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FG Could No Longer Pay Salary After Borrowing N14trn From CBN

By
Bayo Bernard
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Folasade Yemi-Esan

By James Orji

The Buhari administration has warned federal civil servants of hard times ahead of the new year. The government stated this on Wednesday after it said payment of salary has become difficult due to the shortfall in revenue accruing to the federal government.

The administration said it will not be able to pay the December salary for now due to paucity of funds, urging worker to save for the hard times ahead.

Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan who, in a circular dated November 25, 2021 said the civil servant must spend their November salary judiciously in order not to be stranded alongside their family members.

Titled: ”Envisaged Delay in Payment of December 2021 Salary- a Cautionary Advice”, the head of service said “it is noteworthy that while it is important to issue this advice, staff are here by assured that the centre is doing everything within its capability to forestall unnecessary delays.

“The contents of this circular should be treated with seriousness it deserves” the circular said.

The warming, however, comes on the back of preparation of the end of the year festivities, and may have come as a rude shock to the workers who are already expecting to use the December salary to celebrate the end of the year with their families and relations.

If the federal government went ahead with this line of action, it may have equally joined the league of state governments such as Ondo state, Edo, Benue and others who are currently owing their workers months of salary arrears.

Recall that the Minister of Labour and Productivity Chris Ngige, had while responding to salaries owed Nigerian Doctors in September this year, revealed that the federal government has been borrowing from different sources, which include the World Bank, CBN and other development partners to pay salary of it workers.

Ngige said “I told them (resident doctors), no, when the budget office explained [that] we don’t have this cash, the borrowing agencies [like the] World Bank and the rest will give us this money through the CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Dollars and we change it to give to you, to pay you and others that are involved because we are funding the budget through some deficits.

The magazine, based on available documents understands that the administration has been borrowing to fund both recurrent and capital expenditure of the budget since President Muhamamdu Buhari came to power in 2015. So far, the administration has borrowed more than N14 trillion from the apex bank in six years, according to checks from the Budget Nigerian Budget Office, NBO.

Alarmed by the development, a global credit ratings agency, Fitch Ratings, had in January this year warned the federal government to stop repeated borrowing from the CBN through the Ways and Means window. The agency said the administration has abused the CBN borrowing.

Fitch said “the CBN’s guidelines limit the amount available to the government under its WMF to five per cent of the previous year’s fiscal revenues. However, the FGN’s new borrowing from the CBN has repeatedly exceeded that limit in recent years, and reached around 80 per cent of the FGN’s 2019 revenues in 2020”.

Also in February, the International Monetary Fund, IMF warned the federal government to quickly put and end to the Ways and means borrowing, adding that more efforts should be made to maximising other sources of revenue.

Also Read: My Presidency Will Make Nigerians Proud Of Nigeria – Anyim

“The increasing reliance on CBN overdrafts has come with negative consequences. The financing is costly for the Federal Government at interest rates of MPR plus 300 basis points, and for the CBN, with sterilisation done through issuance of OMO bills,” IMF said.

N13bn Fraud: Minima Former COAS Charged To Court; Contests His Arraignment

By
Uche Mbah
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Kenneth Minimah

By Uche Mbah

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has charged General Kenneth Minimah, rtd, former Chief of Army Staff, for alleged fraud at an Abuja Federal High Court.

Minimah was the COAS under the Goodluck Jonathan Government.

The anti graft agency  alleged that he diverted the sum of  N13 billion earmarked for procurement of arms to fight insurgency and terrorism.

Arraigned alongside the former Army Chief was A. O. Adetayo, former Chief of Accounts and Budget of the Nigerian Army, and R. I. Odi, former Director, Finance and Accounts of the Nigerian Army.

The EFCC said it is acting based on a report of the committee on the Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian Armed Forces (CADEP) from 2007 to 2015.

According to the report, between 2010 and 2015, “several billions of Naira were received by the Nigerian army from the Federal Government for procurement of military hard-wares and were discovered to have been misappropriated by senior army officers.”

The defendants, according to the report,  misappropriated the sum of N13,798,619,309.

“The sums were transferred from various accounts belonging to the Nigerian army and moved to company accounts of entities that had no business relations with the Nigerian army,” the EFCC deposited.

“This caused huge loss to the Nigerian army and the Federal Government of Nigeria through the unlawful gains made by the aforementioned officers who converted the monies for their personal use.

