Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines For Today, Thursday, 23rd December, 2021

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Ezenwoko’s Blog roundup of top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 23rd December 2021

The Senate has said it will take a decision of the rejection of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by President Muhammdu Buhari in January 2022.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan made this known on Wednesday after presiding over a closed-door Executive session, which began at 10:36 am and ended at 11:14 am

Lawan said the Senate decided to wait till next year to respond in order to consult with the House of Representatives on the matter and to seek the input of their constituents.

On Tuesday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, had said the Green Chamber will make a decision and take a stand regarding the electoral bill when it resumes in January 2022.

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed the 2022 Appropriation bill into law, increasing the estimate to N17.13trillion.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had presented the 2022 budget of N16.39 trillion to a joint session of the National Assembly on October 9, 2021.

The bill was passed into law after a report presented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Barau Jibrin, was considered.

Jibrin said the oil price benchmark for the 2022 budget has been increased from $57 per barrel proposed by the executive to $62 to “reflect the current market values of the oil barrel in the international market”.

He said the budget is of much significance because it would be the last full-year budget to be implemented by the current administration.

Jibrin noted that other than the oil benchmark, other MTEF parameters were approved as proposed by the executive.

After presenting his report, the Senate dissolved into the “committee of supply” to consider clauses of the 2022 appropriation bill.

Speaking after the passage of the budget, Senate President Ahmad Lawan appreciated his colleagues for restoring the budget cycle back to January to December.

The Nigerian Government has declared Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th December 2021 as public holidays to celebrate the 2021 Christmas and Boxing Day.

In a statement on Wednesday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore, the government also declared Monday, January 3, 2022, as a public holiday to mark New Year Day celebrations.

The statement quoted the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, felicitating with Christians and all Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on this year’s Christmas and New Year celebrations

Aregbesola enjoined Christians to practise the doctrine of Christ, which includes faith, hope and love.

He also urged the citizens to use the yuletide season to pray for peace in the country and emulate Jesus Christ in living a life of peace and love.

The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State of carrying out genocide in southern Kaduna.

Ezenwoko’s Blog reports that the pro-Biafra group stated this while reacting to a statement credited to the Kaduna governor where he compared IPOB to a terrorist organization.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB stated that El-Rufai is aware of the alleged ethnic cleansing of non-Fulani communities in Southern Kaduna.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, on Wednesday revealed how he almost committed suicide but changed his mind after listening to a series of inspirational music.

Oba Ogunwusi in his statement said there is power in music, as it is a perfect communication with God.

The Monarch further stated that music reset his brain when he thought about committing suicide that ‘there is hope when there is life’.

Ooni revealed this while speaking at the opening session of the maiden edition of ‘Memorable Moments With Music’ at The Muson Centre, Lagos.

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have kidnapped scores of traders along Kaduna–Birnin Gwari Highway after attacking their convoy.

Ezenwoko’s Blog gathered that the gunmen attacked the convoy containing 20 vehicles, which were led by a police escort.

The incident happened around 11 am on Wednesday and that most of the victims were traders travelling to Kano State for business.

It was gathered that some of the traders that ran into the bush called their relations to inform them of the situation.

A community leader identified as Muhammadu Umaru, said that four of his neighbours were abducted.

7. Lagos Announces Non-availability Of Moderna Vaccine

Amid the rising cases of COVID-19, the Lagos Ministry of Health has announced that the state is out of the Moderna vaccine.

This was stated in a terse post on the official Instagram page of the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, titled ‘Non-availability of #COVID19 Moderna Vaccine in Lagos State – Appeal for Restraint by Lagos State Ministry of Health’.

The statement reads: “Lagos State Ministry of Health (LSMOH) and Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board (LSPHCB) sincerely appeal for understanding over the non-availability of Moderna vaccine in all vaccination centres in Lagos at the moment.

“It should be noted that the supply of vaccines to all states of the Federation is done exclusively by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

“Like other states of the federation, Lagos State relies on NPHCDA for the supply of all COVID-19 vaccines.

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to reveal the outcome of the investigation on the death of the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bola Ige.

Soyinka made this known at an event organised by the Bola Ige Justice Centre in commemoration of the late minister’s 20th death anniversary.

Ezenwoko’s Blog reports that Ige was assassinated by some unknown gunmen at his residence in Ibadan on December 23, 2001.

Soyinka reminded President Buhari of his promise of opening an enquiry into the spate of political assassination witnessed in the country in recent years.

He stated that Nigerians will not relent in demanding an explanation for Ige’s murder, expose the killers and identify the conspirators involved in the assassination.

Two hundred and thirty-five officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces have been promoted to the next rank of military generals.

Ezenwoko’s Blog gathered that of the 235 officers, some got promotion as one-star generals while others became two-star generals.

The approval for their promotion was given on Tuesday night after a meeting of the Army Council, Navy council and the Air Council respectively held at the ship house Ministry of Defence in Abuja which was presided over by the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi.

A breakdown of the promotion shows that 36 officers of the Nigerian Army were promoted from Brigadier Generals to Major Generals while 76 Colonels were promoted to Brigadier Generals.

On its part, the Nigerian Navy promoted 21 Commodores to Rear Admirals and 36 Captains to Commodores, while 30 NAF Air Commodores were promoted to Air Vice Marshals and 36 Group Captains lifted to Air Commodores.

10. Federal Civil Service Going On Zero Hardcopy By 2025, Says Yemi-Esan

The Federal Government has said it is phasing out the use of hardcopy paperwork from its civil service by 2025.

The move, the government said, is part of the upgrade and digitalisation of its civil service.

Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, who announced this while inaugurating a new IT Training Centre at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, warned that staff members who failed to avail themselves with digital skills would be left behind.

She hailed the authorities for facilitating the setting up of the centre, saying the decision would add to the digital skills of the State House workers.

Those are the top Nigerian newspapers headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Ezenwoko’s Blog. See you again tomorrow.

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