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“N30bn Missing From NSITF” – Chris Ngige

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The minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, in line with a presidential directive, yesterday inaugurated all the boards of parastatals under the Ministry of Labour except the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) due to the huge fraud discovered in the agency.

The boards inaugurated by the minister include those of the National Productivity Centre (NPC), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), and Michael Imoudu National institute for Labour Studies (MINILS).

LEADERSHIP Weekend recalls that the president had in October 2017 constituted the board of the NSITF with the former president of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, as the chairman.

However, giving reasons why the board was not inaugurated alongside others yesterday, Ngige said he had the consent of the president to stay action on inaugurating the NSITF board the pending the outcome of the administrative enquiry recently set up by the ministry to investigate the mindless looting of the agency.

The minister urged members of the other boards so inaugurated to be accountable in the discharge of their mandates to avoid a repeat of the rot in the NSITF.

Ngige said: “The operations of the various parastatals must strictly conform to financial regulations, especially Section 32 and the provisions of the Procurement Act. The audited accounts of the parastatals must always be prepared and submitted to the relevant authorities as and when due.

“The NSITF, for example, is reeling from massive looting with no audited account for five years. A whooping sum of N5billion was unearthed by an audit panel of enquiry as having been taken out of the NSITF coffers with First Bank in a single day without vouchers.

“Worse still, the organisation maintained no cash book as required by financial regulations. This resulted in massive looting of funds by board members acting in concert with the management staff.

“When we say N5 billion was taken in one day, that’s not the only amount missing. Over N30billion cannot be accounted for and the members of the past board participated actively in the looting.

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2027: Ex-Lawmaker Urges Makinde Not to Contest Against Tinubu

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Jude Idimogu, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State and former lawmaker, has cautioned Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde against considering a presidential run against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, Idimogu, who also serves as the Deputy Leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, described such a move as a futile endeavor that would ultimately waste time and resources.

“The reality is that Governor Seyi Makinde cannot defeat President Bola Tinubu. Tinubu will secure re-election by God’s grace. Nothing will stop his victory,” Idimogu stated.

He further described President Tinubu as a strategic leader and “game changer” whose political prowess remains unmatched in Nigeria.

While acknowledging that Governor Makinde has the constitutional right to seek any elective office, Idimogu expressed doubt that Makinde would heed calls urging him to challenge Tinubu, especially given their cordial relationship.

Addressing the emergence of a potential opposition coalition ahead of 2027, the former lawmaker dismissed its chances of unseating Tinubu, asserting that no alliance could stand in the way of the president’s re-election.

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Tinubu’s Government Inherited almost No Project In South East, but there are many projects in southeast today —David Umahi

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“In the South-East, we inherited almost no project, but today, we have the Owerri to Onitsha road ongoing, the Enugu to Onitsha project is ongoing, and so is the Enugu to Abakaliki road.

“The Second Niger Bridge, serving both Delta and Anambra states, is also progressing steadily.”

Commending the president for prioritising infrastructure as a means to grow the nation’s GDP, Umahi said;

“Mr President, we may have challenges, but I must commend you very highly because you understand that it is the works sector that grows the GDP of a nation, upon which other sectors build. I feel privileged to work under you. You are a great man.”

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Nigerian Army Lacks Equipment to Combat Boko Haram – Governor Zulum

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Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has raised concerns over the Nigerian Army’s insufficient equipment in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents. According to him, the insurgents are now leveraging advanced technology, putting Nigerian soldiers at a disadvantage.

“Recently, I met with the Chief of Army Staff who revealed that the Army needs 32 drones to effectively combat the insurgency,” Zulum said. “Each drone costs about $5.5 million. We must pool resources to acquire them and prioritize national security.”

The governor also stressed the importance of transparent procurement processes. “We need to focus on direct, government-to-government procurement of military equipment, both hardware and software, to ensure value for money,” he said. “Contractors often fail to deliver when funds are handed over to them.”

Zulum called for unity and cooperation between the federal and state governments. “If we are truly committed, this insurgency can be ended in six months. We must not politicize security issues. The Federal Government must listen and act.”

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