The play ground is rough

Good one

Mr Onoja

Good

.

Na true talk

Hmmm

A federal government delegation led by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan arrived in Maiduguri, Borno State by mid-day on Monday on a condolence visit over the killing of farmers at the weekend by terrorists.

This is according to a statement by Ola Awoniyi, Lawan’s media aide.

He said members of the delegation include the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Ministers of Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, Communications and Digital Economy, Ali Pantami and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Baba Shehuri.

Other members are the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno(rtd) and Senior Special Assistant(Media and Publicity) to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu.

The delegation, according to the statement, was received on arrival at the Airport by the Borno State Deputy Governor, Usman Umar Gadafu.

The delegation is in Borno, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government, to commiserate and identify with the family of the victims, the Government and the people of Borno State over the incident.

https://dailytrust.com/fgs-delegation-in-borno-on-condolence-visit-over-killing-of-farmers

blame devil

money!

Oshio baba

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, said the outbreak of the coronavirus had threatened to derail the progress recorded on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country.

Buhari spoke at the virtual inaugural SDGs Moment convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, during the high-level week of the 75th UN General Assembly.

The president, however, said Nigeria was addressing the threat by re-dedicating efforts towards economic diversification, focusing on agriculture and the mining sectors.

‘’Nigeria has made good strides in SDGs domestication processes, as we have commenced the re-alignment of the National Statistical System with the requirements and indicators of the SDGs.

‘’We have developed a novel home-grown ‘Integrated Sustainable Development Goals Model, as an analytical framework for assessing how policy making can better address the indivisible nature of the Sustainable Development Goals.

‘’Nigeria has also set up a Model Private Sector Advisory Group and SDGs Donors’ Forum with a view to engaging critical stakeholders towards the attainment of the SDGs,” he said.

President Buhari, in his video message to the meeting, provided an update on SDG progress in the country, setting out Nigeria’s vision for the next decade in fighting poverty, combating illicit financial flows and ensuring economic recovery amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Buhari said Nigeria would engage the services of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members across the country and 17 SDGs Ambassadors to champion the implementation of SDGs 2030 at the grassroots, according to a statement issued Friday by his spokesman, Femi Adesina.

Source: https://dailytrust.com/covid-19-threatened-sdgs-buhari

hmmm

ano State House of Assembly has passed a law making the Emir of Kano chairman of the “council of chiefs” and ending the issue of rotating the position.

In 2019, the House approved the creation of four additional Emirate Councils, bringing the number of First Class Emirs in the state to five: Gaya; Karaye, Rano, Bichi and the existing Kano Emirate Council.

Majority Leader of the House, Kabiru Dashi, said, “In the new law, the number of kingmakers has also increased from four to five members, to allow for free and fair election of a new emir whenever there is vacancy.

“We have four kingmakers in each of the Emirate Councils, in the case of death or removal, we are trying to avoid a situation where two will support and two will reject.

“By increasing the number to five; it must be free and fair while electing an emir. And also, the new law will provide a three day deadline for the election of a new emir,” he said.

Dashi added that the amended law had also changed the title of the Council of Chiefs, to be refer as the Council of Emirs.

The lawmakers after considering the amendment at the Committee of the Whole, adopted the amendment to the bill.

The House also approved the appointment of Dr Garba Shehu, as the Executive Secretary, Kano State Education Development Support Fund. (NAN)

Source: https://dailytrust.com/new-law-makes-emir-of-kano-head-of-council-of-chiefs

Sai baba

hmm

The House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has summoned the Minister of Niger Delta Affair, Sen. Godswill Akpabio to respond to allegation of N81.5 billion irregular expenditure in the NDDC. The committee also summoned the acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei and the Managing Director of AHR Global Service Ltd among others.

The resolution was reached at the ongoing investigative hearing on the alleged N40 billion irregular expenditure on Friday in Abuja. The summon was sequel to the refusal of the officials to honour an invitation to appear and respond to allegations of wrongdoing.

The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Olubumi Tunji-Ojo (APC-Ondo) ruled that they should appear unfailingly on Monday, July 20. Earlier, Mr Johnson Kolawole, the Head, Directorate of Research and Programmes, Act for Positive Transformation Initiative, NGO, accused the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC of gross abuse of budget implementation process. He stated that the IMC had expended over N80 billion between January 2020 and May 2020 as against the N22 billion repeatedly portrayed by the IMC.

He said that the 2019 Appropriation Act as passed by the National Assembly provided for some emergency projects across the state in the region with an additional N800 million as emergency contingency sum. According to him, the IMC has spent N20 billion on emergency road repairs; there are fraudulent cases of contract inflation and non-implementation.

