₦airaland Forum

OGA kACHIKWU THE QUEUE HAS NOT DISAPPEARED IN ABUJA. TODAY IS Wednesday. ARE YOU HONOURABLE ENOUGH TO RESIGN?
https://www.nairaland.com/2986996/fuel-scarcity-end-monday-kachikwu

CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW THESE GENERALS ARE CHOPPING OUR MONEY!

‎Salisu Abdullahi, a retired air commodore, has told Justice Okon Abang of the federal high court, Abuja, that Alex Badeh, while he was the chief of air staff, “usually” instructed him to convert N558m to dollars and bring to his house.

The amount represented the leftover of funds meant for the monthly payment of staff salaries, said Abdullahi, who was director of finance and account of the Nigeria air force from October 2010 to December 2013.

Abdullahi, who is the first witness called by Rotimi Jacobs, the prosecution in the ongoing trial of Badeh, however, said that the instruction to convert the money to dollar was given to him verbally as it is custom in the military.
‎
“We receive about N4bn monthly for the payment of salaries. Our total wage bill, when I was finance director, was above N2bn,” he explained.

“The balance of the money for personnel emolument was about N1.7bn‎. The sum of N558m was earmarked for the general administration of the chief of staff’s office monthly. The balance is proposed for disbursement to the units.

‎”‎In most cases the chief of air staff directs that the amount be exchange into US dollars and taken to the headquarters Nigeria air force camp‎. When this money is exchanged it is brought to me, and I take this money to the chief air staff at home- his official residence at Niger Barracks.

“As military officers we don’t request for any acknowledgment. In some cases, I do tell the finance officer to meet me at air house at Niger barracks with the money so that he can see when I hand over the money to the chief of air staff.

“The instruction to convert the money to dollar was not in writing. The chief of air gives many instructions that are not in writing. The instructions in writing are those requests forwarded to his office from the branches.

‎”When I came I met N120m earmarked for the office of the director of finance. It was part of the balance of personal emolument released monthly. But I rejected it. I asked that the money place under the control of the chief of staff for tours and visits, and other sundry issues.”

https://www.thecable.ng/usually-helped-badeh-convert-n558m-staff-salaries-dollars-says-witness

The Minister of Petroleum(State) Ibe Kachikwu promised us the fuel queue will disappear by Monday (today). https://www.nairaland.com/2986996/fuel-scarcity-end-monday-kachikwu
So folks how is the situation in your area. As for Abuja, the situation is worse. There is no station that has fuel. So no where to queue. Shouldn't the minister resign for lying to Nigerians. Or do we wait till midnight today before we start calling for his resignation?

americanigga:
[s]The truth that waillers will not like to hear is that APC has already won the up comming rerun in River state on saturday by hook or crook.

Ameachi is ready to give wike a pill of his own medicine. This is how I think they can easily defeat PDP

(1) On election day all roads leading to and out of government house will be barricaded by the military, thereby preventing wike from moving an intch and paralizing him

(2)the military, police and dss will be deployed to PDP strong hold to arrest any PDP big wigs, thugs, agents that try to do anything funny and if they resist, they will be brutalized or even shot dead

(3) APC card carrying members will be deployed as INEC officers, returning officers. Ameachi will collect the result sheet from them, allot high scores to APC and low or zero score to PDP, since voting matchine is of no use.
The returning officer will declare APC 100% winner of all the seats.

(4) immediately the house of assembly resumes, the present speaker will be impeached, before one week Wike will be impeached and handed over to EFCC and DSS for prosecution for ellection rigging, corruption and killings in River state. Making an APC man the Governor

Those who have ears let them hear.[/s]

NONSENSE!!!!

Please tell us St Amaechi! You awarded 16 schools to Wike, and he stole them all. We want to know how much Wike stole and what you did about it. Afterall you were the governor then.

The war of attrition between Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his predecessor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, continued on Saturday.

The duo, among several others, accused each other of massive corruption and also implicated themselves in an alleged plan to cause violent crisis in the legislative rerun election scheduled to take place in the state next Saturday.

Throwing the first salvo, former Governor Amaechi, while speaking on a radio programme, monitored in Port Harcourt, alleged that Wike had so far received above N50 billion but his administration had nothing to show for it.

He further said the people of the state, nay Nigerians, would be shocked if he should reveal how much Wike allegedly stole, both as a former minister and as the state governor.

The former governor also accused his successor of planning to kill people on the day of the rerun election, but said Wike would be overwhelmed by the heavy security that would be on ground on the day.

But, Governor Wike fired back as he described his former boss as a psychiatric person and a “monstrously corrupt” public officer who would account for all the monies he allegedly stole when he was the governor.

Speaking at the PDP Rivers West Senatorial District Campaign rally at Ahoada, also, on Saturday, Wike said Amaechi was “a failed governor who needed urgent psychiatric evaluation and treatment.”

The governor also declared that Amaechi would face prosecution for corruption after the litigation against his indictment by the Justice George Omereji-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry over the alleged embezzlement of state funds.

Amaechi, in his comments against the Wike-led administration, said he had never critised or abused his own predecessor, Dr Peter Odili, having benefited from him (Odili).

“I benefited from Dr Peter Odili and I never criticised or abused him because he is my benefactor. But Nyesom Wike abuses me. There will continue to be a recurring decimal until Wike leaves.

“Wike has collected over 50 billion. He should show how he spent the money. Wike has abandoned schools built during my administration. Students now pay school fees.

“Some of our graduates became doctors. Some of those who benefited from the overseas scholarship in Canada became Canadian citizens.

“He has abandoned the hospitals. Wike is not a governor; he is only there to take money. Go to the [Federal] Ministry of Education. I was shown documents there. If you see the amount Wike has stolen, you will be shocked.

“Wike should tell us what he has done. By this time, when I was the governor, I was commissioning roads. Some of the roads that Wike is working on now were awarded to him when I was the governor.

“I did not enrol Rivers State students for the [National Examination Council] NECO because it is sub-standard. Let Nyesom Wike tell us one thing he has done. He is so scared of me.

