In its recently released Manufacturers CEOs Confidence Index report, the association projected that employment conditions would further decline to 47.8 points in the succeeding months. The report is a quarterly research and advocacy publication of the association, which measures changes in the pulse of operators and trends in the manufacturing sector on a quarterly basis. According to the report, the aggregate Index Score of MCCI declined to 54.1 points in the first quarter of 2023. It noted that employment decisions by manufacturers had been ‘so difficult’ due to the unpredictability and difficulty in the macroeconomic environment. He said, “We plead with the government to look at the manufacturing sector as a sector that requires special attention because the success of the manufacturing sector will boost economic growth tremendously.

QUR’AN burning has become a symbol of intolerance and “Islamophobia”, especially in some Western countries. They have also ripped and spat on copies of the Quran and dragged it around on a leash like a dog before burning. It commands believers: “Do not insult those they call upon besides God, lest they insult God out of hostility and ignorance” (6:108); and to declare, “… we make no distinction between any of them [God’s messengers]” (2:136, 2: 285, 3:84, 4:152). A book for ponderingThe Qur’an says, “There are messages indeed for people who think!” (13:3; repeated 20 times). Therefore, burning the Qur’an is a foolish act.

The junta in Niger, which seized power in a military coup on July 26, has formed a military alliance with the neighbouring countries of Burkina Faso and Mali. The rulers of Burkina Faso and Mali also seized power in coups. The accord allows Mali and Burkina Faso to provide military assistance to Niger in the event of military intervention against the putschists there. A similar agreement already exists between Burkina Faso and Mali. Under Bazoum, Niger was considered one of the last strategic partners of the West in the fight against the advance of Islamist terrorists in the Sahel.

Abdulraheem Egidi, the chairman, House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the murder disclosed this when the members of the committee visited Gov. Peter Mbah at the Government House, Enugu on Thursday. He explained that following that motion, the House of Representatives resolved to embark on a fact-finding mission. Mbah said the state welcomed the development with delight even as he condemned the unfortunate loss of lives. We have enjoyed the collaborative synergy with the security agencies, but we need the federal government to assist us to do more.

According to the report, a Nigerian woman, who paid £10,000 to an “agent” for a skilled worker visa that was supposed to secure her a job as a carer in the UK, has been left stranded. The report showed “how the skilled worker visa system is being abused, with middlemen allegedly being paid huge sums of money to arrange jobs in the UK as carers that do not exist. “About 15 of the 35–40 people who generally come to the weekly food bank have skilled worker visas. As time went on, there were no shifts.”According to the report, in the 12 months to March 2023, 170,993 skilled worker visas have been awarded. In the health and care sector alone, grants have increased over two and a half times and represent over half of all work visas issued in the same period.

Brics countries have expressed commitment to collaborate on confronting global warming, with rapid urbanisation in the five member countries raising the urgency to deal with climate disaster risks. At least four countries have joined the Brics bloc, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt being endorsed by all five Brics nations. South Africa supported Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Iran to become permanent members, the high level diplomats said. Three well placed sources in three diplomatic missions from the five nations confirmed to the M&G that all five nations had agreed on Saudi Arabia and Egypt becoming permanent members. The M&G previously reported that South Africa was likely to advocate for Egypt to be included in Brics.

The BRICS has accepted the request to add Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as new member countries. This announcement follows ongoing debate among BRICS member nations to expand, even though the immediacy of such expansion remains debatable. The BRICS group accounts for more than 42% of the world population, 30% of the world’s territory, 23% of the global economy, and 18% of global trade. Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are the pioneering nations that form the BRICS. Meanwhile, Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, is at the 15th BRICS summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, to represent President Bola Tinubu.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky marked the country’s 32nd Independence Day on Thursday by appealing for unity in the face of Russia’s invasion, which began exactly 18 months ago. In a video message released on Thursday, Zelensky thanked soldiers, armament workers, electricians, journalists, deminers, teachers, doctors and athletes for their efforts and recalled the sacrifices made. “Everyone who works and gives work to others is important. All those who pay taxes helped support the armed forces and ensure “future victory,” Zelensky said. Ukraine’s Independence Day commemorates the declaration of independence from the Soviet Union adopted on Aug. 24, 1991.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday thanked the BRICS for inviting Egypt to join in as a new member state, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. “I highly value the BRICS’s invitation of Egypt to join the economic bloc as of January 2024, and we are proud of the confidence of all bloc countries in Egypt,” Sisi said. BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Sisi’s remarks came shortly after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on the final day of a BRICS summit that six countries including Egypt are to join the bloc as new members next year. “Egypt looks forward to cooperating with all BRICS member states and with the other countries invited to join the bloc, to achieve its objectives for boosting economic cooperation and raising the voices of the Global South.”READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

