Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said Nigeria went into recession under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that then former Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, pleaded with him not to tell Nigerians that the country was broke.
The Cable, reported that Amaechi said this on a television programme on Tuesday.
According to the report, Amaechi alleged that Okonjo-Iweala, begged him to stop saying Nigeria was broke in order not to drive away investors from the country.
Amaechi, who was the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum at the time, explained that the economy went into a recession due to excessive borrowing.
He said, “People just pick up words without knowing what they mean. Even under Goodluck (Jonathan) we went into recession.
“I am one of those who participated in the budget. We looked at what happened in the past and we discovered that actually if recession means three times (three quarters of negative economic growth), we have done more than the three times before we came in.
“The difference is that while our government is transparent and open, we are able to admit that, the Federal Government was saying even to me as chairman of governor’s forum, ‘Amaechi, don’t say that again’.
“If you remember as governor, I said we were broke. The minister of finance came to my office in Abuja and pleaded with me that I shouldn’t say it again. That if I said it, it would affect Nigeria in terms of investment; that investors will run away. That I shouldn’t say we are broke. I should say we are cash-strapped. That was what Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told me.
“So, I knew as chairman of Nigeria Governors’ forum, that we had gone into recession under Goodluck. I knew as chairman of governor’s forum. And when I open my mouth to say it, that we are broke, she spoke to me not to say it.”
Ejike Mbaka, the Catholic priest seen by many as a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, has warned that should the present economic hardship continue, the President should forget about 2019 because Nigerians will not vote for him.
Mbaka’s popularity increased during the run up to the last general elections when he incured the wrath of former president, Good luck Jonathan’s supporters by predicting that he would not win.
The fiery Reverend Father, who denounced the Jonathan administration due to the allegations of corruption that pervaded the government and called on Nigerians to vote for Buhari, said he is however, happy with the direction the country is heading.
The warning was contained in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday night, adding that the President may be surrounded by people advising him wrongly.
“My job is to tell leaders the truth, the landlords are crying, the tenants are lamenting, sellers are crying, buyers are lamenting – there is hunger on the streets.
“I can’t keep quiet when things are going wrong.
“I am telling the President to look around him and know those who are advising him rightly and those who are telling him that there is no trouble,” the statement read. “The President should know that there is trouble – if things continue like this, in the next election, nobody will vote for him.”
He wondered why the President is not taking advantage of having him as an adviser, which he said he would do for free, as his focus would be to tell him the truth always.
“If the President should have somebody like me and he cannot be talking with me, then there is a problem. There is a problem somewhere; somebody who can advise you without asking for anything and he is representing the poor masses in the country and he won’t tell you lies.
Painting a gloomy picture of the reality confronting people, Mbaka said there is too much suffering, as people cannot afford to feed themselves. He urged the President to take a bold step to address the situation, including replacing some of his advisers with experts on economic matters.
“To feed is now a problem, and an hungry man is an angry man. Hunger and anger will lead to danger. So, let him know whether he can do away with some advisers around him and bring in the people who are experts in economic revamp.
“There are people who are experts in that; let them begin to empower people, people are not empowered, they are still walking around in vicious circles, planning and planning and planning.
“Mortuary and ambulance business is now thriving because many cannot afford drugs.
The founder of Adoration Ministry, one of the largest religious groups, also warned about continued bombing of oil facilities by militants, pointing out that there may soon be no money to pay salaries, which would also result in more hardship and vices.
“Everyday, more pipelines are being blown, the Avengers are at work and up till now, there is no solution. You know when certain things begin to happen, you begin to ask some questions, somebody like me will begin to ask – when will this end?
“If it continues in the next three months, there will be no money to pay salaries – the vicious effect is disastrous and when salaries cannot be paid, teachers will come home, students will stop going to school, there will be more kidnappings, more hooliganism, more armed robbery, more prostitution, immorality will be on the increase.
“We need economic experts, gurus, sages that are sincere, who can come in and think about our economic revamp and judicial reformation.”
President Muhammadu Buhari’s Economic Management Team, EMT, held a consultative forum with a team of notable economic and financial experts, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, with the aim of addressing the country’s economic challenges.
