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Obaseki Signs N321.4bn 2023 Appropriation Bill Into Law

Published

3 years ago

December 20, 2022

Editor

The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday, signed the state’s 2023 Appropriation Bill pegged at N321.3bn into law after the bill was passed by the Edo State House of Assembly.

Signing the bill at the Government House, Benin City, Governor Obaseki said most of the projects in the budget would be funded from Internally Generated Revenue.

He said, “The budget for 2023 is a watershed budget because as we reviewed the year 2022, we found out that we broke every record in the year 2022.

“In terms of budget performance, we hit more than 90 per cent, which is considered excellent. This means that we got more than 90 per cent of our estimated revenue of N220bn in the finance budget for 2022.

“We also insisted and emphasized a lot more on capital expenditure than recurrent. Unfortunately, we had a very long rainy season but as you can see now, contractors are on site and work is going on on a lot of roads across the 3 senatorial districts of the state and some of these works will spill over into the New Year.

“More of the resources we have earned has gone into serving the people of Edo State to build infrastructure, whether road or electricity, among others, that the people need so that their businesses can thrive. We have also not neglected investments in education, skills development, job creation and health.

These items cut up the bulk of what we earned and spent in the year 2022.”

Obaseki continued: “Clearly, we now see that we can achieve what we are estimating for the year 2023, provided that the citizens of the state cooperate with us.

“Bulk of these projects will be funded by internally generated revenue and because of the improvement in the economic environment, businesses are thriving, particularly in the areas of construction and real estate services. We expect that those businesses that are doing well will pay the taxes due to them. The government is doing its best to boost the economic environment so we expect that citizens must also contribute by paying their tax revenues.

“We are going to be emphasizing revenue collection in 2023 for those who are making money. We know them and have their data. We believe we will earn all that we have estimated. We are not relying solely on oil receipts from the federal government but on ourselves and our citizens. We want to assure you that every Kobo of tax revenue spent will be on capital development.”

The governor further commended the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun and other members of the Assembly for the speedy consideration of the budget.

Earlier, while presenting the bill to the governor, Onobun said the Assembly slightly reviewed the estimates upwards from the initial N320bn to ensure equitable distribution of projects across Edo’s three senatorial districts.

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South African Court Finds Radical Politician Malema Guilty On Gun Charges

Published

14 hours ago

October 1, 2025

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A South African court on Wednesday found firebrand opposition leader Julius Malema guilty of violating gun laws for firing an assault rifle at a 2018 rally.

Malema, leader of the radical anti-capitalist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, is known for fiery speeches and courting political tensions both at home and abroad.

The 44-year-old and his former bodyguard were charged with firing the gun in the air during the EFF’s fifth birthday celebration in Eastern Cape province.

The court found him guilty of unlawful possession, reckless endangerment, among other charges, the National Prosecuting Authority said.

Malema could face up to 15 years in prison. The case will be heard on January 23 next year for pre-sentencing.

Malema, who was present in court for the verdict, said he will appeal the decision.

Speaking to supporters outside, he struck a defiant tone: “As a revolutionary, going to prison or death is a badge of honour. We cannot be scared of prison or dying for the revolution.”

In August, Malema was found guilty of hate speech for telling his supporters at a 2022 rally that they should “never be scared to kill.”

He has long been criticised by South Africa’s white minority for his radical rhetoric and his singing of the anti-apartheid song “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer”, which some say incites anti-white violence.

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Church Scaffold Collapse Kills 36

Published

16 hours ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

Makeshift scaffolding set up at a church in Ethiopia collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 36 people and injuring more than 200, state media said.

The incident occurred at around 7:45 am in the town of Arerti, roughly 70 kilometres (40 miles) east of the capital Addis Ababa, when a group was visiting for an annual Virgin Mary festival.

