The presentation of over $32 billion national budget and the protests by communities over vexatious issues on the second Niger Bridge are some of the trending stories in Nigerian press on Wednesday.
Virtually all the newspapers, reported the presentation of $32 billion budget for 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari, with the Punch newspaper reporting that the National Assembly would pass the 2020 Appropriation Bill on November 28, 2019.
The Punch quoted the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Benjamin Kalu, as saying that the lawmakers had the desire to reverse the budget calendar to January-December.
The Guardian reported that some analysts on Tuesday reviewed the 2020 budget proposal, warning that the nation risks bankruptcy unless it curbs its penchant for borrowing.
The Sun said that members of the communities hosting the Second Niger Bridge in Anambra and Delta states, as well as some workers in the company handling the project, are not happy.
They have drawn the battle line against the contracting firm, Julius Berger Nigeria, over what they described as the total neglect of the communities, denial of entitlements, non-employment of the indigenes and the recent sack of some staff, the newspaper reported.
ChannelsTV said that the board of Inquiry set up by the Defence Headquarters to investigate the incident that led to the killing of three Nigerian Police Force (NPF) personnel and two civilians by troops of the Nigerian Army (NA) along Ibi-Wukari Road in Taraba State has made its recommendations.
The seven-member panel, led by Rear Admiral Ibikunle Olaiya, on Tuesday identified and recommended that the officers from both the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force should be investigated and face necessary disciplinary measures.
The Nation said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has loaned N11.57 trillion to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in the first half of this year, the apex bank’s financial markets report has shown.
ThisDay reported that an Appeal Court in London on Tuesday rejected a request by JP Morgan to dismiss the $875 million suit filed by Nigeria against the US bank
The bank had asked the court to quash the Nigerian government’s case, arguing that it had no prospect of success.
The Daily Trust reported that 200 people have been killed by bandits in Sokoto since July 2018.
MM/GIK/APA