The Nation Newspaper

Category: Uncategorized

  • What does govt do with all those reports?

    Competitions, examinations, surveys and the like generate so much data that should give education policy makers direction on where to concentrate their efforts, what to change, what is working and what is not. However, considering that the same problems keep recurring, it simply means reports that reflect the true state of affairs in the education sector are left to gather dust – their recommendations ignored.

    Every year – at least for the past four-five years – when the West African Examination Council (WAEC) announces that only about 23 per cent make five O Level credits in its Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) including English and Mathematics, we all scream, keep quiet and nothing changes.

    The National Secondary School Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) organised by Promasidor, makers of Cowbell milk is popular with secondary schools across the country – with about 16,000 pupils participating in 2008 and this year. What is more, the entire results from the first stage of the examination are published state by state on the organisation’s website. The results make for interesting analysis. Since schools select their best two math brain for the competition, it serves as a platform to know how good (or bad) our best mathematicians are at secondary school level. It throws up data on the states where pupils perform relatively well and those at the bottom of the ladder. It can help determine a national average, gender-based performance, public versus private school performance, highbrow versus middlebrow versus lowbrow school type performance and the like.

    With such data, government can plan. Do we need more mathematics teachers? Is the problem of non-performance that of poor infrastructure or under funding? What are some schools doing right? These are questions that immediately come to mind which when answered can make all the difference.

    It is not only Cowbell’s NASSMAC that we have in Nigeria. There are sciences Olympiads organised by the National Mathematical Centre, reading competitions, JETS competitions, visual arts competitions, choral, essay, quiz, debates, athletic meets and so on which can help us improve education service delivery.

    I met a top executive in an oil company who runs a foundation in his home state that rewards the best teachers in public secondary schools. Last year, during the first edition of the awards ceremony, he said 14 instead of 15 teachers were rewarded – three for each of the science subjects and English and Mathematics. The teacher who came third in Biology was dropped – because he scored 27 per cent in the final stage of the screening for the awards. What powerful information that singular data can produce. If a teacher scored 27 per cent, then what is he teaching his pupils? Let me leave you, dear reader, to come up with other questions.

    This top executive is also concerned that the initiative, which gives the winners opportunity to attend training programmes and conferences, could result in migration or poaching of the best teachers from the public schools by private schools if the government does nothing to retain them.

    Usually, those in government are aware of these important pieces of information but too often ignore their implications on the well being of the sector. When pupils represent a state on the national/international stage and win laurels, governments will blow their trumpets, claiming the glory – even when most times these representatives are from the private schools. Do you not think that a serious government should have an annual performance sheet where it compares how pupils from private and public school perform at competitions so it can take necessary action?

    When I read foreign newspapers from the UK, I see results of government-sponsored studies published on regular basis. These studies are conducted by scholars to help the government know the implications of its actions and inactions. Theirs is a society that takes empirical research seriously. They do not just assume. They gather and work with information that can be verified. With such information, they are able to take decisions and plan for the long term.

    I don’t know how much research various governments sponsor in Nigeria. But even those that are thrown up as secondary data as a result of other activities are not really utilised. In our clime, government sets up committees a lot. However, reports of these committees sent on fact-finding mission – sometimes on problems that have been examined over and over again – end up being ignored.

    First published August 27, 2009

  • Bad Wednesday as rains pound Anambra, Delta

    Bad Wednesday as rains pound Anambra, Delta

    YEARS flowed yesterday at Nzam, Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State. So was also the fate of hundreds of communities on the bank of River Niger in Delta State. Reason: They were sacked by the flood that is ravaging the country.

    The Nzam Police Station, the house of the traditional ruler of Ukwalla community and the headquarters of the Local Government Area of Nzam  have all been submerged.

    The Anambra West council transition chairman, Chief Augustine Chukwurah, his deputy, Godwin Onyeaka and all the workers have all relocated to Awka and other areas close to Onitsha.

    Over 16 police officers, including the new Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and nurses at Nzam hospital were trapped and awaiting rescuers.

    Domestic animals, such as goat sheep and chicken in the 10 communities that make up Anambra West have been swept away.

    Chukwurah, who took The Nation on a three-hour tour of the flooded area by a speed boat, said the lives of residents were endangered.

    According to him, the last time such floods were recorded was in 1969. He said the problem had gone beyond Governor Peter Obi, who visited the area recently.

    Though no life had been lost so far, the devastation is great.

    Chukwurah said his office and workers had moved over to Umueze Anam sub-treasury office in Anambra East Local Government Area.

    The Ukwalla royal father, Igwe Joseph Agudu (the Igashi I), was speechless as the flood has taken over his entire kingdom. Members of his family have been sacked from the palace.

    They have relocated to a safer haven in Awka, the state capital, just as other households.

    Lamenting that all the buildings in his community had been submerged, he appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene urgently.

