₦airaland Forum

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) said Friday that it had received bank guarantees worth $335,854,986 from the preferred bidders for both generation (Gencos) and distribution (Discos) firms under the ongoing privatisation of successor companies of Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

It follows the expiration of the 15-business-day of notification from the BPE for successful investors to submit a "Preferred Bidder's Bank Guarantee."

The deadline for receipt of the bank guarantee elapsed Friday.
The privatisation agency in a statement signed by its spokesman, Chukwuma Nwokoh said $188,476,306.00 worth of bank guarantee was received from preferred bidders for the Discos, while $147,378,680.15 was submitted by investors for the Gencos.

Giving a breakdown of the receipts, the statement said for the Abuja Disco: Kann Consortium Utility Company Ltd provided $24,600,000, while for the Benin Disco, Vigeo Power Consortium provided $19,350,000.00.

West Power and Gas provided $20,250,000.00 for the Eko Disco, while Enugu Disco, which was won by Interstate Electrics Ltd submitted bank guarantee worth $18,900,000.00.

Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Ltd provided $25,350,000 for Ibadan Disco while the Ikeja Disco, received $19,650,000 courtesy of NEDC/KEPCO Consortium.

Moreover, Aura Energy Ltd submitted $12,300,000.00 for Jos Disco.

Others are Kano Disco in which Sahelian Power Ltd submitted $20,550,000.00; Port Harcourt Disco raked in $18,636,306 courtesy of 4Power Consortium, while Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Ltd submitted $8,890,000.00 for Yola Disco.

For Shiroro Hydro Power Plc, North-South Power Ltd submitted bank guarantee worth $16,748,180.00 while Mainstream Energy Solutions submitted $35,680,500 for the Kainji Hydro Power Plc.

CMEC/EURAFRIC Energy Ltd submitted  $30,150,000.00 in bank guarantee for Sapele Power Plc: Amperion Power Distribution Limited provided $19,800,000.15 for Geregu Power Plc. In addition, the $45,000,000.00 was submitted by Transcorp/Woodrock/Sumbion/Medea/PSL/Thomassen for Ughelli Power Plc.

The National Council on Privatisation had approved the payment mechanism for the PHCN successor Gencos and Discos at its sixth meeting, which was held October.

It involved the submission by the preferred bidders of additional bid security in the form of a letter of credit or bank guarantee for fifteen percent (15 percent) of the transaction value to the Bureau of Public Enterprises.
The NCP had also approved the next steps for the conclusion of the privatisation of the generation and distribution companies.

The next stage involves the invitation of designated preferred bidder for negotiations with the BPE.
Within fifteen (15) business days, after signing of the Sale and Purchase Agreement, the Shareholders' Agreement or the Performance Agreement, whichever is earlier, or at a mutually agreed earlier time, the bidder shall make a down payment of twenty-five percent (25 percent of the share purchase price.

Within six (6) months after signing of the Sale and Purchase Agreement or the Shareholders' Agreement, whichever is earlier or a mutually agreed upon time, the bidder will be required to pay the outstanding seventy five per cent of the share purchase price to complete the transaction, the statement explained.

Upon the payment of the 25% of the purchase price, the preferred bidder’s bank guarantee will be returned to the bidder.

After the completion of payment, the hand over of the successor companies to the preferred bidders will conclude the transaction.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/phcn-privatisation-fg-receives-335m-bank-guarantees/131548/

A Federal High Court, Lagos, on Thursday fixed February 11, 2013 for the commencement of trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode.

The accused is faced with a 47-count charge of money laundering, contrary to the money laundering (prohibition) Act, 2004.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the trial, which was slated to begin on Thursday before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, could not go on due to the absence of the trial judge.

NAN learnt that the absence of the judge was due to the on-going judges conference which some judges of the Federal High Court are attending.

Ofili-Ajumogobia is the new trial judge assigned to replace Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, who was transferred from the Lagos division of the Federal High Court.

She becomes the third trial judge to handle the matter.

NAN recalls that Fani-Kayode had been re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 16 before Murtala-Nyako.

Fani-Kayode’s re-arraignment before Murtala-Nyako followed the transfer of Justice Ramat Mohammed, who was the first trial judge to handle the matter.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and had been admitted to bail.

NAN recalls that at the last hearing of the matter before Murtala-Nyako on April 24, Mr. Chris Uche (SAN), counsel to the accused, had prayed the court to stay further proceedings in the matter.

He urged the court to stay proceedings pending the determination of an appeal filed at the Supreme Court.

Uche had tendered a Certified True Copy of the Motion on Notice for hearing of the matter at the apex court, as evidence that an appeal had been filed.

He had, therefore, urged the court to adjourn the matter, pending the determination of the appeal.

The request for stay of proceedings was, however, opposed by counsel to the EFCC, Mr Nelson Okedinachi, on the ground that the defence was only seeking for an avenue to stall proceedings.

He said that the appeal was merely an academic exercise since the matter was commencing afresh before Murtala-Nyako and the plea of the accused had been taken afresh.

Okedinachi had argued that the stay of proceedings sought by the defence was not covered by the EFCC Act, and urged the court to fix a date for the trial.

In her ruling, the judge had declined to grant the stay of proceedings on the ground that the appeal had nothing to do with the matter before her.
http://www.punchng.com/news/trial-of-ex-aviation-minister-femi-fani-kayode-fixed-for-feb-11/

Ur rantings don't matter come 2015 he would contest and win so u guys can continue ur sulking it don't matter it only matters on nairaland where bigotry and hate is the other of the day yall should keep up the rants

He said it yesterday! he matched it with and he matched his words with action today and some fools on nairaland would call him all sorts of names like I said my president. Would continue to expose the hypocrites on this forum and there paymasters!

Here are some of the links of some governors expecially the A.c.N stock that took the same procedure that GEJ is taking Now Setting up a committee and releasing the same white paper on the committee finding the question I asks those who are criticizing the government is did fashola and his administration release this same white paper on the new lagos traffic law before it was implemented? The answer is yes and here is a link "Genesis of the Lagos Road Traffic Lagos

The new traffic bill which was signed into law last Thursday by the governor; is an executive bill sent to the state House of Assembly for consideration and necessary approval. Subsequently, two WHITE PAPER were also approved for immediate implementation by the state government after serious deliberation by the State Executive Council, EXCO.

The first WHITE PAPER is on government views on report of the reconstituted security COMMITEE on the activities of motorcycle operators in the state and the second is the government" you can read more http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/08/the-full-package-of-the-new-lagos-road-traffic-law/ when fashola and his government set up commitee and set up another one to release a white paper this tribal party members that come on naira land to form opposition see nothing wrong with it but when GEJ does it his clueless u guys are bunch of hypocrites its now very clear. Here is another link of ogunstate government forming a committee and forming another one like fashola did to bring out a white paper but U a.c.n hypocrites whould not see anything wrong with that but when GEJ do the same u criticize

Davidson Iriekpen and Shaka Momodu


The noose keeps tightening around the neck of the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah, as the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has moved against him and his company.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Thursday  gave AMCON an order to freeze all the assets belonging to Ubah and Capital Oil anywhere they are located.

This is coming on the heels of a worldwide order (mareva injunction) granted by a London High Court last Friday against the assets of Ubah and his company.

The order by the UK court was granted sequel to an application by Access Bank Plc to preserve his assets pending the determination of the suit brought before it by the bank.
The bank alleged that Ubah and his company had fraudulently diverted the petroleum products it financed under the joint venture agreement between Capital Oil and Coscharis Motors Limited.

Ubah and Capital Oil are indebted to AMCON to the tune of N48.014 billion.
Upon the motion ex-parte filed by AMCON, Justice Abdu Kafarati ordered the immediate seizure of the following properties belonging to Ubah and Capital Oil: Plot number C28B, Amuwo Odofin Commercial Scheme, Lagos State;
• Plot No. C28A, Amuwo Odofin Commercial Scheme, Lagos State;
• Plot 892B, Block XXXIV, Omole Residential Scheme II, Lagos State Reg. No. 100/100/2106;

• Plot 8, Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos covering by C of O 33/33/2006AF and a deed of tripartite legal mortgage in favour of Skye Bank Plc;
• Plot IN/8B, Emene Industrial Layout Extension, Enugu State with Reg. No. 13/13/1270;

• Plot IN/9, Emene Industrial/Residential Layout Extension, Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu State with Reg. No. 49/49/53;
• Plot SP7 Emene Industrial Estate Reg. No. 28/28/1468, Enugu State;
• Property located at Tex Olawale Street, Olodi Apapa Reg. No. 13/13/2006J;
• All that parcel of land situated at Ibru Port Complex, Ibafon, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway with Reg. No. 8/8/2131 covered by a perfected deed of legal mortgage registered as 29/29/2030 in favour of Skye Bank Plc;

• Property located at Umuanuka, Otolo Nnewi, Nnewi Local Government Area, Anambra State with Reg. No. 65/65/18;
• All that piece and parcel of land (four plots) situated at Ibafon and known as 8, Tex Olawale Street, Tincan Island, Lagos State; and
• Property located at Kuchiko Village, Suleja, Niger State covered by a Niger State Certificate of Occupancy, dated March 2, 2009 and registered as No 38/38/1 in Minna.
The judge directed the Inspector General of Police (IG), the Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and the Commissioners of Police in Lagos, Anambra, Enugu and Niger States to assist in the enforcement of the order, pending the determination of the suit.

Justice Kafarati also mandated AMCON to serve the order and the processes including those to be filed in the case outside the jurisdiction on Ubah and his company at their address at No. 1 Capital Oil Close, Westminster, Ibru Jetty Complex, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.

He further directed the 21 banks in the country to file their affidavit within three days after the receipt of the order stating the credit balance of Ubah and his company in their respective banks as at the date of the receipt of the order of the court, which sum shall be so held until further orders are made.

The judge consequently adjourned the case till November 22 for further hearing.
Capital Oil and Ubah were among the 113 companies and 419 directors/shareholders that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently listed as AMCON debtors.
The banks were barred from extending further credit to the debtor companies and their directors until they had repaid their loans.

When contacted on the development, the Managing Director of AMCON, Mr. Mustafa Chike Obi, stated that the corporation had obtained the order in order to preserve the assets of the Capital Oil and Ubah.

He said since both of them were heavily indebted to AMCON and it was his intention to recover that debt, all other creditors in pursuit of Ubah and his company to recover the money he owed them, would have to queue behind AMCON.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/amcon-moves-against-ubah-capital-oil-seizes-assets/130805/

Billyonaire: What baffles me is that people have totally forgotten the roles of their state governments in. The nation state and pour all annoyance on the President even for their sour soups and overgrown weeds on their farmlands. GEJ is a President and not a governor, he is doing what is standard in governance, no government will implement a report of findings from any taskforce without scrutiny and white paper issuance. Nairalanders should educate themselves on standard procedures than insult people are highly more intelligent than them.

thats to show you how the stardard of education in nigeria has drastically reduced and the quality of GEJ's critics on nairaland political forum.they dont even know the basic principles of Democracy.no matter how bitter this sets of people are the FG would continue to expose them and their paymasters as hypocrites!!.now that the Fg has set up a white paper on the report that just last week and earlier this week this same people were all over nairaland that government wants to discard the report with all sorts of conspiracy theories! this same uninformed critcs are still critizing the president for taking the first step in implementing the rebadu report!!

