Gold prices suffer worst two weeks in a row since November
$128 million worth of Bitcoin exchange hands, Bitcoin drops to $36,100
Very few nations permitted to issue their Crypto – IMF
COVID-19 Update in Nigeria
FG to organize another tripartite meeting for Lagos-Ibadan expressway gridlock
COVID-19 Update in Nigeria
Bitcoin, Gold, leading Stocks tumble on strong U.S dollar
Polkadot fast-rising Crypto, jumps past XRP
How to fund capital projects debt-free with high interest yielding investments
AfCFTA: President Buhari, 9 others receive award for contribution to agreement
Business
#EndSARS: Lagos orders investigation of Lekki Toll Plaza shooting
The Lagos State Government has ordered an investigation into the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters at Lekki toll gate.
The Lagos State Government has ordered an investigation into the Lekki Toll Plaza shooting that was allegedly done by some men of the Nigerian Army on Tuesday evening.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, and shared via the state’s Twitter handle.
It stated, “There have been reports of shooting at the Lekki Toll Plaza, following the 24-hour curfew imposed on Lagos State to stop criminals, who hid under the #EndSARS protests to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens.
“The State Government has ordered an investigation into the incident.
“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised the security agents not to arrest anyone on account of the curfew, which he urges residents to observe for the peaceful atmosphere we all cherish.”
According to the statement, Governor Sanwo-Olu advised Lagosians to remain calm and not allow criminals, who have hijacked the noble protest of our gallant youths, to succeed in their evil plan of turning our dear state upside down.
Omotoso assured that the Governor will do everything within his power to ensure that the lives of all Lagosians are protected at all times.
There have been reports of shooting at the Lekki Toll Plaza, following the 24-hour curfew imposed on Lagos State to stop criminals who hid under the #EndSARS protests to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens.@jidesanwoolu @drobafemihamzat @gbenga_omo @gboyegaakosile #LASG pic.twitter.com/wP0dsQ3sBD
— The Lagos State Govt (@followlasg) October 20, 2020
Backstory
Nairametrics had earlier reported that the Lagos State Government announced the imposition of a 24-hour curfew in all parts of the state, with effect from 4 pm, which was later shifted to 9pm Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
This is due to the raging #EndSARS protests and demonstrations in the state which has been hijacked by criminals and hoodlums, with attacks on innocent citizens and destruction of properties.
Business
FG to organize another tripartite meeting for Lagos-Ibadan expressway gridlock
The FG has announced plans to organize tripartite stakeholders’ meeting to resolve issues on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The Federal Government has announced plans to organize another tripartite stakeholders’ meeting, as they have reiterated their commitment towards resolving the incessant gridlock and truck menace on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
This disclosure was made by the Coordinating Director, Highway Construction and Rehabilitation in Nigeria, Mr Funsho Adebiyi on Saturday during an inspection tour of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Expressway rehabilitation and reconstruction project.
According to a report from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Adebiyi said that those invited to the meeting include the Lagos, Ogun and Oyo state governments, as well as truck drivers and owners, traffic regulatory agencies, amongst others.
What Mr Adebiyi is saying
While expressing regret that the constant presence of articulated trucks parking indiscriminately on the Oghere section of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project is damaging new construction work on the highway, he said that drastic steps must be taken to tackle the problem in each of these states in conjunction with their governments.
He said,
- “You see trailers in their hundreds park on the road shoulders we are just repairing. Some of them are not parked empty, they are carrying as much as 900 bags of cement and they are abandoned there on the road shoulder.’’
He pointed out the need for another meeting, as the 4 previous stakeholders’ meetings held with truck drivers and owners, as well as other stakeholders did not achieve the desired results.
Adebiyi said,
- “I had invited my Minister to a town hall meeting before and he has met them and we are organizing another town hall meeting with them next week Friday and Saturday, to come and sit down with them to discuss with the truck drivers, truck owners, the truck park operators. We are making efforts also to construct parks where they can park – about 4,000 capacity truck park. It will be constructed still along this Oghere end, but we are begging them to stop parking on the road.’’
Adebiyi, during an earlier inspection of section one of the highway which stretches from Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu interchange, said the federal government was constructing two major additional interchanges.
He also added that two flyovers were being constructed on section one, in addition to 14 existing ones on other stretches in Ogun and Oyo, to curb gridlock and improve the safety of new communities along the axis.
What you should know
- The reconstruction/rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which faced several setbacks was flagged off in 2013 with the award of the contract to 2 firms.
- Section one of the project that spans from Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu interchange in Ogun state was awarded to Julius Berger, while the other section which spans from Sagamu interchange to Ibadan was awarded to RCC.
Business
NIN: International passport renewal and 6 other key uses of the number
Nairametrics takes a cursory look at the importance of the NIN to Nigerians in our current system.
The National Identification Number (NIN) has become a vital means of identification in Nigeria for various purposes ranging from international passport renewal to opening of bank accounts, amongst others.
The National Communications Commission (NCC) recently directed telecommunication companies in Nigeria to block the lines of subscribers who fail to link their SIMs with their NIN before the January 19 deadline (for subscribers with NIN) and February 9 deadline (for subscribers without NIN).
READ: FG invalidates SIM integration using BVN generated NIN, applicants must visit NIMC offices
This resulted in increased registration by Nigerians who are yet to get their NIN in a bid to meet the deadline, even as the NCC recently insisted that the deadline will not be moved.
Nairametrics takes a cursory look at the importance of the NIN to Nigerians in our current system.
READ: NIMC unable to produce ID cards despite receiving over N80 billion
Key areas NIN is required
- Voters card registration: NIN is now accepted as a means of identification for obtaining the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) in Nigeria.
