Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 9th December, 2022

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 9th December 2022

1. Details Of CBN Governor’s Meeting With President Buhari Emerge

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele on Thursday noted that the implementation of the cashless policy can not be reversed.

This is coming after the House of Representatives directed the CBN Governor to suspend the implementation of the policy pending.

Lawmakers in the house had summoned Emefiele to come and explain the new policy put in place by the apex bank.

CBN on Tuesday had limited over-the-counter cash withdrawals by individuals and corporate entities to N100,000 and N500,000 per week, respectively.

Emefiele, while addressing State House reporters after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State on Thursday, said a lot of electronic channels had been put in place in 10 years since the cashless policy was launched in 2012.

The CBN Governor further stated that the cashless policy had been stepped down on several occasions to fully prepare for the implementation of the policy and deepen payment system infrastructure in Nigeria.

2. “I Will Lead The Fight” – Senate President Lawan Says Nigerian Government Must Support Cattle Business

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has argued that the cattle-rearing business has not got the kind of support and attention it should get from the government in Nigeria.

Lawan submitted that the sub-sector has the potential to serve as a huge boost to the economy and must get the support to do so from the government.

He added that cattle rearing should not be seen as a private business and promised not to relent but fight in ensuring the government supports it.

Naija News understands Lawan made his stand known while playing host to a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, led by the Minister, Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar.

Speaking further, the Senate President said though he is not a Fulani man, he believes cattle rearers in the country have not been fairly treated and better things need to be done for them.

He argued that the government supports and bails out other sectors of the economy and cattle rearing as well as general livestock rearing should not be an exemption.

He urged members of the public to desist from their hypocritical view of government support for those involved in cattle rearing business.

3. DSS Gives NNPC, Oil Marketers 48 Hours To Address Fuel Crisis

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and other stakeholders in the oil sector have the next 48 hours to address the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

Naija News reports that the Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday issued an ultimatum to the concerned bodies, threatening that it would launch a manhunt on the stakeholders should the crisis persist after two days.

The spokesman of the secret police, Peter Afunanya, stated this at the headquarters of the service in Abuja shortly after the Director-General of DSS met with the stakeholders.

Afunanya hopes that the stakeholders would take the warning seriously as the agency would not want to see queues at various feeling stations across the country after 48 hours.

The stakeholders who attended the meeting included MOMAN, DEPMAN, IPMAN, NNPC, NARTO, NUPENG and PTD, Naija News understands.

4. Rivers Govt Reacts To Attack On Atiku’s Campaign Chairman’s Residence

The Rivers State government has distanced itself from the attack on the residence of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council in the state, Senator Lee Maeba.

Naija News reports that the gunmen on Thursday morning attacked the residence of the former lawmaker on Professor Abowei Street, GRA, Phase 3 in Port Harcourt.

Reacting to the incident, Maeba, who represented the Rivers South East in the National Assembly, claimed that the hoodlums were sent to assassinate him.

But the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chris Finebone, refuted the lawmaker’s claim that the attack on his home was a plot to kill the former Senator.

Finebone, therefore, asked security agencies to probe the possibility of the incident being staged for political reasons ahead of the 2023 general elections.

5. Those Buying PVCs Are The Ones Against BVAS, INEC To Reveal Shocking Report – Festus Okoye

The National Commissioner of Information of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Festus Okoye, on Thursday spoke on permanent voter cards (PVCs) which were recently discovered buried.

According to Okoye, the electoral body will soon release a report on the voter cards.

Okoye disclosed this during a workshop on election reporting organized by the Cable Newspaper Journalism Foundation (CNFJ).

Recall that several PVCs in July 2022, in a video spotted online were discovered buried.

INEC in its reaction to the development at the time had promised to investigate the issue, adding that anyone found culpable will face the law.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in November also retrieved 513 national identity cards and permanent voter cards (PVCs) from foreigners in Katsina.

Okoye, while speaking at the workshop said, “very soon, the commission will release a report relating to all the PVCs people said were found in gutters and on the streets of Lagos.

6. House Of Reps Orders CBN To Suspend Policy Of Cash Withdrawal Limit

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday was ordered by the House of Representatives to halt the implementation of the new cash withdrawal policy.

