The Dutch legend passed away on Thursday at the age of
68, but his legacy lives on. No other man has had such an
incredible influence upon football over the past 50 years
COMMENT
He may be gone, but his impact will be long-lasting.
Johan Cruyff changed football forever: as a player, a
coach, an advisor and one of the game's great thinkers,
the Dutch legend leaves a lasting legacy. He transformed
the sport in the modern era.
Cruyff liked to be different. Determined to succeed as a
youngster as his father passed away before his teenage
years, the young Johan (born Hendrik Johannes) honed his
skills as a footballer.
His mother worked as a cleaner for Ajax and his step-
father was a labourer at the Amsterdam club. So the
young Cruyff learned the value of hard work from a young
age and practising persistently to perfect his talents, he
joined the Ajax academy and went on to become the finest
footballer in the club's history.
Cruyff led Ajax to three European Cups and won the Ballon
d'Or three times as well. Under the revolutionary Rinus
Michels, Johan became the leading exponent of a new
playing style. Total Football. And together, the pair also
led Netherlands to the World Cup final in 1974 - losing out
to West Germany in Munich.
Despite the defeat, they won the hearts of football fans all
over the world with their pioneering play.
"We lost one of the most important games of our lives, but
I think that brought us more fame than we could ever
have had by winning," he later said. "Because everybody
wanted us to win, that brought even more attention,
sympathy and affection. For four weeks in that tournament
no one was talking about winning or losing – the world
audience just wanted to see the nice football we played.
So, it is not an excuse, it is true – the result of the final
doesn't even bother me."
Netherlands lost the 1978 final as well, but this time
Cruyff was not present. He had decided to miss the
tournament for personal reasons, but was exerting his
impressive influence in a new place: Barcelona.
Ajax had wanted to sell the midfielder to Real Madrid, but
again Cruyff wanted to be different.
"I remember my move to Spain was quite controversial,"
he said. "People said I was going to a fascist country. The
president of Ajax wanted to sell me to Real Madrid. But I
was born shortly after the war, though, and was taught
not to just accept anything. Barcelona weren't at the
same level as Madrid football-wise, but it was a challenge
to play for a Catalan club. Barcelona was more than a
club."
And with Cruyff, they would become even greater. The
Dutchman's first year at Camp Nou was spectacular as
the Catalans claimed La Liga for the first time since 1960,
thrashing Madrid 5-0 along the way in a result shrouded in
symbolism even today.
The rest of his time in Catalunya was less successful, yet
he had some stellar advice for president Josep Lluis Nunez
before he departed. Cruyff told the club chief to build an
Ajax-style academy and bring through young players as he
himself had emerged at the Amsterdam side. That way, he
said, they could compete with Madrid.
Always atypical, Cruyff then moved to the United States,
had a spell back in La Liga with Levante and led
Feyenoord to the title in his homeland when most believed
he had little left to offer.
FULL STORY | Cruyff passes away at 68
When he returned to Barcelona to continue a coaching
career he had started successfully at Ajax, it was again
amid an era of Madrid dominance. Cruyff arrived in 1988,
with Real's Quinta del Buitre in the middle of five straight
Liga titles. Nunez thought bringing back the Dutchman
could change all that - and he was right.
It took a while, but young players were emerging from the
youth team and Cruyff combined them with some of the
world's finest footballers. The Dream Team was born,
winning four consecutive Liga titles between 1991 and
1994, as well as a maiden European Cup. Suddenly, Barca
were no longer in Madrid's shadow.
In his first week back at the club, Cruyff went to watch
the youth teams and spotted a young Pep Guardiola
playing on the right of midfield. He asked former team-
mate Carles Rexach to move the skinny youngster into the
centre for the second half and play the 'pivot' position. He
adapted instantly and was soon turning out for the first
team.
Guardiola would become Cruyff's "coach on the pitch" and
Pep pulled the strings in a tremendous team that, at the
time, was the most successful in Barca's history.
Later in his reign, Cruyff suffered a heart attack and was
advised to quit coaching by his doctors. When he left in
1996, he would never take another top job, but his
influence would not end there.
Back in an advisory capacity alongside Joan Laporta, he
recommended the appointment of Frank Rijkaard in 2003.
