President Bola Tinubu will leave France on Monday for Cape Town, South Africa, to co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Sunday, titled ‘President Tinubu to co-chair 11th session of the bi-national commission with President Ramaphosa.’

Onanuga said, “The presidential BNC, scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on December 2, 2024, at the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town.

“President Tinubu and President Ramaphosa will engage in substantive talks on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including bilateral, regional and international matters.

“Building on the commitments from their June 20, 2024, meeting in Johannesburg shortly after President Ramaphosa’s inauguration for a second term in office, the two leaders will review the progress achieved since the 10th session of the BNC held in Abuja from November 29 to December 1, 2021.”

The 11th session of the BNC will feature deliberations across eight working groups, each focusing on a specific area of mutual interest.

These include political consultations, consular and migration, banking and finance, defence and security, manufacturing, social sector, mines and energy, and trade and investments.

At the high-level meeting, officials of both countries will sign several Memoranda of Understanding and agreements.

The Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission was established in 1999 to further strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

The first session at the Heads of State level was held in October 2019 in Pretoria.

The BNC provides a platform for sustaining high-level dialogue and promoting cooperation in critical areas such as diplomacy, economy, trade, security, and other areas of mutual interest.

The Presidency noted that this year’s meeting is particularly significant as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Commission, “a testament to the enduring friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa,” it added.

President Tinubu will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising state governors, ministers, and senior government officials.

He is returning to South Africa for the second time in 2024, marking his 33rd foreign trip since assuming office 18 months ago.

So far, the President has spent 135 days abroad, visiting 17 countries, and accumulated about 285 flight hours.

Countries visited include Paris, France (five times); Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; London, the United Kingdom (four times); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nairobi, Kenya; Porto-Novo, Benin Republic; The Hague, Netherlands; Pretoria, South Africa; Accra, Ghana; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal; and Doha, Qatar.

He will return to Nigeria after the BNC meeting.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered an investigation into allegations of salary deductions affecting paramilitary officers.

Earlier report had it that some officers from the Nigeria Prisons Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) had claimed they hadn’t received promotion arrears and were experiencing deductions from their salaries by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

The affected personnel had called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and investigate why their allowances hadn’t been paid, despite funds being released.

They also pointed out that their colleagues in the Federal Fire Service and other agencies under the Ministry of Interior had received their promotions and allowances.

In response to the allegations, the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board, Ahmed Ja’afaru, assured the officers that a comprehensive investigation is underway to address their concerns.

In a statement released on Sunday, Ja’afaru said, “The attention of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has been drawn to an online publication of complaints from officers of the paramilitary services under its purview, alleging deductions from their salaries by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, as well as delays in the payment of promotion arrears.

“Consequently, the Minister/Chairman of the Board, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed that a comprehensive investigation be carried out forthwith by the Board on the matter while calling on officers of the paramilitary services to remain calm.

“The Board wishes to assure our dedicated officers of its commitment to achieving a swift and positive resolution to these matters.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced the launch of its new website on Monday (today).

In a statement signed by the acting Director of Corporate Communications, Sidi Ali, the bank stated that the new website would become operational on Monday.

“The bank has developed a contemporary Web API that operates on Microsoft .NET Core 8 (the most recent and stable release) to enhance user experience by speeding up and simplifying the navigation process. We are pleased to announce that the front-end design and back-end technology were created in-house.

“The redesigned website introduces a variety of new content, which encompasses a broader spectrum of information regarding the Bank’s mandate. Additionally, the website is responsive to mobile devices, facilitating navigation across various web browsers and devices.”

At a special summit dinner event during the 30th Nigerian Economic Summit in October, the CBN governor, Olayemi Cardoso, revealed that the bank is working on launching a comprehensive revamped version of its website to enhance transparency and accountability.

He stated that the newly designed website would offer a more user-friendly experience and greater access to information, thereby supporting its commitment to transparency, accountability, and building trust with stakeholders.

He said, “Information is something that we are ensuring to improve on at the Central Bank. We are bringing out activities that are closer to the people. We put out the information and we allowed people to have a line of sight and have an idea of where they were going and how far we expected to continue from that particular point.

“Our website is about to be significantly overhauled. Very shortly, we will see a new website. And that’s all headed in the direction of transparency and openness.”