The Nation Newspaper

Tag: donation

  • Orhii’s ‘NAFDAC’ donation

    SIR: It now seems a decade since the suspended Governor of Nigeria’s apex bank, the buzzing Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was mauled black and blue for taking the funds of the central bank to procure donations for the victims of January 20 attack in his home state of Kano. It was prominently concluded by pundits then, that Sanusi’s gesture was a marginal failure in fairness, in that a similar charity was never replicated during the aftermath of prior incidents in other parts of the country. However, one thing was eventually conceded by the same pundits: it was licit for CBN as a moneyed public institution to partake in corporate social responsibility.

    Then there came the news recently, that Dr Paul Orhii, Director General of NAFDAC was in Makurdi to donate relief materials worth N20 million, to the internally-displaced victims of the Fulani-Tiv crisis in the state. What readily comes to mind reading this is ‘when did NAFDAC become a disaster management agency?’ Or besides, ‘when last did we witness the grieving face of Orhii extending similar gesture to crisis victims in Konduga, Borno State or flood victims in Lagos State?

    In the law of compassion, victims everywhere deserve the common care of all and sundry, regardless of positions and capacities. But charity is not done with a flagrantly borrowed hand. Most appropriately, we would expect to soon see the good Samaritan NAFDAC DG in Lafia, Nassarawa State delivering more donations to another sets of displaced persons from the same crisis. Recall that the compass of NAFDAC’s constituency captures the wide country of Nigeria, not only the boundary of its Food Basket.

    Perhaps this may not have been the first time ‘NAFDAC’ would be found to be overreaching its professional duty of ‘safeguarding the health of the nation’, through preventive vigilance against health-related disasters (as against the passive offer of relief items that was the official preserve of the likes of NEMA). Yet we have every reason to doubt if any stakeholder could categorize the sad crisis in dear Benue as a purely health crisis, for which an agency like NAFDAC may be required to render assistance.

    Two years ago, Thisday had reported another N20million worth of relief materials were donated by the same NAFDAC DG to the same constituency of Makurdi. To quote the newspaper, “The NAFDAC Director General’s estimable donation to the flood victims in Makurdi was said to be the single largest by any organisation, individual or group apart from the state and federal government donations.”

    If all had promptly contested the legality and probity of NAFDAC DG’s donation to Makurdi flood victims alone back in 2012, another N20million in ‘NAFDAC’ relief materials would have been spared from the brunt of unsavory executive diversion.

    Our able NAFDAC DG might have been in Makurdi for his perceivable long-started personality promotion and publicity stunt that seems to be geared toward a possible political ambition in the near future. But is the DG wrong to flaunt political ambitions according to any law and convention in the land? Not at all and never in any way, except that Orhii is currently not a political office holder at least with strict regard to his technical line of duties. If Orhii must be found ‘guilty’ of any shrouded political campaign, let him be in his personal capacity as Benue indigene not in the professional name of NAFDAC and its regulatory activities.

    Until we stop seeing corruption through the screened Google Glass of financial thievery alone, rampant administrative misconducts will continue to wreck havoc upon leadership standards in our country, where there is already a general consensus in the over-existence of its deficits.

     

    • Mazhun Idris

    mazhun.idris@facebook.com

  • Club donates to psychiatric patients

    Patients at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNH), Yaba have received food stuffs and other items worth N300, 000 from Gentlemen Club of Lagos.

    The club made this donation at a programme held at FNH, Yaba, Lagos to

    honour the Head, Health Information Record, Mr Ganiyu Bello and Mr James Adaramola of the Store Department who are retiring from service in the hospital.

    The chairman of the club, Mr Steve Olawala, said the donation was in line with the club’s aim, which is to help the less-privileged in the society.

    He said it is the duty of the club to support the hospital, adding that with funds available, his members will continue to support the hospital in every way possible.

    Items donated include bags of rice, washing soap, bathroom slippers, and face towels, among others.

    The Medical Director, FNH, Dr Rahman Lawal, thanked members of the club for their regular support to the hospital and called on other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to emulate such gesture.

    He described the two retirees as dedicated staffs that have done a lot for the betterment of the hospital.

