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Friday, 17 February 2017 02:51

2018 census to capture religion, ethnicity - FG

The Federal Government has announced inclusion of religion and ethnicity in 2018 census data as against the conduct of the 2006 housing and population census. The government also announced release of over N775m for the conduct of Enumeration Area Demarcation exercise throughout the country in preparation for next year’s national population census. Our correspondent reports that the EAD involves the process of deploying high calibre technology to divide the country into small units that could be easily covered by a team of enumerators. The EAD exercise, slated for between February 20 and March 10 2017, also constitutes the foundation on…

Friday, 17 February 2017 02:50

State House justifies N95m for bullet-proof tyres, N604m for sewage

Permanent Secretary of the State House, Jalal Arabi yesterday explained the provision of N95 million for bullet proof tyres and N604 million for sewage and electricity charges in State House this year. Defending the 2017 budget of the state House when he appeared before Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Arabi said the State House owes Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) N552 million and sewage charges of N52.8 million. “There is a proposal for the sum of N52.8 million in the 2017 budget. The Committee may wish to be informed that the bills received from Abuja Environment Protection…

Thursday, 16 February 2017 18:06

Why we blocked Ekiti funds – FG

The Federal Government on Thursday said the January allocation from the Budget Support Facility (BSF) to Ekiti State was suspended because the state failed to comply with the basic requirements for participating in the facility. A statement by the Ministry of Finance signed by the Director of Information, Salisu Dambata, said the BSF is a conditional loan programme to state governments introduced to enhance fiscal prudence, transparency, efficiency in public expenditure and payment of salaries. Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, had on Tuesday accused Federal Ministry of Finance of withholding the state’s statutory allocation for January for political reasons.…

Thursday, 16 February 2017 03:07

Buhari: No cause for alarm, says Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki, who led a team of National Assembly leaders to visit President Muhammadu Buhari in London, said at the end of the visit: “there is no cause for alarm” His statement was meant to douse apprehensions and speculations in Nigeria about President Buhari’s health. And after meeting the President today, Saraki declared: “The president I saw today is healthy, witty and himself…he is doing well, was cheerful and in good spirits”. With Saraki on the trip were Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and majority leader in the Senate, Ahmed Lawan. Here is Saraki’s statement: “Myself,…

Thursday, 16 February 2017 03:06

FIRS raked in N3.3 trillion in 2016

Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) made N3.303 trillion in 2016, its chairman Babatunde Fowler disclosed in Lagos, shredding earlier reports of the revenue made for the central government by the agency. Earlier reports had said the agency only raked in between N1.2 trillion and N2trillion for the year, as against N2.92trillion made in 2015. The new figure reported by Fowler shows that the agency beat 2015 figure, but failed to meet the N5billion target set by the Federal Government for the 2016 budget. Mr Fowler disclosed the new figure at a breakfast meeting of PEDABO, a tax, audit and advisory…

Thursday, 16 February 2017 03:04

Fayose at finance ministry, demands payment of N1.1bn allocation

Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Wednesday visited headquarters of Federal Ministry of Finance and demanded release of the state’s N1.1bn budget support facility for the month of January. Fayose visited the ministry and requested to see the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, over the non-payment of the allocation but was told that the finance minister was at the Presidential Villa attending the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting. Addressing journalists at the ministry, Fayose claimed that Ekiti was the only state that had yet to receive its January allocation. The governor said that he received a text message…

Thursday, 16 February 2017 02:55

Rep member, Bello Sani is dead

Speaker Yakubu Dogara on Wednesday mourned the passing of a lawmaker from Katsina State, Bello Sani. Mr. Sani, who until his death represented Mashi/Dvisi Federal Constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, died Wednesday morning. He was 51. “Our late colleague was humane, principled and a cosmopolitan who interacted freely with all members,” the Speaker said in a statement while condoling with his family. Mr. Sani is the second lawmaker to die in office within the last one year, coming months after Adewale Oluwatayo from Lagos State died in Abuja. Abubakar Adamu, an aide to the late lawmaker,…

