The Nation Newspaper

Tag: changed

  • How varsity’s ideals changed my life, says CU’s best

    At 15, Salami Flourish’s JAMB score was an uninspiring 208. To make matters worse, she sought admission to study Geology at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier institution. But then, because she was 15, she was not considered for admission as the minimum age is 16.  Her parents then settled for Industrial Chemistry at Covenant University (CU) in Ota, Ogun State. Flourish accepted their option not knowing the decision would turn her into one of the greats in life.

    The teenager knew that she must buckle up to meet up with the university’s high standard.  She once witnessed her elder sister exchange a handshake with CU Chancellor Dr David Oyedepo for emerging a first class graduate two years ago; and that was the tonic which saw Salami tower far above her contemporaries at the university’s 13th convocation last weekend.

    Aside her emergence as the Best Graduating Students of the ‘Release of Eagle 2018’ set, she became also the second in the university’s history to score 4.99 Cumulative Grade Point Average.

    “I had 208 which was due to less seriousness on my part. Thereafter, I had determination to move higher because I felt I was not getting any younger,” Salami began her story.

    “From secondary school, I’d always loved Chemistry and I wanted to study Geology in UI. But here (CU) was the best decision from my parents ever because it is the principles operative here that propelled me to the top.

    “When I got here (CU), I saw competition and a bright future, so I decided to work harder.”

    Salami briefly shared her experience with reporters after she was declared an outstanding student amid applause from guests and parents.  She got the coveted handshake with the Founder.

    Salami noted that the uncompromising rule of her alma mater remains one of the things that shaped her future.

    She continued: “I had my secondary school education at Queen’s College Lagos, a school I can describe as secular. However, my greatest challenge was how to adapt to life in CU.

    “I would still have been serious if I were in public school, though I knew there are many distractions there. But here, everything is different.

    “In CU for instance, you can’t go out anyhow without an exeat. Above all, the spirituality level is also very high.

    “We also do not use handsets and I actually love the ‘no phone’ rule because they constitute distractions particularly to my age group, but we have call cards to reach out to our parents. We also have laptops to prosecute our online activities.”

    Naturally, Salami described herself as the not-too-sociable type especially among her 14 other course mates. She said she equally steered clear of any immoral relationship while in school, something the authorities also frowned at.  Nonetheless, she owes no one apology for that.

    “I avoided them because they are also distractions,” she said.

    Now at 19, Salami, the third child to a retired clergy father and teacher mother, from Ogun State, her future lies ahead of her.

    Having graduated earlier than most, Salami feels she can scale more hurdles. At present, she wants to acquire her masters and Ph.D degrees so as to rank as one of the youngest Ph.D holders in the country, then take up a teaching appointment while combining it with owning an industry.

    Her mother, Yemisi, had God to thank for her daughter’s victory.

    “The experience has been awesome,” she said.

    “It’s not been that smooth but God has been faithful.  When you hold on to God’s promise, He will see you through.

    On Flourish, she had this to say: “When you first correct her on something for the first time, she might not like it or flare up. But later, she would ruminate over what you told her and adjust accordingly.”

  • NIMASA… What has changed since Buhari took over

    NIMASA… What has changed since Buhari took over

    Minister of Finance Mrs Kemi Adeosun has revealed that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) have remitted more money to government coffers than they previously did. The minister said JAMB paid N5b this year. She was silent on what NIMASA paid. Facts available to The Nation show that NIMASA within one year and one month paid N9.975b and $37,272,12m into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. OLUKOREDE YISHAU looks at what has changed in NIMASA to warrant this leap.

    The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) was seen as the home of free funds. Revelations in court have shown how some people got money for work either not done or done half way. Witnesses’ accounts show inflation of contracts and all kinds of malfeasances and public funds ended up being used for personal needs and greed.

    Minister of Finance Mrs Kemi Adeosun’s revelation on September 13 that the agency under the leadership of Dr. Dakuku Peterside has significantly increased its remittances into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) was like a confirmation that all was not well with the agency.

    Mrs. Adeosun, who spoke at a workshop in Abuja on compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility (FRA) Act, said the management of NIMASA brought down operational cost and generated more money by half year than it did in the two preceding years.

    “Unlike NIMASA and the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB), some Agencies and Departments are operating in such a manner that returned minimal funds to the government. A circular has been issued restricting allowable expenses in line with reforms occurring across government businesses, as compliance checks would be undertaken regularly to ensure that all Agencies and Departments adhere to the new requirements,” Mrs Adeosun said.

    The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Ahmed Idris, also said despite the general downturn in accruable revenue to government due to the economic situation, the remittances to the CRF by NIMASA this year has been the highest by the agency when compared to corresponding period of recent years.

    “It was also the first time in recent years that NIMASA will remit huge revenue into the government coffers,” he said.

    Though both officials did not give the details of NIMASA’s remittances into the CRF, The Nation learnt that in the last one year and one month, the agency has contributed N9.975 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). Within this period, the agency has also paid $37,272,12.12 million to the CRF.

    The agency on June 1, last year paid N5 billion into the CRF as “part payment of operating surplus for 2015 and 2016”. It followed up on June 2, last year with N4.975b “payment made into the CRF 2016 operating surplus”. The agency paid $7 million on November 22, last year as “part payment of 2016 operating surplus”. By April 19, this year, NIMASA made another payment. This time, it paid $15 million to the CRF. The agency again on July 18 paid $16.272.121.12 million to the CRF as “payment of 2017 operating surplus”.

    The Nation’s checks reveal that for the whole of 2015, NIMASA’s contributions to the CRF was only N2 billion, a staggering difference of about N8b. It also paid $15m, less than half of what has been paid in the last one year and one month.

    The period under review coincided with the appointment of Peterside as director-general. He was named the agency’s helmsman on March 10, 2016.  The president, who all through his campaigns showed his disdain for corruption, was scandalised by revelations from NIMASA.  He gave Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi a ‘marching order’ to end the malfeasances in NIMASA. The first step was the appointment of a director-general and a board to implement the president’s vision.

    The mantle to change the NIMASA narrative fell on Peterside, former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream). One of the first challenges that confronted Peterside was an organisation with resourceful but unmotivated members of staff. To address this, the agency introduced a professional and leadership series to grow staff capacity.  Promotion to director cadre, which had not been done for over a decade, was carried out. Over 300 employees benefited from the exercise.

    The management came up with the Medium-Term Strategic Growth Plan covering three years. The plan has reform, restructure and repositioning as its core mission at the agency for sustainable growth and development of the maritime industry.

    The pillars on which the strategy was built are: survey, inspection and certification transformation programme; environment, security and search and rescue transformation programme; as well as capacity building and promotional initiatives.

    Other pillars are: Digital transformation strategy and structural and cultural reforms. The digital transformation strategy aimed at removing human interface with stakeholders and hastening of processes will see clients being able to register their vessels and do other transactions with NIMASA with a click of a button on their lap top.

    “In information driven age that we live in, access to information definitely enhance operations of any maritime Administration. Within six months in office, the Peterside-led management has upgraded Nigeria’s subscription of the Lloyds list intelligence to a full bouquet which is beyond the previous capacity of the sea searcher and this now guarantee unfettered access to current data in the maritime industry. This has improved on the volume and value of data available to Nigerian maritime stakeholders,” the agency explained.

    The management also realised that there must be devolution of powers to its zonal offices. Until that was done, most operations at the agency were centralised. Matters, such as sailing certificates and payment of bills by stakeholders were coordinated from the Lagos head office. This, no doubt, was cumbersome and must have led to loss of valuable business time and engendered less productivity. It now has zones headed by substantive directors. This, a source said, is to ensure that more responsibilities are carried out in the zones.

    “This will also reduce time to do business with the agency, thus improving efficiency. In this era of online communication, a semi-autonomous zonal structure will surely enhance the operation of the agency,” said the source.

    In January last year, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) came up with the IMO member state Audit Scheme (IMSAS). This is a scheme developed by the IMO to assess the extent to which a member state complies with its obligations. Peterside saw the benefits in adhering to this scheme and less than three months after he came into office, he enlisted NIMASA. When the audit was carried out, Nigeria was rated highly.

    The manner the agency was run before the advent of the Buhari-administration also saw it losing face at the international maritime scene. For over half a decade, the country was not on the IMO Council. This saw it being relegated in international maritime politics. IMO is the United Nations (UN) specialised agency, responsible for the safety and security of shipping and prevention of marine pollution by ships.

