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Why Fowler, FIRS boss got a query

Ajibola AMZAT
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Why Fowler, FIRS boss got a query

BABATUNDE Fowler, chief executive of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), is expected to respond to the query served him by President Muhammadu Buhari today.

The query stamp, dated August 8, was issued over declining tax collection since 2015.

Sources within the FIRS confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday after a letter querying Mr Fowler’s performance appeared on the social media in the morning.

In the query, the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, said the presidency “observed significant variances between the budgeted collections and actual collections for the period 2015 to 2018.”

A copy of the query served to Mr. Fowler

Mr. Fowler was asked to respond by Monday, August 19.

The FIRS records obtained by The ICIR showed that while the tax collection was on the increase throughout the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, reverse is the case in the Buhari administration.

In fact, the FIRS under Mr Fowler, unlike his predecessor Samuel Odugbesan, has never met collection targets since his appointment as chief executive in 2015.

For example, FIRS targeted revenue was N3.64 trillion in 2011, and the agency by the year-end has collected N4.63 trillion.

In 2012, the collection rose to N5 trillion.

Though a shortfall of N200 billion occurred in 2013, FIRS was still able to exceed its target of N4.47 trillion ­­– the actual collection being N4.8 trillion.

In 2014, the target was N4.09 trillion, while the actual revenue was N4.71 trillion.

But since 2015, tax collection has been on a consistent decline, and there was no time the agency met its own target.

In 2015, the collection was N3.74 trillion against the target revenue of N4.57 trillion.

The following year, FIRS lowered the bar and set a target of N4.2 trillion, yet it was only able to hit N3.31 trillion. In 2017, the target was N4.89, while the actual was N4.02.

The collected revenue in 2018 increased significantly to N5.32 trillion, but it fell short of N1.43 trillion – the target being N6.75 trillion.

The opposition party, PDP, in a statement, has described the consistent fall in revenue collection in the last four years as a vindication of their claim that the administration is corrupt.

“The stealing of our taxes by APC agents has brought so much anguish to Nigerians, who suffer the brunt of collapsed infrastructure, decay of social amenities and a crippled national economy under President Buhari,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, Garba Shehu,  Special Senior Adviser, Media & Publicity has tweeted that the chief tax officer is not under investigation.

“Following reports making the rounds in some media outlets, it is necessary to state categorically that the chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, is not under any investigation.

“The letter from the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, on which the purported rumour of an investigation is based, merely raises concerns over the negative run of the tax revenue collection in recent times,” he added.

Data on tax collections in Nigeria showed that FIRS has been beating its target since 2000, except in 2006 when it recorded a shortfall of N1.2 trillion.

Fowler was the Executive Chairman Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue and Chief Executive Officer Lagos State Internal Revenue Service between 2005 and 2013. He was appointed the chairman of FIRs in 2015.

 

South East governors, Buratai will be attacked if spotted outside Nigeria – Nnamdi Kanu

Olayinka SHEHU
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South East governors, Buratai will be attacked if spotted outside Nigeria – Nnamdi Kanu

THE leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu says members of the group will attack Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai and South-East governors if spotted outside Nigeria.

Kanu said this in a live broadcast monitored by The ICIR on the group official Facebook page, Radio Biafra on Sunday night.

Kanu was speaking on the recent attack by some of his members on Senator Ike Ekweremadu in Germany and the spate of killings and kidnappings in the southeast.

Kanu said the group will never forgive Buratai for his role in various killings and atrocities allegedly committed by the Military against the Igbo people in southeast Nigeria.

In the 87- minute broadcast, Kanu said the grudge of the group with the governors is that they proscribed the group.

He warned them to stay steer clear of any foreign country for their own good.

He also announced that N1m will be offered as reward for credible information on the overseas travel itinerary of Igbo leaders, especially governors from the zone.

He said, “A member of the group has made the money available for credible information anytime governors of the Southeast and other leaders from the zone are traveling”

“If you are working in any Government House in Southeast and you know which city in the world the governors are going to be, inform us so that we will mobilize for him and you will be rewarded with N1m”.

“We have nominated five persons each in every country of the world who are ready to be arrested and be jailed for this purpose. Many of us have been killed so what is there in going to jail”.

