Category: News

President Muhammadu Buhari

The Act for Positive Transformation Initiative, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has requested President Muhammadu Buhari to freeze the account of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and suspend all further spending in the commission.

Mr Johnson Kolawale, the Head, Directorate of Research, Strategy, and Programme, made the call at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.

He alleged that plans were ongoing to make fraudulent expenditures by top officials in the commission.

Also read: NDDC pays 197 stranded UK scholarship students N2.28bn

Kolawale revealed that the commission had continued to spend funds against due process and against the directive of the President.

According to him, the commission has squandered an additional nine billion Naira in the last one month.

“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly, and genuine security and anti-corruption agencies to immediately freeze the accounts of the commission and apprehend everyone involved in the continuous scandalous pillaging of the agency’s treasury.

“It gladdens the heart to note that some of the commission’s officials are already refunding part of their loot to government’s recovery coffers.

“The Presidency also pre-emptively disowned the commission’s management over the latter’s impunity in extra-budgetary spending yet ongoing.

“However, decisive steps must be taken urgently to end the audacious and unprecedented looting under a government that professes to be fighting corruption.

“After all, we all bear the consequences of the despicable actions of officials in government,” he said.

Kolawale said that in addition to the N1.5 billion already spent on members of staff of the commission as palliatives for COVID-19, another N340 million had been spent for the same reason.

He stressed the need for every member of staff or appointee to refund the monies collected to the commission’s account.

Kolawale said that a look at the nominal roll of the commission confirmed the alleged alarm on secret employment ongoing in the commission.

According to him, the management recently employed no fewer than 50 contract staff without following civil service rules and guidelines.

He said that some of the new intakes were alleged to be without the required skills or experience and were placed on assistant director cadre without competence tests or needs assessment.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the NDDC, Mr. Charles Odili, has denied the allegations saying that they are not true.

Odili further described the allegations as “a grand plan to inundate the public with a negative narrative”.

“The discerning public is already fatigued with this pattern of unending lies against the commission.

“The NDDC is not recruiting, we are not in the position to do that because the 2020 Budget for the commission has not been approved,” Odili said in a text message sent to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Vanguard News

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

By Soni Daniel

The Kano Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), has arraigned one Kolapo Oduwole before Justice Musa Danladi of the Katsina State High Court on a six -count charge of forgery and fraud in the sum of N80,000,000( Eighty Million Naira only).

Oduwole,  a staff of a bank (Name withheld),  allegedly forged signatures of Relationship Manager of the Bank on three fixed deposits certificates and presented same to some customers and subsequently got the customers to fix their money in fixed deposit accounts controlled only by him.

It was further alleged that, after the money was fixed, the defendant  transferred it  into various accounts to conduct his personal businesses.

READ ALSO: CAMA 2020 controversy must be resolved

One of the charges read that “ You Kolapo Oduwole on the 3rd March, 2020 at Katsina, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court forged a certain document to wit: Re: Investment of (N80,000,000) Eighty Million Naira Only with intent to cause damage to one Abubakar Mohammed by making him to believe that you had placed the money in a  fixed deposit with the bank and you thereby committed an offense contrary to section 340 and punishable under section 341 of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State 2019. The accused person pleaded not guilty to the six- count charge.

In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Aisha Tahar Habib requested the court for a trial date and that the defendant be remanded in the Commission’s custody as he is still under investigation.

Defence counsel, M.M Rimaye, did not object to the prosecution’s  application.

Justice Danladi adjourned the matter till October 12, 2020 for commencement of trial and remanded the accused person in EFCC’s custody.

Vanguard

By Joseph Erunke

TWO medical doctors, identified as Iyoha Joseph and Mukaila Oyewumi Oladipo, have been suspended from practice after being found guilty for the death of a patient in their care by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.

The medical practitioners were found guilty of negligence in the management of the 3-month-old late baby.

The tribunal, in a seven-count charge, averred that the doctors were negligent in the handling of baby Oluwole Johnson Peace, three-month-old, which resulted in her death.

They were blamed for failing to do all appropriate and reasonable for the treatment of the patient.

This was as Agu Osundu Chukwuka, who was also charged before the tribunal, was discharged and acquitted on a one-count charge of infamous conduct in professional respect with regards to the management of Mrs Sherifat Bola Shehu.

It said: “It is our view that the Respondent doctor did not act in a manner which falls short of the standard of a reasonably skilful medical practitioner. He is not deserving of any censure by the Tribunal.”

Also, Dr. Shehu Abdullahi Muhammed was cleared of all the five-count charge of negligence preferred against him in the management of one late Mrs Maijidda Aminu.

The Tribunal struck out the five-count charges and discharged him.

READ ALSO: Patients groan as resident doctors begin nationwide strike

The tribunal also declared Dr. Rasaq Akintunde Akindele, not guilty of the three-count charges against him in the management of one Mrs. Chidinma Gbenro.

Chairman of the Tribunal, Prof. Abba Waziri, noted that Dr Joseph, who was found guilty of three-count charge, did not exhibit reasonable diligence when he prescribed and caused to be administered on the three-month-old baby, oral chloroquine, fansidar and several other drugs, thereby exposing the baby to multiple anti-malarial when the baby had been placed on Artemether injection.

It further stated Dr. Oladipo, who was found guilty of two- count charges, even though he found the patient to be asphyxiated and in obvious respiratory distress, chose to busy himself with taking the patient’s history for more than 30 minutes rather than attend to the obvious emergency.

The Tribunal sentenced Dr. Mukaila Oyewumi Oladipo to three- month suspension while Dr. Iyoha Joseph was convicted and admonished.

The third doctor, Obafemi Kuye, who was charged with professional negligence for failing to take any detailed or adequate history of the patient’s condition and failure to review or attend to the patient throughout the period of admission, was discharged and acquitted.

According to the Tribunal: “He took salient and adequate history of the patient’s condition and made a note of them.

