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Tag: John Ofikhenua

  • NNPC boss, executives sign performance bond

    NNPC boss, executives sign performance bond

    The journey to the transformation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into a commercially focused and profitable business organization has been taken a notch higher with the signing of a performance bond by the Chief Operating Officers (COO) of the five Autonomous Business Units and two Directorates with the Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru.

    The performance bond, tagged: “Corporate Scorecard Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)”, constitutes the key deliverables for the Upstream, Downstream, Refineries, Gas & Power, and Ventures Autonomous Business Units and the Finance & Accounts and Corporate Services Directorates for 2017, serving as key business objectives that each of the units would pursue and is expected to achieve.

    It’s statement that made the announcement said that the signing of the performance bond took place at the end of a two-day Top Management Retreat and Performance Dialogue which ended yesterday  in Abuja.

    Speaking on the significance of the Corporate Scorecard Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Dr Baru said it was the corporation’s way of setting up a system for measuring performance with a view to driving every unit and every staff of the corporation towards achieving strategic business goals.

    According to the GMD, they form the benchmark against which the performance of each of the Autonomous Business Units will be evaluated at the end of the year.

    “These Key Performance Indicators will be the basis for evaluating each ABU’s performance. These KPIs are expected to be cascaded down to the individual business units by the COOs and down to individual staff by the respective Managing Directors and Executive Directors of the Strategic Business Units (SBUs). At the end of the day, we are going to add up the various inputs from individual staff, up to the SBU, to arrive at the performance of each ABU by the end of the year”, Dr Baru explained.

    He said subsequently, the extent of the achievement of the KPIs by each of the Autonomous Business Units would be used to determine how much of the 13th month bonus the staff of each ABU will enjoy at the end of the year.

    On the objective of the retreat, the GMD said it was organized to review the report of the committees set up to align the implementation of the 12 Business Focus Areas (BUFA) with the 20-Fixes and to review recent management policies as well as the performance of the corporation in the first quarter of 2017.

    He charged members of the Top Management to brace up for challenges ahead with a view to rising above them to position the corporation for profit. 

  • NNPC, partners to boost domestic gas supply by 285%

    NNPC, partners to boost domestic gas supply by 285%

    • lists seven critical gas projects to fast-track execution 
    In a bid to realise the Federal Government’s mandate to deploy the nation’s gas resources to stimulate economic growth, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its partners have evolved a scheme to grow gas supply for domestic consumption by 285% from 1.3billion standard cubic feet per day to 5bscf/d by 2020.
    This was disclosed at the 7 Critical Gas Development Projects (7CGDP) stakeholders’ meeting on Tuesday at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.
    The stakeholders made up of NNPC and seven  other oil and gas companies listed the seven (7) projects earmarked for fast-track execution to meet the 285% domestic gas supply growth projection to include: Assa North-Ohaji South Field Development (ANOH); Oil Mining Lease 24 and OML 18 Joint Development and Shell Petroleum Development Company Joint Venture/Nigeria Agip Oil Company Joint Venture Unitized Gas Fields.
    A statement of the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu issued in Abuja, which contains this added that others are: NPDC’s OML 26, 30, 42 and Chevron Nigeria Limited’s OML 49 Makaraba Cluster Development; SPDC JV Gas Supply to Brass Fertilizer Company; OML 13 Cluster Development and Cluster Development of Okpokunou/Tuomo West (OML 35/62).
    Addressing the partners at the meeting, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru, stated that the Federal Government has directed the Corporation to aggressively pursue gas development to jump start the nation’s economic growth.
    He outlined the strategic focus for achieving the Federal Government’s mandate to include growing capacity to supply enough gas to generate 15Gigawatts of electricity to the power sector by 2020, stimulating gas-based industrialisation by positioning Nigeria as the African regional hub for gas-based industries such as Fertilizer, Petrochemicals, Methanol and developing gas for export by selectively expanding export footprint in high value and strategic foreign markets.
    He said appropriate funding for the seven (7) critical gas projects should be a priority and a key success factor, adding that alternative funding through third party financing option would be adopted to facilitate execution of these vital projects.
    The GMD urged the partners to work together to ensure that the critical gas projects were executed expeditiously for the benefit of the country, adding that NNPC Top Management was available to work with all stakeholders to ensure timely delivery of the projects.
    Responding, the Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mr. Osagie Okunbor, applauded the GMD for his uncommon focus to ensure optimal production and delivery of gas to power, industry and for export, assuring that with proper alignment of the key parties, the projects would be delivered as scheduled.
    Endorsing the partnership, the Director of Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Mordecai Ladan, who was represented at the meeting, assured the stakeholders that the DPR would provide all the needed support to ensure the timely delivery of the projects.
    Present at the meeting were the seven (7) critical stakeholders which include: Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC); Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC); Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC); Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL); Seplat Petroleum Development Company PLc; Newcross Exploration and Production Limited and Eroton Exploration and Production.

