The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Governors’ wives rise against insurgency

    With the abduction of over 200 secondary schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, insurgency has reached its peak and must be brought to an end.”

    These were the words of wives of northern governors as they met to seek a solution to the menace of insurgency in northern part of the country.

    This resolution was reached at the 14th meeting of the Northern Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) held at the Nasarawa State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja. Wife of the Nasarawa State Governor, Hajiya Salamatu Almakura hosted the governors’ wives.

    They maintained that the abducted girls must be returned by “all means,” adding: “Since the terrorists have caused sleepless nights for mothers and the country, we must ensure members of this terrorist group and their sponsors are brought to justice.”

    In attendance were the forum’s chairperson, Dooshima Yemisi Suswam (Benue), Hajiya Adama Dankwambo (Gombe), Hajiya Jummai Aliyu (Niger), Hajiya Asmau Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) and Hajiya Fatima Yero (Kaduna), Hajiya Halima Wada (Kogi) and Hajiya Salamatu Almakura (Nasarawa), among others.

    Mrs. Suswam said mothers in Nigeria have been saddened and heartbroken since 2009 when the insurgency began. Their agony, she said, worsened with the news of the dreams of innocent children terminated while asleep in their school dormitories in Buni-Yadi in Yobe State.

    “Our agony went deeper with the news of the abduction of over 200 girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

    “It is our sincere prayer that the insurgency has reached its climax with the abduction of the school girls,” Mrs. Suswam said.

    The forum condemned terrorism and described the abduction of the Chibok school girls as “cowardly, inhuman, uncivil, heinous and ungodly,” adding “insurgency must be stopped.”

    Mrs. Suswam commended Nigerians and the international community for their unwavering support and resolve to see the abducted girls brought back alive.

    She praised the unity being demonstrated by Nigerians in condemning the girls’ abduction, even as they demanded an end to insurgency. She urged Nigerians to bury their pride and differences for the good of the country.

    “We should maintain the momentum and support our security personnel as they go about the task of finding the abducted girls.

    “The acceptance of help from the international community by the Federal Government is highly commendable,” she said, explaining that the rural people who are largely farmers are the most affected by insurgency, having fled their homes and farmlands.

  • ‘Democracy can build or destroy a nation’

    Anthony Sani, spokesman of the northern delegates at the National Conference, in this interview with Tony Akowe, speaks on a number of national issues, including the positive and negative ways democracy could be put. Excerpts:

    The nation just celebrated 15  years of democracy. Any gains, pains or losses?

    Fifteen years of democracy has brought about some gains in terms of liberty and freedom that includes the choice of those who rule us. We also have alternative views which is good. We can now blame our judgement when we elect wrong leaders.

    What do you think the future holds for Nigerian democracy?

    Somehow I believe the future of our democracy is bright despite current challenges that are temporary. We will learn from the mistakes and correct ourselves. Presently, our youths are frustrated because they believe their empowerment, their opportunities and future have been stolen by the corrupt politicians.

    But they feign ignorance of the truism that democracy affords them the opportunity to make judicial use of their democratic rights to ensure that their votes count so that the ensuing leaders will be accountable to the people and make Nigeria feel young again with promise of glory days ahead.

    So just as unemployment, poverty, ignorance and disease are used as weapons of mass destruction because they are directed at the heart of liberty and freedom; and the same poverty, unemployment, ignorance and disease are powder keg waiting to be ignited by indifference of leaders, so it is with democracy.

    Democracy can be used to build or to destroy the country, depending on how we apply it. I have always maintained that democracy may differ in forms but when it comes to its elements of liberty, justice and common decency, democracy is universally the same. I agree with Prof Godini Dara that those who wish to redefine the three elements of democracy can as well reinvent the wheel or redefine the truth.

    What do you think about the rising insecurity in the land especially in the North?

    The rising insecurity across the country is a cause for concern to every Nigerian. This is because it makes socio-economic development hard. What is more, instead of coming together and confronting the monster, there is spirited effort to associate them with religion, with region and ethnicity despite the observation that terrorism transcends national boundaries.

