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Folarin Kehinde

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How Gov. Umahi Awarded Contracts To Unregistered Companies

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

It has been revealed that Governor David Umahi engaged in illegal awarding of contracts to unregistered companies and the illicit diversion of public funds meant for the people of Ebonyi State.

Documents obtained from the Ebonyi State public procurement portal have revealed that the state governor, David Umahi, may have disregarded the Ebonyi State Public Procurement and Related Matters Law, 2020, by awarding contracts to two unregistered firms in 2020, a possible indication of fraud and diversion of public funds.

The documents revealed that David Umahi, awarded the contract for the construction of teacher’s quarters at Omege Agbaja, community primary school CPS, Izzi Local Government Area, to a company named School Construction Nig. Ltd on the 10th of February 2020, through the State Ministry of Education.

The contract with code ocds-zinqhl-004983-EB/MPE/EP007, totaling N20, 108,618 (Twenty Million One Hundred and Eight Thousand Six Hundred and Eighteen Naira), was initiated in the 2018 Budget.

Investigations reveal that the company has no registration records with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), an agency responsible for registering businesses in Nigeria.

Additionally, on February 10, 2020, the Ministry of Education, acting on behalf of the government, awarded CHRZ Consultant Limited the contract for the construction of teacher’s quarters at Uburu CJSS, Ohaozara Local Government Area.

The contract was equally initiated in the 2018 State budget at the cost of N20, 108,618 (Twenty Million One Hundred and Eight Thousand Six Hundred and Eighteen Naira) () with the code ocds-zinqhl-005007-EB/MPE/EP007 on it.

Further findings also indicated that, the company has no CAC registration history. The awarding of these contracts is a violation of Section 21 of the Ebonyi State Procurement Law 2020. They are also against Section 43 of the federal Public Procurement Act of 2007, and the financial regulation law.

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BusinessHeadlines

SMEDAN Trains Bauchi Residents On Digital Marketing

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has commenced training of 30 business men and women on digital skills in marketing of their businesses in Bauchi State.

The Manager, SMEDAN, Bauchi office, Mr Abdulrasheed Aliyu, said this at the training on Thursday.

Aliyu said that the programme was designed under the digital skill training of the agency, in collaboration with a digital institution known as ‘Mind the Gap Nigeria’.

Aliyu, who said that 19 states were picked across the country for the training, added that the participants were representatives of various unions in the markets.

According to him, things are changing in the business world where more people embrace online shopping, hence the training to equip the participants with skills to operate their businesses online and to compete with their counterparts from other developed countries.

“We understand that most businesses now go online and most people are doing their businesses virtually traditionally and one of the missions of SMEDAN is to develop small and medium enterprises to boost their businesses.

“We introduced this training to give them knowledge of how they can go online to do their businesses both nationally and internationally, and that’s why we call it digital skill marketing.

“We want to train our small business owners on how to go online and do their businesses by marketing their products and get more customers for them to get more profit,” he said.

Aliyu also said that the trainer, an expert in Information Communication Technology (ICT), would teach the participants how to go online, and also how to protect their websites as well as how to evade hackers or scammers.

He advised the trainees to take the training very seriously, adding that they would have spent nothing less than N50,000 to acquire the training from a private individual but they were now being given free of charge.

Speaking, Mr Zack Ibrahim, the Trainer and the Community Manager, Mind the Gap Nigeria, Bauchi State Chapter, said the trainees would be trained on how to operate their businesses online locally and internationally.

Ibrahim also said they would be trained on how to provide their services to the people beyond their reach and locality.

“A time will come when people won’t go physically to buy things and this is already happening, especially in advanced countries.

“They should take the training very seriously because by the time they know how to make use of the skills, it will help their businesses.

“It would grow their businesses very well, in fact even in their finances, they will see changes,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the participants, Malam Bala Wunti appreciated the Federal Government and SMEDAN for the ‘laudable’ training, adding that it would enhance their businesses.

He promised to pass the knowledge acquired during the training to other business people not lucky to have been selected for the training.

source

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Headlines

World Bank To Shut Project In Ebonyi Over Gov Umahi Corruption

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The World Bank is preparing to shut down its project in Ebnoyi State due to corruption and mismanagement of funds by Governor David Umahi.

This information was revealed by the secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.

In a letter dated August 31, 2022, Boss Mustapha informed Governor Umahi that the World Bank was making a move to shut down its project implementation agencies in Ebonyi State over funds mismanagement.

The Nigerian Government wrote to the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, accusing him of stealing the Covid-19 relief funds donated by the World Bank for alleviation of the effects of Covid-19 pandemic on the people of the state.

According to the letter, the Nigerian government referred to a report from the World Bank, which detailed its plans.

 The decision to shut down its project implementation agencies in the state was taken, following allegations such as the non-payment of counterpart funds and failure to start a COVID-19 alleviation scheme, amongst others.

In the letter, Boss Mustapha wrote: “I am to convey the modest compliments of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and have the honour to draw your Excellency’s attention to a report which revealed plans by the World Bank’s project implementation agencies to shut down their offices in Ebonyi State.

“The decision is sequel to the alleged non-payment of counterpart funds, as well as misappropriation of funds of donor agencies by officials assigned by the state government, amongst other sundry reasons,” the letter read.

The letter which was received on September 1 was signed by a director at the SGF’s office, David Attah.

It was revealed that the World Bank agencies to be shut down include the Ebonyi State Community-Based Social Development Agency (EB-CSDA), FADAMA, NG CARES and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

 The letter also disclosed that Mr Umahi’s government owes EB-CSDA, FADAMA, and MSMEs beneficiaries over 12 months of arrears of salaries dating to July 2021.

According to the letter, the federal government’s NG-CARES Programme, funded by the World Bank was created to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on citizens.

The letter pointed out that the programme had yet to begin in Ebonyi state despite the release of the first tranche of $3 million in February by the World Bank.

Also, It was revealed that Governor Umahi’s government owes EB-CSDA, FADAMA, and MSMEs beneficiaries over 12 months of arrears of salaries dating to July 2021.

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Bauchi State
Headlines

Bauchi State Govt Host Mega Rally For Atiku Abubakar, PDP

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed welcomed the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate Ifeanyi Okowa to a rally held in the state.

The former Vice President and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar alongside his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, arrived Bauchi State for a rally where they received thousands of defectors from the All Progressives Congress, APC, into PDP.

 At the rally held in Bauchi Stadium, Atiku while welcoming the decampees led by immediate past deputy governor of the state, Sule Katagum, lauded Governor Bala Mohammed for infrastructural development in the state.

He said “We are pleased with the progress in Bauchi that is why we have come to join in your celebration. The infrastructural development under Bala Mohammed and the PDP has never been seen before. Nobody can deny the governor’s developmental strides in Bauchi.

“Today, we have come to welcome new members of our party. We will be back because this is not the grand rally. I am sure that on that day, we will have a rally even bigger than this.” 

Earlier, Governor Bala Mohammed promised the presidential candidate of his party that he would mobilize the people of the state to ensure victory for PDP at all levels.

Bala Mohammed stated his commitment to mobilize the people of Bauchi state in support of the PDP and their presidential candidate stating:

“I will mobilize our people the PDP way. We will go to all the corners (to ensure victory for our party). You have mentored so many people; one of them is here senator Abdul Ningi. So many of our decampees are coming because of what we are doing but they are also coming because of you. Don’t listen to deceptive people and detractors, Bauchi are yours

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NCAA
EntertainmentHeadlines

NBC, Lawmakers Shun NCCA DG over Power to Sanction Bbnaija, Cross dressers

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Both the NBC and the house of representatives have shunded the NCCA Director General over his request for power to be able to sanction Bbnaija and Cross dressers.

The Director General of the National Council for Art and Culture (NCAA),Segun Runsewe who appealed to members of the House of Representatives to give the body a legal framework to go after the organizers of Big Brother Naija (BBN) over nudity displayed on the show as well as powers to arrest and prosecute cross dressers in the country.

Runsewe the NCAA DG asked lawmakers for legislative amendments giving them the authority to prosecute the organizers of big brother naija.

During an investigative hearing Tuesday at the National Assembly, a house of representative’s member of the committee, Dr Alex Egbonna, expressed concerns that BBNaija reality TV show was showing nudity and other content alien to the Nigerian culture.

Runsewe, in his reresponse said, “I am the first person who took Big Brother Nigeria to NBC to report them.

“I took it up and organisers tried to reach me and I told them that if the culture in other parts of the world is to be naked – nudity- they should not bring it to Nigeria because our culture is rich and it respects integrity of our country.”

The lawmaker, stated that the issues raised against the previous editions were still with the recently concluded 2022 edition.

“That is the problem with Nigeria: You start something, you don’t end it. But they were still naked even in the last event.

“That thing you started – taking them to wherever you took them to – has not ended. That is what I’m saying. They are still doing the same thing. They should have learnt. There is no solution to what you started and that is the Nigerian factor,” Egbonna insisted.

Runsewe also recalled how he went after popular cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky, saying, “I will give you an example. When Bobrisky started behaving like a woman, I rose and followed him to Lagos. I ‘scattered’ his (birthday) party and I told him, This is not our culture.’ But at the end of the day, that is just part 1. This honourable house just needs to empower us with just a legal framework and that nonsense will stop.”

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Headlines

Thousands of Igbo Women Rally For Tinubu In Imo State

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Thousands of Igbo women in Imo State, yesterday marched for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives congress.

The women who gathered at the Ndubuisi Kanu stadium, march through some streets in Owerri Imo State, causing gridlocks in some parts of the metropolis.

Adorning different APC insignia, the women displayed some placards with messages of support for the APC’s presidential candidate.

Not even the afternoon’s downpour in the city deterred the women from marching in support of the presidential bid of the former Lagos state governor.

According to them, Tinubu was better positioned and prepared to lead the country in 2023.

While addressing them, Mrs Uzodimma said that the Southeast APC women were in the State to march in solidarity for Tinubu, Shettima and all candidates of the party in the region.

She said that the women were optimistic that Tinubu and all the APC candidates across all levels would clinch victories.

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Headlines

Delta Media Aide Sacked For Supporting Peter Obi

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

An aide to the Delta State commissioner for Project Monitoring/Audit has been sacked for supporting Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.

Atare Awin, a media technical aide of the Delta State Commissioner in charge of the Directorate of Project Monitoring and Audit in Delta State, Anthony Onoriode Ofoni, has been sacked for expressing opinions on her social media in support of the Labour Party.

Atare wrote on her Facebook that ‘Most of the Obidients are PDP and APC people who are tired of bad government. Does that mean they don’t have a voter’s card?’.

That post created reactions that led her sack from the Okowa administration.

In a letter signed personally by the commissioner for Project Monitoring/Audit Ofoni, the commissioner stated that the former Peoples Democratic Party councillorship aspirant was fired for sharing counter opinions about Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration.

The letter read, “I wish to inform you, of your disengagement as Special Assistant Technical Aide to my office as the Delta State Commissioner for Project Monitoring/Audit.

“This decision became necessary owing to your well-publicized opinions on the policies and programs of the Delta State Government and PDP at large, which are in contradiction to what the State Government had achieved in the last 7 years.

“As a Commissioner and member of the State Executive Council, I wish to distance myself from the opinions you expressed on your platforms, as it does not represent my stand on the performance of Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa administration which has been well credited for the overall transformation in the State by way of giant strides in infrastructure, social development, job creation, wealth creation and the overall development across the state.

“This disengagement is with immediate effect. I, therefore, wish you well in your future political endeavour.”

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Headlines

Judge Exonerates Magu Of N573 Million Corruption Charges

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

A Judge has cleared the case of corruption against former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

He has been exonerated over claims that one Pastor Emmanuel Omale of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry and his wife, Deborah, aided him in laundering N573m.

In a landmark judgment on Tuesday, Justice Yusuf Halilu exonerated Magu of the money laundering and corruption charges.

