Nigerian Newspapers on Wednesday, July 19, have focused on details of second tranche of the Paris Club refunds released to all states and the FCT; Lagos state cancellation of this year’s summer lessons amongst other top stories.
Thisday reported that Of the N243.8 billion released on Monday by the federal government to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the second tranche of Paris Club refunds, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Kano and Rivers got N10 billion each, making the five states the highest recipients of the refunds for over-deductions on Paris and London Club Loans and multilateral debts between 1995 and 2002.
A statement Tuesday by the Director (Information) in the Ministry of Finance, Salisu Na’Inna Dambatta, who confirmed that the second tranche of the Paris Club refunds had been released to all states and the FCT, added that the funds were released on the premise that a minimum of 75 per cent of the funds would be applied to the payment of workers’ salaries and pensions by states that owe salaries and pension.
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The statement said Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Kano and Rivers States got N10 billion each, and were closely followed by Lagos and Katsina which got N8,371,938,133.11 and N8,202,130,909.85.
Also, while Oyo got N7,901,609,864.25, Borno was paid N7,340,934,865.32, Imo – N7,000,805,182.97, Jigawa – N7,107,666,706.76, Kaduna – N7,721,729,227.55, Niger -N7,210,793,154.95, Ondo – N7,003,648,314.28, Benue -N6,854,671,749.25, and Cross River – N6,075,343,946.93.
Abia was paid N5,715,765,871.48, Adamawa – N6,114,300,352.68, Anambra – N6,121,656,702.34, Bauchi – N6,877,776,561.25, Ebonyi -N4,508,083,379.98, Edo – N6,091,126,592.49, Ekiti – N4,772,836,647.08, Enugu – N5,361,789,409.66, Gombe – N4,472,877,698.19, and Kebbi – N5,977,499,491.45.
Kogi was refunded N6,027,727,595.80, Kwara – N5,120,644,326.57, Nasarawa – N4,551,049,171.12, Ogun – N5,739,374,694.46, Osun – N6,314,106,340.62, Plateau – N5,644,079,055.41, Sokoto – N6,441,128,546.76, Taraba – N5,612,014,491.52, Yobe – N5,413,103,116.59, Zamfara – N5,442,385,594.49, and the FCT – N684,867,500.04.
ThisDay newspaper for Wednesday, July 19, photo credit: snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
The Nation on its part reported that a governor has forfeited to the Federal Government the N500 million he allegedly laundered in a mortgage bank.
A Federal High Court in Abuja approved an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the forfeiture of the cash, which is believed to have been diverted from the London-Paris Club refund.
Also, the court has seized $500,000 of the $3million diverted by another governor from the refund for the building of a 100-room hotel in Lagos.
But the court has given a 14-day deadline to anyone or group who has interest in the funds to show cause why the cash should not be forfeited to the government.
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The federal government yesterday released a state-by-state breakdown of another tranche of Paris Club refund of over-deductions on Paris Club/London Club loans and multilateral debts on the accounts of states and local governments from 1995-2002.
A statement from the Ministry of Finance said these payments — N243, 795,465,195.20 —”were made to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory upon the approval of the President on May 4, 2017”.
Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Kano and Rivers states received the largest disbursements of N10 billion each.
According to the enrolment order, which was obtained last night by our correspondent, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba granted EFCC’s prayer for an interim forfeiture of the cash traced to both First Generation Mortgage Bank Limited and Gosh Projects Limited.
Nation newspaper for Wednesday, July 19, photo credit: snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
Meanwhile, Vanguard reported that worried by rising kidnap cases across the state, Lagos State Government has introduced measures during this vacation to forestall any possible ugly situation that may arise in public schools.
The government attributed the measure to ‘’present security situation and threats by kidnappers” in the state. A source at the state Ministry of Education, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the directive, yesterday.
The source said: “The state government took the measure in order to find holistic solution to the recent cases of kidnapping and in public schools.
“To this end, government representatives will be meeting with stakeholders during the vacation period to deliberate and find a lasting solution to the ugly trend, especially with those schools in the riverine areas, once and for all.”
Vanguard newspaper for Wednesday, July 19, photo credit: snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
The Guardian on the other hand reported that at least 37 people are feared killed and many others seriously injured in fresh crisis that broke out in Kajuru Local Government Area in Southern Kaduna.
The latest trouble was said to have started since Sunday when some Fulani youths allegedly went to a village at Ugwan Uka to avenge the killing of their kinsman. Kajuru Local Government is about 50 kilometres from the state capital, Kaduna.
The fresh killings show that the efforts by the government at the state and federal levels to check violence have not been effective.
The umbrella body of Fulani, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria on Saturday alleged that four of its members were killed by youths from the troubled Southern Kaduna.
The group had alleged that youths from Kadara and Gwari communities in Kajuru were responsible for the killings.
The National Secretary of the association, Ibrahim Abdullahi, while addressing a press conference in Kaduna claimed that the incident occurred when some kidnappers raided the communities and took away the villagers.
But yesterday, one of the Kadara youths, who craved anonymity, claimed that the Fulani man that was killed was a known bandit who had been harassing the people of the area and was killed by a mob while he was trying to escape.
He said the matter was explained to the head of the Fulani community in the area who, he claimed, knew the deceased Fulani man to be a bandit, but their youths insisted on attacking to avenge the man’s death.
According to the Kadara youth, “the Chief of Kajuru even called them and spoke with them but we were surprised that in the early hours of Sunday morning, they came and carried out the attack.”
The Guardian newspaper for Wednesday, July 19, photo credit: snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
While Punch reported that the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja, on Tuesday, agreed to set up a Standing Disciplinary Committee for its erring members.
The need to set up the committee was said to be the outcome of what a source described as “fierce arguments” by members of NEC following the 14-month crisis in the party, which ended recently with the judgment of the Supreme Court.
Before the NEC meeting was held, members of the party’s Expanded National Caucus, National Caucus and the Board of Trustees had met.
Our correspondent gathered that decisions reached at these three meetings were brought to the NEC and debated by members before conclusions were reached.
Apart from the disciplinary committee, the NEC also agreed to set up a Standing Reconciliation Committee.
Spokesperson for the party, Dayo Adeyeye, said these were part of the decisions taken at the 74th NEC meeting, which was held at the party’s national secretariat.
It was gathered that majority members of the NEC voted for the establishment of the two committees, especially disciplinary committee.
The members, according to some members of NEC, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, insisted that the former National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, and his followers be sanctioned for the roles they allegedly played in the 14-month crisis that rocked the party.
The PUNCH had reported on Tuesday that the national leadership of the party was under pressure to sanction Sheriff and his group.
Apart from Sheriff, those likely to be drawn before the proposed committee, include a former National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo; the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, and the acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bernard Mikko.
The Punch newspaper for Wednesday, July 19, photo credit: snapshot from ZENITHBLOG.com
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