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By Muhsin Ibrahim

A few weeks before the 2023 general elections, I came across a campaign video featuring students sponsored by the Zamfara State Government to study in Cyprus. I criticised the video, stating that students should refrain from getting involved in politics.

It was not wise for the students to campaign for the governor. Although they might have felt obligated to do so, I was concerned about the consequences if Bello Matawalle, the governor at the time, lost the election. Unfortunately, that is precisely what happened.

As I feared, Dauda Lawal Dare, the new governor of Zamfara, abandoned those students. Today, they live in destitution, struggling to feed themselves in a foreign land. Some don’t even have a befitting accommodation. While their precarious situation may not be connected to that video, it might have added insult to injury.

Governments in Kano, Zamfara, or any other state must reconsider sending people to foreign universities. Of course, those universities are often better than our local ones. However, we need to wake up to the current realities. Our currency (i.e., Naira) has lost much of its value, and inflation is higher, among other unfavourable realities.

Irrespective of the political landscape, it is incumbent upon the government of Zamfara to provide for those students. They are, without a doubt, the government’s sole responsibility. After all, governance is about continuity and the welfare of its citizens.

If the government is unable to meet its financial obligations, it is only fair that it brings these students home and enrols them in local universities in Nigeria. This is the least they deserve.

It is high time the government started paying attention to its citizens and acted upon their requests.

Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, wrote from Cologne, Germany. He can be reached via muhsin2008@gmail.com.

 By Sabiu Abdullahi 

President Bola Tinubu has pledged to improve the living and working conditions of all Nigerians of working age, saying that workers “deserve a fair wage and enhanced welfare.” 

This promise was made in his maiden May Day message dedicated to workers nationwide. 

According to a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu affirmed his administration’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare, citing various relief programs, including the wage award and the imminent minimum wage review. 

“The President strongly believes that the custodians of the nation’s machinery deserve a fair wage and enhanced welfare, and that a laborer is deserving of not just any reward but fair and commensurate wages,” the statement read. 

President Tinubu’s remarks come amid a cost-of-living crisis believed to be a result of his administration’s economic reforms. 

Since assuming office, he has implemented policies such as the discontinuance of subsidies on petrol and the unification of foreign exchange rates, which have sparked instability in the value of the naira and heaped hardship on Nigerians. 

Despite this, President Tinubu defended his actions, saying they were necessary to prevent the country from going bankrupt and to reset the economy towards growth. 

On May Day, President Tinubu saluted Nigerian workers for their “fidelity to the peace, progress, and development of the nation evident in their tireless efforts and patriotic zeal to keep the national engine running.” 

He commended workers across all spheres, from clerical officers to teachers, doctors, and all Nigerian workers who keep the country running. 

“The President wishes Nigerian workers Happy May Day celebrations,” the statement concluded. 

Workers’ Day celebration in Nigeria has its origins in the People’s Redemption Party government in Kaduna and Kano, which adopted May 1 as a public holiday in 1980. 

The Federal Government later declared May 1 a national holiday in 1981 to celebrate International Workers’ Day.

By Jamilu M. Magaji 

Nigerians from all walks of life have been urged to embrace local productions with a view to tackling exchange rate volatility and promoting sustainable economic growth in the country. A professor of Financial Economics from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), Prof. AU Sanda, made the call at Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) during the 21st Seminar titled “Exchange Rate Volatility in Nigeria: Lessons and Policy Implications,” on Tuesday.

The Seminar, chaired by Professor AS Mikailu, tripartite former Vice Chancellor of UDUS, Kaduna, and Nasarawa States Universities, was attended by members of academia, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, as well as other public and private organizations.

Prof. Sanda, a first-class economist of high repute, highlighted a number of variables that appear to correlate well with exchange rate volatility, which include interest rate, money supply, inflation (foreign reserves and for an oil exporting country) and crude oil prices. He described the exchange rate as the price of local currency in exchange for a foreign currency, noting that it is also an important economic variable with huge potential to affect lives and livelihoods, as Nigeria’s recent experience has simply demonstrated.

“Interest rate hikes to tame inflation have been accompanied by a surge in money supply, rendering the initial policy to stymie inflation difficult to achieve, He said.”

He lamented that when inflation rises, a country’s currency will depreciate, as experienced in Nigeria when petrol prices rose in response to President Tinubu’s announcement on May 29, 2023, of his government’s plans to remove fuel subsidies. He stressed that foreign reserves, when they are buoyant, could strengthen a country’s currency, while for oil exporting countries, an increase in the crude oil price should help strengthen the currency as long as the foreign exchange management system allows some flexibility.

“If you are engaged in purchasing whatever goods from outside the shores of this country, be it furniture or whatever, then you are a party to this”. He said

“So, taming this menace is a collective responsibility from fiscal and monitory authorities down to the citizenry. We all have a role to play by at least embracing local productions, a key to sustainability and economic growth,” he added

Prof. Sanda advised fiscal authorities to undertake policies that assist the monetary authorities in maintaining stability in the foreign exchange market, noting that growth in money supply should be accompanied by economic growth. He cautioned that where the former grows faster than the latter, inflation (and foreign exchange volatility) will be the inevitable consequence, and there is a need to adopt the proposed methodology for the measurement of the exchange rate of the naira.

