₦airaland Forum

SeverusSnape:
The petroleum minister is a dullard. He should resign.

Recently, the news media carried news of Dr. Kachikwu staying that Nigeria would need in excess of $700 million to get its refineries to optimum functional states.

The Minister of State for Petroleum (and the current FG) were lambasted as usual for not using the 'recovered loots' and cost savings to fix the refineries. Fair point if viewed on the surface but a deeper dig will expose what the junior minister meant to communicate.

More importantly, one of the key messages was lost in the headlines. Dr. Kachikwu made these pronouncements while commissioning an underground pipeline from Escravos to Warri and Port Harcourt refineries expected to deliver crude directly to the refineries rather than the use of marine vessels which have been in use for years.

This is a game changer for our refineries. From my interactions with some PENGASSAN officials, there used to be pipelines that served similar purposes but pipeline crude bunkering wouldn't let them function. The refineries resorted to using marine vessels as a means to sidestep the bunkerers with some success, however with increased costs and effort to avoid diversion.

The contractor, Ocean Marine Solution, chaired by Capt.Hosa Okunbor, said during the commissioning:
“Today, we are very glad that, for the first time over ten years, we are able to deliver the crude line between Escravos and Warri and crude is now flowing through the pipeline which was impossible over the years. We thank God, you saw the Minister, the refinery people were glad. NNPC workers were rejoicing and we, as a company, are also rejoicing for what God has used us to do. I am so glad because, sometimes, there are certain things you achieve that are more than money. We have created serious value for this country using our own resources,”

Dr. Kachikwu in turn, responded thus:
“We must thank President Muhammadu Buhari for giving us the opportunity to deliver this and, for the first time, our three refineries will be working at the same time. This underground pipeline will check sabotage and I can tell you the sufferings of people will soon be a thing of the past as regards fuel scarcity. I apologise to Nigerians for the long fuel scarcity but we are working round the clock to bring smile on their faces”

This is a very good development by the current FG and we should applaud their commitment to applying more long lasting solutions to our national problems. If we sustain projects like this, in 4 years time we will hardly recognise our country. Some folks will advocate for an outright sale of the refineries and that too is fair point. However, the refineries should be put in reasonable working conditions before such a sale otherwise they would be bought as scrap thereby shortchanging the FG and Nigerians.

Let's bash our governments when they fail us but also laud their efforts when they invest into projects that will uplift the conditions of Nigerians. That is the change we desire.

References:

Bashing Thread:
https://www.nairaland.com/3065778/nigeria-needs-700-million-upgrade

Pipeline Commisioning: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/fuel-crisis-kachikwu-commissions-underground-crude-pipeline/

Pics: http://www.trezzyblog.com/2016/04/nnpc-boss-ibe-kachikwu-recommissions.html?m=1

modath:
IMF should go with their Greek gift!!

Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, at the ongoing Spring Meetings of the IMF/World Bank on Friday explained why the Nigerian government is not excited about calls to apply for loan facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to tackle some of the current economic challenges that Nigeria is facing due to the slump in global oil prices.

Other speakers at the event included IMF Deputy Managing Director, Mitsuhiro Furusawa, and Rwanda Finance Minister, Claver Gatete.

The minister, who was a speaker at a panel discussion on Africa titled: “Sub-Saharan Africa: Just a Rough Patch,” said Nigeria is adapting to its new realities and it is implementing fiscal policies to steer the country back on track for stable growth with a diversified economy.
These policies and investment should enable Nigeria to show positive growth in 2017.

Mrs. Adeosun emphasised that what the country is passing through is surmountable, adding that government is already applying a cocktail of measures to address the problem.

“Nigeria is not sick and even if we are, we have our own local remedy,” the Minister said, in an apparent response to a question on why the government has refused to apply for IMF loans.

Noting that the real vulnerability in the Nigerian economy is over-dependence on a single source of revenue, oil, the minister said, “We have resolved to build resilience into the country’s economy to hedge against future oil shocks.

“This is because dependence on oil brings about vulnerability and laziness. So we are doing a combination of things to diversify our economy, with revenue mobilisation to enable sufficient investment in developing the non-oil sectors.