“Wike did not come in as an Ikwerre governor; he came in because he was so desperate. The Ikwerres can’t be the sole expert in governance.

“Wike came so desperate as governor,” he said.

Speaking on the legislative rerun election, the former governor said the nation’s security apparatus would be deployed to stop whatever was the plan of Wike to disrupt the election.

Daring the governor, the Minister of Transportation said, “Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy will protect the national waterways, the areas within the purview of my ministry.

“I am daring Wike. Unlike the last election where he was writing results, that day (next Saturday), you will see security in Rivers that Wike will worry about security.

“With Dakuku Peterside becoming the Director General of NIMASA, we will use both the police and the army to police the waterways to Kula and to Bonny. Our waterways must be clear to allow investment.

“I want to assure the people of the state that the waterways will be protected on the day of election.

“I am the leader of APC in the state and I am here to see how Wike will shoot all of us. We want him to carry out his threat.

“On the day of the election, let everybody come out and vote. I will dare Wike and his boys to come out with guns.

“As of the time I left office, I was 75 per cent popular. I am not worried now; the person that is worried is Wike.

“That day (election day), you will see security and you will be surprised. I am going from village to village from tomorrow [today] to beg people to come out and vote,” he said.

Wike, however, fired back, as he said only a man with psychiatric disorder would compare “his failed eight years in office to just eight months of the new administration.”

He said the former governor failed in his eight years as the state chief executive, adding that “Amaechi lacks proper parental upbringing, hence his desperation in the political arena.”

The governor said the APC refused to campaign for the rerun election because its leaders and members in the state were allegedly relying on the military and security forces to rig.

“He is a psychiatric patient who was at the radio station, abusing people who are old enough to be his fathers/mothers simply because his party lost at the Supreme Court.

“We will defeat Amaechi again and again. No matter the (security agencies) deployed to Rivers State, PDP will win all the seats,” he said.

The governor added that the confession by Amaechi that the military had been handed over to him notwithstanding, the alleged plot to rig the election would fail woefully “as the Rivers people will defend their mandate.”

He also alleged that, as part of the plot, “Amaechi’s personal friend, Mr Tosin Ajayi, was posted to Rivers State as DSS director with the evil objective of creating the environment for rigging.

“Only yesterday (Friday), I intercepted the communication of the DSS director and the Brigade Commander where they were planning on the ways of rigging the election, alongside Amaechi. That plot has failed.

“Amaechi lacks sound parental upbringing. He has vindicated us when he said that he has been given the army to rig the rerun elections. I know the Chief of Army Staff very well; he should not allow a psychiatric patient to use the Army to rig.

“Is Amaechi now the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces that he talks about deploying soldiers? Our people will rise up to defend their votes; they will make the needed sacrifices (to protect) their votes.”

He reminded the people that, on May 27, 2015, Amaechi made a statement that his (Wike) administration would not be able to pay salaries and execute projects.

He said the former governor had, however, been confounded through the execution of what he described as pro-people projects across the state and payment of salaries and pensions.

The governor further said that, no matter the time it would take, his predecessor would face trial for allegedly stealing Rivers resources.

“If President Muhammadu Buhari visits Amaechi’s house in Asokoro, he will never allow him to come into Presidential Villa. After the case initiated by Amaechi over his indictment, he will face justice for embezzling state funds,” he added.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Information, Dr Austin Tam-George, has described as shameless and irresponsible the statements made by Amaechi, in a television programme in Abuja and on a radio programme in Port Harcourt.

The former governor had accused the Rivers State government and the state Police Command of abetting and supporting criminals, and blamed both for the recent killings in some areas in the state.

Tam-George, in a statement made available to Sunday Tribune in Port Harcourt, on Saturday, said, “Throughout his rambling interviews during which he appeared mostly confused and inebriated, Mr Amaechi provided no shred of evidence to support his bizarre allegations.”

Contrary to Amaechi’s allegation, the commissioner said Governor Wike had given unprecedented financial and logistical support to the police and other security agencies in the state since he assumed office, 10 months ago.

“Within two months in office, Governor Wike released over 60 security-fitted vehicles to the police in the state. He also released over 30 vehicles to the joint security forces.

“Investigations by the Rivers State police command have shown again and again, that the killings witnessed in some areas of the state were the result of retributive attacks launched by rival cult gangs battling for supremacy.

“And in each case, the Rivers State Police Command, working with the state government, has made arrests and obtained vital intelligence from gang leaders in custody.

“There is a prosecutorial process already underway for those implicated in these criminal activities,” Tam-George said.

http://tribuneonlineng.com/nigerians-will-be-shocked-if-i-reveal-how-much-wike-has-stolen-%E2%80%94amaechi

Nigerians have rejected the Federal Government’s apology for the deplorable supply of electricity and fuel across the country.

A consistent decline in the nation’s electricity supply has led to a blackout nationwide, causing Nigerians huge economic hardship in their efforts to provide electricity and water to their homes.

The Federal Government had on Friday apologised to Nigerians for the blackout and the inherent hardship it had caused them.




The Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, in a statement on Friday, had said all efforts were being made to rectify the situation and ensure a gradual improvement in the power situation.

According to Mohammed, a combination of different incidents, including gas shortage, vandalism, sabotage, protests by power and petroleum workers, are responsible for crashing the power supply.

Mohammed said, “Due to these factors, only 13 of the 24 power stations in the country are currently functioning. It is this same kind of unsavoury situation that has affected fuel supply and subjected Nigerians to untold hardship.

“We admonish all Nigerians who may be agitating for their rights in whatever form to refrain from any action that will further hurt the same people they claim to be protecting.”

But several Nigerians rejected the apology on Saturday, while they lamented the economic challenges experienced daily.

In a telephone interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, a former Governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, said, “Nigerians don’t accept apologies under such circumstances. We want action and solution and if we can have this problem of fuel scarcity at a time when the executive President (Muhammadu Buhari) is the Minister of Petroleum Resources, then, it means we can expect the worst on the economy and a whole country.

“This whole thing is under the President and yet we have this crisis. It is a serious implication, which means we can experience worse in other sectors of the economy, if the president is not directly in control of the ministers and other top officials.

