Blog - Abia ThinkTank News

Jun

2024

Heated Debate In Senate As Bill To Ban Open Grazing Scales Second Reading

Heated Debate In Senate As Bill To Ban Open Grazing Scales Second Reading A bill for an Act to ban open grazing and establish ranches as an antidote for the perennial violent clashes between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders in Nigeria, on Wednesday, scaled second reading after a slightly heated debate. The Senate also proposed a national summit on the matter, in addition to a public hearing for a comprehensive solution. The proposal came after a motion on the bill was moved by Senator Titus Zam representing Benue North-West, who argued, in his lead debate, that the menace of farmers…

Jun

2024

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By Abia ThinkTank

Court Gives Fresh Order In Bribery Case Against APC National Chairman Ganduje, Wife

Crime, Judiciary, News Flash

Court Gives Fresh Order In Bribery Case Against APC National Chairman Ganduje, Wife A Kano State High Court has granted an order to serve the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat Umar, and son, Umar Abdullahi, with bribery and misappropriation charges. The Kano State Government had filed an eight-count charge against Ganduje, his family members, and several others, including Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, and three companies – Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited. The charges allege misappropriation and diversion of public funds totalling billions of Naira during Ganduje’s…

Jun

2024

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By Abia ThinkTank

Minimum Wage Talks: Labour Considers N100,000 As Tinubu Issues Ultimatum

Economy, Labour, News Flash

Minimum Wage Talks: Labour Considers N100,000 As Tinubu Issues Ultimatum Organised Labour may settle for N100,000 minimum wage as the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage commences daily meetings for five days to reach a consensus. Multiple sources in the labour movement told The PUNCH on Tuesday that the union leaders were willing to review their demand from N494,000 to N100,000, following the criticism and controversy that trailed their proposal which was considered outrageous and unrealistic. In a statement by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim on Saturday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the proposed minimum…

Jun

2024

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By Abia ThinkTank

PDP Debunks Merger Talks With Other Parties Ahead Of 2027 Elections

News Flash, Politics

PDP Debunks Merger Talks with Other Parties Ahead of 2027 Elections The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied rumours of merger talks with other political parties. According to the party, it has the strength and capability to win elections on its own. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, after the 587th meeting of the PDP National Working Committee in Abuja, the party clarified that it is not engaged in any merger or amalgamation talks with other parties. The statement said that while the PDP is open to welcoming returning members, it remains strong and formidable,…

Jun

2024

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By Abia ThinkTank

FGN To Suspend Import Duties On Staple Food Items, Drugs, Others For 6 Months To Ease Inflation

Economy, Business, FGN, News Flash

FG To Suspend Import Duties On Staple Food Items, Drugs, Others For Six Months To Ease Inflation The Federal Government is considering a six-month suspension of import duties on staple food items, drugs, and other essential items as a measure to curb inflation, according to a report seen by Nairametrics. This is contained in a document sent to President Bola Tinubu for review and approval The document also includes plans to waive levies on fertilizers, poultry feed, flour, and grains. Bloomberg reported that President Tinubu is yet to sign the document for implementation. The Inflation Reduction and Price Stability Order,…

Jun

2024

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By Abia ThinkTank

Heritage Bank Customers Besiege Headquarters For Payment

CBN/Commercial Banking, Economy, News Flash

Heritage Bank Customers Throng Headquarters For Payment Customers of the liquidated Heritage Bank gathered at the bank’s headquarters in Lagos on Wednesday, to seek clarification on the beginning of their deposit payments. A visit by a News Agency of Nigeria correspondent revealed that security personnel stationed at the bank’s entrance prevented customers from entering the premises. Addressing the customers through the gate, an official informed them that payments had begun for savings account holders and would continue until Friday. “You don’t need to take any action. NDIC staff are already processing payments. Your money will be transferred to your other…

Jun

2024

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By Abia ThinkTank

FGN Plans Importation Of Rice Paddy And Maize Seeds To Reduce Inflation

Economy, FGN, News Flash

FG Plans Importation Of Rice Paddy And Maize Seeds To Reduce Inflation The federal government is currently looking at plans to approve through an Executive Order the importation of paddy rice to millers to stem the growing tide of food inflation across the country. Also, the federal government will consider the importation of maize and rice seeds to farmers to boost production output in these staple crops. This is contained in the draft Accelerated Stabilisation and Advancement Plan (ASAP) recently submitted by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun to the President. The document recommends…

Jun

2024

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By Abia ThinkTank

Minimum Wage: Labour Leaders, FG Resume Talks In Abuja

Labour, Abuja, News Flash

Minimum Wage: FG, Labour Leaders Resume Talks In Abuja Members of the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage comprising government representatives, organised labour, and the organised private sector, have resumed talks on a new minimum wage for workers in Nigeria. The committee reconvened at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja on Wednesday. The Federal Government was represented at the meeting by the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Labour; Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and representatives of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, along with the Head of Service of the…

Jun

2024

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By Abia ThinkTank

Dr. Engr. Odo Ijere Applauds The National Assembly For Introducing Bill To Stop Open Grazing

Columns/Opinions/Letters, National Assembly, News Flash, Politics

Dr. Engr. Odo Ijere Applauds The National Assembly For Introducing Bill To Stop Open Grazing CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME FROM THIS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY? The news of the bill banning open grazing of cattles nationwide passing through second reading at the National Assembly is a very encouraging optics. This law if finally passed will without doubt reduce the socioeconomic and political stress levels in this country by at least 50 percent. But for it to pass the second reading, it expectedly divided the Senate and the country along religious and ethnic lines. The same people of ethno religious conclave propagating Arewa…

Jun

2024

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By Abia ThinkTank

ABIA State One Of The Least In Recurrent Expenditure Amongst 30 States Of The Federation In 1st Quarter 2024 – Report

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Good Governance, News Flash

ABIA STATE One Of The Least In Recurrent Expenditure Amongst 30 States Of The Federation In Ist Quarter 2024 - Report 30 Governors Spent N968.64 Billion On Refreshments, Others In Three Months – Report No fewer than 30 state governments of the federation spent N986.64bn on recurrent expenditures, including refreshments, sitting allowances, travelling, utilities, etc., in the first three months of 2024, The PUNCH reports. The states’ budget implementation reports, which were obtained from Open Nigerian States, a website supported by BudgIT that acts as a repository for public budget data, were analysed. For the first three quarters of the…