“We have a great opportunities to reset the Nigerian economy and ensure that as we go forward, growth will be in a sustainable manner so that we won’t be vulnerable to oil price fluctuations, and with a truly diversified economy we would have enabled opportunities for wealth creation that would have trickles down to every Nigerian.

“The compelling business case in Nigeria is that the fundamentals remain very strong, a teaming, young growing population, rich in resources and with a government determined to finally get it right.
Foramfera

“The great thing is that long term investors recognize this and understand the difference between short term and long term issues and the case for Nigeria persuades one to plan for the longer term opportunities.”

“The IMF stands ready to help Angola address the economic challenges it is currently facing by supporting a comprehensive policy package to accelerate the diversification of the economy, while safeguarding macroeconomic and financial stability.”

Angola said Wednesday it had asked the International Monetary Fund for help after the crash in oil prices ravaged government finances. The IMF said discussions would begin next week in Washington on what could be a three-year support plan for the government.

“The sharp decline in oil prices since mid-2014 represents a major challenge for oil exporters, especially for those economies that have yet to become more diversified,” the Fund said in a statement. “The IMF stands ready to help Angola address the economic challenges it is currently facing by supporting a comprehensive policy package to accelerate the diversification of the economy, while safeguarding macroeconomic and financial stability.”

Angola has depended on oil production for 95 percent of its export earnings and more than half of government receipts. In a statement, the government said it “is aware that the high reliance on the oil sector represents a vulnerability to the public finances and the economy more broadly.”

Angola “will work with the IMF to design and implement policies and structural reforms aimed at improving macroeconomic and financial stability, including through fiscal discipline,” the statement read. IMF three-year Extended Fund Facility programs usually offer financial support for government finances while requiring disciplined reforms, which often include spending cuts and stronger tax collection efforts.

Angola had a previous three-year support program from the IMF, a $1.4 billion Stand-By Arrangement during 2009-2012. This helped the country resolve domestic debts, stabilize its exchange rate, and shore up its international reserves.

Under the proposed new program, the government said it “is committed to improving transparency in the public finances and the banking sector.” “There is a strong belief within the government that the continued drive towards enhanced transparency can be accelerated by partnering with an institution like the IMF.”

Proudlyngwa:
This is not about PDP or APC, but about an elected officer bringing his office to disrepute. I maintain Saraki needs to vacate the Senate president seat, and ask the CCT to fast track his case.
Whether the next person is PDP or APC, What we want is the right thing to be done. This is not about Politics, this is about Governance.

Proudlyngwa:
Remind me the qualifications for an elective position in Nigeria again.
Then talk about the criminal charges hangin around Sarakis head, The right thing if Saraki had any atom of morality, would be to hand over to his deputy, till this case is over, best he can do is ask the tribunal to fast track the case.

cktheluckyman:
do you mind showing me the portions of Buhari's asset declaration forms where Aisha's Buhari's properties were listed? What is laolu Saraki's name doing in the report? is he also a spouse or kid of Dr Bukola Saraki?

sonOfLucifer:
[size=30pt]Read the damn article[/size]

cktheluckyman:
don't make me laugh too hard please.In law you quote the relevant sections or subsections to back up your claim.I can also write something like this " it is required by law for the FGN to remit N10,000,0000.00 to cktheluckyman's account every month"

cktheluckyman:
can you quote the portins of the CCB act that says Saraki should declare his spouse's properties? Did Buhari declare Aisha's properties? Politics at times makes a lot of people stupid

....Under the code of conduct law, a public office holder is required to declare his own assets, those of his wife as well as assets in the names of his children below the age of 18.....

DaBullIT:
Send the link from the full list , if the news was broken since May last year, it's strange i am just hearing about it


Sso kindly send the link

May, 2016 (not 2015). Hold your horses my friend

cktheluckyman:
When Saraki becomes Senate president of the US or Governor of Alabama we can talk about that.Toyin has got nothing to explain to anyone.If the CCB or EFCC has anything on her let them bring it on

In his declaration form, Mr. Saraki listed properties owned by his wife, Toyin Saraki,......

