 Good morning. You're welcome to be breakfast on Plus TV Africa. It's Friday. Well, the last Friday in 2023. I am excited. The year is winding down. We have about 48 hours ish, 72 hours. Well, between 48 and 72 hours. Mathematics is not for me. I've done it. This is not a time to even do any calculations. Anything more than 2 plus 2, I'm not inside. Please just leave me alone. Well, we have about 48 hours into 2024. For the 8 hours will be 2 days. Yes. Today is the 29th of December 2023. And in 2 days, we will be saying happy new year. That is amazing. Are you really doing that right now? You know, that's one of the primary or nursery rhymes that has stayed. Man, that is stuck in my head. You still remember that. Sometimes you want to remember and you still have to go back and sing it inside your head before you know what months are there. Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're happy to get to the final weekend of 2023. It's been a lovely ride on the breakfast. We're so, so, so happy that you have been a part of this program from start to finish. I said where and would like to thank you. My name is Nyamgul Agadji welcoming you to today's edition. My name is Rume Paulson. Good morning. So, Nyamgul, I'm going to ask how was 2023 been for you? 2023 had been very, I'm using hard been because it has been a very turbulent year. There's so many things that we didn't anticipate even though we thought things could get harder but the level at which it got harder was really, really not anticipated but we pulled through. That's the beauty of it. So next year is either things will get better or we'll get used to it and then we'll continue to pull through by God's grace. 2024 is looking up really. All the grievances, the annoyances of 2023 will be left here and we enter 2024 with a clean slate and I'm hopeful that's going to be very beautiful. Yeah, I think for me personally 2023 exceeded my expectations. That's on a personal level most of my goals and dreams. I actually achieved them in this year and I'm grateful for that and I'm alive. So that's like even the cherry on top. Like I'm grateful for them still here. I'm still living my purpose and yes, God is doing amazing things in my life. Then when you take it outside my personal life for Nigeria, we had the elections. We saw how that went. Not so great because I mean you were hearing of... It's part of the annoying thing I talked about. Yes, exactly. So you're hearing of people snatching ballot boxes. You're hearing of people being even abused in polling units as well and nothing has really been done about that. Then we had the subsidy is gone statement. That changed everything forever. It changed Nigeria as we knew it to be changed. I used to feel my time for about 10,000. Now I feel it for about 40 something thousand. So everything changed with that fuel subsidy. We had the cash crunch that also changed Nigeria. There were a lot of things that changed Nigeria, but like you said, we're able to pull through and I love the fact that we Nigerians were quite resilient. We had that resilient spirit and we were able to get through 2023. Now, what is 2024 going to look like for us? We don't know, but we are hopeful that it will be better than 2023. Like I said, it's either things get better or get used to it, which means it's still getting better. I have a philosophy or have a mindset that there are two ways God blesses you with wealth and the wealth is that either you will have the way with all to solve your problems or the problems will not come. So if I'm supposed to solve a problem of 10,000 Naira and I have the 10,000 to solve, that is me being blessed. And then if I do not have 10,000 Naira to solve a problem and the problem of 10,000 Naira never comes, I am also blessed. We are the same with the person who had it and solved it and that didn't have it and didn't need to solve it. So when we enter 2024, we should be counting our blessings either by being able to solve problems or not having the problems to solve. So God is always on our side. That's right. But yes, let's get into today's show. We have some topics that we're going to be treating. First is the consequences of government debt. And then we also have Nigeria's push for foreign investments in face of companies leaving. Also, we'll be looking at what the National Daily are saying this morning in off the press as well. And yes, we're ready to have a good show with you. Okay, so let us use this time to appeal to the government and whoever is in charge of transportation because at this time sometimes we talk about traffic and transportation and all that. Yes, government has said something about a 50% discount. We're not even talking about that. We're concerned about the fact that buses belonging to the government like the BRT buses don't ply the roads on public holidays. Okay, so people on essential duties need to be at work. These people are very important. If you cannot even carry them for free on that day that vehicles are not much on the road, you should know that you should at least float your vehicles so that they can take advantage and bought these vehicles. A situation where on Christmas day a nurse needs to go to work and that nurse doesn't have a car and there are no vehicles on the road and even the BRT is not on the road. How do you expect that nurse to go? Policemen need to go to work. Journalists need to go to work and so many other essential people on essential duty. Anybody who needs to be at work on a public holiday is either needed by the society or that person cannot do without the society. So when others are resting and you need to be at your shop it means that you cannot do without that shop because everything that you need to feed your family on that day will have to come from the shop. They should consider this. The government or whoever is in charge should consider the people who need to be at their workplaces on public holidays. So Monday is coming again. We hope to see BRTs on the road. Whatever it is. They don't have to work in full capacity. Yes. But at least put some on the road. If you're going to change the schedule times maybe for instance you're supposed to have eight buses plowing