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Tag: Abuja

  • First mechanised gold mine takes off

    First mechanised gold mine takes off

    The much trumpeted diversification of the economy is becoming a reality with the take-off of the country’s maiden mechanised lead and gold mine in Abuja, reports JIDE BABALOLA

    It is a $200 million project, and it will mine gold and lead. It is Nigeria’s first mechanised mine billed to take off in about two weeks.

    The mine located in Baba-Tsauni near Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) should lift the spirits of Nigerians because it strongly indicates that government is walking its talk. For years, every federal administration said it would activate other areas through which the nation could generate revenue outside the limited crude oil. But no administration really followed up with the plan, the result being that Nigeria still depends on oil to finance its budgets.

    Now it seems a new dawn is upon us. There is hope that the country can boost the mining sector, jacking up its meagre contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)  to about $27 billion (N9.7 trillion) by year 2025.

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has already met officials of a Nigerian mining consortium led by Iron Ore Mining Limited and Julius Berger International (JBI), the parent company of Nigeria’ s construction giant, Julius Berger Plc, to lay ground plans for global export.

    NEPC Executive Director/CEO, Mr. Segun Awolowo Jnr., who met Wiesbaden, Germany-based JBI officials led by Mr. Achim Becker and Mr. Jide Olukeye, the CEO of Iron Ore Mining Limited in Abuja last Friday, emphasised government’s commitment to actualising its zero oil plan whereby non-oil exports can fund the national budget.

    While Becker emphasised JBI’s confidence in Nigeria, Mr. Olukeye expressed the need for government to encourage investors by ensuring sanctity of titles, adding that the Baba Tsauni mining project will generate 2,000 direct jobs, 8,000 indirect jobs, huge taxes for government and more developmental projects for its host community in Gwagwalada area.

    Findings by Abuja Review indicate that a ‘mining mafia’ backed by Asian patrons of illegal mining and a handful of civil servants may be working to truncate government’s vision and JBI’s plans to invest some $200 million mining machineries in the project.

    “If they succeed in discouraging JBI from starting off with the Baba Tsauni mines as scheduled, the firm may be discouraged from investing in Nigerian mines and that would send a potent message to hesitant investors from Australia, Europe and America who feel bothered about the security of potential multi-billion dollar investments in Nigeria.

    “Also, if Nigeria cannot actualise its first mechanised mining project now, despite the keen determination of the Buhari administration, the current abysmal contribution of mining to Nigeria’s GDP may continue for many more years because it takes upwards of almost ten years for even global mining firms to move from lease acquisition to production and millions of dollars are involved.

    “No bank in Nigeria gives out loan for mining because the huge capital outlay can either go down the drain through illegal miners’ sabotage or even by international market vagaries which has seen iron ore fluctuate from one hundred and seven dollars six years ago to sixty-one dollars today,” a mining expert who requested anonymity stated.

     

    Assurances

     

    While the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Mohammed Abass used the recent Mining Week event to assert government’s commitment towards developing the mining sector, the Director-General of Mining Cadastre Office (MCO), Mr Mohammed Amate told Abuja Review that his office will never compromise with any official for manipulation of mining titles.

    ”Sanctity of title or security of title is the number one policy concern of my office and it is the first priority for promoting the development of mining and investment in Nigeria; if any title holder raises concern about their title, we will address such concerns immediately.

    “Julius Berger is one of the biggest firms operating quarries and they are yet to begin mining; however, if any such thing happens, what a firm needs to do is to come our office so that we can sit down and resolve it because we want to increase the number of investors coming forward with plans to invest in mining.

    “We just had the Nigeria Mining Week and we are already establishing a world-class new technology for the management of mining titles; it was well received when we showcased it during the mining week where none of the over five hundred participants raised issues of overlap or threat to his mining title,” Engineer Amate said.

    Investigation revealed that Iron Ore Mining Limited which owns Lease Number 11675 has been contending with incessant threats from illegal miners backed by Chinese and Lebanese dealers who all pay no tangible tax to government while a few highly-placed government officials engineer intrigues towards taking part of its leasehold.

    The company and its partners had invested millions of dollars in the Baba-Tsauni mines project over the past six years and Julius Berger International is hoping to utilize its multimillion dollar equipment as an investment that can motivate other international firms for participation in Nigeria’s mining sector.

