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Unexpected revenue losses threaten N17.126trillion 2022 budget implementation

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Unexpected revenue losses threaten N17.126trillion 2022 budget implementation

****Customs, Immigration raises alarm over possible incapacitation

….NAFDAC  Warehouses three year capital votes

Funding for the N17.126trillion 2022 budget may not be realizable as some of the revenue generating agencies are complaining of different forms of hiccups.

This was happening as the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control ( NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, lamented that the 2018, 2019 and 2020 budget of the agency were not passed by the National Assembly leading to warehousing of revenues generated by it for capital expenditure.

Complaints on meeting revenue targets by  affected revenue generating agencies came to the fore during the one day interactive session the Senate leadership and its Finance Committee had with them .

The Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service ( NIS), Col Hameed Ali ( Rtd), said some provisions of the 2022 Finance Act, have robbed Customs of its operational mandate on some revenue collections.

He specifically cited section 22 and 61(a) of the Act , incapacitating Customs from collecting some taxes like import duties.

“Mr President of the Senate , Distinguished Senators , I thank you for organising this interactive session on the need for improvement by all revenue generating agencies as far as internally generated revenues are concerned and funding of the 2022 budget are concerned .

“However let me bring to the notice of this gathering that some provisions of he Finance Act 2022, are incapacitating Customs from such revenue drive .

“Section 22 of the Finance Act 2022 seeks to amend the Federal Inland Revenue Service law Section 68 (1), (2), (3), (4) and (6) by allowing the Act to takes precedent over any other laws with regards to the administration of taxes, assessment, accounting, collection and enforcement of taxes and levies due to the Federal Government and the federation of Nigeria.

“When the law was signed, it did not state clearly, the extent and scope of the taxes and levies in question. We are aware that the taxes and levies under the responsibilities of the FIRS are income tax, personal income tax, capital gain tax, VAT and so on.

“However, the amendment is so wide and open that we in the Nigerian Customs Service took it that it had hindered our ability to collect levies and  other collections.

“Our understanding of the provisions is that all other laws which mandated us to collect are inconsistent with the new Act, then they are voided.

This means that the law that mandates us to collect as revenue generating agencies, are voided completely. This means that we do not have the responsibilities to collect levies. If we don’t have the responsibilities to collect, what are we going to discuss here.

“We have consulted with lawyers and the conclusion is that the Act is confusing and if other revenue generating agencies decided to act on the provisions, they may decide not to collect  duties and levies”.

Making similar lamentation, the Director of Finance, Nigeria Immigration Service ( NIS), Professor Aba Georg, said the  N400billion the agency supposed to be generating as revenue on yearly basis is being cornered by UK based  firm, handing most of its outsourced services and operations .

According to him, contract on the outsourced services and operations given to the UK based firm on behalf of Nigeria Immigration Service in  2003 , gives  government 33% of proceeds , Immigration 7% while  the remaining 60% is cornered by the firm .

” This is our 7th time of tabling this complaint before the Senate or the House of Representatives . Please rescue us from the hook of this firm.

“The contract was entered into without the knowledge of Immigration since 2003 and those behind it , keep on renewing it and denying us about N400billion revenue on yearly basis .

“It is a rip-off and purely one sided contract bleeding Immigration and Nigeria financially on yearly basis “, he lamented .

Apparently piaued by the submission , the President of the Senate , Ahmad Lawan , directed the Committee Chairman, Senator Olamilekan Adeola ( APC Lagos West), to summon the Ministry of Interior for all the contract documents.

“This is unacceptable . We cannot continue like this. We must see the end of this contract in the National Interest “, he said.

On complaints made by the Customs boss, Lawan said, “I wonder why the Ministry of Finance is not here because we need their intervention now. Their presence here would have provided some clarifications. We took it for granted that since it was an executive bill, that there were some engagements among the agencies of the Federal Government.

“We also called for public hearing so that we could exrayed it. You are saying that you don’t have the legal mandate to collect taxes and it is a scary revelation.

“The Senate Committee on Finance and the Ministry of Finance and other agencies would look at the Act. If it is established beyond reasonable doubts that we need to amend it, we will do so without delay.

‘It will be the fastest amendment because we need you to collect more monies for the  Federal Government”

But Senator Adeola in his own response said the section cited by the Customs boss , was not targeted at the agency .

“What necessitated that singular act was as a result of the issue between the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission and the FIRS.

There were clashes between them from time to time. Some activities of RMFAC were not in tandem with the Act that established it. We discovered that the only way that we can make their roles explicit is through the Finance Act concerning the assessment and accounting of taxes.

