Babatunde Solanke

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it’s probing the destruction of the country’s passport by a lady and has also invited the woman for questioning.

A viral video captured the female traveller identified as Favour Igiebor destroying the Nigerian Standard Passport – said to belong to her husband – at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

In a statement,the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS),said it has launched a formal investigation following the circulation of a video on social media, showing a female traveler destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

“The individual has been identified and invited for further investigation. If the allegations are substantiated, her actions would have constituted a breach of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), with corresponding penalties outlined under Section 10(h) of the same Act.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the provisions of the Immigration Act in the interest of national security, and to preserving the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments.”

In the wake of the incident, the woman was spotted in a viral video saying she took the decision owing to family issues.

She said,she had passed through many challenges in her marriage, prompting the action.

“You have to ask what happened, don’t just look at the action alone, I am not a mad woman, who would just come and act like that. I have my reasons, I have gone through many things,” she said.

“When it gets to your neck, you have to act. I didn’t want to make him go through a lot of stress, that’s why I waited till we got to Nigeria to do it rather than Europe where I could have done it. Don’t make comments without knowing what happened. I have gone through a lot of family issues here and there.”

Mohammed Shosanya

The Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria(CIPMN) has revealed that the cost of abandoned projects in Nigeria has hit over N17 trillion.

Mr. Henry Mbadiwe, Registrar of CIPMN, who disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a media briefing,said that research has shown that the main causes of abandoned projects in Nigeria include, lack of articulated vision and objects; lack of proper project planning from the onset; lack of proper budgetary allocation for the project; inefficient legal system;corruption and compromises as well as weak institutions in Nigeria that lead to a lack of continuity with changes in the political administration.

He said that CIPMN would move past administration changes and their limitations and begin to enforce the law establishing the Institute.

He added:”We cannot continue to press the reset button each time an administration changes. CIPMN will move past administration changes and their limitations and begin to enforce our Establishment Act.

“We will take it up with all projects embarked on in Nigeria, where the law requires that those leading these projects be professional project managers licensed by CIPMN.”

He warned unlicensed project managers overseeing projects in Nigeria, to desist from such act forthwith or face the consequences of their actions.

He said: “Let me be clear: The Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria will not tolerate unlicensed project managers overseeing projects in Nigeria. Those who do so will face serious consequences.

“The law establishing CIPMN has made it clear that everyone within the public and private sectors who heads, leads, or teaches any aspect of project management in Nigeria must be licensed to practise the profession.

“It is not a suggestion; it is the law, and we think, it’s high time we started obeying the law in this country.

“One of the challenges we face in Nigeria is not the absence of laws, but the blatant disregard for these laws, often with the perpetrator’s unwarranted confidence in impunity.

“While we may not have control over all sectors, we can assure you that in the project management sector, we are committed to upholding the law, ensuring that all project managers are licensed and accountable for their actions.”

He advised people who have international qualifications in Project management to regularise and get practising licence from CIPMN to practise.

“This is Nigeria, not America, China, or the United Kingdom. The law operating in Nigeria must be obeyed without compromise.

“While we are happy to collaborate with foreign project management bodies operating in Nigeria, we will not allow the idea that the laws establishing CIPMN can be dismissed.

“We will pursue any member practising project management in Nigeria without the CIPMN licence and every institution encouraging its members to ignore the law establishing CIPMN in Nigeria.

“We will pursue every organisation, whether local or international, operating in Nigeria that has individuals leading projects in Nigeria without the CIPMN license as required by law, and we will definitely hold ourselves to the highest possible standards in Nigeria and ensure that the regulation of this sector is done dispassionately without prejudice.”

He called on all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies(MDAs) of Government to take the call seriously, adding that “Since, we believe MDAs cannot ignore extant laws, then we also believe that they cannot allow their contractors and consultants to do the same.”

He further revealed that the enforcement of the CIPMN law would start in earnest in the first quarter of 2025, adding that “solving Nigeria’s problems is not that difficult; it just takes us to decide to do the right thing in our own little area, one day at a time, one task at a time, one person to another.”

Babatunde Solanke

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, H.I.M Oba Owolabi Akinloye Olakulehin Ige Olakulehin 1,Monday performed his first official duty as the Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Oba Olakulehin on Monday crowned the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja as one of the beaded crown Obas in the ancient city.

