• Why they are after me, by Etsu

The Organised Labour in Niger State has called on the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello to suspend the Chairman of the state Board of Internal Revenue, Alhaji Muhammad Madami Etsu.

The call for suspension is following the petition on allegations of misconduct against the Chairman and the setting up of a committee by the state government to investigate the allegations.

The Organized Labour gave the governor till Monday, 5th December to effect the suspension of the Chairman or the Organized Labour will take necessary actions on the matter.

This was contained in a letter signed by the NLC Chairman, Idris Lafene, and the TUC Chairman, Comrade Ibrahim Gana, addressed to the governor dated 30th November 2022 after an emergency meeting of the state administrative council of the Organized Labour.

The letter informed the governor of its withdrawal of the Organized Labour from the Committee set up to investigate the petition on allegation leveled against the Chairman of the state Board of Internal Revenue.

“His Excellency will recall our letter of appeal for your intervention to prevail on the Chairman of the Niger State Board of Internal Revenue to administer the Board in accordance with laid down extant laws of the state as stipulated in the scheme of service.

“The call to Mr. Governor was borne out of genuine concern of the Organized Labour to ensure that the Board chairman was prevailed upon to resort to provisions of Niger State Scheme of Service and those of the Niger State Civil Service regulation and the Gazette guiding the operations of the Niger State Board of Internal Revenue in handling workplace disputes, grievances and infractions as it concerned the reported misgivings between him and some of the management staff of the Board.

“The State Administrative Council of Organized Labour in Niger State convened an emergency meeting to deliberate on the matter and observed that all extant laws stipulate that an officer under investigation of misconduct of this magnitude must step down to allow smooth conduct of the investigation without undue interference.

“Niger State Government has until Monday 5th December 2022 to suspend the Board Chairman and reconstitute the investigative committee to include CSOs, ICPC, and EFCC. Failure of which the Organized Labour shall be forced to take further necessary actions on the matter”, the letter read.

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The Organized Labour also called on the state government to dissolve and reconstitute the committee as there are vested interests among the members of the committee which necessitated the need for the Union to immediately review its membership.

“To minimize conflict of interest and ensure a fair hearing on the matter, there is an urgent need for the committee to be dissolved and reconstituted to draw membership from CSOs, ICPC, and EFCC in addition to representatives from statutory MDAs and Organized Labour.

“Effective Monday, 29th November 2022, the Organized Labour shall withdraw from the Committee put in place to Investigate the petition on allegation leveled against the Chairman, Niger State Board of Internal Revenue until the Chairman of the Board is suspended to allow the committee to function effectively,” the letter read.

The Organized Labour stated that an emergency State Executive Council meeting would be held on Tuesday, 6th December to further deliberate on the matter and determine the next line of action.

It will be recalled that some staff of the state Board of Internal Revenue had written a petition to the Niger state Governor to complain about the unprofessional conduct and misappropriation of funds of the Executive Chairman of the Niger state Internal Revenue Service since he assumed office in July 2021.

In response to the petition, the Niger State government set up a committee to investigate the petition written against the Chairman.

According to the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, the Investigation became necessary following the petition adding that the committee would identify the basis for the petition against the chairman, establish whether or not there were any financial or administrative infractions within the board and make appropriate recommendations.

Members of the Committee include the state Accountant General, the Permanent Secretary of Water Resources, Comrade Anas Aliyu, Dr. Yahaya Zakari, and a representative of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

The committee is expected to report back to the government in two weeks.

In defense of the allegations leveled against him, the Chairman of the Niger State Board of Internal Revenue Service, Mohammed Madami Etsu said that his quest to clean up the level of corruption perpetrated by the staff of the Board of Internal Revenue is bringing in negative reactions and allegations.

Madami states that it was the staff of the Revenue Board who were corrupt and not him saying that his books are clean and the records are opened for anyone to come and check.

“The level of corruption I encountered when I assumed office as Chairman was enormous. When you fight corruption, corruption fights you back. My ability to clean up the system is what is bringing these allegations and negative reactions.

“My books are clean and the records are there for anybody to come and check. The revenue system in Niger State does not want to change and I am trying to clean up the system. Corruption is huge in the revenue board, there are a lot of good policies that I want to bring in but the staff are grumbling, they do not want these changes.

“The staff of Niger State Revenue Board are against change. They try to sabotage those who are brought into the Board who are not staff of the revenue board and they try their best not to allow them to succeed. They do all they can to stop you from achieving your goal. They are involved in gang-ups. The staff do not develop themselves in any way. They prefer doing things in a primitive way and they fight anyone who wants to bring innovations. They are crying out about the transfer because where they were transferred from is where they do their corrupt practices.

