Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of an Abuja High Court has adjourned the corruption trial of former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, to September 7 because the former minister, who is reportedly on admission in hospital, could not be present in court.
Orubebe is being tried by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, alongside three others for allegedly diverting N2 billion meant for the dualisation of Section IV of the East-West Road.
The others are Oludare Lawrence Alaba, Ephraim Tewolde Zeri and Gitto Costruzioni Generali Nigeria Limited.
The suspects were supposed to be arraigned on August 18 but the case was adjourned after the court heard that they had not been served with the charge.
ICPC prosecution lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, asked the court for time to serve the defendants with the charge, a request that was granted and the case adjourned to August 30.
When the case came up today, the court was told that Orubebe was sick and hospitalised and could not be present, leading to the case being adjourned to September 7.
The former minister is accused of diverting N2,320,686,826 meant for the compensation of property owners affected by the dualisation of the road. But rather than pay the beneficiaries, the money was said to be have paid to Gitto.
He is also accused of lying to the ICPC when he claimed to have left office before a decision was taken to rehabilitate the road rather than dualise it.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on Monday, released the Economic Report for the second quarter of 2016, which showed that total non-oil export earnings of the country stood at $576.97 million, falling by 43.2 percent, below the level in the preceding quarter.
“The development, relative to the preceding quarter, was attributed, mainly, to the significant decline in receipts from manufactured and food products as well as minerals export,” the report clarified
“A breakdown by sectors showed that proceeds from the export of agricultural, minerals, industrial, manufactured products, food products and transport sectors stood at $196.87 million, $185.51 million, $84.34 million, $79.44 million, $30.68 million and $0.12 million respectively.
The percentage shares of agricultural, minerals, industrial, manufactured products, food products and transport sectors in the total non-oil export proceeds were 34.1 per cent, 32.2 per cent, 14.6 per cent, 13.8 per cent, 5.3 per cent and 0.02 per cent, respectively, the CBN said.
The report also showed that the country’s gross external reserves stood at $26.51 billion, showing a decline of three per cent and 6.5 per cent, compared with the levels in the first quarter and the corresponding period of 2015.
“A breakdown of the official external reserves showed that CBN reserves stood at $19.44 billion (73.3 per cent), Federation reserves, $2.45 billion (9.3 per cent), and the Federal Government reserves, $4.61 billion,” it said.
However, assets and liabilities of commercial banks stood at N31.23 trillion, at the end of the preceding quarter of 2016, representing an increase of 9.6 per cent over the level at the end of the preceding quarter.
The funds were sourced, mainly, from time, savings and foreign currency deposits, foreign liabilities and unclassified liabilities.
The CBN’s credit to the commercial banks rose by 34.2 per cent to N1,041.73 billion.
Banks’ specified liquid assets stood at N6.53 trillion, representing 34.9 per cent of their total current liabilities.
The CBN report also showed that the federal government’s retained revenue for the second quarter stood at N677.88 billion.
The sum is more than that of the first quarter by 34.2 percent, but lower than the quarterly budget estimate by 33 per cent.
The report showed that the Federation Account accounted for 47.7 per cent of the total revenue.
“Other Oil Revenue”, Federal Government Independent Revenue, Value Added Tax, VAT, and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Refund and Exchange Gain accounted for 30.0 per cent, 14.9 per cent, 4.1 per cent and 3.3 per cent.
Provisional data indicated that government expenditure for the second quarter stood at N1.76 trillion, which was above the provisional quarterly budget estimate and the level at the end of the preceding quarter by 12.8 and 58.1 per cent.
This was attributed, mainly, to the rise in both recurrent and capital expenditure.
The CBN data also showed that foreign exchange inflow and outflow through the apex bank amounted to $5.89 billion and $6.09 billion, resulting in a net outflow of US$0.20 billion.
Foreign exchange sales by the CBN to the authorised dealers amounted to $4.31 billion. The average exchange rate of the naira against the dollar at the inter-bank was N209.13 to dollar.
The report said crude oil export stood at 1.09 million barrel per day (mbd) or 100.28 mb. This represented a decline of 20.4 per cent, compared with 1.37 mbd or 124.67 mb, recorded in the preceding quarter. It said supply disruptions owing to continued attacks on oil installations by vandals accounted for the decline in crude oil production.
The federal government has said it will welcome any genuine offer of global partnership in order to tackle the humanitarian crisis in the Northeastern region of the country.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, made this known while receiving Irish Rock Star, Paul Hewson, popularly known by his stage name ‘Bono’ who is in the country on the invitation of Aliko Dangote.
Bono, who had earlier visited an IDP camp in Borno State, had promised to spearhead a campaign that would result in more assistance for the victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the state.
The singer and members of his “ONE” campaign group were at the Presidential Villa to discuss the possibilities of a global partnership to address the crisis through international advocacy.
A statement by Laolu Akande, spokesman to the Vice president, quoted Osinbajo as saying: “it is very important that you chose to come and offer some partnership. This is great and we are pleased…Partnership is certainly the way to go.”