“We want reasons why this should continue, especially while the President is the minister for oil.”

A Niger Delta activist, Ms. Annkio Briggs, also stated that apologies given when one is genuinely sorry over an issue.

Briggs told one of our correspondents that when an apology is given, it gives an indication that things are going to get better and the reason for the apology will not happen again.

She added, “But does that mean we are going to get better power supply? Today, I got fuel for about N160 per litre; not at the black market but at the filling station, and the government said we are to buy it for about N87.

“People are buying fuel for over N100 per litre to have fuel in their vehicles and light in their homes. We need fuel to give ourselves light. The question here is, what is the apology supposed to do to Nigerians? Is the apology to stabilise the price of petrol back to what it used to be? Are we going to have constant electricity?

“The solution is to find a way to solve the situation and not about an apology that won’t bring about change to the country. Meanwhile, there’s no use for the apology if we don’t have power supply; if the price of fuel is not back to the normal price.”

Also, the Chairman of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Mr. Ledun Mitee, in a separate interview, described Federal Government’s apology as a publicity strategy.

He said, “It is good public relations for them to say they apologise but are those explanations plausible? I do not readily buy into accusations directed towards crime as the reason for fuel scarcity, instability of fuel price and lack of constant power supply.

“I do not value the explanations; if there are issues we should know, it should be brought out for public discussion, rather than be blamed on things like vandalism. It’s not a matter of apology, what Nigerians want is delivery on power supply to turn the economy around. This issue affects all people.”

He added that the level of economic downturn in the country was on the increase and that something should be done immediately after the apology to help Nigerians fight the issue of blackout

Several Nigerians also rejected the apology on PUNCH’s social media platforms. On PUNCH’s Facebook page, Bobby Brown said, “Nigerians do not accept your apology. You’ve failed the nation.”

Omisore Kunle also said, “I have always said these government people are not sincere with us any longer! There is no petrol to operate our generators and still no electricity. God help us!”

Similarly, Mobola Adesola said, “After 50 years that is the best that they can come up with? Come on!”

Olugbenga Oyesanmi also said, “When will this blame game stop? Every infraction since Buhari resumed office has been blamed on someone else (a boogeyman). The buck stops at his desk. I overwhelmingly supported Buhari. However, this is looking more like ‘a bridge to nowhere.’”

In her submission, Abiola Kahdijat said, “When GEJ (former President Goodluck Jonathan) said this, they called him clueless and boasted that they would do differently, but the situation is even far worse under the All Progressives Congress-led government.

“Since the APC government has continued to deny all its electoral promises, all we ask from them is to maintain the little infrastructure they met on ground. But it seems that’s also an impossible task for the government.”

Another Nigerian, Peterson Nzube, also stated that electricity supply was better under Jonathan, despite the threat posed by vandals.

“APC, you had solutions to all Nigeria’s problem, while you were not in power. Now that you’re in power, you have no single idea again. In less than a year of your regime, you cannot even maintain the megawatts you met, let alone increase it. Rather, it depreciated by 1,000MW. God save Nigeria,” Nzube added.

According to Samuel Bello, it is only in Nigeria that government knows all the problems facing the country but has no solution.

“These were the same stories we heard before the sales of the electricity companies to themselves. Now it has changed from bad to worse. It exhibits the ignorance and ineptitude of those in power. Nigerians have yet to see anybody arraigned in courts of law for sabotage, so, please sing another song. We are tired of excuses; fix it!” Bello said.

Similarly, Bello Eshiofune, asked the Federal Government to swing into action and stop giving excuses.

On PUNCH’s website, Clippers12 said, “So the apology means to sit back do no action? Instead of wasting money on government cars, let’s import solar panels for those who need it, then build from there; at least, start somewhere or do something and not shout ‘we are sorry.’”

Another contributor, Trouble, said, “Excuses, excuses and more excuses. When will Nigerians ever enjoy the God given resources with peace and joy? At every turn, it is just worries and woes for us. Maybe we should change our name. The suffering is too much.”

Earth Voice said, “That is what we get, 50 years sold oil yet no steady electricity in a country. Other countries of the world ruled by military men are far better than Nigeria; at least, they have steady electricity.”

The Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, also berated the government for its inability to fix the power problem.

The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said, “Apology is good but it won’t power the homes. We need to see concrete steps being taken to increase power generation and distribution in our country. We should not be asked to pay more for darkness like the power ministry has done lately.”

Despite the decision by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), to increase electricity tariff by 45 per cent from February 1, 2016, Nigerians have remained in darkness.

The situation had been worsened by fuel scarcity and price hikes nationwide.

The nation achieved its peak generation of 5,074.70MW on February 2, when 4,541.85MW was generated and 4,447.88MW was sent out. But a partial system collapse on Tuesday, in addition to the continuous drop in electricity generation owing to vandalism of pipelines that supply gas to the power plants, led to the highly pronounced power failures across the country.

As a result, power generation dropped to 1,580.6 megawatts as of Wednesday.

The partial system collapse that occurred on Tuesday reportedly happened at the Shiroro Power Plant and dragged down electricity generation to as low as 1,233.4MW from a peak of 3,207.7MW recorded on the same day.

The drop in generation caused severe reduction in load allocation from the national grid to the distribution firms.

Alternative power sources become costlier

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the prices of alternative means of electricity had increased.

The price of Tiger generators, popularly referred to as ‘I better pass my neighbour’ generators, which is the smallest in the range of petrol-powered generators, has increased from about N15,000 to about N25,000 in the last one month.

The Elepaq generator, which is next in terms capacity, has also gone from N35,000 to N68,000 since February. Another category of generators, which used to cost N59,000, now goes for N80,000.

It was also learnt that the cost of diesel-powered generators had increased over the past one month. The retail price of 20KVA generators increased from N1.25m to N2.4m; 60KVA, N2.5m to N3.4m; and 500KVA, N11m to 14.4m.

Before, a carton of candle was N6,200. Now it is N8,000. In some parts of Lagos, a 25-litre keg of water, which used to cost N10, now costs N30. It is worse in some parts of Ikeja where the price of a 20-litre gallon has increase by 100 per cent, from N25 to N50.