Again Barca were successful, winning back-to-back
league titles and another Champions League crown in
2006.
But again, there was even more to come. After two
relatively disappointing campaigns, Laporta survived a
censure motion and an overhaul was needed. Rijkaard left
the club and even though Jose Mourinho was pushing for
the job at Camp Nou, Cruyff chose Guardiola.
Many were quick to point to the Catalan's lack of
coaching experience, but the Ducthman said: "The biggest
test for a coach at a team like Barca is the strength to
make decisions and the ability to talk to the press,
because they don't help and you have to manage that.
After that, it's easy for those who know football. But there
aren't many who know."
And Guardiola knew. So the baton handed by Michels to
Cruyff was passed by Johan to Pep and Barca embarked
on the most successful spell in their entire history, winning
all six trophies on offer in the former club captain's first
18 months as coach. And in 2010, a Spain side featuring
the core of that team went on to win the World Cup,
beating Netherlands in a final upon which Cruyff had left
an indelible impression - although he was much more
identified with the style shown by La Roja.
"This ugly, vulgar, hard, hermetic, hardly eye-catching,
hardly football style, yes it served the Dutch to unsettle
Spain," he said afterwards. "If with this then they got
satisfaction, then fine. But they ended up losing. They
were playing anti-football."
Cruyff was all about style and as he had said with regard
to the Dutch defeat in 1974, if he was going to lose, then
it must be respecting a philosophy. That, to him, was
more important than winning.
On Thursday, the 68-year-old ultimately lost his battle
with lung cancer, yet his unique style will be imprinted
upon football forever, and the game is infinitely richer
thanks to the influence of Johan Cruyff.
An innovator, a fashion icon, an educator, a fabulous
footballer, brilliant coach, great thinker and an all-round
guru in the modern game, Cruyff leaves with the team he
helped to build dominating modern football and with his
famous passed penalty in 1982 immortalised recently by
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Through his Foundation, his University and his
programmes for youngsters, meanwhile, he also strived to
change the lives of kids all around the world.
"Children need help from us," he told Goal in an exclusive
interview in 2009. "I educated myself on the streets. I went
on a bicycle, played football, was running around doing
whatever, but today it's always in a car, and there's no
place to play on the street. So you have to create
something different. It's the same body that you are born
with that you die with. Okay you can change a few things,
but not too much. And today with cars, computers, the
Internet and whatever else, physical education is at a very
low level and sport can do something about it."
Whatever he did, Johan Cruyff fought to make a real
difference. How he will be missed.
Johan (Hendrik Johannes) Cruyff, footballer, born 25 April
1947; died 24 March 2016
Thursday, 24 March 2016
Friday, 18 March 2016
MAN CITY TO TAKE ON PSG AND BARCELONA FACE ATLETICO - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
The Citizens face the Ligue 1 champions, guaranteeing
that one of the two sides will reach the semi-finals for the
first time, while there is an all-Spanish clash elsewhere
Manchester City will face Paris Saint-Germain while
reigning champions Barcelona take on Atletico Madrid in
the Champions League quarter-finals.
The match between City and PSG guarantees that one of
the sides will reach the semi-final for the first time in their
history, as Manuel Pellegrini's Citizens tenure begins its
final stretch.
Laurent Blanc's side, who have already wrapped up the
Ligue 1 title, are once again handed a draw against
English opposition, after defeating Chelsea in the last-16
with two dominant performances.
Elsewhere, there will be an all-Spanish tie as current
trophy holders Barcelona face Atletico, renewing their
rivalry on the European stage as the two clubs compete at
the top of La Liga.
On the other side of the Clasico divide, Real Madrid will be
made heavy favourites against Bundesliga side Wolfsburg
while German champions Bayern Munich, fresh from their
triumph over Juventus, were handed a draw against
Benfica, a tie that they will be expected to win.
that one of the two sides will reach the semi-finals for the
first time, while there is an all-Spanish clash elsewhere
Manchester City will face Paris Saint-Germain while
reigning champions Barcelona take on Atletico Madrid in
the Champions League quarter-finals.
The match between City and PSG guarantees that one of
the sides will reach the semi-final for the first time in their
history, as Manuel Pellegrini's Citizens tenure begins its
final stretch.
