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Tag: Fed Govt

  • Fed Govt may arraign Badeh tomorrow

    Fed Govt may arraign Badeh tomorrow

    •Files 10-count money laundering charge

    The Federal Government may arrign former Chief Of Defence Staff (CDS), tomorrow before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Already, the Fed Govt has filed a 10-count charge against him before the court bordering on money laundering.

    It was learnt that the charge on Monday, has been assigned to Justice Okon Abang.

    Also named in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/46/2016 is a company named Iyaliam Limited, allegedly used by Badeh to acquire property illegally.

    Justice James Tsoho, also of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday fixed March 4 for ruling on a fundamental rights enforcement application filed by Badeh.

    Badeh has been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos since February 8 when he honoured the agency’s invitation for questioning.

    Arguing the application on Monday, applicant’s lawyer Samuel Zibiri (SAN), who filed the bail application dated February 15, said though the EFCC had granted his client bail, the ex-CDS could not meet it because of the “onerous conditions” attached to it.

    He said his client was recovering from a recent surgery and also had a history of kidney stone.

     

    Zibiri hinged the application on Section 35(4) and Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution and sections 158, 162 and 165(1) (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

    He urged the court to grant bail to his client on self recognizance or on such favourable and liberal terms as the court might deem fit ?to make.

    Zibiri equally prayed the court to grant him bail pending the completion of investigation by the EFCC and/or arraignment before this court.

    Badey’s lawyer argued that the alleged case of fraud for which his client was invited was a bailable offence.

    “There is no reason for, or any likelihood that the applicant will jump bail, escape from Justice, interfere with witnesses or investigation if same is still ongoing, or the course of justice upon his being granted bail.

    “The applicant has no criminal antecedent or records. The applicant owing to his status in the society can be granted bail on self recognizance, or on the most liberal of terms, as he will be available to attend any invitation by the respondents at all times.

    “That the applicant’s health condition is bad and he recently had surgery on his spine which requires constant post-operative follow-up by his physician as well as renal condition which he is currently undergoing treatment for.”

    Badeh, in a supporting affidavit, stated that “That the applicant was invited by the EFCC vide a letter dated February 1, 2016, to their office at No. 5 Fomella Street, Wuse II, Abuja, on Wednesday, February 3, 2016, to provide some clarification on connection with their investigation into an alleged case of fraud.

    “That the applicant honoured the invitation at the scheduled time and date, in company of his legal Representatives led by his humble self Samuel O. Zibiri, SAN.

    “That contrary to the Acting Chairman’s assurances that the visit was merely routine, the applicant was interrogated for well over nine hours and asked to write a statement which he did and was thereafter detained and all attempts to secure his release and reschedule another appointment was thwarted by the respondent.

    “That three days after the applicant was detained, the respondent issued an internal memo dated February 10, the most onerous and unrealistic bail terms.

    “That upon receiving the bail condition all efforts were made to satisfy same ?by the family and friends of the applicant who could not satisfy same due to its onerous and unreasonable terns whereupon he, Mr Zibiri, SAN, wrote a letter for a review of the bail condition for the applicant.

    “That the respondent has refused neglected and ignored the said appeal and has continued to detain the applicant indefinitely.

    “That he is currently recovering from a recent surgery on his spinal cord for Lumbo-sacral Spondylosis and currently on medication. He also has a history of Renal Lithiasis (Kidney Stones).”

    Zibiri said Badeh’s detention by virtue of a remand order issued by a Magistrate’s Court in Lagos “is a gross abuse of the ACJA 2015” insisting he should be granted bail because a Federal High Court is superior to the magistrate court.”

    EFCC’s lawyer, Cosmas Ugwu, in opposing the application, told the court that Badeh had not made any effort to fulfil the administrative bail granted him by the EFCC in Lagos.

    “He is in custody in Lagos. Abuja is not holding him, so, the convenient court to grant the applicant bail is a court within the same territorial jurisdiction,” Ugwu argued.

    The EFCC lawyer also informed the court that Badeh was being held under a remand order issued by a Lagos magistrate court because he was fingered in the NIMASA fraud allegation.

     

     

     

  • Fed Govt donates vehicles, motorcycles for Benin polls

    Nigeria has donated 15 Hilux vehicles and 100 motorcycles to the Independent National Electoral Commission of Benin Republic to enable it conduct credible presidential election.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulus Lolo, who presented the items in Cotonou, said free, peaceful and credible election in the neighbouring country was of interest to Nigeria.

