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Reps Vow To Ensure Strict Compliance With Budgetary Appropriation

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…as public accounts committee commence oversight in S/West 
 
… Query FMC Lagos, LUTH, NIMASA, others over various financial infraction
 
By Gloria Ikibah 
 
The House of Representatives has vowed to ensure that all agencies of government comply strictly with budgetary appropriations.
 
The Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts, Rep. Bamidele Salam, stated this at the commencement of phase one of its oversight to investigate spending by agencies in the Southwest.
 
According to him, the Committee was not out to witch hunt any Ministry, Department or Agency but to ensure that Nigerians get value for their money.
 
Naijablitznews.com reports that the Committee commenced its oversight with an investigative hearing on Wednesday, 21st August which will hold till Friday, 23rd August, 2024, in Lagos State.
 
In his opening remarks, Rep. Salam said agencies must show value for any money collected; adding that violations would not be tolerated, even as he threatened appropriate sanctions according to the law against defaulters.
 
The committee in its hearing entertained presentations from the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba and Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
 
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, was quizzed 
on various financial and regulatory infractions from the committee.
 
The committee during the question and answer session queried Owoeye over the recurring non-remittance of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
 
He was also questioned for engaging in extra-budgetary spendings Andrew the inability to adhere to financial regulations thereby contravening several sections of financial regulations.
 
The committee also frowned at the employment principle of the hospital which failed to accommodate the federal character principle of sharing available job opportunities equitably across the geo-political zones of the country.
 
The committee also demanded that the hospital to account for contract sums of N422.3million as well as the spending of N50.3million on staff training.
 
The explanations given by the CMD fell short of the expectations of the committee and it therefore requested for records all the paid for, completed and on-going contracts.
 
The CMD also stated that the 500 bed facility which was established in 1907 is in urgent need of support to enable it to deliver on its mandate.
 
LUTH on the other hand was represented by its Medical Director, Prof. Lanre Adeyemo, explained that his hospital is also undergoing some challenges that have made its operations very difficult, pointing out that, of all of such, power supply has remain stubbornly outstanding.
 
He put the cost of powering the hospital at some point at over N181 million monthly until a federal government intervention of 300 solar panels were deployed.
 
He was grilled on non-remittance of IGR, discrepancy in Remita payments amounting to over N2 billion, extra-budgetary spendings without approval amounting to N150.3 billion in the period under review.
 
He was also questioned on the untidy work by the LUTH tender board, contravention of circular on no-payment for staff’s professional membership fees, amongst other sundry issues.
 
His justification of the issues under probe did not convince the committee and requested for necessary evidences on approvals, spendings and adherence to financial regulations.
 
Ruling on the matters, the committee resolved that, all the excuses rendered in explaining the contraventions was not valid and cannot be tolerated.
 
It posited that they amounted to gross violation of extant laws.
 
Both hospitals complained about personnel loss due to the “japa syndrome” and untimely release of budgetary allocations to them.
 
They therefore called on the committee to help them intervene in all their problems to enable them live up to public expectations.
 
Other MDAs scheduled to appear before the committee include: Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, NIMR; National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi; Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA); Nigerian Shippers Council, (NSC); Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA); Nigeria Railway Corporation, (NRC); Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, (CRFFN); amongst others.
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Just in: Osun PDP receives defectors from APC, others

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The Osun State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has received thousands of decampees from the All Progressives Congress and other political parties into its fold.

The decampees, who are mostly from the Omisore Youth Support Forum (OYSF) joined the party at a ceremony held at party secretariat in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, on Wednesday.

The were received by the Chairman of the PDP in Osun, Hon. Sunday Bisi, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuff and other party leader.

While receiving the decampees, Bisi renamed the group as Adeleke Youth Support Forum (AYSF) as they declared their support for Adeleke’s 2026 re-election bid.

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One of the leaders of the decampees, Mr Francis Fasogbon said they were “inspired by the good governance delivered by Governor Ademola Adeleke”.

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Hon. Dennis Agbo Resigns From Labour Party

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Hon. Dennis Agbo, representing Igboeze North/Udenu Federal Constituency in the 10th House of Representatives, has resigned from the Labour Party (LP) and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Addressing aa gathering in his ward, Ezzodo, Agbo cited his admiration for Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubisi Mba’s performance, as the reason for his decision.

“I acknowledge Governor Mba’s outstanding work, and I believe it’s essential to support him,” Agbo said. “As a federal legislator from Enugu State, I’m joining hands with him to provide a link between the state and federal government, promoting the good work he’s doing to uplift our state.”

Agbo, who was elected on the LP ticket, expressed his desire to work with Governor Mba, citing the governor’s vision and achievements since his inauguration in 2023.

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He also emphasized that the internal crisis and division within the Labour Party was part of the factors influencing his decision to leave the party and return to PDP.

The lawmaker invited his supporters and members of Labour Party to a formal ceremony marking his transition to PDP, scheduled for May 1, 2025, at the PDP State Secretariat in Enugu.

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Gov Otti slams opposition in Abia, says”you’re all seeking relevance”

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Governor Alex Otti says he is not bothered about the noise coming from members of the opposition parties in Abia State.

Otti said his critics should not be taken serious as they are not coming out to contest elections but to seek negotiations and relevance.

Governor Otti stated this while receiving the member representing Bende North constituency in Abia State House of Assembly, Nnamdi Ibekwe who recently dumped the PDP and joined the Labour Party, LP in Abia State.

“We are not bothered about the oppositions and their noise. There are different reasons why people show up for elections.

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Sometimes, they just want recognition; that their names showed up for the primaries, knowing fully well that they will not win the election.

“Some of them also come for negotiations and then of course, some others also show up for projections; they look at themselves and say, ‘if I start the noise in 2025, maybe by 2040, they will know that I have been in the race and they will call me and recognize me’, so they are projecting themselves,” Gov. Otti explained.

Governor Otti said he is rather focused on doing the job the people elected him to do and respond to the noise of the opposition across the State.

He congratulated Nnamdi Ibekwe for dumping the PDP for LP, explaining that nobody pressured him to come over to the LP, reiterating that he does not emphasize much on political platforms.

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Earlier while presenting himself to the Governor, the member representing Bende North constituency, Nnamdi Ibekwe said he was attracted to the Labour Party by the achievements of Governor Alex Otti which he described as unprecedented.

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