The Nation Newspaper

Tag: intervenes

  • Ekiti govt intervenes in 76-year-old boundary dispute

    •17 monarchs protest Fayose’s grading

    The Ekiti State government has intervened in the 76-year-old boundary dispute among three neighbouring communities of Ise, Orun and Emure.

    Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi spoke yesterday at a meeting with the monarchs, chiefs and leaders of the three towns in the dispute, which has been going on since 1942.

    Egbeyemi warned residents of the three communities against violence.

    The deputy governor assured them that the long-running boundary dispute would be resolved as soon as possible.

    The peace meeting followed a petition filed by the Orun community, which was accompanied by documents alleging encroachment by Ise and Emure.

    The meeting was attended by the Arinjale of Ise, Oba Adetunji Ajayi; the Elemure of Emure, Oba Emmanuel Adebayo and the Olowuro of Orun, Oba Aderounmu Adewumi.

    Egbeyemi, who expressed surprise that the boundary dispute of 1942 was allowed to fester for such a long period, promised that the government would not allow the situation to degenerate into violence.

    Describing the three neighbouring communities as brothers, the deputy governor assured them that the dispute would be amicably resolved by the Kayode Fayemi administration.

    He urged residents of the three communities to allow the government and the Boundary Commission to mediate in the matter and arrive at a solution within a reasonable time.

    Egbeyemi said: “Allowing this type of dispute to fester for too long is not good because we have eminent citizens in the three communities who are qualified to settle this matter.

    “You are too close to be fighting and this may turn your children and people against one another. That is what we want to prevent.”

    The peace meeting was adjourned till March 5 for Ise and Emure communities to present their defence and documents on the issues raised by Orun community.

    Also, Egbeyemi promised that the government would look into the case of 17 traditional rulers who were protesting against the recent grading by former administration of Ayodele Fayose.

    Presenting their petition to the deputy governor, the monarchs, who were led by the Onigogo of Igogo-Ekiti, Oba Sunday Adewumi, the monarchs alleged injustice in the last administration’s grading.

    The Onigogo said the 17 aggrieved monarchs were placed on Grade B during a similar grading in 1999.

    He said: “It was unjust for the last administration to upgrade some monarchs with whom they were on the same grade to Grade A.

    “We want to appeal to you because your administration has a listening ear. We want to channel our grievances to you for you to note it, and you should passionately look into it.”

     

     

     

  • NCC intervenes in 9mobile’s sale

    Telecoms industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has laid down rules of engagement that will ensure  the transparent sale of 9mobile and the sustenance of its business after sale.

    The regulator’s rules of engagement are contained in a letter addressed to the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr. Godwin Emefiele.  The NCC letter, according to Smile Communication,  was endorsed by NCC board Chairman, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye. It is in recognition of the fact that 9mobile is indebted to a consortium of banks that are regulated by the CBN.  Both NCC and CBN have been collaborating to ensure the successful sale of 9mobile.

    The letter identified three criteria that will guide the emergence of a preferred bidder for 9mobile.

    The first is “that whichever company would quality as successful bidder to take over 9mobile has (must have) the technical competence apart from financial capability to turn round 9mobile and not further compound its problems”.

    The second is “that the successful bidder should come in with substantial funds (foreign exchange) to sustain the industry not just recycling funds facilities already within the economy”.

    The third insists “that the company that will take over should have adequate technical infrastructure on ground”.

    have adequate technical infrastructure on ground” puts a question mark to the touted emergence of Teleology Holdings as the preferred bidder.

    Teleology Holdings, as a special purpose vehicle for the acquisition of 9mobile, has no apparent infrastructure on ground.  Unlike its rival Smile Telecoms Holdings, which operates in key Nigerian cities and was announced as the reserved bidder, Teleology Holdings is neither operational nor has experience, as a firm, in Nigeria.

  • Osinbajo intervenes in Rivers crisis

    Osinbajo intervenes in Rivers crisis

    •VP demands court orders, rulings at meeting with stakeholders

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has intervened in the crisis arising from court orders and rulings over legality of the Rivers State local government councils to ensure peace, it was learnt yesterday evening in Port Harcourt.

