Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, signing the 2017 Appropriation Bill into law at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, today, June 12. He is flanked by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, House of Reps Speaker, Hon Yakubu Dogara; SSAP to National Assembly, Senator Ita Enang, Minister of Budget, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma and Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari. [myad]
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has looked into the crystal ball and predicts that Nigeria is set to fully recover from the economic recession it had ben plunged into for the major part of this yeasr.
According to him: “Our path to progress and abundance is clear. The tools are in place and the resilient, resourceful and hardworking Nigerian people are set to go.”
Professor Osinbajo spoke today, at Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after signing the 2017 appropriation bill into law.
His speech is reproduced her:
A few minutes ago, I signed the 2017 Appropriations Bill into law. This is an important milestone in our economic recovery and Growth plan laid in April by President Muhammadu Buhari.
I would like to express my appreciation to the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as well as the entire leadership and members of the National Assembly for completing work on the 2017 Appropriation Bill. And I will return to this point presently.
The process of preparing and processing this Bill was much smoother than the 2016 Appropriations Bill. On the executive side, there were no allegations of errors, or mistakes, and there was a significant improvement in the quality of the preparation, as well as the presentation.
I wish to commend the Ministry of Budget and Planning for such a remarkable improvement over a single budget cycle.
On the side of the National Assembly, I wish to commend the collaborative spirit of the engagements our MDAs had with their various committees, and with the leadership, during the budget defence sessions. There were far fewer reported cases of acrimony, or hostile wrangling this year, than in the past.
From the reports we received, the sessions were generally conducted in a friendly atmosphere. There is no doubt that our democracy is maturing.
However, the final presentation and the signing of the budget has been considerably delayed. This was largely due to disagreements we had about the changes introduced to our 2017 Budget proposals by the National Assembly.
The executive took the view that the changes fundamentally affected some of our priority programmes and would make implementation extremely difficult and in some cases impossible.
I must say that the entire leadership of the National Assembly led by the Senate President and the Speaker, adopted a commendably patriotic and statesmanlike approach to our engagements on resolving these critical issues.
In sum, the engagements yielded acceptable results . The most important being that the leadership of the National Assembly has given us a commitment that the National Assembly will re-instate the budgetary allocations for all the important executive projects, such as the railway standard gauge projects, the Mambilla Power Project, the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway etc. which they had reduced to fund some of the new projects they introduced.
This re-instatement will be by way of an application for virement by the Executive which they have agreed will be expeditiously considered and approved by the National Assembly.
It is as a result of that understanding and the outcome of our detailed engagements that we feel able to sign the 2017 Appropriations Bill into law today.
I am also pleased to mention that, in our discussions with the leadership of the National Assembly, we have jointly resolved to return to a predictable January to December fiscal year.
It is a particularly important development because this accords with the financial year of most private sector companies, underscoring the crucial relationship between government and the private sector.
Therefore, on the understanding that we will be submitting the 2018 Budget to the National Assembly by October 2017, the leadership of the National Assembly has committed to working towards the passage of the 2018 Budget into law before the end of 2017. I must, once more, express my appreciation to the leadership of the National Assembly, for the collaborative spirit in which these discussions were conducted.
The 2017 Budget, which I have signed into law today, is christened “Budget of Economic Recovery and Growth” and reflects our commitment to ensure strong linkage between the medium-term Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) recently launched by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and the annual budgets.
It is designed to bring the Nigerian economy out of recession unto a path of sustainable and inclusive growth. The budget has a revenue projection of N5.08 trillion and an aggregate expenditure of N7.44 trillion. The projected fiscal deficit of N2.36 trillion is to be financed largely by borrowing.
Let me assure those who have expressed concern about the growing public debt that we are taking several actions to grow government revenues as well as plug revenue leakages. This is because, notwithstanding the fact that our borrowings are still within sustainability limits, we are determined, in the medium term, to reduce our reliance on borrowings to finance our expenditures.
Details of the budget, as approved by the National Assembly, will be made available by the Honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning.
As you are all aware, our economy is already signaling a gradual recovery as growth is headed towards positive territory. First quarter GDP, at -0.52% compares favourably with -2.06% in the first quarter of 2016.
