Connect with us

News

Experts Charge Media Practitioners, Auditors To Promote Accountability

Published

on

By Joseph Kanjo, Benin

Experts from the finance sector and media have urged journalists to prioritise audit reporting in order to promote accountability in Nigeria.

They added that Auditors-General in the 36 states and the media are critical to ensuring the accountability of public officers in the control and management of public funds.

Advertisement

They further advised both journalists and state auditors-general to follow
the dictates of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to do proper audit reporting.

These were the positions taken by resource persons at the maiden edition of Audit Report workshop held in Benin City between October 5th and 6th 2022.

Info Daily reports that Audit Reporting Training-X-raying State Government Audit Reports is a flagship capacity development programme of FrontFoot Media Initiative under the auspices of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and sponsored by MacArthur Foundation.

In his opening remarks, Sully Abu, a veteran journalist, former Managing Director of New Age newspapers and The African Guardian, charged journalists to be courageous, ethical, and conscientious in unfolding the contents of audit reports.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: NASS Complex Rehabilitation To Gulp N30.2 Billion – Minister

According to him, until media practitioners rise to the responsibility of holding public office holders accountable, they will continue to handle Nigeria’s common wealth with impunity.

On his part, Emeka Izeze, also a veteran journalist and former Managing Director of Guardian Newspapers Limited, showed the
participants various pathways to generating needed information and urged creativity in reportage of subjects such as the audit reports of states.

In his presentation, Sonala Olumhense, a renowned columnist of and former Editor of ThisWeek declared that auditors-general should play a crucial role in promoting accountability as the Nigerian constitution empowers them.

Advertisement

The Auditor-General of a State is appointed by the Governor on the
recommendation of the State Civil Service Commission and confirmed bythe House of Assembly. The Auditor-General is not accountable to the governor or supervised by the governor or any other authority.”

Citing six pillars of the legal and professional authority of auditors-general, Olumhense added, “The Auditor-General has the authority to undertake periodic checks of all government statutory corporations, commissions, authorities, agencies, including all persons and bodies established by any law of the House of Assembly of that State.”

One of the resource persons, Chief Chukwuemeka Anika, Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, urged auditors to stay ethical in their audit engagements and to sign only audits that align with their professional, ethical, and moral standards.

Another resource person, Mr Godswell Omenogo, a chartered accountant and auditor, while noting the campaigns against corruption, affirmed, “These
clamours can only be effective if all relevant stakeholders adhere strictly to processes and procedures as enshrined in our laws and related gazettes.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: FrontFoot Trains Journalists On Accountability, Audit Reporting

Relevant questions need to be asked, adequate information need to be provided, all relevant functionaries need to objectively carry out their respective functions.” He added.

Advertisement

News

2023: Why INEC Servers Failed To Work – Peter Obi

Published

on

By

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has explained why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, servers failed to work during the 2023 presidential election.

He said the ‘establishment of criminality’ made the INEC servers not work during the last last general elections.

Obi stated this, while addressing the issues of the 2023 elections, including the IREV servers, in Canada during the weekend.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Underbridge Tenants: Lagos Govt Uncovers Identity Of Ring Leader

The Labour Party flagbearer in 2023 said people must intensify engagement with all the stakeholders to make the system work.

The former Anambra State governor explained that Amazon testified there were no glitches recorded globally on the day of the presidential election.

He said: “Where did we go wrong in the last election? We didn’t go wrong anywhere. We did the right things.

Advertisement

“But as I can always tell people: when you bring a change, you fight all those who live off the old order. They don’t go away; they gang up. And don’t think it’s a straight race to remove an establishment.

READ ALSO: PDP Crisis: Why Party Members Are Resigning – Sule Lamido

“It’s a long-distance journey anywhere in the world. Go and check anywhere, whether you are looking at what happened in India, with Mandela in South Africa, or America. No change has happened overnight, it takes time.

