The briefing on the political crisis in Mali by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and the issues arising from the he ban on importation of maize by the Federal Government dominate the headlines of Nigerian newspapers on Thursday.
The Vanguard reports that the ousted Malian President, Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, has turned down calls to be reinstated to power.
The reports said that the ECOWAS Special Envoy and former President, Goodluck Jonathan, disclosed this yesterday while briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the political crisis in Mali at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Dr Jonathan, who brought the President up to speed on dialogue with the military coup leaders seeking to stay in power for three years before holding elections, said: “They call themselves National Committee for the Salvation of the People.
‘’We asked them to allow ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to return to his personal residence, where he would be given tight security, but they said he could travel abroad, and not return to answer questions they may have for him.
“We also told them that what would be acceptable to ECOWAS was an Interim Government, headed by a civilian or retired military officer, to last for six or nine months, and maximum of 12 calendar months. The Interim Government would then organize elections to restore full constitutional order,” he said.
The Guardian says that the ban on importation of maize by the Federal Government has raised conflicts among Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), farmers and millers.
The policy is being executed by the CBN on behalf of the Federal Government.
According to the report, while some members of Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) and feed millers seek a window to import the grain, the apex bank insists it will not, for any reason, sabotage the economy by lifting the ban,
The ban was introduced, amid COVID-19 pandemic, to strengthen the economy and mitigate the falling value of naira.
Some members of Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) and feed millers had demanded a window to import about 360,000 metric tonnes of maize to bring down cost of production.
The Punch reports that the nation’s refineries did not refine a barrel of crude oil in the 12 months to June this year but incurred a combined operating expense of N142.07bn, the latest data from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation have shown.
The NNPC attributed the declining operational performance of the refineries to ongoing revamp aimed at further enhancing their capacity utilisation once completed.
The refineries, which are located in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri, have a combined installed capacity of 445,000 barrels per day but have continued to operate far below the installed capacity. The country relies largely on importation of refined petroleum products as its refineries have remained in a state of disrepair for many years despite several reported repairs.
“No white product (Premium Motor Spirit and Dual Purpose Kerosene) was produced in June 2020 and apparently for the past 12 consecutive months. The lack of production is due to ongoing rehabilitation works at the refineries,” the NNPC said in its monthly report for June.
The newspaper reports that the Federal Government has approved a N10bn survival fund for transport workers and operators, the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, has said
She made this known when the President, Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association, Isaac Uhunwagho, led the association’s National Executive Committee and Trustees to pay her a courtesy call in Abuja.
The minister said the funds would help cushion the sufferings encountered by road transport workers and operators as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Anastasia Ogbonna on behalf of the ministry’s director of public relations, Saraki said the fund was domiciled with the Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment. She said the Federal Ministry of Transportation was currently working on the modalities for its disbursement.
The minister said about 90 per cent of Nigerians travel by road, adding that the government would soon initiate a master plan to reform the sector.
The Sun says that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has revealed how it lost N18.9 billion Internal Generated Revenue which is over 90 percent revenue loss in 23 weeks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Managing Director of the agency, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, made this known on Tuesday in his opening remarks at a virtual stakeholders meeting that had in attendance the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, Director General Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Musa Nuhu and representatives of foreign and domestic airlines ahead of planned resumption of international flight on August 29.
Yadudu stated that in spite of the drastic drop in revenue, FAAN has managed to ensure that all its local airports commenced domestic operations having met the requirements of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 issued to NCAA and other regulatory bodies for clearance to reopen. The Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA) of FAAN, Mrs. Nike
Aboderin, in her presentation said the agency suffered N17.5billion loss of aeronautic charges in 23 weeks and another N1.4billion loss of non-aeronautic charges from April to June, 2020 compared to same periods in 2019.
GIK/APA