Author: TheScrutinyNG

Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has said that the State Government has not received funds from the Federal Government for the implementation of the N35,000 wage award. Otti said this during a meeting in Abia with labour leaders, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiating Council in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area. He said :”There has been misleading stories all over the place that the Federal government gave monies to the state governments for the implementation of the wage award. “Last time I checked, there were no such monies. This state has not…

By Daniel Bwala There is a common cliché that, it is always painful where one expects wisdom and discernment to prevail, it is indiscretion that take order. In recent times, I have taken my time to observe happenings within the polity. I have been vociferous, many times, against people’s views, especially those who have had the rare opportunity to occupy one position of authority or the other in the country but have had little or nothing to their name. I have had cause to call people out including but not limited to governors, National Assembly members as well as other…

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), on Friday, re-arraigned Binance Holdings Limited on four-count charge bordering on tax evasion allegations. Nigerian representative of Binance, Ayodele Omotilewa, who was docked, took a plea on behalf of the company before Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court, Abuja. He pleaded not guilty to the four counts. The re-arraignment before Justice Nwite followed the discharged of the cryptocurrency firm’s executive, Tigran Gambaryan, and his fleeing colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, from the alleged offence in the last adjourned date. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Nwite, in a ruling on June…

Gov. Umar Namadi of Jigawa has approved the appointment of eight permanent secretaries to fill existing vacancies in the state. Information about the approval is contained in a statement issued by the state’s Head of Service, Alhaji Muhammad Dagaceri, on Friday in Dutse. He stated that the appointment is purely on merit, competence, personal integrity and seniority. Dagaceri added that those appointed were substantive directors elevated to the position of permanent secretaries. He listed those appointed as Abdullahi Sa’idu, Yusha’u Muhammad-Jaji, Lawan Muhammad-Haruna, Labaran Adamu, Dahiru Lawan, Sagir Muhammad-Sani, Ahmed Isah and Muhammad Yahaya-Jabo. The head of service added that…

The Plateau Commissioner for Information and Communication, Musa Ashoms, has confirmed that about 200 students were trapped in the Jos school building that collapsed in Jos. The Saints Academy, a secondary school in Jos, collapsed on Friday, while students were writing their third term examination. Ashoms, who visited the scene in the company of other commissioners, including that of secondary education, said that the school had a total population of about 400. The commissioner said that part of the school that collapsed was accommodating about 200 students. “The collapsed building has resulted in casualties, and injured students are still being…

Two Australian nationals accused of spying for Russia have been arrested in Australia, federal police said on Friday. The Russian-born married couple, aged 40 and 62, are accused of “obtaining Australian Defence Force material’’ with the intention of leaking it to Russian authorities, Australian police said in a statement. The 40-year-old woman is an Army Private in the Australian army, according to the police. The couple was arrested in their house in a Brisbane suburb on Thursday, police said. They have been charged with “one count each of preparing for an espionage offence, which carries a maximum penalty of 15…

By Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, CON, OFR The supreme court judgement today, July 11, 2024, directing the Federal Government to pay allocations due to Local Government Areas directly to their account thereby abolishing the old practices of State-Local Government Joint Account, is timely and courageous. What the judgement has done is more like interpreting section 162 of the Constitution, which provides for a joint State-Local Government Account. In which case, money is normally paid to state governors’ accounts and then for them to disburse to the local governments for them to share. But what has been happening is that, as…

By Chief James Ibori The Supreme Court has dealt a severe setback on the principle of federalism as defined by section 162(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The section expressly provides thus: “Any amount standing to the credit of the Federation Account shall be distributed among the Federal and State Governments and the Local Government Councils in each State on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly”. Sections 6 provide further clarity on the subject matter. (6) Each State shall maintain a special account to be called “State Joint Local Government Account”…

It is a tale of woes as an acute scarcity of one of Nigerians’ most popular staple foods, bread, has hit Kaduna, Katsina, and Kano States. Checks by the News Agency of Nigeria correspondents revealed that the most-favoured staple was now as scarce as petrol or the highly-prized precious metal, Gold. It was observed that whereas the commodity was very hard to come by, its prices have hit the roof. Many of the residents could no longer afford the staple and, as such had turned to other not-too-cheap alternatives like noodles, millet porridge, and bean cake, as well as bread…

The House of Representatives has queried the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, for spending unrelated expenditures, including N45 million for a new year party, N20 million for sanitary pads. Others include N1.5 million for vehicle fuel. Rep Kafilat Ogbara, Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, led the interrogation of the Minister, over the non-payment of N1.5 billion to contractors in spite of the fund release in Abuja. She said that the investigative hearing was aimed at uncovering the truth and not witch-hunting the Minister and the officials of the ministry. The committee also investigated the alleged diversion of…