The Nation Newspaper

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  • Edo fish farmers to benefit from N200m loan

    Farmers in Edo state are to benefit from a N200m loan provided by the ECOWAS Fish Development Fund following payment of N100million counterpart fund by the state.

    The Director of Fishery in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Joseph Ogiagbe, made the disclosure on yesterday at Agenebode in Etsako East local government area.

    He said that previous administrations have undermined the scheme in the last six years by failing to meet the counterpart fund obligation.

    This, he said, was why fish farmers in the state have been unable to access any fund for the ECOWAS project.

    Ogiagbe said that with the payment of the N100 million counterpart fund, the N200 million is now accessible to farmers in the state.

    He noted that the ECOWAS Fish Project had been expanded to include fish pond owners unlike the previous arrangement where only fishermen had access to the loan.

    Ogiagbe disclosed that Fish Department in the ministry has already received over 800 applications for the scheme.

    The director regretted that ability of the farmers to access the fund hinged on the repayment of previous loans obtained by fish farmers in the state under the scheme.

    According to him, a total of 111 farmers out of the 214 who benefited from the scheme between 1993 and 2006 have defaulted in repaying their loans.

    He noted that the total money being owned by the farmers was more than N11 million.

    He said: “All we need is for the defaulters to pay up to 85 per cent of what they are owing for us to commence disbursement of the N200 million fund to the over 800 applications we have received.

    “Because we do not want to use force on the defaulters, we have decided to employ a means of getting them to defray their loans.”

    The Okuomagbe of Weppa Wanno, Dr. George Egabor, promised to ensure that his subjects who received loans under the scheme fulfilled their loan obligation.

  • Reps kick over unutilised N120bn subsidy fund

    Reps kick over unutilised N120bn subsidy fund

    • May restructure SURE-P mandate

     

    The House of Representatives has discovered N120billion in the coffers of the Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) unutilised. The Reps are unimpressed by the situation especially when there are hundreds of projects across the country in need of the agency’s intervention.

    The agency, headed by Dr.Christopher Kolade, was set up early in the year by the Federal Government to execute projects that will cushion the effects of the partial removal of fuel subsidy on the generality of Nigerians.

    The Reps are shocked that the agency has is yet to fully utilise funds allocated to it from the partial withdrawal of fuel subsidy. The organisation has a budget of N180 billion fort his year out of which it has accessed N120b.

    The chairman of the SURE-P Committee, Kolade, reportedly told the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) that it had disbursed N37b since July to contractors handling its various intervention projects while it plans to spend another N20b by the end of this month.

    At the meeting with the committee, he said one of the reasons for the inability of the committee to fully utilise its funds is the process of settling contractors handling its projects.

    He said: “We have to comprehensively verify job done by the contractors before we pay and that is part of the reasons why we haven’t been able to go faster than where we are now. We want the fund to affect the lives of Nigerians positively in line with its mandate, so we do not want to pay for what we cannot confirm”.

    The House Committee expressed concern over interventions by the programme in projects already being handled by ministries, noting that it amounts to paying for inefficiency and corruption. The lawmakers said Nigerians are eager to see interventions by the Programme distinct from MDAs like the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

    The chairman of the House Committee, Dakuku Peterside, however, urged Nigerians to be patient with the organisation as the House would do all it can to make the programme impactful.

    He said: “Before they were inaugurated the government had identified areas of intervention and had to mind where those finds would be deployed for intervention but we sincerely believed that it could have been done diffidently. We, however, have to look that up again and take it up at our Committee level and of course make a proposal to the House.

    “To assess SURE-P from the perspective of the short period they have been in existence, one might have a different impression. We have to look at it from the perceptive of their mandate.

    “If we look at their mandate against their performance so far, you will come to the same conclusion that they have done well. But what we are saying is that there is something fundamentally wrong with that mandate and that mandate should change. The process should change.

    “At our Committee level, we will look at the mandate and its process critically to see whether the structure is giving us the desired result or not, is the best for the Nigerian people and whether it is meeting the aspirations of the generality of our people. There are questions that must be answered.”

    On the legality of the SURE-P that was raised by some of the lawmakers during the meeting, Peterside pointed out that the President has the power to put in place mechanisms to actualise his missions and SURE-P is one of such.