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, who craved anonymity, said the vice president demanded copies of the courts’ orders and rulings to properly study them and decide on the way forward.

    Prof. Osinbajo, as at press time last night, was meeting with the state stakeholders in Abuja on the face-off, making it difficult to get the outcome of the closed-door meeting.

    The caretaker committee chairmen and members inaugurated by Governor Nyesom Wike on July 9 have taken over the 22 of 23 local government areas after policemen allowed them access to the secretariats.

    In Port Harcourt yesterday evening, the 23 elected councils’ chairmen, who belonging to the APC and led by Chimbiko Iche Akarolo of Port Harcourt City Council, also met with the leadership of the party behind closed doors.

    But the decisions reached were not made public.

    Justice John Agbadu-Fishim of the National Industrial Court (NIC) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on June 22, gave an order restraining Wike from dissolving 22 of the 23 councils, while further hearing on the suit was adjourned till October 6.

    The order, which will remain in force until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction, restrained Rivers governor, the state House of Assembly, the state Attorney-General and their agents from dissolving, suspending, sacking, terminating or in any manner whatsoever interfering with the tenure of office of the 23 local councils chairmen.

    The order also restrained the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) or his agents and privies from enforcing any purported action detrimental to the existence of the 23 chairmen and councillors. The order was duly served on all parties, including the IGP.

    On July 9, Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, dissolved the 22 councils for allegedly disobeying his order.

    But the chairmen immediately filed a motion for stay of execution of the ruling at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt. But this was ignored by Wike.

    The state governor, on the same July 9, sent names of chairmen and members of caretaker committees to the state’s House of Assembly, led by Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani and they were quickly screened by the 32 lawmakers, consisting of 31 PDP and one APC members.

    The caretaker committee members were inaugurated by Wike around 10 p.m. on the same Thursday.

    The sacked 22 chairmen and their councillors were elected on May 23 this year, during the Rotimi Amaechi’s administration.

    The tenure of the chairman and councillors of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni council will expire next year and was not affected by the dissolution.

    The NIC in Yenagoa is of equal/coordinate jurisdiction with the FHC in Port Harcourt, which handled the ruling on July 9.

  • Jonathan intervenes in ASUP 10-month strike

    Jonathan intervenes in ASUP 10-month strike

    President Goodluck Jonathan has begun the direct intervention to reconcile the grey areas in the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) demands.

    This followed the rejection of the two payments by instalment to resolve the union’s prolonged strike.

    ASUP’s President Chibuzor Asomugha told our reporter that the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, had briefed President Jonathan on the remaining area of dispute – the payment of arrears of allowances.

    Asomugha said Dr Jonathan, last Monday, met some top Presidency officials, Wike and officials of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the Federal Ministry of Education to conclude the payment of the arrears.

    ASUP and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) had insisted that the Federal Government pay the entire N40 billion at once.

    It was learnt that at the last meeting with Wike, in a bid to convince the ASUP officials, explained that the payment schedule for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) earned allowances was settled by instalments, the first being N30 billion.

    The universities were said to have more workers and spread than the polytechnics and the colleges of education.

    Another meeting was later called with the governing councils in attendance. The same issue on the mode of payment dominated the agenda, it was learnt.

    The other key issues that have been resolved are on the establishment of NEEDS Assessment committees and the setting up of governing councils.

    The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), our reporter learnt, has concluded work on the White Paper for visitation panels. The White Paper will be released in the next few weeks.

  • Ekiti govt intervenes in community crisis

    The Ekiti State government has intervened in the rift between the Alaaye of Efon Kingdom, Oba Adesanya Aladejare, and his chiefs, who are protesting against the monarch’s leadership styles.

    The six chiefs -Obanla John Fakorede, Obaloja Pariola, Oisajigan Ejigan, Peteeko Ojo, Alaayo Folayan and Ojubu Olowookere- shunned meetings at the Alaaye’s palace, following their exclusion from the list of obas and chiefs that the government gave vehicles to.

