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The value of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, grew to a record 10 trillion Norwegian crowns ($1.09 trillion) last week, boosted by rising global stocks and the strength of the euro and dollar. But Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account has been depleted to $324m as at October 2019 while the Stabilization Fund stood at N28.5bn, according to Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) had in a recent Occasional Paper drew public attention to the fact that Nigeria failed to save enough oil revenues to sustain economic activities when oil prices were quite high. The report by NEITI which focused on “the case for a robust oil savings fund for Nigeria” revealed that the total credit balance in the Excess Crude Account as at May, 2017 was a meagre $2.3 billion for a country with a huge population like Nigeria.

According to NEITI, comparison with other resource rich countries that have imbibed the robust culture of saving for the rainy day and for the future of the next generation shows that Nigeria is amongst the lowest in the World. For instance, Russia has saved $89.9 billion since 2008, Kuwait with a population of about 4.1 million has so far saved $592 billion and Chile $24.1 billion. Even neighboring African countries have done better.

For instance, Angola has saved $4.6 billion while Botswana with a population of 2.3 million people and endowed with solid minerals resources only has so far saved $5.7 billion since that country embraced compulsory savings culture in 1994. The Norway’s fund reached the milestone as its government regulators grapple with strategy changes, including how to handle climate risk and a proposed large-scale shift of investments into the United States. Built since 1996 to save petroleum revenues for future generations, the size of the fund has grown to almost three times that of Norway’s annual gross domestic product, far exceeding original projections.

“When the fund was set up, nobody thought it would pass 10,000 billion crowns. We were lucky to discover oil,” the fund’s chief executive, Yngve Slyngstad, said in a statement confirming the record. “The return on the investments in global financial markets has been so high that it can be compared to having discovered oil again,” he said. An update on the fund’s website showed the Government Pension Fund Global’s value reaching 10 trillion Norwegian crowns for the first time at 0857 GMT – more than $200,000 for every man, woman and child in Norway.

Commonly known as the oil fund and managed by a unit of the central bank, it invests close to 70% of funds in global equities and some 28% in a portfolio of fixed-income assets. Unlisted real estate holdings make up the rest.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-nigeria-must-emulate-norways-sovereign-fund.html

The Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha paid the backlog of 80 months pension arrears of 24, 409 pensioners to show how things can be done differently in the administration of the state, and not for politics, the coalition for the Advancement of Good Governance (CAGG) has said. The National Convener, CAGG, James Okoronkwo, said this on Wednesday in Abuja at a news conference.

He also said the 24, 409 pensioners paid were out of the 25, 430 total and that the remaining 340 are yet to be paid because of invalid BVN, and another 286 because of wrong banking details.

“A summary of all pensioners of the 27 local governments shows that payments have started not only for Imo State indigenes but also those that were seconded from their state, did a transfer, or were not originally from Imo State but are employed by the Imo State Government,” Okoronkwo said. He said the organisation was not unmindful of the impatience of Imolites to see immediate results from the government they voted for, especially now that their mandate has further been affirmed by the Court of Appeal.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/imo-why-ihedioha-cleared-80-months-arrears-of-24000-pensioners.html

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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the US President Donald Trump asking him to exercise his constitutional powers “pursuant to the Presidential Proclamations 7750 and 8697 to instruct the US Secretary of State and US Ambassador in Nigeria to temporarily ban Nigerian state governors and other senior public officials misusing the criminal justice system to jail journalists, bloggers and activists reporting on allegations of corruption from entering the US.”

SERAP also urged Mr Trump to “use Presidential Proclamation 8697 (which allows the US Department of State to deny visas to foreign officials, their families and friends) who participate in serious human rights violations and other abuses such as misusing the criminal justice system to jail journalists, bloggers and activists to prevent them from reporting on allegations of corruption and other related cases.” The letter followed SERAP’s report titled “A Downward Spiral: How Federal and State Authorities are Tightening the Screws on Media Freedom in Nigeria” and launched today in Lagos.

