₦airaland Forum

About 24 hours after The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced fresh policy actions in the foreign exchange market, the bank has pumped $370.9 million into the forex market.

On Tuesday, the apex bank carried out wholesale interventions in the interbank forex market by trading a total of $370,810,810.79 to 23 banks “to meet the visible and invisible requests of customers”.

A source at the CBN said the qualified bids ranged from N315 to N360 per dollar, adding that seven banks received full allotments of their respective bids valued at $37,500,000 each.

“Other banks received allotments ranging from $46, 512.50 to $15,578,081.51,” the source added.

Isaac Okorafor, acting director, CBN corporate communications department, said the bank’s intermediation in the forex market was the first wholesale intervention aimed at easing the pressure of access to forex by Nigerians who intend to meet obligations that fall under visible and invisible needs categories.

He explained that the CBN offered $500,000,000.00 for sale to the banks, but not all of them provided enough naira backing to pay fully for their respective bid amounts.

On Monday, the CBN unveiled new policy actions to make forex readily available for personal and business travels, medicals and school fees.

As part of its new policy action, the CBN also directed all banks in the country to open forex retail outlets at major airports as soon as logistics permit them to do such.

In line with the new policy, the CBN also made spot sales of $6 million to four banks, and sold $35 million for the payment of school fees, medical bills and personal and business travel allowances.

lalasticlala

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A 42-year-old woman simply identified as Nkechi (surname withheld), who was forced to marry at the tender age of 17, has dumped her 70-year old husband and remarried her lover, 25 years after they were forcefully separated.

The incident happened in Mgbidi in Ihiala Local Government in Anambra State, while the then little Nkechi was married to her estranged husband in Imo State where he hailed from.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that Nkechi’s parents died at her tender age and left many properties in choice cities in Nigeria.

However, Nkechi was the only child her parents had and her parents was aware of the Igbo culture that women do not inherit anything in the family.

Our correspondent learnt from Nkechi, before her father died, he called members of the family and told them that if anything happen to him, they should ensure that they train his daughter up to the university level.

But it was not the case when he passed on as the family, rather got her a husband who was much older than her while they all shared her parents’ property.

It was gathered that while she was married to her erstwhile husband, Nkechi had five children but had no peace in her life because all her desire to be educated was wished away by her father’s family.

She said when she could not cope any longer with her miserable marriage, she fled and ran to Delta State where she reunited with her lover who sent her to Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO where she studied Economics up to Masters Degree level.

While in the university, she had another two children for her lover. At a point, she took her lover and their two children to her family to inform them of her new husband and the children.

Our correspondent gathered that this became an issue on the paternity of the children since the lover did not properly married her by returning her bride price to the family of her former husband as tradition demands.

However, the former husband told Nkechi’s family not to bother and agreed to let his former wife be since she had found happiness in her new relationship.

He consented and allowed them to have the children in question.

It was then the family returned the bride price and got Nkechi properly married to her lover fortnight ago in her home town in Mgbidi.

lalasticlala

Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio and his wife Ekaette Unoma Akpabio are desperately plotting to assassinate one of their most outspoken critic and human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong; several sources have told SaharaReporters.

A source who is close to Akpabio told SaharaReporters that Mr. Effiong has been causing "serious damage" to efforts by the former governor to escape probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and has been using the media to "instigate the public against Akpabio and his successor Mr. Udom Emmanuel which they can no longer tolerate".

As part of the plot to "finally take out" the fiery lawyer, one source told SaharaReporters that Mr. Akpabio, his wife, and a certain Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem who served as the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal under the administration of Akpabio and other close associates of the former Governor will hold a nocturnal meeting in Akpabio's hometown residence in Ukana in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Thursday, February 23, 2017 to reach a consensus on the best way to execute the plot without traces.

Speaking with SaharaReporters on the matter, Mr. Effiong confirmed that his life is no longer safe following recent events and information available to him.

"The threats to my life has been going on for a long time now, but I never took such threats very seriously until recent events. Several informants have intimidated me that a decision has been taken by those who feel that they own Akwa Ibom State to kill me any day I "mistakenly" step my foot on Akwa Ibom State or in the alternative, to track me to my location in Lagos State and assassinate me."

"A few weeks ago, I was in Akwa Ibom State to secure the release of a building contractor who was illegally detained for 23 days in police custody on the orders of the State Governor Mr. Udom Emmanuel over the Reigners Bible Church Collapse in Uyo. I returned to Lagos after the contractor regained freedom on January 4, 2017.

Upon arriving Lagos, I received a call from someone who asked me to be grateful to God for not being killed while I was on my way to the Ibom International Airport en route Lagos. The source told me that he was at a beer parlor in Uyo when he overheard some persons boasting that Inibehe Effiong is like a small ant before Akpabio and that I was trailed to the airport but that the hired assassins lost track of the vehicle that conveyed me. That very soon, my name will be history."

"I have been threatened countless times by self-confessed loyalists and supporters of Godswill Akpabio both on Facebook and outside the social media. My only crime is my consistent call for a probe by the anti-corruption agencies into how the resources of Akwa Ibom State was spent between 2007-2015 during which period the oil-rich State received nearly N3 trillion in allocations from the Federation Account.

