The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FG

  • FG rushes immigration recuitment to beat handover

    FG rushes immigration recuitment to beat handover

    A clique in the Presidency is  behind the hasty recruitment  into the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) ahead of next month’s change of government in Abuja, The Nation can  now reveal.

    The computer-based aptitude test has been scheduled for Monday, April 20  to Friday, April 25 at designated centres across the country, according to information posted on the website: http://nis.fedcivilservice.gov.ng.

    It is supposed to replace the March 15, 2014 ill fated recruitment by the NIS, which claimed the lives of 15 applicants.

    It was gathered yesterday  that  the planned recruitment is one of the several last-minute projects being executed by Presidency and federal government officials  for the purpose of  packing   their cronies and kinsmen in  strategic positions, thereby  loading  up the system  and  creating  crisis for the incoming government.

    It is also alleged that invitation for  the aptitude test  tilts  heavily in  favour of a section of the country at the expense of other geo-political zones.

    For instance, as many as 4,800 applicants are expected to sit for the aptitude test in some centres as against  about 130 in some others.

    A source familiar with the development pointed an accusing finger at a top Presidency official for the apparent favouritism.

    President Goodluck Jonathan, in an attempt to redeem  the image of his government which was severely  battered by the March 2014 recruitment death harvest, had ordered  a fresh recruitment  by a  presidential committee.

    The panel headed by the Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, also comprised the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (OSGF), who doubled as Secretary, Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service; Representative of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation; Representative of the Commandant-General, NSCDC; Representative of Controller General, Nigeria Prisons Service; Representative of the Corp Marshal, FRSC; Representative of the Director-General, DSS; Representative of the Attorney General of the Federation and Representative of the Federal Character Commission.

    It was charged with the responsibility of  re-advertising the recruitment into the NIS with a view to starting the recruitment process afresh; processing the applications, shortlisting potential candidates and conducting the necessary interviews for the purpose of the recruitment exercise, among others.

    However, it was gathered that the Presidential official has since hijacked the functions of the committee  to ensure that his kinsmen are the major beneficiaries of the recruitment.

    The Comptroller of Immigration, Mr.David Parradang, is said to have been sidelined in the process just as he was in last year’s ill fated exercise

    Recruitment will be in three categories: superintendent, inspectorate and immigration assistance cadres.

    Federal government’s pledge of  assistance for the families of those who lost their lives during last year’s aborted recruitment was not fulfilled until last month, a year after the tragedy, when President Jonathan handed out money and appointment letters to the beneficiaries.

    Each bereaved family got  N5 million in addition  to employment letters for three members  of each family.

    President Jonathan said at the presentation that Nigeria  would never witness such tragedy again.

  • N9.3bn surveillance contract: Urhobos give FG one-week ultimatum

    The Federal Government’s N9.3billion pipeline surveillance contract to some former militant leaders and the leaders of the O’odua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) has continued to generate controversy in the Urhobo area of Delta State.

    The leadership of the Urhobo Ethnic Nationality, Host Communities (HOSTCOM) has given the Federal Government one-week to reverse the perceived injustice or jeopardise the safety of oil and gas facilities in their land.

    “At the expiration of the one-week, if the Urhobo portion of the surveillance contract is not given to them, then they would withdraw their indigene working in all the oil and gas facilities across the Urhobo nation and from then onward, (we) would no longer guarantee the safety and protection of the facilities.”

    The warning was contained in a press statement issued by the group and the President General/Chairman, Oil Producing/ Impacted Communities of Urhobo Nation at Udu, headquarters of Udu Local Government Area of the state, on Friday.

    The statement was signed by Comrade Efe Okovwurie, Moriss Idiovwa, Mrs Mary Otikiri and Hon Kingskley Akpenimor, Chairman Urhobo HOSTCOM, Coordiantor Urhobo Ethnic Nationality, Youth and Women leaders respectively of HOSTCOM.