    His words: “Our governor, Mr. Peter Obi is incapacitated because this natural disaster is beyond his capability. We can only get remedy from the Federal Government and international donor agencies.”

    Obi’s aide on Special Duties, Tony Nwabunwanne, confirmed the evacuation of residents to avoid loss of lives.

    He said: “We are worst than Haiti. This area is now hopeless, this problem has gone beyond our governor, who before now, had done enough regarding this flood, the only difference between us and Kogi State is that lives had been lost there”.

    “The state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had equally visited without any solution yet. My people are in danger.”

    Mr Gabriel Obiorah and Mrs Okwuchukwu Chinwuba, both peasant farmers in Anambra West council area, were all tears, having lost all to the flood.

    In Delta, the government yesterday began to evacuate the displaced residents to public schools. Deputy Governor Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN, who is chairman of the State Government’s Special Emergency Committee on Flood Disaster Management, described the disaster as overwhelming and called for the intervention of federal agencies.

    Communities in over seven local government areas of the state, including Oshimili North, Oshimili South, Ndokwa East, Ughelli South, Bomadi, Burutu, Isoko South have been sacked by the flood, Utuama said.

    He listed the affected communities as: Asaba, the State capital, Anwai, Illah, Okwagbe, Uzere, Aviara, Abari, Burutu, Bomadi, Okpai, Aboh, Abala- Oshimili, Abala-Uno, Oko.

    But the Utuama committee rose to tackle the flood by  relocating some displaced people around Asaba to the St. Patrick’s College, where they are being accommodated  and provided with food and other basic items.

    Utuama, whose committee has been going round the affected communities, described the disaster as overwhelming and beyond the capacity of the state government.

    Utuama called on the Federal Government and its relevant agencies to come to the aid of the state government in providing immediate, medium and long term solution.

    The warning that the worst is yet to come was served yesterday by the Director-General, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Dr. Anthony Anuforom.

    Anuforum said the rain, as it subsides, may be accompanied with violent wind.

    According to him, as the new season approaches, Nigerians should be expectant and careful of the strong wind.

    Speaking at a media parley yesterday in Abuja on the recent flooding across the country, he said: “We are transiting now from the raining season to the dry season. I can tell you that the kind of thing we should expect is that as the rain is rescinding, it will come with violent wind. It may come with violent wind in some areas. So, I will advice that people should watch out.

    “When that happens, people should avoid staying under trees or electric poles and so on because the wind may be so violent that they may be pulled down.”

    The NIMET chief stated that the rain may start decreasing from October 15 to December in places such as Kano, Katsina and Maiduguri in Yenagoa, Port Harcourt and Calabar.

    The House of Representatives has backed the Senate in requesting President Goodluck Jonathan to present a supplementary budget to address the ravaging flood in parts of true country.

    The lawmakers in their resolution advocated for the input of the Ecological Fund to mitigate the effects of the disaster.

    The Fund that has been on first line charge since  inception in 1981 has received one percent of the Federation Account before it  was reviewed upwards to two percent in 1992.

    While the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal descried the fund as ‘a mystery fund’, Chairman Committee on Environment, Uche Ekwunife (Anambra, APGA) disclosed the inability of her committee to get details of the fund from the Presidency.

    She said after a year, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) has refused to furnish her committee with the financial statement of the Fund that ought to have aided the on-going investigation of the fund by the Committee.

    Ekwunife added: ”The Ecological Fund has become a contentious issue in this country as it stands, it is solely at the discretion of Mr President on how the Fund is used”.

    The Deputy Majority Leader, Leo Ogor (Delta, PDP) wondered when the fund would impact on the lives of Nigerians when it could not be useful in mitigating effects of natural disasters.

  • Esso Trains 51 Geosciences lecturers

    Fifty one Geosciences lecturers drawn from selected universities across the country have undergone a five-day training workshop to give them requisite skill in the use of Petrel workstations for geosciences interpretation.

    The programme is sponsored by Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL), an ExxonMobil affiliate in Nigeria, in conjunction with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Schlumberger.

    The training is a part of Esso’s University Assistance Programme (UAP) designed to improve the learning and quality of Geosciences education in universities by providing them with world-class tools being used in the petroleum industry for the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas.

    Speaking during the opening ceremony of the workshop in Lagos, Andrew Ejayeriese, the General Manager, Operations Technical Geoscience, EEPNL, represented by Goodluck Adagbasa, Manager Operation Technical Geoscience – Deepwater, EEPNL said the desire to improve the quality of graduates coming out of the country’s universities was the driving force for the programme.

    He said a total of 17 universities have benefitted from the training since inception, adding that this year’s beneficiary universities include the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), University of Ilorin, University of Nigeria Nsukka, University of Port Harcourt and Niger Delta University, Yenagoa.

