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Condemnations trail Agric ministry’s approval of N30m for mosque construction

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Agric Ministry

 

An internal memo trending on social media by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development conveying approval of N30m for construction of a ‘Friday’ mosque with taxpayers’ funds has sparked outrage.

But the Ministry maintained it has nothing to hide over the approved N30million mosque project.

The memo dated December 10, 2020, with reference number FMA/PROC/AHS/SIP/2020/7742/1, stated that the Ministerial Tenders Board approved the contract.

The document titled: ‘Award of Contract for the Construction of Friday Mosque’ was signed by the Deputy Director, Procurement, Musa Musa on behalf of the Minister.

It was addressed to the Managing Director, El-Shukhur Multi-Buz Nig. Ltd.

It reads in part: “I am directed to inform you that the ministerial tenders board at its 7th meeting held on December 7, 2020, approved the award of contract for the construction of Friday mosque to your company at the total sum of N30m only, inclusive of VAT, with a completion period of eight weeks with effect from the date of this letter.

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“You are therefore required to indicate in writing within three days of receipt of this offer, your acceptance to the office of the director, procurement, FMARD, Abuja or otherwise, the offer will be considered lapsed.”

The Ministry, in its rejoinder, said it decided to build the worship centre for livestock farmers displaced by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.

It noted the approval did not breach any law as being portrayed by some media houses.

It further explained the ministry’s memo approving N30 million for the construction of a Friday mosque is an official document available for public scrutiny and review.

 

“To put the facts straight, the memo is authentic and appropriate in all ramifications.

“It is original and was issued by the Ministry for the construction of a worship centre for a community of livestock farmers who were sacked and displaced in Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents and are being resettled in Ngarannam/Mafa local government, Borno State.

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“Apart from the mosque, other common facilities provided for the livestock farmers in the community include Solar Powered Boreholes with Overhead Tanks and Drinking Troughs for their cattle and small ruminants.

“(Others are) Water Harvesting Structures, Milk Collection Center, Resettlement Abode as well as other infrastructure to properly settle and rehabilitate the displaced livestock farmers.

“The construction of the mosque was a special request from the community through the Borno State Government to avoid moving too far from the settlement areas for prayers and also to ensure their safety and contact with the insurgents.

“The Memo is an official document and it is available for public scrutiny and review. It is, therefore, unfortunate for anyone to presume that the memo leaked.

“The Ministry is in no way perturbed about the matter because it received appropriate approval, carried out a due needs assessment and ensured due process in the execution of the project.”

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Reacting, a former lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye tweeted: “What! Despite all the challenges facing food security, building a mosque is the Federal Ministry of Agriculture’s priority!

“To pray for rain or what? How did we get here for Heaven sake? What has the government got to do with churches or mosques?”

Freelance investigative journalist David Hundeyin said: “I’m just interested in knowing how much taxpayers money the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development @FmardNg spends on funding construction of Ifa temples and Christian churches, since building mosques is apparently part of its remit. At least let the stupidity be fair.”

Daniel Regha queried: “It’s not the Agric Ministry’s work to build mosques, using N30m to do so for displaced herders is a misuse of public funds;

“Why not build ranches & help tackle the problem of open grazing? That money was meant to help improve the Agric sector in Nigeria by empowering farmers.”

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DJ Cuppy, Anthony Joshua couple outing sets tongues wagging

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Gossips of romance between International DJ and singer, Ireoluwa Otedola, DJ Cuppy and World Heavyweight Champion boxer, Anthony Joshua never lose colour and it appears it never will as the duo were caught together, looking like an adorable couple recently in a picture.

Cuppy was in attendance for the wedding of British billionaire/Pretty Little Thing (PLT) founder, Umar Kamani and model Nada Adelle in the South of France in what has now been labeled the wedding of the year – and certainly, one with a lot of money behind it.

 

The couple kicked off the first evening of their four-day wedding nuptials with a lavish white party at the luxury Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on the French Riviera, the exclusive resort linked to Eden Rock, owned by Pippa Middleton’s in-laws. A host of top celebs were spotted during the celebrations and we could see Cuppy hanging out with a few familiar faces, including Nigerian British boxing champion, Anthony Joshua and forever glamorous top model, Naomi Campbell.

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For the Nigerian media, Cuppy and Joshua are always going to be worth more than a cursory glance. They have sparked dating rumours in the past, and it wouldn’t sound awkward to suggest the two are up to something.

 

Of course, while the rumors linger, neither of the two has shared an intimate story or hint to the public about the status of their association. But then, two single youngsters are never going to be trusted hanging out together, beaming with telling smiles at each other.

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29 Generals retire from Nigerian Army

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Twenty-nine generals of the Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army have retired from active military service.

 

Of the 29 retired infantry officers who pulled out of active service at the Jaji Military Cantonment in Kaduna State on Friday, 19 were major generals, and 10 were brigadiers general.

 

Among them is Major General Victor Ezugwu, who spoke on behalf of the retirees. He said the war against terrorism banditry will end if the proposed establishment of army aviation succeeds and the night fighting capabilities of the army infantry corps are improved.

 

As the threats to Nigeria’s sovereignty are becoming asymmetric in time and space, Ezugwu admonished serving officers and soldiers to be proactively way ahead of the enemies in all aspects of unfolding combat scenarios.

He also urged their successors to not only sustain the modest strategic, operational, and tactical achievements made but also to surpass them.

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“The frontline is expanding and the Nigerian Army is becoming increasingly committed with the eyes of the nation and the world on it,” he said.

“Our Infantry Corps must therefore not relent or rest on her oars as the entire Nigerian Army depends largely on the Infantry Corps to achieve its core mandate and mission.

 

“I admonish the Infantry that as the threats to Nigeria’s sovereignty are becoming asymmetric in time and space, you must be proactively way ahead of our adversaries in all aspects of the unfolding combat scenarios,” he added.

 

While calling on the Infantry Corps to review some of its tactical and operational strategies in the areas of night fighting capabilities, and frontline intelligence gathering on enemy activities, Ezeugu advised the corps to strengthen basic field crafts training in the areas of aggressive fighting patrols to dominate at least 5 km radius of their locations, ambushes, listening and observation posts as well as all levels of battle drills.

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Tinubu’s tax reforms not to frustrate Nigerians — Shettima

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Vice President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria’s tax reforms under the administration of President Bola Tinubu is targeted at improving the system for the overall benefit of all Nigerians.

He said contrary to speculations in some quarters, “we are not here to frustrate any sector of our economy but to create an administrative system that ensures the benefits of a thriving tax system for all our citizens.”

The Vice President, represented by the Special Adviser to the President on General Duties (Office of The Vice President), Aliyu Moddibo Umar, spoke on Saturday at the close-out retreat of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

According to a statement by his spokesman Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President explained that the policy thrust of the Tinubu administration’s tax reforms, pointing out that the dynamics of the nation’s fiscal landscape prompted the Tinubu administration to pause and reconsider the direction it was going.

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“Our aim remains the revitalisation of revenue generation in Nigeria while sustaining an investment-friendly and globally competitive business environment,” he noted.

 

While expressing confidence in the ability of the committee to deliver on the mandate, the Vice President emphasised the significance of the task ahead, noting that “we are gathered today because we are transitioning from the phase of proposal in the operations of this committee’s work to the phase of implementation.

 

“I am confident that both the federal and state governments stand ready to ensure the effective implementation of your reform proposals, and we shall provide the institutional framework to guarantee the adoption of the consensuses of this committee, aligning them with our economic agenda,” he added.

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