2020 Budget
ICPC uncovers N5.17 billion fraud in education, agric ministries
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has uncovered diversion of part of the N2.67 billion payments made to some Federal Colleges for school feeding during lockdown. The Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, who stated this at the 2nd National Summit on Diminishing Corruption with the theme: “Together Against Corruption and Launch of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy”, said preliminary investigation had indicated that part of the N2.67billion was diverted to private accounts. The event, presided over President Muhammadu Buhari, was held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday. The ICPC boss said: “We observed that transfer to sub-Treasury Single Account was to prevent disbursement from being monitored. ...
Minister, others shun senate over 2020 budget performance
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, Thursday shunned the Senate when summoned to brief lawmakers of 2020 Budget Performance. The Minister’s refusal to appear before the Senator Barau Jibrin, All Progressives Congress, APC, Kano North led Senate Committee on Appropriations was the second time in two weeks. Also invited but shunned the meeting with the Senate were the Accountant-General of the Federation, Idris Ahmed, and the Director-General of the Budget Office, Ben Akabueze. Briefing Journalists in Abuja Thursday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Jibrin expressed disappointment at the absence of Nigeria’s key economic and budget planners at the crucial meeting. The Senator who noted that the meeting was originally scheduled to ho...
CSO urges President Buhari to freeze NDDC account
The Act for Positive Transformation Initiative, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has requested President Muhammadu Buhari to freeze the account of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and suspend all further spending in the commission. Mr Johnson Kolawale, the Head, Directorate of Research, Strategy, and Programme, made the call at a news conference on Monday in Abuja. He alleged that plans were ongoing to make fraudulent expenditures by top officials in the commission. Kolawale revealed that the commission had continued to spend funds against due process and against the directive of the President. According to him, the commission has squandered an additional nine billion Naira in the last one month. “We call on President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly, and genuine sec...
Senator Ngige: Suspended NSITF chief awarded N4.448 billion contracts in one day
The Minister for Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, shocked the members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) when he alleged that the suspended MD awarded about 332 different contracts worth about N4.448 billion in one day. Senator Ngige who appeared on the second day of the investigative hearing being Chaired by Hon Miriam Onuoha further revealed that the controversial contracts were awarded just two days after he left office as Minister in 2019. The two times Minister of Labour and Employment also informed the Committee that the suspended management committed about 74 different infractions for which they were suspended. Senator Ngige who insisted that the action taken so far against the affecte...
