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May delays parliament vote on Brexit deal

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British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday abruptly postponed a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal, throwing Britain’s plan to leave the European Union into chaos after admitting that she faced a rout.

Her decision was promptly challenged by the speaker of the lower house of parliament, John Bercow, who said MPs be given a vote on the decision to defer the vote on the deal itself.

“I politely suggest that in any courteous, respectful and mature environment, allowing the house to have a say would be the right and, dare I say it, the obvious course to take,” Speaker Bercow said.

May’s move on the eve of the scheduled parliamentary vote opens up an array of possible outcomes, ranging from a disorderly Brexit with no deal to another referendum on EU membership. May’s own position could be in jeopardy, with calls from opposition parties for her to step aside.

May said she still intended to put her deal to members of parliament. But she would first ask the EU for more “reassurances” over the main bone of contention: a “backstop” to ensure no hard border on the island of Ireland, which her critics say means Britain could end up indefinitely subject to EU rules after it leaves.

Announcing the delay, May was laughed at by some MPs when she said there was broad support for the deal and that she had listened carefully to different views over it – the result of 18 months of tortuous negotiations.

“If we went ahead and held the vote tomorrow the deal would be rejected by a significant margin,” May told parliament, adding that she was confident it was the right deal.

“We will therefore defer the vote scheduled for tomorrow and not proceed to divide the House at this time,” May said. The United Kingdom would meanwhile step up contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit when it is due to leave on March 29.

Sterling GBP=D3 skidded to its weakest level since April 2017, falling to $1.2527. It was trading at $1.50 on the day of the 2016 Brexit referendum.

May accepted there was concern among MPs about the Northern Irish “backstop”.

The provision is intended as an insurance policy to avoid a return to border checks between the British-ruled province and the EU-member Irish Republic. But it also goes to the heart of the Brexit dilemma: allowing Britain to set its own rules outside the EU without disrupting trade.

The backstop requires Britain to abide by some EU rules indefinitely – potentially long after it quits the bloc and gives up say in setting them – unless some future mechanism can be found to ensure a friction-free land border. That prospect is rejected both by supporters of a cleaner break with the EU and those who want to stay inside it.

May said the broader question was whether parliament wanted to deliver on the will of the people for Brexit, or open up the divisions in the world’s fifth largest economy with another referendum.

“If you take a step back, it is clear that this house faces a much more fundamental question: does this house want to deliver Brexit?” May asked.

The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, said the United Kingdom no longer had “a functioning government” and called on May to “make way” for a Labour government.

The decision to halt the vote came just hours after the EU’s top court ruled that Britain could unilaterally withdraw its decision to leave the bloc on March, 29.

The government did not spell out the mechanism for delaying the vote scheduled for Tuesday.

 

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NiMet And FUPRE To Partner On Weather Observation, Research And E-Learning

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NiMet And FUPRE To Partner On Weather Observation, Research And E-Learning

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), is to collaborate with the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE),Delta state, on weather observation, research and e-learning.

Left to Right: Professor Charles Anosike, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, and Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE), Delta state, at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between NiMet and the university on Thursday, 16th May 2024.

This was disclosed by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike, on Thursday, 16th May 2024, at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between NiMet and the university.

Professor Anosike observed that oil companies have weather stations spread across the shores of Nigeria, which are illegal according to the new NiMet Act. He said that these weather stations need to be registered with NiMet in compliance with NiMet Act and solicited the collaboration of the University to achieve this.

Speaking further, Professor Anosike noted that the partnership with the petroleum institution will not only help improve data gathering on climate risk in the area, but also strategically make NiMet become the centre of excellence in disseminating the risk to the oil and gas sector.

“I will like the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE), to take advantage of NiMet’s e-learning services that will soon be unveiled. It would actually fast-track introduction of joint courses between FUPRE and NiMet”, Professor Anosike concluded.

On his part, the Vice Chancellor of FUPRE, Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh disclosed that the institution expects support from NiMet in the installation of observatory stations, training personnel on generation of weather data that can support research, journals and academic publications and other good interventions that will impact on the university and its environment.

Amongst other things, the MoU aims to establish a collaborative framework between NiMet and FUPRE for joint efforts in research, training and promotion of activities relating to meteorology/climatology and climate change in Nigeria. Specifically the MoU will have NiMet Install its observatory station known as Resident Observatory Station (ROS) in suitable locations within FUPRE for the purpose of carrying out meteorological activities.

The MoU signing was witnessed by the Director, Legal Services of NiMet, Barr. Shola Gabriel and other staff of the Agency. The Vice Chancellor of FUPRE, Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh signed on behalf of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE) , Delta state, while Professor Anosike signed on behalf of NiMet.

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Tax Conference: Sanwo-Olu, Zulum, Amosun, Other Experts Seek Transparent Tax System to Boost Internally Generated Revenues

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Tax Conference: Sanwo-Olu, Zulum, Amosun, Other Experts Seek Transparent Tax System to Boost Internally Generated Revenues

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his counterparts from Sokoto and Borno States have emphasised the need to make the country’s tax system more transparent and accountable to Nigerians to boost confidence and voluntary compliance.

The governors made the call at the ongoing 26th Annual Tax Conference organized by the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) in Abuja, with the theme, “Sustainable Tax Culture and Economic Roadmap for Nation Building”.

Speaking at the conference, Governor Sanwo-Olu who was represented by his Special Adviser on Taxation and Revenue, Mr. Abdul-Kabir Opeyemi Ogungbo, said the theme of the Conference was apt and timely given that Nigeria, like many other nations, is currently facing significant economic challenges.

