News Politics October 17, 2024 Hardship : How Tinubu moves around Abuja at night assessing Nigerians’ condition – Senator

 

President Bola Tinubu is fully aware of the economic challenges Nigerians are facing and is taking deliberate steps to address them, according to Senator Orji Kalu.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Kalu revealed that Tinubu moves discreetly through Abuja at night to gauge the situation firsthand.

“The president himself knows that Nigerians are suffering and hungry. He is a street person; he knows the street very well,” Kalu stated.

Kalu further disclosed that Tinubu occasionally drives around the capital city with minimal security detail. “The president some nights uses his car to go around and know what is happening in Abuja here. The president goes around with one or two cars and sees what is happening. He is not a president that is locked up in the room.”

Nigeria’s inflation surged to 32.7% in September 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira by Tinubu’s administration have significantly increased the cost of essential goods, putting them beyond the reach of many citizens.

However, Kalu defended these policy moves as bold and necessary. “The moves were very courageous,” he said, adding that Nigeria is not the only country experiencing economic difficulties. He attributed part of the economic strain to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pressure of COVID-19 has not gone,” Kalu explained. “It is still affecting the global economy.”

The senator acknowledged the tough economic conditions but emphasized that they are not unique to Nigeria. “Let me be honest with you. I know things are not the way they are supposed to be,” Kalu admitted. “The economy has not been so friendly; the atmosphere has not been so friendly. But this economic problem is going on almost everywhere in the world.”

Despite the challenges, Kalu expressed confidence in the efforts of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to revitalize the economy. “They are trying to reform the economy. They are trying to bring back the economy where it is supposed to be,” he noted.

Business News October 17, 2024 FG, states, LGs share N1.298tri revenue

The Federal Government, states, and local government councils have shared a total of N1.298 trillion as revenue for September 2024.

The distribution was confirmed during the October 2024 meeting of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) held in Abuja.

According to a statement from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the total revenue comprised N124.716 billion in statutory allocations, N543.518 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), N18.445 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), N462.191 billion from exchange rate gains, and an augmentation of N150 billion.

A communiqué issued by FAAC revealed that the total revenue available in September 2024 stood at N2.258 trillion. Deductions for the cost of collection amounted to N80.993 billion, while transfers, interventions, and refunds accounted for N878.946 billion.

The report showed that gross statutory revenue for the month was N1.043 trillion, reflecting a drop of N177.426 billion from the N1.221 trillion generated in August 2024. VAT collections for September stood at N583.675 billion, an increase of N10.334 billion compared to August’s figure of N573.341 billion.

From the total distributable revenue of N1.298 trillion, the Federal Government received N424.867 billion, while state governments got N453.724 billion. Local government councils received N329.864 billion, and N90.415 billion was allocated to states entitled to 13% derivation from mineral revenue.

Breaking down the statutory revenue of N124.716 billion, the Federal Government received N43.037 billion, states collected N21.829 billion, and local councils got N16.829 billion. States benefiting from the 13% derivation received N43.021 billion.

The distribution of VAT revenue saw the Federal Government receiving N81.528 billion, states collecting N271.759 billion, and local governments receiving N190.231 billion.

Additionally, from the N18.445 billion generated from the EMTL, the Federal Government received N2.767 billion, while states and local councils got N9.222 billion and N6.456 billion, respectively.

The communiqué further highlighted that from the N462.191 billion exchange rate differential, the Federal Government received N218.515 billion, states got N110.834 billion, and local governments were allocated N85.448 billion. Another N47.394 billion from this revenue source went to states with mineral-producing status as derivation.

Finally, from the N150 billion augmentation, the Federal Government received N79.020 billion, states were given N40.080 billion, and local councils got N30.900 billion.

News Politics October 17, 2024 Orji Kalu reveals how much he earns monthly as Nigerian Senator

Senator Orji Kalu, representing Abia North in Nigeria’s Senate, has clarified details about his monthly earnings, addressing public assumptions about the wealth of lawmakers.

Speaking on Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today, Kalu disclosed that his total income as a Senator amounts to N14 million per month.

“I earn N14 million for everything in a month. That is everything encompassing, the overhead, the worker’s salary, everybody,” Kalu said.

The former governor of Abia State also emphasized that the income is used to cover several expenses, such as transportation to his constituency and maintenance of his constituency office.

He suggested that the sum is insufficient to meet these responsibilities, countering the belief that legislators enjoy excessive affluence while the general populace faces economic challenges.

Addressing criticisms about lawmakers receiving luxury vehicles, Kalu denied that individual Senators are given official cars. According to him, only committees in the National Assembly are assigned vehicles.

“I am in the Senate, and a lot of things are said about the Senators. I sit there quietly and watch, and most of these things are not true. All I know is that committees get vehicles; no lawmaker is given any vehicle,” Kalu explained.

