Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 17th May, 2024

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 17th May 2024

1. President Tinubu Sends New Bill To National Assembly

President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a National Anti-Doping Bill to the Nigerian Senate for consideration and passage.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, read the president’s letter during plenary on Thursday.

Tinubu in the letter, requested for a quick passage of the Anti-Doping Bill before the next Olympic Games in July this year.

He explained that the bill is a cardinal requirement for Nigeria to achieve compliance with the world anti-doping code and the international standard of good compliance by its signatories.

President Tinubu added that the passage of the bill will also help Nigeria avoid certain sanctions.

2. Only Those Not Paying Electricity Bills Are Grumbling On Tariff Hike – Minister

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has asserted that Nigerians who have not been paying electricity bills in the past are those complaining about the tariff increase for Band A customers.

Naija News reports that Adelabu, while speaking at the 8th Africa Energy Marketplace forum on Thursday in Abuja, said the new tariff had reduced the energy cost for consumers in Band A by 30 to 40 percent.

According to the Minister, the electricity tariff was not intended to burden Nigerians or worsen the already bad economic situation caused by the high inflation rate.

He also faulted the claim that the new tariff has increased the cost of production for manufacturers, leading to the high cost of goods and services.

Adelabu noted that, with the tariff hike, Band A customers’ spending on generator servicing, diesel, and petroleum procurement has subsided considerably.

While stating that Nigeria should not be suffering from a lack of electricity owing to the abundance of sun, water, and gas, the Minister bemoaned the sector’s failure to get it right for the past 60 years.

3. Tinubu Has Shown Transparency In Financial Dealings – Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government has performed well in its fiscal responsibilities and management of the nation’s resources.

Shettima said this on Thursday during the 141st meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He cited the recent ranking by global credit rating agency, Fitch, which upgraded Nigeria’s credit outlook to positive, describing it as a reflection of increasing confidence in the nation’s economy.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, the vice president stated that the Tinibu administration will continue to maintain transparency in financial dealings.

Nwokocha said NEC also had members of the Institute Chartered Accountants of Nigeria in attendance to “shed light on the accountability index and their ranking of states on public financial management (PFM)”.

He said this would guide the government at all levels to adjust their “finances and planning for the rainy days based on realistic projections”.

NEC deliberated on the general state of the economy and resolved to do more to improve the situation across the country, especially supporting the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

4. ASUU Threatens No Pay, No Work Over Salary Arrears

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said its members will stop rendering services after the next two weeks if the President Bola Tinubu administration fails to pay public university lecturers their withheld salaries.

The National President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, stated this while speaking on Channels Television’s breaksfast show, ‘Sunrise Daily’ on Thursday.

He said it was unfair for the Federal Government to pay lecturers four months of their 2022 withheld salaries and hold on to the remaining three-and-half months.

Osodeke also argued that public universities in the country have so far covered the work for the period that they were on strike in 2022 and should be duly paid.

The ASUU president stated that the two-week ultimatum to the government began on May 13, 2024.

5. House Of Reps Mandates Investigation Into Daily Increase In Prices Of Commodities

The House of Representatives has ordered its Committee on Commerce to investigate the daily increase in prices of commodities in the country.

This development is coming on the heels of the adoption of a motion by Rep. Jesess Onuakalusi (PDP-Delta) on ”the Need to Awaken Price Control Board of Nigeria to its Constitutional Responsibilities,’’ at plenary on Thursday.

While presenting the motion, Onuakalusi lamented that the price control board had abandoned its responsibility of controlling commodity prices and had left the task to the marketers at the detriment of consumers.

He said that the take-home pay of workers had yet to be increased, but the country was witnessing daily increases in prices of commodities.

Onuakalusi expressed worry that the board had failed to take action on the arbitrary increase in price of commodities by businessmen.

Adopting the motion, the House mandated the Committee on Commerce to investigate the daily increase in prices of commodities in the country and report within four weeks for further legislative action.

6. Senegalese President, Faye Meets Tinubu At Aso Rock

The Senegalese President, Bassirou Faye, met with President Bola Tinubu on Thursday at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

Naija News recalls that the youngest president in Senegalese history secured victory in a delayed presidential election in April, garnering over 54 percent of the votes.

The 44-year-old president arrived at the Villa’s forecourt at 3:09 p.m. on Thursday, marking his first visit to Nigeria since assuming office last month.

7. Keyamo Gives Update On Return Of Emirates Airlines Flight Operations In Nigeria

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced that Emirates Airlines has provided a confirmed date for the resumption of flight operations to Nigeria.

Keyamo disclosed this information via his official social media platform on Wednesday, May 15.

The Minister stated that he received correspondence from Emirates Airlines during his visit to the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, in Abuja.

According to him, the official date for the airline resumption will be announced soon.

8. Tinubu Seeks Lawmakers’ Approval To Refund ₦24 Billion To Two Northern States

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested the House of Representatives to grant concurrent approval to the Federal Government for the reimbursement of a total sum of ₦24 billion to two northern states.

The President’s formal appeal was detailed in a letter directed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, and was presented on the House floor during Thursday’s plenary by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu.

Naija News understands that the President is specifically seeking the House’s authorization to reimburse over ₦15 billion to the Kebbi State Government and ₦9bn to the Nasarawa State Government.

It is worth noting that Kebbi State had initially utilized the funds for the development of the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi, the state’s capital, while the Nasarawa State Government allocated ₦9bn for the establishment of the Lafia Cargo Airport in Nasarawa.

In his appeal to lawmakers, the President clarified that aviation, including airports, aircraft safety, and passenger and goods carriage by air, fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution (As amended).

9. Rivers Crisis: We Have Defeated Our Detractors, Enemies – Fubara Taunts Wike

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has said his government has defeated its political detractors and enemies.

Fubara stated this on Thursday during a gathering with the national and state leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) as they embarked on a solidarity walk to the Government House in Port Harcourt.

The governor said his enemies could not sleep well again after they failed to achieve their plans while celebrating his one year in office.

While thanking the IYC members, Fubara encouraged the Ijaw nation to participate in celebrating the liberation of the state, adding that there would not be any need to disrupt the peace.

He stressed that every true Rivers indigene is a liberator, expressing his joy at welcoming them on such a significant day to reaffirm their collective commitment to liberation.

10. Roof Collapse On OAU Students During Lecture

The heavy rainfall on Thursday morning accompanied with a whirlwind has led to the collapse of the roof of a building were some students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State were receiving lectures.

Naija News understands that the students were having a lecture, SER to be precise, in the Amphitheatre of the Oduduwa Hall when the incident occured.

No casualties was recorded from the incident, however, some students sustained injuries.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire led other principal officers to the Medical and Health Centre of the University, and ensured that the injured students were given adequate medical attention.

A release by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that the Vice-Chancellor also followed two other students, whose cases demanded more medical attention to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), where the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Professor John Okeniyi, physically supervised the proceedings.

The Vice-Chancellor has, therefore, appealed for calm and urged students and staff to go about their academic and administrative activities without any form of untoward action.

Meanwhile, the management of the University, has sealed off the amphitheatre, the venue of the unfortunate incident, until further notice.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.