Prices Of food Will Increase In December – Transporters Warns Nigerians

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Nigerians are facing increasing hardship, and foodstuff transporters, under the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN), have warned that food prices will skyrocket in December. In an interview with Vanguard, the National President of AUFCDN, Mohammed Tahir, explained that the rising costs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and diesel, combined with daily extortion and double taxation on federal highways, are severely impacting foodstuff transporters. Tahir said, “Each trailer-load of rice, beans, corn, and other commodities from Sokoto to Port Harcourt costs N2.25 million. The same amount is spent to transport goods to other parts of the South.” He warned that the cost of food will escalate as the Christmas season approaches, worsening the already significant hardship Nigerians are facing. “The price increase will continue into the New Year,” he added. The high transportation costs are compounded by double taxation, with local and state government revenue collectors setting up roadblocks, security agencies and “agberos” (street extortionists), and additional fees at markets. Tahir noted that regions such as the South-East, South-South, and parts of the South-West are particularly problematic, with reports of drivers and motor-boys being harassed and even beaten. He also expressed frustration that the government has not engaged with foodstuff transporters to address these issues, despite their vital role in feeding the nation. “We have not received any invitation to discuss our challenges as major stakeholders in the food system,” he lamented. Many members of the union have stopped transporting foodstuff due to the high cost of doing business. “How they are surviving is another issue,” Tahir said. “There has been no intervention for foodstuff transporters by any administration.” Despite the severe difficulties, Tahir emphasized that the union does not want to go on strike, understanding the impact it would have on vulnerable Nigerians. “If we stop transporting foodstuff, it would paralyze the entire country,” he warned, urging the government to intervene urgently to alleviate their burden and ensure the continued flow of food supplies.

Oyo Govt Approves Over 70% Budget Increase for Persons With Disabilities

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  The Oyo State Government has increased the 2025 capital budgetary allocation for Persons with Disabilities by over 70 per cent of what they received in 2024. The Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, disclosed this in Ibadan, during the celebration of the 2024 Stakeholders summit and International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Makinde, represented by his Deputy, Bayo Lawal spoke on how the government has fared with the welfare of the disability community in his over four-year administration. He noted that all the requests of the persons with disabilities for the next year budget plans as submitted during the last Budget Town Hall meetings formed the increase of their capital budget to N877,500,000. The Governor added that their capital budget was initially N492,000,000, while the Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities’ overhead cost has increased from N315,000,000 to N345,000,000. “It is believed that both will take care of their requests which include Transportation empowerment, training of relevant Agency with what their roles will be for the persons with disabilities, training of enforcement Agencies for compliance, purchase of Assistive devices, mobility equipments among others.” The governor added that Oyo State has recruited 510 persons with disabilities into Oyo State Civil Service. He added, “I have also given directive that henceforth, in every ministry the quota of the persons with disabilities must be protected.” Makinde recalled that, as soon as he assumed office on May 29, 2023, he appointed Barrister Ayodele Adekanmbi as the pioneer Director-General of the Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Makinde said he equally appointed Mr. Timothy Olufemi as the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Disability Matters to ensure that PWDs are carried along in governance. His words, “And when God granted me the grace of a second term, I reappointed Barrister Adekanmbi again but this time as the Pioneer Director General, Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities and I gave him the mandate to draw a budget line for the Agency, to find a suitable and conducive office environment to use, and to see to the redeployment of staff to kick-start the Agency for persons with Disabilities. I am glad to inform you that all these have been done within 1 year and 6 months of Omituntun 2.0.” He said, “Presently as we speak, disability cluster groups’ grants and subvention have been approved, and in no distant time, three operational vehicles will be delivered for the smooth running of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.” Speaking further, Makinde said, “It is on the record that I am the first Governor to politically empower persons with disabilities by appointing them as Supervisory Councilors and SAs across the entire Local Governments of Oyo State, which was what made us stand out as an all inclusive government all over the country.” Speaking earlier, the Director-General, Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Barr. Ayodele Adekanmbi said the administration of governor Seyi Makinde is truly committed to providing opportunities for People Living with Disabilities (PwDs). “The Agency has continued to receive all the necessary support from the administration to ensure that PwDs are carried along. “Since the coming of Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, there are some deliberate initiatives the governor has put in place to improve access to governance and quality of service to persons with disabilities,” he said.

