Author: oduduwanews

The Nigerian Communications Commission has ordered telecommunications operators, telcos to immediately restore all phone lines blocked due to non-linkage of National Identification Numbers to SIM cards.

Reuben Muoka, the Director of Media and Public Affairs disclosed this on Monday.

Recall that many Nigerians were agog over what they perceived as restrictions by the NCC, which they felt were attempts to frustrate the August planned protest.

In a statement released by the NCC and sighted by Vanguard, Muoka stated that many telecom subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines because of the inability of many telecom consumers to verify their NINs with their SIMs.

The statement read, “Over the weekend, many telecom subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines due to their inability to verify their NINs with their SIMs. This resulted in their numbers being blocked by their telecom service providers in compliance with the laws and policies of the NIN-SIM linkage.

“Telecoms consumers and the public will recall the compulsory linkage of NIN with SIM, which began in December 2020, when the government directed telecommunication companies to bar unregistered SIM cards and SIMs that were not linked to NIN.

“Since December 2023, the Commission has reviewed the deadline a few times; April 15, 2024, was set as the deadline for the full network barring of subscribers with four or fewer SIMs that had unverified NIN details. This deadline was then reviewed to July 31, 2024, to give consumers more time to ensure their submitted NIN details are properly verified. Despite these extensions, many phone lines have yet to be linked with verified NINs.

“The objectives of this exercise by the Federal Government of Nigeria include enhancing national security and ensuring the national SIM ownership database is accurate. The NIN-SIM linkage policy aids in verifying and protecting users’ identities while also providing critical infrastructure that assures access to the benefits of a robust digital economy for the citizenry.

“The consumer is our priority. Therefore, considering the challenges the blockages have caused, the Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend, given the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs. Reactivated consumers are to note that this is for a limited period to allow them to properly link their NIN to their SIM.

“Members of the public who have yet to verify their SIMs are encouraged to do so as soon as possible to maintain access to their lines.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today signed the new National Minimum Wage Amendment bill 2024 into law. It is reviewable every three years.

President Tinubu signed the bill midway into the Federal Executive Council meeting. Head of Service said the new law will undoubtedly reassure the workers that the President cares about their welfare.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio led National Assembly leaders to the signing ceremony.
President Tinubu thanked the National Assembly for accelerating the passage of the law.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, has urged residents to refrain from engaging in violence towards protesters ahead of a planned nationwide demonstration scheduled for August 1-10. Fayoade made this plea during a town hall meeting with traditional rulers and community leaders in Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Epe, and Lagos Island.

The commissioner emphasized that while the police and other security forces are opposed to any form of protest, residents should avoid confrontations with protesters and instead report any planned violent protests to the authorities. He stressed that peaceful protests are a legitimate right, but violence will not be tolerated.

Traditional rulers and community leaders, including Oba Abdulfatai Aromire of Ijora/Apapa, have also spoken out against the planned protest and commended the police for their efforts in addressing crime in the area. They have called for action against land grabbers and praised the commissioner for his success in dealing with kidnappers in Mushin.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has received over 20 million job applications within one hour of announcing new job openings on Friday.

A source at the NNPCL confirmed the development to ODUDUWA NEWS on Friday.

“Within the first hour of opening applications, our servers registered over 20 million attempts to submit job applications. It’s an unprecedented situation,” the source stated.

The influx of applications had caused technical glitches on the NNPCL’s website, resulting in slow load times and difficulties for applicants attempting to submit their information.

Addressing the situation, NNPCL had said in post on X (formerly Twitter): “Due to unprecedented traffic to the NNPC Ltd. career page from applicants applying for vacancies, the site is currently experiencing slow load times

“Our technicians are working diligently to rectify the problem as quickly as possible.”

The company reassured potential applicants that the application deadline remains August 20, 202.

In a follow-up statement, NNPCL noted its commitment to fairness in the hiring process: “Our team is working assiduously to accommodate the surge of applications.

“While we acknowledge the keen interest of Nigerians in having an exciting career experience with us, we reassure all Nigerians of a transparent and merit-based recruitment process.

“We therefore encourage capable Nigerians to take maximum advantage of this unique opportunity.”

The positions announced include graduate trainees and those on supervisory cadre.

Filling stations in Abuja and neighbouring states of Niger, Nasarawa, and Kogi, were shut on Friday as oil marketers expressed worry over the planned nationwide protest.

Retail outlets, including those operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in Kubwa, Salbas Oil, Eterna, and Gegu Oil, among others located on the Kubwa-Zuba expressway, stopped dispensing fuel.

The same scene was also witnessed inside Abuja and parts of Niger and Nasarawa states.

Oil marketers told our correspondent that filling stations in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, were also shut.

The development led to fuel queues resurfacing in outlets dispensing fuel like AYM Shafa in the Dei-Dei end of the Kubwa-Zuba expressway, Abuja, and the NNPC in Zuba, Niger State.

Also, several filling stations in some parts of Lagos State were closed on Friday, creating fears of impending fuel scarcity.

Our correspondents, who went around, noticed that most filling stations were not dispensing, while the few that attended to customers sold at N800 per litre.

Although some oil marketers said the closure of some retail outlets on Friday was due to the unavailability of fuel, others attributed it to apprehension over the planned nationwide protest.

