The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abuja

Discos get Friday deadline for submission of MDAs debt

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on Monday issued a deadline of February 28 to electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) for the submission of their Ministries, Department and Agencies debt, audited and management accounts.

The announcement was contained in a communique that was issued at the end of his 12th monthly meeting with operators at Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Olorunsogo Injection Substation Substation, Akanran, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Fashola, said the communique, chaired the meeting in which the Minister of State, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri was also present.

The meeting focused on identifying, discussing, and finding practical solutions to critical issues facing the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

The operators were fully represented at the highest executive management levels, including Commissioners of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Managing Directors and CEOs of Generating Companies (GenCos), Distribution Companies (DisCos), and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), as well as various government agencies such as the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET), Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO) and Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) responsible for the regulation and development of the electricity industry.

The meeting commiserated with the family of victims of electrical accidents and asked the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to monitor the resolution of these issues.

It also charged all DisCos to reinvigorate their efforts on the safety of their networks and facilities.

The communique said that the meeting reiterated that service delivery should remain a key focus of the industry, with enhanced efforts to engage community members in order to raise awareness and appreciation of work completed. It was resolved that a stronger effort to connect the host communities of power installations to power supply will be undertaken.

It raised issues about the negative impact of sabotage of gas pipelines, leading to a severe limitation in power generation and highlighted the efforts of the Acting President in engaging communities in the Niger Delta in an effort to address their concerns and therefore, bring a lasting solution to pipeline vandalism.

The meeting urged that key policy steps should be taken by the Federal Government to improve the stability of the sector with the inauguration of the new commissioners of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and the appointment of an interim Managing Director for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to reform the company for a more robust service to the industry.

It noted the steps taken to address the liquidity issues (currently limiting the functioning of the sector), through the work currently underway to identify, verify and pay MDA debts to DisCos, as well as gas debts and generation debts.

The noted that Abuja, Ikeja, Ibadan and Yola Electricity Distribution Company have complied with data requirements, and verification of their submission is underway on a first come first serve basis.

It added: “TCN announced that Osogbo – Ede line is fully completed, and is awaiting completion of the connected substation for energization. This substation is to be completed in 12 months. The MD, Transmission Services Provider (TSP) also noted the completion of a transformer project in New Bussa, and announced that the substation should be ready for energising in six weeks, following pre-commissioning tests. TCN also reported progress on the following projects in the host (IBEDC) region: Abeokuta-Igboora–Lanlate132KV DC Line, Odogunyan substation and transmission line, and transmission substation in Iseyin, as well as transmission projects in Ago-Iwoye, Benin-Akure, Gamo-Ogbomoso and Magboro, and the meeting charged them to expedite action towards completion and service delivery.

“The Market Operator (MO) noted that Eko DisCo showed the highestpayment performance to service providers, followed by Yola DisCo, and encouraged other operators to fulfil their obligation to the market.”

February 13, 2017
No electronic, diaspora voting in 2019 elections – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) on Monday ruled out electronic and diaspora voting in 2019 general elections.

The electoral umpire told the Senate that until the Constitution was amended and necessary logistics put in placed, the commission cannot delve into electronic and diaspora voting.

It said that electronic and diaspora voting do not only lack constitutional backing but were also expensive to execute.

The commission said that work was in progress to develop a strategic plan with a view to coming out with the financial requirements for the 2019 poll and other pending elections including the Anambra governorship election and Anambra Central Senatorial District by-election.

Prof. Mahmood

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, stated this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance to defend the commission’s 2017 budget.

The committee had demanded to know the preparedness of the commission ahead of the 2019 general elections.

A member of the committee, Senator Yakubu Abubakar, wanted to know if INEC would key into the reported breakthrough of by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, (NASENI), in the invention of electronic voting in the 2019 general election.

Professor Yakubu noted that since the news of the electronic voting machine invention came up, he had not been either formally or informally informed by NASENI.