Economic Hardship and Tinubu’s Awareness

The Senator acknowledged the economic difficulties faced by Nigerians, noting that the situation is part of a global trend. He attributed some of Nigeria’s economic challenges to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that countries with long-established, strong economies have managed to recover more swiftly.

Kalu also praised President Bola Tinubu’s awareness of the hardships citizens are experiencing, stating that the president has been making efforts to monitor the situation firsthand.

“The president himself knows that Nigerians are suffering and hungry. He is a street person; he knows the street very well. The president some nights uses his car to go around and know what is happening in Abuja,” Kalu said.

This candid discussion sheds light on the realities of legislative earnings and the efforts to address Nigeria’s economic difficulties amid public criticism of the National Assembly.

 

News October 17, 2024 Lagos to pay N85,000 as minimum wage – Sanwo-Olu

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State, has announced an increase in the minimum wage for civil servants in the state to N85,000. 

The governor made this statement during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, October 16.

“I’m glad to let you know that the minimum wage for Lagos, which we have discussed with our union, is N85,000 today,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor emphasized that the decision was not about competing with other states but was based on the state’s financial capacity and the high cost of living in Lagos.

“It is not a competition. I am not going to say that we are paying more than some people, it is a function of affordability and capacity,” Sanwo-Olu added.

He acknowledged the unique economic pressures faced by residents of Lagos, stating, “We know too well that when people live in Lagos, Lagos has a premium in terms of the cost of living. We are fully aware.”

Sanwo-Olu also mentioned that civil servants in the state had already seen salary increases earlier in the year. He expressed his hope to further raise the minimum wage to N100,000 in the near future.

“I will want to come back in January and say that I have been able to increase the minimum wage of Lagos to N100,000, not because I want to make anybody look bad, but because I want my people to have a living wage,” he said.

Celebrity Gist Entertainment October 17, 2024 Genevieve Nnaji likes to pull away, it makes you sometimes wonder what you’ve done to her – Kate Henshaw

Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw has shared her thoughts on Genevieve Nnaji’s reserved nature, mentioning that it sometimes leads people to question if they’ve done something wrong.

Henshaw recounted a moment when she felt unsure about her relationship with Nnaji due to her distant demeanor. However, during a recent film shoot, Henshaw realized that Nnaji’s behavior was not personal.

“She was quite nice to me and checked up on me and others,” Henshaw explained, adding that it helped her understand that Genevieve simply enjoys her own space.

Watch the video below…

“Genevieve Nnaji likes to pull away, it makes you sometimes wonder what you've done to her” -Kate Henshaw pic.twitter.com/Nk621ky6rx

— The Peoples (@Peoplesbox) October 16, 2024

Celebrity Gist Entertainment October 17, 2024 Liam Payne dies at 31 after falling from hotel balcony in Argentina

Former member of boyband One Direction, Liam Payne has d!ed after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires. He was 31.

According to a police statement, the British singer died on Wednesday, October 16, at a hotel on Costa Rica Street in the Palermo neighbourhood.

Buenos Aires police said that personnel from the 14B Police Station went to the hotel on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a 911 call about an aggressive man who was possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Police said he fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighbourhood of Argentina’s capital, resulting in “extremely serious injuries.” Medics confirmed his death on the spot, the statement said.

Pablo Policicchio, the communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, said in a statement that Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room.”

Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, told Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel that authorities were investigating the circumstances of his death and conducting an autopsy.

Payne had been vocal about struggling with alcoholism, posting a video in July 2023 to his YouTube channel where he said he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment. Representatives for Payne did not immediately return emails and calls.

Payne was born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, and is the youngest of three. He is an alum of the City of Wolverhampton College, where he studied music technology.

Payne was best known as a member of the famed British boyband One Direction. The band, which also included Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Horan.

Payne had a 7-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, with his former girlfriend, the musician Cheryl who was known as Cheryl Cole when she performed with Girls Aloud.

Payne was previously engaged to Maya Henry, from August 2020 to early 2022. Henry released a novel earlier this year that she said was based on their relationship.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
 

Celebrity Gist Entertainment October 17, 2024 Shatta Bandle joyfully welcomes second child

Ghanaian internet sensation, Shatta Bandle a.k.a Young Rich Nigga expresses overwhelming joy as he welcomes his second child.

In a heartfelt post on Instagram, the popular influencer shared a photo of himself proudly holding the newborn.

He captioned the picture with, “Congratulations  to myself,” expressing his happiness at the arrival of his bundle of joy.

The news of Bandle’s second child has been met with excitement from his followers, many of whom flooded the comment section with congratulatory messages and well-wishes.

This joyous occasion marks another milestone in Shatta Bandle’s journey, balancing his online fame with his growing role as a father.