Vice Presidential spokesman, Laolu Akande in a statement said that at the parley which held at the Presidential Villa, the Vice President expressed the administration’s determination to continuously consider and adopt policies that would boost business, increase employment and provide succor to the poor and disadvantaged.
He said, “We will continue to engage with experts and other stakeholders so we can measure progress of the economic policies that have been put in place. The challenges are many but the opportunities are much greater, we are clearly on the path to building an economy that will create jobs and ensure inclusive growth.”
The EMT meets weekly and also holds special consultations with members of the private sector and economic experts from time to time.
Experts who attended the four-hour long special meeting include Bismarck Rewane, Bode Augusto, Akpan Ekpo, Ayo Teriba and Badayi Sani.
Issues discussed at the consultative forum include the review of the new foreign exchange regime and its effect on the economy as well as the draft Medium Term Economic Framework for 2017-2019.
The EMT members and the experts made a plethora of suggestions on how to reflate the economy, especially through massive infrastructural spending with active private sector participation, ensure pro-people economic policies, increase the supply of dollars to the forex market among other issues.
Also speaking with journalists after the meeting, Minister for Budget & National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma said that the meeting is “part of a comprehensive consultation process that we are embarking on to make sure that we reach out to a wide spectrum of Nigerians to get a feed back in terms of how best to make sure that we come out of this recession.”
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja held yesterday that the temporary order of attachment granted in relation to some identified assets of Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose did not violate the constitutional provision of immunity for Governors.
The judge said the intention of the immunity clause as guaranteed to some public office holders is not to shield them from investigation by security agencies for the purpose of obtaining evidence for future uses.
Fayose’s counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, had sought to vacate the order of interim attachment granted by the court on July 20 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in relation to the commission’s investigation of some activities of the governor and some of his associates.
The affected property to which the order relate, include four sets of four-bedroom apartments at Chalets 3, 4, 6 and 9, Plot 100, Tiaminu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos as well as plot 44 Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja and Plot 1504 Yedzeram Street, Maitama Abuja.
The EFCC had stated that the funds used for the purchase of the properties were said to be drawn from the sum of N1, 219,490,000, which was said to be part of the N4, 745,000,000, allegedly stolen from the treasury of the Federal Government through the Office of the National Security Adviser.
In his application filed on notice on July 21, Ozekhome hinged his request for the court to set aside the order of interim forfeiture on the grounds that Fayose, as a sitting governor enjoys immunity as provided for in Section 308 of the Constitution.
Justice Dimgba upheld the argument of EFCC lawyer Andrew Akoja, to the effect that the forfeiture order was validly made.
“It is my considered opinion that the order of court, made on July 20, 2016 in respect of some property of the applicant, and within the limited scope and duration within which it was obtained, was duly procured and does not offend the provision of the Constitution referred to,” the judge said.
Justice Dimgba said although Section 308 of the Constitution serves to protect governors of states from the distraction of litigation and legal proceedings, to enable them to attend to official responsibilities, it does mean that the EFCC or other investigating agencies cannot take a peep into the assets or personal accounts of a serving governor in the execution of a strictly worded and mutually supervised interim attachment orders for the purposes of obtaining evidence for use in future when the immunity has lapsed.
He however ordered that the interim forfeiture order shall last for 45 days, within which investigations must be concluded in respect of the property.
“In the light of the above, I hold that the applicant is not entitle to the reliefs sought and are hereby refused.
“However, in the interest of justice and not to appear to make a mockery or nonsense of the immunity clause, I hold that the interim attachment order of July 20, 2016, granted by this court in favour of the respondent (EFCC) shall last for 45 days as the court had already ordered, within which the respondents must conclude their investigation in respect of those property, at the end of which every encumbrance on the property arising from the order of court, must abate.
“I order that in the event that the respondent may wish to renew the interim attachment order as they are entitled to, they must serve the motion to that effect on the applicant not later than five days to the expiration of that order, without which the order shall stand abated,” Justice Dimgba said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded to the Senate for confirmation, a list of nominees for the positions of Chairman, Executive Commissioner, and Non-Executive Commissioners of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.
Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina said in a statement on Tuesday that the nominations are in accordance with Section 8(1) of the Nigerian Communications Commission Act 2003.