Inflation is declining – down to 17.24% from 18.74% as at May 2016. Our external reserves are now US$30.28 billion as at June 8, 2017 up from US$26.59 billion as at May 31, 2016.
We are also gradually instilling confidence in our exchange rate regime. This improvement in GDP growth and other macro-economic indicators is largely attributable to our strategic implementation of the 2016 Budget as well as stronger macroeconomic management and policy coordination.
I am confident that the 2017 Budget will deliver positive economic growth and prosperity – one that is self-sustaining and inclusive. In this regard, the 2017 budget will be implemented in line with our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.
Over the 2017-2020 plan period, we are focusing on five (5) key execution priorities, namely:
*Stabilizing the macroeconomic environment;
*Agriculture and Food security;
*Energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products;
*Improved transportation infrastructure; and
*Industrialization through support for micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs).
The 2017 budget includes provisions that reflect these priorities.
To demonstrate our commitment to following through our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, the 2017 budget allocates over N2 trillion to capital expenditure, principally infrastructure.
For instance, we are committing over N200 billion to improve transport infrastructure such as roads and rail; over N500 billion for investments in works, power, and housing; and N46 billion for Special Economic Zone Projects to be set up in each geopolitical zone.
The signing of the budget today will trigger activities in the domestic economy which will lead to job creation and more opportunities for employment, especially for our youth. And, as I indicated earlier, we will be returning to the National Assembly to seek upward adjustments by way of virements in relation to a number of critical projects which have received inadequate provision in the budget just passed by the National Assembly.
We acknowledge that government alone cannot achieve the overarching goal of delivering inclusive growth; that is why the 2017 budget provides a lot of opportunities for partnerships with the private sector.
To help the private sector thrive, we are determined to create an enabling business environment. We are already recording verifiable progress across several areas ranging from a new Visa-on-Arrival scheme to reforms at our ports and regulatory agencies.
The Online business registration process has reduced time required for business registration from 10 to 2 days. It is expected that the Executive Order on transparency and efficiency in the business environment will make it even easier for investors to get the permits and licenses they require for their businesses.
Pursuant to our commitments to the Open Government Partnership, we recently issued an Executive Order that will promote budget transparency, accountability and efficiency. We want to make the Federal budget work more efficiently for the people.
Thus, beyond the huge provisions for investments in critical infrastructure, we have mandated Government agencies to spend more of their budgets on locally produced goods. This will open more opportunities for job creation with benefits for government in form of tax revenues.
We are also working hard to improve our revenue collection efficiency so that we can achieve our revenue projections. While we are deploying technological tools to enhance collections, the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) will continue to contribute significantly to improving transparency and accountability over government revenues.
Our fight against corruption is yielding positive results. Some of the recoveries are included in the 2017 Budget which will be expended on identifiable capital projects.
Already, we are beginning to see some improvement in the quality of public expenditure. This is great motivation for us to remain resolute in our fight against corruption so that economic prosperity is enjoyed by all Nigerians.
Let me reiterate that the implementation of our 2017 Budget will bring added impetus to our ongoing economic recovery. We will intensify our economic diversification efforts in our bid to expand opportunities for wealth creation and employment, thereby creating inclusive and sustainable growth.
I have no doubt that by the grace of God, the bleakness of recession is about to witness the uplifting dawn of abundance.
God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria. [myad]
The People’s Republic of China has made a financial donation of Sixty Million Naira to Future Assured, a None Governmental Organisation which is being promoted by Aisha Buhari, qife of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Hajo who represented the wife of the President at the event, expressed appreciation for the support and goodwill of the People’s Republic of China, saying the donation will reach its intended beneficiaries.
Dr. Hajo highlighted the effort being made by wife of the President to raise funds to support Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria as well as refugees and other victims of insurgency across the West African sub region, especially among countries of the Lake Chad Basin. She said the donation will transcend the borders of Nigeria.
Presenting the donation, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Lin Jin, said Future Assured has made tremendous impact in promoting the health and well-being of women, children and the vulnerable, and succeeded in making a difference in the lives of these people. This, he said, is worthy of emulation.