There you have it those who are misled by whatever they read on papers we now knw the reason for the review,and the indian company that wrote the petition against manitoba and the process.

Paul Ohia   and Chineme Okafor 



In a move certain to douse anxiety over the fate of the power sector reform and privatisation programme, President Goodluck Jonathan is still reviewing the management contract for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Confirming the new twist in the $23.7 million management contract, which was awarded to a Canadian firm, Manitoba Hydro International (MHI), last July, a source in the Ministry of Power said the ministry was yet to receive notification on the cancellation of the contract, but what they understood was that the president had ordered a review of the contract.

Also, Manitoba said Thursday  that although it had not received any official notice on the contract’s termination, it would seek for compensation from the government if it happens.

Chief Executive Officer of MHI, Mr. Don Priestman, who has been superintending activities of the firm at TCN, disclosed this in response to enquiries by THISDAY Thursday in Abuja.

An official of the power ministry said last night that the management contract might not have been cancelled as reported exclusively by THISDAY two days ago and was confirmed by the president’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, that same day when other media houses made enquiries.

He said the president had decided that the contract be reviewed by a team of experts, which will be concluded next week.

In a bid to prove that Manitoba had not been shown the exit, the official said that its chief executive was at the Presidential Villa yesterday to meet with officials in the presidency.
He explained that the review was being done to ensure that whatever irregularities that needed to be corrected in the contract are effected.

“The president is a stickler for procedure and the rule of law. So the review is being carried out to correct any irregularity that has been noticed in the contract,” he said.

The official added that the reason a review was being undertaken was to keep the power reform and privatisation programme on course.
“The president remains committed to the programme and will do everything to keep it on course.

“He is also aware that there are some interest groups and politicians who want to derail the process.

“But it must not be hijacked by these politicians whose sole aim is to sabotage the programme for their own selfish gains,” he said.

Priestman, however, informed THISDAY yesterday that although the government had not formally communicated its decision to cancel the three-year contract, the company would certainly ask for compensation from the government, if it communicates its position as reported in the media.

According to him, “At the moment, we have got no official word from the government on the contract cancellation and everything we know about it has been from media reports which is a heck of a way to do things.

“We have no official communication from the government up till now and until we get some official notification to that effect, I guess we will have to wait to know the government’s position.

“But I’m still in my office at the PHCN (Power Holding Company of Nigeria) corporate headquarters, which houses TCN and our telephone lines have been shut down. I cannot make official calls outside of here but rely on calls coming in.”
When asked to clarify the current position at the state-owned transmission utility as well as Manitoba’s position, Priestman said: “We have to wait to take a decision to either demobilise.

“But right now, we are in a limbo. We came here in good faith to do our job but the mood here suggests otherwise and we reckon that we are not in a fight with anybody; we just want to do our job.”

On the possible legal action that might be taken by Manitoba, Priestman said: “The decision is not in my hands but certainly we have got a case, we are owed a lot of money and we hope to ask for compensation if we are communicated of government’s position that the contract has been terminated.”

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), for several weeks, has been pushing for the cancellation of the contract on the premise that it did not pass through due process as provided under the Public Procurement Act.

Its Director General, Mr. Emeka Eze, had written a memo to the president recommending the contract’s termination and that the BPP be allowed to appoint a new contractor within 30 days, after it had been furnished with five names by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

But the president had approved that the power ministry undertake the job of appointing a new company to manage TCN within 30 days.
It is believed that he may have reviewed his decision to get the power reform programme back on track.

In a related development, it has emerged that it was a petition by the Power Grid of India, which faulted the process by which Manitoba emerged as the preferred bidder to manage TCN, that triggered the chain of events that led to the contract’s review by government.

THISDAY discovered yesterday that Power Grid had written to BPE alleging that Manitoba’s selection was done before the financial bids were opened, a decision they saw as not being in conformity with the rules set out by the BPE.

Of the four firms that had expressed interest in managing TCN in 2007, Manitoba and Power Grid were the only two that had their bids prequalified when the process to select a management contractor for the transmission was restarted by the BPE in 2010.

The Indian company contended that it had won the bid in a rigorous exercise conducted in 2007, which made it the preferred bidder for the transmission company.

By yesterday, THISDAY learnt that the company was warming up to convince government officials of its readiness to manage TCN.

The management contract was signed between the BPE, on behalf of the Federal Government, and Manitoba in July, with a commencement date of September 1, 2012.

But owing to interference by officials in the Ministry of Power, the take-off of the deal was stalled, while the Canadian firm was prevented from effectively taking over TCN.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/president-still-reviewing-manitoba-tcn-contract/130808/

Friday, 16 November 2012
CLAMOUR for creation of six new states in the South-West geo-political zone and grant of autonomy to local government administration in the country topped the submissions of a cross section of people, including eminent personalities that attended the sitting of Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution which took place on Thursday in Lagos.

This is as the Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, demanded that the amended constitution should give special status to the state backed with adequate funding.

The event, which witnessed a large turnout at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, was conducted by the Senate Committee on Review of 1999 Constitution headed by Senator Ganiyu Solomon. Others on the committee include Senators Gbenga Kaka, Hosea Agboola, Sola Adeyeye, Oluremi Tinubu.

The new states being demanded included Oduduwa, Lagoon, Ijebu with Ijebu-Ode proposed as the capital, Ibadan, Oluwa from present Ondo State and Igbomina.

Moving for the creation of Oduduwa State, Secretary of South-West Traditional Rulers, Oba Aderemi Adedapo, recalled that everyone at the gathering was a Yoruba with roots in Ile-Ife and Oduduwa regarded as father of the race.

The traditional ruler  argued that there was an imperative need for the creation, which he said was long overdue, adding: “If you are going to create any state in the South West, it must be Oduduwa.”

Presenting the case for the creation of Ijebu State, Mr Arekola Aregbe, said the position arose from the conclusion arrived on Wednesday at the meeting of stakeholders in the state, submitting that the stakeholders also agreed that Ijebu Ode should also be made the capital of the proposed state.

According to Chief Olu Akingba, the clamour for Oluwa State had been a long agitation that had featured in past constitution review. He said he was not opposed to the creation of new states as being proposed before the committee by various bodies and group, but urged that Oluwa State should be created now.

“We are not opposed to creation of any other state, but we want ours to be created,” he pleaded.

Chief Olaitan, who represented the Olupo of Ajasse-Ipo, Oba Sikirullai Sanni, noted that the proposed Igbomina State would comprise the Igbomina people living in the present Osun and Kwara states and their kiths and kin in Ekiti State, noting that the affected Yoruba should be brought back home from the North, where he said they did not belong.

“All that has been said here since morning was good but you should ensure that Yoruba from the North are brought back because they are not comfortable there,” he added.

According to Chief Jimoh Sowemimo, who spoke on behalf of the Movement for Creation of Lagoon State Chairman, Chief B. O. Benson, the proposed the creation of Lagoon State from present Lagos State would have a population of 5.4 million population going by the 2006 Census figure.

He argued that, that figure was more that those living in Ekiti, Gombe, Yobe, Bayelsa, Niger States, among others, adding: “The viability of Lagos is in no doubt and, therefore, Lagoon State once created would enjoy viability as well.”

On the clamour for the creation of Ibadan State, World Islamic Foundation, headed by Imam Busari, expressed the view that Ibadan, as it currently stands  in Oyo State was too big and, therefore, a state should be given to it.

President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, has advised that priority should be given to issues affecting the generality of the people, as efforts are ongoing to amend the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

The Senate President gave the advise in his opening remarks at the ongoing two-day public hearing on the review of the constitution, held in Lagos.

He also supported the call by the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola and the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, for a special status for the state.

Senator Mark, while noting that all issues in the memorandum submitted should be prioritised, said any amendment that would address security and facilitate an all-round development of the people should be given a priority.

He said the issues must be addressed from a patriotic sense of view, calling for the involvement of the people in the exercise so as to have a people-oriented constitution as against the military constitution currently in use in the country.

The Senate President, who said he would not dwell on his well-known position on state police, restated the importance of security to national development.

He also said he was very passionate about the issue of indigeneship, saying there was nothing stopping anybody from enjoying the benefits accruable to a place where he or she was resident, his or her place of origin notwithstanding.

He said the review of the constitution would be a continous exercise, adding that it would often be revisited as often as it is necessary in order to change the life of the people for the better.

Speaking with newsmen on his request for a special status for Lagos State, Governor Fashola said what he meant in essence was in terms of funding to support the infrastructure and assets bequeathed to the state by the Federal Government.

“We are asking for a special status in the sense of financial support for the infrastructure and assets that were built here. They were built at the time Lagos was the Federal Capital Territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“And in all the other jurisdictions where the capitals had been moved, there has always been that special status by way of funding for the old capitals,” he said.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/51001-swest-asks-for-5-additional-states-mark-backs-lagos-request-for-special-status

Friday, 16 November 2012
THE United States (US) has demanded from the Federal Government, explanations on how it has been managing the Excess Crude Account and the country’s finances.

A statement from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation said Mr Douglas P. Climan of the American Embassy made the demands when he called on the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Jonah Otunla, in his office at Treasury House, Abuja.

The diplomat was said to have told the AGF that he came to the Treasury House to understand the budgeting and the operation of Federation Account.

Mr Climan said he would also like to know how ECA withdrawals were made and how the unspent balance of capital was managed.

After listening to the AGF, the diplomat expressed optimism that the 2013 budget would be passed before the end of 2012 fiscal year.

Meanwhile, about 45,000 ghost workers have been detected after 108 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) adopted the Government Integrated Fiscal Management System (GIFMIS) in Nigeria.

According to Otunla, since the adoption of GIFMIS, about 45,000 ghost workers had been detected, adding that “we now know how many people are on the payroll of government and the cost implication.

Meanwhile, PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday, established three committees to prepare draft white papers on the reports of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, the National Refineries Special Task Force and the Governance and Controls Special Task Force

A statement by presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, in Abuja, noted that the action was in furtherance of the declared commitment of President Jonathan to ensuring accountability, probity and transparency in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The committees are to study the reports, review the issues raised and prepare draft white papers for the consideration of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) within two weeks.         

The white paper committee on the report of the Mallam Nuhu Ribadu-led Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force would be chaired by the Minister of Labour, Chief  Emeka Wogu, with the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro; Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Chief Jumoke Akinjide and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, Dr Nurudeen Moha-mmed, as members.

