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Saraki saves Buhari’s proposal from Senate rejection

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The Medium Term and Expenditure Framework (2017-2019) proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari narrowly beat rejection, after Senate President Bukola Saraki persuaded his colleagues to pass the document for committee review, following an extensive debate on Wednesday.

There was stiff bi-partisan opposition to the MTEF and the Fiscal Sustainability Paper, FSP, as most of the Senators from both the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party expressed preference for rejection of the fiscal proposal.

They said the proposals were unrealistic. Adeola Solomon (APC-Lagos) said Mr. Buhari’s economic team was in disarray, thereby joining others to ask that the documents be returned to the Executive.

But Mr. Saraki, rounding off the debate which saw the Senate vote to extend its sitting beyond 2 p.m., said the documents only contained assumptions and the Senate had a responsibility to “turn them around” through its committees.“We won’t take documents from the executive and send it back that way.“Committees should take the comments of everybody and use it to decide,” said Mr. Saraki, softening ground for the vote that was to follow.

The Senate eventually referred the MTEF/FSP to the committees on finance and appropriations, the stiff opposition to the proposals nonetheless.

From a negative growth rate for three quarters consecutively this year, the government targets an increased 3.02 GDP growth rate in 2017.“I don’t know how this will happen; it can’t work because nothing is happening,” Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) commented.Mr. Solomon fired negative remarks, stating, “This document we have before us is no document. We should return it to them”

“The Economic Team of the President is in disarray. I say this without being sentimental; I say as a true Nigerian,” added Mr. Solomon, close ally of former Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu, believed to be eyeing governorship seat of his Ogun home state cone 2019.Samuel Anyanwu (PDP) expressed satisfaction that both PDP and APC Senators agreed the proposals were unrealistic; so, the documents should be returned.

Abiodun Olujimi, Mohammed Hassan, Foster Ogola and John Enoh – all PDP Senators – also wanted the proposals rejected.APC’s Dino Melaye dismissed the documents as “not factual”.However, Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, supported the transmission of the documents to committees for consideration.Ahmed Lawan, Gbenga Ashafa, Bukar Ibrahim and Jibrin Barau of APC also asked the Senate to refer the documents to relevant committees.But before the report of the joint finance and appropriations committees on the documents, the Senate will debate performance of the current 2016 budget, Mr. Saraki said.

Meanwhile, the report of the Danjuma Goje-led appropriations committee on Mr. Buhari’s request for virement of N180 billion from the Special Intervention Funds to critical infrastructural projects was laid before the Senate today.

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Abuja American school has refunded $760k of Yahaya Bello’s children fees, says EFCC

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the American International School Abuja (AISA) has refunded the fees paid for the children of Yahaya Bello, immediate-past governor of Kogi state.

Bello allegedly paid $760,910 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi state government.

The children are in grade levels 2 to 8 at the school.

“The money has been paid into public account,” Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, told TheCable on Saturday morning.

The anti-graft agency had asked the school to refund the money.

In response to a letter addressed to the Lagos zonal commander of the EFCC, the school said $845,852 was paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date”.

AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910, because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family,” the school said in the letter.

“Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 (Eight Hundred and Forty Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Two US Dollars and eighty four cents) in tuition and other fees has been deposited into our Bank account.

“We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84. (Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ten US Dollars and Eighty Four cents).

“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”

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‘Mischievous narrative’ — Yahaya Bello’s media office reacts to ‘American school refunding $760k’ claim

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The media office of Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi state, has described claims that the American International School Abuja (AISA) intends to refund $760,000 of school fees paid in advance as a “mischievous narrative”.

On April 26, documents in which AISA asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of Bello, made the rounds online.

In a letter addressed to the Lagos zonal commander of the EFCC, the school said the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date”.

AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910, because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

On April 23, Ola Olukoyede, the EFCC chair, had said Bello paid $720,000 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi state government.

However, in a statement signed by Ohiare Michael, the ex-governor’s media office said “Yahaya Bello’s children have attended the American International School, Abuja, since before he became Governor, and he has paid their fees as due without fail”.

The statement added that Bello did not use Kogi state funds to pay the fees.

“He did not pay USD720,000 or USD840,000 as alleged. The payment commenced in 2021, not when he was leaving office,” the statement reads.

“He did not use Kogi State Government funds to pay the fees.

“The EFCC’s attempt to recover funds from the school was unsuccessful, and the court mandated the school to continue providing services.

“The documents published online are public documents filed in court and show that Yahaya Bello has nothing to hide.

“The payment is the subject of an ongoing court case, and we await the EFCC’s proof in court.”

Michael added that Bello will not be intimidated by blackmail.

“We will not engage in prejudicial statements while the matter is sub judice,” the statement reads.

“We thank Nigerians who recognize the EFCC’s desperation as personal vendetta.

“We implore others not to be misled by mischievous narratives but to follow the case until justice is served.

“Yahaya Bello will not be intimidated by blackmail and will continue to follow due process.”

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Sanwo-Olu didn’t announce N70k minimum wage increase, says commissioner

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The Lagos government says Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state, has not announced a new minimum wage for civil servants in the nation’s commercial capital.

On Thursday, some social media reports claimed that Sanwo-Olu has increased the minimum wage in Lagos to N70,000.

The reports said the Lagos governor made the announcement while unveiling social intervention programmes.

Clarifying the report, Gbenga Omotoso, commissioner for information in Lagos, said Sanwo-Olu did not announce a new minimum wage.

Omotoso explained that Sanwo-Olu, at the unveiling of ‘Eko Cares’ in Ikeja on Wednesday, said since January, the state has been paying N35,000 wage award to workers.

The Lagos governor said workers who are earning N35,000 are now getting the sum of N70,000 monthly due to the additional wage award.

“I know that by the grace of God, very soon, we’ll see a new minimum wage that will be approved for the federal government and for the state government,” the Lagos governor was quoted as saying in a statement.

“The civil servants and all public officers, they know that since January we have continued to pay the wage allowance of minimum of N35,000 over and above what they were earning before.

“People that were earning a minimum of N35,000 to N40,000 before, they are now earning over N70,000. So, it’s important for people to know and for us to lay this thing very clearly.

“This government has doubled up and has not left its citizens on their own.”

The current national minimum wage is N30,000 and discussions on a new minimum wage are ongoing.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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