“The baby’s maternal history and post-delivery notes were all in the file. Dr. Obafemi Kuye should therefore be commended and not condemned for his competence and professionalism in this respect. He did no wrong. The Tribunal holds the considered view that he is not guilty on count 5.”

Vanguard News Nigeria

Bayelsa State government has solicited the partnership of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) towards establishing a maritime academy, enhancing security within its maritime domain and developing its deep seaport.

Governor Douye Diri, who disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit to the NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Bashir Yusuf Jamoh, in Lagos, said the state had re-opened the process of establishing the academy and recognised the agency as central to actualising the project.

The governor, in a statement by his Acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, noted that Nigeria’s real wealth and that of Bayelsa were in its maritime environment and that his administration was ready to tap into the resources to improve the state’s revenue profile.

Governor Diri stated that with the longest coastline in the country, Bayelsa was rich not only in oil and gas but very much so in maritime resources.

His words: “This is the beginning of an improved relationship between NIMASA and the people of Bayelsa State. We are both bound by a common denominator, which is water. Bayelsa is a wholly riverine state with all its local governments and their headquarters accessible by river and rivulets. Till date, there are three local government headquarters you can only access through water namely Brass, Southern Ijaw and Ekeremor.

“My visit is to further deepen the existing cordial relationship between our state and your agency. A huge part of Nigeria’s coastline is in our state. So we need to join hands together in order to strengthen the maritime domain of our country.

“Let me inform you that the Bayelsa State government is in the process of establishing a maritime academy. The process started before I assumed office and I’m prepared to continue with the process of having a maritime academy.

“I believe that the wealth of this country and that of Bayelsa is in our maritime domain. I therefore invite you to partner with the state government in the establishment of that academy.”

ALSO READ: Man axes mother of two for shrinking his manhood with mysterious powers

While calling on NIMASA to take advantage of the opportunities in Bayelsa’s maritime environment by establishing a befitting office in the state, he appealed for synergy with the agency in order to combat sea piracy, kidnapping or other criminal activities on the state’s waterways.

“Let me appreciate you for what you have done in terms of support for the Nigerian Navy Falcon Eye technology in securing the maritime environment of Nigeria. May I appeal that you extend that facility to our state. We have issues of kidnapping, piracy and other criminal activities within our waters. Our thinking is that if it is extended to our state, criminality would reduce,” he said.

The governor equally called on the agency to clear wrecks on the waterways in the state as they pose serious threat to vessels and result in accidents, especially at night.

On the building of a deep seaport at Agge, which was commenced by the immediate past administration, the governor said given the economic benefits of a seaport, a strategic partnership with NIMASA was necessary in order to bring it to fruition.

He commended the agency’s seafarer training programme through which the capacity of Niger Delta youths is being enhanced but however solicited the engagement of more youths from Bayelsa in such training because of their maritime environment and interest.

In his response, the NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said the agency recognised the importance and prominent position of Bayelsa in the country’s maritime industry.

Dr. Jamoh said the journey to convert Nigeria’s aquatic assets to revenue begins with the state because of its strategic place in the country’s maritime environment.

He expressed the agency’s readiness to commence building an office in the state as well as incorporate Bayelsa into theC4-i, which is a technology-based communications platform of the agency in synergy with the Navy, Police and the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Jamoh also promised that working within NIMASA’s mandate, the agency would roll out trainings aimed at engaging and improving the youths in the country, particularly those in Bayelsa and Delta states, through the national seafearers development programme.

VANGUARD

By Sebastine Obasi

Petroleum marketers, under the aegis of Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), have urged the Federal Government to take a further step towards full deregulation of the downstream sector to enhance economic growth and development of the nation.

While commending the government for consistently seeking ways to reposition the sector for effectiveness and profitability, DAPPMAN Chairman, Mrs. Winifred Akpani said DAPPMAN is in full support of the implementation of a fully deregulated regime which will make the downstream sector’s operations more seamless, enhance transparency, competitiveness and sustainable growth.

“DAPPMAN is mindful of the commitment of the government and the functional organs managing the sector to ensuring value to every Nigerian and we salute them for this as we are indeed up against uncertain times.

However, we believe that full deregulation of the sector remains the most viable option for Nigeria to effectively navigate this period and ultimately safeguard the future of our economy and wellbeing of 200 million Nigerians” she said.

READ ALSO: ASUU advises FG to review fuel pump price increase

Akpani explained that deregulation will open up the sector for new investments, market deepening, diversification, and expansion, culminating in stable demand and supply regimes which are critical to ensuring that consumers have uninterrupted access to affordable quality products without the huge financial burden currently borne by the government.

“DAPPMAN is aware of the considerations that have dogged the issue of deregulation over the years and we believe they are very important. However, we believe these considerations will be duly addressed with a deregulation regime that guarantees long-term benefits and empowers the government to commit savings made in the process to infrastructure development, job creation, agricultural revolution, education and health. This will spur growth of Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) as well as large corporates, that would increase Nigeria’s human capacity index, competitiveness and ultimately drive inflow of foreign investments,” she said.

Also speaking the Association’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Akpani who is the Managing Director of Northwest Petroleum and Gas Company Limited, said DAPPMAN had contributed towards the upgrade of medical facilities, distributed tens of thousands of masks and sanitizers; and made donations of relief items to hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries across the nation.

She said: “It has been a privilege for DAPPMAN to reach out to the vulnerable at this time through the Association’s intervention projects and the individual efforts of our members. We continue to urge the good people of Nigeria to stay safe by strictly observing all precautionary measures to stop the spread of the virus. We will certainly overcome the pandemic working together.”

The government had in March of this year, introduced a price modulation policy where international product prices and associated landing costs in Nigeria are used as input in the determination of final pricing to the local market by government through the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and disclosed periodically.

Vanguard

By Ozioruva Aliu

A middle-aged man identified as Okhehelem Onyenma Monday protested the purported rape of his six years old daughter (name withheld) in Edobor Street, Uwelu quarters alleging that the suspect, Destiny Obiyan lured his six years old daughter with rice and egg to defile her.