this route four or three. At least they're still able to cater to these people who need to get to their workplace. So if they're moving at 5.30 and then they're working throughout the day maybe they could move from 5.30 till 9.00 o'clock hoping that everybody has reached their workplace and then have a break or something and then come back at 4.00 o'clock and then let people know this is how we're going to be moving. So it's not good. On Christmas Day I saw what people suffered people who needed to be at their workplaces or their shops or wherever whatever the case may be and boxing day the same thing. So I'm hoping that there will be a change. On New Year's Day. We're hoping for that. Anyways let's get into our top trending stories. The first one here says federal government to close section of 3rd mainland bridge. The Nigerian government has announced that it will close the Iano Urochiki at Deniji, a daily section of the 3rd mainland bridge as beginning from 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 9th, 2024. The federal comptroller of works, Lagos, Mrs. OI Keshia made this known on Thursday in a statement. Keshia said in court the federal government through the federal ministry of works wishes to inform the muttering public that the emergency repairs of the 3rd mainland bridge in Lagos will continue with the closure of Iano Urochiki at Deniji, a daily bound for the effective repairs of the entire section of the bridge. Keshia advised motorists to use alternative routes which include Ojota Ikorodu Road, Funchal Williams Avenue, a coal bridge, Aqobao CMS, Ojota Ikorodu Road, Jiboywu, Yaba, Ugingo, Ido, Kata Bridge, CMS, and Bagada Anthony Ikorodu Road, Funchal Williams, Aqobao, and Aqobao, like I already said. She further advised motorists to cooperate with the traffic management officials deployed to manage traffic and ensure heat-free movements to minimize discomfort during this repair period. While thanking the general public for their past cooperation and understanding, she said that more was expected during the coming repair. So, yes, this is 3rd mainland bridge being closed again, because I know a section was being closed recently. Yes, now it's the Iano Urochiki at Deniji axis, which is like the main bridge now. So, it's politely telling me to come and live in the office because while that repair, all those repairs will be carried out, it will be difficult for motorists. Yes. How do you come from the mainland and you have to take another route to get to this bridge? And everybody closed that. Yes. So, it's going to be really, really difficult. I wish they had said this repair will be from midnight to early morning and all that. Just give a time frame that after that some motorists can use it. I don't even we didn't even get the dates. We only got the dates where the repairs because we don't know how long the repairs are supposed to be for. Yes, then we'll start on the 9th. Yes. So, we don't know if it's for a week or if it's for two weeks. I remember one time in 2020, I think at the end of 2020, they closed the entire bridge till 2021 and that took like, I think the they thought it was going to be for like 6 months but it took longer than that. So, I'm hoping that that's not the same with this one now because motorists are really, really going to struggle. They're going to struggle with that. Yeah, and so if they are going to make it and be going through other places the people who are going to the passengers are going to suffer a lot. Yes. Because if you're paying let's say 500 Naira to where you are now you might be paying 1,000 or 1,500. Because it's a longer route. Yes. So, you see for instance, if you're coming to the island as far as a co-hotel you are standing at Yanovero you'll get a bus for like 200 Naira. Now you cannot pass through Yanovero to a Dene G to a hotel. You have to go through another route so you might be paying like 500 or 1,000 Naira. Because you have sometimes you have to break your journey. Yes. So now that you have budgeted you have budgeted 200 Naira ID for instance to go to work and because especially for men every money has a name. This one is going here this one is going here and this one is transportation and then you have to break everything else. And how do you even go back to your employer and say I'm spending so much more now please you need to give me more money for transportation because 3rd Milan bridge has been closed. Well what if you have not even been paid for the ones that you already worked. There's that too. So it's difficult employers are suffering the employees are suffering so we all understand. But while this is going on we would have also loved the situation where the government will say while this is going on this is XYZ we're going to do so that you will be will have some kind of relief to go to work and all that but let's see how it goes. I think the BRT will still work but will it take you to work on time that's another thing. So BRT let's say from Ododubega maybe passing through maybe through Oshodi I don't know yeah CMS so let's see how that goes but it's good we've been told now plan ahead if you are going to be like me for someone like me who goes to the mainland like every other day I mean 3rd Milan bridge was always that's always been my route for like the longest time because I'm just driving straight but now that I have to go through and I know always has traffic because that's where Lagos Island is even with the the opening of the 3rd Milan bridge there's always traffic there so I can only imagine what the traffic situation there would be like from the 9th of January but yeah let's just hope and see that we don't suffer too much you live on the mainland I live on the island you will live on the mainland I will now come and live on the island no but I do both I'm a hybrid alright the second top trending issue is FCC PC slams 110 million dollars fine on British America tobacco combination on violation the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission FCC PC has slammed the penalty of 110 million dollars on British American tobacco in Nigeria BATN limited and affiliated companies for allegedly violating relevant laws the EFCC the FCC