The Nation Newspaper

Tag: reform

  • Unfinished business of electoral reform

    Unfinished business of electoral reform

    Seventeen years after the restoration of civil rule, free and fair election has been elusive. LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the factors militating against violence-free and credible poll.

    Against the backdrop of the electoral violence experienced in recent elections, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami, has unveiled a plan by the Buhari administration to carry out comprehensive reforms, which will empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deal with the perpetrators of electoral violence.

    Malami’s disclosure came as the INEC  Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, lamented the inability of the commission to bring to book the perpetrators in Bayelsa and Rivers re-run. To curb electoral violence in future polls, he said the agency will review the electoral law and introduce punitive measures for politicians found culpable of electoral malfeasance. Those found guilty may be banned from seeking elective office. Also, the Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal will be set up to try offenders.

    The views expressed by both the AGF and the INEC boss point to the fact that the electoral law is far from being perfect. Analysts believe that the failure of the past regimes to fully implement the recommendations of the Electoral Review Committee (ERC) headed by Justice Muhammed Uwais (rtd) is responsible for the electoral shortcomings. According to them, the challenges have been exhaustively addressed by the Uwais Committee. For instance, the recommendation on the establishment of an Election Offences Commission to try electoral offenders was thrown out. Also, the recommendation that all election-related legal battles should be disposed off before the swearing-in of the winner was set aside. According to observers, the full implementation of the report would restore the integrity of the ballot box.

    Justice Uwais had observed that, instead of the full implementation of the recommendations, the Federal Government opted to “pick and choose.” The jurist lamented that the recommendations were sacrificed on the altar of political interests. He said: “As we know, the bill that was produced by the National Assembly reflected some of the views of the Electoral Reform Committee, but not all the recommendations. As far as the Electoral Review Committee was concerned, the recommendations were intended to be in tandem with one another”.

    Many stakeholders have blamed the shortcomings in the electoral law on the failure of the previous governments to accept all the recommendations. According to them, the panel made far-reaching recommendations on issues that have constituted obstacles to credible elections. They advised the government to revisit the report and re-present them to the National Assembly for approval.

    A legal luminary, Malam Yusuf Ali (SAN), did not objected to electoral law review. but, he was against the creation of tribunal or special court to try election offenders. He said: “There is no need to set up special court for the trial of election offenders; the existing court can take care of it. There are provisions for electoral offences in the statute book; what we lack is the enforcement of such laws.

    “nobody has been taken to court for election offences; there must be the will power to arrest, investigate, and arraign the suspects for trial. The INEC should collaborate with the security agencies and ensure offenders are arrested and brought to book. It should create a special department to prosecute election offenders. It should be empowered to handle election offences not by creating special courts.

    “I don’t support the proliferation of courts because of the financial burden. If government goes ahead to set up the special court, it will have to approve budget for the overhead cost, which is an additional cost at a time the government is complaining of a lean purse. What is important is that all of us should agree that our laws must be enforced”.

    The Convener of National Coalition for Electoral Reforms (CODER), Mr Ayo Opadokun, called for the full implementation of the Uwais report. According to him, the non-implementation of the recommendations has been counter-productive. He said the Jonathan administration frittered away the opportunity created by the panel to make the INEC independent of the executive. The pro-democracy activist explained that the panel had recommended that the position of the INEC Chairman should be advertised and those interested should apply to the National Judicial Commission (NJC), which will recommend three of the applicants to the National Council of State. The Council will then pick one of them and send the name to the Senate for approval.

    He noted that, of all the recommendations made by the committee, “the one that the INEC should be self-accounting or should be on the consolidated revenue is the only that has been accepted by the government at the centre. The other recommendations have been jettisoned”.

    Opadokun added: “There is also the recommendation that there should be an Electoral Offence Commission that will have the power to prosecute offenders, either at the federal or state level. Its rejection has aided the rigging of  elections by the previous government that reviewed the report. Besides, Uwais recommended that nobody should be allowed to assume office if his/her election is being challenged, until all judicial interventions have been concluded. That also was not taken”.