“I urge all of you, if you really want change, we have just begun. We just have to continue from where we are.

Advertisement

“Yes, there might be one or two things we will correct, those things we will correct. I assure you we are correcting them without naming them.It’s not going to be easy.”

Continue Reading

News

INC Vows To Internationalise Ijaw Struggle

Published

on

By

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) says time has come to internationalise the “Ijaw struggle” beyond rhetoric.

Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, INC, said this in a communique of the 2024 edition of the Ijaw National Day celebration held in Bayelsa.

Okaba said that the vexatious factors that provoked grievances between the late Maj. Adaka Boro and the federal government in the improper management of the oil political economy of Nigeria, have remained unmitigated.

Advertisement

He noted that the situation had worsened with its attendant impunity.

READ ALSO: Ijaw Not Biafra, Count Us Out Of Your Planned Attack Military, INC Warns IPOB

According to him, the Ijaw environment continues to bear the brunt of petroleum resources exploitation-related pollution without concomitant remediation or reparations of the heavily despoiled ecosystem.

Instead, Ijaw communities still face the adverse effects of uncontrollable spills, perennial flooding, ocean encroachment and so on,” he said.

Advertisement

The INC president noted that at different forums, it had been made clear that the Ijaw agenda of self-determination was premised on resource and environmental justice.

“What all Ijaw people seek is for a fair, just and justifiable reward for our resources and sacrifices.

“The Ijaw Congress has articulated a set of prescient conditions for its continuous commitment to the Nigerian project and these include restoration of true federalism (fiscal federalism).

READ ALSO: Ijaw Group Tackles OPC, CSO Over Call For Review Of Tompolo’s Surveillance Contract

Advertisement

“Devolution of power and repel of all obnoxious and discriminatory environmental and resource related laws (Land Use, PIA), as well as restoration of Ijaw Territory as non-balkanised, administrative and politically generated unit(s).

“This is for the reassurance and promotion of Ijaw developmental pursuits by creating at least two additional states, more local government areas and wards for the Ijaws.

“Remediation of our massively polluted and endangered environment and the enforcement of adherence to international environmental best practices by IOC’s operating in Ijaw territories,” he said.

Okaba also demanded for the relocation of the administrative headquarters of all oil companies and their subsidiaries to their operational bases in Ijaw territory and Niger Delta.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Ijaw Demand Environmental Clean-up Before IOCs Exit Niger Delta

He further called for proper funding and management of the Interventionist Agencies such as the Presidential Amnesty Programme and Niger Delta Development Commission.

We call for the promotion of modular refineries owned by our people.

“We also want a balance in appointment at the federal levels (the civil service, military and oil companies) as well as equitable distribution of critical infrastructure, to reflect the true principles of federal character.”

Advertisement

He said it was against this backdrop that the theme of the 2024 Ijaw National Day “Re-Invigorating Our Resolve to take the Ijaw struggle for Self-determination beyond Rhetoric” was derived.

Continue Reading

News

Drake Gives Condition To Quit Music As Feud With Kendrick Lamar Thickens

Published

on

By

US rapper Drake has vowed to quit his music career if allegations regarding a secret daughter are substantiated.

The controversy started when rival artiste Kendrick Lamar, in his diss track ‘Meet The Grahams,’ levied accusations suggesting Drake’s involvement with an 11-year-old secret daughter.

Lamar branded the Canadian rapper a “deadbeat” for purportedly neglecting his paternal responsibilities

Advertisement

Renowned American media personality Akademiks, however, disclosed rapper’s response to the allegations during a recent broadcast.

According to Akademiks, Drake denied the claims, going as far as promising to leave the music industry and work for Akademiks if any evidence of the alleged secret daughter emerged.

During his Saturday night show, Akademiks shared the rapper’s direct message, stating, “Drake hit [texted] me, he said, ‘Ak, if you or anybody can prove that I have an 11-year-old daughter, I’ll quit rapping and come work for you.’”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version