NEWS

Difficulties In Revitalizing Economy Caused By National Assembly’s Delay- Presidency

Published

8 years ago

August 31, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has chided State governors who are still owing workers, despite his administration’s intervention. Buhari spoke at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday while receiving a representation of governors led by the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Abdul’Aziz Abubakar Yari of Zamfara State. Those who visited: On the delegation included the governors of Ondo, Kebbi Bauchi, Jigawa, Kwara and Akwa Ibom as well as the deputy governor of Ebonyi State. What he said: According to a statement by his spokesman Mr Femi Adesina, Buhari wondered how the governors sleep while owing salaries. He told the governors that two out of the three-pronged focus of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to secure the country and fight corruption had received some commendable reviews by the people. The president said: “How can anyone go to bed and sleep soundly when workers have not been paid their salaries for months. “I actually wonder how the workers feed their families, pay their rents and even pay school fees for their children.” “God has been merciful in hearing the prayers of his servants so the rainy season has been good, you can ask the Kebbi State governor on this, and our enormous food importation bill has gone down,’’ Buhari stated. Yari was quoted as saying that the various interventions by the Federal Government, include the bailouts, were judiciously utilized by the states. He told Buhari that the governors inherited backlog of unpaid salaries and huge debts portfolios on assumption of office. “We are concerned with the situation in our states, and we are trying our best to manage the resources,’’ the governor said.

The government attributed the difficulty it was having in revitalizing the troubled economy to the delay by the National Assembly to treat and pass the budgets for urgent assent and implementation.

It also said the development was negatively affecting job creation and as a result, tasked the legislature to brace up towards doing the needful. President Buhari’s expectations on the passage of budgets of the 38 agencies among which include Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Nigeria Customs Service, etc, was stated yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters ( Senate) Senator Ita Enang, at a media briefing in Abuja. Enang at the briefing said passing of budgets of the statutory corporations and agencies was a requirement of the law that must be carried out by the National Assembly .

According to him, the urgent need for the passage of the budget of the statutory agencies was imperative because the total expenditure of their collective budgets almost equal the total budget profile of the country which stands at N6.06trillion.
He said”Now, if the corporations and agencies’ budget is up to about N4 trillion, that means we will be having a budget of about N10 trillion in the country to implement for this year and when approved, it will make additional money available in the economy with its positive multiplier effects”, he said.

He added that passing the budget of government corporations would also create and open up employment opportunities in different agencies and parastatals.

He noted that the Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Act, which has been assented to by President Buhari will also create job opportunities in formal and informal sectors of the economy.

He said: “The Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Act, 2016 passed by the National Assembly has been assented to by Mr. President. “The legal implementation of the Budget, therefore comes into effect now, which will result in employment in the formal and informal sectors within the territory through projects implementation.

“Some Nigerians have asked questions as to the legal and Legislative grounds for the laying of the Budget of Statutory Corporations before the National Assembly for consideration and passage. “The Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 requires that the Budget of the Agencies among others be laid before the Assembles by Mr. President, in addition to, and independent of the annual Appropriation Act.

“The rationale are: It is a requirement of the law that the National Assembly as a Legislative body should consider and pass the Budget of each of them. “It is what is spent in the National Budget together with the totality of the expenditure of the collective of the Government Corporations that amount to the total Annual Expenditure of the Country.

“The vacancies created by retirement in each of these parastals and the new employable vacancies are determined by the Budgetary requirement of the Agencies as will be approved by the National Assembly. Therefore the other rationale for this is to create, regulate and open up employment in the different parastals.

“It is also to stimulate the economy, in that there are so many capital project in the parastals which when approved by the National Assembly, the parastals will award thus releasing money and stimulate cash flow into the economy.

“It will also ensure accountability by the Corporations because they will only raise and spend as approved by the National Assembly and will increase activism of the National Assembly in her oversight Responsibility because they will be overseeing implementation as approved, and know surplus Revenue to capture for subsequent years, Appropriations. “It will increase Non – Oil Revenue internally generated. The Agencies are under the Law to keep 20% their operational surplus and remit 80% to the Federal Government”.

Source: vanguard.ng

Related Topics:President Buhari Senator Ita Enang

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Enugu State Governor Names Street After Viral Musician, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha

Published

1 day ago

September 6, 2024

Reporter

Enugu State governor names street after Mike Ejeagha | fab.ng

People often hailed Gentleman Mike Ejeagha as the grandfather of Igbo folk music. He has remained an iconic figure in Nigerian music for over six decades. His influence in the genre is unparalleled, and his timeless work continues to resonate with audiences today.

Recently, his 1983 classic, “Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche“, experienced a resurgence in popularity when comedian and skit maker Brain Jotter featured it in a viral video. This newfound fame has brought Ejeagha’s work to the attention of a younger generation. Recognizing his immense contributions to music and culture, the Enugu State government honoured the 90-year-old musician by naming a street after him.

On September 2, 2024, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State inaugurated several newly constructed roads. One of these roads was renamed Abakpa Road in honour of Gentleman Mike Ejeagha.

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A post shared by African Folder (@africanfolder)

Enugu State officials honoured the legendary musician, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha.

