Nigeria
Ogun governor presents N339 billion 2021 budget proposal
Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, on Wednesday, presented a budget proposal of N339 billion for the 2021 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly, with N177 billion earmarked for capital expenditure. Newsmen report that the budget, christened “Budget of Recovery and Sustainability,” also has N162 billion proposed for recurrent expenditure. The governor said that an estimated N119 billion was projected as internally-generated revenue for the state, with statutory allocation expected to be N59 billion. He stated that capital receipt, which included internal and external loans as well as grants and aids, stood at N142 billion. The governor stated that personnel cost remained the largest single item of expenditure, adding as at Oct. 31, it accounted for 35.5 percent of the total government spending...
2023: Kogi lawmakers endorse Yahaya Bello for the presidency
Less than one year into his constitutional four-year second tenure mandate as Governor of Kogi State, members of the Kogi State House of Assembly have called on Yahaya Bello to seek a higher office. The 25-member house made the unanimous call at plenary on Wednesday, 2 December, in Lokoja. Bello had on Tuesday presented a budget proposal of N130.5bn for 2021 to the lawmakers. The document was expected to gain attention of the lawmakers when they reconvened Wednesday. They however chose to delve into the uncertain waters of 2023 Presidential politics, asking the governor to throw his hat into the ring. The House in its plenary described Bello as fit for the office in view of his outstanding performances as Governor and in view of the fact that the North Central Zone has also not had the opp...
FEC approves N117 billion for rehabilitation of major roads in Nigeria
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N117.6 billion for the rehabilitation of some major roads across Nigeria. Wednesday’s FEC meeting was chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari. The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of the meeting. “The Ministry of Works and Housing presented three memoranda, two relating to roads and one relating to a banking application. “The first set of roads is for a total sum of N18,923,846,198.47, and it is with respect to roads and bridges as follows; rehabilitation of 26 km road linking Kano, Jigawa and the Katsina States, N8.767 billion, Omo-Umulokpa road in Anambra and the Enugu States, N1.712 billion, rehabilitation of Oye-Oranta road in Anambra, N2.504 billion, Okpoko bri...
Court refuses to order Femi Fani-Kayode’s arrest for not attending trial
A Federal High Court in Abuja declined on Wednesday the application for the issuance of bench warrant against former aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, being tried for alleged money laundering related offences. At the mention of the case on Wednesday, lawyer to the prosecution, Mohammed Abubakar, noted that Fani-Kayode was absent. Abubakar recalled that Fani-Kayode had been absent in court on two other days and argued that the defendant was scheming to evade trial. He then applied to the court to revoke the bail granted the defendant, issue bench warrant for his arrest and order the issuance of summons on his surety to show cause why he (the surety) should not forfeit the bail bond he endorsed. Defence lawyer, Wale Balogun, objected to the request made by the prosecution and argued that ...
PTF: Two coronavirus vaccines under trial have 90% efficacy
The Federal Government on Tuesday expressed optimism that COVID-19 would soon be a thing of the past in Nigeria as two vaccines under trial have more than 90 per cent efficacy to end the disease. The government also charged states to fully implement Social Health Insurance Schemes with the integration of HIV prevention and treatment services. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID–19, Boss Mustapha, stated this during an event held in Abuja to commemorate the 2020 World AIDS Day with the theme, ‘Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility.’ The SGF also appealed to the private sector to support the National Agency for the Control of AIDS and the Nigerian Business Coalition against AIDS for a sustained access to life-saving medici...
Boko Haram leader justifies rice farmers’ killing
Agence France-Presse A factional leader of the Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has confirmed that his group was responsible for the killing of rice farmers in Kwashebe, Zabarmari, in the Jere Local Government Area of Borno State. He also threatened to deal with those giving information on his group to the military. Shekau, in a three-minute video released on Tuesday, said his group “killed 78 farmers” because they arrested and handed one of his brothers to the Nigerian Army. He warned that those arresting his members and giving out intelligence on the group’s activities to the military would “face the same fate if they did not desist from doing so.” “The third message is on those who notoriously nab our brethren and hand them to the military or give them a clue on us. You should know that, un...
