wondered what it would feel like to consistently use a sanitary pad.

Tanko and Peace moved to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, in 2016 in search of better economic fortunes.

Prior to their move, they had never used a pad because they could not afford it. Now, their meagre income coupled with the demands from home and the cost of living does not permit them to use a pad as often as they would like to.

Tanko, who works as an assistant operator in a water bottling company, said she only buys sanitary pads once in a while either as a birthday present or to celebrate a special event in her life.

Once, she saw a movie where a character was instructed to gather used sanitary pads for diabolical reasons and she found an extra reason to stick to using rags.

“I don’t understand the way this country is moving. The price of everything is just increasing, but I feel there are some things that are not supposed to increase,” Tanko said while wiping a bead of sweat of her face.

“When I think of all the bills I have to pay, buying a pad is the last thing on my mind.”

Comfort Tanko, outside Peace’s house, came to cheer her friend up but also needs relief from period poverty.

THE REAL SITUATION

In a junior secondary school in Gwarinpa, 17-year-old Ene (not real name) opts for tissue paper when she’s on her period. In the first three days of her five-day cycle, she trades school for an opportunity to bleed without being embarrassed by a stain in public.

She would reduce the number of sanitary pads she uses to save costs if she could, but her period is dramatically heavy.

“Sometimes, I use cloth or tissue paper, but I mostly stick with tissue because I don’t have many wrappers and I cannot be using my mother’s own every time or it will finish,” Ene said.

“Pads have become very expensive and I cannot reduce the number I use because my period is very heavy. The worst part is that the period comes when I don’t have money to afford a pad.”

For young girls like Ene still in secondary school, some may argue that the burden of affording sanitary pads does not have to rest on their shoulders, especially as they are still under the responsibility of their parents or guardians.

Some of the girls filling a questionnaire.

But dozens of working-class women who NewMailNG spoke to confirm that only a few women can afford the luxury of consistently using a pad.

For some, the subject was a touchy one even when provided with the option of anonymity.

HOW NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC SITUATION IS FUELLING PERIOD POVERTY

What Peace and Tanko are experiencing is called period poverty — where girls or women cannot afford sufficient menstrual products.

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the average woman sees her period for 2,535 days of her life. That is nearly seven years’ time of making sure you have a pad or tampon, finding a makeshift solution if you don’t, and managing pain and discomfort.

For women in developing countries like Nigeria battling a near-daily surge in the cost of living, the situation is much worse. Despite accounting for the larger amount of the country’s economically active population, with 61.3 million (50.5 percent), according to Q4 2020 data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), its most recent, women are underrepresented in the labour force with a gap of 13.42 percent when compared to men.

The report adds that 18 million women are in the informal sector and less than one million women are employed in the formal sector, and that while only 20 million of the total employed population (46 million) are women, less than a million women are in formal employment.

Women like Peace who work as domestic staff constitute 95 percent who are engaged within the informal sector. But in a nutshell, the NBS says the female unemployment rate in the country stands at 35.2 percent, a situation that forces a vast majority to weigh the things that matter most. For many, a sanitary pad does not make the list.

To reduce the financial burden of having to deal with a natural process, the federal government, in 2020, announced the exemption of pads from value-added tax (VAT). Many female activists saw it as a step in reducing period poverty and hailed the government for taking applaudable steps in creating more access to sanitary pads for women.

Three years later, the prices have continued to surge, leaving many to question the impact and motive of a move that seemed economically smart at the time.

Abiodun Folawewo, a professor of macroeconomics, labour, and development economics told TheCable that the exemption of VAT from sanitary pads has had very little effect because the product is a consumption tax and not a production tax.

If it were the latter, factors that determine its production would be subsidised by the VAT removal which would lead to the highly sought-after change of a substantial reduction in price.

“Pad is a consumption tax, it is not a production tax,” Folawewo said. “Now what determines whether the price of the sanitary pad will go down or not are things like import duties, export duties, and the tariff on other inputs that go into the production of sanitary.

“The VAT removal on sanitary pads was never meant to target the price of the product and that is why it doesn’t matter even if the government makes the removal permanent. That does not affect the price, what affects the price is the cost of inputs that go into the production of the product.”