PC said the penalty was part of the resolution reached between the company its parties and commission after an investigation into possible violations of the FCC PC Act 2018 as well as relevant tobacco control laws regulations and directives in a statement issued and signed by the chief executive officer of FCC PC Babatunde Irukera the commission noted that on August 28, 2020 it opened an active investigation concerning the company and its affiliates also known as bad parties based on its satisfaction that a series of credible pieces of information and intelligence were actionable enough for broader and deeper inquiry concerning set of conducts for by and on behalf of BAT parties in veterans and pursuant to the order in front of set and seizure issued by the court the commission on January 25, 2021 executed simultaneous searches and seizures at multiple BAT parties locations and a location of a service provider due to the substantial evidence from forensic analysis of electronic communications and other information obtained during the search as well as other evidence procured during and after the search on testimonies a pattern supporting multiple violations of the FCCPA and other enactments was established the commission further noted that during the investigation and in furtherance of mutual engagements with BAT parties the company sought in writing and the commission accepted its cooperation under the commission's cooperation assistance rules and procedures 2021 CARP 1 of the cooperation assistance framework CAF provides for benefits such as possible reduced monetary penalties BAT parties will now pay a penalty of 110 million dollars pursuant to sections 155 of the FCCPA clause 11 of the federal competition and consumer protection commissions administrative penalties regulations 2020 of the federal competition terms of protection commissions investigative cooperation assistance rules and procedures 2021 there's a lot of legal jag on there but it's 110 million dollars that will be for infringements or for violations and whatever the violations might be 110 million that means the smokers are going to if I just increase the price of their product but it just beats me apart from what we're saying they might pay more if you see a label or the packet of cigarette they show you lungs a non-smoker and a smoker and then they tell you smokers are liable to die young and people are still smoking so like we don't care whatever it is there's always that excuse I don't know and then and I think some people actually want to quit some people do but then when it's an addiction what can you do you have to keep trying I remember in the UK you go to the GP and then they give you like a patch where you can put because most times your body craves for that nicotine you're like this is my last one this is my last one but your body still craves for that nicotine self of it it's never easy but yeah so in the UK they probably give you a nicotine patch where you can put on your arm but most times it's even still not as effective as you actually taking because it's a habit already so how do you cut off that habit but yeah if you're smoking please think about your lungs think about your health and think about the price now that British America tobacco has been 510 million dollars there's some people who would prefer to smoke rather than take a break fast so if you say think about your money it has reached that point in their lives where they would think okay let me just take a stick of cigarette or for people who drink some people even tell you they have to take that before they can eat or before they can do anything before they can function but you know it's a thing of it's a mindset it's psychological yeah it's a mindset thing it's because you've been telling yourself repeatedly that's why you are the way you are so if you leave Nigeria for instance and you go abroad it's not bread you'll be missing it's not the tea and all that that you'll be missing it is the amala yes that here you take for granted you want to eat pizza you want to eat you'll go there you'll find these things like I want pate giolo fries but you just yeah you just want to eat pate giolo fries you want to eat amala you want to eat fufu that pounded yeah it was not something that you considered as something as luxury but when when it's no longer available it's luxury to you and so you yearn for that and I think maybe smoking might just be the same thing when you're telling yourself I want to quit that's when the mind it's a mind game it starts to tell you oh you need it you need it oh just take one more this is the last one there's always that last one cut from 5 to 3 you know but you know you can actually drastically just stop it's not as easy but I know well it's a decision that you can make you would definitely have like withdrawal syndromes and I feel like I'm speaking like a psychologist right now yeah I feel like I'm speaking like a therapist you always have withdrawal syndrome when you're trying to quit anything but it's just a decision you have to make if you know that you smoke if you know that you drink if you know that you have these vices that you're not supposed to be engaging in make that decision today and say this is the day where I draw the line withdrawal syndromes come yes and it's very tough it's not as easy as people make it out to be that oh yeah you can just quit and you get on with your life and everything is happy go lucky no it's never like that it is difficult but as long as you make that decision you can definitely pull through and this is 2024 coming on so you can make that decision now for drinking I understand there are some benefits of drinking some and if you drink what depends on the type of drink as well if you're drinking red wine whatever it is you're not going to be drinking hard liquor no you're not going to be drinking hard liquor that damages your liver if you drink moderately if you do anything moderately it's good I saw a story not too long ago of a woman who died of over drinking water water yes she didn't drown she drank too much water and it was it was for a short period of time so your body can only take remember it's not a doctor please