    “We realise that SURE-P is one of such vehicles established to actualise the objective of channeling the funds realised from the partial removal of fuel subsidy to the amelioration of the lot of Nigerians.”

  • Widower, four children die after cassava meal

    Widower, four children die after cassava meal

    •Two other children on danger list

     

    A family in Enugu state is on the verge of being wiped-out following the death, in one fell swoop, of the head of the family – a widower – and four of his children after a meal of mixed cassava and corn.

    The remaining two children in the family are reported to be on the danger list at a traditional hospital at Enugu Ezike, in Igboeze Local Government area.

    The incident which the police are now investigating happened at Mbu Apochi in Isi-Uzo Local Government area of the state. The widower identified as Charles Nnadi and his six children were said to have fallen ill soon after taking the meal.

    They were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital at Eha Amufu by neighbours.

    Nnadi and three of the children, however, died one after the other. The remaining four were transferred to the trado-medical hospital where two more died. The remaining two are now critically ill there.

    Spokesman for the State Police Command, Ebere Amaraizu, said police have commenced a full scale investigation with a view to unraveling the Circumstances surrounding the incident.

  • Cartoon-Democracy Dividends

    Cartoon-Democracy Dividends

  • Peer review: DFID, experts commend Fayemi

    The Department for International Development (DFID) and the Steering Committee of State Peer Review Mechanism (SPRM) in Ekiti have commended Governor Kayode Fayemi on his commitment to transparent and participatory governance.

    They gave the commendations at the launch of the State Peer Review Mechanism’s Technical Mission in Ado Ekiti last week.

    Fayemi reiterated his commitment to social inclusiveness in policy formulation and implementation.

    He added that though the report of the SPRM process identified challenges, the unwavering faith of the people in his administration “has made us to resolve to make the best of the transformational agenda”.

    The South West Regional Coordinator of DFID, Dr. Sina Fagbenro-Byron, said the participation of Ekiti in the review programme is an indication of the “political will, progressivism and development-orientation” of the present administration.

    Fagbenro-Byron described the subscription to the review process as “trajectory that a progressive Nigeria should be heading towards.’’

    A World Bank consultant and member of the SPRM Steering Committee at the national level, Professor Oladipo Adamolekun, commended Ekiti for the production and submission of its self-assessment report.

    The 280-page report, he said, “is very candid and well written.”

    Adamolekun described the report as a baseline for the direction to which the present administration in the State is heading in the second half of the tenure.

    He stated that the document was excellent in that it highlighted some of the achievements of the Fayemi-led administration as well as the challenges including bloated bureaucracy with poor work ethic, paucity of resources and resource utilisation, among others.

  • UK jails smuggler over Nigeria arms deal

    AN arms dealer has been found guilty of helping to ship thousands of AK47 assault rifles and millions of rounds of ammunition from China to Nigeria.

    Gary Hyde, 43, of Mask Lane, Newton on Derwent, near York, was convicted by a jury at Southwark Crown Court of breaching UK trade controls.

    He moved the weapons without a licence and hid more than one million US dollars (£620,460) in commission payments, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs said.

    Southwark Crown Court heard the delivery from China to Nigeria in 2007 was made up of 40,000 AK47 assault rifles, 30,000 rifles and 10,000 9mm pistols, along with 32 million rounds of ammunition.

    Hyde was convicted after a retrial of two counts of becoming knowingly concerned in the movement of controlled goods between March 2006 and December 2007.

    He was also found guilty of one count of concealing criminal property between March 2006 and December 2008 after he was alleged to have hidden the profits in a bank in Liechtenstein.

    Peter Millroy from HMRC said: “Hyde was an experienced arms dealer who thought he could deliberately not comply with the law in order to make some extra money to hide offshore.

    “He knew full well that his activity required a licence but he decided not to comply with the law, and we are delighted that after an extensive investigation he has been bought to justice.”

    Hyde, who served as a special constable for seven years, will be sentenced on November 23.

     

  • Presidency probes ex-NSAs over N3bn security contract

    Presidency probes ex-NSAs over N3bn security contract

    A N3 billion contract for the procurement of 20 units of K-38 patrol boats for the Nigeria Army is now under investigation by the Presidency. Also being investigated is the role of two former National Security Advisers (NSA) in the deal, sources said last night.

