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Buhari commends former UN President, Muhammad- Bande says he has made Nigeria proud

Lukman ABOLADE
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Buhari commends former UN President, Muhammad- Bande says he has made Nigeria proud

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has commended Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the President of the 74th Session of the United Nations General (UNGA74) 2019-2020 and Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations on the expiration of his tenure.

“Your performance in the last one year as President of the General Assembly has made Nigeria exceptionally proud and I wish to pay glowing tributes to you for your huge achievements as Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (UN), Buhari said.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity disclosed this in a statement noting that Buhari described the former UNGA president’s tenure in the United Nations as a “triumphant,” administration.

Shehu quoted Buhari as saying that as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative, Muhammad-Bande ‘played a cardinal role by giving impetus to a number of UN global initiatives, one of which was advancing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly in poverty eradication, zero hunger, and quality education’.

According to the President, the former UNGA president was relentless in pursuing his agenda for the UN despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In spite of all the challenges that pre-existed your tenure in office and those posed by the COVID-19 global pandemic, marking the most trying time in the history of the UN you were relentless in pursuing the agenda you set out as President of the General Assembly (PGA) and remained committed to the ideals of the UN. You have acquitted yourself quite admirably,” Buhari stated.

The Nigerian President further stated that Muhammad Bande’s achievement was in multilateralism as he wished him success in all his future endeavours.

Lack of draft, dredging-real reasons Calabar, Warri ports are not functional

Vincent Ufuoma
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Lack of draft, dredging-real reasons Calabar, Warri ports are not functional

AKIN Ricketts, Chairman of the board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says lack of draft and lack of dredging of rivers in both Calabar and Warri are the reasons why those ports are not being put to use.

Ricketts gave some of these reasons behind the dormant nature of the ports in some parts of the country in a recent interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

“I will dwell on some challenges in some of the other ports. In Cross River State, for instance, the draft of the Calabar port can barely take a modern-day ship. The Calabar channel has not been dredged for a while now and vessels these days need drafts above 10 metres and you cannot find that around that corridor,” he explained.

“I think the port needs to be revamped and the channels dredged.”

He stated that “The same goes for the Warri port as well,” noting that “some of these ports will need to have channel management companies to properly manage the channels.”

Dismissing the insinuations that the over-concentration of port activities in Lagos alone has a political undertone, Ricketts said efforts are being made to decongest the Lagos port by redirecting some of the country’s port activities to the eastern and southern parts of the nation.

“Recall that the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State, as well as the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, went on a tour after which it was decided that there will be a stop to the barging activities in the ports because it was detrimental to the internal roads which are not meant to be traversed by heavily laden vehicles,” he said.

“It was on that basis that I said some of these vessels should be encouraged to berth in the eastern ports and apart from boosting the economies of those areas, it will reduce the pressure on our roads. It will also give those in the eastern corridors a sense of belonging.”

He stated further that “The blue economy (marine economy) is so vast that nothing can affect the economy of Lagos, adding that “if the eastern corridors are utilised, it will allow Lagos to breathe, plan well and deliver the necessary infrastructure that are built to standards for better service delivery.”

Though the dredging of the Calabar port is not captured in this year’s budget of his department, Ricketts said he is working to see that the underlying issues surrounding the port and that of Warri are put to rest.

“The management is doing all within its powers to resolve that matter. You will agree with me that that was long before I came in. In the current budget, the dredging of the Calabar port is not captured and I think we must look into that again.

“I think this is about infrastructural developments that will increase the revenue of the nation and change the narratives in the areas of operation. An operational Calabar port will also boost the economy of Cross River and all other beneficiary states along that corridor. The people of the state will appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari if the channel is dredged and it will be part of their democratic dividend. I believe it will get the desired attention in due time.

“As I said, no mention was made of Calabar port in the current budget. Maybe because of what may have transpired before, but we are working towards regenerating the port. The same situation goes for the Warri port too where we need to overcome some technical issues. I am of the firm view that the eastern ports will bounce back very soon,” he said.

Angry Nigerians express disappointment over NLC, TUC agreement to suspend nationwide protest

Lukman ABOLADE
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Angry Nigerians express disappointment over NLC, TUC agreement to suspend nationwide protest

NIGERIANS have reacted to the suspension of the proposed protest and strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) against the increase in the pump price of petrol and electricity tariffs by the Federal Government.

