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FAAC: FG, States, LGs Share N559.101bn For Dec 2011
The federal, state and local governments shared N559.101 billion from the Federation Account for December 2011, the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama, has announced.
Ngama made the announcement while briefing newsmen on Monday after the meeting of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) in Abuja.
He said the federal government approved the amount for the three tiers of government.
The minister however said due to the late arrival of the figures, FAAC was not able to compute the breakdown of the total revenue to be distributed to the tiers.
“But by Tuesday morning, the breakdown of the figures would be distributed and made known to the public,” he said.
Ngama said the strike called by the organised labour had affected the speed with which some of the information needed was to be gathered for FAAC.
“This is as regards especially the information on internally generated revenue and Value Added Tax (VAT),” he said.
The minister pointed out that it was while the committee was still meeting that it received the confirmation of the total VAT collection for December.
“The figure of N57.1billion for this was received from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation as we were meeting,” he said.
Ngama assured Nigerians that the funds would be credited to the accounts of the various beneficiaries as soon as possible after work fully resumes on Tuesday.
He said the FAAC meeting needed to hold urgently after the strike as a result of President Goodluck Jonathan’s pronouncement on workers’ salaries.
Our correspondent reports that Jonathan had on January 4 directed FAAC to meet on or before January 15.
He had said this was to ensure that workers’ January salaries were paid on or before January 20.
While speaking on the funds to be realised from the partial removal of fuel subsidy, Ngama said the federal government was hopeful of realising its objectives.
“We do hope this year will be a prosperous year and we are happy that we are all united in ensuring this.
“We are hopeful that the entire various programmes we have developed and which we have discussed with the commissioners will be implemented successfully, particularly the SURE programme.
“We have asked the state commissioners to go and draw their own programmes from the revised amount that will be made known to them on the subsidy savings in order to ensure that our people get the benefit of the deregulation that we are embarking upon,” he said.
The minister said the committee had already computed the savings from the subsidy removal, as well as what the savings would have been.
“But due to Monday’s change in the price of fuel, which has now made it partial deregulation and not full deregulation, the committee has to do the computation again,” he said.
Ngama however disclosed that the National Assembly would have to approve the allocation of the funds as a supplementary budget before the subsidy savings could be shared.
He also disclosed that the Accountant-General of the Federation had effected the 25 per cent reduction in basic salaries of political office-holders in the executive arm of government.
Our correspondent reports that Jonathan had on January 7 announced the 25 per cent cut.
The Minister of State for Finance then allayed fears on the country’s financial status.
“The total foreign reserve of Nigeria is over N32 billion US dollars, and a country with a foreign reserve of this amount cannot be a poor country but a rich country,” he said.
Ngama lamented that Nigeria has over 600 unfinished projects, saying Nigeria would have needed to borrow to actually finish some of the road projects in the country, such as the Abuja-Lokoja Road.
“This particular project has been on for over five years, and in order to accelerate the development of the country, we need to actually block out all inefficiencies,” he said.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 1.63 million pills of tramadol concealed in two long trailers heading for Kano as it intensified efforts to dismantle a transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria corridor.
The agency also arrested an 80-year-old suspected drug dealer in Rivers State, a businesswoman linked to cannabis shipments from Canada, a Chadian woman, a couple and other suspects in coordinated operations across Lagos, Edo, Kogi and Rivers states.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday.
According to the statement, the latest intelligence-led operation came barely one week after NDLEA operatives recovered 558,900 pills of tramadol concealed in the false-bottom compartment of a truck that entered Lagos through the Togo-Benin Republic route.
Babafemi said, “Ongoing efforts to dismantle a transnational drug trafficking syndicate smuggling tramadol from Togo, through Benin Republic into Nigeria have yielded another success with the interception of two long trailers used to move One Million Six Hundred and Thirty (1,630,000) pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in fabricated compartments of the trucks across multiple borders into Lagos.”
He added that one of the two trailers was intercepted on July 2 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, where operatives recovered 853,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor.
