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The Federal Government has queried the Permanent Secretary , Ministry of Science and Technology , Dr Mohammed Bello, for allegedly buying what it described as “ uncompleted carcass ” building for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the sum of N7 bn .

Bello was said to have superintended over the transaction for the purchase when he was still the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development .

He was also accused of giving out seven deep drilling rigs for borehole procured at N1 . 3 bn to some unnamed individuals under “ fraudulent arrangements . ”

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation , Dr Folasade Yemi – Esan , made the allegations in a leaked query she issued to the permanent secretary on May 11 , 2020 .

The query with reference number HCSF/ PSO/AOD / P. 030 /5 B has “ Allegations of acts of serious misconduct in your former post of permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development : Preliminary letter /query ” as its title.

Yemi – Esan said she issued the query on the order of the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , who she said had been briefed about Bello’ s conducts .

Quoting from the civil service rules, PSR 030401 and 030402 , the HOCSF described the allegations against the permanent secretary as acts of serious misconduct which can lead to dismissal if proven.

She , therefore , gave the embattled permanent secretary a 72 – hour ultimatum to respond to the allegations if he so desires .

The query read , “ The attention of Mr President has been drawn to the acts of serious misconduct against you in your former post as the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on which he has given further directive .

“ Specifically, it was alleged that : (a ) in spite of the budgetary release of the N98 , 405 , 763 , 678 . 68 in 2018 (which represents 99 . 44 of 2018 appropriation ) , you did not take necessary action to pay the eligible contractors which led to the ministry having an outstanding contractual liability in the sum of N48 . 429 , 543 , 895 . 722 .

“( b) under your leadership as the accounting officer, the ministry utilised the entire 2019 first quarter release of N7 , 737 , 208 , 135. 18 to pay for the 2018 contracts that were fully funded in 2018 which constitutes virement without authority:
“( c ) as accounting officer , you oversaw a transaction for the purchase of a building for the use of the ministry at the sum of N7 , 044 , 746 , 264 . 06 without the conduct of the mandatory statutory structural and mechanical integrity tests : and prior approval of the FCDA Public Building Department : the building was eventually found to be an uncompleted carcass requiring billions of naira to complete and make safe for occupation ;

Punch

Managing Director, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Nigeria Ltd , Michael Yigao , says the 15 – man Chinese team that arrived in the country on April 8 are in the company ’ s care .

Yigao, who made the disclosure in Abuja while reacting to concerns as to the whereabouts of the team, said the team would be leaving the country soon .

The Minister of Health , Osagie Ehanire had said during a Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 briefing that team was the “guests of the Federal Government but that of the construction company ” .

But CCECC MD said , “ The team had a telecast meeting with the Minister of Health and some doctors around the country and shared their experience in China on how they ’ re fighting the virus and the meeting was very positive.

“ They are here with us and have continued to teach our staff how to protect themselves because protection and prevention are more important than the treatment .

“ Most of the workers understand the situation now and they know the risk, so they follow the proper procedures and cooperate with their instructors . ”

He said the medical experts would be heading home as soon as there was a commercial flight to China .

“ Right now, commercial flight to China is not open but when flights are open again , we ’ re considering the team going back to China , ” he said .

NAN

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ), has enjoined governors to work closely with the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 to engender better harmony in the daunting task of checking the coronavirus pandemic .

The president ’ s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity , Mr Femi Adesina , in a statement , in Abuja , said Buhari made the call during an online meeting with the Governors ’ Forum .

The president disclosed that the PTF had briefed him on the next steps in the national response to the pandemic , “ and I have directed that they work very closely with the governors ” .

He said the pandemic was “beyond technology , power , and resources ” , noting that countries that had all those things were recording the highest casualties around the world .

“ We have to be very careful . We need to continue to educate and persuade the people to accept the reality of the situation, and do all that is necessary to stay safe , ” the president said .

The presidential aide revealed that the meeting also discussed economic and security issues , among others, and that the governors lauded the president on the “ leadership and direction ” he had given the country in combating COVID- 19 .

NAN

The Federal Government has announced an extension of the current partial lockdown of the country, saying the time is not ripe for it to relax its containment protocols against the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce PTF on Covid-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha announced in Abuja during the daily briefing of the Taskforce.

He said; “the reality is that in spite of the modest progress made, Nigeria is not yet ready for full opening of the economy and tough decisions have to be taken for the good of the greater majority. Any relaxation will only portend grave danger for our populace.​

“Advisedly, the current phase of eased restriction will be maintained for another two weeks during which stricter enforcement and persuasion measures will be pursued”.

Vanguard

The Federal Government has announced an extension of the current partial lockdown of the country, saying the time is not ripe for it to relax its containment protocols against the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce PTF on Covid-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha announced in Abuja during the daily briefing of the Taskforce.

He said; “the reality is that in spite of the modest progress made, Nigeria is not yet ready for full opening of the economy and tough decisions have to be taken for the good of the greater majority. Any relaxation will only portend grave danger for our populace.​

“Advisedly, the current phase of eased restriction will be maintained for another two weeks during which stricter enforcement and persuasion measures will be pursued”.

Vanguard

The Presidency has said that the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , will not make any broadcast on COVID – 19 updates today .

Buhari ’ s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity , Femi Adesina , made this known via Twitter .

He said the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Boss Mustapha , would update the nation during its debriefings.

“ No presidential broadcast on COVID- 19 updates today .

“ None was planned . Rather , the Presidential Task Force will during its usual media briefings bring the nation up to speed on the next steps, ” he tweeted.

