₦airaland Forum

[size=13pt]These days, students are not interested in learning’[/size]
By ROSE EJEMBI, Makurdi
Tuesday, December 23, 2008



Prof. Egri Ejembi is a lecturer in the College of Agricultural extension and Management Technology, University of Agriculture , Makurdi. In this interview with Daily Sun, the university don spoke on the role of Universities of Agriculture in national development, why their graduates shun farming and instead roam the streets in search of white collar jobs. Prof. Ejembi also blamed the government, parents and even students for the decline in the standard of education in the country in the last 20 years.

Role of Universities of Agriculture
The University of Agriculture , Makurdi is a specialized university that was established in 1988 by the Babangida administration. At that time, two Universities of Agriculture were established; one at Abeokuta popularly known as UNAB, and then this one in Makurdi which we call UAM.

The two universities were created to pioneer cutting edge research in Agricultural development. I hasten to add that some years later, a third one which was sited at Umudike in Abia State was added. These universities are charged with the responsibilities of researching in agriculture and making the result of agricultural research available to our teeming population of farmers; primarily though, the agricultural development project which each state has.

The University of Agriculture, has its own catchment area as the whole of the north. And so, the university has a very large mandate. Since inception, and this is the 20th year, experts in various departments of the university have been conducting research in agriculture and making the results of these researches available to the nation at large starting with the Benue State government. This university collaborates actively with the Benue State Agricultural Development Authority (BENARDA) in the areas of extension and outreaches.

In terms of training the students, the university has a Bachelor of Agricultural programme in which three colleges; College of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Management Technology, College of Animal Science and the College of Agronomy collaborate to educate students to graduate with the Bachelor of Agriculture degrees in the various degree options. And this programme is tailored towards educating students to be practical agriculturists in the areas of Crop Production, Fisheries and Agricultural Management and Marketing, Makurdi so that by the time the students graduate, they can even be job creators rather than primarily job seekers. That is one major area in which the university has been trying to contribute to the situation in which Nigeria as a country can be self reliant in food crop production and to also contribute to food security in the country.

Our graduates look for white collar jobs
In fact, it’s very painful that there is a teeming population of our graduates out there who move from office to office looking for non-existent white collar jobs. And like you asked, one would wonder why this situation has come upon us. There are many factors and I will mention some of them. One major factor of the Nigerian society is that our educational system is largely focused on theory. We really have not emphasized hands-on experienced education in this country. And in order to have a hands-on educational focus, a lot of resources are required starting from ensuring that we have adequate quantity and quality of teaching and support staff so that students can receive the kind of close attention that is required, if we are going to emphasise practical education.

We also need well-equipped library where students can get information for themselves when they do assignments and other types of researches. We also need resources that will ensure that we have adequate space for instruction and practical applications of what is taught in the classroom. It is also necessary that we have the resources that will ensure that we have the vehicle that will make it possible for students to be taken outside the four walls of the university on excursion and field trips so that they are exposed to what is happening out there in industries and on farms as the Nigerian farmer and entrepreneurs operate such business units.

It is also necessary that we have resources that will ensure we have adequate housing on campus and off-campus so that the students have a choice wherever they want to live on campus and off campus and even to assemble on time for their instruction to take place. We also need a society that provides the value system that encourages the acquisition of knowledge for its own sake and for industrial and productive applications. When you look out there in the larger society, the people that are at the helm of affairs, are they modeling the kind of behaviour that the students that we seek to educate can emulate or are they seeing behaviours that are basically self-serving and selfish? I think we need a new orientation.

Big farmers discourage young graduates.
May be my views are divergent on that issue. From what we find, a lot of our leaders have their own private farms. But the issue is those farms that they have, how have they established them. I dare say that a lot of them establish them with resources looted from the public that they are supposed to serve. And so, such farms in a lot of cases are not sustainable as soon as these leaders leave the office. But I know that a lot of them try top establish farms and they do establish them but they are not farms that our students can easily establish or even learn from because they are established on a very big and unrealistic scale.

Why young graduates find it difficult to establish agric enterprises
I think some of the factors that contribute to the non-establishment of agricultural enterprises by graduates of Universities of Agriculture and faculties of agriculture in conventional universities is because agric is a capital intensive enterprise and not many graduates can afford to have ready access to the funds that are needed to establish agric enterprises. Secondly, primary agricultural production requires land and assess to land is another difficult thing in Nigeria. So many young graduates find it difficult to acquire land to establish agric enterprises.