The INEC boss said that even if he was formally informed, to adopt electronic voting in the election, the possibility would not be feasible because the device should be tested to certify the efficiency.

He added that the device should also be produced in large quantity to cover the country’s numerous polling units.

On whether INEC would incorporate diaspora voting in the election, the INEC boss answered in the negative.

He said that there was no provision for diaspora voting.

Yakubu noted that for INEC to adopt the system the constitution needed to be amended to give it legal backing.

He also said that the cost of running the method was very high.

The INEC boss said that adopting the method at this time of economic recession occasioned by the problem of currency exchange rates would deeply and negatively affect the country’s finances.

Yakubu noted that for the past three years, INEC’s annual budget had stood at N45 billion.

He said the commission was yet to know how much the 2019 general election would gulp.

The commission, he said, was already embarking on a strategic plan with a view to coming out with the actual financial figure the 2019 elections and others would cost the country.

He said that INEC’s purse had been deeply drained following “unscheduled elections” in the last one year caused mainly by deaths of 13 national and state assembly members.

He said, “For instance, in the last one year, we have conducted 13 unscheduled by-elections caused by deaths of some members of national and state assembly, meaning that on the average, a member of the national or state assembly dies every month. ”

Chairman of the committee, John Owan Enoh, explained that the purpose of the session was to avail federal government agencies that come under statutory transfer the opportunities of interacting with the committee on their revenue framework before approval for their various committees.

February 13, 2017
PDP not diminished by loss of power – Jonathan
- Anenih: Party plagued by selfish interests
The loss of power at the centre in the 2015 general election has not diminished the electoral value of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former President Goodluck Jonathan has said.

Jonathan, who stated this in Abuja while receiving a delegation of PDP chieftains at his private evidence, said the party would work hard to get back to power in 2019.

The former President harped on the need for the present administration to strengthen national institutions, stressing that the nation can only grow when the institutions are strengthened.

“No nation can grow with weakened institutions,” Jonathan said, adding that existing political parties also required reforms to strengthen their structures.

The former President buttressed his call for strong institutions with the case of the United States, where President Donald Trump’s travel ban on Muslims was upturned by the courts.

He assured the party chieftains of his willingness to make himself available for contributions towards rebuilding and repositioning the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Jonathan welcomed the idea of direct primaries to elect the party’s candidates for general elections, as enunciated by the party chieftains.

He, however, pointed out that direct primaries do present serious challenges, particularly with the number of voters involved. Rather, he canvassed enlarged and broad-based delegate system from the ward level.

Speaking at a separate venue, a former chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, blamed the sorry state of the PDP on the pursuit of selfish interests by chieftains of the party.

Anenih, who also received the party’s delegation at his private residence in Abuja regretted that the PDP had missed many opportunities to organise the party.

“Everybody wants to be national chairman, everybody wants to be the presidential candidate in the pursuit of personal interests and ambitions”, Anenih stated.

Chief Anenih faulted the decision of the party leaders to wait for the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the leadership tussle between the PDP Caretaker Committee and the Ali Modu Sheriff camp.

“Why must you wait for the Appeal Court to deliver judgment before you can organise yourselves as a party,” he queried, adding that the party should start its rebranding process right now.

According to him, many of the politicians that destroyed the PDP have now found themselves in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the APC only exists in the pages of newspapers.

“When things go a little bit wrong, the next thing they do is to move to another political party. I never believed leaving my political party to join another”, he said.

He advised the leadership of the PDP to strive hard to rebuild the party and make it strong enough to challenge the APC in the 2019 elections.

Anenih continued, “You need to build a strong PDP because the APC is nowhere today. It only exists in the pages of newspapers. We need a strong opposition and constructive criticism to move forward.

“The PDP has a chance to choose a leader that will lead the country when President Muhammadu Buhari finishes his tenure. God will help us to choose the leader that will lead Nigeria”.