    Consider the two conspiracy theories: one says northern leaders brought about Boko Haram in order to make the country ungovernable for President Jonathan on account of his faith, ethnicity and region despite the knowledge that it was a northerner who used force and killed about 700 members and the leader of the sect in 2009 when Dr Jonathan was not the political issue as well as the fact that northern leaders cannot reasonably kill northerners for power they know is transient. The other conspiracy theory is that Boko Haram is orchestrated by the presidency in order to destroy both the population and economy of the north for political reasons despite the trite that no president would like to preside over a divided people or nation. So let us not generalise but stick to what we know by coming together to unleash our synergy against the common monster. I believe the situation is not beyond redemption, given purposeful leadership at all levels and the best in all Nigerians.

    What is your opinion on amnesty granted to members of Boko haram by the President?

    If Amnesty to Boko Haram will cut the Godian knot and put an end to the killing of innocent Nigerians, so be it.

    The issue of resource control appears to be dividing the National Conference. What is the situation of things?

    I do not see how resource control by constituent parts of this country can further the cause of one united Nigeria since resource control amounts to a confederation with weak centre. That was why solid mineral, oil and gas have been on the exclusive list of the 1960,1963,1979,1999 constitutions. And that explains the Land Use Act. Land is about the only common patrimony for all Nigerians. Nobody has worked for it. And so the only institution that can hold land in trust for Nigerians is government. People should not use managerial imperfections and failure of leadership to discredit the soundness of the Land Use Act. After all most of our good laws are observed more in the breach. The problem is not with the soundness of the law but failure of leadership to implement the letter and spirit of the law. So Resource Control should be discussed in the context of building a united virile nation with balanced development, and  not building a nation where some sections live at cutting edge while some others live at knife edge of survival.

    What can the National Conference achieve for Nigeria?

    The conference will achieve something by bringing issues into the open where they will not be forgotten or not ignored. It will set the road map and help leaders know how to think and do things right.

    The 2015 elections are around the corner. Do you think INEC has the capacity to conduct credible elections in 2015?

    It is the responsibility of INEC to conduct credible elections so that Nigerians can hold themselves responsible for the quality of leaders who emerge. Once people do not hold themselves responsible for the leaders that emerge, then there is problem of legitimacy with dire consequences for the democracy. We still believe INEC can conduct all the elections on the same day in order to reduce cost, reduce band wagon effect and prevent multiple voting that are associated with multiple voting. If Kenya can do it, Nigeria can do it.

    The debate on local government autonomy has not ceased. What is your thinking on this?

    As long as there is federation account where local governments get their funds; and as long as number of local governments are used for planning purposes and they are used for party delegates to party conventions, national government must have a say in their creation. It is not possible to leave out national government in creation of LGAs. And finally, I wish to plead that our current security challenges, mutual mistrust and frustrations should not be allowed to set a new national agenda for us. Nigeria holds a lot of promise, given purposeful leadership and the best in all of us. The good things of life are not natural order of things. )These things come about by consciously directed efforts to make desires possible and then actual by an honest leadership.

    What is your comment on agitation for power to return to the North in 2015?

    The North has never canvassed for politics of identity, rotation, power-shift or zoning. But because a northerner annulled the elections of June 12, 1993, the South morally blackmailed the North into accepting politics of rotation now defined as access to national resources should be turn by turn. But when it was time for the North after demise of President Yar’Adua, the South started politics of meritocracy and constitutionalism. Nigerians pandered in 2011.As democrats we accepted the verdict and said so be it. So if the North will aspire for the president, it will not be based on politics of rotation but on democracy premised on triple foundation of liberty, justice and common decency. The requiem for politics of zoning was written by the South and the funeral has come and gone.

  • Free eye screening for journalists

    Free eye screening for journalists

    Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Plateau State council took time out of their busy schedules to participate in a free eye screening exercise organised and sponsored by the Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in the state.

    The one-day health programme, which was organised in conjunction with Vision 2020 Support Programme, was held at the Conference Hall of the NUJ, Jos, the Plateau state capital.

    State chairman of SWAN, Taddius Yilmen, in his remarks, said: “As journalists, we struggle all day to deliver on our beats and so we hardly have time to go for eye check-up. Our eyes are our job and our eyes are our life as well. Apart from that, the primary responsibility of union leadership is to embark on a programme that will enhance our work and our welfare. So, after our election last year, we thought of giving back to members for giving us their mandate by offering this health benefit.

