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The 10th Senate led by Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, passed the N49.7tn 2025 Budget for a second reading.
The budget was passed during plenary after various deliberations on the budget which was presented yesterday by President Bola Tinubu.
The budget was later referred to the Committee on Appropriations after being put to a voice vote by Akpabio, who presided over the session.
The Committee on Appropriations is chaired by Senator Solomon Adeola.
Tinubu, on Wednesday had presented the 2025 Budget of Restoration to a joint session of the National Assembly, targeting peace and prosperity with a revenue projection of ₦34.82tn to fund the aggregate expenditure of ₦47.9tn.
In the proposed budget, which has a deficit of ₦13.0tn, Tinubu earmarked ₦4.91tn for Defence and Security, ₦4.06tn for Infrastructure, ₦3.5tn for Education, and ₦2.48tn for Health.
The President, in his budget speech, also disclosed that ₦15.81tn is allocated for debt servicing, with salient parameters including 2.06 million barrels of oil production per day, an exchange rate of ₦1,500 to a US dollar, and an inflation rate of 15%, down from the current 34.6%.
He said, “The numbers for our 2025 budget proposal tell a bold and exciting story of the direction we are taking to retool and revamp the socio-economic fabric of our society.
“In 2025, we are targeting ₦34.82tn in revenue to fund the budget.
“Government expenditure in the same year is projected to be ₦47.90tn, including ₦15.81tn for debt servicing.
“A total of ₦13.08tn, or 3.89 per cent of GDP, will make up the budget deficit.
“This is an ambitious but necessary budget to secure our future.
“The Budget projects inflation will decline from the current rate of 34.6 per cent to 15 per cent next year, while the exchange rate will improve from approximately 1,700 naira per US dollar to 1,500 naira and a base crude oil production assumption of 2.06 million barrels per day (mbpd).
“These projections are based on the following observations: (i) Reduced importation of petroleum products alongside increased export of finished petroleum products, (ii) Bumper harvests, driven by enhanced security, reducing reliance on food imports, (iii) Increased foreign exchange inflows through Foreign Portfolio Investments, and (iv) Higher crude oil output and exports, coupled with a substantial reduction in upstream oil and gas production costs.”
Tinubu informed federal lawmakers that a series of economic reforms being carried out by his government are yielding positive results, saying, “Our economy grew by 3.46 per cent in the third quarter of 2024, up from 2.54 per cent in the third quarter of 2023.
“Our Foreign Reserves now stand at nearly 42 billion US dollars, providing a robust buffer against external shocks.”
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has recently announced the promotion of 8,053 senior police officers to various higher ranks within the force.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the PSC’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, the promotion involved 1,348 Superintendents of Police who were elevated to the rank of Chief Superintendent.
Additionally, 876 Deputy Superintendents of Police were promoted to the rank of Superintendent, while 5,829 Assistant Superintendents were moved up to Deputy Superintendents.
These promotions followed the recommendations of the PSC’s standing committee on police promotions, which is chaired by Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Taiwo Lakanu.
The statement reads, “The promoted Officers included: Anjuguri Manzah, DCO, Onne Port Division; Ihunwo Josephine, Zonal Public Relations Officer Zone 13 Ukpo; Matilda Umiah Ngbaronye former Public Information officer, African Union Mission in Somalia, former Deputy PPRO, Lagos state Command, former DPO Ilupeju and currently DPO Iponri; Opara Angela Precious, IGP Secretariat, Force Headquarters, Abuja; Ajaka Chinedu, Admin Officer, 44 PMF; Felix Ekpoudom, O/C Quick Intervention Unit, Akwa Ibom State and former DPO, Eket; Ehinola Temitope Layomi, 2 PMF, Lagos; Okebugwu Eggbath Chidozie DPO, Abakaliki Road, and Okereke Joy Onyedikachu, O/C Servicom, Enugu State Command.