The judgment was on the suit marked: FCT/HC/CV2541/2020 filed by Omale, his wife and the church.

During the investigation of Magu by the Justice Isa Salami-led presidential investigation panel, it was claimed that an investigation by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, revealed that Magu paid N573million into Omale’s church’s account with which a property was allegedly bought in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, UAE.

But in his verdict, yesterday, Justice Halilu noted that the evidence before his court showed that Omale’s bank admitted error in its report to the NFIU, of entries in Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry’s account.

The judge further held that the bank claimed that the purported N573m was wrongly reflected as a credit entry in the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry’s bank account by its reporting system, which it recently upgraded.

Justice Halilu noted that the bank admitted the error, which caused incalculable damage to the reputation of Pastor Omale, his wife and their church both within and outside the country.

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Buhari
Headlines

President Buhari To Present 2023 Budget On Friday

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

President Muhammadu Buhari will present the 2023 Appropriations bill to a joint session of the National Assembly on Friday.

The Appropriations bill will contain budget proposals for the 2023 fiscal year.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan made this known at the commencement of Tuesday’s plenary, when he read a letter sent by the President.

He said arrangements had been concluded for the venue to accommodate all the lawmakers, the President and his delegation.

The formal budget presentation is scheduled for 10 a.m.

It will be the last main budget Mr Buhari will be present because he will leave office on 29 May 2023 when his second four year term will end.

The federal government is already proposing an aggregate expenditure of N19.76 trillion for the 2023 fiscal year with a budget deficit of about N12.41 trillion.

Some key assumptions in the proposal include an estimated oil benchmark of $70, crude oil production put at 1.69mbpd, exchange rate of N435.57/$ and inflation rate at 17.16 per cent.

The federal government pegged growth rate at 3.75 per cent because it believes that “Growth is expected to be moderated to 3.30% in 2024 before picking up to 3.46% in 2025.”

The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, had disclosed that the federal government will borrow over N11 trillion and sell national assets to finance the budget deficit in 2023.

The budget deficit, she said, will exceed N12.42 trillion, should it keep the petroleum subsidy for the entire 2023 fiscal cycle.

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BusinessHeadlines

World Bank Predicts Nigeria Economy Shrink To 3.2% In 2023

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The World Bank has lowered its economic growth forecast for Nigeria in 2023 to 3.2 per cent from 3.3 per cent, citing slowdown in global growth, the war in Ukraine and including declining demand from China for commodities produced in Africa.

Citing similar conditions, the World Bank also projected that the Sub-Saharan African region will record a lower economic growth of 3.3 per cent in 2022 from 4.1 per cent recorded in 2021.

Consequently, the World Bank called on the governments in the Sub-Saharan African region to urgently implement measures to restore macro-economic stability and protect the poor in a context of slow growth, high inflation.

The forecasts were contained in the October edition of the World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse, a biannual analysis of the near-term regional macroeconomic outlook, and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Highlighting the growth factors for Nigeria’s economy, the World Bank said: “The Nigerian economy is projected to slow in 2023, down to 3.2 per cent (from 3.3 per cent) and persist at this level the following year.

Growth will be supported mainly by the rebound in private consumption prompted mostly by accommodative monetary policy as inflationary pressures subside.

“Private consumption expenditure is forecast to decrease this year and grow next year. This performance will likely continue in 2024.

On the production side, growth in 2023 will be supported by industry (with the growth of 5.1 per cent) with the mega-refinery project.”

On its growth forecast for the Sub-Saharan African region, the World Bank said: “Economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is set to decelerate from 4.1% in 2021 to 3.3% in 2022, a downward revision of 0.3 percentage points since April’s Pulse forecast, mainly as a result of a slowdown in global growth, including flagging demand from China for commodities produced in Africa.

On the factors undermining economic growth in SSA, the World Bank said: “The war in Ukraine is exacerbating already high inflation and weighing on economic activity by depressing both business investments and household consumption. As of July 2022, 29 of 33 countries in SSA with available information had inflation rates over 5% while 17 countries had double-digit inflation.

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