The Managing Director, Kano Road and Traffic Agency (KAROTA), Baffa Babba Danagundi, said he wished to resign, but Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje denied him the warrant.
Danagundi disclosed this in a chat with the Daily Trust on Monday.
He added that Ganduje, through the Acting Governor of the state, Nasiru Gawuna, refused to let him leave the job.
It was gathered that Gawuna rejected the resignation of Danagundi on the orders of the governor, who is currently in the United Arab Emirates.
Danagundi intended to resign to enable him to contest an elective position in the forthcoming election of 2023, as the Electoral Law requires.
Danagundi said, “it is true I tendered my resignation, but the governor rejected it. Hence, I have to take whatever he tells me.”
“The Governor has done a lot for me; he elevated me as Managing Director and did other things politically.
“Honestly, I will not go contrary to whatever decision the governor made on my resignation because he knows the best for me”, he said.
The Jack Rich Northern Front has distributed Ramadam items comprising rice, sugar, and millet, among others, to widows, orphans and the less privileged in Kaduna state. The distribution took place at the Kawo LEA primary school premises with the beneficiaries in attendance.
Speaking at the event, the Front coordinator, Dr Ibrahim Abdulkareem, said the initiative was necessitated by the neglect and abandonment being suffered by widows, orphans and the less privileged in society, especially during the month of Ramadan.
One of the beneficiaries, a mother of three who lost her husband two years ago, Malama Halima Mukhtar, expressed gratitude for the gesture and called on well-meaning people to pray for the success of the Fronts’s activities.
The organization has given similar assistance as its Ramadan welfare package to other orphans across some states in northern Nigeria.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has announced a plan to punish banks for depositing mutilated naira notes.
This was made known to the public in Abuja through a circular signed by CBN’s Director of Currency Operations, Mr Ahmed Umar, over the weekend.
According to Mr Umar, the warning to the banks to stop depositing mutilated and composed banknotes will take effect from Friday, April 1, 2022.
“The management of the CBN observed with concern the increase in the number of composed banknotes deposited by DMBs and request for replacement of such banknotes by members of the public.
“The existence of composed banknotes in the economy falsifies the true value of currency in circulation, and can also be avenue for fraudulent activities.
Consequently, any composed banknote discovered in the deposit of DMBs shall attract penalty of 400 per cent of the value,” The circular reads.
Composed banknotes or mutilated Naira notes usually comprise several parts of different banknotes of the same denomination.
Campus-based businesses in and around Bayero University and Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano have mostly closed following strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), leading to the loss of multiple jobs amid the harsh economic situation in the country.
The strike, apart from terminating academic activities across the campuses of the Universities, has left the institutions desolated as the absence of students grounded business activities to a halt.
A cross-section of petty traders, okada riders, restaurateurs, typesetters and other campus-based artisans have complained about how the strike is taking a toll on their businesses, scuttling their means of livelihood amid soaring inflation in Nigeria.
Nigerian public universities have been on industrial action since 14th February 2022 to pressure the government to fund the universities and settle some outstanding issues as contained in the 2009 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and 2020 Memorandum of Action (MoA) as negotiated by the Union of the University teachers and the Federal Government.
Why is ASUU on strike?
The university teachers signed an agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2009 for the revitalisation of public universities, which will enable the ivory towers to access 200bn annually for six consecutive years. The FG reneged as it only released once in 2013.
Government’s inability to implement other issues of 2009 MoU and 2020 MoA, such as salary upward review after three years relative to the strength of naira-dollar, payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), etc.
The continued use of the controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) did not capture university peculiarities and refusal to accept ASUU’s alternate payment system called University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
Another point of concern by ASUU is the proliferation of universities by the federal government without adequate funding for the existing ones, which the union argues will further jeopardise the entire Nigerian public university system.
From warning strike to “extended” warning strike
The university dons have completed a 4-week long warning strike in an effort to press home their demands for the Government to honour the agreements. However, after a series of talks between government delegations and the leadership of ASUU, the union extended the warning strike by another eight weeks “to give the government enough time to implement the agreement”, according to ASUU President Prof. Osodeke.
Equally, meetings between the minister of education and the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) did not yield the resolution of the bone of contentions.