In the letter dated 30 October 2019 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Democracy demands ‘maximum disclosure’ of all government held information, and this won’t happen without respect for media freedom and the citizens’ rights to know. Undue restrictions on media freedom and the right to know would imply nothing short of abrogation of the ideals of democracy and good governance. Citizens’ right to know is vital for social welfare and other human rights.” SERAP also said, “Media freedom and the right of citizens to know constitute a crucial bulwark of democracy.

It is essential for the general progress of a democratic society if people are to effectively monitor their government’s affairs and democratically participate in the running of society, they must have access to government-held information, which the media should be allowed to freely report.” SERAP’s report documents the increasing cases of harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests and detention and deaths of journalists, bloggers and other media workers while carrying out their legitimate work.

SERAP’s letter read in part: “Specifically, the report documents cases of attacks on journalists, bloggers and activists reporting on allegations of corruption and related matters in the following states of Nigeria: Cross River state; Abia state; Ebonyi state; Kano state; Jigawa state; Bauchi state; and Kaduna state.” The governors of the states mentioned are Ben Ayade (Cross River), Okezie Ikpeazu(Abia), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi). The other governors are Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai (Kaduna). “Also, 109 journalists were attacked between 2010 and 2015, and several more journalists, bloggers, radio and TV stations and activists have been targeted since 2015. At least 36 attacks on journalists were recorded between January and July 2019 alone, 30 of the attacks happening during the 2019 general elections.”

“The attacks and harassment include arbitrary arrests and detention, physical attacks and even deaths. In 2018, at least 45 radio and TV stations were sanctioned by the authorities on unfounded allegations of breaching some codes of conduct.” “Proactive initiatives to protect media freedom and human rights that would invariably contribute to transparency and accountability globally have always been in the best long-term interests of the US.

Your application of targeted sanctions would reaffirm US commitments to human rights, and media freedom and help to supplement the criminal justice in Nigeria and be entirely consistent with the US international obligations.” “SERAP believes that your government’s imposition of targeted sanctions against those accused of misusing the criminal justice system to attack, intimidate, harass and jail journalists, bloggers and activists in Nigeria would help to deter other state governments, governors and other senior public officials from limiting the enjoyment of Nigerians’ right to information about what their government is doing in their names.”

“Such sanctions would not violate due process and presumption of innocence principles, as long as the reasons for the sanctions are communicated to those that may be affected, as what is recommended is a temporary travel ban. We argue that the imposition of temporary travel bans on public officials complicit in violation of media freedom and preventing reporting of allegations of corruption is a preventive and not punitive measure.”

“SERAP therefore urges you to apply the presidential proclamations 7750 and 8697 as instruments of foreign policy to promote targeted sanctions against state governments, governors and other senior public officials in Nigeria, just as the US has for many years applied targeted sanctions, including imposing travel restrictions on systematic violations of human rights.” “SERAP believes that applying presidential proclamations 7750 and 8697 as recommended would be very helpful to Nigeria’s efforts to protect media freedom, improve transparency and accountability and generally ensure full respect for the human rights of journalists, bloggers and activists across Nigeria.

It would also facilitate equivalent visa bans in other globally desirable locations as well.” “SERAP hopes that you will exercise your constitutional powers to promote human rights, media freedom, transparency and accountability in Nigeria.” “SERAP also notes that Presidential Proclamations 7750 and 8697 underscore the important role of the media in the establishment of legitimate and transparent public institutions to world stability, peace, and development.”

“The proclamations note the US ‘enduring commitment to respect for human rights and humanitarian law’, which requires that its Government be able to ensure that the US does not become a safe haven for suspected violators of human rights and other abuses. They also aim to help the US authorities to secure peace, promote the rule of law, combat crime and corruption, and strengthen democracies around the globe.”

“Significantly, the Presidential Proclamations underscore that it is in the interests of the United States to take action to restrict the international travel and to suspend the entry into the United States, as immigrants or non-immigrants, of certain persons who are suspected to be involved in serious violations of human rights, humanitarian law and other abuses.”