    Lawal said: “These men will be missed. They have done a lot for the growth of this hospital. We wish they continue but we wish them all the best in their endeavours in life after service.”

    One of the retirees, Mr Ganiyu Bello, thanked the club members for honoring them and urged other members to be of good character wherever they find themselves.

  • CBN’s N.5bn donation

    CBN’s N.5bn donation

    •Again, should the apex bank continue giving away money like this?

    Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) decision to spend N500million on renovation and infrastructural development of Lisabi Grammar School, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has opened its flank for another round of criticism, Doing good is not inherently bad; but it raises eyebrows when a public institution like the CBN is concerned. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), as they call it, is done by many business concerns as a way of giving back to the society part of what they have taken from it.

    But what they spend on CSR is usually taken from their profits. This is one reason many Nigerians believe it should not be the duty of the CBN to embark on such projects because it has no tangible product that it sells.

    As a matter of fact, that was one of the reasons many Nigerians asked questions when in February last year the apex bank donated N100million to the Kano State Government, for delivery to victims of the Boko Haram-induced violence in the state. The bank explained then that under its statute, it is empowered to make such donations, provided they are approved by its board. Consequently, there should be no issues on the Kano donation since it was approved by its board; in other words, the bank had fulfilled all righteousness. Not many Nigerians were impressed with this answer, and many people began calling for a tinkering with the autonomy of the bank in a way that would clip its wings for such expenditures.

    A raging debate thus ensued, with some former governors of the bank, former finance ministers and other financial experts wading in, in defence of the CBN, to protect it from the undue influence of politicians. Somehow, a middle course was reached with some people suggesting that we should demarcate between the bank’s operational autonomy and its budgeting autonomy. This seems sensible in that it both protects the apex bank’s autonomy to play its regulatory role in the economy as well as ensure that it submits its budgets to the National Assembly like other government agencies.

    However, no further action was taken on the matter ever since. But, the donation to Lisabi Grammar School, as part of the apex bank’s development policy of intervention in schools, has once again brought to the fore the question of how far the apex bank can go in spending money without appropriation, beyond the approval by its board? No doubt the projects for which the money was donated, which included a 200-seater capacity hall, an ultra modern library, laboratory for Physics, Chemistry and Biology; staff quarters, two boreholes as well as two buses are laudable, but should it be the business of the CBN? Being the alma mater of the bank’s deputy governor (operations), Mr. Tunde Lemo, won’t it raise question of abuse of office? In other words, would such generosity have been the school’s lot if Mr Lemo is not its product?

    The fact is, N500million is a lot of money; it will go a long way in putting smiles on the faces of students and staff in some five colleges, at the rate of N100million per school. Yes, when a school clocks 70, like Lisabi Grammar School, it calls for celebration and retrospection. Without doubt, if the donation had come from the old students, no one would have questioned it; irrespective of the amount involved.

    Something must be wrong with whatever process that allows the CBN such latitude without appropriation by the National Assembly. Even the government that appoints the CBN governor has oversight done on its budget by the National Assembly. The apex bank is a mere custodian of public wealth; it should not give the impression that it is its owner.

     

  • Foundation donates to needy kids

    Tude Nnam Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has given play items worth about N1.5 million to children with special needs at the Down-Syndrome Support Initiative Centre, in the FCT.

    Some of the items presented to the centre were sets of swindler and slider, among other children playing equipment. The group was received by members of staff of the centre, who were on expressed their appreciation to the NGO. Recall that the students are still on vacation.

    Presenting the items to the centre, founder of the NGO, Mr. Jude Nnam said the gesture was the foundation’s way of expressing love and support for parents of children living with Down-syndrome, even as he said it was also a way of letting the children know that despite their condition, they can live a normal life, as all hope is not lost.

    He said: “Due to lack of proper care and attention to the issues related to Down Syndrome in the society, many children with the condition have either died or been neglected by their parents.

    “The foundation is committed to educating and developing programmes for children with special needs as well as promoting community awareness on Down syndrome.

    “I am using this platform to strengthen the already established centres catering for children with special conditions.

    “We intend to open a music academy in the foundation where we can visit and play music and organise musical concert for children with Down Syndrome. They are musically inclined people as they love music a lot.

