Deploy military to Cross River, Reps urge Tinubu.

Deploy military to Cross River, Reps urge Tinubu.

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently deploy military forces to the Okwa community, in Cross River State, to protect the nation’s territorial integrity and ensure the safety of her citizens following an alleged invasion by bandits from neighbouring Cameroon.

This is just as the lawmakers urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate diplomatic efforts to address the development and seek a peaceful resolution to the security challenges in the region.

Consequently, the Committees on Defence, Foreign Affairs, Security and Intelligence, were mandated to oversee and ensure the effective implementation of the measures, maintaining vigilant oversight on the protection of the Okwa community and the interest of the nation at large.

These resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent importance titled, ‘Threat of invasion of Okwa community, Boki Local Government Area by Cameroon,’ sponsored by a member representing Boki/Ikom Federal Constituency, Cross River State, Mr. Victor Abang.

The House noted that there is a high-level threat and security concern in Okwa Community, adding that on December 11, 2023, heavily armed individuals, suspected to be of Cameroonian origin, boldly invaded the community, shooting sporadically, issuing threats to burn down the community, and prohibiting locals from accessing their farmland without any provocation.

This fiasco, the House said, has created distress, and fear among residents of Okwa.

It also noted that “this distressing situation” followed the summary execution of the Clan Head of the Belegette Clan (a neighbouring community) in Obanliku Local Government Area of the state; Chief Ogweshi Ongwele, on December 5, 2023.

The House said this event resulted in the injuries of 30 individuals, the kidnapping of an unspecified number of people, and the destruction of the community by the same assailants from Cameroon.

It said the devastation has left the citizens of the Okwa community in a state of apprehension and unable to access their farmland.

The House said it was aware that Okwa, a Nigeria community shares borders with communities in Southeastern Cameroon and lies within the Gorilla Protection Unit of the Okwangwo Division of the Cross River National Park. It is crucial to recognize that Okwa is an integral part of Nigeria, inhabited by Nigerian citizens who strongly identify with their Nigerian heritage.

It noted this was not a case of border dispute but an invasion of Nigeria’s sovereignty by another country which amounts to an act of war and violation of the principles of international law on international boundaries.

The House worried that “we might wake up one day as a house to hear that the people of Okwa have been completely annihilated by the same invaders from another country. Because, even as we speak now the threat level remains very high.”

It was concerned that “if immediate and deliberate actions are taken once and for all to ensure the security of Nigerians and their properties in the borderland, preserving the strength and integrity of our nation, our entire eastern border will one day be adjusted to suit the Cameroon National interest.”

Assembly Passes Sokoto’s N270bn 2024 Budget.

Assembly Passes Sokoto’s N270bn 2024 Budget.

The Sokoto State House of Assembly has successfully passed the N270.1 billion budget for the fiscal year 2024. The decisive moment came following the adoption of the report presented by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during Wednesday's plenary session.

In the presentation of the report, Alhaji Abdullahi Zakari (APC-Rabah), the Committee Chairman, emphasized that the N270 billion budget submitted by Governor Ahmed Aliyu remained unchanged. The budget structure comprises N97.8 billion for recurrent expenditure and N172.2 billion for capital expenditure.

Chairman Zakari reassured that these figures align with the governor's original submission. However, in response to legitimate requests from Sub-Committees, adjustments were made to allocate resources to meet essential demands and interests of the people.

Subsequently, the Speaker, Alhaji Tukur Bala, presented the report for consideration, and it received unanimous approval from the lawmakers through a voice vote.

Tinubu approves 50% reduction in transport fare nationwide.

Tinubu approves 50% reduction in transport fare nationwide.

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday approved a 50 per cent slash in price of interstate transport fare for Nigerians traveling during the yuletide from Thursday, December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024.

This is as the President approved free rides for commuters on all train services within the period.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, announced this to State House Correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa on Wednesday.

Alake said, “It is in this wise that the President is announcing through us that beginning from tomorrow, December 21, Nigerians willing to travel can board public transport via mini buses, luxury buses at 50 per cent discount of current cost and all our train services on the route the trains currently serve at zero cost on their travels this holiday season.

