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Rivers State Government Denies Owing Julius Berger, Accuses Media of Spreading Falsehoods
The Rivers State Government has firmly denied reports suggesting that construction firm Julius Berger is pulling out from project sites over alleged unpaid dues.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a statement signed by the Senior Special Adviser on Media, Hector Igbikiowubo, the government described the claims as false, misleading, and intended to malign the state administration. “The report in question is a clear distortion of facts and appears to be a deliberate attempt to damage the government’s reputation,” the statement read. Igbikiowubo clarified that the Rivers State Government has consistently fulfilled all contractual obligations to its contractors, including Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, which has been paid in full since the declaration of the Emergency Rule in the state. He further revealed that the controversy was rooted in a failed effort to pressure the government into approving a steep and unjustified cost variation for the Ring Road project. “The original contract for the project was ₦195.7 billion. However, Julius Berger submitted a variation request seeking an additional ₦171.8 billion — an 87.77% hike in cost — which would have inflated the total project cost to ₦367.45 billion,” the statement disclosed. To prevent such excessive demands and safeguard public funds, the government stated it had secured a bank facility at the start of the project and disbursed a 77% advance payment of ₦150 billion to Julius Berger. “This move was a proactive step to ensure financial discipline and avoid arbitrary cost escalations,” the statement concluded.
The administration of President Bola Tinubu has approved an upward review of peculiar allowances, welfare benefits, and exit packages for civil servants across Nigeria.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
This was disclosed on Friday in Abuja by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, during a press briefing.
She explained that the adjustment applies to workers under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) as well as the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS).
According to her, the revised allowances have been designed to cut across all grade levels, ensuring improved earnings for both senior and junior officers.
Further details are expected to be released later.
Taiwo Oyedele has officially taken over as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy following a formal handover from his predecessor, Wale Edun.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The transition, which reportedly took place on Thursday evening, was confirmed in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Efe Ovuakporie.
According to the statement, the handover was concluded within the timeframe set by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In his inaugural address, Oyedele pledged to consolidate ongoing reforms while delivering measurable economic outcomes.
He said his administration would prioritise fiscal discipline, transparency, and improved performance across key sectors of the economy.
He also expressed his readiness to work closely with staff of the ministry to strengthen efficiency and service delivery.
Oyedele commended his predecessor, Wale Edun, for his role in advancing Nigeria’s economic reform agenda, and thanked President Tinubu for entrusting him with the responsibility.
The Permanent Secretary, Raymond Omachi, alongside the Permanent Secretary (Special Duties), Mohammed Danjuma, welcomed the new minister and assured him of the full support and cooperation of the ministry’s workforce.
During Edun’s tenure, the ministry implemented several fiscal reforms aimed at improving revenue generation and economic coordination. However, the period also faced challenges, including budget implementation constraints that affected ministries, departments, and agencies.
There were also concerns over outstanding payments owed to pensioners and contractors during the same period.
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of an Abuja-based lawyer, Victor Giwa, and a police officer, Edith Erhunmuuse, after they failed to appear in court.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The two defendants were scheduled to be arraigned alongside another accused person, Cecil Osakwe, on a nine-count charge marked FCT/HC/CR/222/2023, filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
They are accused of criminal conspiracy involving the alleged forceful eviction of occupants and damage to property valued at about N300 million.
When the matter was called on Friday, the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, told the court that although the charge was filed in January 2023, arraignment had repeatedly stalled due to what she described as a consistent pattern of absence by the defendants.
She argued that neither the first nor second defendant had consistently appeared in court or informed the prosecution of their absence, insisting that a bench warrant was necessary to compel attendance.
However, counsel to Victor Giwa, Ogbu Aboje, opposed the application, informing the court that his client was absent due to illness and had submitted medical documentation to support his condition. He also urged the court to hear a pending application before proceeding further.
He asked the court to excuse Giwa’s absence, citing health challenges as the reason for his non-attendance.
In response, the prosecution maintained that arraignment is the proper starting point of any criminal trial, adding that any proceedings before it would be invalid.
The prosecution therefore urged the court to issue a bench warrant to ensure the defendants appear for arraignment.
The third defendant, Cecil Osakwe, was present in court with his lawyer, Farouk Akanbi.
Delivering her ruling, Justice Samira Bature granted the prosecution’s request and ordered the arrest of Victor Giwa, stating that the explanations and medical documents presented amounted to deliberate delay tactics.
The judge noted that the case had suffered repeated delays since it was first filed in 2023 and commenced before her court in July 2024, lamenting that arraignment had still not taken place nearly two years later.
Justice Bature stressed that courts are not venues for delay tactics, adding that the defendants had shown disregard for the judicial process by failing to appear for arraignment.
She further ruled that all pending applications could only be considered after proper arraignment, stating that the court’s jurisdiction in criminal matters becomes fully activated only after that stage.
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