"Today, Friday 17th February 2017 I received two more frightening calls from two credible sources about the imminent plot to finally put an end to my life by killing me. The sources separately stated emphatically that I should watch all my steps and movements because I may be gunned down any moment from now and that hired assassins have already been mobilized and are only waiting for the order to strike."

"I am told that the plan to assassinate me became more serious after I filed a suit on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja on behalf of an anti-corruption activist asking the Court to disqualify the Senate President, Senator Akpabio and 9 other senators from taking part in the screening and confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive Chairman of the EFCC due to bias and apparent conflict of interest arising from their pending corruption cases with the EFCC."

"I have said it before; several Nigerians were assassinated during the reign of Akpabio because of their dissenting and critical views. I wrote on this in the past and gave numerous examples. If they want to use me to revive their killer squared despite the change in government at the center, it, therefore, means that the talk about President Buhari fighting corruption and impunity in this country is useless".

"If anything happens to me, Nigerians should know where it is coming from and those to hold responsible. I cannot be silenced by blood sucking rascals who looted the resources of Akwa Ibom State with impunity." Effiong concluded.

Another source revealed that the governor's wife who is actively involved in the plot was said to have initially cautioned against going ahead for fear that killing the activist will provoke national outrage and that it may be difficult for the killing not to be linked to the Akpabios' given his persistent criticisms of the former governor. "But after her school, John Paul's School at Shelter Afrique, Uyo was marked by the EFCC for investigation, she agreed that Inibehe who has continued to call for their probe should be taken out," the source said.

SaharaReporters recently published a leaked audio tape in which a brother to former Governor Akpabio by name Ibanga Akpabio is clearly heard boasting about his plans to eliminate another critic and former member of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Robinson Uwak. The audio is yet to be denied by the Akpabios'.

During the regime of Akpabio as the governor of Akwa Ibom State, several high-profile political opponents and outspoken critics were assassinated.

A 56-year-old pastor, Jones Nwaeze, was on Friday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ court in Lagos for allegedly chasing worshippers with sticks and threatening to burn down his church.

Nwaeze, a resident of Oba Akinjobi Road, Ikeja, Lagos, is being tried for breach of peace and assault before Magistrate Mrs. Y.O. Ekogbule.

The prosecutor, Insp. Clement Okuoimose, said the accused committed the offences on Feb. 12 at No. 95, Tina St., Ojodu, Lagos.

He said that the accused, a pastor of Minister of Gospel of God Church, conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by chasing away other worshipers with stick and fuel.

The prosecutor said the accused invaded the church during Saturday morning prayers, disrupted the service and assaulted some of the worshipers.

He said that the security man attempted to prevent the accused from gaining access into the church premises because it was not the first time he (accused) was disrupting church service.

“He (pastor) hit the security man with a stick on the head, dragged him on the ground and the security man sustained injuries.

“One of the worshippers alerted the police who rushed to the scene,” the prosecutor said.

Okuoimose said the accused claimed ownership of the church saying had invested heavily on it by bringing coverts and he needed his share.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened sections 166 and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Section 171 states that if found guilty, the accused will serve three years jail term.

The accused however pleaded not guilty to the offences leveled against him.

The Magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N20, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till March 13 for mention.

pocohantas:
Can a leopard change its spot? Sexy isn't her thing. She is talented though...

Is Tboss cleaning their sins? Since that time? Nawa!

A young woman has been gruesomely sent to her early grave following an altercation with her husband after she discovered a used condom inside his pocket.

According to a Breaking News report by H-Metro, a woman from the Chitungwiza area of Zimbabwe who was murdered in cold blood has been found stashed under a bed with a string tied around her neck, as her husband is alleged to have committed the murder.

It was gathered that the suspect is reportedly on the run after killing his wife, Wendy Mbito, following an altercation over a used condom found in his pocket.

Sibert is said to have strangled Wendy with strings in her sleep and stashed the corpse under their matrimonial bed.

Speaking to correspondents, Police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident saying investigations were underway.

“Police is investigating a case of suspected murder in which a 24-year-old female was found dead in her Chitungwiza house. The now deceased had a quarrel with her 34-year-old husband over a used condom that she found in one of her husband’s pockets whilst doing laundry,” Chief Sup Nyathi said.

He said the deceased was found under the bed with a string around her neck while there was blood oozing from her mouth.

Also speaking, Lisa Mbito, who is the deceased’s younger sister said her sister had found a used condom in Sibert’s pocket leading to a quarrel.

“On Friday, my sister found a used condom in his pair of trousers while doing their laundry and she was very furious because it was not their first time fighting over cheating issues,” said

“They came home around midnight, arguing and shouting at each other. At some point, my sister called me but I ignored them and went to sleep.

“I never entered their bedroom till Sunday because I had not seen both of them since their altercation and when I got in, there was a strong stench,” she added.

Lisa said she called her other sister to help her clean the room and get rid of the stench. “We cleaned the whole room trying to get rid of the smell till we looked under the bed only to find my sister’s body underneath,” she said.

After killing his wife, Sibert is said to have visited a friend looking for money and told people there that he had killed someone.

“I heard that on Saturday he went to collect money from his friend in Unit C and told everyone there that he had killed someone but no one took him seriously. Since then, no one knows about his whereabouts,” Lisa said.

lalasticlala

By Abdullahi Tasiu Abubakar

Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker Yakubu Dogara met with President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in London.

