TheNewsGuru

Tag: Umahi

  • VAT controversy: ‘It is coming at a very bad time’ Umahi appeals to southern colleagues to sheath swords

    VAT controversy: ‘It is coming at a very bad time’ Umahi appeals to southern colleagues to sheath swords

    Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has appealed to state governors to sheathe their swords as the dispute over who should collect Value Added Tax (VAT) between the state governments and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) persists.

    He believes if the FIRS is stripped of such responsibility, only a few states will be major beneficiaries while others will be left to suffer.

    “Even if you have all the money in the world, you will not be able to use it. So, it is very important, and it is coming at a very bad time,” the governor said on Friday on a monitored Channels Television programme.

    “I’m pleading with my colleagues to sheathe their swords, let us pass through this challenging moment before we start looking at who is right or wrong.

    “We have to be our brother’s keeper; we have to see how we can grow the economies of the weakest states, otherwise we will breed a lot of insecurities to those super states; this is very important.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that a series of litigations and rulings have surfaced since the Rivers State government took the decision to test the legality of the collection of VAT by FIRS in various states.

    The dispute started on August 9 when a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt granted the state government the right to collect VAT – an order that affected other states.

    Although the case is before the Supreme Court, the latest is the reservation of the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, on the application for a joinder filed by the Lagos State government.

    But Governor Umahi proposed that before states should be allowed to collect VAT, the ‘weakest states’ must be provided with enough resources to give them a comparative advantage.

    According to him, the Federal Government should be the major contributor to VAT while state and local governments should have 85 per cent and the remaining 15 per cent taken by the Federal Government.

    “Now, the Federal Government and the super states will be the most beneficiaries, and a number of states will collapse and by the reason of rampant law,” the governor decried. “I am also encouraging the Federal Government to look the way of Ebonyi State, we are highly disadvantaged.

    “You say we should grow the economy, with what? We don’t have money to grow the economy. We have agriculture, we have solid minerals, and our solid minerals are being stolen away. Ebonyi State should be pitied, we’re in a very difficult situation. We have a lot of our youths unemployed.”

  • Umahi distances self from Fani-Kayode, says ex-minister’s claims of facilitating his defection to APC false, insulting

    Umahi distances self from Fani-Kayode, says ex-minister’s claims of facilitating his defection to APC false, insulting

    Sequel to his claims that he facilitated the defection of Governors Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) and Ben Ayade (Cross River) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling party, former minister, Femi Fani-Kayode appears to have beaten more than he can chew.

    “I think he needs to withdraw that statement, he’s my good friend but, it was an insult on my person and the other governors,” Governor Umahi said on a monitored Channels Television programme on Thursday.

    “The man did not know when I moved, but incidentally he visited me and we discussed, and he said he was coming to join me with the other governors to declare.

    “How will somebody in the PDP be instrumental to my moving?,” Umahi asked.

    “A whole Governor of the state and then, not even a small governor, an experienced Governor.

    “So, he has to withdraw the statement, he was never part of any discussion of my movement”.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Governor Umahi defected to the APC in November 2020.

    The governor explained that one of the reasons was to move the southeast to the center of administration.

    “I moved to close the gap between the center and the southeast, which our forefathers fought for, like Nnamdi Azikwe.

    “So, for somebody to come and say that a whole chairman of the southeast governor’s forum, he was instrumental to that, it’s a bitter insult to my person and with all due respect, he has to withdraw the statement.

    “He remains my friend and a good one for that matter, but he played no role in my movement and I’m sure he didn’t play no role in the movement of the rest of us,” Governor Umahi stressed.

    The comments come on the same day that Fani-Kayode officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

    The former PDP chieftain was introduced to President Muhammadu Buhari as the newest member of the ruling party during a visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    He was led to the meeting with the President by the APC National Caretaker Committee Chairman and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as well as Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State.

  • I have no apologies saying Buhari has good heart – Umahi

    I have no apologies saying Buhari has good heart – Umahi

    Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi says he has no apologies for describing President Muhammadu Buhari as a man with a good heart and father to him.

    Umahi said this on Wednesday, while receiving the former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, at the Government House, Abakiliki.

    Shariff was in the state to consult with the governor over his ambition to run for the National Chairmanship of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said he had no regret for his comment, notwithstanding the backlash from the public.

