General
Lagos Assembly Stops Salaries of Sanwo-Olu’s Appointees
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
On Tuesday, the Lagos State House of Assembly ordered the state government to stop the salaries of the appointees of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who the parliament has not screened.
At the plenary today, the state’s legislative arm of government said it was wrong for these government appointees to continue in office without due process, as their nominations should have been subjected to screening and confirmation by the House.
The Lagos Assembly, which summoned the Commissioner for Establishment, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle; the Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola; and the Accountant-General of the State, Mr Abiodun Muritala, directed that the salaries and remunerations enjoyed by the affected appointees must be halted pending their appearances before the House.
In a Matter of Urgent Public Importance brought before the House by the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Noheem Adams, the lawmakers lamented the increasing situation where supposed nominees of the governor continue to work without being screened and confirmed by the House.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who presided at the sitting, agreed with the lawmakers that appointments of that nature without recourse to the parliament amounted to infractions.
“I quite agree with all of you that the failure of such nominees to appear is an infraction or violation of the laws of this House, especially as it relates to the MDAs, most of which were established by the laws of this House,” he said, noting that the House of Assembly has statutory provisions that nominees of the governor must appear for confirmation.
“It is becoming common and regular, and if we fail to act now, it becomes a norm. I share your sentiments that there is a need for us to put a stop to this. I am aware of the development in the Audit Commission; I am aware of the one in the Law Reform Commission and now the Auditor-General and some others,” the Speaker said.
Raising the issue earlier, Mr Adams cited Section 196, subsection 2; Section 198 and Section 126, subsection 3, which give backing to the House of Assembly in respect of nominations by the governor for appointments.
“Section 126, subsection 3 provides that except with the resolution of a State Assembly, no person shall act in the office of the Auditor-General for a state for a period exceeding six months.
“As the chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Compliance, I have observed that some appointments to boards and other agencies were not brought to this noble House. If this persists, the principle of separation of powers will be in jeopardy.
“For example, the Auditor-General was appointed on September 22, 2022, and today is April 11, 2023,” the lawmaker noted, adding that the Auditor-General’s appointment in acting capacity had exceeded what the laws stipulate.
Supporting him was Mr Ademola Kasunmu, who said the stipulations of Section 198 should be strictly adhered to, adding that because such appointments are considered null and void, every remuneration that had gone out should be returned to the coffers of the state.
Speaking on the same matter, Mr Victor Akande observed that the situation happened in the judiciary where an appointment was made without recourse to the House and the due process, as Mr Sa’ad Olumoh lamented that such appointments without regard for the House were becoming too many.
“Separation of power is a doctrine enshrined in the constitution. The executive has the right to nominate people and the House has the responsibility to either confirm or reject such nominations.
“It is not only in the office of the Auditor-General, but I don’t know in what capacity one can act beyond the time limit without recourse to the House,” he said while urging the House to look at the issue holistically so as to put an end to what could cause issues later.
In his contribution, Mr Rotimi Olowo, who noted the difference between nomination and appointment, lamented: “Today, we have a lot of people parading themselves with many names without appearing before this House for clearance. It should not be a padi-padi thing. This is a constitutional matter, and if we do not adhere, we will end up facing the wrought of the people.”
He said it was an infraction to have people who are not cleared by the House receiving salaries, and “I am of the opinion that such money is supposed to be returned to the coffers.”
On his part, Mr Desmond Elliot called on the House to act in a way to curtail any future occurrence, while his colleague, Mr Femi Saheed suggested that “in line with the constitution, anyone acting outside the stipulated time must recourse to the House,” noting that the Head of Service is made to appear before the House to clear himself over the issue.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its development partnership with Kano and Jigawa States, as part of its long-term commitment to development and reform in northern Nigeria.
The Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission Abuja, Ms Cynthia Rowe, recently completed high-level engagements with governors of both states as well as senior government officials and civil society leaders.
The discussions underscored the UK’s modern approach to development as a genuine partnership with Nigeria, which prioritises state-led ownership and sustainable development that delivers lasting impact through strengthening systems and partnerships grounded in investment, trade, climate financing, technical expertise and joint accountability.
