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ANAN Wants Autonomy For AGF

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14 years ago

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The Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) has called for autonomy for the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF).

Its president, Hajiya Maryam Ibrahim, made the call on Sunday in Abuja when she fielded questions at a forum.

She said that autonomy of the Auditor-General would allow the office to act independently and perform better.

“Until the government of this country allows the auditor-general to bite, it will be difficult for the office to operate at optimum level.

Ibrahim said civil society groups and professional bodies should also rise to their responsibilities and demand accountability over how the nation’s treasury is run.

The ANAN president also congratulated the Auditor-General of Nigeria for successfully introducing performance and environmental audit.

“The performance audit is very germane to accountability and the National Assembly needs to carry out its own oversight functions.

“And I’m so happy that there’s a turnaround from the National Assembly because what they started doing for the past six weeks now had never happened in this country.

“So if only they can sustain it then that will be helping the Auditor-General of the Federation of the states and the local governments.

“Then that is an awakening call to the states auditors-general, the local governments auditors-general to equally perform their own aspect of the duty and do their reporting as effective as possible; pursue all the monies released by the governors by the chairmen of local governments.

“When they do that it eases the work of the auditor-general because as much as he does his work and compares his own report with the report he receives from the field, compared with what the National Assembly members have given, it gives him that power.

“They both have to work hand-in-hand to be able to checkmate the executive; that is the essence.

“Civil society groups must rise to their civic responsibilities to ask questions, we must all begin to ask questions.

“The professional bodies, especially the accountants, should start to ask questions and that is why I said our working together will be of great benefit to this country because that will be the beginning of an era where the poor man will find people to talk on his behalf.’’

Ibrahim said that there was the need for the inauguration of the Financial Reporting Council to realise the goals of International Financial Standards Reporting (IFRS).

She said that for it to take off, a board would be needed to formulate the policies, or else there would be problems.

Ibrahim said the reporting standard was very important because that was the only way all the desired professional goals would be achieved.

“It is the government that holistically adopted the International Financial Standards Reporting which is a good thing even though it came, too short for the country’s adoption, because we were not prepared.

“The professionals were not prepared, because even for the developed countries they did not holistically adopt it, but then we have adopted it.

“And the professional bodies feel that we must immediately start to train our professionals and for us in ANAN we quickly had to review our syllabus to incorporate the International Financial Standards (IFRS) curriculum.

“And we are all doing that so that the products we now turn out will have the real knowledge of what it is all about, not just the knowledge, practically they will come out well grounded.

“If the government has accepted it and we have passed an Act; there is a Financial Reporting Council Act of 2011, for it to take off you needed a board to formulate the policies and if you don’t have a board to formulate the policies, it’s a problem.

“Our major companies at least by 2012, we started reporting on IFRS.

“ANAN had to convert its own 2011 account into IFR standard so that our members could use that as an example.

“It’s something we are doing vigorously to generate information, ideas from our members so that we are not caught unawares.’’

Ibrahim, former Auditor-General of Kogi also advised all professional accountants to stay clear of any form of corruption but be accountable to themselves, to their organisations and to the nation.

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Pipeline Explosion In Abua Odua, LGA Chair Calls For Calm

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3 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Fresh explosions have hit oil and gas pipelines in Odau Community, in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, triggering a major security and  environmental crisis that has forced residents to abandon their homes.
The first incident occurred  along the Kolo Creek – Rumuekpe crude oil pipelines, operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
This was followed by a gas pipeline explosion on the Ogboinbiri – Obirikom Gas Pipeline, operated by Oando Plc, in the same week.
In a statement by the Abua/Odual Council Chairman, Hon. Owolobi Michael Ofori said  the blasts, suspected to be the handiwork of militants, have unleashed persistent gas leakage in the area, raising fears of fire outbreaks and toxic exposure as residents of Odau have largely deserted the community due to the dangerous situation.
According to him, some residents of the area have been hospitalised after inhaling the leaking gas, adding that the impact has spread to neighbouring communities, including Obedum, Emirikpoko, and Anyu in Abua/Odual LGA, as well as Oruma and Ibelebiri in Bayelsa State.
Hon. Ofori expressed deep concern over the plight of the affected residents and urged the operating companies to act swiftly.
The Council expressed its deepest sympathy to all affected persons and communities and remained gravely concerned about the safety, health, and welfare of residents whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by these incidents.
“We call on Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and Oando Plc to immediately deploy all necessary technical and emergency response resources to contain the fires, halt the gas leakage, secure the affected pipeline corridors, and mitigate further environmental and public health risks.” the Council Chairman Said.
The chairman also appealed to the two oil firms to provide immediate humanitarian assistance and relief materials to the displaced residents while work continues to restore normalcy.
The Council Chairman said he is working closely with security agencies and emergency responders to monitor the situation and coordinate necessary interventions.
The Council Boss advised Residents of the Local Government Area to remain calm, cooperate with authorities, and adhere strictly to safety directives.
Ofori further called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Rivers State Government, and other relevant bodies to intervene urgently to prevent  loss of lives and environmental damage.
Hon. Ofori assured that the council remains committed to the protection and welfare of its people and will continue to engage all stakeholders to resolve the crisis.
Enoch Epelle
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Fidelity Bank Collaborates YEIDEP To Empower Nigerian Students

