NewsReports

A Senate committee, on Thursday, threatened to report some oil and gas companies in the country to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if they are found culpable of misappropriating a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention loan of N135 billion. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas Resources, Agom Jarigbe, issued the threat when the beneficiary companies appeared before the committee …

As the Senate opened debate on the 2024 budget on Thursday, the Majority Leader, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi, said the N9.9 trillion recurrent expenditure of the N27.5 trillion 2024 budget was too high, noting that it was about 43 per cent of the money bill. The Senate began debating the general principles of the budget in Abuja on Thursday. According to …

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Edo State began yesterday on a shaky note. A meeting called by the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party in Benin City, the state capital, was boycotted by those loyal to the National Vice Chairman (Southsouth), Chief Dan Orbih. The Orbih followers – members of the Legacy Coalition in Edo State …

Justice Sherifat Solebo retired on November 25, 2022, after serving as a magistrate and high court judge in the Lagos State judiciary from 1999 to 2022. She speaks to NAOMI CHIMA about her experiences and the need for reforms in the country’s justice system Was becoming a judge your childhood dream? Justice Sherifat Solebo My becoming a judge was not …

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli fighter jets hit targets in the Gaza Strip minutes after a weeklong truce expired on Friday, as the war with Hamas resumed in full force. Black smoke billowed from the besieged territory and Israel dropped leaflets over parts of southern Gaza urging people to leave their homes, suggesting it was preparing to widen its …

Measures will crash shortfall  from 6.11% to 3.88% of GDP Senate, House begin debate on N27.6 trillion estimates Budget brilliant, says Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim A number of measures have been adopted by the Federal Government to reduce the budget deficit by nearly half. This action, which will involve a combination of fiscal, economic and accounting strategies, is expected to lead …

•Issue’ll soon be put to rest —Erelu Dosumu Following the dust raised by the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Oba Ewuare II, over the founders and settlers of Lagos, the Olofin of Isheri and Adimula of Awori Kingdom, Oba Sulaimon Bamgbade, yesterday, insisted that the Awori people were the first settlers in Lagos. But the Erelu Kuti of Lagos, …

•Fiscal document projects N9.92tn recurrent expenditure, N8.7tn capital expenditure •N8.25tn for debt service, N9.18tn deficit  •To finance deficit with N7.83tn new borrowings •Expects N298.49bn from privatisation proceeds, N1.05tn foreign loans •Akpabio hints at plan to merge, unbundle MDAs   •Nigerians expect quick, sustainable solutions to economic hardship, Abass tells president  •PDP: Tinubu’s budget deceitful, strangulating, hopeless • Opposition party says fiscal …

Human capital devt, poverty reduction, infrastructure are priorities Pension, proposed wage raise push up deficit to N9.1tr Defence, human capital development, healthcare and education are priorities in the N27.5 trillion Federal budget estimate for 2024. It was presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to a joint session of the National Assembly yesterday. The President presented his first budget estimate, christened Budget of …

The Senate president, in a welcome address, specifically tasked President Tinubu to take steps to reduce the debt burden. He stated that though the president was not responsible for the debt burden it behooves on him to fix it. Akpabio, who lauded the removal of the fuel subsidy, noted that “we have also taken note that these bold decisions taken …