The Edo-born politician who called it quit with active partisan politics late 2016, observed that the governors elected on the platform of the PDP were not doing enough to help the party.

He stressed the need for them to be making monthly financial contributions towards the running of the party, saying, “you can’t do anything without money”.

Chief Anenih enjoined the party leaders to strive ensure a credible convention to elect committed leaders to run the affairs of the party.

A former national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur who also received the delegation expressed delight that the PDP had kept faith with democracy.

He, however, observed that certain negative tendencies had continued to hinder the growth and progress of the PDP.

Tukur enjoined the party leaders to shun ethnicity and religious bigotry to able the PDP face the challenge of providing strong and credible front to win the 2019 general elections.

The leader of the delegation, Prof Jerry Gana, had earlier presented the report of the party’s Strategy Review and Inter-Party Relations Committee to the hosts during the visit.

He had expressed reservations about the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as it is presently constituted.

According to him, INEC aid being controlled by the APC led Federal Government, saying however that a summit of opposition parties was in the offing and that the issue of partisanship on the part of the INEC would be tacked at the summit.
February 13, 2017
Chibok community protest new Commanding Officer

Residents and leaders of Chibok community in southern Borno have protested the posting of Captain Adamu Usman as the Commanding Officer (CO) to the community.

In a statement issued on behalf of the community and signed by the Chibok Spokesman, Comrade Manasseh Allen, the residents accused the new CO of “unfriendly, unprofessional and brutish style of interaction with the local residents in Chibok.”

According to Allen, the Commanding Officer had been posted to Chibok before he was sent on a course while a new CO was posted to the community. However, Adamu has now been re-posted to Chibok with a new headquarters in Mount Kautikari, one of the largest villages in Chibok near Boko Haram terrorists crossing point.

The community also accused the CO of dividing Chibok along religious lines, canning young people and making them to kneel down facing the sun. The residents also said, the CO was high-handed and never welcomed any suggestion from the community.

Allen: “Having spent two years or so in Chibok, Captain Adamu Usman was sent on a course and the people felt great relief from his unfriendly, unprofessional and brutish style of interacting with locals in Chibok.

“Accused severally of divisive tendencies along religious lines, he once threatened to shoot us when IG Wala, Olatunji Lanre-Baruwa, Bukky Shonibare and I were on a humanitarian outing to Chibok. He kept us standing for hours, I begged him for 30 minutes to allow me see my sick Dad, and for the team to give relief materials to parents of the abducted school girls in Chibok. He also threatened to shoot on sight of Oby Ezekwesili for drawing too much attention on Chibok Girls.

“While on course, the people thought the end of the operational style of such an officer had come, great relief from such unfriendly officer was felt. The community, through its Chairman, made several reports to the District Head on the matter in writing aside several reports to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Shockingly, the same Captain Adamu has now been reposted to Chibok and moved to mount Kautikari, one of the largest Villages in Chibok near the Boko Haram terrorists (BHT) crossing point.”

Allen said the people of Chibok have cooperated fully with the military to bring lasting peace to the area but Captain Adamu’s posting to the area would reverse the gains made in recent times.

“Our people have been very cooperative working with the Military, but the likes of Capt. Adamu is not bringing any result as far as the war on terror and post-conflict confidence building is concerned. What is special about him that he should stay in Chibok for years when those on the ground are doing excellent work? Who is keen on getting him to remain in Chibok?

“The People of Chibok and entire neighbouring villages now live in constant fear of the Boko Haram Terrorists and Captain Adamu from the other side. We plead for an immediate return of the former Commanding Officer (CO) to Chibok, who worked day and night to secure Chibok and environs with serious coordination with his team and youth vigilantes,” Allen said.

February 13, 2017
A day at Abuja House, London

It used to be just one of the beautiful houses in the quiet neighbourhood. Black, glittering iron-rod gates, red bricks, trees and a green-white-green flag fluttering in the breeze.

