NEWS
Defend 2024 Budgets Or Lose 2025 Allocations – N’Assembly Warns Agencies
The National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Agricultural Production and Services has warned that it will deny budgetary allocations for 2025 to agencies under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security whose heads fail to account for their 2024 budget performance and projections for the coming year.
The committee issued the warning during a budget defence session on Thursday in Abuja.
The panel insisted that only chief accounting officers of the agencies would be allowed to present and defend their budgets, expressing dissatisfaction with the absence of several agency heads despite a presidential directive mandating their presence.
READ MORE: JUST IN: Tinubu Congratulates Nigerians On Biden’s PECASE
DG Absence Sparks Backlash
The committee was particularly critical of the absence of Dr. Vincent Isegbe, Director General of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, who was scheduled to brief lawmakers on his agency’s 2024 performance and 2025 projections.
Senator Saliu Mustapha, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production and Services, criticized the DG’s decision to send a representative, stating:
“We are not going to attend to you. When the President came to present this budget, he made it clear that all heads of agencies must come to defend their estimates and should therefore call off any plan to travel… Why is it now that your principal chose to travel? Tell him that we are available tomorrow.”
He directed the DG to appear in person by Monday, January 20, warning that the committee would not tolerate further delays.
The committee highlighted alarming projections by the World Food Programme that 33.1 million Nigerians could face acute hunger in 2025, emphasizing the critical need to address food security. Senator Mustapha underscored the importance of increased budgetary provisions to combat challenges in the agricultural sector:
“The projection by the World Food Programme that about 33.1 million Nigerians will face food insecurity in 2025 is an indication that food crisis is what we cannot allow to happen and we collectively need to avert.”
Kaoje, the House of Representatives counterpart to Mustapha, reiterated the President’s commitment to tackling food security, referencing the 2024 declaration of a state of emergency on the issue.
He assured the committee’s support in addressing agricultural challenges.
“We will put our heads together with the appropriation committee to make sure that the renewed hope agenda of the President is achieved in the area of food security.”
The committee also heard complaints from agency heads about insufficient funding and operational difficulties:
National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC): DG Ishiak Khalid revealed that only 9% of the agency’s 2024 capital allocation was released, leaving it unable to fulfill its mandate effectively.
“Without quality seeds, it is difficult to have good yields,” he said.
Nigerian Agriculture Development Fund (NADF): Executive Secretary Muhammed Ibrahim disclosed that the agency had received no capital allocation in 2024 and was struggling with manpower shortages.
“About 15 months after we assumed office, we are yet to have a salary scale. Most of our staff members are contracted while some are deployed from other agencies of government,” Ibrahim stated.
The Joint Committee pledged to advocate for increased budgetary allocations and address manpower issues in the agricultural sector.
Senator Mustapha emphasized the need for collaboration to ensure food security and agricultural productivity.
The United States Supreme Court has upheld a contentious law that could see TikTok banned from U.S. app stores as early as this Sunday.
The decision hinges on TikTok’s ownership by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and has sparked significant debate regarding national security, data privacy, and the broader implications for social media platforms within the country.
The announcement was confirmed by DiscussingFilm, which reported, “The Supreme Court will uphold the TikTok ban. The app will likely be banned in the U.S. on Sunday.”
READ MORE: BREAKING: US Supreme Court Orders TikTok Ban
This development follows ongoing concerns from U.S. lawmakers over the potential risks posed by TikTok’s ties to China, including fears about data harvesting and its alleged influence on American users. For months, the Biden administration and members of Congress have pressured ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations to alleviate these concerns. However, no deal has been reached thus far.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has led to widespread discussions about the future of TikTok and other foreign-owned platforms in the United States. Some critics argue that the ban could set a dangerous precedent for limiting free expression, while others see it as a necessary step to protect national security.
As the deadline approaches, TikTok users and influencers in the U.S. are left scrambling to understand the implications of the ban and explore alternative platforms. Unless ByteDance complies with the government’s demand to sell the app, TikTok may disappear from U.S. app stores in the coming days.
Power supply has been disrupted in several areas of Abuja, including parts of the Presidential Villa, Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Life Camp, Asokoro, Utako, and Mabushi, following an incident of cable vandalism.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) disclosed that vandals targeted a 132kV transmission line, stealing underground cables and a 40-meter stretch of 1x500mm XLPE conductor.
The affected cables supply bulk electricity to the Central Area transmission substation in Katampe.
READ MORE: Obasa Missing As Meranda Leads Lagos Assembly’s First Plenary As Female Speaker
“Consequently, areas experiencing power outage include Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Life Camp, Asokoro, Utako, Mabushi, and parts of Presidential Villa,” TCN General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said in a statement on Friday.
Mbah confirmed that the incident has impacted eight distribution feeders, disrupting over 60 percent of the power supply to Abuja.
She further noted, “The vandalism of this critical infrastructure is suspected to have occurred near the Menillum Park axis of Abuja.”
In response to the disruption, the TCN has deployed engineers to repair the damaged cables. “We appeal to residents in the affected areas to remain patient while efforts to repair the damaged cables are underway,” Mbah added.
She also expressed concern about the recurring issue of cable vandalism, which continues to hinder power delivery nationwide.
Mbah called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and to help protect power infrastructure from further acts of vandalism.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) also issued a notice confirming the outage and its impact on customers.
“Dear Valued Customers, this is to inform residents around Federal Secretariat, Wuse Zone 1-7, Central Mosque, Energy Commission, Transcorp Hotel, Eagle Square, Yar’adua Centre, the entire Central Area, TCN HQ, CAC HQ, NYSC HQ, INEC, the entire Maitama, Kado Estate, parts of Jabi District, Area 7, 8 & 10 Garki, and its environs that the power outage being experienced is due to a fault on the 132kV lines 1&2 from Katampe to AT5 Central Area Transmission Station,” the notice read.
Efforts to repair the damaged cables are ongoing, with authorities working to restore power to the affected areas as quickly as possible.
The Appeal Court has affirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
The confirmation was announced through a post on the Labour Party’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle.
It read: “Barr Julius Abure remains the LP National Chairman, Appeal Court Rules.”
READ MORE: US Court Sentences Three Nigerians For Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Targeting Elderly
Further verification was provided by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, who confirmed the development in a phone call.
This ruling follows a previous judgement by a Federal High Court, which had also recognised Abure as the rightful leader of the Labour Party.
The latest decision by the Appeal Court solidifies Abure’s leadership and is expected to bring clarity to the party’s internal structure.
More details on the ruling are expected to be released soon.
N12.3bn Fraud: Ex-First Bank Chair, Otudeko Flees Nigeria Ahead Of Arraignment
Gospel Singer Caught With Corps Member’s Severed Head Remanded By Nasarawa Court
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban Law, App Faces Potential Shutdown In U.S.
Power Outage Hits Presidential Villa, Maitama, Others As Vandals Strike
BREAKING: US Supreme Court Orders TikTok Ban
Communal Crisis: Adeleke Imposes Fresh Curfew In Ifon- Ilobu
OSSG Raises Alarm Over Murder Plot By APC Chieftain
NCC, SMEDAN, NAICOM, SEC, Others Set for SUPERNEWS SMEs Conf June 13
Sahara’s Tonye Cole resigns from GPHCDA
Niger Delta Avengers: President Buhari Reads riot Act …considers the carrot and stick option
Oando opens ultra-modern petrol station in Lagos
