2021 budget implementation extended to May 31, 2022 – Senate

2021 budget implementation extended to May 31, 2022 – Senate

FCT (Abuja) – The Senate has extended the implementation year of the 2021 Appropriation Act from 31st March to 31st May, 2022.

The extension was approved following the consideration of a bill to Amend the 2021 Appropriation Act.

The Senate before considering the bill suspended Rule 78(1) of the Senate Standing Orders 2022 (as amended), to enable the upper chamber to expeditiously introduce and pass the bill.

The bill was read on Tuesday for this first, second and third time after the suspension of Rule 78(1).

The bill was sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Yayah Abdullahi (Kebbi North).

Leading debate on the bill, Senator Abdullahi, recalled that prior Appropriation Acts in the past were passed mid-year, with their implementation usually extended to the following year.

The lawmaker, noted that in previous Appropriation Acts, these extensions were usually covered by a Clause, in line with the provisions of Section 318 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that the Act runs for a period of 12 months, starting from the date it comes into effect.

He, however, observed on the contrary that Clause 12 of the provisions of Section 318 of the Constitution provides that the 12 month period starts from the 1st day of January to 31st day of December, 2021.

He recalled that the 2022 Appropriation Act was amended to extend the implementation year from 31st December, 2021 to 31st March, 2022.

Senator Abdullahi, explained that the extension of the budget period became imperative in view of the need to complete ongoing projects nearing completion.

He said, “As you are aware, the 2021 Virement of the aggregate sum of N276 billion was approved for several MDAs by the National Assembly in December, 2021 along with 100 percent release of the 2021 Capital Budget of the MDAs.

“A significant portion of the releases to the MDAs has been utilized following the extension to 31st March, 2022.

“In view of the critical importance of some key projects nearing completion, it is expedient to grant further extension of the expiration clause to avoid compounding the problem of abandoned projects given that some of the projects were not provided for in the 2022 budget hence the need to extend the implementation year form 31 March, 2022 to 31st May, 2022.”

The bill to amend the 2021 Appropriation Act was, thereafter, passed sequel to its consideration by the Committee on Supply.

Meanwhile, a total of three bills on Tuesday scaled second reading on the floor.

The bills seek to establish the National Industrial Technology Park; the Federal College of Agriculture Ise-Orin, Ekiti State; and Federal University of Agriculture Ogoja, Cross River State.

The bills were sponsored by Senators Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun Central), Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti South) and Agom Jarigbe (Cross River North).

The bills after consideration were referred by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to the Committees on Trade and Investment; and the Joint Committees on Tertiary Institutions and Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Committees were all given four weeks to report back to the upper chamber.

To President of the Senate

Tuesday, April 5, 2022.

Reps To FAAN: Put Measures In Place To Curb Repeat Of Embarrassing Outage At MMIA

Reps To FAAN: Put Measures In Place To Curb Repeat Of Embarrassing Outage At MMIA

Abuja – The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation headed by Honourable Nnolim Nnaji has urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) to put all necessary measures to avert a repeat occurrence of the type of power outage experienced at the D finger arrival of the international wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos last week.

The D finger arrival was thrown into darkness for over fifteen minutes on the night of Friday, first of April, 2022 at about 11:15 pm at the time the disembarked Air France passengers were undergoing facilitations.

Honourable Nnaji in his opening remarks at the meeting with the FAAN management and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) stressed that the committee had to invite the two organizations for explanations on the incident following a disturbing video that went verile at the weekend.

The committee chairman said the Parliament was not happy with the development adding that a prime airport like the MMIA ought to have standby generators that were supposed to switch on automatically immediately the public power source went off.

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports of Nigeria, (FAAN) Captain Rabiu Yadudu disclosed that the problem was caused by the heavy rain which fell that night that affect the underground cables that supply power to the affected finger.

Captain Yadudu further disclosed that the international terminal of the Murtala Mohammed Airport has six 4.8 KVA generators serving as alternative power source to the terminal and that they usually switch on automatically within five seconds whenever there was disruption from the national grid.

He also stated that the problem lasted for only fifteen minutes before the light was restored adding that it was blown out of proportion through the social media network.

The Managing Director equally disclosed that the greatest challenge facing the authority was that some of the underground cables had damaged and needed total replacements because they were laid over forty years ago.

Also speaking in same vein,, the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA),Captain Musa Nuhu said since the terminal was built in1978 no major renovation had been carried on it.

He noted that what the terminal required was total remodeling and rewiring of the cables as the only way of solving the problems which according to him had been a reoccurring issue.

Honourable Nnaji however maintained that FAAN and the NCAA should meet and come up with suggestions on how to address the problem permanently to avoid future embarrassment of the type of what happened on April first, 2022.

Yaya Toure is set to be announced as a first-team coach in the EPL

The hard work of Yaya after retiring from playing professional football is set to be rewarded, with Tottenham Hotspur ready to announce his arrival to the club

as part of Antonio Conte’s team.