Not anymore. Abuja House, the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom, is now famous – for housing a Very Important Personality (VIP), President Muhammadu Buhari.

Located in the posh Campden Hill area of the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in West London, Abuja House is one of the most prominent buildings on the street. Across the road is the home of the High Commissioner of South Africa to the UK.

This is where President Buhari has been spending his vacation. The President left the country after informing the National Assembly and transferring power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as acting president on January 19.

The announcement of the President’s vacation, which was initially for 10 days before it was extended last week, added that the President would take the advantage of his trip to do some medical checks.

That sparked speculations, especially in the social media, that the President was gravely ill and in the hospital.

The rumour won’t go away despite attempts to dispel it by presidential aides and the Federal Government. This, however, has turned out to be false.

Last week, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Interim Chairman of the party Chief Bisi Akande, visited the President at the Abuja House. The photograph of the visit, with the President beaming, was splashed on the front pages of many newspapers.

Yesterday, our London Bureau Chief met with the President’s cousin, Alhaji Mamman Daura, who visited the president.

At exactly 1.05 pm (London time), two young women believed to be President Buhari’s daughters were driven out of the Abuja House in a black Mercedes Benz car.The vehicle returned at 2.24 pm without its passengers.

At 1.20 pm, Daura arrived in a London black cab. He was with two others. Daura, who left at about 2.50 pm, declined comments when asked about how the President was getting on. He said; “I came here with Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) the other day, didn’t you see it?”

Shortly after, the serenity of the street was shattered (at about 3.30pm), when five officials – two contracted private security guards and three others, who appeared to be High Commission officials, and a personal aide to the president, came to ask why this reporter was “hanging around”.

He was threatened and told to go away to avoid police invitation. “You have to go away with this car from here. You cannot take any photograph here,” a guard said.

But this reporter declined because the United Kingdom law does not forbid parking on a public road and taking photographs of private properties from public view.

Four policemen later arrived at about 3.40 pm, using two vans and two motor bikes. The policemen were armed. The engagement between this reporter and the policemen turned into a friendly banter – to the embarrassment of the officials who received a lecture from the police that there was no offence in taking photographs of private properties and also parking on a public road where there is no double yellow line.

But the policemen told this reporter that high commissions get worried when unfamiliar people come around to take photographs and loiter.

According to them, the Saudi Embassy is particularly not inclined to people coming around it. “We do get regular calls like that,” one of the policemen said.

February 13, 2017
Dike Chukwumerije to excite Abuja with ‘Made in Nigeria’

Performance poet, Dike Chuwkumerije is set to excite Abuja audiences with ‘Made In Nigeria’ this Saturday, February 11, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

The show which is an artfully woven collection of 20 poems capturing 103 years of Nigerian history in 120 minutes was first performed in Abuja in September 2016 and then in Lagos at the MUSON Centre in December of the same year.

“Made in Nigeria is a fusion of different art forms into one performance,” said the poet.

“We are bringing to life, the history of Nigeria from the Amalgamation to the current day using poetry, dance and drama. Part of our aims is to re-awaken national consciousness as well as to bring intellectualism into poetry.”

More than a chronicle, ‘Made in Nigeria’ is a collection of human stories. Two lovers caught in the political crisis of the mid ’60s, a couple in the ‘70s facing their parents’ aversion to inter-tribal relationships, a soldier’s wife anxious for her husband, a mother guiding her son through recession, two teenagers finding love on a beach in the ‘90s. Weaving these stories together, ‘Made in Nigeria’ re-creates the rich tapestry of Nigeria’s socio-cultural and political life.

Dike won the Abuja Literary Society Poetry Slam 2011 and the National Poetry Slam 2012. He has three successful Performance Poetry videos, a bi-annual live Poetry show now in its 5th year and the theatre production, Made in Nigeria, that has been staged successfully twice in Abuja and Lagos between September and December 2016.

February 10, 2017
Cattle breeders deny involvement in ethno-religious violence nationwide

A group, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has denied claims in some quarters that its members were involved in ethnoreligious killings in some states across the country.