    According to Hassan Mohammed, a consultant working for the consortium, the vision behind the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the ‘Roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry’ are factors that encourage them.

    “The Baba-Tsauni lead, zinc, silver and gold mine is ready to take off by next month with one of Africa’s leading construction giants, Julius  Berger Plc as the technical operator.

    “Prior to current actualisation of a grand dream aimed towards creating solid positive economic multiplier effects for Nigeria, our consortium comprising Nigerian, Australian and German  companies had been working vigorously over the past six years to develop a viable template at the Baba-Tsauni Mines Project.

    “Iron Ore Mining Nigeria Limited which holds the Mining Lease had brought in a global working partnership towards ensuring the success of what is about to become Nigeria’s first mechanised mines in decades and it initiated an extensive exploration programme with various pre-operational activities geared towards a long-term goal of exporting gold, silver, lead and other solid minerals, thereby putting Nigeria’s name on the world map as an operator of one of the ECOWAS sub-region’s few mechanized mines operating with global best practice.

    “Already, Iron Ore Mining Limited is developing a blueprint for impactful corporate social responsibility including the building of a school block that now accommodates the first secondary school in its host. To stem the effect of water-borne diseases and improve its host community’s health outlook, potable water borehole has also been put in place.

     

    Industry challenges  

     

    While Nigeria’s long and painful history of mining began in 1903 when the British colonial government created the Mineral Survey of the Northern Protectorate, the discovery of oil truncated attention for mining development while prevalent official corruption further held it back until the current administration came in with Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the ‘Roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry’ (Mining Roadmap).

    Before then, the 2014 Annual Survey of the Frasier Institute had ranked Nigeria as one of the 10 least attractive jurisdictions in the world for mining investment. The Mining Roadmap particularly acknowledges security challenges in the mining sector:

    “Mining is not immune to the anxieties around security in Nigeria. Whether it is mine site security, logistics related security, general terrorism, kidnapping or basic crime, investors have concerns which the Nigerian state must address. The continued presence of illegal mining activities in some of the regions, with the attendant risks and community challenges these represent, is a concern that needs to be tackled. Security concerns, therefore, have the potential to discourage investors in the Nigerian mining sector,” (Page 36, ‘Roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry’).

    Vicious illegal miners and officials who surreptitiously arrange the overlapping of title through deliberate ‘mistakes’ in defining Title both represent the most potent twin threat that can ultimately sabotage the genuine vision of government and private investors.

    However, the Buhari administration’s “Change and Transparency” mantra and its facilitating efforts can encourage further private sector determination to give Baba-Tsauni community in Gwagwalada Area Council and Nigeria a well-deserved place as one of the world’s vibrant mining sector where hundreds of thousands of new employment, expanded tax base and other lofty economic ideals can be realised in coming years.

  • Motorists to FG: Reconstruct Ose Bridge in Edo state

    Motorists to FG: Reconstruct Ose Bridge in Edo state

    Motorists on Monday appealed to the Federal Government ( FG ) to urgently reconstruct the old and narrow Ose Bridge at Owan West Local Government in Edo to prevent vehicles from plunging into the Ose River.

    Several vehicles from the western part of the country going to Abuja had plunged into the river killing many of the occupants.

    The bridge is situated between Ifon, a village in Ondo State and Uzebba, a town in Owan West Local Government in Edo.

    The road, constructed in the 1970s, is the only link for motorists from Afemai, Owan West and East Local Government Areas to the western part of the country.

    Besides, it is the only short route for motorists from Esan in Edo and the eastern part of the country to the western states.

    According to one of the motorists, Mr Edeki Aigbogun, who resides in Uzebba, the bridge is a death trap whenever it rains.

    “It is situated at a slope and whenever it rains, the bridge is always flooded, prompting drivers to wade through the flood at their own risk because it has no railings.

    “The situation makes it more difficult for the drivers to see the edges of the bridge whenever it is flooded.

    “Many vehicles had plunged into the river because the bridge has little or no demarcation from the river,’’ Aigbogun said.

    Another motorist, Mr Dada Okun, said the narrow bridge, which could not accommodate two vehicles at a time, was built by a construction firm, Niger Cat in the 1970s.