Osinbajo noted that no country would single handedly handle the kind of crisis in the northeast which has seen more than two million people displaced.
He however maintained that a global partnership to address the situation should be coordinated and focused on what is required to be done, for instance, in addressing the issue of malnourished children.
Bono told the vice president that his experience when he visited Borno State was “deeply disturbing”, which was why he decided with his team “to be useful to you.”
Bono added that “we have heard of the incredible plans, the social investment funds.”
He described the level of transparency already seen in the administration as both “very exciting and transforming.”
The “ONE” campaign is an advocacy organisation with more than seven million people around the world taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable diseases especially in Africa.
It was founded in 2004 and has on its board people like Mo Ibrahim, Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg among others.
Pope Francis has met with the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, to discuss how social media could be used for poverty reduction.
A report from the Vatican City said that the Pope granted private audience to Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla, who are in Italy to attend a wedding.
Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, said one topic of discussion at the meeting was “how to use communication technologies to alleviate poverty, encourage a culture of encounter, and make a message of hope arrive, especially to those most in need.”
Zuckerberg gave the pope a miniature model of Aquila, the solar-powered drone which Facebook intends to use for beaming the internet to countries with no access.
The Vatican spokesman added that the atmosphere was informal, as the chat took place in the Santa Marta residence, the guest house in Vatican City where the pope lives.
“Zuckerberg and the wife delivered a message of hope, especially to those people who were most disadvantaged,” the Vatican said.
It added that the 79-year-old Pope who has an active Twitter account but no Facebook profile once confessed that he did not know how to use a computer.
The Controller of Prisons in the Federal Capital Territory, Daniel Odahro, has explained what led to the riot at the Kuje Medium Security Prison on Monday morning.
He confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that “There was a minor riot at the Kuje Prison, but the situation has been brought under control,”.
Odahro explained that a ‘’disagreement’’ ensued at about 10.30 a.m., on Monday, when some inmates resisted the routine search in their cells.
He dismissed claims that inmates were shot in the melee, and insisted that the situation had been completely taken care of.
“There was nothing like an attempted jail break, yes we had a minor disagreement between prison officials and some inmates, who refused the routine morning search in their cells,
“I can categorically tell you that no inmate escaped and the situation has been brought under control, ’’he said.
The prison boss said that security had been beefed up in and around the prison to forestall a recurrence of a jailbreak that occurred in the facility not long ago.
Okah’s Lawyers Raise Alarm
Meanwhile, lawyers of Charles Okah, the suspect accused of masterminding the October 1, 2011 bombing in Abuja, have alleged threat to their client’s life.
This followed the incident at the Kuje Prison, where Okah is currently under custody.
In a statement, Okah’s counsels insisted that the incidence was just a ploy to snuff the life out of their client.
“We are solicitors to CHARLES TONBRAH OKAH, in particular, and the entire inmates of Kuje Medium Security Prison in Abuja (whom we shall hereinafter, collectively refer to as “our clients”),” the statement read.
“It is our clients’ brief that Kuje Prison is currently under attack from members of the Nigerian Prisons Service armed squad who are indiscriminately firing gun shots and tear gas into the air.
“This has created pandemonium and violated the fundamental rights of the inmates, particularly, Mr. Charles Okah who has a known medical history which is incompatible with tear gas, gunshots, etc.
“We are, by virtue of this notice to Nigerians and the international community, particularly, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL and GLOBAL WITNESS, making it clear that the Nigerian Prisons Service is already in breach of the fundamental rights of the inmates of Kuje Prison.
“Our clients therefore reserve the right to sue and seek redress for the breach.”
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has revealed that at least 2, 000 women lose their lives annually in the state due to pregnancy-related issues.
He said this during the opening of a five-day Stakeholders Monitoring and Evaluation Workshop on Strengthening Health Outcome for Women and Children Project, on Monday, in Sokoto.
Governor Tambuwal was represented at the event by the state’s Commissioner of Health, Balarabe Kakale.
He said that the government intends to recruit 2,240 community health workers, as part of efforts to address the problem.
The effort would enhance access to health care services at the grassroots thereby reducing the high rate of maternal and child mortality in the state.
“No fewer than 150 to 200 children in every 1000 under-five children in the state may not live to see their fifth birthdays,” the governor added.
“The state would partner with the Plan International, Nigeria, the organizers of the workshop in terms of accountability and transparency of healthcare delivery.”
Almustapha Othman, Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State health ministry, was optimistic that the lessons learnt at the workshop would help in reducing “the maternal and child mortality in the state, and provide quality health data needed by the government to improve health issues.”
Minister of Budet and National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma
The Federal Government has commenced the training of planning and budget officers of 800 Ministries, Department and Agencies, MDAs, nationwide, ahead of the 2017 budget.
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, at the opening of the training exercise in Kaduna, said that the 4,254 officers would be trained on Zero-Based-Budgeting, ZBB.
The minister who was represented by Joshua Fadola, Director, Fiscal Policy Department, said the training was to equip the officials with necessary knowledge and skills in preparation for the 2017 budget.