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/serap-writes-trump-seeks-travel-ban-for-el-rufai-ayade-ganduje-others.html

Bad news for APC

Jimi24:
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An outbreak of Yellow fever in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State has claimed 115 lives, Daily Trust gathered. Though locals say so far 115 people have died from the disease, government insists that only 18 died in the three weeks that the disease broke out in the area. A former councillor of Kogari Ward, Malam Sule Ibrahim, said the disease first hit Kogari ward before moving to Unguwar- Sarka community.

He said, ‘‘in the past three weeks, we have recorded over 115 deaths’’. However, when contacted, the Executive Secretary of the state Primary Health Care Development agency, Dr Shamsu Ahmad said, “it is a suspected case of Yellow fever, and based on our line list and documentation, 45 people fell ill, and 18 deaths were recorded. As at today (Monday) there are 45 cases on ground. Of those ill, 11 blood samples were taken, five results turned out negative of Yellow fever and we are awaiting the result of six others. We normally take the samples to Abuja and Lagos for confirmation because we don’t have the facility to do it here”.

He said only recently, 6,729,000 people were immunised against Yellow fever across the state. Sources also confirmed that there was vaccination at Kogari area of Matazu LGA, where the recent outbreak started. It would be recalled that over a month ago suspected bandits residing in Danmusa forest axis had approached a team of vaccinators to accompany them into the forest to vaccinate some inhabitants, following death of some of their members from Yellow fever.

Their demand, it was gathered, was as a result of the death of a notorious kidnap kingpin, Alhaji TK and 11 others who had been terrorising Katsina and Zamfara. Many people however mistook their death as a “curse following intense prayers over their attacks’’, and they celebrated the development.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/yellow-fever-kills-115-in-katsina-lg.html

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier-General Shuaibu, says the scheme has not yet got a directive from the Minister of Finance to commence payment of the N30,000 new minimum wage to corps members. Addressing reporters in Abuja yesterday after the opening of the NYSC management meeting with representatives of state governments, Shuaibu, however, said it was certain that corps members would benefits from the new wage.

He said key responsibilities of state and local governments, as spelt out in Section 7, Sub-section 3 and 4 as well as Section 8 of the NYSC Act, included provisions of befitting orientation camps, accommodation for corps members, land for agriculture, security of corps members, release of state subventions, among others.

He said the Federal Government bore the heavier cost of running the scheme through feeding and medical services of corps members, payment of allowances, among others. The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, urged state and local governments to provide an enabling environment for corps members. The minister noted that the scheme had immensely contributed to the socio-economic, political and cultural development of Nigeria.

According to Dare, for corps members’ potentials to be fully harnessed for national development, conducive working atmosphere must be created for them.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/no-directive-yet-on-new-wage-payment-to-corps-members-nysc.html

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam yesterday begged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to appeal to the Federal Government to allow its country import rice to Nigeria at discounted rates. The Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vuong Dinh Hue, made the appeal in Abuja when he led a five-man delegation to meet the Adams Oshiomshole-led National Working Committee. He said the delegation would also meet Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to present similar demands.

Reacting, Oshiomhole said Nigeria would not accept such demand from Vietnam, advising the country to rather secure land and invest in rice production in Nigeria. He said Nigeria would no longer become a dumping ground for unwanted chemicals and spoilt products among others, stressing that Nigeria’s borders would remain closed until neighbouring countries learn to respect the rule of fair trade.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lets-import-rice-into-nigeria-vietnam.html

Senate President Ahmad Lawan yesterday said Nigeria must not continue to borrow funds. He said the federal government had been borrowing to fund budgets because many revenue-generating agencies were performing below expectations. His Special Assistant on Press, Ezrel Tabiowo, in a statement, quoted him as saying this while speaking at the third University of Benin/National Institute for legislative and Democratic Studies convocation ceremony.

Lawan said: “Today, Nigeria is challenged by unavailability of revenues. We can pass the budget in record time, but when it comes to implementation, that becomes subject to how much revenue we are able to realise,” he said. “Majority of the agencies don’t remit these revenues. They force the Nigerian government to resort to borrowing.