“Others include:Aminu Mohammed Abdulkadir; Danladi Ameh Musa; Alhasan Yahaya, Adamu Muye Jesyca Gobum, Police Adviser to the United Nations; Mohammed Yusuf Adamu, 2/ic Base 3 SPU; Martin William, O/C Provost SPU; Ephraim Aneto, DLS , Zone 9 Umuahia; Isa Ibrahim Umuoru, Boarder Patrol; Ejiro Aganbi Daniel, Commander EOD, Rivers State; David Samuel, Commander CTU Lafia and Ogu Caleb Ikechukwu FCT Command.
“Omoarebun Iluobe, CSO, to Delta State Governor; Shaaba Gboyako Adamu, CSO to Imo state Governor; Ochogwu Sunday Okpe, DPO Otolo Nnewi; Iheme Chijioke Jerry, Nimo Division, Anambra state, Ani Gospel Obichi, Zonal Intelligence Dept Zone 7 Abuja; Harrison Owoh, Abia Command; Iheanetu Bruno Chukwudara, Zonal PRO, Zone 9; Kontongs Bello O/c Edo South special Operations; Lawal Opeyemi, National Cybercrime; Mgbamijolo Akpobeme Augustina, Special Anti Cultism, Enugu Ukwu; Gerald Udechukwu, IGP Task Force on Petroleum; Adamu Adamu Sulieman, 40 PMF;
“Eliagwu Austin, Commander FOB, Aguata; Oche George State marine Office, Anambra; Ikechukwu Henry Onyeanula, DPO Ideato, Imo state; Odemerho Festus Ichioma; Adeyemi Olufemi; Abubakar Ibrahim, PMF 50; Sirajo Abdullahi, Zamfara Command; A. Bature, Force Secretary Staff Officer; Nweke Ebele Adaob, Maritime; Jokpeyibo Andy Igho, DPO Neni Anambra state; Ibrahim Ezekiel FID, Garba Musa Mahuta, FCID, Abuja; Suleiman Idris Mohammed, Commander EOD, Base 37, Abia state; Aguade Samuel; Katie Bukola Yemisi, PSO 3 IGP;
“Christian Diala, Project Officer, Works Department, Abuja; Pharmacist Abubakar Abdul Qadir, Kano state command; Omorodion Newton, DCO, Ugbekun Division, Edo State; Ifa-Uwadiae Ebendvbe, DCO Oba Market, Division, Edo State; Salau, Agboola Lateef O/C Surveillance, Boarder Patrol Seme, Lagos and Haruna Usman Chiri of Interpol; Ofoegbu Uche Ralph, Deputy Contigent Commander, NFPU Peace Keeping Somalia were also some of the Superintendents promoted to Chief Superintendents of Police.”
In a bid to provide relief for Nigerians ahead of the holiday season, Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a price reduction for its Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) product, lowering it to ₦899.50k per litre.
The announcement was made in a statement released on Thursday morning, highlighting the company’s commitment to easing the financial burden on citizens during the festive period.
The statement signed by the Group’s Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, reads, “Africa’s first privately-owned oil refinery, which previously lowered the price to ₦970 per litre on November 24, has now announced a new price of ₦899.50 per litre. “
He added that the company also introduced a special offer to further benefit consumers.
Chiejina said, “In addition to the holiday discount, Dangote Petroleum Refinery is allowing consumers to purchase an additional litre of fuel on credit for every litre bought on a cash basis.
“To alleviate transport costs during this holiday season, Dangote Refinery is offering a holiday discount on PMS. From today, our petrol will be available at ₦899.50 per litre at our truck loading gantry or SPM. Furthermore, for every litre purchased on a cash basis, consumers will have the opportunity to buy another litre on credit, backed by a bank guarantee from Access Bank, First Bank, or Zenith Bank.”
The refinery also expressed its gratitude to Nigerians for their continued support as the country enters the festive season.
Chiejina further emphasised the refinery’s commitment to ensuring Nigerians have access to premium quality petroleum products that are competitively priced, as well as environmentally and engine friendly.