    “Secondly, in journalism, our eyes are all we need to be professionals. We read a lot and we write a lot. Hence, SWAN chose to invite the eye specialists to NUJ secretariat to help us correct our sights to enhance our inputs and for us to deliver objectively and ethically.”

    Chairman Plateau State Council of NUJ, Katdapba Gobum in his remarks said: “I’m always proud to be associated with such programme for my colleagues because our eyes are our job. You cannot perform well if your eye is defective. Our jobs are so taxing that we don’t have time for ourselves to attend to our health needs as expected.

    “I therefore wish to appreciate SWAN executive for sponsoring this eye screening and for bringing eye specialists to our door step. I am very optimistic that at the end of the exercise, a lot of members will have their eye problems sorted out for them to practice the profession conveniently.”

    Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Olivia Dazyem who was represented on the programme by Director for Research and Planning Mr. Williams Audu, called on all journalists to avail themselves of the opportunity and have their eyes screened so as to get any defect corrected.

    The commissioner said: “Journalists need to check their eyes regularly for them to effectively discharge their social responsibilities to members of the public. A journalist with defective eye sight can constitute serious abuse of the profession or conveyed the wrong pieces of information to the public. Hence, the ministry takes this health programme very seriously. There should be a regular organisation of such health programme for journalists serving in the state.”

    Mr. Dazyem expressed his appreciation to journalists in the state for the way and manner they have reported government activities, even as he urged them to continue in that spirit.

    Dr. Danga Lohjem, an eye specialist and co-sponsor of the programme said: “So many citizens are ignorant on how to care for their eyes. All parts of the human body have cover, but the eyes don’t. This made the human eyes vulnerable to danger on daily bases. The nakedness of the eye requires regular eye examinations so as to safeguard it from foreign bodies.

    “Apart from that, as you grow in age, you need to be conscious of changes that you experience in your sight so as to seek necessary medical assistance needed to correct it.”

    At the end of the screening exercise, Dr. Lohjem said: “I’ve noticed that almost all the journalists have eye problem. Some are age-related, but most of them have to do with consistent eye contact with light ray. This is why most journalists are at risk of eye problem. They expose their eyes to light and this has some effects on the eyes.

    “I have attended to 98 journalists in the course of the screening. Only three of them are with no eye problem. Most of them required reading glasses which we have given them according to specification. Some has myopia, cataract and so on. Some only required eye drops. There is no case of eye surgery, which means there is no major damage to the eyes. Their major problem is job-related problem,” he said.

  • ‘How to strengthen healthcare delivery’

    ‘How to strengthen healthcare delivery’

    In a bid to guarantee effective and efficient primary healthcare delivery, the National Council on Health (NCH) has directed the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory to establish Primary Healthcare Development Agency that will drive quality healthcare delivery at the grassroots.

    Explaining the importance of the agency when established, Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Abdul K. Isa said: “The establishment of Primary Healthcare Development Agency by states of the federation would go a long way in strengthening healthcare delivery.”

    The 54th National Council on Health (NCH) held in Abuja which recommended that states in Nigeria should establish such agency for effective and efficient delivery of quality health at the primary level.

    Speaking at the formal handing over ceremony of the Primary Healthcare Department of Kwara State Ministry of Health to the newly established Primary Healthcare Development Agency which has former Commissioner for Health, Hajia Asiata Ayinke Saka as the chairperson, Isa noted that it was supported by an edict to formally hand over the assets and liabilities of the department to the agency, stressing that the state stands to gain much from the development.

    He added that the state government had complied with all the eight steps required to hand over the unit to the agency as recommended by the 54th session of the NCH.

    “With over 400 primary health centres put together to be domiciled in the Primary Health Care Development Agency, Kwara State has been able to key into the national health structure. We should now afford ourselves the opportunities embedded in the National Primary Health Care programme for the benefit of the people of Kwara State,” he said.

    He commended the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed for doing the needful on the establishment of the agency. He urged members of staff of the agency to be more committed in the task of disease prevention.

    In her remarks, Hajia Saka described the handing over as novel and what had long been expected. She assured that the agency would further improve primary health care delivery to the people.

  • Another estate demolished despite court injunction

    Another estate demolished despite court injunction

    For those familiar with Abuja, demolition is not a new trend. Buildings and other structures have been pulled down and reduced to rubble for many years in the city.