    “There is also need for constant workshop to educate people; especially parents and physicians who specialise in this area on the need to adequately carter for children living with the condition.

    “It has been my dream to do something positive for children living with Down syndrome condition. I am calling on the government to assist the foundation in its objective of ensuring proper care of the needs of children with Down syndrome.

  • NFF’S donation tears Oliha’s family apart

    NFF’S donation tears Oliha’s family apart

    Few days after the burial of late Thompson Oliha, the family are seriously embattled with one other over the two million naira (N2million) paid by the Nigeria Football Federation to one of the late Thompson Oliha’s siblings’ account.

    Our sources said trouble started few days to the final burial at the Edo state FA office where meetings were held to put touches to the whole arrangements.

    “My brother, as we talk now, this same man dey tell us say, him nor see alert for the money when NFF don pay to his account, na waooo.

    “This same man, dey fight everybody because of the late brother properties, he’s also fighting seriously to get document to some of Thompson’s properties. But I assured him, he can’t get it, because the children will grow to reap the labour of their father. Not one idiot that had been feeding on their late brother properties”.

    The late Thompson Oliha was buried on Friday, 26th , 2013 at his Thompson Oliha crescent, off Edo street, Upper Sokponba, Benin. He couldn’t be interred till 7pm because of the family internal crisis over his burial site.

    In Benin tradition, it is customary that, where he was buried belongs to the only son.

    Our sources said the mother of the boy is working seriously to secure the property from the departed player’s brother.

  • Outrage over N6bn donation to Jonathan’s hometown church

    Outrage over N6bn donation to Jonathan’s hometown church

    There was outrage yesterday after over N6 billion was donated in Lagos at the fund raising in aid of St. Stephen’s Anglican Deanery and Youth Development Centre, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, home town of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The event attended by the president held at the high brow Civic Centre, Victoria Island. The highest donation was given by Prince Arthur Eze, a business tycoon. He donated N1.8 billion.

    Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State made a donation of N230 million on behalf of the newly-formed PDP Governors Forum .

    He was recently made chairman of the forum which was created as a separate body from the Nigerian Governors Forum headed by Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Another N100million was donated by Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State on behalf of South- South state Governors.

    Governor Seriake Dickson pledged to build the nursery school and cancer diagnostic centre components of the project at Otuoke as the contribution of Bayelsa.

    The church came into national consciousness in April last year when Gitto Construzioni Generali Nigeria Limited, an Italian construction firm donated the multi-million dollar building to President Jonathan’s home church. The donation of the building provoked a hail of criticism against the president with many calling on the anti-graft agencies to step into it.

    Several PDP governors were said to be unaware, last night, of the donation made on their behalf by Akpabio.

    Their spokespersons said their bosses were not consulted on the donation.

    Speaking at the fund raising, President Jonathan urged wealthy Nigerians to contribute meaningfully to the development of poor communities in the country.

    This, according to him, will go a long way in empowering youths.

    Jonathan noted that the only way to ensure that one’s memory is kept alive is to make positive impact in the lives of the people.

    He said: “We are all mortal beings, we are all biological specimen so we will all die but when you die, what will you be remembered for, what will you leave behind? I used to tell people that even the house I was struggling to build in the village, these days in this global age, how am I sure that my children will even stay in my root.”

    “They want to go to West Indies, they want to go to Latin America, so I was even joking with people that if I look at the behaviour of my children and if I don’t see any of them that will patronize the village, even my house I will donate it out before I die.”

    Jonathan, said that the project for the St. Stephens Anglican Deanery and Youth Development Centre in his home town was so dear to him.

    He spoke of his determination to ensure that the younger generation of Nigerians pass through a better system of education different from the one he experienced while growing up.

    “I feel the only thing I can do is to make sure that from Nursery School to Primary and Secondary School, there should be a standard educational facility and youth programme, so that it gives opportunity for the younger ones to grow even if we die in the next 100 years, people will remember that those before them have something for them”

    He said that the Youth Development Centre was put under the control of the church because of the long history of churches using funds effectively for development and that they had been able to ensure that such developmental projects endure.