According to the statement, Olabiyi Durojaiye, a former senator, was nominated as Chairman of NCC, while Sunday Dare, Media Adviser to former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu was appointed Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management.
The names of Non-Executive Commissioners include: Aliyu Abubaka, Clement Baiye, Okoi Obono-Obla, Ezekiel Yissa and Ifeanyi Ararume.
The United Nations has raised alarm over the illicit proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons, SALW, in Nigeria, saying that more than 350 million out of the estimated 500 million of such weapons in West Africa is domiciled in the country.
Olatokunbo Ige, Director of United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, UNREC, made the startling revelation at the ongoing National Consultation on Physical Security and Stockpile Management in Abuja.
The event was organised by the Agency and Presidential Committee on Smalls Arms and Light Weapons,PRESCOM.
Ige said that illicit weapons can be found in almost all corners of the country, which explains the rise in incidences of crime and violence in the country at the moment, with the attendant threat to lives and property of the citizenry.
She said: “The illicit proliferation of SALW has had a dramatic impact on peace and security in Africa, threatening not only the existence of the state, but also the livelihoods of millions of people across the continent.
“Nigeria is one of the countries that is experiencing some of the most devastating effects of the proliferation of SALW as a result of spillover effect of the recent crises in Libya, and Mali as well as unresolved internal conflicts in different parts of the country especially in the North East, Niger Delta and Southern regions.”
“While reliable data on the numbers of these weapons circulating freely in the country is unavailable, analysts have in recent times estimated that of the about 500 million weapons that may be circulating in West Africa in 2010, some 70 per cent of these could be found in Nigeria,” she added.
She warned that if the situation was left unchecked, it will jeopardise the developmental gains achieved over the last 50 years, as well as impede the nation’s capacity to achieve its developmental targets.
Ige added that there was need to control the flow of arms in the non-state sector as well as the state owned actors through the effective management of the armoury and weapon stockpiles.
She stressed that unsecured stocks and ineffectively managed stockpiles are a major contributing factor to the trafficking and diversion of arms into the illicit market and their subsequent flow to the terrorists and other criminal groups like Boko Haram and Niger Delta militants.
She said that the UN and European Union are collaborating with relevant authorities to support security and stability in the Sahel region.
Ige explained that the project, which is funded by the EU has been developed jointly by the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs for the benefit of the six Sahel countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Nigeria.
Chairman of PRESCOM, Emmanuel Imohe, said that the Nigeria’s Firearms law is obsolete and ineffective in the face of the 21st century security challenges, adding that PRESCOM has to generate a new document in collaboration with relevant agencies for over the next six months to cause a repeal of the firearms bill.
“The 1959 Firearms Act is obsolete and using the 1959 law to tackle the 21st century security challenges is ineffective,” he said.
Also, the Resident Coordinator of the UN Systems in Nigeria, Jean Gough, called for the enactment of necessary legislations to agree with current realities in order to effectively tackle the menace.
The Togolese President was Welcomed by Governor Ambode, Min. of Trade & Investment, Okechukwu Enalama and Aliko Dangote
President of the Republic of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe on Tuesday paid a visit to the site of the proposed Dangote Refinery in Lagos in what many believed was a step towards a possible partnership between Dangote group and the West African Country.
He was received at the presidential wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport by Governor Akinwumi Ambode, Minister of Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enalama and chairman of the Dangote group, Aliko Dangote.
In a reception held in honour of the visiting President, Governor Ambode said that Lagos state is “home to a substantial Togolese population and I am positive that we are providing them with the opportunities to get ahead in their endeavours.
He said The Dangote Refinery is another emerging opportunity in Lagos State and one of the biggest investments in Africa today which will have a huge impact on the economy of not only Nigeria but the whole of West African region.
“This refinery, when completed, will be the largest single line refinery anywhere in the world refining 6,500 barrels of crude oil daily. Apart from creating jobs, this refinery will contribute immensely to solving the fuel supply challenge in the West African region,” Ambode said.
The Governor expressed satisfaction with the level of work that has been put into the construction of the refinery, and commended Dangote Group for its vision, doggedness and unwavering desire to contribute positively to the growth of the Nigerian economy.