    Okun said the bridge required an upgrade due to the surge in the number of motorists that use the bridge to prevent loss of lives.

    He said that aside the Ose Bridge, there were two other bridges at Igwue Obi, whose base and sizes had been depleted by erosion.

    He said that residents of Uzebba had on many occasions provided palliatives by sand-filling the edges of the bridges but their efforts were always washed away by rainfall.

    NAN

  • Secret corporate ownership a global problem – Osinbajo

    Secret corporate ownership a global problem – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described secret corporate ownership as a global problem and bane of development in resource-rich countries like Nigeria.

    Osinbajo said this at the Beneficial Ownership Conference of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative ( EITI ) in Jakarta, Indonesia on Monday.

    The vice president’s speech was made available to newsmen in Abuja.

    He cited a 2014 report by the One Campaign entitled, “One Trillion Dollar Scandal’’, which showed that developing countries loose one trillion dollars annually to corporate transgressions.

    According to the vice president, most of the funds are traceable to the activities of companies with secret ownership.

    “Another report that may enjoy mention here is the 2015 report of the High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa chaired by former South African President Thabo Mbeki.

    “The panel stated in its report that Africa had lost more than one trillion dollars over a 50-year period, and that Africa loses more than 50 billion dollars annually to illicit financial flows.

    “Most of these illicit flows are perpetrated in the extractive sector and through companies with hidden ownerships.’’

    Osinbajo said Nigeria was still struggling with the negative impact of the use of corporate ownership secrecy by senior government officials and their cronies to corner juicy contracts in the extractive industry.

    He specifically mentioned the celebrated Malabu scandal of the 1990s, which he said remained the subject of criminal and civil proceedings in many parts of the world.

    According to him, the court cases involved huge legal costs, while the full benefit of the natural resource remains unexploited for the benefit of the people of Nigeria to which it belongs.

    “So, for us in the developing world and especially in Africa, breaking the wall of secret corporate ownership is an existential matter.

    “It is for us literarily a matter of life and death. Masked or Hidden corporate ownership is deeply implicated in the sad story of our underdevelopment.

    “Yes, we know that anonymous companies are not always illegal or are not always designed to harm.

    “But we also know that secrecy provides a convenient cover for the criminal and the corrupt. And we are not just operating from the theoretical or hypothetical standpoint,’’ he said.

    The vice president said that the problem was a global one driven by an inter-connected world where the foothold of anonymous companies does not respect the developed/developing divide.

    He said although the degree of exposure may differ, everyone in today’s world was at risk of the dangers posed by anonymous corporate ownership.

    “If nothing else, the Panama Papers clearly illustrated the global scale and spread of this problem.

    “So, this is a global challenge and nothing less than a truly global approach will be needed to tackle it.’’

    Osinbajo commended the United Kingdom, Norway, Netherlands and Denmark for setting the pace in the establishment of public registers of the real, human owners of companies in their countries.

    He, therefore, called on other G8 and G20 countries to follow suit by initiating actions to end corporate secrecy at home and their dependencies.

    “Open Ownership and its partners must also be commended for establishing a global register of beneficial ownership with entries on about two million companies.

    “However, we must note that legislative measures in the mentioned countries may need to go farther to effectively discourage or totally prohibit non-disclosure agreements by governments with big corporate, and to re-evaluate the use of secret trusts to hide beneficial ownership from the prying eyes of the law.

    “It is important to underscore the fact that opacity in one section of the globe undermines openness in the other.

    “We need to break down this wall together as we are all at risk of the evil effects of opacity in business ownership.

    NAN

  • SERVICOM decried lack of operational vehicles in NAFDAC

    SERVICOM decried lack of operational vehicles in NAFDAC

    SERVICOM National Coordinator, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli has decried the lack of operational vehicles for field works at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

    This is as SERVICOM also advised NAFDAC to do away with consultants, so as to guide against sharp practices.

    Akajemeli spoke on Friday while presenting the report of SERVICOM assessment of NAFDAC to it’s  new Acting Director General, Mr Ademola Mogbojuri.

    NAFDAC in the assessment was scored average, with two stars after carrying out an assessment on the eight offices across the country.