    The presidential elections will hold on March 6 and 36 candidates will contest, according to  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Lolo encouraged the people of Benin and the electoral commission to conduct the elections in a transparent and credible manner.

    “Nigeria and Benin are neighbours; what happens in Benin is of immediate impact and interest to Nigeria and what happens in Nigeria has impact and is of interest to Benin.

    “Besides, we are one and the same separated by colonial rule and because of this separation with a borderline; we tend to think we are different people.

    “Therefore, our being here today to support the electoral process in Benin is a clear demonstration of our solidarity, brotherhood and friendship,” he said.

    According to him, Nigeria wants to share its experience with Benin to encourage the people that there is no alternative to democratic governance.

    “You are witnesses to the landmark change that took place in Nigeria in 2015, following the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in a peaceful, transparent and legitimate election without rancour.

    “That election in Nigeria was a landmark because for the first time, a ruling party that had been in power for 16 years, was voted out of office.

    “Through the free will of the Nigerian people, the election ushered in an opposition party for the first time,” he said.

    Lolo, however, said the peaceful change could not have been possible were it not for the courageous and independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    He said: “Today, the support we are rendering to Benin is to enable the Commission Electorale Nationale Autonome (CENA) stand firm and ensure that the votes of the people count.”

    The President of CENA, Tiando Emmanuel, hailed Nigeria’s support to Benin, saying the donation will assist the electoral body to enhance its performance.

    “The quality of relationship between Nigeria is demonstrated by the frequent meetings existing between the two countries.

    “During the last meeting with INEC, I told the INEC chairman that Nigeria is the elder brother of Benin and the elder brother cannot abandon the younger brother.

    “This gesture will allow CENA to reach the farthest parts of Benin during the election and will reinforce our democracy in Benin and democratic values in Africa,” Emmanuel said.

    Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Dr. Lawrence Obisakin hailed Buhari’s leadership quality, saying he had supported democracy in Africa since he assumed office.

  • Fed Govt and the ‘sacked’ vice chancellors

    Fed Govt and the ‘sacked’ vice chancellors

    While the furore surrounding the 2016 federal budget was yet to abate, another perhaps more embarrassing one flared about two weeks ago with the report of the removal of 13 federal university (including the National Open University) vice chancellors. The Federal Ministry of Education’s statement announcing the removal, however, said nothing about sack. All the statement did was to announce President Muhamau Buhari’s approval of the appointment of the new 13 university helmsmen. “The President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces  and Visitor to all federal universities, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the appointment of new vice chancellors for the 12 under-listed Federal Universities and the National Open University of Nigeria with effect from Friday, February 12, 2016,” the statement said tersely. But because the tenure of four of the VCs was yet to end, it was generally assumed that the 13 university administrators had been sacked. This news was compounded by the federal government’s prior dissolution of the 13 universities’ Governing Councils, the body statutorily empowered to initiate the appointment or sacking of vice chancellors. Immediately after appointing the new VCs, the Education ministry appeared poised to announce the constitution of the 13 Governing Councils. The statement was silent over why the four VCs whose tenure had not yet ended were also replaced.

    Shortly after news of the peremptory changes in the 13 universities was published, a number of civil society organisations and other stakeholders condemned the Education ministry for taking that precipitate step. About nine of the vice chancellors, they argued, had already handed over to successors who would preside over their universities in acting capacity from February 15. The critics also condemned what they described as the parochialism of the ministry which appointed many of the new VCs from one university. According to them, “(The minister) appointed six professors from one university, Bayero University, Kano, and he posted them to different tertiary institutions. Not only that, he also appointed two professors from Katsina State, bringing the total to eight friends from just two states in the North.” In their earlier statement, the civil society groups had indicated that four of the new VCs came from Bayero University. A few days later, perhaps after crosschecking their facts, they raised the figure to six. The Education ministry, however, responded last week that the changes would not be reversed.

    It must be assumed that the Ministry of Education did not lie about the appointments being approved by the president. If this is so, it is doubly embarrassing. First, the Education ministry probably has a legal department that should have advised against the method embarked upon by the ministry to effect changes in the universities. But even if there was no legal department, there is hardly any graduate in Nigeria who is ignorant of the procedure involved in selecting vice chancellors. The ministry was completely and embarrassingly negligent in carrying out this rather simple task. Why the haste? Second, assuming the Education ministry did not know what to do, the visitor to the universities, to whom the process of appointing vice chancellors is not strange, should have taken caution. The presidency cannot also claim to be ignorant of the processes. Indeed, after botching the computation and presentation of the 2016 federal budget, the presidency should have been generally more careful about its subsequent actions, policies and processes.

