National Issues
Saki: Kinsmen express fear as Shittu threatens to demolish fire service station
Community leaders from Saki, Oyo state, the country home of Nigerian Communications Minister, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, on Friday expressed fear as the Minister threatened to demolish a N20m Fire Service Station.
Also, they noted that it was sad that the Station aimed to serve the needs of people of Saki and other neighbouring towns during emergencies has been targeted for demolition.
Shittu’s Kinsmen including the National President of Saki Parapo, Alhaji Sule Lawal, the Akeweje of Saki, Chief Raimi Akande, Caretaker Committee Chairman, Saki West Local Government, Alhaji Kareem Adegoke and his counterpart from Wewe Local Council Development Area said the Minister had on Thursday in Saki promised to raze the station.
While urging the minister to rescind the planned demolition, a retired Permanent Secretary in the state, Alhaji Raimi Akande who spoke on behalf of the elders, on Friday during a press conference held in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital said “We are not here to destroy anybody or Bayo Shittu. He is my brother, I contributed to his education.
“As a retired permanent secretary, you know my take home monthly; I am not contesting for any post or looking for commissioner at my age. But we assure you that our coming here is not to blackmail anybody.
“Though, there are several others in Oke-ogun eyeing the governorship seat, but if APC gives him the ticket, Saki is ready to support him. We are not here to blackmail him but to say the truth. He boasted to destroy the fire station and we have to entertain fear as he promised yesterday (Thursday). We expect our son even to be magnanimous but, he insisted.
“We are not here to disown him. Yes he was given an award by Parapo to recognise him but he was not the only one. The fire service station is not for Saki alone, it is for Oke-Ogun area.
“Our stand is that we are looking for amicable settlement. You know, when two elephants are fighting, it is the grasses that suffer. We want ICT and the Fire Service Station, that is why we have to cry to you people.
“Two, we expect our son to say that I give this land to you and I will look for another one.
“Three, we have told the Chairman to allocate another land for him which he has done, what else? Shittu is still our son and we are ready to help him”, he added.
Earlier in his remarks, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Saki West Local Government, Alhaji Adegoke Kareem accused the Minister of using his personal interest to override the public interest.
Adegoke, who noted that the said land belongs to Saki West Local Government and not the Minister, further explained that the same land which the Minister intends to erect a Computer Based Test, CBT, Centre had been allocated to Fire Service for the construction of a station.
The council chief, however cautioned Shittu to stop fighting a war of blame because it will be suicidal for him to allow his personal interest to override the interest of the public, the people of Saki, his hometown and other neighbouring towns and villages in the Oke-Ogun area.
In his words, “Oke Dio, Ajumose Estate, those are the government landed property in Saki West LG. In year 2000 when private schools begin to spread, certain individuals came to the LG to request for land and by then the LG have a place headed by Chairman.
“NTA, Al-Sunna, Redeemed Church requested for land some years back, Bayo Shittu requested for land; all these private individuals brought a reminder letter. The Committee sat, invited them and allocations were made.
“Alhaji Adebayo Shittu was given a piece of land where he built his school and he was asked to pay N80,000 and he was to pay N3,240 per annum as ground rent . He has since paid that N80,000 but between 2000 to 2018, 18 years, the Minister had not paid one kobo for the ground rent.
“Now after all these lands were allocated, there was a small piece left, Bayo Shittu wanted to annex it with his school, the council management went against it because that land has been allotted to DSS. But DSS said that land was small.
“The Fire Service approached Parapo. Let me remind you that in year 2005, Oyo State House of Assembly legislated that we should have a befitting ultra modern fire station. The approval was given by the then Commissioner for Water, which means fire service had already gotten an approval to construct fire station.
“All that land in Oke-Dio belongs to the government. Two plots were allocated to Parapo for onward transmission to Fire Service. Now fire service took the letter given to it by the Ministry of Land to the Ministry of Works to do the Survey. They surveyed that land and got titled document. Parapo has no document.
