الجزير نيجيريا ةالجزير نيجيريا ة ...first in breaking the news www.aljazirahnews.com Vol. 2 No. 161 DECEMBER NIGERIA N200 14 – Dec. 20, 2020 $1.5bn Loan May Hit Nigeria HardPAGES 9 – 10 Despite Redstrike Bandits Attack ICC To Investigate Health Ministry Deal, FIFA Palliatives, Kankara, Abduct Buhari’s Govt Over Diverts N2.4bn To NPFL Resumption Students In Human Rights 25 Staff Members Accounts Katsina Abuses, Killings 6 PAGE Hanging In Balance 14 PAGE PAGE 8 PAGE 2 NDDC Spends N2bn On Abandoned RoadsPAGE 11 EDITORIAL Insecurity: Trivializing NASS’ Invitation To Buhari hen the death of rice farmers broke savagery. The lists of security challenges are long, daunting recently, AljazirahNigeria was prompt but suppressible as we are not isolated in this regard. It in condemning the wanton killings of is however disturbing that once there is the mention of Nigerians in whatever guise and by insecurity, the direction points only at Boko Haram. whoever at all. This is an expression of our Alarmed by these security challenges, the National Wcommitment to the sanctity of life and our avowed recourse Assembly, NASS, had sought to engage President to the sharing of a common humanity. It is on this premise Muhammadu Buhari on the situation against the background that we hold that the sanctity of life should not be violated by that it has been consistent on the President’s request on any party no matter how well they are placed above the other. funding, urging him to appear before the NASS. We are also saddened by the reported senseless killings across parts of the country, which suggests an uncommon CONTINUE ON PAGE 5 Ex-Governors’ Poor Performance In The 9th Senate 12 PAGE Reps Accuses Discordant Tunes Gurusinha Presidential Task As APC Dissolves World AIDS Day And Vows To Make Force Of Extortion Party Organs Nigeria’s Move To End Nigeria’s Cricket Epidemic By 2030 Best In Africa PAGE 20 PAGE PAGE 22 PAGE On Apapa Gridlock Nationwide 13 PAGE PAGE 31 الجزير نيجيريا ةالجزير نيجيريا December 14 – December 20, 2020 www.aljazirahnews.com 2 Like our facebook page ةwww.facebook.com/aljazirahnewsng Follow us on twitter @aljazirahnewsng news e-mail: [email protected] From left: The hostess, Tinuke Odunlade; the host, Prince Tunde Odunlade; special guest, Mrs Omolola Morgan; and guest of honour, Mrs Helen Eso, at the opening of Tunde Odunlade Arts and Culture Connexions in Ibadan on Friday, December 11. PHOTO: OLAYINKA BODE-ARE/BJO/NAN. Health Ministry Diverts N2.4bn To 25 Staff Members Accounts BY YAHAYA UMAR 28 tranches. Likewise, Mr 2019. like other health ministries Ajiji received about N392.4 The same month, another worldwide, began to grapple Not less than N2.4bn was paid million in 68 tranches; Mr health ministry official, with the deadly Coronavirus into the private accounts of 25 Adama, N355.9 million paid Dorothy Nkiruka Ezeokpube pandemic that grounded staff members of the health in 110 instalments; and Mr was paid N12.3 million as economies and halted daily ministry in four months, Mohammed, N175 million duty tour allowance and local activities. reviews of the data from the paid over 30 transfers. transport payments to respond The Nigeria Centre for open treasury portal (OTP) The balance of over N400 to a humanitarian crisis in Disease Control (NCDC), as of have shown. million was shared among Zamfara. December 9, said the country The amount 20 other staff, with the By the same token, on had recorded 70,669 cases, (2,400,759,805.90) was paid least paid persons taking February 28 this year, Mr 92 per cent of whom have in tranches by the nation’s home more than N5 million. Musa was paid N157.5 million been discharged, and 1,184 health headquarters in the last Onoja Oche George received twice for the same purpose: casualties. quarter of 2019 – September to more than N5.9 million, “payment for transfer to NCDC With the number of tests December. and Idris Abdullahi was paid for Emergency Lassa Fever still at 829,743 as of Thursday, The health ministry approximately N5.4 million. Response.” according to the NCDC, won’t explain why the illegal Further searches for (This) begs the question of Nigeria is nonetheless far disbursements were made. records of the said officials why the beneficiary account from conquering the virus, It has failed to respond to an online, especially on the OTP, did not read ‘NCDC’ a civic especially because cases of inquiry by media houses. showed that, in the past, a advocacy group, BudgIT, infections have been on a A little more than N2bn, slew of suspicious payments wrote in a report it did on the steady rise in the past one or 86 per cent, went to the were made into their personal payment discrepancies on the Ehanire week. accounts of five of the 25 accounts. portal. account and revenue account” accountability and thrift, In the span of seven days, personnel identified to have On November 6, 2018 “Since government contracts as “no other bank account shall the health ministry went on 2729 new infections were received payments during the alone, Mr Ajiji’s records on are signed with companies, the be allowed without the express