DaBullIT:
According to Panama's release , I have not seen any Saraki listed


LRNZH where you see your story ?

https://projects.icij.org/panama-papers/power-players/index.html#68

cktheluckyman:
Abeg was Toyin Saraki ever a government official and required by law to declare her assets? As far as I am concerned,this is nothing.Properties belonging to Mrs Toyin Saraki are not same as the ones belonging to Bukola Saraki

At least four assets belonging to the wealthy and famous Saraki family of Nigeria, all tucked away in secret offshore territories, have been uncovered.
But the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, failed to declare them to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as required by Nigerian laws.

This revelation, made possible by internal data of the Panama-based offshore-provider, Mossack Fonseca, obtained by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) with PREMIUM TIMES and over 100 other media partners in 82 countries, could worsen Mr. Saraki’s case as he battles to extricate himself from allegations of corruption.

Mr. Saraki is yet to respond to PREMIUM TIMES’ request for comments. His spokesperson, Yusuph Olayinonu, did not return calls or respond to a text message seeking comments.

But in a written response to ICIJ, the Senate President insisted, through his UK lawyers, that he “declared his assets properly in accordance with the relevant legislation,” and that the charges against him “are both unfounded and politically motivated.”

Last September the CCB slammed false asset declaration charges on Mr. Saraki, accusing the Senate President, among other things, of failure to declare his assets in full.

Under the code of conduct law, a public office holder is required to declare his own assets, those of his wife as well as assets in the names of his children below the age of 18.

In his declaration form, Mr. Saraki listed property owned by his wife, Toyin Saraki, to include a plot of land at Lekki valued at N5 million, which he said was a gift he received in January 1989.

Mrs. Saraki was also listed as owner of a property at 15 Bryanston Square, London W1 and 69 Bourne Street, London.

While the first, which rental income was put at £48,000 with a value of £900,000, was acquired in January 1989, the second, which value was put at £2m and had rental value of £150,000, was acquired for business in April 2000.

However, a fresh investigation by PREMIUM TIMES and its media partners, has uncovered a hidden London property in the name of Toyin Saraki but which was left out among the assets declared by the Senate President.
The hidden property is located at #8 Whuttaker Street, Belgravia, London SW1W 8JQ. It has title number NGL802235.

Similarly, the Senate President stated in his assets declaration form that his wife held an account in Eco Bank Broad Street, Lagos, where she had N1.5 million at the time he became governor in 2003.

She also maintained an account in Coutts & Co Strand, London, where she owned £450,000 and $125,000 in addition to $3 million in Northern Trust International Banking Corporation Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner.

Mrs. Saraki was also listed as maintaining substantial shares in European and American Trading Company, Tyberry Corporation and Eficaz Limited just as she held 500,000 shares, valued at £500,000, at P.C.C (U.K) Ltd. He was however silent on the number of shares the former first lady had in Haussmann and Tiny Tee (Nig) Limited.

Elaborate as the declaration in the name of Mrs. Saraki appeared to be, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report that apart from the undeclared London property, three additional overseas assets in the name of the wife of the Senate President were hidden from the authorities and are missing from the assets declaration form.
Our investigations reveal that Mrs. Saraki owns secret companies in some notorious tax havens.

A troubled husband
Mrs Saraki’s husband, Bukola, who is Nigeria’s third most powerful official by virtue of his position as Senate President, is facing a 13-count charge of alleged false declaration of assets.

He is being tried by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, a special court that tries public officers for any contravention of the Code of Conduct for Nigerian public officers as spelt out in the Fifth Schedule of the Nigerian constitution.

DOWNLOAD ONE OF SARAKI’S ASSET DECLARATIONS HERE.-->http://media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2015/10/BUKOLA-SARAKI-ASSETS.pdf

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) were established to enforce “a high standard of morality in the conduct of government business, and to ensure that the actions and behaviour of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability.”

The Code of Conduct Bureau had on September 16, 2015 slammed charges on Mr. Saraki, accusing him of offences ranging from anticipatory declaration of assets, to making false declaration of assets in forms he filed before the Bureau while he was governor of Kwara state.