Another factor that discourages young graduates from establishing agric enterprises is lack of marketing information. Our governments over the years have been emphasizing production and many farmers have heeded that call but no sooner have they produced than they discovered they cannot market what they have produced. And you know, if a farmer is disappointed one year because he has produced and cannot sell to recoup his investment, he would not be encouraged to produce the next year. So, there is a dearth of agric marketing information in this country and that is an area that we have not really tried to address as a nation especially as successive governments have not helped matters.

In other countries, even developed countries, the agric sector has effective government protection such that if for instance, it wants to encourage rice production or poultry production, government will ensure that nobody imports rice or poultry products. The Obasanjo administration tried to address these two issues but I am not sure that these polices survived his administration. And so, there is a need for the government to address this issue of protecting agric sector from foreign invasion by way of exports.
National food security not realistic by year 2020
Going by what we have done so far, I believe that year 2020 is unrealistic. But having said that, I think it is important that the government is creating awareness that there is something we need to do if we are going to have national food security. And so, I look at year 2020 as a motivation to the target and if we are really serious, then the government needs to place its priorities right.

Quality of education in Nigeria
It is true that the quality of education has really deteriorated in the last 20 years. Some of the reasons include the fact that as Nigerians, we prefer quantity to quality. Most Nigerians now don’t care about things being done right. A lot of students these days are not interested in learning, they are interested in acquiring certificates; credentials but how they acquire them, they are not interested. These days, a lot of students do not like lecturers who come to class punctually and regularly. They prefer lecturers that will come to class to gist until the period is over.

The prefer lecturers that like to be settled when the student hasn’t done what he or she should do. And there is a whole atmosphere where people just don’t want to do what they should do either the lecturers or the students. It’s also surprising that some parents and guardians are also helping to water down the quality of education in the country. Many a parent or guardian has paid invigilators to look the other way while his or her child or ward and other students cheat when they take qualifying exams like WASSEC, NECO and JAMB.

Some parents and guardians even pay people to take these exams for their children or wards. And then what about government that pays lip service to the importance of education when it would not fund educational institutions properly? And that is one of the fights ASUU has been having with successive governments over the years that the government should try to achieve the UNICEF standard of educational funding.

We discovered that Obasanjo administration was not even funding education to the tune of 10 per cent. At least, the Yar’ Adua’s administration found that out when it came into office. These are some of the factors. As I said earlier, our leaders give the impression that it doesn’t matter what we do, what matters is what we have acquired. So, young people are not interested in learning, they are more interested in acquisition and however you acquire it doesn’t matter



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/education/2008/dec/23/education-23-12-2008-001.htm

yeah i agree,but the topic shud be English, at least we would hav an idea of wat u ar talkin about

English pls,
If cant do without some yoruba,go join some yoruba forum if u can find any

Haba,u cant compare the 2.

u see that part in bold,Nigeria is heading there,
but i wonder who would even give us aid for fear that the aid will be embezzled.

Sao Tome tries ex-PMs, others for graft

Several former high-ranking government officials are due to appear in court in Sao Tome over a corruption scandal. Millions of dollars vanished from the accounts of a body created in 1993 to manage foreign aid money. Ex-government ministers are accused of charging cars, foreign trips, phone bills, electoral campaigns and home refurbishments to the organisation. The accused, who include two former prime ministers, have denied any wrongdoing. Among the alleged costs incurred to the defunct Gabinete de Gestao das Ajudas (GGA) was the bill for redecorating the house of ex-Prime Minister Maria das Neves. Another former Prime Minister, Guilherme Posser da Costa, is also charged. The BBC reports that the accused had defended themselves with a common explanation: They say they used GGA cash because government simply did not have enough in its coffers to foot the bill. Reports say the corruption allegations could have dire consequences on the country where about 90 per cent of its budget come from foreign aid. _


http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/breaking_news/article01

the problem with Nigeria is that we are too forgetfull,
this is the same guy that flaunted many court order restraining him from evicting ppl from govt. houses.
The guy ddnt disobey just 1 or 2 court orders,he disobeyed many and even boasted.
Yet he was never charged for contempt.
Now they are just asking him,
where is the balance on N32bn from sale of govt houses,and the guy is playing hide and seek just like his friend,DCP Ribadu.
N32bn no be beans o!

cre8tivity:
i'm a politician because i support obeying the rules of law, i'm related to an ex governor because i refuse to side with ribadu's or el-rufai's disobeying the rules and regulations, i'm not serious minded because i feel that obeying the rules and regulations by all is the beginning of prosperity and a path towards greatness. it is very sad to see how many young nigerians are already lost.

