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NDDC Budget: Senate Says Interim Management Is Illegal, Those Screened, Confirmed Can Defend Budget
Published
6 years agoon
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..Wants Buhari to immediately Swear-in Odubu, Okumagba, other confirmed NDDC board members
The Senate had said that those it screened and subsequently confirmed as chairman and board members of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are the only rightful people that will come and defend the budget of the Commission before its Committee on Niger Delta Affairs.
The Senate has however urged President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency, swear in the Dr. Pius Odubu led NDDC Board.
Recall that the Senate in the first week of this confirmed President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominees for the board of NDDC.
The former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, was confirmed by the Senate as Chairman of the NDDC Board, just as a nominee from Delta State, Chief Bernard Okumagba, was also confirmed as the NDDC Managing Director
The confirmation followed the presentation and consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs by its Chairman, Peter Nwaoboshi, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta North
Also confirmed were Otobong Ndem who is now the Executive Director, Projects and Maxwell Oko as Executive Director, Finance and Administration.
The Senate had also confirmed Prophet Jones Erue (Delta), Chief Victor Ekhator (Edo), Nwogu Nwogu (Abia), Theodore Allison (Bayelsa), Victor Antai (Akwa Ibom), Maurice Effiwatt (Cross River), Olugbenga Elema (Ondo), Hon. Uchegbu Chidiebere Kyrian (Imo), Aisha Murtala Muhammed (Kano), Ardo Zubairu (Adamawa) and Amb. Abdullahi Bage (Nasarawa).
Only a nominee from Rivers State, Dr. Joy Yimebe Nunieh was not confirmed by the Senate as she did not appear for screening.
Speaking shortly after reading the letter of President Muhammadu Buhari on the 2019 and 2020 budget estimates of NDDC, President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan said that the onus was now on the President to do the needful by inaugurating the Dr. Pius Odubu led NDDC following the confirmation by the Upper Chamber in consonnance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The President of the Senate said, ” I believe that the executive arm of government will attend to that quickly so that we have the right people to come and defend the Appropriation request of Mr. President.”
Lawan had read the President’s request at plenary which is contained in a letter dated November 21, 2019 and addressed to him on the approval of the budget proposals for the NDDC.
The letter reads : “Pursuant to Section 18(1) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) (Establishment) Act, I forward herewith, the 2019 and 2020 Budget Estimates of the Niger Delta Development Commission, for the kind consideration and passage by the Senate.
“While I trust that the Senate will consider this request in the usual expeditious manner, Please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration”.
After reading the letter, Senate Minority leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abia South raised a point of Order 43 of the Senate Standing Orders as Amended who reminded the Senate that members of the board of the NDDC were confirmed and yet to resume, warning that the Commission may run into a problem of delayed budget again against the backdrop that nobody will come to defend the budget.
Abaribe who drew the attention of his colleagues to the fact that members of the NDDC board duly confirmed by the Senate were yet to resume official duty, said that the failure of the executive to swear-in members of the board duly confirmed by the Senate sequel to a request from President Buhari, may threaten early consideration and quick passage of the 2019/2020 budget of the NDDC.
According to him, the Interim Committee of the NDDC, led by Joy Nunieh, is an “illegal contraption” that lacks the backing of law to defend the commission’s budget.
Abaribe said: “We just heard from you (Senate President) the communication from Mr President which relates to the presentation of the NDDC’s Budget for approval.
“Of course, what it will mean is that the budget will go to the relevant committee of Appropriation and the NDDC Committee and some persons will come to defend the budget.
“Having regard to the fact that this Senate has confirmed members of the board of the NDDC and they are yet to resume office, Mr. President I fear that we may run into a problem of delayed budget again since nobody will come to defend this budget.
“Because this August body having confirmed the board of NDDC, will not countenance any illegal contraption coming in front of us to say they are representing the NDDC.
“I know that this may be preemptive, but my people say that if we act quick we will prevent disaster from coming.