The Senate President was also accused of failing to declare some of his assets, acquiring assets beyond his legitimate earnings, and operating foreign accounts while being a public officer – governor and senator.
The offences, the charge said, violated sections of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.

Mr. Saraki is also said to have breached Section 2 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and punishable under paragraph 9 of the said Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.

https://media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2014/02/718x450xBukola-Saraki-001.jpg.pagespeed.ic.-rQGcf-7ng.jpg
Senate President, Bukola Saraki

The Senate President has denied wrongdoings, saying the case was politically motivated and that he was merely being persecuted for emerging the President of the Nigerian Senate against the wishes of his political party, the ruling All Progressives Congress, which preferred a different candidate.

But this fresh revelation regarding hidden assets in tax havens might fuel the allegations against Nigeria’s third most powerful official and strengthen the prosecution’s case against the politician.

We have done nothing wrong – the Sarakis
Mr. Saraki and his wife denied any wrongdoing.
Responding to separate written demands for comments, the couple maintained that it is not illegal to hold shares in offshore companies.

In a letter to ICIJ by the London-based law firm of Discreet Law, Mr. Saraki said he declared his assets properly in accordance with the relevant Nigerian legislation.

Mrs. Saraki, in a separate letter to the ICIJ through another London-based law firm, Harbottle & Lewis, also insisted that she “made all required disclosures in relation to her shareholdings.”
In their separate letters, the couple threatened to sue should the ICIJ and its partners proceed to publish information about the undeclared offshore assets, with Mrs Saraki saying any publication concerning her private financial information infringes on her privacy and breaches the Data Protection Act 1998.
Will Fitzigibbon (International Consortium of Investigative Journalists), contributed reporting to this story.

[img]http://a4.files.psmag.com/image/upload/c_fit,cs_srgb,dpr_3.0,q_40,w_320/MTM3NDg0MjI4ODY5NzYwNDMw.jpg[/img]
An armed solider in Birao, Vakaga, Central African Republic. (Photo: hdptcar/Flickr)

No one can predict the future, but we're getting better at making well-informed guesses all the time. The National Weather Service can warn us of impending storms, police departments across the country use analytics to predict where crimes might occur, even Google can sometimes finish our search sentences. So it's only natural that, in 2012, a group of Australian researchers attempted to predict atrocities. The report identified 15 countries most at risk for experiencing genocide or politicide between 2011 and 2015. Now, the University of Sydney's Atrocity Forecasting Project has released a new report that assesses the countries most at risk over the coming five years, and re-visits the accuracy of the prior predictions.

The project, led by Benjamin Goldsmith, an associate professor at the University of Sydney, used a statistical model to identify the countries most at risk for politicide or genocide, meaning any cases where governing authorities implemented or promoted policies "intended to destroy, in whole or part, a communal, political, or politicized ethnic group." The model ran off of information on nearly 20 different risk factors for atrocities, including infant mortality, elections, neighboring conflicts, and the use of guerilla warfare tactics. The model spit out some obvious candidates, like Syria and Afghanistan. But at the top of the list was the Central African Republic, a country that was seemingly stable until a 2013 coup. "Our approach 'saw' the risk in this case based only on data up to 2010, however, placing it at the top of our list," the authors write.

To test the overall accuracy of their predictions, the researchers tracked genocide and politicide onsets with data from the Political Instability Task Force, Genocide Watch, and the United Nations Special Advisors on the Prevention of Genocide and on the Responsibility to Protect. They found that their list captured between one-third and one-half of incidents, depending on which data was used to track onsets, and only missed 10 percent of incidents.

Given the "reasonably good performance" of the model the first time around, and an abundance of new data, the team has released another list of the 15 countries most at risk for genocide or politicide from now until 2020. South Sudan, Sudan, Iraq, Nigeria, and Yemen top the list this time; the Central African Republic has fallen to number 12 on the list, followed by Pakistan, Egypt, and Algeria.