    Neither the presidency nor the Education ministry has offered cogent reasons for the abridgement of the process of appointing VCs. If it is assumed they made a mistake, they would be accused of incompetence or confusion. But if it is assumed they knew what they were doing, knew the laws, and yet acted in the manner they did, then it would be concluded that impunity is the government’s administrative leitmotif. The position the Buhari presidency has found itself, after the budget embarrassment, is not flattering at all. The civil society groups tried to lessen the damage to the president by suggesting that the ministry was derelict in its responsibility of advising and guiding him on the right steps to take in appointing new university administrators. This is a hard sell. Both the presidency and the ministry are to blame for this misstep. Indeed, all the facts point to the conclusion that the Education ministry knowingly and mischievously effected the changes, and the presidency was inexplicably careless. But in their intervention last week, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) indicated that the 12 universities founded by the Jonathan government were not backed by law, implying that fundamentally, no law was breached when both the VCs and the Governing Councils were sacked. However, the government would have demonstrated good faith if they first enacted the law, then emplaced the Councils, and then proceeded to activate the appointments of the VCs. In effect, regardless of the ASUU explanation, the Education ministry still acted mala fide.

    While it is not clear yet how many of the VCs came from Bayero University and what their states of origin are — whether four as the protesting groups first said, or six as they later announced — there is indication that some top ministry officials do not seem to have the expansiveness needed to function at the federal level and, additionally, the instinctive appreciation of the characteristics of a complex, multi-layered society like Nigeria. How could they make that kind of mistake, or hope to get away with it? Henceforth, every appointment they make will be examined with a fine toothcomb for ethnic and religious diversity and compliance. It is all the more dismal that even in its response, the Education ministry has said nothing about the disproportionate number of new VCs from Bayero University. Could they be unaware of the implication, or of the poor image for the ministry which that skewed appointment elicits?

    The Education ministry will struggle to correct these twin errors of impunity and parochialism. Whether they will be successful or not remains to be seen. And because the ministry’s statement suggested the president’s endorsement, the Buhari government will also find it difficult to completely absolve itself of blame. Sadly, rather than make progress in ethnic and religious relations, the divisions and schisms in the polity are either widening or worse, hardening. The Olusegun Obasanjo presidency between 1999 and 2007 achieved some success in spreading appointments across the country and deepening ethnic amity. His immediate successor, the late Umaru Yar’Adua, was unfortunately accused of handing the country over to a Katsina cabal, despite his own seeming personal cosmopolitanism. The Goodluck Jonathan government did not fare better than his predecessor. He was also, with some justification, accused of the worst forms of parochialism as he subjected the country to his acolytes from the South-South and Southeast.

    If the Buhari presidency is to avoid the pitfalls that unnerved and humiliated his predecessors, he will need to take more forceful and proactive steps in demolishing the barriers that have divided Nigerians for decades. The Education ministry’s missteps in the appointment of vice chancellors are an indication of the vestigial problems the country must consciously and bravely grapple with, but which the Buhari government has so far paid scant attention to. The rule of law and adherence to due process should not be a source of controversy at all. Nigerian officials must internalise these fine administrative attributes. Had the Senate done its work in screening ministers as intensively and comprehensively as the situation demands, many closet extremists and ethnocentric officials would be weeded out. It is time political leaders exhibited the consciousness that conduce to the running of a just and egalitarian society. Those who can’t shape up could choose to remain ethnic and religious champions, far from the multicultural arena both the people of Nigeria and the constitution envisage.

    Not only must the Minister of Education address the controversial appointments, explaining convincingly why he bypassed due process, he must take firm steps to redress the skewness of the appointments and restore confidence in his ability and capacity to promote and nurture fairness. He owes the country an explanation. If he will not address the matter, the Buhari presidency, which was quoted as having approved the postings, should step in and remedy the situation in order not to be accused of complicity in what is obviously an embarrassing and unforced error. The problems in the education sector are too gargantuan to be subjected to silly mistakes.

  • Multiple taxation: LCCI urges Fed Govt, Lagos to cooperate

    The President, Lagos State Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Chief Nike Akande has urged the State House of Assembly to work in collaboration with the Federal Government to address the issue of multiple taxation and traffic congestion  to aid economic development of the state.