Businesses disrupted, livelihood lost
As the industrial action continues, its effect is taking a toll on businesses and vocations on and around the campuses, with many business owners facing bankruptcy. Although most businesses, such as petty traders, cafés, restaurants, typesetting and photocopying centres, barbing shops etc., have closed down, the remaining few yet to close narrate their harrowing experiences at Bayero University Kano and Yusuf Maitama Sule University.
Ummi Abdulaziz, whose shop in BUK could not sell goods of N1000 a day due to the absence of students, described the ongoing ASUU strike as unfortunate, adding that “The strike affects us really seriously. There are no customers now. There are no people around. We open our shop, but there are no buyers. We are adversely affected. Sales have drastically reduced or even stopped. I can’t even make 1k a day now…”
Ummi, who called on the Federal Government to meet up with ASUU’s demands, said the plight of students and campus-based business people should not be allowed to suffer for long. She urged the two parties to have “A discussion and resolve this problem once and for all.”
Another business owner who identified himself as Sarkin Noma Maitireda BUK said the strike had brought misery and deprivation to their lives as his sole means of survival was being threatened. He was thinking of moving out of campus to find ways to feed his family.
Maitireda further lamented, “Honestly, we are not happy with the strike. We are pained because of our business. Everything on the campus isn’t functioning now. We only sit down by our stalls and shops sometimes to even nap. It badly affects our lives negatively.”
He recalled nostalgically how he survived past strikes partly by leaning onto his savings and ultimately on support from family and friends, saying, “We used to survive on our savings, then we borrowed from friends and family. When the strike ended, and businesses normalised once again we repay our debts”.
He decried that the current situation in the country makes it extremely difficult for him to obtain any support from friends and family, saying “everyone is battling with his challenge.”
“We call on the Federal Government to consider their demands so that they resume their activities and our university to reopen.” He appealed as he narrated how he naps by his stall due to no patronage.
Adamu Aliyu, who used to rake N30, 000 daily on average through his stationery stall but now less than N1000, argued that business people suffer the multiplier effects of the strike more than other members of the university community, including students.
Adamu called on the Federal Government to fulfil its promises to the academics and observed that “the situation in the country today is very terrible. So, I call on the FG to consider the situation of the country generally and consider the students and campus-based businesses specifically.”
Mohammed Kabir of Chiroma Business Centre in BUK, whose typesetting and stationery business vicinity remain desolate, said the strike alongside soaring inflation in the country makes his survival as a father and a husband very difficult.
Narrating his challenging sailing through the harsh reality of the economy compounded by the ongoing strike noted that “it has been difficult for me to survive because before now we were feeding from hand to mouth because of the economic situation. Most of the materials we were using have skyrocketed because of inflation…and now strike….”
Kabir lamented further that, unlike previous university strikes where few works were available, currently, “Probably due to the economic situation of the country, everything stopped. Nothing comes.”
Kabir pleaded that in the interests of students and the nation, even if business owners would not be considered, the two parties should resolve their differences to allow academic and business activities to return to universities as soon as possible.
”As a matter of urgency, the Federal Government and ASUU should come together and have a dialogue to resolve the issue. For the interests of the students’ even if they won’t recognise us, business owners… FG should fast track implementation of the issues so that at least the strike can be called off”, he further stressed.
It is no different at Yusuf Maitama Sule University (YMSU), as academic and business activities are grounded following the declaration of the strike. Unfortunately, like students, most businesses on the campus have closed due to poor patronage created by the vacuum left by students.
Abdussalam Adam was among a few business owners that come around to open their business for a few hours daily but now is considering total closure.
His business centre that provides Café services, typing, printing and photocopying to students has been badly hit by the ongoing strike. As a result, his average earning of N5000 has been depleted to around N500.
A stranded business centre
“Seriously isn’t easy for us that have business here on campus. The strike isn’t affecting students alone. It affects us. When the students were around, there was much work to do. I used to make 5k, 6k a day but now ….since morning I am just having 500 naira with me”, he complained.
He stated that “If I have the opportunity to talk to the federal government, I would advise them to consider ASUU’s demands and resolve the issue. They spend more than what ASUU is demanding on their personal issues. Why not on universities?”