    Three lecturers from each of the universities participated in the training. Lecturers from the other 12 benefitting Universities would over the next few weeks undergo the same training.

    In addition to the training, Esso will also donate four Petrel Workstations to each of the benefitting schools. In his remarks, Ayodele Fasakin, Head Operations, Schlumberger Information Solutions, Nigeria and Gulf of Guinea, said Schlumberger has contributed substantially to the UAP project with the donation of all the software, licenses and training demos to all the benefitting institutions.

    Doctor Alexander Opara of FUTO, on behalf of the lecturers, thanked the sponsors for the opportunity to develop capacity in the geosciences discipline in universities across the country through the scheme.

    The UAP initiative started in 2006 with the construction of mini-workrooms equipped with interpretation dock stations, discussion tables with six revolving chairs, manager’s desk, a writing board and interpretation workstations in geosciences departments of benefiting universities.

  • CJN swears in two Supreme Court Justices

    CJN swears in two Supreme Court Justices

    The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alloma Mariam-Mukhtar yesterday swore in two Justices of the Supreme Court advising them to discharge their duties without fear or favour.

    They are Justices Kumai Bayang Akaahs and Stanley Shenko Alagoa.

    Justice Akaahs chaired the last Presidential Election Petition Tribunal after the suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami.

    He presided over the case between the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) against President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which validated Jonathan’s victory in the 2011 poll.

    Justice Mukhtar urged them to exhibit the highest level of decorum, integrity, independence, intelligence, wisdom, impartiality and temperament in the discharge of their duties.

    “We have taken off on the threshold of a viable judiciary that will command public confidence,” she declared and implored the newly elevated Justices to be faithful to their oath of office and observe the code of conduct for judicial officers.

    The CJN reiterated her commitment to building a strong, virile and progressive nation on the principles of rule of law, justice and fair play.

    According to her, the two new Justices have exhibited the true qualities of a judicial officer, competent in skills and intellect and therefore worthy of elevation to the apex court.

    There are now 17 Justices at the Supreme Court.

  • PHCN: FirstBank, Otedola, IBB, Elumelu bid $1.11b

    PHCN: FirstBank, Otedola, IBB, Elumelu bid $1.11b

    Berger, Nestoil, others among successful bidders 

    A MAJOR step in the battle for stable electricity was taken yesterday.

    Construction giant Julius Berger, First Bank, Transcorp and Forte Oil, owned by businessman Femi Otedola, are among the consortia of companies named as successful bidders for the unbundled Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) generation firms.

    Five of the six generation companies were put up for the bid. The sixth – Afam Generation Company – was excluded because non of the three companies that submitted bids for it was qualified.

    The six generation companies are part of the 18 firms in the unbundled PHCN – the power behomoth that has failed to take this country out of darkness.

    National Council on Privatisation (NCP) chair Mr. Atedo Peterside announced the result.

    The companies are located in Geregu, Ughelli, Sapele, Shiroro and Kainji.

    The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) named a consortium, which includes Transcorp Nigeria Plc, as the highest bidder for the Ughelli Power Plc, with an offer of $300 million.

    The consortium of Transcorp and Wood Rock/Symbion Power/Medea/PSL/Thomasen emerged as the preferred bidder over Amperion Power Distribution Ltd and Feniks Electricity.

    Amperion, a consortium, which includes Forte Oil Plc, a petrol marketing firm with majority shares owned by Otedola, offered $252 million to emerge as reserve bidder.

    Symbion Power is a United States (U.S) electricity company, Medea is a Luxemburg-based engineering firm. PSL is an indigenous firm and Thomassen Services, an Oman engineering company.

    For Geregu Power Plant, a group known as Amperion Power Distribution Ltd, which includes Forte Oil Plc, won with a bid of 132 million.

    Other partners in Amperion include Guernsey, a company located in a United Kingdom (UK) protectorate in Europe and Shanghai Municipal Electric Power of China.

    For Sapele Power Plc, CMEC/Eurafric Energy JV, a consortium, which includes financial giant FirstBank Nigeria Plc, won the bid with an offer of $201 million.

    The reserved bidder for Sapele is a group comprising Julius Berger Nigeria, which offered $106.5 million above the reserve price of $106 million.

    North-South Power Company Ltd, with former Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida as a promoter, Niger State government as a stakeholder, won the bid for Shiroro Power Plant, offering $23.6 million.

    Other core investors in the company include indigenous firms XS Energy Ltd, BP Investment Ltd, Urban Shelter Ltd and Road Nigeria Plc.

    The “Shiroro Group’’ also has China International Water Electric and China Three Gorges Corporation, an electric power utility company.

    For Kainji, Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd, a consortium which includes businessman Col. Sani Bello, and NIGELEC, a Niger Republic registered company, is the preferred bidder, with an offer of $50.7 million.