Laurent Blanc's side, who have already wrapped up the
Ligue 1 title, are once again handed a draw against
English opposition, after defeating Chelsea in the last-16
with two dominant performances.
Elsewhere, there will be an all-Spanish tie as current
trophy holders Barcelona face Atletico, renewing their
rivalry on the European stage as the two clubs compete at
the top of La Liga.
On the other side of the Clasico divide, Real Madrid will be
made heavy favourites against Bundesliga side Wolfsburg
while German champions Bayern Munich, fresh from their
triumph over Juventus, were handed a draw against
Benfica, a tie that they will be expected to win.
Thursday, 17 March 2016
Reps probe secret recruitment of 909 employees by CBN
The House of Representatives on Thursday began an
investigation into the alleged ‘secret’ recruitment of 909
employees by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The controversial recruitment was reportedly carried out by
the apex bank on the directive of the Governor, Mr. Godwin
Emefiele, with a reasonable number of the beneficiaries being
children and relatives of highly-placed persons in the country.
At a session presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu
Dogara, in Abuja, the House asked its Committees on Federal
Character, Banking/Currency to complete the investigation
within three weeks.
An All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Kano State, Mr.
Aliyu Madaki, had drawn the attention of the House to the
recruitment under ‘matters of urgent public importance’.
Madaki noted that there were no prior notifications on the
recruitment through advertisements to give all Nigerians the
opportunity to apply.
He recalled that in 2015, there were speculations that the
apex bank conducted a secret recruitment, but that the bank
quickly denied it.
Madaki added that the latest development only confirmed that
the bank carried out the earlier recruitment.
He stated, “The recruitment by the CBN is in breach of the
Federal Character Principle as enshrined in the 1999
Constitution (as amended).
“The recruitment breached section 14(1); 14(3); and Section
17(1) of the constitution.
“There was no fairness, no justice in this exercise conducted
by the CBN.”
Lawmakers did not debate the motion before passing it in a
unanimous voice vote.
Dogara had overruled any debate on the issue on the grounds
that it could pre-judge the outcome of the investigation.
“This is an investigation; let us not allow any debate so that
we won’t pre-empt the outcome,” he added.
Meanwhile, the majority of the lawmakers on Thursday
endorsed the second reading of a bill for an Act seeking to
repeal the People’s Bank of Nigeria Act, 2004.
Members said the bank had become moribund and its
functions taken over by the Nigerian Agricultural Bank.
The bill was sponsored by an APC member from Yobe State
and Chairman, House Committee on Sports, Mr. Goni Bukar-
Lawan.
However, there was some drama as the bill generated
arguments among members.
While some lawmakers felt that the bank could still be
resuscitated, others held the view that it had since lost its
relevance since it had been merged with the Nigerian
Agricultural Bank.
But, the majority won the day as Dogara ruled in support of
the second reading of the proposed piece of legislation.
Source: punch.com
investigation into the alleged ‘secret’ recruitment of 909
employees by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The controversial recruitment was reportedly carried out by
the apex bank on the directive of the Governor, Mr. Godwin
Emefiele, with a reasonable number of the beneficiaries being
children and relatives of highly-placed persons in the country.
At a session presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu
Dogara, in Abuja, the House asked its Committees on Federal
Character, Banking/Currency to complete the investigation
within three weeks.
An All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Kano State, Mr.
Aliyu Madaki, had drawn the attention of the House to the
recruitment under ‘matters of urgent public importance’.
Madaki noted that there were no prior notifications on the
recruitment through advertisements to give all Nigerians the
opportunity to apply.
He recalled that in 2015, there were speculations that the
apex bank conducted a secret recruitment, but that the bank
quickly denied it.
Madaki added that the latest development only confirmed that
the bank carried out the earlier recruitment.
He stated, “The recruitment by the CBN is in breach of the
Federal Character Principle as enshrined in the 1999
Constitution (as amended).
“The recruitment breached section 14(1); 14(3); and Section
17(1) of the constitution.
“There was no fairness, no justice in this exercise conducted
by the CBN.”
Lawmakers did not debate the motion before passing it in a
unanimous voice vote.
