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CBN Recants On Missing $49.8 Billion

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CBN Recants On Missing $49.8 Billion

The governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has reversed his position on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s unremitted $49.8 billon being proceeds from oil sales, saying he never said the sum was missing.

Sanusi who appeared before the Senate committee on finance on Wednesday, said he only asked for investigations into the matter, adding that “in truth, there is no missing money. Chairman, we did not see the letter as a conclusion of our investigation, but an invitation to investigate.”

“So, the conclusion that $49.8 billion was missing was wrong, even though we had the allegation that it was un-remitted,” Sanusi said.

According to him, after reconciliation meetings with a technical team from the bank, the ministry of finance, ministry of petroleum resources, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, and the Department Of Petroleum Resources, DPR, the CBN discovered a shortfall of only $12 billion.

Sanusi also expressed regrets that a private letter written to the President was leaked to the public and pleaded for more time to enable the CBN, NNPC and all relevant agencies come up with a collective figure.

“What I would like to do is, given the progress we have made, to request that we be given little more time to continue with this process and come back with the final position that is a common position among us if the committee will so grant us,” he requested

However, the Senate says it will continue investigations into the matter.

Speaking earlier, Senate President, David Mark, noted that the controversial amount was still an allegation but stressed that it was a serious one.

“At this point, all that we have is an allegation, but it is a serious allegation. The essence of this public heading is to establish the fact. It’s for us to get facts so that when we come back we can make useful and meaningful contributions,” he said.

He urged members of the committee to remains unbiased and deal with the matter objectively according to available facts.

Sanusi had alleged in a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan dated September 25 that the NNPC had failed to remit $49.8 billion between 2012 and 2013 but the NNPC had said that no money was missing.

Nasarawa To Conduct Council Polls In March

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Nasarawa To Conduct Council Polls In March

By Godwin Ojoshimite

Nasarawa Indepndent Electoral Commission, NASIEC, has fixed March 15, 2014 for elections into all the local government areas is the state.

Chairman of the commission, Abdullahi Moddibo, announced the new date on Wednesday while briefing journalists in Lafia, the state capital.

Moddibo, who also released the detailed timetable for the election said the commission is committed to conducting a free, fair and ncredible elections.

He said the ban on political campaign had been lifted with the release of the time table, adding that political party primaries are scheduled to hold between January 4 and 13, 2014.

He said all logistic arrangements for the polls had been concluded, including the recruitment and trainning of ad-hoc staff for the exercise.

The NASIEC chairman appealed to politicians in the state to play the game with all sense of decorum in order to ensure hitch-free polls in the state.

He also appealed to members of the public to sustain the relative peace in the state, stressing that it would enhance successful polls in the interest of all.

The commission had earlier fixed December 14,2013 for the election but had to post-pone it, citing security challenges facing the state as a reason.

FG Inaugurates Monitoring Committee For N200 Billion Education Fund

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FG Inaugurates Monitoring Committee For N200 Billion Education Fund

The federal government has inaugurated a committee to monitor the disbursement of N200 billion allocated to public owned universities in Nigeria under a recent deal with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

The committee includes representatives of the National Universities Commission, NUC; Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETfund and members of ASUU.

Others are officials of the federal ministry of education, vice chancellors and technical consultants.

The committee was inaugurated by the secretary to the government, Anyim Pius Anyim, on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The monitoring committee is led by the supervising minister of education, Nyesom Wike.

Others members are the executive secretary of NUC; Julius Okojie; a former executive secretary of TETfund, Mahmoud Yaqub; director tertiary, federal ministry of education; the Vice chancellors of Bayero university, Kano and University of Ibadan as well as representatives of ASUU and others.

After the inauguration ceremony, members held their first meeting to discuss the logistics and strategies on how the fund would be adequately distributed to public owned universities, based on the submitted needs assessment report on Nigerian universities.

At the meeting, chaired by Wike, it was agreed that the committee would not carry out the implementation of the needs assessment report but would only supervise and thoroughly monitor the disbursement of the fund.

“This newly inaugurated committee will not do the implementation of the needs assessment. We are not giving out contract but we will only go round the universities to check if the allocated fund is utilized appropriately based on the needs assessment report,” the minister said.