They were accompanied by Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan for the visit, which sources said was organized promptly by both the presidency and the National Assembly.

They left Nigeria Wednesday morning and met the president hours after arriving in London.

It was unclear what they discussed but pictures of their meeting showed the president and his three guests together at Abuja House, the president’s official residence in the UK.

President Buhari has been in London since January 19. The presidency had first announced that he was there for a 10-day leave. But he has since extended the leave on medical grounds.

The National Assembly leaders visit may be a solidarity visit to express their sympathy to him. It may also be on

some crucial issues that they may require direct face-to-face meeting.
Sources said many legislators were unaware of the visit as the trip was organized discreetly.

One source said even Speaker Dogara learnt about the trip late and had to cancel his Abuja engagements at the last minute.

Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun who would have travelled with them yesterday did not do so because of engagement with ECOWAS parliamentarians in Abuja.

But his spokesperson Wole Oladimeji said the deputy speaker would travel to London today to join them

Ifeanyi Onuba Abuja

The Federal Government is currently planning a framework that will allow it to deploy some of the funds in the Treasury Single Account for the implementation of projects contained in the national budget.
The Accountant General of the Federation , Alhaji Ahmed Idris , disclosed this on the sidelines of a retreat on the TSA .

Since the policy became fully operational in September 2015, about N 5. 2tn has accrued to the account .

The retreat was attended by stakeholders in the private and public sectors of the economy .

Idris said while the implementation of the policy had been successful , there was a need to harness its immense potential in budgeting and debt management .

For instance , he said that while the policy had helped to reduce the amount of borrowed funds by the government , there was a need to have a mechanism that would allow the balances in the TSA to be used in a profitable manner for budget execution.

Idris said , “ We have been able to run the TSA successfully and we have consolidated all resources of government agencies coming together into a single window to see how much government has in liquid. We have been able to track government revenue by seeing the inflow and that has helped us to harness the benefits of the TSA .

“ The TSA is one of the critical aspect of our reforms . Beyond mere cash management , there is a need to look particularly in this time of recession to see how best we can deploy the large balances that we have been keeping with the CBN for the betterment of the economy.

“ We must sit and this retreat is just the beginning of this discussion, it is not an end to it . All the stakeholders will continue to talk and we will be advising the government appropriately. It is not something that we will do tomorrow; we have to sit on how we deploy them profitably into very efficient and very viable instruments. So all that need to be worked out . ”

The Managing Director , SystemSpecs, Mr . John Obaro , said while the implementation of the TSA was turbulent at the beginning, it’ s success had added value to the country and the economy.

He said , “ Now that things have reasonably settled down , we can now begin to speak to real issues such as improved operational processes , and the utilisation of the massive data that is now readily available to government .

“ This can be used for economic planning and a lot of other things can be derived from what is currently available. ”

He said through the receive and payment platform provided by the company for the TSA policy, Remita , Nigerians would soon be enjoying better services though their mobile phones in making payments for government services .

Obaro stated , “ We want to enhance our system to address a number of the challenges . For instance, we are aware that many people have had to go to the bank to make one payment or the other, but what we want to do is to move this to a mobile phone .

“ In the coming weeks, people will be able to transact directly from their mobile phones to do all their TSA transactions. This is a way of ensuring that they are in better control without having to visit bank branches or even using debit and credit cards.

“ This will go a long way in addressing some of the challenges that have already been identified . ”

lalasticlala

It is now illegal for telecom operators or their representatives to do registration of SIM cards in an open or ‘’uncontrolled environment’’, an official has said.

The Head of Enforcement Unit at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Salisu Abdu disclosed this yesterday while speaking with journalists after three persons found registering SIM cards in open places were arrested in Abuja.

Abdu said government through the commission had issued a directive to all telecom operators since November to stop their agents from registering SIM cards under umbrellas and in kiosks effective from February 1, 2017.

“SIM registration should only be done in a controlled environment- a permanent building with logos and structures of the operators in place - with identities of the agents doing the registration.

“We came up with this so we will be able to trace where SIM cards are registered to stem the tide of rising crimes, especially kidnapping and militancy”, the NCC official said.

He said N5million would be slammed on any dealer or operator who flouts the directive.

lalasticlala

Toks2008:
I got the shock of my life when a lady told me that another man's child can look like a wrong dad and still not be his...

I asked how and she said there is a mystery that postulates in dome cases,the baby in the womb takes the face of the the man a lady sees and gets close to during pregnancy

I still find it hard to believe...

But for the high cost of DNA test in Nigeria I would have advised every father to do a DNA test on each child of his...Women are very deceitful.

By Balarabe Alkassim, Bauchi


A senior legislative aide to the Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Zakariah Yasan Sinimbut has resigned.

He announced his decision to resign in a chat with journalists in Bauchi.

Sinimbut who was also the spokesperson of Dogara Campaign Organisation alleged that he was accused by other Dogara's aides of working against his interest and siding with his opponents, an allegation he denies.

He said that the problem started when he invited a former member of the state House of Assembly representing Bogoro constituency, Rifkatu Samson Bebi to join the‎ All Progressives Congress ( APC) after leaving the PDP.

