₦airaland Forum

Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts for State at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Moshood Oshun has carpeted Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State for calling the Treasury Single Account, TSA, policy a fraud…

Reacting to Fayose’s postulations, Oshun said the governor had simply exhibited his ignorance adding that it would have been wise for Fayose to learn from those who understood the issue before coming out to embarrass himself and loyalists.

“First, a politician is suppose to know a little about everything and be able to speak with facts. Unfortunately, Fayose failed in this regard by making it look like REMITA is a company when it is, indeed, a software that belongs to System Specs.

“Then Fayose went on to say the company was being used by the APC to recoup money spent during the last election and to gather money for the execution of the Kogi and Bayelsa elections.

“Showing further lack of understanding of the issue, the governor said the company got one percent of the total revenue of the federation and that in just one month, the company was discovered to have made N25 billion, all these in an attempt to paint the APC black,” Oshun said.

To educate Fayose, the lawmaker said: “first, REMITA is simply an e-payment and e-collection software belonging to System Specs and used by the Federal Government to implement payments into the TSA. The company has even explained that it got its contract since 2011 when former President Goodluck Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party, which Fayose belongs, held sway.

“Fayose should know that the company has also explained that it never made N25 billion as claimed by Fayose and his co-travellers. Instead, the company, since the commencement of the contract in 2011, has only made N3billion from the one percent Fayose has been shouting about. This means that the System Specs is not the only company that got the one percent since the processing fee was shared with concerned banks and even the Central Bank of Nigeria in the ratios of .5 percent, .4 percent and .1 percent respectively.Oshun noted that in a recent letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, System Specs had given its side of the needed explanation saying in in 2013, CBN and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation set up a multi-stakeholder implementation committee and organized a joint seminar with key stakeholders, including banks, to agree on formalities for commencement of e-collection.

“This was when Buhari and the APC were not in power. Yet Fayose, in an attempt to curry public applause, attempted to either misinform the people or showed his ignorance,” Oshun said adding that the letter by System Specs showed that while the banks proposed a fee of five percent, the implementation committee recommended 2.5 percent after negotiation with the banks while the then Attorney-General approved one percent and that this processing fee was communicated to all the stakeholders through the CBN in December 2013.

According to Oshun, Fayose really needed to get his facts right and stop playing with serious issues like the TSA which is one way to combat corruption taken steps higher by the PDP.

“As governor, he can easily get all the information he needs.

He can also call those who understand the situation to teach him instead of turning the table against himself with this shallow understanding,” Oshun stressed.

source:http://dailyindependentnig.com/2015/11/fayose-goofed-on-tsa-remita-says-oshun/

The Nigerian Army, on Monday, warned pro-Biafra agitators that it was ready to suppress insurrection by any group across the country.

The army made it clear that it was prepared to check the activities of the secessionists, saying it would uphold its constitutional role of protecting the unity and integrity of the country.

The 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, gave the warning in an address on the activities of pro-Biafra demonstrators across cities in the South-South and the South-East geopolitical zones.

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division Enugu, Col. Hamza Gambo, who read a statement on behalf of the General Officer Commanding, Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, during a press conference at the division’s headquarters in Enugu, noted that the ongoing protests had led to an increased sense of insecurity in the South-East and South-South.

The army spokesman further noted that although the pro-Biafra activists, like other Nigerians, have the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, such rights should not undermine other people’s freedom and safety.

Gambo said the army would not shy away from its constitutional mandate to suppress insurrection, and aid civil authority, if called upon to do so as a result of the ongoing pro-Biafra agitation.

“The truism of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly is not contestable particularly as it is guaranteed by sections 39 (1) and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

“Instructively, this constitutional guarantee does not allow for abuse of other person’s freedom and safety.

“It is, however, pertinent to note that the same constitution vide section 217 (2) mandates the Armed Forces of Nigeria to suppress insurrection and act in aid of civil authority to restore order when called upon to do so.”

Gambo assured that the army would act within it rules of engagement should it be required to check the activities of the pro-Biafra activists.

“To this end, if and when the Nigerian Army is called upon to play its legally mandated role, it shall do so with utmost sense of duty and responsibility to the nation.

“In such an instance, the Nigerian Army shall act within its rules of engagement accordingly. It is also important to reassure all law-abiding citizens that they have nothing to fear,” Gambo added.

