Naija News
FG, Telcos To Meet Over Court Ruling On SIM Blocking Deadline
The Federal Government will be meeting with telecommunications operators and other key stakeholders in the sector over the recent court judgement halting the government from disconnecting SIM cards not linked to National Identity Numbers by April 6.
It had reported on Wednesday that a Federal High Court in Lagos State had barred the government from blocking SIM cards not linked to NINs in April.
Officials of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy as well as operators in the telecommunications space said that the government was making progress with the NIN enrollments and its linking to SIM cards.
They also stated that the recent court order barring the Federal Government from blocking SIM cards not linked to NINs in April would be considered in a meeting that would hold before the expiration of the April 6, 2021 deadline.
A former second National Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association and human rights lawyer, Monday Ubani, had filed an originating motion and asked the court to stop the Nigerian Communications Commission from disconnecting all SIM cards not linked to NINs.
The first to fourth defendants in the suit include the Federal Government, Attorney General of the Federation, the NCC and the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy.
“These are issues that will be addressed in the meeting that will come up before the April 6 deadline,” an official of the communications ministry, who pleaded not to be named, said. It later extended the December 30, 2020 deadline following widespread opposition against the earlier announcement and gave three weeks’ extension for subscribers with NIN from December 30, 2020 to January 19, 2021.
It also gave six weeks’ extension for subscribers without NIN from December 30, 2020 to February 9, 2021.
But many organisations called for further deadline extension or outright suspension of the NIN registration process due to the large crowds who had yet to get their NINs.
On February 2, 2021, the government listened to the deadline extension call and shifted it to April 6.
The planned meeting was further confirmed by the President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Ikechukwu Nnamani.
He also stated that the communications minister would make public the decision of government on the April 6 deadline soon.
Nnamani said, “The minister will make a determination on it when it gets close to the time. There will be an implementation review meeting just before the due date to ascertain if it is necessary to extend the time.
“However, we encourage everyone to go and get their NIN and not assume it will be extended.”
On December 15, 2020, the Federal Government declared that after December 30, 2020, all SIMs that were not registered with valid NINs on the network of telecommunications companies would be blocked.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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