NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL

Liberia: Ebola Could Kill 90,000 in Liberia By Year-End Unless Efforts Scaled Up-Study By Magda Mis London — Efforts to control the Ebola virus in Liberia must be quickly and dramatically scaled up or tens of thousands of people will die in the coming months, said a study published on Friday. Nearly 4,900 deaths have been recorded across West Africa since the virus was first detected in Guinea in March, according to the World Health Organization. Liberia has been the hardest hit of the countries most affected by the virus, with 2,705 deaths and 4,665 recorded cases. Without accelerated efforts to control the disease, Ebola will kill 90,000 in Liberia and infect 171,000 by mid-December, a study in medical journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases said. "Our predictions highlight the rapidly closing window of opportunity for controlling the outbreak and averting a catastrophic toll of new Ebola cases and deaths in the coming months", Alison Galvani, one of the authors of the study, said in a statement. Additional medical facilities for Ebola treatment, a fivefold increase in detection of new cases, together with allocation of protective kits for households could avert as many as 98,000 cases by mid-December, the study said. Researchers based their analysis on a study of Liberia's Montserrado County, which encompasses the capital Monrovia and where the vast majority of cases have been recorded. Without expanded efforts to control the epidemic, the national toll would be even higher, they said. "The scale of interventions that are currently being implemented are still paltry in comparison to what we anticipate is needed," Joseph Lewnard, one of the authors of the paper told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview. The United States has pledged an additional 1,700 beds for Ebola treatment centres in West Africa, however 4,800 beds could be needed for Montserrado County alone, said Lewnard. Even a two-week delay could greatly limit the effectiveness of interventions and result in tens of thousands of people dying, he said. Controlling the outbreak is especially difficult in Monrovia's West Point slum, where over 75,000 people live without running water, making it difficult to implement World Health Organization's recommendation to wash hands with water and soap while caring for sick family members. A team of 51 doctors and nurses from Cuba arrived in Liberia on Wednesday to help to fight the epidemic. The United States is also gradually deploying troops to Liberia as part of a 3,000-strong mission to help West African nations cope with the epidemic by building Ebola treatment units and training local medical staff. (Reporting By Magdalena Mis; Editing by Ros Russell) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ West Africa: FG Bans Conveyance of Corpses From Ebola-Infected Countries By Gboyega Akinsanmi, Martha Momoh, Emmanuel Ugwu And Charles Onyekamuo -Fashola canvasses closure of some borders as Anambra, Abia, Oyo assure virus not in their domain -Contacts already following up 70 person The Federal Government has banned the conveyance of corpses from three West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone where cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) are rampant. Likewise, the Lagos State Government urged the federal government to consider the imperatives of closing some of the country's borders as part of the preventive measures fight the virus. This is as Port health workers commenced sensitisation on the dreaded virus at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Also, the Anambra State government has denied the presence of the virus in the State, pointing out that until necessary tests were conducted, it would be wrong to say the virus was in the state. Abia and Oyo states also expressed readiness to combat the virus and assured that there was so no case of the any infection in their states. Anambra said they took pre-emptive measures by quarantining family members of a corpse that was brought in from Liberia, including nurses in the hospital where the corpse was preserved in their morgue. The Project Director of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Prof. Abdulsalami Nasidi disclosed the federal government's decision to stop the conveyance of dead bodies into the country yesterday. Nasidi stated this at a news conference he addressed alongside the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris and the Special Adviser on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina among others at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa. Nasidi acknowledged that the conveyance of a corpse from Liberia through the Mohammed Murtala International Airport to a private mortuary in Anambra State had informed the federal government to issue an order, banning the transportation of dead bodies into the country from Ebola-infected countries. At the conference, the project director explained that all the handlers of the corpse brought into the country from Liberia would be registered and tracked in order to prevent epidemics the deceased died of the virus. He added that those who accompanied the corpse to Anambra State and the mortuary handlers "are already under quarantine in Anambra State. Our team in the state will today give us the statistics of those who came in contact with the corpse. "The dead body came into the country through Air Gambia. It was received in Lagos, precisely on July 21. From there, it was transported by road. It was received in a private mortuary. "The federal government has issued a directive that we will henceforth not receive anybody or corpse from the West African coast especially from Liberia and others that were on red alert for Ebola virus. "Mechanisms are in place to checkmate that. For instance, a plane was to come into the country with a corpse but the Port health rejected it. Our problem is the land border. But in order have effective monitoring, we held a meeting today and how it will be done was stated. We shall be giving update very soon. These countries will be notified through the diplomatic channels that they should not allow any transportation of any dead corpse into Nigeria. Also, at a session with the journalists yesterday, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola urged the federal government to consider the imperatives of closing some of the country's borders. He said:" The virus is no longer a local, but an international problem. This is because it is easily transmittable across the borders and boundaries. The federal team has been working with the state team. "I think what the federal government need to do at this time is to consider the imperative of closing some of our borders. It is difficult to stop its epidemic. We must now choose the treaty obligations that we hold under the ECOWAS treaty to address the health issue. "I think we should give it that attention. I think men and women who man our border posts-sea, air and land-especially the customs, now know that they are our first line of defense. "What happens going forward depends on how professionally our borders' officials act. It is prevention rather than calling the health professionals to quarantine people. That is really the strongest defence now against migration of the virus. We will continue to put out information about what the health risks are and the symptoms." He justified the cremation of the Liberian Ebola victim; Mr. Patrick Sawyer, explaining that dead bodies "emit fluid. This showed that the cremation policy of the state is the best solution to deal with the issue. "This is a health security and people must embrace contemporary hygiene standards. All the residents who had contacts with the dead Liberian have been tested and the result proved negative. "But there is still risk because we heard a dead body was brought into the country from Liberia. This means there is still need for vigilance at our border posts. The officials at these places should act professionally and report every incident they suspect," the governor explained. At the conference with Nasidi, the health commissioner explained the significance of contact tracing, which he said, had ensured that all contacts exposed "to an Ebola patient, who develop fever receive care immediately and are separated from others to stop the spread of the virus." Idris, therefore, said the contact tracing team "is already following up 70 contacts of the EVD cases and linking them to clinical support when needed. The two suspects, who had fever, are under observation and so far have tested negative for the deadly virus. "Suspect cases will continue to be monitored until the under of the incubation period of 21 days, from their exposure to the traveller, who had the virus," the commissioner said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Youth Education Is Fundamental--Soyinka By Japhet Alakam, 15 July 2014 Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday, decried the attempt by some terrorists to truncate the education of Nigerian youths by abducting them, declaring that every effort will be made to ensure that youths are educated. Professor Soyinka, who played host to 80 students from different parts of the country, who were finalists in an essay competition to commemorate his 80th birthday in Abeokuta said: "It is bad that some people are bent on truncating the education of the youths. "Some of you have come from many parts of the country, especially those that have insecurity challenges. Nobody will mess with your education. The trouble some of us have taken to promote education will not be truncated by few people." He denied the statement credited to him in the media to the effect that Nigeria cannot break on account of insurgency. He said: "I did not say categorically that Nigeria cannot break on account of Boko Haram and corruption. But one part of the country is in trouble and we will not abandon them. If one section of the country says they have the power to rule, then I can say let them go." On the issue of homosexuality, Soyinka said: "It is a biological issue. State should not interfere in the life of an adult. People should be allowed to live their lives the way they like." Citing the case of former governor of Zamfara State, Sanni Yerima and his marriage to a minor, Soyinka said: "Legislators have lost all moral rights to speak about homosexuals. They have failed to protect the girl child in this nation." On God's existence Answering a question about the existence of God, Soyinka said: "It has been a source of inspiration to many, especially the ethical people. Sometimes their beliefs make them to act in different ways. "I do not want people to believe in anything that inconveniences others. I do not believe in ghost. Do I believe in God as represented by Christians? No. Do I believe in God as represented by Muslims? No. I believe in humanity." Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, in his speech at the occasion, congratulated the students for their feat and enjoined them to be focused and dedicated. He reiterated his administration's stand in the provision of quality education for the people of the state. He said: "We are growing our future leaders and the future Soyinkas. There is nothing anybody can give you apart from education. The person we are celebrating today made his marks because he was educated. "You must first be educated before anything and that is why my administration is providing free education at the primary and secondary levels. "I hope we will have many more of Soyinkas in the future and I am sure that he will be happy to see many more of our youths step into his shoes. That is why we are putting up a system that would make that possible. "Soyinka is not just a writer, he is an activist and the one who keeps governments on their toes. "He is one of those that fight for the masses and I believe it is a legacy we will like to keep." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AfDB Approves USD 300 million Loan to Boost Fuel Supply and Fertilizer Production in Nigeria 17 June 2014 SPONSOR WIRE The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved on 13 June 2014 a loan of USD 300 million to Dangote Industries Limited for the construction and operation of a greenfield crude oil refinery and a greenfield fertilizer manufacturing plant. Both projects will produce for consumption in Nigeria and neighboring African countries. The project will allow Nigeria, which currently relies on imported petroleum products and fertilizer, to progressively become self-sufficient and transformed into a major exporter. Ultimately, the project will act as a catalyst to support job creation. The oil industry in Nigeria contributes a large share to gross domestic product and accounts for the bulk of federal government revenue and foreign exchange earnings. The country is the first crude oil producer in Africa, with a production close to 2.2 million barrels per day. Paradoxically, the country is a big importer of refined petroleum products for its economy as well as fertilizer products. The Dangote Group was established in the late 1970s and started with importing sugar, milk, flour, fish, rice, cement and iron rods. The Group is now a diversified conglomerate with business interests in cement, sugar, salt, port operations, packaging material production and real estate. The projects will add value to local natural resources, double the country's refining capacity, reduce by more than 80% current imports of fuel in the country and eliminate fertilizer imports. The projects are expected to help Nigeria on forex savings of $ 65 billion through import substitution and provide revenues for FGN (taxes and fees). The projects will also create over 30,000 temporary jobs during construction, and 2,900 direct jobs during operations. The projects will compliment Bank's ongoing effort to support FGN for the implementation of the Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria: OPEC Scribe - Protests Against Diezani in Vienna BY FRIDAY ATUFE, 12 JUNE 2014 The bid by the minister of petroleum resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, to become the next secretary-general of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was yesterday dashed as the body decided to extend the tenure of the incumbent secretary-general, Libya's Abdalla Salem el-Badri amidst protests against her bid. The conference decided to extend El-Badri tenure for a period of six months from January 1, 2015, but gave no reasons for the extension. LEADERSHIP gathered that Diezani was almost sailing through as the Secretary-General OPEC until a petition and protests of the alleged$20billion oil missing money in Vienna yesterday, spearheaded by the Director of Gatekeepers Nigeria, Mr Blessing Agbomhere, scuttled her bid. Without the protest and petition Diezani perhaps would have been the first female Secretary-General of OPEC. Speaking to exclusively LEADERSHIP, Agbomhere said he was in Vienna to ask Diezani to refund the missing $20billion or explain to Nigerians what happened to the money. "I wrote a petition and distributed it to all the delegates at the conference, how could they nominate someone like her as the Secretary-General. She should at least tell them where the missing money went to," Agbomhere said. "She then came to the podium and lied to the delegates that she was cleared by the Senate regarding any missing money, and I was forced to tell her that the Senate also reported some missing millions of dollars. That was when some of her aides attacked me and we were asked to leave the venue of the event. We decided to stay outside the premises on a public property and protest. It's called the #bringbackourmissingmoney. The Austrian police advised us on how to go about it and here we are." Speaking to Global Reporters Vienna (GRV) before the official opening of the conference, a journalist of Ekbariya News from Saudi Arabia emphasized that Diezani would definitely be the next OPEC scribe and did not see the protests stopping her. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Ambassador Mad At Mccain By Lee Michael Katz, 9 June 2014 The Bring Back Our Girls campaign to free kidnapped school children has brought a political love/hate affair to the Nigerian Embassy in Washington. The Obama administration dispatched a small contingent of troops to nearby Chad to aid in the search for the girls in Nigeria. First lady Michelle Obama was prominently photographed holding a "#Bring Back Our Girls" sign. "But in all this show of friendship and support by an incredibly compassionate American nation, Senator John McCain has been a sad footnote," Nigeria's Ambassador Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye said in a speech several weeks ago. Republican Senator McCain's comments in pushing for strong U.S. intervention to end the standoff with the girls' Islamist Boko Haram captors aroused Adefuye's ire. Nigeria's top Washington diplomat delivered a very unusual personal attack on the American lawmaker - to the point of saying how divine "providence" spared McCain from becoming president in 2008. McCain's office said the senator is passionate about helping to get the girls freed. "Senator McCain notes with great sorrow that the hundreds of Nigerian girls remain missing," said McCain spokeswoman Rachael Dean. "He still strongly believes the U.S. should do whatever it can to bring the girls home." The genesis of the controversy stems from McCain's comment in The Daily Beast when the kidnapping story gained traction last month. The Arizona senator said that a U.S. rescue attempt for the girls should come without necessarily waiting for permission from Nigeria's president, whom he referred to as "some guy named Goodluck Jonathan." Others have criticized the Nigerian government's efforts to free the girls as being late and poorly executed. The embassy has been the site of protests calling for Nigerian better government action. Nigerian Ambassador Adefuye said McCain has gone too far. "The ranking Arizona Senator and former Republican presidential candidate has inexplicably seized on the pain of a distressed nation not only to show contempt to our country but also denigrate the office and person of His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," Adefuye said in a recent speech in Washington. "One wonders what could have happened if the 2008 elections have gone the other way and McCain became the President of the most powerful nation in the world," Adefuye said. "The good Lord has a better plan for the people of the world." The ambassador also offered to set McCain straight on the Boko Haram abduction issue. "We will like to call on his well paid staff to brief him properly on Nigeria and accord our country as well as the Office of the President the respect they deserve," Adefuye said. The ambassador's comments on McCain were eventually dropped from the front page of the embassy website. The embassy is also warning Americans about fraudulent fund-raising schemes related to the girls' kidnapping. The embassy said scammers have sought to collect money "under the pretense of working in collaboration with the Embassy in solidarity with the adopted Nigerian girls." Asked about the issue, an embassy spokesman said the embassy has received calls from Americans curious about the fake fundraising endorsement. He urged prospective donors to investigate purported charities before they send money. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria: House Orders N225 Million Bullet-Proof Cars Returned to Contractor By Lawani Mikairu and Daniel Eteghe, 5 June 2014 The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, yesterday, ordered the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to return the controversial N225 million bullet-proof cars that were purchased during the tenure of former Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, and recover the money. Chairman of the committee, Nkiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha, said NCAA have no business keeping the cars, stressing that the contract terms between NCAA and Coscharis Motors should be cancelled and the money recovered from the supplier. She made this call while on an oversight visit to the agencies at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. She said: "What we said about the bullet proof cars is that the contract should be cancelled and that they do not have any business keeping the cars. It should be returned to the supplier and then recover our money," adding that due process was not followed in the contract. Earlier, the acting Director-General of NCAA, Engr. Benedict Adeliyela, said that the cars were parked at the NCAA's office in Abuja. Fault concession agreement Commenting on the concession agreement entered into by Federal Aviation Agency Nigeria, FAAN, and First Bank, Onyejeocha said the concession agreement was not favourable to FAAN, noting that the bank was not supposed to be doing revenue automation at the airport. She was reacting to the statement of the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. Saleh Donuma, that FAAN did not have any relationship with Avitech, who is the company responsible for airport automation. According to Donuma, First Bank was the party that partners with Avitech to be collecting money from the airport on behalf of the bank. Onyejeocha said the house was not satisfied with the concession agreements, saying "we have a strong opinion about some concessions, especially the one with Avitech. "They said they were not directly in contact with Avitech, that it is First Bank that they know. They know that we are not satisfied and that is why they said that the zero car park had been terminated, which means their concerns is also our concern. The Bi-Courtney example "On the issue of Bi-Courtney and Meavis, I think it will be better than what we have with First Bank. That was why during the bullet-proof issue, you already access more than N600 million from First Bank because they are collecting your money. So it is wrong. "You said it with your mouth that Avitech is a technical partner to First Bank. The bank collects revenue. Do we need a bank for automation? A bank cannot come and do automation in airport. It simply means you just exist. "You are just sitting here and your money goes somewhere else. So I do not know how you will balance that. If we say Meavis is bad business, First Bank should be the worse. They do not have any business collecting our revenue. "I know that you should have somebody that should be collecting revenue and paying to the bank and that person is answerable to you since you do not have direct relationship with Avitech. It means that something is wrong because you said you do not have a relationship with Avitech that you only have relationship with First Bank. " How will FAAN have a relationship with a bank apart from keeping of your money? There cannot be even proper accounting of the revenue because as they are progressing, you are retrogressing." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria: House Orders N225 Million Bullet-Proof Cars Returned to Contractor By Lawani Mikairu and Daniel Eteghe, 5 June 2014 The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, yesterday, ordered the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to return the controversial N225 million bullet-proof cars that were purchased during the tenure of former Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, and recover the money. Chairman of the committee, Nkiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha, said NCAA have no business keeping the cars, stressing that the contract terms between NCAA and Coscharis Motors should be cancelled and the money recovered from the supplier. She made this call while on an oversight visit to the agencies at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. She said: "What we said about the bullet proof cars is that the contract should be cancelled and that they do not have any business keeping the cars. It should be returned to the supplier and then recover our money," adding that due process was not followed in the contract. Earlier, the acting Director-General of NCAA, Engr. Benedict Adeliyela, said that the cars were parked at the NCAA's office in Abuja. Fault concession agreement Commenting on the concession agreement entered into by Federal Aviation Agency Nigeria, FAAN, and First Bank, Onyejeocha said the concession agreement was not favourable to FAAN, noting that the bank was not supposed to be doing revenue automation at the airport. She was reacting to the statement of the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. Saleh Donuma, that FAAN did not have any relationship with Avitech, who is the company responsible for airport automation. According to Donuma, First Bank was the party that partners with Avitech to be collecting money from the airport on behalf of the bank. Onyejeocha said the house was not satisfied with the concession agreements, saying "we have a strong opinion about some concessions, especially the one with Avitech. "They said they were not directly in contact with Avitech, that it is First Bank that they know. They know that we are not satisfied and that is why they said that the zero car park had been terminated, which means their concerns is also our concern. The Bi-Courtney example "On the issue of Bi-Courtney and Meavis, I think it will be better than what we have with First Bank. That was why during the bullet-proof issue, you already access more than N600 million from First Bank because they are collecting your money. So it is wrong. "You said it with your mouth that Avitech is a technical partner to First Bank. The bank collects revenue. Do we need a bank for automation? A bank cannot come and do automation in airport. It simply means you just exist. "You are just sitting here and your money goes somewhere else. So I do not know how you will balance that. If we say Meavis is bad business, First Bank should be the worse. They do not have any business collecting our revenue. "I know that you should have somebody that should be collecting revenue and paying to the bank and that person is answerable to you since you do not have direct relationship with Avitech. It means that something is wrong because you said you do not have a relationship with Avitech that you only have relationship with First Bank. " How will FAAN have a relationship with a bank apart from keeping of your money? There cannot be even proper accounting of the revenue because as they are progressing, you are retrogressing." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigerian Assembly Can Summon Oil Minister Without 'Presidential Consent' - Africa Check 3 June 2014 Nigeria's minister of petroleum resources claims the National Assembly needs presidential approval before it can summon her to investigate alleged spending on private jets. There is no such provision in the constitution. In March, Nigeria's House of Representatives - the lower chamber of the National Assembly - mandated its public accounts committee to investigate the country's Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, for allegedly using large amounts of public money to charter a private jet for herself and her family. The resolution stated that the minister had spent about N130-million, or around $800,000, a month over the previous two years on the use of a private jet for herself and her family. That amounts to a total of over N3-billion, or $19-million. Local press reported the spending as significantly higher. Since the Assembly's vote, Alison-Madueke and the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which allegedly incurred the expenditure on her behalf, have made various moves to stop the investigation. Two weeks ago an affidavit was filed in the name of the minister and the NNPC stating that the House - and the Senate - cannot summon public officers to produce unpublished official records without obtaining the "consent" of Alison-Madueke's close ally President Goodluck Jonathan. The minister's lawyers also claimed that it is not within the National Assembly's powers to investigate criminal allegations relating to corruption or fraud in public offices. Are the minister's claim substantiated? Africa Check investigated. On what grounds does the minister make the claim? The affidavit filed by the minister states that "by law" the Assembly must "seek the consent of the President before ordering the applicants to tender the official unpublished papers, books and records." "All the documents being requested of the applicants" it complains "are unpublished official record, and (the Assembly has... ) never shown to the applicants any such presidential consent, after numerous demands made by the applicants that they do so." The affidavit does not make clear what particular section of the law it is referring to, which somewhat weakens its case. So is presidential approval required? In fact, as shown below, Nigeria's constitution states that ministers must appear before lawmakers when summoned for investigation. "A Minister of the Government of the Federation shall attend either House of the National Assembly if invited to explain to the House the conduct of his Ministry, and in particular when the affairs of the Ministry are under discussion," Section 67 (2) of the 1999 constitution states. Additionally, the Freedom of Information Act 2011 mandates that public records and information should be made available if deemed to be in the public interest. According to the law, it is the court which decides what is or is not in the public interest. That law acts like a whistleblower's protection, stating that it will safeguard "serving public officers from adverse consequences of disclosing certain kinds of information without authorization. It stipulates that: "Nothing contained in the Criminal Code or Official Secrets Act shall prejudicially affect any public officer who, without authorisation, discloses to any person, an information which he reasonably believes to show mismanagement, gross waste of funds, fraud, and abuse of authority". And does the Assembly have the power to investigate alleged corruption? Alison-Madueke's lawyers also claimed that the National Assembly was exceeding its powers by seeking to investigate criminal allegations relating to corruption or fraud. They stated in the affidavit that the lawmakers are only constitutionally empowered to oversee the oil ministry and its various agencies "for the purpose of enabling them to make laws and correct defects in existing laws". If, they said, in the course of exercising oversight the National Assembly stumbles on suspicious dealings by public figures, "they are constitutionally permitted" to direct an appropriate government agency to investigate rather than to do so themselves. So is the National Assembly overstepping its remit? Not so, according to Mr. 'lai Oshisanya, a lawyer at the Lagos-based Vita Veritas and a member of the Hague Academy of International Law. Under the constitution, one of the National Assembly's jobs is to "detect and prevent poor administration, waste, abuse". Both chambers are empowered not only to operate committees but also to "delegate any function exercisable" to those committees, including powers to investigate public figures themselves, Oshisanya told Africa Check. The constitution spells out the scope of those powers - first to make laws and, second, to "expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it". Section 89 (1) (c) of Nigeria's constitution grants the Senate and House of Representatives or their committees the right to "summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence at any place or produce any document or other thing in his possession or under his control, and examine him as a witness and require him to produce any document or other thing in his possession under his control, subject to all just exceptions". "Just exceptions" would not apply to public figures being investigated for misuse of funds, according to Clement Nwankwo, executive director of the Abuja-based Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre. That would only provide a get-out clause for "private individuals who have nothing to do with appropriated funds". The subsequent constitutional sub-section provides the power for the House to compel attendance by those who fail to appear before it when summoned. It may, the constitution reads, "issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after having been summoned to attend, fails, refuses or neglects to do so". The National Assembly is mandated "to investigate alleged crimes, pertaining to appropriated funds, by which they can invite a public officer to give evidence at a public hearing," Nwankwo explains. Thereafter, its responsibility is to "make recommendations to the executive to take necessary actions". So far, the National Assembly has done nothing to overstep that remit. Conclusion - National Assembly can call minister to account For the last three months, the oil minister has made a series of efforts which appear aimed at dodging investigations into the alleged spending of copious public money on private jets. The most recent claim that presidential approval is needed before she can be summoned before the country's lawmaking body and required to produce evidence is wrong. The constitution decrees that ministers must appear before the National Assembly when summoned and the Freedom of Information Act mandates that, when the court rules it is in the public interest, state documents should be made public. As for whether the National Assembly is overstepping its role as lawmaker by probing the minister itself, the constitution is clear that it may summon individuals before it to give evidence when required. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Wole Soyinka - 'We Must Respond to Those Who Feel They Have a Divine Right to Mess Up Our Lives' By Magnus Taylor, 9 May 2014 NiWole Soyinka is 80 this year and has long inhabited that illustrious pantheon of African literary greats, the Godfather of whom was the late Chinua Achebe. But Soyinka achieved something that his contemporary, Achebe (whose frail health in later years made him seem like a much older man), never did: in 1986 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature, the citation reading: "[he] in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence." With his resplendent, silver afro giving him the most iconic profile in Nigeria, when Soyinka talks, and he does so in long, gravelly sentences, you listen. And whilst his most famous dramatic works may be substantially metaphysical in theme, his current outlook seems more forcefully political. Or perhaps this is a product of what his admirers and questioners most want to talk about: how do we solve the 'problem(s)' of Nigeria? When, in reality, Wole might prefer to ponder the mysteries of the universe, the audience the RAS' 'Africa Writes' lecture last night brought him firmly back down to earth. And the problem-du-jour in Nigeria is currently quite clear: the case of the 300 school girls kidnapped by the islamist group Boko Haram from a small town in the country's northeastern Borno state. The imaginative #BringBackOurGirls campaign has galvanized a previously ambivalent international community to pay attention to a conflict that was formerly viewed as a parochial 'Nigerian problem'. One gets the feeling that even in Nigeria the insurgency in its poor northern regions has been viewed as something that could be effectively contained and had little impact on the oil-rich southern states. Soyinka, however, seeks to dispel the notion that 'Boko Haramism', as he calls it, is a spontaneous, temporary and isolated problem: "it is a product of decades old political tactics". Over the last twenty years, "religion has become mixed with politics to create a toxic brew". Relations between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria have deteriorated as politicians sought grassroots support to buttress their own power. Mixed with the international rise of conservative islam after the Iranianian revolution, "people [politicians] became surrogate ayatollahs in their little religious ponds." Soyinka links this rise of religious radicalism with another blight of modern Nigeria: impunity. This word is often associated with a failure to prosecute powerful individuals guilty of corruption. However, Soyinka argues that it extends far beyond this to include those who engage in violent sectarian action - beatings and lynchings - in the name of religion, and survive unpunished by the legal system. "Boko Haramism", says Soyinka, "began with the culture of impunity on religious grounds." Soyinka asserts that "When the first northern governor declared his state theocratic we should have said 'No!... but the President, seeking an unconstitutional third term, needed votes from the north." But whilst Boko Haram may have its origins within the 'Almajiri' foot soldiers of northern politicians, something then happened that they did not expect. The foot soldiers turned on their political mentors, forming the wild and uncontrolled movement we see today. The insurgency has now grown beyond the capacity of the Nigerian state to control. The government and army "cannot handle it" and perhaps, should not even be expected to: it is "the responsibility of the global community. A crime against humanity has been committed." Soyinka calls for a new generation of Nigerians, artists or otherwise, to step up and accept leadership, for his time has now passed. It is the task of a new generation to "respond to those who think they have a divine right to mess up our lives." But in truth, few have the wit, energy and wisdom of Soyinka to address such a problem in so convincing a style. Wole may be nearly 80, but he is certainly not done yet. Magnus Taylor is Editor of African Arguments -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria Infected but Not Exporting Polio Virus - WHO By Premium Times, 6 May 2014 Nigeria has been listed by the World Health Organisation, WHO, as one of the countries infected with polio virus, but does not export the disease to the rest of the world. This is contained in a statement issued by Christy Feig, Director of Communications of the WHO. Others countries infected with polio virus but do not export the disease include Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, and Somalia. Ms. Feig said the international spread of the disease poses a risk for new wild poliovirus exportation in 2014. Ms. Feig listed states currently exporting wild polio virus to include; Pakistan, Cameroon, and Syrian Arab Republic and said this poses a greater risk of further spread of wild poliovirus exportations in 2014. Ms. Feig called on countries to declare the stoppage of polio virus transmission a national public health emergency. She also called on countries to encourage residents and long-term visitors to receive a dose of OPV or IPV, four weeks to 12 months prior to international travel, especially those undertaking urgent travels. Ms. Feig said that 60 per cent of polio cases were due to international spread of wild polio virus, and that there was increasing evidence that adult travellers contribute to the spread. The WHO official also said that the international spread of polio constituted an 'extraordinary event' and a public health risk to other countries for which a coordinated international response was necessary. "A coordinated international response is deemed essential to stop this international spread of wild polio virus, and to prevent new spread with the onset of the high transmission season in May and June 2014. "Unilateral measures may prove less effective in stopping international spread than a coordinated response," she said. (NAN) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Customs Impounds Contraband Worth N279.2 Million From Zone C By John Iwori, 2 May 2014 Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone 'C', Owerri, Imo State impounded contraband worth N279. 2 million in the first quarter of the year. Describing the seizure as another major breakthrough, the zone said it was the fruit of its determined efforts to bring the scourge of smuggling to the barest minimum in the area. Similarly, FOU, Zone C which covers states in the South-east and South-south geo-political zones said it also made 50 seizures with duty paid value (DPV) of N239.4 million just as it recovered an under payment N39.8 million and 13 persons in connection with the seizures. This is against the 36 seizures made the same period in 2013. A breakdown of the seizures made within the period at different locations showed that the unit impounded 28 assorted vehicles with DPV of N50.8 million. Others seizures include, 4 by 20 containers of rice containing 1,758 bags of 50kg each with DPV of N21.6 million; three truck load of poultry products containing 3, 759 cartons with DPV of N36.08 million; container loaded with 860 bales of printed wax textile materials with DPV of N101.5 million; truck loads of 1,497 pieces of used tyres with DPV of N25.4 million; and 163 cartons containing tins of vegetable oil with DPV of N3.3 million. These were disclosed by the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Mr. Victor Dimka in a statement signed by the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Mrs. Ifeoma Onuigbo. Dimka, a Deputy Comptroller, reiterating the preparedness and determination of the officers and men of the FOU Zone C to tackle the menace of smuggling in the zone. According to him, a formidable mechanism has been put in place to ensure that smugglers and those with the intent to indulge in the act are dealt with and compelled to face the full wrath of the law, with the support and co-operation of all patriotic Nigerians and other security agencies. He added that the synergy existing between the security agencies especially the Police, Army, the State Security Services (SSS) and NAFDAC would be strengthened to reduce smuggling to the barest minimum in the country. In his words: "The story behind our success is the co-operation and support we receive from the Comptroller-general of Customs, Alhaji Inde Abdullahi and his management team. We have also embarked on local training and re-training of our officers, even as our intelligence unit is at its best to meet up with the challenges". He re-assured that the NCS more than ever before is adequately trained and motivated to confront smuggling. Dimka expressed gratitude to the members of the public for their unalloyed support and partnership displayed on the area of intelligence provision which has helped in limiting the smugglers activities. "No matter the tactics the smugglers employ to deceive security agents, they cannot escape the eagle eyes of Customs officers, and they will be caught, arrested, prosecuted and punished," he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Insecurity: Nigeria needs competent leaders, says Soyinka on April 15, 2014 / in News 12:55 am / BY GBENGA OLARINOYE OSOGBO— Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday in Osogbo, declared that the country was in need of competent leaders to confront, among others, the security challenges facing the country. He said the security challenges facing the country could not be solved by prayers, but by leaders with capacity to deal with the situation without partisanship. Soyinka suggested that learning from the history of nations that had faced similar situations could help Nigeria survive her present security challenges. Soyinka, who was a keynote speaker at a colloquium with the theme Fundamental Imperatives of Cohabitation, Faith and Secularism, organised by Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, CBCIU, Osogbo, called for a frank talk among stakeholders in the affairs of the country to end the spate of bombings. According to Soyinka, who said he received with shock the news of Nyanya Motor Park bombing, authorities concerned must arrest the situation. Debunking a newspaper report, which quoted him as saying the nation’s security challenges could be resolved through prayers, Soyinka posited that Boko Haram insurgency should not be mistaken for a religious war, insisting that prayers alone could not end the crises. He said: ”I have never said prayer can help resolve the security challenges facing Nigeria. “I believe the situation must be tackled without partisanship and all these uninformed comments cannot help the situation. “We should wake up to the reality. Nigeria is in war and only competence can solve the problem, not prayers.” At the event, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State said the only way to respect God was by showing respect to human beings, emphasising the need for people to accommodate others’ religions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: From Stilt Slums to Emerging Megacity By Alkasim Abdulkadir, 12 March 2014 Lagos bustles with abundant energy not simply from dawn not until dusk, but to another dawn again - the cycle never breaks and its residents love to describe it as the city that never sleeps. It is the city of Fela Kuti the Afro beat maestro, renowned for his scathing social commentary, it is also where Aliko Dangote (originally from Kano) now oversees his $20 Billion fortune. However, appalling slums and a housing deficit, ubiquitous traffic congestion, a high crime rate and ocean surges are just some of the issues bedeviling Lagos. But the city is changing and slowly but surely evolving for the better. The story of Lagos is tightly knitted with that of Nigeria itself - the economic downturn of the early 70s and 80s led to a massive migration to urban areas. This led to a huge overstretching of the city to what it is today - 21 million people crammed into a space of just 356,861 hectares. By 1999, it had reached its point of elasticity - it had to reinvent itself or begin a fast decline. In 2007, Babatunde Fashola - a lawyer and an official in the former government - became governor of Lagos and in a matter of months people began to notice the difference. The simple fact that urban planning, which redresses the obsolescence of city spaces, could be applied to Lagos, shocked residents and non-residents alike. Within a short time garbage dumps were turned into gardens. One example is the ubiquitous traffic gridlock of places like Oshodi; this area was transformed by demolishing illegal structures and evicting squatters. Thus Eko Oni Baje, 'Lagos must not spoil' in Yoruba, became the mantra on the lips of every man, woman and child. And the world took notice too, global brands and luxury franchises from Porsche, to Radison Blu and Ermenegildo Zegna all came flocking. In spite of the strides the current government has taken, its most ambitious project to date is the Eko Atlantic City; promoters of the city describe it as the new financial epicenter of West Africa. Some have even called it the Manhattan or Dubai of Africa. When the Eko Atlantic City is finally built it will comprise seven districts on the ocean front, harbor lights, a business district, Eko Drive, Marina Avenue and Downtown area. The Business District will spread across 1.3 million squares meters of land and will include banks, insurance companies and other multinationals in the oil and gas sector. The Nigerian Stock Exchange will also have a department there. The task of building this city falls into the hands of the South Energx Ltd under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model for a period of 35 years, before ownership is transferred to Lagos state. However, the Eko Atlantic vision comes with a price tag -a massive $6 billion. Financing these developments has been an innovation itself in the development of the country's urban spaces. The funds have come from a consortium of banks, including First Bank, First City Monument Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank and it is also expected that proceeds from the sale of lands will go towards building the city's new infrastructure. But Eko Atlantic city won't solve Lagos' perennial housing problem, with a current population hovering above 20 million this figure will hit 27 million inhabitants by the year 2020. These numbers should be enough to scare any city administrator into taking some big steps. There are many innovative individuals and groups who share Fashola's vision for Lagos. These include the urban renewal enthusiast and architect Kunle Adeyemi, whose floating school is one of the iconic features of the stilt slum Makoko. His school design floats on more than 200 plastic barrels and has been nominated as one the inspiring building designs of the year 2014 by the London Design Museum. Also assisting Fashola's dream is Otto Orondam who said he is tired of criticising the threatened future of the country and as such his intervention project 'Slum to School Africa' is providing access to education and educational materials in Lagos' slums, assisted by an army of volunteers they have enabled thousands of slum kids to get an education. Fashola says that "There is no finish line in this journey, it is a continuous desire to make things better than we could ever imagine." The grinding and the bustle of the city goes on from dawn to dawn, and city administrators and residents continue to walk the talk that Lagos must outgrow its slumification and finally become a city its people can be proud of. Eko oni baje o! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Civil War - Ohanaeze Demands N2.4 Trillion Reparation, State Apology for Ndigbo BY TONY EDIKE, 7 MARCH 2014 Enugu — The pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, yesterday, demanded from the Federal Government N2.4 trillion as reparation and compensation to Ndigbo in the five South East states and Anioma in Delta State, who lost their loved ones and property during the civil war as well as those still suffering dislocation and seizure of property in the country. It also asked the Federal Government to tender a "State Apology for the wrongs the government and people of Nigeria visited on Ndigbo and Igboland" in the past. These demands were contained in a statement entitled, 'The Atrocities and Injustice Against Ndigbo and Ohanaeze Ndigbo: Demand for Reparation,' issued by the Chairman, Ohanaeze Reparation Committee, Chief Mbazulike Amechi in Enugu. He recalled that the apex Igbo organistion had on May 25, 2013 at its Imeobi meeting, which is the supreme executive organ of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, resolved that 'enough was enough' and that Ndigbo should now demand reparation and compensation and a final stop to the persecution of Ndigbo in their own country. He said the committee, which he chaired, had taken the pains to document some of the atrocities, injustice and deprivation visited on Ndigbo and resolved to demand that the Federal Government should in addition to tendering a state apology, pay a token of N400 billion to each of the five states of Igboland as compensation for the incalculable damage done to the Igbo race. According to him: "It is incalculable to put a price on the death of millions of Igbo who were killed in the civil war and on other occasions. "However the Federal Government should pay a token of N400 billion to each of the five states of Igboland as compensation to those who lost their loved ones, lost property and those still suffering dislocation and seizure of property. "The same amount should be paid to the government of Delta State for the benefit of Anioma area of the state," Amechi said. The elder-statesman, who was flanked by members of his committee, including Chief Ralph Obioha, Professor Uche Azikiwe, Dr. Chukwujama, Col. Ben Gbulie (rtd); Chief Maria Okwor, Prof. Paul Modum and other leaders of Ohanaeze, at the briefing, listed some of the chilling atrocities against Ndigbo as follows: "On March 31, 1953, Tony Enahoro moved a motion in the House of Representatives asking for independence for Nigeria. "Northern members of the House under the leadership of Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto) vehemently opposed the motion and threatened to break away from the federation. "Shortly after that, S.L. Akintola went to Kano and in trying to explain the case for independence, said something which Northerners did not like. Their youths took up weapons and massively killed Igbos in such big towns as Kano, Kaduna, Zaria, etc; and destroyed and looted their property. "It was known that over 300 Igbo were killed, but official figures released by the government only admitted that "36 people killed and 227 wounded." "In January 1966 some officers in the Nigerian Army organised a coup d'etat and overthrew the government of nationalists and founding fathers of the federation. "A carefully planned pogrom and genocide was unleashed on the Igbo mainly in the North. On May 29, 1966 they commenced what they termed "ARABA" test riots. With the help of the police, Northern youths embarked on a supervised bloody 'riot' which lasted for seven agonising days in which hundreds of Igbo were killed all over the North and their property destroyed or looted. "On July 29, 1966, in what was termed "Counter Revolution and Ethnic Cleansing" which began with the killing of Major Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi and over 300 military officers and men of Igbo origin escalated into the massacre of unsuspecting Igbo civilians, men, women and children in many Northern towns on a scale unprecedented in any part of the world even more gruesome than the killings of the Jews in Hitler's Ger --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Okonjo-Iweala - Recovered U.S.$500 Million Abacha Loot Was Invested in Rural Projects By Ndubuisi Francis, 27 February 2014 Late Sani Abacha The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has debunked claims by a newspaper columnist, Mr. Sonala Olumhense, that the $2.5 billion Abacha loot recovered during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo disappeared when she was also presiding as the nation's finance minister. The Special Adviser to the minister, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, who reacted to Olumhense's article via a statement, yesterday, said the writer's piece was guilty of a general absence of "verified facts and the basing of opinions on gross inaccuracies." Nwabuikwu said $500 million and not $2.5 billion was recovered when the Okonjo-Iweala presided as finance minister during Obasanjo's, adding that contrary to the writer's position, the money did not disappear, but was channelled into rural projects. "For instance, Olumhense writes that $2.5 billion of Abacha money was recovered during Okonjo-Iweala's time as finance minister during President Obasanjo's reign and that the money disappeared implying some involvement in the disappearance by the minister. This is absolutely false. First, the amount recovered was $500 million, not $2.5 billion. The recovered amount was channelled into rural projects and programmes as per the agreement with the Swiss government which repatriated the funds. A combined team of Nigerian and Swiss nongovernmental organisation with the World Bank later verified the use of this money on the ground where the projects from were cited and they certified the money had been accurately utilised. "The World Bank had written about this in a 2007-2008 Handbook on stolen asset recovery where the case was cited as a best practice example of how to deploy returned proceeds of looted assets. Readers of Olumhense would benefit more if his passionate writings on Okono-Iweala are supported by a bit more research as opposed to sweeping, unverified statements," the statement added. According to Nwabuikwu, a second inaccuracy in Olumhense's article was the claim that the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) was to be the last reform agenda of Nigeria, querying: "Who on earth made such a claim? The idea that a country needs one magical reform strategy to take care of all current and future challenges is strange. It simply doesn't make sense. Every country continues to reform as circumstances change - the name may change but the process of reform is and should be continuous. President Obama is currently reforming the health and immigration systems in America. The United States, like many other countries, has never stopped reforming. Why should Nigeria?" The ministerial aide also alluded to her comments on corruption in the recent TedxEuston talk, noting that most of the examples of political corruption at the event were from Nigeria. "But unlike some of those who talk about corruption, Okonjo-Iweala has not stopped at talking. The clean-up of the fraud in the subsidy payments regime to oil marketers for which she paid a heavy personal price in the form of the abduction of her mother by paid kidnappers in November 2012 is one clear example. The sole demand of the kidnappers for the first three days of the abduction was that the minister should resign and leave the country for spearheading the clean-up. Her 83-year old mother was held for five days and it was only the intervention of the Almighty God who answer the prayers of well-meaning Nigerians that brought her back, alive. Where was Olumhense at that time? How can he claim that this woman is not at the forefront of the fight against corruption? Thank God her mother is still alive to tell her traumatic tale and nobody should make light of that sacrifice. "Another example is the clean-up of the pension fraud with the establishment now of a new institution under the Federal Ministry of Finance - the Pension Transition Administration Department to ensure that pensioners under the old defined benefits scheme are not defrauded anymore. The department is a practical response to an issue that many of us feel very strongly about - the terrible experience that many senior citizens have to go through just to collect their pensions - and serious work is going on to ensure that fix this long-standing problem in a sustainable way," the statement said. On the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) oil accounts issue, Nwabuikwu said Olumhense seemed to have forgotten that Okonjo-Iweala had already called for an independent forensic audit to establish the facts of any unaccounted for money and ensure that every naira that is owed the treasury is returned to the Federation Account. "This is the best way to proceed given the conflicting claims by Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the NNPC. After all the speeches and comments like that of Olumhense, the fundamental problem of determining the facts as a basis for action must still be tackled. Is there room for more action on corruption? Of course the answer can only be yes. But action is needed to achieve change. Talk is cheap, action is crucial. "Olumhemse is entitled to his opinion of the status of the transformation agenda but his failure to say anything about visible achievements in roads, rail, power privatisation, agriculture and job creation programmes like YOUWIN speaks volumes about the bias and lack of balance in his comments. Of course, the foundation of a mortgage housing programme for the country, a project with profound positive implications for the overall economic development of the country is beneath Olumhense's gaze as a professional critic. Like many Okonjo-Iweala critics, he is too apoplectic with contrived rage to see anything good in whatever she does. Their minds - and eyes - are shut to any possibility of any positive contribution. As the minister has always maintained, we face serious challenges at so many levels as a country. But that is precisely why progress should be recognised so that it will act as a beacon for more work to achieve more progress. A climate of total and complete hopelessness, like the one which commentators like Olumhense are working so hard to achieve, is not in the interest of any Nigerian," Nwabuikwu said On recurrent budget, he stated that the minister had publicly explained the origin of the present imbalance between recurrent expenditure and capital expenditure, adding that the huge salary increase of 53 per cent and the attendant pension increases awarded to public servants in 2010 were the major factors. "Unfortunately for Olumhense, Okonjo-Iweala was not in office then. Was Olumhense a columnist then? I believe so. Since he is so passionate about the high recurrent expenditure, he should avail us of what his critical analysis of what transpired at that time. If he said nothing then, then he has no moral authority now to lay blame where it does not belong." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: 2014 Budget Already in Deficit - Reps By Emman Ovuakporie and Levinus Nwabughiogu, 25 February 2014 Abuja — THE 2014 budget may run into problems due to lack of synergy between the Budget Office and some revenue generating Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, as House Committee on Finance raised alarm that the budget was already in deficit. The crux of the matter emerged, yesterday, at the continuation of meetings between the House of Representatives Committee on Finance and some independent revenue generating agencies. Two major agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, presented fiscal projections at variance with that of Budget Office. This is just as the suspension of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor did not afford the institution the chance to make its submission before the committee, which pegged the level of presenters as that of directors and above in any of the agencies. Also, the representative sent by the CBN was not able to make any submission as the committee insisted that the acting governor should appear. FAAN and NIMASA had their presentations deferred till today because of lack of clarity and inconsistencies in their submissions. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which was billed to appear before the committee yesterday, did not. Chairman of the committee, Abdulmumini Jibrin, decried the disharmony between the Budget Office and the MDAs, following submissions by NIMASA and FAAN that they did not interface with the Budget Office which submitted revenue projections for them to the committee. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Our Stand - Alison-Madueke, Not Sanusi, Should Face the Music 25 February 2014 Lamido Sanusi Within the four short days since President Goodluck Jonathan illegally suspended Central Bank of Nigeria governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the nation has suffered the debilitating effects of an emergency imposed on it. Instantly, the naira dipped at a rate never seen in 15 years. The stock market was hit and has shed at least N130billion since then. But the unkindest cut, it appears, has been the loss of investor confidence: foreign investors have been wary of investing in an economy where, at a whim, a politician could sack the governor of the country's central bank. Sanusi's sin, which the president tried in vain to hide during the "Presidential Media Chat" last night, is that he has blown the whistle on fat crooks that have been plundering the nation through oil theft and phantom subsidies. Sanusi's letter to the president last September informing him of discrepancies in the remission of oil revenues had put a question mark on the whereabouts of trillions of naira. The letter leaked, prompting another letter to the president by former president Olusegun Obasanjo and an emergency reconciliation of accounts by the relevant ministers, the NNPC and the CBN in December. At the latter event, the figure of missing money went down to between $12billion and N10.8billion. Still, officials of Nigeria's citadel of corruption (NNPC) denied that any money was missing: the money, they said, was used to finance kerosene subsidy, protect pipelines and carry out other activities that few people noticed. Yet again, Sanusi has revealed that $20billion is still missing from the nation's oil revenue receipts. Why President Jonathan and his henchmen have chosen to take sides with oil thieves while trying to disgrace the whistle-blower beats all imagination. Why is the president's sympathy with the treasury raiders instead of ordinary Nigerians whom he has sworn to protect? He stated last night that the CBN has been audited for 2012 and even 2013 but made no reference to the fact that the NNPC has not been audited in the past eight years. Petroleum resources minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and the NNPC have been criticized for the lack of transparency in the nation's oil industry. The quantity of crude exported from Nigeria remains unknown even to the president. Notorious militants in the Niger Delta have been enriched through dubious contracts for checking oil theft - they have been buying private jets - even as oil theft has heightened in the area. Moreover, the president is not bothered that all those indicted, two years ago, for bleeding the nation's treasury via importation of petroleum products at "subsidized" rates are still walking free. We have little doubt, however, about the reason President Jonathan has chosen to shoot the messenger (like Sanusi) and ignore his message. He considers every criticism of his government or a member of his government as one coming from the opposition party now threatening to defeat his party in a free and fair poll next year. And every opposition, in the logic of the typical Nigerian power monger, must be crushed, no matter the truth he preaches. For almost three years now, the president has presided over a government that has scant respect for the law and the constitution which he had sworn to uphold. Perhaps he has not been deliberately violating Nigerian law; he has little time to read the law. The tragedy lies in the kind of people who interpret it for him. That is why President Jonathan, apparently borrowing from former president Obasanjo (the epitome of lawlessness), has been courting anarchy. Only last year, he removed the president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Salami, and refused to reinstate him even after the National Judicial Council had determined that Salami should take his job back. Now, he has moved against the apex bank chief. In both cases, political considerations were undoubtedly behind the president's motive. Not even his godfather Obasanjo weakened institutions of the state as much as he has in the last three years. Left unchecked, this president may go ahead to remove - or "suspend" - the INEC chairman at the point of declaring the results of the 2015 election. The chief justice of Nigeria, the Nigerian Senate, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, the EFCC -- none of these persons and institutions would be immune from desecration. Nothing would stop him from removing another CBN governor who refused to print any quantity of the Nigerian currency he desired. President Jonathan must be called to order now that there is somebody left to speak truth to power. It is the reason Sanusi and other people have promised to approach a court of competent jurisdiction in this matter of removing the CBN governor by executive fiat. The court should expedite hearings and rule on it as soon as possible. No delay tactics. The CBN Act of 2007 is clear on the procedure to adopt in firing the CBN governor: the president must get the approval of at least two-thirds of members of the Senate. Whether his objective is to score a political point as 2015 approaches or to just to dent the image of a major opponent who has barely three months to vacate his seat, the president should be told to satisfy this basic requirement. In the meantime, let Nigerians be reminded that, until the court states otherwise, Nigeria has one CBN governor: Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The president's promise, last night, to unmask the truth about the missing trillions does not excite us because he has never made use of any probe report. But he may wish to prove sceptics wrong today by asking Minister Alison-Madueke to step aside in the interim. To show that he has not been colluding with crooks who steal the nation's resources, he should keep this promise and ensure that all those so far indicted for stealing crude, subsidy funds or other public assets are put on trial and punished according to the law of the land. Nothing less will be acceptable. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Okonjo-Iweala Allays Fear of Negative Impact On Economy 21 February 2014 The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has assured Nigerians and the international community that the federal government would remain resolute in the management of the nation's economy despite the suspension of Sanusi. The minister, reacting to the suspension of the central bank governor, told reporters in Abuja that the pursuit of macro-economic stability, which has become the hallmark of the incumbent administration would continue. She also expressed optimism that the tight monetary policy which the CBN has been driving would be sustained. She said: "But I just wanted to use this opportunity to assure the market participants of the resolute attention that this government will be paying to managing the economy. Our objective remains to maintain macro-economic stability. That has been the hallmark of this government and of this administration. It is the macro-economic stability we maintained that has enabled us to continue to transform the different sectors of the economy, and that will not change. We will maintain tight fiscal policy. We expect a continuation of the tight monetary policy that has been on at the central bank. We expect that this would continue because the new acting Governor, Dr. Sarah Alade, is the Deputy Governor for Policy, you will all recall. So, she has been a very strong part of the policy that the former Governor, Lamido Sanusi Lamido, has been implementing. With continued tight fiscal and monetary policies, the stability that has been the bedrock of the economy will be maintained. "So we urge market participants to go back to business. We hope that the stability of the naira will be there and we will be able to manage the situation, going forward. That's what I want to assure people; that there will be no change in the policy stance of the government concerning the economy. The tight fiscal and monetary policies will continue. Let me just add that we are still in a good shape. Inflation is still at a single digit of about 8 per cent, our external reserves are at $41.4 billion." According to the minister, the positions of those who assess the health of the nation's external reserves and the economy generally, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), are that the economy is still in good shape in spite of the challenges. She added that the fiscal deficit remains tight at 1.9 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and it would remain the same this year and would not go up. Also, she said the country still has a current account surplus, noting that these factors combine to showcase a stable economy. Although the news of Sanusi's suspension led to a fluctuation in the market with the naira depreciating, she said a continuation of the tight monetary of the CBN as well as the government's fiscal policies would continue and engender a stable currency. According to her, Alade was the longest deputy governor of the apex bank, who was part and parcel of the policy thrust of the bank, and was not expected to deviate from the path of tight monetary policy which has been in place for since. On whether political motives would not be imputed into why Sanusi was axed, the minister said: "I think it is the president's prerogative... He is running the Nigerian government... " On the submission of the name of Emefiele to the Senate as a nominee to replace Sanusi, the minister said: "We should wait for the Senate. The Senate is the one that confirms the governor. And let's wait for the president to pronounce. But we have confidence that whoever the new governor will be... he will bring stability to the market." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diezani Alison-Madueke should also be fired – APC senators on February 21, 2014 / in News 9:06 pm By INNOCENT ANABA, JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Abuja, REACTIONS have continued to trail the recent suspension of the Governor of Central Bank, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the Senate has declared the suspension of the CBN boss by President Goodluck Jonathan as illegal and unconstitutional. Meanwhile, the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos,Friday restrained the police, the Department of State Services, DSS, and other security agencies from arresting the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The court presided over by Justice Ibrahim Buba gave the order after listening to Sanusi’s exparte application brought against the Inspector General of Police, IGP, and the DSS, under fundamental rights. CBN Gov, Sanusi and Minister of Petroleum Resources, Alison-Madueke Sanusi who was dressed in his usual turtle-neck suit arrived the court at about 3pm in two black Jeeps as the matter was heard in chambers. Buba however, adjourned the substantive suit till February 28, when the other parties would have been put on notice. The APC Senators said that they have started compiling all the constitutional breaches and flagrant violations of the laws by President Jonathan which their lawyers were scrutinizing for appropriate and necessary action. They (APC Senators) told the President if he was serious with the issue of financial recklessness as alleged as the reason for firing Sanusi, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke should also be fired for the same reason. But some Senators including some in the opposition have said that the testimony by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke at the senate investigative hearing by the Senate Committee on Finance had exonerated the petroleum Minister from any allegations. The APC Senators through the Minority Leader, George Akume in a statement on Friday had flayed the suspension of the CBN governor alleging that the action of President Jonathan was inimical to good governance and the rule of law. According to the statement, “The nation has yet again been confronted with another act by the President, which is inimical to good governance and the rule of law with the illegal suspension from office of the Governor of Central Bank, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. “While one may not question the prerogative of Mr. President to hire and fire, such actions must be guided by strict observance to laid down processes and in the overriding national interest. “ The suspension of the CBN Governor has raised more questions than it addresses the issue of good governance, accountability and the fight against corruption, especially, coming at a time when there are unresolved issues in the petroleum industry, which is known locally and internationally as a cesspool of corruption. “The whistle blower who should know it all is being illegally and unconstitutionally suspended to safeguard and protect the perpetrators of corruption in the petroleum industry.” “Now that the President has acted illegally and unconstitutionally, he should also now act legally and constitutionally by firing the Petroleum Minister and the top management of the NNPC to restore confidence in the sector. “The President has serially violated the Nigerian Constitution, which he swore to uphold. The consequences of these are grievous. The suspension of the CBN Governor by the President is not only an abuse of power but also a gross violation of the Central Bank Act, 2007. “Under the provisions of Section 11(2)(f) of the CBN Act, the President can only remove the CBN Governor where his request is supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “We condemn in very strong terms this very unfortunate, unjustified, unwarranted and illegal removal of the Governor of Central Bank, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi under the guise of suspension. The President must stop the persistent violation of Nigerian Laws and impunity in governance. “We call for the immediate reinstatement of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Alleged Missing N20b: Findings exonerate Petroleum Minister, group Meanwhile, the testimony by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke over the controversial missing $20 billion at the investigative hearing organised by the Senate Finance Committee may have absolved the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and the oil ministry from any wrong doing. From the testimony of the AGF, it was gathered that rather than the big discovery of fraud and mismanagement that necessitated the probe, senators have discovered that the suspended CBN Governor raised false alarm and misled the committee. The Senate Finance Committee had raised fresh queries over the suspension of the CBN governor following emerging facts which it said contradicted his initial allegation of alleged missing $49.8 billion oil revenue. The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led committee had through a memo to CBN specifically demanded that the committee be furnished with detailed information on how much ought to have been paid into the federation account out of the money. Sanusi had informed the committee that the CBN was of the belief that part of the money realised from the sale of crude oil ought to have been paid to the Federation account. As a result of contradiction in the branding of figures by the apex bank governor, the committee warned that all claims must substantiated devoid of frivolity. But in the testimony, Adoke said, “Only the net revenue from upstream petroleum operations of the NPDC should be paid into the Federation Account by the NNPC. In other words, NPDC is required to pay only what amounts to dividend and its crude oil proceeds to the NNPC ( as its holding company) and the NNPC will in turn pay that into the Federation Account. Consequently, what the NNPC is required to pay into the Federation Account is the ‘net revenue’ as opposed to the gross revenue.” Mr. Adoke informed that it was instructive to note that by virtue of paragraph 14 to 16 of the First Schedule of the Petroleum Act, CAP.P.10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, LFN, 2004 (NNPC Act) and Regulation 4 of the Petroleum (Drilling and Productions) Regulations 1969 as amended, a holder of an OML or Oil Prospecting License (OPL) can assign its interest provided the consent of the Minister of Petroleum Resources is obtained. “Furthermore, section 6(1)(C) of the NNPC Act empowers the NNPC to establish and maintain subsidiaries for the discharge of its functions. The NPDC was thus incorporated as a limited liability upstream company of NNPC to carry out its upstream operations as envisaged by the law,” Adoke submitted. This explanation jolted some members of the committee and one of them said, “The committee is equally disturbed by the testimonies of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, to the extent that the NNPC did not need to remit all revenues it generates. We need to now ask for what is the exact percentage of the revenue of NNPC should be remitted.” The Attorney General had declared that despite the constitutional provisions requiring that all revenues be paid into the Federation account, NNPC could still deduct its cost of business. He said, “Thus, it is my considered view that the provision of section 162 which requires all revenue to be remitted to the Federation Account does not preclude the deduction of NNPC’S expenditure or cost of business. ” This is more so as the federating units odo not contribute to the funding of upstream petroleum operations of the NNPC and its subsidiary.” The committee was said to be shocked that the presidential directive which the oil ministry was accused of disobeying was never concluded and that it even contained contradictory provisions which make it implementation impossible. The committee was also unhappy as the case was presented as if it is Dieziani Maduekwe ,the present minister that refused to implement the directive . A source close to the committee said it was shocked that even late Yardua did not want the planned removal known to the public. By directing a removal without public announcement, the former president violates the petroleum act which requires prices to be made public ” senators on the committee including opposition senators were shocked that Sanusi misled them. He presented falsehood as facts. It was until we checked that we see the truth. We are disappointed “ a source within the committee said. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/02/diezani-alison-madueke-also-fired-apc-senators/#sthash.HQtosfvP.dpuf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: The Letter Suspending Sanusi 21 February 2014 Sanusi Lamido Sanusi 19th February, 2014 Reference: Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja. SUSPENSION FROM OFFICE 1. Following the Report of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria on the Audited Financial Statements of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the year ended 31st December 2012, and other related issues, I write to convey to you His Excellency, Mr. President's decision that you be suspended from office as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria with effect from Thursday 20th February 2014. 2. The decision is predicated on the loss of confidence in your ability to lead the Apex Bank towards the achievement of its statutory mandate. Of particular concern is the fact that, under your watch, the bank has carried out its functions in a manner characterised by disregard for due process and accountability. 3. This is exemplified by various acts of financial recklessness and unprofessional conduct which are inconsistent with the administration's vision of a Central Bank propelled by the core values of focused economic management, prudence, transparency and financial discipline. 4. The particulars of the infractions are highlighted below: 5. Persistent Refusal and/or Negligence to comply with the Public Procurement Act in the Procurement Practices of the Central Bank of Nigeria (a) By virtue of Section 15(1) (a) of the Public Procurement Act, the provisions of the Act are expected to apply to all 'procurement of goods, works and services carried out by the Federal Government of Nigeria and all procurement entities.' The definition clearly includes the Central Bank of Nigeria. (b) It is however regrettable the Central Bank of Nigeria under your leadership, has refused and/or neglected to comply with the provisions of the Public Procurement (PPA). You will recall that one of the primary reasons for the enactment of the PPA was the need to promote transparency, competitiveness, cost effectiveness and professionalism in the public sector procurement system. (c) Available information indicates the Central Bank has over the years engaged in procurement of goods, works and services with billions of naira each year without complying with the express provisions of the PPA. (d) By deliberately refusing to be bound by the Provisions of the Act, the CBN has not only decided to act in an unlawful manner, but also persisted in promoting a governance regime characterised by financial recklessness, waste and impunity, as demonstrated by the contents of the 2012 Financial Statements. 6. No responsible government will tolerate this blatant disregard for its laws and procedures by any person or institution. The Central Bank, by its unique position, ought to show good example and be the leading light in the promotion of the culture of observance of due process. 7. Unlawful Expenditure by the Central Bank of Nigeria on 'Intervention Projects' across the country (a) The unacceptable level of financial recklessness displayed by the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria is typified by the execution of 'Intervention Projects' across the country. From available information, the Bank has either executed or is currently executing about 63 (sixty-three) such projects across the country. Please find attached hereto as Annexure I, a letter dated January 7th, 2014 from the CBN confirming the list of projects across the country to which the CBN has committed N163 Billion (One Hundred and Sixty Billion Naira). (b) It is inexcusable and patently unlawful for any agency of Government to deploy huge sums of money as the CBN has done in this case, without appropriation and outside the CBN's statutory mandate. It is trite that the expenditure of public funds by any arm of government must be based on clear legal mandates, prudent costing and overriding national interest. (c) Cognisant of the attendant negative consequence of the CBN's action, a review of the Central Bank (Establishment) Act 2007 does not disclose any legal basis for the huge expenditure on intervention projects in default of appropriation. 8. Financial Infractions and Acts of Financial Recklessness Committed by the Central Bank as reflected in its Audited Financial Statements for 2012. (a) Pursuant to Section 50 of the CBN Act 2007, a copy of the Audited Financial Statement of the Central Bank for the year ended 31st December 2012 was sent to Mr. President (Please, find a copy attached hereto as Annexure II). Based on the issues raised in the financial statement, a response was requested from Sanusi to enable a proper appreciation of the nation's economic outlook. (Please, find attached a copy of the letter dated 4th May, 2013 as Annexure III). (b) Your response to this query (Annexure IV) was further referred to the Financial Reporting Council by a letter of 12th April, 2013, for review (Annexure V). The review of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, rather than allay the fears of Government, further confirmed concern about the untidy manner in which you have conducted the operations of the CBN (Annexure VI). 9. Some of the salient observations arising from the review are highlighted below: (a) In a most ironical manner, it has become obvious that the CBN is not able to prepare its financial statements using applicable International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) whereas Deposit Money Banks that the CBN is supervising have complied with this national requirement since 2012. Undoubtedly, this laxity on the part of our apex bank, apart from calling to question its capacity for proper corporate governance, is capable of sending wrong signals to both domestic and international investors on the state of the Nigerian economy. (b) The provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the CBN and other Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) on Banking Resolution Sinking Fund have been breached in a material manner. For example, a Board of Trustees (BOT) to manage the Fund has not been constituted since 2010 when it was established. The CBN has however continued to utilise the Fund for certain operations without the approval of the said BOT. (c) Contrary to Section 34(b) of the CBN Act 2007 which provides that the CBN shall not, except as provided in Section 31 of the Act, inter alia, purchase the shares of any corporation or company, unless an entity set up by the approval of the authority of the Federal Government, CBN in 2010, acquired 7% shares of International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation of Malaysia to the tune of N0.743 Billion. This transaction was neither brought to Mr. President's attention nor was a Board approval obtained before it was entered into. (d) The CBN has failed or refused to implement the provisions of the Personal Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2007. Accordingly the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) deductions of its staff are still being computed in accordance with the defunct Personal Income Tax Act 2004, thus effectively assisting its staff to evade tax, despite the generous wage package in the CBN, relative to other sectors of the economy. (e) The CBN had an additional brought forward to General Reserve Fund of N16.031 Billion in 2012 but proceeded on a voyage of indefensible expenses in 2012 characterised by inexplicable increases in some heads of expenditure during the year. Examples include: (i) The bank spent N3.086 Billion 'promotional activities' in 2012 (up from N1.084 Billion in 2011). The bank spent this sum even when it is not in competition with any other institution in Nigeria; (ii) The CBN claimed to have expended N20.202 Billion on 'Legal and Professional Fees' in 2011, beyond all reasonable standards of prudence and accountability;(iii) Between expenses on 'Private Guards' and 'Lunch for Policemen', the CBN claimed to have spent N1.257 Billion in 2012; (iv) While Section 6(3) (c) of the CBN Act 2007 provides that the Board of the CBN is to make recommendations to Mr. President on the rate of remuneration to Auditors, the Bank has consistently observed this provision in the breach and even went to the extent of changing one of its Joint External Auditors without notifying the office of the President. (f) In the explanations offered by the CBN pursuant to Presidential directives, it offered a breakdown of 'Currency Issue Expenses' for 2011 and 2012. Interestingly, it claimed to have paid a total of N38.233 Billion to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Limited (NSPMC) in 2011 for Printing of Banknotes'. Paradoxically however, in the same 2011, NSPMC reported a total turnover of N29.370 Billion for all its transaction with all clients (including the CBN) (g) It is significant to note that the external audit revealed balances of sundry foreign currencies without physical stock of foreign currencies in the CBN Head Office. 10. Questionable write-off of N40 billion naira loans of bank You may wish to specifically not Annexure VII which highlights a number of transactions and breaches, which include the write-off of loans totalling N40 billion 11. The above issues are only few of the infractions highlighted by the review and which point to the gross incompetence and recklessness which characterised the operations of the CBN in the period under review. 12. In light of the foregoing, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 7 (2) (a), Section 8 (1) (k), Section 62 (1) (c) and 62 (3) of Financial Reporting council of Nigeria Act, a copy of this letter is being forwarded to the Executive Secretary of the Council for his notification and further necessary action with a view to addressing the urgent need to reposition the bank for the effective discharge of its statutory mandate. 13. You are, by this letter, directed to hand over to most senior Deputy Governor, Dr. Sarah Alade who will act as Governor till the conclusion of the investigation into these far reaching breaches. Please accept, as always, the assurances of my highest regards and esteem. Anyim Pius Anyim, GCON Secretary to the Government of the Federation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Africa: Nigeria to Host High Level Policy Dialogue On Science, Technology & Innovation and the African Transformation Agenda 20 February 2014 Addis Ababa — The UN Economic Commission for Africa in collaboration with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Ministry of Communications Technology (FMCT), and Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) will hold a high level policy dialogue on the theme: Science, Technology, and Innovation and the African Transformation Agenda, on 24-25 March 2014 in Abuja. The dialogue was announced this week by President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria during the inauguration ceremony of the National Research and Innovation Council (NRIC), of which he is Chairman. The meeting will bring together high level policy makers and experts from across the continent in the areas of science, technology and innovation to discuss and deepen understanding on how technology and innovations can be deliberately and purposefully applied to accelerate the African transformation agenda, improve the life chances of Africans and enhance the competitiveness of Africa's economies. According to the organizers, the objective is to bring together policy makers, technology and innovation leaders from academia, the private and public sectors, the international development community and other opinion makers and leaders (from within and outside Africa) to examine collectively the directions in which science, technology and innovation can be carefully and deliberately deployed to support and accelerate the African transformation agenda and contribute to agreed societal priorities. More precisely, the high level policy dialogue will aim to: a. Surface the leading issues hindering the development, transfer and diffusion of technologies in Africa to identify short term, medium term and long-term actions to address them; b. Contribute to a deeper understanding of how new technologies and innovation can contribute much more effectively to the transformation of Africa's economies and the impediments to harnessing technologies and innovation for Africa's development; c. Facilitate dialogue between African policy makers, researchers and leading academics, the private sector and stakeholders working on Science and Technology Innovation on the pathways and modalities to accelerate the transfer to, and development and diffusion of technologies in Africa; d. Build sustainable partnerships among participants to advance STI policy making in Africa in general and the promotion of the application of technology to deal with Africa's multifarious challenges; e. Propose a set of ideas and issues that will guide and inform ECA's future programme of work; f. Result in a set of recommendations for consideration and adoption by African countries, their regional organizations and institutions, development partners and the international community. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Jonathan Appoints Retired General Arogbofa As New Chief of Staff By Talatu Usman, 18 February 2014 Jones Arogbofa - Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed a retired soldier, Jones Oladehinde Arogbofa, as his new Chief of Staff. Mr. Arogbofa, a retired Brigadier General, was formerly an Officer of the Signals Corps of the Nigerian Army. He takes over from Mike Oghiadomhe, who resigned last week. The new appointment was announced in a press statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati. The new Chief of Staff to the President was born on November 10, 1952. He hails from the Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State. According to the statement, in addition to administrative capabilities and experience garnered from a distinguished career in the Nigerian Army, Mr. Arogbofa brings an impressive array of academic qualifications to his new job. They include a Diploma in Communications Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology, USA, a Bachelor of Sciences Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama, USA, and a Masters Degree in Military Arts and Science from the United States Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The new Chief of Staff holds several military honours and awards including Mss, Fss, Fsc and Fwc; and is also a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. The statement added that "His appointment is with immediate effect and he has taken up his new post at the Presidential Villa". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Revenue Services Drafts New Tax Regime for Multinationals, Enterprises By James Emejo, 14 February 2014 Nigeria The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has developed a strategy to ensure appropriate taxation of multinationals and enterprises operating in the country. The move is part of efforts to boost revenue generation. Speaking in Lagos at the opening of a stakeholders' engagement on "Filing of Transfer Pricing (TP) Returns," the acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi, said the regime would also help fight tax evasion that are embedded in under-pricing of controlled transactions between associated enterprises. According to him, transfer pricing would reduce issues associated with double taxation, provide taxable persons with certainty and a level playing field between multinational enterprises and independent enterprises doing business in the country. He said: "These are laudable objectives but it would not by itself translate to a success story unless the regime is properly implemented. It is only and only if we all play by the rule that the regime of transfer pricing in Nigeria could reposition our beloved country to a path of sustainable economic growth and rapid development. "At the FIRS, our yearning is to implement the transfer pricing regime transparently, efficiently and effectively in order to promote voluntary compliance as enshrined in our mission statement. I therefore solicit your cooperation to make the implementation of the TP regime a success through your voluntary compliance with the provisions of the TP regulations and other extant tax laws." Represented at the occasion by the Coordinating Director, Direct Report Group (DRG), Queensley Seghosime, Mashi further noted that the programme was meant to expose the various guidelines, forms and documents that would be used to file the TP returns in line with the its regulations as well as the relevant tax laws. He said, in a statement by Director, Communications and Liaison Department, Emmanuel Obeta, that Nigeria adopted the regulations and commenced implementation on transfer pricing in order to address the problem associated with shifting profit among enterprises. Transfer pricing generally involves setting appropriate prices for goods, services, assets, intellectual properties, loans, guarantees supplied or transferred by one enterprise to another, both of them being members of the same group or otherwise connected. The Coordinating Director, Field Operations Group (FOG), Mr. Ajayi Bamidele said the Service had resolved to make transfer pricing a success through the establishment of Transfer Pricing Division (TPD) in FIRS Lagos office to drive the processes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Excess Crude Account Now U.S.$2.1 Billion By James Emejo, 14 February 2014 The Excess Crude Account (ECA), which was created to provide succour in rainy days for the federation, now has only about $2.1 billion in its kitty. The depletion of the ECA from about $11 billion in December 2012, has been seriously disputed by analysts, who see the withdrawals as unwarranted. The current status of ECA emerged yesterday at the meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), where a total statutory revenue of N629.128 billion was shared among the three-tiers of government for January. But regardless of the serious disruptions in oil production and lifting operations occasioned by maintenance, multiple leaks, pipeline vandalism and theft in the period under review, gross revenue during the month increased to N540.870 billion compared to N479.950 billion recorded last December. Also, revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) increased to about N82.2 billion in January compared to about N64.7 billion in the previous month. Addressing journalists in Abuja, at the end of the monthly meeting of the committee, Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Jonah Otunla, said mineral revenue for the month stood at N439.562 billion, while the non-oil component was N101.308 billion. Giving a breakdown of the statutory distribution, he said the federal government received N235.022 billion, while the 36 states shared N119.206 billion and the 774 local governments got N91.903 billion. The sum of N52.309 billion was allocated to the oil and gas producing regions under the derivation formula. In addition, the federal government got N11.848 billion from the VAT distribution, while the states received N39.493 billion and the local governments shared N27.645 billion. Also shared was the N7.617 billion refund from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as N35.549 billion under the Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). Yesterday's meeting was attended by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who had been invited by the committee to discuss some of the burning issues in FAAC and re-establish confidence in the committee. Her presence at the meeting had become necessary following the exit of the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, who was among four cabinet members President Goodluck Jonathan dropped on Wednesday. Ngama's era as FAAC chairman was turbulent as members of the committee accused him of running the FAAC as if it were his private business. FAAC meetings had also become a nocturnal affair under his watch. However, the AGF said the meeting had resolved to admit representations from all the revenue generating agencies to the monthly meeting in order to get more transparency in revenue collections and remittances into the Federation Account. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: U.S.$20 Billion Oil Revenue - Act Now, 30 CSOs Tell Jonathan By Juliet Alohan, 12 February 2014 As the controversy over the alleged missing oil revenue continues to rage, a coalition of 30 civil society organisations (CSOs) including the "Say No Campaign-Nigeria" have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately take appropriate action over the missing $20 billion oil revenue and the continuous stealing of Nigeria's oil and gas money as shown by the myriad of reports. The development came just as the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has said the poor implementation of its independent audit reports in the oil and gas sector was the greatest challenge that confronts prudent management of the nation's oil revenue. Addressing a joint press conference organised by the Say No Campaign with the support of 29 CSOs in Abuja, yesterday, the executive director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, said it was time the president showed genuine concern and anger over the impunity with which public funds were stolen. He cited revelations made by the various NEITI audit reports -- KPMG report, Aig-Imoukhuede-led Committee report, the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee report on fuel subsidy regime and the Nuhu Ribadu-led Petroleum Revenue Task Force report, all of which showed massive stealing of oil revenue -- as the reason the president should show genuine anger. The CSOs' position comes on the heels of the controversy over the alarm raised by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has failed to remit $20 billion oil revenue to the federation account, a claim the corporation has since dismissed as false. Rafsanjani said: "The Say No Campaign-Nigeria and its undersigned partners wish to extend this conversation beyond the ongoing probe by the Senate Committee on Finance by placing demand on President Goodluck Jonathan to act in a manner that demonstrates genuine anger for the open stealing of oil and gas money in Nigeria as shown by the myriad of reports on this critical sector of the economy." Condemning the seeming failure of institutions named in the alleged missing oil revenue to responsibly address the concerns raised, the coalition called on the Senate Committee on Finance currently sitting on the matter to thoroughly investigate the issues and establish the truth about the allegations. Rafsanjani stressed that beyond the investigation, the Senate Committee should institutionalise interfaced and automated system among revenue-collection agencies of government on how best to deal with challenges of non-remittance of revenue to the federation account. The group also demanded the speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently before the National Assembly with a view to achieving sustainable reforms in the oil and gas sector. Meanwhile, the chairman of NEITI, Ledum Mitee, has stated in Lagos, while declaring open a workshop that marks the commencement of NEITI comprehensive audit of the oil and gas sector for the year 2012, that if NEITI reports are given the attention they deserve confirmation remittances of funds to the federation account will not be a subject of controversy. Mitee said: "A properly resourced NEITI whose audit recommendations are promptly addressed remains vital not only to our economic wellbeing but enabling citizens derive needed benefits from our extractive resources. "Granted that by the very nature of our processes these audits are historical and thus unable to clear the current allegations by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), yet we have consistently made the point that with adequate funding and support, we could automate our data collection processes to enable us get real time data which could be resorted to in the event of controversy. "I shudder to hope that one useful outcome of the current controversy over allegations of unremitted funds would be the realisation of the need by all relevant agencies and institutions to give NEITI and its audit recommendations the deserved seriousness and support." Giving assurance that the ongoing audit is critical to providing reliable information and data required for the proposed massive reforms, Mitee said the audit circle was coming at a critical time that the nation was embroiled in a very unfortunate allegation of non-remittance of oil revenues to the federation account. "I find the controversy unfortunate, for there are issues that ordinarily fall under the NEITI statutory mandate that would have been needless and unnecessary had relevant agencies, officials and institutions taken the NEITI audit recommendations more seriously," Mitee said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Senate Probes Sanusi Over N138 Billion Intervention Fund By Juliet Alohan and Uchenna Awom, 7 February 2014 The Senate has concluded arrangements to institute an indepth probe into alleged extra-financial dealings in the Sanusi Lamido Sanusi-led Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), running into about N138billion. Already, senators have been put on notice of an impending motion listed in the notice papers for deliberation at a date no further than two weeks from now. The motion, which is to be sponsored by Senator Ita Enang (PDP, Akwa Ibom) is titled "Mobilising Non-Oil, And Generating Oil Dependent Revenue Into The Federal Treasury Through Fiscal Responsibility by Adherence to Statutory Mandate and Due Process In The Conduct of Public Procurement". The lawmaker specifically singled out the Central Bank of Nigeria among all the agencies that fall within the purview of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, saying the apex bank had awarded and is still in the process of awarding projects from its operating surplus, instead of paying such sums into the Consolidated Revenue Fund to be appropriated by the National Assembly. The CBN, he alleged, has within the last three years committed about N50billion as intervention in tertiary institutions in the education sector alone, not considering intervention in the health sector, hospitality and tourism among others. These projects, according to him, include projects above N1billion. In the motion, Enang is praying the Senate to grant the following: "Mandate the Senate Committees of Finance, Judiciary Human Rights and Legal Matters, to conduct a public hearing on the loss of revenue into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation through evasion of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, acting against and beyond the mandate given by law to the agencies, breach and evasion of public procurement laws and regulations, among others, and in general, for the purposes of determining: "If and whether the funds spent by the agencies listed in the Fiscal Responsibility Act is the 20% of their operating surplus, and if it so be, where the 80% of their operating surplus were paid into and when. "If the committal of funds by the Agencies are for projects and programmes within the core mandate or in any manner ancillary to the purpose for which they were each set up, etc. "If and whether these Agencies are by the provisions of the Public procurement Act bound to submit their procurement to the Bureau of Public Procurement to consider, vet and issue a certificate of No Objection or otherwise before public procurements are consummated. "By way of peer review, to compare the actions and expenditures of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Nigeria Ports Authority and other Agencies listed in the Fiscal Responsibility Act with such Treasury or Central Bank of other countries, National Oil Companies of other countries such as United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, France, Australia and generally equivalent institutions of other countries and conclude if such institutions in those countries operate in the manner that Nigeria's do. "To determine if, and whether, the Fiscal Responsibility Commission as presently constituted should not be dissolved and appropriately reconstituted with responsive constituents." The senator further informed that the Senate noted that, "Whereas the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) provides in Section 80 (1) as follows: All revenues or other moneys raised or received by the Federation (not being revenues or other moneys payable under this Constitution or any Act of the National Assembly into any other public fund of the Federation established for a specific purpose) shall be paid into and form one Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation. "Whereas the Fiscal Responsibility Act in Section 21 has provided that all government agencies and corporations as listed in the schedule to the Act cause to be prepared and submitted to the Minister their Schedule estimates of revenue and expenditure for the next three financial years who shall cause same to be compiled and submitted along with the Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly. "Whereas the said Act provides in Section 22 (1) and (2) and 23 (1) as follows: 22. Operating surplus and general reserve fund 1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any written law governing the corporation, each corporation shall establish a general reserve fund and shall allocate thereto at the end of each financial year, one-fifth of its operating surplus for the year. 2) The balance of the operating surplus shall be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government not later than one month following the statutory deadline for publishing each corporation's accounts. 23. Classification of corporation operating surplus 1) The corporation's surplus be classified as a Federal Treasury Revenue "Whereas the Public Procurement Act in Section 3 (1) establishes an agency known as the Bureau of Public Procurement;Whereas the Public Procurement Act provides in Section 15 that the provisions of the Act shall apply to all procurement of goods, works, and services carried out by 1. The Federal Government of Nigeria and all procurement entities; 2. All entities outside the foregoing description which derive at least thirty-five percent of funds appropriated or proposed to be appropriated for any type of procurement described in this Act from the Federation share of Consolidated" The motion is already listed and could be taken up when the Senate resumes. The CBN governor had in the past rebuffed every entreaty by the National Assembly to have their budget vetted. On several occasions Sanusi had cited the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act and in most cases, insisted that it was only the board of the CBN that had the statutory powers to appropriate for him. NNPC Faults Sanusi's Inconsistent Figures over Missing Oil Revenue The management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has expressed disappointment over the inconsistency of figures by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, over the alleged unremitted oil revenue. This is even as the NNPC pointed out that as the supplier of last resort, it is the only company supplying kerosene in Nigeria for the benefit of citizenry as it owes a duty to Nigerians to ensure that there are adequate products in the country. The development was sequel to Sanusi's sudden change of the figure of unremitted oil revenue at the public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance last Tuesday from $12 billion to $20 billion. In a statement made available yesterday the NNPC stated that Sanusi's inconsistency and display of ignorance over oil revenue streams remittance was "worrying especially as it is coming from an agency of government charged with managing the financial affairs of Nigeria." At a recent joint press briefing held by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the CBN Governor and heads of DPR and FIRS, the initial figure of $49.8 billion said by Sanusi to be missing was reconciled to $10.8 billion. But the NNPC stated that , "In his presentation before the Senate Committee on Finance, the CBN's figure changed again. This time CBN alleges it is now $20billion. This is a clear indication of CBN's inconsistency, thereby presenting conflicting figures to the generality of Nigerians. "We are concerned by the dynamics of the moving numbers as the CBN's figures keep changing. This is a worrying trend coming from an agency of government charged with managing the financial affairs of Nigeria". According to CBN, it is instructive to note that the $20billion is made up of $12billion subsidy claim, $6billion NPDC gross revenue and $2billion third party revenue. But the NNPC maintains that the fact that the CBN accepted its submission with respect to $16billion royalty and PPT payments into the federation account through the FIRS indicates that the CBN cherry picks the figures. For example, the corporation said, "In taking the entire $6billion gross revenue accruable to NPDC and allocating same to the federation account, the CBN simply multiplied the gross production by the crude oil price; thereby failing to account for the operating costs (opex) and amortized capital expenditure that underpin the production. In other words, the CBN failed to take into account the cost of production." "We reiterate that NPDC has been remitting the royalty and Petroleum Profit Tax, PPT to the Federation Account. NPDC as a subsidiary of NNPC operates a business model similar to other international companies in Nigeria and abroad and will continue to be governed by these global best practices in the execution of these assets," the statement read further. On the subsidy claim on kerosene, the Corporation insists that having accomplished the mandate without question in the past four years, it deserve to be commended rather than battered, for ensuring adequate supply of kerosene at regulated price of N50.00k. "NNPC cannot be held responsible for any differential pricing from non NNPC retailers. This is the basis for NNPC's claim on kerosene subsidy," the statement added. Nigeria Africa's Richest Man Discusses Investment Plans With Sirleaf Africa’s richest man, billionaire Alhaji Aliko Dangote, paid a courtesy call, -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Marking Okonjo-Iweala's Answer Script - in for Re-Sit or Revenge? By Emmanuel Aziken, 7 February 2014 Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance of Nigeria at the World Economic Forum on Africa 2013. Given the globally acknowledged intellectual fecundity of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, it was a shock that the House of Representatives Committee on Finance scored her a miserly 20% when it marked her answer script on the 50 questions on the state of the Nigerian economy. Does the minister deserve a re-sit or is it political retribution? A former managing director of the World Bank, an alumnus of two institutions with global reckoning, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala's cerebral prowess has never been in doubt, not even to her detractors. It was on account of her brainy quotient that President Goodluck Jonathan took the unprecedented step of adding the responsibility of coordinating the economy to her duty as finance minister. Many have on that account dubbed her Nigeria's Prime Minister. It was perhaps in that respect that she got the unique honour of representing the president in laying the 2014 budget proposal of the Federal Government before the National Assembly on December 19, 2013. Hours after that unique honour, members who had been peeved with the failure of the president to physically lay down the budget as has been the practice with all healthy Nigerian rulers under democratic rule, got their retribution on his hapless senior minister. The minister had been invited days earlier to a hearing on the state of the economy being conducted by the House Committee on Finance. After all the stress of presenting the budget, the minister when she appeared before the House committee, informed the legislators that she was a little unwell, but was prepared for the hearing. Her assertion, however, did not please the committee which asked her to go and take care of her health and respond to the 50 questions raised on the economy by the committee. The arrowhead of the attack on the minister was the chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin, himself an equally brainy man who has laced his cerebral endeavours with entrepreneurial success. Jibrin who according to sources, had some good working relationship with the minister was sympathetic but insisted on the minister returning to look after her health. But she was to go with 50 questions which he insisted should be answered in written form. Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, however, insisted on giving verbal answers to the 50 questions dwelling on facts and figures of the circumstances of the economy, job growth and leakages in the economy right there. Her insistence on answering immediately created a scene at the committee hearing leading to a verbal spat between Jibrin and the minister. "I must tell you that I'm feeling sick. For the past one week I've not had sleep, so I'm not feeling fine. But I had to come because I respect the parliament and the committee. I'll try my best to respond to your questions as much as possible, and my other colleagues who are also here with me will contribute," she said. Responding, Jibrin said: "We're not insensitive to your situation as human beings, and if you had told us this before now, we would have given you some time. We have 50 questions for you, and we can give you time to respond in writing," he said. The insistence of the minister to be heard was overruled by Jibrin turning the hearing into a scene as the committee, as if working on a script, refused to hear her and insisted that the minister should leave. As she reluctantly exited, the minister told journalists: Tone of the conversation "I don't understand. We came to give a testimony and I said I wasn't feeling well and I was treated with the courtesy by the chair of the committee that I deserve. And you were all witnesses to it. That's all to it. I have utmost respect to the committee members who have been very kind. But the tone of the conversation for someone who is not feeling well was not very good." Faced with the seeming hostility of the House, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala proceeded to answer the questions and eventually submitted them on January 15. Her 102 page response gave a point by point answer to the 50 questions noting number of jobs created, the impact of some key government programmes such as the SURE-P, You Win among others.The clerk of the House committee on finance, Mr. Farouq Yakubu Dawaki confirmed the receipt of her answer scripts and even commended her for answering the challenging questions in reasonable time in a statement titled: "The Search for Truth Begins". "The House Committee on Finance acknowledges receipt of the 102-page response from the Honourable Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to the 50 questions on the state of the economy given to her to answer by the Committee on December 19, 2013. "The Committee commends the Honourable Minister for responding to the questions within reasonable time. "The Committee will commence work immediately on the response. However, if in the process the need arises for further explanation, information or additional document the Minister will be promptly informed. "The Committee will also call for memorandum on the state of the economy and 50 questions from professionals, academics, civil society and all well meaning Nigerians. This will be followed by a public hearing. "Finally, the process will be concluded with the presentation of a report on the true state of our economy to the House. Given the tone of the acknowledgment it was not surprising that the committee would subsequently raise issues with Okonjo-Iweala's answers. However, few expected the committee to score the minister a miserly 20%. In a statement detailing the committee's observations on her answers, Jibrin demanded for additional information on 40 of the 50 questions. "Having gone through your responses, the Committee noted that some questions were either not answered, partially answered, out rightly ignored or completely misunderstood". "The Committee further noted glaring missing gaps in the responses, absence of supporting proofs to assertions and lack of relevant documents to back up the presentation as is the practice in any legislative oversight or investigation". "Also noted were the wide ranging comparison you made with other advanced and developing countries while responding to some questions but failed to apply the same in some cases that obviously require such approach". "In some instances, you abruptly referred the Committee to relevant agencies for clarification". "The Committee is surprised at that because of its conviction that if all the questions raised are beyond the competence of the Minister of Finance, it is certainly not beyond the competence of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy to the extent of information you must have in your possession unless you say otherwise". "In view of the above and ahead of the investigative hearing on the State of the economy, the Committee is obliged to forward to you additional observations and requests to be submitted to the Committee not later than 20th February, 2014". Whether the minister is preparing for the re-sit or makeup exam could not be ascertained as at press time. But what is clear to almost all is that the issue has navigated to the political terrain and two of the sharpest minds in Nigerian government, Okonjo-Iweala on the executive side and Jibrin on the legislative side have been taken in by the atmospherics of the charged political ambience. Many regret that the legislature has picked one of the few seemingly clean and altruistic ministers in the proxy political war as a target. But in war, nothing really is fair. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Oil Funds Remittance - Why I'm Campaigning for Accountability, Says Sanusi By James Emejo, Chineme Okafor and Obinna Chima, 6 February 2014 The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has given an insight into why he is on a campaign for transparency and accountability in the management of proceeds from crude oil sales. Sanusi, who on Tuesday stirred the hornet's nest again over the alleged non-remittance of $20 billion oil revenue by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the Federation Account, said at the Standard Bank West Africa Investors' Conference dinner in Lagos that although many people would regard him as a noise maker, the noise he was making is for the good of the country. He spoke at the dinner later on Tuesday after his appearance before the Senate Committee on Finance, which held a public hearing into his earlier allegation that the NNPC had not remitted $49.8 billion into the Federation Account. It was at the public hearing in Abuja where he claimed that the unremitted funds, which had stood at $10.8 billion after reconciliation, are now $20 billion, a claim which the NNPC has disputed. Besides, in the executive summary of his presentation to the Senate committee, a copy of which THISDAY obtained yesterday, Sanusi also called on the federal government to stop oil swaps and effectively monitor NNPC's management of the 444,000 barrels of oil it lifts daily for refining for local consumption. The CBN governor told guests at the dinner that the disagreement over the alleged non-repatriation of oil revenue to the Federation Account by the NNPC would eventually bring about accountability and good governance in the management of oil revenue. He said: "People must not see controversy and noise as necessarily bad. I love controversy. A lot of the noise that is happening in the country today around me and the oil sector is good for the country because at the end of the day, if it leads to improved governance over oil revenue, if it leads to increased transparency or people having to be called to explain what they have done with the money, that is good for the system. "If you think there has to be a change and if you think a system needs to be improved and if you get too comfortable in a system, you should ask yourself what has happened to you. You need to step on a few toes, annoy a few people, have your own toes stepped on, you will be annoyed once in a while, of course they will slap you once in a while and that is fine." Sanusi told the gathering of international investors that one of the risks faced by the country was the decline in its revenue profile, describing it as a challenge that could be addressed. He however acknowledged the efforts being made by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in curtailing government spending. "We have tried to build a stable environment and for us at the central bank we have been very lucky to have had a very good partner in finance. If you look at government spending in 2013, it really wasn't much higher than in 2012 and fiscal policy is not in itself loose on the basis of government spending. "The real challenge is that there are things that we can do to block some of the revenue shortfalls that are causing the problem - oil theft and bunkering because we've good oil price; we've got the output and if you fix that the issues revolve around currency stability, around fiscal deficit would simply disappear. But government spending itself has not been the problem. "It is largely because of the fiscal discipline in the last few years that our tight monetary policy has been able to work. We have been able to bring down inflation to single digit and it has been below 10 per cent since January 2012. It would remain 10 per cent throughout 2014," he added. He also said there had been speculations about excess money in the system as a result of the 2015 elections. "But how much money is there any way? Its $2.5billion in the Excess Crude Account. So even if people want to spend money, the money won't be available. So the risk from that end is not as high as people might think," he said. However, in the executive summary of his presentation to the Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja on Tuesday, a copy of which THISDAY obtained yesterday, Sanusi asked the federal government to terminate all crude oil product swaps and crude exported and sold at market price. He also suggested that NNPC should stop collecting 440,000 barrels per day (bpd) as "domestic crude", saying that that amount of crude oil should be reduced to the refining capacity of the corporation's refineries based on a signed refining contract that clearly states what products are to be delivered for each barrel. He said: "Where NNPC needs to generate cash flow to fund PMS imports, it can 'borrow' crude, on the approval of the finance minister, for 90 - 120 days. "This crude is to be valued at the ruling market price. NNPC may sell the crude, import PMS and sell through its outlets. It should claim subsidy from Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) like every other marketer and present all required documents. Thereafter, NNPC should pay back the full value of crude lifted to the Federation Account and retain the profit. Where NNPC delays payment, the amount outstanding should attract interest at commercial rates until payment." According to him, NNPC should be made to account for subsidies claimed in 2010-13 by producing documentary proof of legitimacy. He also called for investigation into all Strategic Alliance Agreements (SAAs) that Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) had entered into "for constitutionality". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Govt May Recall 2014 Budget After Errors Discovered By Hamisu Muhammad, 29 January 2014 Lagos, Nigeria The passage of the 2014 budget is likley to be delayed as the executive is set to replace the document currently with the National Assembly. Source at the Ministry of Finance told Daily Trust yesterday that due to some symmetric errors discovered in the earlier document presented by Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in December last year, the replacement of the document is necessary to have an implementable one for the legislature to work properly on. The source told our reporter that the errors occurred due to a mix-up arising from the use of the Government Integrated Financial and Management Information System (GIFMIS). According to the source, the ministry test-runs the GIFMIS system in preparing this year's budget which unfortunately brought in the errors. This is coming when the main opposition party - All Progressives Congress (APC) - has asked its legislators to block the budget due to the lingering political crises in Rivers State between the presidency and the state government. APC members especially in the House of Representatives hold key committees, including Finance, which play key roles in passing the budget. The source informed Daily Trust that the budget passage may likely take longer than usual due to these problems. At the public presentation of the budget estimates last week, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Dr Bright Okogu, announced some of the errors. Some of the noticeable errors, according to him, had included allocations for the Mathematical Centre, Sheda; Investment and Securities Tribunal and Federal College of Education, Katsina for fuelling and maintenance of aircraft, boats and railway equipment. Okogu said: "What happened was that GIFMIS being a new system, had some glitches that reflected in some of the provisions. It is not totally strange. Many of you have read about the Obamacare and the challenges they had in actually implementing it. It is a big system, bigger than ours, but with the same features. "What we saw in 2014 is because this is the first time we have used the GIFMIS to prepare the budget. I actually feel very proud. It is an issue which we have recognised and I want to use this opportunity to assure everyone that we will clean the books. We have already approached the National Assembly concerning this," he said. Finance ministry sources said though the legislature has began debating the budget, the corrections may still have to be done at the committee level. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial haemorrhage: Nigeria bleeds as $1.7bn goes out weeklyon January 27, 2014 … $18.3bn paid out in 12 weeks A total of $88.4 billion left the shores of Nigeria to foreign lands through official channels in 2013 of which $18.3 billion was remmitted in three months thus giving an average foreign exchange outflow of $1.7 billion weekly. This is just as the Excess Crude Account (ECA) component of foreign reserves has now fallen to just $2.5 billion, compared to $11.5 billion a year ago. The $18.3 billion went out of the country in the form of capital flight, which Nigerians indulged in. According to figures captured by the International Remmittance unit of CBN, the amount was remitted through banks, Bureau De Change, Travel agencies and debt payment to foreign creditors to which Nigeria owes some money. This and the monthly withdrawals from the Federation Account have resulted in the depletion of the nation’s foreign reserves. The financial haemorrhage, which has been plaguing the nation for years due to the low productivity of the economy, has resulted in blame games in political and financial circles. Nigeria foreign reserves, according to CBN, is made up of dollar proceeds from oil earning which the CBN monitises and pays the naira equivalent into the Federation Account for allocation to the three tiers of government and then holds the dollars in reserves for those who intend to buy abroad. The second component is the proceeds from the Excess Crude Account which is the amount realised from sale of crude oil in excess of the budget benchmark that is held on behalf of the three tiers of government by the CBN. According to Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the CBN Governor, the Excess Crude Account (ECA) component of foreign reserves had now fallen to just $2.5 billion, compared with $11.5 billion a year ago. It is the depletion of this component of the reserves that has become a major concern to the handlers of the nation’s finances. However, the foreign exchange out flows, according to Financial Vanguard’s findings, has resulted in an average of $1.7 billion leaving the shore of Nigeria every week as payment on travels, cash purchased from banks and bureau de change, letters of credit, direct remittances on behalf of expatriates working in Nigeria, Wholesale Dutch Auction and debt service payment. In twelve weeks a total of $89.647million was spent by Nigerians in foreign travels. Cash sales in dollars by bureau de change and banks to small scale businesses and individuals amounted to $2.665 billion. In the twelve weeks, amount attributed to dollars sales through letters of credit opened on behalf of Nigerians for business purchases amounted to $365.810 million, while a total of $1.159billioin went out of the country as direct remittances. According to the CBN figures, within the twelve weeks, foreign exchange purchases through the official market of the Wholesale Dutch Auction sales stood at $13.906 billion and payment of interest on foreign loans by the Federal Government took out the sum of $144.83million from the nation’s coffers. A break down of the foreign exchange out flows from the CBN showed that in the week ending 20th September 2013, the sum of $38.93 million was spent on travels, while cash sales to bureau de change and banks took out the sum of $263.575 million out of the nation’s foreign reserves. In the same vein, within the same week, the sum of $96.05million went out through letters of credit and the sum of $1.26billion was sold by CBN at the foreign exchange market to Nigerians, who apply to buy goods and service abroad. This resulted in the depletion of Nigeria foreign reserves by a total of $1.708 billion in this particular week. In the week that ended on the 6th of September 2013, the sum of $3.2 million went out through travels while cash sales to bureau de change during the week stood at $240 million. The value of the Letters of Credit opened on behalf of several Nigerian’s businesses amounted to $19.71 million and direct remittances stood at $79.491million. Wholesale Dutch Auction during the week sold a total of $1.122billion to those who applied for foreign exchange to the CBN. Government interest payment on foreign loans that fell due during the week amounted to $14.444million. At the end of 6th September 2013, a total sum of $1.479 billion was paid out from the foreign reserves. The story is the same for the rest of the ten weeks surveyed by Financial Vanguard. Nigeria’s foreign reserves peaked at $48.2billion in August 2013 before it moderated to $43.9 billion at the end of 2013. Nigerians penchant for foreign made goods, the insistence by political actors in the country on the sharing of the proceeds of the excess crude account, the falling receipt from the nation’s mainstay oil and gas are largely responsible for declining level of the nation’s foreign reserve. But Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, says the present amount in Nigeria’s external reserves should not be seen as declining. Addressing reporters in Abuja before she left the country, Tuesday, to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Dr Okonjo-Iweala attributed the role of the accountability of the fund to the Central Bank of Nigeria. She said that Nigeria’s external reserve was in a robust condition. “When the reserves decline by few million dollars, there is a big headline. The external reserve of the country is really robust compared to what is really needed,” she said. Her statement is expected to clear the air on reports that the external reserves of the country was declining. Reacting to the depletion in foreign reserves, Sanusi expressed concern about Nigeria’s dwindling Excess Crude Account, saying that its ability to successfully protect the naira will be based on the amount in the Excess Crude Account and the Foreign Exchange Reserve. According to him, a stable currency is absolutely critical for price stability and financial stability in general, adding that it is not in the interest of the country to devalue the naira, because it will not have impact on the country’s current account balance, given the highly inelastic nature of imports and the dominance of oil. He said that the Excess Crude Account (ECA) has now fallen to just $2.5 billion, compared with $11.5 billion a year ago, noting that until it is replenished, there would be little room for a reduction in the Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, below the current 12 percent benchmark. He said, “We should continue to seek a stable exchange rate for as long as the reserves and monetary conditions can support this.” Sanusi said he has no fears of tightening monetary policy further to keep inflation down and to stabilise the currency, noting that, if needed, the CBN will increase its Monetary Policy Rate from 12 percent and the Cash Reserve Requirement on public sector funds to 100 percent. President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Remi Bello, had said “We are satisfied with the apex bank’s efforts at ensuring exchange rate stability and we hope that this is sustained in 2014. Our concern is the continued protection of the exchange rate on the back of high interest rate with the attendant negative outcomes for businesses, output, employment and growth. The naira exchange rate also fluctuated within the set bound of N160 per dollar plus and minus five percent throughout the year. Managing Director/Chief Executive, RTC Advisory Services Limited, Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje, said, “There are some significant negatives that we would also be taking into 2014. Most importantly is the management of the oil sector, vis-a-vis the absence of Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, divestment of multinationals, and the general state of uncertainty in the industry, oil theft, oil piracy, and declining production. “Now if you go into 2014, I see several levels of uncertainty, and for me, that is the defining concern for 2014. We have uncertainty in the foreign exchange market because oil sector outlook is not clear. Two, our domestic oil sector is not settled because of issues I mentioned earlier, and that is where we get 85 percent of our foreign exchange earnings. So, there is doubt over our foreign exchange. I see a very high probability of naira devaluation, and the pressure is already building. In the financial sector, there is also some uncertainty around liquidity; the CBN’s CRR policy and expectation in some sectors that they are going to raise the CRR. With CBN’s determination to curtail inflation in the face of political spending in 2014, so there is going to be further squeeze in liquidity and pressures on inflation. Samuel Durojaiye, President, Finance House Association of Nigeria, said, “Then for the economy in general, the challenges we foresee has to do with revenue generation and the expenditure profile. In terms of revenue generation, you will discover that over the last two years, we have been losing between 300,000 and 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day to oil theft and breakage of pipeline. So, how will the government be able to curb all these, knowing that we have a deficit of almost N1 trillion. Also is the fact that this is an election year, the expenditure pattern is likely going to be above the budget. The deficit will go beyond the budgeted N1 trillion. And oil prices, you will find out that, because of shale oil in United States and discovery of oil in other places, and peace in the Middle East, and Iran threatening that it would go beyond its OPEC quota; this might flood the market with oil and this might force down the price. If you look at our budget price, which is above $70 per barrel, if oil price falls to $90 per barrel, we would have serious problem with the budget. These are the things I am looking at, and I am saying I only hope that things will not get worse in terms of foreign exchange generation and the rate of the naira.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why we are shutting down government— Osagie APC House Whipon January 27, 2014 / in Politics 12:18 am By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor The All Progressives Congress Whip in the House of Representatives, Rep. Samson Osagie has pledged the readiness of the party members in the House to heed the directive of the party in shutting down the affairs of the Federal Government. He said: I AM a member of a political party and I cannot disagree with my party. All I can say right now is that even the deaf can hear, the blind can see that this government is not only rudderless, it is involved in huge illegalities and unconstitutionalities, it has no respect for the rule of law, neither does it have respect for the right of citizens. It is only reminiscent of events of the military days and a case in point is what is happening in Rivers State. It is so sad that we have found ourselves in a democracy under a regime that cherishes unconstitutional acts. $10.9 billion is missing and that is about two years budget of the Federal Government of Nigeria, it is no joke. Let nobody deceive anybody, it is equivalent to two years budget of this government. Between the Central Bank Governor, the minister of finance, they cannot account for it. Is that not farce? Never in the history of this country, even under military rule have we found this type of lack of transparency of government. It is obvious and clear that under the PDP, Nigerians have suffered a lot and that even at that they want to continue to hold on. The choice really is for Nigerians -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ihejirika: Ndigbo to head to ICC over Biafra massacre on January 23, 2014 / in News 12:28 am BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE ABUJA—THE proposed plan by Professor Ango Abdullahi’s Northern Elders Forum to drag former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, to the International Criminal Court of Justice, ICC, in Hague over alleged killing of civilians at Baga town, Borno State, has drawn the ire of Ndigbo who have indicated interest to take Nigeria to the same court for the massacre of two million Igbo people during the civil war. Prof. Abdullahi’s group had recently said that plans were in top gear to drag the former army chief and six others to ICC over their alleged involvement in the killing of innocent civilians at Baga, while the military engaged Boko Haram insurgents living in the midst of civilians. Chukwumerije speaks But reacting to the alleged plan yesterday, Senator Uche Chukwumerije said that the purported plan to take the former COAS to ICC would be a good opportunity for the people of the South East and Anioma in Delta State to drag the country to the world court for the massacre of over two million Ndigbo during the Nigeria/Biafra civil war. Chukwumerije, who was in-charge of Biafran Information during the war, said: “The plan of Northern Elders Forum to drag the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, and six others to International Criminal Court of Justice in Hague is capable of unleashing a national ill-wind that will do no one (including Prof. Ango Abdullahi’s group) any good in this federation. “The approach of the group to a national problem is selective, patently biased apparently in search of preconceived culprits, pointedly indifferent to the demands of national unity, and highly provocative to the sensibilities of all who genuinely desire the unity and stability of this federation. Opening the Pandora Box “As Ango Abdullahi’s team opens the doors and walks into the hall of the world court, let them realize that they have at last opened the Pandora’s Box. “The indigenes of Odi, Zaki-Biam and Katsina Ala will in quick succession file into the hall. At the same time, Ndigbo of South East and Anioma will dust their files and head for Hague. “Let it be emphasized ab initio that senseless sacrifice of a human life is indefensible. Violations of human rights have remained the bane of Africa. A society that has no respect for human life is nearer the status of a community of animals. “But the situation in the universally acknowledged difficult terrain of a borderless war such as terrorism, counter terrorism and guerilla-like conflicts offers a unique challenge. The motives of Prof. Ango Abdullahi and co are obviously beyond concerns about violations of human rights. “Every citizen (including Prof. Ango Abdullahi) knows that the anti-terrorism campaign in the North is a joint military operation under the command of the Chief of Defence Staff. In singling out Lt. General Ihefirika, the then Army boss, the likes of Prof. Ango Abdullahi are merely betraying old prejudices and embarking on a new hazardous search for bad names to hang hated dogs. “Besides, the fact that Prof. Ango Abdullahi and co sprung into action immediately Lt. General Ihejirika and six others left their commands has revealed the depth of long-smoldering resentment of the campaign against Boko Haram by self-proclaimed leaders of the North.” Baga and Hague adjudication Senator Chukwumerije wondered why the Northern Elders Forum would single out the Baga incident for Hague’s adjudication. He said further: “We have seen in the past cases of wholesale massacres which were not only more gruesome than Baga’s but proven as true unlike. Ango Abdullahi and co kept silent. “There was the case of Odi in which a whole community was decimated. There was the case of Zaki-Biam. There was the case of Katsina Ala. If Odi did not arouse the conscience of Ango Abdullahi because the people do not belong to his hallowed Northern enclave, how about Zaki-biam and Katsina Ala?” - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/ihejirika-ndigbo-head-icc-biafra-massacre/#sthash.dqKSRQRf.dpuf ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Jonathan Nominates Ex-NSA Gusau, Obanikoro, Boni Haruna, Others As Ministers 21 January 2014 Nigeria Senate President Goodluck Jonathan has nominated former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau; former Lagos Senator, Musiliu Obanikoro; and former Adamawa State governor, Boni Haruna, as ministers. The three men were included in the list of 12 ministerial nominees sent to the Senate for confirmation. Other nominees include current Nigerian Ambassador to China, Aminu Wali (from Kano State), and former leader of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Wakil from Borno. Mr. Gusau is expected to fill the position of Defence Minister, a position currently vacant with the ministry being supervised by Information Minister, Labaran Maku. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Aviation Minister Stella Oduah Declines Comment On Certificate Forgery Scandal, Blames 'Enemies' for Her Troubles By Nicholas Ibekwe, 20 January 2014 Nigeria Aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah Despite overwhelming evidence of certificate forgery and financial recklessness against her, Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, said her troubles are caused by "entrenched interests in the aviation sector" bent on vilifying her. According the Vanguard newspapers, the troubled minister sounded defiant as she spoke to reporters in Abuja saying the unnamed interests have been profiting from the sector in the last 38 years and had stifled development in the sector. "For the over 38 years that our airports were a damning commentary on our status as part of the civilised world; or when our airspace existed without the requisite navigational facilities to make the airspace safe; these category of persons saw no evil and heard no evil while they happily clapped their ways to the banks," she said. In recent months, Ms. Oduah has been enmeshed in a series of scandals following her purchase of two armoured BMW cars for N225 million. Earlier this month, news website, Sahara Reporters, published an expose that the minister lied about her claim that she received a Masters degree from St. Paul's College, USA. The institution had denied having a graduate school or issuing a post-graduate degree. Few hours after the story was published she scrambled to edit her Wikipedia page deleting sections that claimed she has a Bachelor and Masters degrees from St Paul's College, USA. A similar editing was also done on the official website of the Ministry of Aviation. The scandal was followed by another damning revelation by PREMIUM TIMES about the minister's claim to a doctorate degree from another U.S. institution, Pacific Christian University, Glendale. The American National Centre for Education Statistics told PREMIUM TIMES the institution does not exist. Every Delarosa, a spokesperson for Hope International University in Fullerton, which used to be known as Pacific Christian College-the closest name to what the minister claimed- also insisted Mrs. Oduah could not be referring to Hope University because the institution changed its name from Pacific Christian College in 1997 while Mrs Oduah claimed she was awarded a doctorate in Business Administration 1998. The Hope University official also explained that the institution, even when it was known as Pacific Christian College, had never had a campus in Glendale. She said the university was based in Long Beach city at the time. "We do not have any records of any candidate by the name Stella Oduah or related names," Ms. Delarosa said, after pouring through the university record. "Whether now that we are Hope University and in the past when we were Pacific Christian College, we did not give any such person a degree here." In her remarks to the media-one of her first since the scandal broke- Ms. Oduah refused comment on both revelations, and allegations of financial impropriety against her. She however accused unnamed persons of "throwing decency and honour overboard, lying and misleading the Nigerian populace." "For this category, that is the entrenched, corrupt and profligate individuals and entities who have caused the serious rot in the aviation sector, I owe no apologies," she said. "All I owe them is to further inform them that the current generation has seen through them and are no longer willing to tolerate their antics." She said the "transformation agenda" of President Goodluck Jonathan has changed the way things are done in the aviation sector. She also added that the nation has made considerable improvement in the area of infrastructural deficit. "The massive investment and the aggressive prosecution of this agenda in this regard have seen the aviation sector being transformed. Today, 22 airports owned by the Federal Government are at various stages of becoming decent and world-class terminals. "Nigeria's airspace has become one of the safest in the world with the deployment of modern navigational equipment and infrastructures. The oversight capacity of the whole sector has been strengthened with the relevant regulations in place and the training and retraining of personnel." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEF Sues Ihejirika, 6 others to ICC over Bama deaths in National The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) yesterday vowed to sue the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika and six others to the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) in the Hague over their alleged role in last year’s violence in Bama, and Giwa Barracks all in Borno State while battling members of the Islamic Terrorists sect, Boko Haram. The NEF however, did not name the other six persons. Meanwhile, a one day meeting of Northern Emirs ended in Kaduna last Thursday with the Emirs saying that there was a plot to further divide the north on religious and ethnic basis for the selfish end of some interest groups. A statement signed by the Chairman of the NEF, Professor Ango Abdullahi made available to Saturday Vanguard in Kaduna yesterday said that the former Army Chief and six others were to be charged for extra-judicial killings by soldiers in Bama. According to NEF, the former Army Chief will also be charged with the other six for strangulation of civilians in Giwa Barrack, in underground detention centre. Read part of the Communiqué: “It would be recalled that, the Northern Elders Forum had set up two committees of legal and security experts to investigate the details of the gruesome use of force against unarmed civilians in Bama and other parts of Borno State and forward appropriate recommendations. ”At our meeting in Kaduna on the 15th January, 2014, we received the reports of the two committees on Security and Legal Matters, regarding extra-judicial killings by soldiers in Bama and the act of strangulating civilians in Giwa Barracks using an underground detention centre, while depositing the corpses in hospital. ”The Forum has therefore resolved to harmonise the reports of the two committees, preparatory to filing a case of extra-judicial killings by the Nigerian Army under the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika and six others. “The reports will be harmonised at our emergency meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, January 22nd ,2014 for further action”, the statement read. Meanwhile, part of the comminque of the Northern Emirs observed:“That some interest groups are using religion and ethnicity to bring about divisions within the society to the detriment of the development of the nation. “That some interest groups are putting undue pressure on traditional rulers to be partisan to the detriment of their position as fathers to all. “That some divisive elements from within and outside the North are causing animosity and distrust amongst the different communities in the North thereby weakening the hitherto strong bond of unity that existed in the region before and during the first republic”. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Defence Forces Reshuffle Confirmed By Augustine Osayande, 17 January 2014 President Goodluck Jonathan (right) being received by service chiefs. Abuja — THE Presidency officially announced President Goodluck Jonathan had reshuffled the defence forces. Such reports had surfaced on social networking sites after a Twitter account said to be that of President spokesman, Reuben Abati, alluded to the changes. Abati has released a statement confirming the reshuffle. Air Marshal Alex Badeh takes over from Admiral Ola Sa'sd Ibrahim as Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah takes over from Lt.-General Azubike Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff while Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin takes over from Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff. Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu takes over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff" Abati Stated. Abati added that all the changes are with immediate effect. Abati said President Jonathan has briefed the leadership of the National Assembly on the appointment of the new service chiefs and would, in keeping with the provisions of the law, request the National Assembly to formally confirm the appointments when it reconvened. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Gen. Minimah Named Army Chief By Isiaka Wakili, 17 January 2014 President Goodluck Jonathan (right) being received by service chiefs. President Goodluck Jonathan has replaced all the military chiefs in sweeping changes at the top of the Nigerian armed forces announced yesterday. He named Air Marshal Alex Badeh as Chief of Defence Staff after removing Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim from the post. Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah has, as predicted by Daily Trust, replaced Lieutenant-General Azubike O. Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff. Daily Trust exclusively reported in January last year that Major-General Minimah was being groomed for that post (see the full story reproduced on this page). Further details on the changes show that Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin has replaced Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff while Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu takes over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff. A statement from presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said the president had already briefed the leadership of the National Assembly on the new appointments and sought for their formal confirmation. The full text of the statement reads: "President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria approved the following changes in the nation's Military High Command: Air Marshal Alex Badeh takes over from Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim as Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah takes over from Lt.-General Azubike O. Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin takes over from Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu takes over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff. "All the changes are with immediate effect. "The new Chief of Defence Staff and former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Badeh, was born on January 10, 1957 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy's 21 Regular Course while the new Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Minimah was born on July 27, 1959 and joined the Army as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy's 25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Major-General Minimah was the Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, Jaji. "The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin was born on September 16, 1959 and joined the Navy as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy's 24 Regular Course. Until his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, he was Director of Training at Defence Headquarters. "The new Chief of Air Staff and immediate past Commander of the Presidential Air Fleet, Air Vice Marshal Amosu, was born on August 1, 1958 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy's 25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Air Vice Marshal Amosu was the Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command, Makurdi. "President Jonathan has briefed the leadership of the National Assembly on the appointment of the new service chiefs and will, in keeping with the provisions of the law, request the National Assembly to formally confirm the appointments when it reconvenes." The president's decision to equally announce that he had notified the legislative arm of the changes was apparently to avoid the controversies that followed his previous appointment of the service chiefs which was challenged in court by legal activist Festus Keyamo. The court had ruled in favour of Mr Keyamo declaring the previous appointments as "null and void". In a statement issued yesterday, Keyamo said the sacking of the service chiefs and appointment of new ones had vindicated him. He said: "Today's (yesterday's) announcement of the removal of the Service Chiefs by President Goodluck Jonathan in compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court in the case of Festus Keyamo Vs. President and 4 others (which declared the previous appointments null and void) is a welcome development". Similarly, he said, "the appointments of the new Service Chiefs that have just been made subject to the confirmation of the National Assembly (in compliance with the judgment) is also commendable. "The rule of law is the cornerstone upon which we must build our constitutional democracy and it is only such strict compliance with the judgments of courts that will guarantee the stability of our democracy." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: President Asks Sanusi to Resign Over Leaked U.S.$49.8 Billion Letter By Steve Omanufeme, 9 January 2014 President Goodluck Jonathan has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to resign immediately on the grounds that the letter Sanusi wrote to him on the unremitted $49.8 billion oil revenue to the Federation Account, was leaked to former President Olusegun Obasanjo by the CBN governor. But Sanusi who has denied leaking the letter to anyone, has refused to resign and informed the president during the heated telephone exchange that he could only be removed by two-thirds of the Senate as required by law. THISDAY learnt that the president had called Sanusi and accused him of leaking the letter to Obasanjo, which enabled the latter to use it as one of many allegations he levelled against Jonathan in his letter titled: "Before It is Too Late". The president, who a source in the presidency said was very angry and was not prepared to allow Sanusi to proceed on his terminal leave in March, asked him to tender his resignation before the close of business last Tuesday. However, Sanusi denied that he had leaked his letter to Obasanjo and made it abundantly clear he would not be forced out, except he is removed by two-thirds of the Senate. He also told the president that the letter was available in the presidential villa, available in the finance ministry and available in the central bank and wondered how he (Sanusi) could have leaked the letter, which was so widely available, to a former two-term president of Nigeria who has his people all over the place. Sanusi also expressed his surprise to the president that he was the one being asked to resign instead of the president to ask those responsible for the non-remittance of the funds to resign. His response, which threw the president aback, degenerated into a heated exchange during which Sanusi told the president that as the federal government's Chief Economic Adviser, mandatorily required to bring issues of critical economic importance to the attention of the president, he had done a patriotic duty to his country. "He informed the president that it is necessary to deal with the issues and not the letter that had been leaked since it has since been established that it was not $49.8 billion that had not been remitted to the Federation Account, but $10.8 billion, which was still in dispute and by any stretch of imagination was still a large sum. "Sanusi felt he was being forced out for doing his patriotic duty to his country by drawing attention to the unaccounted funds. He only has two months to go, so this was a ploy to force him out and destroy his career and reputation. "He knew this and for this reason, refused to throw in the towel as requested by the president," a source familiar with the conversation said. But the president was said to have remained adamant and insisted on the CBN governor's resignation. Following the exchange, Sanusi, another source said, briefed his close aides at the CBN and family of what had transpired between himself and the president. The source said he did it to shield himself from harm, as he felt his life might be in danger for defying the direct order of the president. When contacted Wednesday on the issue, the president's Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, did not pick up or return THISDAY's calls and text messages. Also, efforts to get Sanusi and the CBN to speak on the matter met a brick wall. Sanusi had written to the president in September informing him that, among other issues, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had not remitted $49.8 billion of oil revenue to the Federation Account over a 19-month period. Although the letter was not made public until December 4, 2013 when it was leaked, Obasanjo referred to it in his letter dated December 2, 2013, to the president, in which the former president also accused Jonathan of being clannish, destroying the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), compiling a political watch-list of 1,000 people and training snipers to target opponents of the administration, among other allegations. The president had since denied all of Obasanjo's claims in his rebuttal of the former president's letter. Expectedly, Sanusi's letter drew the ire of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which called on the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against the president. In addition, the Senate directed its Committee on Finance to probe the contents of Sanusi's letter. However, Sanusi's letter was immediately denied by NNPC, which accused the CBN governor of not only playing politics but also of being ignorant of the operations of the oil and gas sector. Following NNPC's repeated denials, a joint press conference was convened by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Sanusi, during which it was revealed that a reconciliation process was ongoing, and had so far established that it was not $49.8 billion that had not been repatriated to the Federation Account but $10.8 billion. During the press conference, however, Sanusi attempted to distance himself from the statements made by Okonjo-Iweala and Alison-Madueke, stating that it was $12 billion that had not been remitted by NNPC. But the finance minister immediately interjected, insisting that it was $10.8 billion that had not been remitted to the Federation Account and was still in dispute. But it is not clear what would now happen to the CBN governor who has already indicated that he will leave office in March on a three-month terminal leave ahead of the expiration of his tenure in June. He had earlier written to the president last year that he would not be seeking a second term. Clearly the Jonathan presidency must be feeling uncomfortable with Sanusi's remaining five months in office in this political season. As at last night, efforts were being made to reconcile the president and the CBN governor and create an orderly transition at the apex bank so as not to harm growing confidence in the Nigerian economy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah in Fresh Fake Doctorate Degree Scandal By Musikilu Mojeed, 8 January 2014 Nigeria Aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah Twenty-four hours after her claim to have acquired a Masters degree from the St. Paul's College in the United States was punctured, PREMIUM TIMES has uncovered another false claim by our embattled Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah. This time, the minister lied on oath to the Nigerian Senate, claiming another American 'university', Pacific Christian University awarded her an honorary doctorate degree in 1998. Mrs. Oduah made the claim in a 7-page resume she distributed to Nigeria's 109 senators during her confirmation hearing on July 2, 2011. On page four of the document, the minister claimed the university, which she said was based in Glendale, awarded her an honorary doctorate in Business Administration. Download the resume Minister Stella Oduah submitted to the senate here. It was based on this document that she was grilled and eventually confirmed by the lawmakers. But investigations by PREMIUM TIMES suggest that no university called Pacific Christian University exists in the United States. The U.S. Department of Education, through its National Centre for Education Statistics, keeps an up-to-date database of all public libraries and educational institutions in the country - public, private and colleges. PREMIUM TIMES reporters spent hours on Wednesday searching this database. Our reporters searched by state (California), city (Glendale) and name of institution (Pacific Christian University). Yet, nothing came up in the name of the university Mrs. Oduah claimed gave her an honorary doctorate. According to the database, there are six colleges (universities) in Glendale, a city of 191,719 inhabitants in Los Angeles County, in the state of California. The colleges are American Medical Sciences Centre, Brand College, Glendale Career College, Glendale Community and North-West College. There is no such university known as Christian Pacific College as claimed by the minister. The spokesperson for the National Centre for Educational Statistics, Susan Ad, could however not be reached for comments. She is yet to return calls and reply an email sent to her by this newspaper. The spokespersons for the minister appear unwilling to comment for this story. Efforts by PREMIUM TIMES to get them to react to this new revelation were unsuccessful. Joe Obi, her special assistant on media, did not answer or return calls. Yakubu Datti, the spokesperson of the aviation agencies, who usually speak for her, answered our call but immediately said he would call back. He is yet to do so as at the time of publishing this. Meanwhile, in the same resume she submitted to the Senate, Mrs. Oduah did not indicate that she got a Masters from St. Paul, raising questions on why she made that claim in her official citations and profiles posted on the Ministry of Aviation website, her personal website and her Wikipedia page. She only claimed in the document to the Senate that she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Paul's College in 1982, a claim that PREMIUM TIMES is investigating. The spokesperson for the Nigerian senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, tried Tuesday to extricate the senate from blame as Nigerians criticize the lawmakers for conducting a sham screening exercise that allowed Mrs. Oduah to get away with lies and deceits. Mr. Abaribe said the lawmakers depend largely on the nation's security agencies to help them investigate claims by appointees of the president. He said in conducting screening exercises, the senate relies largely on reports forwarded to it by the security agencies. Mrs. Oduah, and her associates have spent the last several hours scrambling to clean up the minister's biographies on the Internet, following allegations that she lied about her academic qualifications. Already, Mrs. Oduah's biography on the website of the Ministry of Aviation has been revised, with references to St. Paul's College now wiped out. The Wikipedia page of the minister was also edited and it now has no reference to the university Mrs. Oduah attended. The last edit on the Wikipedia page was done at 14:41 p.m. Nigerian time Tuesday. All links and reference materials on the Wikipedia page capable of linking the minister to the university that has disowned her have also been deleted. Even the minister's personal website has been reviewed to remove any reference to St. Paul's College. Mrs. Oduah had since October been enmeshed in a a N255million armoured cars scandal in which she was accused of compelling an agency under her supervision, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to buy her two exotic bullet cars at clearly inflated prices. The purchase of the cars generated outrage for weeks because its cost was inflated, and it was neither listed in the government-approved budget nor did it comply with the Nigeria's public procurement law. The House of Representatives has since asked President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the minister but the president has failed to act. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria Assumes Membership of UN Security Council 3 January 2014 President Goodluck Jonathan. Nigeria on Thursday formally assumed the membership of the UN Security Council for a two-year term (2014-2015), making it the fifth time the nation had been elected into the council. The nation's term for the non-permanent seat of the council began on Jan. 1, but due to the New Year holiday, the council could not sit. Nigeria was on Oct. 16, 2012 elected into the world body with 186 votes out of 193. UN Council has five permanent members comprising China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the U.S. as well as 10 other non-permanent members which are elected for two years by the 193 members of the UN General Assembly. Earlier, following the admission of Nigeria into the council, Prof. Joy Ogwu, Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, had assured that Nigeria would promote preventive diplomacy for peace as a fulcrum of its agenda. The permanent representative also noted that Nigeria was driven by a deep seated aspiration to deal with issues of peace, security and development not only in Africa but the rest of the world. "So to this effect, we will work assiduously with all members of the security council to represent all other member states and to fulfil the renewed mandate that we have received today," Ogwu said. The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, had assured the international community that Nigeria would continue to work in the area of preventive diplomacy. Onwuliri also said that Nigeria would focus on mediation and prevention of conflict situations in Africa. "We need to have a strong voice to help the UN to deal with issues in Africa. African issues are the majority of issues facing the UN Security Council today," she said. Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein, Permanent Representative of Jordan to the UN, is the President of the Security Council for the month of January. (NAN) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigerian Economy Keeps Growing and Creating Jobs By Goodluck Jonathan, 31 December 2013 document Exactly 100 years ago today, on January 1, 1914, the British Colonial authorities amalgamated what was then the separate Protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria, giving birth to the single geopolitical entity known as Nigeria. For us therefore, today is not just the beginning of a new year, but the end of a century of national existence and the beginning of another. It is a moment for sober reflection and for pride in all that is great about Nigeria. Whatever challenges we may have faced, whatever storms we may have confronted and survived, Nigeria remains a truly blessed country, a country of gifted men and women who continue to distinguish themselves in all spheres of life, a country whose diversity remains a source of strength. We pay tribute today, as always to our founding fathers and mothers, and all the heroes and heroines whose toil and sweat over the century made this country what it is today. As I noted, a few days ago, the amalgamation of 1914 was certainly not a mistake but a blessing. As we celebrate 100 years of nationhood, we must resolve to continue to work together as one, united people, to make our country even greater. I assure you that our administration remains fully committed to the progressive development of our country and the consolidation of peace, unity and democratic governance in our fatherland. Despite several continuing domestic and global challenges, for us in Nigeria, the year 2013 witnessed many positive developments which we will strive to build upon in 2014. We have diligently carried forward the purposeful and focused implementation of our agenda for national transformation in priority areas such as power, the rehabilitation and expansion of national infrastructure, agricultural development, education and employment generation. You may recall that our 2013 Budget was on the theme, "Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth", and I emphasized the need for us to "remain prudent with our fiscal resources and also ensure that the Nigerian economy keeps growing and creating jobs". I am pleased to report that we have stayed focused on this goal. Our national budget for 2014 which is now before the National Assembly is specifically targeted at job creation and inclusive growth. We are keenly aware that in spite of the estimated 1.6 million new jobs created across the country in the past 12 months as a result of our actions and policies, more jobs are still needed to support our growing population. Our economic priorities will be stability and equitable growth, building on the diverse sectors of our economy. In 2013, we commenced implementation of the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) aimed at industrializing Nigeria and diversifying our economy into sectors such as agro-processing, light manufacturing, and petrochemicals. We have also negotiated a strong Common External Tariff (CET) agreement with our ECOWAS partners which would enable us to protect our strategic industries where necessary. I am pleased to note that as a result of our backward integration policies, Nigeria has moved from a country that produced 2 million metric tonnes of cement in 2002, to a country that now has a capacity of 28.5 million metric tonnes. For the first time in our history, we have moved from being a net importer of cement to a net exporter. Foreign direct investment into Nigeria has also been strong. In fact, for the second year running, the UN Conference on Trade and Development has named Nigeria as the number 1 destination for investments in Africa. We are witnessing a revolution in the agricultural sector and the results are evident. We have tackled corruption in the input distribution system as many farmers now obtain their fertilizers and seeds directly through an e-wallet system. In 2013, 4.2 million farmers received subsidized inputs via this programme. This scheme has restored dignity to our farmers. Last year we produced over 8 million metric tonnes of additional food; and this year, inflation fell to its lowest level since 2008 partly due to higher domestic food production. Our food import bill has also reduced from N1.1 trillion in 2011, to N648 billion in 2012, placing Nigeria firmly on the path to food self-sufficiency. The sector is also supporting more jobs. Last year, we produced 1.1 million metric tonnes of dry season rice across 10 Northern states; and over 250,000 farmers and youths in these States are now profitably engaged in farming even during the dry season. This Administration is also developing our water resources which are key for both our food production and job creation goals. In 2013, we completed the construction of nine dams which increased the volume of our water reservoirs by 422 million cubic metres. Through our irrigation and drainage programme, we have increased the total irrigated area by over 31,000 hectares creating jobs for over 75,000 farming families while increasing production of over 400,000 metric tons of assorted irrigated food products. Fellow Compatriots, I have always believed that the single greatest thing we can do to ensure all Nigerians realize their potential and play a full part in our nation's future, is to invest in education. The education of our young people is a key priority for this Government. We take this responsibility very seriously and I urge all other stakeholders in the sector to recognize the national importance of their work, and to help advance the cause of education in our nation. Between 2007 and 2013, we have almost tripled the allocation for education from N224 billion to N634 billion - and we will continue to vigorously support the sector. We have improved access to education in the country with the construction of 125 Almajiri schools, and the establishment of three additional Federal Universities in the North, bringing to twelve, the number of universities established by this administration. In 2013, we rehabilitated 352 laboratories and constructed 72 new libraries in the Federal Unity Schools; and also rehabilitated laboratories of all the 51 Federal and State polytechnics across the country. In the Health sector, we are building strong safety nets and improving access to primary health care under the Saving One Million Lives programme. In 2013, we recruited 11,300 frontline health workers who were deployed to under-served communities across the country. Over 400,000 lives have been saved through our various interventions. We have reached over 10,000 women and children with conditional cash transfer programmes across 8 States and the FCT and we intend to scale up this successful initiative. Our national immunization coverage has exceeded 80%. And for the first time in the history of the country there has not been any transmission of the Type-3 Wild Polio virus for more than one year. We have also eradicated the guinea worm that previously affected the lives of over 800,000 Nigerians yearly. In tertiary health care, we upgraded medical facilities across the country. Two of our teaching hospitals - the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, and the University College Hospital in Ibadan - commenced open heart surgeries this year after the installation of new facilities. Fellow Nigerians, I have dwelt on some of our administration's achievements in 2013 to reassure you that we are working and results are being achieved on the ground. As we enter our Centennial year, there is still much work ahead. We are determined to sustain our strong macroeconomic fundamentals, to strengthen our domestic institutions, and to invest in priority sectors. These investments will create more jobs for our youth. Government will at the same time, continue to scale-up investments in safety nets and the MDGs to take care of the poor and the vulnerable so that they too can share in our growth and prosperity. In 2014, we will continue to prioritize investments in key sectors such as infrastructure development, power, roads, rail transportation and aviation. In the past year, the Federal Government completed the privatization of four power generation companies and 10 power distribution companies. We are also in the process of privatizing 10 power plants under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP). We shall boost investments in transmission to ensure power generated is properly evacuated and distributed. In this regard, we have already mobilized an additional $1.5 billion for the upgrade of the transmission network in 2014 and beyond. Government will also strengthen regulation of the sector, and closely monitor electricity delivery to increase this beyond 18 hours per day. We will complete the privatization of the NIPP projects, accelerate work on our gas pipeline infrastructure and also continue to invest in hydro-electric power and clean energy as we monitor the effects of climate change on our economy. Our administration believes that the cost of governance in the country is still too high and must be further reduced. We will also take additional steps to stem the tide of corruption and leakages. We have worked hard to curb fraud in the administration of the pension system and the implementation of the petroleum subsidy scheme. We have introduced a Pensions Transition Arrangement Department under a new Director-General. This department will now ensure that those of our pensioners still under the old scheme receive their pensions and gratuities, and are not subjected to fraud. Prosecution of all those involved in robbing our retired people will continue. The Petroleum Subsidy Scheme is also now being operated under new strict guidelines to tackle previous leakages in the scheme and prevent fraud. Foreign travel by government personnel will be further curtailed. This directive shall apply to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government. Our strategy to curb leakages will increasingly rely on introducing the right technologies such as biometrics and digitizing government payments. I am therefore pleased to inform you that we shall complete the deployment of the three electronic platforms in 2014 - namely, the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) - which are all geared towards improving efficiency and transparency in our public finances. Through these reforms, we have already saved about N126 billion in leaked funds and intend to save more. To sustain Nigeria's ongoing agricultural transformation, we have planned further investments in the sector. We will provide input subsidies to five million farmers nationwide using the e-wallet system. This Administration recently launched a self-employment initiative under the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP), called the Nagropreneur programme. This scheme would encourage our youth to go into commercial agriculture as entrepreneurs and we plan to develop over 750,000 young Nagropreneurs by 2015. We will also establish new agro-industrial clusters to complement the staple crop processing zones being developed across the country. In 2014, this Administration will continue to work with the private sector to improve financing in the agricultural sector. For example, we will launch the Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN) which will serve as a private equity fund to invest in agri-businesses across the country. Our Small and Medium scale enterprises (SMEs) will be the bedrock of Nigeria's industrialization. We have about 17 million registered SMEs, and they employ over 32 million Nigerians. When our SMEs grow, more jobs will be created for our youth. Therefore, in 2014, this Administration will focus strongly on implementing the Nigeria Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) to address the needs of small businesses. Our interventions will include helping SMEs with access to affordable finance, business development services, and youth training. In addition, our new CET policies will enable us to support our emerging industries. We will also intensify our investment promotion efforts abroad, to ensure we bring the biggest and best companies from around the world to invest in Nigeria. Dear Compatriots, the housing and construction industry is a critical sector in most developed economies. When the housing sector booms, it creates additional jobs for architects and masons, for electricians and plumbers, for painters and interior decorators, and for those in the cement and furniture industries. Today, I am pleased to inform you that this Administration is reinvigorating our housing and construction sector. We have established the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) which will increase liquidity in the housing sector, provide a secondary market for mortgages, and thereby increase the number of people able to purchase or build homes at an affordable price in the country. In 2014, we will work in a number of pilot states where the State Governors have agreed to provide fast-track land titles, foreclosure arrangements, and serviced plots. This new institution will enable us to create over 200,000 mortgages over the next five years at affordable interest rates. In addition, those at the lower end of the economic ladder will not be left behind as this new initiative will expand mass housing schemes through a re-structured Federal Mortgage Bank and other institutions to provide rent-to-own and lease-to-own options. I am confident that very soon, many more hardworking Nigerian families will be able to realize their dream of owning a home. In this our centenary year, we will continue our efforts, through the Saving One Million Lives initiative to strengthen primary health care services. We will scale up interventions in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition, routine immunization, HIV/AIDS, malaria elimination, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and non-communicable diseases. We will pay greater attention to the provision of universal health coverage. Besides the implementation of new initiatives such as my comprehensive response plan for HIV/AIDS, we shall continue to collaborate with global health partners to deliver our health sector transformation agenda. I am glad that the issues responsible for the long-drawn ASUU strike have been resolved and our children are returning to their campuses. We are committed to making our tertiary institutions true centers of learning for our young people. We will therefore focus on upgrading hostels, laboratories, classrooms, and halls. As the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals approaches, we will continue to expand access to basic education for all Nigerian children. Working with State Governments, we shall decisively tackle the problem of the large numbers of out-of-school children in this country. We will also invest in technical and vocational education to promote skills development for our youth across the country. Nigerian entrepreneurs still lack access to affordable financing, with medium-to-long-term tenors. To address this gap, a new wholesale development finance institution will be established in 2014 to provide medium-to long-term financing for Nigerian businesses. We are working with partners such as the World Bank, the Africa Development Bank, the BNDES Bank in Brazil, and KfW in Germany, to realize this project. Our existing Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry will be re-structured as specialized institutions to retail financing from this new wholesale development bank. In addition to the foregoing, our administration will also do all within its powers to ensure the success of the forthcoming National Conference. The report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Conference is undergoing urgent review and the approved structure, guidelines and modalities for the conference will soon be published as a prelude to its commencement and expeditious conclusion. It remains our sincere hope and expectation that the success of the national conference will further enhance national unity, peace and cohesion as we move ahead to the 2015 general elections. In keeping with our avowed commitment to progressively enhancing the credibility of Nigeria's electoral process by consistently upholding the principle of one man, one vote, our Administration will also ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) receives all required support to ensure that it is adequately prepared for the next general elections. As peace and security remain prerequisite conditions for the full realization of our objectives, we will also do more in 2014 to further empower our security agencies who are working in collaborative partnerships with our friends in the international community to stem the scourge of terrorism in our country and enhance the security of lives and property in all parts of Nigeria. The allocation of over N600 Billion to Defence and Policing in the 2014 Budget attests to this commitment. Fellow compatriots, the task of making our dear nation a much better place for present and future generations cannot be left to government alone. I therefore urge you all to be ready and willing to do more this year to support the implementation of the Federal Government's Agenda for National Transformation in every possible way. Let us all therefore resolve as we celebrate the new year, and Nigeria's Centenary, to place the higher interests of national unity, peace, stability and progress above all other considerations and work harder in our particular fields of human endeavour to contribute more significantly to the attainment of our collective aspirations. I urge all Nigerians, no matter their stations in life, to rededicate themselves to contributing meaningfully to further enrich our national heritage. The time for that re-dedication is now, not tomorrow. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander -in-Chief of its armed forces. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My plans for this year — Jonathanon January 01, 2014 * More jobs for youths in 2014 *To cut official travels, speed up National confab *100 yrs of Amalgamation, time for sober reflection BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & BEN AGANDE ABUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday promised Nigerian youths more jobs this year and improved well-being for the citizenry through focused implementation of the Transformation Agenda. In a six-page, 2896-word New Year message, the President, who restated that the amalgamation of the country exactly 100 years ago was not a mistake but a blessing, however, said that the centenary of the country’s nationhood was a moment for sober reflection. Enumerating the achievements of his administration last year, the president said he would this year “diligently carry forward the purposeful and focused implementation of our agenda for national transformation in priority areas such as power, the rehabilitation and expansion of national infrastructure, agricultural development, education and employment generation.” Jonathan also called on Nigerians to place the higher interests of national unity, peace, stability and progress above all other considerations and work harder in their various fields to contribute more significantly to the attainment of our collective aspirations. The message read: Dear Compatriots, I greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the year 2014 which promises to be a momentous one for our country for several reasons, including the fact that it is also the year of our great nation’s centenary celebrations. I join you all in giving thanks to God Almighty for guiding us and our beloved nation safely through all the challenges of the outgoing year to the beginning of 2014. PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN Exactly 100 years ago today, on January 1, 1914, the British Colonial authorities amalgamated what was then the separate Protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria, giving birth to the single geopolitical entity known as Nigeria. For us therefore, today is not just the beginning of a new year, but the end of a century of national existence and the beginning of another. It is a moment for sober reflection and for pride in all that is great about Nigeria. Whatever challenges we may have faced, whatever storms we may have confronted and survived, Nigeria remains a truly blessed country, a country of gifted men and women who continue to distinguish themselves in all spheres of life, a country whose diversity remains a source of strength. We pay tribute today, as always to our founding fathers and mothers, and all the heroes and heroines whose toil and sweat over the century made this country what it is today. As I noted, a few days ago, the amalgamation of 1914 was certainly not a mistake but a blessing. As we celebrate 100 years of nationhood, we must resolve to continue to work together as one, united people, to make our country even greater. I assure you that our administration remains fully committed to the progressive development of our country and the consolidation of peace, unity and democratic governance in our fatherland. Despite several continuing domestic and global challenges, for us in Nigeria, the year 2013 witnessed many positive developments which we will strive to build upon in 2014. We have diligently carried forward the purposeful and focused implementation of our agenda for national transformation in priority areas such as power, the rehabilitation and expansion of national infrastructure, agricultural development, education and employment generation. You may recall that our 2013 Budget was on the theme, “Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth”, and I emphasized the need for us to “remain prudent with our fiscal resources and also ensure that the Nigerian economy keeps growing and creating jobs”. I am pleased to report that we have stayed focused on this goal. Our national budget for 2014 which is now before the National Assembly is specifically targeted at job creation and inclusive growth. We are keenly aware that in spite of the estimated 1.6 million new jobs created across the country in the past 12 months as a result of our actions and policies, more jobs are still needed to support our growing population. Our economic priorities will be stability and equitable growth, building on the diverse sectors of our economy. In 2013, we commenced implementation of the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) aimed at industrializing Nigeria and diversifying our economy into sectors such as agro-processing, light manufacturing, and petrochemicals. We have also negotiated a strong Common External Tariff (CET) agreement with our ECOWAS partners which would enable us to protect our strategic industries where necessary. I am pleased to note that as a result of our backward integration policies, Nigeria has moved from a country that produced 2 million metric tonnes of cement in 2002, to a country that now has a capacity of 28.5 million metric tonnes. For the first time in our history, we have moved from being a net importer of cement to a net exporter. Foreign direct investment into Nigeria has also been strong. In fact, for the second year running, the UN Conference on Trade and Development has named Nigeria as the number 1 destination for investments in Africa. We are witnessing a revolution in the agricultural sector and the results are evident. We have tackled corruption in the input distribution system as many farmers now obtain their fertilizers and seeds directly through an e-wallet system. In 2013, 4.2 million farmers received subsidized inputs via this programme. This scheme has restored dignity to our farmers. Last year we produced over 8 million metric tonnes of additional food; and this year, inflation fell to its lowest level since 2008 partly due to higher domestic food production. Our food import bill has also reduced from N1.1 trillion in 2011, to N648 billion in 2012, placing Nigeria firmly on the path to food self-sufficiency. The sector is also supporting more jobs. Last year, we produced 1.1 million metric tonnes of dry season rice across 10 Northern states; and over 250,000 farmers and youths in these States are now profitably engaged in farming even during the dry season. This Administration is also developing our water resources which are key for both our food production and job creation goals. In 2013, we completed the construction of nine dams which increased the volume of our water reservoirs by 422 million cubic metres. Through our irrigation and drainage programme, we have increased the total irrigated area by over 31,000 hectares creating jobs for over 75,000 farming families while increasing production of over 400,000 metric tons of assorted irrigated food products. Fellow Compatriots, I have always believed that the single greatest thing we can do to ensure all Nigerians realize their potential and play a full part in our nation’s future, is to invest in education. The education of our young people is a key priority for this Government. We take this responsibility very seriously and I urge all other stakeholders in the sector to recognize the national importance of their work, and to help advance the cause of education in our nation. Between 2007 and 2013, we have almost tripled the allocation for education from N224 billion to N634 billion – and we will continue to vigorously support the sector. We have improved access to education in the country with the construction of 125 Almajiri schools, and the establishment of three additional Federal Universities in the North, bringing to twelve, the number of universities established by this administration. In 2013, we rehabilitated 352 laboratories and constructed 72 new libraries in the Federal Unity Schools; and also rehabilitated laboratories of all the 51 Federal and State polytechnics across the country. In the Health sector, we are building strong safety nets and improving access to primary health care under the Saving One Million Lives programme. In 2013, we recruited 11,300 frontline health workers who were deployed to under-served communities across the country. Over 400,000 lives have been saved through our various interventions. We have reached over 10,000 women and children with conditional cash transfer programmes across 8 States and the FCT and we intend to scale up this successful initiative. Our national immunization coverage has exceeded 80%. And for the first time in the history of the country there has not been any transmission of the Type-3 Wild Polio virus for more than one year. We have also eradicated the guinea worm that previously affected the lives of over 800,000 Nigerians yearly. In tertiary health care, we upgraded medical facilities across the country. Two of our teaching hospitals – the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, and the University College Hospital in Ibadan – commenced open heart surgeries this year after the installation of new facilities. Fellow Nigerians, I have dwelt on some of our administration’s achievements in 2013 to reassure you that we are working and results are being achieved on the ground. As we enter our Centennial year, there is still much work ahead. We are determined to sustain our strong macroeconomic fundamentals, to strengthen our domestic institutions, and to invest in priority sectors. These investments will create more jobs for our youth. Government will at the same time, continue to scale-up investments in safety nets and the MDGs to take care of the poor and the vulnerable so that they too can share in our growth and prosperity. In 2014, we will continue to prioritize investments in key sectors such as infrastructure development, power, roads, rail transportation and aviation. In the past year, the Federal Government completed the privatization of four power generation companies and 10 power distribution companies. We are also in the process of privatizing 10 power plants under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP). We shall boost investments in transmission to ensure power generated is properly evacuated and distributed. In this regard, we have already mobilized an additional $1.5 billion for the upgrade of the transmission network in 2014 and beyond. Government will also strengthen regulation of the sector, and closely monitor electricity delivery to increase this beyond 18 hours per day. We will complete the privatization of the NIPP projects, accelerate work on our gas pipeline infrastructure and also continue to invest in hydro-electric power and clean energy as we monitor the effects of climate change on our economy. Our administration believes that the cost of governance in the country is still too high and must be further reduced. We will also take additional steps to stem the tide of corruption and leakages. We have worked hard to curb fraud in the administration of the pension system and the implementation of the petroleum subsidy scheme. We have introduced a Pensions Transition Arrangement Department under a new Director-General. This department will now ensure that those of our pensioners still under the old scheme receive their pensions and gratuities, and are not subjected to fraud. Prosecution of all those involved in robbing our retired people will continue. The Petroleum Subsidy Scheme is also now being operated under new strict guidelines to tackle previous leakages in the scheme and prevent fraud. Foreign travel by government personnel will be further curtailed. This directive shall apply to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government. Our strategy to curb leakages will increasingly rely on introducing the right technologies such as biometrics and digitizing government payments. I am therefore pleased to inform you that we shall complete the deployment of the three electronic platforms in 2014 – namely, the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) – which are all geared towards improving efficiency and transparency in our public finances. Through these reforms, we have already saved about N126 billion in leaked funds and intend to save more. To sustain Nigeria’s ongoing agricultural transformation, we have planned further investments in the sector. We will provide input subsidies to five million farmers nationwide using the e-wallet system. This Administration recently launched a self-employment initiative under the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP), called the Nagropreneur programme. This scheme would encourage our youth to go into commercial agriculture as entrepreneurs and we plan to develop over 750,000 young Nagropreneurs by 2015. We will also establish new agro-industrial clusters to complement the staple crop processing zones being developed across the country. In 2014, this Administration will continue to work with the private sector to improve financing in the agricultural sector. For example, we will launch the Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN) which will serve as a private equity fund to invest in agri-businesses across the country. Our Small and Medium scale enterprises (SMEs) will be the bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization. We have about 17 million registered SMEs, and they employ over 32 million Nigerians. When our SMEs grow, more jobs will be created for our youth. Therefore, in 2014, this Administration will focus strongly on implementing the Nigeria Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) to address the needs of small businesses. Our interventions will include helping SMEs with access to affordable finance, business development services, and youth training. In addition, our new CET policies will enable us to support our emerging industries. We will also intensify our investment promotion efforts abroad, to ensure we bring the biggest and best companies from around the world to invest in Nigeria. Dear Compatriots, the housing and construction industry is a critical sector in most developed economies. When the housing sector booms, it creates additional jobs for architects and masons, for electricians and plumbers, forpainters and interior decorators, and for those in the cement and furniture industries. Today, I am pleased to inform you that this Administration is reinvigorating our housing and construction sector. We have established the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) which will increase liquidity in the housing sector, provide a secondary market for mortgages, and thereby increase the number of people able to purchase or build homes at an affordable price in the country. In 2014, we will work in a number of pilot states where the State Governors have agreed to provide fast-track land titles, foreclosure arrangements, and serviced plots. This new institution will enable us to create over 200,000 mortgages over the next five years at affordable interest rates. In addition, those at the lower end of the economic ladder will not be left behind as this new initiative will expand mass housing schemes through a re-structured Federal Mortgage Bank and other institutions to provide rent-to-own and lease-to-own options. I am confident that very soon, many more hardworking Nigerian families will be able to realize their dream of owning a home. In this our centenary year, we will continue our efforts, through the Saving One Million Lives initiative to strengthen primary health care services. We will scale up interventions in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition, routine immunization, HIV/AIDS, malaria elimination, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and non-communicable diseases. We will pay greater attention to the provision of universal health coverage. Besides the implementation of new initiatives such as my comprehensive response plan for HIV/AIDS, we shall continue to collaborate with global health partners to deliver our health sector transformation agenda. I am glad that the issues responsible for the long-drawn ASUU strike have been resolved and our children are returning to their campuses. We are committed to making our tertiary institutions true centers of learning for our young people. We will therefore focus on upgrading hostels, laboratories, classrooms, and halls. As the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals approaches, we will continue to expand access to basic education for all Nigerian children. Working with State Governments, we shall decisively tackle the problem of the large numbers of out-of-school children in this country. We will also invest in technical and vocational education to promote skills development for our youth across the country. Nigerian entrepreneurs still lack access to affordable financing, with medium-to-long-term tenors. To address this gap, a new wholesale development finance institution will be established in 2014 to provide medium-to long-term financing for Nigerian businesses. We are working with partners such as the World Bank, the Africa Development Bank, the BNDES Bank in Brazil, and KfW in Germany, to realize this project. Our existing Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry will be re-structured as specialized institutions to retail financing from this new wholesale development bank. In addition to the foregoing, our administration will also do all within its powers to ensure the success of the forthcoming National Conference. The report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Conference is undergoing urgent review and the approved structure, guidelines and modalities for the conference will soon be published as a prelude to its commencement and expeditious conclusion. It remains our sincere hope and expectation that the success of the national conference will further enhance national unity, peace and cohesion as we move ahead to the 2015 general elections. In keeping with our avowed commitment to progressively enhancing the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process by consistently upholding the principle of one man, one vote, our Administration will also ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) receives all required support to ensure that it is adequately prepared for the next general elections. As peace and security remain prerequisite conditions for the full realization of our objectives, we will also do more in 2014 to further empower our security agencies who are working in collaborative partnerships with our friends in the international community to stem the scourge of terrorism in our country and enhance the security of lives and property in all parts of Nigeria. The allocation of over N600 Billion to Defence and Policing in the 2014 Budget attests to this commitment. Fellow compatriots, the task of making our dear nation a much better place for present and future generations cannot be left to government alone. I therefore urge you all to be ready and willing to do more this year to support the implementation of the Federal Government’s Agenda for National Transformation in every possible way. Let us all therefore resolve as we celebrate the new year, and Nigeria’s Centenary, to place the higher interests of national unity, peace, stability and progress above all other considerations and work harder in our particular fields of human endeavour to contribute more significantly to the attainment of our collective aspirations. I urge all Nigerians, no matter their stations in life, to rededicate themselves to contributing meaningfully to further enrich our national heritage. The time for that re-dedication is now, not tomorrow. I wish you all a happy and rewarding 2014. God bless Nigeria. Happy New Year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: NHRC to Set Up Committee to Probe Obasanjo's Allegations By Tobi Soniyi, 31 December 2013 Following the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan through the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the commission will be setting up a committee to investigate the allegations of human rights violations contained in former President Olusegun Obasanjo's letter to the president. Confirming this Monday, a source at the commission said the committee would have been constituted but for the yuletide holiday season. The source said the commission has taken the instruction from the presidency seriously and would do all within its powers to investigate the allegations. Investigations by THISDAY showed that the memo from the attorney-general requesting the commission to probe the allegations has already been circulated to all council members of the commission. Meanwhile, a non-governmental organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has also sent a petition to the NHRC requesting it "to urgently investigate the recent allegation by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan is training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha, and training them where Abacha trained his own killers." SERAP urged the commission to ensure that anyone found to be involved in the training of snipers should be held responsible. SERAP said it was concerned that the allegation, if found to be true, amounted to a grave breach of international law, and directly undermines the government's responsibility to safeguard the safety and security of the citizens. "It also constitutes an assault on the rule of law, and is entirely inconsistent with the practice of a democratic society, which Nigeria strives to become," SERAP said. The organisation said government had a particular responsibility to protect all citizens and others resident in the country against human rights violations. It said: "The training of snipers will lead to a pervasive climate of insecurity and the absence of the rule of law. The legal right to life and protection against extrajudicial execution is recognized by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party. Article 6 of the Covenant states that 'No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.' This right is non-derogable even in times of emergency." Jonathan had last week directed NHRC to investigate the said rights abuses contained in Obasanjo's letter. Acting on the instruction of the president, the attorney-general had forwarded Obasanjo's letter to the commission for investigation. In a memo dated December 23 and addressed to the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe, the attorney general had requested the commission to investigate the allegations bordering on human rights violations contained on pages 9-10 of Obasanjo's letter. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: 'Saudi Plane That Over-Ran Abuja Airport Runway Was Carrying Bullet-Proof Cars' By Ezra Ijioma, 24 December 2013 Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. It has been confirmed that the contents of the Saudi Arabian Airline that ran into some construction equipment at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Wednesday, December 04, 2013, were security hardware. The plane landed at about 9:19pm that day and blocked the only major runway at the airport, delaying takeoff and landing of flights in the airport for over 20 hours. LEADERSHIP had exclusively reported that the Saudi cargo plane was carrying 15 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) made in Russia, which compounded its immediate evacuation from the runway. In a reaction to LEADERSHIP story, the Embassy of Saudi Arabia agreed that the plane originated from Saudi Arabia and was carrying bullet-proof cars made in South Africa. In a letter, dated December 20 to LEADERSHIP, the Saudi Embassy clarified that the Boeing 747 plane marked K 74798 "was chartered by Saudi Arabia Airline, carrying bullet-proof cars and its final destination is Murtala Muhammad Airport, Lagos, Nigeria. The detailed description of the content of the plane is as follows: a set of bullet-proof cars weighing 58 tonnes. Another set of five bullet-proof cars weighing 42 tonnes. "The goods were a portion of a supply contract for 10 bullet-proof cars to a government agency in Nigeria, which were to be conveyed from Sharjah (UAE) via Abuja, through Fast Forward Cargo US UAC, to Defence Industries of Nigeria (DICON), 45 Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna, through the company's contact person: Mr Nwajpudu Livinston/CCC. The goods were manufactured in South Africa." The Saudis wanted the impression that the cargo plane was carrying weapons be corrected since the goods aboard the plane "were neither those considered as dangerous nor prohibited." The Nigerian aviation and military authorities had kept mum over the contents of the Saudi cargo plane despite reports of security hardware aboard it. More on This Govt Agency Buys 10 Bulletproof Cars A Federal Government agency has bought 10 bulletproof cars, at least five of which were flown into the country by a … see more » -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: 508 Nigerians to Be Repatriated From S'arabia 24 December 2013 About 508 Nigerians staying in S'Arabia illegally will soon be repatriated S'Arabia back to Nigeria. This is following the expiration of the four months amnesty given to them to regularise their stay in the holy land. Amb. Ahmed Umar, who is Nigeria's Consul-General in Jeddah, Tuesday in Abuja explained that those to be repatriated were Nigerians who have voluntarily decided to return. Repatriation, according to him, is expected to begin Wednesday, Christmas Day. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Gambian Court Hears Suit Over Food Poisoning On Jonathan By Tony Amokeodo, 24 December 2013 A Gambian Magistrates' Court at Kanifing Municipal Council will today hear a food poisoning trial involving President Goodluck Jonathan, his delegation and Gambia's five-star hotel Coco Ocean, ShanghaiDaily.com reports. Jonathan was said to have been served with food that had been preserved for a long period, causing him food poisoning during his two-day state visit in Gambia in November, 2013. According to the online medium, the Gambian police had charged the chef of Coco Ocean Hotel, Ayoub Aliris, with negligence and food poisoning on Jonathan and his delegation. But Aliris denied the charge when he appeared before the Principal Magistrate, Sheriff Tabally. According to the police charge sheet, Aliris was said to have unlawfully or negligently cooked prawns served to Jonathan and his entourage as a starter during a special lunch hosted in honour of the visiting Nigerian president. When the matter came up yesterday, the police prosecutor, Superintendent Touray, appeared before the court together with defence lawyer, Edward Singhateh. But Magistrate Tabally, who was expected to preside over the matter, was absent. He was said to have travelled to the capital less than 9 km away from the magistrate's court. Lawyer to the plaintiff, Edward Singhateh, was also informed at the court premises that his client, Aliris, was arrested again for the second time after his release from the police custody. The plaintiff was said to be under the custody of the National Intelligence Agency, but was later transferred to the State Central Prison Mile Two. Jonathan was caught in a glare of media publicity over a "stomach upset" he suffered and was forced to enter a hospital in London to seek medical attention. A prosecution witness, Babucarr Gomez, also a cook at Coco Ocean, explained that a day after the lunch, he received a call from his boss informing him that there was an infection in the food served to the Nigerians. Gomez, who said he was ordered by Aliris to prepare the food, said he also ate it and was "vomiting, experienced stomach ache and frequented the toilet." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Voice of America (Washington, DC)South Africa: Visitors Flock to Johannesburg to Bid Mandela Farewell 9 December 2013 More on This Memorial Service Honours Mandela 91 World Leaders to Attend Mandela Memorial Rain Predicted for Mandela Memorial PHOTO ESSAY: Memorial Service of Nelson Mandela People from across South Africa and beyond are making long journeys to pay their respects to Nelson Mandela, following his death last week. As Henry Ridgwell reports for VOA, the Johannesburg home of the former president and anti-apartheid leader has become a pilgrimage site in a national outpouring of emotion. People from across South Africa and beyond are making long journeys to pay their respects to Nelson Mandela, following his death last week. The Johannesburg home of the former president and anti-apartheid leader has become a pilgrimage site in a national outpouring of emotion. They come to mourn, to lay flowers and light candles; but also to sing, dance and celebrate the life of the man who transformed their nation. Sibongi Lenobo came by bus from Kwazulu-Natal province on the south coast. "Me come see Mandela's house," she said. "Me happy for Mandela, make everything nice." Tlha Tlogo and her three sisters had a long road journey, 450 kilometers, across South Africa to get here. "We come from Pampierstad. It's a small township in the Northern Cape; it's about six hours from here," she said. "And we came here just to show our respect to Tata. He's our father, he's our grandfather, he's our first black president. And this is one of the moments in history." Tlha and her siblings thought the trip was well worth it and having grieved, they are ready to celebrate. He was with us for a very long time. Look at the atmosphere right now, it's it's feeling good, it's feeling ok... We are sad, but we are rejoicing as well," she said. "For his life was a blessing and how can you be sad for a blessing?" The mood here is changing from one of sadness at a nation's loss to celebration of a life that gave so much to the world. More and more people are arriving at Nelson Mandela's former home in the district of Houghton. Among them, his grandson Mandla Mandela, who led a procession through the neighborhood Monday. As the celebrations of his life grow louder here, across town in Sandton, Nelson Mandela Square has become a quieter place of pilgrimage. Visitors write tributes to the man who many South Africans say felt like a member of their own family. Zanele Mbokazi and her son travelled here by taxi from Durban - a journey of nearly 600 kilometers. "I wanted to come here and pay tribute to Tata Madiba, and for what he did for us," she said. "We are a free country today. We knew that he was old but then his passing just touches everyone." For some, a holiday to South Africa has turned into a chance to mourn for a beloved leader. Bishop Richard K. Thompson, who works with a Methodist church organization in Washington, D.C., was in Johannesburg when Mandela died Thursday. "What I'm feeling is that we knew this day was coming because he was 95 years old," he said. "But you never really prepared for it... .To see the overflowing love that the people in the country have shown for his leadership, it's just been an overwhelming experience." Thompson and his group snapped photos in front of the Mandela statue in Nelson Mandela Square. They were planning to go to FNB Stadium for the memorial ceremony Tuesday, despite being discouraged to do so because of transportation issues. Thompson, who is African-American, said Mandela was held in high regard in the black community in the United States. "For us, he has been a champion when it comes to civil rights," he said. "He quotes Martin Luther King, he quotes people who are so dear to our hearts." Richard Hallward was visiting South Africa from his home in Poland when Mandela's death was announced. "Heard the news and first thing we did was come here to Mandela Square, saw the flowers," he said. "It's important, not just for South Africa but for the world." Across South Africa, in the significant places of his extraordinary life, the tributes continue to pile up as the world says goodbye to Nelson Mandela. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Africa Boos & Cheers Leaders As It Celebrates Mandela By John Allen, 10 December 2013 PHOTO ESSAY: Memorial Service of Nelson Mandela The world was treated to a display at the official memorial service for Nelson Mandela of how South Africa was freed from apartheid and became a democracy: a feisty, even bloody-minded citizenry determined to have its say, backed by massive international support. Add to that a resilience of spirit which enables them to turn a time of mourning into one of joyous celebration of the life being remembered. The singing and dancing – probably strangely in Western eyes – has been going on since the night that Madiba died, outside the home in Houghton, Johannesburg, where he had received round-the-clock medical care since his release from hospital; then outside the little house in Soweto to which he returned upon his release from prison in 1990; then spreading around the country. South Africans know how to party, African Americans often say, and they've certainly demonstrated it this week. But it's not been a celebration insensitive to the feelings of those who mourn. Perhaps the person who came closest to explaining the phenomenon was Bishop Ivan Abrahams, the South African general secretary of the World Methodist Council, who said in his sermon at the service at Soweto's Soccer City: "What brings us here today is not so much grief but love." And the outpouring of love across South Africa this week has been extraordinary. The crowds, the flowers, the pinned-up prayers, the tears and the laughter give expression to South Africans' appreciation of a great life, lived with integrity and fortitude. Even those who thought they were long inured to Madiba's dying – who even welcomed his release from the discomfort, and probably suffering, to which the attempts to keep him alive in recent months had subjected him – were surprised at how often the tears welled up in the days after his death. The bloody-mindedness was seen when Cyril Ramaphosa, deputy president of the ruling African National Congress, was called upon as master of ceremonies at the service to exercise all the skills he had developed as a mineworkers' union leader in the 1980s to keep the crowd under control after sections of it began to boo President Jacob Zuma. The ANC was fortunate that Ramaphosa was doing the job: he had the experience of heading the committee which had to keep events from spinning out of control when Mandela was released in February 1990. And with a reputation as a leader not embedded in the Zuma faction of the ANC, Ramaphosa was probably the person most likely to be listened to. It's difficult to judge a person's popularity with a crowd by the volume of the cheers or the boos – judgements can differ depend on where one stands or where the media microphones are set up. But there was no mistaking Zuma's unpopularity with a substantial section of the crowd; at one stage local news channel eNCA was reporting that large monitors in the stadium had been turned off to stop the boos every time a camera rested on Zuma. Ramaphosa battled to keep control, with repeated appeals to discipline. It was an occasion tailor-made for Desmond Tutu, whose rhetoric channelled the emotions of angry crowds in the 1980s, but he was on the programme only for the benediction at the end and by the time he told the stadium that "I want to hear a pin drop," the service was over and thousands were streaming home. There was also no mistaking the relative popularity in the eyes of the crowd of former president Thabo Mbeki, who Zuma displaced as party leader in controversial circumstances. Humiliatingly, Zuma today experienced the treatment Mbeki faced at the hands of the party congress which chose Zuma over him, when people in the stadium began to emulate the gesture of football fans when they want a player off the field: the rolling of their hands. It wasn't only Mbeki who was cheered – so too was Kgalema Motlanthe, deputy president of the country, who unsuccessfully challenged Zuma's party leadership last year; Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, a regular critic from the sidelines of the failings of both the Mbeki and Zuma administrations; George Bizos, who fled the Nazis in Greece in a small boat with his father, studied law with Mandela in Johannesburg, then became his defence counsel and a lifelong friend; and even F.W. de Klerk, South Africa's last white president. There was no way for the ANC's chief spokesperson to spin himself and his party out of what happened to Zuma: questioned on it by on a local television station, he had to resort to explaining that the service had been open to all South Africans - not simply to members of the governing party. Which of course, four or five months before an election, was precisely the interviewer's point. Moeletsi Mbeki, analyst, commentator and the son of Govan Mbeki, one of those sentenced to life imprisonment with Mandela – and the independent-minded brother of Thabo Mbeki – told BBC World he wasn't surprised by the crowd's actions. South Africans expected their leaders to keep to the straight and narrow, he said, and would take whatever chance they had to tell them when they didn't. Then there was the world's support, stunningly on show in the way in which around 90 heads of government and of state dropped everything to fly in for the service at a few days' notice. Of course, not all the predecessors of the leaders present had backed anti-apartheid forces: as late as the 1980s, the conservative governments of the time in Britain, Germany and the United States were defiant hold-outs. Nevertheless, South Africa did enjoy international backing for the struggle against apartheid which was second-to-none in the decolonisation process of the late 20th century. Sometimes it seems South Africans have taken that support for granted, especially when you consider the relative lack of urgency given to the plight of other Africans who suffer - such as those in the Central African Republic are doing now. But the appreciation was clearly on display at Soccer City as the foreign leaders arrived: in the cheers for Ban Ki-moon, representing the United Nations' anti-apartheid record; for Robert Mugabe, Goodluck Jonathan and Raul Castro, representing the support of African states and fellow revolutionaries around the world; and finally – and loudest – for the person who cut his political teeth in anti-apartheid agitation against his government, "our very son of the African soil", Barack Obama – who then went on to steal the show. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nelson Mandela death: South Africa and world mourn South Africans have gathered in Johannesburg and Soweto to mourn their former leader, Nelson Mandela, who died on Thursday aged 95. Crowds have been paying tribute, dancing and singing in front of Mr Mandela's former home in Soweto. He is to be accorded a state funeral on Sunday 15 December, President Jacob Zuma announced. Mr Mandela spent 27 years in jail before becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994. His administration replaced the racist white-minority regime that had enforced segregation of black and white people in a policy known as apartheid. Mr Mandela went on to become one of the world's most respected statesmen. At a news conference on Friday afternoon, Mr Zuma outlined a week of events to mourn the former president. 1918 Born in the Eastern Cape 1943 Joins ANC 1956 Charged with high treason, but charges dropped after a four-year trial 1962 Jailed for five years for incitement and leaving country without a passport 1964 Charged with sabotage, sentenced to life 1990 Freed from prison 1993 Wins Nobel Peace Prize 1994-99 Serves as president 2004 Retires from public life 2010 Last major public appearance at football World Cup in Johannesburg Remembering the man South African papers pay tribute to Mandela Sunday will be an official day of prayer and reflection with special religious services On Tuesday, a service of national mourning will be held at a 95,000-seater stadium on the outskirts of Johannesburg Mr Mandela's body will lie in state from Wednesday to Friday in the capital, Pretoria The funeral will be held in the village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape, where Mr Mandela grew up. South African Airways has announced that it will provide extra flights to Qunu for mourners. Hundreds have attended an interfaith remembrance service outside Cape Town's City Hall. The Johannesburg stock exchange suspended operations for five minutes on Friday as a mark of respect. Criticism "We sincerely thank all South Africans for the dignified manner in which they have respected and responded to the monumental loss of this international icon," Mr Zuma said. Speaking in Cape Town, Mr Mandela's long-time ally, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, described him as an "incredible gift" to South Africa. "He taught us extraordinarily practical lessons about forgiveness, compassion and reconciliation." He also cited Mr Mandela's weaknesses, including "his steadfast loyalty to his organisation and some of his colleagues who ultimately let him down". Mourners were gathered outside Mr Mandela's old home in Soweto into Friday night Hundreds also came to pay their respects outside Mr Mandela's home in the suburb of Houghton Mr Mandela had been receiving treatment at home for a recurring lung illness since September, when he was discharged from hospital. As soon as the news of his death broke late on Thursday, small crowds began to gather in Soweto's Vilakazi Street, where Mr Mandela lived in the 1940s and 1950s. Crowds also gathered outside Mr Mandela's current home, in Johannesburg's northern suburb of Houghton, where he died. A stage has been erected there and speeches are being given and hymns sung. President Zuma visited the house in the early afternoon to pay his respects. Across the world, leaders, celebrities and members of the public have been paying tribute. Pope Francis said Mr Mandela had forged "a new South Africa built on the firm foundations of non-violence, reconciliation and truth". Queen Elizabeth II said she was "deeply saddened" to learn of Mr Mandela's death and said she remembered her meetings with him "with great warmth". Cannot play media. You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version What was apartheid? A 90-second look back at decades of injustice "He achieved more than could be expected of any man. Today, he has gone home," said US President Barack Obama. The White House has announced that Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be travelling to South Africa next week to pay their respects and take part in memorial events. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Africans are mourning Nelson Mandela through songs of struggle and church hymns. One of the songs is "Nelson Mandela ha hona ea tshwanang le yena" which in Sotho means there is no-one like Nelson Mandela. This song and many others like it encapsulate the deep sense of loss here and the realisation that his passing marks the end of an era. Even South Africans who had never met him had made a special place for him in their hearts. They will remember him as the father of the nation, who brought an end to apartheid and delivered the nation from the brink of civil war. Children carrying posters slowly march up and down Vilakazi street, where Mr Mandela's Soweto home is. Others are standing outside his old house, now turned into a museum. There is an air of heaviness here - none of the loud hooting of minibus taxis that usually make up the energy of this busy street, no cars speeding down blaring loud music. Instead those not part of the mournful singing speak in hushed tones. Elderly women with walking sticks are part of the group that has come to send off the nation's icon. Nelson Mandela death: Soweto's sorrow The opening of a summit of African leaders in Paris to discuss security was dedicated to Mr Mandela, with many of those present paying tribute. Flags are flying at half-mast on government buildings in Washington DC, Paris and across South Africa. The European Union and world football body Fifa have also ordered their flags to be lowered. Parliament in Pretoria is expected to hold a special joint session to reflect on Mr Mandela's life and legacy. The BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Johannesburg says South Africa will never have seen a state funeral like it, with leaders, dignitaries and other admirers of the former president expected from all over the world. It will be a huge logistical challenge, especially given the remoteness of Qunu, our correspondent adds. Mr Mandela died shortly before 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Thursday. He won admiration around the world when he preached reconciliation after being freed from almost three decades of imprisonment. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 along with FW de Klerk, South Africa's last white president. Mr de Klerk, who ordered Mr Mandela's release from jail, called him a "unifier" and said he had "a remarkable lack of bitterness". The young as well as older people have been deeply affected by his death Mr Mandela has been credited with uniting South Africans of every colour Mr Mandela's former fellow anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu paid tribute at a service in Capetown Mr Mandela's death has been marked around the world. Here passers-by pay tribute in the Chinese capital Beijing Mr Mandela had rarely been seen in public since officially retiring in 2004. He made his last public appearance in 2010, at the football World Cup in South Africa. Roving diplomat Born in 1918, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1943, as a law student. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- China identifies 4 evils bedevilling Nigeria •‘We can help fast-track Nigeria’s economic growth’ Written by Idowu Samuel-Abuja Monday, 02 December 2013 00:00 The government of the Peoples Republic of China has expressed interest in helping to fast-track the process of development and growth of Nigeria, especially in the areas of infrastructure and growth of economy. China, however stressed that for Nigeria to tap from its tested wisdom in nation building, it must struggle hard to tackle what it described as four evils which it reckoned has been bedevilling Nigeria and most African countries for long. It gave the four evils as feudalism which it stressed promotes indiscipline, extravagance and corruption, poor leadership and party system as well as weak institutions. A top official of the Chinese government, Mr Ai Ping, disclosed this to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, during the latter’s visit to the Foreign Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing, China. The Vice Minister, International Department of CPC Central Committee, told the PDP chairman that the ability of China to conquer the four evils with capacity to limit the progress of any country was the reason his country has risen from poverty to prosperity, all within a period of 40 years. He also disclosed that the success of China as the world’s second best economy was mainly rooted in the priority attention successive governments had placed on growth of national economy and the need to be self reliant in many respects. According to him, China was able to evolve a strong system of governance with the aid of the CPC which he stressed has been promoting discipline among members, while deriving its strength from the grassroots. Ping said China never joked with the idea of constant reforms, noting that Nigeria too can imbibe the tradition of fashioning out home grown reforms to change its governing system through democracy. The minister urged Nigeria to take a cue from a sister African country, Ethiopia, which, according to him, now tends a single digit economy, through the progress oriented reforms it adopted about half a decade ago. Ethiopia, he stressed, was one of the least developed parts of Africa, when it suddenly began to tend one of Africa’s fastest growing economy on a single digit base having demonstrated understanding of the basic rules of economic development. He said within a few years, Ethiopia was able to evolve a market driven economy, with attendant encouraging infrastructural development, adding that the East African country complemented its new consciousness for growth by focussing attention on human developments. He said Nigeria should not shy away from recruiting experts from relevant quarters to train its youths on acquisition of skills, which, according to him, is vital to national growth. He said, “In China, we always have more solutions than problems. All the changes we have had in China came through reforms and reforms should be an ongoing process. So, China and Nigeria can forge strong partnership while exploring areas of cooperation which would be beneficial to the two.” Tukur, in response, told the minister that he and other members of the PDP were in China to learn from the country’s model of development and party system. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: The Scandal of Nigerian Oil Block OPL 245 25 November 2013 How secrecy in the oil & gas sector and the use of anonymous shell companies led to hundreds of millions of dollars being diverted away from Nigeria's citizens and into the hands of a convicted money-launderer. The Story In May 2012, Global Witness pieced together detailed court documents and other evidence that exposed how Nigerian subsidiaries of Royal Dutch Shell and Italian oil giant Eni agreed to pay US$1.092 billion for one of Nigeria's most lucrative oil blocks, OPL245. The payment was made by Shell and Eni to the Nigerian government who had a separate agreement to pay the same amount to Malabu Oil and Gas, a company widely believed at the time of the payments to be controlled by convicted money-launderer[i] and former oil minister Chief Dan Etete. In July 2013, a British High Court ruled[ii] that Etete was indeed the owner of Malabu Oil & Gas. As Etete had awarded the oil block to Malabu Oil and Gas whilst oil minister during the regime of the corrupt dictator General Abacha, he had effectively given himself one of the most lucrative oil blocks in Nigeria[iii]. Shell and Eni deny paying any money to Malabu Oil and Gas[iv]. However, High Court proceedings and other evidence seen by Global Witness reveal that, in reality, Shell and Eni were aware and in agreement that the deal was for the benefit of Malabu, and had even met with Etete face-to-face on several occasions. In fact, testimony heard during the case indicates that an official from Shell previously negotiated directly with Etete over "iced champagne" and that Eni officials had enjoyed a luxurious dinner at a 5-star hotel in Milan with him[v]. Global Witness believes that the deal was structured primarily to allow Shell and Eni to claim that they had not struck a deal with Etete nor Malabu. Yet in making these payments, Shell and Eni effectively bought the block from Etete for over a billion dollars, therefore 'monetising' an asset that was acquired by Malabu Oil and Gas in highly suspicious and possibly illegal circumstances. Documents seen by Global Witness indicate that over US$801 million of the money transferred to Malabu Oil & Gas was later transferred to a further five shell companies with hidden owners, raising concerns as to who truly benefitted from this deal. Why transparency matters Despite Nigeria's abundant oil wealth, Nigerians remain amongst the world's poorest people. In a country that continues to be plagued by corruption, the need for citizen oversight of payments to governments for their natural resources is as important as ever. Currently, as this case demonstrates, detailed information of this nature only comes to light through the accident of court cases in London and New York. Had these court cases not gone ahead this information may never have fully come to light. In order to prevent opaque deals like this, extractive companies must make all payments made to governments public. Shell and Eni must also publicly disclose full details of all the arrangements they made with the Nigerian government with respect to these payments. Given the history of this block and Etete's involvement, Shell and Eni should explain what steps they took to ensure their payments did not end up in the hands of Etete's company, Malabu. It would be extremely unlikely that Etete's history was not known to sophisticated international companies who, in Shell's case, have operated in Nigeria for more than half a century. The need for a global transparency standard New laws in the U.S. and EU now require extractive companies like Shell and Eni listed there to report payments they make to governments for natural resource deals, on a country-by-country and project-by-project basis. This new global standard allows citizens of resource rich countries to identify what deals are being made on their behalf for their natural assets like the oil block OPL245. Shell and other companies should stop attacking these laws and start reporting all their payments to governments to help prevent corruption. A deal like the one finally struck for OPL245 would have been difficult to broker had the real owners of Malabu Oil and Gas been made public from the outset. However, the real owners of Malabu and the shell companies that received millions of dollars as a result of the deal were kept secret. Hidden company ownership allows for the large scale state looting and affords impunity to the perpetrators. Global Witness is pushing for the disclosure of the real owners of companies to be a prerequisite for participation in extractive deals. [i] Etete was convicted of money laundering in France in 2007. [ii] Energy Venture Partners Versus Malabu Oil & Gas, Commercial court, Queen's Bench Division, 2011-13. The case was brought by a broker who alleged that Etete failed to pay him for work he had done in obtaining a buyer for OPL245. Shell and Eni were not part of these proceedings. [iii] After General Abacha died in 1998, the administration of Nigerian President Obasanjo revoked Malabu's licence and awarded it to Royal Dutch Shell, but after much legal wrangling a Nigerian court re-awarded the licence back to Malabu in 2006. [iv] The Economist, "Safe sex in Nigeria", 15 June 2013. http://www.economist.com/news/business/21579469-court-documents-shed-light-manoeuvrings-shell-and-eni-win-huge-nigerian-oil-block; Eni correspondence with Global Witness, October 2012. [v] Energy Venture Partners Versus Malabu Oil & Gas, Commercial court, Queen's Bench Division, 2011-13. The case was brought by a broker who alleged that Etete failed to pay him for work he had done in obtaining a buyer for OPL245. Shell and Eni were not part of these proceedings. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Experts - Revival of Steel Sector Will Boost Nigerian Economy By Jaiyeola Andrews, 24 November 2013 Federal government has been urged to as a matter of urgency to revive Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASCO), as its revival will boost the nation's economy and create more jobs in the country. Sergey Semenov, Lev Semenov of ECOWAS-UKRPROM, Ukraine disclosed this when they visited the office of Africa Iron and Steel Association in Abuja weekend. The experts said the implementation of vision 20:2020,requires increasing steel production in Nigeria to 15 million tons, which is 100 kg per capital. "The economic preferences of BF-BOF process become particularly evident in the large-scale production, proximity of deposits of raw materials and water, and low cost of natural gas and other natural resources. All these preconditions, as well as availability of local workforce and cheap river and rail transport, are present in Ajaokuta. "Therefore, allegations of inevitably high ASCO steel price are groundless. After achievement of the planned production volumes the cost of ASCO will be below the world average" the experts said. The averred that it was impossible to over-esteem the social value of ASCO project for Nigeria, saying after completion of the first stage of the project, 12,000 people will be engaged at the plant. "After completion of the second state-more than 20,000 people will be engaged. Nigerian experts estimated, that up-stream and down-stream industries will create about two million jobs. Other important effects are technological acquisition and training of Nigerian metallurgists both during operation of the plant and at the ASCO Metallurgical Training Centre. "It is obvious that from technical, social and economic points of view it is necessary to reactivate ASCO, and the sooner the better. This will guarantee industrialisation and future flourishing of Nigeria, stability and independence of the country for the nearest future and after the exhaustion of oil reserves" the Ukrainians said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $250m bribe allegation: Lamido lied against Jonathan – Presidency •Challenges gov to name culprit Written by Saturday, 16 November 2013 00:00 THE strained relationship between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, a member of the G7 aggrieved PDP governors, has worsened further as the Presidency on Friday accused the governor of lying over his claim that he reported to the president a serving minister who collected a $250 million bribe from an oil company. Lamido reportedly made the claim on Thursday during a radio interview where he accused the president of failing to act on the information, in an apparent lack of will to tackle corruption. But reacting through a press statement in Abuja on Friday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, described Lamido’s statement as “grossly irresponsible, false and mischievous.” Abati said it was a deliberate attempt to impugn the integrity of the president and cast aspersions on the administration’s seriousness to tackle corruption. The statement reads: “We have noted with much regret the grossly irresponsible, false and mischievous claim by the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, that President Goodluck Jonathan has refused to act on information that a serving minister recently collected a bribe of $250 million from an oil company. “The Presidency views the patently bogus allegation reportedly made by the governor in a radio interview yesterday (Thursday) as an unacceptable and callous attempt to unjustly impugn the integrity of President Jonathan and cast aspersions on the seriousness of his administration’s efforts to curb corruption. “The allegation and the claim by Alhaji Lamido that he informed President Jonathan of the acceptance of the huge bribe by an unnamed minister is absolutely without any foundation in fact or reality, because no such communication has ever taken place between them. “We abhor Governor Lamido’s descent to the unscrupulous, reckless and thoughtless peddling of arrant falsehood in a puerile effort to score cheap political points against President Jonathan for personal and sectional political gains. “If, as he claims, Alhaji Lamido has credible information about a minister receiving the said amount as bribe, he should publicly name the minister involved without delay and provide evidence to support his allegation. “In the event that he is unable to do so, he should be prepared to offer an unreserved apology to the president and Nigerians for his unwarranted and unjust effort to denigrate, disparage and malign the President and the Federal Government.” The Presidency noted that while the Jonathan administration would continue to make corrupt public officials answerable for their actions, “it will not succumb to harassment and blackmail by self-seeking politicians jostling for personal advantage.” Lamido had alleged during a Hausa language interview with an Abuja-based FM radio that the unnamed minister demanded and received the $250 million bribe from an oil company recently, adding that in spite of the fact that he called the attention of the president to the fraud, he (Jonathan) refused to investigate it. “Do you know that recently a top minister received a $250 million bribe for himself? He (the minister) is in the cabinet; he is in this current regime. He knows and I know, and I told the President,” Lamido had said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Bulletproof Cars - Committee Wants Oduah Removed By Adesuwa Tsan, Edegbe Odemwingie and Abdulsalam Badamasi, 7 November 2013 The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation will today present its report on the investigation into the alleged purchase of two controversial BMW bulletproof cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA). The committee has recommended the removal of the minister of aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, for violating the 1999 Constitution (as amended). LEADERSHIP had exclusively reported on Monday that Oduah would be recommended for sanction by the committee on the grounds that she flouted due process and approved a contract of N643m which exceeds her threshold of N100m. The recommendations of the report include indictment of Oduah for breaching the 2013 Appropriation Act, for breaching the Public Procurement Act and for negligence of duty. LEADERSHIP further gathered from reliable sources that the report also prescribes for sanctions against all parties involved in the purchase of the vehicles, including management staff of the NCAA. A lawmaker who spoke to LEADERSHIP on the recommendations last night but sought anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter said, "We have indicted her on everything. She has breached the Procurement Act as was uncovered during the public hearing and the Appropriation Act as well. Therefore, our report recommends that the president should commence the process of sacking her. However more details are contained in the report which will be submitted tomorrow". But the committee did not find her culpable over allegations that the cars were bought in her name, as it could not find any evidence linking the cars to her as an individual. According to the lawmaker, "The report does not find her guilty of asking NCAA to buy her the armoured cars. There was no evidence before the committee to show that the cars were bought in her name or for her." Oduah had last Wednesday informed the legislators that she had done no wrong in approving the contract for the cars which, she said, did not belong to her, adding that NCAA, a parastatal under the Ministry of Aviation, did not breach the Appropriation Act by purchasing 59 operational vehicles at N643 million through a lease purchase agreement of the agency, First Bank and Coscharis Motors, even though the National Assembly approved N240million for 25 operational vehicles in the 2013 Act. Oduah also explained that she gave conditional approval for the contract to be executed as she asked that the "needful" be done. "The intent of the memo is approved but for the memo to be executed, it has to go through a process. So you cannot say on the assumption and in conclusion that the minister approved. Also, the role of the minister and the template of the accounts is finance leasing and it is very much in order," she said during her presentation at the hearing last week. Senate panel excuses Oduah to attend FEC meeting Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Aviation yesterday put on hold its aviation sector probe as it excused Oduah to attend yesterday's scheduled Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. Oduah was among others expected to answer queries from the Hope Uzodinma-led Senate panel on the spate of air crashes and mishaps recorded in the country. The aviation minister is also to clear the air on the controversy surrounding the purchase of two BMW 760Li Series bulletproof cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for her. The controversial armoured cars cost N255 million. Oduah, LEADERSHIP learnt, sought a last-minute permission to attend the FEC meeting. She requested another date. The aviation minister is expected to appear today. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- N255m car scandal: Reps’ panel indicts Oduah, NCAA November 7, 2013 by John Ameh, Fidelis Soriwei, Sunday Aborisade and Kamorudeen Ogundele Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah There were indications on Wednesday that the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation had established some infractions against the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. The committee is investigating the controversial purchase of two bulletproof BMW cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority allegedly for Oduah at a whopping N255m. However, she testified before the committee, which is chaired by Mrs. Nkiruka Onyejeocha, and denied that the cars were bought for her use. The panel ended its public hearing on the transaction on Monday. Oduah was expected to appear before the Senate on Wednesday but could not because of the Federal Executive Council meeting. Findings by The PUNCH indicated that the Onyejeocha –led committee might lay its report before the House on Thursday (today). It was gathered that after deliberating on records before them, members of the panel had established some infractions against the minister and the NCAA. Sources close to the committee confided in The PUNCH that “at least four issues are no longer disputable.” According to findings, one of the issues is “extra-budgetary spending”, while the second is “approval beyond ministerial limit.” It was learnt that the committee also established a case of “violation of public procurement procedures.” Similarly, the panel confirmed that “indeed, N255m was spent to buy two bulletproof BMW cars and the use of waivers meant for EKO Games to import the cars.” One of the sources told one of our correspondents that the committee tried to remain focused on its core mandate and not to veer off into other allegations that might have been levelled against the Ministry of Aviation. The source said, “Some infractions have been established, no doubt. “The recommendations of the committee will follow glaring issues that came up during the public hearing. “For example, it has been established that while the National Assembly approved N240m for the NCAA to buy 25 vehicles this year, it spent over N643m to procure 54 vehicles. “That is a case of extra-budgetary spending. “We have heard the minister admitting that she acted on a proposal for lease financing of N564m. “Whether she was not properly guided as she told the committee or not, what is clear is that the figure is above the N100m that a ministerial board can approve. “What role did the Bureau of Public Procurement play in this transaction? No role at all; another infraction. “The BPP came here to testify and they told us that there was no communication between them and the NCAA over the transaction.” A member of the committee, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, confirmed that the report could be laid on Thursday(today). “The report should be laid in plenary tomorrow (today). We are presenting it,” he stated. Oduah however did not appear before the Senate on Wednesday as she sought a last-minute permission to attend the weekly FEC meeting. Oduah had been summoned by the Senate to explain her roles in the October 3 plane crash in Lagos and her role in the purchase of the controversial bulletproof cars. A source told one of our correspondents in Abuja that the minister sent “a last-minute letter to the Senate leadership on Tuesday evening, requesting another date because she needed tto attend the FEC meeting” Our correspondent learnt that Oduah’s request was granted but was directed to appear on Thursday(today). Immediately after the FEC meeting, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, whisked the embattled minister off from the Presidential Villa. Sensing that State House correspondents might be waiting to engage her on the car scandal, he quickly engaged her in a discussion as they walked to where the SGF parked his Sport Utility Vehicle . From, there both of them were driven away through the Service Chiefs Gate. Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has interrogated five top officials of the NCAA over the N255m car scandal. A top official of the commission, who made this known, said the NCAA chiefs arrived at the commission’s office in Abuja at 2pm. It was learnt that they were asked to write statements on their involvement in the scandal and thereafter asked a few questions. The source, who did not want his name in print, said that the NCAA chiefs were allowed to go at about 4pm. He said the commission would also look into some transactions by the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria. The source said, “The commission interrogated a team from Coscharis Motors on Tuesday. We have quizzed five top officials of the NCAA. “The commission is not stopping with the NCAA, our investigators will also interrogate some officials of FAAN.” When contacted, the Head of Media of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that the EFCC would also interrogate officials of some of the agencies in the aviation sector. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oduah to appear before Senate tomorrow November 5, 2013 by John Ameh and Sunday Aborisade The troubles of the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, aren’t over yet as indications emerged on Monday that she might also appear before the Senate plenary on Wednesday to explain her roles in the October 3, 2013 Associated Airlines plane crash in Lagos. She will also take questions from Senators on the controversial N255m bulletproof car scandal involving her and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. An indication of this emerged shortly after the Senate Committee on Aviation postponed indefinitely, a public sitting where officials of the NCAA were already seated on Monday, ready to answer questions on the controversial cars. A committee source said in confidence that the panel Chairman, Senator Hope Uzodinma, told the NCAA team that the hearing had been called off to enable members of the panel to prepare for Oduah’s appearance. He said, “We postponed indefinitely, the public sitting with the NCAA officials to enable us to prepare very well for the appearance of their minister before the Senate plenary on Wednesday.” Oduah had appeared before the House of Representatives’ committee on Thursday last week but denied that the cars were bought for her. She claimed that the NCAA bought them for its operations. A 23-year-old Associated Airlines plane carrying the remains of a former Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, had crashed barely a minute after it took off from the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos. No fewer than 15 people, including Ondo State Commissisoner for Culture and Tourism, Deji Falae, died in the accident. It was further learnt that the session might be a live telecast by one or two television stations. A melodrama however played out in the House of Representatives when the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, testified before the House committee on aviation on Monday. The committee is investigating the purchase of the bulletproof cars by the NCAA. Okonjo-Iweala testified on the nature of duty exemption she granted for the purchase of vehicles for the “EKO 2012 Games” hosted by the Lagos State Government. Coscharis Motors, which imported the bulletproof cars, had claimed that it got a waiver from the Ministry of Finance. However, the Nigeria Customs Service later lifted the lid on the issue, by explaining that the waiver was used as a cover to import the bulletproof cars. It said the waiver was for 300 vehicles imported for the games. The panel, which is headed by Mrs. Nkiruka Onyejeocha, had summoned the Finance minister to clarify the waiver granted to Coscharis. The minister had kept the committee waiting for three hours before she arrived the venue at about 1.50pm. She went straight to Onyejeocha and they whispered to each other for a few seconds. When she took a seat to address the committee, Onyejeocha made excuses for her. The committee chairman said that Okonjo-Iweala would only spend a few minutes as she would be attending another meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities at 2pm. She also tried to limit the number of questions Okonjo-Iweala would answer to three. This development caused a crack among members of the committee as some of them protested over the limit placed on questions. For nearly five minutes, an argument ensued over how to hear the minister. Onyejeocha, who read a scripted introductory remarks, also raced through the text in a stammered tone. Okonjo-Iweala continuously shook her head as she watched the drama unfolding before her. When there was some calm, she addressed the committee, denying that she granted a waiver for the importation of the bulletproof cars. According to her, on June 23,2012, the Lagos State Government applied for waivers for “300 assorted vehicles” in favour of Coscharis Motors for the games. She explained that because the request met the conditions for granting duty exemptions, it was approved. However, she noted that there were no bulletproof cars on the list. The minister said, “What I know is that on the list, there was no mention of bulletproof cars. “So, no waiver was granted for those (bulletproof) cars.” She explained that the waiver (for Eko Games) could be granted under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff, which Nigeria was a signatory to. The committee observed that the value of the 300 cars should have been between $18m and $19m but that her office put the cost at $14m. Lawmakers argued that this calculation could have drastically affected the amount payable on the vehicles if duty was to be paid. In response, the minister said the revenue department of the ministry usually calculated the duty payable on such imports. She said the department did the calculation and ascertained the value of the cars correctly. When asked to confirm whether the transaction passed a due process test, she referred the committee to “appropriate procurement laws, where there are provisions to answer your question.” Attempts to ask further questions were subsequently blocked by Onyejeocha. She said that the minister was invited to speak on waivers only and having done so, she should be allowed to go. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- N255m car scandal: No cover-up for Oduah –Presidency November 2, 2013 by Tunde Odesola, Olalekan Adetayo, Kunle Falayi, Gbenro Adeoye Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah The Presidency on Thursday promised that President Goodluck Jonathan will not cover up the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, on the N255m bulletproof cars bought for her by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, made the Presidency’s position known in an exclusive interview with our correspondent. But despite the assurances from the Presidency, Nigerian lawyers said they had no confidence in the ability of the probe panels and committees set up to bring the minister to book if found guilty. Gulak told Saturday PUNCH that the position of the President remained that whoever is found wanting, no matter how highly placed, would be sanctioned appropriately. He said if Jonathan planned a cover-up for the embattled minister, he would not have bothered to query her and constitute an administrative probe panel to investigate the matter. The presidential aide added that the fact that the National Assembly was also investigating the matter showed the seriousness the government attached to the issue. He, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders to wait for the three-man administrative panel to conclude its assignment next week and see what the President will do based on the report before forming their opinions on the issue. Gulak said, “How can people be accusing the President of planning to cover up the minister? “If he had planned a cover-up for her, he would not have bothered to query her. If he wanted to do cover up, the President would not have constituted a probe panel to investigate the matter. “I can tell you authoritatively that President Jonathan will not cover up anybody. “We should all wait for the outcome of the panel and see what the President will do. What I know is that he will not hesitate to sanction anybody found wanton, no matter how highly placed. But, lawyers who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on Thursday said all the committees set up by both the National Assembly and the Presidency were not necessary, saying the job should be left to anti-corruption agencies. According to Mr. Bamidele Aturu, a lawyer, the committees whether by the Presidency or the House of Assembly constitute a waste of resources and time. He said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission ought to take up the investigation instead of the media show or soap opera that the committees were engaged in. He said the minister should have saved the President the embarrassment that her continued stay in office had caused rather than going before the committee to give what clearly was no more than an attempt to rationalise the indefensible. Another lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, said the whole investigation by the House of Assembly and the Presidency was diversionary, adding that the committees were only blowing hot air. He said the Presidency should have directed the EFCC and ICPC to investigate the matter. ‘’Let criminal investigation commence and if a case is established against her, let prosecution follow,’’ he added. He described the minister’s defence as hogwash, an afterthought and an untenable pretext for the unpardonable act of squandering public funds by her ministry and the department which her ministry supervised. He said the issue was not whether the vehicles were meant for her personally but the fact that under her watch the vehicles were bought at outrageous price and the purchase did not follow due process. ‘’The NCAA was not established to buy armoured vehicles. Are they carrying money,’’ he queried, adding that previous committees on corrupt allegations did not yield any positive results. Similarly, another lawyer, Mallam Yusuf Alli (SAN), said he was not sure that the investigation would produce any meaningful result because some of the legislators carrying out the probe are not ‘clean’. Alli, who spoke with one of our correspondents in a telephone interview on Thursday, said the minister should have taken the high road by resigning at the initial stage. He said, “My thesis is that if it had been a country in which we have high morality and decency among public officials, we won’t even have to go to all these levels. The concerned official would have quietly resigned and saved all of us these exposé. But we are in a country where the culture of resignation even in the face of the most startling scandal is totally absent. “It is as if we are obtuse to all things that are decent and proper. I said I hope anything comes of the sitting because in the same House of Representatives, there are few members facing serious criminal allegations. These sets of people are the ones probing someone else. It is the pot calling the kettle black. Anybody who wants to launch a moral crusade must be clean.” Asked if resignation would have been enough to make the scandal go away, Alli said if the minister had taken that step, she would have retained some level of rectitude. Also, the Acting National Coordinator, Committee for Democracy and Rights of the People, Mr. Saka Wahid, said it was shameful that past probes by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration had amounted to nothing. Describing public probes as a waste of taxpayers’ funds, CDRP alleged that the Presidency was shielding Oduah In a telephone interview on Thursday, the group said, “Would the Presidency claim not to know that the cars were brought for the minister in the first place? It is obvious that she would have announced the purchase of the cars gleefully to the President and glasses would have been clinked over it.” “Who is deceiving who? What is the outcome of all the probes in the past? Was any culprit ever brought to justice? Nigerians are wiser.” An online publication, Sahara Reporters, had also stated that the committee seemed reluctant to ask Oduah hard questions. It quoted a member of an anti-corruption group who witnessed the session as saying “Why were they not grilling Ms. Oduah on how her spokesman, Joe Obi, could have issued a statement on such a sensitive issue without clearing it with her? Why would he say the cars were purchased for the minister’s safety and security, and now she’s suddenly claiming that they were bought for foreign delegates visiting the ministry? And there is the most important question that any serious committee should ask: Why did she authorise the spending of nearly $800,000 to buy each car when the real price tag is not up to $200,000?” “The source said that, unfortunately, “oversight committees of the National Assembly have a reputation for letting corrupt government officials get off the hook in exchange for payoffs.” Oduah had appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation on Thursday where she denied being the owner of the controversial N255m bulletproof cars purchased by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Before her appearance, there were fresh revelations on the scandal in the ministry on Wednesday. Part of these revelations was that Coscharis Motors which imported the armoured cars failed to pay duty on the vehicles to the Nigerian Customs Service. It was also discovered that both the Federal Ministry of Finance and the National Security Adviser were made to believe that the two vehicles were for the 18th National Sports Festival [Eko Games 2012] hosted by Lagos State. According to the Customs, the government lost N10.1m due to the waiver for the two bulletproof cars. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- N255m cars: Lagos opens up on waiver Written by Saturday, 02 November 2013 00:00 The Lagos State government, Thursday said it neither requested for, nor used bulletproof vehicles BMW Series 7 during the 18th National Sports Festival in the state, maintaining that it only requested for and got from Coscharis, regular saloon cars, four- wheel drive vehicles and buses in its capacity as official vehicle providers for the sports festival. A statement signed by the Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development, Mr. Enitan Oshodi, said the government duly made a request to President Goodluck Jonathan for waiver of destination inspection charges and duty exemptions on 300 vehicles which were to be used for the festival. According to the statement, which sought to set straight “information doing the rounds with regard to the vehicles requested from and supplied by Coscharis Nigeria Limited for use at the immediate past 18th National Sports Festival hosted by the Lagos State from November 27 to December 9, 2012”, the request was duly granted by the President leading to the issuance of a certificate of waiver in respect of the duty payable on the importation of the cars, by Coscharis Nigeria Limited. “The Lagos State Government would therefore like to put it on record that documents exist to show the vehicles which were supplied and used during the 18th NSF. The vehicles requested from Coscharis who were Sponsors of the 18th NSF were limited to regular saloon cars, four wheel drive vehicles and buses to convey the 14,000 athletes and 10,000 officials who attended the games”, the statement said. It must be remembered that the National Sports Festival belongs to the Federal Government. The State hosts it on terms and conditions contained in written agreements. One of the conditions was the provision of 300 vehicles for officials and athletes use. Because the State did not budget to buy vehicles it was mooted and the State agreed that Coscharis who had done this kind of transaction for the Federal Government before, should supply the vehicles for use ONLY. All that the State was required to do was to apply to the Federal Government for waiver which she duly did while also supplying fuel and drivers for the vehicles. The State was not involved in clearing the vehicles which was done through the Customs, a Federal Government Agency and Coscharis. The State, therefore, was not in a position to know whether bulletproof vehicles were imported or cleared under the cover of the waiver granted. The statement continued, “Government also wishes to state categorically and unequivocally that it did not request for any bulletproof vehicle BMW level 7 series or any other bulletproof vehicle for use at the games, nor was any such vehicle used in the hosting of the 18th NSF”. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Okonjo-Iweala Disowns Coscharis - Denies Giving Waiver for Oduah's N255 Million Armoured Cars By Bassey Udo, 1 November 2013 "You lied", Okonjo-Iweala tells Coscharis Motors on controversial import waiver for Oduah's armoured cars. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Thursday distanced herself and her office from the raging controversy concerning the two armoured BMW cars recently imported into the country for the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah. While the Chairman of Coscharis Motors Limited, Cosmas Maduka, told the House of Representatives committee on Aviation probing the N255 million purchase that the Federal Ministry of Finance granted his company waiver for the importation, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala dismissed such claims as "totally false and without foundation." The minister first issued through her twitter handle, saying the customs waiver she approved had no link to either the aviation ministry or bullet proof cars, but for the importation of 300 cars ordered by the Lagos State government for the National Sports Festival ("EKO 2012"). She then followed up with a formal statement for clarification. "On June 23, 2012, the Lagos State Government applied for Waiver of Destination Inspection Charges and Duty Exemptions for Coscharis Motors Nigeria Ltd, the official Automobile Partner for the National Sports Festival ("EKO 2012"), to purchase 300 vehicles on its behalf for the event," the Special Advicer to the Minister on Media, Paul Nwabuikwu, said in a statement. "Since the Lagos State Government met the laid down criteria, the waiver was granted. It is also important to clarify that the waiver granted to the Lagos State Government for the event did not include the purchase of armoured vehicles." At the public hearing by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Manasa Jatau, had also accused Coscharis Motors of lying, by deceiving both the Ministry of Finance and National Security Adviser, NSA, into believing that the two armoured cars were among the ones acquired for Lagos state government for the National Sports festival. Mr. Jatau, who alleged that the N10.1 million import duty due to Customs for the two cars were not paid, said Coscharis had used the same waiver for the Lagos State cars on the controversial BMW's associated with NCAA. "Coscharis imported the cars without paying import duties claiming there was a waiver from the Ministry of Finance. Coscharis obtained the waiver claiming the armoured cars were part of 300 vehicles imported for the Sports festival in Lagos last year, and therefore the beneficiary was Lagos State government. The cars had an End User Certificate from the NSA office in the name of Coscharis," Mr. Jatau told the committee. The NSA office had apparently issued End User certificate without knowing that it was doing so for cars to be delivered to Stella Oduah or the NCAA. Reliable sources close to the office of the NSA, however, told PREMIUM TIMES last week that no such authorization certificate was ever issued to either the Minister of Aviation, Ms Oduah or the NCAA, to procure the controversial vehicles. Nigeria: Bulletproof Cars Don't Belong to Me - Oduah By Adesuwa Tsan, George Agba, Abdulsalam Badamasi, George Okojie and Nkem Osuagwu, 1 November 2013 The minister of aviation, Princess Stella Oduah yesterday appeared before the House Committee on Aviation investigating the purchase of N255million bulletproof cars for the minister by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), where she described as "false and malicious" allegations that she compelled the agency to buy her the armoured cars. Speaking at the third day of hearing on the matter, she said, "The vehicles were not registered in my name." She faulted claims that the NCAA purchased vehicles worth N643m and said that so far, the agency had only spent N52m in the procurement of operational and security vehicles, in a lease arrangement that was in line with the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and spread across three years. According to Oduah, by December 2013, the NCAA would have expended N100m on the deal instead of N116m, because of a discount it obtained from the bank. Saying that NCAA did not flout any appropriation or fiscal laws, the minister said, "Let me state emphatically from the onset, that the allegation concerning the purchase of two numbers bulletproof cars for me by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is false in its entirety. It is not true that the NCAA has spent such amount of money on purchase of vehicles. It is also not true that the NCAA has purchased two bulletproof BMW vehicles for the honourable minister of aviation." Speaking further on what transpired, Oduah explained that the cars were bought through a lease financing arrangement with First Bank Plc. She said, "Another falsehood in the public domain relating to this lease financing arrangement is that the NCAA purchased two bulletproof vehicles for me as the honourable minister of aviation. This is totally false. The two numbers security safety BMW vehicles, which the NCAA acquired, are for security and safety, as appropriated by the NASS in the 2013 budget in item 6. The title documents, which are in the names of NCAA/First Bank Plc, as well as spare keys of all the vehicles purchased under the lease financing arrangements are currently with the First Bank of Nigeria, plc., as is the case with such arrangements and best practice. "We reiterate that NCAA has not spent any money appropriated by the National Assembly. Indeed what they have spent so far on all the vehicles acquired through the lease financing arrangement with First Bank of Nigeria plc., is N52m. By so doing, they have saved the nation cost and the possible embarrassment that may arise if the events we have pointed out earlier were to occur." Denying allegations that she violated the constitution by approving a contract worth N643m, which is beyond her N100m limit, the minister explained that although she did sign the document, she asked the NCAA to ensure that due process was followed before it was implemented. "All I did was to approve the request of the agency, subject to the agency doing 'the needful', as evidenced by my minutes on the letter dated 15th April, 2013. On the procurement for the lease agreement for the acquisition of the vehicles, let me reiterate that from the records available to me, it would appear that the NCAA followed the due process required by law," she told the panel. She said the allegations were spearheaded by people who were in opposition to the ministry's fight against "rot and corruption" in the sector. When asked by the committee if he did 'the 'needful' by ensuring that due process was complied with, former acting director general of NCAA, Mr Joyce Nkemakolam, who was asked by the present DG, Mr Femi Akinkuotu, to answer the question, said he assumed that the minister meant that due process should be followed "and that is what the procurement department did". "We were of the mindset that we had already gotten approval of the National Assembly and not gone outside the approval because of the leasing agreement, because the mindset was that we were still within the limit of the approval," Nkemakolam explained. He said the armoured cars are in the ministry's fleet of cars, "and anyone can use them". In closing the investigation, chairman of the committee, Hon. Nkiruka Onyejiocha, assured that the committee's report would be based on facts and evidence before it, as all the parties that made presentations would be treated fairly and justly. "Facts speak for themselves. We have tried to listen to all involved and have their submissions with us. We are aware that the 2013 budget for procurement of cars was for N240m for 25 cars and have seen 51 cars, and in another breath, 56 and in another 54 that were actually approved for procurement through auto loan. We will consider all our findings, whether they were in line with financial and extant laws and we will conclude our report," Onyejiocha said. It could be recalled that since the beginning of the probe, the Nigerian Customs Service, NCAA, First Bank, Coscharis Motors and other stakeholders have given evidence before the committee. N255m armoured cars: Okonjo-Iweala denies granting waivers Finance minister and coordinating minister for the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala yesterday denied ever granting waivers for the importation of the N255m armoured cars allegedly bought for embattled minister of aviation, Ms Stella Oduah. At the resumed investigation of the House of Representatives into NCAA's alleged purchase of two BMW cars for her aviation counterpart, the minister described as total falsehood that is bereft of foundation the claim by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) that the ministry of finance directed that a waiver of N10.1m be granted on the importation of the cars. In a statement issued to her special adviser, Mr Paul Nwabuikwu, Okonjo-Iweala explained that her ministry only granted a waiver to the Lagos State government for its National Sports Festival, adding that at no time did she grant any exemption for the importation of armoured cars. The statement, made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday evening, said, "Recent media reports which claim that the Federal Ministry of Finance granted a waiver to Coscharis Motors Nigeria Ltd for the purchase of armoured cars are totally false and without foundation. Rather, on June 23, 2012, the Lagos State Government applied for Waiver of Destination Inspection Charges and Duty Exemptions for Coscharis Motors Nigeria Ltd, the official Automobile Partner for the National Sports Festival ("EKO 2012"), to purchase 300 vehicles on its behalf for the event. Since the Lagos State Government met the laid down criteria, the waiver was granted. "The waiver granted to the Lagos State Government for the event did not include the purchase of armoured vehicles", the statement further clarified. Making the allegation on Wednesday, Deputy Comptroller of Customs in charge of Modern Research and Economic Relations Manasa Daniel Jatau told the House public hearing committee on the controversial purchase of two armoured vehicles for the minister of aviation for N255m, that N10,133,505.74, which should have come to the federal government was waived for Coscharis. In 2012, the Lagos State government was granted a waiver by President Goodluck Jonathan on import duty, value added tax, ETLS, CISS and other port charges, to import 300 units of BMW, Ford, Land Rover, Range Rover, Lexus, Mercedes, Escalade, Jaguar and buses, for use during the 18th National Sports Festival ('EKO 2012'), to be imported through Messrs Coscharis Motors Nigeria Limited. LASG keeps mum on bulletproof cars Amid the public outcry and condemnation trailing the role Lagos State Government played in the purchase of two armoured cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for the minister of aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, the state government has kept mum on the issue. Efforts by our correspondent to get the government's reaction to the startling revelation indicting the state, made at the House of Representatives public hearing on the issue yielded no result, as the information managers in the state said the state government would react formally today. It could be recalled that a can of worms was opened on Wednesday in Abuja, during the public hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation on the controversial N255m bulletproof cars, purchased by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Stakeholders in the matter were startled when the deputy comptroller-general of Customs, Mannasseh Daniel Jatau, who represented the Customs C-G, Abdulahi Dikko, said a N10m waiver granted the Lagos State government on the purchase for vehicles for the Eko 2012 Sports Festival was used to clear the cars. "The N10m import duty payable on the 300 vehicles meant for the Eko 2012 festival was used to clear the armoured cars," Jatau said. He explained that since the waiver was still effective, the Customs had no choice but to allow the cars be cleared from the ports. Dana Air accuses NCAA of inaction over operational audit Dana Air has accused the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) over its "action" to audit the airline three weeks after it grounded the airlines operations under the guise that it wants to audit the airline and other indigenous airlines to determine the state of health of their aircraft and operations. NCAA had on October 6, 2013 suspended the airlines operations following an air return it had in Port Harcourt, which made the airline to send its staff on compulsory leave while waiting for the audit. However, the inability of the airline to conduct the audit three weeks later has become a source of worry for the airline and its over 500 staff members as their means of livelihood is now at stake. Tony Usdiamen, spokesman for the airline in a statement yesterday said, "In compliance with the October 6, 2013 directive by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for Dana Air to suspend its flight operations to allow for an audit of the airline's operations, the management of the company shut down its operations without delay. Subsequently, as a result of the suspension (and understandably so), the airline directed its Nigerian and expatriate staff to proceed on compulsory leave without pay, with a promise to recall staff as soon as the audit process is completed. "It is now three weeks since the NCAA directive and, though the airline is open and ready for the planned audit, it is worrisome that the NCAA is yet to commence the audit and no clear direction or timeline has been given to the airline for completion of the same. The continuous grounding of Dana Air is causing untold hardship for the hitherto 'gainfully-employed' staff of the airline, and with NCAA's inaction regarding the audit, there appears to be no relief in sight to the sufferings of the airline's staff and their numerous dependants." Usdiamen further accused NCAA of in action over the proposed audit of the airline, which is stifling the airline and its staff. He said, "NCAA's action or inaction is not without consequences for the average Nigerian traveler with the few airlines left taking advantage of the dearth of operators to hike fares and offer poor services to helpless customers. Nigeria: Coscharis Chairman in Fresh Outburst By Musa Abdullahi Krishi and Ibrahim Kabiru Sule, 1 November 2013 Chairman of Coscharis Motors Cosmos Maduka again expressed outburst yesterday at the House of Representatives investigative panel on the purchase of armoured cars valued at N255 million by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The chairman on Wednesday alleged that the investigation was politically motivated. The committee had asked Coscharis to present some documents providing the chassis number of one of the cars. It said one of the chassis numbers provided by Coscharis differed from the cars they inspected, raising suspicion among the lawmakers. But when Josiah Samuel who is Coscharis MD was called by the committee to explain, he said they confirmed the number and that the said car was actually supplied for another customer, saying it was a case of mistaken transposition. However, when the committee demanded for the document, it discovered that there was no quoted chassis number. At this point, Rep Zakari Mohammed accused Coscharis of misleading the lawmakers. Maduka stood up and shouted, "No, we said you should give us time yesterday to play the video for the cars so that you would see them, but you refused." Chairman of the committee, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, then ordered Maduka to sit down saying, "No, you can't do this hear. Sit down and take some water!" Maduka then said, "We have the original document in Lagos, but this one was scanned and sent to us. Somebody is on his way coming with the original. We only do clean business. We don't do monkey business. We have integrity to protect!" Nigeria: Oduah Admits Approving Purchase of N564 Million Cars By Musa Abdullahi Krishi and Ibrahim Kabiru Sule, 1 November 2013 IMinister of Aviation Stella Oduah yesterday admitted approving the purchase of 54 cars for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) which is outside what was approved by the National Assembly in the 2013 budget. Oduah who testified on the third day of the investigative hearing by the House of Representatives committee on aviation into the purchase of armoured cars worth N255 million said due process was followed in the procurement. Oduah arrived venue of the hearing at exactly 11:37.am against the 10.am directed by the committee on Wednesday. She had cause to leave the venue for about ten minutes barely two minutes after her arrival. She said the vehicles were provided for in the NCAA 2013 appropriation approved by the National Assembly and that the cars were not bought for her but for operations of the agency. But the lawmakers insisted yesterday that they only approved N240 million for 25 vehicles in the NCAA's 2013 budget. In the NCAA 2013 budget approval document of the National Assembly obtained by Daily Trust, the provisions for operational vehicles were Toyota pick-up Hilux, five units; Toyota Corolla, 10 units; Toyota Landcruiser, five units; Toyota Hiace bus, three units; security inspection vehicle, two units for safety/security purposes and inspection of perimeter fences, all at the sum of N240 million. Oduah who took more than 30 minutes to present her position said: "In the last few weeks, I have received all sorts of bashings in the media. Many persons have also arisen to my defence. Many have abused me, some out of genuine sense of outrage that I allegedly spent the sum of USD1.6 million of government funds to purchase for myself 2 bullet-proof BMW for my personal use. "There was nothing in the approved docu-ments reflecting my name, when the budget was being made. At no time did I ever request for any vehicle from the NCAA. It was the agency that had the need and made the request to the federal ministry of aviation. "After the purchase on a 3 year lease financing arrangement, the vehicles were never delivered to me. The vehicles were also not registered in my name but that of the agency. All I did was to approve the request of the agency doing the needful as evidenced by my minutes on the letter dated 15th April," she said. Oduah added that, "on the procedure for the lease arrangement for the acquisition of the vehicles, let me reiterate that from the records available to me, it would appear that the NCAA followed the due process required. I have been made to understand that there exist no guidelines issued by the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) on lease financing." But the BPP in its submission to the committee last week said due process was not followed in the procurement process as the transaction did not come to its notice. First Bank Plc also told the committee on Wednesday that the agreement it entered with NCAA was an auto loan arrangement and not lease financing. When members of the committee inquired to know why Oduah approved more than the N100 million threshold by a minister, she said her directive was simply "Kindly do the needful." Rep Zakari Mohammed (PDP, Kwara) fur-ther asked her to explain what she meant by "Kindly do the needful," saying she breached the law. But Oduah replied by saying "I'm sorry but your interpretation is wrong. What it meant was that they should do the necessary due diligence." Mohammed also told the minister that First Bank Plc had submitted that it was a loan agreement it entered with NCAA, but Oduah explained that both lease financing and loan agreement are the same. She said the agreement was a standard template used by First Bank, insisting that the amount to be paid by NCAA by year end would still be within the appropriated sum by the National Assembly. At a point when the lawmakers asked the minister if armoured cars could be used for inspecting perimeter fencing, Oduah replied saying "I'm at a loss. Security cars are armoured cars and armoured cars are security cars." The committee asked Joyce Nkemakolom who was the acting DG of NCAA at the time of the contract to explain what they did when the minister approved and said they should do "the needful." In his explanation, Nkemakolom said because they had "a mindset that the National Assembly approved purchase of the cars," they thought she meant they should go ahead and follow due process in acquisition. But a member of the committee Rep Jerry Mamwe (PDP, Taraba) accused him of misleading the minister by originating the request when he knew that NASS only approved 25 vehicles at the cost of N240 million. Oduah also accused some individuals of causing her woes saying "The second category of commentators are the entrenched interests in the aviation sector, who for over 38 years have held the sector to the jugular and refused to allow any meaningful development and change to take place." Mamwe however said: "I disagree with the minister that the cars were approved by NASS. I don't also agree with her that it was a lease financing agreement when First Bank told us yesterday (Wednesday) that it was an auto loan agreement. It's either NCAA misled you or prepared the text for you to read." According to the lawmaker, there was a contradiction between the N100 million Oduah said NCAA would have paid to First Bank by December 31 when the bank itself said it is N116 million. The lawmakers also observed that the amount said to have been approved by the minister in the NCAA request letter was about N564 million but the agency said the total sum for the transaction was N643 million. The ex-acting DG Nkemakolom however said it was as a result of non-conclusion of the whole agreement at the beginning. The committee therefore accused him of misleading the minister. Chairperson of the committee Rep Nkiruka Onyejeocha (PDP, Abia) said at the end of the hearing that the committee had given fair hearing to all concerned and that they would consider all the submissions made in line with extant laws and financial regulations. The committee is expected to submit its report to the House on Tuesday next week. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: N255 Million Cars - FirstBank, Coscharis, Customs State Cases At Hearing 31 October 2013 Nigeria Probes Aviation Minister Stella cars Abuja — IT was another round of startling revelations yesterday as the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation continued the suspended investigative hearing into an alleged purchase of two armoured BMW cars at N255 million by the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah. Despite the fact that the minister was absent at the hearing, the Nigeria Customs Service, NSC, First Bank PLC and Coscharis made presentations on their involvement in the purchase of the cars. According to Committee's Chairperson, Rep Nkeiruka Onyejeocha "tomorrow (today), is sacrosanct, the minister must appear by 10.am. The minister's letter, requesting to appear by noon was ignored by the committee. Lagos N10m waiver used to clear armoured cars -- Customs Stakeholders were, however, startled when the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, DCG, Mannasseh Daniel Jatau, who represented the Customs C-G, Abdulahi Dikko said a N10 million waiver given to Lagos State Government as waiver to purchase vehicles for Eko 2012 Sports Festival was used to clear the cars. Jatau said "the N10 million import duty payable on the 300 vehicles meant for Eko 2012 festival was used to clear the armoured cars." He explained that since the waiver was still effective the Customs had no choice than to allow the cars clear from the ports. Jatau also noted that the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, endorsed the clearance of the armoured cars. At this point, Rep Zakari Mohammed asked the DC-G to explain the procedure for such a waiver and the exact number of vehicles cleared by the Customs. Responding Jatau said "the armoured vehicles were cleared because there was an authorisation letter from the Minister of Finance." Asked whether such a waiver was transferable, Jatau said, "to the best of my knowledge it is not transferrable and the total vehicles were 300 units." Rep Ahmed Ali queried Jatau further whether it is possible to use such an exemption for another purpose other than what it was meant for as in the case of NCAA. Rep Jerry Manwe also demanded for evidence to show that such a waiver was granted by the Minister of Finance. Jatau replied, saying "among the 300 vehicles only three were armoured cars and whether another beneficiary enjoyed the waiver I cannot tell you that because we are not magicians. "At the clearance point, all the requirements of the law were met and we are under the Ministry of Finance. If you give us till tomorrow, (today) we will provide the evidence you demanded for." But a copy of the letter authorising the Customs was eventually presented which said "I am directed to refer to your letter dated June 23, 2012, in the above subject matter and to convey the approval of Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief to the Lagos State Government for the waiver of Import Duty, Value Added Tax, (VAT, ETLS, CISS, and other port charges in respect of the importation of 300 units of BMW, Ford, Land Rover, Range Rover, Lexus, Mercedes, Escalade, Jaguar and buses (Petrol/Diesel) for use during the 18th National Sports Festival (EKO 2012) to be imported through Messrs Coscharis Motors Nigeria Limited, as indicated in the duly attached list." He further said that but for the waiver, the Customs Service would have generated the sum of N10, 133, 533. He explained that if the Customs Service knew the diversion of beneficiaries before the vehicles left the port, it would have demanded that import duty be paid on them. The lenders, First Bank of Nigeria in its testimony refuted claims by NCAA that it was not committed to the bank as regards the loan of N643 million for the cars. Group Head, Retail Services of the bank, Seyi Oyefeso, told the committee that NCAA is committed to the bank having agreed to, and signed all the documents for the loan that was meant to cover 52 units of vehicles which does not include the BMW armoured cars. In its own evidence, Coscharis Nig Ltd has maintained that due process was followed in the purchase of the cars and that regarding the exemption of duty, the President of the company, Cosmas Maduka, said it had an agreement with the Federal Government to waive import duties on cars it purchases for the government at a given time. While the committee insisted that the current price of the vehicle shouldn't have ordinarily exceeded N50 million each, Coscharis outrightly rejected it, saying that could never be the case with BMW B7 series anywhere in the world. NCAA demanded jerk-up of armoured cars prices -- Coscharis But in a bid to state the fact, Coscharis revealed that the NCAA demanded a jerk up of the prices of the controversial vehicles from what the company had submitted earlier. According to the Chairman of the company, Mr. Cosmas Maduka "NCAA told us that the initial price is not proper." The hearing further revealed that the controversial cars were originally purchased on behalf of the Lagos State Government for the 2012 18th National Sports Festival and later sold to NCAA. Explaining the controversy, Maduka said that the delay encountered when the company sought clearance from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, when the demand came made it necessary to sell the cars to NCAA. But the Committee insisted that Coscharis deceived the public and the government by saying that the cars were bought for NCAA when actually they were purchased on behalf of the Lagos State government. Reps Committee accuses Coscharis of ripping off Nigerians The committee also accused the company of ripping Nigerians off. According to the Committee, the change in the prices of the vehicle from the initial amount of N70 million to N127.5 million even when the company had admitted that it got waivers from government not to pay Customs duties on the cars cast aspersion on the company's position on the prices. Similarly, the hearing later took a dramatic turn when the committee discovered that the vehicles supplied were of different make and types. For instance, a member of the committee and spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Zakari Mohammed said that the chassis of one of the vehicles inspected by a delegation from the committee was DW68011. He argued that the number differed from what Coscharis gave in their correspondences with the office of the NSA. But in a swift response, the company refuted it. It quoted the chasis numbers as 68044 and 68432 respectively. It however promised to send the NSA certificate on the cars to the committee. Earlier, the company had requested to play a video to demonstrate how exotic the cars were in a bid to justify the prices but was turned down by the committee. FAAN procures two bullet proof cars for MD -- Sen. Uzodinma In a related development, as condemnation continues to trail the purchase of two armoured cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, for the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, there was a startling revelation yesterday that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, equally procured another two for its Managing Director. Meantime the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NIMET and the Accident Investigations & Prevention Bureau, AIPB, have distanced themselves from the controversy surrounding the purchase of armoured vehicles, saying they were not involved in transactions on bullet proof cars. Director -General of NIMET, Dr. Anthony Anuforom and his counterpart in AIPB, Captain Muhktar Usman, who exonerated their agencies when they appeared before the senate committee on aviation led by its Chairman, Senator Hope Uzodima when they were asked on oath, how many armoured vehicles they bought like their sister agencies within the aviation sector. Senator Uzodima in an interview, confirmed to newsmen that the Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Mr. George Uriesi, had confirmed on oath that his agency bought 202 operational vehicles and two bullet-proof cars for the MD. He said: "Investigation is still on-going and it will not be fair for me to pre-empt the outcome. FAAN did confirm that among the operational vehicles they purchased, four of them are armoured vehicles, two for the MD and two for the minister. "We told them to go back and put everything in writing and make comprehensive statements on all vehicles purchased so until they come back on Monday we cannot rush into conclusion. "The FAAN MD said they did a funding arrangement with a commercial bank. This investigation will be a very deep one so that at the end of the day, we do a holistic approach and look at how the sector will be repositioned so that all anomalies will be corrected." The Senate Committee on Aviation had on Tuesday queried FAAN over the purchase of four bullet-proof cars in the agency's inventory. The FAAN MD, George Uriesi told the Uzodinma-led committee that the vehicles included two Lexus limousine cars and two Prado SUVs, adding that the limousines were bought at the cost of N60 million each and not N70 million being insinuated. Nigeria: How Coscharis Lied to Okonjo-Iweala, NSA Dasuki to Cover Up Stella Oduah's N255 Million Armoured Cars By Ini Ekott, 31 October 2013 The office of the National Security Adviser and the Ministry of Finance gave full approval for the purchase of N255 million two armoured cars for aviation minister, Stella Oduah; but both offices were misled by Coscharis Motors, the supplier of the cars, into believing the cars were meant for last year's National sports festival in Lagos. While the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, approved the importation of the security vehicles and issued the End User certificate without knowing they were meant for Ms Oduah; finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, approved a huge waiver of import charges totalling N10.1 million. Insiders in the office of the NSA had exclusively told PREMIUM TIMES that the office did not approve any end user certificate for armoured cars procured for either Ms. Oduah and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA. In official correspondences, it appeared both officials were led to believe the two cars, which in fact were for Mrs Oduah, were required by the Lagos state government as part of 300 cars needed for the 2012 National Sports Festival hosted by the state, according to testimonies at Wednesday's hearing of the House aviation committee investigating the car scandal. Read all the shocking revelations that emerged at the investigative hearing here. Lawmakers fumed at the deceitful scheming by the car supplier which swindled Nigerians of millions and breached Nigeria's customs and security regulations but went without detection by the NSA or the finance ministry. Details of how Coscharis used the Lagos sports festival as a cover to deliver the armoured cars for Ms. Oduah were first provided by the Nigerian Customs on Wednesday. A deputy comptroller general, Manasa Jatau, the Customs could not act against the importation or charge any fee because it was provided the clearances obtained from the two key offices that should grant approval. "The importers did not refuse to pay duty. They had a waiver," Mr Jatau said. Mr. Jatau did not say why Coscharis was allowed to continue to import cars with a clearance granted it for the sports festival that ended in 2012. The Lagos state government had applied to President Goodluck Jonathan-as only the president has the powers to grant waivers-through the finance minister, seeking concessions for "300 units of BMW, Ford, Land Rover, Range Rover, Lexus, Mercedes, Escalade, Jaguar, and Buses" for the sport festival. In her approval of November 12, 2012, signed on her behalf by Rose Maranzu, the director, revenue, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala conveyed the "approval of Mr President and Commander-in-Chief to Lagos state government for waiver of import duty, Value Added Tax, ETLS, CISS and other port charges... ." on the cars. But in what is clearly an unethical business practice, Coscharis proceeded to hide under the cover of the waiver granted it for the sports festival to sneak in armoured vehicles for the aviation minister and other clients. The shocking revelation of what appears the car supplier's swindling tactic has added a new twist to a controversial transaction that has infuriated Nigerians for more than two weeks. It also underscored just how effectively government machineries can help spot violations if well utilized. In this case the finance ministry and the NSA missed the signs of abuse by Coscharis. Cosmas Maduka, the chief executive and founder of Coscharis Motors, said Lagos state came into the mix through what was not an unusual arrangement. During public events such as the sports festival, he said, governments often reach out to private businesses such as Coscharis, seeking partnership and sponsorship. For the sports festival, held November, Lagos state government needed cars, and Coscharis was willing to help with hundreds of them to be returned after use. The condition was for the government to provide waiver for the company to import new cars as replacement for the ones used. The used cars will then be sold off immediately they are returned. The letter from the Lagos government to the ministry of finance for waiver was in keeping with that commitment. As it turned out, the memo provided a cover for the two armoured cars for Stella Oduah-the Nigeria Customs service said the armoured cars were actually three. At the hearing Wednesday, the car firm, Coscharis came under a barrage of criticism from lawmakers despite its claim it followed all rules, and did not inflate the cost of the armoured cars as widely believed. "To the best of my knowledge, we followed all due process. We were interviewed by SSS. We were interviewed by the National Security Adviser. Every due process by law was followed," Mr Maduka said. "We do business with morality." He said attacks on his company, and the entire controversy over the car deal were "politically motivated." The company's claim that its price was fair, was deflated by a member who said he received a quote for the same car from an American firm at nearly half the price. The committee also accused Coscharis of possibly importing fairly used cars, saying the cars its members inspected at on Tuesday were different from those listed in the series of communications between Coscharis and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA. But the firm said since it did not inspect the cars with the House members, it cannot say whether that was the car they delivered to NCAA. The NCAA too could not explain the disparity. Another aviation agency, FAAN, has admitted buying two armoured cars for Minister Oduah. Nigeria: Bulletproof Cars - Okonjo-Iweala Granted N10 Million Waiver By Adesuwa Tsan, Abdulsalam Badamasi, Edegbe Odemwingie, Jonathan Nda-Isaiah and Olaolu Oladipo, 31 October 2013 Nigeria Probes Aviation Minister NStella cars More revelations emerged yesterday during the resumed investigation of the House of Representatives into the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)'s alleged purchase of two BMW cars for the minister of aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Finance directed that a waiver of N10.1 million be granted in the importation of the cars. This is just as the minister of aviation again failed to honour the invitation of the committee. The committee had last week adjourned the hearing to enable Oduah return from Israel and appear before the committee. However, she was absent from the meeting and a correspondence signed by the permanent secretary of the minister of the ministry of aviation, George Ossi and sent to the committee by NCAA stated that she was in transit at the time she was expected to appear yesterday, but would be available at 2.00 pm today. But the Committee on Aviation chairperson, Hon Nkiruka Onyejiocha, insisted that she appear unfailingly at 10.00 am today, stating that her failure to do so would be assumed an indication that she does not want to attend the hearing. "Tomorrow's date is sacrosanct, please communicate that to her," Onyejiocha said, after explaining that it was in the spirit of fair hearing that the lawmakers had shifted the dates to enable her state her case before the committee. Mr Manasseh Daniel Jatau, a deputy comptroller of modernisation, research and economic relations in the service, who represented the comptroller general of NCS, Abdullahi Dikko, who is in the Netherlands on official assignment, said the point of entry of the cars was Tin Can Port in Lagos. He said that no import duty was collected from the owner of the goods, Coscharis Motors, as a one-year duty waiver for 300 cars was granted in the name of the company, for importation of cars for the 18th National Sports Festival, EKO 2012 Games in Lagos. Jatau said the exemption on the two BMW cars along with 298 others, was at the expense of the Lagos State Government, who would have been the beneficiaries of the payment of N772.132m for the 300 cars and N10.1m for the two BMW cars. Documents presented to the committee by the NCS showed that the Import Duty, VAT, ETLS, CISS and Port Charges Waiver Certificate was issued by the ministry of finance on November 20, 2012, and was signed by the director of revenue, Mrs Rose Ngozi Maranzu, on behalf of the minister of finance. It read in part, "I am directed to refer to your letter dated 23rd June, 2012 on the above subject matter and to convey the approval of Mr President and commander-in-chief to the Lagos State Government for waiver on import duty, value added tax (VAT), ETLS, CISS and other port charges, in respect of the importation of 300 units of BMW, Ford, Land Rover, Range Rover, Lexus, Mercedes, Escalade, Jaguar and buses (petrol/diesel), for use during the 18th National Sports Festival (EKO 2012), to be imported through Messrs Coscharis Motors Nigeria Limited, as indicated in the duly certified attached list". Jatau also disclosed that contrary to reports that the office of the national security adviser did not have information on the armoured cars' presence in Nigeria, a signed copy of a pre-shipment inspection end-user certificate issued by the NSA on June 6, 2013 showed that due approval was gotten from the office, for Coscharis Motors to import three armoured cars valued at $USD223,653.48 into Nigeria for commercial purposes. The document, identified as Form A, had the stamp of the office of the national security adviser on it. In his presentation, the president of Coscharis Motors, Mr Cosmos Maduka said the price of the vehicles was high due to their quality, adding that, "To the best of my knowledge, we followed due process in the purchase of the cars." He further said, "We were interviewed by the SSS and the NSA." Explaining the waiver, he said it was an agreement between the federal government and Coscharis, that when they have a major event such as COJA and EKO Games and cannot afford to buy cars, the company would provide cars to use, while the federal government grants it waivers in return. Maduka said, "We have a duty waiver from the federal government for 300 vehicles. This is not the first time we are getting this, we got it during COJA." The lawmakers however rejected the explanation about the price of the cars, saying it was higher than any other price around the world. They also demanded from Maduka documents and an explanation for why the chassis number of one of the bulletproof cars, which they inspected on Tuesday, did not match any of those in the document presented to the committee. In its own submission, First Bank PLC told the committee that its part was just to finance the purchase of the vehicles for operational use of NCAA, adding that it complied with all requirements in the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Speaking on behalf of the bank, Mr Seyi Oyefeso, group head, retail, said the bank paid the N643m to Coscharis and Metropolitan Motors on behalf of NCAA. They also added that in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, they demanded and received an approval letter for the permission to take a loan, before they granted the facility to NCAA. Senate Probe Unearths Fresh Purchase Of 4 Armoured cars for Oduah, FAAN MD With the controversy surrounding the purchase of two BMW 760Li Series bulletproof cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for the minister of aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, yet to settle, a Senate probe into the purchase has uncovered fresh illegal car purchases by the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for the embattled Oduah. The Hope Uzodinma-led Senate Committee on Aviation confirmed yesterday that FAAN also purchased illegally 206 vehicles, including two armoured Lexus Limousine cars and two armoured Toyota Prado jeeps. Two of the four armoured vehicles are said to be for the aviation minister and another two for the managing director of FAAN, George Uriesi. Some of the vehicles were also bought for the use of directors of the agency, LEADERSHIP gathered. The disclosures were made at a Senate public hearing convened to address the crisis in the aviation sector. The FAAN MD told the Senate panel that the Limousines were bought for N60 million each but he could not however confirm the cost of the Prado jeeps. The vehicles are in the custody of a bank, he said. Asked to name the bank that funded the purchase of the vehicles as claimed, Uriesi declined. He also disclosed that Oduah approved the purchase but added that he did not sign. He refused to mention the person. The chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, said: "Investigation is still ongoing and it will not be fair for me to pre-empt it. "FAAN did confirm that among the operational vehicles they purchased, four of them are armoured vehicles, two for the MD and two for the minister. "And we told them to go back and put everything in writing and make a comprehensive statement on all vehicles purchased. "They said that they bought a total number of 202 vehicles for different operations. "So until they come back on Monday, we cannot rush into conclusion. "The MD of FAAN said they did a funding arrangement with a commercial bank." Senator Uzodinma assured of a thorough investigation into extra-budgetary spending by the aviation parastatals: "This investigation will be a very deep one so that, at the end of the day, we do a holistic approach and look at how the sector will be repositioned so that all anomalies will be corrected." Meanwhile, the director-general of the Nigeria Metereological Agency, Mr Anthony Anuforom; and his counterpart in the Accident and Investigations Bureau, Captain Muhtar Usman, have disclosed that their agencies were not involved in the purchase of the controversial N255 million armoured vehicles. Oduah takes credit for BASA Meanwhile, the embattled minister for aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah has taken the credit for the recent Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between the federal government and the State of Israel, a move that could be termed as being grossly insensitive to the public outcry over the purchase of two bulletproof cars for her by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Oduah, who spoke for the first time since the scandal broke seven days ago, wrote on her social media page at www.twitter.com/Stella, that she was instrumental to the signing of the agreement, though she was not accorded the privilege of signing it on behalf of the country. The tweet, which formed part of a statement written on her behalf by her special adviser, Mr. Joe Obi failed to make any form of reference to the issue of the cars, saying the occasion was one of her happiest moments as aviation minister. According to her, achieving the agreement between the two countries had proven problematic for decades, with her predecessors failing at several attempts to put pen to paper on the issue. "The signing is a significant feat for the present administration and a huge endorsement of the Transformation Agenda of the present government, as represented in the reforms championed by Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah in the Sector," Obi wrote on behalf of his principal. In the one page statement, it was added that, "Trade, tourism, agriculture, transportation, water resources, amongst others would be tremendously boosted and enhanced, as access to both territories would be much more easy (sic) through direct flights. "I am particularly happy that President Jonathan's reforms in the aviation sector are bearing fruits and receiving the endorsement of the international community. With this agreement, Nigeria is opening up another important frontier in its bid to open up the country to world, boost its economy and facilitate the fast growing aviation sector." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Car Scandal - Oduah Jets Out As Jonathan Orders Probe By Onwuka Nzeshi, Jaiyeola Andrews, Damilola Oyedele and Dele Ogbodo, 24 October 2013 Despite the raging controversy over the purchase of two BMW armoured cars for her by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, has left the country on a trip to Israel. THISDAY learnt Wednesday that the minister left Nigeria on Tuesday, the day the House of Representatives initiated a probe into the car scandal, as part of President Goodluck Jonathan's official delegation to the country. Shortly after the House passed a motion that its Committee on Aviation should probe the car deal, the committee chair, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, in a statement, summoned the minister along with some other stakeholders to appear at a public hearing scheduled for yesterday on the transaction. However, the committee said yesterday that the probe would go ahead as directed by the House as her absence would not affect its work. The president, who yesterday set up a three-man administrative panel of inquiry to probe the car scandal, departed yesterday for Israel to participate in this year's pilgrimage and for a state visit. During the visit, Nigeria and Israel are expected to sign a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) to strengthen air ties between the two nations, with Oduah signing for her country. But industry sources said her departure was reflective of the insensitivity displayed by the presidency and minister to the scandal involving the armoured car purchases, as Jonathan should have asked her to stay behind and asked the permanent secretary in the ministry to represent her. With the constitution of the three-man panel by the president, Oduah is being probed on three fronts - the legislature, the presidency and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) - to determine her culpability or otherwise in the car purchase scandal. Some of those who were not aware that the minister had left Nigeria on Tuesday ahead of the president's departure yesterday, raised eyebrows at her absence at the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on the assumption that she did not turn up for the meeting apparently due to the heat generated by the purchase of the two bulletproof cars at a total cost of $1.6 million (N255 million). Indeed, the swirling protest over her involvement in the car scandal spilled into the streets yesterday as two groups, comprising Oduah's supporters and antagonists, clashed during a protest in Abuja. The president's Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, announced the constitution of the three-man panel to investigate Oduah over the car deal after the FEC meeting in Abuja. The panel, headed by the immediate past Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Sali Bello, has as members the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dakusi (rtd), and Air Vice Marshal Dick Iruenebere (rtd). Abati told State House correspondents that the president had taken the initial step of asking Oduah for explanations about the transaction. According to him, the panel will determine whether the procurement process for the armoured vehicles followed due process. It will also find out the purpose for the procurement of the vehicles and any other ancillary matter regarding the car deal. Abati said the secretariat of the panel, which is expected to submit its report within two weeks, would be provided by the office of the NSA. He added: "President Jonathan will like to assure the general public that nobody, no matter how highly placed, will be shielded or exempted from this inquiry that he has directed and that appropriate action will be taken against any person or persons who may be found guilty of misconduct or misappropriation of public funds either in this respect or in any other respect. "Indeed, Mr. President considers this a very weighty matter and that it is not true as some people have been alleging that no action has been taken on it." Asked if the minister would be made to step aside during the investigation, Abati said: "Well, I have just announced to you what I was asked to announce that a panel of inquiry has been set up; this panel will address all the relevant questions and advise Mr. President accordingly within two weeks." Notwithstanding her absence, THISDAY learnt yesterday that the House would go ahead with its probe on the car deal. It was gathered that before leaving the country, the minister had written to the House committee requesting to be given up to the middle of November to round off her trip to Israel and other engagements outside the country before she could honour its invitation. The revelation came just as the House adopted a report indicting the NCAA for grounding a bombardier aircraft belonging to the Rivers State Government. Sources within the aviation committee told THISDAY that the committee would not wait given the public outcry and the need to tackle the issues as soon as possible. "We can't wait for her. This is not something that has to wait for anybody at all. This is a national embarrassment and nobody is bigger than this country. We will go ahead with our investigation. "Look at somebody who is under heat because of what happened and instead of staying back to tackle the issue, she has travelled outside the country. "If I were her, I would have stayed back to clear my name of the stain this matter has brought," one of the sources said. However, it was learnt that the committee was prepared to take testimonies from the NCAA, National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and other stakeholders and write its report, because it has a terms of reference and time frame of one week to submit its findings. The controversy over the procurement of the bulletproof cars however degenerated yesterday into a clash between two groups in Abuja. Members and supporters of the Anti-corruption Network of Nigeria (ACN), led by a former House of Representatives member, Hon. Dino Melaye, who had set out to protest the controversial procurement, clashed with another group sympathetic to Oduah at the federal secretariat. The clash lasted for more than three hours as each group tried to drown out the other with songs. While the Melaye members chanted "Oduah must-go" songs, the pro-minister's group countered with songs such as "Oduah must stay, Dino pay us our money". Although the protests were non-violent, the groups caused a traffic jam at the federal secretariat before police officers, led an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Odukoya Sunday, came to disperse the protesters. Addressing the press in the confused atmosphere, Melaye accused the minister of renting the crowd to disrupt the planned protest. He said: "You can see that we are peaceful protesters, we are here to exercise our fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution." He accused the pro-Oduah group of coming out to scuttle the protest, saying the faction even asked him for money. He said the group should provide evidence that they did something for him, which he needed to pay them for. According to him, Oduah was the ninth minister that his anti-corruption group was taking on, adding that her case could not be different from others. He said: "We protested against the Ministries of Finance, Niger Delta and the Justice with petitions submitted against them to the anti-graft agencies. Why would this one be different?" He explained that because the N255 million was not budgeted for as claimed by the House on Tuesday, the minister must face the law. He urged Jonathan to emulate his predecessors, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, who fired their ministers for their alleged involvement in scandals by relieving Oduah of her job. Also, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) called for Oduah's probe over what it described as the scandalous purchase of bulletproof cars "especially at this point in time when government is increasingly unable to meet its basic obligations to the citizenry." Arising from a meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC), the NLC, in a communique issued in Kaduna yesterday said: "Neither the process nor the price nor even the reason for the purchase satisfies transparency nor good conscience. The minister should therefore be called to account. Accordingly, NEC calls for the immediate probe of the minister." NLC expressed dissatisfaction that the federal government was yet to seriously address corruption especially high profile cases such as the fuel subsidy scam. The judicial process, NLC said, was being frustrated in spite of overwhelming evidence against the subsidy scam suspects. "It holds the view that one of the reasons why the economy is on the downward slide is the levity with which government continues to deal with corruption. NEC finds it incongruous that government would want to protect these criminals because of party affinity, yet party affinity has not put food on the table of the ordinary Nigerian. "Accordingly, it calls on the government to diligently prosecute these big thieves. Nobody should be above the law even if they funded the election of everyone in the party," it added. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria Elected to UN Security Council By Jaiyeola Andrews and Zacheaus Somorin with Agency Reports, 18 October 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan After months of canvassing for Nigeria's inclusion in the United Nations Security Council, the country, Thursday, finally got elected to occupy one of the non-permanent seats on the council. Also elected were Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Saudi Arabia. According to the Washington Post, Saudi Arabia and Chad easily won the seats despite criticisms from human rights groups. Nigerian and four other candidates, endorsed by regional groups, faced no opposition, as there were no contested races for the first time in several years. Hailing Nigeria's inclusion as a Security Council member, President Goodluck Jonathan welcomed the development and conveyed Nigeria's appreciation of the support of all member countries of the UN who voted for the country's election. The five new non-permanent members were elected in the first round of voting by the 193-member General Assembly. Lithuania was the top vote-getter with 187 votes followed by Nigeria and Chile with 186 votes, Chad with 184 votes and Saudi Arabia with 176 votes. Security Council seats are highly coveted because they give countries a strong voice in matters dealing with international peace and security in places like Syria, Iran, North Korea as well as the UN's far-flung peacekeeping operations. The 15-member council includes five permanent members with veto power - the US, Russia, China, Britain and France - and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. The five countries elected yesterday will assume their posts on January 1, 2014 and serve through the end of 2015. They will replace Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo. Philippe Bolopion, United Nations Director for Human Rights Watch, denounced the election of Chad, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. "The prestige of a seat at the world's foremost diplomatic table should prompt the new members to get their houses in order," he said. "Chad should put an end to the recruitment of child soldiers, which earned it a spot on the UN list of shame," he said. "Saudi Arabia should end its crackdown on human rights activists and grant women their full rights," he added. Bolopion also criticised Nigeria, saying it should "end the chronic abuse by security forces and better protect civilians in the north" from attacks by the Boko Haram terrorist network. Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch, accused Saudi Arabia of denying women the right to vote, drive a car or travel without the permission of a male relative. He also accused it of "praising and shielding Sudan" whose president, Omar al-Bashir, is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Neuer said Chad should not have oversight on UN peacekeeping operations as long as it employs child soldiers. Chad, Saudi Arabia and Lithuania have never served on the UN's most powerful body, while Nigeria and Chile have both been on the council four times previously. Seats in the Security Council are allocated by region, with regional groups nominating candidates. These are often hotly contested races. This year, there were initially two candidates for a West African seat but Gambia dropped out last week in favour of Nigeria. To win, each country must obtain support of two-thirds of all General Assembly members present. Because balloting is secret, there is intense lobbying for votes by candidates, even in uncontested races, to ensure they get the minimum number needed for victory and to see who gets the highest vote. Hailing Nigeria's inclusion as a Security Council member, Jonathan welcomed the development and conveyed the country's appreciation of the support of all member countries of the UN who voted for Nigeria's election. A statement issued by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said: "On behalf of the federal government and people of Nigeria, President Jonathan wishes to convey his sincere appreciation of the support of all member-countries of the United Nations who voted for Nigeria's election to the Security Council. "The president believes that today's endorsement of Nigeria's candidature for the Security Council seat by the vast majority of member-countries is a glowing expression of support and encouragement for Nigeria's active participation in the promotion of peace, security and political stability in Africa and other parts of the world. "This is the fourth time since it became independent in 1960 that Nigeria is being elected to the UN Security Council. It is also the second time (2010-2011 and 2014-2015) that Nigeria will be elected to the Council under the Jonathan presidency. "The president is particularly delighted by this historic victory and assures the global community that Nigeria, under his leadership, will continue to make very significant contributions towards the achievement and sustenance of global peace and security." Also the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described Nigeria's election as an unprecedented feat and a testament to the achievements of the Jonathan-led PDP administration. The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said the development had clearly shown that the world recognises the efforts of the present administration in repositioning our country through the president's transformation agenda. "Today, Nigeria has taken its rightful place in the comity of nations. The winning of the UN Security Council Seat is indeed a clear indication that the world recognises the untiring efforts of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP administration in repositioning our country through its Transformation Agenda. "The securing of the UN seat is clear evidence that the world acknowledges President Jonathan's efforts towards security, the economic wellbeing and political stability of our dear country. "President Jonathan has indeed distinguished himself as a statesman and world leader who has given his country a strong voice in matters dealing with international peace and security. "Nigerians the world over, can now hold their heads up high. We are indeed very proud of our dear president who has remained focused on delivering on his mandate; a commitment that has today resulted in the restoration of the dignity of our country and her pride of place in world affair. "We therefore call on all Nigerians to continue to support the PDP-led administration and its Transformation Agenda." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Okonjo-Iweala - Why Recovery of €185 Million Abacha Loot Is Delayed By Tokunbo Adedoja, Kunle Aderinokun and Ndubusi Francis, 15 October 2013Nigeria's Finance Chief Speaks on Sani Abacha Late General Sani Abacha Washington DC — The federal government has thrown more light on the challenges it is facing in the recovery of the €185 million stashed away by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, in banks in Liechtenstein, one of the smallest countries in the world, located in central Europe. The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, told journalists in Washington DC, United States that the government of Liechtenstein was not disposed to returning the loot to the Nigerian government. She said the German-speaking country, through shell companies, commonly called front companies, had put up legal challenges, in a bid to ensure that its banks benefited from the proceeds of the loot. The finance minister said: "When we identified this money 14 years ago, we set up a series of steps to try and get it back. It was going through several courts. "The companies and their representatives have always thrown legal challenges every step of the way. It got to a stage where the court in Liechtenstein had litigated that the money should be returned. "However, those companies have taken the case to the European Court of Human Rights, saying that the Liechtenstein Government had violated their human rights by allowing this money to be taken away from them. "As you know, that charge does not obtain but by taking it to that court, that means another two or three years delay. They are just using delay tactics. The delay tactics suits the Government of Liechtenstein because their banks get to keep the money. And what do they do? They will invest it and make money out of it." She disclosed that the federal government had taken several legal steps, through its lawyer, Mr. Enrico Monfrini, a Swiss national, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke. But the efforts, according to her, had always been met with stiff opposition from the Liechtenstein Government, which is now asking for a third-party guarantee from the Nigerian Government. This, she pointed out, was after she had signed an indemnity on behalf of Nigeria, that the federal government would pay a fine if the European Human Rights Court - where the shell companies fighting against the release of the loot, filed a case - found any reason to penalise the country for releasing the funds. "If this thing keeps being delayed, it will be denying Nigeria its rightful possession and the Liechtenstein Government asked us to sign a guarantee that if the European Court of Human Rights fined them for any reason, we will indemnify them; that means we will pay that fine. "We said fine, because the likelihood of paying for acting in this way was very limited. So we signed the indemnity, I signed it with the approval of Mr. President and after receiving it, they now turned and said no. They need a third-party guarantee; they need a bank in another country to guarantee them," she explained. According to her, the delay tactics by Liechtenstein was aimed at ensuring the proceeds accruing from the loot are enjoyed by the banks, to the benefit of the economy of Liechtenstein but to the detriment of Nigeria, the rightful owner of the stolen money. Okonjo-Iweala argued that requesting Nigeria for a third-party guarantee was unacceptable, stating that the federal government would fight hard to recover the money, which is rightfully owned by the country. Speaking further, Okonjo-Iweala stated: "We said to them if they have a problem with how the money will be used, we will do a similar thing with them, the way we did when the Swiss Government returned $500 million equivalent to us under President Obasanjo's regime. "We had the World Bank work with us with our own NGOs and Swiss NGOs to monitor the use of this money. We put the money to specific projects that were beneficial to Nigerians, in rural areas, like rural roads, health clinics and all of them were specified and monitored. "And today, that has set the track record for the way these returned monies can be used. We have said to the Liechtenstein Government that we are prepared to do a similar thing and the World Bank has agreed to participate in it. "There is a unit at the World Bank, which I set up during my time called, The Stolen Asset Recovery Unit, and they do these kind of things with countries. "They can help you monitor the use of returned assets, they can help support you in recovering your money. We are glad to have the World Bank, so they should return our money and it would be used in a very transparent way for projects that Nigerians will be happy about. "President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has pledged himself in this respect, and that's what we are asking them." Nigeria had embarked on a vigorous campaign over a decade ago for the return of the €185 million looted by firms linked to Abacha but harboured in Liechtenstein. In 2000, the federal government made a formal request to Liechtenstein for the return of the looted funds channelled into the tiny country through shell companies linked to the former maximum ruler. Criminal investigations and subsequent forfeiture proceedings had established that the funds originated from bribes paid by Germany's Ferrostaal AG to companies linked to General Abacha, with the looted funds said to be connected to a grossly inflated contract for the construction of an aluminium smelter. About $2.4 billion of these stolen assets, a chunk of which was laundered through European banks had been traced. So far, Nigeria has recovered $1.3 billion, with the largest tranche of $500 million coming from Switzerland in 2005. An additional $1.1 billion, traced and harboured in France, United Kingdom, Luxembourg and the Channel Island of Jersey, is still trapped in legal action. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: World Bank Agrees to Help Monitor Use of Recovered Abacha's Loot By Isaac Aimurie, 14 October 2013 Nigeria's Finance Chief Speaks on Sani Abacha Late General Sani Abacha Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Sunday in Washington DC, USA, lamented that Liechttenstein, continues to frustrate efforts by Nigeria to recover €185 million popularly called Abacha loot, after 14 years. There have been several hurdles put in Nigeria's way in the central European nation's courts, by the shell companies or their representatives, challenging every step, and that the World Bank has offered to help ensure that the recovered funds are judiciously utilised for the good of Nigerian. Okonjo-Iweala, who was fielding questions on the sidelines of the 2013 annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, further lamented that "it has gone to a stage where the courts in Liechtenstein have now litigated and said no it should be returned." The companies, she said, have "taken the case to the European court of human rights saying that the Liechtenstein government has violated their human rights by allowing this money to be taken away from them. And of course, you know that that charge does not obtain. But by taking it to that court, it means another two or three-year delay... just delaying tactics." The delay tactics, Okonjo-Iweala noted, "Suits the government of Liechtenstein very well, because they get to keep the money, their banks keep the money and will invest it and get money out of it. So they keep delaying, and this is denying Nigeria it's rightful possession. And the Liechtenstein government asked us to sign a guarantee that if the European court of human rights fines them for any reason, we will indemnify them "That means we will pay the fines, we said fine, just to get out because the likelihood that they will be fined for acting it this way is very limited. So we signed an indemnity, I signed it with approval from the President and after receiving it, they now turned and said no they need a third party guarantee, they need a bank in another country in a third country to guarantee them and this is not really acceptable. What would you need a third party guarantee for in this case? "So I think that we need to fight to get our money back. That is what we are doing; we are doing it from several ways. We are making public this matter, we have said to them that there is no problem with how the money will be used, we will do a similar thing that we did when the Swiss government returned $500 million equivalent to us under president Obasanjo." She recalled that at the time, "we had the World Bank work with us with our own NGOs in Nigeria with Swiss NGOs and the World Bank to monitor the use of this money. We put the money into specific projects that were beneficial to Nigerians in rural areas like rural roads, health clinics and all of them were specified and monitored and today that has set the track record for the way these returned monies can be used. "Today we have said to the Liechtenstein government that we would do similar thing and the World Bank has agreed to participate in this. There is a unit here in the World Bank which i set up during my time called Stolen Assets Recovery Unit and they do this kind of things with countries. They can help you monitor the use of returned assets, they can help and support you in recovering your money and so we are glad to have the World Bank and they should release our money and they would be used in a very transparent way for projects that Nigerians will be very happy about. President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged himself to that and that is all we are asking them. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria Pushes to Recover Abacha's €185 Million From Liechtenstein By Obinna Chima with Agency Report, 11 October 2013 Late Sani Abacha Nigeria has embarked on an international campaign to press Liechtenstein to return the €185 million ill-gotten gains linked to the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha, which is still harboured in the tiny principality nearly 14 years after recovery proceedings began. The Nigerian government first requested assistance from Liechtenstein in returning the assets in 2000, two years after Abacha's sudden death paved the way for the return of civilian rule. A report by the Financial Times yesterday, stated that criminal investigations and subsequent forfeiture proceedings established that the funds originated from bribes paid by Germany's Ferrostaal AG to companies, whose ultimate beneficiary was the late head of state. According to the newspaper, the transactions were related to a grossly inflated contract for the construction of an aluminium smelter. Liechstenstein's constitutional court ordered the confiscation of the funds in 2012 and in March 2013, dismissed a final appeal against the order by companies linked to the Abacha family, clearing the way for restitution of the funds. But the Liechtenstein government has declined to accept written guarantees from Nigeria that it will compensate the country in the unlikely event that it should incur any liabilities in a further suit that had been filed by the Abacha-linked companies at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. This could delay the return of the funds for several more years. The late Abacha was the penultimate and most brutal of Nigeria's military rulers, the newspaper said. The late head of state and what Switzerland's Supreme Court dubbed the "Abacha family criminal enterprise," the newspaper alleged, amassed a fortune worth several billion dollars from misappropriation of public funds during his 1993 to 1998 rule. The lawyer representing the Abacha family could not be reached for comment. It quoted the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to have described the delay as "outrageous" and accused the Liechtenstein government of being uncooperative. She told the Financial Times that she plans to appeal for support for Nigeria's claims at the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meetings. "This is about funds that were stolen by a corrupt dictator. We have spent nearly 14 years trying to get them back and we are pleading with the Liechtenstein authorities not to aid and abet the continuation of that corruption," Okonjo-Iweala said. On their part, Liechtenstein officials defended the delay as the result of the case in Strasbourg which would, if the court accepts to hear it, address the plaintiffs' rights to a fair hearing under article 6 of the European convention on human rights. The European court cannot overrule Liechtenstein court rulings restoring the funds but officials in the principality fear they could be laid open to compensation claims from the Abacha-linked companies. "Unfortunately, now we are in a situation where we have a final judgment, we have the assets and the government wants to return those assets to Nigeria, but four entities have filed a case at the ECHR," Liechtenstein's attorney-general, Robert Wallner said. Wallner added: "Even though their chances of winning are low we lawyers know we can never be sure of the outcome." Also, a Swiss lawyer working with the Nigerian government, Enrico Monfrini, traced $2.4 billion of assets linked to Abacha, most of which were channeled through European banks. Nigeria has recovered $1.3 billion, the largest tranche of which - $500 million - came from Switzerland in 2005. A further $1.1 billion - in France, the UK, Luxembourg and the Channel island of Jersey - is still tied up in legal proceedings. "Every other country where a final court decision was taken, paid back immediately," Monfrini said, taking issue with Liechtenstein for failing to accept the Nigerian guarantee relating to the Strasbourg case. "They don't want to trust these people because they are Africans, although the balance sheet of Nigeria is a lot better than France or Spain. I would call this a neo-colonialist attitude," he added. Nigeria has engaged the World Bank's Stolen Asset Recovery unit, Star, set up by Okonjo Iweala herself when she was at the bank, to monitor the use of the funds once they are returned - as it has done with other recovered assets. But Liechtenstein wants the World Bank to play a greater role as guarantor. "We want the World bank to discuss with us and develop different opportunities to how we can bring the money back," a senior official at the justice ministry said. "We are okay to pay the money back but we want to have an opportunity to be on the safe side. It is a long process but it is a fair proceeding," the official added. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: CNPP Demands New Method to Recover U.S.$400 Billion Stolen Funds By Festus Owete, 11 October 2013 Late Sani Abacha The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has called on the Federal Government to adopt the blanket request method to recover over $400 billion stolen from the federal treasury by some past leaders of the country. Rising from a meeting in Enugu at the weekend, the group of opposition parties, in a communique, said though it was pleased with the recovery of the funds looted by the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, government should adopt the blanket request method to get all stolen funds back to the country. CNPP was reacting to the report by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke that the Federal Government had recovered about N5.5 billion (22.5 million British Pound) and that negotiation had reached advanced stage to recover N36.7 billion ( EUR 175 million) of Abacha looted fund. "Whereas we applaud the recovery of looted fund looted by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha; we demand as a matter of urgent national importance for President Goodluck Jonathan to Request for Blanket Recovery of over $400 billion fleeced off our treasury in the last two decades," the group said in the communiqué signed by its spokesman, Osita Okechukwu. "President Jonathan should utilize the window opened by the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, which bound countries to render mutual legal assistance in gathering and transferring evidence and Chapter V of the Convention which made asset recovery explicitly a fundamental principle of the Convention." CNPP said its investigation revealed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo only requested for the funds looted by Mr, Abacha but did not ask for those looted by other leaders. CNPP said, "Our investigation within the diplomatic circle shows that ex-president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo only requested for Abacha loot and turned blind eye to the other looters. We demand that a blanket request be made; for we need the billions of dollars to invest in critical infrastructure, revamp our decayed social services and stem gross unemployment'. "We frowned at the selective approach in the loot recovery process, which looks more of a vindictive venture rather than war against corruption. "The selective approach sends wrong signals within and outside our shores; therefore we appeal for effective liaison and communication with targeted countries to hasten the pace of recovery of funds siphoned out of our treasury." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: National Dialogue/Conference - Jonathan Raises 13-Member Panel By Misbahu Bashir , Isiaka Wakili, Turaki A. Hassan, Francis Okeke, Musa A. Krishi and Ismail Mudashir, 2 October 2013 More on This Nigeria Sets Up Panel for National Conference Nigeria Celebrates 53rd Independence President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday set up a 13-member committee to come up with modalities of convening a national dialogue/conference to resolve what he called issues that currently cause friction in the polity. The president made the announcement in a special national broadcast to mark the nation's 53rd independence anniversary. The advisory committee has Dr. Femi Okurounmu as chairman and Dr. Akilu Indabawa as secretary, and is expected to complete its assignment within a month. Others members of the committee are Prof George Obiozo, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Senator Khairat Gwadabe, Senator Timothy Aduda, retired Col. Tony Nyiam, Prof. Funke Adebayo, Mrs Mairo Ahmed Amshi, Dr. Abubakar Sadiq, Alhaji Dauda Birma, Malam Buhari Bello and Mr Tony Uranta. Jonathan will inaugurate the panel on Monday, said a statement last night by Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim. The committee's terms of reference are to consult with stakeholders with a view to drawing up agenda for the conference, as well as recommend its structure, modalities, representation, timeframe and legal framework. Also, the committee is to advise on the legal procedures for integrating the conference's decisions and outcomes into the constitution and other laws. Earlier speaking during his broadcast, President Jonathan explained his decision to convene a national conference. "When there are issues that constantly stoke tension and bring about friction, it makes perfect sense for the interested parties to come together to discuss," he said. Jonathan did not say if the conference would be "sovereign", which is what the national conference agitators want. He said "the nation will be briefed on the nomenclature, structure and modalities of the dialogue" after the committee would have submitted its report. Jonathan's decision to convene a national conference is coming eight years after the National Political Reform Conference called by then-President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005. Obasanjo was accused of convening the conference to try to achieve his tenure elongation bid through the backdoor, which failed as the conference recommended the retention of the four-year two terms for the president. He submitted the report to the National Assembly which dumped it, as the lawmakers had opposed convening the conference ab initio. 'Diversionary' In his reaction yesterday, one of the advocates of a sovereign national conference, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, said Jonathan was the wrong person to call a dialogue "because he is part and parcel of Nigeria's problems. He is jointly responsible for problems affecting the country." "What we need now is independent national conference to be jointly organised by the civil society organisations, legislature, executive, judiciary, traditional rulers, religious bodies and various ethnic groups. Even the aggrieved insurgents should have representation in the conference," Musa told Daily Trust in Kaduna yesterday. He said advisory committee "should be disbanded immediately otherwise the President is going to do what former Presidents Babangida and Abacha did, which we rejected." The former Kaduna governor, however, said he supported idea of a national conference as it was the only solution to Nigeria's problems. "If Nigeria cannot have a national conference to discuss its problems, it will disintegrate and go back to pre-historic period where lands and leadership were acquired by force," he said. But Professor Auwalu Yadudu, who was a delegate at the 2005 conference, described Jonathan's moves to convene another dialogue as an attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians. "It looks diversionary because we have had many fora where our problems were discussed and addressed. The conference is not well considered or intended, it is diversionary; they want to take people's attention, I don't think it's a worthy effort," he told Daily Trust. Elder statesman Alhaji Magaji Dambatta, who also participated in the 2005 conference, urged Northern leaders to get ready for this dialogue. But he told Daily Trust that solutions to Nigeria's problems are already in the report of the 2005 National Political Reform Conference. "There is nothing to fear about rubbing minds about the future of Nigeria by all segment of people, but what is to be feared is the machinations to undermining the basis of democracy which gave every segment of the society a voice in the affairs of the Nation. Everybody has a say but majority at end have their way," he said. Dambatta said the 2005 conference came up with a report that could have served the country well but Obasanjo "dumped it and left it to rot away" because his third term agenda failed. "I call on governors and politicians in the North to wake up to this clarion call and mobilise ourselves to chart the course we want, face our compatriots from all parts of the country thoroughly, sincerely and frankly," he added. Meanwhile, the Senate said it was in support of convocation of a national dialogue by President Jonathan. Spokesman Eyinnaya Abaribe said the move was in line with the stance of the Senate as espoused by Senate President David Mark on September 17. Mark had said they were in support of a national conference but which would not be sovereign since the parliament and other democratic structures exist. "This initiative is in sync with the senate position articulated by Senate President in his address on 17th September advocated for a conference of nationalities to discuss the Nigerian question," Abaribe said. But House of Representatives spokesman Zakari Mohammed told Daily Trust the House was yet to take a position on the issue until it resumes from a break today. "If the House wants to have any position, it is when we resume from the oversight break tomorrow (today).... The House will resume and take a position," he said. Some National Assembly members, however, expressed divergent views on the national dialogue/conference announced by President Jonathan. While some lawmakers from the North opposed the conference, others from the South-West said it was a welcome development. Rep Aliyu Sani Madaki (PDP, Kano) said the issue of any national conference does not arise since democracy is in place. "This is something that isn't welcome at all. By this, it means all the powers will now be vested on conference and whatever the delegates decide must come to stay. What if they say they don't want him to be president any longer? "In a country where you have the president and the National Assembly, how will you begin to talk of any national conference? Those clamouring for this are not sincere," he said. Rep Ibrahim Babangida Mahuta (APC, Katsina) said: "The issue of national conference usually arises where there are no representatives of the people. In the House of Representatives, we have 360 members with each representing a particular constituency." But a member from Lagos State, James Abiodun Faleke, said the conference was a welcome development as long as there would not be external influence on its members. "It is indeed a welcome development if it is going to be free. But if it is not going to be sovereign, it makes no sense to me," he said. Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (APC-Oyo South) also described Jonathan's move as a welcome development needed to move the nation forward. But Lanlehin told the News Agency of Nigeria the conference could not be sovereign as this would be unrealistic. "Sovereignty is all about the freedom of the people to take decisions. There is no way the government would surrender its powers and sovereignty given to it by the people to a collection of people to decide how it operates," he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PDP Crisis: ‘New PDP’ Alleges Plot To Arrest Obasanjo, Atiku, Others By: Chibuzo Ukaibe, Bayo Oladeji on September 30, 2013 - 3:16am . The ‘new’ Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) yesterday alleged that there is a plot by the Presidency to arrest former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over their perceived support for the breakaway faction of the ruling party. A statement by the national publicity secretary of the nPDP, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, which made this claim, also stated the G-7 governors are also pencilled down for crackdown by the presidency and noted that they had resolved neither to retreat nor surrender in their bid to reclaim the party. The Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led PDP wondered why Obasanjo was being targeted for arrest as the former president was not linked to the existence and operations of their party and stated that the plot to arrest Obasanjo was to demystify him. According to Eze, the targeted governors include Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano). Part of the nPDP statement reads: “Some days ago, we received intelligence reports that the Presidency was putting finishing touches to what it calls “Operation Total Crackdown on G7 and their allies in the New PDP. “When we got details of the plot to arrest and commit the leadership of New PDP to prison without charge we thought it was a joke. The reality, however, dawned on us after we read the interview of our friend and brother Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo in the PREMIUM TIMES, September 26, 2013, confirming that President Goodluck Jonathan is under pressure to arrest former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar without any further delay. “The sin of these two distinguished Nigerian statesmen, according to those plotting their “demystification”, is their alleged support for the New PDP, including the G7 governors. That this evil plot is being conceived by the Presidency confirms that the Abacha days are truly here again with us. “We do not know why General Olusegun Obasanjo is being linked with the new PDP. Let us state unequivocally that this foremost nationalist has not in any way – either directly or by proxy – had anything to do with our existence and operations. Ridiculing and plotting the arrest of such a distinguished personality that fought to keep this nation as one entity and contributed immensely in making PDP the most vibrant, virile, versatile and biggest political party in Africa as a nobody is not the best strategy to use to fight the cause of President Jonathan, who knows what Chief Obasanjo did to make him President in the first place.” The party summoned an emergency meeting in view of what it called “the devilish plot to crack down on us” and resolved “not to be intimidated as members of the party leadership have been advised to write their Wills.” It stated that it won’t back down on any of its demands as it meets with the President Jonathan on October7. However, in a swift reaction, Obasanjo yesterday asked Nigerians to count him out of any fictionalisation of the strife-torn PDP. Speaking through his chief of staff, Deacon Victor Durodola, Obasanjo said it was his wish to reconcile the aggrieved in order for the party to remain one. “Former President Olusegun Obasanjo does not belong to any faction of the party, he is a leader of the PDP, Baba is former President of the country under the platform of PDP, former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party so you don’t expect him to belong to any faction of the party. As far as he is concerned, PDP is one and what is happening is a disagreement within the PDP family. It is a family affair and it would soon come to an end. Baba is a mediator and you don’t expect a mediator to take sides in a feud. So those who are insinuating that Baba belongs to one faction or the other are missing it. “It is his wish that peace and unity return to the party and that is what he is working on till this hour. The idea that some people are after him because of the crisis he is trying to resolve does not arise. He always believed the party would come out stronger out of the crisis.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Deportation of Igbos, Fashola Tenders Unreserved Apology By Olasunkanmi Akoni, Monsur Olowoopejo and Anozie Egole, 26 September 2013 More on This Lagos Regret Over Deporting Igbos Lagos Governor Fashola Lagos — TWO months after the controversial deportation of Igbo residents, Governor Babatunde Fashola, Thursday, rendered an unreserved apology to the Igbos over the July 24 dumping of some alleged destitute in Onitsha, Anambra State by his administration, saying, "the action of our government was misunderstood." This came as President Goodluck Jonathan, deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Rev. Matthew Kuka, urged Ndigbo to continue to chart new developmental cause for the nation. However, speaking at silver jubilee symposium of Igbo think tank, 'Aka Ikenga,' at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Victoria Island, Fashola insisted that he could not allow differences on a subject matter tarnish the bond and friendship that were built overtime with the Ndigbo in the state. Rev. Kuka who was the guest speaker at the symposium, had earlier accused the governor of personally attending the event to settle differences with the Ndigbo speaking community over the controversial deportation saga. Responding, Fashola argued that his relationship with the Igbo remained solid and that many had misunderstood and misrepresented the actions of the Lagos State Government because of party politics. According to him: "The truth is that I do not have a problem with the Igbos, they know that because the largest herd of cattle I received during my father's burial came from the Ndigbo. Those people who came under their many colours are not people I have a problem with, they are my kindred and my people. "Also, there were people who did not clearly understand me and they have misunderstood words said or misrepresented actions taken in the way that it has pleased them to do so. To those people, I owe an explanation, not a defence of what has happened and that is partly why I am here. "We have built a relationship based on tolerance, mutual respect, trust and love. That relationship was started by our ancestors, it was handed over to us and we have nourished it with a lot of trust, with a lot of understanding and with a lot of fidelity. "Those who misunderstand that relationship, think that there is no value in that relationship I have come here to correct that because I place a lot of value on that relationship. If those people have misunderstood me or they have misunderstood actions taken by our government, here, now and today, I offer an unqualified and unreserved apology. "Why should people feel compelled to migrate from one place to the other? Is there one part of this country that is less endowed whether in human or natural resource? Is that the problem? Is it the case that perhaps some parts are so endowed or not adequately managed? "Those are the honest debates that we must have. The political storm is gathering and allusions have been made to the issues I address, not only by the chairman, but by the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo. How can development be so difficult in the part of Nigeria that gave us Ike Nwachukwu, Chinua Achebe, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Odumegwu Ojukwu, Alex Ekwueme and so on, how can development be so difficult in that part of this country? I think those are the real issues." "I think we have been in the news of our relationship for the wrong reasons in the last few weeks, but if you listen to the voices of those who speak the loudest, you would see that they do not speak about us, they do not speak about the problems, but about themselves. The majority of us are concerned about how to make it better, that is what concerns us always in Lagos, and it is not an easy decision for me." The pursuit of making it better makes us adopt policies which are always subject to the human text of fallibility". Also, Jonathan who was represented by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, in his address, tasked the group to continue to chart a positive course for the Igbo race, which he said has preserved the enterprise, history, arts and culture of the Igbo nation. Kuka in his lecture, said the Igbo race in Nigeria needed to cope with the excesses of globalisation which he said has thrown up many challenges and contribute its own quota to national development. "The greatness of any nation today lies in its capacity and ability to manage diversities and welcome strangers. The Igbo are very much welcomed strangers anywhere. Despite the tragedies and misfortunes that we have, we still have a great nation to build, the final step of the greatness of our nation is where we place integrity", he said. The event was well attended by notable Igbo politicians and icons including, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, who chaired the occasion, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Kanayo O Kanayo, Onyeka Onwenu among others. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2015: We Will Conduct Credible Elections, Jonathan Tells Obama 24 Sep 2013 By Nduka Nwosu and Jaiyeola Andrews with agency report President Goodluck Jonathan Monday met with his United States counterpart, Barack Obama, for bilateral talks and assured him that his administration would ensure the conduct of credible elections in 2015. Jonathan while responding to his host’s remarks that Nigeria is a major stakeholder in Africa and needed to be encouraged to hold free and fair elections in 2015, told Obama that his administration would improve on its efforts in the 2011 general election by ensuring that the forthcoming ones are better organised. He also applauded US for creating a paradigm shift away from crises ridden elections right from its independence According to Jonathan, the relationship between the two countries has grown in various sectors of the economy, making Nigeria US’ biggest trading partner in Africa. The Nigerian president explained that after the criticisms that trailed the 2007 presidential election that brought him and his principal then, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to power, he had resolved to deliver a democratically elected government even if he was not favoured at the polls. “We have had controversial elections between 1960 and 2011, including the one that ushered me in as vice-president. My administration promised to improve the democratic process and minimise corruption, nepotism. We delivered what has so far been adjudged as the most credible elections in Nigeria since our democratic experiment. We will continue to build strong institutions that will help consolidate the gains we have made,” Jonathan added. He said he looked forward to Obama’s initiative of powering Africa, adding that already some American stakeholders in the power sector were involved in the privatisation of the sector in Nigeria. On terrorism, Jonathan said it has become a global issue and Nigeria was grappling with its own share of it, promising to cooperate with the US in the fight against global terror. “This relationship must continue if we must face global issues together as we have done in the past,” Jonathan said, adding that he was satisfied with the co-operation existing between the two countries. “We will continue to co-operate with the US in solving our problems,” he said. According to him, the US has been Nigeria’s partner since independence and expressed gladness that the two countries have benefited from each other’s relationship with Nigeria as the largest US trading partner in Africa and its fifth largest oil exporter to the country. “The two countries are very strong from two perspectives. The US is the greatest super-power in the world while Nigeria is also a strong country in terms of size and economy growth in the continent,” he said. The two presidents agreed terror was unacceptable to the civilised world and must be fought to a just end. They also sympathised with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya whose country was attacked by the terrorist group, Al Shabbab, on Sunday. Obama, who made the opening remarks, said the US was supportive of Nigeria in its fight against terrorism, adding that Boko Haram was one of the most hideous terrorist organisations facing mankind and should be battled until it ceases to exist. He said: “Boko Haram is a most vicious terrorist organisation, a challenge to the civilised world and the US wants to be involved in the war to eliminate it.” He further extended his heartfelt sympathy to the people of Kenya, stressing that the US would do everything to assist Kenyatta and his people. On energy, Obama said Nigeria was also setting a pace that needed to be admired in Africa and other countries. According to him, his two visits to some African countries were aimed at knowing what areas the US could be most relevant in the continent’s economic needs and development. The US president said he was happy to know that Nigeria was on course and in tandem with his Power Africa Initiative. Obama along with some members of his cabinet, which included Secretary of State John Kerry, later had lunch with Jonathan before the Nigerian president left for the New York Stock Exchange to ring the closing bell. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Jonathan to Detractors - Allow Me to Do My Job By Nduka Nwosu and Jaiyeola Andrews, 23 September 2013 Nigeria In response to the barrage of criticism in recent weeks, especially from the seven aggrieved governors of his own Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday told his critics to stop distracting him and allow him to do his job, warning those seeking his job "not to blow up the house you are seeking to occupy with dynamite." The president, who spoke at the interactive lunch held yesterday with the Nigerian Diaspora community at the New York Plaza Hotel, also spoke on his achievements and his transformation agenda in office, adding that when he appointed a team to his cabinet, he went out of his way not to appoint politicians but appointed transformers to help him achieve his objectives. Specifically, the president mentioned the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina; and Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, whom the president said he barely knew but appointed them primarily on the basis of the recommendations made to him and their CVs. "My goal was to bring in more technocrats to the cabinet and not just political appointees. That is why I appointed the likes of Ngozi (Okonjo-Iweala), Adesina and Aganga. "I did not know these people before I appointed them. When Ngozi was finance minister the first time, I was a deputy governor and out paths hardly crossed. But based on recommendations and their CVs I appointed them to help me in my transformation agenda. "Each of them has performed very well and it is to their credit that we have been able to transform the agriculture sector, attract more investments into the country and kept the economy on track," the president said. Continuing, the president said: "The team is doing well and if given the chance, without distractions, it would do even better. Yes, we are not yet in the Promised Land but we on are track, so they should give me the chance to do my job." On the criticism that his administration was not doing enough to tackle corruption, Jonathan said he would rather deal with facts and numbers instead of speculation. He pointed to the agriculture sector where N25 billion was being spent on subsidising fertilizer by past regimes which barely reached farmers, adding, however, that the trend had been reversed under his administration. "N25 billion was being spent in the past to make cheap fertilizer available which hardly reached the end users. But today, we cut the amount to N5 billion to N6 billion per annum and 80 per cent of farmers have access to fertilizer to improve their yields. Yet they say I am not doing enough to curb corruption," Jonathan said. In the area of the power sector, he added that his administration had implemented the most transparent privatisation programme that was above board, adding, "No one gave us a chance. But for the first time, the federal government has implemented the most transparent privatisation programme, which was above board. "The winners have emerged and will be taking over the distribution and generation companies in the next few weeks. "With the handover of the power sector to the private sector, we will begin to witness improvement in electricity generation and intend to hit 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation by next year. "Through the privatisation programme, we realised close to $3 billion which again is the highest ever realised from the sale of government companies. "This is unlike what obtained in the past when the process was corrupted by those who were responsible for it. Yet the same people have the temerity to say I am corrupt when they could not run a clean process." The president also spoke on the petroleum downstream sector in which he said his administration tried to remove subsidies, but could not do so because Nigerians opposed the scheme. "If this government was corrupt, I would not have asked that subsidies on petrol should be removed. I could have left it as it was in the past where we had all manner of marketers defrauding the government of billions of naira. "But when I tried to remove the subsidy on petrol, we were forced to reduce it because we had to consider the demands of the Nigerian people who did not want the subsidy removed," he said. The interactive session, which was hosted by Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States of America, Professor Ade Adefuye and Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Professor Joy Ogwu, was attended by Aganga, Adesina, Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman of Forte Oil Plc, Mr. Femi Otedola, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mr. Uche Orji, among others. Meanwhile, the president yesterday debunked an online report that he is in New York with 600-man delegation from Nigeria. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president said the report was untrue and misleading. "We have noted with regret the continuation today by saharareporters.com of its usual scurrilous and baseless attacks on the Jonathan administration with publication of a false claim that the president is leading a 600-man delegation to the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. "While we trust that discerning members of the public who are already very familiar with Sahara Reporters' usual fare of mischief, outright falsehood and erroneous speculation will rightly dismiss this latest claim as a fresh manifestation of the online medium's ill-will towards President Jonathan and his administration, we wish to affirm for the benefit of the unwary that there is absolutely no truth in the allegation that the president took a 600-man delegation to New York. "There is also no substance to the rehashed charge of profligacy which Sahara reporters annually makes against the president when he leads Nigeria's delegation to the UN General Assembly. "The truth is that less than 30 persons arrived in New York with the president this morning as members of his entourage. Other than them, the only other persons who are in New York for the UN General Assembly with the president's knowledge and approval are relevant ministers and a few essential aides. "President Jonathan's official delegation is definitely not out of proportion with Nigeria's size, role and relevance in Africa and the global community. "Sahara Reporters' claim that the president's delegation is the largest at this year's General Assembly is an unjustifiable fabrication which can never stand any rigorous test of truthfulness. "We are certainly aware that many Nigerian citizens are currently on visits to New York. These persons are here for their own purposes and neither President Jonathan nor his administration has any responsibility for the presence of these persons in New York. "We will not be surprised if it is such persons who include Nigerian businessmen who are here for an African Business Roundtable event, members of non-governmental organisations and tourists that Sahara Reporters has been counting, for the sole purpose of mischief-making, as 'members of the Nigerian delegation'," the statement read. Nigeria Economy May Face Harsh Times in 2014 There are indications that harsh times await Nigeria's economy due to increasing challenges in the sources of income to … see more » -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigerians encourage corruption – Jonathan September 18, 2013 by Ifeanyi Onuba, Abuja President Goodluck Jonathan has lamented that in spite of institutional reforms aimed at fighting corrupt practices, Nigerians, through their actions encourage graft. He also said both the public and private sectors were involved in corruption but stated that he would not give out their names “so that I won’t be attacked.” The President spoke while declaring open the 54th annual conference of the Nigerian Economic Society in Abuja on Tuesday. The conference, which has as its theme, “Institutions, institutional reforms and economic development,” is the single largest gathering of economists in the country. Jonathan argued that if Nigerians did not “reward corrupt practices” through their actions, those involved in them would have no need to continue. He said, “I want a society where all of us will frown upon people who come up with what they are not supposed to have. “(If) a young man who just started a job and within six months or a year comes up with a car of N7m to N15m and you clap for him, then you are rewarding corruption. “So for us as a nation to bring corruption down, it is not just blaming government or blaming the police. but all individuals must frown upon people who have what they are not supposed to have; who live in houses they are not supposed to live in; who drive cars they are not supposed to drive and who wear expensive suits they are not supposed to wear. “And until Nigerians are able to do this, I don’t think we will get to where we want to go.” Advising that the war against corruption should not be left to the government alone, Jonathan said both public and private institutions were also involved in sharp practice. He advised that the country should stop creating an environment where people would be tempted to take what belonged to the public. The President said “ When you talk about corruption, the private sector is involved; the public sector is involved; even individuals. But I wouldn’t want to mention names so that I will not be attacked. “But I know that if collectively we don’t reward corruption, people would not be attracted to corrupt practices but when we all reward corruption, then of course, we will be tempted to go in that direction.” He however said his administration would continue to focus on how to strengthen all anti-corruption agencies to enable them discharge their duties effectively. Jonathan explained that his administration’s approach to fighting graft was targeted at building institutions that had the capacity to overcome corrupt influences. This approach, according to him, will use the rule of law as a framework. In this regard, he said the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission had been repositioned to ensure effective, efficient and transparent way of managing corruption and corrupt practices. He said that a major principle underlying the implementation of his transformation agenda was the unwavering conviction that reforms must not be centred on individuals, no matter how strong they might be. Rather, he said his administration recognised the fact that in order for reforms to be sustainable, they must be driven by strong, sound and effective processes and institutions. On the management of government finances, Jonathan said that the nation’s budget was now being managed electronically. He said, “For many years, the process had been manual – government officials carrying documents and files from one office to another. “This manual system created opportunities for corrupt practices and also introduced many ghost workers and ghost pensioners to the payrolls. “Today, we have put in place computerised systems and processes to manage the government payroll and also government finances.” At the event, the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and a former Minister of Health, Prof Eyitayo Lambo, were conferred with a fellowship award of the NES. The institute had only conferred its fellowship award on 38 distinguished economists in its 56 years of existence. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ibori hid assets in Oando – British prosecutor September 17, 2013 by Dayo Oketola with agency report Convicted former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, hid some of his assets in an indigenous integrated oil company, Oando Plc, according to a British prosecutor. The prosecutor was quoted by Reuters in a report on Monday as saying that the former governor, who is serving a 13-year jail term in the United Kingdom for fraud and money-laundering, hid some of his assets in the oil firm; adding that money passed from Oando’s accounts into Ibori’s Swiss accounts. Ibori had in February 2012 pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud and money-laundering worth £50m. Prosecutor Sasha Wass was quoted as telling the court that she would be presenting evidence that Ibori had “asserted ownership of a large part” of Oando, Nigeria’s biggest home-grown oil firm, which is listed in Lagos, Johannesburg and Toronto. “The Crown will assert that Oando is a company where James Ibori has hidden assets,” Wass said, giving no further details. One of the biggest embezzlement cases seen in Britain, the successful prosecution of Ibori was also a rare example of a senior Nigerian politician being held to account for the corruption that blights Africa’s most populous country. At the time of Ibori’s sentencing in April 2012, Judge Anthony Pitts said the £50m that he had admitted to stealing might be a “ludicrously low” fraction of his total booty, which could be more than £200m. The confiscation hearing will shed further light on the scale of Ibori’s wealth and determine whether he emerges from jail impoverished or still in possession of a large enough fortune to regain a position of influence in Nigeria. Ibori could be released as early as 2016 because he spent two years in custody before his sentencing and because he will be eligible for parole halfway through his prison term. He was not in court on Monday and his lawyer, Ivan Krolick, said Ibori did not wish to attend the confiscation hearing although he would come to court to give evidence if necessary. In May, the Court of Appeal had rejected Ibori’s appeal against the length of his sentence. During his sentencing hearing, the court heard that Ibori had acquired six foreign properties worth £6.9m, a fleet of luxury cars including a Bentley and a Maybach 62, and that he had tried to buy a $20m private jet. His three daughters were attending a private school in rural England. However, the Head, Corporate Communications, Oando Plc, Mr. Ainojie Irune, who spoke with our correspondent in Lagos, denied the report that the jailed ex-governor owned a larger part of the oil company. He said, “We state categorically that Mr. James Ibori does not own ‘a large part of Oando’ and that this statement is incorrect and misleading. Oando is a publicly traded company listed on the Nigerian and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges and does not and cannot control the trading in its securities on the floor of the respective Exchanges. “Based on our current shareholding register, Mr. James Ibori’s shareholding stands at 443 shares out of a total issued and paid up share capital of 6.8 billion ordinary shares, which is clearly insignificant, and cannot be considered as ‘a large part of Oando.’ “Oando also stated that it does accept that sometime in 2004, in the normal course of its business, it sold some of its foreign exchange earnings for naira and the recipient of the US dollars was a company, which has now turned out to be one controlled by James Ibori. “At the time of the transaction, this information was unknown to Oando. The total amount was $2.7m made in three separate transactions over a period of about seven months. This amount was insignificant considering the company’s turnover of approximately $800m in 2004.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria to Access U.S.$500 Million for Education By Ben Agande, 10 September 2013 More on This Boost for Nigerian Education A student writes on a blackboard. Abuja — Nigeria is to access $500 million from international funding agencies to boost educational development and enhance access to universal basic education in the country. Former Prime Minister of Britain, Mr. Gordon Brown, who disclosed this yesterday at the meeting of Coalition of Interventions to Support Access and Quality of Education in Nigeria, said the international agencies were from Europe and America. President Goodluck Jonathan, who hosted the meeting at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa yesterday, also reaffirmed his administration's commitment to the effective implementation of policies and measures that would ensure that Nigerian youths received qualitative education that will equip them with essential skills and competencies required by employers. Gordon Brown speaks Speaking on efforts of the international agencies, Brown said: "Federal Government of Nigeria has made available $250 million for investment in education by the states. "What we have managed to do by talking to the individual agencies over the last few days is to match that $250 million by the additional $250 million making possible new investment of $500 million in education in Nigeria." He explained that the Global Partnership for Education and the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, had agreed to contribute $100 million each for the development of universal education, while the Federal Government, in collaboration with state governments, had already provided $250 million for the development of education in the country. "I believe that additional cash transfers for training and introduction of new technologies can now match the initiatives that have been taken by Mr. Dangote from the business community and other initiatives among five agencies," he said. 7-year EU grant He also pointed out that Nigeria stood to benefit from a seven-year term European Union grant that would be devoted to the development of education. He said: "I have talked to the head of the development commission for the European Union EU, and he said he will tell the government of Nigeria to submit an application from time to time for the next seven years. "Its terms will be devoted to education development in Nigeria. So, it's up to the government to make the application." Jonathan makes promises Speaking earlier at an audience with the former British Prime Minister, President Jonathan said his administration would continue to evolve and execute programmes and actions to improve access to quality education across the country to create a highly skilled and competitive work force. The President assured Brown, who now serves as the United Nations Special Envoy on Global Education, that in addition to providing the $250 million required to match the amount raised by international donors towards giving more Nigerian youths access to basic education, Federal Government would also provide all possible support to state governments to ensure they were able to access the new funds and put them to appropriate use. Jonathan said: "Thank you for helping us in this area. Education is critical to making our youths more employable. "The Coordinating Minister of the Economy/Finance and the Minister of Education will work with the states to make sure that the programme succeeds." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria’ll not disintegrate, but… – Anyaokuon August 16, 2013 / in News 12:30 am / By CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, Deputy Political Editor LAGOS — FORMER Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has advised those postulating that Nigeria could be dismembered before 2015 to have a rethink because “Nigeria will not disintegrate.” However, he wants the country restructured into a federation of six units to firm up her unity, reduce the cost of governance, boost socio-economic growth and eliminate destructive competition for power at the centre, which he said gives rise to ethno-religious crises. Anyaoku spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, in Lagos, shortly after the presentation of a book, Footprints of An Iconic Diplomat, a pictorial biography, at the MUSON Centre, Lagos. The diplomat, who spoke on a day that President Goodluck Jonathan, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, world leaders and eminent persons showered tributes on him, gave reasons he did not join politics after a chequered career at the Commonwealth and elected to offer the country’s leaders his experience in an advisory capacity free of charge. Emeka Anyaoku ‘Why I didn’t join politics’ He said: “When I returned to Nigeria, I decided to make available to the country’s leadership my experience in an advisory capacity pro bono (without charge). “I decided against joining politics in our country because the nature of our politics is not one that I will feel very comfortable in.” Asked if there were hopes that things would turn around given the current state of affairs in the country, he said: “We have hope, provided we do certain things. “I have said that the present structure of governance we have in the country is not serving us well. In my view, this country should return to true federalism so that we can achieve two things. “First, we can reduce drastically the enormous cost of administration with the existing structure of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Secondly, we can reduce or, in fact, eliminate the destructive and destabilising competition for the control of the all powerful centre because it is that competition that fans the flames of religious and tribal differences in the country. “If we return to a federation of six units, I believe, we can do much better than we are doing. We were in fact doing better as a country in the first years of our independence when we had four regions. “The regions were competing in a healthy manner. The centre allowed them; the centre was not in a position to impede their development efforts. We should return to that arrangement.” On disintegration On the prediction that Nigeria could disintegrate before 2015 beginning from next year, when the country will attain 100 years of amalgamation, Anyaoku said: “I don’t think this country will disintegrate. “I think this country will find the wisdom to adopt what I have suggested in terms of structure of governance and once that is done, the country will thrive.” Jonathan’s tribute President Jonathan, who was represented by Ambassador Gbenga Ashiru, said the launching of Anyaoku’s pictorial biography was “a fitting tribute to a worthy son of our great country, a father, brother, friend and uncommon idol whose legendary exploits in public service transcend the ordinary routine.” Describing Anyaoku as “a rare icon of our time,” the President said he was glad that there existed a consensual perception of what Anyaoku represents for humanity. He said: “While acknowledging the wisdom and the veracity of this great work we are launching, it is the man himself that fascinates me the most. Chief Emeka Anyaoku, to me, represents an enigma of out time. “His world straddles the labyrinth of professionalism that is enamoured in a rich and sound philosophical foundation and discharged with an intellectual and scholarly precision. “Yet he embodies the basic ethics that edify societal values and harmony with nature. The world view through his spectacle represents a collective vision of peace and general well being of the global citizenry.” OBJ, Tinubu Chief Obasanjo, who chaired the event, described Anyaoku as a detribalised and quintessential Nigerian, who is worthy of emulation. Tinubu, the Chief Launcher, who was represented by Dr. Leke Pitan, said it was unfair and an understatement to merely refer to Anyaoku as ‘iconic diplomat’ because his accomplishments towered beyond diplomacy. He said the celebrant, who turned 80 recently, was close to “what we can call the Mandela of our nation” because he is a bridge-builder. On her part, Awolowo-Dosunmu said Anyaoku, who chairs the Dr. Obafemi Awolowo Leadership prize committee, is a delightful person to work with. She said: “He is a gentleman. He is intelligent and accomplished, but when he talks to you, he makes you feel as important as he is.” Presidential Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs, Chief Ben Obi, said Anyaoku is a great statesman, a man, who had brought great pride to Nigeria. The book Reviewed by Ambassador Martin Uhomoidhi, the 199-page book contained tributes from eminent leaders such as Dr. Alex Ekwueme, General Theophilus Danjuma(rtd.), former South African presidents, Thabo Mbeki and F. W. de Klerk, and Governor Peter Obi. Danjuma, in his tribute, said: “Chief Emeka Anyaoki is easily one of the best and most refined technocrats that Nigeria has ever produced. “An articulate and first class gentleman, Chief Anyaoku can always be relied upon to deliver a delicate message without embarrassing or hurting the listener.” Chief Ekwueme said: “Chief Emeka Anyaoku and I have enjoyed a very close relationship since 1963. He is a great man, a polished gentleman, who rose from the ranks and does not joke with his work and has distinguished himself exceptionally. “He is somebody all of Nigeria, Africa, and indeed the world should be proud of.” Mbeki speaks To Mbeki, whatever Anyaoku said carried weight because “he is one leaders that has been accepted globally. “From my own point of view, our (South Africa) association with Chief Anyaoku was in the fight for the liberation of our country South Africa. He did not need to be convinced or persuaded by us to engage in the struggle. “Whether in Zimbabwe or South Africa or anywhere else, Chief Anyaoku felt very much that he was part of that struggle. He was very keenly interested in the objective of our liberation: that we must make a success of it. “We trusted him and considered him our representative within the Commonwealth, not just for South Africa as a country but for the reconstruction of Africa.” Obi Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State said: “Chief Emeka Anyaoku has been a global model, not just to us here, but a brand globally. He reached the peak of public service and he did this in a style worthy of emulation. “For me in particular, when I see and talk about Chief Anyaoku, I feel like the chief executive officer of a global brand. At times, I got worried how Nigeria and the world at large can create good brands that can be celebrated in years to come. “So, as we celebrate Chief Anyaoku, my own worries are what I can contribute to the children so we can celebrate them tomorrow.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria’s 2012 petroleum exports valued at N15.1 trillion . Monday, 12 August 2013 21:21 By Roseline Okere Business Services - Business News .THE Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has put the value of Nigeria’s petroleum exports in 2012 at $94.64 billion (N15.1 trillion). OPEC in its Yearly Statistical Bulletin for 2012 released at the weekend put the country’s value of export at $142.52 billion and value of import at $35.71 billion. According to OPEC: “Nigeria’s natural gas exports increased from 25,941 million standard cubic feet in 2011 to 28,266 million standard cubic in 2012, representing nine per cent increase from the previous year. It disclosed that Nigeria’s natural gas gross production increased from 84.004 million standard cubic feet (mscf) in the previous year to 84.845 mscf in the year under review. The country marketed gas production was put at 42.571 mscf; flared 13.182 mscf; re-injected 20.520 mscf and had shrinkage of 8.573 mscf in 2012. The report said that the country produced 1.954 million barrels per day of crude oil in 2012, representing a decrease of one per cent from the 1.974 mpd it recorded in the previous year. Also, in its August monthly report released at the weekend, Africa’s oil production is anticipated to increase by 80 tbpd in 2013 to 2.39 mbpd, unchanged from the previous month. It added that despite the steady state, there were minor upward and downward revisions that offset each other.” In Africa, oil production from South Sudan and Sudan and Ghana is seen to experience yearly growth while supply from other countries is seen to either remain flat or decline”. The report added: “Total OPEC crude oil production averaged 30.31 mbpd in July, was down by 0.10 mbpd from the previous month. Crude oil output from Libya and Iraq fell, while production increased from Saudi Arabia. According to secondary sources, OPEC crude oil production, not including Iraq, stood at 27.34 mbpd in July, a drop of 0.05 mbpd over the previous month. “Preliminary figures indicate that global oil supply increased by 0.08 mbpd in July to average 89.95 mbpd. Non-OPEC supply saw growth of 0.17 mbpd, while OPEC crude production decreased by 0.10 mbpd. The share of OPEC crude oil in global production remained steady at 33.7 per cent. “The demand for OPEC crude in 2013 is forecast to average 29.9 mbpd, almost unchanged from the previous report and 0.4 mbpd lower than in the year before. In 2014, demand for OPEC crude has experienced a slight change since the previous report to stand at 29.7 mbpd. This represents a decline of 0.3 mbpd compared to the year before. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency (IEA), trimmed its outlook for oil demand over the next 18 months and highlighted threats to the dominance of OPEC. The IEA said that new data on the difficulty the global economy is having in picking up speed meant that demand for oil would grow by slightly less than it had foreseen in July. The agency said that it was trimming its forecast for growth of global oil demand this year by 30,000 barrels per day to 895,000 barrels per day because the International Monetary Fund had lowered its forecast for growth of the global economy from 3.3 percent to 3.1 percent. The IEA also reported that output by Iraq fell below three million bpd for the first time for five months and exports were expected to plunge by about 500,000 bpd from September owing to work on infrastructure at southern ports. It also spotlighted violence, unrest or tension in Algeria, Nigeria, Egypt and Syria. The IEA said. “Many commentators are questioning its implications for the future of OPEC. It would have to cut its supplies under pressure from shale oil “unless falling prices curb shale oil production first. “But at the moment, Opec’s main problem is “in bringing production to market”. Opec’s production last month “was down 1.1m bpd on the year” mainly owing to “domestic developments in some member countries” “In an effort to reduce oil theft and pipeline damage that has led to an estimated annual loss of 60 kbpd and caused massive environmental problems, Nigeria’s largest producer Shell plans to invest $1.5 billion on a new pipeline. “Shell was forced to close the Nembe Creek pipeline for repairs after discovering more than 50 break points along the near 100 km trunkline. In 2010, Shell spent $1.1 billion to replace the Nembe Creek pipeline due to damage. The new pipeline, called the TransNiger Pipeline Loop?line, should help reduce oil spills in the Niger Delta because it will circumvent the Ogoniland region of Nigeria, where a large volume of bunkering and pipeline damage takes place”, it added. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: EU Donates 14.25m Euros for Water, Sanitation in Nigeria - UNICEF Official 8 August 2013 Related Topics Nigeria The European Union (EU) has allocated 14.25 million euros to the a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector in Nigeria through UNICEF for the improvement of the sector, a UNICEF official has said. Mr Kanan Nadar, the UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Chief made this known in an interview withe the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja. Nadar said that the amount was allocated to the sector as part of the EU support to improve sanitation in the country. He said that the money would be used to execute projects in three states -- Plateau, Adamawa and Ekiti -- because they were rated lower than 30 per cent in sanitation coverage. "14.25 million euro was the specific allocation for the WASH sector and looking at three states which are Plateau, Ekiti and Adamawa. "The EU support to the Nigeria WASH sector had always been there for sometime and some of these states like Plateau, Ekiti and Adamawa have been part of the support. "If you look at Plateau and Ekiti, their coverage for water and sanitation together is less than 20 per cent; for Adamawa it's about 27.2 per cent. "If you look at sanitation, except for Adamawa which is 36 per cent, others are less hitting 26.9 per cent, which is less than the average of 31 per cent." According to him, the project is at the inception stage currently, which is establishing baseline and assisting local government areas in the states to double their investment plan. He noted that the present stage would take about one year, adding that the project would run for five years for the desired goal to be achieved. Nadar told NAN that the aim of the project was to achieve complete Open Defecation Free status in these states and to provide adequate access to water supply. He said that the EU was also supporting 14 other states in the country through UNICEF, to ensure total sanitation coverage and adequate access to good water supply. The WASH chief noted that Nigeria accounted for a significant portion the high mortality rate of children under the age of five in Africa. He identified the major cause of the high mortality rate as inadequate hygiene management and the lack of access to potable water, resulting to water-borne diseases. "In Africa, mortality rate of children under the age of five is significantly high unlike in Asia, where it has drastically reduced since 1990. "And Nigeria is a big contributor to this burden; So for us at UNICEF, it is a burden because WASH is one of the underlining causes for this high under five mortality rate." He added that the absence of Water Sanitation and Hygiene Departments in many local government areas in the country constituted a major challenge to UNICEF's work. NAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Why Nigeria Can't Disintegrate - Jonathan 8 August 2013 Related Topics Nigeria Mr. Jonathan said this when Vice President Namadi Sambo and other Muslim faithful, paid him Sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to him, some of the problems the country is experiencing are temporary and largely being fuelled by some selfish elites. "Let me use this opportunity again to also reassure you, Moslem brothers, and indeed, the whole country that myself, the vice president and our team will do our best to reposition the country. "Christians and Moslems are brothers and sisters and we must live together. Those who are predicting that this country will separate base on our front lines as at the time of amalgamation by 2015, they will know that those predictions may not be true." He said that Nigeria would continue to remain one indivisible country, noting that Nigeria's uniqueness was borne out of its position as "a deeply religious people of Christians and Muslims". "For us, we cannot imagine a Nigeria without Muslims and Christians. You can call it another name, but not Nigeria. "So it is a blessing that this is one country that you have significant population of Muslims and Christians and this religious diversity will enhance our development because we can get across the whole world wherever we go we are accepted. "That helps us in so many ways. We are not even exploiting our diversity because of the myopic views of the elites about our situations," he said. The president, who also joined the Muslim community in observing the fasting for 29 days, congratulated all Muslims for the successful fasting. "My brothers and sisters assalam alaiku. Let me first and foremost use this unique opportunity to congratulate all Muslim brothers and sisters from this great country, and indeed, all over the world for going through this tempting period, in this month of Ramadan in the Holy month that the Qur'an was revealed to humanity. "Sometimes when you are not involved in fasting you will think it is an easy thing to go through. My trousers are just pulling out from my waist. "So you should know that it is not easy to forego food for a reasonable time within 24 hours of the day. "For you to have gone through this is worth congratulations, so I congratulate you." Jonathan called for more prayers not just for peace in the country, but in the world, saying that "there can be no development without peace. "Today is a unique day, and I urge our Muslim brothers and sisters that they should continue to pray for peace not just in Nigeria but all over the world. "If you watch television these days, more than 60 per cent of the time is spent on showing crises all over the world. "And for the world to move ahead and for Nigeria to move ahead, for us to develop first and foremost, there must be peace and security. "Nobody will come and invest in an environment where you are not sure of your workers and investment. "As a nation, for our children to get where we want them to be, we must create a very peaceful environment for them. "So, they can develop mentally and be focused and use their brains in a manner that will bring economic changes to us. "In Nigeria, we are very religious people and we believe in one Almighty God and we will continue to pray, God will see us through," he said. "Jonathan reiterated the commitment of his administration's determination to reposition the country for better. "Earlier, in his remarks, Sambo thanked Jonathan for providing the required leadership in the country. He said Nigerians had started witnessing the fruitful results of the ongoing transformation agenda of the government. "We are here again this morning after the Eid prayer to pay homage to your Excellency and to thank you for all you have been giving to Nigeria. "We appreciate the fatherly nature you have continued to hold us, the brotherly nature that you have been a teacher and a leader to all of us and we are learning about. "We continue to pray that the transformation agenda which already is showing effect in this country particularly when you look at the area of power supply, the area of transportation. "Today we have railway that is moving in this country after over 40 years." The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sambo and other government functionaries conducted their Eid- el-Fitri prayer on Airport Road, where they prayed for peace, progress and rapid development of the country. The prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Abuja, Ustaz Musa Mohammed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria Not Responsible for U.S.$700 Million Revenue Loss, Shell Admits By Juliet Alohan, 8 August 2013 Related Topics Nigeria Oil giant Shell has admitted that impact of operating environment in Nigeria was not responsible for the company's $700 million revenue loss in second quarter (Q2) 2013. The clarification which was made yesterday by a spokesperson of Shell Nigeria, Precious Okolobo, in an email statement to LEADERSHIP, informed that bulk of the loss resulted from impact of weakening Australian dollars on deferred tax liability. According to Okolobo, only $250 million of the total $700 million loss was due to operational challenges in Nigeria including crude oil theft and blockage of Nigeria NLG. He said: "We wish to correct some wrongful interpretation of aspects of Shell Group earnings in Q2 earnings as announced on August 1, by our CEO, Peter Voser. "It was disclosed that Q2 Current Cost of Supplies (CCS) earnings excluding identified items were reduced by around $700 million. Of the amount, $250 million was due to operational challenges in Nigeria including crude oil theft and blockade of Nigeria LNG." The rest of the figure, $450 million, he said, was caused by the impact of the weakening Australian dollar on a deferred tax liability. Okolobo added that "at no time did Peter Voser refer to Nigerian production outages costing it $700 million in the second quarter, as some media organisations have wrongly reported." This is coming after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) challenged Shell Group over claims that it lost $700 million in Q2 to operating environment in Nigeria. "With regard to claims by Shell that it lost $700Million by the second quarter of 2013 to crude oil theft and other disruptions in Nigeria, NNPC posits that the loss claims are not localised to Nigeria as reported," acting spokesperson of the NNPC, Tumini Green said in a statement Tuesday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: PDP Blasts Fashola Over Deportation of Ndigbo By Peter Okutu, 6 August 2013 Nigerian State Expels Igbos Lagos. Abakaliki — The Zonal Working Committee of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, South-East, Monday, described the action of Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State over the deportation of Ndigbo as unconstitutional, despotic and dictatorial. In a statement by the zonal Publicity Secretary of the party, Ali Odefa, the PDP called on the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, to immediately recall, rehabilitate and compensate victims, whose rights were violated by the government of Lagos State. Odefa, who stated that the action of Lagos State government was capable of destabilizing the fragile peace in the country, pointed out that the PDP would continue to uphold the rights and aspirations of Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic, religious, social and economic background. The statement read in part: "The Peoples Democratic Party, in the South East geopolitical zone strongly condemns this unconstitutional, dictatorial, despotic and unjustified criminal deportation of Ndigbo by Lagos State government. "We urge Nigerians and Ndigbo, especially, to be steadfast, calm as this act is just one of the many divisive strategies the APC has outlined in their unbridled quest to take power in Nigeria". "We also use this medium to call on the leadership of the APC to immediately recall, rehabilitate and compensate these Nigerians whose rights have been violently violated by the government of Lagos State. "The PDP will continue to uphold the rights and aspirations of Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, religious, social and economic background as we work to achieve one strong, progressive and united Nigeria. "This is evident in the unprecedented, unwarranted, and senseless divisive action the APC led government of Lagos State has taken by vigorously pursuing actions that can set the country on fire. "It is baffling that a party that is purportedly run by individuals who call themselves progressives can become so desperate to the extent of fanning the embers of ethnicity just to gain cheap popularity amongst its unsuspecting followers. "The new party whose promoters have been very active in media campaign to gain the support of Nigerians chose to launch out with a most barbaric, anti democratic and despotic criminal discrimination against fellow Nigerians. "The APC in Lagos State used the celebration of its registration to confront the rights of Nigerians to live in Nigeria by forcefully removing bona fide Nigerians of Igbo extraction from Lagos and dumping them in the midnight at the bank of River Niger. This unconscionable able act was termed deportation"! "This act of the APC led government of Lagos state is a frontal attack on the rights of these Nigerians and the Nigerian 1999 constitution which guarantees the right of every Nigerian citizen to live within any part of the country without molestation or discrimination. "It is to be noted that this act of the APC-led government in Lagos violates all the laws of human rights and dignity of man. "The APC is taking Nigeria to the cave age by fanning the ugly embers of ethnicity and nepotism. It is instructive to remind the APC and its promoters that Lagos state natives live in all part of Nigeria and it is unimaginable what would happen if states within Nigeria start deporting people that are not natives of the states. "The role of Ndigbo in the life and economy of Lagos State can never be over emphasised. It is a direct affront on the unity of Nigeria for the APC led government of Lagos state to start treating fellow Nigerians as illegal immigrants, who can be yanked off, dislocated from their families forced into dingy buses at gun point in the middle of the night and shipped to river banks-Nazi style without any provocation." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria: Obasanjo Accepted As Head of AU Observer Mission for Zimbabwe Elections - Zuma 26 July 2013 Related Topics Nigeria Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has been accepted by the government of Zimbabwe to be the AU Observer Mission Chairman for the July 31, presidential election. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of AU Commission, in a statement on Friday said that Obasanjo is expected in Zimbabwe on Saturday to lead the team of international observers. Dlamini-Zuma made this known in a statement after paying a courtesy call on President Robert Mugabe at the State House in Harare on Thursday to announce the AU team's presence in the country ahead of elections. She said that Mugabe welcomed the scheduled arrival of Obasanjo. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that with the acceptance by Mugabe it as clears doubts over Obasanjo's visit to Zimbabwe as head of AU Observer Mission. It will be recalled that the Pan African Forum and the Zimbabwe ruling party, Zanu-PF had rejected the former Nigerian leader as head of the AU observer mission, claiming he will be biased towards the main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Dlamini-Zuma in an interview on Thursday before meeting with Mugabe said that Obasanjo can only visit Zimbabwe if allow by the government of the country. Mugabe, who has been governing the country since independence will contest the presidential polls with the Prime Minister and MDC candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai. NAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria: African Countries Adopt Controversial Deadly Chemical, DDT, for Malaria Treatment By Tobore Ovuorie, 17 July 2013 Related Topics Nigeria "Exposure to DDT at amounts that would be needed in malaria control might cause preterm birth and early weaning... " Amidst staggering mortality and morbidity rates due to malaria in the African continent, African Heads of State and Government have adopted the use of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), a controversial chemical, as the means of eradicating malaria in the continent, This came after several debates which commenced Wednesday July 10 at a meeting of Health Ministers of various African countries; and continued at meetings of Ambassadors and members of the Permanent Representative Council of the African Union on July 12. The final decision for DDT adoption was arrived at after another round of debate on Tuesday July 16, during a meeting of the African heads of state and government, which ended same day. However, long before its adoption by African leaders, concerns have been raised about the negative impact of the chemical on the health of humans. DDT is a tasteless, colourless chemical that was successfully used in the second half of World War II to control malaria among civilians and troops. It was then regarded as a contact poison against several arthropods; hence, was also used as an agricultural insecticide, while its production and use skyrocketed. The use of the chemical was first questioned by an American biologist, Rachel Carson, who wrote about the environmental impacts of the indiscriminate spraying of DDT in the United States and questioned the logic of releasing large amounts of chemicals into the environment without fully understanding their effects on ecology or human health. The book, Silent Spring, published in 1962, suggested that DDT and other pesticides may cause cancer and that their agricultural use was a threat to wildlife and plants. Its publication birthed the environmental movement, and resulted in a large public outcry which eventually led to DDT being banned for agricultural use in the U.S. in 1972. More than 600,000 tonnes were applied in the U.S. before the 1972 ban. The chemical was subsequently banned for agricultural use worldwide under the Stockholm Convention, but its limited use in disease vector control continues till date, but remains controversial. Notwithstanding the controversies, 3314 tonnes were produced in 2009 for the control of malaria. In humans, medical researchers say it may affect health through genotoxicity or endocrine disruption. Genotoxicity involves the damage of the genetic information within a cell which then causes mutations, and which could lead to cancer. Further study results say it affects future generations of the primary affected person. Endocrine disruption on the other hand involves negative interference of the hormone system in humans. These disruptions, results of medical researches state, can cause cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders. This specifically, could lead to learning disabilities, severe attention deficit disorder, cognitive and brain development problems; deformations of the body (including limbs); breast cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid and other cancers; sexual development problems. Several African countries including Nigeria, however, argued that there were benefits in the use of the chemical. Nigeria, South Africa others approve Nigeria's Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, during the Abuja meeting, emphasized that the World Health Organization has cleared use of DDT in countries where mosquitoes are resistant to other insecticide, noting that the manner of usage is what matters. "Some countries are using them. In the health sector, it's to be used indoors, not outdoors. It is the Agricultural sector that doesn't need DDT. We are not here for rhetorics but to seek the way forward and the summit and African Union is primarily for that purpose," he stated. Also, the South African representative reiterated that it is important for all African leaders to eliminate malaria in Africa, thus, queried why DDT comes under attack annually whenever it is raised as a means of eradicating malaria. "If we stop using it, we are sentencing our people to death. Every other continent used DDT to eradicate malaria, so why is our turn different in Africa?" He said that within five years, South African had a 600 per cent increase in malaria rate from 1996 when the country stopped using DDT. "We had no choice but revert to it. DDT must remain here until a more effective chemical is discovered. We want to emphasize that it must not be removed from our agreed agenda on how to eradicate malaria in Africa," he said. The Commissioner, Social Affairs of the African Union Commission, Mustapha Kaloko, called for the inclusion of DDT as the means of eradicating malaria in the region. He however noted that it is not to be generally used while food items must be covered and kept away and "only walls and ceilings are to be sprayed". "DDT will remain in the agenda as the major means for the eradication of malaria in the continent," he said. Consequently, all African leaders except Central African Republic which sent no delegate adopted the inclusion of DDT as the chemical to be used in eradicating malaria in the region. Though DDT has been adopted by the African leaders as the key to eradicating malaria in the continent, fear still lingers even in Nigeria as well as other African countries over its usage. Delegates who are against its usage were however scared of having their names in print when PREMIUM TIMES spoke to them. One of the Nigerian delegates, who was against DDT being adopted, told PREMIUM TIMES that "I want malaria eradicated but I am really scared about the negative impact this would have on the health of Africans. DDT is a renowned controversial chemical with grieve impact on health of mammals; and humans are at the worst receiving end." Other delegates from countries like the Republic of Chad and Mozambique equally shared same views as their Nigerian counterpart. Effects of DDT on human health Studies from the United States, Canada, and Sweden link DDT to diabetes; while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that DDT exposure damages the reproductive system and reduces reproductive success in humans. These effects, the agency says, may cause developmental and reproductive toxicity. "Research has shown that exposure to DDT at amounts that would be needed in malaria control might cause preterm birth and early weaning ... toxicological evidence shows endocrine-disrupting properties; human data also indicate possible disruption in semen quality, menstruation, gestational length, and duration of lactation" The Lancet- a science journal also states. According to epidemiological studies on humans, exposure to DDT could also lead to premature birth and low birth weight, and may even harm a mother's ability to breast feed. Recently, other researchers from the United States, Canada, and Australia argued that these effects may increase infant deaths, thus, offsetting any anti-malarial benefits. A study carried out at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2006 indicated that children exposed while in the womb have a greater chance of development problems, while other studies have discovered that even low levels of DDT at birth are associated with decreased attention at infancy as well as decreased cognitive skills. In other related researches from around the globe, it was discovered that daughters of highly exposed women to this chemical may have more difficulty getting pregnant. This is called increased time to pregnancy, TTP, in medical parlance. Similarly, women who are exposed to the chemical in their first trimester of pregnancy (first three months) may have babies with retarded psychomotor development, while those who are unlucky could have a type of miscarriage called early pregnancy loss. Also, occupational exposure in agriculture and malaria control have also has been linked to neurological problems such as Parkinsons and asthma. More recent evidence from epidemiological studies, that is studies in human populations, indicate that DDT causes cancers of the liver, pancreas and breast, while contributing to leukemia, lymphoma and testicular cancer. DDT in the fight against malaria Amidst latest progress reports that malaria incidence has reduced by one-third in Africa, the preventable but killer disease remains a major public health challenge confronting the continent. As a result of this, public health officials rely on DDT to fight the disease due to its 'wonder working power'. In the 1950s and 1960s, WHO's anti-malaria campaign relied heavily on DDT and the results were promising, though temporary. Reviewing what went wrong, experts tied the resurgence of the disease to poor leadership, management and funding of malaria control programs; poverty; civil unrest; and increased irrigation. Like Nigeria's Minister of Health stated, the WHO in 2006, reversed a longstanding policy against DDT by recommending that it be used as an indoor pesticide in regions where malaria is a major problem. As of 2008, only 12 countries used DDT, including India and some Southern African states, as well as Namibia. With the African governments' adoption of the chemical on Tuesday in Abuja, the number is expected to rise. Effectiveness of DDT against malaria When it was first introduced in World War II, DDT was very effective in reducing malaria morbidity and mortality. The WHO's anti-malaria campaign, which consisted mostly of spraying DDT, was initially very successful as well. For example, in Sri Lanka, the program reduced cases from about three million per year before spraying to just 18 in 1963 and 29 in 1964. Thereafter, the program was halted to save money and malaria rebounded to 600,000 cases in 1968 and the first quarter of 1969. The country resumed DDT vector control but the mosquitoes had acquired resistance in the interim, hence, the country switching to malathion, which though more expensive, proved effective. Today, DDT remains on the WHO's list of pesticides. The world health body's policy has shifted from recommending it only in areas of seasonal or episodic transmission of malaria, to also advocating it in areas of continuous, intense transmission. South Africa is one country that continues to use DDT under WHO guidelines. In 1996, the country switched to alternative insecticides and malaria incidence increased dramatically. Returning to DDT and introducing new drugs brought malaria back under control. Making a case for the pesticide, Namibia's Minister of Health, Richard Kamwir, told PREMIUM TIMES that "DDT is effective against resistant mosquitoes. Mosquitoes avoid DDT-sprayed walls and this is what we used in my country. DDT is the best pesticide for malaria control as resistant mosquitoes avoid treated houses". He further argued that for the pesticide to be effective, at least 80 percent of houses in any vicinity must be sprayed if not, its effectiveness would be jeopardized. "People don't like DDT because of the lingering smell and stains on the walls, but I can confidently tell you that it worked for us" he added. When to use DDT Many global research experts however urge that alternatives be used instead of DDT. An epidemiologist, Brenda Eskenazi, said "We know DDT can save lives by repelling and killing disease-spreading mosquitoes. But evidence suggests that people living in areas where DDT is used are exposed to very high levels of the pesticide. The only published studies on health effects conducted in these populations have shown profound effects on male fertility. Clearly, more research is needed on the health of populations where indoor residual spraying is occurring, but in the meantime, DDT should really be the last resort against malaria rather than the first line of defense." Donor agencies against DDT usage At the moment, the African continent is largely dependent on donor agencies for most of her programmes, including malaria control. As a result of this, there are fears that the decision to use DDT may witness some challenges. It has been alleged that donor governments and agencies shy from funding DDT spraying, or make aid contingent upon not using DDT. According to a report in the British Medical Journal, use of DDT in Mozambique "was stopped several decades ago, because 80 percent of the country's health budget came from donor funds, and donors refused to allow the use of DDT." Before now, many countries had been under pressure from international health and environment agencies to give up DDT or face losing aid grants. Belize and Bolivia admitted to have given in to pressure on this issue from United States Agency for International Development, USAID. The USAID has been the focus of much criticism. But the agency is currently funding the use of DDT in some African countries, though it did not in the past. The Agency's website states that "USAID has never had a 'policy' as such either 'for' or 'against' DDT for IRS. The real change in the past two years (2006/07) has been a new interest and emphasis on the use of IRS in general - with DDT or any other insecticide - as an effective malaria prevention strategy in tropical Africa." The website further explains that in many cases, alternative malaria control measures were judged to be more cost-effective that DDT spraying, and so were funded instead. The way forward A WHO study released in January 2008 found that mass distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and artemisinin-based drugs cut malaria deaths in half in Rwanda and Ethiopia- two countries with high malaria burdens. DDT, the study states, did not play an important role in mortality reduction in these countries. Vietnam as well has enjoyed declining malaria cases and a 97 percent mortality reduction after switching in 1991 from a poorly funded DDT-based campaign, to a program based on prompt treatment, bed nets, and pyrethroid group insecticides. A review of 14 studies on the subject in sub-Saharan Africa, covering insecticide-treated nets, residual spraying, chemoprophylaxis for children, chemoprophylaxis or intermittent treatment for pregnant women, a hypothetical vaccine, and changing front-line drug treatment, found decision making limited by the gross lack of information on the costs and effects of many interventions, the very small number of cost-effectiveness analyses available, the lack of evidence on the costs and effects of packages of measures, and the problems in generalizing or comparing studies that relate to specific settings and use different methodologies and outcome measures. The two cost-effectiveness estimates of DDT residual spraying examined were not found to provide an accurate estimate of the cost-effectiveness of DDT spraying; furthermore, the resulting estimates may not be good predictors of cost-effectiveness in current programs. However, a study in Thailand found the cost per malaria case prevented of DDT spraying ($1.87 US) to be 21 per cent greater than the cost per case prevented of lambda-cyhalothrin-treated nets ($1.54 US). Thus, casting some doubt on the unexamined assumption that DDT was the most cost-effective measure to use in all cases. The director of Mexico's malaria control program found similar results, declaring that it is 25 percent cheaper for Mexico to spray a house with synthetic pyrethroids than with DDT. However, another study in South Africa found generally lower costs for DDT spraying than for nets. A comparison of four successful programs against malaria in Brazil, India, Eritrea, and Vietnam does not endorse any single strategy but instead states, "Common success factors included conducive country conditions, a targeted technical approach using a package of effective tools, data-driven decision-making, active leadership at all levels of government, involvement of communities, decentralized implementation and control of finances, skilled technical and managerial capacity at national and sub-national levels, hands-on technical and programmatic support from partner agencies, and sufficient and flexible financing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Behind-the-Scenes of Abuja AU Summit, As Venue Is Cleaned With Local Brooms By Tobore Ovuorie, 21 July 2013 Related Topics Nigeria The just concluded Abuja+12 special summit of the African Union which held in Abuja, was a highlight of beauty and the beast of some sorts. The conference in which Heads of States and Governments of the African Union Commission attended from July 12th to 16th, presented a string of surprises to local and foreign attendees, and even some of the organizers. One of the surprises unfolded hours before the commencement of the meeting as the organizers of the summit held at the International Conference Centre, "brushed" aside modern and safe techniques of tidying the facility's rugged and enclosed interior, and opted instead for local brooms less than two hours before the top dignitaries arrived the venue. Scores of workers filled up the area early morning Monday, sweeping the rugs with the dried palm fronds, stirring the dust in the enclosed building. Using local brooms in sweeping a large carpeted enclosed space like the ICC, which is air-conditioned, leaves dust in the air and is apparently unhygienic. Cyril Chukwu, a Chest Physician with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba affirmed that concern particularly for asthmatics and people with respiratory medical defects. Ademola Obatan, Chief Executive Officer of Squeaky Clean, an industrial cleaning firm based in Lagos also expressed surprise at the "anomaly". "It wouldn't have cost them a fortune to hire vacuum cleaners for the few days of the event if they didn't want to lease the cleaning to an industrial cleaning firm, he said. One of organizers who refused to be quoted, fearing he may be victimized, also expressed surprise. "We received so much money for the organizing of this event and using proper, befitting and healthier industrial sweepers would have been appropriate. You know how things happen in Nigeria," the staff said before hurrying away. Cleaning the venue with local brooms was not the only wonder of the event. There were tangled cables all over the floor and ceiling of the venue which was unlike other International Conference Centres in other climes. One of the delegates who simply identified himself as Dr. Osei said "It's an embarrassing sight. "To think that global personalities will be here seeing all these. You needed to have been here yesterday (Sunday), you would have cringed with shame had you seen the carpenters knocking away to create this makeshift venue," Mr. Osei, a Ghanaian, said. Network cut at venue At the just concluded Women Deliver Conference in Kuala-Lumpur, Malaysia- May 26th to May 30th, which had numerous global leaders in attendance, including Nigerians and their leaders, one of the hallmark of the event was its unceasing online presence. While the leaders were at the Kuala-Lumpur Convention Centre, venue of the event, an uninterrupted internet connectivity allowed the people and the organizers tweet about the event as it unfolded. The same happened at the recently concluded Insurance conference in Egypt last month. In Abuja, it was the exact opposite despite adequate funding made available for the event by the government. Immediately the Heads of State and African leaders arrived, internet connections and even mobile network services were disconnected. Security was cited as the reason. PRC meeting to be postponed While the members of the Permanent Representative Council and ambassadors met Friday July 12th at the Executive Hall of the ICC, the microphones as at 10am when the meeting commenced, were not working, drawing a warning from the council's chairman to postpone the meeting indefinitely if the devices failed to work when they resumed by 6pm. Had that happened, the meeting by the Heads of States and AU Government would not have held as it is the outcome of the PRC's deliberation they work with. Compulsory fasting for journalists The event was scheduled to commence by 10am on Monday and media men and women were instructed to be seated at the venue by7.30am which most of them obeyed. They had been told no one will be allowed in once the president arrives. As a result, the "early birds" left their homes as early as 6.30am and some were already at the venue at that time. To make it right on time, many had no breakfast before leaving their homes and hotel rooms. Once at the venue, no one was allowed out of the main gate. Unfortunately, as at past 11am, the event was yet to commence. When it finally did, journalists, drawn from across the continent, had no way of leaving to have food, and the central meal some had hoped for, turned out strictly regulated under a four-level grading arrangement- meaning without four clearance cards, one got nothing. Some of the media men who were unaware of the development went to the food table only to be turned back. On a compulsory fast, many of them only watched others munch away at their meals. Military harassment "Don't you have president where you're coming from? Don't you know that you're supposed to stop and stand when the presidential entourage is driving past?" a police officer yelled out dramatically at a non-Nigerian Observing Partner who was walking down the side of the road to the ICC. Most roads in Abuja had been barricaded, thus causing traffic. Except in a plush car, every other person, no matter the status or relevance to the event, were expected to alight and embark on a long walk to the ICC. It exactly the fate that befell the Observing Partner. Too angry, he yelled back when asked for an interview "please, leave me alone, I am sick and tired of your country's embarrassment and harassment. "Your security operatives are so disorganized, confused, power-drunk, uncivil and uncourteous and even your organizers put people who can't communicate properly at key positions. Please, leave me alone." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Africa: President Jonathan Urges Leaders to Find Local Solutions to HIV/Aids By Patrick Ugeh and Muhammad Bello, 16 July 2013 More on This Nigeria Hosts AU Health Summit Stigma remains a major problem President Goodluck Jonathan Monday appealed to his African colleagues to exploit local means of tackling not only HIV but also tuberculosis, malaria and other related infectious diseases. Jonathan made the appeal in Abuja at the opening of the Abuja+12, Special Summit of the African Union (AU) on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The two-day summit with the theme, "Ownership, Accountability and Sustainability to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Response in Africa: Past, Present and Future", is being attended by most African leaders. Also at the occasion, United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, stressed the need for Africa to maintain its momentum in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, saying slowing down of the tempo would reverse the progress already made. Jonathan, in his speech, urged African leaders to de-emphasise reliance on external funding and importation of essential medicines for the treatment of the diseases. "We must stand in solidarity with one another, be proactive to our health challenges and increase inter-continental scientific research partnerships and development efforts to complement the various national and regional plans already underway. "Ownership and sustainability should form the basis of our next plan of actions. Our goal should be to find local solutions to our challenges, translate planning into implementation and develop our continent at the pace we desire," he said. To realise the laudable goals, Jonathan added that the leaders must show commitments by increased funding and synergy between government and other stakeholders. Stressing that the HIV/AIDS and the other infectious diseases remain the major causes of morbidity and mortality in Africa, Jonathan said: "For too long, political instability, insecurity and infectious diseases have beclouded our efforts at rapid development and effective optimisation of the abundant potential of our continent. "However, today there is renewed hope that together and with homegrown initiatives, we can systematically and comprehensively address these tough challenges. "Our people are anxious for tangible results and concrete action to improve the quality of life. As we look forward to a productive summit, meeting the needs of our people by achieving these goals should be our collective resolve." AU Commission Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who spoke in a similar tone, said HIV/AIDS and the other infectious diseases had posed challenges to the socio-economic development of Africa. According to her, the annual rate of infection of HIV/AIDS has fallen by 25 per cent, while death rate has reduced by 32 per cent since the Abuja Declaration of 2011. She added that from 2001 to date, more than 30 million people have received tuberculosis treatment while malaria infection has reduced by one third. In his contribution, Ki-Moon stressed the need for Africa to maintain its momentum in the fight against the dreaded HIV/AIDS epidemic so as not to reverse the progress already made. According to him, despite all efforts, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases still pose a significant threat to the wellbeing and development of sub-Saharan Africa. Represented by Executive Director of UNFPA, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, Ki-Moon said African leaders should show more political commitments to the fight against the diseases. "Every minute, a child dies of malaria, one in 20 adults lives with HIV, TB infection rates are highest in the world, with more than 260 cases per 100,000 people in 2011, while many Africans endure the double burden of HIV and TB. "This summit can provide a tipping point in Africa's progress on health. Let us place AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria at the centre of public health policy," he added. AU Chairman and Ethiopia's Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, said the main objective of the summit as reflected in the theme, was to allow participants to review achievements and challenges in managing the diseases. Citing a report jointly prepared by AU, UNDP and Africa Development Bank, he said: "For instance, about 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have reduced new HIV infections by more than 25 per cent and made considerable reduction in AIDS' mortality. In fact, some African countries, including Ethiopia, have reduced the incidence of HIV/AIDS infection by more than 50 per cent." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Special AU Summit On HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, Malaria Opens in Abuja By Sola Ogundipe, 15 July 2013 Related Topics AIDS The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, comes alive today as President Goodluck Jonathan hosts the Special Summit of the African Union on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, with the theme: "Ownership, Accountability and Sustainability of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Response in Africa: Past, Present and the Future". As early as 6.30am, delegates began trooping into the International Conference Centre (ICC), where the African Union in collaboration with the Nigerian Government is hosting the continent. Among objectives of the Special Summit is leveraging on the opportunity to review and identify factors that underpin the persistent burden of HIV, TB and Malaria on the continent, as well as, the status of health financing on the continent while committing the African leaders to the implementation of innovative and sustainable health financing initiatives. The Summit will among others, articulate Africa's position to project health at the core of development in relevant global forums especially the ongoing dialogue on defining the post 2015 development agenda. Key participants at this important meeting include national delegates from the Presidency, Ministries of Health, Finance and Economic Planning, as well as National AIDS Councils, Malaria and TB Control Programmes and Maternal Newborn and Child Health Programmes. Others are Civil Society Organizations, Regional Health Organisations, Regional Economic Communities, the UN and its Specialised Agencies; Development Partners; the AU Commission and other AU Organs and Programmes; Representative of the Private Sector and representatives of professional bodies among others. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: President Goodluck Jonathan Eases the Way for Chinese Investment in Nigeria 11 July 2013 Related Topics Nigeria Beijing — Elumelu calls for China-Africa engagement to be led by the African private sector African business leader and philanthropist Tony O. Elumelu joins President Goodluck Jonathan as part of a high powered delegation accompanying the Nigerian leader on a state visit to China from 11 to 12 July 2013. The visit, which will include a meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping, will have Mr Elumelu and other business leaders, including Folorunso Alakija, Femi Otedola and Oba Otudeko, representing Nigeria’s business interests, thus emphasising President Jonathan's commitment to leveraging the private sector to drive both development and trade and investment links between China and Africa. Speaking at the investment forum, which attracted over 700 potential investors, their Nigerian counterparts and several governors as well as the Ministers for Trade and Investment, Aviation and Power, President Jonathan said: "Nigeria today is like China 20 years ago - it is entering into a high growth phase. The economy is suitable for private sector involvement; we offer the best incentives and we have put the right structures in place to reduce the cost of entry into Nigeria. All of this is to encourage private sector participation in Nigeria." Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, the pan-African proprietary investment company, commented further: “The China-Africa relationship has historically been characterised by government-to-government engagement. However, Nigeria's leadership - and increasingly that of a number of African countries - is embracing an Africapitalist approach where the private sector is leading transformative growth. China's presence in Africa is important, but we would like that involvement to be more inclusive of the private sector to ensure a sustainable development path for the continent." Elumelu's call comes on the back of the Chinese government's drive to minimize its role in its own economy and reform state owned enterprises (SOE), which are still dominant. However, private sector companies are increasingly contributing to China’s overall GDP growth and the Chinese government is creating policies that will allow them to flourish. "Globally, there is powerful evidence that the private sector is critical in driving a country's economic growth and China is recognising that locally," said Elumelu. "We hope President Jonathan's state visit will mark the start of a private sector-driven approach to China-Africa bilateral relations. The onus is now on us as African business leaders to ensure that future engagements will call for, and unlock opportunities for the private sector.” According to the OECD, trade between China and Nigeria reached nearly US$18 billion in 2010, almost ten times more than just a decade ago. During the visit, Mr Elumelu met with leading Chinese investors and business people to raise awareness of the numerous strategic projects under development in Nigeria and the opportunities for investment that they present. About Heirs Holdings Heirs Holdings is a pan-African proprietary investment company driving Africa's development. We are active long-term investors who specialise in building businesses and corporate turnaround. We aim to transform the companies in which we invest and grow them into businesses that last. We invest in Africa to create value for our shareholders and partners, and to create economic prosperity and social wealth for the continent. Our investments in power, financial services, oil and gas, real estate and hospitality, agri-business and healthcare are helping to build economies, create jobs, drive prosperity and ultimately transform the lives of ordinary Africans in Africa. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Academics Down Tools to Force Government to Salvage Decaying Tertiary Education By Nicholas Ibekwe, 6 July 2013 With the announcement of an indefinite strike by university lecturers last Monday, following in the steps of polytechnic lecturers that have downed tools since April, tertiary education in Nigeria is, again, on a near-total lockdown. In what has become an insufferable circle of disruptions in academic activities in our institutions of learning, university lecturers are on strike because government, again, has refused to honour an agreement it signed with lecturers four years ago, the lecturers, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have said. "ASUU went into an agreement with the Federal Government in 2009 and into an MOU that was signed in 2012 and government has refused to honour those agreements. It was based on their refusal to honour those agreements that this strike has been called, said Adekunle Idris, the chairman of the ASUU chapter of the Lagos State University, LASU. Violating agreements According to the strike bulletin issued by ASUU, in the October 2009 agreement it signed with the government, the union demanded increased funding for the revitalisation of Nigerian Universities, a progressive increase in annual budgetary allocation to Education to up to 26 per cent, setting up of research and development units by companies operating in Nigeria, and the teaching and research equipment provision to universities laboratories and classrooms. The union is also asking the government to pay academics their earned allowances to compensate for excess workloads, examination supervision, and the supervision of post-graduate programmes. The union also wants an amendment of the pension/retirement age of academics on the professorial cadre from 65 to 70 years and the reinstatement of prematurely dissolved Governing Councils. On March 20, 2011 ASUU suspended a three-month strike after the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreeing to implement the 2009 agreement. The government has not been true to that MOU. The lecturers said the government has only implemented two of the commitment - reinstatement of Governing Councils and the amendment of the Retirement Age Act. The union's President, Professor Nasir Isa, said the government's refusal to meet other commitment shows the "government is unprepared to address the challenges facing Nigerian University System with the urgency that is required." The Lagos State government, like several other states, is also yet to implement the Retirement Amendment Act. On the Earned Academic Allowance, Mr. Isa said the government has repeatedly shifted the goal post. "What we are demanding as the earned allowance is not more than N12, 500 per person, yet government is saying it cannot afford such. They pleaded for a reduction and we decided to step the cost down to 80 per cent. That not enough, it also appealed for another reduction to 50 per cent. This 50 per cent, government said, will be a one off payment; that it was from that 50 per cent that we shall take care of everything, including the earned allowance. This did not go down well with us and so we decided to meet and take the decision we have just taken," he said. The condition of polytechnics is the same, if not worse. Polytechnics too The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, asked its member to embark on an indefinite strike due to the decrepit state of polytechnics and their complete neglect by government. "We are faced with feeble and moribund infrastructure on our campuses, with no serious challenge to motivate research and learning. Government's budgetary provisions for the polytechnic sector in Nigeria reflect a deep neglect of the sector," said Chibuzor Asomugha, President of ASUP. Mr. Asomugha said the government has met only one of the several demands of the lecturers it agreed to meet. "But in view of government's failure to address all the issues listed in the union's demands, the on-going indefinite strike shall be sustained until they are addressed. All polytechnics shall remain closed, and no form of services shall be rendered by our members throughout the period of the strike," he added. In its only major reaction yet to the strike, the federal government has said it is not to be blamed for the university lecturers' strike, while keeping mum on that by polytechnic teachers. The Minister of Education, Ruqqayatu Rufai, on Tuesday, said the government has made an offer to the lecturers but was yet to receive any response from their union. She did not comment on why the government would renege on the agreement is had with the workers. "They are our colleagues, we meet with them, we discuss with them. There is an offer from government. We expected to hear from them and up till now we are expecting to hear from them," she said. Devastating Implications While the incessant logjam between academics of tertiary institutions and the government seems intractable, no one is in doubt of the devastating effect it has on the country's educational sector. Mr. Idris said due to the frequent strikes, there is a massive talent drain from government-funded institutions to private universities and universities outside the country. Many of the private universities in Nigeria, largely owned religious institutions, charge fees that are beyond what ordinary Nigerians could afford. They are the exclusive reserve of the elites who can afford them. Nigerians also spend huge amounts of money to send their wards to foreign universities including those of neighbouring countries. The Vice-Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, Nimi Briggs, said Nigerians spend N160 billion annually as tuition fees in just two Ghanaian universities. This is the equivalent of a third of the total budgetary allocation by the federal government on the entire education sector in 2013. The allocation for education is N426.5 billion. There are over 71, 00 Nigerian students in institutions of higher learning in Ghana. Nigerians also spend considerably more money in universities in Europe and North America. Though education got a lion share of the Nigerian budgetary allocation (8.67 per cent) for 2013, it is still a distant call from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recommended allocation of 26 per cent. As the shutdown of institutions of higher learning continues, millions of students who have had to endure a haphazard education are the biggest losers. Many have been swindled into enrolling in unaccredited universities and bogus training institutes. Mr. Isa said the government is merely paying lip service to restoration of the tertiary education to it former place of pride. "The crisis affecting the Nigerian education sector stems largely from the failure of the Nigerian government, over the years, to boldly address the suffocating challenges which have stymied the development of the sector that while the government is fully aware of the enormity of the infrastructural, personal and other forms of decay at all levels," he said. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bad governance created Boko Haram - Obama •Promises to assist Nigerian military Written by Moses Alao with Agency Report Sunday, 30 June 2013 00:00 PRESIDENT of the United States of America, Barack Obama, has tactically lent his support to the school of thought alluding the growing terrorism in Nigeria to poverty, blaming the upsurge of terrorist groups on the fact that “countries are not delivering for their people and there are sources of conflict and underlining frustrations that have not been adequately dealt with”. He also took a stand against Nigeria’s employment of military option to tackle Boko Haram when he ruled out military solutions in tackling terrorism, urging governments “to give people opportunity, education and resolve conflicts through regular democratic processes,” noting that these would make it less likely for terrorism to take root. Obama, who was in South Africa as part of his week-long visit to Africa, made the positions known yesterday, while fielding questions from journalists and youths during a Town Hall Meeting with youths from African countries. Speaking on the importance of youths, Obama noted that “in terms of human capital and young people, I think the greatest investment any country can make, not just an African country, is educating its youth and providing them with the skill to compete in a highly technological, advanced world economy”. He further said “countries that do not do that well will not succeed,” noting that countries with limited skill will have “problems” in drawing international businesses. “This is a problem in the United State and not just a problem in Africa,” he added. He said the U.S. is willing to collaborate with Nigeria to train teachers and incorporate technology in the education system. “Across board we are having a rethink in education and work force training. And one of the things we want to do is to partner with a country like Nigeria and identify ways that we can provide direct value added, whether it is in helping to train teachers or helping to incorporate technology into the education process” The American president also praised his government for making a considerable effort in tackling insecurity and curbing terror with the death of Osama Bin Laden but was quick to recognise the existence of Boko Haram in Nigeria. “There is no doubt in the progress we have made in dealing with some extremist groups, for example core Al Qaeda and Bin Laden” stressing that “they have been greatly diminished”. He, however, noted that “what is also true is that in some ways the problem has also metastasised, we have more regional terrorist organisations like Boko Haram in Nigeria espousing an extremist ideology, showing no regard for human life”. He admitted that despite not having a transnational capacity like the other organisations “they are doing great harm in Africa and in the Middle East and in South Asia”. To curb such uprisings, Obama said “we have to build institutions, a lot of what we talked about in terms of responsiveness, governance and democracy; those things become defence mechanisms against terrorism, they are the most important defence against terrorism’. He charged the African Union to send peace keeping missions to countries that are likely to have such terrorist cells come up and nip them in the bud before they cause harm, adding that “we can provide advice, training and in some cases equipment”. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria Ministry of Finance (Abuja) Nigeria: Finance Minister Okonjo-Iweala Presents Mid-Term Review 11 June 2013 More on This Nigerian Government's Mid-Term Report President Jonathan taking his oath of office. Abuja — Transcript of the Speech of Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Honourable Minister Of Finance And Coordinating Minister Of The Economy, Nigeria, at the Ministerial Platform Held at Radio House, Abuja On Monday, June 11, 2013 Thank you very much to the Honourable Minister of Information for that very rousing welcome and for hosting us for this event. For my colleague, the Honourable Minister of Sports, I don't think it's coincidental that Sports and Finance are together today, because I'd always joked that if I was not the Minister of Finance, I'd love to be the Minister of Sports. So, I totally envy him in his job, especially now that we're winning. And to my colleagues, the Honourable Minister of State (Finance), the Perm Sec., and all the members of the audience here; I want to say that we're going to handle our presentation in such a way that I will start up, pass to my minister of state and then he will pass back to me to round off. And I can't start this without first acknowledging the support of the President to the Ministry of Finance. It's not an easy ministry to run, as you all know. Nobody likes Finance because everybody likes to say they never have enough. So, we are grateful for the support. We are also very proud of our staff in the Ministry of Finance - the budget office, the Accountant-General's office; and I want to thank them openly because, without their dedication and good work, we would not be able to accomplish what we have today. So, what I'm going to tell you, some of it you may have heard when Mr President presented his mid-term report and score card, but it bears repeating. And some will be additional expatiation on that; or new information. I want to begin with what it is that the Ministry of Finance does. I want to remind people of our mission. Our mission is to manage the nation's finances in an open, transparent, accountable and efficient manner that delivers on the country's development priorities. There are four basic things we do in managing these finances and helping to manage the economy. The first is macroeconomic management. It's the job of the Ministry of Finance, working with the Central Bank, to have a stable macro-economy. If there's no stability, if things are moving, exchange rate is volatile, inflation is high - we have experienced it in this country before - what happens? You cannot even begin to think of development of the economy. So, that's one of our jobs. The other, of course, is managing the finances and mobilising finances for the real sector of the economy; meaning the other sectors that create jobs can grow. Then we also have the job of supporting enabling reforms that make this economy move. And finally, we have the job of supporting job creation indirectly and directly. So, we're going to talk about what the Ministry of Finance does and has achieved in those four areas. Let me start with something that we said during the mid-term report. The first is, on the macro-economy, I want to report that the economy is strong and stable. But of course, it faces challenge of inequality and inclusion; meaning that even though the economy is strong, we have problems with jobs and unemployment. We have problems with working to eradicate poverty. We need to move faster. We need to grow faster in order to tackle these problems. So, we are not saying that everything is solved, or that everything is great, but it's strong; and that stability provides the platform on which we can use to solve the other problems. What do I mean? We talked before that if you notice - everybody follows the exchange rate between the dollar and the naira - it has been relatively stable in these past two years at 155 to 160. At least, that is something you can evidence for yourself and attest to. It has been stable because we have also been able to accumulate reserves. People wonder why we are saving these reserves that are now almost $50 billion - we're at $48 billion now. It's very important because the reserves are what make the exchange rate stable. When the reserves are going down, that's when you experience that instability and people can come and attack your currency. So, we have managed, working with the Central Bank - I also want to give them credit for good monetary policy - to be able to grow these reserves, stabilise, so that now, we have an exchange rate that can allow people to plan and allow people to do their work. As the Honourable Minister of Information said, inflation is coming down; from about 12.4% in May 2011, it has slowed to about 9.1% now and these all form the bedrock of this stability. We have made savings. Part of our reserves is also the Excess Crude Account savings that we talk about. We have had about $4 billion in May 2011. We grew it to about 9 billion dollars equivalent at the end of 2012, and now we're about $6 billion. Why are we down? Because the Excess Crude Account helps us to manage the economy and keep growing even when we experience shocks like when oil production comes down because of either oil theft, or leakages from pipelines and so on. You know, the money we have saved enables this country to keep going and we have enough to keep us going even in the face of shocks for another four to five months whilst we try to solve our problems. This is something that Nigeria did not have before and we are very proud of it. In the past, when we experience shocks, what did we do? We would have to go to the IMF or World Bank to go and look for money - the IMF in particular to shore up the economy, to shore up our balance of payments (that's what economists call it). But now, even through all the ups and downs that we have experienced, have we gone there? No. Because Nigeria has now put itself - with the existence of this Excess Crude Account - in a position where in the event of any shock, we can go there to stabilise ourselves. That's why Nigerians must support this account, the saving of this money; the Sovereign Wealth Fund. This country like a family must be able to put money aside so that if you experience shock, you don't go around begging, you can stabilise yourself with your own savings. That's what we manage to do. The second thing I want to talk about is about GDP growth. This stability has enabled the economy to grow. Certain sectors are growing - I will come to that. Overall, this economy is growing and growth is projected at 6.75% by us; by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2013. Even the IMF has projected higher growth, but we're being very cautious. Over there [referring to a slide], you will see how we compare with some other countries; with the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, they are growing at 5.6%, so we are much higher; even the emerging markets, we're higher than them. And you can see Brazil, China, South Africa - South Africa at 2.8%, we at 6.75% et cetera - so we are doing well! The GDP Illustration Now, I want to spend one minute on something very important, because after we talk, people will say, "GDP growth, what is GDP growth? It's not important; that's not what we will eat." But let me explain to you that without that growth, you cannot even begin to solve the problems of this economy. Let me illustrate to you. [She picks up a cake]. This cake symbolises our income, our GDP or your income within your household. GDP is nothing but the income of the country - the amount of cake you have to eat; you and your wife and children - the same with a country. So, let's say this is the amount of cake we have to eat. Now, these are four people sharing this cake - four people: a man, his wife and two children, or Nigeria with a population of let's say 167 million people. So, this is the cake we have. You have this cake. Having this cake does not mean that every problem in your household is solved. Is it? It doesn't mean that your income can now take care of all your relatives in the family who still have problems. It doesn't mean that in your household, you don't have problems of people not being employed, but you have this cake that you're sharing. Now, what happens if we add three more people? Suppose, as a family, you marry another wife and you add one wife and three more children. How many are you now? (Answer: Seven). This is the cake. What will happen if this cake doesn't grow? All of you will be suffering. Isn't it? When you marry that wife and have more children, or even if you have four and you have another three or four; you will want your cake to grow. That is the same way we want GDP to grow - right? So, this is the first cake. What happens if the cake doesn't grow is that all of you will start suffering. [She takes up another cake]. Supposing you now have a bigger cake; put all the people on top and you now have the seven people; would you not be better off? What if you have an even bigger cake? You see this biggest cake? You can put so many more people on top. [Speaking to assistants to collect illustrative materials: "give me all the people, give them to me, all of them will be there"]. And what will happen? That means you will have even more food. So, is it not false when people say that growing the cake does not matter? It matters; because if you have the same cake and your size is growing, what will happen is that you become even poorer and poorer; isn't it? If it is not growing, you will suffer even more. Now, Nigeria has a cake - our GDP - and our population is growing at 2.5% per annum. If we don't grow this, we will stay with the same cake and it will become worse and worse. So what we want to do is grow this cake as fast as possible, as large as we can, while solving the other problems. Note that I didn't say growing the cake solves all the problems; but if we don't grow the cake, we are going to suffer. So, don't listen to those who say, "What is GDP growth - it doesn't matter." It is not true; it matters tremendously. It's with this growing cake that you can now call those people in your family or village who say you are not helping them. Isn't it? If your cake is growing, you can call them; help them with their health problems, help them with food, help them with other things. But if you say cake does not matter, then you cannot help them at all. This is what GDP growth is about. I want Nigerians to understand this so that we don't have this challenge of, "What is GDP?" In fact, we need to grow at almost 8 to 10 percent per year. In fact, Vision 2020 projects 13 percent in order to solve unemployment and other problems that we have. I'm sorry I spent some time on this, but it's about time for the Nigerian population to stop being deceived by people who are not telling them the truth about what happens in the economy. Now, let me quickly pass to other things. The first thing this country does, of course, is prepare the budget and everybody knows about it; to manage the finances and we have the DG Budget here. We've had problem with getting budget preparation done on time, and I want to say that for the first time, the 2013 Budget was prepared in record time and also passed by the National Assembly in record time on 20th December 2012, just before Christmas. Now, this should give us the year to implement; but of course, you know that we have some challenges with implementation and some things that we need to agree with the National Assembly in order to make the budget hold. For this year, we have been working on it but it has not stopped us from moving forward. We released first quarter capital - 400 billion; didn't we? And work is going on. We released second quarter capital - 200 billion - so we will continue to implement to the best our ability, and it's the job of Finance to make sure that we get that money in. But the money that we get in also depends on what happens with the sectors of the economy. So, Finance does not print money. We don't manufacture money. We only can disburse money that comes into our coffers; that the country genuinely earns from its oil and gas, from agriculture, from all the other aspects, the money it gets from taxes that it collects even on non-oil revenue and Customs taxes. So, once we get all those in, we disburse them. But if anything happens and we experience a shock, for example, this year, Customs is a little bit down in terms of collection because importation has come down, especially importation of rice; partly because we are growing our own, more of it as we said in the midterm report; but also because people stocked up last year in anticipation of what would happen. So, when we have these things happening, then the income reduces and Finance has to manage whatever comes in. So, I want people to know when they're feeling very stressed out that there's not enough money, Finance does not have money hidden somewhere in the safe; it is what it gets that it disburses. Now, let me move quickly to one of the things we have delivered. Nigerians have complained that the cost of government is too high; we are spending too much on recurrent budget. What have we developed in Finance? With the support of the President and all of you, we've managed to take expenditures down from 74% recurrent of the total budget to 68% in 2013, and we'll continue to take it down to the best of our ability. We have the envelope system. People don't understand it but it enables us to engage other ministries and agencies in the management and setting of the budget. That allows them to put forward their priorities in a way that we can engage them in a conversation and to prioritise especially in terms of completing uncompleted projects of which we have about six thousand in this country and these are some of the systems that we've put in place to make that work. I talked a little while ago about the fact that imports are down. Whilst that means that some of our revenue are down, but we're happy because we want to diversify this economy. Nigerians don't want to keep importing. So, non-oil imports have decreased - things like textiles, plastic, rubber - things we're making here; and those things have even increased in terms of exports. I'm sure that the Minister of Trade and Investment will say more about that. But I also want to mention our waiver and tariff policies to just let you know that Mr President has insisted on a policy of not doing individual waivers. So this ministry is doing sectoral waivers. When we give a waiver now, it is to encourage a whole sector not just to encourage an individual; and those kinds of policies; we've done them for aviation, for agriculture, for solid minerals. They can import spare parts and equipments at zero duty. And this is all designed to spur the rest of our economy. Quickly, let me move on to talk about debt. On Friday, I think it was on the back page of This Day, I wrote an article about our debt because there are so many misconceptions about it. I want you to know that no one in government - neither Mr President nor the Ministry of Finance, the debt management office and the legislature - we don't support that Nigeria becomes an indebted country again. So, what are we doing? The ministry is delivering a very prudent and strategic debt management approach to the country. I want you to look at some of the numbers. You know, we say that our national debt is low; and that is true because if you measure us against so many indicators you will see. If you look at that, you will see that domestic debt is really the issue. And if you look at the flow of domestic borrowing, you will see that it spiked in 2010 where we increase salary by 53% at once. Now, I'm not against increase of salary, so don't let anybody go from here and misquote me. But it has implications; and in order to cover it, domestic borrowing spiked. Bonds had to be floated. It's not that good to borrow for things like recurrent expenditure and consumption. So, part of our new strategy is not to do that; to start lowering domestic borrowing. One of the things Mr President said to us is, we have to bring it down and we're doing it. From N852 billion in 2011, we went down to N744 in 2012, and for 2013 budget, I think to N588 billion, and we'll continue to bring it down. That's part of the new strategy. At the same time, we're slowing down the growth of the debt stock. So, it's not that the debt stock won't grow, but it will grow much more slowly than before; and you can see it. The debt stock, total debt is now at about 7.5 trillion naira made up of 6.49 trillion domestic and about 1.0 trillion external and we will slow that down by trying to