The management of the Legendary Hotel in Chibiri, a quiet community outskirts Kuje in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has added badminton game to a gamut of measures to make guests enjoy the comfort of their stay in the hotel. The badminton game was declared opened today in the premises of the hotel and was attended by friends and family of the Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Aminu.
Different professional badminton players were on hand to thrill the spectators to various styles in serious competition.
President Muhammadu Buhari Presenting 2018 appropriation bill to the national assembly
Funding national budget is a tough job especially for decision makers from the Finance Minister, Shamusuna Ahmed to the Director General of the Budget Office, Benjamin Akabueze. They have the difficult job of attending to needs of several ministries and agencies, with expenditure request often overwhelming available resources.
Adegbite,Mines Minister
The rule for decision making is however very clear going by interactions with officials. Priority is to be accorded revenue generating agencies in term of deepening revenue generation capacity, expanding opportunities for revenue generation and blocking loopholes and leakages in revenue collection. A delicate balance is to be maintained between revenue generating and other agencies with mere spending responsibilities.
In the current setting, opening new revenue outlets and deepening existing ones are critical to national survival. Expectedly, the solid mineral sector is attracting attention of the administration , eyeing boosting the sector’s contribution from less than two percent to almost five percent or more.
Assisting the budget decision makers is the mining sector roadmap of the Federal Governmeht, setting out steps required to diversify the economy and enhance its contribution to the GDP. The roadmap is a federally approved policy, the funding of which should naturally attract the blessing of the administration. Of course, there must be prioritisation, creating a phased plan with the most promising sub-sector receiving requisite attention.
Experts within the sector had identified areas of challenges. The Technical Adviser, Mining Strategy & Policy, Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MINDIVER) in the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Amanda-Lumun Feese, was recently quoted as listing the following : the “lack of transparency in revenue collection and weak accountability of resource revenue use; risk of Dutch disease (real exchange rate appreciation and inequitable inter-sectoral development); disproportionately revenue spending on current consumption compromising inter-generational equity; lack of long-term development plan that guides the allocation and use of resource revenues, inequitable distribution of mineral revenue and neglect of local authorities and communities living near mining areas.
Others are “Lack of credible processes and institutions to ensure accounting and auditing of revenue and payments; weak implementation and enforcement of the mining law and regulations; weak revenue collection and assessment systems; no proper mechanism for coordination with other FGN MDAs – environment, finance, power, transport, works and housing, trade and investment; CBN, FIRS; Insufficiently regulated ASM and high informality; Proliferation of illegal miners, including Asian and African illegal immigrants at sites and Construction materials account for the bulk of revenue collection – over 68%” contributed to lower returns for government.
Engr. Sallim Ade Salaam also further listed what should be done namely : “Automation of the Mining Cadaster Office (MCO) systems and decentralisation of the MCO’s activities into six zonal offices; Formalisation of ASM into cooperatives and Development and operationalisation of the ASM Remote Sensing Monitoring System; Upgrade and strengthening of the capabilities of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA); Airborne survey for greater geo-science data; Archiving of geological data; Strengthened Mines Environmental Compliance Dept for effective environmental monitoring and compliance enforcement; and a Review of CDA, EPRP and De-commissioning plan in progress would go a long way to bring the much needed revenue into government coffers.
Of all the identified solutions, the issue affecting the Mining Cadastral Office should attract attention of funding decision makers for several reasons namely the fact that it is the main revenue generation organ within the solid mineral sector. Reports from the sector show that MCA has potential to quadruple her earnings into government cover by more than 60 percent from the status quo. Three things can make this possible namely operationalisng the zonal offices, automation of activities and reach out through marketing communications to global mining investment community.
Strengthening the MCA will concurrently deepen the buoyancy of the presidential gold initiative as it will speed up the formalisation and data capturing of artisanal stakeholders. The mining sector can then attract industrial investors ,taking the solid mineral sector to the level obtainable in many Southern and Eastern Africa nations.
