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FG To Recover Unremitted N450bn From MDAs

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In a desperate move to shore up government’s dwindling revenue, the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has begun moves to recover N450billion unremitted operating surpluses from Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The issue has been a protracted one and the government says it would no longer tolerate excuses for non-remittance.
The government has also warned public office holders to stay away from flying first class tickets, just as it has activated its efficiency unit to prune down the bogus procurement spending of MDAs.
These were contained in its budget call circular to MDAs signed by the Finance Minister, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.
The circular also stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has banned the distribution of souvenirs at events, and will move some government offices to properties forfeited to the government by looters.
The minister warned MDAs on foreign travels, trainings and other concerns related to overhead expenditure, insisting that their travels, training and capacity development programmes must be restricted to locations within the country and as close to their office locations as possible.
“Foreign travels and training should be limited to exceptional cases, and with necessary approvals in accordance with extant government policy.
“More specifically, hosting of board meetings outside the country, payment of sitting allowances, the number of such meetings, etc., must comply with the provisions of the Circular and also be subjected to the reasonableness test,” she added.
MDAs were also warned to desist from the practice of specifying the models and brands of assets they propose to acquire in the budget.
“As much as possible, generic specification of items should be made in accordance with the Public Procurement Act. Here again, the BOF will intervene to effect necessary amendments.”
Details of the 2021 budget showed that the aggregate expenditure is made up of Statutory Transfers of N481.41billion, Debt Service of N3.124trillion, Sinking Fund of N220billion, Recurrent (non-debt) expenditure of N5.746trillion and Capital expenditure (exclusive of capital in Statutory Transfers) of N3.086trillion.
Of the capital expenditure, the budget call circular showed, MDAs Capital is N1.485trillion.
The Ministries of Works and Housing, Power, Transportation and Defence are to get the highest capital allocation in the 2021 Federal Government budget.
The Ministry of Works and Housing is to get the highest allocation of N272.06billion.
This is an increase of N6.2billion when compared to the N256.73billion which the sector got in the revised budget of 2020.
The Ministries of Power, Transportation, and Defence followed with the sums of N178.38billion, N120.04billion, and N120.04billion, respectively, as against N128billion, N109.34billion and N115.87billion which they got in the 2020 budget in that order.
Also, Education Ministry is to get N80.21billion as capital allocation in 2021 as against N115.87billion it this year; Water Resources N84.14billion as against N80.7billion; Agriculture N83.86billion compared to N102.49billion, Health N93.67billion as against N51.4billion.

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NAFDAC Alerts Nigerians To EU Ban On Dex Soap

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The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has alerted Nigerians on the ban on Dex Luxury Bar Soap (No 6 Mystic Flower), by the European Union (EU).
The notification is contained in a public alert with No. 012/2024, signed by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, and issued to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.
“The product does not comply with the cosmetic products regulation; it also contains Butyphenyl Methylpropional (BMHCA), which is prohibited in cosmetic products due to its risk of harming the reproductive system.
“It also causes harm to the health of unborn children and may cause skin sensitisation.
“It is as a result of the defective nature of the product that the EU banned it.
“The products is not in NAFDAC database; importers, distributors, retailers and consumers are to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain,” she said.
NAFDAC boss urged marketers and consumers to avoid the importation, distribution, sale and use of the product, stressing that product’s authenticity and physical condition must be carefully checked.
She enjoined members of the public in possession of the product to discontinue sale or use, and submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.

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Communities, Volunteers Ready To Face Upcoming Floods – Red Cross

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The Country Manager of the British Red Cross in Nigeria, Karsten Voigt, says communities and volunteers are ready to face the challenges expected with the upcoming floods.
Voigt said this at the sidelines of the 56th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Lagos Branch.
The Tide’s source recalls that the British Red Cross donated resilience items to some communities in December 2023, to help mitigate the effects of flooding.
The items included cash, rain boots, rain coats, mosquito nets, handheld flashlights, solar powered lights with radio, USB chargers and a bridge to link the communities.
The communities that benefited included Agboyi 1, Agboyi 2, Agboyi 3 and Odo Ogun in Kosofe Local Government Area of the state.
Voigt said the Red Cross had measured the impact of the project in the communities and noticed that a lot of progress had been made.
According to him, apart from the cash and items given to the communities, simulation exercises have also been carried out to prepare the volunteers ahead of the floods.
“We have seen that people used the cash to address immediate needs they have after floods.
“Many households have used part of the cash to build up businesses.
“The solutions we have given to them are not only addressing their immediate needs after the disaster but actually building family income for their future,” he said.

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Nimet Forecasts Three-Day Sunshine, Thunderstorms

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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and thunderstorm from Monday to Wednesday across the country.
NiMet’s weather outlook released yesterday in Abuja, forecasts sunny skies on Monday with a few patches of cloud over the northern cities and prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Taraba later in the day.
According to the forecast, sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region with prospects of morning thunderstorm over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kogi and Kwara States.
“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi and Benue States.
“The southern region is expected to be cloudy with spells of sunshine with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Oyo, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo and Lagos States.
“ In the afternoon/evening periods, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Ekiti, Ogun, Imo, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers, Lagos and Bayelsa States,” it said.
NiMet also anticipated sunny skies on Tuesday with few patches of cloud over the northern states with prospects of isolated thunderstorms envisaged over parts of Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba and Kaduna States during the afternoon and evening hours.
It envisaged the North Central region to be sunny with patches of cloud during the morning hours.
The agency also envisaged isolated thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Kwara and Niger States, later in the day.
“Cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected over the inland and coastal areas of the South, with chances of morning thunderstorm over parts of Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States.
“In the afternoon/evening periods, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Rivers and Bayelsa States ,” it said.
It predicted a sunny atmosphere on Wednesday, with patches of cloud over the northern region, during the forecast period.
“Sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa, the Federal Capital Territory and Benue States, during the afternoon/evening periods.
“ Cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected over the inland and coastal areas of the South with prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia.”
Other states to experience cloudy atmosphere, are “Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Cross River, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States, later in the day.”
NiMet urged the public to take adequate precaution as strong winds might precede rains in areas where thunderstorms were likely to occur.
The agency also urged airline operators to get updated weather reports and forecasts from its office for effective planning in their operations.

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