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Reps working to realize LG autonomy, recognition for traditional institutions – Speaker Abbas

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…as Etsu Nupe Urge NASS Assembly to re-establish roles of traditional institutions
By Gloria Ikibah
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, has said that the 10th Assembly under his leadership has taken steps aimed at actualising constitutionally recognized roles for traditional institutions and the autonomy for Local Governments in Nigeria.
The Speaker, who stated this at the day-two of the ongoing ‘Open Week’ celebration to mark the first anniversary of the 10th House, noted that it is in furtherance of the objectives that the House constituted two special Standing Committees to drive the process of actualizing constitutional autonomy for Local Governments, as well as granting recognition to traditional institutions in Nigeria.
“The 10th House, under my leadership, will do its best to give recognition to the traditional rulers during our constitution amendment exercise. Many amendments were made in the past to grant constitutional recognition to traditional rulers, but they never saw the light of day.
“Because most of us in the House honestly believe that traditional institutions are the backbones of our society, we believe that the welfare of our people will be more enhanced with a legal role for the traditional institutions.
“We also believe the security of our country will be more enhanced if the traditional institutions are given better roles. That’s the reason from the onset, we decided to create Committees, two different ones, actually. One of them is the Committee on Traditional Institutions to drive the process of giving legal recognition to the traditional institutions in this coming constitutional amendment. The second one is the Committee on States and Local Governments,” he said.
Speaker Abbas added that “if we must make headway with the ongoing constitution amendment, state governments, State Houses of Assembly, Local Government Councils and their councilors must be considered. That’s the reason we decided that another committee dealing with issues of States and Local governments should come on board.
“These two Committees, we believe, will drive the process of reaching out to critical stakeholders in the states to ensure that the goal of local government autonomy is realized.”
Also contributing to the conversation as panelists were traditional rulers led by the Etsu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, who recalled the historical background of traditional institutions in Nigeria.
He added that during the colonial era, the traditional institution was already established, which was why the colonialists went through the institution to administer their rules.
“So, we are urging this Assembly to use the ongoing constitution review exercise to re-establish the roles of traditional institutions in the country so that we can assist governments at all levels to monitor and maintain security and peace in our various domains.”
Also making case for traditional institutions having constitutional roles is the Nigerian Bar Association represented by the President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), who urged the leadership of the 10th National Assembly to revisit all legal and legislative encumbrances hindering the realization of the full potential of traditional institutions in the country.
He commended the Speaker for championing the cause of returning traditional institutions to their glory days by carving roles for them in the constitution, free from the overbearing influence of political actors.
He noted that for such roles to be effective and sustainable, the constitution must also take care of the issue of job security for the traditional rulers, whom he said are currently at the mercy of politicians.
Other panelists representing traditional substitutions from various parts of the country, as well as Members of the House also made case for the constitutional recognition of traditional institutions for the purposes of complementing government’s efforts toward maintaining peace and security.
They specifically harped on the need to create line items in the budget with a view to funding activities of traditional rulers in their various domains towards fighting insecurity and promoting peaceful coexistence among their subjects and settlers alike.
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Change Negative Narrative About EFCC Being Used For Settling Political Scores- Reps

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………Ask Anti Graft Agency To Fight Financial Crimes Within Established Laws

.
……My Staff Are Poorly Paid, EFCC

…., States Why Fight Against Yahoo Boys Fierce

 

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The House of Representatives has tasked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to purge itself from the negative impression that its being used to settle political scores and concentrate fighting financial and economic crimes within established laws.

The House handed the advise on Tuesday through the Chairman House Committee on Financial Crimes Honorable Ginger Onwusibe who led members of the committee on the 2024 oversight exercise on the commission.

The oversight covered extensive facility tour of departments and critical operational units of the antigraft agency.

In his terse remarks, Hon. Onwusibe challenged the agency to improve its operational activities in combating economic and financial crimes by complying with its 2004 Establishment Act and other relevant applicable laws like the Money Laundering ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: Terrorism ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: The Proceeds of Crime Act. 2022, as well as other statutes, that compels it to carry out these roles transparently with accountability and show that the negative maxim being peddled in some quarters that the agency is often being used for settling political scores is incorrect .

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The committee assured that it will collaborate with the commission to actualize its mandate by enacting new laws or amending old ones and as well providing budgetary interventions, if it must strive tirelessly to be on top of its challenges

The House urged the agency to collaborate with sister agencies and desist from keeping suspects as- awaiting ‘trial in correctional centres nationwide

“At this point let me add that a recent visit to the Maximun and Minimun Correctional centres in Kirikiri Lagos State, numerous suspects have been awaiting trial for over one year and yet we are all acquainted with the saying that justice delayed is justice denied”

” It is on this note that we call on the EFCC, Attorney General of the Federation and the Judiciary to improve and ensure the administration of justice works and is efficiently delivered to the victims”

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The House warned the agency to purge itself of rotten eggs in order to fight economic and financial crimes frontally, thereby stimulating the Nigerian economy

It also urged EFCC to focus properly on its mandate.