Wednesday, 15 February 2017 17:29

Saraki, Dogara, others jet out to visit Buhari in London

Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki has led the leadership of both the Senate and House of Representatives on a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari who has been on vacation in London. Senate President Saraki who left Nigeria in the early hours of Wednesday, travelled with the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuf and Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan. A source told Vanguard that the team which left on a presidential jet, would meet with President Buhari at 6pm where issues relating to his health, Nigeria, the economy, the 2017 budget,…

Wednesday, 15 February 2017 17:26

More hardship for Nigerians as inflation rate hits 18.72%

Hopes that the Consumer Price Index which measures inflation would reduce soon following promises by government were dashed as the index increased by 18.72 per cent (year-on-year) in January 2017. National Bureau of Statistics in its CPI report released on Wednesday in Abuja said the 18.72 per cent rise in inflation rate is 0.17 percentage points higher than the18.55 per cent recorded in December 2016. It said, “The Consumer Price Index which measures inflation increased by 18.72 per cent year-on-year in January 2017, 0.17 percentage points higher from the rate recorded in December 2016 18.55 per cent.” The NBS report…

Wednesday, 15 February 2017 17:19

FG, Labour agree to review minimum wage

President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, says the Federal Government and the organised Labour movement in the country have reached a consensus to review the National Minimum Wage. Wabba, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the consensus was reached during the sitting of the Technical Committee on Palliatives. He said the committee was meant to look into the framework to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians and cushion the effect of the increase in the price of fuel. He also noted that the report of the…

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Wednesday, 15 February 2017 17:06

Outrage as N145b questionable items remain in 2017 budget

There is the fear that a huge part of the funds borrowed to execute the 2017 budget may end up in private pockets, as no less than 276 questionable items from 55 agencies still remain in the document. The controversial items, estimated at nearly half of the $1billion Eurobond proceeds, appear in the form of duplications, repetitions and inexplicable headings in the 2017 budget. The expected budget performance and national development will remain elusive, while the country would have committed future generations into debt that benefitted a few individuals who diverted the funds into their private pockets. Moreover, the provisions…

Wednesday, 15 February 2017 17:02

Nigerian Libya returnees tell dark stories of rape and torture

Nigerian returnees from Libya have appealed to federal and state governments to provide job opportunities for Nigerian youths to prevent them from endangering their lives looking for greener pasture abroad. Some of the returnees told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos, that they decided to leave the country because they were jobless. They said that they travelled to Libya with the hope of crossing to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea in search of jobs. On Feb.14, 161 Nigerians returned voluntarily from Libya. They were assisted back home by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) after being…

Wednesday, 15 February 2017 03:09

Up to $100 billion lost from oil militant attacks - FG

Nigeria lost between $50 billion and $100 billion in oil revenues to militant attacks on installations last year, the country's petroleum minister said Tuesday. At their worst point, the attacks cut production to 1.2 million barrels a day - a loss of 1 million barrels a day, Ibe Kachikwu said in a video posted on social media. The video announced a 20-point plan to end decades of insurgency through investment in social and infrastructure development in the oil-rich Niger Delta. Militants say careless oil production has impoverished residents by destroying agriculture and fishing grounds. Kachikwu promised to work with state…

Wednesday, 15 February 2017 03:07

Nothing to show that S’East is part of Nigeria –Okorocha

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State yesterday dispensed with partisan considerations to broach issues of core interest to the Igbo nation when Acting President Yemi Osibanjo visited the state on strategic consultations. The governor detailed account of marginalization of people of the South-East and Imo State in particular by the present Muhammadu Buhari administration. Okorocha regretted that the region has been grossly shortchanged on many fronts, particularly in the areas of appointments and allocation of Federal Government projects. His words: “No other group in Nigeria that had invested as much into our nationhood can sing the song of marginalisation as…

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