The Nation Newspaper

Tag: internally-generated revenue

  • IPOD sit-at-home order: Aba residents count losses

    To commemorate the death of soldiers who died fighting for Biafra during the Nigeria Civil War, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOD), a group that agitates self-determination ordered a sit-at-home action on May 30 in order to remember Biafra’s fallen heroes. SUNNY NWANKWO reports that residents of Aba have been brooding over economic losses incurred while observing the order.

    Apart from Lagos State, Abia is one of the states in the country where many analysts believe can run its economy through the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) it raked from markets and other commercial and economic transactions without necessarily depending on the monthly allocations from the Federal Government for the running of the state.

    Recall that since the inception of the Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration, there has been massive campaign on Aba-made leather and garment wears. The government has equally gone ahead to woo international investors to and invest in the state, a step that even spurred the Federal Government to endorse the proposed Enyimba Economic City to be sited in three local government areas of Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East and Ukwa West.

    However, while these and other efforts were being made by both the federal and state governments, the economy of the commercial town was, on May 30, shutdown following the sit-at-home order by the IPOB. The day was used to observe and remember those who died during the Nigeria Civil War.

    Heads of various security agencies, including Abia State Commissioner of Police, Eneh Okon had promised watertight security in Aba and other major towns. They urged people to go about their legitimate businesses as security agencies would treat anyone threatening the existing peace as terrorists. Despite this assurance, residents, including operators of various educational and commercial institutions stayed away from their business premises. Government workers also didn’t go to work that day.

    The usual hustling and bustling that Aba is known for suddenly disappeared on May 30. The usual gridlock on major roads, including Aba-Owerri Expressway, Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway, Okigwe, Faulks and Azikiwe, among other roads that host various articulated vehicles were devoid of deafening honking from cars.

    For the security agents, they did all they could to ensure that the state was peaceful and lives and properties were not destroyed. They were happy that they were able to put IPOB and their adherents in check.

    But far from the thinking of the police and other security agencies, the agitators were happy that despite the efforts of the security agencies to prevent the day’s event, it eventually held.

    Our reporter, who monitored the compliance of Abians to the IPOB sit-at-home order in Aba and Umuahia, the state capital observed that while residents of Umuahia observed the orders of the IPOB partially, there was total compliance to the order in Aba.

    While gates of major entrances to Ariaria International Market, Aba was open for traders and their prospective customers, shop owners and their customers ignored the assurances by security agencies in Abia State. They stayed away from the market.

    Further checks, however, show that gates of other markets, including Cemetery, Ahia Ohuru, Shopping Centre, among others were locked.

    Operatives of various security agencies were spotted at strategic locations, including Azikiwe Road by Asa, Bata Junction, Umuele by Faulks Road in the two cities to forestall any breach of peace by any person or group of people who may wish to cash in on the situation to cause breakdown of law and order.

    Some eateries, financial institutions, including public and private along Aba-Owerri Road, Ikot Ekpene Expressway, Okigwe Road, among others were carrying out skeletal services, while the roads known for their bustling and hustling were devoid of human and vehicular traffic.

    A student of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba who identified himself as Godwin told our reporter that the institution had to shift their examinations which they were supposed to begin penultimate Thursday to a future date.

    Speaking on the sit-at-home order and compliance by Abians, a member of IPOB who identified himself as Bright said: “The compliance to the sit-at-home by residents of Aba was a clear indication that the people of the commercial city were behind the struggle towards the emancipation of the people of the Old Eastern Region.

    “By June 12, there is going to be a public holiday for one man and nothing is being done to remember and immortalise over one million lives that died while struggling for their emancipation.

    “Look at Rwanda today; they have come to a roundtable to discuss. They have put their past behind and have resolved to move ahead. Why does the Federal Government refuse the call for referendum where we will discuss issues bordering on unity and oneness of Nigeria and how to move forward as a people?

    “We must agree to stay together or go our separate ways. No man should stay in his house to detect for us what we should do. What are they afraid of and why are they afraid of it? It simply means that they have something that they don’t want people to know about. Why did they stop teaching of history in schools? It is a means that they used to stop the younger ones from knowing their history.

    “The realisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra is a struggle that only God can stop. No amount of propaganda by the Federal Government or its agents would dissuade our struggle for the emancipation of our people.”

    A security agent who spoke to our reporter said they were all out to ensure that there was peace and that no one capitalises on the sit-at-home directive to make the state uncomfortable and unconducive to residents and visitors.

    However, beyond the statement from the leadership of IPOB and security agents, analysts have expressed worries over the economic loss the state recorded as a result of the sit-at-home action.

