The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Row

  • Row over construction of world’s biggest LED board in Abuja

    •As Bizman petitions Buhari

    This is not the best of time for Mr. Idoko Ilonah who sits atop as the Chief Executive Officer of Lona Global Resources Limited, an indigenous outdoor advertising company.

    At issue is that Ilonah’s company who got approval to construct the biggest LED advertising board in the world has literally ran into a  brick wall as the authorities at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) allegedly working on the orders of the FCT Minister have aborted the contract.

    Expectedly, Mr. Ilonah sent a Save Our Soul message to President Muhammadu Buhari and well-meaning Nigerians to help save his business.

    Mr. Ilonah who holds the record of constructing the biggest billboard in Africa in 2016 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road, Abuja by Lugbe Interchange, said he had expended about N800 million on the construction of the world’s largest LED board along the Airport Expressway/ Wawa (Centenary District) before he was ordered to stop work. He said he was granted approval by the FCT authorities before commencing the project.

    He said he was shocked when the FCT Minister ordered stoppage of the construction of the world’s biggest outdoor based on a petition written by the Centenary City PLC.

    Mr. Ilonah said his company had expended about N800m on design and fabrication of steel and other items before the project was halted, adding that “I am still paying interest on the N300m loan facility procured to kick start the project which the Guinness Book of Records was already tracking.”

    He said the capitulation by the FCT had put him in a precarious situation, thereby making him to default on an agreement with a telecommunications company which pre-paid N300 million as the first advertiser on the historic billboard.

    Beleaguered Mr. Idoko Ilonah is seeking help from President Buhari and other concerned Nigerians to intervene in order to enable him revive the project. He said this will help to realise his desire of putting the country on the world map through the construction of the largest LED Board in the globe.

     

  • Row over missed flight at Lagos airport

    •Airline promises action as passengers press claims

    A row yesterday broke out between an airline and some of its passengers who missed their flight to Kano.

    The passengers, among them a journalist, are blaming Air Peace for the development.

    Recounting what happened, the journalist, Mr Wale Ajetunmobi, said they were on the check-in queue on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, when an official of the airline asked them to move to another line.

    The official, he said, took the action because the first line was not moving fast.

    He said after being screened, he rushed to board his flight, but was told that boarding had ended. Ajetunmobi booked online and was issued reference number ADN2PR for the 6:40am Kano flight. He got to the airport at 5:40am for the flight and was issued a boarding pass.

    At the boarding gate, Ajetunmobi claimed he was asked to pay N5000 as ‘no-show’ penalty and reschedule his trip for yesterday.

    “I protested and demanded why I needed to pay when I did not deliberately miss the flight. I wondered why a ‘trained flight official’ would call the development a ‘no-show’ when I was issued a boarding pass and my checkedin luggage had been taken to the destination,” he said.

    He lodged a complaint with the Air Peace supervisor on duty, simply identified as Peggy, who confirmed that she was aware of the confusion created by the official, who directed the passengers to leave the queue. Peggy apologised to the journalist and rescheduled his trip for yesterday morning free of charge.

    He was re-issued the same reference number ADN2PR and Peggy told him to check-in online.

    Ajetunmobi said: “I did just as Peggy advised. I got to the airport today (yesterday) at 5:50am. I  checked in online and I joined a queue at the security check. When the boarding was announced, I proceeded to the boarding gate but I was turned back and asked to get a new boarding pass.

    “I and five other passengers ran to the Air Peace counter to get new boarding passes, since we had about 22 minutes left before the boarding would close. But, none of the counter attendants listened to us. They referred us to a supervisor, a woman, to get the new boarding passes.

    “The supervisor asked the complainants to go to “any counter” to get their boarding passes. But the attendants, again, referred the passengers back to the supervisor.

    “Eventually, they were told the flight had left and the supervisor asked them to reschedule for another day.

    “I asked why it was difficult for them to issue a new boarding pass. None of the officials responded. All they could say was ‘meet our supervisor’. I missed the flight for the second time, not out of my own lateness or negligence, but because of the confusion created by Air Peace officials and their supervisors.”

    Reacting to the journalist’s complaint on the Twitter handle of the Consumer Protector Council (CPC), its Chairman, Mr Tunde Irukera, described the development as “insensitive”.

    He called on Air Peace to refund the passengers’ fare forthwith.

    Irukera said: “CPC expects more candour and sensitivity from Air Peace on this matter.”

    In its reaction, Air Peace said: “Thanks for bringing this to our notice. We regret you missed your flight to Kano on two occasions. This will be immediately investigated for proper resolution and feedback. Kindly note the refund process takes three to four weeks to finalise starting from the initial date of the request. Kindly note that Voluntary refunds are honoured less 25 percent of the fare paid while an involuntary refund is honoured the full fare when we cancel their flight.”

  • Row over Buhari’s link of killer-herdsmen to Gadaffi

    Tempers flare in Senate

    Sagay, Balarabe, Agbakoba, others differ

    30 killed in Taraba, Benue 

    Row yesterday broke out over President Muhammadu Buhari’s London statement on killer-herdsmen.

    In the Senate, tempers flared as it discussed the statement.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it showed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could not handle security challenges.

