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Politics / I Lose Not Less Than $1m Yearly For Accepting To Serve As Minister – Kachikwu by todayng: 10:01pm On Feb 14, 2016
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, has said although his former job was more rewarding financially, he decided to serve Nigeria for the love of his fatherland.
Kachikwu said in Abuja on Sunday that all hands must on deck to build enduring institutions that would secure the future of the country and improve on the standard of living of Nigerians.
He said: “I believe that this country needs help.
“I believe that it is about time we began to perform for the young and upcoming.
“I believe that the sheer capacity of this country is unimaginable.
“I do not know of any country in the world with our population, our resources, our intellect, our flamboyance, our family nexus, everything is together.
“The call to public service for me was unique.
“I was Vice President of Exxon Mobil West Africa and I was suddenly called to serve.
“In serving, I lose a lot of money, if not at least $1 million every year by virtue of being a minister.
“But the thing is: I am directed by the voice of God.”
According to Kachikwu, the current economic crunch in Nigeria can be surmounted with the right leadership.
He said Nigerians would not feel the impact of the challenges posed by the drop in the price of oil if government properly harnessed other natural resources.
He said: “Everything in this country is together.
“The only thing that is not together is leadership and in God’s name, we are bound to change that.
“In every little space that you have, and in my own case petroleum, you have to make an absolute change and so I am not worried about price of oil.
“It can be $5 for all I care.
“I am worried about the direction of the industry.
“I am worried about changing things the way they have never done before.
“I am worried about creating opportunities that exist.
“I am worried about improving the standards of living.
“I am worried about encouraging opportunities in the sector.
“I am worried about opening up those opportunities that have existed for years.”
Kachikwu, who is also the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, called on Nigerians to embrace the new philosophy of the present administration geared towards charting a new course for the country.
He called on Nigerians to bury their differences and contribute their quota to the development of the country.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/79512/i-lose-not-less-than-1m-yearly-for-accepting-to-serve-as-minister-kachikwu
Politics / Full Q&A Of Buhari’s Interview With UK Telegraph by todayng: 9:22pm On Feb 08, 2016
Are you willing to talk to Boko Haram about the missing Chibok schoolgirls?
“As long as we can establish the bona fides of the leadership of Boko Haram, we are prepared as a government to discuss with them how to get the girls back. But we have not established any evidence of a credible leadership.”
Is Abubakr Shekau still the leader of Boko Haram?

“I receive conflicting information about the status of Shekau. Some say he has been removed and replaced by a less charismatic terrorist leader.
“I think he must be on the run, because out of the 14 local government districts that Boko Haram used to call their caliphate, they now do not control any now. They are scattered around the Sambisa forest and they have resorted to attacking soft targets, people in churches, mosques and market places, and using improvised explosive devices.”
Are you seeking any further help from the West in the fight against Boko Haram?

“I was invited by the G7 during my visit to Europe to brief them on the issue of security Boko Haram, and I did so. I subsequently sent Nigeria’s ‘shopping list’ in terms of the infrastructure destroyed. That is schools, medical facilities and other institutions, bridges blown up, and the estimates of repair.”
Did you also ask for Western military help?

“Yes, I did, but I don’t want to give any details of that in public at present. As you know, we already have foreign military help in terms of training missions.”
And are you asking for additional military help beyond training missions?

“I am not asking for any of that yet. I want to be briefed first on the situation from the Nigerian military and also the police.”

The previous government used mercenaries from South Africa in the fight against Boko Haram, with some success. Would you consider doing the same?

“I personally was very disappointed that the previous government resorted to mercenaries. I was also disappointed by the recent revelations of how military allocations were also misappropriated. How is it that Nigeria’s military, which has a good record across west Africa, cannot claim back to 14 out of 774 local governorates from Boko Haram? They have to ask for mercenaries from South Africa? How the mighty has fallen!”

What is your feeling on the wider terror threats across west and north Africa at the moment, with terrorism attacks taking place in Mali and Burkina Faso?
“I think we should be very worried because with technology, Boko Haram and other terrorists have become very mobile in all continents, not only in Africa but also in Europe, America and Asia.
“For Africa and the Sahel, the demise of Gaddafi’s regime led to a lot of armed and trained people, especially those from the Sahel, being dispersed. Fighting is the only thing they know, and they are available for a fee. The danger is there, and I am pleased that Europe has realised it too.”
There have been reports that Nigerians have been fighting for ISIL in the Libyan city of Sirte. Is that true?