    The agency’s bid to improve its international rating got a boost when the United States Coast Guard (USCG) visited the country to ascertain the level of security at the ports. NIMASA has been the Designated Authority (DA) for the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code in Nigeria since May 2013.

    The ISPS Code is an amendment to the Safety of Life and Sea (SOLAS) Convention (1974/1988) on minimum security arrangements for ships, ports and government agencies. This code, which came to life in 2004, prescribes responsibilities to governments, shipping companies, shipboard personnel and personnel to detect security threats and take preventative measures.

    Peterside, who described the USCG as the most valued partner in ensuring that the ports are safe for business, added that Nigeria places high premium on security issues, adding that the agency was leaving no stone unturned to achieve 100 per cent implementation of the ISPS Code in Nigeria.

    He said: “There is absolutely no doubt that we are determined to get it right; we only need support, assistance and all the encouragement we can get. We are determined to work with the USCG to get it right in order to ensure our ports are safe. Let me also reiterate that as a country, we appreciate the importance of getting security right at our ports, jetties and terminals and that we are committed to it.”

    The delegation, which was led by Commander Thomas Foster, hailed NIMASA for its strides in ensuring safety at the ports. Foster expressed satisfaction with the infrastructural development on ISPS Code implementation in the ports.

    “It appears that the energy that NIMASA has at the ports is very tremendous, as seen in all the ports visited in Lagos. The level of compliance has tremendously improved compared to our last visit. I therefore assure NIMASA that we will continue to work closely to achieve a safer ports, jetties and terminals in Nigeria”, Peterside said.

    Instructively, the Cabotage Law implementation has been given a breath of fresh air in the last one year. The Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF). CVFF came into being with the promulgation of the Coastal and Inland Shipping Cabotage Act 2003. The fund was meant to help indigenous ship owners get capital to acquire vessels.

    “We have not realised the full potential of the Cabotage Act but we have moved a step ahead. Just to be sure that we are committed to the full implementation of the Cabotage Act, issues relating to waiver abuse are currently being dealt with accordingly,’’ he said.

    He added that the CVFF would only be disbursed to people that would put it into the use for which it is intended. He said applicants must have the requisite criteria as beneficiaries.

    “We will rigorously screen the applicants of the CVFF in order to ensure that the funds are disbursed to people who would use it for the purposes the funds are meant for,’’ he said.

    In the NIMASA under Buhari’s administration, abuse of waivers is being checked. A roadmap to realise the full potential of the CVFF is in the works. Peterside added that the CVFF would only be disbursed to people that would put it into the use for which it is intended. He said applicants must have the requisite criteria as beneficiaries.

    Dr. Peterside, who since assumption of office had always reiterated that the maritime sector if properly harnessed can successfully form a huge component of the country’s budgetary requirement, recently said that in order to allow for probity and accountability, the agency was automating of its processes. This, he said, has reduced human interface in the agency’s transactions, thus improved revenue generation. He added that the agency devolved more powers to its zonal offices to allow for early conclusion of transactions and plug revenue leakages.

    The new turn in the agency has made the Federal Executive Council (FEC) order investigation of the massive disparity in the remittance by JAMB and NIMASA. Mrs Adeosun said: “The highest amount that JAMB had ever remitted into the Consolidated Revenue Fund before this management was N3 million. This year so far they have done N5 billion and the Minister of Education reported that they have an additional N3 billion that they are ready to remit which will take this year’s figure alone to N8 billion and they have not increased their charges, they have not increased their fees. So, the question the council members were asking is, where was all this money before? So, the directive was given that we must call the heads of all these agencies and similar ones to account (for their financial dealings), and that is the directive we have been given and that is what we intend to do and it is a similar story with other agencies. These are the leakages which we have now come in and we are blocking.’’

  • What has changed since June 12?

    What has changed since June 12?

    The June 12, 1993 presidential election was a watershed. It has remained a reference point in national history. Domestic monitors and foreign observers were unanimous that it was the freest and fairest in the country. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU reminiscences on the annulment and its damage to national unity.

    TWENTY-FOUR years after, the nation is yet to recover from the damage. There was a pan-Nigeria movement. Its sole aim was to end military rule and elect a leader with a national outlook. The military laid thorns on the way. The people endured the tribulation. Nigerians, irrespective of their tribe and religion, thronged the polling booths to elect Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola as president. Up to now, they are still awaiting the results. The effort was in vain.

    The June 12 presidential election was the unifying factor for the heterogeneous country. The exercise ended the partisan divisions cruelly exploited by self-serving leaders.  However, to the consternation of voters, the most credible poll was annulled by former President Ibrahim Babangida, the self-styled ‘Evil Genius.’

    Human rights activists and pro-democracy crusaders have described the cancellation as the greatest act of betrayal by the military. Never has a country been ambushed by a soldier of fortune. The criminality led to wild protests, which nevertheless, failed to force the military to retrace their steps. The victor, Abiola of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), became a prisoner for four years. He never returned from detention.

    The scenario underscored the illusion of hope. The late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, saw the future. Having worked with the military, he could understand their mindset. The former Premier of defunct Western Region knew that it was relatively easier for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a military leader to voluntarily hand over power to civilians. Even, Gen. ‘Jack’ Yakubu Gowon, a seemingly benevolent leader, under whom he served as Vice Chairman of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and Federal Commissioner for Finance, was reluctant to leave office, until he was shoved aside in a coup organised by his cousin, the late Col. (later Maj.-Gen), Joe Garba. Awolowo knew that Babangida, the ‘clever boy’ from Minna, was full of prevarication.

    When the eminent politician was invited to participate in the discussion on the political future of the country by the Political Bureau headed by Dr. Cookey, he shunned the invitation. Awolowo declared that Nigeria had embarked on a fruitless search for democracy, adding that, when they imagined that the new order had arrived, they would be terribly disappointed.

    The former Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) leader had psychologically studied IBB’s maneuverings. He doubted his commitment to democracy and ability to successfully moderate a transition process. After returning to his Ikenne, Ogun State home from a visit to the former military president at Doddan Barracks, Lagos, the seat of government, Awo summoned the meeting of his supporters. There, he reviewed the political situation in the country, contending that the military regime was not keen about the transfer of power to civilians. He urged them to exercise caution and learn to deal with the military president with a long spoon. Few months later, the indomitable Awolowo passed on.

    Between and 1986 and 1993, Nigeria became another IBB laboratory, where various kinds of experiments were carried out. The Babalakin Panel, which the military set up, turned in a beautiful report. It was buried by coup plotters, led by IBB. It was not exhumed. Cookey’s Bureau became a serious talk show. On three occasions, the transition programme was postponed by IBB without any convincing explanation.

    Babangida came up with more tricks to dazzle the political class. He cajoled unsuspecting politicians into forming political parties, which, according to the guidelines, should have national spread.

    When the National Electoral Commission (NEC) chaired by Prof. Humphrey Nwosu came up with their result sheets, they, in IBB’s reckoning, failed to measure up. The hammer fell on the 23 political associations. They were consigned to the dustbin of history.

    Up came two political parties; the Social Democratic Party (SDP); a little to the left, and the National Republican Convention (NRC); a little to the right. Politicians struggled to join either of them.

    The attention of Nigerians was on the programme. As the implementation of the electoral time-table proceeded, there were distractions. New elements were included on regular basis. Politicians were banned and unbanned. In fact, some of the politicians were broke at that stage. Some of them were detained, released and re-arrested.

    In 1990, the human rights’ community was fed up. Fiery Lagos lawyer, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who was hounded into detention by the administration, cried out that the entire transition programme was a fraud. He urged more commitment on the part of the military. He also enjoined Nigerians never to sleep on guard. His compatriot, Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti (now late), advised Babangida to be more serious and committed to the democratic enterprise.

    Nigerians were determined. They succeeded in electing governors and state and federal legislators. But, it remained one more hurdle to cross. The presidential election was the ultimate. Big wigs were in the race in both parties. However, after successful primaries, the exercise was cancelled and participants were banned. Suddenly, the parties were in want of candidates. It was at that stage that Abiola appeared on the scene.

    Abiola was a veteran presidential aspirant, even at that stage. Ten years earlier, he had vied under the banned National Party of Nigeria (NPN). On the order of the then Transport Minister, Dr. Umaru Dikko, he was denied nomination form. The party office was shut at him. It was not his first baptism of fire. Earlier, he had contested for the NPN national chairmanship at a time President Shehu Shagari and prominent members of the party caucus were rooting for the late Chief Adisa Akinloye. Abiola lost his deposit at the primary.