Allocation and logistics committees were also set up to fashion out strategies on immediate disbursement of the fund, and to outline other approaches that would facilitate a proper supervision of the projects across the six geo political zones.

“These two sub-committees are being set to enhance the performance and efficiency in our supervision, more so, other teams could be formed across the six geo-political zones to monitor projects in universities across the federation,” Wike stated.

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He also stressed: “for record purpose, a university must embark on projects according to the submissions in the needs assessment report. A university should not be in need of a lecture theatre and now build a vice chancellor’s lodge. This would bring issues later.”

The sub-committee members, led by Mahmoud, are expected to submit their report on December 24, to enable disbursement of the fund to universities.

It would be recalled that ASUU and the Nigerian government signed an agreement to begin the implementation of the 2009 agreement which includes the disbursement of the N200bn as the first instalment to be paid before the end of 2013.

 

Over 500 Killed In South Sudan Clash

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Over 500 Killed In South Sudan Clash

About 500 people are believed to have been killed in recent fighting in Sout Sudan, Africa’s newest country, officials in the country have said.

Another 800 persons wounded.

Information minister Michael Makuei Lueth told CNN that some bodies are still being found in forests and many of those who were wounded are dying in hospitals.

U.N. officials have expressed deep concern about the unrest, saying between 15,000 and 20,000 people have taken shelter in the organization’s compounds in the capital, Juba.

The spokesperson for the Uganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fred Opolot said the government had closed its embassy on Wednesday in Juba, South Sudan amid clashes.

Opolot told Xinhua on the telephone that it was prudent to close its mission in Juba for the safety and security of the staff.

“At the height of the skirmishes, it was prudent that the mission be closed to ensure security and safety of the staff. As soon as the situation stabilises, our staff will return back to resume work at the mission,” he added.

He said that the move came barely a day after the U.S. closed its embassy in Juba and advised its citizens to immediately leave the country.

Opolot said that if the clashes between soldiers loyal to the sacked former Vice President Riek Machar and incumbent President Salva Kiir continued to escalate, the government would evacuate the embassy staff and citizens trapped in the fighting.

“At the moment our staff are still there helping us to monitor the situation, once the situation escalates then they will be evacuated,” he said.

The clashes in Juba started on Sunday following an alleged coup attempt by a group of soldiers who raided an armoury at the army’s main barracks in Juba.

PDP To Sue 37 House Members For Defection

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PDP To Sue 37 House Members For Defection

The National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that it will go to court to challenge the decision of 37 of its members in the House of Representatives to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The national publicity secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

The members had on Wednesday in a letter to the Speaker of the House announced their decision to defect to APC

“As lawmakers, the defectors must be aware of provisions of section 68 (1) (g) of the amended 1999 constitution, which states conditions upon which a member of the Legislature will change platforms,” the party said.

He said the courts have declared that the PDP remains one united party and that any member of the national or state assemblies who renounces his membership of the party, must be ready to face the consequences of defection in line with provisions of the constitution.

The PDP spokesman said that the defection of the PDP House members to the APC os treacherous.

He added that the action, if confirmed, would be a huge betrayal to the PDP and millions of voters who worked timelessly to ensure their election on PDP platform in their respective constituencies.

Metuh said further that it was a desperate attempt by some selfish politicians to cause confusion in the polity.

He, however, assured PDP members and supporters nationwide that the party remains “unshaken by the departure of fifth columnists,” adding “We shall undoubtedly emerge stronger and more cohesive after these events.”

He said the PDP was unshaken by the purported defection of some members and urged party members to utilise their majority to strengthen the support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda and the PDP national leadership.

EFCC Denies Reports That It Is Broke

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EFCC Denies Reports That It Is Broke

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has disowned comments by the secretary of its board, Emmanuel Aremo, that it is broke and has less than N2 million left in its account.

Aremo, who led a delegation of the EFCC to the public hearing by the Senate committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes on the Bill to establish the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency, had said the commission urgently needed urgent injection of funds as it could barely pay staff salaries.

