Dangote Refinery Slashes Petrol Price To N899.50

  Dangote Refinery has announced a reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit to N899.50 per litre, in a bid to offer Nigerians some relief as the holiday season approaches. This was contained in a statement issued by the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, on Thursday. The refinery, Africa’s first privately-owned oil refining facility, had previously cut the price to N970 per litre on November 24. The latest reduction aims to ease transportation costs during the festive period, a time when Nigerians often face increased travel expenses. Announcing the special purchase offer, Chiejina said consumers can now buy an additional litre of fuel on credit for every litre purchased in cash, provided they secure a bank guarantee from Access Bank, First Bank, or Zenith Bank. “To alleviate transport costs during this holiday season, Dangote Refinery is offering a holiday discount on PMS. From today, our petrol will be available at N899.50 per litre at our truck loading gantry or SPM. “Furthermore, for every litre purchased on a cash basis, consumers will have the opportunity to buy another litre on credit, backed by a bank guarantee from Access Bank, First Bank, or Zenith Bank,” Chiejina said. The refinery thanked Nigerians for their continued patronage and reiterated its commitment to supplying high-quality, environmentally friendly petroleum products at competitive prices. Chiejina emphasised that the Dangote Refinery is ending Nigeria’s dependence on substandard and blended imported petroleum products, which have historically harmed human health, machinery, and the environment.

JUST IN: State House Budgets N15bn For SUVs, Car Tyres, Office Complex

  The State House has earmarked N15.09bn for the purchase of tyres for bulletproof vehicles, Sport Utility Vehicles, operational vehicles, and plain cars, and the construction of an office complex for Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants. It also proposed a total sum of N5.49bn as a provision for the annual maintenance of the Presidential Villa. These details were disclosed in the newly released 2025 Appropriation Bill by the Budget Office of the Federation on Thursday. PUNCH Online reports that President Bola Tinubu presented the budget titled “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity” to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, outlining an ambitious N49.70tn spending plan. The budget prioritises defence, infrastructure, and human capital development, with a projected deficit of N13.39tn to be financed through borrowing. Speaking at the National Assembly, Tinubu stressed his administration’s commitment to strengthening security and revamping the nation’s infrastructure. In the appropriation bill document obtained by our correspondent, the State House, which serves as the administrative hub for the executive arm, will spend N164m for the purchase of tyres for bulletproof vehicles, plain cars, jeeps, platform trucks, and other utility and operational vehicles. Out of the sum, N1.1bn was earmarked for the replacement of SUV vehicles, and N3.66bn for the purchase of State House operational vehicles. It stated that N127.86m will be spent on the procurement of SUVs for Mr President and the Vice President. This cost will be undertaken under the office of the President. Similarly, N285m will be spent for the purchase of motor vehicles under the office of the Chief of staff to the president, while the Chief security officer to the President got an allocation of N179.63m for the purchase of security and operational vehicles. Further checks showed that N2.12bn was allocated for honorarium and sitting allowances and proposed spending of N1.83bn for the construction of an office complex for Special Advisers and Senior Special advisers. The PUNCH had earlier reported that the proposed 2025 Appropriation Bill under review by the National Assembly has an allocation of N4.91tn for defence and security while infrastructure will receive N4.06tn for projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway. The President also announced significant allocations for education and health. Education will receive N3.52tn, which includes funding for Universal Basic Education and nine new higher institutions, while the health sector will get N2.48tn to improve healthcare systems and provide essential drugs for public hospitals. The budget is based on key economic assumptions, including a projected decline in inflation from 34.6 per cent to 15 per cent and an improvement in the naira exchange rate from N1,700 per dollar to N1,500 per dollar. Punch

JUST IN: Ekiti Court Grants Farotimi N50m Bail

  The Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has granted a lawyer and human rights activist, Dele Farotimi a N50 million bail. The court’s decision was disclosed by the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, via his X handle on Monday. “The first hurdle was crossed. #DeleFarotimi was granted bail of N50 million surety in the like sum with someone with landed property. The case was adjourned to January 29, 2025,” the tweet read. Details later…

Just In: Sanwo-Olu Approves Lagos Electricity Bill Into Law

The Governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has signed the Lagos Electricity Bill 2024 into law. The law is a comprehensive plan aimed at addressing challenges in the energy sector and is expected to lay the foundation for economic and industrial growth in Lagos. The governor signed the bill on Tuesday at the Lagos House, Ikeja. “The bill is a major step by the state government to ensure a 24-hour electricity supply to every corner of the state, following the Federal Government’s approval for states to generate and distribute energy in 2023,” said the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, on X. This move is expected to reduce the state’s dependency on the national grid. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of the bill in transforming Lagos into a global city with a reliable and uninterrupted power supply. In November, the Lagos State Government called on independent power producers and energy solution firms to submit bids for the construction of gas-fired power plants to bridge the state’s persistent electricity gap. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, in partnership with the Office of Public-Private Partnerships, made the call for the initiative to enhance Lagos’s power supply through the Clean Lagos Electricity Market. The announcement was jointly made by the Commissioner of the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, and the Special Adviser of the Office of Public-Private Partnerships, Bukola Odoe.