[img]http://a1.files.psmag.com/image/upload/c_fit,cs_srgb,w_320/MTM3NDgzNjk0MTQ2MzMyMDc3.png[/img]
Predicted Genocide/Politicide Risk, 2016–20. (Map :Atrocity Forecasting Project)

While the list is by no means a definitive guide to future atrocities, it can serve as a red flag for potential problems for governments and international organizations as they plan for the future.

The former president's house was raided by federal police agents and he was brought in for questioning.
Lula, who left office in 2011, has denied allegations of corruption.

The long-running inquiry, known as Operation Car Wash, is probing accusations of corruption and money laundering at Petrobras.

Dozens of executives and politicians have been arrested or are under investigation on suspicion of overcharging contracts with Petrobras and using part of the money to pay for bribes and electoral campaigns.

Police said they had evidence that Lula, 70, received illicit benefits from the kickback scheme.
Lula's institute said in a statement the "violence" against the former president was "arbitrary, illegal and unjustifiable", as he had been co-operating with the investigations.

Officials said some 33 search warrants and 11 detention warrants were being carried out by 200 federal police agents in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Bahia.

Lula's house in Sao Bernardo do Campo, near Sao Paulo, was raided early on Friday. The headquarters of his institute in Sao Paulo was also targeted, as were his wife, Marisa, and sons, reports said.

One of the lines of inquiry is that construction companies targeted by the operation could have favoured Lula in the development of a ranch and a luxury beachfront apartment.

Raids in the cities where these properties are located have also been carried out.
"Ex-president Lula, besides being party leader, was the one ultimately responsible for the decision on who would be the directors at Petrobras and was one of the main beneficiaries of these crimes," a police statement quoted by Reuters news agency said.

Operation Car Wash, or Lava Jato in Portuguese, as the corruption investigation is known, has been closely monitored by Brazilian media over the past two years.
Many TV networks are providing live coverage from outside Lula's apartment, where protesters have gathered.

And articles reflecting what the detention means are starting to appear. One of the many headlines in the popular daily Folha de Sao Paulo quotes an opposition figure as saying: "Operation in Lula's house could be the beginning of the end".

Several newspapers are highlighting the nickname of this new phase of the investigation: "Aletheia" is a Greek word meaning "search for truth".
"There is evidence that the crimes enriched him and financed electoral campaigns and the treasury of his political group."

Supporters and opponents of the former president clashed in front of his house following the raids.

A popular figure
Lula, from the Workers' Party, served two terms as president and was succeeded in office by his political protege, Dilma Rousseff.
He led Brazil during a time of rapid economic growth and is credited for lifting millions of people out of poverty.

He still is a well-liked figure and has been considered as a potential candidate in presidential elections in 2018. But his popularity has been hit by recent allegations that he either had knowledge or involvement in the wrongdoings.

On Thursday, Lula's institute said the former president had never committed any illegal acts before, during or after his presidential term.
The corruption scandal threatens the government of Ms Rousseff, who has faced repeated impeachment calls, analysts say. She has denied having any knowledge of wrongdoings.

jamesibor:
The video has been removed.

jamesibor:
The video has been removed.

LadyExcellency:
The video you posted has a script and was acted and directed in collaboration with the Police.

It is an offense to deceive the public when a crime of this magnitude is committed aided by high ranking members and politically connected in this country.

MrNigeriaPMB:
i guess d jazz also make her to speak hausa fluetly

smh

The abducted Bayelsa teenager, Ese Oruru, appeared in this exclusive video arguing with the police and officials of the Kano Shari’ah Commission that she would not enter police vehicle without her alleged abductor, Yunusa Yellow.

The video, which is a fusion of three pieces of short clips, was exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.

Sources told PREMIUM TIMES that it took the officials a great deal of effort to convince Miss Oruru to enter the vehicle for transportation from the office of Kano State Shariah Commission to the Zonal Police Headquarters in Kano.

Miss Oruru and Mr. Yunusa are currently at the Police Force Headquarters, following the transfer of the case to Abuja on Tuesday.

Clerverly:
Jonathan Was/Is Really An Ineffectual slowpoke..





Cc: Modath Progessive1 PassingShot mynd1 LRZN

Pidggin:
It looks very much like it. His visits to these Arabian countries is becoming suspecious