Buhari to meet Jonathan over Niger delta Avengers.

President Muhammadu Buhari may have invited his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, for talks over recent attacks by a militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, on oil and gas installations. Jonathan, an indigene of oil-rich Bayelsa, is likely to visit Aso Rock this week, a source said. Attacks by the Niger Delta Avengers has caused a major drop in Nigeria’s oil output from 2.2m to 1.65m barrels per day.
The group has also warned of more attacks, warning oil companies in the region to evacuate their staff.
It is believed that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who yesterday visited the Villa, discussed the same issue with the president.
Wike and the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, left the president’s office at about 2:30pm without speaking to journalists.

Don't Revive Nigerian National Shipping Line. Obasanjo tells Buhari

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday advised the Federal Government against resuscitating the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line.
Obasanjo gave the advice in Lagos in his address as the Chairman of a two-day stakeholders’ conference on themaritime industry.
The former president blamed the demise of NNSL on the lack of professionalism and high level corruption at the time.
He said: “NNSL had been liquidated. “They tried Nigeria Unity Line, it collapsed. “Nineteen brand new ships were specially built for Nigeria.
“We did not take delivery of some of them until I left office in 1979.
“When I came back in 1999, NNSL had been liquidated with all the 19 ships gone as well as the five ships in existence.
“Two of the ships were missing for almost two years and it was discovered that one military man was using them all over the world and no accountability.”
The former president urged the present administration to “think out of the box and come up with what should be done to grow the maritime industry”.
Obasanjo added: “Until NIMASA became a source of where people steal money, nobody knew too much about it.”

Raise minimum wage to cushion effects of subsidy removal – Ben Bruce tells Buhari

As reactions continue to trial the recent removal of fuel subsidy, the lawmaker representing Bayelsa East senatorial district, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to either increase minimum wage for workers or excuse them from paying tax.
Making this appeal through his Twitter account late Thursday, Murray-Bruce reasoned that such move will go a long way in cushioning the effects of the recent fuel price hike.
His tweets read, “I appeal to @MBuhari to consider the immense suffering in Nigeria and increase minimum wage to help workers cope with increased fuel price.

“Either @Mbuhari increases the minimum wage to help masses cope with increased fuel price or he should allow minimum wage earners pay no tax.”
While justifying the call for minimum wage increase, the lawmaker argued that the President and his cabinet do not buy fuel with their money, yet earn more than the minimum wage of workers who do.

He accused the All Progressives Congress, APC-led government of first reneging on its campaign promise of paying N5000 allowance to poor Nigerians and now adding to the suffering of the masses by increasing fuel price.