“So, to prevent a delayed budget for the NDDC, that is helping the region for development, it would be better for us to prevent this issue from coming and let the needful be done.”
Responding, President of the Senate, Lawan who sustained Abaribe’s point of Order, said, “Thank you Minority Leader but because you have come under order 43, this motion is not subject to debate but let me sustain your point of order.
“As far as we are concerned this Senate knows that we have confirmed the request of Mr. President for the board membership of the NDDC and we have communicated that and the next logical thing to do by law is for the appointments of the members of the board to take immediate effect.
“I believe that the executive arm of government will attend to that quickly so that we have the right people to come and defend the Appropriation request of Mr. President.”
Recall that the expired NDDC 2018 budget of N346. 5 billion, N2.883bn was earmarked for capital expenditure, while N311.371bn was approved for development projects just as N19.521bn was for personnel cost and N12. 737bn was approved for overhead expenditure.
Similarly, in 2017, the NDDC got a total of N364 billion as its annual budget out of which the sum of N329.850 billion was approved for capital projects.
It was gathered last week that intrigues and game play within and outside the Niger Delta region as regards the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC contributed strongly to the delay in the presentation of the agency’s 2019 Budget Proposal to the National Assembly.
According to a source, the delay in the presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari may not be unconnected with the power play between forces behind the current Interim Management Committee of the NDDC and those supporting the inauguration of persons already appointed and confirmed as substantive members of the Commission.
The development however reared its head, a month to the end of the year.
Also recall that the National Assembly had with the expiration of the life span of the 2018 budget of the commission in July, raised several queries about the resort to extra budgetary expenditure by the NDDC management and board instead of making genuine efforts towards submitting the 2019 budget proposal for the commission.
It would be recalled that last week Tuesday, the House of Representatives invited the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC for explanation on the non-availability of the Commission’s 2019 budget.
It would be recalled that In spite of the order by the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan some weeks ago that the interim committee should immediately give way to those appointed and confirmed as members of the NDDC management and board.
Also recall that even with the tall order from the Senate that after the screening and subsequent confirmation of the Nominees, the Interim board dies immediately, President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to act on the confirmation.
Lawan had said after the confirmation of Dr. Pius Odubu as Chairman of NDDC board and his team that “with the completion of this process now (confirmation), I am sure that any other structure that exists now (in NDDC) is vitiated.
”I don’t think we have anything to worry about because this is one thing that is clearly established by law.”
The quagmire has however continue to generate serious concerns among stakeholders in the Oil Producing region.
Recall that the interim Committee was set up by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and he currently manages the commission.
Also recall that Akpabio had said that the three-man committee will oversee the management of the commission to create an “enabling environment” for the audit.
He said Buhari approved the appointment of Dr Gbene Joi Nunieh as the Acting Managing Director; Cairo Ojougboh, as acting executive director, projects; and Ibanga Bassey, as acting executive director, finance and administration.
Akpabio had asked the interim committee to discharge their duties ”without fear or favour”.
He said the outcome of the committee’s work will go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the people of the Niger Delta region.
According to the Minister, the Committee will run the NDDC for six months and oversee the forensic audit of the agency.
Following the expiration of the life span of the 2018 budget of the commission last July, the National Assembly had raised several queries about the resort to extra budgetary expenditure by the NDDC management and board instead of making genuine efforts towards submitting the 2019 budget proposal for the commission.
The Committees of the two chambers in charge of the NDDC had in a letter in August drawn the attention of the NDDC management to the provisions of section 80(4) of the Constitution which stipulated that “No money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund except in a manner prescribed by the National Assembly.”
Also recall that both committees had in the letter threatened that the National Assembly would not hesitate to invoke its full legislative powers to deal with any infraction of the Constitutional provisions.
The letter with reference number NASS/SEN/HR/2019/VOL.1/003 dated August 5, 2019 and titled ‘Extra Budgetary Expenditure’ was jointly signed by the Chairman of the Senate committee on NDDC, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and Chairman, House Committee on NDDC, Hon. Olubunmi Ojo.
