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Former Deputy Governors, Others Call for Yahaya Bello’s Prosecution over Theft of N100 billion

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10 months ago

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Alhaji Sule Iyaji, former Deputy Governor of Benue State

Two former Deputy Governors, Alh. Sule Iyaji and Elder Simon Achuba of Benue and Kogi States respectively on Monday called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and other anti-graft agencies to arrest and prosecute former Governor Yahaya Bello for allegedly stealing and embezzling well over N100 billion from Kogi State coffers.

This, they stated, will serve as deterrent to other public servants within and outside the state.

The group also wants the anti-corrupt agencies to beam their searchlight and bring the former Governor Yahaya Bello to account for misappropriating over N1 trillion that accrued to the state as according to them, in his 8 years of maladministration.

Addressing the media at the stakeholders meeting in Abuja, Iyaji who spoke on behalf of the group, said the meeting was prompted by series of infractions, abuse of power, intimidation and encroachments on the rights of the people in the state by the previous and present administrations.

Yahaya Bello
Kogi Stakeholders want him arrested and tried for corruption

“That EFCC should assist in the recovery of Kogi state Assets in various locations that former Governor Bello sold to himself at giveaway prices vide his cronies and agents acting at his behest.” They said.

In a unanimous declaration, they added: “We, the stakeholders noted with dismay the wanton corruption, extra judicial killings, crass misappropriations of the over N1 trillion that accrued to the state as revenue throughout the tenure of the administration of the former Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the promotion of thuggery and brigandage, rent seeking, absence of visible and tangible developments in the state and promotion of ethnic politics in the state leading to the imposition of his cousin, Governor Ododo on the state as his successor.”

While condemning the eventual declaration of Alh. Usman Ododo as the purported winner of the said election, they condemned killings of indigenes of Kogi East and takeovers of some fishing and agrarian communities in Omala and Dekina Local Government Areas by herders.

Iyaji said the Illegal sales of Kogi state Government properties in kogi East, other parts of Kogi state, Abuja, Lagos and Kaduna by the administration of former Governor Yahaya Bello was deliberated and a source of concern to the stakeholders.

 

On the urgent need for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to call the the Kogi State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Bethrand Onuoha to order, they averred that the continuous retention of of the CP who has alledgedly and confessed to extra judicial murder of their compatriots and serving police officers at the behest of the ormer Governor Yahaya Bello.

 

They said: “The stakeholders also noted the unlawful acts of dethronement of four (4) traditional rulers across the state by the former Governor, Alh. Yahaya Bello in one day and the threat by Governor Ododo to replicate same in kogi east and other parts of Kogi State.

 

“The meeting moved against illegal mining activities all over Kogi East and other parts of kogi state by armed thugs of former Governor Yahaya Bello.”

 

According to them, Governor Ododo has demonstrated his poor sense of history and judgment by taking on the Ata Igala, Mathew Opaluwa Oguche Akpa 11, in his first action as Governor of kogi state, adding that the Ata, represents and he is the alter ego of an ancient tradition and people that dates back to the 13th century and hence should not and must not be ridiculed against the established protocol by anyone, not to talk of Governor Ododo whose emergence is a sham, and the position being strongly contested in court.

 

They added: “We noted with horrific amazement the abandonment of governance and decency by a bench warmer like Ododo, who recently declared himself unfit for the high office of state Governor, and unconstitutional establishment of the office of immediate past governor, now attempting to denigrate the ancient traditional institutions by claiming to forget to acknowledge the presence of the number one traditional ruler in the state at his inauguration as Governor.

 

“The stakeholders cautioned that, Ododo should retreat from the back of Yahaya Bello who was driven by vendetta and irresponsible use of constitutional powers wherein he dethroned four (4) first class rulers in a single day, just few hours to the end of his tenure without any just cause.”

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University Don Canvases Implementation of New Public Management to accelerate Nation’s growth

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1 week ago

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November 28, 2024

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By Elizabeth Okwe and Ojone Grace Odaudu


A Professor of New Public Management at the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) Prof. Charles Nwekeaku has advocated the implementation of New Public Management to accelerate growth and development in Nigeria.