retire the bonds that are coming due instead of rolling them over at high interest rates. I'm very proud to say that in 2013 we retired 75 billion in bonds and that's the first time we've done it in so many years. That is part of the overall strategy. The last part is that we have also developed a sinking fund and every year we put in 25 billion in it so that we can continue to retire this debt and not grow it at a very fast pace. We will be borrowing, but it will be for very prudent things that really make a difference on the ground for Nigerians and it will be at a much slower pace. Now, quickly, the ministry has worked hard - Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Customs Service - to try and bring in more revenue into our coffers. And of course, they face challenges. We have to improve in terms of our tax collection and I want to tell you that we are launching a tax drive for non-oil revenue taxes to increase; and you will be seeing very soon, adverts from FIRS to push this on. The Customs is also modernising its operations with an objective to become a modern Customs system that can manage destination inspection and all the things that Customs does by the end of this year. The objective is that we shouldn't only look at the expenditure side all the time, we must also look at growing our revenues in the country; and this is what Finance has done. I want to spend just one minute before handing over to my colleague on a few things that Finance is delivering to make public financial management more efficient and more transparent. We have to step away from the manual management of our finances whereby, for instance, for payments, we used to send money in bulk to ministries to pay their staff, to pay for their expenses. We have now put in place three electronic platforms that we are introducing and implementing at the moment. The Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management System is in place and it is allowing us to pay staff straight through biometric data means, we can check and pay them directly. Now, we haven't done all MDAs; we've done about 215 and this exercise has helped us weed out about 45,000 ghost workers and save ourselves about 118 billion naira. That's a lot of money. Now, people say to me, where are these ghost workers and who is responsible? I just want to say here that we've looked and we've found that in almost every ministry, department and agency we had series of these ghost workers and it is identifying who to pinpoint, that's what we're looking at now. But it is very difficult because with people coming and going within ministries, it is not easy. The important thing we are facing is to get them out so we can save the money and put in place systems to make sure that this does not occur. That's what Finance is doing. We still have to complete the rest of the MDAs by the end of this year. We've also put in place a government integrated financial management system and, in the beginning, this has slowed down the transfer of resources to ministries. Bear with us, this will improve. But what this means is that transparently we can connect the MDAs, be able to see all our money and be able to pull it back. So, all those who may be contemplating this, I think you should revise your thinking because transparency is on the way. Now, to stem leakages and improve our finances, we also worked very hard in the ministry to totally change the way we do business in terms of paying subsidies. We audited N1 trillion in subsidy payments under the presidential task force led by Aig Imokhuede, and we found N32 billion questionable. We have recovered N14 billion as we speak and we have tightened the payment process, so that there is more independent verification of how that is being done. The other thing the ministry has delivered is the cleaning up of the contributory pension scheme. This is something very painful to Nigerians that they would work and then people would steal the money that should be for their pension in their old age. This is not acceptable. So, to reform this, the President gave us permission to implement a section of the Pensions Reform Act which had hitherto been blocked; it had not been implemented, to bring all these pensions - the defined benefit systems - under one roof, under a pension transition administration department, and that will enable us to keep a hold on this fraud and to keep it at bay because these things will be managed under one roof transparently. The implementation of this is now underway. The contributory pension scheme is fine, we have more than N3 trillion there, it's working well and I want to reassure Nigerians of its good health. So, it's only people who are still under the old scheme which we are reforming that are affected. We are implementing a more transparent system. Within the next six months, by God's grace, we'll have everything together with biometric systems in place so we can also pay our pensioners directly. So, let me just say to you that all this, as was said by the Minister of Information, have been validated; all these things we're doing, which amalgamate to underpin a stable economy have been validated outside. You don't have to listen to me or Mr President or even the Minister of Information. Just check what the rating agencies are doing. Nigeria is one of the few countries being upgraded and rated as stable in an environment where other countries, including some close to us here in Africa, are being downgraded, and I think that Nigerians, even if you're critical of government, you have to accept external evidence that we have a stable economy. The grading does not say that we've solved all the problems of our economy - no country ever does that - but it says that we've got the platform with which to do it. Now, just before I hand over, I want to say one word on SURE-P, the subsidy reinvestment program. We promised Nigerians, at Ministry of Finance, that we will share with them the money that comes into this program transparently and what it is being used for transparently so that they will see because Nigerians were sceptical that this money will be put to good use. You can see on the screen. We have published every single month; we've kept faith with Nigerians. Every single month in the newspapers, we publish how much money comes in and you can see that; in 2012, N180 billion came in to Federal Government, the states got N154.6 billion, local governments, N76.4 billion. In January to May 2013, we have received N75 billion, state governments N64.4 billion, local governments N31.8 billion so far, and we have been publishing it. And what has it been used for? We said, go and check for yourselves. We have used it for social safety nets for our women and children, to strengthen and improve immunisation for our children, to strengthen and improve safe delivery for our women. I know that no man here wants his wife to die; no woman wants to die in child birth. We have the names of every woman in every ward that has benefited from this scheme. So, for those who say, "Ah, no one in my place has benefited" you can verify it. We have it. If you want it, ask me. I will give it to you so you can check that people are really benefiting and they're getting cash transfers. When they come for pre-natal care, they get cash transfer of two thousand naira. When they come to have attended delivery, when the child is brought for immunisation; that is what we call conditional cash transfer program and, so far, in the present Saving One Million Lives program, more than 400,000 women's lives and children's lives have been saved through the money used by SURE-P. In addition to that, we have been working on transportation and I know you heard from the Minister of Transport on roads and bridges built using this money; so I will not dwell on it. My intent was from the Finance point of view to just show you that we kept faith with Nigerians, we have been transparent, you can verify and we'll be happy to give you all the information. Let me now call on the Honourable Minister of State (Finance) to talk about the other things we have been doing in the financial sector. Minister of State Takes Over Courtesies. I am also not going to waste time. I am going to talk about what the ministry has been doing to actually ensure that we have reformed the financial sector. All the banks in Nigeria are fully capitalised. And we're also happy today that the level of non-performing loan has come down to only 5%. Nigerian banks are the healthiest you can find in Africa and this has been shown. You remember 3-4 years back, most of the banks have reported losses, but today they are reporting profits that they never reported prior to 2008. And for those who have been following, the highest profit ever recorded in the history of Nigerian banking system was reported last year - N97.58 billion made by Guaranty Trust. You look at Zenith making 90 billion. Profitability has returned to the Nigerian financial system and people can now safely go and get finances. The problem we have is the cost of borrowing. After now, interest rate is relatively high and we need to have lasting solution for it. That's why we're now restructuring and strengthening our development financing institutions so that they can give concessional loans to the critical sectors of the economy. To strengthen them again, the President set up a committee to look at how to solve the problem of development lending and we are going to establish a wholesale development finance institution that will be well capitalised which will lend wholesale money to the development institutions so that they can lend to the real sector. We are also inviting the private sector to come and invest in some of our development institutions. As you can see already, our infrastructural bank has some private sector and we are now trying to make sure that we get some private sector capital into that of agriculture. Back to the capital market, last year, Mr President magnanimously approved forbearance to all our stockbrokers. Our stockbrokers are those who actually make the market perform and all of them have lost their capital. Most of the borrowing they did, they actually put in their money to borrow on the margin. They lost that investment. Yet, as far as the banks are concerned, they have to pay the nominal value of the debt while the real value of the shares that are underlying the debt are almost 20% of the loss they have taken. There is no way the capital market will actually progress with that kind of situation. Mr President magnanimously approved that forbearance and our stockbrokers are now healthy. They are now relieved of all these debts, they are now free to borrow more. And they've also regained confidence that yes, the Nigerian government can really support the stock broking companies, and you know that 60% of the money comes from international portfolio investors. Now, what we have done to our own domestic companies told them that we are really out to support our people. Therefore, they have more confidence in our market; money is now flowing. From last year when we got the forbearance to date, the capitalisation of the market has increased by 70%. This has never been recorded anywhere. Everybody knows that in Nigerian insurance, you only do it under compulsion because people don't have any confidence in the insurance sector. We know that this is a big problem and we went ahead to strengthen the regulatory authorities in order to bring sanity to the insurance sector. One thing we did in insurance, people just hook policies, report their own premium and declare profits where cash is not collected. So we came with No Premium, No Cover policy. At first, most of the brokers were not happy because the broker wants to make his money whether the man pays his premium or not. But today we say No, if you take insurance cover, nobody should recognise income unless cash is paid. So now, insurance is done on cash basis. Last year, we had a backlog of unpaid insurance of N55 billion; today, it is zero. All insurance are cash covered and that gives confidence to the policy holders. When we came in, we had only 700 thousand. Now we have about 1.5 million policy holders and more equity is coming from abroad. We now have a lot of FDIs. About 10 companies have come into Nigeria and Nigerian companies can now even give insurance cover to oil and gas sector. There is 48% local retention of all the policies issued in that sector and this has actually improved our insurance industry and it will enable the industry to raise a lot of resources because in some countries, insurance companies have more money than banks. They even fund banks. We are encouraging our own so that they grow and we mobilise enough resources for investment in the real sector. Another function we do is to ensure that all federally collected revenues are distributed to the three tiers of government according to the revenue sharing formula. In the past, FAC actually made it acrimonious; a lot of issues were there. We actually ensured that all outstanding issues that we met have been cleared. Today, when we come to FAC, we have turned it into committee where problems are solved, to committees where we educate ourselves, where we encourage others to copy the good practices of other states. We do peer comparison and we also ensure that we adopt the best practices and that's why we're just introducing the IPSAS - the International Public Sector Accounting Standards which all the states, parastatals and Federal Government are going to adopt so that our accounts are transparent and comparable to others. We have already ensured that we always hold FAC on time because holding FAC on time has a very serious implication on payment of salaries. And you know in Nigeria, unless salary is paid on time, workers are not happy. And you can agree with me that today, our workers are happy because we ensure that at least, Federal Government workers get their salary before 20th of every month and now with the electronic payment system, it is now - at least some get about 18th or 19th of the month and this has brought relative industrial harmony to Nigeria. We also have a skill in the Federal Ministry of Finance for encouraging export of non-oil products. Before, few people know about the Export Expansion Grant. What we do, is in order to diversify the economy away from oil, all non-oil exporters get a grant based on the export proceed that they expatriated back. So, if you now produce anything non-oil and export, when you bring the money back we calculate based on certain parameters and you can get as much as 20% of the value of your export being given to you free by the government. Why are we doing that? It is because the cost of production in Nigeria is higher than the cost of production internationally. So, we have to make up for the cost of production to make our own manufacturers competitive. We have been doing that, yet we have some glut. We have the glut because growth in export has been growing very fast and we have to revise the system. We have parameters we have actually looked at and we realise that export growth is no more our problem in Nigeria because the target we set for our exporters; 71% of all exporters are growing higher than 10% every year. So, that has been solved. Re-investment of export growth; also 68.9% of our exporters are re-investing the money they get from the bank to develop their own companies. So, that is not also our problem. Today in order to get the EEG (export expansion grant), you have to do well in the area of employment and you have to do well in the area of value addition. We are now reducing the weight for export and retention because we have already succeeded there. I think I will call on the CME to continue. CME Okonjo-Iweala Continues OK. Let me round off very quickly for Finance, because Minister of Information is telling me we need our own day. Let me just mention a couple of other areas quickly. The ministry supports; we are of finance but we're also about making sure that the real sectors of the economy work. So in addition to the budget which we manage, we also have the task of mobilising resources for the sectors of the economy and I'm not going to go through all that I wrote; they can quickly roll it through the screen. I'm very proud to announce that we have been very active to mobilise - sometimes zero interest - very low interest concessional financing for our sectors; money that is zero interest, 40 years to repay, 10 years of grace - the type that you cannot find easily anywhere. So we have been very careful to do that and 12 billion dollars worth, almost every sector. Agriculture - from China Exim Bank, from the World Bank, we have mobilised money. Environment: 450 million from the World Bank for environmental issues; transport. You know, we're doing even guarantees so that we can have some of our infrastructure developed; for example, a letter of comfort to develop the Lekki deep sea port. So when you see all these things being developed, you know that Finance has done some work to make resources available or guarantees that make it work. Second Niger bridge - we're now working on a private-public partnership arrangement where we're going to co-invest with some investors that have been identified from outside with PPP to make sure that this bridge gets built. As we speak, they're already on site trying to do some of the initial groundwork. We work with the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development bank and other banks to try to make this happen. So, you can see, in health, in power, we are going to go to the market very soon to raise a Eurobond of about a billion dollars for the power sector. We know that power is what we need in this country; that's what we have focused on. So, all that money will make gas available to fire the power and the emergency gas plan of the Minister of Petroleum Resources has already been yielding results in terms of making gas available to make our power situation better. But we want to support them to improve even more. So, we raise resources for that. And the education sector - we've also raised money for states that have challenges: Bauchi, Ekiti, Anambra - so many of the states to benefit from that. In ICT we've raised resources. And aviation, housing - I can just say almost every sector of the economy - I'm proud to say we've done that. The Nexim Bank has also used resources to support trade for our economy; export-import bank which is under the Ministry of Finance. Let me just mention one interesting thing. We have supported the empowerment of women in the ministry through devoting some resources - 3 billion naira - to specific programs in five pilot ministries like Agriculture, Health, Water Resources, ICT and so on that focus on works, focus on delivering for women. For example, the Ministry of Works said that they will make more women contractors, sub-contractors. They will increase the number that will get contracts and jobs because women are not favoured and we have said that when they do it, we will support them with additional disbursement from this N3 billion. So we are encouraging support for women within this budget and that is something that the President really supports. So, these are some of the things we are doing. Finally, we are supporting job creation. We are managing some job creation programmes apart from what we are doing for the real sectors of the economy, mobilising money for them in addition to the budget to create jobs like the 3.5 million jobs targeted by Agriculture in 2015. It's the resources we help mobilise that will help them deliver that. But we are also managing some direct job creation being undertaken and implemented by government. Just a couple of examples which you know - we have the program that was mentioned by the Honourable Minister of Information, the YouWIN program of Mr President - this is his program - and I'm happy to tell you this is one of the most popular programs in Nigeria. From the first round we did, we have already created 14,000 jobs all over all parts of the federation. This is just the first survey. The second survey, maybe another 14,000 - that's almost 30,000. The second round we just launched for women only and the third round we're going to launch for men and women, the target of 80,000 to 110,000 jobs is easily reachable. This program is surpassing our expectations in terms of job creation and we're very proud of our young entrepreneurs who are doing this. We are also managing the Graduate Internship Program. Our objective there is to place 50,000 graduate interns with private sector. Over 1,000 private sector firms have applied. We have placed so far 1,309 graduates and we're working very hard to speed up to place all the 50,000 who have been processed as qualified to participate in this scheme. And of course, we were previously supporting the community services program designed to create 370,000 jobs a year. We've moved that to the ministry of labour now, but I want to tell you that 178,000 jobs have already been created. And people who have seen these people working in the field, building ditches, doing drains, maintaining buildings have reported that they're there and the jobs are real. So, these are some of the things that we have tried to do within the ministry to support the job creation agenda. I could go on and on. We actually need more time but let me just stop here and say that Ministry of Finance is a multi-faceted ministry that is delivering day by day on the budget, on the additional finances for the sectors of the country, on managing direct job creation programs and on supporting the sectors - I haven't even told you the things we do to support power through the bulk trader, to manage the debts of NEMCO, to push the various sectors along. We are doing so much more than we have time to share today and we are achieving results. Thank you very much. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leadership (Abuja) Nigeria: Jonathan Presents Mid-Term Scorecard, Charges Critics On Objectivity 29 May 2013 Nigerian Government's Mid-Term Report President Jonathan taking his oath of office. President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday presented the mid-term report of his four-year Transformation Agenda, with a call on critics of his administration to be objective. Jonathan made the presentation on the occasion of the 2013 Democracy Day celebration held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. He specifically condemned some sections of the media, which he said had rated the performance of his ministers, low without making open the criteria used in the assessment. Jonathan called on Nigerians to use the 234-page document containing the mid-term report of the performance of his administration in assessing his government. "Only on Monday, I looked through a particular publication, one of our dailies, which gave an assessment of the performance of ministers. "The first thing I looked for that I did not see was the criteria they used to assess the performance of the ministers. "As a teacher, I know that for you to mark a student's work, you must have a marking scheme, because assessment can be very subjective." Jonathan said the newspaper rated the ministries of Trade and Investments and National Planning, which performed creditably well, average. He said that since 2007, the three ministers of National Planning and three ministers of Trade and Investments he had worked with, never did "what is being done today". The president also noted that in spite of "our security challenges", many businessmen were interested in coming to do business with Nigeria. He said the Ministry of Trade and Investments, which was 'a dead end', 'is now very active", while Shamsudeen Usman has brought life to the Ministry of National Planning. "But these two ministries were scored average, and I asked what the criteria are." Jonathan, therefore, pleaded with those who want to assess and write about his mid-term scorecard, to develop a criterion because "without a marking scheme you cannot mark anybody's paper". Earlier in a presentation, the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had said that in spite of challenges of inequality and inclusion, "the nation's economy is waxing strong". She said that the GDP had recorded significant growth, with the dollar exchange rate remaining stable at between N155 and N160. Okonjo-Iweala said the rate of inflation had slowed to 9.1 per cent from 12.4 per cent in May 2011, while the external reserve had risen from 32.08 billion dollar in May 2011 to 48.4 billion in May 2013. Specifically, she said the External Crude Account (ECA) rose from about four billion dollars in May 2011 to about nine billion dollar at the end of 2012 and 16 billion dollar in May 2013. Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the coordinating minister, said the ECA had been of help in improving the economy since oil production fell from the projected 2.53 million bpd to between 2.1 million bpd and 2.2 million bpd. The minister said that there were deliberate government policies to reduce recurrent expenditure and complete unfinished capital projects. "Recurrent expenditure has dropped from 7.4 per cent of total budget in 2011 to 6.87 per cent in 2013. "Government developed 'Envelop System' to enable ministers to prioritise 600 uncompleted capital projects," she said. The minister said government annual borrowing fell from N852 billion in 2011 to N588 billion in 2013, while debt to GDP is 21 per cent. She said the administration's waiver and tariff policies had also changed positively, with government focusing on sectoral waivers such as agriculture, power, aircraft spare parts, solid minerals at zero duty. "Trade has improved and exports are up in plastics and rubber, vegetable products, prepared food stuff and beverages," she said. Okonjo-Iweala also said that exports increased from 9 per cent in 2008 to 31 per cent in 2012. She said that with over 7 billion dollar foreign direct investment in 2012, Nigeria had become the highest investment destination in Africa. Dignitaries present at the event included Senate President David Mark, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar. Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, former President Shehu Shagari, former Head of Interim National Government Ernest Shonekan and former Chief of General Staff, retired Gen. Oladipo Diya, were also in attendance. (NAN) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Nation Too Rich to Be Poor, British Lawmaker Says By Ibrahim Chonoko, 12 June 2013 Related Topics Nigeria London — A British Member of Parliament (MP) and Shadow Secretary for International Development, Mr Ivan Lewis has said Nigeria is too rich for its people to live in "extreme poverty" and deprivation. Speaking at an African Diaspora Conference in London on Monday, Mr Lewis said Nigeria has so much resources and potentials to be one of the richest nations in the world, and attributed the acute poverty in the country to "corruption and exploitation." The Labour MP said the international community and the Nigerian government have the responsibility to put an end to the "extreme poverty in Nigeria." He listed social justice, good governance, transparency and sustainable development as some of the factors that would get the country out of its present predicament. Mr Lewis also urged developed countries and multinational organisations to do something about the unfair tax system which often results in stealing or depriving tax revenue to developing countries. He criticised developed countries for imposing policies and targets such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on developing countries, arguing that all countries should be given the opportunity to make an input into global policies and programmes. He added that Diaspora communities and civil society groups should have strong voices in shaping national and international policies, noting that the Nigerian Diaspora contributed more in remittances than international aids and donations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria Ranks 115 Out of 144 Countries in Global Competitiveness 11 June 2013 Related Topics Nigeria Abuja — Nigeria ranks 115 out of 144 countries on the global competitiveness index polled to underscore the relevance of quality science andtTechnology infrastructure in economic development. Prof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of a three-day National Stakeholders Meeting on the Nigeria Research and Education Network (NgREN). He said it was disheartening to note that with more than 100 Research and Education Networks (RENs) globally, Nigeria had yet to commission a Research and Education Network "and ranks 112 in terms of network readiness behind smaller African countries". "Many countries that are not as endowed as Nigeria or have been grappling with more internal challenges have thriving RENs. "Examples include Sudan, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Somalia, etc, etc," Okojie said. He said the countries were sharing huge research data, pooled bandwidth, as well as video, audio and data communication on their RENs. The NUC executive secretary said the countries had also benefited from collaborations with other countries through international leased lines on submarine cables. "That is why we should see our population size, geographical spread and diversity in other respects as basis for the utilisation of innovative approaches to solving our challenges." He listed the challenges to include access, availability and quality of education "without which we cannot guarantee the attainment of Vision 20: 2020, not to talk of transforming the economy. Okojie said the NUC would continue to make efforts toward ensuring the development of education in the country, hence its support for the establishment of a REN. In her address, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa'i, said a broadband inter connectivity and Internet access for Nigerian research institutions would create a new operating environment and impact positively on the attitudes of both teachers and learners. "Consequently, this will raise the performance levels of learners and create the needed foundation for initialising science and technology innovation necessary for driving Nigeria's development." Rufa'i expressed optimism that the NgREN would put the country firmly on the path to producing quality and relevant research for accelerated development. She said the NUC was expected to put in place a management team and a secretariat for the running of NgREN, while the ministry would be responsible for payment of entitlements and mobilisation of funds. Also speaking, Prof. Lawan Bichi, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum, Effurun, Delta, said the establishment of NgREN was coming at a time when cyber security had become a global issue that require urgent attention by stakeholders. Bichi said the implementation of an effective REN would help in addressing challenges in the university system such as the existence of more than 17,000 e-journals in NUC's e-library that were being under utilised. "We have rich material resources that never get online," he added. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NgREN is designed to provide world class networking infrastructure for use in research and education. NAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: President Jonathan's Mid-Term Report - Any Cause for Celebration? 9 June 2013 Related Topics Nigeria Despite President Jonathan's claim of excellent performance in the regime's mid-term report, the unanswered question remains: are Nigerians better off today than they were when he came in? Vincent Obia writes The last one week has seen a vigorous debate in the media on President Goodluck Jonathan's mid-term report on the execution of his "Transformation Agenda." Jonathan delivered the report on Democracy Day with a vibrant - almost haughty - tone that reflected the thinking within the government. But outside the government, especially, among the masses, it is virtually impossible to find anyone who will confess that they have witnessed changes that are anywhere near the bright picture the president had painted. The reason is obvious. When Jonathan was inaugurated in 2011, he rolled out a transformation agenda he said was designed to tackle some core problems, including unemployment and poverty, rising debt profile - especially domestic debts, high recurrent over capital expenditure, over-dependence on oil, inflation, infrastructure and housing deficit, falling external reserves, and food insecurity. Two years on, those problems remain largely unresolved. The country's annual budget is still markedly skewed in favour of recurrent expenditure. For instance, in the 2013 budget, nearly 70 percent of the total funds are earmarked for recurrent expenditure, against about 30 percent for capital expenditure. Budget accountability remains a problem. The federal government has seemed to adopt a policy of keeping oil price benchmarks low to accommodate the vagaries of the international pricing system. But even though the feared shortfalls in prices have hardly occurred in recent years, leaving the country with huge excess crude oil revenues, the extra income has mainly been consumed in recurrent expenditure or used to cover deficits that experts say are needless. Last year, the federal government made borrowings to cover a deficit of between N700 billion and N800 billion in the budget, despite the fact that oil prices hovered between $90 and $115 per barrel, against the budgeted benchmark of $72. The above situation has caused a needless accumulation of debts. Nigeria had risen to become the biggest recipient of disbursements from the International Development Association between 2009 and 2012. The country is also said to have the biggest outstanding IDA portfolio in Africa. The IDA is an international financial institution under the World Bank Group that offers concessional loans and grants to the world's poorest developing countries. Though, Nigeria remains comfortably within the internationally accepted 40 per cent debt/Gross Domestic Product ratio and the 25 per cent country specific threshold for debt stock levels, experts doubt if the country really belongs to the class of countries the IDA funds are meant for, judging by its huge surplus earnings from oil. The mid-term report stated that the government's annual borrowing had fallen from N852 billion in 2011 to N588 billion in 2013. This amount could double before the end of the year. But the unanswered question remains: are Nigerians better off today than they were when Jonathan took over? Only last December, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, lamented that the country was borrowing too much and heaping up a heavy debt burden for future generations. The national debt comprises mainly government bonds and treasury bills. The government makes these borrowings from banks at exorbitant rates, which creates a disincentive for lending to the real sector. Experts say economic productivity would hardly be encouraged at the present lending interest rate of between 15 and 20 percent. In the power sector, which experts describe as the main engine of growth, with a population of nearly 200 million, Nigeria only managed to leap from about 2, 000 megawatts, when Jonathan came in 2011, to just over 4, 000 megawatts. This represents an improvement, but it is one that is too infinitesimal for a country that aspires to be among the world's 20 largest economies by 2020. Besides, Nigeria's electricity production puts it far behind its closest competitors in Africa, like South Africa. With a population of about 50 million people, South Africa produces 34, 000 megawatts of electricity to meet current demands, and this production figure is said to increase every year. The administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo had laid the basic foundation for power transformation, which many had expected the Jonathan government to take beyond the present state. Despite marginal improvements, quality and quantity of education remains in shortfall. The Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufa'I, disclosed in April that only 520,000 (30%) of the over 1.7 million candidates that wrote this year's Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) could gain admission into the country's universities, polytechnics, and Colleges of Education. The plight of the education sector may not end soon, what with the 8.7 percent allocation to education in this year's budget - a paltry leap, but a far cry from the United Nations recommended rate of at least 26 percent for developing countries. The fear in many circles is that things may not get any better in the next two years of the president's tenure, as governance looks set to take a backseat for politics ahead of the 2015 general election. While no one would contest that that there have been flickers of hope here and there since the last two years, it is obvious that the rate of progress does not call for the kind of pass mark Jonathan awarded his administration in his mid-term report. POLITICAL NOTES The attempt to make the National Youth Council of Nigeria another battlefield for the 2015 politics is very unfortunate. The yoke of partisanship has made it impossible for the NYCN to elect a new leadership after two attempts in Akure and Makurdi. Reports allege that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, working through the Minister of Youth Development, had imposed a candidate on the council even without an election. While campaigning for the 2011 presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan found it handy to use the NYCN to reach millions of young people across the country. But no one seemed to complain. However, the current attempt to hijack, corrupt, and reduce the otherwise non-partisan organisation to the crude partisanship that is the lot of Nigerian politics at the moment is evil, to say the least. Rather than corrupt the youth of the country through undue infiltration of their ranks, the ruling party or, indeed, any serious political party should think of how to groom young people within its fold for future leadership. The African National Congress in South Africa is doing this, and it is the practice in every country in world where the political class is serious-minded. --- Vincent Obia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Constitution Review - Senate Bars Jonathan, Governors From 2015 By Turaki Hassan, 6 June 2013 More on This Report on Constitutional Review President Goodluck Jonathan Senate Constitution Review Committee has barred President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo and all serving governors from contesting election for the six-year single term being proposed in the constitution under amendment. The restriction contained in clause 12 of the committee's report, seeking to alter section 137 of the constitution reads: "A person holding the office of the president or vice president immediately before the coming into force of the alterations of section 135 and 136 of this constitution shall not be eligible to contest for a single term of six years." Like the president, incumbent state governors, including those serving their first term are prohibited from seeking election for a six-year single term under the new law, according to clause 8 which seeks to alter section 180 of the constitution. The National Assembly had set a July 2013 deadline to conclude work on the amendments to the constitution, so that the provisions will take effect ahead of the 2015 elections. If the target is achieved therefore, the president and all the state governors will be bound by the new constitution. Also, the committee bars President Jonathan from signing the amended constitution into law as it happened in 2010 when minor amendments were made to it. With the new proposals the National Assembly will also not require simple majority to override the president's veto on bills. Once a bill stays with the president for 30 days without him assenting to it or returning it to the legislature, it will automatically be considered to have been signed. Clause 11 amending Section 136 disqualifies the vice president from contesting for the office of the president if he was sworn in after the death or impeachment of the president. "Where the vice president-elect or vice president succeeds the president-elect or the president in accordance with subsection 1 of this section, he shall not be eligible to contest for the office of the president in any subsequent election." When the new provisions are passed, all former presiding officers of the National Assembly including former senate presidents and their deputies, former speakers of the House of Representatives and their deputies shall be entitled to pension for life at a rate equivalent to the annual salary of the incumbent officers," according to clause 7 amending section 84. Section 121 also granted financial autonomy to the 36 states Houses of Assembly, state Auditors- General, states' judiciary and states' Attorneys-General. The section provides that they derive their funding from the consolidated revenue fund of the state directly. The proposed amendment also separates the office of the Attorney General of the Federation from that of the Minister of Justice, the same way it separates the office of the state Attorney- General and Commissioner of Justice. Ekweremadu committee also proposed an amendment to Section 162 of the constitution abolishing the controversial Joint State/Local Government Account and stipulate that the monthly revenue allocation to the third tier of government be paid to them directly. It also denies allocations to local governments that have no elected councils. In Section 299, the FCT is granted a mayoral status, thereby scrapping the position of the Minister of the Federal Capital. "The National Assembly shall make law to provide for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of the office of Mayor of the Federal Capital Territory," the section states. Section 300 scraps the FCT minister's position and replaced it with that of a mayor. The panel also recommended for the removal of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC), Land Use Act and the National Securities Agencies Act from the constitution. The committee further called for devolution of more powers to the 36 states by removing arbitration, aviation, environment, health care, land and agriculture, prisons, public complaints, railways, road safety, stamp duties, wages and youth matters from the exclusive legislative list putting it under the concurrent legislative list to allow states to establish and maintain prisons, railways, airports among others. The committee however rejected the rotation of the office of the president between the north and south, saying it will disunite the country. Similarly, the panel rejected proposal for the creation of state police as well as that for Nigerians in Daispora to vote during elections. It also rejected the clamour for increase in the derivation component of oil and gas sales by oil producing states of the Niger Delta from the present 13 percent to 20 percent. The request for the conferment of "special status" on Lagos did not also scale through even though the legislators said they appreciated the challenges of Lagos. On request by indigenes of the FCT to be given a ministerial slot the same with the 36 states of the federation, the senators opined that as desirable as it may be, "the provisions granting mayoral status for the FCT will go a long way in ensuring equitability and is sufficient to ensure efficient administration of the federal capital." Ekweremadu who took time to brief his colleagues on how the committee arrived at the decision on each of the clauses, however noted that on the 99 requests for states creation received, only 17 "attempted meeting the requirements" as stipulated in Section 8 (1) of the 1999 Constitution but they too failed. Senate President David Mark said the upper legislative chamber will commence clause by clause consideration on June 25 when they resume from their mid-term recess. He called in all senators to consult widely with their constituents during the recess. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria: I 'Ve Done Well, Says Jonathan By Ben Agande, 30 May 2013 More on This Nigerian Government's Mid-Term Report President Jonathan taking his oath of office. Abuja — President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, gave a robust defence of his administration's performance at mid-term and dismissed public and media assessment of his ministers, saying the criticisms were mostly bereft of objectivity. President Jonathan spoke at the public presentation of the administration's mid-term report in Abuja during which administration officials rolled out positive financial indicators which among others was that Nigeria has become the highest investment destination in the continent. The presentation was graced by former Nigerian leaders, including former President Shehu Shagari, General Yakubu Gowon, Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Chief of General Staff, Gen. Oladipo Diya; one-time United States presidential candidate, Jesse Jackson among others. Also present at the event were the Senate President, Sen. David Mark; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar. Jackson, speaking at the occasion, commended the president for giving a mid-term report of his performance. He said that it was indicative that the ship of the nation was sailing in the right direction. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim also commended the leadership of President Jonathan, who he said had shown impressive democratic culture through his restraint in the face of unparalleled challenges to his authority. President Jonathan was nevertheless dismissive of media assessment of his administration. He said that as a former teacher, he was conscious of the fact that any examination should be guided by a marking scheme. Challenges media of objective assessment He thus challenged the media to use the 234-page report as a veritable tool for any objective assessment. He said: "Only on Monday, I looked through a particular publication in one of our dailies, which gave an assessment of the performance of the ministers. "The first thing I looked for that I did not see was the criteria they used to assess the performance of the ministers. As a teacher, I know that for you to mark a student, you must have a marking scheme. Because, assessment could be very subjective, and if a fellow politician is assessing another politician, you assess the person based on heartbeats." He said two ministries; the ministries of Trade and Investments and National Planning which performed creditably well were rated average. "Since I came to the centre in 2007, I have worked with three ministers of National Planning and three ministers of Trade and Investments. They have never done what is being done today. "In terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) attracted to this country by activities of that ministry, it has never happened. In spite of our security challenges, there is so much interest from business men wanting to come to Nigeria. "Before now, that Ministry of Trade and Investments was a dead end, but now they are very active. Talk about Ministry of Planning, people say that until Shamsudeen came on board, we did not even know that we had a Planning Ministry. "But these two ministries were scored average and I asked what are the criteria? That is the purpose of today, our elders, ladies and gentlemen. The idea is to formally present a document to all Nigerians about the activities of the government these past two years. "I plead with all of us especially those who want to assess and write about it to develop criteria because without a marking scheme, you cannot mark anybody's paper. Develop your own, compare with previous governments. Develop your marking scheme and mark us." Nigeria's economy waxing strong -- Okonjo-Iweala Making her presentation earlier, the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that despite challenges of inequality and inclusion, the nation's economy was waxing strong. She said in the last two years, the GDP had recorded significant growth and dollar exchange rate had remained stable between N155 and N160. She said the rate of inflation had dropped to 9.1 per cent from 12.4 per cent in May 2011, while the external reserve had risen from $32.08 billion in May 2011 to $48.4 billion as at May, 2013. Specifically, she said the External Crude Account (ECA) had risen from about $4 billion in May, 2011 to about $9 billion at the end of 2012 and presently $6 billion in May 2013. The minister said the ECA had been of help in improving the economy since oil production had fallen from the projected 2.53 million bpd to between 2.1 and 2.2 million bpd, adding that there were deliberate government policies to reduce recurrent expenditure and complete unfinished capital projects. She said: "Recurrent expenditure has dropped from 70.4 per cent of total budget in 2011 to 68.7 per cent in 2013″. She added that government's annual borrowing had fallen from N852 billion in 2011 to N588 billion in 2013 while the debt to GDP is 21 per cent. According to her, the administration's waiver and tariff policies had also changed positively. She said: "Government is focusing on sectoral waivers such as agriculture, power, aircraft spare parts, solid minerals at zero duty. Trade has improved and exports are up in plastics and rubber, vegetable products, prepared food stuff and beverages." The minister explained that exports have increased from nine per cent in 2008 to 31 per cent in 2012, saying oil export had increased to 69 per cent of total exports compared to 91 per cent in 2008. She said with over $7 billion foreign direct investment into the country in 2012, Nigeria has become the highest investment destination in Africa. Also speaking at the event, the Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman said the Federal Government has achieved eight of 14 points in its transformation agenda. Giving sectoral appraisal of the achieve ments of the administration, he said the railway which had become irrelevant in the national transportation system for over 30 years was back on track, adding that the western rail corridor from Lagos to Kano as well as intra-city train services in Lagos, Kaduna and Kano are now fully operational. In the road sector, the Minister said there had been key improvement on key access roads across the country, citing the Benin-Ore Road, Kano-Maiduguri Road and the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road among others. The minister added that there has also been significant improvements in power and the government was working hard to ensure that Nigerians were provided with uninterrupted power supply. In agriculture, Usman said the administration had saved significant amount of money through the blocking of loopholes in the procurement of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs and ensuring the direct distribution to farmers. She added that with the policy, there has been increased production of crops like cassava, wheat and rice, thereby moving the country to self sufficiency in food and liberating the people from poverty. He said there had also been a significant improvement in the airports across the country with the expansion, renovation and remodelling works in the existing airports. Nigeria on right course -- Jackson Jackson, a 1994 and 1998 United States Democratic Party presidential candidate also speaking at the occasion, said there was much expectation on Nigeria as the most populous black nation on earth and that the country should not disappoint the world. Appraising the mid-term report, he said that there was no doubt that Nigeria was on the right course and called for support from every strata of society. According to him, "the world takes Nigeria serious and it cannot afford to let the world down. Nigeria must do everything to get it right. It is an obligation that Nigeria must meet". Former head of the Interim Government in Liberia, Professor Amos Sawyer also speaking, praised Nigeria's contributions to international peace keeping in the continent and thus urged the country's political leaders to join hands at critical times of national challenges. Anyim noted that the uncommon restraint by President Jonathan in the face of different provocative challenges had helped to deepen democracy in the last two years. He noted that there had been unprecedented growth in the numbers of civil society groups and the administration had expanded and made the space free to encourage people to come together. Anyim said the widened space had made citizens bolder and more assertive while opposition parties enjoyed total liberty. The SGF said the Freedom of Information law made by the administration had granted unfettered freedom to the media while the judiciary had become the last hope of the common man. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obasanjo, Buhari, Tambuwal, others shun Jonathan’s event May 30, 2013 by Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja 392 Comments KEY predecessors of President Goodluck Jonathan in office, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo; and ex-dictators, retired Generals Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdusalami Abubakar (retd.), as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on Wednesday shunned the Democracy Day event of the Federal Government. While all former heads of government were reportedly invited to the event where Jonathan rendered an account of his mid-term performance, only Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.) and Chief Ernest Shonekan attended. Gowon ruled as military head of state between 1966 and 1976; Shagari from 1979 to 1983; while Shonekan spent barely 99 days in office as head of the Interim National Government foisted on the country by Babangida after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election won by the late businessman, MKO Abiola. Rather than be in Abuja, Obasanjo chose to attend the First Jigawa State Investment Forum in Dutse, where he showered praises on Governor Sule Lamido for being a brilliant performer in whom he (Obasanjo) was well pleased to have helped to office. “You can help someone to find a job but you can’t help the person to do the job. In this case, we found a job for Sule Lamido and Sule Lamido was ready, willing, able and competent to do the job,” he reportedly said at the event. Obasanjo is believed to have facilitated the coming of Jonathan to the Presidency in 2007 but the two have reportedly become estranged. Buhari, now one of the arrowheads of the coalition to unseat the Peoples Democratic Party in 2015 and the Jonathan administration, had in recent past exchanged hot words on the state of the nation. Babangida contested the PDP Presidential ticket with Jonathan in 2011 and he is generally seen not as a fan of the administration. Tambuwal was represented at the event by his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, who gave no reason for the Speaker’s absence. Analysts on Wednesday believed that attendance and non-attendance at the Democracy Day celebration was “all part of the 2015 politics.” Meanwhile, Jonathan, while presenting his scorecard for his second year in office, asked Nigerians who are fond of criticising his government to ensure they first develop their marking scheme before assessing his administration. Before the President formally presented the report of his two years in office, Vice- President Namadi Sambo; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim; Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman; and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had taken turns to present the achievements of the administration in all sectors for the past two years. “I plead with those who want to write and assess us to prepare marking scheme, compare us with previous governments and so on and so forth. Develop your marking scheme and mark us,” Jonathan said. Jonathan said while assessing his government, he had discovered that a number of comments of his critics were “based on heartbeats and not any visible criteria.” “A number of comments about the performance of this administration are based on the heartbeat of people,” he said. He specifically referred to an assessment done by an unnamed newspaper which scored the Minister of National Planning and the Minister of Trade and Investment an average in terms of performance. Jonathan said contrary to that assessment, the performances of the two ministers remained the best among the three ministers that had so far been in charge of those ministries under his leadership. On the Ministry of Trade and Investment, the President said because of the hard work of Dr. Olusegun Aganga, foreign investors had been investing heavily in the country despite the security challenges facing the nation and that until Usman came on board, the Ministry of National Planning had remained relatively not in existence. Sambo had earlier in his welcome remarks said all members of the Jonathan administration were united in their aspiration to transform Nigeria to a nation that would be respected worldwide. He said the Democracy Day was not all about a public holiday but a day to look inwards and give account of stewardship, adding that was why the administration was using the opportunity to give account of its actions to the nation that gave them the mandate to serve. Sambo urged all Nigerians to join hands to build a nation that would fulfil the promise of the past and work for the good of the present and the future generation. He said constitutional and moral burdens were on all of them in government to uphold democratic tenets. He said, “To whom much is given, much is expected. We are grateful to the nation for the mandate we received from the freest and fairest election in recent time. The transformation agenda is decided on those things that should be done to reposition the country. In the last two years, we have pursued a resolute course to widen the political space. “Our public institutions are being rebuilt. The National Assembly is very vibrant, the judiciary is truly independent. There is a general onsensus that democracy and government in Nigeria are getting better. We have laid a foundation of change in the last two years. “In the face of unprecedented security challenges, the challenges call for caution from all of us. Nobody should make political capital on the issue. We seek your support and honest counsel in the areas we can improve upon. A bright future beckons on this land and its people. We assure generations unborn of a nation that will meet their needs.” Anyim said the mid-term report presented by the President provided verifiable achievements of his administration. He said the administration had protected the rights of citizens and the rule of law in its two years of existence. He scored the administration high in the expansion of civic space, entrenchment of checks and balances, sanitisation of electoral process, federal character in appointments and anti-corruption fight, among others. Okonjo-Iweala, on her part, said the administration’s transformation agenda had been tailored towards addressing some of the nation’s problems, including insufficient jobs, rising debt, high recurrent expenditure and falling reserves, among others. She said in its two years, the administration had made the economy strong, exchange rate stable, and reduced inflation to 9.1 per cent from 12.4 per cent in May 2011. The minister said the Federal Government had started retiring its past debts and changed waiver and tariff policies from focusing on individuals alone to the entire sector. She added that the government hired 50 forensic auditors to probe the fraud in the fuel subsidy regime, adding that sanity had so far been restored to the system. She said following the audit, N14bn had been recovered out of the N234bn diverted funds while oil marketers had been reduced to 32, making it easier for government to monitor them. “The contributory pension scheme is sound and it is being reformed to prevent fraud. Nigeria’s credit rating has improved. International investors are investing more in Nigeria. Our banks are strong and the stock market is also strong with stock exchange index rising to 71 per cent,” she said. Okonjo-Iweala said the administration had done well in the areas of rail rehabilitation, inland ports construction and the overhauling of airports. The Founder/President, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Rev. Jesse Jackson, observed that leadership was not just about winning elections but about transforming the people. He urged Nigeria to continue to deepen its democracy because the nation mattered to the international community. He urged Nigerian leaders and followers to dream big about the nation, saying their resources must unite and not divide them. “Nigeria must deepen democracy. Nigeria matters. In peacekeeping around the world, Nigeria matters. Dream, keep dreaming big. Dream Nigeria. Dream of one Nigeria,” he said. Others who attended included wife of the President, Patience; wife of the Vice- President, Amina; former Chief of General Staff, Gen. Oladipo Diya (retd.); President of the Senate, David Mark; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Mukhtar; and Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu. Others were the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih; the party’s national chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur; former CJN, Justice Alfa Begore (retd.); elder statesman, Chief J.P. Clark; members of the National Assembly, former state governors, including Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo); Sam Egwu (Ebonyi); Segun Oni (Ekiti); and members of the Federal Executive Council, among others. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: 'Develop Your Marking Scheme and Mark Us,' Jonathan Dares Critics - Highlights Successes 29 May 2013 Related Topics Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday challenged observers and critics of the administration to develop a marking scheme to appropriately grade the performance of his administration. The president said this at the presentation of his midterm scorecard to Nigerians and the global community. Mr. Jonathan said his two years performance should be compared with those of previous Nigerian leaders and other African leaders. He challenged those criticising the performance of some Nigerian ministries under his administration to develop a marking scheme saying for you to mark a student's script, you must have a marking scheme. "Develop your marking scheme and mark us," the president said. Earlier, before the president's speech, government officials including the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, highlighted the performance of the Jonathan administration. It's all success While highlighting the achievements, Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said the administration has succeeded in several fronts. In order to reduce corruption in the petrol subsidy payments, the minister said, the number of petrol importers had been reduced from 143 to 32, while several billions of naira had been recovered from marketers indicted in the probe of the subsidy sector and other fraudulent importers being prosecuted. The minister said Nigeria has reduced its dependence on crude oil as its only major export. She said crude oil export now accounts for only 70 per cent of Nigeria's exports with the rest being agricultural produce, manufactured goods, and so on. Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, while highlighting the economic growth said the exchange rate has remained stable under President Jonathan at between N155-N160 per dollar. She said Nigeria's external reserves are rising, and inflation has reduced. She said Nigeria's borrowing has also decreased yearly since 2011. Other achievements of the administration, according to the Finance Minister, include construction of about 61,800 housing units across Nigeria by the Housing Ministry; an improvement in local cement production to about 28 million metric tonnes, more than local need; and the construction of 13 new rice mills across Nigeria. She also highlighted the improvement in the rail sector, saying rail users had increased by over 3 million people in the last two years, while more rail gauges, coaches, and routes are being worked and improved upon. Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said the Federal Government also paved 651km of roads across Nigeria in 2012. The event was organised by top government functionaries including the Senate President, David Mark; three former heads of state: Yakubu Gowon, Shehu Shagari, and Ernest Shonekan; the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam Mukhtar. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leaders end summit, pledge commitment to better Africa . Monday, 27 May 2013 00:00 From Oghogho Obayuwana, Foreign Affairs Editor, Addis Ababa News - National .NOT wanting to lose out of the making of history of the moment, African Union (AU) leaders on Monday proclaimed a new focus that would see the continent taking its destiny in its hands in self-sufficiency, peace and security, as well as inter-regional trade. The leaders ended their 21st ordinary summit of the AU and the 50th anniversary of the receded Organisation of African Unity (OAU), pledging not to bequeath the burden of conflicts to the next generation of Africans. During the summit, economic experts had urged action from the leaders in not only banishing conflict but in creating an economically sovereign continent. At the turn of the millennium, Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was $600 billion. Today, it is $2.2 trillion. But adjusted for inflation, Africa’s GDP has doubled in 10 years while Sub-Sahara Africa’s economic size has now doubled. Burgeoning conflicts have, however, continued to take the steam away from the road to more economic progress. Besides, about 14 million of the continent’s youth are entering the labour market each year and cannot find a decent job. But even as the leaders rose yesterday and settled for a rapid response strategy for Africa’s conflict situations, in the absence of a full take off of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), they failed to take any meaningful action beyond the subsisting suspension of the military junta, which seized power from a democratically-elected government in Central African Republic (CAR) last march. Majorly, the leaders resolved to address the root causes of conflicts, put an end to impunity and strengthen national and continental judicial institutions and accountability in line with collective responsibility to the principle of non-indifference. They also raised an instrument to deal with the recurrent and emerging sources of conflict including piracy, narco-human trafficking, all forms of extremism, including terrorism, trans-national organised crime and missing no opportunity to push forward the agenda of conflict prevention, peace-making, peace support, national reconciliation and post-conflict reconstruction and development, among others. Addressing the global media shortly after the closing ceremony, Chairperson of the AU Authority of Heads of State and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Dessalegn, said: “We (African leaders) should take care of our own business by ourselves. We should not be waiting for handouts. We will now take care of all our programmes (security, economic integration and trade) among others, ourselves”. Referring specifically to the report submitted to the assembly by former Nigerian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on unleashing Africa’s potential and finding alternative sources of funding, he added: “There is now a master-plan for infrastructure. We are not suggesting that we will not welcome support from our partners, but we must have our own mechanism for directing our march to progress”. The summit resolutions, which were earlier read by the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, had referred the Obasanjo report to the Ministers of Finance of member-states for further inputs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Corruption in Oil Sector - Nigeria Loses N75 Billion Monthly - Ribadu 17 May 2013 Nigeria The former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, said on Wednesday, that up to $500 million (N75bn) of Nigeria's oil revenue gets drained monthly as a result of the opacity that bedevils Nigeria's oil sector. According to Mr. Ribadu, who last year headed the Presidential Task Force on Oil Revenue, the losses were exclusive of the several other billions lost in oil theft and other sharp practices in the industry. Speaking when he received the British Minister for International Development, Lynne Featherstone, who paid a visit to him in Abuja, the retired anti-corruption czar said that efforts made to clean up the system are often resisted by people who benefit from the corrupt system. "Anything in terms of reform would mean stopping that shadowy practice and it also means more money for government," he said, citing the example of the work of his committee on oil revenue which he said is yet to be given the needed consideration by the government. Mr. Ribadu also expressed scepticism over the possibility of cleaning up the system through the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, arguing that there is no political will to implement whatever provisions for transparency are made in the bill. Politics Mr. Ribadu, who was the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, CAN, in the 2011 general elections, expressed confidence over the possibility of the current moves of opposition parties to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. According to him, the formation of the All Progressives Congress, APC, will give opposition politics a boost as it will eliminate tendencies of ethnic and sectional politics which characterised opposition politics in recent past. He, however, raised doubts about the possibility of having free and fair election, especially due to the "manipulation of the process by those in charge and the influence of money in the electioneering process." Mr. Ribadu canvassed for the continuous support of the United Kingdom in the areas of strengthening democracy and war against corruption. He also acknowledged the support the EFCC, under his leadership, received from the U.K. government through the Department for International Development, DFID. Ms. Featherstone said the visit to Mr. Ribadu was part of her nationwide tour to meet with political actors and other leaders with a view to reinforcing the nascent democratic culture in Nigeria. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: House Seeks Respite for Nigerian Scholars Abroad By Onwuka Nzeshi, 16 May 2013 Nigeria The House of Representatives yesterday sought quick intervention in the predicament of Nigerian students in Russia and other countries of the world. The students are on bilateral agreement scholarship, but are allegedly neglected by the Federal Government who has failed to pay the students their stipends. Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa who stressed the need for the intervention said the federal government cannot shirk its responsibilities and keep these students stranded. She gave this view while receiving a delegation of Association of Federal Government Doctoral Candidates in Russia. The delegation, led by Mr. Godwin Ezinkwo was at the parliament to present a petition on the condition of Nigerian students in Russia and to seek its intervention. In response to the petition, Dabiri-Erewa lamented that Nigerian students abroad were being subjected to begging to survive in foreign lands. She assured that her Committee would meet with the Federal Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs with a view to finding a permanent solution to the problem. "It is shameful that Nigerian students that are sent on scholarship to other countries have resorted to begging. It is really a sad commentary. You don't deserve this kind of treatment. We should be ashamed that this is happening. How can you be good ambassadors if you're treated this way? "We are going to do our work. We'll meet with the Ministry of Education and the relevant stakeholders and find out what the real situation is. We will get back to you when we finish our findings" she said. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: IMF - Declining Oil Prices to Affect Nigeria's Oil Revenue 10 May 2013 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that the declining global crude oil prices may translate to lower oil revenue for Nigeria. In fact, the IMF pointed out that a decline in international crude oil prices to $97 per barrel (annual average) would eat into Nigeria's Excess Crude Account (ECA) balance, while a further fall to between $80 and $85 per barrel would wipe out ECA balances within a year. The multilateral institution which stated this in a statement obtained by THISDAY Thursday, however noted that with capital inflows and outflows broadly in balance in the country, the current account surpluses would permit a rebuilding of international reserves. It projected that strong growth will continue in the non-oil sector. The IMF also pointed out that tighter fiscal together with tighter monetary policy would continue to ease inflationary pressure in the country. It added: "Government's medium-term expenditure framework calls for substantial fiscal adjustment, but success depend on use of Excess Crude Account/Sovereign Wealth Fund and the ability to contain recurrent expenditures. Lower world oil price means shrinking current account surpluses. International reserves will continue to rise, buoyed by relatively high interest rates, at least in short-term. "Banking crisis has been resolved with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria's interventions. Growth in Nigeria is expected to rebound in 2013 and remain strong. "Inflation is expected to ease further in the face of fiscal and monetary tightening. Generating capital inflows and helping the CBN to rebuild reserves while stabilising the exchange rate." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria: Foreign Trade - FG to Change From FOB to CIF By Godfrey Bivbere And Ifeyinwa Obi, 9 May 2013 Federal Government is set to change its trade policy from the present Free on Board (FOB) to Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) which most countries across the world use because of its economic benefits, before the end of the year. The FOB makes it mandatory for the buyer to determine who ships and insures the goods to his port of destination while the CIF ensures that the seller determines who ships and who insures the goods brought from him. Presently, goods bought from Nigeria are on FOB basis while Nigeria trades with other nations is on CIF basis. Disclosing the position of the federal government to Vanguard in Houston, Texas at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), Leke Oyewole, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, said work has been completed on the document for the change in policy so as to help indigenous operators. Oyewole explained that a document to that effect has been completed and inputs from Ministries made. According to him, all that is left now is for the Economic Management Team (EMT) to take a finally look at it before it returns to the President for it to be signed into law. "The EMT always have a long list of issue to attend to, they were to have that meeting last month but it was not possible because of reasons but I can tell you that within this month, most likely it will be discussed and when it is discussed and it is agreed at that level, then it will be left to the President to just sign. Once he signs, it becomes an order." Asked whether the policy would be reversed before the end of the year, the Special Adviser said, "Am hopeful, am very very hopeful but you also know that if today the President signs that the policy should been reversed, Nigerians would not begin by tomorrow. We need to give time sufficient enough for Nigerians to acquire vessels to begin to carry." He noted that country presently "operate on FOB, in which case, soon as we put cargo onboard the ship, the fund, the money is released to Nigeria. When we go on CIF, it will mean that until the cargo is delivered before the money will come to Nigeria, there will be a gap, that gap most not be too wide otherwise it will hamper the national funding because we get most of our revenue from these products (petroleum products). "We have stayed back for too long, we can not lunch suddenly into the mean stream, otherwise we will not be able to cope it the dynamics of international politics that will be involved. We need to find a way to move in gradually and all these has been taken care of in the document I told you has been moving from table to table, so that we have a sustainable reentering into the international market and trade." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India becomes single-largest importer of Nigerian crude . Monday, 06 May 2013 20:28 By Sulaimon Salau, with agency report Business Services - Business News A SHARP twist to the new shale oil development has eventually begun to impact on Nigeria’s export market, as India has surpassed the United States (U.S.) to become the single-largest importer of crude from Nigeria. Analysis from an international energy agency, Platts indicated that India is now accounting for about 17 per cent of the crude imports from Nigeria. Global Editorial Director of Oil News, Richard Swann, said that the emergence of India as the largest consumer of Nigerian crude occurred rapidly over the past year. “India’s demand for crude oil is constantly rising and it makes economic sense to ship it from Africa due to the geographical proximity,” Swann said. The U.S. has become less depended on imported crude because of the development of shale gas and shale liquid in the country. The surprising growth of US domestic light shale oil production has resulted in a sharp 63 per cent drop in US dependence on imports of light sweet Nigerian crude in just five years, from a peak of 1.084 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2007 to just 405,000 bpd last year, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration. The 2012 volume was the lowest since 1985 when crude imports from Nigeria averaged 280,000 bpd. On the other hand, India is expected to import at least 13 cargoes, or 17 per cent of the 75 scheduled for export, from Nigeria by end May. In March and April, India imported six and seven cargoes, respectively. On an average, one cargo has around a million barrels of crude oil. Indian state-run companies such as Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd figure among significant Indian buyers of crude from Nigeria. The refineries of these companies require sweet crude like that produced by Nigeria for their product slate. On the other hand, private companies such as Reliance Industries Ltd and Essar Oil Ltd have stayed away from the Nigerian crude market since they can make do with heavier and cheaper crude due to the high complexity of their refineries. The Executive Director of International Trade and Supplies at HPCL, B.K. Namdeo, said: “Nigeria is one of the largest producers of low sulphur crude and India needs this kind of crude. The Brent-Dubai differential has become very less in the last five to six months and there are environmental concerns over sulphur dioxide emission, which makes Nigerian light crude attractive.” The quality and stability of Nigeria’s crude production makes it one of the most expensive crude in the world, enjoying a premium of around $3.6 per barrel over Brent. The Brent price of crude was $104.19 per barrel last week. It has fallen by more than 6 per cent in the past year, but the price of Nigerian crude has sustained itself, largely due to the increased demand from India. The Executive Director and Head of the Energy and Natural Resources Sector at advisory firm KPMG (India), Arvind Mahajan, said: “India sources most of its crude from the Middle East and now it may be looking to diversify its sourcing portfolio,” said “India and Nigeria have always had good relations and there may have been many government-to-government discussions on this issue.” Shale gas or natural gas trapped in sedimentary rocks, known as shale formations, is being increasingly tapped by the US, Canada and China as an alternative to conventional oil and gas. Meanwhile, India is also planning to unveil a shale gas exploration policy in a month, to exploit unconventional hydrocarbon resource to meet its growing energy needs. The Indian government had said plans to launch its first auction of shale gas block by the end of 2013 on terms that are likely to be remarkably different from those offered in bid rounds for oil and gas blocks. However, Nigeria’s exports of Bonny Light, Qua Iboe and Forcados crude might likely fall in June compared with May, according to provisional loading programmes. Nigeria will export 10 cargoes of Qua Iboe in June, one less than in May, and amounting to 316,667 barrels of oil per day. There will be six cargoes of Forcados, totaling 172,400 barrels per day in June, down from nine cargoes equaling 231,000 barrels a day in May. Two traders said there will be no fresh exports of Bonny Light in June, and the only exports of the crude in the month will be delayed cargoes from the May programme. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- .Reps probe alleged N59tr oil deal . Thursday, 02 May 2013 00:00 From Terhemba Daka (Abuja) and Wole Shadare (Lagos) News - National .• Oil firm faults allegation against Alison-Madueke • House considers interest-free loans for students, flood disasters’ unit SHOCKED by the alleged N59 trillion fraudulent oil deal involving the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), the House of Representatives Thursday began an investigation into the matter. The House mandated a special ad-hoc committee to probe the allegation. Also under the searchlight of the panel are the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited and Septa Energy Limited. The House also considered for second reading at its plenary yesterday a bill to grant interest-free loans to indigent Nigerian students in higher institutions of learning. According to a resolution unanimously adopted by the House on a motion sponsored by the Deputy Chairman of its Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Victor Ogene, the House has urged every stakeholder, authorities or bodies with the requisite information to co-operate and assist the committee in its investigations. The committee has four weeks to report back on its findings. Oil-producing communities in Delta State had on April 25 protested at the National Assembly against an alleged fraudulent allocation of Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 4, 26, 30, 34, 38, 41 and 42 by the Minister of Petroleum Resources. Ogene (APGA-Anambra) in moving the motion stated that Alison-Madueke and SPDC allegedly compromised officials of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the NPDC in the transactions that led to the farm-out of some oil blocks, pointing out that $15.7 trillion worth of gas assets were alleged to be at stake in the deal. He said that in striking the deal, there were allegations of a deliberate exclusion of indigenous operators from exercising their rights of first refusal before selections were made, adding that the exercise was carried out in violation of Sections 3 (1), (2) and 5 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Act No. 2 of 2010. Ogene said the Federal Government would have earned $800 million instead of the $50 million it received if there had be an open competitive bidding in accordance with the Procurement Act. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has faulted the allegation against the petroleum minister. In an advertorial in The Guardian of May 1, 2013, the management of NPDC said: “The allegation of deliberate exclusion of indigenous rights is in contrast with the established pro-indigenous position of the minister as demonstrated in her administration of the oil and gas sector.” It added, among others: “They are not new to the industry. It is therefore false to say that the FGN’s 55 per cent equity interest and/or any FGN equity interest has been sold to AEDC. There was never such a sale… “As indicated earlier, there was never any sale of equity involved but merely a transaction between NNPC and its subsidiary, NPDC, in compliance with the provisions of the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA). The transaction at issue was not an acreage allocation exercise neither did it involve the issuance of a prospecting licence. “As in all previous funding arrangements such as Modified Carry Arrangements (MCA), Project Financing, etc; NNPC negotiates the most competitive financing terms for itself.” Minority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila who sponsored the Bill for an Act to provide access to higher education through interest-free loans while leading debate on its general principles explained that the proposal was a building block to developing the nation educationally. He said that if passed into law, it would increase the level of scientific discoveries, as well as ensure cutting edge technology that would bring Nigeria at par with innovations around the world. “Education should not be seen as a privilege but as a right which is constitutionally guaranteed,” he stated, adding that so many prospective students had been losing their admissions due to lack of funds. Several members, including former Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Farouk Lawan, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Nnena Elendu-Ukeje and Mr. Forte Dike spoke in support of the bill. Besides, a Bill to establish a Department within the National Emergency Management Agency to provide insurance and lessen the effect of floods on victims in the country, scaled second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives yesterday. The bill entitled a “Bill for an act to create a Department of National Flood Mitigation and Insurance Programme in the NEMA”, which was consolidated with another bill, was introduced by Emmanuel Jime (PDP-Benue). The bill specifically wants a special unit embedded in the NEMA to provide insurance for flood disaster victims, provide measures to avert such disasters and compensate victims in the case where the disasters are unavoidable. Leading the debate on the proposed piece of legislation, Jime recalled that “in 2012, Nigeria witnessed the worst floods in the history of the country, where the whole of Nigeria was affected leading to the loss of the lives of more than 360 people.” Though some lawmakers, including Peter Ede (ANPP-Ebonyi) and Abubakar Momoh (ACN-Edo), raised objections to some parts of the bill, it eventually scaled second reading and was referred to Committee on Disaster Management for further legislative action. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delta indigenes besiege N’Assembly over alleged minister’s N58.9tr oil blocks fraud . Thursday, 25 April 2013 00:00 From Terhemba Daka, Abuja News - National .INCENSED by what they considered a monumental fraud involving N58.9 trillion, representatives of five oil-producing communities of Delta State Thursday besieged the major gate leading to the National Assembly complex in Abuja. The Delta State indigenes, who were protesting against alleged exclusion of the host communities from the sale of the Oil Mining Leases (OML), submitted a petition to the lawmakers. They alleged that the bidding for the OML was shrouded in secrecy. “By this deal, 60 per cent of NPDC’s 55 per cent stake of these assets is about five billion barrels, which when calculated with the 2013 crude oil benchmark, comes to $380 billion or N58.9 trillion. This figure is exclusive of the 4 Trillion Cubic Feet (4 TCF) of gas asset in the blocks valued at $15.72 trillion “, they said. For six hours, the over 300 youths, including women who stormed Abuja in chartered buses late Wednesday, mounted a blockade yesterday and prevented vehicular movement to the National Assembly complex. The development, which left the police and other security operatives in utter helplessness, also compelled parliamentary workers as well as visitors to trek the distance from the National arcade located in the Three Arms Zone to the National Assembly complex. But a quick intervention by the leadership of the National Assembly prevented the protest from degenerating into a crisis as the Senate President, David Mark, as well as the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, sued for calm and assured that the relevant committees of the parliament would liaise with other stakeholders within 30 days during which a solution to their grievances would be arrived at. The Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Abdul Ningi who received the petition on behalf of the Senate President, specifically assured that the two chambers of the parliament would urgently intervene in the matter for the benefit of the host communities. “The issue of host communities is critical to the parliament and the two chambers will within 30 days look at the petition and ensure that justice is done on the matter,” he said. House Chief Whip, Isiaka Bawa, who received a copy of the petition along with Deputy Leader of the House, Leo Ogor on behalf of the Speaker, also assured that both chambers of the National Assembly would address the issues in line with legislative procedures. The leader of the group made up of Itsekiri, Ijaw, Urhobo, Isoko and Ndokwa ethnic nationalities, Chief Emami Ayirimi, alleged that two days before President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in 2011 so as to reconstitute it for his new mandate, officials of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), of which the Petroleum Minister is Chairman, secretly transferred production rights in four large oil blocks, OMLs 26, 30, 34 and 42, to a company which neither tendered nor bid for the blocks. He urged the parliament to specifically put on hold the handover of OMLS 4, 26, 30, 34, 38, 41 and 42 to the company and another one pending the determination of the issues raised in the petition. Ayirimi also urged the House to order a cancellation of all the awards on OML 4, 26, 30, 34, 38, 41, and 42 and right of first refusal to be given to the qualified indigenes of the local communities to buy into them. “Why was the entire process organised in such a calculated manner as to completely exclude the interest of the host communities by ensuring that no indigenous company from the host communities benefited from the award?” he queried. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHO, Global Fund, foundation urge more support against malaria . Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:00 From Chukwuma Muanya, Anthony Chidubem Nwachukwu (Lagos) and Emeka Anuforo (Abuja) .AS part of efforts to mark this year’s World Malaria Day today, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Global Fund and the Better Society Foundation (TBSF) have urged greater global devotion to end the scourge. Moreover, the WHO alerted on growing threat of emerging resistant strains of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, and the vector, female anopheles mosquito, which make treatment and control difficult. WHO will Thursday launch an emergency response to artemisinin resistance in the Greater Mekong sub-region at an event hosted in Phnom Penh by the Cambodian Minister of Health. Also, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Thursday warned that a resurgence of malaria might occur unless increased funding is provided to expand efforts to control the disease. Experts warned that a decline in anti-malarial efforts could quickly allow a return to pre-2000 levels of mortality, when 1.2 million people died from malaria. In the same vein, the Better Society Foundation (TBSF) has called on governments, particularly of disease-prevalent countries, to show more financial commitment to global efforts at controlling malaria in order to bring it to an end. According to the WHO, the framework identifies four priority areas where action is needed in the coming years to contain artemisinin resistance and move towards elimination of malaria: reach all at-risk groups with full coverage of quality interventions in priority areas; achieve tighter coordination and management of field operations; better information for artemisinin resistance containment; and strengthen regional oversight and support. Global Fund said that new advances in science and implementation have given the global community the opportunity to control malaria and remove it as a threat to global health. It noted that despite promising advances in recent years, such as declining AIDS and TB mortality and a sharp increase in the use of insecticide-treated nets, Nigeria faces serious health challenges. Over the last 12 months, Nigeria and the Global Fund signed agreements worth a total of US$ 560 million (N92.4 billion) to support programmes that will help significantly expand prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the three diseases. Speaking yesterday, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Mark Dybul, said that commitment is needed by all partners in the fight against malaria to expand and intensify efforts, so it can be transformed from a worldwide killer into a manageable and treatable disease. Dybul added: “We can defeat malaria if we work together. We have a chance to control it and sharply reduce the number of children who die from it each year. If we don’t act decisively, we will be counting the cost for generations.” The TBSF is collaborating in the Invest in the future; Defeat Malaria theme for this year. According to the Executive Director of the non-governmental, TBSF, Ade Dare, partners have chosen the next three years “to draw attention to the big push required to achieve the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and defeat malaria in the future.” However: “Today’s gains against malaria are increasingly threatened by a shortfall in funding. It is critically important that we stay on course. Malaria resurgence will remain a persistent threat until the disease is eradicated altogether. We need to keep up the momentum but more importantly, hold the gains.” According to a statement made available to The Guardian, “$4.4 billion has been mobilised from international partners and African governments to make vital interventions such as mosquito nets, rapid diagnostic tests and medicines available in Africa over the next three years. The World Malaria Day was instituted by WHO member-states during the 2007 World Health Assembly and is held every year on April 25. This year, WHO highlights the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for global malaria prevention and control. Huge progress has been made against malaria over the past decade, driven by simple scientific advances like mosquito nets treated with insecticide, quicker diagnostic tests and more effective antimalarial drugs. Better implementation, in programmes supported by the Global Fund, has led to the distribution of more than 310 million nets, far broader access to rapid diagnostic tests and treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapy. Earlier this month, the Global Fund announced a target of raising US$15 billion for the 2014 to 2016 period. When combined with other sources of funding, that will enable global partners to have a transformative effect on AIDS, TB and malaria. For malaria, resources would be targeted to achieve universal coverage of insecticide-treated nets and access to effective treatment in the 18 highest-burden countries, where most malaria deaths occur. Author of this article: From Chukwuma Muanya, Anthony Chidubem Nwachukwu (Lagos) and Emeka Anuforo (Abuja).. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 96,000 Ebonyi residents affected by malaria annually – State govt April 25, 2013 by Ozioma Ubabukoh Ebonyi State government on Thursday said that about 96,000 residents across the 13 local government areas of the state were affected annually by malaria scourge. