Naija News
Remove US travel restrictions on Nigerians, Atiku urges Biden
Former Nigeria’s Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the 46th president of the United States of America, Joe Biden, and his Vice, Kamala Haris, to remove the travel restrictions placed on some Nigerians by the country.
Atiku said this in his ‘Message of goodwill To President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’, on Thursday.
It been reported that Joe Biden was on Wednesday sworn in as the 46th President of the United States at a scaled-down ceremony overseen by over 20,000 National Guards in Washington DC.
Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, became the first Black person, first woman and first Asian American to serve as vice president after she was sworn in by US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court’s first Latina member.
Biden had signed some executive orders undoing some of former President Donald Trump’s policies, including ending the entry ban on citizens from over a dozen countries, including Eritrea, Yemen, Nigeria, and Sudan.
Earlier the US had announced that a travel ban had been placed on some Nigerian leaders and politicians over alleged election rigging.
Before visiting the US in January 2019, there had been speculation that Atiku would also be arrested if he entered the country over a case of money laundering, for which there were reports of a sealed indictment by the US Justice Department.
Atiku said, “As President Joe Biden begins his tenure as the 46th President of the United States of America, I am confident that this new era will mark America’s regeneration and her reaffirmation as the beacon of democracy to the world.
“As I congratulate President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, I urge them and their administration to strengthen US-Nigeria ties, and help our beloved nation’s war on terror by providing every type of support required to win our war against the insurgency we face and that threatens the peace of our sub-region. “I also look forward to the removal of every travel restriction on Nigerian citizens, in keeping with the good relations that has existed between
our two nations, beginning with the July 27, 1961 state visit of our first Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, to President John F Kennedy, and continuing over the decades since then.
“As the playwright, George Bernard Shaw once said, America and Nigeria are two nations divided by a common language. And millions of Nigerians and I wish to see that relationship sustained to the mutual benefit of both our democratic nations.
“Congratulations once again and may God bless both our nations and bring about a beneficial tenure for your administration.
READ ALSO:
U.S Congress Confirms Biden’s Election Win; Certification Confirmed
Lady Gaga Performs At Biden’s Inauguration
FG Replies US Claim on Religiouse Freedom Violation, Denies Allegation
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, has approved the implementation of N30,000 as minimum wage for the workers in the state.
The secretary to the state government, Folashade Ayoade disclosed this on Tuesday after an extensive meeting with the organized labour in Lokoja
She blamed the delay in the implementation on the inability for the committee to meet regularly due to the covid-19 pandemic which has been overcome.
The SSG equally commended the organised labour for their understanding and patience, which she said has resulted into the signing of the implementation of the new minimum wage.
Read Also: FCTA Set to Implement Minimum Wage for FCT Workers
Author: Eunice Johnson, Abuja
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has put Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) on notice that it will stop selling forex to them by the end of 2022. CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele made this known in Abuja on Thursday at the end of the Bankers’ Committee Meeting where he also introduced the RT200 Programme.
Emefiele said the time had come for the banks to go out there and source for forex by funding entrepreneurs with ideas. The CBN, Emefiele said, will support the banks by granting rebates and other support until the banks find their feet in sourcing their forex by themselves.
He also disclosed that the apex bank’s policies and measures have led to a significant improvement in diaspora inflow from an average of US$6 million per week in December 2020 to an average of over US$100 million per week by January 2022. He added that the CBN would be reviewing these intervention programmes going forward to ensure that they continue to achieve the desired results.
He said international bodies, including some embassies and donor agencies, have been complicit in illegal forex transactions that have hindered the flow of foreign exchange into the country.
Read Also: CBN Encourages Nigerians to Accept E-Naira
Author: Gift Wada, Abuja
The Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) has approved the deployment of 37 Comptrollers to various Units, Departments and Commands across the country.
This was disclosed in a release signed on Tuesday by the Customs Deputy National, DC Timi Bomodi for the Comptroller General of Customs.
Among those deployed are the present National PRO of Customs Comptroller Joseph Attah who will assume the office of Area Controller of Kebbi Command, Comptroller AAS Oloyede who shall be moving from ICT/MOD to Tin Can Island Port Command, while Comptroller SI Bomoi to FCT Command. Other postings are Comptroller BA Jaiyeoba to Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller A Dappa-Williams to Eastern Marine Command, Compt. MA Umar Kano/Jigawa, Compt. KC Egwuh ICT/MOD, Compt. LM Mark Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi, Compt. T Tachio CTC Kano, Compt. AA Umar Western Marine, Compt. M Dansakwa North Eastern Marine, Compt. AC Ayalogu T & T and Compt. KD Ilesanmi will assume duty as Comptroller Board among others.
Ali in postings released on 7th of February, charged the newly posted Comptrollers to justify the confidence reposed in them by NCS Management by bringing to bear their years of experience and training in trade facilitation and anti-smuggling activities on their new assignment.
Given the enormous expectations of government regarding revenue generation in the current year, the Comptroller General reiterated the need for all Area Controllers and Unit heads to take full charge of the affairs of their Commands by ensuring absolute compliance with extant fiscal policies while leveraging on the efficient management of data to optimize trade facilitation and revenue collection.
Furthermore, the CGC directed all officers to be extremely vigilant in protecting the lives and wellbeing of Nigerians by ensuring the full fortification of our borders against the incursion of smugglers and other cross border criminals.
Read Also:
Customs Raises Concerns over Finance Act as Senate Sets N3trn Target for Revenue Agencies
Comptroller Ali Ibrahim Assumes Duty as New Customs FOU Zone ‘C’ Boss
-
Revenue Streams3 years agoCommunication Ministry Gives Zero Allocation to Nipost Out of N137.2billion Capital Votes
-
Customs Corner2 years agoCustoms Emerges Champions of 2022, Male, Female National Volleyball Super Cup
-
ICT5 years agoFinally! Huawei Launched Harmony OS | Let the Rivalry Begins with AndrodOS
-
COVID-194 years agoVaccine Trials Starts Round The World: All You Need to Know
-
Newsroom4 years agoNNPC Blames #EndSARS Protests, As Fuel Queues Return
-
Naija News6 years agoINEC registers 23 new political parties. YES, RAP, UP, 20 other parties
-
Foreign2 years agoPhilippines’ Duterte Blocks Bill to Register Social Media Users
-
Business Africa6 years agoIn My Opinion: Dear politicians, walk the (democratic) talk, or keep quiet – Buchi Obichie