“The legal advice on the investigation opined that a prima facie case has been sustained against the Officers”, EFCC added, saying it wrote to the Army to avail them of the three accused for prosecution.

But the defendants, through their team of lawyers, led by Mahmud Magaji, SAN,  filed a suit before an Abuja Federal Court on the ground that EFCC was acting illegally.They prayed the Court to determine:

“Whether in view of Sections 6(3), (5) (a), 240 and 318 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and Sections 113, 114 (1), (2) 8(3), 123, 124, 126(1), (2) 8. (4) and 270 of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Plaintiffs are not subject to be charged arraigned and /or prosecuted only by a court martial as a court of first instance, to the exclusion of any other trial Court, viz: the Federal High court, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, and High Court of States, in respect of any offence committed by them.”

Following the determination of the legality, they sought “an order of this Honourable Court restraining the defendants whether by themselves, agents, privies, servants, or howsoever called from investigating, charging, arraigning and or prosecuting the Plaintiffs for any allege offences or misconduct while subject to the Nigerian armed forces service Law”.

Joined in the suit are the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice as well as the EFCC.

Sanwo-Olu Suspends Peace Walk Over Outbreak Of Omicron

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu, has suspended the proposed Peace Walk meant to heal the effect of the #EndSARS of October 2020.

He announced the proposed Peace Walk during a broadcast to Lagosians following the release of the Whitepaper on the report of the Panel which investigated the #EndSARS protest and its remote and immediate cause.

Governor Sanwo Olu said the suspension was a measure to prevent a further spread of the COVID-19 variant, Omicron, across Lagos, and the nation at large.

Sanwo-Olu said that the decision to suspend the peace walk after receiving support from different groups including students and market men and women, was basically not to endanger the life of any Lagosian in the search for peace.

Imo: Hell For Criminals As Buhari Acedes To Requests For Funds, Manpower Over Insecurity

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodinmma and President Buhari

Lack of funds and manpower are no longer likely to be a problem to the provision of adequate security in Imo State. This promise was made to the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma,  by the highest authority in the land.

Satisfied with the manner Uzodimma has handled the challenge of insecurity in Imo State in the face of scarce resources, President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed to support the Government with additional funding as the Governor plans to engage more manpower ahead of Christmas.

The President gave his words on Tuesday when Governor Uzodimma paid a working visit to Aso Rock Villa.

The Governor had, a couple of weeks ago asked Imolites in the Diaspora who wish to come home for Christmas to do so without any fears of insecurity. He promised them adequate security all through their stay.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting with Buhari, Uzodimma said the President addressed the issues he raised with him satisfactorily.

His words: “The prominent among the issues is just the increasing insecurity in the Southeast. I know that despite the activities of the bandits and unknown gunmen, recall that the Correctional Facility in Owerri was broken and over 1836 inmates were released. 

“Since that time they’ve been on  rampage, committing all sorts of crimes; kidnapping, robbery and other sorts of crimes in the State  and there is need for us to really clean up the State  because you know that this period of Christmas is so important to our people and we want to ensure that those coming home to spend their Christmas will have a conducive atmosphere to enjoy their Christmas and then celebrate the season.”

On Governor Uzodimma’s request for more manpower and financial support from President,  he explained: “Yes, we asked for support with additional man power and also I asked for some kind of funding to support the security situation in Imo State and Mr. President graciously approved.”

Imo State has been battling with an unprecedented insecurity situation, especially, since gunmen invaded the Owerri Correctional Centre, setting free over 1,800 prisoners, persons awaiting trial and other detainees, a good number of them, hardened criminals.

NIMASA DG, IGP Meet On Maritime Security

By
Bayo Bernard
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0

 

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh has assured the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba of support and strengthened partnership in the fight against maritime crime.

Jamoh, at a meeting with the police IG in Abuja promised to extend the ongoing collaboration NIMASA is having with other security agencies under the deep blue project to the marine unit of the police in areas of capacity building and provision of patrol support.

The duo agreed that piracy attacks have been scaled down in the blue waters, as confirmed by notable international bodies including the International Maritime Organisation, IMO and International Maritime Bureau, IMB, they identified the need for enhanced policing of the nation’s brown waters.