    SERVICOM used a set of business-relevant key performance Indicators that provide a standardized method for measuring and comparing performance against service standards defined by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). It measures the key influences on service delivery and customer satisfaction as well as the need for feedback and future development. 

    Identifying some of the weaknesses of NAFDAC, Akajemeli said at the time of evaluation, the were inconsistencies on whether or not the agency deploys the use of consultants to facilitate the procurement of the agency’s service to customers. 

    Also, the dearth of operational vehicles for the agency’s field activities and this had hampered the efficacy of investigation activities, like enforcement directorate. 

    SERVICOM also noticed that NAFDAC was not in regular consultations with customers amongst other. 

    Akajemeli, therefore, urged NAFDAC to ensure continuous improvement on quality of service, while at the same time recommended requisite training for all categories of staff. 

    On consultancy, she advised that the management need to stop the individuals parading themselves as consultants of the agency so that members of the public are not taken undue advantage of. 

    SERVICOM, she said is in collaboration with NAFDAC as critical partners in actualizing the proposed service improvement plan. 

    In his reaction, the Acting Director-General, Magbojuri said the weaknesses identified would be working upon as the agency aims at becoming a leading government agency in service delivery. 

    He also urged staff of the agency to rise up to the challenge of turning around the fortune of the agency to an agency of excellence. 

  • Court orders six strokes of cane on man for stealing ladder

    Court orders six strokes of cane on man for stealing ladder

    A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Friday ordered that 28-year-old man, Ibrahim Yunisa, be given six strokes of cane for stealing a ladder.

    Yunisa, of no fixed address, had pleaded guilty to one-count charge of theft and begged for leniency.

    The Judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, told the convict that he mitigated the sentence because he pleaded for leniency.

    Sadiq said the court might not be lenient with him the next time he appeared.

    Read also: http://staging.thenationonlineng.net/police-arraign-man-stealing-cooking-pot-ibadan-poly/

    The Prosecutor, Mrs Florence Avhioboh, told the court that the convict committed the offence on Oct. 12.

    She said the theft was reported at Karmo Police Station by Jacob Friday of Mararaba area in Nasarawa State.

    She added that the convict, who was found with the ladder at Dape village, Abuja, could not give satisfactory explanation on how he got it.

    Avhioboh said Yunisa had confessed that he stole the ladder at a building under construction in Abuja, an offence against Section 288 of the Penal Code.

    NAN

  • Court jails tricycle rider for dangerous riding

    Court jails tricycle rider for dangerous riding

    A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Friday sentenced a 26-year-old tricycle rider, Nnadozie Friday, to one month imprisonment for dangerous riding.

    The judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, however, gave the convict an option to pay N10,000 fine.

    “Ride carefully, there are other people using the public road,” he said.

    Sadiq advised the convict to desist from committing crimes, adding that the sentence would serve as deterrent to others.

    Friday, who resides at Dape village, Abuja, was convicted on a four-count charge bordering on dangerous riding, causing obstruction on public high way, driving without national driver’s licence and expired certificate of road worthiness.

    The convict, who pleaded guilty to the offence, urged the court to temper justice with mercy that he did not realise he was riding dangerously.

    The Prosecutor, Florence Avhioboh, had told the court that he did not allow flow of traffic and he was arrested by the police on Oct. 13, and taken to Karmo Police Station.

    She said during police investigation, they discovered that all his papers had expired.

    The prosecutor said the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 18, 39, 7 and 19 of the Road Traffic Act.

    NAN

    Read Also: Court remands men for stabbing woman to death

  • Mrs Jonathan stalls EFCC’s plan to confiscate her Abuja properties

    Mrs Jonathan stalls EFCC’s plan to confiscate her Abuja properties

    Plan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to obtain an ex-parte interim forfeiture order in respect of two Abuja properties allegedly owned by former First Lady, Patience Jonathan suffered a setback on Thursday.

    Lawyers to Mrs Jonathan prevented Justice Nmandi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja from hearing the ex-parte motion filed by the EFCC seeking the interim order of forfeiture in relation to the properties located at Plot No. 1960, Cadastral Zone A05, Maitama District, and Plot No. 1350, Cadastral Zone A00, in Abuja.

