The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sanitising

  • NAICOM: Sanitising the insurance sector

    IR: Cleaning the Augean stable in any society, sector, domain or country is an arduous task. This is so, because in most cases, corruption usually fights back and when it fights back, it fights vigorously in a bloody manner such that the reputation and good name of whoever is involved is not given the slightest thought.

    As Commissioner of Insurance, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM)  Kari has not rested on his oars to sanitise the insurance industry. As the Deputy Commissioner in NAICOM, one recalls that his first task was to sign the memo to prohibit illegal payments hitherto seen in the sector. Ever since his appointment as Commissioner in July 30, 2015, he has aligned with change mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari. He believes that the industry cannot be left behind in the scheme of things.

    While urging operators and other stakeholders to adhere strictly to the observance of the industry’s codes of conduct and ethics for a healthy practice of the insurance profession, he promised that NAICOM as a regulator will remain committed to high standard of professionalism and ethical behaviour so as to regain the confidence of policyholders and increase insurance contribution to the GDP. He believes that the industry must win the public apathy to the business of insurance, desist from unwholesome practices in the discharge of itsa responsibilities to the insured by playing as true professionals.

    The commission under him has since increased its oversight on the operators. In years past, more insurance brokers operated without valid license than those with license. Today the story is different.  He enforced the code of corporate governance for insurance companies which was issued in 2009 but was not enforced. The re-launch of the Market Development and Restructuring Initiative (MDRI) which seeks to make Nigeria the insurance hub of Africa has reached an advanced stage.

    Just recently, Kari had a running battle with insurance companies and brokerage firms for not capitulating to the wishes of the cabals in the insurance industry. Expectedly, these powerful interests not only have huge resources at their disposal, they deploy it to fight his efforts to rid the insurance industry of corruption. Even with the President’s strong body language against corruption, these powerful interests in the insurance sector seem to not to bother. However, with the support of the President, we have a strong advocate of honesty, probity, dedication and excellence to purge the cancer in the system and drive the insurance industry to greater heights.

     

    • Alwan Hassan,

     Abuja.

  • FG sanitizing NNPC, says IPMAN

    FG sanitizing NNPC, says IPMAN

    National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chief Obasi Lawson, has said the moves to restructure the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by the Federal Government will help in sanitising the petroleum sector.

    Lawson, who was on a two-day visit to the Calabar unit of IPMAN, said the introduction of any new policy was likely to attract opposition, which was why the oil workers embarked on strike.

    He said this when he led a delegation on courtesy visit to the Cross River State Attorney General, Mr. Joe Abang.

    The Economic Adviser to the national president of IPMAN, Mr Michael Udofia, described the problem of petrol scarcity in the country as systemic.

    “The problem of scarcity in Nigeria is systemic, and until this system issues we would still go back to the same level. Let us take for instance, we do not have any reason be importing petroleum products. Why are our refineries established in the 70s and 80s are not maintained. Why are we having these issues.

    “We have crude oil, we export that same crude oil, only to go back and import the refined product. It is a paradox. By moving out the crude oil, of course freight comes in, insurance comes in and the people that haulage this product to the different countries come in. That is a huge cost in itself. For you to go and bring these same products again, that is additional cost. So I think the time has come for us to do the right thing, because we don’t have any other country, outside Nigeria. Let us do the right thing and ensure our refineries work.

    “Two, if you feel we should import, then there is no need for the price ceiling. Sealing this price at N86.50, because what happens if a businessman brings in this product at the rate that is higher, for the mere fact that you have sealed the price, it is bound to throw up issues. So unseal it if you cannot refine it. Anybody that is able and capable to bring it, let him it in, and you find out that if you do so, with the fluctuation and almost near collapse of crude oil price internationally, the price can even come down to even below N86, because we are going to have efficiency in the system.”

    He expressed confidence the Federal Government was on top of the present situation and the problem would be addressed soon.

     

  • Sanitising traffic

    The advent of Lagos mobile courts is commendable. But they must be wary of abuse

    ON February 6, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, formally put in place mobile courts. These courts, sitting virtually in the streets, near the place of commission of crime, would try traffic and allied offences, and pronounce judgment on the spot.