” The issue of appropriate and proper focusing on the mandate of the EFCC must relentlessly be on the front burner:

“Orders from competent courts , arrest and debt recovery must be pursued religiously” the House cautioned

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But on its side, the antigraft agency said it has not deviated from its focus but rather working hard and fighting financial and economic crimes as enunciated in its mandate.

Chairman of the agency , Ola Olukeyede told his guest in his remarks during the oversight visit that the commission was doing much to fight financial and economic crimes and stimulate the Nigerian economy

He said so far that the agency has recovered over N250bn cash, tens of million of Dollars and other foreign currencies, with over 3000 convictions: 17000 petitions while also investigating over 20000,with about 4000 fresh cases , all being handled by a misery number of staff strenght

He noted that its priority is to improve the country’s image and stimulate its economy, such that there could be improvement in foregin direct investments and stimulation of the local economy.
Olukeyede however, argued that the agency needed more staff strenght, funding , better renumeration for staff because they were poorly paid. He also emphasised on modern day technology to fight the ever dynamic cyber criminals

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According to the EFCC boss, it was important to give more salary to EFCC staff and deploy modern technology to fight emerging cyber crime dynamism . He expalined that the agency has increased efforts to fight Yahoo, yahhoo, boys because of their ability to crumble any economy within a twinkle of an eye

According to him, the agency was expanding its drag net to focus on ministries, departments and agencies infrastructural projects. ” “Go to MDAs and see their budget implementstion. It is not up to 20%”

“We want to ensure 50% infrastructural development” the anti graft boss announced, insisting that it would henceforth encourage monitoring of project implementation which was an aspect of preventing financial crimes

He said the agency has dismissed lots of erring staff, and will continue to dismiss and even prosecute them going forward.

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Olukeyede disclosed that it had designed a template on staff integrity, using the Gift- Policy model

.” It is not every thankful gift we should collect” the EFCC boss warned

” I am advocating for more welfare improvement, better welfare, he said.

“We will do more recoveries, more convictions, but we need more resources to do our work, maintaining that, that was his stand on ethics and integrity .

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Olokeyede’s demand for more salary wage for staff of the commission, is seen as an incentive to boost welfare and morale to fight financial crimes to standstill.

He stated that there was the utmost need to increase salaries of staff of the commission

The EFCC boss who spoke on his stewardship in the last one year, further added that it increased the war against Yahoo- Yahoo boys because of the consequences of their nefarious acts which could crumble a nation’s economy in a jiffy.

He argued that more technology was required to fight financial crimes.

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For instance he explained that it was a common scenario then for thieves and armed robbers to attack and break into banks with guns and Dynamites

” But it is the same common and more easier scenario and task now to have Yahoo-Yahoo boys and bank thieves attack banks with technology in the comfort of their homes or hideouts”

“So we need technology and we also need to increase our fight against these Yahoo boys who can dismantle any economy within a twinkle of an eye

He called on the national Assembly to improve and increase its finances because fighting Financial crimes was a herculean task that requires adequate funding

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Olokeyede who apparently was responding to criticisms of the commission’s over concentration on Cyber crimes/ thieves, perpetrated by Yahoo boys, said he has made tremendous impact in enforcement, investigation and conviction with an outstanding record convictions between October 2023 when he was appointed till date

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Trouble looming for Obaseki as Gov Okpebholo orders probe of his admin

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has ordered the setting up of a committee to probe the immediate-past administration of Godwin Obaseki for its failure to inaugurate 14 Edo Assembly lawmakers-elect into the 7th Assembly.

Okpebholo disclosed this while giving his inaugural speech as the new governor of the state.

Governor Okpebholo also ordered the State Chief Judge to immediately investigate the initial delay of former Governor Obaseki to inaugurate duly-cleared judges by the National Judicial Council (NJC) last year

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Naira may depreciate to N1,993 against dollar – Report

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigeria’s naira has been projected to depreciate further to N1,993 per dollar in the coming days.

This is according to BMI, a Fitch Solutions subsidiary report title, ‘Weak Naira and Structural Challenges to Constrain Nigeria’s Medical Devices Market Growth’.

The report said the forecasted depreciation will be predicated on the 95 percent dependence on imports for pharmaceuticals in Nigeria.

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According to the report, the development would erode both the health system and patient purchasing power.

“We expect that the naira will end 2028 at N1,993/$ from N306/$ in 2018.

“As the naira weakens, the cost of importing medical devices will continually increase, eroding both the health system and patient purchasing power, especially to invest in essential medical technologies given the underfunding of the public health sector,” the report stated.

This comes as Naira fell to N1681.42 and N1735 at the official and parallel foreign exchange markets on Monday.

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This comes as FMDQ FX transaction turnover dropped significantly from $1.4 billion on Friday to $471.5 million on Monday.

Last Thursday, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, said the country’s external reserves rose to $40 billion.

Despite Central Bank of Nigeria’s interventions and external reserves rise in the last months, the naira has continued to experience fluctuations in the FX market.

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