Month: October 2023

By Biola Lawal
Abuja (Flowerbudnews): The Federal Government says the current temporary suspension of the N-power programme was to facilitate a detailed investigation into the operations of the N-Power in the last twelve months.

Dr. Akindele Egbuwalo National Programme Manager, N-Power, said in a statement on behalf of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs that the total number of persons enrolled on NPOWER since inception to date is 960,000 people.

He disclosed that most of them have exited from NPower 1.0 and NPower 2.0 batch A and B, enhance the need to establish facts

Full statement below:

It is imperative to inform Nigerians, particularly beneficiaries of the N-Power programme across the country, of the temporary suspension of the programme

This action has become necessary to give room for a detailed investigation into the operations of the N-Power in the last twelve months.

The total number of persons enrolled on NPOWER since inception to date is 960,000 people. Most of them have exited from NPower 1.0 and NPower 2.0 batch A and B

There is a need to audit the number of people in the programme, those who have exited the program, those who are being owed, whether the reported to work or not and how funds have been utilised over this period of time.

Recently, we discovered instances of programme beneficiaries whose participation has lapsed since 2022 but have remained on and continue to expect payments from the government.

In addition, some beneficiaries must honour their obligation to the programme: They do not report to their places of primary assignments as required but still receive monthly payments. Some have other jobs and have left this bracket but are still benefiting from the payments, while those who truly worked are not paid

These instances have made the need for a thorough audit imperative, as we also look into claims of those being owed for up to eight to nine months’ stipends to ascertain the veracity of their claims.

The graduates & non-graduate volunteers Batch C1 & C2 are in this category. We want to establish the exact number of people owed and the total amounts, thereby eliminating ghost beneficiaries.

Preliminary findings of our audit have shown that some consultants are holding on to beneficiaries’ funds disbursed to them long ago, even when their contract ended in March 2023 without any renewal.

We condemn this practice and will not tolerate it going forward. Work is ongoing to identify those involved, understand why the payments didn’t get to the final beneficiaries, and recall the funds to pay those owed.

We appeal to Nigerians to understand the rationale behind the temporary suspension and investigation of the programme as we work to restore the nation’s confidence in the programme and for the new N-Power to serve Nigerians better. Things have to be properly done for us to move forward.

This restructuring and transformation will also birth an expanded programme to reach beneficiaries aged 18-40 (the previous age limit was 35). We are targeting 5 million beneficiaries in 5 years at a pace of 1 million per year under the graduate and non-graduate stream.

In addition, the restructuring will accommodate some new programmes, in Education, Health, Works, Agriculture, Technology, fashion, entertainment, and other relevant areas of skill acquisition and employability.

To earn the confidence of Nigerians in the expanded programme, transparency and accountability will be the benchmark. It shall no longer be business as usual as we make concerted efforts to put the nation on the right footing, ensuring that no one directly or indirectly unleashes suffering on Nigerians.

We assure all beneficiaries with genuine claims that we will resolve their cases once we complete the verification exercise and honour all valid outstanding obligations. Nobody will be owed. (Flowerbudnews)

By Flowerbudnews
Enugu: The South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO) and ActionAid Nigeria have fashioned out a work plan to improve education in rural communities in Enugu State.

The two Non-Governmental Organisations have decided to ensure that rural indigent children attend school notwithstanding their parents’ poverty or marginalised economic status.

Speaking on the Child Education Sponsorship Initiative, the Programme Manager of SSDO’s Local Rights Programme, Miss Priye West, told newsmen on Sunday in Enugu that it targets indigent children between the ages of three and eight.

According to West, research shows that over 90 million Nigerians live below the poverty line and a good percentage live in rural and marginalised communities.

She said that these communities are characterised by poor access to education and healthcare, lack of infrastructure, and low income levels; adding that “this affects their standard of living and quality of life, of which kids are the biggest victims”.

“Understanding this reality, South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO), in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria through the Local Rights Programme, is doing its part to improve education in marginalised communities.

“The initiative (programme) aims to reduce poverty by increasing its engagement with the poor and marginalised in selected communities through its Child Sponsorship mechanisms.

“The child education sponsorship initiative identifies vulnerable children aged between three and eight years and attaches them to sponsors,” she said.

West revealed that over the past collection period, the team for the initiative collected over 740 child messages across eight communities in Enugu State.

She said: “Our motivation is to see the children and the communities at large are all that they can be.

“This activity allowed the team to keep tabs on the kids and monitor their development process. As well as get feedback from the kids to the sponsors.” (Flowerbudnews)

By Ibironke Ariyo

Abuja:  The NDLEA arrested a 67-year-old drug trafficker, Clement Chukwuemeka at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Oct. 3 for ingesting 100 wraps of cocaine.

Chukwuemeka told NDLEA operatives that he engaged in the crime to raise enough money to marry a new wife and start life afresh after wasting 30 years of his life in Brazil, Ethiopia and Thailand.

Director, Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi stated on Sunday in Abuja that Chukwuemeka was arrested during an inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa.

He was taken in for body scan which revealed multiple pellets in his stomach, he stated.

“While under observation, he excreted 100 wraps of cocaine weighing 2.195kg in four excretions.

“In his statement, he claimed to have spent 30 years in Brazil, Ethiopia and Thailand, while he was married, but lost his wife and had no child.

“He added that that was why he decided to go into drug trafficking to raise enough money to marry a new wife and start life afresh,’’ Babafemi stated.

