 Welcome back it's still the breakfast and plus TV Africa and it's time for off-the-press guest jiddy Johnson chief lecturer Nigerian Institute of Journalism is joining us this morning from Karno state Good morning to you. Mr. Johnson Good morning. It's a pleasure to meet you and good morning to us all over the world Welcome Let's begin with the punch newspaper the punch newspaper leads Naira crumbles to $920 a dollar Field marketers push for fresh price hike I'll give you the riders there feel price can't remain at 617 Naira with Naira falling below 900 to a dollar that's Ipman Nigerians back subsidy removal FG replies or Basiki labor once NNPC probe Let's start with that. So here we have the What seemed like a relief last week the Naira Started to gain some sort of value and and here we are again today. It's it's losing ground 920 What's your take on this? Yeah, when your economy is not productive Compared to the foreign economy There'll be and then you rely so much on The law for all of your transaction There's definitely going to be the challenge you have For us to make Naira to be competitive We have to grow our economy locally and the economy has to grow your growth domestic product Now if you have not grown our economy locally, we always witness this before all that we are witness Because you must put in place Every indicator that will allow your economy to as long as you are dependent on Import and you are not doing your export your export is not much your import There's no way you can go your economy your your your your currency value Who is subjected to the kind of free fall that you have with the Naira and this free fall of the Naira Means increase in inflation Also, the marketers are saying it's become inevitable for them not to increase the price of fuel Even though the government had told them not to do that now Well, you see the challenge you have is that you don't have a position based on impulse This statement the president made During his inaugural speech in a band you did active policies statement It's a policy statement. He thought he was cutting firm or probably think that he was still on the campaign trade And he missed that statement without any adequate backup plan to ensure that the economy grew and the Naira can compete Without a currency in the national market As well as you know, it was a major blow a major blow to our economy. The economy is highly dependent on Another gas Economy we take a key for whatever week from from from from the sales of food oil to That is dependent on the exchange rate Now the government used to control the exchange rate and then the president also said, you know what? We are going to give it to the first sub market There's no country in the entire world that leaves everything to the first of the market Is you are the one form of intervention or the other one form of revolution or the other? I hope the president with his economic team is put in place his cabinet now I hope his economic team will be able to advise him appropriately And they'll be able to come up with a template in addressing the serious problem Which we have because this issue continues like this only God knows what will happen in this country is becoming pretty inflation is already 25% If you are not careful, you'll be seeing inflation hitting 35 50% and that will not go well for the average Nigerian and it will not all go well for for those that have came to come and serve the interest of the people You seek public offices in order to serve the interest of the people To ensure that they enjoy the deliverables of democracy and the goods of society Not to inflate the pains sorrow and tears on them And if this administration is not careful and does not put his house in order This If you are dealing with it's a keg of gunpowder that can explode at any time. All right You need to see that decision. Yes I'm still on the front page of the punch list before you have the picture of that building that collapsed in Abuja very Ugly-looking sight I must say and you have a picture there of one of the victims Lying there stretched out in pain What what did you think when you heard of this building collapse in Abuja Now, you know Come to Abuja issue The question you actually what engineers that approved The Approved to that construction, which agency each federal capital authority against is responsive for the supervision of that Of that particular building and what level of supervision they put in place when you see such thing Whether in Abuja in Lagos, you have seen the complicity of public public officials that you have entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring safety guidelines of ensuring compliance with due process and due diligence when it comes to construction of building But what do we know? That's the charge after the billion as collapse that everybody will be jumping and running our task ever time Instead of addressing the issue before it gets to this situation and the funniest thing is that this is what you had That is what you hear about after all week. There's no head of rule All those are happening because they start the head of the building inspection team in Lagos Well, there's a new sheriff in town we case there and we care has ordered for the arrest of the landlord It's not only the landlord who are close to who approves it I don't know agencies of government that to ensure it. Do you think I agree the landlord too? She should be should be should be should be made to answer questions Of course in getting the landlord they get the plan of the house Understand that the original plan was violated by the landlord and of course then the regulators who are supposed to have inspected to make sure that There was due diligence. So everyone so many heads will roll over this Exactly so that might take let let their rules let there be consequences for bad behavior If you are no consequence for bad behavior you enforce bad behavior in every aspect and every start out So as far