Nigerians sing a new song as FG reveals incoming administration will inherit ₦77 trillion debt.
Patience Oniha, director general, Debt Management Office (DMO), says the incoming administration would inherit about ₦77 trillion as debt by the time President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure ends in May.
She said this while fielding questions from journalists at the public presentation and breakdown of the highlights of the 2023 appropriation act in Abuja on Wednesday. It would be recalled that on Tuesday, Buhari signed the ₦21.83 trillion 2023 budget into law, with a deficit of ₦11.34 trillion. the deficit represents 5.03 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, had said the federal government would finance the deficit by borrowing. On funding sources for the ₦11.34 trillion 2023 budget deficit, the minister said 22 percent of projected revenues will come from oil-related sources while 78 percent will be earned from non-oil sources.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fou75w70E18
Commercial Drivers Stage Protest As Task Force Officals Beat A Driver To Death In Rivers.
Commercial taxi drivers in Rivers State came out in their numbers to protest the killing of their colleague by members of the government-owned Task Force on Street Trading and illegal Motor Parks.
It was gathered that the victim was attacked and beaten beyond recognition by the taskforce members and was rushed to the hospital on Sunday, March 12, 2023, where he died.
According to sources, who spoke to journalist, the victim had parked his bus by the roadside for his passengers who had arrived at their exit point to alight, when the task force men came.
An argument ensued between the driver and the task force officials and it resulted in the beating of the driver. It was learned that the victim died at the hospital where he was rushed after he had collapsed during that attack on him.
However, friends and drivers in the area took to the streets of Rumuokoro and Ikwerre road, stopping every form of vehicular movement in the area.
When news filtered in that the victim had died at the hospital, his aggrieved friends and colleagues, on Monday, March 13, staged a peaceful protest at Rumuokoro in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
The protest resulted in heavy human traffic from Rumuokoro to Rupokwu, leaving passengers stranded, while some trekked from Rupokwu junction to Rumuokoro due to absence of vehicles.
Also, drivers from other parts of the state who wanted to ply the route, either made U-turn or used alternative routes. Others parked by the roadside and disembarked their passengers for fear of being attacked by protesting drivers.
One of the drivers said: “The protest is to honour our dead colleague. We have resolved that we will not offer our services until government bans the boys that are doing this.”
An eyewitness said the task force officials involved in the beating have been arrested.
Also, leaders of the drivers’ union, who addressed the protesters, assured that the matter would be taken to court.
Spokesperson for the State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident, said the culprits have been arrested and the investigation is ongoing.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrnOs-6NIaQ
Traders count their loses as fire guts popular Oyo market.
Traders are counting their loses after fire gutted Araromi spare parts market in Ibadan, Oyo State, in the early hours of Saturday, January 14.
It was gathered that the fire incident, which started around 2 a.m. affected about forty-five (45) shops, DailyPost reports.
Confirming the incident, the General Manager of the State Fire Service, Rev. Canon Yemi Akinyinka, said: “Our men are at Araromi Market Agodi Gate since 2:30 a.m. where they are putting off the fire caused by indiscriminate refuse burning.
The fire was suppressed at 5:00 a.m. Cooling down operation is ongoing to suppress reignition. On my way for on the spot assessment.
I cannot say specifically the number of shops now, you know it is an emergency. It started in the night. About 45 shops”.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH1hoQQl1xQ
Close to 2 Million Nigerians have been receiving ₦5,000 cash gift monthly — FG.
The Federal Government disclosed yesterday that 1,940,004 vulnerable Nigerians are currently receiving ₦5,000 cash gifts each, every month.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, She said, “Since the inception of the NSIP in 2015, one million youths have been empowered through the N-Power Programme and additional 500,000 others are currently undergoing various trainings under the programme as approved by the President.
The cash transfer has enrolled 1,975,381 poor and vulnerable households from the National Social Register into a National Beneficiary Register. The NBR alone has 9,841,700 household individuals in the 36 states of the federation.
The Cash Transfer support the poor and vulnerable to improve consumption and develop savings skills to reduce poverty line and building their resilience to withstand shocks. A total of 1,940,004 beneficiaries are currently receiving cash transfer each monthly.”
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlv2F8Jy9MU
Muslims protest after a hoodlum raped a woman in a mosque in Ibadan.
Some Muslim youth, scholars and organisations have staged a protest over alleged rape of a Muslim lady in one of the mosques in Ibadan, Oyo State.
It is reported that the sad incident happened on Sunday when the son of a road transport union worker, sneaked into a mosque and raped a niqobite.
A source in a chat with Sahara Reporters said, “The thug who raped a Niqobite (Muslim lady in veil) has been identified as Idris, also known as Kesari. He is the son of a union leader known as Al-Majiri. He was arrested by the police and the case has now been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID)”.
