News
NASS commends Minister of Interior, Tunji-Ojo over 2024 budget performance
…as Ministry proposes N6bn for 2025 budget
By Comfort Olayinka
The Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Interior, on Wednesday, commended the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over the 2024 budget performance of the Ministry.
The Joint Committees gave the commendation on Wednesday, when the Minister appeared in National Assembly to defend the 2025 budget of the Ministry.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo told the lawmakers during the session that the Ministry’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) exceeded its target In the 2024 budget.
He said, “In 2024, we had a revenue target as approved by the National Assembly of N1.2bn for business expatriates quotas and naturalisation. But what we were able to generate was N4,508,306,968.5”.
The Minister explained that the increase in the IGR was not as a result of the increased in expatriates quota revenue, noting that a lot of key sectors within the Ministry came alive in the last financial year.
He attributed the increase to some measures adopted by the Ministry to close linkages via zero remittances and a full automated of solutions.
According to him, it was the automation of these solutions that closed some of the linkages which made the revenue to shoot up.
The Minister further stated that the total target for 2024 was N2bn, adding that in the actual sense it was able to generate over N5bn in the year under review.
Impressed with the budget performance, the lawmakers, who could not hide their satisfaction, commended the Minister for a job well done, with he committee chairman, Senator Adams Oshiomhole taking the lead.
“Honourable Minister you have done extremely well. I think you have been detailed, I have attended some other budget defence and I can’t recall anyone as extremely detailed as you did.
“We have seen what you have done in 2024, we expect you to do more in 2025 knowing that you have a lot of energy.
“Now you have made your presentation and I believe we are very satisfied with your explanation. If there are more questions, like you said after this budget session, we can have a special session to discuss further”, Oshiomhole said.
Meanwhile, the Minister proposed a total of N6,683,463,175 for the 2025 budget, with the breakdown of Personnel, 1,692,410,481; Overhead,1,159,879,666 and Capital, 3,831,173.58.
Foreign news
NTAC Hails Tinubu; Volunteers Ready to Positively Impact Nigerians
Joel Ajayi
The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has commended President Bola Tinubu for funding the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Scheme.
The Director General (DG) of NTAC , Dr Yusuf Yakub, made the commendation during a ceremony to receive five returning TAC volunteers from Zanzibar, Tanzania on Tuesday in Abuja.
The returning volunteers also expressed readiness to impact knowledge gained from participating in the programme on Nigerians.
TAC is a mechanism for Nigeria’s foreign aid and technical assistance to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries through the use of Nigeria’s abundant trained manpower.
Yakub lauded Tinubu’s visionary leadership and steadfast support for the TAC Scheme.
Welcoming the volunteers who had discharged themselves as worthy ambassadors in Zanzibar, the D-G thanked them for their patriotism, dedication to service and for making Nigeria proud on the international arena.
The NTAC boss highlighted the importance of knowledge-sharing, while announcing that certificates of completion will be presented to the volunteers in line with the noble objectives of the service.
He also emphasised the volunteers’ crucial role in passing on the skills and experiences gained in Zanzibar.
He expressed optimism that their efforts would positively impact the lives of Nigerians across the country and shape the expectations and service-delivery of future prospective volunteers.
Earlier speaking, Amb. Zakari Usman, the Director of Programmes for NTAC, expressed gratitude to the D-G for his unwavering support and provision for the volunteers throughout their service period.
He said that the volunteers had so delivered on the mandate of the agency that citizens of Zanzibar did not want them to leave their country.
Popoola Adegoke, the Team Lead and a Mathematics Instructor for the batch of returning volunteers, was full of gratitude to the Federal Government for providing them the opportunity to participate in the scheme.
Adegoke said that Nigeria, was well blessed and had the abundance of both human and natural resources to contribute meaningfully to the development of many countries of the world.
He said that the need to continue the TAC Scheme was not negotiable, owing to its high impact and results.
Mohammed Salisu, a Physicist, said that the experience had broadened his horizon as his orientation during the last 24 months in Zanzibar, especially on the cultural exchange.
He lauded the government for the scheme, saying that Nigeria is seen and perceived to be higher in all ranking, especially in the standard of living and educational system.
He also appealed to the government to sustain the scheme to close the gaps both the educational and professional systems in the African, Caribbean and the Pacific Countries.
NAN
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