cause I feel like I'm thinking like a doctor and I've been saying a lot of medical stuff so your body can only take so much at a time and even with water now people tell you water has like all the health benefits water is good for you but how do you now take so much water and die from it is the question but that is because your body your body cannot handle so much at a time so anything you have to do obviously you have to do it in moderation but the story now is that British American Tobacco has been fined 110 million dollars and so if you're a company make sure that you're not you know violating any legal you're not having like any infringements for the Nigerian law and yes so that you don't get fined as well but let's move over to our final top training story this morning it says traffic cars sell Cano children for 500,000 Naira in Lagos and Embera and others the Cano State Police Command on Thursday said it busted a child trafficking syndicate that sold children from the state for between 400 to 500,000 Naira in Lagos and Embera and other states in the south also the police rescued seven children from the nine man syndicate the children were aged between three and eight years it was learned that they were stolen as infants meanwhile before selling of the children their names were unusually changed the Commissioner of Police Mohammed Gommel paraded the suspects at the syndicate Gommel said the command bus that the syndicate when one comfort was intercepted at the Mariri luxurious park in Cano she was attempting to traffic a five year old victim names would held to Lagos he said comforts are slated nabbing of other eight members of the syndicate according to him the police Command had conducted several intelligence led operations at Lagos Delta Anambra and Emu States speaking on how the nine traffickers were arrested the police said that at the preliminary stage of their investigation four other suspects were separately arrested for being part of the syndicate their names include Isubu 52 of Sabon Garry Quarters Ali 35 of Badawa 55 of Weatherhead Sabon Garry Quarters Cano it was discovered during the investigation that a child who is from Zango Quarters was adopted on December 12 from Bauchi State further investigation revealed that the suspects are in the same cycle of adopting buying and selling minors from Bauchi and Cano rescued with their names found to have been changed this is horrific how do you kidnap sell a human being you change their name you pick them up you sell them to someone else and there's a buyer for this as well and in different states so it is a proper business some of them even have a factory for it they have a baby factory bringing teenage girls pregnant sometimes they bring you you are not pregnant and they rape you yes that will impregnate you and then you sell the baby and all that and it's a business for them they don't care about human lives we've seen people even they're the same people like ritualists because some of the people who buy these people don't buy them to train they buy them to go and use for all the purposes maybe and then we've seen people who have sold human heads for as low as 2000 and 5000 life doesn't mean anything to a lot of people I wonder how you get to the point where your conscience doesn't care for certain things I mean I would tell a lie and it would still affect my conscience but then how do you abduct someone or how do you kill someone or how do you rape someone it's mind-boggling to me these are children infants from three to eight year olds they they have no business with you they came into this world to lead their lives fulfill their purposes and then you snatch that away from them you pick them up and you start to sell them for different reasons why and I feel like it's we need to start doing this whole kind of raid because I don't think that's like the only one even in that area I am sure there are different we're seeing states such as Bauchi, Gombe Delta Lagos we're seeing all these other states that for someone to be able to sell a child from Canaan to Lagos that means they have their people because it's they have their people hearing Lagos you way be a child to Lagos it's very it's terrible but as we call under government to expedite action in prosecuting these people or or doing whatever they need to do for them to face the rot of the law we also call on the government to make adoption easy and transparent because a lot of people who buy these children also actually buy them as their own children because they can't have babies and all that so it's because the adoption process is so difficult and then they also need to do a lot of orientation for people to know that an adopted child is not a bought child so to speak because you know our society is such they defraud in fact most languages don't have words for adoption they just have buy you know you have bought a baby and buying connotes something like slavery or something so a lot should be done in that regards there are families who need children and they don't have children so the adoption is either too rigorous or they are afraid of what the society will say so they just go the wife goes on vacation and that vacation she comes back with a baby I had a baby while I was away what the baby was bought from someone what about the family from where that baby was adopted to come and give to you so you're happy but someone else is crying it's really terrible in that regard so that maybe it will cut down this kidnapping and an adoption of children children by half and if it does that that means it has reduced then we start to face other things so if I want to adopt a child now I cannot adopt because the laws are bad or or one thing or the other or tedious and you just think of why we have to go to the stress society will say this or that so orientation and then the process of adoption so that we cut down on this heinous act that people are profiting from profiting from somebody else's tears well that's the much we can take on top trending even though everything in Nigeria is a trending thing but we'll take a break and look at what the weather says and then we'll come back for the review of the headlines to stay with us