We’ll never cover up corruption - Saraki

According to the statement by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Mohammed Isa, said the Senate is ever ready to partner with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the success of the anti-corruption war.‎

The Senate President reiterated this, when speaking with a team of editors of the London based “The Economist” newspaper at the weekend.

The Senate, he said had already demonstrated such commitment through its interventions on many alleged corrupt transactions such as its swift investigation and adoption of a report on the management of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) that saved the nation about N7billion and the exposure of the inconsistencies in the 2016 budget.

The step, he said was a departure from the past where such reports were either watered-down or not presented for debate and adoption. He cited the report he presented to the last Senate on the over N1trillion fuel subsidy scam that never saw the light of the day.

In furtherance to the commitment, the Senate President said Nigerians would in the next few weeks be availed with the details of the National Assembly budget which will be a departure from the tradition of having one line item budget.

“For the first time we promised Nigerians to give out our budget breakdown. The committee will make its report available by next week. We are resolved to break the tradition of one line item,” he emphasized.

Saraki said though party differences exist between the senators, citing example of the leadership tussle, he, however said, national interest and the desire of each senator to fulfill the promises made to Nigerians have become the guiding principle of the senate in their team work.

On the economy, he said the Senate has embarked on series of legislative interventions to create conducive environment for the private sector, as he said, “it is only when the private sector thrives that the issue of unemployment will be addressed and the nation’s GDP will increase.”

“Few days ago, we received a report on the laws that need to be amended in order of priority importance to ease doing business and overall private sector participation in the stimulation of Nigeria’s economy. We will soon commence the implementation of the recommendations in the report in addition to pushing for the amendment of the Procurement Act to stimulate and protect our local industries,” he assured.

He blamed lack of firmness and consistency in policy implementation by the past administrations as the main obstacle for the growth of the private sector.

“If people have confidence that these policies have come to stay, nothing will stop them from coming to invest in the country,” he stressed.

He allayed the fears that the low prices of oil will have negative impact on the implementation of the 2016 budget, saying that, “what we need to do is to block leakages and show more transparency.”

“If we can block leakages, stop the wastage and institute a culture of transparency in governance, the revenue in-flow will not be substantially affected. Without these, even if oil is sold at more than a $100 per barrel, we will continue to witness a decline in revenue in-flow as we witnessed in the past,” Saraki said.

FG plans to make rice affordable by April

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, made this disclosure while declaring open the 2016 National wheat farmers field day in Alkamawa village in Bunkure Local Government of Kano state.

Ogbeh said that the stability of price of rice would be very viable due to its demand and affordability to the people from April.

He said the boosting of wheat production and other cereals had become necessary to reduce over dependence on importation.

The minister added that over 300, 000 hectares of land in wheat producing states would be dedicated to boost wheat production.

“The government will continue to support farmers to encourage agricultural activity, enhance food security and employment generation in the country,’’ he said.

According to him, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will diversify the economy with greater emphasis on agriculture.

Ogbeh urged Nigerians to embrace agriculture to enhance their welfare and enable them become self reliant.

In a remark, Chairman of Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said the senate would make legislation to remove obstacles being faced by wheat farmers in the country.

On his part, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state said Kebbi would dedicate 70 per cent of the proposed 300, 000 for wheat production to boost its production.

shooting at Ivory Coast beach resort left at least 12 dead

At least 12 people were killed Sunday after gunmen opened fire at a beach resort in Ivory Coast and took terrified tourists and staff members hostage in a hotel.

The gunfire erupted near the Hotel Etoile du Sud in Grand-Bassam, a popular tourist attraction, according to The Guardian.

Witnesses told AFP that two to four gunmen, heavily armed and wearing balaclavas, yelled "Allahu Akbar" as they opened fire on sunbathers. Several social media users tweeted footage of bloody bodies on the beach and tourists running through the resort for safety.

The attack is believed to be ongoing, with the gunmen reportedly taking people hostage inside the hotel.

Security forces rushed to the scene and evacuated the beach.

It's unclear who is behind the attack. 

France had warned Ivory Coast at the beginning of 2016 that Islamic militants were planning an attack there, likely at a beach, according to Bloomberg. The warning came after extremists killed dozens in hotel attacks in two other West African countries — Mali, in November, and Burkina Faso, in January.

The U.S. Embassy in Abidjan said there is no evidence that American citizens were harmed or targeted in the Sunday slaughter.

Embattled Madonna embarked on another bizarre, boozy tirade at her Melbourne

                                                                                                    NO BYLINE/NO BYLINE

Madonna took a spill while riding a tricycle during her Melbourne show, but she didn’t spill her tequila.

The embattled pop star Madonna embarked on another bizarre, boozy tirade at her Melbourne, Australia concert over the weekend, this time knocking back swigs of tequila as she beckoned to the crowd to take care of her.

The "Like A Virgin" singer struggled to compose herself at the sold-out show and at one point even tried to ride around the stage on a tricycle with a liquor bottle in-hand before she collapsed to the ground.

"Somebody take care of me please," she told the Rod Laver Arena crowd, according to reports. "Who is going to take care of me?"

The 57-year-old singer, who is currently waged in a drawn-out, contentious custody feud with ex-husband Guy Ritchie, also reportedly took sips out of a concertgoer's flask in between songs.

And in another rambling, profanity-laced rant, the Material Girl surveyed the audience and pleaded "someone please f--- me."

Likewise, Madonna admitted to the intrigued audience that she'd "messed up" a couple songs before joking she figured they'd be embedded in her DNA, according to British tabloid The Sun.

Earlier in the week, Madonna dressed as a clown for her first Melbourne performance, where she emotionally opened up about her drawn-out legal battle with Ritchie and dedicated a song to her estranged son Rocco.

Many surmised that Madge was drunk at the show, as she slurred her words and downed a Cosmo on stage as she addressed the audience. But her flacktold TMZ the mid-show vodka cocktail was the only thing Madonna drank that night.

Madonna has regularly spoken about her ongoing custody war at shows since the 15-year-old Rocco ditched her "Rebel Heart" tour in December to move in with his father in London.

A Manhattan Supreme Court justice ruled in December that Rocco had to return to his mother's Manhattan home, but the wayward teen and his director father ignored the court order. The judge has since said Rocco, who prefers to live with his father, can remain in England until his parents come to a custody agreement.

Guy and Rocco Ritchie each attended a High Court hearing on Thursday, but Madonna was unable to attend due to her shows in the Land Down Under.

The highly complicated saga appears to have taken a major toll on the Queen of Pop, and People magazine reported last week that Ritchie is "treading on eggshells" to avoid upsetting her in hopes of finally reaching a settlement.

Gist-Link: Federal Government on Friday apologised to Nigeria...

Gist-Link: Federal Government on Friday apologised to Nigeria...: The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this in a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr...