Don’t sell public assets to fund budget, HURIWA tells Buhari
AGROUP, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against selling public assets to fund the 2018 national budget.
Its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, gave the caution in a statement yesterday in Abuja.
He charged Nigerians to take considerable interest in the ongoing sinister plots to auction public assets, which were built and are being maintained for the general public, to some few privileged persons.
HURIWA lamented that labour unions, civil society organisations and students’ bodies have all compromised for failing to challenge the plan, and the several anti-people policies of the Federal Government.
It warned that if the indiffer- ence continues, it could cripple constitutional democracy in the country, even as negates section 16 of the 1999 Constitution.
The body wants the Federal Government to explain what it did with the foreign loans that it has taken from different quarters, including China to fund capital projects.
“What has the administration also done with the impressive returns made by the different heads of federal institutions and agencies that are revenue collecting bodies,” it asked.
It cited the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Maritime Authority, Nigerian Customs Service, and the Nigerian Immigrations Service.
Onwubiko also questioned the whereabouts of the multi million dollars reportedly retrieved from looters by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Acritic writer, dramatist and theatre director, Prof. Olufemi Obafemi, has won the 2018 Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) Award in the humanities category.
Chairman, Governing Board of the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA), Prof. Shekarau Yakubu Aku, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja.
He said out of about 35 nominations, only Obafemi met all the criteria set out for the award.
Aku explained that the award is a separate Order of Dignity in the highest Academic Honours in the fields of science, medicine, engineering, technology and humanities, including arts and culture.
He said nominations are usually referred to specialised committee of assessors, before a Committee of Chairmen, Governing Board, considers their recommendations, while the president gives approval.
The chairman disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari would perform the investiture of the awardee at the Presidential Villa. He disclosed that the board would also organise the 11th Forum of the NNOM Laureates with the theme: “Imperative of Unity in Diversity.”