    According to Sam Offor, an economist, the economic loss suffered by government and private organisation is unquantifiable, stressing that the worst hit is the Small and Medium Scale industry.

    Some of the traders equally lamented the huge loss they suffered as a result of their compliance to the sit-at-home directive.

    Speaking to our reporter, Josiah Umekwe, a businessman, who said he makes an average of N500, 000 daily said the economic loss suffered by the state government and private individuals amounts to millions of naira.

    He said: “I would have gone to open my shop that morning but for the fear of the unknown. When I later sent my boys to attend to a customer who came from Cameroun without the knowledge of the sit-at-home order, they came back with about N300, 000.

    “By and large, the IPOB sit-at-home was a big loss to the Aba business community.”

    For a member of staff of a commercial bank in Aba that spoke in confidence for security reasons, the sit-at-home order is something that government at federal and state levels should do everything to stop because it does more harm than good to their businesses.

    “Umuahia, the state capital, is more of civil servant-dominated area. But Aba is the economic base of the state. Our economic loss on that particular action of the IPOB cannot be recovered.

    “Even though we asked some customers to go to Umuahia where there was full scale operation, yet, our branch in Umuahia couldn’t make one-quarter of what we made. So, the economic loss is huge.”

  • Fed Govt to states: cut down on overhead, ensure fiscal discipline

    FOR states to raise their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), they must cut down on unnecessary overhead costs and enthrone fiscal discipline, the Federal Government said yesterday.

    Finance Minister Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who gave the counsel, said the application of such measures will enable governments at the states to properly manage the resources at their disposal.

    Mrs. Ahmed spoke at the opening of the 2018 Conference of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) in Kaduna yesterday.

    Her Media and Communications’ aide Paul Ella Abechi said in a statement that the minister advised the states to “look inwards to harness various avenues to improve on their financial resources in order to meet demands in their states.”

    He said the minister was optimistic that the conference would afford the Federation Account Allocation Committee members, who are dominate the event, “a veritable forum for us to review the present Federation revenue sources, which we all agree is been monolithic”.

    The finance minister expressed the hope that participants will “be able to make actionable recommendations for sustainable improvement in the IGR and expenditure pattern. It is on record that due to persistent domestic fall in oil revenue, over the past years, it became extremely difficult, if not impossible for us to meet duly budgeted obligations.”

    She reminded members that they “need to develop cost effective strategies to increase our IGR, reduce unnecessary overhead costs, enthrone fiscal discipline and transparency so as to optimize available limited resources, while efforts are sustained to broaden our revenue base.”

    On the Federal Government’s part, she said the government will continue to account for all revenues accruing to the Federation Account in the most transparent manner and manage it efficiently to deliver on the dividends of democracy.

    She commended the wisdom behind the development of the new revenue reporting template that was engineered by her predecessor and the Commissioners of Finance. The implementation of the template, she noted, “will be one of the key reforms in revenue remittances into the Federation Account.”

    The minister urged the states to leverage on the sectors lying fallow in their states to consolidate on the financial allocation they receive from the Federation account.

    She said: “We must get back to agriculture, develop our solid minerals sector, further streamline and reinforce our tax collection systems, block all avenues for revenue leakages, continue to strengthen our borders to stem smuggling and abhor all forms of corruption.

    “We have to cultivate a new culture of efficient resource management and genuine paradigm shifts to enable us utilize the untapped resources in a more efficient manner.”

    These measures notwithstanding the mistakes of the past she said, “will rekindle our hope and embolden us to take practical steps towards unlocking the potentials in the non-oil sector in our respective states.”

    The minister had at the weekend in Lagos, said that strong capital market activities was instrumental in taking Nigeria out of recession and back to the path of positive growth.

    Mrs. Ahmed, who was represented by the Acting Director-General, Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Mary Uduk, made the observation at the 22nd African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) Annual General Meeting and Conference in Lagos.

    She revealed that it was President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to allocate money into the various sectors of the economy to stimulate economic growth.

    The minister noted: “Nigerian government’s deliberate effort gave support to the private sector a critical pillar in its policies, by ensuring macroeconomic stability and diversifying the economy from a focus on oil to other sectors and providing an enabling environment for the financial sector as a major catalyst in the implementation of the Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).”

  • NGF hosts states tax officers

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Monday hosted tax officers from the 36 states of the federation in Abuja.

    The meeting was to introduce them to the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) dashboard, which is an innovation of the Economic department of the NGF.

    At the occasion, the NGF Director General, Mr Okauru, charged the desk officers not to see the exercise as another jamboree but to view it as serious business designed to shore up the revenue base of their various states.