CBN To retire 1,000 Employees With N50bn Severance Package

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  The Central Bank of Nigeria is reported to be preparing to retire approximately 1,000 employees as part of a strategic workforce realignment. A severance package worth over N50 billion was said to have been allocated as the payoff for the exercise. According to an insider, the retirement initiative is driven by the need to streamline operations and reduce staff numbers under the leadership of the apex bank’s Governor, Olayemi Cardoso. Daily Trust reported on Monday that a circular released three weeks ago by the CBN noted that the application for Early Exit Package (EPP) was open to all cadres of staff and will close by Saturday, December 7. Exempted are those yet to be confirmed or who have served less than one year “as of the date of publication with the effective date of exit set at 31 December 2024.” Officials told Daily Trust that the apex bank was targeting the retirement of over 1,000 staff members. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, were quoted as saying that at least 860 staff from the various departments have already applied for the EPP. The management described the EEP as a voluntary programme offering eligible employees an incentive to exit the CBN early, “while providing employees seeking other career options a great opportunity for early exit.” It cautioned that the staffers could not change their minds after applying, saying that all completed and submitted applications are final. The EEP stated that financial incentives for senior supervisors to deputy managers shall be for the remaining period in service, up to a maximum of 60 months of the current grade’s gross annual emoluments. It also noted that financial incentives for managers shall be for the remaining period in service, up to a maximum of 36 months of the current grade’s gross annual emoluments. “Financial incentives for all other cadres of staff shall be for the remaining period in service, up to a maximum of 18 months of current grade gross annual emoluments,” it added. A staff member, who spoke to the Daily Trust, said, “The way they dated the offer, you’ll know that the target is actually from senior supervisors to deputy managers. If you look at it, they’re mostly those that came in within the nine years of Governor Emefiele. “For instance, I’ve worked for four years in the bank; the package they’re giving me is between N92 million to N97 million. “Some others have worked up to a manager level and are only entitled to N64.5 million. So, the more time you have to go, the more money they pay you because you know, for them, you don’t have gratuity”, the staff said. Another staff member told Daily Trust that during a webinar held on Friday, the Human Resources Department of the bank expressed the apex bank’s decision to get the number it was targeting for the EEP. “There is serious tension, serious apprehension. You can imagine the atmosphere. It is terrible. “As of Friday, there were 860 people so far that have indicated interest in the EEP,” the staff member said. When contacted by Daily Trust for comments on the decision to send about 1,000 staff on early retirement, the CBN’s Director of Corporate Communication, Hakama Sidi Ali, neither answered calls nor replied to a text message sent to her.

Fire Razes 17 Shops In Ibadan Market

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  A devastating fire destroyed goods worth millions of naira on Monday, as it ravaged 17 shops at the Moniya market in the Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State. The blaze, which began around 12.30am, is believed to have been triggered by a power surge. It was gathered that the fire caused significant damage, with valuable goods and cash destroyed. The Babaloja of Moniya Garage, Kolawole Balogun, and Chairman of the Garage, Saliu Bello, told PUNCH Online that they were alerted by a security guard about the fire at around 12.30am. Both expressed deep concern over the extent of the losses. Balogun said, “I rushed to the market as soon as I got the call. We lost multimillion-naira goods. The prompt arrival of the fire service prevented even greater devastation. “In addition to the goods, cash in millions of naira was also destroyed. Many traders often store their money in their shops when they leave for the night.” Several victims, including Yetunde Musa, Ajetunmobi Idowu, Olaide Badmus, Balogun Sulaimon, and Ajetunmobi Kolawole, called on the government to provide immediate support for those affected. More details to follow…

ICYMI: ‘We Quit Our Jobs To Sell Jollof Rice In UK’

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A Nigerian food vendor, Azeez Olayide, has said he and his business partner left their jobs to start selling jollof rice in the United Kingdom. Olayide disclosed this during a recent interview on the programme My Tasty Naija. He said the business name, ‘2 Nigerian Boys’ began in February 2019 at London Financial District, Spitalfield market. According to the businessman, the adventure started when he and his friend wanted to satisfy their appetite with ‘smoky’ jollof rice but did not get it. “The story was just about two Nigerian friends who loved Nigerian foods so much,” Olayide said. “One of them just said, ‘Let’s go to the city and bring jollof rice.’” The two men were dumbfounded on the first day they started the business as they sold all that they had in 30 minutes, giving them the confidence that the business would thrive. “Both of us were amazed and looked at each other in the face and said, ‘We need to quit our jobs and start selling Nigerian foods.’” He stressed that the success of the business was based on its acceptance by the customers who loved the food. “Ninety per cent of our customers are non-Africans, while the remaining 10 per cent are Nigerians. They love the beef when they eat it,” Olayide said. “It is a lunchtime business. We open business between 12pm and 2pm. It gets crazy here with lunchtime.” Another peculiarity of the business is that the food is cooked on-site to announce itself to passers-by and people. Meanwhile, he disclosed that a branch of the business has been opened in Briston after feedback from customers in London. Olayide, however, declined to reveal his business partner, whom he called ‘a magician’ and was the brain behind the cooking of the jollof rice. “You can’t see the person performing the magic. The second Nigerian boy is a magician who makes the Nigerian Boys come together for a business,” he added.

