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  • Oradian, group partner to deepen financial inclusion

    THE strategic partnership the Association of Non-Bank Microfinance Institution of Nigeria (ANMFIN) signed with Oradian would help boost financial inclusion, ANMFIN President, Princess Adesola Ogunleye, has said.

    She said the deal would enable the group to promote access to financial services for clients in the country on a larger scale by using ANMFIN Cloud Express.

    According to her, it will enable the group’s Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) to move to Oradian’s cloud-based solution, helping its members to save time and money through more efficient, digitised processes, without the use of manual input of data.

    She said: “Together, we align our shared vision and leverage the success delivered to date,” she said, adding that ANMFIN and its members were excited to improve administrative process, reduce high operational costs and offer digital financial services across the country.’’

    Oradian CEO, Antonio Separovic, said launching ANMFIN Cloud Express expands the range of solutions that Oradian offers in Nigeria. “Nigeria was Oradian’s first market when we started six years ago and we remain committed to solving the financial inclusion challenge here,” he said.

  • Osun poll: Group trains 31 pre-election observers

    The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement-Africa (YIAGA-Africa), on Thursday in Osogbo said it had trained 31 long-term pre-election observers for the Sept. 22 governorship election in Osun.

    A statement by Mr Samson Itodo, Executive Director of YIAGA-Africa, said the trained observers would help the group to detect early warning signals which may affect the credibility of the electoral process.

    He said that the observers, who would also act as local government supervisors, had been deployed across the 30 local councils in the state.

    Itodo said that the group’s “ Watching The Vote (WTV) project’’ is a citizen-led election initiative aimed at enhancing the integrity of elections using technology and evidence-based research methodology tools for election observation.

    “Through the Pre-Election observation, YIAGA Africa will track early warning signs and any form of incident that can hinder the successful conduct of the election.

    “In this vein, WTV pre-election observers will observe and report issues relating to hate speech campaigns, intimidation and harassment of any electoral stakeholder and attacks on media or INEC officials,” Itodo said.

    The statement said Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Olusegun Agbaje, who was at the forum, had commended YIAGA on its efforts at building a lasting democracy in Nigeria.

    Agbaje said that the collaborative efforts of Civil Society Organisations would in no small measure assist the commission, especially in the areas of knowledge sharing workshops as well as voter and civic education.

    “I, therefore, want to use this opportunity to commend the organisers of this very laudable training programme.

    “I also urge you to keep the journey toward making INEC one of the best election management bodies in the world that meets the aspirations of the Nigerian people,” the statement quoted Agabje as saying.

  • Group canvasses judiciary model for state police

    The police can be structured in the same manner as the judiciary, a civil society coalition, OneVoice, has said.

    It recommended the option of duplicating the police structure at the state level, which it said would mean that the Federal Government could retain overall control of the police, but with more state involvement.

    OneVoice noted that although state governors are empowered to appoint High Court judges and the Chief Judge, with the Houses of Assembly’s consent, they (judges) are paid by the Federal Government through the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    The group said governors could also be empowered to appoint commissioners of police with the approval of state lawmakers.

    This, the group said, would give governors more powers over the head of police in their states as chief security officers rather than depending on a central command structure where all orders come from Abuja.

    OneVoice said the arrangement would also mean that states would have their police service commissions as does the judiciary.

    Senior Programme Officer at the Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) Mr Collins Okeke, at a media parley by One Voice in Lagos, said rather than creating state police, the current policing structure could be reformed.

    “We can duplicate what is at the federal level at the states. The judiciary model can be adopted. There should be more state involvement in policing,” he said.

    Okeke was of the view that the office of the Inspector-General of Police should have security of tenure, while police funding should be on first line charge.

    To him, creating state police would amount to running away from the problem rather than finding a solution.

    “It appears we don’t like to solve problems in Nigeria. If something is faulty, we create new ones. Rather than interrogate a problem, we push it aside and create a new one,” he said.

    OneVoice Media Committee chair Pastor Deji Adeleye said the police was “castrated” through underfunding and inadequate recruitment of men.

    He said rather than creating state police, states could be empowered to recruit the number of policemen they want from their locality while serving officers should be made to return and serve in their states.

    “The present structure is faulty and we need to address the issues rather than calling for state police. After exploring all these reform options, state police can then be considered. It should not be the primary focus,” Adeleye said.

    NOPRIN Foundation co-ordinator Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma, said rather than outright rejection of the idea of state police, the government should consider it objectively, weighing the merits against the demerits against other options.

  • Group to EFCC: don’t be a political tool

    A human rights group, the Access to Justice (A2Justice), has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to resist being used as a political tool.

