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Africa Parliaments move against yearly loss of $587billion revenue leakages

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….As NASS intensifies legislation on NABRO
By Hassan Taiye

Lawmakers from notable African countries converged on Abuja Monday to collaborate on blocking yearly leakages of $587billion as stated by the African Development Bank ( ADB) in May this year .

This is as the National Assembly expressed its commitment on establishment of the National Assembly Budget and Research Office (NABRO), as an independent, non-partisan budget office for evidence-based budgeting, comparable to the renowned U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Move against the annual loss of $587billion which is equivalent to N887trillion to capital flight in Africa came to the fore at the opening session of 8th Conference of African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices held at the Abuja Continental Hotel .

In his key note address at the occasion , the Speaker of the House of Representatives , Hon Tajudeen Abbas said there is no better time for the gathering to focus on fiscal and governance challenges facing various countries in Africa through effective and efficient legislations than now .

According to him , one of the critical challenges is revenue leakage through corruption, illicit financial flows, and inefficiency which must be tackled through better ways of budget scrutiny .

“According to the African Development Bank, Africa loses over $587 billion annually to capital flight – money that flees the continent through corruption, illicit trade, mispricing, and profit shifting by multinational corporations, among other channels.

“Corruption alone is estimated to drain about $148 billion from Africa annually, and other illicit financial flows (such as trade malpractices, smuggling, among others) siphon away additional tens of billions.

“This is money that should be used to build roads in Lagos, equip hospitals in Nairobi, or improve schools in Accra, but instead it vanishes”, he said .

He posited that Nigeria presents a cautionary example of both the challenge and urgency of oversight , saying ” In our public procurement processes, which make up a significant part of government spending, Nigeria loses an estimated $18 billion each year to financial crimes, roughly 3.8% of our GDP. These leaks could fund numerous social programmes many times over”

“There is a need to stop such leakages so that budgets can lead to better outcomes for citizens.

“That is why we have been increasing oversight hearings, audit inquiries, and strengthening anti-corruption laws. Oversight is vital to ensure that limited resources are used for the public good.

” Institutional capacity constraints also pose a challenge. Many African parliaments have historically lacked independent analytical resources to effectively scrutinise budgets and expenditures.

“Without access to high-quality fiscal data and economic analysis, legislators may struggle to hold the executive to account on complex issues of macroeconomic policy, debt sustainability, or public investment efficiency.

“This gap is exactly what Parliamentary Budget Offices are meant to fill” , he stressed .

He explained further that in the face of the challenges, we are responding with reforms to strengthen the legislative “power of the purse” and ensure accountability.

In doing that , he said one of the most significant advancements in Nigeria is the effort to establish the National Assembly Budget and Research Office (NABRO) as an independent, non-partisan budget office for our legislature.

“Let me assure this audience that the National Assembly is fully committed to NABRO’s realisation, full funding, and independence.

“We envisage NABRO as a catalyst for evidence-based budgeting, comparable to the renowned U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

“Beyond NABRO, the Nigerian legislature is advancing a broader fiscal governance agenda.

“We are revising our Fiscal Responsibility and finance laws to enhance budgetary discipline and transparency.

“We are empowering our Public Accounts Committees to take decisive action on audit findings”, he added .

Earlier in his remarks at the conference attended by representatives from 16 countries , the Clerk to the National Assembly ( CNA) , Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana described it as a critical platform for peer learning, capacity building meant for promoting the institutionalisation of evidence-based public finance management.

“I encourage us all to use this Conference not only as a platform for exchange, but as a springboard for innovation and renewed commitment to fiscal representability”, he said .

Some of the participating member states at the conference are Nigeria , Ghana , Kenya , Uganda , South Africa , Tanzania ,Namibia , Zimbabwe , Malawi , Mozambique , Liberia ,Gambia ,Sierra Leone , Cape Verde etc .