He highlighted that the refinery’s operations mark the end of Nigeria being a dumping ground for substandard and ‘blended’ imported products, which have posed significant risks to human health, machinery, and the environment.
The Dangote Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (BPD), is the largest single-train refinery in the world. It is fully capable of meeting 100% of Nigeria’s refined petroleum product requirements, with a surplus available for export.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says the Fly Nigeria Act will transform into law under his watch.
The minister lamented that the document, which is expected to make it mandatory for government-financed air transportation of government personnel, contractors, grantees, and properties to be carried by Nigeria Air Flag Carriers, has yet to materialise more than 15 years after it was first proposed.
Speaking at a one-day “Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Legal Framework for the Fly Nigeria Bill and Related Enabling Legislation’, in Abuja, Keyamo said he would rally all the major stakeholders to push for the Bill to be signed into law.
Vice President of the Airline Operators of Nigeria and Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, and the spokesperson of the Association, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, described the move as a new dawn for the country’s aviation and domestic airline.
Speaking at the event, Keyamo said, “This has been on the cards for some time, for many years, more than 15 years, because I think my predecessor, Chief Omotoba, served more than 15 years ago. So you can imagine that this bill was taken to council more than 15 years ago, and yet it did not see the light of day. Under my tenure, it will happen.
“We just want to get things done. And so, when I came to the office, I saw a couple of these things hanging on my desk, like the Cape Town Convention, to the cry of the Aviation Working Group, and all the proposals that have been made to former governments to develop especially indigenous industry, a local industry. And what we did was to say, look, let us revive all of these dead things on my table that would help or that will help to develop our local industry.
“And one of them, of course, is the Fly Nigeria Act. Luckily Olisa Agbakoba was also talking to me about it. He had brought a proposal.
”It’s a global conspiracy, but you have to be smart to see it. Look at the entire African continent. Just look at it. All the foreign airlines in the world feed on the African markets without competition from African airlines, without fair competition from African airlines. And they will ensure that this aviation market in Africa remains taunted. Especially in a big country like Nigeria, they will ensure that it remains taunted so that they will continue to feed on your markets.”
The minister further lamented that nationals of the world have been feeding fat in Nigeria without a commensurate gain to Africans.
“Air France is coming here full, going back full. So, we’ll set up a technical session. We have a pre-draft resolution here. The National Assembly members are waiting for the bill to get there. The senators are just waiting. It’s for us to set up a technical committee. We agreed in principle that this is good for us, good for aviation, you know, local operators especially.”
The Jigawa State Government says it has uncovered 6,348 ghost workers in its staff verification exercise in the state.
Mr Sagir Musa, Commissioner for Infomation, Youths, Sports and Culture, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Dutse.
He said the report of the Statewide Staff Audit Biometric Data Capture and Validation Exercise, showed that 6,348 ghost workers had been detected, allowing the government to save over N314 million monthly.
Musa said the State Executive Council had studied the report and approved the establishment of the Continuous Capture Centre (CCC) at the Office of the Head of Civil Service.
This, he said, would fast-track completion of the data capture and validation exercise, as part of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Management System (IPPMS).
“The exercise resulted in the detection of 6,348 ghost workers and significantly saved cost with an average of N314,657,342.06 per month and N3,775,888,809.72 per annum,” he said.
[DailyTrust]
[STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE] President Tinubu Appoints International Development Specialist Aisha Garba To Head UBEC
Admin![[STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE] President Tinubu Appoints International Development Specialist Aisha Garba To Head UBEC](/media/k2/items/cache/2f6506fc1cd8a9901bb662d5a063ab80_M.jpg)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Aisha Garba, an international development specialist, as the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education (UBEC).
Garba, a Senior Education Specialist with the World Bank, brings more than twenty-four years of experience driving impactful programmes in education for human and economic development, working in Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Kenya, the USA, and the United Kingdom.
With over 15 years of hands-on experience at the World Bank, Garba has consistently led end-to-end design and management of education programmes and reforms, from conceptualisation to completion and impact assessment.