    Two former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidents Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and Wole Olanipekun (SAN) criticised the President.

    But three other Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Itse Sagay, Bolaji Ayorinde and Festus Keyamo, as well as Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) leader Balarabe Musa said the President could not be   faulted.

    In Taraba and Benue states, 30 persons were killed in fresh herdsmen attacks. Twenty five were killed in Taraba and five in Benue.

    At the Senate, its Leader, Ahmed Lawan, and his deputy Bala Ibn Na’Allah rose against Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe for what they described as his uncomplimentary remarks on the President.

    It took the Senate President Bukola Saraki’s intervention to restore order.

    The President on Wednesday in London said the late Libyan President Muammar Gadaffi’s gunmen were the killer-herdsmen.

    The gunmen, he said, infiltrated Nigeria and other West African countries after Gadaffi’s death in 2011.

    At plenary yesterday, Abaribe drew senators’ attention to the President’s statement, which he described in unprintable words.

    He said: “This chamber has discussed the killings in Nigeria. I recall that on the matter of herdsmen and farmers’ clashes, two explanations were given by high-ranking security personnel. The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, said these killings were as a result of laws being passed by states.

    “Secondly, the Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali said that these killings were as a result of the blockade of grazing routes. And we continued to look at all these explanations.

    “Yesterday (Wednesday) in London, President Muhammadu Buhari said that these killings were as a result of the people who were trained by Muammar Gaddafi.

    “Mr. President was implying that these people who are doing the killings in Nigeria are invaders from outside of Nigeria.

    “If so, it validates my point in this chamber that when a Commander-in-Chief says he cannot take care of invaders, why is he still a Commander-in-Chief?

    “Why do we still continue to indulge this President that goes around to tell everybody outside this country that he is totally incompetent? It is obvious…”

    Some of his colleagues, who found his words distasteful and harsh, attempted to shout him down.

    But Abaribe stood his ground and insisted on having his way.

    Lawan promptly raised a point of order to cut him short.

    Coming under Order 53 (7) on the need to avoid the use of offensive words in the Senate, he said: “The President is the leader of this country and he deserves the respect and courtesy of this chamber and those of us in it. I was once a member of the opposition and I do not recall ever calling the then President incompetent or insulting him. This is our institution. If we do not conduct ourselves with respect, nobody will. I want to ask my colleague to immediately withdraw his statement and apologise to this chamber”

    Saraki asked Abaribe to be guided as an elderstatesman, adding that it was obvious the senator used certain words that were unacceptable.

    Saraki asked Abaribe if he had concluded his submissions as tempers continued to rise.

    The Senate President added: “We can make our points without using words that are offensive. Please be guided accordingly.”

    Abaribe replied: “I am very well guided by you but there are words that there are no alternatives to. What I did was to interpret the words by Mr. President in London. If any word I used is misunderstood by anyone, I apologise.

    “What I am saying is simple. The heads of security in Nigeria made several explanations for the killings of our people. It shows that there is a disconnect…”

    Abaribe could not conclude his submission because of the tense situation.

    Saraki responded to douse the tension, saying:

    ”Leader (Lawan) came with a point of order and you have complied by an apology. Have you finished?

    Before Abaribe could take the floor, Na’Allah raised another point of order also aimed at stopping the Abia South lawmaker.

    Na’Allah said senators were forbidden by their rule to discuss the President’s or judicial officers’ conduct without a substantive motion.

    Saraki sustained Na’Allah’s point of order to halt Abaribe’s submission.

    Some senators were seen crowding Abaribe’s seat after Saraki’s ruling in a move to prevail on him to sheathe his sword.

    Saraki quickly signalled to Lawan to move to the next item on the order paper.

    PDP, Balarabe, Agbakoba, Olanipekun, others differ

    There were divergent views yesterday on the President’s London statement on killer-herdsmen.

    Some hailed him for unveiling the identities of the killer-herdsmen, others deplored the statement.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the  statement showed that the government could not handle security challenges.

    In a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said: “By running to Archbishop Justin Welby to declare that the insurgents and marauders pillaging our people are fighters from the late Muammar Gadaffi’s Libya, President Buhari confirms the position of Nigerians that he is incapable of handling the security challenges of our nation.

    “We invite Nigerians to recall that in November 2017, President Buhari had informed the Nigerian community in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire that Gadaffi’s fighters were responsible for the escalation of Boko Haram insurgency.

    “This time, Mr President has revealed that the killer-herdsmen ravaging our nation and killing our people are from Libya.

    “If the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government knew all these that the marauders and insurgents are invaders, then why is it engaging them in dialogue, reportedly paying ransom and even considering the amnesty option for them.

    “In the same vein, Nigerians should demand explanations from President Buhari on why his administration has been asking the victims of marauders’ attacks in various states, particularly, Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Plateau, among others, to learn to accommodate, if it knows that the attackers had links with Libya.”

    Former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President Chief Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) said Nigerians were tired of complaints, adding that they are only interested in a workable solution.

    He said: “Whether they are from Libya or not, what is evident is that the President has not displayed efficiency. Blaming Libya is not the issue. What is the President doing? Is he doing anything to resolve it? He knows the source of the problem. Let him now tackle the problem.”

    Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Leader  Alhaji Balarabe Musa said the President may have spoken the truth because he has access to security information as the chief security officer.

    He urged him to act with speed, saying the solution to the challenge is more important than its attribution to foreign elements.

    Musa, a Second Republic governor of Kaduna State, said: “The President knows better. He is the chief security officer. He may not be far from the truth. But, that does not mean that we should not resolve the issue to the satisfaction of all.”

    Afenifere leader Chief Reuben Fasoranti blamed the President for negligence, saying the borders are porous.

    He said: “What are the security men doing? Why allow foreigners to infiltrate our country? They are careless. It is either they colluded with foreign elements or they are careless.”

    Activist lawyer Festus Keyamo (SAN), said: He said some of these armed men found their way into Nigeria pretending to be herdsmen but they are actually those who fled from Libya. What the President said is a known fact. He did not say anything strange at all. That people with arms fled Libya and invaded most of the countries north of the Sahara, around the Magreb and West Africa, including Nigeria, has been discussed globally on issues concerning terrorism.

    “Most world bodies and researchers on terrorism have said that those people who escaped from Libya with arms found their way into different countries in West Africa. To solve the problem, we have to disarm them and the President has already given that order over a month ago.

    “He said everybody, including herders, seen with arms should face the law. I agree that nomadic cattle rearing should also stop. Our borders are supposed to be well policed but the

    issue of corruption in our border is still high.

    “You cannot police every single strand of our borders. It is not the President that will go and stay at the border. The problem of porous borders did not start today. It’s as far back as 1961 that is why smuggling has not stopped.

    “The way forward in my opinion is for some of the herders to be used as example. If found with arms; they should be prosecuted and punished”.

    Another former NBA President Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) said Gaddafi died several years ago, adding that  this leads us to the puzzle , “when in his life time did he start training them ? How and when did he recruit them? When did the Nigerian government discover this mystery? And why did Mr President not inform us at home at any time before his disclosure in London.

    “To me, the mode of dissemination of this important information in a foreign land isn’t tidy enough. Snippets of information about major events in our country shouldn’t come to us through second hand information released to foreign media by our leaders. It’s not fair to us as citizens. Lady May, the British Prime Minister, will never come here or go to anywhere to be supplying us or foreign citizens vital information about Britain. Those in charge of our foreign affairs should do more, and treat us with much respect.

    “On the veracity of the allegation, there’s the urgent need for the Federal Government to properly align all the diverse stories and myth surrounding the emergence, training, sponsorship and funding of Boko Haram in the interest of our National security , and in order to realistically checkmate the scourge. This is yet another dimension to Boko Haram, which appears diametrically conflicting with previous editions.

    A senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde said the President has superior access to intelligence report. So, if that is from his intelligence report, we cannot fault it”.

    “As the President, he owes a duty to protect all Nigerians. So, if we have foreigners invading our farmlands and killing our people, then the President is the one to put the necessary machinery in place since they have confirmed to him that these killers are foreigners.

    It is not a question of stiffer immigration laws. How can you apply immigration laws to people who just rear cattle across borders that have no security? They just walk in and walk out.

    “So, how does an immigration law affect them? I think this is a security issue and the President as the Commander-in-Chief must take steps to keep the oath he swore to protect the lives of all Nigerians”, Ayorinde said.

  • Apapa-Wharf Road reconstruction only 10% completed

    Apapa-Wharf Road reconstruction only 10% completed

    The Apapa-Wharf Road reconstruction in Lagos State has achieved only 10 per cent completion, an official of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing ( FMPWH ), has said.

    Mrs Olukorede Keisha, an FMPWH engineer supervising the project, said on Tuesday at the project site that presence of gas pipes and other public utilities in the road’s Right of Way ( RoW ) delayed the project execution.

    The engineer said that the contractors handling the project had, however, resolved the problem.

    Keisha said that 200 metres of concrete road and 230 metres of drains had been constructed on section one of the project.

    “The project is about 10 per cent completed; we finished 230 metres of drain and 200 metres of concrete road on section one.

    “We have about four layers of road to make the pavement rigid; the road thickness is 600mm,’’ she said.

    She said that the project had four sections.

    Keisha told NAN that a design alteration was done to take care of the gas pipelines in the RoW of the road so as to meet the completion date of June 2018.

    “There is no need to relocate the pipelines again; the pipes are encased. We had to redesign in order to safeguard the pipes for work to continue.

    “It is a shift in alignment, we shifted it forward,’’ she said.

    She said that the redesign gave the opportunity for deep excavation to lay a solid foundation for a durable concrete road.

    On potholes on some portions of the highway, Keisha said that rehabilitation work had begun on the bad portions.

    According to Keisha, the ministry will use the Christmas holiday to take care of the most critical portions on the reconstruction zone and other roads in Apapa.

    NAN reports that some rolling machines were being used to compact construction materials on about 500 metres stretch of the road on the Ijora/CMS Carriageway.

    The machines were compacting soil-based materials to connect to a concrete section of the road.

    Read Also: Contractors handling Sukuk road projects to be paid soon-DMO

    Meanwhile, some of the road users have appealed for speedy completion of the project.