    “When one person has a good heart and the rest of us do not and are not patriotic, no development can take place.

    “You can see that my executive council members melted their hearts into mine, which made us have good hearts and achieve a lot,” the governor said.

    He appealed to Nigerians to continue to support Buhari, saying that he is conscious of his integrity, which stands him out.

    “I thank you (Sheriff) for informing us of your decision to contest the APC national chairmanship but the president, who is the leader of the party, has a role to play.

    “He is the only one that can take a decision but if it is thrown open, you are my choice.

    “The president can say in the interest of the party, let another person be there, we will obey him,” Umahi said.

    He commended Sheriff for his role in stabilising PDP, adding that his mind left the party the moment Sheriff was unceremoniously removed.

    In a speech, Sheriff said he decided to inform Umahi of his decision to contest the APC national chairmanship because he is a “political Iroko” in the South-East.

    “You are very influential in APC and your fellow governors and leaders across the country rate you highly for your infrastructure strides, among other achievements,” he said.

    He called on Nigerians to stop zoning the presidential seat, saying the best candidate that would deliver the good should be considered and supported.

    “It is however, not the time to talk about the next president because an incumbent is still in office and should be supported to accomplish his goals,” Sheriff, a former governor of Borno, said.

  • FIRS should continue to collect, redistribute VAT to states -Gov Umahi

    FIRS should continue to collect, redistribute VAT to states -Gov Umahi

    EBONYI State Governor David Umahi has said that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) should keep collecting value added tax (VAT) and be redistributing to states.

    The governor said this while speaking during a state dinner organised in honour of former Chief of Army Staff and Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin Tukur Buratai on Monday night.

    “Evil will continue to thrive if good people keep quiet. We must make Ebonyi State very exceptional by rising to the challenges,” he said.

    “Ebonyi state is not in support of any state collecting VAT. We are in support that FIRS should continue to collect tax and share.”

    Umahi noted that he was in support of true federalism, but it should focus on administrative instead of economic restructuring.

    “When we shout true federalism, I say, I agree;, but it should be administrative restructuring.”

    Ebonyi joins Kogi and Katsina states to openly oppose the collection of VAT by states.

    Controversies have continued to grow across the country after a Port Harcourt Federal High Court ruled last month that Rivers State government had the powers to collect VAT within its territory.

    In response, through its house of assembly, Rivers State enacted the state VAT law and immediately expressed its readiness to enforce the judgment beginning from this month.

    Last week, Lagos State followed suit by enacting and signing the state VAT bill into law.

    The state joined Rivers State as a co-defendant in an appeal filed by the FIRS against the Federal High Court judgement.

    But an Abuja Court of Appeal has ruled that all parties in the matter should maintain the status quo.

    The case was adjourned till September 16 for a hearing.

    Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Rivers State Government asked the Supreme Court to set aside the ruling of Court of Appeal.

  • God will give Nigeria a president with good heart like Buhari- Umahi

    God will give Nigeria a president with good heart like Buhari- Umahi

    Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, on Monday stated that God will give Nigeria a president “who has a good heart like President Muhammadu Buhari for the good of this country” in 2023.

    Umahi revealed this while addressing State House correspondents after meeting with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The governor applauded the President on some landmark projects in the South East, especially the Second Niger Bridge which, he said, was becoming a reality.

    When asked about his reason for visiting the State House, Umahi said, “I came to see, Mr. President. One is to thank him very highly for a number of mega projects that he is doing in the southeast. The second Niger Bridge is fast becoming a reality. Each time we visit that bridge location, it is always like a dream.

    “So, we the people of the South East are very grateful to Mr. President for this.

    “We also thank him for the award of these Eastern corridors of the railway line. This is a project that is going to fast track the commercial activities of our people.

    “I recall that when I was in school, I used to take a train from my state, Ebonyi and then get up to Maiduguri where my brothers were staying, for my holidays. Mr. President is about restoring that hope. We are deeply very grateful.

    “But I also reminded Mr. President that one of his cardinal objectives is to integrate South East or the state capitals, but in putting together the project through South East that is the capital of Ebonyi state, which is Abakaliki and capital of Anambra state, which is Awka, were omitted.