    The companies offered a total $1.119billion for the five companies.

    The eight firms that qualified for the five companies are: Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited (Geregu), Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (Kainji), North-South Power Company Limited (Shiroro), Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited (Ughelli), Feniks Electricity Limited (Ughelli), Transcorp & Woodrock/ Symbion/ Medea/ PSL/ Thomassen (Ughelli), CMEC/Eurafric Energy JV (Sapele) and JBN-Nestoil Power Services Limited (Sapele).

    The NCP reminded Amperion Power Distribution Limited that the rules allow it to win only one generation company.

    Peterside said: “Out of the 23 bids that made it to the evaluation stage, 10 failed the first test of completeness and responsiveness. The remaining 13 bids were then subjected to full technical evaluation. Out of the 13 bids, eight scored the minimum of 75 per cent that was required to progress to the next stage. The bidders that scored 75 per cent and above were asked to submit the post-qualification bidders’ guarantee, following the approval of the evaluation results by NCP.

    “Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) also observed the entire process from bid submission to the conclusion of evaluation. They were, therefore, witnesses to the fact that all late-comers were turned back.”

    The NCP chairman said there was no controversy over the sale of generation plants located in Kainji and Shiroro in Kwara and Niger states.

    “Kainji and Shiroro are hydro assets; you cannot sell River Niger and you can only give a consensus to the people utilising it. So there is no controversy over the issue of hydro plants,” he said.

    Mr Obinna Okudo, Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp, told reporters that his company would “deliver optimum services to Nigerians.’’

    “We are going to let Nigerians know that a Nigerian company can lead a foremost Nigerian sector (electricity),’’ he said shortly after his company was announced as the preferred bidder for Ughelli.

    Director-General Bolanle Onagoruwa assured investors of NCP’s commitment to international best practice in the sale of the 17 PHCN successor companies.

    Onagoruwa said: “We wish to reaffirm that the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) will continue to ensure that electricity sector privatisation transactions are completed to the best of internationally accepted standards.

    “We have come so far and achieved so much since mid-2010 when this administration restarted the electricity sector reform programme.

    “With your support and with the strong desire to serve our patient and long-suffering citizens of Nigeria, we will continue to strive to achieve even more and ultimately succeed.’’

     

  • Excess Crude Account: States demand shares in NIPP, others

    Excess Crude Account: States demand shares in NIPP, others

    •Supreme Court gives Nov. 21 deadline

    There is a twist to the suit filed by the 36 states against the Federal Government over the legality of the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

    Although it was for hearing yesterday, the matter could no go on because the parties were yet to settle.

    The states have tabled fresh demands before the Federal Government as part of conditions for an amicable settlement.

    Federal Government counsel Austin Alegeh (SAN) said the fresh demands were received last Thursday.

    He told the panel of seven justices, chaired by Justice, Christopher Chukwuma-Eneh, that the Federal Government was committed to an amicable settlement.

    “Happily, the settlement has been ongoing and we are achieving results. On Thursday, we received new proposed settlement from the plaintiff. The defendant is reviewing it and we will shortly revert to the plaintiffs in respect thereof. We believe now more than ever before that the settlement move seems to be yielding results.”

    The Plaintiffs’ lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), promised to embrace settlement, if there is genuine commitment by the Defendant.

    Consequently, the panel adjourned till November 22 for report of settlement or the taking of all motions.

    According to the Terms of Settlement, the states are asking the Federal Government to first admit that the establishment and operation of and its unilateral deductions from the Ecxess Crude Account during the 2004 -2007 were inconsistent with the provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

    They also asked that the Federal Government should undertake and agree that, forthwith upon the execution of this Terms of Settlement, it shall cause all sums standing to the credit of the Excess Crude Account to be transferred to the Federation Account and distributed, within 10 working days from the execution of this Terms of Settlement, among the beneficiaries of the Federation Account, i.e the Federal Government, State Governments and Local Government Councils.

    Besides, they are asking the Federal Government to bear the legal costs and the professional fees of the lawyers for all the parties. This sum is to be paid within seven days of the execution of the Terms of Settlement, directly to the Plaintiff’s lead counsel.

    The states are demanding equitable shares corresponding to each state and local government council monetary values in the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), Railway Modernisation Deductions and Ibom Power Plant Project Deductions.

    To start with, they want all the assets, including contracts of the NIPP which was paid for using about $8.425 billion “from the Federation Account to be clearly identified, inventoried and valued by a competent and reputable Nigerian accounting firm.

