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“We’ll end insurgency, terrorism simultaneously,” – Defence minister

By Fem Ogunshola

The Ministry of Defence intends to use its 2023 supplementary budget and part of its 2024 budget to end insurgency and terrorism simultaneously, the minister, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru, said in Abuja on Wednesday.

“The purpose of the 2023 additional budget is to have simultaneous operations in all our theatres so we can end insecurity at once,’’ Badaru said.

He made the declarations while defending the ministry’s budget at a joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives committees on defence.

He said the ministry was determined to ensure that terrorists rooted from one location did not go to another to continue their heinous activities.

Badaru said he believed that the Federal Government would end the war, but would not disclose its strategies openly.

He commended the committees for always assisting the ministry in its resolve to end insecurity.

The minister noted that the ministry’s N78.58 billion appropriation for 2024 was higher than the N62.9 billion appropriation for 2023, and commended the National Assembly for its commitment to end insecurity.

He, however, called for an upward review of overhead costs in the 2024 budget in view of inflation and rising cost of diesel.

“We want you to help us to increase our overhead cost. We consume a lot of fuel, and I appeal that this be looked into,’’ he said.

In his submission, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Sen. Ahmad Lawan, said the joint committee would work assiduously to scrutinise the ministry’s 2024 proposal.

He noted that security remained the backbone for education, the economy, and others to function, adding that more resources should be given to defence to handle insecurity.

Lawan noted also that it was not enough to approve money, but it was paramount to establish how such monies changed the situation.

“If you are given N100 billion; how has it improved the security situation in the country’’? he queried.

“It will not augur well to appropriate money without justification,’’ he stressed.

The former Senate president commended security agencies for working hard to secure the country.

In his contribution, Rep. Babajimi Benson, Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, said the National Assembly would continue to make efforts to invest in security to ensure the growth and development of the country.

He said President Bola Tinubu had promised to ensure the security of all Nigerians irrespective of status, adding: “you must work to deliver the goal of the administration.’’

He assured that the committee would ensure that all allocated resources added value, adding that lawmakers were not unaware of the challenges faced by armed forces, including the recent bombing in Kaduna.

He promised that the committees would ensure adequate funding within available resources to respond to the desires of the military.

NAN

December 13, 2023
Gov. Idris signs N250.1bn 2024 budget into law

By Idris Bello

Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi, has signed the state’s N250.1 billion 2024 appropriation bill into law.

Idris assented to the budget at Government House in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday after receiving the document from the Speaker, Alhaji Usman Muhammad-Ankwai.

He expressed deep appreciation to the speaker and members of the assembly for the speedy passage of the 2024 budget .

Idris commended the legislators for having the welfare of people in the state at heart and for being alive to their responsibilities.

“I can testify that it has never happened this way. We sent the budget, the house of assembly scrutinised it, debated the budget and at end of the day they passed the budget.

“And they brought the budget, which I have signed today,” he said.

The governor pledged to implement the budget to the letter, transparently and prioritising infrastructural development and empowerment of people of the state.

Earlier, Muhammad-Ankwai described the assent to the budget as a significant milestone in the democratic journey of the state.

He said the budget was a culmination of extensive consultation, deliberation and rigorous scrutiny by dedicated members of the house.

The speaker affirmed the commitment of the legislature to work together with the executive arm to hasten the development of the state for the benefit of the people.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor had on Nov. 22, presented the budget proposal of N250.1 billion for the 2024 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.

NAN

December 13, 2023
Media must remain in vanguard of tracking budgetary process — NAN MD

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Abuja: Mr Ali Muhammad Ali, Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), says the media must spearhead the tracking of the country’s budgetary process to ensure that Nigerians get the actual value allocated in fiscal proposals.

Ali made this submission on Wednesday in his goodwill message at the opening of a 2-day capacity building for journalists, orgainsed by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in collaboration with the Premium Times Academy in Abuja.

The event is tagged “Training on Governance and Policy Reporting.’’