    It said deploying the agency as a tool against political opponents would further erode its integrity.

    The group was reacting to an allegation that EFCC operatives barricaded the Deputy Senate President Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s legislative quarters in the early hours of July 24 to prevent him from getting to the Senate.

    EFCC was said to have served Ekweremadu with an invitation by 8am, which was to be honoured by 10am.

    It was alleged that the aim was to prevent him and Senate President Bukola Saraki, whose home was also allegedly blockaded, from getting to the Senate.

    With lawmakers’ defections to other political parties planned for the day, it was claimed that the residences were barricaded to ensure the Senate could not conduct its proceedings due to the absence of its principal officers, although Saraki somehow made it to the Senate.

    A2J, in a statement by its director Joseph Otteh and programme officer Daniel Igiekhumhe, said it was unfortunate that the EFCC and the Police were involved in the high-stakes episode of political drama.

    “Many will find it particularly disappointing that the EFCC, a leading torchbearer of the fight against corruption, was co-opted into a scheme that was intended, from the beginning, wholly to serve partisan political objectives.

    “The history of the Nigeria Police Force’ biases towards, and attachments to incumbent political office holders sticks out a mile, so that its involvement in the ploy, though regrettable, will hardly come as a surprise to many.

    “The need for the EFCC to remain politically neutral and focused exclusively on fighting corruption is one that cannot be over-emphasised.

    “Using the Commission’s powers to serve politically partisan ends will represent an invidiously corrupt use of, and departure from, that mandate, and will harm the perception of the Commission as an unbiased criminal justice agency.

    “It will also play into the hands of those who are detractors of the Commission’s work, and provide them cannons with which to attack the Commission’s objectivity and judgments,” it said.

    A2Justice said it feared that the EFCC may have already lost a significant measure of public goodwill, standing and trust following this incident, and it will be harder to rebuild its credibility after this stunt.

    “The EFCC has made a grave mistake in its involvement in this incident and it must soberly reflect on how it will atone for, learn from, and put this incident behind it.

    “The EFCC must, going forward, make a decision to follow the ‘straight and narrow’ path, stay above the fray and fickle of partisan politics, and stand its ground not to become puppets of any party or government; otherwise, just like the Police Force, it will grind slowly – in a way of speaking – into its own death.

    “The precedent it has set with the Senator Ekweremadu incident must be overwritten with a clear and abiding commitment never to take that route again.

    “A2Justice now urges the EFCC to immediately investigate its involvement in the Senate saga, and bring to account, any persons who may have authorised and executed the misuse of the Commission’s powers in that regard.

    “It must also apologise to Nigerians over its role in the Senate affair, and make a public commitment that it will never again go down that lane again,” the group added.

  • Group launches Three-Wheeler

    Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M Ltd), a subsidiary of Mahindra Group in conjunction with VIP Merchandise Enterprise Limited, a GeePee Group subsidiary, has launched its three-wheeler Alfa P400 for Nigeria.

    The Alfa P400 offers more space for lovers of three-wheeler otherwise called tricycle.

    It is powered by a 400cc gasoline engine and comes in both passenger and cargo variants.This product comes with best-in-class features, such as longest wheelbase, multi-reflector headlamps, battery lock, powerful 1KW starter motor, large windshield, mobile charger, and bottle holder.

    Owing to its superior engine, Alfa P400 offers increased seating/cargo capacity and lower cost of maintenance that is unmatched in the market in turn providing improved earning potential to its consumers.

    Mahindra & Mahindra Head of International Operations (AFS) Arvind Matthew, said: “At Mahindra, we’ve made humanity’s innate desire to raise our driving purpose. We have been working steadfastly with VIP Merchandise to ensure that we deliver innovative mobility solutions to meet the needs of the community here.The Alfa P400 is a testimony to our intent.We are launching this product across the country with due support on warranty, after-sales service, spare parts availability and local mechanic training. We will continue to up the ante on technology and innovation to offer solutions in Nigeria that will drive positive change.”

    Also, Geepee Group Chairman MPrakash Vaswani, said: “We have been working closely with Mahindra to provide customised mobility solutions for Nigeria. Our two-wheeler – Arro – has been successfully running in the Okada segment across Nigeria. With Alfa P400, we are now bringing a differentiated and specially designed three-wheeler for the market that provides improved capacity, be it for carrying passengers or cargo, for the customers. With our products, Arro and Alfa, we not only offer customised and unique mobility solutions for the market, but also deliver employment and entrepreneurial platforms to empower the community to rise.”