Dogara had overruled any debate on the issue on the grounds
that it could pre-judge the outcome of the investigation.
“This is an investigation; let us not allow any debate so that
we won’t pre-empt the outcome,” he added.
Meanwhile, the majority of the lawmakers on Thursday
endorsed the second reading of a bill for an Act seeking to
repeal the People’s Bank of Nigeria Act, 2004.
Members said the bank had become moribund and its
functions taken over by the Nigerian Agricultural Bank.
The bill was sponsored by an APC member from Yobe State
and Chairman, House Committee on Sports, Mr. Goni Bukar-
Lawan.
However, there was some drama as the bill generated
arguments among members.
While some lawmakers felt that the bank could still be
resuscitated, others held the view that it had since lost its
relevance since it had been merged with the Nigerian
Agricultural Bank.
But, the majority won the day as Dogara ruled in support of
the second reading of the proposed piece of legislation.
Source: punch.com
Judge denies Metuh’s petition, vows to continue trial
Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja on
Thursday denied the petition written against him by the
National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party,
Chief Olisa Metuh, asking for the transfer of his corruption
trial to another judge.
The judge disclosed in the open court on Thursday that one of
Metuh’s lawyers, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), had sent a petition
to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim
Auta, asking for the reassignment of the case to another
judge.
The judge disclosed this while considering an application by
one of Metuh’s lawyers, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), asking for
an adjournment due to the absence of the leader of the
defence team, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), who was said to be
on a trip to the University of Ilorin for an eye surgery.
Justice Abang said he never knew Metuh to be his classmate
in the law school as alleged in the petition sent to the chief
judge.
Justice Abang also denied the allegation that he deliberately
held back the record of the proceedings of the trial from the
defence team.
The judge, who said he would resist any blackmail, insisted
that despite the petition written against him by Etiaba,
apparently on Metuh’s instructions, he would continue to hear
the case except if the Chief Judge directed otherwise.
He said, “I want to say that I have a circular by my employer,
the National Judicial Council, that where there is a petition in
a matter seeking the transfer of a case to another judge, that
the judge handling the case shall continue to preside over the
matter until a decision is taken by the authority that the
petition was addressed to.
“On account of this circular, I shall continue to preside over
this matter until the honourable Chief Judge of this court
takes a decision on Emeka Etiaba’s petition.”
The judge faulted Etiaba for failing to serve the petition on the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which is
prosecuting the case, so as to enable it to respond to the
application.
The judge said Etiaba’s act of serving a letter with respect to
a pending case on the Chief Judge without serving it on the
other party was a breach of Rule 30(5) of the Rules of Code
of Conduct for Legal Practitioners.
The judge said, “The prosecution ought to have been availed
with that letter so that they could also be heard before the
Chief Judge takes a decision on the petition. It is not only the
defence that is entitled to justice.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the defendants are also
entitled to justice. Emeka Eitiaba ought to have served a copy
of that letter on the prosecution so that they would have the
opportunity to react to the view expressed by him.
“There are three grounds in the letter – one: that some of the
decisions the court took were given in favour of the
prosecution; two: that the court refused to release the record
of proceedings. The record of proceedings has been released
to the defendants two days ago. It comprises 212 pages.”
Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, who are
being prosecuted by the EFCC, were scheduled to open their
defence on Thursday.
The accused persons are being prosecuted on seven counts of
fraud bordering on the N400m which they allegedly received
from the Office of the National Security Adviser as well as
money laundering involving cash transaction of $2m.
But responding to a similar question put across to him by the
judge, Adedipe, who led the defence on Thursday, said, “Any
letter written by any member of the defence counsel is a
decision of the defence team.”
The judge subsequently granted Adedipe’s application for
adjournment and fixed March 23 for Metuh to open his
defence.
The judge noted that the case had already been adjourned
three times before Thursday at the instance of the defence.
He warned the defence team to be mindful of section 396(4)
of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which he said
prohibits parties in a criminal trial from taking more than five
adjournments.
Source: punch. com
Thursday denied the petition written against him by the
National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party,
Chief Olisa Metuh, asking for the transfer of his corruption
trial to another judge.
