Nigeria Times

Renowned economist Bismarck Rewane has warned that Nigeria’s food inflation is set to rise in the coming weeks, with the price of beans becoming increasingly unaffordable. Speaking on Channels Television on Thursday, Rewane explained that several factors are contributing to the rising cost of food, particularly beans.

According to Rewane, floods that have devastated key farming regions such as Borno, Bauchi, and Sokoto, combined with the high cost of transporting goods from farms to markets, and the recent surge in petrol prices—from ₦600 to around ₦1,000 per liter—are all driving up the cost of food products across the country.

While some food items, including onions and rice, have seen slight reductions in prices, beans has experienced a sharp increase, making it inaccessible for many Nigerians. “Onions have dropped to ₦115,000, and rice is down to ₦110,000 from a high of ₦120,000. But beans has gone out of storage and out of reach,” Rewane said, attributing the price hike to the widespread damage caused by flooding in major agricultural states.

Despite the current challenges, Rewane expressed cautious optimism, noting that the federal government’s introduction of duty waivers on imported food items could help moderate prices in the long term. However, he predicted that food inflation will continue to rise in the short term, with headline inflation potentially reaching 34%.

“When the imported commodities benefiting from duty waivers arrive, we expect prices to start declining,” Rewane stated, emphasizing that the current inflationary pressure is temporary but significant.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has introduced new strategies aimed at reducing Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) by shifting from traditional motor park rallies to community-based initiatives. This move was announced by the Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Olusegun Ogungbemide, in a statement released in Abuja on Thursday.

Key Changes in Strategy

Ogungbemide highlighted concerns regarding the decreasing effectiveness of motor park rallies, which had been the primary method of engaging drivers and the public in road safety education. He noted that the rallies often failed to reach their target audience effectively, as many drivers, particularly in the commercial sector, were not present during these events.

To address this, the FRSC has adopted town hall meetings and press conferences as alternative strategies to communicate road safety messages. This approach aims to better engage communities and ensure that crucial safety information reaches drivers and commuters where they are most likely to gather.

Focus on Community Engagement

The FRSC’s new method emphasizes:

• Interactive Communication: Town hall meetings and press conferences will allow for more direct and engaging discussions about road safety, involving various stakeholders within the community.
• Broader Reach: The use of mosques, churches, and other community settings will facilitate outreach to a wider audience, ensuring that road safety education is accessible to all segments of the population.
• Addressing Lawlessness: With rising incidents of reckless driving and road traffic fatalities, the FRSC aims to address these issues directly through more effective public engagement.

Commitment to Safety

Ogungbemide reiterated the commitment of the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, to eradicating road traffic crashes by enhancing communication methods. The new strategy will also include special yearly campaigns during the ember months, a period typically associated with increased traffic and road safety risks.

He encouraged the public to actively participate in the new campaign methods, emphasizing the need for communal ownership of road safety initiatives. Engaging the public, particularly vulnerable commuters, is vital to averting the social and economic losses caused by RTCs.

The FRSC remains the leading agency in road traffic management and safety, dedicated to using clinical and enforcement strategies to foster safer road environments across the country.

As the submission date approaches for the report from the inter-ministerial committee on Local Government Areas (LGAs) autonomy, state governors in Nigeria are intensifying efforts to delay the enforcement of the Supreme Court ruling. This committee, led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, is expected to finalize its report by October 13.

In 2019, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) established a regulation prohibiting transactions on joint accounts of state and local governments, mandating that funds be sent directly to local governments. This regulation also limited cash withdrawals from local government accounts to a maximum of ₦500,000 per day, with penalties for non-compliance. However, state governors, under the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, opposed this regulation, leading to its eventual revision.

In May 2024, the Federal Government filed a lawsuit aimed at curbing governors’ authority to receive and withhold federal allocations meant for local governments, seeking to prevent the unilateral dissolution of elected councils. The Supreme Court ruled on July 11 that governors cannot control local government funds and directed the Accountant-General of the Federation to ensure direct payments to local government accounts.

Following the ruling, the Federal Government formed a committee to facilitate the implementation of local government autonomy. This panel comprises several high-ranking officials, including the Minister of Finance, Attorney General, and representatives from local governments and state governors.

In a recent address marking Nigeria’s Independence Day, President Bola Tinubu pledged to uphold the financial autonomy of local governments, stating, “We are resolute in our determination to implement the Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy of local governments.” However, sources within the Presidency revealed that governors are pressuring officials to soften the enforcement of the Supreme Court ruling.

Hakeem Ambali, President of the National Union of Local Government Employees, confirmed that the committee is expected to submit its report by October 11 and expressed confidence in the President’s commitment to the issue.

Civil society organizations, including the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership and the United Global Resolve for Peace, are urging the Federal Government to expedite the implementation of local government autonomy. They criticize governors for attempting to undermine the Supreme Court’s ruling, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the rule of law.

Debo Adeniran, chairman of the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, condemned the governors’ efforts, stating that their actions are self-serving and detrimental to local governance. Olaseni Shalom, Executive Director of the United Global Resolve for Peace, called for a bill in the National Assembly to eliminate ambiguity around local government autonomy and support fiscal independence.

The Coalition of United Political Parties has also urged immediate action from the Federal Government, emphasizing the urgency of implementing the Supreme Court ruling to ensure financial accountability at the local government level. They argue that any delay in enforcement undermines the integrity of the legal system and hinders local governance effectiveness.

Overall, the impending submission of the inter-ministerial committee’s report has heightened tensions between state governors and the Federal Government, raising concerns about the future of local government autonomy in Nigeria.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has expressed strong opposition to the recently introduced ₦50,000 fee by the National Examination Council (NECO) for reprinting certificates. This announcement was made by NECO’s Registrar, Dantani Wushishi, in Minna, Niger State.

According to NECO, the ₦50,000 fee for certificate reprints will be subject to periodic reviews, and requests will only be accepted within one year of the original certificate issuance.

NANS Clerk of the Senate, Comrade Abdulyekinn Odunayo, criticized this decision, labeling it an excessive and unfair commercialization of education. He argued that this fee would impose a significant financial burden on students, particularly in the current economic climate.

Odunayo stated, “The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) unequivocally condemns the outrageous decision by NECO to impose a ₦50,000 fee for certificate reprints. This draconian policy is a slap in the face of Nigerian students, who are already facing financial hardships and uncertainty.”

He emphasized that the fee would exacerbate financial exclusion, preventing many students from accessing their rightful certificates, and undermine NECO’s integrity regarding equitable education access.

NANS also raised concerns about NECO’s fee structures and transparency, suggesting potential fund mismanagement and inadequate service delivery. They urged NECO to reconsider its policies, advocating for a more student-friendly approach to education costs.

NANS has demanded an immediate reversal of the ₦50,000 fee and proposed that the charge be reduced, the certificate reprint period extended to five years, and that stakeholders engage in discussions to prioritize student interests in decision-making.

Odunayo concluded, “The National Association of Nigerian Students will not stand idly by while education is commercialized and students are exploited. We demand a reversal of the ₦50,000 fee, a reduction to a more affordable amount, an extension of the reprint request deadline to five years, and a stakeholder engagement process that ensures student-centric decision-making.”