its really sad

madam Dora was never accused of embezzling money but Babatunde was

there isnt much diff,but they just cant catch an innocent person,on what charge?

yemmyse:
the same way MKO did nothing and folishly went to answer the case.

don't be ignorant thats military

[size=14pt]An interesting piece i think should share with u guyz.[/size]




Dora Akunyili: Pouring Sand In One's Own Garri
Written by Michael egbejumi-David
Monday, 22 December 2008
DORA AKUNYILI: POURING SAND IN ONE’S OWN GARRI

By Michael Egbejumi-David

The mighty Lamidi Adedibu has been proved right. In the height of his battle with Dr Dora Akunyili over his Mafia-like protection of contaminated seafood and other bad products dealers in Ibadan, Chief Adedibu said that Akunyili’s whining about his refusal to let the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) officials do their work and close down those dealers was a case of bad belle. He pointed out that Akunyili knew how the system worked in Ibadan and had not raised any objections all these years. He then revealed that her later day lamentations to the Press was because he had refused to put her name forward for a Ministerial post in May/June 2007 despite some heavy lobbying from Akunyili.

During Obasanjo’s eight locust years, Dr Akunyili was one of the few bright spots. In my view, she was up there with the likes of Dr Ngozi Oknonjo-Eweala, Charles Soludo, Nuhu Ribadu and El-Rufai. These people were no saints – no one is, certainly not in Nigeria; however, they did a very creditable job at their respective duty posts. Akunyili was not different. Sometimes, she did what she had to do; but she did her job exceeding well and was rightfully and widely acknowledged for it.

But sure enough there were always whispers about some NAFDAC battles being media designed, media driven, and media won. There were whispers about aggrandisement and excessive addiction to the accoutrement of high office. For instance, long before the attempt on her life, her husband who was a Registrar at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital was turning up for work in a four vehicle Mobile Police entourage. Also, Dr Akunyili was appointed to NAFDAC on 12 April 2001. Before then, she was a Senior Lecturer and a Consultant Pharmacologist at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (Enugu Campus). But now her name is prefixed with the title “Professor.” But still these were not criminal offences. The brilliant lady got the job done.

However, whispers began to turn to open consternation when she began a surprising and highly visible romance with the Andy Uba governorship operation in Anambra State. Dr Akunyili became an active member of that campaign. She made all sorts of specious speeches about Uba being the best thing this side of a Toronto certificate. She certainly was on his transition team. I also remember seeing her in an interview where she said that if God wanted Obasanjo to go for a third term, there was nothing wrong in that.

And now, just 24 hours after being shunted to the Information & Communications Ministry, Akunyili described her posting as “an act of God.” She didn’t stop at that blasphemy; she went further to say that the Ministry “is the soul of the country!” She then called on all Nigerians to come together in the task of giving the country a positive image, saying that is what the country needs to attract foreign investments and development. See? Not even two days on the job and the woman is already talking crazy.

Let us be clear; Akunyili has been flogged-off to the Information Ministry. The Communications addendum of that job was not the main consideration in assigning her that post. That Information and Communication merger is a strange marriage anyway. The main qualification for headship of the Information Ministry is that the person needs to be a Yes-man and a propagandist - and perhaps spot a miserable moustache. Doers are not welcomed there. In fact, there's nothing there to "do." So, in real terms, Akunyili talked herself into, and accepted an insultive demotion.

Dr Akunyili lobbied hard for a Ministerial post (she'd been at it for a while) and the folks around Yar’Adua saw in her an opportunity to kill the two proverbial birds with one stone - handing her a poisoned goblet and hoping she would make their perfidious and rudderless administration look less so. I had hoped that she would go to the Health Ministry to at least resuscitate that place that had assumed a Yar’Aduaic paralysis. Moreover, her work at NAFDAC where she successfully tackled the scourge of counterfeit drugs stands her in good stead to be able to administratively cut through the logjam in the Health Ministry. If not that, then the Works Ministry.

I’m not even sure what real difference an Information Ministry make to a country. In fact, I think excessive emphasis and the pre-eminence of an Information Ministry is a sure sign of a failed or failing State and an indicator of an incompetent administration. For all intent and purposes, Akunyili is now saddled with explaining the ineptitude and duplicity of Yar’Adua, Andoakaa, Farida Waziri, and the rest of the gang. And if she manages to put any old spin on Yar’Adua’s frightful incompetence, Andoakaa's manic devotion to scuttling Ibori's theft case in the UK and shielding the other corrupt ex-governors, would she then be adjudged to have succeeded in her duty? It is pitiful to see this highly brilliant and energetic lady reduced to this. She is now going to wear the disused robe of “success” discarded by one Joseph Goebbels of the Third Reich in Nazi Germany. Either that or she picks up the one discarded by Chemical Ali of Saddam’s Iraq. I am really surprised. I did not know that a Ministerial appointment mattered this much to Dr Akunyili.