    When he emerged as the SDP candidate, Abiola was perceived as a stranger. Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, who later became his running mate, following pressures by the 14 SDP state chairmen, described him as someone who was on the sideline only to come and reap where he did not sow. Abiola was said to have consulted with his longtime friend, Gen, Babangida, who gave his blessing. Doubts were expressed because of his conservative antecedents. Many did not give him a chance. Within months, the gaps were closed. He apologised to the Awoists over his alleged sins against the Awolowo political family. The group, led by Chief Adekunle Ajasin, resolved to support him. Many people had a change of heart. They recalled his philanthropic activities. His message of hope, particularly the abolition of poverty, was captivating. His rival, NRC’s Othman Bashir, his former colleague in the NPN, was no match. Ahead of the poll, their fate was decided at the presidential debate. During the debate, the SDP flag bearer demonstrated the grasps of the situation; the economy, politics, security and other challenges. Across the country, Abiola was the choice.

    On poll day, nature was kind to Nigeria. The weather was benevolent nationwide. Nigerians were united by the festival of political change. On long queues, they were orderly as they cast their votes for their preferred candidates. There were no reports of violence, snatching of ballot box and brutality by security agents.

    The electoral umpire was impartial. In fact, results could also be collated by party agents in that atmosphere of transparency and openness. News filtered that MKO had won. The prices of goods and services crashed. Joy was bold on the faces of Nigerians. People started celebrating the new dawn. A quit notice has been issued to the military rulers.

    However, as the election results trickled in, further announcement was abruptly suspended, following an order from above. There was suspense. There was tension. It persisted. Anxiety enveloped the country. Voters were bewildered. Democracy was truncated. Abiola polled 8,341,399, which represented 58.36 per cent, defeating his rival, Tofa. Even, in Kano, where Tofa hails from, the SDP won. Fawehinmi also said that Abiola won in the Army barracks.

    The annulment underscored the illusion of hope and the capacity of few soldiers to trample on popular will. More than two decades after, the fond memories of the horror has not faded away. It was a dark moment, which heralded a chain of events, including prolonged crises, the setting up of the interim contraception, the enthronement of Abacha regime and the renewed clamour for popular rule by pro-democracy forces.

    Abiola was a man of valour. He was brave and bold. The Aare Ona Kanknfo of Yorubaland could not run away from battle. He did not go to sleep after the injustice. He fought the military without the gun. He resisted frantic attempts to compromise him. At Epetedo, Lagos, he declared himself President, based on the unofficial results. He took a great risk and its consequence.

    On the podium, he declared: “On that day (August 27, 1993), the people of Nigeria, through their democratic expressions of June 12, 1993, expected me to assume the reins of government. I fully intend to keep that date with history.”

    However, on that day, what was in place was not the Abiola Presidency, but Ernest Shonekan’s Interim National Government (ING) contraption, which Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd) described as lamentable, but understandable. Gen. Babangida had bowed out in shame a day before, having failed to elongate his stay in power.

    After the Epetedo Declaration, Abiola incurred the wrath of the military. Soldiers and other security agents were after him. He jetted out of the country. At that time, the frontline propagandist, Uche Chukwumerije, who was Secretary for Information, derided him as the first Aare Ona Kankanfo to have deserted the battle. Abiola came back, struck the wrong deal with Gen. Sani Abacha, who promised to handover to him, but reneged on his hypocritical promise.

    As the June 12 battle dragged on, crusaders were weary. Religion and ethnicity were invoked. The struggle adorned an ethnic colouration. Gradually, the rank of June 12 travellers was divided. Some crusaders, including Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Abubakar Rimi, Alao Aka-Bashorun and Ebenezer Babtope, were trapped in the Abacha Government. It was suicidal to resign.

    Abiola was sent into ‘prison’ without trial. He never returned alive. His wife, Kudirat, was murdered on the streets of Lagos. His business empire were crippled. His supporters, including prominent SDP leaders, activists, youths, and students, were dispersed. The National Democtatic Coalition (NADECO), Afenifere, Eastern Mandate Union and other cried foul. They could not force back the hand of the military. Political jobbers put the June 12 poll behind them as they jostled for seats in the 1994 National Conference set up by Abacha.

    “After using some SDP and NRC ministers in his cabinet to stabilise his regime, he later discarded them. Political jesters, including Lamidi Adedibu, came up with a curious message and an assurance of inexplicable bail conditions for the custodian of the popular mandate. Abiola turned it down, vowing not to let Nigerians down. He died in controversial circumstances without realising his dream for Nigeria.

    June 12 continued to torment the military after Abiola’s death. Although Abacha passed on before Abiola, the symbol of the struggle was not released by Abacha’s successor, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar. The circumstances surrounding his death has remained in the realm of conjecture. Up to now, Abiola has not been adequately immortalised by the Federal Government.

    The June 12 struggle may be described as a lost battle. It gave birth to the clamour for restructuring by Afenifere. It also led to power shift to the Southwest. However, the beneficiaries of the struggles in 1999 were the same class of politicians, military confederates and cronies, who truncated it.

    Since June 12, the nation’s quest for credible election has been a mirage. The sanctity of the ballot box is still a struggle. In 1999, 2003, 2011, and 2015, there were floodgates of litigations, following presidential elections. In 2007, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua acknowledged that he rode to power on the back of a flawed election.

    In 2011, there was a violent eruption in the North, following the presidential poll in which Dr. Goodluck Jonathans challenger, Gen. Buhari, headed for the court after rejecting the results.

    Governorship and parliamentary elections have not fared better. In 2007, governorship polls were disputed in almost all the states of the federation. The post-election litigations dragged on till the next election.

    In 2015, the nature of pan-Nigerian movement for power shift made rigging impossible. Former military haed of state, Ge. Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) defeated Dr. Jonathan of the PDP. But, has the new dawn wiped away the tears of Nigeria? Has it led to the abolition of poverty? Where is the new hope?

  • What Buhari has changed in 24 months

    What Buhari has changed in 24 months

    The last two years have been filled with ups and downs. OLUKOREDE YISHAU chronicles the things that have not remained the same since President Muhammadu Buhari took the saddle.

    Dynamites were thrown. Grenades caused chaos. Gunshots rented the air. The scenes were Niger Delta. The victims were not human-beings but oil facilities – strategic ones for that matter. And the effects on oil production and export were not only huge and scary, but  was costly. The economy bled and needed oxygen to be on the path of recovery.

    Settling down to business, President Muhammadu Buhari and his team put up their thinking cap. The grievances of those blowing up the pipelines must be addressed. His deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, a professor of Law and now acting President, went from one creek to the other, preaching peace.

    He visited oil-producing communities, listened to the people and spelt out the Federal Government’s commitment as captured in the ‘New Vision for the Niger Delta’. The vision has answers to the 16-point Demand Agenda submitted to President Buhari by the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) in November, last year.

    Thanks to the New Vision, the Nigerian Maritime University in Delta State is set to commence operation, additional N35 billion was approved for the Presidential Amnesty Programme,  approval has been granted for the establishment of Modular Refineries across the nine Niger Delta states and work has resumed on abandoned projects in the oil-rich region, including the East-West Road.

    The engagements with the Niger Delta and the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) have helped to raise oil revenues to the extent that external reserves have grown by about $7 billion in the last six months. Some $87 million have also been added to the Excess Crude Account and $250 million to the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).

    The engagement with OPEC involved rallying the organisation and Non-OPEC members to discuss stabilisation of the global oil market in Doha and in Algiers. This led to an exemption from the OPEC production freeze and rise in oil prices to $55/pb, for the first time in 16 months.

     

    Unlocking the potentials

    The Buhari administration has leveraged on its goodwill to attract multi-billion investments and loans from China and Morocco. Buhari’s April 2016 visit to China unlocked billions of dollars in infrastructure funding and construction has started on the 150km/hour rail line between Lagos and Ibadan, the first major product of the collaboration.

    One other potential-unlocking strategy the administration has come up with is the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (NERGP). Launched in April, it charts a course for the economy over the next four years.

    The NERGP, according to the Federal Government, is to restore economic growth, invest in Nigerians, and to build a globally competitive economy. It plans to achieve these objectives by giving priority to agriculture, power, macro-economy, energy efficiency, transportation infrastructure and driving industrialisation through Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

    As part of efforts to unlock the country’s potentials, power reform is being done. This has led to the launch of the N701 billion Payment Assurance Programme to guarantee payments to generating companies and gas suppliers.