However, concerned Muslims led by Sheikh Amubieya held a peaceful walk, demanding justice for the victim.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPEAZlbA0B4
Actress Simisola Gold remanded in prison for tampering with Naira notes.
Actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin aka Simisola Gold has been remanded in Kirikiri prison by a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The 31-year-old was remanded on Monday, February 13, pending the determination of her bail application, for tampering with the Naira notes.
She was arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on a two-count charge by the EFCC.
One of the count reads, “that you Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin on the 28th day of January, 2023 at Monarch event center, Lekki within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of ₦100, 000.00 issued by the CBN by spraying same in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to & punishable under section 21 (1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”
The second reads, “while dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of ₦100, 000.00 issued by the CBN.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONUOgvNvruY
Everton 1-0 Arsenal: Tarkowski heads Dyche to stunning start.
Everton leant heavily on their Burnley connection for a first win since October as Sean Dyche’s reign as manager got off to the perfect start with a 1-0 win over Premier League leaders Arsenal.
The ex-Clarets boss insisted he did not have any “magic dust” to sprinkle on a struggling squad – the only one not to be strengthened by a January signing – but the effect he had was immediate as another former resident of Turf Moor James Tarkowski headed the winner on the hour.
It was the centre-back’s first goal since joining from Burnley on a free in the summer – and his first since the opening day of last season – and ended a run of no wins in 10 matches in all competitions.
The great escape is most definitely on for Everton, who by virtue of their lunchtime kick-off, briefly moved out of the relegation zone with hope springing eternal at Goodison after 12 miserable months under previous manager Frank Lampard.
Defeat was Arsenal’s first since September, and only their second in the league, and opened the door for Manchester City to close the five-point gap at Tottenham on Sunday.
The combination of Dyche – who has won two and drawn three of his last six meetings with the Gunners – and Goodison Park – where they have won twice in their last 11 visits – proved to be Arsenal’s nemesis once again as Everton won three successive home games against the Londoners for the first time in more than 45 years.
There was a protest march in the street ahead of kick-off – with the board of directors absent for the second match running on security advice – and a small sit-in after the final whistle with a plane flying a ‘League’s worst run club #timetogobill’ (a reference to long-serving chairman Bill Kenwright) overhead early in the game.
But in between there was much greater optimism with Dyche making an immediate impact despite having just five days to work with his new squad.
Abdoulaye Doucoure – who had been training on his own after a fall-out with Lampard – made his first Premier League start since mid-August to bring some energy into a five-man midfield, which was a departure from the manager’s usual 4-4-2.
But what was evident on the pitch was reassuringly familiar with Dyche insisting his side be more direct and get the ball forward early to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who looked re-energised having struggled for fitness all season, and he almost latched onto a Dwight McNeil pass but was out sprinted by goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Had Calvert-Lewis got more of a connection on Amadou Onana’s low cross after a bursting run down the left then Everton would have been ahead, with the England international also firing in a weak shot from Alex Iwobi’s knockdown and flicking a header wide after Iwobi and Seamus Coleman had combined on the opposite flank.
Doucoure was also making his presence felt and he too wasted a header from a McNeil cross as much-needed confidence flowed back into the side boosted by an encouraged and engaged Goodison Park.
Arsenal dominated possession but found it difficult to find a way through a more compact and committed opposition side, who were quick to get back into shape when they lost possession, with Conor Coady clearing the visitors’ best chance of the half off the line from Bukayo Saka’s volley.
And when Everton won four corners in two minutes Goodison roared its approval and, for a brief period, the Gunners were under pressure with the sight of Granit Xhaka hoofing a ball clear to no-one on the halfway line the most un-Arsenal of moments.
Being cheered off having out-shot and out-fought their opponents – eight was the most Arsenal had faced in the opening 45 minutes all season – was a new experience for players who had been booed at half-time of their previous two home games.
Martin Odegaard ballooned over from Eddie Nketiah’s cross early in the second half as Arsenal redoubled their efforts with new signings Leandro Trossard and Jorginho soon introduced.
But they had not had a touch before Tarkowski rose above a crowded six-yard box to head home a corner and get the old stadium rocking.
Neal Maupay replaced Calvert-Lewin as the Everton defensive rearguard began and his first intervention was to send Gabriel tumbling in the box, resulting in a VAR check for a penalty which came back to nothing.
It was the only negative response all afternoon for the hosts, who were cheered from first to last by supporters desperate for some relief from a second successive relegation battle.
Everton’s new-found resilience was highlighted by the fact goalkeeper Jordan Pickford did not make his first real save until the 78th minute when he batted away a Trossard shot to keep his first clean sheet in three months
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu8mqkmkmO0