Oyenma who took his protest to the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin City said he became aware that all was not well with his daughter when he noticed that she was bleeding from her private part.

He said “He took my daughter through the backyard to his own house, bought her rice and egg. My daughter told me that after feeding her, he pulled her pants, put his fingers and after that, he inserted his penis.

“After that, my daughter started bleeding seriously. So, because of the curfew, the vigilance group assisted me and my wife to look for my daughter that night and not knowing that she was with Destiny Obiyan in his house.

READ ALSO: He lured me with N100, gagged me – Teenager raped by 67yr old man

“She told me that after he finished raping her, he asked her if she can find her way back home. We wanted her to take us to the house of the rapist that night but she said she can’t locate the house that night.

“So the following day, I asked her to take her mother to the rapist’s house while I went to the Textile Mill police station to lay up the complaint. So when myself and the police got to Obiyan’s house, we met him and his native doctor with his charms inside his palour.

“According to the native doctor, they have already gone to buy drugs for my daughter to stop her bleeding. On the floor were a handkerchief stained with her blood and some other charms were on the display on the floor.

“The police further arrested the boy and the native doctor. The rapist said he sent two persons, a boy and a young lady to buy the drugs and that they spent N2,000 for the drugs”, he said.

He said the test conducted on her, showed that she was defiled.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP, Chidi Nwanbuzor, said the matter was already in court.

Vanguard News Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari

….Say it shows magnitude of intelligence failure

By Chris Ochayi

Worried by the worsening security in the country, the Coalition of North Central Elders, CNCE, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure the country’s security architecture by sacking Service Chiefs with immediate effect.

The group, which attributed the scaling insecurity in Nigeria noted that sacking the Service Chief was the way of the wood in the wake of the unfolding fact that it’s the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, that was issuing security alert, first of such development in the history of Nigeria.

The National Chairman of the group, Usman Bida, and its National Secretary, Barr Moses Okudu, in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, expressed disappointment in the assurances and rhetoric of President Mohammadu Buhari to tackle the problem, which they said was no longer appealing.

The group noted that alert on the presence Boko Haram elements in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, by the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, was as a result of ‘intelligence failure’ on the part of security agencies.

According to group, “We join other well-meaning Nigerians to call on Mr. President to immediately restructure the current security architecture in the country with the sacking of the service chiefs as the first steps.

“Nigerians are tired of rhetorics and promises of the security situation getting better.

READ ALSO: Subsidy Removal: Past govts lacked courage to take action ―  Presidency

“We are saddened that there is no state in the North Central that is free from terrorists’ attacks or that has not had it own fair share of the mindless killing of innocent citizens one time or the other, a region that was the most peaceful in the entire North.

“When we were about to recover from the arrest of over 400 terrorists with dangerous weapons in Toto Local Government of Nasarawa by the military which was quite commendable, we are taken aback by the recent intelligence reports released by Nigerian Customs Service of the presence of Boko Haram elements in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and some local government areas in Nasarawa and Niger states. This is a complete failure of intelligence.

“As it stand today, the well-meaning citizens of North Central and Nigeria are frightened by this information.

“Some parts of Nasarawa, Niger and Kogi States are no-go areas because of the activities of these terrorists that kill, kidnap, and rob people at will as if we are in a Banana republic.

“In Niger State, people are killed on a daily basis, women are raped and children killed by this terrorist group.

“We voted for President Muhammed Buhari because of his vast experience in security and integrity and we expect the best from him.

“Mr President, we are with you and will always be, but we feel your continued retention of the service chiefs for the last five years running is totally against the wishes of Nigerian people given that it is causing a lot low morale and bad work zeal in the entire Armed Forces. We appeal that you act now.

“Mr. President, sir, four officers cannot be more experienced than thousands of the officers we have in the Armed Forces. It is on this note that we appeal to you to, as a matter of urgency and national importance, sack them from office.”

Vanguard

By Ozioruva Aliu

A middle-aged man identified as Okhehelem Onyenma Monday protested the purported rape of his six years old daughter (name withheld) in Edobor Street, Uwelu quarters alleging that the suspect, Destiny Obiyan lured his six years old daughter with rice and egg to defile her.

Oyenma who took his protest to the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin City said he became aware that all was not well with his daughter when he noticed that she was bleeding from her private part.

He said “He took my daughter through the backyard to his own house, bought her rice and egg. My daughter told me that after feeding her, he pulled her pants, put his fingers and after that, he inserted his penis.

“After that, my daughter started bleeding seriously. So, because of the curfew, the vigilance group assisted me and my wife to look for my daughter that night and not knowing that she was with Destiny Obiyan in his house.

READ ALSO: He lured me with N100, gagged me – Teenager raped by 67yr old man

“She told me that after he finished raping her, he asked her if she can find her way back home. We wanted her to take us to the house of the rapist that night but she said she can’t locate the house that night.

“So the following day, I asked her to take her mother to the rapist’s house while I went to the Textile Mill police station to lay up the complaint. So when myself and the police got to Obiyan’s house, we met him and his native doctor with his charms inside his palour.

“According to the native doctor, they have already gone to buy drugs for my daughter to stop her bleeding. On the floor were a handkerchief stained with her blood and some other charms were on the display on the floor.

“The police further arrested the boy and the native doctor. The rapist said he sent two persons, a boy and a young lady to buy the drugs and that they spent N2,000 for the drugs”, he said.

He said the test conducted on her, showed that she was defiled.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP, Chidi Nwanbuzor, said the matter was already in court.

Vanguard News Nigeria

Lai Mohammed

…begs Nigerians for understanding over withdrawal

….Uses N1.7 trillion on electricity tariffs shortfalls

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor (North) & Emma Ujah , Abuja Bureau Chief

The federal government, Monday, disclosed that the nation spent N10. 413 trillion on fuel subsidy in the last 13 years (2006-2019) and justified last week’s discontinuation with the practice, describing subsidy as unsustainable.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this at a briefing in Abuja, pleaded for the understanding and support of Nigerians over the action, which he said become inevitable due to falling demand for oil, Nigeria’s main income source.

