News
Buni seeks 50% discount on FG’s 208 housing unit in Yobe
Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe has urged the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to cut down the prices of its 208 housing unit in Damaturu by 50 per cent.
Buni, who spoke through his Director-General Press and Media Affairs, Alhaji Mamman Mohammed, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Saturday.
According to Buni, the state government will purchase all the houses if the federal government approved the 50 per cent discount.
He said the houses would be allocated to persons displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency on owner-occupier basis.
Buni said his administration has constructed 2,350 housing unit across the state, which had been allocated to the victims of insurgency.
“As you are aware, Yobe has suffered from 10 years of insurgency that resulted in the destruction of public and private property and displacement of thousands of people,” he said.
The governor also called on the Minister of Housing, Alhaji Ahmed Dangiwa, to engage vendors of building materials and local contractors in Yobe while executing the FG’s Renewed Hope City project in the state.
“Kindly consider our local contractors, building materials merchants and artisans to locally source for the materials and manpower, to further give our people a sense of belonging and ownership of the Renewed Hope agenda.
“This is to create employment opportunities, contribute to the local economy, and to fast track the recovery programme,” he said.
Buni charged the host communities to showcase their renowned culture of hospitality and cooperation to the contractors, to ensure timely and successful completion of the project. (NAN)
Another explosion occurred at a pipeline manifold in the Omwawriwa area of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State on Tuesday.
This incident follows a similar explosion that shook the Trans Niger Pipeline, operated by Shell, in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area just hours earlier.
The latest explosion reportedly took place at a manifold connected to a federal pipeline deep within the forest, which transports crude oil to Brass in Bayelsa State.
While the explosion has not yet been officially confirmed, community sources reported seeing massive flames and thick smoke rising from the oil installation in the forest.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, stated that she would investigate the incident but had not provided a response at the time of this report.
A video obtained by our correspondent displays a large fire burning in a remote location.
In a separate development, Ijaw youths blocked the Ahoada section of the East-West Road leading to Bayelsa State on Tuesday in protest.
The demonstrators, numbering over 100, carried placards in solidarity with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara amid his political dispute with the state House of Assembly. Some of the placards read: “We demand Wike’s dismissal as FCT Minister” and “Martin Amaewhule and 26 lawmakers have defected and lost their seats.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the four tax reform bills transmitted to the National Assembly in October 2024 by President Bola Tinubu.
Recall that the House had on Thursday last week, considered and approved the report of the House Committee on Finance which made some recommendations, particularly in controversial areas such as the Value Added Tax and inheritance tax.
While awaiting the Senate to similarly pass the bills, the proposed reforms are expected to be transmitted to the President for his assent in the days ahead.
Details shortly…
Two members of the house of representatives have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house, announced the defections in a letter read on the floor of the lower legislative chamber on Tuesday.
More to follow…