.@newnewspod wants you to enjoy December today
Hi, <<First Name>>,
Welcome to Monday.
… but first, a word from our sponsors. Adetomiwa is my sponsor. If the Duke of Sussex can break out of his toxic situation, so can you. Let’s all dump the baggage in 2020.
This newsletter is listening to All Night by Chance The Rapper & Knox Fortune.
Aliko Dangote is looking to move the bulk of his Nigeria gotten revenue from Nigeria to the outside so it can grow. This bit isn’t supposed to be here, but it is our newsletter.
This newsletter will take you less time than usual to consume.
In Bayelsa, there was no Detty December and now, January is shaking.
Workers in all the tertiary institutions in Bayelsa, Rural Development Agencies and pensioners were not paid their salaries for December. Historically, January has had over sixty days and coupled with the extra pressure from December,it is certain that the lives of these civil servants is expected to be put on hold.
At the moment the government has not given an explanation to why the people have not been paid, nor has it paid the people. On December 21, Governor Seriake Dickson directed the immediate payment of salaries to workers and civil servants ahead of the celebrations. However, a few workers assert they still have not been paid.
You can use the Nigerian Presidential jets if your daddy is the President.
Well, you really can’t, because you are not the President, but the current presidency does not seem to understand. According to Femi Falana; Falz’s daddy and the occasionally problematic super SAN, it is illegal for the children of President Buhari or any other members of the first family to use the presidential jets for private engagements as it is not backed by any extant law or official policy.
On the 10th of January, one of the daughters of President Buhari - Hanan Buhari reportedly traveled to Bauchi in a private jet for a private engagement.
According to Shehu Garba in a press release for the Federal government, “The normal practice in existence for a long time is that the Presidential Air fleet is available to the President and the first family and four others. These four are the Vice President, the Senate President the Speaker and any other person(s) authorised by the President.”
But official policy does not authorise the children of the President to use the presidential jets to attend to private social functions.
Falana argues that “The so called “normal practice” of using the aircraft in the presidential fleet by members of the first family to attend to private engagements is not backed by any extant law or official policy. Even the use of the aircraft in the presidential fleet by the Senate President, House Speaker and Chief Justice of Nigeria has not been approved by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission which is the statutory body empowered by the Constitution and the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission Act to determine the remuneration and allowances of all political office holders in Nigeria”.
The attorney general of Nigeria has withdrawn its demand for tax payments put on MTN
Last year, Abubakar Malami, Nigeria's attorney-general, asked MTN to pay $2 billion in taxes relating to the importation of foreign equipment and payments to foreign suppliers since 2008. The Nigerian federal government through the Attorney general asserted that MTN should have paid around $2billion in taxes to Nigerian.
At the time, the tax bill which MTN outrightly rejected threatened Nigeria’s position as an investment destination especially for foreign investors. MTN denied owing any tax and sued the Nigerian government. In a matter that is still in court, Malami was accused of “playing games”.
In Nigeria, the ease of doing business index is more of a vanity metric than a reflection of what is happening on the ground. Businesses in Nigeria are having to adapt to survive. Businesses, especially in Lagos, also find themselves vulnerable to hoodlums who have the ability to halt operations with impunity.
But it is a little beyond the hoodlums. The government despite calling for foreign investment and hailing itself as a pro-business administration keeps setting up policies that come off as distinctly anti-trade and business.
Nigerians are suffering, but businesses think otherwise.
Flour Mills of Nigeria backed the closure of the border with Benin Republic. A border closure that has increased the cost of food and several other amenities in Nigeria distinctly goes against the AFCTFA trade agreement that comes into effect on July 1which Nigeria is a part of.
In an interview with The Africa Report, Flour Mills of Nigeria chairman John Coumantaros asserts that Nigeria’s closure of its border with Benin is essential to improve tax collection and ensure a level playing field ahead of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Nigeria closed its borders with Benin Republic in a bid to stop the smuggling of food and other goods. According to customs, the closure is supposed to last at least till the end of January.
Here’s stuff we think you should check out:
Adetomiwa for Global Voices about 2020 hopefully being the year of the Nigerian girl and woman.
Oluwatosin for the Mail & Guardian and The Pulitzer Centre about the dwindling population of native French speakers in Lagos.
There is an opinion piece about the UBA layoffs & subsequent PR stunt and the Dangote refinery by David Hundeyin.
'Pemi Aguda wrote 24, Alhaji Williams Street. It's a fantastic short story.
The Amazon is burning - check out this video explaining why and what it means.
You should update your profile so we can address these emails to you by name. You know, as guys.