“How would they explain the payment of N13.6 million for consultancy on the construction of ‘infant Jesus’? The said payment went into a Zenith Bank account number 1014119683. “On May 19, 2020, the IMC paid a firm 39.375 Million Naira as consultancy fee for rebuttal. What a waste!

“The company had earlier received 34 Million naira into its Zenith Bank account number 1012613187 for ‘consultancy on reputation management for NDDC’. “Same day, when businesses and countries were closing their doors, the same company, Clear Point Communication Ltd was paid N34 million for ‘Niger Delta Development Forum in Washington DC, USA’ and another N32.9 million for ‘Summit on NDDC and Investment Opportunities in Dorchester, London’, same day.

“There was no evidence of implementation of above contracts. Money paid went to private individuals; this ad hoc committee can call for the account statements of the firm to verify this. “Same company received into same account a sum of 536 Million Naira for “campaign to save lives” in the Niger Delta on April 23, 2020.

“The payment was broken into 16 units to divert attention. Again, the money went into private pockets, some staffs of the commission were beneficiaries.

“May 22nd, another N641 million was paid to the same company for media support for forensic audit as though a forensic audit was meant to be a media affair,” he said. Kolawale alleged that monies meant for students on scholarship abroad were being diverted into a private account of the IMC.

Ms Joy Nunih, former acting Managing Director NDDC told the committee that only N8 billion of the said N81.5 billion spent between October 2019 to May 2020 was spent under her watch. Nunih said that she was under pressure by Akpabio to abuse processes and to engage in financial recklessness.

She said that she prepared documents for the forensic audit mandated by President Muhammadu Buhari before she was forced out of office. She revealed that the lead consultant procured to carry out the forensic audit did not follow due process as it breached constitutional requirements.

Nunih also said that no reputable auditing firm in Nigeria is among the nine sub-auditing firms already engaged to carry out the job. She explained that none of the firms had carried out any forensic audit in the last four years as mandated by the Constitution.

Nunih recommended that the President and the National Assembly should ensure the procurement of forensic auditors should follow due process as otherwise could bring the process to disrepute.

She said that the forensic auditors should look into staff recruitment process and qualifications as professionals and experts in the commission are insufficient. She urged the Inspector General of Police to investigate and arrest Akpabio for forcing her to take an oath of secrecy.

In his ruling, Tunji-Ojo said that the committee had not indicted anybody and that all accused should appear for fair hearing. He said that the committee is not out to witch-hunt but to bring out the facts and reposition the NDDC for better service delivery. (NAN)

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nddc-probe-reps-committee-summons-akpabio-nddc-md-others.html

b

Double wahala for death body

Corruption is increasing day by day

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Thursday expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the House of Representatives for supporting her candidacy for the position of Director General of the World Trade Organisation( WTO).

”I want to also thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, and the Nigerian ambassadors to Switzerland, WTO as well as the Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva,” she said.

Okonjo-Iweala, who stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Geneva, also thanked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for endorsing her candidacy as the race for the WTO top job enters the selection phase.

The former Nigerian minister of finance is vying for the top job alongside candidates from Kenya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia. UK, Moldova, Mexico, and the Republic of Korea. All the candidates are in Geneva to make presentations to the WTO General Council and address the press from July 15 – 17.

The former Finance Minister, who on Wednesday urged the WTO to elect its Director General based on merit, told NAN that given her experience as a development economist, she was best suited for the job.

”People ask me often what best qualifies you for the job – I think the WTO needs leadership. It cannot continue to do what it did before. ”If it’s to stay as one of the premier institutions of the 21st century, it needs strong leadership which is a quality I have”

”It needs knowledge of trade which I have for being a development economist which my entire career is built around. It needs someone with political skills and international connections that can reach policy makers in all countries- and I have that owing my 35 years of experience “The job needs someone who listens – and I’m a good listener and lastly someone who is solution oriented and pragmatic.

”I have experience in all sectors ranging from the public to private sectors and international civil societies as well as from multilateral organisations” “If you put all these together , you will see I’m best qualified for the job,” She stressed. NAN reports that the second phase of the selection process, in which candidates would make themselves known to members will end on Sept. 7.

Similarly, the third phase which is the consultation process would commence same day.

At the forthcoming consultation, Chairman of the General Council alongside Chairs of the Dispute Settlement Body and the Trade Policy Review Body would consult with all the WTO members to determine which candidate is best placed to attract a consensus support.

Meanwhile, WTO’s outgoing Director General Mr Roberto Azevêdo would retire in August this year after serving two terms of seven years.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/wto-okonjo-iweala-thanks-buhari-ecowas-others.html

k

Oh God help our soldiers finish this war strong and healthy

APC

He developed his pocket not North