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Tag: seeks

  • Ex-Supreme Court justice seeks stronger criminal justice system

    FORMER Supreme Court Justice George Oguntade has called for a stronger criminal justice system.

    He spoke at the Founders Day Lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS).

    The theme was: The value of the international criminal justice to Africa.

    Oguntade said the rule of law is an indispensable and fundamental building block for a modern democratic society and economic development.

    A society governed by law, he said, will likely have better quality of life.

    “Rule of Law is our compass, our gravity. It ensures predictability, stability and fairness. Without it, we cannot function. Individuals cannot flourish, businesses cannot thrive, and society cannot grow,” he said.

    NIALS Director-General Prof Deji Adekunle stated that with the growing level of crimes against humanity across the globe, coupled with terrorism, it becomes imperative to understand and appreciate the jurisdictions of the International Criminal Court.

    Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), represented by Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr. Taiwo Abidogun, praised NIALS for filling a critical gap in advanced legal education.

    Quoiting a former University of Lagos Vice-Chancellor, Prof Kwaku Adedevoh, Abidogun said: “There is an outstanding need for … research into the problems of African Law and it is our firm belief that most of this research cannot be done properly except in Africa. In other words, the needful research into Nigerian Law should be undertaken primarily in Nigeria and not in London, New York, Chicago or Canberra.

    “Hence, the Nigerian Universities must establish as soon as possible facilities for legal research at PhD level and above.

    “If each of the universities is left to act entirely independently in seeking to acquire such a collection, a calamitous result is inevitable; each will spend a vast sum of money and the end product will be four incomplete collections with such needless duplication and many deplorable gaps.

    “The logic of the situation demands that a single institute should be established and charged with the primary responsibility of building up the library and other facilities needed for advanced legal research.

    “These facilities should then be made available to the staff and research students of all the universities.”

    The AGF said NIALS was established in fulfilment of that vision.

    The lecture was delivered by a Judge of the international Criminal Court (ICC), Chile Eboe-Osuji.

    Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed was represented by Justice Clara Ogunbiyi.

    Also present were former NIALS DG Prof. Ayo Ajomo, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Prof. Peter Akper, Prof. Paul Idornigie, Lagos State University (LASU) Vice-Chancellor Prof. Lanre Fagbohun and Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeem Abdul Lateef, among others.

  • NPA seeks ICRC’s support to review port agreement

    The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdullahi, has sought the support of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to review  its agreements with terminal operators.

    Abdullahi made the appeal during his meeting with the Director-General of the ICRC, Mr Aminu Dikko.

    He said the review of the agreements would boost activities at the ports, giving room for better ports operations and more investor participation.

    Abdullahi said the development of access roads to the Lekki Deep Seaport project would ease transactions.

    He said NPA intends to synergise with the ICRC and other stakeholders to develop fisheries at the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal 2, and turn it into a modern fishing terminal.

    He canvassed the dredging and maintenance of water channels at the Calabar and Warri ports through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach.

    The NPA boss said that agricultural exportation could be achieved with ease if there were rail lines to help in transporting agricultural produce to the port terminals.

    He suggested that the ports could be decongested of containers by using them to export solid minerals and agricultural produce to other parts of the world.

    In his speech, Dikko promised to fully support the NPA in its drive to achieve its set goals. He, however, said that for the agency to attract investors there must be a ports master plan to guide it. He noted that the master plan would also inform investors on the activities of the agency and the nation as a whole and guide them on what to invest in.

    He praised the NPA for setting up a PPP unit and assured that the ICRC would help build the capacity of staff in the department.

  • Nigeria seeks $2b Chinese loan to fund budget

    Nigeria seeks $2b Chinese loan to fund budget

    Nigeria is seeking a $2billion loan from China to fund the 2016 budget.

    Finance Minister Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, according to sources, will travel to China next week to negotiate the loan to help fund the record budget spending, financial and government sources were yesterday quoted by News Agency Reuters.

    Sources said Nigeria has shelved plans to meet investors about returning to commercial borrowing on the Eurobond market.

    One Nigerian government official told Reuters that any loan agreed during Mrs Adeosun’s trip could be signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in Beijing next month.