“The Embassy pays great attention that its bilateral relationships should benefit people from all walks of life” said Mr. Jin.[myad]
Mr. Jin said Future Assured needs to be supported in order for its activities to reach more beneficiaries.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of the cheque to Dr. Hajo Sani.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has lamented that the Nigeria system of justice is under siege, with particular reference to the fight against corruption.
According to him, the vast majority of Nigerians are confused about the system of justice, especially in its response to the stealing of public resources.
“How, for example, does it take so long to prove in court that a man earning a civil servants salary has billions in his bank accounts? The gradual loss of confidence in our administration of justice system is a real threat to social cohesion.”
The acting President made these remarks today, Monday, when he spoke at the opening Session of the Golden Jubilee of the NIgerian Association of Law Teacher with theme- Law, Security and National Development held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka in , Anambra State.
“Our system of justice is clearly under siege; most of it is self-inflicted – delays by counsel, weak control of proceedings by courts, and corrupt practices, a subject which in and of itself is a matter of serious concern.”
On corruption, Professor Osinbajo said that almost daily, one hears on radio and read on social media how easy it is to jail a man who stole a goat or a phone within months and how difficult it is to prosecute a public officer who has stolen billions of public funds.”
He insisted that Nigerians should redefine the offence of corruption and the approach to its prosecution, “taking into account, its profoundly destructive impact on lives and property. Such an offence is worse than homicide; it is a crime against humanity. The approach of the trials must be time bound.”
Acting President Osinbajo said that many judicial systems more often than not, in serious cases part of the reason why bail is not easily granted is because the trials are time bound and usually not longer than six weeks. Dilatory tactics on the part of lawyers is sternly viewed, adjournments are usually not allowed or if so at great financial and professional cost to the lawyers on either side.
“Today, the most obvious cases of corruption are interminably delayed; indeed the strategy of many defence counsels is delay. In a recent UNODC study, about 43% of judicial officers surveyed reported that the main causes of excessive delay in our courts were “ploy by parties”, “requests for unnecessary adjournments” and “interlocutory applications to protract proceedings” and it was similarly found that most adjournments were caused by the absence of the accused, the defendant, their lawyers or of a witness.
“This suggests that the stakeholders in the justice sector are mostly responsible for the problem of delay in the administration of justice. The delays in our system of justice are becoming a source of derision of our trial system by judges in other jurisdictions.
“In 2014 for example, an English Court of Appeal decision- IPCO (Nigeria) Limited v. Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation [2014] EWHC 576 (Comm), the Court ruled that a pending challenge in a Nigerian court to a US$340 million award should not be a bar to enforcement in London, because the Nigerian proceedings could take “up to a generation” to be resolved. The Court also described the Nigerian judicial system as being bedeviled by “catastrophic” delays.
“We, as law teachers, must ask ourselves whether our legal system can survive and serve its purposes to society without a serious and incisive rethink and reconsideration.
“So, how should the state react to our other security challenges, the Boko Haram terrorist activities in the North East, tensions in the Niger Delta, herdsmen and farmer clashes, and threats of secession and counter threats of forced excision. In addition are the overarching issues of poverty, unemployment and corruption.”
Professor Osinbajo wanted the leaders to recognize that a lot of these agitations center around the alleged failures of the state to create an inclusive society under existing constitutional arrangements, to guarantee the security of lives, livelihoods and liberties by the agencies charged with maintaining law and order and to build trust around the rule of law and the system of administration of justice.” [myad]
“MASSOB had existed for 18 years without violence, but in 2009, I went to London and opened Radio Biafra and handed it over to Nnamdi Kanu as the director. Soon afterwards, politicians hijacked him, and he started working for them.”
These were the words of the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Ralph Uwazurike, when he led a delegation of Igbo leaders from the South East to meet with some youth groups in Kaduna today, Monday.
Uwazurike said that the radio that was meant to educate Igbo people was turned into the source of hate messages, blackmail, intimidation and others.
“The resultant effect was that the northern youths came up to challenge us, to say that they are not happy with the hate messages and the insults they receive from the same radio.
“I am here today to say that the main purpose of floating the organisation called MASSOB was not to cause crisis in Nigeria.
“I assured the late Odumegu Ojukwu when he was alive that there would be no other civil war in Nigeria.
“Because he, Ojukwu was so concerned and wanted some measure of assurance from me that MASSOB would not cause problems in Nigeria and I gave him that assurance.
