News
Our IGR Has Been On The Increase Annually – NMCO DG
By Lateef Taiwo, Abuja
The director general of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, NMCO, Engr Obadiah Simon Nkom, has stated that the agency’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, has continued to witness increase on a yearly basis since 2019 despite the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, funding among others faced.
He stated this during his acceptance speech after he was conferred with ‘Outstanding Leadership Award, OLA, by the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, on Wednesday in his office at the MCO headquarters in Abuja.
According to him, the transparency and accountability upheld in pursuit of the organisation’s mandate were responsible for the revenue maximisation, adding that since 2019 when he came on board and up till now that he is serving second term following his reappointment in January, the agency had surpassed the previous year in generated revenue.
He said: “When you look at our revenue since 2019, we have always surpassed the previous year. During the COVID-19 in 2020, we supposed to have shut down, but we still surpassed the previous year, even as I speak today even though we are in the middle of the year, we have surpassed last year’s revenue.
“It simply means that if at the end of June, we are already surpassing last year, then whatever it is, we’re meeting the target; we need this Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.”
Engr Nkom expressed deep appreciation to the leadership of NANS for the recognition and honour done to him based on their assessment of his leadership and the value it added to the growth and development of the sector and the economy in general through his stewardship at the MCO.
According to him, it had only come to encourage him to work harder towards taking the office’s contribution to sectorial and national development to a higher level.
He also noted that the effort of the office under his watch to upgrade technologically and digitally had begun to pay off, and recalled that the MCO emerged the best digital innovation agency of the federal government for 2022 by NIRA, a Non- governmental body established to manage the Nigeria’s country code, which presented the award to the best portal of the federal government with excellent user experience that promote innovation and local content development with the .ng domain name.
Noting that developing Nigeria is a responsibility that all and sundry must take, he said upon assuming office as the DG, the mandate to uphold transparency, accountability, and revenue maximisation was clearly established and being followed to the latter under his watch.
Expressing the readiness of his office to partner NANS in undertaking the responsibility of developing Nigeria, the number one mineral titles administrator in the country noted that the solid minerals constitute a large percentage of the wealth of nations hence the essence of developing the mining sector is to create more jobs for the well-being of citizens in the country, especially for the youths.
He hailed the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration for showing concerns on the plights and well-being of the Nigerian students. Recall that President signed the students loan bill signed into law recently.
Speaking earlier, the National Secretary of NANS, Usman Baba Kaikai, the national EXCO of NANS, because of the importance they attach to the visit, mobilised to attend from far and near, they were on ground to affirm their support for the contributions of the Nkom-led MCO to the development of the mining sector and the economy of the country at large, hailing the positive impact of his leadership style on the day-to-day operations of the office, and most importantly how the system had been sanitised with transparency and accountability.
Speaking further, he said the award is “to encourage you to continue to do more because you’re doing it in the interest of the growth and wellbeing of all Nigerians. As such we’re proud to associate with your stewardship.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo in a dispute over the party’s candidates emerging from the Benue State APC primaries for the 2027 general election.
The order was made on Thursday by Justice Inyang Ekwo during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, filed by Engr. Sesugh Akaagba and other aggrieved APC candidates from Benue State against the APC and INEC.
The plaintiffs had, through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, 2026, sought six interim reliefs, including an order restraining the APC from substituting its validly nominated candidates in Benue State through its June 29, 2026 correspondence, or any subsequent communication, to INEC, pending determination of the substantive suit.
They also sought an order compelling the APC to immediately transmit to INEC the names of candidates validly nominated during the primaries monitored by the electoral commission.
When the matter first came up on July 8, 2026, the court declined to grant the interim application immediately, directing both APC and INEC to appear and respond before any decision was taken. The matter was adjourned to July 16.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel representing the APC and INEC were present in court, while the plaintiffs were represented by Mohammed Ndarani, SAN, alongside his legal team.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that since issues had been joined by the parties particularly with INEC now before the court, the defendants were required by law to preserve the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the substantive suit.
When counsel to the plaintiffs urged the court to caution APC and INEC against taking any further action that could affect the disputed list of candidates, the judge responded that it was “not a matter of advice but of law,” stressing that the defendants were bound to maintain the status quo.
The court consequently restrained APC and INEC from taking any action capable of altering the disputed list of candidates pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The defendants did not object to the restraining order.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court noted that all parties had voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction by duly filing and exchanging their respective processes.
It held that there was no procedural or jurisdictional impediment to the expeditious determination of the substantive action, and directed that the matter be heard without further delay.
In furtherance of the objective of preserving the res and safeguarding the efficacy of the judicial process, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit, restraining any act or omission capable of prejudicing the rights of the parties or rendering the proceedings nugatory.
The court further directed that INEC be served forthwith with the originating and all consequential processes.
The effect of the subsisting order is that INEC is restrained from tampering with the existing list of candidates pending final determination of the suit, and from receiving, recognising, or acting upon any purported substituted list of National Assembly candidates from Benue State submitted by the APC.
The matter was adjourned to July 21, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and former First Lady Patience Ibifaka Jonathan recently celebrated a significant family milestone as they attended the graduation ceremony of their son, Ariara Goodluck Jonathan, at Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
The proud parents joined family members and well-wishers to witness Ariara receive his degree, marking the successful completion of his academic programme. The occasion was filled with joy as the Jonathan family commemorated the achievement, highlighting the importance they place on education and personal development.
The graduation ceremony attracted warm congratulatory messages from friends, associates, and admirers, who wished the graduate continued success in his future endeavours.
The Following names joined the political family of Sen. Dr. George Akume today after leaving the sinking Alia ship .
Under the leadership of Barr. Emmanuel Jime .
The are ;
Chief Nelson Alapa
Douglas pepe SAN senatorial Aspirant zone A,
Engr Peter Ashiekaa
QS Clement Beetseh
Former commissioners
Joy Luga
Ann itodo
Barr martins Shaagee
Miss Dorcas
Prof Usar Joseh
Prof Cephas Tushima
Chief Patrick Idoko
Hon Patience Akor
Hon Fred Idoko
Hon Lawrence Ekpo Onoja Jnr
Hon Andrew Abah
Hon Agbo Innocent Ikwumonu
Hon Simon Omachoko
Hon David Egboja
Dr John Garba
Among together,
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