    “The finance minister, in the company of the Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, is scheduled to be in China sometime next week to conclude negotiations on the $2 billion loan,” said the official, who asked not to be named.

    The official acknowledged negotiations had been underway for some time and that the terms had yet to be agreed. However, he added: “Hopefully it may be sorted out during this meeting and the loan will be signed during President Buhari’s visit to China next month.”

    The Central Bank could not confirm whether Emefiele would be joining Mrs Adeosun. No official of the Ministry of Finance contacted last night was willing to make any comment.

    Nigeria wants to raise about $5 billion abroad to cover part of its 2016 budget deficit. This is projected to hit N3 trillion ($15 billion) due to heavy infrastructure spending at a time when the slump in global oil prices has slashed export revenues.

    Buhari wants to turn around the economy by investing in power plants and transport.

    The president asked China last December to fund rail and power projects and Mrs Adeosun, who already visited Beijing last week, has raised the possibility of seeking a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China.

    Nigeria had wanted to raise $1 billion from Eurobond investors but has dropped plans to sound them out at a non-deal “road show” which the Finance ministry had tentatively planned for March, financial sources say.

    “They will wait a bit with a road show as they wouldn’t be able to get a good deal,” said one source familiar with the ministry’s plans.

    With world markets in turmoil, investors are wary of lending to anything but highly-rated rate emerging economies. Nigeria’s reluctance to devalue the naira, which has plunged on the black market, would further discourage investors, meaning the cost of commercial borrowing would be prohibitive.

    That puts pressure on Africa’s biggest economy and top oil producer to borrow more from other sources, such as China. Nigeria had up to now planned to raise around $4 billion at concessionary interest rates from sources such as the World Bank.

    While the government official foresaw a $2 billion China loan, a financial source put the amount at more than $1 billion. The Finance ministry could not be immediately reached for comments.

    Mrs Adeosun has said Abuja has held “explanatory talks” with the World Bank. It has also asked the African Development Bank for a $1 billion budget support loan.

    A World Bank loan would probably be tied to specific goals with strings attached. As well as infrastructure projects, Nigeria also wants loans to refinance existing debt, one financial source said – an idea that would be hard to sell to the World Bank or other development-focused lenders.

    The World Bank has confirmed talks have been held on “Development Policy Operation” funding, which typically aims to improve infrastructure and create jobs. The multilateral lender has been studying projects to fight poverty in the North.

    If talks with China or multilateral agencies fail, Nigeria would struggle to find willing commercial lenders.

    “It’s going to be difficult for issuers to come to market now unless they are at the high end of the credit quality spectrum,” said Zsolt Papp, client portfolio manager at JPMorgan Asset Management.

  • 21-day detention: Ex-NSA’s finance director seeks bail

    21-day detention: Ex-NSA’s finance director seeks bail

    The embattled former Director of Finance in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu, has asked the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to release him on bail after 21-day in detention.

    He said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has allegedly failed to accord recognition to his fundamental rights.

    In the application filed by his counsel, Mr. A.U. Mustapha, the suspect said he had been in detention since November 20.

    He said he was on his way to Zaria when he received a call from EFCC andhis respect for a lawfully constituted authority has turned into a nightmare.

    The suspect alleged that he had not  been  arraigned in court, leaving his arrest and detention to cause danger to his health.

    Mustapha said: “The defendant/applicant’s application for bail dated  December 7, 2015, was brought pursuant to Section 158(1) and 165(1) of the administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; Sections 35(10, 36(5) and 36(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution  (as amended).

    “The defendant/applicant herein prays that he be admitted to court bail pending trial of the charges preferred against him; and for such orders as the honourable court may deem fit to make it the circumstances.

    “The application is supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Daniel Igbang, a litigation officer in the law firm of A.U Mustapha & Co., the law firm handling the suit for defendant/applicant. We humbly rely on all the averments to support this application.”

    On issues of determination,  the lawyer said: “The only issue arising for the determination in this application is: whether the defendant/applicant is entitled to bail in the circumstances.”

