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Tinubu to present 2024 budget to NASS early November
President Bola Tinubu, will present the 2024 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly in November for passage before the end of the year, information coming from the Senate is saying.
The Nation quotes chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Solomon Adeola, who gave the hint during an interaction with reporters, as saying that the NASS was expecting the federal government to present the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy (MTEF-FSP) next week for proper scrutiny.
Adeola who represents Ogun West Senatorial district, also revealed that his panel had invited the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, for a meeting on Wednesday next week.
He assured Nigerians that the federal lawmakers would try as much as possible to make sure that the 2024 budget comprises 55 percent capital expenditure, adding that the 10th Senate would maintain the January to December budget cycle, which the 9th National Assembly started.
He said: “I want you to take cognizance of the fact that there is a change of government prior to now and as of May 29, 2023, a new government is in place. I want you to take cognizance of the change of government on May 29. There is a teething problem because there is a change of government.
“The new administration has a new mantra that encapsulates its vision and there must be challenges. We will do a thorough job on the budget. Our job is to verify the budget to meet the expectations of the people. We will look into it thoroughly. We are expecting the MTEF next week and immediately we receive the document, the Committee on Finance will go into work and look into it.
“The Finance Minister and the Minister of Budget and Planning are working round the clock. I assure you that we won’t break the tradition, we will have the budget as at when due. We will keep to the tradition of the January to December budget cycle.
“It has to do with the nomination of the project to the budget document that will meet the yearnings and the needs of the people, I would not regard that as padding. It is still part of the government document we look into and it has an expectation. The budget is an estimate but implementation is another thing. So I don’t believe in budget padding.”
LP demands sack of Onyejeocha, Tinubu’s Minister (Headline)
Nothing short of the immediate booting out of Nkiruka Onyejeocha by President Bola Tinubu, will assuage the anger of the Labour Party (LP), over sundry infractions including sponsoring the crisis within its fold.
Vanguard, quotes Kennedy Ahanotu, National Youth Leader of the party as urging Tinubu to show the former member of the House of Representatives the exit door as Minister of State for Labour, for allegedly failing to concentrate on her job.
The party, while equally urging security agencies to invite her for questioning over her alleged role in the contrived crisis within its ranks, told reporters in Abuja, on Wednesday that her activities must be checked.
Ahanotu said: “We are therefore calling on the present government to relieve Onyejeocha of her ministerial role as she has lost focus, and she has refused to concentrate on the assignment given to her.
The party equally drew the attention of Nigerians to what it called an “unholy alliance” between Onyejeocha and some of its expelled members led by Chief Lamidi Apapa, whose purpose is to ensure that crisis is sustained perpetually in the party.
Another police officer dies in hotel room, one week after ACP’s death in his sleep (Headline)
Barely a week after the Bayelsa State Police Command, was thrown into mourning over the death of an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), its Plateau State counterpart is also facing the same experience, this time over that of a Superintendent of Police (SP).
Like Oluseye Odumbaku, the ACP, who was found dead in his house in Yenogoa, the Bayelsa State capital on October 18, , Nahun Gwadi Eli, was discovered lying on the floor beside his bed in a hotel room in Jos, the Plateau State capital after operatives broke in.
Reports say doctors have ruled out foul play in the death of the officer, who was said to be the Commander A/0 SWAT, Plateau State Command, adding that his men became worried after repeatedly calling his phone line, which repeatedly rang out without response.
After knocking severally on the doors of his hotel room, the operatives were said to have forced the door open, where they were confronted with the sight of the motionless body of the deceased police officer, reports say, adding that the death had been labeled, sudden and unnatural.
Reports on The Eagle Online, quotes a police officer as saying: “On 23rd of October, at about 5:30pm, information was received from A/0 SWAT Plateau State Command that they have not seen nor heard from their commander, SP Nahum Gwadi Eli. He didn’t report to duty and his phone was ringing, but no response.
“They decided to visit his hotel room, along old Airport Road, and when they got there, they knocked at the door and there was no response. They called the management of the hotel and forced the door open.
“He was found lying on the ground beside the bed. The family has been contacted and the scene of the crime was visited by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Anglo-Jos. A Police Medical doctor was called upon and photographs were taken. The body was removed to Plateau Specialist Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. The corpse was deposited at the same hospital mortuary for autopsy. No foul play suspected yet.”
In a quick riposte on Saturday, Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has cautioned Nigerians to be circumspect in the manner they react to the story of the death of a female student in his home in Ebonyi State, warning against the temptation of jumping to conclusion.
Conveying his position on the highly-volatile matter through Francis Nwaze, his spokesman, Umahi, former Governor of Ebonyi State and a key figure in the government of President Bola Tinubu, said caution was needed to enable the police conduct unfettered investigation into the matter.
It was his response to breaking of how one Mary Habila, a female physiotherapist reportedly died in his palatial home at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, on June 27, hours after arriving the day before.