“And I am today disappointed, that the assurances I gave may not see the light of the day, if certain measures were not taken, and that is why I am here in Arewa House today.”
He assured of the safety of the northerners resident in the South East and urged them to continue with their businesses in the area.
“I am here to assure you northerners that all your people in the South East are safe and nobody will harass them.
“And, I am happy to hear my friend, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, who assured of the safety of lives and property of Nd’Igbo in Northern region.”
Uwazurike said that the crisis in the country was being manipulated by politicians and urged the youth not to allow themselves to be used.
He said that it is right for any part of the country to seek self determination but that it is wrong to pursue same through violent means.
“Self determination without violence is a fundamental right, we must strive against sowing the seed of discord but do all that will promote peace and justice.
“There is a gap of communication from our leaders which needs to be bridged, hence we are meeting with notable leaders in the north to persuade them that there is no cause for alarm.“
The convener of the meeting,
Major Hamza Al-Mustapha said that the meeting was held in response to the recent quit notice by some Northern groups to Igbos living, in order to douse tension.
Al-Mastapha, who was the former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, Sani Abacha, said that the youths need to wear their thinking caps, use their brains and refuse to be used in fomenting any form of crisis in the country.
He said that the current events may not be unconnected with external forces wanting to see Nigeria disintegrate.
Al-Mustapha also cautioned the youth against making statements that would further cause tension in the country, in spite of the unpleasant comments from IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
He appealed to the Kaduna State Government and the Inspector General of Police to withdraw the arrest threat on the youth leaders who issued the Kaduna Declaration.
Source: NAN. [myad]
Angry residents of Abata Nsugbe area in Anambra state who destroyed The God’s Foundation Life Bible Ministry were shocked to discover that it is a shrine.
Information showed that Charms and other diabolical items were found in the supposed church, which was destroyed after the church’s senior pastor allegedly beat his landlady to death for dare to ask him to pay his annual rent.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, the diabolical charms and human skulls were displayed while residents of the area rain curses on the pastor.
A voice was heard saying in Igbo language: “post it on Facebook immediately for the whole world to see.”
The pastor is reported to be on the run.
The state Police Relations Officer, Nkiruka Nwode, confirmed the incidence, saying that the police are already in search of the pastor who called himself “Spiritual man.” [myad]
Nasir Ahmad El-RufaiThe Kaduna State Government has embarked on mass sack of traditional rulers follwong the restructuring of districts and village units aimed at reducing the burden that a bloated payroll imposes on local government councils.
The process, which saw the State reverting to the 77 districts and 1,429 village units that existed prior to 2001, relived 313 District Heads and 4,453 Village Heads of their appointments.
State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Alhaji Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, told news men today, Sunday at a news briefing in the state capital that said that the development will empower the councils to be able to undertake capital projects and deliver public goods.
Jafaru Sani said that the state government reverted to the 77 districts and 1,429 village units that existed prior to 2001 after consultation with the state Council of Chiefs.
The commissioner said that the creation of 313 more districts from 2001 increased the number of district heads to 390, which along with personnel in the district office, added more than 2,700 employees to the payroll of the local government councils.
He said that a committee set up to address the administration of districts concluded that the proliferation creates a financial burden for local government councils.
“The state government is happily and conscientiously supporting all the 32 emirs and chiefs in Kaduna State. It is the duty of the state government to pay the salaries and allowances of all the 32 chiefs. And the state government shall continue to be responsible for all our graded chiefs.”
He said that the support includes providing official vehicles which have now being purchased for distribution to the third-class chiefs and the maintenance of palaces, ten of which have recently been renovated.
The commissioner observed that while the state government is comfortably discharging its obligations to the 32 chiefs, the local government councils are not able to do the same for their district heads:
“By the provision of the Local Government Administration Law (2012), it is the responsibility of the local government councils to cater for the 390 district heads.” [myad]
Former Lagos governor and All Progressives Congress national stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has described the annulment of June 12, 1993 election as a bitter pill to swallow for millions of Nigerians.
“The annulment was a bitter pill to swallow especially for the millions of people who expended so much time, energy and material resources to help ensure victory for Chief MKO Abiola.”
