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Obasanjo, Buhari, Others Meet At Villa

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Eniola Olayemi

 

It would have been a routine spectacle attracting no curiosity.

The President and a former leader who used to be a frequent caller at the seat of power. Smiles, banters and handshake – that’s all.

That was not the situation yesterday when President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo met at the Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

All eyes were on them as the President and Obasanjo moved towards each other, hands stretched out. They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

Obasanjo’s face was wreathed in smiles – not the toothy, broad smiles or laughter that he is known for when in a cheery mood. His face was firm; it was a wry smile.

Buhari also smiled his trademark gap tooth on display.

Why the animosity?

Not a few thought the former leader would not show up at yesterday’s meeting following his 16-page statement in which he lashed Buhari, accusing him of planning to rig the February 16 election and behaving like the late Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha.

But Obasanjo proved bookmakers wrong as he made his way into Council Chamber, venue of the meeting scheduled for 11am at exactly 10.51am.

His presence immediately drew the attention of those who had arrived before him as well as those who came after.

Some of those in the hall standing or sitting on the path he followed to take his seat greeted him and he was in his usual element, exchanging pleasantries with them.

He also exchanged pleasantries with former Interim National Government (ING) Head Ernest Shonekan, who was already seated.

He sat down momentarily, stood up and walked back towards the entrance to greet some of those in the hall, including former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Obasanjo was still discussing when it was announced that everyone should settle down.  The President was on the way.

He was still in transit when Buhari entered the Chamber.

Buhari immediately went straight to exchange pleasantries with Shonekan, who remained seated and then Gen. Abdulsalami, who walked towards him.

By the time he finished with Gen. Abdulsalami, Obasanjo was close to him.

So, standing eyeball to eyeball and smiling, the duo greeted and shook hands- to the admiration of all in the hall.

The President returned to his seat and called for the rendition of the National Anthem.

After the national anthem, the President asked Obasanjo, a theologian, to say the Christian prayer, which he did.

 

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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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