The statement added that the white paper committee on the report of the Governance and Controls Special Task Force would be chaired by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Ama Pepple, while the Minister of State, Defence, Chief (Mrs) Olusola Obada; Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar and the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mallam Bukar Tijani, are members.

The white paper committee on the report of the National Refineries Special Task Force had Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Mohammed Sada as chairman and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina; Minister of State for Health, Dr Muhammad Pate and the Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyeson Wike, as members.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/51002-us-seeks-information-on-excess-crude-account-jonathan-sets-up-white-paper-committees-on-ribadu-report-others

Presidency blames BPE for cancelled Manitoba power contract…denies friction between Jonathan, Sambo

NOVEMBER 15, 2012
The Presidency on Wednesday said the management contract for the Transmission Company of Nigeria awarded to a Canadian firm, Manitoba Hydro International, was cancelled because of a series of infractions on the part of the Bureau of Public Enterprise.

It denied that the cancelled contract had caused a division between President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo, who chairs the National Council on Privatisation.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, made the clarification in an interview with our correspondent.

Abati said the contract was awarded by BPE and not NCP as Nigerians were made to believe.

He explained that BPE awarded the contract contrary to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

Abati said, “The BPE has no power to approve a management contract, according to the provision of Section 16 sub section 4 of the 2007 Public Procurement Act. That section says that the BPE must obtain a certificate of no objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement.

“Another section of the Act says that certain contracts must be approved by the Federal Executive Council. The management contract in question is $23.6m, which is above the approved threshold of BPE. The vice-president is a member of FEC.

“For the BPE to go ahead and approve that contract simply means that due process was not followed. It is a matter of due process, a matter of best practice; it is not a personality matter. The infraction was committed by the BPE.”

Despite the confirmation of the termination of the contract, a source told one of our correspondents that the Canadian firm would still be allowed to apply to manage the critical power infrastructure if it so desired.

Abati said, “Yes, the President has cancelled the contract because it was not done in accordance with the Public Procurement Act. President Goodluck Jonathan has directed that a new process for the selection of the management contractor should begin immediately and should be completed in 30 days in order not to cause unnecessary panic.

“The President also directed that the new process should conform to international best practices.”

However, one of our correspondents learnt that the cancellation of the contract was at the instance of the Technical and Legal committees of the National Council on Privatisation as well as the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke.

A Presidency source said the NCP, headed by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, did not take a decision on the cancellation, but recommended the review of the contract following the issue of compliance with due process raised by the AGF and the NCP committees.

The source added that the action was not against Manitoba but the process, adding that the Canadian firm could still apply to manage the transmission company.

The PUNCH had exclusively reported last week that the contract might collapse following moves to strip the contractor of key functions included in the contract, and the failure of the Federal Government to issue Delegated Authority to the company two months after the contract was supposed to have taken off.

The company had been stripped of its power to control human resource and finance at the company, contrary to the provisions of the management contract following strong opposition by the workers of the TCN and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

The Chief Executive Officer sent to TCN by Manitoba, Mr. Don Priestman, had confirmed that the Federal Government had yet to issue the Canadian firm the Delegated Authority it required to work.

Meanwhile, worried by the spate of system collapse leading to blackouts in the country, the Presidential Task Force on Power has met with officials of TCN to resolve the problem.

At the meeting in Abuja, the PTFP Chairman, Mr. Beks Dagogo-Jack, charged regional and top managers of TCN to commit to the target of 5,000MW electricity generation by December.

The task force was told that some businesses threatened by improved power situation could have been collaborating with corrupt workers to frustrate power stability in the country.

The Head, Media and Communications, PTFP, Mrs. Awele Okigbo, confirmed these in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday.

Okigbo said the interaction between the TCN management team and the technical heads of the task force focused on the review of the sudden rise in the frequency of power grid collapses.

She said, “The meeting dealt extensively with the immediate and remote causes of the collapses and identified a few remedy plans with short to long-term delivery times.

“From the National Control Centre Manager’s submission, it was made clear that there are two major causes for the system collapses namely; generation-side triggers, especially during periods of very low power availability, and transmission-side triggers, with the latter contributing over 60 per cent of the trigger incidents.

“Top on the list of major causes for the collapses is the overgrown vegetation interacting with high and low voltage power lines, which worsens during the wet season and through logging activities.”
http://www.punchng.com/news/presidency-blames-bpe-for-cancelled-manitoba-power-contract-denies-friction-between-jonathan-sambo/

I JUST finished reading the Ribadu report, both the one leaked to the press and the version submitted to the President, and in my view, the report is virtually inconclusive. And for now, I agree with the Presidency that the committee’s terms of reference was not duly followed.

The basic task of the committee is to examine all, total aspect of the Nigerian oil industry, from production to sales, including the actual, exact amount of oil pumped from Nigerian soil each day, and how much royalties, fees and prices are being paid into Federal accounts.

Surprisingly, the committee was given a free hand to hire experts, professionals and even simple fact-checkers to do their job, yet they carried on without verifying almost all their sources or even attempted any collaboration. The committee went on, on paragraph 4 of the report, and agreed that their method of investigation and lack their own collaboration due to time, was flawed. Why? The committee did not explain in the report.

If the committee had asked for an extension of time, it would have been granted, perhaps. Instead it leaked an uncompleted work to the press and still left the verifications of figures with the Federal Government to ascertain. I say Haba!

Also glaring is that the leaked report is significantly different from the final report submitted to the Presidency. In my view, Ribadu and his committee did a poor job. They had a chance to do the people’s job, here they failed.

And to compound the messy job, Ribadu accused certain un-named oil barons of trying to influence him and his committee. Now, since he is off the chain, he owes it a duty to tell the Nigerian people who are these oil barons? And he should name names. It is a duty that he does so; crying for Nigeria is not enough.

In fact, it has been revealed that the committee was supposed to be generating a monthly report akin to being a standing committee, but that was not even touched before producing the final report. Equally so, the documents were not signed by members of the committee.

So much is just wrong with this report; it’s so messy. Was the chairman of the committee being deceptive?  Ribadu actually acknowledged in an interview that both the leaked report and the final piece presented to the Presidency was one and the same document, but those who read both documents know someone is being mischievious.

Ribadu remains the crime fighter, police lawyer and patriotic Nigerian. So what went so horribly wrong? He admitted thus: “Due to the time frame of the assignment,some of the data used could not be independently verified and the Task Force recommends that the government should conduct such necessary verifications and reconciliations.” The drama has begun.

Just as he stepped out to hand over the Report, His Deputy, Mr.Steve Oronsaye,a former Head of Service of the Federation, raised objections. “I want to say to you, Mr President, that the process that has been followed is flawed…the last time this Committee met was in July when the draft Report was to be considered and I raised pertinent issues.”
Ribadu put up a strong defence.

According to him: “During the work of the Committee, Oronsaye got himself appointed to the Board of the NNPC. The other gentleman who spoke, Otti, became Director of Finance of the NNPC and they decided to more or less bully everybody to take over.” It was real drama and shameful.

Now the issue is, was Ribadu out to report the NNPC or to make recommendations based on the findings of his committee? Did his grouse against fellow members affect his sense of judgement since neither Oronsaye nor Otti saw the report before it was presented? And why did Ribadu have to sign for the duo?

Petroleum minister Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke gave the committee a free hand. She said: “I never for once called in members to seek to influence them one way or the other, and I gave them full access to the parastatals, to deal with all elements of their terms of reference to the extent that some members have even said that I was too aloof from their work.”

And since Ribadu admitted that his report was inconclusive, the Minister acted well by appointing a committee to look into it. That was when the draft was leaked to international news agency, Reuters. Why this was done is unclear, but it created the impression that government was sitting on the findings.

The Presidency through its spokesman on Public Affairs, Dr.Doyin Okupe, has already faulted this report. He observed that in one of the Committees’ terms of reference, they were supposed to “work with consultants and experts to determine and verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues [taxes, royalties, etc] due and payable to the Federal Government of Nigeria”.

Okupe explained that Ribadu failed in this. “This makes it impossible under our laws to indict or punish anyone except, and until, the Federal Government fully verifies and reconciles the facts as recommended by the committee in its submission to the government.”

There you have it, one more opportunity to reform the oil sector bungled. Instead of a thorough work, we got controversy. What an oily slip.

Mr. EHIS OZEMOYA a geologist , wrote from Benin, Edo State.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/ribadus-report-an-oily-slip/

This constitutional review is an avenue for nigerians to put aside ethnicity,greed,party affiliation,sentiment and come together as a force to demand what is good for this our dear nation Nigeria.its an oppotunity for us as those that are governed to demand from our ruling elite to put aside their politcal diffrences and forge a common cause of moving this country to achieve its Full potential! And regionilization as suggested by ohaneze with a little input from other leaders from other zones would definately move this country foward. If the a.c.n and pdp members from the south and all those who believe regionalization from the North come together during the review at the national assembly the push this and get it.

Ijeoma Nwogwugwu
In a move aimed at ensuring that due process is followed, President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday  cancelled the $23.72 million management contract for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), a critical component of the power reform and privatisation programme.

The president, THISDAY learnt last night, cancelled the contract that was awarded to Canadian firm, Manitoba Hydro International, which had been selected by the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) to run TCN for three years, with the option to extend for another two years.

Manitoba had signed the $23.7 million management contract with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) last July, following a long drawn out process that lasted more than five years, in which the Canadian firm and Power Grid of India had their technical and financial proposals evaluated to determine which of the companies would be selected as management contractor.

The selection process for a management contractor was started under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007, but was stalled by his successor, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, who rolled back the power sector reform and privatisation programme.

However, when Jonathan took over in 2010 and launched the Power Sector Road Map that same year, the Federal Government directed the BPE to continue with the process from where it had been stopped, rather than re-advertising for prospective companies to express interest all over.

The decision was based on the fact that the government was eager to jump-start the power privatisation process without the bureaucratic red tape.

But presidency sources said the president based his decision to cancel the contract on a memo sent by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), which for several weeks, had been pushing for its cancellation on the premise that did it not pass through due process as provided under the Public Procurement Act.

The Director General of the BPP, Emeka Eze, THISDAY learnt, was said to have kicked against the appointment of Manitoba because a few material irregularities had been noticed in the process that led to the company's selection.

“It is better to correct these irregularities now to save the future of the management contract, than to have one that could run into hitches. Moreover, a stitch in time, saves nine,” said one official with the presidency.

He said Eze, in his memo, had informed the president that a management contract was distinct from a privatisation transaction or concession, and since the procurement of all Federal Government contracts, including those covering professional services are covered by the Public Procurement Act, the BPP should not have superintended the selection process.

The source said the BPP DG picked holes in the contract, querying why the designated managing director was 57 years old, which he felt was too old, insisting that the contract be cancelled because the BPE had misled the NCP by procuring the management contractor.