“The time has come for the national assembly to continuously engage revenue generating agencies to know what their challenges are. Where they have targets, we must ensure they meet these targets. Where they don’t meet them, we should find out why.” Lawan said the lawmakers were working hard to pass the budget before the Christmas break. “Our target for tomorrow, the 29th of October, as the last day for budget defence remains,” he said.

“We hope that from this week, the 30th of October to the 5th of November; we expect all our sub-committees of the appropriations committee to defend their budgets before the appropriation committees of the Senate and the House. “We are desirous and determined to ensure that the budget is laid on the 28th of November this year. We want to ensure that we pass the budget before the end of this year by December when we will go for Christmas break.”

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigeria-must-not-continue-borrowing-senate-president.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has again reiterated the Nation’s resolve to stand firm in the face of any act of terrorism. The President who restated the resolve at the commissioning of the rebuilt United Nations (UN) house and the marking of the 2019 UN Day, said Nigeria will not be cowed but will remain resilient in the face of acts of terrorism “designed to break our spirit”. He said that the commissioning of the building was a testament of the progress Nigeria has made over the years in the fight against terror in the country while assuring the UN family, other visitors and Nigerians of their safety and comfort.

Represented by the Minister, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, President Buhari stressed that the efforts of the UN over the years in confronting global issues such as international conflicts, health and humanitarian matters, climate change and environmental degradation, have continued to yield positive results around the world. This, the President said, has lent credence to the opinion that the UN has made the world a much better place, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary of the FCT Minister, Anthony Ogunleye.

While congratulating the UN for the celebration of the 2019 UN Day, the President pledged the country’s commitment to serve as a good host to the UN family and encouraged the staff to build bonds of friendship with locals that will help strengthen the growing sense of a loving community outside the UN environment. In his welcome remarks, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Edward Kallon, commended the President and people of Nigeria for the unwavering support for the UN and commitment to the rebuilding of the bombed UN house.

He stressed that the rebuilding of the house was a demonstration of Nigeria’s resolve to tackle terrorism and refusal to be bowed by it. Kallon also said that the UN humanitarian work in the North East still remains a priority and expressed the hope for more synergy with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), especially with the creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Services.

Other speakers at the event commended the Nigerian government for the rebuilding of the UN house as well as her unflinching support for multilateralism. The theme for the 2019 UN Day celebration in Nigeria is, “The future we want, The United Nations we need: Reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism”.

The FCT Minister, on behalf of President Buhari also laid a wreath in memory of those who lost their lives during the August 26 2011 bombing of the UN House and cut the ribbon to commission the rebuilt UN building.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-commissions-un-building-bombed-by-boko-haram-says-we-remain-unbowed.html

Following Wednesday’s tragic tanker explosion at upper Iweka and Ochanja markets in Onitsha, many traders have now been left destitute, trying to pick up pieces of their lives. Daily Trust reports.

The October 16 tragedy in Onitsha that claimed many lives, including a mother and her child, and destroyed property worth millions after a petrol- loaded tanker toppled over and spilled its content has left many people broken and lost. People who spoke with Daily Trust decried how some traders died in their shops while people stood by and recorded their deaths on their phones.

Chairman of Ochanja Central Market, Mr. Nelson Ojukwu said they were able to limit the fire to just five shops in the section because they were able to mobilise water tankers to tackle the inferno. Ojukwu said if the state government had provided a fire station around the area, the situation would not have been so bad. Ikechukwu Moghalu, a spare parts dealer, who specialises in batteries, at the Upper Iweka, Onitsha said he had just taken delivery of goods worth of N10 million on Monday, two days before the disaster.

On the fateful day, he had gone out to buy something only to receive a call that his shop had been burnt down completely. Similarly, Sunday Okonkwo, a dealer in Volkswagen parts at Upper Iweka, said the fire burnt both his parking store and shop, leaving him with nothing to take care of his family, including his pregnant wife who may have a baby at any moment. “What hurts me most was that during the fire, we thought the fire service would come to help us but we didn’t see them until the fire had gutted our goods.

