Business
No Plan To Remove Fuel Subsidy – FG
The Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, has said President Muhammadu Buhari is not in support of the removal of fuel subsidy.
Sylva said this in an interview on Channels Television Newsnight programme.
There have been confusion over the current administration’s stance on fuel subsidy.
In October, Zainab had announced that the federal government made provision for petrol subsidy only for the first six months of 2022 as the government looked towards complete deregulation of the sector.
She had said: “In our 2022 budget, we only factored in subsidy for the first half of the year; the second half of the year, we are looking at complete deregulation of the sector, saving foreign exchange and potentially earning more from the oil and gas industry.”
But speaking with reporters after a meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, Lawan said he told Buhari about the feelings and concerns of his constituents on critical issues, including the proposed removal of subsidy.
The Senate President said he raised the issue with the president because lawmakers were worried about the agitations and protests around the country over the move to end petrol subsidy.
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He said he was glad to inform Nigerians that Buhari had not told anyone to remove petroleum subsidy.
Sylva buttressed this point in the Channels Television interview.
“I will tell you categorically that at this moment, the complete removal of subsidy is not on our plate at all. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not in support of removing subsidy at this time.”
“Of course, we all know that it is a desirable policy direction. Of course, we know that it will have some impacts on the people and that is why we are trying to work out some of those things.
“Until those details are worked out properly with (the organised) labour, and with all the stakeholders in the sector, we will not remove the subsidy. At this moment, it is not on our plate, I can tell you that.
“This is something that needs to be worked out between the Federal Government and the states because this is a federation issue. We are working with the governors to see how we can continue with this policy direction of subsidising fuel for the foreseeable future.”
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), had warned the Federal Government against upward review of pump price, saying it could plunge more people into poverty.
He spoke at the 19th Daily Trust Dialogue, which held in Abuja on Thursday.
Daily Trust
Business
Naira depreciates again, trades at N1,402/$
Naira depreciates again, trades at N1,402/$
The Nigerian currency, naira, on Thursday slightly depreciated at the official market, trading at N1,402.67 to the dollar.
Data from the official trading platform of the FMDQ Exchange, a platform that oversees the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), showed that the naira lost N11.71
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This represents a 0.84 per cent loss when compared to the previous trading date on Tuesday April 30, when it exchanged at 1,390.96 to a dollar.
However, the total daily turnover increased to 232.84 million dollars on Thursday, up from 225.36 million dollars recorded on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, at the Investor’s and Exporter’s (I&E) window, the naira traded between 1,445.00 and N1,299.42 against the dollar.
Naira depreciates again, trades at N1,402/$
Auto
Appeal court takes over NURTW case as NIC withdraws
Appeal court takes over NURTW case as NIC withdraws
The National Industrial Court has withdrawn from a case involving Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin, Board of Trustees chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa’s ambition to return as president of the union over lack of jurisdiction.
The industrial court’s decision was made to avoid conflict with the Court of Appeal, where the matter is already being heard.
Before the NIC announced its decision to hands-off the case, the defendants’ counsel, Mr. O.I. Olorundare SAN, had informed the court that the matter is currently before the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, and that the industrial court could not continue to adjudicate on the same matter.
The counsel cited authorities to support his claim, adding that the National Industrial Court does not have concurrent jurisdiction with the Court of Appeal.
The presiding judge, O.O. Oyewunmi, struck out the case, stating that the Appeal Court had taken over the matter and that the Industrial Court must respect the hierarchy of courts.
Alhaji Yasin and six others took the case to the Appeal Court, challenging the decision of the industrial court recognising a delegates’ conference held on May 24, 2023, where Baruwa was proclaimed as President of the union for a second term in office.
With the latest NIC judgement, both parties will now proceed to defend their positions at the Court of Appeal and await the final judgement.
Business
Multichoice shuns court order, proceeds with increase of DSTV, Gotv packages
Multichoice shuns court order, proceeds with increase of DSTV, Gotv packages
Despite the intervention of the CCPT, Multichoice Limited has proceeded to increase packages price for DSTV and GOTV as announce on Wednesday last week.
Newstrends had earlier reported that the corporation announced that the new rates will go into effect on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in a statement.
Meanwhile, on Monday, MultiChoice Nigeria Limited was ordered by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja to suspend the planned prices and tariffs hike on packages and services.
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The three-member tribunal, presided over by Saratu Shafii, gave the interim order following an ex-parte motion moved by Ejiro Awaritoma, counsel for the applicant, Festus Onifade.
News prices includes: DStv, Premium bouquet, the price moved from N29,500 to N37,000; Compact+ from N19,800 to N25,000; Compact from N12,500 to N15,700; Confam from N7,400 to N9,300, among others.
For GOtv users, Supa+ increased from N12,500 to N15,700; Supa moved from N7,600 to N9,600; Max from N5,700 to N7,200; Jolli, from N3,950 to N4,850, among others.
Multichoice shuns court order, proceeds with increase of DSTV, Gotv packages
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