The group’s National Secretary, Baba Othman Ngelzarma said, in a statement yesterday, urged security agencies to investigate those linking his group’s members to incidents of violence. Ngelzama, who commiserated with the people of Southern Kaduna, Delta and other states over recent cases of attack and killings, said his group will continue to condemn perpetrators of evil regardless the groups or individuals involved.

“Precisely on the 9th December, 2016, one of our members was killed while ten of his cows were also allegedly killed by some elements from the Nimbo community in Enugu State, who crossed over to Idah Local Government area of Kogi State to commit the said crime.

“Then, some unscrupulous members of Igah community in Uzoajeh Local Government of Enugu State crossed over to Omasi in Anambra, killing twenty-two cows belonging to our members.

“This was followed by the killing of two of our members at Rugan Alahji Quadri, then five others were reportedly killed in Lushi, and worst still Fulani settlements of Bomaanda, Jollari (Garin Ardo Bakari) and Lande Jewshi were allegedly burnt down by some elements of Mumuyeh community in Lau Local Government of Taraba State.

“On that same fateful day, one of our members was also killed in a community close to Ganye in Jada Local Government area of Adamawa simply because some of his cows mistakenly strayed and damaged a few molded blocks in a block making factory.

“We were also notified of the killing of two villagers by Herdsmen in Ehuvu, in Ughelli North local government area.

“In recent times, precisely two Herdsmen were brutally killed on 7th January 2017 at Omobanam east in Anambra State for presumably ritual purposes.

“In all the reported cases, our timely intervention by calling for restraint amongst our members helped
forstalled the looming reprisal attacks.”

“Unfortunately, when such violence and killings occur, farmers and members of such communities receive favorable reporting, while herdsmen are singled out for condemnation.

“That has become like a recurring decimal, and also plays a major role in the deep seated animosity between the feuding parties. It is our firm belief that balance reportage would go a long way in addressing this ugly trend.

“Again, MACBAN vehemently disassociates itself from those who hold the view that the Southern Kaduna skirmishes between Fulanis and the other ethnic groupings represent a case of ethnic cleaning o religious war.

“Our resolve for peaceful co-existence between our members and their host communities remain firm. This explains our initiatives and recent trips to Enugu State where we rubbed minds with the Pan-Ndigbo Ohanaeze, and representatives of the Enugu State Governor on how best we can actualize our peace plan,” the group said.

February 9, 2017
Private sector partnership vital to food sufficiency – Minister

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has said that private sector partnership in the agriculture sector remained vital for the country to attain food sufficiency.

Ogbeh disclosed this at the inaugural meeting of the Joint Sector Steering Committee (JSC), organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with the agriculture ministry yesterday in Abuja.

He stated that it was imperative for the Federal Government to provide necessary infrastructure, control processes and oversight functions to support the private sector.

The minister, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shehu Ahmed emphasized that the ministry was responsible to partner with major stakeholders to develop effective policies that will create conducive environment for better private sector participation in the sector.

According to him, the JSR was to provide a platform to assess the performance and results of the agriculture sector and assist government to set sector policies and priorities.

Ogbeh said: “The present administration has been able to put together an agriculture promotion policy. The purpose of the policy document is to provide a disciplined approach to building an agribusiness ecosystem that will stem the tide of food importation through import substitution so as to earn significant foreign exchange from agriculture.

“The private sector will remain in the lead while government facilitates, regulates as well as provides supporting infrastructure, system, control processes and oversight.

“It assesses how well stakeholders implemented pledges and commitment cooperation agreements in the sector. This objective is however consistent with the policy thrust of the present administration on agriculture.”

Citing instances of nations that have adopted, the minister recalled that the African Union Commission (AUC) in 2015, assisted 11 member nations which included Benin Republic, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Swaziland, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

He added that the mentioned countries already took steps to strengthen mutual accountability based on findings of the JSRs conducted.