    The monarch and the chiefs are expected to attend a peace meeting slated for the office of the Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Aderemi Ajayi, tomorrow. They are expected to be accompanied by selected community leaders.

    Sources at the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs said the meeting became imperative, following reports that tension was brewing in the ancient town.

    Prominent indigenes, including Dr. Kunle Olajide, Dr. Adio Folayan and the President-General of the Efon Development Association, Chief Patrick Ojo, met with the parties and urged them to settle amicably.

    Olajide, who is a prince of Efon Kingdom, said: “The chiefs have agreed to return to the palace on Monday (today), but the Alaaye may not be present because he and the Ologotun of Ogotun will be speaking on behalf of Ekiti at the meeting of the Federal Boundary Commission in Ado-Ekiti.”

    On Friday, the Alaaye’s wife, Olori Ajike, urged the chiefs to resolve their differences with her husband peacefully.

    Many Efon indigenes said the monarch had facilitated development and attracted many projects to the town.

    A youth activist, Mr. Caleb Ayegbusi, urged the monarch and his chiefs to reconcile in the interest of peace and development. He said: “Our royal father, Oba Aladejare, is an asset to Ekiti State. He is one of the founding fathers of Ekiti State. He has always mobilised community development. He agitated for the creation of Efon Local Government and it became a reality. He fought for the establishment of a government college and it became a reality. He called attention to the erosion problem and the government answered him. He has been in the forefront of transforming this kingdom. However, we believe he cannot rule without his chiefs.”

    A lecturer at the Ekiti State University (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, Boniface Ayodele and Mr. Ibukun Falayi, a banker, warned that the dispute could stall development in the town.

    Ayodele said: “We are all going to learn lessons from the rift, but I call on our fathers to promote the peace and development at all times.”

    Falayi said: “Efon belongs to all of us and it is in our interest to learn to resolve our internal crisis. There can be no peace in an atmosphere of crisis. Crisis will breed more crises. Therefore, we should do everything to always ensure that we are at peace with ourselves. I urge our fathers to embrace peace.”

  • N255m fee: Mark intervenes in FCT, IBB Golf Club’s face off

    N255m fee: Mark intervenes in FCT, IBB Golf Club’s face off

    President of the Senate, David Mark, yesterday promised to intervene in the faceoff between the

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator Bala Mohammed and the management of the IBB International Golf and Country Club over Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of the complex.

    The FCT administration is alleged to be demanding the sum of N255 million from the management of the club for C of O to legalize and authenticate the acquisition of the land. But the management of the club led by its captain, Debo Olateju said on acquisition of the complex , the FCT issued it the Right of ccupancy (R of O) instead of C of O.

    Olateju, therefore, pleaded with the Senate President who is also an avid golfer to wade into the matter since the facility is just for recreation and public utilities and not necessarily a commercial venture.

    However, the Senate President promised to look into the matter with a view to addressing it.

    Mark urged the new executive of the club to bring in new ideas that would further promote the club. He noted that the club has over the years earned respect and reputation.

  • Naira snaps five-day decline as CBN intervenes

    Naira snaps five-day decline as CBN intervenes

    The naira rose, halting a five day decline, as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold dollars directly to the market outside of its regular currency auctions.

    The naira rose as much as 0.9 per cent and traded 0.6 per cent stronger at N158.65 per dollar, its biggest gain on a closing basis since October 4. The naira has dropped 1.5 per cent this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

    “There was intervention from the CBN,” Tega Adeda, a foreign-exchange trader at Stanbic IBTC Holding Co. (STANBIC), said by phone from Lagos, without specifying the amount sold. “There was a lot of corporate demand” and the regulator is trying to stabilise the market, he said. Ugochukwu Okoroafor, a spokesman for the Abuja-based Central Bank of Nigeria, didn’t answer four calls made to his mobile phones seeking comment.

    The bank reduced dollar sales to lenders by six per cent this week to $360 million. The regulator uses the twice-a-week auctions to stabilise the naira as costs of importing refined fuel, which accounts for 70 per cent of the local gasoline market, boosts dollar demand and puts pressure on the currency, according to the apex bank.

