News

Committee Summons Senators, Reps over Passage of Illegal Budget

Published

2 years ago

October 19, 2022

Eric

The House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Accounts has confirmed the allegation by President Muhammadu Buhari that some committees of the National Assembly are passing budgets for ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government illegally.

According to the Punch, the committee, after making the discovery, wrote to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and the Clerk to the National Assembly, Amos Ojo, to confirm if Buhari actually transmitted the MDAs’ budget to the parliament or not.

The erring chairmen, who had been summoned by the committee earlier in the year, are billed to appear before the panel from this week.

The President is expected to transmit budgetary proposals of MDAs to the National Assembly, while the clerk transmits passed budgets to the Presidency for implementation.

However, Buhari, while laying the 2023 Appropriation Bill before a joint session of the National Assembly on October 7, 2022, slammed committees of the parliament who were bypassing him and approving budgets for government-owned enterprises without his approval.

The President had said, “Distinguished Senators, Honourable Members, you may recall that we earlier integrated the budget of Government-Owned Enterprises into the FGN’s 2019 budget submission. This has helped to enhance the comprehensiveness and transparency of the FGN budget. It has, however, come to my attention that Government-Owned Enterprises liaise directly with relevant NASS committees to have their budget passed and issued to them directly.

“I would like to implore the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure that the budget I lay here today, which includes those of the GOEs, be returned to the Presidency when passed. The current practice where some committees of the National Assembly purport to pass budgets for GOEs, which are at variance with the budgets sanctioned by me, and communicate such directly to the MDAs, is against the rules and needs to stop.”

Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts, Oluwole Oke, in an interview with our correspondent, said chairmen of the erring committees had been queried on why they passed the budgets illegally.

When asked why the chairman had yet to appear before the committee, Oke said, “We are just resuming now. I am sure from next week, you will start seeing them appearing.”

The chairman added, “Before Mr President made that submission, we had written the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Clerk to the National Assembly to show us proof that these agencies’ budgets passed through the normal legislative processes. The Public Accounts Committee (of the House) raised the alarm.”

Responding to a question on whether his committee would be thorough with the probe as fellow lawmakers were involved, Oke pointed out that the lawmakers on the panel were only accountable to Nigerians.

“The Public Accounts Committee is a committee created by the Constitution. Why wouldn’t we? We are accountable to Nigerians. If we were not going to be fair, do you think we would have raised the alarm or issue such a resolution?”

The Punch

News

Anxiety As 13 ‘Repentant’ Boko Haram Terrorists Escape with Govt Rifles

Published

4 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Eric

No fewer than 13 repentant Boko Haram ex-fighters have escaped with rifles and motorcycles they got from the Borno State government, which co-opted them to join military operatives in the fight against insurgency in the State.

They are among hundreds of former Boko Haram fighters and their families who surrendered to the government.

Reports said 13 of them attached to the military operatives in Mafa escaped from their camp between September 1 and 2.

Last year, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, said that more than 160,000 Boko Haram members and their families voluntarily surrendered to the military amid a sustained onslaught.

The “repentant” Boko Haram members and their families are being managed under the Borno Model, a post-conflict amnesty programme with a focus on de-radicalisation, rehabilitation, reintegration and resettlement of low-risk persons previously associated with armed groups.

According to reports, nearly 6,000 combatants are awaiting “transitional justice,” and Borno State Government further co-opted some of the ex-fighters into the fight against insurgency, helping the military to penetrate deep into the terrorists’ enclaves.

The “repentant” fighters have become helpful to the military. They are popularly known as “hybrid forces” formed by the military fighting insurgency in Borno State

“Together, they have conducted joint operations to locate and destroy Boko Haram weapons caches, rescue hostages, and fight the remaining jihadists.”

The Director of Defence Media Operation, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, could not be reached for comments.

News

Post-LG Election Violence: Rivers Govt Sets Up Judicial Probe Panel

Published

2 days ago

October 8, 2024

Eric

The Rivers State Government has set up a judiciary of inquiry into the arson, killings, and other forms of violence that occurred in the State on Monday.

The move was after Ikwerre, Eleme, and Emohua local government council secretariats were set ablaze following the withdrawal of the police officers securing the 23 council secretariats on the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Following the attacks, the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, vowed to take decisive action against those responsible for setting ablaze three local government secretariats.

He pledged that the incident, unlike previous cases, will not be ignored, as his administration will collaborate with security agencies to identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable.

A statement by the Office of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo on Tuesday, said the setting up of the judicial committee was pursuant to Section 2(1) of the Commissions of Inquiry Law, Cap 30, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

The statement said, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has approved the Setting-up of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the arson, killings, and wanton destruction of property at some Local Government Council Headquarters which occurred on or about Monday, October 7, 2024.”

Members of the Commission are:

(1) Hon. Justice I.R. Minakiri – Chairman

(2) Barr. Felicia Nwoke – Member

(3) Prof. Blessing Didia – Member

(4) Sir Samuel Egbe – Member

(5) Venerable Alex Usifor – Member

(6) Barr. Uzor Ikenga – Counsel to the Commission

(7) Mrs. Inyingi Brown – Secretary

Members of the Commission have been sworn at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt.

News

ITF Announces Osun As South West Zonal Headquarters

Published

2 days ago

October 8, 2024

Eric

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has announced Osun State as its South-West Zonal Headquarters, according to a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi.

The development was disclosed to the Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Technical and Vocational Education, Arch.Dapo Ademola-Adesina by the ITF management on Monday.

Recall that Arch. Dapo had on the 30th of May 2024, during a courtesy visit to the agency, proposed a collaboration with the Osun State Board for Technical and Vocational Education in the areas of Vocational and Skill Training, Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) as well as Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

The proposal became successful as the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the industrial Training Fund, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, sent his team to inspect various vocational sites in Osun state on the 13th of August, 2024.

This Strategic Partnership is in accordance with the vision of His Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke to reduce unemployment rate and promote the acquisition and utilisation of relevant skills for economic development in the state.