    A food vendor, Mrs Kaka Kolo, appealed to the Federal Government to increase funding for road repair in Apapa.

    “Trailers are the ones spoiling the road always. The best thing is for government to give contractors more money to repair roads.

    “Government should not wait for potholes to get big and trailers start falling before it does something,’’ she said.

    Also, Mallam Awal Usman, a truck driver, called for repair of all bad roads on the axis.

    He urged collaboration of all government agencies to end gridlock in Apapa.

    Usman, however, praised traffic managers for checking traffic offences compounding gridlock on the axis.

    Another truck driver, Mr Odu Nwoye, told NAN that the efforts of traffic managers had reduced accidents caused by bad roads and reckless driving on the axis.

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on June 17 signed a N4.34 billion Memorandum of Understanding  ( MoU ) with AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd. and some other stakeholders for the reconstruction of the four-kilometre Apapa-Wharf Road.

    The project is being funded by AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, the Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA ) and Flour Mills of Nigeria.

  • Row over N701b GENCOs’ loans

    Row over N701b GENCOs’ loans

    A crisis of confidence has hit the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) over a N701billion subsidy for Generation Companies (GENCOs).

    NBET Managing Director Dr. Marylin Amobi has redeployed some officers in the Finance and Internal Audit sections, who had reservations about the N701billion loan for the GENCOs, The Nation learnt.

    The officials’ stand is that it is absurd for the government to obtain a loan for some of the GENCOs who have been allegedly inflating requests for reimbursement from NBET.

    Also, some NBET officials are opposed to the agency leading the initiative for the N701billion loan for GENCOs ,which are selling electricity to the agency.

    The aggrieved officials said since the loan will be paid back through Retail Electricity Tariff, consumers will bear the burden with increase in tariffs.

    Following a strong internal opposition and  to pave the way for the loan, the MD/ CEO of NBET has reportedly embarked on a sudden restructuring of the agency without consultations with the Minister of Power, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, who is holding brief for the board.

    The board of NBET is yet to be reconstituted.

    But there is a relief from the CBN which has set nine conditions before the loan can be granted.

    In a June 20, 2017 letter to NBET, the CBN approved the N701billion for NBET as Payment Assurance Facility   for Generation Companies (GENCOs) with 10 per cent per annum interest.

    The letter said: “We refer to your application for the Payment Assurance Facility    for Generation Companies dated March 02, 2017 and hereby convey the Bank’s approval for the N701billion facility.

    “Purpose: A bridging facility to enable Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc(NBET) provide minimum level of payment to generation companies to meet their obligations to gas suppliers and increase their levels of generation.

    “The date on which the first disbursement of this facility shall occur is subsequent to the following:  That all the conditions precedent, here defined, have been fully met or waived to the satisfaction of the CBN.

    “Effective date: January 2017. The loan tenor is the period from Effective Date until the earlier of: (i) 10 years  (ii) December 31, 2028

    “The facility shall be used only to assure the payments due from NBET to power generation companies for the capacity and energy delivered beginning from the invoice month of the Effective Date.”

    The CBN gave the details of the funding as follows: (i) Enhance the existing  Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilization Facility(NEMFS); and (ii) CBN to subscribe to debenture to be issued by NESI Stabilization Strategy Limited(NESI SS Ltd).

    “Drawdowns will be made monthly based on invoices over a period that shall not exceed 24 months from  first disbursement. All applications for disbursement will contain comprehensive breakdowns of the elements of the payment showing the amounts due to each participating generator and its approved third parties.

    “Applications for disbursement will be sent by NBET and confirmed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power.”

    The proposed sources of repayment are as follows:

    • Moratorium period(on principal  repayment only). Repayment of interest(Est, 73.02b NGN) to be serviced by the Federal Ministry of Finance from the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Account through auto-debit from Consolidated Revenue Fund(CRF).
    • Post-Moratorium Period(Principal and Interest): Repayment of outstanding principal and interest will be recouped as follows:

    (i)     From the Retail Electricity Tariff or only if and where arrangements have been fully agreed and finalised upon at the time of repayment.

    (ii)    From any combination of  the following: (a) Budgetary appropriation; (b) External borrowings by the Federal  Ministry of Finance(FMoF); (c) Any other payment arrangements to be agreed upon by the CBN and FMoF, including auto debit into the Consolidated Revenue Fund(CRF).

    • Additional indebtedness: “In addition to this facility, NBET is permitted to raise additional debt subject to prior approval from CBN which shall not be unreasonably withheld, including but not limited to Capital Market Bonds or similar securities.”

    A top official of NBET spoke of some management members’ opposition to this loan because they believe that it will lead to the same problem in the petroleum sector where marketers were claiming endless subsidy grants from the government.

    Some of these GENCOs are said to have been demanding “outrageous” reimbursement from NBET but through internal collaboration, these payments have been effected.

    “One of the GENCOs actually demanded N1.251, 881,528.04billion reimbursement from NBET whereas the Audit Unit said it was only entitled to N124.352million. Another company asked for payment of N1, 023, 532,974.89billion when the Audit Unit said it only deserved N346.377million,” the official said.

