Minister
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...
Senator Akpabio indicts National Assembly members in NDDC contract scandal
The minister for Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio on Monday said he has not awarded a single contract since he assumed office. Instead, he indicted members of the National Assembly. “I have never approved a single contract not even one kilometre for the NDDC,” Akpabio said while responding to questions by the House of Representatives committee probing the financial misappropriation at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). “Most of the contracts in NDDC are given out to the members of the National Assembly. If you don’t know, please ask the two chairmen,” Akpabio alleged. Akpabio, however, said that the contracts were not given to the committee chairman, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. “I don’t think the NDDC has given any contract directly to Honorable Ojo,” Akpabio said. On the alleged m...
Nigerian government threatens sanctions over violation of airport coronavirus protocols
The Federal Government is probing reported violations of COVID-19 safety protocols by some high profile Nigerians accessing some of the newly-reopened airports in the country. The probe, government said, involving Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Fintiri and the former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, is with a view to sanctioning violators if it is established that they indeed violated the rules, or apologise to them should the result of the investigations exonerate them. Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, PTF, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, who did not mention the names of alleged violators of safety protocols, urged them to desist from flouting the guidelines. He said: “You will all recall that the aviation sector reo...
Presidential panel grills four EFCC sectional heads
File Photo The Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential investigation panel probing corrupt allegations levelled against the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, on Tuesday grilled four-unit heads of the commission. The officials had previously appeared before the panel last week but were said to have been unable to provide meaning responses to queries. They were therefore instructed to return to the panel on Tuesday armed with relevant documents and answers to the questions raised. However, it was learnt that Tuesday’s appearance of the anti-graft officials was still not very helpful as they were again not able to satisfy the panel. TribuneOnline gathered that they have however promised to study the documents in their possession before...
Reckitt Benckiser donates N65m worth of hygiene products to Nigerian government
Reckitt Benckiser (RB), makers of Dettol and Jik, has donated hygiene products worth N65 million to Federal Ministry of Health to enable it respond to coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, improve access to health, hygiene and nutrition for Nigerians. Donated items included hygiene products such as antiseptic disinfectants, dettol soaps, Jik bleach, full Personal Protective Equipments (PPE), and 100 mobile hand wash units to be installed at locations as advised by the ministry of health. The donations which was presented by representatives of RB at the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, was received by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, in company of other senior ministry officials. In his remarks, the Minister thanked RB for the donations, stating that “you have been in business for f...
Festus Keyamo to appear again in National Assembly over 774,000 jobs controversy
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, will appear before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Labour on Tuesday to defend the 774,000 job recruitment across the country. The Minister is going on the invitation of the Joint Committee after the earlier meeting ended in shouting match. But Keyamo has made it clear to the lawmakers that he was sending a written submission on issues surrounding the programme ahead of his appearance to avoid a repetition of what happened during the last sitting. He also expressed reservations that he might not get a fair hearing from the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Labour, alleging that the Committee Chairman was the one at the forefront of insisting on controlling and dictating the execution of the programme...
Senator Sirika: I don’t control airfares
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, on Thursday, said he was not in a position to regulate airfares for airlines. Sirika stated this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Aviation to brief senators on the level of the sector’s preparedness to begin flight operations on July 8. He said, “Price is not in my hand but from what we put in place, I do not think that anything significant will happen to affect the propensity to fly.” The minister, however, said necessary protocols have been put in place to ensure social distancing within the airport premises and inside the aircraft. He said, “There is nothing like rush hour again. People have to stay safe before anything happens. “So I’m sure that as civil aviation we are responsible to ensure that everybody remains safe. So t...
National Assembly urges President Buhari to suspend plan to recruit 774,000 Nigerians
The Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the implementation of the plan to recruit 774,000 Nigerians for Special Public Works across the country. The position of both chambers of the National Assembly followed a sharp disagreement between the National Assembly Joint Committee on Labour, Employee and Productivity and the Minister for State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, over the modalities for appointing the 20-member Selection Committee for the programme. Keyamo who had appeared at an interactive session organized by the joint committee opposed a resolution of the Joint Committee to resolve into a closed door session. The Minister said he rejected the lawmakers decision to quiz him behind closed doors because of the n...
774,000 jobs: National Assembly can’t suspend selection process – minister
The Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo (SAN), says members of the National Assembly cannot stop the selection process of the 774,000 Special Public Works Programme jobs. He stated that the Joint Committees on Labour of both the Senate and the House tried to “control the programme as to who gets what, where and how”. The minister insisted that he would not surrender the programme to the lawmakers’ control “since their powers under the constitution does not extend to that”. He, therefore, directed the state selection committees to proceed with the recruitment process. Keyamo, in a statement issued after his meeting with the NASS committee ended in a fiasco on Tuesday, said, “There was a misunderstanding between us when they questioned why I did not privately submit the programme to ...
Minister receives committee report on 2020 national sports festival
Honourable Minister for Youths and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, has disclosed that the organisers will meet with the government and stakeholders to discuss the way forward for the 2020 National Sports Festival. The Minister made this known shortly after he received reports from the 11 man committee of the 2020 national sports Festival in his office on Thursday. The Minister assured that he will get the Government and other stakeholders to round table in order to discuss on when the games will commence. “We’ll not shy away from making decisions based on the reality on the ground. This is a milestone to determine when to start sporting activities, but we would not jeopardise the health and wellbeing of our sportsmen and women.” “We shall study your report, sit down with relevant agencies of gove...
Sports minister receives report of Edo 2020 committee; set to make final decision
The Edo 2020 Sports Festival Committee set up to review Edo state readiness to host the event in the wake of the postponement due to the outbreak of covid-19 has submitted its report to Youth and Sports Development Minister Mr. Sunday Dare. Speaking while submitting its report to the Minister on Thursday in Abuja, Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Tonobok Okowa, said the committee had done a thorough job which would help the government decide on the best possible date to host the festival. According to the Minister, ”Exactly a month ago this committee was set up , i thank you for keeping to the schedule of your mandate. We shall study your report, sit down with relevant agencies of government to examine the recommendations therein. The Ministry is properly guided by Covid-19 protocol a...
President Buhari authorises N19.67 billion for completion of East-West road
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate release of N19.67 billion to ramp up efforts in completing sections I-IV of the East-West Road project by 2021. The presidential directive was part of efforts to address infrastructure deficit in the Niger Delta region and boost its economy. Mr Buhari had, in his Democracy Day address, said the funding of the sections of the road project would be duly released to better the lot of his people and would be followed by a forensic audit. “I am determined to ensure that development meant for the people of the Niger Delta get to them so I have authorised a Forensic Audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission,” the president said. The road project, which was first conceived in 2006 by the Obasanjo administration, was meant to be completed ...