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Nigeria’s Mathew Obinna (22-0-0-22KO) is set to face Malawi’s Isaac Chilemba (27-9-3-11KO) for the vacant Universal Boxing Organisation world light heavyweight title. The Lagos-born 35-year-old pugilist will be in hostile territory as his clash with Chilemba holds at the Bingu National Stadium, Lilongwe in Malawi September 30. Besides winning the IBO world title at Super Middleweight, “The Golden Boy” has also captured African Boxing Union, WBO Africa, WBC International and NABF titles at Light Heavyweight. This will be his third attempt to become a two-division world champion, after losing decisions to Light Heavyweight titlists Sergey Kovalev (IBF, WBA, WBO) and Dmitrii Bivol (WBA) in 2016 and 2018. Obinna enters the biggest stage of his career without a single defeat and having stopped all of his opponents inside the distance and will be hoping to clinch a first world title.

Court dismisses suits seeking to halt DSS and AGF from arresting Emefiele siblings, according to Naija247news. A Federal Capital Territory High Court has rejected two fundamental rights enforcement suits by siblings of the suspended CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele. The brothers sought an injunction against the DSS from arresting or detaining them in connection with the investigation of the suspended apex bank governor. While the DSS counsel, Ibrahim Awo, suggested dismissing the case and imposing a N2 million cost, the AGF’s counsel, Maimuma Lami-Sheru, supported Awo’s plea. Justice Emmanuel Okpe, the presiding judge, struck out the cases without requiring the applicants to pay any costs.

Photos: Borno State GovernmentNigerians have expressed anger over the delay in the distribution of the palliatives by the state governors. According to him, NLC officials in states were not part of the committees involved in the sharing of the palliatives. How can we be involved with the governors to share the federal palliatives? He stated, “The issue of palliatives distribution to Nigerians in the form it is taking is not appealing to my union. The Kano State NLC Chairman, Kabir Inuwa, disclosed that the civil servants in the state had yet to receive any package.

Demola Odulaja, the estranged husband of the Chief Executive Officer of House of Phreedah Body Care, Farida Abdulkabir popularly known as Farida Sobowale, has explained the reasons why he parted ways with the Lagos socialite after about two months of their elaborate wedding. Odulaja in an interview with a Yoruba social commentator, ArewaTopeFamous, on Tuesday via Instagram Live alleged that the break-up was not unconnected to Sobowale’s alleged promiscuity, lies, and covetousness, among others. Sobowale said she could not endure the fallout of her crashed marriage and this prompted her decision to end her life. The London-based entrepreneur further alleged that Farida indiscriminately visited his brother who lived close to them often and even stayed there for hours without justifying her action. Continuing, he noted, “When I got back to Nigeria from London in 2009, Farida met me in Lagos in 2010.

Manufacturers have spent at least N7.9tn to import raw materials in the past three years, according to findings by The PUNCH. A breakdown of the data showed that in the second quarter of 2020, manufacturers imported raw materials worth N570.6bn. Further breakdown of the data showed that in 2021, raw materials imports by manufacturers was N2.9tn. It slowed to N2.4tn in 2022, while N555.4bn worth of raw materials was imported in the first quarter of 2023. In some areas, we cannot do backward integration because we do not have the raw materials or the technology to do it.