News

NASS May Pass 2017 Budget In April

Published

9 years ago

March 29, 2017

The 2017 Appropriation Bill may be passed before May 2017.Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, who disclosed this yesterday warned heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to desist from the practice of “mopping up” of funds at the end of March, 2017.
The lawmaker said that the lifespan of the 2016 budget would end on May 5, 2017.Goje said the National Assembly maybe compelled to extend the validity period of the budget, in the event that it is unable to pass the 2017 Appropriation Bill on or before the midnight of May 5, 2017.
He said: “Last year, when we were producing this 2016 Appropriation Bill, we realized that at the end of each year, there were usually requests for an extension of the budget from the executive. To avoid that, we decided to incorporate this new thing.
“In the 2016 Appropriation Act, which President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law, clause 11 of it says that “in line with the provisions of Section 318 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, this bill will run for a period of 12 months, starting from the day it is assented into law.”
The Senate committee on Appropriation, for instance, is yet to get reports from all the standing committees on the 2017 budget. Meanwhile, the National Assembly and human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome have asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to show accountability by letting Nigerians know the assets it has so far recovered and their worth.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi set the tone for the demand at the maiden national anti corruption stakeholders’ summit hosted by the EFCC in Karu yesterday.
According to him, making such records available to stakeholders, especially the legislature will ensure transparency. He said the fight against corruption should be done with strategies and technical competence devoid of sensation of arrest and media trials that negate the rights of being innocent until proven guilty.
Corroborating this stance was Mike Ozekhome, whose funds are currently frozen by the commission. He said media trials are against the rule of law and should be avoided by EFCC.
Ozekhome stated that to arrest the suspect prior to getting the evidence, and keeping him in custody to extract information, force him to confess or part with certain money is not the rule of law.
“We need to know the amount being recovered because there is this belief that recovered houses are sold to cronies at give away prices,” he said.Chairman House Committee on Anti Corruption and Financial Crimes, Kayode Oladele urged the EFCC to focus more on the change of attitude among Nigerians rather than prosecution alone.
Oladele noted that with a change in the value system, a lot can be achieved better than endless amendment of laws.Keynote speaker, former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, commended the EFCC for its efforts so far, at fighting corruption despite the allegations of corruption leveled against its leadership.
He stated that the leadership and political will demonstrated by President Muhammadu Buhari has ensured that certain categories of people who were hitherto untouchable, are now answering to corruption charges in the courts.
Meanwhile, the Speaker House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, yesterday gave Friday deadline to committees yet to submit report of 2017 budget to the Committee on Appropriation to do so.
Dogara gave the deadline at plenary and said that there was urgent need for the House to conclude work on the 2017 Appropriation Bill.
He said that any committee that failed to meet the deadline will face the consequences.
According to him, the affected Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of committees should endeavour to submit their reports latest March 30 to enable the Appropriation Committee hasten the process of passing the 2017 Appropriation Bill.
Spokesman of the House, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas, had on March 16, told newsmen that March 30 deadline set by the National Assembly for the passage of Bill was not sacrosanct.
Namdas had explained that the inability of the lawmakers to meet the deadline was due to the new software being used in the process.
According to him, the new software is slowing down the work of the Appropriation Committee.
“The new budget software is different from what we used to have before and it is slowing down the process of the Appropriation Committee,’’ Namdas added.

News

HYPREP Tightens Security At Project Sites

Published

41 minutes ago

November 30, 2025

The Tide

Following the rupture of the ground tank of its water facility in Ebubu Community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has tightened security across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

HYPREP, which dropped this hint in a statement signed by its Head of Communications, Dr Enuolare Mba-Nwigoh, said the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey had given the directive for security to be tightened across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

Mba-Nwigoh noted that the tightening of security across the project sites has become necessary to forestall interference with the facilities.

He further disclosed that following the rupture of the ground tank of the Ebubu water facility, a team led by HYPREP’s Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi has visited the scene of the incident to assess the situation, stressing that the water facility has been cordoned off for public safety.

The statement indicated that following the incident, HYPREP has henceforth barred non-project personnel and non-facility staff from gaining access into any of its active project sites in Ogoniland without authorisation.