Proposed NLC Strike: No Strike In Oyo State – Oyo Govt

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  The Oyo State Government has assured its citizens that there will be no strike in the State even as the National body called for a nationwide strike from Monday. The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, gave this assurance in a Press Statement from his office on Saturday. According to him, the on-going negotiations between the State Government and the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are at an advanced stage and on the verge of implementation. Besides, the Commissioner said that both parties have unfettered confidence in the sincerity of the negotiations and in the track record of the State Government to fulfil its promises. Prince Oyelade said that Governor Seyi Makinde did not negotiate with the Labour leaders before he announced a generous ₦80,000 minimum wage which will be implemented as soon as the Consequential Adjustment negotiations are concluded. He noted that the present administration has not only been worker-friendly with its prompt payment of salaries and pensions on the 25th of every month but has also expanded the workforce with large-scale record recruitment exercises across board. In the meantime, workers are already looking forward to the prompt payment of the December salaries and the 13th month bonus as it has always been since the Inception of the Seyi Makinde administration.

Combiart Dispersible Tablet: NAFDAC Warns Nigerians Of Fake Anti-Malaria Drugs In Circulation

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  NAFDAC, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control has raised an alert over the circulation of counterfeit Combiart Dispersible Tablet 20/120mg in Nigeria. NAFDAC disclosed this via a post on its X handle. According to the agency, the product is manufactured by Strides Arcolab Limited, based in India. “This product was discovered in the FCT and Rivers State during surveillance activities conducted by officers of the Post Marketing Surveillance Directorate of NAFDAC. “The laboratory report of the analysis carried out on the product revealed that it contained zero active pharmaceutical ingredients. The product was also observed to have two different date markings. The NAFDAC database of registered products confirmed that the product licence has expired, and the NAFDAC registration number on it is incorrect and does not belong to the product. “The Artemether and Lumefantrine combination belongs to a group of medicines known as antimalarials. It treats malaria, a red blood cell infection transmitted by mosquito bites. However, this medicine is not used to treat severe or complicated malaria,” NAFDAC stated. The agency warned that counterfeit medicines pose significant risks to health as they do not meet regulatory standards, meaning their safety, quality, and efficacy cannot be assured. It added that counterfeit medicines often fail to effectively treat conditions, leading to severe health consequences, including death. NAFDAC identified the product’s batch number as 7225119, with a NAFDAC registration number of A11-0299. It noted that the manufacturing dates on the product were June 2023 and February 2023, while the expiry dates were May 2026 and June 2026. The manufacturer’s name and address were listed as: Strides Arcolab Limited, 36/7, Suragajakkanahalli, Indlavadi Cross, Anekal Taluk, Bangalore (562 106), India. The agency directed all its zonal directors and state coordinators to conduct surveillance and remove counterfeit products from circulation. Importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers were urged to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale, and use of counterfeit products. “All medical products must be obtained from authorized/licensed suppliers. The authenticity and physical condition of the products should be carefully checked,” NAFDAC advised. Healthcare professionals and consumers were also urged to report any suspicion of substandard or falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office. Reports can also be made via the NAFDAC hotline at 0800-162-3322 or by email at sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng. Similarly, adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicines or devices should be reported through the NAFDAC e-reporting platform on its website, the Med-Safety app (available on Android and iOS), or via email at pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng. NAFDAC noted that the alert will also be uploaded to the World Health Organisation Global Surveillance and Monitoring System.