He alleged not the Federal Government of Nigerian but governors from South East that proscribed IPOB.

Apart from the governors and Buratai, Kanu listed Ohaneze Ndigbo President-General, Nnia Nwodo on the group’s overseas watchlist.

Kanu also berated Nwodo for allegedly accusing Igbo youths of carrying out criminal activities in the Southeast, especially in Enugu State.

He said Nwodo was their original target and will be targeted if spotted outside Nigeria by IPOB.

On the attack on the immediate past Deputy Senate President Ike Ekeremadu, the IPOB leader said the senator connived with the governors to proscribe his group.

“The Army came to me. It was the Igbo that invited the military to stop Biafra. They said they proscribed IPOB to douse rising tension in the region. What caused the tension, because the military raided my house in Umuahia” he said.

“When they came to my house, they killed more than a hundred people and twenty-eight killed in my father’s house. “

“They also brought the Army to raid my House in Umuahia. How many times has he (Ekweremadu) spoken against the killings and kidnappings happening in his own state?”

“He went to celebrate New Yam Festival in Germany when his people are being killed and our women being raped. Where did they get the new Yam because there is none in Igboland since all the farmlands have been destroyed by herdsmen”.

The IPOB leader also accused the Enugu Senator of embezzling money budgeted for construction of Enugu-Porthacourt Expressway by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The ICIR could not independently verify his accusations against Ekweremadu.

He further claimed that the Military is beginning another Operation Python Dance in the Southeast today (Monday) in the South East which is targeted at his group.

Nigeria not fiscally transparent – US

Olayinka SHEHU
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Nigeria not fiscally transparent – US

The United State of America (USA) has classified Nigeria amongst countries not fiscally transparent.

The classification was contained in a report released by the U.S Justice Department on Thursday.

According to the report cited by The ICIR, the Department’s fiscal transparency review is the process of assessing whether governments meet minimum requirements of fiscal transparency such as budgeting process, including it contracting and licensing processes in the extractive industry, did not meet the standards required of the American government.

The U.S. said the report did not assess corruption, but that lack of fiscal transparency could encourage corruption.

“A finding that a government ‘does not meet the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency’ does not necessarily mean there is significant corruption in the government.  Similarly, a finding that a government ‘meets the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency’ does not necessarily reflect a low level of corruption,” the report said.

The report, called the 2019 Fiscal Transparency Report, covers January 1 to December 31, 2018.

One Hundred and Forty-one countries (141) assessed on the fiscal transparency are countries that receive U.S assistance.

Seventy-four of the 141 governments met the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency, while 13 of the 67 that fell short of the standards made “significant progress”, the report said.

Nigeria is not among the 74 that met the minimum requirements and also not among the 13 adjudged to have made significant progress.

Some of the African countries classified alongside Nigeria are Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Gambia.

Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Tanzania, Sudan, South Sudan, Niger, Mozambique, Mali, Lesotho, and Cameroon are also among the African countries whose governments failed the U.S transparency assessment.

While non-African countries that failed to meet the American government requirements include: China, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Ukraine, Yemen, Burma, Pakistan, etc.

For Nigeria, the Justice Department said, “During the review period, the government made its executive budget proposal, enacted budget, and end-of-year report accessible to the general public, including online.”

“The executive budget proposal and the enacted budget, however, were not published within a reasonable period of time.  Information on debt obligations was publicly available.  Budget documents provided detailed estimates for revenue and expenditure but did not include allocations to and earnings from state-owned enterprises.”

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation did not have fully audited financial reports that were available to the public.  The government maintained off-budget accounts not subject to adequate oversight or audit.  Due to oil price fluctuations, actual revenues and expenditures varied significantly from estimated figures making budget documents unreliable. “

“Nigeria’s supreme audit institution completed audits of the government’s budget and reportedly made audit reports on its website. The criteria and procedures by which the national government awards contracts or licenses for natural resource extraction were specified in law and regulation.”

“The government has appeared to follow applicable laws and regulations in practice.  Basic information on natural resource extraction awards was publicly available.”