It was also learnt that a middle-sized torchlight which used to cost N90 is now N160.

‘Nigerians likely to face more blackouts’

Indications have emerged that the blackout being experienced across the country may not end soon, as electricity power generation from gas-fired and hydro plants are increasingly threatened.

It remains unclear when repair works would be completed on the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System and the Forcados export terminal, as the continued shut-down of the facilities affect affect gas supply to power plants.

A platform on the ELPS was recently sabotaged, while a pipeline leak on Forcados export terminal forced Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limitked to halt production into the terminal in February.

It was recently reported that it was likely to take until early April before the pipeline is repaired and oil production and flow to the export terminal resumed.

An energy expert and Technical Director, Drilling Services, Template Design Limited, Mr. Bala Zakka, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Saturday, said, “We are foreseeing a likely energy crisis in the country,” considering the imminent fall in power generation from hydro power plants.

“We are going to have issues with gas supply. The Escravos pipeline has been tampered with. Definitely, most of the thermal power plants that are being supplied gas through that pipeline are likely to be affected. So, there will be supply issue for the next one month or slightly more than that.”

Noting that it had been forecasted that rainfall may be low this year, Zakka said, “That means the quantum of electricity we normally get from the combination of Shiroro, Jebba and Kainji dams will be very low, and that means we have to rely seriously on the thermal stations.

“So, there is a need for us to do something about supplying gas to the generation companies, and a need for proper regulation so that the distribution companies can effectively distribute.”

“The shortage of power supply has led to a high demand for petrol and diesel by households and businesses, and this is not supposed to be so.”

The Special Adviser on Gas to the immediate past Minister of Power, Mr. Frank Edozie, described the current state of power supply in the country as bad and unfortunate.

“The start of it was the gas facility that was blown on the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System, and then the closure of the Forcados export pipeline that resulted to condensate build-up, which meant a number of gas producers had to shut in,” he said.

Edozie added that he expected an improvement in gas supply to power plants in coming days following the suspension of the strike “until the Forcados pipeline is repaired, and then the ELPS, which will take a little time to repair.”

The Chief Executive Officer, Transcorp Ughelli Power Limited, one of the generation companies in the country, Mr. Adeoye Fadeyibi, told our correspondent that “gas supply continues to be a major constraint.”

“We are having issues because of the pressure of the line for NGC (Nigerian Gas Company); they are not building up enough pressure for us to run our plant. So, that’s the problem we are having.

“We are engaging the gas suppliers to make sure we able to get the gas. They are responding and we are hoping that we can come to some solution quickly.”

An energy law and policy expert/Senior Associate at Lagos-based law firm, Banwo & Ighodalo, Mr. Ayodele Oni, also noted that the strike by electricity workers in connection with the termination of the contract of employment of some staff of Ikeja Electricity Distribution plc and the sabotage by some workers had affected power supply in Lagos.

“There has also been the vandalism of some gas and some other power sector installations. Repairs are now being undertaken and supply should improve soon,” he said.

The Special Assistant, Media to the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Segun Adeyemi, however said Nigerians would expect an improvement in power supply this week.

He said, “Power generation is expected to inch towards a 4,000MW mark and then rise to 5074MW.”

http://www.punchng.com/blackout-nigerians-reject-buharis-apology/

Kindly give me a call if you understand what Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, is up to. When he became NNPC GMD last year, he reduced the directorates to four, saying we needed a “trim” organisation. Now that he is minister, he has increased them to seven “fat” units. He calls them “independent” units, meaning they are… erm… independent. Yet he says this is not “unbundling”. Independent but not unbundled? Independent? And I understand NNPC is fast becoming family business. At this rate, Diezani Alison-Madueke, former petroleum minister, may end up as a saint in record time. Nigeria!

BUHARI AND MTN

On Tuesday, when President Muhammadu Buhari accused MTN of “aiding” the killing of 10,000 Nigerians by Boko Haram, I shuddered a bit. The president shouldn’t be making such public statements, I told myself. MTN clearly erred by failing to register 5.1 million subscribers and many of us have condemned the telecoms giant, but such a weighty allegation coming from the president is unnecessary — in my opinion. It is good that there finally seems to be a headway in the resolution of the issue, and I hope a good lesson has been learnt by all concerned, from operators to regulators. Valuable

https://www.thecable.ng/shall-tell-president

They have started again! Statement they will deny tomorrow. APC equals Mouth Diarrhea! shame on them. The wool they put in our eyes is fast removing.

MOUTH DIARRHEA! Government of denials; for the gullible and zombies; by the Liarses and go-slows.

Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has clarified that his comment on the economic situation being out of the control of President Muhammadu Buhari was misrepresented.

He was reacting to a story in THISDAYLIVE of this Saturday, March 12th 2016 entitled ”Economy Gone Out of Buhari’s Control, Says Lai Mohammed”.

This was contained in a statement by Mr. Segun Adeyemi, Mohammed’s Special Assistant (SA) on Information and Culture.

Although he described the report as a “complete misrepresentation of the comments” made by the minister, with Lai Mohammed denying making them, a playback of the recorded interview shows Mohammed said the situation was beyond the government’s control – considering the various forces at play.

“It is pertinent to state that at no time during the entire two-hour (radio) programme did the Honourable Minister say or suggest that the economy has gone out of the President’s control,” the SA’s statement said..."

However, the relevant portion of the statement from where our story derived is somewhat different. Below is the excerpt beginning with the question by the interviewer.

Q: The free fall of the Naira in the last three weeks has been very discomforting and a lot of people are asking a lot of questions and some people even say wow, it has never been so bad. Has government been able to discover (the source of) this untoward development?

Lai Mohammed: I think it is clear why the naira is today in a free fall. You see, what are the factors that determines the exchange of the naira? It is your export and import; your trade balance and the general economy. Unfortunately we have not been fortunate in any of these, which is about 70 percent of all our total earnings. Before now, oil was selling for about N100 per barrel; today it is about N30 per barrel. And if you look at the cost of production, it has remained about the same.

