Nigeria is second most corrupt country in West Africa, after Guinea, Transparency International (TI) has said.
This was made known in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index released by the Organisation on Tuesday, saying, Nigeria dropped five places, scoring 24 out of 100 points in the 2021 index.
According to the organization, Nigeria’s current 154 ranking out of 180 countries in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index is a drop of 149 in the 2020 index.
“In the Corruption Perceptions Index 2021, Nigeria ranks 154 out of 180 countries and territories, falling back five places from the rank of 149 in 2020.
“The 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index released by Transparency International today shows corruption is on the increase in Nigeria.
“The country scored 24 out of 100 points in the #CPI2021, which is one point less compared to the score of 2020,” the organisation tweeted on its official Twitter handle @TransparencITng, on Tuesday.
It is Nigeria’s second consecutive year of a downward spiral on the TI’s CPI ranking.
The country’s score had dropped from 26 in 2019 to 25 in the 2020 assessment, and further to 24 in the latest 2021 record.
The CPI is TI’s tool for measuring the levels of corruption in the systems of various countries around the world.
The maximum points a country can score is 100 points, and the least is zero. Zero signifies the worst performing countries and 100, the best-ranked.
However, the Federal Government has consistently claimed that it is reducing corruption but the ranking may be an indicator that corruption was getting worse.
The Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) Alhaji Adedayo Thomas on Tuesday said his agency will ensure that all digital streamers pay tax to the federal government.
While adding that, Nigeria is not a dumping ground for digital or streaming services. saying , you must be accountable to the government.
He said, “You can come in, we have conducive environment for business to strive but you cannot cheat the government, if you think you want to do bypass because you are a cloud person who sold content to you is a Nigerian, we must force him to collect the tax that you are suppose to pay this country.
Adedayo made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, saying , if any Nigerian sell content to Nitflix, goggle, YouTube and others without going through the NFVCB they are aiding and abetting, if you act in such films you have a face and you must tell us the producers or director that contacted and paid you.
According to him,” We have to strengthen and equip ourselves in the new ways unscrupulous elements thinks they can shortchange the owners of the job and the federal government.
” With the streamers, on cloud, online issues coming up, we have strengthen our staff to monitor, enforce and arrest any erring members.
” Netflix is in the cloud and their is a face to it, yet they collect our jobs, then I started discussion with them that they need to face the stakeholders if not they will not get it right in Nigeria, we have to stop them from selling their content. With the dialogue, what I saw about Netflix is this, of all the streamers, goggle, YouTube, they are not willing to dialogue with the government. The public policy desk of Netflix is fantastic, we were able to push until they were brought into this country to come and address stakeholders on digital content and how they aquire it.
“We just have to think outside the box because it was not in our budget for 2021 , but as an evolution that is rolling faster than us, so we need to bring everybody together in terms of public, policy, discussion and dialogue. Who are ready to follow the steps, I will give it to Netflix, DSTV complied largely by not collecting fixed certificates”, he explained.
Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) on Tuesday reiterated the fact that till date, Nigeria has not recorded any death arising from COVID-19 vaccination.
Shuaib gave this hint while updating Nigerians on the status of COVID-19.
He said this should further serve to convince everyone that COVID-19 vaccines are safe.
He stated that the second and booster doses are critical to achieving high protection against the virus especially as it keeps mutating.
His words, “As you are aware, Nigeria introduced booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine on the 10th of December 2021, following the recommendation by WHO for people who have received two doses of AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer Bio-N-Tech or one dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccines. In line with his exemplary leadership style, President Muhammadu Buhari received his booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday the 21st of December 2021. So far, 416,980 Nigerians have received their booster dose. Again, this is a clear indication that many more Nigerians are determined to achieve maximum protection against COVID-19.