According to Ali, the media has a critical role to play in promoting accountability and transparency in the conduct of government business.

He said the role of the mass media was so crucial that the Nigerian Constitution made a provision for its preservation.

“To ordinary Nigerians who today listen to the radio, watch the television, read the newspapers and of course surf the information superhighway, they are interfacing with various manifestations of the mass media in their daily lives.

“So impactful is the influence of the mass media in our daily lives that the Nigerian constitution makes specific provisions to protect and preserve this institution which the British statesman, Edmund Burke, had described in 1787 as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.

“Section 22 of the constitution states that ‘The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.’”

Ali said it was instructive to note that apart from the media, no other institution in Nigeria had been vested with the onerous constitutional watchdog responsibility of making government accountable to the people.

He said the framers of the constitution were interested in deepening the crucial role of mass media in promoting Nigeria’s pluralist democracy, good governance and ensuring that the government upheld the objectives contained in the directive principles of state policy.

“Of critical importance is the provision which talks about ensuring that ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’’’

According to Ali, it is clear from the provisions that the media has a role to play in promoting the economic well-being of Nigeria and its diverse people through good governance and adequate reportage of public policies.

“If there is agreement on this, how then can the media help in promoting good governance and by extension mitigate the current economic challenges in the country?’’

He said that one such means was by focusing on development journalism which highlighted the human condition and sought measures to uplift standard of living through monitoring certain defined indicators.

“Development journalism seeks to create awareness about socio-economic issues and the development initiatives to tackle them.

“The media also has an important role to play in promoting accountability and transparency in the conduct of government business.

“In this light, the media must remain in the vanguard of tracking the budgetary process to ensure that the Nigerian people get the actual value allocated in fiscal proposals,” he said.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dapo Olorunyomi, Publisher, Premium Times, said the stakeholders believed that journalists should serve as watchdogs to ensure honest and productive governance, while focusing their coverage on issues vital to advancing citizens and society.

Represented by Muskiliu Mojeed, Chief Operating Officer, Premium Times Group, Olorunyomi, said that the training was designed to help journalists with the skills needed to cover public policies, governance and democratic process in Nigeria which is Africa’s largest democracy.

“We believe that governance and policy reporting should be informed by a more profound knowledge and skill level of how governments work and how public policy decisions are taken.

“At the end of this training, we expect participants to develop deeper insights and understanding of the Nigerian system and how to deepen accountability in governance,” he said.

While declaring open the training, Asishana Okauru, Director-General, NGF, said that journalists played a vital role in crafting and shaping policies.

He said that journalists could potentially derail a well thought policy, as a result of poor messaging.

“It is therefore extremely important that we work together to better understand the policy value chain.

“For me, it will appear that in our environment, the implementation segment has been the weakest part of the entire policy value chain; this calls for patience and understanding,” he said.

Participants at the training were drawn from various media outfits in the country.

NAN/ Flowerbudnews

December 13, 2023
Alleged 2015 Zaria Massacre: IMN seeks prosecution of Buhari, El-Rufai, others

Abuja: The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as the Shi’ites, on Tuesday, demanded the investigation and prosecution of former President Muhammadu Buhari and ex-Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations bordering on the killings of scores of its members in Zaria.

Prof. Dauda Nalado of the Resource Forum of the IMN under the leadership of his Eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) at a press briefing to mark the eight years of the alleged atrocity, also fingered retired General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff, as a culprit.

Nalado, who said December 12, 2023 made it exactly eight years, called for prosecution of every individual involved in the act.

“Today is exactly eight years after the infamous Zaria Massacre initiated by Buhari, jointly executed and supervised by the duo of retired General Tukur Yusuf Buratai and former Kaduna state governor Nasir Elrufa’i, among other top actors.

“We gather here today to commemorate this massacre and reiterate our call for justice to the victims of the massacre, as well as assert to the world that the Islamic Movement is actually the victor at last.

