The Nation Newspaper

Tag: probe

  • Senate to probe SURE-P spending

    Senate to probe SURE-P spending

    SENATORS yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate all expenditures made by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration under the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

    The lawmakers specifically urged the President to ensure  that every kobo spent on SURE-P and other poverty alleviation programmes is accounted for.

    The Senate, however, rejected a proposal that Buhari should immediately begin the payment of N5,000 monthly stipend to most vulnerable Nigerians — one of the campaign promises of the ruling All Progresives Congress (APC).

    The SURE-P probe resolution followed an additional prayer by Senator Babajide Omoworare (APC Osun East) on a motion for “Urgent need to curb the soaring rate of unemployment in Nigeria.”

    Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (Akwa Ibom North East) sponsored the motion.

    After adoption of the main prayers of the motion, Senator Philip Aduda (FCT) raised additional prayer, asking the Senate to urge the Federal Government to fulfill one of its numerous campaign promises.

    Aduda said the Senate should ask”the Federal Government to immediately commence the payment of the N5,000 monthly stipend it promised during the election campaign.”

    Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio promptly seconded the additional prayer.

    Senator Omoworare raised the Senate Standing Order 53(6) to oppose the additional prayer.

    This led to bickering between senators of the majority APC and opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Senate President Bukola Saraki intervened after about 22 minutes of argument to calm what could have degenerated into a rowdy session.

    Saraki mandated Aduda to repeat his additional prayer.

    Aduda did. When Saraki put the additional prayer to voice vote, he ruled that the ‘nays’ had it.

    Saraki gave Omoworare the floor to raise his additional prayer.

    Omoworare said: “I want to move that the immediate past government be made to account for every penny spent on SURE-P and other poverty alleviation programmes. I so move, Mr. President.”

    Saraki put the question to voice vote. APC Senators responded with a thunderous “aye” while PDP Senators kept silent when Saraki said those opposed should say “nay.”

    Akpan had observed in his lead debate that the latest figures of Nigeria’s soaring unemployment situation by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC) has increased to 8.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2015 from 7.5 percent in the first quarter of 2015 and 6.4 per cent in the last quarter of 2014.

    He added that “The latest statistics as released by the Bureau reveals that economically active population, or working age comprising Nigerians within the age range of 15 to 64, is now 103.5 million, increasing from 102.8 million in the last quarter of 2015, while the unemployed labour force now stands at 74 million Nigerian youths. This is truly a calamity,” he noted.

    The lawmaker expressed concern that about N2 million has been expended on intervention funds by the Federal Government to boost the productivity of various sectors of the economy in the last five years without any commensurate impact on employment generation.

    He noted: “With a projected population growth of 200 million by 2020, we project an unemployed population of about 100 million Nigerians or more. Where lies the economic future of this country?

    “If the unemployed youths of this country are effectively engaged in gainful employment, terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery and other socio-economic and cultural vices will be drastically reduced as the saying goes, ‘an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”.

    The Senate urged the Federal Government and sub-national governments to intensify efforts on employment generation activities.

    The Senate also urged the Federal Government to take steps to boost entrepreneurial developments and employment capabilities as well as integrate entrepreneurial, savings and investment culture and education into the educational curriculum at appropriate levels.

    The Senate President charged lawmakers not to play party politics with unemployment issues.

    He said: “We should stay above party lines on this issue that is so important. We have seen growth in the last years but this has not translated to employment.

    “Government alone cannot do it, the private sector has a role and the enabling environment must be created.”

    The Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) was created in 2012 following the nationwide protests that greeted the cut in petroleum subsidy by the Jonathan adnminstration.

    The programme was driven by the resources that accrued to the Federal Government as savings from the partial removal of fuel subsidy. Billlions of dollars was voted for the body.

    The objectives according to the government are:

    To mitigate the immediate impact of the partial petroleum subsidy removal on the population by laying a foundation for the successful development of a national safety net programme that targets the poor and vulnerable on a continuous basis. This applies to both the direct and indirect effects of subsidy withdrawal.

    To accelerate economic transformation through investments in critical infrastructural projects, so as to drive economic growth and achieve the Vision 20:2020.

    To promote investment in the petroleum downstream sector.

  • Reps to probe NERC’s N2.7b proposed severance pay

    Reps to probe NERC’s N2.7b proposed severance pay

    THE House of Representatives yesterday resolved to investigate plans by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) chairman and six other board members to pay themselves N2.7 billion severance package.

    The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion brought under urgent public importance by a member, Mohammed Gololo, titled:  “Need to halt the planned payment of N2.7 billion by the board of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to its members”.

    Gololo alleged that the board had decided to pay N400 million to the chairman and N380 million for each of the six members. The approval of the payment of the severance package was in conflict with the recommendations of the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission and  thus offends section 42 (1) (a) and (b) of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, he said.

    The lawmaker added that the planned payment “is intended to cover, among other things, upfront salaries of two years for each member of the board pursuant to Section 36 (2) of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, which bars a member of the board from working in the power sector for a period of two years after leaving office”.

    “Members of the said board are not entitled to the payment of upfront salaries of two years since section 36 (2) of the Act does not bar them in any way from working in non-power sectors during the period,” Gololo said.

    The motion was unanimously supported by members when put to vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.

  • Benue High Court halts probe

    Justice Iorhemen Hwande of the Benue State High Court in Makurdi has halted the probe panel set up by Governor Samuel Ortom to investigate the financial dealings of his predecessor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam

    A statement by Gov. Ortom’s Special Adviser on Media and ITC, Mr. Tahav Agerzua, said the governor has accepted the court’s ruling. The court had ordered stay of proceedings on the probe.

    Governor Ortom said the suspension was a temporarily judicial process and that the state government’s lawyers would follow due process to vacate it.

    He expressed confidence in the judiciary, due process and the rule of law.

    “The governor explained that he set up the judicial panel to avail all concerned the opportunity to defend themselves in accordance with the core values of his administration, which include transparency,  fairness,  accountability and justice,” the statement said.

    Reacting to the calls that he should have extended the probe panels to the George Akume’s administration, the governor said he did not take over from the senator.

    He also said those, who voted for him specifically demanded that he should probe the immediate past administration.

    The probe, he said, is to know  why the state had been brought to its knees, so that his administration would avoid such pitfalls and learn lessons.

    The Governor stated that the people have expressed their wish that those who diverted public funds for personal use should be held accountable.

    “If possible, such funds or property should be recovered,” the statement added.

     

     

     

  • Benue PDP backs Ortom’s probe of Suswam

    Benue PDP backs Ortom’s probe of Suswam

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has backed the probe of former Governor Gabriel Suswam’s eight-year administration by his successor  Samuel Ortom.

    Speaking on behalf of the party at the Benue Stakeholders’ Forum at the weekend, Chief Abu King Shuluwa hailed the governor’s anti-corruption crusade and urged him not to leave anyone out.

    The elder statesman said the opposition was satisfied with the government of Ortom and urged him to learn from the mistakes of the past administration.

    “On corruption, you are doing well. Anybody who has stolen Benue money should be made to bring it back.

    “The PDP is very happy with you. The original PDP that I represent is very happy with you so far. Anybody hiding under PDP to say bad things about this government is not a member of my PDP–the original PDP.

    “We agree we made a mistake, but we are watching you, if you make the same mistakes of the past, we shall give you the opposition you have never imagined,” he said.

  • Probe of Abuja explosions to extend beyond Boko Haram

    Probe of Abuja explosions to extend beyond Boko Haram

    Security agaents may be looking beyond the Boko Haram sect in their investigation into weekend’s explosions in Kuje and Nyanya in Abuja, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    “It may be an opportunistic crime by people with other motives. Boko Haram is not ruled out but nothing is also ruled out. It’s investigation that can determine the true situation and the investigation is in full swing,” a security source said.

    Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal and Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari led the government team to the explosion site on Saturday.

    Yesterday, security agents were still combing the Kuje site for evidence. The place remained cordoned off.  No activities were allowed. Residents and pedestrians were still shocked. No fewer than 20 people died from the explosions. The 41 injured are being treated in hospitals.

    Vehicles coming into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were being thoroughly searched.  Security operatives at checkpoints within the city especially those along the Airport road

    At the Giri junction through to the Airport Express way, there was traffic hold up as a resut of the search.

    Vehicles spent close to 45 minutes to pass thorough the military checkpoint.

    Churches within the city and the satellite towns yesterday strengthened security.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also suggested that security should not limit the investigation to Boko Haram.

    In a statement yesterday, NLC President Ayuba Wabba said: “Our security agencies should not limit their intelligence or investigation to Boko Haram as there have also been recent reports that some militant groups in the Niger Delta region planned to resume violent attacks against Nigerians and the Nigerian State as a corporate entity.”

