President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja issued stern warning to agencies of government saddled with generating revenue generation to work hard to meet their targets.

The President issued the warning after he signed the Thirteen-Point- Five- Eight-Eight trillion Naira (N13.588 trillion) 2021 Appropriation Bill and the 2020 Finance Bill into law.

“We are intensifying our domestic revenue mobilization efforts so that we can have adequate resources to fund the 2021 Budget.  Revenue Generating Agencies, and indeed all Ministries, Departments and Government-Owned Enterprises, must work very hard to achieve their revenue targets, control their cost-to-revenue ratios, as well as ensure prompt and full remittance of revenue collections.

“Relevant Agencies are to ensure the realization of our crude oil production and export targets.  Heads of defaulting Agencies are hereby warned that they will be severely sanctioned.  I also appeal to our fellow citizens and the business community, at large, to fulfil their tax obligations promptly,” said the President.

President Buhari expressed his delight that despite disruptions occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic, 2020 Budget implementation passed previous thresholds.

“In spite of the adverse impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the nation’s economy and the Government’s revenues, we have made appreciable progress in the implementation of the 2020 Budget.  As at December 2020, we had released about One-point-Seven-Four-Eight Trillion Naira (N1.748 trillion) out of a total of the One-Point-Nine-Six-Two Trillion Naira (N1.962 trillion) voted for the implementation of critical capital projects, representing a performance of about Eight-Nine-Point-One Percent (89.1%).

“The overall performance of the 2020 Budget currently stands at an impressive rate of Ninety-Seven-point-Seven Percent (97.7%).  This commendable outcome underscores the importance of our efforts, together with the Legislature, to return to the discipline of a January-to-December fiscal year.  The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning will provide further details on the 2020 Budget’s performance, in due course,” he said.

The President commended the National Assembly for completing “the important appropriation process in good time,” adding that “the passage of the 2021 Federal Budget before the commencement of the 2021 fiscal year is in confirmation of our resolve to maintain a predictable January-December fiscal year, as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Garba Shehu

Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu was speaking this Tuesday at a meeting with Local Government Chairmen at the Council Chamber Government House, Birnin Kebbi.

He used the opportunity to congratulate the chairman of Argungu Local Government Alhaji Musa Muhammad Tungulawa as 1st Sarkin Tudun Kabi and that of Dandi Alhaji Garba Salihu Kamba as 1st Gatan Kabi for being turbaned traditional title holders by the Emir of Argungu Sarkin Kabin Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Muhammadu Mera in recognition of their services to the people.

Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu prayed God to usher in economic prosperity, peace and security to the state and the nation.

He described the preceded year, 2020 as a challenging year, praying that 2021 would be the most beneficial to humanity.

Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu who presided the meeting with local government chairmen, said it was the first of its kind in 2021 to take stock of prevailing situation in the state.

The governor informed them that the Special Adviser on Security Retired Major Garba Rabi’u Kamba would brief the gathering on current security situation while the Commissioner for Health Hon. Ja’afar Mohammed Zuru would speak on the new wave of Covid-19 and what action local government chairmen should take to contained it.

Furthermore, the meeting would examine political party issues, especially registration of new APC members and the forthcoming congress of the party.

Among those in attendance, were the Chief of Staff, Government House, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Argungu, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Hassan Shalla Gwandu and Permanent Secretary Alh. Sani Umar Yeldu.

Abubakar Mu’azu Dakingari
Chief Press Secretary
Government House

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Office, have arrested 21 persons for their alleged involvement in computer-related fraud.

The suspects are: Shittu Yakubu, Akinsola Afeez, Adeniyi Joseph, Opeyemi Wahab, Idris Sunday, Lawal Moshood, Jubril Yusuf, Olusegun Mohammed, Adekunle Adesanya and Damilola Abijide.

Others are: Sola Adio, Oladipo Ademola, Damilola Adewale, Akinsola Ridwan, Ogunlaye Damilare, Falaye Peters, Magnus Toni, Onanuga Ahmed, Bolarinwa Segun, Onanuga Olawale and Ayomide Afeez.

The suspects, who are members of an organized cybercrime syndicate, were arrested on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 during an early morning operation at Roxbury Leisure Homes Phase 2, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Ikota, Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the Commission about their alleged criminal activities.

Investigations revealed that the suspects had allegedly been defrauding unsuspecting members of the public of their hard-earned money before their arrest.

Items recovered from the suspects at the point of arrest are 12 vehicles, mobile phones and laptop computers.

They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

The Benue state government has kicked against the proposed installation of one Bala Bello Muhammad as Sarduana Otukpo, widely circulated on the social media.

The states Deputy Governor of Benue State, Engr. Benson Abounu stated this in a statement made available to DAILY POST by his Chief Press Secretary, Ede Ogaba Ede on Thursday.

The Deputy Governor said he reached out to the Leader of Hausa Community Otukpo, Alhaji Mamuda and informed him that there is nothing like Sardauna Otukpo in the Benue State Chieftaincy Laws of 2016.

He also directed Alhaji Mamuda to call off the intended coronation which he accepted to comply with.

“I have reached out to the Leader of Hausa Community Otukpo, Alhaji Mamuda to let him know that there is nothing like SARDAUNA OTUKPO in the Benue State Chieftaincy Laws of 2016.

“I have also issued a directive to call off the intended coronation with immediate effect,” he said.

By Annie Nwosu

…says it won’t condone excesses of fake news carriers

The government of Oyo State has clarified as Fake News, a report circulated online by Mega Icon News and Sahara Reporters, which indicated that the office of the Secretary to the State Government was burgled last week.

The government equally insisted that newsmen must always seek clarifications from requisite authorities to avoid the allure of Fake News.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, stated on Saturday that there was no iota of truth to the claim in the story.

Checks with all arms of security at the secretariat confirmed that the story was fake, unfounded and indeed an outright lie, the statement said.

“Indeed, the original publisher of the story, Mega Icon, was so mischievous that he didn’t crosscheck the purported story with any government official. He only added a line debunking the story after an official of the SSG had questioned the veracity of the fake report.

“He had claimed to an official of the government that he had to publish the fake news because he was once shunned by officials of the Ministry of Agriculture.

“Surprisingly, Sahara Reporters lapped up the Fake News, an indication that the integrity of the media houses is at stake.

“The story not only failed the simplest tests that news men worth their onion subject news stories to, it raised all the red flags of Fake News, as it claimed that no arrest had been made without stating which police station the alleged burglary was reported to and by whom.

“The Fake News had also gone ahead to state that imaginary valuables were carted away without stating what and what was stolen. Sadly, the purveyors of the Fake News have also let down their readers by not being able to provide further details days after publishing the initial lie.”

The government warned media men to always ensure professionalism in the discharge of their duties, stating that responsible and ethical journalism espouses truth and the sanctity of facts above fiction.

It added that anyone who deliberately publicises fake and concocted stories would be made to face the wrath of the law, as there are constitutional stipulations that guide against publication of falsehood.

“We find it appalling that a media house worth its name would publish a story that has no basis and is not in any way close to reality.

“In fact, we can no longer doubt the fact that the purveyors of this Fake News are out to blackmail the government in an attempt to rubbish the initiatives of the administration in the security sector.

“We want to, however, state categorically that the state will ensure no offender goes unpunished, as there are constitutional provisions against the publication of falsehood by the press despite the fundamental freedom of expression, because the administration can no longer condone the excesses of the Fake News carriers.”

Signed:

Taiwo Adisa

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde.