House of Reps summons Women Affairs minister over N1.5bn diversion – Newstrends
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House of Reps summons Women Affairs minister over N1.5bn diversion

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4 months ago

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Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye

House of Reps summons Women Affairs minister over N1.5bn diversion

The House of Representatives is investigating allegations that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, under its minister, diverted N1.5 billion meant for contractor payments. 

The House Committee on Women Affairs launched the investigation in Abuja in response to contractor petitions regarding non-payment of contracts.

The committee’s chairman, Rep. Kafilat Ogbara, stated that the ministry initiated new contracts not included in the 2023 budget.

She went on to say that while owing contractors, the ministry issued new contracts in 15 states of the federation, which she said was not included in the 2023 budget.

According to her, ”money for contractors has not been paid and money has been diverted, so how do you pay these contractors?”?

She stated that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and other related offences are currently investigating the ministry’s overhead release of N1.5 billion in November/December 2023.

According to Ogbara, the petitioners also claimed that the ministry had purchased seven tricycles for an Abuja military barracks.

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She claimed that the ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the American University of Nigeria, Yola, to fund the Chibok girls’ education expenses for seven years.

Mr. Aloy Ifeakandu, Director of Finance and Administration in the ministry, stated that he merely followed formal directions from his superiors and that the records are available.

He said, “I resumed at the ministry in September 2023; I wouldn’t know what happened before I came.

“The individual contractors have their files; they can be traced, as at the time I took over, there was no balance in the vote.”

Mr. Gabriel Aduda, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, exonerated himself, stating, “In 2023, we had a total budget of N13.6 billion, while the total release was N3.4 billion.”

According to him, this represents 25% budget utilisation, with an unpublished balance of N10.2 billion.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation confirmed that the N1.5 billion had been released to the minister.

Meanwhile, the committee has asked Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, Minister of Women Affairs, to appear before it on Tuesday, July 9.

The committee also directed the ministry to halt all contract processes in 2024 until the situation is handled, while requesting a dedicated account for the Chibok girls and the MoU.

House of Reps summons Women Affairs minister over N1.5bn diversion

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Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name

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39 mins ago

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November 14, 2024

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Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo

Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has directed the immediate freezing of all state-owned bank accounts.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the governor stated that the accounts would remain frozen until further notice.

He instructed commercial banks, ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to comply with the order immediately or face severe consequences.

The statement reads: “All state bank accounts with commercial banks have been frozen. Commercial banks must comply with this order and ensure that not a single naira is withdrawn from government coffers until further notice.

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“Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies must ensure full compliance without delay.

“Following necessary investigations and reconciliations, the governor will take appropriate action and decide on the way forward. For now, this order remains in effect.”

Okpebholo also directed relevant agencies to revert the name of the Ministry of Roads and Bridges to its previous title, the Ministry of Works, a change made during the Godwin Obaseki administration.

“It is odd to name a government institution the Ministry of Roads and Bridges, especially when not a single bridge was built by the previous administration — not even a pedestrian bridge.

“In the coming days, we will examine further actions taken by the previous administration and make decisions that serve the best interests of the state,” the statement added.

 

Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name

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Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi

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10 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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Prominent Islamic scholar Dr. Ahmad Mahmud Gumi

Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi

Prominent Islamic scholar Dr. Ahmad Mahmud Gumi has criticized the widely discussed two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict, calling it a “deception.”

His remarks followed a recent summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Riyadh, where President Bola Tinubu and other leaders condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and urged an end to hostilities.

In an interview with Daily Trust at his Kaduna residence, Gumi argued, “This Two-State Solution is a deception. No Israeli will allow a Palestinian to survive, and Palestinians will never allow Israel to survive.

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The only solution is to dissolve the two states and create a democratically electable region.”

Gumi commended the OIC’s support for Palestine, noting that Muslims and Arabs worldwide increasingly see the treatment of Palestinians as “genocide” and accuse Israel of human rights abuses.

He also called for a return to the pre-1948 structure, where Palestinians, Jews, and Christians lived together, suggesting a single, inclusive state that allows peaceful coexistence.

“When I hear people talking about Two-State Solutions, I know they are just deceiving themselves,” Gumi added, advocating for a unified region where people of all faiths can live together, similar to the multi-faith coexistence seen in countries like the United States.

 

Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi

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Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll

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10 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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Olusola Ebiseni

Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll

The Labour Party candidature of Olusola Ebiseni for the upcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State has been nullified.

The nullification follows the sacking of Ebiseni by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The governorship election of the southwest State will hold on Saturday, 16 November 2024.

The judgement disqualifying Ebiseni was unanimously delivered by the three members of the panel and read out by the chairman of the panel, Justice Adebukola Banjoko.

The judgment granted the prayer of the Labour Party who preferred the case against Ebiseni.

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Justice Banjoko held that, “the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024 brought by the Labour Party against Chief Olusola Ebiseni and two others is allowed.”

Justice Banjoko further stated that the Certified True Copy of the judgment would be provided to the parties involved in the appeal as soon as possible for their review.

Recall that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to accept and recognize Olusola Ebiseni and Ezekiel Awude as the Labour Party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the November 16 Ondo State governorship elections.

Justice Nwite confirmed that the second primary election conducted by the Labour Party, which resulted in Ebiseni and Awude being selected as candidates, was valid and should be upheld by INEC.

However, the appellate court has now overturned the judgment of the trial court’s judgment.

 

Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll

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