In a statement on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of June 12, today, Sunday in Lagos, Tinubu said that June 12 is the precursor of the democracy which Nigerians are now enjoying.
“Without the uncompromising resistance to military rule engendered by the annulment of the June 12 election, there would most probably be no 4th Republic today and we would still be groaning under the jackboots of military dictatorship.”
According to Asiwaju Tinubu, late Chief MKO Abiola was an embodiment of the eternal Yoruba adage, which says that death is better with honour than life without dignity.
In the statement titled: ‘What June 12 Taught Us,’ Asiwaju Tinubu said: “the blood of those who gave their yesterday and sacrificed even their lives for the democracy and freedom we enjoy today was not shed in vain. The truth is June 12 is the mother of May 29th. Without the uncompromising resistance to military rule engendered by the annulment of the June 12 election, there would most probably be no 4th Republic today and we would still be groaning under the jackboots of military dictatorship.
“The annulment was a bitter pill to swallow especially for the millions of people who expended so much time, energy and material resources to help ensure victory for Chief MKO Abiola. The late MKO selflessly committed so much of his substantial fortune towards ensuring his victory at the polls. In doing this, he was not motivated by personal, selfish or pecuniary considerations.
“Abiola could have chosen to abandon the mandate in order to rebuild and resuscitate his disrupted business. But he opted for the path of the true ‘Omoluabi.’
“He refused to sacrifice honour for an ephemeral mess of pottage. He was an embodiment of the eternal Yoruba adage, which says that death is better with honour than life without dignity.
“Looking back, we can say, thank you Chief MKO Abiola for giving your all that we may bask in the glow of democracy today. The annulment was meant to halt the unstoppable and irresistible march to deeper democratic practice in Nigeria. That objective failed woefully. The annulment was a challenge that precipitated a concerted response, which helped to promote the cause of democracy in Nigeria contrary to the will of its anti-democratic perpetrators. That annulled free and fair election taught us, once again, to organize. It tutored us new tactics and strategies of confronting, undermining and ultimately overcoming seemingly impregnable forces and fortresses of dictatorship and oppression.
“It revealed to us the imperative of forging working relationships and diverse networks across ethnic, religious, regional and partisan divides if we were to move forward.
“It is this invaluable experience we gathered in the struggle to enthrone democracy and retrieve our country from the iron grip of dictatorship that emboldens us today to warn those directly or indirectly threatening our democracy through another military intervention to perish the idea. Just as happened in the past, those who stand on the path of truth and higher moral values will always triumph over those whose strength derive from the barrels of the gun.
“Twenty-four years after its annulment, the spirit of June 12 lives on in the hearts and minds of millions of Nigerians. The lessons of that election still speak eloquently to us today despite the utter lack of vision and imagination in governance between 1999 and 2015 that has fuelled the revival of separatist agitations and deepened distrust among the component parts of Nigeria.
“One enduring truth that June 12 demonstrated is that given inspirational, visionary and sincere leadership, Nigerians can rise above divisive primordial sentiments to demonstrate high patriotism and a belief in merit in their voting patterns.
“Thus, Chief MKO Abiola won a pan-Nigerian mandate in that poll garnering considerable votes across the various zones of the country and even beating his opponent in the latter’s Kano State home base. Again, despite having a fellow Muslim, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, as his running mate, the duo won handsomely even in wholly-Christian dominated parts of the country. All these show that it is really the elite most times that deliberately instigate the politics of distrust, fear, suspicion and divisiveness; they are the ones that all too often exploit our differences to destabilize the polity for their own selfish interests.
“This year’s commemoration of the anniversary of June 12 coincides roughly with two years in office of the All Progressives Congress at the federal level. Some critics particularly of the opposition are already writing off the government as a failure. Well, that is their prerogative and in accordance with their rights in a democratic polity. But the vast majority of Nigerians are neither stupid nor lacking in political sophistication. They are aware of the immense mess inherited by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“Of course, the APC administration has not simply sat back lamenting the crippled economy it inherited from the previous government of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, which earned unprecedentedly high oil revenues for the most part of its tenure with little or nothing to show for it. Two years into its term, any objective analyst will agree that the APC has already taken impressive strides to clear the Augean stables it inherited from the past administration. Concrete gains are being made in curtailing corruption, reviving and diversifying the economy and strengthening national security even though much harder work still lie ahead admittedly.
