Buhari seeks cooperation with Senate

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to cooperate with his administration in fixing the country's roads and rail ways.

He also urged them to ensure that the country does not default in payment of counterpart funds for projects. 

President Buhari who hosted Senators to a dinner at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja urged them to help sustain the tremendous goodwill which the country presently enjoys across the globe by supporting his administration.

“We are enjoying tremendous goodwill outside this country. Whatever we do, let us have it in mind that people have confidence in this government.

“The roads are dead. Those who drive between Lagos and Ibadan will have a lot of stories to tell you. Those who drive from Kaduna to Jebba may have more stories to tell. The same thing is applicable to the East-West road,” he said.

He noted that whereas previous administrations enjoyed oil revenue as high as $140 per barrel, his government is only getting $38 per barrel.

Responding, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki pledged the readiness of the upper chamber to accord national issues the importance they deserve.

“Petrol does not know APC or PDP. We will always work hard in the interest of the country in everything we do,” he said.

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Read Buhari's warning to universities

The University of Benin on Tuesday installed the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness,
Muhammad Sanusi II as its Chancellor.

President Muhammadu Buhari was represented at the event by the Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu.

Read the President's stern warning to university administrators across the country as delivered by Adamu.

“This administration is committed to providing funding for the university system and indeed for the entire education sector. But I must warn that the Federal Government will not fold its hands and watch unscrupulous people mismanage all the viable resources that have been put into the sector. We will no longer tolerate this.

“The Federal Ministry of Education is to ensure that all leakages are blocked and this is a promise that we intend to keep. This administration is determined to fight corruption whether in the university system or elsewhere. Members of staff and students must be seen to do their part in this struggle to change our society for the better, it is not just the duty of government. We hope that other brother countries will support what the government is doing. Universities must be seen to be leading by example. Due process must not be compromised in all we do.”

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FG To begin payment of N5000 next year

The Federal Government has declared that it will commence the payment of N5000 monthly stipends to the unemployed next year.

It said that the project could not begin this year because it was not captured in the 2015 budget.
Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr Solomon Dalong, said this in Abuja on Tuesday during  a condolence visit to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, at the party's national secretariat over the death of Prince Abubakar Audu who flew the party's flag in last Saturday's Kogi State governorship election.

“I would want the youths to understand that every promise must be backed up by budgetary provision and our promise to pay N5000 is not contained in the 2015 budget. So, definitely, it is going to begin in 2016 as we have made budgetary allocations for that.

“We are committed to the campaign promises of creating jobs, providing wealth creation and combat poverty. We have embedded in our manifesto things that we are translating to reality.

“We are busy reviewing some of the youth empowerment programmes that are ongoing,  to ensure that they are more viable and people oriented. We are also looking at the possibility of realigning some of them to our vision so that in the final analysis, it can add value to the people," he said.

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Contract Scam : EFCC Nabs APC Bigwig

Mr. Miebi Bribena, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Bayelsa State, is by now in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC  explaining his role in a contract scam at the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

Bribena who is said to have benefited immensely from the Amnesty Programme was reportedly picked up by EFCC operatives on Wednesday.

He is presently being detained at the agency’s headquarters in Wuse, Abuja, where he was earlier quizzed for several hours.

Abujacitynews learnt that Bribena is being quizzed for allegedly absconding with  huge mobilisation fees from the Amnesty office over a contract which he failed to execute.

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N465b Supplementary To Be Passed Next Week - Senate

The Senate on Tuesday resolved to quickly process the N465b Appropriation Bill to complement the efforts of the executive arm of government in resolving the ongoing fuel crisis in the country.

To this end, the Senate has directed its Committee on Appropriation to submit its report for deliberation and passage on Tuesday next week.

The upper chamber explained that the decision to quickly pass the supplementary budget was to facilitate speedy payment of outstanding subsidy claims of N413.3bn to oil marketers.

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Senate Rejects Call To Invite Buhari

Senators on Tuesday shot down a motion seeking to make the upper chamber invite President Buhari to explain the persistent hardship being suffered by Nigerians over the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe supported by other PDP Senators had proposed that the President should be invited in his capacity as the Petroleum Minister to explain what he is doing to address the key issues in the sector.

However, the motion was overruled by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki with a warning to the senators against playing partisan politics with serious national issues.

Speaking to newsmen after the plenary, Senate spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi defended Saraki's action.

“The fact that Mr. President chose to oversee the petroleum ministry does not make him cede his authority of being the Commander-in-Chief. If we need any explanation from a minister and in this case petroleum, the Minister of State (Petroleum), is the person that will definitely come forward to make this explanation," he said.

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NYSC Insists On Ban On Hijab

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier-General, Johnson Olawumi, said on Tuesday that the ban on hijab-wearing in its orientation camps would remain in place as it was meant “for security reasons.”

Olawumi said this while addressing a group of Muslim youths under the aegis of Muslim Youths in Da’wah who had come to the national headquarters of the NYSC in Abuja to protest against the prohibition of Muslim women from wearing long hijab in orientation camps.

The National Coordinator of the group , Luqman Hassan; and the Deputy Coordinator, Kamarudeen Adefila, had explained their mission to the NYSC Director-General.

“We are here to discuss with you about the incident that happened recently in various camps across the country. We have a guiding principle which is based on the Holy Qur'an. We are all Nigerians and the principle which guides us is the constitution and the African Charter on Human rights.

“Members of the NYSC are Nigerians who have contributed to the development of this country; female corps members deserve protection by the NYSC. We don’t believe that a female corps member putting on hijab has done any wrong against the Act establishing the NYSC. So they deserve the respect of the NYSC. We have travelled far and wide and visited different camps. Why are the rights of female corps members being infringed upon. We are here to register our displeasure.

”Many Muslim organisations wanted to protest, but we said wait a while. In fact, we had to intervene to avoid the situation and if Muslims march on the streets, it will attract a lot of negative comments, but people won’t know why we are protesting.”

Responding, Olawumi expressed concern about the hijab being used by female suicide bombers to conceal their explosive devices.

“Under my leadership, the NYSC will accord respect to every corps member, irrespective of tribe and religion. The incident in Benue State was caused by the use of long hijab. The security situation in the country is tough. There is the danger of somebody using hijab for other reasons.

“There have been cases where young girls put on hijab and eventually turn to suicide bombers. Boko Haram members know how to get at whoever they want as target. That is why we frown at the wearing of long hijab. Please call on all your Muslim youths to be patient and adhere to it, just for a short period during the camp. We frown at long hijab because of the security implication,” he said.

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