    The President of Nigeria Voters Assembly (VOTAS), Mashood Erubami, commended the move to amend the Electoral Act. According to him, the reform will lay a solid foundation for sustainable, free, fair and peaceful elections. He said “the review is necessary to disentangle free and peaceful elections from the sway of politicians who want to continue to use flawed elections to defend and preserve their status quo opportunism”.

    Erubami added: “It is imperative for the government and the INEC to be seriously committed to comprehensive electoral reform so that future elections will not degenerate further than the experiences in Kogi, Bayelsa, Abia, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers. It is now auspicious time to re-present the appropriate sections of the Uwais electoral report, which are yet to be given its required full attention for consideration. The Uwais report requires administrative and constitutional treatment which was not given to it before and after 2011 elections.

    “Apart from this, there are other specific areas that must be reviewed, especially areas that are obstacles to the the operational efficiency by the INEC and areas that have not allowed elections that are free from fair, and  reforms that will strengthen the security and technological aspects of the election especially in relation with voters registration; judiciary and the judicial process, electoral malpractices/prosecution, political parties and internal democracy, death of candidate during election, politics of re-election and term of office, residency and indigeneship”.

    Constitutional lawyer Akin Badejo lamented that the country wasted the opportunity of having a robust electoral law that can withstand the test of the time by dumping the Uwais Report into the archives. He said: “To me I don’t think we should embark on another electoral review exercise now. Rather, the Federal Government should retrieve the Uwais Report and adopt all the recommendations therein. Sending new proposals to the National Assembly is a waste of time because nothing will come out of it.”

    According to him, the Uwais Report was watered down by the Aondoakaa Panel. Badejo added: “For instance, contrary to the Uwais recommendation that the appointment of the INEC chairman be advertised and coordinated by the National Judicial Commission (NJC), which will forward the name of the nominee to the Senate for ratification, the Aondoakaa Panel recommended that the INEC chairman should continue to be appointed, based on the recommendation of the President and confirmation by the National Assembly.

    “The advantage of settling electoral dispute before the swearing-in of the winner is that it would not allow either the President or the governor to use his office to manipulate electoral process.”

    However, the review Committee did not disagree with the committee that produced the white paper on independent candidacy. But, the Aondoakaa Panel introduced a clause, which compels independent candidates to deposit certain amount of money to be determined by theINEC and which will be refunded, if they win specified percentage of the votes cast”.

    Erubami called for the establishment of an election crime commission for the prosecution of election offenders. To him, the INEC must be empowered to prosecute political parties when they spend beyond and above the minimum amount allowed to be spent on campaigns. “It is the availability of unlimited funds for political campaigns that has helped the recruitment of thugs, arming hoodlums to endanger the electoral process.

    “Electoral law against violence must be stringent to protect election against impunity, beyond the usual shifting office of the Inspector-General of Police to the state where election is taking place, if we still have to report the incidence of unchecked violence and election malpractices.

    “The new electoral reform must discourage political elites and checkmate hoodlums from conducting elections at gun point and turning election into warfare, the electorate should begin to see election as a means through which preferred candidates are chosen and a tool for changing government and not for the killing and maiming of the electorate”.

    Opadokun said the electoral act review must provide solutions to the unfortunate incident that happened during the last Kogi governorship election where the leading candidate died before the conclusion of the election. He said such development was not envisaged by the Uwais Committee.

    The way out, according to Opadokun, is that Nigerians must stand up and insist on the Uwais Report.  He said: “It is only by insisting on the Uwais report that Nigeria can hope to make her elections credible and meet international best practices. Any election in this country outside the recommendations of the Uwais Report is just a facade.”

  • Support for workshop on Research Council’s reform

    Support for workshop on Research Council’s reform

    The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Nigeria Strategy Support Programme (NSSP) Office are ready to contribute to the National Workshop for the Reform of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN).

    IFPRI’s Senior Research Fellow and Head of IFPRI Office, Dr George Mavrotas, made this known at the National Workshop for the reform of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) in Abuja.