“As you are aware, as the holiday season approached, we began to see an increase in the number of cases not just in Nigeria but also globally. In Nigeria, several unvaccinated individuals were migrating from the cities to the rural areas and back to the cities. Globally, we saw the emergence of new variants such as IHU variant in France which is said to have 46 mutations, Deltacron in Cyprus and the Omicron variant still being highly infectious with a BA.2 subvariant rapidly spreading. More of our citizens were coming down with the infection. Luckily for our vaccinated population, those who came down with the COVID-19 infection had mild symptoms which they managed at home due to the immunity the vaccination provided them. If they were not vaccinated, we cannot predict how these cases would have turned out. Vaccination prevents you from severe disease, hospitalization and death.
“The reason for the emergence of these variants, is because there is still a large proportion of the eligible population who have not yet been vaccinated and this has given the virus time to mutate and fight back. It is important that we protect ourselves and our loved ones by getting the jab. Our vaccination exercise was expanded to enable all eligible persons have easier access. All vaccination sites are open to eligible persons, 18 years and above for first, second and booster doses. We call on Nigerians to avail themselves of this opportunity in the on-going mass vaccination exercise to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We would also like to inform the general public that in this phase of COVID-19 mass vaccination we plan to integrate the campaign with childhood immunization and other PHC services. What this simply means is that alongside the COVID-19 vaccines, childhood vaccines will also be available at COVID-19 vaccination sites. Consequently, parents or guardians with children aged zero to 23 months are urged to take them along to the vaccination sites. The childhood vaccines protect against polio, whooping cough, measles, yellow fever, tetanus, tuberculosis, and other childhood preventable diseases. This is to ensure that while we are trying so hard to control the transmission of COVID-19, we do not neglect other PHC services or even have outbreaks of childhood vaccine preventable diseases on our hands” ,he explained.
He further stated that, ” I appreciate the invaluable support in creating awareness and mobilizing Nigerians for COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Our record as of today, Tuesday January 25th 2022 shows that 14,093,873 eligible persons have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria while 5,252,406 eligible Nigerians have been fully vaccinated. However, as one would expect, these results are not evenly distributed across the states of the Federation. Our deep dive into state performances reveals that Nasarawa, Jigawa, FCT, Ogun and Kwara have remained the top 5 performing states on COVID-19 vaccine uptake. It is noteworthy to mention that Jigawa and Lagos have each vaccinated about 1.5million eligible Nigerians with the first dose, while FCT, Nasarawa, Lagos and Delta are leading on second dose administration with more than 10% of eligible populations in each of the states already vaccinated. On the walls of this hall, you can see the States performance charts displayed. It is in our spirit of transparency and accountability that we consider it important to keep Nigerians informed about the progress of COVID-19 vaccination in the states. We also believe that this information will serve as an encouragement for the states in the vaccine uptake, going forward.
“I am sure the question plaguing your mind is what are the best performing States doing differently and what is our recommendations to States on how to ramp up Covid-19 and childhood vaccinations. The following are our Prayers to State Governors: a. Governor should convene a meeting of LGA Chairmen, traditional, political, religious leaders and the health team. He should charge them with the responsibility of ensuring that the populace within their constituencies are duly vaccinated. b. The Governor should charge the LGA Chairmen and health teams to develop a daily, weekly and monthly Covid-19 and Childhood vaccination targets based on the total eligible populations c. The Governor can meet with the LGA Chairmen and health teams on a weekly basis, to review the results of the campaigns and confirm if these targets are being met. This can also be an agenda on the weekly State Executive Council meetings. d. The Governor can apply accountability mechanisms to the vaccination process by publically rewarding LGA teams that perform the highest and sanctions teams that do not meet the minimum requirements despite the supports. This can be done in a fortnightly ceremony where the Governor shakes the best performers and issue certificates or plaques of excellence.
“We understand the challenges of undue vaccine hesitancy in the country, we strongly believe that a more committed approach to implementing mass vaccination will lead to improved vaccine uptake. This is why our current vaccination phase emphasizes state supervision support to ramp up vaccine uptake especially in low performing states.