The leaders of the two labour centres after a marathon meeting with representatives of the Federal Government early hours on Monday announced that they have suspended the protest and strike after reaching an agreement with the Federal Government.

.Many who had anticipated that the planned protest would kick off Monday morning across the country were depressed by the news of the suspension by the labour bodies.

Unable to hold their emotions, many took to Twitter to slam the NLC while some state branches of the NLC protested the Federal Government-NLC overnight agreement.

Otiti Ode, a Twitter user said he had never believed in the NLC because the labour leaders do not favour Nigerians.

“I said it yesterday, labour doesn’t favour any person in Nigeria. How sure are we that electricity tariff has been reduced and is it only electricity hike that they are fighting for? Soon you will hear that the labour leader is contesting for governor,” he wrote on Monday morning.

Ebuka Ngama also took the same position saying “Who was even thinking the strike will hold. This NLC is part of the government. Expect nothing from them”.

“Labour, Humanitarian scam ministry, Lawmakers, Executive arm, legislative arm… A total disaster. This country just has to accept its fate and disengage. We’re only creating more problem for the future,” said Paulyson Prays on the suspension of the strike.

A Nigerian who identifies as Oracle Father posited that the NLC had only used the strike warnings to benefit themselves financially.

He said ‘the NLC leadership has just used the opportunity to cash out from the FG. If we all depend on NLC to foster our concerns then, we are in for a shocker. They are a bunch of corrupt thieves’.

Another Nigerian who faulted the decision of the labour leaders to suspend the strike, said the NLC had listed eight reasons for the protest and strike but only got tariffs reduction out of the eight.

“This is a list of why NLC intended to embark on Nation wide strike, but they only accomplish a reduction in electricity Tarrif,… this is the reason I will always love oshiomole NLC leader then….” wrote the Twitter user by the name Insurance Advisor.

2020 FOI Rankings: Bureau of Public Service Reforms emerges winner as NIPC, NEPC trail behind

Lukman ABOLADE
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2020 FOI Rankings: Bureau of Public Service Reforms emerges winner as NIPC, NEPC trail behind

THE Bureau of Public Service Reforms has emerged winner of the 2020 edition of the Freedom of Information Compliance (FOI) ranking while the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) came second and third respectively.

The 2020 FOIA ranking held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Auditorium in the Federal Ministry of Justice on Monday,  was organised by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations consisting of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Public Private Development Centre (PPDC), Basic Rights Watch (BRW), Right to Know (R2K), Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and BudgIT.

Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC), the 2019 winner of the ranking slipped to 29th position while the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) which came second last year dropped to 79th position.

Ajibola Amzat, the ICIR Editor, during his opening remark stated the parameters deployed for the 2020 ranking to include proactive disclosure, timeliness of response, level of disclosure, the existence of FOIA desk officer, Training for FOIA desk officers in MDAs, and submission of annual report and publishing on their website.

Amzat noted that out of 213 MDAs that were contacted, only about 30 per cent of them responded to the FOIA letter addressed to them.

“The reason why we are doing this is that we want our government to be more open and transparent, we want the Nigerian government to be more open than it is and all of us if you will agree with me will know that in an open society it is beneficial to all of us, both the leaders and the led,” he said.

“We are doing this because we want our government to be more open and transparent which is very important for our democracy.”

The ICIR Editor noted that “if everyone of us is carried along about the affair of our nation then it means we are all part of the system and it gives everybody a sense of belonging.”

“It is our hope that the culture of accountability and transparency will find acceptance in all Nigerian public institutions,” Amzat added.

Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation represented by Abiodun Aikomo, the Special Assistant to the President on Financial Crimes while delivering his keynote address noted the importance of the FOI Act to the governance of the country.

“Due to global evolving critical health situation, it has become very clear that the world is facing an unprecedented challenge and the duty to hold duty bearers accountable cannot be overemphasized,” Malami said.

He added that in line with the FOIA, the government institutions in Nigeria would ensure that citizens are kept informed when critical decisions are made to ensure compliance with the provisions of FOI that bestowed oversight function on the AGF.

“Several steps have been taken by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation since 2011, we have taken several steps over the years to encourage public institutions to promote the act, the ministry identified as a priority the need to build the capacity of desk officers across public institutions according to the provision of the act,” he further stated.

