 Thank you for staying with us. You're still watching the breakfast on plus TV Africa Well, right now we want to see what the headlines are on our national dailies this morning Joining us to review the papers is professor Camilo Sanny Fagge. He's from the department of political science. Yes Okay, good morning. Thank you for joining us Good morning. Thank you Good morning. Thank you so much for joining us Okay, let's go to review the papers. We'll start with the Guardian this morning and The major headline here says federal government in fiscal dilemma over high inflation a low revenue and FX crisis Are they that's the first question Do you think there in a dilemma over the inflation the low revenue and the FX crisis? But I want to know your thoughts on this because I want to believe that everybody knows and the federal government knows What's happening? Why can't they not, you know, try to savage what is left of our economy? But yes, let's hear your thoughts Yeah, they are in dilemma because in the past six months or so the government has been so desperate in Coming up with a policy here and there and yet the policies seem to exacerbate the situation So that is why they are in dilemma. Most of the things that They planned Seem to be counterproductive. So take for example the issue that the government Said that they are not going to they are going to reduce dependence on debt That was what the Minister of Finance promised but when the budget come out It was Against what he said so and there's so many other measures So I think that is why the government is in dilemma because the policies seem to be Generating something different from what has been intended So what can they do to ensure that we're not in this state? Here it says that inflation is twenty eight point two percent our budget is Twenty eight point seven trillion an hour So what do you think the government is supposed to be doing to ensure that we're not here? Whereby the effects is going as high as well. We're looking at dollars highest 1200 to the net one thousand two hundred Naira to the dollar and you know all of this things inflation Food inflation as well. What what can they do? You see the quick picks and the desperate attempt to address the issue is what? Generating this problem, of course, you see the government said they are going to raise a public point and Unfortunately for us even some factories I mean some manufacturers for investors are living the country and Those that remain I mean our national ones maybe for national reason or patriotic reason they decided to stay and yet the Scale down so I think this is what the government has to look at Why is it people or companies are running out of the country? Why is it that they are despite the measures in pollution is very high? So I think the basic thing is Right from the beginning when the government took that measure of why you know cutting down subsidy of where you know Allow the Naira to find its own banu are what is Generating this situation. So I think this is where the government has to look into six months or seven months into the policies and We see where we are going so at least by now this information Susat is a feedback for the government and the government should take measures instead of this desperate and quick picks measures that we are seeing now Okay, interesting. Let's move over to another one Funny enough Yamgula now. We're just talking about this and it says tinibu others probe of edu humanitarian ministry over 37 billion Naira and then there's five hundred and thirty five million Naira funds Well, what are you taking was your take on this one? You see my take is that this ministry now is becoming You know a source of concern for Nigerian before we finish with The earlier Problem now that is a new one even though is taking a different dimension that one, you know people are looking at Corruption this one. They are looking at the potential of corruption because what they are saying is the Minister violated the financial regulation and by violating such regulations You know, you are making it wrong to corruption. So I think I Don't know it is worrisome a ministry that is supposed to be helping others and People are helping themselves in the ministry literally. So I think This is worrisome and I believe what the president says that he's going he has ordered That they should look and investigate into the matter. I hope it will not stop to adjust investigation It's your role if they are found guilty. So unless we do that the Ministry will be a den of corruption like other institutions that we have one we talk of like an NPC like this thing now The ministry of a humanitarian affairs is past joining the club of You know corrupt a dent Organization in Nigeria If better do is found guilty of everything maybe if the funds were diverted I'm not talking about passing through a wrong Channel but talking about diversion properly. It will be unfortunate because we've been clamoring for women to be in politics We've been clamoring for youths to be in politics She's the youngest of the ministers and she's also a woman and that will be a very bad dent on On the image of women image of women and youths as well because she's representing two groups there in the federal executive council, okay, let's move to the next newspaper here is nature news and Nature news leads with FCTA 19 states hold down Nigeria on Open defecation free target in the southwest Here a kitty Lagos on do and or your the culprits in the north central FCT Kogi Quarra, Niger Nassau and Plateau Abia is in the south east a bunny and a new go so Basically the north central has about six states and not the southwest has four states Not east has three states south east has three states Not west has two states and south south has two states Okay, which means some of these geopolitical zones are doing They are utmost best to make sure that open open defecation target is achieved But some others are not my worry is on Lagos state because this is where All the tourists will come first before they go to other places. It's like, you know, it's a melting pot for Everybody whether you're coming from outside Nigeria or you're within Nigeria. Everybody comes to Lagos yet Lagos is part of the culprits making it difficult to achieve this open defecation target By whatever year that it has been set What is really wrong? What do you think should be done because we need these Stoppage of open defecation in our cities at least if we cannot get it in the villages. What is going wrong? Well, I think what is wrong is the policy itself For what reason I doubt to these Statistics now let's assume it is correct They will now we go back to the issue of The policies, you know, if the government said they are going to address these issues I will see them hitting the ground doing it in most places in the cities You don't have public conveniences. So where you don't have public conveniences You are just making it easy for people to, you know, use Open space because after all one cannot see Without you know is in himself or herself. So I think that is where the the policy is and Secondly is because we are just using statistics like You talk of Lagos, but and you said they are in Northwest only two states are corporate I'm from Northwest. I'm talking to you here in Northwest But what I know and I've been around in so many states here. I know this is not a Real especially in major Cities perhaps in rural areas, you know, where you don't have high population People, you know, you don't have migrants many people will have their own homes to go and in themselves but in Public places you see it all over And high bridges and that the bridges the