    The Power Sector Recovery Programme, which was launched in March, has been endorsed by the World Bank.

    Another potential of the country, which was held down for years, is the capacity of the refineries. It has received serious attention in the last two years. Now, the total amount of crude being refined by the three refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna is now 10 million barrels. It was eight million barrels in 2015.

    Agriculture and solid minerals have gotten their groves back. The sector grew by 4.11 per cent last year. Solid   minerals recorded a seven per cent increase. The contribution of the Ministry of Solid Minerals to the Federation Account tripled to about N2 billion in 2016 up from N700 million in 2015.

     

    Other positives

    Despite the low oil prices at the international market, the country’s external reserves have grown by $7 billion since October last year; the Excess Crude Account has seen an inflow of $87 million and $500 million has been added to the Sovereign Wealth Fund, which represents the first inflows since the original $1 billion with which the Fund started in 2012.

    The Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a soil map designed to aid fertilizer application has raised local production of grains. It has produced a model agricultural collaboration between Lagos and Kebbi states.  The country’s rice imports fell from 580,000 MT in 2015 to 58,000MT last year.

    A partnership between Nigeria and Morocco – Presidential Fertiliser Initiative – has resulted in the revitalisation of 11 blending plants. Through  the initiative, which involves Morocco, supplying the country phosphate, the country has recorded annual savings of $200 million in foreign exchange and 60 billion annually in budgetary provisions for fertiliser subsidies. Farmers now purchase fertiliser at N5, 500, 30 per cent cheaper than before.

    The administration is supporting MSMEs with $1.3 billion from the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN). The cash was provided by the World Bank, German Development Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Agence Française de Development.

     

    Ease of Doing Business Reform Programme

    The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council implemented its 60 National Action Plan between February and April. The plan has given willing investors the platform to search for company names on the website of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Such investors can upload their registration documents directly to the CAC website without hiring lawyers to prepare registration documents.  A single form has been created for company incorporation to save time and reduce cost. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) e-payment solution has been integrated with the CAC portal to facilitate e-stamping. The country now has a simplified Visa on Arrival (VoA) Process.

    To also ease business, a joint physical examination of cargo has been directed to ensure one point of contact between importers and officials. The CBN, Customs and commercial banks have been compelled to process Net Export Proceeds forms within 72 hours and Pre-Shipment Inspection Agencies (PIAs) must issue Certificate of Clean Inspection (CCI) within three days.

    The number of documents required for imports has been reduced from 14 to eight. The ones for exports have come down from 10 to seven. Now, terminal operators are mandated to finish container’s examination in 12 hours.

    Acting President Osinbajo sealed the National Action Plan by signing three Executive Orders to improve efficiency in the business environment and promote local procurement by government agencies.

     

    Infrastructural development

    The Buhari administration is revitalising the country’s 3,500 kilometre network of narrow-gauge railway. A consortium led by General Electric and comprising Transnet of South Africa, APM Terminals of the Netherlands and Sinohydro Consortium of China, is working on the Lagos-Kano Railway narrow-gauge Line. The Abuja Light Rail system will also go into operation later this year. The first line to be launched will connect the city centre with the airport, with a link to the Abuja-Kaduna Railway Line. The test-run is scheduled for November. Full operation is planned for the first quarter of 2018.

    The reconstruction of the Abuja Airport runway was done within the scheduled six-week period (March to April 2017).

     

    Giving fillip to the economy

    The economy has been the major challenge of this administration. To get the country out of the economic quagmire, the CBN is reforming the forex regime and this has increased stability in the market.  The appetite for Nigerian stocks by foreign portfolio investors has also increased. Also, the Eurobond raked in more than $7.8 billion compared to a pre-issuance target of $1 billion. Analysts have described the trend as demonstration of the restoration foreign investor’s confidence in the economic reform agenda.

    The CBN has created a new forex window for investors and exporters. CBN’s date has shown that the window has attracted $1.4 billion in its first four weeks of operation.

    The apex bank has also reviewed the list of 41 items excluded from the CBN forex window, in line with a request from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). This is just as a Tariff-driven Tomato Policy has been introduced to promote local production.

    More funds in the hands of local contractors mean more strength for the economy. N1.2 trillion was released for capital expenditure in last year’s budget — the largest capital ever spent in a single budget in the country’s history. As a result of this, work has started on several projects, hitherto stalled. These cut across road, rail and power.

     

    Social Investment Programme

    Regarded as the most ambitious social safety net programme, the Social Investment Programme (SIP) has over one million beneficiaries. The 160,000 N-Power beneficiaries, who have had their details validated, receive N30, 000 monthly stipends. The validation of 40,000 others is ongoing.

    Significantly, 3,162,451 people in 26, 924 cooperative societies have been registered for the Government Enterprise and Empowerment (GEEP) Scheme. 57,234 interest-free loans have been issued in 28 states and Abuja, with women taking a chunk of 56 per cent.

    The administration is catering for 1,051,000 in 8, 587 primary school pupils through its Homegrown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) in seven states. Over 11,000 cooks have been hired under the scheme.

    Through its Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme, 26,942 beneficiaries now get N5, 000 monthly stipend in nine states and 84 local government areas of Niger, Kwara, Ekiti, Kogi, Oyo, Osun, Borno, Cross River and Bauchi states.

     

    Cleansing budgeting process/ BVN/ Efficiency Unit

    The anti-corruption war of the current administration is one thing that is clear to all as one of the things that have changed in the last 24 months.

    Aside the activities of the anti-graft agencies, the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) is one anti-corruption effort not known to many. It is to strengthen controls over government finances through a continuous internal audit of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Thanks to this initiative more than 50,000 ghost workers have been identified. N198 billion was saved as a result of this in 2016.

    The anti-corruption war has generated Budget Reforms, which made the President to direct all government agencies to prepare their budgets in line with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). A budget template was developed for this purpose.

    For the first time, this year’s budget was collated, using a web-based application developed by the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF). MDAs were compelled to upload their proposals on a portal.

    The Bank Verification Number (BVN) has also saved the government a lot of money. All payments are done only into accounts with verifiable BVN. This helped to detect the 50,000 ghost workers using the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform.

    Through the creation of Efficiency Unit (EU), efficient use of government resources has been promoted. This has resulted in saving N15 billion that would have gone into travel, sitting allowances and souvenirs.

     

    TSA/ Open Government Partnership  and whistleblowing

    On August 7, 2015, the President compelled MDAs to close their accounts with commercial banks and transfer their balances to the CBN on or before September 15 of that year. By this action, he gave life to a policy launched in 2012 but left unimplemented. This has resulted in the consolidation of over 20,000 bank accounts. An average of N4.7 billion is saved monthly in banking charges. Over N5.244 trillion is in the TSA.

    The era of some MDAs having idle cash in banks and still borrowed exorbitantly from banks is gone for good.

    The government keeps shutting corruption doors as they are discovered. One of such led to its signing on to the Open Government Partnership (OGP). Last year, President Buhari was at the International Anti-Corruption Summit organised by the Ubited Kingdom (UK) Government, where he pledged that Nigeria would join the international transparency, accountability and citizen engagement initiative. He fulfilled the promise last July when the country became the 70th  country to join the OGP.  This has led to an OGP National Steering Committee (NSC), which has developed a National Action Plan (2017–2019) to mainstream transparency in the management of public resources. The plan was submitted at the OGP Global Summit in Paris, France, in December last year.

    The anti-corruption drive has led to the Whistleblowing Policy which within its first two months of operation, yielded $160 million and N8 billion in recoveries of stolen government funds.

     

    A more transparent NNPC

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was indicted by independent global reports for being opaque.

    One of the first steps the administration took was to reconstruct NNPC’s opaque accounting structure. This led to the closure of more than 40 accounts. Now, NNPC publishes its financial reports monthly and the operational deficits have been reduced by not less than 50 per cent. NNPC outstanding Annual Audits from 2011 to 2014 has been conducted.

    The agency is also undergoing other forms of restructuring that will make it an effective entity. The restructuring, analysts said, promote competition, predictable revenue generation and compliance with global best practices.

    The administration has also resolved the shadowy oil swap deals that had cost the country billions of dollars and left it at the mercy of a few rich Nigerians. The government has also introduced third party financing to eliminate direct funding of cash calls.  The administration has also renegotiated existing service contracts under Joint Venture and Production sharing contracts (PSC) Operations by about 30 per cent leading to operational efficiency improvements and cost reductions.