He stated that due to the country’s old culture where public information that ordinarily should be made public was treated with utmost secrecy the law is still undergoing growth in implementation.

“As Amzat rightly stated that letters were sent to 213 government agencies, 89 public institutions submitted their 2019 annual compliance report. We are reporting progress that is to show that we are still holding around 30 or 31 percent of MDAs,” Malami stated.

“We are not there yet but it shows that we are making progress. We are still engaging with relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance.”

“Laws do not self-implement but when you have a societal development that is still growing, certain people must put the government at check to ensure compliance, what you are doing is extremely commendable as it keeps the government on their toes.”

Cornelius Nnaji, Chairman, House Committee on Freedom of Information Reforms of Government Institutions who was also present at the occasion said it was sad that after nine years of existence of the Act, many public institutions are still unaware of it.

“I wish to remind MDAs that Section 29(1) of the Act which states important that on or before February 1st of each year, each public institutions shall submit to the Attorney General of the Federation a report which shall cover the preceding fiscal year this equally implies that in the case of NIL submission recorded, each Agency is bound by this section to report the same to the AGF,” Nnaji said.

“Sadly, we have discovered that most government institutions are not aware of this Act even after nine (9) years of its enactment. This calls for intensive and impactful broad-based publicity by key stakeholders on the existence and merits of the Act using the mass media.”

He added that the committee is working on employing legislative tools to ensure ‘needed amendments for proper implementation of the Act.

“I want to assure you that as a Committee and partners in progress we shall use the legislative instruments to effect the needed amendment to the Act in order to actualise the effective implementation of its provisions,” he noted.

He stated that the organisers should not hesitate to report any ministry of the government that fails to comply with the FOI Act.

However, the House of Representatives ranked 155th in compliance with the FOIA compliance, recording zero scores in responsiveness and level of disclosure.

Court orders Elisha Abbo, senator who assaulted woman in adult toy shop to pay N50m damages

Seun DUROJAIYE
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Court orders Elisha Abbo, senator who assaulted woman in adult toy shop to pay N50m damages

THE Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered Elisha Abbo, a senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District in the National Assembly to pay N50 million to Osimibibra Warmate, a lady he assaulted at an adult toy shop in May 2019. 

The judgment was delivered by Justice Samira Bature in the case file with reference number – Suit No. FCT/CV/2393/19 – Osimibibra Warmate v Senator Elisha Abbo. Justice Bature also ordered him to tender a public apology.

Following the public outcry that greeted the video, the police arraigned Abbo before a magistrate court in Zuba, on a one-count charge for assaulting Warmate at a sex-toy shop in Abuja.

Despite video evidence of the incident, Abdullahi Ilelah, the magistrate, upheld the no-case submission filed by the lawmaker and dismissed the case.

Determined to get justice, Warmate headed for the FCT High Court to file a fundamental rights suit.

A Twitter user, Lugard Tare-Otu who claimed to be one of the lawyers that filed the case on behalf of the woman assaulted by Abbo expressed satisfaction about the judgement.

“I was a leading member of the team, with@nellymacaroni which filed the Court papers in a civil suit between Ms. Warmate v. Senator Elisha Abbo, for the assault of Ms. Warmate at an adult shop in Abuja. Excited to announce, Court slammed damages of N50m against Senator Abbo today,” he wrote on Twitter.

Another Twitter user under the name Nelson Macaroni who said he was part of the case a lawyer also expressed joy.

“Remember that video of a Nigerian Senator slapping/assaulting a young lady at a shop? Well justice was served today with the Court slamming the sum of N50M against the Senator. I am delighted to have represented that young lady in this suit. We say no more to oppression!”

In July 2019, Premium Times published a security camera footage that showed the lawmaker repeatedly slapping Warmate at an adult toy store in Abuja.

The 41-year-old Abbo at the time, according to the video clip that went viral on the social media seeing physically assaulting a woman after she pleaded with him not to abuse the shopowner whom the senator had earlier accused of insulting him.

Abbo, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thereafter called a policeman to arrest the shopowner. While the senator was beating up the woman who had pleaded with him to calm down, the police officer made no attempt to stop him. Rather, he attempted to arrest the victim.

The event was said to have occurred on May 11 — nearly three months after Abbo became a senator-elect and a month before he was sworn-in on June 11.

Following the assault, Nigerians on social media clamoured for justice to be served.

