POLITICS
2024 FCT Budget: Wike presents N1.15trn to NASS
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, on Monday, defended the details of the proposed N1.15 trillion 2024 statutory budget aimed at transforming both the capital city and rural communities.
Presenting the budget before the Senate and House Committees on FCT in Abuja, Wike outlined the allocation of funds towards recurrent and capital expenditures, emphasizing infrastructure development and ongoing project completion.
Of the total budget, N421.44 billion is allocated for recurrent expenditure, while N726.3 billion is designated for capital expenditure.
Notably, N80 billion is earmarked for SUKUK loan projects, and N29 billion is allocated for the Abuja Light Rail project.
Additionally, N500 billion is designated for commercial loans to complete ongoing capital projects in the federal capital city and satellite towns.The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) received the largest share of the capital budget, with FCDA allocated N457 billion and STDD N116 billion.
Major road projects included in the budget proposal are the completion of Roads B6 and B12, construction of access road and car park for Abuja Light Rail, and the extension of Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX) among others.
The transportation sector receives N69 billion, with significant allocations for the construction of bus terminals and development projects in education and health sector
The proposed budget also allocates funds for agriculture and rural development, aiming to improve agricultural production, engage youths in agriculture, and enhance food security.
Additionally, allocations are made for social development, legal services, Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS), and Area Council Services Secretariat to ensure effective service delivery and rural transformation.
Meanwhile, the Minister of FCT, also explained vote of no confidence he placed on all the lawyers working as staff members of the FCT Administration.
He added that there is no going back on his decision to hire Senior Advocates of Nigeria to stand for FCTA in court.
The Minister said on assumption of office in FCT, he was shocked to discover that land racketeering has remained endemic in Abuja because the notorious syndicate was Collaborating with FCT lawyers in court.
He stated that it was not just shocking, but also embarrassing that the lawyers were always losing simple land cases in court.
According to him, more worrisome was the fact that FCTA gets over one thousand five hundred land cases monthly.
He added that he has vowed not to allow any lawyer who is a staff of the administration, to represent it in any court over land cases.
He equally expressed concerns over another discovery that directors in the Land Department, were involved in arbitrary land allocations, which gave rise to the court cases.
Wike lamented, “Recently Director of land gave 500 hectares of land to one company, you can’t believe, that before we knew it, the company colluded with lawyers in the FCTA, went to court and got a judgment against the administration. It is terrible”.
Mr Martin Amaewhule (Obio/Akpor 1), the factional Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, has accused Gov. Siminialayi Fubara of planning to demolish the residential quarters of the state House of Assembly.
Amaewhule made the remark in Port Harcourt in reaction to the governor’s recent inspection visit to the assembly residential quarters.
Fubara had told newsmen during the visit that he wanted to acsertain the state of the facility for possible rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, Amaewhule described the visit as ‘unannounced and an invasion’ on the residential premises of Rivers assemblymen.
”His plan is to demolish the quarters the way he did to some parts of the state assembly complex in 2023,” he said.
The factional speaker said that the governor’s move was purely political because the Rivers assembly residential quarter was still the best in the country.
”The residential quarters were built by the administration of former Gov. Nyesom Wike in 2022.
”There’s nothing wrong with the buildings. They are in perfect condition. We have not called on the governor for any form of help.
“The governor’s undue interference is one that is unbecoming of a sitting governor who is supposed to uphold the sanctity of the law,” he said
Amaewhule further accused Fubara of always carrying out actions that were against democratic norms and principles.
”His actions show that he had declared war on all politically elected people in the state,” he said.(NAN)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the 27 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers at the Rivers House of Assembly can’t impeach Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, because they are no longer members of the House.
Mr Debo Ologunagba, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, said this at a new conference on Wednesday in Abuja.
Ologunagba said that the directive by the state APC chapter for the lawmakers to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor was in vain.
He said that the APC lawmakers had since vacated their seats at the House, by virtue of Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution.