We have lost about 70 percent of all our income and not only was oil responsible for all our income, it was also responsible for about 90 percent of all our foreign exchange, which makes between 90 -80 percent of our source of foreign exchange.

And naturally there will be more pressure on the Naira and less dollars and more naira chasing the dollars and now look at the balance of trade – it is negative. What do we do with trading and how much did we buy from Britain, for instance, and how they buy from us,. Unfortunately, it is negative. We take more from them than they take from us. If a country suddenly loses about 80 percent for its source of forex, clearly that currency will be in trouble.

The only way out is what the government is doing, which is strengthening the economy, diversifying it, plugging all the loopholes and making sure that only the essential things are imported. It will be extremely difficult, no doubt, but we are also in a state of emergency economically. You see, take for instance, your earnings reduced from N100 to N30 per month, something will have to give way…like relocating to a smaller house and I mean this is a reality.

The fact that the government is even still managing this situation, I give credit to the government, because the situation is completely beyond their control, and this is where people have been mischievous…

Today we live in a global community, Nigeria cannot determine the price of oil or gas. And that is why the presiident has gone spending countless nights lobbying, rallying other oil-exporting countries on how do we stabilize the oil price….

The programme was aired on FRCN’s Radio Link

http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/03/12/lai-mohammed-clarifies-comment-on-economy-being-out-of-control/

Phame:
My very intelligent minister of petroleum(state) has spoken.
Enemies of Buhari and Nigeria, shame on you.

If it does not disappear by Monday, your "intelligent" minister must resign. It's about time he starts owning up to his irresponsible statements!

APC and Liar Mohammed will come out with their own shortly.

• Turf war between AGF and Communications Ministry/NCC simmers

MTN’S PROPOSED N300BN PAYMENT PLAN
• N50bn already paid in “good faith”
• N100bn via electronic transfer between Dec 31, 2016 and Dec 31, 2020
• N80bn investment in Nigerian sovereign debt instruments in 2016-2017
• N70bn through the provision of broadband access to the FG (subject to excess capacity on MTN’s fibre network) for its e-initiatives

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
The Senate Committee on Communications yesterday revealed that MTN Communications Nigeria Limited has proposed to pay N300 billion ($1.5 billion) in the ongoing negotiations between the company and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), on the N780 billion fine imposed on the network operator by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).




The industry regulator imposed a N1.04 trillion fine on MTN last October for failing to disconnect 5.2 million unregistered subscribers on its network, but later reduced it to N780 billion and gave the network provider till December 31, 2015 to pay up after it had appealed for leniency.

But before the deadline, MTN sued the federal government challenging the power of the federal government and NCC to impose the fine.

Last month, it withdrew the case and paid N50 billion as a gesture of good faith towards the settlement of the fine.

The penitence exhibited by MTN paved the way for negotiations with the federal government led by Malami and the South African-owned firm led by former US Attorney General, Mr. Eric Holder.

At an investigative hearing held yesterday by the Senate committee in the National Assembly, vice chairman of the committee, Senator Adeola Olamilekan (Lagos West) brandished a proposal acknowledged by the Solicitor General of the Federation, Taiwo Abiodun, from MTN wherein the network provider insisted that it could only pay N300 billion.

A breakdown of the proposal which was forwarded to the Ministers of Communications and Finance by the solicitor general as well as NCC executive vice chairman, Prof. Umar Dambatta include the N50 billion already paid by MTN into a recovery account of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and another N100 billion to be paid via electronic transfer between December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2020.

The proposal also includes another N80 billion proposed payment by MTN as a demonstration of its commitment to and confidence in the Nigerian economy and will be subject to necessary regulatory approvals,

This would come by way of MTN Nigeria committing to purchase N80 billion of Nigerian sovereign debt issued on the international market in 2016-2017.

The last tranche of N70 billion which the network provider proposed will be through the provision of broadband access to the Federal Government of Nigeria (subject to excess capacity on the company’s fibre network) for the purpose of the government’s e-initiatives (e.g. visa processing, public service, connecting schools, registration, etc.).

If accepted, the broadband access valued at N70 billion will commence from the date of the execution of the agreement between the federal government and MTN to December 31, 2020.

Olamilekan, having brandished the document, accused the AGF of deceiving Nigerians that negotiations were still ongoing with MTN, whereas he had already executed an agreement with MTN that will allow the company pay the proposed N300 billion in four years.

However, an official from the AGF’s office dismissed the charge, describing the document as a proposal which he said was not an end in itself but a means to an end.
But Olamilekan disagreed, insisting that the government was only playing on Nigeria’s intelligence and questioned the rationale behind the acceptance of N50 billion from MTN, which was the first tranche of the payment as contained in the proposal, and yet claiming that negotiations were still ongoing.

The session was attended by Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, Dambatta, another representative of the AGF, Mr. Dayo Apata, MTN’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ferdinand Moolman, acting Director of Banking and Payment System Department of the CBN, and the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris.

The meeting revealed how the AGF and presidency kept NCC and Shittu in the dark in the negotiations with MTN on the fine.

While Shittu said he was not part of the entire negotiation process, Dambatta said NCC was not responsible for the reduction of the fine from N1.04 trillion to N780 billion, saying it was only invited to a meeting of an inter-agency committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said the committee reduced the fine by 25 per cent following the president’s approval after MTN wrote a letter of apology to the government.
Both Shittu and Dambatta said they were not aware of negotiations between Malami and MTN that led to the payment of N50 billion by the latter into the CBN recovery account on February 24.

Shittu maintained that the matter was between Malami and MTN. According to him, since the matter went to court, his ministry and the NCC had virtually been kept at arms length on the matter, adding that when MTN indicated its decision to settle the matter out-of-court, the AGF gave it two conditions for the out-of-court-settlement.

He listed the conditions to include making a down payment of six per cent of the total fine, amounting to N50 billion first, and withdrawal of the suit, both conditions which he said MTN fulfilled.

In his submission, Dambatta disclosed that the fine of N1.04 trillion imposed on MTN by NCC was predicated on a charge of N200 per line that was not registered by the company, in line with its directive at the time.