  • OMPALAN tasks FG on further consultation with Niger Delta

    Oil and Solid Mineral Producing Area Landlords’ Association of Nigeria (OMPALAN) has called on the Federal Government to open further consultations to get contributions from diverse groups in the oil producing states.

    OMPALAN expressed unflinching confidence in the Presidency to deliver on the promises it made to remove the lingering peace process in the Niger Delta region definitively from limbo and give the region a new lease of life.

    However, speaking with one voice at the leaders’ meeting in Abuja, the association insisted that the Presidency style of visiting every oil producing state one day at a time, might not give it the desired results.

    Its chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) Bishop Udo Azogu, said that: “OMPALAN believes that the strategy adopted by the Presidency to visit and interact with every Oil Producing State one day at a time may not yield the desired result. This is because the time of engagement with stakeholders is too short and does not allow for contributions from diverse and informed groups /individuals in the State.

    “The Presidency should give the scheme greater flexibility and open up more to organizations like OMPALAN and individuals who have genuine contributions to make so that the good intentions of Government will not be derailed by selfish politicians and pressure groups who are working vigorously to dictate the tone exclusively with an eye on oil blocks and modular refineries.”

    Azogu noted that the association has developed a blueprint for sustainable peace and development of mineral producing areas.

    He said, that the blueprint is a bottom-up proposal that basically focuses on transparency and security of host communities.

    Those that attended the meeting were the Chairman, BOT, Bishop Udo Azogu, National Chairman & Chief Executive, Prof Eyo Etim Nyong, Leader (former Minister for Police Affairs), Dr. Ibrahim Lame, Dr. Abdul Jhalil Tafawa Balewa: Chairman, Environmental Committee, Chief (Barr) Sam Ezediaro, Principal Secretary, Sir Eustace Eke, Chairman, Advisory Board, Delta State, HRM Obi Nzemeke, Chairman, Advisory Board, Rivers State, HRM Eze Amuda Ginikanwa, National Publicity Secretary, Prof Katuka Yaki, Secretary, Environmental Committee, Prince Tony Ebietomiye, National Liaison Officer, Alhaji S. I. Sule, National Treasurer, Dr. Adindu Ndukwe, Chairman, National Youth Affairs Committee, Hon. Ngokanya Benjamin, and the National Youth Affairs Committee, Kabiru Aliyu.

    According to him, the meeting was predicated on the growing need to adopt strategies and explore avenues to move the association forward in view of growing public demands to make the extractive industries more competitive, transparent and beneficial to impacted communities and the nation at large.

    Azogu said that: “As the lawful voice for mineral producing communities across Nigeria we have a duty to protect these vulnerable communities from all forms of abuse by strengthening corporate governance and making our extractive industries more competitive, transparent and beneficial to impacted communities and the nation at large. We can only build a strong and virile Nigeria by scaffolding the concept of transparency, accountability, due process and patriotism with diligence.”