    Some of these GENCOs are believed to have been claiming billions of naira monthly “without any justification. The government should allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to look into the books of the NBET and some of the GENCOS. A lot of underhand deals are being perpetrated,” the official, who pleaded not to be named said, adding: “But some forces in the management went ahead to pay billions to the affected GENCOs by circumventing the processes.

    “The opposition to the crazy bills from GENCOs led to the redeployment of some officers in the Finance and Internal Audit units and the floating of a new management structure without the approval of the Board which is being represented by the Minister of Power.

    “We want the Federal Government to have more than passing interest in what is happening in NBET.

    “Some officials of the NBET misled the Federal Government on this N701billion loan because of selfish interest.”

    A member of the management staff insisted that the NBET management, led by Dr. Marylin Amobi, was “not gullible on the loan” because CBN has put nine conditions in place to access the facility.

    “The major aim of the management is to ensure stable power supply. All payments being made to GENCOS are in line with the agreement with them,” the source added.

    The CBN ‘s conditions  for the loan include the following:

    • FEC approvals for CBN to grant this facility to NBET;
    • duly executed Loan Repayment Guarantee Agreement with the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMoF);
    • approval by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for repayment through tariff;
    • approval by the NBET Board for the borrowing;
    • conclusion of tripartite agreements between NBET, NERC and CBN on payment calculations, disbursement procedures, repayment plans, tariff, business continuity, penalties etc.
    • approval and implementation by NERC of a monthly market settlement of waterfall after the repayment of monies to the NEMSF;
    • CBN’s receipt of a NERC directive, or order, of an incentive-based mechanism that NBET will use at each settlement period to allocate the availability payments efficiently to Market Participants that are  responsible for the balancing actions  the System Operator(SO) undertakes each day that increases the total cost of maintaining the grid’s  technical performance with its  acceptable bounds. The adoption and operationalisation by NBET of an NERC-approved framework for the administration of the payments of the Large General Service(LGS) customers; and
    • receipt, by the CBN, of all signed agreements between NBET and each participating generating company.

     

  • Row over N22b pension legacy fund

    Row over N22b pension legacy fund

    The Pension Transitional Directorate Department (PTAD) was established in 2013 to manage the N22 billion pension legacy fund under the old pension scheme known as Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS). But the agency literally is taking up arms against some insurance firms for failing to remit the cash in their custody, OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO writes.

    Are 10 insurance firms owing the Federal Government’s Pension Transitional Directorate Department (PTAD) N22 billion meant for the Pension Legacy Fund? Yes, says PTAD. Yes, but. .., say some of the firms.
    The fund includes the liabilities and assets of pension funds of erstwhile pension offices and treasury funded pensions of parastatals, universities and colleges of education in charge of pensioners under the old pension scheme, known as the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).
    The PTAD, under the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2004, now PRA 2014, is charged with pension management under the DBS for pensioners who did not transit to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
    The Directorate has been paying the affected pensioners since its was established in August 2013. However, investigations by The Nation show that while the 10 affected insurance firms have since transferred the pension liabilities back to PTAD as mandated by the Pension Reform Act, they are yet to transfer the assets worth N22 billion to the Directorate.
    Already, PTAD is screaming blue murder that the non-remittance of the assets has made it difficult for it to properly pay pension arrears. PTAD claims that the insurance firms have held onto the pension legacy fund in contravention of the Act.
    A source listed the firms to include NICON Insurance Plc, UNIC Insurance Plc, LASACO Assurance, Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc, Standard Alliance Life Assurance, and AIICO Insurance.
    Others are Goldlink Insurance, Industrial and General Insurance Plc, Nigerian Life and Provident Company and Leadway Assurance.
    Leadway Assurance, according to the source, recently paid N330.2 million it claimed to have held to PTAD. Similarly, Custodian and Allied and LASACO are said to have paid N148 million and N309 million, as first instalments.
    NICON Insurance is said to have more than half of the fund in its custody, worth N12 billion.
    PTAD Executive Secretary, Mrs. Sharon Ikpeazu, explained that the agency, which charged with pension management under the DBS for pensioners who did not transit to the CPS, had been paying the affected pensioners since its establishment.
    She said this was despite that the firms were holding back the assets, which were meant to fund the payment of pensions to pensioners from parastatals, universities and colleges of education.The PTAD chief, however, confirmed that only Leadway had transferred the funds in its kitty to the agency’s e-collection account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), that to recover the assets, the Directorate on two occasions invited some of the firms to a meeting.
    According to her, NICON, UNIC, LASACO Assurance, Leadway Assurance, Custodian and Allied, Niger, Standard Alliance Life Assurance, AIICO, Goldlink, IGI and Nigerian Life and Provident Company turned up at the meeting to disclose their balances.
    ”Consequently, Leadway Assurance has paid N330.2 million it claimed to be owing, while Custodian and Allied and LASACO paid N148 million and N309 million, as first instalment,” Ikpeazu told The Nation. She said while Leadway paid off its outstanding balance as at February 16, this year, Custodian paid its first instalment as at last month; LASACO paid as at February 7, with the next instalment due on March 31, 2017.
    “Apart from inviting the affected firms to a meeting, PTAD, it was also learnt, went a notch higher by setting up a Pension Recovery Committee that is looking at the assets, accrued interest on the assets overtime, among other claims made by the firms.
    “A dedicated account has been opened at the CBN called Recovery Pension Funds e-Collection Account, especially for the recovered funds,” Ikpeazu said, threatening that PTAD might report the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recover the finds/assets should the firms fail to pay up.”