    But is there no end to the incident? Residents have no clue as nto whether it will end or when.

    This fear has caused many residents to remain tenants rather building their own houses for fear of demolition.

    The demolition exercise does not take hours, as it only requires the driver of the bulldozer who looks for structures with red marks as a sign for demolition.

    Residents under the aegis of Saraha Homes Landlords’ Association at Life Camp Extension of Abuja had a taste of the Federal Capital Development Administration’s (FCDA) bulldozer as it knocked down their structures in spite of court injunction restraining the defendant from interfering on the land.

    The residents of the 263 duplex and bungalow buildings situated at Plot 55, Cadastral Zone Co5 in Kafe District, an area of 20 hectares of land belonging to the Saraha Homes Estate, were shocked when they received calls from their servants, gatemen, maids and relations that their houses were about to be demolished by the FCDA demolishing squad.

    According to the residents, the land in question was allocated to another person for the construction of golf course.

    When our correspondent visited the estate, residents were seen in groups discussing in hushed voices while some were packing remnants of their belongings which were destroyed by the demolition exercise.

    Some who spoke to our correspondent said the demolition squad began their exercise around 11:00 a.m. when parents and children were off to work and school.

    The plaintiffs are Incorporated Trustees of Saraha Homes Landlords’ Association, Life Camp Extension Abuja, Saraha Homes Nigeria Limited and Lias Consult Nigeria Limited while the Defendants are the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), The Federal Capital Territory Administration, The Federal Capital Development Authority and Cityfest Development Co. Limited.

    The residents, represented by the chairman of the association, described the demolition act as evil and contempt of court which could attract imprisonment.

    The structures worth millions of Naira were reduced to rubble in a matter of minutes.

    According to the court order which was made available to our correspondent, holden under the rule of Justice Y. Halilu at the Kubwa High Court ordered the defendant to restrain from the plot pending the determination of the case.

    “That interim injunction is hereby granted to the Plaintiffs/Applicant restraining the defendants, their officials, servants, agents, and privies from demolishing, attempting to demolish any of the 1st plaintiff/Applicant’s two hundred and sixty three duplex and bungalow buildings situate at plot 55, Cadastral Zone Co5 in Kafe District, Abuja containing an area of 20 hectares and known as Saraha Homes Estate, Life Camp Extension, Kafe District” within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, occupied by members of the plaintiffs and their families pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed in this matter.

    “An order of interim injunction is hereby granted to the plaintiffs/applicants restraining the defendants, their officials, servants, agents, and privies from or interfering in any manner whatsoever with any part or portion of Plot 55, Cadastral Zone Co5, in Kafe District, Abuja containing an area of 20 hectares and known as Saraha Homes Estate , Life Camp Extension, Kafe District including the portion referred to as plot 140 within the said Plot 55 in the peaceable and exclusive possession of the Plaintiffs/Applicants, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed in this matter,” the injunction stated.

    With this order, residents of Saraha Homes Estate were shocked at the action of the Federal Capital Development Authority and its demolition crew who disobeyed court order and embarked on a demolition exercise.

    The residents have, however, maintained that they will take the matter yet again to court.

    The Counsel to the plaintiff, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), who was represented by Barrister James Odiba, described the action as unfortunate.

    He said: “This is most unfortunate. This should not happen where there is respect for law and order. They are fully aware of the order that the court has given and the court has not vacated that order. There can be no reason whatsoever for anybody to take law into his or her hands and roll in bulldozer to demolish properties of this nature. You can imagine the kind of pains and agonies people are going through.

    “Of course, the FCDA was served the court order; the Honourable Minister was served and the letter was delivered to his office, so was the FCTA, Federal Capital Development Authority and they were in court at the last adjourned date. So, how could they have gone ahead to do this?

    “Well, when one disobeys in such a flagrant manner and embark on this kind of willful destruction in disobedience to court order, the long arm of the court will be there to catch up with one. We are returning to court; complaining that they have disobeyed court order and during the pendency of this injunction and they have gone to the extent and carried out this demolition which is completely unlawful.

    “First and foremost, those that are behind this must be called to order and called to answer for their action and they must restore the facilities back to its original state.

    “This action is condemnable. It is an affront to the rule of law and it should not even happen at all. They are also threatening to come back after this flagrant disobedience to court order.