    Speaking when she led other members of LCCI on a courtesy visit to the Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa at the Assembly complex Alausa, Ikeja, she said:  “Lagos being the home for all, and commercial capital of Nigeria cannot but show the lead by tackling the menace of multiplicity of taxes, challenges associated with certificate of occupancy, tenancy related issues, waste disposal and traffic congestion among others.

    “We believe that this is the time for Lagos State to work with the Federal Government to address the factors that are stifling the investment climate in the state, especially in

    Akande pointed out that the lawmakers should also look into the issue of late invitation to the LCCI for public hearing, adding that “an investment-friendly legislation and oversight is critical for good governance and the progress of the Lagos economy.”

    While congratulating Obasa on his emergence as the Speaker, she noted that there has been a cordial relationship between the executive and legislature, which according to her has been responsible for the stability of democracy in the state.

  • Fed Govt makes N2.6b from petrol price modulation

    Fed Govt makes N2.6b from petrol price modulation

    • Petrol may cost less in Q2 

    The suspension of the petrol subsidy and the adoption of price modulation regime  from January have fetched N2.6 billion into a Federal Government special account in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The former Executive Secretary, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Farouk Ahmed, who spoke during his handover in Abuja to  the General Manager, Administration and Human Resources, Moses, Mbaba, said the government is now in the regime of ‘over-recovery’.

    Ahmed said: “As at the 12th February, 2016, because we verify based on what was imported, about N2.6billion has accrued to that account. The fund is still low because most of the cargoes arrived in December last year. AThe PPPRA has already communicated to the appropriate authorities that we are in the regime of over-recovery.”

    He said the delay in handing over was informed by the need to compile a comprehensive handover note for his successor in view of the price modulation regime that is still at its infancy stage.

    Ahmed said price modulation regime has instilled efficiency in the system, noting that there are possibilities that the pump price of petrol will crash further in the second quarter going by the trend.

    He said: “Indeed as at Tuesday close of market, the subsidy on petrol was N13.81Kobo over-recovery. The PPPRA would now send a debit note to every marketer that falls within that bracket to refund the money to government.

    “There is already an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which is managed by the Accountant-General of the Federation where all over-recovered funds are deposited. So, there is no question about where does the money from over-recovery goes into.”

    He explained that all the money that goes into the over-recovery account will also be used to pay for the subsidy when the price of crude oil soars in the international market.

    Ahmed hinted that the PPPRA would on the 15th of March begin to collate data on the trends in the industry between January and March to determine the components of the template for the second quarter.

  • Entertainers meet Fed Govt over unspent film fund

    Entertainers meet Fed Govt over unspent film fund

    Following the recent lull in the disbursement of what is left of the N3billion World Bank intervention fund for the Nigerian film industry, some filmmakers, last Friday, visited the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, in Abuja.

    Led by notable film marketer, Mr. Gab Okoye, aka Gabosky, the group, expressed concerns over the N1.9 billion left of the grant, saying that the sum, having been earmarked for Innovative Distribution Fund (IDF) remains the most important aspect of the scheme, tagged Project ACT Nollywood.

    Former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had approved the disbursement of N300million and N800million for capacity building and film production respectively.

    According to Gabosky, the new leadership is still looking in the direction of possible misappropriations, thereby neglecting the most important aspect of the grant.

    He said: “The Minister assured us that something will be done very soon. She even called the Director of Project ACT Nollywood who explained how far they have gone with the project. The capacity building aspect has two elements; the individual capacity building fund and the institutional capacity building fund. They have completed the aspect that has to do with the individual capacity building. However, there are about four institutions that are yet to get the fund probably because some of them are yet to get the NUC accreditation.

    “Now, the Innovative Distribution Fund which is supposed to be the driving force for the other segments is still pending. Although they have not given anybody any money for this, but they are assuring us that the money is still intact.”

    Gabosky also revealed that the World Bank is no longer comfortable with the delay, and is contemplating funding music distribution. “We asked them why you won’t go into distribution of Nollywood. But they told us to direct the question to the Ministry of Finance. So we had to go to the Minister, and urge them to speed up the process.”

    Gabosky, who seems to have also applied for the IDF was optimistic that the issue will be attended to.

