The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FG

  • Nigeria to sign ACFTA agreement in Rwanda

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the framework agreement for establishing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA).

    The ACFTA is meant to promote commerce among African countries.

    But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had opposed the signing of such agreement by the Federal Government.

    The NLC has accused the federal government of not consulting widely on the issue, saying it is detrimental to Nigeria’s economic interests.

    President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, had said “we at the Nigeria Labour Congress are shocked by the sheer impunity or blatant lack of consultation in the process that has led to this. We are more worried by the probable outcome of this policy initiative if it is given life because of its crippling effect on the local businesses and attendant effects on jobs.

    “We have no doubt this policy initiative will spell the death knell of the Nigerian economy. Accordingly, we urge Mr. President not to sign this agreement either in Kigali or anywhere. We believe our national interest is at stake and nothing should be done to compromise this.”

    President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to append his signature to the deal on behalf of Nigeria next week during Extraordinary meeting of African Union leaders’ summit in Kigali, Rwanda.

    But FEC said the benefits of ACFTA for Nigeria outweigh the concerns raised by critics.

    The Minister of Trade and Investments, Okechukwu Enelamah, who briefed State House Correspondents at the end of the close to five hours meeting, said that Nigeria is even bidding to host the Headquarters/Secretariat of the ACFTA.

    Enelamah said his Foreign Affairs counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama, had been mandated to widen consultations with stakeholders, including National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).

     

  • Looted funds, assets: FG launches fresh moves against ex-govs, ministers, senators

    Looted funds, assets: FG launches fresh moves against ex-govs, ministers, senators

    The Federal Government yesterday launched fresh moves to seize looted funds and suspicious assets traced to some former governors, ministers and senators in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, left for Dubai last night to finalize the forfeiture process.

    The number of the affected Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) under probe were said to be over 20.

    Although the names of those implicated were kept under wraps as at the time of filing this report, checks  revealed the following: a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke;  a former Managing Director of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. Haruna Momoh(eight suspected assets in Dubai ); a former Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic Bank, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru; a former First Lady;  Senators involved in London-Paris Club scandal; ex-PDP National Chairman; ex-CG of Customs; a former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to a former President;  about nine ex-governors and six former ministers.

    Nigeria had signed six agreements with the UAE on January 19, 2016 following a state visit by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The pacts include Judicial Agreements on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters (the recovery and repatriation of stolen wealth).

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the Federal Government had been collaborating with the UAE authorities on suspicious cash and assets allegedly owned by some Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said the Federal Government had gathered enough evidence on some of the Nigerian suspects who had stashed public cash in Dubai with choice assets to wit.

    The source also said in some cases, the EFCC had secured court orders/Mareva injunctions for the seizure of some of the assets.

    Also the source claimed that financial intelligence had confirmed how public funds were wired to UAE by some of the suspects in question.

    The source added: “In the last two years, there had been shuttles to  Dubai by the AGF and Magu on some of the slush funds and suspicious assets.

    “We are now at the stage of attaching or seizing some of the cash and assets. We have hauled evidence to the place with a view to concluding the process of repatriating the looted funds. In fact, in some instances, a few suspects admitted owning some of these suspected assets in Dubai.

    “The UAE law is very strict on suspected assets and looted funds. Nigeria had to provide verifiable evidence before seizure can be allowed.

    “From the look of things, we are hopeful that the first set of seizures will soon be agreed upon by the two countries. Those affected are many.”

    Responding to some questions, the source added: “I think some cases are straightforward. It is  public knowledge that a former Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic Bank, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, was convicted. The Federal Government is only trying to attach some suspected assets allegedly owned by her or  traced to her links. It is left to the UAE Government to verify through appropriate agencies whether or not the suspected assets in Dubai are hers.

    “The EFCC also has evidence of how some Senators benefited from the London-Paris Club refunds and the shop owners in Dubai used to launder such funds. The financial intelligence sharing by the two countries can uncover this. Apart from seizing the funds, those implicated can be prosecuted in Nigeria for money laundering.

    “There are some cases in which we have provided evidence, including some on ex-Minister Diezani, businessman Kola Aluko, a former PPMC MD, Momoh; a former First Lady, a former Special Assistant to an ex-President on Domestic Affairs and some ex-governors and ministers.

