Rep Simon Adejare, the Deputy Chairman of the committee who presided over the budget defence, said this on Tuesday in Abuja.

The committee also chided the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) for failing to break down its budget request, thereby prompting the committee to ask its National Coordinator to rework and submit it on Oct. 28.

Adejare said that the committee would not pass the ICOH budget until it visited the centre, adding that there must be enough commitment to show that there was enough justification to pass the centre’s 2021 budget.

Adejare questioned why ICOH’s revenue was grossly inadequate compared to its expenditure, adding that the committee must embark on an oversight visit before it would consider approval for its budget.

Dr Sani Balarabe, the Director-General (D-G) of the centre, said that it generated N10 million revenue in 2020, adding that its overhead cost was N12 million with 24 staff.

“Most of our budget are ongoing and they are mostly structure, we are expecting a large number of staff, we need to purchase vehicles, we have N4 million for electricity among others.

He said that the centre needed its budget to move up to accommodate 321 new staff.

He said that the centre was also planning to recruit as approved by the head of service of the federation.

He said the centre was not established for the purpose of generating revenue but to provide service for the citizenry, stressing that the N10 million revenue was due to the ingenuity of the former D-G.

Also, Dr OJ Amedu of NBTS said it had maintained its vision of providing safe, quality blood for all Nigerians, adding that NBTS currently has 17 centres across the country and most of them in sorry state.

According to him, the Maiduguri and Abeokuta centres, he visited recently, are in a sorry situation and need quick intervention to fix them.

He said that the NBTS had about 458 staff members across the country and had generated N130 million as IGR, adding that it hoped to surpass its current revenue in 2021.

Amedu said that there was the need for its activities to be properly guided, adding that failure to do that could result in trouble.

According to him, NBTS will generate revenue for the country when it invests in blood transfusion and will also provide employment for the people, so it needs a special intervention fund to do this.

The chairman of the committee, however, gave the coordinator time to break down his budget following some irreconcilable differences in his presentation.

“You have to go back, adjust your budget and see the chairman tomorrow with corrected version,” he said.

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Ayade made this known on Monday, while reaffirming the curfew imposed on Calabar and its environs.

The hoodlums had on Friday and Saturday took advantage of the #ENDSARS protests and looted items in the centre after they vandalised it.

“It will take the state government N5 billion to bring back the Calabar International Conference Centre, the beauty of Cross River State.

“This is not the Cross River that I was born into; it is unlike us,’’ the governor said.

Ayade said that the action would have negative impact on the progress of the state’s industrialisation efforts aimed at jobs creation.

Our correspondent reports that police and other security agencies deployed to the town had started raiding the suspected criminal hideouts with a view to recover the looted items.

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The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NCS Command’s in Ebonyi, Nneka Iyasei, made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday.

Iyasei said that the protesters attempted to break into the facility but were repelled by combined security forces.

“The protesters were subdued after over one hour, thirty minutes of gun-battle with the gallant officers.

“The protesters attempted pulling down the gate of the facility while some destroyed its walls but were resisted to the point of retreat by the combined force,” she said.

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The Acting Chairman of the centre, Mr Gbenga Onayiga, said this at a one-day workshop in Kano on Monday.

Onayiga said the revival of the insurance scheme and improved welfare were part of viable programmes outlined by the centre to address challenges and build a vibrant media for an informed society.

He said that the centre accorded priority to capacity building to enable journalists meet the technological advancement to effectively discharge their constitutional mandate.

The centre also focused on encouraging communication research and adherence to ethical standards to promote professionalism in the media industry.

“We will not ignore the suffering of our colleagues and the family members of deceased journalists, hence the need for improved welfare and insurance scheme.

“The workshop is to develop a two-year working plan to fast track implementation of our programmes,” he said.

According to him, the centre will conduct sensitisation activities in other parts of the country to fast track adoption of sound policies and programmes aimed at transforming media operations in the country.

Onayiga said that the centre would utilise Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to achieve its objectives.

Malam Muhammad Garba, the Kano State Commissioner for Information, said the state government had provided an enabling environment for journalists and media organisations to operate without hindrance.

Garba, who inaugurated the workshop, said the state government had maintained harmonious working relationship with the media to fast track good governance.

The commissioner, who was also a former President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), decried the lack of salaries and poor working conditions of journalists.

He said that the trend must change to achieve sustainable development in the sector.

He advocated the reconstitution of the NUJ’s Ethics Committee to check quackery and promote professionalism.

While lauding the initiative, Garba urged the centre to engage veteran journalists holding political posts and other privileged positions to enable it achieve its objectives.

Our correspondent reports that the event was attended by the NUJ National Secretary, Shuaibu Leman; General Manager, Vision FM Kano, Adamu Ladan; General Manager, Bronze Federal FM, Benin, Bimbo Oyetunde; and the Legal Officer of the centre, Sadiya Aliyu, among others.

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The governor made the commendation when he received members of the House of Representatives from Kano State on a solidarity and sympathy visit on Tuesday night.

According to him, this is a good development and effort by the federal government in supporting the effort of the state government on the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.

“President Muhammadu Buhari deserved to be commended for ensuring that the test centre in Kano continue to function.

“And also we commend him for sending a powerful delegation to find out the problem with the aim at finding a solution.

“The state need more testing centres across. Looking at our population, the state government is providing more health workers to support the federal government effort,” Ganduje said.

According to him, the more test centres are provided, the more the job will become easier, noting that another centre set-up by the Bayero University Kano (BUK) will soon commence operation.

“I want to assure you that very soon, we are going to make it necessary for the use of face mask in the state,” he said.

Ganduje further commended the House of Representatives and all the members from Kano state for their concern over what is happening in the state on the issue of COVID-19.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, said the visit was to express their concern and sympathy with the people and government over the recent sudden and alarming deaths in the state.

While commending the efforts of the state government in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, he called on the public to also support the government.

“I wish to inform you that we have written to President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking for his prompt intervention to support the state in fighting Coronavirus pandemic.

“The decision was necessary because the state need serious support, not only from the Federal Governmemt, but also from all the stakeholders to fight the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are also in Kano to find a way to collaborate with the state government and also the people of the state to find a lasting solution for the pandemic in the state,” he said.

The leader said that the House of Representatives had a special session on Tuesday (April 28), which was dominated with a discussion on Kano situation over the issue of COVID-19 pandemic.

“We came to Kano to represent the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gbajiabiamila to commend the governor for his tireless effort in fighting COVID-19,” Ado-Doguwa said.

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