But like noted above ,the agencies and the MDAs must be smart by articulating why they must be funded. Value addition in term of deepening, expanding and boosting revenue generating base is likely to secure more favourable attention.
Bolade Nafisat wrote in from Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry,Abuja.
The Nigerian labour movement has forced the Federal Government to postpone a scheduled meeting arranged to discuss the state of the nation’s economy. The meeting will now hold on Tuesday, September 15, instead of today, September 12.
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, reacting to the earlier announcement by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, that a government team would meet with NLC and TUC as well as other civil society groups to discuss the hike in electricity tariff and petrol pump price today, said that the leadership of the congress would not attend the discussion because it was too sudden.
Wabba said that the short notice given for the meeting by the government made it impossible for labour leaders who are spread in different locations to attend.
The labour movement is expected to now attend the event on Tuesday, as announced via a statement today, by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan.
The statement said: “the meeting has been rescheduled to Tuesday, 15th Sept at 10am. Venue is Banquet Hall of Presdential Villa. This is to accommodate all participants.”
Some irate Rivers youths, protesting against the alleged inability by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) to provide steady electricity at no cost to its host communities, have shutdown the Afam transmission station, causing a total blackout in Port Harcourt, the state capital, and its environs.
Reports reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters, said that the youths had mobilised themselves and barricaded the road leading to the power station, stopping the Transmission Company of Nigeria workers from accessing the facility.
One of the protesters, who gave his name simply as Kingsley, told newsmen that they were protesting against unsteady power supply in their communities.
He said that their action was prompted by the alleged disconnection of the communities from the national grid due to their failure to pay electricity bills.
The Manager, Corporate Communications of PHED, John Onyi, confirmed today, September 12 that there was disruption in the operations of the company by the protesting youths.
“The Oyibo youths barricaded the transmission station located inside Afam, the main source of power to Port Harcourt. This action has been the reason the residents are experiencing power outage.”
He said that PHED was worried over the frequent shutdown of the Afam facility by youths. He contended that the development always resulted in huge revenue losses to the company.
“They carried similar action on August 14 by shutting down the same power station, leading to total darkness in Port Harcourt.
“The shutdown at the time prompted a meeting of all the stakeholders, including the Rivers Ministry of Power, to resolve the imbroglio.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was thrown into chaos today, September 12, as members engaged in a free-for-all fight with delegates scampering in all directions for safety, leading to the postponement of the State Congress of the party.
Eye witness accounts said that trouble started when a former Deputy Leader in the House of Representatives, Alhaji Baba Agaie, was manhandled and whisked out of the venue of the congress by heavily armed security men.
This is even as the party’s secretariat in Minna was taken over by supporters of the two aspirants despite heavy security presence in the area.
In the midst of the confusion, members of the electoral committee, including its chairman, Mohammed Imam, were whisked away from the venue of the congress by security agents.
The committee later issued a statement announcing the postponement of the congress.
The statement read: “Due to uncertain security situation at the PDP state secretariat, venue of the rescheduled state congress, slated for today, September 12, the congress has been postponed.”
One of the delegates narrated how Agaie was beaten by some party faithful suspected to be from his own Agaie local government area.
The party supporters accused him of sabotaging their collective interest, alleging that he aligned with the former governor and leader of the party, Dr. Babangida Aliyu-led group.
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, today, September 12, stormed Benin, the Edo State capital to mobilise Igbo to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in the next Saturday, September 19 election.
Governor Uzodimma, who was honoured by the Igbo Youth Union (IYU) and the youth wing of apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in Edo State, said that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s tax policies were anti-Igbo, while admonishing Ndigbo in the state to massively vote for Ize-Iyamu.
“Obaseki and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been blackmailing the APC, alleging that we want to rig the September 19 election in Edo State. That is exactly what Obaseki and his tax collectors are planning to do.
“Let me tell our Igbo people, go out there and vote for APC. We will protect the votes. We will stop Obaseki from rigging.