Mohammed, who was flanked by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva and Minister of Power, Mamman Sale,  said that the hike in fuel price and electricity tariffs at the same time was a mere coincidence and not deliberately calculated to increase the pains of Nigerians or a demonstration of the current administration’s insensitivity the feelings of the masses.

The Information Minister said, “The cost of fuel subsidy is too high and unsustainable. From 2006 to 2019, fuel subsidy gulped N10.413trillion. That is an average of N743.8 billion per annum.

“Government can no longer afford to subsidize petrol prices, because of its many negative consequences. These include a return to the costly subsidy regime. With 60% less revenues today, we cannot afford the cost.

“The second danger is the potential return of fuel queues – which has, thankfully, become a thing of the past under this administration. The days in which Nigerians queue for hours and days just to buy petrol, often at very high prices, are gone for good. Of course, there is also no provision for fuel subsidy in the revised 2020 budget, because we just cannot afford it.”

According to the minister, the subsidy rose from N257 billion in 2006 to a peak of N2. 105 trillion in 2011, before falling to N595 billion in 2019.

READ ALSO: Fuel price hike: FG currently not financially able to pay subsidy – Sylva

He stressed that the decision to deregulate the fuel prices was taken in March when crude oil prices collapsed to about zero.

“The truth of the matter is that subsidizing fuel is no longer feasible, especially under the prevailing economic conditions in the country. The government can no longer afford fuel subsidy, as revenues and foreign exchange earnings have fallen by almost 60%, due to the downturn in the fortunes of the oil sector.

“Yet, the government has had to sustain expenditures, especially on salaries and capital projects. Even though we have acted to mitigate the effect of the economic slowdown by adopting an Economic Sustainability Plan, we have also had to take some difficult decisions to stop unsustainable practices that were weighing the economy down.

“One of such difficult decisions, which we took at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March – when oil prices collapsed at the height of the global lockdown – was the deregulation of the prices of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit otherwise called petrol).”

“In spite of the recent increase in the price of fuel to N162 per litre, petrol prices in Nigeria remain the lowest in the West/Central African sub-regions.

“Outside the sub-region, petrol sells for N211 per litre in Egypt and N168 per litre in Saudi Arabia. You can now see that even with the removal of subsidy, fuel price in Nigeria remains among the cheapest in Africa.

On the hike in electricity tariffs, the minister said that the government had spent about N1.7 trillion to supplement tariffs shortfalls.  He was, however, not specific in the terms of the period within which that money was spent.

He said, “The truth of the matter is that due to the problems with the largely-privatized electricity industry, the government has been supporting the industry. To keep the industry going, the government has so far spent almost 1.7 trillion Naira, especially by way of supplementing tariffs shortfalls.

“The government does not have the resources to continue along this path. To borrow just to subsidize generation and distribution, which are both privatized, will be grossly irresponsible.

“But in order to protect the large majority of Nigerians who cannot afford to pay cost-reflective tariffs from increases, the industry regulator, NERC, has approved that tariff adjustments had to be made but only on the basis of guaranteed improvement in service.

“Under this new arrangement, only customers with guaranteed minimum of 12 hours of electricity can have their tariffs adjusted. Those who get less than 12 hours supply will experience no increase. This is the largest group of customers.”

The minister said that the opposition and their allies had, “latched on to the issue of petrol pricing and electricity tariff review to throw the country into chaos,” and that Nigerians should renounce them.

Alh. Mohammed refused to respond to a question by a journalist who reminded him that those in the current government opposed former President Goodluck Jonathan when he wanted to remove the fuel subsidy in 2012 and whether or not they would appologise to Nigerians.

Vanguard

By Adesina Wahab

There was anxiety on Monday night about the health of Education Minister, Malam Adamu Adamu, as unconfirmed reports said he has been flown abroad for medical attention.

When contacted on the phone, the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, said he was driving and asked that our correspondent should call back in 30 minutes.

READ ALSO: Nigeria Health Sector Leaders holds meeting, chaired by Dr Betta Edu

Adamu, who inaugurated the Special Visitation Panel to the University of Lagos, UNILAG about two weeks ago has not been too visible in the public recently.

Vanguard News Nigeria

By Michael Eboh

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Monday, dismissed allegation that the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project was inflated to the tune of $1.527 billion, describing the accusation as false, baseless and unfounded.

In a statement in Abuja, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs of the NNPC, Dr. Kennie Obateru, stated that the NNPC was considering instituting legal actions against the purveyors of the false news.

He added that the NNPC had to take the unfounded accusation to the attention of the Bureau for Public Procurement, BPP, which completely rejected the speculative analysis of the online medium as false and not portraying the true position of the BPP’s report on the subject.

He said: “This is clearly a concocted analysis aimed at attacking the character of the Group Managing Director, GMD, of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, and the integrity of the BPP. Mallam Mele Kyari did not become the GMD until July 2019 and he is being mentioned in a process that took place in 2017 by the account of the publication.

“This is rather unfortunate and malicious, considering that a further cut of $300 million of the contract value was achieved under the Mele Kyari-led NNPC management leading to the recognition by the Federal Executive Council as an unprecedented action.”

Obateru explained that the BPP, following a detailed review and analysis of the procurement bid, confirmed that the unit costs for line pipes adopted by the NNPC for the project were reasonable when compared with current market prices for 40 inches, 36 inches, 20 inches and 14 inches steel pipes, adding that it was on that basis that BPP confirmed and granted certificate of no objection dated August 11, 2017.

READ ALSO: FG to spend N688bn on scanners at nation’s ports, entry points

He stated that the AKK project underwent a transparent and open competitive tender process that resulted in the emergence of the most competitive bidders, wondering how a competitive tender process could be inflated.

