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JUST IN: Tinubu Presents N49.7tn 2025 Restoration Budget

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President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, presented a total budget of N49.7tn to the joint session of the National Assembly.

The budget tagged, “Restoration budget, securing peace and building prosperity.”

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Tinubu noted that the budget seeks to restore macroeconomic growth and build the economy.

He commended the resilience of Nigerians amid growing economic indices.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tinubu Arrives N’Assembly To Present 2025 Budget

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In the year 2024, it was projected at 3.2%, and against predictions of our country, we have made significant progress. Our economic economy grew by 3.46%. The improvement we have witnessed in the year 2024 budget has led all of us into the 2025 budget.”

The president told the joint Assembly of the National Assembly that inflation will decline according to the budget projections.

He also pledged a reduction in Foreign Exchange.

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He said, “The budget projects inflation will decline from the current rate of 34.6% to 15% next year. The exchange rate will improve from approximately N1700 per dollar to N1500 and the base crude oil production assumption of 2.06 barrels per day.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: FEC Approves 2025 Budget Proposal Eith N47.96trn Expenditure Plan

“The projections are based upon the following observations. Reduce the importation of petroleum products alongside increased exports of finish, petroleum products, and bumper harvest, driven by enhanced security, reducing reliance on food imports, and increasing foreign exchange influence through foreign portfolio investments.

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“I have crude oil output an export coupled will substantial reduction and upstream oil and gas production costs.”

Giving the breakdown, Tinubu stated that hat “Defence and Security will gulp, N4.91tn; Housing, N4.06tn; Health, N2.48tn and Education, 3,58tn.”

He assured Nigerians that the time for lamentation is over and the time to act is now.

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Laying the budget, he said, “I hereby lay down the 2025 budget before the National Assembly, titled, ‘Restoration budget, securing peace and building prosperity.”

 

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Ghanaians Protest, Decry ‘State-sponsored’ Harassment In Abuja

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Hundreds of Ghanaian investors and community members on Wednesday besieged the Nigerian High Commission in Abuja, demanding redress over what they described as “systematic harassment, intimidation, and violation of our fundamental rights” by the Nigeria Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“Our businesses are being hounded at every turn,” one of the lead developers of the River Park Estate project in Abuja, Kojo Mensah, said.

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The investors claimed that their fundamental rights were being violated, alleging arbitrary arrests, repeated police invitations, and intimidation by both the police and the EFCC.

We’ve been arrested arbitrarily, summoned without cause, and subjected to endless interrogations, yet the very complaints we cooperated to resolve back in 2012 remain buried in some dusty file,” he said.

READ ALSO: Protest In Osun Over Alleged Amotekun’s Arrest, Detention Of Community Chiefs

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Carrying banners that read, “Hands Off Ghanaian Investors!” and “Tinubu, Mahama: Intervene Now!”, the demonstrators called for the immediate removal of Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, whom they accused of targeted attacks on Ghanaian businesses operating in Nigeria.

We demand that President Bola Tinubu and President John Mahama use every diplomatic channel to stop this injustice,” the investors said.

The protest follows the filing of a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in which Jonah Capital and its co-plaintiffs named IGP Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police, and the EFCC as defendants.

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They are seeking a perpetual injunction restraining both agencies “from any further interference in the River Park Estate matter,” immediate disclosure of the long-delayed Special Investigation Panel report, and the sum of N200m in damages for alleged breaches of their constitutional rights.

READ ALSO: Family, CSO Protest Abduction Of 12-year-old Girl In Rivers

The suit, according to the plaintiffs, is not only to seek redress but also to safeguard the integrity of foreign investments in Nigeria and discourage what they describe as state-sponsored intimidation of legitimate investors.

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In their amended writ, the plaintiffs alleged that although the SIP concluded its probe and reported to the IG, those findings had never been furnished to the investors despite repeated formal requests.

“Instead,” the suit contends, “a senior officer in the IG’s Monitoring Unit has unilaterally reopened the investigation, purportedly to undermine the SIP’s clear exoneration of our companies.”

 

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Pastor Enenche Rejects N30m Donation From Kebbi Governor

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The Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Enenche, has rejected a N30 million donation offered by the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, during a crusade organised by the church in the state.

The gesture occurred at the Kebbi Healing and Deliverance Crusade, where a representative of the governor, Kebbi’s Commissioner for Social Duties, Zayyanu Umar Aliero, announced the cash gift on behalf of the governor.