Eze was also said to have insisted that if the BPP had overseen the procurement of the contractor, it is the Federal Executive Council (FEC) that should have approved the selection of Manitoba based on the BPP’s recommendation.

Eze’s position, THISDAY learnt, was backed by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), who declared the contract null and void when his opinion was sought.

Efforts to get Eze to speak on the cancellation of the management contract proved abortive, as he was not available for comment. But THISDAY learnt that in his memo to the president, he had recommended that the BPE should furnish BPP with five names of companies so that a new contractor could be selected in 30 days.

The president, however, was said to have ignored his recommendation and directed that the Ministry of Power handle the selection of a new contractor for TCN in 30 days.
But power sector experts said last night that the president’s directive might be a tall order, as a transparent selection process cannot be concluded in 30 days.

They also doubted if the power ministry possessed the technical expertise to handle it, as even the BPE had to draw on the expertise of British Power International as their consultants to assist them during the selection process.

Since the execution of the contract, Manitoba has been prevented from effectively taking over at TCN by bureaucrats in the power ministry. The appointment of a supervisory board for TCN by the Minister of Power was also delayed for inexplicable reasons.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/power-privatisation-president-cancels-manitoba-contract/130580/

ABUJA — Following a directive by President Goodluck Jonathan that the $180 million Halliburton bribery scam be reopened and the principal suspects re-arrested for prosecution, Vanguard has uncovered a list of some of the foreign banks through which huge sums running into millions of dollars were wired to prominent Nigerians.

According to sources, such principal suspects like a former military head of state (names withheld), used the American Express Bank Annex at the Towers World Financial Centre, New York, the Seaway National Bank, Chicago, and the Bank of New York to wire over $37.5 million of the bribe money.

Accounts used by the former head of state between 2002 and 2003 include A/C No 187765 Chips VID 250517, Maizubi Holdings, Minna, A/C No 0074952045, Rooting No 071001216, Foundation Inc. A/C No 9800263826 Swift/Sort Code GHBAGRAA001 and A/C No 0039342923-21 Rooting No 052001533.



Another principal suspect through who the British/Israeli lawyer, Jeffrey Tesler wired huge sums to prominent Nigerians is Air Vice Marshal Abdul Dominic Bello and the banks/ account numbers through which over $68 million were wired are Lloyds Bank of London, A/C No 736827, Tri-Star, Bank of Credit and Commerce International, London, Tri-Star, American Express Bank, A/C No 2101653,Tri-Star, HSBC, A/C No 31505024, and Lloyds Bank, A/C No 0737041, Tri-Star.

It was gathered that these huge sums of bribe money were shared with the active knowledge and connivance of the Company Secretary of the NLNG then, Mrs. Sena Anthony, hence her arrest, detention and interrogation for days during the first investigation and subsequent conclusion that she is key to unraveling the complete list of the bribery beneficiaries.

Concerning another former head of state (names withheld), Vanguard learnt that a total of about $39 million was collected on his behalf by cronies over a period of time using a construction giant as go between and purporting that the huge sums of money were invested in a prominent political party whereas, only a minute fraction actually got to the party.

The source disclosed that Malabo Oil owned by a former minister of petroleum benefitted from the bribery scam to the tune of about $2 million; Umaru Shinkafi, through the American Express Bank in London and in a Joint account he operated with Ashiru Bisiji Aliyu, got wired  $1. 65 million.

For the brother of former head of state, Abdukadir Abacha, various sums amounting to about $13 million through account names—Headway Eng. Ltd. A/C No 68579222; Strategic Ind. Ltd-A/c No 76434366; and Action Invt. Intern Ltd.

Ibrahim Aliyu, a former federal permanent secretary, among many other transactions, used Union Bank Plc London office at Copt Avenue with account No 02101/01/010 312/Swift Address UBNIGB31A.

Mr. MG Bakari owner of SHERWOOD used various accounts acting for himself and a former head of state to wire huge sums and they include Bank HSBC, Euston Road, London, A/C No 39067293 Sort Code 40-04-07, Swift Code MIDOGB; A/C No 024002112100; Monument Trust, Channels Island, Sherwood A/C No 024002112001 through which the sum of Euro 664, 020. 83 were wired to Sherwood.

Recall that the decision of President Jonathan to order the re-opening of the case of Halliburton bribery scandal involving prominent Nigerians, for prosecution followed the insistence by the US authorities that the about $130 million presently in the US government coffers, will only be returned to Nigeria if the prime suspects are prosecuted.

Consequently, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, directed the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge Force Criminal Investigations Department to resuscitate the investigative report of the CP Ali Amodu-led panel that investigated the scandal and submitted its report in 2010.

Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that the whereabouts of the $26. 5 million returned by construction giants, Julius Berger, in a plea bargain arrangement, to avoid prosecution, is yet to be located and handed over to the police, as nobody, including the police, knows where the money was paid or deposited.

Following allegations by a non-governmental organisation, Anti-Corruption Network recently, discrediting the efforts of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and calling some of its projects “non-existent”, it became pertinent for the ministry to prove otherwise. CHRISTIANA ESEBONU who was part of a fact-finding mission to the region, writes.

The presidency and royal fathers of Bolou-Ndoro and Ogbobagbene communities of Burutu local government area of Delta State, recently contradicted an earlier claim from the Anti-Corruption Network, a non-governmental organisation, which had earlier questioned the existence of three projects being handled by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. Summarily, the organisation accused the ministry of defrauding the government of N29bn.

The recent visit by the representative of President Goodluck Jonathan, civil society groups, and journalists to the sites of the said projects was to ascertain the existence of the project, and if it has gone any distance (if it does exist). After visiting the sites, it became clear to the team that the Dino Melaye-led whistle-blowing organisation had actually sought to mislead with its ‘facts’, as there is hardly any evidence on ground to give Melaye’s claims any life.

The special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Monitoring and Evaluation, Prof. Sylvester Monye, expressed satisfaction with what he saw on ground, noting that the projects do actually exist. He also stated that the projects were an indication that the federal government is living up to its pledge to develop the Niger Delta. Monye said that he would relay the outcome of the project tour to the presidency so as to avail the ministry of accurate budgetary provisions to execute its projects. This, according to him, would forestall further delays which may lead to allegations of fraud. But funding, once again, reared its head. Chief Coniel Segi of Bolou-Ndori community and Chief Seaman Timikory of Ogbobagbene communities, told newsmen who were conducted round the sites of the three projects that contractors handling the projects were committed  to the prompt completion of the contracts , but were tied down by limited funding.

“These contractors are fully on ground and they have been doing their work, just as agreed. The only limitation they are experiencing is lack of funds. I strongly believe that if funds are provided, they will keep their part of the bargain”, Chief Timikory said.

The royal fathers also expressed shock over the allegations made by Melaye, stating that youths of the community were meaningfully engaged by the contracting firms to execute the visible projects. As for the contractors, they informed LEADERSHIP that if they were well mobilised, the projects would be completed before the end of 2013.

Chief executive officer, Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption, a civil society group, Dr. Gabriel Nwambu, confirmed to journalists after the inspection that the contracts and communities were in existence. Dr.  Nwambu also certified that the projects were on-going, but called on the National Assembly to appropriate more funds to aid the prompt completion of the listed projects which he said were stalled by poor funding.

Cyprian Inugbo, the project manager, Snecou Group of Companies Ltd, the company handling the shoreline protection project, said concrete piles to be used for the protection of the Ogbobabgene shoreline from flooding have since been moved to the site and the project execution was on-going as physically seen. On his part, Mr. Joe Fuludu, who is handling Ogbobaghene canalisation project, said the company had to suspend the work, after reaching 65 per cent completion because no funds were appropriated for the job in the 2012 budget.

For Ekenwa Oyin-Preye, an indigene of Ndoro community, who described the allegations against Orubebe as “an injustice”, noted that progress had been made on the canalisation and shoreline projects, while conducting pressmen round the areas where the concrete sheets were stockpiled at the sites. On his part, the director, Environment Management Services Department, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Engr. Andrew Ojogbo, said that only N10m was appropriated for this project in the 2012 budget. He, however, explained that it costs N10m to keep a dredger on a project site for one day, adding that it was for this reason that the contractors were advised to evacuate their equipment until necessary funds were made.

Meanwhile, the minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, said he has been completely vindicated with the confirmation of the existence of the projects by the presidency, royal fathers, the press and civil society groups.

According to him, “no matter how much false propaganda is being peddled, the reality on ground is still in favour of the transparency and commitment of my workforce. This is how blackmailers will keep side-stepping the point.” 

Orubebe maintained that his ministry is on course, as neither he nor his ministry was involved in thumbing any fraud or fraudulent contracts. He also reiterated that financial injection was required to enable the ministry achieve its set goals and meet the expectations of the people of the region, he noting that they have judiciously used funds made available to the ministry since 2009 when it was created.  

He added, “there is nothing like rot in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs as far as finance and contract awards and implementation are concerned. We deal with files not with contractors. There is sanity in my ministry. We haven’t and will hardly record any case of fraud. This is because we have a very transparent and sincere workforce.

 “It is the duty of us all to defeat the conspiracies being hatched in the country. This is not about debunking fallacies, but about unearthing the truth and showing facts on ground. The people and the traditional leaders have attested to my earlier claim that all the contracts which were labelled phantom were actually verifiable.”

Orubebe explained that the canalisation and dredging of the Foupolobulou Ndoro Creek, Burutu LGA, Delta State, for about 6.2km would cost the sum of N2.3bn. But he pointed out that the contractor was owed N661m, which led to a suspension of the work. If the project is completed, it will attract commercial and tourism activities to the communities in the area, and link three major communities in Delta and Bayelsa states.  The project is currently 40 per cent complete. Though the sum of N355m had been paid to the contractor through First Bank Plc as mobilisation fee, the minister explained that, the contracting firm started executing the project on June 6, 2011 and has done 40 per cent of the work.

Other projects that were stalled as a result of lack of funds include the N1.2bn canalisation project at Odoubou Ogbabagbene, Burutu LGA, Delta State due to a debt of N299m, though it is currently at 65 per cent completion stage; land reclamation/shoreline protection project at Ogbobagene, Burutu LGA, awarded at the sum of N2.4bn, currently at18 per cent completion stage due to N350m debt.

He, however, regretted that the ministry, tasked with the primary mandate of pursuing aggressive infrastructural projects aimed at ensuring the establishment of a vibrant economy for the region, is battling to survive the constraints of under-funding and continuous budgetary shortfalls.



http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/39950/2012/11/13/alleged_fraud_niger_delta_ministry_communities_fight_back.html

Let the bad plants wither and die and let the good ones flourish. We will endure scarcity of petroleum products for some time; that is a small price to pay to get the bad guys out if you ask me. The country will be better for it in the long run.kudos FG

Ejiofor Alike
Oil marketing companies and other independent importers of petroleum products are facing hard times following the recent probes of the fuel subsidy scheme and the black-listing of some of the companies by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Investigation also revealed that some of the companies have concluded plans to right-size their workforce due to low sales and lack of credit.
THISDAY gathered that oil marketing companies have an estimated workforce of 8,000 in Lagos alone.

