News

Speaker Abbas mourns House Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Onanuga

Published

6 hours ago

January 16, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

…described her as a strong pillar in the 10th House

By Gloria Ikibah

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has expressed deep grief over the demise of the Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, as he said she was a strong pillar who would be sorely missed in the House.

Hon. Onanuga, who represented Sagamu/Ikenne Federal Constituency of Ogun State, was serving her second term in the House before her demise after an illness.

Speaker Abbas, who said he led members of the House in support and prayers for the deceased during her health challenge, lamented her eventual death as painful.

The Speaker recalled Hon. Onanuga’s campaigns for gender equality, women empowerment and inclusion in politics and governance, especially as Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare in the 9th House and as principal officer in the 10th House.

Speaker Abbas also recalled how Hon. Onanuga, as the only female member in the leadership of the House, inspired and rallied female legislators for the greater good of the chamber and the country by extension.

“Hon. Onanuga was a brilliant woman, experienced politician, resourceful lawmaker and a dependable ally in the legislative business. She was a dogged, dedicated, loyal and patriotic Nigerian. She was not just a key member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus but also the leadership of the House.

“I remember her roles in the fight for gender-bills since the last Assembly, and how she rallied women from within and outside the chamber to get the support and buy-in of members on issues affecting women and children,” the Speaker said in a condolence message issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi.

Speaker Abbas, while condoling the Onanuga family and her constituents, commiserated with the people and the government of Ogun State as well as the APC.

The Speaker prayed to Allah to grant her Jannatul Firdaus.

Related Topics:APC chairman family Nigerian woman

Up Next

Deputy Speaker Mourns Demise of Deputy Chief Whip, Hon Onanuga

Don't Miss

Israeli Reportedly AKilled 80 In Gaza Few Hours After Ceasefire Deal

Click to comment

News

NASS Threatens Zero Allocation If CEO Of Agric Agencies Fail To Appear For Budget Defense

Published

58 minutes ago

January 16, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The National Assembly Joint Committee on Agricultural Production and Services has issued a warning, stating that agencies under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security could face zero allocations in their 2025 budgets if their Chief Executive Officers fail to appear in person to defend the proposals.

Chairman Senate Committee, and Bello Kaoje, his counterpart from the House of Representatives, expressed their dissatisfaction with the absence of agency heads, particularly given President’s directive that all heads of agencies should attend the budget defense sessions.

Their frustration was specifically directed at the absence of Dr. Vincent Isegbe, Director General of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, during the budget defense for the agency.

Senator Mustapha told the DG’s representative that there was no valid reason for the absence of the accounting officer, and insisted Dr. Isegbe must appear to defend the budget by no later than Monday, January 20.

He said “We are not going to attend to you. When the President came to present this budget he made it clear that all heads of agencies must come to defend their estimates and should therefore call off any plan to travel. We are going to give him another time, but that may not be too convenient for him because we have a time frame to submit our report.

“We should all make this thing easy for ourselves. There is no need for us to drag what we don’t need to drag. Even if he is coming to take excuse, he should have been here to say these are the people that will do this thing on my behalf.

“At the end of the day, we will ask you certain questions and you will not be able to answer them. Are we supposed to be taking those kind of excuses? You may wish to excuse us and tell him that we are giving him 48 hours to report.

“The President made it very clear that nobody should travel when he came to present the budget and it is now that he will start traveling. So tell him that we are available tomorrow and the best we will give him to appear”.

Addressing the gathering earlier, Senator Mustapha said the projections by the World Food Programme that about 33.1 million Nigerians will be in acute hunger in 2025 is a clear indication that food security is not something that the nation should toil with.

“The projection by the World Food Programme that about 33.1 million Nigerians will face food insecurity in 2025 is an indication that food crisis is what we cannot allow to happen and we collectively need to avert.

“Given the critical role that agriculture play in ensuring food security, economic stability and rural development, it important that adequate budgetary provisions be made to address the challenges the sector faces today.

“The combined effect of climate change, desertification and other environmental challenges put agricultural productivity under severe threat necessitating improved budgetary allocation to the sector”, he asserted.

He reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly to passing the budget, but expressed concern about the sowering prices of agricultural produce across the country and the food is no longer within the reach of the average Nigerians, saying “this situation requires the readjustment of our focus and the policy we made and dedicate our energies to what will improve our yield and increase food production.

“Both the senate and House of Reps observe with concern the ratio of capital allocation to recurrent expenditure in the budget estimate before us. The responsibility and repositioning of the agricultural sector and returning it to its glorious days lies within us here”.

Also Speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Agricutural Services and Production, Bello Kaoje warned against agencies failing to come forward to defend their budget.

Kaoje said “because of the importance of the budgetary provisions, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria appeared before a joint session of the National Assembly to present the budget. So, there is no reason for any Head of agency not to appear before the parliament at this critical time.

“You are not the accounting officer. If you are asked any question in the budget, can you defend it? We are giving your agency 48 hours to appear before the parliament or else, you will have zero allocation in your budget”.

Kaoje said food security is one of the challenges facing the country today, leading to the president declaring a state of emergency on food security in 2024.

He said “Sometime last year, Mr. President declare a state of emergency on food security. We have had a robust discussion with the Minister of Agriculture who enumerated alot of challenges before us and we assured him that the two committees will do something to make sure that the budget is enhanced.