“We discovered that RMFAC are going to agencies to audit their tax accounts which is not part of their responsibilities based on the law that established RMFAC.

“The only agencies saddled with that responsibility is the FIRS. That was what that law tends to address. We are ready to look into it again if other revenue generating agencies believe that it has hindered them from performing their responsibilities and we would amend it accordingly”, he said

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Adeleke on Why he Deserves Second Term

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Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, has declared that his administration’s record of performance and fulfilment of electoral promises justifies a second term in office.

A government house statement in Osogbo on Wednesday has it that the governor made the declaration while hosting a delegation of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADS), Osun State Council, during a courtesy visit to the Government House, Osogbo.

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It was gathered that the delegation was led by the National Vice President of the society, Asiwaju Justice Adeigbe (Rtd), alongside the Chairman of the Osun State chapter, Chief Daud Oladapo.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the State Secretary of the society, Dr Afeez Akande, praised the Governor’s performance and pledged the support of the organisation for the continuity of the administration.

“We have been following what you are doing and your track records. You are wonderful and you are marvelous in our eyes. The monumental works you have been doing in Osun make it look like we have never had a Governor like this before,” Dr Akande said.

He noted that the administration’s projects are known for timely delivery and strategic impact on the lives of residents.

“We have identified that once you embark on projects, they are time-bound. It shows genuine administrative acumen, love for the state and love for the people,” he added.

Dr Akande also cited infrastructural developments, specifically the ongoing dualisation of roads, notably that of Iwo as an example of the Governor’s vision-driven leadership.

“That road project has helped to boost economic activities in the area. Such development can only come from someone with vision who follows through with implementation. We appreciate what you are doing and we are resolved to support the continuity,” he said.

Responding, Governor Adeleke thanked the delegation for the visit and reaffirmed his commitment to people-centred governance.

“Today marks the starting point of campaigning for the August 15, 2026 governorship election. We need your prayers and support for a free and fair election through which the will of the people will prevail,” the Governor said.

Governor Adeleke also unveiled an upgraded Five-Point Agenda that will drive his re-election campaign.

“Our reloaded Five-Point Agenda will focus on integrated youth, women and workers’ welfare and empowerment; infrastructure consolidation for citizens’ social and economic wellbeing; agro-industrial expansion for human development and collective prosperity; affordable and qualitative health and education access; and an improved and secured business environment for job creation,” the Governor stated.

Explaining why he deserves a second term, the Governor pointed to the administration’s record across several sectors.

“When the opposition asked whether I deserve to be re-elected, I told them yes based on my performance in this first term in office,” the Governor said.

“I deserve re-election because of what our administration has delivered for the people of Osun. We have empowered the cooperative movement with almost four billion naira, strengthened community development associations with grassroots health and infrastructure projects, and implemented the Imole Medical Outreach that has benefited almost eighty thousand residents.”

He added that the administration has also revived agriculture and rural development across the state.

“We revived the cocoa revolution through aggressive seedling distribution and new farmers’ initiatives, acquired brand new tractors now serving farmers across the state, and implemented thousands of local projects through integrated rural development under the O-RAMP programme,” he said.

Governor Adeleke further highlighted achievements in governance, infrastructure and economic management.

“We introduced a 45-day window for the acquisition of Certificates of Occupancy, revived the Osun Free Trade Zone with active investors, digitised tax and revenue collection, and implemented the SIFMIS payroll application to ensure transparency in the management of public funds,” he stated.

The Governor also cited major achievements in infrastructure and social services.

“We have constructed over 350 kilometres of roads, developed three major flyover bridges, revived six moribund waterworks, drilled 332 boreholes across wards, rehabilitated schools and health centres, and paid inherited half salaries and almost one hundred billion naira in pension debts,” he added.

Governor Adeleke assured the people of Osun that his administration will continue to deliver inclusive governance and sustainable development if re-elected.

“My promise to the people of Osun is that now and when we are re-elected, we will continue to run an inclusive and forward-looking government that keeps the people at the centre of our programmes and policies,” he said.

Other dignitaries, and political functionaries present included the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Prince Kola Adewusi, and the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina.

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Fuel Price Shock: Nigerians May Soon Pay ₦1,500 Per Litre – Marketers Warn

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Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.

The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.

According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.

He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.

Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.

He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.

The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.

The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.

Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.

Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.

 

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Global Crisis: Attacks on Schools Skyrocket 166% – UN Sounds Alarm on Children’s Safety

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The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.

The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.

United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.

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The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.

Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.

“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”

She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.

In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.

Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.

She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”

Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.

She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.

Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.

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