    It stated, “The first phase of the contract awarded to some of those contractors that were also engaged in the new arrangement had no impact in the oil bearing communities because those recruited were from the urban areas where the oil and gas facilities are not located.

    “Others were recruited as ghost workers, hence the communities are insisting the Urhobo portion of it, cutting across the eight LGAs of Delta State must be given to the company jointly owned by the oil bearing communities to ensure that indigenes of the communities can benefit.”

    The groups noted that information reaching it indicated that some groups of persons were hired and mobilized from the Urhobo Nation for protests in Abuja, adding that the host communities did not mandate the protest on their behalf.

    “The agreement reached between the leadership of the various communities and HOSTCOM is to accommodate all stakeholders, including indigenes of oil bearing and impacted communities, the traditional rulers, PGs of kingdoms, youth and women bodes ad Urhobo ex-militants and HOSTCOM leaders.”

    Meanwhile, HOSTCOM has debunked media reports that the group was against the emergence of President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC). “Contrary to some media report, the Urhobo HOSTCOM and the general Urhobo nation will support and work with a General Buhari-led government to move Nigeria to greater height.”

  • Surveillance contract: Urhobos give FG one-week ultimatum

    Surveillance contract: Urhobos give FG one-week ultimatum

    The Federal Government’s N9.3billion pipeline surveillance contract to some former militant leaders and the leaders of the O’odua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) has continued to generate controversy in the Urhobo area of Delta state.

    The leadership of the Urhobo Ethnic Nationality, Host Communities (HOSTCOM) has given the Federal Government one-week to reverse the perceived injustice or jeopardise the safety of oil and gas facilities in their land.

    “At the expiration of the one-week, if the Urhobo portion of the surveillance contract is not given to them, then they would withdraw their indigene working in all the oil and gas facilities across the Urhobo nation and from then onward, (we) would no longer guarantee the safety and protection of the facilities.”

    The warning was contained in a press statement issued by the group and the President General/Chairman, Oil Producing/ Impacted Communities of Urhobo Nation at Udu, headquarters of Udu Local Government Area of the state, on Friday.

    It was signed by Comrade Efe Okovwurie, Moriss Idiovwa, Mrs Mary Otikiri and Hon Kingskley Akpenimor, Chairman Urhobo HOSTCOM, Coordiantor Urhobo Ethnic Nationality, Youth and Women leaders respectively of HOSTCOM.

    It stated; “The first phase of the contract awarded to some of those contractors that were also engaged in the new arrangement had no impact in the oil bearing communities because those recruited were from the urban areas where the oil and gas facilities are not located.

    “Others were recruited as ghost workers, hence the communities are insisting the Urhobo portion of it cutting across the eight LGAs of Delta State must be given to the company jointly owned by the oil bearing communities to ensure that indigenes of the communities can benefit.”

    The groups noted that information reaching it indicated that some groups of persons were hired and mobilized from the Urhobo Nation for protests in Abuja, adding that the host communities did not mandate the protest on their behalf.

    “The agreement reached between the leadership of the various communities and HOSTCOM is to accommodate all stakeholders, including indigenes of oil bearing and impacted communities, the traditional rulers, PGs of kingdoms, youth and women bodes ad Urhobo ex-militants and HOSTCOM leaders.”

    Meanwhile, HOSTCOM has debunked media reports that the group was against the emergence of President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC). “Contrary to some media report, the Urhobo HOSTCOM and the general Urhobo nation will support and work with General Buhari led government to move Nigeria to greater height.”

  • FG hands over Nitel/Mtel to NATCOM

    FG hands over Nitel/Mtel to NATCOM

    The federal government on Thursday approved the handover of Nitel/Mtel facilities to NATCOM.

    Deputy Chairman, National Council on Privatization (NCP) Technical Committee, Haruna Sambo, made the disclosure after the NCP meeting chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa.

    According to him, the consortium have completed the payment of $252.251m cost of acquisition.

