News
Gbajabiamila meets Foreign Affairs Minister, insists on strict obedience to capital spending by embassies
The House of Representatives on Monday gave clear a directive to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to comply with a provision of the 2022 Appropriation Act, which gives express permission to Nigeria’s embassies to spend their capital votes in order to speed up foreign operations without seeking the approval of the Ministry.
The directive was given at a meeting at the National Assembly between the Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, and officials of the ministry led by the Minister, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama and accompanied by the Permanent Secretary Gabriel Aduda and senior directors from the ministry.
The House said compliance with the law was not negotiable until a possible amendment was passed by the National Assembly.
Also in attendance were the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Rep. Mukhtar Betara, and the Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Yusuf Buba Yakubu.
Gbajabiamila had convened the meeting on the heels of the discovery by the House that the ministry had issued letters to the embassies instructing them not to spend any money not approved by the ministry, a directive the House termed an “affront” to the Appropriation Act.
Speaking shortly after the meeting, the Speaker described the ministry’s directive as “illegal and unconstitutional”, insisting that it was in the interest of the image of Nigeria and the ministry to allow the embassies to spend their votes to reverse the state of dilapidation of the country’s foreign missions.
Before the National Assembly inserted the clause into the Act, the tradition was that embassies would not spend a dime until they got the approval of the ministry.
However, the legislature, following a series of investigations, uncovered that there were not only delays in getting such approvals but also embassies were increasingly starved of operational funds.
The Speaker noted that it was painful that some embassy buildings had not been renovated for years, while some ambassadors could only make do with cars that broke down often.
“So, we made this law and inserted a clause to remove the bureautic red-tapism that makes funding not to get to these people.
“There is no point appropriating money and the money is not reaching the embassies”, Gbajabiamila added.
The Speaker assured the ministry’s officials that the House could quickly amend the Act if doing so would simplify other due process requirements the ministry might have.
He stressed that while an amendment was being awaited, the Act as signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, remained in force.
Speaking earlier, Onyeama said the ministry was happy to honour the invitation to the meeting because it believed both the National Assembly and the ministry worked for the common interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
He stated that the ministry would cooperate with the House by supporting any interventions that would improve the operations of foreign missions, especially on how to address the general underfunding of the embassies.
From right: Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Rep. Mukhtar Betara; Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Yusuf Buba Yakubu; Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila; Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama; and Permanent Secretary, Foreign Affairs Ministry, Gabriel Aduda at a meeting between the Speaker and the Ministry over the Ministry’s implementation of the 2022 Appropriation Act at the National Assembly on Monday, January 31, 2022. Photo: Speaker’s Office.[/caption]
Six Commissioners and a Local Government Council Chairman have been arrested on the order of the Governor of Ebonyi State, Mr Francis Nwifuru over alleged breach of contracts.
The Chairman Afikpo Local Government Area, Mr. Timothy Nwachi, was suspended from office with immediate effect.
Reports said, the Commissioners were accused of contractual breach in the ongoing construction of 140 housing units for the Izzo and Amaze communities, which were displaced by the Ezilo/Ezza Ezilo communal crisis in Ishielu Local Government Area.
The names of embattled Commissioners are: Professor Omari Omaka (Tertiary Education), Victor Chukwu (Environment), Ifeanyi Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism), Uchenna Igwe (Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters), Moses Ekuma (Health), and Felix Igboke (Project Monitoring).
They were first declared wanted following their disappearance from the State Executive Committee meeting when the matter became known in the media, and the Ebonyi State immediately launched manhunt before they were eventually arrested.
Commenting on the development, Ilang Donatus, Chairman of the State Executive Council Committee on the Izzo and Amaze Housing Project, stated that the action was taken due to the officials’ and contractors’ failure to adhere to contract terms.
Donatus noted that the officials are delaying the housing project, which Governor Nwifuru had planned to commission in celebration of his second anniversary in office.
Donatus emphasised the governor’s frustration over the slow pace of construction, noting that the housing initiative was designed to provide relief to victims of communal crises.
He was quoted as saying, “The governor is not happy over the pace of the work, which ought to have been completed. The government has decided to clamp down on the contractors and commissioners who were mandated to supervise those projects.
“As you can see, our governor is a man with a passionate heart, he likes giving succour, hence the building of those houses for the victims of the communal crisis. He is not happy that the project is delayed and has ordered to arrest of all the commissioners who are supposed to ensure the speedy completion of the housing units.
Adding to the concerns, Mrs. Maria Okohu, Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilization (Ebonyi Central) and a member of the Executive Council Committee, described the situation as an act of sabotage.
She stressed that failure to complete the housing project on schedule undermines the governor’s development agenda for the state.
In response, the state government has vowed to continue its crackdown, warning that further arrests will be made until all implicated commissioners and contractors are held accountable.
Reports also suggest that the Nigerian police have issued invitations to several officials who were not present during the committee’s enforcement visits.
Upon inquiry, Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, stated that he had no knowledge of the arrest or detention of the accused commissioners and the suspended council chairman.
When questioned about whether the Command had invited the officials following the governor’s directive, the police spokesperson responded, “We don’t have any commissioner in our custody. I’m not aware of any invitation and I have asked and I was told we don’t have any commissioner in custody. I will still ask about the invitation but for now, I don’t know anything of such.”
News
Ododo’s aide escapes assassination by whiskers, allege APC youth leader, Mohammed behind attempt
Gov. Usman Ahmed Ododo’s Aide, Hon. Godfrey Adekoye, Senior Special Assistant on Youths Empowerment on Tuesday escaped an assassination attempt on his life by whiskers.
The aide of the Governor said the attack on his life happened at Lounge 1, a popular hospitality joint in Lokoja, added that the attackers followed him down to his house, unfortunately they met his absence.
In a statement he made available to CAPITAL POST in Lokoja, the aide to the Governor accused the Kogi State APC Youth Leader, Hon. Mohammed U Mohammed and one Abubakar Nasara Ola as behind his attack.
He said during the attack on him, Abubakar threatened to kill him, pointed a gun at him before the intervention of onlookers who saved him by chance.
The attackers destroyed and broke the windscreen of his vehicle, that is now parked in the custody of the Quick Response Squad.
Speaking on the attack, Hon. Godfrey said he has since reported the matter to the Quick Response Squad, an arm of the Nigerian Police, in Lokoja, said his life is in danger.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Ayah, said he was making efforts to confirm the attack on the aide, could not be reached as at time of going to press.
A popular General Overseer of a new generation Church, Elijah has been arrested by the Octopus (C41) Strike Force unit of Rivers State Police Command for investigation over homosexual allegations.
It was gathered that a video of the Pastor was leaked indulging in the homosexual act to the police by a member of his church.
The member who alleged that the General Overseer attempted sleep with him against his will.
The member who revealed his name simply as Patrick now a complainant said, he wanted to play along after the General Overseer made sexual advancement and captured the nude video of pastor attempting to have carnal knowledge of him.
Armed with the intelligence report, the police traced the General Overseer who is from Rivers State to one of his relaxation spots in Port Harcourt and arrested him.
Sources revealed to our correspondent that the General Overseer has reportedly confessed to other numerous acts of homosexuality involving both male adults and minors within and outside Port Harcourt.
Public Relations Officer for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation was ongoing.
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