Babafemi said, “One of the two trucks already heading to Kano was tracked and located on 2nd July 2026 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where NDLEA officers recovered 853,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor of the trailer and arrested the 22-year-old driver Jabir Kabiru.”
He further disclosed that another trailer was intercepted two days later on the same route.
“Two days later, 4th July, NDLEA operatives acting on processed intelligence successfully tracked and recovered the second trailer from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway while heading to Kano. A total of 777,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor of the truck were evacuated and the 22-year-old driver Muhammed Nuhu arrested,” the statement read.
According to Babafemi, investigations established a link between the three intercepted consignments.
He said, “Investigations revealed that all three trucks and consignments intercepted on 21st June, 2nd July and 4th July belong to the same transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria axis.”
The agency also intercepted 4.70 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Babafemi said, “Two consignments of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with a combined weight of 4.70 kilograms have been intercepted at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. The cargoes, which arrived the Lagos airport from Canada in cartons with ‘Odugwu’ boldly written on them, came aboard British Airways and Ethiopian Airlines flights on 24th June and 3rd July respectively.”
He said two cargo agents, Ali Rotimi Samson and Orimolade Oluwagbenga, were initially arrested in connection with the shipments, while another suspect, Edeh Onyeamachi Stanislus, was apprehended after arriving at a logistics company to take delivery of the consignments.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has denied claims that it has commenced registration for a purported ?50,000 National Support Allowance.
The ministry, in a public notice posted on its official X handle, yesterday, described messages, links and websites advertising the alleged programme as fraudulent.
It urged Nigerians to disregard such claims and verify information only through official government channels.
“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has NOT commenced registration for any ?50,000 National Support Allowance,” the ministry said.
It added, “Disregard fraudulent messages, links and websites claiming otherwise. Verify any info only through official govt channels.”
The alert is in response to a circulating scam flyer that falsely claims the program is ongoing under President Bola Tinubu’s directives.
The fake advertisement, which includes text in Hausa and English, directs victims to a suspicious website (kluspz.com) for applications.
The ministry’s warning comes amid heightened concerns over digital fraud targeting vulnerable populations seeking social support.
Similar scams have previously surfaced around programs like N-Power, prompting questions from citizens in replies to the official post.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed its preparedness for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, hinted at this while making his remarks at the commissioning of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja.
Ajaero said it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.
He advised workers and pensioners to get prepared for the ideological and economic battles that lie ahead.
According to the NLC president, “The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) is one of the proud affiliates of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Therefore, your struggle is our struggle, and your welfare remains a priority for the organised labour movement.
“We are currently in the preparatory stages for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage.
“However, let me state unequivocally that it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.
“Accordingly, the Nigeria Labour Congress will not only push for a new national minimum wage but will also demand the establishment of a national minimum pension. It is a historical injustice that men and women who devoted their youth, strength and productive years to the service of this nation should be condemned to live below the poverty line after retirement.”
Ajaero noted that the cost of living has risen astronomically as food, healthcare and transportation have become increasingly unaffordable.
“We cannot continue to allow our senior citizens to survive on pensions that have become poverty wages. Every retiree deserves to live with dignity after decades of faithful service to the nation,” he said.
He urged pensioners across the country to remain united and prepared as the process begins, adding: “This Legacy House should not merely be seen as a physical structure; it should become a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity as we prepare for the struggles ahead.”
The NLC president pointed out that the working class has always understood that “those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees.”
He urged pensioners across the country to remain united and prepared as the process begins, adding: “This Legacy House should not merely be seen as a physical structure; it should become a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity as we prepare for the struggles ahead.”
The NLC president pointed out that the working class has always understood that “those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees.”
He said the completion of the project should serve as a clarion call to all workers and lovers of the masses.
“We must not only build physical structures but also build a strong movement capable of compelling government to honour its commitments,” he said.
Ajaero further stated: “We will continue to demand the immediate payment of all outstanding pension arrears and the implementation of a pension regime that guarantees every retiree a life of dignity and security.
“Together, we shall continue to fight until every Nigerian worker and pensioner receives the justice, respect and welfare they deserve.”