    The court had scheduled the hearing of the motion for yesterday. But lawyers to Mrs Jonathan got wind of the motion before yesterday and promptly filed an application, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the EFCC’s motion.

    At the mention of the case on Thursday, EFCC’s lawyer, Best Ojukwu announced his appearance and made move to introduce his motion when Mrs Jonathan’s lawyers, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who ordinarily should not have been heard (being proceedings in respect of an ex-parte motion) informed the court about their motion, challenging the court’s power to hear the EFCC’s motion.

    An argument later ensued between lawyers on both sides on whether or not the proceedings for Thursday could be conducted in view of the motion by Mrs Jonathan.

    Justice Dimgba later intervened and adjourned to November 11 for the hearing of both motions.

    The courtroom was packed full with people, mostly women and their children who came to court to support Mrs Jonathan’s position.

    The EFCC, in its motion, said the properties were said to be held in the name of Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation, which Mrs Jonathan was said to be one of its “trustees”.

    Beyond the prayer for an order for interim forfeiture of the properties, the EFCC also prayed for, “an order stopping any disposal, conveyance, mortgage, lease, sale or alienation or otherwise of the property/asset described in the schedule attached herein.”

    It equally  sought “an order authorising the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to appoint a competent person(s)/firm to manage the asset/property listed in the schedule herein, temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government pending the conclusion of the investigation.”

    The EFCC hinged its motion on three grounds, to the effect that: “The assets, property in respect of which the relief is sought are a subject matter of investigation, enquiry and examination by The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

    “There is need to preserve the asset/property mentioned in the schedule above herein pending the conclusion of the investigation and possibly determination of criminal charges that may be instituted against the suspect(s).

    “If there is any transaction on the property by the suspects by way of disposal, conveyance, mortgage, lease, sale and alienation or otherwise of the asset or properly described in the schedule herein, it will render nugatory any consequential orders which the court may make if the suspect(s) is/are convicted of the offences alleged against her/them after possible due trial.”

    In a supporting affidavit deposed to by one of its investigators, Kolawole Mukaila, the EFCC stated that a discreet investigation which commenced in 2016, showed that the plots of land, the subject matter of the case, were allocated to Ariwabai Reachout Foundation, allegedly belonging to Mrs Jonathan and her allies, in 2010 and 2011.

    It noted that the foundation had Mrs Jonathan as one of the trustees and signatories of the account. It also stated that payments, transfers and purchases made from the Foundation’s accounts kept with Diamond Bank and Ecobank were “reasonably suspected to be fraudulent” and “an illegal dissipation of the nation’s resources”.

    Part of the affidavit reads: “That sometimes in 2016 an alleged case of conspiracy and money laundering was received via intelligence report to the office of the Executive Chairman (of EFCC) and referred to my team for investigation.

    “That my team swung into action to conduct a discreet investigation by writing letters to Ecobank, Diamond Bank, Corporate Affairs Commission and the Abuja Geographic Information Systems.

    “That, in the course of the investigation, it was revealed from the responses from the Corporate Affairs Commission and Abuja Geographic Information Systems that the plots of land were allocated to Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation belonging to the former First Lady, Patience Jonathan and her allies. Copies of the response from AGIS and Corporate Affairs Commission are hereby attached and marked as Exhibit EFCC 1A – 1C respectively.

    “That investigation further reveals the accounts held by Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation had the former First Lady, Patience Jonathan as one of the trustees and signatories of the accounts.

    “Copies of the response from Diamond Bank and Ecobank are hereby attached and marked as Exhibits EFCC 2A – 2B respectively.

    “That investigation also revealed that the plots of land were allocated in 2010 and the Certificate of Occupancy was issued in 2011.

    “That all the above-stated payments/transfers/purchases had no contract award backing it up whatsoever and as such was reasonably suspected to be fraudulent payments and an illegal dissipation of the nation’s resources.”

    In her motion, Mrs Jonathan queried the legitimacy of the motion filed by the EFCC and argued that it was intended to frustrate the outcome of a fundamental rights enforcement suit she filed, but which is pending before another judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Mrs Jonathan, sought “an order of this court striking out the respondent’s ex parte originating summons dated September 20, 2017, filed at the registry of this court honourable court on the same date, on the ground that this honourable court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the said application.”