    He added: “The criteria to be followed in taking a decision on an application for bail as laid down in the case of Eyu vs. the State (1988) 2 NWLR (pt. 78) at page 206 include the following: the nature of the charge; the strength of the evidence which supports the charge; the gravity of the punishment in the event of conviction; the previous criminal record of the accused, if any; the likelihood of the accused interfering with witnesses  and the likelihood of further charges being brought against the accused.

    “This decision has been followed in several other cases including the recent case of Dokubo-Asari vs. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2007) 12 NWLR (pt. 1048) at page 329, where the Supreme Court held as follows:

    “When it comes to the issue of whether to grant or refuse bail pending trial of an accused by the trial court, the law has set out some criteria which the trial court is to consider in the exercise of its judicial discretion to arrive at a decision.”

    “The courts have pronounced repeatedly that bail is a basic right of every citizen of this country, who is charged with a criminal offence by virtues of Section 35(1) of 1999 constitution.

    “The courts have also upheld the presumption of innocence until proven guilty as guaranteed by Section 36(5) so that accused persons could enjoy the liberty guaranteed by section 35(4) of the 1999 Constitution; and that the onus is on the prosecution to prove that the accused person is not entitled to bail.”

    No date has been fixed for hearing of the bail application.

  • LASTMA official’s widow seeks refuge in church

    LASTMA official’s widow seeks refuge in church

    Still in agony over her husband’s death, Rashidat, widow of the late Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, Segun Shenuga, has sought refuge in church.

    The distraught woman has been in church since her husband was killed on the Third Mainland Bridge last Tuesday by a motorcyclist.

    At their Ipakodo, Ikorodu, Lagos home yesterday, the expectant mother lamented her fate, wondering what will become of her and her children.

    “What else will I do? Who will ever think of losing a loved one?” she asked, saying, the last thing she and her husband discussed was how he was going to pay their first child’s Junior Secondary School Examination fees.

    She said: “When I received a call from his office and they said they wanted to speak with my father because we live together, then I knew something was wrong. I wasn’t allowed to see him but I was assured he was responding to treatment. It is not easy to accept this. He has been riding the power bike since he joined LASTMA and he has never faced such accident before. I am a fashion designer and I know it can’t take care of our children. He has been the one taking care of our needs from day one.”

    The Shenuga’s brother, Olatunde, said he saw him last about a week to his death. His wish was to complete his house in Ibeshe next year, Olatunde said, adding: “I wish my brother spoke before his death. I wish he talked. I know he would have said something his family would have benefited from. We didn’t see his official phone and he has some confidential information there. I am pained because we were real close.”

    The widow’s father, Mr Steven Olanipekun, said he missed his son-in-law because he was in charge of his thrift collecting business.

    Olanipekun said: “The day he left home, he greeted me and said he was ready for work and I prayed for him. When I got the news, I rushed to the hospital and he was placed on oxygen. We kept praying because he was more than a son to me and I couldn’t afford to lose him. He gave up at exactly 4.50am last Tuesday without saying a word.

    “His death has really affected me. Even his children cry everyday. All their responsibilities will be on me and I can’t do everything. May God forgive him and grant his wife and children help.”

    Olanipekun thanked LASTMA for standing by the family.

    The late Shenuga was buried at his Ibeshe home. He is survived by his aged mother, siblings, widow and children.

  • Employee compensation: Ngige seeks stiff sanction for defaulters

    Employee compensation: Ngige seeks stiff sanction for defaulters

    Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige has advocated stiff sanction for employers who defaulted in registering their employees under the Employee Compensation Scheme.

    Ngige, who lamented low level of compliance with the provisions of the law establishing the scheme, urged the Nigeria Social insurance Trust Fund to come up with stiff sanctions for such defaulters.

    Speaking at a meeting with management staff of the NSITF in his office, he said there was the need to review the law establishing the scheme to include more stringent penalties for employers who fail to register their employees.

    The minister said the compliance level by employers to the scheme was not encouraging, stressing that the Federal Government would no longer tolerate non-compliance with the provisions of the Act establishing the scheme. Ngige pointed out that he was yet to hear of prosecution of employers for non-compliance.

    He directed the management of the NSITF to brief the Nigeria Governors Forum about the benefits derivable from allowing their workers to participate in the scheme.