“In this dispensation, Alhaji Bayo Shittu was nominated a Minister and became a minister. He came home and Parapo approached him; they requested for communal assistance. He asked if they could get a piece of land to build an ICT Centre but mistakenly, they gave him the same land that was given to Fire Service.
“Bayo has no titled document, no C of O, no letter of consent. Fire Service came to Ibadan and reported that the land given to them has been given to Bayo Shittu to build ICT centre; that is how the trouble started.
“I, as the Chairman of the Local Government, invited eminent persons, noble persons, we deliberated on this issue. It was agreed that the fire service is more important. It is not meaningful to site a fire station outside the town, fire station should be centrally located. That was the argument.
“We said we should look for another piece of land and give to Bayo Shittu and allow fire station to construct their station. That was the agreement. Two days after, Bayo went to court asking them to set aside the construction. The fire service is not joined in the suit, they are constructing their station.
“That land, Bayo Shittu has no development on it, no survey, no deed, nothing. So the fire service just went there to construct. He swore an oath of allegiance as a public servant but is he now using his personal interest to override public interest?”, Adegoke questioned.
National Issues
Nigeria’s Foreign Debt Servicing Hits $3.58bn in Nine Months, Pressuring Budgets
The Nigerian government spent a staggering $3.58 billion on servicing foreign debt within the first nine months of 2024, marking a significant 39.77% increase compared to the $2.56 billion expended over the same period in 2023.
This data, drawn from a recent report on international payment statistics by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), reflects a concerning rise in the country’s foreign debt obligations amid depreciating currency values.
According to the report, the most substantial monthly debt servicing payment occurred in May 2024, totaling $854.37 million. This is a substantial 286.52% increase from May 2023’s $221.05 million.
Meanwhile, the highest monthly payment for 2023 was $641.7 million in July, underscoring the trend of Nigeria’s escalating debt costs.
Detailed analysis of monthly payments further illuminates the trend.
In January 2024, debt servicing costs surged by 398.89%, reaching $560.52 million, a significant rise from $112.35 million in January 2023. However, February saw a modest reduction of 1.84%, with costs decreasing from $288.54 million in 2023 to $283.22 million in 2024. March also recorded a decline of 31.04%, down to $276.17 million from $400.47 million the previous year.
Additional fluctuations in debt payments continued throughout the year, with June witnessing a slight decrease of 6.51% to $50.82 million from $54.36 million in 2023. July 2024 payments dropped by 15.48%, while August showed a 9.69% decline compared to 2023. September, however, reversed the trend with a 17.49% increase, highlighting persistent pressure on foreign debt obligations.
With the rise in exchange rates exacerbating these financial strains, Nigeria’s foreign debt servicing costs are projected to remain elevated.
The central bank’s data highlights how these obligations are stretching national resources as the naira’s devaluation continues to impact debt repayment in dollar terms.
Rising State Debt Levels Add Pressure
The federal government’s debt challenges are mirrored by state governments, whose collective debt rose to N11.47 trillion by June 30, 2024.
Despite allocations from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) and internally generated revenue (IGR), states remain heavily reliant on federal transfers to meet budgetary demands.
According to the Debt Management Office (DMO), the debt burden for Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) rose by 14.57% from N10.01 trillion in December 2023.
In naira terms, debt rose by 73.46%, from N4.15 trillion to N7.2 trillion, primarily due to the naira’s depreciation from N899.39 to N1,470.19 per dollar within six months. External debt for states and the FCT also increased from $4.61 billion to $4.89 billion during this period.
Further data from BudgIT’s 2024 State of States report illustrates how reliant states are on federal support. The report revealed that 32 states depended on FAAC allocations for at least 55% of their revenue in 2023.
In fact, 14 states relied on FAAC for 70% or more of their revenue. This heavy dependence on federal transfers underscores the vulnerability of states to fluctuations in federal revenue, particularly those tied to oil prices.
The economic challenges facing both the federal and state governments are stark. The combination of mounting foreign debt, fluctuating exchange rates, and high reliance on federally distributed revenue suggests a need for fiscal reforms to bolster revenue generation and reduce vulnerability to external shocks.
With foreign debt obligations continuing to grow, the report emphasizes the urgency for Nigeria to address its debt sustainability to foster long-term economic stability.