    She hinged her motion on the ground that “On September 20, 2017, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission filed an application, which has no parties, described as ‘ex-parte originating summons’ at the registry of this honourable court, praying this court for an order of interim attachment/forfeiture of the assets of the applicant herein located at Plot No. 1960, Cadastral Zone A05, Maitama District, and Plot No. 1350, Cadastral Zone A00, both in Abuja, respectively.”

    Mrs Jonathan argued that the said ‘ex parte originating summons’ was not one of the modes of commencement of an action under Order 3, Rule 1 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure Rules) 2009, and that it was not known or provided for by any law or rules of court.

    The ex-First Lady added that motion by the EFCC was “an abuse of court process, as same was filed in order to overreach” her fundamental human rights enforcement suit pending before another judge, Justice John Tsoho of the court in suit marked FHC/ABJ/586/2017.

  • Court orders interim forfeiture of ex-minister’s 14 houses

    Court orders interim forfeiture of ex-minister’s 14 houses

    Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of 14 houses in “choice areas” of Abuja. They are believed to be owned by former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Bala Mohammed and his son, Shamsuddeen.

    The judge gave the order yesterday while ruling on an ex-parte application brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Dimgba ordered the EFCC to publish a notice in a newspaper and on the EFCC’s website “inviting all persons/bodies, who may have interest in the properties to show cause why the said properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

    The EFCC stated in the ex parte application that Mohammed and his son have denied either owning the properties or having any link with them.

    The commission said the preliminary investigation it conducted revealed that the properties listed on the schedule, attached to the application, were unlawfully acquired through corrupt practices by Mohammed and his son, when he was in office as Minister of the FCT.

    The properties, according to the EFCC included one “mansion” located at Sunrise Estate, Asokoro; three sets of four-bedroom semi-detached duplex at Green Acres Estate, Apo-Dutse;  two sets of four-bedroom fully detached duplexes each with a boys’ quarters on Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja, close to Transcorps Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

    The EFCC also listed a four-bedroom detached duplex with boys’ quarter located at 9, Platinum Luxury Home White Estate, Asokoro, Abuja.

    From some documents attached to the application by the EFCC, facilities in ?some of properties include “excellent road and drainage network; dedicated transformer; borehole for constant water supply; fitted kitchen, bedroom cabinet and wordrobes; ample parking space; and children playing ground”.

    Read Also: Judges, AEDC move to curtail electricity theft

    The rest of the properties are plots of land in six different locations in Abuja. They include the one located at Karasana West, Abuja, measuring 84,657.30m2; Industrial Area 1 Extension, Abuja, measuring 1.45Ha; and Guzape, Abuja measuring 2.7Ha.

    Others were located at Industrial Area 1 Extension, Abuja, measuring 1.26Ha; Karasana West, Abuja measuring 64,507m2; and Dakibiyu, Abuja measuring 1,251.15m2.

    Before yesterday’s order, the EFCC had previously seized some properties from Mohammed and his son, who are both being tried in separate courts in Abuja. Mohammed is being tried before a High Court of the Federal Capital territory (FCT), while his son is on trial before Justice Dimgba.

    The EFCC stated in an affidavit supporting its ex-parte application that “the crux of the application is that the respondents are being investigated for offences bordering on abuse of office, fraudulent land scams, corruption and corrupt practices, money laundering an?d diversion of revenue of government while being the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja”.

    It also stated that the properties traced to the father and son were “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and crimes, kept and concealed in the names and proxies and nominees of the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohmmed, and his son, Shamsuddeen Bala Mohammed and for their benefit have been recovered and seized”.

    The EFCC said the properties were held in the names of different companies and one Maimuna S. Aliyu.The commission described Aliyu as Bala’s proxy allegedly used to the houses 1A and 2A of No. 7 Gana Street Maitama, Abuja.

    The companies in whose names some of the properties were said to be held are Intertrans Global Logistics/Bird Trust Agloallied Limited, Gal Vac Mining Limited, and Diakin Telecommunication Limited.

    Giving the details of its investigation, the EFCC maintained that the former minister and his sons are the owners of the of Diakin Telecommunications Ltd, Bal-Vac Mining Ltd, Bird Trust Nig Ltd and Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd, and Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd  in whose names some the properties were acquired.