“We want to acknowledge the strong leadership displayed by many Governors in ensuring that their citizens are vaccinated and encourage them to do even more, so we can further improve our vaccination coverage. Last year, the daily Covid-19 vaccination coverage was about 100,000 people per day. Between December 2021 and January 2022, we have more than doubled this vaccination rate to over 200,000 per day. With the talents and capabilities of Nigerians, I know we can do better and we must improve to we protect all Nigerians”, he added.
The Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC said it has set aside N3.6billion for the construction of smart schools across the six geo-political zones of the country.
Smart Schools is designed in categories to boost the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) for teaching and learning with an estimated cost of N350 million per school for the state model.
That of the zonal model schools with more capacity and ICT infrastructure would cost 600 million to serve each of the six geopolitical zones in the country.
The Executive Secretary, Dr Hamid Bobboyi made the disclosure at the ground breaking ceremony, which held in Jigawa state.
Bobboyi said the initiative was informed by the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic which lead to the lockdown of the country and closure of schools for nearly a year.
He explained that during the period of COVID-19 lockdown, learners all over the country were at home and not learning because the face to face learning approach is the primary mode of delivering content to learners.
The ES said, it is necessary to prepare for any situation that could arise to disrupt the teaching and learning process.
He stressed that digital and e- learning platforms provide opportunities for both teachers and learners without the constraint of time and space.
He stated that it is expected that deployment of technology for instructional delivery would significantly increase the quality of basic education indeed the Nations learning outcomes.
He explained that UBEC Smart Schools are currently at the completion stages, the plan is that before the end of this year most, if not all would commence academic activities.
“It is my expectation that the standard we are jointly setting up would be sustained and improved upon so as to meet the schools objectives”, he said.
He specifically thanked the Governor Mohammed Badaru not only for the prompt response for land for the project but also granting UBEC permission to organize the ground breaking ceremony.
In line with the Senate’s amendment of Direct, Indirect and Consensus options for the selection of candidates, the House of Representatives will tomorrow amend the Electoral Act Bill.
Recall that there has been disparity between the two chambers on the amendment after the earlier version which only allowed for direct primary was rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
While the Senate amended the controversial clause 84 to now allow for direct, indirect and consensus, the House of Representatives adopted the direct and indirect options but expunged the consensus.
The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has Intervened in the crisis rocking the Ekiti state chapter of the party.
This is just as the PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorcha Ayu warned members to be focus as the real fight, is for the party to win the Ekiti state governorship election.
He made this known during the meeting of PDP leaders with Ekiti stakeholders, amidst persisting protests at the party’s national secretariat against perceived attempts to manipulate the state primary election.
According to Ayu, “the real fight is ahead of us and at the end of the election in June, we want to congratulate the PDP for having won Ekiti.
“We should be able to say we now have a PDP government in Ekiti, that is one singular desire that we have. We don’t have any other desire.
“So, I appeal to all of you from Ekiti not to lose track of that key goal, any other thing is a distraction. You must keep in focus the goal we have; first to win Ekiti, and if possible to win every possible state and then ultimately to win the presidential election.”
While the meeting of the PDP national leadership with Ekiti stakeholders was ongoing, several placards carrying protesters stormed the party, condemning what they alleged as manipulation of the ward and local government congresses of the party in the State.
During the meeting before going into closed door, Ayu further charged the Ekiti members of the party not to lose track of the goal of winning the state, urging them to avoid anything that will make winning the state difficult.
He said: “So I appeal to all of you from a Ekiti not to lose track of that key goal. Any other thing is a distraction. You must keep in focus the goal we have; first to win Ekiti, and if possible to win every possible state and then ultimately to win the presidential election.”
Pointing out that agitation in Ekiti PDP is for the good of the party, Ayu said, “there is excitement and a little agitation here and there in Ekiti. It’s not a negative thing, it is a positive and it is a sign that our party is strong.
“It is a sign that our party members are passionate. Therefore, all of you who have expressed passion, none of us is holding anything against those expression of your desire to win. If you went outside the normal constitutional provisions of our Constitution, like if you went violent, we’ll worry about that but so far, whatever process have been peaceful. We’re very happy with all our members from Ekiti. We only hope that at the end of this exercise we will work together as one happy united family.