The Western Zonal President of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, however, told THISDAY yesterday that the union would map out strategies to resist the planned sack of its members.
He disclosed that some of their members were owed salaries of three to four months because the companies claimed that the volume of lifting had fallen drastically.

Korodo also noted that some of the companies had indicated plans to rationalise their workforce, adding also that NUPENG would resist the action.

“We are approaching the issues unofficially because we know the true situation of fuel importation in the country today,” he said.

Korodo however said the union had not received any report of retrenchment of workers by any company.

THISDAY gathered that the fuel subsidy probes have exposed some of the companies in bad light thereby affecting their capacity to access credits to import products.

The situation, it was learnt, was aggravated by the CBN’s directives to the banks to stop extending credit facilities to some black-listed oil marketing companies that were considered over-exposed.

Before the latest directives, the apex bank had also directed the banks to restrict funding of fuel importation to avoid the reoccurrence of the 2009 financial crisis, which nearly collapsed some banks due to the inability of oil marketing companies to repay loans.

Oil marketers and other independent importers of petroleum products that placed order for new cargoes when crude oil price hit a peak of $145 per barrel in July 2008 recorded huge losses when the price abruptly dropped to about $82 per barrel, leading largely to the financial crisis of 2009.

When THISDAY visited one of the companies, which belongs to the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA) in Apapa, the loading gantry where trucks are loaded with fuel was empty as the company had no stock of petroleum products.

Explaining the situation, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company confirmed that his company could no longer access credit from the banks because the subsidy probes had made it difficult to repay old loans.

“We used to load between 100 and 150 trucks daily but you can see how everywhere is empty,” he said.
He said the situation has not only made new employment opportunities unavailable but has also threatened the existing jobs in his company.

However, another chief executive of Apapa-based oil marketing company told THISDAY that the companies facing financial crisis were the ones indicted in the fuel probe and others that were black-listed by the CBN.

He disclosed that his company has continued to enjoy credit facilities for fuel importation from Access Bank and the Union Bank due to his capacity to provide collateral for the loans.
“It is either that the names of the companies complaining are on the CBN list or they were indicted in the subsidy probe. Those companies are already over-exposed and no bank will give loans to any of them. Before any bank gives you loan, it must be 100 per cent collatised,” he said.

A Presidential Committee on Verification and Reconciliation of Subsidy Payments headed by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, had indicted and recommended 25 oil-marketing and trading companies (OM&Ts) for criminal investigations over N382 billion fraud.

Some of the affected companies pay between N100million and N140 million monthly to service old loans, without accessing new credits to fund fresh importation.


http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/financial-crisis-hits-oil-marketers/130489/

It is so unfortunate that there has been so much ignorant carping and malicious title-tattling about the report of the Petroleum Revenue Task Force chaired by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, both failings arising from a deliberate attempt to individualise what was actually a group work, a mischievous attempt to politicise one report out of three, and to smuggle into an emergent grand web of conspiracy, elements of blackmail, mischief and outright opportunism.

I would like to dispel the putrefacious stench of the fart that seems to have overtaken the subject by returning all of us to certain basics that have not changed since President Goodluck Jonathan approved the setting up of committees to inquire into different aspects of the Petroleum sector and particularly since the reports were presented and accepted. The facts are as follows.

The committees in question and the probe into the Petroleum sector were initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure transparency and accountability in the extractive industry; the goal was to transform the sector and raise levels of integrity accordingly. Every step that has been taken by this administration in this regard has been in fulfilment of this well-stated objective. This includes the decision to completely deregulate the downstream sector, which has now resulted in the exposure of oily deals in that sector, with consequences for the indicted persons.

It also includes the launch of a concerted fight against crude oil theft and illegal payments of fuel subsidy. Zakari Mohammed of the House of Representatives talks absent-mindedly about “lack of political will” to fight corruption. He certainly doesn’t know what he is talking about.  A legislative position should not confer a right to mendacity. He should know, if he had been reading the newspapers, that on the basis of both the report of the House of Representatives and the Aig Aig-Imokhuede committee report on fuel subsidy payments, persons are currently being prosecuted in the law courts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The Federal Government has not done anything to stop or discourage the prosecution of indicted persons. We have made the point, again and again, that in this ongoing fight against corruption, there will be no “cover-ups”; and no “sacred cows,” and that President Jonathan’s only interest is the people’s interest. This same President has demonstrated the political will to deal with corruption in the country’s electoral process, to both local and global acclaim. He has no reason to make compromises in other areas of our national life.  Interestingly, many of those who are now talking ignorantly about “political will” are beneficiaries of this administration’s commitment to the rule of law and fair play.

On the specific issue of the Petroleum Revenue Task Force report, the mischief-makers should go back to the statements made by President Jonathan, and subsequently by the Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on the occasion of the presentation of the report. The President’s position that the work of the Ribadu committee, and of the two other committees that presented their reports on that occasion, the Kalu Idika Kalu committee on Refineries and the Dotun Sulaiman committee on Governance is useful and enlightening has not changed. Alison-Madueke has further echoed that position more than twice. The three committees were set up as fact-finding and advisory bodies. That fact was further underscored by the President’s mature response to the altercation that the Ribadu Report generated when he said that those who have issues to raise should be free to make their own independent submissions. This shows a determination to get every possible piece of information and to accommodate all concerns. This shows a will to act. President Jonathan has not dumped any input, rather he welcomes every possible input and he has no private interest in this matter. So for anyone to say that the Ribadu committee was “calculated to fail from the beginning”, is absolutely uncharitable.

Indeed, for the benefit of those playing politics and doing quick business with this matter, the truth is that President Jonathan is already taking steps to address some of the issues raised in the various reports. When President Jonathan sets up committees to investigate particular issues, he does so, because he wants to address those issues. I had, before now, drawn attention to the fact that the President gave clear directives on the state of the refineries and that at least one meeting had been held since the presentation of the report on refineries, to act specifically on the recommendations made. President Jonathan has directed that he wants the refineries fixed and steps are already being taken; deadlines have been set. That didn’t make the headlines, rather, falsehood hugged the headlines.

To set the records straight, here is what happened. After the presentation of the reports by the three committees; the President directed the Minister of Petroleum Resources to take up the recommendations of the Idika Kalu committee on refineries. The committee recommended, in part, that the country’s refineries should be rehabilitated without any further delay. On November 8, the minister and her team were at the Presidential Villa to brief the President about the state of the refineries, their current capacities, and steps that need to be taken to get them to function at optimum capacity.

The President made it clear that the government was committed to getting the refineries to work, so that we would no longer have to import refined petroleum products, which he considers shameful, and by so doing, government would have succeeded in creating jobs and put an end to the hardship that attends importation. The meeting discussed the possibility of ensuring the Turn-Around Maintenance of the refineries by March 2013, and subsequently, the rehabilitation of the facilities. The meeting ended with a directive that the minister and her team should return with further presentations on the technical details of the agreed plan of action. This is one clear example of prompt action and demonstration of commitment.

President Jonathan has no reason to embarrass anyone who served on any of the three committees. While receiving the reports, these were his words: “…we have seen that the people who have been selected in these committees are people who are known by Nigerians, people who are credible, most especially, people who are patriotic and I believe that they put all that into consideration in the interest of the country, not in the interest of any individual. You have submitted your reports today. We have to thank you very sincerely and government will surely make use of these reports… because we feel that the oil industry as it is, needs to be reformed.” I urge you to note the emphasis on all the reports without exception!

Thereafter, President Jonathan commented on the work of the individual committees. On the Ribadu Report, in particular, the President said, inter alia: “…probably not everybody agreed on some of the conclusions but I don’t think we need to bother…what we would say is that any member who has one or two observations should please write it either directly to me through the Chief of Staff or through the Minister of Petroleum Resources…But the issues of finance, if it borders on corrupt practice or outright stealing, definitely it will go to the EFCC for investigation…If there are errors of calculation or misinformation from the relevant agencies of government that are supposed to give the correct figures, that will be filtered out. …

Let me cut this short, at this point, by saying that President Jonathan has no reason whatsoever, personal or political (since at least someone has said that the furore over the Ribadu Report has something  to do with 2015!) to protect wrong-doers in the land. He took on this assignment to make Nigeria better and that is what he is doing everyday: working hard at the Nigerian project and taking every step to transform it for good.  The Nigerian people are enjoined to stand on the side of truth and to reject the mischief of all hunters of fortune whose interest is their own ambitions, for in this Ribadu Report matter, personal ambitions are beginning to becloud the facts. President Jonathan will continue to provide leadership. Nobody should drag him into the cheap arena of opportunistic demagoguery.

•Dr. Abati is Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Media and Publicity

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/jonathan-and-the-ribadu-report/

Part of why the toll gates of the lekki express road and why the citizens of the area would be paying exorbitant fee for 2 toll gate on same stretch of road cause they promised security! Didn't this robbers pass through this toll plazas to get to these estates that were robbed?

Olabisi Talabi

An Abuja-based chartered accountant,  Mr. Ademola Ogunkunle, has said that the declaration by the Federal Government that the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu did not carry out a critical part of its assignment of data collection and verification has vindicated the position taken by Mr. Stephen Oronsaye , deputy chairman of the Ribadu committee and former head of service of the federation, that due process was not followed by the committee before submitting the report.

Special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe,  had on Thursday declared that the committee did not meet up the terms of reference of its assignment.
The presidential aide had declared that “it was a job handled badly and only political and personal interests were bandied. It is unfortunate.”

Okupe had said that the “committee on the entire report makes it impossible under our laws to indict or punish anybody except and until the Federal Government fully verifies and reconciles the facts as recommended by the committee in its submission to the government.”

Speaking in an interview, Ogunkunle said Oronsaye had raised the issue of figures not verified, adding that Ribadu should have listened to Oronsaye to avoid the kind of embarrassment the hasty submission of the committee’s report has brought to the members and to Nigeria.

The report on page two states that: “The data used in this report was presented by various stakeholders who made submission to the Task Force in the course of our assignment at various dates, which have been disclosed in relevant sections of the report. Due to time frame of the assignment, some of the data used could not be independently verified and the Task Force recommends that the Government should conduct such necessary verifications and reconciliations.”

Ogunkunle said the self-indicting statement lends credence to Oronsoye’s position that the report would hardly stand rigorous scrutiny in the test of time to justify its acceptance.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ribadu-report-oronsaye-vindicated-says-expert/130301/

Anti-Corruption Network! Is a fraud it has now been proven to be true.I hope orubebe sue them.

Site in Burutu


Following an alleged N29 billion fraud against the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs by a civil society group, Anti-Corruption Network, stakeholders from various strata of the society have just ended an on-the-spot assessment of the project sites in Burutu Local Government of Delta State. Their findings are revealing and may help in resolving the jigsaw puzzle the allegation had thrown up, reports Ndubuisi Francis

A civil society organisation-Anti-Corruption Network- recently stirred the hornet’s nest with a sweeping allegation that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was enmeshed in a N29 billion fraud purportedly involving some non-existent projects in some communities of Burutu Local Government of Delta State. The organisation, which parades a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dino Melaye, as its Executive Secretary, alleged that the ministry had engaged in phantom projects, which ran foul of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) guidelines, to the tune of N29 billion. But in a swift reaction to the allegation, Niger Delta Affairs Minister Elder Godsday Orubebe, at a crowded press conference in Abuja, described it as baseless, reckless and unfounded. He threatened to sue Melaye.

Orubebe, who provided documents to back his claims, said having built a reputation anchored on integrity over the years, it was regrettable that someone like Melaye, who was a federal lawmaker, could embark on a flight of fantasy to drag his name in the mud.
The minister stated that as a former lawmaker, Melaye, who was in the National Assembly when the Public Procurement Act was passed, should have known that evaluation and award of contracts running into billions of naira, are beyond the purview of a minister.

The Projects
Orubebe said the canalisation /river training of Foupolo-Bolou Ndoro Creek in Burutu, Delta State was awarded to First Marine & Engineering Services Limited on February 2, 2011 at a cost of N2.3 billion with a 15 per cent mobilisation (N355million) paid, adding that so far, the project has attained 40 per cent completion. The contractor, Orubebe disclosed, is currently being owed N661,692.409- a situation, which warranted the intervention of the contractor’s bankers-First Bank, culminating in a meeting where he apprised them of the financial challenges facing the ministry and efforts to pay next year as adequate budgetary provision has been made in the 2013 budget. Other projects cited in the alleged fraud by the Melaye group were the canalisation at Odoubou, Ogbabagbene, Burutu, Delta State as well as the land reclamation/shoreline protection project at Ogbabagbene, also in Burutu. The two projects were awared at a cost of N1.2 billion and N2.4 billion respectively with N188 million and N364 million paid to each of the contractors as mobilisation fee while outstanding payments of over N299 million and N364 are being owed the respective contractors.

Orubebe said it was highly wicked, and recklessness of the “highest order” for Melaye and his co-travellers to indulge in “making ordinary noise” over alleged fraud to the tune of N29 billion when the ministry is the one owing the contractors due to paucity of funds.
To establish the veracity or otherwise of the projects in question, Orubebe called on all stakeholders desirous of establishing the truth to go to the communities where the projects are sited to verify, adding that he had already instructed his lawyers to drag Melaye to court.

On-The-Sport Assessment
Barely a week after the well- attended press conference, the Presidency, Orubebe, and directors of his ministry, other top government officials, civil society groups, journalists, contractors and sundry stakeholders headed for the riverine Burutu communities where the alleged fictitious projects were sited for an on-the-spot assessment.

The roughly eight hours tortuous movement to the project sites commenced at exactly 10 am with speed boats, which took off from the Warri jetty in Delta State. The first port of call was the canalisation /river training project of the Foupolo-Bolou Ndoro Creek, where the minister disclosed that when fully completed, the canalisation/river training of the Ndoro creek-a 6.2 km stretch and one meter deep- would be elongated to 25 meters and three meters deep.

The minister stated that the motive is to open up the creek for easier access of bigger boats and barges to the adjoining communities, adding that the canalisation of the creek would link several communities within Burutu and Bomadi Local Government areas in Delta State as well as Ekeremor Local Government of Bayelsa State.
According to him, it would shorten the hours spent commuting on the creeks, adding that instead of travelling hours from the River Remmor through Forcados River, it will take 15 minutes to arrive at Bomadi Local Government end of the river, when the project is completed.

The project’s contractor, who was asked why the equipment used for the project were not at the site, said the heavy equipment for the canalisation had to be moved out of the creeks when the ministry was not forthcoming with its financial obligations, stressing that it takes between N5 million and N10 million daily to retain them on site. Giving further briefing on the project, Elder Orubebe stated that the completion period of the project awarded to First Marine & Engineering Services Ltd. on February 2, 2011, is 18 months, adding that the contractor had already done 2.5 km of the 6.2 km specified in the contract terms.

The temporary stoppage of work, Orubebe reiterated, was due to non-availability of funds as the contractor is being currently owed N661,692.409 even as the project has attained 40 per cent completion.To give a lie to the allegation by the Melaye group that the project is non-existent, a long stretch of both sides of the creek was littered with excavated earth and other debris moved from the river with heavy equipment.

Next Port of Call
The next port of call of the assessment team was another site of canalisation at Odoubou Ogbabegbene, also in Burutu, awarded to Ogbosite International Limited at a cost of N1.2 billion. Orubebe, who spoke on why the canalisation is desirable, said when completed, the Odoubo River would enhance the expansion of the river and link the community to the Odoubo Lake, which is imbued with immense economic and social benefits. He explained that the essence was to bolster the economic capacity and fishing activities of the community as well as serve as a tourist destination/fishing festival in the mould of the Arungungu fishing festival in Arungungu, Kebbi State. The project, he explained, has attained 65 per cent completion.

Again, the team went to the third and last project-the Land reclamation/shoreline project in Ogbabagbene- awarded to Snecoup Group of Companies on March 7, 2011. The project already has heaps of sheet piles (long concrete slabs), which are to be piled along the shoreline to save the Ogbabagbene community from the menace of the river ravaging their homes.

The minister noted that although work was at 18 per cent completion, the project was in deed one that was encouraging, being the last of the three to be awarded. He also predicated his positive rating of the project on the fact that with the sheet piles already at the site, the path to the smooth completion of the project had been achieved, since the piles are the major component to realise the project. He applauded the contractors for their ability to design and move the heavy materials from the hinterland to the project site.
He said the recent flooding challenge in the area had stopped the laying of the piles at the shorelines, adding that as soon as the water level recedes, the piling of the sheets would commence.

Sylvester Monye: Projects Real
At the end of the several hours of on-the-spot assessment of the projects traversing the Burutu communities, the Special Adviser to the President on Performance,Monitoring and Evaluation, Prof. Sylvester Monye, declared that the projects were in deed real contrary to the position of Anti-Corruption Network.

Monye, who noted that although some of the contractors had stopped work on the sites due to the inability of the ministry to meet its financial obligation to them due to paucity of funds, the work done at the sites had punctured allegations that such projects were non-existent. He also flawed the allegation by Anti-Corruption Network that N29 billion had been paid to the contractors, adding that going by the figures paid to each of the three contractors so far as mobilisation fee, a total of only about N909 million had been paid to three of them.

The on-the-spot assessment of the non-existent projects has come and gone. Those who were there, from the private and public sectors of the economy saw for themselves whether the projects are phony or otherwise. The media-from the print and electronic genre-were fully represented during the exercise, and as the saying goes, pictures (including motion images) don’t lie.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/n29bn-fraud-allegation-when-stakeholders-visited-project-sites-in-burutu/130284/

Nigerians can now see why there has been so much clamour for the removal of some of the ministers committed to moving nigeria foward so that politicians can take over and continue the vicious circle of maladministration that has plagued this great country since independence,GEJ a lot of people voted for you and not your party at the last election and those people are always praying for you and still strongly believe u can turn things around, remain steadfast and don't fall to the pressure from your party and the opposition alike by removing these honest, intellegent and hard working ministers,those that the speaker have now confirmed to the public that they are NOT PARTY members and are commited to tranformation agenda that is why the opposition and your own party are bitter about your goverment and would do anything to pull it down!!but you shall prove them wrong thank God they've got the message is not business as usual where party affilliation comes first before nigerians

Chuks Okocha 

The Peoples Democratic Party’s intervention in the seeming cold relationship between the House of Representatives and President Goodluck Jonathan seems to be helping to unravel the annoyance of the lawmakers.

But the reasons alleged to be behind the intermittent faceoff between the president and the House, dominated by his party, may be creating other pressures for the president.   

PDP National Chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and members of the party’s National Working Committee met behind closed doors on Wednesday in Abuja with principal officers of the House for more than four hours to try to know why the House and the Presidency are always at loggerheads.

House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal led his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, House Leader Mulikat Akande, Deputy House Leader Leo Ogor, and House Chief Whip Isiaka Bawa to the meeting that had all members of the NWC in attendance.

Though in his opening comments before they went into the closed-door session, the speaker said the relationship between the lower chamber and the Executive was cordial.

But Tamuwal doubted Jonathan’s commitment to the professed roadmap of the party.
“Members of the National Assembly, particularly, members of the PDP are very much committed to the manifesto of our party and we are aware of what the manifesto of our party is all about. It was the manifesto of our party that we marketed and won elections with.

“Mr. Chairman, we are very much abreast of the programmes of our party, we are keeping in line with those programmes, we are doing our best to ensure that our country and the people that elected us get the best out of all of us,” the speaker stated.

But THISDAY learnt it was during the private session with the NWC that Tambuwal and other members of the House delegation opened up on why the PDP-dominated legislature had often opposed the president.

According to a member of the NWC who attended the closed-door session, the lawmakers “accused the President of constituting members of his team from non- members of the party, who do not understand the PDP manifesto and, therefore, do not understand the programmes of PDP.”

The source said that the Tambuwal delegation wanted the party to ask Jonathan which party’s manifesto he was implementing.

“They asked us to inquire from the President whether members of the party are actually involved in the implementation of the programmes of his administration and also whether those running the affairs of the administration are PDP members who understand the manifesto of PDP as a political party," the source said.

The delegation faulted the insistence of the Presidency on $75 crude oil benchmark for the 2013 budget, blaming this on the inclusion in the cabinet of non PDP members who do not understand the manifesto of the party and its implementation for the delivery of the dividends of democracy to the country.

Besides, the source said PDP members of the House were also not happy that members of President Jonathan’s Economic Management Team are not members of PDP that understand the economic philosophy of the party’s manifesto.

On their relationship with the party, the Tambuwal-led delegation was said to have told the NWC that the party had not helped its members in the House, especially during elections, since the inception of the Fourth Republic.
They said the party’s indifferent disposition was responsible for the high turnover of members of the House and indeed the National Assembly.

According to the source, “The delegation complained that PDP as a political party is not helping committed party members in their re-election, especially during the primary elections.

“They complained that members have nothing to show to the electorate in their constituencies regarding what the party has done to ensure their re-election. They further said the Executive arm was not helping the members to ensure the implementation of the constituency projects, which is the only way they can impart the dividends of democracy to the electorate.”