Apart from being actively interested in and involved in human development issues, the development specialist will share her rich network with governments, development partners, and communities, as well as the skills she acquired working in fragile, conflict, and violent settings to deliver sustainable solutions in basic education.
Garba had previously worked on the team that met the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets in Nigeria and consulted for the World Bank, Department for International Development, BOND-UK, Regent Foundation, and Muslim Aid Organization.
She is an alumna of Petra American University in Jordan, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts combined degree in English and Computer Studies in 2000. She later got a Master's in International Development at the University of Birmingham in the UK in 2007.
The President expects the new Executive Secretary of UBEC to drive the renewed hope and vision of providing and supporting quality education and ensuring that Nigerian children become globally competitive.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has revealed it supported Dangote Petroleum Refinery with $1bn.
According to NNPCL, it secured the loan backed by crude oil.
Punch reported that the firm also also stated that it facilitated the $3bn Gazelle loan as a critical intervention to help stabilise the federation’s foreign exchange crisis.
The Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr Olufemi Soneye, said these at the Energy Relations Stakeholders Engagement in Abuja on Monday.
Recall that in January 2024, the national oil firm arranged a syndicated $3.3bn crude oil prepayment facility in partnership with Afreximbank.
The bank said the deal was the largest crude-backed facility in Nigeria and one of the largest syndicated debts raised in Africa.
Speaking during the event, the spokesperson said these initiatives are a testimony to NNPCL’s dedication to driving national development partnerships.
He said with the leadership of Mele Kyari, NNPC Ltd has achieved groundbreaking milestones, redefining the trajectory of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
“Under the visionary leadership of Mele Kyari, NNPC Ltd has achieved groundbreaking milestones, redefining the trajectory of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Additionally, Kyari facilitated the $3bn Gazelle loan, a critical intervention that helped stabilise the federation during a challenging foreign exchange crisis,” Soneye stated.
On the support for Dangote, he said, “A strategic decision to secure a $1bn loan backed by NNPC’s crude was instrumental in supporting the Dangote refinery during liquidity challenges, paving the way for the establishment of Nigeria’s first private refinery.
“This initiative underscores NNPC’s dedication to fostering public-private partnerships that drive national development.”
Soneye also mentioned the restart of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, describing it as a significant turning point in Nigeria’s quest for energy self-sufficiency, reaffirming the company’s commitment to revitalizing the nation’s refining capacity.
He stressed that the national oil firm had championed the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas as an alternative energy source, offering Nigerians a cleaner and more cost-effective solution amidst rising global energy costs.
He recalled that in a historic achievement, NNPC declared profit for the first time in decades, marking a significant financial turnaround.
Soneye added that the company had already exceeded its profit projections for 2024, a testament to the transformative reforms of the firm.
He pledged that as a responsible energy company, NNPCL would continue to strengthen Nigeria’s energy sector while solidifying its legacy as a transformative force and a global game-changer.
At the stakeholders’ meeting, he said NNPCL recognizes the roles the stakeholders play in shaping the future of energy in Nigeria and beyond.
He stressed, “Together, we stand at the forefront of a transformative era in the global energy landscape, where collaboration, innovation, and sustainability are key to success.”
Energy relations, he said, are the backbone of NNPC Ltd’s operations and strategic aspirations as an integrated energy company.
Soneye said NNPCL remains committed to fostering meaningful relationships, driving excellence, and delivering value across the energy value chain.
He added that the meeting underscored the shared vision to ensure energy security, economic growth, and environmental stewardship for the benefit of all.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 192 foreign nationals for their alleged involvement in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams, marking the largest such operation in the commission’s history.
Among those arrested are 148 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, two Khazartans, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian. The suspects were apprehended in a surprise operation at their hideout, a seven-storey building known as the Big Leaf Building, located at No. 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The EFCC revealed that the operation was the result of actionable intelligence and months of surveillance on the activities of the syndicate. The investigation confirmed that the foreigners used the building, which appeared to be a legitimate corporate office, to train Nigerian accomplices on how to execute romance and investment scams. They also used Nigerian identities to carry out their fraudulent schemes.