“We have many of our brothers and sisters who own businesses in Edo State, but those businesses are suffering today, due to the inhuman policies of the PDP’s administration in Edo.
“As Igbo, we must be vigilant, so that people will not decieve you. PDP leaders are begging for your votes, because they need them now, but that is mere deciet. Obaseki does not like Igbo. PDP leaders are only coming, because of the votes and after that Obaseki will abandon you.”
A former National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who is also an ex-governor of Edo state, while speaking, described Uzodimma as a genuine party man, whose eight-month reign as Imo governor occasioned geniune progress in the state.
The Chairman of the IYU, Obinna Anwatu, earlier in his remarks, stated that the presence of Uzodimma in Benin had heightened their determination to deliver APC next Saturday.
Anwatu added that the award given to Imo governor was in recognition of his developmental strides in the 27 local government areas of Imo state.
The Chief of Army Staff (CAS), Lt. General Tukur Baratai, has vowed that the Nigerian Army will continue to be ruthless, decisive and aggressive against the marauding bandits terrorizing the North-west region of the country.
Buratai, who spoke today, September 12 at a news briefing at the Special Army Super Camp IV, Faskari, Katsina State, said that the army would continue to adopt evolving security strategies to end bloodletting facing the region.
The Chief of Army, who was at the Special Army Super Camp to access the progress of Operation SAHEL SANITY in the Northwest region, said that the troops of Operation SAHEL SANITY have showed courage and determination to tackle prevailing cases of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and smuggling of firearms bedevilling the region.
General Buratai said that the Nigerian Army is determined to work hard with civil administrations to have a country devoid of acrimony or rancor, adding: “so far with the brief I received this afternoon (Saturday), I am highly impressed with the level of commitment, dedication and loyalty of the troops.
“Be less assured that we will be ruthless to all those criminals who are bent on disturbing the peace and security of our country. We call on the people of the states to support the troops collectively to achieve the desired objectives of having a secured Nigeria.
“We will not tolerate this attitude or conduct of molesting, kidnapping, killing and raping of innocent girls and women. We are determined to work hard with civil administrations to have a secured and peaceful Nigeria.”
Earlier, while briefing Buratai on the achievements recorded by troops of Operation SAHEL SANITY, Major Adamu Ngulde said that they had killed 103 bandits and rescued 137 kidnapped victims in the last two months of the operation.
He said that the troops arrested 149 bandits, recovered 3,948 rustled cows, 1,627 rustled sheep and 39 bandits’ logistics suppliers within the period under review.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has deployed Deputy Inspector General, Adeleye Olusola Oyabade, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Research and Planning to supervise the general security arrangement for the election in Edo State, which conducts gubernatorial election on September 19.
A statement today, September 11 by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, said that to ensure a hitch free election, other top police officers have been deployed to assist the Deputy Inspector General. They are Assistant Inspector General of police, Karma Hosea Hassan, Assistant Inspector General in charge of Federal Operations at the Force Headquarters Abuja and eight Commissioners of Police.
“The DIG, with the assistance of the AIG, will superintend over the entire security architecture and ensure effective monitoring of the election and due enforcement of all electoral laws in the State.”
The statement said that other senior Police Officers involved in election monitoring and evaluation include: CP Garba Baba Umar, CP Habu Sani and CP Buba Sanusi while CP Akeera M. Yonous will coordinate the operations of thePolice Mobile Force (PMF) and other special strike forces.
It said that the other four CPs will supervise security arrangement in the three senatorial districts of the State.
“They are: CP Omololu .S. Bishi and CP Abutu YaroEdo North senatorial district, CP Philip Aliyu Ogbadu Edo Central Senatorial District and CP Olokade T. Olawale, Edo South Senatorial District.”
The statement said that the Inspector General has barred security aides attached to VIPs and Political appointees from accompanying their principals on the Election Day, adding that he warned that anyone who flouts this order will be severely reprimanded.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has described allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that it is working with the All Progressives Congress (APC), to rig the Edo governorship election holding on Sept. 19 as the usual unfounded concoction.