It is just so sad that Akunyili could cause her hard and well earned reputation to be heading for the tank like this. Second-guessing of her work and revisionism has already begun. Clearly this brave lady did a lot of impressive work at NAFDAC but she has taken the sledgehammer to all of that. It is just too bad that it has come to this.

Yar’Adua has demonstrated and put the message strongly out there that his administration is for the deeply corrupt and high sleaze. Look at what is happening to Nuhu Ribadu these days. I am sure also that NAFDAC is now going to go the way of the EFCC. Surely Dr Akunyili has set herself up for a very hard fall. She has talked and walked herself into a lose-lose job. Yar’Adua’s sardonic and clueless administration is now going to attempt to use her hard earned good name and reputation to put a half decent face on their folly. In short, they now have a very expensive handkerchief into which they will blow their nose, after which it will simply be tossed away. What a great pity.

When a person goes all out tooth and nail to get a Ministerial slot, that means such a person will do anything for high office. This, unfortunately, is an ugly side of Dr Akunyili emerging. And speaking of ugliness, that is what runs through Yar’Adua’s latest Ministerial cabinet. For instance, Dr Lukman – yes the same old recycled Rilwan Lukman was appointed the Petroleum Minister. With all due respect, Dr Lukman is one of the grand failures of our time. For a very long time, he had being one of the main drivers of our oil/petroleum sector policy and look what we have! We have made a steady and alarming backward march in that vital sector of our nation. Today, despite being one of the world’s largest crude oil producing countries we are also now one of the largest importers of petroleum products in the entire world. Juxtapose that please against Venezuela, Qatar, Algeria, Angola, and even war-soaked Sudan.

But I guess being a proven failure is one of the criteria for being "it" in Nigeria. Dr Shamsudeen Usman got moved to another Ministry instead of an outright sack. Deziani Allison-Madueke who couldn't make a pothole of a difference in the Works Ministry was moved to Mines & Steel. Sam Egwu was brought in to reprise his failures in Eboyin State.

In fact Egwu's case should give all of us real concerns about Yar'Adua's method of madness: In July 2007, the citizens of Eboyin State wrote to Yar’Adua and submitted a petition to the EFCC that detailed how Egwu stole a whopping N80 billion out of just over N150 billion that was allocated to that State between 1999 and 2007. What happened? First, Egwu was only an OBJ grey whisker away from becoming the Chairman of that den of thieves, the PDP; and now he has been settled with the Education Ministry. I guess when Yar’Adua labelled himself the servant-leader, he wasn’t kidding at all.

In January 2008, Lucky Igbinedion, the thieving ex-governor of Edo State was dragged to Court on a 191 count charge by Ribadu’s EFCC for stealing some N4.4 billion and $24 million. Waziri’s EFCC reduced all that to just one single solitary count of corruption and just last week, Igbinedion was let off with only a N3.6 million fine. A startling display of ‘rule of law.” Sadly, this is the group for which Dr Akunyili is now the Spokesperson.

What was that saying? Be careful what you wish for, for you might get it……….



http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/michael-egbejumi-david/dora-akunyili-pouring-sand-in-ones-own.html

We all know that this EFCC is corrupt,but why are people running away from its invitations if they are clean.
You guyz said that everyone that Ribadu went after is corrupt.So also anyone that this EFCC is going after.
Why didn't they go after Buhari.

Corrupt people are just blackmailing the EFCC, accusing it of witch hunt.
Its not possible for the EFCC to arrest and prosecute and innocent person.

Because Nuhu did it,now its elrufai,then when someone is summoned again,he will accuse EFCC of witch hunt.
_Hiss useless corrupt people kawai,u cant be in the corridors of power forever.

there was something someone pointed out in one thread,let me add on that.

Dora is not the only person in NAFDAC,she is not the one that goes out to intercept the fake and substandard drugs.
We have never heard of anyone in NAFDAC except her,taking all the credit and accolade.
we have never heard of the 2nd,3rd,4th,5th. . . etc in command,not even the state directors or the chief drug interceptor.
Everything NAFDAC is Dora.If there were not dedicated employees in NAFDAC,would they not just collect bribe and let the fake drugs be.
But they stood and fought fake drugs,while madam Dora in her office in Abuja takes all the credit.