    He said: “I want to start by warmly welcoming every person to Abuja and particularly to the NGF Secretariat building.  This is where we host the thirty-six (36) Governors every time they are in Abuja for NGF meetings or sub-committee sessions.

    “As you probably know, under our constitution, Governors or their deputies are required to attend the National Economic Council (NEC) meetings in Abuja presided over by the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria once every month.

    “NEC is the highest economic advisory body in the country. It is important we put this in context because of today’s event.

    “This is not another talk shop. It is a very serious event designed to train Desk Officers on one of our flagship projects: the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Dashboard Initiative. The IGR Dashboard is dedicated to strengthening ongoing reforms targeted at raising the internally generated revenue of States, by actively engaging with the 37 tax authorities in the country, including the FCT.

    “In the past years, we have built a strong relationship with the Executive Chairmen of the State Inland Revenue Bodies/Agencies/Services. We strongly believe that for the IGR Dashboard Initiative to succeed, it is important we maintain another layer of relationship in the space you operate. In my opinion, as Desk Officers, you are functionally the most important part of the implementation puzzle.

    ‘You are a very crucial point of contact on all matters related to the IGR Dashboard. This is an important call in the broader context of our engagement with your State governors in the drive for strong political commitment for IGR reforms.

    Read Also: NGF hosts states tax officers

    Some States have since taken advantage of this initiative. However, beginning from today, you now have a fresh level-playing ground for all States to take advantage of the opportunities the IGR Dashboard provides.

    “We expect some degree of networking among yourselves to facilitate sharing experiences. You also have a unique opportunity to request for technical assistance from the NGF Secretariat and our development partners.

    “The outcome in some states back our conviction that addressing the challenges of tax administration at the sub-national level can be achieved within a short period. The NGF has taken a leading position on this by continuing to play an active role in strengthening institutional and governance systems at the sub-national level, including your Internal Revenue Agencies/Bodies/Services.

    “Our support to States has been through the provision of evidence to influence policy formulation and implementation, the development of knowledge resources to strengthen reforms and the delivery of national platforms for peer learning.

    To contribute to a more coherent reform environment and fast track full domestication of commendable practices across all States and the FCT, the NGF Secretariat also develops GUIDES for implementing reforms based on extensive experience in peer reviewing the 36 States over the last ten (10) years.” he said

    This, he said, has significantly improved the way State governments run and the overall governance climate in the country.

    “In light of your important role, we will today be launching a GUIDE for the IGR Dashboard. We encourage you all to adopt the approaches documented in this GUIDE. They have worked in many States.  This document also provides guidance to our in-house team in building the capacity of revenue officials at the state level. It is the reference tool at different administrative levels in the design, implementation and monitoring of tax reforms.

    “Our doors are open. We are happy to maintain and in fact deepen this relationship. Please take advantage of the presentations and contributions of our facilitators and the opportunity to share useful lessons with your peers.

    I wish you all a fruitful time and even more so the application of the knowledge acquired here in your various states.” he said

  • Edo JAAC records N5m increase in councils’ IGR

    … Declares N2.9bn for June

     

    The Edo State Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) has recorded N5 million increase in Internally Generated Revenue of the local councils for the month of June, which formed part of the N2.9 billion declared as the total allocation that accrued to the state for the sixth month of the year.

    This was disclosed by the Chairman, Oredo Local Government Area, Hon. Evbareke Jenkins Osunde, at the end of the JAAC meeting presided over by the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki.

    Read Also:Lassa fever: Edo urges residents to sustain prevention efforts

    Osunde noted that the internally generated revenue in local councils increased from N206 million recorded in May to N211 million recorded in June 2018.

    He explained that, “Teachers’ salaries deducted for the month was N1,081,654,814.22, contribution for pension stood at N264, 115, 845.36, while pension arrears paid was N100 million.”

    Osunde said the total deduction was N1, 979, 354, 951.11; while net allocation was N1, 001, 089, 151.83.

    The Oredo Council boss lauded Governor Obaseki for assisting local councils with the payment of workers’ salary for the month of June.

    “It is important to note that because of the deadlock in the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings over the revenue for June, Governor Obaseki made money available for the payment of staff salary in the local government councils in the state. We greatly appreciate him for that,” he added.

  • Fayemi slams Fayose for owing Ekiti monarchs Five months arrears

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has promised to end the sufferings being experienced by the people of the state under the administration of Governor Ayo Fayose.

    Fayemi accused Fayose of inflicting hardship on the various segment of the population including workers, school pupils, parents, business owners and traditional rulers.