    Insurance firms react
    PTAD’s threats to report the case to EFCC may have hit the right chord in the ears of the affected insurance firms. The Managing Director, AIICO Insurance, Mr. Edwin Igbiti, affirmed that the company has N1.54 billion pension asset in its custody. He, however, said the assets were held in instruments in accordance with insurance laws. Specifically, he said the company was willing to transfer only the assets backing up this fund to PTAD. Subsequently, the company, he said, has requested for a meeting to discuss the modalities. PTAD is the government’s directorate saddled with managing the pensioners of the Federal Government under the old scheme.
    The funds managed by the insurance firms were remittances from the Ministry of Finance for paying pensioners under the insured scheme,” Igbiti said. He, however, explained that in 2014, after the creation of the Directorate, the Ministry took over the function and instructed that all payments should stop in July 2014, which AIICO complied with.  Said Igbiti: “As at the time, there were no outstanding obligations.We would like to clarify that AIICO is not withholding any funds, which are pension funds that have been invested.
    “Also, the total fund in AIICO’s books as at date and spread among 18 parastatals is N1.54 billion, and are in assets held in instruments in accordance with insurance laws. In compliance with the instruction of PTAD, AIICO forwarded to the office, a comprehensive statement of the accounts detailing how funds were received and the disbursement made.’’
    AIICO chief told The Nation that after the meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Insurance, PTAD and the insurance firms were mandated to discuss the modalities of the transfer of the assets.
    “The mandate was followed up with our letter stating again the fund balance and the intention to transfer only the assets backing up this fund to PTAD and subsequently requested for a meeting to discuss the modalities,” he stated.
    Igbiti added that after two attempts to meet with PTAD, a meeting was scheduled for Thursday, April 6, 2017, but that it could not hold. He said a new date was yet to be fixed. “AIICO is not reluctant to transfer assets and has begun the process, which we hope will be concluded soon,” he assured.
    Similarly, the Managing Director, Standard Alliance Insurance Plc, Mr. Bode Akinboye, said the company was holding meetings with the regulator, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), stressing that a reconciliation meeting was already afoot.
    Akinboye, however, explained that the money was paid to the firms by the Federal Government under the old pension scheme, noting that this money is supposed to be transfer to PTAD. He, however, pointed out that to remit it without proper planning would bring loss to the affected firms. The money, he said, had been invested on long- term projects, such as real estate and shares, that would require time to mature and recoup.
    ”We are going through reconciliation because during the pension transition arrangement, there was some money that was managed by Pension Transition Committee under the Presidency. Some of it is what we are trying to transfer back to PTAD.
    “We cannot bring out the money now without proper planning. PTAD is saying give us back the money, but we are saying that it is not going to be that straightforward. The portfolio will include dividend share and we all know what has happened in the last eight years to shares at the capital market. There is no way it won’t be negative.”
    Also, the Deputy General Manager, NICON Insurance Plc, Mr. Kunle Adewale, said the company had given PTAD a proposal on how they intend to pay. “At present, we have sent a proposal to discuss a full and final payment and we are waiting for PTAD to give us a response,” he said.
    He added that overtime, technicalities were involved, but that the most important thing was that the company had made a proposal to pay.
    LASACO Assurance Plc Managing Director, Mr. Segun Balogun, said his company was paying back as agreed by PTAD.
    Goldlink Insurance Plc spokesperson, Mrs. Adeola Adigun, said the company was about to transfer the assets to PTAD. ”We are at an advanced stage to pay by transfer to PTAD. However, the liability being an industry issue is under close monitoring by Nigerian Insurance Association (NIA), the umbrella association of the insurance industry,” Adigun said. Efforts to get UNIC Insurance’s reaction proved abortive. Its Managing Director did not respond to text messages sent to him nor return calls made to his mobile phone.

    How PTAD’ ll use recovered funds
    Upon recovery of the assets, PTAD would use the funds to settle pension payment arrears. Already, the agency, according to Mrs Ikpeazu, was working with the Minister of Finance to ensure that all outstanding legacy funds were transferred to the agency to have money to defray some of the liabilities arising from the non-payment of pensions.

  • Row over teenager’s death in private pool

    Row over teenager’s death in private pool

    •Family alleges foul play

    A row has broken out over the death of a 19-year-old man, Joshua Bello, inside the swimming poll of a private residence in Adeniyi Jones Ikeja, Lagos.

    His family is alleging foul play and has cried out for justice.

    But the police have ruled out foul play, because there were no marks on his body when he was found.

    Bello had gone to 5, Seyinbola Close, Akure Estate, Adeniyi Jones, on Saturday morning for a catering job. He was said to have been hired by a caterer identified simply as Yewande for N3,000.

    Yewande was reportedly hired to offer catering service at the birthday party of a musician, said to be friend of the son of the house owner.