“Approval of all relevant authorities were obtained after an intense scrutiny by the various agencies. This is a deliberate attempt to mislead the Nigerian public with baseless information”, he added.

According to the NNPC spokesperson, the AKK pipeline project was one of the key landmark projects that have had transparent processes from inception to date, with the entire evaluation exercise carried out by NNPC and Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC.

He cited the various stringent due process reviews and scrutiny, internally and externally, which the AKK pipeline project was subjected to, to include: conduct of project bankability study, at project’s conception in 2013, undertaken by Standard Chartered Bank to confirm appetite for attracting financing from international community.

The other scrutiny include: “Execution of project feasibility and Front End Engineering Design, FEED, by a reputable international company, ILF of Germany, in 2014. The details developed at this phase had enough engineering design details to enable a competitive class of estimate to be submitted by the contractors.

“Advertisement of the project in both local and foreign print media in 2013. After completion of the FEED study by ILF in 2015, the prequalified bidders were issued tender documents. Competitive tendering and evaluation of the bids by both NNPC and transaction advisers, Alpine and also by a team from ICRC.

“Extensive review of the project design and the final cost in 2017 by the BPP, culminating in the issuance of a Certificate of No Objection in August 2017. Receipt of due process certificates for the project, including Original Business Case and Final Business Case from ICRC and Local Content Compliance Certificate from Nigerian Content Development and Management Board, NCDMB, before presenting to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, for approval in December 2017.

“Renegotiation of the contract when financing was not to be provided by the contractors following a stalemate due to the inability of the company awarded the contract to progress financing in 2019, leading to further cut of $300 million of the contract value under the Mele Kyari-led NNPC Management

“Formation of a Steering Committee in July 2020 by Mallam Mele Kyari comprising key project stakeholders as NNPC, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, the Central Bank, Debt Management Office, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and representative from the Presidency to ensure transparency in the implementation of the project.”

Obateru explained that after several failed attempts in the last 13 years to commence the AKK project activities, the leadership of Kyari, within one year of stewardship, brought the project on track, leading to the award of the contract at a competitive price and eventual flag off of construction that the world witnessed in June 2020.

He called on all well-meaning Nigerians to give the  Mele Kyari-led NNPC management the credit it deserves, even as it encouraged them to follow the execution of the project which was being undertaken in a transparent and aggressive manner in line with Transparency, Accountability, Performance Excellence agenda of the corporation.

Vanguard

By Peter Duru

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has stated that the federal government’s recasting of the macroeconomic projections and assumptions in the 2020-2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) was indicative of a worsening fiscal prospect for the country.

He observed that with the World Bank projection that the country’s economy would shrink by 4.4 percent along with substantial cuts in public revenues, the country was faced with a looming recession that could be the worst in the history of the country.

The Governor who made this known Monday while declaring open a town hall meeting for the preparation of the 2021 budget in Makurdi, lamented that the country was still grappling with the economic shocks of the global economic slowdown created by the oil supply crisis between Saudi Arabia and Russia and the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the realities of the time had forced the three tiers of government to readjust their revenue projections adding “we had to reduce our 2020 budget projections by 43 percent, from N190billion to N108billion.

“For our 2021 budget, we have to anticipate an even more disruptive impact on our projected revenues and expenditure and therefore proceed in the assumption that the budget cannot be any higher than what it is this year and indeed might be less.

READ ALSO: Recession will be short-lived — Finance minister

“We, therefore, need to adjust our expectations to this reality as a government and as a people.

“Let me reiterate that our vision for Benue State is that of an economically seIf-reliant federating unit of Nigeria. This vision is not a pipe dream. God has endowed us with the human and natural resources that we can harness towards achieving it. Lest the current challenges tempt us to despair and to lament our fortunes, we shall overcome our challenges.

“I want to restate our administration’s determination to institutionalise prudence, transparency and accountability in the management of public resources and to ensure that citizens are engaged in this process. It is in furtherance of this agenda that we have convened today’s meeting.”

Vanguard News Nigeria

By Dirisu Yakubu

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Monday flayed the Buhari Presidency for pushing Nigerians to the wall with “its arrogant display of insensitivity and total disregard to the demands by the citizens” to effect an immediate downward review in the pump price of fuel.

This is even as party described the attempt by the Buhari Presidency to justify the increase in the pump price of fuel from N87 per liter under the PDP to N160 as provocative,  confrontational and totally unacceptable to Nigerians.

In a statement issued by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP held the hike in the pump price of fuel “which has worsened the hardship being suffered by Nigerians under the Buhari administration, is in bad taste and should be rescinded immediately.”

The statement continued: “It is indeed an unpardonable slap on the sensibilities of Nigerians that after running a heavily corrupt oil trade and subsidy regime, through which over N14 trillion naira had been allegedly frittered by its officials, the Buhari administration seeks to put the burden of high costs on innocent and already impoverished citizens.

“The PDP totally rejects this attempt to hinge the increase in fuel price on presumed removal of oil subsidy when it has failed to account for the proceeds of oil sales in the last five years, even in the face of confession by the Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, in April this year, that the APC administration had been running an over-bloated and sleazy oil subsidy regime.

“Also the Buhari administration had failed to account for the confession by the NNPC that it was engaged in secret siphoning of oil money through a clamed subsidizing of fuel for certain West Africa countries.

READ ALSO: ASUU advises FG to review fuel pump price increase

“The PDP recalls that prior to his emergence as the President, Muhammadu Buhari (as he had declared fuel subsidy a fraud. Five years after, the government, which he heads, is watching over a subsidy regime that is brimming with corruption.

“Our party insists that Nigerians should not be made to bear the brunt of the huge corruption in the Buhari administration which has wrecked every aspect of our national economy.

“It is incredulous and shameful for this administration to predicate the reckless increase in the cost of fuel on a faulty comparison with costs in other countries of the world, whereas the daily standard of living, the purchasing power and living wage of the average Nigerian in the last five years cannot be compared with what obtains in those countries.

