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Tag: panel

  • He jumped bail, says panel

    The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property (SPIPRPP) yesterday accused Senator Hope Uzodinma of jumping the bail it granted him on Sunday after his arrest.

    Uzodinma, a Senator representing Orlu Zone, Imo State and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was arrested by SPIPRPP on Sunday night at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on his way from Lagos, aboard an Air Peace flight.

    The panel said Uzodinma is being investigated over his company’s alleged failure to execute a contract of $12 million for the dredging of Calabar channel awarded by the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).

    On Monday, SPIPRPP said it released Uzodinma on bail on health ground, to enable him meet with his doctor, and that he pledged to return for interrogation.

    The SPIPRPP, in a statement last night said Uzodinma had refused to turn up for interrogation as agreed.

    It said, instead, his lawyer chose to serve court processes on the panel.

    The statement reads: “He is on the run. He called to say he will report at 11am today (Thursday), but he never kept to his words.

    “This afternoon the panel was served with a bundle of documents from his lawyers and a letter claiming that he had filed a suit concerning the contract to dredge Calabar channel so we should not investigate the case. But that is balderdash.

    “The law is that a suspect cannot stop a criminal investigation by running to a court to file an action.  In any case the NPA matter is not the only thing we have against him.”

    Uzodinma is also linked with other cases, including a case over his alleged failure to disclose his assets, as reflected in a two count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/107/2018, now pending before Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    The Senator and his firms are equally involved in a pending criminal case before the Upper Area Court, Arab Road, Kubwa, Abuja.

    The case was initiated via a criminal complaint filed by a company, Chimex Ventures Ltd and its promoter Chima Akuzie, who claimed that the Senator issued them a N200 million UBA dud (bounced cheque).

  • Panel to propose N30,000, N24,000 minimum wage

    The battle for a new minimum wage remained tough last night, with rhe tripartite committee resolving the knotty issue failing to reach a consensus on the figure.

    Two figures – N30,000 and N24,000 – are to be proposed to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The N22,500 recommended by state governments was thrown out of the bargain.

    But the plan to begin a strike today was shelved. Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba announced the decision. He said the committee’s report will be given to the President today.

    Before the meeting went into a second session, last night, Chairman of the Tripartite Committee Ms Amal Pepple told reporters that what was left was to persuade the Labour unions to shelve the strike, which they planned to start today.

    Read also: Minimum wage: Workers deserve better wages – AD

    Ms Pepple said the committee would have to submit the N30,000 minimum wage demanded by the unions and the N24,000 proposed by the government to President Buhari for further action.

    She said: “We have concluded and we had a little challenge with what we call chapter five of our record, that is why we resort to negotiation again.

    “The Federal Government suggested N24, 000 and Labour and Organised Private Sector gave the figure of N30,000. There is no stalemate; we have finished and signed it. What we are insisting on is that the strike should be shelved. N24, 000 and N30, 000 were the figures we used for the negotiation. Remember that Labour gave the figure of N52, 500, but when we put that figure together, plus the figures we got from the states when we wrote to them; about 21 of them responded and some of them gave us figures which we put in the basket,” Pepple said.

    Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige said: “We are making progress. The governors’ figure should be the Federal Government’s figure; we are just trying to carry them along that is why we made the discussion tripartite plus, yes the figures are standing, you know that there are other processes. It has to go through the Council of State, through an Executive Bill which will be transmitted to the National Assembly.

    “The Federal Government figure of N24, 000 is noted, because it is based on affordability and the ability to pay.

    “The Labour is satisfied; we are doing the needful. The only aspect of it now that we need to do, is to fix an appointment of handing over the report to Mr. President.”

    ”Yes, we are reconvening tonight (last night) because that appointment had to be gotten. The President has gone home and … as soon as we get the appointment, we will reconvene and know what to do.

    “The state governments have no choice now, because they have attached themselves to us,” he said.

  • Saraki inaugurates panel to probe invasion of chamber

    •Senate President pledges to bring perpetrators to book

    SENATE President Bukola Saraki yesterday inaugurated a joint Senate and House of Representatives committee to investigate the April 18 invasion of Senate Chamber.

    Members of the committee, including Senate Leader Senator Ahmed Lawan, Senators Abu Ibrahim, John Owan Enoh, Shehu sani, Samuel Anyanwu, Suleiman Hunkuyi, Baba Kaka Garbai and Binta Garba, will be chaired by Deputy Senate Leader Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah.

    Saraki said the Senate Ad Hoc Committee was inaugurated to investigate the incident of the Senate chamber invasion on Wednesday, April 18.

    He noted that the events of April 18, will go down as “one of the darkest days of our democracy”.

