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Senate to Summon Aviation Minister Over Airport Concession

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  • Senate to Summon Aviation Minister Over Airport Concession

The Senate Committee on Privatisation on Monday revealed plans to summon the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, over the concession of the Muritala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 and other airports across the country.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, who led other members on a tour of the MMA2, said the agreement signed between Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria on the Build, Operate and Transfer of the MMA2 must be adhered to before other airports could be given to private operators as concessions.

He said, “We will summon the Minister of Aviation to the National Assembly to present his side of the argument why the agreement signed under the concession is not being followed.

“Why will you concession an airport and still come to the government to ask for money to fund another facility when you have a private sector organisation already funding it? FAAN is a parastatal under the ministry, so we have no business talking with them. Let the minister explain what is happening and correct the problem.”

Murray-Bruce said the sector would get zero allocation from the Federal Government from next year as the private sector had shown the capability to manage the airports.

He added that if the concession agreement was not implemented, all those who participated in the process should be tried.

He said, “Agreement must be honoured or those who participated must be tried for sabotaging the Federal Government. We have raised the issue with the Attorney General of the Federation; the Senate will insist they are tried.

“We want to protect the integrity of the Federal Government; we will not continue to spend taxpayers’ money on businesses that can be run by the private sector, while Nigerians are hungry.”

According to him, the total disregard for the concession agreement is the major problem the sector is having.

“If you sign an agreement and you refuse to honour it, you frighten people who intend to be involved in the concession game or any other negotiation with the government,” Murray-Bruce added.

He said the Senate would stop the planned concession of other airports until the irregularities with the MMA2 were corrected.

The management of Bi-Courtney had asked the Federal Government to prevail on FAAN to comply with the various court rulings, arbitration proceedings and recommendations regarding the concession agreement, such as the commencement of regional flights from the terminal for which approval had been given previously.

The Chief Executive Officer, Bi-Courtney Limited, Capt. Jari Williams, said the company had lost about 50 per cent of its expected revenue from the concession.

Murray-Bruce said that with the underutilised facilities at the terminal, there was no reason why flights to West African countries should not leave or land at the terminal.

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Government

Senate Suspends Senator Abdul Ningi for 3 Months Over Budget Padding Allegations

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Abdul-Ahmed-Ningi

The Senate has announced the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi for three months following his allegations of budget padding to the tune of N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget.

Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central and chairs the Senate Committee on Population, had made the claims in a recent interview with the Hausa service of the BBC.

During a plenary session, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, raised a motion to address Ningi’s allegations, citing the urgent need to address what he termed as “false allegations.”

The transcript of Ningi’s interview was read on the Senate floor, prompting deliberation on the appropriate action to take.

Initially, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim proposed a 12-month suspension for Ningi, but Senator Chris Ekpeyong moved to reduce it to six months.

Eventually, Senator Garba Maidoki amended the motion further, suggesting a three-month suspension.

The amended motion was put to a voice vote, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the decision to suspend Ningi for three months.

Following the ruling, Ningi was escorted out of the Senate chamber by the Sergeants-at-arms.

The suspension comes amidst division within the Senate over Ningi’s claims, with some senators disowning his allegations and calling for a thorough investigation.

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Ekiti Governor Unveils Multi-Billion Naira Relief Programmes Amid Economic Crisis

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Biodun Oyebanji

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, has announced a comprehensive relief package aimed at alleviating the hardship faced by the people of the state.

The relief programs encompass various sectors to cushion the impact of the economic downturn.

One of the key initiatives entails clearing salary arrears amounting to over N2.7 billion owed to both State and Local Government workers.

This move signifies the government’s commitment to addressing the financial burdens faced by its workforce.

Furthermore, Governor Oyebanji has approved a substantial increase of N600 million per month in the subvention of autonomous institutions, including the Judiciary and tertiary institutions.

This augmentation is intended to enable these institutions to implement wage awards in alignment with State and Local Government workers’ salaries.

In addition to addressing salary arrears, the relief programs extend to pensioners, with the approval of payments totaling N1.5 billion for two months’ pension arrears.

Moreover, an increase in the monthly gratuity payment to state pensioners and local government pensioners will provide additional financial support, totaling N200 million monthly.

The relief initiatives also encompass agricultural and small-scale business sectors.

The allocation of funds for food production and livestock transformation projects underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing food security and economic sustainability at the grassroots level.

Governor Oyebanji emphasized that these relief programs are part of the state’s concerted efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of the economic downturn and foster shared prosperity.

The comprehensive nature of the initiatives reflects a proactive approach towards addressing the challenges faced by Ekiti State residents.

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President Tinubu Orders Immediate Settlement of N342m Electricity Bill for Presidential Villa

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President Bola Tinubu has directed the prompt settlement of a N342 million outstanding electricity bill owed by the Presidential Villa to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

This move comes in response to the reconciliation of accounts between the State House Management and the AEDC.

The AEDC had earlier threatened to disconnect electricity services to the Presidential Villa and 86 Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) over a total outstanding debt of N47.20 billion as of December 2023.

Contrary to the initial claim by the AEDC that the State House owed N923 million in electricity bills, the Presidency clarified that the actual outstanding amount is N342.35 million.

This discrepancy underscores the importance of accurate accounting and reconciliation between entities.

In a statement signed by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency affirmed the commitment to settle the debt promptly.

Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila assured that the debt would be paid to the AEDC before the end of the week.

The directive from the Presidency extends beyond the State House, as Gbajabiamila urged other MDAs to reconcile their accounts with the AEDC and settle their outstanding electricity bills.

The AEDC, on its part, issued a 10-day notice to the affected government agencies to settle their debts or face disconnection.

This development highlights the importance of financial accountability and responsible management of public utilities.

It also underscores the necessity for government entities to fulfill their financial obligations to service providers promptly, ensuring uninterrupted services and avoiding potential disruptions.

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