Ambode said that with a population of over 20 million and strategically located on the West African coast, Lagos presents a unique investment proposition for all businesses.
Earlier, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah said the Dangote Refinery project is the best description of the partnership between private sector and government.
Enelamah commended Dangote whom he described as a champion and role model .
“We need champions and Dangote is a Nigerian champion; he is an African champion; he is also a role model. We need many examples and with the repositioning that the Federal Government is doing, we are going to see many more examples,” Enelamah said.
Chairman of the Dangote group, Aliko Dangote commended President Gnassingbe for finding time to inspect the refinery, adding that he was happy with the interest and encouragement being received over the project.
Recall that on April 10, the Dangote group commenced the building of a $1 billion cement manufacturing company in Okpella, Edo State, which according to analysts, is expected to generate 6000 direct and 45,000 indirect job opportunities.
Former chairman of the house committee on appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, who has been making series of corruption allegation against Speaker Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers of the House, has been summoned by his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
This was contained in a letter addressed to Jibrin and signed by the APC deputy national chairman for the North, Lawal Shuaibu.
According to the letter, Jibrin is expected to appear at the national secretariat of the party on Tuesday, to explain his allegations of budget padding made against Yakubu Dogara, and 12 other lawmakers, which has brought “dishonor” to the party.
The letter read: “As a disciplined party, the constitution of our party has made adequate provisions on ways of resolving any issue among our members.
“It behoves on the party to take all necessary steps in order to ensure that no member of the family brings dishonour to the party.
“To say the least, it is absolutely unacceptable to resort to media war as a means of settling scores without recourse to and/or exhausting the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism.
“You are, therefore, by this invitation, expected to appear before the undersigned at the APC National Secretariat on Tuesday, 2nd August, 2016, at 2 p.m.
“Kindly note that failure to and/or refusal to honour this invitation will amount to a decision you have made not to submit to the party.”
Meanwhile, Jibrin seems not to be slowing down in reeling out names of alleged corrupt members of the House of Representatives.
The latest name to join the list is Jagaba Adams, from Kaduna State and also a member of the APC.
In a series of tweets on Tuesday, Jibrin referred to Jagaba as “very corrupt, incompetent and bigot” who “should start preparing for a long life in jail.”
He urged Jagaba to “respond to allegations against him or wait for his imminent invitation and arrest from the anti-corruption agencies” rather than resorting to “a rehearsal of their usual lines of lies and blackmail to tarnish my image”.
Jibrin stated: “The same Jagaba Adams who as chair financial crime was said to have been handed the $500,000 allegedly received by Faruk from Mr Otedola. The money has since disappeared!
“A dishonorable member, a shame to the institution and one of such members that President Obasanjo is referring to when he says there are rogues and thieves in the House who came to Abuja in “molue”.
800 repentant members of the Boko Haram terrorist group, who are currently undergoing rehabilitation and de-radicalization programmes at a military facility in Gombe State, has been presented with relief materials by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA.
A statement signed by spokesman of the agency, Sani Datti, quoted NEMA’s director-general, Muhammad Sani Sidi, as saying that similar exercises would be carried out on quarterly basis
The relief items include: 410 bags of rice, 400 bags of beans, 200 bags of millet, 200 bags of sorghum, 750 cartons of spaghetti, 50 cartons of Maggi cubes and 810 cartons tomato paste. Others are 101 Vegetable oil in 20 liter kegs, 101 palm oil in 20 liter kegs, 50 bags of salt, 100 bags of sugar, 420 cartons of milk and 420 cartons of milo chocolate.
While the non-food items include; 800 pieces of mattress, 500 hundred pieces of blanket, 500 pieces of nylon mats, 1000 plastic buckets, 1000 plastic spoons, 1000 plastic cups 1000, plastics plates, 1000 plastic pairs of slippers, 2000 men’s wear, 63 cartons of bath soap and 1000 bath towels.
Datti stated that the food and non-food items was presented to the military for the de-radicalization, rehabilitation and reintegration of the former terrorists who had repented and surrendered to the military in a programme codenamed “Operation Safe Corridor”, which is aimed at fast-tracking the peace process in the North East.