    Speaking earlier, Akwa Ibom State Governor and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpabio said that the project was part of the vision of President Jonathan to ensure that the youths of Otuoke have better education and secured future.

    Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Peter Obi ( Anambra) and Liyel Imoke (Cross Rivers) lauded the initiative, saying that they would replicate such initiative in their states.

    Present at the occasion were Chairman of Visafone, Mr.Jim Ovia; Chairman Capital oil, Chief Ifeanyi Uba; Chairman of A-Z Oil, Chika Okafor, Chairman Arik Air, Sir Joseph Arumemi–Ikhide,Mr. Oba Otudeko and Tony Elumenu.

    Others who attended the occasion included Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Tunde Lemo, some Ministers, Senators, members of the House of Representatives and prominent indigenes of Otuoke.

    Critics said yesterday’s fundraising was reminiscent of the much-criticised launching by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to raise funds for his presidential library. The event held in Abeokuta on May 14, 2005 realised about N6 billion, but was widely condemned as public extortion.

    Reacting to the donations, renowned constitutional lawyer, Professor Itse Sagay, said the development shows the abysmal level that ethical standards in governance had fallen in the country.

    He said: “This is not the first time such a thing has happened. Remember former President Olusegun Obasanjo also did a similar thing to raise money for his library.”

    Describing the president’s action as morally wrong, Sagay continued, “It amounts to extorting money from sycophants who are unjustly benefiting from government. As far as I am concerned, the development fell below ethical standard and was not supposed to happen.”

    Former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye also condemned the huge donation.

    “The truth of the matter is that those who made the donation did so not because they love God, but rather President Jonathan. Ask these people if they have built any church in their localities and the answer will be no,” he said.

    Melaye, who is also the Convener, Anti Corruption Network, added, “Not only is this action morally wrong, it is an open display of open corruption that has over the entire fabric of this country.”

    A chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Dr. Usman Bugaje, also faulted the donations.

    He castigated governors who donated at the event, saying it is criminal to embark on such frivolous spending when millions of their supposed voters are languishing for absence of basic necessities of life.

    According to him: “Are the monies appropriated in the budget? If they are properly appropriated, is the donation in the best interest of the public?

    “Are the monies from their private pockets? It is criminal to ignore the dire lack and infrastructural shortcomings in their states to donate such monies.

    “There are people dying because they cannot afford N500 drugs in their states and the governors are busy spending public funds as they like”.

    The former member of the House of Representatives added: “It is a height of irresponsibility and insensitivity to spend public funds on such frivolities just because the President is involved.

    Human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo, condemned the use of public funds for private enterprises.

    He said the church is a private organisation that should never benefit from public funds.

    Keyamo stated: “It is a gross mismanagement of the public funds. It is also against the anti-corruption laws, especially a public official like the President soliciting for donations from private individuals and government contractors like Chief Arthur Eze.”

    On his part, Chief Chekwas Okorie, expressed shock at the organisation of such fund raising bazaar in Lagos, “My immediate reaction to this news is that it is quite indecent for Mr. President to preside over such a fund raising bazaar. It is indecent for him to gather contractors working for government and government officials superintending over state funds, and using his position as president to extract such huge resources for a village church.

    “In fact, for him to even contemplate this fund-raising bazaar shows his level of insensitivity on matters of using executive influence to extract the peoples’ resources. I think it is not too far from extortion though the people and the governors that donated were not openly forced to do so. Given his position as the President and Commander-In-Chief, it is doubtful if the invited donors had any choice not to give so generously.

    “Also, since no village church would cost up to N6 billion, Nigerians will want to know how President Jonathan will utilise the balance. The whole thing is baffling,” he said.

    In his reaction, Chief Ayo Adebanjo said, “This type of uncaring attitude is now synonymous with these people. It goes a long way to show their brazen display of nonchalance towards how the people feel. How can you explain the fact that a single individual donated nearly N2 billion? It is unimaginable. Before such a person will cough out that much, he must have benefitted about ten times of that from the system either by award of contract, oil blocks or even undue waivers. I just hope they will stop this because it has a way of infuriating the people. I’m a Christian but I believe Christians too should be above board.”