“Such comparison is therefore not only absurd but also completely illogical.”

It warned the ruling party not to mistake Nigerians’ patience for cowardice, saying “Our party had at the wake of this increase cautioned the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress, APC, not to misinterpret the patience and law-abiding nature of Nigerians as a sign of weakness on this issue.

“It is clear that the APC administration is completely anti-people as displayed in its refusal to heed to the cries of suffering Nigerians, who have rejected the fuel price increase, and there is no way history can be kind to any President who subjected Nigerians to the economic anguish and pains they have been suffering in the last five years,” it added.

Vanguard

National Arts Theatre

Mr Sunday Baba, the immediate past Acting General Manager of the National Arts Theatre, Lagos, says the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) did not take over the national monument.

Baba said that the CBN, through the Bankers’ Committee, would only renovate the theatre complex and hand it over to the Federal Government.

Baba spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on his experience as the Acting General Manager of the theatre.

He said that the clarification became necessary due to speculations that CBN had taken over the theatre.

He said that the intervention of CBN and Bankers’ Committee was approved by the Federal Government and aimed to upgrade dilapidated structures and facilities of the theatre complex and then hand over.

READ ALSO: FG to fund electricity agency with N152bn in 2021

“The edifice built in the 70s is wearing out and needs proper attention to meet standards; it requires a huge amount to execute the project.

“It was on that note that the Federal Government gave approval to the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee that have intervention funds to take responsibility for the renovation.

“They are to redevelop the entire complex and upgrade outdated facilities; it will last for 18 months.

“On completion, they will hand over the renovated complex to the Federal Government and National Theatre management,” he said.

He noted that the official handover to the CBN and Bankers’ Committee for the renovation was held in July.

“During the handover, the Minister


of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made it clear that no member of staff would lose his or her job.

“We need to make it clear once again and for better understanding that CBN is not taking over the National Theatre,” he told NAN.

He expressed optimism that the glory of the edifice would be restored and it would remain Nigeria’s pride while regaining its position as the primary centre for performing arts as it was in the late 70s and 80s.

NAN reports that the Federal Government on July 12, in the Theatre Complex, officially handed over the edifice to the CBN and Bankers’ Committee for renovation and redevelopment.

Baba has handed over to a substantive General Manager of the National Arts Theatre, Prof. Sunday Ododo, appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on Aug. 26. (NAN)

vanguardngr.com

By Dennis Agbo

FORMER Governor of old Anambra state, Senator Jim Nwobodo has asked Elder statesmen, Mbazuilike Amaechi to respect his age and keep quiet on his (Amaechi) consistent attack on him (Nwobodo).

Nwobodo and Amaechi have recently engaged themselves on war of words following Amaechi’s comment that the South East Governors were weak in their duties. But Nwobodo in defense of the governors stated that the governors were agile to their constitutional mandates, a statement that prompted Amaechi’s further attack on Nwobodo.

Responding to Amaechi’s personal attacks on him, Nwobodo, on Monday, said he would rather advise Amaechi as an elder statesman than respond to him and asked him to refrain from inciting Ndigbo against their governors. He however asked Amaechi to keep quiet and hold his peace.

Nwobodo said: “Mbazulike Amaechi said he doesn’t take me serious, and I was his elected governor for four years. He came to see me as his governor on several occasions for one favor or the other and when he looks around his town, he will see my legacies in Ukpor, yet he doesn’t take me serious? Something must have gone astray. I don’t believe he is the same person saying this.

“He had neither contested nor won an election before in his life, not even councillorship. He has not governed before in his life and don’t even know what governance is, so he should please keep quiet and hold his peace. He is talking about inconsistency; it is him who is inconsistent. On one hand he wants an alliance with the north and on other hand he wants the governors to fight the north and the Inspector General of Police, in order not to be seen as weak. Is that how the presidency of Igbo extraction would be achieved? Yet, Mbazuluike wants to be taken seriously?

“He wants an alliance with the north, to the exclusion of other parts of Nigeria, the south west, south-south and the middle belt. When I talked about a president from the south east, I meant a Nigerian president from the south east and not a south eastern president, in alliance with the north only. The president must be in alliance with the north east, north-west, north central, south west, south-south and south east.

“Mbazuluike said I was inconsistent because I brought Awolowo to re-unite with Zik in my House. Is Awolowo not one of the foremost Nigerian leaders? A highly respected leader, who governed the old western region, with legacies that contributed to what south west is today. Now Mbazulike Amaechi, is already dividing Nigeria by talking about Zik and Bello alone, forgetting that the leaders then were, Zik, Bello and Awolowo. This view is his alone and does not represent the views of the Igbo.

“Mbazulike seem to be ignorant of what happened in the second republic. I never contested for governorship nomination with Chief C. C. Onoh in NPN; it was Dr. Alex Ekwueme and Dr. Chuba Okadigbo who contested for governorship of old Anambra state with Onoh in NPN, and Onoh won. Chief Onoh contested the Larger Enugu Local Government election with my elder brother, John Nwobodo, under non-party basis, and my brother won.

“Mbazulike has never governed before; he does not understand what governance means, so he is not qualified to speak on governance. He is ignorant of how parties were formed, so he does not understand what happened and I can forgive him. He was meddling with Club 19 that was supposed to metamorphose into NPP.

READ ALSO: ADC to boycott Ondo LG rerun, seeks redress in court

“He could not achieve it and could not fund the party, until T O S Benson and Chief M.T Mbu invited me to take over the Club 19, I funded it with my personal resources and build it up into a political party; and that was how NPP was formed.

“He is now calling for a meeting of both APC and PDP leaders from the south east in his home town at Ukpor, where he would sit down in his bedroom and select an Igbo president for Nigerians. I don’t know how many Nigerian presidents were selected in one man’s bedroom; this is what he is working on. And this is the man who wants to be taken seriously.