According to the statement, NEMA’s DG said; “The initiative, which is in line with international best practices allowed those engaged in the fighting to voluntarily surrender and embrace peace so that they undergo rehabilitation’’.
Coordinator of “Operation Safe Corridor, B. M. Shafa, a brigadier general, said that “between September last year and February this year a good number of Boko haram (members) have come out to surrender.”
Shafa commended the Gombe State Government led by Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo for providing the location and the necessary support to the army.
The Imo State Government has declared that workers in the state’s civil service will now work for only three days in a week while Thursdays and Fridays should be spent on their farms.
This is the thrust of a new policy by the state government termed “Back to Land for Agriculture”, aimed at promoting agricultural practices among the civil servants in order to boost their means of livelihood in the face of harsh economic realities.
Governor Rochas Okorocha announced the measures when traditional rulers from the state, under the aegis of Royal fathers in Agriculture, visited him at the Government House Owerri on Monday.
He said that the new policy has the approval of the State Executive Council.
Sam Onwuemeodo, Chief Press secretary to the governor, released a statement assuring Imo citizens that the new policy will not affect the salaries of workers.
The statement reads, “Against the backdrop of the “Back to Land for Agriculture” Programme, the governor directed that public servants in the state would now work from Mondays to Wednesdays, and use Thursdays and Fridays for agriculture (farming) while Saturdays can be used for ceremonies. And the directive takes effect from Monday August 1, 2016.
“However, the governor exempted public servants on essential duties like the teachers, nurses, doctors and people involved in Internally Generated Revenue drive. Political appointees are also exempted from the three-days working periods.
“We shall try this programme for the period of one year, starting from 1st of August 2016 and hopefully this will help. Let me make this emphasis before it is misconstrued or misrepresented, that this does not in any way affect the salaries of the workers.
“Workers will get their full salaries as been the practice. So the policy does not mean that there will be a cut in salary rather let us now find a way for our workers to supplement their salaries”.
He continued, “For this reason the issue of annual leave and casual leave is hereby cancelled. Resumption time for work has changed from 8am to 7.30am in the morning and ends by 4pm. Any worker that is not found on his or her seat between7.30am and 4pm on the days concerned will be summarily dismissed.
“Everybody must go back to agriculture. Every political appointee must own a farm. The youths would also be encouraged to take to agriculture. Schools including Universities, Polytechnics and Secondary schools in the state must own farms. The Community Government Council (CGC) must be strengthened for the sake of this agricultural programme.
“Two billion naira (N2b) has been set aside at the micro-finance bank for the purpose of this Back To Land For Agriculture policy so that those willing can access it. And time is gone again when politicians and some Imolites will come to government in the pretence of farming and collect loans and use it to buy cars and marry new wives.
“Again, the June and July Salaries would be paid this week. We are making sure that our workers are comfortable and our pensioners are happy because this is one area the whole nation is having a serious challenge.
“Our problem is not being unable to pay salaries but paying over-bloated salaries. We are also making effort to pay our pensioners once the harmonization is over.
“I also want to announce that government has appealed to families and those who organize burials on Mondays to Wednesdays to please change and have their burials on Saturdays so that we can concentrate on the government’s work and on the agricultural programme.
“Everything that has to do with agriculture no matter what shape it comes, government will support it. So many countries are going through economic crisis because of the fall in oil.
“Our nation is also going through very difficult moment. We have taken responsibility as leaders and we are not blaming anyone. Wise nations and leaders save for the rainy days.
“There were periods the oil price was in our favour. But those in charge then blew the money. They made no savings. Today the oil price globally has crashed and here we are. And we must fall back to agriculture as the panacea.”
The governor had hinted on the new policy last Friday while also disclosing that his administration intends to review downwards the salaries of workers in the state.
“We are considering reducing the working days from five to three in Imo, so that workers will use the rest of the days to work and support their families,” Okorocha had said.
Adding that “Directors in these other South-eastern states (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu) receive something a little above N90, 000 while in Imo they receive more than N100, 000.
“We intend to clear salary arrears up to July by next week. After that, we will consider downward review of salary to workers to be at par with other states of South-east.’’