  • Customs moves to reduce trade facilitation time by 50%

    Customs moves to reduce trade facilitation time by 50%

    The Nigeria Customs Service has moved to reduce the time it takes to import and export goods (trade facilitation) by 50 per cent.
    Customs Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
    According to him, the NCS is now required to schedule and coordinate the Mandatory Joint Examinations and sign-off Form to ensure that there is only one point of contact between importers and officials.
    The statement explained that as a key stakeholder, and in the Federal Government’s quest to make businesses work, the NCS joined other MDAs in making commitments towards delivering reforms that would progressively make it easier for businesses in Nigeria to start and thrive.
    Attah said that: “Our commitments at the NCS are focused on “Trade  Across Borders,” where a target was set to reduce import and export time by up to 50 percent, and ensure that import procedures adhere to international standards.
    “One of the most crucial functions of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is the promotion and facilitation of trade and competitiveness. We will be the first to admit that the reality at the Nigerian ports is challenging and can be improved upon.”
    In its bid to improve the facilitation, NCS said that the minimum cargo placement notice time for the examination required by Terminal Operators has been reduced from twenty-four hours to a maximum of twelve hours.
    This, said Attah, means that after the NCS agrees with all parties on a suitable time for physical examination, Terminal Operators now only require a twelve-hour notice to place the cargo for examination.
    The statement noted that whereas export processes average between two and three weeks in Nigeria, compared to only four days in Kenya.
    According to Attah, Nigeria requires up to fourteen documents for imports, compared to just five in Rwanda.
    Factors like these, said the spokesman, are responsible for the country’s lowly rank of 14th out of 15 ECOWAS economies and 182nd out of 190 economies worldwide in the ‘Trade Across Borders’ indicator on the most recent World Bank “Doing Business” Rankings.
    The statement noted that Nigeria’s desire to restore growth through economic diversification, as enunciated in the recently released Economic Growth and Recovery Plan (EGRP) of the Federal Government requires a holistic reformist approach.
    It added that reforming procedures is required to stimulate important sectors of the Nigerian economy like agriculture and manufacturing, which contribute 23.1 and 13.3 percent respectively to its Gross Domestic Product.
    The statement reads in part: “
    On February 21, 2017, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd.), was among several heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who gathered at the Conference Room of His Excellency, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) for the launch of the 60-Day National Action Plan on Ease of Doing Business by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
    “A major first step was taken to achieve the target when the Department of Home Finance of the Federal Ministry of Finance revised Nigeria’s Import and Export Guidelines following a directive from the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, to streamline current procedures.
    “The Guidelines addresses some of the issues causing inefficiency and delays at the ports. Several of the newly inserted clauses in the Guidelines relate directly to the operations of the NCS. I will attempt to explain the stipulations and implications of the revised Guidelines in this piece as it pertains to the NCS.
    “Before this intervention, the burden was on importers to reach out to all relevant agencies and the Terminal Operator to schedule a suitable time for the joint examination of cargo. We have however decided to take this tedious process off the backs of the importers and coordinate same.
    “Under the revised Guidelines, Shipping Lines are required to electronically transmit advanced manifest of their cargoes to the NCS and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as soon as the vessel departs the last port of call – this is to ensure there is enough time for risk assessment, profiling and optimised placement of cargo.
    “NCS Officers will then circulate the cargo manifests to other examination agencies and the Terminal Operators as soon as same are received from the Shipping Lines. Shipping Lines which fail to transmit the advanced cargo manifest may be denied berthing rights.
    “The above guideline is critical because one major reason for delays at the ports is the less than optimal cargo placement and offloading processes. Most times, Terminal Operators are unaware of the contents of a container and are thus unable to determine if same requires physical examination or not. With prior knowledge of contents, Terminal Operators can ensure that containers which do not need physical examination and would consequently require less time to offload are placed ahead of those that will require examination in order to prevent delays and pileup of cargo.
    “Another reason for the delays at the ports during the import process is the haphazard manner in which goods are packed in containers. Different types of goods are just dumped in the container and imported into Nigeria, slowing the pace of physical examination and making it impossible for modern equipment to be used to examine containers.
    “To solve that problem, Shipping Lines are now required to ensure that imports into Nigeria are well arranged in pallets. Shipping Lines which fail to ‘palletise’ cargo will be sanctioned and  and maybe asked to take back onboard the non-palletised cargo.
    “Even beyond the 60-Day Plan, which came to a close on April 21, 2017, the NCS is already collaborating with other stakeholders to further reform the import and export processes.  Our efforts are strengthened by the complete support of the Federal Government, through the PEBEC, chaired by His Excellency, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the Federal Ministry of Finance; and other stakeholders.
    “Reduction of documents required for the import and export process will continue to engage the attention of relevant authorities  in recognition of the fact that Nigeria presently requires more documents than most of its peers.
    “Finally, the on going move by  FG towards the establishment and launch of a National Single Window (NSW) will contribute to the attainment of seamless interface by all stakeholders in the import and export chains. It will achieve an electronic, one-stop shop portal for Nigeria’s cargo clearance procedures.
    “The strong steering committee co-chaired by the Comptroller General of the NCS, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.) and the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman demonstrates government’s desire to entrench more business friendly environment for importers, exporters and investors wishing to do manufacturing business in Nigeria.
    “We intend to show Nigerian exporters and importers through our actions that the NCS is not just a ‘tax-collecting’ agency, but a progressive partner determined to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for exporters and importers to trade and carry out their legitimate  business operations through the Nigerian ports.”
  • OMPALAN seeks end to governors’ immunity clause