“APC and PDP do not belong to the Igbo alone and are not the only parties in Nigeria. He claims he is going to start making contacts to achieve Igbo presidency, was that how Presidents Obasonjo, Ya’radua, Jonathan and Buhari became presidents? Yet he wants to be taken serious.

“I have respect for age, but Mbazuluike should please speak like an elder. I would not talk about this issue anymore and would not want to join issues with him. I have made my points and they are verifiable.”

Probably, angered by Amaechi’s attacks, Nwobodo went further to say: “I challenge Mbazulike Amaechi should tell Nigerians one thing he has done for them, one thing he has done to Ndi-Anambra, one thing he has done to Ndigbo and I will name one hundred things I have done for the Igbo. In all his life it has been I want to bring this side and the other side, yet none of them succeeded. How can one be failing all the time?

There is nothing he did that succeeded. It was the three Governors that he was insulting that brought Zik and Shagari, where I led the negotiating team, Paul Onogo and others and got what we got and that was what gave us our golden era. Mbazuluike was not in the show at all. He has never been in any show that succeeded.

“All those following Mbazuluike should be careful because he is now trying to derail our chance. You want President and you are talking about fighting? You don’t get presidency by fighting, by calling people names. He has never succeeded and that’s the man that wants to get President for Ndigbo.

Let him name one thing he has done for Ndigbo and I will name many thing I did for his village, Ukpor, in Anambra, in Enugu and in Ebonyi. He is just a rabble-rouser. A man at 90 years should not talk the way he talks.  He talking as if he is 30 or 40 but I respect age.”

Vanguard

By Egufe Yafugborhi

POLICE in Rivers state have said the irate youths who killed two Hausa settlers in Oyigbo town, Oyigbo Local Government Area, were not members of Indigenous People of Biafran (IPOB) as suspected by eyewitnesses.

A spokesman for Northern Community in Rivers, Alhaji Musa Saidu, had alleged that two traders were killed and two others wounded when irate youths suspected to be members of (IPOB) attacked Hausa settlement in the area.

According to him, “The suspected IPOB members armed with dangerous weapons attacked an area populated by Hausa indigenes on Saturday and again on Sunday, killing two petty traders while two persons sustained serious injuries.”

He said the attackers never declared the motive for the attacks, however, but contended that it might not be unconnected with previous threats issued to Hausa community in Rivers by suspected IPOB members, urging Police to fish out the killers.

READ ALSO: ENUGU ATTACK: Unarmed people killed under South-East govs’ watch— IPOB

Police Public Relations Officer, Rivers Command, SP Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the development, however, discountenanced the pointer to IPOB as being responsible for the attacks.

Omoni said” We are very much aware of that incident. The only difference with the storyline we have is the labelling of the group as IPOB. That is what we are not in terms with.

“Investigation has been ordered in a bid to unravel identities of those that carried out the act. So for now labelling them IPOB is out of place. In the first place, there is nothing like IPOB.

“IPOB has been proscribed so nobody can operate under the guise of IPOB. IPOB in law is non-existent. What we are saying is that it has no legal backing.”

Vanguard News Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Dirisu Yakubu

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Monday flayed the Buhari Presidency for pushing Nigerians to the wall with “its arrogant display of insensitivity and total disregard to the demands by the citizens” to effect an immediate downward review in the pump price of fuel.

This is even as party described the attempt by the Buhari Presidency to justify the increase in the pump price of fuel from N87 per litre under the PDP to N160 as provocative, confrontational and totally unacceptable to Nigerians.

In a statement issued by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP held the hike in the pump price of fuel “which has worsened the hardship being suffered by Nigerians under the Buhari administration, is in bad taste and should be rescinded immediately.”

The statement continued: “It is indeed an unpardonable slap on the sensibilities of Nigerians that after running a heavily corrupt oil trade and subsidy regime, through which over N14 trillion naira had been allegedly frittered by its officials, the Buhari administration seeks to put the burden of high costs on innocent and already impoverished citizens.

“The PDP totally rejects this attempt to hinge the increase in fuel price on presumed removal of oil subsidy when it has failed to account for the proceeds of oil sales in the last five years, even in the face of confession by the Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, in April this year, that the APC administration had been running an over-bloated and sleazy oil subsidy regime.

“Also the Buhari administration had failed to account for the confession by the NNPC that it was engaged in secret siphoning of oil money through a claimed subsidizing of fuel for certain West Africa countries.

READ ALSO: ASUU advises FG to review fuel pump price increase

“The PDP recalls that prior to his emergence as the President, Muhammadu Buhari (as he had declared fuel subsidy fraud. Five years after, the government, which he heads, is watching over a subsidy regime that is brimming with corruption.

“Our party insists that Nigerians should not be made to bear the brunt of the huge corruption in the Buhari administration which has wrecked every aspect of our national economy.

“It is incredulous and shameful for this administration to predicate the reckless increase in the cost of fuel on a faulty comparison with costs in other countries of the world, whereas the daily standard of living, the purchasing power and a living wage of the average Nigerian in the last five years cannot be compared with what obtains in those countries.

“Such comparison is therefore not only absurd but also completely illogical.”

It warned the ruling party not to mistake Nigerians’ patience for cowardice, saying “Our party had at the wake of this increase cautioned the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress, APC, not to misinterpret the patience and law-abiding nature of Nigerians as a sign of weakness on this issue.

“It is clear that the APC administration is completely anti-people as displayed in its refusal to heed to the cries of suffering Nigerians, who have rejected the fuel price increase, and there is no way history can be kind to any President who subjected Nigerians to the economic anguish and pains they have been suffering in the last five years,” it added.

Vanguard News Nigeria

By Evelyn Usman, Lagos

Emotions ran high on Monday, after a 12 year-old girl who went to spend the just celebrated Sallah with her blind grandfather, narrated how she was raped four times by a 67-year-old man in Ejigbo area of Lagos.

The victim in tears, alleged that the suspect, James Olajoyetan, usually beat and gagged her , to prevent her from alerting neigbours , whenever he was raping her. She further alleged that  the victim had carnal knowledge of her right in front of her blind grandfather, on one of the occasions.

