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MTN, Others Threaten To Suspend Services

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If the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) fail to address the unsustainable debt of about N250 billion owed mobile network operators (MNOs) as a result of the use of the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), the operators might, subject to regulatory approval, suspend supporting the use of the service on the network for banking operations.

USSD is a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) protocol that is used to send text messages. It is used for initiating financial transactions such as cash transfer, balance inquiry, payment for services and others.

Fielding questions yesterday from Fellows of the Media Innovation Programme (MIP) sponsored by MTN Nigeria and in partnership with Pan Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, who were on inspection of MTN’s key facilities in the city, CEO of MTN, Karl Toriola, said the debt has continued to pile up and is becoming unsustainable to the operators.

Toriola who expressed optimism that the new CBN governor, Yemi Cardoso and the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr Aminu Maida would resolve the impasse very soon, said if it is not resolved, the operators would be compelled to seek regulatory approval to discontinue allowing commercial banks to run transactions on the platform.

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Toriola warned of the dire consequences of government’s refusal to accede to telcos’ demands for tariff adjustment to reflect the realities of the economy, saying the telecom sector is lying critically ill at the intensive care unit (ICU) and may just die if the appropriate therapy is not applied to it.

“MTN and the entire industry are in a dire situation. MTN is loss making because of naira devaluation. The fundamentals need to change. Tariffs have to be changed,” he said, adding that inflation has continued to go up, affecting the prices of commodities, including foodstuffs and services.

He said the complete deregulation of the downstream oil sector has seen the pump price of petrol rise to over N1000 in the country. Similarly, electricity tariff has kissed the skies with the removal of electricity subsidy and the grouping of customers into bands by the power distribution companies (DisCos).

“There should be no delusion, if the tariff doesn’t go up we will shut down,” he warned.

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The base transceiver stations (BTS) of the MNOs are powered by diesel and gas in the absence of dependable power supply from the national grid which has been suffering from epilepsy.

Toriola said the company used to be one of the highest payers of corporate income tax to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), adding however that it has gone down to zero since the company has stopped making profit.

The MTN CEO said the company has been surviving because it is spending its savings, saying the industry is living on borrowed times. “We must return the industry to profitability,” he said.

He said despite the challenges the industry is facing now, it has transformed the country as it has been enabler to other sectors. Toriola warned that the industry should not be allowed to toe the ignoble path of NITEL.

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He said the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), a non-profit industry organisation that represents the interests of MNOs globally and hardly speaks to tariff issues, has called for tariff adjustment for sustainability.

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Lagos seals church, fuel station over environmental violations

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The contractors handling various housing projects on behalf of the Lagos State Government have been warned to deliver all aspects of the projects as scheduled in all contract agreements or have contracts terminated and re-awarded to those who will deliver on time.

The Commissioner for Housing in Lagos State, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, who had earlier expressed his displeasure and dissatisfaction with the level of work done during a routine inspection of Sangotedo Housing Estate Eti Osa phase 2, lamented that the project was yet to get to the expected level despite Lagos State Government commitment and support to the contractors.

The commissioner reiterated his dissatisfaction after an evaluation of the projects, formal briefs from project supervisors, and a follow-up meeting between the Ministry’s technical team and the project contractors at the ministry’s conference room at the secretariat in Ikeja.

He frowned at the slow pace of work witnessed at some of the project sites visited and directed the affected contractors to increase the speed of work or be excused from the sites.

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Akinderu-Fatai said, “Shifting of completion period by contractors will no longer be tolerated because we will not allow you to slow us down, as there is pressure on the government to deliver on all its promises, especially in the housing sector.”

He further expressed the dissatisfaction of the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on the inability of most of the contractors to adhere to the agreed time of delivery on various aspects of the projects.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Abdulhafis Toriola, enjoined the contractors to ensure they deliver every facet of the project as scheduled without compromising quality.

The project review meeting was attended by heads of technical departments and supervising officials.

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The Sangotedo Housing Estates phase 2 after completion will comprise about 43 blocks and is expected to add over 500 housing units to the existing stock.

The first phase of the project consisting of 744 home units was delivered and inaugurated by Sanwo-Olu in December.

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Former House of Representatives Member Arrested Over Alleged WAEC Certificate Forgery

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Hon. Rita Odichi Orijifor, who represented the Ajeromi Ifelodun Federal Constituency between 2015 and 2019, has been arrested by the Nigerian Police over allegations of using a fake WAEC certificate during her tenure in the House of Representatives.

According to sources, Orijifor was apprehended earlier today at her residence in Wonderland Estate, Abuja, after police officers had waited for over five hours for her to come out. She reportedly locked herself in her bedroom and made calls to influential political figures in a bid to avoid arrest. However, none of the figures offered assistance in this high-profile scandal, and despite some attempts to intervene with the police, Orijifor eventually emerged from her hiding place and was taken into custody.

Before her arrest, Orijifor had reportedly been hiding in Akure to evade law enforcement, only returning to Abuja after believing the situation had cooled. However, unknown to her, the police were already on her trail.

Her legal troubles began when a judge in the Federal Capital Territory dismissed her application to stop the ongoing police investigation. The judge ruled that Orijifor failed to demonstrate that her rights had been violated by the authorities.

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Orijifor is currently being detained at the Force Headquarters in Abuja as investigations continue. The case is expected to be a significant development in Nigerian politics, given her previous role as a federal lawmaker.

This is a developing story, and more details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.

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I Looked At Myself In The Mirror And I Asked “Who Are You?” – Gov Adeleke

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Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke on Sunday, November 24, 2024 held his Thanksgiving Service at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Oke-Gada, Ede, Osun State to celebrate his Second Year in Office as the Governor.

The officiating Pastor directed all guests and members of the church for a-minute-silence for three elders in the Adeleke dynasty who have passed away; Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, his mother, Mrs Nnena Esther Adeleke and her husband, Senator Ayoola Adeleke.

The officiating Pastor took his message from Psalm 23. He admonished the Governor to always put God first in everything he is doing and strike a balance between public and private interest.

The Priest said the Thanksgiving Service celebrant should be careful of sycophants and praise singers and he should let people see him as a man of God and be accessible.

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In his testimony, Governor Adeleke said, he still cannot believe what God is doing through him in Osun State, how God is able to turn things around for good for him in the State.

He remembered when his mother was on sickbed asked him to always sing three praise songs through which God will always answer his prayers.

One of the songs include a Yoruba song, “Ogo yi Oluwa ye Ogo yi, mase JE ko baje mase JE ko Daru…” and two other Igbo praise songs.

The governor who was filled with excitement said he woke up one day and went to the mirror and asked himself “who are you?”. The answer, the Governor of Osun State. He was surprised at how God works in the affairs of men

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The elder sister of Mr. Governor, Yeyeluwa, Modupe Adeleke-Sani admonished the awesomeness of God presence in Adeleke’s family.

She said it wasn’t time of Senator Ademola Adeleke to be the Governor in 2018 because God knows there was going to #ENDSARS and COVID-19 during the period, God made his governance possible at the appropriate time in 2022. “Adeleke’s family is God’s family, we will continue to serve and worship him for his goodness and mercies that endure forever.”

She donated the sum of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira Only) on behalf of Adeleke’s family.

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