The judge disclosed in the open court on Thursday that one of
Metuh’s lawyers, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), had sent a petition
to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim
Auta, asking for the reassignment of the case to another
judge.
The judge disclosed this while considering an application by
one of Metuh’s lawyers, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), asking for
an adjournment due to the absence of the leader of the
defence team, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), who was said to be
on a trip to the University of Ilorin for an eye surgery.
Justice Abang said he never knew Metuh to be his classmate
in the law school as alleged in the petition sent to the chief
judge.
Justice Abang also denied the allegation that he deliberately
held back the record of the proceedings of the trial from the
defence team.
The judge, who said he would resist any blackmail, insisted
that despite the petition written against him by Etiaba,
apparently on Metuh’s instructions, he would continue to hear
the case except if the Chief Judge directed otherwise.
He said, “I want to say that I have a circular by my employer,
the National Judicial Council, that where there is a petition in
a matter seeking the transfer of a case to another judge, that
the judge handling the case shall continue to preside over the
matter until a decision is taken by the authority that the
petition was addressed to.
“On account of this circular, I shall continue to preside over
this matter until the honourable Chief Judge of this court
takes a decision on Emeka Etiaba’s petition.”
The judge faulted Etiaba for failing to serve the petition on the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which is
prosecuting the case, so as to enable it to respond to the
application.
The judge said Etiaba’s act of serving a letter with respect to
a pending case on the Chief Judge without serving it on the
other party was a breach of Rule 30(5) of the Rules of Code
of Conduct for Legal Practitioners.
The judge said, “The prosecution ought to have been availed
with that letter so that they could also be heard before the
Chief Judge takes a decision on the petition. It is not only the
defence that is entitled to justice.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the defendants are also
entitled to justice. Emeka Eitiaba ought to have served a copy
of that letter on the prosecution so that they would have the
opportunity to react to the view expressed by him.
“There are three grounds in the letter – one: that some of the
decisions the court took were given in favour of the
prosecution; two: that the court refused to release the record
of proceedings. The record of proceedings has been released
to the defendants two days ago. It comprises 212 pages.”
Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, who are
being prosecuted by the EFCC, were scheduled to open their
defence on Thursday.
The accused persons are being prosecuted on seven counts of
fraud bordering on the N400m which they allegedly received
from the Office of the National Security Adviser as well as
money laundering involving cash transaction of $2m.
But responding to a similar question put across to him by the
judge, Adedipe, who led the defence on Thursday, said, “Any
letter written by any member of the defence counsel is a
decision of the defence team.”
The judge subsequently granted Adedipe’s application for
adjournment and fixed March 23 for Metuh to open his
defence.
The judge noted that the case had already been adjourned
three times before Thursday at the instance of the defence.
He warned the defence team to be mindful of section 396(4)
of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which he said
prohibits parties in a criminal trial from taking more than five
adjournments.
Source: punch. com
BLATTER TO APPEAL SIX-YEAR FOOTBALL BAN
The former Fifa president will take his case to the Court of
Arbitration for Sport after having his initial eight-year ban
reduced to six years by Fifa's appeal committee
Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter will appeal his six-year
ban from football-related activities at the Court of
Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
Blatter, along with ex-Uefa president Michel Platini, was
handed an eight-year suspension by Fifa's ethics
committee in December for a "disloyal" payment made to
the Frenchman.
Their bans were reduced to six years by Fifa's appeal
committee in February, with the panel stating that Blatter
and Platini's services to football should be taken into
account.
Platini has already launched his own appeal to Cas but
despite the "optimism" of his lawyers the Frenchman says
he has "rarely seen someone win against Fifa or Uefa
through Cas".
Blatter, too, has now decided to seek "the annulment of
the decision taken by the Fifa Appeal Committee in which
he was suspended from all football-related activities at
national and international level for six years".
A Cas statement continues: "First, the parties will
exchange written submissions and a panel of three
arbitrators will be constituted. The Panel will then issue
directions with respect to the holding of a hearing.
"Following the hearing, the Panel will deliberate and at a
later date, it will issue a decision in the form of an Arbitral
Award."