     

     

     

  • SON inaugurates panel on community sanitation

    Nigeria’s first National Mirror Committee and Technical Committee on ISO PC 305 and ISO PC 318 on sustainable non-sewer sanitation system and community-scale resource-oriented sanitation treatment system have been inaugurated in Lagos  by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and other critical stakeholders in environmental management.

    The ISO PC 305 was established by SON’s Technical Management Board resolution of May 2016 to provide a standard solution to the recurrent issue of a sustainable and affordable sanitation to alleviate the problem of open defecation. The ISO PC 318 is a new community-scale resource-oriented sanitation treatment system..

    At the event, SON’s Director-General Osita Aboloma, represented by Mrs. Chinyere Egwuonwu, noted that the panel would capitalise on its international experts and build on the information and expertise it would gather to develop the IWA 28:2018, a document specifying the requirements and test methods to ensure safety, performance and sustainability of community-scale, resource-oriented fecal sludge treatment units, that serve between 1,000 and 100,000 people.

    “It is a major step to help realise the potential of such technology and, ultimately, save lives. The IWA 28 fecal sludge treatment units will help to facilitate the commercialisation and expansion of such treatment units into the market, making them safer and more accessible to those who need them,” he said.

    Aboloma explained that the purpose of the standardisation was to enable the development of standards along the sanitation system designed to address basic sanitation needs and promote economic, social and environmental sustainability through strategies that may include minimising resource consumption and converting human waste to safe output.

    As part of its mandate, Aboloma said the national mirror committee would showcase the activities of the two ISO technical committees and establish Nigeria’s position on the ISO draft standards on sanitation systems and services through a consensus of input from stakeholders.

    He charged the panel to ensure that stakeholders contributed adequately to ensure that the standards reflected Nigeria’s position to facilitate its adoption as national standards and to provide the necessary confidence for engagements, urging them to interact with other people towards implementation of community sanitation standards.

    “This is an opportunity for us to have a say on the global community,” he added.

    The Director, Environmental Services, Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, Dr. Iyabo Philips, is the pioneer chairperson of the NMC.

    She assured of a robust deliberations, which he noted, would help the country address its environmental issues, especially open defecation.

    “We are grateful to SON for coming up with this programme at this time. In Lagos, we are putting together programmes against open defecation. Most of the diseases in town are caused by it.

    ‘’With this programme, a high percentage of water borne diseases will be eradicated and Nigeria will get the best as these standards would be adopted as national standards,” Philip said.

  • Sex-for-marks: Prof. failed me deliberately, says student

    miss Monica Osagie, the alleged victim in the sex-for-marks scandal at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has told an investigative panel that Prof. Richard Akindele allegedly failed her because she refused his sexual demand.

    She said she did not score 33 per cent as the lecturer claimed, alleging that he failed her so that she could accede to his sexual request.

    According to her lawyer, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Monica gave evidence at the panel yesterday.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victim was at the committee with her counsel.

    Monica, a Master’s student, released a recorded phone conversation, which went viral, in which the lecturer, identified as Akindele, demanded five rounds of sex to increase her marks.

    The committee, which held its session at the Pro-Chancellor’s Lodge, admitted only Monica and her lawyer.

    Reporters, students and members of the National Human Rights Commission, who came to witness the sitting, were not allowed into the venue by the university’s security personnel, who blocked the entrance.

    Akiyode-Afolabi, who addressed reporters after the closed session, which lasted more than seven hours, said Monica told the panel that she passed the course, but was failed by the don because she refused to sleep with him.

    She said Monica narrated what transpired between her and the don, adding that lawyers present were not allowed to make contributions.

    Akiyode-Afolabi, executive director for Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Abuja, said Monica informed the panel that she recorded the conversation between her and the professor.

    She said Monica told the panel that she reported the sexual harassment to some lecturers, adding that no action was taken by them.

    Akiyode-Afolabi said the lawyers representing lecturers who Monica claimed she reported to, were present.

    She said she hoped the outcome of the panel will act as a deterrent to others.

  • Army raises panel to probe Maiduguri attack

    The Army has raised a four-man committee to probe the Easter Sunday night attack in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

    Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas yesterday inaugurated the committee at the Military Command and Control Centre in Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.

    Gen. Nicholas said the committee’s term of reference was find the cause of the attack to forestall a recurrence.

    He explained that the committee, led by Maj.-Gen. Henry Wesley, and three officers as members, will submit its report in three days.

    The commander advised the people to stay indoors in the event of an attack.

    He said: “It is good for people to stay indoors whenever there is a blast or anything, as the insurgents take advantage of such situations to unleash terror and kill people.