    “The demolition ought not to have happened because the FCDA approved and allocated the whole land you see here to Saraha Homes for development of an estate. Years later, they came up to say that a portion of the land has been designated as a green area but this was after people have developed their property and even moved in.”

    Continuing, he said: “When our firm got this, we argued that the paper we were given earlier had nothing like green area and by the time we went to court because they were threatening demolition of the properties, the court gave an injunction restraining all parties to maintain status quo and what is happening here is flagrant disregard to the order because during the pendency of such matter; they have come despite the court injunction restraining any party, they have come here to pull down structures. It is most unfortunate.

    “We are going to court stating that the court order has been violated and the property of the people living in this estate have been destroyed despite that the court had ordered that all parties must maintain status quo and that is very obvious. You don’t just disobey the order of court and go free.

    “The court has the power to hold them responsible for their action. In fact, when you criminally disobey court injunction of this nature, it is a serious contempt that you can imprisoned for.”

    While condemning government’s policies, the Chairman of the Saraha Homes Landlords’ Association, Mr. Fred Ohwahwa described the present state of the estate as unsafe.

    Mr. Ohwahwa said: “This morning, we got to know that some people came in to demolish the estate. Some of us ran down here from our offices. We came here and saw the leader of the demolition squad and asked why they were doing this. He said they had instruction from above. We further asked which instruction because the matter is in court.

    “There has been an injunction since December restraining all the parties from carrying out anything that will be injurious to the parties involved. We pleaded but they did not listen. They went ahead and demolished the gates, houses and fences and few things in various houses. They also promised to come back to complete the exercise.

    “For us, we are surprised because we thought we are in a civilised society where people obey the rules of the game, especially when the case is in court. We bought this place as far back as 2009/2010 through the Mass Housing Scheme that was initiated by el-Rufai. It was sometime in June last year that somebody came to lay claim to a part of the estate and when he laid claim, we were wondering what was happening.

    “We went to meet the development control people and they claimed that they allocated the land to the man. We asked how they could do that considering the fact that we had already developed our property. They showed us a paper indicating that the land was allocated to the man in 2012 as Golf Course.

    “By 2012, this place was already built and people were already living here. We went to court and they came to mark the place for demolition and we took them to court. On December 16 last year, there was a court order restraining them. They are in court with us. So, that is why we are surprised at this action.

    ”This action shows that government policies and systems do not believe in continuity. Government is a continuum. Government comes and goes but its policies remain. In any case, government is there for the purpose of securing the properties and lives of people and to secure people, you must have a roof over their heads but the people cannot even go back home to sleep peacefully. This administration’s activity negates what government is supposed to be about.

    He further explained: “It is not fair. It is wrong and if I am asked, I will say it is evil because you should not derive pleasure in destroying what others have laboured to build and you are not doing it because of any over-riding policy.

    “It is a disgrace to this government which has not proved itself to be a people’s government because more of these things have happened overtime.

    “People did not just wake up one day to construct these structures; it took them time and resources. When they were building, Development Control were coming and were even supervising the work to instruct them on the kind of materials to use and the building plan was even given to us by the developers.

    “We submitted all the documents to them but they just dumped them in their office because they have other interest they are pursuing.

  • Minister threatens to sue online publisher

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has begun the process of suing an online media organisation (Pointblanknews.com) which he said has been publishing false and libelous reports against him, his children and administration.

    He said the media organisation had, in recent weeks, alleged that two of the minister’s children whose names it gave as Ibrahim and Shamushdeen, had stashed away a staggering N35 billion in the Unity Bank and UBA Plc as well as an unnamed offshore account.

    The minister, according to the statement, issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Nosike Ogbuenyi, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police calling for an investigation of the allegations which he dismissed as nothing but criminal fabrications by the authors.

    “For instance, the minister said contrary to the claim of the online publication, he has no son called Ibrahim. Again, he said his children had no domestic or offshore accounts with Unity Bank or UBA contrary to the claims of the online newspaper. He added that even the name of his first son, Shamsudeen was wrongly spelt as ‘Shamushdeen’ in the hatchet stories. Against the backdrop of untruths and contradictions in the stories, he appealed to the Inspector–General of Police to interrogate the publisher.