Arbitration for Sport after having his initial eight-year ban
reduced to six years by Fifa's appeal committee
Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter will appeal his six-year
ban from football-related activities at the Court of
Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
Blatter, along with ex-Uefa president Michel Platini, was
handed an eight-year suspension by Fifa's ethics
committee in December for a "disloyal" payment made to
the Frenchman.
Their bans were reduced to six years by Fifa's appeal
committee in February, with the panel stating that Blatter
and Platini's services to football should be taken into
account.
Platini has already launched his own appeal to Cas but
despite the "optimism" of his lawyers the Frenchman says
he has "rarely seen someone win against Fifa or Uefa
through Cas".
Blatter, too, has now decided to seek "the annulment of
the decision taken by the Fifa Appeal Committee in which
he was suspended from all football-related activities at
national and international level for six years".
A Cas statement continues: "First, the parties will
exchange written submissions and a panel of three
arbitrators will be constituted. The Panel will then issue
directions with respect to the holding of a hearing.
"Following the hearing, the Panel will deliberate and at a
later date, it will issue a decision in the form of an Arbitral
Award."
AUSTIN OKOCHA AT CAMP NOU, PRAISES NEPHEW ALEX IWOBI AGAINST BARCELONA
The former Nigeria midfielder hailed his nephew’s work in
Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat at Barcelona in the Champions
League
Legend Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha was impressed by the
shift put in by his nephew Alex Iwobi in Arsenal’s 3-1
defeat to Barcelona on Wednesday.
Okocha was present at Camp Nou to watch the game.
With the Gunners facing obvious elimination against the
Champions League holders after their first leg 2-0 defeat in
London, manager Arsene Wenger opted to start 19-year-
old Iwobi ahead of the pair of Theo Walcott and Joel
Campbell.
The Nigeria international put in a good shift in his 72
minutes on the pitch where he missed an opportunity to
score and was also denied a penalty call.
In a tweet at the end of the game, Okocha said: “So happy
watching Alex Iwobi (nephew) on the big stage.. I'm very
much impressed with his performance.”
So happy watching Alex Iwobi (nephew) on the big
stage.. I'm very much impressed with his
performance.
— Jay-Jay Okocha (@IAmOkocha) March 16, 2016
It was in contrast to his tweet before the game when he
said that he was torn between his nephew and the
Catalan giants.
“Ready to watch my nephew Alex take on my club
Barcelona. Weird feeling, kind of torn apart,” he tweeted.
Ready to watch my nephew Alex take on My club
Barcelona. Weird feeling..kind of torn apart..hmm
pic.twitter.com/7cTT6Ymh0Z
— Jay-Jay Okocha (@IAmOkocha) March 16, 2016
Iwobi has grown in leaps and bounds since making his
debut for the Arsenal senior side this season.
He has been called up to the Nigeria squad for next
week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header
against Egypt where he will face Gunners teammate
Mohamed Elneny who netted his first goal for the
Londoners against Barcelona.
Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat at Barcelona in the Champions
League
Legend Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha was impressed by the
shift put in by his nephew Alex Iwobi in Arsenal’s 3-1
defeat to Barcelona on Wednesday.
Okocha was present at Camp Nou to watch the game.
With the Gunners facing obvious elimination against the
Champions League holders after their first leg 2-0 defeat in
London, manager Arsene Wenger opted to start 19-year-
old Iwobi ahead of the pair of Theo Walcott and Joel
Campbell.
The Nigeria international put in a good shift in his 72
minutes on the pitch where he missed an opportunity to
score and was also denied a penalty call.
In a tweet at the end of the game, Okocha said: “So happy
watching Alex Iwobi (nephew) on the big stage.. I'm very
much impressed with his performance.”
So happy watching Alex Iwobi (nephew) on the big
stage.. I'm very much impressed with his
performance.
— Jay-Jay Okocha (@IAmOkocha) March 16, 2016
It was in contrast to his tweet before the game when he
said that he was torn between his nephew and the
Catalan giants.
“Ready to watch my nephew Alex take on my club
Barcelona. Weird feeling, kind of torn apart,” he tweeted.
Ready to watch my nephew Alex take on My club
Barcelona. Weird feeling..kind of torn apart..hmm
pic.twitter.com/7cTT6Ymh0Z
— Jay-Jay Okocha (@IAmOkocha) March 16, 2016
Iwobi has grown in leaps and bounds since making his
debut for the Arsenal senior side this season.