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Benue Killings: Tiv Youths Give Politicians, Governments 90-Day Ultimatum

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The Tiv Youths Organisation (TYO), Worldwide, has issued a 90-day ultimatum to political aspirants across all parties and to governments at the local, state and federal levels to put an end to the ongoing killings by suspected herdsmen in Benue State.

The warning was issued by the Acting President General of the organisation, Comrade Patrick Terfa Angbagh, amid continued attacks, loss of lives and the displacement of Tiv communities. He described the situation as a clear failure of leadership and governance, stressing that the blood of Benue people must no longer be reduced to political statistics.

According to Angbagh, the Tiv people have endured prolonged suffering marked by repeated attacks, mass burials and what he described as “empty condolences.”

“The Tiv people and Benue citizens have suffered enough pain. If within the next 90 days these killings do not stop, then no aspirant—regardless of party affiliation—should expect to campaign or seek votes in Benue State ahead of the 2027 elections,” he said.

The organisation warned that political ambition without a commitment to protecting human lives was unacceptable, adding that Tiv youths across the state were ready to mobilise peacefully to resist any attempt to normalise insecurity for electoral gain.

Angbagh emphasised that security should not be treated as a campaign slogan but as a constitutional responsibility. He called on the Federal Government to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve security deployment and ensure accountability among security agencies.

He also urged the Benue State Government to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete action, while charging local government authorities to assume responsibility for community protection and the establishment of effective early-warning systems.

The Tiv Youths Organisation cautioned that silence, indifference or political exploitation of the crisis would no longer be tolerated, warning that Benue must not be turned into a killing field ahead of future elections.

“Any aspirant who cannot defend the lives of the people has no moral right to ask for their votes,” Angbagh stated.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful advocacy, justice and the protection of Tiv ancestral lands, and called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society organisations to join in demanding urgent action to end the killings.

“Enough is enough. Benue lives matter,” the organisation declared.

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Woro Bandits’ Attack: Kwara Gov sets up seven-person committee

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Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved the appointment of a seven-person committee to interface with Woro community on humanitarian support that the Governor announced earlier on Thursday.

In a statement on Friday, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye said the Chairman of the Committee is Hon. Ahmed Kiwozi, a former lawmaker from Kaiama Local Government Area.

Other members are the Vice Chairman of the Local Government Council Aisha Abubakar Sadiq; Alhaji Abubakar Mora; Woro Village Head Alhaji Umar Bio Saliu; and a representative each of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP); and a representative of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government who should be a female.

The Committee, which has four weeks to carry out its assignment, will interface with the community leaders on rebuilding efforts, areas of need of the survivors, and other outstanding issues.

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Tinubu Holds High-Level APC Meeting at Presidential Villa

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Fabian Apechihin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday met with top stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to review preparations for the party’s forthcoming convention and congresses.

The closed-door meeting brought together members of the APC national leadership, state governors, and key figures from the party’s caucus in the National Assembly.

Among those present were Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin; House of Representatives Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere; Chief Whip of the House, Usman Bello Kumo; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; and APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru.

Speaking after the meeting, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, described the engagement as brief but productive, noting that it focused on aligning preparations and strengthening unity within the party ahead of the convention and congresses.

According to Yilwatda, discussions centred on deepening collaboration between the party’s national leadership, sub-national governments, the National Assembly, and the party structure. “It was a brief meeting to review our preparations for the convention and congresses and to strengthen synergy among all arms of government,” he said.

He added that the party’s rapid growth, marked by the influx of new members, governors, and lawmakers, made inclusivity a key priority. “The party is expanding every day. We are growing beyond bounds, and we want to ensure that in the process of this growth, nobody is left behind,” Yilwatda stated.

The APC chairman also praised President Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as a seasoned politician whose guidance continues to shape the party’s strategic direction. “Mr President is a very experienced politician. His advice was remarkable, and his deep understanding of the political cycle is driving the strength and expansion of the party,” he said.

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