FIRS Bans Consultants From Revenue Collection

Henceforth, consultants will no longer be allowed to assess or collect revenue for the federal government. This is in accordance with a directive issued by the Acting Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Mr Tunde Fowler.

Mr Fowler disclosed this in Abuja on Monday during a meeting with members of the Joint Tax Board, JTB. He said that from now on, consultants will only be hired for the purpose of gathering data.

“To improve the levels of transparency and accountability, these consultants will only gather data. The law does not allow them to do assessment or collect revenue on behalf of government. They are just to assist our staff to collect data,” he said.

He added that FIRS would work with states' boards of internal revenue to assess taxes payable and issue demand notices.

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Chibok Girls : Buhari In Negotiations With Boko Haram

President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed on Tuesday that his administration has been holding talks with the leadership of militant group Boko Haram over the release of the Chibok Girlsb.

The president said this in France during a meeting with meeting with members of the Nigerians In Diaspora Organization, NIDO. He said that his government was disturbed by the continued stay of the girls in captivity.

According to President Buhari,  "The issue of Chibok girls has occupied our minds and because of the international attention it drew and the sympathy through out the country and the world, the government is negotiating with some of the Boko Haram leadership."

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Frequent Conflicts, Refugee Crisis Embarrassing - Buhari

Frequent conflicts in Africa which have led to huge refugee situations and displacement of people across borders are embarrassing, says President Muhammadu Buhari.

As a way out, he called on African Union, AU's Peace and Security Council (PAC) and regional economic communities to coordinate and harmonise their efforts more effectively to arrest insecurity on the continent.

Buhari made the call in Abuja at the Peace and Security Council retreat on the enhancement of cooperation between the AU Peace and Security Council and the regional economic communities on promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa.

He was represented at the event by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. He said ;
”In wishing you every success in these collective efforts for peace and security in Africa I would like to remind that attention should've focused on how the Peace and Security Council and the regional economic communities can enhance effectiveness and efficiency using their comparative advantages and various capacities within the context of subsidiarity and complementarity in the areas of early warning and early action, conflict prevention, peace-making, post-conflict peace building, reconstruction and development, strengthening of democratic practices and good governance as well as in combating terrorism and violent extremism."

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Buhari Salutes Bamanga Tukur At 80

President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a goodwill message to foremost industrialist and politician, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur who turned 80 today.

The president commended the elder statesman's exemplary political maturity and commitment to the peace and development of the country.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adeshina said that Buhari seized the occasion of Bamanga Tukur's 80th birthday to express the nation's appreciation for his enduring contributions to the country's political and economic development.

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Scene of a horrible car crash in Abuja this morning

A white Ford Ranger pickup truck this morning lost control and hit the road intersection before crashing into a black Toyota Prado SUV belonging to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

The accident happened near Gosa market along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road, Abuja.

An eyewitness said that both vehicles somersaulted a couple of times before resting on their backs.

The two occupants of the Prado SUV came out unhurt. The driver and lone occupant of the Ford Ranger although came out of the truck on his own, slumped and fell unconscious soon after and was rushed to the hospital.

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El-Rufai To Spend N14b On Lunch, Tuition For School Children

Gov Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State says his government has set aside, nearly fourteen billion naira to provide lunch for the state's estimated one million primary school pupils and improved meals for her 273,000 boarding  students.

Gov El-Rufai said that the N13.6b budget would improve the quality of food served to boarding students by 500%, and also provide new school uniforms for every primary school pupil in the state, thereby providing jobs for over 5000 tailors.

He said, “Every commissioner here has brought a blueprint and how he intends to achieve it. Just as I have promised, no primary school pupil will pay a penny either as tuition, Parent Teachers Association levy or any sort of levy.

“That means that parents of these pupils will save N3.7 billion annually as what was charged them by the last government.

“Also, we are embarking on a free lunch programme for our primary school pupils and that will cots N9 billion to cover one million children.

“Today, only N11 is used to feed each boarding school student in this state per meal, which is unacceptable. We have resolved to raise it by 500%.Each student will now be fed on N66 per meal; we shall spend N200 million per term or N600 million per year. That will cover our 273,000 boarding students."

El-Rufai who addressed newsmen in Kaduna at the end of a three - day retreat for his cabinet said that he was committed to delivering on his promises to the people.

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UNFPA, Yobe Govt Partner On IDPs

The United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA says it is working with the government of Yobe State to help Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in the areas of promotion of reproductive health, restoration of women dignity and provision of psychosocial support.

Head of UNFPA subregional office in Kaduna, Ms Dawn Minott disclosed this in Damaturu on Monday during a working visit to Yobe State. She said the visit was to assess the impact of the support provided by the fund.

She said that UNFPA was engaging rape victims as change agents to encourage other victims to overcome cultural barriers to addressing sexual abuse.

She added that she was happy with the feedback from stakeholders on the relevance of the support being provided by UNFPA.

She said, "The reproductive health kits went directly to the beneficiaries at the IDP camps and state specialists’ hospital. We have seen for ourselves that those kits have been relevant for this particular context.”

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