Good Morning, Welcome to Daily News24 Roundup of Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines for Friday, Dec. 10th 2021
- FG begins giving booster shots, US donates 2.5 million doses
The Federal Government will today (Friday) begin the administration of booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib, stated this on Thursday in Abuja as the Africa Centre for Disease Control, an agency of the African Union, kicked against the introduction of booster doses in African countries.
Nigeria had on March 5,2021 commenced COVID-19 vaccination with a total of 3.94 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX institute of India.
2. Group worries over silence on big corruption cases in Nigeria
A Civil Society Organisation, Center for Democracy and Development, has expressed concerns over the silence of the Federal Government on big corruption cases in the country.
The group cited the lack of action despite the revelations of the forensic report on the Niger Delta Development Commission, stressing that only an impartial attitude was needed to tackle corruption in the country.
This was contained in a statement on Thursday by its Director, Idayat Hassan, titled, ‘CDD wants Government, Citizens to unite in fighting corruption’.
3. Power generation drops by 1,119.6MW, sector’s growth falls by 45%
Nigeria’s power sector decreased in growth by 45 per cent in real term in the third quarter of this year when compared to the preceding quarter, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.
Also, industry figures obtained in Abuja on Thursday showed that after posting a peak generation of 5,008.9 megawatts on December 7, 2021, the figure dropped by 1,119.6MW to an off peak of 3,889.3MW on December 8, 2021.
A document on Power Sector Data Review, which was presented by the NBS at the 1st Abuja Electric Power Conference and Exhibition organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also stated that the contribution of the sector to real Gross Domestic Product decreased in third quarter 2021.
4. Sources: Murdered Commissioner Attempted To Escape But Was Overpowered
Dr Rabe Nasir, the Katsina State Commissioner for Science and Technology, who was assassinated on Wednesday, attempted to escape but his assailants blocked him.
Daily Trust had reported how Nasir was killed in his house located at Fatima Shema Quarters in Katsina city on Wednesday.
Commenting on the tragic incident, a source said the deceased sensed danger but he was helpless in the face of death.
There were traces of blood at the potion where he was killed and at the toilet where the corpse was locked.
5. From Jan 1, Nigerians Will Pay 7.5% VAT On Facebook Ads
Nigerians will pay 7.5 percent value-added tax (VAT) on all ad placements from January 1, 2022, Facebook has revealed.
The social media giant in a statement issued on Thursday disclosed that the charge will apply to those buying ads for businesses or personal purposes in compliance with the implementation of a value-added tax (VAT) in Nigeria.
The statement noted that all those exempted from VAT would be able to recover the fund if they provided their tax ID.
“If you’re registered for VAT and provide your VAT ID, your VAT ID will show up on your ads receipts,” it added.
6. TERRORISTS DECLARATION: I no longer associate with bandits — Gumi
Renown Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said he no longer had anything to do with bandits, following their declaration as terrorists by the court.
Recall that on November 25, a Federal High Court in Abuja had declared the activities of all bandit groups in the country as acts of terrorism.
Gumi is known for demanding amnesty for bandits who are said to have killed thousands and abducted many, including schoolchildren.
Speaking in an interview with online newspaper, Premium Times, on Wednesday, the cleric said he would no longer mediate for bandits.
7. Direct primaries: Confusion trails Buhari’s return of Electoral Act Amendment Bill to NASS
THE confusion in the polity was palpable, yesterday, over President Muhammadu Buhari’s reported refusal to assent the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
President Buhari reportedly wrote leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly after refusing to sign the bill into law because of the huge cost of conducting direct primaries among other reasons.
Spokesmen of the Senate and House of Representatives denied knowledge of President Buhari’s rejection letter, yesterday, as a host of federal legislators contacted on the matter kept mum.
8. Sultan to Nigerians: stop blame game, unite against terrorists, other criminals
Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III yesterday advised Nigerians to desist from the blame game and unite against terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements in the country.
Alhaji Abubakar, who lamented the rising insecurity in the country urged Muslims to stop accusing Christians of promoting killings in the North.
He also called on Christians to disregard the recent threat by unknown persons to kill anyone found in churches in Zamfara State.
At the fourth quarterly meeting of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja where the Sultan spoke, Christian Association of Nigeria President Samson Ayokunle urged security agencies to learn from the United States, strategies for tackling insecurity.
9. Save us from killers, bandits, Sultan, CAN, JNI tell Buhari
Northern leaders, yesterday, made a passionate plea to President Muhammadu Buhari to end the spate of insecurity ravaging the country.
Leading the charge, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, lamented that terrorists kill people on a daily basis in the northern part of the country, especially in the Northwest, and the killings are mostly not reported.
This is just as the Sultan called on Christians to disregard the recent threat by some persons who warned that those found attending churches in Zamfara State would be killed.
10. Masari lifts ban on network shutdown in 10 of 17 LGA’s in Katsina
Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has sent a written application to the Nigerian Telecommunications Commission (NCC) requesting it to restore telephone services in ten of the 17 Local Government Areas affected by the ban, which was instituted about four months ago.
The Director General, Media to the State Governor, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, disclosed this in a press statement he sent to DAILY POST, early hours of today, Friday.
Labaran identified the ten local government areas where the ban has been lifted to include: Kurfi, Dutsinma, Matazu, Musawa, Malumfashi, Dandume, Bakori, Funtua, Kafur and Danja.
However, he said telecom services remain banned in the following seven local governments: Faskari, Sabuwa, Batsari, Safana, Kankara, Danmusa and Jibia.