The legendary musician hails from Imezi Owa in the Eziagu Local Government Area, for his lasting impact on Igbo folk music and culture. The governor made a special visit to Ejeagha’s residence. Emma Ejeagha and Elizabeth Ugwu warmly welcomed the governor upon his arrival at their father’s residence. They are both the children of the renowned musician. They expressed their gratitude to the governor for fulfilling promises made by previous administrations to honour their father’s legacy.

At the street commissioning ceremony, Governor Mbah delighted residents by joining them in the viral “Gwo gwo gwo ngwo” dance steps.

The viral success of “Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche” was sparked by Brain Jotter‘s Instagram video on July 5, 2024. This has rekindled widespread interest in Gentleman Mike Ejeagha’s life and career. The song features a clever folklore tale about the cunning tortoise (Mbe) and the mighty elephant (Enyi). This is one of the highlife legend’s most notable works.

Listeners cherish Ejeagha’s music for its incorporation of moral teachings, a wealth of proverbs, and insightful social commentary. Yet, they remain an integral part of Nigerian musical heritage, speaking to generations past and present.

NEWS

Ayra Starr Expresses Sentiments Over Murder Of Christiana Idowu

Published

2 days ago

September 5, 2024

Reporter

Ayra Starr expresses anger over murder of student | fab.ng

Nigerian singer Ayra Starr has expressed her outrage over the abduction and murder of Christiana Idowu by Adeleye Ayomide. Christiana is a 300-level student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

On September 5, 2024, Ayra Starr took to X, passionately calling for better treatment of women in society and demanding justice for the slain student. Her message emphasized the need for immediate action to address violence against women and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.

She wrote, “Stop killing us! Stop raping us! Women deserve better #JusticeForChristianah.”

Stop killing us ! Stop raping us ! Women deserve better #JusticeForChristianah

— Celestial being (@ayrastarr) September 5, 2024

The 300-level student from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Christiana Idowu, was abducted along the Ikorodu-Yaba Road in August 2024.

Christiana Idowu

The kidnappers contacted her parents using her WhatsApp account. This prompted her parents to report her missing on August 19, 2024. They sent pictures of Christiana in captivity through WhatsApp’s “view once” feature, demanding ₦1.5 million in ransom. Her parents managed to raise ₦350,000, which they transferred to a betting account as instructed by the kidnappers.

After receiving the money, the kidnappers asked for a copy of the sender’s bank statement. On August 23, Christiana’s family complied, but the kidnappers cut off all contact shortly after. Investigators traced some of the ransom money to Christiana’s GTB account. Then, someone transferred this money to a Wema Bank account. The account belonged to Adeleye Ayomide, a 200-level student at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU). Investigators identified Ayomide as the primary suspect.

Adeleye Ayomide, the primary suspect.

On September 3, 2024, police arrested Ayomide, who confessed to killing Christiana and burying her body at his family home.

Get more news updates here.

MUSIC

Fireboy’s “Peru” Gets Diamond Certification In France

Published

3 days ago

September 5, 2024

Reporter

'Peru' diamond certification in France | fab.ng

Fireboy‘s “Peru,” released in 2021, quickly became a global sensation, securing a diamond certification in France. The song charted in several countries, including the US, UK, and France. The Afrobeats rhythmic song resonated with audiences worldwide, earning it a commercial success across multiple regions.

Significantly, the song secured the highest certification for a song in France. The remix features British superstar Ed Sheeran, who played a crucial role in propelling the track to international stardom. This version of “Peru” not only charted in over 20 countries but also made a showing on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at No. 53. In the UK, it soared to No. 2 on the Official Singles Chart. Again in France, it reached No. 28, solidifying its status as a global hit.

The success of “Peru” extends beyond just chart performance.

Across both the original and remix versions, the track has amassed over 450 million streams on Spotify alone. It has been awarded a gold plaque in Denmark and achieved double platinum status in the UK. Notably, “Peru” is one of the select Afrobeats songs to earn a platinum certification from the RIAA, further cementing its place in the genre’s history.

Fireboy DML’s “Peru” featuring Ed Sheeran is now certified Diamond in France 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/o3Wm75zJS6

— Unorthodox Reviews (@OfficialBlog_UR) September 2, 2024

Featured on Fireboy’s third album, “Playboy”, “Peru” catapulted him to international fame. This success earned him a BET nomination and a coveted performance slot at the 2022 edition of the awards. Fireboy’s ability to fuse Afrobeats with global appeal has established him as one of Nigeria’s leading musical exports.

With its recent diamond certification in France, “Peru” joins the ranks of other Nigerian hits.

This includes Oxlade’s “Kulosa,” Ayra Starr’s “Rush,” Burna Boy’s “Last Last,” and Rema’s “Calm Down,” all of which have received SNEP diamond certification.

Building on this momentum, Fireboy continues his global ascent with the release of his fourth album, “Adedamola”. The project features collaborations with prominent artists such as Lagbaja, Grammy nominee Seun Kuti, Lojay, and Grammy Album of the Year winner Jon Batiste, showcasing his ever-expanding influence in the music industry.