We will see her true color now that the workers in the ministry are not as dedicated and patriotic as those in NAFDAC.

good luck!

have you observed nairaland is similar to nigeria,
a group of educated and uneducated ppl from different ethnic and religious groups in one group,
but lash,abuse and accuse one other at the slightest opportunity.

texazzpete:
In my opinion, El Rufai has something to hide. An innocent man will always try to clear his name, all these posturing on pages of newspapers do not serve him well.

He was asked a very simple question (well simple from my own point of view),

Where is the balance of N32bn from the sale of govt. houses?

Instead of answering the question the guy started his media war.

Guyz lets be rational and not sentimental by defending el-rufai,
If he didnt steal the N32bn,why cant he give explanations of the whereabouts of the money.

all of a sudden kuma the tithe money is not appetizing anymore

cre8tivity:
Why I Won’t Honour Efcc’s Invitation Now?
because ribadu hasn't done so either

now look at wat Ribadu has caused,
now everyone will stop honoring EFCC initations.

The evil that men do leaves after them,
wat goes around comes around,
Do unto other wat u would want then to do unto you,


Its now that this arrogant, self centered,short guy knows about the courts,
when he was busy flaunting court orders he never thought that obj will step down from power.

He was just asked to come and explain the whereabouts of a whooping   N32bn from the sale of govt houses,
but the thief knowing that his hands are not clean has refused.

I just want to see the look on his face when he gets arrested.  

ono:
Someone said Prof. Osotimehin is better placed as Health minister of the Republic. I know very little or nothing about the man. Can someone come up with his profile? Just for my learing, please.

If he's better than Dora, then let him be there. No wahala.

he was once accused of embezzling money for aids in million,
but u know naija,he came out clean.

Bank workers raise alarm over insurance policies - Say job not worth dying for -OPC to guard banks now

Odidison Omankhanlen, Akin Adewakun and Dele Ayeleso - 21.12.2008

A crisis that is capable of destabilising the banking sector is brewing in the industry as bank workers have concluded arrangements to take up their respective managements over insurance policy differentials.
Investigations conducted by Sunday Tribune revealed that while banks insure their assets comprehensively, third party cover was extended to their workers. This development is causing panic and agitations among the workers in the industry.
A cross section of workers that spoke with our correspondents in Lagos said they were afraid for their lives in the light of the high level of insecurity associated with their jobs, stressing that with third party insurance policy cover extended by their respective managements, their lives on the job was not guaranteed.
According to a banker who spoke under conditions of anonymity, despite the representations made to the management of her bank, nothing was yet to be done, stating that a situation where banks’ managements preferred their assets to human beings was detestable and should be condemned by all.
She noted that palpable fears now envelop the banking halls because of the incessant robbery attacks by men of the underworld, adding that the job was not worth dying for because of the attendant risks and poor compensation package.
“Initially, we never thought of the implications until recent events in our work environment where robbers are now killing us like chickens. By this third party policy, if we die in active service, it is just a vain death at the end of the day as compensation may not come our way. It is better to settle this out now,” she noted.
Regrettably, the case of contract or out-sourced staff that form the majority of workers in the banking pools is most pathetic. Our investigations revealed that they are not under any insurance cover. They are left to their first employers who are after their profit margin rather than insurance cover for them.
When confronted with this development during the week, a bank chief executive said it was not true but, however, promised to get the relevant details.
However, the relevant unions in the sector have promised to seek redress with the banks’ management.
According to Comrade Enoma Uwechie of National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE), some of the banks’ workers had complained and efforts were being made to address the anomaly.
