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Nigerian Govt To Use $322.52m ‘Abacha Loot’ For Social Safety Net Program
Nigerian government has announced plans to use the $322.52 million returned to the country by the Swiss government as part of the fund looted and stashed abroad by late military dictator, General Sani Abacha, to implement its national social safety net programs.
Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the Minister of Finance, made this known while talking to the press at the end of the 2018 International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC, United States on April 22.
Mrs. Adeosun stated that the recovered fund which had already been lodged in a special account in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will be used for the social safety nets projects aimed at providing access to targeted transfers to poor and vulnerable households under an expanded national social safety nets system.
Mrs Adeosun also spoke on the current growth in the country’s economy. She stressed that the current economic growth showed inflation rate slowing down, with foreign reserves rising and that the current outlook contrasted with the situation experienced under previous administration before 2015.
Citing statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), she said inflation dropped from 14.3 per cent in February 2018, to about 13.49 per cent in March 2018.
She also noted that the country’s foreign reserves, which stood at about $23 billion in October 2016, has grown to more than $47.93 billion, from about $47.37 billion as at April 5, 2018.
She said the government was optimistic that the country’s economic growth would be sustained, with current projections for 2019 expected to be far more robust than the present level in 2018.
“Government is confident that if we diligently implement our economic plan, we will continue to grow the economy,” she said.
Speaking on the government-owned-enterprises like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the minister said government would continue to efficiently and effectively manage their operational costs, plug leakages and ensure efficiency.
She said, “We must make sure every money earned comes in. We will drive the process of improving good governance and accountability.”
The Minister also said government is currently refinancing inherited debt portfolio from short term Treasury Bills to longer tenured debts and that this has resulted into huge savings and reduction in costs of funds.
She also informed that the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) deadline was extended by three months till June 30, 2018 following appeals from taxpayers for more time to regularize their tax status. She also pointed out that the present administration has raised the taxpayers’ base from 13 million in 2015 to 17 million as at 2018.
Mr. Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who was also at the briefing reassured the country of positive economic growth as he noted that a growth rate of 2.5 per cent projected by the IMF and World Bank for Nigeria was achievable.
Noting the sustained growth in the country’s external reserves, Mr Emefiele stressed the need to continue to grow the reserves to save for the rainy day.
He also guaranteed that concerted efforts were ongoing to realise the 80 per cent target for financial inclusion by 2020.
He said, “If we had enough reserves, we wouldn’t have suffered the recession shocks.”
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Update : Road Crash: Anthony Joshua Hospitalised, Two Confirmed Dead — Ogun Police Spokesperson
Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been hospitalised after a road accident in the Makun area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.
Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Babaseyi Oluseyi, confirmed this in a statement.
The incident occurred shortly after 11 am on Monday.
Our reporter, who was at the scene, said the crash happened just before the Danco Filling Station in Makun, ahead of the Sagamu Interchange on the Ibadan-bound axis.
Adeniyi Orojo stated that the Lexus Jeep carrying Joshua, with number plate KRD 850 HN, collided with a stationary truck.
The eyewitness revealed that Joshua sustained minor injuries, while two others died at the scene.
“It was a two-vehicle convoy: a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV. Joshua was seated behind the driver, with another person beside him. A passenger sat beside the driver, making four occupants in the Lexus that crashed.
His security detail followed in the vehicle behind.
“Other eyewitnesses and I began the rescue and flagged down oncoming vehicles for help. Minutes after the crash, Federal Road Safety Corps officials arrived. The passenger beside the driver and the person beside Joshua died on the spot,” he said.
In a statement sent to Newsthumb on Monday, Oluseyi confirmed that Joshua and other injured persons were involved in a car accident and rushed to an undisclosed hospital.
He said, “The Ogun State Police Command confirms a road accident today in front of Sinoma, before Danco, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. Anthony Joshua and other injured persons have been rushed to the hospital.
“Further updates will be communicated.”
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Tinubu Leaves Nigeria for Europe, UAE to Attend ADSW 2026 Summit, Says Onanuga
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departed Lagos on Sunday, December 28, for Europe, continuing his end-of-year break and ahead of his official trip to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed AlNahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has invited President Tinubu to participate in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026) Summit, which will take place in the emirate early in January.
The weeklong summit is an annual event that mobilises leaders from government, business, and society to chart the next era of sustainable development.
With the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go”, ADSW will connect ambition with action across innovation, finance, and people, showcasing how the world can move forward with confidence.’
The President will return to the country after the Summit.
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BREAKING: Fayose Alleges N45.5bn from N50bn Ibadan Explosion Fund Diverted by Makinde for Political Ambitions
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Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has released what he described as documentary evidence to support his claim that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, received N50 billion from the Federal Government as a special intervention fund following the January 2024 explosion in Ibadan.
Fayose made the documents public on Sunday in a statement accompanied by a memo from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
He said the disclosure followed a challenge by Makinde to substantiate his earlier claim that the Oyo State Government received the funds.
“Two days ago, I stated on national television that Oyo State under Governor Seyi Makinde received N50bn from the Federal Government as intervention for the Ibadan explosion. Yesterday, the governor asked me to provide evidence, and here is the evidence he requested,” Fayose said.
The former governor further alleged that only N4.5 billion was disbursed to victims of the explosion, accusing Makinde of diverting the remaining funds for personal political ambitions.
“Only N4.5bn was paid to victims of the Ibadan explosion. The rest, alongside other intervention funds, was diverted to fund his presidential ambition. This, in part, explains the crisis in the PDP and his frequent attacks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration,” he alleged.
Fayose further said he was compelled to release official documents, despite his reluctance to do so, in the interest of transparency and public accountability.
“Even though it is not in my character to go public with official government documents, I had to do this so Nigerians will know who is saying the truth and who has not been sincere with the people of Oyo State,” he said.
The former governor said that Makinde’s alleged disclosure of detail from private meeting with President Tinubu made fuller public disclosure necessary.
He challenged the governor to take legal action if he believed the allegations were false, insisting that he had sufficient proof to defend his claims.
“I challenge Governor Seyi Makinde to sue me on this. There are also proofs of other intervention funds received from Tinubu’s administration by the Oyo State Government which the governor refused to disclose to the people,” he said.
He further claimed to have documentary evidence of Oyo State’s actual Internally Generated Revenue, contrary to figures publicly stated by Makinde, noting that he would release the details at a later time.
“There are documentary evidences on the actual Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Oyo State, as against Governor Makinde’s claim, but we will keep our gunpowder dry for now.
“My name is still Ayo Fayose. I don’t say what I can’t prove,” he said.
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