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The House of Representatives has passed the sum of N10.81 trillion Appropriation bill for the 2020 fiscal year.

This was sequel to the presentation of a report on the budget by the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Rep. Muktar Betara, at the Committee of Supply on Wednesday.

The house included the sum of N4 billion for Resident Doctors, as part of efforts to ensure industrial harmony in the sector.

The approved budget was increased by N296 billion higher than the initial sum of N10.51 trillion proposed by Federal Government.

Betara said the increase in the revised budget was for interventions to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country.

The budget breakdown showed that N422.78 billion (against the initial proposed N399 billion) is for Statutory Transfers and N2.95 trillion is for Debt Servicing.

N4.94 trillion (against the initial proposed N4.93 trillion) is for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure while the sum of N2.49 trillion (against the initial proposed N2.23 trillion) is for contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure with the year ending on Dec. 31, 2020.

Under the Statutory Transfer, the House also increased the National Assembly allocation from the proposed N115.2 billion to N128 billion.

It also increased the National Judicial Council (NJC) allocation, from the proposed sum of N99.2 billion to N110 billion and increased proposed N4.23 billion to N4.7billion for Public Complaints Commission.

The House, however, retained the proposed sum of N44.20 billion for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); N51.12 billion for Universal Basic Education (UBE); and N36 billion for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It also retained N2.25 billion for National Human Rights Commission, N20.95 billion for North East Development Commission and N25.56 billion for Basic Health Care Fund.

Of the N2.95 trillion approved for debt servicing, the sum of N1.87 trillion is for Domestic Debts while N805.47 billion, is for foreign debts while the sum of N272.9 billion was also approved for Sinking Fund to Retire Maturing Loans.

Under the recurrent expenditure, Ministry of Defence got the highest allocation of N784.04 billion, then the Ministry of Education with N479.58 billion and Ministry of Police Affairs with N393.83 billion.

The Ministry of Health with N336.6 billion, Ministry of Interior was earmarked N212.95 billion and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development with N162.21 billion while the Office of the National Security Adviser with N115.57 billion.

The sum of N2.3 billion was approved as entitlements of former presidents/Heads of States and Vice Presidents/Chief of General Staff.

N1 billion was earmarked for severance benefits to retired Heads of Government Agencies and parastatals while N4.50 billion as benefits of retired Heads of Service, Permanent Secretaries and Professors.

N100 billion was set aside for Constituency Projects; N20 billion additional support for Universities; N213.98 billion for COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund.

The revised budget was passed after the clause by clause consideration of the report of the Committee on Appropriation by the Committee of Supply, chaired by the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila.

The House also approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s  request to borrow $5.51 billion to finance the deficit in the 2020 budget. (NAN)

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has directed civil servants on Salary Grade Levels 01-10 to return to work on June 15.

The directive was contained in a statement issued in Lokoja on Wednesday by the state Head of Service, Mrs Deborah Ogunmola.

With this directive, the workers will be joining their counterparts on Grade Levels 12-16 who had resumed duties since May.

All the workers were asked to stay off work at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in March.

According to the statement, all ministries, departments and agencies are to provide facilities for washing of hands or sanitisers at the entrances of their offices.

It also directed all officers to adhere to the guidelines of the National Centre for Disease Control to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 to the state. (NAN)
KKA/SOA

Mr Olakunle Oluomo, Speaker , Ogun House of Assembly said, on Wednesday, that the legislature passed 20 bills and 15 resolutions during the first legislative year.

Oluomo stated this while speaking at a special plenary session to commemorate the end of one legislative year.

He said that shortly after inauguration, the house swung into action with determination to provide the needed legal frameworks for the state government to perform creditably.

“As an assembly, we have performed our legislative duties with dedication during the period under review.

“The entire essence is to provide the executive arm with the needed legal backing to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people,’’ he said.

According to him, the house has remained united and committed to its primary duty of law-making, irrespective of its multi-party make-up.

Some lawmakers who spoke during the session commended Ogun people for their support during the period.

They promised to work harder during the second legislative year in the interest of good governance and the overall development of the state. (NAN)

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola says the Federal Fire Service responded to 2,615 fire calls, saved 724 lives and assets worth N1.629 trillion between June and October 2019.

The minister made the disclosure while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the fourth virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday.

He stated that his ministry presented to the Council its score card in the last one year.

Aregbesola explained that the N1.629 billion figure worth of assets saved was arrived at after professional evaluations of the fire incidents responded to by the fire service across the country.

“The Federal Fire Service responded to 2,615 fire calls, saved 724 lives and assets worth N1.629 trillion between June and October 2019.