“NIMASA is seeking close integration and collaboration of the Nigerian Marine Police into our recently launched waterways security architecture, Deep Blue Project, to achieve an all-encompassing outcome stretching from the blue waters where we already have the Nigerian Navy’s presence to the brown waters near the anchorage areas where the Nigerian Police statutorily have a role to stem the tide of insecurity and checkmate criminal activities against berthing ships and seafarers,” Jamoh said.

While urging that all parties maximize the use of technology in monitoring the waters, Dr. Jamoh commended the ongoing integration of NIMASA’s Command, Control Computer Communication and Information System (C4i) located at the NIMASA Resource Center in Kirikiri with the Falcon Eye of Nigerian Navy and Nigeria Police’s i247 for easy coordination and intelligence sharing.

The NIMASA boss described the Nigeria Police as a strategic partner whose operation and support are essential for sustaining and improving on the gains already recorded in the anti-piracy drive and safety of small crafts.

Jamoh added that the police are critical in helping to prosecute suspects arrested under the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences, SPOMO law.

The IGP commended NIMASA’s efforts under its present management and reiterated the resolve of the force to fight crimes all over the country, including in the territorial waters.

He described the Marine Police as a very important arm of the force considering the strategic importance of the waters to the economic and social well-being of the country.

The meeting had in attendance other senior police officers including Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Garba Umar, who is Head of National Central Bureau of Interpol in Nigeria and was recently elected Vice President of Interpol for Africa.

 

Uzodinma: Anambra Governorship Election Greeted By High Level Of Insecurity, Apathy

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodimma

By Gideon Njoku

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has given an inkling into what happened during the November 6, 2021, Anambra State Governorship election.

Uzodinma was the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC National Campaign Committee for the election.

However,  the APC made no impact at the polls, considering the number of  high profile defections to it both from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and theAll Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

The APGA candidate, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo was declared the winner of the election in a landslide, beating the APC candidate, Senator Andy Uba, to a distant third position. While Soludo won 19 Local Government Areas out of 21, and secured more than 25 per cent in the remaining two, Uba lost in all the LGA’s including his own.

Speaking for the first time on the Election, in his capacity as the APC Chairman for the Election  Campaign Committee, to State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, the Governor said: “Anambra election, of course, you know the election has come and gone and other things may be post-election activities.”

Asked if he discussed his party’s performance with the President, Uzodinma said: “Of course, I was able to explain to the President, how we tried in the election, we campaigned very rigorously and we also converted a lot of people to APC. The election was greeted by voter apathy and a high level of insecurity in Anambra and the turnout was very low. Other decisions or positions will be taken by the leadership of the party. I’ve done mine as the chairman of the campaign committee.”

He had no opinion, as such,  on the decision of Uba to challenge the outcome of the poll in Court, but he disagreed with those who think Uba should not have challenged the results after Mr President, the leader of the Party  had congratulated Soludo on his victory.

Uzodinma: “Andy Ubah’s going to Court or not going to Court  has nothing to do with Mr. President congratulating somebody, whom INEC has declared winner of the election.

“Of course, he is President of all, he’s not the President of one political party, he’s the President of all political parties and the President of all the candidates in that election. Of course, in every contest, a winner must emerge and in the wisdom of INEC and to the best of their ability, they’ve declared the results of the election.”

He said Soludo has the right to go to Court if he felt aggrieved at its  outcome, especially, as the law allows and supports that.

Uzodinma: “The same Electoral Act that allows INEC to declare results of an election, also, allows aggrieved candidates to seek for redress in Court , if they so desire. But every other thing will be the decision taken by the candidate and the party. I’m not the party, I’m not the Chairman of the party, I’m not the leader of the party, I just did an assignment as the Chairman of the campaign committee.”

A former Governor of Imo State, now a Senator representing Imo West at the Senate, Rochas Okorocha, has a different opinion. He said in a recent interview that Andy Uba has no case to present in Court. Uba was beaten fair and square, he posited, and would only ridicule himself in Court. “I will call him and ask him not to try that”, Okorocha said.

Nothing Can Stop APC From Retaining Power In 2023 – Uzodinma

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodinmma and President Buhari

By Gideon Njoku

For Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, victory  for his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the centre,  is a foregone conclusion. It is as clear as night and day. Nothing, he said, is capable of stopping the APC from retaining the Presidential seat.

