Business
Analysts React To 2016 Budget Signing
Wares displayed during a Small and Medium Scale Enterprises fair in Lagos last Monday.
As President
Muhammadu Buhari finally assented to the controversial 2016 budget, some analysts have expressed divergent views on the issue.
The analysts, who bared their minds in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt said the federal government should judiciously implement the budget to its letter in order to revive the dwindling economy of the country.
According to them, the signing into law of the N6.06 trillion budget was long over-due, despite its controversy and issues of padding, and commended the president for standing his ground against such fraudulent manipulations.
They noted that as the administration is out to fight corruption, let transparency and accountability be their watchword, in order to justify the change mantra.
Pastor Stephen Atamuno-Osi said the masses are impressed with the signing of the budget which was long expected and what we are waiting is the fast implementation for things to improve in the country.
Atamuno-Osi wants the implementation be immediate since the change agenda depends on the budget, and commended President Muhammadu Buhari as the masses await its full implementation for the country to move forward.
Another analyst, Randy Okoloma expressed delight with the signing into law of the 2016 budget tagged “Budget of Change” by the President, Muhammadu Buhari, but noted that the controversy and processes that the budget passed through were not in the best interest of the nation.
According to him, there should be strict monitoring and implementation of the budget to avoid misappropriation as the present administration is out to ensure corruption in Nigeria becomes a thing of the past, adding, “let the government and the various ministries and agencies present quarterly report on how funds allocated to them were utilised and expended”.
Another analyst, Ephraim Okonko Igbanam said the masses were disappointed over the delay in signing the 2016 budget into law almost a year after, saying that it has lost its credibility and value.
“I think it is no longer news that the 2016 budget had finally been signed by the President, because the controversy and irrelevant issues raised on it have made the whole thing look childish, and people are afraid if it will be implemented accordingly”, he lamented.
In his own reaction, Charles Ikkennam however noted that with the signing of the budget, the economy of the country would improve and the people would soon heave a sign of relief.
Collins Barasimeye
Stakeholders are expected to converge in Lagos today to take a look at the Nigeria’s preparedness to maximize the gains of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Tide learnt that stakeholders will be converging at the instance of a popular online newspaper, Primetime Reporters, to assess the progress made so far by the Federal Government through the National Action Committee on AfCFTA agreement.
The event which is the Third Annual Lecture and Awards of the online medium has as its theme: “Assessing Nigeria’s Preparedness to Maximize the Gains of AfCFTA.”
The event will also witness conferment of awards on eight eminent Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavours.
The Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of Primetime Reporters, Mr. Saint Augustine Nwadinamuo, made this known in a statement made available to The Tide in Lagos on Monday.
According to him, the event will hold at the National Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos beginning from 10.00am.
Nwadinamuo said that the event would be chaired by a renowned legal practitioner, Barr. Osuala Emmanuel Nwagbara of the Maritime and Commercial Law Partners, Lagos, while the Director General, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Muda Yusuf, would be the lead paper presenter.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested a leader of a deadly 419 syndicate, Abayomi Kamaldeen Alaka (a.k.a Awise) over an alleged attempt to swindle an innocent Nigerian of N250 million.
The Tide learnt that the syndicate operates from a shrine at Ashipa Town, near Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to a statement made available to The Tide in Lagos on Sunday, by the EFCC, Awise’s arrest followed a petition by his victim, Juliet Bright who lost N250m to the fraudster after she was tricked to provide money for sacrifices and invocations to heal her of an ailment.
The statement said Bright was introduced to Alaka by one Akinola Bukola Augustina (a.ka. Iya Osun) whom she met on Facebook in the course of her search for solutions to her health challenge.
What drew her to Augustina was the latter’s post under the name, Osunbukola Olamitutu Spriritual Healing Centre.
Once Bright contacted Augustina, the latter promised to heal her if she could pay N16 million.
The victim paid the money through an Access Bank account belonging to one Mohammed Sani, who later turned out to be a Bureau De Change Operator.
After paying the money without receiving healing, Augustina transferred the victim to other members of the syndicate, notably Awise.
Bright revealed that she met Awise at his shrine in Ashipa Town and was hypnotized and subsequently transferred various sum through bank accounts and in cash to the suspect and his syndicate members, until she lost N250 million to them.
Despite all the monies collected from her, her health conditions has never improved.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
An expert in Quarantine Agriculture, Dr Vincent Ozuru, has advised Nigerian farmers to give more attention to growing plants produce that could be exported.
He said that plant like the hibiscus, popularly known as Zobo is on high demand in some countries around the world, today.
Ozuru who gave the advice while speaking to aviation correspondents at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, noted that some plants produce, particularly hibiscus, had yielded huge revenue to the Federal Government through export.
According to him, Nigeria exported about 1,983 containers of hibiscus to Mexico alone in 2017 and earned $35 million within nine months of that year.
The agricultural quarantine expert explained that the export of the plant had a setback as a result of storage pest discovered by the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service in some consignments.
“The issue has now been taken care of and the export is resuming again, and all matters have been resolved with the stakeholders across the value chain.
“Mexico is the largest importer of Nigerian hibiscus, and our farmers should brace up to the challenge.
“The good news is that Nigeria has a vast growing belt in hibiscus, and the harvest is available all year round.
“We need to take advantage of this opportunity to earn foreign exchange for ourselves and for the country at large, even with the commitment of the present administration to diversify the economy”, he said.
Ozuru called on Nigerian farmers to show more commitment to the growing of export produce and also endeavor to get ready information on it in order to increase their income.
By: Corlins Walter
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