Recall that the apex bank on Tuesday set limits to cash withdrawals at the Deposit Money Banks and other financial institutions.

CBN limited over-the-counter cash withdrawals by individuals and corporate entities to N100,000 and N500,000 per week, respectively.

The new policy was scheduled to take effect across the country on January 9, 2023.

The House on Thursday had directed the CBN Governor to appear before the House, next Thursday to brief the House on the new policy.

Magaji Aliyu who sponsored the motion said the new policy by the CBN should not be allowed to stand.

The lawmaker further stated that it will adversely affect the Nigerian people, especially those running small-scale businesses.

He added that the new policy was put in place when Nigerians are still trying to come to terms with the decision to redesign the currency.

7. Military Speaks On Alleged Secret Mass Abortion On Victims Of Terrorist Attacks

The Nigerian Military has distanced itself from reports of secretly aborting pregnancies of victims of terrorist attacks in the Northeast.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor on Thursday described the report as outright nonsense, adding that it is not true.

Naija News had earlier reported that an international news agency, Reuters in an investigation accused the military of carrying out a secret mass abortion on victims of terrorist attacks in the north-east.

The news agency claimed that the Nigerian Army since 2013 has carried out secret abortions in the Northeast.

The investigation carried out by Reuters stated that at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls were terminated.

The report further stated that pregnant victims who resisted were either beaten or drugged into compliance.

Irabor on Thursday, however, denied the report while speaking at the 61st session of the State House Ministerial briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

8. Joe Biden Invites Buhari, 48 Others To US-Africa Leaders Summit

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and forty-eight other country leaders have been invited by President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, for a three-day US-Africa Leaders Summit.

Naija News understands that the event scheduled for 13-15 December 2022 in Washington DC, the US capital, will host African heads of state and the head of the African Union.

The summit was confirmed in a public press statement on Thursday (today). President Biden is hopeful that the U.S. collaboration with African leaders, civil society, business, diaspora, women, and youth leaders, will go a long way to addressing its shared challenges.

The goal of this historic summit will be to build and expand vital political, economic, and strategic partnerships, as well as people-to-people dialogue, based on mutual interests and shared priorities in Africa.

The summit also allows the United States and the American people to reiterate their profound and enduring interest in engaging with Africa.

9. Labour Party Speaks On Increasing Minimum Wage To N80,000-N100,000

The Labour Party (LP) on Thursday revealed one of the benefits Nigerians will enjoy if its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, wins the 2023 general election.

The party expressed the intention to effect a minimum wage of N80,000 to N100,000 if it takes over power.

The Deputy National Chairman of the party, Ayo Olorufemi in an interview with Channels TV condemned the current N30,000 minimum wage.

Olorunfemi said, “It depends on the nature of the job that would be given out. For instance, when you take a cursory look at the manual labour out there, a labourer does not take less than ₦2,500-₦3,000 per day, which is still not okay as far as the reward system is concerned.

“If you divide ₦3,000 by six hours, you will be talking about N500 per hour.

“So, when you benchmark that against what we have now, certainly, you would be talking of something within the range of N500-₦1,000 per hour depending on the nature of work, and at the end of the day, someone can effectively say that he can make up to ₦4,000 in a day.

“And when you multiply ₦4,000 in a day by 20 or 25, we are talking about N80,000 or N100,000 in a month.”

10. 2023: Military Under Pressure To Compromise Elections – Defence Chief

The Chief of Defence staff, General Lucky Irabor on Thursday claimed that the military is under pressure to compromise the 2023 elections.

Irabor, however, stated that the military in the forthcoming electoral process will remain neutral.

According to the defence chief, the military will assist the Nigeria Police Force in monitoring and securing the process.

Irabor disclosed this on Thursday while speaking at the ministerial media briefing organised by the presidential communications team at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He further stated that necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that military men follow the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari to be neutral.

Irabor noted that military men are being trained to be more professional while rules of engagement before, during and after the elections have been codified and distributed to them.

The defence chief pointed to the key achievements of the military in the effort to keep the country safe.

Those are the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.