Capital projects: FG releases N280b

The Federal Government on Tuesday announced the release of N280 billion for the implementation of capital projects  in the 2016 budget.

The money is part of the N350 billion set aside to fund capital projects in the fiscal year. .

Six key ministries – Works, Housing and Power, Agriculture, Interior, Education, Information and Environment were captured in the first phase of the funds.

The government said that the money is for ongoing projects which have already been verified.

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, said the names of 60 Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs have been forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Finance for approval.

She said that the released funds would be used to execute specific projects, adding that government would not release money for any new projects.

Zainab spoke at a one day workshop for the review and implementation of the 2016 budget in Abuja on Tuesday.

She said that another batch of about 30 MDAs would be sent to the finance ministry on Wednesday.

The event was organized by a civic technology organization, BudgIT Nigeria.

“The release of the N350 billion is ongoing but of course, as I presented, we were not releasing budgets based on one quarter allocation. We needed to scrutinize the process. It took some time but we have sent about N280 billion for projects that have been scrutinized.

“As I said earlier on, the release will be done for specific projects. Our concentration was on projects that are ongoing, except for a few exceptional circumstances; we are not releasing funds for any new projects.

“We have reviewed their projects, approved them and have sent them to the ministry of finance.

“We have sent to the ministry of finance up to about 50 or 60 MDAs, but I can tell you that Works, Housing and Power, Agriculture, Interior, Education, Information and Environment are part of the ministries that we have sent to the finance ministry.

“There are about 60 MDAs already in the first batch. We have another batch of about 30 where the screening process had been concluded and we should be able to send that today (Tuesday) or tomorrow (Wednesday),” she said.

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2000 sacked Immigration recruits protest in Abuja

Some 2,000  Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS recruits who were disengaged after training in 2015, were in Abuja on Monday to protest their sack at the Ministry of Interior.

The protesters bore placards demanding their reinstatement into the service.

Spokesman of the group, Mr Rex Elenu said that they were at the Ministry to protest their disengagement and demand reinstatement.

“We are here to protest our disengagement from the NIS.

“We have our dully signed letter of appointment, except for the Assistant Superintendent cadre whose letter of appointment falls under the purview of the board.

“We toiled for three months during our training across the country, but till date no government official has deemed it fit to issue a statement on our plight and the injustice meted to us.

“We, therefore, implore the honorable Minister of Interior to say something and do something now because our reinstatement is not negotiable,” he said.

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NAF denies story on looming sack of senior officers

The Nigerian Air Force, NAF has denied a newspaper report on imminent retirement of senior officers from the service.

Group Capt. Ayodele Famuyiwa, Director of Public Relations and Information, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

“The publication alleged that NAF is on the verge of retiring a number of senior officers connected with the ongoing investigation of arms purchase under the immediate past administration.

“It is pertinent to state that this story is unfounded and did not emanate from NAF.’’

The statement advised reporters to always confirm their stories before publishing.

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DJ jailed 8 months in Abuja for stealing iPad

A Grade 1 Area Court in Kado, Abuja on Tuesday handed 25 year-old Disc Jockey, Emmanuel Nelson an 8 months jail term for stealing an iPad valued at N65,000.

The presiding judge , Alhaji Mohammed Ado, however, gave the convict an option of N8, 000 fine, with a warning to stay away from crime.

Emmanuel Nelson of Kado Kuchi Village, Abuja, was convicted on a two-count charge of criminal trespass and stealing.

He pleaded guilty to the charges and begged the court to temper justice with mercy. He added that he committed the crime in order to enhance his work.

The prosecutor, Judith Obatomi had told the court that one Benedith Akuh, also of Kado Kuchi Village, had reported the matter at the Mabushi Police Station, Abuja, on June 5, 2016.

She said that the complainant reported that sometime in October 2015, Nelson, his neighbour broke into his room and stole his iPad valued N65, 000, an act contrary to Sections 348 and 288 of the Penal Code.

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Jonathan denies owning £15m UK property

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed as untrue, a publication by the UK Sun that he owns a £15m property in the United Kingdom.

Kelvin MacKenzie, a former Editor of the UK Sun had claimed in his weekly Saturday column that Jonathan had acquired a property in Weybridge, Surrey.

“I hear the aptly named Goodluck Jonathan, the former President of oil-rich Nigeria, has bought a 12,000 square foot house on the ultra-expensive and well protected St George’s Hill Estate in Weybridge, Surrey.

“I’m sure he gained his wealth legitimately but these houses are £10-£15million a pop, so, perhaps the ex-President could explain where his money came from as he has been at the forefront of the fight against his country’s corruption. Surely, it can’t all have been good luck.”

Reacting to the article however, Jonathan, through his media aide, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, denied the report and demanded a retraction.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan takes pride in the fact that he does not have any property or accounts outside Nigeria. He stated this publicly while in office and his commitment to Nigeria’s economy remains total even after he has left power.

“As the Nigerian President who signed the Freedom of Information bill into law, Dr. Jonathan is well aware that the United Kingdom is a nation with good record keeping at county and national levels and as such, it will not take a serious and responsible media long to verify ownership of property before rushing to the press with potentially libellous publications.

“It is hoped that this publication will correct its error and do a retraction and that other media will likewise follow up on this story to put the lie to the details it contains,” Eze wrote in a statement.

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Youths protest creation of grazing reserve in Plateau (Photo)

The Plateau G-17 Youths for Peace and Progress Forum has warned the state government against donating any portion of Plateau land for grazing purposes.

The youths during a protest at the Plateau State Government House on Monday, urged Governor Simon Lalong to delist the state from the states said to have donated land for grazing reserves in the country.

The leader of the protesters, Mr. Dachung Bagos, warned the governor to be careful not to  mortgage the future of generations yet unborn with the likely consequences of further throwing the state into a state of chaos as the policy had been massively rejected by the people of Plateau State.

“We therefore wish to state, unequivocally that we stand here today, in protest against any form of land grabbing and exclusive privileges to any group, under the guise of a government, sponsored grazing reserve policy.

“The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Audu Ogbeh, came out with a list of 11 states including the FCT, saying that the states had agreed to contribute lands for the purpose of the establishment of grazing reserves for cattle herders and Plateau State was listed as one of the states that have indicated interest in providing land.

“From time immemorial through the period of agriculture to the period of industrial development, land has remained the most valuable property in the life of a man and his development. It is a source of wealth to those who have it and the mother of all properties,” he said.

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FG Recruitment: N-Power portal records 400,000 applications in 36 hours

The presidency disclosed on Monday the newly launched job portal of the Federal Government, N-Power. gov.ng, recorded over 400,000 successful registrations within its first 36 hours of operation.

The disclosure was made by the Job Creation Unit of the Presidency.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation, Mr. Afolabi Imoukhuede, who works in the office of Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo said in a statement that ; “We have been impressed by the enthusiastic response to the call for applications. As at noon on Monday, June 13, only 36 hours after the launch of the portal, 403, 528 applicants had successfully registered on the site and were in the middle of completing the application process."

Recall that the jobs portal was launched by the Federal Government on Sunday June 12, 2016.

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