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Kwara Govt not behind ex-Gov. Ahmed’s trial — Commissioner

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By Saka Laaro, Ilorin

Kwara State Government has refuted claims that it is behind the current corruption trial of former Governor Abdulfatahi Ahmed.

In a statement on Thursday, Kwara State Commissioner for Communications, Bola Olukoju said the burden of governance does not permit any distractions or targeting of anyone, including former public officials.

Adding that the trial of the former governor is the exclusive prerogative of the anti-graft agencies who may have found some misconduct following their own investigations of different transactions involving his administration.

“We find the accusation of the opposition party as cowardly, baseless, and wrong. The right place to prove the innocence of anyone accused of wrongdoing is the court of law, not on the pages of newspapers or through shadow-boxing. They should leave us out of the issue,” she said.

“This administration has moved on from whatever happened in the past, except where historical references are inevitable. Our task is so enormous that we are left with no time to waste.”

She maintained that the administration is still grappling with the burden of fixing the most basic things, including those that should have been done but resources meant for them blatantly stolen by these PDP officials.

“An example is the UBEC funds, which were brazenly stolen. We reported a case of a particular N1 billion UBEC intervention fund that was withdrawn cash and stolen. The evidence is damning.

“This barefaced and irresponsible conduct led to the blacklist of Kwara by UBEC which set the state backward for many years in education infrastructure and many other sectors. As if that was not enough, there had not been any meaningful investments in basic education until our administration came up in 2019.

“It is not surprising, therefore, to see nothing in some Schools in some parts of the state, in spite of the huge funds we have pumped in the sector. This was the essence of the government’s public announcement dated July 24, 2022 titled, ‘Next Time You See an Oke Apomu LGEA School.’

“Even so, our focus has been governance. This is why we feel scandalised by the lack of context in the recent BBC report on LGEA School Kankan in Asa local government. The media owe the public not just a duty to tell a story but to give appropriate context to such stories for lessons to be learnt.

“Kankan LGEA School, like many of it across the state, did not just get there. They have all been documented, and steps are being taken to put them in shape in phases.

“Between 2019 and now, this administration has paid for and accessed UBEC counterpart funds for years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 to fix school infrastructure in more than 600 locations in the state. This has been confirmed by UBEC itself, and they were done to specifications in the UBEC-SUBEB work plans.

“Yet the gap is understandably huge that it will take many years of such consistent investments to bridge. To date, we have paid counterpart funds for eight years, whereas we have only spent less than five years in the saddle.

“What this means is that we shoulder the burden of fixing school infrastructure that should have been done since 2014 or earlier. But the funds were stolen by the same people now in the PDP who are accusing the EFCC of witch-hunting.

“This is the context to the Kankan story. While we do not deny that it is our responsibility to fix the deficits and we are indeed doing the same, we reject any report that lacks the context to tell the full story and guide public understanding of the issues.”

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How Palmpay overcame trust deficit in 12 months- MD Nwosu

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Nigerians’ trust in Palmpay, a Central Bank of Nigeria’s fintech licensed bank, has grown tremendously in the last 12 months.

The Managing Director of Palmpay Nigeria, Chika Nwosu, disclosed this recently when he appeared on  Channels TV Business Roundtable.

Recall that the CBN recently restricted Palmpay and four fintech banks from onboarding new customers.

However, Nwosu gave insights into regulatory concerns surrounding the FinTech ecosystem and said that Palmpay has come to stay within Nigeria’s banking sector.

“Whatever happens with regulation is for the good of the FinTech space in Nigeria. Initially, when we started, there was an issue of trust. However, I can tell you now that the last 1 year after the cashless policy has seen the trust start to grow”.

The Managing Director emphasized PalmPay’s unwavering support for regulators in regulating the FinTech ecosystem, underscoring that regulators want to improve the services of strong players in the FinTech space, such as PalmPay.

On the ease of doing business and how it affects PalmPay, he said:

“Doing business in Nigeria for us is difficult, but Nigerians are embracing our App and digital payment”.

When asked about the problem of failed transfers, he stressed,

“Every institution has its business strategy and infrastructure. For us and most fintechs, we have a structure that makes transactions seamless”.

Regarding the regulator’s recent onboarding policy, he stated that PalmPay agreed with the regulators on some grey areas that must be addressed.

Reassuring customers that there was no issue with using PalmPay, he emphasized, “If PalmPay completes their own today, we will start onboarding today”.

On the issue of trust and the security of the PalmPay app, he said,

“There is no day you won’t see on our app boldly written that we are licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and our deposits are insured by the Nigeria Deposits Insurance Corporation (NDIC). PalmPay is here to stay”.

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Mushin LG Chairman flags off construction of Yusuf Street road, promises solar lighting

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The Mushin Local Government Chairman, Hon. Emmanuel Bamigboye on Wednesday flagged off the construction of Yusuf Street road in Papa Ajao.

The project is expected to bring relief to residents and traders in the area and is set to be completed within six months.

According to Bamigboye, the project is a fulfillment of his campaign promise to the people of Mushin, and he expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to execute the project.

He urged residents to cooperate with the contractor and the local government to ensure the successful completion of the project.

The councillor representing the ward, Ayomide Abioye, expressed his joy and appreciation for the project, stating that it is the longest street in Papa Ajao and will bring immense benefit to the community.

Also, the Baba Oloja of Ladipo International Market, Eze Monday, also commended the Executive Chairman for the project, stating that it will make a significant impact on the development of the area.

The project includes the construction of the road and the installation of solar lighting, which is expected to enhance security and facilitate economic activities in the area.

Residents and traders in the area have been warned not to disturb the contractor or disrupt the project in any way.

Meanwhile, the traders applauded Hon. Bamigboye for demonstrating its commitment to infrastructural development and the welfare of its citizens.

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Giving back to community — Prof Oyedokun speaks on motives

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Lead Facilitator Professor of Accounting & Financial Development Founder OGE, Prof. Godwin Emmanuel Oyedokun, has disclosed that giving back to society community is his motive for pursuing his career.

He made the disclosure in an article titled “My motive for running a free professional diploma course in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation is of several folds.”

He said, “Running a free professional diploma course in forensic accounting and fraud investigation is also motivated by my desire to give back to the community.

“By sharing my expertise and knowledge without any financial barriers, I am helping individuals from diverse backgrounds and financial situations to acquire valuable skills and advance their careers.”

The academic reiterated that the motive for running a free professional diploma course in forensic accounting and fraud investigation is centred around education, skill development, community service, and professional growth.

It is a way to contribute to the accounting profession, address a skill gap, and empower individuals in their pursuit of knowledge and career advancement.

According to him, “Promoting Education and Professional Development to contribute to the growth and development of the accounting profession by providing individuals with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in the specialised field of forensic accounting and fraud investigation.

“By offering this free course, i am enabling aspiring professionals to access valuable education that might otherwise be costly or inaccessible.”

The Don addressing the need for expertise in Forensic Accounting said, “In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for professionals skilled in forensic accounting and fraud investigation due to the rise in financial crimes and fraudulent activities. By offering this free course, I am helping to address this skill gap and aiding in the fight against financial fraud.”

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