According to the delegation, these made it difficult for PDP members seeking re-election to lay their hands on tangible deliverables to convince the electorate on why they should be re-elected, hence making them vulnerable during the primary elections and the election proper.

At the meeting, the PDP national chairman was said to have promised that the party would try and ensure that performing legislators got re-election tickets.

The House in recent times has had a rather confrontational relationship with the president.
In July, lawmakers in the lower chamber sternly berated the president for allegedly implementing only about 35 per cent of last year’s budget of N4.7 trillion.

They adopted a motion by the Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila, which gave Jonathan till September to achieve full implementation of the budget or risk impeachment.

That face-off came shortly after a similar row over the lower chamber’s invitation of the president to come and brief members in an executive session on his administration’s efforts at tackling the growing insecurity in the country.
The latest standoff involves the crude oil price benchmark for the 2013 budget. While the president based the budget on a benchmark of $75 per barrel, the House has insisted on $80 per barrel, with the Senate proposing $78 per barrel. 

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/our-grouse-against-jonathan-by-tambuwal-house-members/130307/

The FG should not do any reconcile any figure for the comittee.ribadu and his comittee members should come and finish the job.if the FG reconcile the figures the opposition would start screaming foul ribadu and his comittee should come and finish the job they are entrusted to do.

The row over the appropriate oil benchmark on which to base revenue projections for the 2013 budget has deepened as a meeting between the Senate and House of Representatives Finance Committees to adopt a benchmark has ended in a deadlock.

The two committees, which met on Wednesday in Abuja to reconcile the figures passed by each chamber of the National Assembly during their passage of the 2013 -2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF and FSP), failed to shift ground on their positions.

THISDAY learnt Thursday that at the meeting, members of the Senate Finance Committee insisted on the $78 per barrel oil benchmark as contained in the MTEF and FSP, which the Senate passed on October 16.
Their House counterparts also refused to budge on the $80 per barrel oil benchmark as contained in the version of the MTEF and FSP that the House passed on October 9.

Their disagreement came just as the Federal Government, which on Monday sought the National Assembly’s approval for  a portfolio of concessionary loans totalling $9.3 billion under its 2012-2014 Medium Term External Borrowing Plan, defended its decision to borrow to finance some critical projects.

The House, at another forum yesterday, justified its adamant position on the oil benchmark war, saying it would not change its stance except the executive could convincingly explain its preference for $75 oil benchmark.

The House has remained adamant for long, not shifting position on the adoption of $80 oil benchmark, a stance that has pitted it against the executive that is pushing for the adoption of $75 oil benchmark as contained in the 2013 budget President Goodluck Jonathan recently presented to the National Assembly.

The face-off over the oil benchmark has warranted the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to intervene in a bid to smoothen the rough edges in the working relationship between the two arms of government that are controlled by the party members.

However, it was learnt that while the meeting of the Finance Committees failed to agree on the appropriate oil benchmark, it was able to adopt a harmonised version of the MTEF and FSP.

With the failure of the meeting to reach a consensus on the oil benchmark, sources said the principal officers of the two chambers of the National Assembly would have to meet to break the deadlock.

By the rules of the Joint Committees on Finance of the National Assembly, a benchmark must be adopted, as there is no middle-of-the-road approach.

According to a source, “the only alternative is for the Senate President David Mark to call a meeting of the principal officers of the National Assembly or a joint sitting to resolve the controversy on the benchmark to be adopted.”

But the source said it was not expected that a joint session would be summoned to discuss the benchmark because of the numerical strength of the House whose members could use that to push for the approval of their own version of the oil benchmark. The Senate has 109 members, while the House has 360 lawmakers.

THISDAY checks revealed that the bickering over the oil benchmark, which has now put the two chambers on a collision course, might affect the early passage of the 2013 budget.

Wednesday’s meeting was the first between the Senate and House Committees on Finance to adopt a working position on the oil benchmark before the various committees will commence inviting Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to defend their budget proposals.

At the meeting where the Senate Committee Chairman on Finance, Ahmed Makarfi, led Senators Andy Ubah, Barnabas Gemade, Clever Ikisipo, Olubunmi Adetunmbi and Abdulkadiri Jajare to discuss with the House delegation, it was learnt that the lawmakers, after hours of heated debate, disagreed on the appropriate benchmark for the budget and the meeting ended without any decision.

The House delegation, led by Finance Committee Chairman, Hon. Abdulmumuni Jibrin, comprised Bamidele Opeyemi, John Enoh, Uzo Azubuike, Hassan Badawi and Gbadamosi Abdulrahaman.

It was gathered that at a point, the atmosphere became so charged that Uba became the chief whip of the meeting, calming members to ‘cool temper’ and let reasons prevail.

Sources said the House delegation insisted on the $80 benchmark, adding that the $5 difference between their version and that of the executive should be used to fund the deficit portion of the budget. 

This will reduce the deficit portion of the budget from N1.3 trillion to N663.324 billion, while internal borrowing should be reduced from N727.19 billion to N243.33 billion, representing 66 per cent decrease.
But the arguments presented by the House members did not move the senators as they insisted that the budget should be based on an oil benchmark of $78. 

As it was apparent that the meeting was not making any headway on the oil benchmark, it was gathered that Makarfi and Jibrin resolved that the meeting should be adjourned till further notice while consultations continue on the appropriate oil benchmark to be adopted.

Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakary Mohammed, also told reporters yesterday that the recommendation of $80 oil benchmark must be respected in the 2013 budget and the legislature would not accept the $75 proposed by the executive unless it adduced a superior argument to substantiate its position.

Mohammed challenged the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to lay all the cards on the table to convince the parliament on the executive's preference for a lower oil benchmark.

“Our position on the oil benchmark of $80 still stands. I heard somebody said we are politicising it but they have not adduced any technical reasons for us not to consider $80 per barrel.

“In the last 10 years, with the exception of 2008, the price of a barrel of oil has never dropped below $100 so we believe that the $80 per barrel we recommended is practicable.

“No economy runs well when the public sector borrows money to fund social services but the economy runs when the private sector has access to funds to run businesses, generate employment and create wealth that will have spiral impact on the economy,” he said.

On the fate of the 2013 budget considering the unending benchmark controversy and the delay it had caused in the budget process, Mohammed said preliminary works had begun on the budget since it was debated and referred to the House Committee on Appropriation.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Yerima Ngama, yesterday assured Nigerians that the proposed $7.9 billion medium term-external borrowing plan by the Federal Government would not jeopardise the country's current debt sustainability ambition.

The $7.9 billion, which has been pending before the parliament, is part of the $9.3 billion loan portfolio Okonjo-Iweala unveiled at a meeting on Monday with members of the House Committee on Aids, Loans and Debts who had invited her to clarify the position of the executive on external borrowings.

Speaking at an interactive session with reporters in Abuja against the backdrop of public criticism over the proposed borrowing after exiting both the Paris and London Clubs debts, the minister said the new debt plan was necessary in order to actualise the present administration's transformation agenda.

He said the loan would come mainly from concessional windows from multilateral institutions without interest charges.

Ngama said sourcing developmental funding from the multilateral agencies had also become imperative given that Nigeria constitutes one of the largest contributors to these organisations.

He said as a member of the global community, the country was entitled to some concessionary windows, which were reserved for poor countries.
He explained that such windows were specifically aimed at the development of critical infrastructure with free interest regime.

He said: "Nigeria is not going to borrow blindly. The funds belong to us and are available to us at various levels."
The $7.9 billion facility would be drawn from six multilateral agencies, including the World Bank which is expected to provide $2.99 billion or 37.28 per cent of the total amount.

According to the minister, of $931.23 million or 11.78 per cent of the entire sum would be borrowed from the African Development Bank, while the Islamic Development Bank would provide $457.85 million or 5.79 per cent of the total figure.

In addition, the French Development Association is to provide $56.61 million or 0.72 per cent of the sum, while the EXIM Bank of India would commit $470 million or 5.94 per cent.
The EXIM Bank of China would also offer $3 billion or 37.94 per cent of the figure.

Giving a breakdown of sectoral allocation from the proposed debt, he said infrastructure would gulp the largest share of 35.7 per cent of the figure, while irrigation and water resources would attract 17.6 per cent.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/senate-house-committees-disagree-on-oil-benchmark/130144/

LAGOS—The Federal Government said, yesterday, that it will not negotiate with Islamic sect, Boko Haram under conditions, even as mixed reactions have trailed the declaration by the sect of its readiness for dialogue to end series of suicide bomb attacks in many parts of the north.

While some urged government to go ahead with the dialogue, others cautioned against the idea saying it would be counter-productive. However, the Presidency said it would discuss with the group without preconditions as demanded by the sect.



This came as the group denied killing General Mohammed Shuwa and others who were killed in Maiduguri, weekend.

Among those who okayed dialogue with Boko Haram are House of Representatives Speaker, Hon Aminu Tambuwal; Second Republic Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa; Member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Daniel Reyenieju; Arewa Youths and Founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, who however, cautioned President Goodluck Jonathan against involving former Military Head of State and Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Buhari in the negotiation.

Those opposed to the move include Second Republic Governor of Plateau State, Chief Solomon Lar and National Leader of National Action Council, NAC, Dr Olopade Agoro.

We’ve had enough of bloodshed – Tambuwal

Speaking with newsmen at the funeral ceremony of father-in-law of the member representing Esan North East/Esan South East of Edo State, Mr Fridai Itulah, at Uromi, Speaker Tambuwal said government should not hesitate to go for the talks, if that would bring peace.

Said Tambuwal, who insisted that the outcome of the constitutional review by the National Assembly would not be subjected to a referendum, because a referendum is unconstitutional: “I will encourage our leadership to engage the leaders of the sect (Boko Haram) in the dialogue; if that will bring peace, we should go for it.

We have had more than enough bloodshed of innocent Nigerians and government should do everything possible, including dialogue with Boko Haram, to bring this to an end.”

He said the decision of the leadership of Congress for Progressive Change to reject proposal by Boko Haram appointing its presidential candidate in the last election, General Muhammadu Buhari, as the sect’s representative in the proposed dialogue with the Federal Government, should be that of the retired Army General and not the party.

It’s wrong to talk with faceless people – Lar

However, pioneer National Chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Solomon Lar, opposed the move, saying it was wrong to negotiate with a violent group, whose leaders are still anonymous

Fielding questions from reporters in Kaduna, Lar said: “I disagree completely to dialogue with Boko Haram, unless they show their identity that Mr. X, Y, Z is Boko Haram and this is his rank. For them to name some people to be their representatives, who are they? They are faceless people, let them come out and reveal their identity. It is not enough for the sect members to nominate some people to negotiate on their behalf . Let us know who is who among them. Let them come out in the open and identify themselves rather than being faceless.

“Again, has Mohammadu Buhari , Alhaji Ali Mungonu and others nominated by the sect members agreed to represent them in the dialogue with the Federal Government?

