Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Sunday, 31st December, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 31st, December 2023.

Senate Passes 2024 Budget

The 10th Senate, under the leadership of Godswill Akpabio, has passed the 2024 appropriation bill.

Naija News gathered that the budget was passed after its size was increased from N27.5 trillion, as proposed by President Bola Tinubu, to N28.7 trillion.

The budget size was increased by N1.2 trillion.

The bill was passed for third reading after Solomon Olamilekan, chair of the senate committee on appropriation, presented a report for the consideration.

The budget passed has N1.7 trillion as statutory transfers, N8.7 trillion as recurrent expenditure, and N9.9 trillion as capital expenditure.

Senate Invites Security Chiefs Over Plateau Attacks

The 10th Senate has summoned the security chiefs over the recent killings in Plateau state.

Those invited are Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff; Hassan Abubakar, chief of air staff; Yusuf Bichi, director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS); and Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of the police (IGP).

Naija News understands that Senate invited the security chiefs on Saturday after Diiket Plang, senator representing Plateau central, drew the attention of the red chamber to the incident.

The security chiefs would appear before the senate plenary in a closed session.

Some armed men had killed many residents during attacks on 17 communities in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi LGAs of Plateau state.

I Am Disappointed Over Your Reasons For Not Responding To Plateau Attack – Lalong Knocks Military

The senator representing Plateau South, Simon Lalong, has condemned the military over its failure to respond to the bloody attacks in Plateau State.

He lamented that he was disappointed by the reasons given by the military for their failure to respond.

Speaking during a debate on a motion sponsored by Diiket Plang, senator representing Plateau Central, on Saturday, Lalong disclosed that the military blamed proximity and terrain for their failure to carry out their duties.

He said, “I heard a report from the military this morning, and I was disappointed. [It said] why they didn’t deal with the situation was because of proximity and terrain.

“There is nothing like terrain in the military.”

Employers Owing Salaries Of Workers Risk Six Months Jail Term As Reps Introduces New Bill

A bill has been introduced by the House of Representatives to make it a criminal offence for employers and corporate bodies which fail to pay salaries to their employees throughout the country.

Naija News reports that the bill, titled “The Employees Remuneration Protection Bill, 2023,” was sponsored by a member representing the Agege Federal Constituency in Lagos State, Wale Hammed.

The bill is said to have passed its first reading, and, once enacted into law, employees will have the right to demand payment from their employers by submitting a written claim. Section 7 (1) of the bill makes it illegal for any employer to refuse or neglect to pay their employees’ remuneration as stipulated in the Act.

Furthermore, Section 8 (1) of the bill states that if an employee’s compensation remains unpaid beyond the specified period allowed by this legislation, the employee can assert their claim by submitting a written demand to their employer for the payment of their entitlement.

Senate Increases 2024 Budget By N1.2 Trillion

The 10th Senate has increased the 2024 budget by a total of N1.2 trillion, moving the budget from N27.5 trillion to N28.7 trillion.

According to the report submitted by the Appropriation Committee led by Senator Solomon Adeola, aggregate expenditure was pegged at N28,777,404.073.861; statutory transfers -₦1,742,786,788,150; recurrent expenditure- ₦8,768.5330,852; capital expenditure-₦9,995,143,298,028 and GDP at 3.88%.

President Bola Tinubu, on November 29, presented a total of N27.5tn budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly.

The President pegged the budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year at N9.18 tn.

It Is Absolute Nonsense To Blame Nigeria’s Development On Colonialism – Ango Abdullahi

A former spokesperson of Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Ango Abdullahi, has said that it is nonsensical to blame the stunted development of Nigeria on its history with colonialism and imperialism

The elder statesman said this while speaking during an interview with The Sun.

According to him, many countries have suffered from imperialism for many years, yet they are doing quite well.

Abdullahi insisted that Nigeria failed because the citizenry failed itself.

Peter Obi Visits Plateau, Pledges Financial Support For Attack Victims

The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, on Saturday, visited internally displaced persons in the Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, areas recently devastated by armed attacks.

Accompanied by state party officials, Obi pledged 5 million naira to each of the affected local government areas, aiming to support those seeking refuge.

Obi expressed his dismay at the attacks, which resulted in significant loss of life and property.

He emphasized, “Government should live up to the responsibility of protection of lives and property,” highlighting the severity of the situation.

Court Restrains Anyanwu From Parading Self As PDP National Secretary

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State, Samuel Anyanwu, has been restrained by the High Court of Enugu State from parading himself as National Secretary of the party.

The restraining order was handed down in a judgment delivered on Thursday by Justice C.O. Ajah in a suit with number E/882/2023, filed by Aniagu Emmanuel.

The court also ordered the National Chairman of PDP, Amb Iliya Umar Damagun, to recognise, and conduct swearing for Hon. S.K.E. Udeh Okoye, the person recommended by the South East Zonal Executive Committee, as a replacement for Anyanwu, when he chose to contest the 2023 governorship election in Imo State.

The case had the PDP as first defendant; National Chairman of PDP, Amb Iliya Umar Damagun, as second defendant; National Secretary of the party, Samuel N. Anyanwu, as third defendant; and the party’s National Vice Chairman, South East Zone, High Chief Ali Odefa, as fourth defendant.

Why Are They Always Singling Me Out? – Akpata Speaks On Crisis In Edo LP

A Labour Party (LP) governorship aspirant in Edo State, Olumide Akpata has denied his involvement in the attacks on some leaders of the party in the Lamidi Apapa faction.

Naija News understands that some members of the Apapa group were attacked in Edo State

According to the video shared on social media, the LP members were attacked, beaten and hospitalised for allegedly defrauding youths in an attempt to hold the party’s governorship primary election in the state for the coming gubernatorial election.

Speaking during an appearance on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, Akpata denied any link to the incident.

He described the accusation as an attempt to malign his person.

PDP Accuses Tinubu Of Withholding Workers December Salary

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Bola Tinubu-led government of withholding workers December Salary.

Making this allegation in a statement released on Saturday, the opposition party condemned the ruling government for refusing to pay workers salary despite removing fuel subsidy.

Naija News reports that the PDP accused the ruling party of deliberately weaponizing poverty to suppress Nigerians to succumb to its totalitarian system of government.

The party also boasted that it never failed to pay Nigerian workers’ salaries before Yuletide during its 16-year reign.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.