However, he said the negotiations on the N1.04 trillion fine down to N780 billion was handled by an inter-agency committee set up by the president to look into the fine, to which he said NCC was invited.

According to him, based on a letter of apology written by MTN and its remission, Buhari gave approval to the committee to reduce the fine by N25 per cent, thus bringing it down to N780 billion.

He further disclosed that NCC was not informed about the move to settle the case out of court neither, nor was it a party to the payment of N50 billion to CBN.
On its part, MTN explained that the process leading to the payment of N50 billion began when it made its intention to settle out-of-court known to the AGF.

According to MTN’s chief executive, who echoed the communications minister’s submission, the AGF had informed them that the federal government’s interest in the matter would be dependent on MTN’s preparedness to fulfill the two conditions enumerated by AGF, which he said MTN fulfilled.

But the representative of the AGF who said Malami was unavoidably absent due to a trip out of the country, said on January 22 while in court, MTN had indicated its interest in settling the matter out of court and after being told to do so in “good faith”, by meeting the two conditions, it requested for a long adjournment, which he said was granted by the court.

He said it was these actions that led to the adjournment of the case to March 18 by the court.

When asked why MTN was asked to pay the money into a CBN account and not the NCC account, Apata said he did not know.

However, the accountant general said though his office was not involved in the negotiations, he only got involved in the matter when the AGF asked him to facilitate the opening of an asset recovery account with the CBN. He said the account was credited with N50 billion on February 24.

When the committee questioned the AGF’s representative on the legality of the account, he said he was not in a position to say whether it was legal or not.

Through out the questioning the Senate committee did not conceal its displeasure with the entire process, with Olamilekan demanding to know the right of the AGF to enter into negotiations with MTN while sidetracking other major stakeholders – Ministry of Communications and NCC – in the matter.

He accused the AGF and accountant general of having ulterior motives in the matter by taking over the jobs of NCC and Ministry of Communications.

Also speaking, Senator Abiodun Olujinmi (Ekiti South), said impunity usually begins with the abuse of a process, saying having served on the board of NCC, imposition of fines on telecommunications company by NCC was a regular norm.

According to her, such fines are usually paid into the NCC account, for subsequent transfer by NCC into the Federation Account.

According to her, Malami and Idris had shaved the heads of Shittu and NCC in their presence by totally taking over their jobs.

She described the entire negotiation process as “voodoo” and faulted the opening of a recovery account for money that was not stolen, describing it as a clandestine move to circumvent due process.

She also queried the rationale behind the determination of 6 per cent of the fine, amounting to N50 billion paid by MTN.

“You asked them to pay 6 per cent of N780 billion. And you said it was in good faith. Who determined that? You asked them to withdraw the case from court and you said the case is still in court,” she said.

Another member of the committee, Senator Isa Misau (Bauchi Central) did not mince words in accusing the attorney general, CBN and accountant general of a criminal conspiracy with MTN.

But they disagreed with the senator, saying their action had nothing to do with a conspiracy of any kind with MTN against their country.

Nevertheless, the committee chairman, Gilbert Nnaji, said since the AGF who is the principal player in the matter was not available to answer pertinent questions, the meeting would be adjourned indefinitely.

He also asked the accountant general and the AGF to go back and review their actions and carry the ministry and NCC along.

However, the outcome and remarks made during the meeting of the Senate Committee reflected a similar outcome at a meeting of the House Committee on Communications on Wednesday during which the committee in the lower chamber insisted that MTN must pay the entire N1.04 trillion penalty, instead of the reduced fine of N780 billion.

Both meetings further exposed the simmering turf war between the Office of the AGF, on one side, and the Communications Ministry and NCC, on the other side, over negotiations on the MTN fine.

It is believed that the Communications Ministry and NCC went crying to the National Assembly with information on the negotiations in order to project the AGF in a bad light.

Speaking on the issue yesterday, an industry analyst added that the ministry and NCC were also not happy that a fund recovery account with the CBN was immediately set up by the accountant general on the directive of the AGF, meaning that whatever funds are paid into the account will be out of their reach.

However, he expressed displeasure over the payment terms on the N300 billion proposed by MTN as full and final settlement of the fine, saying that whilst the amount could be considered reasonable, the payment terms were unacceptable, condescending and should be rejected by the federal government.

“What we expect to see are proper cash injections staggered over a reasonable period, not an offer of broadband access of N70 million that will be subject to excess capacity on the MTN network,” he said.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/03/11/senate-reveals-mtns-n300bn-proposal-as-settlement-for-fine/

Ena Ofugara

"GET OFF THE BUS" Martin Luther King Told The Blacks: As We SAy StopEatingBeef‬


A tired lady called Rosa Parks was seated in the bus after a long day at work. She was black. A white man came on the bus and went to where she was seated and expected her to stand up so he can sit as was the law and custom. Rosa-Park was having none of that that day. She refused to get up. She refused to follow the norm and convention and even the law for blacks to go to the back of the bus and or stand up for whites to sit. She was arrested and charged.
A young preacher called Martin Luther King heard about the refusal of Rosa-Parks and there began the boycott of Montgomery buses.
Now it wasn't easy. This is not a case of BEFF MEAT YOU CAN EASILY DO WITHOUT. This was buses that took them to work. Yet blacks rode mules (donkey-like animals) walked, drove themselves etc etc. They lost their jobs, got arrested but HALLELUJAH! The loss to the bus company was so much, they had to get rid of the Jim Crow or segregation laws in buses. This also extended to other situations.
So today, if indeed you care about

1. Those Fulani boys made to leave school to trek with cows through dangerous terrains and unkind weather, if you care that they go back to school

2. If you find the Northern elites that truly own these cows (the herdsmen are not the owners) to be uncaring and wicked

3. If you care about the farmers from every state in the country whose wife has been raped, daughter abducted, farm eaten up and destroyed by cattle

4. If you care about farmers murdered

5. If you care about whole states like Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Adamawa and the genocide going on there over cattle

6. If you want to stop a majr sorce of funding for Boko Haram who now sell rustled cows to finance their terrorism

7. If you want to stop Federal Government from giving your ancestral lands to Fulanis in the name of "Grazing Corridors"

8. If you do not care about where they get grass from to feed their cows, whether Brazil or Pluto as long as they let children live and not slaughter them

9. If you care for the boom of your fish farms and grass cutter farms and other business southerners can patronize as source for protein

10. If you care about your hearthealth and know the dangers of beef meat including MAD COW disease and many more deaths caused by meat which we attribute to witchcraft and enemies poisoning

11. If you have been singing "Biafra" "Afenifere" "Niger Delta Republic" etc etc

Here is a simple task to do. STOP EATING BEEF. Get off that bus. If you do not have enough money for chicken, buy crayfish, buy beans.