    At the auctions, “demand appeared to have been higher,” Ridle Markus and Dumisani Ngwenya, Africa strategists at Barclays Plc’s Absa Capital in Johannesburg, wrote in a note to clients last week.

    Yet, “with significantly improved external buffers, ongoing tight monetary policy and continued oil inflows amid relatively stable production and oil prices, we expect the naira to remain supported in the short term.”

    The Monetary Policy Committee, led by Governor Lamido Sanusi, will hold its policy rate at 12 per cent for a ninth consecutive meeting on March 18 and 19, according to eight economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.

    The Central Bank held the rate at the record level on January, 21 to control consumer prices and maintain the naira’s level. Inflation eased to 9 per cent in January from 12 per cent in December, the statistics bureau said last month.

    Borrowing costs on the country’s 16.39 per cent domestic bonds due January 2022 rose nine basis points to 11.27 per cent, according to yesterday’s data compiled on the Financial Markets Dealers Association website. Yields on the nation’s $500 million of Eurobonds due January 2021 fell two basis points to 4.204 per cent.

     

  • Fed Govt intervenes in fight over Accounting Officers

    Fed Govt intervenes in fight over Accounting Officers

    Following recurring confusion over who should be the accounting officer, indications emerged yesterday that the Federal Government may ask its agencies to invoke Section 160 of the 1999 Constitution pending amendment to their Acts.

    Also, fresh facts emerged yesterday that the Code of Conduct Bureau has written the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) to seek clarification on who is the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the bureau.

    According to a top government official, who spoke in confidence, the government is disturbed that the dispute over Chief Executive Officer or Accounting Officer has been a recurring challenge.

    The source said: “These agencies, including INEC and CCB, have been writing the Attorney-General of the Federation on who is their either the CEO or Accounting Officer.

    “In the case of INEC, the chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, ought not to have written the AGF if they had gone through Section 160 of the 1999 Constitution. “Section 160 empowers each of the Federal Executive bodies to determine their mode of operation after consultations with President Goodluck Jonathan.”

    Section 160 says: “Subject to sub-section (2), any of the bodies may, with the approval of the President, by rules or otherwise regulate its own procedure or confer powers and impose duties on any officer or authority for the purpose of discharging its functions provided that in the case of the Independent National Electoral Commission, its powers to make its own rule or otherwise regulate its own procedure shall not be subject to the approval or control of the President.”

    The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Mr. Sam Saba, has also written the AGF on who should be the Accounting Officer of the bureau.

    A copy of the letter obtained from the bureau, noted: “Up to this moment, there are reservations about who is the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the Bureau. Furthermore, the Board believes that going by the provision of the 1999 Constitution 3rd Schedule Part 1 part 1 paragraph 3f they are vested with the powers to make appointments, participate in the day to day running of the departments in the Bureau.”

    The source claimed that the Bureau has received legal advice from the AGF.

    The AGF’s letter reads: “On the issue of Chief Executive Officer and Accounting Officer of the Bureau, I wish to observe that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) is one of the executive bodies established by Section 153 of the Constitution. Its composition and powers are specifically provided for in items 1 and 3 Part 1 to the Third Schedule to the Constitution and Sections 1 (2) and 3 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, CAP. C15. LFN 2004.

    “It would appear that the powers and functions of the CCB are exercisable only by the Bureau and not by the Chairman or any individual member of the Bureau except as may be delegated by the Bureau. Furthermore, relevant provisions of the Constitution and CCB Act do not provide for the position of the CEO or Accounting Officer. Thus, in the absence of a clear delegation of these roles by the Bureau, it would be difficult if not legally tenable to presume that the Chairman is the CEO or the Accounting Officer of the Bureau”

    “It is my respectful view that in the absence of express provisions of the law, the Bureau can rely on this provision to determine its Chief Executive and/or Accounting Officer. This can be achieved either through a decision of the Bureau or rules made by the Bureau, with the express approval of the President.”