In his remarks, Vice Chancellor of FUBK, Prof. MZ Umar, noted that the recurring exchange rate volatility in Nigeria is also associated with reckless hoarding and exchange of goods and services with foreign currencies. He called on government and other regulatory agencies to intensify efforts towards promoting economic growth and development in the country.

“The efforts of the CBN to calm nerves and reduce naira volatility in Nigeria is commendable, although more need to be done by the appex bank and other regulatory agencies in this is regard,” said the VC.

He thanked the presenter and participants, while pleading for sustained frequency of the seminar series in the institution.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The Federal Government has approved a significant salary increase for civil servants, with a raise of between 25% and 35% for those on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures. 

This was announced in a statement signed by the Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku. 

The affected salary structures include the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS). 

This development comes after earlier increases for those in the Tertiary Education and Health Sectors, which included the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) for universities, as well as the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS) for polytechnics and colleges of education. 

The Health Sector also benefited from increases through the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS). 

According to the statement, the increases will take effect on January 1, 2024. Additionally, the Federal Government has approved increases in pension of between 20% and 28% for pensioners on the Defined Benefits Scheme in respect of the six consolidated salary structures, also effective from January 1, 2024. 

This move is expected to bring relief to civil servants and pensioners, who have been seeking improved remuneration for their services to the nation.

By Uzair Adam Imam

In a recent decision, the US Supreme Court has rejected Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s attempt to overturn a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that mandates preapproval from a lawyer for certain Tesla-related tweets, colloquially known as his “Twitter sitter.”

The settlement stems from Musk’s 2018 tweets regarding taking Tesla private, during which he falsely claimed to have “funding secured.”

As part of the agreement, Musk agreed to seek approval from a lawyer for tweets that could significantly affect Tesla.

Despite agreeing to the terms, Musk has persistently sought avenues to circumvent the settlement.

Reports indicate that the identity of the purported “Twitter sitter” remains undisclosed, with Tesla declining to reveal this information.

Investigative efforts by Bloomberg’s Dana Hull have thus far been unsuccessful in uncovering the individual behind the role.

In 2023, a federal appeals court dismissed Musk’s attempt to modify or annul the settlement.

Musk’s legal team subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the requirement infringed upon his free speech rights.

However, the highest court declined to hear the case, affirming the lower court’s ruling.

The federal appeals court noted that the SEC had investigated only three of Musk’s past tweets, including the notorious 2018 “funding secured” tweet, which led to the consent decree, a $40 million fine, and Musk’s resignation as Tesla’s chairman.

The other tweets under scrutiny contained misleading information about Tesla’s vehicle production and a poll suggesting Musk sell a portion of his Tesla stock.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Opay, a prominent financial services provider in Nigeria, has moved to reassure its customers about the safety of their funds amidst the recent directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend the creation of new accounts.

It was reported that Kuda Bank, Moniepoint, Palmpay, and Opay were halting new account openings in response to the CBN’s directive.

This suspension follows closely on the heels of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) taking action against 1,146 bank accounts involved in unauthorized forex dealings.

In a statement released on its X account on Tuesday, Opay affirmed its commitment to combatting illegal financial activities in the country.

The statement reads, “Opay remains committed to collaborating closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other regulatory bodies in the fight against money laundering, fraud, terrorism financing, and other illicit financial activities.”

“As a regulatory-compliant institution, Opay adheres to the rules set by the CBN and other regulators to uphold the integrity of the financial system.

“In line with this commitment, we have closed non-compliant accounts, implemented stringent security measures, and educated customers to help combat fraud.

“To support government efforts in cleansing the financial industry, Opay and other fintech companies have temporarily paused onboarding new customers and creating new wallets. This action underscores our dedication to fostering a secure financial environment and combating illicit activities.

“It’s important to note that existing accounts and wallets remain unaffected by the CBN’s directive. We want to assure our customers that their funds are secure, their data is protected, and this measure is temporary.

“Customer satisfaction remains our top priority, and we are committed to promoting financial inclusion and contributing to economic growth as key players in Nigeria’s financial ecosystem.”

By Lawan Bukar Maigana 

The sagacious former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, is once again in the news with his usual controversial stance on government policies and decisions. 

Last week, after granting journalists an interview about his presentation at a capacity-building training for Borno’s top government officials in Maiduguri, he became the hot story on every national daily, both online and offline. 

According to him, the Nigerian government has reconsidered returning fuel subsidies, mentioning that President Tinubu’s administration secretly pays billions of Naira for fuel subsidies.

As a journalist specialising in fact-checking, I needed to investigate his claim because there were no credibility elements in his statements. I quickly ran a keyword search, and the result revealed that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has refuted the claim and described it as ‘wrong.’

The trouble with El-Rufai started when the Senate withheld his confirmation over security checks during the ministerial screening in August 2023, even though he is a seasoned politician who used to be a minister. 