    “There are four groups to be interviewed for the IDF, and they are about interviewing the fourth group before subjecting the whole applications to a review. That is what has been happening. Without going there, we wouldn’t know because nobody answers their calls, nobody briefs us, and the movie industry stakeholders are so disorganised. We do not have a single forum where we would invite somebody and say we want to know this or that. We don’t even have a platform with which we can invite for example, the Copyright Commission or any other government agency to answer questions regarding their stewardship.”

    Among the delegation are Northern Nollywood icon Hajia Aisha Halilu, screen diva Joke Silva, singer Dapo Oyebanjo, aka Dbanj, Hon. Desmond Elliot, President of Association of Movie Producers, AMP, Ralph Nwadike, past Chairman of Marketers Association Norbert Ajaegbu and notable Executive Producer Charles Igwe.

  • Encourage modular refineries, Fed Govt advised

    Encourage modular refineries, Fed Govt advised

    The Federal Government has been advised to fast-track the take-off of modular refineries  to complement the four refineries in Port Harcourt (Rivers State), Kaduna and Warri, Delta State.

    The operators, who spoke at a forum in Lagos, said modular refineries were vital to the country’s development, despite the  government’s decision  to return the legacy refineries to optimal use this year.

    Abuja Power Station, Chief Executive Officer,  Jameel Jammal said the traditional refineries and the modular refineries should co-exist to ensure adequate production and supply of fuel in the country.

    He said the decision by the government to allow modular refineries to operate would increase local production and further engender competition in the industry.

    He explained that modular refineries are smaller in size, refine small crude, and easy to manage, adding that modular refineries are operating in developed economies, such as United States, and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    He urged the government to approve firms that demonstrate reasonable level of commitment and capacity, adding the idea would ensure that only the best people operate modular refineries in Nigeria.

    According to him, there are modular refineries that have the capacity to produce between 30,000 and 50,000 barrels of crude per day, stressing that his company has a modular refinery that would produce even more barrels per day.

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has just reduced the application fees for building modular refineries from $1million to $500,000  to enable more people to operate modular refineries.

    A don, Prof Adeola Akininisiju said the petroleum products production from the refineries is not in tandem with Nigeria’s population. He advised the government to license more operators to build more modular refineries in the country. When this happens, the country would be able to get enough fuel for socio-economic growth.

    He said it would take some time for the refineries to return to their initial refining of 450,000 barrels per day.

    Akininisiju, a Professor of Energy Economics, University of Ibadan said the government should consider to the establishment of modular refineries in view of the current  fuel challenges in Nigeria.

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the refineries would resume production this year.

    The Corporation’s spokesman, Mr. Ohi Alegbe said the refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna will resume production next month after successful turnaround maintenance.

  • Ogun demands N100b from Fed Govt

    • Warns against illegal structures

    Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite has urged  the Federal Government to pay the state government N100 billion it is owing the state.

    The amount being the money incurred for the construction of federal roads in the state. Adegbite said the total expenditure submitted to the Federal Government was N200 billion for all federal roads that were planned to be constructed.

    He said: “What we have submitted, I mean the total expenditure on federal roads that Ogun State government intends to construct, when we finish the roads is in excess of N200 billion. But what we have spent now and what we are asking for is just N100 billion. But I don’t think the Federal Government has the money to pay every state. I think Lagos State has the highest pay from the Federal Government in terms of the federal roads constructed. “What the Federal Government is doing is a good start at least she should pay something reasonable.”

    Adegbite explained that in 2011, there was a verification on past refurbished roads in some parts of the state, which was said to be about N4.5 billion which was yet to be paid.

    When paid, the government, he assured, would plough it back on road construction considering that the dividends derivable from the massive road construction works have begun to manifest in the state, especially as more investors, both local and foreign, are showing interest in doing business in the state.

    Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Urban and Physical Planning, Bashorun Adebola Adeife, has deplored the  construction of illegal shops, containers used as kiosks at unauthorised places, and other unapproved structures used as kiosks at unauthorised places in  Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ilaro, Akute, Alagbole.

  • Gains of Buhari’s foreign trips, by Fed Govt

    Gains of Buhari’s foreign trips, by Fed Govt

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday said President Muhammadu Buhari’s foreign trips  were good for the country as they aimed to woo more investment for Nigeria.

    Some Nigerians have lamented the series of foreign trips by the President.

    Minister of Information Lai Mohammed, who briefed State House correspondents after the FEC meeting, presided over by President Buhari, said the President’s trips were necessary to get Nigeria back in the community of nations.

    He said Nigeria almost became a pariah state under the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Mohammed was with the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed and Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman.