While appealing to residents of Ebubu Community and the public to remain calm, the Head of Communications assured them that the Project is taking prompt steps to restore water to the community, saying, the cause of the unfortunate incident is being investigated.

He equally noted that the Chief Security Officer of HYPREP has been directed to immediately tighten security across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

The statement said HYPREP is deeply concerned about the incident, stressing that despite the setback, the Project reiterates its commitment to delivering sustainable cleanup in Ogoniland.

News

198 UNIBEN Students Bag First Class

Published

7 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

A total of 198 students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN ) Edo State, bagged a First Class degree out of 14,083 students to be awarded first degree at the institution’s 51st Convocation and Founder’s Day ceremony.

Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, disclosed this on Monday in Benin at a pre-convocation press briefing.

He said 4,217 students bagged a Second Class Upper, 7, 928 got a Second Class Lower, while 578 bagged a Third Class degree.

He said 15 new approved programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) would commence in the 2025/2026 academic session.

According to him, “The wheel of progress is on course and moving steadily in the University of Benin. This administration is poised to deliver on its mandate of effective, practical teaching, sound learning, result-oriented research and impactful community service.

“We must applaud the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for establishing NELFUND, and by so doing significantly reducing the financial stress of students in the process of acquiring tertiary education. We enjoin students and their parents to take full advantage of the federal government’s benevolence in instituting the fund.”

Prof. Omoregie disclosed that Nigeria’s Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, would deliver the Founders’ Day lecture with the topic, “Reforms for a Shared Prosperity”.

The UNIBEN VC said Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and Former Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, would deliver the Convocation Lecture on the theme, “Making Our Universities Great”.

News

Bayelsa Education Fund, British Council trains tra 1,000 teachers

Published

7 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The last batch of 400 public school teachers in Bayelsa State on Monday commenced training under the sponsorship of Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) and the British Council.

This batch will bring to 1000 the number of public school teachers in the state who have benefited in the partnership arrangement.School supplies

The EDTF, British Council and Teachers Training, Registration and Certification Board collaborated in the capacity development programme.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the five day capacity building program, Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah reiterated the commitment of the Bayelsa government to training and capacity of teachers in the state.

He noted that the improved teaching methodology in the state was responsible for the state producing the best student in the 2025 West African School Certificate Examinations.

Prof Ebimiowei, Executive Secretary at EDTF, noted that the collaboration is aimed at improving learning outcomes for pupils and students of public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa.

“You will agree with me that until the cutlass is sharpened, it will have no impact on the hands of the farmer and so it is with our teachers., you need to be sharpened very well to give good delivery in your various classes and schools.

“Let me at this juncture appreciate the British Council for accepting to train 1,000 teachers, 50 education managers and 60 trainers for Bayelsa,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of the EDTF board, High Chief Fidelis Agbiki expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah for his supportive role to the fund.

Agbiki urged the beneficiaries to justify the enormous resources invested by the government of Bayelsa by being dedicated within the five days the exercise would last.

He said; “This board will not operate on business as usual but on business unusual as we will push the frontiers outside the box to ensure that we get value for money,” Agbiki said.

Chairman of Development Partners Committee of the EDTF applauded the commitment of the partners for the successful completion of the programme, urging them to sustain the tempo

Speaking on the programme, Mr Fwanshishak Daniel, Head, English and Schools, British Council noted that the Bayelsa government had shown exemplary commitment to educational development.

He explained that the commitment has enabled the British Council and Bayelsa government to achieve within one year greater milestones that took other states three years to achieve.

He explained that the resources of the British Council have been made available to Bayelsa with the training of 60 resource persons from the state who will in turn train other teachers to improve education.

According to Daniel, the training will lay emphasis on new teaching methods, use of digital tools for self development and access to school amongst others.

Dr Peremoboere Ogola, Acting Chairman of TTRC, which facilitated training, thanked the EDTF for supporting training of teachers in Bayelsa with world class resources of the British Council.

She noted that another batch of newly recruited teachers are currently undergoing training at State government owned University of Africa, Toru Orua, Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa