Senate Passes N17.126 Trillion Budget For 2022

The Nigerian senate on Wednesday passed the 2022 Appropriation Act, raising the budget size to N17.126 trillion from the N16.391 trillion presented by President Muhammadu Buhari. This followed a unanimous adoption of the recommendations of the report of Senate Committee on Appropriation at plenary on Wednesday.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Oct. 8 presented the 2022 budget proposal of N16.391 trillion to the joint session of the National Assembly for approval.The lawmakers also increased the oil benchmark to 62 dollars as against the 52 dollars that was proposed by the executive, while the exchange rate was retained at N410.15

The senate added that the increase in oil price was to reflect the current price of crude oil in the international market.The lawmakers stated that provision was made for more funds to critical sectors for purpose of execution of their core mandate.

They also said that additional increase in expenditure would be allocated to the agencies that came forward with additional financial report which was not provided for in the budget.

Buhari Initiates National Development Plan 2021-2025

President Muhammadu Buhari has initiated Nigeria’s National Development Plan 2021-2025.

The president presented the document to the public on Wednesday at the council chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Shortly before the public presentation of the document, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed revealed that the new document replaces the Economic Recovery and Growth Programme.

She said: “The NDP 2021-2025 is designed as our medium – term Development Plan to succeed the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017-2020) which ended in December 2020. She said the plan would help Nigeria achieve robust development in the Science and Technology Sectors.

Hisbah Interrogates Shatu Garko’s Parent Over Participation In Miss Nigeria Pageant

The Kano State Hisbah Board popularly known as Sharia Police, said it would interrogate the participation of Shatu Garko in the recently-concluded Miss Nigeria beauty pageant. The Sharia Police boss, Sheik Ibn Sina, made this known to BBC News Pidgin.

Garko was crowned the 44th Miss Nigeria after beating 17 other finalists at an event on Friday, December 17, 2022, in Lagos. The 18-year-old Garko become the first hijabi to win the Miss Nigeria pageant since its inception in 1957.

She was also the youngest contestant this year, winning N10m, a one-year residency at a luxury apartment, a brand new car, and brand ambassadorship opportunities..

Speaking on Garko’s participation in the beauty pageant, Ibn Sina described it as “illegal”, adding that her parents will be invited for questioning. We will invite the parents to talk to them about the actions of their daughter and the fact that what she did is illegal in Islam in case they don’t know so that she would not continue in that path and also stop other girls from copying her”, Sheik Ibn Sina, told BBC News Pidgin; adding that, it was forbidden for one to contest in any beauty contest under the Muslim religion.

60 NAF Senior Officers, Others Promoted

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced the promotion of 60 senior officers comprising 29 Air Vice Marshals (AVMs) and 31 Air Commodores (Air Cdres) to the next higher ranks in the force.

The Director of NAF Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that the Air Force Council (AFC) also approved the concessional commission of an Air Warrant Officer (AWO) and 5 Master Warrant Officers (MWO) to the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

According to him, the concessional commission was usually reserved for Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) at the twilight of their career years in reward for hard work and in recognition of meritorious service to the Nation.

He said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, on behalf of officers, airmen, airwomen and civilian staff of the NAF, heartily congratulates the newly promoted senior officers and SNCOs, while urging them to see the elevation as an impetus to re-dedicate themselves towards effective and efficient service delivery especially in today’s era of joint force employment.

FG Kick-Off Free E-Learning Website

The Federal Government on Tuesday started a free e-learning website called “inspire.education.gov.ng” for all levels of education to allow for easy learning access.

Represented by the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said in Abuja that the website would accommodate 2 million Nigerians at a time. Adamu said that the decision was initiated by COVID-19, which disrupted learning for two years.

He said the website is the brainchild of the ministry and has two features: inspire for students and ignite for teachers. He added that the ministry was collaborating with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) to allow only registered teachers to have access to the website.

The minister said that the content on the e-learning platform would cover all levels of education saying that currently, the ministry is focused on primary and secondary education. He added that the current e-learning website being used by polytechnics and universities would not be stopped but rather linked to the new website.

Justiceforsylvester: Alleged Bullies Of Dowen College Student Granted N1m Bail Each

A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ court in Lagos on Tuesday admitted five Dowen College students, charged with the alleged murder of their 12-year-old schoolmate, Sylvester Oromoni, to bail in the sum of N1m each. The police charged the boys, who are minors, with conspiracy and homicide.

The Chief magistrate, Olatunbosun Adeola, after hearing the bail application from the defendants’ counsel, ordered the defendants to produce two sureties each in like sum.

Adeola said one of each of the defendants’ sureties must be their parent and must swear an affidavit of compliance.

She also held that the international passports of all the defendants must be submitted to the court, adding that their residence must be verified by the prosecutor and they must stay within 2km of their residence at all times.

First Lady Aisha Buhari Directs Staff To Go On Indefinite Leave

Nigeria’s first lady, Aisha Buhari, has ordered all members of her staff to proceed on indefinite leave.

This was announced in a terse statement on Tuesday by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Health and Development Partners in the First Lady’s office, Mohammed Kamal. Kamal said the First Lady ordered the staff in her office to proceed on indefinite leave and continue work virtually.

The statement, posted on the verified Instagram handle of the President’s wife, read, “This serves to inform all staff that the office of the First lady will be closed for the upcoming festive period of Christmas and New year.

“To this end, all staff are requested to proceed on leave, until further notice. Please note that official engagements and work can also continue virtually as it was done previously. Her Excellency appreciates and thank all staff for their commitment and hard work and wish all a happy festive period ahead.”

NUC Discovers Illegal Universities In Nigeria

The National Universities Commission has discovered over 60 illegal universities, satellite campuses and study centres in the country.

Executive Secretary of the Commission, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, stated this while speaking at the 11th convocation of Al-Hikmah University held in Ilorin at the weekend. Prof. Rasheed expressed concern that all the illegal institutions, called degree mills, award certificates.

NUC on its website said the degree mills have not been licensed by the Federal Government and have, therefore, been closed down for violating the Education (National Minimum Standards etc.) Act CAP E3 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Rasheed said that the NUC is tackling the situation headlong to discourage the illegality and ensure that reputation of tertiary education in the country is not harmed beyond remedy.

2021 Finance Bill Passed by NAAS

The National Assembly has passed the Finance Bill 2021, transmitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Muhammadu Buhari, had on Tuesday, 7 December 2021 submitted the Bill to the National Assembly for passage.

The Bill proposes changes and updates to some of the provisions of the following pieces of legislation: Capital Gains Tax Act, Companies Income Tax Act, Personal Income Tax Act, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Establishment, etc.) Act, Value Added Tax Act, Stamp Duties Act, Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, Insurance Act, Nigerian Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure Act, Finance (Control and Management) Act, and Fiscal Responsibility Act.

The passage of the bill on Tuesday was sequel to the consideration of a report by Senator Olamilekan Adeola (All Progressives Congress, APC, Lagos West) led Senate Joint Committee on Finance; Customs, Excise and Tariff; Trade and Investment.

Buhari Receives Third Dose of Covid-19 Vaccine

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday received a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, at the State House, Abuja.

The Pfizer BioNtech vaccine was administered to the president by Suhayb Rafndadi, his personal physician. The President has also assured Nigerians of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

Buhari had taken the two mandatory AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine jabs on March 6 and May 29, 2021, respectively.

Speaking to reporters after the president took his jab, Faisal Shuaib, executive director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), said the development will demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine to Nigerians.