    The statement added: “The attacks may have been a devious façade to rubbish the victories of our national army and other security agencies in the battle to rid our country of terrorism and all its residues before the global community. They want the world to believe our country is not safe.

    “For us at the Nigeria Labour Congress, we believe this latest attacks should not weaken the morale of the forces involved in the battle against terrorism in our country, rather it should reinvigorate their fighting spirit and be seen by government as a challenge to arm our forces with more sophisticated and superior weapons both for intelligence gathering and combat.

    “Beyond these, we urge our government to order the immediate reinvestigation, arrest and prosecution of all those previously indicted of sponsoring terror gangs, especially Boko Haram and other such violent groups in any part of the country.

    “The freedom of those who sponsor deadly violence put the entire country seated on timed bombs that can explode at will. No matter how highly placed, whoever have been indicted should immediately be apprehended and reinvestigated now.

    “We urge all Nigerians to see the battle against terrorism as our collective battle and therefore every resident must make information about suspicious movements or behaviours in and around them available to relevant security agencies who must act on such information in our collective national interests.

    “We condole with the families of all the victims of these attacks and urge government to ensure provision of the best medical attention and treatment for the injured.”

    To the NLC, bombings “obviously by decimated terrorists” are  a call for communal vigilance by all residents. “It  has become obvious that since the massive pounding of the sanctuaries of the terrorists, fragments of the terror cliques may have organised smaller cells in communities hitherto thought not to be vulnerable.

    “These latest attacks are particularly dangerous as they were carried out at night and in locations where late purchases are made. One of the locations, Kuje, is on the route to our major international airport,” the NLC said.

  • ‘Probe death of Hajj pilgrims’

    ‘Probe death of Hajj pilgrims’

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), have expressed shock over the reported death of hundreds and injured pilgrims recorded during a stampede that occurred at the annual ritual ‘Stoning of the Devil’ during the hajj, outside the holy Muslim city of Mecca.

    In a statement by  TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, the congress said it was painful that while “we were yet grappling with the over a hundred people killed in Mecca when a construction crane fell on the crowded Grand Mosque, another one happened.”

    According to the congress, ‘’record has it that the last time a tragedy of this magnitude befell pilgrims was in July 1990, when 1,426 pilgrims perished in an overcrowded pedestrian tunnel leading to holy sites near Mecca. It was the ninth in a string of such incidents since then; and we had thought that by now the Saudi government should have addressed the cause of such aviodable deaths. It just does not make any sense for people to die in places of worship, especially at an occasion as important as Islam’s most important feast and day of the stoning ritual.

    “Apart from the 1,426 pilgrim that died in 1990, 350 pilgrims also died in 2006 which eventually prompted Saudi Arabia to employ some remedial measures. We do not expect this kind of colossal loss at this time and age, again. It’s just too grave to bear,” added the TUC.

    The labour body said  the Saudi Arabia government must accept responsibility for this catastrophic loss, and as a matter of urgency order an investigation and a review of the kingdom’s plans for annual Hajj pilgrimage.

    The NLC  also expressed shock  on  the extent of the losses.

    In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, he said: “We call for a thorough investigation of the two major incidents that led to these deaths.

    “In order for transparency and re-assurance, we urge that countries whose citizens perished in the two incidents be made members of the body of inquiry.

    “But most importantly, perhaps, time has come for the Saudi authorities to review their crowd control management techniques and administration of hajj, generally”.

  • Sultan, others seek probe of Saudi tragedy

    Sultan, others seek probe of Saudi tragedy

    The Sultan of  Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, and President General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) yesterday told Saudi authorities to probe the stampede in which 768 pilgrims died in Mina during the stoning of the devil.

    Iran, which lost over 100 of its citizens in the stampede and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), also yesterday insisted on a probe of the incident.

    The Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency confirmed the death of Sheikh Liman Dan-Ata, the Chief Imam of the Sultan Abubakar III Jumaa’at Mosque in Sokoto.

    Also dead are the immediate Caretaker Chairman of Illela Local Government Area of the state, Alhaji Bello Gidan-Hamma, his mother, step-mother and two wives.

    The Media Assistant to the agency, Alhaji Farouk Umar, said yesterday that many pilgrims from the state were still missing.

    Nine other pilgrims from the state were confirmed dead on Saturday by Imam Imam,  Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s spokesman.

    The Sultan expressed sadness over the number of victims and prayed for the repose of their souls.

    “This is one tragedy too many,” the Sultan said in a statement signed on his behalf by the Secretary-General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu, in Kaduna.

    The Sultan expressed heart-felt condolences with the families of the victims of the tragedy, calling on the Muslim Ummah never to be deterred but remain steadfast despite the challenges confronting them.

    “It was gratifying that the Saudi authorities were doing all they could to make the hajj operation smooth the way it should be,” the JNI noted, adding that “ investigation into what led to the tragedy is necessary”.

    [ad id=”403656″]He maintained that an investigation into the stampede has become necessary to guard against a reccurrence.

    The statement added: “With humility and total submission to Allah the Exalted, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), under the leadership of His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto and the Muslim President-General, condoles with heavy heart with Muslim ummah (Community) over the Jamarat stampede pilgrims while completing the rites of Hajj in one of the tragedy, which led to the loss of several lives of sites of the worship in Saudi Arabia.

    “This is one tragedy too many. JNI shares the pains and worries the families of the affected victims are passing through and them to patiently persevere, and put their trust in Allah.

    “Despite this and other painful trials, our faith in Allah is unshaken. Therefore, we call on each and every Muslim to remain focused and firm in his/her belief and engage in acts that will bring them closer to Allah.

    “It is indeed gratifying that the Saudi authorities have been doing everything humanly possible to make the Hajj as smooth as it should be, but we still call on them to investigate the Jamarat stampede in

    order to avert future occurrence.” JNI asserted.

    The leader of the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Shiekh Ibaheem El-Zakzaky, blamed the tragedy on the Saudi prince’s convoy, which reportedly caused panic among the pilgrims.

    He said the prince and others fingered in the tragedy should be sentenced to death.

    El-Zakzaky, who spoke in Zaria at the weekend, argued that the management of the hajj was not the exclusive preserve of the Al-Saud royal family.

    “The Al-Saud family cannot be trusted when its hands are soaked with Muslims’ blood in countries such as Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq and Syria,” El-Zakzaky said.

    He insisted that the Al-Saud prince be punished by death “as they caused the death of thousands of innocent pilgrims”.

    The cleric, who addressed his faithful as part of activities to mark the Sallah, said:”For the government of Saudi Arabia to blame pilgrims for killing themselves is ridiculous and a form of human degradation, which is also criminal.

    “They are saying this in order to cover up the real cause of the tragedy. If the Saudi government could describe the crane tragedy at the precincts of the holy Ka’abah as accidental, we wonder why the crane will be left hanging over the heads of millions of pilgrims, and only to crash on them on September 11.

    “The Saudi authorities cannot fool the world or exonerate themselves from the heinous crime and monumental tragedy as the world knows who is killing their brethren in Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq and Syria.”

    Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani yesterday used a speech at the United Nations (UN) to call for an investigation into Thursday’s stampede at the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

    The incident is the deadliest to hit the Hajj in 25 years, with 769 people dead, more than 130 of them from Iran.

    Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir accused the Iranians of playing politics with a tragedy.

    The country’s most senior cleric defended the authorities, saying the stampede was “beyond human control”.

    King Salman has ordered a safety review into the disaster.

    Mr Rouhani described the crush as “heart-rending”. As well as the fatalities, 934 people were injured.

    But Mr Jubeir, who is also in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, said: “I believe that the Iranians should know better than to play politics with a tragedy that has befallen people who were performing their most sacred religious duty.”

    Iran’s outrage also has political motivations, as its battle with Saudi Arabia for regional influence sharpens week by week.

  • Civil society seeks probe of NDDC

    Civil society seeks probe of NDDC

    ‘We have nothing to hide’

    The Coalition of Civil Society Groups has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC for projects executed in the past five years.

    In connivance with members of the National Assembly, the coalition alleged that the NDDC engaged in shady contract deals worth billions.

    These, it stated, include outrageous inflation of contracts, contract splitting and non-existence of contracts for which payments have either been fully paid or substantial percentage of the contracts sums released.

    Addressing newsmen in Abuja at the weekend, President of the CCSGs, Etuk Bassey, said most contracts awarded by the commission were to unregistered companies.

    He alleged that over 67 contracts of such were given to the accused legislators in the space of two years.

    “For over ten years, legislators in the National Assembly have turned themselves into legislative contractors because of the volume of contracts given to them by NDDC collocated with unregistered companies to execute the jobs.