    He said: “You recall that at the last NCP meeting, approval was made for the financial bid for NITEL/MTEL by the bidder, NATCOM consortium at the cost of $ 252.251M. Today, at the council meeting, the council approved the hand over to NATCOM consortium having paid the cost of acquisition.

    “By this approval, the process has come to a closure and the council has mandated the BPE to hand over the two companies to the preferred winner of course after all other outstanding issues are taken care of.

    “With this, the transaction has come to an end and Council asks BPP to hand over the two companies to the bid winner, NATCOM consortium,” he said

    Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Godknows Igali, told State House correspondents  that government had settled about 98 per cent of ex-PHCN workers including their pensions and gratuities.

    He said that NCP has directed that any other remaining cases should be referred to the BPE for settlements.

    Mines and Steel minister, Engr. Musa Sada, said the council also discussed reforms of the National Parks as well as the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) with the aim of restructuring the sector and bridge the 17 million housing deficit in the country.

    He said: “Another area was that of the Federal Housing Authority. Everybody knows that we have about 17 million housing deficit in the sector. For us to be able to build and recover this deficit, we must be ingenious in the way we handle the deficit in the country.”

    “There is no country that succeeds without the involvement of the private sector. So the policies must be right first. The committee presented reports on how to restructure the housing policy to meet the housing needs,” he stated.

  • Chibok girls not killed yet – FG

    Chibok girls not killed yet – FG

    The Federal Government Wednesday denied knowledge of a report which claimed that the over 200 school girls kidnapped from Chibok community by members of Boko-Haram sect  about one year ago have  been killed.

    The Coordinator of National Information Centre (NIC), Mr Mike Omeri, who stated this during a security briefing in Abuja, maintained that all hope on rescuing  the girls alive is not lost yet.

    He urged Nigerians to be hopeful as recovery of the captured towns and villages by Boko Haram were still ongoing by the Nigerian Troops, urging people to disregard speculations.

    Omeri said; “The search for Chibok girls continues and that is why even with capture of Bama and the rest, security and military have never relent, and until it is concluded, we cannot begins to believe speculation.

    “I think the one year anniversary is next week, and we hope to give a comprehensive report on what we know so far, and how far the searching has gone.

    “So, the assurance I will give you, is that everywhere is being combed and whatever element we found will be revealed to appropriate authority and nobody is going to keep anything secret.”

    He also urged Nigerians to be vigilant during the Saturday Governorship and States House of Assembly elections.

    He said military will also be ready to subdue any form of attack from the terror group.

    Omeri assured that the Nigerian military will be on ground in the troubled states to ensure a peaceful election.

    He urged Nigerians especially those in the area where the military has been battling the Boko Haram to remain calm and vigilant.

    ‎His words: “Recall that in our statement on the eve of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, we reiterated to Nigerians the need to exercise the highest level of vigilance and also scrutinize the activities of unknown and strange persons within their environment.

    “In respect of the forthcoming Governorship and State Assembly Elections, we remind the citizens to maintain a similar level of vigilance and caution to ensure a peaceful and incident – free exercise.

    “As efforts are being made to ensure a hitch – free exercise, the NIC wishes to reassure Nigerians, especially those living in communities that recently experienced some security challenges arising from the activities of Boko Haram resurgence, that our military and security forces are, more than ever, very ready to ensure the protection of lives and property, while securing the country’s territorial integrity.

    Speaking further on the fight against insurgents, the NIC Coordinator said ‎the Nigerian military will continue to safeguard the communities which were reclaimed from Boko Haram attack, as those communities are still vulnerable to attacks.

    ‎”Lately, there have been reported cases of surprise attacks on some communities in the North East by the Boko Haram,  but the recent siege on Alagarno, a well-known and strategic Boko Haram stronghold, has dealt a severe blow on the operations of the insurgent group which is experiencing its last days in the region.

    “In a situation such as presently exists in the area, there is a high tendency for the insurgent group to suddenly aim at soft targets to destabilize communities which are regaining normalcy.

