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Tinubu swears in new ministers, says economic recovery is on the right path
President Bola Tinubu on Monday assured Nigerians that his administration’s economic recovery plan was on the right path to realizing the nation’s dreams and aspirations.
The President stated this at the State House while inaugurating seven new Ministers after their confirmation by the Senate.
President Tinubu noted that his administration had steered the nation away from bankruptcy and stopped scavengers, profiteers and smugglers of our resources.
While congratulating the new ministers, he charged them to be committed and resilient as they join other members of his cabinet working tirelessly to rescue the nation, reminding them that they were coming in to serve at a critical time.
“The moment is challenging; the present situation calls for a very serious commitment. Yours is a duty to serve and that is what you have come to do. I really appreciate the fact that you have taken the oath of office and ready to serve your nation at a time that we are facing the challenges of economic growth and other things like the security challenges on us.
“Economic recovery is on the right path. We have a good path to realize our dream and it is not just only for us, it is for our children and grandchildren to come. Despite the challenges, we faced the job of reengineering and retooling the economic path of this country. Yes, the cost of living has gone up; yes, I recognize that, and we have satisfied our obligations of paying a new minimum wage across the board.
“For us, it was a challenge when a nation was servicing its debt with 97% of its earned revenue. It is not but the end of the cliff but today I can report that we have brought that down to 65% and we have never defaulted in paying our obligations; we have met all obligations – both foreign and domestic. We have our heads above the waters,” the President further stated.
While pointing out that such economic challenges were not peculiar to Nigeria, President Tinubu said his administration was committed to overcoming the challenges.
“Other countries too around us and across the world are facing challenges. There are a lot of crises in Europe and America. We know what pandemic has brought to the economies of the world, but we are navigating through this and we are working hard. We are not going to run away from our responsibilities; we are going to face it and we are facing it headlong,” the President stressed.
The newly inaugurated ministers are: Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda – Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi – Minister of Labour and Employment, and Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu – Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Others are Dr. Jumoke Oduwole as Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Mr. Idi Mukhtar Maiha as Minister of Livestock Development; Yusuf Abdullahi Ata as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Dr. Suwaiba Said Ahmad as Minister of State for Education.
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Delta govt reacts as EFCC arrests, quizzes, detains Okowa
Director General, Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has said that the arrest of former governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa by the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as reported by a section of the media does not in any way fracture his enviable reputation.
Dr Oghenesivbe made the assertion on Monday night, saying that under the legal principle of presumption of innocence, Senator Okowa may be interrogated and released without criminal prosecution or until proven guilty by a Court of competent jurisdiction
He noted that EFCC usually invite suspects based on criminal allegations, which may be true or false, and the Law recognizes the innocence of all accused persons until proven otherwise.
The Bureau Chief further stated that in the instant case, former governor Okowa, made himself available to EFCC, and did not abscond from Nigeria as we are made to understand in somw.cases under investigation.
Dr Oghenesivbe Latimore, who was Okowa’s Executive Assistant on Communications from 2017 to May 29, 2023, appealed to the good people of Delta State, to keep their fingers crossed, pray for Senator Okowa, adding that he may be innocent at the end of EFCC investigation.
“The news of former governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa’s arrest by EFCC is trending on social media platforms based on reports by section a of the traditional media.
“There is no cause for alarm. It’s an established procedure in criminal matters to have a suspect arrested based on allegations in form of a petition to the commission.
“Arrest is not a proof of guilt, and not a judgment by a Court of competent jurisdiction. The allegations shall be tested in Court or Courts is the need arises. It’s important for us to keep our fingers crossed.”
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No going back on forex, subsidy reforms – Finance minister
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, says there is no going back on the current administration’s reforms in the forex and oil and gas sectors.
Edun made this known when he received the newly assigned Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka Anitez at the Ministry’s headquarters, on Monday.
“Nigeria now have a foreign exchange rate that is market based and also a deregulated oil market pricing which are two reforms that are long overdue over many decades that President Tinubu is currently implementing.
“Therefore as co-ordinating minister of economy, we stand on a threshold of a new dawn to implement these reforms and increase productivity, create jobs and reducing poverty and we are glad to have a minister of state that will help in actualizing the President’s reforms,” he said.
According to him, consultation and collaboration is key to achieving these key reforms both from public and private sector, stressing that ongoing economic policies are showing sustainability and sign of success.
The Minister of State for Finance, in her response, restated her commitment to work with stakeholders in both private and public sectors to ensure economic growth is materialized.
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Rivers: Fubara fond of disobeying judgements, – Amaewhule-led Assembly
The Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly in Rivers State said Governor Siminialayi Fubara has a penchant to disobey courts’ judgements and constitutional provisions.
This is as the lawmakers also vowed to make Fubara’s appointees and permanent secretaries aiding him to circumvent the law have their date with the law.
They stated this during their 65th sitting on Monday in the legislative quarters.
In a statement by Martin’s Wachukwu, Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, said the lawmakers reviewed the governor’s actions while deliberating on the recent judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.
The state legistators comnended the verdict of Justice J.O. Abdulmalik barring government from withdrawing from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State, until the 2024 Appropriation Bill is presented before a properly constituted Assembly describing it as a sound and well considered ruling.
The statement also pointed out that the Assembly on 15th July, 2024 deliberated and resolved on the continuous refusal of Fubara to present the 2024 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to the House.
The lawmakers then took the decision to write to the governor to shut down on expenditure pursuant to Section 122 of the 1999 Constitution.
Enabled by its resolution, the House and Amaewhule filed an action before the Federal High Court to determine whether Fubara could expend or continue to expend from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State without a valid 2024 Appropriation Law by the State House of Assembly.
The lawmakers prayed the court to invoke the consequences of such constitutional breach by ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Accountant- General of the Federation, some Money Deposit Banks among other defendants to stop the release of moneys or permit the withdrawal of Rivers State funds until Fubara complied with the Constitution which he swore to uphold; and the court decided in favour of the House and the Speaker.
Commenting on the judgement, Amaewhule said, “Since 1st of July, 2024, Governor Fubara has been spending moneys of the State without approval hence the declaration of the shutdown of expenditure.
“Yet, the Governor in his characteristic manner of disobeying judgements of Courts, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and extant laws has continued to circumvent the Law with the aid of Permanent Secretaries, and some individuals who parade themselves as Commissioners. They will certainly have a date with the Law”.
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