“The lawmakers claiming to be APC members lost their seats after their defection from the PDP, the political party platform on which they were elected into the House.
“For emphasis, Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution provides that: a member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if … (g) being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political Party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected.
“It should be noted that Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution is self-executory. The import of this provision is that the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who defected, have vacated their seat by reason of that defection,” he said.
Ologunagba advised APC to come to terms with the fact that Rivers was home to PDP and that the people of the state were not ready to leave the party.(NAN)
By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja
Senators yesterday during plenary continued complaining about their renovated chamber, with the Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Ali Ndume at one point describing the reconfigured chamber as a Conference Room.Recall that a week ago, bickerings about sitting arrangements led to a rowdy session which lasted for about 15 minutes, eventually forcing the Senate into executive session.
However, issues over alleged inadequacies in the Chamber once again took center stage yesterday during plenary when Senator Ali Ndume, through Order 42 of the Senate Standing rules pointed out that what was supposed to be a Chamber had been turned into a conference hall, stressing that was unacceptable. ”Mr President, I rise to make disturbing observations on this supposedly renovated chamber through order 42 that deals with personal privileges.”Since day one, precisely last week Tuesday when we moved into this Chamber that is supposed to have been renovated, there have been complaints here and there.”First was on sitting arrangements, followed by the echoing of voices by microphones that are not even audible. No voting device and the required facilities are not yet provided.”We need to correct all these anomalies for the Hallowed Chamber to be what it is supposed to be,” he said.Aligning with Ndume’s observations, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio said the observations were well noted and the point of Order upheld.He however explained to Ndume that complaints on sitting arrangements among Senators have been sorted out 99.9%, reminding him that the contract for the renovation work was not done by the 10th National Assembly.”This is not our contract and not even the National Assembly contract but that of the Federal Capital Development Authority ( FCDA), the landlord of the National Assembly Complex.”Observations on inadequacies in the renovated chamber are welcome from time to time for required perfection but what we should be aiming at in the long run is for us, as federal lawmakers, to have proper autonomy on the National Assembly Complex and not continue as tenants of FCDA,” he said.
ShareNAPTIP condemns obscene pictures of minor shared by father on social media Pictures By Deborah Akpede Lagos, May 12, 2024...
5-year Old Girl Crushed to Death Crossing Expressway in Lagos -Police
Share The Police Command in Lagos State says a five-year old girl, simply identified as Bosede, was crushed to death...
Gov. Sanwo-Olu Applauds Prince Harry’s Initiative
ShareGov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, has commended Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, for rehabilitating serving and fallen heros...
Police Ban Covering of Vehicles, Motorcycles Registration Number Plates in Benue
Share In a bid to curb the escalating security situation, the Police Command in Benue, on Sunday ordered motorists and...
Troops Rescue Abducted Kogi Varsity Students, others in Multiple Operations
ShareThe Nigerian Army says its troops have rescued the nine abducted students of the Confluence University of Science and Technology in...
Hoodlums Attack, Demolish 67-year-old Visually Impaired Man’s House in Enugu
Share Hoodlums have again, attacked and demolished a 67-year-old visually impaired man’s house, Mr Anibeze Nnadi.from Awoke-Agana family in Uwani-Otobo,...
You’re my Dancing Partner, Obasanjo Tells Adeleke
ShareFormer President Olusegun Obasanjo says Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun is his dancing partner. Obasanjo made the remark at the...
Anglican Primate Commends Tinubu’s Efforts to Fix Nigeria
Share Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has commended President Bola Tinubu’s efforts...
2024 Hajj: NAHCON”s Advance Team Departs for Saudi, Sunday
ShareThe National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says a group of 43 Advance Team of the commission will on Sunday...
Edo Guber: Labour Party Unveils Campaign Council
Share The Labour Party (LP) in Edo on Saturday, announced its campaign council for the upcoming governorship election scheduled for...