NEWS
Adamawa Community Raises Alarm over Selection of District Head
The Gaya community in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa has raised alarm over the recent selection of the District Head in the area.
Some of the residents told newsmen on Wednesday in Hong that the recent selection process of the district head needed to be reviewed for the interest of justice, peace and unity in the area.
Alhaji Nasiru Adamu, ACP (retired), one of the respondents, said that Gaya community have four clans that were supposed to produce their district head in which the recent selection, the caretaker who was not from any of the clans was selected.
According to him, the newly District Head is from Makera which is far to Gaya District, adding that even if he will contest, he is supposed to resign before the exercise.
Adamu said that selection was announced only few days and overtaken by corruption by the said ruler who emerged district head by force.
“The selection process was announced two days to the exercise and those responsible for the selection were invited for a meeting with the acting district head, then spent the whole day.
“Some among them past their night there and the following day were taken direct to the venue after bribing them with N3.5 million,” he said.
He appealed to the Adamawa Government and the emirate council to review the exercise and allow those in the known clans to contest for peace and development of the area.
Minkailu Inuwa of Gaya Sikalmi said in the history of the community those who served as caretakers were not allowed to be amongst the contestants.
He therefore appealed for government intervention for the real indigent to be allowed to head the affairs of their community and not an outsider.
According to him, since the district head assumed as acting two years he never stayed in the community to hear and know the situation in the area.
“In Gaya district we have Huduma, Kulamari, Mulathul and Thulbang clans, and the new head did not come from any of these clans,” he said.
Another respondent, Mr Bello Zakaria, also appealed to the state government to create Mugwahi district to end the tension for each to lead their people.
He added that since the creation of the district whoever that acted will not partake in the selection process.
When contacted, the District Head, Alhaji Ado Suleiman, maintained that the selection process was free and fair, and he declined comments on the allegations until he got permission from the emirate council. (NAN)
Abia House of Assembly has denied social media report that it mandated the Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, to issue a public apology over a misunderstanding between him and its member.The Deputy Speaker and Spokesperson, Austin Meregini, who debunked such report while addressing newsmen in Umuahia on Thursday, said the House did not reach any resolution to that effect.
He admitted that there was a misunderstanding between the deputy governor and Mr Mba Nwoko, member representing Ohafia South State Constituency, but said the matter had been taken care of Report says that there have been publications by social media of the House mandating the deputy governor to apologise to Nwoko for disrespecting the lawmaker during the recent state-wide local government elections. It was alleged that Emetu, who is from the same constituency with Nwoko, had instructed the security operatives to arrest the lawmaker for asking about the election result sheet.Condemning the report, Meregini, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Media, said that it was the imagination and figment of the mischief makers.He said that the deputy governor and the lawmaker are brothers, hence there was no need for the Assembly to pass a resolution mandating such an apology.Meregini said: “I was present at the Tuesday sitting, both at the plenary and executive session; there was no time we reached such resolution.“We do not condone any kind of misunderstanding, but as long as we co-exist, there’s bound to be misunderstanding every now and then.“When there is need, we do offer constructive criticism and constructive oversight on the activities of the government and the Executive and we expect that it will continue.”He reaffirmed the robust relationship between the Legislature and the Executive, saying that it would continue to exist for the benefit of Abia people.The deputy speaker commended the Executive on the level of implementation, while expressing satisfaction with the quality of bills passed by the Assembly.(NAN)
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has proposed the sum of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year for submission to the National Assembly on Monday.The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu disclosed this after the Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu on Thursday at the Presidential Villa.
According to him, the Council pegged the price of crude oil at 75 dollar per barrel and proposed N1400 as exchange rate to a dollar with oil production put at 2. 06million barrels per day.Bagudu said that the budget proposal included new borrowings of N9.2 trillion to finance the budget deficit in 2025.The minister added that with the growth rate of 3.19 per cent as at the second quarter of 2024, the Federal Government would continue to tackle Inflation, strengthen economic resilience and provide more support for the economy.He also said that government would continue to support high employment generation sectors, improve business environment and effective implementation of youths development and social investment programmes.Bagudu also disclosed that FEC reviewed the 2024 Budget implementation and acknowledged that the review revealed promising in revenue collection and expenditure management.” Despite lacks in prorated target, the overall trajectory shows that fiscal effort are on track with key non-oil streams performing better than anticipated.Similarly, the minister said FEC approved the medium term expenditure framework and the fiscal strategy paper to be submitted to the NASS.” This is in addition to the bills that are already at the National Assembly, the Economic Stabilisation Bill and Tax Reforms Bill , which we believe we will have a very strong growth in 2025,” he said. (NAN)
Gov. Monday Okpebholo of Edo has ordered immediate freezing of all the state bank accounts until further notice.Okpebholo gave the directive in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Fred Itua, on Thursday in Benin.He warned that non-compliance by commercial banks as well as heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) would result in severe penalties.
“All bank accounts in all commercial banks are now frozen. Commercial banks must ensure strict adherence and prevent any withdrawal from government accounts until further notice,” the statement said. Okpebholo stated that necessary investigations and financial reconciliations would determine subsequent actions.He also ordered the reversal of the Ministry of Roads and Bridges to the old Ministry of Works with immediate effect.The governor cited what he called lack of completed bridges or significant road projects as a justification for changing the ministry of roads and bridges back to ministry of works.“It is ironic that despite its name, the ministry did not construct a single bridge, not even a pedestrian one,” he said.The governor directed immediate implementation and reflection of the new name across official documents and platforms. (NAN)
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