“If we can pay salary this month, that is all. That is the position under which we operate,” he told the Senate committee.

However, the commision’s head, media & publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said Wednesday that the report is a “gross misrepresentation” of what transpired at the hearing.

Uwujaren said “The mention of N2 million by Aremo was not in respect of the total financial health of the EFCC, but a direct response to a remark by the Chair of the Committee, Senator Victor Lar, to the effect that his committee had observed during an oversight visit to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU that it has no power generating set while its ceiling had caved in.”

He continued: “To this, Aremo remarked that the Commission had complained to the committee during the visit on the state of its finances and that the situation has not improved.”

He said the comment has no bearing whatsoever on the operations of the commission.

But Aremo had complained bitterly about the poor financial position of EFCC, saying the commission need urgent injection of funds.

He also kicked against the NFIU Bill, arguing that even as part of the EFCC, it was discharging its responsibility efficiently without complaints from financial institutions, adding that if granted autonomy, the unit would become exposed to desperate politicians capable of securing court injunctions to frustrate its operations.

Doctors Begin 5 Days Warning Strike

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Doctors Begin 5 Days Warning Strike

In a country where downing of tools seem to be to only legitimate means of communication, doctors under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, have embarked on a five – day warning strike from today.

This is coming a day after the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, suspended its over five-months-old mass action from which the education sector is still yet to recover.

It would be recalled that NMA had given a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to fulfil a promise it made regarding its welfare which expired last week.

The implication of the action of the doctors is that services in public hospitals across the country would be withdrawn.

The national president of the NMA, Osahon Enabulele, said the the strike is to protest government’s failure to implement a mutual agreement to meet demands in terms of improved wages, funding of healthcare and to resolve issues of discrepancies in salaries.

“We were in a meeting with government officials from 3:00pm Monday evening to 5:00am on Tuesday morning. All we got was the usual promissory note and MoU to stay action till January 6, 2014,” Enabulele told journalists.

He added: “They said most of the parastatals that would attend to our demands would be on break this festive period. This showed that they did not realize the urgency of the matter. Government has been sloppy in its response. NMA would not rescind on its position.”

The strike is expected to last for five days in the first stage, after which the body says it will proceed on a indefinite strike action if its demands remain unattended to.

2015: Do Not Exclude Adamawa, Borno, Yobe From Election – Gov Shetima

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2015: Do Not Exclude Adamawa, Borno, Yobe From Election – Gov Shetima

The Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, says excluding the three states under emergency rule from elections in 2015 would be amount to capitulating to the Boko Haram sect.

Shettima was reacting to a statement by the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, that elections may not hold in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states if the present breach of peace continues.

The governor noted that the decision may have grave repercussions for the country, as suspending the general election in 2015 in any part of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on account of Boko Haram activities would amount to making the insurgents supreme over the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It will be defeatist on our part as a nation. The goal of Boko Haram is to impose their beliefs on us, subvert our constitution and our democracy and replace them with inhuman laws that support killings and destructions and should we suspend any part of the country whether in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa or any place at all from taking part in the 2015 election, the insurgents would presuppose successes on their part and itching close to achieving their goals and we cannot allow that,” he said.

According to him, if Boko Haram is allowed to stop elections in three states, they might in no time target additional states and gradually succeed in stopping elections in The whole country.

He stressed that the sovereignty of the country must be defended and that a minority few should not be allowed to force their views on the majority.

“I expect that as a strategy, Borno and Yobe and indeed any place so affected by the insurgents, should be the main focus for conduct of the 2015 elections by INEC so that we send a clear message to those who want us to go into extinction that we will not cave in to their violent needs, we will move on,” Shettima stated.

He stressed further: “Suspending the 2015 elections in Borno will make mockery of the sacrifices made by those who laid their lives; to defend our constitutional democracy, we will be insulting their memories that we should preserve. I, like all good citizens of Borno, firmly believe in a creed, that we must with courage, say no to those who desire our destruction.”
The governor therefore called on the federal government all stakeholders in the country to examine the issue at stake “with analytical mindset far beyond what reasons we might be talking about now”.