    “It is safer to stay indoors than expose yourselves to danger. Casualties can be high if people troop out of their homes recklessly.”

    Gen. Wesley promised that the committee will conduct a fact-finding visit to the affected communities.

  • Panel to review LUC

    DESPITE the government’s reduction in the Land Use Charge (LUC),  the Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday constituted a six-man committee to review its enabling law.

    Sikiru Oshinowo (Kosofe I) will chair the committee.  The members are Yinka Ogundimu, Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, Tunde Braimoh (Kosofe II), Jude Idimogu and Akeem Shokunle (Oshodi/Isolo I).

    The panel will hold a stakeholders’ meeting on the law between Thursday and Monday and report to the House in two weeks. According to  Speaker Mudashiru Obasa,  the House is revisiting the law because of the public outcry against it.

    “We need to look at the law again. We need an ad-hoc committee to look at the law to amend it based on the opinion of the people. “People should, however, know that there is opportunity for them to contribute to lawmaking during stakeholders meetings.  “If they had come forward before the LUC was passed into law they would have offered their suggestions rather than complaining later,” he said.

  • NEPC, LCCI set up panel on movement of goods in ECOWAS

    A committee, which comprises  the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been set up to enhance the movement of goods within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    At the committee’s inauguration  tagged: “Nigeria ECOWAS Export Development”, it was noted that the West African sub-region is a huge market with potential for growth if well harnessed by member states.

    According to the committee, the potential of export from Nigeria into the ECOWAS region can be seen in the items of import into the region from Asia, America and Europe.

    It listed the top 10 products being imported into the region from various parts of the world to include fuel, vehicles, tractors, cycles, machinery, mechanical appliances and boilers, cereals, plastics, pharmaceuticals, fish and seafood.

    LCCI President Mr. Babatunde Ruwase noted that the forum presented an opportunity to review the state of economic integration in the sub-region, identify the challenges and proffer solutions, especially from the private sector perspective.

    He said: “For too long, private sector organisations and institutions have confined themselves to the comfort of their individual countries, while our counterparts in other parts of the world are advancing the frontiers of their economies and markets through integration.

    “In these days of the growing forces of globalisation, this individualistic disposition and outlook may not be sustainable. We need to broaden our perspectives and thinking beyond our individual countries. We should begin to develop not only national, but also continental and global outlook for our businesses and economies.”

    Ruwase emphasised the need to tackle current frustrating barriers to trade in the sub-region, noting that the trade treaties were not being implemented.

     

  • House panel probes alleged import fraud

    House panel probes alleged import fraud

    The House of Representatives Committee on Customs has begun investigations into alleged multi-billion naira fraud committed by some companies through massive breach of importation procedures, leading to huge loss of revenues to the Federation Account.

    Chairman of the committee James Abiodun Faleke, who made this known to reporters yesterday in Abuja, said the committee had invited those companies to come and clear the allegations against them or face the wrath of the law.

    “You recall the House in plenary on December 9, 2017 mandated the committee to investigate these alleged infractions of import procedures leading to monumental loss of revenue to the nation. The committee is determined to carry out a thorough forensic investigation in line with its mandate,” he declared.

    According to the chairman, “the unpatriotic and fraudulent act of some of these companies had cost the nation a lot financially. We are talking of losses probably in trillions of naira that should have accrued to our common purse.”

    The committee chairman said the panel was not on a witch-hunt mission but on an “altruistic, patriotic mission aimed at recovering our collective patrimony from unpatriotic elements and corporate entities”.

    Faleke said letters detailing the alleged infractions had been dispatched to the affected companies for appropriate responses and fair hearing.

    The committee chairman disclosed that the “Investigation Hearing Commences from March 7, 2018 and all the companies invited are expected to appear on the date allotted to them unfailingly or risk sanctions”.

  • PDP faults INEC’s investigation panel on underage voters

    PDP faults INEC’s investigation panel on underage voters

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the composition and scope of the eight-man panel set up by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the existence of underage voters, particularly in Kano and Katsina states.

    The committee was set up by the chairman of the INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, following public outcry that trailed underage voting in local elections in Kano and Katsina states.

    A statement yesterday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the panel constituted by INEC lacked credibility.

    The PDP observed that the panel comprised only INEC officials and excluding political parties, civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

    The party expressed fears that the panel might have been detailed to arrive at predetermined findings and recommendations aimed at exonerating INEC and downplaying the existence of underage voters on its register.

    The PDP also repudiated the scope of the inquest, which excluded Katsina State where underage voters were captured on camera in a recent local election.

    The PDP said INEC under Prof. Yakubu had continued to manifest weaknesses and bias, stressing that the commission could not be trusted to conduct the 2019 general elections.