The Governor who spoke to State House Correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday, said that all the indices point to an APC victory in the upcoming 2023 polls, refusing to agree there are circumstances that can deter the party from retaining power, especially  as contrary to what not a few people say and think, the Buhari Government has done remarkably well.

Here are, in his words, why Governor thinks it is not possible to beat APC in 2023.

His words: “What is the prevailing factor that will make APC not to win? Is it that you are not aware that the President is of the APC extraction? Is it that you don’t know that 22 states in the country belong to APC? Is it that you don’t know that APC has the majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives? Is it that you don’t know that out of the 774 local Government Councils in the country that the APC is controlling the majority? Have you not seen the number of people decamping into the APC?

On the President’s performance which not a few people rate as poor, Uzodinma disagreed, and reeled out the positive achievements of the President.

His words: “The mood of the country is that the President is doing very well and the mood of the country is that APC, given the peculiarity of this time, where insecurity has taken over the globe, where COVID-19 has ravaged every place in the world, from one variant to another variant, yet we are able to come out from recession.

“The way the Central Bank has managed to see that we are still afloat, the way all the intervention policies of the government, including the stimulus package rolled out by this government, to ensure that the negative impacts of COVID-19 is not grievous on our people. So I’m very confident, I’m a proud member of the APC and I think we’ll do our best to ensure that the confidence reposed in the party by Nigerians is not betrayed.”

President Muhammadu Buhari will leave office on May 29, 2023, after the  General Elections which is expected to be very competitive between his Party, the APC and the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party, the PDP.

My Presidency Will Make Nigerians Proud Of Nigeria – Anyim

By
The Source
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0
Anyim Pius Anyim

Frontline Presidential aspirant, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim has promised to make Nigerians happy and proud if he becomes their President.

The former President of the Senate who is running on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made the declaration when he received the League of Nigerian Youth for Equity and the League of Young Women Club who paid him courtesy visit in his office.

Anyim said the problem in the country was that a large number of people are losing hope, feeling that they have no stake in the country.

“When I become the President of this country, you will be proud to be called a Nigerian”, Anyim assured.

Harping on the oneness of Nigeria, Anyim, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation said, “a greater and better Nigeria will serve all of us better.”

He thanked the groups for their support adding that he would count on them when full campaigns are allowed to commence.

In his response, Alhaji Mohamed Lawan, leader of the League of Nigerian Youth for Equity said the group was supporting Anyim’s ambition because of his track record of good performance.

He also said that the “unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct and non negotiable, as such, all the stakeholders i.e, major ethnic groups must have a sense of belonging in the governance and leadership structure.

“The Igbo nation forms the third leg of the tripod he said and they have been deliberately shut out of the leadership of the country”, warning “that the tripod should not be allowed to collapse.”

In the same vain,

Chief (Mrs) Lilian Cosmos, leader of League of Young Women Club said Nigeria needs a president with open and accommodating heart like Anyim.

Nigeria, she said needs new leadership which she said Anyim represents hence her group had resolved to work for the emergence of the former Senate President as Nigeria’s president in 2023.

Anyim, a native of Ebonyi State,  is the first South-Easterner, in a major political party, to publicly declare his interest in the Presidential seat come 2023.

Imo: Local Government Bans All Hard Drugs, Begins Manhunt For Dealers, Users

By
The Source
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Chief Tony Jude Iwuamadi

By Charles Igbo

In a first of its kind, a Local Government Council in Nigeria has, officially, banned the use of all kinds of Hard Drugs in its area of jurisdiction.

It named five of such Hard Drugs and other illicit drugs, saying they have been proscribed in the Local Government Council.

In a public announcement signed by the Chairman of the Interim Management Committee,  Chief Tony Jude Iwuamadi, Ikeduru Local Government Council warned all those in its area of jurisdiction that beginning immediately, “consumption, smoking and sale of the Drugs are banned.”

The Chairman named the Drugs as:

* Mkpuru Mmiri (Crystal Methamphetamine)

*Stonch

*Indian Hemp

*Guzoro

*Cocaine

He said the LG Council would work  in conjunction the NDLEA, Anti- cult organization and other security agencies to deal with anybody who goes against the proscription order.

The announcement reads, in part, that the above named Drugs “and any other substances/illicit drugs have been proscribed in Ikeduru LGA and environs. Ikeduru LGA Council, in conjunction with NDLEA, Anti-cult and other relevant law enforcement agencies will commence manhunt of all the dealers and consumers within Ikeduru LGA.

