Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers
1. The Governor Samuel Ortom-led Benue State Government has approved the sum of N30, 000 new minimum wage for civil servants in the state.
Ortom’s Adviser on Labour Matters, Hon. Ode Enyi said Ortom approved N30. 999k at a meeting on Thursday.
2. Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning has disclosed that the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) increase from five per cent to 7.5 per cent will take effect from Feb. 1.
Ahmed said this during the inauguration of the Chairman and Board members of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in Abuja on Thursday.
3. President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja Friday for London to participate in the inaugural UK-Africa Investment Summit holding on Monday, January 20, 2020.
Hosted by the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, the event, according to the organisers, is expected to bring together African leaders, international business chief executives and heads of international organisations “to create new partnerships that will deliver more investments and jobs” to the benefit of people and businesses in African countries and the United Kingdom.
4. President Muhammadu Buhari has sent the name of Dr Kingsley Isitua Obiora to the Senate for confirmation as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
Buhari’s nomination of Obiorah was contained in a letter sent to the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan.
5. The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared N716.298 billion to the three tiers of government for the month of December 2019.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Alhaji Isa Dutse, said the Federal Government received N287.929 billion, the State Governments got N191.302 billion, and the Local Government Councils received N143.698 billion.
6. Governor Nyesom Wike has approved the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage monthly salary for employees of the Rivers State Public Service.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, stated that the approval of the N30,000 minimum wage comes with the consequential salary adjustments as approved by the Federal Government.
7. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, says Nigeria and majority of other African countries are not yet ready for the implementation of the ECOWAS Single Currency, “Eco,” in 2020.
Onyeama, who made this known on Thursday in Abuja while speaking with Journalists, explained that Nigeria’s position on the single currency was agreed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Member States.
8. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) on Friday raised the alarm over what it described as the attempt of the handlers of Amotekun to accept birth certificates registered only in churches as one of the pre-requisites for eligibility for recruitment into the security outfit.
Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC Director claimed that the group is not allergic to any state or region taking steps aimed at cushioning the effect of the security challenges currently facing Nigeria, he said the approach must be transparent, assuring, all-embracing and have an evidence of good intention.
9. The Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Mr Festus Keyamo, has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a very unserious opposition.
Keyamo said this while condemning the PDP’s reaction to the judgement of the Supreme Court which removed Mr Emeka Ihedioha as the governor of Imo State.
10. Suspected armed bandits, on Thursday, allegedly killed fourteen people in an attack in Babban Rafi village, Gwalli District of Gummi local government area of Zamfara State.
A source from Barikin Daji village, who sought for anonymity, said that the bandits went to the village on motorbikes numbering over 40 around 9 a.m.