    “The assets allegedly identified with Diezani are marked as J5 Emirates Hills (30million Dirham) and E146 Emirates Hills valued at 44million Dirham.

    Those allegedly traced to Aluko are as follows: 4100 Le Reve Dubai Maria, Dubai;  Unit 1402, PS 14th Floor located at Metro TECOM near Internet City Metro Station, Dubai; Unit 712, ES 7th Floor located at First Central, Off Sheikh Zayed, TECOM, Al-Barsha 3 Dubai and Unit 512, 5th Floor located at First Group Marina Hotels, Al-Seba Street, Plot 394-426, Dubai AE-AJ.

    The list of the houses allegedly traced to Momoh  in the United Arab Emirates( UAE)  are at First Group Marina Hotels, Al-Seba Street, Plot 394-426, Dubai, AE-AJ United Arab Emirates;  Unit 503, 1 Bedroom Heritage, 5th Floor located at First Central Dubai Media City TECOM off Sheikh Zayed, TECOM Al- Barsha 3 Dubai; Unit 1910 ES Heritage, 19th Floor located at First Central Dubai Media City TECOM off Sheikh Zayed, TECOM Al- Barsha 3 Dubai; a Unit 2507 Dubai Sports City; Unit 314 Dubai Sports City; and Unit 1002, TECOM BARS 125616.

    Others are Unit 1402, PS 14th Floor located at Metro Central, TECOM near Internet City Metro Station, Dubai ( UAE);  Unit 712, ES 7th Floor located at First Central, Off Sheikh Zayeed, TECOM, Al-Barsha 3 Dubai( UAE); Unit 512, 5th Floor located at First Group Marina Hotels, Al-Seba Street, Plot 394-426, Dubai AE-AJ UAE.

    Sections 7 of 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 mandate the agency to seize suspicious assets.

    Section 7 says: “The commission has power to (a) cause any investigations to be conducted as to whether any person, corporate body or organization has committed any offence under this Act or other law relating to economic and financial crimes.

    “(b) Cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the commission that the person’s lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.”

    Sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 empower the anti-graft agency to invoke Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause.

    “Section 28 of the EFCC Act reads: ‘Where a person is arrested for an offence under this Act, the Commission shall immediately trace and attach all the assets and properties of the person acquired as a result of such economic or financial crime and shall thereafter cause to be obtained an interim attachment order from the court.’

    Section 13 of the Federal High Court Act reads in part: “The court may grant an injunction or appoint a receiver by an interlocutory order in all cases in which it appears to the court to be just or convenient so to do. (2) Any such order may be made either unconditionally or on such terms and conditions as the court thinks just.”

  • FG stops NSITF board inauguration over ‘mindless looting’

    FG stops NSITF board inauguration over ‘mindless looting’

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday stayed action on the inauguration  of the board of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) pending the outcome of an administrative enquiry into alleged  mindless looting of the agency.

    About N5billion is alleged to have been looted under the last dispensation in NSITF.

    The new board headed by renowned activist, Chief Frank Kokori , was scheduled for inauguration yesterday by Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige.

    Ngige however proceeded with the inauguration of the boards of  the National Productivity Centre(NPC), National Directorate of Employment(NDE)  and Micheal Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies(MINILS).

    The minister said on the occasion that  government had found that N5billion was misappropriated under the nose of the last board.

    He said: “NSITF is one of the causalities of such misappropriation which is why their board is not being inaugurated today (yesterday).

    “They are in arrears of about four to five years and between this four to five years there has been massive looting that took place in that organisation.

    “Reports from the audit balance have  revealed that a whooping sum of about five billion was removed in one day in a single voucher.

    “Therefore, government has decided that we must know how this financial hemorrhage occurred in this organisation and also several sums that are  not being accounted for and running into billions.

    “So today as we speak, workers in that organisation cannot even get tax clearance certificates as their payee tax deductions, housing allowance deductions and their pension deductions are all taken away, stolen.

    “Therefore, you can now see why we want you to be guided by the financial rules and regulations and to ensure that you implement it to the latter”.

    While warning against a repeat of such mindless looting, Ngige said “the operations of the various parastatals must strictly conform to  Financial Regulations especially Section 32 and the provisions of the Procurement Act. The audited accounts of the Parastatals must always be prepared and submitted to the relevant authorities as and when due.