Delivering a lecture titled “New Public Management, National Development and Transformation in Globalized World”.
at the 47th Inaugural Lecture of the university in Keffi, the university Don explained that NPM is a new administrative system that promises to address the perceived inadequacies contained in the Traditional Public Administration system which tend to neutralize it’s efficacy.

According to him, NPM has the potentialities of succeeding where the TPA has failed because of its creativity, efficiency, flexibility, adaptability to new administrative challenges, market oriented posture, good governance as well as inbuilt mechanisms that make NPM withstand the shocks of developmental challenges.

Nwekeaku added that these advantages led him to advocate for all levels of government to get involved in the implementation of NPM, given it’s potential to help accelerate Nigeria’s growth and development.

“The NPM advocates new innovations, ideas, strategies and creativity in meeting the needs of the members of the society who should be seen as loyal and important customers yearning for efficient and effective service delivery from the government.

“It emphasizes the application of the concept of the private sector which sees and treats people or citizens as customers who should get value for their money and who yearn for efficient and effective service delivery from the government,” Prof. Nwekeaku declared.

He explained further that it is in the contextual setting of the NPM that national development can occur as the human and material resources of the state will be actively harnessed for efficient and effective use of the society.

“Nothing practically is working in Nigeria today, and the situation will remain so except the yoke of traditional public administration is yanked off and replaced with the New Public Management,” he said.

The university Don pointed out that in practical terms,the adoption of NPM for national development and transformation will entail the application of principles and practices of corporate governance, alternative service delivery, e governance, and commerce.

“Other are artificial intelligence, financial inclusion, as well as other tools and attitude that engender efficiency, good governance and profitablity in all public institutions and enterprises at all levels of governance,” he said.

In an interview, Prof. Sa’adatu Liman, Vice Chancellor of NSUK aplauded the lecturer for a well researched inaugural lecture and described the topic of the lecture as apt and instrumental in helping to transform Nigeria giving the present economic challenges.

“The lecturer spoke eloquently of the failures of the traditional public administration and the need to apply the new public management system for quality .and growth.

“It it is applied, it will surely bring development to the country because as it is the country has been stagnated due to the continuous use of the traditional public administration procedure,” she said.

Source: City Post

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Anambra Approves Tax Relief for Small Businesses, Awards Contracts for Health and Other Infrastructures

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1 week ago

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November 27, 2024

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As part of its efforts to boost small and medium enterprises in the state, the Anambra state government has granted tax relief to businesses operating with less than N100,000 capital. This, according to the government, is in consideration of the difficulties faced by businesses in recent times.

The state government has also awarded contracts worth over N600 million for the supply and installation of new medical and non-medical hospital equipment at both the specialist hospital, Fegge, and the General Hospital, Anaku, Onitsha South, and Ayamelum LGAs. The contract was awarded to CHRISLAUG LTD.

This followed the approval of the projects by the State Executive Council meeting in Awka on Tuesday.

A statement by the State’s Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor said the contract is expected to be delivered in three months.

The statement gave details of the contract and other decisions of the council thus:

“LOT 1: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF NEW HOSPITAL MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AT THE SPECIALIST HOSPITAL, FEGGE, at the sum of N367,560,500.00. It will be supplied 3 months after the mobilisation fee.

“LOT 2: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF NEW HOSPITAL MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL ANAKU at the sum of N285,473,000.00. It will be supplied 3 months after the mobilisation fee

“The Council encouraged investors to take over the management of public enterprises (PEs) in the state by restating that leasing and concessioning PEs are better alternatives to the Government managing them directly.

“The Council restated that the Anti-touting Law of Anambra State remains in force and strongly advised touts to join the Soludo administration’s empowerment schemes for legitimate livelihoods. The Council also approved tax exemptions in Anambra State for groups whose business capitals are less than N100,000 and devolution of more powers to the local governments in the state in the area of sanitation.

“The Council has approved a memo presented by the Commissioner for Water Resources and Power, Engr. Julius Chukwuemeka, for the rehabilitation of the vandalised injection substation at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam Campus. The contract was awarded to Kolc Ventures at the sum of N228,147,634.33.

“The contract for the provision of free internet access to the Anambra State House of Assembly Complex, Awka, at the sum of N81,872,000.00 was awarded to PINE HEIGHT GLOBAL RESOURCES LTD to be installed within 2 weeks from the date of the contract award.