According to a statement, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, via the British High Commission, said Nigeria remains one of the UK’s most significant development partners, adding that the engagements underlined the strength and ambition of the bilateral relationship reaffirmed during the recent UK-Nigeria State Visit.
In Kano, Ms Rowe met with Deputy Governor Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo and senior officials, including the newly confirmed Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the State Government. The visit recognised Kano’s progress on climate finance, health system reform and private sector investment supported through UK technical assistance.
In Jigawa, she met with Governor Umar Namadi and heads of key ministries, departments and agencies. The meeting celebrated more than 25 years of UK-Jigawa partnership, one of the most longstanding bilateral development relationships at the subnational level in Nigeria. Discussions covered the state’s continued progress on health systems reform, agriculture, and governance and the path forward under UK technical assistance.
Since 2022, PLANE has supported Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa to strengthen state-led education delivery systems, working through Ministries of Education, SUBEB and key agencies. Its RANA+ foundational learning packages have reached 1.4 million pupils across the three states, alongside wider system strengthening.
Speaking on this, Ms Rowe said, “For more than 25 years, we have worked side by side with state governments, including Jigawa and Kano states, their communities, and civil society to build stronger health systems, improve learning outcomes for millions of children, support farmers to grow their businesses, and help states attract the investment they need to thrive.
These visits have reinforced our confidence in what this partnership can achieve. We are working together to deliver lasting change, and deepening a relationship built on genuine mutual respect and shared ambition for Nigeria’s growth and development.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on data sharing to enhance economic productivity.
This was done at a meeting at CBN Head Office in Abuja, where the weather body led by its Director General, Mr Charles Anosike, on Wednesday, highlighted the importance of integrating weather and climate data into economic research, especially in sectors such as agriculture, energy, and transportation.
He noted that extreme weather events can reduce agricultural productivity and threaten food security.
He added that the collaboration aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises food security through major agricultural investment, including the cultivation of 10 million hectares of land and the distribution of mechanised equipment.
Mr Anosike cited a 2026 World Bank report that showed that extreme weather driven by climate change is significantly affecting global food security, with more than 87 million people facing hunger in East and Southern Africa and 52 million in West and Central Africa.
He also referenced the latest Berkeley Earth Report, which projects that 2026 is likely to be the fourth warmest year on record, a trend that continues to shape agricultural and energy market projections.
In his remarks, Mr Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate of the CBN, said the signing of the MoU marked an important step in strengthening the partnership between two key national institutions whose mandates intersect in data, research, and policy support.
He emphasised that, in an increasingly complex and dynamic economic environment, timely and reliable data remain essential for effective policy decisions.
According to him, the Economic Policy Directorate relies heavily on timely and credible statistical information from NiMet, saying that such data are critical for inflation monitoring, agricultural sector assessment, and broader economic policy advisory functions.
He described the initiative as both timely and important, adding that strong institutional partnerships are essential for strengthening evidence-based policymaking and improving the robustness of national data systems.
At the close of the event, Mr Anosike and Mr Sani Abdullahi signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Tunji Disu, has ordered an immediate nationwide ban prohibiting Point-of-Sale (POS) operators from running their businesses within a 200-metre radius of any police station, divisional headquarters, or police formation across Nigeria.
This directive, released via an internal police wireless message, addresses critical systemic challenges regarding extortion and corrupt financial practices within law enforcement facilities.
The order is to be strictly enforced nationwide, with senior officers overseeing various formations to be held accountable for any breach of the directive.
The Nigeria Police Force stated that the measure is intended to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the policing system.
The decision comes after an alarming proliferation of POS businesses near police facilities, with investigations and public complaints revealing that some operators were actively complicit in facilitating extortion, bribery, and illegal cash transfers forced upon civilians or suspects during police encounters.
Under the directive, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), State Commissioners of Police (CPs), and heads of formations will be held vicariously liable for any breach within their jurisdictions.
The IGP’s order states: “Any officer or POS merchant found flouting the 200-metre operational boundary or colluding in illicit transactions will face immediate disciplinary and criminal actions under extant laws.
“If you are a POS agent or looking into regulatory compliance for financial services in Nigeria, let me know. I can provide details on current Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) radius registration guidelines or share methods to report officer misconduct directly to the Force Headquarters.”
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