The facility, equipped with high-end desktop computers, contained several floors dedicated to criminal activities. On the fifth floor, investigators seized 500 SIM cards of local telecom providers, which were acquired for illicit purposes.
According to the EFCC, the foreign suspects recruited Nigerian accomplices to target victims primarily in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and various European countries through phishing schemes. The Nigerian operatives were given desktop computers and mobile devices, creating fake profiles to engage victims in fraudulent romantic and business conversations.
These accomplices communicated with victims using WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram, often pretending to be business professionals or romantic partners. The scammers encouraged victims to register on a fake online investment platform, www.yooto.com, where they were required to pay activation fees starting at $35 to open an account.
The EFCC’s successful operation marks a significant blow to the international syndicate involved in these scams.
Details later:
Nigeria’s inflation rate has risen from 33.88 percent in October to 34.60 percent in November.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) disclosed this in the November Consumer Price Index and Inflation (CPI) report released on Monday.
According to the report, the increase in November was by 0.72 percent. The report showed an increase of 6.40 percent when compared with the report of November 2023.
“In November 2024, the Headline inflation rate was 34.60% relative to the October 2024 headline inflation rate of 33.88%. Looking at the movement, the November 2024 Headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.72% points compared to the October 2024 Headline inflation rate.
“On a year-on-year basis, the Headline inflation rate was 6.40% points higher than the rate recorded in November 2023 (28.20%). This shows that the Headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in November 2024 compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., November 2023),” it read.
However, the report showed that the increase in the average price in November was slower than in October 2024.
“Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the Headline inflation rate in November 2024 was 2.638%, which was 0.002% points lower than the rate recorded in October 2024 (2.640%).
“This means that in November 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level is slightly lower than the rate of increase in the average price level in October 2024,” it stated.
The report also disclosed that Nigeria’s food inflation was 39.93%.
The N47.9tn 2025 budget presentation to the joint session of the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, earlier fixed for Tuesday, December 17, has been shifted to Wednesday, December 18.
Our correspondent in the Senate authoritatively gathered from top management staff of the National Assembly.
The insider source said an official statement on the postponement should be issued within the next few hours.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had, during the announcement at the Thursday plenary, announced that President Tinubu will present the 2025 budget on Tuesday.
He said, “The president has made his intention known to the National Assembly to present the 2025 budget to the joint Assembly of the National Assembly on the 17th of December, 2024.”
Akpabio announced that the budget presentation will occur at the House of Representatives Chamber.
He further informed the lawmakers that plenary will be at 10:30 am to allow senators to meet in the Red Chamber before moving in procession to the House of Representatives chamber where the budget will be presented.
Tinubu had last month submitted the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for 2025–2027 to both the Senate and the House of Representatives last Tuesday.
[Punch]
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The Federal Government’s expenditure exceeded its accrued revenue in the first six months of 2024, resulting in a budget deficit of N4.53tn, a new report from the budget office has indicated.
The deficit spending was driven by a 73.91 per cent increase in its expenditure which moderated the impact of improved revenue receipt of N8.70tn between January and June 2024.
An analysis of the newly released second-quarter budget implementation on Sunday revealed that the deficit was 29.85 per cent higher than N3.488tn recorded within the review period in 2023, but was N59.55bn (1.30 per cent) below the projected half-year deficit of N4.589tn.
It stated the amount was financed through domestic borrowing, increasing the nation’s debt profile. Economic analysts have expressed concerns about the nation’s debt sustainability, emphasizing the urgent need to diversify its revenue base.
In simple terms, a fiscal deficit happens when a government’s spending exceeds its revenue from taxes and other sources. It means the government is spending more money than it’s bringing in.