    He revealed that apart from workers owed arrears of between five and nine month arrears of salaries, Fayose is also allegedly owing traditional rulers five month arrears of allowances.

    Fayemi also slammed the governor for refusing to disclose the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) since coming to power in 2014.

    Speaking during a special interview programme on Voice 89.9 FM Sunday night, Fayemi said Fayose had no accuse to be owing workers noting that N253 billion has accrued to the Ekiti treasury.

    A vote for the APC ticket, according to him, is a vote for commitment to the positive transformation of Ekiti, experience in governance and connection with Abuja to influence things in favour of the state and its people.

    Fayemi promised to expand the scope of his eight-point agenda to launch Ekiti on the path of development again regretting that the state has retrogressed under Fayose’s watch as the governor has discarded human development policies of the preceding government.

    He regretted that Fayose allegedly played politics and denied Ekiti the opportunity of accessing funds meant for rice production by the Federal Government despite the fact that an Ekiti indigene his (Fayemi’s) former Commissioner, Mr. Jide Arowosafe.

    Fayemi stated that states like Kebbi, Jigawa and Ogun had benefited from noting that Ekiti would have used the funds to develop rice production in Igbemo-Ekiti and other rice belts in the state.\

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: Election ‘Fire’ will consume Fayose, says Fayemi

    The APC flag bearer also debunked the allegation of the PDP-led government that he is seeking a return to power to revenge against workers saying he is on a rescue mission and not on vengeance mission against anybody.

    He said: “On what basis should I come on a vengeance mission? Nobody has offended me, the secret of June 21st 2014 is quite open to us all. We all know of Capt. Koli, Koro (Obanikoro) and few others.”

    Criticizing Fayose for alleged anti-people policies, Fayemi said: “You refused to pay teachers for ten months but you are saying ‘we may not pay your salaries but the man coming wants to sack you.’

    “During Fayemi’s (first) administration, no final year secondary school student paid WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and JAMB fees but now, pupils from primary to SS3 students are now paying taxes.

    “He called teachers to the Government House sometime ago and a woman among them told him the truth. My government didn’t charge any pupil or student a dime.

    “We ran a qualitative, free and functional education while I was the Governor. Pupils now pay Tax, pay for SSCE, no more free JAMB forms. Ekiti now has the lowest enrollment in Education in Southwest as it is today which is strange to us all.

    “We didn’t owe workers monthly salary except for September 2014 and this was because the incoming governments approached our financial institutions and opt to halt our arrangements.

    “We had regular training and re-training to workers in Ekiti, we paid core subject allowances, rural allowances to teachers, car loans, housing loans to our workers.

    “I heard that all what I did for Obas have been stopped, in fact, our Obas are being owed five months salaries. Did all these happen when I was in government?”

    Fayemi added that Fayose’s alleged harsh and unfriendly policies have driven investors away with many businesses closing down leading to loss of jobs.

    “Our administration revived Ire Burnt Bricks Industry, brought back Ikogosi Warm Spring, enterprise grew in Ekiti during my time. When I came in, the only two prominent hotels are Pathfinder and Fountain and there was deluge of people coming.

    “I spoke with all these people and they brought their investment here but when I left, they all regretted but today, GTB is gone, Coca Cola is gone, Ire Burnt Bricks is struggling and Gossy Water is dead because Fayose’s government is anti-investment.

    “IGR rose to N600m before I left office as we declared what came in monthly but no one has heard of Ekiti IGR since I left.”

    Fayemi said all what he did with Ekiti funds during his first term in office are there for all to see as his government paid stipends to aged people, youth volunteers, constructed roads, palaces, markets, civic centres, town halls and other key projects.

    He assured that the APC administration apart from putting an end to the suffering of Ekiti people will execute policies that will boost their standard of living.

  • Dickson turns to agriculture for revenue, job creation, diversification

    Dickson turns to agriculture for revenue, job creation, diversification

    Any time the name of Bayelsa State is mentioned, it evokes the image of oil and gas. Most people believe that nothing grows in Bayelsa because of high deposits of petroleum resources and massive exploration and exploitation of crude oil and gas.

    But the colonial masters saw something different from oil and gas. They saw vast arable land. Their report about the economic potential of the state expressly stated that Bayelsa alone was capable of feeding the entire West African countries.

    What then happened to Bayelsa? There is no gainsaying that the state saw oil and gas and abandoned its agricultural potential. Successive administrations depended solely on oil and gas as their cash cow. They were blind to the report of the colonial masters. They only wanted petrol dollars.

    Indeed, the state suffered huge setback in food production. It could not produce its food and depended largely on food brought from neighbouring states especially from the northern part of the country. Little wonder food items cost fortunes in Bayelsa.

