The newspapers for today, April 18, focus on an array of issues bordering on the extension of the arms probe to the Nigerian Navy, to the controversy that continues to trail the 2016 budget among others.
The presidential committee set up to probe the diversion of funds meant for arms purchase is set to probe the Nigerian Navy for diversion of funds running into billions of naira, earmarked for the purchase of equipment, which has not been purchased or delivered.
The Sun newspaper, April 18, 2016
A source told the Sun newspaper that the panel is to invite past and present chiefs of naval staff, chief of training and operations (C-TOPS), chief of policy and plans (COPP), chief of accounts and budgets as well as directors in the finance department to explain what they know about the purchase of arms for the counter insurgency war.
The source added that: The Nigerian Navy is the next service that we are going to invite concerning purchasing of arms and ammunition. I must, however, say that the amount we are investigating is little compared to that of the Air Force and the army. That is probably because Boko Haram operations is not a navy operation, but they are still involved in the arms purchase.
“Navy was given a specific amount of money but not as much as army and NAF, but we will find out what they did with that money. That is why we will invite past and present CNS, if the need arises. But we will also invite the past and present chiefs of policy and plans, chief of administrations, budgeting, departmental chiefs and anyone that has something to do with contract procurement because the navy collected money that they have not been able to account for.
“We also have instances where the navy collected money from Federal Government agencies without informing the Defence Headquarters, ” he said.
Meanwhile, Vanguard focuses on the controversy that continues to trail the 2016 budget as the presidency expressed displeasure over the high level of distortions inflicted on the document by the National Assembly.
Vanguard newspaper, April 18, 2016
President Muhammadu Buhari was said to be considering measures to deal with those who masterminded the budget infractions, thereby drawing back the hands of his administration.
In another development, eminent groups and prominent individuals have condemned the move by the Senate to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal Act, The Punch reports.
The Punch newspaper, April 18, 2016
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in describing the move by the Senate as dangerous, said while the intention of the Senate appeared noble, the timing was wrong.
In a statement on Sunday, April 17, the president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, queried why the Senate decided to amend the CCB act during the ongoing trial of Senate president Bukola Saraki.
He said: “However, we at the Nigeria Labour Congress hold the view that the noble intention of the Senate notwithstanding, the timing is suspect and fraught with danger. It is quite intriguing that it took the trial of the Senate President for the Senate to discover these flaws in the law(s).
“Putting it bluntly, in spite of the spirited defence by the Deputy Senate President to the contrary, not a few believe that this legislative move is a desperate attempt to scuttle the trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, at CCT.”
In other news, The Nation reports of an agreement between the United States government and Buhari administration that will see about $480m believed to have been stolen by the late head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha and his family repatriated to Nigeria.
Speaking on the agreement, a source told the newspaper that the conditions for the repatriation of the cash and other details are being worked out.
Adding that this is the largest loot ever traced to a former Nigerian public officer in the U.S.
“The DOJ, the AGF and the EFCC have concluded all the talks; we are in the process of repatriation of the $480million.
“Although there are interventions from private lawyers, the DOJ prefers a government-to-government deal.
“I can tell you that the funds will soon be repatriated. If there is anything left, it has to do with the conditions which the US will attach to the utilisation of the funds.
“The US is likely to advise on specific areas to spend the funds on and the project monitoring mechanisms. It does not want the cash re-looted,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the Guardian focuses on the prospects and grave implications of the federal government’s recent currency swap deal with China.
The newspaper states that the currency swap deal consists of an agreement between two central banks, at least one of which must be an international currency issuer, to swap their currencies.
The Guardian newspaper, April 18, 2016
The central banks party to the swap transaction can lend the proceeds of the swap, against collaterals they deem adequate, to the commercial banks within their jurisdiction, to provide them with temporary liquidity in a foreign currency.
The post Paper review: Presidency moves against top naval officers appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.
Paper review: Presidency moves against top naval officers
0 Comments: