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Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration

Another storm against Buhari’s men

Another storm last week gathered again against some key officials in the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The two officials now in the eye of the storm are the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

Despite one of the cardinal goal of the government being fighting corruption to a standstill, it is sad that the main issues against these two officials border on corruption.

The lid was blown off the alleged irregularities and on-going mess in NNPC when a protest letter by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu addressed to the President, was leaked.

The country is yet to fully recover from the massive looting that took place in the oil sector under the past administrations.

While the prices of oil in the international market hovered over $100 per barrel under those administrations, observers noted that there was little to show in the country for the huge revenue.

Rather than use the income to develop the country, Nigeria remained lacking in basic infrastructures while substantial parts of the income fraudulently found their ways into the private pockets of those in charge.

The former Minister of Petroleum Resources under the last administration, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, is still facing one corrupt charge or the other in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Besides other allegations against the current GMD of NNPC, Kachikwu had last week specifically alleged in the letter that $25 billion contracts awarded by Baru didn’t follow due process.

The letter, titled ‘Re: Matters of insubordination and lack of adherence to due process by the GMD NNPC – Dr. Baru,’ with reference number HMS/MPR/001/VOL.1/100 and dated August 30, 2017, reads in parts “Mr. President, yesterday (August 29, 2017) like many other Nigerians, l resumed work and confronted with many publications of massive changes within the NNPC.

“Like the previous reorganisations and ‘repostings’ done since Dr. Baru resumed as GMD, I was never given the opportunity before the announcements to discuss these appointments.

“This is so despite being the Minister of State, Petroleum, and Chairman, NNPC Board.

“The board of NNPC, which you appointed and which has met every month since its inauguration, and which, by the NNPC, is meant to review these planned appointments and postings, was never briefed.

“Members of the board learnt of these appointments from the pages of social media and the press release of NNPC.”

Stressing that Baru ignored his earlier warnings to him, he said “Not only did he not give my letter the courtesy of a reply, he proceeded to announce the appointments without consultation on board concurrence.

“Mr. President, please note that there is a board service committee, whose function is to review potential appointments and termination of senior staff prior to implementation. This committee was also not consulted.

“The effect of the attitude of the GMD and the sidelining of the board is that there is a fear culture in the NNPC,” Kachikwu said.

In his prayers to the President, Kachikwu said “We save NNPC and the oil industry from collapse arising from the above non-transparent practices and empower the board you inaugurated to do the needful.

“That you save the office of the Minister of State from further humiliation and disrespect by compelling all parastatals to submit to oversight regulatory mandate and proper supervision which I am supposed to manage on your behalf,” he stated

The major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wasted no time to demand Baru’s immediate suspension.

The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, had said “As a political party, we expect that the President, who prides himself as an indefatigable corruption fighter, would for once try to live above board, by genuinely allowing one of his own, accused of corruption, get properly investigated and prosecuted as a show of his impartiality in the war against corruption.

“He should do this to correct the open impression Nigerians have about his so called anti-corruption war; that it’s just a tool of persecution of perceived enemies.

“We view the allegations levelled against Baru by Kachikwu as too grave to be swept under the carpet and we insist that the NNPC GMD must be treated like an accused who should not have the opportunity to influence investigation into his alleged misdeeds.

“In this light, we demand an immediate suspension of the NNPC GMD so that proper investigation can be carried out by the relevant anti-corruption agencies.” he said

Also worried by the allegations in the oil sector, the Senate last week set up a committee chaired by Senator Aliyu Wammako, to investigate the issue.

Unlike the Baru case where the allegations were raised within the executive arm of government, the allegations against the Inspector General of Police was spearhead by a sitting Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Isa Hamma Misau (Bauchi Central).

Apart from corruption allegations, Misau also raised allegation of infidelity against the Inspector General of Police.

The Senate constituted a Special panel, headed by the Senate Deputy Chief Whip Francis Alimikhena (Edo North) to investigate the Inspector General of Police for alleged misappropriation of funds, illegal promotion and posting of senior officers and bribery and to also investigate claims that the IG put an officer in the family way and secretly wedded her in Kaduna.

It also mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate claims of professional misconduct against the IGP.

All these allegations came to the public domain few months after some top officials of the government including the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, was investigated on alleged corruption charges.

His case is yet to be resolved as the President might still be studying the investigative report submitted by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo led three man committee.

Also the resolution by the Senate not to confirm the appointment of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, is still subsisting.

It will be a plus for the government to do everything possible to get to the bottom of these fresh cases.

The administration should also remain fair and just to all those involved in the alleged corruption issues, by giving all, fair hearing in a bit to get to the root of the issues.

This is important, at least, to counter the frequent claims of selectiveness of its anti-corruption battle been leveled by the opposition party against the government.

It should guide against being seen and viewed as playing the ostrich when corruption case is leveled against one of its officials.

October 10, 2017
Curbing corruption with TSA

A message was very clear since the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration came on board in 2015.

The government was determined to kill what it called ‘cancerous’ corruption in the country before it kills Nigeria.

That was why fighting corruption was one of the three main goals of the administration along securing the nation and developing the economy.

So, in the past twenty seven months, the government has succeeded in probing arms procurement fund under the previous administration, and also recent revelations of massive corruption in the oil sector, among others.

Apart from incaseration in some cases, the government has also made some persons in the previous administration to return some of the stolen loot back to government purse.

All these, however were not achieved without accusations from some quarters of selectiveness in the fight against corruption by the current administration.

While most of the corrupt cases are still in court and not fully dispense with, the government last Wednesday started to beam its searchlight on the internally generated revenues of government agencies.

It was shocked to find out that many government agencies that remitted peanuts to government coffers annually under the previous administration are now declaring billions of naira revenue due to the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

With the TSA in place, they could no longer divert and steal their internally generated revenue.

As a starter, the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had disclosed that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which has been remitting N3 million annually, has remitted N5 billion for this year alone and still has another N3 billion to remit to government purse this year.

She was also worried that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), which remitted N4.95 billion in 2015, have remitted N24 billion in 2016.

She said: “We spoke about revenue generation, the VAIDS Programme is ongoing and we are having quite a positive response in terms of tax compliance.

“We also reported on the progress made by a number of our agencies some of whom have reported very significant increases in the amount paid into the consolidated revenue fund.

“Council discussed JAMB which recorded significant progress and NIMASA as well as others and gave us the charge to really go and look at these agencies, look in some cases the past management of those agencies and see where those agencies were leaking and to encourage agencies that haven’t done so to continue with efficiencies.” she said

The Minister went on “The highest amount that JAMB has ever remitted to the consolidated revenue fund before this management was N3 million.

“This year so far they have done N5 billion and the Minister of Education reported that they have additional N3 billion that they are ready to remit which will take this year’s figure alone to N8 billion.

“Now they have not increased their charges nor their fees. So the question that Council members were asking was that where were all these monies before?

“So the directive was given that we must call those who were the heads of those agencies and similar ones to account and that is what we intend to do.” she said

She added “Its a similar stories with other agencies and these are the leakages which we are now blocking. These are the monies in the consolidated fund that is now being applied in the projects that really needs to get the economy moving.

“These are the moneys that are missing that has led us to the position we are in. It is the grandest looting that this administration action has come in to address.” she stated

It is really hoped that the cancer of corruption will not just be removed under the current dispensation, but completely eradicated far beyond the life span of the government.

Because that will be a great assurrance that the commonwealth of the country will really go into development of essential facilities and infrastructures in the country.

Where does bailout cash go?

It was really a sorry state at the inception of this administration that many state governments had huge unpaid salaries and wages bills hanging on their necks.

Besides the outstanding salaries, they barely could meet any other obligations before them as at May 2015.

To survive the hard scenario coupled with the economic recession that started at the tail-end of the previous administration, the states had no option than to seek intervention of the Federal Government.

Even with the crash of the international prices of oil from over $100 per barrel to around $37 a barrel, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was able to rescue the states from the calamity.

The adminstation in the past two years have approved series of bailout funds for the state.

The state governments have also received different tranches of Paris Club refunds.

