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President Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills: We didn’t suspend deliberations – Senate makes clarification

The Senate on Thursday said that it did not suspend deliberations on the Tax Reform Bills as reported in some quarters.

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Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, made the clarification when he raised Senate Point of Order 42, during plenary.

Raising the order, Bamidele said that it was reported by a news medium that “the hallowed chamber suspended further consideration of the Tax Reform Bills before the Senate”.

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“No where in our votes and proceedings was it stated that we suspended further deliberations on the tax reform bills, because we did not.

“I felt it will be important to place on record that this Senate did not suspend or withdraw. This Senate did not suspend and does not intend to suspend deliberation, consideration of the tax reform bills.

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“It was a misunderstanding of legislative process for anybody to have even reported that we have withdrawn the bills.

“The bills were executive bills; transmitted to us by the Executive Arm of Government, through the office of Mr President.

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“It is only the executive arm that can withdraw these bills. They are not private member bills sponsored by any senator.

“So no senator is going to withdraw the bill and there is no reason for these bills to be withdrawn. In a legislative process, it is normal that some people will have concerns,” he said.

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According to him, it is normal that people will sit around those concerns and discourse, hence, in its wisdom, the Senate referred the matter to the Committee on Finance and gave them six weeks for report.

“Six weeks is long enough in a country that wants progress for a consensus to be reached for anybody who has concern to sit down and allow such concern to be addressed in overriding public interest.

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“So the essence of what I am saying is that it is important that members of public are patient with us.

“They understand the legislative process that we have to follow. They understand our role in the Constitution.

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“Any attempt from any quarter to intimidate the parliament will be undemocratic and we will not allow ourselves to be distracted.

“We will encourage consensus. We will encourage discussions, engagement at all levels,” he said.

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In his remarks, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said that the members of the National Assembly were all elected to work, which was the work of lawmaking, in the overall interest of Nigeria.

Akpabio said that the work was not done through social media, committee or any forum of any nature, but was done according to their conscience, in the best interest of Nigeria.

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He said that the moment the bills went through second reading in the Senate, it simply meant that the bills were alive.

According to him, the next procedure is for the committee on finance to commence the process of consultations and public hearings, with a view to bringing recommendations back to the chamber

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“But in the wisdom of the Senate yesterday (Wednesday), we had, in a closed session, set up a committee to be headed by the minority leader before the passage of the second reading.

“That committee was an internal mechanism of the Senate, different from the committee on finance.

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“I think that was what was announced that the committee should immediately move into work,” he said. (NAN)

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Govt. introduces solar installation, garment making, GSM repairs in jss curriculum

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Govt. introduces solar installation, garment making, GSM repairs in jss curriculum

 
 
 
 
 
 
The Anambra Government has introduced 15 entrepreneurial subjects into the Junior Secondary School (JSS) curriculum to enhance students’ practical skills and foster an entrepreneurial mindset.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new subjects include solar installation, garment making, GSM repairs, agriculture and processing, plumbing, tiling, POP installation and event management.

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Others are bakery, hairstyling, make-up, interior design, CCTV/intercom installation, digital literacy, information technology and robotics.

Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu, Chairperson ,Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC),  while speaking at  the occasion in Awka on Friday, said the initiative was aimed at repositioning education to meet contemporary needs.
Ikediugwu noted that in a rapidly changing world, education should go beyond theory and examinations to equip students with practical skills, creativity, innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset.

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“The goal of the programme is to prepare learners, not only to seek jobs but to create value, generate employment and contribute meaningfully to the economic development of the state,”she said.

Mr Cyril Nwuche of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, delivered a paper titled “Building Entrepreneurial Secondary Schools: Why Every School Needs an Entrepreneurship Club”.
Nwuche said the introduction of entrepreneurial subjects showed that the government was on the path to transforming the state’s economy.
“Traditional academic instruction alone is no longer sufficient to prepare children for the future.

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“There is the need for schools to embrace practical and skill-based learning to enable students to thrive in a dynamic global environment, ” he said. (NAN)

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Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl

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Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl

The police in Lagos on Friday, charged two men before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defiling an 11- year-old girl.

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The defendants are: Prince Tomnyie, 40, a businessman, who resides at Agege, and Micheal Adenuga, 24, a furniture maker, who resides at Atere Street in Lekki.

They are standing trial on charges of defilement, and had each pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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The prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji told the court that they committed the offence sometimes in December 2024, and September 2025, at Langbasa Ajah and Igbara Lekki, Lagos .

The prosecutor alleged that the victim’s father, had taken his daughter for medical check and it was discovered that the minor had been defiled.

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The prosecution alleged that the victim had told her father that his friend, Tomnyie, defiled her sometimes ago.

Ademigbuji alleged that the victim also mentioned the second defendant’s name who lives in their neigbourhood.

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The offence contravenes the provisons of section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr L. A Owolabi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of of N600,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

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He adjourned the case until March 5, for mention. (NAN)

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Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free

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Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free

The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has insisted that bail is free, and called on the public to report any officer asking for money to release a suspect on bail.

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The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

Adeh spoke in reaction to public outcry that some police officers were demanding money to release suspects on bail in the territory.

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She said the report of the erring officers would serve as a deterrent to others, adding that it was fraudulent to demand for money to release a suspect on bail.

Adeh blamed the yielding to such fraudulent demand on ignorance on the part of the victims who refused to stand on their rights.

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“A similar case was reported where an officer demanded money to release a suspect on bail and when the matter was reported, we requested for evidence from the victim.

“The evidence was provided because the money was transferred to the officer’s account and actions are being taken on the issue.

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“So, I encourage the public to take advantage of the FCT Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) lines on 08107314192 to report such misconduct with evidence,” she said.

Adeh urged the public to always insist on their rights and refuse any form of payment to release a suspect on bail.(NAN)

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