“New World Cyber Café has already temporarily disengaged its staff because of the strike, but they will resume work when the university’s academic activities resume’’ said Bitrus Monday, who operates the biggest cyber café at BUK.
Bitrus Monday, who decried that strike is becoming habitual in Nigerian public universities, stated that there is an urgent need for the parties to have dialogue that will lead to settlement of the burning issues soonest.
“We are negatively affected. They should help us settle themselves. They should have a round table discussion and sort things out. It is obviously becoming a yearly habit in our universities.” He said.
Food and vegetable sellers worse hit
Food-related businesses that serve the universities and their communities are currently facing unique challenges that differ from their past experiences during varsity strikes in the past.
Alonelyvegetableseller
Shamsu Haruna, whose famous Gurasa Joint at BUK serves hundreds of students, staff and other university community members daily with this Kano delicacy, appeared visibly hapless due to the destructive effects of the strike on his business.
Shamsu soberly recalled how busy and deeply engaged his staff were when students were on campus. He noted that more than ten people were fully engaged in full-time jobs in his Gurasa Business but now are rendered jobless because of the strike.
He reminded the relevant authorities of the ephemerality of power and authority should they fail to discharge it for the public good, adding that “Other powerful, influential people have gone so also the current leaders will go. But what they do now is what they will be remembered for. They should try and leave a good legacy. They should consider the situation of the country and resolve the problem.”
He further noted that although members of non-teaching university staff are not on strike, his business has lost over 85% of its customers, expressing that “As we are in a very difficult situation because if you consider the market, we’ve already lost over 85% of our customers. This is not a small loss in business. We pray that God intervene in this situation… But Federal Government and ASUU should remember that life is transient.”
Restaurateur Fatima Ibrahim owns Al-Khairat Restaurant and has been in the campus-based food business for years, but the current strike is giving her a hard knock.
The strike is painfully touching for Fatima as her once-booming food business is struggling to recover after a near-death experience occasioned by the corona pandemic lockdown. “I used to go to the market to supply foodstuff on a daily basis, every blessed day, but now we go to market once a week. Unfortunately, after you prepared the food, there were no customers. Sometimes you sell, some other times you dispose of it.” she noted, adding that “FG and ASUU should please sympathise with the students and us to solve this conundrum so that they shouldn’t jeopardise the future of the students.”
Similarly, at Medinat Restaurant, the disturbance of the peace caused by the lingering university academics’ strike is making resilient Medinat Mohammed have sleepless nights. Her narration reverberated unpalatable experiences by other business community members of the university since the commencement of industrial action in public universities.
Adesertedrestaurant
”I used to cook 4-5 mudus of rice and prepare other varieties of meals, but now half mudu doesn’t finish a day. No students. No teachers”, she bemoaned
Determinedly tenacious, Medinat said of her over 20 years of experience in the business, this is the most devastating strike she experienced, alluding to the spillover effects of coronavirus pandemic lockdown “Sometimes we take a loan and after the cooking children will eat, and we (staff) too eat from it and pay transport…for over 20 years selling food, this strike is the worse because we did not recover fully from corona lockdown. It is only through the grace of God that we survive.”
She appealed to the Federal Government to settle critical issues it had earlier agreed on with ASUU so that normalcy return to the university campus.
Unlike other businesses, vegetables and fruit sellers are the most hit, languishing in their anguish due to the perishable nature of their supplies. Their harrowing experience cannot be understood entirely from the outside as they had already lost some quantity of their goods the very first week students deserted the university as explained by Alh Isah Gurgu Maikayan Miya, “With this strike, our business was completely put to a halt, completely grounded. Things have turned off. Our reliable customers, students, are no longer on campus. Academic staff no longer come. Some vegetables decomposed the week the student left because we brought them much and no buyers. So to get our daily meal now proves to be extremely difficult.”
He sadly revealed how he is now making an average of N1000 a day which is far below his average daily sale of N10000 before the strike, which according to him, “cannot cater for my family needs.”
He urged the Federal Government and ASUU to “please sympathise with students and we business owners”.
On Saturday, the Ogun State Police Command announced the arrest of Sikiru Ibrahim, a 27-year-old man who hacked his father to death after rousing him up from his sleep.