They came after over two or three hours,” he said. Chairman of Upper Iweka spare parts dealers Paul Olisa said that the plaza lost over N100 million in the disaster. “We know that government can assist us to overcome these challenges and we are begging them to help us,” he appealed. It is not only the big dealers who are complaining. Miss Ifeoma Ochiabuto sold engine oil on a table at the market. Her investment was about N170,000 which she lost in the disaster. She has nothing to fall back on.

Perhaps the most tragic story of the fire disaster was that of a woman identified as Ifeoma, whose charred remains along with her child were discovered in the aftermath of the fire. Chief Ben Mbaenyi, a neighbour to Ifeoma said, when she wanted to escape from the shop with her son, she fell into the gutter and the blazing fire consumed them both. He said, most of the other shop owners fled the moment they saw the gas spilling but that Ifeoma, who sold plastic, did not follow immediately. Government’s response to the fire has received knocks from traders and community leaders.

President-General of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who visited the scene on Friday, faulted the response of government agencies. “One would have expected that the fire service, ministry of works and other government agencies would have been here now so that buildings that are damaged, and are likely to collapse, are cordoned off with ribbons so that we do not have other causalities. I am disappointed more also that some people who are paid to do their duties are not doing them,” he said.

He however commended the Delta State fire service for its magnanimity in saving the situation that would have consumed the entire market. “It is a shame to government that they did not provide enough firefighting equipment to Onitsha market despite the huge revenue the commercial city is putting into the state government’s coffers. “It is my sincere hope and prayer that this tragic incident will be the last of its kind. My prayers and thoughts are with the traders and families affected by this tragedy.

May God Almighty receive the souls of all those who died in the incident and grant the bereaved the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he said. When the Daily Trust visited Toronto Hospital to see some of the victims, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Emeka Eze, said only two victims were admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital. “So far, they are making slow progress. We hope they will continue to improve by His grace,” he said.

Chairman of the Nigeria Red Cross Society, Anambra State, Prof. Peter Katchy, said relatives of some of the dead have started making contact with state government for compensation. He also added the Red Cross is considering setting up a help desk for people whose relatives might have been involved in the tragedy.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/onitsha-explosion-victims-struggle-to-pick-up-pieces.html

The Nigeria Police Force yesterday released names of successful applicants in the latest recruitment exercise. The Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Wednesday ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and the Police Service Commission to maintain a status quo on the ongoing recruitment of 10, 000 constables.

Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order at the hearing of the case brought by the PSC against the IGP. The PSC had brought the matter before the court, asking it to stop Adamu from continuing the recruitment exercise for usurping the power of the commission.

A post last night on the verified Twitter handle of the Nigeria Police Force,@policeng, said the IGP had vetted the list. “List of successful candidates in the 2019 recruitment exercise into the nigeria police force 24th october, 2019 “The IGP has vetted and given approval for the release of the final and authenticated list of successful candidates who participated in the ongoing recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Police Force. Below is the list of successful candidates: ” the post read.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/igp-flouts-court-order-releases-list-of-new-recruits.html

…as Justice Ministry demands 2.5% commission from recovered loots

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said on Wednesday that beneficiaries of N150bn judgement debt owed by the Federal Government are mounting pressure on the ministry to pay the money. Malami disclosed this during 2020 budget defence before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Right and Legal Matters.

Malami said the ministry was compelled to take inventory and explore avenues to judgement debts that were hydra headed to the ministry. “This has arisen because it was only in 2017 that the sum of N10bn was disbursed for the payment of judgement debt as appropriated. “As it stands, the sum of over N150bn remains unpaid, prompting beneficiaries of this sum to keep mounting pressure on the ministry” he said.

He requested the Senate committee to intervene on the long standing vex issue by appropriating the sum of N30bn to the ministry annually to mitigate the challenge to forestall possible friction, accrued interests and unwanted litigations arising from failure to effect the payment. Earlier, the chairman of the committee, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, said the judgement debt profile was a matter of concern to the country. He said the Senate was aware of the challenges facing Ministries, Departments and Agencies and promised necessary interventions to address them.