    “In some cases, the contracts awarded to them are not fully executed because they believe that they are untouchable in the face of law,” he stressed.

    Etuk, who described the commission as a pool of corruption, said: “It is unfortunate that billions could be stolen in the name of contracts while the Niger delta as a region is grossly under developed in the face of billions allocated to the commission.”

    He pointed out that the Auditor General of the Federation recently succeeded in revealing the surface of the huge corrupt practices going on in NDDC via the 2013 Audit Report.

    When contacted, the Public Affairs Manager of NDDC, Abosede Ibitoye, described the allegations as lies.

    He claimed the commission has put checks and balances in place to ensure project paid for were executed.

    According to him: “Some people just sit down and assume that there is corruption in NDDC without knowing the measures and checks and balances we have put in place.

    “It is not done because where the particulars of that job are domiciled, the state officers, engineers and directors will have to certify that the jobs have been done.”

  • Labour seeks probe of automobile industry

    Labour seeks probe of automobile industry

    Members of the Steel and Engineering Workers’ Union of Nigeria (SEWUN) have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the sale of automobile firms by the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), some years ago.

    They are asking for a review of the privatisation process, claiming that due process was not followed in the sale of the companies.

    The National President of the union, Elijah Adigun, in his address, at this year’s Annual Industrial Relations Conference in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, urged the Federal Government to set up a probe panel  to look into the sale of automobile industries and to determine why the guidelines provided for in the Privatisation Act, to the effect that the controlling shares of these companies should be sold to core investors, was not followed in the sale of these companies by the BPE.

    He insisted that for President Buhari to succeed with his agenda of creating jobs, he should take a second look at the privatisation by BPE, as no company privatised in the iron and steel industrial group is doing well.

    “For instance, Anammco Limited, National Truck, Steyr Nigeria Limited, Leyland Nigeria Limited are companies sold to auto traders instead of core investors who have knowledge, expertise and skills of vehicle manufacturing.

    The labour leader noted that before the privatisation of the auto plants, they had a combined workforce of nearly 7,000 compared to about 300 workers they now have, cummulatively.

    “It will interest you to know that before the privatisation of these auto plants, they had a combined workforce of nearly 7,000 compared with about 300 workers they have now,” he stated.

    “Clearly, the figure here is an indication that the privatisation of these companies has brought economic woes and wastages to the country, rather than the blessing envisaged by the Federal Government. Even salaries are hardly paid to their workers,” he said.

    Adigun, who expressed his union’s support for the Buhari-led administration’s battle against corruption, said it should not be selective and should be extended beyond the last regime to ensure that those who illegally appropriated the nation’s wealth are brought to book.

    He called on the government to grow the economy by exploiting other natural resources to create wealth and generate employment, adding that government needs to look at other areas apart from oil sector.

    The General Secretary of the union, Michael Ogbolu, in his paper, said the theme of the conference, “Survival strategies in an unfriendly environment-the Nigeria experience”, was quite appropriate, given that corruption has brought Nigeria to its knees.

    Calling for urgent attention to rejuvenate the power sector which he said holds the key to the restoration of the manufacturing sector,  Ogbolu expressed dismay that most vibrant factories in the past have been converted to places of worship due to unfavourable business environment.

    He condemned the insurgency in the Northeastern part of the country, which he said has a negative effect on its members’ companies’ volume of trade, leading to the loss of jobs in the sector.

    His words: Our Country which was a lucrative market for P.Z Industry Nigeria Plc, Dagcom Nigeria Limited, Jubaili Brothers Nigeria Limited, J.M.G. Limited and Cummings (West Africa) Limited, among others, has totally lost its share of the market in the region.”

    He praised Buhari for the efforts to remove Nigeria from the list of pariah nation’s and work in synergy with comity of nations to end insurgency in the North East of Nigeria, so that we can live in harmony with one destiny and restore the market volume of our inndustry.

  • Union demands probe of governors over judiciary’s autonomy

    Union demands probe of governors over judiciary’s autonomy

    The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe governors who are against financial autonomy for the judiciary.

    Rising from its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting  in Abuja, JUSUN said the governor’s action amounted to floating the constitution and court order.

    According to a communique signed by the President, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu and General Secretary, Isaiah Adetola, corruption can be reduced if judiciary is granted financial autonomy.

    The union said it had raised a committee on the matter.