According to him, his call to the former state lawmaker‎ was interpreted by some people close to the speaker as undermining his political machinery in his constituency which comprises of Bogoro, Tafawa Balewa and Dass.

"I have been working with the speaker with all honesty and I have never worked against any of his interest.‎ It is a known fact that the APC doesn't have a house member in Bogoro, because we did not win the election there.

"When Honourable Rifkatu Samson Bebi left the PDP, as a member of the APC, I invited her to join the APC and contribute as she has done in the PDP. That was what caused the problem for me," he said.

Sinimbut said that he was invited to the office of Dogara's adviser on constituency matters where he was told that the speaker has allegedly ordered for the termination of appointment for promoting the former lawmaker.‎

The Speaker's aide further added that he was also accused of working in cohoot with the state government and the state APC leadership which have been at loggerheads with the speaker for a long time.

"The state government has never invited me for anything nor do I go to them for anything. I should have even apologise to them because I have been speaking against them in my attempt to protect the speaker's interest which I do with all sense of commitment. There is nothing more discouraging than for one to be doing what is not appreciated. That is why I decided to resign my appointment and stop working for Dogara,” he added.‎

"So in my capacity as the spokesperson of Dogara Campaign Organisation, member Planning and Steering Committee and a Senior Legislative Aide working for him at the National Assembly, I have resigned from the job," he added.

A N125 million building purportedly rented for Senate President Bukola Saraki by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) could not be traced by TheCable after several searches.

And, curiously, nobody is willing to comment on the mystery as all the key players in the affair refused to pick calls or reply SMS from TheCable.

The property is said to be located at Plot 973, Mban Close, off Pope John Paul Street, Maitama, Abuja, rented at N50 million per year on a two-year tenancy, with fees and VAT bringing the total cost to N125 million.

The property is described in the tenancy agreement as a five-bedroom detached duplex with two-room guest chalet boys quarters, a swimming pool, air conditioners and 1,350 square metres with “ample parking space”.

Felix Akpoti, the director of Legendark Consultants, the lessor, signed for his company while Omoniyi Olaloye, an engineer, signed for AMMC, which is under the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

The only problem, though, is that Plot 973 could not be physically traced.
Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki’s spokesman, has denied knowledge of the property, insisting that the senate president knew nothing about the rent as he lives in his own house at Lake Chad Crescent, Maitama, Abuja.

“I am telling you, it is a lie. The senate president lives in own house, and he does not take rent. He has no link to this issue,” he told TheCable.

Also, a second house purportedly rented for Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu at Plot 22, Vaal Street, off Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, is unoccupied.

It was described in the rent agreement as a five-bedroom detached duplex with a guest chalet of 3-bedroom boys quarters.
It costs N40 million per year for two years, starting from May 7, 2016 and terminating on May 6, 2018.

Again, Akpoti singed for Legendark Consultants, while Olaloye signed for AMMC.

However, the house is unoccupied as Ekweremadu still lives at his personal residence at the Apo Legislative Quarters.
His media aide, Uche Anichukwu, also told TheCable the deputy senate president is not aware of the property.

Anichukwu said: “I’m not aware of any residential accommodation rented for the deputy president of the senate. A group known as CATBAN, supposedly a civil society group, initially alleged that the deputy president of the senate was paid over a hundred million by the FCT in lieu of accommodation. We refuted that allegation. We still stand by our statement because was a sponsored mischief. Nobody paid any money was to Senator Ekweremadu.

“Now that they have shifted to that a property was rented for him, my response is that I’m not aware that the deputy president of the senate was given any residential accommodation you. I know he lives at App Quarters. However, even if the FCT does give him any residential accommodation, it is still within his statutory right. Everybody knows that the FCT provides accommodation for president, vice-president, senate president, deputy president of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, deputy speaker of the house, and the chief justice of Nigeria.

“Meanwhile, I’m also aware that the the presiding officers turned down over N10 Billion proposed by the FCT in the 2016 budget for the construction of their residential accommodation as as they said that it did not reflect the hardship in the country.”

Akpoti, who signed the agreements, refused to speak to TheCable on phone, demanding to see the documents first.
However, he did not give his location and failed to respond to further phone calls from.

He later told TheCable to email him the queries. But instead of responding to them he directed TheCable to the FCDA and the senate committee on FCT.

FCDA refused to comment, while Dino Melaye, chairman of senate committee on FCT, did not respond to an SMS query.
He was quoted by Daily Trust as saying the documents are “made in Taiwan”.

A SERIES OF OFFERS

After a brief meeting on Monday, Muhammad Sule, FCDA spokesman, directed TheCable to Safiya Umar, acting director of the AMMC, to get details of the transaction. He said he had no idea of it because it was not within his purview.
TheCable called Umar repeatedly, and even sent her an SMS, but she did not respond as well.

A letter of contract award from AMMC to Legendark Consultants, dated 30 March, 2016, showed that Plot 973 was for the senate president.

“I am directed to inform you that provisional approval has been given for an emergency of contract to your company in line PPA Section 42 (1b &1f) for rented house for the senate president in Maitama AO5 (Plot No 973 Mban Close) for two years at the contract sum of N125m only with expiration period of two years,” the letter signed by Ibrahim Ibrahim Gusau, secretary tenders board, read.