    The Mahindra Alfa P400, made at the company’s state-of-the-art plant in Zaheerabad,Telangana, India, comes with a warranty of six months/10,000 KMS.

     

  • Group threatens to drag perpetrators of herdsmen/farmers crisis to ICC

    The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC), has cried out to human rights organisations around the world over the ongoing politically masterminded killings in Nigeria.

    The group, while threatening to drag those behind the bloodletting in the country to the International Criminal Court, ICC, noted that the endless clashes between herders and farmers, which had led to lost of lives and valuables worth millions of naira in some part of the country had political undertone.

    SHAC lamented that some individuals and organisations have taken the laws into their hands by inciting political violence in innocent and harmless Nigerian citizens.

    We are inundated with overwhelming evidence that suggests that the spate of killings under the guise of herdsmen’s/farmers conflict, are indeed politically motivated.

    A statement signed by Adams Odoh esq, Executive Director of the group and obtained by our reporter on Monday claimed that there are overwhelming facts to show that some individuals and organizations are taking advantage of the ethnic and religious fragility of the country to continue to sow the seeds of hate and discord to achieve political goals.

    According to Odoh, “This act of impunity, this rampage of impunity must be stopped in the interest of the continued existence of Nigeria and by extension the African continent because of the strategic role Nigeria plays in the political and economic stabilisation of the African continent.

    “We are also appalled that despite overwhelming pieces of evidence that points to specific individuals and organizations, nothing has been done to bring them to face the full wrath of the law.

    “While it is worrisome to state that these heinous acts has resulted in the loss of lives, and destruction of properties, international human rights watchdogs and persecutors such as the United Nations (UN) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) have not acted in the interest of the human race despite the series of petitions that has been submitted to it. This is very sad.

    “As a first, the ICC has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

    “The question we therefore seek to ask the ICC is whether acts deliberately committed as part of an attack aimed at a specific sect of the population can be considered as a crime against humanity? And if yes, why hasn’t the ICC deemed it pertinent to commence prosecution of these individuals and organisations? Does Nigeria not fall under its jurisdiction? Some of these questions we demand answers to in the interest of peace and stability.

    “Having stated the above, we are in unequivocal terms requesting for an immediate investigation on the sponsors of politically motivated killings in Nigeria, and also scrutiny of the various petitions that have been submitted to the ICC in recent times.

    “As a background, we are aware that petitions have been lodged against some governors who have instigated attacked aimed at a specific sect of the population in their states. For example, the governors of Taraba and the Benue States are culpable in this regard, despite the “we are the victims” public posturing that they have embraced to cover for their nefarious activities.

    “Some other individuals that are supposed to conduct themselves as elder statesmen like General T.Y. Danjuma, have also constituted themselves into that clog in the wheels of progress in the country by directly and indirectly inciting the people to take up arms against a particular sect in the society.

    “We are worried that no single individual has been called for questioning despite overwhelming pieces of evidences before the ICC.

    “As a way forward, the SHAC as an organisation, in conjunction with other stakeholders, is desirous to see to an end of the spate of political killings (under the guise of ethnic and religious crisis) in the country.

    “We are consequently going to embark on daily sit outs and pressure outings to drive home our point in the light of the above.

    “It must be stated that SHAC is a non-governmental organization that believes in peaceful means of driving home its agenda. And this is one of such mediums.”

  • Group hails Al-Makura’s peace deal

    The Egbura ethnic group in Nasarawa State has hailed Governor Tanko Al-Makura for his efforts to unite the warring ethnic groups.

    Rivalry among the various ethnic groups had triggered communal clashes, leading to deaths and destruction of property.

    To stem the trend however, Al-Makaru last week met with leaders of Bassa ethnic group in Abuja over the group’s recent clash with Egbura ethnic group.

    The Bassa leaders demanded the creation of a separate chiefdom as one of the conditions for peaceful coexistence with other groups.

    But the Egbura ethnic group, while praising the governor for the peace deal, cautioned against indiscriminate creation of chiefdoms, saying chiefdoms evolve through historical traditions.

    President of the Egbura National Development Association (ENDA) Prof Ibrahim Aguye called for wider consultation with genuine stakeholders, saying the governor should be guided by history and tradition.

    A statement by him said: “Since creation of chiefdoms is rooted in history and tradition, the governor, in his quest to resolve the situation, is urged to be guided by the history and tradition of the land.

    “This can only be achieved when the Governor involves genuine stakeholders from both sides in the process leading to such weighty decision. It is in this light that we further welcome the idea of a tripartite meeting proposed by the governor.

