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Kano Assembly rejects Tax Reform Bills before National Assembly
The Kano State House of Assembly on Monday rejected the Tax Reform bills currently under consideration at the National Assembly.
At a plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Isma’il Falgore, the lawmakers kicked against the bills after extensive deliberation.
The Majority Leader, Lawan Husseini (ANPP-Dala) introduced a motion of ‘urgent public importance,’ emphasising the need for northern lawmakers and the Conference of Speakers to prevent the passage of the bills.
Husseini argued that if passed into law, the bills would not benefit the Northern States.
He condemned the Senate’s decision to approve the bills, saying, “We view it as a deliberate effort to sabotage the economy, increase hardship and further impoverishing the region.”
Husseini expressed concern over the proposed VAT allocation system, noting that states like Lagos, where major corporations such as Nigerian banks, telecommunications companies, and multinational companies were headquartered, would receive the largest share of the VAT.
“Lagos and its environs would account for 80 percent of the VAT collected in Nigeria, leaving northern states with a minimal share,” he said.
He warned that if allowed to scale through, the bill would further weaken northern states, potentially rendering some unable to pay salaries and worsening poverty and hardship.
Supporting the motion, Salisu Mohammed (APC-Doguwa) urged the upper legislative house to focus on more pressing national issues, such as attention insecurity and unemployment, instead of rushing the tax reform bills through the legislative process.
Similarly, Murtala Kadage (ANPP-Garko) called for unity among lawmakers to prevent the bills from passing, for the benefit of the region.
The house called on northern members of the Senate and House of Representatives, along with the Conference of Speakers, to take a swift and decisive action to block the passage of the bills. (NAN)
The Oyo State Police Command has uncovered a human trafficking ring in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
In a major operation, the police rescued 83 individuals and a child from a house in the Orogun area of the city, where they had allegedly been held for an undisclosed period.
Preliminary reports suggest that the victims, believed to be nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were lured to Nigeria under the pretence of being offered employment opportunities.
There are also claims that the perpetrators extorted significant sums of money, reportedly in dollars, from the victims’ parents and relatives as part of the elaborate scheme.
The rescued individuals are currently at the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where authorities are conducting further investigations to ascertain the full details of the case.
Pope Francis was buried inside his favourite Rome church after a funeral mass in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican said on Saturday.
Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, was laid to rest during a 30-minute ceremony which started at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in the Italian capital.
Footage shared by the Holy See showed cardinals marking his wooden and zinc coffin with red wax seals.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who as camerlengo is running the Vatican’s day-to-day affairs until a new pope is elected, sprinkled it with holy water after it was lowered into a tomb set inside an alcove.
A reproduction of the pectoral cross worn by Francis during his lifetime hung above it.
Francis had asked that the tomb, located near the altar of Saint Francis, be simple and unadorned, reflecting the humble spirit of his papacy.
The tombstone bears only the inscription “Franciscus” — the pope’s name in Latin.
Its marble is sourced from Liguria, the northwestern Italian region once home to the Argentine pontiff’s Italian ancestors.
Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, had specified in his will the exact spot he wanted to be buried, in the side nave of the beloved fifth-century AD church.
The pontiff was devoted to the worship of the Virgin Mary and made a point of praying in Santa Maria Maggiore before leaving on trips abroad and upon his return to Rome.
Located in the heart of Rome, the basilica already holds the tombs of seven popes.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has ordered a clampdown on unregistered hospitals and quack medical personnel operating within the territory.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the Minister warned, “Henceforth, anyone found to be operating or working in an unregistered health facility should be arrested and prosecuted.”
According to the statement, Wike issued the directive following the death of a 35-year-old pregnant woman, Chekwube Chinagorom, after a caesarean section at Afolmi Hospital, a private, unregistered facility located in Durumi, Abuja.
The statement described the incident as unfortunate, stressing that despite the free registration of pregnant women into the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme, many still patronise unsafe health facilities.
“In the FCT, vulnerable persons, including pregnant women, enjoy free enrollment into the FHIS, which allows them free access, through the Primary Health Care Centres, to all services covered in the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services,” Olayinka said.
He further noted that several hospitals in the FCT, including Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Abaji, and Kuje General Hospitals, have been designated as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care centres, offering cesarean sections free of charge.
“Our pregnant women are once again urged to take advantage of this free health insurance scheme and stop visiting quack medical personnel and unregistered health facilities,” Olayinka added.
According to the statement, Chinagorom was brought in dead to Asokoro District Hospital after undergoing a caesarean section at Afolmi Hospital. While she died, her baby was delivered alive and referred to Asokoro Hospital for care.
An investigation by the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee revealed that Afolmi Hospital was not duly registered. During inspection, only one staff member, Mr. Simon Elisha Godiya, a Junior Community Health Extension Worker, was found on duty.
“Mr. Godiya reported that the surgical operation was performed by one Murtala Jumma in conjunction with another unidentified individual. All attempts to reach Murtala Jumma via phone were unsuccessful.
“Shortly after the PHERMC team arrived at the facility, a detachment of officers from the Nigeria Police, Durumi Divisional Headquarters, also arrived. The case was immediately handed over to the Police for further investigation.
“The officer in charge requested that the PHERMC team accompany them to the station to formally record the incident, and the team complied accordingly.
“The Nigeria Police is currently assisting in identifying the individuals responsible for the surgery, verifying their qualifications, and investigating the circumstances that led to the death of the late Chekwube Chinagorom at Afolmi Hospital,” the statement added.