The 39 million euros earmarked by the European Union for the conduct of transparent, credible and inclusive 2023 general elections in Nigeria is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Monday.
The Guardian reports that the European Union (EU) has earmarked €39 million euros (N17.94 billion) for the conduct of transparent, credible and inclusive 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Samuela Isopi, stated this in Maiduguri, yesterday.
“This electoral project is funded under the EU’s Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument,” she said, adding that it would focus on six priority areas identified by the Nigerian government.
She said the priority areas include improvement in the quality of electoral administration and strengthening of capacities for legislative and judicial reforms.
The reforms, according to her, are in compliance with democratic principles and standards.
She explained that the democratic principles will dwell on enhancing pluralism, internal democracy and equality of opportunity in political parties and party systems.
She said the fund would be invested in civil society organisations to demand greater transparency and accountability in the electoral and decision-making process.
The newspaper says that a coalition of aviation workers’ unions will, today, hold rallies at airports nationwide to protest anti-labour clauses in new aviation bills currently awaiting the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The unions also threatened to proceed with industrial action in the next 14 days, if their requests for withdrawal of the bills are not granted.
The coalition is made up of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and Amalgamated Unions of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).
Specifically, the unions decried what they called a subtle attempt to restrain the powers of unions and obliterate unionism in the aviation sector.
They alleged unknown persons in the sector inserted repressive clauses into new bills governing affairs of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and four other aviation agencies.
The contentious clauses state: “All services which facilitate and maintain the smooth, orderly and safe take-off, flight and landing of aircraft, embarkation and disembarkation and evacuation of passengers and cargo respectively in all aerodromes in Nigeria are hereby designated as essential services pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).
“The minister may, by regulations, prohibit all or such class or classes of workers, officers and other employees or persons, whether corporate or natural, engaged in the provision of services specified in subsection (1) of this section from taking part in a strike or other industrial action.
“The provisions of the Trade Disputes (Essential Services) Act, Cap. T9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 shall apply to service in the agency, facilities managed by the agency and in the implementation of this bill. There shall be no strikes, lock-outs, pickets, blockades, service disruptions, etc. of any kind within all facilities managed by the agency and where any labour dispute arises, such dispute shall be resolved by the agency.”
Secretary-General of NUATE, Ocheme Aba, said the implication of the clauses is that the bills grant powers to the minister of aviation to regulate trade unions and workers, in contradiction to the Trade Unions Act, 2004, which grants the minister of labour sole regulatory powers over trade union and industrial relations matters in Nigeria.
The Punch reports that Nigeria lost about 13.21 million barrels of crude oil with an estimated worth of N603.64bn between January and August this year, an analysis of the monthly reports of the country’s crude oil and condensate production showed.
Figures contained in the reports, obtained from the Nigeria Upstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission in Abuja on Sunday, indicated that the country’s oil production only increased in two months, but crashed in others.
Total crude oil production (without condensates) in January, for instance, was 43.35 million barrels, but this dropped to 35.22 million barrels in February, indicating a loss of 8.13 million barrels.
It moved up in March, increasing by 3.14 million barrels to close at 38.36 million barrels in the third month of 2022.
This, however, was not sustained, as production dropped to 36.58 million barrels in April and the country lost 1.78 million barrels in that month.
The losses continued in May after oil production crashed to 31.76 million barrels, representing a loss of 4.82 million barrels when compared to what was produced the preceding month.
It increased in June to 34.75 million barrels, representing an oil production gain of 2.99 million barrels, but that was short-lived, as output fell again in July to 33.6 million barrels, meaning the country lost 1.15 million barrels in July.
The oil production losses persisted in August, crashing further to 30.14 million barrels, representing a loss of 3.46 million barrels.
It was observed that the total losses stood at 19.34 million barrels, while what was gained was 6.13 million barrels, leaving a cumulative loss of 13.21 million barrels during the review period.
The newspaper says that the First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, has condoled with the government of the United Kingdom on the passing of their monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
Amechi described the late British monarch as a great friend of Nigeria, who he said, played a very significant role in the country’s march towards independence.
The foremost nationalists, who spoke with some journalists at his Ukpor, Nnewi, Anambra State residence on Sunday, alleged that the British created lopsidedness in Nigeria.
While recalling his encounter with the late monarch, Amechi described her death as a great loss, saying she played her role with dignity and honour.
Amechi, while pointing out that the British government created the problems facing Nigeria today, also blamed Nigeria’s leadership for not being able to overcome the imbalances created by the colonial masters, 62 years after.
He charged the Nigerian youths to wake up and take back their country from bad leadership and return it to the path of growth.
The Nation reports that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) collected a total of N1,755,386,486,390.02 between January and last month, it was learnt at the weekend.
The service, it was gathered, also collected Iits highest monthly revenue of N241,903,781,854.46 in August.
The collection is coming at a time the Federal Government is craving for more revenue based on the dwindling revenue from oil sector.
According to a cumulative table of monthly revenue collections by the NCS, the service collected a total of N1,755,386,486,390.02 from January to August.
The cumulative collection is N363,436,321,614.95 and higher than N 1,391,950,164,775.97 collected from January to August 2021.
The Federal Government’s focus on non-oil revenue sources has increased in recent times leading to higher expectations from organisations like the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS), Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other revenue-collecting bodies.
GIK/APA