    “The minister urged the police boss to prevail on the media organisation to disclose the full identities of the ‘Ibrahim’ and ‘Shamushdeen’ it referred to in its reports so that the public would be better informed.

    “They should also be made to provide credible evidence of the bank account numbers to enable you carry out your investigation. I am insisting on these processes to prove my family’s innocence even though I know that the publishers have nothing to buttress their claims because the information upon which their stories were predicated is totally false, malicious and unsubstantiated,” the minister said.

    “He recalled that appeals to the online media organisation to desist from publishing further negative reports against him and his children were rudely ignored. The publisher has not only failed to heed wise counsel to retract the malicious story but has also continued to do more false reports against him and his children,” the statement added.

  • FCTA to spend N334b on Jabi Lake Resort

    In its efforts to boost tourism in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), in partnership with private investors, has begun the development of the ultra-modern Jabi Lake Resort in the Phase II of the Federal Capital City. The FCTA will spend the sum of over N334 billion on the project.

    The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed revealed this while receiving executive members of Nigeria Young Professionals Forum that paid him a visit.

    Senator Mohammed said the resort, when completed, would take Abuja to the next level in promoting tourism and by extension, generate the required revenue to augment budgetary allocation from the Federal Government.

    He said the Federal Government has made a lot of investments in the Federal Capital Territory by providing seed money, saying time has come for the FCT Administration to create institutions, structures in terms of legal framework to leverage on private funding by way of competition to take Abuja to the next level.

    The minister assured that the leadership of the FCT Administration is determined to set standards and benchmark on how things ought to be done for the betterment of all residents of the Territory without recourse to government funding.

    He said the FCT Administration has received marching order from President Goodluck Jonathan to build human capital and institution as well as partnership in accordance with the global best practices.

    Senator Mohammed urged the forum to use its contacts across the globe to woo investors to invest in Abuja; saying that Abuja is a haven for genuine investors.

    Conscious of the need to promote tourism, the FCT Administration gave priority to the ongoing construction of the Abuja Millennium Towers at the Central Business District where work at the site has reached an appreciable stage of completion.

  • Kebbi farmers to get fertilisers

    Farmers in Kebbi State are in for an enhanced farming season this year as the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, has scheduled 2784,408 growers for fertiliser distribution in the wet season. The input comes under the Growth Enhancement Support (GES).

    The GES programme which is an important component of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda started in 2012 across the country and Kebbi has fully participated in it. The state Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Keven Tekpat said this at the flag-off of the 2014 wet season GES programme in Ambursa, Kebbi State.

    He said in 2012, a total of 46,488 farmers benefitted from wet season GES, while 46,680 farmers benefited from dry season paddy production, 173,499, 19,080 for generic wing and special GES in 4 crop Value chain commodities ie cassava, soya, cotton and sorghum farmers benefited during the 2013 wet season. The director called on state government to revive the extension apparatus of the ministry so that it will function effectively.

    The Kebbi State Commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Isah Mohammed Mera said, “The state has never relented in embracing Federal Government policies on agriculture as the stronghold of the state’s majority; the state has today a total of 226,056 captured small-scale farmers that will benefit from the programme this year,” he said.

    In his remarks, the Kebbi State Deputy Governor Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu expressed the determination of the state government to continue to give the agric sector greater priority and hope that the Federal Government would cover more farmers in the state in the GES programme.

  • ‘We must address crude oil theft now’

    ‘We must address crude oil theft now’

    Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna State and  chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, speaks in this interview with TONY AKOWE  on several national issues, including the allegation of missing money at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and crude oil theft. Excerpts:

    Your Committee just submitted its report to the Senate  on the allegation of missing money made by the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Can we have an overview of the report?

    Well, our report is not final; we made certain interim recommendations, and there is an ongoing forensic audit and such recommendations will be subject to the outcome of the forensic audit. In our report, the Auditor General of the Federation and PriceWaterHouse, the external forensic auditors, are requested to forward the forensic audit report to us.

    That is what will certify whether the certification by PPPRA which is about 10 million dollars was correct, understated or overstated and by who. So, there are some of the recommendations that are subject to the outcome of the forensic audit and that is why I said it is not a final report. I have seen that major aspects of the report are captured in the papers. However, it is not yet a decision of the Senate because the Senate still has to consider our recommendations. We were asked to find out the whereabouts of some monies.

