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1999 Constitution Must Be Reworked To Address Critical National Issues —– Gbajabiamila

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House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila has said the 1999 Constitution is being amended to address critical national issues the current document has failed to address.

The Speaker said this on Tuesday at the opening of the zonal public hearing on an amendment to the constitution in Lagos.

He noted that the current document falls short of these standards, explaining that this is “because the 1999 Constitution is the product of a hurried national compromise that we entered into two decades ago in order to ensure that the military returned to the barracks and that we returned to democratic government”.

The Speaker said the National Assembly could only give Nigerians a people-oriented constitution after getting the inputs and support of the citizens.

Gbajabiamila added: “The foundational constitution of the United States of America deemed people of colour to be ‘less than’ and denied women the right to vote. It did not include any limits on the President’s term of office and allowed for citizens to be denied the right to vote for failure to pay the ‘poll tax’. Twenty-seven reviews and amendments, over 100 years cured these and other defects.

“No nation in the world has a perfect constitution, but we need a near-perfect constitution in Nigeria and we can achieve that through substantive amendments that significantly alter the character of our nation…”

Participants at the two-day public hearing included Deputy Governor Dr. Babafemi Hamzat, who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; members of the House of Representatives Special Committee on the Review of the Constitution; members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); representatives of political parties, civil society organisations (CSOs), youth organisations and market women.

Also, Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said a national public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution will hold on June 3 and June 4 in Abuja.

Lawan announced this yesterday at plenary while reading a letter addressed to him by the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee and Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege.

Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong yesterday called for stiff penalties against abusers of the constitution.

He spoke at the public hearing on the review of the Constitution for the Northcentral in Jos, the state capital.

Representatives of Nasarawa and Benue states’ governors described the public hearing as a golden opportunity for all grievances to be addressed so that the nation could have a people’s constitution.

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed urged the committee to assign constitutional roles to traditional rulers in the country.

The governor spoke at the opening of a two-day public hearing on the constitution in Bauchi.

He noted that despite the fact that traditional rulers are custodians of cultures and traditions, they were not recognised in the 1999 Constitution.

Also, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) appealed to the National Assembly not to remove the national minimum wage from the Exclusive List.

Its Head of International Relations Department, Liaison to the National Assembly, Mr Uchenna Ekwe, spoke yesterday in Enugu during the public hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on 1999 Constitution Review.

He said those canvassing for its removal were ignorant of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) laws and making a vital mistake.

BIG STORY

BREAKING: EFCC Declares Yahaya Bello Wanted [PHOTO]

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Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi state, has been declared wanted by the EFCC.

He reportedly evaded arrest yesterday when the commission visited his home to enforce arrest.

More to come…

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Hydrogen, CCHub Partner To Encourage Fintech Startup Success

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As the country faces economic challenges, the need for adaptive strategies in the fintech industry becomes paramount. In line with this, leading fintech startup Hydrogen Payment Services Limited (‘Hydrogen’) has teamed up with Co-creation Hub (‘CcHub’) to host an insightful event themed ‘Adapting Fintech Business Models to Economic Climates’.

The event is set to take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 12:00 a.m. WAT at the CCHub office in Sabo, Lagos, will delve deep into the intricacies of Nigerian economic challenges and how these influence the fintech ecosystem. Participants will gain actionable insights on how to adapt fintech business models to volatile economic conditions by prioritising flexibility, agility, and customer-centricity.

This collaboration underscores the shared commitment of both entities to empower aspiring founders venturing into the fintech space amidst economic uncertainties. By leveraging their respective expertise and resources, Hydrogen and CcHub aim to equip
emerging entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools, and support needed to thrive in today’s dynamic economic conditions.

Emeka Awagu, Chief Technology Officer at Hydrogen, commented on the strategic partnership with CcHUB: “Our alliance with CcHUB amplifies our shared commitment to pioneering transformative solutions in the Nigerian fintech sector. By leveraging Hydrogen’s technological expertise alongside CcHU’s innovative approach, we are primed to set a new standard for fintech excellence and drive impactful change across the industry.”

The event will feature a distinguished panel of industry experts and thought leaders. including Ina Alogwu, Group Director, Digital Transformation, ARM HoldCo; Emeka Awagu, Chief Technology Officer, Hydrogen; and Miracle Ezechi, Digital Marketing Manager, Hydrogen.

The panel discussion will be moderated to encourage an engaging and insightful conversation on the strategies and innovations required to thrive in the Nigerian fintech landscape amidst economic challenges.

Interested attendees are encouraged to register here and reserve a spot.

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ECONOMY: CBN Not Using Foreign Reserves To Defend Naira — Olayemi Cardoso

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, asserts that the nation is not defending the value of the naira with its foreign reserves.

He made this known on Wednesday in Washington, DC, where he is attending the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring Meetings.

Cardoso said $600 million came into Nigeria’s reserves account within the last two days.

The naira has appreciated against the dollar in recent weeks, gaining over 40%, from about N1,900/$ to about N1,000/$1 now. But while the naira rebound, Nigeria’s foreign reserves are dwindling, dropping to about $32.29 billion on April 15 — the lowest level in over six years.

Cardoso said, “What you’ve seen with respect to the shift in our reserves is normal in any country’s reserves where for example, debt is due and certain payments need to be made because that is also part of keeping your credibility.

“Other times money comes in, it takes it up again. Between yesterday and today, about $600 million came into the reserves account. We are looking towards a market that operates by itself, willing buyers, willing sellers and price discovery.

“The shift in our reserves has really little or nothing to do with defending naira and that is certainly not our objective.”

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