He added that on the same Oct. 3, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 45-year-old woman, Bilkisu Bello, at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, while preparing to board a flight to Saudi Arabia.

Bilikisu told the operatives that pellets of cocaine given to her to swallow before her flight were kept in a house in Farawa area of Kano, Babafemi stated.

“When she led NDLEA officers to the house, 52 wraps of the illicit substance with a total weight of 767grams were recovered,’’ he added.

NDLEA operatives, supported by troops of the Nigerian Army, Civil Defence Corps and Amotekun personnel stormed James Town, Ogunmakin in Obafemi Owode local government area of Ogun, also on Oct. 3.

They located and destroyed 10.38 tonnes of Indian hemp covering more than 4.152 hectares in the town, Babafemi stated.

“On their return trip from the operation, the team intercepted a truck carrying a 40ft container loaded with logs of wood.

“A search of the container led to the recovery of two bags of Indian hemp, weighing 20kg.

“Six suspects in the truck, Ahmed Yusuf, Olaniyi Babatunde, Adedeji Babatunde, Richard John, Osolale Olamilekan and Abdulazeez Saied, were arrested,’’ he added.

Babfemi stated also that on Oct. 1, NDLEA operatives raided Obi Camp in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo.

Thirty sacks of skunk, weighing 300kgs and concealed in charcoal, were evacuated from an old dilapidated mud house in the camp, he stated.

NDLEA also identified and destroyed two Indian hemp farms measuring 1.2 hectares at Igbanke Forest in Orhiomwon Local Government Area of Edo on Oct. 6.

Babafemi stated that four suspects, Tersoo Zaria (28), Ifeanyi Osai (53), Moses David (19), and Daniel Gabriel (20), were arrested in connection with the farms.

He added that a suspect, Auwal Bindow was arrested on Oct. 6 on Bauchi-Gombe Road with 50,000 capsules of tramadol.

Babafemi stated also that NDLEA operatives nabbed one Anuoluwapo Iyanu (32) on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Oct. 4 with 52 blocks of compressed Indian hemp shaped like pawpaw.

The hemp weighed 30kg, he also stated. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng) / Flowerbudnews

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and nine other former governors in the 10th Senate over their collection of both salaries and pensions as senators.

Joined in the suit as Respondents are the following: Abdulaziz Yari; Aminu Tambuwal; Adamu Aliero; Adams Oshiomole; Ibrahim Gaidam; Seriake Dickson; Ibrahim Dankwambo; Aliyu Wammako; Gbenga Daniel, and Dave Umahi.

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1360/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio, nine other senators and Mr Umahi to stop collecting both salaries and pensions, and to return any pensions collected to their respective state treasuries.”

The organization is also seeking an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio, nine other senators and Mr Umahi to clarify and disclose if they have collected and/or currently collecting both salaries and pensions as former governors.

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “The Seventh Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) requires the former governors to stop collecting both salaries and pensions and to return any pensions collected.”

SERAP is arguing that, “Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the former governors would continue to both enjoy life pension packages, and collect salaries as serving public officers, and the travesty and private self-interest would continue.

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Valentina Adegoke, read in part: “The UN Convention against Corruption requires public officials to discharge a public duty truthfully and faithfully.

“The UN Convention also implicitly prohibits large severance benefits for public officials. The convention specifically in article 8 requires public officers to promote integrity and responsibility in the management of public resources.

“Paragraph 2 (a) of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in the Fifth Schedule, Part 1 of the Nigerian Constitution provides in part: ‘a public officer shall not receive or be paid the emoluments of any public office at the same time as he receives or is paid the emoluments of any other public office.’

According to reports, there are fourteen former governors in the Senate and as ministers who may be collecting pensions running into billions of naira from their states. The former governors include: Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom State); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo State); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi State); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi State); Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto State); and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger State).

“Others are: Ibrahim Danwkambo (Gombe State); Danjuma Goje (Gombe State); Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara State); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun State); Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto State); Orji Kalu (Abia State); Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe State); and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa State). Also, there are at least seven former governors in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet who may be collecting both salaries and pensions.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

By Joshua Oladipo
Osogbo:  Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun has tasked stakeholders across the state on the need for an effective and operational feedback on various government activities to enhance good governance .

Ademola stated this in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr Olawale Rasheed, made available to newsmen in Osogbo .

The statement said the recent Ipade Imole meeting held in Osogbo was designed for public accountability platform by the state government as a way of getting feedback from the citizens.

The statement said that the meeting would be a continuous exercise between the government and notable stakeholders, to get feedbacks and also build on where attention was needed .

” Ipade Imole should be a continuous exercise before we meet physically again. The feedback mechanism must be operational on a 24-hour basis,” the statement said.

The statement also quoted the governor saying that, “I have also directed my team to put up a website for Ipade Imole.

“All proceedings of the maiden edition must be documented and an interactive platform be created.

” In this digital age, my team will also set up a WhatsApp chat room. I will be in that chat room as your governor, we will ensure continuous interaction.”

It said Adeleke further implored various associations that participated at the maiden event to be gracious enough to host a secondary Ipade Imole by passing the message on the maiden edition of the accountability platforms.

“Adeleke said that he was excited and encouraged by the positive review of his records in last 11 months as well as the candid identification” of areas of attention by the participants.

“He, however, said stakeholders feedback would afford his administration opportunities to listen to the yearnings of the citizens and deliver dividends of democracy has promised in his electioneering,” it added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)/ Flowerbudnews