    At the formal inauguration, Justice Atilade said she hoped the mobile courts would end “the era of recklessness and impunity on our public roads and highways.”  Without doubt, the Chief Judge would appear to be on the same page with most Lagosians who are daily traumatised without end, with brazen outlawry on Lagos highways, despite the enactment of the Lagos State Traffic Law, forged to arrest this madness.

    The arrival of mobile courts has shown the determination of the Akinwunmi Ambode administration to return sanity to Lagos roads. That is laudable; and it should earn the support of every right- thinking member of the Lagos community.

    For one, the rude bevy of commercial bus drivers, popularly called Danfo drivers, have become a law unto themselves.  Socialised into bad driving habits and reinforced in that behaviour by the patent lack of sanctions, these delinquents reserve the right to obey simple traffic regulations, abruptly stop to pick up or drop passengers anywhere, and drive, at times with infernal speed, against traffic at whim.  By so doing, they have killed and maimed many lawful road users, and bashed vehicles of others, in the mistaken belief that begging for pity can always get them off any self-induced trouble spot.

    Another set of pests are the Okada riders. By the Traffic Law, they should be off major highways in Lagos.  But lo and behold, they still flit past on those roads, literally thumping their noses against the law that barred them. The other day, an Okada rider, with his passenger, tore down  the Ikeja Along segment of  Agege Motor Road. He was going towards Iyana-Ipaja. Yet, he faced the traffic heading toward Oshodi. Tragically, he ran into another speeding vehicle on its legitimate route. Both rider and passenger were mauled in the fatal crash!

    Not every misadventure on Lagos roads ends that tragically. But almost every attempt, all too common daily, appears to tempt fate to the limit. No decent and lawful society should continue to tolerate such suicidal cravings.

    Again, the traffic courts appear a well thought recipe to check this madness.  But it can only achieve the best result if the court officials are wary of abuse, borne out of overzealousness; or even out of outright corruption.

    The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) troopers are doing a yeoman’s job at keeping Lagos traffic sane. If you doubt, just take them off the road for two hours and be doomed with  sheer chaos. But bad faith, overzealousness and corruption have given them a bad name, even if not a few of them are dutiful, polite and civil.

    That disease can easily afflict the new mobile courts. So, the court officials would be well advised to put on their best behaviours; and be professional, decent and civil, if firm. But beyond appeal to good conduct, the government should set up a monitoring unit, just to ensure the courts are on the straight-and-narrow path. Anyone caught deviating from that path should not only be removed, he or she should be punished.

    Then, to underscore good faith, the government should also scale up road signs, particularly on one-way roads. Even at that, LASTMA officials should be at such junctures, not to hide and pounce on erring drivers as they do now, but to correct motorists innocently about to commit a traffic infraction. It is only when they wilfully break the law that they should be hauled before the nearest mobile courts.

    That is the fastest way to earn respect and integrity for the courts. With integrity well earned, the courts would be en route to solving one of the most intractable problems of Lagos — the chaotic traffic.

  • NUC is sanitising all varsities, says Okojie

    Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Julius Okojie, has disclosed that the commission is sanitising all universities in the country to compete with global best practices.

    He said this in Abuja when members of the Senior Executive Course 37 2015 study group five of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, visited the commission.

    Okojie said though there are poor universities across the world but Nigeria through the NUC is taking a drastic step as a regulatory body not to fail in its activities.

    To also monitor standard, the NUC boss urged universities to report to the commission when Vice Chancellors are appointed.

    Okojie said the Act of NUC of 2004 Cap 3 and 8, is being reviewed to empower the commission to close institutions.

    Aside what government is doing, he encouraged private university owners to invest more in their institution to enhance performance.

    His words: “We need the rebranding of the Nigeria university system. NUC is short of staff to monitor all the universities in the country. Universities must be up and doing.  In my days a lecturer changed marks and we dismissed him, but now such is hardly done.  There are poor universities everywhere in the world, even in the United States of America (USA), but we are doing our best to sanitize all universities in Nigeria.

    “Nigeria must get to the level where we can compete globally. During the era of former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili we draw a list of Vice Chancellors (VC) that can be appointed to various universities, but now that is no more in place. The universities do not report to us when VCs are appointed.