“During the Niger Delta militantancy, some people came out and said they were the leaders of the militants. That was very reasonable and that was how the late President Musa Yar’Adua was able to tackle the problem of militancy in the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta militants were not faceless like Boko Haram. Why didn’t Boko Haram follow the example of the militants by showing their faces?”

We didn’t kill General Shuwa – Boko Haram

However, Boko Haram has denied the killings of Major-General Mamman Shuwa (rtd) and other politicians and elders in Borno State, saying it had no hands in the alleged assassinations in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The denials were made, yesterday, in a tele-conference by the sect’sacclaimed spokesman, Abu Mohammed Abdulaziz with newsmen in Maiduguri.

He said: “People are saying that we have hands in the killing of Major General Shuwa. We don’t have any problem with this elder statesman. He is a responsible person and he had not said anything wrong against Boko Haram Sect.

This is why I am stating clearly that we have no hands in the killing of this man. The same also applies to the killings of Mustapha Flawama, an associate of Senator Modu Ali Sheriff; and other politicians and elders recently in the state.”
Abdulaziz also warned those who allegedly spread the rumours that the Boko Haram sect killed Gen. Mamman Shuwa last Friday at his Gwange residence in Maiduguri.

He reiterated that the six personalities appointed by the Boko Haram to mediate with the Federal Government still stands, insisting that “these are the elder statesmen and personalities that we trust and will become witnesses, in case of any betrayals on the part of government at the state and federal levels.”
He listed the mediators to include Dr Shettima Ali Monguno, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Shiekh Ibrahim Yusuf, Shiekh Ibrahim Salisu, Mamman Nur, Shiekh Abu Abass and himself (Abdulaziz).

Govt to negotiate without preconditions – Presidency

If the Boko Haram sect is genuinely ready for dialogue to end the spate of suicide bomb attacks in many parts of Northern Nigeria, the Federal Government will oblige the group but not with unjust preconditions.

According to Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, Boko Haram’s demand for the release of their detained members as a precondition for the negotiation is not proper.

Obi, who spoke, weekend, after an award ceremony organised by the Association of Anambra State Development Unions (AASDU) for distinguished Anambra citizens in Apapa, Lagos, said the government had been calling for dialogue and would engage Boko Haram in dialogue if the group was serious about it.

“We have been calling for dialogue. In a situation where you have uprising there is need to jaw-jaw. I think if they are truly and seriously interested in picking dialogue, we should engage them in dialogue.”

Asked if the government would meet some of Boko Haram’s precondition for dialogue like releasing all their members being held in detention, he said: “You don’t place conditions before security agencies. If a man is a criminal and has been arrested for criminality you don’t tell people to release him, it is not their duty. You go to court and let the court release him. But they want to engage in dialogue, yes they should be engaged in dialogue not with any precondition.”

Don’t involve Buhari in mediation – Fasehun

Welcoming the move, OPC Founder, Dr Fredrick Fasehun, however, cautioned President Jonathan against involving Buhari in the negotiation.

Fielding questions from newsmen in Ile-Ife, Osun State during the maiden edition of Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade annual lecture series organized by the Ife Business School in honour of the Ooni, Fasehun stressed that Buhari could not negotiate on behalf of Nigerians or the Federal Government because the personality of Buhari in the negotiating team would further aggravate the problem in the country.

He said Buhari could not represent the interest of the government and Nigerians well in the committee as he has a grouse with the Federal Government over his defeat by President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2011 presidential election. He opined that the dialogue between the federal government and the sect, if achieved, would bring about peace in the country.

It’s condemnable arm-twist —Agoro

On his part, Dr Olopade Agoro picked holes in the sect asking the Federal Government for a peace parley in Saudi Arabia.

His words: “Mention must be made of the fact that Boko Haram insurgents have continued waging deadly war against Nigeria in the past two years with loss of well over 2000 innocent lives of Muslims, Christians and the uncommitted; thousands more badly injured and or incapacitated and with loss of valuables worth billions of Naira.

“The most pertinent questions therefore to be asked at this stage are: Why was Saudi Arabia the suggested venue and all those mentioned as mediators being Muslims?

Dialogue is necessary – Balarabe Musa

Also speaking, Alhaji Balarabe Musa said a dialogue with the sect would help to solve the problem. He said: “The thing is this, let the dialogue take place so that we can know who the Boko Haram really are and also know what they stand for. Before now, we don’t know anything. We know that there is Boko Haram and that it is an Islamic sect but there is no proof of it. The dialogue will prove that there is an organisation that is aggrieved and that will be a step towards solving the problem. So, the dialogue is absolutely necessary. At the moment now, we have seen unnecessary killings, we don’t know who actually is responsible for that, we don’t know their objectives or grievances. It is a dialogue that will enable us know how to tackle it.”

It’s a welcome devt— Arewa Youths

Concurring, The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF described the move as a step in the right direction.

National President of the group, Alhaji Yerima Shetimma said “it is welcome development if only the Federal Government has the political will. We have been calling on government to arrest the former governor of Borno State, since the group was formed.”

Dialogue is necessary– Reyenieju

In like manner, Rep Reyenieju urged the government to explore the ‘dialogue option’ irrespective of the reservations expressed in certain quarters. He said it would amount to act of courage and statesmanship for Mr. President to go for dialogue, adding that wars that were won through dialogue always result into lasting peace


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/boko-haram-we-wont-negotiate-under-conditions-fg/

By Chuks Okocha



Following the controversy that has trailed the leaked report of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force and the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan that the committee submit its report today, the committee met for several hours yesterday in Abuja to put finishing touches to its report, which is distinct from the one that was quoted by Reuters news agency and all the newspapers last week.

The report, which the committee, headed by the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, finalised yesterday, is different from the report that has been in circulation, and will be submitted at 11 am Friday to the president, in line with his directive.

Reuters had published a story last week, which uncovered the tens of billions of dollars that had been lost in cut-price deals struck between multinational oil companies and government officials in the oil and gas sector.

The newswire claimed that it had obtained the exclusive from the “final” report of the committee.

But THISDAY has gathered that members of the 17-man committee have distanced themselves from the so-called report, which also made its way to the Internet, and have expressed dismay that an unfinished draft was leaked, even when members of its sub-committees had not made their input into the report.

Two members of the committee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the problem stemmed from when the committee had submitted a draft to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in August and requested input from her office.

However, after the submission of the draft, the minister and petroleum ministry failed to contact the committee for two months, which must have frustrated some members, who then leaked the unfinished report.

One member explained Thursday night that the report that Reuters and other newspapers quoted was not the authentic report, adding “We took the report to the minister in August. Unfortunately, she took too long in calling the committee to make her observations and some people must have lost patience and leaked it.”

He said: “We were surprised to read a report we never compiled and appended our signatures to. We have to insist that a meeting must be summoned since the president has directed that we should submit our report by Friday.”

According to the committee member, “As we speak, the authentic report has been finished and will be submitted to the president tomorrow (today) and all of us will append our signatures to it.”

On the discord that occurred among members of the committee when Ribadu was alleged to have over-reached his mandate and solicited the assistance of the EFCC to get the oil companies found to be indebted to the Federal Government to pay the monies they owe, he said this was stopped once it came to their attention.

“Once we got to know that Nuhu Ribadu, through the EFCC, had started to contact the oil companies, this was stopped because it was not part of our terms of reference.

“Our mandate was very clear and it is for the Federal Government to decide on the next line of action based on our findings,” he said.

The Ribadu committee was among three other committees set up following a week of nationwide strikes against the increase in the price of fuel in January, which morphed into a campaign against oil corruption.

It had as its terms of reference: To work with consultants and experts to determine and verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues (taxes, royalties, etc.) due and payable to the Federal Government of Nigeria:

• To take all necessary steps to collect all debts due and owing;

• To obtain agreements and enforce payment terms by all oil industry operators;

• To design a cross debt matrix between all Agencies and Parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources;

• To develop an automated platform to enable effective tracking, monitoring, and online validation of income and debt drivers of all parastatals and agencies in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources;

• To work with world-class consultants to integrate systems and technology across the production chain to determine and monitor crude oil production and exports, ensuring at all times, the integrity of payments to the Federal Government of Nigeria; and

• To submit monthly reports for ministerial review and further action.


http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ribadu-c-8217-ttee-to-submit-authentic-report-today/129437/

By Onwuka Nzeshi





The report of the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges that probed the allegations that the suspended chairman, House Ad Hoc Committee on the Monitoring of the Subsidy Regime, Hon. Farouk Lawan, collected bribe during its probe of fuel marketers, is ready for submission.

The report, which THISDAY gathered might exonerate the beleaguered lawmaker, who was also suspended as the chairman, House Committee on Education, will be submitted any time after the House resumes plenary on November 8.

The House in June had directed its Committee on Ethics and Privileges to probe the allegation that Lawan and the scribe of the committee, Mr. Boniface Emalano, collected $620,000 in three instalments from Chairman of Zenon Petroleum Limited, Mr. Femi Otedola, as part payment to remove Zenon’s name from the list of companies that collected foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) without importing petroleum products.
The $620,000 was meant to be part payment for the $3 million bribe Lawan had allegedly demanded from the oil chief to delist his company.

A member of the Ethics and Privileges Committee, Hon. Afam Ogene, told reporters yesterday in Abuja that the report had been ready for weeks.

Ogene, who is also the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, said it would be submitted to the House as soon as the legislative chamber resumed from its current recess.

Although Ogene declined to give further insight into the recommendations of the committee, a source said the report might exonerate Lawan.

Since the cash-for-clearance scandal broke, Lawan, besides appearing before the House Committee, has also been investigated by the police and is currently on administrative bail.

The embattled lawmaker, who had initially denied receiving the money from Otedola, changed the story as incontrovertible evidence of the scandal made its way into the public domain.

When he appeared before the House Ethics and Privileges Committee, Lawan, who gave his testimony in camera, admitted to collecting $500,000 from Otedola.

Otedola, on the other hand, refused to give evidence in camera when he appeared before the committee.

Sources told THISDAY that Otedola might have inadvertently given Lawan an escape route when he (Otedola) refused to hand over to the committee evidence to substantiate his allegations that Lawan and Emenalo received a total of $620,000.

Otedola had argued that the committee had ulterior motives by its insistence on conducting the investigation behind closed doors.

However, several probes have not been able to establish the whereabouts of the $620,000, as Lawan has stuck to his claim that he gave it to the House Committee Chairman, Narcotics Drugs and Financial Crimes, Hon. Adams Jagaba, while the latter has maintained that he did not receive any money from him.




http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/-620-000-bribe-scandal-house-committee-may-exonerate-lawan/129416/

They actaully called BUHARI as one of their Negotiators is it not clear now that buhari and all those mentioned as negotiators are their sponsor.