    “However, the Nigerian military has continued to bring the situation under control and also safeguard the lives and property of citizens, while humanitarian assistance is being provided by appropriate authorities.

    “The NIC, therefore, calls on Nigerians, particularly those living in the affected communities, to continue to support the efforts of our military and security forces at restoring normalcy in the area,” Omeri added.

  • Oil price slump: Experts task FG on non-oil sector

    Oil price slump: Experts task FG on non-oil sector

    As the managers of the country’s commonwealth continue to lament the parlous state of the economy owing to the drop in oil price at the global market, experts have impressed on the federal government the need to develop other streams of revenue outside oil.

    Giving these suggestions recently was a cross-section of experts at a public forum organised by the Institute of Credit Administration (ICA).

    The occasion was at the inauguration of the ICA 3rd Governing Council chaired by Mr. Adetunji Oyebanji, Chairman/Managing Director of Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc.

    In his acceptance speech tagged: ‘Managing Credit in Today’s Business Environment Gain Competitive advantage and protect cash’, Oyebanji said: “The power of credit economy to create wealth and jobs, the infrastructure necessary for sound credit system, business characters that encourage credit availability, government initiatives that facilitate access to credit, lenders attitude to borrowers, reasons for people and organisations defaulting in credit obligations, identifying and advocating removal of barriers against access to company information needed for credit business decision, legal issues in credit, consequences of credit abuse, uneconomic treatments of SMEs by big companies, are issues that we plan to focus on throughout the tenure of the ICA 3rd Governing Council.”

    While commenting on the prevailing economic crunch assailing the country, the ICA boss said it is high time: “Nigeria must engage free market economy in order to achieve remarkable overall resilience in economic activity, employment and fiscal performance.

    “Oil must be deemphasised, agriculture must become a major backbone of the nation’s economic growth,” he stressed.

    Echoing similar views, Executive Director, Accounts/Finance, Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, Mr. Adabonyan Opeyemi said, the ICA 3rd Governing Council will build a synergy of cooperation with other allied organisations both in the organised private and public sector to boost the nation’s credit system.

    The president noted that ICA has since 1992, being the only accredited national professional body for credit management in Nigeria and has helped a number of firms to reduce credit risks in their business dealing, thereby growing the economy.

    Other members of the third governing council with whom Oyebanji hopes to drive the institute to a greater height are: a former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Skye Bank and currently, Chairman, Heritage Bank, Mr. Akinsola Akinfemiwa; the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, ICA, Prof Chris Onalo; a Former Executive Director/Chief Risk Officer, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Andy Ojei; Deputy Group Managing Director and Group Executive Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti and Executive Director, Accounts/Finance, Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, Mr. Adabonyan Opeyemi. Others are the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Standard Alliance Insurance Plc, Mr. Thomas Omokhai; Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Gimba Ya’u Kumo.

  • Fed Govt committed to job creation – Kobani

    The newly sworn-in Minister of State, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Kenneth Kobani has assured that the federal government still remains committed to job creation and repositioning of the nation’s industrial sector.

    He also said the ministry in collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) will reverse the persistent trend of youths unemployment in the country

    The Minister of State stated this Friday during the Industrial Training Fund, ITF 2014 End of Year Merit Award held at the Fund’s headquarters in Jos, the Plateau state capital.

    Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Amb. Abdulkadir Musa, the minister said, “the federal government is disturbed that despite the efforts put in place to address the issue of lack of gainful employment, the trend persists but government is not deterred in actualizing the mandate of curbing employment.

    He said, “I am pleased that my first function after my inauguration as minister is to join one of the most important parastatals (ITF) whose strides have contributed in no small measure to the realization of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “We are all familiar with the unemployment situation in the country despite laudable strategies of the federal government. I have been briefed about the mandate by Mr. President for the Industrial Training Fund to train 2million Nigerians annually.

    “I am equally aware of the achievements the ITF has recorded in the National Industrial Skills Development Programme which has trained over 72,000 Nigerians in two years. We are aware that about 23.8% of our population of about 167million is not gainfully employed.