“You are, therefore, advised to stay away from any known bunk that deals in the above prohibited items.

“We will not spare anyone once apprehended no matter how highly placed.”

The warning was to all indigenes and non-indigenes living in the Ikeduru Area Council.

Recently, an unprecedented number of youths have been struck down by serious mental ill-health due to the use of Hard Drugs, and especially, in more recent times, the use of Crystal Methamphetamine, popular, in the South-east, as Mkpuru Mmiri

The Leadership of Town Unions in some Communities have, in frustration, over the effect of Mkpuru Mmiri on the youths, resorted to the crude and barbaric action of tying-up, with ropes,  those caught with it, and giving them as many as between 50 and 100 lashes of the cain.

The other day in Imo State, a fatality was recorded while the culprit was undergoing punishment.

Ojodu Accident: Angry Parents Curse School For Opening After Killing Of Students; Sanwo-Olu Mourns, Shuts It Down

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Ojodu Grammer School Accident

By Akinwale Kasali

Angry parents who stormed Ojodu Grammar School on Wednesday, a day after a trailer rammed into Students  at the school’s Bus Stop, were stunned that the Management of the School did not shut it down as a mark of respect to the dead students.

The school apparently continued with its examination time table in a manner that shocked parents.

So, they rained curses at both the Management of the School and the Lagos State Government, calling them heartless.

This came as students, in their numbers took to the streets on Wednesday to protest the death of their mates who were crushed to death by the trailer as they waited to board a bus home after school.

On the same Wednesday, the Lagos State Government  shut down the school till January 2022 when the Commissioner for Education, Folashade Adefisayo, visited the school.

A devastated Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu  expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident.

In a condolence message to the families of the dead students signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, on Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu described the killing of the students in the accident as sad, unfortunate and avoidable.

The Governor sympathised with families of the bereaved students, their relatives, friends, and Management and staff of Ojodu Grammar school.

He said: “I commiserate with the parents, Management, staff and students of Ojodu Grammar school over this unfortunate death of our students, whose lives were cut short by a truck driver yesterday (Tuesday).

“The sad incident has left me devastated since yesterday because it is terrible to hear about the death of innocent children, especially in a clearly avoidable circumstance like what happened yesterday.

“As a parent, words cannot express how shattered I was when I learnt about the incident. No one’s life, including those vibrant students, who were returning from where they had gone to learn for a better future, deserved to be ended in that manner.

“My deepest sympathies go out to their parents. I pray that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“Our prayers are also with the survivors, who are receiving treatment at the hospitals.

“Meanwhile, we have immediately ordered that the affected school be shut down till January, while investigations are ongoing. The erring driver has also been arrested.”

Reason for the closure of the School according to State Commissioner for Education, Folashade Adefisayo, is due to the trauma and the violence that took place following the unfortunate incident, and for calm and normalcy to return to the educational environment.

It would be recalled that the unfortunate incident sparked outrage among the students and inhabitants of the area, leading to  destruction of properties.

Earlier on Wednesday, Students of the School had protested against the death of their colleagues, calling for justice for the deceaseds.

The identities of some of the dead students are yet to be ascertained, prompting parents to troop to the School in search of their wards.

Some of the parents  lamented that the School remained  open for classes on Wednesday after Tuesday’s incident.

One of the parents who claimed anonymity said, “Why should the school reopen. The street is still smelling of the flesh of dead bodies. The exam should be postponed and students given automatic promotion if possible.”

In tears, another parent lamented that “It is embarrassing that the school reopened today. How could  the Government do such? What do they want other mothers to be thinking of. My daughter is not in school and I have come to tell them that she must not fail. If they are heartless, I am not.”

In another development, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, distanced itself from the allegation that its officials were the cause of the unfortunate incident.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, in a statement disowned the allegation that officials of the agency were involved in the unfortunate truck accident.

Oreagba said, “From the reports we received on the incidence, the driver is believed to have lost control of the vehicle, probably because of mechanical reasons. The police are investigating the matter; the public should await their report.

“LASTMA does not have a traffic management duty post around the accident scene. And all patrol personnel had reported back to base for the daily parade as at the time the accident occurred leaving only those at their traffic management posts,” Oreagba noted.

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