    Only eight units of the boats were supplied by the contractor. The investigation was triggered by an October 12, 2012 petition by one Hassan Rabiu of Hypertech (UK) Ltd. The petition is entitled: “Conspiracy, fraud, supervision and compromising of Nigeria’s National Security and Official Corruption in the award and execution of National Security and Defence projects in Nigeria by a group of Jews operating under many guises with the active connivance and involvement of a few unpatriotic Nigerians government officials and businessmen.”

    The petitioner said that sometime in 2007, the Ministry of Defence awarded the contract to an Israeli firm to supply 20 units of the K-38 patrol boats to the Nigeria Army at the cost of over N3 billion. The said firm allegedly collected 80 per cent of the total contract sum, but supplied only eight units of the boats.

    He alleged that five years after the company bolted away with government‘s money without supply, Hypertech was introduced to TP Marine B.V, the manufacturers of the boat by the firm’s original agent, Mr. Zvi Turbo of Shval Saar Limited.

    TP Marine, the petitioner added , expressed its willingness to auction the remaining 12 boats to offset its banking obligation. The petitioner alleged fraud in the execution of the contract and demanded a comprehensive probe into the deal in the interest of the country.

    A source privy to the on-going investigation in the NSA’s office said: “Investigation into the issues in the petition is on-going. The inference is that the firm who got the contract might have had a link with a former NSA. We will get to the roots of the crisis and bring those responsible, no matter how highly placed, to book. It is curious too that we have discovered that the petitioner’s alleged company is also being backed by another former NSA.”

    “So, there appears to be more to the contract row than the case. This explains why the Presidency has directed the Office of the NSA to probe the contract deal. The two ex-NSAs are being probed in order to establish how the contract went awry.

    “In fact, this office in the past few days has been looking at the records of the Hypertech being paraded by Rabiu at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria. We discovered that it is a breakaway company from the original Hypertech owned by Mustapha Mohammed because of this contract.

    “Also, in the statements so far made to us, the Israelis have opened up on the relationship between them and the petitioner – including a disagreement over $800,000 from two previous business deals.”

  • ‘My father had many wives, but my grandfather had 300’

    ‘My father had many wives, but my grandfather had 300’

    The Olowo of Owo, Oba David Victor Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi [CFR], in this interview speaks about his life, upbringing, Christianity and polygamy. He spoke with Taiwo Abiodun 

    How do you combine your traditional roles with your Christian faith?

    They are two different things: religion is religion and custom is custom. And when it comes to traditional Religion or oaths, there is the Chief Priest; it is not the traditional ruler that is in charge. The traditional ruler has his own functions and the chief priest has his own too. Now, one must be mindful of the fact that Nigeria is a secular state and everyone is entitled to practise his own religion. And in a town or city you have all sorts of people; you have the Christians, you have the Muslims, you have the Animists, you have the traditional religion people. And what the law says is that everyone can practise his own faith, and I should too. I think the whole town knows that I am a Christian and a practising Christian, and as such I practise my own religion. I know that it is only God that is worth worshipping and I think that is an important thing for everyone.

    If some people still believe that they still need to do some other forms of worship, I cannot stop them.

    But as a Christian who give money to those who indulge in rituals, is that not a form of participation?

    Ideally, I don’t even think one should even give money for people to go and worship anything. We have local councils, states and federal government. In most of the organised local government areas I think they know what festivals are and they ought to reasonably support their festivals and if they support it and bring out money then the chief priest can get money directly from them in pursuit of his calling, that can be avoided. It’s only if there is no money coming from such areas at all and you are the father of all, then you have no choice but to give money for it and if that is a sin then we pray that God should forgive us our sins.

    There is this rumour making the rounds that you don’t want the popular Igogo festival and that you are trying to abolish it since you have become a Christian?

    No. I can’t stop it because it has been the way of life for many years and each one has his own belief. And I am sure my own people know my own belief but as I said, I cannot force them. I can only show them the way by example. They know what I do. For example, I don’t miss my Holy Ghost service and my church here, all things being equal.

