NEWS
Tchiani Conquers Macron
The diplomatic row consequent upon the forced change of leadership in the Central African country of Niger Republic has assumed a new turn, as colonial masters, France, has bowed to orders to leave their former colony.
Recall that coupists led by Gen Tchiani, a former Head of the Presidential Guard to the Elected-President, Mohamed Bazoum, wrestled power in a palace coup on July 26, 2023.
Biztellers reported that the military government made public its decision to evict foreign troops – including French and US in Niger, while drawing the cotton on all MoUs between them and France.
France on its part, insisted that the only recognised authority in its former colony, was ousted Mohamed Bazoum, while maintaining that it would not heed the order of the Gen Tchiani-led junta.
The military government had given the French Ambassador a 24-hour notice to leave the country.
All the grandstandings appear to have been confined to history as French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, revealed that his country would withdraw its ambassador and troops from Niger.
Macron said, “France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the next hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,”
In addition, as demanded by the coupists, Macron admitted, that military cooperation between both country was “over”.
This would mean that 1,500 French troops stationed in the country would withdraw in “the months and weeks to come” with a full pullout “by the end of the year”.
This is coming, after weeks of pressure from the military government which had the backing of popular demonstrations. Thousands of people have protested in recent weeks in the capital Niamey, including outside a military base housing French soldiers.
In a swift reaction, the Gen Tchiani led government, on Sunday, issued a message of cheer.
In a nationwide broadcast on television, the Niger military leaders said, “This Sunday, we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger.
“This is a historic moment, which speaks to the determination and will of the Nigerien people.”
Biztellers reports that this coming as France’s troops have also been asked to leave its former colonies Mali and Burkina Faso.
Analysts see this as victory for the populist movement sweeping across former French colonies in Central and West Africa.
Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque, said, “This is definitely a small victory for the government in transition, and perhaps an embarrassment for the French who have seen Mali, Burkina Faso and now a third country in the Sahel where it is being asked by the government in place to leave the country.”
Haque, who reports for Al Jazeera from Dakar, Senegal observed that the French ambassador had, “essentially been held hostage inside the embassy. The Niger security forces wouldn’t let anyone in or out. He has been surviving on the food rations inside the embassy.”
Recall that with the backing of Franch and other European forces, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions in the wake of the July coup, and threatened military intervention.
However, the failure of ECOWAS to secure the popular support, inlduing the Nigerian Senate prevailing on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to refrain from embarking on a military adventure in a neighbouring country cooled-off the moves by the regional bloc.
NEWS
Adeleke Approves Adeyemi’s Appointment As Chairman, Governing Council, Osun State College of Education
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has approved the appointment of Akinyele Sarafa Adeyemi, as the new Chairman of the Governing Council of the Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun.
This was detailed in a statement in Osogbo on Friday by Spokesperson to Governor Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed.
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According to Rasheed, Adeyemi replaces Dr Peter Babalola who resigned his appointment after a controversial tenure at the College of Education.
He stated that “Adeyemi who holds a first and Masters degrees in Education from the University of Ibadan is a retired principal of the Federal Girls College, Ipetumodu.”
It was gathered that the swearing in ceremony for the new Council Chairman holds by 10am on Monday at the EXCO lounge.
The Committee on Consequential Adjustments in Salaries for Civil Servants has confirmed that the newly approved minimum wage will be implemented starting July 29, 2024.
This was disclosed in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) issued at the conclusion of the committee’s meeting in Abuja on Friday.
Read Also: NLC Accuses Tinubu Of Sabotaging Minimum Wage With Fuel Hike
The MoU reads, “The National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC) will prepare and release the necessary salary templates for other consolidated salary structures. The implementation date for the new wage will take effect from July 29, 2024.”
The committee, comprising 16 members, was set up to oversee the execution of the National Minimum Wage Act of 2024. This legislation raised the country’s minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000.
Among its key responsibilities, the committee is tasked with negotiating salary adjustments across various sectors and developing a template for implementing the newly approved wage structure.
With the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popular in the streets as petrol, hovering around approximately N1000-N1300 per litre, concerns are mounting about the viability of fuel subsidies in Nigeria.
Energy policy analyst, Adeyemi Adeoye, has underscored the critical role of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) in this issue, shedding light on who bears the subsidy costs.
He shared his views on TVC News on Friday.
Biztellers reports that the pump price of petrol has risen from below N200/litre at at May 29, 2023 to around N1300/litre as at September 20, 2024, with little variations depending the part of Nigeria, consumers are buying from.
Read More: Fuel Pricing Should Serve Public Interest, Not Profit — Yemi Adeoye
He stated, “Only the NNPC can engage in negotiations of this nature. Their partnership with the Dangote Refinery gives them leverage to negotiate from a position of strength.”
Adeoye highlighted that while the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and other marketers lack significant influence over prices, the Dangote Refinery prioritizes profitability.
According to him, this makes the NNPC’s negotiations vital, as they are legally required by the Petroleum Industry Act to ensure fuel availability across the country and prevent long queues at gas stations.
Adeoye said, “It is only NNPC that could have gone into that type of negotiation because NNPC is coming to the table from a position of strength because they have a partnership with the Dangote Refinery, and they have other businesses they are supplying crude to, so they can come and say, ‘Look, this has to be this way.’
“The IPMAN and the other marketers cannot do that because Dangote is a profit-making organization; it is not a charity organization. So, the only thing that is important to the Dangote Refinery is to make a profit, which is the same thing that is important to any business.
“So, the NNPC went into these negotiations because it also understands that it is the last resort. In terms of fuel distribution in the country, NNPC is mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act to make sure that there are no queues in the country. So, even if they don’t want to do it, the law mandates NNPC as the supplier, the last resort, to make sure that there is petroleum product across Nigeria.
“That negotiation is such that NNPC took all the calculations in and said, ‘This is a fair pricing that we know we can withstand.’
“Because what NNPC was paying out, which you might call a subsidy or under-recovery, NNPC was paying the difference on behalf of the government, which is under the directive of the president, who has also said he wants to see this situation totally resolved.
“That was why he directed the NNPC to make sure that crude oil to the Dangote Refinery is sold in Naira, because NNPC produces the crude in dollars, and it has to be sold to the Dangote Refinery in Naira, which is good faith.” he added
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