    Besides, they said the Federal Government should cause a company, whose sole object shall be to takeover and operate the assets and undertaking of the NIPP, to be incorporated as a limited liability company under the Companies and Allied Matters Cap C20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 with a share capital in a sum equivalent to the value of assets and undertaking of the NIPP as valued

    •That cause the share capital of the company incorporated is to be issued and allotted among the Federal Government, each State Government and each Local Government Council in proportion to their respective share of the US$8.425 billion from the Federation Account used to purchase and/or acquire the NIPP assets;

    •cause the inventoried and valued assets of the NIPP to be transferred to the company formed in pursuance of sub-clause 2.3.2 above, as payment, on its own behalf and on behalf of each State Government and Local Government Council, for the shares issued and allotted in pursuance of sub-clause 2.3.3 above, and procure the company to issue share certificates in accordance with the allotment;

    •enter into a shareholders’ agreement among the shareholders of the company incorporated , which will govern the rights and obligations of shareholders of the company in relation to the management and control of the company; and

    •waive and/or procure the waiver of the payment of any stamp duties, registration fees or other fees howsoever described relating to the incorporation of the company required to be incorporated.

    The states also stated the above conditions for the Railway Modernisation Project (RMP), which was paid using about $250 million from the Federation Account.

    For the Ibom Power Plant Project deductions, the plaintiffs demand that the Federal Government should

    •transfer to each State Government and each Local Government Council, such part of its shares or equity stake in the project vehicle for the Ibom Power Plant Project as is equivalent to the respective share of each State Government and Local Government Council in the US$80 million sourced from the Federation Account to pay for the said shares or equity stake;

    * procure the issuance of share certificates evidencing the holding of each State Government and each Local Government Council in the project vehicle for the Ibom Power Plant Project in pursuance of the transfer; and

    *forthwith upon the execution of this Terms of Settlement, cause any dividend which has accrued as at the date of this Terms of Settlement from its shares or equity stake in the lbom Power Plant Project to be paid to the Federation Account and distributed among the beneficiaries of the Federation Account, that is, the Federal Government, State Governments and Local Goverrunent Councils.

    Signature Bonus

    The Plaintiffs are asking the Federal Government to accept that notwithstanding the provisions of the Petroleum Act Capt P 10 LFN 2004 and the Petroleum Trust Development Fund Act Cap. P 15 LfiV 2004, its fiscal practice of paying revenue derived from signature bonus into accounts other than the Federation Account is inconsistent with the provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

    They also encourage the Federal Government to within 30 days of the execution of this Terms of Settlement propose legislation and introduce a Bill into the National Assembly to bring such of the provisions of the Petroleum Act Capt Pl0 LFN 2004 and the Petroleum Trust Development Fund Act Cap. P 15 LFN 2004 that are inconsistent with the provisions of Section 62 of the 1999 Constitution into conformity with the said provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

    *the FGN shall, forthwith upon the execution of this Terms of Settlement, cause to be ascertained with exactitude the amount standing to the credit of Petroleum Trust Development Fund, and cause same (if any) to be paid into the Federation Account.

    *The Plaintiff agrees and undertakes to negotiate in good faith with the FGN on developing and agreeing a joint Federal Government, State Governments and Local Government Councils framework for the future funding oftbe Petroleum Trust Development Fund.

    Dividends from NLNG Limited

    The Plaintiffs are asking the FGN to recognise that its fiscal practice of paying revenue derived from dividends derived from its interest, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the capital of NLNG, Limited is inconsistent with the provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

    *with effect from the date of execution of this Terms of Settlement, the FGN shall henceforth pay all revenues which accrues from dividends derived from NLNG Limited into the Federation Account for distribution among the beneficiaries of the Federation Account in strict accordance with the Constitution.

    The states left discussion on the Proceeds of Sale of Government and Education Tax open to further negotiation with a clause that after six months of the execution of terms, either party could approach the Supreme Court for adjudication, if Parties have still not reached agreement.

    The states support, in principle,”cost of collection” and concede that by virtue of the provisions of Section 165 199 CF’RN, they have an obligation to pay to the FGN an amount equal to such part of the expenditure incurred by the FGN during each financial year for the collection of taxes or duties as is proportionate to the share of the proceeds of those taxes or duties it receives in respect of that financial year, subject however to certification by the Auditor General for the Federation in accordance with Section 168 of the 1999 CFRN.

    They waive all claims in respect of monies already ceded to FIRS and NCS as cost of collection which have already been expended by FIRS and NCS as at the date of this Terms of Settlement.

    They in return ask that the FGN waives any and all claims as it relates to any obligation to make payment to it under Section 165 1999 Cf”’RN for any financial year preceding and up to the date of this Terms of Settlement.

    The Plaintiffs undertake that consistent with

    Section 168 of the 1999 Constitution, they shall each pay to the FGN on a monthly basis and at the end of every month, an amount equal to one twelfth (1/12) of such part of the expenditure budgeted by the FGN for the collection of taxes or duties for the FIRS and NCS in the Appropriation Act, as is proportionate to their respective share in the budgeted proceeds of those taxes or duties.