“Our revered leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Ya’qoub Zakzaky (H), has mentioned and reiterated severally that “truth can never be crushed with a gun” and that “guns are for the cowards and the foolhardy.”

“Yes, we have lost more than a thousand of our dear and loved ones to the dastardly act of the state forces, yet we eventually emerged victorious” he said

He alleged that “the Buhari-led regime and the Nasir Elrufa’i-led Kaduna State Government embarked upon campaigns of calumny and filed concocted court charges against the leader and the movement.”

“All these had woefully failed. Today, it is crystal clear that the Zaria massacre was nothing but an unprecedented and unjustifiable injustice in the history of Nigeria, meted on our leader by the Buhari-led regime.

“It is on record that several competent courts of the land have either dismissed or discharged numerous cases brought before them by security agents against the disciples of the leader.

“In fact in some cases, compensations for damages were awarded by these courts for violating the fundamental rights of the Sheikh, his wife, and some of the followers.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, as you are all aware, tyranny and injustice never flourishes, and there is always a day of reckoning.

“We will never forget whatever oppression meted out to us. We will like to once again reiterate our call for Justice:

“That the masterminds and executors of the Zaria massacre be brought to account,” he said.

He thanked all those who have stood by them during the trying moments.(Flowerbudnews)

December 13, 2023
ATASP hails Gov. Mbah commitment to agriculture, release of N532m counterpart funds

By Flowerbudnews

Enugu: The Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase-One (ATASP-1), an intervention programme under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has hailed Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State for his genuine commitment towards agricultural transformation.

Dr. Romanus Egba, the Programme Coordinator, ATASP-1 Adani-Omor Staple Crops Implementation Zone, gave the commendation in a message issued on Tuesday in Enugu congratulating Gov. Mbah for recent release of N532 million counterpart funds to the programme.

The recently released N532 million is a seven years outstanding counterpart funds from Enugu State Government meant for the programme in the state.

According to Egba, this real and genuine commitment will lead to an exponential food production increase in the state within a few harvest seasons.

“Gov. Mbah has demonstrated a strong desire to use his administration’s policy initiatives to achieve sustainable agricultural development in the state with his massive investments and strategic partnership with relevant stakeholders aimed at achieving quantum food increase in the state.

“His Excellency, Gov. Mbah has shown to us that he is genuinely committed to supporting ATASP-1’s impactful development interventions in the state with the recent release of N532 million as seven years outstanding counterpart funds from Enugu government to the programme.

“He has demonstrated that he is a compassionate leader who understands the feelings and needs of farmers in Enugu State and is ready to improve their productive capacities, income generation and living standards,” he said.

Egba stressed that with such support, ATASP-1 would always be ready to help the farmers both in terms of training on Good Agronomics Practices (GAPs) and provision of infrastructure to enhance their agricultural activities.

“With the recent payment of the counterpart funds, ATASP 1 is now in a position to assist about 12,000 farmers in the state for the dry season farming, establish agro-processing centres in the state as well as complete its ongoing jobs in the state.

“We are highly encouraged by the positive disposition of Mbah administration towards agriculture and aggressive efforts to kick-start dry season rice farming in the state,” he said.

Egba also noted that the massive support from Mbah’s administration would go a long way in helping the programme achieve its mandate of increased food production, job creation and uplift of standard of living in the state and nation.

The programme coordinator disclosed that the programme had invested billions of naira in massive infrastructure development in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, considered as one of the major agrarian areas of the state.

He said that these massive infrastructural developments included: the Ada Rice Irrigation Canal Lining Project and construction of over 63 kilometres access road within the irrigation command area.

“The progamme also constructed the Two-Span Obinna Bridge, ultra-modern rice market, solar-panel borehole, health clinic and two-block of classrooms in a bid to enhance food production and quality of life in the area among others,” he added. (Flowerbudnews)

December 13, 2023
Troops raid IPOB/ESN camps in Anambra, naturalise one, recover firearms

By Flowerbudnews
Enugu: Troops of Exercise GOLDEN DAWN III has raided camps of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliates the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Orsumoghu general area of Anambra.