    You plaited your hair during the Igogo festival and didn’t cover it, and when you go to church you also don’t wear cap like other royal fathers.

    Yes, during the Igogo festival you don’t wear cap. Did you see anyone wearing cap during the festival? That is our tradition and belief. You are not supposed to wear cap. In the church too you are not supposed to wear cap. I don’t wear cap in the church. Other Obas may wear it. I know my own God does not allow it, so I don’t do it.

    How do you manage your kingdom with so many people and with different opinions and ideas?

    Yes, that is why you pray to God all the time to give us wisdom to be able to interact and do what is right. It is a good prayer and it’s only God that can direct you.

    Why are you called Solon, Socrates or Solomon?

    [Prolonged laughter] I thank you for that, it is God and the Lord’s doing. It is true that I am a lawyer, a royal father and a devout Christian. I think one should get closer to the Almighty. If you are close to God, He will lead you and give you all what you want in life. Perhaps those calling me Solon, Socrates and Solomon, do so because of the way I administer the town. I believe that God is the wisest, the Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscience. He is all in all.

    What does the sword attached to your skirt mean and the feathers on your head?

    That was how I met it. We call it Uda Omalore. Olowo uses it when he comes out. It is a symbol of authority. The feather on my head,. That is Urere Okin. Olowo is the only person who has the authority to use it. These days many wear it and it is exclusively meant for the Olowo. But things have changed now from the olden days. People can do all sorts of things. If you have your money now you can do what you like, you can buy all sorts of things.

    As a Christian you have been to Jerusalem?

    Oh yes. I have been there. I also sent my wife there too. It’s important to see things for yourself. I saw these things [Biblical story evidences] and I was convinced that they are real. It’s no rumour. God is real. The Holy Bible is not a story book, it is real. I wish we all visit the place and be more convinced. Jesus Christ is real. It is great to be there and believe in God and Jesus Christ is the Lord.

    You also sent many to Mecca.

    Yes, I have done that too, I have also sent people to Jerusalem too because at times I sometimes have some slots from the state or the local government and I make people go there to go and see things for themselves. I think the most important thing is that we are all children of God but we have our own different beliefs.The Christian belief is different from Muslim belief but they still have their belief and faith.

    Do all your chiefs have the right to observe the Igogo festival?

    Yes, they can. All Olowo’s chiefs can perform the Igogo festival but they cannot force them to do it. If one is faithful to his oath you will try to do what the Oba is doing in the town. If you are a chief, you will try to do what Oba is doing in the town. If you are in Rome you behave like the Romans. If you are here and performing the festival you have to obey all the rules. If the Oba is in festival, you have to join too.

    Last year people were worried that the festival was held in October instead of September, why the shift?

    The Olowo has the right to change it. When the people who are in charge fix the date, then the Olowo has the right to say ok, the date is not convenient for him, and you can deduct 17 days from it or you add 17 days to the one chosen. The Olowo has the right.

    Last year you celebrated your 70th birthday, how is it to be 70?

    We thank God for that. When you are 70, you are 70 [laughs]. When you look back and it is like yesterday, and when one is at that age you must continue to pray to God. You should continue to do good to people because nobody knows when the time will come. As a Christian you can claim what age you want in the Bible. In the Book of Genesis (Chapter 6: 1 to 3), it says I am supposed to live for 120 years but in the Book of Psalms (Psalm 90: 10), which many people read all the time, it says man will have three scores and ten, after that one might find it difficult. Yet there is another passage in the Bible that says it is a curse not to live up to 100. So it depends on which one you want.

    Did you take after your late father in playing table tennis and having many wives?

    I play table tennis and lawn tennis but I have not played for about one year now. But I am quite optimistic that I will soon start playing it again, I am just resting now. All my children play table tennis, it flows in the family.

    You know Obas in the past had so many wives. Well, my father had so many, in fact, my grandfather had up to 300 wives, I was told that by the time he passed on to join his ancestors five of his wives were virgins, that showed probably that he had enough.

    My grandfather didn’t come to the throne at my age. Even my father also came in when he was 30 years. I came to the throne when I was 58, I am now over 70. You can’t expect me to have many wives at this age. I will have to choose which way I will like to go. My father had been very good in other aspects. He knew how to manage his wives; he had the wisdom of being able to interact with plenty of them. I don’t think I can try it .I tried it at a younger age, it didn’t work [laughs].