“There is no doubt that once the APC Federal Government successfully contains these challenges, and we are gradually turning the corner with light discernible at the end of the tunnel, it can more urgently and firmly begin to address other planks of its manifesto especially the imperative of strengthening the country’s federal practice.
“But even in our darkest moments, let the torch of democracy be our guide to the higher and nobler plains of good governance, strong institutions, reverence for the rule of law and a continually-improving and growing economy. It is only through strengthening the institutions, practices and procedures of democracy that we, like the Americans, foremost exemplars of the democratic ideal, can ceaselessly strive moment by moment, day by day and year by year to continually aspire towards the more perfect union of our dreams.” [myad]
The Lagos State Government has declared tomorrow, Monday as a public holiday to mark June 12 celebration in the State.
A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tunji Bello, on behalf of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, said that the State remains committed to the ideals of the annulled 1993 Presidential election.
Ambode said that 24 years after, the ideals of June 12 commemoration were worth celebrating, as it contributed greatly to shaping Nigeria’s democracy.
“June 12, 1993 is a day we must not forget in the annals of our democratic history. Our present democratic experience may still be far from the ideal but we must all make concerted efforts to entrench fiscal federalism which is the only way to achieve true nationhood.
“On June 12, 1993, majority of Nigerians across all divides demonstrated through the ballot box that irrespective of class or ethnic sympathies, the Nigerian people are united and would always join hands to promote our unifying values.
“We owe it a duty to genuinely immortalize the fallen heroes of the June 12 struggle nationally and deepen our democratic values to ensure that never again will such anti-people action be allowed to take place.” [myad]
The Federal Government of Nigeria has released a total of N3, 770, 688, 144 for the feeding of 1, 287, 270 school children in nine states under the HomeGrown School Feeding Programme, which is a Social Investment Programme of the Muhammadu Buhari presidency.
A statement by Laolu Akande, senior special assistant in the Presidency in the office of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo named the benefiting states as Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta and Abia. These states received various sums in tranches while 14, 574 cooks have been engaged in the communities were the schools are located.
He said that the money is paid directly from the Federal Government’s coffers to the cooks, with a slight variation in Osun State where some of the food items like eggs, are bought centrally by an aggregator.
“ The overall payments to each of the nine states and the breakdown figures of how many children are being fed so far are as follows:
2. The total release for Enugu state is N419,427,200 in six tranches of N67,244,800, N67,244,800, N69,570,900, N69,570,900, N69,570,700 and N76,225,100 respectively while 108,898 school children have so far been fed.
3. For Oyo state, a total of N414, 708, 700 have been released for the feeding of 107,983 in six tranches of N72, 288,300, N66, 622, 500, N66,736,600, N66,736,600, N66,736,600 and N 75,588,100 respectively.
4. In Osun state, N767,483,244 was released in eight tranches of N58,299,130, N62,089,580, N49,671,664, N62,089,580, N62,089,580, N49,217,310, N212,013,200 and N212,013,200 respectively for the feeding of 151,438 pupils.
5. In the same vein, Ogun state has been paid a total of N880,055,400 in seven tranches comprising N119,648,900, N119,648,900, N119,648,900, N119,648,900, N 119,648,900, N119,648,900 and N162,162,000 respectively while a total of 231,660 school children have been fed.
6. Ebonyi state received N 344,633,100 in three tranches of N115,218,600, N115,218,600 and N114,195,900 respectively for the feeding of 163,137 school children
7,8 & 9 Zamfara, Delta and Abia states got a total of N188,001,100, N63,366,100, N42,921,200, and for the feeding of 268,573, 90,523 and 61,316 pupils respectively. The last three states are the latest to join the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme which is projected to feed over Three million pupils this year.
The total number of cooks that have been hired in Anambra, Enugu and Oyo states are 1009, 1, 276, and 1, 372 respectively while 2, 863, 2, 205 and 1, 453 cooks were hired in Osun, Ogun and Ebonyi states.
“In Zamfara state 2,738 cooks were engaged under the programme while 908 and 750 were hired in Delta and Abia states respectively.” [myad]
