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EFCC Holds Anti-Corruption Walk In Abuja, 13 Other Zones …Vows To Tackle Looters Of Public Funds

Published

10 months ago

December 11, 2023

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has vowed to tackle looters of public funds, drainers of resources and other corrupt elements in Nigeria to make room for growth and development across the country.
The EFCC boss stated this in Abuja on Saturday during a road walk held in commemoration of the 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day.
The theme of the 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day is “Uniting the World against Corruption”.
Olukoyede pointed out that the EFCC under his watch would not allow resources meant for economic growth and the greater good of Nigerians to be cornered by looters and that every stolen fund would be recovered to develop social systems in the country.
Olukoyede said, “We are going to give sleepless nights to those stealing our money. We are going to remove opportunities for corruption. We are going to plug the loopholes.
“We are in the era of a new budget. We have sent word to all the gatekeepers of our finances in Nigeria that we are going to work with them. Every money that is released, we are going to track them.”
He further promised that the anti-corruption mandate of the EFCC is being refocused to stimulate growth and development in all the sectors of the economy.
“We are refocusing the anti-corruption mandate of the EFCC. We will fight corruption to stimulate growth and development and remove all the threats to the progress of the nation. We are tired of corruption in Nigeria. Our youths must have job opportunities.”
On the theme of the 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day, Olukoyede stated that the whole world must come together to fight corruption and expressed readiness to approach the international community for the recovery of stolen funds kept abroad.
He said, “Those who are keeping looted funds abroad are more corrupt than us. We are going to go after them. We will recover our funds and use them to develop our systems.”
The Tide reports that the road walk was held in all the 14 zonal commands of the EFCC, as the one by the Abuja Zonal Command in Wuse district witnessed massive turn out of Nigerians, including staff of the EFCC, civil society organisations, representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Police, Armed Forces, National Youth Service Corps, women groups, media and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile , the EFCC has raised the alarm over increasing cases of land fraud and cyber crimes in South-East geopolitical zone.
Enugu Zonal Commander of the anti-graft agency, Aliyu Naibi, spoke on Saturday, while fielding questions from journalists during the anti-corruption road walk in Enugu in commemoration of this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day, as declared by the United Nations
According to him, the ugly trends of land fraud were increasingly discouraging investments, while announced that the commission had put machinery in place to discourage the scourge.
He, however, noted that it was still the people and government of the region that should permanently end it.
He said, “Our major challenge in South-East and Enugu in particular, are people using land to defraud other people. This is the kind of report we get almost daily. Another is the issue of cybercrime mostly by youths.”
The EFCC chief called on the anti-corruption stakeholders to rise and save the region from the ugly trend of land fraud and cybercrime in the interest of the region and her youths.
“We want to use this opportunity to implore our community, religious leaders and traditional rulers to intervene and checkmate this ugly trend.
“The state government is not left behind also. They and every aspect of society must stand up against this by talking and taking action.
“I say this because land fraud is an economic sabotage and it discourages investors from coming into any state where it is practised,” he said.
On the road walk in Enugu, Naibi explained that it was meant to create awareness about the negative effects of corruption.
While delivering the speech of the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, Naibi called on anti-corruption stakeholders to unite and continue to support the commission to break the chain of corruption in the country.

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Nigeria’s Rail Transport Generated N1.69bn In Q2 -NBS report

Published

2 days ago

September 20, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian rail system generated N1.69billionn in revenue from passengers in the second quarter of 2024, reflecting a 53.14 per cent increase compared to the N1.10billion recorded in the same period of 2023.
This data was disclosed by the National Bureau of Statistics in its report released yesterday.
According to the report, a total of 689,263 passengers travelled by rail in Q2, representing a growth rate of 45.38 per cent compared to 474,117 passengers in the corresponding quarter of 2023.
The volume of goods transported via rail also saw a significant increase, with 143,759 tons moved in Q2 2024, up from 56,936 tons in Q2 2023. Additionally, the Nigerian Railway Corporation reported a volume of 5,940 tons of goods transported through pipelines in Q2 2024, an increase from the 2,856 tons recorded in the same period of the previous year.
Revenue from goods conveyed via rail stood at N537.36m in Q2 2024, a remarkable increase of 206.68 per cent compared to N175.22m in Q2 2023. The movement of goods through pipelines also contributed to revenue generation, with N42.08m collected in Q2 2024, compared to N12.81million in Q2 2023.
Other revenue receipts amounted to N994.68million in Q2 2024, representing a staggering increase of 5,206.68 per cent from the N18.74m recorded in the corresponding period of last year.
In the first quarter, of 2024, The Tide source reported that Nigeria spent more on servicing the debt incurred for building its railways than the revenue generated by its railway system. The country spent 2,470 per cent more on railway debt servicing than it made from revenue from rail services in the first quarter of 2024.

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NDDC Unveils Initiative To Enhance Food Security In N’Delta

Published

2 days ago

September 20, 2024

The Tide

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it is committed to advancing projects and programmes that enhance food security and sustainable growth in the region.
Chief Monday Igbuya, the Delta State representative on the NDDC Board, made this pledge in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, yesterday by the NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama.
Igbuya spoke at the inauguration of a training and empowerment programme for women and youths in livestock and agro processing in Amukpe, Sapele area of Delta.
He stated that the NDDC was prioritising livestock training in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“NDDC is focussed on implementing programmes to ensure food security and agricultural growth in multi sectors, aiming to improve living standards.
“It is our belief that for socio-economic development to take place, there is need to develop manpower in the agricultural sector,” he said.
Igbuya expressed confidence that training farmers would enhance livestock production, create jobs, and alleviate poverty in the Niger Delta.
Mrs Winifred Madume, NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that training farmers and entrepreneurs was essential for improving productivity and market access.
“The commission has been promoting research and development through various institutions and providing farming techniques to beneficiaries,” she said.
The Project Consultant, Dr Simon Akhaine, said that 200 women and youths had registered for the livestock and agro-business skill acquisition programme.
According to him, the programme aims to equip them with the essential knowledge and skills for self-sufficiency in livestock farming, thereby boosting regional food security.

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Tinubu Shelves UNGA79 Trip To Address National Challenges

Published

2 days ago

September 20, 2024

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
In his stead, Vice President Kashim Shettima will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the annual summit.
Tinubu “wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding,” a statement from the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed yesterday.
The statement is titled ‘Vice President Shettima to Lead Nigeria’s Delegation to the 79th United Nations General Assembly.’
It reads, “President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
“Therefore, the President has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation.”
Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trips to China and the United Kingdom, “wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding,” said Onanuga.
At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings.
The high-level General Debate, with the theme “Leaving No One Behind: Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development, and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations,” will run from Tuesday, September 24, through Saturday, September 28, 2024.