A series of “offer for property” letters from Legendark was written to the senate committee, and not the FCDA.
Acknowledgement copies of the letters were received and signed by one Samuel Melaye.

One of the letters signed by Akpoti, entitled ‘Offer for property on Plot 2 Pechora Close, Panama Crescent, Maitama, Abuja’, read: “Sequel to our letter dated 19th January, 2016 to your good office, we are glad to inform you that we have secured a property on the above named address, that meets your kind request.

“The facilities of the property include: a seven-bedroom duplex with a mezzanine floor, a ballroom, a movie room, a four-bedroom boys’ quarters, a swimming pool (and) internal parking space for 10 cars.
“We hereby offer the property for rent/lease to you at the market/asking price of N45m per annum.”

The account details were stated as Guaranty Trust Bank, account number 021211999, sort code 058083228 and account name Legendark Consultants.

‘PHONEY RESIDENCES’

The Citizens Action to Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN), an advocacy group, had initially alleged that the presiding officers of the national assembly received over N630m from FCDA as rent for “phoney” residences.
Olaniyonu had then dismissed the allegation as false.

He said the four presiding officers of the national assembly had been living in their personal residences, and that “they do not get paid by any federal government agency”.

“There is no truth to the claim by this group. In fact, during the preparation of the budget, the senate president and speaker directed the FCDA to remove the N10bn voted for the construction of their official residences to save cost. The current leadership of the national assembly will not be part of any illegal payment to anybody,” he said.

However, Turaki Hassan, Dogara’s spokesman, said the presiding officers of the national assembly are entitled to official accommodation, “which is provided by the FCDA”, and that how the agency does it is “entirely its business”.

“Presiding officers of the national assembly are entitled to official accommodation, which is provided for by the FCDA as the host of the national assembly. The same is applicable to the president, vice president and the chief justice of Nigeria because their offices were not covered by the monetisation policy,” he said.

“Consequently, no national assembly presiding officer receives any money from any other source for accommodation or rent. The FCDA is solely responsible for providing official accommodation for presiding officers of the national assembly and how it goes about it is entirely its business and not that of any presiding officer. It’s callous, wicked and evil for any news medium to seek to perpetuate the mendacity that national assembly presiding officers collected money from FCDA without any form of evidence whatsoever.”

Agbgift:
I see her like this Botswana guy that spoilt feza's game then.

Except the government acts fast, Nigerians may have no other choice than to buy petrol above N145 per litre.

According to THISDAY, some marketers are saying it is no longer possible to sell petrol at the federal government’s approved rate of N123.28, N133.28 per litre because the landing cost of the product is now above N145.

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) fixed the rates for depots, who sell to filling stations.

The newspaper said depots, which had stock during the weekend, are now selling between the prices of N136 and N141.

Marketers are complaining that they have been unable to import petrol with the N305 per dollar foreign exchange rate provided by international oil companies.

Some of the marketers said 90% of the petrol distributed in the country is imported by NNPC because the exchange rate provided to them is no longer sustainable.

“If you collect foreign exchange from an IOC and import petrol for instance, you are going to land it at N145 per litre,” a marketer was quoted as saying.

“If you land it at N145 per litre, you cannot even sell it because our official ex-depot price is N133.28. So, if you land product at N145 and if you have to sell at the ex-depot price, which the DPR is obligated to enforce, you can see that nobody wants to touch the forex provided by the IOCs.

“It is no longer sustainable- it is no longer feasible because we land it at even more than N145 per litre. If you are unlucky and you accumulate demurrage, you might land it at N148. That is why no marketer is importing now. We are dependent on product imported by the NNPC, which I said is not sustainable.”

Chris Igwe, chief executive officer of Mainland Oil and Gas Company Limited, said the government has the options of salvaging the situation by liberalising the downstream sector or selling dollars to marketers at N240.

“That way, there will be steady availability of product in the market. Or government should come by way of subsidy and give us foreign exchange at subsidised rate,” he said.

“If we are going to import product and sell at official ex-depot price, government should sell dollars to us at N240 per dollar if they expect us to import products and sell at official ex-depot price.

“Marketers have got their hands burnt many times. When they go and take money from the NNPC or an IOC to import and they land the product at a high rate and DPR will come and force them to sell at official ex-depot price and the marketer will get his hands burnt.

“No marketer wants to continue because you go into business to make profit. Even to borrow money and import petroleum products today is not an option because the liquidity problems of banks have made them to increase their interest rates. So, if you borrow to import or pay the NNPC for allocation of petrol, you will find out that you are just working for the banks.

“We need government to seriously come to our aid by paying us the mature LCs that has run into over one billion dollars – yes, the whole amount owed marketers by the government is over $1 billion.”

Hundreds of federal agencies, many of them with duplicated roles, will consume nearly two trillion naira in running their bureaucracies this year, Daily Trust investigations have shown.

Official figures from the 2017 budget proposals show that N1.985 trillion, over one quarter of the federal budget is allocated to the 487 federal agencies, departments, commissions, institutes and other bodies.

This is happening against the backdrop of the government’s resolve to cut cost of governance, a stance taken even before the current economic recession set in.

Most of the 487 federal agencies that are annually guzzling trillions have duplicated roles; dozens hardly do anything apart from keeping the red tape long, while a large number of them continue to outlive their statutory duties.