    Has your legal background assisted you in governing the town?

    Yes, I think it has really helped me a lot, because once you are a lawyer you think like one.

    And there are things other people do that you cannot afford to do because you know it is wrong and others will think as an Oba you can do it, but you know it is wrong. You put yourself under checks and balances, I think it is good. However, the work of a lawyer is different from that of a traditional ruler.

    Don’t you think your humility and generosity could be taken to be weakness?

    It is all right. They can think what they like. I don’t think there is anything wrong for anyone to be humble. I don’t think it is wrong for anyone to be patient.

    You are a silent philanthropist

    I do it and I don’t have to make noise, if God blesses you, you too should extend the blessings to the needy. I believe one should be kind enough to help his fellowmen. God loves a cheerful giver, and as the father, traditional ruler and a practising Christian, I think it is part of my duty to assist the needy and must not go on pages of newspapers announcing it. God does not like that. I am a quiet man and I don’t like announcing something like this. I am praying to God to give me strength to be able to do more.

    How do you deal with your detractors as you don’t take a pound of flesh?

    No, one is not supposed to. One should just continue to do good. My favourite passage in the Bible is the Book of Job (Chapter 28:28) that says you try to depart from evil and fear God, and depart from evil, anything that is evil depart from it.

    What is your best day like?

    I think the best day is to try and be grateful to God. Take life as it comes and it is for you to tread slowly and wisely and you will not regret. I pray to God always, He is God, kind and loving. That is how my best day looks like every day.

    What is the secret behind your looking so young?

    Well, if one is living well and you are not abusing your body, do exercise, then always pray to the Almighty, you will look young of course.

  • Adeyemi backs Lagos on Okada ban

    THE ban placed on commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada from plying the 475 prohibited routes in Lagos State is a right step in the right direction, the Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Pastor Sam Adeyemi, has declared.

    He said using motorcycles for commercial purpose is not befitting of the megacity status of Lagos and the dignity of Nigerians.

    Adeyemi spoke last Thursday with reporters ahead of the annual Excellence in Leadership conference of the church slated for November 9-11.

    According to him: “We, as a people should learn to place value on our lives. If we consider the many deaths okadas have caused and how they have aided armed robbers to escape from policemen, we should have no problem doing away with them.”

    He admitted many families depend on the motorcycles for livelihood but said they constitute a bigger menace for the society at large.

    The cleric, however, called on the Lagos state government to mitigate the societal implications of the ban by providing more jobs and better security.

    He urged Lagosians to consider the policy, which he described as really difficult, a necessary sacrifice for the attainment of a better, safer society.

     

  • Ekiti to overhaul facilities at health centres

    Ekiti state government is set to overhaul facilities in all primary and secondary health centres across the state.

    It said this is to reduce current pressure on the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado Ekiti, capital of the state.

    Specifically, according to the Special Adviser/Director General, Bureau of Special Projects, Mr. Bayo Kelekun, this move will “involve equipping the health centres as well as general and specialist hospitals across the state with modern medical facilities.”

    Kelekun explained the project will be executed by the state government under the second phase of Operation Renovate All secondary Schools (ORASE) through which well over a hundred schools had been renovated across the state.

    The Special Assistant, Media and Publicity of the Bureau, Mr. Dare Daramola, in a press release at the weekend, said the move was to “ensure that all Ekiti indigenes, regardless of where they live, have access to quality health services.”

    Noting the centrality of the health sector to general well-being of the citizenry, Daramola stated that government has made “landmark achievement at EKSUTH with the construction of a “state of the art Accident and Emergency Unit and the renovation of the Male Surgical Ward.”

    He noted further that the “newly introduced Ambulance and Emergency Services in the state alongside complementary purchase and donation of eight modern ambulances with Intensive Care accessories will desirably complement health care delivery at the grassroots level.”

    He observed that the proposed project will also add value to the Social Security Scheme for the elderly, a project that ensures a monthly stipend of N5,000 to every elderly and indigent individual above 65 .

    He added that the Social security scheme has made it possible for the state to be ranked first in terms of Life Expectancy in the country.