La Liga: Flick Confirms Barcelona’s Yamal Fit To Play After Injury Break

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  Barcelona coach Hansi Flick on Friday said teenage winger, Lamine Yamal, will return after three weeks out with injury for this weekend’s game against Las Palmas in La Liga. The 17-year-old has been sidelined since early November with an ankle problem, and Barcelona have picked up just one point from the two league games he missed in that time. “Lamine Yamal is back, and he’s ready to play. We haven’t decided yet if he’ll start, but he will play,” Flick told reporters ahead of Saturday’s game. Yamal has scored six times in 16 total appearances this season and provided eight assists. Table-toppers Barcelona have failed to win any of the three matches he has not started in La Liga, losing 4-2 to Osasuna in September when he was on the bench. Barcelona are four points clear of Real Madrid but have played a game more than the defending champions. Yamal couldn’t make the team for Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League victory against Brest as he watched from the stands. Flick also said Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo is nearing a comeback after undergoing surgery in July for a hamstring injury he sustained while playing for his country at the Copa America.

Public Outrage As Army Detains Investigative Journalist Fisayo Soyombo

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  Widespread condemnation has followed the detention of Fisayo Soyombo, founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, by the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Soyombo, a renowned investigative journalist celebrated for exposing corruption and systemic failures, has been held for three consecutive days. His detention has sparked nationwide calls for his immediate release and intensified concerns about press freedom in Nigeria. In a statement shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, November 29, FIJ condemned the detention, describing it as an assault on press freedom. Soyombo is no stranger to persecution for his investigative work. In 2021, he was briefly detained after publishing an exposé on police corruption. The current detention has triggered an outcry across social media platforms, particularly on X, with #FreeFisayoNow gaining traction as Nigerians, rights groups, and activists express outrage. Amnesty International Nigeria called for his “immediate and unconditional release,” labelling the detention as “arbitrary and unlawful.” Activist Aisha Yesufu also condemned the detention, urging the Nigerian Army to focus on terrorists instead of journalists. “Dear Nigerian Army, go and arrest Bello Turji, who has killed Nigerians and even your personnel. Leave Fisayo alone. Journalism is not a crime,” she posted on X. Similarly, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting described the detention as an attack on press freedom, echoing widespread demands for Soyombo’s release. Despite public pressure, the Nigerian Army has yet to confirm the detention or provide an official explanation. Reporters Without Borders has repeatedly ranked Nigeria as one of West Africa’s most dangerous countries for journalists in 2024. In its recent data, Nigeria placed poorly on the World Press Freedom Index, ranking 115th out of 180 countries.

Zacch Adedeji Calls For Public Support For Government Policies

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  In today’s world, where everyone has an opinion on social media, it’s easy for people to comment without fully understanding the situation. Yes, everyone is entitled to their views, but as Nigerians, it’s time for us to dive deeper into reading and understanding the policies that shape our future. The government is working hard to put Nigeria on the global map, and there are plenty of policies that are truly designed to benefit us all. Nigeria’s economy is often the talk of the town, especially when the government looks to borrowing to fund important projects. With limited resources, finding the right balance between borrowing and generating revenue is important. Recently, the federal government’s request for a $2.2 billion loan sparked debates about how sustainable such borrowing is. However, the government has made it clear that borrowing is a well-thought-out tool for development, one that comes with legislative approval and clear economic goals. Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), recently shared his thoughts on this issue and helped clarify why borrowing remains part of Nigeria’s financial strategy. Speaking at a session on the 2025-2027 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), the Tax Boss explained that borrowing is not a random decision. Each loan request is based on laws passed by the National Assembly, ensuring the process is transparent and aligns with the country’s financial goals. So, what does this mean for Nigerians? One thing is certain: borrowing helps the government fund projects like roads, schools, hospitals, and power plants. These are the tangible outcomes of strategic loans. Without these investments, the pace of development in a nation could slow down, leaving many areas behind. The key is balance. Borrowing should focus on projects that improve our lives, while efforts to grow Nigeria’s internal revenue continue, helping reduce our reliance on loans in the long run. Under the Tax Boss, the FIRS has consistently exceeded revenue targets, setting new standards for efficiency in tax collection. Dr. Zacch has redefined what it means to lead with purpose, transforming the tax system into a powerhouse of innovation and effectiveness. His efforts have elevated Nigeria’s revenue generation to new heights, showcasing his ability to drive growth and financial stability for the country. Dr. Zacch doesn’t shy away from tough truths. Even with impressive revenue generation, borrowing is still necessary to meet the nation’s ambitious goals. For him, it’s not just about borrowing money; it’s about making sure that the fund is used wisely to improve Nigeria’s future. Every loan is an investment in infrastructure and reforms that will benefit us all. Dr. Zacch offers a clear path. His approach is not just about fixing today’s problems; it’s about setting up a stronger, self-sustaining future. He shows that with the right leadership, borrowing can be a tool for progress when used carefully and transparently. Independent NG

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