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Probe NNPC Subsidy Fraud Now – ADP

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The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has mandated the National Assembly to wade into the subsidy controversy and probe it.
In a statement issued in Lagos last Saturday by its Lagos spokesman, Prince Adelaja Adeoye, the ADP said that the discrepancies in the subsidy claim have further created tensions, controversies and doubts in the minds of Nigerians.
While he explained in details some of the issues that have emerged from the process, Adeoye called on the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki to urgently set up a committee to look into the subsidy controversy.
According to ADP, “The current fuel scarcity that has left Nigerians in a sorry state, in this festive season, has revealed monumental fraud in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), through its involvement in secret payment of subsidy.
“This is of huge significance because, the Buhari’s government had told Nigerians that subsidy was removed in early 2016,” the party said.
The party further said that in the wake of the present fuel scarcity, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress government had blamed the problem on major oil marketers, whom it alleged were asking for an increase in the pump price of fuel.
However, the oil marketers later countered the allegation, maintaining that their problem with the government, was far from the alleged demand for pump price increase; and went on to reveal that they were being owed huge sum by the Federal Government in subsidy payment.
The revelation, immediately prompted an outcry from Nigerians who demanded to know what subsidy the marketers were talking about, taking into account that the Buhari government had told the nation, in early 2016, that fuel subsidy has been removed, a development, which led to the increase in pump price from N87 to N145.
The party said that in its explanation in May, 2016, through Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the Federal Government said that “First, the real issue is not a removal of subsidy. At $40 a barrel, there isn’t much of a subsidy to remove.
“We realised that we were left with only one option. This was to allow independent marketers and any Nigerian entity to source their own foreign exchange and import fuel. We expect that foreign exchange will be sourced at an average of about N285 to the dollar, (current interbank rate). They would then be restricted to selling at a price between N135 and N145 per litre.
What this meant was that marketers were importing fuel and selling as dictated by the market forces, with little government regulation to avoid excessive pricing of the sales of fuel to the Nigerian masses”.
Also speaking with Nigerians in October, 2016, in an interactive session in Berlin, Buhari said, “There are things that are happening, and if such had happened before, there would have been major riot, like the removal of subsidy on fuel.”
These are the reasons ADP said it was in total disbelief to hear that there was still anything called subsidy, associated with fuel.
“In a swift reaction, and to cover this fraud or probably to silence Nigerians who kept demanding for an explanation of this sudden subsidy claim,” the party noted that “Osinbajo told the nation that NNPC and not the Federal Government is responsible for the subsidy payment.
“NNPC and not the Federal Government pays for the fuel subsidy that has emerged with the N171 landing cost as against the official retail price of N145,” the ADP quoted Osinbajo as saying.
ADP said “This new claim has further angered Nigerians who couldn’t figure how NNPC became responsible for subsidy payment and not the Federal Government, more so that as an agency of government, NNPC can only spend money within the budget. Meanwhile, there has not been any budget for subsidy for two years running.
“Now to avoid the probing questions of Nigerians, NNPC GMD, Maikanti Baru, while responding to questions at Aso Rock Villa, after the Friday prayers, said that Buhari authorized the payment of subsidy for fuel.
“The practice has been that every monies collected by all Federal Government agencies and parastatals are mandatorily paid into the Treasury Single Account (TSA), from where approval is given for withdrawal, by same agencies in line with their budget. What this means is that NNPC has either not been paying into TSA or has been short paying. We must remember that just recently, a House committee discovered the sum of N50billion in NNPC secret account, outside the TSA. The NNPC was quick to say, Buhari ordered it to put the N50billion into such secret account. This is besides the $25billion contract it awarded without due process, which it also claimed, Buhari authorised,” the ADP argued.
The ADP, therefore, called on the Senate to do the needful by investigating the NNPC’s subsidy fraud, to save Nigeria from the monumental fraud supervised by Baru and his team at NNPC.

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NAFDAC Alerts Nigerians To EU Ban On Dex Soap

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The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has alerted Nigerians on the ban on Dex Luxury Bar Soap (No 6 Mystic Flower), by the European Union (EU).
The notification is contained in a public alert with No. 012/2024, signed by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, and issued to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.
“The product does not comply with the cosmetic products regulation; it also contains Butyphenyl Methylpropional (BMHCA), which is prohibited in cosmetic products due to its risk of harming the reproductive system.
“It also causes harm to the health of unborn children and may cause skin sensitisation.
“It is as a result of the defective nature of the product that the EU banned it.
“The products is not in NAFDAC database; importers, distributors, retailers and consumers are to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain,” she said.
NAFDAC boss urged marketers and consumers to avoid the importation, distribution, sale and use of the product, stressing that product’s authenticity and physical condition must be carefully checked.
She enjoined members of the public in possession of the product to discontinue sale or use, and submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.

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Communities, Volunteers Ready To Face Upcoming Floods – Red Cross

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The Country Manager of the British Red Cross in Nigeria, Karsten Voigt, says communities and volunteers are ready to face the challenges expected with the upcoming floods.
Voigt said this at the sidelines of the 56th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Lagos Branch.
The Tide’s source recalls that the British Red Cross donated resilience items to some communities in December 2023, to help mitigate the effects of flooding.
The items included cash, rain boots, rain coats, mosquito nets, handheld flashlights, solar powered lights with radio, USB chargers and a bridge to link the communities.
The communities that benefited included Agboyi 1, Agboyi 2, Agboyi 3 and Odo Ogun in Kosofe Local Government Area of the state.
Voigt said the Red Cross had measured the impact of the project in the communities and noticed that a lot of progress had been made.
According to him, apart from the cash and items given to the communities, simulation exercises have also been carried out to prepare the volunteers ahead of the floods.
“We have seen that people used the cash to address immediate needs they have after floods.
“Many households have used part of the cash to build up businesses.
“The solutions we have given to them are not only addressing their immediate needs after the disaster but actually building family income for their future,” he said.

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Nimet Forecasts Three-Day Sunshine, Thunderstorms

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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and thunderstorm from Monday to Wednesday across the country.
NiMet’s weather outlook released yesterday in Abuja, forecasts sunny skies on Monday with a few patches of cloud over the northern cities and prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Taraba later in the day.
According to the forecast, sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region with prospects of morning thunderstorm over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kogi and Kwara States.
“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi and Benue States.
“The southern region is expected to be cloudy with spells of sunshine with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Oyo, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo and Lagos States.
“ In the afternoon/evening periods, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Ekiti, Ogun, Imo, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers, Lagos and Bayelsa States,” it said.
NiMet also anticipated sunny skies on Tuesday with few patches of cloud over the northern states with prospects of isolated thunderstorms envisaged over parts of Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba and Kaduna States during the afternoon and evening hours.
It envisaged the North Central region to be sunny with patches of cloud during the morning hours.
The agency also envisaged isolated thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Kwara and Niger States, later in the day.
“Cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected over the inland and coastal areas of the South, with chances of morning thunderstorm over parts of Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States.
“In the afternoon/evening periods, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Rivers and Bayelsa States ,” it said.
It predicted a sunny atmosphere on Wednesday, with patches of cloud over the northern region, during the forecast period.
“Sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa, the Federal Capital Territory and Benue States, during the afternoon/evening periods.
“ Cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected over the inland and coastal areas of the South with prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia.”
Other states to experience cloudy atmosphere, are “Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Cross River, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States, later in the day.”
NiMet urged the public to take adequate precaution as strong winds might precede rains in areas where thunderstorms were likely to occur.
The agency also urged airline operators to get updated weather reports and forecasts from its office for effective planning in their operations.

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