Top Stories
Oyo: Makinde to buy N319 million pick-up vans to boost security
The Seyi Makinde led Oyo state government on Wednesday approved the procurement of 20 units of JAC FRISON TX pick-up vans at the cost of N319 million.
The decision, according to the government was to further boost security in the state.
Governor Makinde , also, in line with the commitment his administration to remodel and equip at least one Primary Health Centre in each of the 351 Wards of the state, approved the renovation of 299 Health Centres across the state.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the approval for the procurement of the vehicles and the remodelling of 299 PHCs were part of the resolutions reached at the Executive Council Meeting held on Wednesday.
The statement indicated that a press briefing was addressed by the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, his counterpart in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bashiru Bello, and the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral resources, Barr.Temilolu Ashamu.
Olatubosun, while speaking on the decisions taken, said that the approval for the procurement of the vehicles was in line with the government’s drive to secure the lives and properties of the people in the state.
He said that the 5th State Executive Council meeting of 2021 approved the procurement of the 20 units of JAC FRISON TX pick-up vans at a total cost of N319 million.
He said: “In view of the current security challenges facing the country, the state government has been proactive about it and it is necessary to boost the efforts of the administration in further arresting the situation by procuring additional vehicles for the security agencies and other exigency purposes.
“In view of this, the State’s Executive Council, at the 5th Exco meeting of 2021 held today, Wednesday, approved the procurement of 20 units of JAC FRISON TX pick-up vans to boost security in the state and the cost is N319,000,000.”
Similarly, his counterpart in the Health Ministry, Dr. Bashiru Bello, said the council approved the renovation and reconstruction of 299 primary health care facilities in the state at the cost of Six billion Naira N6,000,000,000, using the Alternative Project Funding Approach (APFA).
He equally added that the primary health care board will renovate the remaining 52 primary health care centres to make 351 wards as promised by the governor.
According to him, “we are here to inform you that today, the State Executive Council approved the Alternative Project Funding Approach, APFA, for the renovation and reconstruction of some primary health facilities in Oyo State.
“A total number of 299 have been given to two different firms and this is on the ground that the project will commence and, within two months, over 20 per cent of the project would have been completed.
“His Excellency has approved that there will be one per ward, and since we have 351 wards, the primary health care board will take care of the remaining 52 primary health care centres to be renovated and remodelled.
“Mind you, the state is not putting in any money as of now. It is when the project continues that the payment will be spread over a period of 12 months.
The Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources Barr. Temilolu ‘Seun, in his contribution, said that the Council also granted approval for the connection of 28 Transformers across three Senatorial Districts of the state at the cost of N247,000,000.
He said: “It will be recalled that some years back, transformers were procured and distributed to local government areas across the state, many of which have actually not been connected or energized.
“Aware of the financial constraints that the state, the country and the world are facing at the moment, we decided that it was cost-effective to commence a campaign of connecting the transformers that are already within our society.
“Consequently, the Council approved that the campaign begins and should be phased, by connecting 28 transformers across each senatorial district in the state.
“It is a phased implementation plan, and this is just the first phase, which is being announced. The transformers that I mentioned are already within the society and they are procured with public funds but they are not of use for members of the society at the moment.
“We have taken a deliberate decision to energize those transformers so as to derive value for the monies that have been expended.
“The cost implication is about N247,000,000.”
Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised concerns over widespread corruption in Nigeria’s electricity sector, attributing frequent national grid failures to fraudulent practices involving substandard materials.
Olukoyede made these remarks on Tuesday during a visit from the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
He revealed that ongoing investigations in the power sector had exposed disturbing levels of malpractice, often resulting in compromised infrastructure and recurrent grid collapses.
“As I am talking to you now, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears,” Olukoyede stated.
He further explained that contractors awarded projects to supply electrical equipment were substituting recommended materials with cheaper, inferior alternatives.
“People who were awarded contracts to supply electricity equipment, instead of using what they call 9.0 gauge, they will buy 5.0,” he said, noting that such fraudulent practices contribute significantly to the country’s unstable power supply.
“So, every time you see the thing tripping off gets burnt, and all of that, it’s part of our problems.”
The EFCC boss disclosed that the agency would be intensifying efforts toward crime prevention rather than focusing solely on asset recovery.
He emphasized that future scrutiny would prioritize spending by government ministries and agencies to curb misappropriation at the source.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a record revenue collection of N5.7 trillion as of November 12, 2024, surpassing its yearly target by 10 percent.
This was disclosed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the ongoing 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference in Abuja.
Themed “Nigeria Customs Service: Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose,” the conference showcased the Customs Service’s progress in modernizing its operations and fostering collaborative partnerships.
“Today, I stand before you to demonstrate how our commitments in 2023 have evolved into tangible achievements,” Adeniyi stated.
He attributed the revenue growth to a series of reforms, including the implementation of a one-stop solution for cargo alerts, a revamped ICT infrastructure, streamlined inspection procedures, and enhanced automation.
Adeniyi explained that these changes reflect the agency’s commitment to elevating operational transparency and efficiency.
“We pledged to re-align our free trade operations, elevate cargo integrity standards, and expand our scanning capacities,” he said.
“Above all, we promised to usher in a new era of customs operations—one built on transparency, efficiency, and genuine collaborations with our partners.”
As of Tuesday, November 12, Adeniyi confirmed that the NCS collected N5.07 trillion, achieving the anticipated 10 percent revenue surplus.
“This performance validates our partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation,” he added.
Adeniyi also highlighted recent strides in trade facilitation, revealing that six companies have been selected to benefit from the Authorised Economic Operators programme, which provides fast-tracked customs clearance and other trade facilitation benefits.
Similarly, the NCS has processed 21 requests under an advance ruling programme, designed to expedite customs decisions on import and export cargoes before they reach Nigerian ports.
The Comptroller-General expressed optimism about the NCS’s potential to drive further economic growth, citing the agency’s commitment to fostering partnerships and advancing innovative practices within the customs sector.
Nineteen out of the thirty-eight directors who were shortlisted to fill permanent secretary vacancies within the Federal Civil Service have failed the qualifying examination, a memo from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) revealed on Tuesday.
The memo, signed by Dr. Emmanuel Meribole on behalf of the examination committee, disclosed that the qualifying exam was conducted on Monday, November 11, 2024.
The Federal Government, through the OHCSF, launched the recruitment drive in October to fill permanent secretary vacancies in eight states.
Providing insights into the progress, Eno Olotu, Director of Press at OHCSF, stated, “Of the 38 eligible directors who sat for the exam, 19 have passed the first stage and will move on to the second stage, which will assess their competency in using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in government operations on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.”
Olotu highlighted the rigorous three-stage selection process, designed to ensure that only the most capable individuals are appointed to these high-ranking civil service roles.
This comprehensive approach, according to OHCSF, aims to elevate the quality of leadership across federal ministries.
The directors who advance beyond the ICT proficiency test will face a final stage on Friday, November 15, 2024, where a panel of senior government officials and private sector experts will conduct a final evaluation to determine their suitability for the permanent secretary positions.
-
Politics1 week agoOyo Rep, Oseni Pays APC Secretariat Staff Salaries, Donates N10m to Boost Party Operations
-
Health4 days ago
Oyo: Oseni to Launch Mobile Clinic Initiative to Revitalize Rural Healthcare
-
Crime & Court1 day ago
EFCC Chair Raises Alarm on Rampant Fraud in Nigeria’s Electricity Sector
-
News2 days ago
Half of Shortlisted Directors Fail Federal Permanent Secretary Exam
