Nigerian Newspapers: Headlines that will interest you today, Wednesday

Good day, good citizens of Nigeria, here are headlines from Nigerian Newspapers that may interest you today, Wednesday, December 15, 2021.

1. Private sector fears job losses, firms’ closure over planned taxes, tariffs [Punch Newspaper]

The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria, comprising the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, among others, has expressed its opposition to any attempts by the Federal Government and other tiers of government to introduce new taxes or levies.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Budget, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, had on Monday said the ministry “is closely studying” the possibility of introducing new taxes, tariffs and levies as part of measures to shore up government revenue.

2. Omicron: Lagos to begin errant inbound passengers’ prosecution to curb spread [Punch Newspaper]

The Lagos State Government has concluded plans to prosecute inbound international passengers who fail to submit themselves for Day 2 and Day 7  PCR tests as mandated by the Federal Government.

The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, in a statement on Tuesday, said the prosecution of defaulting inbound passengers had become necessary in order to mitigate the evolving fourth wave of COVID-19 infection in the state.

3. Tinubu: I won’t decline calls to contest for presidency [ThisDay Newspaper]

With deft political subtlety, a former governor of Lagos State and one of the national leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday, cleverly declared his decision to take his chances in the 2023 presidential election, saying he would not decline the many calls by supporters and admirers for him to contest.

By this statement, Tinubu has made it clear that his resolve to contest the 2023 presidential election was no longer in the realm of speculation, but when to officially declare, after he might have consulted widely and effectively as he had stated explicitly yesterday.

Tinubu, who hinted at this in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with leaders of the Northern Alliance Committee (NAC), however, insisted he would still consult widely before finally declaring his intention for the 2023 presidential poll.

4. Nigeria Air has no structure four months to kick off [BusinessDay Newspaper]

Four months to the announced date by the Federal Government that a national carrier, Nigeria Air, would commence operations, BusinessDay’s checks show that there are no personnel, investor and physical or technical structure on ground currently to make this a reality.

Before an airline is considered ready to commence operations, the airline must have gone through the five different stages of acquiring Air Operating Certificates (AOC) for local flight operations from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and these stages take between one to three years, depending on how satisfied the authority is.

5. Expecting Buhari to do anything more than what he has done is akin to beating a dead horse says Obasanjo [NewsWireNGR]

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says that President Muhammadu Buhari has nothing more to offer Nigeria and Nigerians at this point of his administration.

Obasanjo made this known when he spoke in Abuja Monday, December 13, at a retreat on inclusive security organized by the Global Peace Foundation and Vision Africa.

According to Obasanjo, Nigerians who still believe that Buhari has anything to offer th country against should perish such thoughts.

He said: “The truth is this: President Buhari has done his best. That is what he can do. If we are expecting anything more than what he has done or what he is doing, that means we’re whipping a dead horse and there is no need. Read more.