The former Manchester City and Barcelona star has been working with the club’s youth-team groups since December and it is thought that the club will soon announce the news, according to the Daily Mail.

Toure has had an awesome career as a player, winning trophies at Barcelona and Manchester City while establishing himself as one of the best players in world football.

Tottenham is leaving no stone unturned in tapping into his talent, as they plan for a brighter future between him and Antonio Conte .

Mourinho: ‘Roma is on a CLass of their Own,other coaches would be praised for fantastic football’

Henrikh Mkhitaryan was in the right place at the right time to give Roma a precious victory away to Sampdoria, further consolidating fifth place.

Roma Manager,Jose Mourinho is proud of his team for their victory against Sampdoria as he wants Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Bryan Cristante to stay,he also stated that ‘any other coach would be praised for our fantastic football!’

Mkhitaryan was in the right place at the right time to give Roma a precious victory away to Sampdoria, consolidating further on the fifth position.

The Giallorossi are now unbeaten in 10 Serie A games, they used the same XI that crushed Lazio 3-0 in the Derby della Capitale, although this time Nicolò Zaniolo was injured rather than dropped, joining Leonardo Spinazzola and Jordan Veretout on the absentee list, while Sampdoria missed Sebastian Giovinco, Manolo Gabbiadini and Mikkel Damsgaard, with Albin Ekdal not fully fit either.

Mourinho had never won or even scored a goal at Marassi, so this was a first for the former Inter Milan coach.

Thomas Tuchel’s long marriage to his wife Sissi has ended

Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel’and his wife, Sissi, have parted ways after 13 years of marriage.

Tuchel and Sissi married in 2009 when he was living and working in his native Germany.

Sissi worked as a journalist in Germany but is said to have given up her job to raise her and her husband’s two daughters.

The whole family moved to France after former Mainz and Dortmund boss Tuchel took over at Paris Saint-Germain in 2018.

They then relocated to the UK in August, seven months after Tuchel had become Chelsea manager.

Two months earlier Tuchel, his wife and their two children were all pictured together on the pitch at the Estadio do Dragao in Portugal after Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester City.

Daily Mail reported that Sissi who gave up her job as a journalist at the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung to bring up their family started the divorce proceedings last week.

Meanwhile,Tuchel has vowed to stick with the c despite The Blues’ inability to sell tickets for games, sign players or give new contracts to existing players, due to the sanctions placed on Abramovich.

Rangers Unbeaten Home Record ended by Celtic

It has been a roller coaster journey for Celtic as they move six points clear in the Scottish Premiership title race after goals from Tom Rogic and Cameron Carter-Vickers saw them come from behind to beat Rangers 2-1 at Ibrox.

Rangers were quick off the mark and just after captain James Tavernier curled a free-kick past the far post, Aaron Ramsey gave them the lead, while on-loan Juventus midfielder fired home a cross from Ryan Kent on his first Old Firm appearance.

Kent almost added to the scoreline soon after, but his close-range effort went just past the post.

However, Tom Rogic levelled on Celtic’s first real attack in the seventh minute.


The game ended 2-1 in favour of Celtic.

Celtic will be at home against St Johnstone on 9 April in the final round of Scottish Premiership fixtures before the split, while Rangers are away to St Mirren on 10 April.

Circulate Conditions of Service for Research Institutions – ASURI Charges Head of Service