“Corruption is deeply rooted in the revenue service. If you are looking for corruption in Niger State, go to the Board of Internal revenue. All the staff are not to be trusted,” he lamented.

Madami further said that all previous Chairmen of the Board of Internal Revenue faced the same allegation as he is not the first one.

“I am not the first Chairman who they are petitioning against; previous Chairmen have faced what I’m going through now. The system needs modernization and needs more hands to handle it effectively. Niger State can become like Lagos and Kaduna states if only the corrupt practices going on in the revenue service are brought to an end.”

No fewer than nineteen persons have died in fire disasters in different parts of Kano State in the month of November, the Fire Service disclosed on Friday.

Spokesman for the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, who made the disclosure in a statement on Friday, said property estimated at N36 million were also destroyed by the fire disasters.

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However, 71 people were successfully saved from the different fire outbreaks that occurred across the state, Abdullahi said.

According to him, properties worth N83 million were also saved by the Fire Service personnel in the month under review.

His statement to the press stated that the agency during the period under review, across its 27 fire stations, received 76 fire calls, 44 rescue calls and 16 false alarms.

Abdullahi did not state the causes of the fire disasters but advised the general public to handle fire with care to avoid inferno, more especially during the harmattan period.

Some retired soldiers have made a passionate appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the authorities pay their Security Debarment Allowance, which he has graciously approved, before the end of his tenure in May, 2023.

This, they said became pertinent, following information emanating from a meeting of their representatives with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, that the money would be paid in tranches and may span the next three years.

The officers say they fear this may jeopardise the good intention of the president, who in his usual magnanimity, has approved the payment, which was long overdue.

Recall that President Buhari had late last month, approved the sum N134.7billion for the payment of Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) for veterans.

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Speaking on behalf of the retired military men, Major Yusuf Abdulkadiri (rtrd) said the plan to elongate the process of the payment may not augur well with them because most of them are old men and women in dire need of the money for their health and upkeep.

“The information reaching us from the meetings our representatives had with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, that they are going to be paying parts of this Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) approved by the president, in December 2022, 2024 and 2025, does not augur well with us at all. This is because some of us are 70, 80, and 90 years old and we need the money for our health and upkeep. Aside that, death gives no notice. Is it that they don’t want to give us the money?

“This is the same thing they did during the minimum wage consolidation process in 2017 and some of us died. We do not want a repeat, and that is why we want them to pay the money once or twice between this December and January or February, once it is released. We do not want them taking it beyond this administration, as that may be recipe for misappropriation. Besides, the incoming administration may not make it priority,” Major Abdulkadiri said.

Another retired officer, MWO Esom Chinyere Julie, recuperating from a typhoid bout, also lent her voice.

“As you can see, I need money to pay my health bills, please tell them not to delay our money. The president has approved it; they should speed up the payment.”

The Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has disclosed why the state has been very peaceful, without religious crises since he came into power in 2015.

He spoke when he declared open the National Inter-Religious Conference held at Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano.

He said the series of the interfaith dialogues, through the National Inter-Religious Conference, have helped to foster unity and harmonious relationship between the various faiths and ethnic groups in Kano State.

“Kano State government organised this conference in order to ensure greater interaction and lay the foundation for sustainable development and peace in the country.

“The enduring peace we’re witnessing in Kano State today is a positive testimony of the achievements of this initiative (National Inter-Religious Conference),” he stated.

“The aim of this conference is therefore, to promote religious understanding in the society and enhance peace and unity in Nigeria. Sometimes, religion is used to instigate crisis and division. This is contrary to the tenets of both faiths.

“This is the reason why leaderships of various religions should ensure mutual understanding and dialogue to prevent trouble before it escalates. We have to use the power of faith to deepen our unity and prevent those intended to be used for selfish interest.”

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In their paper presentations, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, who was represented by Bishop Paul Namaza, spoke on Religious Tolerance as a Tool for National Unity. Prof. Salisu Shehu, who is the Vice Chancellor of Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State, spoke on Unity is Power. Another thematic paper: ‘Language and Communication as Tools for Religious Tolerance’ was presented by Dr. John Ngamsa of the University of Technology, Yola, while Prof. Juwairiyya Badamasi Esq of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano, spoke on Religious Tolerance and Unity: The Legal and Constitutional Framework.

Participants at the inter-religious conference brainstormed on the theme: ‘Harnessing Nigeria’s Religious Diversity for Sustainable Peace and National Development,’ and came up with workable solutions in ensuring peace and development in the country.

The gathering submitted that the plurality, ethnic-cum religious heterogeneity of Nigeria are a blessing and not a curse, and Nigerians should harness the enormous human and natural resources the country is endowed with to make the country great.