Again, we do not fight the Northerners. We will eat their tomato and beans and rice and onions. BUT THEIR COWS ARE KILLING US IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

You have read history and how simple resolutions led to revolutions. This is your chance to make ONE SMALL DECISION that will go a long way. STOP EATING BEEF/COW MEAT. Tell people to stop.

Lobsand Rampa says "it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness." One thousand annoyance at the deaths of Nigerians in Aguta and all over does nothing to end the killings. Your saying NO to expensive, unhealthy RED COW MEAT will do a whole lot in just six months.

Join the campaign

#StopEatingBeef

A govt of flip-flops by the confused and for the zombies! What do we believe? We are on a long thing! Let's brace up!

A govt of flip-flops by the confused and for the zombies! What do we believe? We are on a long thing! Let's brace up Nigerians!

ABUJA--Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu has stated that government has not unbundled the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation, NNPC yet. Explaining the development at the oil sector in an interview with State House correspondents after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the minister who is also the Group Managing Director, GMD of NNPC, said that what the cooperation did was reorganization. He said: "We have not unbundled NNPC. We had a press conference yesterday where I explained this. What we have simply done is reorganisation. We have five business entities focused on business: Upstream, Downstream, Refineries, Gas and Power that are there before. "There is also Ventures that capture all our little companies that were not having proper stewardship. They are run by individuals who report to the GMD. The NNPC is still a whole. There is nothing new that has happened. "I have tried to explain this and I am sure the NNPC workers are members of the family, they will understand. We are going to have a meeting, and they will be made to understand. Perhaps the engagement has not been good enough. "NNPC has not been unbundled in the sense of breaking up NNPC into distinct institutions. I am concerned. I don't want the industry shut down. I am sure we are going to resolve the issues very soon"

A govt of flip-flops by the confused and for the zombies! What do we believe? We are on a long thing! Let's brace up!

ABUJA--Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu has stated that government has not unbundled the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation, NNPC yet. Explaining the development at the oil sector in an interview with State House correspondents after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the minister who is also the Group Managing Director, GMD of NNPC, said that what the cooperation did was reorganization. He said: "We have not unbundled NNPC. We had a press conference yesterday where I explained this. What we have simply done is reorganisation. We have five business entities focused on business: Upstream, Downstream, Refineries, Gas and Power that are there before. "There is also Ventures that capture all our little companies that were not having proper stewardship. They are run by individuals who report to the GMD. The NNPC is still a whole. There is nothing new that has happened. "I have tried to explain this and I am sure the NNPC workers are members of the family, they will understand. We are going to have a meeting, and they will be made to understand. Perhaps the engagement has not been good enough. "NNPC has not been unbundled in the sense of breaking up NNPC into distinct institutions. I am concerned. I don't want the industry shut down. I am sure we are going to resolve the issues very soon"

suasmablow:
THIS IS AN APC MEMBER BURNT ALIVE TODAY IN RIVERS STATE BY MEMBERS OF THE PDP.

AT WHAT POINT WILL RESCUE COME TO THE MEMBERS OF THE APC IN RIVERS STATE OR IS THIS THE PRICE THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR SUPPORTING THE APC?

I NO FIT TALK!!!
WATER FULL MY MOUTH!!!

THE WATER WEN FULL YOUR MOUTH GO CHOKE YOU! YOU ARE A VERY BIG LIAR. THIS GUY WAS KILLED IN A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO CULT GROUP. WHY CALLING HIM AN APC MEMBER? IF A WOMAN HAD A MISCARRIAGE, ITS WIKE AND PDP THAT CAUSED IT. PLEASE WAKE UP FROM YOUR DELUSION. WIKE IS THE GOVERNOR TILL 2019. DEAL WITH THAT AND LEARN TO ACCEPT IT.

President Muhammadu Buhari granted an interview to Al Jazeera English while on his official trip to Qatar. The interview was aired on Saturday, March 5, 2016 to the chagrin of Nigerian around the globe. Here are six quick notes:

• On why he should continue to fund his children in foreign schools while restricting foreign exchange for most families that have pupils in schools abroad, Buhari acknowledges its “tough luck”.

• On presenting the “worst budget” ever, Buhari blames it on sabotage by technocrats, and also denies knowledge of details of his budget when challenged on specifics, such as amount budgeted for books for the VP, and the Aso Rock Clinic. He accused the interviewer of assuming better knowledge of his budget.

• On security votes, which had been source of corruption, which we had been told were scrapped. he defended the need for the security votes, and promised to punish anyone found misappropriating the funds.

• On why no convictions since his much vaunted fight on corruption, he queried the motives of his critics, and why similar expectations were not made of previous administrations.

• On whether Nigeria will join the Saudi Arabia led Islamic Coalition Force Against Terrorism, he said YES, which is in contradiction to what we were previously told. When asked if this decision was insensitive to the desire of Christians that make up 50% of Nigeria’s population, Buhari retorted [with hate] that Christians complaining should “Go fight terrorism in Nigeria, or fight militants in the South”. Those complaining Christians he referred to as religious bigots.

• On Buhari’s promise to defeat Boko Haram, he was declared a “failure”, to which he angrily declared “I haven’t failed, I haven’t failed, I haven’t failed…”. His rationale was that Boko Haram now only has capabilities to attack and kill only civilians, but not police posts and military institutions. What low value placed on Nigerian lives by the President charged with the responsibility of protecting them. By the way, Boko Haram bombed a police headquarters in Adamawa last month.

