Newspaper review: Fresh errors discovered in 2016 budget
Fresh flaws detected in 2016 budget, Badeh siphoned N3.9bn
– Fresh errors have been discovered in the 2016 budget by the National Assembly
– Efforts are already underway to correct the errors so the budget can be transmitted before Easter
– Former chief of defence staff, Alex Badeh accused of siphoning over N3.9billion from the accounts of the force
– No fewer than 24 people died in twin bomb blast in Maiduguri
Major Nigerian dailies for Thursday, March 17, are focused on different issues such as Alex Badeh’s trial, the controversial 2016 budget and Boko Haram insurgency.
The Punch reports that fresh errors have been detected in the 2016 budget by the Senate and house joint committee on appropriation.
The Punch front page, Thursday March 17, 2016
The errors in the budget were said to be the reason for the failure of the committee to present its report to the two chambers of the National Assembly on Wednesday as it had promised.
Investigation showed that one of the anomalies detected was in the office of the secretary to the government of the federation, where provisions had been made for procurement and installation of security systems every year since 2013.
Items without project locations in the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing (headquarters) were also detected by the committee.
According to The Nation report, the committees may have drawn the attention of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to the errors. The items involved are allocated about N37, 025, 238, 407.
The Nation front page, Thursday March 17, 2016
The errors which were spotted at the last stage of the budget’s consideration tallied with the input from many Civil Society Organisations, including CLP/ Reclaim Naija.
Efforts are already being made to correct the errors so the National Assembly can transmit the budget to President Muhammadu Buhari before Easter.
Senator Danjuma Goje, the chairman of the Senate committee on appropriation and Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumin, the chairman of the House committee on appropriation, were making frantic efforts last night to meet Tuesday’s deadline for the passage of the budget.
The two committees and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning were also making last-minute consultations.
However, a source in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, said: “We are not aware of the so-called fresh errors in the budget.”
On the front page of Vanguard is the story about the trial of former chief of defence staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh.
Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi, an erstwhile director of finance and accounts at the Nigerian Air Force yesterday disclosed how Badeh siphoned over N3.9billion from the accounts of the force.
Testifying before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Abdullahi said Badeh monthly diverted N558.2 million, meant for the payment of salaries of NAF officials, for his personal use.
According to him, Badeh instructed that the money must always be converted to its dollar equivalent and brought to him at his official residence at Niger Barracks, in Abuja.
He added that Badeh asked him to get a house for him in Maitama, where he said he would wish to return after service.
In other news, tragedy struck once again in Borno state as two female bombers sneaked into a mosque and detonated explosive devices at a remote community near Maiduguri, the state capital, Daily Sun reports.
Daily Sun front page, Thursday March 17, 2016
No fewer than 24 people were killed in the twin bomb attack.
Ahmed Satomi, the executive chairman of Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said: “Almost all the worshippers died except the Imam who is receiving treatment in the hospital now.”
The state governor, Kashim Shettima, who was at the community on a sympathy visit advised the people to take their security seriously.
Reacting to the blast, the chief of army staff, General Tukur Buratai said it was an indication that members of Boko Haram group were struggling to survive.
Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that an agreement between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) for the construction of three greenfield refineries and a petrochemical plant in Nigeria has also been stalled due to the inability of the two parties to conclude the deal.
The Guardian front page, Thursday March 17, 2016
Also, the agreement entered into between the federal government and two firms, United States-based Vulcan Petroleum Resources and Petroleum Refining and Strategic Reserve Limited, a Nigerian company, for the construction of six modular refineries in the country has been forgotten.
Nigeria’s plan of producing over 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), may remain a pipe dream never to be realised.
Complete Sports front page, Thursday March 17, 2016
- Share on Facebook
- Share on Twitter Complete Sports front page, Thursday March 17, 201
Post a Comment