    The administration has also eliminated the Offshore Processing Agreement (OPA) through the introduction of the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP) scheme with reputable off-shore refineries. This has yielded annual savings of $1 billion.

    The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) put together the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, has now been passed into law by the Senate, after 17 years of failed efforts.

    In 2016, the Federal Government exited the cash call arrangement with Joint Ventures (JVs) with International Oil Companies (IOCs), which put pressure on government’s finances. The failure to fully fund them resulted in more than six billion dollars arrears as at December 2015.

    A new funding mechanism is being introduced to free the government from the budgetary obligation of coming up with the cash calls and increase oil production to about 2.5 million barrels per day.

    The reforms have led to the negotiation of the debt arrears owed the IOCs to $5.1 billion and a long-term repayment plan has been agreed on.

     

    No longer a pariah state

    Unlike in the past, the international community warmed up to the Buhari administration in the last twelve months. The President has enlisted the support of multilateral institutions, such as the World Bank and IMF, security agencies, Western countries and other friendly nations to source, locate and repatriate stolen assets.

    At one of his international engagements, specifically the London summit on anti-corruption, Buhari announced that Nigeria would begin the full implementation of the principles of the OPEN contracting data standards.  This was in furtherance of his trips to the Middle-East, where he had gone to sensitise the governments on the need to repatriate stolen assets and hand over the looters for trial in Nigeria. In January last year, Nigeria and UAE signed Judicial Agreements on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters.

    The Federal Government and the Swiss Government in March last year signed a Letter of Intent on the Restitution of Illegally-Acquired Assets forfeited in Switzerland. Under the agreement, Switzerland will repatriate $321 million illicitly   acquired by the Gen. Sani Abacha family.

     

    Boko Haram: No longer the Lord of Sambisa

    One of the first things Buhari changed was the military structure, which led to the relocation of the Nigerian Military Command Centre to Maiduguri in May 2015. The results are glaring: Over 12,000 persons have been rescued by the troops, including 106 of the Chibok schoolgirls; since December 2015, all territories previously under Boko Haram control have been regained; by June 2015, Nigeria provided $21 million to the Task Force; and in June 2015, the United States (U.S.) announced a $5 million support for the fight against terrorism in the sub-region.

    The seriousness with which the administration has pursued the anti-terror war has also led to the U.S. government further announcing an additional $40 million for humanitarian assistance in the sub-region.

    Boko Haram’s operational and spiritual headquarters, “Camp Zero”, in Sambisa Forest, has been captured. The army has arrested Usman Mohammed, (a.k.a. Khalid Al Barnawi), leader of the Ansaru Terrorist group and one of the most wanted Terrorists in the world, on whose head the U.S. placed a $6 m bounty. Also arrested and being prosecuted is Amodu Omale Salifu, leader of an ISIS affiliate group active in Northcentral.

    Presidential aides are confident that the next one year would bring better goodies for Nigerians in the area of security and others. They said the government has laid a proper foundation capable of putting the country on the right footing. Nigerians are waiting.

  • What Buhari has changed in 24 months

    What Buhari has changed in 24 months

    The last two years have been filled with ups and downs. OLUKOREDE YISHAU chronicles the things that have not remained the same since President Muhammadu Buhari took the saddle.

    Dynamites were thrown. Grenades caused chaos. Gunshots rented the air. The scenes were Niger Delta. The victims were not human-beings but oil facilities – strategic ones for that matter. And the effects on oil production and export were not only huge and scary, but  was costly. The economy bled and needed oxygen to be on the path of recovery.

    Settling down to business, President Muhammadu Buhari and his team put up their thinking cap. The grievances of those blowing up the pipelines must be addressed. His deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, a professor of Law and now acting President, went from one creek to the other, preaching peace.

    He visited oil-producing communities, listened to the people and spelt out the Federal Government’s commitment as captured in the ‘New Vision for the Niger Delta’. The vision has answers to the 16-point Demand Agenda submitted to President Buhari by the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) in November, last year.

    Thanks to the New Vision, the Nigerian Maritime University in Delta State is set to commence operation, additional N35 billion was approved for the Presidential Amnesty Programme,  approval has been granted for the establishment of Modular Refineries across the nine Niger Delta states and work has resumed on abandoned projects in the oil-rich region, including the East-West Road.

    The engagements with the Niger Delta and the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) have helped to raise oil revenues to the extent that external reserves have grown by about $7 billion in the last six months. Some $87 million have also been added to the Excess Crude Account and $250 million to the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).

    The engagement with OPEC involved rallying the organisation and Non-OPEC members to discuss stabilisation of the global oil market in Doha and in Algiers. This led to an exemption from the OPEC production freeze and rise in oil prices to $55/pb, for the first time in 16 months.

     

    Unlocking the potentials

    The Buhari administration has leveraged on its goodwill to attract multi-billion investments and loans from China and Morocco. Buhari’s April 2016 visit to China unlocked billions of dollars in infrastructure funding and construction has started on the 150km/hour rail line between Lagos and Ibadan, the first major product of the collaboration.

    One other potential-unlocking strategy the administration has come up with is the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (NERGP). Launched in April, it charts a course for the economy over the next four years.

    The NERGP, according to the Federal Government, is to restore economic growth, invest in Nigerians, and to build a globally competitive economy. It plans to achieve these objectives by giving priority to agriculture, power, macro-economy, energy efficiency, transportation infrastructure and driving industrialisation through Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

    As part of efforts to unlock the country’s potentials, power reform is being done. This has led to the launch of the N701 billion Payment Assurance Programme to guarantee payments to generating companies and gas suppliers.

    The Power Sector Recovery Programme, which was launched in March, has been endorsed by the World Bank.

    Another potential of the country, which was held down for years, is the capacity of the refineries. It has received serious attention in the last two years. Now, the total amount of crude being refined by the three refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna is now 10 million barrels. It was eight million barrels in 2015.

    Agriculture and solid minerals have gotten their groves back. The sector grew by 4.11 per cent last year. Solid   minerals recorded a seven per cent increase. The contribution of the Ministry of Solid Minerals to the Federation Account tripled to about N2 billion in 2016 up from N700 million in 2015.

     

    Other positives

    Despite the low oil prices at the international market, the country’s external reserves have grown by $7 billion since October last year; the Excess Crude Account has seen an inflow of $87 million and $500 million has been added to the Sovereign Wealth Fund, which represents the first inflows since the original $1 billion with which the Fund started in 2012.

    The Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a soil map designed to aid fertilizer application has raised local production of grains. It has produced a model agricultural collaboration between Lagos and Kebbi states.  The country’s rice imports fell from 580,000 MT in 2015 to 58,000MT last year.

    A partnership between Nigeria and Morocco – Presidential Fertiliser Initiative – has resulted in the revitalisation of 11 blending plants. Through  the initiative, which involves Morocco, supplying the country phosphate, the country has recorded annual savings of $200 million in foreign exchange and 60 billion annually in budgetary provisions for fertiliser subsidies. Farmers now purchase fertiliser at N5, 500, 30 per cent cheaper than before.

    The administration is supporting MSMEs with $1.3 billion from the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN). The cash was provided by the World Bank, German Development Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Agence Française de Development.

     

    Ease of Doing Business Reform Programme

    The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council implemented its 60 National Action Plan between February and April. The plan has given willing investors the platform to search for company names on the website of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Such investors can upload their registration documents directly to the CAC website without hiring lawyers to prepare registration documents.  A single form has been created for company incorporation to save time and reduce cost. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) e-payment solution has been integrated with the CAC portal to facilitate e-stamping. The country now has a simplified Visa on Arrival (VoA) Process.

    To also ease business, a joint physical examination of cargo has been directed to ensure one point of contact between importers and officials. The CBN, Customs and commercial banks have been compelled to process Net Export Proceeds forms within 72 hours and Pre-Shipment Inspection Agencies (PIAs) must issue Certificate of Clean Inspection (CCI) within three days.

    The number of documents required for imports has been reduced from 14 to eight. The ones for exports have come down from 10 to seven. Now, terminal operators are mandated to finish container’s examination in 12 hours.

    Acting President Osinbajo sealed the National Action Plan by signing three Executive Orders to improve efficiency in the business environment and promote local procurement by government agencies.

