News

Reps Threaten To Direct AGF To Block Account Of Agencies For Non Remittance

Published

4 months ago

May 20, 2024

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has threatened to direct the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) to block the accounts of government agencies that has refused to render account of their revenue profile or render accurate remittance to the government.

This was as the Director of Finance & Account of Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Musa Jemaku, outbursts at the office of the Accountant General for alleging that the agency has not paid their operating surplus for three years (2019, 2020 and 2021).

Naijablitznews.com reports that a representative from the Office of the AGF whose name could not be ascertained had said that the FRC had not remitted it’s ope4reting surplus for N126 million for 2019, N143 million for 2020 and N26 million for 2021, to the government coffers; and that the opereting surplus for 2021 has not been fully calculated because the agency has not submitted its audited accounts for 2021.

This was disclosed at the resumed Revenue Monitoring Exercise of the House Committee on Finance on Monday., in Abuja.

Jemaku said that the agency had paid about N800 million to the government this year 2024, and also faulted the AGF’s claim that they have only paid about N602 million to government coffers.

He further explained that there was a circular from the office of the Minister of Finance for the implementation of the Finance Act 2020, and added that the circular automated the process of paying the 50 percent deduction.

The DFA stated: “The AGF should be in a better position to answer the question on why the system could not deduct the correct 50 percent for the period.

“On a lighter note, let me say that this is not the avenue for the AGF to draw our attention to the none payment or operating surplus when there is no official communication from them to the agency”.

Speaking, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Saidu Abdullahi, frowned at the refusal of some agencies refusal to appear before the committee despite invitation extended to them.

Rep. Abdullahi said out of eight agencies that were invited to appear before the Committee on Monday, only two (Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and National Health Insurance Authority) honoured the committee’s invitation.

The Lawmaker said while two others applied to be given another date, while the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, National Broadcasting Commission, National Examination Council and National Inland Waterways Authority failed to either honour the invitation or communicate them.

He said: “We expected eight agencies to appear before the committee today, but only two agencies came, while two others wrote to request for another date and they were granted.

“However, four other decided to abscond. That was the same word I used last year that did not go down well with some of the agencies. Theybhave decided to play truancy on an assignment that is very important. If members can turn out in large number for this assignment, I don’t see any reason why any agency will decide not to appear before the committee.

“Let me put on record that we hope to have these agencies appear before the committee. Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, National Broadcasting Commission, National Examination Council and National Inland Waterways Authority.

“We expect them to cause appearance by tomorrow, Tuesday. If they failed to appewr before this committee, we may be forced to take appropriate actions. We may write to the Office of the Accountant General to block their account.

“We will not take it lightly with any agency because this is an assignment that is very important to this country. We talk about revenue and if we cannot collect the revenue accrueing to his country, I think there is a big problem”.

News

Edo Govt Announces School Resumption Date

Published

2 hours ago

September 23, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Edo Government has directed all public and private schools in the state to resume the 2024/25 academic session on September 30.

This directive comes after an earlier postponement of the resumption date, initially set for September 9, 2024.

In a statement on Sunday in Benin, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Ojo Akin-Longe, warned that a fake notification had been circulating that schools would reopen on Monday.

He urged parents and guardians to disregard this false information.

The permanent secretary said, “We refer to the earlier announcement postponing the resumption of all public and private schools in Edo State, which was originally scheduled to reopen on Monday, 9th September 2024.

“We are aware of a subsequent false notification stating that schools should resume on Monday, 23rd September 2024.

“We wish to clarify that this announcement did not originate from the Edo State Government and is the work of mischief makers. The information is false and should be disregarded.

“The Edo State Government hereby directs that all public and private schools in the state will now resume for the 2024/25 academic session on Monday, 30th September 2024. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.”

News

17 ISWAP Terrorists Dr0wn While Crossing River In Yobe

Published

2 hours ago

September 23, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

At least 17 members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) drowned while attempting to cross a river along the Nigeria-Niger Republic border.

According to a counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, the incident occurred between the Kafetoa and Bulabulin Gaidam communities in Yobe State, Nigeria.

The insurgents were reportedly en route to Tam village in Niger Republic, near the Kannamma settlement in Yobe, when they were caught by strong water currents and swept away.

Boko Haram kills many, burn shops, houses in attack on Yobe village
Makama stated that the fighters had been displaced from key bases, including Bulabulin Geidam, Chettimari, and Diffan, all along the Nigeria-Niger border regions.

ISWAP has been involved in insurgency activities across Nigeria’s northeastern region and has come under increasing pressure from Nigerian military operations in recent months.

News

Sowore insists Fearless In October protests must hold, says it’s for all ages

Published

3 hours ago

September 23, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Human rights activist and convener of #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, has reaffirmed the scheduled second phase of the nationwide protests against acute hunger, poverty and bad governance under President Bola Tinubu’s administration tagged #FearlessInOctober.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) party, said the protests should not be regarded as only meant for Generation Z (Gen Z), but for all ages.

Generation Z refers to people born between 1996 and 2010. They are also known as Zoomers. They are the second-youngest generation, between millennials and Generation Alpha.

According to Sowore, the movement is championed by Nigerians of all ages who are fed up with bad governance in Nigeria, and in extension, Africa, noting that their flag will be “A New Pan-Africanism”.

He stressed that only if Africans unite will they be able to earn a place in global prosperity, hence, Nigerians need to rise against bad governance on October 1 when the country marks its Independence Day.

He said, “But don’t call it a Generation Z protest, rather from A to Z. The movement is animated by Nigerians of all ages, who are fed up with bad governance.

“Only if Africans unite will they be able to earn a place in global prosperity.”

He said the protests will be in October because “it’s a significant month for a number of reasons”.

He said, “There’s the anniversary of “their” independence, which Nigerians have not yet truly won, and also that of #EndSARS, the movement that denounces the abuses and blackmail against defenseless citizens committed by the police of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad at dawn on October 20, 2020.

“After days of marches, soldiers shot at participants in a sit-in in Lagos to enforce a curfew order. According to a local commission of inquiry, there were at least 48 victims: young people who denounced bad governance.”

The first phase of the protests took place nationwide from August 1-10, during and following which Nigerian authorities arrested several people for their alleged roles in the demonstrations.

The authorities have held several protesters in prison and charged them with treason.

However, Sowore has continued to encourage Nigerians, especially the youths not to surrender to the government’s brutality and hostility meant to silence and keep them in perpetual bondage.