The troops, who achieved the feat in conjunction with personnel of the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Police and local vigilante operatives, also naturalised one armed ESN member and recovered one pump action rifle.

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday by Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, acting Deputy Director, 82 Division Army Public Relations.

Unuakhalu said that the raid was carried out on Monday, Dec 11, 2023 based on a timely and credible intelligence on activities of the dissident and outlawed group.

“During the raid operations, the gallant troops cleared and destroyed IPOB/ESN camps. One of the terrorists was naturalized while others escaped with gunshot wounds and one pump action rifle was recovered,” he said.

In the same vein, on Saturday, Dec. 9, troops on patrol along Orsumoghu-Ukpor Road in Ihiala Local Government Area in Anambra came in contact with members of the irredentist group.

“However, due to superior fire power the criminals were forced to abandon their location.

“Items recovered included: 27 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammunition, three locally made hand grenades, two handheld radios, one pair of NPF uniform, a fragmental jacket and charms,” he said.

The army spokesman recalled that Exercise GOLDEN DAWN III was recently flagged off in the South-East to complement the security architecture of the region during and after the yuletide period.

“The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Hassan Dada, therefore wishes to enjoin members of the public to support the Nigerian Army and other security agencies with credible information.

“The public should do this through the Emergency Telephone Line ‘193’ to enhance the fight against terrorism and other criminal activities.

“Citizens are also encouraged to go about their normal daily activities and businesses without fear of intimidation,” he added. (Flowerbudnews)

December 12, 2023
Senate unhappy with Information Ministry’s meager allocation in 2024

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate Committee on Information, has expressed reservation over meagre allocation for the Ministry of Information and National Orientation in the N27.5trillion 2024 budget.

Sen. Kenneth Eze, the Committee’s Chairman, said this when the Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris appeared for the 2024 budget defense on Tuesday in Abuja.

‘’This is not a budget that can be visible if we are telling our story as a country, there is no way we can go far, you have a great initiative on how you are going to transform the country in the area of information.

“I wonder how you are going to do that with these little resources.

“Information ministry is a very sensitive ministry that should be taken seriously and funded and if we are talking about the Renewed Hope Agenda that we want as a country, the information ministry should be at the forefront.

‘’It should be the image maker to sensitise the people, there is a widening gap between the government and there must be enough information to bridge in the gap,’’ he said.

Eze added: “I looked around in the budget, I didn’t see the Nigeria Press Council, APCON and other agencies, is the government telling us that the agencies are being scraped, that they can function without personnel,?
‘’Who will pay their salary? just few months ago, new DGs and Executive Secretaries were appointed.

”Hon. Minister, this is serious matter for the committee to look into and we shall surely do that.’’

The Minister had informed the senators that national values and attitudes re-orientation campaign under the aegis of National Values Charter (NVC), would be launched in 2024.

“It is the desire of the ministry to have a big national conversation around our values and attitudes re-orientation, so that Nigeria will at least rediscover itself and reclaim some of those values that had been eroded over the years, so we can have a better country for all of us.

‘’We also desired the launch of the national and international branding campaign for Nigeria to highlight and showcase its immense natural and cultural resources.

‘’We are also going to convene regular series of press briefings and media engagements for cabinet members and other senior government officials to avail Nigerians of what various ministries and agencies are doing, so that Nigerians will be carried along on what and what are the projects and programmes of the government.

‘’We also intend to invest resources in modernising the government information and communication management and regulatory system across the agencies like News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria Television Authority(NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria(FRCN),’’ he said.

He added that the N1billion allocated for the Ministry as capital expenditure in 2024, was not sufficient for the implementation of the programmes.

NAN

December 12, 2023
Labour fumes as FG stops N35,000 award payment

The organised Labour and the Federal Government are on a collision course over the government’s failure to sustain the payment of N35,000 wage award to workers.