as I'm concerned the landlord should be need to answer questions the engineer that Supervises that we need to answer questions Everyone people lose their licenses when you lose like their licenses and their rights to practice as a result of not doing What is in the interest of the public or for public good? Then people will begin to learn their lesson But what do we know all these public officials will just go scot-free when somebody go goes against The original plan let's say the building was approved for five floors and then it changed the original plan to from five Floor to eleven floor the basic Element of any building is a foundation is a foundation that has sustained its building So the foundation was initially constructed for five floor and then you are now putting eleven floors Do not stand so Let let there be consequences for bad behavior Well, I knew some wiki as started to work talking tough Now his first major test has come So I guess how he handles this will determine just how serious and how weighty is words a few days ago Well, right Yeah And this is what we kill us and this is where it drives and then I'm sure these people have played into his hand and what he's been waiting for to lay down the conflict You know we have been doing that the conflict since since he was sworn in as the minister and he has given him He has given all the directors that don't want he has given them a Charge that anyone that does not want to walk she should she seek workers here because it's going to give them blood pressure So I think that the image of you know gives a blood pressure if you assign responsibilities and let those that are in charge Let those that you have given assignment to in public offices to ensure the delusion of class to their job Didn't do that job fire them fire them and bring in some other once you do that I can assure you that them They will do what they are supposed to do. Okay, so let's quickly look at some of the other headlines here on the punch Newspaper and then we talk one Analyze one and then move forward Culture minister steal a copper group alleges FG faces heavy criticism over 4.1% unemployment data family false army silence on senator's aid allegedly killed by rogue soldiers Nigerians stranded in UK Victims of visa scam Let's talk about this FG and the state of unemployment FG faces criticism over 4.1 percent unemployment data What do you make of that percentage you think is low or high? I Don't know where the mind that data from I don't know where the mind that data From if anybody is telling us that you only have 4% and 4.1% on employment in Nigeria So I read a person Manufacturer's data. I did not mind the data So that's the edge of manipulation Of data contrary to what is probably they get they got it right with they got it wrong in the process of their sampling You don't apply the correct sampling methodology you get the wrong data So probably the sample The wrong elements of the operation and as I did came about these four point four point one percent They must they must be it must be playing the old street to have come up with this this Unbelievable unbelievable data the bottom planet region is not for about one percent. It's not even 50% Managing that is a bit but glally 70 to 80 percent unemployment rate I understand as a new matrix Yeah, I hear there's a new matrix for calculating the unemployment rate and this new international rate was released yesterday Which is it's kind of changed the hours the way it's calculated The way it used to be calculated is changed from the new Rate that's been used perhaps. That's responsible for this I said if you do wrong instrument to carry out your your your data collection you get Errone around a wrong outcome you get the wrong around data and your interpretation will be wrong before So that's what I think. I don't think nobody will believe believe believe believe that are you believing it? Nobody will buy that because it's clear it's evident to all of us to see that the unemployment rate is not 4.1 percent You don't implement it is 4.1 percent and the economy will be productive economy Then you know, I would have rebounded against the dollar because our ground domestic We'll have grown to an industry Compared to what we are going to rely more on Import rather will increase our S. But which in bravely we affect The growth of the Naira positively so I think I'm not buying that data And I'm sure a lot of Nigeria not buying that that data they are not buying that outcome from that from that from that survey that was carried out by By the agency of government at least there is that on the issue of the minister I see nothing wrong with it. That's my take Yeah, after all it's a national service If you're a minister and then you are pointed as a minister and you are a copper you are still serving your nation That's my take on it. A lot of people are just playing a Mounting out of the movie Maybe that's because from what we know and what we used to know if you are still serving you are not supposed to be gainfully employed There's supposed to be you know, you're not supposed to be gameplay employed That's under this. This is the caveat now She's appointed as a minister and since the minister of the federal republic does national service I agree with you The what should be put in place by the secretary for recommender is for all not to be paid There are salaries and the allowances of a minister but to be paid the salaries and our answers of your copper We must we must not We must not turn change the life of our younger ones as copper you got the time back the governor of them The governor of them the president governor when you go still it was alleged. I don't know the back end of the story That he was when he was serving that time in a man in 2003 Made him to be a chief of staff. We must not as a result of service to change our Children are huge from from from serving their fatherland. No, you think you think a core member Is experienced