So, what then is the essence of the VAT exemption?

In simple terms, VAT is a consumption tax paid when goods are purchased and services are rendered. If a woman goes to a store to buy a sanitary pad worth N300, for example, because the product has been exempted from VAT, there would be no extra charges (usually 7.5 percent) attached to the sanitary pad.

As such, the woman is left at the mercy of the producers, many of whom have had to hike the price owing to other factors like inflation, foreign exchange, cost of electricity, among others.

According to the latest worldwide electricity pricing released by Cable UK, Nigeria ranks 108 on the global chart with the highest electricity cost.

This might seem average on a chart consisting of 230 countries, but a closer look at Africa shows that Nigeria comes in at 24th in the continent with the most expensive electricity costs.

In a country where 133 million citizens are multi-dimensionally poor, people grapple with fending for necessities such as food, water, and shelter. For manufacturers, cost of electricity means that a difficult price has to be paid. But the consumers bear the brunt.

A continuous surge in inflation makes the grim situation worse. In 2022, the consumer price index (CPI), which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services, surged to 20.52 percent — the highest since October 2005.

The World Bank said the naira which had lost 10.2 percent of its value against the United States dollar at the time, was one of the main drivers of inflationary pressures in the country.

Ibenta Nkem, professor of banking and finance/economics, said that as long as these factors continue to exist, the VAT exemption from sanitary pads will have no effect.

“We don’t have an enabling productive environment. We don’t have the forward/backward and input/output linkages that are required to bring about efficiency in production. We don’t have the financial system that can promote local production to take advantage of the comparative advantage that we have in cheap labour so that we can produce at a cheaper rate and so that our products can be fare,” Nkem said.

“In that way, we not only create employment, but we also generate income locally and improve the purchasing power of the people.

“So, even if you exempt all the VAT and you still have very high costs in, take for instance, electricity and the cost of diesel, because most of these manufacturers are working with generators, how then can the cost of production reduce? Who can buy what you’re selling? How many students can buy at the push inflation that we’re going to experience in the short run?”

ECONOMIC WOES COMPOUNDING HEALTH CHALLENGES

While Peace showed off her colourful pieces of torn wrapper intended for her menstrual flow and demonstrated how she folds it tightly to avoid any leakages, she told TheCable that sometimes during her period, she has very painful urination.

Her admission unlocked a memory for Tanko, her friend.

“Since I have been seeing my period, I have never had an infection but now I just remembered that anytime I want to pee, the experience is never pleasant. My stomach will hurt so much at that time and sometimes, I even see blood in my pee,” Tanko chimed in.

“I told my mother and she said it’s typhoid. This typhoid must be a very stubborn one.”

Tanko’s recurring “typhoid” could be symptoms of urinary tract infections (UTIs), but she wasn’t sure.

When both girls were asked if they have consulted a doctor, they replied with a shake of the head. “If we cannot buy a pad, is it a doctor we can afford?” Tanko answered wittily.

Asides from using rags and pieces of cloth as substitute sanitary pads, some girls make use of newspapers, leaves, breadcrumbs, or other objects that can absorb or collect blood. The result is a biting diagnosis of reproductive tract infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV) and UTIs.

Elizabeth, a mother of two, sometimes has painful urination and an irregular flow of her period. Photo credit

Studies have shown that women with BV may be at higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes like preterm birth, acquisition of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and development of pelvic inflammatory disease.

Although Brian Adinma, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology, said that infections affecting the reproductive and urinary system in women cannot always be ascribed to period poverty, he affirmed that “complications specifically related to period poverty have not been adequately interrogated”.

“Prolonged use of unhygienic menstrual products will certainly cause health hazards such as chaffing of the perineum, reproductive and urinary tract infections,” he said.

“That is why good adherence to menstrual hygiene offers the woman the necessary emotional confidence related to menstruation and prevents complications that can arise from poor menstrual hygiene.”

Adinma’s stance is not far-fetched. Research shows that period poverty can also negatively affect mental health, with women who suffer from period poverty being more likely to report moderate to severe depression.

OBTAINABLE PRACTICES IN OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES

As part of efforts to cushion period poverty, many countries, including African states, have taken steps towards making sanitary pads free.