    “And I reminded Mr. President that the South East governors had requested that I write, which I did, but not yet approved by the Honourable Minister of Transport, which Mr. President said he will find out why they were omitted in the first place.

    “I am very, very hopeful that Mr. President is going to give approval to those two locations. And also the limestone granos to fast-track the fertiliser presidential initiative, which has helped the country Nigeria so much in food sufficiency.

    “Let me point out that without the effort of Mr. President, through this fertiliser initiative and other programmes in the agricultural sector, it would have been a very difficult time for this country. And so that project is supposed to produce a large set of granules to enable us to produce fertilisers to serve the South-South, South East and part of North Central.”

     

    Asked if the South East leaders were working together to ensure that the two major political parties have one candidate from the zone for presidency in 2023, Umahi said, “Well, for me, I’m very much entrenched in completing my projects. And I will look into politics when my tenure has one year remaining, which is from May 29, 2022. And I think it is the same thing with other governors of the South East and by extension, governors of APC.

    “My position about what you ask is that our people that are in those political parties are making the effort in selling the need for the South East to produce the next president. But I think both the governors and Mr. President should not be distracted, when the elections are done and won, it should be governance.

    “But in this country, the moment the election is completed, the next one starts. It is the masses that are being cheated. So those whose jobs are politics and who are not into elected position, or appointed position have all the time and the opportunity to do this conversing.

    “But I continue to say that power rests in the hands of God. And God will also give us the next president who has a good heart like President Buhari for the good of this country.

    “We need God’s own anointing for our own anointed President for the interest and unity of this country.”

     

     

  • Umahi prays Nigeria gets another leader with ‘good heart’ like Buhari in 2023

    Umahi prays Nigeria gets another leader with ‘good heart’ like Buhari in 2023

    Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, is praying that Nigeria gets a leader with a good heart like that of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the governor made the wish on Monday while briefing State House correspondents following a meeting with the President at the Aso Villa in Abuja.

    The governor commended the President for his support towards the ‘mega projects’ in the South East, particularly the Second Niger Bridge.

    He also highlighted the award of the eastern corridor of the railway line, which according to him, would fast-track commercial activities in the area.

    While reacting to the clamour for the Presidency to be zoned to the South East, Governor Umahi stated that it was too early and distracting to engage in discussions about the 2023 elections at this time.

    He told State House correspondents after the meeting with the President that power rests in God’s hands alone.

    The governor described the sit-at-home order declared by the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as the worst thing to happen to the South East.

    He said that the directive would potentially cripple the economy of the region, stressing that fear and uncertainty about the security of the people enabled compliance.

    Governor Umahi, however, disclosed that leaders in the region, in collaboration with the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, were making efforts to aggregate the grievances of the youths in order to present them before President Buhari for action.

  • 2023 presidency: What l will do, feel if APC does not give South East a chance – Umahi

    2023 presidency: What l will do, feel if APC does not give South East a chance – Umahi

    Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, says he will feel bad if the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not give the South-East a chance at the presidency.

    Umahi said this on a monitored Channels Television progamme on Friday.

    “The heartbeat of the people of the South-East is that they should be given a chance whether in the PDP or the APC for Presidency of this country for the reason of equity, fairness and justice,” he said.

    “I took that position in the PDP and one of the reasons why I took that position is because the South-East people have supported the PDP all the way and they have never been given any opportunity to do that.

    “If I follow APC for this length of time, and they don’t give the South-East an opportunity, I will feel bad.

    “I will feel bad if I stay the same length of time as I did in the PDP and that happens. But I can’t say what I will do. It depends on what God places in my mind,” he added.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that after years in the PDP, Governor Umahi defected to the APC in November 2020.

    Meanwhile none of the parties have decided on where to zone the presidency to.

  • President of Igbo extraction in 2023 now in God’s hands – Gov Umahi

    President of Igbo extraction in 2023 now in God’s hands – Gov Umahi

    Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, on Monday took a cursory look at the nation’s political landscape and declared that only God can now enable the South-East to produce a President of Igbo extraction in 2023.

    With President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration elapsing in about 17 months, there has been jostling and uncertainty over which region would produce the President .

