[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Ogun state government says it has paid the December and the 13th month salary to its workers since Wednesday ahead of the festive period. Mr Wale Osinowo, the State Commissioner for Finance, disclosed this while defending the ministry’s 2018 budget estimate before the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, in Abeokuta.

The commissioner said that this was despite the fact that the state government has yet to receive the last tranche of the Paris Club Refund. He explained that the state government used the first tranche of the Paris Club Refund to pay the salary of its workers. “On the Paris Club Refund, guidelines were set by the Federal government and the state government has been following it to the letter.

“When we got the second tranche, we used 75 per cent for settlement of salaries and deductions of workers while the remaining 25 per cent was used to execute projects.“We are yet to receive the third tranche of the refund,” he said. He added that the state government had also cleared the severance package of former political office holders at the state level.

The commissioner said that by the first quarter of 2018, the state government would clear the severance allowance of former local government political office holders.

“The amount to be paid between 2007-2011 is N540 million while the amount between 2011-2015 stands at N560 million which makes it just over N1.1 billion to be paid as severance to the local government political office holders.

“Before the first quarter of 2018, we will ensure we settle the severance allowance,” he said. He explained that the ministry had earmarked the sum of N5.2 billion as its recurrent expenditure for 2018 while capital expenditure would gulp N200 million.

Osinowo added that the 2018 budget of the state tagged “Budget of Accelerated Development” was workable and realistic.

Responding, House Committee Chairman on Finance, Olusola Bankole, said that the Finance ministry was important to the development of the state.

Other members of the committee advised the ministry to ensure the prompt release of money to Ministries, Departments and Agencies for better performance.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded its highest revenue collection ever of over N1 trillion as against N770 billion target set for 2017. The Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah, announced this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday. According to him, the revenue realised this year is a historic figure ever made in the NCS.

“NCS has recorded the highest revenue collection ever of N1,012,259,006,779.74 with five more working days to the end of 2017.“This spectacular performance in revenue collection shows N241,685,276,289.74 over the N770,573,730,490 target for the year and well above the N898,673,857,431.07 collected in 2016. “(This is) Despite the economic recession experienced earlier in the year, with low volume of imports and restriction placed on 41 items from accessing Forex.

“The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), retired Col. Hameed Ali, undertook some strategic measures in terms of restructuring and repositioning the service for efficient service delivery which resulted in this historic revenue figure from the service this year,” Attah said.

He said that for the CGC to achieve this feat, took some measures like strategic redeployment of officers, restraining of the operatives of Customs Intelligence Unit were done, among others.  Attah said that the NCS strived to deliver, adding that sometimes even at the risk of sustaining serious injuries or even death.“Sadly in the process of enforcing the laws, six officers fell in the line of duty this year,’’ the spokesman said. He said that the Customs boss had directed sustained onslaught against smugglers, especially at this festive period.

Attah, however, said that in the spirit of the season, all stakeholders were enjoined to reflect on the value of patriotism and resolved to avoid all forms of smuggling.

“It is clear that given the right leadership and better support from Nigerians, NCS will continue to play a more pivotal role in the security and economic well-being of the nation, ” he said

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]nambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, yesterday, promised to assist victims of last weekend’s fire disaster at Onitsha Drug Market, Bridge Head, Onitsha, Anambra State, whose goods and cash valued over N100 million were burnt to ashes.

This followed sympathy visit to the fire scene by the commissioners of Health, Dr. Joe Akabuike and his Commerce, Industry, Trade and Wealth Creation counterpart, Mrs. Amaka Ilobi, who were sent by the governor to assess the extent of damage.

The fire incident was suspected to have started from a faulty electrical installation in one of the shops and spread to six other shops before the timely intervention of fire fighters from Onitsha Main Market and Building Materials International Market at Ogidi which brought the situation under control.

One of the victims, Mr. Ebuka Chidubem Uzochukwu, was said to have lost about N7 million worth of goods as he reportedly took delivery of some goods a day before the inferno.

Another victim of the incident, Mr. Chidubem Uzochukwu, was also said to have lost about N2 million cash left in the safe of his shop, which he intended to use to pay for some goods on arrival in few days time before the incident, as well as goods worth N13 million.

Akabuike and Ilobi expressed their heart-felt sympathy over the losses, adding that they were sent by Governor Obiano to ascertain the extent of damage and how to prevent future occurrence.