Malami called on the National Assembly to approve 2.5 percent commission from the recovered loots to be paid to the Asset Recovery Unit of his office. He said the legal procedural requirements for the recoveries were all-together tasking and cumbersome. “Most times, we have to engage the services of well-grounded lawyers and consultants to effect recovery.

To smoothen our operations in this regard, it was deemed expedient to establish Asset Recovery Unit in my office and so far, the effort is quite sultry. “I will like to reiterate my request to the effect that about 2.5 per cent of the recovered looted money to be earmarked to the Asset Recovery Unit to service logistics, operational cost, payment to private lawyers and consultants.”

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-incurs-n150bn-judgment-debt-malami.html

More than two months after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Nigerian Correctional Service Bill into law, no significant changes have been made in terms of transformation of the facilities, Daily Trust reports. The law had among other things changed the name of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) to Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS).

Findings by Daily Trust also showed that while the official website of the organisation is yet to be updated to accommodate information on the new Act, state commands of the former NPS were yet to adopt the new name in compliance with the new law.

Despite the fact that the website was last updated on October 2, checks showed that the new name was only reflected at the left side of the site, even as one could only access the website through the prisons.gov.ng address. President Buhari assented to the new law on August 14, almost 11 years after it was first presented in the Senate by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba.

The senator had then argued that if passed into law, the bill would address some of the fundamental lapses inherent in the Prisons Act, stressing that a review of the Act was necessary to put in place a framework for the rehabilitation and transformation of inmates and to address the issue of inadequate funding of prisons. The total number of prisons inmates in Nigeria stands at 74,081. Findings showed that there are 72,662 male inmates and 1,419 female inmates. Of the total figure, 22,390 male and 311 female prisoners had been convicted. There are 51,380 prisoners that are awaiting trial in various prisons across the country.

Apart from the change of name from NPS to NCP, the new law (NCS Act 2019) also classified the service into two broad parts: the Custodial Service and the Non-Custodial Service. Section 10 of the NCS Act states the functions of the Custodial Service to include: Taking custody of all persons legally interned; providing safe, secure and humane custody for inmates; conveying remand persons to, and from courts in motorized formations; and identifying the existence and causes of anti-social behaviours of inmates.

Other functions, as contained in the new law, include: conducting risk and needs assessment aimed at developing appropriate correctional treatment methods for reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration; implementing reformation and rehabilitation programmes to enhance the reintegration of inmates back into society; initiating behaviour modification in inmates through the provision of medical and psychological, spiritual and counselling services for all offenders including violent extremists.

The Act also makes provision for the development of educational and vocational skills training programmes and facilitating incentives and income generation through custodial centres, farms and industries and providing support to facilitate the speedy disposal of cases of persons awaiting trial amongst others.

However, investigation by Daily Trust showed that months after the passage of the new Act, the NCS was yet to start implementing any of the new reforms, including simple ones that do not require elaborate bureaucratic procedures. Findings showed that in terms of structure, beside the few prisons constructed by the Federal Government in Kano and other places, nothing had changed in most prisons across the country as the NCS still maintained the same facilities as was the case with the NPS. Some observers spoken to said there should have been improvements in the service across the country ahead of any legislative proclamation.

They argued that in an ideal situation, improvement of facilities through funding and reorienting the psyche of personnel working in the service ought to have been given priority ahead of simply changing the name of the service from NPS to NCS. Some officials spoken to said the directorates in the service ought to have been expanded to accommodate the non-custodial aspect of the NCS operations. It was gathered that inmates are still kept in the prisons even though the new Act provides that some of them with minor offences would have had their punishments converted to parole or other non-custodial measures. The real problem A source told Daily Trust that implementing the new Act will require huge funding which was not captured in the 2019 budget.

He said the NCS cannot do anything until next year when its new budget would have been passed. Another source also informed our reporter that the NCS management had made some proposals to the new minister, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, which has not yet been approved. “The proposal had to do with the way forward in the restructuring of the service. This includes the training of personnel for the new task, new uniforms for the non-custodial personnel and others,” he said.