Ahmed Lawan, the Senate President, also set up a committee to investigate the incident while the Inspector-General of Police also ordered the arrest of the senator.

Abbo, however, following public pressure tendered an apology describing himself as an ‘ambassador of Christ’, adding that he had learnt his lessons and would be of good conduct from now on.

“It is with a deep sense of remorse and responsibility that I, Senator Ishaku Abbo (SIA) profoundly apologize to all Nigerians, the Senate, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), my family, friends as well as our mothers – the Nigerian women,” his apology read.

“I personally apologize to Bibra and her family for my action towards her, which has brought immense discomfort in our body polity.

“I have never been known or associated with such actions in the past. Regardless of what transpired prior to my expression of anger, I am sincerely sorry and plead that all men and women of good conscience should have the heart to forgive me. To err is human, to forgive is divine.”

Despite his apology, Nigerians pressed on and continued to call for Abbo’s recall, arrest, and prosecution.

It could be recalled that the ad-hoc committee set up by the Senate to investigate the allegation of physical assault against the lawmaker had said that it was restrained and couldn’t pursue it until the court passed judgment on the case.

On Tuesday, July 9, the lawmaker attended a sitting of the Senate ad-hoc committee where he refused to be questioned in the presence of journalists, with the explanation that the matter was in court.

PPPRA, NNPC to be scrapped as Buhari sends PIB to National Assembly

Seun DUROJAIYE
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PPPRA, NNPC to be scrapped as Buhari sends PIB to National Assembly

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has sent the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which is believed would reform the oil and gas sector to the National Assembly for consideration.

According to The Punch, the bill proposes the scrapping of the National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).

In place of the NNPC, the bill also proposes the creation of the NNPC Limited, which will be incorporated by the Minister of Petroleum, who alongside the Minister of Finance will determine  NNPC’s assets and liabilities that will be inherited by the new firm.

“The Minister (of Petroleum) and the Minister of Finance shall determine the assets, interests, and liabilities of NNPC to be transferred to NNPC Limited or its subsidiaries and upon the identification, the minister shall cause such assets, interests, and liabilities to be transferred to NNPC Limited,” the bill reads in part.

“Assets, interests, and liabilities of NNPC not transferred to NNPC Limited or its subsidiary under subsection 1 of this section shall remain the assets, interests, and liabilities of NNPC until they become extinguished or transferred to the government.”

It stated that “NNPC shall cease to exist after its remaining assets, interests and liabilities other than its interests, assets, and liabilities transferred to NNPC Limited or its subsidiaries under subsection 1 of this section shall have been extinguished or transferred to the government.”

The bill also seeks to establish the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission and the Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

It also recommends the creation of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority known as ‘The Authority’.

“There is established the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (the Authority) which is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal,” reads Section 29 of the bill in part.

“The Authority shall be responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of midstream and downstream petroleum operations in the petroleum industry.”

Efforts to redirect and upscale the country’s oil sector has been a long battle. The bill to reform the sector has always met a bottleneck and ended in futility.

In 2017, in an attempt to pass the PIB into law, the eight National Assembly under the leadership of Bukola Saraki, split the bill into four parts and successfully passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), but Buhari rejected it in 2018, stating that the bill sought to water down his powers as petroleum minister.

Pipeline explosion exposes NNPC criminal negligence after BBC Eye investigation says CAPPA

Amos ABBA
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Pipeline explosion exposes NNPC criminal negligence after BBC Eye investigation says CAPPA

THE Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Nigeria’s environment advocacy group says reason given by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as the cause of the Abule Ado blast investigated by BBC Africa Eye was questionable.

The group stated that the increased spate of pipeline breaches and gas explosions across the country, including the gas explosion in Iju-Ishaga on September 24, called for the introduction of adequate and stringent regulations on the storage of petroleum products in the country.

Philip Jakpor, CAPPA, Director of Programmes, in a statement, said the NNPC claimed that the explosion was caused by a truck that hit an assemblage of gas cylinders near one of its petroleum pipelines was contradicted by the BBC Africa Eye investigation.

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Jakpor noted that based on forensic investigations and the analysis of specialists, the gas cylinders found at the site had nothing to do with the incident.

Akinbode Oluwafemi, CAPPA Executive Director, said the investigation exposed the crime of negligence by the NNPC which made them culpable in the death of affected Nigerians.