He has been called up to the Nigeria squad for next
week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header
against Egypt where he will face Gunners teammate
Mohamed Elneny who netted his first goal for the
Londoners against Barcelona.
National Assembly Committee Detects Fresh Errors In 2016 Budget.
The Senate and House Joint Committee on Appropriation has
detected fresh errors in the 2016 budget, the factor which we
learnt was responsible for the failure of the committee to
present its report to the two chambers of the National
Assembly on Wednesday as it had promised.
According to reliable sources, 25 fresh errors involve about
N37, 025, 238, 407 budgetary allocation.
Of the amount, about N21,623,323,649 voted for office repairs
was rated “avoidable” by the Senate and House of
Representatives committees on Appropriation.
But there were indications that the committees may have
drawn the attention of the Ministry of Budget and National
Planning to the errors.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Sen.
Danjuma Goje, and the Chairman of the House Committee on
Appropriation, Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumin, were making frantic
efforts last night to meet Tuesday’s deadline for the passage
of the budget.
The two committees and the Ministry of Budget and National
Planning were making last-minute consultations as at press
time.
The errors were discovered at the last stage of the budget’s
consideration.
It was gathered that the errors spotted by the National
Assembly tallied with the input from many Civil Society
Organisations, including CLP/ Reclaim Naija.
It was learnt that the mistakes are in the following eight
areas:
* Duplication of budget line items;
* Budget items with quantities not specified;
* Budget items with no location;
* Large amount of money being appropriated for rehabilitation/
repairs of office /residential buildings and purchase of office
furniture and fittings;
* Budget items repeated over the past four years;
* Curious budget line items;
* Non-priority budget items; and
* Wrongly classified budget items
A document obtained from the National Assembly lists the
breakdown of the errors, including curious budget line items
(N6, 411,661, 956); duplication of projects(N3,567,605, 395);
non-priority project items(N5, 422, 647,407); office repairs/
rehabilitation(N21, 623, 323, 649).
A source in one of the committees said: “We have identified 25
new errors in the budget involving about N37, 025, 238,
407billion.
“From the budget, we have discovered that the vote for the
generation of 700 MW from Zungeru hydropower project was
duplicated seven times and titled MOPWH161021632-40. For
the same project, the amounts voted are as follows N750m,
N113, 465, 000, N139, 426, 180, N126, 624, 383, N93, 767,
500 and N160, 000, 000.
“The National Bureau of Statistics projected to spend N256,
920,000 and N230, 705, 000 in the same budget on
procurement of equipment, vehicles and furniture. At our
session, we were amazed that we could still be having two
estimates for the same project. Also, the Federal Roads
Maintenance Agency (FERMA) is planning to execute
Integration of Road Reference System with N150, 940,000
(FERMA 18015998) and N15,000, 000(FERMA 18021621)
respectively.
“On its part, the National Intelligence Agency(NIA) is expected
to use N2, 479, 581, 721 as refund to states for Federal
Government Road Projects and the Ministry of Youth and Sport
will spend N1, 731, 050,000 on kitting of Armed Forces and
the Federal Airport of Nigeria(FAAN) has been allocated N340,
707, 625 for Wildlife Conservation. These are evidence of
padding still subsisting in the budget.
A document on the analysis of the budget in possession of the
appropriation committees reads: “From less than a dozen
MDAs, over N21 billion can be saved and re-allocated to
create needed jobs for the millions of unemployed youths.
“The money budgeted for rehabilitation/repairs
(N10,774,052,415.00) by the ministry of Interior alone is more
than double the entire budget of the Ministry of Women Affairs
(N3,974,395,038). “More money should rather be voted for the
Ministry of Women Affairs to be able to invest in the economic
empowerment of women.
“The MDAs will not collapse if these projects are postponed to
a future date when the country can easily afford to execute
them.
“In the budget of the Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation(OSGF), Procurement and
Installation of security system has become a recurring
decimal.”
