NEWS
Gov Okpebholo Orders Edo LG Chairmen To Submit Accounts Within 48 Hours
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has directed all 18 local government chairmen in the state to submit their statements of account within 48 hours.
The instruction, which aims to bolster transparency and accountability, was issued during a meeting at the Government House in Benin City on Tuesday, with Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa representing the governor.
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Idahosa, addressing the local government officials, emphasized that the governor is committed to ensuring openness in the state’s governance.
“I have listened to you keenly. The governor is a leader of all of us. Election has come and gone, and we are all one family,” he said.
“Mr. Governor is committed to transparency and accountability in this government. To aid the work of the Assets Verification Committee, the governor would want you to submit your statement of accounts from September 4, 2023, to date, within the next 48 hours.”
The governor’s office specified that the statements should cover the period from September 4, 2023, to the present and be submitted through the office of the Secretary to the State Government to the Assets Verification Committee.
The move is intended to ensure the committee can carry out its duties efficiently.
Idahosa concluded his address by thanking the chairmen for their time and cooperation, stressing the importance of their support in the state’s development.
Earlier, the local government chairmen, led by Newman Ugiagbe, Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGIN), Edo State Chapter, and Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government, paid a courtesy visit to the governor.
Ugiagbe conveyed the chairmen’s full support for Okpebholo’s administration, reaffirming their commitment to working together to bring the governor’s policies to the grassroots.
He said, “We are here to congratulate the governor and the deputy on the mandate the Edo people gave them. We also pledge our loyalty to your administration. Our doors are open to your instructions, policies, and programmes.
“We are ready to bring these policies to the grassroots to enable our people to benefit from the dividends of democracy, and we will work to ensure your administration succeeds.”
An explosion at an Islamiyyah school in the Kuchibiyu community of Bwari Area Council, Abuja, has left one student dead and four others injured.
The incident occurred around noon on Monday, January 6, 2025, according to security sources.
Emergency responders, including a police bomb disposal unit, swiftly arrived at the scene, while the injured students were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
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Although details remain unclear, a security source revealed that the deceased student was carrying a substance suspected to be an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) when it detonated.
“The dead student, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, bore the substance suspected to be IED while it exploded and injured the other students, thereby causing pandemonium in the center,” the source said.
The affected students were reportedly new admissions who had only resumed classes on January 3. Efforts to reach the school authorities for comment have been unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the police are yet to release an official statement on the incident.
Multiple attempts to contact the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Josephine Adeh, have been unsuccessful, as calls to her line did not connect.
The Kuchibiyu community, located about 42 kilometers from Abuja’s city center, has been thrown into panic following the explosion. Security agencies have cordoned off the area, and investigations are ongoing.
The Lagos State House of Assembly has approved a total budget of N3,366,815,224,144 for the 2025 fiscal year.
The approval, which was granted on Monday, followed the presentation of a report by the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Appropriation and Finance, Sa’ad Olumoh, during a plenary session presided over by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
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The budget, themed the “Budget of Sustainability,” was earlier presented to the House on November 21, 2024, by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to the governor, the budget is designed as “a blueprint for continuity, resilience, and prosperity for residents.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu outlined that the 2025 budget has a total size of N3,005,935,198,401, with a revenue projection of N2.597 trillion and a deficit financing of N408.902 billion.
The deficit, he said, would be funded through external and internal loans, as well as bonds.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the budget focuses on five critical pillars: “Infrastructure Sustainability, conomic Diversification, nstitutional Reforms
Revenue Breakdown:
Internally Generated Revenue (IGR): N1.970 trillion
Federal Transfers: N626.137 billion
The governor proposed N1.239 trillion for recurrent expenditure, comprising the following: “Total Overhead Cost: N722.586 billion, Overhead: N432.580 billion, Subventions: N139.728 billion, Dedicated Funds: N150.278 billion, Total Personnel Cost: N392 billion, Recurrent Debt Charges: N125.232 billion.
Capital Expenditure:
For capital projects, Sanwo-Olu proposed a total of N1.766 trillion, with N1.452 trillion allocated for capital development and N313.515 billion for loan repayments.
Sectoral Allocations
The sectoral breakdown of the budget includes:
Economic Affairs: N908.699 billion
Environment: N233.176 billion
Health: N204.005 billion
Education: N208.376 billion
Security, Safety, and Public Order: N124.073 billion
Social Protection: N47.077 billion
The budget dedicates 41% to recurrent expenditure and 59% to capital expenditure.
The House, after deliberations, approved a revised budget of N3.37 trillion, with N1.295 trillion for recurrent expenditure and N2.071 trillion for capital projects.
Speaker Obasa directed the Clerk of the House, Barrister Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit the clean copy of the passed bill to Governor Sanwo-Olu for his assent.
Commending his colleagues for their efforts, Obasa said the budget would ensure Lagos remains on the path of growth and sustainability.
Local Government Consolidation Bill Passed
In a related development, the Assembly also passed a bill consolidating all existing laws on local government administration in Lagos State.
The bill incorporates recent constitutional amendments and directives from the National Assembly to enhance local governance.
Speaker Obasa described the passage as a step toward strengthening the effectiveness of local government administration in the state.
Governor Sanwo-Olu is expected to sign the budget and the local government law in the coming days.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his decision to resign, bringing an end to his nearly 10-year tenure as leader of the country.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Monday, Trudeau said he will step down as soon as the ruling Liberal Party selects a new leader.
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“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister,” Trudeau declared, signaling the conclusion of a political career that began with his election as prime minister in 2015.
The announcement follows months of internal pressure and a political crisis that saw top Liberal Party members urging Trudeau to step aside.
More to follow……….
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