₦airaland Forum

Abuja - Buhari Vanguard, the
pressure group, has asked
President Goodluck Jonathan's
administration to account for
the allocation of funds for
security amid concern forces
were not adequately funded to
fight terror.
According to a statement
signed by its Chairman, Jasper
Iyke Azuatalam, the group said
Nigerians deserved to know
how "huge" amount of money
allocated for defense and
security have been spent under
his government.
“There is urgent need for
President Goodluck Jonathan
and his government to give
detailed account of security
allocations over these years
that he has piloted and
supervised the affairs of
Nigeria as the President and
Commander in Chief of the
Armed forces. The best time to
do so is now,” he said.
The group added that the
rampaging insurgence in the
country and revelations
government requested $1
billion loan to fund the war
against terror warranted a
probe.
Azuatalam said a few days ago,
Minister of State for Defense,
Musiliu Obanikoro, revealed
that the government had not
made major acquisitions of
equipment, ammunition and
platforms for the country’s
armed forces in the past 25
years.
"Such revelation from a serving
Minister of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria is coming after the
government allocated and
spent N92,21 billion ($5,9478
billion) in 2012 from the 2012
national budget."
It is said in 2013, the
Government allocated and
spent about N950 billion on
national security purposes.
This, according to the pressure
group, comprised N320 billion
for the police, and N364 billion
for the Armed Forces, N115
billion for the Office of the NSA,
and N154 billion for the
Ministry of the Interior.
A breakdown of the 2014
budget also shows that the
President Jonathan's
government allocated
N968,127 billion for Defense
and Security representing
about 20 percent of the entire
national budget.
According to Aazuatalam, it
was "unbelievable" that
government claimed it was ill-
equipped in fighting terror.
“We are left to wonder what
this huge amount of money
has been used for, over these
years,” he said.
- CAJ News

Abuja - Cross River State has
commenced the distribution of
agricultural inputs to farmers in
the region ahead of the plating
season.
The Ministry of Agriculture and
Natural Resources in
collaboration with the Federal
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development have commenced
the exercise.
Speaking at the commencement
of the exercise at Odukpani
Redemption Centre in Calabar,
Edu Ada Emmanuel, Head Growth
Enhancement Support (GES)
called on benefiting farmers to
make use of the agro inputs to
boost oil palm production and be
ready to key into the state
government’s policies on
Agriculture.
She informed the farmers that,
with the successful flag-off of the
exercise, farmers are entitled to
50 oil palm seedlings, one bag of
50kg fertilizer and 1 litre of
herbicide.
The Desk Officer handling oil
palm, Ubana Ubi Bassey, enjoined
farmers to make good use of the
agro inputs.
He added that the government
had subsidized all the inputs and
farmers were to pay N6 300 only
for the three items.
- CAJ News

Bayelsa State
government has announced its
finances are in a healthy state
having declared the sum of N2
billion as the total amount
available in its coffers.
This follows deductions of
recurrent and capital
expenditures spanning three
months.
State Deputy Governor,
Gboribiogha John Jonah,
disclosed the figures during
the monthly transparency
initiative briefing.
He noted that salaries for civil
servants over the three months
amounted to over N11,66
billion while those of political
appointees was N1,3 billion.
Payment of the N18 000
minimum wage arrears for civil
servants came up to N377,77
million.
According to Jonah, statutory
allocation for the three months
was over N12,45 billion but
there was no fund from the
excess crude account and
augmentation during the
period.
On derivation from the
federation account, he
explained that N32,56 million
was received while
government got N1,85 billion
as proceeds from value added
tax for the three months.
Jonah said the declaration of
the state’s monthly income and
expenditure was in line with
the administration’s policy of
transparency and
accountability.
He reiterated his
administration’s commitment
to probity and accountability.
The deputy governor said the
state is living up to its billing,
which include provision of
infrastructure, human capacity
building and improving state’s
internally generated revenue.
- CAJ News

Rio de Janeiro - Andre Santos, a
defender with struggling
Brazilian top flight side
Flamengo, was attacked by
fans following Sunday's 4-0
thrashing by Internacional in
what his club called a
"cowardly" act.
The loss left the once proud Rio
side bottom of the table after a
run of just one win in 11
games.
The fans lay in wait for Santos,
who played for English Premier
League side Arsenal from
2011-13, after the game in
Porto Alegre and kicked and
punched him, he revealed, as
the team prepared to fly back
to Rio.
"I was kicked and punched. I
was on my own save for a
security guard. The police
arrived straight away and
helped me a lot but I received a
lot of blows before I could get
into the coach," he told Globo.
The club issued a statement
condemning the incident,
which came five months after
fans invaded training facilities
of Sao Paulo side Corinthians
and attacked players after a
loss to Santos.
Rio side Botafogo also saw
angry fans descend on a recent
training session.
"There have been various such
cases in our country but we
have to take them seriously.
Yesterday it happened to me --
but it could happen to
anybody," said Santos.

Nigeria 3 vs Ethopia 1. Up naija, but if we win we go win dat world cup or not?