“It doesn’t matter whether one group or the other won. Even if you emerged as a candidate and we don’t win the election, it doesn’t have any meaning for the party. But if you emerged as a candidate, and we win election, all of us have won, because there will be something for everybody and for every community and for all our members.
“Everybody will know that PDP means business and we have taken the first step to the villa”, he said.
The governors, PDP leaders and the stakeholders, however, failed to address journalists after the meeting that lasted for several hours.
A total of 17 aspirants, including former Governor Segun Oni; former deputy governor, Biodun Olujimi; former deputy governor, Kolapo Eleka and Bisi Kolawole are jostling for the PDP governorship ticket in Ekiti state.
Present at the Monday’s meeting were the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, former Ekiti State Govenor, Ayo Fayose, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and some members of the PDP National Working Committee including Ayu.
The Senate President , Ahmad Lawan, has waded in to avert a shut down of the country’s economy by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over plans by the federal government to remove the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
While describing the impending strike as “totally unnecessary,” the Senate President faulted the timing for the planned removal of subsidy on petroleum products.
Lawan made the appeal today when he met with the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva over the planned removal of subsidy on petroleum products by the Federal Government.
According to him, in as much as the administration and management of subsidy on petroleum products are flawed, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government believes that sufficient planning must be carried out before its eventual removal.
Lawan also called on Labour unions such as the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union to shelve the planned protest rallies, adding that the Federal Government has no plan of removing the petroleum subsidy now.
His words; “The position of everyone in government today is that admittedly, subsidy administration and management are flawed because of so many reasons.
“Admittedly, the burden is huge and massive and there is need at one point to do away with the subsidy.
“Even though our economy is growing, we still have the challenge of getting things to be better for our people.
“A lot of us in this administration believe that the issue of removal of subsidy should be handled with utmost care, especially that sufficient planning needs to be done.
“Significant arrangements for absorbing the shocks that will come with the removal should be done, that the timing should be such that the impact and consequences will not add to hardship. We all believe in this and Mr. President leads us in this feeling.
“What we are saying is that this is not the time. All of us are of the same opinion and, therefore, there is nothing like confusion or lack of understanding within the government circle.
“We all agree that the subsidy is abused and, therefore, it is a challenge to us as an administration to deal with the abuse, to find appropriate means of stopping it.
“After this meeting, there will be other ones, all in search of ways and means of ensuring that the ordinary Nigerian does not suffer any hardship, that when the subsidy will be removed eventually, it would be at such a point that the hardship will be very minimal and taken care of by several programmes.
He continued; “It is not about NLC, we are talking about every Nigerian. We are concerned beyond the Nigerian Labour Congress.
“I am taking this opportunity to appeal to the TUC and NLC to shelve this plan to go on strike or demonstration, it is totally unnecessary.
“There is not going to be removal of subsidy, so there is no need for this. Please, let’s not create unnecessary tension where there should be none.
“I appeal to them using this medium, to please forget about this January 27, 2022, deadline because there is no need for any deadline.
“We are supposed to come together and work assiduously to ensure that our country is stable, and our people enjoy the benefits of government programmes and projects, and that whatever decision would be taken will be in the best interest of our people and protecting the most vulnerable amongst us.”
Earlier, the Minister of Finance, Ahmed Zainab, in her remarks, said that the Federal Government made provisions for subsidy in the 2022 budget from January to June this year.
According to her, all payments on fuel subsidy ordinarily would cease as from July, 2022.
She observed that in view of the timing which is “problematic”, the Federal decided to suspend its plan to go ahead with the removal of subsidy on petroleum products in July, particularly against the backdrop of outcomes from ongoing consultations.
She added that the Federal Government is presently exploring alternatives to premium motor spirit as well as pushing to step-up the country’s crude oil refining capacity.