    While the southern region has been agitating to have the presidential slot brought back to it, none of the nation’s two dominant parties – All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – has officially zoned the slot to it.

    However, Umahi who decamped from the main opposition PDP to the ruling APC last year, said the chances of the South-East region producing Nigeria’s President under his party, would be determined by God.

    Although the governor didn’t specify whether he is against the move or in support, he only said God directs the party’s affairs.

    “It’s in the hands of God,” Governor Umahi said during a monioted programme on Channels Television, in reaction to the bright chances the Igbos have to be Nigeria’s President under the APC platform.

    On whether God is a party member, the governor replied in the affirmative saying: “He is. He directs our affairs. He gives breath to every man so power belongs to God. Whatever thing we wish will come through only through God. If God says yes, no one can say no.”

    The Ebonyi governor also backed the APC’s caretaker arrangement, noting that the interim Chairman and Yobe State Governor, Mala Buni is not being paid.

    He explained that the committee was set up by the party to do a particular job.

  • Umahi suspends 5 permanent secretaries for 6 months

    Umahi suspends 5 permanent secretaries for 6 months

    Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi on Wednesday suspended five permanent secretaries in the state civil service for six months over alleged lack of commitment to duties.

    Umahi made the disclosure while swearing in 11 reappointed commissioners, several old and new Special Assistants and Senior Special Assistants.

    The governor announced that the affected permanent secretaries who would be sent for retraining were those in charge of the ministries of health, education, communication, sports and solid minerals.

    “The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and the commissioner for human capital development should organise six months training for them which I would sponsor.

    “They should be taught what a permanent secretary is, how to prepare memorandum and how to take responsibilities in their ministries.

    “The SSG and the acting Head of Service should identify ministries without permanent secretaries and fill such positions with the most intelligent official in such ministries.

    “The official can be on grade level 10 but would be promoted to level 14 because I need help in the ministries,” he said.

    He noted that underperforming permanent secretaries would henceforth be demoted by two grade levels and disengaged from the system.

    “The permanent secretary is the real owner for the ministry and the issue with the suspended ones was not dullness but lac of commitment,” he said.

    Umahi congratulated the newly-sworn in commissioners and noted that he would admonish them during the state executive council meetings.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that nine out of the 11 sworn-in commissioners retained their positions, while two were assigned new portfolios.

    The commissioners include: Chief Clement Nweke-housing and urban development, Mrs Ann Aligwe—human capital development, Mr Charlse Akpuenika-youth development and sports and Mrs Chinwe Okah—women affairs.

    Mrs Chioma Nweze was retained as commissioner for investment, Chief Emmanuel Uguru-lands and survey. Mr Oluchukwu Ukie-Ezeali–project monitoring, Mrs Elizabeth Ogbaga—culture and tourism and Chief Ogodo-Ali Nome—agriculture and natural resources.

    Mr Eze Nwachukwu was assigned the commissioner for market and park development while Mr Joseph Ekuma-Nkama takes charge of inter-governmental affairs.

    Chief Clement Nweke, Commissioner for Housing thanked the governor for reappointing them and pledged to redouble their loyalty and commitment to the cause of governance.

  • Ebonyi begins 3-day intercessory prayer over death of 2 commissioners

    Ebonyi begins 3-day intercessory prayer over death of 2 commissioners

    The Ebonyi Government has begun a three-day intercessory prayer following the death of two commissioners in the state.

    This is contained is a statement issued by Mr Francis Nwaze, the Special Assistant to Gov. David Umahi, on Media and Publicity on Thursday.

    The prayer tagged “God Protect Our Dear State and Leaders’’ is being organised in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ebonyi chapter.

    Nwaze quoted the governor as saying that the prayer was for the leaders in the state and Nigeria at large.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fidelis Nweze, Commissioner for Infrastructural Development died at the Turkish Hospital in Abuja on Tuesday following an auto crash, barely after Mrs Uche Okah, Commissioner of Housing passed on.

    The governor has ordered for autopsy on Nweze.

    “We have directed an autopsy on Nweze. We have also directed that the driver and orderly should go to the Commissioner of Police and make their statements.

    “The two commissioners are irreplaceable and I am saying it with all sense of sincerity, they are destiny helpers to me; while we live, let us live well,’’ Umahi had stated.