Nation
Senate Invites Minister, Army Chief On Releases For Security Operations
The Senate Committee on Army has invited the Finance Minister, Director-General of Budget Office, and Chief of Army Staff (CAS) to give details of funds released to the Nigerian Army to combat insurgency and banditry in Nigeria.
The minister, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Budget Chief Ben Akabueze, and CAS Lt.-Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim, are to appear on May 4, the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Ali Ndume, said, yesterday.
Ndume (APC-Borno), issued the summons on behalf of the committee at a meeting with officials of the ministry.
He said the financial details required were those from 2019 until the date.
Ndume expressed dismay at the minister’s failure to honour the committee’s invitation in spite of the challenge of insecurity in the country.
“Honestly, we are not happy that the Minister of Finance is not here today despite the fact that she was duly invited and she knew the importance of the issue we invited her to discuss with us.
“There is nothing more important than she could be attending to that is more serious than the problem of insecurity all over Nigeria at the moment.
“We were blaming the military but the soldiers are claiming that they have no equipment, arms, and ammunition to work with because there was no money to buy them.
“We have invited the minister now to explain why her ministry was not funding the operations of the Army and she is not here, this is not acceptable.”
The Permanent Secretary, Special Duties in the Ministry, Aliyu Shinkafi, explained that N75billion was appropriated and released in 2019 while an additional N7billion from the service-wide vote was also released 100 percent.
“The sum of N2.5billion was also released in 2019.
“In 2020, N75billion was appropriated but N74.99billion was released.
“In the current year, N100billion had been appropriated and we have released N19.4billion for the first quarter.
“Just yesterday, we released N19.95billion for the second quarter.
“I believe that we are on course as far as releases for these operations are concerned”.
But Ndume informed participants of a letter from the Chief of Defence Staff which indicated that military authorities had complained of shortfalls in releases from the ministry for funding of its operations.
“The letter from the defence headquarters on the funding of Operation Lafiya Dole is claiming that they have a shortfall of N50billion in terms of releases and requested us to do a follow up on the matter,” Ndume said.
However, Shinkafi insisted that the entire amount appropriated had been released by the ministry.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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