The call on the Federal Government by former President Olusegun Obasanjo-led Committee for the Goodness of Nigeria to accord the issue of constitution review the urgency it deserves is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Thursday.
The Guardian reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo-led Committee for the Goodness of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to accord the issue of constitution review the urgency it deserves.
Speaking yesterday at the end of a two-day meeting, the forum admonished the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to mobilise strong will, vision and action in the reform process to enable it address both contemporary national challenges and the future of a stable, political and prosperous Nigeria.
They spoke through the secretary, Ambassador Amhed Magaji, “to fix Nigeria as a beginning that must be made.”
The committee was convened by Obasanjo, ex-Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar (rtd), Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar and ersrtwhile Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan.
The panel also has as members one-time Defence chiefs, former and current Chief Justices of Nigeria (CJNs), ex-National Security Advisers (NSAs), erstwhile Secretaries to the Government of the Federation (SGFs), traditional rulers, women leaders, National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS), youth leaders, academic unions and labour unions.
Others are representatives of socio-cultural organisations, including Afenifere, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Middle Belt Forum, Northern Elders Forum and Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
The meeting, among other recommendations, urged the President to assent to the Electoral Bill.
The newspaper says that citizens reacted yesterday, to the Federal Government’s claim that Nigeria was safer today than in 2015.
The Federal Government had earlier berated critics who accused President Muhammadu Buhari of showing no empathy over the worsening insecurity in parts of the country, saying that their allegation smacks of dirty politicking.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who gave this position at a press conference in Abuja, also said that though the legacy Buhari was establishing may be drowned by the current security problems, he has done enough to enjoy the kind judgment posterity would bestow on him.
The minister rejected what he said is the use of incendiary and insulting words, especially by leaders to overheat the polity and heighten tension.
The minister, who was apparently responding to the observations made this week by some leaders, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, in Abuja, conceded that insecurity is a concern, but noted that the president is doing everything necessary to check the situation.
He said: “The polity has recently been awash with heightened commentary on the security situation in the country. The commentary has been triggered by genuine concerns in some circles, and crass politicking or sheer absurdity in others.
“Since assuming office in 2015, President Buhari has continued to make the issue of security a major plank of his administration’s policy. This is not a surprise, considering that the fight against insecurity is one of the three priority areas of the APC-led Federal Government.”
The Punch reports that the inflation rate in Nigeria fell in November to 15.40 per cent (year-on-year), the lowest since December last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
The NBS, in its Consumer Price Index report on Wednesday, said the inflation rate fell by 0.59 per cent from 15.99 per cent in October. The drop in headline inflation began in April when it fell to 18.12 per cent from 18.17 per cent in March.
The NBS said on a month-on-month basis, the headline index increased by 1.08 per cent in November, which is 0.10 per cent higher than the rate recorded in October.
“The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the 12 months period ending November 2021 over the average of the CPI for the previous 12 months period was 16.98 per cent, showing 0.02 per cent point from 16.96 per cent recorded in October 2021,” it said.
It said urban inflation rate increased by 15.92 per cent (year-on-year) in November from 15.47 per cent in November 2020, while the rural inflation rate increased by 14.89 per cent in November 2021 from 14.33 per cent in November 2020.
The newspaper says that the World Bank announced on Wednesday a $93bn replenishment package of the International Development Association to help 74 low-income countries respond to the COVID-19 crisis and build a greener, more resilient, and inclusive future.
The Bretton Woods institution said in a statement that the financing brought together $23.5bn of contributions from 48 high- and middle-income countries with financing raised in the capital markets, repayments, and the World Bank’s own contributions.
It described the financing package, agreed over a two-day meeting hosted virtually by Japan, as the largest ever mobilised in IDA’s 61-year history. World Bank Group President, David Malpass, said,
“Today’s generous commitment by our partners is a critical step toward supporting poor countries in their efforts to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.
“We are grateful for the confidence our partners have in IDA as a non-fragmented and efficient platform to tackle development challenges and improve the lives of millions of people around the world.”
The multilateral institution said the funds would be delivered to the world’s 74 poorest countries under the 20th replenishment (IDA20) programme, which focuses on helping countries recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.
ThisDay reports that the Senate has approved the sum of $5,803,364,553.50 and a grant component of N10 million under the 2018-2020 External Borrowing (Rolling) plan of the federal government.
The approval was sequel to the consideration at yesterday’s plenary of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts. Presenting the report, the Committee Chairman, Senator Clifford Ordia, said $2,300,000,000 would be sourced from the World Bank; $2,300,000,000 would come from the German Consortium; $90,000,000 from the Islamic Development; 786,382,967 from the China Exim Bank; $276,981,586.50 from the Bank of China, and $50,000,000 from the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
He recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari in a communication dated May 6, 2021, had requested the Senate to consider and approve the federal government’s 2018-2020 External Borrowing (Rolling) plan.
According to him, the 2018-2020 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan contained a request for approval in the sum of $36,837,281,256 plus €910,000,000 and Grant Component of $10,000,000.
The ranking Senator noted that a report was laid by his Committee before the Senate in July 2021, recommending approval of the sum of $8,575,526,537 and €490,000,000.
The Sun says that as part of the global desire to mitigate the effects of carbon in the world, the Federal Government and the French Development Agency, “Agence Française de Dévelopment” (AFD) yesterday, decided to promote climate action aimed at lowering the carbon effect in Nigeria.
The agreement was reached in Abuja, when the new Country Director of the French Development Agency (AFD), Mr. Xavier Muron, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor in her office in Abuja.
In a statement, Muron said the visit was to discuss AFD strategies and priorities for climate action in Nigeria, especially based on the just-concluded COP26 and the commitment of Nigeria in this regard.
He also said the meeting was intended to provide an opportunity to discuss the upcoming launch of the Nigeria Deep Decarbonisation Project (DDP Nigeria) scheduled to hold in Abuja in the coming week.
The Country Director noted that AFD was already funding and collaborating with the ministry on several high-impact projects in the areas of waste management, biodiversity conservation, urban development, power transmission, and off-grid capacity development. Some of these, he said, are already ongoing while some are in the pipeline.
GIK/APA