    *That the Parties agree that theFGN shall, without notice be entitled to set-off the any sum due to each State Government and the Local Government Councils from the Federation Account or which may otherwise be in its custody, in satisfaction of the payment obligation

    *that Notwithstanding any thing to the contrary in this Terms of Settlement, the amount to be incurred by the FGN as cost for the collection of taxes and duties in any financial year shall not exceed the aggregate amount appropriated for the funding of the FIRS and NCS in the Appropriation Act for that financial year.

    *The FGN shall cause provisions to be made for the funding of the FIRS and NCS in the Appropriation Act.

    * funding level to be provided in the Appropriation Act for the FIRS shall be a percentage of budgeted non-oil taxes while that of the NCS shall be a percentage of the budgeted customs and excise duties collections.

    Provided always that the funding percentages for both the FIRS and the

    NCS shall be determined on a yearly basis by the Federal Government in full consultation with all State Governments.

    *Any funds appropriated for the FIRS and NCS which remains unspent as at 31st December of any financial year shall be paid over to the Federation Account at the end of every financial year.

    Waivers and Concessions

    *The Parties agree that tax expenditure in the nature of waivers and concessions are necessary for the growth of the national economy.

    *The FGN shall at all times ensure that tax expenditure in the nature of waivers and concessions are channelled to critical sectors of the national economy with a view to stimulate economic growth and development.

    *The FGN shall prepare and introduce into the National Assembly a Bill to regulate the grant of waivers and concessions and to guide and streamline the-exercise of discretion in granting waivers and concessions.

    Other Dividends and Internally-Generated Revenue

    *The FGN recognises that in pursuance of Section 162(1) 1999 CFRN, revenues from dividends in respect of shares or interests held by the FGN in any company or statutory corporation are to be paid into the Federation ACCOlmt.

    *The FGN shall with effect from the execution of this Terms of Settlement pay and/or cause to be paid all revenues which accrues, subsequent to the execution of this Terms of Settlement, from dividends in respect of shares or interests held by the FGN in any company or statutory corporation into the Federation Account for distribution among the beneficiaries of the Federation Account in accordance with the provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

    *The FGN shall, forthwith upon the execution of this Terms of Settlement, cause revenues from dividends in respect of shares or interests held by the FGN in any company or statutory corporation which accrued for the period 2004 to 2007, amounting to N573 billion to be paid into the Federation Account and distributed, within five (5) working days from the execution of this Terms of Settlement, among the beneficiaries of the Federation Account, that is, the Federal Government, State Governments and Local Government Councils.

    *The FGN shall pay the sum of N6. 79 billion representing the share of Bayelsa State Government and the aggregate of the Local Government Councils in Bayelsa State in the revenues from dividends in respect of shares or interests held by the FGN in any company or statutory corporation which accrued for the period 2004 to 2007 to Bayelsa State Government within five (5) working days from the execution of this Terms of Settlement.

    Interest:

    *The Parties agree that any interest earned on any sums previously held by the FGN which by this agreement is to be paid into the Federation Account shall also be paid into the Federation Account by the FGN.

    The Plaintiffs waive all claims to interest, save interest actually earned.

     

  • Senate seeks supplementary budget to tackle flood

    Senate seeks supplementary budget to tackle flood

    The Senate yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to submit a supplementary budget to address the immediate needs of victims of flooding in parts of the country.

    This followed the adoption of a motion entitled: “The menace of flooding in Nigeria.”

    The motion was sponsored by Senator Danlandi Sankara (Jigawa North-West) and 27 others.

    The senators urged the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to “take steps to de-silt waterways and tributaries which are silted and taken over by shrubs to allow for channels and easy flow of water to contain the ravaging flood.”

    They enjoined the “Federal Government in collaboration with other relevant agencies to initiate proactive and preventive measures to guard against future recurrence of flood disasters in the country.”

    In his lead debate, Senator Sankara urged the Senate to note that flood has ravaged many states especially those states along the River Niger, River Benue, the Cross River, the Gongola River, the Iyere River and their tributaries.

    The Jigawa Senator also urged the lawmakers to take cognizance of the fact that a lot of people have died since mid-July due to the heavy downpour, while property worth billions of naira were washed away by the floods.

    He noted that thousands of houses have collapsed as a result of the heavy rains, especially in rural areas, across the country.

    He said he was alarmed that in Jigawa State, about 70 per cent of the houses in various communities have collapsed while others were submerged by flood.

    Senate President David Mark lamented a situation where there is no Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to respond to emergencies in Nigeria.

    Mark said the flooding is a clear demonstration that the country is totally unprepared to tackle any natural disaster like earthquake if it does occur in Nigeria.

