President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed doors with the special envoy from the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping
The meeting with the envoy, His Excellency Yang Jiechi, started in President Buhari’s office around 11 30am.
He was received at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.
The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.
In an effort to promote accountability, Akwa Ibom state government has said, it will commence publishing its yearly budget to enable its citizens have easy access to it.
The Senior Special Adviser to the Governor of the state on budget, Mr Nicolas Ekarika hinted that the hearing of the 2020 budget has been completed, adding that it will take care of every facet of citizens’ needs.
Ekarika said this on Thursday in Uyo, during Policy Alert 5th annual budget forum.
He said that “commencing from January 2020 the budget of the state will be published on the state government website and everybody will have a direct access to the budget”
The Governor’s aide maintained that the state has never experienced budget missing.
He revealed that the next year budget will pass through rigorous processes of town hall meetings as well as wide consultations.
Speaking on the theme; corruption, citizen’s power and the budget process, Prof. Christopher Ekong of the department of economics, University of Uyo admonished the citizens to always pay attention to the outcome and output of every budget.
Ekong also encouraged the citizens to engage in budget tracking right from inception to weed out paddling.
He lamented over government abandoned projects in the state after the money for those projects were allocated in the budget.
The economist called on “every successive government in the state to form the hobbit of completing previous government project before initiating new ones, since government is in continuum”.
Accordingly, the group, Policy Alert has stated that it will begin mounting pressure on Akwa Ibom state government over abandoned projects.
The group expressed that the abandoned Ibom Science Park project would have been booming like the Silicon Valley in abroad.
They hinted that they have set up a network to support community in monitoring any government established project.
Flood triggered by incessant rain has destroyed over 3,000 farmlands and about 120 houses at Zugo town in Guri Local Government Area of Jigawa.
The Information Officer in the area, Alhaji Sanusi Doro, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Guri on Thursday that the incident occurred in the late hours of Tuesday.
He said the flood had also washed away the Una-Zugobia road, hindering movement of people and farm produce to the market.
He called on the State Government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assist the victims of the flood with food and drugs.
Doro, however, said the local government council had mobilised youths to erect sand-bag embankment at the bank of the Guri River to prevent more damages.
“The local government responded quickly by mobilising over 150 youths who were given over 1,000 sacks to erect sand-bag embankment at the bank of the river.
“ This was necessary to prevent further damage as the people had already lost farm produce including maize, guinea corn, sesame and millet,” the information officer said.
Ondo State Government on Wednesday unfolded plans to demolish buildings built on waterways in different parts of the state.
Acting Governor Agboola Ajayi said the demolition is to prevent flooding, which has rendered many residents homeless.
Ajayi, made this known after inspecting the havoc wrecked by flood in Idanre Local Government Area.
Several houses and properties worth millions of Naira have been destroyed in Alade and Odode Idanre following a downpour that occurred in the communities.
Several residents whose houses were demolished by the flood have been rendered homeless and taking shelter in neighbours’ houses.
But Ajayi, who thanked God that no life was lost in the flood, advised that people still living in the affected buildings to vacate them to prevent disasters.
The acting governor promised that the government would try its best in bringing relief to the affected victims soon.
“We thank God no life was lost. Small flood that is not much like this had killed. But we thank God such did not happen in Idanre.
“I was in Ibadan when this happened. We have inspected the houses; I will advise that our people should leave the affected houses to prevent another disaster.
“Some people build houses along the river course. We will ensure that no matter how highly placed the person is, we will demolish the house to have a free flow of water,” he said.
Ajayi also promised that amphibious excavator would be deployed to the town to help channel the waterways.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has revised the state’s 2019 budget from N285 billion to N182.4 billion
Speaking while signing the revised budget into law at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office, the governor maintained that the economic status of the state has made it compulsory to review downward what he described as “the over-bloated budget presented by the immediate past administration”.
He said the downward review is imperative in the face of unrealistic funds available to the state to fund the budget.
The governor said: “When we came in, we met a budget of N285 billion. We went on the revenue profile and we are receiving N5 billion monthly from the federal allocation. Our internally generated revenue is N2 billion, making it N7 billion roughly monthly and if I multiply that by 12, that is N84 billion.
“We need to cut our cloth not according to our size, but available material. We came in when money has been spent to the fifth month of the year. We looked at the profile and if we continue on the path at the end of the year, we could only achieve 25 to 38 per cent budget performance.
“So, we decided that our target for the years would be at least 70 per cent budget performance. Of course, we are aware that there may be an issue of ego here, that we may want to feel belong. We want the state to get to the $1 billion budget club. But, I want to give you the assurance that the day we attain that status of $1 billion budget state, under this administration will not be a photo-trick. When we tell the people of Oyo State that we have attained that status, then truly we have attained the status.
“Before we came in, the Ministry of Finance and Budget was lumped together. We thought we have to plan better and we separated the ministries. I also want to thank the Speaker and members of the House for acceding to our request to separate the two ministries.
“Now, we have the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Budget and Planning. What that will do for us is that it will allow us to cut our coat, not according to our size, but according to our materials.”
