FG set to release second tranche of N2.1 trillion capital expenditure for 2017 budget

FG set to release second tranche of N2.1 trillion capital expenditure for 2017 budget – Newspaper review

The headlines of mainstream Nigerian newspapers for Tuesday, October 3, 2017, are focused on some prominent Nigerians warning against the deployment of hate speeches in the ongoing debate on restructuring among other stories.

The Punch reports that the National Judicial Council has constituted separate panels to investigate various allegations of misconduct against 15 judges, including two Chief Judges.

The NJC’s Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, did not give the identities of the affected judges.

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But it stated that the NJC received a letter from the Zamfara Sate Government approving the Council’s recommendation for the compulsory removal of Justice Musa Anka of the Zamfara State High Court.

Oye stated that the NJC took the decisions at its 83rd meeting held last week after considering the reports of the two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees on 46 petitions written against judicial officers in the federal and state judiciaries.

The Punch newspaper

Vanguard reports that the presidency has once again made it clear that it would not consider the 2014 Confab report, despite calls from some quarters that the recommendations be considered and implemented.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, ruled out implementation of the report, Sunday night, when he appeared on Channels Television’s programme on Nigeria’s 57th Independence anniversary celebrations.

Asked why the Federal Government would not consider the report, Mr Shehu said: “It was not an inclusive conference. You very well recall that the leaders of our own party – whether ACN and all of that and the governors were missing from that conference.

‘’To make matters worse, the confab was heavily criticised but the Goodluck Jonathan administration went on with it. This (the confab) was lopsided in terms of representation, ethnically, religiously, regionally; and they were insensitive to all of these things and then they want to force it down the throats of everyone. That is why it’s a problem.”

Vanguard newspaper

The Nation reports that Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide Dr. David Oyedepo yesterday said Nigeria will not break up in spite of its present challenges.

He spoke in a satellite telecast of the church’s prayer session monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos.

The cleric led the church in a 30-minute breakfast prayer for the country.

Bishop Oyedepo said it was made known to him through divine revelation in 1979 while praying for the well-being of the country that Nigeria would never disintegrate.

“The good news is that Nigeria will rise again to glory,” he assured.

Bishop Oyedepo led members in prayer for peace and prosperity of the country.

The Nation newspaper

The Guardian reports that some prominent Nigerians yesterday cautioned against the deployment of hate speeches and violent communication in the ongoing debate on restructuring.

At a forum organised by the Covenant Christian Centre in Lagos yesterday, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Fr. Matthew Hassan Kukah; Minister of Trade Industry and Investment, Dr. Okey Enelamah; political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi and the Chairman, Editorial Board of ThisDay Newspapers, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, warned that military or violent reactions in repelling agitations would not promote the unity and development of the country.

Other speakers at the event were the Vice Chancellor, Igbinedion University, Prof. Osaghae Eghosa; business analyst, Roman Oseghale; former member of the Nigerian Green Eagles, Mr. Segun Odegbami; and the convener of the platform, Pastor Poju Oyemade.

Kukah, in his presentation titled “The Weakness of Power” warned that the country is at the tipping point where anything could go wrong .

“Nobody knows what will trigger what, as it is in the country today. It is therefore necessary for everybody, both the agitators and the reactionary, to exercise caution,” he warned.

The Guardian newspaper

ThisDay reports that barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Ministry of Finance will soon release the second tranche of the N2.1 trillion capital expenditure for the 2017 budget.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who made the disclosure at the State House in response to enquiries by THISDAY on the implementation of the budget, said the first release of N336 billion from the capital budget was made in August shortly after the government announced its preparedness to release N350 billion.

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Eventually, the government released N336 billion, leaving a balance of N14 billion which the minister said was currently being processed for eventual release.

According to her, the Ministry of Finance was last Tuesday compelled to announce the release of the N336 billion, following a report that the ministry had kept mum on the release of N350 billion shortly after the budget was signed by the then acting President Yemi Osinbajo on June 6, this year.

Adeosun, who had been summoned by the Senate last week to appear before it along with the Minister of Budget and National Planning over the perceived poor implementation of the 2017 budget, however, denied any inherent problem in the implementation of the budget.