While underscoring the crucial role of a transparent and efficient tax administration in fostering confidence and voluntary compliance among taxpayers, he emphasized the necessity for citizens to witness tangible outcomes from their tax contributions, highlighting the pivotal role taxes play in fueling public services and infrastructural development.

Sanwo-Olu stressed the shift in mindset needed, urging taxpayers to view tax payments not as a burden but as an investment in a better future for Nigeria.

He said building a strong and sustainable future through a robust tax system that fosters economic growth and development had become inevitable.

Sanwo-Olu said, “We must all understand the crucial role taxes play in building a better Nigeria for ourselves and for generations to come.

“The theme also highlights the need for a clear economic roadmap which should take note of the architecture of our developmental ideologies as they are designed to provide the government with the necessary resources to cater for the social needs of its citizens, therefore we need a tax system that incentivizes investment, job creation, and economic diversification.

“We need to explore innovative ways to expand the tax base while fostering a business environment that allows our economy to thrive. The good news is that Nigeria is already taking positive steps in these directions. The recent efforts to streamline state-level taxes and the focus on integrating the growing remote workforce into the tax net are commendable initiatives.”

The governor said, “The CITN plays a vital role in fostering this vital shift. Your commitment to professional excellence and education is instrumental in ensuring a tax system that is fair, efficient, and promotes economic development.”

However, former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who declared the conference open, while stressing the need to prioritize growing Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) over relying solely on borrowing to fund national and sub-national budgets, said borrowing to fund the budgets was not the way to go amid the current national economic challenge when “our nation and its constituent states and local governments are going through very difficult times and finding it hard to provide for its teeming populace, acceptable standards of living, employment with the growing population of youths, infrastructure and basic amenities that will make life more meaningful”.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State criticized inefficiencies and corruption in the current tax administration system.

Zulum, represented by the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Umar Kadafur, highlighted the shortcomings of the current tax system, including tax evasion, avoidance, and lack of transparency.

He called for critical reforms to address these issues, including tackling corruption in both the oil sector and governance system. He criticized the political protection of tax evaders and emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in tax administration.

While calling for critical reforms, he lamented the manipulation and connivance of multinationals with tax administration to short-change the system, he added that this represented one of the hallmarks of corruption in both the oil and governance system.

In his remarks, the Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, said the conference will greatly assist in exploring innovative ways of improving revenue generation in the country.

He said the economic and revenue challenges had made it difficult for governments at all levels to implement their people-oriented programmes, thus the need for the government to devise a means for more funds to provide the dividends of democracy to the people.

The governor said taxation remained a veritable source of resource mobilization for the government adding that his administration would work with CITN to boost IGR in the state.

The Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF), Mr. Shaakaa Chira, said the country’s tax system was plagued by instances of tax evasion especially by the upper class, multiple taxation and inability to properly account for taxes collected by administrators.

The Chairman of the conference planning committee, Dr. Adeyemi Sanni, noted that for Nigeria to achieve meaningful fiscal development over the long term, it is imperative to establish a tax culture that can withstand economic fluctuations and challenges.

President and Chairman of the CITN council, Mr. Samuel Agbeluyi, emphasized the importance of investing in technology and people at the subnational level to effectively track revenues in the digital space, including cryptocurrency. This, he believes, will help maximize government revenue flow.

Mr. Agbeluyi stressed the need to provide support to revenue authorities through financial and administrative autonomy, empowering them to effectively administer taxes as he noted it is clear that a strategic approach to revenue management is crucial for the overall financial health of the government.

The CITN boss stated further, “This is a thought-provoking topic that requires all of us to put on our thinking hats. As we deliberate, we must recognize that our nation faces significant challenges. Our current economic realities as a country are multifaceted, despite efforts to improve the narrative by the current government.

He said, “The 2024 budget of “Renewed Hope” as we know relies significantly on non-oil revenue, and this trend is expected to continue in the future. Therefore, building a sustainable tax culture capable of significantly improving our tax revenue performance for an effective. economic and capital formation becomes a top priority.”

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Nigeria DigitalSENSE forum @15, gets June date

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Nigeria DigitalSENSE forum @15, gets June date

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The date for the 2024 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) has been unwrapped for Thursday, June 27, by organisers, ITREALMS Media group.

Disclosing this, the Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa and Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media, Mr. Remmy Nweke, said that this year’s edition marks the 15th edition of Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on IG4D series and comes with the theme “IG4D: Innovative Digital Economy & Safer Civic Space in Nigeria” at the prestigious Welcome Center Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos.

Nweke recalled that in 2009, the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) series on Internet Governance for Development made a debut and ever since has been steadfast in rallying stakeholders to take discourse on Internet access, openness, affordability, connectivity and ICT infrastructure among others.

This year, he also said, as NDSF marks 15th years of impacting various Nigeria’s economic sector with yet another series on the theme: IG4D: Innovative Digital Economy and Safer Civic Space in Nigeria.

“It will also be a time for recognition of corporates and individuals for their contributions in deepening Internet penetration, improving access and affordability as well as technological adaptation that begets digital sense in our society,” Nweke said.

NDSF series on IG4D, powered by ITREALMS Media group is hosted by DigitalSENSE Africa, an At-Large Structure (ALS) certified by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), in collaboration with relevant stakeholders including Internet Society (ISOC), Nigeria chapter, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) among others.

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