Labour Party queries $1b ECA withdrawal for only Boko Haram fight

Date: 2017-12-30

The Labour Party (LP) yesterday queried the rationale behind the approval for the release of $1b from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to prosecute the fight against insurgency alone.

The party said the decision to vote such whooping sum for only insurgency smacks of suspicion when funds earmarked for crucial sectors like education are grossly insufficient going by globally recognized standards.

Its National Chairman, Dr Mike Omotosho, in a statement issued in Ilorin yesterday, wondered why the government could only think of spending the huge fund on the fight against Boko Haram when other issues including abject poverty and hunger are severely ravaging the land.

"Take education for instance, University lecturers have been paid half salaries since December 2015 and are being owed N619billion quoting ASUU", the LP National Chairman said.

Omotosho questioned that the approval for the withdrawal of the fund coming at a time when the Federal Government claimed it had decimated insurgency, saying the idea for the release of the money was ill conceived and makes the government appear unresponsive to the cries of the masses even as security is imperative across the entire country.

Omotosho said his party had taken stock of reactions of ordinary Nigerians across divides and maintained that in as much as it was the duty of the government to budget fund for security, the sum of $1billion was outrageous especially for a country that allocates a mere 7% to education while other African countries' education budget are in double digits.

The Herald recalls that the Nigerian Governors Forum recently announced its approval for the Federal Government to withdraw the sum of $1billion from the Excess Crude Account to enable the government procure military hardware and other logistics for the ongoing counter insurgency in the North East.

Omotosho said Nigeria is running a democracy where government is expected to not just be accountable but also be transparent so that they can gain the trust of the people, who he added, are the cornerstone of any democratic administration.

"As a party, that cares about the welfare of the people, we know the importance of winning the fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, because of the colossal damage and ruins it has done to our nation.

"While we appreciate the Federal Government that it has shown the willingness to prosecute the fight against insurgents with deployment of the Armed Forces, we cannot afford to keep mum on what concerns us all as a people.

"In a country that is grappling with abject poverty and hunger, the government is duty bound to use such huge sum not only for security but education and other crucial sectors that are currently begging for attention. Government's claim of deploying such fund to security in the North East alone when million of people are losing jobs daily and civil servants are being owed salaries amongst other ills is antithetical to equal opportunity and social justice",? Omotosho said.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Vishvas KOZ Tractors     IDPU     Trade Lenda SME Fair     Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road     Halimat Yusuf     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     Ubandawaki     Maigidasanma     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Hijaab     Seun Bolaji     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez     Maimunat Oloriegbe     Kwara 2023     Nigeria Customs Service     Habeeb Abdullahi Al-Ilory     UNILORIN Alumni Association     Noah Yusuf     Yusuf Arowosaye     Maryam Nurudeen     Kannike     Mansur Alfanla     Yaru     Abdulraheem Olesin     Mansurat Amuda-Kannike     Rex Olawoye     Arca Santa     Toyin Sanusi     Oba Sulaiman Asude     A.O. Belgore     Muhammed Mahe Abdulkadir     Economic And Financial Crimes Commission     Harafat E. Mukadam     Abatemi-Usman     Kawu Baraje     John Obuh     Adisa Logun     Talaka Parapo     Budo Egba     COVID     Mohammed Ajia Ibrahim     Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Police Commissioner     Sai Kayi     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Kazeem Gbolagade     Maja     Amule Elementary School     Abdulfatah Ahmed     Stephen Fasakin     CCEPE     Niyi Ogundiran     Lola Ashiru     National Information Technology Development Agency     Oke-opin     Aliyu Kora Sabi     Bello Bature     Mohammed Lawal     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     Universal Basic Education Commission     Mike Omotosho     Binta Abubakar Mora     Samari     Kaiama     Oyawoye     Belgore     Shaykh Luqman Jimoh     Elelu     Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency     Fatai Garuba Labaka     Democracy Day     Ambassador Kayode Laro     Kwara Basketball Association     Edret Sabi Abel     Taiwo Joseph     Federal Polytechnic Offa    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Gurei     Dele Momodu     Iyiola Oyedepo     EndSARS     Iyabo Adewuyi     Kamaldeen Gambari     Oba Abu     UNILORIN Alumni Association     Sa\'ad Alanamu     Royal FM     Ibrahim Abiodun     Abdullah Janet Amudat     JSSCE     Kazeem Adekanye     Babajide Ajayi     Ramadan     Owode Market     Magaji Are     Abdulraheem Olesin     Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi     Tunji Folami     Akom Construction And Engineering Synergy Ltd     Awili Pedro     Bahago     Vasolar Consultoria     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     Senate     Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez     Dasuki Belgore     Jimoh Akani     Omu Aran     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Association Of Kwara State Online Media Practitioners     Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara     Agboola Babatunde     Yahaya Oloriegbe     Abdulkareem Alabi     Ilorin Airport     Arandun     Jumoke F. Ajao     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Tafidan Kaiama     Offa     Olaoye B. Felix     Okin Malt     Bolakale Kawu     Bisi Kristien     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     TESCOM 2025     Tsaragi     Shao     Sobi FM     Kwarareports     Kehinde Boyede     Wasiu Odewale     JAAC     Moshood Bakare     Ubandoma Of Ilorin     Toyin Saraki     Kola Shittu     Third Estate     Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh     Iponrin     Centre For Community Empowerment And Poverty Eradication     Danladi     Lateef Alagbonsi     Kayode Yusuf     Ramat Oganija     Raymond Olaitan     Iyeru Grammar School     Gbemi Saraki     Kwara Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     Tsaragi/Share     Mohammed Yisa     Ajibola Saliu Ajia     Gbugbu International Market     Read With Me