    He also stressed that IFPRI is a partner in this exercise in view of its synergy with an IFPRI Office and country programme in Nigeria since 2007.

    The workshop was the final stakeholders national workshop on the ARCN Reform that had participants within the spectrum of top management of various relevant ministries, agencies, research and  allied institutions, parliament, development partners, farmers’ organisations and  other relevant stakeholders.

    This was a culmination of the various earlier zonal retreats and change management workshops that held in Ibadan, Enugu and Kaduna in October and last month.

    The key objective of the ARCN transformation work is to study in depth the organisation of the agricultural research system in Nigeria with a view to developing a strategy for transforming the ARCN (and its component research institutes) into a more efficient and functional body capable of driving agricultural development and change in Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, a consultant to the World Bank, Prof Martins Antekhai, has said the agriculture sector is decisive to the quality of economic growth amid new challenges posed by climate change and other issues.

    Antekhai of the Department of Fisheries, Lagos State University (LASU) urged the government to review outcomes of the sector’s various blueprints for the work.

    Antekhai urged the government to focus on ensuring improving the effectiveness of capital allocation on projects aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in agricultural and food production.

    He said the sector’s low efficiency and lack of investment have undermined its actual potential in the economy. He expects the government to develop an overall strategy to create a longer-term vision for this important industry.

    Within the strategy, he said, attention needs to be paid to facilitating the transition of the agricultural sector from a traditional setting to a more industrial and modern structure.

    The transformation, according to him, will require investments in infrastructure as well as attention to issues such as promoting public-private partnerships to improve the conditions in production, storage and distribution across the country.

    The plan, he added, should  inspire confidence in the economy’s prospects by tackling head on imbalances and pervasive infrastructure deficits, including shortfalls in the power and transportation sectors.

    Promoting the agricultural sector, he maintained, would be a unique opportunity for the government to achieve some important goals.

    To improve the economic resilience on a  longer term, he urged the government to reform the agric research to focus on fostering and deepening production base, increasing local value added and improving the quality of the workforce.

  • Experts call for reform in media practice

    A don, Mr. Umaru Pate has called for media reform, even as he advised practitioners to be objective in their reportage.

    Pate, a Professor of Mass Communication in the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano, was delivering a keynote address at the 60th birthday ceremony of the Dean, Lagos State University School of Communication (LASUSOC), Prof. Lai Oso.

    In the address entitled: “Issues in Media and National Integration in Nigeria”,

    Prof. Pate, who was the Guest Speaker on the occasion, reeled off issues that hinder the media’s capability to inspire integration to include absence of national rallying points on which the media are united; lack of funding as well as the common tendency of reporting inter-group conflicts in their fundamental contexts, among others.

    He said: “Areas of concern have emerged on the behaviour of the media in fulfilling its role in the process of national integration in the context of the country’s multi-cultural setting, particularly at critical historical moments when they ought to have demonstrated leadership positions. The reasons for that are many.”

    To reverse the trend, he recommended that the media should emphasise more on national problems rather than restricting their write-ups to defined boundaries of gender, religion, location or social status.

    He added that journalists should have a deeper knowledge and understanding of Nigeria’s complexities and demonstrate professional competence in dealing with issues of diversity ad multiculturalism to inspire media relevance, respect and trust.

    Continuing, Prof. Pate said: “The media should lay more emphasis on collective national problems; focus more on mindsets; deeper understanding of Nigeria’s complexities; license more national broadcast networks; encourage all existing media organs to go online; institute the teaching of diversity and multicultural reporting; provide continuous retraining programmes to practising; and increase the engagement with social media.”

    Also speaking, a Mass Communication scholar of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye emphasised the importance of objectivity and fairness in reportage to inspire younger generation in the same path.

    He said: “In this profession, we cannot compromise, because truth is constant and it is the cornerstone of good journalism. The younger generation need to embrace objectivity and fairness in reporting issues. Journalists should be the Fourth Estate of the Realm and not of the wreck; otherwise, they are not wrecking the profession or government but themselves. These are the couple of things you can learn from the celebrator who is very straightforward, articulate, and honest in his professional practice.”

