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N634.8b Earmarked For Federal Roads Maintenance Diverted
The Senate on Tuesday raised alarm on the diversion of over N634.8 billion into unknown accounts.
The fund was earmarked for the maintenance of federal roads across the country.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency, Senator Magnus Abe, made this known at the 2018 budget defence of the agency.
Abe vowed to uncover the mismanagement of the money deducted from sale of fuel to maintain federal roads in Nigeria.
He added: “Everybody gets their own shares from sale of fuel, but the fund meant to maintain federal roads were diverted to unknown account.
“The agency has only received the fund once since the law has been made.
“The funding of federal roads was taken consideration when the fuel price was agreed upon.
“The money is collected from Nigerians.
“Everybody gets their own shares except FERMA.
“Who is taking the money?
“We don’t know before now.
“We are going to seek clear mandate to investigate what has happened to the fund.
“This is not the question of taxation, but the money that has been collected that would end in an unknown destination.
“We will use legislative means to find out how this money is being collected and who collected it.”
It was gathered that the Senate had ordered the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency since 2016 to remit the fund into FERMA purse, but declined.
In his presentation before the panel, the Acting Managing Director of FERMA, Engr. Nurudeen Rafindadi, disclosed that the agency is indebted to the tune of N15 billion to contractors, pleading with the lawmakers to capture the debt in the 2018 budget.
Rafindadi said the agency’s debt profile is huge and there is the need to settle contractors that have worked for the agency.
He said: “FERMA’s debt profile is huge and there will be need to settle outstanding debt in order to encourage contractors back to site.
“Moreover, with reference to the recent public hearing by the House committee on FERMA, the Honorable Minister of Power, Works and Housing in his submission strongly suggested that the indebtedness of the agency now assessed in the total sum of N15.7 billion be captured as a line item in the proposed budget to further strengthen the agency in its quest for holistic approach to road maintenance.”
A 30-year-old teacher at Landmark School Mgbakwu in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Faith Nwonye has been arrested for allegedly beating an 8-year-old pupil into a coma.
The state commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in her office on Monday, May 20, 2024, said that the school has been permanently shut down.
Chuma-Udeh said she had summoned the school’s proprietor and Nwonye to explain the incident that led to the brutal beating of the primary pupil.
“We received this unfortunate incident from an illegal school in Mgbakwu that a child was beaten to a coma over the weekend. On behalf of the State Government, we invited the proprietress of the illegal school as well as the teacher who purportedly beat the child,” she said.
“We’ve handed the matter to the police for further investigations, as we await Mr Governor’s directives. Meanwhile, the school is closed down indefinitely because it’s not supposed to exist in the first instance. Any parent who is enrolling his/her child in an illegal school is doing so at his/her own peril.
“To the proprietors of private schools, anyone running an unapproved school in Anambra is a criminal. It’s a criminal offence to run an illegal school in the state.
“Whether the school is legal or not, it’s criminal to beat a child. According to the doctor, the chances of survival of the child is 20%.”
The commissioner added that the teacher would be brought to book.
“As soon as the police are done, the teacher will face other institutions against child rights. She’s going to have the full wrath of the law brought upon her over her actions,” she said.
“Anambra state abhors violence to children, women, and any other person. It’s not part of this administration and Mr. Governor is against such.”
The Iranian President, Raisi has been confirmed dead alongside others in a helicopter crash.
The body of the President however could not be identified due to burns beyond recognition.
According to information, A foreign minister was also involved in the crash and a list of others. They are; Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Governor of Eastern Azerbaijan province Malek Rahmati, Tabriz’s Imam Mohammad Ali Alehashem, The Pilot, The Copilot, Crew Chief, Head of Security and Bodyguard.
The rescue team were at the crash site of the helicopter carrying the president and the discovery came after a long night of searching in freezing conditions.
Shortly before the discovery, Iranian Red Crescent Society head Pir-Hossein Kolivand said the situation was “not good.”
According to Reuters, the helicopter was completely burned in the crash.
Additional and Unfortunately, there is a possibility of martyrdom of all the passengers of the helicopter.
News
The Peruvian Government Has Officially Classified Transgender, Nonbinary And Intersex People As “Mentally ill”
According to the country’s ministry of health, the controversial decision was made to ensure the country’s public health services could “guarantee full coverage of medical attention for mental health” for the trans community.
It also categorises “dual-role transvestitism,” “fetishistic transvestism,” and “other gender identity disorders” under the same bracket of mental illness.
The new law will change language in the Essential Health Insurance Plan (PEAS) to reflect the view of trans and intersex people as a mental health disorder.
Trans groups across Peru have loudly condemned the decision as a step backwards for the country’s already complex relationship with LGBTQ+ rights.
Joe Levy Appointed CEO of Sophos
Teacher Arrested For Beating 8-Year-Old Pupil To Coma In Anambra
BREAKING: Iran President, Ebrahim Raisi And Others Confirmed Dead After Helicopter Crash
LASG Acquires New Outboard Engines For Optimum Boat Performance
ALERT: LASG Closes Ilupeju, Ogunmokun, Jibowu, Yaba Level Crossing For Railway Project