    He said: “We don’t have a standard operating procedure in this country and again the rehearsal that they were going to do sometimes in Port Harcourt that became a disaster is just a typical example of how unprepared we are.

    “What has happened now shows our level of unpreparedness for any natural disaster.

    “If there is earthquake, God forbid, in this country tomorrow so many people will be dead.

    “The reaction is bad. The reaction time is not there. The response capacity is not there and we will not know what to do.”

    The Senate President noted that the rains have been excessive, but said the relevant agencies ought to have anticipated and prepared.

    Senate Minority Leader George Akume (Benue North West) noted that the flood in Benue State was unprecedented and devastating.

    He said that was the first time he ever witnessed the volume of water from River Benue.

    He lamented that River Benue has not been dredged for the last 40 years and appealed to the Federal Government to dredge River Benue to prevent future occurrence of the kind of disaster witnessed.

    He suggested that there might be need for Nigeria and Cameroon to collaborate to use the Cameroonian dam for the mutual benefit of both countries.

    Senator Gbenga Ashafa noted that last year, there was heavy flood that affected Lagos and Oyo state.

    He said Nigerians must begin to appreciate the fact that what happens in one part of the country affects other parts.

    Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West) said the flood in Kogi State has not happened in the last 50 years.

    He said that nine local governments in the state have been submerged while about 9.5 million people were affected by the flood.

     

  • The eight top bidders

    Feniks Electricity (Ughelli), an Israeli registered company. It is into energy, real estate, media and hotels;

    •IPP Energy Limited from Canada and Nigeria Power engineering; Plethora Gas & Power Limited Nigeria Power and Gas, Israel Electric Corporation, Israel Power generation, distribution & transmission, Atlantic Projects Company Inc USA & Ireland

    •Transcorp and Wood Rock/ Symbion/ Medea/ Thomasen PSL Power (Ughelli), includes Transnational Corporation of Nigeria PLC (Transcorp), a Nigerian diversified conglomerate quoted on the Nigeria Stock Exchange with strategic investments and core interests in energy, hospitality and agri-business sectors.

    •Symbion Power LLC USA into electricity infrastructure construction, specialising in turn-key electric power systems. Medea Development S.A. Luxemburg, which is into engineering and projects development services for oil and gas and power companies. PSL Engineering and Control Nigeria an engineering and systems control company for various sectors, including power, oil and gas and manufacturing.

    •Thomassen Services and Contracting Company is into engineering, procurement and construction of power plants.

    Amperion ( Ughelli and Geregu), Forte Oil Plc Nigeria and BSG Power Limited.

    •Guernsey BSG Power Limited, a subsidiary of BSG Resources Limited, is an investment firm in power and renewable energy projects. Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company Limited/ SGCC of China, is into electric power generation, transmission and distribution, electricity sales, power grid planning and construction.

    •CMEC/Eurafric Energy (Sapele). China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) is the Chinese company, which is building the Phase 2 of Omotosho Power Plant. It is into Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), operations and maintenance, contract services, mining, power, real estate and international trade. Eurafric Energy Limited is a Nigerian EPC contractor in power transmission and distribution projects, oil and gas development and aviation. British Power International of United Kingdom is into power sector consultancy and technical advisory services. First Bank Plc, which is part of the consortium, is a leading Nigerian bank that is into project financing and corporate and commercial banking. Aelex Solicitors and Arbitrators is a Nigerian company that is into legal advisory services, especially energy.

    •JBN-Nestoil Power Services L imited (Sapele). Nestoil Plc is a Nigerian energy and associated infrastructure engineering and services provider owned by Mr. Ernest Azudialu. The company bidded through its subsidiary, Century Power Generation. Julius Berger Investment Limited, a German company, is also part of the consortium, is a construction and engineering company. Babcock Borsig Steinmuller (BBS) of Germany is a power generation EPC firm. Steag Energy Services of Germany owns and operates a power plant as an independent power producer. Quantum Power of Israel is also a power generation plant owner and operator. Harith Fund is a South African investment fund organisation.

    •Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (Kainji) includes RusHydro International and RusHydro JSC from Russian Federation. It is Hydro-power generation company. Other owners of the consortium include Col. Sani Bello, a Nigerian businessman, Amni International Petroleum Development Company Limited, a Nigerian oil and gas exploration and production company owned by Chief Tunde Afolabi NIGELEC, a Nigerien power generation, transmission and distribution company, Paqua Energy Limited, a Nigerian special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by engineering and technical services firms, Confluence Cable Network Limited, a Nigerian communications firm, Crust Energy Nigeria Power, Oil and Gas, TAK Nigeria Chemical and Fertilizer Trading Company, Anchorage Holdings Nigeria, which is into real estate development, and All Stream Energy Solutions Nigeria, a Kaduna-based energy sector service company.