    But the late Joshua’s elder brother, Michael, said he became worried when his brother did not return home on Saturday night. He said he was also unable to reach him on telephone, adding the he got a call from the Wemabod Police Station on Sunday morning that Joshua had been arrested.

    He said: “Joshua was called for a grilling job. He left my house on Saturday around 6am so that he could get to the venue early and set up.

    “After expecting his return, I tried calling his line around 7pm but it was switched off. Throughout the night till the next morning I couldn’t sleep because he’s not the type that would stay out without informing you.

    “Then, I got a call around 8am on Sunday that I should come over to the police station because my brother has been arrested. It was when I got to the station that they told me that my younger brother was dead.

    “They said he was found dead inside the pool on Sunday morning. That it was while they were cleaning the place that they saw his personal belongings by the pool side and then, when the cleaner looked inside the pool, he was seen under.

    “They claimed he probably went for a dive after working that night and drowned and they didn’t see him till the next morning but as at when he was been dragged out of the water, his body wasn’t floating. It was still beneath the pool which was nine feet deep

    “It is strange and impossible to believe that my brother would die inside a nine feet swimming pool. Joshua was a very good swimmer. He spent the better part of his early years with our grandmother at Badagry, and that was where he learnt how to swim. I have seen him swim in deeper waters with high current.

    “Another surprising thing is that the caterer, Yewande said she paid my brother his N3,000 when he finished working. But when his things were found, the N3,000 was not seen. Even his phone, Infinix Hot2 with two sim cards, an Apple IPod and a black Rayban sunglasses he left the house with on Saturday were not found.

    “According to them, they saw his polo shirt, jeans and the wallet without money. It was only on Monday, when I queried how come they saw his things and not his footwear that the police now said they found his Nike snickers and socks. How come they didn’t find it that day if he kept his things by the pool side and dived to take a bath?

    “It was the first time he worked with Yewande. The owner of the house said the party ended at 7:30pm. The caterer that engaged him said he left at 8pm. The security at the house said they saw him still grilling between 8pm and 8:30pm.

    “The most annoying part is that while we are still awaiting coroner paper so that an autopsy can be conducted, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) handling the case said he has ruled out foul play. He said there was no physical marks of violence on his body and that I cannot teach him his job.

    “Is that not a clear indication of compromise? I am reaching out to you because I want a thorough investigation into the matter and I want what happened to my brother to come to light. It is very painful. My parents are devastated. Joshua used to live with them at Ikorodu but I asked him to move to my place at Iju Ishaga so that he can be going for lessons to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam. All I want is justice.”

    When The Nation contacted Yewande on telephone, she declined comment.

    She said: “I wrote my statement at the police station. We don’t know you. We have no evidence you are who you say you are and we cannot talk to you.”

  • Babangida’s son, estranged wife in fresh child-custody row

    Babangida’s son, estranged wife in fresh child-custody row

    LIKE a mother hen sits atop its eggs, rumour appears to have perched somewhat permanently on the roof of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s son, Mohammed. The latest from the rumour mill concerns the whereabouts of the two children left in the custody of his ex-wife Rahama Indimi after their marriage hit the rocks. Mohammed was said to have obtained a judgment from a Sharia court giving him custody of the children only for Rahama to file an objection at an Abuja court.

    According to the rumour mill, Rahama, daughter of billionaire businessman, Mohammed Indimi, had left the two children in the care of her sister, Zahra, while she and the rest of the Indimi family went to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage. But the children were said to have disappeared from Zahra’s custody, leaving the police with no choice but to intervene in the matter. Sources said the police were treating the issue as a case of kidnapping.

    Zahra has since posted several messages on the social media, claiming not to have seen the children since the previous Sunday. It was however gathered that the police have managed to narrow their search for the children to Sunnyview Estate, a fashionable estate in the heart of Abuja, the nation’s capital city.‎

  • Row over $120m scanners at ports as service providers scheme to return

    Row over $120m scanners at ports as service providers scheme to return

    Two years after their exit, service providers are scheming to return to the ports and borders to run the $120million equipment for scanning goods, it has been learnt.

    The scanners were handed over to the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) when the service providers were leaving in 2013.

    The scanners, acquired by the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMoF) seven years ago, are said to have been handed over to Customs in poor state. Maritime watchers are wondering what will become of the process introduced by Customs, if the service providers return.

    For instance, Customs introduced Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) to replace the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) hitherto issued by the service providers?

    To Maritime Operators, the Federal Government and Customs Comptroller-General (CCG) Col Hameed Ali (rtd), must look into this and related issues before the service providers are allowed to  return. The government terminated the service providers contract December 31, 2013, seven years after its award on January 1, 2006.

    A senior official of the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMoT) told The Nation that there is a covert move in the FMOF to bring back service providers.

    Ali, the official alleged, has bought the idea. Most of the scanning equipment inherited are he said, obsolete.

    When The Nation visited Seme border last week, there was no activity at the two scanning sites.

    They were empty with no vehicular movement within and outside the facilities.

    Operations at the scanning sites at Apapa and Tin-Can ports are also at a low ebb.

    A senior Customs officer, said malfunctioning scanners are preventing trained officers from providing fast and efficient services for trade facilitation.