side road even in markets. So I say it is a worrisome issue and the government needs to do something and what they need to do is To go back to the old policy, you know in the past wherever you have such a high concentration of people You see that the government will provide I Public conveniences and some now I even come specializing it so they could have it Maybe it's a very affordable rate so that people can go, you know, I don't think People want to do it the out of our wish, but I think it's out of necessity So I think that is where the policy has to Go into I mean look into Because it's really worrisome especially here in Lagos I was shocked that the said not central had the highest number of these culprits But I thought Lagos had enough enough of these two to to stand for the entire nation because when if you are Unfortunate enough to cross a pedestrian bridge for instance in Lagos You will hate to be a Lagosian because when you look down at the medians beautiful medians that Were created to take water when it rains and all that you will not find the ground If you will not find it It's like polka dots that are very very many that it makes it look like it's one color And it's really really bad It's not good if you go to beggar for instance where you are just entering Lagos You know you enter Lagos and the first thing that touches you is the stench that comes from the median of the road It's it's so bad. Well There's another story on the same nature news before we move to another newspaper Ripples over choice of former oil chief as UN cop 29 President designate so obviously Someone who has been there on the scene before where may be a lot of people were not comfortable how he Ran their face of the oil ministry is now a designated president designate to UN cop 29 What are your thoughts? Yeah, you see we have to be looking at performance before we give such a positions and people who Did very bad or rather the Complaint around them. I think we have to look at the other way around let's not put Politics into consideration because we have so many competent people I Even though this is a temporary thing, but I think what we need to do is always to put Right people in the place and we shouldn't be putting such controversial people even when they are Complain against them So I think my thought is that since There are abundant Qualified people who are less controversial who are these things? We should look at that Not to put emphasis on for political consideration Alright, I want to look at another one here on nature news before we move over so he says two energy firms sign one Billion-a-dollar gas flaring solutions deal in Nigeria So when I was doing my research in the first half of 2023 companies fled about 138.7 million metric standard cubic feet of gas and this is about a 10 percent increase From what was done in 2022 so now we're seeing a company a Nigerian company signing with a company in China to You know just Reduce the gas flaring and bringing solutions. What do you think about this? I'm sure you I want to believe that this is a good Initiative and but I want to know what your thoughts are This is not only good. It's an excellent Solution because if you go to the oil producing areas you see gas blaring 24 hours seven days and 30 days in Seven days in a week thirty Days in a mass or virtually every day is going on one. You see how it destroyed the environment And also affect the weather and sadly it is something that is a financial worst So I think It is better. We should look at these issues and this is a good It's a right step in the right direction and I besides addressing all these issues it will also address the issue of You know gas cooking gas that we are having all you know Western this because the Western countries do not Required we don't need That gas so we are wasting it. I think we have to look at that one This is a good step and we should see more of it if Possible if we can eliminate it 100% if not at least let's target that we eliminate more than 50% of it within a very shorter period Okay, so we're going to be reviewing a new paper today. It's a it's business the business ng And there's one I want to take from here. It says federal government this bus is 106 billion Naira for 260 road repairs nationwide So I'm sure you drive in Nigeria and we see how the roads are and they're screaming for maintenance And I believe that I want to think that one of the culture that we don't really Have is the maintenance culture of you know anything in Nigeria, but here we're seeing the federal government Dispersing 106 billion Naira What does that even mean because most times they are these bursting funds and we're seeing these roads They're they're really not even being repaired to standard. That's one or not even being repaired at all You see my most most of our roads are this trap because of the poor condition Dispersing such a money or huge amount of money can go a long way That was improving the Road system, but I think this passing it and just waiting Without a proper monitoring without ensuring that they are put into use They may just be you know a Means of corruption. So I think it's good that the government has airmarked such a money But me I think yeah, my king is just one step We have to take measures to ensure that the roads I mean the monies are used for the purpose. They are meant to because if you go to Intercity or interstate a road you see that some of them for years And they you know, they have expended a lot of money and at the end of the budget Like now we are seeing twenty twenty four if care is not taken 2025 by this time the money will go and nothing will be seen on the ground All right, okay, we are a little bit out of time Well, let's take this one from the punch and it says lawmakers budget fresh 30 billion and Naira for National Assembly Renovation so we're talking about our roads not being fixed, you know in time or even up to standard But then they are also Budgeting a 30 billion Naira for renovation. They're not building a new a new structure They're not building anything new. This is just for renovation and it is 30 billion Naira What do you think about this? Do you think they're just being? frivolous with the spending of of Nigeria's money Yeah, I think this is part of the wastage and corruption that is be debilitating that area because Renovation of that place is becoming almost a routine almost every year or Within the time of any government there will be renovation. Remember, it was not long ago when About Something billion was also said to have been spent or in the bush. So that's what we have to look at this. They are public Representative they should be worried of the conditions of Nigerians Nigerians, you know a separate the roads are bad. There is inflation. There is hunger There is all there are all sorts of problem facing the ordinary person. Why should the people representative be wasting money? I either on cars or Renovate the assembly or on power creation area or this look at what they have earmarked for themselves in the budget in terms of Maintaining the National Assembly. So as in the National Assembly should be seen as people's representative Not as a drain on public funds All right, this is where we have to wrap up this segment. We want to thank you for coming and reviewing the papers with us this morning Thank you so much. Thank you Thank you very much for having me. Thank you All right, we'll be speaking to Professor Camille Sanny-Faggy is from the department of political science by Eero University Canis State and we'll be reviewing the papers. We'll go on a short break and when we return it We'll be looking at our hot topic. Please stay with us