APC sets agenda for reappointed INEC chairman, tasks him on fairness
File Photo Following the Senate’s clearance of reappointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has set an agenda for the chief electoral umpire, urging him to be unbiased and apolitical. APC in a statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabena, on Tuesday in Abuja, noted that though Nigeria’s election processes are far from perfect, there are however marked improvements recorded in series of recent elections conducted. “The task before Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and the election management body he leads is to strive further in being unbiased and apolitical”, APC stated. The party noted that technological innovations recently introduced and deployed by INEC have greatly improved th...
Only good governance will silence social media criticism – NCC chair
The Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Adeolu Akande, has said only good governance will silence social media from its criticism of government. Professor Akande said the agitation against the social media because of criticism of government through the medium will not stop such criticism, saying when government performs well, the social media is bound to respond positively. “When government performs well, the social media is abuzz with praises for the government. When government fails, the social media is abuzz with condemnation. The best way to silence the social media is to strive and do well,” he submitted. Professor Akande spoke as Guest Speaker at the Annual Lecture of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Oyo State chapter in Ibadan Tuesday. Speaking on t...
FCTA spent N29 billion on coronavirus during lockdown – minister
The Senate has been told that the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA spent a total sum of N28.5billion on some activities within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT during the outbreak of the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the lockdown. Speaking yesterday in Abuja when he presented the revised 2020 budget before the Senator Abubakar Kyari, All Progressives Congress, APC, Borno North led Senate Committee on FCT, Minister of the FCT, Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello explained to the Committee that the fund was spent on provision of security services, provision of palliatives for indigent residents, as well as assisting neighbouring States who were distressed. According to him, the FCT health facility supported residents from States where the level of government assista...
Ex-HoS Winifred Oyo-Ita, others ask court to adjourn ‘N570 million fraud’ case indefinitely
Former Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, on Tuesday, urged the Federal High Court, Abuja, to adjourn her ongoing trial sine die over alleged Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s abuse of court process. Also making the plea for the adjournment before Justice Taiwo Taiwo were the 7th, 8th and 9th defendants in the money laundering charges. Newsmen report that while Ubong Okon Effiok, his two companies; U & U Global Services Ltd and Prince Mega Logistics Ltd are 7th, 8th and 9th defendants respectively, Frontline Ace Global Services Ltd and Asanaya Projects Ltd are 2nd and 3rd defendants in the trial. Others in the case include Garba Umar, and his two companies; Slopes International Ltd and Gooddeal Investment Ltd as 4th, 5th and 6th defendants respect...
VP Osinbajo: We’ll do all it takes to secure Nigeria
The Muhammadu Buhari administration will not relent but will do all it takes, including putting new ideas on the table in order to secure the country, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has said. The Vice President is on one-day official visit to Nasarawa State today and was accosted by reporters on his arrival in Lafia after he was received by Governor Abdullahi A. Sule. Below is the verbatim report of the Vice President’s response to the media: As the President said, these group of people have acted insanely in such a dastardly manner, killing innocent people, people who had gone to their farms to work. I spoke to the Governor, Governor Babagana Zulum and the former Governor, Senator Kashim Shettima to express my condolence, but more importantly, to try and think through ways of dealing with...
Napoli boss rues Victor Osimhen’s absence
Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso says the absence of Victor Osimhen is being felt within the team despite Sunday’s 4-0 win over Roma in a Series A tie. Osimhen suffered a shoulder injury while on duty for the Super Eagles during the international break, which has seen him miss a couple of games for the San Paolo Stadium outfit. And Manager, Gattuso while reacting to Napoli’s big win over Roma praised his team’s mentality but rues the absence of the Nigeria international. “We have missed Osimhen in recent weeks, remember, he is an important player,” Gattuso said of the Forward, who is gradually returning to fitness having commenced light training and gym work. Osimhen linked up with the Partenopei from French club Lille in a record deal in the summer. He has played a total of six matches for ...