    “Some of them, from the management and from the last board, including their chairman have been charged to court by the EFCC. So, we don’t want the new board to go into stench; putting a new wine in an old wine skin. It will be polluted.”

    ”That’s why the President agreed for us to do an Administrative Enquiry there to explain the total failure of the internal audit mechanism for checking that no money leaves the establishment without voucher and in this instance, over N30 billion missing and N5 billion of it without any voucher, no trace. It is unacceptable.”

    The Minister therefore said that once the Panel of Enquiry concluded its findings and government issued a gazette on its conclusions, a new board would be inaugurated

    “We will make sure that people who are going there will be people of character and quality so that such a thing will never happen again because the NSITF is the flagship board of this ministry and for the constituent tripartite organizations, he concluded.”

  • Rann attack: Hold FG accountable, says PDP

    Rann attack: Hold FG accountable, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the United Nations (UN) and the international community to hold the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government directly accountable for the deaths of humanitarian workers in Rann, Born State.

    In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party also called for full-scale investigation by independent bodies into circumstances surrounding the alleged compromise by security in flash points as well as alleged release of some arrested insurgents by agents of the Federal Government.

    The opposition party described the incessant killings in the north east as sad and disheartening.

    It blamed the federal government for issuing false security assurances when it claimed to have routed the insurgents, thereby making communities and international aid workers believe a lie.

    The statement reads: “The PDP is pained that defenceless individuals are being mowed down daily by marauders because those vested with the duty to protect them are busy telling them lies and even engaging in acts that embolden their attackers.

    “Nigerians have become weary, despondent and disappointed as insurgents, murderers and marauders rove our land while the Buhari Presidency engaged in cosmetic reactions.

    “We ask: what was the actual security situation in Rann and what was the information available to the community before the attack?

    “What has the Federal Government to say to the allegations that it released some arrested terrorists as well as allegations that monies were even paid by government agents to terrorist groups as ransom in controversial swap deals?

    “These developments are being alleged to have emboldened acts of terrorism in the country”.

    Also, former National Caretaker Chairman of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, sympathised with the government and people of Borno over the attacks.

    In a statement yesterday by his spokesman, Mukhtar Sirajo, Makarfi described the attack as cowardly, saying that innocent people were made soft targets, including those engaged in rendering humanitarian services.

    He stressed the need for security agencies to intensify the fight against the insurgency in that part of the country as it had lingered for too long.

    The party chieftain appealed to aid agencies in the country not to be deterred by this incident but be further emboldened by it.

    He said it would send a message to the insurgents that the agencies would not be deterred on their commitment to rendering humanitarian services.

  • Physically challenged persons to benefit from N217m housing project, says FG

    Physically challenged persons to benefit from N217m housing project, says FG

    Physically challenged persons interested in the 2016 National Housing Programme (NHP) will benefit from the scheme as soon as it is completed in six months, the federal government has assured.

    Zonal Director North Central, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing Julius Olurinola, disclosed this during an inspection of 72 units housing project at the weekend in Abuja.

    He said every Nigerian is eligible to purchase the flats at a cost to be unveiled by the ministry.

    Speaking at the phase one of the project site in Gwagwalada, Abuja, Olurinola who is the ministry’s Director of Engineering, said the project implementation, which already commenced in 33 states including the Federal Capital Territory have created direct and indirect jobs across the chain.

    He said the three apartment houses have 72 units of flats for interested individuals at an affordable cost, adding that the project is a reality of campaign promises of the present administration.

    The FCT Condominium Type A Project is a block building consisting of 4 units of 1 bedroom, 16 units of 2 bedroom and 4 units of 3 bedroom with a parking space available to occupy 50 cars.

     

  • Planned resumption of oil exploration: FG is creating crisis in Ogoniland –MOSOP President

    Planned resumption of oil exploration: FG is creating crisis in Ogoniland –MOSOP President

    THE President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Chief Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, has stated that the Federal Government was creating crisis in Ogoniland over the planned resumption of oil exploration by not bringing all the stakeholders together to discuss the way forward. He noted that endorsement of another oil company in Ogoni without clean-up of the polluted environment and stakeholders’ engagement, over 25 years after Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) was sent packing, would amount to hanging again the renowned environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa. Pyagbara spoke yesterday at a news conference at MOSOP secretariat, off Ken Saro-Wiwa (formerly Stadium) Road, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    The Anglo/Dutch oil giant (Shell) was given quit notice by Ogoni people from the four Local Government Areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme in 1993, while Saro- Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists were hanged at the Port Harcourt Prisons on November 10, 1995, during the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha. Two indigenous oil companies: Belema Oil Producing Limited and Robo-Michael Nigeria Limited, are lobbying to take over from SPDC, whose legal licence will expire in 2019, with Ogoni people yet to agree on the oil firm that will be operating the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 11. Pyagbara said : “We call on the Federal Ministry of Environment to break down the wall of bureaucracy hampering the work of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to immediately cause the release of necessary funds for the agency to work with.