    For 47 billion dollars out of the 67 billion dollars, there was no dispute at all right from the time we started our sitting that the money was in the Federations Account. Where there was dispute was between the figure of 10.8 billion dollars and 20 billion dollars. Even that dispute did not state that the money was really missing, but what has been done with that money. It was not stated at that time that the money was missing, but that it was not remitted to the Federation Account. If it was not remitted to the Federations Account, it could be hanging in one account or the other. We took the larger figure of $20 billion so that we can investigate what happened to that money. Out of that money, five and half billion dollars was spent on PMS and what we needed to do was to find out if the money was appropriated. We checked the budget of the relevant ministries and discovered that the National Assembly appropriated the money. So, if the National Assembly appropriated money and it was expended, you cannot talk about money missing. Another four and half billion dollars was expended on subsidy on kerosene. But unlike that of petrol, the money was not appropriated by the National Assembly, but there was evidence and certification that the money was spent. Again, there is a difference between missing money and money spent without appropriation. You know what it was used for, but the fact is, was it authorised by law? It was not authorised constitutionally because all monies to be spent are supposed to be appropriated by the National Assembly. That takes care of 10 billion dollars out of the 20 billion dollars. One part of the money was budgeted for and spent, while another part was not budgeted for, but spent. We also discovered that about 8 billion dollars of the money does not entirely belong to the Federations Account. Our job was to determine how much of that money belonged to the Federation Account.

    Why was the money not entirely for the Federation Account? For example, I have a business and I need money to finance the business to make profit, but I don’t have money and I looked for other investors to invest and recover their money while we share the profit. Right from the beginning, it is wrong to assume that the entire money belongs to me because you have to take your money and your profit from the gross earning. That was the accounting that was done wrongly. What the person who makes the allegation alleged was that he believed that part of that money belonged to the Federation Account and our job was to find out how much of that money belonged to the federation, and has it been paid into the federation account? We determined how much belonged to the federation account and how much has been paid into the federations account and how much has not been remitted. Yes, there are monies that have not been paid into the federation account and we determined that it was substantially money belonging to other people and not the federations account. But even the money belonging to the federations account, not all of it has been remitted. It is all stated in the report and we made recommendations that those monies belonging to the federations account and not yet remitted should be remitted to the federations account. Even the agencies involved did not dispute our calculations and computations, but gave one excuse or the other and we asked them to remit it and show us evidence that it has been remitted. That resolved the issue of 8 billion dollars which is the most complex issue because it is money belonging to other people and so, we had to take time to decide how much belongs to who. We did that and our recommendation is in line with what we have determined to be shares for each party. But as I said earlier, even the share for the federations account, not all of it has been remitted and there is no dispute about that. That leaves 2 billion dollars to be accounted for, which the NNPC explained were expended in the cause of generation of revenue. This is different from spending on subsidy. The constitution allows for some expenses in the course of generating revenue. Whatever you are going to remit is net of the expenses related to generating the revenue. Our job was first to find evidence they were wholly and exclusively spent in the area of generating that revenue and that is the area we say we don’t have the required expertise and so, we appointed two firms of forensic auditors, gave them the documents and said, verify these things and they made a report to us on how much was liable and how much cannot be defended. What cannot be defended, we recommend that it be refunded. So, that basically accounted for the 20 billion dollars you are talking about.

    Were there areas your committee did not look into?

    There are areas that we have not looked into and we stated so in the report. Such areas include crude swap, strategic alliances which involve contracts over transfer of assets. Whereas they have an impact on how much you generate, it does not affect account for the 67 billion. You account for the 67 billion first and then know how much is missing. I am going into this area because this is the area that can hurt the nation more because if you enter into a contract that continues to deprive government of needed revenue, that is a very serious business,

    From what you have said, did Sanusi miss the point?

