Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Video - Healthcare volunteers defy Boko Haram in continue polio vaccination
Medics have vaccinated thousands of children in north east Nigeria despite security concerns. Boko Haram has been hampering Nigeria's polio initiative in the region.
Related story: Video - One year marked without polio in Nigeria
Video - Floods displace over one million people in Nigeria
At least a million people have been displaced by the floods from River Benue in the north-east parts of Nigeria. Officials fear the floods could bring food shortage in the country since the water swamped the farmlands. More that dozen people have been reported dead with homes flooded as well.
Video - Inflation hits Nigeria's economy
Nigeria's consumer inflation was at 9.3 percent year on year in August, up 0.1% from July. According to Nigeria's bureau of statistics the marginal rise was as a result of slower increases in alcoholic beverages, tobacco and kola, health, transport and recreation and culture divisions. Africa's biggest oil producer has been hit hard by the slump in global crude prices, which has sent its currency to record lows. The central bank has imposed stringent foreign exchange measures to prop up the naira but investors are losing confidence. National GDP more than halved in the second quarter year-on-year and JP Morgan chase said it would drop Nigeria from its emerging market bonds index due to foreign exchange controls.
Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari orders single govt bank account to fight corruption
Nigeria’s central bank on Wednesday said government ministries and departments were complying with a presidential order aimed at more transparency over revenues.
President Muhammadu Buhari, elected earlier this year on an anti-corruption ticket, had ordered all ministries to put revenues into a single account with the apex bank by Tuesday night.
With all financial transactions passing through a single bank account, it’s hoped this will end the practice of ministries and departments maintaining multiple accounts for government revenues, reducing the chance of fraud and improving monitoring.
Asked on Wednesday whether the deadline had been met, Central Bank of Nigeria spokesperson Mu’azu Ibrahim said: “So far so good. We are happy with the level of compliance by the ministries, departments and parastatals with the president’s directive on a Treasury Single Account (TSA).”
Commercial banks are also making efforts to comply with the directive, and no extension to the deadline will be considered, he added.
Buhari has pledged to trace and recover what he called “mind-boggling” sums of money stolen from the crude oil sector.
“Two hundred and fifty thousand barrels per day of Nigerian crude are being stolen and people sell and put the money into individual accounts,” he said. “I assure you that we will trace and repatriate such money and use the documents to prosecute them.” Since he came to power in May, he has launched a crackdown on corruption at the state-run oil firm, sacking the entire board and ordering an investigation into its finances.
AFP
President Muhammadu Buhari, elected earlier this year on an anti-corruption ticket, had ordered all ministries to put revenues into a single account with the apex bank by Tuesday night.
With all financial transactions passing through a single bank account, it’s hoped this will end the practice of ministries and departments maintaining multiple accounts for government revenues, reducing the chance of fraud and improving monitoring.
Asked on Wednesday whether the deadline had been met, Central Bank of Nigeria spokesperson Mu’azu Ibrahim said: “So far so good. We are happy with the level of compliance by the ministries, departments and parastatals with the president’s directive on a Treasury Single Account (TSA).”
Commercial banks are also making efforts to comply with the directive, and no extension to the deadline will be considered, he added.
Buhari has pledged to trace and recover what he called “mind-boggling” sums of money stolen from the crude oil sector.
“Two hundred and fifty thousand barrels per day of Nigerian crude are being stolen and people sell and put the money into individual accounts,” he said. “I assure you that we will trace and repatriate such money and use the documents to prosecute them.” Since he came to power in May, he has launched a crackdown on corruption at the state-run oil firm, sacking the entire board and ordering an investigation into its finances.
AFP
Nigeria in talks with Boko Haram over kidnapped schoolgirls
Nigeria's president says the government is talking to the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram about the more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls.
Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina in a tweet late Tuesday quoted President Muhammadu Buhari as saying the government is talking to Boko Haram members and it is trying to make sure they are genuine leaders. Buhari is in France on a three-day state tour.
Military from Nigeria and Chad freed hundreds of hostages from Boko Haram captivity earlier this year but none of those rescued were from the 219 girls abducted in April 2014 from a school in Chibok.
Nigeria's homegrown Islamic extremist group has used dozens of girls and women in recent suicide bombings in Nigeria and neighboring Chad, Cameroon and Niger, raising fears they are kidnap victims.
AP
Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina in a tweet late Tuesday quoted President Muhammadu Buhari as saying the government is talking to Boko Haram members and it is trying to make sure they are genuine leaders. Buhari is in France on a three-day state tour.
Military from Nigeria and Chad freed hundreds of hostages from Boko Haram captivity earlier this year but none of those rescued were from the 219 girls abducted in April 2014 from a school in Chibok.
Nigeria's homegrown Islamic extremist group has used dozens of girls and women in recent suicide bombings in Nigeria and neighboring Chad, Cameroon and Niger, raising fears they are kidnap victims.
AP
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