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We’ll follow due process in award, execution of contracts – Otti’s aide

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We’ll follow due process in award, execution of contracts - Otti’s aide

The Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Alex Otti on Due Process, Dr Oluebube Chukwu, has said that the present administration will stringently follow due process procedures in the award and execution of contracts.

 

Chukwu said this on Friday, when he met with the Management of the State Ministry of Environment in Umuahia.

 

He said that the decision was informed by the desire of the government to achieve better results in infrastructure development.

 

He further said that the government planned to strengthen its fiscal framework and enforce compliance with established spending limits in government transactions to achieve a sound budgeting system and fiscal responsibility.

 

Chukwu said that the ministries, departments and agencies of government were expected to adhere strictly to the budget estimates for every fiscal year, when embarking on capital projects.

 

He said that the importance of budgetary adherence in government business were enormous.

 

According to him, unregulated project executions, usually created an avenue for misappropriation of government funds.

 

Chukwu said that the era of unregulated project executions, exceeding budgetary threshold for MDAs, without adhering to the necessary due process procedures, had ended.

 

He said that the present administration would not welcome any form of shortcuts and illegal practices that would impede the development of the state.

 

He further said that the State Government had made it mandatory for all contracts by MDAs to pass the due process tests.

 

Chukwu said: “For any project to be executed in the state, the Ministry’s Tenders Board, after publishing adverts for bids, will conduct all necessary pre-qualification preliminary checks of the project and contractors.

 

“The board will forward the details of the successful contractor to Due Process Office (DPO), which will at that stage issue a Certificate of No Objection to the contractor.

 

“For capital projects above the threshold of each ministry, the DPO will forward the contract documents to the Finance and General Purpose Committee (FGPC) which, after satisfactory checks, will issue a recommendation letter to the DPO.

 

“The DPO then prepares the Due Process Compliance Certificate in company with the Recommendation Letter from F&GPC, which will be forwarded to the State Executive Council through the state FGPC, and receives approval from it, before sending it back to the MDA.

 

“The MDA then forwards it to the Ministry of Justice for vetting, agreement and other official actions.

 

“The contract documents will finally be brought back to the DPO, which issues the Due Process Certificate, authenticating that required steps were taken in line with approved standards.”

 

He further said that the State Government had commenced building a databank of all government registered contractors in the state and urged ministries executing projects to liaise with the DPO for easy assessment.

 

Chukwu said that the State Government through the DPO would embark on a performance review programme of all government projects in the state, to ensure quality compliance.

 

Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Ogbonna, expressed the ministry’s commitment to always align with the State Government’s approved standards on contract awards and execution.

 

Ogbonna said that the ministry, under his watch, would ensure strict compliance with all the required processes for contract awards and execution.

 

“The ministry will not hesitate to consult the DPO for proper guidance at all times,” he said.

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NJC RECOMENDS ELEVEN SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, ONE COURT OF APPEAL JUSTICE, HEADS OF COURT 

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The National Judicial Commision has recommended the appointment of 11 Supreme Court Justices, one Justice of Court of Appeal, 6 Heads of Courts and 26 other Judicial Officers.

 

This was the consencus at the Councils 104 Meeting after considering the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee

 

 

According to a statement signed by the Director Of Information, Soji Oye, the council after much deliberations, recommended Justice Hannatu Sankey, Justice Chidiebere Uwa, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, Justice Haruna Tsammani and

Justice Aseimo Adumein as Supreme court Justices.

 

Others are Justice Obande Ogbuinya, Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Habeeb Abiru, Justice Jamilu Tukur, Justice Abubakar Umar, and Justice Mohammed Idris.

 

The NJC also recommended Justice Mohammed Ramat as a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

 

Some heads of court nominated are Justice Joel Agya, as the Chief Judge Taraba State,

Justice Umar Abubakar, Chief Judge of Taraba State amongst others.

 

The Council has said that all recommended candidates to the Supreme Court Bench would be sworn-in after the approval of their recommendation by President Bola Tinubu and the subsequent confirmation of their appointment by the Senate.

 

NJC has also noted that the various Heads of Court recommended would also be sworn-in upon the approval of their appointment by their various State Governors and subsequent confirmation of same by their respective State Houses of Assembly.

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EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

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EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has denied comments by it’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede which labelled seventy percent of Nigerian Students as internet fraudsters.

 

 

 

While stating this in a Statement by the Head, Media and Publicity Dele Oyewale, the Commission says it is a misrepresentation of the concerns of the Chairman of the EFCC to the rising incidences of internet- related crimes involving Youths across the Country.

 

 

 

It explains that its Chairman had called for wider media enlightenment of youths as a counter- measure against the menace of internet fraud at a meeting with Representatives of the Civil Society Organizations, CSOs that paid him a visit in Abuja.

 

 

 

Olukoyede says that reports and intelligence available to him indicated that, unless the trajectory of youth involvement in internet fraud is addressed and reversed, the future of their leadership of Nigeria may be threatened and if it continues in the next ten years, seven out ten of the youths may be getting involved in cybercrimes.

 

 

The EFCC says that at no time did its Chairman mentioned that “seven out of ten” Nigerian students are criminals” as widely reported.

 

 

 

The Commission assures the public that its Chairman is doubly committed to the progress of Nigerian Youths and underscores his calls for collaborative interventions in offering them more productive and sustainable alternatives.

 

 

The Statement added that the concerns of the EFCC Chairman bothers on breaking the jinx of mass indulgence of youths in cybercrimes.

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NASS and Bishop Kukah advocate political party repositioning for accountability and inclusivity

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NASS and Bishop Kukah advocate political party repositioning for accountability and inclusivity

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Bishop Matthew Kukah have emphasized the urgent need to reposition political parties, fostering a democratic culture centered on inclusivity, transparency, and accountability.

 

The call was made during the Public Presentation of the Needs Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria, organized by the Kukah Centre with support from the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), held in Abuja.

 

Represented by Sen. Victor Umeh, Akpabio highlighted that the repositioning of political parties is vital to restoring public trust and confidence, ensuring they genuinely represent the aspirations of the people. He identified accountability, inclusivity, transparency, and inherent impunity as significant challenges that must be addressed.

 

Akpabio expressed optimism in the 10th National Assembly to tackle these issues, stressing the importance of holding party leaders accountable for their actions. He called for increased transparency in party financing and campaign expenditures, emphasizing the need for inclusivity in the political process.

 

Bishop Matthew Kukah, the Founder of the Kukah Foundation, explained that the event aimed to address challenges faced by political parties and inspire confidence in politics. He emphasized the role of political parties as platforms for training and deploying politicians to serve the public good.

 

Kukah underlined the importance of understanding political party processes, particularly for young individuals with a vision for forming political parties. He highlighted the significance of the needs assessment in recommending options for parties to become ideological engines for driving political processes and democracy.

 

The report, drawing from academic analysis and interviews with ordinary citizens, recommended a constant review of the Electoral Act, incorporation of the opposition in the political process, and innovative ways of financing political parties.

 

Olawunmi Laolu, Programme Manager at EU-SDGN, stressed the need for political parties to strengthen internal democracy, improve intra and inter-party dialogue, and promote wide participation in the political process. She expressed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s progress and urged political parties to lead by example in advancing democracy in the region.

 

Stakeholders such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) were present at the event.

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