    “It is also noteworthy that chiefdoms are never really created or formulated; they get recognised and upgraded based on ancestral heritage. Suffice it to say that any artificial creation will only be a contraption that may be difficult to stand.”

    Prof. Aguye called on the government to convene a tripartite meeting that would involve genuine stakeholders with verifiable claims to be indigenes.

  • Group tracks $30.4b illicit funds, lifts Africa’s economies

    The Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has organised its 29th Technical Commission/Plenary Meeting in Somone, Republic of Senegal, where it discussed, among member states, threats and challenges to Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ML/TF) in the region. COLLINS NWEZE writes on efforts to tackle the menace.

    Money laundering has remained a major challenge to nations. The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) is at the centre of the fight against the menace and terrorist financing across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    According to the group, about $30.4 billion is illegally transferred out of Africa yearly.  To stem the menace, GIABA is empowering key institutions to tackle illicit financial flows within the region.

    GIABA said the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) requires countries to identify, asses and understand the Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing (ML/TF) risks to which they are exposed, take measures and mobilise resources to ensure that such risks are mitigated.

    The group had, during its plenary’s preliminary meetings in Somone, the Republic of Senegal, ensured that follow-up reports on the Mutual Evaluation (ME) of Sao Tome & Principe, Benin, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, The Union of the Comoros and Guinea-Bissau were considered by the Evaluation and Compliance Group (ECG). The ECG will also consider the first follow-up report to the second round of mutual evaluation of Ghana.

    The Financial Action Task Force-style regional Body (FSRB), GIABA meets twice yearly with its officials and experts to analyse, monitor and identify strategies for effective implementation of AML/CFT measures in member-states.

    The mutual evaluation is designed to assess the implementation and effectiveness of the laws, regulations or other measures required by the core criteria, to ascertain whether the requisite measures have been comprehensively implemented and whether the AML/CFT regime is effective. The mutual evaluation process also provides information on the progress made by every member state in meeting its obligations towards the FATF recommendations.

    According to GIABA, once the Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) of a country has been adopted, the Secretariat monitors progress being made, taking into account the deficiencies in the country’s AML/CFT regime.

    It said the follow-up starts with the assessed country being required to present a report to the GIABA Plenary yearly after the adoption of its MER. While outlining the progress made, the country strives to address the deficiencies in its AML/CFT regime, emphasising the FATF core and key recommendations. Countries that fail to make any significant progress are placed on the enhanced follow-up process and, therefore, required to submit FURs to Plenary every six months. Furthermore, based on the principle of reciprocity, GIABA shares its MERs and FURs with FATF, observer members from, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other FSRBs. This sharing guarantees the exchange of experiences, objectivity and transparency of the process.

     

    The battle continues

    The sorry state of public institutions within the ECOWAS region is disturbing. For instance, in many public schools, pupils learn sitting on the floors, the hospitals lack basic drugs, while the road networks are death traps.

    These ills thrive in societies where corruption and illicit financial flows are rampant. GIABA Programmes and Projects Director said, Buno Nduka, said public institutions in the sub-region have suffered immensely from corruption in public and private sectors.

    He spoke during a three-day regional workshop organised by GIABA on Investigative Reporting on Economic and Financial Crimes for Journalists from West African countries, in Saly, Senegal. He called on financial reporters to develop the right skills to help government and private sector operators fight corruption and tackle illicit financial flows.

    He also expressed concerns over illicit financial flows (IFFs) from West African economies, and the need to tackle them by key stakeholders within the region.

    Nduka urged financial reporters to investigate human trafficking, kidnapping, sexual exploitations, counterfeiting of currencies, extortion, and fraud in the banking sector across the ECOWAS. He said reports on such societal ills would enable law enforcement agents to catch the criminals.

    He cited GIABA’s strategic plan, 2016 to 2020, which showed that the Global Financial Integrity (GFI), the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Africa Progress Panel and the African Union’s High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa (AU Panel) paint a grim profile of the problem.

    A study by the GFI and the AfDB showed that between 2000 and 2009 that about $30.4 billion was illicitly transferred out of Africa yearly.

    Over a longer period of 30 years, from 1980, the resource drain was between $1.2 and $1.3 trillion.

    Outflows from West and Central Africa stood at (37 per cent), followed by North Africa (31 per cent) and Southern Africa (27 per cent). The IFFs are derived from various predicate offences of money laundering.

    According to GIABA Information Manager, Timothy Melaye, GIABA remained a specialised institution of the ECOWAS as well as Financial Action Task Force –Styled Regional Body (FSRB) responsible for combating the scourge of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in West Africa.

