The newspapers for Monday, July 10 focus on the meeting southern leaders had over the October 1 deadline issued to Igbos in the north and the floods that occurred in Lagos state following torrential rainfall among others.
Southern leaders have asked Acting President Yemi Osinbajo take cogent actions to protect southerners living in Northern Nigeria ahead of the October 1 deadline issued to Igbos vacate the north region by a coalition of northern youths.
Vanguard reports that leaders from the three southern geopolitical zones who met in Lagos state on Sunday, July 9, warned that any attack on any southerner would be seen as an attack on all southerners.
Vanguard newspaper for Monday July 10, photo credit, snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
They complained that since the coalition of northern youths issued the quit notice to the Igbos living in the north, no action had been taken to halt the threat.
Speaking to journalist after the meeting, a former director-general of the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA),Albert Horsfall, called on the acting president to inform Nigerians on the actions and plans the federal government has made to protect southerners living in the north.
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He said: “We are disconcerted that up till now, no action appears to have been taken regarding the October 1 threat issued by Arewa youths who threatened the Igbo living in the north. We, therefore, demand that the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo inform Nigerians of what actions and steps that have been taken to protect the Igbo and all Southerners who live in the North against the threats of the Arewa youths. We reiterate that any threat or action against anyone from the South will be treated as a threat or action against all Southerners.”
Meanwhile, several areas in Lagos state have been flooded following torrential rain fall over the weekend.
The Nation reports that residents of highbrow Victoria Island, Lekki and Ajah spent the weekend waiting for the flood to reside.
The Nation newspaper for Monday July 10, photo credit, snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
They were warned to vacate the flood-prone area because of the expected intense rains.
The newspaper reports that Niger state also experienced flood following five hours of rainfall.
Nine people reportedly died in Checheniya and one in Kuala, Suleja. Another person died in Ayin-Nassarrawa in Tara local government area of the state.
In related news, former president of Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Remi Makinde has said the non-adherence to the master plans of Lekki, Victoria and Ikoyi contributed to flooding in the area.
Makinde told The Guardian that the master plans provide drainages, which have not been fully dredged probably because of the huge financial implications.
Guardian newspaper for Monday July 10, photo credit, snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
He appealed to the Lagos state government to prioritise tackling flooding by making funds available.
Makinde urged proper sensitisation of Lagos residents to the disposal of refuse in the drains so that they don’t block them.
To news business news, the federal government has given details of some of the foreign loans it has raised in the last two years.
The Punch reports that the federal government obtained about $4.8bn from various foreign sources in the last two years and expended them on various programmes.
The Punch newspaper for Monday July 10, photo credit, snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
The government, through the Debt Management Office, said it received $600m from the African Development Bank for the EGDCSP.
The AFDB said on its website that the programme would help the government to create the fiscal space to facilitate a smooth implementation of the government’s budget, support fiscal and structural reforms, and improve the targeting of social sector spending to protect the most vulnerable segments of the population.
While the first tranche of the programme costing $600m was approved in 2016, the second tranche costing $400m is expected to be approved this year to take the total value of the loan to $1bn.
Another major loan of $500m came from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for Nigeria’s development finance institutions.
The item also attracted $400m from the AfDB in addition to another $400m secured from the African Development Fund.
The federal government secured $500m from the International Development Association, an arm of the World Bank, for the Saving One Million Lives, which is a scheme to expand access to essential primary health care services for women and children.
Meanwhile, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has said the apex bank has been developing home-grown policies to surmount challenges that confronted the economy in recent times.
This Day reports that Emefiele, speaking on Arise TV said the bank would intensify its intervention in the foreign exchange (forex) market in order to ensure price stability.
This Day newspaper for Monday July 10, photo credit, snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
He said the central bank would continue to support operators in the agriculture, SMEs and manufacturing enterprises through its development finance initiatives, with a view to complementing the federal government’s efforts at diversifying the economy and ensuring that the nation is self-sufficient in food production.
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