The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Adebo Ogundoyin, who led other lawmakers to the ceremony, said the appropriation bill that was signed into law came at a perfect time, adding that it was the usual norm that budgets are always over-bloated, but the case took a new dimension under the current administration.
“As we all know, most budgets are always over-bloated. But his excellency, in his own wisdom, decided to review the budget according to our available resources. There is no way you can plan for a state without having the actual revenue well-accounted for and well-appropriated. This is a welcome development.
“The budget of N285 billion that was passed by the 8th assembly was an over-bloated budget and there is no way we can really assess our performance in terms of budget assessment and plan for the future. By looking at the previous budgets, you could tell that the state had no defined plan for a long term plan and the administration in charge at the time just did things as they came,” Speaker Ogundoyin noted.
The Assembly had on Tuesday passed the reviewed 2019 Appropriation Bill after it scaled through the third reading.
The new bill, which saw the initial N285 billion passed by the Eight Assembly and signed into law by the immediate past governor cut down to N182.4 billion, saw the 100 per cent subvention restored to all the state-owned institutions.
With the new appropriation, which saw N103 billion reduced from the ex-Governor Ajimobi’s N285 billion, the recurrent expenditure was jacked up from N94.2 billion to N98.7 billion as proposed by the executive as well as the capital expenditure increased from N76.7 billion to N83.6 billion.
Pensioners in Benue State on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest over non-payment of pension and gratuity totalling N25 billion.
The aggrieved pensioners, under the aegis of Concerned Pensioners, occupied the Government House for 12 hours and prevented vehicles from going in and out of the place.
They said their action followed the state government’s inability to settle their monthly pension allowances and gratuities.
The aggrieved pensioners marched on the major streets of Makurdi, the state capital, waving green leaves and singing solidarity songs.
They urged the state government to pay their entitlement to avoid further deaths among their colleagues due to hunger.
After the protest march the pensioners who carried sleeping mats stormed the gate of Government House Makurdi and barricaded the main entrance.
The chairman of the concerned pensioners, Comrade Peter Kyado, led the protesters.
He told reporters that they lost about 40 members each month due to financial challenges.
“We are going to sleep here. After all, we came here with sleeping materials, such as mats, camp beds. This protest is indefinite and if the government fails to address our issue, we will remain here, multiply and fill the earth until our demands are meant.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Terver Akase said Governor Samuel Ortom had directed that funds be released to the pensioners.
He said the government had taken steps to end pensioners’ suffering and called for patience.
The South Africa High Commission to Nigeria has shut down its offices and consulate.
This is as a result of fear arising from attacks by youths in the country.
The acting High Commissioner, Amb. Bobby Moroe, confirmed the report that he had directed the Mission to suspend all consular activities until the situation improved.
He explained that the reported attacks on South Africans in parts of the country informed the decision to close down the Mission.
Moroe stated, “I directed that the Mission should be closed until the situation improves. We heard that South Africans were being pulled out of vehicles and attacked. We feel unsafe and that is why I directed that the mission should close down until further notice.”
Details shortly.
Some students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, who live off campus in Gwallameji area of Bauchi Local Government Area, have decried robbery attacks on their homes.
The students said the robbers stole their money and valuables at gunpoint.
They said they lost laptops, mobile phones and undisclosed amounts of money.
Our correspondent learnt that the students had been robbed twice between August 15 and 25.
In the first robbery, five female students were reportedly raped at an isolated lodge near the campus.
The students, who were planning to go on vacation after rounding off their semester examination, said they decided to stay back to complete their projects.
The students said they had not recovered from the incidents.
It was gathered that the male students were tied while the 10 armed hoodlums had their way with the female students.
Our correspondent, who visited the lodge, said it had been deserted.
A victim of the robbery said he escaped miraculously as he dodged a bullet during the midnight encounter.
He said: “Around 3 a.m, I heard steps in the compound but I dismissed it as nothing because I thought it was our neighbour’s dog that was moving about. Few minutes later, I knew there was trouble when I heard my neighbour begging the robbers not to rape her.
“I was still confused when they pushed down my door. In that state, I tried to escape, then I felt something brush my ear. I was lucky to get away as I later found out that it was actually a gunshot. The force of the gunshot even bent my metal door.
“They tied up the men while they raped the ladies. One of the ladies was admitted in the hospital. Many of them have travelled for medical treatment.”
An eyewitness said he heard screams when the robbery and rape took place but could not help the victims due to fear for his life.
He said: “They broke into our compound. I was awakened by the nois from my next-door neighbours. He was screaming so loudly. They actually told him to open the door or else they will break in. After much struggle, they broke into his room and he started screaming. He screamed so loudly that i could hear him. They actually tied him because i could hear their conversation. From the sound emanating from his room, it appears he initially resisted them”.
“Another neighbour upon hearing the loud screams came out to help him but he was attacked by the robbers. It was gathered that about four of them pounced on him, two entered his own room while he was dragging with another two. One of the robbers later pulled a gun and shot him but he dodged the bullet. he later ran outside not knowing that another four has laid ambush for him outside. He sustained serious injuries from the beating before he later manage escape from their grip. He ran to a friend and was taken to a clinic in the morning.”