     

    Infrastructural development

    The Buhari administration is revitalising the country’s 3,500 kilometre network of narrow-gauge railway. A consortium led by General Electric and comprising Transnet of South Africa, APM Terminals of the Netherlands and Sinohydro Consortium of China, is working on the Lagos-Kano Railway narrow-gauge Line. The Abuja Light Rail system will also go into operation later this year. The first line to be launched will connect the city centre with the airport, with a link to the Abuja-Kaduna Railway Line. The test-run is scheduled for November. Full operation is planned for the first quarter of 2018.

    The reconstruction of the Abuja Airport runway was done within the scheduled six-week period (March to April 2017).

     

    Giving fillip to the economy

    The economy has been the major challenge of this administration. To get the country out of the economic quagmire, the CBN is reforming the forex regime and this has increased stability in the market.  The appetite for Nigerian stocks by foreign portfolio investors has also increased. Also, the Eurobond raked in more than $7.8 billion compared to a pre-issuance target of $1 billion. Analysts have described the trend as demonstration of the restoration foreign investor’s confidence in the economic reform agenda.

    The CBN has created a new forex window for investors and exporters. CBN’s date has shown that the window has attracted $1.4 billion in its first four weeks of operation.

    The apex bank has also reviewed the list of 41 items excluded from the CBN forex window, in line with a request from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). This is just as a Tariff-driven Tomato Policy has been introduced to promote local production.

    More funds in the hands of local contractors mean more strength for the economy. N1.2 trillion was released for capital expenditure in last year’s budget — the largest capital ever spent in a single budget in the country’s history. As a result of this, work has started on several projects, hitherto stalled. These cut across road, rail and power.

     

    Social Investment Programme

    Regarded as the most ambitious social safety net programme, the Social Investment Programme (SIP) has over one million beneficiaries. The 160,000 N-Power beneficiaries, who have had their details validated, receive N30, 000 monthly stipends. The validation of 40,000 others is ongoing.

    Significantly, 3,162,451 people in 26, 924 cooperative societies have been registered for the Government Enterprise and Empowerment (GEEP) Scheme. 57,234 interest-free loans have been issued in 28 states and Abuja, with women taking a chunk of 56 per cent.

    The administration is catering for 1,051,000 in 8, 587 primary school pupils through its Homegrown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) in seven states. Over 11,000 cooks have been hired under the scheme.

    Through its Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme, 26,942 beneficiaries now get N5, 000 monthly stipend in nine states and 84 local government areas of Niger, Kwara, Ekiti, Kogi, Oyo, Osun, Borno, Cross River and Bauchi states.

     

    Cleansing budgeting process/ BVN/ Efficiency Unit

    The anti-corruption war of the current administration is one thing that is clear to all as one of the things that have changed in the last 24 months.

    Aside the activities of the anti-graft agencies, the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) is one anti-corruption effort not known to many. It is to strengthen controls over government finances through a continuous internal audit of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Thanks to this initiative more than 50,000 ghost workers have been identified. N198 billion was saved as a result of this in 2016.

    The anti-corruption war has generated Budget Reforms, which made the President to direct all government agencies to prepare their budgets in line with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). A budget template was developed for this purpose.

    For the first time, this year’s budget was collated, using a web-based application developed by the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF). MDAs were compelled to upload their proposals on a portal.

    The Bank Verification Number (BVN) has also saved the government a lot of money. All payments are done only into accounts with verifiable BVN. This helped to detect the 50,000 ghost workers using the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform.

    Through the creation of Efficiency Unit (EU), efficient use of government resources has been promoted. This has resulted in saving N15 billion that would have gone into travel, sitting allowances and souvenirs.

     

    TSA/ Open Government Partnership  and whistleblowing

    On August 7, 2015, the President compelled MDAs to close their accounts with commercial banks and transfer their balances to the CBN on or before September 15 of that year. By this action, he gave life to a policy launched in 2012 but left unimplemented. This has resulted in the consolidation of over 20,000 bank accounts. An average of N4.7 billion is saved monthly in banking charges. Over N5.244 trillion is in the TSA.

    The era of some MDAs having idle cash in banks and still borrowed exorbitantly from banks is gone for good.

    The government keeps shutting corruption doors as they are discovered. One of such led to its signing on to the Open Government Partnership (OGP). Last year, President Buhari was at the International Anti-Corruption Summit organised by the Ubited Kingdom (UK) Government, where he pledged that Nigeria would join the international transparency, accountability and citizen engagement initiative. He fulfilled the promise last July when the country became the 70th  country to join the OGP.  This has led to an OGP National Steering Committee (NSC), which has developed a National Action Plan (2017–2019) to mainstream transparency in the management of public resources. The plan was submitted at the OGP Global Summit in Paris, France, in December last year.

    The anti-corruption drive has led to the Whistleblowing Policy which within its first two months of operation, yielded $160 million and N8 billion in recoveries of stolen government funds.

     

    A more transparent NNPC

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was indicted by independent global reports for being opaque.

    One of the first steps the administration took was to reconstruct NNPC’s opaque accounting structure. This led to the closure of more than 40 accounts. Now, NNPC publishes its financial reports monthly and the operational deficits have been reduced by not less than 50 per cent. NNPC outstanding Annual Audits from 2011 to 2014 has been conducted.

    The agency is also undergoing other forms of restructuring that will make it an effective entity. The restructuring, analysts said, promote competition, predictable revenue generation and compliance with global best practices.

    The administration has also resolved the shadowy oil swap deals that had cost the country billions of dollars and left it at the mercy of a few rich Nigerians. The government has also introduced third party financing to eliminate direct funding of cash calls.  The administration has also renegotiated existing service contracts under Joint Venture and Production sharing contracts (PSC) Operations by about 30 per cent leading to operational efficiency improvements and cost reductions.

    The administration has also eliminated the Offshore Processing Agreement (OPA) through the introduction of the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP) scheme with reputable off-shore refineries. This has yielded annual savings of $1 billion.

    The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) put together the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, has now been passed into law by the Senate, after 17 years of failed efforts.

    In 2016, the Federal Government exited the cash call arrangement with Joint Ventures (JVs) with International Oil Companies (IOCs), which put pressure on government’s finances. The failure to fully fund them resulted in more than six billion dollars arrears as at December 2015.

    A new funding mechanism is being introduced to free the government from the budgetary obligation of coming up with the cash calls and increase oil production to about 2.5 million barrels per day.

    The reforms have led to the negotiation of the debt arrears owed the IOCs to $5.1 billion and a long-term repayment plan has been agreed on.

     

    No longer a pariah state

    Unlike in the past, the international community warmed up to the Buhari administration in the last twelve months. The President has enlisted the support of multilateral institutions, such as the World Bank and IMF, security agencies, Western countries and other friendly nations to source, locate and repatriate stolen assets.

    At one of his international engagements, specifically the London summit on anti-corruption, Buhari announced that Nigeria would begin the full implementation of the principles of the OPEN contracting data standards.  This was in furtherance of his trips to the Middle-East, where he had gone to sensitise the governments on the need to repatriate stolen assets and hand over the looters for trial in Nigeria. In January last year, Nigeria and UAE signed Judicial Agreements on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters.

    The Federal Government and the Swiss Government in March last year signed a Letter of Intent on the Restitution of Illegally-Acquired Assets forfeited in Switzerland. Under the agreement, Switzerland will repatriate $321 million illicitly   acquired by the Gen. Sani Abacha family.

     

    Boko Haram: No longer the Lord of Sambisa

    One of the first things Buhari changed was the military structure, which led to the relocation of the Nigerian Military Command Centre to Maiduguri in May 2015. The results are glaring: Over 12,000 persons have been rescued by the troops, including 106 of the Chibok schoolgirls; since December 2015, all territories previously under Boko Haram control have been regained; by June 2015, Nigeria provided $21 million to the Task Force; and in June 2015, the United States (U.S.) announced a $5 million support for the fight against terrorism in the sub-region.

    The seriousness with which the administration has pursued the anti-terror war has also led to the U.S. government further announcing an additional $40 million for humanitarian assistance in the sub-region.

    Boko Haram’s operational and spiritual headquarters, “Camp Zero”, in Sambisa Forest, has been captured. The army has arrested Usman Mohammed, (a.k.a. Khalid Al Barnawi), leader of the Ansaru Terrorist group and one of the most wanted Terrorists in the world, on whose head the U.S. placed a $6 m bounty. Also arrested and being prosecuted is Amodu Omale Salifu, leader of an ISIS affiliate group active in Northcentral.

    Presidential aides are confident that the next one year would bring better goodies for Nigerians in the area of security and others. They said the government has laid a proper foundation capable of putting the country on the right footing. Nigerians are waiting.