Nwaze, a Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, specifically cautioned against speculations by “tale bearers,” while conveying the Minister’s shock over the matter and his eagerness for the authorities to get at the root of the matter through forensic investigations.
He wrote in the statement: “The attention of the Media Office of the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has been drawn to a publication by a publication concerning the unfortunate passing of Miss Mary Habila in Uburu, Ebonyi State, alleging that the circumstances surrounding her death were shrouded in secrecy.
“The Honourable Minister received the news with profound shock and sadness and has since extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. For the avoidance of doubt, immediately the unfortunate incident occurred, appropriate emergency steps were taken. Medical personnel, including the Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, were contacted without delay, while the Nigeria Police was promptly notified in accordance with the law.
“Following confirmation of Miss Habila’s passing, the Honourable Minister personally received her parents, conveyed his sincere condolences, and advised that an autopsy be conducted to scientifically establish the exact cause of death. At the time, however, the family declined the recommendation.
“It is important to clarify that Miss Mary Habila and Miss Anita Baski are employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, who had been on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works as physiotherapists for the past three years until the unfortunate passing of Miss Habila.
“Following the recent developments and in the interest of ensuring that the truth is established beyond doubt, the Honourable Minister has again reiterated his position that an autopsy must be conducted. He remains convinced that this is the most credible and responsible path to resolving all questions surrounding the unfortunate incident.
“We therefore urge the public to exercise restraint, refrain from speculation or premature conclusions, and allow the relevant authorities to carry out their responsibilities without interference. At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of the deceased, and we pray that God grants them the strength to bear this irreparable loss.”
The circumstances that led to the sudden death of Mary Habbila, a Nigerian female student died in the Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, home of Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has now thrown the entire household and environs into serious quandary.
SaharaReporters, which first broke the revealed that the incident, which happened since June 27 this year, has been shrouded in secrecy, with both the Ebonyi State Government and the state police command maintaining silence over the matter.
The incident, the report, added, took place barely a day after Habbila and another woman, Anita Baski, both from Kaduna State, were reportedly brought to the minister’s residence, triggering a police investigation, with the case transferred from the Ohaozara Divisional Police Headquarters to the Ebonyi State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.
Habbila and Baski reportedly arrived at the minister’s residence on June 26 to “attend” to him, only for Habbila to be found dead inside the residence the following morning under circumstances investigators are still trying to establish.
Police sources were quoted by the paper as saying that Jonathan Bawado, a police officer who serves as Senator Umahi’s Personal Assistant and previously worked as his Aide-de-Camp (ADC) during his tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State, alerted medical personnel after Habbila was discovered unresponsive.
Subsequently, a doctor and an ambulance were dispatched to the residence, while Tobechukwu Godwin, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ohaozara Police Division, was notified of the incident, the report said, adding that at the hospital Chihurumnanya Alo, a Professor and Consultant Public Health Physician, Infectious Diseases Specialist and Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu, was also alerted about the incident.
The police who subsequently conveyed Habbila’s body to a mortuary, were said to have handed over the identification tag attached to Habbila’s to the Ebonyi State Police Command by the said DPO, as part of the ongoing investigation.
SaharaReporters, quoted a senior police officer, with knowledge of the case as saying: “The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abakaliki,” but, however declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Unlike in other cases, security operatives in Nigeria have upped the ante by adding the arrest of perpetrators to the menu of rescue operations, with the announcement of the capture of eight terrorists who participated in the abduction of school teachers and students in Oyo State on May 15.
All the 46 pupils, students and teachers abducted by terrorists from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, regained their freedom on Friday, after about 56 days in captivity, with several others reportedly also neutralised during the operation.
Giving a clue of what transpired during the operation, Bayo Onanuga, who broke the story of the feat, said it was the outcome of sustained security operations, which also foiled the attempt by the abductors to secure the release of one of their captured leaders.
Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, using his X handle to give details about the operation, said: “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies. In the course of the rescue operation, eight of the kidnappers were arrested and are now in DSS custody, while some of them were neutralised.”
“There was no quid pro quo in the rescue as one of the terrorists, a kingpin, that the kidnappers demanded his release, is being prosecuted for his atrocities. The security agencies will give full account soon.”
The victims were abducted on May 15 when heavily armed bandits attacked Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, seizing dozens of pupils, students and teachers.
The abduction sparked nationwide outrage, with parents, labour unions, traditional rulers and civil society groups mounting sustained pressure on the authorities to secure the victims’ release.
The incident also triggered an indefinite strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Oyo State over growing insecurity in schools.
President Bola Tinubu had condemned the attack and ordered security agencies to intensify intelligence-led operations to rescue the captives and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The President subsequently dispatched a high-powered Federal Government delegation to the affected communities, approved the deployment of specialised rescue assets and authorised the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security across Oyo State.
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