In similar incident on August 25, another student lodge was attacked. The students were held up in the wee hours of the night and made to part away with their gadgets and undisclosed amount of money.
The attack is the second within two weeks.
The students’ community is reported to have been under siege by armed criminals who attack unsuspecting students in the wee hours of the night.
A student who also spoke in confidence with the Nation lamented the spate of insecurity in the area as he pleaded with the police to ensure adequate security in the students community where numerous robbery incident have taken place unnoticed by security agencies.
The Police Public Relation Office, PPRO of the Bauchi State Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Kamal Datti Abubakar was yet to confirm the robbery incidents as at the time of filing this report.
Attempt to also speak with the landlords of the residents were also unsuccessful.
FINANCE Minister Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, on Wednesday said the Federal Government has designed 11 Economic Priority Areas.
She also gave assurance that budget 2020 will be submitted to the National Assembly by the end of this month.
In her opening remarks at a high-level roundtable on National Donor Coordination in Abuja which resulted in the decision to create a Donor Coordinating Unit, she said the area of economic and governance reforms, the government will focus on macro-economic stability through coordinated economic, monetary, fiscal and trade policies; fight corruption and improve governance.
In the area of enhanced investments in physical infrastructure, human capital development to spur job creation and economic growth, Ahmed said government will target improved health, “education and productivity of Nigerians; ensure energy sufficiency with power; ensure energy sufficiency with petroleum products; improve transportation and other infrastructure; and drive industrialisation, focusing on micro, small and medium (MSMEs).”
To optimize investments in physical security and food security to drive inclusive socio-economic development, Ahmed outlined the following economic agenda the government will pursue: Improved security for all citizens; enhance agriculture self-sufficiency to achieve food security; enhance social inclusion by scaling-up social investments; and improve access to mass housing and consumer credit to enhance financial inclusion.
Speaking on the activities of donor agencies and the creation of a coordinating unit on donor programmes. Ahmed said: “The need for a government-driven national donor coordination mechanism cannot be overemphasized in that a well-structured approach is key to ensuring that external financing is maximised and of benefit to Nigerians.”
She said there was need to “work together to put in place a National Donor Coordination Mechanism that is aligned to government’s key strategic priority areas as set out in our national plans, policies and annual budgets. While government led, this process must be collaborative in order to succeed.”
To give effect to this direction, Ahmed said: “We will be engaging towards setting up a Donor Coordination Unit (DCU) to be chaired by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and cochaired by the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, and the Chair(s)of the Donors Coordination Committee.” We will task the DCU to develop a road map toward setting up a Multi-Donor Trust Fund, to be managed by the World Bank, which will pool donor funds to enhance transparency and accountability. “Aid is most effective when it is well-coordinated, with mutual accountability mechanisms for government and donors. Above all else, it must be aligned with government’s strategic development priorities.”
She said government has “made some progress in coordinating aid in specific areas, such as in the Northeast intervention, and the Social Investment Programmes , we still have a long way to go in ensuring a government-led mutual accountability framework for aid coordination in Nigeria.”
She said for the donor initiave to succeed, there must be a governmentowned and driven aid management process.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday said the ongoing electronic registration of migrants will secure the country from transnational terrorism and other crimes.
He added that the e-registration is an opportunity to properly document people who live within “our borders for effective planning, development and mutually beneficial collaborations.”
AbdulRazaq spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital at the launch of the e-registration of migrants.
He said : “The programme is to ensure proper registration of migrant in the country and targeted at generating a robust personal profile and electronic biometric data base of all foreigners that intend to stay in Nigeria beyond the period of 90 days.
“It is a thing of pride to us that Kwara is among the eight selected states to pilot this noble scheme. I therefore call on all migrants in the state to key into this programme by immediately submitting themselves at the Nigeria Immigration Service office in Ilorin, the state capital and all designated centres for proper
documentation and registration. This will help the state to ascertain identities of migrants and what they do. It will also create a strong synergy with migrants who are into legal businesses.
“The state will offer the necessary support to ensure the success of this exercise. I therefore urge all the officers charged with this responsibility to ensure it is done professionally to the glory of the Immigration Service and our fatherland.”
The NIS Comptroller , Edith Onyemenam said the mission of the service is to continue to innovate and strive to increasingly deploy technology in support of government’s efforts at effectively dealing with security challenges in Nigeria.
She added that failure by any migrant to register within the six months grace would attract the penalties prescribed by the laws.
Mrs. Onyemenam said that “the Federal Government has graciously granted six months amnesty period to migrants within which they can be registered irrespective of their immigration status and failure to comply will amount to violation of Nigerian immigration laws.
“So, it is particularly important for irregular migrants to take advantage of this ‘window of opportunity’ to regularize their migrant status.
“You will agree with me that in a world where technology is playing increasing roles, and the internet has virtually turned the world into ‘communities without borders’ the efforts of the NIS in deploying technology to provide useful and important information on migrants/foreigners, as and when it is necessary, is an important complementary security infrastructure in our current realities.”