“The one for the construction of 151 open stalls at Afuzo Market, Isuofia, to boost local commerce and support economic growth was awarded to Crystal Dove Construction Company at the sum of N279,072,710.75.

Allpee International Ltd won the contract for the road-marking of the Amawbia flyover motorway with a spur through Ezeuzu Junction to ICC, along Amansea Old Road at the sum of N118,716,874.41. It will be delivered in 6 weeks.


“The ANSEC also approved the memo for the supply and installation of Solar Street Lights within the Awka Metropolis Lot 1, Lot 2, and Lot 3.
LOT 1: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF 544 NR SOLAR STREET LIGHTS
awarded to VIGEO-DOME LTD
N460,732,148.31
3 months delivery post mobilization fee.

II: SUPPLY and INSTALLATIONS OF 346 Nr SOLAR STREET LIGHTS.

FRANKTORCH NIG LTD
N385,605,574.49
2 months delivery post mobilization fee.

111: SUPPLY and INSTALLATIONS OF 240 Nr SOLAR STREET LIGHTS.

HONEYDOVE INTEGRATED
N163,800,279.72
2 months delivery post mobilization fee

“The contract for the production and installation of 500 pieces of fluorescent “Solution Is Here” concrete signage for the branding of all landmark infrastructures across the state was awarded to Conifer Konstruction Nig Ltd at the sum of N200,000,013.51

Signed

Law Mefor, PhD
Commissioner for Information
Anambra State

November 25, 2024.

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Economy

Despite Earlier Apprehensions, Senators Agree on Funding for Development Commissions

Published

1 month ago

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October 25, 2024

By

Despite Senators’ division over new regional development commissions’ funding arrangement, Lawmakers in the Red Chamber on Thursday finally agreed on the source of funding for the newly created zonal development commissions.

The arguments had unfolded as the Senate and House of Representatives moved forward with legislation to establish these commissions, which were also stripped of operational immunity for their boards and executives.

The disagreement emerged during the clause-by-clause consideration of the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, which serves as the structural template for other zonal commissions.
Central to the debate was the Senate Committee on Special Duties’ recommendation that 15% of statutory allocations from member states be directed toward funding these commissions.

Several Senators, including Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP, Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC, Lagos East), and Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), voiced concerns over the proposed funding model.

 

 

Senator Abdullahi warned that the provision could lead to legal challenges from state governments, as no state would willingly allow its statutory allocation to be reduced.

“Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15% of statutory allocations of member states recommended for funding their zonal development commissions would be litigated against by some state governments,” Abdullahi said.

Seeking to clarify the matter, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, quickly intervened.

He explained that the 15% allocation would not involve a direct deduction from the states’ funds.

He said, “Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15% of statutory allocation of member states, recommended for funding of Zonal Development Commissions by the federal government, is not about deduction at all.

“What is recommended, as contained in the report presented to us by the Committee on Special Duties and being considered by the Senate now, is that 15% of the statutory allocation of member states in a zonal development commission would, by way of calculation by the federal government, be used to fund the commission from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

“Each state has a monthly statutory allocation, 15% of which, as contained in this report being considered, will be calculated by the federal government and removed from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for funding of their Development Commission.”

Despite Barau’s explanation, several senators remained unconvinced and expressed their desire to contribute to the debate.

However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stepped in, asserting that the provision was constitutionally sound.

“We don’t need to debate whether 15% of statutory allocations from member states in a commission would be deducted,” Akpabio said, citing Section 162(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the National Assembly the authority to appropriate funds from either the Consolidated Revenue Fund or the Federation Account.

“Fifteen percent of the statutory allocation has been recommended by the Senate, and by extension, the National Assembly, for funding these zonal development commissions. Anyone who wishes to challenge that in court is free to do so,” he added.

Akpabio then called for a voice vote, and the majority voted in favour of the provision.

In his remarks following the passage of the consolidated bills, Akpabio expressed gratitude to the Senators for their efforts in finalising the Zonal Development Commissions.

He noted that these commissions would provide a foundation for the newly created Ministry of Regional Development.

The bills passed include the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, the North West Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024, and the South-East Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024.

The South West Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 and the North Central Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 were previously passed.

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