“This special presidential intervention will commence tomorrow, Thursday, December 21 and it will end on January 4, 2024.

“The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Transportation, will be working with transporters, road transport unions, the Nigerian Railway Corporation to seamlessly deliver on this special presidential initiative.”

Alake added that, “I can tell you that all the relevant stakeholders in that industry have been discussed with or been engaged and all the parameters laid out and the Minister of Transportation has the full details and it’s on top of the game.

“In fact, the Presidents of the various transport unions have been met…and everything is in top shape in terms of execution.”

However, Alake said air iravel was excluded from the initiative because the initiative is targeted at the masses.

“The initiative is for the masses. Air is luxury. The masses don’t use air transport. So they are our main target,” he explained

Gov Adeleke approves N1.6bn bond certificates for 346 retirees.

Gov Adeleke approves N1.6bn bond certificates for 346 retirees.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has approved the release of bond certificates worth N1,625,332,835:75 for retirees who left service on the Contributory Pension Scheme.

This was contained in a release signed by the Permanent Secretary, Local Government Staff Pension Bureau, Mr Ibrahim Akibu, obtained in Osogbo on Wednesday.

Akibu said the beneficiaries were drawn from pensioners retired primary school teachers and local government staffers.

The statement read in parts, “The total beneficiaries are 346: Primary school teachers, 182 beneficiaries. Local government, 164 beneficiaries.

“The presentation of the bond certificates is a continuation of the commitment of the state government to workers’ welfare, in and out of service.

“This is another phase in fulfillment of Governor Adeleke’s open resolve to clear backlogs of salaries, pension, and emoluments issues within the public service.”

The statement recalled that Adeleke had commenced payment of inherited half salaries and other emoluments owed public servants by the past administration

Akpabio swears in Lalong as Plateau South senator.

Akpabio swears in Lalong as Plateau South senator.

Former Minister of Labour Employment and Productivity, Simon Lalong, has been sworn in as a member of the 10th Senate.

Lalong was sworn in on Wednesday at a session presided over by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

He took the oath of office at about 11.57 am on the floor of the Senate.

Akpabio immediately congratulated Lalong, a former governor of Plateau State, and the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Campaigns during the 2023 presidential poll that produced President Bola Tinubu.

Lalong will represent Plateau-South on the platform of the APC.

It was reported that Lalong, a former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, had tendered his resignation to President Tinubu earlier on Tuesday.

Speaking soon after his inauguration, Lalong said he actually wanted to be a senator after he served his tenure as governor in May 2023.

Lalong said, “This was my first choice, to be candid.”

According to him, he opted to hold the position of minister in the interim and on the invitation of Tinubu because he had a case he was pursuing at the courts.

Lalong promised to do his best to serve his electorate to the best of his abilities.

Also reacting to the inauguration, the National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, described it as a moment of happiness.

“This is a moment of happiness. We are so happy that he won at the Court of Appeal.

“What Nigerians will expect is good legislation. As we know, the APC has the majority and will work for the prosperity of all Nigerians,” Ganduje added.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, had on November 7 upheld the judgment of the lower tribunal, which declared Lalong the winner of the Plateau-South Senatorial District election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission initially declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Napoleon Bali, as the winner.

Bali had scored 148,844 votes, while Lalong recorded 91,674, according to INEC.

But Lalong challenged the result on the grounds that the PDP had no proper structures in the state on which a candidate could contest an election.

Customs generate N301bn in Rivers.

Customs generate N301bn in Rivers.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Rivers State, said it raked in about N301bn as revenue in 2023.

The command’s Area Comptroller, Baba Imam, disclosed this during its end-of-year service in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.

Imam explained that the functions of the NCS, firstly are about revenue collection and generation, as well as the suppression of smuggling and the implementation of government fiscal policies.

While highlighting some achievements, he expressed happiness that the command met its target for the year, surpassing its target in 2022.

Imam said, “In the area of revenue, the command has recorded about N301 billion as of this moment.