According to him, “The Nigerian Army remains committed to protecting democratic norms while ensuring a peaceful environment for socio-economic activities to thrive.”

Gambo stressed that the ongoing agitation for Biafra was a threat to lives and property.

He said, “In the past three weeks, there has been a marked increase in the activities of pro-Biafra groups in some parts of the South-South and the South-East of Nigeria.

“These activities include protest marches, demonstrations and some reported cases of outright lawlessness and threat to lives and properties.

“These demonstrations are being orchestrated by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, the Indigenous People of Biafra and other affiliated groups.

“These agitations and protests have led to an increased sense of insecurity across the regions.”

Renewed agitation for Biafra, which was largely triggered by the detention of the leader of IPOB, and director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, had led to massive protests in major cities of the South-East and South-South.

The protesters are demanding the recognition of Biafra as a sovereign state and Kanu’s immediate release.

Source: http://punchng.com/were-ready-to-crush-pro-biafra-revolt-says-army/

None of the 109 Senators attended an online training organised on Monday by the office of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The workshop was organised for the senators and their aides and it was aimed at strengthening their use of Facebook and Social media for effective communication on issues relating to Public Policy and Good Governance.

Our correspondent also observed that, less than 10 percent of the aides of the senators attended the event.

Majority of those in attendance were from the senate president’s office.

Findings revealed that just 25 out of about 500 senators’ aides, actually turned up for the programme.

The Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Senator Isa Galaudu, had in a statement issued on Thursday, said the training was in line with the promise of the senate president to bring about, a more representative legislature through the use of technology and e-parliamentary tools.

He had said that the training, would be conducted by the Head of Policy at Facebook Africa and members of her team, billed to arrive in the country on Sunday.

Source: http://punchng.com/senators-aides-shun-sarakis-online-training/

Despite the ongoing pro-Biafran protests rocking some parts of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said Nigerians had resolved to remain one.

He said the fact that the country witnessed a lot of internal strife and a civil war since independence and has remained united was a proof of the people’s resolve to remain one.

Buhari spoke during the launch of the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem and Appeal Fund at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said he was proud to address the gathering in honour of those who he said devoted their lives to the service of the country and the world at large.

The President said, “Today’s occasion reminds us of the need to appreciate the noble contributions of our fallen heroes who paid the supreme sacrifice to maintain national and international peace and security.

“Our nation has recently celebrated 55 years of political independence and continues to remain as one indivisible entity despite several grievous challenges.

“Since independence, Nigeria has witnessed a lot of internal strife, survived a civil war and has remained united.

“This feat achieved by the country is an eloquent testimony to the determination of our citizens to remain as one people.

“The sacrifices of our fallen heroes, heroines, and veterans who rose up to the security challenges cannot go un-noticed.”

While describing the current terrorism challenge as a trying time for Nigeria, Buhari described the theme of this year’s remembrance, “Motivating the Nigerian Armed Forces for Effective Service Delivery” as very apt for the current realities.

He lauded men of the nation’s armed forces for their courage and sacrifices in grappling with the wave of terrorism, oil theft​ and piracy in some parts of the country, saying they have displayed unalloyed loyalty and commitment to Nigeria.


source: http://punchng.com/nigerians-are-determined-to-remain-one-buhari/

End time

Anyone who has witnessed a war would never pray for another in his lifetime. Plato rightfully said "Only the dead have seen the end of war".
These 90's kids need to get back to history or ask their honest parents about their experiences. We are better off as one NIGERIA.

"A united Nigeria and an integrated Africa" This should be our mantra and earnest agitation..

I think most of the comments here are sad because even if you are agitating for a biafran state, it has not materialize now and Nigeria is still your country. For now, any mishap in Nigeria will affect you directly or indirectly, so why the superficial remarks?
Even if you won't pray for Nigeria, what about "Pray for Africa"? Are we so inferior and hypocritical that we think the life of an European is worth more than that of an African? Until we start being honestly concerned about the welfare of our homesteads and honestly pursuing our own cause, we shall forever be trampled and play second fiddle to the other world out there, whether as a biafran or Nigerian.
But we must know that staying together as one Nigeria is the best option. There are injustices, yes, but the cure for headache is never by cutting off the head.

Well this may be true as I know that Cameroon has been perpetually subject to France up till now, and I can't say that country is moving forward.

Come out straight with him and don't toy with people's hearts