    He did not miss the point in the area of subsidy on kerosene. Even before Sanusi raised the point about subsidy on kerosene, we had raised this matter with the NNPC and so, it was not new to us because he was not the first person to raise it. We got to know that money was spent that was not appropriated and then, his letter came and so, it was nothing new. He was right in the area of kerosene subsidy being spent without appropriation. He said that the late President Yar’Adua gave instruction to stop kerosene subsidy; we are not disputing that there was such an instruction. But there was never a time even under Yar’Adua that government stopped paying subsidy on kerosene. So, continued payment of subsidy on kerosene is not limited to the current government. It was an issue that continued even under the President that gave the instruction in writing. So, inadvertently, government must have given an instruction which it did not abide by. Who took the action? Some people feel that the NNPC on its own took the action or maybe the minister took the action. But we have evidence that the President is aware and consents to it. So, if the President is aware and consents to it, you cannot pick one Director or one individual and heap the blame on him. That was why we recommended that since the President is aware and consented to it, the constitution says where that happens, he should prepare a supplementary budget and bring to the National Assembly and if they like, they will approve it or sanction him. But until he does that, you can’t commence any action until he does that. Based on our report, if the National Assembly feels that it wants to take any particular action, our report is there and we have confirmed that some monies were spent without being budgeted for. We have also confirmed that some money was not remitted and how much it was, but it is nothing near the amount he was talking about and we have recommended what needs to be done.

     

  • For the love of their sight

    For the love of their sight

    Age was no barrier, nor was distance. From remote villages they came, one of them guided by his devoted grandson. All visually impaired, they are hoping to see again, and their source of hope is Senator Alkali Abdulkadir Jajare, the lawmaker representing Yobe South Senatorial District.

    The turnout was unprecedented as both old and young gathered at four  centres in Damagum, Fika, Nangare and Potiskum to take advantage of the free eye surgery scheme of the senator.

    The scheme, operated by the Alkali Foundation, is aimed at offering eye treatment to over 1200 constituents, irrespective of party affiliation or ethnic background.

    Sixty-year-old Abubakar Shuaibu had never had any reason to travel outside his village in the last 10 years. But one compelling reason took him out of his hometown Ngelshagale to Damagum, headquarters of Fune Local Government Area.

    This reporter sighted him with his 10-year-old grandson named after him as the duo did their best to cross the busy Kano-Maiduguri Highway without being hit, on their way to the venue of screening.

    Little Shuaibu has never seen the four walls of a classroom, opting to   dedicate his life to guiding his grandfather who can hardly see. His sight is virtually donated to his grandfather, as it were.

    The old man is happy his grandson is willing to be of help, but the Pa Shuaibu is also traumatised by the fact that the boy’s devotion and services rob him of the opportunity to go to school.

    He said: “One of my greatest worries is not the fact that I am going blind but the fact that my little boy can’t go to school because of my condition”.

    His fear for a dark future for his grandson spurred him to make the trip to Damagum when he heard the announcement on the local radio for free eye surgery by Senator Jajare.

    “My coming here is with the hope that if I get this sight, my son will go to school. I only pray that Allah works things out for me and my son. I love him so much and I would like to see him grow into a responsible person in life.

    “Look at the senator who is doing this for us. I am sure it is education that took him to this position to turn his eyes on us. I pray Allah to reward him many more times in whatever he is looking for in life”, Shuaibu said.

    Another man, Mustapha said he has not been active at his farm due to his threatened sight. He hopes to leverage on the free surgery to restore his sight so as to resume his farm work.

    “I am hoping that my problem will be over after meeting with the doctors. I have been screened and I am due for the operation in Potiskum,” Mustapha said.

    Over 1200 patients suffering from Cataract, Glaucoma and Trachoma from different village across the four Local Government Areas were at the four centres.

    According to investigations, the beneficiaries were chosen on only one condition i.e. those with eye problems.

    “Senator Jajare corroborated the story as he said: “the only qualification for this operation is the condition itself. Those who qualified for this treatment and operation were not selected on party lines or tribal affiliations. If you have the disease, you are qualified for the operation or the treatment and you come get it free of charge.

    “I decided to embark on this programme as part of my gesture of giving back to the society and the less privileged in my position for the mandate the people have given me, the Senator said.

    The leader of the doctors team, Dr Salmanu Rabiu said the exercise will go on for three days as the screening will be done at various centres and the final operation at Potiskum General Hospital.

    Dr. Rabiu explained that a glaucoma surgery on one eye costs N50, 000, while the rest would cost between N40,000 and N30,000.

    He said that the senator also made available operational drugs and lenses for the patients, while attributing most of the eye problems to unclean water use in washing faces, as well as lack of routine medical checks.