But what is becoming worrisome is the claims that substantial parts of the bailout funds and Paris Club refund are not being used to settle and clear the financial obligations facing the states.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been making such strong allegations of the funds’ diversion against some state governors.

But the governors, under the platform of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) had severally denied the allegations and challenged EFCC to back up its claims with evidence.

President Buhari last week Monday also expressed concern over the growing wages bills when he hosted the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.

The traditional rulers had come to the Presidential Villa to rejoice with the President and thank God for his recovery and safe return to the country.

Buhari had told them: “We have to digress this much because I would like to convince you that I’m living with the problems of this country day-by-day, and mostly those of the ordinary people.

“There are Nigerians that haven’t been paid for six months; there are Nigerians that have not been paid their retirement benefits for years.

“I’m appealing to the governors, (that was why we voted money, we borrowed money), please make sure anybody under you, pay them because most of them depend on that salary to pay rent, school fees,’’ he said.

Stealing and diverting such funds will really not be the best for the country.

Apart from the lives of many Nigerians in the various states dependent on such funds, it should not be allowed to succeed, especially under an administration at the centre, whose major objection is to fight corruption to a standstill.

September 19, 2017
Retired Military Officers back Buhari to move Nigeria forward

Retired members of the Nigerian Armed Forces have thrown their weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in order to move the country forward.

They said the need to support the President with their experience and know-how became imperative because of the enormity of problem the country is currently passing through.

Chairman Board of Trustees of the Retired Army, Navy and Air Force Offcers (RANAO), Maj-Gen. Zamani Lekwot, stated at a dinner organized for him by Regular Course 25 of the Nigerian Defence Academy led by Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, himself a member of Course 25 of the institution.

“Given the enormity of the problem our country is facing, we cannot afford to keep away our experience,” he said.

Lekwot, a former Commandant of the NDA, commended members of the course 25 and enjoined them to join the association.

He noted that the way the country was moving, experience of both retired military and their civilian counterparts were needed at this period of the nation’s history for the progress of Nigeria.

Lekwot, who is also a former Military Administrator of Rivers State, exlained that, in a civilized clime, experience and know-how of retired military officers and their civilian counterparts were required for good governance.

“So, let us join hands together to support the federal and state governments,” he said.

He said the current security challenges in the country ocassioned by the activities of Boko Haram were a complex and asymmetric war which was new to the Nigerian military.

Lekwot gave the President a pass mark in executing the war against terrorism and the renewed hostilities in the Niger Delta region where they had blown pipelines, causing destruction to oil facilities.

The former governor said, “My advise cannot be different from what others had preferred in the past. What is being done since President Muhammadu Buhari came into power in terms of tackling the security challenges in the country is the right step in the right direction.

“So, what is required is patience and co-operation of all the people. Local people should volunteer useful information in order to bring the war to an end.”

July 19, 2016
Recruitment of 500,000 teachers: Lecturer calls for transparency

Mr Greg Esheye, lecturer, Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo, has called for transparency in the recruitment of the 500, 000 teachers approved by the Federal Government.

He made the call in Abakaliki in an interview with the newsmen.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for coming up with the initiative, saying the exercise would provide job to teeming unemployed youths and reduce youth restiveness.

He said that the recruitment would also boost teaching and learning at primary and secondary school levels.

Esheye, who is the Chairman of the College’s chapter of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), urged the federal government to ensure equal spread in the recruitment.

“The directive by President Buhari to recruit 500,000 teachers is a commendable initiative that will help tackle youth unemployment, boost teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools as well as reduce youth restiveness.

‘Those charged with the responsibility of organising the recruitment should ensure that they observe due process and transparency in conducting the exercise.

“Let there be equal spread of opportunities among the 36 States and the FCT in line with the Federal character principle,” Esheye said.

He warned that politicians should not be allowed to hijack the exercise by recruiting people without the requisite teaching qualifications.

The government should ensure that necessary instruments are put in place to guard against manipulation of the exercise by politicians for their selfish gains.

Buhari in a nationwide broadcast on May 29 to mark the administration’s one in office announced that the federal government would recruit 500,000 teachers as part of strategy to reduce the unemployment among graduates.

June 15, 2016