Author: Chronicle Editor

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), yesterday, served a seven-day notice to tax defaulters, with a warning that it will soon begin a nationwide tax enforcement to bring  defaulters to book. The notice was contained in a statement signed by Wahab Gbadamosi, FIRS’ Head of Communication and Servicom. The statement quoted the acting Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mr. Abiodun Aina, as saying that the Service has concluded plans to begin tax enforcement against defaulters should they continue to fail in fulfilling their tax obligations. He advised tax defaulters to settle their tax liabilities within seven days of the publication of…

The Senate has mandated its Committees on Foreign Affairs and Trade and Investments to, as a matter of urgency, interface with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate the status of Nigerian businesses in Ghana. The decision to do so was reached during plenary on Tuesday following the consideration of a motion on “The need to investigate alleged ill treatment and injustices suffered by Nigerian Traders and Businesses in Ghana”. Sponsor of the motion, Senator Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah (YPP, Anambra South) said many Nigerian businesses were established in Ghana following the desire of the Ghanaian Government to promote trade relations…

The Senate on Tuesday referred President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2016 – 2018 External Borrowing Plan request to its Committee on Local and Foreign Debts. The President’s request was forwarded to the Committee for further legislative work following its presentation by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, during plenary. The Committee has Senator Clifford Ordia (PDP, Edo Central) as Chairman and Senator Bima Mohammed Enagi (APC, Niger South) as Vice Chairman. President Buhari had in a letter dated November 26, 2019, said the Eighth National Assembly approved only a part of the External Borrowing request forwarded to it in September 2016. This, according…

The Senate on Tuesday resolved to invite the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to appear before its Committees on Interior, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to brief the upper chamber on the legal and constitutional issues surrounding the implementation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent visa-on-arrival policy. The decision to invite the Interior Minister was reached sequel to the consideration of a motion brought to the floor on the “Urgent need to seek domestication of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement by an Act of the National Assembly prior to Implementation of the Proposed Visa On Arrival For Citizens of…

Vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2019 elections, Peter Obi, has told churches in Nigeria to be more critical in the fight against corruption. Obi stated this yesterday, on the theme: “The Church and Good Governance” at the All Soul Church, Lekki, Lagos State. The former Anambra State governor, said all institutions, including the church, contributed to that failure either through commission or omission. “By blessing poor people who suddenly make money in government and come to church for thanksgiving rather than calling police for them, the church is not showing right example.” Obi harped…

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday has signed the N10.59 trillion 2020 appropriation bill into law at the State House in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The president signed the budget document into law in the presence of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Ahmad Lawan, the senate president, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, amongst other principal officers. The budget was increased by N260 billion from N10.33 trillion as contained in the proposal submitted by Buhari on October 8. This is the first time since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 that the budget would be passed and signed before the budget year.…

A bill seeking a single term of six years for president, governors, and a six-year term for lawmakers both at the state and federal level has failed to pass the second reading in the House of Representatives. The bill proposes to replace the four-year two terms for president and governors with a single term of six years, which means, presidents and governors cannot seek a second term in office. Sponsored by reps member John Dyegh of the All Progressives Congress, the bill has passed through a first reading and has been listed for a second reading by the House. Court…

A Federal high Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and Director General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi, to appear before the court over continued detention of Omoyele Sowore. Sowore, who is the convener of the #RevolutionNow have been held by the state department despite court orders for his release. Counsel to Mr Sowore made a fresh application for an order of the court to release the defendant who was re-arrested on the 6th of December, less than twenty four hours after being released as ordered by the court.…

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a grant of five million dollars to enable the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme to scale up its outreach and impact to 1,000 select youth entrepreneurs. The grant follows the signing of a letter of intent between the Bank and the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, which took place during the launch of the foundation entrepreneurship programme in March. The partnership would foster future collaboration focused on strengthening small to medium-sized enterprises as well as talent and skills development for Africa’s youth. The partnership is expected to support 3,050…

The Niger Delta People’s Liberation Movement, has said the Niger Delta region has seen so much of confusion since the assumption in office of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio. Reacting to a call by six civil society organisations for the withdrawal of the presidential nominees into the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, the group said it was clear that the Minister has other motives other than forensic audit in mind for wanting the Interim Management Committee, IMC, to “assume much more permanent status than the legally constituted board.” It cited the case of…