“BBC Africa Eye has exposed a case of criminal negligence against  NNPC officials who allowed a truck to be on the pipeline possibly for several days. What happened to those billions NNPC budget for pipeline surveillance every year?” Oluwafemi said.

Reinforcing the need to hold the NNPC accountable for the Abule Ado incident, he insisted that NNPC needs to tell the truth.

“Nigerians are entitled to the truth, they deserve to know and see justice done in cases like this. That was why we called for the forensic investigation of the blast when it happened. The BBC has graciously conducted that investigation the government refused to do. Nigerians are, however,  waiting for the government to act on these startling revelations.

“Those who caused such manner of deaths and destruction as a result of their negligence must be prosecuted. Nigerians must know the owner of the truck that caused the incident and what the truck was doing atop a gas-conveying pipeline owned by the NNPC,” he said.

While commending Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, and his administration for setting up a N2 billion relief fund for victims of the blast, the CAPPA boss urged the state government to operate the scheme more transparently so that Nigerians can easily verify those contributing to the fund, and the beneficiaries.

Among the casualties in the Abule Ado, blast includes Reverend Sister Henrietta Alokha the Principal of Bethlehem High School, and a newly wedded couple and their unborn baby which claimed a total of 23 lives.

FRSC to enforce passengers’ manifest law from September 29

Amos ABBA
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FRSC to enforce passengers’ manifest law from September 29

THE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Sunday announced the completion of plans to flag off a special intervention initiative to enforce strict adherence to passengers’ manifest by commercial drivers.

The intervention codenamed ‘Operation Akaeze’ would commence from September 29 and is to be implemented four days a week — Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Enenu Ochepo, Superintendent Route Commissioner said in a press release.

Ochepo explained that the Special Intervention patrol would ensure that passengers travelling on inter-state journeys are mandated to authenticate their details in the Passenger’s Manifest.

He said the directive is based on Section 51(5) of the FRSC Act which stipulates that “All passenger-carrying commercial vehicles shall, before commencing on any intercity journey, must keep and maintain a passenger manifest indicating the names of its passengers, their addresses, their point of departure and destination, their telephone numbers, name and telephone number of the next of kin.”

Jonas Agwu, Zonal Commanding Officer overseeing the FCT and Niger state also noted the FRSC had observed that some passengers usually either give wrong details or refuse to fill the form while most commercial motorists do not comply with this directive.

“The manifest is expected to be filled before take-off at the motor parks, which contains the name, destination, address, phone number as well as the contact details of passenger’s next of kin,” he said.

Agwu explained that the easiest and proper identification of passengers in any case of an accident on the highway.

The officer urged passengers to always fill the manifest before taking off from the park.

“Compliance with passenger manifest during and after ember months will be useful in identifying travels and occupants of a commercial vehicle in the event of a possible road traffic crash,” the statement read.

No more strike as Labour, FG reach agreement over electricity tariffs, fuel price

YEKEEN Akinwale
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No more strike as Labour, FG reach agreement over electricity tariffs, fuel price

AFTER hours of meeting on Sunday night into early hours of Monday between representatives of the Federal Government and labour, the strike called by the organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) has been suspended.

The suspension followed an agreement between Labour and Government sides that deregulation of the downstream oil sector stays while the Government take steps to roll out palliatives for labour within two weeks.

They all came to a compromise at the meeting which held at the presidential villa, Abuja where they resolved that electricity tariffs be suspended by the government for two weeks while a joint committee headed by Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment,  is set up to examine the justification for the new policy.

To this end, all parties agreed on the urgency for increasing the local refining capacity of the nation to reduce the over-dependence on the importation of petroleum products to ensure energy security, reduce the cost of finished products, increase employment and business opportunities for Nigerians.

The parties agreed that the NNPC is expected to expedite the rehabilitation of the nation’s four refineries located in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna and to achieve 50 per cent completion for Port Harcourt by December 2021, while timelines and delivery for Warri and Kaduna will be established by the inclusive Steering Committee.

Moreover, while the deregulation policy stays, the government is to ensure commitment and transparency to the processes and timelines of the rehabilitation exercise.

According to the terms of the agreement, the management of NNPC will integrate the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) into the Steering Committee already established by the Corporation.

It stated that a validation team comprising the representatives of the NNPC, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), NUPENG and PENGASSAN will be established to monitor the progress of the rehabilitation of the refineries and the pipelines/strategic depots network and advice the Steering Committee periodically.