February 9, 2017
Police to deploy dogs in Abuja, Lagos airports

The police have said they will deploy dogs in Murtala Muhammed International and Nnamdi Azikwe International airports to check the rate at which drugs are smuggled into the country.

The Police also said dogs would be deployed in motor parks in Borno State, mosques and checkpoints to curb the spread and use of IEDs by suicide bombers.

This was announced in Abuja yesterday by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris during launch of the K9 Dog Trailers deployment.

He said: “Now that we are facing security challenges, we have to deploy more of these dogs to Abuja and Lagos airport to address issues of drug smuggling.

“Also, they would be deployed to Muna garage in Borno state and checkpoints. The dogs will help us to identify destructive substances and also help in crowd control and other things.

Speaking also, the AIG in charge of Force Animal Branch, Charles Ugomuoh said theK9 dog trailers would be used to prevent crime and boost security.

The AIG explained that the acquisition of the K9 trailers is part of effort to use modern age technologies in crime fighting.

He said: “With the plan to temporarily close the Abuja airport, the K9 trailers will be deployed to the Abuja-Kaduna highway for crime control.

They would also deployed within Abuja metropolis to places Abuja International Airport, Force Headquarters, National Assembly, Defence College, Federal Secretariat and other key vulnerable areas and black spots.

“At the International airport, the K9 sniffers will be involved in the sniffing of IEDs, narcotics, arms, and ammunition and crime prevention and detection”.

On their role on crowd control, Ugomuoh said: “These trailers will be deployed to escorts peaceful protesters and processions and if any case the protesters become riotous, the K9 unit will quell the riot and the procession continues and normalcy restored.

The AIG, however, urged the IG to approve three Hilux vans for the pulling of the trailers for ease of operations.

February 9, 2017
Fayose blames FG’s agencies for prisons congestion

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has blamed the current problem of congestion in the nation’s prisons on the arbitrariness of the Federal Government and its law enforcement agencies.

Fayose argued that prisons in the country were over populated because Federal Government agencies like the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrest and detain innocent citizens and perceived opponents of the Federal Government for flimsy reasons and on malicious, spurious and unfounded allegations.

The governor canvassed this argument in his response to a letter by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), with reference number NSA/601/A and dated January 16, 2017, requesting his (Fayose’s) assistance in facilitating quick decongestion of the nation’s prisons.

Monguno had, in the letter, argued that the problem of prison congestion by awaiting trial suspects and convicts has negatively hampered the ‎administration of justice in the country.

Fayose noted, in his response, that many Nigerians were currently languishing in prison without any reprieve, “because of the trumped-up charges of heinous offences preferred against them by these agencies”.

Copies of his response were addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Fayose said: “Specifically, the controversial arrests and continued detention of Messers Nnamdi Kanu, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) and Ibrahim El Zakyzaky among several others, and the flagrant disregard and disobedience to court orders directing their release from prison by security and law enforcement agencies are not only unjust, immoral and detestable but constitute an affront to the rule of law and a rape on democracy.”

He urged the office of the NSA “to critically appraise the nefarious activities of the security and law enforcement agencies which not only constitute an infraction of the fundamental rights of the affected citizens, guaranteed under the constitution, but also directly contribute to the perennial prisons congestion”.

“Your inaction or failure to address the above-mentioned acts of Executive rascality and lawlessness will definitely undermine and belie your sincere concern and genuine commitment to the decongestion of the prisons as stated in your letter.

“It is, therefore, my candid advice that your office should urgently intimate appropriate authorities with the need to henceforth lead by example, by respecting the rule of law, eschewing all forms of arbitrary discriminatory and dictatorial practices and disobedience to Court orders

“It is my believe that your prompt action in the above regard, may help to correct the growing public perception that the Federal Government is selective in its observance of the rule of law and is partial in its so-called anti-corruption crusade.”

February 8, 2017