- Bank account opening and reactivation: NIN is being used to access a wide range of services in banks and the financial services industry, ranging from documentations for the opening of an account, means of identification for payment of second or third party cheques, to reactivation of dormant accounts.
- Consular services at Nigerian embassies and missions: As a bonafide citizen of Nigeria, NIN is now being used as a means of identification to access a wide range of services at Nigerian Embassies and Missions abroad, amongst others.
READ: Lagos State Internal Revenue Service may start using BVN to collect taxes
- International passport: The Nigeria Immigration Services has made NIN compulsory as a means of identification for anyone that wants to apply for fresh or renewal of international passports in Nigeria.
- Driver’s license: It has become compulsory for anyone that wants to apply for or renew his or her driver’s license to show his or her NIN as a means of identification. According to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), no vehicle registration or renewal can be done without providing NIN as part of its requirements – no waiver allowed.
- Government-related jobs and grants/loans: Most government-related jobs cannot be secured without NIN as a vital means of identification. As a matter of fact, you even need to provide your NIN in the prescribed job forms to apply for the job.
- Tertiary admissions: Most tertiary institutions, in addition to other means of identification, accept NIN for the processing of admissions and registrations of new students.
READ: Tax Remittance: LIRS to integrate PID module into TIN
What you should know about NIN
- The National Identification Number (NIN) is an eleven-digit number issued to every citizen and legal resident from age 0 under section 27 of the National Identity Management Commission Act.
- Although its primary purpose is to track individuals for social security purposes, the National Identification Number (NIN) has become in reality, a national identification number for taxation and other purposes.
- Enrolment consists of the recording of an individual’s demographic data and capture of the ten (10) fingerprints, head-to-shoulder facial picture and digital signature, which are all used to cross-check existing data on the National Identity Database, to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data.
- NIN is not the same thing as the National e-ID Card which is a physical token. It can be used on its own for digital identity verification without the e-ID card.
Business
Pensioners’ walk-in-verification exercise postponed indefinitely by PTAD
PTAD indefinitely postponed the proposed resumption of the walk-in verification for pensioners.
The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has announced the indefinite postponement of the proposed resumption of the walk-in verification for pensioners at its headquarters and state liaison offices for all pensioners earlier scheduled for January 19, 2021, till further notice.
The postponement of the verification which is under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), is in line with the Federal Government’s directive on measures to help curb the spread of the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic.
This disclosure is contained in a statement issued by PTAD on Friday, January 14, 2021, in Abuja.
The statement from the agency partly reads, “PTAD hereby informs the general public that the proposed resumption of the walk-in verification of pensioners at its headquarters and state liaison offices for all pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme earlier scheduled for January 19, 2021, has been postponed till further notice.
“The postponement is in line with the Federal Government’s directive on ensuring safe practice of the Covid-19 protocols, through the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19.”
PTAD noted that pensioners under the Civil Service Pension Department (CSPD), the Police Pensions Department (PPD) and the Customs, Immigration, Prisons Pension Department (CIPPD) and Parastatal Pension Department (PaPD) will also be affected by this suspension.
It, however, in its statement, assured all pensioners who had requested for the walk-in verification that they would be contacted and scheduled for the exercise when the walk-in verification resumes.
PTAD also urged pensioners with urgent complaints to send their complaints as emails to [email protected], [email protected] of they should upload their complaints on PTAD’s website complaint link on ptad.gov.ng
What you should know
- It can be recalled that PTAD had earlier announced the suspension of its walk-in verification for pensioners on December 10, 2020, and had said that the exercise would now commence on January 19, 2021. This makes it the second postponement of the exercise in about a month.
- The latest announcement of indefinite suspension has been attributed to the outbreak of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
POSTPONEMENT OF RESUMPTION DATE FOR WALK-IN VERIFCATION FOR PENSIONERS
1. The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate hereby informs the general public that the proposed resumption of the walk-in verification of Pensioners at its HQ and state liaison offices…— PTAD Nigeria (@PTADNigeria) January 15, 2021
Micheal L.
October 21, 2020 at 3:41 am
Protest and rallies are integral part of Democracies everywhere and protester are often have Police to bring presence to help shift out who is out for criminal activities. Now that the State and Federal government has exposed the protester to attacks from hoodlums or occasioned the instance that led to the circumstances then both arm of the governments hold some explanations to the public not just brush to side to bring curfews and military to incite and occassion what happened and now want to see up enquiries. This should be handled by the Judiciary and not by Tribunal. When you answerable in a case you cannot be one liable and play the Judge at the same time. This is a fix. This is a poor reporting too lack investigative work.
M. L
October 21, 2020 at 4:02 am
You are government if you know that you have criminals and hoodlums on the street then clean or rid the street of them. You already have what is working against Democracy in your environment. Protests and rallies are integral part of process in Democratic rule. You just said you are not fit to rule if criminals and hoodlums roam free on your streets and you do nothing about it. Wonder what inclusion people exercised during this party in the governments. You just called out drill like militaries and people to be Zombies and just follow them. Space is filled with unresolved conflicts. This is the spill. Got a lots own up /clean up to do.
Olusegun ADEKOYA
October 21, 2020 at 4:38 am
The state Governor should just resign. Now I believe that the military are now the goons for both the Governor and the President.
Dee
October 21, 2020 at 6:13 pm
It’s interesting to listen to the governor. He has simply discredited himself and is being used as a tool in the hands of his paymasters who will discard him like a rag once they’re through with him.
He said investigations have been ordered but the crime scene was not secured and has been vandalised, what are they investigating? It shows the lack of sincerity of a govt that has perfected the art of deceit. Sanwo-olu should man up, tell the truth and resign else, he will bury himself irredeemably in the ruins of his political career which is just taking off.