The participants lamented the several ethnic, communal and religious conflicts since the birth of the country and advised that Nigerians must co-exist peacefully in the spirit of good neighbourliness.

“There is need for Nigerians to cultivate the habit of Learning To Live Together (LTLT) as unity and peace are priceless commodity crucial for the country to forge ahead.

“Nigerians must be tolerant, respectful and humble for sustainable peaceful co-existence to be realised in the country,” the communiqué said.

The communique, signed by the National Chairman I of the conference and Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, National Chairman II Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau and the Secretary Malam Muhammad Garba, advised Nigerians not to elect leaders on the basis of religion, but solely on the basis of capacity, competence and ability to deliver for the overall good of the country.

The conference recommended for the proper implementation of all constitutional provisions for peace and harmony to reign supreme in the country.

The Nigerian Navy, Friday, commissioned an ultramodern Headquarters Extension Complex in Abuja.

The imposing edifice, according to the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Awwal Zubairo Gambo, will ameliorate the challenges of office accommodation for personnel.

According to him, the project is another significant milestone amongst the very many initiatives articulated to “facilitate effective discharge of the Nigerian Navy’s constitutional mandate”.

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He added that, “it is pertinent to state that the extension complex was conceptualised and construction commenced in January 2019 by my predecessor, retired Vice Admiral Ambassador Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas. The project was sustained and completed upon my assumption of office and here we are today to commission the edifice with equipped offices, a gymnasium and auditorium amongst other facilities.”

Noted Gambo, “The nexus between conducive work environment and productivity cannot be over-emphasised. It is an established fact that a conducive work environment, which is comfortable and aesthetic to the employee, encourages concentration, foster engagement as well as enhances physical and mental well-being, which is critical to the success of any organisation”.

The Minister of Defence, Major General Salihi Magashi (rtd), in his comments, lauded the Nigerian Navy for the completion of the building.

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Niger State, Mr. Joshua Bawa, has challenged other governorship candidates to submit themselves for a drug test.

This, according to Bawa, is to prove to the electorate that the governorship candidates are not conducting campaigns or holding meetings under the influence of drugs.

Speaking during a Peace Empowerment Security Summit organised by a group of youths under the aegis of Mandate Youths in Minna, Bawa said the call is necessary following the behaviour of some of the youths who follow these politicians around.

Bawa said the NDLEA in the state should conduct the drug test and the results should be made public so that the people would know how drug-clean the candidates they are supporting are.

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“I am ready to submit myself for the drug test and I challenge the governorship candidates in all political parties in Niger State to also submit themselves. It would enable the electorate to know the state of their candidates.”

The LP Governorship candidate said that the use of drugs influences the decision of the people and also motivates followers to use; adding that speaking under the influence of drugs is very dangerous.

Bawa further stated that when he becomes the governor of Niger State, he would ensure that parents who encourage and abate their wards to use drugs would be rehabilitated alongside their wards and only reintegrated back into society when they are discovered to be changed citizens.

He then admonished that no youth should be called a thug but rather, the affected youths should be referred to as victims of challenges in society.

“There is no thug in Niger State. Instead of calling these youths thugs, refer to them as youths that are victims of social challenges in society, because it is not their fault that they turn out the way they are.”

• Bello proposes N172bn

Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu yesterday presented the 2023 budget proposal to the State House of Assembly, amounting to N 166,985,075,110.

According to the governor, recurrent expenditure accounts for N60,465,905,016, while Capital Expenditures are in the sum of 106,519,170,093.

Bagudu said the proposed budget that has been guided by the strategic objectives of the State Development Plan 2022-2027.

According to the governor, the proposed budget also aims to enhance agriculture and mineral resources productivity through access to improved technologies, Finance and services to increase income generation and provide food security and poverty reduction.

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Bagudu’s Kogi state counterpart

In a similar development, Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello presented N172 billion 2023 Appropriation Bill to the state House of Assembly.

Bello said the budget was geared towards providing peace and security, improving quality education at all levels, and democratising access to healthcare delivery.

Bello explained that “the 2023 budget is higher by N4.79 billion compared to the 2022 budget, thus representing a 2.86 per cent increase as against an estimated outlay of N167.30bn approved budget for the year 2022.

He said: “The 2023 budget is made up of N101.3 billion recurrent expenditure, representing 58.87 per cent of the budget and N70.7 billion capital, representing 47.13 per cent of the budget. This budget has an estimated revenue of N172 billion, an estimated expenditure of N172b, thus representing a balanced budget of N172. 09 for the 2023 fiscal year. “The 2023-2025 multi-year budget, which is premised on zero-based budgeting principles, is tailored towards the actualisation of the state development plan,” he said.