The concerns that fake and illegal COVID-19 vaccines may soon flood the Nigerian market if the Federal Government did not tackle the situation urgently is one of the leading stories in Nigerian newspapers on Monday.
The Guardian reports that three days after Nigeria began vaccination for coronavirus, there are concerns that fake and illegal COVID-19 vaccines may soon flood the Nigerian market if the Federal Government did not tackle the situation urgently.
The anxiety was heightened, last week, when the global police organization, Interpol Police, in China and South Africa reportedly seized thousands of fake doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, warning this represented only the “tip of the iceberg” in vaccine-related crime.
The Lyon-based agency Interpol said 400 vials – equivalent to around 2,400 doses – containing the fake vaccine were found at a warehouse in Germiston outside Johannesburg in South Africa, where officers also recovered fake masks and arrested three Chinese and a Zambian national.
The situation has raised questions about readiness of Nigeria to prevent fake vaccines from getting into the country, a situation that could increase concerns about efficacy and apathy.
The Guardian investigation revealed that real the challenge for government is that there are no enough vaccines. Some travellers may become so desperate to be tempted to take from the black market, which might encourage its smuggling.
The Vanguard says that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised the alarm over the alleged padding of the cost for the reconstruction of the Abuja -Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road for the sum of N797.23 billion, saying the project has exposed the multi-layered level of corruption in the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.
In a statement issued late Sunday night by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party asserted that the approval of “a scandalous N797.23 billion ($2.09bn) by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the 375 kilometre road, speaks volumes of the level of profligacy and corruption inherent in the administration.”
The statement read: “While the PDP has nothing against any genuine effort towards infrastructural development in our country and particularly the reconstruction of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road, our party, and indeed, all well-meaning Nigerians, reject this clear attempt by the APC administration to hide under this desirable project to fleece our nation.
“Our party invites Nigerians to note that by awarding the reconstruction of the 375 kilometer road for N797 billion, the APC Federal Government wants the nation to believe that it is spending N2.12 billion ($5.58 million) per kilometer of road.
“The PDP holds that this is the height of corruption, recklessness and insult on the sensibilities of Nigerians.
ThisDay reports that the Senate Committee on Public Account has accused the Ministry of Solid Minerals of alleged non-remittance of N2 billion into the Federation Account.
This is just as the committee, chaired by Senator Mathew Uhroghide, also uncovered how the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) allegedly spent N966 billion to repair pipeline between 2010 and 2015, as contained in the report of query by the Auditor General of the Federation (AuGF) over alleged unremitted N4 trillion by NNPC into the Federation Account.
From records presented for audit, it was noted that the sum of N2,838,351,664.97 was collected as solid mineral revenue from January to December 2016, but this amount was not paid into the Federation Account for distribution in 2016 contrary to Section 162 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The committee has, therefore, requested the Permanent Secretary of the ministry to explain why the ministry failed to pay the revenues collected into the Federation Account as required by the constitution.
The ministry, however, failed to respond to the query of the AuGF on the issue of non-remittance of N2 billion into the Federation Account.
The newspaper says that the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group last Friday signed a $400,000 grant agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria to strengthen securities markets regulation and broaden market instruments.
The funds will go towards strengthening risk-based supervision framework, regulation of derivatives and green bonds, and build capacity for green finance.
The grant will be sourced from the Capital Markets Development Trust Fund, a multi-donor fund administered by the bank. Speaking on the development, the Senior Director, AfDB Group, Mr. Lamin Barrow, said: “We are very delighted to sign this agreement, which enable us accelerate the implementation of key initiatives.
“The grant will enhance the capacity of the SEC in risk-based supervision framework for the financial and securities market, strengthen operational readiness in the areas of risk-based publishing, derivatives and green bonds trading market. “It will provide capacity building and training programmes for the NSE, issuers and institutional investors on green bonds, as well as market operators and regulators from the wider Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.
The Punch reports that the Deposit Money Banks on Sunday started wooing customers ahead of the commencement of the latest ‘Naira-for-Dollar’ policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had on Saturday announced the introduction of an incentive of N5 for every $1 of fund remitted to Nigeria through International Money Transfer Organisations in the bank’s new forex policy.
He said the move was part of CBN’s reforms to boost the inflow of foreign currency into the country, adding that the N5 for every $1 fund remitted to Nigeria initiative would begin on Monday (today). Based on the policy,
Deposit Money Banks reached out to their customers on Sunday telling them that N5 would be given for every dollar received by the customers. Guarantee Trust Bank, for instance, sent out text messages to its customers on Sunday concerning the new development.
It said, “Dear Customer, we are giving you N5 for every dollar you receive via money transfer agents. Offer available at all GTBank branches nationwide and valid till 8th of May.”
The newspaper says that the Nigerian Government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Solidaridad West Africa for the development of Nigeria’s oil palm sector.
In November 2020, The PUNCH reported that officials from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, states, agencies and non-governmental organisations revealed that Nigeria was spending about $500m annually on oil palm imports.
Senior government officials and other stakeholders had agreed to partner to reduce the continued import of the commodity.
As part of measures to cut down on palm oil imports, the government through the FMARD signed an MoU with Solidaridad to develop Nigeria’s oil palm industry. This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Programme Officer, Communications, Outreach and Networking of Solidaridad, Pita Ochai.
“Under the memorandum, Solidaridad will provide technical support to FMARD in the development of the oil palm sector,” the West African firm stated.” It added,
GIK/APA