The incident began when the deceased, Mumuni Ibrahim, a guard, got home from work on Wednesday morning and discovered his son asleep.
Ibrahim is claimed to have awoken his kid and questioned him about why he was still in bed at such a late hour.
Sikiru, a suspected cultist, was claimed to have attacked his father with a cutlass, enraged at his father’s actions.
Ibrahim was believed to have died on Thursday while receiving treatment at a medical hospital for injuries sustained in the attack.
DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, said the culprit was apprehended after one Abiodun Sunday, described as the deceased’s neighbour, filed a report at the Onipanu Divisional Headquarters.
Mr Opeyemi was quoted as saying, “The neighbour reported that the deceased, Mumuni Ibrahim, a guard, returned home and met his son who was still sleeping, and when he asked him why he was still sleeping at that time of the day, the suspect got annoyed and brought out a cutlass with which he attacked the victim.
“Upon the report, the DPO Onipanu Division, CSP Bamidele Job, quickly mobilised his men and moved to the scene where the suspect was arrested, and the victim rushed to a general hospital for treatment. The suspect, who is strongly suspected to be a cultist, has no reasonable explanation for his action when interrogated.”
Drivers in Nigeria decried the current security challenges bedevilling particularly the northwestern part of the country, saying the situation is gradually killing their business.
The Daily Reality report that bandits activity has claimed thousands of lives, destroyed property worth millions of naira and sacked many villages.
Some analysts believe that the incessant security challenges are politically motivated.
The recent Abuja-Kaduna train attack is one of many bloody attacks by bandits that forced the citizens to remain deeply pessimistic, not to mention commercial drivers plying roads in the restive region.
Our correspondent gathered that those abducted during the infamous train attack were taken to nearby bushes by the notorious, heartless bandits.
Twenty-four hours later, bandits blocked the Kaduna-Abuja highway and abducted dozens of travellers.
Drivers who spoke to The Daily Realty said the situation had done significant damage to their business, saying they are still in the business because they do not have an option.
A driver, Haruna Lawan Ahmad, recounted his bitter experience in dismay, saying sometimes they had to descend and run for their dear life on sighting the bandits.
Ahmad said, “We used to see terrible things on our way. Sometimes we have to alight and run away to save our lives after sighting bandits and come back later to take our vehicles after they finished their operations and abducted the ill-fated individuals.”
“There are roads that we can no longer follow, such as Birni Gwari of Kaduna State. Before, the drivers used to team up with the security personnel escorting them.”
“But sadly enough, even the security personnel stranded and accelerated their vehicle at high speed and run away from bandits.”
“Many of my colleagues and I remain in the business not because we are still passionate about it, but because we don’t have anything to do other than this driving,” he recounted.
Another driver, Idris Bamba, urged the government to come to their aid as the situation was getting out of hand.
He said, “Insecurity in the country is worsening day by day. We usually drive with uneasiness of mind. Before, I used to leave Abuja for Kano by 5 am and arrived around 11 am. But due to security issues, I no longer do that. Some of my friends have even moved to other businesses.”
‘Insecurity sponsored’
A lecturer at the Department of Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, Bayero University, Kano, Dr Mu’az Hassan Mu’az, said the incessant security challenge in Nigeria is quite unfortunate and sponsored by some scrupulous elements.
He said, “It’s quite unfortunate that these things are happening to the most peaceful and hospitable people in this country. Words cannot express how saddened our people are by the recent experience of attacks on innocent Nigerians.”
“The continued insecurity situation in this part of the country, mastered by people who are illiterates (Islamic and Western) and is sponsored by some scrupulous elements in our society who are selfish and never cared about their people, who worship money and have given up on the hereafter.”
“It’s quite unfortunate that the situation is getting worse day by day in spite of the huge investment in security by the federal government.”
“Many people see the train as the last resort and safe haven for the common people. He thought the warning attack on the train was treated with glove hands, and security was beefed up on the train operations to prevent subsequent attacks.”
“But it happened again, in a very terrible manner. Painfully, the minister of transport was quoted to have said he envisaged the attack but Federal Government did nothing to prevent it from happening. Our leaders should come back to their right senses.”
Dr Mu’azu added that the leadership of Nigeria is responsible for every Nigerian’s life. They must come back to their senses to face the problem squarely to the end.