doing the opposite with very reported, raising high fear of months under review. the portal showed that he was expectation is that payments approval of the Accountant- scant recourse to probity and a second wave in the country They include Bulam Sadiq paid N29.8 million, in advance, are likewise made to companies General.” accountability. after weeks of low numbers. Abubakar, Musa Adamu for air ticket, estacode for a and not individuals,” it noted. Section 713 of the same The Accountant-General of This is further compounded Musa, Ajiji Barde Yusuf, conference in New York, U.S.A., “Where this is not the case, chapter further says that the Federation, Ahmed Idris, by the nation’s economy in Adama Mohammed Danladi, and meeting allowance for the an explanation is required to under no condition should under whose office the OTP is recession largely due to the Mohammed Badeggi, Presidential Independent Fact- ensure full transparency”. personal money be paid into domiciled, has not responded pandemic and a dip in oil Mohammed. In that order, Finding Panel on National the government’s bank account to our FOI request seeking prices, its major source of they each received the highest Health Insurance Scheme CONTRAVENTION “nor shall any public money to know if he is aware of the foreign exchange earnings. amounts of payments. (PIFFP-NHIS). By the provision of chapter 7, be paid into a private bank suspicious payments made by Pressed by the need to Mr Bulam alone got roughly Five months later, Mr section 701 of the financial account.” government’s agencies into salvage the impending 28 per cent of the amount, Ajiji was again credited with regulation of the country, “An officer who pays public their employees’ personal recession it had foresaw, which is a little more than about N202.9 million as the the health ministry has money into a private account accounts. in April, the Nigerian N671 million, paid in 83 emolument for “health and contravened the law. is deemed to have done so with government opted for the tranches in four months. nutrition emergency response The provision compels a fraudulent intention,” the CORONAVIRUS international market to shop On his part, Mr Musa in Borno,” which the portal agencies “to operate only section reads. Two months after the for lenders to shore up its was paid about N471.5 records showed was a balance three bank accounts as follows: While the financial suspicious payments were revenue and tackle the virus million in the spread of from December 2018 to March salary account, overhead cost regulation targets addressing made, the health ministry, by requesting a $7 billion loan. الجزير نيجيريا www.aljazirahnews.com December 14 – December 20, 2020 3 ةالجزير نيجيريا ة The Entrepreneur ...encouraging young entrepreneurs in Nigeria With EFFIONG LOIS 09095628890 [email protected] INSIDE THIS WEEK 14.12.2020 – 20.12.2020 fashion & style Home Remedies For Cracked Heels PAGE 26 PAGE 25 entertainment V Bank Extends Don Jazzy’s OKOYE Endorsement Deal PAGE 27 Phone Number: OKWUCHUKWU 08064927512 business & economy Facebook: SYSTEM REPAIRER Elijah Okoye Office Address: B141, Kuchiyako Layout III, Kuje Abuja. Okoye is a skilled entrepreneur who repairs computers, laptops and desktops. NCDMB Retains $6.4bn He also sets network connection, Industry Spending PAGE 20 security camera installations and organizes training for individuals who want to be skilled in computer repairs. He graduated from University of politics & policy Uyo, 2012, of Computer Engineering. He became an entrepreneur due to What lack of white collar jobs and in order to reduce unemployment in Nigeria. Adeboye Told Me Before Edo Guber – Obaseki PAGE 23 Get breaking news from aljazirahnews.com الجزير نيجيريا ةالجزير نيجيريا December 14 – December 20, 2020 www.aljazirahnews.com 4 ة Like our facebook page www.facebook.com/aljazirahnewsng Follow us on twitter @aljazirahnewsng news review e-mail: [email protected] Monday, December 7, 2020 Tuesday, December 8, 2020 Buhari Is Aware Of Nigerian’s Hardship No Resumption Until FG Pays Withheld Top Stories – Aregbesola Salaries – ASUU The Minister of Interior, Rauf The Academic Staff Union special report Aregbesola, on Saturday noted of Universities on Sunday that President Muhammadu insisted that the union would Oil Palm: Nigeria’s Lost Buhari is aware of the hardship not end the nine-month Opportunity Nigerians are facing. strike until the Federal PAGE 12 Government pays all its members their salaries. special report How NNPC Paid Self N3trn Wednesday, December 9, 2020 Thursday, December 10, 2020 On Petrol Subsidy In 3-Years My Guardian Angel Won’t Forgive Me If I You Lack Constitutional Powers To Summon Reconcile With Obasanjo – Gani Adams Buhari – Malami Tackles NASS PAGE 13 The Aare Onakakanfo of The Attorney-General Yorubaland, Gani Adams, on of Federation (AGF) and business & economy Tuesday, noted that he does not Minister of Justice, Abubakar have any reason to reconcile Malami (SAN), says the CBN New Policy To Improve with former Nigeria President, National Assembly lacks Diaspora Remittance Olusegun Obasanjo.