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Foreign Mission: Reps Displeased Over Lack Of Transparency In Foreign Revenue

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…reps issue 60 days automation to Finance Minister, AGF for automation
By Gloria Ikibah 
 
House of Representatives has expressed worries over the lack of transparency In the collection of Foreign Mission Revenue.
 
The Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Rep. Bamidele Salam, registered his displeasure when the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Sakirat, appeared before the committee on the status of automation of foreign currency collection in Nigeria’s foreign missions.
 
Naijablitznews.com reports that the innovation of Automation of Currency Collection in Nigeria’s Foreign missions was to enable the Federal Government of Nigeria have adequate and total control over revenue generated in foreign currency and ascertain inflow from foreign missions to enthrone accountability and transparency.
 
In her submission, the AGF Files Solutions Limited was awarded a contract for the automation of foreign currency collection at Nigeria’s foreign missions worldwide at the contract sum of N83.6 million on April 28th, 2021 for 5 years in addition to the commission of 1-5 percent, which was based on the amount the company can collect.
 
She explained that 90 per cent of the money which was N75.2 million has been paid to the contractor.
 
The AGF said that the terms of the contract was to ensure that the collection of revenue from all Nigerian foreign missions is online in real-time, as well as a multi-currency conversion web portal and multi-language web portal.
 
“The Automation of Foreign Currency Collection portal was launched on May 25th, 2023, by the immediate past Minister of Finance but was never put into use as of 5th June, 2024.
 
“Our office is in the process of obtaining approval from the  Ministry of Finance to deploy the software which has been tested. 
 
“Discussion is ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide a list of Foreign Mission for pilot purposes” she explained.
 
A member of the Committee, Rep. Timehin Adelegbe, stated that there is a lack of transparency in foreign revenue collection, which the automation of Foreign Currency Collection will correct.
 
Reacting to the delay in the deployment of the Automation of Foreign Currency Collection, the Committee Chairman said, “I don’t know why we work as this as a country, we are a little bit strange people, what will improve revenue collection, a country that we fund with almost 60 to 70 percent of borrowing and we are talking about improving our revenue collection and making them all transparent and effective.
 
“How can a country that borrows more than 70 percent to fund its budget ignore the use of a solution that will enhance its revenue collection? I don’t know how much of the funds meant to execute the 2024 budget we have in our kitties now. You are not able to fund the budget partly because the money is not there; so we should all work together to improve our revenue. Things can not continue like this.
 
“A member said some people don’t want it to work and what he said is very similar to the hint that the Honorable Minister of Finance gave recently when we had a meeting with him that some people don’t want things to work better and they will find a way to ensure that it doesn’t work.
 
“If you awarded a contract in 2021 and this is 2024, and they have finished the deployment of the technology only to deploy and we are still on this back and forth, it shows that we need to improve”.
 
The Committee unanimously ordered the commencement of Automation of Foreign Currency Collection and Nigeria’s foreign missions revenue using the automated platform within 60 days without an option of extension.
 
The Public Accounts Committee also ordered the Accountant General of thr Federation to submit records of the gross revenue generated for all foreign missions in the last 5 years.
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Rupture In PDP Governors’ Forum deepens

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By Ojomah Austin.

 

The evolving fall-out, which comes barely days to the contentious National Executive Committee (NEC) of PDP, followed a back and forth between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike and the Governors forum, who declared support for Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara to be made leader of the party in the state.

After a meeting with some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Bauchi on Wednesday, Governor Mohammed, said “According to our party’s constitution, any leadership vacancy should be filled by someone from the region where it originated,” stressing that Damagum would be replaced soon considering that he hails from North East and not the North Central.

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Same day, Makinde, during the groundbreaking of the upgrading of Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, to an international airport, which was attended by another set of NWC members, led by Damagum, said he would support whatever decision the Damagum-led NWC would take to reposition the party.

Damagum, who is considered a close ally of Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, was appointed acting national chairman after the removal of Iyorchia Ayu in June 2023.

Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP led by Senator Adolph Wabara, met with members of the National Assembly caucus in Abuja.

The close door meeting comes barely hours after the BoT met with Wike in Abuja.

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While Wabara refused to comment on the essence of the meeting with the lawmakers, it was noticed that most of the lawmakers didn’t honour the invitation.

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Tears As Man Takes Own Life Over Tinubu’s Govt Hardship

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By Mario Deepromoter

Sad development in Marika village, Kiyawa Local Government, Jigawa, where a 40-year-old man, Jibrin Adamu, committed suicide by hanging himself.

According to eyewitnesses, Adamu’s lifeless body was discovered in a classroom at Miftahul Khairat Islamiyya and Primary School Gurdiba on Thursday.

Police spokesperson DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam confirmed the incident, stating that preliminary investigations revealed Adamu had struggled with mental health issues.

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“Police received a report on Thursday that at about 1830hrs, a tragic incident was reported at the Command headquarters that one Jibrin Adamu ‘m’ age 40yrs of Jigawar Maroka village, Kiyawa LGA has committed suicide by hanging himself over the ceiling at Islamiyya school,” the Police spokesperson told Daily Post.

The Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, CP AT Abdullahi, has instructed officers to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

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Just in: Dangote Petrol Now Available at N765.99 Per Litre

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By Mario Deepromoter

11plc, Total Energies, AA Rano, and other marketers have begun lifting Dangote Petrol through Nigerian National Company (NNPC) Trading Limited for N765.99 to retail outlets nationwide.

Findings showed some petroleum marketers who were able to complete their payment process on the NNPC trading payment portal commenced the lifting of petrol earlier this week under the existing agreement between marketers and the refinery.

Tunji Oyebanji, managing director, 11Plc confirmed to BusinessDay on Thursday evening that some marketers have started lifting the products at N765.99 from Dangote Refinery through NNPC who remain the sole off-taker of product.

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“We were among the first marketers to complete the payment on the NNPC portal. We have no direct arrangement with the refinery,” Oyebanji said.

It was gathered that NNPC Retail, 11plc, Total Energies, A.A Rano are among the marketers that have picked up products from the refinery.

He added, “We don’t know the contractual financial arrangement between NNPC and the refinery but what I can confirm is we are buying at N765.99 from NNPC to lift Dangote petrol”.

Efforts to get the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to confirm if its members have picked up products at the Dangote Refinery proved abortive at the time of writing this report.

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See also Nigeria’s Petrol Landing Cost Revealed
Adedapo Segun, executive vice-president, downstream at NNPC said marketers cannot purchase petrol directly from the refinery because the product is still sold at a subsidised rate.

“That is the same thing happening with Dangote. I said earlier that Dangote is a company and it is going to sell at market price,” he told Journalists.

According to Segun, “The market value of PMS is still higher than what N766 or N765 or N799 that NNPC is selling.

“The situation has not changed there. So, NNPC’s off-taking is only because the others would not buy at the price Dangote will be willing to sell, which is reasonable.

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“As soon as the price allows for it, you will see the marketers go to Dangote and buy.”

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