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3 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment, financial inclusion and entrepreneurship through a strategic partnership with the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalization Programme (YEIDEP), a Federal Government-backed initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with the skills, support and opportunities needed to build sustainable livelihoods.
Under the partnership, the bank will support the enrolment of students and young people into the YEIDEP programme, which is designed to tackle youth unemployment, promote enterprise development and expand economic participation among Nigeria’s growing youth population.
The next phase of the initiative is scheduled to end today at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, where the enrolment exercise for students and youths across the South-East that started since July 1st would be concluded at the university’s Convocation Arena.
The exercise is expected to reach more than 60,000 regular undergraduate students.
Speaking on the partnership, Fidelity Bank’s Divisional Head, Product Development, Osita Ede, said youth empowerment remains central to the bank’s vision of building a more inclusive and prosperous society.
He noted that Nigeria’s youths represent the country’s greatest asset and stressed that providing them with the right skills, opportunities and financial support is critical to unlocking their potential and driving national development.
According to Ede, the bank continues to provide young Nigerians with tools for success through its digital banking platforms, financial literacy initiatives, youth-focused products and strategic partnerships.
He added that Fidelity Bank recognises that limited access to funding, mentorship and business development support remains a major challenge for many aspiring entrepreneurs, and is committed to creating pathways that will help them overcome these barriers.
The bank said its support for YEIDEP aligns with its longstanding commitment to empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which it described as key drivers of economic growth and job creation in Nigeria.
Interested students and youths have been encouraged to open Fidelity Bank accounts and register for the programme through the bank’s dedicated online portal.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NPA Launches Multi-Agency Taskforce To Combat Apapa Traffic Gridlock

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3 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has launched a multi-agency task force to combat the resurgence of traffic gridlock choking the Lagos Port access roads, in a fresh push to restore seamless cargo evacuation and sustain recent gains in Port efficiency.
The intervention followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Managing Director of  NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, on June 23rd, 2026, where security agencies, freight forwarders, truck operators and representatives of the Lagos State Government agreed on coordinated measures to eliminate the bottlenecks disrupting cargo movement.
At the meeting, stakeholders identified illegal extortion points, overlapping responsibilities among security agencies and other operational distortions as major factors responsible for the renewed congestion along the port corridor.
Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemakara, said the Authority’s overriding priority is to guarantee the unhindered movement of cargo to and from the nation’s seaports.
According to him, the task force comprises the NPA, the Police, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).
“The responsibility of the task force is to monitor truck movement on the Port access roads on a regular basis, identify any disruption capable of causing gridlock and immediately resolve such challenges,” Onyemakara said.
He stressed that members of the task force would not establish checkpoints along the corridor but would maintain strategic presence at designated locations to ensure compliance without obstructing traffic.
To enhance rapid response, Onyemakara disclosed that the task force has created a dedicated WhatsApp platform through which members can instantly report infractions or emerging traffic issues for immediate intervention.
On the long-delayed renewal of the Electronic Truck Call-Up (ETO) system contract, the NPA spokesman said the Authority is reviewing the terms to ensure a more robust contractual framework before awarding a fresh agreement.
He explained that although the previous contract had expired, the ETO platform remains operational under the management of the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) pending completion of the procurement process.
He expressed confidence that the renewal would be concluded soon.
Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to maintaining free-flowing Port access roads, Onyemakara said efficient logistics remain central to the NPA’s drive to improve Nigeria’s Port competitiveness and preserve its growing international reputation.
“We are more interested in the free flow of logistics into our ports than anyone else because it is in our own interest,” he said
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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