  • ‘WHAT MARRIAGE changed ABOUT ME’

    ‘WHAT MARRIAGE changed ABOUT ME’

    Unknown to many, Nollywood actress Susan Peters’ sense of humour transcends the movies. Although she pulled a surprise wedding on her fans in October last year, she says that nothing has changed about her. In this interview with OVWE MEDEME, the thespian talks about life as a married actress, her goals for 2016 and expectations from the incumbent government among other issues.

    HOW has life as a married woman been?

    It is a different thing entirely. The things I used to do as a single lady, I can’t do them anymore.

    What are some of those things you no longer do?

    Just the normal things you want to do as a single lady, you can’t do it because people will talk. People will say she’s married. So I tend to be cautious when I do anything at all.

    What has marriage changed about you?

    Nothing! I’m just adding weight. I don’t understand (Laughs).

    Why have you been adding weight? Has it entered?

    Huh? Why are you asking? What’s your own? You will see it when it gets bigger, so wait.

    As an actress, what do you think should change about Nollywood?

    Honestly, I will give Nollywood credit because even before I joined the industry, we looked up to actors that started it. Now, as the days go by, we keep growing. We are no longer in it for the money but for the recognition. You feel delighted when your movie is nominated and you actually win an award. And even if you don’t win, the fact that you get nominated, it’s a win for me.

    So I give Nollywood credit. There are still some lapses. We need not to cut corners so that we can actually achieve. If you have a low budget movie and you know you don’t have enough money to shoot it, then don’t shoot it instead of taking people on set and putting them into slavery. That’s what I think. People should actually get their budget properly done and then they get their movie done because we as workers should get paid. Even the bible says that a labourer should get paid for wages. It’s in the bible.

    Are you saying some producers owe you?

    No, they do not owe me but there are lots of stories about people who go on set and they don’t get paid or they have to do some other things to get on the job. That’s totally wrong. Those are the areas I think should be checked.

    Does your new status influence the kind of roles you take now?

    Not really. I’m an actress. My husband met me in the job so he should support the job. It doesn’t change me doing what I used to do. The only thing is, there are some other things I would not do the way I used to when I was a single lady. That’s it. But every other thing about my job still stays as it is. I take the same roles I take before.

    Would you act nude?

    I have never acted nude. That has been a no no for me, even before I got married. That’s not even it. I’ve never acted nude and I’ve never been in support of acting nude. Of course you could take off some clothes but not to the extent of going totally nude. It is not in our culture to go nude. If I try that, my mother in the village would react. She will say the people in the village have followed me to the town. So it’s not in our culture.

    People think, for you, humour is all acting…

    That means you don’t know who Susan Peters really is. I’ve got a sense of humour. You don’t know that.

    But don’t people take you for granted?

    When you play too much, of course they will. But I’m a happy person, I’m a people person but I could be very blunt. Don’t step on my toes because I could sting like a scorpion.

    What would someone do to be considered as stepping on your toes?

    Actually there is a whole lot. In this day and time, if you want to go by what people do, you will just keep hitting your head on the wall every day. You just need to learn to overlook some things. Because even in the house, you have people who will get on your nerves not to talk of outsiders. You just have to learn to let go. That’s it.

    In Sound of Poverty, you acted as a less privileged. What message were you trying to send across?

    The message in that movie actually is for people not to look down on others because somebody who is poor today could be rich tomorrow. And if you have friends among your peers who are not well to do, you should always carry them along and don’t stab them in the back. It is a message about friendship and how it should be cherished.

    What are you working on now?

    I’m actually working on two projects right now. I’m doing a job with Rock Studios and one with Emem Isong.

    What would you say about the issue of piracy?

    In fact, that issue is a disease that we have to be looking for the cure every year, or every minute or every second. It’s something that can’t be cured. That’s the truth. Even Hollywood has pirates. It’s just that our own just don’t want us to make money when we produce our films.

    What do you think should be done about the menace?

    I think there’s a whole lot in the portal at the moment because now we can take our movies to the cinemas, which is a way not to get them to get CDs on time. So when it gets to the cinemas and it goes online, and then it takes a while before it comes on DVD, you must have made a bit of your money.

    But as time goes on, I think they will find other remedies to fight piracy because it’s just like stealing. For somebody who steals, it would take the grace of God for that person to actually stop stealing. For us, it’s really affecting us. Because of them, we can’t really put our movies out in the market properly. We have to put them out in bits.

    What does 2016 hold for you?

    2016 started slow. The Buhari economics is affecting everybody and we are hoping that the change has come to stay and it will get better. We are in the third month of the year, so we still have a long way to go. We are hoping that as time goes on, things would turn around for good.

    Specifically, what are some of the things you would want the government to focus on?

    They should hasten up all the promises they’ve given the people because they promised change. I know the government is doing its best but they should try harder.

    It appears Nollywood is more celebrated in other countries than in Nigeria. What do you think should be done?

    I think we need to do more of awareness for our own. Those days, we didn’t use to watch TV series but nowadays, they are coming up and we are into it. The two jobs I’m working on are TV series. Losing Control is a TV series, Husbands of Lagos too. And they are very interesting. There are other people too producing TV series, so if we have lots of content coming out, people will want to watch. It is because we don’t have much doing in that regard that people watch Telemundo and stuff like that.

  • We have changed Bayelsa — Dickson

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, has claimed that his administration started the process of changing the state in 2012.

    According to Dickson, “the massive infrastructural development of the state and the attitudinal re-orientation of Bayelsans are manifest testimonies of the change we brought to bear on governance in Bayelsa State.”

    The governor said that public funds are now being prudently utilized for the people, adding ‘‘that is why in the last three years, we have been able to turn Bayelsa to a construction site, and at the same time restore the people’s confidence in government.”

    Governor Dickson, who spoke on Thursday at the 11th edition of the All Nigerian Editors Conference, said the theme of the conference, The Change We Need: the role of the editor and the choice of Bayelsa as host were no happenstance.

    He said the Guild’s decision may have been prompted by its knowledge of him as a change agent, as well as the prevailing peace and security in the state.

    He said his decision to host the conference was not just because he is media-friendly, but also because of the capacity of media leaders to tell the Bayelsa story in line with his philosophy of ‘‘taking Bayelsa to the world and bringing the world to Bayelsa’’.

    He said: ‘‘For me as a PDP governor, my position is that, after election, all men and women of our country must unite to move our nation forward and bring about the needed change, because the important issues, like security and economy that we are elected to deliver on, are not partisan.

    “Hunger has no partisan boundary or colour, terrorism knows no partisan colour. We need to give support to the Federal Government led by President Muhamed Buhari.’’

    While urging the editors to set agenda on the diversification of the Nigerian economy without oil, Governor Dickson lamented the sad story of the dry oil well in Oloibri, the first oil well in the country.

    Earlier, the representative of the Vice President and Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Information, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, urged editors to be fair, balanced and objective in their reportage.

    The chairman of the occasion, Mr. John Momoh, enjoined media organisations to do things in a different way in order to bring about the desired change in the country. According to him, the mass media are reflections of the country they operate in.

    Acting President of the Guild, Mallam Garba Deen Muhammed, thanked the governor for hosting the Guild, and pledged the readiness of editors to be agents of change in the country.

  • Little has changed

    Little has changed

    • This is why Nigerians may not get stable power supply in spite of privatisation

    WITH the current state of electricity supply across the country, power-starved Nigerians must be wondering if their erstwhile nightmare, Power Holdings Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has not mutated into something worse than the old sobriquet – Problem Has Changed Name – after the last rites of privatisation of the unbundled PHCN entities. Long accustomed to the astounding ineptitude of the erstwhile power utility firm, Nigerians must have imagined that their nightmares were about to end with the successful takeover of the distribution companies (DISCOs) by the preferred bidders late last year. Nothing, it seems, is set to change.

    No doubt, the idea of the restructuring, as advertised, was to have a power sector that works, a sector with disparate players bound together by the force of regulation – and one which delivers value to every player. That obviously was the basis of optimism in the power sector reform that has taken nearly the whole of 14 years to deliver. While it might seem early in the day for a definitive prognosis, there is hardly any dispute in the fact that what we have presently is the worst of possible combinations: a disappointingly inadequate generation capacity that continues to be ill-served by its transmission system; a group of out-of-depth players in the distribution system, all of these, in a confounding regulatory environment under which no one appears to be in charge.