To cover this gap, the government often borrows money, which can lead to an increase in public debt. This shortfall also signals a greater reliance on borrowing to finance the growing expenditure, raising concerns about the long-term fiscal sustainability and potential impacts on national debt levels.
During the 2024 budget presentation, the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, highlighted plans to reduce the budget deficit to N9.18tn or 3.88 per cent in line with the threshold set by the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.
He said this would be achieved by implementing a variety of strategies, including a thorough review of recurrent expenditures, prioritising essential spending and eliminating wasteful or unproductive expenditures, streamlining administrative processes, reducing travel costs, and consolidating certain functions.
However, a breakdown of the implementation report indicated a different scenario.
The report read, “The revenue and expenditure outturn of the Federal Government resulted in a fiscal deficit of N4.529tn in the first half of 2024. This was N59.55bn (1.30 per cent) below the projected half-year deficit of N4.589tn. It was also higher than the N3.488tn deficit that was recorded in the first half of 2023. The deficit was financed through domestic borrowing of N4.529tn.
It added, “The sum of N8.702tn was received to fund the FGN budget in the first half of 2024. This comprises N2.715tn (31.20 per cent) oil revenue and N5.987tn (68.80 per cent) non-oil revenue. Revenue receipts increased from N3.586tn in the first quarter to N5.115tn in the second quarter. However, the total inflow for the first half of the year was N1.097tn (11.20 per cent) lower than the 2024 half-year projection of N9.799tn but N4.582tn (112.22 per cent) higher than the N4.119tn reported during the first half of 2023.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic will cease to be members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from 2025.
Alieu Touray, president of ECOWAS commission, made the announcement on Sunday during the 66th ordinary session of heads of states and governments in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
Touray set the countries’ exit at January 29, 2025 – July 29, 2025.
The ECOWAS president said the timeframe would allow for last mediations and any diplomatic interventions.
“After deliberations, their excellencies, the authority members of the authority of ECOWAS, heads of state and government, commend the exemplary diplomatic engagement of His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal, and His Excellency Faure Gnassingbé President of the Togolese Republic, and the diplomatic efforts of the chairman of authority, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other individual member states towards these three countries,” he said.
“The authority takes note of the notification by Bukina Faso, Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger of their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS. The authority acknowledges that in accordance with the provisions of Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS treaty, the three countries will officially cease to be members of ECOWAS from 29 January, 2025.
“The authority decides to set the period from 29 January, 2025 to 29 July 2025 as a transitional period and to keep ECOWAS doors open to the three countries during the transition period.
”In this regard, the authority extends the mandate of President faure Gnassingbé of Togo, and President Faye of Senegal to continue their mediation rule up to the end of the transition period to bring the three member countries back to ECOWAS.”
Touray said withdrawal formalities would be launched after the January 29, 2025 deadline.
He said a contingency plan covering various areas would be drawn up.
“The authority directs the council of ministers to convene an extraordinary session during the second quarter of 2025 to consider and adopt both separation modalities and the contingency plan covering political and economic relations between ECOWAS and the Republic of Niger, the Republic of Mali and Burkina Faso,” he said.
The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee disbursed a total of N2.08tn in allocations to Local Government Councils between July and December 2024, findings by The PUNCH have shown.
However, despite the July 2024 Supreme Court ruling granting full financial autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas, The PUNCH learnt that the allocations were still paid to state government accounts.
This, it was learnt, has irked officials and members of the Association of the Local Governments of Nigeria and National Union of Local Government Employees.
The landmark Supreme Court ruling directed that funds meant for LGs should be paid directly into their accounts, bypassing state governments, in an effort to promote autonomy and ensure that the funds allocated to local governments were properly utilised.
Nearly six months after the judgment, the Federal Government had not effected direct payment of allocations to the local governments, as directed by the apex court.
The PUNCH reported that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said the Federal Government was yet to commence direct payment to the respective LGs due to some “practical impediments.”
He added that a committee had been set up by the Federal Government to look at the practicability of the judgment.