• On the killing of IPOB peaceful protesters by Nigeria’s armed forces, Buhari wickedly refused to watch the video when offered. He accused the movement of “interfering with movement of troops and the economy”, and declared the movement as “joking with Nigeria’s security and Nigeria will not tolerate it”. He then cajoled them, since we are in a democracy, to organize and vote for a “state within a state”

The level of inconsistencies, ignorance, and insensitivity displayed by this president, for lack of better word, is pathological.

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/news/buharis-al-jazeera-interview-reveals-hes-clueless-train-wreck/

The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, won four out of the five local government areas of the re-run election in the Abia North Senatorial election. He recorded over 26, 000 votes and was cruising to victory until the result of Bende local government, won by former governor of the state and candidate of the Progressives Peoples Alliance, PPA, Orji Uzor Kalu significantly reduced his lead. Orji Kalu is from Bende LGA and came second with over 25, 000 votes. Dr. David Onuoha-Bourdex of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, came third with a total votes of over 13, 000. Nnenna Nma Lancaster-Okoro of the All Progressives Congress, APC, scored a total of 916 votes, coming a distant fourth. The cancelled votes which is over 26, 000 is far higher than the margin of 195 votes between the Senator Mao and Chief Kalu, indicating that the election might be declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The election took place in 808 polling units of 57 wards in five LGs. Final result as collated PDP 26009 PPA 25814 APGA 13633 APC 916

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/617409/

Consolidation!

like fashola like Akpabio

Dear President Muhamamdu Buhari. You exclaimed in Saudi Arabia that you have never in your years of public service, heard of budget padding before. It is true. Budget padding is rather unusual to many of us but very usual in Lagos.

Dear Sir, we warned you. They imported the budget padding from Lagos. It is very common there. If you are looking for the culprits who infested your cabinet and taught the various departments to pad budgets, you have to look no further than the Lagos crew. They are professional padders. They hold Masters and PhD in budget padding. Just look at Lagos development, it is all padding. 2x to 2000x the price. Why do you think Lagosians have been condemned to so much debt?

You ignored the ministerial screening when Nigerians through our Senate grilled Tunde Fashola on budget padding. We asked why his administration built boreholes that do not cost more then $1000 each for $450,000 a piece. We asked him why he built a personal website for $350,000. And for all those budget paddings done in Lagos he raised his shoulders high and said that he was a Lawyer and not an accountant, even though as Governor he is chief accountant of the State.

Dear Buhari, let us not fool ourselves. We do not need any detectives for this one. The culprits stare us in the face. Again he padded his ministry of works budget with even more frivolous rates for the same trade-mark borehole drilling: $750,000 for a single one this time around! Chai!

Everyone learned from his ministerial screening process and how Nigerians congratulated him for defending himself with all the glaring paddings by saying that “so long as they are approved (by procurement office), they are not corruption.” Every Nigerian learned that trick. Once the budget had passed the Senate as it was about to, they will all have thanked the Lagos team for teaching them the smooth method of legitimate looting. Looting that makes Stella Oduah an angel. Compare how they loot in padding to the trouble she goes through to make far less for more worthwhile projects. Compare two bullet proof BMW’s worth at least $300,000 procured for $700,000 to two boreholes worth at most $2000, procured for $900,000. Which is a bigger thief? But with the Made in Lagos budget padding technique, one became a minister while the other is undergoing a corruption trial.

Look no further.

Dr. Peregrino Brimah @EveryNigerian

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/articles-opinions/ngrpresident-budget-padding-made-lagos-look-no/

The democratic credentials of former President Goodluck Jonathan have
received yet another boost with the Woodrow Wilson International
Center for Scholars in the United States recognizing him as the leader
that provided the best moments for democracy in Africa in 2015.

In its “The Year in Review” report for 2015, the Center highlighted
Nigeria’s 2015 elections and praised Jonathan’s classy role in
ensuring a smooth transfer of power in Nigeria which “became a big
confidence boost for Africa’s mass movements for democracy.”

A release issued by Mr Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan’s media aide stated
that the assessment was contained in two perspectives on elections and
implications for Africa and U.S.-Africa relations presented Mr. Nii
Akuetteh, democracy activist and the current Executive Director of the
African Immigrants Caucus (AIC), and Mr. Olusegun Sotola, Senior
Researcher with the think tank, Initiative for Public Policy Analysis
(IPPA).

Mr. Akuetteh’s praised Jonathan for the position he took against
violence and commended for saving the day by conceding to his
challenger President Muhammadu Buhari and pledging a smooth handover
of power.

He stated: “Unquestionably, Nigeria’s recent embrace of democracy and
Jonathan’s classy role define Africa’s most important—and
uplifting—story of 2015. Africa and the world should give thanks.”

On his part, Olusegun Sotola described the 2015 election as a
significant milestone in the country’s democracy, signposting several
emerging positive trends in Africa. “Nigeria’s stature in the region,
the willingness of the incumbent to concede power and not manipulate
the process matters a great deal,” said Sotalo.

Sotola further narrated how African leaders were known for attempting
to manipulate the electoral process to lengthen their stay in office.
“The electoral histories of African countries are replete with
post-election violence caused by the unwillingness of the ruling party
or the incumbent to relinquish power.”

Both Akuetteh and Sotola agreed that former President Jonathan’s
handling of the election helped eliminate the possibility looming
havoc in the country.

Annually, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars reviews
critical and monumental events that happened on the continent of
Africa in their “The Year in Review” report. In the United States, the
Woodrow Wilson Center serves as a key non-partisan policy forum for
tackling global issues through independent research and an open
dialogue to inform actionable ideas for the policy community

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/news/u-s-center-hails-jonathan-hero-democracy-africa/

Liar Mohammed doing what he does best - telling lies! During campaign, the price of oil was not $100. In fact it was $61 in December 2014 and $47 in January 2015. So when Buhari and APC were making those promises, they already knew they were not going to honour them. They were only deceiving the gullible Nigerians.