    OMPALAN seeks end to governors’ immunity clause

    Oil and Solid Mineral Producing Area Landlords’ Association of Nigeria (OMPALAN) has asked the National Assembly to expunge the immunity clause protecting state governors from prosecution from the nation’s constitution.
    Members of the association in a meeting at Abuja, expressed their support for the Senate over its move to grant full autonomy to elected Local Government Councils.
    Those that attended the meeting were the Chairman, BoT, Bishop Udo Azogu, National Chairman & Chief Executive, Prof Eyo Etim Nyong, Leader (former Minister for Police Affairs), Dr. Ibrahim Lame, Dr. Abdul Jhalil Tafawa Balewa: Chairman, Environmental Committee, Chief (Barr) Sam Ezediaro, Principal Secretary, Sir Eustace Eke, Chairman, Advisory Board, Delta State, HRM Obi Nzemeke, Chairman, Advisory Board, Rivers State, HRM Eze Amuda Ginikanwa, National Publicity Secretary, Prof Katuka Yaki, Secretary, Environmental Committee, Prince Tony Ebietomiye, National Liaison Officer, Alhaji S. I. Sule, National Treasurer, Dr. Adindu Ndukwe, Chairman, National Youth Affairs Committee, Hon. Ngokanya Benjamin, and the National Youth Affairs Committee, Kabiru Aliyu: Secretary.
    The chairman, Bishop Udo Azogu urged the National Assembly to enact laws to deal squarely with Governors who sack elected Local Government Councils in order to appropriate their funds.
    According to him, ” It’s only in Nigeria that individuals can be allowed to breach the law the way our Governors are doing and go scot free. When Governors breach the law they have their way but, when jobless youths in oil producing areas agitate for a better living condition they are branded criminals and treated as armed robbers. This must stop.
    “Immunity does not translate to lawlessness. The immunity clause is not helping matters in Nigeria as it’s being used the wrong way to shortchange the system by lawless and unpatriotic individuals who exploit the nation’s weak institutions to clinch to power.
    “To really stop corruption and enthrone the rule of law in Nigeria the immunity clause must be expunged from the constitution.”
    He explained that if the nation is sincere with strengthening corporate governance, the country,  must run a Federal system in which both the Federal and State Governments shall not control more than 40% of the national budget while Local Government Councils which are the closest to the masses should control the bulk of the budget in addition to granting autonomy status to the Police and anti-graft agencies.
    Continuing, he insisted that:  “Things can never go right when our Local Government Councils are relegated to the background by greedy politicians who have no regard for the rule of law.
    “There must be clear separation of powers between the three arms of Government notably the executive, the legislature and the judiciary with no arm assuming dominance over the other.
    “It is also the position of OMPALAN that the ongoing war against graft should cut across all strata of the society and must not be used to pursue a vendetta. Where ever there is a crime, be it in the Presidency or within the precinct of the anti-graft agencies due investigation must be carried out and justice must be seen to be done.”
  • Electricity: Abuja firm raises alarm over increasing attacks on staff

    Electricity: Abuja firm raises alarm over increasing attacks on staff

    • Petitions IGP over DPO’s conduct

    Abuja Electricity Distribution (AEDC) Plc has expressed concern over what it describes as an increasing spate of attacks on its field workers, describing it as unwarranted, vicious, inhuman and criminal.