    “These are disturbing statistics that the federal government and the federal Ministry of Industry and Investment are committed to reverse by strengthening and supporting agencies such as the ITF to fully activate their mandate.”

    Earlier, Director-General of ITF, Mrs. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko in her remark stated that the Fund has through its 4-point Agenda in 2014 recorded landmark achievements in areas like technical vocational skills, management and entrepreneurship training.

    She further stressed that 2015 will be more rewarding as the level of employment will be multiplied as the result of series of training and empowerment done in the areas of welding and fabrication, ICT and autotronics, fisheries, yam, cassava and rice processing, tiling, plaster of paris, plumbing, garment making among others.

    The event however featured the presentation of awards to deserving staff as well as goodwill messages from dignitaries including the Chairman of the ITF Governing Council, Dr. Fariah Arebi.

  • FEC meeting cancelled

    FEC meeting cancelled

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting did not hold in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The weekly meeting normally starts by 10:00 a.m every Wednesday with the President or his representative presiding.

    No official reason was given for the cancellation.

  • FG delegation meet parents of slain Buni Yadi students

    A delegation of the Federal Government led by the Hon. Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Abdul Bulama has met with the parents of the students Federal Government College Buni Yadi in Yobe State who were brutally killed by the Boko Haram insurgents in their hostels a year ago.

    The meeting which was held at GAAT Hotel Damaturu had in attendance some of the parents of the slained students, the PTA Chairman of the School Engr Kati Machina, the representative of the School Principal and the media.

    In his address, the Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Abdul Bulama who is also a son of the soil conveyed the condolences of President Goodluck Jonathan  to the parents and prayed for the repose of the souls of the 29  young Nigerians who were killed because they wanted to have a better life by going to school.

    According to the minister, he was in the state on the instance of Mr. President to share his grief with the parents of the slained students, stressing that he feels the pains as a parents and as the leader of the country for the loss.

    Dr. Bulama also expressed the concern of the president in bringing an end to the insurgency ravaging the region, while pledging the commitment of the federal government in ensuring a better life for the people through the huge resources from the Victims Relief Funds.

    He assured that the Federal Government will as a matter of urgency rebuild the destroyed college to a better standard than it was as soon as the security situation improves.

    Speaking on behalf of the Parents, the Chairman of the Parents Teachers Association of FGC Buni Yadi Engr. Kati Machina noted that the visit of the Federal Government is one year late, while  expressing  the  anger and grievances of the parents.

    He noted that the FGC Buni Yadi is a Federal Government School and expected that the Federal Government would have been in the driving seat to bring succor to the parents earlier than now.

    “If the governor of the state can leave whatever he was doing to visit the school a day after it was attack, I expect that because of the distance from Abuja, they would have been in that school in a week or too. But now of that happened until now so we felt that the Federal Government has abandoned us,” Engr. Machina said.

    Goni Ali Gujba one of the parents who lost his son in the school also spoke on the grievances of the parents and the poor handling of the situation by the school authority.

    He informed that some of the parents are yet to reintegrated back their children to school due to some economic challenges.

    His word: “On behalf of the parents let me use this opportunity to register our grievances with the Federal Government. This visit of today which is exactly one year and three weeks today is the first formal delegation from Federal Government. Although there was a condolence letter unsigned from the office of the permanent secretary coordinated through the admin officer who is a far junior officer.

    “When this incident happened, the two principals of the school were not there. In fact there were less than 17 staff there at the school. I was there because I lost one of my children and Buni Yadi is my home town. We confirmed that 29 student from the list here were dead. Some were even brought from the bush dead and up till this point two are still missing and we assume they are dead.

    “We want to appreciate your formal meeting with us but it on record that there was a poor handling of the situation by the school administration. Up to this moment, there is no communication to us from the school, no formal visit to the parents or calling us the parents to condole us just a way of showing concern.