The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Planning, Monitoring and Strategy Committee (PMSC), Dr. Mustafa Lecky, reacting to accusation by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, that he is working with the APC Governorship Candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the APC former National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to rig the state election, Dr. Lecky said that the allegation is a clear figment of his wide imagination.
“Traditionally, these sorts of allegations are not unexpected on the eve of a major election, I mean where political parties will spew out all manner of things about people. The downside of that is that they are stylishly tarnishing the image of the people and they have no fact about what they are saying.
“It just shows that somebody who is the spokesman of PDP, whom I suppose is a long standing politician in the party, should know about electoral process and how INEC functions. He should know that INEC is never contesting any election.
“I am not contesting, I am not campaigning and I do not belong to any political party. Probably that is what political parties are used to because I am not a member.
“Clearly, this is just a figment of his wide imagination. It is not true, it is not possible and I don’t know why he will link with me with APC.
“I am not a card carrying member and I have never been. I don’t vote, I don’t exercise any franchise.
“If you look at it critically you will know that some things don’t make sense, but not unexpected at this time of a major election.”
Dr. Lecky said that it was unexpected as some of his colleagues had also been accused at different times without any fact to back the allegations.
The national commissioner said that he had been doing his job and had established his credibility over the years, assuring Nigerians that INEC would conduct credible election in Edo state without fear or favour for any political party or candidate.
A delegation of the Federal Government, to be led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has been scheduled to parley with representatives of organized labour unions in the country to rob minds over the recent increases in the prices of fuel, electricity and food items.
Speaking to newsmen on the issue after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, Dr. Ngige said that the President gave him go-ahead to organize the meeting for the purpose of hearing the grievances of the labour unions.
Dr. Ngige said that the meeting is expected to hold on Saturday September 12 in Abuja.
“The President has approved for us to have a bigger government side meeting with the organized private labour; all the government institutions that have to do with the finances of government so that we meet with them and show them the books.
“So, the invitation is going out to the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and their affiliates or supporters and friends in the Civil Society Organisations.
“The meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, so, I will relate more with the Chief of Staff to the President and the leadership of the unions today so that we do this meeting tomorrow.
“At the meeting, government finances, challenges and everything will be laid bare on the table. Their own fears and what they think is also good for the Nigerian people especially the workers, they will also table it so that we look at it.”
The Labour minister said that the recent hike in electricity tariff was done by the regulatory body based on certain realities confronting the sector.
“The electricity tariff as you know, the Electricity Regulatory Commission approved the increase based on certain electricity band R1 and R2 and even in the R2 band, you have soft bands so that we can protect the rural poor and people who are in the suburbs. So, we are going to look at them holistically because we want a stable labour industrial union in the country so the President has been briefed and he is in tune and has given the support to talk to everybody we need to talk to.”
Commenting on the planned strike by the tripartite unions of the non-academic staff unions of universities, Dr Ngige said that government is aware of their plans and had already invited them to a meeting, to discuss, so as to address their concerns.
“The tripartite unions of university system including some colleges of education and some hospitals; Non-Academic Staff of Universities (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), we have invited them to a meeting. The leadership met with me last week and the major thrust of the challenges they have is on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS) system.
“They claim and allege that the IPPIS system is over deducting some line items like taxes, the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes. They claim the IPPIS system is charging more than they suppose to debit. They also claim that some allowances that are peculiar to the university system like responsibility allowance, hazard allowance, field trip allowance and education of children allowance, that the IPPIS has stopped all of them.
“At the government level, we have discussed and we now want to do a special session with them. They come with their facts and the Accountant General will lead his team. The National Salaries and Incomes and Wages will also come and the Ministry of Labour will lead and then we discuss and find out who is treating the other unfairly.”