    He said it would be a more effective way to get the states to come on board.

    “We have no option, but to push the ECS to performance level. There is no doubt that the idea is a great one. We must, however, ensure that Nigerians feel the positive impact of this initiative. I think that the management has to engage the governors through the governors forum, so that we can explain the advantages of this scheme to governors.

    “I believe that stipend to be paid on employees’ salaries are small to the advantages that the scheme gives to workers, especially when they are injured in the course of work. I believe every governor would be happy to hear about the numerous advantages that their workers stand to benefit by joining the scheme,” Ngige said.

    He maintained that the operations of the fund could be enhanced through an inter-agency collaboration with agencies like the National Directorate for Employment (NDE), noting that such collaboration could provide  the fund with much needed data to expand its frontiers.

     

     

  • Buhari seeks senators’ cooperation on 2016 budget, poor roads 

    Buhari seeks senators’ cooperation on 2016 budget, poor roads 

    President Muhammadu Buhari last night urged senators to join the executive in fixing Nigeria’s poor roads and the railways.

    Besides, they are to ensure that Nigeria does not default on payment of projects’ counterpart funding.

    Buhari spoke at a dinner with senators at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    The dinner, which started at 8pm, was attended by All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    It was the first of such engagements between the President and the senators since the Senate was inaugurated on June 9.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki led senators to the dinner, which started with an open session but went into a closed-door.

    On payment of projects’ counterpart funding, the President urged Senators to go as far back as four or five years and see how Nigeria defaulted in settling counterpart funding on projects. He urged them to rectify the situation.

    He said Nigeria was enjoying tremendous goodwill globally and would like the senators to sustain this with their actions and support for his administration.

    Specifically, he urged the senators to give the 2016 budget the type of consideration given to the screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees.

    Said Buhari: “We are enjoying tremendous goodwill outside this country. Whatever we do, let us have it in mind that people have confidence in this government.”

    Noting that the previous administrations enjoyed income from oil as high as $140 per barrel, the President said the product was being sold for only $38 per barrel.

    He told his guests: “The roads are dead. Those who drive between Lagos and Ibadan will have a lot of stories to tell you. Those who drive from Kaduna to Jebba may have more stories to tell. The same thing is applicable to the East-West road.”

    He added that if Nigeria could get the railways working, lives and fuel would be saved.

    Saraki thanked the President for acknowledging the efforts senators put into the screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees.

    He promised that the Senate would treat other national issues with the importance they deserve.

    “Petrol does not know APC or PDP. We will always work hard in the interest of the country in everything we do,” Saraki said.

  • US seeks credible election

    The United States government is interested in the December 5 governorship poll, the Consul-General, Mr. John Bray, has said.

    Bray, who yesterday visited Governor Seriake Dickson to discuss issues bordering on the election, said he came to inform the governor of US plan to send an observer mission to monitor the poll.

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, quoted the consul-general as saying that he was also in the Government House to share ideas with Dickson on how to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

    He was accompanied by the Political and Economic Chief in the US Consulate in Lagos, Tom Hines and the Political Officer, Nick Austin.

    Bray assured Nigerians that the mission would work with the government and its agencies to ensure a smooth democratic process.

    He enjoined political leaders, parties and their candidates to play by the rules for an acceptable poll.

    Dickson assured the international community of his administration’s commitment to ensure a peaceful election.

    He said as part of his preparations for the poll, he was on a campaign and sensitisation tour of communities.

  • FRC seeks time to respond to KPMG’s suit

    FRC seeks time to respond to KPMG’s suit

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned a suit by KPMG Professional Services and a partner, Ayodele Othihiwa, against the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) till November 19.

    FRC’s lawyer Mr. Norrison Quakers (SAN) said his client needed time to respond.

    He said: “I’ve just been briefed. The processes were given to me yesterday (Tuesday). I observed that this court had made an interim order. I’ll need time to study the processes and file the requisite responses.”

    Counsel to the plaintiffs Mr. Babatunde Fagbohunlu (SAN), said he had no objection to the application for an adjournment.

    Justice Ibrahim Buba last Friday restrained FRC from imposing any sanction on KPMG until the firm’s suit was determined.