National Issues
Rep. Oseni Urges Urgent Action on Rising Building Collapses in Nigeria
Engr. Aderemi Oseni, representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State in the House of Representatives, has called for a prompt investigation into the increasing occurrences of building collapses in major cities across Nigeria.
In a motion presented to the House on Wednesday, Oseni expressed deep concern over the alarming frequency of building collapses, emphasising the threat they pose to the lives and property of Nigerians.
The APC lawmaker, through a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, cited the recent collapse of a two-storey school building at Saint Academy in Busa Buji, Jos, Plateau State, on July 12, 2024. The tragic incident, which trapped 154 people and claimed 22 lives, is the latest in a series of similar disasters, raising serious concerns nationwide.
Oseni also referenced a report from The Punch newspaper, which revealed that Nigeria had recorded 135 building collapse incidents between 2022 and July 2024.
“This figure is alarming and unacceptable,” he stated, stressing the urgency of preventing further occurrences.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Oseni reminded the House that the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and other relevant professional bodies are responsible for ensuring compliance with building standards and practices.
“Despite these regulatory frameworks, the recurring collapses suggest that enforcement is lacking. The loss of lives, properties, and resources is staggering, and this disturbing trend must be addressed immediately,” he remarked.
He proposed the formation of an Adhoc Committee to investigate the underlying causes of these collapses and recommend both immediate and long-term solutions.
Also, he urged the House Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure swift implementation of any recommendations.
The House agreed to deliberate on the motion and is expected to present its findings and proposed actions within eight weeks.
National Issues
Corruption Among Political, Religious Leaders Stalls Nation-Building – Olugbon
The Vice-chairman of the Oyo Council of Obas and Chiefs, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, has expressed deep concern over the increasing involvement of religious leaders in material pursuits, accusing them of abandoning their spiritual duties in favour of wealth and influence.
Oba Alao, who is also the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, made this statement during a visit from the leadership of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement “Ayo Ni O,” led by Baba Aladura Prophet Emmanuel Abiodun Alogbo, at his palace in Surulere Local Government on Thursday.
The monarch accused some religious leaders of sharing part of the blame for the moral and political crises that have engulfed the nation. According to him, spiritual leaders, once seen as the moral compass of society, have become compromised by corruption, aligning themselves with the very forces they should condemn.
Oba Alao was unapologetic in his criticism, stating, “Ninety-five percent of Nigerian leaders, both political and religious, are spiritually compromised.”
He argued that this moral decay among clerics has made it impossible for them to hold political leaders accountable or speak the truth to those in power, as their integrity has been eroded by their pursuit of material wealth.
“Carnality has taken over spirituality. Our religious leaders can no longer speak the truth to those in authority because their minds have been corrupted. Most of the so-called General Overseers (G.O.) are corrupt and perverted,” Oba Alao added.
He stressed that this shift towards wealth accumulation at the expense of spiritual values has greatly contributed to the country’s stagnation in development and social justice.
Olugbon urged both religious leaders and traditional rulers to reflect on their actions, reminding them that they would be held accountable for their stewardship, both in this world and the next.
“The prayers of sinners are an abomination before God, hence the need for our leaders to rethink,” he warned.
The monarch concluded by reiterating the transient nature of power and the importance of staying true to sacred duties, regardless of the temptation to indulge in worldly gains. “I am a traditional ruler. I don’t belong, and will never belong, to any occultic groups,” he emphasised, drawing a clear line between his position and the corrupt practices of some leaders.
In response to the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement’s request for collaboration on community development projects, Oba Alao assured them of his support.
“Your requests are aimed at the development of the Orile Igbon community. I am assuring you that necessary assistance will be provided in this regard.”
Earlier, Prophet Alogbo requested the monarch’s collaboration on a range of community development projects. These initiatives include the establishment of a women and youth empowerment center, clean drinking water initiatives, a bakery, animal production facilities, and farm produce processing.
Other proposals included a diagnostic and medical center, a full-size recreational sports facility, and a home care facility for the elderly.
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