In an overwhelming approval in 2017, Botswana’s parliament adopted a motion to offer schoolgirls all over the country free sanitary pads.

The motion was tabled to allow every girl in both private and public schools to have access to education even during their menstrual period. The action was taken after it was noticed that most girls missed school during their periods and suffered poor grades as a result.

Thereafter, the Kenyan government followed suit. After becoming the first country worldwide to eliminate the “tampon tax”, the Kenyan government started distributing free sanitary pads to girls in public schools in April 2018. The decision to support the effort came after two years of parliamentary debate on the issue.

Zambia was also not left behind. Although the government announced in 2017 that it would distribute free sanitary pads to girls in rural and underserved communities, the plan was only implemented in 2019. Soon after, educators in rural Lusaka province reported that school attendance by females significantly improved since the measure went into effect.

Although countries like Scotland had long set the pace in championing access to menstrual hygiene products, all countries that joined in, no matter the time, had one common effect — an increase in the number of girls in school.

FIXING THE PROBLEM

According to a 2022 report, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said 60 percent of the 18.5 million out-of-school children in Nigeria are girls. Asides from insecurity being a prevailing factor, other health and socio-economic elements like period poverty contributed to the alarming statistics.

Ashley Lori, founder and executive director of Pad-Up Africa, an NGO sensitising adolescent girls and women on good menstrual hygiene, said that the VAT exemption from sanitary pads has done little to eliminate period poverty in the country.

To win the war against period poverty, Lori recommended that Nigeria joins in the action that Kenya, Botswana, and Zambia are taking to provide free sanitary materials to girls.

“That is why we’re asking for a policy from the government that will provide free pads to girls in public schools, public toilets, markets, hotels, and any public place, and not just pads but good hygienic female toilets so they can be used by whoever that needs to because the truth is that we cannot shut down menstruation as humans, it’s a natural phenomenon,” she said.

“If a girl is struggling at a very young age to afford to have her menstruation and the policymakers are not putting us into consideration while hiking every other thing like fuel price, which will definitely affect the cost price of things, then we’re backwards on achieving our goal of quality health.

These girls are new to the concept of a period but they don’t want to be in a situation where they are forced to use rags instead of a pad.

“The budget should not be just focused on feeding children but also include the free supply of menstrual hygiene products; it will help the young girl stay in school.”

One promise echoed throughout President Bola Tinubu’s campaigns, manifesto, and in his inaugural speech, was the prioritisation of women and issues that affect them.

Activists like Lori and many young girls are hopeful that the president keeps to his word and improves on his predecessor’s achievements.

“We can’t say for sure when the policy will be in place, but I’m certain that with relentless advocacy from civil society organisations and other concerned persons, the government will do the right thing and help us eliminate period poverty,” Lori said.

“Already, President Tinubu said he will listen and act on women-related issues. We’ve seen him take a number of bold actions since he assumed office, we’re just hoping and praying for when he will take one that finally directly affects us.”

Reported by Odion James/ Enugu, Adedeji Badmus/ Lagos

The post Despite VAT exemption from sanitary pads, Nigeria’s economic woes push more women into period poverty appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

A federal capital territory high court had ordered the DSS to charge Emefiele to court if they have criminal allegations against him.

Hamza Muazu, the presiding judge, had asked the service to release the former CBN governor on bail if he is not taken to a competent court within one week.

In a statement on Thursday, Peter Afunanya, spokesperson of the DSS, said the decision to charge Emefiele was in compliance with the court order.

“Sequel to an Abuja high court order of today, 13th July 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the Order,” the statement reads.

“The public may recall that the service had, in 2022, applied for a court order to detain him in respect of a criminal investigation.

“Though he obtained a restraining order from an FCT High Court, the Service, however, arrested him in June 2023, on the strength of suspected fresh criminal infractions/information, one of which forms the basis for his current prosecution.”

The DSS assured the public of “professionalism, justice and fairness” in handling the matter and in the discharge of its duties.

The secret police however failed to state the charges filed against Emefiele.

On June 9, President Bola Tinubu suspended Emefiele and asked him to transfer his responsibilities to Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, deputy governor, operations directorate.

The day after, the DSS announced that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons”.

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