    “The Act of NUC of 2004 Cap 3 and 8, is right now been reviewed on how we can close institutions among other steps. We must have that law to operate effectively.”

    The Director of Studies and leader of NIPPS delegation, Prof Celestine Bassey, had urged the commission to arrest the rot in the university system.

    Bassey said the group went round some universities and observed that the level of infrastructural and intellectual development was poor.

    He said the good old days where Nigeria universities turned out best brains were no more and urged the NUC to restore the fortunes of the system.

     

  • Sanitising the oil sector

    Everyone now knows that the integrity train looks unstoppable. Sample: the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has stopped the lodgement of oil revenues into any bank accounts other than that of the federation.
    Also in its efforts to fight corruption in the oil sector, the government last week disclosed that some stolen oil monies have been traced to some foreign accounts.
    While it will only take days for the international oil thieves to be unmasked, President Buhari has also started to put in place measures to get refineries working again.
    For corrupt and selfish reasons, the refineries have been made to remain comatose for many years, even as Nigeria lost millions of barrels of oil daily in the process of refining it outside the country.
    At the centre of all these irregularities, oil theft and corruption in high places is the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which is seen as the chicken that have been laying the golden egg.
    No wonder the restructuring of the organization towards efficiency engaged the attention of President Buhari last week.
    Buhari on Tuesday sacked and replaced the former Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha.
    He appointed Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu to immediately take over from the former GMD with the mandate to restructure the corporation.
    What he was expected to do include ridding the NNPC of corrupt elements; recover all stolen crude oil funds;
    work with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Directorate of State Service (DSS) to trace and recover stolen oil money.
    He was also expected to review the structure of the NNPC to compete globally, give targets to subsidiaries complete with performance benchmarks, and fixing all refineries to work at optimal level.
    Within 24 hours of his appointment, Kachikwu has sacked eight Group Executive Directors at the helm of affairs of the Corporation.
    The GEDs relieved of their duties include Mr. Bernard Otti (Finance and Accounts); Dr. Timothy Okon (Acting GED, Exploration and Production who also doubles as Coordinator Corporate Planning & Strategy); Adebayo Ibirogba (Engineering and Technology).
    Others are Dr. David Ige (Gas and Power); Ms. Aisha Abdurrahman (Commercial and Investment); Dr. Dan Efebo (Corporate Services); Ian Udoh (Refining & Petrochemicals) and Dr. Attahiru Yusuf (Business Development).
    For efficiency, Kachikwu also trimmed the directorates from eight to four including Refining and Engineering, Exploration and Production, Commercial and Investment, and Finance.
    To also properly scrutinize NNPC books among other agencies and remove any political undertone in the final reports, two audit firms are expected to be named this week to take over the function from the four man panel set up by the National Economic Council (NEC).
    After allegation by former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi of missing money and incomplete remittance to the Federation Account by NNPC, the immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, after much pressure, appointed PriceWaterhouse Cooper Nigeria (PWC) to investigate the allegation.
    The summary of the investigation as disclosed to journalists was that the firm found nothing wrong in the NNPC books except for $1.48 billion transferred by NNPC to one of its subsidiary, NPDC.
    With the fresh audit of the NNPC accounts, it is hoped that the true picture about activities of the Corporation will soon be very glaring to Nigerians.
    The ongoing efforts are not only expected to properly reposition NNPC but make all existing and upcoming refineries operate optimally for the benefit of Nigerians.

    Efficient National Carrier

    President Muhammadu Buhari has not hidden his desire to have a functional and efficient national carrier in the country.
    Before he was inaugurated President in May, he had blamed the 16 years governments of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the death of many national institutions in the country including inability to have a functional national carrier.
    This, over the years, has resulted in the sufferings of Nigerians who loose productive time due to delayed and cancelled flight and who have no option but to be taken round unnecessary routes before arriving at their destinations.
    Buhari’s directives for quick action on the establishment of a new national carrier issued to the Federal Ministry of Aviation on Wednesday was a welcomed development.
    But efforts should be made now to ensure that pitfalls and problems encountered by the defunct Nigeria Airways, Virgin Nigeria and Air Nigeria are avoided for an efficient national carrier that will stand the test of time.