Ahmed disclosed that efforts are also underway by the Executive arm of government to forward a request to the National Assembly to make additional provision for fuel subsidy from July this year till a time deemed appropriate for its eventual removal.
“Let me start by stating the fact that we did make a provision in the 2022 budget for fuel subsidy from January to June. And that suggests that from July there would be no fuel subsidy.
“This provision was made sequel to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act that has made a provision that all products will be deregulated.
“Subsequent to the passage of the Act, we went back an amended the Fiscal Framework that was submitted to the National Assembly to incorporate this demand, but after the budget was passed we have had consultations with a number of stakeholders.
“It became clear that the timing is problematic, that practically there is still heightened inflation, and also removal of subsidy will further worsen the situation, thereby, imposing more difficulties on the citizens, and Mr. President clearly does not want to do that.
“What we have to do now is to continue with the discussions we are making, in terms of putting in place a number of measures, one of which is the deployment of an alternative to the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and also the roll out of enhanced refining capacity in the country, including the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery and also the rehabilitation of the four national refineries that have a combined capacity of 450,000 barrels per day.
“The increased refining capacity in the country means we will need to import less products. But also as we are discussing right now within the Executive the possibility of amending the budget, we may need to come back to the National Assembly by way of amendment to make additional provision for fuel subsidy from July, 2022, going forward, or to whatever period that is agreed as the right time.
“Also, while we are exploring ways and means through discussion with various stakeholders in the executive as well as the Civil Societies and Labour Unions to explore ways by which we can address this removal in a manner that is graduated and will have as minimal impact on the citizens as possible.
“So, we will come back to make further amendments on the fiscal framework as well as in the 2022 budget.”
Those at the meeting include the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi and the Deputy Whip, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.
President Muhammadu Buhari has been commended by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for emphasizing civilian welfare when implementing government policies and programs.
The party was reacting to the Federal Government’s decision to postpone the planned fuel subsidy withdrawal.
The party’s secretary, John James Akpanudedehe, argued that any increase in fuel subsidies at this time would cause people undue difficulty.
Saying,any increase in fuel subsidies at this time would create unnecessary hardship to the people.
According to him, “Commendably, the Federal Government took into consideration the fact that the removal of subsidy at this time will heighten inflation and cause undue hardship on the citizenry.
“Programmes and policies of government are meant to benefit the people. So if the timing of the planned subsidy removal would cause hardship on citizens, then a review was necessary. We commend President Muhammadu Buhari for always putting the welfare and well being of Nigerians first as he has serially displayed in the implementation of programmes and policies of this administration.
“In line with the new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Federal Government is already putting in place measures, particulary boosting our local refining capacities to reduce the country’s reliance on expensive import of refined petroleum products. This will in due course usher in the eventual and full deregulation of the country’s petroleum sector.
“Finally, the APC commends the cordial and healthy relations between the Executive and the 9th National Assembly which has ensured good governance. Nigerians have been the ultimate beneficiaries as displayed in the positive outcomes of the meeting between Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed and the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on the suspension of the planned subsidy removal”.
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has taken it’s fight against market fires to the Kugbo Furniture Market located along the Abuja Keffi road.
Declaring open the joint assessment, inspection and sensitization programme at the market, the Director General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss said the essnccess was to unravel the causes of the yearly fire incidents at the market and proffer solutions.
The Director General who was represent by the Acting Director, Forecasting Response and Mitigation, Mrs Florence Wenegieme, decried the absence of fire hydrant and inadequate fire fighting equipment at the market.
The DG in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by Nkechi Isa Head, Head of Public Relation also hinted that the programme would also inspect sources of power supply to the market and electrical connections .
The FEMA boss, however, appealed to traders in the market to cooperate with the Agency and also equip the market with fire defense gadgets .
Speaking also at the event, the Area Commander, FCT Fire Service, Mr. Gringory Eze traced the yearly fire incidents to power surge, ” a single transformer cannot serve this market as they use heavy equipment with high voltage ” He said.