    Akinfeleye praised the celebrator and expressed excitement at the calibre of personalities who attended the event.

    “This is an excellent event. Prof. Oso was able to pull enough crowd. This is the first time we have an assemblage of professors and scholars in Mass Communication. I am very proud to be associated with him and I wish him many returns of today. The younger generation can emulate his transparency, honesty, accountability and truth because truth is the cornerstone of good journalism,” he said.

    The celebrator expressed his gratitude to his colleagues who put the event together.

    “I am very happy and grateful to my colleagues and friends for organising this event. I am also very grateful to God for giving me the privilege to attain the milestone and for the grace to contribute to the profession,” he said.

    He, however, said the celebration was a challenge for him to do more so as to meet up high expectations from him.

    Present at the occasion was a LASUSOC lecturer, Mrs Lade Atofojomo, who described Prof. Oso as a father-figure who can be as supportive as he is a disciplinarian.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Buhari’s reform and the youth

    Buhari’s reform and the youth

    I feel a high sense of responsibility to suggest a path deserving collective action from Nigerian youths towards what fate have for us as Nigerians. You would agree with me that we are the architect of our present circumstance and blaming anyone for our actions or inactions would amount to self-delusion. It is also important to point out that voting the change we desire will surely turn out as a blessing for everyone. Nigeria is our fatherland and so shall it remain. The struggles of our heroes shall not be in vain and that is why we keep advocating for positive change and not just change. The much talked about change can’t be taken by face value; it has to resonate with our culture as citizens. And this requires great sacrifices. In essence, President Muhammadu Buhari’s effort in the last 100 days in office cannot be said to have failed the youth constituency.

    I would be right to say that President Buhari was elected because we got tired with the lies and looting in the past government. The country desperately needed an honest leader at that period. As God would have it we got one and our criticism of him should be to avoid the repeat of Jonathan’s days. We can’t afford another wasted administration. Change is not just a mantra; it takes collective action to realise it. I would not join the bandwagon of those that assume that criticising Buhari’s shortcoming as an expression of regret for ever supporting him. Of course, we must do evaluate the leadership we have but what our government needs for now is criticism that is founded on intellectualism; one that is devoid of bigotry, hatred or ethnic sentiments. Nigerian youths will make meaningful contributions to national development if only it is driven by intellectualism. The insinuations of President Buhari’s failure in his first 100 days in office are perspectives that are clearly out of sync with the realities and interests of the youth constituency.

    PMB, in his manifesto prior to the election, said made bold propositions and promises to the youths. One of these pledges was that he would harness and develop our potentials to the fullest so as to facilitate the emergence of the new generation of Nigerians. He said further that he would put in place measures to identify talents and promote Nollywood to fully develop into a world class movie industry. But it is shameful that most of us are already having heated arguments on whether he has made any attempt to bring these promises to fruition or not in his 100 days in office. It is also painful that most youth movements are not driven towards a defined goal and with clear constructive objectives. Individual youth and youth leaders have s personal goal and objectives perhaps but a movement must be unified with a vision and commitment stimulated by some mutually beneficial objectives. My own understanding of the problems is clear and has been stated on many occasions.

    On our part, we have sacrificed sense and sound judgement on the altar of selfish, mundane interests. Our quest for material acquisition has numbed our sense of judgement to such extent that many of us are willing to do shady things just to get money. The phones, games, electronic gadgets, cars, clothes, shoes and jewellery that drive us crazy are made by our mates in Singapore, China, Brazil, India, Korea, and even South Africa. Therefore what youths in Nigeria need is not to be handed leadership. We rather need a development programme comprehensive enough to provide for ideal value-orientation, standard education and training, entrepreneurial development, and funding mechanisms that will enable us to stand shoulder high with our counterparts anywhere in the world.

