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Subsidy Removal: NEC Decides On Palliative Measures For Nigerians

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Following the removal of the petrol subsidy and the recent hike in petrol prices to up to N617/litre, the National Executive Council (NEC) has agreed on palliative measures for Nigerians.

The decision was reached on Thursday at a meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja.

The meeting, which was chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, has in attendance governors of the 36 states of the Federation, the Director General of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, as well as stakeholders from the World Bank and other agencies of government.

NEC also considered integrity tests on state social registers, cash transfers would be done via state social registers subject to state peculiarities.

During the meeting, government officials were urged to reduce the cost of governance in their various spheres. This is even as the Federal Government initiated a six-month cash award policy for public servants.

Food items grains and fertilisers are to be distributed by state governments at the rate acquired from National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and states are urged to double down on energy transition plans in the transport sector.

This is the second meeting of the Council and it is expected to deliberate on the reviewed palliative package for Nigerians following the removal of petrol subsidy as well as the hike in fuel price.

President Bola Tinubu had unveiled his administration’s plan for a monthly N8,000 transfer to 12 million of the poorest households in the country for six months, in a bid to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy.

The plan was contained in a letter read last Thursday on the floor of the House of Representatives regarding the $800 million loan request of the previous Muhammadu Buhari administration for a social safety net programme.

But days after the announcement, the Federal Government said it will review the move following the backlash it generated among Nigerians.

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Peter Obi’s Comparison of Nigeria’s Educational System With Bangladesh, Turkiye

Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas of development and in the Human Development Index (HDI).

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Peter Obi wrote on his X( Twitter) : “I just came across the official results from JAMB showing the recent exam figures.

In the data shared by JAMB, a total of 1,955,069 candidates sat for the exam.

Shockingly, out of this number, only about 420,000 candidates scored above 200, while over 1.5 million scored below 200.

This means that over 78% of the total candidates failed to meet the 200-mark threshold — a reflection of the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system.

The latest JAMB results once again highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education, a sector that should be central to our national development strategy.

Currently, Nigeria’s total university enrollment stands at approximately 2 million students.

By comparison, the National University of Bangladesh — a single university — has over 3.4 million students enrolled, despite the country having only about 75% of Nigeria’s population.

One university in Bangladesh surpasses the entire university enrollment in Nigeria.

Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas of development and in the Human Development Index (HDI).

Similarly, Turkey (now Turkiye), with a population of about 87.7 million people, has over 7 million university students — more than three times Nigeria’s total university enrollment.

I have consistently said it: education is not just a social service; it is a strategic investment.

It is the most critical driver of national development and the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty.

We must now invest aggressively in education — at all levels — if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria.”

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BREAKING: Cardinal Robert Prevost elected new Pope

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The Catholic Church has a new leader. Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American-born cleric and seasoned Vatican official, has been elected Pope, taking the name Leo XIV.

The announcement was made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday following the traditional white smoke signaling the successful conclusion of the papal conclave.

Prevost, 69, becomes the first American-born Pope in the Church’s two-thousand-year history, marking a significant moment for Catholics in the United States and around the world.

He succeeds Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88.

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Pope Leo XIV is a member of the Order of St. Augustine and is widely respected for his quiet but firm leadership style, deep theological grounding and global pastoral experience.

In 2023, Prevost was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing the selection and supervision of bishops around the world.

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BREAKING: Catholic Church elects new Pope

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White smoke has been detected from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, signalling the election of a new Pope by the Catholice church.

The new Pope will replace the late Pope Francis who died last month at the age of 88.

However, the identity of the new pope was not immediately made known as the pontiff’s name has yet to be announced.

The white smoke flowed from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican on the second day of the Conclave shortly after 1pm on Thursday.

The white smoke signalled that one of the candidates for the pontificate had obtained the necessary two-thirds majority for election.

Details soon….

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