It read, “The committees on Niger Delta and NDDC of the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, wish to call your attention to the expiration of the 2018 NDDC budget which specifically elapsed on 31st July, 2019.
“Accordingly, you are directed to stop forthwith any spending except for personal Costs and Overhead.
“You may note the provision of section 80(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, (as amended) which states that : ‘money shall be withdrawn from the consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund except in a manner prescribed by the National Assembly.”
“Therefore, any expenditure in contravention of this express provision will amount to an illegality and the National Assembly will not hesitate to invoke its full legislative powers to deal with such infraction of the law.
“In furtherance of the above, you are requested to furnish the committee with the following documents :Summary and comprehensive details of 2018 budget performance showing project description, Allocation, Release, Utilization, Oustanding Balance and other useful information; Statement of all Commission’s accounts (local and domiciary) from January 2018 till date; Information on the procurement processes for all Recurrent Expenditure made by the Commission From January 2018 till date.”
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Govt Urged To Enforce Anti-ozone Layer Laws, Embrace Clean Energy Technology
Published
2 hours agoon
September 17, 2025By
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The Nigerian government has been called upon to enforce existing anti-ozone layer depletion laws and support the use of clean energy technologies.
Stakeholders, who made the call in Benin City on Tuesday at the commemoration of the 2025 International Ozone Day celebration with the theme: ‘From Science to Global Action,’ lamented that Borno, Rivers, Abuja and Lagos are the worst hit states by radiation from the Ozone layer.
The 2025 International Ozone Day celebration was organised by Save The Ozone Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal and State Ministries of Environment and the National Centre for Energy and Environment (NCEE) situated at the University of Benin City.
In his opening address, the chairman of the event, Professor Anthony Ogbeibu, said Nigeria must sustain its policies on the ozone layer because “recent scientific research shows that Ozone depletion and exposure to erythemal UV radiation (EUVR), affect Nigeria more than many places. So we are not isolated from this global threat.”
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He added: “It is documented that in Borno, Rivers, Abuja and Lagos, UV radiation often reaches very high extreme levels in the midday, especially in the dry and early rainy seasons. Even a short exposure with no protection can have harmful effects.”
Ogbeibu, who advocated for enlightenment on UV risks and protective behaviours, added: “We must support clean technologies by enforcing existing laws more strictly and ensuring that ozone-depleting substances are not imported or used illegally.”
In his keynote address, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, who was represented by Osagie Edomwandagbon said the Nigerian government has been carrying out a lot of sensitization on the protection of the ozone layer through various policy formulations and implementations.
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On his part, the Acting Director of the NCEE, Dr. Emmanuel Ogbomida said the Energy Commission of Nigeria and its specialised research centres have been supporting the global mission to protect the ozone layer.
“Then the Ozone hole is shrinking and experts project that the ozone layer will return to pre-1980slevel between 2060 and 2070. However, this could only be achieved by not allowing complacency in the efforts at protecting the ozone layer.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Director and Founder of Save The Ozone, Nigeria, Ozaveshe Balogun commended participants, saying the annual event was as a result of the Montreal Protocol that gave a clear global definition to the protection of the environment.
News
Plant Trees Alongside With School Construction, Bauchi SUBEB Tells Contractors
Published
2 hours agoon
September 17, 2025By
Editor
The Bauchi state Universal Basic Education (BASUBEB) has called on all contractors that would be handling the construction of school projects in the state to also plant trees while making the foundations.
Mr Rabiu Usman, Director, School Services, BASUBEB made the call on the sideline of the 2024 UBEC/SUBEB intervention contract bid opening ceremony on Wednesday in Bauchi.
“A School needs to be a conducive environment for learning and one of the things that make a school to be a conducive environment is tree planting.
“It controls a lot of things and in fact in schools now, we are even trying to have a club that we call climate change club which involves planting trees.
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“I asked all the contractors to at least see it as very important and to plant trees immediately they start the foundation so that as they are building, the trees will be growing.