    Think about it. An average actor in India writes films that promote national interests, revamp failing value system, or depicts India’s strength over Pakistan and Kashmir or express the values of Indian culture in comparison with Western culture. Indians won’t kiss in films nor have raw sex but play love within the parameters of their culture. Where are we? What do our Nollywood actors do?

    They outsmart themselves by imitating the unethical excesses of the West all in the guise of civilisation. Nollywood and our music industry, a youth driven sector, only contributes to the bastardisation of our future leaders. To that extent, there is need for serious reformation and paradigm shift before our government pumps funds into the sector, as promised by PMB.

    A youth that will make meaningful contribution to national development must have trained and developed his or her mind by way of patriotism, constructive contribution and a sense of pride in our collective greatness as a people. A deluge of warring cult groups and rising cases of internet scams clearly do not reflect the expected values of a true Nigerian youth. Some of these youths inadvertently clamour for inclusion in governance. But we have seen youth given top leadership positions in the dark days of our nascent democracy.  Many of them were doing the dirty jobs for their do-gooder bosses. But I am confident that PMB’s entry into the fray will not tolerate such ugly shenanigans. His time at the helm would usher a new lease of life for the youth constituency. How is he going to achieve that?  I don’t know.  But his leadership style in these 100 days suggested to some of us that he understands the implication of a nation with over 70 million youths; mostly uncultured, largely half-baked by our ivory towers and with zero sense of pride in their nation.

    I want to urge Nigerian youths to support the ongoing reforms currently going on in the country. We need to join the war against corruption and promote good governance. Without doubt, I am confident to say that PMB has not failed the Nigerian youth constituency. He is already setting the pace for us to be handed a good leadership platform. My reasons are simple: for every sector he had touched, the youths seem to benefit the most. Civil service has over 60% youth population. So, his interventions that have put smiles on the faces of workers benefit youths the most.

    When the agricultural sector reform takes off, the youths stand to enjoy more of the goodies. If the treasury management reform saves us a fortune in national revenue hitherto unremitted to treasury, Nigerian youths will benefits the most. When road accidents reduce, when avoidable deaths reduce in our hospitals, when Boko Haram killings stop, when security of lives reaches an appreciable level, the youths stand to benefit from these changes. There are youths in every sector of the economy and every aspect of our national life affect youths. So, there is no gainsaying that PMB has touched the lives of youths in his 100 days in office.

    Our universities centre on youths. So, reforming education is a youth centred project.

    The problem is that we have so many self-seeking individuals parading themselves as youth leaders. Sometimes, we have come to see such youths as the real, patriotic Nigerian youths. It is a crooked thinking and Baba himself is aware of this. Our constituency holds the key to the greatness of this country. We must assume the position to help and not be helped. We must reform ourselves before we seek to be reformed.

     

    • Habeeb is a Corps member, NYSC Abuja

  • ‘Supreme Court needs structural reform’

    Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun of the Supreme Court has called for a review of the court to make judiciary perform its role optimally.

    She spoke at the fifth Prof A.B. Kasunmu Annual Lecture with the theme: The Nigerian Supreme Court: Structural reforms for today’s dispensation of justice.

    She was the keynote speaker at the lecture organised by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Law Students’ Society. It was held in the main auditorium.

    Justice Kekere-Ekun said the process of justice administration must be accelerated to restore people confidence in the court as the last of the common man. She said appointment of more justices on the bench will not reduce the workload of the Supreme Court but said there was need for structural reform in the highest court of the land. To relieve the Supreme Court of its workload, she said certain appeal cases should be terminated at the Court of Appeal.

    Mrs Hairat Ade Balogun, who chaired the occasion, described Prof Kasunmu as one of the brilliant law teachers in the country. She said she regretted not being taught by the honoree.

    The comments and questions segment was anchored by Mrs. Hairat Ade Balogun, who urged the audience to keep their comments and questions short.

    Prof. A. O. Osipitan, said he was convinced the workload of the Supreme Court would reduce if the  justices on the bench were increased to 21 as against the 17 sitting on the bench. He also noted that the section on the Supreme Court in 1999 Constitution was not amended but only altered.

