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It is ridiculous to think I was acting when I fainted before the House of Reps- NDDC boss, Kemebradikumo Pondei

\"\"Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei,  the acting Managing Director of the Expanded Interim Management Committee, EIMC of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, says he is shocked that some Nigerians thought he was acting when he fainted while testifying before the House of Representatives public hearing on the alleged financial recklessness in the commission on July 20. Pondei shocked Nigerians including the lawmakers when he slumped during the hearing. Pondei passed out after he failed to defend the N1.3 billion he approved to provide COVID-19 palliative for members of the Commission. He also could not defend the N640 million he approved to one clear point communications limited.  He was being asked about the money meant for students on scholarship when he passed out. In an interview with Vanguard, Pondei said he had an unexplained and unexpected health challenge that day. In his words ''I had an unexplained, unexpected health challenge. It is ridiculous to think that people believed I was acting. I would not pray for anyone to experience what I went through. I do not run from issues. I have put all that behind me.'' Pondei who denied any wrongdoing, said the only ''sin'' of his team is that they tried to clear out all existing debts incurred by the past management teams. Pondei denied allegations that the Executive Interim Management Team of the commission led by him spent N81.5 billion within the short time they came into office. According to him, the N81.5 billion was jointly spent by the former Interim Management Committee that was in office from October 2020 to February 2020 and his committee when he took over in February. Pondei said most of the money was expended on capital expenditure.''This is not true. The current EIMC did not spend N81.5bn. This was the joint expenditure by both IMCs from October 2020 to 31st May 2020.  The current IMC between 20th February 2020 and 31st May, 2020 spent N59.1bn. Out of this, N38.6bn was for capital expenditure, paid to contractors and other expenditure incurred by previous managements. The balance was for recurrent expenditure, including backlog of debts owed to service providers and backlog of allowances approved for staff by previous managements, but left unpaid. Our sin has been that we have tried to clean up the embarrassing debts incurred by previous managements.'' he said Pondei who has since resumed work, added ''The accusations/allegations were laughable. From N40 billion missing, the probes now became extra-budgetary spending. After accusing the EIMC of embezzlement of N40 billion, nothing was substantiated. The IMC is then asked to refund monies paid for historical debts owed contractors, service providers and allowances paid to staff.''. It is ridiculous to think I was acting when I fainted before the House of Reps- NDDC boss, Kemebradikumo Pondei Follow Linda Ikeji Blog.

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Pregnant Married Woman Arrested For Faking Kidnap, Sharing Ransom With Boyfriend

Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have arrested an expectant mother who faked her own kidnap and demanded for N2 million as ransom from her husband.

It was gathered that the woman shared the ransom money with the man suspected to be her boyfriend, and whom she connived with to defraud the husband.

FCT Commissioner of Police Benneth Igweh, who paraded the suspects yesterday, said: “About 19:40hrs on March 11, one Chiedozie Ubah of Saburi II Dei-dei, Abuja, reported at Gwa Gwa Police Division that his pregnant wife, Rosemary Ubah, left for the hospital on same date but did not return home. He later received a call from his wife’s number telling him that she had been kidnapped and demanded for two N2 million ransom before her release.

“He transferred the money into his wife’s account as instructed and later brought his wife to the station after her release. During interrogation, the wife freely confessed to have conspired with one man named Walter Ezeala living on the same street with them at Saburi to extort money from her husband.

“The said Walter was arrested and he confessed that he got N800,000 from the ransom money.

“N793,500) cash, two ATM cards and two android phones were recovered from them.”

In a similar development, Igweh narrated how operatives of the command arrested a man who faked also his own kidnap to test the loyalty of his girlfriend.

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Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate For Today 22 March 2024

Find below, the Dollar to Naira exchange rate for today, 22 March 2024.

Lifestyle Nigeria has obtained the official dollar to the naira exchange rate in Nigeria today, including the Bureau De Change (BDC) rate and CBN rates.

What Is The Official Exchange Rate For Dollar To Naira Today?

The exchange rate between the Naira and the US dollar according to the data released on the FMDQ Security Exchange, the official forex trading portal showed that the Naira opened at ₦1536.83 per $1 on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, and closed at ₦1453.28 per $1 on Thursday, March 21, 2024.

However, the Naira is trading as high as ₦1,400 per Dollar at the black market even though the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced the unification of all segments of the foreign exchange market.

The apex bank, had in a circular on Wednesday 14th June 2023, said all FX windows were now collapsed into the investors & exporters (I&E) window.

The statement read, “Abolishment of segmentation. All segments are now collapsed into the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. Applications for medicals, school fees, BTA/PTA, and SMEs would continue to be processed through deposit money banks.

“Re-introduction of the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model at the I&E Window. Operations in this window shall be guided by the extant circular on the establishment of the window, dated 21 April 2017, and referenced FM/DIR/CIR/GEN/08/007. All eligible transactions are permitted to access foreign exchange at this window.

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Abure Ajaero – .

The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Comrade Julius Abure, has warned the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, against utilizing the NLC’s platform, finances, and assets for his aspirations to vie for the presidency in 2027 or the governorship of Imo State.

Abure issued this warning in Asaba, Delta State on Wednesday in response to the closure of the Labour Party’s National Headquarters by protesting NLC members. The protesters were calling for his swift removal as the National Chairman of the party.

He said: “I must state today that the leadership of NLC under Joe Ajaero is on the part of destroying the successes we have recorded in the 2023 general election.

“I had expected that as a responsible trade union centre, a responsible labour leader; number one should have teamed up with Labour Party to see how we can team up together to make the country better.

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Abure continued, “Unfortunately and ironically too, the NLC is the one that is on the part of war against Labour Party. I must state clearly that Ajaero as NLC President has not been able to organise a successful strike action. Not even a single protest or even picketing government establishment in order to bring government to accede to the numerous requests of workers.

“As we speak, there are unfair labour practices meted out to workers by several organisations in the country. I have not seen Joe Ajaero go to such organisations to picket them.”

While stressing that Joe Ajaero is not officially affiliated with the Labour Party, Abure clarified that the party is not under the ownership of the NLC as asserted by the labor union.

He said: “Over the past few years, NLC has been claiming ownership of Labour Party. l must state clearly that NLC is not the owner of Labour Party. The party is not owned by NLC.

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