enough to become minister of culture in a country? Now what about the culture? Well, and as far as I'm As far as I'm concerned She will just be providing direction to the what the ministry would do you have the you have the Secretary directors and the assistant directors and other levels of civil servant in the ministry that that that will guide up in the course of Admission that that particular that particular ministry. I think the leadership be left alone Okay, she just give our opportunity besides them. How many women do you have in that cabinet? You want one of the youngest you have don't forget how many you do you also have in that cabinet? One of the few ones you have People are trying to strike out. No, no, those who are kicking against this are saying there are other youth So many youths in the country that could have replaced her but then that's your opinion Let's move forward to the Guardian newspaper and the Guardian leads with buttered national image Step aside, please the many troubles of green passport holders. That's their big story Have you read this and what what's this about? Well, it is unfortunate the challenges the green passport As always add in the international community You you recall when Boston, Germany Was doing his the minister of Digital communication did that, you know when he was doing his screen a lot of former Treats he has posted was brought to the attention of the National Assembly and in one of the treats Although you didn't spoke about them, obviously the green passport was and the rest of it and a lot of people true True a lot of that at him that he should not be confirmed as a minister If you have an experience what an average Nigerian goes through and I recall why this senator the senator Representing them I was put on the fence for him when he said that he went to Ethiopia and was coming from a desire about Nigerians with green passport was separated from others and he had to intervene and Then he was being he was being insulted and harassed I was his business until he came out with this diplomatic passport. That's when they gave him some respect and dignity it deals on our on our leaders to ensure that Citizen are treated with respect and dignity with the bottom line is that if any country treats my if I'm the president of Niger Any country treats my citizen with with uttered disrespect I Would also do same for their citizen when they come to my country after our international community Countries are interdict countries are dependent on one on one another All you need to do is you go to the international airport and look at those that are coming in and those that are going out You discover that a lot of those that are going out. I'm mostly of my pigmentation They have African everything and those that are coming into this country of European and Asian Heritage so it's a case of you do me. I do you want to you demand for that respect and you put in place measure to get our Respect Nigerians across the globe. We're experiencing this shameful treatment that this This and shameful treatment That has been made out on them by by by aggressive and unknowledgeable ignorant Immigration officers of other countries. This this is just a stereotype Nigerians are lower-binding. I do answer There's no country that does not have headaches in them So why why should it why should they kick out on Nigeria is this tell tap is it's not good and it's government I cannot do it. I hope the current the I have the current minister for in affairs One of his intervention will be to talk to the ambassadors of these countries that that are notorious for this act the last eight years of voice administration the Minister of Foreign Affairs happened to be minister of Foreign Affairs that even if you ask some people to mention his name Nobody will record or his name was it was such a quiet more important international affairs on that price and decision I hope the present minister of Foreign Affairs will be more proactive In this regard, and you engage the ambassadors of this country Indeed Indeed indeed. You couldn't have said it better. There is need for something to be done In that regards give some pride to our green passport So the Nigerians wherever they go find themselves standing bold and tall without the generalization that On the master you have Nigeria left out as bricks admits six new members for global influence You know there was I think in 2015 when the idea of the blicks nation came out. I think them There was attempt to create another block which was caught which was called and means then the means Then I didn't know why the means nation didn't go as aggressive as the blicks national Go on at that particular point in time the means nation were Malaysia Indonesia Nigerian talk Why the blicks nation were very aggressive in their own approach informing an economic blood the means nation and I think they went they went to bed with that putting up an aggressive coordination among this nation So if you have in the big question I didn't join join the big stick base can found their own They are on their own economic block and this country which I talked about it means And Malaysia is Malaysia Mexico. I can't recover to see the Malaysia and Mexico then Indonesia Nigeria and talk it is also big big economic players in the world So I think that we should have a lot of economic block Beyond what you have in the big nation the means nation should come together and project and product in order to be Major economic force. We don't need the unique Economic force at the global level and that's the challenge of globalization in ultra globalization in 1980 So we need to have different types of economic block nation should come together and trade With one another once you have to how many would you be having some economic blocks? So the economic block you have the European Union, so you have the Bricks nation and they are trying to admit about 16 or something 11 nation I think the meat nation to quickly