“We will do everything possible to ensure that where you have challenges, we can assist. We will put our heads together with the appropriation committee to make sure that the renewed hope agenda of the President is achieved in the area of food security”.

News

You don’t have credible officials to explain policies-Sanusi tells Tinubu

Published

1 hour ago

January 16, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says President Bola Tinubu-led government lacks credible individuals to explain the administration’s policies to Nigerians.

Sanusi, a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, said this at the 21st Memorial Lecture of Gani Fawehinmi, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch in Lagos, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

Sanusi, the chairman of the event, said he would no longer offer advice to Tinubu’s administration on how to tackle the country’s economic challenges.

He stated that he had initially tried to help the government but had now resolved not to do so again.

Sanusi said: “I have decided not to speak about the economy or the reforms, nor to explain anything regarding them. If I explained, it would only benefit this government, and I don’t want to aid this government.

“I choose not to help this government. You see, they are my friends. If they fail to act like friends, I will not act like one.

“I observe their actions, and they lack credible individuals who can effectively explain their policies. However, I’m not here to assist them. I began by offering support, but I’ve decided to stop.

“I will not discuss the matter any further. Let them come forward and explain to Nigerians why the policies they have pursued have been implemented. Meanwhile, I am enjoying a nice movie with popcorn in hand.”

The Emir further stated that he would not offer advice to the federal government or comment on ongoing reforms.

He added: “I will say one thing. What we are going through today is at least in part, not totally, at least in part, a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management.

“People were warned decades ago that if they continued down this path, this is where they would end up. They chose not to listen.

“Is everything being done today, correct? No.”

The event was attended by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, (SAN); the NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN); the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN); among others.

News

Abuse of office: Group faults NAHCON’s director of admin over reappointment of Mr. Kumo after resignation

Published

1 hour ago

January 16, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

…demand thorough probe disciplinary measures

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Civil Integrity Initiative and Transparency, Accountability and Democracy value in Nigeria has petitioned the Director of administration, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Mr. Babagana Bukar for gross misconduct and abuse of office regarding the return and posting of Mr. Usman Kumo to the federal civil service and NAHCON after resignation from office.

Spokesperson of the group Comrade Musa J. Kumo in a recent press release expressed with dismay the reinstatement of Kumo who had resigned from the civil service on two separate occasions to pursue political ambitions to be brought back by Mr. Babagana Bukar.

Kumo described the act as not mere procedural oversights but total gross misconduct, blatant violations of the Public Service Rules (PSR), and a direct betrayal of the trust Nigerians place in the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

His words: “Mr.Kumo resigned from the Federal Civil Service to engage in partisan politics, first under the All-Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2019 and later under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.These campaigns stand in clear violation of Public Service Rules 030402 (g) and 030423, which categorically prohibit serving civil servants from active political engagement.

“The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) formally posted Mr. Kumo to the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) around 2022. Following his resignation, the NEDC confirmed in writing to the BPP -via a letter dated April 18, 2022 ,with reference number NEDC/SS/PER/025/1/33-that Mr.Kumo was no longer in service. Notwithstanding this unambiguous communication, Mr.Bukar,who was then Director of Administration at the BPP, ignored or otherwise concealed this information, effectively paving the way fo Mr. Kumo’s eventual (and improper) return to the civil service. In other words, Mr.Bukar was fully aware of Mr.Kumo’s resignation and subsequent ineligibility for public service yet deliberately took no action to finalize his separation.

“Despite incontrovertible evidence of Mr. Kumo’s resignation and political engagements, Mr. Bukar- now serving as Director of Administration at NAHCON- arranged for Mr. Kumo to be posted to NAHCON from the BPP on November 22, 2023. This contravenes not only standard civil service protocols but also basic ethical standards.

“Furthermore, Mr. Kumo’s CV lists Mr. Bukar as a referee, indicating a personal connection that calls into question Mr. Bukar’s impartiality.* By any measure, this scenario raises serious concerns about whether official channels were sidestepped to benefit Mr. Kumo.

“It has also come to our attention that since Mr.Kumo’s posting in September 2023, he has effectively been absent from duty without leave, discipline, or any form of censure. Rather than address this glaring non-compliance,Mr.Bukar has turned a blind eye-an omission suggesting complicity and underscoring a disturbing lack of accountability within NAHCON. As it stands, Mr.Kumois”working in absentia,” yet appears to remain on NAHCON’s rolls. By failing to address or report this infraction, Mr.Bukar has effectively granted Mr.Kumo a free pass to shirk his responsibilities, further undermining public trust in the Commission.”he added.

They however demanded a comprehensive investigation into Mr. Kumo’s return, disciplinary measures against Mr.Bukar, and immediate review of Mr.Kumo’s employment status with blatant actions if demands are not met within 7 days.

“We respectfully request that you address these issues and commence the stipulated investigations within seven (7) days of receiving this petition, and make the outcomes public.

“Failure to do so will leave us no alternative but to pursue all available legal remedies.We stand prepared to initiate litigation to hold each complicit party accountable, protect the public interest, and ensure that no one in NAHCON or any federal agency can arbitrarily circumvent established guidelines for personal or political gain.

“Your prompt response or lack thereof will send an unmistakable message about whether NAHCON upholds-or undermines-the transparency, integrity, and accountability that form the bedrock of our nation’s civil service.”. they added.