Since then, he left Nigeria to go abroad, failing to attend his son’s wedding ceremony, Bello Nasir El-Rufai. After his return from abroad, he was seen visiting strong politicians from the opposition party, which was said to be a political plot against the 2027 presidential elections. 

This was justified by his son, Bello El-Rufai, in a podcast interview with Seun of Channels Television, where he mentioned that his father and the President have never been on good terms, citing exchanges of unfriendly remarks in the past.

It is human nature to leave when discomforted or offended; therefore, Malam has the right to not only leave the All Progressive Congress (APC) but also form a new party, let alone merge with cult-like parties like the Labour Party (LP). 

El-Rufai is an outspoken politician whose relevance has passed because he couldn’t deliver his state to the APC, indicating he is now politically weak. It’s clear that politics transcends outspokenness. 

Another trouble facing El-Rufai now is with his successor, Governor Uba Sani. At a town hall meeting, he said that he inherited a huge debt burden of $587m, N85bn, and 115 contractual liabilities from the immediate past administration of Nasir El-Rufai, complaining that the huge debt has eaten deep into the state’s federal allocation. 

This has necessitated the formation of a committee by the Kaduna State House Assembly to probe El-Rufai’s administration, even though he has always proudly challenged the people of Kaduna to uncover any financial wrongdoing by him.

Allegedly, Bello El-Rufai, who proudly identifies himself as a replica and a clone copy of his father in politics, has thrown the public into scepticism regarding his father’s integrity. He was said to have sent insulting words and threats to the Speaker of Kaduna State Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Liman, since the establishment of the committee to probe his father’s administration that drowned Kaduna in debts, amounting to billions of Naira.

If I were El-Rufai’s son, Bello, I would appreciate the Kaduna State Government’s efforts to uphold justice and accountability in the state. I would privately intervene respectfully, if necessary, without being jittery about the outcome of the investigation.

Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Maiduguri and can be reached via lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com.

By Salihi Adamu Takai 

Women in the Hausa community shouldn’t remain as they were in the 90’s. They don’t have to be so conservative — refusing to delve into the reflection of the life of smartness. Islam has a lot for women, and in fact, they are mostly recognised more than men in different perspectives. So, women are expected to use the opportunity Islam gives them. 

Before Prophet Muhammad (SAW) married his first wife, Khadijah, she was a wealthy businesswoman who employed men to run some of her businesses. She was inspired by the Prophet’s trustworthiness when she hired him to lead the business, which made her propose to him for marriage. The Prophet married her. 

The Khadija’s adventure in her life of being a businesswoman and the first wife of the Prophet was a challenge to the Muslim women who think that marriage is only the means to become a liability. If the Prophet’s wife could be such a businesswoman in those days, the reason for dumping our women is very outrageous. 

This could also apply to paying the dowry for marriage. Islam makes brideprice the sine qua non of marriage and says it is the right of the wife, not her parents or guardians. It is the wife’s privilege to have capital in her matrimonial house. The dowry can help her run a business while living as the wife.

Almighty Allah decreed paying for a dowry in the Qur’an, Chapter 4, verse 4, in which He says: “Give women ˹you wed˺ their due dowries graciously. But if they waive some of it willingly, then you may enjoy it freely with a clear conscience.”

Thus, dowry could serve as a form of security for the wife to use in the marital home or even upon marriage breakdown. Therefore, if that’s the case, it would be better for women to use the money for business.

Women should stop feeling dependent on their marital homes. They must be innovative and collaborate with their husbands to improve their lives.

During the Prophet’s lifetime, it was reported that the wife of the Prophet’s companion used to help her husband with some work on his farm when he was sick to get what they could. Islam is concerned about the chastity of women, so women should dress decently.

Salihi Adamu Takai wrote via salihiadamu5555@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Here are the steps to check your JAMB score:

– Online Method:

– Visit the JAMB eFacility Portal at https://efacility.jamb.gov.ng/login.

– Enter your login details (email address and password you used during registration).

– Click on the “Check UTME Results” button.

– Your UTME score for each subject will be displayed on the screen.

– SMS Method:

– Open your messaging app. – Compose a new message.

– Type “RESULT” (all caps) followed by your JAMB Registration Number.

– Send the SMS to 55019 or 66019 (the official JAMB result from SMS numbers). – JAMB will send a reply SMS containing your scores for each subject taken.

Remember to note that the SMS method incurs a charge of N50, which will be deducted from your mobile phone airtime.

By Uzair Adam Imam

In Ekiti State, a tragic incident unfolded as Dare Onipede, a 34-year-old man, is accused of fatally stabbing his wife, Arinola, 32, following allegations of infidelity.

Confirmation of the event came from DSP Sunday Abutu, the Public Relations Officer of the Ekiti State Police Command, who stated that the information was received on Saturday, April 27, through the couple’s children.

The distressing episode occurred over the weekend at Christ Avenue in the Adebayo area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

According to a resident who chose to remain anonymous, the couple had sent their eldest child on an errand before engaging in a heated argument in their apartment over the alleged infidelity.

During the altercation, both individuals, with the husband purportedly a law enforcement agent and his deceased wife employed at a chemist shop, wielded sharp objects, resulting in injuries to both parties.