Nothing has changed in states Findings by Daily Trust also indicated that nothing has changed at the state commands of the NCS. A visit to the Kogi State headquarters of the service in Lokoja and the prison facility in Koton Karfe area of the state revealed that even the signboard of the organization still bears the former nomenclature of NPS. In the same vein, the vans for conveying inmates and other official vehicles of the organization still bear the old name of NPS.

Daily Trust observed that the custodial centres (prisons facilities) of the service at Ankpa, Idah and Dekina, amongst others, have not received any facelift. Our correspondent also observed that most of the facilities were not equipped with vocational centres for inmates to acquire skills that would make them useful in society after serving their terms.

The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, had during his recent tour of prison facilities in the state for the purpose of decongestion, called on the federal government to provide training workshops to enable inmates have access to reformation skills rather than allowing them to get more hardened. Justice Ajanah also appealed for infrastructure to improve the living condition of inmates in custody, adding that the purpose of establishing correctional service was to reform jailed offenders. “I noticed that the facilities at Ankpa, Dekina and Idah correctional service are still old and there is no improvement in the structures,” he said.

“I hope the appropriate authority will take note of that because these places are supposed to be correctional; there is a need to improve on what we have here so that detainees can learn something that will engage them after they regain their freedom,” he said. Similarly, a visit by our reporter to both Port Harcourt prisons and the state command of the old NPS showed that nothing was happening in terms of reform.

At the state command of the service located adjacent to the popular Agip junction in Port Harcourt, the signpost at the entrance of the command is still bearing the old insignia of NPS. While the entire structures within the state command remained the same, the premises were overgrown with weeds even as paint on the walls was defaced.

At the state maximum prison yard located at the town axis of Port Harcourt, the signpost still retained its old name of NPS, the structures worn out while the cells in the prison yard were overcrowded. An official at the facility told our reporter that the directive from the Presidency to change the name from NPS to NCS was yet to be implemented.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigerias-prisons-remain-same-despite-name-change.html

A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday gave a final warning to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission to produce the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, as a witness in the ongoing trial of the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission , Ishaq Modibbo Kawu and two others alleged to have misappropriated the N2.5billion meant for the Digital Switch-Over project of the Federal Government. Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa said the minister and one other were the two remaining witnesses in the trial of Kawu, Pinnacle Communications Ltd, Lucky Omoluwa, and Dipo Onifade in the 12-count charges preferred against them by the ICPC over the switch-over project.

Justice Ogunbanjo-Giwa warned that failure of the ICPC to produce the minister and a bureau de change operator, who had already missed previous summons, at the next adjourned date, would result in the closure of their case.

Earlier, prosecution counsel, Ephraim Otti informed, the court that the bureau de change operator was not in the country and the minister was not available. He therefore asked for adjournment of the case. Reacting, defence lawyers, Akeem Mustapha (SAN), Jovi Oguejiofor and Ama Etuwewe (SAN), opposed the application for adjournment. The court adjourned the case to December 3, 4 and 5 for the prosecution to call its remaining witnesses.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/alleged-n2-5bn-nbc-fraud-produce-lai-mohammed-court-tells-icpc.html

A pro-APC group in Rivers State, Initiative for Transparent Strategy and Good Leadership has raised alarm over an alleged planned protest in Abuja against the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. The group, in a press statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday by its Coordinator, Chizy Enyi, alleged that the protesters were hired persons across the country sponsored by prominent politicians from the state to protest in Abuja over an alleged instigation of crisis in the state chapter of the party by the minister. He alleged that the protesters have been mobilised with a sum of N300 million.

He further alleged that the planned protest, which he said will be coming up in few days’ time, would be ostensibly in the name of APC members in Rivers State and to be tagged “Amaechi has destroyed APC in Rivers State and must be expelled now”. Enyi said the N300 million has already been released to the three coordinators of three NGOs that are to be used for the protest. He said the coordinators of the protest have promised their sponsors that they will close down all streets in Abuja leading to the APC National Secretariat. He said, “I wonder why that huge amount of money will be released to protesters just to insult Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi while Rivers people are dying of hunger and abject poverty.”

