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Bill To Establish Nigerian Coast Guard Scales Second Reading In Senate

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A bill to establish the Nigerian Coast Guard has scaled second reading in the Senate.

This followed the presentation of the lead debate on the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Sen. Wasiu Eshilokun (APC- Lagos) during plenary on Tuesday.

Leading the debate, Eshilokun said that the bill sought to establish the Nigerian Coast Guard to be charged with the responsibility of securing maritime zones within Nigeria.

He said that the bill was also aimed at maintaining a state of readiness as a specialised service in support of the Nigerian Navy in war situations.

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The senator added that the overriding intent of the bill was to enact legislation that sought to contribute to the country’s security, with a special focus on the country’s maritime interests and regional coastal security.

He said that it was also to ensure adherence to global norms and standards as they relate to maritime security.

“It is to assist in the enforcement of all relevant laws within the maritime zones in the jurisdiction of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It is also to administer and enforce regulations for the preservation of lives and property within the maritime zones of Nigeria,” he stated.

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Eshilokun said that the introduction of the proposed legislation at this point in time was apt and strategic as the current administration, in line with its development agenda, was expanding all economic scope and space for maximum national benefits.

“In this regard, the maritime environment offers a deluge of opportunities which can be explored to contribute to the diversification policy of the Federal Government.

“Hence the need to put all modalities in place to secure this viable sector of our economy,” the lawmaker said.

Contributing, Sen. Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra) said, “we need our coast guards; let their duties be properly defined so that customs, navy, anybody will do its own work as assigned to it by the act.”

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Sen. Ireti Kingibe (LP-FCT) expressed support to the bill, saying there could not be a viable maritime economy without having coast guards.

“The work of the coast guards is different. They monitor our waterways. Annually, we lose N35 billion to illegal fishing. That can be stopped with coast guards,” she said.

Sen. Sunday Karimi (APC-Kogi) said that “with the way terrorism is going on all over the world, with the high risk of waterways, coast guard is something that is urgently needed.”

Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary, said that the bill would ensure that Nigeria’s territorial integrity was protected.

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“This will also ensure that our defence is not jeopardised at the naval side,” he said.

Barau, thereafter, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Marine Transport for further legislative actions and to report back in four weeks.

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Galatasaray technical director opens up on nature of Osimhen’s contract

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Galatasaray technical director Okan Buruk has confirmed the presence of a clause in Napoli’s Victor Osimhen loan deal.
Buruk explains that the January clause in Victor Osimhen’s contract allows the player to explore opportunities with various interested clubs during the January transfer window.

This statement came during an interview on the official website of the Turkish champions, where Buruk discussed various topics related to the team.

During the interview, Buruk explained that Osimhen would like to stay at Galatasaray until the end of the season.

He noted that although there is a transfer clause in force, the player has expressed his intention to stay at the club, which he reiterated from the beginning of his arrival.

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He stated, “Osimhen wants to stay here until the season is over and he has said this consistently. Although there is a clause regarding January transfers, ultimately it is the player’s decision and he feels committed to staying.”

Reflecting on how the club secured Osimhen’s services, Buruk shared: “I traveled to Milan when I had the chance. Because I lived there for three years, I feel comfortable there. We didn’t talk about football during my visit; instead, we enjoyed dinner together for two days, which helped foster a good relationship. After a match against Adana Demirspor, we had a video call at the airport to discuss the options, and after careful consultation with our transfer committee and the president, we completed the transfer.”

Osimhen joined Galatasaray on the final day of the summer transfer window after negotiations with Chelsea and Al Ahly failed to materialize. He quickly adapted to his new surroundings and made significant contributions with eight goals and four assists in just nine appearances in all competitions.

Eaglespath

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Ondo: Gov Aiyedatiwa says he’s not aware of vote buying on his behalf

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Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has stated that he was not aware that his political associates bought votes on his behalf.

This is coming a few hours after he emerged victorious in all the 18 local government areas of the state.

According to report, the incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was accused of vote-buying after his victory in the November 16 election.

However, speaking in an interview with Channel TV on Sunday night, the governor noted that the oppositions are using the vote-buying allegation as an excuse for their loss.

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“I’m not aware of such. The opposition will want to say that to make excuses for their failure, but for us, it is what we worked for; the people have spoken through their votes.

” There won’t be any reason to buy votes because Ondo people know what they want. I’m not aware of people buying votes on my behalf.”

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Uncovered! World Bank exposes $32m missing funds in Nigeria’s water project

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In Nigeria’s water project, the World Bank has discovered $32 million in undeclared payments.

The banks recently released their FY2024 Sanctions System Annual Report, which included this information.

According to the study, the lost monies were meant to improve Nigeria’s water infrastructure but were not properly accounted for, which led to an intervention to protect the project’s integrity.

“INT followed up on risks identified regarding a project in Nigeria’s water sector and flagged to operations the risk, which was associated with $32 million of unaccounted funds.”

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The World Bank worked with the project team, which included the operations manager, financial management expert, and task team leader for Nigeria, in an effort to retrieve the money.

While $6 million is still in the project account to cover expected operating costs, the Central Bank of Nigeria has requested reimbursement of $22 million.

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