    Some of the guests in at the event J. P. Clark, Dr Akeem Bello, and Registrar, Joint University Preliminary Education Board, Prof Duro Adeyalemi.

     

     

     

  • NNPC reform: Oil workers disagree with Fed Govt

    NNPC reform: Oil workers disagree with Fed Govt

    Nigeria’s oil workers have criticised the on-going reform in the oil and gas industry, saying they would take steps to protect their members’ interest.

    The workers, under the aegis of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (NUPENG/ PENGASSAN) described the reform as a cover-up and vindictive action against their members.

    The workers therefore urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the newly appointed Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, to order by directing him to stop the on-going sack in the Corporation.

    Vowing to give equal response to whatever action of government they consider capable of suppressing worker’s interests, the unions suggested that a team should be set up immediately to review Kachikwu’s actions so far in the interest of justice, equity and fairness.

    They said within two weeks of the commencement of the reform,  Kachikwu has carried out massive restructuring of the management of the corporation. Apart from the sack and re-composition of the board, he has retired 38 top management staff, pruning the top hierarchy of the corporation from 122 to 83, while reducing the operational directorates from eight to four.

    In a joint statement by the President of PENGASSAN, Francis Johnson, and his counterpart in NUPENG, Igwe Achese, accused the NNPC management of executing an agenda that did not carry the workers’ unions along.

    The statement, which was also signed by their General Secretaries – Bayo Olowoshile and Joseph Ogbebor respectively, also accused Kachikwu of pursuing an agenda contrary to the idea canvassed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “While we are fully in support of the fight against corruption, the fight itself should not be turned against workers whom government swore to protect,” the oil workers said, noting that the ongoing exercise portends a great danger in the oil sector if workers are meant to bear the brunt of government’s current action where the fight against corruption is now being used as an act of vindictiveness against workers.

    The on-going exercise, the oil workers stated, did not show any attempt to fight corruption and block leakages, but was “an act of cover up.”

    “We dare the new GMD of NNPC, Dr. Kachikwu to recover the stolen trillions of naira in the sector than retiring and sacking of innocent workers. We are quite sure that the on-going action is not the idea of our dear President,” the workers stated.

    As players in all spheres of the industry’s operation, the unions said they have been trying to meet with the President to review the on-going reforms in the NNPC, saying they have so far been kept in the dark by his protocol staff.

    Despite being the representatives of organised workers in the industry, the union leaders claimed that all their suggestions on the critical challenges affecting the on-going reforms were not being considered by the authorities.

  • What you need to know about Pension Reform Act 2014

    On July 1, this year, President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law the new Pension Reform Act 2014, which repealed the Pension Reform Act.

    The key objectives of the reform are to ensure contributors receive their benefits as and when due and to assist improvident individuals to save in order to cater for their livelihood during old age.

    As an employee or an employer, there are implications of this change in law that you need to know;

    Access to benefits in event of loss of job

    The Pension Reform Act 2014 has reduced the waiting period for accessing benefits in the event of loss of job by employees from six months to four months. This is done in order to identify with the yearning of contributors and labour.

    Opening of temporary RSA for employees that failed to do so

    The Pension Reform Act 2014 makes provision that would compel an employer to open a Temporary Retirement Savings Account (TRSA) on behalf of an employee that failed to open an RSA within three months of assumption of duty. This was not required under 2004 Act.

    Enhanced Coverage of the CPS and informal sector participation

    The Act expanded the coverage of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in the private sector organisations with three employees and above, in line with the drive towards informal sector participation.

    Upward review of the penalties and sanctions

    The sanctions provided under the Pension Reform Act 2004 were no longer sufficient deterrents against infractions of the law. Furthermore, there are currently more sophisticated mode of diversion of pension assets, such as diversion and/or non-disclosure of interests and commissions accruable to pension fund assets, which were not addressed by the PRA 2004. Consequently, the Pension Reform Act 2014 has created new offences and provided stiffer penalties that will serve as deterrence against mismanagement or diversion of pension funds assets under any guise. Thus, operators who mismanage pension fund will be liable on conviction to not less than 10 years imprisonment or fine of an amount equal to three-times the amount so misappropriated or diverted or both imprisonment and fine.