ALSO READ: Suspected car thief kills pregnant woman, okada rider in Delta

According to the Primary six pupil, “ I went to spend Ileya with my grandparents on Apena street and decided to stay with them pending when school will resume. The first time baba (suspect) came, he met me in my grandfather’s apartment.

He usually came to spend time with him. On that day, he laid me on the ground of the one-room apartment, pulled my pants and when I wanted to shout, he slapped me and closed my mouth with his hand. He did it two more times.

The fourth time, he called me to run an errand for him.  I stood outside  waiting to be told what to buy.  He told me to come inside to collect the money. When I did, he shut the door, pulled off my pants, laid me on the bed, pulled off his trouser, brought out his manhood and  laid on me.

“While he was doing it I was shouting because of the pain. He hit me severally and covered my mouth”.

A neighbour said to be returning from a journey, was alerted by the girl’s cry. Out of curiosity, he peeped through the  suspect’s window, forced the door open, to catch Olajoyetan in the act. He raised the alarm that alerted residents who rushed to the apartment and handed the suspect to the Police at Ejigbo division.

ALSO READ: NDLEA arrest 300 persons, seized 400 grams of illicit Drugs

During interrogation, the suspect claimed he was under a spell. He said “ I had a disagreement with a Pastor with Christ Apostlic Church, Kajola. He accused me of being instrumental to his leaving the church. Six months ago, he boasted that he would place a spiritual load on my head and ensure I was publicly disgraced.

“Since then, I didn’t know what came over me. They claimed I raped the girl four times, but it was only once.  My wife died in 2005. I have six children, the first is 35 years while the last is 17 years. I am still shocked that I could lay with a child that is much younger than my last child.

“When she came in, I gave her N100 and she hugged me. At that point, I lost my sense of judgement”.

As at time of writing this report, Vanguard gathered that the suspect was being taken to the Area ‘D’ command, Mushin.

Vanguard

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

The Federal Government and representatives of Bayelsa State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) over the upgrading of the Sports Academy at Asoama, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state.

The Bayelsa Sports Academy was established by Chief Timipre Sylva when he was governor of the state as a premier institute of sports for the training of young talents.

The institution, which is presently at a temporary site was turned to a model secondary school of learning by the immediate past administration of Hon Seriake Dickson with a focus on formal education and sports training.

ALSO READ: Fuel, electricity hike’ll increase Nigerians’ hardship — SSANU

The State Commissioner for Sports and Youths Development, Hon. Daniel Igali, while on a tour of the Institute, announced that the Memorandum of Understanding (MUO) with the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports is expected to address the issues of upgrading of the facilities and structures in the academy.

Igali, who met with coaches, teachers, and principal of the academy, Mr. Dickson Akpatako said though there are challenges of poor building facilities, shortage of teachers and truancy, poor sports facilities, and shortage of coaches, “this is a temporary facility. When we have everything completed, the academy will take shape.

“My visit to the institution showed that buildings need to renovation, more teachers and coaches not enough.

ALSO READ: Nwuche denies alleged involvement in money laundering, demands apology

“We have an MOU with the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports because our goal is to make the institution accessible to young pupils from other states of the country.

“We are hoping that the expected upgrade will reshape the Institution for excellence.”

Igali, who is also an Olympic champion, assured the management of the Sports Academy of the state government’s commitment to upgrading the institute with more training facilities in boxing, football, wrestling, and Judo.

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Gentle Emelah, who was on the assessment tour of the institution warned against acts of truancy by the teachers deployed to the sports academy.

Vanguard

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

The Federal Government, appealed to the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, to suspend its ongoing industrial action, as the government has already addressed six out of the eight demands listed by the Association.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, stated this in his office in Abuja.

Senator Ngige asked NARD to respect the country’s laws and suspend its industrial action, reminding it that “by Labour Laws and ILO Conventions, when issues are being conciliated, all parties are enjoined not to employ arm-twisting methods to intimidate or foist a state of helplessness on the other party; in this case, your employers, the Federal Ministry of Health.”

ALSO READ: ASUU advises FG to review fuel pump price increase

In a statement signed by Charles Akpan, Deputy Director/Head, Press and Public Relations, the Minister said with such a high percentage of the Association’s demands already addressed, coupled with the existence of a pending case in the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, instituted by two Civil Society groups against NARD, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Ministers of Health, and Labour and Employment, NARD had no reason to embark on industrial action.

He stated that the groups, Citizens Advocacy for Social Rights (CASER) and Association of Women in Trading and Agriculture (AWITA), had asked for an interlocutory injunction against further strike actions by NARD, adding that all parties had already appeared and exchanged court processes.

The Minister noted that in spite of lean resources occasioned by the effect of COVID-19 on oil output, the Federal Government has already spent N20 billion on the Special Hazard and Inducement Allowances for Medical and Health Workers for April, May and June 2020, with a few outstanding payments to some health workers for June 2020.

ALSO READ: Suspected car thief kills pregnant woman, okada rider in Delta

Ngige also stated that the Federal Government has expended N9.3billion as premium for Group Life Insurance for Medical and Health workers, as well as for all Civil and Public servants in Federal organisations that are Treasury funded, to run from March 2020 to March 2021.

The Minister also disclosed that the Federal Government appropriated the sum of N4 billion in the Special Intervention COVID-19 N500 billion 2020 Appropriation for funding of Medical Residency Training and intended to do same in the ongoing 2021 Budget. He further stated that N4 billion has been processed for payment.

Ngige pointed out that the matter between NARD and the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital has been resolved, while the resolution of the issue of State Governments not addressing the consequential adjustment to the new minimum wage, and low patronage of Residency programme were ongoing.

The Minister has therefore reconvened the ongoing conciliation meeting between NARD and Federal Ministries of Health, and Finance, Budget and National Planning to be held on Wednesday at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Vanguard