Following bandits attacks on communities in Ruma and Batsari councils of Katsina State, the district head, Mu’azu, who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Ruma Katsina, said: “My people will prefer to die from coronavirus infection.

Not from these senseless killings orchestrated by bandits. So far, the pandemic has not claimed any life in Batsari and other neighboring councils, but the bandits have killed scores and attacked harmless villagers and residents.

So, what are we saying?” On the recent attacks launched by bandits at old and new Ruma, Mu’azu, while speaking to PRNigeria on telephone, said the marauding criminals after invading over 10 communities, killed and maimed several lives.

He said, “The thing is, the bandits always scatter themselves when going on operations against our villages. Hence, security personnel find it difficult sometimes to easily contain the bandits’ attacks. However, we are still calling on the Federal Government to deploy more soldiers, mobile policemen and fighter helicopters to Katsina.

Let them comb all the forests in our state, and eliminate these bandits.” Speaking on the floor of the Katsina State House of Assembly Chamber, Mustapha Jibiya, said the “Irresponsibility and insensitivity” of relevant stakeholders was responsible for growing insecurity in the State.

“It is very disturbing that from eight councils, we now have about 12 councils that are ravaged by the criminals. This is as a result of the insensitivity of both the State and Federal Government,” he said.

Vanguard

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , and state governors are meeting , according to reports .

The meeting is holding via a video conference and Buhari is participating from the Presidential Villa, Abuja .

The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Governor of Ekiti State , Dr Kayode Fayemi , leads his colleagues in the meeting .

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed ; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria , Mr Godwin Emefiele; and the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, are seen attending the meeting with Buhari in a photograph released by the State House.

The agenda is not clear , but it may not be unrelated to finances , the impact of COVID – 19 , and security challenges .

Punch

Policemen deployed in the enforcement of the ban on interstate movements and other COVID- 19 -related assignments have cried out over non – provision of a special allowance and face masks for them.

The policemen , who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity because of the nature of their job , said since their deployment in state boundaries and intrastate patrol duties , no mention had been made of a special allowance despite the fact that they were at the risk of contracting COVID- 19 .

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , in his first broadcast on COVID- 19 pandemic on March 29 , ordered a lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states .

Although the enforcement of the lockdown is being carried out by all security agencies , the police , who are mainly responsible for the internal security of the country, have been deployed in all parts of the country to ensure compliance with the presidential order .

But some policemen have fallen victim of the deadly virus . For example , a deputy commissioner of police attached to the Zone 5 headquarters in Benin , Francis Bissong, died of COVID- 19 on April 21 .

On May 10 , the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Medical Centre , Abeokuta , Olusegun Orisajo , said a policeman died of COVID- 19 complications at the FMC.

In Edo State , police officers , who were manning the state boundaries, told newsmen that they had yet to get a special allowance despite the fact that they could easily be infected with the virus because they mingled with people when enforcing government ’ s order.
Some of them stated that they bought face masks to protect themselves from being infected with COVID- 19 .

A top police officer in the state , who confided in newsmen , stated “ Actually, we don ’ t have any form of protection . Doctors on duty have their own protection , but not our men. We have some face masks and hand gloves we made ourselves and others donated by one organisation . That ’ s all. But for the general insurance , there is no insurance or a special pay package like the one provided by the ministry of health for health personnel.

“ We have our men who send those coming into the state back . Some of the people our men mingle with are already infected with COVID- 19 . ”

Punch

THE Federal Government, yesterday, called on the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to suspend the strike and return to the classroom to manufacture drugs for the cure of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This came as ASUU described the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, as a tunnel created to siphon government resources.

ASUU proceeded on strike over the Federal Government’s insistence that the union should enroll in IPPIS if not its members will not receive their salaries.

The Federal Government said it was immoral for those who should be conducting research for the discovery of new drugs, medical equipment that would be used during the COVID-19 period to say that they were at home.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said: “The government has shown enough goodwill. The expectation now is ASUU should announce the calling off of their strike, go back to the classroom and get back to the negotiating table and continue negotiations.

“Two reasons why they should call off the strike is that one government has shown goodwill, it has offered the olive branch that you are on a wrong strike and there is the issue of no work, no pay but the government is paying you. After all, the government is giving palliative to people, so why not extend it to you and your family members.

“Second, it is immoral and despicable for those who should be conducting research as Nigerians for the discovery of new drugs, medical equipment that will be used during the Covid19 period to say that they are at home playing ludo and draft and other games.

“Even if schools are not open the ASUU members especially researchers are supposed to be going into their laboratories, going to botanical gardens to get some shrubs and other plants to be used in producing drugs during this COVID-19.

“Those who are pharmacologists, those of them who are in the electronic department and software engineers, this is the time for research to manufacture ventilators or make some conventions.

“It is unpatriotic for them to even continue saying that they are on strike at this time. They should not be saying it.”

IPPIS, a tunnel to siphon govt resources — ASUU

Meanwhile, ASUU has described IPPIS as a platform for fraud and corruption.

Chairman of ASUU in the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, Dr. Olayinka Awopetu, said: “The events of the last four months of using the platform for university staff had exposed that the platform is not only fraudulent corruption on steroids but also fraud on a roller coaster.

“Events of the last few months have not only vindicated the position of ASUU, but they are also proving that serious fraud could be going on through IPPIS if not urgently checked.

“The names of academics had been arbitrarily injected into the platform even without any registration or capturing their biometrics and queried the possibility of registering academics on a payroll system that was touted to have the unique identity management feature and based on personal biometrics.

“The answer is blowing in the winds, but this is of very grave consequences and Nigerians should be worried.”

Vanguard