Tambuwal Blames Budget Office For Poor Funding Of Govt Agencies

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Tambuwal Blames Budget Office For Poor Funding Of Govt Agencies

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on Tuesday blamed the Budget Office and ministry of finance for the poor funding of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs.

Tambuwal said this when the chairman of the board of directors of Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Hamman Tukur, who led members of the board on a courtesy visit, accused the National Assembly of not showing the desired interest in the power reforms project.

Responding, the Speaker said that the budget office and not the legislative house was the problem.

“We seek your understanding, we are not your problems, not the problem of any MDA in this country. The problem is the budget office…until we address the challenges of the budget office, which normally changes the submissions of the MDAs whimsically without any expertise, we will continue to have problems, not only of funding budgets but also of implementation,” he said.

Continuing, he added: “Let me say this, we are very ready and amenable to complement the efforts of the government in ensuring that we have stable affordable power supply in this country. That was why the legislation towards the unbundling of the PHCN was passed in 2005.”

He, however, assured that the National Assembly would continue to render support in terms of funding.

“The national assembly will continue to support you in terms of funding but we will also continue to follow the money through oversight,” Tambuwal said.

On the oil benchmark problem, he dismissed the reason adduced by the executive for seeking the pegging of the price at 76.5 dollars in the 2014 budget, arguing that the country could not be saving money on empty stomach.

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He said that efforts should be geared towards fixing the nation’s infrastructure, rather than on saving money.

Contrary to expectations, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF and Fiscal Strategy Paper, FSP, proposed a reduction in capital expenditure from 32 percent to 26 percent and increase in recurrent expenditure 68 percent to 74 percent in 2014.

The federal government had lamented that “the level of outlay of personnel cost is crowding out expenditure on capital spending needed to develop the nation and constitutes a major drain on public resources.”

Police Arrest Woman, Pastor-Lover For Murder In Edo

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Police Arrest Woman, Pastor-Lover For Murder In Edo

Caption: Pastor-lover, Udoka Nkanchukwu

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The police in Benin has arrested a Pastor, Udoka Nkanchukwu, and his lover, Enebong Victor Isonguyo, for the murder of her husband Victor Isonguyo, a deputy manager at the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC.

The duo was paraded alongside 17 other suspected criminals arrested for various crimes such as pedophilia, kidnapping and armed robbery committed in the state.

The state commissioner of police, Foluso Adebanjo, who paraded the suspects, narrated how Isonguyo’s death was staged by his wife and her Pastor lover.

“What happened was that the pastor called the deceased to come and meet him somewhere along Sapele Road. When the deceased got there the pastor stabbed him twice and then burnt the car. The woman gave the husband’s new car to the pastor and we found the car with the Pastor. A 2013 model of Volkswagen car. It is a very sad and wicked act,” Adebanjo said.

According to him, after killing the man in his vehicle, it was set ablaze.

“The pastor changed the plate number of the car and put a fake one after he murdered the man. It was when we saw the burnt car in his hand that we knew that he was involved. Though he has confessed and after now we will take them to court,” the CP added.

The wife has however denied having extra marital affairs with the pastor but confirmed that she gave her husband’s new car to the pastor so that he can pray for the safe return of Victor when she discovered he was missing.

“When I did not see my husband I ran to the pastor because we have known for a very long time. I took my husband’s new car to him to sow a seed in the church so that my husband will be found. I told him to take it to the church but I don’t know that he went and changed the plate numbers. I had to ask him to pray harder because I love my husband and I don’t want anything to happen to him. I did not kill my husband because I loved him,” she said.

Victor was the father of three before his untimely death

Commenting on another case, Adebanjo said he was yet to receive a court order for the exhumation of the bodies of four armed suspects, including one Samuel Imaikop, who were allegedly killed by operatives of the command in Benin about three weeks ago.
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It would be recalled that a Benin Magistrate Court presided over by Magistrate F. E. N. Igbinosa, ordered the exhumation of the bodies for autopsy to be carried out on them to determine how they actually died.

“We did not commit any extra judicial murder and you people saw one of the armed robbers confessing. However, the police is always a law abiding organisation and we will always abide by any court ruling if we have an order,” the police commissioner said.

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