Tag: Nigeria

Unsustainable Debt: CSO to engage NASS on Fiscal Responsibility Act passage

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

A group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) say it will engage the 10th National Assembly (NASS) to see to the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) as a strong measure to bring sanity to the fiscal space. Mrs Regina Udo, the Project Manager, Growth Initiatives for Fiscal Transparency (GIFT), said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday She decried Nigeria’s public debt profile of N87 trillion, describing it as unsustainable and a clarion call to reform the public finance management system. She called on the Federal and State…

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Hajj 2024; The New Dimensions

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

By; Fatima Sanda Usara. To start with, Saudi Arabia has made its stand clear to which there seems no retraction; any party that delays Hajj remittances for any reason, may have to wait for another year to perform Hajj. Be it the delay were from pilgrims, their officials, the State Governors or even from NAHCON, that will be end of story if it exceeds Saudi’s visa processing deadline. Hence, the Visa e-track portal, that is, the Saudi e-track portal, will be locked by 29th April, beyond NAHCON’s reach. No room…

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Nigerian-born U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary to visit Nigeria

Aminu Imam

The United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Wally Adeyemo, is expected in Nigeria as part of the Biden administration’s commitment to deepening the U.S.-Africa economic and trade relationship. This is contained in a statement by the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria on Friday, stating that Adeyemo’s visit aims to build on the already deep people-to-people ties between the United States and Nigeria, a strong and historic partner. Adeyemo, the highest-ranking Nigerian-American official in the Biden Administration, will be in Lagos State as from Sunday to Tuesday, September 17–19.…

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“Nigeria has solutions to challenges, but can’t implement them” – Sultan

Aminu Imam

Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has stated that Nigeria is devoid of solutions to the country’s problems but deficient in putting them into action. The eminent monarch made the remarks yesterday in Kaduna, at a strategic meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, (NPHCDA), on how to get vaccines to inaccessible communities in the North West region. He stated that Nigeria’s problem is not a lack of ideas or solutions to its…

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Hajj 2024: CSO advocates early registration of intending Pilgrims by Nigerian authorities

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

By; Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir. A civil society organisation, the Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), have called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and States Muslim Pilgrims Boards/agenciesp in Nigeria to immediately begin the registration of intending Pilgrims for Hajj 2024. IHR a CSO that monitors and reports on Hajj and Umrah activities in a statement in Abuja, signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed said the call became necessary due to the change in the Calendar of Hajj activities by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah following the…

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“Coup in Niger saved Nigeria from imminent disaster”, claims Military Junta

Aminu Imam

Leader of the military junta in Niger Republic, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, has revealed that their takeover of the civilian government in his country has saved Nigeria from an imminent disaster. This revelation came after General Tchiani had a closed-door meeting with Nigerian religious leaders in Niamey, the capital of Niger. Sheikh Bala Lau, who is the National Chairman of Jamatul Izalatu Bida Waikamatu Sunnah, said the clerics were in Niger on behalf of President Bola Tinubu who accepted their request to intervene. Sheik Lau said the team had earlier told…

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“Military will do everything to defend Nigeria’s democracy” – Chief of Army Staff, Lagbaja

Aminu Imam

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Taoreed Lagbaja, has said the Nigerian military will continue to work towards the deepening and entrenchment of democratic ideals in the country. Gen. Lagbaja, who spoke at the Passing-Out Parade of officers of Executive Commission Course-1, at the Army School of Infantry located in Jaji, Kaduna State, vowed that the military would continue to protect the Nigeria’s democracy no matter the challenges it faces. He said the desire of every Nigerian is a thriving and uninterrupted constitutional democratic governance which would promote the interest…

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Hajj: NAHCON airlifts all Nigerian pilgrims back ahead of Aug 3rd deadline

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

By; Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NAHCON has completed the airlift of all Nigerian pilgrims back home from Saudi Arabia, ahead of the August 3rd deadline it set for the inbound flight. NAHCON on Monday 31 July beats it deadline with the airlift of 302 pilgrims, 16 officials by AZMAN Airline flight AZM2361 from Jeddah to Kaduna in total of 183 flights. The Chairman and CEO of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan expressed appreciation and gratitude to Nigerians for their tremendous support for the Commission during the…

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Over 53,000 Nigerian Pilgrims airlifted back home… August 3rd sets for final flight

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

By; Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir. About three weeks into the commencement of the in-bound airlift of Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi, over 53,000 pilgrims have been successfully airlifted back to Nigeria in 136 flights, with August 3rd set for the final flight. The in-bound operation began on July 4th with the airlift of 387 Sokoto pilgrims by Flynas; a Saudi base airline after the completion of the symbolic stoning of the Jamrats and completion of Hajj rites. Though initially bedeviled by non-provision of slots to many of the airlines, except the Flynas;…

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Ringing the bell of 2024 Hajj… for the ears of Hajj administrators

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

By; Ibrahim Muhammed “A good plan, violently executed now is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.”  Anonymous Recently, Independent Hajj Reporters released a public statement urging NAHCON and States Muslim Pilgrims Boards to immediately activate the process of registering intending pilgrims that wish to participate in the 2024 Hajj. The statement hinged its call on the early release of the 2024 Hajj calendar by the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah – detailing the allotted date for each major preparatory event preceding the 2024 Hajj days. In reaction, some critical…

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