    However, things are changing for good. There has been significant quantum leap away from the docility of the past. Many people attributed the radical shift to the policies, projects and programmes of the present administration of Governor Seriake Dickson. In fact, Bayelsa now has more farmers than oil and gas contractors.

    The recently-concluded inter-ministerial briefing which heralded the 6th anniversary of Dickson’s government was an eye-opener. Persons, who came with doubts to the venue of the programme, left with conviction that the administration was making progressive inroad in the world of agriculture.

    In fact,  Commissioner for Information and Orientation Daniel Iworiso-Markson took his time to point out the pluses and Dickson’s enduring footprints in the sector. It became obvious that with the attention currently paid in the sector, Bayelsa is set to begin export of rice, fish, starch, cassava flour and other items to other states and countries.

    He said one of the reasons Dickson faced agriculture was to increase its Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) and reduce the state’s over-dependence on federal allocations.

    Iworiso-Markson said: “Agriculture is one of the sectors that commanded priority in the Dickson administration. In the past six years, the administration has made sustained efforts to make strategic investments in the agricultural sector with the aim of putting Bayelsa on the path of solid economic productivity.

    “A visionary leader who would always opt to explore fresh opportunities for the development of Bayelsa and the welfare of her citizens, Dickson did not hide his concern over the massive implications of the state’s sole dependence on allocations from the Federation Account.

    “The governor found it disturbing at inception that the internally-generated revenue of Bayelsa State, the hub of the nation’s oil economy, was a paltry N50 million per month on the average.

    “Although, the administration has adopted measures to jerk up the State’s IGR to between N500 million and N800million per month, Dickson’s solution to the sole dependence on federal allocations from the oil economy was a well planned revolution in agriculture.

    “Armed with the belief that agriculture was the only solution to the harsh economic realities confronting most states across the country, Dickson devoted valued attention to agriculture.

    “The mission is to create a strong, diversified economy through investments in agriculture, tourism, and power in Bayelsa. The Administration exploited the vast opportunities offered by this sector that holds the key to economic prosperity in the state outside of oil.”

    He said the governor discovered the state’s comparative advantage for large-scale production rice, palm produce, aquaculture banana, plantain, cassava and vegetables. The information commissioner explained that the government invested in mega aquaculture projects in partnership with two Israeli companies. He said the partnership was expected to produce 3000tons of fish annually.

    On rice production, he said: “The government also took steps to effectively exploit the opportunities offered by the Bayelsa vegetation which is suitable for three cycles of rice production. Expectedly, the state under Dickson, ventured into Rice production and the outcome is the high quality Restoration brand of rice owned by the government.

    “It is to the credit of the visionary leadership provided by governor Dickson and his unflinching commitment to agriculture that Bayelsa has 4,000 hectares of rice farm at Peremabiri; 5,000 hectares at Isampor and 2,000 hectares at Kolo.

    “With the well planned investments in rice production and the quality attention given to the Agriculture sector, it is incontrovertible that Bayelsa has the capacity to grow and produce the rice that will feed Nigeria, West Africa and for export oversea. The solution to the capital flight that goes into the importations of millions of tones of rice in Nigeria every years lies in the rice farms of Bayelsa!”

    Speaking on other collaborative measures of the governor, Iworiso-Markson said: “The Dickson Administration also ventured into collaborative investments with credible partners in the bid to promote investments in the Agriculture sector.

    “The government partnered with Ostertrade Engineering and ManufacturingKFT/DPP International APS, a Hungarian/Danish consortium, to establish a cassava starch processing plant with a capacity to produce 600 tons of industrial starch per annum and an out growers scheme of 600 hectares cassava farm.

    “In readiness for the massive agricultural activities expected from this multi billion Naira investment, the state has concluded a seed multiplication farm on a 40 hectares land at Ebedbiri for the cassava farm.”

    The commissioner said the Ebedebiri Cassava farm was another big ticket project that would deliver 30 million tonnes of starch annually. He described the cassava project as the biggest in the country adding that Bayesla contributed to save hundreds of millions of dollars expended annually to import starch for industrial purposes. He also mentioned the Integrated Poultry at Ebedebiri, as another star project being undertaken by the state government.

     

  • How Dickson spent N50b on health sector

    How Dickson spent N50b on health sector

    How did the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration justify about N50bn it had so far spent in Bayelsa State’s health sector? The question hung in the lips of stakeholders, who recently trooped to the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Youth groups, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), students, women, traditional rulers, labour unions and journalists were among the stakeholders, who came to hear explanations on how Governor Seriake Dickson spent N50 billion on the health sector. They came out prepared for a visual tour of health projects and facilities executed and built so far by Dickson and his Restoration Cabinet.