The source added: “With due respect to SGF Babachir Lawal,
we have realised that those in charge of the budget of OSGF
might have committed blunders. For 2016, the OSGF has
budgeted N1, 710, 322, 610 for procurement and installation of
security system. The same office budgetted the following
amounts in the last three years on the same item: N527,
000,000(2013); N1, 161, 356, 582(20140 and N316, 420,
274(2015).”
detected fresh errors in the 2016 budget, the factor which we
learnt was responsible for the failure of the committee to
present its report to the two chambers of the National
Assembly on Wednesday as it had promised.
According to reliable sources, 25 fresh errors involve about
N37, 025, 238, 407 budgetary allocation.
Of the amount, about N21,623,323,649 voted for office repairs
was rated “avoidable” by the Senate and House of
Representatives committees on Appropriation.
But there were indications that the committees may have
drawn the attention of the Ministry of Budget and National
Planning to the errors.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Sen.
Danjuma Goje, and the Chairman of the House Committee on
Appropriation, Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumin, were making frantic
efforts last night to meet Tuesday’s deadline for the passage
of the budget.
The two committees and the Ministry of Budget and National
Planning were making last-minute consultations as at press
time.
The errors were discovered at the last stage of the budget’s
consideration.
It was gathered that the errors spotted by the National
Assembly tallied with the input from many Civil Society
Organisations, including CLP/ Reclaim Naija.
It was learnt that the mistakes are in the following eight
areas:
* Duplication of budget line items;
* Budget items with quantities not specified;
* Budget items with no location;
* Large amount of money being appropriated for rehabilitation/
repairs of office /residential buildings and purchase of office
furniture and fittings;
* Budget items repeated over the past four years;
* Curious budget line items;
* Non-priority budget items; and
* Wrongly classified budget items
A document obtained from the National Assembly lists the
breakdown of the errors, including curious budget line items
(N6, 411,661, 956); duplication of projects(N3,567,605, 395);
non-priority project items(N5, 422, 647,407); office repairs/
rehabilitation(N21, 623, 323, 649).
A source in one of the committees said: “We have identified 25
new errors in the budget involving about N37, 025, 238,
407billion.
“From the budget, we have discovered that the vote for the
generation of 700 MW from Zungeru hydropower project was
duplicated seven times and titled MOPWH161021632-40. For
the same project, the amounts voted are as follows N750m,
N113, 465, 000, N139, 426, 180, N126, 624, 383, N93, 767,
500 and N160, 000, 000.
“The National Bureau of Statistics projected to spend N256,
920,000 and N230, 705, 000 in the same budget on
procurement of equipment, vehicles and furniture. At our
session, we were amazed that we could still be having two
estimates for the same project. Also, the Federal Roads
Maintenance Agency (FERMA) is planning to execute
Integration of Road Reference System with N150, 940,000
(FERMA 18015998) and N15,000, 000(FERMA 18021621)
respectively.
“On its part, the National Intelligence Agency(NIA) is expected
to use N2, 479, 581, 721 as refund to states for Federal
Government Road Projects and the Ministry of Youth and Sport
will spend N1, 731, 050,000 on kitting of Armed Forces and
the Federal Airport of Nigeria(FAAN) has been allocated N340,
707, 625 for Wildlife Conservation. These are evidence of
padding still subsisting in the budget.
A document on the analysis of the budget in possession of the
appropriation committees reads: “From less than a dozen
MDAs, over N21 billion can be saved and re-allocated to
create needed jobs for the millions of unemployed youths.
“The money budgeted for rehabilitation/repairs
(N10,774,052,415.00) by the ministry of Interior alone is more
than double the entire budget of the Ministry of Women Affairs
(N3,974,395,038). “More money should rather be voted for the
Ministry of Women Affairs to be able to invest in the economic
empowerment of women.
“The MDAs will not collapse if these projects are postponed to
a future date when the country can easily afford to execute
them.
“In the budget of the Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation(OSGF), Procurement and
Installation of security system has become a recurring
decimal.”
The source added: “With due respect to SGF Babachir Lawal,
we have realised that those in charge of the budget of OSGF
might have committed blunders. For 2016, the OSGF has
budgeted N1, 710, 322, 610 for procurement and installation of
security system. The same office budgetted the following
amounts in the last three years on the same item: N527,
000,000(2013); N1, 161, 356, 582(20140 and N316, 420,
274(2015).”
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