    “But I must say that on the side of the state government, the incident occurred on the 24 and on the 25, the governor of Yobe State was there. In fact he saw the victims and he made a pledge of N100 million there and we got N1m each through after one month.

    “Our concern here is the poor handling of the situation by the school authority. As Muslims and Christians, we know about destiny and fate. Up to this moment, we have not seen any body from the school authority. We expected the school to play the role of parents since our children were in their custody before they were killed but unfortunately it is so.

    “Up till now, some parents are unable to coordinate their children back to school. I had three children in that school, I lost one. I had to take one to a private school in Maiduguri and the other one to FGC Maiduguri,” he informed.

  • AIT, now FG’s megaphone?

    SIR: EVERY single business person that is benign enough to set up an establishment like AIT (Africa Independent Television) needs to be congratulated especially in a country that is not investor-friendly.

    It is also praiseworthy, if the prefix of the organisation’s name is ‘Independent’. One imagines it therefore, to be as independent as the BBC in the discharge of its duty without seeming to be choked especially –  if it is not government funded, and run.

    I have followed this station over the years from its unsettled days in the mid-1990s up and until this moment. How can I forget Jika Attoh’s Kakaaki back then? The packages those days were first class, but, the station is quickly losing its respect by my assessment.

    In 2009, when I watched without fail, I noticed that guest analysts invited to the studio used to be skewed in favour of the masses such that government policies were queried impartially but it is different these days especially during this political dispensation.

    I have noticed that no day passes by these days without a negative advertisement on Buhari. Not that this is bad. Politicking involves the throwing up of sludge and flak on opponents and, it is up to the masses to filter the tall tales bandied on the screen of truth.

    Buhari as a political figure ought to know that politics is murky as well. What is disturbing is that there isn’t such balance with regards to the opposition. I do not see the advertisement of the opposition (APC) aired as frequent as that of the ruling party (PDP).

    The times I saw advertisement by the opposition, the catch word, ‘sponsored’ was boldly displayed on screen.

    But this is not always the case with damaging advertisement on Buhari. Some do not state that they are ‘sponsored.’

    Is that station becoming insularly partisan, the same way NTA became many years back which made many a Nigerian to look elsewhere for current news (the bulk of my television watching on NTA today is the nine o’clock news). Is it any wonder then, that another television house for eight years non-stop has won the television station of the year. Could they have achieved this feat if they were partisan?

    I watched a people’s parliament on AIT on the need for the placement of the military at election centres for the elections. All of the reactions aired supported military’s presence in the forth-coming elections. To think that government supports the use of the military: Is it possible for a journalist to go to the street in quest of views only to come back with same findings?

    Is it also possible to distribute questionnaires and then have responders submit same conclusions with no variance?

    The female anchors on Kakaaki who interviewed the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President GoodLuck Jonathan, on Thursday, March 5, need be reminded, that a feature interview, with a statesman on sensitive national issues, must be handled with such proficiency, as is, done at other mass media like CNN, Aljazeera, Sky News etc. without an intermittent, informal, laughing gaffes, as exhibited on that day: for the hope of many Nigerians rest on what a sitting president have to say.

    There is the need for Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) to set up a television watch body because the importance of television cannot be over emphasized. Millions of people watch feature interviews, documentaries and news daily but what should they be watching? Especially as it doesn’t require much effort to watch television as much as the tortuous mental strain required to read newspapers. Any negative appearance aired certainly will linger in the minds of people.

    I hope AIT can be as independent as other international broadcast media to give us a bird’s eye view as well as a worm’s eye view of all issues.

    I hope its management also take criticisms seriously with the view to firming up the Nigeria’s news media.

    Could the management also separate its views from that of the advertised views aired on its channel: this will let us know that it is not pandering totally towards the present federal government.

    But should it want to be a pro-government news media, could they let us know, so we know what to expect daily. Just the way some Americans of the Republican Party tune in to Fox Channels daily to catch up on anti-Democratic news or Aljazeera which is slightly anti-America.

     

    • Simon Abah

    Port-Harcourt, Rivers State