    The tour guide was Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu. He is a professor of medicine and Commissioner for Health. Most people believe that Etebu’s appointment underscored Dickson’s seriousness in repositioning the health sector. With numerous requisite credentials, Etebu, who was a former Chief Medical Director (CMD), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, is seen as a round peg in a round hole.

    Armed with files and electronic devices, Etebu wasted no time to arrive the venue. Like a pilot, he hit the runway and took off with his curious tourists. His first port of call was the Bayelsa Diagnostic Centre (BDC) at the heart of Yenagoa. The tourists were greeted by impressive sight. Some of them did not know that such state-of-the-art health facility exist in Bayelsa.

    Indeed, they confirmed BDC as a complete suite of multi-billion naira diagnostic solution. It has dazzling and eye-catching modern medical installations and equipment. Housed in a three-storey building with aesthetic beauty, the medical facilities in each department, are the latest in the country manufactured between 2013 and 2017.

    In fact, the BDC is built to undertake all kinds of diagnosis. It is described as the best centre for X-Ray, mammography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), CT Scan, ultra scan, endoscope and cardiovascular investigations. The equipment speaks for themselves. The centre is designed with the capacity for telemedicine.

    The stakeholders were dazzled. But what they saw was a tip of the iceberg. Etebu took them to the Bayelsa Specialist Hospital. Little did some of them know that what they used to know as the Government Clinic had been upgraded, expanded and transformed into a full-fledged specialist hospital. It is now open to members of the public.

    The proximity of the specialist hospital to the Bayelsa State Diagnostic Centre gives the state the confidence of having a complete medical solution. Combined with the diagnostics centre, the hospital has been saving lives.

    Addressing his audience on the significance of the diagnostic centre and specialist hospital, Etebu said: “The Bayelsa Diagnostic Centre in Yenagoa, is a major facility of world-class standard. People are beginning to use it, saving lives, hundreds and thousands of lives, with early diagnosis.

    “That is a modern diagnostic centre, one of the best in the country. People now come from Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and many other states to Bayelsa for diagnosis. It was built, equipped and handed over to American specialists to run it for efficiency.

    “It is the same thing government did to the Specialist Hospital at the Government House. It used to be Government House clinic, but Governor Dickson felt what is good for the governor, deputy governor, and their families must be good enough for all Bayelsans. That was how it was expanded with a public wing, fully equipped.

    “You cannot find the equipment they have there, with the personnel anywhere else. They have installed telemedicine facilities, which means you can communicate with doctors from abroad right there, they can even direct an operation from where they are in America or London. That is the investment the Restoration government has made in Bayelsa State.”

    On that visual tour, Etebu took the stakeholders round modern hospitals springing up in all the local government areas of the state. He said healthcare had improved significantly under Dickson. Hitherto, Bayelsa could not boast of modern hospitals. Residents travelled to nearby states to access their health facilities.

    “But all that have now changed. In Brass we have a modern one there. We have completed the one for Ekeremor, ready for furnishing and take off; we have completed the one for Sagbama, ready for furnishing and take off.

    “Same for Kolokuma/Opokuma, Oporoma and now completing the one for Ogbia  in spite of some initial delay. Governor Dickson has also directed that another one be built in Nembe, making it two for use there”, he said.

    Etebu boasted of another ambitious health project of the governor.

    “The government is doing more,”he said, “before the end of December 2018, every ward will have a functional health centre, equipped with quarters where nurses and doctors will stay”.

    To ensure quality healthcare for people in the state, he told the stakeholders that the government established a Health Insurance Scheme (HIS) with Dicksoncare project factored into it. He said the scheme had made healthcare affordable in the state.

    “The health insurance scheme recorded over 300,000 people with the one man, wife and four children approach. The governor has also approved 5 per cent of our the Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) for ‘Dicksoncare’”, he said.

    The professor later redirected the tour. He took his audience to a project Dickson initiated in his first term and later completed. It is the Drug Mart, a quality control centre for all drugs brought into the centre. It was designed as a clearing house to eliminate fake drugs in the state. In fact, its foundation was laid by the late fake drug czar, Prof. Dora Akunyili.

    “To ensure that that fake drugs do not compound the health situations of our people, government built the drug mart and Bayelsa pharmaceutical centre, ready for commissioning.

    “It has already started working and there are not many states that have that. Everything we have put together, everything we have been working on, is targeted to cover an area of lack in our state,” he said.