    The unmitigated delay between approvals and release of funds is killing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report implementation process. “There has been an unnecessary, uninformed and highly-funded campaign of calumny against MOSOP and its leadership in recent times, being coordinated by certain self-styled oil companies, led by Belema Oil Producing Limited and Robo-Michael Nigeria Limited. “It is well known that in the last five years, MOSOP has been in the vanguard of the campaign against resumption of oil production in Ogoniland, predicating its resistance on the need for a broad-based discussion among the three critical stakeholders to the Ogoni conflict: the Federal Government of Nigeria, SPDC and the Ogoni community.

    “Robo-Michael Limited has not been granted licence over OML 11. Robo-Michael Lim- Planned resumption of oil exploration: FG is creating crisis in Ogoniland –MOSOP President •Says endorsing another oil company in Ogoni without clean-up amounts to hanging Saro-Wiwa again’ n Bisi OLANIYI, Port Harcourt n ited has interest in OML 11. There had been communication between Robo-Michael Limited and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). There had been communication between Robo-Michael Limited and NAPIMMS. Let us even take it from the point that preliminary approval was made, subject to the concurrence of the various partners to the NNPC/SPDC Joint Venture.

    Have the various partners concurred now? No. “MOSOP is not opposed to the resumption of oil production in Ogoni, which will take place only after due consultation with the Ogoni people. “Oil companies wanting to do business in Ogoni must await the adoption of the report of the pan-Ogoni, Prof. Ben Naanen (of the University of Port Harcourt) Committee set up to draw a template for oil production in Ogoni, which will give such companies a level-playing ground for their engagement with the Ogoni community. “These are very interesting times in our dear Ogoniland. The oil industry has invaded Ogoniland to corrupt the soul of Ogoni with petrodollars. All the mushroom groups seeking for space in Ogoniland are all funded by the oil industry, particularly Belema Oil Producing Limited and Robo-Michael Limited, to destabilise Ogoni and foist some groups on Ogoni people.

  • FG extends search for girls outside Nigeria

    FG extends search for girls outside Nigeria

    The ongoing search for the 110 girls who were abducted from the Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, Yobe State, has been extended to the neighbouring countries, the Federal Government announced yesterday.

    Already, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; the  Chief of Army Staff; Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Alhaji Lawal Daura, have moved to the Northeast to add more urgency to the search,according to Information and Culture Minister  Lai Mohammed.

    The military chiefs  joined the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who had earlier relocated to the Northeast, as well as the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), who has also visited the theatre.

  • State police: This time, FG’s right

    Sir: The federal government has made concerted efforts to curb insecurity which has recently reared its ugly face in the country. However the efforts seem not to have yielded appreciable results yet. When certain solutions fail to abort a problem, the right thing to do is to apply alternative solutions to the said problem until positive results are achieved. Perhaps this is the reason why the federal government eventually endorsed the establishment of state police as one of the measures to eliminate insecurity in Nigeria or drastically reduce it.

    The federal government needs to be commended for this new development, although it is coming too late.

    There have been several debates on the establishment of the state police for some years now. While a school of thought had for a long time advocated for the creation of state police because of its numerous security benefits, another group submitted that such system will empower governors to intimidate or harass their perceived enemies.

    I have always seen such excuse as being flimsy and unprogressive. I have always argued that since the president does not have powers to unjustly use the federal police to oppress perceived enemies, the governors do not and will not have such powers either. After all, the constitution will be binding on the state controlled police force and any man whose fundamental human right is trampled upon will also have the legal right to seek redress in courts.

