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FG’s CCT Beneficiaries Raise Alarm Over Extortion by Traditional Rulers

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By Abdulgafar Oladimeji.

The beneficiaries of federal government Conditional Cash Transfer(CCT)programme, on Thursday, raised alarm over what they described as their being allegedly extorted by community leaders.

The victims spoke at a meeting organized by The Resource Centre for Human Rights and  Civic Education, CHRICED titled Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT  Redress Mechanism held at Chilla Luxury suites, in Kano.

They alleged that they were compelled to pay between N500  and N1000 each from their monthly CCT  allowance of N5000 to some corrupt ward and village heads in some parts of the state.

A woman leader, who spoke under the condition of anonymity said “to be honest, initially I was afraid to speak out at this meeting,  but with what is happening here today, I feel I should speak out.

“ as a group woman leader, I normally collect monies from the beneficiaries and proceed to hand over the monies  to traditional heads in my area in Gwarzo local government.”

Also, a CCT payment monitoring exercise conducted by  CHRICED led by Huraira Isiyaku revealed most of the beneficiaries had alleged that they were been intimidated to remitted parts of their transfers for onward transfer to community  leaders in their domain.

Huraira stated  that  investigations conducted by her in  Mallamawa community in Gwarzo local government area revealed how community leaders were illicitly benefiting from the federal government initiative at the expense of the targeted benefactors.

Kano state CCT  Grievance Redress Officer, (SGRO) Halima Mohammed confirmed that several complaints bordering on  extortion of CCT beneficiaries  have been severally  lodged against community  leaders, in the state.

Halima stated that those leader queried  over the allegation have continued to explain  that “ the proceeds been remitted to them by CCT beneficiaries is in respect the agreement they had reached with the beneficiaries before they were been enlisted into the programme.”

The head  Kano state Cash Transfer Unit(SCTU) Aisha Sani Gezawa cautioned that the era of extorting the beneficiaries of the CCT project were numbered.

According to her,   beneficiaries of the federal government initiative have continually complained of been victimized by their communal leaders.

She warned that mechanism have been erected to address the ongoing abnormally surrounding the project, stressing that any staff caught in the act of extortion would be severely penalized..

She decried that  a vast number of the beneficiaries were extorted by their community leaders, hinting that some of the beneficiaries are been extorted by their husbands.

Explaining that some husbands deny their wives the vacuum to properly utilize the monies transfer to them to improve their household economy and hygiene.

The chairman,  CCT, Grievance  Redress Officers Forum, Nalado  Saidu, said to  proffer solutions to the challenge  confronting the CCT project in Kano state would require the  continuous sensitization of beneficiaries o nCCT  policies  and  their rights  to access and enjoy the benefits that accrue from the FG project

 

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NNPC Ltd Clarifies Lagos Depot Fire Incident

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) wishes to clarify that the fire incident at a tank farm in Marine Beach, Apapa, Lagos, was at a depot belonging to HOGL Energy Ltd (Honeywell Depot), and not an NNPC Retail Ltd.’s facility as circulated by early responders.

The fire, which has since been extinguished, was as a result of petroleum products spillage within the perimeter of the tank farm.

Meanwhile, NNPC Ltd and other depots in the area have resumed loading activities.
NNPC assures that the incident will, in no way, affect petroleum products supply and distribution across the country.

This was contained in a statement signed by Chief Corporate Communications Officer NNPC Ltd Olufemi O Soneye in
Abuja

 

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Frontfoot Media to host its 5th Media Audit Reporting workshop in Gombe

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By Asile Abel,Jos

FrontFoot Media Initiative has concluded plans to hold the fifth edition of its Audit Reporting Training programme for journalists to be hosted in Gombe State.

Statement by the Front Foot Media Initiative Training Coordinator Mr Chido Nwakanma said previous trainings were held in Benin, Awka, Abuja, and Lagos state.

He added that, FrontFoot Media Initiative will hold the training under the auspices of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism and the sponsorship of the MacArthur Foundation.

Mr Emeka Izeze, a director of FrontFoot Media, said “The Gombe programme will feature participants not only from Gombe but also from the neighbouring states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, and Taraba, a testament to the inclusivity and reach of Front Foot’s training initiatives. We look forward to training about 40 media personnel, each of whom plays a crucial role in our media landscape.”

Adding to the statement, Gombe State Governor, Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya would address participants in line with his agenda of openness and accountability.

Frontfoot Media Initiative also announced that Mr Ismaila Zakari, a past President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, an Internal Auditor of Premium Pensions Abuja, and an ICAN Fellow, will lead the training supported by Mr Yusuf Doma, a Fellow of ICAN and Internal Auditor at Premium Pensions Abuja. Their expertise and guidance will ensure a high-quality learning experience for all participants.

The media and capacity building NGO described the programme as “a flagship capacity development programme of FrontFoot Media Initiative. It is a Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability project.

“In this effort, FrontFoot teams, accompanied by experts in the field, work in pre-selected states where they conduct free training for journalists. Participants learn how and where to locate the relevant reports, interpret the material, and write engaging news stories and features that enlighten, stimulate, and empower the electorate, and discourage impunity.” the statement added.

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Babangida’s Military Contemporary, Lt. General Garba Duba, Passes On at 82

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A military contemporary of Nigeria’s former military President, Lieutenant General Garba Duba, has died.

General Garba Duba died at the age of 82. A native of Kontagora, Niger State, Duba held several positions during his military career, including serving as Governor of Bauchi State in 1978 and as Governor of Sokoto State during Buhari’s regime.

An impeccable source told NIGERIAN TRACKER that the funeral prayer for the late Duba was held today, Friday, after Jumuat prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja.

Governor Muhammad Umar Bago of Niger State and legislators from the state attended the funeral prayer.

He joined the army as a Cadet Officer at the Nigerian Military Training College Zaria in 1962, presumably a course mate of Ibrahim Babangida. At the beginning of his career, he was at the Indian Military Academy. Duba was one of the northern officers who participated in the Nigerian counter-coup of 1966 which led to the death of General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. During the Nigeria Civil War, he was a Captain, commanding a squadron of armored vehicles. As military governor of Bauchi state, he provided infrastructure in the form of residential accommodation and offices, including secretariats for the newly-created 16 local government areas.

In 1993, he retired from the military and went into private businesses where he held positions like chairman, New Nigerian Development Company (NNDC), chairman of SGI Nigeria Limited, director in First Bank of Nigeria, non-executive director of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc and chairman of the board of Leadway pension fund.

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