    It said no action of AED Plc staff doing their legitimate job warrants the use of bullets to scare them or attack them with dangerous weapons like shovel, especially where there are redress mechanisms put in
    place by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and AED Plc as a Company which holds the customer in very high esteem.

    The company made this disclosure in a statement on Thursday.

    According to the statement, the Company said a fondness for self-help is a criminal breach of the right of the staff who are carrying out their legitimate duties.

    A statement issued by the Company on Sunday also disclosed that its management has written a petition to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) against the Divisional Police Officer of Kubwa in Abuja, Mr.
    Ayobami Surajudeen for what it described as the unprofessional way he handled a case of assault and threat to the lives of three AED Plc staff.

    “We write to register our petition against the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kubwa Divisional Police Station – Mr. Abayomi Surajudeen for the unprofessional way he handled a case of assault and
    threat to lives of three members of our staff, who were intimidated, assaulted and manhandled by two mobile policemen attached to Pet Leisure Park, Kubwa, whilst our staff were carrying out their
    legitimate duties”.

    Pet Leisure Park is a private firm located at 2/1 Junction in Kubwa, Abuja.

    In the statement, AED Plc catalogued the series of attacks visited on its workers by some members of the public. According to the statement, a staff of the Company who was on a revenue recovery exercise in Gwagwalada, a satellite town of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was viciously attacked and hit at the back of his head with a shovel, as a result of which a deep cut was inflicted on him.

    Before then, a pregnant cashier was also harassed by a mobile policeman while in Kubwa, AED Plc staff who were on revenue drive were prevented from disconnecting a debtor customer by mobile policemen who had to fire live rounds to scare the staff away.

    In the petition to the IGP, AED Plc narrated how its men were prevented from disconnecting electricity supply to the premises of Pet Leisure Park by the mobile policemen on guard duty despite all
    entreaties and explanation. Not ready to allow the AED Plc men do their job, “the policemen unleashed their full might on our team and fired two shots of live ammunition in the process.”

    Apparently scared by the conduct of the mobile policemen, the AED Plc and in order to avoid any irreversible situation, withdrew from the scene and quickly reported the matter at the Divisional Police Headquarters in Kubwa where Mr. Surajudeen is the DPO. The AED Plc men were directed to report at the Station the following day of the incidence, which they complied with but were shocked to hear that they would be charged for inciting the disturbance of public peace.

    According to the statement, this sounded quite unbelievable until the AED Plc men were arraigned in Court as threatened by the Kubwa DPO. AED Plc said although the most potent tool it has for the recovery of its revenue from debtor customers is to discontinue the supply of electricity to them, the tool of disconnection is only deployed when all efforts to persuade the customer to settle his/her outstanding bill has failed.

    The resort to self-help and the use of dangerous weapons by an aggrieved customer, therefore, amounts to an attempt to deny it of revenue accruing to it as well as intimidate its workers who are permitted by the law of the land to undertake the activity.

    The Company said while it will not compromise its relation with customers, it also has a duty as an organisation to protect its workers who are also connected one way or the other to the customers.

    It, therefore, appealed to customers and all members of the public to always exercise restraint and not be quick in resorting to physical assault whenever there is any disagreement between them and the staff
    of AED Plc. The Company, according to the statement, always handles the complaints of its customers with all seriousness as they remain the reason why it is in business.

  • Fashola tasks agency to provide electricity in rural communities

    Fashola tasks agency to provide electricity in rural communities

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday, said that the tertiary qualifications obtained by board members of the Rural Electrification Agency were meaningless if millions of Nigerians continue to lack access to electricity.

    Fashola made this known while inaugurating a new board for the REA at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in Abuja.

