News
N’Assembly Rejects 2025 Budget Estimates
The National Assembly joint committee on Solid Minerals, on Friday, rejected the budget estimates of the Ministry of Solid Minerals.
The committee said that the estimates presented were greatly inadequate.
The Chairman of the joint committee, Sen. Ekong Sampson, stated this after the minister, Dele Alake, presented the ministry’s 2025 budget estimate before the committee.
The call for the rejection of the budget followed a motion moved by Sen. Diket Plang (APC-Plateau) and seconded by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi).
Moving the motion, Plang expressed displeasure that the ministry got just N9bn as an envelope out of the N539.7bn it proposed for capital expenditure in the 2025 budget.
The chairman also expressed displeasure over the ministry’s budget because of the importance of solid mineral sector to the diversification of the Nigerian economy.
He said, “This is because of the potential in not addressing the key concerns in this sector at a time that Nigeria is in a grand need to diversify the economy.
“The estimates presented before us are grossly inadequate and will not help our economy at this critical period, when we have to invest in the future, consistent with what obtains in other economies.
“We’ve taken this position in the interest of this country and as a support item to the vision of government as it were that this budget clearly needs a review.
“The need for this review clearly contemplates the peculiarities in the sector.
“Time has gone by and you have to take a very bold step in exploration, in data gathering, in tackling major drawbacks that have put us in dire situations as a nation richly endowed but faced, as it were with the contradictions in abundance.
“It is the view of the joint committee that the budget of this sector be reviewed upwards.
“I think that is the spirit of the meeting, in the meantime, we will suspend further decisions on this budget unless those steps are taken.
“The budget for this sector needs radical upward review. So the joint session rejects the estimate before us. We will step everything down.”
he co-chairman, Mr Gaza Gbefwi, representing Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituencies, also supported the move for the suspension of the budget defence.
“I move that we suspend this budget screening for the Ministry of Solid Minerals for the fact that what is appropriated to them, if it is true, is beyond imagination.
“Also, we are here to pass a budget not for the ministry, not for us, but for Nigerians and the progress of this country.
“I, therefore, propose that we step down this screening of the budget presented to us and request that we invite the Minister of Planning and Budget to appear before this committee,” he said.
Earlier, Alake said that the ministry in 2025, proposed N539.7 billion for capital expenditure and N2 billion for overhead cost, making it a total budget of N541.7 billion for the ministry.
“In contrite distinction to the avowed objective of the economic diversification of Nigeria away from oil into green energy, into harnessing the solid minerals sector, the envelope that the ministry received was a far cry from our proposal.
“We proposed N539.7 billion for capital in 2025, but the envelope that came is a paltry N9 billion,” he said
On the 2024 budget performance of the ministry, Alake said that the overhead cost was 100 per cent performance while the capital was a dismal 18 per cent performance which was based on releases.
“When I did a panoramic view of the entire budget from other ministries, it is a kind of a general problem.
“The budget releases were not as expected which really hampered the capital budget in 2024.
“We rely on your support and effort to correct this anomaly, because if we are going to achieve all our objectives, there is no way we can achieve them,” he said.
In terms of revenue generated, Alake said that the ministry generated N37.8 billion in 2024 as above the N11 billion projected.
Amupitan gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee, General Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd.), at his residence in Minna, Niger State, on Friday.
The commission’s chairman led a delegation comprising National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, directors and his technical aides.
Amupitan described Abubakar as “the father of democracy in Nigeria”, noting that his transition to civilian rule in 1999 marked a defining moment in the country’s democratic history.
The INEC chairman said the commission regarded the former Head of State “not merely as a statesman but as a pillar of support for INEC.”
He also commended Abubakar’s role as Chairman of the National Peace Committee, describing its Peace Accord initiative as “a moralising influence on Nigeria’s political ecosystem.”
According to INEC, Amupitan said the initiative had provided political actors with a platform to commit to non-violence, thereby strengthening “the sovereignty of the will of the Nigerian people.”
The INEC chairman told Abubakar that, regardless of the pressures confronting the commission, it remained committed to ensuring that the will of Nigerians as expressed at the polls would prevail.
He said, “The Commission’s determination under my leadership was to see ordinary Nigerians go out and vote, confident that their votes would be duly counted and reflected in the outcome of elections,” describing this as “the core assurance INEC owed the electorate.”
Amupitan also formally confirmed the dates for the 2027 general elections.
According to INEC, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.
Abubakar, in turn, called on Nigerians to support INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to twelve divisions—a landmark move to enhance the country’s security architecture and improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on (Information & Strategy) Bayo Onanuga says, “this approval underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.”According to the statement, “the expansion builds on the Administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation.”Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions, strategically positioned across the country as follows:1. 1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)2. 2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)3. 3 Division Headquarters – Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)4. 5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)5. 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)6. 7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)7. 8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)8. 9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)9. 10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)10. 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)11. 82 Division Headquarters – Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)12. 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases.
The Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF) worldwide, a pan-Igbo socioeconomic pressure group, has urged the Federal Government to direct the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to supply Dangote Petroleum Refinery adequate crude.
The Chairman of NUF, Chief Augustine Chukwudum, made the call on Wednesday in Enugu while reacting to Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s move to start direct sales of refined Petroleum products in dollars.
It would be recalled that a top management official of the Dangote Group said that its refinery was receiving just four million barrels of crude oil monthly under the arrangement, instead of about 13 million barrels envisaged after President Bola Tinubu’s 2024 directive.
The refinery had attributed its decision to switch from naira-denominated fuel sales domestically to dollar transactions to the crude supply shortfall, saying it would also increase exports of refined petroleum products to earn foreign exchange.
Chukwudum called on the Federal Government to intervene urgently before things get out of hand and Nigerians suffer the more.
According to him, fuel price remains major determinant of prices of other commodities and services in the country as transport cost depends on.
“Things are bound to get worst if the Federal Government neglect to take immediate and decisive actions meant to better the life of the citizens.
“NUF is rasing this alarm because this administration is behaving as if they are not answerable to the people their are supposed to be serving.
“The Federal Government should direct NNPCL to supply all the crude oil needed by Dangote Refinery since the company has the capacity to meet local or domestic petroleum needs of the country.
“The government must stop all forms of fuel importation because that money been used for importation is a waste and put a pressure on our fragile foreign reserve as a nation,” he said.
The NUF boss noted that the refinery company must be allowed to pay in naira with this move, suffering of citizens would be curtailed.
Chukwudum also reiterated the call of the group for the Federal Government to set up judicial panel of inquiry to look into the account of NNPCL for some years now.
A commotion reportedly erupted at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State after some officials were accused of demanding ₦2,000 from applicants before processing voter registration and Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The allegation surfaced in a video circulating on social media, which showed what appeared to be a heated confrontation between applicants and officials at the electoral commission’s office.
According to a resident who narrated the incident in the video, some INEC officials allegedly insisted that applicants pay ₦2,000 before their voter registration or PVC processing could be completed.
The situation reportedly escalated when one of the applicants challenged the alleged demand, insisting that voter registration and PVC-related services are free and should not attract any payment.
The applicant was said to have confronted the officials and attempted to record the exchange with a mobile phone, triggering a heated argument that attracted other applicants and bystanders.
Although raised voices and a commotion could be heard in the footage, the circumstances surrounding the incident could not be independently verified.
The video has since sparked reactions on social media, with many Nigerians condemning the alleged extortion and calling on INEC to investigate the incident and sanction anyone found culpable.
INEC has consistently maintained that voter registration services are free of charge. These include fresh registration, collection of PVCs, transfer of voter information, correction of personal details, and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs.
The commission has also repeatedly urged members of the public to report any cases of extortion, bribery or illegal charges involving its permanent or ad hoc staff during voter registration and PVC distribution.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had not issued an official statement specifically addressing the allegations involving its Onitsha South Local Government Area office.
The incident comes as the electoral commission continues its nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC has also introduced an online self-service platform to enable prospective voters and existing registrants to complete several registration-related processes conveniently, while reiterating that voter registration services remain free of charge.
MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has restored power supply to parts of Enugu metropolis, which witnessed darkness.
Some parts of Enugu metropolis, under the Band A tariff regime, during the weekend witnessed three consecutive days of blackout.
The Head, Communications of MainPower, Mr Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Enugu.
According to him, MainPower wishes to inform its esteemed customers that power supply to the Gariki Injection Substation was successfully restored on Monday, July 20, at about 8:30p.m.
“This is following the successful resolution of a major fault involving the indoor 11kV breaker at the station.
“The fault, which occurred on Friday, July 17, affected electricity supply to customers served by the Army and Gariki 11kV feeders.
“Consequently, normal electricity supply has now been restored to all affected areas,” he said.
Ezeh appreciated residents and customers for their patience, understanding and cooperation throughout the outage.
He noted that the company remained committed to delivering safe, reliable, and improved electricity services to its customers and residents of the state.
It would be recalled that MainPower, which is a subsidiary of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), is in-charge of electricity distribution in Enugu State.
-
News3 days ago“I Did Not Kill Him, He Died on Top of Me” — Woman Who Was With Abacha Reveals
-
News3 days agoFour Herders, Several Cattle Killed As Gunmen Attack Ranch In Anambra
-
News4 days agoPFIPC scandal: How CBN opened domiciliary accounts for phantom agency
-
Politics4 days agoKwankwaso: Obi signed one-term presidency accord
-
News3 days agoAnambra LG Polls Threatened as 56 Councillors Sue to Stop ANSIEC
-
Uncategorized5 days ago
-
Politics4 days agoCourt Reinstates Sen. Emma Anosike as Anambra APC Chairman, Grants Stay of Execution
-
Crime4 days agoSeven Suspected Kidnappers Arrested in Anambra