Month: October 2023

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says the resignation of Mrs Kemi Adeosun as Minister of Finance and acceptance of same by President Muhammadu Buhari is an action of honour, strength, character and integrity.
Mr Yekini Nabena, the APC acting National Publicity Secretary, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
Adeosun in her resignation letter to the president admitted that her National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) exemption certificate was not genuine and might affect the credibility of the administration, if she failed to quit office.
Reacting to the development, Nabena said that like all responsive and responsible governments concerned about the truth and due process, the APC-led Federal Government undertook diligent investigation of the allegation.
“Now that the report of the investigation is out, the right thing has been done, the honourable Minister has taken the path of honour and resigned,” he said.
Nabena congratulated Adeosun for her action and wished her success in her future endeavors, and joined the president in appreciating her immense contributions to the stability of the Nigerian economy in the past three and half years.
He added that in Buhari’s administration of integrity and transparency in the conduct of public affairs, no government officer with a modicum of questionable conduct or integrity should stay in office.
He noted that in past Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)-led administrations, the country was held down by “corrupt and irresponsible public officers”.
He said such officers had often time refused to honour invitations of the National Assembly; closed down national airports against perceived political adversaries and bought luxurious bullet-proof vehicles with public funds at inflated prices.
He recalled that such public officers had also locked out National Assembly members, forcing Federal Lawmakers to climb high barricades in order to assess the legislative chamber.
“It was these acts of corruption, impunity, irresponsibility and executive rascality that made Nigerians vote in the President Buhari administration in 2015, with its change mantra to put a stop to such undemocratic practices,” Nabena said. (NAN)

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has commended the Federal Government on its directives to the states to account for the previous Paris Club Refund released to them before being given the last tranche.

Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC president, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

It would be recalled that Federal Government had approved $2.68 billion as final payment to states for the Paris Club Refund.

The Federal Government also directed the states to account for how the Paris Club refund released to them were utilised before being given the last tranche.

Some of the conditions are that salaries and staff-related arrears must be paid as a priority; and that there must be commitment by all states to the commencement of the repayment of budget support loans granted in 2016.

Other conditions include clearing of amounts due to the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, among others.

According to him,  “clearly speaking, it is a step in the right direction and it should not end there.

“We should know the outcome and how many states have been able to meet up with that requirement.

“We have said so clearly. If you want to entrench the principle of good governance, accountability and transparency must be our watchword.

“The Federal Government directives on the Paris Club refund should not just end with mere words but with action, as a lot of stories of how the other trenches have been utilised are circulating,’’ the NLC boss said.

He said that the ICPC report on the utilization of the first tranche of bail-out fund should be revisited and implemented to the latter.

Wabba also noted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had openly made allegation on how some people used the bail-out to purchase hotels and also transferred part of it to Bureau de change.

“We cannot sweep those issues under the carpet and think that the issue of corruption and diversion of public funds will be addressed.

“That is clearly our challenge in this country, and not lack of resources. The truth is that this country has enormous resources, but they are diverted.

“The fight against corruption cannot be limited to the centre. It must go to the hinterland, to the local government, the states and even the private sector,” Wabba said.

He added that government directive should not just end as a statement, but should be followed up to its logical conclusion.

“There should be action and we should be able to know those states that have done such things.

“ICPC did a good job on the first tranche of bail-out that was released and came up with a report, disclosing those states where those funds were diverted.

“We have also called on the government and the anti graft agencies to make sure that the report is followed up and those people brought to book, but nothing has happened.

“We have states that did not access the bailout and yet they are paying salaries, pension and gratuity as and when due so it is not a matter of paucity of funds,’’ Wabba said.
(NAN)

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has declared a ‘national disaster’ in Kogi, Anambra, Delta and Niger, following high levels of flooding in the states.

Mr. Mustapha Maihaja, NEMA Director-General made the declaration during an assessment visit to River Niger on Monday in Lokoja.

Maihaja said that eight other states were also on NEMA’s watch list.

He explained that the states were experiencing the high levels of flooding as a result of heavy rainfall experienced in some parts of the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NEMA assessment visit was also to sympathise with residence of Lokoja since the rise of water on the River Niger had started submerging some of their houses and their farm land.

According to Maihaja, the rise in the water level as at Sept. 17, was already 11.06 meter high, hence the need to be proactive before the situation gets out of hand.

Maihaja said that NEMA had been constantly observing the flood situation across the nation since the pronouncement by the National Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) that there was going to be much rain in 2018.

The DG said that the pronouncement by NIHSA made relevant stakeholders in disasters management to have series of meetings in preparation for flood, and thereafter issued a red alert to the states which the flood is likely to affect.

“The increasing rise of the flood make us to put Nigerians on red alert, part of our operational structure is to establish disasters response team across the nation.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated this delegation to do everything possible to curb this disaster situation.

“Lokoja and other Kogi environs seem to be the most threatening state since the rise level of the flood.

“We are sent here today to assess the situation and take informed action to tackle the menace,” Maihaja said.

Maihaja added that some relief materials have already been sent to the states where the flood had been affected to assist the people.

In his response, the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr Simon Achuba thanked the NEMA DG and his team for the visit and for providing the relief materials earlier sent to the state.

According to Achuba, the 2018 flooding was coming higher and the devastating effect was likely to be higher than that of the 2012, which submerged most of the communities.

Achuba said that there was no better time to declare a ‘state of emergency’ than now in order to make the people living at the riverine area leave because of the flooding.

“Some of this people living in the riverine area will not leave because of their agricultural activities but we still need to do our part to declare emergency.

“NEMA should look at this and begin to educate people on the dangers of living close to the river.

“The water transport system can be enhanced for people to move out of that area whenever there is flooding,” Achuba said.

The Deputy Governor also called for cordial collaboration between the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and NEMA for effective disaster control.

He added that the SEMA lacked so many equipment to use in disasters which have made their job difficult with little or no impact felt by the people.

Achuba, however, said that the relief materials sent to the state by NEMA would be equitably distributed to the people affected by the flood. (NAN)