Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. The Presidency refuted claims on Monday, December 2, that the proposed tax reform bills would harm the North, emphasizing their goal to streamline tax administration and promote equitable development nationwide. The bills passed their second reading in the Senate and are now at the committee stage, with public hearings scheduled. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga clarified that the reforms would not dissolve key agencies like NASENI, TETFUND, and NITDA. Instead, they aim to consolidate taxes into a single levy to reduce the burden on businesses and foster a more competitive economic environment. Onanuga encouraged stakeholders to provide constructive input during the public hearings. On the same day, Senator Seriake Dickson and Yakubu Dogara advocated for the reforms. Dickson highlighted the need to rectify tax allocation anomalies, while Dogara urged the North to embrace the bills, citing their potential to enhance economic self-reliance. Dogara also praised President Bola Tinubu’s creation of a Livestock Ministry, introduced earlier this year, as a transformative initiative for the North’s economic growth. In contrast, the Kano State House of Assembly rejected the bills during its plenary session on December 2, 2024, expressing concerns over their impact on VAT allocation. They argued that the reforms favor states like Lagos while potentially impoverishing northern states. The Assembly urged northern lawmakers and the Conference of Speakers to block the bills, warning them of increased hardship and financial instability in the region if passed.
2. Osun State workers celebrated Governor Ademola Adeleke’s approval of a ₦75,000 minimum wage with a carnival-like rally at the state secretariat in Abere on Monday. Hundreds of workers gathered to dance, sing, and praise the governor’s pro-labor policies, causing significant human and traffic congestion. The rally, led by labor leaders including NLC State Chairman Comrade Abayomi Arapasopo and TUC State Chairman Comrade Bimbo Fasasi, praised Adeleke’s unprecedented commitment to workers’ welfare. Both unions declared their support for his second-term bid, stating he had set a new standard for governance in Osun. They officially pledged to endorse him during the 2025 May Day rally. In response, Governor Adeleke expressed gratitude for the endorsement and reiterated his commitment to workers’ welfare, calling it a priority in his administration’s five-point agenda. He promised to continue implementing pro-labor policies and driving the state’s development with workers’ support.
3. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the final forfeiture of a massive Abuja estate measuring 150,500 square meters and comprising 753 duplexes and apartments. This is the EFCC’s largest single-asset recovery since its inception in 2003. The forfeiture was ordered by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court following an interim order granted on November 1, 2024. The estate is linked to a former high-ranking government official under investigation by the EFCC. The anti-graft agency relied on legal provisions, including the Advance Fee Fraud Act and the Nigerian Constitution, to argue its case. The court ruled that the respondent failed to justify retaining the property. EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede emphasized that asset recovery is critical in combating corruption and economic crimes.
4. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) plans to retire around 1,000 employees as part of a workforce realignment under Governor Olayemi Cardoso. A severance package exceeding ₦50 billion has been allocated for this voluntary Early Exit Package (EEP). Applications for the EEP, open to all staff except those with less than one year of service, will close on December 7, 2024, with exits effective December 31, 2024. Over 860 staff members have already applied for the program, which offers financial incentives based on remaining service years. Senior supervisors to deputy managers can receive up to 60 months of gross annual payments, while managers and other cadres receive 36 months and 18 months, respectively. The initiative has caused significant tension among employees, with many expressing concern about the implications of the retirement exercise. Despite the uproar, the bank has emphasized that submitted applications are final. Attempts to get comments from the CBN’s Director of Corporate Communication were unsuccessful.
5. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru’s threat to sack workers in a strike over implementing the ₦70,000 minimum wage, calling it irresponsible and counterproductive. Workers in Ebonyi commenced the strike on December 2 in compliance with the NLC’s directive to enforce the new wage law. NLC President Joe Ajaero criticized the governor’s approach, highlighting that the strike followed failed negotiations and notices to the government. He emphasized that striking is a lawful means for workers to demand their rights and urged labor leaders to maintain their stance until the minimum wage is implemented. In Kwara State, workers in tertiary institutions declared a three-day warning strike from December 4–6 over the non-payment of the minimum wage. While the state government claimed salaries were being paid, the workers insisted on their demands, citing unresolved registration issues with the Kwara State Resident Registration Agency (KWSRRA). Ajaero reaffirmed the NLC’s commitment to fully implementing the 2024 minimum wage as a new social contract to alleviate worker poverty.
6. Former President Donald Trump responded to President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, by linking it to his intentions to potentially pardon January 6 defendants if re-elected. On Truth Social, Trump criticized the justice system, questioning if Biden’s pardon for Hunter would extend to the “J-6 Hostages” imprisoned for years. Trump has previously expressed interest in pardoning many January 6 participants, though he has avoided specifics, particularly for those involved in violent acts. The Hunter Biden pardon, announced Sunday, was described by President Biden as addressing “selective” and “unfair” prosecution. Trump and his team criticized the justice system as weaponized by Democrats but did not explicitly oppose Hunter’s pardon. Trump’s incoming communications director framed the pardon as a symptom of a broken justice system that needs reform. More than 1,200 people have faced charges related to January 6, with offenses ranging from violent assaults on officers to interfering with Congress. Trump has suggested that pardoning a significant portion of these defendants would be an early priority in a second term. At the same time, his pick for FBI leadership, Kash Patel, has also supported their cause.