Long queues in Ogun and Oyo State

In Ogun and Oyo State, the situation at filling stations has reached a crisis point as motorists face long queues amid looming fuel scarcity.

Our correspondent visited the Magboro and Ibafo areas along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, where a chaotic scene unfolded as vehicles including motorcycles, cars, and commercial buses, lined up for petrol.

At Quest Filling Station in Magboro, the sight was alarming as the queue snaked for over a hundred meters, with motorists struggling for their turn to purchase fuel.

Of the three petrol pumps available, only one was operational, exacerbating the delay for those waiting.

President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians not to resort to violent protests, but rather wait until 2027 to vote him out if they are dissatisfied with his leadership. This was revealed by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, after a meeting with the President and other select monarchs at the Villa on Thursday.

According to Oba Ogunwusi, the President is open to dialogue and willing to engage with stakeholders to address the country’s challenges. The monarchs, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Saad, and Ooni Ogunwusi, urged protesters to exercise their civic rights peacefully and not allow their actions to be hijacked by those with ulterior motives.

The traditional rulers also condemned acts of looting and vandalism, emphasizing their role as parents and leaders in engaging with the youth to promote peace and stability in the country. The meeting comes ahead of the planned nationwide protest against hardship, scheduled to take place from August 1-10.

The Oyo State Post Primary School Teaching Service Commission, TESCOM has fixed Monday, July 29- August 2, 2024, for computer-based test (CBT) for applicants in the ongoing recruitment exercise for teaching and non-teaching staff of secondary schools.

The Chairman, TESCOM, Pastor Akinade Alamu, stated this in Ibadan today, during a press conference.

He said a total of 62, 000 applicants scaled the application exercise to take part in the computer-based tests for the available positions.

Pastor Alamu said 12,000 applicants put in for non-teaching service, while 50,000 applicants applied for teaching service, under TESCOM.

The Chairman said the Commission is executing the recruitment exercise in conjunction with relevant agencies such as Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Establishment; Office of the Head of Service; and Ministry of Finance.

Pastor Alamu reiterated the Commission’s commitment to a credible exercise, adding that “no applicant should rely on hear-says.”

Pastor Akamu said specific date and time for individual applicants is already can be accessed by applicants through their portals.

He described Governor Seyi Makinde as a lover of Education, who saw the vacuum in secondary schools as one that must be filled, despite its recruitment exercise about four years ago.

He added that the venue for the exam is University of Ibadan Distance Learning Centre, Computer Based Testing Centre, Ajibode, Ibadan.

Alamu instructed all applicants to print copies of their CBT examination schedule and their application print-out, bearing their passports, from the job portal.

According to him, “The Commission has approved that the University of Ibadan Distance Learning Centre, Computer Based testing centre, should conduct the computer-based tests for the applicants because of its pedigree in such exercise.”

The Chairmam said the two print-outs will admit applicants into the CBT examination hall.

He maintained that applicants must adhere strictly to the time and date, sent to them, as loitering around the centre will not be condoned.

The Chairman added that successful candidates from the computer-based tests will be required to appear for oral interview.

Meanwhile, Pastor Alamu said the Commission has made arrangements for applicants, by providing necessities such as tents, chairs, ambulance service and security.

Adebo Ogundoyin during Thursday’s valedictory plenary sitting in honor of Mrs Yetunde Awe, the Clerk of the House, who is retiring from the state civil service.

The governor also indicated in his message his desire to transfer executive powers to the deputy governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal, who will serve in acting capacity in his stead.

Makinde’s leave, according to the letter will commence on August 5 and end on September 6, 2024.

“Annual vacation form 5th September 2024 to Friday September 6th 2024
Pursuant to section 190 subsection 1 of the federal republic of Nigeria, I hereby transmit out that during these period indicated above deputy governor Barr Bayo Lawal shall be active governor and shall be acting Governor and shall be back form the vacation September 7th 2024”. Governor Makinde said.

The House has also sworn in Mrs. Taiwo Muraina-Akinola, formerly the deputy Clerk as the Substantive Clerk of the House.

Her swearing in as the new clerk of the house follows her recommendation by the House of Assembly Commission.

Ahead of the planned nationwide protests by some Nigerians, particularly the youth, a pro-Lagos State Government X handle @lagospedia has announced two weeks observation of Oro Festival in various communities in Lagos.

Nigerians have begun reacting to the planned ‘ORO festival’ coinciding with the planned nationwide protest as politically motivated move by those who do not want the protest to hold.

Recall, for several weeks, there has been an agitation by the youths to hold nationwide protest starting from August 1 to 15 to draw the attention of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration to the current economic challenges facing the country.

Youths have been mobilizing via X platform formally known as Twitter with several hashtags “endbadgovernance”, “Dayofrage” among several others.

Former spokesman to the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, Daniel Bwala, has raised alarm over potential foreign involvement in the planned protests against the rising cost of living in Nigeria.

Bwala made this assertion after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the presidential Villa in Abuja, stating that the administration is already working to address the country’s economic hardship through various initiatives.

Bwala, who is set to join the ruling party, linked the planned protests to political motivations, suggesting that foreign interests are taking advantage of Nigeria’s poor political climate and economic struggles.

His claims have sparked concerns about external influences on domestic affairs and the true intentions behind the planned protests.