    •North-South Power Company Limited (Shiroro) owners include XS Energy Limited, a Nigerian electric power generation company, BP Investment Limited, a Nigerian infrastructure investment and civil works firm, Urban Shelter Limited, a Nigerian infrastructure development and management company and Transatlantic Development and Investment Company, a United States’ hydro electric power investment company. Others are: China International Water Electric, which is into construction and management of dams, hydroelectric power stations, China Three Gorges Corporation, an electric power utility company, Niger State Government and Roads Nigeria Plc, a Nigerian construction and civil engineering firm.

     

  • Boko Haram must be fought, says Soyinka

    Boko Haram must be fought, says Soyinka

    Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka is against dialogue between the Federal Government and the fundamentalist sect Boko Haram.

    “This is a violent organization. What do you do with them? I’m sorry but you must fight them,” Soyinka said.

    The 1986 Nobel Prize winner in Literature spoke to IPS during a visit to the United Nations on the International Day of Peace.

    The International Day of Peace was celebrated on September 21with a debate about how to build a global culture of tolerance. Among the participants were superstar actor Forest Whitaker, economist Jeffrey Sachs and Soyinka.

    After his speech, Soyinka spoke to IPS about the situation Nigeria, where Boko Haram has been responsible for thousands of deaths and the bombings of many churches, the Police Headquarters and the UN office in Abuja.

    Boko Haram (western education is a sin) is seeking to establish sharia law in the country.

    “We have an organisation which closes down schools, shoots faculty teachers, knocks out children and turns most of the north into an educational wasteland. How can we reach the children there? We must first get rid of Boko Haram,” Soyinka said.

    “We have a contradiction,” he acknowledged. “How do we get rid of Boko Haram? Violence must become involved. That is a dilemma.”

    Calling for armed intervention on Peace Day may certainly seem like a paradox. But Soyinka’s call for attacking Boko Haram to stop the group’s attacks on schools made more sense after the debate, where speaker after speaker highlighted the importance of education to enable a global culture of peace to grow.

     

    As stipulated in the 1999 Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, the United Nations’ primary goal is to “create and maintain world peace” through economic, social and political agreements, and in the worst cases through military intervention.

    For such a framework to succeed, a foundation of peace and a culture of tolerance must to be built. A cornerstone in building this culture is inculcating respect for others in children.

    “The real weapon of mass destruction is ignorance,” said British-Iranian philanthropist Nasser David Khalili, one of the speakers during the event to emphasise the importance of schooling, building a culture of peace. “The solution must be education.”

    Sachs, a professor of sustainable development at Columbia University, said: “As an economist it strikes me… how hunger and poverty are incendiary parts of war.”

    He added: In the Sahel region of Mali this summer, for example, a famine sparked conflict between nomads and farmers over access to water.”

    Sachs drew attention to the fact that critical issues, such as these, receive too little attention, describing the great frustration he felt as he failed to raise money from the World Bank on behalf of Mali. “Shout Al-Qaeda, and you get millions for missiles. But try to do something preventive, and you do not get anything.”

    He urged global leaders to invest in “development rather than military”. Globally, “we are spending more than 10 times more on the military than we do on development,” Sachs said. “In the U.S., the rate is 30 to one.”

     

  • 2015: Let Igbo produce President, say Southeast leaders

    Leaders of various Igbo communities in the Diaspora have urged Nigerians to support the agitation of the Southeast to produce the President in 2015.

    The Igbo leaders, acting under the umbrella of the Association of Ndiezendigbo in the Diaspora, in a communique at the end of their meeting in Ibadan, lamented that the Southeast is the only region yet to produce a President.

    The communique , signed by Eze Hycinth Omeroha Ohazuruke; the Ezendigbo of Lagos State and National President of the association, raised fresh issues on the purported support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid by some Southeast groups.

    The Igbo leaders maintained that in the interest of justice and equity, an Igbo should be voted President in 2015.

    “The association is still hopeful that Nigerians will put their conscience in use in 2015 by supporting and electing an Igbo man to become the next President of the country, taking into consideration the fact that with all the contributions of Ndigbo to the development of Nigeria, no Igbo has been opportune to lead,” the communique reads.

    The Igbo leaders, however, praised the efforts of President Jonathan towards fixing bad federal roads in the Southeast and other parts of the country like the Lagos-Sagamu road, Ore-Benin road and Lagos-Ibadan road.

    They commended President Jonathan for listening to the voices of the Nigerian masses by reversing the plan to introduce the controversial N5,000 note.

    The association hailed Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi for the warm reception accorded its members, who visited the governor in the company of the General Secretary and Administrative Secretary of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, High Chief Nduka Eya and Mr. Ibeabuchi.

    “The association noticed the tremendous changes in the state in the area of development and cleanliness of Ibadan. The association admired the construction of a flyover bridge in the ever busy Mokola area,” the Igbo leaders said.