     

     

     

    “GIABA is a change agent. We build capacity, collaborate and sanction countries when they refuse to comply with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 40 recommendations. We also promote the economies of member ECOWAS states,” he said.

    He however, said that GIABA Cannot implement sanctions against money launderers but can make public statements against countries with significant deficiencies in implementing the FATF recommendations.

    He said, such public statement against a blacklisted country, can dry up foreign investments into affected countries, and spread the message that such country is not safe for business.

    Dangers of terrorist financing

    GIABA’s Strategic Plan, 2016 to 2020, said some of the funds that support the violent extremism being experienced in some parts of the region either originate from West Africa or traverse it.

    It said the  escalation  of  terrorist  acts  being  committed  by  Boko  Haram,  Ansar  Dine,  Al  Qaeda  in  the Maghreb  (AQIM)  and  the  Movement  for  Oneness  and  Jihad  in  West  Africa  (MUJAO),  has attracted  regional  and  global  concern.

    In  September  2015,  Amnesty  International  reported  that from  January  2015,  Boko  Haram  had  killed  more  than  3,500  civilians  across  four  countries (Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger).  “The resilience of the terrorist networks suggests that they have  been  innovative  in  sustaining  themselves,  using  various  methods  and  techniques  to  raise, move and utilize funds in order to carry out terrorist activities. Smuggling of goods has been found to be central to the financing of terrorist activities,” it said.

     

  • Group urges INEC to jail electoral offenders

    •Demands investigation of allegation of pvc cloning

    A civil society organisation in Ekiti State, Democracy Vanguard, has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the allegation of cloning of voter’s card in the state and ensure that electoral offenders arrested prior and during the election are prosecuted in line with the Electoral Act.

    In a letter titled “Allegation of collations of voter’s identification number and a possibility of cloning of cards”, which condemned the collation of voter’s card details by various political interests described the situation as “unfortunate, condemnable and against the process of a free, fair and credible election”.

    The letter addressed to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Abdulganiyu Raji, and signed by the State Coordinator, Yetunde Adeoluwa, reads: “This allegation of politicians taking Voter’s Identification Number (VIN) on the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) may not be unconnected with the cloning of cards by these desperate politicians who may want to use the details of voters to undermine the electoral process.

    “It is on this foundation, therefore, that we at Democracy Vanguard charge in strong terms that the electoral umpire (INEC) should exhaust all conditions of voters’ identification before using the incident form.”

    Adeoluwa demanded that electoral offenders in the build up to the election must be prosecuted as scape goats, in line with the electoral act, which shall serve as deterrent to others.

    “The law is established to be used. Not until electoral offenders are prosecuted and jailed as empowered by the law via the police, there will always be violence and bribery during elections in Nigeria.”

     

  • 2019: Group worried about rising tension

    A civil society coalition, OneVoice, has expressed concerns about rising tension ahead of next year’s election.

    It said the upsurge in killings and political crises portended danger to democracy.

    It decried the frosty relationship between the executive and legislature, urging politicians to put the country ahead of personal ambitions.

    The coalition is made of National Endowment for Democracy (NED) grantees, including the Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS), the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), the Access to Justice (A2Justice), the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and the Independent Advocacy Project (IAP).

    OneVoice Media Committee Chairman Pastor Adedeji Adeleye, at a media parley in Lagos, said there were fears that the elections could be disrupted by various forces.

    Such forces, he said, include hate speeches, executive/legislature tensions, insurgency in the Northest, bandits in the Northwest, herdsmen crisis in the Northcentral, kidnapping and herdsmen crisis in the Southeast, militancy in the Southsouth, among others.

    OneVoice said every effort must be made to ensure that all possible threats to peace are neutralised if democracy must survive.

    It said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies have crucial roles to play in ensuring a free and fair election and must get their act right.

    Adeleye said the protracted feud between the National Assembly and the executive could endanger democracy if not quickly resolved.

    “The feud has become a serious problem for both arms of government to the extent that ministers and heads of government departments and agencies, including security agencies, now find it easier to disregard resolutions of the National Assembly than to uphold them,” he said.

    HURILAWS Senior Legal/Programme Officer Collins Okeke said there was much uncertainty regarding 2019 elections that creates palpable fear in the land.

    “This is evident in the current state of affairs in Nigeria where it is as if we are in a state of war; one new killing field every day and yet some people think it is well,” he said.

    He was of the view that INEC should begin to create scenarios as to what will happen if the elections do not hold next year.

    “That is a possibility, even if remote,” he said, while advocating the need for increased political consciousness among Nigerians and the need for the government to do more to defuse all possible threats.