    “The officers were trained to man the scanning equipment, but the machines have stopped functioning and that is why we have resorted to physical examination of over 90 per cent containers coming and going out of the ports. Although, the process is cumbersome and time wasting, we don’t have an alternative.

    “Scanning machines are tools introduced by the Federal Government to facilitate trade. They are to complement non-intrusive inspection, that is cargo inspection without opening containers in order to speed up operations at the gateways and facilitate trade.

    “Before the termination of the inspection contract by the Federal Government in December 2013, Cotecna, which operated in the Lagos ports, said it was bequeathing $70 million worth of equipment for scanning of goods arriving at the ports to facilitate clearing process. But it is sad that the machine purchased with that huge amount of money is now useless, serving no purpose in our port.

    “The whole handover process is geared towards their coming back because before the handing over date, the management of NCS consulted the manufacturers of those scanners and they undertook an audit to evaluate the scanners and the report they came out with was that most of the scanners were obsolete and were in bad shape when they were handed over to us,” the official alleged.

    Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), president Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu  said the service providers have no unique role at the ports since they are not the manufacturers.

    He urged the Federal Government and Customs to use the manufacturers instead of going through a third party and creating an avenue to exploit importers.

    “Which role are they going to perform apart from that of the third party because they are not the manufacturers of the equipment. Government should allow those who manufactured the scanners to service them if they are still serviceable. If they are not, Customs and not the Ministry of Finance, should be allowed to buy new ones so that they can take responsibility,” Shittu said.

  • Row over facilities repair

    Row over facilities repair

    The rehabilitation of facilities at the Federal University of Agriculture (UNIAGRIC) in Makurdi, the Benue State capital is seen by students as cosmetic. Reason: The job, they say, is being haphazardly done. DAMSA AHANGBA (300-Level Mathematics and Computer Science) reports.

    It a thanksgiving last November to mark his second year in office, Prof Emmanuel Kucha, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Federal University of Agriculture (UNIAGRIC) in Makurdi, Benue State, unveiled his development plan for the school.

    He declared a two-month break to enable the management embark on  rehabilitation of facilities. The announcement was greeted with applause as students expressed hope that things would change for the better.

    The VC told the gathering to judge him by his performance.

    However, nine months after Prof Kucha made that promise, members of the university community have yet to feel the impact of the reform. The VC, some said, may have reneged on his pledge to make the campus conducive for learning.

    The two months within which the VC promised to repair the infrastructure, was extended by a month, distorting the academic calendar. Students returned to meet their Halls of Residence almost the same way they left them. The school, they said, only painted the hostels.

    Some students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, described the renovation as cosmetic, saying things may become worse if the management did not fix the decrepit facilities.

    Kehinde Ajibola, a 400-Level student, who is staying in Dalhatu Tafida Hall, said the hostel was only painted, adding: “There is no difference between what we left and what we see now.”

    To Chia Denen, a 300-Level student, it is not enough for the management to carry out renovation on existing facilities. He said: “The school needs to build new hostels and lecture theatres to save students from problems of overcrowding and ill-health. Painting existing hostels and lecture rooms does not serve the interests of the students.”

    As the school battled overstretching of its facilities, the management decided to relocate the College of Management Sciences to the main campus, thereby increasing the number of students on the campus.

    Despite the rehabilitation embarked upon by the management, students said the Halls of Residence remained unfit to live in.

    Such is the Block C Hostel extension, which was built in 2012 exclusively for Veterinary Medicine students. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that ceilings in most of the rooms have fallen off and the doors broken. Students also complained that there is no power supply to some rooms.

    •One of the rooms without ceiling in the school hostel
    •One of the rooms without ceiling in the school hostel

    Samuel Ahokegh, a Biological Science student, living in the Block C hostel lamented the poor conditions in the hall. He said: “In my room, there is no ceiling and we have not had power supply for months. We have made several complaints but there has been no response from the porters. The heat from the sun hits us directly, making the room uncomfortable. If our parents come to visit and see how we live on the campus, they will never be happy.”

    Drivers of commercial tricycle, who ply the pothole-ridden road that links the south wing of the university to its entrance, are not also happy with the state of the road. They said the state of the road had become worsened during the raining season, with the school management not making any move to patch the ditches on the thoroughfare.

    Gabriel Aondakaa, a commercial tricycle driver, said: “I visit mechanic workshop every week for repair on my Keke (a local parlance for tricycle) because of the bad road.”

    Corroborating him, Henry Azeeka, another driver, said he spent his profit on repair of his Keke, adding: “I manage to survive because I spend almost everthing I have on the vehicle.”

    A student, who did not want his name in print, said it was shameful to see a federal university in that “messy condition”. He said: “With this type of facilities, how do you expect the university to produce graduates that can stand shoulder high with his peers in other part of the world?”

    With the university preparing to host the 25th Nigerian University Games (NUGA), students wonder how the sport event would be successful when the facilities to be used for the games remained under construction.

    Peter Itodo, a 300-Level student, said the school management should do deploy resources to restore the condition of facilities on the campus.

    Timothy Ibinyi, a 400-Level student, expressed a contrary opinion, saying the condition of the hostels was better compared to what it used to be.