    He said: “You do not run a country by being isolated and the presence of the President in many of these fora is important because, before now, we were almost a pariah state and the two things that have been driving investments away from this country is terrorism and corruption.

    “One thing that nobody can fault this President on is his determination to fight these two ills. Mr President’s presence in these fora is crucial  to the economy back home. What I mean by Nigeria being a pariah state is that before now the level of corruption was high. Nobody was ready to risk his investment in Nigeria.

    “The cost of doing business was so high that most international businessmen didn’t want to come here. Who is coming to invest in a country where there is insecurity? These are the twin problems that Mr President has addressed in nine months.”

    Fielding questions on the update on the 2016 Budget, he said Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been going to defend their budgets at the National Assembly.

    According to him, the budget would soon be passed.

    Speaking further on the President’s trips, Amina Mohammed said Mr. President has a Vice President and a cabinet to handle issues whenever the President is out of the country.

    She said: “The cabinet stays with the Vice President here as much as possible to try to address those challenges you are talking about on a daily basis.

    “But the investment that we make with the President’s travel is worth the investment we are getting from those visits. We hope to see the President going out and advocating for this country to get more investment so that we can take everyone out of poverty. That is what is important. We see it as an investment with a return worthwhile,” she stated.

    They earlier said the two issues discussed in FEC were the report on the Conference on Climate Change in France between November 30 and December 12, 2015, and the benefits of the foreign trips by the President.

  • Fed Govt to launch two new satellites into orbit, says minister

    Fed Govt to launch two new satellites into orbit, says minister

    THE Federal Government is acquiring and launching two satellites into orbit in the next two years, Minister of Communications and Technology, Mr. Adebayo Shittu said yesterday.

    The minister added that talks were on between the Federal Government and some foreign partners on the financing of the NigComSat-2 and NigComSat-3 satellites to support the NigComSat-1 in orbit.

    According to the minister, once the government secures funding within the next two years, it would embark on the project.

    He spoke after he undertook a facility tour of the satellite and communications infrastructure of Nigeria Communications Satellite (NigComSat) Limited and the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) in Abuja.

    He dismissed as untrue insinuations that Nigeria would privatise NigComSat Ltd, saying it will not be in the interest of the country for such institution to be sold out after the government invested billions of naira in it.

    His words: “In fact, I was astounded that we have this kind of facility, which is the only one in Africa. I have been told that Nigeria is the only country in Africa with a full-fledged satellite centre as this. No doubt it is a pioneering effort, but I’m convinced that because of paucity of funds and because over the years government has not provided the attention for Nigeria’s ICT industrial revolution, we are still at the level we are.

    “We all know that all we find here is to support one satellite in orbit. Nigeria has one satellite in orbit and this is not good enough and the analogy for you to understand the risk and the danger of having one is like a transporter who ply Lagos to Abuja, he has four tyres but he doesn’t have extra tyre and should something happens, certainly his passengers, who have paid for that trip, will also be stuck and that explains the need for us to have more than one satellite in orbit so that other countries and agencies and companies who are patronising us and paying money for satellite services will be rest assured that their investment will be secured and safe.

    ” And it is for this reason that we are making efforts since we came on board to ensure that we get foreign financiers to assist with loans to build a second and possibly a third satellite in orbit so that we can be rest assured that we have enough capacity to host Africa in regard to satellite provision.”

    The minister added: “You  see, the private sector has the freedom to put resources together and to establish satellite if it feels it needs it. This is one national treasure I don’t believe we must cede to the private sector. We must have something we can call our collective own; something that will remain our national pride. And for anybody to want to sell this national pride is merely to shortchange Nigerians and so, as long as I’m minister of Communications, I will never be party to any such unholy sale because it does protect Nigeria’s interest.

    “To have an extra satellite, you will be talking about between $250 to $300 million and certainly we are looking, and if we can get enough funding for two satellites, I will prefer that. I can assure you that two companies, including the China Exim Bank, is willing to assist us fund this new project. Once we secure funding within the next two years, we would have new satellites in orbit.”

    At the NIPOST headquarters, the minister said the Federal Government was looking at the possibility of diversifying activities of the agency in three key areas to boost its revenue and make the agency more relevant to the people.

    According to him, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration will want NIPOST to play active roles in haulage of goods across the country in addition to making some of its 4,000 postal agencies in rural areas ready for financial/banking inclusiveness and GSM call centres.