The Federal Government, it was learnt, faced challenges implementing the ruling on local government financial autonomy, with concerns over its impact on salary payments and operational viability.
An analysis of communiqués released after the monthly meeting of Federation Accounts Allocation Committee showed that from July to December 2024, the total distributable revenue amounted to N8.351tn, which was shared among the Federal Government, States, and Local Government Councils. The disbursements for each month were as follows:
In July 2024, the total revenue shared was N1.354tn. The Federal Government received N459.776bn, while the States received N461.979bn and the Local Government Councils received N337.019bn.
In August 2024, the total distributable revenue increased to N1.358tn. The Federal Government received N431.079bn, the States N473.477bn, and the LGCs N343.703bn, a slight increase of N6.684bn from the previous month. This represents a 2 per cent increase in the amount allocated to LGCs.
September 2024 saw a decrease in the total distributable revenue, which fell to N1.203tn. The Federal Government received N374.925bn, the States N422.861bn, and the Local Government Councils N306.533bn. This marked a significant drop of N37.170bn in LGC allocations compared to August 2024, a decrease of 10.1 per cent.
In October 2024, the total distributable revenue rose to N1.298tn. The Federal Government received N424.867bn, the States received N453.724bn, and the LGCs received N329.864bn. This marked an increase of N23.331bn, representing a 7.6 per cent rise in allocations to the LGCs from September.
The trend continued in November 2024, with the total distributable revenue increasing to N1.411tn. The Federal Government received N433.021bn, the States received N490.696bn, and the Local Government Councils received N355.621bn. This represented an increase of N25.757bn, or 7.8 per cent, compared to the previous month for LGC.
In December 2024, the total distributable revenue reached N1.727tn, the highest amount of the six-month period. The Federal Government received N581.856bn, the States N549.792bn, and the Local Government Councils received N402.553bn. This was the largest allocation to the LGs, with an increase of N46.932bn, which equated to a 13.2 per cent rise from November.
Over the six-month period, the total amount allocated to the Local Government Councils was N2.075tn out of the N8.351tn total distributable revenue. This allocation represents approximately 24.9 per cent of the total revenue shared.
The PUNCH further observed that there was a 72.06 per cent increase in the allocations to local governments between July to December 2024 when compared to the same period of the previous year.
This means that there was an increase of N869bn from the N1.206tn allocated to local government councils within the same period last year.
The month of December saw the highest allocation to LGCs, marking a significant 13.2 per cent increase from the previous month. This sharp rise in December followed a steady upward trajectory in LGC allocations, with the biggest percentage increase seen in the final month of the year.
Despite these large disbursements, the question of whether the Supreme Court’s directive will be fully implemented remains unanswered.
In July this year, the Supreme Court declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations.
The seven-man panel, in the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves.
The apex court held that the power of the government is portioned into three arms of government, the federal, the state and the local government.
The court further declared that a state government has no power to appoint a caretaker committee and a local government council is only recognisable with a democratically elected government.
The judgment held that the use of a caretaker committee amounts to the state government taking control of the local government and is in violation of the 1999 Constitution.
The court ruled that state governments are perpetuating a dangerous trend by refusing to allow democratically elected local government councils to function, instead appointing their loyalists who can only be removed by them.
The court stated that it is the local government that should receive and manage funds meant for local government.
The judgment held that the local government council funds must be paid to only democratically elected local government councils stating that “anything other than this will be taken as a gross misconduct.”
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), earlier issued a stern warning to state governors bypassing the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, threatening to seek a contempt of court suit if the defiance continues.
Fagbemi also cautioned local government chairmen across the country against mismanaging or looting public funds.
The AGF stressed that the autonomy granted to local governments by the Supreme Court is to empower the grassroots and not for carting public funds into private pockets as such attitude will not go unpunished.
ALGON, NULGE kick
The Secretary-General of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Mohammed Abubakar, while speaking on the delay in the direct payment of federal allocation to local governments, lamented the non-implementation of the Supreme Court ruling.