FCT ABUJA – The Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) has frowned at the failure of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) to transmit the Conditions of Service for Research and Development Institutes to stakeholder Ministries, Departments and Agencies two years after approving the document.
Speaking at a rally on Friday in Abuja, the Secretary General of ASURI, Dr. Theophilus Ndubuaku, said the Conditions of Service, which was approved by the Head of Service in November 2020 after 15 years of negotiation became effective retroactively from January 2019, noting that after approving the document, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) refused to transmit it.
Dr. Ndubuaku said rather than do the needful, the OHCSF had since been condescending and snobbish, ignoring all appeals by the Union and the directive of the Federal Government committee on the issue of ASURI strike.
He spoke of the urgent need for the Conditions of Service to be transmitted to Research Institutions in Nigeria so that the system can run and for researchers to face their work and responsibility of developing the country.
ecretary General of ASURI, DR Theophilus Ndubuaku stated this on Friday during the rally organised by the Union at the Office of the Head of Service (HOS) in Abuja.
Emphasising that the negotiations for the Conditions of Service took 15 years, he said it would sound unbelievable that in a country of 200 million people that is hungry for development, the research sector has been on strike for almost one year now.
“The government took us through negotiations for 15 years, something that should not have lasted six months, and after 15 years we agreed that we have arrived at what should be the Conditions on Service of research institutions and it was left for the Head of Service to circulate it.”
The ASURI Scribe spoke further: “As I speak to you now, the Presidency is operating with that circular, the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation that has more research institutions than any other ministry is implementing the conditions of service.”
“But the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) said they will not accept that same Conditions of Service, yet they coordinated the negotiation for over 15 years. They say they will not accept it unless the HOS sends it directly to them and not through another medium, even though the document has been approved by the Head of Service. It was the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that initiated the same Condition of Service and then gave it to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) to coordinate.”
Dr. Ndubuaku said in view of this, the Federal Ministry of Labour called a meeting of all stakeholders, including the Presidency and OHCSF last April and they directed the OHCSF to send this document directly to Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), adding, “It will beat your imagination that one year after, the Head of Service has not done that.”
He continued: “And that is not all, when the HOS released the Conditions of Service, they was supposed to release the Schemes of Service. So the Ministry of Science and Technology, Presidency and all the research Institutions have been waiting for the Schemes of Service which was also completed at the same time as the Conditions of Service and the Head of Service has not released the Schemes of Service.
“So we now have a situation where we are operating Conditions of Service without the accompanying Schemes of Service.”
The labour leader said he can’t understand the kind of power play that is going on in this country, wondering why the Presidency of a country will be implementing a document and a ministry will choose not to recognize or implement same document.
In his words: “How can the Presidency of a country be implementing a document and a Ministry will not implement the document, and this is a country with population of over 200 million people in a state of distress. It is common knowledge that this country has failed, some say it has failed while others say it is failing. Whatever it is, if you look at the statistics, this country is designated poverty capital of the world. Today, we have insecurity that has defied any solution by the security agencies. We have insecurity caused by unemployment, poverty, hunger and under-development.”

Dr. Ndubuaku said the only way to resolve the issues of insecurity in the country caused by unemployment, poverty, hunger and under-development is to follow the way other developed countries followed which is research. He stressed that everybody will tell you that everything you see around you is a product of research and that no country develops without research and that research is key to development.
When asked to react to the issues raised by ASURI, the Deputy Director Communication, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mohammed Ahmed Abdullahi said he would not comment unless and until he sees the details of the said correspondences which ASURI promised to make available to him.
Other members of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of ASURI present at the rally were the National Treasurer, Comrade Jessica Effiong, National Auditor Comrade Stephen Badu and a host of other members of the union.

Ramadan Fasting: Pray For Restoration Of Peace, Unity And Security – Ortom Urges Muslims

Ramadan Fasting: Pray For Restoration Of Peace, Unity And Security – Ortom Urges Muslims

Markurdi – Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has urged the Muslim faithful to pray for the restoration of peace, unity and security of the nation during this year’s Ramadan fasting and prayer.

In a statement on Sunday signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, Governor Ortom in a goodwill message to the Nigerian Muslim faithful noted that the challenges facing Nigeria today demands that the nation needs prayers for her survival more than ever before.

Besides the intractable security challenges raging the country, the governor said “peace and security is imperative as we enter 2023 electioneering period”.

He also craves for religious harmony between and among various adherents saying “which ever faith one believes in, what is incontrovertible is that all religions preaches peace and togetherness”.

Governor Ortom bemoaned violence in parts of the country that has religious connotations and cautioned that resort to self help or seeking redress on any misgivings outside the confines of the law is tantamount to retrogression into the Stone Age.

He called for an egalitarian society where brotherhood reigns and where every citizen is free to carry out his or her legitimate businesses in any part of the country without any fear of intimidation or molestation.

The Governor wishes the Muslim faithful a successful and rewarding Ramadan fasting and prayer.

Australia Defeats England to be crowned Women’s Cricket World Cup Champion  

Australia strengthened their status as the premier international sports team on the planet by outclassing England to win the Women’s World Cup.

The Australians shattered records in Christchurch on their way to adding the 50-over title to the T20 World Cup and Ashes crowns they already hold.England, who were huge underdogs to defend the title they won in 2017, will regret their decision to field first in perfect batting conditions. 

They also dropped Healy and Haynes in the same over.


Awesome Australia were crowned world champions for the seventh time with a perfect record of nine wins from nine matches.

Maduka Okoye Shines  with Sparta Rotterdam after missing World Cup playoffs due to COVID-19

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye returned to action after being forced to withdraw from Nigeria’s squad that faced Ghana in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup playoffs following a positive test for COVID-19.

Okoye was left out of the Super Eagles squad that missed the World Cup ticket to the Black Stars of Ghana.

Fans even alleged that the former Fortuna Düsseldorf goalkeeper deliberately missed the playoffs to avoid being under scrutiny after he was blamed for Super Eagles’ ouster at 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Watford bound keeper was impressive behind the sticks as Sparta Rotterdam faced Hereenveen in a Dutch Eredivisie match on Sunday.

Okoye put up a great shift in the 1-1 draw.

The 22-year-old was in impeccable form for Sparta in March, keeping a clean sheet in their two league games.