    Power to institute criminal proceedings against employers for persistent refusal to remit pension contributions

    The 2014 Act also empowers PenCom, subject to the fiat of the Attorney General of the Federation, to institute criminal proceedings against employers who persistently fail to deduct and/or remit pension contributions of their employees within the stipulated time. This was not provided for by the 2004 Act.

     Upward review of rate of pension contribution

    The Pension Reform Act 2014 reviewed upwards, the minimum rate of pension contribution from 15 per cent to 18 per cent of monthly emolument, where eight per cent will be contributed by employee and 10 per cent by the employer. This will provide additional benefits to workers’ Retirement Savings Accounts and thereby enhance their monthly pension benefits at retirement.

    Corrective actions on failing licensed operators

    The Pension Reform Act 2004 only allowed PenCom to revoke the licences of erring pension operators but does not provide for other interim remedial measures that may be taken by PenCom to resolve identified challenges in licensed operators. Accordingly, the Pension Reform Act 2014 now empowers PenCom to take proactive corrective measures on licensed operators whose situations, actions or inactions jeopardise the safety of pension assets. This provision further fortifies the pension assets against mismanagement and/or systemic risks.

    Restructuring the system of administration of pensions under the Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate

    The Pension Reform Act 2014 makes provisions for the repositioning of the Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to ensure greater efficiency and accountability in the administration of the Defined Benefits Scheme in the federal public service such that payment of pensions would be made directly into pensioners’ bank accounts in line with the current policy of the Federal Government.

     

     

  • ‘New Pension Reform Act’ll boost economy’

    The new Pension Reform Act, 2014 will further concretise the statutory foundation of the pension industry and position it for the attainment of greater heights, the Managing Director, Premium Pension Limited Wilson Ideva has said.

    Ideva who spoke to The Nation in Lagos, commended the Federal Government on the signing into law of the Pension Reform Bill, 2014.

    According to him, the industry is  set to witness unimaginable growth that has never been seen in any sector of the Nigerian economy.

    The new pension law repeals the Pension Reform Act, No.2, 2004, which has been in operation for the past ten years.

    He added that the Nigeria’s CPS has recorded tremendous success in its first decade of operation enlisting 6.4 million Nigerian workers and raking in about N4.3 trillion  as funds under management.

    He said: “It is widely believed that the growth in the industry would have even been more expansive if the previous law allowed the application of very stringent measures on noncompliant institutions and individuals.

    “Moral suasion yielded little results hence it is expected that when the new pension law is fully applied, majority of the country’s working population in the public or private sector or even artisans would be covered by the scheme.

    “The Pension Reform Act among other things, enhances the enforcement responsibilities of the regulatory institution, National Pension Commission (PenCom).”

    Ideva said it will also ensure further airtight protection of pension funds and unpacks guidelines and possibilities of creatively and professionally applying pension funds for national development.

    With the provisions of the Pension Reform Act, 2014, the pension industry in Nigeria is the sub sector to watch in the course of national development in the coming years. The industry is already well positioned to assert its centrality to social and economic development, he added.

  • Bill on plea bargain, criminal justice reform scales second reading in Senate

    A Bill seeking to introduce plea bargain into the nation’s laws and dealing with the delay in the dispensation of criminal justice in the country scaled yesterday second reading in the Senate.

    The bill entitled: ‘Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2013,’ had been passed by the House of Representatives which then forwarded it for the concurrence of the Senate.

    Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, in his lead debate, noted that the bill seeks to repeal the Criminal Procedure Act Cap C41 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004; the Criminal Procedure Act (Northern States) Cap C42 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria; the Administration of Justice Commission  Act Cap A3 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria; and enact the Administration of Justice Act to be applicable in Federal Courts and Courts of the Federal Capital Territory.