“We evaluated this within the operational competence of the fire service to evaluate worth of property so as to put clear information and message of their activities and what they have done.

“In their intervention therefore what this means is that they have prevented destruction of assets worth N1.629 trillion between June and October 2019, while saving 724 lives and responded to 2,215 fire calls.’’

The minister disclosed that in the quest to boost personnel morale and ensure higher productivity, the ministry promoted 18,000 paramilitary personnel, describing it as the highest number by any administration.

“The Board of the Agencies has recruited a significant number of officers and men for the Services.’’

On the activities of the nation’s Correctional Service, the minister said 3,000 high capacity Custodial Centres had been constructed in three geo-political zones in the country.

According to him, the Service has embarked on extensive renovation and rehabilitation of cells, barracks and other structures across the country, while 32 Satellite Custodial Centres previously shut down due to insurgency have been re-opened and rehabilitated.

He said 14 new Satellite Custodial Centres and barracks had also been constructed.

“We reactivated Custodial Farm Centres for large scale agricultural production in piggery, fishing, cattle rearing and poultry in different parts of the country.

“About 25 new tractors and two combined harvesters with the accompanying implements have been procured and distributed to Custodial Farm Centres to enhance productivity.

“Three Custodial Farm Centres have been selected for large scale farming based on comparative advantage. They are Kujama Farm in Kaduna State for maize; Lakushi Farm in Plateau State for rice and Ozalla Farm in Edo State for palm oil,’’ Aregbesola said.

He also revealed that the ministry procured ambulances for Custodial Hospitals and renovated hospitals and clinics in various Custodial Centres across the country.

On the implementation of the Border Management Strategy (BMS), the minister said the ministry has completed the installation of MIDAS at all international airports in Nigeria.

“The construction of a world class technology building to manage all Nigeria Immigration Service ICT enhanced systems in Nigeria is nearing completion, while 14 well-equipped Forward Operation Bases (FOB) have been deployed at some entry points of the country.’’

Besides, he revealed that his ministry had created a robust social media presence to serve the citizens of Nigeria and provide improved customer experience on all its services.

These social media platforms, according to him, are: an interactive website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp.

In his contribution, the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, said he presented the score card of his ministry to the Council at the meeting. (NAN)

Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has approved the appointment of Mr Muhammed Ubandoma-Aliyu as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

This is contained in a statement signed by Yakubu Lamai, Director-General, Strategic Communication and Press Affairs to the governor and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Lafia.

According to the statement, the appointment of Ubandoma-Aliyu takes effect immediately.

The statement added that the new SSG, before this appointment, was a principal partner at M.U Aliyu Chambers Lafia.

He is also a former Chairman of Lafia Local Government Area (LGA), from 1999 to 2002.

Recall that the former SSG, Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed-Tijani, was sacked by the governor. (NAN)

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has said that he has no bitterness against Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State over the relocation of the Mobile Police Squadron 72, from Oyo town to Ago-Are in Oke-Ogun area of the state.

Oba Adeyemi stated this when he received Makinde who paid him courtesy visit in his palace on Wednesday in Oyo town.

He said that the location of the Mobile Command would not create disaffection between him and the governor.

The first class traditional ruler said that he welcomed the location of the Mobile base in Ago-Are, stressing that he will have written protest letter or visited the governor if he had any grouse against him over the squadron base location.

The Alaafin said that Oyo town had security challenges particularly hoodlums who were terrorising the town and urged the governor to help address it.

Oba Adeyemi assured the governor of his full support in all the administration’s programmes and policies that would be beneficial to the masses.

Earlier, Makinde explained that his visit to Oyo town was for the inauguration of a rehabilitated primary healthcare centre within the palace premises and the flag off of the Oyo State Youths in Agric business situated in Awe town, in Afijio Local Government Area of the state.

He said that his administration intended to build and upgrade one primary healthcare centre in each of the 352 wards across the state before the end of his tenure in 2023.

On the controversy surrounding the location of the Mobile Police squadron 72 at Ago-Are, the governor said there was never a time the squadron was located in Oyo town.

He said the request made to the Inspector General of Police in September 2019, over the establishment of the squadron, was for Oke-Ogun area and not in Oyo town.

In another development, the governor while inaugurating the newly rehabilitated and equipped primary healthcare centre at Aafin Bashorun, said that his administration would focused more on the provision of basic healthcare services in state through functional primary healthcare centres.

Makinde said that the rehabilitation was through the capitation received from Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme, towards giving quality healthcare delivery to the people at the grassroots.

He urged them to always adhere strictly to protocols and rules of COVID-19 in order to stop further spread of the virus.

“Health is one of the cardinal programmes of the present administration, hence the need for much attention to the health sector,” said Makinde. (NAN)