He urged the authority concerned to provide aerial surveillance of the train routes from Kaduna to Abuja, engage every security stakeholder in the discourse of solutions to the menace of banditry n kidnapping, negotiate with the culprits and later deal with them silently, declare war against their residency in Nigeria and kill them all.
He said, “Let the authority concerned track and block their supplies of weapons, send a few security personnel on a secret mission, i.e. to be amongst them for some time, recruit locals to join in the fight against the bandits and block all their food supplies and medications.”
The crescent, which signifies the beginning of the month of Ramadan, has been sighted in Saudi Arabia, Haramain Sharifain confirmed in a statement on its verified Facebook page today.
“Crescent was SEEN in Saudi Arabia today. Subsequently, the month of Sha’ban completes 29 days today and tomorrow, i.e. Saturday, 2nd April 2022, will be the first day of Ramadan 1443,” the statement read.
This marks the beginning of the Muslims’ act of fasting for 29 or 30 days, not only in Saudi Arabia but across the world.
It can be recalled that even in Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad III, has urged the Muslim faithful to come out today in search of the Ramadan crescent.
The Abuja-Kaduna train was attacked by bandits on the evening of Monday, 28th March 2022. The attack led to the killing and abduction of some passengers. Meanwhile, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on Nigerians to unite against terrorists, bandits and saboteurs.
MURIC’s input was contained in a press statement issued on Wednesday 30th March 2022 by its director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads:
“Bandits attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train yesterday Monday, 28th March 2022. The attack led to the killing and abduction of some passengers. We strongly condemn this attack. It was mindless, vicious, brutal and barbaric. This is also major evidence of the extent to which unscrupulous elements can go to sabotage the good efforts of the government to provide comfort for the citizens.
“With hindsight, the latest attack may not have been too surprising, particularly with the ominous signs presented by previous activities of bandits in the zone. It is obvious that Kaduna Airport was attacked last week because the bandits had become desperate since they could not find enough victims on the roads.
“Our security agencies should be more proactive. Intelligence Transport Systems (ITS) should be used in all our transportation networks starting with the modern railway line and critical national routes of our roads. They should all be linked with control rooms of the security agencies. We also need tactical surveillance teams at critical locations along the modern railway lines. Not only that, unmanned aircraft and drones can be used to collect information during the trains’ working hours. This will prevent criminal elements from springing surprise attacks on innocent passengers.
“The citizenry must also be security conscious. They need to complement [the] government’s efforts. Nobody should tell us that the present government did the wrong thing by introducing a modern rail system but the people benefiting from it must be prepared to pass information about suspicious moves at sabotage.
“We call on Nigerians to look beyond this mindless attack. It is the work of saboteurs, rebellious subjects and enemies of peace. Nigerians must not allow the tragic incident to test their will. Rather, we must unite against those who seek to destroy our fragile civilisation and our nascent democracy. We must speak with one voice targeted at the inhumanity of man to man. The criminals are not happy with the progress being made. They want to drag us back to the Stone Age. We must resist them.
“No single government, no matter how popular, or how powerful, can be competent enough to repel terrorists and saboteurs. The people must become partners with [the] government. They must become [the] eyes and ears of the security agencies. The modern trains on Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri should be enough to inspire patriotism.
“Patriots all over the world stand with their governments. That was what Americans did when the country was attacked by terrorists in 2001. That is what the Ukrainians are doing now against the invading ultra-Red communist war criminals. We must unite against those who are making it difficult for innocent citizens to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
“The media has a special role to play at this critical point. There is no professionalism in celebrating terror. Nobody is immune from terrorists’ attacks, not even journalists. That is why all hands must be on deck in the fight against insecurity. Terrorists are cowards who pick on soft targets to embarrass [the] government and traumatise the citizenry, including journalists. That is why all media fora must mobilise themselves against marauding bandits and terrorists.
“The modern trains introduced by this administration are superb and they are reducing the sufferings of travellers but it is now time to leverage on the infotech facilities at our disposal to make the trips hitch-free. Nonetheless, the challenge of insecurity should not be seen as a mark of [the] failure of the project. We must put saboteurs and enemies of the people to shame by forging ahead. We must not surrender to terrorists. Nigeria is on course.”