The report said, for Nigeria’s fiscal transparency to improve, the government must take the following actions:

  • publishing its executive budget proposal and enacted budget within a reasonable period of time,
  • detailing allocations to and earnings from state-owned enterprises,
  • improving the reliability of budget documents by producing and publishing a supplemental budget when actual revenues and expenditures do not correspond to those in the enacted budget,
  • making full audit reports for significant, large state-owned enterprises publicly available, and
  • subjecting off-budget accounts to adequate audit and oversight and making information on such accounts publicly available.

The U.S DOJ said the report was done with inputs from international organisations and civil society organisations.

 

15 companies win contract to lift Nigeria’s crude oil (Full list)

Abeeb ALAWIYE
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15 companies win contract to lift Nigeria’s crude oil (Full list)

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says 15 companies have emerged winners of the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP) of Crude oil contract for 2019/2020.

The was disclosed in a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, through the corporation official twitter handle @NNPCgroup on Sunday.

“Under the DSDP arrangement, the under listed fifteen (15) consortia/companies shall over the contract period, offtake crude oil and in return, deliver corresponding petroleum products of equivalent value to NNPC, subject to the terms of the agreement.

“The contract is for one year, effective 1st October, 2019 to 30th September, 2020,” he said.

Successful companies listed by NNPC are as follows:

  1. BP OIL INTERNATIONAL LTD./AYM SHAFA LTD.
  2. VITOL SA/CALSON-HYSON
  3. TOTSA TOTAL OIL TRADING SA/TOTAL NIG. PLC
  4. GUNVOR INTERNATIONAL B.V./AY MAIKIFI OIL & GAS CO. LTD.
  5. TRAFIGURA PTE LTD./A. A. RANO NIG. LTD
  6. CEPSA S.A.U./OANDO PLC
  7. MOCOH SA/MOCOH NIG. LTD.
  8. LITASCO SA/BRITTANIA-U NIG. LTD./FREEPOINT COMMODITIES
  9. MRS OIL & GAS COMPANY LTD
  10. SAHARA ENERGY RESOURCE LTD
  11. BONO ENERGY LTD./ETERNA PLC/ARKLEEN OIL & GAS LTD./AMAZON ENERGY
  12. MATRIX ENERGY LTD./PETRATLANTIC ENERGY LTD./UTM OFFSHORE LTD./LEVENE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT LTD
  13. MERCURIA ENERGY TRADING SA/ BARBEDOS OIL & GAS SERVICES LTD./RAINOIL LTD./PETROGAS ENERGY
  14. ASIAN OIL & GAS PTE LTD./ EYRIE ENERGY LTD./ MASTERS ENERGY OIL & GAS LTD/CASIVA LTD
  15. DUKE OIL COMPANY INCORPORATED.

Ughamadu further stated that the tender process comprised technical and commercial bid submission respectively, evaluation and shortlisting, then commercial negotiations with pre-qualified companies and engagement of the successful consortia/companies by NNPC.

It will be recalled that on 8 July, the newly appointed NNPC GMD, Mallam Kyari, during his takeover note, had promised to open NNPC books to public scrutiny, saying as a publicly owned company it will aid smooth running of the operations.

He hereby urged his management’s team commitment to transparency and accountability during a town hall meeting with the staff of the corporation.

Sudan Generals, protest leaders sign transition deal to civilian rule

Editorial
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Sudan Generals, protest leaders sign transition deal to civilian rule

SUDAN’s constitutional declaration which was signed on Sunday, August 17, 2019, paves the way for a transition to civilian rule in the African nation and comes months after the ouster of autocratic President Omar al-Bashir

Sudan’s military council and protest leaders on Saturday signed a hard-won “constitutional declaration” that paves the way for a transition to civilian rule.

The agreement was signed by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, deputy chief of the military council, and Ahmed al-Rabie, representing the Alliance for Freedom and Change protest umbrella, an AFP has reported.

Heads of state, prime ministers and dignitaries from several countries — including Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Egypt’s premier Mustafa Madbuli — attended the ceremony in Khartoum, and the signing was greeted with applause.

The constitutional declaration builds on a political declaration that was agreed by the military and protesters on July 17.

It formalises the creation of a transitional administration that will be guided by an 11-member sovereign council, comprised of six civilians and five military figures.

The agreement follows nearly eight months of protests — initially against longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir, who fell in April and then against the military council that deposed him.

