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CSOs Want Budget Portal Periodical Review

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A coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Edo State on Friday, tasked the Consultative Forum on Transparency Initiative of National Budget Portal on periodic review of its portal if finally created to enable citizens know how the nation’s budget is spent.

They gave the task at a one day stakeholders interactive session with the Consultative Forum on Transparency Initiative of National Budget Portal held with the Civil Society Organizations in Benin City.

The event was themed: ‘Coordination and Implementation of Open Budget and Fiscal Transparency Commitment: Citizens Engagement Forum in Budget Implementation.’

The interactive session was aimed at giving citizens of the state the opportunity to make their own contributions as regards to what they should expect in the proposed portal.

READ ALSO: Whistleblowing: Make Public What Recovered Looted Funds Are Used For, CSOs Tell FG

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Speaking at the interactive session, Comrade Itietie Omojevwe of the Edo Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO), said with the constant review of their portal, it will enable citizens of the state to know and monitor progress of an awarded project, how much was budgeted, released to contractors, who bided for the contract and to what extent has the contract being executed.

He said the consequences of not reviewing the portal are grievous because citizens cannot monitor progress and thereby erroneously accusing a contractor of abandoning his job whereas the said contractor has long completed his job.

Itietie said with constant update of the portal, it would save citizens those shortfalls.

The Interim Chairman of EDOCSO, Bishop Osadolor Ochei, said the importance of creating a portal by the government cannot be overemphasized because it serves as a warehouse of information and that the citizens of the state can easily log into it and source for what ever information they seek about the government.

He said with the Freedom of Information bill that has since been signed into law, had availed citizens the right to ask questions and source for what ever government information they want.

While commending the organizers for the initiative, he said learning is a continuous thing just as he urged the civil rights groups in the state to key into the project with the view of being able to hold their government accountable and ask questions about how their yearly budget is being spent by the government they voted into power.

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Earlier, the coordinator, Consultative Forum on Transparency Initiative of National Budget Portal, Mr. Bassey Emmanuel, said the portal is going to be a website where citizens can have easy assess to all government’s budgets and allocations

He also said the portal is not in existence yet, but it is still in the offing adding that, ARZIKI BRAND NIG.LTD, a consortium of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning is the one driving the process on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning.

READ ALSO: Commuters Stranded As 15 Edo Communities, CSOs, Barricade Benin-Lagos Road Over Herdsmen Attacks

Bassey said the consultative forum is to harness expected features and expectations for the proposed National Budget Portal (NBP).

He added that the interactive session has become so imperative as it will give the citizens and the right groups the opportunity to state what they would want to see in the portal as regards the monitoring and implementation of the nation’s yearly budget.

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JUST IN: Military Yields To Pressure, Frees Abducted Lagos Editor

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Military authorities, on Thursday, yielded to pressure and released the Editor of FirstNews, Segun Olatunji, who was abducted from his home in Lagos State on Friday, March 15, 2024.

The PUNCH can confirm that he was released to some media stakeholders, including Yomi Odunuga of The Nation newspaper and Iyobosa Uwugiaren of Thisday Newspaper in Abuja on Thursday after sustained pressure from the media.

They were asked to guarantee that they would make Olatunji available if needed again.

READ ALSO: Alleged Defamation: Foremost Edo-based Human Rights Activist Granted Bail

The International Press Institute, the Nigeria Guild of Editors, and Olatunji’s employers had in separate statements, faulted his incarceration, asking authorities to either release the editor or charge him to court.

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Recall that Olatunji, a former Kaduna State correspondent of The PUNCH, was abducted by men in military uniform from his home in the Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos State.

The IPI, on Wednesday, said it traced Olatunji to the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency.

The DIA is an agency under the command of Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, who reports to the Chief of Defence Staff.

The PUNCH learnt that media stakeholders will address journalists by 11am in Abuja on the development.

 

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Easter: FG Declares Friday, Monday Public Holidays

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The Federal Government has declared Friday, 29th March and Monday, 1st April 2024 as public holidays to mark the 2024 Good Friday and Easter Monday respectively.

Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government urged Christians and all Nigerians in general to emulate the sacrifice and love displayed by Jesus Christ in dying for the redemption of man.

In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Aishetu Gogo Ndayako said the Minister noted that Easter, beyond religious significance, promotes values of love, forgiveness and compassion which are essential for social cohesion and harmony.

READ ALSO: NAF Destroys Several Illegal Refining Sites, Berges In Rivers

“He calls on Christians to imbibe these virtues as they are capable of impacting positively on the socio-economic development in Nigeria by fostering unity, reducing conflicts and encouraging cooperation among Nigerians.

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“He further urged Nigerians to show acts of charity and generosity to help alleviate the material conditions of the less privileged amongst them.

“This, he said, is in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.”

While wishing Christians at home and abroad a happy and blissful Easter celebration, the Minister also called on Nigerians to join hands with President Tinubu led Administration in its determination to bring sustainable development and usher in prosperity to all”, the statement added.

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PHOTOS: Tinubu, Governors Pay Last Respects At burial Of 17 Slain Soldiers

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The remains of 17 military personnel, comprising four officers, 13 soldiers, slain by some irate youths in Okuama community in Delta State during a peace mission on March 14, have arrived at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja, for burial.

The bodies, which arrived at about 2:30 p.m., were conveyed by the FCT Ambulance Emergency Services and other vehicles.

In attendance are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.

The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau; and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, are also present.

READ ALSO: Labour Party Reserves 2027 Presidential Ticket For Peter Obi

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Governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), and Abba Yusuf (Kano) also attended the ceremony.

President Bola Tinubu joined the solemn assembly at exactly 04:10p.m.

Family members and relatives of the deceased personnel, as well as those of other military officers, are also on ground to honour the fallen heroes.

Meanwhile, at the time of this report, the burial ceremony for the 17 military personnel was already underway.

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