    Etebu shocked pregnant women in the state with good news.

    He said: “This year, government is coming up with a policy for our pregnant women. From the month a woman becomes pregnant, she becomes government property. She will be registered and taken care of. Women who are pregnant can confirm their pregnancy and put on a special allowance; we then register them to have their data so that we can monitor.

    “If anyone has any challenge, we know and we can deal with it.”

    Indeed, persons, who embarked on the visual tour were happy. They said with what they had seen on ground, the government has justified its expenditure in the health sector.

    Commissioner for Information and Orientation Daniel Iworiso-Markson, who initiated the tour, gave further insight on the motive behind the investments in the health sector. He said the investment had curtailed capital flight in the state.

    He said: “The facilities we have in our state are comparable to anyone outside the country. Professionals from the USA have also been brought into the state to man these facilities. The whole idea is to create medical tourism in Bayelsa.

    “By the time this administration completes its programme on health, this state will be the hub of medical tourism. We are replicating quality health delivery across the state. The government is building general hospitals in each of the eight local government in the state.”

    The stakeholders, who participated in the visual tour had their questions answered by Etebu. They insisted that Dickson had justified the massive investment in the sector. But like Oliver Twist, they want more.

     

  • AMAC presents over N6 billion 2018 budget proposal

    The Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Adamu Candido, has presented the council’s 2018 Budget proposal  in the tune of N6,921,263,402.00  to its legislative arm.

    In the financial proposal tagged: “Budget of Reality and Consolidation”, N3,753,344,883.00 (54.23%) was apportioned as capital expenditure; and N3,167,9 18,519.00 as recurrent expenditure.

    Also, it has projected income of N3, 821,263,402.00 from net statutory allocation; N600,000,000.00 and N2,500,000.00 as 10% FCT and AMAC Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) respectively.

    Candido disclosed that the estimated figure, which represents a nominal increase of 11.76% of the previous year, was envisaged to ensure accelerated grassroots development.

    He explained that his leadership adopted a zero-based budgeting system system to eliminate inefficiency.

    According to him, the works and housing department which is saddled with the supervision and provision of critical infrastructures got 27.19% which is N1,881,836,984 billion of the entire budget making it the highest.

    He added that the council’s administration department with N1,262,064,363 billion representing 18.23%, the health and human services came third with N783,799. 055 million representing 11.32% while education and social development came fourth with N781,332,026 representing 11.29% of the total budget.

    “With our renewed commitment to ensure the twelve wards of the council are equitably serviced in line with our electioneering vision, we have allocated over half of the 2018 budget to capital project with special focus on completing the ongoing ones.

    “As a responsible government, we have begun payment of some of the contracts so that projects maybe completed while we are reconciling the liabilities of others to identify and settle legitimate claims,” he said.

    The Speaker of AMAC Legislative Council, Hon. Daniel Micheal, moved a motion, which was seconded to allow the Chairman present the 2018 budget to the hallowed chamber for consideration and approval.

     

  • Adamawa inaugurates task force on environmental problems

    Adamawa Government on Thursday, inaugurated a special task force to tackle environmental problems confronting residents of Yola, the state capital.

    Dr Umar Bindir, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), who inaugurated the committee in Yola, urged committee members to stop illegal hawking and trading within the area.

    Bindir also advised the committee to remove all the temporary structures along major roads that were not in line with the township development master plan.

    He also mandated the committee members to maintain and sustain clearing of drains as well as to control haphazard packing of vehicles along major roads.

    Bindir, who directed members to submit their report within three months for implementation, enjoined, advised them to be fair to all citizens in the discharge of their assignment.

    Response, Alhaji Abdurrahman Jimeta, Chairman of the committee, promised that the committee would carry out its duty without fear or favour.

    Jimeta, who is the Chief of Staff to the governor, said that the committee would also make the environment sector another source of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the state government.

    He further said that the sector would be made to create jobs for the youth as well as to create wealth for the residents.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that members of the committee were drawn from the Police Command the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

    Others are Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), Office of the Attorney-General, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Land and Survey, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Ministry of Commerce and Industries among others.

     

  • Senate probes FIRS, NPA, others over alleged misuse of funds

    Senate probes FIRS, NPA, others over alleged misuse of funds

    The Senate Tuesday resolved to investigate alleged misuse, under remittance and other fraudulent practices in the collection and accounting of internally generated revenue by revenue generating agencies.

    The investigation, the Senate agreed, will cover all revenue generating agencies including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Customs Service and others from 2012 to 2016.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion which prayed the upper chamber to “constitute a high powered ad-hoc committee to investigate the alleged misuse, under remittance/non remittance and other fraudulent practices in the collection, accounting, remittance and expenditure of internally generated revenue by all revenue generating agencies of government from 2012 to 2016.”