“Sincerely, we are all in the dark as we stand now. People who don’t want this LG autonomy to work are having a field day. Ordinarily, the Supreme Court judgment should not be left unattended. We are in the dark, to the extent that we cannot pinpoint what the government is trying to achieve by not enforcing the Supreme Court judgment allowing allocation to be paid directly to local government accounts,” Abubakar told The PUNCH.
He added, “The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees and ALGON had made their submissions that the LGs accounts should be opened across board and submitted to the Office of The Accountant-General for the allocation to be disbursed directly.
“But the governors are claiming that they already utilised funds for the interest of the local governments. They also argued that the local governments’ money is not enough to take care of all the health and the primary school teachers. But we are saying they should allow the implementation first, then we can make a case for whatever deficiencies we have.
“In a situation where you don’t act but worry about some issues raised by the governors, which include that they have incurred a lot of loans on behalf of the local governments, then we may not have a way forward. So, these are the bottlenecks that we understand are causing these delays, but again there can be a way out of these issues and we have proffered some solutions to the committee. It is best known to the committee why it has not carried out the advice we gave to them.”
Also, the Ogun State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, Bayo Adefesobi, on Monday blamed the Federal Government for the non-implementation of the court judgment.
“We have not seen the implementation of LG autonomy in Ogun State just as it is across the country. The blame for the non-implementation should go to the Federal Government that made the pronouncement but refused to follow up on its decision.
“Once the Federal Government pays the allocation into the respective accounts of the local governments, the chairmen will access the funds and use them for grassroots development. So, we all await the Federal Government to do the needful.”
The Chairman, Kwara State chapter of NULGE, Seun Oyinlade, expressed disappointment over the non-implementation of the LG autonomy six months after the judgment.
He said “All the 16 local governments in the state did not receive their allocations directly from the Federal Government. If the councils had received direct allocation from the Federal Government, there would have been no need for the JAAC meeting held with the council officials before the payment of LG workers’ salaries for the month of November.”
Speaking with one of our correspondents, ex-chairman of Atakumosa West LG in Osun State, Francis Famurewa, lamented the fate of the lgs, saying despite being elected, LG chairmen were made to take instructions from the state’s Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, an appointee of the governor.
Asked if he was satisfied with the situation of the LGs, Famurewa said, “Nobody will be satisfied with the current situation where local governments are appendages of the state.
“Most of the time, they are not just appendages, they are under the control of the Ministry of Local Government. When I was in office as chairman, we were more under the Commissioner for Local Government, which was a terrible scenario.”
The Epe Local Government Council Chairman, Princess Surah Animashaun, has said the Grand Chief Commander Award conferred on a member of Lagos State Governor's Advisory Council (GAC), Alhaji Shakiru Akanni Seriki-Bamu by the Prestigious Epe club, is an award well deserved.
A statement by the LG Chairperson, Princess Animashaun, said, “Akanni Seriki-Bamu has successfully made a masterpiece out of Epe division and Lagos State at large. The award is a confirmation of the Seriki-Bamu’s popularity and credence as a progressive leader who has continued to use his resources for the common good of all.
“His exemplary leadership, selfless service, and invaluable contributions to the growth and development of our beloved community is a testament to the prestigious award and recognition.
“Akanni Seriki-Bamu has so far shown a firm resolve to creating a better reality for everyone in Epe division, your tireless efforts to promote unity, progress, and social welfare in Epe division have not gone unnoticed.
"Indeed, you are a shining example of dedication, integrity, compassion, selflessness and community spirit that is worth emulating, we are proud to associate with you and celebrate your exceptional leadership, achievements as personality of inestimable value."
"Your immense contributions has made Epe, a model Council of good governance, and we are quite delighted that he is being recognised with the Grand Commander of the Prestigious Epe Club.
"May this recognition inspire you to continue serving our community with the same passion, relentlessness, vision, energy, wisdom, and generosity that have made you a highly revered figure in Epe division and nationally."