Talks between the protesters and the military were mediated by the African Union and Ethiopia, which brought the two sides together again even after a protest sit-in outside military headquarters was brutally dispersed by men in military fatigues on June 3.

Some 120 people were killed during that crackdown, according to doctors linked to the protesters.

The signing ceremony started with Sudan’s national anthem, followed by a reading of verses from the Koran and the Old Testament, while the words “Sudan’s joy” were emblazoned on banners.

Source: AFP

IPOB explains reason for attacking Ekeremadu, marks others for ‘humiliation’

'Kunle ADEBAJO
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IPOB explains reason for attacking Ekeremadu, marks others for ‘humiliation’

THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has explained that its attack against former deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu was because he was part of those who ‘instigated’ Operation Python Dance.

The lawmaker, representing Enugu West senatorial district, was on Saturday assaulted at the Second Annual Cultural Festival and Convention organised by Ndi-Igbo Germany in Nürnberg. He had been invited as a keynote speaker. Released footage of the incident shows Ekweremadu, dressed in the traditional Isiagu attire, hurriedly leaving the venue in a vehicle as others threw objects at him.

Radio Biafra, operated by IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, had tweeted that he was “seriously questioned and accused of conspiring with Nigeria government in proscribing and killings of hundreds of unarmed IPOB family members”.

In a press statement released on Sunday by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, the group further explained that the assault was in compliance with a long-standing instruction by the IPOB leader to “hound all instigators of Operation Python Dance”.

“IPOB is glad to report that Ike Ekweremadu was confronted and duly hounded out of a so-called New Yam Festival event in Germany,” he said.

“Despite repeated warnings to the organisers of these jamborees that Enugu, Ebonyi and other parts of Biafraland is under siege by Fulani caliphate and their collaborators within, they went ahead to invite a known traitor, co-conspirator and one of those that worked with Igbo governors to proscribe and tag IPOB a terror organisation while they never raised any voice against murderous Fulani herdsmen.”

IPOB also warned other Igbo leaders to expect similar treatments abroad from its members. These include John Nnia Nwodo, former minister and 9th President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo; and Willie Obiano, Dave Umahi, and Okezie Ikpeazu, respectively governors of Anambra, Ebonyi, and Abia states.

“Any day we find them in a public event abroad, they will be humiliated. IPOB is strategically located in over 100 countries around the world. Anywhere we find them, they will be dealt with,” IPOB alerted.

Ekweramadu, in his statement yesterday, however, defended himself against allegations of disloyalty. According to him, he is one of the persons who has “spoken up on justice for Ndigbo, the Python Dance, judicial killings in Igbo land and elsewhere”.

He added that he has as well “rallied the South-East Senate Caucus to secure Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release with Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe taking him on bail to douse tension in the South East.”

Checks by The ICIR, however, showed that the senator participated in 2017 meeting held by the South-East Governors Forum where a ban of IPOB activities was proposed.

“All activities of IPOB are hereby proscribed,” the forum had stated as the first of 11 resolutions.

“IPOB and all other aggrieved groups are to articulate their position on all national issues and submit to the committee of Governors of South East, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and National Assembly members from South-East zone through the Chairman of South-East Governors Forum.”

Why I was attacked in Germany – Ike Ekweramadu

Olayinka SHEHU
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Why I was attacked in Germany – Ike Ekweramadu

The immediate past Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu has confirmed being physically assaulted by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, in Nuremberg, Germany, on Saturday.

Enweremadu confirmed the attack in a statement released by his Media Assistant, Uche Anichukwu in Abuja.

The ICIR had on Saturday reported about a trending video on Social Media showing the Senator being attacked.

In the video, Ekweremadu was seen being violently questioned over his alleged conspiracy with the Federal Government to proscribe the IPOB in the South East and killing several of its followers.

The Senator who also gave account of the event on his facebook page, @iamekweremadu, however, assured that he was safe.

https://www.facebook.com/IamEkweremadu/posts/2385592521762406

The Senator condemned the attack and said he had immediately reported it to the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Mr Yusuf Tuggar.

He said: “I attended the Second Annual Cultural Festival and Convention organised by Ndi-Igbo Germany in Nuremberg today where I was billed to give a keynote address along with the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who, however, could not make it eventually.