After rehabilitation, the agreement said the NNPC would involve the PENGASSAN and NUPENG in the process of establishing the operational model of the nation’s refineries.

“The Federal Government will facilitate the delivery of licensed modular and regular refineries, the involvement of upstream companies in petroleum refining and establishing a framework for financing in the downstream sector,” it said.

“NNPC will expedite work on the Build Operate and Transfer framework for the nations pipelines and strategic depots network for efficient transportation and distribution of Petroleum products to match the delivery timelines of the refineries as agreed.”

They also agreed that the Federal Government and its agencies are to ensure delivery of 1 million CNG/LPG AutoGas conversion kits, storage skids and dispensing units under the Nigeria Gas Expansion Programme by December 2021 to enable the delivery of cheaper transportation and power fuel.

A Governance Structure that will include representatives of organized Labour shall be established for timely delivery, the agreement said.

Other intervention which culminated in the suspension of the strike was an agreement was to cushion the impacts of the downstream sector deregulation and tariffs adjustment in the power sector, where the Federal Government will implement the following:

“A specific amount to be unveiled by the FGN in two weeks time will be isolated from the Economic Sustainability Programme Intervention Fund and be accessed by Nigerian Workers with subsequent provision for 240,000 under the auspices of NLC and TUC for participation in agricultural ventures through the CBN and the Ministry of Agriculture. The timeline will be fixed at the next meeting.

“Federal Government will facilitate the removal of tax on minimum wage as a way of cushioning the impacts of the policy on the lowest vulnerable.

“Federal Government will make available to organized labour 133 CNG/LPG driven mass transit buses immediately and provide to the major cities across the country on a scale-up basis thereafter to all States and Local Governments before December 2021.

“Housing: 10 per cent be allocated to Nigerian workers under the ongoing Ministry of Housing and Finance initiative through the NLC and TUC.

“Consequently, the NLC and TUC agreed to suspend the planned industrial action,” a joint communique issued after the meeting stated.

We are not mature enough for every region to control its own security – Tafawa Balewa’s son

Olayinka SHEHU
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We are not mature enough for every region to control its own security – Tafawa Balewa’s son

USMAN Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the son of Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa has kicked against the restructuring of Nigeria security stating that the Federal Government has to be responsible for security.

There have been calls in some quarters for the restructuring of the Nigerian security architecture due to the growing insecurity across the country.

The 60-year-old son of the late Tafawa Balewa in an interview with the PUNCH instead supported the call for resource control and restructuring of the economy stating that the country was not mature enough for every region to control its own security.

He said, “Restructuring in the sense of what some people are saying cannot be possible now. This is because the regions have been split into states. Even when they were just three, North, East and West, there were agitations and Mid-West was created. After that, there were agitations from places like Benue, Middle Belt and so on and it has continued till today, except we have another conference.”

“For some people, what they mean by restructuring is that all the powers of the Federal Government should be taken away to allow the states to have their own security, which is not possible, because the Federal Government has to be responsible for security. It is very good to allow every state and region to control its own resources; I support that 100 per cent.”

“As for restructuring the economy, I am for that; they will be giving the government at the centre royalties. We are not mature enough for every region to control its own security. Even in those days in the First Republic, there was a federal police. The army was strictly under the federation.”

He also said, forces, “which he didn’t name” were pulling the country apart and trying to tear it since Nigeria got its independence.

According to him, “I think they are doing their best, but the insecurity situation is getting out of hand and you know when people are dying; they complain that things are really bad. But you’ll have to sit down with the security agents to know the threat that Nigeria is facing.”

“If you look at the terrorism in Borno State, it started as a small thing, but look at what has happened within a few years. These insurgents have come out with sophisticated weapons and they are even ready to take on the Nigerian Army. If you look at the banditry in the North-West, it just mushroomed overnight,” he added.

Abubakar also said if the late premier was to witness the situation in Nigeria now, he would go crazy.

“I think he would go crazy because the stage we are in cannot be explained, seriously. You could not have imagined it. Just listen to what has been going on. Somebody will steal N1billion, for what?”

“What are you going to do with N1bn? That’s how deep the rot has gone. In the ministries, they used to have what I think was called ‘end of year.’

They would just sit down and divide the monies that were left among themselves; everybody would take their share. They would keep the money; they wouldn’t do the work. So, how could the country move again?”

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