    One of the factors that have hampered the efforts of the federal police from successfully curbing insecurity in Nigeria has been the inadequacy of the number of personnel saddled with the responsibility of securing the lives of the people. Some publications have it that the strength of the Nigeria police is 370,000 personnel. This figure is grossly inadequate to cover Nigeria, a very large country with a population of over 170 million people.

    Out of this figure, some police personnel are attached to the following classes of people: Nigeria’s 109 senators, 360 House of of representative members, members of houses of assembly in the 36 states, the 36 governors, ministers, DGs, commissioners in the 36 states, traditional rulers, judicial officers, banks, private firms, politicians and other wealthy Nigerians. The establishment of the state police will address this issue of shortage of manpower. Certainly, the recruitment of police personnel by the governments of the 36 states will increase the number of police personnel in the country. Funding will not be a problem, after all some state governments have been supporting the federal police financially. The security votes being enjoyed by state governors can also be spent on them.

    Another factor that has militated against the federal police force in the areas of curbing crime is the fact that the personnel are posted to terrain that are strange to them. With state police, most of the personnel will be   from their states and will be expected to understand the terrain where they work. It is also possible or easier for such personnel to identify those who are criminals in their areas of operation.

    The claim that the governors will misuse the state police does not hold water. That it was tested some years ago but failed is not an excuse. Nigeria is growing and Nigerians are now better informed. As it is with every new development, the establishment of the state police may not be smooth or sweet at the beginning but as years roll by, the system will experience great improvement and Nigeria will be better for it.

     

    • Besiru Enakhimion,

    benakhimion@yahoo.com

  • FG charges Melaye for false information

    FG charges Melaye for false information

    • Accuses him of making false claim against Kogi governor’s aide

    The federal government has filed a two-count charge against Senator Dino Melaye for allegedly giving false information to the police in relation to claim in April 17 of an attempt on his life.

    The charge marked: CR/106/18 was filed on January 31 this year before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

    Melaye is, in the charge, accused of falsely incriminating the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Edward Onoja David, in his assassination attempt claim.

    Melaye, who is the Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District, was accused, in count one,  of deliberately giving false information to the police to frame Governor Bello’s Chief of Staff  as the mastermind of the assassination attempt on him at his hometown in Ayetoro-Gbede in Kogi State in April last year.

    According to the charge, the police discovered the alleged falsehood in Melaye’s claim while investigating the Senator’s allegation that some individuals attempted to assassinate him.

    In the second count, Melaye was accused of making false statement of facts in a phone conversation with Mr. Mohammed Abudu Abubakar, a son of the late former governor of Kogi State Abubakar Audu, with the intention of harming the reputation of David.

    In the charge, Melaye’s alleged offences are said to be punishable under sections 140 and 393 of the Peal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.

    The first of the two counts read, “That you, Senator Dino Melaye, male, of the Senate, National Assembly, Three Arms Zone, Abuja, on or about the month of April 2017 at the Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court in the cause of an investigation into the alleged assassination attempt on you, sometimes in April 2017, you gave information to the police stating that one Mr. Edward Onoja David (Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kogi State) did mastermind the attack with intent to convict him for the offence which statement you either knew or believe to be false and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.”

    Melaye was said to have told Abubakar, son of a former Kogi State Governor, in a telephone conversation how he framed Edward Onoja David in the assassination attempt.

    He was also said to have made the false claim in the statement he made to the police on April 17, 2017 during police’s investigation into the alleged attempt to assassinate him. No date is set yet for his arraignment.

     

  • FG promises to help Edo rehabilitate deported migrants

    The federal government has pledged to assist Edo state to rehabilitate large number of deported illegal migrants and trafficked persons in the state.

    Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, made the commitment when Governor Godwin Obaseki, visited him in Abuja last week.

    Adamu, in a statement by the ministry’s Director Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Chinenye Ihuoma, promised to assist the governor to curtail illegal migration by advancing the educational levels of all the victims.

    The minister urged Obaseki to make a formal request to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) for special interventions in the proposed tertiary institutions to be used to actualise his plans.

    The governor appealed to the minister to consider special help for the state to upgrade its three colleges of education and the polytechnics to be used to train such persons.

    Obaseki noted the state government’s research reviewed that most of the deported migrants and trafficked persons had low academic levels, adding that equipping them with better education and skills would enhance their orientations  and life style.

    He assured the minister that the state would meet up with whatever criteria that would qualify the designated tertiary institutions to merit TETfund interventions.