He noted that the union cannot fold its hands and allow their workers that lose their lives in active service go uncompensated.
In his reaction, the General Secretary of a leading shareholders’ association, the Association of Corporate Investors of Nigeria (ACIP), Mr. Oderinde Taiwo, said the banks should not be primarily preoccupied with profits at the expense of their workers.
He advised the workers to approach the issue with every element of caution, saying the managements would listen to them.
A security expert, Mr. Samson Essiet, condemned the development in all its ramifications. He advised banks to pay high premium on the lives of their workers, stressing that the country has become a security risk.
It would be recalled that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro, had once taken on banks regarding this issue, condemning a situation where the money being transported is insured whereas the policemen escorting the money were not safe.
Meanwhile, insurance experts have described the attitude of some bank boards to purchase third party insurance for their employee while they enjoy comprehensive insurance for themselves as unfortunate, stressing that the attitude further confirmed that some of the employers are only interested in the output of their employee and not their lives.
A managing director of an insurance company who would not want his name in print told Sunday Tribune on phone that despite the fact that the federal government has mandated all employers to take compulsory group life insurance for their employees, it is not enough to show that great discrepancy.
He stated further that there are tendencies that some of the banks have failed to take the group life insurance for their employees as directed by government, stressing that the latter should verify all these facts and bring such banks to book.
Speaking further, he stated that the pension commission should also identify those banks and swing into action to verify their books and see whether they are making remittances into their employees’ Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA).
He further explained that although the third party insurance is also a form of insurance product developed mainly for properties, “it is a form of insurance that is at least compulsory for all road users and very cheap.”
He argued that in the event of any unforeseen circumstance, the group life assurance is there to take care of them, adding that each employee can still buy comprehensive insurance products for themselves.
Some of the practitioners in the banking industry who would rather prefer anonymity, while confirming this, argued that rather than scaring practitioners away from the industry, it has only succeeded in making them seek greener pasture within the industry.
According to a staff of one of the second generation banks, the reason for banks seeming to prefer protecting their equipment rather than personnel is quite simple, as “they believe that personnel can be replaced anytime, especially with the vast number of people waiting outside for employment to take over from whoever is not ready to work.
“For instance, in one of the banks if you don’t meet your target for a specific period of time, you would have your salary slashed by 50 pert cent. But unfortunately, bankers don’t still have a choice because it is still one of the highest paying professions in the land. But, the fact remains that, in other climes, the staff is always treated well over the tools they use. Until the regulators come to the aid of the industry especially practitioners, this practice is bound to continue.”
While fielding questions from our correspondent, Mr. Kayode Abiodun, a banker, said while this may be true, it is not the rule. It is not rigid. It is not a uniformed thing. “It is not statutory. While some banks may be doing this, it is apparent that some would give anything to make their staff happy. It is like their staff welfare package which is not expected to be the same.” abroad, and is available to both customers and non-customers of the Bank.
Meanwhile, there are strong indications that many banks have resolved to hire the services of men of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) to guard their banks.
Sunday Tribune gathered that they resorted to this unorthodox method after the series of bank raids by armed robbers who were more armed and dastardly than the men of the Nigeria Police.
It was also gathered that banks took this turn after men of the OPC helped the police to kill some robbers in Ife, Osun State, last week.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/21122008/news/news1.html

