News
Reps question finance minister, accountant general on N19 billion transfer to AfDB
The committee also identifies some transactions that violate the nation’s financial regulations and the constitution.
The House of Representatives committee investigating the status of recovered loot, on Thursday, questioned the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, and the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, on the transfer of N19 billion to the African Development Bank (AfDB) ‘without due process’.
The committee questioned the two officers when they appeared before it in Abuja.
Oluwole Oke (PDP, Osun), a member of the committee, flagged the transfer of the money, saying it violated the nation’s financial regulation and the constitution.
Citing Section 213 of the financial regulation and sections 80,81,82,83 of the 1999 constitution, he said the transfer was done without any evidence of budgetary approval.
“From the EFCC Account, you took N19 billion. You took a whole N19 billion from the EFCC account and paid an international organisation, N19 whole billion is not remitted here. I am sure the accountant-general is familiar with this money. On what basis did you withdraw or transfer the money?
“Agreed, I am just saying that since it is not from the Consolidated Revenue Fund; the name is very clear. It is an EFCC recovery account and we are not even sure if it is a final or interim forfeiture account. But you took N19 billion out of that account. So I expect you to back that withdrawal with the law, with the act of parliament.
“Because I have the EFCC approved budgets with me. I have the 2017, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 Appropriation Acts with me. I cannot trace that item of expenditure from the account. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have even bothered but my worry was that that money was not appropriated for and was not taken from the consolidated revenue fund and the parliament is not even aware.
“Yes you made recoveries, the fund should have been swept into the Consolidated Revenue Fund and disbursed in line with the appropriation act.
“There are a series of payments made out of this recovery account and we cross-checked the appropriation act, we can’t see where we made provisions for those withdrawals and that is our worry.”
News
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
The late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, was on Friday laid to rest in Abuja, amid tears and tributes.
President Bola Tinubu conferred a posthumous award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the late Chief of Army Staff.
The burial took place at the National Cemetery in Abuja to end two days of funeral rites that began in Lagos earlier in the week.
His body was lowered into the grave at exactly 4:41pm after the ceremony that lasted over two hours.
Lagbaja’s casket, draped in Nigeria’s green and white colours, arrived at the cemetery around 3pm in a white funeral wagon after a funeral service at the National Christian Centre in Abuja.
Dignitaries were led to the event by President Bola Tinubu. Others are Vice President Kashim Shettima; the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa; Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, and other top government officials and military brass.
President Tinubu announced the conferment of the CFR on the late COAS during the interment at the National Cemetery in Abuja.
The President extolled the virtues of the late warrior, especially his contributions to national security.
According to him, the appointment of Lagbaja as the COAS was one of his finest made so far.
“As an eternal symbol of our appreciation, I have granted the late Chief of Army Staff, the posthumous national honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic of the Niger (CFR),” Tinubu declared.
He thereafter invited the wife of the late COAS, Mariya, to collect the award on behalf of the Lagbaja family amid applause from the congregation.
News
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
The Supreme Court has dismissed the suit by 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the acts establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and two others.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the other agencies are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
In the lead judgment by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court resolved the six issues raised for determination in the suit against the plaintiffs.
The court held that the laws establishing the anti-corruption agencies were validly enacted by the National Assembly within its legislative competence.
It faulted the claim by the plaintiffs that the EFCC Act, being a product of the United Nations convention on corruption, ought to be ratified by majority of the state houses of assembly.
Delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Abba-Aji ruled that “the EFCC Act, which was not established from a treaty but a convention, does not need the ratification of the houses of assembly.”
News
Executive Secretary FCDA Hadi Ahmad suspended indefinitely
Executive Secretary FCDA Hadi Ahmad suspended indefinitely
Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended indefinitely.
His suspicion was on the order of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister, Lere Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday evening.
No reason was given for the suspension.
Ahmad was directed to hand over to the Director, Engineering Services in the FCDA.
The statement read: “The Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended indefinitely.
“According to a statement on Thursday, by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, the suspension of Engr Hadi Ahmad is with immediate effect.
“The suspended Executive Secretary has consequently been directed to hand over to the Director of Engineering Services, Engr in the FCDA.”
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