call down with another become proactive in Okay, so let's look at some other smaller headlines on the Guardian newspaper Confusion as court declares a Papa LP national chairman sacks are boring 24 banks lose 5.7 billion error to frauds in second quarter amid rising digital crimes 15 IOC's may threaten energy transition in Africa and Europe and then deft area death toll hits 100 in Kano and 26 in Bochi. Let's talk about this confusion in the LP How true is this? Some people are saying it's not what happened in court But this is what we're seeing on the front pages of the National Daily's. What really is it? Has a pop-up in declared national chairman of LP What is very clear is that from the snippet of what I've got from the reports because you don't even know the after that was that them One appeal court. I think that This is two contrary judgment Come from courts of the same jurisdiction and we thought that this issue will have been dealt with And when one decision of the court has had a matter another court of same jurisdiction You didn't hear the matter so that we don't have conflicting judgment with respect to an issue I think this matter will finally lead to respite court, which is it? Which is the court of final final final order and when we get when the matter gets to the Supreme Court The Supreme Court rule on that particular matter. The issue you look at if you look at the trauma that is ongoing And then you are the you are in the ex space You discover that this is more interesting the people that is not members of the above party that Releases this type of newsboard members of the without the women party and your position particularly the women party You see their members on Twitter so a piece of to be land and jumping left or center about this particular issue I think it was being treated and there's anything for them to put the house in order I think what they should do is if I want to add counsel them what they should do is that National executive council should be dissolved and a chaotic a catheter from the shoe we put in place both our power and them and Let me be put of them should be asked to and after all If he see was able to get rid of the national chairman and the national secretary of party that much you love And they should Sacrifice both a papa and a bully so that the party can make meaningful progress I think it's an attempt to decimate your position. I think we don't understand the team of what is going on It was further parties fortune come 2027 because the energy and time that you put it to yeah Establishing proper structure across the land and birth of the country building on the beans of 2023 and that is not being done Presently too much energy is being dispensed on with the national chairman. Yeah And it's a whole lot of destruction so much destruction as you rightly Said and so they're also having this at one hour a week only 4.1% Nigerians unemployed says NBS and in our saying that there's a new matrix which has been introduced now according to this new matrix you walk one hour a Week you are employed unlike the old Matrix that was used I think the old matrix required you to walk 40 hours a week to be said to be gainfully employed But all of that is changed now, which is why Nigeria said to have just 4.1% unemployment rate You want to do that and what's the hourly which is in here? What is the hourly which is in Nigeria compared to the hourly which is in US or whatever? Yeah, I've told you that he used the wrong instrument when you use the wrong instrument based on wrong indices Based on wrong variables. This is a result you get. So if somebody should walk one hour in a week in Nigeria The walk even somebody that's walking the minimum way for that is this Work cannot even sustain a family for one week. And I'm talking about an hourly which is I'm not accepting that Whoever accept that instrument is not doing good to this nation and to the team in use that are unemployed All right So let's move to the nature news the nature news leads with US pledges nine million dollars one Nigeria's natural disaster response efforts with details of that is on page three of this newspaper Then you have al-hukma University launches green campus initiative to combat climate change You have we case sets firm agenda for Abuja environmental transformation You have African leaders set to address climate change challenge and experts one Experts worry over Africa's climate agenda ahead of summits So you want to talk about this US pledge Well, I hope that that money does not go into private coffers the money that is meant to help The people and that suffers from natural disaster either flood or what have you I Hope and I hope that this money does not go into private coffers. That's just the challenge We get a lot of intervention from to know agencies in addressing some natural disaster that you witness in this country This money should be properly monitored so that it goes to the actual team of Of this natural disaster and not into the private pockets of the official public officials Who used to marry another wife? By exotic cars in the process of administering this Disbursement of this particular phone That's that's it. We've gotten a lot of intervention from a lot of country and we have no reason to shoot a film for it I just hope that there is duty there's a compliance with the guideline that is required for disbursement of his work today after Today after them beneficiary of this of this phone for natural disaster I say meant to that Chief Julia Johnson, I say he meant to that Thank you so much for your time. It's been great having you on off the press this morning It's a pleasure to be with you. Thank you another wonderful Friday. You too Julia Johnson chief lecturer and Nigerian Institute of Journalism Lagos State has joined us and this morning he joined us all the way from Carno State You're still watching the breakfast on plus TV Africa. Do stay with us. We'll be back with our first hot topic