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pro-apc-group-alleges-plot-to-blackmail-amaechi.html

Having secured the signing of the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Amendment Act 2019 into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of AMCON, Mr. Ahmed Kuru, has turned attention to sister agencies in a bid to recover the over N5.4 trillion outstanding debts in the hands of a few Nigerians. Aside from collaborating with the likes of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as well as the Ministry of Justice, Kuru has continued to extend hand of fellowship to the judiciary who he said must strongly support AMCON to achieve the recovery expectations of the Federal Government.

The AMCON chief executive who led a delegation of AMCON officials on a strategic visit to Nigeria’s Court of Appeal recently where they met with the President of the court, Hon. Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa (CFR), told the justices that the new act had expanded the definition of the obligations of AMCON to include the directors, meaning that AMCON would more than ever before need the support of the judiciary, especially the Federal High Court, if it stands the chance of recovering the over N5.4tn owed it by obligors.

In a statement, Kuru said the act had granted permission to place bank accounts of debtors or the likes under surveillance by ex-parte order of the Federal High Court; access debtors’ computer systems for the purpose of locating debtors’ funds by ex-parte order of the Federal High Court; permit AMCON the right to obtain access to debtors’ banking, financial and commercial information and Bank Verification Number (BVN) from banks by ex-parte order of the Federal High Court, as well as impose an obligation on the Federal Government and Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to seek AMCON’s clearance before contracting with or making payments to recalcitrant debtors on AMCON’s debtor list. Justice Bulkachuwa who praised the management of AMCON for working very hard to get the act amended, said it would go a long way to helping the corporation in its recovery drive.

She said it had always been the priority of the Court of Appeal to adjudicate justice as fast as possible, adding that the court would continue to do its best to see how it could fast track its processes, including AMCON-related cases.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/with-amended-act-amcon-can-recover-n5-4trn-debt-kuru.html

A Kano State High Court has fixed November 14 for judgement in the ongoing trial over creation of four new emirates and appointment of three first class emirs by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. It would be recalled that former Minority Leader and Minority Whip of the Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Rabi’u Saleh Gwarzo and Alhaji Babangida Yusuf Sulaiman challenged the legality of the creation of the four emirates.

The two lawmakers joined in the suite, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; the then Speaker of the House, Alhaji Kabiru Alhassan Rurum; the Attorney General Barrister Ibrahim Mukhtar and Kano state Printing Press.

When the case came up today, counsel to the plaintiff, A.B Mahmoud (SAN), filed an affidavit seeking for amendment of the originating summon. However, Counsel to the former speaker, Mr Louis Mathew-Alozie (SAN), objected the motion and urged the court to strike out the entire case for lack of merit. In view of this, the presiding judge, Justice Usman Na’Abba adjourned the case till November 14 for judgement.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/new-emirates-ganduje-sanusi-to-know-fate-november-14.html

Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, has said that a total of 130 students would be awarded First Class degrees at the institution’s convocation holding on Wednesday. Abdulkareem told journalists on Monday in Ilorin that 12,009 students would graduate during the university’s 35th Convocation Ceremonies.

According to the vice chancellor, 2,902 graduates bagged Second Class Upper Division, 5,661 had Second Class Lower Division, while 1,392 had Third Class. Abdulkareem commended TETFund for funding projects in over 47 federal universities and urged Federal Government to address the challenge of insufficiency of funds facing Unilorin. He noted that budgetary allocation to education had dropped from 10.78 percent in 2015 to 7.04 percent in 2018 and called on federal government to increase education budget to 15 percent in order to bring it closer to 26 percent recommended by UNESCO. He said that the university was increasing its internally generated revenue to avoid total dependence on government funding and ensure full implementation of its N36.4 billion 4th Strategic Plan.

Abdulkareem said major research breakthroughs by staff and students of the institution included development of a speed breaker device, invention of an anti-electricity power theft device and innovation of an oil spillage management product which had already been commercialised. Others, he said, included fabrication of a machine capable of producing different shapes of pencil in commercial quantities and the discovery of a potential treatment and cure for Tuberculous, among others. (NAN)

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/130-to-bag-first-class-at-unilorin-convocation-vc.html

Toh

Oh God!

aayah