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sunday Nwangele, made this known while briefing journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital. The brief was part of activities marking the 2013 World Malaria Day in the state. Nwangele stated that the statistics of infected persons were derived from reported cases of the disease in the state. The Health commissioner was represented at the press brief by the Director, Hospital Services Management Board of the state the Ministry of Health, Dr. Gabriel Onwe. He also stated that the state government had invested huge funds into the Roll Back Malaria Programme so as to ensure that cases of malaria were tackled effectively. Nwangele noted that the scourge had contributed to 60 per cent of patients admitted in various hospitals across the state. The commissioner, therefore, added that government had through the Roll Back Malaria Programme distributed insecticide treated nets to about 97 percent of its residents in order to drastically reduce cases of malaria in the state. He said, “Today is in continuation of the World Malaria week in the state. The importance of Malaria Control Programme cannot be over emphasised as 300 to 500 million people each year are infected by malaria. It affects children under-five years old and pregnant women most especially.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria gets N136.7b to fight AIDS, TB, malaria . Tuesday, 23 April 2013 00:00 By Chukwuma Muanya, Lagos, Emeka Anuforo, Abuja and Anietie Akpan, Calabar News - National .Experts urge National Assembly to approve more funds AHEAD of the World Malaria Day (WMD) Thursday, Nigeria has so far through the funding of public health programmes and institutions as well as non-governmental and civil society organisations’ health programmes, received a total of about $829 million (N136.7 billion) from the Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) to fight the three killer diseases out of a total approved funding of $1.4 billion (N231 billion). Also, the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a statement yesterday ahead of the WMD said 50 of the 99 countries with ongoing transmission are now on track to meet the 2015 World Health Assembly (WHA) target of reducing incidence rates by more than 75 per cent with malaria mortality rates having fallen by more than 25 per cent since 2000. The global theme for the WMD for 2013 and the coming years is “Invest in the future. Defeat malaria.” Executive Director of the Fund, Dr. Mark Dybul, during a courtesy call to the office of Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, yesterday in Abuja said that the purpose of his visit was to know how countries supported by the Fund were faring, the value of money the Fund is investing in Africa and Nigeria in particular on the three diseases, and to also look at the proportion of Global Fund’s contributions to the control of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis (TB) and malaria in the country. Dybul recalled that the GFATM was created to complement government resources to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, three of the world’s most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need. “To date, through funding of public health programmes and institutions as well as non-governmental and civil society organisations’ health programmes, Nigeria has received a total of about $829 million from the Fund out of a total approved funding of $1.4 billion,” he said. In another forum the Federal Government is said to be losing about N132 billion yearly on malaria management alone even as experts have called on the National Assembly to come out with legislation on more funding for malaria control in Nigeria. These positions were made known yesterday in Calabar, Cross River State at an event to begin this year’s World Malaria day. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Health in Cross River State, Dr. Iyam Ugot said that the Federal Government loses an estimated N132 billion yearly on malaria alone “in terms of malaria treatment, control, prevention and absenteeism form work in totality”. In Cross River alone, Ugot said that the Roll Back Malaria office in the state had distributed over 1.4 million Long Lasting Mosquito Insecticide Treated Nets (LLIN). Prof. Martin Meremikwu of Department of Pediatrics, University of Calabar said National Assembly’s legislation on more funding to reduce Malaria scourge in the country would go a long way in checking the scourge. Meremikwu said, “Cross River is doing very much in the control, treatment and control of malaria in the state. But there was the need for the National Assembly to legislate on more funding for malaria treatment, prevention and control in Nigeria”. He said that lack of funds was partly responsible for low level of research in the area of malaria prevention, control and treatment in the country and “for us to succeed in the fight against malaria scourge in the country, there is the need to get the politicians to do what they are suppose to do”. Chukwu, however, assured the GFATM of the Federal Government’s commitment to the fight against HIV/ AIDS, TB and malaria. According to the WHO, a major scale-up of vector control interventions, together with increased access to diagnostic testing and quality-assured treatment, has been key to this progress. WHO said: “We are not there yet. Malaria still kills an estimated 660, 000 people worldwide, mainly children under five years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. Every year, more than 200 million cases occur; most of these cases are never tested or registered. A decline of international funding has slowed down progress, and emerging drug and insecticide resistance threaten to reverse recent gains.” The WHO said that if the world is to maintain and accelerate progress against malaria, in line with Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6, and to ensure attainment of MDGs 4 and 5, more funds are urgently required. WMD was instituted by WHO Member States during the 2007 World Health Assembly (WHA). It is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. It is also an opportunity for new donors to join the global malaria partnership, and for research and academic institutions to showcase their scientific work. Dybul further explained that the Global Fund in any country is implemented by institutions or organisations called Principal Recipients of the Fund, adding that some of the Principal Recipients in Nigeria are the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) and non-governmental organisations such as the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), Society for Family Health (SFH) and Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN). Chukwu said that the Federal Government has intensified the fight against the scourges of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, adding that efforts in this regard are already yielding positive results. The minister added that government is using the National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP) as the policy framework for strengthening the Nigerian health system. He said that the government has procured second line drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis and has also trained health personnel to build more capacity to tackle the disease. On malaria, the health minister said that the government has distributed over 52 million insecticide-treated nets to all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that other methods of malaria control such as indoor residual spraying and larval source management should be supported. The minister said that the Federal Ministry of Health is facing a major challenge with the supply chain management of commodities for the three diseases and called for the inclusion of operational costs in the procurement of the commodities. Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, pointed out the issue of ensuring that our local pharmaceutical industries are supported to ensure that they have WHO pre-qualification to enable them compete in the procurement of Global Fund commodities. As the scourge of malaria hits hard in Nigeria, the Federal Government is said to be losing about N132 billion yearly on malaria management alone just as experts have called on the National Assembly to come out with legislation on more funding for malaria control in Nigeria. These positions were made known yesterday in Calabar, Cross River State at an event to begin this year’s World Malaria day. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Health in Cross River State, Dr. Iyam Ugot said that the Federal Government loses an estimated N132 billion yearly on malaria alone “in terms of malaria treatment, control, prevention and absenteeism form work in totality”. In Cross River alone, Ugot said that the Roll Back Malaria office in the state had distributed over 1.4 million Long Lasting Mosquito Insecticide Treated Nets (LLIN). While advising people to ignore any misconception about the use of LLIN, he identified lack of proper awareness as one of the problems militating against the eradication of malaria in the state, saying, “we are working on the area of creating more awareness on the proper use of LLIN”. Prof. Martin Meremikwu of Department of Pediatrics, University of Calabar, yesterday said the National Assembly’s legislation on more funding to reduce Malaria scourge in the Country would go a long way in checking the scourge. Meremikwu said, “Cross River is doing very much in the control, treatment and control of malaria in the state. But there was the need for the National Assembly to legislate on more funding for malaria treatment, prevention and control in Nigeria”. He noted that the politicians should be properly guided on the need to make an effective legislation to achieve an effective result against malaria scourge. He said that lack of funds was partly responsible for low level of research in the area of malaria prevention, control and treatment in the country and “for us to succeed in the fight against malaria scourge in the country, there is the need to get the politicians to do what they are suppose to do”. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why Malaria Is Prevalent, By Senators, NIMR . Friday, 19 April 2013 19:15 By Joseph Okoghenun News - National .SENATE Committee on Health blamed what its called “ economics of malaria control”- a euphemism for international politics for economic reason- as one reason why malaria is still persistent in Nigeria, in spite of billions of naira being spent by the Federal Government to arrest the situation. The committee, which made the observation in Lagos yesterday during its oversight visit to the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), said it was not convinced that the long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) programme being bankrolled by the Federal Government was the solution to the incessant case of malaria infection in the country. Chairman of the committee, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, wondered why Nigeria would still continue to cling to the strategy, which he said was not working, when country like Senegal that has manufacturing plants for LLINs was using other effective means to tackle malaria. Okowa said he was going to speak up on the matter when he return to Abuja as his past attempts to speak on it had met deaf ears. While the Minister of State for Health, Dr.Muhammad Ali Pate, said in January that the ministry proposed N1.8 billion for the procurement of LLINs for additional three states, a World Health Organisation (WHO)’s report shows that Nigeria would need one billion dollars (N158 billion) to stave off backsliding and resurgences of malaria in 2013 and 2014. Malaria still remains one of the most dangerous diseases in Nigeria, contributing to high level of Under-5 and maternal deaths. Distribution of LLINs has been government’s retrogressive intervention mechanism to reduce burden. NIMR Director-General,Prof. Innocent Ujah, said research had shown that some Nigerians, especially from the Eastern part of the country, do not use LLINs for cultural reasons, thereby rendering the strategy ineffective. Ujah, who was specifically asked by the committee to access the strategy, said LLINs are not the best for the country as other countries that have eradicated malaria had used indoor residual spray. Ujah, who regretted that research was not being given prominent place in national development, called on government to establish National Health Research Fund to fund research appropriately. NIMR Head of Public Health and Malaria Programme, Dr. Samson Awolola, said “we have shown that best method of tackling malaria is indoor residual spray”, adding that LLINs were supposed to be palliative mechanism to tackle malaria menace. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Govt lost N191bn to oil theft in Q1 –NNPC April 18, 2013 by Dayo Oketola Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke | credits: Nigeria lost N191bn ($1.23bn) to oil theft and vandalism in the first quarter of the year as crude theft continued to threaten the country’s revenue base. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, in a statement on Wednesday, also said there had been a significant drop in crude oil production for the first quarter of 2013. The corporation said in the statement by the Acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Ms. Tumini Green, that incessant crude oil theft and vandalism along the major pipelines within the Niger Delta had been responsible for the drop in oil production. The NNPC said daily crude oil production during the period fluctuated between 2.1 million and 2.3 million barrels per day compared with the projected estimate of 2.48mbpd. “Expectedly, this fall between actual production and forecast in first quarter 2013 has resulted in a drop in crude oil revenue of about $1.23bn (N191bn) that should have accrued to the Federation Account,” Green said. She further explained that the NNPC/Shell Petroleum Development Company Joint Venture recently declared a force majeure on Bonny Crude due to incessant crude oil theft, which had resulted in the shutting in of 150,000bpd. She said, “Investigations showed that 53 break points were discovered along the 97-kilometre Nembe Creek Trunkline. Repair work is expected to last about six weeks. “This will further reduce our April and May monthly average to about 2.2mbpd and further decrease crude oil revenue by about $554m (equivalent to N83bn) that should have accrued to the Federation Account.” Green, however, assured that the maintenance work would have minimal effect on gas supply to the domestic market. “We shall continue to work with relevant government agencies, both at the federal and state levels, to end this incessant crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism. We have the potential to meet the national target of 2.48mbpd if this menace is eliminated,” she said. The NNPC spokesperson maintained that crude theft and pipeline vandalism would continue to degrade the environment, increase operational costs, impact negatively on the image of the country and reduce revenue accruable to the nation. She appealed to all stakeholders to cooperate with the corporation as it strived to eliminate the menace. Meanwhile, SPDC said it had since Monday, April 15, 2013, shut down the NCTL to remove crude oil theft connections and investigate suspected leaks. The Managing Director, SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, said, “We’re concerned that the NCTL has been targeted by crude oil thieves repeatedly since we installed the new line in 2010 at a cost of $1.1bn. “The current exercise aims to remove a significant number of oil theft connections and repair any leaks on the pipeline. We recognise efforts by the security forces to contain the crime, and SPDC will work with them during the shutdown to clear illegal connections on the NCTL.” The 97-kilometre NCTL has been closed several times as a result of crude oil theft leaks and fires between December 2011 and May 2012. “Crude theft continues to affect people, the environment and the economy, and urgent action is needed by all stakeholders to tackle the problem,” Sunmonu added. The International Energy Agency had, last year, said that Nigeria was losing about $7bn annually to oil theft. “Oil bunkering, or theft, costs the government an estimated $7bn in lost revenue per year,” the agency had said, adding that theft and sabotage often led to pipeline damage, causing oil firms to cut output. The Federal Government had been said to be jittery over the possibility of not meeting its N11.34tn revenue target for the 2013 fiscal year due to crude oil theft by pipeline vandals, failure of revenue generating agencies to fully remit what they generate into the Federation Account and inefficiency in tax collection. The Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Dr. Bright Okogu, confirmed the government’s anxiety about the likely revenue shortfall. Okogu, in a document entitled, ‘FGN 2013 budget: Fiscal consolidation with inclusive growth,’ a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, highlighted the challenges as well as other growth-promoting initiatives of the budget. “Revenue challenges facing the budget are independent revenue non-full remittance by revenue generating agencies; taxes collection efficiency issues (Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigerian Custom Service); pipeline vandalism and oil theft,” he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ How non-existent ship ‘imported’N1.5bn fuel Written by Lanre Adewole - Lagos Tuesday, 16 April 2013 00:00 A prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that a vessel purportedly used in importing fuel into the country actually ceased to exit a year before the supposed importation as trial continued in an alleged N1.5 billion subsidy scam. A statement issued by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren stated that “ prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Alhaji Saminu Rabiu, Jubril Rowaye, Alminnur Resources Limited and Brila Energy Limited who are alleged to be involved in a N1.5billion Subsidy scam, Tolu Olanubi on Monday April 15, 2013 told the court that MT KRITI, the vessel allegedly used by the accused persons in shipping Premium Motor Spirit to Nigeria in 2011 had ceased to exist since 2010. “Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, Olanubi, an investigator with the EFCC told the court that, in the course of the investigation, a relationship was established between the EFCC and Lloyd’s List Intelligence, an organization that provides information on vessels, ownership of vessels, movement and location of vessels. “She said the EFCC subscribed to the website of Lloyd’s List Intelligence where it was discovered that MT KRITI which was purportedly used to ship in Premium Motor Spirit on June 14, 2011 had ceased to exist and declared “Status: Dead.” She also told the court that the last place of location of the vessel was Gadani Beach in Pakistan. “It is not possible for the vessel to have sailed into Nigeria on June 14, 2011 since it was reported dead on 17th April 2010”, she further told the court. She added that the vessel had changed its name from KRITI to AKIT before it ceased to exist. She later demonstrated to the court, using a projector and a Laptop Computer attached with an internet modem, how she arrived at her facts. However, Ajibola Oloyede, counsel for the 2nd and 4th defendants, challenged the admissibility of the documents saying it was generated through a computer. He alleged that the documents did not meet the procedure of tending such documents as stated in the Evidence Act. “It is not for the witness to say it was printed from the computer, the document printed should have all the information of how it was produced”. However, counsel to EFCC objected, saying the documents are relevant and that enough foundation was laid in compliance with the Evidence Act. “The documents speak for itself. The date and time the documents were printed is on the face of the documents. As to the issue of certification, the Evidence Act did not prescribe the form or mode of certification. So the way it is certified should suffice,” he declared. Justice Adebukola Banjoko upheld the documents. Justice Banjoko had earlier dismissed an application by the 2nd accused person in which he sought to have his travelling document returned to him on the grounds that he wanted to travel abroad for medical treatment. Justice Banjoko in his ruling said though there was a letter purportedly written by a medical practitioner backing the accused that he had a complicated heart problem, there was however no sufficient proof that the case cannot be treated in Nigeria. The EFCC had on October 17, 2011 arraigned the quartet for allegedly defrauding the Federal Government of Nigeria by submitting forged document and making false claims from the Petroleum Support Fund, as subsidy payment to Alminnur Resources Limited. They were said to have conspired to obtain the over N1.5 billion from the Federal Government of Nigeria as subsidy for the purported importation of 19,000 MT of PMS. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EFCC arrests NSPMC ex-MD April 15, 2013 by Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Ehi Okomoyon. The Nation learnt that his arrest was in connection with the controversial contract awarded for the printing of polymer currency notes to an Australian firm. The contract was awarded when Prof. Charles Soludo was governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, between 2006 and 2008. There were reports that Okomoyon resigned from the NSPMC after several billions of N1000 banknotes worth N2.1 billion suddenly disappeared under his watch. Confirming the arrest, EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren said, “it is true that we arrest him. He is being interrogated in respect of the polymer contract. He was arrested yesterday (Sunday). Uwujaren, however, did not say if he Okomoyon would be charged to court. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria’s ruling class has grown worse – Sagay April 10, 2013 by Simon Ejembi Professor Itse Sagay Renowned legal practitioner, Prof. Itse Sagay, on Tuesday criticised the country’s ruling elite for failing to provide good governance for the nation. Sagay said this in Lagos while delivering a lecture ‘Good Governance and Enforcement of Law and Order’ at the Nigerian Institute of Management’s 2013 Management Day. He said, “The most remarkable characteristic of the Nigerian ruling class is its complete and total insensitivity to the public outcry and outrage over the percentage of our resources that the members appropriate to themselves for their own consumption.” He explained that while Nigerian Senators and House of Representative members earn $1.7m and $1.4m respectively per annum, American Senators earns about $174, 000 with UK parliamentarians earning £65,738 per annum. He noted that income per capita for the US and UK is $46,350 and $35,468, respectively, while that of Nigeria is $2,248. Sagay said, “Nigerian legislators pay themselves the highest salaries of all legislators in the world, even though their country is amongst the least developed in the whole world. “One fact is clear, the Nigerian political and public service elites have been exhibiting a devastating level of value deficiency since the end of the First Republic, which has grown progressively worse. With a few exceptions, the quality of our ruling elite has degenerated with each successive Republic.” Sagay also lamented the role corruption had played in contemporary Nigeria, describing it as ‘Grand Commander’. “No day passes without the disclosure of one fresh set of financial scandals or the other. The financial blood of the country is simply being drained away by a kleptomaniac political and public service elite,” he said. Some notable scandals according to him, include the 2008 House of Representatives Committee on Electrical Powers investigation into the $16bn expenditure in the power industry, that was overtaken by the arrest and prosecution of the chairman of the committee for corruption relating to contracts in the same industry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SHUT UP! NITEL ex-MDs, unions, retirees tell el-Rufai Written by Thursday, 04 April 2013 01:06 FORMER chief executives, union and group of retirees from the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), on Wednesday, rose against an attempt by former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufa’i, to shift the blame for the collapse of the telecommunications company from himself, urging the Nigerian government to hold him solely responsible for this monumental national loss. One of the former Managing Directors of MTEL, the GSM arm of NITEL, Mr Kunle Bello, who voluntarily resigned to avoid the touted new managers, Pentascope, said he foresaw the collapse of NITEL/MTEL due to insincere and inconsistent implementation of policies by the el-Rufa’i led Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). He described the Pentascope management brought in by el-Rufa’i as an “irredeemable misfortune” upon the telecommunications industry and an unmitigated disaster on NITEL/MTEL staff. Bello aaid Pentascope squandered more than N100 billion of NITEL’s hard-earned money, besides the loss of revenue, without adding a single telephone line. He challenged the nation’s judicial and executive arms of government to rise to the occasion to acquaint themselves of blame by going after the perpetrators of the fraud. In a statement by the group of retirees, signed and issued in Abuja, on Wednesday, they disagreed with the claim in a widely-circulated statement by el-Rufa’i that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar approved the appointment of Pentascope, the failed management consultant hired to manage NITEL in 2003. They held el-Rufa’i responsible, not only for the collapse of NITEL, but also the destruction of their careers. They also accused el-Rufa’i of misleading, not only the National Council on Privatisation, but the government, by presenting Pentascope as a capable management company that could turn around NITEL. One of the former staffers, who spoke with reporters on this issue, Michael Awos, said Pentascope was brought purposely to “siphon money and kill this organisation (NITEL) they had spent all their lives to build.” Rather than using Atiku as scapegoat for the collapse of NITEL, the concerned group of former NITEL workers advised el-Rufa’i to be honourable enough to accept the responsibility for railroading and blackmailing the former NITEL board and the privatisation council into approving a contract that had short-changed Nigerians and children yet unborn. Elias Kazzah, national adviser of Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporations (SSACTC) and president of the NITEL unit of the association, called on el-Rufa’i to shut up, on account of his mismanagement of the Pentascope transaction that led to the demise of the company. He said NITEL was commercially viable that it contributed to NIPOST and provided support to the ECOMOG troops in Liberia and Sierra Leone. A former Managing Director of NITEL, Professor Buba Bajoga, decried the destruction of NITEL, describing it as “very painful.” He said by the time he left the organisation as its head in 2000, NITEL was a very viable commercial organisation, adding that “NITEL made more profit than most banks. We paid all our bills and were financing all our projects.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ex-Zambian president arrested over Nigerian oil deal Posted by: Agency Reporter on March 25, 2013 in Featured, News Update Zambia has arrested former President Rupiah Banda for abuse of authority over a Nigerian oil deal, a spokeswoman for the government’s investigative team said on Monday. Reuters says Banda last week appeared before an official panel to answer allegations of corruption during his three years in charge of Africa’s biggest copper producer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CBN, oil firms intervene to bail out naira Written by Odidison Omankhanlen - Lagos Monday, 25 March 2013 00:00 The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and two oil companies intervened directly at the interbank market through dollar sales to assist the falling naira. As a result of the development, the naira closed at a two-week high against the dollar on Friday at the interbank market, as a result of direct intervention through dollar sales by As a result, the naira closed at N158.30 to the dollar, a level last seen on March 11, and firmer than Thursday’s close of N158.90. The naira has faced selling pressure in recent months from foreign investors exiting local bonds due to falling yields and from importers buying the dollar. CBN sold $580 million to banks last week at two regular foreign-currency auctions, the most since the week through July 4, 2012. The apex bank uses the sales to stabilize the naira as the cost of importing refined fuel, which accounts for 70 percent of the local fuel market, boosts dollar demand and puts pressure on the currency. The bank cut total sales by 6 percent the previous week to $360 million. On the other hand, Total Nigeria sold $80 million while Agip sold $8 million, helping boost the naira. It was the central bank’s second direct intervention in the market in just over a week to calm the volatile naira and drain liquidity to check inflation, traders said. Prior to intervening last Friday the central bank had been absent from the market for nearly a year as the currency had been relatively stable. Only last week, the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said the apex bank could sell more dollars to ensure the stability of the naira after the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on March 19, where it kept its benchmark interest rate at a record high of 12 per cent for a ninth consecutive meeting. Foreign investors have been pulling out of local bonds as yields fell close to inflation levels after JP Morgan added Nigeria to its emerging debt index last October, putting pressure on the naira which has increased recently. Traders expect the naira to strengthen further next week on the back of more dollar supply from oil companies as part of their month-end sale of hard currency to fund domestic obligations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prof Chinua Achebe - Exit of a Literary Giant 23 March 2013 Chinua Achebe Turning in a widening gyre, the falcon could not hear the falconer, things fall apart and the center could not hold , mere anarchy is loosed upon the earth, that is the W. B. Yeats lines that announced the title of the famous book written by the Iroko of African and world literature Professor Chnualumogu Achebe, 82, who passed to the land of the spirits yesterday in Boston, Massachusetts. It is sun set for Professor Chinua Achebe and the world is full of tributes and recollections of the poet, the broadcaster, the critic and the progressive politician and above all the master of prose, when shall we have another? Achebe's entry into the turf of creative writing was fortitous. It marked a very great tradition by the fact that , that singular effort changed perception about Africa. Born in Ogidi, Nigeria, the son of Isaiah Okafor Achebe, a teacher in a missionary school, and Janet Ileogbunam. His parents, though they installed in him many of the values of their traditional Igbo culture, were devout evangelical Protestants and christened him Albert after Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. In 1944 Achebe attended Government College in Umuahia. Like other major Nigerian writers including Wole Soyinka, Elechi Amadi, John Okigbo, John Pepper Clark, and Kole Omotoso, he was also educated at the University College of Ibadan, where he studied English, History and Theology. At the university Achebe contributed several stories and essays to its magazine, University Herald. Rejecting his British name Achebe took his indigenous name Chinua. In 1953 he graduated with a BA. Before joining the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS), later changed to Nigerian Broadcasting Corporarion, or NBC in Lagos in 1954 he travelled in Africa and America, and worked for a short time as a teacher at a local school in Oba. For a period in the 1960s he was the director of External Services in charge of the Voice of Nigeria. In 1961 he married Christie Chinwe Okoli, who came from Umuokpu village in Awka. They had four children. Christie Achebe, a psychologist, took her degree in London, and was a visiting professor of psychology at Bard College. Backing Biafra in the Nigerian Civil War (1967-70) Achebe worked for the government as an ambassador. In 1967 Achebe cofounded the publishing company Citadell Press at Enugu with Christopher Okigbo, a gifted poet and close family friend. Okigbo joined the army and was killed in action in August 1967 and the operation of the press was terminated. Achebe's writings from this period reflect his deep personal disappointment with what Nigeria became since independence. His pregnant wife suffered a miscarriage, and Achebe himself narrowly escaped death. Many of his poems written during the war were collected in Beware, Soul Brother (1971), which won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize. In There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra (2012) Achebe returned to the war years and their effect on his work and identity. Achebe was a celebrated writer but he did not win the Nobel Prize, which many believed he deserved, but in 2007 he did receive the Man Booker International Prize, a $120,000 honor for lifetime achievement. Achebe, paralyzed from the waist down since a 1990 auto accident, lived for years in a cottage built for him on the campus of Bard College, a leading liberal arts school north of New York City where he was a faculty member. He joined Brown University in 2009 as a professor of languages and literature. Achebe, a native of Ogidi, Nigeria, regarded his life as a bartering between conflicting cultures. He spoke of the "two types of music" running through his mind — Ibo legends and the prose of Dickens. He was also exposed to different faiths. His father worked in a local missionary and was among the first in their village to convert to Christianity. In Achebe's memoir "There Was a Country," he wrote that his "whole artistic career was probably sparked by this tension between the Christian religion" of his parents and the "retreating, older religion" of his ancestors. He would observe the conflicts between his father and great uncle and ponder "the essence, the meaning, the worldview of both religions." For much of his life, he had a sense that he was a person of special gifts who was part of an historic generation. Achebe was so avid a reader as a young man that his nickname was "Dictionary." As the world mourns the departure of this great literary icon , late Professor Achebe will be fondly remembered for his hard stance against corruption and elitism in Nigerian politics. He was the first Nigerian to win a National Merit Award in October 1979. Perhaps his greatest legacy is Things fall Apart, the best read African Novel (over 8 million copies sold and translated to over 50 languages) which not only earned him world wide acclaim as one of the world's most gifted novelist but a literary scholar who portrayed African tribal life accurately to a western audience. As a Nigerian, Achebe lived through and helped define revolutionary change in his country, from independence to dictatorship to the disastrous war between Nigeria and the breakaway country of Biafra in the late 1960s. He knew both the prestige of serving on government commissions and the fear of being declared an enemy of the state. He spent much of his adult life in the United States, but never stopped calling for democracy in Nigeria or resisting literary honors from a government he refused to accept. It is also on record that Achebe was one of the few Nigerians who rejected the National honour (Commander of the Federal Republic)for two good times. First was when he was nominated for the award of National Honor by the Nigerian government in 2004 by the Obasanjo led government and the second seven years after when President Jonathan gave him an offer of a National Honor and again he rejected it. Professor Achebe, globally recognized as one of the world's most outstanding novelists and intellectuals in rejecting the honour for the award of National Honor by the Nigerian government in 2004 by the Obasanjo led government wrote a letter which read: "I write this letter with a very heavy heart. For some time now I have watched events in Nigeria with alarm and dismay. I have watched particularly the chaos in my own state of Anambra where a small clique of renegades, openly boasting its connections in high places, seems determined to turn my homeland into a bankrupt and lawless fiefdom. I am appalled by the brazenness of this clique and the silence, if not connivance, of the Presidency. "Forty three years ago, at the first anniversary of Nigeria's independence I was given the first Nigerian National Trophy for Literature. In 1979, I received two further honors - the Nigerian National Order of Merit and the Order of the Federal Republic - and in 1999 the first National Creativity Award. "I accepted all these honors fully aware that Nigeria was not perfect; but I had a strong belief that we would outgrow our shortcomings under leaders committed to uniting our diverse peoples. Nigeria's condition today under your watch is, however, too dangerous for silence. I must register my disappointment and protest by declining to accept the high honor awarded me in the 2004 Honors List". In 2011, Goodluck Jonathan led government again awarded him the "national honor" of the Commander of the Federal Republic And for the second time, the celebrated novelists rejected it. In a terse statement for the rejection, Achebe said: "The reasons for rejecting the offer when it was first made have not been addressed let alone solved. It is inappropriate to offer it again to me. I must therefore regretfully decline the offer again." Again ,after the Biafran defeat Achebe entered party politics with the leftist People's Redemption Party(PRP) The People's Redemption Party was a political party in Nigeria often considered the Second Republic incarnation of the Norther Elements Progressive Union, the party was created by the late Mallam Amino Kano. The PRP was highly regarded as a progressive left of center political party. Some well known members of the party included Governors Abubakar Rimi, Balarabe Musa, Dr Edward Ikem Okeke and Chinua Achebe who served briefly as Deputy National President in the early 1980s. But his romance with the party was marked by frustration and disappointment. And in characteristic way of looking for the best, he left them and went into academia, from where he has conducted his career ever since both as a teacher and writer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The laundering of $182 billion March 15, 2013 by Punch Editorial Board NIGERIA has been financially haemorrhaged by some corrupt leaders, as a report from the United States-based Global Financial Integrity indicates. The agency recently said a total of $182 billion was stolen and laundered offshore between 2000 and 2009. Nigeria is ranked eighth out of 20 countries notorious for illicit financial outflows, just as it is placed 135th out of 176 in the Transparency International’s Global Corruption Perception index. The plundering of our commonwealth by just a few goes against the grain of prevailing crippling poverty, unemployment and decrepit socio-economic infrastructure. The GFI described Nigeria as “the leading source of illicit financial outflow from sub-Saharan Africa.” This is a huge paradox as the theft happened under a democracy. Since 1999, the country has been under civil rule. According to the GFI, it relied on analysis of data from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to reach its conclusion, stressing that developing countries lost a total of $903 billion in 2009. Even now, the trend is accelerating as graft is worn as a badge of honour. What fostered this heist is not difficult to fathom. Ours is a government being run by narrow minds, and harder hearts. Mismanagement of oil wealth and illegal oil bunkering have strewn a cobweb of corruption, making slush funds easily available for pillaging. However, the seemingly industrial scale of the looting, despite the operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt and other Related Offences Commission, should arouse some curiosity. Is it that the anti-graft bodies were deficient, complicit or looked the other way while the looters had a field day? And what role did the banks play? These are genuine concerns. The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering were established to strengthen the performance of the EFCC. Under the act, through automation, banks alert the EFCC on transactions that fall within the “suspicious thresholds.” From periodic revelations of how public funds are looted by public officials, with banks as conduits, it is obvious that extant laws on money laundering are observed only in the breach. Annually, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation audit the books of these banks; yet the humongous illicit transactions that pass through their systems in violation of extant financial regulations are not made public. Nevertheless, the only oasis was the CBN’s hammer of 2009, which fell on some corrupt bank chief executives who were not only relieved of their jobs but were prosecuted. Money Laundering Prohibition Act (2011) as amended prescribes limits of financial transactions in banks by individuals and bodies corporate, beyond which a bank must alert the EFCC or make transaction reports. The MLPA increased the threshold for reporting transactions by individuals from N1 million to N5 million and between N5 million and N10 million for corporate bodies. Abuse of this regulatory regime was evident in the pension funds looting spree uncovered by the Senate in a recent investigation. The political leadership is not sincerely committed to the eradication of corruption. As the chairman of the ICPC, Ekpo Nta, once put it, “there is no political will to fight corruption in Nigeria.” Key public officials do not demonstrate exemplary conduct such as adopting a modest lifestyle, and avoiding corruption themselves. People found guilty of corruption are not punished because of their position or status in the society. The “big fish” are not only protected from being prosecuted for corruption, the unlucky few that are prosecuted get light sentences. Besides, spurious state pardons are remedial measures for the few that get convicted. It is this vacuous moral compass that led the administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, in cahoots with corrupt politicians, to hound the pioneer chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, out of office. In the corporate sphere, the scourge is as corrosive and devastating as it is in the political arena. A disgraced former bank executive reportedly acquired 12 homes in the United States, 28 shops and seven residential houses in Dubai, and four houses in South Africa, all bought with laundered funds. Indeed, the rot in the banks is very deep. Since successful money laundering is largely a product of either connivance of, or negligence of, bankers, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria Act 2007 has a redemptive role to play here. Striking out names of its members aiding and abetting money laundering from its register has become imperative. By so doing, such elements become professionally prostrate and are seen as lepers who should never be employed by other banks. But, the situation is becoming hopeless. The former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, described the level of corruption in Nigeria as “unbelievable.” Fighting corruption requires a strong political leadership. The basic requirement of civilised democracy is that everyone plays by the rules and that the rules command public confidence. Brazen stealing of public funds will continue until laws aimed at fighting corruption are strictly and consistently applied. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ One million people HIV-positive in Benue –Govt Written by Johnson Babajide - Makurdi Saturday, 16 March 2013 00:00 THE Benue State government has disclosed that over one million out of the 4.5 million population in the state have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This was made known at the training of media professional on HIV/AIDS held at the Conference Hall, Ministry of Information, Markurdi, Benue State, on Thursday. The Executive Secretary, Benue State Action on Control of AIDS (BESACA), Mrs. Grace Wende, in a paper entitled “Basic facts on HIV/AIDS,” said that about 400,000 children living with the virus have been placed on antiretroviral drugs (ARV), adding that 708,640 adults are living with the disease. Based on the statistics, about two out of five people in the state are carriers of the disease, with women having it more than men. According to Mrs. Wende, the children carriers of the disease, who have the highest infection rate, were born with the disease. These children, according to her, got the disease from mothers who failed to go for ante-natal care at government-owned hospitals where their status could have been detected earlier. “In Benue State, the number of adults infected with HIV/AIDS was 708,640, out of which 21,259 were new infections in 2011. In the same year, 17,139 women were found positive. The number of children requiring ARV was 398,888,” she said. Mrs Wende cited the attitude of the people of the state to unprotected sex and the rising number of youths becoming homosexuals as factors responsible for the rise in the scourge. Speaking further, Mrs. Wende noted that many men who flock around ladies and engage in unprotected sex also transmit the virus to their unsuspecting wives. At the moment, according to her, the state has 40 treatment centres where the free antiretroviral drugs are provided to those living with the virus, adding that the state has enough drugs in stock till 2015. The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Comrad Wegba, regretted that despite the huge amount of funds the state had committed into the fight against the scourge, the disease was still spreading. He blamed the practise of unprotected sex and the deliberate spreading of the disease by carriers as the major sources of the spread of the disease in the state. “The former governor of the state, Chief George Akume, visited Angola to see the havoc the disease wreaked on the land and ways to reduce the scourge. Unfortunately, while the prevalence of the disease has reduced in other parts of the country, Benue is getting worse by the day and this is as a result of our attitude to unprotected sex as well as deliberate move by the carriers to spread the disease,” Wegba said. Together with Mrs. Wende, the commissioner called for behavioural change among the people, urging them to stick to a partner and use condom. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Controversy Trails Revelation Of Oil Blocks Ownership . Friday, 08 March 2013 21:56 By Samson Ezea and Sunny Neme News - National .FOLLOWING the shocking revelation on Wednesday by the Chairman Senate Committee on Business and Rules and Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-west in the upper chamber, Mr. Ita Enang during the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) debate, that about 83 per cent of the entire oil wells in the Niger Delta are owned by Northerners, former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and member of Northern Elders Forum (NEF) Prof Ango Abdullahi has demanded for the comprehensive and authentic list of ownership of oil wells so that Nigerians will know the truth and the way forward. Enang had stated that the 10 per cent provision to oil communities was fair and in order, insisting that the amount was nothing compared to what accrues to the owners of the oil blocks, most of who are northerners. Speaking with The Guardian Friday on the issue, Abdullahi said Enang’s allegation on the floor of the Senate was a mere political debate that needs further clarification and confirmation to ascertain the correct information. He said: “I have not seen the details of the list of owners and there isn’t a comprehensive list from the government on the ownership. “I do not care who owns what. My concern is that there is need for the government and its relevant agencies to disclose the full list of owners of the oil wells to Nigerians. “It is an information Nigerians are willing and will be ready to have so that they know who controls and manages their collective wealth. Such disclosure will give the true picture instead of mere debate and allegation,” he said. On the issue of 10 per cent allocation to host communities in the PIB (bill), Abdullahi said that it is not necessary. Rather, the host communities should be given seven per cent from the 13 per cent that goes to the states in the Niger Delta region, while the states retain six per cent. He stressed that there is need for accountability and transparency in the management of the funds that accrued to the region through different agencies since 1999 which amount to N11trillion without something to show for it. “Unless discipline and transparency is instilled in the management of funds accrued to the region, no amount of money given to the region will change things there as long as wastage and looting prevail,” Abdullahi said. But on his part, President-General Trade Union Congress (TUC) Mr. Peter Esele, said the debate on the ownership of the oil wells, whether by people from North or South, is unnecessary at this point, but how they used the proceeds from it to empower the people and develop the country is what should bother Nigerians. He said: “Do you prefer foreigners to own them? I prefer Nigerians to own them instead of foreigners. The questions should be how have the owners used the proceeds from it to develop the country and empower the people for better days ahead? “Award of oil block license and renewal, especially during the military regime, was done in secrecy which has not helped matters as regards to accountability and transparency in governance.” Esele insisted that there is urgent need for the passage of the 10 per cent allocation to host communities in the PIB bill that is before the National Assembly. Reacting to the development, President of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Comrade Joseph Evah congratulated the Northerners for hijacking their oil, stressing that the people of the South-South region were the architects of their problems. His words: “Niger Delta region produced the highest number of political prostitutes in the country because they do not know what they want and how to go about. The Northerners were able to hijack the oil wells because they are more organised than our people. We have no political or economic strategists in the region that can show the way forward.” He said that no percentage of the oil money should be accrue to the states. Rather, all of them should be directly used in developing the oil communities which is in accordance with international best practices. In a similar development, a human rights activist, Ms. Anko Briggs has called for total stoppage of oil exploration in the Niger Delta following the raging controversy over the allocation of over 80 per cent of oil blocks to highly placed Nigerians from a section of the country. According to her, “My reaction to the development is one of anger and total disbelief that a handful of people can rob a whole region of their resources? We need to know what qualified them, who allocated them the oil blocks. This is criminal and the President must follow necessary procedure to withdraw it from them.” She further called on the people of Niger Delta region to stand up against the injustice. “I call on Niger Deltans to demand for a total resource ownership, not just control. I will want to encourage the people of Imo, Abia and Ondo states to join in this battle for the soul of the oil-rich region.” On the PIB bill that has entered its second reading after so much dust was raised, she said: “We are no longer interested in it. It is about 10 per cent and a few individuals have over 80 per cent. “If going back to the trenches will solve this matter once and for all we will go there, because I am using this medium to call on the people of Niger Delta to stop all oil exploration in the region until this injustice is address.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buhari in London, tasks Jonathan on poverty, education, INEC . Thursday, 07 March 2013 00:00 From Tunde Oyedoyin, London News - National .El-Rufai urges Nigerians abroad to join politics FORMER Military Head of State and co-founder of the newly formed mega opposition party, All Peoples Congress (APC), Gen. (rtd) Muhammadu Buhari has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to reduce the high level of poverty, insecurity and electoral fraud in Nigeria. Delivering his keynote speech at the British Houses of Parliament (Gladstone Conference Room) on Tuesday night, Buhari also urged the government to revive both the manufacturing and agricultural sectors in order to generate business and employment and thereby improve living conditions for the over 100 million Nigerians, which according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, are living in poverty–below $2 per day. Buhari, who also spoke on “Stable Democracy and Nigeria’s Economy” at the Ben Television organised 4th British African Diaspora Lecture Series, warned Jonathan to urgently tackle the high levels of poverty and illiteracy in the country in order for Africa’s most populous nation to truly enjoy the dividends of democracy. Buhari, who contested the April 2011 Presidential Elections on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), also made a case against both the Nigerian judiciary and the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), saying the former needs to be impartial and the latter needs to be reconstituted if Nigerians wants free and fair elections in 2015. In the 12-page paper, which he described as “a soldier’s and politician’s broad observations on democracy and economic development” in Nigeria, Buhari noted that: “Democracy can best flourish when a certain level of educational attainment or literacy exists in the society.” Accordingly, “the vast majority of the voters must be in a position to read and write and consequently distinguish which is which on the voters’ card to make their choices truly theirs.” He lamented that these conditions do not exist for the majority of the Nigerian voting population. Basing his arguments on last presidential elections of 2011, where he was one of the candidates, Buhari also named the judiciary as one of clogs in the country’s wheel of democratic progress. “In 2011, all pretences at legality and propriety were cast aside. In the South-South and South–Eastern states, turnout of voters was recorded by INEC at between 85 percent – 95 per cent even though in the morning of the election, the media reported sparse attendance at polling booths.” He noted that in the “rest of the country where opposition parties were able to guard and monitor the conduct of the presidential election, turnout averaged about 46 per cent. In many constituencies in the South-South and South –East, votes cast far exceeded registered figures.” Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, also during the launching of his book, The Accidental Public Servant at one of London’s most popular Nigerian restaurants, Mama Calabar, in Wembley on Wednesday night called on Nigerians in Diaspora to join politics in order to bring about the much-needed transformation that Nigerians and the international community have long yearned for. He then challenged the audience, mainly distinguished professionals against leaving the political space for political jobbers. He made a passionate plea to other Nigerians in the Diaspora to join both the APC and the civil service in order to bring about the movement for change. He cited the duo of Chief Phillip Asiodu and Allison Ayida as notable examples of brilliant Nigerians who had stints in the civil service despite studying in Oxford University. He told the audience to take a cue from the Nigerian military, noting that it boasts some of the best minds in the country. “Some of the best minds are in the military. You cannot be a colonel in the Nigerian Army without holding a Masters’ degree. Although he did admit that “the political system supports those who are not a threat to anyone,” el-Rufai was quick to add that “unless good people go there in large numbers, we’ll just be sidekicks” to the mediocre. He called on capable Nigerians to put themselves forward for political offices, noting that without more involvement from credible and professional Nigerians, the political space will continue to breed incompetent leaders. “We’ll get better leaders if more of you get involved.” More importantly, “we must put our fate in the hands of people who can lift us, not just people close to us or going to the same church or mosque with us. They mustn’t just be people from our state or town or tribe, they must be people who have the credentials to do it.” Asked for his take on dealing with looting of public funds, El-Rufai said those who steal public money should be named and shamed. “I think one of the problems we have in Nigeria is the lack of consequences for bad behaviour. We tend to forgive quickly. Besides, there seems to be a conspiracy of silence once people who loot the public treasury leave office.” The former minister said this should not continue. “Let’s start naming and shaming people and put them on trial.” However, he also pointed out that there’s no point going about looking for those who must have corruptly enriched themselves in the distant past. “In my opinion, we should just draw a line and move on. We should not keep looking back, because if you keep looking back, you won’t be able to plan for the future.” He listed multiple taxation-property taxes and taxing luxury items-as one creative way of clawing the money back from corrupt public officials. “That’s an innovative way of clawing back the money without going through the uncertainty of the judiciary. The most important thing is to get back the money. You can design a system of taxation that will claw back all the money within 10 years, but I don’t know what my party’s line will be.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EFCC re-arraigns Nnamani, others for laundering N5bn March 8, 2013 by Ade Adesomoju Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday re-arraigned former Enugu State Governor Chimaroke Nnamani at a Federal High Court Lagos, for allegedly laundering N5bn. EFCC lawyer, Mr. Kelvin Uzozie, said the accused laundered the money, believed to be proceeds of crime. The anti-graft agency had charged Nnamani, his former aide, Sunday Anyaogu, and seven companies, including a school and a hospital, on an amended 105 counts of fraud. The accused firms are Rainbownet (Nig) Ltd, Hillgate (Nig) Ltd, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile (Nig) Ltd, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School. The accused pleaded not guilty to all the counts filed before Justice Justice Mohammed Yunusa. The charges were first preferred against the accused in 2007. Their arraignment was before Justice Charles Archibong (now retired) before his transfer out of Lagos last year. Justice Tijani Abubakar was the first judge to preside over the case before its transfer to Archibong. Yunusa acceded to the request by the accused persons’ counsel, Mr. Ricky Tarfa (SAN), to allow his clients to continue enjoying the earlier bail granted them by Archibong. The judge adjourned till May 28 for trial. The accused allegedly lodged the N5bn laundered by them, in a secret account, with the aim of concealing the source of the proceeds. The accused also allegedly failed to comply with the lawful inquiry of the then EFCC Director of Operations, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, (now the commission Chairman). The offences allegedly contravened the provisions of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and the EFCC Act, 2004. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are here: Home » Featured » Revealed: Northerners own 80% of oil blocks Revealed: Northerners own 80% of oil blocks Posted by: Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja on March 7, 2013 Supporters of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) pushed their case further yesterday at the Senate, with startling facts on the sector. Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East) described the opposition to the 10 per cent host community fund by mostly northern senators as “misplaced”. Enang, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, said that those opposed to the fund should know that over 83 per cent of oil blocks are owned by northerners. But he did not give the number of oil blocks Nigeria has. Senate President David Mark, who seemed to have been shocked by what Enang said, said the Akwa Ibom lawmaker should not be distracted (some senators were grumbling) because he was making an important point. Mark asked Enang whether he could substantiate his claim. Enang promptly pulled out a document from his folder and reeled out oil blocs and their owners. He said he did not intend to divide the country but to guide those who wanted to contribute to the debate to be truly informed. He listed northerners who own oil blocks to include Alhaji Mai Deribe, Borno State and owner of Cavendish Petroleum, which operates OML 110 with an average of about N4billion monthly. He also listed Seplat/Platform Petroleum, operators of the ASUOKPU/UMUTU Marginal Field with Mallam (Prince) Sanusi Lamido, Kano , as a major shareholder and director. South Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO) established by General T. Y. Danjuma, Taraba State , who is also chairman of Eni Nigeria Limited. SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNI) and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Limited to become operators of the OPL 246. AMNI International Petroleum and Development Company is owned by Alhaji (Colonel) Sani Bello of Kontangora , Niger State. “They are operators of OML 112 and OML 117,” he said. He said that a former Petroleum Minister and former OPEC Chairman, Rilwanu Lukman, another northerner manages AMNI oil blocks “with very key interest in the NNPC/Vitol trading deal.” He said that Oriental Energy Resources Limited, a company owned by Alhaji Indimi, runs three oil blocks – OML 115, the Oldwok field and the Ebok field. He said that Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s Express Petroleum and Gas Limited, operates OML 108. Enang said that OML 113 allocated to Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Limited is owned by Alhaji W.I. Folawiyo. Alhaji Saleh Mohammed Gambo, North East Petroleum Limited, is the holder of the OPL 215 Licence. North East Petroleum was awarded blocs OPL 276 and OPL 283 and closing thereupon a Joint Venture Agreement with Centrica Resources Nigeria Limited and CCC Oil and Gas. He said that INTEL is owned by former Vice President Atiku, the late Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and Ado Bayero. It has substantial stakes in Nigeria ’s oil exploration industry both in Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe . He said that Mike Adenuga’s Conoil is the oldest indigenous oil exploration company with six blocks. OPL 291 was awarded to Starcrest Energy Nigeria Limited, owned by Emeka Offor, which was sold to Addax Petroleum. Enang urged the Senate to cause the immediate revocation of all oil blocks licences and their redistribution, in accordance with the Federal Character Principle. He said: “My submission is that when you look at the distribution of those who own oil blocks and the amount of money that comes from the different oil blocks to the Federation Account and you see the owners of these oil blocks, you will agree with me that there is inequity in the distribution of oil blocks. “The oil is produced in the Niger Delta yet it is the people of the Northeast and the Northwest and a little of the Northcentral, almost nothing of the Southwest and the Southeast, that are the persons owning and controlling these oil blocks. “Almost nothing for the Southsouth, Niger Delta oil producing areas. “They are quarreling with the area that takes just 13 per cent when you are producing the entire 100 per cent, you give some to the Federation Account and they give only 13 per cent of what you give and, of course, it is whatever you declared that you have produced. It is actually produced by you. “I did not want to introduce something that is divisive. “It is not intended to divide the country, it is intended to say ‘look, let us be realistic’. “What some of the oil wells and the owners of the oil wells produce in a month and take as profit is sometimes more than what two or three states receive from the Federation Account.” Enang noted that “when a group of people are richer than a state and then it is produced by you, then there is so much opposition that even the people who suffer the effect of the oil production should not be give host communities’ fund; and we have explained that the host communities fund is not only for the oil producing; it is for any of the communities that hosts oil infrastructure, which includes oil pipelines, refineries, gas pipelines and anything that is capable of causing danger.” “If we had the host communities fund, the danger that we have been having in Arepo in Ogun State, the area would have benefited from the host communities fund.” Enag said that other areas, such as Kaduna and some other states, will benefit from it. He went on: “If you are producing and declaring only what you like and only the 10 per cent now being provided for the host communities and the 13 per cent which is after deducting everything, that cannot be in the interest of the country. “What I am asking now is that oil blocs in the whole country should be revoked and redistributed according to Federal Character Principle. “We are not saying that we in the Southsouth should have all or the Southeast should have all or the Southwest should have all. “In fact, if there are 18 oil blocs or 36 oil blocks, we don’t mind that you give us at least four, Northeast four, Southeast four, Northwest four. “At least, let there be equity, but then there should be the principle of who owns it and then you give us more. “But at this time, we don’t even have it. The 13 per cent is what we are even suffering to sustain.” Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (Oyo South) praised the maturity of Senators in considering the bill. He urged the Senate to look at the “absolute and sweeping powers” granted the President in Section 191 of the bill. The Section, he said, gives the President absolute and unqualified powers to grant petroleum licences to whoever he pleases. Lanlehin prayed the Senate to use the opportunity of the bill to design a template that would grow the economy. Senator Adegbenga Kaka (Ogun East) said he was supporting the bill with mixed feelings. He noted that the trend of the debate seemed to indicate that senators were more concerned about how to share the cake and not how to bake it. Kaka said the power granted the minister of petroleum in the bill should be reconsidered “so that we don’t give too much power to the minister.” The lawmaker who insisted that the bill should be finetuned, said certain percentage of earnings should be set aside to fix electricity, agriculture and other infrastructure. Senator Mohammed Goje (Gombe Central) said before the debate, he was completely against the bill. He said the trend of the debate showed that the Senate was poised to do justice to the bill by removing offensive sections. To him, it seems a consensus is being built around certain sections of the bill. He noted that most contributors agreed that the power of the minister should be reduced, such that the minister will just be like any other minister. Goje said: “We should not create a super minister.” He said that definite provision should be made for frontier exploration, especially adequate funding. He opposed 10 per cent host community fund. Senator Barnabas Gemade (Benue North East) described the bill as very important and long overdue. Gemade said an adage says: “Wherever you find oil, corruption creeps in and wherever you find diamond war emerges.” He said the adage had been proved to be true. Gemade said the bill contained good and bad provisions. He listed the good sections to include development of the gas sector, increase in promotion of local content and the unbundling of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The bad sections, he said, include the minister’s economic power. On the host community fund, Gemade said efforts should be made to ensure that it does not degenerate to very poor management of resources as it is, according to him, in the Niger Delta Development Commission, 13 per cent derivation and others. On the frontier exploration, he said more effort should be geared towards discovering oil in other places. Senator Akin Odunsi ( Ogun West) described the bill as the most important legislation before the National Assembly. Odunsi noted that the bill becomes even more important when it is recognised that the country runs a mono economy based on oil. The lawmaker cautioned against undue sentiment in the consideration of the bill. He agreed that the bill was not perfect but posited that it could be fine-tuned to engender development. Senator Abdulahi Adamu (Nasarawa West) said he was giving the bill “a reserved support”. Adamu expressed worry about the absence of transparency and accountability in the oil sector. He said the bill appears to contradict the Constitution (as amended), especially when it is recognised that oil and gas as well as other minerals are in the Exclusive List and under the control of the Federal Government. The lawmaker cautioned about the unbundling of the NNPC in order not to put up the corporation for outright purchase by wealthy Nigerians. On the host community fund, Adamu said the provision would create the fourth tier of government. To Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East), the bill will be counter productive in its present form. He demanded the definition of host community. Ashafa said pipelines burst at times not because of vandalisation but because of the integrity of the pipes. Senator Ayogu Eze said his support for the bill stemmed from the realization that the oil sector should be reformed. Eze highlighted issues of details in the bill, which, he said, should be addressed at the committee and public hearing levels. It was obvious that most northern Senators were not comfortable with what Enang said. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria woos investors, tourists at Berlin expo . Wednesday, 06 March 2013 00:00 From Andrew Iro Okungbowa, Berlin News - .AMID pomp, the 47th edition of the international travel and tourism trade exhibition opened Wednesday in Berlin, Germany with Nigeria assuring tourists and investors of their safety and favourable business climate. The prevailing question asked by the many visitors to the Nigeria’s stand yesterday was how save the country was in view of the rising insecurity in the northern part of the country. The Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Olusegun Runsewe had a Herculean task defending the country, as he assured the visitors of the safety and security of lives and property across the country, insisting that the Federal Government was atop the present security challenges facing the country. According to the DG, ‘‘there is other country in the world as safe as Nigeria, as the security issue is only limited to few states in the northern part of the country and the Federal Government is very serious and proactive in handling the situation.” He added: ‘‘Please come to Nigeria, your investment is safe and your life too is safe. No one will harm any of you visitors and investors as this government is very serious about welcoming genuine investors and visitors to the county.” Furthermore, he gave a personal guarantee that NTDC would ensure the security and welfare of tourists whenever they visited the country. Nigeria, he said, was blessed with abundant resources, especially in the area of tourism and that given the over 160 million population of the country, investors would have nothing to fear as they had ready market for their products and services for the visitors, he said they would have new experiences as they enjoyed the culture and natural beauty of the land besides the growing numbers of sophisticated facilities in the hospitality sector. Runsewe also used the occasion to visit Nigeria’s stand daily as they would be treated to a lot of well-packaged products specially made for the expo. According to him, the Nigerian Day celebration, which is billed to hold on Saturday, was dedicated to celebrating the victory of the national team, the Super Eagles even as he revealed that it would also be used to appreciate Africa countries, which supported Nigeria during the just concluded AFCON 2013 in South Africa where Nigeria emerged champions of Africa. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Most Nigerian billionaires are corrupt – Akinyemi February 24, 2013 by Sunday Aborisade Former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi A former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, on Saturday said it was not possible for any Nigerian to be a billionaire without being corrupt. Akinyemi stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital while delivering the second term inauguration lecture of Governor Olusegun Mimiko. The professor of International Relations and Diplomacy spoke on the topic, ‘Leadership, Democracy, and Development.’ He said at the event chaired by a former Nigerian High Commissioner to United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade, that “being a billionaire in Nigeria today without corruption is impossible.” Akinyemi said, “No one can be a billionaire in Nigeria today without being corrupt. If you are a businessman, you would have evaded tax or other levies like import duties with the active connivance of those in charge. “Your entire income as a political office holder, either elected or appointed, cannot make you a billionaire without indulging in corrupt practices. It is also not possible for you to work and retire as a civil servant in whatever capacity and become a billionaire without being corrupt. “I know I am stepping on sensitive toes but I can handle that. Unless our leaders tackle the issue of corruption and offer selfless service to the people, our democracy may not produce the desired development we are all expecting.” Akinyemi lamented that Nigerians had sacrificed value systems on the altar of greed, indiscipline, selfishness and insatiable craze for material wealth acquisition. He said, “There are no more values to hold on to. Parents not only encourage their children to cheat in order to beat the system but also aid and abet them in their nefarious activities. No one believes anymore in the concept of society. “Nigerians have created their own God in their own image. In my youth, to be accused of theft or any other criminal offence was tantamount to being banished from the society while to be convicted was tantamount to suicide. “However, today, no one asks for the source of wealth. People in jail, accused of murder run for, and win elections. “More than a score of members of the Senate have EFCC court cases hanging against them. Only in Nigeria do you steal billions and escape with less than a million naira fine.” Akinyemi noted that Nigeria problem, which invariably led to its backwardness in all ramifications, started after the military coup which displaced the first civilian generation of Nigerian leaders. “Only three years after independence, whatever system existed was shattered by the thoughtless overthrow of the western regional government and from then on, politics of development was replaced by politics of looting,” he stated. He also blamed the judiciary both at the bar and bench, for the upsurge in corrupt practices in the country by granting frivoulous bails to those indicted for corruption. He suggested that for the country to move forward, “the political elite must make a conscious effort to arrive at a consensus that will be outcome of negotiation, give and take and compromises.” The occasion was attended by seasoned diplomats, senior citizens, politicians, former governors, traditional rulers and religious leaders from within and outside the country. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria, a tourism hub – Jonathan, Clinton, Fashola February 22, 2013 by Ihuoma Chiedozie and Maureen Azuh 13 Comments Jonathan, Clinton, Fashola President Goodluck Jonathan, a former United States President, Bill Clinton, and Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday expressed optimism that the country would soon be the choice destination for tourists across the world. The trio spoke at an event to commemorate the reclamation of a 5,000,000 square metres of land for the Eko Atlantic City project on Victoria Island, Lagos. The Eko Atlantic City will involve the reclamation of about 10,000,000 square metres of land expected to lead to the construction of a “world class city”, which will house about 250,000 residents Jonathan said the project was another major addition to the nation’s resolve to promote tourism through public and private partnership. He said, “This landmark event is continuing the good news that Nigeria must embrace permanently. It took 19 years for us to win the Nation’s Cup again; the trains that now run from Lagos to Kano took us another 19 years to get them back on track. The President said the housing sector all over the world creates employment for citizens, adding that it was for this reason that the Federal Government had accorded the housing and urban development sector utmost attention. He said his administration had commenced the establishment of a mortgage institution that would help in providing finance for the housing and construction sector, adding that the institution would be called the Nigerian Mortgage and Finance Corporation. He said, “The Nigerian Mortgage Finance Corporation will have partners that will include the Federal Government, Nigerian local banks, savings and loans institutions and the World Bank which is providing construction credit of $200m. “We want to make sure that houses are available for those who want to rent or build as well as those in real estate business, so that people can have access to cheap funds and have their own houses.” Jonathan emphasised that the housing and construction sectors were important component of the country’s Gross Domestic Products, saying the challenges in the housing and construction sectors cut across a number of areas. The areas include access to finance, property tax loan, and high cost of building materials, among others. Clinton said the city, on completion, would not only become a tourist delight for people all over the world but would contribute to the development of Nigeria’s economy. He said the city could also be home to people around the world, especially for over 10,000 people who lost their houses to hurricanes. He said, “I saw what happened in the US after Hurricane Katrina went wild in the city where I spent my childhood with buildings buried in water. Most recently was New York, which was hit by Hurricane Sandy with thousands of people losing their homes and lives. “These people will come to Nigeria; people want to live near the water where they can have a feel of nature. You have provided a beautiful option to brand the city, the state and the nation. The shape of the stones of the Great Wall shows the understanding of how the water reacts; people will come from all over the world to study the wall.” Fashola said the project was another proof of human commitment. He said, “Although it is not finished, it is already a success story. The road that was lost to the coastal erosion is back and now motorable. The buildings that were deserted are now occupied. Somebody’s values have been restored and multiplied. More buildings are springing up along this axis because of opportunities that lie ahead. “When all is done, a new city will emerge from what was once a devastated area as a result of what nature cost us. Our ultimate triumph now beckons and the human spirit will prevail again. Nature has lost yet again, human spirit has won.” Meanwhile, an Abuja High Court has fixed April 9, 2013, to hear an application by a company, BPS Construction and Engineering Limited to stop further action on the city project. The company had filed the action in 2009 claiming that its proprietary rights for the Eko Atlantic City Project was ‘passed off’ to Hitech Construction Company and South Energy X Nigeria Limited by the state government in 2005 after it incurred heavy expenses for the design. The company alleged that the project was initially awarded to it by a Federal Government committee. In the motion slated for hearing by Justice I.M. Bukar, BPS’ counsel Tochukwu Onwugbufor, (SAN), is asking for an interlocutory injunction restraining the Lagos State Government and the companies from continuing with the dredging of the estate and selling the plots in it. The company is also asking for N120bn as damages for the losses it incurred in the design. Furthermore, it is asking the court to order the state government and the two companies to hands-off the project. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigerian leaders stole, laundered $182bn in 10 yrs —Report Written by Idowu Samuel- Owerri Monday, 18 February 2013 00:00 THE United States-based Global Financial Integrity (GFI) has released a report on currency laundering across the world as it documented Nigeria as a leading source of illicit financial outflow in Africa, the country’s leader having stolen a huge sum of $182 billion out of the country in 10 years. The report, which was co-authored by GFI’s Lead Economist, Dev Kar, and GFI’s Economist, Sarah Freitas, is the first by the organisation in incorporating a new, more conservative estimate of illicit financial flows, as Nigeria ranks 8th among 20 countries put under review on illicit financial outflow. The GFI, according to its recent statement, said it used the World Bank and IMF data to quantity and pattern the illicit financial flows coming out of developing countries between 2000 and 2009, which depicted “Nigeria as the leading source of illicit financial outflow from sub-Sahara Africa” within the period. The GFT report had shown that developing countries lost US$903 billion in illicit outflows in 2009, although there was a significant decrease from the US$1.55 trillion they lost in 2008, the decrease arising essentially from global financial crisis within the vast majority of countries and not due to improved governance or economic reforms. -=----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leaders not doing enough on graft, insecurity, says Obasanjo . Thursday, 14 February 2013 00:00 From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City News - National .IN what seems like giving up on the twin challenges of security and corruption bedeviling the country, former President Olusegun Obasanjo Thursday in Benin-City, stressed that enough was not being done on the scourges by those in charge. Obasanjo stated this Thursday in the Government House shortly after a courtesy call on Governor Adams Oshiomhole. He was in Benin City to deliver the first memorial lecture in honour of the late chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Abel Guobadia, organised by the Women’s Health and Action Research Centre (WHARC). On the issues of corruption and security, he said: “How many times are you going to flog this horse, I have flogged the horse of corruption, I have flogged it internally, externally, I flogged it every day, some people go along with me, they agree that it is a problem that we have to face it squarely, some people abused me, some people did all sorts of things but the point is that when you have a problem and you attempt to cover it, you are not solving the problem, if anything you are complicating the problem. “Even security, I have talked about it, I have been called names I have gone out on fact-finding moves, I have found out what is there and what is not there, I have talked, I have reported, I have nothing more to hide.” Obasanjo also said the indigenisation policy under the military administration did not work and that necessitated his ambitious drive for privatisation and market driven economy as President in 1999 just as he commended Oshiomhole on his efforts to develop the state. He described Oshiomhole as one who had developed from radicalism to realism, adding: “I now see a governor who once lived a life of radicalism but he is now living a life of realism but we all do that. I was Head of State and I believed that there was no way to manage the Nigerian economy except by indigenisation and we went out for indigenisation but the truth is that indigenisation did not succeed the way I wanted it to succeed so when I had the second opportunity, when God gave me the second chance, I learnt from my past and I became an apostle of genuine private sector, direct foreign investment, free market economy.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigerian foreign missions’ activities for public scrutiny . Thursday, 14 February 2013 00:00 From Oghogho Obayuwana (Abuja) and Bola Olajuwon (Lagos) News - National .• Govt sets fresh global policy goals • Carrington tasks citizens on unity AS part of on-going efforts to make the ordinary Nigerian understand how the nation’s foreign policy affects his or her life, the Federal Government said yesterday that the activities of its diplomats at home as well as those in its high commissions and embassies would now be thrown open for direct public scrutiny. For the first time since its establishment as a unit in the office of the Prime Minister in March 1957, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thursday publicly presented its yearly report in Abuja. Making the public presentation, Foreign Affairs Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, said the nation gains if the envisioned openness brings about a change of perception allowing the practice of foreign policy to become more relevant to the lives of Nigerians in terms of its contribution to national development. But he admitted that many Nigerians are intrigued and unsure of the ministry’s role in national development, with ostensibly no tangibles that demonstrate how the country’s foreign exertions directly touch their lives. Ashiru explained that the cloud over foreign policy projection stems “from the very nature of diplomacy itself as well as insufficient knowledge about the activities and role of the ministry and its missions abroad.” “For Nigerian diplomats at home and abroad, especially the ambassadors and high commissioners, the publication of the yearly report is a clear signal that their activities are now open for public scrutiny, which can henceforth hold them to account on how far and how best they have succeeded in discharging the mandate given to them on behalf of the Nigerian people,” he said Addressing the heads of the Senate and House of Representatives committees, former foreign affairs ministers, the dean and members of the diplomatic community as well as former ambassadors and under-secretaries of the ministry yesterday at the Tafawa Balewa House on the substance of the yearly report, the minister said the fresh foreign policy goals now being thrown open for participation in the public interest include an aggressive pursuit of foreign direct investments, transfer of skills and technological know-how from friends, partners and Nigerians in the Diaspora. According to him, taking the path highlighted means “we would have contributed to the task of job creation that are central to the transformation agenda of the present administration... it is therefore intended that the yearly report will enable Nigerians to better understand and appreciate the role and responsibilities of the ministry and missions abroad... and build a vibrant constituency, a critical mass of Nigerians who will have no hesitation in supporting Nigeria’s foreign policy endeavours.” Meanwhile, former United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington, has canvassed the need for Nigerian ethnic groups to come together and resolve all tribal, religious and political stereotypes serving as clogs in the wheel of the nation’s development. Carrington gave the counsel yesterday while delivering a lecture on African-American History at University of Lagos (UNILAG) Auditorium, Lagos. The former diplomat posited that from his experience, Nigeria is a unique and important country on international stage with two major religions along with others and over 250 tribes with history of cohabitation for many decades. According to him, the inherent diversities of Nigeria must be sources of its strengthen and Nigerians from all parts of the country must come together and work for its development after the brutal experience of the past military dispensation. He said he had on many occasions drew the attention of many people to how Lagos exemplified the unity of Nigeria with many people from all parts of the country living together in peace and harmony. To him, the Lagos example is his larger dream for Nigeria, where everybody will live in harmony and work for the development of the country. Maintaining that the yearly report is consistent with the spirit of democracy, openness, and transparency in the conduct of Nigeria’s foreign policy useful to students, researchers and planners, Ashiru expatiated the fresh goals in the new time to include: • Maintenance of the unity, peace and security of Nigeria, particularly in the wake of the current security challenges; • job and wealth creation for Nigerians; • promotion of trade and investment; • welfare of Nigerians both home and abroad; and • the implementation of government’s transformation agenda. Looking at specific issues, Ashiru also stressed that in maintaining Nigeria’s foreign policy, strategic partnership has been sought with the rest of the world, particularly those with huge potential for the realisation of Nigeria’s economic and social objectives. “With these frame-works, we have been able to engage our friends and establish models of partnerships that reflect our shared values and aspirations while also seeking to deliver practical benefits for our people. I, therefore, urge all members of the diplomatic corps to re-energise its efforts to get their countries to partner with us in ensuring that the various joint commissions between Nigeria and their countries are activated and made to work for the good and benefit of our peoples...” The yearly report presented yesterday is also an essential component of the performance contract signed with President Jonathan. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ..Pope resignation announcement text .ROME (Reuters) - The following is the text of the speech that Pope Benedict delivered in Latin to members of a consistory, or church council, announcing his planned resignation on Monday. It was distributed by the Vatican in a statement: "Dear Brothers, I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is. "Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer." (Reporting by Steve Scherer) ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $620,000 bribe:Farouk Lawan faces trial today February 1, 2013 by Ihuoma Chiedozie 62 Comments Hon. Farouk Lawan At long last, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission will today arraign a member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan, over a seven-count charge bearing on corrupt enrichment. The charge stems from allegations by a businessman, Chief Femi Otedola, that Lawan demanded and received $620,000 as a bribe from him while he (Lawan) was the chairman of the House AdHoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime. The arraignment of Lawan alongside the secretary of the adhoc committee, Mr. Boniface Emenalo, seems an indication of the Federal Government sudden readiness to up the tempo of its anti-corruption campaign. On Wednesday, a former Assistant Director of the Police Pension Office, John Yusuf, was rearraigned and remanded in prison custody barely 24 hours after an Abuja High Court handed him a light sentence after admitting to conniving with others to defraud the office and pensioners of N27.2bn. Many civil society groups and Nigerians, including students, had denounced the Abuja High Court judgment, saying it was an indication of Federal Government’s unwillingness to take on the fight against corruption headlong. Lawan and Emenalo, will however, be arraigned before Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of a Federal Capital Territory High Court today. Oniyangi had on Thursday granted the ICPC leave to file the seven counts against them. Oniyangi said, “Upon careful consideration of the application and attached documents in support of same filed by the complainant’s counsel, leave is hereby granted to the complainant/applicant to prefer criminal charges under section 185 (b) of the Criminal Procedure Code. “The case is fixed for February 1, 2013 for arraignment.” Lawan and Emanalo are to be tried for “Violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Act, 2000.” The charge sheet with reference number FCT/HC/CR/76/2013 was signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mrs. O.O. Fatunde, on behalf of the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN). The Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant, while Lawan and Emenalo are the defendants. Count one of the charge reads, “That you, Farouk Lawan (M) and Mr. Emenalo Boniface (M) sometime in April 2012 or thereabouts in Abuja within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this honourable court did while acting in the course of your official duties as Chairman and Secretary (respectively) of House of Representatives AdHoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime conspired between yourselves and with each other to corruptly obtain the sum of $3,000,000 for yourselves from Mr. Femi Otedola, Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, as inducement to remove the name of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd from the House of Representatives AdHoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime’s Report and did cause the House to remove the name of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd from the said list and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 26(1)(c) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under section 8(1) of the same Act.” In count two, Lawan was accused of corruptly asking for $3,000,000 from Otedola with the intention of favouring him (Otedola) in the report of the adhoc committee, an offence punishable under section 8(1) of the same Act. While in count three, Lawan was said to have corruptly agreed to accept the $3,000,000, count four indicated that he obtained $500,000 from Otedola Otedola. In the same vein, count five accused Emenalo of asking for$3,000,000 for himself from Otedola as a bribe, an offence punishable under section 8(1) of the ICPC 2000 Act. The prosecution alleged in count six that Emenalo was offered bribe by Otedola but he failed to report the offer to any officer of the ICPC, an offence contrary to section 23(1) of the ICPC Act, 2000, and punishable under section 23(3) of the same 2000 ICPC Act. In count seven, Emenalo was equally accused of receiving $120,000 from Otedola . In an affidavit deposed to by one Chidi Amaeze, the ICPC disclosed that investigation into the criminal case had since been concluded. Lawan had repeatedly denied Otedola’s accusations, saying he collected the $620,000 as evidence to expose the businessman’s attempts to bribe him. The prosecution is coming several months after the police had concluded investigations into the allegation. The report of the police investigation, as well as the case file, was reportedly submitted to the AGF in August 2012. The AGF’s silence on the matter had given rise to insinuations that the Federal Government had swept the matter under the carpet. However, a lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, had last week, sent draft charges against Lawan to the AGF, and in a letter accompanying the charge, he gave the AGF a one-week ultimatum to indicate his readiness to prosecute Lawan. The ultimatum expired on Tuesday. Keyamo had explained that he decided to prepare, and send the draft charge to the AGF following indications that he (AGF) was unwilling to prosecute the case for undisclosed reasons. But reacting to Keyamo’s ultimatum, government prosecutor, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), had informed journalists that Lawan would be arraigned during the week. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reps probe alleged misuse of $67 billion by two govts . Wednesday, 30 January 2013 22:04 From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Terhemba Daka and Nzeh Ezeocha, Abuja News - National .• Urge EFCC, AGF to appeal verdict on pension fraud • CNPP gives govt ultimatum over Ezekwesili AN investigation that may reveal if the administration of the late President Musa Yar’Adua and that of his successor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, actually splurged $67 billion is set to be carried out by the House of Representatives. The probe is coming on the heels of an allegation by former Vice President of the World Bank, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, that the two administrations mismanaged $45 billion in Nigeria’s foreign reserve as well as another $22 billion excess crude fund left by the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Also, apparently reacting to public criticisms of the judgment by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, in the case of Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu and others undergoing trial for over N38 billion Police Pension Fund fraud, the House of Representatives has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to immediately appeal the decision. Besides, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) Wednesday handed the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to either organise a public debate between the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku or any other official and Ezekwesili as demanded by her or issue a public apology to her in acceptance of her allegation. Ezekwesili made the allegation during her convocation lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The former Minister of Solid Minerals and later Education lamented the “squandering of the significant sum of $45 billion in foreign reserve account and another $22 billion in Excess Crude Account being direct savings from increased earnings from oil that the Obasanjo administration handed over to the successor government in 2007.” She stated: “Six years after the administration I served handed over such humongous national wealth to another one, most Nigerians but especially the poor, continue to suffer the effects of failing public health and education systems as well as decrepit infrastructure and battered institutions.” She then queried: “One cannot but ask what exactly does government symbolise with this level of brazen misappropriation of public resources? Where did all that money go? Where is the accountability for the use of both these resources and the additional several hundred dollars realised from oil sale by the two administrations that have governed our nation in the last five years? How were these resources applied or more appropriately misapplied? Tragic choices.” In adopting a motion sponsored by Umar Bature (PDP, Sokoto), the House directed its Committees in charge of Finance and Appropriation to jointly investigate the allegation. Defending his motion, Bature said the House needed to conduct the investigation because of the background of Ezekwesili as Special Adviser to the President on Public Procurement as well as Minister of Education. The Presidency has, however, dismissed the allegation as false. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said that as at May 2007, a total of $43,130,301,995.21 was left behind in the Foreign Exchange Reserve (FER) account by former President Obasanjo. According to Okupe, between June 2007 and December 2008, the FER stood at $53,000,355,063.51, and in 2009, the account came down to $42,382,493,319.69 due to the global economic meltdown. In 2010, the account was $32,339,252,389.10 after the commitment of the Federal Government to the Independent Power Project (IPP) and the Niger Delta crisis, which caused a drop in oil export. In 2011, the figure was N32, 639,777,078.09 while in 2012 the FER rose to $43,830,418,364.91 as at December and then rose again to $45.3 billion as at January 22, 2013. Okupe added: “I regret to say that Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili should show dignity and character by letting the Nigerian people, whom she sought out to fool, to know the source of her figures otherwise, she should be honourable enough to retract her statement and apologise to the government and people of Nigeria.” The House said the monumental fraud in the Police Pension Fund had resulted in untold hardship for police pensioners who had had their pensions unpaid for many months. Adopting a motion on the urgent need to revisit the case brought by the House Minority Whip, Samson Osagie and nine others, the House also called on the National Assembly to set a machinery in motion to review the provisions of the penal and criminal codes to provide stricter punishment in such cases. “The EFCC and AGF should, as a matter of urgency, appeal the judgment of Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court in the case of the State Vs Mr. John Yusufu and others, with a view to seeking stricter punishment for the offence under Section 309 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2007,” it said. Leading debate on the motion, Osagie had faulted the decision of the FCT High Court and urged the parliament to intervene, adding that pension was a matter that ought to be treated with utmost respect. “As the people’s representatives, we cannot keep quiet over the matter. This is not good for our criminal justice system, especially as it borders on the fight against corruption. “It is repugnant and unacceptable to good conscience. Stiffer punishment should be meted out else others will toe the same line. It is not good for our democracy. “This sort of judgment of a court can only serve as an incentive for public officers entrusted with management of public fund to commit more acts of corruption as the judgment in this case did not meet the justice of the matter, given the huge amount of fraud committed by Mr. John Yusufu in the Police Pension Fund. “This judgment has been widely criticised by both lawyers and civil society groups. It has been a slap on the wrist as the sentence ought to be stricter to deter other public officers from meddling with public funds,” the lawmaker said. The majority of other members, including Emmanuel Jime, Femi Gbajabiamila and Jerry Manwe, also spoke on the motion. However, members, including Ali Madaki, Khamil Akinlabi and Dan Abia, cautioned the parliament against dabbling in a matter that, according to them, was clearly outside the purview of the chamber. In their separate submissions, the lawmakers argued that the decision of the high court was within the ambit of the extant laws of the country. When the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal put the question on the motion, the resolution was overwhelmingly adopted in a voice vote. The House also has mandated its Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to investigate the alleged inhuman activities of the companies commissioned by the FCT Administration to enforce motor parking regulations and parking fees collection in Abuja . The companies commissioned by the Bala Mohammed-led FCT administration for this purpose in the Federal City include Integrated Parking Services Ltd and Platinum Parking Management Services Ltd. But adopting a motion introduced by Odebunmi Olusegun Dokun on the matter yesterday, the House expressed worry over the inability of motorists to identify the particular company or agent overseeing a particular area because different companies seem to be at war over who is in charge. The parliament noted that Abuja as the capital city of Nigeria should be managed in such a way that it would become a source of pride for every Nigerian. The CNPP’s ultimatum was sequel to the challenge to public debate thrown by Ezekwesili in connection with her allegation of monumental corruption. The CNPP noted that it was alarmed that instead of responding to the grave allegation made by the former minister, the Presidency tepidly avoided the public debate challenge. In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, the CNPP National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, described as unjustifiable, the Federal Government’s reactions to Ezekwesili’s allegation and challenge as a deliberately calculated albeit unsuccessful effort to bring the Jonathan administration to disrepute He noted that for the avoidance of doubt, many public commentators and anti-corruption crusaders, as well as the CNPP had severally bemoaned the pervasive corruption in the land, which included the culture of impunity which had existed in the country in the last 13 years. The CNPP said that this debate was absolutely necessary and a matter of urgent national importance based on the fact that Ezekwesili was not only a former vice president of the World Bank, but she also served as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and once headed the Bureau of Public Procurement in the country. The CNPP also noted that the fact that Maku had also levelled allegations of monumental corruption against the former minister had added more urgency to the debate. “It is our view that a public debate challenge of this nature must not be overlooked by the Federal Government, especially bearing in mind that even the ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo under which Mrs. Ezekwesili served, had serially labelled the President Goodluck Jonathan regime as incurably corrupt. We are deeply concerned that the splash of mud on the image of the country can only be wiped out if the government musters the political will to convoke the public debate as requested. “To do otherwise will further tarnish the image of the country and discourage direct foreign investment, which we badly need. For us, corruption is a major contentious issue and there is no better time than this for the Jonathan administration to use the public debate to erase the epitaph of engraving its name in the hall of infamy as the most corrupt regime in the annals of the country. “Now that the opportunity has offered itself for the government to cleanse itself or allow the good people of Nigeria to go home with the impression that the regime is absolutely corrupt, it will be regrettable if the government denies us, indeed itself this golden opportunity “Also, there is no better platform for Mrs. Ezekwesili to disclose her source and substantiate her grave allegations than the debate. “In sum, we challenge President Jonathan to convoke this debate within seven days or we stand on Mrs. Ezekwesili’s allegation to prosecute the government for unbridled and wanton looting of the national treasury,” CNPP charged. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Senate probes unspent funds in 2012 budget . Thursday, 24 January 2013 00:00 From John-Abba Ogbodo (Abuja) and Lawrence Njoku (Enugu) News - National . • Ezekwesili decries squandering of $67b by Yar’Adua, Jonathan govts IRKED by what it considers the poor performance of the Federal Government in 2012, the Senate plans to investigate and recover unspent votes for last year before the implementation of the 2013 budget. The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly said only 40 per cent of the capital budget for last year was utilised. Besides, former Vice President (Africa) of the World Bank, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has described the squandering of $45 billion in the Foreign Reserve Account and $22 billion in Excess Crude Account by the two administrations of the late President Musa Yar’Adua and the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan after Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as “the most egregious” instance of Nigeria’s failure to make the right developmental choices. She stated that Nigerians had lost dignity because of ravaging poverty arising from poor choices of the elite, corruption and lack of investment in education. Disclosing the position of the Senate to journalists at the National Assembly before the Eid-el-Maulud break, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Ahmad Muhammad Maccido, said that the chamber would carry out a comprehensive oversight with a view to recovering all unspent funds. He stated that so far, the Executive had not said anything about funds that were not utilised from the 2012 budget and that the Senate would not leave the matter in that manner. “Well, in time past, there used to be issues of unspent funds in the budget but this year, so far, the Executive has not come with any figure or informed us that these are unspent funds for 2012. However, one thing I know is that we would be going out on our statutory oversight duty. Until such a time when we come back from such oversight duty, I would not be able to tell you anything about unspent funds because, normally, it is the Executive that comes up with its figure; to inform us that these are the unspent funds for the preceding year. If they don’t do that, we will go out on oversight and find out actually what has been spent and what has not been spent. That is when we will know but for now, there is no such figure.” The lawmaker put the level of implementation of the capital budget for last year at 40 per cent, noting: “The precise percentage we were given was 40 per cent. When I say 40 per cent, I am referring to the capital expenditure; the capital budget. As you know, the recurrent budget, which encompasses the overheads, payment of salaries and allied matters, they are always implemented 100 per cent. Therefore, we discount that when we talk of budget implementation. We always talk of capital budget when we ask for the level of implementation. As far as the capital budget for 2012 is concerned, the implementation was not more than 40 per cent”, he said. On the fate of the balance of the capital budget for last year, Maccido said: “That is exactly what we plan to find out now because as I told you earlier, unspent funds have not been brought to us. It has not been announced by anybody and we know that the capital budget has not been spent 100 per cent. We need to find that out. We are going out on oversight to find that out and rest assured, whatever we find out, we will tell Nigerians that this is where their monies are, or this is what has been done with their monies.” He also explained why the Legislature tinkered with the $75 per barrel benchmark forwarded by the Executive in October, last year. His words: “In as much as the budget is an economic document, we should also know that a little bit of politicking comes into it. However, the House of Representatives raised their oil benchmark to $80, while we at the Senate increased by just $3, bringing it to $78 from the original $75 brought by the Executive. This was as a result of the alarming figure we’ve always seen as budget deficit. We’ve always had the deficit in the budget and in the 2013 budget, we had over N1 trillion as deficit. So, based on the figure we saw as the deficit from the Executive, we sat down and decided that we had to do something because, honestly, that figure was quite alarming to us. We knew we had only one alternative; to raise the benchmark so that we can get funds to offset the deficit. That was the only reason we did that and if you look at the budget of 2013, we have reduced the deficit with the fund that has been saved from raising the oil benchmark. However, before then, it was the House which first raised its own to $80 and we settled for $78. We had to sit down again, at the committee level to deliberate on this issue comprehensively. After that, we went into executive sessions in both chambers and the Senate agreed that a committee should be raised for conferencing with the House of Representatives. It was at this conferencing that we agreed on a final figure of $79.” The chairman disclosed that some measures had been worked out to ensure full implementation of the 2013 budget. “This time around, the National Assembly, not just the Senate, sat down and deliberated on this issue of implementation and our leadership also deliberated at their own level and came back to us, giving us details and telling us that there is going to be comprehensive oversight this year by all the standing committees in the Legislature. They’ve told us how to go about this job. Each committee has been made to understand that they would be answerable to the Committee of the Whole in both houses. Every committee would be given a tentative time as to when they are expected to present reports of the oversight they have done. It’s this report that we will now compile and find out, which ministry is performing and which is not. We also plan to have a data bank that would give us an instant insight into the workings of the budget itself by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). The final report may not be ready this year but I can assure you that it is going to be very comprehensive as it would tell us immediately which MDA is working and which is not. The data bank would definitely be collated this year; all you need do is to refer to it and find out who did what”, he disclosed. The National Assembly passed a total budget of N4.97 trillion for 2013. At the 42nd convocation lecture of the University of Nigeria, Ezekwesili noted that Nigeria had enjoyed five cycles of oil boom, lamenting, however, the failure to convert oil incomes to renewable assets through the training of human capital, development of other sectors or investment in foreign assets as other resource-rich countries did with their oil income. The former minister said: “The present cycle of boom of the 2010s is, however, much more vexing than the other four that happened in the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. This is because we are still caught up in it and it is more egregious than the other periods in revealing that we learned absolutely nothing from the previous massive failures.” She continued: “The squandering of the significant sum of $45 billion in foreign reserve account and another $22 billion in Excess Crude Account being direct savings from increased administration handed over to the successor government in 2007. Six years after the administration I served handed over such humongous national wealth to another one, most Nigerians but especially the poor continue to suffer the effects of failing public health and education systems as well as decrepit infrastructure and battered institutions. Resource wealth has tragically reduced your nation – my nation – to a mere parable of prodigality.” She added: “Nothing undignifies nations and their citizens like self-inflicted failure. Our abundance of oil, people and geography should have worked favourably and placed us on the top echelons of the global economic ladder by now.” Ezekwesili said that it was up to the younger generation to restore the dignity of Nigeria by making the right choices to lift the nation out of poverty. The former World Bank executive described Nigeria as “a paradox of the kind of wealth that breeds penury” noting “the trend of Nigeria’s population in poverty since 1980 to 2010 suggests that the more we earned from oil the larger the population of poor citizens.” According to her, the figures of the poor in Nigeria grew from 17.1 million in 1980, 34.5 million in 1985, 39.2 million in 1992, 67.1 million in 1996, to 68.7 million in 2004 and 112.47 million in 2010. According to her, the resurgence of entrepreneurial spirit based on hard work and sound education are critical factors to changing Nigeria. “For Nigeria’s dignity to be restored your generation must build a coalition of young entrepreneurial minds that are ready to ask and respond to the question, what does it take for nations to become rich? Throughout economic history, the factors that determine which nations became rich and improved the standard of living of their citizens read like a Dignity Treatise in that they all revolve around the choices that ordinary citizens made in defining the value constructs of their nation”, she asserted. The 42nd convocation ceremonies of the University of Nigeria started yesterday with the Convocation Lecture and the Prize and Awards night for distinguished graduands. First degree holders, numbering 18,150, would receive their certificates today while higher degrees and honorary awards would be conferred on 1,730 recipients tomorrow. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- .Obama sworn in for a second term . .By Rachel Rose Hartman, Political Reporter . Obama takes the oath of office Jan. 20 (Larry Downing/Reuters)President Barack Obama on Sunday was officially sworn in for a second term in a private ceremony lasting just a few minutes at the White House. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the oath of office in the White House Blue Room just before noon—the time on Jan. 20 by which the president must be sworn in as directed by the U.S. Constitution. Because Jan. 20 fell on a Sunday this year, the official swearing-in was held in private with pooled press coverage and will be re-administered in public Monday at the U.S. Capitol. First lady Michelle Obama held a family Bible—a gift from her late father to her mother—on which the president took the oath Sunday. Obama added "so help me God" at the end of the oath as has been customary. Daughters Sasha and Malia stood with their parents. "Good job, daddy," Sasha said to her father following the oath. "I did it," he responded, as they embraced. But Sasha had one more thing to add. "You didn't mess up," she said. The president smiled. There were no missteps this time around. At the public swearing-in at the Capitol in 2009, the president and Roberts had an awkward exchange in which Roberts appeared to misplace the word “faithfully” during the oath. Roberts later re-adminstered the oath in private to quell any doubts about the authenticity of the swearing-in. This time around, Roberts on Sunday read the oath from a sheet of paper he was holding. Vice President Joe Biden was sworn in earlier Sunday at the Naval Observatory—the vice president’s official residence—by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who became on Sunday the first Hispanic to administer the oath of office. Biden, surrounded by family, took the oath in a private ceremony attended by 120 guests, who included family, friends, former colleagues and others. He used a family Bible for the ceremony. Following the formalities, Biden gestured at the large crowd applauding. “Justice, these are some of my friends and my family,” Biden said and explained that Sotomayor had to work to fit the swearing-in into her schedule and needed to immediately catch a train to New York. Following Biden’s swearing-in, the president and vice president laid the traditional wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. The Obama family stopped at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington for a service on their way back from the cemetery. Following his swearing-in, the president planned to spend time with his family Sunday before attending an inaugural reception at the National Building Museum scheduled for Sunday night ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EFCC arrests Soludo over currency contract scam EFCC arrests Soludo over currency contract scam January 11, 2013 by Friday Olokor, Abuja 153 Comments Former CBN Governor, Professor Charles Soludo A former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Soludo, was on Thursday arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over his role in the Australian polymer banknotes bribery scam which occurred between 2006 and 2008 when he was in office. The PUNCH was informed by sources in the commission that Soludo arrived the EFCC Headquarters about 2pm from his Abuja residence and immediately faced a team of operatives who quizzed him for several hours to ascertain his level of complicity in the scandal. It was learnt that the decision to look into the polymer deal was followed a petition by Human and Environmental Development Agenda. According to the chairman of HEDA, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, the group’s petition had demanded the investigation and possible prosecution of those involved in the alleged contract scam. The petition had demanded that both the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission pursue the investigation and prosecution as provided by laws establishing both anti-graft agencies. Sources also indicated that other top management staff of CBN, who had worked with Soludo, were also picked and currently being held alongside other ex-staff of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company. However, all efforts to get the identities of other detained suspects proved abortive, as no one was ready to volunteer information. It was not clear whether the ex-CBN governor would be remanded at the EFCC detention as he was still being held as at 8pm on Thursday. Spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest, but could not be categorical on whether the embattled former 2010 Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Anambra State would be detained or not. He said, “We have Soludo in our custody and it is part of an ongoing investigation over his involvement in the award of contract and printing of polymer banknotes when he was the Governor of the CBN.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minister, NACA DG, others call for caution, as don claims ‘cure’ for HIV . Thursday, 10 January 2013 00:00 From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja Features - Science FOLLOWING the announcement by Prof. Isaiah Ibeh of the University of Benin of a ‘cure’ for HIV/AIDS, which he yesterday laid claim to, experts in the science and health sector are calling for caution, as the announcement of a vaccine breakthrough is a more serious business. Minister of State for Health, Muhammad Pate, Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Prof. John Idoko and former Vice President of Canada-based World Federation of Science Journalists, Diran Onifade all queried the scientific protocol followed in arriving in the ‘cure’. Prof Ibeh of the University of Benin, had on Tuesday announced the development of a new drug which he claimed could cure HIV and AIDS. Ibeh, dean of the School of Basic Medical Sciences of the university, claimed in at a news conference in Benin that the herbal drug had undergone ‘a series of successful tests’’. He was quoted as saying, “we are at the threshold of making history, in the sense that we seem to have with us something that will permanently take care of what over time seems to have defied all solutions. We are talking about the latest discovery of an oral drug made from plants extraction in Nigeria for the possible cure for the pandemic, HIV and AIDS virus.” He said the research on the project was started in 2010 and culminated in the development of “Deconcotion X (DX)–Liquid or Bioclean 11 for the cure of HIV and AIDS”. “The existing retroviral drugs are intervention drugs for the management of AIDS but our new discovery is a possible cure. We have tried to look at the product first; its toxicological analysis and discovered that it has a large safety margin. “This means that if animals or human beings are exposed to it, they will not suffer any serious harm at all from the exposure. It also helped us to know the quantity we can conveniently give to animals and will feel secure that nothing untoward will happen. “We have also done the bacteriological analysis on it, after which we looked at its effect on the virus and the result was quite revealing and refreshing.’’ Ibeh also said that the drug had been exposed to series of medical examination both in Nigeria and in the U.S.A. He added that the drug had performed well on patients with the HIV virus and had shown evidence of total restoration of damaged tissues.” Pate told The Guardian, “I also saw this latest claim of cure for HIV in the media. As you know there are well established standards required of evidence to support claims in orthodox medicine regarding new technologies, treatments or processes. I am not aware of the evidence behind this latest claim. “If the scientist making this claim wishes to take this further constructively there are established fora and avenues for doing so, the FMOH’s NIPRID, NIMR and NAFDAC are each ready to appropriately support indigenous Nigerian scientists, who have something to offer. “We are proud of our medical, biomedical and pharmaceutical scientists both at home and abroad. But we should also maintain highest levels of integrity and standards in application of science for the betterment mankind,” he said. Idoko also called for serious caution in the acclaimed cure for HIV to avoid the mistakes of the past when Nigeria was brought o international ridicule. He told The Guardian, “the process of identifying a drug that cures HIV takes years. We need scientific proof and evidence before we go to town. “Nobody in the world has cure for HIV. We need to be cautious not to report the mistakes of the past. You need a minimum of 10 to 15 years for a vaccine or drug. Nobody can work into the bush and grab anything and say it is HIV cure.” Responding to the claim in a chat with The Guardian, Onifade called on Nigeria not to rush into taking the ‘cure’ claim seriously until internationally recognised protocol are seen to have been followed and the ‘cure’ certified as such. Diran, who is a Knight Science Journalism Fellow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States, stressed, “ I have a responsibility here as president of the African Federation of Science Journalists and former VP of WFSJ. Let me say, the report did not tell us the exact context of Ibeh’s announcement. In reporting inventions, the context is what counts the most. “The proper place to announce something as ground-breaking as a cure for HIV/AIDS is a credible platform such as a scientific conference or a peer reviewed journal. But certainly not a press conference or a one-on-one with any media house, I advise caution so we don’t have another ‘Abalaka’ episode in our hands. I stand by that.” In a document, ethical considerations in HIV preventive vaccine research, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) also detailed out how every vaccine search should undergo a rigourous standard procedure. The document obtained by The Guardian noted, “as the number of people infected by HIV and dying from AIDS increases, the need for an effective HIV preventive vaccine becomes more urgent. Developing such a vaccine will require an extensive international cooperative effort, drawing on partners from various health sectors, governments, intergovernmental organisations, research institutions, industries and affected populations. These partners will also be required to address the difficult ethical concerns involved in the development of HIV vaccines. This document highlights some of the critical elements that must be considered in HIV vaccine development activities. It suggests standards, as well as, processes for arriving at standards, and can be used as a frame of reference from which to conduct international, national and local-level discussions. “Given the global nature of the epidemic, the devastation being wreaked in some countries by it, the fact that vaccine(s) may be the best long term solution by which to control the epidemic, especially in developing countries, and the potentially universal benefits of effective HIV vaccines, there is an ethical imperative for global support to the effort to develop these vaccines. This effort will require intense international collaboration and co-ordination over time, including among countries with scientific expertise and resources, and among countries where candidate vaccines could be tested but whose infrastructure, resource base, and scientific and ethical capacities could be insufficient at present. Though HIV vaccines should benefit all those in need, it is imperative that they benefit the populations at greatest risk of infection. Thus, HIV vaccine development should ensure that the vaccines are appropriate for use among such populations, among which it will be necessary to conduct trials, and when developed, they should be made available and affordable to such populations.” It went on, “because HIV vaccine development activities take time, are complex and require infrastructure, resources and international collaboration, potential sponsor countries and host countries should immediately include HIV vaccine development in their regional and national AIDS prevention and control plans. “Potential host countries should assess how they can and should participate in HIV vaccine development activities either nationally or on a regional basis, including identifying resources, establishing partnerships, conducting national information campaigns, strengthening their scientific and ethical sectors, and including a vaccine research component to complement other prevention interventions.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BoT: Jonathan, OBJ forces regroup for fresh battle January 10, 2013 by Niyi Odebode, Olusola Fabiyi and Tunde Odesola Former president Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan THE power play over who becomes the next chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees is definitely not over. And it is definitely still between President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s groups. Following the sudden postponement of the election of the party’s next BoT chairman on Tuesday night, The PUNCH learnt that members of the two groups had regrouped for a future battle over whose side would produce the BoT chairman. But for the postponement of the election on Tuesday night, Obasanjo’s group would have beaten Jonathan’s men hands down in the power play that attended the botched election. Though the ex-President was absent from the gathering of the chieftains of the PDP in the Federal Capital, his men were said to have been on the verge of enthroning Ahmadu Alli, Obasanjo’s choice for the job, before the postponement. While Ali, a former National Chairman of the PDP, had the support of Obasanjo, Jonathan was said to have favoured ‘Mr. Fix it,’ and the Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Tony Anenih. Before the sudden postponement of the election of a new BoT chairman on Tuesday night, many of the board members had made up their minds that Alli would get the job. During the horse-trading that preceded the meeting at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday night, it was learnt that most of the BoT members had agreed to adopt Alli as the consensus candidate. The situation, our correspondents learnt, had sent jitters into Jonathan’s camp with many of his loyalists and aides warned over the “too gentle” posture of the President. It was also learnt that Obasanjo controlled a majority of members in the National Working Committee. The pro-Obasanjo members were said to have gone round to convince the BoT members that Anenih must not be allowed to emerge. They were said to have based their argument on the fact that Jonathan had already appointed Anehih as Chairman of the NPA, arguing that giving the ex-policeman the BoT chairmanship would not be fair to other members of the party. It was learnt that the pro-Jonathan group was surprised that the Obasanjo loyalists almost had their way, but for the intervention of some top Presidency officials and some chieftains of the party. They were said to have explained the danger of handing over any arm of the party to those who were against his 2015 ambition. A top official of the party, who pleaded anonymity, said, “Some people are taking advantage of democratic credentials of Jonathan to take over the party. “Members of the BoT who initially planned to step down for Alli later insisted on contesting when they were made to see reason why Jonathan’s candidate should not be defeated.” A source said that a former governor in the South-West and an incumbent North-West governor led the Obasanjo faction, which countered the faction led by the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, for Jonathan. “The Obasanjo faction wants someone it could control as BoT chairman. President Goodluck Jonathan is liberal over the matter. If not, he has the power to use his influence to ensure a particular candidate emerges,” the source added. Investigation showed that the battle for the BoT chairmanship is linked with the tussle for the presidency in 2015. Talking to one of our correspondents on Wednesday, a chieftain of the PDP who craved anonymity told one of our correspondents, “The tussle for 2015 presidency is reason for the fierce battle for the BoT chairmanship. “The power-play characterising the BoT chairmanship cannot be divorced from the tussle for PDP presidential ticket in 2015.” The source also disclosed that selfish ambitions of some leaders of the party gave rise to the tussle. The source said, “A national chieftain of the PDP told the Secretary of the BoT to resign because the secretary came from his region which is the North-Central. “This is to make way for his candidacy. But the secretary refused.” The source also said, “Some people do not want the post to come to the South-West because they feel the post will overshadow them. They feel the BoT chairman will overshadow them.” He said, “They want to use the new PDP constitution to bar some people from contesting. They are relying on the provision which says that members who are elected into the BoT are not supposed to be returned after five years. This is to bar some candidates from contesting.” Investigations on Wednesday, however, showed that there were fears among some chairmanship aspirants for the office of the PDP BoT. Some of the aspirants feared that the Jerry Gana-led committee might be used to edge some of them out of the race. Three different aspirants, who spoke with our correspondents on the condition of anonymity, said the committee would be monitored in order to make sure that new rules were not set for aspirants. One of them said that it was possible that the committee would be waiting for the tenure of some of the members to end before coming up with its recommendation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another medical feat in Kano . Wednesday, 09 January 2013 00:00 From Murtala Muhammed, Kano News - Metro .48-year-old man gets successful operation as AKTH resumes kidney transplant HE was elated after undergoing a successful kidney transplant at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), which resumed its renal transplant that was suspended in 2009. Alhaji Bashir Sherif Bawa, 48, got the kidney donation from his nephew and the transplant, which took a combined team of consultant surgeons, physicians, nephrologists, nurses and anesthetists, lasted for about three hours. This signalled the full resumption of AKTH kidney transplant operation, after the suspension in 2009. AKTH, which started the transplant in 2002, was the only tertiary medical centre that operated renal transplant in the Northern part of Nigeria before the recent similar operation at University of Maiduguri. The Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee at AKTH, Dr. Hadiza Shehu Galadanci told The Guardian that management was able to conquer the technical and manpower hindrances that forced the hospital to close its renal transplant operations. He maintained that the renewed service that would be carried out monthly, would cost a patient N2 million only. “The cost of the operation is highly subsidized and it covers the pre and post-treatments. I can tell you there is no place, no medical centre in Nigeria you can get it done as lower as that. Compare what people spend in India, United Kingdom and United States”. “ The reason many Nigerians seek medical intervention abroad is the declining trust on the proficient manpower to carry out the operation in Nigeria. “But the consultant gynaecologist insisted that the hospital could boast of competent team of surgeons and physicians that had so far justified huge investment expended on them, having undergone series of skills in United Kingdom, United States and India. “We have invested a lot in the capacity of our manpower .We have sent our consultants to the United Kingdom to train under renal transplant and they have gotten the skills and these are people that can compete with anybody in the country and abroad. The hospital is comfortable with their performance and that was why the outcome of the just -concluded transplant was successful. Galadanci continue: “Apart from the operation, experts that are supposed to monitor patients after surgery such as the renal surgeons and renal physicians had gone to South Africa, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, India among others to acquire skills to do the job successfully. AKTH has three renal surgeons and another three undergoing training. We have three renal physicians and another three also undergoing training.” On whether the existing and potential manpower would still be able to withstand the population of the region, Galadanci explained that the hospital was not undermining the possibility of overstretching the available capacity, but maintained that more experts in the field of kidney transplant would be due in the next five years. “AKTH is a training institution and we are serious with capacity building. This is in the hospital’s plan and budget that we are going to invest more in our training. Remember we have lot of responsibilities as the only hospital in the North that is involved in kidney transplant. Even the one that was carried out in Maiduguri was with the help of our own experts. There is no doubt manpower is not enough. But, at least, AKTH is taking the lead and we hope other centres would also improve so that we have more hospitals doing the same”. She hinted that with the resuscitation of the transplant, AKTH is ever fortified to sustain its strength and muster the courage to continue with the operation and other services in the hospital. With the inception of renal transplant in 2002, AKTH has, so far, carried out 30 successful kidney transplants in the hospital. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PDP BoT election ends in stalemate January 9, 2013 by Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja 131 Comments National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur | The three-hour meeting of members of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday failed to produce a new chairman of the board as expected. The meeting was meant to elect a replacement for former President Olusegun Obasanjo who resigned from the position last year for personal reasons. Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting which ended at about 11.30pm, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Canada, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, said a committee was set up to streamline membership of the board in preparation for the election of a new chairman. The committee has three weeks to conclude its assignment. Maduekwe was joined at the briefing by the board’s Secretary, Senator Walid Jibrin; former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, and presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati. Maduekwe said the mandate of the committee was to properly align membership of the board in such a way that the election of the next BoT chairman would be a model of internal democracy. He however said apart from the procedure for the election, the meeting did not come close to discussing the aspirants or endorsing any of them. “The meeting did not come close to election, nomination or endorsement of any aspirant. There was no deadlock and no gridlock,” he said. Gana, on his part, admitted that the decision to set up the committee arose because some members were already challenging the legality of some people to vote. He also faulted reports that some PDP governors were planning to unseat the party’s chairman, Bamanga Tukur, saying the governors were law abiding party members. Jibrin said so far, 12 members of the board had shown interest in the chairmanship job. He said it was when Gana’s committee concluded its assignment and submit report that a date for the election will be chosen. Maduekwe however added another dimension when he said the BoT had no constitutional duty to conduct election in the meeting. He said the latest move was to reduce likely area of challenge since the simplest of election would stand the risk of being challenged. Maduekwe said the committee, which would be headed by Gana, has Dr. Shettima Mustapha, Governor Ibrahim Shema, Chief Olabode George, Hope Uzodinma, and Mrs. Stella Omu as members. He added that the meeting resolved that Jibrin should continue in his position as the secretary. He denied reports of any rift or cracks in the PDP. Maduekwe however said as a big party, minor disagreements based on interests could not be overruled. He said while efforts were being made to resolve issues, including that of Adamawa State, members of the National Working Committee had been directed to stop media war. On the Adamawa issue, Gana said a committee of party elders including the President, Vice President, leaders of the National Assembly and some others would resolve the issue. President Goodluck Jonathan presided over the meeting which was attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo; President of the Senate, David Mark; and Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwwal. Obasanjo did not attend the meeting. Others who attended the session were former Vice President Alex Ekwueme; Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur; Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Women Leader, Kema Chikwe; former chairmen of the party -Bello Haliru Mohammed; Ahmadu Ali; Barnabas Gemade, and Vincent Ogbulafor. Others are former Presidents of the Senate, Adolphus Wabara and Ken Nnamani; former Speakers of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba and Patricia Etteh; former Deputy President of the Senate, Ibrahim Mantu; Governors Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Mrs. Josephine Anenih, Ambassador Hassan Adamu, Don Etiebet, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Danjuma Goje and Shuaibu Oladokun. Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, Chief Ojo Maduekwe; his United Kingdom counterpart, Senator Dalhatu Tafida; Chief Richard Akinjide, Chief Olabode George, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Chief Emmanuel Nwanyanwu, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, Don Etiebet, Senator Bode Olajumoke, David Jemibewon, Victor Attah, Shuaib Oyedokun and Ebenezer Babatope also attended. ----------------------------------------------------- Intrigues, suspense as PDP elects BoT chair January 8, 2013 by Olusola Fabiyi PDP National Chairman, Dr Bamanga Tukur Peoples Democratic Party is expected to elect a Chairman of its Board of Trustees in Abuja on Tuesday (today) night. The position became vacant after former President Olusegun Obasanjo resigned last year. However, the tenure of the members of the board, who are not statutory members, will expire in March. Though the Secretary of the Board, Senator Wali Jubrin, said the chairman of the BoT would emerge after the meeting, investigations by our correspondent showed that some leaders of the PDP have other plans. It was learnt that some members of the party had suggested that an interim chairman should be appointed to steer the ship of the board till a substantive BoT chairman is elected. The current board was set up in July 2007 by the former National Chairman of the party, Dr. Ahmadu Ali. It was learnt that South-West, where Obasanjo comes from, could be allowed to nominate his replacement. Those being considered for the position in the zone are Chief Richard Akinjide, Senator CK Awoyele, Shuib Oyedokun, Chief Tunde Osurinde, Yekini Adeojo and Dr. Bode Olajumoke. Oyedokun is said to be having the upper hand because of his popularity. If this option is not accepted to the generality of the board, a consensus agreement might be reached. By the tradition of the party, the chairman of the BoT ordinarily is expected to be by consensus. However, the refusal of the contestants to step down for one another is being viewed as capable of polarising the party if election is held. Both President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the party are said to prefer consensus arrangement through which the chairman of the board would emerge. Towards achieving this, a meeting was expected to hold on Monday night where the Chairman of the party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, was to appeal to aspirants to step down for the other and allow the emergence of a consensus candidate. However, where the Monday night meeting is unable to reach a consensus, then, the 98 members of the board will go for an outright election. If the option of an interim chairman and consensus candidate fails to scale through, the board has already prepared ballot papers where the names of the contestants are printed. Among those on the paper is former Vice-President, Alex Ekwueme; Akinjide; a former Senate President, Sen. Ken Nnamani and Chief Yekini Adeojo. Also on the ballot paper for the election are a former Chairman of the party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; another former chairman of the party, Sen. Ahmadu Ali, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chief Anthony Anenih, Chief Don Etiebet and Oyedokun. While Jonathan is believed to be supporting Anenih, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is behind the candidature of Ali. The governors are also said to be supporting Nnamani. Article 32 of the PDP constitution, says that ” all members of the BoT shall serve a term of five years.” The constitution lists members of the board to comprise all serving and former presidents, vice president, national chairmen and national secretaries, all serving and former senate presidents and speaker of the House of Representatives, all founding members as identified by the constitution, two women to be selected from the zones, three members, one of which must be a woman from the six zones and six persons that have contributed to the growth of the party. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iwu, others record breakthrough in HIV/AIDS treatment . Sunday, 06 January 2013 20:01 By Wole Oyebade (with agency reports) News - National .FORMER Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu, and a team of other scientists have recorded a major breakthrough in the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Their pioneering research, which was carried out in the United States (U.S.), discovered Crofelemer, the first drug to be approved in the U.S., to treat HIV-associated diarrhoAea. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced its approval of Crofelemer - marking the second time a botanical, and the first time an orally administered botanical has received drug approval from the agency. The first botanical drug to be approved in the U.S. was a tropical green tea extract, Veregen, in 2006. Both botanical drugs meet all U.S. pharmaceutical requirements and can be dispensed only by prescription. Iwu, an acclaimed pharmacologist and tropical medicine expert, and his team derived Crofelemer from the latex of the South American sangre de drago tree (dragon’s blood, Croton lechleri). A red, blood-resembling latex leaks from the tree when its bark is cut, and it is this substance that contains the novel polymolecular structure, Crofelemer, originally developed and standardised by Shaman Pharmaceuticals. Confirming the approval, FDA’s statement read: “The safety and efficacy of Fulyzaq were established in a clinical trial of 374 HIV-positive patients on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) with a history of diarrhoea lasting one month or longer. “Results showed that 17.6 per cent of patients taking Fulyzaq experienced clinical response compared with eight per cent taking placebo. In some patients, a persistent anti-diarrheal effect was seen for 20 weeks.” The herbal medicine and pharmaceutical communities have been expressing satisfaction with FDA’s decision. Salix, which owns the license for Crofelemer’s development and submitted the product’s New Drug Application (NDA) for review, called the approval a “significant step forward in addressing the unmet medical need of people with HIV/AIDS on ART, who experience non-infectious diarrhoea.” Diarrhoea is experienced by many HIV/AIDS patients and is a common reason patients discontinue or switch their antiretroviral therapies. Fulyzaq is intended to be used by HIV/AIDS patients, whose diarrhoea is not caused by an infection from a virus, bacteria, or parasite. Patients take Fulyzaq two times a day to manage watery diarrhoea due to the secretion of electrolytes and water in the gastrointestinal tract. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PDP BOT Chair: Ahmadu Ali, Iwuanyanwu, others refuse to step down for Anenih Posted by: Yusuf Alli, Abuja Posted date: December 30, 2012 The leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing a serious challenge from members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) over the planned use of consensus in filling the vacant position of the board chairman. The Presidency is one with the party leadership on the issue. However,the BoT members are pushing for voting to elect their chairman which some chieftains see as an unacceptable departure from the consensus tradition of the party. Party sources told The Nation in Abuja that no less challenging is deciding which of the geo-political zones will provide the BoT Chairman in a manner that will not distort the zoning formula of the PDP in 2015. About 20 top ranking members of the party are understood to have already obtained forms to occupy the seat which was vacated in June by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. In the race are a former Chairman of the BOT, Chief Tony Anenih; a former National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmadu Ali; a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun; ex-President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani; and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. Also to contest are a former National Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP),Chief Don Etiebet, who is a returnee to the party; a former Chairman of the BOT of ANPP, Chief Harry Akande and 13 others. Some who did not apply but are being pressurized to join the contest are Second Republic Vice-President Alex Ekwueme and a former acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje. It was learnt that none of the applicants is willing to step down for another including Anenih whose BOT chairmanship was hijacked in 2007. A highly-placed source said: “Members and some of the aspirants are pushing for outright election of the next BOT chairman of the PDP in line with Article 12.77 of the constitution of the party. “They said the election will prove to the party leaders the level of acceptability of such a candidate to the leaders of PDP. “The fear of the presidency and the leadership of the PDP is that election could create bad blood within the trustees and lead to crisis. “The Presidency and party leadership believe that consensus, which had guided past choices of BOT chairman, could strengthen the unity of the party. The party thinks that it is ridiculous to ask leaders within the age bracket of between 70 and 80 years to face election. “That is why the BOT has not been able to fix a date for the election. The party leadership is weighing consensus option. But where it fails, the aspirants may have to go for the ballot. Another source said: “Ordinarily, some party leaders prefer Anenih to compensate him for the loss of the BOT office in 2007 but some aspirants do not want to step down for him. “They also said that since Anenih has just been made the Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, he should forget the NPA. “Also, Article 12.77 ( c ) of the PDP Constitution says the BOT chairman and Secretary shall serve a single term of five years. Some of the aspirants are of the opinion that Anenih had served his term.” According to findings, if the party succeeds in adopting consensus, it may look within and beyond the 20 aspirants. The third source said: “This is why some party leaders are pushing for Ekwueme, Baraje and Oyedokun who are rated as highly-experienced in party and conflict management. “But the main challenge is the zone which should produce the BOT chairman. While the South-East is strongly pushing for it, the North wants it in line with zoning tradition in BOT.” Article 12.77 of the PDP reads in part: “The BOT shall elect a chairman and secretary from members of the Board. The chairman and secretary shall also be members of the National Executive Committee. “Without prejudice to the provision of this Constitution, ensure that the person to be elected chairman and secretary respectively are of proven integrity and have contributed immensely to the growth of the party.” THOSE IN THE RACE Chief Tony Anenih Senator Ahmadu Ali Chief Harry Akande Chief Ken Nnamani Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu Chief Don Etiebet Chief Shuaib Oyedokun UNDER PRESSURE TO ENTER Chief Alex Ekwueme Alhaji Kawu Baraje -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crashes in Nigeria 1.November 20, 1969: Nigeria Airways BAC VC10 2.December 1988: Skypower Brandeironte aircraft 3.June 26, 1991; Okada Air BAC-111 4.February 24, 1991: British Helicopter 5.May 21, 1991: A Cessna Citation 550 6.June 26, 1991: Okada Air Bac-11 7.July 11, 1991: Nigeria Airways DC-8-61 *8.September 26, 1992: Nigerian Air Force A C-130 9.June 24, 1995: Harka Air Services Tupolev 34 10.November 13, 1995: Nigeria Airways Boeing 737-2F9 11.November 7, 1996: A Nigerian ADC (Aviation Development Corporation) Airline Boeing 727-231 12.January 31, 1997: SkyPower Express Airways Embraer 110PIA *13.September 12, 1997: A NAF Dornier 228-212 14.January 5, 2000: SkyPower Express Airways Bandeirante 110P1A 15.October 26, 2000: Dornier aircraft 16.May 4, 2002: EAS Airlines’ BAC 1-11-500 17.November 30, 2003, a Cargo aircraft 18.March 6, 2004: An Aenail spray aircraft with registration number 5NBEF 19.July 26, 2004: Pan African Airlines’ helicopter 20.December 29, 2004: A Boeing 727 of Chanchangi Airlines 21.December 29, 2004: A Kenya Airlines aircraft *22.January 28, 2005: A Nigeria Air Force fighter plane 23.February 25, 2005: ADC’s B73 aircraft 24.March 27, 2005: A Boeing 737 of Bellview 25.June 11/12, 2005: Lagos: A Boeing 727-200 Aircraft 26.June 24, 2005: A Russian Aircraft belonging to Harka Air 27.July 6, 2005, Port Harcourt: an Air France A330 plane 28.July 23, 2005, a Lufthansa aircraft 29.October 22, 2005: A Bellview Airlines Boeing 737 30.December 10, 2005: A Sosoliso Airlines DC- *31.September 17, 2006: A 18-seater Dornier 228 Air Force transport plane, carrying 12 Army Generals 32.October 29, 2006: Aviation Development Corporation Airline Boeing 737 33.November 10, 2006: OAS Service Helicopter 34.August 2, 2007: Bristow-owned helicopter 35.March 15, 2008: Beechcraft 1900D plane *36.March 14, 2012: A Helicopter belonging to the Joint Task Force (JTF) 37.June 3rd 2012-DANA Aircraft crash *38. December 15, 2012, Nigeria Navy Helicopter, crashed in Bayelsa State, killing six on board, including Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State and Andrew Owoye Azazi, former NSA *Six of the crashes involved military helicopters or airplanes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria loses N100b to foreign airlines yearly . Monday, 24 December 2012 00:00 By Wole Shadare News - National .FOR over two decades, Nigerian airlines have failed to abide by the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) they entered into with over 50 countries and this has been faulted by experts in the sector, who frowned at the over N100 billion the country might have lost to huge capital flight by the operation of foreign airlines in Nigeria. Nigeria has over 60 BASA across the globe with different countries for economic and air transportation benefits, but Nigerian airlines do not have the capacity and capability to reciprocate the pact. The experts, under the aegis of Aviation Round Table (ART), called on the Federal Government to ensure a review of all BASA conditions, aircraft types, routes, meals on board, frequency of flights per week and double entry/designation into Nigeria by foreign carriers. But the government says that while it was reviewing the imbalance, it could not stop foreign airlines from operating in the country because of the high demand for air travel by Nigerians abroad, especially to the United Kingdom (UK). While Nigeria has BASA with UK, the pact between Nigeria and the United States (U.S.) is popularly referred to as “Open Skies” policy. The pact allows both nations to designate as many carriers as possible to service each other’s country. The U.S. has Delta and United Airlines as two of its carriers operating direct flights on 14 frequencies to Nigeria, while only Arik Air operates to New York. Other Nigerian carriers are yet to show interest in joining the Nigerian airline. Fielding questions from reporters at the weekend in Lagos, ART President, Capt. Dele Ore, and his Secretary General, Sam Akerele, said Nigeria has over 60 BASA across the globe with different countries for economic and air transportation benefits, but lamented that only about 15 were being serviced while the others were virtually of little benefit, except for commercial income of $20 per seat carried by the foreign airline on routes not plied by Nigerian airline. “For over two decades, this trend has continued leading to capital flight, underdevelopment of the aviation sector, youth unemployment and death of domestic operators within five years of starting operations,” Ore said. The group applauded the re-modeling of 11 airports, saying it is a welcome development when viewed against the dilapidation and rot of facilities at most of the airports. Ore added: “The extent of the breakdown of terminal buildings, passenger lounges, toilet facilities, unserviceable conveyor belts or lack of electricity at our airports has reached an alarming rate.” “The immediate response to the situation by Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah-Ogiewonyi, cannot but be applauded. The recently commissioned GAT terminal building is impressive in terms of expanded building, architectural design and value, and one hopes that efficiency of the facilities installed there are high and maintenance culture in the front burner. At N700 million per terminal, it is a huge deployment of public funds.” They wondered what had become of the Public, Private, Partnership (PPP), which they opined would have limited tax payers’ money in the airports re-modelling projects, or the concession option, which they disclosed would have meant that available funds were channeled into sectors that also impact on safety such as airfield lighting for Runway 18L, which project has been stalled for many years, wild life control, perimeter fencing and others. They noted that in the spirit of transparency, accountability and due process of the present administration, “the processes of contract tenders and award ought to be made open and available to stakeholders for monitoring purposes.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Foreign medical tourism, capital flight should stop — Sambo December 23, 2012 by Success Nwogu Vice-President Namadi Sambo Nigerians have been urged to stop travelling overseas for medical treatment, as this is one of the ways the nation can stop capital flight. This was the crux of speeches delivered at the inauguration of the Kwara Advanced Medical Diagnostic Centre in Ilorin on Friday. Present at the occasion were the Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed; and Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Kayode Issa. They decried what they described as outflow of resources due to medical tourism abroad. Sambo said, “Having put in place an international medical centre such as this, I am confident that the outflow of Nigeria’s resources in medical tourism to other countries will become a thing of the past. Specifically, it is hoped that this will enable us to generate foreign exchange and at the same time, stop capital flight as our people try to access medical treatment overseas. “Beside, this medical centre will promote health tourism in Kwara State and also attract patients from overseas, particularly from neighbouring West African countries and beyond. Let me therefore seize this opportunity to call on government to merge available equipment in this centre with appropriate manpower to enable patients get value for money.” He advised the Kwara State Government to invite Nigerian medical experts working in America, Europe and other parts of the world to come and work at the diagnostic centre. Noting that proper diagnosis is a necessary precondition for effective medical treatment, Governor Ahmed said the centre was critical to the state government’s policy thrust on health, with its focus on quality and access. He disclosed that the centre had sophisticated medical equipment that included MRI, CT scan, fluoroscopy and other scanning and x-ray machines, among others. Ahmed said the centre would be run in partnership with MedEquip Company Nigeria Limited, which had handled similar projects in many parts of the country. He said, “It is our hope that the opening of this centre will help reverse the current trend whereby Nigerians spend millions of dollars on health tourism to countries such as India, Egypt and South Africa. In the process, we hope to generate considerable internal revenue by providing advanced medical diagnosis at competitive rates here in Kwara State.” Issa said the centre was established to provide excellent environment for world-class medical diagnostic services, primarily for Kwarans, and the generality of Nigerians and foreigners who desire world-class treatment in the country. He added that the centre was intended to contribute to the national drive to reduce the outflow of Nigerians seeking medical treatment overseas. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ‘Nigeria needs well equipped legislative library’ Written by Saturday, 01 December 2012 00:00 LIBRARIAN and Director General, Information Services, House of Commons, London, United Kingdom, Mr John Pullinger, has said that Nigeria needs a well equipped legislative library to boost its democracy. Pullinger told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview, on Friday, at the closing ceremony of the National Training workshop for Legislative Librarians in Nigeria that a sound legislative library would contribute to a well-informed democracy. “This means the legislature will be well informed about the business that comes before it. “Individual members of the National Assembly (NASS) are well informed to carry out their parliamentary duties in their constituencies. “The public is well informed about the importance of NASS in their national life. ‘’ Pullinger said that there was the need for the legislative library to take a leading role in democracy -wide information management activities through the indexing of materials to facilitate access to knowledge. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Whoever is denying that starvation was used against the Igbo is living in denial –Ex-Biafran war commander Achuzia Posted by: LINUS OBOGO Posted date: December 01, 2012 In: Featured, News | Col. Joseph Achuzia was not only a participant in the Nigerian civil war (1967-1970) but one of the top Biafran war commanders and a very intimate associate of the late Biafran warlord, Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu. In this interview with Assistant Editor, LINUS OBOGO, the British-trained Aeronautic engineer and one-time Secretary-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, took issue with those who accused Prof. Chinua Achebe of distorting history in his book, There Was a Country, where the celebrated story teller alleged genocide and the deployment of starvation as a weapon of war against the then Federal Government. Excerpts: THE ongoing Constitution review by the National Assembly has afforded the South East the opportunity to seek redress of perceived marginalisation including the demand for an additional state for the purpose of balancing and equity, but some Northern interests have vowed to frustrate the region from realising its wish. What do you make of this strong position coming from the North against the agitation? Most people do not seem to understand the meaning of marginalisation. For a people to continue to sing or cry about marginalisation, there must be a reason. And for a certain people to continue to carry on or do the same thing that creates a sense of inferiority towards others that makes them feel marginalis….ed, means there exists marginalisation. In this instance, year in, year out, the arrogance of the North makes us as a people feel that we do not belong to the rest of the country. And what they do not seem to appreciate is the fact that the states created for them was not through any constitutional means but through the barrel of the gun. The North, after the pogrom visited on the Igbo during the civil war, continued to carry their arrogance even into an era of peace. The military carved out states for the North which gives them advantage over other regions like the South East. This is part of what Prof. Chinua Achebe wrote in his book, There Was a Country, which is making some people angry. I cannot stop talking about the arrogance of the North because they are still perpetrating that same arrogance that makes them see the Igbo as a conquered people, over three decades after the pogrom against them. Recall the various crises that have taken place in the North where the Igbo were made targets. Their shops and property were targeted and destroyed in the North simply because they had to earn a living. Most of the attacks were unleashed on the Igbo for the simple reason that they are Igbo. That is why I am compelled sometimes to ask my people why they continue to reside in a place they are not wanted. Today, we are told the constitution is being reviewed. But may I ask, what constitution? Is it the same document crafted by the military to protect the Northern interest? As far I am concerned, the constitution the military handed over to the civilians at the end of their incursion into governance should have been suspended by the civilian regime and an entirely new but people’s constitution be fashioned by the people. My people have a saying that if you are in the midst of soldier ants and if one climbs up your feet, you do not remain there for more to climb your body. You just have to step out from there. So, I don’t feel comfortable to start talking about the state of the nation in the midst of terror. Nigeria is facing a security situation which I think there are thousands of ways it should be addressed. That is why somebody was complaining about former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s statement that President Goodluck Jonathan was not handling the security situation confronting the country as he should. Of course, Obasanjo was a military man and I understand his position. Militarism came to be by virtue of a mission to ward off all forms of attacks that would put the citizens in jeopardy, internally or externally. And in this instance, it is a combination of the two but we are trying to treat it with kid gloves. I don’t subscribe to this approach. This is the most I can say for now. In other words, you do not think that Jonathan has done enough to tackle the issues of insecurity in the country? For me, he has not done enough. He has not done enough because he is the Commander-in-Chief of the country’s Armed Forces. He should be seen to be exercising the power given to him as Commander-in-Chief, which he is not exercising. It would be a terrible thing if he makes the same mistake which the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe made in the First Republic, when he watched helplessly while the South West was going into operation Wild Wild West. Elections carried out were inconclusive and people were saying that Zik could not do anything because he was only a ceremonial president. There is nothing like somebody being a ceremonial president when you are closest to all the paraphernalia of office which is being the commander in chief of the armed forces. The armed forces have the instrument of authority of anybody in power. You use it to make sure that your people don’t suffer terror internally or externally. That is why I said that he has not done enough. He has not made good use of the power at his disposal. Do you subscribe to the Obasanjo’s Zaki Biam and Odi strategy in dealing with the Boko Haram menace? As a security expert, when you have a group of outsiders coming into the country to terrorise your people, my job, first and foremost, is to use everything at my disposal to repel and stop them. If it is internally orchestrated, I will use all the security apparatus to unsettle all the groups so that it does not escalate and affect other regions of the country. You don’t have to resort to dialogue. Dialogue should not be an option. Who would you dialogue with? Dialogue with faceless people? No my friend! A complete different orientation is needed in tackling the state of insecurity in the country. There is a raging controversy arising from Prof. Chinua Achebe’s new book, There Was a Country, where he accused the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), of genocide and using starvation as a weapon of war during the Nigerian civil war. As an active participant in the war, how agreeable are you with Achebe’s allegation? There are always two sides to a story. On one side, Achebe has presented the facts as he saw them during the war. On the other hand, Awolowo, during his life time, tried to present the other side of the story the way he saw it. So, whichever side you are and if you choose to believe either side of the story or not, it is immaterial because you can’t change our stance over our perception of what we think of the wrongs done to us. The same way, Gen. Gowon saw from his own point of view that the action he took was the right thing to do. He had a war, fought it and took his responsibility. On our own side, we had a war on our hand and tried to defend ourselves. No amount of argument or criticism can alter what happened at that time. So, I believe that the media has a job to document facts for posterity. I believe that if you look into the archives, all the things written about the civil war are either written to create more disaffection or that the media lacks the necessary documentation which it should have done during the period of that civil war. I did not fight on the side of those who used starvation as the weapon of war. Consequently, I could not judge their frame of mind. I can only tell you how I felt being a recipient of the pressure of starvation. Also, I cannot tell you how the person who thought it up and decided to use it on us felt that it would expedite the objective at that time. In other words, Achebe is right that starvation was deployed as a weapon against the Igbo during the war? Look, I repeat again, Awolowo did not deny taking such a decision neither did Gowon. They were the ones who executed the war and they deployed starvation for whatever reason that guided their action. I was the recipient of starvation and its pressure as all borders, ground, air and sea, were closed against us so that we could not retreat. We were as encircled as to be exterminated. That was how I felt at the time. But whether the intention was to exterminate us, I cannot tell. Those of us who survived the war saw it like that because there were many others who did not survive. So, whoever is denying that starvation was used or the war itself was not genocide against the Igbo is living in denial. But now, we should be thinking of showing love and understanding towards one another. Achebe did not go out of his way to stoke controversy. He is a journalist and a writer. The basis of people gifted to write is to chronicle events for posterity. And that was what he did. Ahead of 2015, would the Igbo be ready to stake a claim to the Presidency? When Jonathan was canvassing for the presidency and the North stood in opposition, my people and I stood behind him. I made a statement at the time that after Jonathan, it would be the turn of the Igbo. And because Jonathan at that time said that he could manage only one term, I also said that in 2015, if Jonathan did not go for a second term, it would be our turn and it would not be negotiable. I still stand by that statement that it is not negotiable. And by that I mean that you either concede to the Igbo their right to aspire to the office of the president or otherwise, it is to your tent oh Israel. How sincerely prepared are the Igbo for the challenges of wresting power, given their lack of unity? You seem to have spoken the minds of most Igbo, but how prepared are the Igbo for this? The seemingly lack of consensus by the Igbo, as people see it, is the fact that the Igbo have an organisation which is trying to arrive at what you just noted, consensus. But we fail to address one issue, our collective political interest. And Nigeria took advantage of it. The North, during the period they were ruling, took advantage of it. During the census, they said that everybody should be counted where he was, knowing that most of the northern areas are populated by the Igbo, as a result of the Igbo penchant to pursue wealth. When it is time for census, they are not allowed to go to their ancestral home to be counted. We have been singing and asking that for the sake of equity in the country, there must be fair, honest and transparent census and the Igbo should be allowed to be counted in their states of origin. It is there in the Bible. When the Jews were ruled by the Romans and they realised that they were being sectionalised by the Romans, they persuaded Rome to pass a law to enable everybody to return to their ancestral homes to be counted during census. This is what we are asking. As long as they are not allowed to return home and be counted, the South East would always remain a minority region. The whole of the South East and South-South combined cannot contain all the Igbo in Nigeria if they are allowed to go home and be counted. For 2015, we have set in motion an organisation that embraces all Igbo to take care of the political activities of Ndi Igbo and that also accommodates our cultural heritage and our social behaviour. We have been on this for the past eight years – pursuing Igbo zuru me (Igbos gathered together to accomplish). How do you mean ‘to your tent oh Israel’ should the Igbo not get the presidency? I am not the first person to use that clause “to your tenth oh Israel.” As I have said, if in 2015, Jonathan decides to run for the presidency, he can count on our support but if he does not, we would have the slot. And for anybody to say that it is not our turn, we have to be pushed out of Nigeria. How are you prepared as a socio-cultural organisation to deal with traitors among the Igbo? We don’t have such people in Igbo land. If we do, we will deal with them the traditional way. And don’t ask me what is the traditional way. What is your position on whether or not the six-zonal structure should be included in the revamped Constitution to be offered Nigerians? The constitution we inherited was crafted and skewed against the interest of the Igbo. And our position as Ndi- Igbo is that the current zonal arrangement should really not bother anybody because it has no legal backing in the constitution. Operating under the current constitution has given rise to maps being redrawn, boundaries being adjusted and ethnicities being rearranged through illegal activities of the boundary commission. I will repeat again as civilians, we must first suspend this present constitution. There is no need to amend what has been bastardised. That is my stance and that is why I am not prepared to discuss constitution review. ----------------------------------------------------------- Missing $12.4bn Oil Windfall Ruling, A Setback To Anti-Corruption, Says SERAP . Friday, 30 November 2012 21:26 From John Okeke, Abuja News - National THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has described as “disappointing” and “a setback in the fight against large scale official corruption” the ruling Friday by an Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole. Justice Kolawole had dismissed an action seeking to compel former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida to account for how his leadership expended the $12.4 billion oil windfall between 1988 and 1994. In a statement signed by SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organization stated that, “At a time when this country has enacted the Freedom of Information Act, the ruling on the suit seeking accountability for the missing $12.4 billion oil windfall is a major setback for victims of large scale corruption. It potentially could encourage impunity of perpetrators of corruption. The ruling sends a wrong message that it is alright to steal public funds and that there will be no accountability for suspected perpetrators.” According to the group, “On the one hand, the court held that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi to bring the case. On the other hand, the court stated that the plaintiffs should not be seen as busy bodies but patriotic citizens. The court even praised ‘the courage and dedication of SERAP in instituting the matter, calling the group a serious minded organisation desirous of ridding Nigeria of all of corruption.’ But these statements seem to be contradictory. “We, therefore, reject the ruling in its entirety as it does not reflect the correct position of the law, as aptly articulated by the Court of Appeal in Fawehinmi vs President, (2007) 14 NWLR (Pt.1054) 275, to the effect that ‘the issue of locus standi, in a country like ours, should be construed liberally, so that people and organizations should not be denied access to the courts.’ We are studying the ruling and will be appealing against it before the Court of Appeal. The battle is not over.” The group also quoted the Court of Appeal as saying that, “The Constitution or any other Law can only be tested in Courts; it is access to the courts for such test that will give satisfaction to the people for whom the Constitution or the Law is made.” It would be recalled that the ruling was delivered after several adjournments. Falana and Falana Chambers filed the suit on behalf of SERAP and five other right groups. It would be recalled that a coalition of six civil society groups led by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) sued the AGF and CBN in September 2010, seeking information on how $12.4 billion oil windfall of between 1988 and 1994 was spent. The other plaintiffs in the suit are: Women Advocates and Documentation Centre (WARDC); Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Access to Justice (AJ); Partnership for Justice, and Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR). --------------------------------------------------------------------- Okonjo-Iweala to explain cash squeeze Posted by: Onyedi Ojiabor, and Sanni Onogu Posted date: November 30, 2012 WHY is there little cash to run the budget? Is Nigeria broke? These were the questions yesterday when Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke appeared before a joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives to defend her ministry’s 2013 budget proposal. Finance Minister Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala is to explain why ministries and agencies are not adequately funded. Six committees of the National Assembly were involved in the budget defence. They include Petroleum Upstream, Downstream and Gas of both the lower and upper chambers. Though some of the lawmakers, apparently out of frustration, murmured that the session was a “jamboree” and left; others, especially committee chairmen, stayed till the end of the exercise. The Minister told the lawmakers that of N2.2billion capital appropriation for the ministry’s 2012 budget, only N820million or 41 per cent was released. She added that of the N820million, the ministry spent N759million, representing 93 per cent performance. The lawmakers wondered what was going on about release of funds to ministries from the 2012 appropriation. Senator Danjuma Goje was particularly worried that something was wrong with the manner the Federal Government releases funds to MDAs. He was worried that if the “goose that lays the golden egg” received less than half of its approved budget as at November 2012, then it meant that something was amiss with the running of the economy. He said he was aware that most MDAs had been complaining of poor release of funds. Goje said: “If your ministry that produces the petroleum, which is a major source of income for the country, is being poorly funded, then it is very disappointing and discouraging. “Is it that you are no longer producing? Is it that what you have produced is not being sold? Or is it that the buyers are refusing to pay for the products? “I am aware that the crude oil benchmark in the 2012 Appropriation Bill is far lower than the current market price for oil in the international market. “So if the money is not there to be released to the ministries, like your own for capital projects, where do they get the money they pay into the excess crude account? “The question is, where is the money? Maybe Nigerians need to ask the Minister of Finance where she kept the country’s money. It is necessary that Nigerians, through the parliament are told where their money is.” The chairman of the joint committee, Senator Emmanuel Paulker said it was unacceptable for only 41 per cent of the ministry’s budget to have been released close to end of November. Paulker said: “Production of 150 million barrels of crude oil a day is not a mean figure. We don’t see how you can meet up. “We only have December left for 2012 and that is why we are worried. The Senate has adjourned for one week today to enable Committee Chairmen prepare the 2013 budget for passage before the end of the year. We are not pleased at all.” The chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Nkechi Nwaogu, noted that the problem is that of the Minister of Finance, who she said did not release funds to the MDAs. She added that the Minister should be asked to explain where the money is, especially now that the year is coming to an end. Mrs. Alison-Madueke, spoke to reporters on persistent fuel scarcity, She said: “We will try and ensure that now that verifications in terms of subsidy, the Aig-Imhokuede report has been completed, and payments are beginning to go out to the marketers, you can see already that petrol queues are lessening around the country. “We will again begin to push…you will recall that before these period of strikes and fuel subsidy problems, we had ensured that Nigeria was wet all around the country with petrol. “So, it was not on our instance. There have been issues that all Nigerians know. We cannot eat our cake and have it. If we have exposed issues in the payment of fuel subsidy and manipulations in that system, then it has to be adequately investigated. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ajimobi undergoes HIV test, warns against stigmatisation November 30, 2012 by Akinwale Aboluwade, Ibadan 1 Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has called on the people of the state to desist from stigmatising people living with HIV/AIDS. The governor made the call on Thursday shortly before submitting himself for HIV/AIDS test with some members of the state Executive Council. The test was carried out during the inauguration of a mass testing and counselling on HIV, entitled ‘Know your status,’ as part of activities marking the World AIDS Day. Ajimobi said the free HIV test and counselling embarked upon by the state Agency for Control of AIDS was part of the state government’s resolve to eliminate HIV from the state. He said HIV/AIDS had been a major challenge to the world, stressing that the havoc caused by the disease had made the state to wage a war against the virus. Ajimobi said, “Not only is HIV/AIDS real, its havoc is vivid for all to see. In many countries in Africa, the reality of its corrosive nature has forced the people to see the disease as more fatal to society than a war. It is said that even in a war situation, a nation cannot lose as many as it loses to the unguarded missiles of HIV/AIDS spread. “If the loss of the disease is comparable to that of a war situation, it is thus incumbent on a nation to prepare its frontiers against the missiles of this subtle war.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reps probe Orubebe’s multi-billion naira mansion November 30, 2012 by John Ameh, Abuja Orubebe’s multi-billion naira mansion The House of Representatives on Thursday ordered an investigation into a “multi-billion naria” mansion said to belong to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godsday Orubebe. The property, located at Mabushi in the Federal Capital Territory, was said to have been built for the minister by a construction firm, SETRACO. The House endorsed a motion sponsored by Mr. Odeneye Kehinde on the matter and resolved to probe the ownership of the property. The committees on Anti-Corruption, Drugs/Narcotics/Financial Crimes and Justice were directed to conduct the investigation within 21 days and produce a report. Kehinde noted that the property had been one of the issues dominating discussions lately in the country. He said, “There is no evidence that the minister declared the house in his asset declaration with the Code of Conduct Bureau.” He expressed surprise that neither the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission nor the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission had considered the issue important for investigation. Part of the motion he presented before the House read, “It is saddening for me to have to come up with a motion of this nature to address a matter which ought to have been taken up by our anti-corruption agencies. “This motion is brought against the backdrop of mounting disclosures of corrupt practices levelled against a sitting minister by some anti-corruption outfits in the country. “A summary of the allegation runs thus: The minister has paid for so many phantom projects. “The minister is presently resident in a house at Mabushi District Abu]a built and handed over to him by SETRACO, a construction company that doubles as his crony.” He added, “The minister’s failure to declare the said house in his asset declaration form with Code of Conduct Bureau, is a case of perjury if established. “The minister’s financial escapades and liaisons are in Dubai and other corruption shelters overseas. “These weighty allegations were at first peremptorily rubbished and dismissed by the minister as handiwork of his detractors and some mischief-makers who were out for extortion. “Since then, he has unfortunately laboured hard using the media to fault these revelations.” --------------------------------------------------- Nigeria’s 52nd independence parade in New York Posted by: Adeola Fayehun, New York Posted date: October 08, 2012 More than one thousand Nigerians gathered in New York on Saturday, October 6, to publicly celebrate the country’s 52nd independence anniversary, something that was not done in Nigeria this year due to fear of terrorist attacks. The event was marked by a glamorous and colorful march of green-white-green floats from 51st street and 2nd avenue to the front of the Nigerian house on 44th street. The march showcased Nigerian cultural dances, music, foods, fashion and performances. The minister of information, Labaran Maku, was among Nigerian officials who participated in the marched, as well as the Nigerian Ambassador to the US, Adebowale Adefuye ----------------------------------------------------------- Forbes lists Dangote, Adenuga, Ovia, Rabiu, Danjuma, Lulu-Briggs among Africa’s rich Posted by: Our Reporter Posted date: November 22, 2012 Business giant Aliko Dangote tops the list of Africa’s rich, for the second year running, with a net worth of $12 billion, up from $10.1 billion in November 2011. Dangote’s wealth is derived mainly from his publicly-quoted Dangote Cement Plc, which operates in 14 African countries. Dangote is also on the list of the world’s richest released yesterday. This year, a record 1,226 billionaires made it to FORBES’ annual ranking of the world’s richest. Nicky Oppenheimer of South Africa is again Africa’s second richest, with a $6.4 billion fortune—down $100 million from a year ago. Oppenheimer decided late 2011 to sell his family’s 40 per cent stake in diamond producer DeBeers to mining company Anglo American for $5.1 billion. The deal got final regulatory approval in July 2012, marking the end of 85 years of Oppenheimer family control of DeBeers. Notable newcomers include the list’s first two women: Folorunsho Alakija of Nigeria, who joins due to her stake in the prolific Agbami oil field; and Isabel dos Santos of Angola, an entrepreneur, investor and daughter of long-serving President dos-Santos. South Africa’s Desmond Sacco makes the billionaires’ rank, thanks to his shares in mining concern Assore, which he chairs. Another South African newcomer: Koos Bekker, has since 1997, turned media group Naspers into a true multinational firm. His $450 million net worth lies mostly in vested Naspers options. South Africa, the continent’s economic giant, is home to 12 of Africa’s 40 richest, followed by Nigeria, with 11. Egypt comes next, with eight listed members, and Morocco with five. Majority of Africa’s 40 Richest are from the countries with the largest stock exchanges. The wealthiest hail from eight countries –up from six last year. The two new countries represented are Angola (Isabel dos Santos) and Tanzania (Said Salim Bakhresa). Cairo is home to eight members. 32 fortunes are self-made; 19 people have net worths higher than a year ago, while 10 have fortunes that dropped in value. The average age is 63 –up from an average of 61 last year. The minimum net worth required to make the list of richest Africans was $400 million, up from $250 million in 2011. The coveted list features 12 Nigerian business moguls, including Dr. Mike Adenuga, who ranks in the 5th position with a net worth of $4.6 billion from his telecoms and oil companies, Mr. Jim Ovia, ranks 19th with a net worth of $825 Million. Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, who heads BUA Group is ranked 21st with a net worth of $675 Million and Folorunsho Alakija, who is one of two women and ranked 24th with a net worth of $ 600 Million from the oil sector. Also on the list is 73-year-old former Defence Minister Gen. Theophilus Danjuma with a net worth of $600 Million from the oil sector is at the 24th position. Next to him is 68-year-old industrialist and HoneyWell group boss, Oba Otudeko, with a net worth of $575 Million. In 27th position is Mohammed Indimi with a net worth of $550 Million also from the oil and gas sector. At age 82 chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs also makes the list. He is on the 31st spot with a net worth of $500 million from the oil sector. On the 37th position is Sani Bello, former military governor from Kano state and a one-time ambassador to Zimbabwe. He is worth $425 Million. Also on the list is Hakeem Belo-Osagie, the 57-year-old Harvard-trained petroleum economist with an estimated $400 Million net worth from the oil and banking sector. Africa is best known for its abundant natural resources, but its 40 richest operate in an array of industries, bolstered by a growing consumer sector. Just four of the 40 draw their net worth from oil. Ten, by contrast, have diversified fortunes, either through ownership of a conglomerate (like Egypt’s Mansours) or ownership of assets in diverse realms, like Kenya’s Naushad Merali. Six built their wealth in the financial industry.