10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Wednesday morning, December 18, 2019

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will make your Wednesday morning, December 18,  2019.

1. Buhari signs N10.59trn 2020 budget into law

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the N10.59 trillion 2020 appropriation bill into law. The president signed the budget document into law on Tuesday in the presence of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Ahmad Lawan, the senate president, and Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, amongst other principal officers. Read more

2. Democratic process too slow for my liking, Buhari says

President Muhammadu Buhari has described democratic processes as too slow for his liking. Noting that he has learnt the hard way, Buhari said he would, nonetheless, follow the process not minding its slowness. He stated this in a brief interview he granted to the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) as he marked 77 years on Tuesday. Recollecting the 80s, when he reigned as a dictator as a Major General, Buhari said, “When I came in uniform, I collected those who were leading, took them to Kirikiri (Maximum Security Prison) and told them they were guilty until they could prove themselves innocent.” Read more

3. N37bn earmarked by govt for NASS complex renovation a rip-off – PDP

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday slammed the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration on the “over-bloated” budget for the renovation of the National Assembly complex. President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier approved N37 billion for the renovation of the National Assembly complex, asides the N128 billion allocated for the National Assembly for 2020. The PDP in its reaction described the N37 billion renovation as an unpardonable rip-off plot. Read more

4. Buhari to MDAs: 2021 Budget must be ready by September

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday directed the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure the presentation of the 2021 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly latest by September 2020. The President gave the directive when he signed the 2020 budget at the State House, Abuja. He said: “I am confident that all Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies would cooperate with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to keep to this timeline.” Read more

5. Wike proposes N530bn for 2020 budget

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday presented a budget proposal of N530billion for the 2020 fiscal year to the State Assembly for consideration. The 2020 budget represents a 50 percent increase from the N480billion budgeted in 2019 for recurrent and capital expenditure. The document titled: “Budget of Re-assurance,” is geared towards achieving economic growth, promoting sustainable human capital development, improve human capacity, improve security and job creation, amongst others. Presenting the proposal to the lawmakers, Wike said the budget covers the new workers’ minimum wage and included those to be employed in the state in the New Year. Read more

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Tuesday morning, December 17, 2019

6. Reps’ rejection of single term proposal a mistake – Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday described as a missed opportunity the House of Representatives’ rejection of the six-year single term proposal for president and governors. He said the rejection of the proposal was a mistake because little attention was paid to its merits. In a statement issued in Abuja by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku said he was disappointed that the lawmakers had thrown away the proposal at the expense of the larger interest of the country. Read more

7. Kalu’s bail application not tenable – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday opposed a bail application filed by the convicted former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu. Kalu, who is a serving senator, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for N7.65billion fraud by Justice Muhammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos on December 5. He filed the bail application on Tuesday, saying he was battling “serious health issues that the medical facilities in the prison cannot handle.” Read more

8. I have no cause to join APC for now —Dokpesi

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Raymond Dokpesi, said on Tuesday he has no intention of dumping the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP stalwart stated this in his reaction to reports that he was defecting to the APC alongside Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Ize-Iyamu officially joined the APC this week. Dokpesi, who is the Chairman of DAAR Communication, said he has no immediate plan to leave the party. Read more

9. Lagos Blue line rail project ready next year – Sanwo-Olu

The final phase of the multi- billion dollar Blue Line Rail project would be ready by December next year, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said on Tuesday. He said the state government integrated mass transportation initiative has recorded a huge progress with the successful completion of the project elevated sea-crossing track. The governor made the remarks when he led members of the State Executive Council to inspect the five-kilometre long Continuous Beam Bridge constructed from Iganmu to Marina. Read more

10. Staff of correctional centre gets four-year sentence for N1.5m job scam

A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday sentenced a staff of the Kuje Correctional Centre, Ahmed Abdu, to a four-year jail term for defrauding job seekers of N1.5 million. A statement issued by the spokesperson of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Rasheedat Okoduwa, said Abdu was arraigned before Justice Abubakar Kutigi after he was caught collecting N250,000 from each of his six victims with the promise that he would secure employment for them at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nigerian Correctional Service. Read more

 

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