He also condemned wiring within the market, noting that it was capable of igniting a spark.
On his part. the Chairman Kugbo Building Materials Association, Mr Iheanacho Afamefuna stated that the market was usually gutted by fire every January, noting that this year’s incident was quickly contained before it escalated. Afamefuna said that the market management had reached out to FEMA last year for sensitization on tackling fires at the market.
Blaming fire outbreaks in the market on electric spark, Afamefuna appealed to the FCDA to provide adequate infrastructure at the market,” we have fire extinguishers, but we need water tanker, road, we need government presence in the market like yesterday “. He said.
Representatives of the Federal Fire Service and the National Emergency Management Agency attended the programme.
Highlight of the event was a fire drill to sensitize traders on how to use fire defense equipment.
As the world celebrated the International Day of Education today, UNICEF has commended the government’s pledge to increase Nigeria’s annual domestic education expenditure by 50 per cent over the next two years, and by 100 per cent by 2025.
UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins said in Nigeria’s N17 trillion 2022 budget signed into law at the end of 2021, 7.2 per cent is allocated to the education sector. This is a step forward – an increase from 5.7 per cent allocated for 2021 – though there is still a long way to go to reach the internationally recommended benchmark that countries spend 15-20 per cent of their national budgets on education.
“The Nigerian Government has committed to increasing funding for education, which is a very important step – far too many Nigerian children today are not in the classroom – and for those who are, far too many are not getting a solid education that can translate into good prospects for their futures.”
“At least 10.5 million children are out of school in Nigeria – the highest rate in the world. A full one-third of Nigerian children are not in school, and one in five out-of-school children in the world is Nigerian.
“While the education crisis in Nigeria is affecting children across the country, some children are more likely to be affected than others: girls, children with disabilities, children from the poorest households, in street situations, or affected by displacement or emergencies, and children in geographically distant areas are all disproportionately affected by the education crisis, according to UNICEF.
“Millions of Nigerian children have never set foot in a classroom – and this is a travesty,” said Peter Hawkins. “Perhaps equally tragic is the high number of children who make it into a classroom, but never make the transition from primary school to secondary school – thereby cutting off their chances for a secure future.”
He continued , “It is estimated that 35 per cent of Nigerian children who attend primary school do not go on to attend secondary school. Half of all Nigerian children did not attend secondary school in 2021.
“As we celebrate the International Day of Education today amid concerns in much of the world about the impact of COVID-19 on education, we must take a close look at what is happening to our children in Nigeria, and the opportunities they are missing out on when they lack education. We need to look towards communities – leaders, parents, teachers and caregivers – and together, find the best strategies to get ensure that all children enroll into school, have access to continuous learning and ensure they emerge with a quality skills that equip them for a prosperous future.”
“We need to especially ensure that girls have access to learning – so they can receive an education that will begin to address issues of gender inequality. All girls have much to offer to find solutions to Nigeria’s challenges – and we have to nurture their creativity and innovation.”
“We also need to ensure that children are safe when they are in school – no child should be afraid to enter a classroom – afraid their school might be attacked or that they will be kidnapped. And no parent should fear sending their children to school.
“In 2021, there were 25 attacks on schools. 1,440 children were abducted, and 16 children killed”.
In March 2021, no fewer than 618 schools were closed in six northern states (Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Niger, and Yobe) over the fear of attack and abduction of pupils and members of staff. The closure of schools in these states significantly contributed to learning losses for over two months.
UNICEF said that Nigeria’s education system can be transformed through adequate funding to ensure schools are safe; the application of gender-responsive policies, including recruitment of female teachers and improved facilities for girls; the creation of multiple and flexible learning pathways for students, such as digital and transferable skills learning; the integration of foundational numeracy and literacy in Qur’anic schools; and teacher training in the latest methodologies.
“All Nigerian children deserve a fighting chance – no matter who they are or where they are. And this must include an education. It is not only their right – it is the smartest and best way to secure the future of Nigeria as a whole,” Hawkins further added.