Many people reacted with shock over a viral video showing an eight-year-old Almajiri beaten mercilessly by his ‘Tsangaya’ Quranic teacher.
The Daily Reality gathered that punishment was due to the kid’s failure to bring food to the teacher, which is an age-old practice in many Tsangaya schools.
A source told our correspondent that the kid was found roaming the street after running away from the school.
The source added that a relative brought the victim to Kano from Magamar Gumau Local Government Area of Bauchi State for Qur’anic studies after his mother’s demise.
“I don’t want to go back to the school. The teacher will kill me. I want to return to my father,” said the kid.
Begging outlawed in Kano
Kano State is becoming a haven for beggars, despite the state government’s ban on street begging and subsequent measures the government to enforce the order.
In 2019, the Ganduje administration banned street begging, introducing new approaches to improving the education of the almajiri system.
In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Malam Abba Anwar, said the effort was to consolidate the free and compulsory primary and secondary education fully.
“If an Almijiri teacher thinks he cannot accept the new policy, he has to leave the state.
“When Almajiri are caught begging, it is not only that beggar is caught but also his parents or guardians. Such parents or guardians would be taken to court to face the wrath of the law,” the governor threatened,” the statement said.
But despite the ban, street begging has held to its position in the state, as beggars are still on the state’s streets.
Citizens blame government
Some people blame the government for not consolidating its position of improving the Almajiri education system to mitigate the menace of bagging in the state.
A former president of Foundation Against Child Abuse, Abdulmalik Shu’aibu Sani, blamed the government for playing politics with the menace.
Abdulmalik Shu’aibu said, “Government decides to play politics in handling this issue. If the government had actually banned or changed the Almajiri education system in the state, this boy wouldn’t have been beaten like a slave.”
“I believe this will surely be a joyous and celebratory idea if the government could implement the new system or at least tax parents to pay for school fees. With that money, their children will be fed.”
Amina Shu’aibu said, “I know the government will not do this. Anything about it is political.”
Some concerned citizens described the punishment as disheartening, stating that the system is not what it used to be.
Abdulmalik Shu’aibu Sani said such heartless people should be brought before the law to reap what they sow while calling on the government to take action.
He lamented that the kid was too small for that brutal beating, saying he could not take responsibility for himself and his teacher.
Adam Zahraddeen, one of the active members of the Almajiri Foundation in the state, said that in the past, Almajiri parents paid a certain amount of money and “that money will be used to feed his child by the Malam.
“It is heart-touching to see such forsaken small kids wandering on streets searching for what to eat.
“The government should by now end the Almajiri system of education and rethink how to reform the system.
Amina Adamu, who said she almost cried on watching the video, stated that she felt sorry for the boy.
She said, “Seeing the picture of this boy in this situation, I feel bad, sad, and sorry for the kid. He looks so pathetic. I feel like no matter what this boy has done, he doesn’t deserve to be beaten mercilessly like this.”
We are not heartless
Auwal Ilyas, one of the senior students at an Almajiri school in the state, said what happened was entirely contrary to what is obtainable in the system.
He stated, “The person who did this beating was very wrong. I believe a true teacher who answers his name will not do the same. So it must be a gardi (a senior Almajiri) that committed such a pathetic and regretful thing. I know gardi used to ask for food but not Malam.
“How will a teacher ask this very small kid to bring him food? In our school, our teacher, my father, take responsibility for any Almajiri. Malam provides two square meals for them, breakfast and lunch,” Auwalu added.
Office of the Head of Service of the Federation has announced to civil servants that work would Tuesday be closed at 1:00 am so as “to mobilise support for the Nigerian Team [Super Eagles]” ahead of its World Cup Qualifier against Ghana.
This is contained in a circular signed by Dr. Ngozi Onwudiwe, Permanent Secretary (Service Welfare Office), on behalf of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The circular reads, “As you are aware, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will be meeting the Black Stars of Ghana in continuation of the 2022 FIFA World-Cup Qualifier, Playoff, (Return Leg).
“Consequently, I am directed to inform you that all offices will be closed at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, 29th March 2022.”
Dr. Ngozi also urged Permanent Secretaries to disseminate the information contained in the circular more widely.