“I was given a resounding welcome by Ndigbo in Germany and everything went smoothly until some men, who identified themselves as IPOB members stormed the venue and began to complain about the killings in the South East, stressing that there would be no Igbo event at the venue.

“I tried to engage them, but when they became unruly, I had to leave the venue. The organisers also invited the police and I was accompanied out of the venue.

“Much as I am disappointed in their conduct, especially as I am one of the persons, who have spoken up on justice for Ndigbo, the Python Dance, judicial killings in Igbo land and elsewhere both on the floor of the Senate and in my written and personal engagements with the Presidency and the media as well as rallied the South East Senate Caucus to secure Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release with Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe taking him on bail to douse tension in the South East, I nevertheless do not hold this to heart against them, for they know not what they do.

“I have received thousands of solidarity calls and messages from well-meaning Ndigbo. I want to assure them that I am hail and hearty. I have also spoken with the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar.”

Why FG plans to close Enugu airport indefinitely

Abeeb ALAWIYE
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Why FG plans to close Enugu airport indefinitely

The Federal Government has said it plans to close the runway at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu for major repairs and works on the airfield.

The closure is said to take effect from midnight of August 24, 2019 with no date given for the reopening.

The General Manager, Corporate Affairs of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, in a statement shared on FAAN social media handle on Saturday said the aim was to resolve the existing safety and security concerns to flight operations.

FAAN yesterday notified airlines, passengers and all other stakeholders that the runway “will be closed for major repairs and works on the airfield.”

The immediate past Minister of State of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, had said in May that the Federal Government planned to shut down the airport.

According to a Daily Trust story in May on the propose closure of the airport indefinitely, some of the reasons for the planned shutdown of the airport include the bad condition of the runway, the landing aids, a market, a free trade zone, among others.

Sirika said the airport would be closed down until the state government removes all the encumbrances posing threat to safe flight operations at the airport. The former Minister also said the government had contracted Julius Berger to renovate the premier Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) at the project cost of N14bn.

He said the government has carried out series of inspection to Enugu where a new terminal has been built. But the runway is being patched on a daily basis as the facility is said to have outlived its lifespan.

Similarly, the proximity of the airport to the market which also has an abbatoir exposes the airport to regular bird strike, recalling that an Air Peace flight was hit by bird and the aircraft had to make an air return. “As you approach Enugu, there is a market which has an abbatoir which attracts birds. At the end of the runway you have free trade zone. The state government kept promising they would remove all these challenges. Enugu maybe closed down soon”, he said.

However, “A date to reopen the runway will be communicated in due course,” FAAN concluded.

 

 

FG condemns attack on Ekweremadu

Abeeb ALAWIYE
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FG condemns attack on Ekweremadu

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has condemned the attack on the former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB  in Germany.

The immediate past Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu was physically assaulted by some IPOB members, in Nuremberg, Germany, on Saturday.

Dabiri-Erewa in a statement shared on her official twitter handle @abikedabiri described the incident as a disgrace and a shameful act.

She stated that some of the culprits who perpetrated the act had been apprehended and called on the German government and law enforcement agencies to ensure they faced the consequences of their actions.

The tweet read, “I condemn in its entirety the attack on former DSP Ike Ekeremadu at an event in Nuremberg, Germany, nobly put together by Ndi Igbo Germany. where he was attacked. I hope the culprits, some of whom have been arrested, will face consequences for their shamefully pathetic actions.”

The ICIR had earlier reported the attack on Ekweremadu alongside video where he was violently questioned over his alleged conspiracy with the Federal Government to proscribe the IPOB in the South East and killing several of its members.

Ekweremadu assaulted in Germany

Olayinka SHEHU
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Ekweremadu assaulted in Germany

Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu escaped lynching in Nürnberg, Germany.

Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West in the Senate was at Nürnberg for the New Yam festival in the German city.

The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on it Radio Biafra official twitter handle on Saturday said its members carried out the attack.

IPOB also shared a video of the moment on its Facebook page, Radio Biafra.

Radio Biafra tweet read, “Senator Ike Ekweremmadu escaped being lynched by frustrated IPOB family members in Germany. He was seriously questioned and accused of conspiring with Nigeria government in proscribing and killing of hundreds of unarmed IPOB family members in Nigeria.”

In one of the videos on the Facebook page, the German Police were called to restore order to the situation.

 

 

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