Federal Government has donated relief materials worth millions of naira to Ekiti State Government for distribution to the victims of natural and man-made disasters in the state.
The initiative of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, was to support President Muhammad Buhari’s drive towards making life more meaningful for the people especially the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in Nigeria.
Our Correspondent, who was at the event brings the details.
Oriola Afolabi
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has donated relief items to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in Osun State.
The displaced persons which caught across local government areas of the state were given food items, mattresses, sanitary pads amongst others.
The Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh while handing over the relief materials to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State, explained that the beneficiaries were those affected by flood, banditry and COVID-19.
Dr. Jamoh who was represented by the agency’s deputy director, Dr. Odunayo Ani said the number of beneficiaries were those given to NIMASA by the Osun State Emergency Agency, OSEMA.
He informed that tools including sewing machines, grinding machines and motorcycles were procured for the IDPs for economic development.
In his address, Osun State Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, expressed delight over the donation of relief materials to the Internally Displaced Persons in the state.
The governor reiterated the commitment of the administration to effective and efficient disaster management through public enlightenment campaign, disaster risk reduction workshops and transmission of jingles on electronic media, and updating of the contingency response plan.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Olusola Ayowole commended the agency for the gesture towards the internally displaced persons in the state.
Adenitan Akinola
The House of Representatives has threatened sanctions against the Inspector General of Police, Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), if they failed to honour parliament’s invitation within 72 hours.
The resolution was sequel to a motion adopted by the ad hoc Committee of the House investigating the assessment and status of all recovered loots, movable and immovable assets from 2002 to 2020 at the resumed hearing on Monday.
The Chairman of the ad hoc Committee, Mr. Adejoro Adeogun, who announced the resolution, expressed disappointment over the non appearance of heads of various invited agencies of government invited by the Committee.
He further sought to know how many of the agencies were present but to his dismay all the aforementioned agencies sent representatives without a formal or official communication to the Committee which infuriated the chairman.
“You are indirectly undermining the entire parliament, not just the House of Representatives but the entire institution”.
Meanwhile, he also accused the representatives of the agencies as impersonating the agencies they claim to represent hence they could not tender a formal letter of introduction from their principals assigning them to represent them accordingly.
Moving a motion in that regard, a member from Ogun state, Isiaka Ibrahim, lamented the lack of respect accorded the parliament by various agencies of government despite being a creation of the parliament.
The motion was adopted by the Committee and the chairman in his final remarks stated that it will give the agencies till Thursday to appear , threatening to issue sanctions, in line with sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 constitution, if they failed to do so.
FRCN, Abuja
As a way of addressing the country’s dwindling economy and heavy debt burden, the federal government moved to boost its resources by directly taking control of revenue management of its ten most lucrative enterprises.
These enterprises include Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS and Nigeria Customs Service, NCS.
Others are Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN and Nigeria Shippers’ Council, NSC.
Commenting on the development, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed noted that the initiative was in compliance with the presidential approval conveyed through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation’s circular on the approved revenue performance management Framework for Government-Owned Enterprises, FGOEs.
Mrs Ahmed expressed optimism that the presence of Directors of Revenue at the enterprises will ensure strict adherence to extant rules and regulations in the areas of approved budget as well as due process mechanism in procurement and payments.
Furthermore, the directors would be involved in the revenue operations of the agencies, have a better understanding of business processes and operations leading to improved transparency and accountability in the revenue reporting of the FGOEs.
In addition, they are expected to seek opportunities and avenues for revenue improvements which is the ultimate aim of the government.
It will be recalled that the federal government introduced the Treasury Single Account, TSA, ostensibly to ensure effective monitoring and collection of its revenue.
The minister added that, the duties of the directors would be aided with the deployment of Information Technology to ensure transparency and accountability.
Accountant General of the federation, Mr Ahmed Idris opined that the initiative is to achieve transparency and accountability of government revenue with special focus on FGOEs, improved revenue performance and ultimately provide a sustainable source of funding for government budget execution.
The policy is a reform initiative aimed at generating more revenue and associated remittances into the government coffers and also improve the operational performances of all FGOEs.
Unfortunately, it has been discovered that a number of government owned enterprises remitted less than the operating surplus to the consolidated revenue fund as required by law of financial regulations.
To ensure the success of this measure, auditors both internal and external should be proactive by ensuring that the government does not lose any revenue through leakages, wastages and corrupt practices.
It is of utmost importance that the Directors of Revenue in the FGOEs, discharge their duties as expected which will in turn translate to economic growth for the nation.
Titilayo Kupoliyi