He said that the training was being conducted simultaneously in seven cities across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
According to Udo-Udoma, 1,830 people drawn from Abuja and the North Central are being trained in Abuja.
384 officers from North East were in Gombe; 504 from North West in Kaduna; 408 in Lagos and 486 from South West in Ibadan.
Others are 330 from South-South holding their training in Uyo and 318 from South East in Enugu.
“As we prepare to fully implement the Federal Government ZBB, there is the need to equip planning and budget officers in our MDAs with the knowledge, skills and tools required for the ZBB using the 2017 budget preparation platform.
“The key areas of focus would be basic concept of public sector budgeting, overview of zero based budget and medium term expenditure,” the minister’s representative said.
He said the officers are expected to be acquainted with the concept and application of ZBB by the end of the training.
Participants also must have mastered the medium term expenditure framework, medium term fiscal and sector strategy and other related concepts.
He added the officers would also understand the link between policy, planning and budgeting.
“They will equally understand the concept of budget realism, where resources are provided on a more predictable basis that will enable the budget managers’ plan and execute budget with confidence.
“This will enable the officers deliver services effectively and efficiently,’’ the minister said.
Wakili Abdulkadir, Coordinator of the training in the Northwest Zone, said that the zero-based budget was not fully implemented in 2016 due to late preparation and delay in the passage of the national budget.
“President Muhammadu Buhari, had however, directed the Budget Office to ensure 100 per cent compliance to ZBB in all MDAs in the 2017 budget.
“The training will therefore, enable the MDAs to key in and prepare the 2017 budget based on the ZBB platform,’’ Abdulkadir said.
A Federal High Court, Abuja, has declined the application of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, seeking his immediate release from detention by the Department of State Services,DSS.
El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, that clashed with the Nigerian army in December 2015, has remained in custody ever since.
Justice Okon Abang held that El-Zakzaky ought to have obtained the leave of court for the matter to be heard during vacation.
He also explained that the applicant failed to serve the DSS, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General of the Federation, who were joined as respondents in the application.
Abang said that the case was initially assigned to Justice Gabriel Kolawole, by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
He consequently struck out the application for lack of competence.
Nigeria’s second largest commercial carrier, Aero Contractors Airlines, has announced the suspension of its scheduled services beginning from Thursday September 1, 2016.
A statement from the airline on Wednesday said that “The implication of the suspension of scheduled services operations extends to all staffs directly and indirectly involved in providing services as they are effectively to proceed on indefinite leave of absence during the period of non-services.
It added, “We are aware of the impact this will have on our staff and our highly esteemed customers, hence we have initiated moves to ensure that we are able to return back to operations within the shortest possible time, offering reliable, safe and secure operations, which the airline is known for.”
On Monday, August 22, The PUNCH newspaper reported that the airline was set to lay off some of its workers due to its worsening financial crisis.
The report also noted that the company was negotiating with aviation unions on how to cut down on the number of its workers.
Aero Contractors attributed the decision to suspend its services to the current economic situation in the country, which has forced some other airlines to suspend operations or pull out of Nigeria.
Management of the airline said the past six months had been characterised by numerous internal and external challenges which have made it difficult for the airline to continue its scheduled services.
It stated that during the period in review, Aero witnessed epileptic operations and services to the external public which in some cases had been frustrating and embarrassing to all parties including staff, customers and indeed all stakeholders.
The airline said, “The impact of the external environment has been very harsh on our operational performance, hence management decision to suspend scheduled services operations indefinitely effective September 1, 2016, pending when the external opportunities and a robust sustainable and viable plan is in place for Aero Contractors to recommence its scheduled services.
Governor Shettima poured encomiums on Aliko Dangote for his support to the State
Irish rockstar, Paul Hewson, popularly known for with his stage name, Bono, has committed to the ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Borno State.
Bono, who is also an ambassador for United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, was invited to Borno State by Aliko Dangote, and he promised to come back with assistance.
The leader of the rock group, U2, also promised to use his connection worldwide to attract aids to the insurgency-ravaged state.
Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, was full of commendation for Dangote for his assistance to the victims of insurgency.
The governor renamed a popular street in Maiduguri after the billionaire entrepreneur, as a way of appreciating him.
He also announced that an estate to be built for victims of the insurgency would be named ‘Aliko Dangote Village’.
“I want to use this opportunity and on behalf of the good people of Borno state to extend our appreciation to the Dangote Foundation.
“In the last Ramadan season, 230 trucks of assorted food items were donated to our people by Dangote.
“Dangote Foundation has also donated the sum of N2 billion to our dear state for reconstruction and rehabilitation of our destroyed communities, in addition to N400 million donated to us by the same Foundation to assist our people,” Shettima said.
He called on other well-meaning Nigerians and donor agencies to come to the aid of the State.
The governor also took the visitors to another camp housing families of Boko Haram combatants that were rescued by troops and now taking refuge in Maiduguri.
Both Dangote and Bono, assured the women and their children of support especially with regards to the upbringing and education of their children.