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Aliero told the gathering that the N30m was approved as a donation to the crusade’s organising committee and was available in cash.

Aliero said, “Our Governor, His Excellency Dr Nasir Idris, a faithful Governor and also a Comrade Governor, who you all know is the only Comrade Governor in this country. He has therefore graciously approved the donation of the sum of 30 million naira to this gathering.

READ ALSO: PICTORIAL: Paul Enenche Leads Prayer, Healing Outreach To Yelwata, Benue

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“That is to the organising committee. His Excellency has approved the donation of a sum of 30 million naira to the organising committee, which you know that whenever His Excellency makes a donation, he doesn’t leave without bringing that donation in cash. So before I leave this stage, I want to present that sum of 30 million naira in cash.”

However, Enenche declined the offer, taking to the stage to urge that the money be redirected to charitable causes.

“If there is anything like orphanage, if there is anything like that, at your discretion, please apply this amount of money to it. No. It will not be received,” the senior pastor said.

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Speaking later, Enenche explained the church’s stance, emphasising that public funds should be used solely for public causes.

READ ALSO: Pastor Enenche Breaks Silence Over False Testimony Saga

We are one of those who believe that government money should be used for government projects and government things should be used for government things; and church money should be used for church things, not mixed together.

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“That is what we did that is what we do. As small as the Glory Dome is right there, government money is not in it. From land to the building to everything,” he said.

He added that the body of Christ should “trust God for supernatural supplies.”

READ ALSO: Nigeria Experiencing Dreadful Days — Pastor Enenche

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He suggested that the donation be handed over to a government-approved religious body instead, such as the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board or the Christian Association of Nigeria.

This is so that we can retain our dignity as a body of Christ; retain our dignity as a church, and say what we need to say when we need to say it. And be able to say what we need to say when we need to say it,” he said.

Aliero, speaking after the rejection, acknowledged Enenche’s position.

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They don’t accept it because whatever he is doing, he is doing it for the sake of God. We really appreciate and we really thank him for what he is doing in our state,” he said.

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Benin Monarch Receives 119 Stolen Artefacts, Says Efforts To Re-loot Thwarted

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Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has received 119 stolen artefacts from the Netherlands, saying plans by some international cartel to re-loot the artefacts were thwarted after he prayed to God and his ancestors.

The monarch spoke in Benin when he received the artifacts from the Federal Government delegation led by Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

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He said: “I thank President Bola Tinubu for supporting and committing to the efforts former President Buhari put in place to ensure the artifacts are not re-looted because there were groups in this country believed to be an international cartel that had all sorts of conspiracy to re-loot our artifacts.

“The return of these objects has reawakened the courage we had in our people. We do not want modern day politics, we do not want partisan politics to diminish the courage of our people.”

READ ALSO: ‘I Was Held By Juju’ – Man Who Stole Artefacts Worth N500m From Esama’s Compound Confesses

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He continued: “The Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments has been doing wonderful work. His predecessor was part of the conspiracy to re-loot our artifacts. We had a running battle in this hall. I addressed my Chiefs in Benin language and I said these artifacts belong to my ancestors and I will not sit on the ancient throne and watch the artifacts re-looted. They rather remain where they are than being re-looted.”

The Oba, while thanking the government of the Netherlands for working with the palace, said: “This is part of the efforts to reawaken the morale and spirit of my people.”

The Benin Monarch further prayed with his official spectre directing the artefacts to return more artefacts.

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Earlier, the NCMM DG, Holloway, said the commission and the Benin Royal Palace were working hard to ensure more artefacts were returned.

READ ALSO: Jubilation As. Oba Of Benin Receives Two Looted Artefacts, US Custodian Apologises

Governor Monday Okpebholo who was represented by the Secretary to State Government, Barr. Musa Ikhilor, said his administration would continue to build necessary infrastructure to preserve the returned artefacts as well as collaborate with the federal government to improve the storage system for the artefacts.

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He said: “They are treasured monuments and treasured sacred objects. You can see the way they came. They are fragile and precious. We will continue to collaborate to see that a sage space is created.

“We are supporting the palace to see that a befitting museum is put in place to display these objects for tourists as a way of boosting the tourism sector.”

On his part, General Director of Wereld Musuem, Marieke Van Bommel, said: “The artefacts were looted and we have a policy in the Netherlands to bring them back.

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“We are bringing back 119 artefacts. We don’t have more. These are the collections in the Netherlands. There are more collections in Europe but that is not up to us. They have been with us for over 100 years.”

 

 

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