    Ndoma-Egba lamented that for several decades, Nigerians have lived with a criminal justice system that “is grindingly slow and open to abuses, rendering it most effective.”

    According to him, from the police stations to the courts and the prisons, the “system has delivered everything but justice and the society has been worse for it.”

    He bemoaned a situation where court cases drag on to the point that conviction becomes unlikely, “as witnesses may no longer be readily available; and where they are available, some facts relating to the case would  have been distorted, so much so that the essence of seeking justice by litigants is lost.”

    Consequently, he said many aggrieved citizens now shun the courts because they do not believe their cases could be disposed off in their life time let alone get Justice.

    Part of the problems the system has, he said, was its inability to apply commensurate punishment to infractions.

    He added: “It is common to see a court give maximum sentence to a petty thief while those who stole billions of Naira from the public coffers get far lesser sanctions for their crimes when convicted by the court.

    “There have been instances where some accused persons win elections in the course of trial to an office they can manipulate the system or enjoy immunity from prosecution.”

    He stated that the primary objective of the bill is to ensure speedy and efficient administration of criminal justice in the country.

    “It seeks to bring together the Criminal Code and Penal Code into one body of law so as to promote uniformity, protect the society from crime and protect the rights and interests of accused and victims in criminal proceedings in the country.”

    He added: “The bill deals fundamentally with the problem of delay in the dispensation of criminal justice, which unarguably remains the most perturbing aspect of criminal justice delivery.

    “Essentially, the bill makes provisions for speedy and efficient administration of criminal justice in courts across the country.

    “In this regard, restriction on number and interval of adjournments, electronic recording of trials to reduce the problems associated with trial de novo of part-heard matters, limits adjournment of cases to give times and not more than 14 days intervals between adjournments.

    “The bill introduces plea bargain into Nigeria’s Criminal Justice Administration. Though plea bargain is being employed in our courts to resolve high profile cases, it is being applied haphazardly due to the absence of an enabling legislation in the country.

  • Aviation sector’s reform necessary, says Duke

    Aviation sector’s reform necessary, says Duke

    The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Edem Duke, yesterday said there is need for the aviation industry to be reformed to make it safer.

    Duke spoke in Akure, the Ondo State capital, after a condolence visit to one-time Minister for Finance, Chief Olu Falae, whose son, Deji, was among the casualties.

    The late Deji Falae was the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism.

    Duke led a Federal Government delegation to condole with the Falaes and to deliver President Goodluck Jonathan’s message.

    The minister said the Jonathan administration had been carrying out reforms in various sectors to improve services.

    He said: “I think we must continue to work to improve the industry.

    “We must continue to improve our consciousness to safety. We must continue to improve even our processes in a delicate industry like aviation. As you know, technology is a mysterious asset in the hands of man.”

    Duke said the nation’s leaders would continue to transform the various sectors for improved services and give value for money.

    The minister prayed against a recurrence of such disaster and urged the Ondo State Government and the Agagu family to close ranks.

    He said: “We share the grief of the Falae family, the governor of Ondo State and indeed the people of the state, because this loss may be closer to the people of Ondo State, but it is also a loss to the country.

    “When you see, you will understand that there are other families which also recorded losses in this tragic incident. Indeed, it is a very dark chapter for all of us in this country.”

    The minister urged Nigerians not to blame anybody for the state of the Aviation industry but to find solution to the problems of the sector.

    Duke said: “Rather than dissipate our energy trading blames, we must task ourselves and the industry to …improve on its qualities.”

    On the minister’s entourage were his counterpart in the Ministry of Communication and Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson and the Director-General of the Technical Aids Corps, Dr Pius Osunyikanmi.

    The director-general prayed God to grant the Falae family the fortitude to bear the loss of their son.

    He said Deji’s death was a big loss to the state and Nigeria.

    The late Deji’s elder brother, Dapo Falae, thanked President Jonathan for his condolence message to the family.

    He stressed that his younger brother was a pride to the family.