lynxnoon:
u guys r shouting yaradua yaradua, didnt dey pass tru d so-called senate

lynxnoon nice one,
we forgot that the senate "screened" them.

tharma:
Why not at earthmama

did u mean RHC or deepzone?

Reps Panel Indicts Lukman, Daukoru, Kupolokun

By Festus Owete, Assistant Editor, Abuja

Newly appointed Petroleum Minister, Rilwan Lukman, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Edmond Daukoru have been indicted by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the activities of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), its subsidiaries and the Department of Petroleum Resources(DPR).
Also indicted is the former Group Managing Director of NNPC, Funso Kupolukun.
While frowning at the way activities were conducted in the said offices, the committee has recommended that the Federal Government should recover within 60 days signature bonuses amounting to about $360 million from firms which won oil blocks during the bidding in the last seven years.
The panel also recommended that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the police should further investigate the role played by administrators of the bid rounds.
The recommendations are contained in the interim report submitted by the committee last Wednesday and made available to Sunday Independent.
The 26-member committee headed by Igo Aguma (PDP, Rivers) was set up by the House in plenary in April to, among other things, determine the actual allocation of domestic crude oil to NNPC as well as quantity of refined petroleum products derived thereof for domestic consumption, and revenue, if any from May 1999 to May 2008.
The committee was also mandated to ascertain the identities, particulars, status and the basis of the engagement of companies, enterprises and individuals by the NNPC for the importation and exportation of petroleum products as well as those that have benefited from oil blocs allocation during the period under review.
The committee said in the 64-page report that the Federal Government lost enormous revenue in the bid process, partly because of the staggered payment of signature bonus and partly, because of the suspicious manner the administrators conducted the rounds.
It noted, regrettably, that in the 2000 bid round alone a total of $248 million was lost by the Federal Government following the shoddy manner it was handled.
According to the committee, during the 2000 bid round SNEPCO paid only $75 million out of a total signature bonus of $200 million for OPL 250 leaving a balance of $125 million. It noted though that the field was later abandoned by SNEPCO.
It also said that another firm, Ocean Energy Nigeria Limited which participated in the 2002 bid process for OPL 256 owes government the sum of $220 million on signature bonus since the $70 million it claimed to have paid as part of the fee, could not be traced in the records.
The committee also said that the sum of $20,000 application fee and another $10,000 processing fee should be recovered from Statoil (Nigeria) Limited for participating in the 2002 bid round pursuant to the 2000 Guidance Notes.
It also recommended that Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited should pay $20 million to the government and another $5 million being an outstanding signature bonus on OPL 233, which it won during the 2003 bid round.
It demanded that all the 35 companies that are identified as having no forms before participating in the 2005 bid round should be made to pay the mandatory $10,000 application fee and $10,000 processing fee to the government immediately.
Said the committee: "The Federal Government should put machinery in place to recover all outstanding signature bonuses, subject to the express provisions of the Production Sharing Contract (PSCs), from the winner of blocks who are in default of payment within a reasonable time but not exceeding 60 (sixty) days from the date of this report. At the expiration of that time frame the award should be revoked regardless of whether or not the blocks are either in development or production as the non-payment of signature bonus is a breach of the fundamental condition of the award of the block."
However, it called for the review of the award of OPLs 321 and 323 to KNOC during the 2005 bid rounds, saying the exercise "violates all principles of transparency in the extractive industry and violates due process."
The committee recommended that the award should be reviewed and cancelled in the national interest while "ONGC Videsh Limited that was the original winners of the block should be given the opportunity to pay the signature bonus of $485 million on the Block."
It further recommended that the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Edmund Daukoru "must be censured for his role in the KNOC saga."
The panel also frowned at the role played by the newly-appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources, Rilwanu Lukman, who was then the Special Adviser to the President on the Petroleum as well as the then Group Managing Director of NNPC, Funso Kupolokun in the administration of the various bid rounds in his capacity as Special Assistant to the President on Petroleum.
"The duo of Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman and Engineer Funso Kupolokun should be reprimanded for arrogating to themselves the discretionary powers of the Minister," the panel said.
It noted further that: "The various acts of reprehensible conduct exhibited by the administrators of the bid rounds should be thoroughly investigated by the relevant agencies (the Police, EFCC and the ICPC) with a view to prosecuting those persons whose actions and conduct were induced by improper motives. The rules and regulations for Local Content Vehicle participation in the process should be clearly developed and enacted."
It condemned former President Olusegun Obasanjo for occupying the position of Minister of Petroleum at the same time while in power, insisting that "it is unconstitutional."
The panel said: "This constitutional anomaly potentially undermines the legal process of the bid round as it can be contended that there was no minister constitutionally recognised that oversaw the bid rounds in accordance with section 2 of the Petroleum Act."
The panel also frowned at the rush with which the 2007 bid round was organised within two weeks of the handover ceremony to President Umaru Yar'Adua.