The event took place at the new Olubadan palace located at Oke Aremo in Ibadan North Local Government Area.

The event was attended by the acting Governor of the state, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Lawal,who presented the staff of office and certificate to the newly crowned monarch on behalf of the State Government.

Also in attendance were members of the Olubadan-in-Council, Family heads, political office holders and well wishers.

Olubadan, the consenting authority who crowned Oba Rasidi Ladoja and had earlier presided over the first Olubadan – in Council meeting of his tenure, used the opportunity to congratulate the people of Ibadan Land on the renewed unity amongst Ibadan Kingmakers which will translate to peace, progress and development in the land.

“With the coronation of Oba Rasidi Ladoja as a beaded crown Oba, my reign is starting on a very harmonious note to the benefit of Ibadan Land as all kingmakers are all now on the same page”

The Acting Governor Adebayo Lawal,congratulated and commended the people of Ibadan for this development stressing that the State Government is committed to strengthening the traditional institution in the state to a pace setting status worthy of emulation in the country.

The newly crowned monarch H.R.M Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja,noted that the people of Ibadan are one and have ways of settling their misunderstanding.

“They said we should do it the way it is supposed to be done. Ibadan is capable of doing its own thing.. We have ways of doing our things. Once we enter the inner chamber, you must realise that things will change. All the problems is as a result of misunderstanding”.

Mohammed Shosanya

President Bola Tinubu has commissioned the first set of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, buses at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The buses numbering 20 in the first batch was produced locally by Innoson Motors.

The government said it was optimistic that the buses will help to ease transportation problems, especially at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Five of the CNG buses were driven to the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, where the President took a break from the Federal Executive Council meeting to commission them.

The provision of the CNG buses were part of the demands by the organised Labour movement following the removal of subsidy by the Federal Government on May 29, 2023.

Mohammed Shosanya

The Managing Director of Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise [CPPE],Dr. Muda Yusuf,has expressed worries over the harsh approach employed by regulatory institutions to run the country’s business environment.

He said the development is frustrating investors in the country and poses danger to the Nigeria’s economic growth.

Yussuf,who conveys this in a statement made available to Premium News,lamented the growing incidents of regulatory irritations, distractions, and frustrations inflicted on the Nigerian manufacturing sector and other investors in the economy.

According to him,there are disturbing tendencies of overbearing regulatory dispositions, disproportionate sanctions, obstructionist actions, outrageous fines and penalties, intimidation and high handedness.

He added:”There are also worries about multiple regulatory fees and levies, duplications and overlapping responsibilities, regulatory repression and weak stakeholder engagement”

He implored the agencies to exercise more discretion in exercise of their powers and support the aspiration of the present administration to create and enabling environment for investment to boost domestic production, reduce import dependence, conserve foreign exchange and elevate investors’ confidence.

He said:”This does not detract from their primary responsibilities of the agencies to protect consumers, ensure competition, promote standards and quality and protect the environment. But they do not have to suffocate investors in order to achieve this objective.

“Public pronouncements by some of the agencies had the unintended consequences of demarketing local brands, an action which is detrimental to the country’s aspiration to boost domestic production, grow investment, expand exports, earn foreign exchange and create jobs”.

He advised the regulatory agencies should appreciate the context in which businesses in Nigeria are operating.

He said:”The headwinds are profound and multifaceted, which is why many large companies declared huge losses in their latest financial results. Many have shut down; some have scaled down their operations while several others have left the country.

“Businesses are grappling with the challenges of exchange rate depreciation, currency volatility, high energy cost, high electricity tariff, high cost of logistics, weak purchasing power, soaring inflation, high cost of funds, high cost of cargo clearing, insecurity in parts of the country and many more.

“These are enough troubles for manufacturers and other investors in the economy. The regulatory agencies should not be perceived as adding to this multitude of problems.It is important that the regulatory agencies bear this in mind. Running a business in the country at this time is a herculean task.

“The CPPE believes that the regulatory agencies can discharge their functions effectively without jeopardizing investment sustainability and growth. Regulatory agencies should see investors as partners in the Nigerian project for the growth of the economy and not as objects from which to extract financial value of all types”.