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Character, Integrity Crucial To Fight Against Corruption In Public Sector, Says Financial Expert

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Public finance expert and Special Adviser to Enugu State governor on Financial Matters, Prof Paschal Okolie, has called for a reorientation in the character and integrity of public servants and Nigerians with a view to fighting corruption in the nation’s public service.

Prof. Okolie made the call in Akwa, Anambra State capital, at a two-day
Audit Reporting Training workshop for journalists, organised by FrontFoot Media Initiative as part part of Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability Project under the auspices of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the sponsorship of the MacArthur Foundation.

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READ ALSO: FrontFoot Trains Journalists On Accountability, Audit Reporting

According to the financial expert, corruption has remained a bane despite many changes in the law and IT-driven applications for financial management in the country since 2010.

Okolie compared Nigeria to the Great Wall of China that enemies breached because of human failure in character and integrity.

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He also observed that many states were yet to implement policies such as the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and the Open Government Partnership Agenda aimed at promoting accountability in public financial management.

Experts say only 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT signed up for the Open Government Partnership programme.

Okolie stated, “Evidence abounds that unless the issues of character and integrity are addressed, Nigeria will continue to be challenged by corruption
arising from deficient application of the principles and practice of auditing and prudent, transparent and accountable financial management in the
Nigerian public sector”.

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He commended efforts by the federal and state governments to tackle the legal and technical challenges through enforcing financial and operational
autonomy for the office of the Auditor-General through the amendment of the Audit Law establishing the Audit Service Commission that will operate
like the Civil Service Commission and approval of ICT-driven initiatives of
IPSAS, TSA and SFTAS.

He commended efforts by the federal and state governments to tackle the legal and technical challenges through enforcing financial and operational
autonomy for the office of the Auditor-General through the amendment of the Audit Law establishing the Audit Service Commission that will operate
like the Civil Service Commission and approval of ICT-driven initiatives of IPSAS, TSA and SFTAS.

INFO DAILY reports that challenges of public sector financial management in Nigeria include poor institutional governance, manpower development issues, weak oversight, corruption, and character and integrity, according to Okolie.

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READ ALSO: Experts Charge Media Practitioners, Auditors To Promote Accountability

On his part, Sonala Olumhense, who spoke from the USA emphasized on the Imperative of Audit Reporting for Nigerian Journalism.

Also speaking at the workshop were FrontFoot Media Initiative chairman Sully Abu, managing director Emeka Izeze, as well as training coordinator Chido Nwakanma.

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Forty-two journalists participated in the workshop and they resolved to
critically examine state audit reports and tell stories from their contents, as well as report where states contravene the law by not submitting and publishing audit reports.

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1966: For 3 Days Nigeria Had No Head Of State Because… Ekefa Olubadan, Oloye Alabi

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Oloye Lekan Alabi, the Ekefa Olubadan of Ibadanland, has stated that Nigeria had no Head of State for three days after the July 1966 counter-coup led by Murtala Muhammed and his group.

In an interview with Edmund Obilo on Splash FM 105:5 Ibadan, Oyo State, Alabi said Murtala and his fellow coup plotters had planned to break the northern region away from the rest of Nigeria.

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He said they already sent their families back to the North, preparing for secession.

READ ALSO: ‘My Target Is To Become Olubadan,’ Not Lesser Oba – Ladoja

Oloye Alabi added that their plan was to move towards Ibadan and Ilorin, then destroy the bridge linking the North to the South in order to divide the country permanently.

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However, Alabi said that it was the British High Commissioner and the American Ambassador who stepped in and convinced them to remain in Nigeria.

In Alabi’s words: “For three days Nigeria had no Head of State because (Murtala) Mohammad and his gang called it “A raba”.

They said in Hausa it means when you distribute things equally”

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Bill To Establish Federal Oil And Gas Hospital In Delta Scales Second Reading In Senate

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A Bill seeking to establish the Federal Oil and Gas Hospital in Benikrukru, Delta State, has passed second reading in the Senate.

The proposed hospital is aimed at providing comprehensive medical services for workers in the oil and gas industry, as well as for communities affected by oil and gas operations.

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Presiding over the session, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Health for further legislative work. The committee is expected to report back within four weeks.

The bill, titled A Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal Oil and Gas Hospital, Benikrukru, Delta State (SB. 847), was sponsored by Senator Onwakpo Thomas Joel (APC, Delta South). It was first read on June 24, 2025.

READ ALSO:;Senate Approves Establishment Of Bitumen Development Commission

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Leading the debate, Senator Joel explained that the bill aims to provide specialized medical services to oil and gas workers and their host communities, who are frequently exposed to occupational hazards resulting in illnesses and injuries.

The bill seeks to establish a hospital that will ensure access to quality healthcare for workers in the oil and gas sector, as well as residents of communities affected by exploration activities,” he said.

He noted that the hospital would offer emergency care, occupational health services, and treatment for oil and gas-related conditions, helping to reduce downtime and increase productivity in the industry.

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The siting of this hospital is strategic. It will help address long-standing agitations and restiveness in the Niger Delta by offering tangible health benefits to affected communities,” Joel added.

READ ALSO: Senate committee threatens arrest warrant for NNPCL GCEO

He highlighted that Delta South Senatorial District has the highest offshore crude oil production in Delta State and ranks second nationally. The proposed location for the hospital lies at the heart of offshore oil exploration, serving communities and companies such as Chevron, Shell, ExxonMobil, Total, and Nigerian Agip Oil Company.

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Senator Joel also emphasized that the hospital’s funding structure has been designed to avoid additional financial burden on the federal treasury.

The hospital will be funded by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), which derives revenue from 1% of every contract awarded within the oil and gas sector,” he explained.

Since the NCDMB is not directly funded by the federal government, the hospital’s funding will come from this independent revenue source.”

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The bill’s passage is seen as a significant step toward improving healthcare access in oil-producing communities and addressing environmental and occupational health concerns in the Niger Delta.

 

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FG Launches Passport Front Office For Senior Public Officials

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The Federal Government on Tuesday in Abuja launched a new passport front office specifically for senior public officials

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said that the office has a specialised facility designated to facilitate a timely and seamless passport process.

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He stated that the facility was established in response to the persistent challenges faced by senior government officials in accessing passports.

Before now, many top-level public servants had to abandon their official duties and endure long queues at standard passport offices.

READ ALSO:5 Most Expensive Passports In the World

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“It will became clear that for us to serve the nation more effectively, we must also serve those tasked with its leadership more efficiently,” he said.

He further said that the initiative was part of a broader reform effort championed by the ministry.

When we came in, it was shocking that the Ministry of Interior and the Nigerian Immigration Service had no dedicated passport facility for public officials.

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“Today marks a turning point as we begin to bridge that gap and set a new course for service delivery in our nation,” he added.

READ ALSO: US Halts Passport Applications With ‘X’ Gender Marker

Tunji-Ojo also commended the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) for its professionalism and implementation expertise.

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“This facility sets a new benchmark for excellence and will significantly improve access, reduce waiting time and thereby elevate the overall passport service delivery standard,” the minister stated.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration was attended by the Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Joseph Utsev, heads of all Services under the ministry alongside stakeholders.

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