There are also little-known agencies, ostensibly performing some roles when in reality such duties are no longer being executed by government.

Despite this, the National Assembly is planning to create about 25 additional federal agencies.

A Presidential Committee headed by former Head of Service of the Federation, Steven Oronsaye in 2011, recommended the merger of agencies and commissions with overlapping roles.

A whitepaper to that effect was produced but former President Goodluck Jonathan never acted on it up to the time he left office.

Some of the ministries with the highest number of agencies are Agriculture, Health, Education, Science & Technology, Mines & Steel, Water Resources, Information & Culture, and Trade, Industry & Investment.

Many of the 487 agencies are relevant, like the teaching hospitals, but the majority only give advice or exist to undertake research whose results are not noticeable.

Nigeria has commissions for complaints, refugees, electricity, boundaries, salaries and wages, human rights, utility charges, pensions, population, Niger Delta, fiscal responsibility, and federal character.

It also has agencies for automobiles, peace, tourism, museums and monuments, gallery of art, lottery trust fund, lottery regulation, procurement, privatisation, public servants’ conduct, consumers’ protection, and poverty eradication.

For instance, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA) are two federal agencies regulating electricity supply in the country.

The federal government also has research institutes on cereals, root crops, palm oil, cocoa, rubber, veterinary, dates, animals, horticulture and produce inspection. There are also institutes for fresh water fish, fishery and oceanography

Most of these research institutes are either less active or the results of their research work are neglected.

Under education, the Universal Basic Education Commission(UBEC), the Nomadic Education Commission (NEC), and the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NCMLA) all perform functions related to the provision of basic education. These agencies have different staffing and boards that gulp billions annually.

The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) duplicates the function already assigned by law to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on tackling oil spillage.

The mandates of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) are the traditional functions of the Nigeria Police.

Both the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Public Complaints Commission (CPC) tackle issues concerning individual rights violations.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) have mandates in the area of frequency allocation.

The Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) Limited, established as the commercial arm of the Nigerian Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA), has now expanded its scope and is in rivalry with its parent body.

On space science alone, the federal government has about six agencies. They are Africa Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology, Ile-Ife; Centre for Scientific Technology Development, Lagos; Centre for Space Transport and Propulsion, Lagos; Centre for Basic Space Science, Nsukka; National Space Research and Development Agency, Abuja; and NigComSat, Abuja.

Apart from the duplicated institutes, for instance, there are about three colleges of fresh water fisheries in New Bussa and Baga. They are National Institute of Freshwater Fish, New Bussa; Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, New Bussa and Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Baga.

In Lagos alone, there are Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology and National Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research.

This does not include dozens of institutes and colleges for animal science, land, plants and others.

Daily Trust learnt that among the federal research institutes are those that outlived their usefulness but are still there gulping public funds.

Also, Nigeria has about 24 ‘business incubator centres’ spread across the country. It has institutes and centres for electronics, engineering designs, space science, generic and biotechnology, building and roads, natural medicine, hydraulic equipment, space transports, basic space, technology management, satellite technology, technology acquisition, power equipment and science laboratory.

The 41 research institutes, agencies and commissions under the Ministry of Agriculture would gulp N30 billion this year.

The Health ministry has about 115 of such agencies with over N250 billion budgeted for them in 2017.

Petroleum ministry has six of such agencies/institutes with N60 billion earmarked for them in this year’s budget.

The intelligence community, comprising of four agencies under the office of the National Security Adviser, would spend N67 billion this year.

Also, about 30 of such research institutes and commissions in the Education ministry will spend over N100 billion in 2017.

Under the State House, 15 commissions will spend N25 billion. Trade and Investment has 16 and it will spend N10 billion on them; Science and Technology has 99 and has budgeted N29 billion for them.

Interior ministry has eight of such agencies and plans to spend N479 billion this year, the Justice ministry has eight and has earmarked N21 billion for them; Information and Culture has 21 and will spend N38 billion; Works, Power and Housing has 13 and would spend N42 billion; Mines and Steel has 10 and has budgeted N10 billion for them.

Defence ministry’s 14 bodies would gulp N308 billion; Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has 18 and has earmarked N44billion for them; Water Resources has 16 and will spend N7 billion for them; Transportation with eight has budgeted N15 billion; Sports and Youths Affairs with only four will spend N78 billion.

The Oronsaye panel recommended the reduction of statutory agencies of government from 263 to 161, scrapping of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and conversion of 14 to departments in ministries as well as the removal of all professional bodies/councils from the national budget in order to slash the exorbitant cost of governance.

lalasticlala

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested four persons, including a native doctor, for allegedly killing a 62-year-old hunchback for money rituals.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Haliru Gwandu, who paraded the suspects Friday at the command headquarters in Benin the state capital, gave the names of the suspects as Aluma Sunday, Peter Olotu, Philip Ogeneka and Sunday Ogono respectively.

The suspects were arrested when one of them, Aluma, was taking the victims’ hunch to the native doctor’s residence in Ondo State.

He was nabbed during a stop and search operation at Sabongida-Ora in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

The suspects confessed that it was poverty that drove them to look for where to make quick money.

According to Aluma, who said he lives in the same Arue village with the victim, claimed that it was Peter that killed the man.

