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N100bn CNG buses: Senate rejects CBN loans, warns Tinubu against illegal spending

Published

3 years ago

October 4, 2023

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The Senate, on Tuesday, warned President Bola Tinubu against illegal spending and advised him to seek a supplementary budget for its Compressed Natural Gas initiative.

The Senate through its Committee on Gas, led by Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe, urged the executive arm of government to expeditiously present a 2023 Supplementary Budget to the National Assembly to kick start the Compressed Natural Gas project.

This request came barely 48 hours after President Bola Tinubu announced measures to cushion the pains of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

The lawmakers insisted that the law was against extra-budgetary spending.

The committee’s chairman who commended Tinubu for the CNG initiative, however, warned that it would be illegal to spend taxpayers’ money or the money without approval by the National Assembly, and other projects in the gas value chain.

The senators also advised against extra-budgetary expenditure through Ways and Means,’ saying the legislature was ready to support and bring succour to the people.

Jarigbe commended Tinubu on his CNG revolution to power vehicles.

He said, “The noble initiative would ameliorate the hardship of the citizens. Also, the President needs to come up with a supplementary budget to enable the government to fund the gas value chain, including the provision for CNG infrastructure and CNG vehicles.”

He also stated that the workshops and training for CNG adoption would need to be funded.

“The President should not embark on extra-budgetary expenditure because it would be inconsistent with the provisions of the law.”

Jarigbe stated that the National Assembly, under the leadership of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was poised to support the lofty programmes of Tinubu.

He said a 2023 supplementary budget would be most appropriate, instead of the ‘Ways and Means’ approach of the previous administration, which had remained a major issue of contention in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

In his Independence speech, the President explained that he would ensure that the hardship of Nigerians was alleviated.

Tinubu had said, “A Nigeria where hunger, poverty and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever fading past.

“We have opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer CNG buses across the nation. These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares.

“New CNG conversion kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy procurement process.”

He said his administration was also setting up training facilities and workshops across the nation to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs.

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Nigerian Editors Brace for Democracy Protection Ahead of 2027 Elections

“As editors, we must remain above board in an increasingly polarised environment. We must not become agents of disorder. Neither should we display contradictory tendencies that cause the citizenry to question our credibility,” Anaba said.

Published

3 hours ago

September 24, 2026

OCHEFA

12 Views

Enugu|•L-R Prof Pat Utomi; Prof Chinyere Okunna and Eze Anaba President Nigerian Guild of Editors at the 22nd All Nigerian Editors Conference in Enugu. Photo. Nwankpa Chijioke

Nigerian editors have been urged to protect the credibility of the ballot and help safeguard democracy as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The call was made by Eze Anaba, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Editor of Vanguard Newspaper, in his welcome address at the 22nd Annual All Nigerian Editors Conference, which opened today in Enugu.
The conference is themed, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.”
Anaba said the media, alongside other critical institutions, had a responsibility to nurture democracy by ensuring that voters were adequately informed and that electoral outcomes reflected the choices of the people.

According to him, the ballot can only fulfil its democratic purpose when voters have access to credible information and are able to make their choices freely, without intimidation or undue influence.

He urged editors and journalists to uphold verification, independence, accuracy, fairness, accountability and courage, particularly in an era of social media, artificial intelligence, deepfakes and the rapid spread of misinformation.

He stressed that the media’s overarching responsibility was to serve the public good and help ensure that government derived its legitimacy from the consent of the people.

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Works Minister Orders Tinubu’s Pictures On First Niger Bridge

“The President has worked so hard and we need to reward his hard work by decorating this bridge with his pictures.”

Published

11 hours ago

September 24, 2026

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Minister of Works, David Umahi, has ordered the removal of illegal advertisements from the rehabilitated First Niger Bridge and their replacement with pictures of President Bola Tinubu, saying the display would recognise the President’s work on infrastructure.

Umahi gave the directive during an inspection of ongoing rehabilitation works on the bridge linking Anambra and Delta states.

He said the bridge was expected to reopen to motorists next week, subject to the completion of critical structural work.

“Once we are done with work on this bridge, I want all the illegal adverts on this bridge removed. Anyone who wants to advertise should apply to the Ministry of Works. For now, the bridge will be decorated with the pictures of President Tinubu,” Umahi said.

“The President has worked so hard and we need to reward his hard work by decorating this bridge with his pictures.”

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VP Shettima, Gov Mbah to address Over 500 editors on 2027 election issues

The Guild said His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, would chair the conference, while former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, would deliver the keynote address.

Published

12 hours ago

September 24, 2026

OCHEFA

15 Views

Enugu|•L-R Prof Pat Utomi; Prof Chinyere Okunna and Eze Anaba President Nigerian Guild of Editors at the 22nd All Nigerian Editors Conference in Enugu. Photo. Nwankpa Chijioke

The 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) organized by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, opened today in Enugu.

The two-day conference, which is the flagship annual gathering of the Guild, is being held at The Dome, International Conference Centre, Opara Square Road, Enugu, beginning at 2p.m and continue on Friday, September 25.

In a statement by the President and General Secretary of the NGE, Eze Anaba and Onuoha Ukeh, respectively, the Guild said that Vice President Kashim Shettima would address editors and other participants at the event.

The conference has the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” as well as the sub-theme, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election.”

The Vice President is also expected to speak on other issues relating to democracy, elections, press freedom and national development.

The statement said Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, would also address the conference.

More than 500 editors from across the country, alongside government officials, academics, civil society representatives and other stakeholders, are expected to attend the conference, which will focus on critical national and global issues with significant social, economic and political implications.