    He stated that millions of rural dwellers, as well as some others in urban centres still do not have access to electricity, adding that the responsibility of the newly inaugurated board was to ensure that most of these people get power in the shortest possible time.

    His words: “I think it is important to know why we are here so that we start with the common understanding of what our objective is, you know what is expected of you and understand the necessity to succeed.

    “Very clearly from the citations that we have listened to, Mr. President has picked from Nigeria those who are solely trained in Nigeria, for I heard Ahmadu Bello University, Nekede (polytechnic), as well as those from Doha and the United Kingdom.

    “So clearly, the qualifications that you have are not in doubt, but those qualifications mean nothing if people do not have access to electricity across the country. Your qualifications, experience and achievements mean nothing if this team does not deliver electricity to the people who are in their many millions and are yet to be connected to grid.”

    The minister told the REA board that they should ensure that millions of rural communities get electricity, either by connecting them to the national power grid or by providing them with off-grid power.

    “When I meet with legislators they tell me they have communities that have never been connected to the grid and as I go round the country I’ve seen proof of that. So I know the kind of responsibility that you bear,” Fashola said.

    He, however, promised the team that his ministry would continue to provide the REA with the required support, adding that the budgetary assistance needed to meet the rural electrification needs of Nigerian communities shall be provided.

    “We will breakdown barriers for you, but really and truly it is you who will do much of the work,” the minister said.

    Speaking with journalists after the board was inaugurated, the agency’s Managing Director, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, said by next week the new REA board will identify all the ongoing projects being undertaken by the agency, adding that it will also focus on completing selected new projects.

    Ogunbiyi said, “What we are going to do from next week is to have the whole project team, led by the executive director technical, to go out and identify the status of all these projects and come up with the proper master plan of how we are to tackle existing projects while also focusing on the new projects that were mentioned by the minister, the university projects, hydro projects and small scale solar projects.

    “So we really see ourselves as an access agency to get power to people who don’t have it regardless of where they are whether in the rural or urban centres. And we are going to do it using a whole different variety of renewable energy technology and some off-grid solutions as well.”

  • Customs warns officers on information transmission

    Customs warns officers on information transmission

    The Comptroller- General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali retired on Tuesday warned officers of the service on information transmission.

    He said that “Consequently any non-designated officer that transmits or circulation information that should be properly handled by the PRO will be sanctioned.”

    He spoke while declaring the workshop on crisis communication which the service organised for its PROs and customs correspondents in Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

    According to Ali, messages from the NCS must always be correct and professionally communicated to the public.

    He noted that the ability of any organisation to deliver on its mandates depends largely on how it is understood.

    Ali said PR can, therefore, be a tool for entrenching higher integrity among operatives and compliance from stakeholders.

    The Customs boss revealed that NCS is among the few organisations in Nigeria that have already complied with Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) requirements that only members of the Institute are appointed as PROs.

    He recalled that in 2012, virtually all NCS PROs were inducted as Associate Members of NIPR.

    Ali vowed that NCS under his watch will continue to encourage professionalism by providing support for such training and retraining of PR officers in addition to other core Customs courses.

    NIPR president, Dr Rotimi Oladele decorated Ali as an ordinary fellow of the institute.

    According to him, Ali will always win in a crisis situation because he means well for the country.

    He advised the NCS to learn to extinguish crises.

  • ANEEJ to FG: Bring oil subsidy thieves to justice

    ANEEJ to FG: Bring oil subsidy thieves to justice

    The Executive Director, Africa Network for Empowerment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor on Thursday told the Federal Government that one of the ways to end oil subsidy corruption in the country is by bringing suspected thieves of the subsidy to justice.

    It was part of the recommendations that he made for ending oil subsidy in Nigeria in his book titled: “Fatality of Nigerian Oil Subsidy,” which was launched in Abuja on Thursday.

    He said for a country to make meaningful progress for the overall development of its people, it must sustain the fight against corruption and ensure transparency and accountable governance system.

    According to him, “In prosecuting the war against graft, it is important to ensure that those involved in grand corruption cannot continue with impunity. They must be brought to justice through active enforcement of anti-bribery laws, and/or that they face restriction ps on their ability to travel, invest or conduct business overseas. They should be immediately dispossessed of the proceeds of crime.”