BY KOLA EKE-OGIUGO

A Pentecostal church pastor identified as Jessiah (surname withheld) with his church in Ugbolu community near Asaba, Delta State is currently on the run after he allegedly killed one Ejiofor Ujah, a member of his church during prayer session for rituals.

It was gathered that the victim was allegedly invited by the pastor for the prayer session and never returned until two days after his whereabouts became unknown.

Police Public Relations Officers in the state, Mr. Andrew Aniamaka who confirmed the incident, disclosed the corps of the victim after a search was conducted by Ugbolu villages, was found by a hunter in a soak-away few meters away from the church, adding the pastor and two of his cohorts had taken to their heels.

He said that two persons have been arrested are still being detained in connection with the act, while investigation is ongoing with a view to arresting the fleeing suspects.

Investigation revealed that the incident which occurred last Tuesday in Ugbolu community, has created palpable tension and fear of the unknown among its residents and the church member who have deserted it.

Further investigation revealed that the church (name withheld) has been deserted since the incident was blown open and had allegedly exposed the pastor who doubles as general overseer of the church. Insider, Kate Okafor alleged that the pastor had on the fateful Tuesday called the victim for a prayer session and in response, the victim who allegedly smelt a rat of danger told the wife of his movement to the church before the bubble burst.

But this was not to be when the victim the following day did not return home, this created suspicion and the wife raised the alarm as after she visited the church in her efforts to see the husband met a brick wall.

Mrs. Rosemary Ujah, the victim’s wife told our reporter; “I was confused when I did found my husband in the church two days after and I raised the alarm after reporting to the police at Ugbolu Police Division and a search party conducted which discovered his corps in soak away”.

Unconfirmed sources said the pastor had allegedly been found suspicious before the incident as many occasions, he performed unholy act in the church.

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

Nnewi—Ikedife Hospital located along Igwe Orizu Road, Otolo-Nnewi, Anambra State is playing host to Jewish scientists, who are in Nnewi to conduct Deoxyribonucleic Acid, DNA, test on interested citizens there to determine the Jewish relationship with Igbos.

Hundreds of people trooped out in their numbers, yesterday, to participate in DNA test to ascertain the validity of the claims that the Igbo migrated from that part of the world.

As early as 7.00 am people had started arriving from every part of Igboland to take part in the cell screening exercise, while a few policemen were seen in the hospital premises to ensure a hitch free DNA exercise.

Former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife, and owner of the hospital, while addressing newsmen on the exercise, said there had been stories of Jewish/Igbo relations based on archaeological discoveries and mythology, saying he facilitated the Jewish scientist to come and prove the mythology.

He said the Israeli-Yaweh group came into the country to take a random sampling of cells from the people in the South-East for studies to carry out a DNA analysis and comparison in Houston Texas USA.

According to him, “the idea is to establish scientifically the relationship of the two groups of people. It is necessary to satisfy the curiosity and answer the question in the minds of many for quite some time.

“The world has gone advanced, cellular examination can be used to establish the claim or otherwise of this kind of believe. In this modern time, such claims of relationship should not be left in the domain of mythological theories alone There is need to subject the claim to scientific proof.

“If at the end of the day, it is confirmed that we are relations, we would remain brothers and friends, but if it proved negative we remain friends. My curiosity is based on the fact that I studied Anthropology as well as Medicine, the result of the cell examination is expected to be out in August this year.”

John Ameh

Three members of the House of Representatives exonerated of sexual misconduct allegations levelled against them by the United States Embassy in Nigeria have picked lawyers to handle their $1billion suit against the US government ,
SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.

The lawyers are to file the suit in the US, while the lawmakers will continue to communicate with them through electronic means from Nigeria , since they are barred for now from entering the US.

The affected members are House Deputy Chairman , Committee on Petroleum Resources ( Upstream ); Mr . Terse Mark - Gbillah , elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Benue; Mr. Samuel Ikon of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom ; and Mr . Mohammed Garba - Gololo, also of the APC in Bauchi State.

A former US ambassador to Nigeria , Mr . James Entwistle , had accused the three of sexual misconduct during a visit to the US last year April , prompting the Nigerian legislature to call for an investigation.

The House had exonerated the lawmakers in October 2016 after a report by its Joint Committees on Ethics/Privileges and Foreign Relations, found no wrongdoing on their part.

Mark -Gbillah , who spoke for the lawmakers, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the lawyers had been identified and that efforts were on to finalise consultations on the suit.

He neither gave the names of the lawyers nor the firms from where they would be hired.

Mark -Gbillah also admitted that the lawmakers ’ US visas revoked in the wake of the allegations had yet to be restored.

However, he stated that the members could still travel to the US in the course of the hearing of the suit if a court order sought to have them brought to the US physically.

Mark -Gbillah said , “ We have identified lawyers willing to take the case and are currently planning for the required funds to initiate the action ( for damages. )

“ We will communicate with our lawyers via other media for now , but we can be granted entry by the court if we are required to appear in person . We won ’ t be willing to disclose the costs at this time.”

Earlier in October last year , the members had told SUNDAY PUNCH that they could ask for damages between $1bn and $10bn, depending on the final recommendation of their lawyers.

Apart from the US Government , the lawmakers added that Entwistle , the Marriot Hotel, the US Embassy and their agents would be sued for damages, in addition to an “ internationally - published apology. ”

James Ibori, former governor of Delta state who returned to the country on Saturday after serving a jail term for fraud in the UK, is currently with the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja.