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
The Nigerian labour movement has forced the Federal Government to postpone a scheduled meeting arranged to discuss the state of the nation’s economy. The meeting will now hold on Tuesday, September 15, instead of today, September 12.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was thrown into chaos today, September 12, as members engaged in a free-for-all fight with delegates scampering in all directions for safety, leading to the postponement of the State Congress of the party.
Funding Budget In Era Of Scarcity, By Bolade Nafisat
Funding national budget is a tough job especially for decision makers from the Finance Minister, Shamusuna Ahmed to the Director General of the Budget Office, Benjamin Akabueze. They have the difficult job of attending to needs of several ministries and agencies, with expenditure request often overwhelming available resources.
Adegbite,Mines Minister
The rule for decision making is however very clear going by interactions with officials. Priority is to be accorded revenue generating agencies in term of deepening revenue generation capacity, expanding opportunities for revenue generation and blocking loopholes and leakages in revenue collection. A delicate balance is to be maintained between revenue generating and other agencies with mere spending responsibilities.
In the current setting, opening new revenue outlets and deepening existing ones are critical to national survival. Expectedly, the solid mineral sector is attracting attention of the administration , eyeing boosting the sector’s contribution from less than two percent to almost five percent or more.
Assisting the budget decision makers is the mining sector roadmap of the Federal Governmeht, setting out steps required to diversify the economy and enhance its contribution to the GDP. The roadmap is a federally approved policy, the funding of which should naturally attract the blessing of the administration. Of course, there must be prioritisation, creating a phased plan with the most promising sub-sector receiving requisite attention.
Experts within the sector had identified areas of challenges. The Technical Adviser, Mining Strategy & Policy, Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MINDIVER) in the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Amanda-Lumun Feese, was recently quoted as listing the following : the “lack of transparency in revenue collection and weak accountability of resource revenue use; risk of Dutch disease (real exchange rate appreciation and inequitable inter-sectoral development); disproportionately revenue spending on current consumption compromising inter-generational equity; lack of long-term development plan that guides the allocation and use of resource revenues, inequitable distribution of mineral revenue and neglect of local authorities and communities living near mining areas.
Others are “Lack of credible processes and institutions to ensure accounting and auditing of revenue and payments; weak implementation and enforcement of the mining law and regulations; weak revenue collection and assessment systems; no proper mechanism for coordination with other FGN MDAs – environment, finance, power, transport, works and housing, trade and investment; CBN, FIRS; Insufficiently regulated ASM and high informality; Proliferation of illegal miners, including Asian and African illegal immigrants at sites and Construction materials account for the bulk of revenue collection – over 68%” contributed to lower returns for government.
Engr. Sallim Ade Salaam also further listed what should be done namely : “Automation of the Mining Cadaster Office (MCO) systems and decentralisation of the MCO’s activities into six zonal offices; Formalisation of ASM into cooperatives and Development and operationalisation of the ASM Remote Sensing Monitoring System; Upgrade and strengthening of the capabilities of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA); Airborne survey for greater geo-science data; Archiving of geological data; Strengthened Mines Environmental Compliance Dept for effective environmental monitoring and compliance enforcement; and a Review of CDA, EPRP and De-commissioning plan in progress would go a long way to bring the much needed revenue into government coffers.
Of all the identified solutions, the issue affecting the Mining Cadastral Office should attract attention of funding decision makers for several reasons namely the fact that it is the main revenue generation organ within the solid mineral sector. Reports from the sector show that MCA has potential to quadruple her earnings into government cover by more than 60 percent from the status quo. Three things can make this possible namely operationalisng the zonal offices, automation of activities and reach out through marketing communications to global mining investment community.
Strengthening the MCA will concurrently deepen the buoyancy of the presidential gold initiative as it will speed up the formalisation and data capturing of artisanal stakeholders. The mining sector can then attract industrial investors ,taking the solid mineral sector to the level obtainable in many Southern and Eastern Africa nations.
But like noted above ,the agencies and the MDAs must be smart by articulating why they must be funded. Value addition in term of deepening, expanding and boosting revenue generating base is likely to secure more favourable attention.