On today’s N2P, we see how an overburdened healthcare system grapples with an alien disease; all the while bagging an award in reverse. Elsewhere, we note a thread of corruption and indiscretions across government agencies. Mompha gets lucky.
2.5 million
Once again, the self-acclaimed giant of Africa bags another award in reverse. With 2.5 million malnourished children, Nigeria ranks second highest in the world. Clem Agba, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, revealed this at the beginning of the 2020 Nigeria nutrition week in Abuja on Monday. And despite concerted efforts by the government, malnutrition remained a public health challenge.
50 Dead
Alongside facing COVID-19, Nigeria faced Lassa fever and yellow fever. And in true villain of the week fashion comes a “strange disease” that has already claimed 50 persons. Truly frightening prospects for residents of Etteh Community; so much so that the Kogi House of Assembly urged state and federal ministries to come to their rescue, while adopting a motion on Urgent Public Importance. So far, ground zero is Olamaboro Local Government in Kogi.
Championing the motion, Anthony Ujah (APC-Olamaboro explained the symptoms to be headache, red eyes, loss of appetite, inability to urinate or defecate, convulsion and death. Worse, though, the timeline before death appears to be a week, the lawmaker noted.
₦32.9 billion
In other news, courts moved alleged internet fraudster, Mompha’s arraignment from a Tuesday hearing to December 9. According to the courts, presiding Justice Mohammed Liman had business outside the court’s jurisdiction. To recap, EFCC first arraigned Ismail Mustapha, dubbed Mompha and his firm, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd, on a 14-day count charge last year, November 25.
Thereafter, the anti-corruption agency re-arraigned them on 22 counts of money laundering and cybercrime in March 4,2020. And while the celebrity requested dismissal of the ₦32.9bn case by the EFCC, the commission maintained their position, saying he had a case to answer.
3 Sacked
Speaking of corruption, INEC is reportedly letting three staff go, with four under investigation for electoral malpractice in the 2019 general elections. The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Akwa Ibom state, Mr Mike Igini revealed this.
Igini further affirmed his stance, noting that the commission would neither protect permanent nor ad hoc staff found wanting. Already, the commission has given up two collation/returning officers that subverted the outcome of election results. And they were professors.
₦298 million
Once again, we see another thread of unresolved expenditure by another federal agency- Small and Medium Development Enterprises Agency of Nigeria. This time, though, the Senate is not having it, as SMEDAN could not account for ₦298 million. Citing details from the 2015 Auditor General’s Report, the committee on Public Accounts queried the agency for advanced payments worth ₦298 million in 2013. Worse, though, in response, the agency reportedly presented details from 2014. The Director General of SMEDAN, Dikko Radda, however, maintained that it was a clerical error. But Senator Mathew Urhogbide argued that this was not tenable.