District police chief Ahmed Gebeyehu told state media Fana: “The number of dead has reached 36 and could increase more”, adding “more than 200 people have suffered injuries” and were receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Some people remained under the rubble, local official Atnafu Abate told the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), without giving further details about those trapped or possible rescue efforts.

He said some of the more seriously hurt were taken to hospitals in the capital.

Images shared on the EBC’s official Facebook page showed a mess of collapsed wooden poles, with crowds gathering amid the dense debris.

Other pictures appeared to show the outside of the church where scaffolding had been precariously constructed.

A government statement shared by EBC expressed condolences and added that “safety must be given priority”.

Health and safety regulations are virtually non-existent in Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, and construction accidents are common.

The sprawling country is a mosaic of 80 ethnic groups and has one of the world’s oldest Christian communities.

Its predecessor, the Axumite Empire, declared Christianity the state religion in the fourth century.

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Rescuers Pull Survivor From Indonesia School Collapse As Parents Await

Published

16 hours ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

Rescuers pulled a survivor from the ruins of a collapsed school in Indonesia on Wednesday, as desperate parents demanded that searchers speed up efforts to find dozens more still believed trapped in the rubble.

Part of the multi-storey school on the island of Java gave way suddenly on Monday, as students gathered for afternoon prayers.

On Wednesday, rescuers said they had retrieved a survivor and a fourth body from the ruined building, but gave no details on either.

Based on school records, “91 people are suspected to be buried,” National Disaster and Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said in a statement late Tuesday.

Tearful parents milled near the ruins throughout Wednesday, awaiting news of their children.

“We believe our children might still be alive because they were crying for help,” said father Abdul Hanan, whose 14-year-old son is missing. “The rescue operation must be accelerated.”

“We are racing against time now,” the 45-year-old added, bursting into tears.

Nearby, Dewi Sulistiana was awaiting news of her 14-year-old son, with whom she was last in touch on Sunday. The boarding school limits student access to cellphones.

She rushed to the scene from Surabaya, several dozen kilometres (miles) away, after hearing about the collapse.

“I have been here for days. I cried thinking about my son,” she told AFP. “Why is it taking so long to find him? Why is the search so slow? I haven’t had any updates, so I just wait.”

The rescue operation is complex, said Mohammad Syafii, head of the National Search and Rescue Agency.

“If vibration happens in one spot, it could affect other places. So now, to reach the spot where the victims are, we have to dig an underground tunnel,” he told reporters.

Digging itself poses challenges, including possible landslides. And any tunnel will only provide an access route around 60 centimetres (about 23 inches) wide because of the structure’s concrete columns.

Technology, including thermal-sensing drones, is being used to locate survivors and the deceased as the 72-hour “golden period” for best survival chances nears its end.

AFP saw rescuers in orange uniforms appearing to snake cameras under the rubble to hunt for traces of survivors.

So far, signs of life have been detected in seven areas, said Emi Freezer, of the National Search and Rescue Agency.

Water and food were being sent in, but access was through a single point, he said. “The main structure has totally collapsed.”

Complicating the operation, an earthquake struck offshore overnight, briefly halting the search.

Around the ruins, local charitable organisations have set up posts offering families food and drink.

The school collapse was so violent it sent tremors across the neighbourhood, said local resident Ani.

“I felt a vibration, and then I heard a noise. I immediately ran to save myself. I didn’t realise at first it was a building collapse,” the grocery stall owner told AFP.

“Many people then also ran to save themselves,” she added.

Investigations into the cause of the collapse were ongoing, but initial signs point to structural issues and construction that did not meet building standards, experts said.

The building collapsed after its foundation pillars failed to support the weight of new construction on the fourth floor of the school, said the national disaster management agency spokesman.

Lax construction standards have raised widespread concerns about building safety in Indonesia, where it is common to leave structures — particularly houses — partially completed, allowing owners to add extra floors later when their budgets permit.s

Earlier this month, at least three people were killed and dozens were injured when a building hosting a prayer recital collapsed in West Java province.

AFP