TheCable understands that he was picked up by DSS operatives and then taken to the head office of the secret police.

An official who spoke with TheCable said it should not be interpreted as an “arrest”.

“It was pre-arranged that he should have a chat with the DSS director-general, Lawal Daura, upon his arrival. He will not be detained. His appointment was for 12:00 hrs so the operatives went to pick him up and drove him down for the meeting,” the operative said.

This is a developing story. It will be updated as soon as we get more information…

lalasticlala

An on-going probe of the controversial Centenary City Project by the House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Capital Territory ended in a fiasco on Friday.

The Chairman of the committee, Herman Hembe and the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim were locked in a war of words after Anyim objected to Hembe presiding over the hearing.
Anyim later walked out on the panel.

The immediate past Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Bala Mohammed had his own brush with Hembe whose conducted be branded as childish and unrepresentative.

The multi-billion dollar Centenary City Project was initiated by the Goodluck Jonathan Administration to mark the 100 years of the amalgamation of Nigeria’s Northern and Southern protectorates by the United Kingdom.

It was cited in Abuja.

The Reps Committee is probing alleged irregularities in the project implementation.

Anyim accused Hembe of harassing him because he (Anyim) refused to sack the former Director General of the Security and Exchange Commission, Ms Arunma Oteh as allegedly requested by Hembe after she accused Hembe of demanding bribe from her.

“When the former Managing Director of Security and Exchange Commission accused you of demanding bribe from her, you pushed for her sack and I refused to sack her as Secretary to Government of the Federation. I will not allow you to use the platform of this committee to victimise me,” Anyim charged as tension began to rise at the session yesterday.

Hember would not have that.

He shot back at Anyim, who had once served as Senate President saying:”Point of order, point of order, point of order. No, no, no, no, no.

“Hold on. The former Senate President cannot assume the chairmanship of the committee. It’s not fair. Please, sir, I have the privilege to be heard…”

Anyim: “Okay, let us not get overheated. Mr Chairman, distinguished Hon. members, let me just say briefly…”

Hembe: “Hold on, I am going to allow you to finish but hold on. Let me just say that we are a House of free laws, we are a House of order. We are a House of due process. This is not an avenue…. Let me just say to the former President of the Senate and the former SGF that in my opening remarks, I tried to show you courtesy…Please, don’t interrupt, as far as this hearing is concerned, I’m chairman here. I am chairman and I would not allow you to usurp that position!”
But the former Senate President was unrelenting.

He said: “Mr Chairman, you have been threatening to conduct this public hearing for over a year now. In fact, you ended last year with it and this year, you started again with it. You scheduled it for 27th of January and you later moved it to 1st of February and again moved it to 3rd of February.”

“Mr Chairman, we only discovered your game plan for all the postponements when you started sending messages to the Managing Director to come and see you privately. It was after all your efforts to get the Managing Director to come and see you privately failed that you confirmed this date.
I want you to know that nobody will see you privately, rather we are ready for the hearing.”

Anyim said Hembe should disqualify himself from sitting on the committee. “Mr. Chairman, you can handover to the Vice Chairman and excuse us so that hearing can proceed.”

But Hembe insisted on chairing the hearing.
What followed was Anyim walking out of the venue leaving his aides behind.

Anyim had earlier told the committee that the manner of his invitation as a former Chairman of the National Assembly was disrespectful and wondered why Hembe insisted on the probe when the Senate had concluded same.

The former Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, who initially declined to speak on the issue, faulted Hembe’s approach.

He said:”You’re putting the cart before the horse, we have procedures here. The minister of the FCT ( Mohammed Bello) is here, yet you’re behaving childishly.”

Efforts by members of the to make Mohammed withdraw his words fell on deaf ears.

“I will not take it back. You can take me to court,” he retorted.

Hembe chided Mohammed saying: “We expect that as an elder, as a Senator and a former Minister, your conduct should be above board.”

A member of the committee, Linus Okorie (Ebonyi State) was incensed as Hembe would not allow him to conclude his questions to the stakeholders present.

Hembe said that the Centenary Project comprising 1, 267 hectares was owned by two companies – Basic Start Limited and Company First Limited – with 10000 share capital each to two persons: Boma Ozobia and Paul Oki.

He questioned how two persons were allocated such a huge expanse of land.
The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) he said, must provide the committee with answers at the next sitting which scheduled for Tuesday.

lalasticlala

The FCT Commissioner of Police (CP) Muhammed Mustafa has warned individuals and groups planning any form of protest in Abuja to notify the Command before embarking on such protest.

Mustafa who spoke on Friday at a press conference at the Command Headquarters in Abuja, said the warning follows reports making the rounds on the social media of a planned nationwide protest slated for 5th February, 2017.

He said “the Command wants to advise the conveners of such to jettison any plan to carry out the protest on the streets of Abuja as it is capable of breaching the peaceful atmosphere.”

He added that: “the conveners of the protest are also enjoined to adopt legal and legitimate means to register their protest instead of taking over the streets of the FCT.”

He said the command would not fold its arms and watch criminal elements hide under the guise of such protest to cause breakdown of law and order, adding that the Police is not in possession of any notification from the group.