“Before the end of the project, we would have achieved what we wanted to achieve,” he said.
Also speaking during the ceremony, Alh. Adamu Muhammad, the Executive Chairman, BASUBEB said that the aim of the ceremony was to improve the overall process of project execution, create awareness, ensure transparency and due diligence in the year’s projects.
Represented by Abdulhamid Jibrin, the Permanent Secretary, BASUBEB, the Chairman lauded Gov. Bala Mohammed and the Executive Secretary of UBEC for providing the counterpart funds as at when due for project execution in the state.
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“I believe that today’s occasion aims at observing due process in the project execution and to educate stakeholders on its significance that will cut across all the nooks and crannies of the state in line with the governor’s policy to provide a befitting teaching and learning environment in the state.
“To our bidders, I trust you know very well that some among you will be successful while others may not, I therefore, call on all and sundry to exhibit a sense of maturity and exercise patience as we are committed to ensuring fairness and justice to all.
“For those who will win the contract, you are strongly advised to comply with the contract specifications in the discharge of your work.
“We are not going to compromise standards in any way, you are therefore advised to avoid violating the contract agreement throughout the period of the work,” he said.
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According to him, the education sector was receiving the desirable attention, as the present administration was determined to ensure that schools have a new look with skillful and well-groomed teachers concurrently.
Mr Adamu Abdullahi, Director, Physical Planning, BASUBEB, lauded the turn out of bidders, adding that it showed their zeal and commitment in providing timely and quality work that could stand the test of time.
This, he said, would move the Basic Education sub-sector to greater and more enviable heights in the state.
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Air Peace Announces Recruitment For 1,000 Fresh Graduates [SEE How To APPLY]
Published
3 hours agoon
September 17, 2025By
Editor
Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, has announced the creation of 1,000 new jobs for fresh graduates through its 2025/2026 Graduate Trainee Programme.
According to the airline, this development comes as a direct response to the Federal Government’s recent suspension of the 4 per cent Free on Board levy on imported goods.
The FOB levy caused outcry among manufacturers, importers, and customs agents over claims that the new levy would worsen inflation in the country.
The Minister of Finance and Cordinating Minister for Economy, Wale Edun, agreed that the levy, introduced by Customs, posed risks to trade facilitation, economic stability, and Nigeria’s business climate.
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Edun explained that the suspension followed widespread concerns raised by manufacturers, importers, and clearing agents, who argued that the levy would worsen inflation, erode trade competitiveness, and dampen the investment climate.
Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, who announced the initiative through a statement on Wednesday, commended President Bola Tinubu and Edun for their responsive leadership in addressing the concerns of stakeholders across critical sectors in the country.
The airline’s boss said, “This suspension is a lifeline for the aviation industry. It removes a heavy burden that could have crippled airlines and triggered massive job losses. In turn, Air Peace is reciprocating this kind gesture by creating 1,000 fresh graduate jobs for young Nigerians.”
Onyema further highlighted that the move exemplifies how government-private sector synergy can drive meaningful economic impact.
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“If further supportive measures like this come from the Federal Government, I can assure you that thousands more jobs will be created in the aviation sector. This is how partnerships can transform a nation.” He added.
Explaining the employment opportunity, Onyema said the Graduate Trainee Programme is aimed at equipping young Nigerian graduates with essential skills, mentorship, and practical exposure to thrive in aviation and related industries.
He stated, “It serves as a strategic pipeline for building a competent, future-ready workforce to support the continued growth of the sector.”
To be qualified for the programme, Air Peace said applicants must be “30 years old or younger at the time of application with a minimum of Second Class Lower (2:2) in any discipline from a recognised university.
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Air Peace said, “The candidate must also be in possession of a NYSC discharge certificate, exclusion, or exemption letter and must demonstrate passion, adaptability, and a strong desire to learn.
“Interested applicants can apply through https://flyairpeace.com/graduate-trainee-program/. Alternatively, candidates may scan the QR code on the official programme flier.
“The application closes September 30, 2025.”
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