    The truth is that the promises for the electricity-starved consumers are no longer as they were. Indeed, the outlook would appear grimmer, something of a marked departure from the incremental boost as promised by President Goodluck Jonathan only a short while ago. Clearly, there can hardly be a better evidence of the regression than the 4,517.6mw delivered to the grid in December 2012, compared with the barely 3,565mw delivered last December after the combined output of two new plants were supposed to have been injected into the grid. Given the massive load-shedding that has been going on since the beginning of the year, the situation is unlikely to have improved.

    Much as the Federal Government would seek to hold the other Nigerian nightmare – those behind the vandalisation of vital power installations and gas pipelines – responsible for the current crisis in the power sector, a lot of the problems can also be explained by its continuing failure to confront the problems that have dogged the sector. While it seems easy to be asked to swallow the sabotage theory being bandied by the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, as responsible for the crisis, it is difficult to accept the idea that the government cannot confront and tame a monster holding the economy by the jugular.

    And that is not all. The government obviously stands no less guilty for the serial misjudgements which appear, in the circumstance, to have delivered a botched process. Of course, merely by its final outcome, the privatisation process could have passed for an unqualified success; but then, only when its aftermath is evaluated in terms of the promised deliverables does a truer picture emerge – the picture of a club of disparate players with little or no discernable methods to their operations.

    Before now, we had expressed worries that names of global players in the power sector couldn’t be found among those seeking to take over the entities. Our fears would seem to have been borne out with the unprecedented inertia since their coming; that is aside the un-denied reports about the DISCOs coming together to solicit for credit guarantees from the Federal Government after the latter is supposed to have divested. If we may be more specific, in vain have we sought for evidence of the new ideas, technical capacity, and demonstrable commitment to new methods of doing business. It may well be business as usual.

    Related to this is that the nation is being told that they cannot collect outstanding liabilities owed by consumers under the ancien regime. This of course raises the all-important question of the quality of due diligence conducted before bidding for the units. More disturbing, the DISCOs would appear bent on continuing with the outmoded billing system that not only robbed the consumers blind but one that insisted on levying them for services that were never rendered. That perhaps explains why the companies are neither forthcoming on the issue of pre-paid meters to the consumers, nor have they demonstrated willingness to embrace the fundamental principle of equity on which modern businesses are run. And all of these in an environment where the electricity consumer is often presented as a chronically bad debtor.

    The fact of the matter is that the Nigerian electricity consumer has put up for far too long with the tyranny and ineptitude of entities meant to guarantee him power supply. Now is the time to end the tyranny and ineptitude. Nigerians are tired of the wearisome excuses that seek to rationalise why they cannot get electricity after close to a decade of power sector reforms that have gulped nearly $16 billion.

    We expect the regulator – the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, to move away from its self-imposed inertia, to embrace the challenge of firmness and even-handedness which the deregulated power sector demands. The consumer must be made to pay only for the services enjoyed. We do not accept that the DISCOs should be granted any indulgences by way of estimated billings. That is what equity demands. Only when the DISCOs are denied that indulgence would they be disposed to invest in vital infrastructure such as pre-paid meters. That is the way to go.

     

  • Little has changed

    Little has changed

    IT is distressing that, despite the stark reality of oil-business related environmental degradation in the Niger Delta and the long campaign for correction, there is little or no progress. The ghost of Ken Saro-Wiwa, the writer and renowned environmental rights activist who championed a loud protest against the despoliation before his execution under the military administration of the late General Sani Abacha, must be agitated. This was implied by Senator Bukola Saraki, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, who lamented that, 18 years after Saro- Wiwa’s death, “the struggle and message for which he was killed still resonates with us.”

    Interestingly, Saraki observed that “there is a regulatory and legal failure lending itself to the environmental impunity we see in the Niger Delta.”  This thought is confounding, particularly given the existence of the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs announced in 2008 by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua,  “to coordinate efforts to tackle the challenges of infrastructural development, environment protection and youth empowerment in the Niger Delta.”  Additionally, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) became a parastatal agency under the ministry.

    Sadly, with the evident lack of improvement in the region, it would appear that these structures are merely glorified; and there might be an urgent need for a new template for development. Specifically, reports indicate that the ministry has performed rather disappointingly, in spite of huge budgets: road projects, skill acquisition programmes, and water and electricity schemes are allegedly far behind schedule; waterfront development, including dredging and port development, was reportedly unimpressively insignificant. Also, certainly more disturbing is report of an immense disparity between federal budgetary figures and amounts released, which suggests a hampering unseriousness on the part of the central government. It is ironic that such callous treatment is the reward for a region responsible for the main portion of the country’s revenue.

    However, the role of governments in the oil-producing states deserves to be questioned as well, especially in the light of the statutory 13 percent derivation-based extra revenue allocation which they enjoy. Against the backdrop of their complaints about its inadequacy and clamour for more, it is logical to inquire how well such funds have been utilised to ameliorate socio-economic conditions in the states. It is no secret that official corruption continues to be a monstrous impediment to good governance not only in the oil-rich region, but across the country.

    It is on record that abysmal governmental neglect triggered the upsurge in militant activities by protesters, which eventually led to the Federal Government’s 2009 controversial amnesty programme that has essentially failed to arrest the people’s outrage. Regrettably, there are, today, strong signals that the era of militancy is not quite over.

    However, it is worth emphasising that the problematic issue of gross underdevelopment in the Niger Delta needs to be addressed alongside the atrocious degradation caused especially by oil spills and gas flaring, which have been rightly described as “irresponsible environmental behaviour.” It is instructive that in a recent report, Amnesty International blamed oil pollution in the Niger Delta on corrosion and other faults in aging pipelines of the oil companies in the area. It is inexcusable that gas flaring continues, and the official terminal date keeps shifting, demonstrating a condemnable lack of will by the authorities. Also, it is necessary to expedite action on the amendment of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Act (NOSDRA) 2006, with a view to not only stipulating specific penalties and responsibilities for oil spills, but also enforcing the provisions of the law in cases of breaches.

    There is no doubt that the campaign for environmental revolution in the region needs to be sustained and reinforced; and the governors of the oil-producing states as well as the Federal Government monitored for greater accountability.

  • ‘Asiwaju Tinubu changed the end of my life for better’

    ‘Asiwaju Tinubu changed the end of my life for better’

    My musical career started in 1946. I loved the way the army used to parade then. When I was small, l always watched them parade from Iddo to Obalende in Lagos. Whenever l saw them, l followed them. I had music in my blood.

    From there, l joined Ishola Payne and Jubril Issa, a military man. l also played with J. O. Araba in 1960. In those days, singing was not lucrative; even if you could sing like a Nightingale, you would be paid only 10 pounds. Music used to be recorded by the white people; they scrutinise your song before producing. Apart from this, you were only allowed to release two albums per year. All the benefits enjoyed now were not there then. Unfortunately for me, along the line l had a stopover. Unknown soldiers burnt my instruments and car, they destroyed everything l had. It got to a stage l had to take up a security job at Teslim Balogun Stadium. I did this for five years, and then l started singing for a church where l spent over 4 years, then left after a false accusation. When l left the church, a friend gave me money to begin playing music again. It was in this period l started traveling, I toured European countries.

    On arrival from my tour, l met my manager, Yomi Opakunle, we launched Eko FM Radio website. Asiwaju saw me and gave me the house. I am very grateful, he made me proud of my profession, he showed me sympathy, he changed the end of my life for better. Since l came here, things have become easy.

    Before l came here, l was living in one room. Now, l feel I am living in a palace in a totally different environment. I have been living here for over one year.

    I was living on Agege Motor Road, Mushin; the house has been bought by Intercontinental Bank. I lost my wife during this period. Before Asiwaju gave me this palace, I had a problem with the landlord of the house l was living for five years. He asked us to quit the house; l took him to court. The landlord eventually gave us some money but Asiwaju surprised him by giving me this two-bedroom flat.

    I stayed there because there was no money to rent a better place. The money I got then, l was using it to build my studio and it was a big project that required a lot of funds. I appreciate Asiwaju for this and l see him and his colleagues as reasonable people. They enjoyed my music when they were young and felt they should contribute something to my life. They also considered the fact that l am the oldest musician in Nigeria, still singing at 80, l was still strong but suffering.

    Another thing about Asiwaju is his respect for me; anywhere he sees me, he gives me great respect.

     

    •Culled from Many Little Miracles, a book by the Chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation Mr Sam Omatseye