“The command did not only meet up with its revenue target or beat last year’s revenue but has remarkably increased over N40 billion to N50 billion in addition to what was realised last month.”

Continuing, he said, “I would like to state here that, in July, the command had a total revenue of N38 billion, which is an unprecedented record in the history of this command, just for a month.”

He added that before now, the command had to record only about N27 billion as the highest revenue that was generated within a month.

Imam stated, “Our revenue target for the year (2023) is about N336 billion and as I speak, we have been able to get about 90 per cent of our revenue target and I want to assure you people all that we are resolute and committed to ensuring that we meet up with our revenue target before the end of the year.”

In the area of smuggling, the Area Comptroller disclosed that in a bit to ensure conformity with import and export guidelines and to serve as a deterrent to others, the command has seized about 38-39 containers within the period under review.

Among the items that contravened import and export guidelines include second-hand clothing, used tyres, concealed hard drugs, other substances, arms and ammunition, including pistols, which were handed over to the relevant agencies.

He also referenced the command’s peaceful and cordial collaboration with sister agencies, and stakeholders, which according to him has resulted in smooth operations and boosted the command’s revenues.

He commended officers of the command for being resilient in carrying out their tasks and obligations as proscribed by the law and urged them not to rest on their oars.

He further admonished, “As young officers in this service, the service is for you. You are the crucial management of this service and therefore, you need to be apt, proactive, diligent and committed.

“You need to, with sincerity of purpose, be ready to discharge any assignment assigned to you at any given time, and to be committed to ensuring that you will bring the needed result for you to be recognised.”

Highlight of the event was the presentation of awards, and certificates of excellence and recognition to officers and stakeholders of the command.

Aiyekire/Gbonyin Council Chairmen Jointly Present 2024 Budget Estimate to Aiyekire LGA/Gbonyin LCDA Legislative Council.

Aiyekire/Gbonyin Council Chairmen Jointly Present 2024 Budget Estimate to Aiyekire LGA/Gbonyin LCDA Legislative Council.

In fulfillment of their statutory responsibility, Prince Ayodele Fadumiye, the Chairman of Aiyekire Local Government, presented the 2024 budget estimate of five billion, seven hundred and eighteen million Naira (N5,718,000,000.00) on Tuesday. This was on behalf of Aiyekire/Gbonyin LCDA council area to the local government legislative council for consideration and passage. The proposed estimate, named 'Budget of Renewed Hope,' marks a significant increase of 150% from the 2023 capital expenditure.

The sources of funding for the 2024 Budget include recurrent revenue, allocation from the Federation Account, internally generated revenue, 10% of the state's contribution to IGR, Value Added Tax (VAT), Excess Crude Oil, Ecology, SURE P, and Women's program.

The chairman emphasized that the budget aligns with the present economic challenges and the new direction agenda of the state government. Recurrent expenditure is projected at 2,618,515,052.80, while capital expenditure will amount to 3,099,484,947.20.

Expressing gratitude to the legislative council for their cooperation, the chairman highlighted the balanced nature of the budget and urged everyone to contribute to the development of the Local Government Area/Local Council Development Area. He emphasized the need for prompt payment of taxes to expand the revenue base.

The event was attended by Hon. Damilare Ajayi, the Gbonyin LCDA counterpart, Council Executive Members, Management Team, Traditional rulers, Security Personnels, and Stakeholders. The Chairman assured that the budget provisions would lead to improved developmental programs across all sectors.

Hon. Akinyemi Bola, the Leader of the House, assured an expedited hearing and passage of the budget proposal through due process. He thanked leaders and stakeholders for their presence and pledged continued cooperation with the council leadership.

In his vote of thanks, Hon. Martins from Agbado-Ekiti Ward commended both Aiyekire/Gbonyin LCDA Chairmen for their developmental projects. Chief Anthony Ajila, Director of Administration, Gbonyin LCDA, stressed the importance of a robust and realistic 2024 Budget to ensure increased dividends of democracy. He commended the Executive Chairmen for quality service delivery and thanked all participants for their positive contributions to the preparation and presentation of the Year 2024 budget estimate, titled "Budget of Renewed Hope."