    The Executive Director said that the citizens must report instances of corruption with the confidence that actionable information will be out to appropriate and effective use by law enforcement agencies and governments.

    The book which was launched by the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Justice Reform, Barrister Juliet Nwagu, noted that digital technologies offer new opportunities to strengthening reporting mechanisms by expanding the ways citizens can report cases of corruption, efficiently pooling information from wide range of sources, and speeding up the authorities’ ability to analyze and act on complaints data.

    Continuing, the book calls on the “international community to explore the scope to use unexplained wealth orders and non-conviction based confiscation procedures. This has the potential to make it easier to confiscate the proceeds of corruption and return them to their countries of origin.

    “In Nigeria, the prices of conviction-based approach to fighting corruption is very cumbersome and takes a lot of time and resources, often providing an escape route for the corrupt.”

    One of the salient questions that the title of the book threw up was whether there is still oil subsidy in the country.

    In her remarks, Nwagu however, said that there should be a debate on whether there is still oil subsidy in Nigeria.

    “I can’t answer that question, I think the person who can answer that question is the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and of course the GMD of NNPC will be in a better position to answer that question,” she said.

    According to her, what is now critical is that Nigerian’s are not happy the way the oil and gas sector is managed but they have to ask questions. Nwagu revealed that government is looking into the improvement of the freedom of information act to enable the citizenry to ask questions about the things that bother them.

    She said people have to ask questions about the delay of the cases concerning oil subsidy theft.

  • Customs: Dealers rush for vehicle terminal N50m bond license 

    Customs: Dealers rush for vehicle terminal N50m bond license 

    The Public Relations, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Joseph Attah, on Wednesday revealed that dealers have started rushing to indicate interest to operate the N50 million bonded vehicle terminals.

    Speaking with journalists in Abuja, he said “Yes. A lot have indicated interest and the process is on-going.”

    According to him, the Service was ready to begin issuance of the licence and that there are already positive responses from the public.  

    He said: “A lot of people have indicated interest and the process is on-going. NCS is ready for the issuance of licences to people who are interested, what it takes is for interested persons to acquire a big land, fence it and have Customs section within, a workstation with connectivity and computer system that can easily connect to the Customs server.

    “Such person will also be required to enter into a bank bond of N50 million. He will now apply through the Customs Area Comptroller of the command he wants to site the terminal to the Comptroller General.” 

    Asked to comment on the response of Customs officers to the recent upgrade of HND to level 08, he said that the announcement has restored the morale and dignity of the affected officers.

    According to him,  “The reaction has been positive; it has been morale lifting across the commands. By that singular decision, officers and men are saying that the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) has written his name in gold because he has restored dignity, integrity and pride of the affected officers.

    “In my own view, reducing the rank of an HND holder because he does h=not have a B.Sc was not a perfect decision. The CGC in keeping with his reform agenda has done what needed to have been done many years back. He has restored laughter and happiness and by the grace of God, we are expecting higher productivity.”

    Meanwhile a former Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri has commended the reforms at the Service.

    He pointed out that “What we are witnessing now is an attempt to ensure that we conform to the provisions of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the rules of our country and that Customs serves the best interest of Nigerians.”

    He advised that importation of rice should not be banned out rightly but done in phases according to local production capacity. 

    He said: “Believe me, policies relating to agriculture in this country have been result-oriented. I must say that it is not just starting from this administration, it started from previous ones. 

    “Today, we are seeing revolutions in Anambra, Nasarawa, Kebbi with rice everywhere. So what we need to do is not an outright ban, but we should reduce the ban according to the level of production. If we are able to produce 10,000 tonnes and we are importing 20,000, let us cut off the 10,000 and bring in the other 10,000 tonnes so that we do not go hungry,” Omeri explained.

    He also urged consumers to patronise local rice saying, “So let us look at the nutritional value and begin to patronise made in Nigeria rice. Let us do phased withdrawal of import of rice in this country so that our people can grow more.”