    The commission also alleged that Mohammed, while still being the FCT minister appointed JemilaTangaza as Special Assistant and, thereafter, Director of Abuja Geographic Information System (A018) “to facilitate fraudulent allocations of plots of land to her and her proxies and nominees in choice areas”.

    The EFCC alleged that the plots of lands were sold and their “proceeds laundered in the acquisition of some these houses like House No 9 Plantinurn White Estate Abuja, acquired in the name of Mohammed Musa.”

    It said Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd was linked to the son of the former minister, Shamsuddeen.

  • Pupils take edible flour products to continental stage

    For winning the National Company of the Year competition organised by the Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), the Noble Height College, Abuja will represent the country in the African Company of the Year competition coming up in South Africa come December.

    The quartet from the school, Olumide Adeleke, Divine Yaduma, Sadiya Murtar and Blessing Eventus, under the company name, The Florisher, successfully produced and marketed various edible flours.

    JAN, through the competition, challenges secondary school pupils in groups of 30 to start businesses, develop business plans, conduct market research, raise capital by selling shares of stock, manage the business, elect five officers to manage production, marketing, finance, human resources and general management (CEO); produce and sell their products/services; run the business for at least 16 weeks; liquidate the business; share profits after setting aside 10 per cent for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); and write an annual report to JAN.

    Adeleke, CEO of The Florishers, said at the Grand Finale of the competition held at the Ochid Hotel, Lekki, said the decision to go into edible flours was influenced by the Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo’s advocacy on Agriculture.

    “Food is indispensible to man. So we decided to produce different flours which can be consumed in different ways. We actually followed the advice of the Vice President on Agriculture and I believe Agriculture is the way forward for our country”.

    The group expressed joy having won the contest and was advised to focus on delivering an excellent presentation both in composure and compilation of reports to bring the African Company award to Nigeria.

    Caro Favoured Schools which represented Nigeria on the continental stage in Zimbaque last year came second while Redeemers International School, Lagos was third.

    National College Gbagada won the Best Innovative Award while Government Secondary School, Jos for the second time, won the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Award

    The judges praised the nine schools in the final for giving their best to the competition and highlighting the pains and gains of establishing a company.

    Executive Director, JAN, Simi Nwogugu said the aim of the competition was to encourage young people to embrace entrepreneurship.

    “We are trying to promote entrepreneurship in Nigeria. There are not enough jobs for our graduates in the universities. So we try to inculcate these skills in them so that when they get into the university they can start businesses”.

    She said that research by the Massachusetts Institute of  Technology (MIT) about entrepreneurship in Nigeria revealed that the know-how, not access to capital, posed the biggest challenge to entrepreneurship.

    She expressed hope that the country would win in Zimbabwe this year like it did in 2014/2015 and also garnered prizes in Marketing and Innovation.

  • INEC to recruit 1m ad-hoc staff for 2019

    INEC to recruit 1m ad-hoc staff for 2019

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be hiring about one million ad hoc staff for the conduct of the 2019 general elections.
    The chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmud Yakubu stated this on Wednesday while briefing members of the Senate committee on INEC.
    Yakubu assured Nigerians that the major the electronic smart card readers will be fully deployed for the elections, stressing that enough hands would be trained on the effective use of the device.
    According to him, about 700 ad hoc staff were engaged for the 2015 general elections.
    He said: “The projected increase in the number of ad- hoc staff to be engaged in the elections by the commission arose from the need to make provisions for adequate manpower for the exercise on a general template and specifically to take care of peculiar needs for that purpose in some polling units across the federation”.

    Assuring the lawmakers of better and effective use of the card readers, Prof Yabuku said: “Controversies and challenges raised by the Smart Card Readers in the 2015 elections were over magnified because the problem was not technological on the part of the device but attitudinal on the part of  the users due to lack of adequate training.

    “Thus, because the problem is more of attitudinal than technological defects, solid steps are being taken by the commission to bring about a robust interface between the machine and those to use them in terms of practical training before the elections”.

    In his remarks, the Senate Committee Chairman on INEC, Senator Suleiman Nazif said the interactive session with INEC would be a continuous exercise before the 2019 general elections