News

Senate Threatens To Scrap Non-productive MDAs

Published

3 years ago

September 14, 2022

The Nigerian Senate Committee on Finance Wednesday threatened that any agency of government that wouldn’t meet the target of its statutory responsibility will be met with the Stephen Orosonye report.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, stated this during a five-days interactive session on the 2023 – 2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework”, in Abuja.

The “Stephen Orosonye Report ”, DAILY POST recalls, has recommended scrapping of numerous agencies and parastatals of government due to the lack of productivity and duplication of statutory mandates.

At Wednesday’s committee hearing, which made it the second of the five day event, Senator Adeola frowned at the supine attitude of some heads and Chief Executives of government owned agencies who could not appear before his Committee, but sent representatives who are bereft of ideas, saying that the parliament would not tolerate that anymore.

The lawmaker insisted that the upper and lower legislative Chambers would give effect to the ‘Orosonye report’ to scrap agencies that have outgrown their usefulness.

He said: “We are behind the Orosanye Report and will give it effect to scrap some parastatals that are not productive.

“These parastatals will be reduced to departments under their relevant ministries and this will help to cut costs.”

The lawmaker further expressed anger that some heads of government agencies were out to milk the nation dry by enriching themselves, noting that the parliament will stop waste and leakages at all costs.

He noted: “Many agencies of government are enriching individual pockets of Chief executives at all levels and that would be reduced drastically. I believe that will be the way out and we are seriously considering it.

“We make sure that in this year’s budget, we start something like this before the President brings his budget. If it will work, it will be the best for us.

“Many of you should prepare for our strongest recommendations that the agencies should pay all costs of collection. We are doing this to FIRS; we are doing it to Custom and nothing will stop us from doing it to other MDAs, NIMASA, NCC. We thought again to FIRS 4% and they still bring their internal budget to the tune of N265 billion. NCC, despite not giving them cost of collection, their total budget for the financial year is well over N600 billion.

“So, all of these, we have to try as much as possible to lower the temperature. It can no longer be business as usual. We have tried; we have assisted; we have called and appealed; we have done all we could to bring everybody to the table and let them understand the current situation of things in the country.

“But to our greatest surprise, nobody seems or wants to listen and it’s on that note that we as National Assembly are looking in that direction to take drastic action to stem the tide of wastage in the system.

“Also, we inform the government that the issue of granting waivers to the tune of N1.6 billion and we are borrowing the sum of N11 trillion, there’s no way we can cope with that.

“What the waiver mean is that some people will not pay duties or other charges and instead of making provisions for them not to pay the humongously amount of money at the detriment of Nigeria, and most those granted waiver ended up being traders rather than encouraging manufacturing and production and since the objective of granting waiver cannot be achieved, it is only right and proper to cancel anything waivers.

“Again on the pioneer legislation, a company that has been in existence in Nigeria and has enjoyed pioneer status for the past five years, after five years, the company returns to seek a pioneer status for another five years, it can no longer be possible.

“If you cannot meet your target within five years, pack your load and go. Enough of wastage, enough of leakages because we cannot grant pioneer status.

“I know many Chief Executives are too big to appear and they will look at us and say I have N5 billion to control and who is this Senator asking us to appear.

“Some people were in my office appealing that their Chief Executives are not around, that I should tamper justice with mercy and allow them to represent their absentee Chief Executives.

“This is a parliament. This is the highest law making body in the land. Most of these Chief Executives are cleared by us. Why are they now bigger and turned against us?”

The meeting continues on Thursday.

News

Grassroots To Global Podium: Edo Sports Commission Marks Enabulele’s First Year In Office

Published

6 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Editor

The Indoor Sports Hall in Benin City came alive on Wednesday as the Edo State Sports Commission rolled out the drums to celebrate the first anniversary in office of its Executive Chairman, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele. Management, staff, coaches and athletes gathered in an atmosphere charged with pride, reflection and optimism.

The colourful ceremony drew executives and members of various sports associations, officials of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), coaches, athletes and other key stakeholders in Edo sports.

In her welcome address, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. A. P. Amenze, praised Hon. Enabulele for what she described as focused and purposeful leadership. She said the past year had seen renewed confidence, discipline and energy return to the state’s sports ecosystem.

Adding excitement to the event were exhibition bouts and demonstrations by the Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo and Judo associations, staged in honour of the Executive Chairman.

Speaking for SWAN Edo State, Chairman Comrade Kehinde Osagiede commended Hon. Enabulele’s open-door leadership style and consistent support for sports development. He noted that the Commission had effectively driven Governor Monday Okpebholo’s “Catch Them Young” policy through practical grassroots programmes that identify and groom young talents across the state.

In recognition of his contributions to sports development and media relations, Comrade Osagiede conferred the Patronship of SWAN Edo State on Hon. Enabulele and presented him with a special anniversary card.

Goodwill messages followed from Executive Directors of the Commission, including Hon. Frank Ilaboya (Edo North), Coach Baldwin Bazuaye, MON (Edo South), Barr. Anthony Ikuenobe (Edo Central), and Mrs. Sabrina Chikere, Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations. Representatives of coaches, athletes and sports associations also took turns to acknowledge the progress recorded under the current leadership.

In his stewardship address, Hon. Enabulele expressed gratitude to Governor Monday Okpebholo and Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa for the trust placed in him, noting that their backing and shared vision had driven the Commission’s achievements.

He highlighted Team Edo’s third-place finish at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, where the state recorded its best-ever outing with 79 medals—33 gold, 18 silver and 28 bronze—reinforcing Edo’s reputation as a national sports powerhouse.

The Chairman also pointed to the impact of inclusive and grassroots sports programmes, citing Favour Ojeabu, a visually impaired para-cyclist who won three gold medals to emerge Africa’s champion at the African Track Para-Cycling Championship in Egypt.

Other milestones listed included outstanding performances by Edo para powerlifters on the international stage, historic achievements in cricket, weightlifting, cycling, judo and deaf athletics, as well as structural reforms such as the repositioning of Bendel Insurance FC and deeper investment in grassroots sports development.

Cultural performances added colour and tradition to the celebration, as stakeholders closed the event united in their assessment of the past year as a truly transformative period for sports development in Edo State.

News

Otuaro Tasks Media On Objective Reportage

Published

14 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Dr. Dennis Otuaro has charged media practitioners particularly members of the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum to promote ethical journalism through their reportage.

He gave the charge in Warri on Wednesday during the 2nd Annual Ijaw Media Conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF).

Represented by Princewill Binebai, spokesman, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Otuaro while stating that the Niger Delta stories have been told in such a way that is quite different from what is obtainable in the real sense, said this, IPF must do everything possible to correct.

The administrator added: “I am happy that Ijaw journalists have boldly come out together to champion the Ijaw struggle in a very dynamic perspective”.

“The Ijaw story was misrepresented over the years, but IPF’s emergence had corrected this error and the story is gradually changing for better.”

Otuaro, however, challenged Ijaw media practitioners to be objective, truthful, accurate and fearless in their reportage to correct many years anomalies of the Ijaw struggle.

He admonished members of IPF to see themselves as brothers and love one another in the discharge of their activities to achieve a common goal.

News

Police Confirm Edo Tanker Explosion, say No Casualty

Published

15 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has confirmed tanker explosions that rocked Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Police Publice Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the incident via the phone, said the explosion occurred at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

Ikoedem said the incident occurred on Wednesday evening at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

She explained that spilled fuel seeped into underground tunnels, which later ignited and caused three explosions in different parts of the Auchi community.

According to her, officers from the Auchi Divisional Police Headquarters and the Area Command were mobilised to the affected areas and successfully cordoned them off to prevent loss of lives.

She added: “No casualty was recorded. Our men on ground were able to cordoned the affected areas.”

It was gathered that three separate explosions rocked the town simultaneously in different parts, which led to properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

A resident who does not want his name in print said via the telephone that the blasts occurred along Igbei Road, Igbo Shade, and along the Auchi–Okene Road, close to Winners Junction.

The resident, who alleged the explosions appeared to have been coordinated, called for a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent future occurrences.

Calls put across to Mr. Monday Edogiawere, Chairman, Red Cross, Edo State, were not picked.