JUST IN: Former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello Reports to EFCC

  A former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has again honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged misappropriation of funds. It was gathered that the embattled former governor went to the anti-graft agency office on Tuesday morning in the company of his lawyers. His visit to the commission follows the Supreme Court judgment which dismissed states’ case on the constitutionality of the anti-graft agency. It was also gathered that Bello drove himself in a black Hilux to the EFCC office with his lawyers. There were insinuations last week that he was going to visit the EFCC but the former governor’s media aides did not respond to enquiries on the information. Recall that at the last hearing on the fresh charges preferred against the former governor which is before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Maitama in Abuja, heard on November 14, the EFCC had sought for an adjournment to tomorrow (November 27) in the fresh case it instituted against Bello, saying the 30 days window was still running for the summons earlier issued. The EFCC, however, admitted his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, to administrative bail and prayed to the court for an extension of time for the 1st Defendant to appear. The matter was subsequently adjourned by the trial judge for the arraignment of Bello. Punch

Just In – Oyo Gov’t Releases List Of Qualified TESCOM Applicants

  The Oyo State Government has released the first batch of qualified applicants who participated in the Oyo State Post Primary Teaching Service Commission, TESCOM’s 2024 recruitment exercise. The Permanent Secretary, TESCOM, Alhaji Lawal Haroon, made this known today in Ibadan. He said Governor Seyi Makinde has given directives that the names of the newly appointed teachers and non teaching staff be released. Alhaji Haroon added that all candidates should endeavor to check the government’s portal on tescom.jonportal.oyostate.gov.ng as from Monday 25th of November, 2024. He urged the public to disregard any fake list circulating, adding that the authentic list would be on the state portal as from Monday. He further said that all hands are on deck to ensure that appointments are prepared and delivered based on merit.

Just In- OYOSUBEB Releases First Batch Of Newly Recruited Teachers, Caregivers

  The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has released the names of 5,600 newly recruited primary school teachers and 80 caregivers in the State. The SUBEB Chairman, Dr. Nureni Aderemi Adeniran who made this known in Ibadan, explained that the list was duly approved by the Oyo State Governor, Engr. ‘Seyi Makinde. He added that the newly engaged teachers and caregivers were the first batch to be employed from successful applicants in the recruitment exercise carried out by OYOSUBEB recently. Dr. Nureni Adeniran advised applicants to check the list by logging to the job portal via: https://www.jobportal.oyostate.gov.ng. The OYOSUBEB boss said the list will be uploaded on the portal and ready for candidates to check from Saturday, November 23, 2024. He said that the 5,600 successful teaching applicants and 80 caregivers would undergo a verification exercise at the Board’s headquarters. Adeniran added that the dates for the verification exercise and other relevant information would be made available to the successful candidates in due course. He stressed that the recruitment exercise was devoid of political, religious, ethnic or gender bias, saying that the exercise was strictly based on merit. The Chairman however charged the newly recruited teachers to see their employment as a call to duty, stressing that they should judiciously utilize the opportunity by being diligent, and dedicated to their duties. The SUBEB boss also assured that the exercise was continuous as more successful applicants would still be employed in due course.  

Just In: Okpebholo, Idahosa Take Oath Of Office As Edo Gov, Deputy

The Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa have been sworn in on Tuesday. The Chief Justice of the state, Daniel Okungbowa, administered the oath to the number one and two citizens of the state at the stadium at Samuel Ogbemudia, Stadium. They both swore to uphold the constitution and work within its dictate as well as see to the well-being of the people of the state. Supporters of the party at the stadium cheered all through the oath-taking processes meant to usher in a new administration in the state. Details later…

Just In: Makinde To Present Proposed 2025 Budget On Wednesday

Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, will present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the Oyo State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, 13 November. The governor will present the Budget estimate to the lawmakers at an event scheduled to hold at the House of Assembly Complex, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan. The presentation is coming on the heels of the Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum Meetings held across the five zones of the state on the 2025 Budget, where inputs from residents of the state were collated. Governor Makinde said on Monday that the 2024 Budget performance had reached 64 per cent by November.

JUST IN: Bayelsa State APC Suspends Minister Of State Petroleum, Lokpobiri, Others Over Anti-Party Activities

  The Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress has Suspended the Minister of State Petroleum resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, alongside the 2019 governorship candidate, David Lyon, and other supporters over “anti-party activities”. This is coming few hours after party members and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State were suspended due to the same act. details later…..