    A six-member panel of investigators to be headed by Senator Solomon Adeola, (Lagos West) was mandated to submit its report to Senate in plenary in six weeks.

    Senator Adeola who sponsored the motion in his lead debate noted that Section 80,subsection 1-4 of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria clearly stipulated that all revenue, moneys raised or received shall be paid into and form on consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

    He further noted that the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 was enacted to ensure transparency, accountability and prevent corrupt practices in relation to public revenues and expenditure.

    The Lagos West lawmaker said that he is aware that Section 21 -23 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 clearly limited  corporations, agencies and government owned companies listed in the Schedule to the Act to the expenditure of only a fifth of its operating surplus with the balance paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government.

    He expressed concern that the Acting Chairman of Fiscal Responsibility Commission Mr. Victor Muruako on November 8, 2016 “raised the alarm over leakages in revenue and remittances which he said has assumed alarming proportion in the last 5 years with some Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) producing two different statement of accounts in an attempt to manipulate their operating surpluses and losses.”

    Adeola said that he is also aware that at “the last National Economic Council meeting, the Federal Government specifically accused  revenue generating agencies of raising over N1.5 trillion and expending over 90 per cent on recurrent expenditure mostly in paying bloated salaries and controversial allowances above Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation Committee, monetization of medical allowances, unapproved overseas travels, lavish training allowances and excessive personal loan approval all amounting to financial misconducts.

    He expressed worry that “these corporations, agencies and government owned companies have over the years grossly violated the letters of the 1999 Constitution and the Fiscal Responsibility Act in relation to their revenue generation activities and expenditure.”

    Adeola said that he is disturbed that various audit queries against the agencies over the years further indicated possible mismanagement of public funds against the spirit of the Constitution and Fiscal Responsibility Act.

    He noted that it is a matter of concern that in view of Federal Government dwindling revenue from the traditional crude oil sector and the on- going recession, “these government bodies are continuing in short changing government of needed revenue through various illegal practices.”

    He thereafter prayed the Senate to resolve to constitute a high powered ad-hoc committee to investigate the alleged misuse, under remittance/non remittance and other fraudulent practices in the collection, accounting, remittance and expenditure of internally generated revenue by all revenue generating agencies of government from 2012 to 2016 and submit a report in six weeks.

    Adeola added that there was no doubt that all revenue generating agencies including the NPA, FIRS, Customs, have been misappropriating generated revenue.

    The agencies, he said, have largely ignored the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act that compelled them to remit all generated fund to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in his contribution noted that most Nigerians were concerned about how to share the cake without bothering about how to bake the cake.

    He said that it is time  for the Senate to take a second look at the law regulating activities of the revenue generating agencies to determine whether there was need to review the laws in order to bloc leakages.

    Ekweremadu said, “Every day we talk about how to share the cake but today we have the privilege and opportunity to discuss how to bake the cake and I think there is enough cake to go round except that we have a lot of leakages and some of these leakages were created by us.

    “I think that we must admit that when those laws were made they were made with the best of intentions but just as they say the road to hell is also made with the best of intentions. I believe that since they have been abused it is for all of us to look back and have a second look at those laws and ensure that they are appropriately amended or put appropriate measures to ensure that these leakages are fixed.”

    Senator Ahmed Lawan, in his contribution stressed the need for the Senate to do more and if possible to reduce the number of the agencies “because we don’t actually need all of them.”

    Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah said that issues raised in the motion should be given the seriousness they deserve in the interest of the country.

    Before the prayer to set up a committee to probe the alleged misuse of funds by agencies was unanimously adopted, Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki underscored the importance of independent revenue to the economic health of the country.

    Saraki noted that if the Senate was able to block leakages in the agencies, it would help the funding and performance of the 2017 budget.

    Saraki said, “I want to join others in thanking Senator Solomon Adeola for this very important motion. As I keep on harming on our independent revenue and non-oil revenue is a very important area of our budget. This independent revenue is 37 percent; you remember last year it was almost N1.5 trillion and am being told now that this year is likely to come down to N500 billion because they could not meet the target.

    “Inability to meet the target is not that they don’t have the capacity to meet the target and there is too much abuse on this operating surpluses where people spend right up to the last naira in all. I think the best way forward as you said it would even help the 2017 budget if we address this issue in blocking this leakages and I believe that in constituting the ad-hoc committee we would just take the best hands and still bring people from finance and public accounts and capable people who would be able to address this.”