Asset Declaration: Buhari Challenges Journalists

Nigerian major newspapers today, September 8, 2015, are focusing on a number of issues, from President Buhari replying to his critics over asset declaration, to his saying his cabinet will be ready before the end of September.

Following criticism over his declaration of assets, President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged newsmen to use the required law to dig up all past records of his assets declarations and investigate the details, The Punch reports.

The Punch front page, September 8, 2015.

According to the president who spoke in Accra, Ghana on Monday, September 7, he had declared his assets four times
since 1974.
“I have declared my assets and all that I have four times, and you (the media) have the right to go and demand for my declaration. Instead, I am being harassed,” he said.
Buhari said it is a constitutional requirement for all heads of state and government, governors, ministers and permanent secretaries to declare their assets.
The president stated that he would name his cabinet this September, just as he promised after he was sworn in, Vanguard reports.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his host, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, Buhari said: “After I was sworn in, I said I will have my cabinet in September. I expect that Nigerians should ask me questions after September 30 if I do not do so.”

Vanguard front page, September 8, 2015.

Buhari marked a 100 days in office at the weekend and this is the longest period since the advent of the Fourth Republic that a president has operated without a cabinet.
On the issue of security, the president said that the Nigerian military were working closely with the Multi-National Joint Task Force and they have recorded remarkable progress in the fight against Boko Haram since he assumed office.
Daily Sun reports that President Buhari has ordered all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the federal government to comply with the instructions on the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by September 15, 2015 or face sanctions.

Daily Sun front page, September 8, 2015.

The president had on Friday, September 4, in a circular issued by the head of the civil service of the federation, Danladi Kifasi, expressed displeasure that the MDAs were not complying with the directives.
On August 7 a circular by the head of the civil service had announced the introduction of the TSA with the directive that all receipts due to the federal government or any of its agencies are to be paid into the Federal Sub-Treasury account maintained in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Union reports that a statement signed by Femi Adesina, the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, said Buhari has set a deadline of Tuesday, September 15, for full compliance with his directive that all revenue due to the Federal Government or any of its agencies must be paid into the Treasury Single Account  (TSA) or designated accounts maintained and operated in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), except otherwise expressly approved.

The Union front page, September 8, 2015.

In other news, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has asked 21 former governors, 42 ex-ministers, and more than 260 former members of the House of Representatives to return their diplomatic and official passports, The Nation reports.

The Nation front page, September 8, 2015.

According to M.K.Ibeshi, the comptroller general of the Immigration Service who gave the directive yesterday, the NIS might use force to impound the diplomatic and official passports of past public officers defying the directive.
Reportedly the federal government was worried that some former ministers, who have cases to answer, had been going abroad with diplomatic immunity.
Meanwhile, the Senate has begun a probe of the power sector under the administrations of three former presidents, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, The Guardian reports.

The Guardian front page, September 8, 2015.

The Ministry of Power and government agencies in the power sector had been given till last Thursday, September 3, to submit 30 copies of reports detailing everything about finance, including expenses, remittances from the Federation Account, and accompanying receipts.
Done with that stage, the Senate has now summoned the Ministry of Power, the agencies and the electricity distribution companies (Discos) to the National Assembly this week to defend their submissions.
Some stakeholders are, however, not pleased with the planned probe, saying the move was an effort to garner popularity for a Senate that is allegedly struggling to court the respect and support of the presidency.

Asset Declaration: Buhari Challenges Journalists 2015-09-08T22:19:00-07:00 Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Admin