National
Onilu Assumes Office as NOA Boss, Vows to Promote National Unity in Nigeria
By Abubakar Yunusa
The newly appointed Director General of the Information and National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Isa Onilu, officially assumed office and pledged to enhance national unity and patriotism in Nigeria.
In his address during the formal handover/takeover ceremony at the Agency headquarters in Abuja, yesterday, expressed his determination to address the emotional disconnect among Nigerians, which emerged when the country chose to discontinue a code of conduct.
Onilu urged Nigerian leaders to actively promote ethics and codes of conduct that would enable the country to present itself positively to the global community.
He explained that nations like the United States and North Korea raise their citizens from an early age to perceive their countries as the best in the world.
“Every country defines its citizenship differently. In North Korea, citizens are brought up to see the President as a deity, and they don’t have access to information that would lead them to think otherwise. Similarly, in the United States, citizens are raised to consider themselves superior and their country as the best in the world. They see America as a divine land.”
“Let me emphasize that the President is aware that Nigeria cannot achieve prosperity, stability, unity, and progress without a strong foundation of love for the country. It is our responsibility to establish that foundation.
“We are fortunate to have the President and Minister of Information and National Orientation who understand the importance of these values.
“One thing we must understand is that the President has made it clear that belief should be based on justification. In our diverse nation with different faiths, English and mathematics are compulsory subjects, but nationalism should be just as crucial.”
“We hold our beliefs because of an emotional connection, and we must continue to nurture that connection. We should not blame Nigerians for their current positions or perceptions, but instead, we should guide them and provide accurate information.”
“The country must also create conditions that encourage love for the nation. Our role is not just to mobilize and persuade Nigerians to love their country; it’s to ensure that our leaders take actions that naturally foster emotional connections. Patriotism cannot be forced; it must flow naturally.”
The senate has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore the Aniocha north II state constituency in Delta state in compliance with the supreme court’s judgment in suit no. SC/129/2019.
The upper legislative arm also directed the electoral commission to conduct an election into the Aniocha north II state constituency in the next state house of assembly poll in Delta state.
The senate’s approval followed a motion sponsored by Ned Nwoko, the senator representing Delta north.
Speaking with journalists after the senate’s plenary on Tuesday, Nwoko said the constituency, comprising towns such as Idumuje-Unor, Idumuje-Ugboko, and others in Aniocha north LGA, was initially created in 1991 but was later delineated.
He said residents initiated legal action in 2014 to restore the constituency but was dismissed by the federal high court.
The senator noted that the suit was upheld in 2017 by the court of appeal and affirmed by the supreme court.
“I am glad that we have managed to pull it through because it was not as straightforward as people might think,” Nwoko said.
“But the fact remains that this was a supreme court judgment and we all respect supreme court judgments.
“On this particular matter, it has taken several stages from the court of appeal and then supreme court.
“INEC also wrote to us seeking our consent to implement the supreme court judgment. I don’t know why INEC should seek our consent, but that is exactly what happened.
“They sought our consent at the senate and house of reps to implement the supreme court judgement.
“I am happy that we got it right. There are so many of such matters across the country and I am sure they will take cue from this particular matter today.”
By Abubakar Yunusa
Oil marketers have cried out about the negative impacts of unstable prices of Premium Motor Spirit or petrol in the country on their businesses.
President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gilly-Harris raised concern during Channels Television’s Business Morning on Tuesday.
According to him, fluctuating petrol prices in the last few weeks are constituting potential threats to the survival of businesses of its members.
Gilly-Harris’ concern comes on the heels of ongoign price war between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Following the announcement of a price cut by the Dangote Refinery by N65 at the ex-depot price, the retail price at filling stations affiliated with Dangote dropped from N925-N930 to N860.
No sooner after, the NNPCL also reduced its price at its retail stations, further deepening rivalry between the two dominant players.
Billy-Harris said “In our consistently weekly reviews, we discovered that the size of loss, and the possibility of most of us getting out of business is glaring at us in the face. Because in today’s Nigeria, we have collaborative efforts being made between all the stakeholders, and we reach out to one another to know how the businesses are doing.
“As much as we are making efforts to make sure that Nigerians have product affordability from our end as the last mile in the industry, we also want to stay afloat and liquid.
“The challenge we have is that we buy products at a price today, and before the close of business, the price has reduced. We thought there should be a mechanism by which prices are analysed and ensure it doesn’t impact negatively on the industry.
“I have always said that every business can only survive by making some minimal profits that are commensurate to the price of paying the cost of doing business.
“We are fully aware that the international prices of crude oil and other related expenses are also being reduced. But when we invest to buy products at say N880, we are not going to sell at that price. And if such products become reduced to N840, N850, N860 or even N870 per litre, it becomes challenging how we will be able to recover our costs.”
Commenting on price monopoly in the downstream sector, Gilly-Harris said its members can either import products or buy from local refineries, however, it would not sell products at the expense of the survival of PETROAN members’ businesses.
He said “Yes, we have been in the forefront of always implementing what stakeholders agree. We have the capacity to import our products. We also have the capacity to buy locally refined products. But we see that prices consistently shift up or down, and there is no clear business consultation on how this should be done. That is why we said the NMDPRA and the consumer protection agency should swing into action and be able to work together with other stakeholders so that we can be able to have a stable market and a stable price.”
A non-governmental organisation, the Global Initiative for Peace, Love, and Care (GIPLC), in collaboration with the Dickens Sanomi Foundation, has donated ₦200 million to fund medical treatment for conjoined twins Hassan and Hussaina, along with 11 other children requiring urgent medical attention.
At a cheque presentation ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, GIPLC Director-General Nuhu Kwajafa emphasised the importance of providing timely assistance to children facing severe medical conditions.
“When you have children in this kind of condition, you need to bring them out so they can get help,” Kwajafa said.
“This is not the first time we’ve supported a set of conjoined twins. About a year and a half ago, we assisted another pair. Two years ago, a different set of conjoined twins had been in a government hospital for over a year before the King Salman Foundation of Saudi Arabia sent an air ambulance to evacuate them for treatment.”
Hassan and Hussaina, however, were not able to secure international support, prompting GIPLC and its partners to take immediate action.
“We launched a fundraiser, and within a day, we raised $100 million for the twins. The following day, another ₦100 million was raised for 11 other children in need,” Kwajafa explained.
The grand patron of GIPLC, Igho Charles Sanomi, reiterated the foundation’s commitment to ensuring vulnerable children receive the support they need.
“Our ultimate goal is to provide children with a platform where they can compete and build a future for themselves,” said Sanomi, who was represented by Goodluck Hayi, the Chief Operating Officer of the Dickens Sanomi Foundation.
“There are many challenges, but we must come together and support trustworthy organisations that are making a difference.”
Hayi urged private individuals and organisations to contribute to such initiatives, noting that government resources are often stretched.
“The government has many responsibilities, but private individuals can step in and support platforms that are transparent and accountable. This way, we can reach more children who are physically challenged or in need of urgent care,” he said.
He added that the foundation partners only with verifiable and trustworthy organisations.
“Our chairman, the grand patron of GIPLC, was raised by a father who valued love and care. This initiative is our way of giving back to society in his honour.”
The father of the conjoined twins, Muhammad Halilu from Kebbi State, expressed gratitude to the foundation, revealing the hardships his family has endured.
“The twins will be five years old by may ,” he said. “I lost my job because I had to stay home to support their mother. She could not take care of them alone. Eventually, we even lost our home.”