http://www.independentngonline.com/news/tfpg/article01

Reps Panel Indicts Lukman, Daukoru, Kupolokun

By Festus Owete, Assistant Editor, Abuja

Newly appointed Petroleum Minister, Rilwan Lukman, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Edmond Daukoru have been indicted by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the activities of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), its subsidiaries and the Department of Petroleum Resources(DPR).
Also indicted is the former Group Managing Director of NNPC, Funso Kupolukun.
While frowning at the way activities were conducted in the said offices, the committee has recommended that the Federal Government should recover within 60 days signature bonuses amounting to about $360 million from firms which won oil blocks during the bidding in the last seven years.
The panel also recommended that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the police should further investigate the role played by administrators of the bid rounds.
The recommendations are contained in the interim report submitted by the committee last Wednesday and made available to Sunday Independent.
The 26-member committee headed by Igo Aguma (PDP, Rivers) was set up by the House in plenary in April to, among other things, determine the actual allocation of domestic crude oil to NNPC as well as quantity of refined petroleum products derived thereof for domestic consumption, and revenue, if any from May 1999 to May 2008.
The committee was also mandated to ascertain the identities, particulars, status and the basis of the engagement of companies, enterprises and individuals by the NNPC for the importation and exportation of petroleum products as well as those that have benefited from oil blocs allocation during the period under review.
The committee said in the 64-page report that the Federal Government lost enormous revenue in the bid process, partly because of the staggered payment of signature bonus and partly, because of the suspicious manner the administrators conducted the rounds.
It noted, regrettably, that in the 2000 bid round alone a total of $248 million was lost by the Federal Government following the shoddy manner it was handled.
According to the committee, during the 2000 bid round SNEPCO paid only $75 million out of a total signature bonus of $200 million for OPL 250 leaving a balance of $125 million. It noted though that the field was later abandoned by SNEPCO.
It also said that another firm, Ocean Energy Nigeria Limited which participated in the 2002 bid process for OPL 256 owes government the sum of $220 million on signature bonus since the $70 million it claimed to have paid as part of the fee, could not be traced in the records.
The committee also said that the sum of $20,000 application fee and another $10,000 processing fee should be recovered from Statoil (Nigeria) Limited for participating in the 2002 bid round pursuant to the 2000 Guidance Notes.
It also recommended that Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited should pay $20 million to the government and another $5 million being an outstanding signature bonus on OPL 233, which it won during the 2003 bid round.
It demanded that all the 35 companies that are identified as having no forms before participating in the 2005 bid round should be made to pay the mandatory $10,000 application fee and $10,000 processing fee to the government immediately.
Said the committee: "The Federal Government should put machinery in place to recover all outstanding signature bonuses, subject to the express provisions of the Production Sharing Contract (PSCs), from the winner of blocks who are in default of payment within a reasonable time but not exceeding 60 (sixty) days from the date of this report. At the expiration of that time frame the award should be revoked regardless of whether or not the blocks are either in development or production as the non-payment of signature bonus is a breach of the fundamental condition of the award of the block."
However, it called for the review of the award of OPLs 321 and 323 to KNOC during the 2005 bid rounds, saying the exercise "violates all principles of transparency in the extractive industry and violates due process."
The committee recommended that the award should be reviewed and cancelled in the national interest while "ONGC Videsh Limited that was the original winners of the block should be given the opportunity to pay the signature bonus of $485 million on the Block."
It further recommended that the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Edmund Daukoru "must be censured for his role in the KNOC saga."
The panel also frowned at the role played by the newly-appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources, Rilwanu Lukman, who was then the Special Adviser to the President on the Petroleum as well as the then Group Managing Director of NNPC, Funso Kupolokun in the administration of the various bid rounds in his capacity as Special Assistant to the President on Petroleum.
"The duo of Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman and Engineer Funso Kupolokun should be reprimanded for arrogating to themselves the discretionary powers of the Minister," the panel said.
It noted further that: "The various acts of reprehensible conduct exhibited by the administrators of the bid rounds should be thoroughly investigated by the relevant agencies (the Police, EFCC and the ICPC) with a view to prosecuting those persons whose actions and conduct were induced by improper motives. The rules and regulations for Local Content Vehicle participation in the process should be clearly developed and enacted."
It condemned former President Olusegun Obasanjo for occupying the position of Minister of Petroleum at the same time while in power, insisting that "it is unconstitutional."
The panel said: "This constitutional anomaly potentially undermines the legal process of the bid round as it can be contended that there was no minister constitutionally recognised that oversaw the bid rounds in accordance with section 2 of the Petroleum Act."
The panel also frowned at the rush with which the 2007 bid round was organised within two weeks of the handover ceremony to President Umaru Yar'Adua.

http://www.independentngonline.com/news/tfpg/article01

Abin da yar adua yake yi abin kunya ne sosai,har wadansu sun fara cewa gara obj da shi.
kuma kulum abubuwa dada lalace wa suke yi.Kuma yanzu da arewa ke da mulki,idan basu yi komai da shi ba har tenure ya kare mulki ya koma wurin yan kudu mai za mu yi.Za mu zama abun tausayi a wannan kasan.

[quote author=profit$ link=topic=209383.msg3251345#msg3251345 date=1229841543]I don't support corruption, but I love fighting corruption with rule of law, there is nothing wrong with Efcc appeal which will bring further justice to serve as deterrent, Understand me the issue is that we are beginning to make progress than doing nothing, tho let the progress be quickened[/quote]haba,cant u see that going to appeal court is part of the script to give credibility of the whole thing,
the EFCC is a corrupt organization of dubious and corrupt individuals,
they will not finish well.

tharma,kin fadi gaskiya.

This el-rufai guy is a crook,
there's a balance of N32bn naira from the sale of govt houses that he has not accounted for,and so many other things,

earTHMama:
They are becoming a liability to my country. I'd say let them step aside for women to come in and run things.

lmao

which women?
have u forgotten Iyabo,Etteh and Grange so soon?

i think this is very selfish on the part of NLC,
wat they should be asking for is light,road,good transport,affordable food stuffs,healthcare. . .etc
but even if the govt increases their salary to N100,000 ,it wont solve their problems cos everything will increase too.

and now that the govt is complaining about the price of oil i wonder. . .