    He barred FRC’s Executive Secretary Mr. Jim Obazee from sanctioning Othihiwa.

    FRC, in an October 30 letter, conveyed its ‘regulatory decision’ to the applicants, following their role in the financial statements of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc for 2013 and 2014.

    The council said it had suspended Othihiwa “until the investigation as to the extent of the negligence of KPMG Professional Services is ascertained.”

    KPMG and Othihiwa said the FRC’s decision was published and issued without informing or notifying them of the nature of the allegations made against them, nor were they invited to respond to the allegations.

    They claimed the FRC’s decision not only violated their right to fair hearing, but flouted Section 62(2) of the FRC Act, which spelt out the procedure to be adopted in investigating a professional body for any ‘complaint or dishonest practice, negligence, professional misconduct or malpractice’.

    The section states that FRC “shall notify the professional, whose conduct, act or omission is under investigation of the nature of the complaint and it shall summon or hear the professional.”

  • Conduct Tribunal judge seeks extra security

    Conduct Tribunal judge seeks extra security

    The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mr. Danladi Umar, has written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, to beef up the security around him.

    The request was said to be sequel to the increasing number of sensitive cases involving politically exposed persons before the tribunal.

    It was learnt that the application of Umar may be referred to both the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for necessary action.

    More cases involving some former governors and ministers were being awaited in CCT at the time of filing this report.

    Investigation conducted by our correspondent indicated that the CCT judge sent a copy of the letter to the Department of State Security Service (DSS)

    It was gathered that Umar wrote the letter during the week as part of steps to overhaul his security apparatchik.

    Although it was not obvious that the life of the judge was under threat, it was gathered that his mobile lines had come under intense pressure, leading to call restrictions.

    The judge was also said to have restricted his movement to his office and home in order to stave off influence.

    A reliable source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “The CCT judge has asked for security beef up in CCT, Umar’s office, home and around his family.

    “The application has been submitted to the CJN for necessary contact with appropriate security agencies.

    “I think the letter was just a pre-emptive step to guarantee adequate security for the judge in view of the increasing number of sensitive matters at the tribunal.

    Responding to a question, the source said: “There is no threat to the tribunal so far, but Umar felt he needed more protection.”

    At press time, it was gathered that the DSS had been served a copy  of Umar’s letter.

    “Security agencies will debrief Umar on what he wants before taking action. What is certain is that there will be enhanced protection for him.

    “The state will not ignore the request from the CCT chairman.”

    Meanwhile, there were indications yesterday that more former governors and ministers will be arraigned before the CCT any moment from now.

    Although the actual number of those on trial list could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report, a reliable source confirmed that “a sizable number of former office holders who refused, padded or hid their assets will be arraigned soon.

    “The Code of Conduct Bureau has gone far in recommending these former office holders for trial and the signing of the necessary warrant is being awaited.

    “As soon as the warrant is signed, we will release the names of those affected. But we do not want to prejudice the ongoing process.”

    The constitution says: “Subject to the provision of this Constitution, every public officer shall within three months after the coming into force of this Code of Conduct or immediately after taking office and thereafter (a) at the end of every four years; and (b) at the end of his term of office, submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau a written declaration of all his properties, assets, and liabilities and those of his unmarried children under the age of eighteen years.

    “The Bureau shall have power to receive declaration by public officers made under paragraph 12 of part 1 of the Fifth Schedule to this Constitution.

    “Examine the declarations in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct or any law.

    “Retain custody of such declarations and make them available for inspection by any citizen of Nigeria on such terms and conditions as the National Assembly may prescribe.

    “Ensure compliance with and, where appropriate, enforce the provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law relating thereto.

    “Any statement in such declaration that is found to be false by any authority or person authorized in that behalf to verify it shall be deemed to be a breach of this Code.

    “Any property or assets acquired by a public officer after any declaration required under this Constitution and which is not fairly attributable to income, gift, or loan approved by this Code shall be deemed to have been acquired in breach of this Code unless the contrary is proved.”

    “Receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of the Provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law in relation thereto. Investigate the complaint and, where appropriate, refer such matters to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.”