Workers in the Federal Civil Service, in separate interviews with our correspondent on Monday, noted that the Federal Government only paid N35,000 wage award for September.

Following the removal of the fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu on his assumption of office, the Federal Government agreed to pay N35,000 to each of its workers to reduce the hardship caused by the subsidy removal.

The government, in a memo signed by the Chairman, National Salaries Wages and Income Commission, Ekpo Nta, stated that the payment of the wage award would begin to take effect from September 1, 2023.

However findings by our correspondent indicated that the government only paid the wage award for September.

A senior civil servant in one of the core ministries, departments and agencies said, “The wage award was only paid once and I assume that was the one for September. Since then, we have not received another. We all are confused as there has been no official communication from the government as regards the matter. We are all confused at the moment.”

Another civil servant, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said, “What you heard is true. We have not received anything else other than the initial wage award which was paid. The government cannot continue to let the citizens suffer. Our takehome salaries cannot even take us home any longer at this point.”

Also speaking with our correspondent, a civil servant in one of the Federal Government-owned schools in Abuja noted that the workers were only paid the wage award for one month.

“We only received for one month which I assume was for September. Though the peculiar allowance introduced by the former administration is still being paid alongside our salaries, we have not received any such thing as a wage award. The government needs to stop playing games with our emotions.

The Head of information at the Nigeria Labour Congress, Benson Upah, in an interview with our correspondent said, “This betrays the government’s dishonorable intentions and is completely unacceptable.”

When asked if the NLC would take action, he said, “Certainly, the congress will do something about this but what it will do will be dependent on the appropriate organs of the congress. On communication with the government, sure, we will. It usually precedes our actions.”

But the spokesperson for the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Monday allayed fears of civil servants. Mokwa noted that plans were ongoing to ensure that civil servants receive their wage awards.

“The process is ongoing. They will be paid. The process to pay the wage awards has commenced.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has budgeted N1tn for minimum wage adjustments, promotion arrears and severance benefits for civil servants, an analysis of the 2024 appropriation budget released by the Budget Office of the Federation has revealed.

This is as the head of information of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Upah further explained to our correspondent that the congress would kick against any form of imposition of a new minimum wage by the Federal Government.

Upah told The PUNCH in Abuja that negotiations had yet to commence, but he expressed optimism that talks on the new minimum wage would start soon.

“No, not yet but soon, I suppose,” Upah said when asked if the congress had received notice for the commencement of negotiations surrounding the new minimum wage.

Upah said, “ The national minimum wage law is a product of collective negotiation by all the critical stakeholders, workers, employers (plus private sector), and government. It cannot be fixed by fiat by any stakeholder. Thus, any unilateral action by any party will not only be presumptuous but contemptuous and injurious to other parties and will certainly be at variance with the law and principles governing this variant of minimum wage-setting procedure.”

December 12, 2023
BREAKING: Akeredolu proceeds on medical leave, transfers power to deputy

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu is expected to proceed on medical leave on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, as a follow-up to his medical treatment.

This was made known in a statement issued and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde in Akure.

Olatunde said that during his medical leave, the governor will prioritise his health and ensure a full recovery before resuming his official duties.

According to him, “a formal letter regarding the medical leave and a notice formally transferring power in line with the Nigerian Constitution will be transmitted to the House of Assembly.

“In the absence of Governor Akeredolu, the Deputy Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, will assume the responsibilities of the Governor in acting capacity.

“Governor Akeredolu expresses his gratitude for the unwavering support and affection of the people of Ondo State.

“He assures them that his administration remains committed to the path of progress and prosperity for the people.

“As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a widely respected Nigerian, Governor Akeredolu has consistently delegated power to his deputy during his annual vacations.

The statement added that “This practice was observed on April 1, 2021, April 1, 2022, April 3, 2023, and July 10, 2023, when he embarked on previous vacations.

December 12, 2023