Naija News: Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Tuesday, 1st August, 2023

Naija News, read Top Headlines today, Tuesday, 1st August 2023 below.

Below are the Newspaper Headlines & Naija News today from Nigerian Newspapers. Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. President Bola Tinubu explained the reasons behind his decision to end the fuel subsidy regime in the country. He emphasized that the subsidy had to be discontinued because the nation could no longer sustain it financially.

   According to President Tinubu in a natoionwide broadcast, the trillions of naira spent annually to sustain the fuel subsidy could be better utilized to improve critical sectors such as healthcare, transportation, education, housing, and national security, among others. The funds allocated to the subsidy were being diverted into the hands of a select group of individuals, who were benefitting from the system at the expense of the majority.

2. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made a significant appointment, designating Chief Ajuri Ngelale as the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity. The announcement was conveyed in a brief statement by Willie Bassey, the Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

   According to the statement, Chief Ajuri Ngelale’s appointment is effective immediately, commencing on July 31, 2023, and will remain valid until the end of the current administration, unless the President decides otherwise.

3. On Monday, the 31st of July, President Bola Tinubu conducted a decoration ceremony at his office, during which he bestowed new ranks upon the Chief of Defense Staff, Major General Christopher Musa, as well as the Chiefs of Army, Naval, and Air Staff.

   The event marked the formal recognition of their new ranks, and it took place six weeks after their appointment on June 19, 2023.

4. The senator representing Benue South Senatorial District has lamented the exclusion of his constituency from the ministerial list.

   IDOMA VOICE reports that President Bola Tinubu submitted a 28-man list to the Senate for screening last week. However, President Tinubu nominated Prof. Joseph Utsev from the Tiv speaking area of Benue State. The development triggered mixed reactions among Idoma people,

5. The Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed deep concern over the recent vandalization and theft of metal components from the Second Niger Bridge. The authorities fear that if the destructive acts continue, the bridge may have to be shut down, severely impacting vehicular activities.

   Mr. Mahmuda Mamman, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, visited the bridge on Sunday to assess the extent of the damage caused by the miscreants. He emphasized the importance of intensifying surveillance on the bridge to curtail the activities of these vandals who target the metal components.

6. Olu Akanmu, the CEO of OPay Nigeria, has officially resigned from his position after a successful two-year tenure. His announcement coincides with the ongoing celebration of the company’s 5th anniversary in Nigeria. Akanmu revealed his departure via a Twitter post on Monday morning, though he did not provide specific reasons for his decision. Instead, he emphasized the importance of furthering financial inclusion for Nigerians.

   In his message, Akanmu expressed his gratitude to all his colleagues at OPay for their collaborative efforts in deepening financial inclusion in Nigeria. He also extended thanks to the ecosystem partners and enablers whose support was crucial in achieving OPay’s mission of leveraging technology to enhance financial inclusion.

7. The recent screening of ministerial nominees in the Senate has sparked an age controversy surrounding one of the nominees, Prof Joseph Utsev, IDOMA VOICE observed. 

   As President Bola Tinubu submitted a list of 28 nominees for screening, little was heard about Utsev until his surprise announcement as a ministerial nominee by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. This unexpected nomination, especially considering his Tiv ethnicity, left many people in Benue State puzzled, as they had anticipated the next minister to be chosen from Benue South.

8. Daudu Gotring, a former director at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has been appointed as the Managing Director of Opay Nigeria, following the resignation of Olu Akanmu, who served as President and co-CEO of the fintech startup for two years.

   During his tenure as co-CEO, Olu Akanmu played a significant role in the growth and development of Opay in Nigeria. Under his leadership, Opay became one of the largest fintech companies in Africa, boasting a user base of over 30 million, with about 500,000 agents and more than 300,000 merchants.

9. Stella Damasus, a respected veteran in Nollywood, has recently opened up about what she considers the “biggest mistake” of her life – marrying her best friend. In a candid discussion with Teju Babyface, a popular media personality, she revealed that the pressure from religion played a significant role in this regrettable decision.

   Stella shared that she was once a choir member in a church, and her best friend, who also happened to be the choir director, was the one she ended up marrying. However, she firmly believes they were not meant to be life partners. As friends, they had a fantastic bond, but as a couple, they couldn’t make it work.

10. In a move to alleviate the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on students in higher institutions of learning, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the provision of buses to students’ bodies in all universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country. The decision aims to ease the burden of increased transportation costs faced by students due to the recent hike in fuel prices.

    According to Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communication, and Strategy, the provision of buses will not only enable students to access their campuses more easily but also relieve parents and guardians of the additional financial burden of daily commuting.