“I haven’t seen confirmed reports about that, but I know that it is not only in Sirte – there are also Nigerians finding their way to Syria too. I don’t know which side, but they may be fighting for ISIL. How many, I have no idea.”

Have you ever had reports of people from the Nigerian diaspora in the UK being involved in Boko Haram in any way?
“No, but if I do, I will immediately raise the issue.”

A number of Nigerians use the migrant routes to come to the UK to claim asylum, saying their lives are at risk from Boko Haram. Is is legitimate for them to do so?

“Some Nigerians claim is that life is too difficult back home, but then again some Nigerians have also made it difficult for Europeans and Americans to accept them because of the number of Nigerians in different prisons all over the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking. I don’t think Nigerians have anybody to blame. They can remain at home. Their services are required to rebuild the country. If their countrymen misbehaved, the best thing for them is to stay at home and encourage the credibility of the nation.”

Do you think that Nigerians have an image problem abroad?

“Certainly. But we are on our way to salvage that. We will encourage our countrymen to stay at home, work hard and make a respectable living at home.”
Your government has launched a major corruption probe over claims that billions of dollars of oil cash went missing during the previous administration. Some suspects have been arrested in the UK. Are you satisfied with the co-operation you are getting from the UK authorities?
“One of the biggest suspects is in Britain now, although I am not going to name that person. But Britain has earned our respect in the way it deals with these matters. Our only problem is that it seems to be too thorough and it takes too much time. If there are obvious cases, like bank accounts, infrastructure houses and hotels, I would hope they could do it quicker, so that we can claim these things back promptly.”
https://www.today.ng/news/national/76799/full-qa-of-buharis-interview-with-uk-telegraph
Career / Shell To Sack 10,000 Workers As Profits Plunge By 80% by todayng: 1:46pm On Feb 04, 2016
Royal Dutch Shell has confirmed it is cutting 10,000 jobs amid its steepest fall in annual profits for 13 years.
It made $1.8bn (£1.23bn) for the fourth quarter of the year, compared with a $4.2bn profit for the same period the year before. Full-year 2015 earnings were $3.8bn, compared with $19bn in 2014.
The oil firm indicated it would report a massive drop in profits two weeks ago and said it would cut 10,000 jobs, partly thanks to its takeover of BG.
Royal Dutch Shell’s chief executive, Ben van Beurden, said: “The completion of the BG transaction, which we are expecting in a matter of weeks, marks the start of a new chapter in Shell, rejuvenating the company and improving shareholder returns.
“We are making substantial changes in the company… as we refocus Shell, and respond to lower oil prices. As we have previously indicated, this will include a reduction of some 10,000 staff and direct contractor positions in 2015-16 across both companies.”
He added he would take further action if necessary: “Shell will take further impactful decisions to manage through the oil price downturn, should conditions warrant that.”
At the time of the proposed BG tie-up, oil was trading at about $55 a barrel, but has fallen sharply since then and is currently trading at about $30 a barrel, leading some shareholders to oppose the plan.
Standard Life, a key investor in Royal Dutch Shell, said last month that the price of oil needed to be $60 a barrel for the takeover to make financial sense, but last month, the majority of shareholders in Shell, which is Europe’s largest oil company, voted in favour of that deal.
Shell said it had cut operating costs over the year by $4bn, or around 10%, and expected to cut costs by a further $3bn this year.
The company also cut back hard on investment over the year, with capital spending slashed by $8.4bn from a year ago to $28.9bn.
Shell sold $5.5bn worth of assets in the course of 2015 and is planning to sell another $30bn of assets.
Shell’s results are calculated on the basis of replacement cost, which reflects the current cost of supplies and is widely seen as the best measure of an oil firm’s underlying performance.
The drop in the price of oil has been driven by oversupply, mainly due to US shale oil flooding the market.
At the same time, demand has fallen because of a slowdown in economic growth in China and Europe.
The world’s energy watchdog warned recently that the market could “drown in oversupply”.
The International Energy Agency, which advises countries on energy policy, said it expected the global glut to last until at least late 2016.
The most recent worry for investors is the lifting of Western sanctions on Iran which could worsen the existing oversupply problem, with the country’s deputy oil minister, Roknoddin Javadi, predicting it can produce an extra 500,000 barrels per day.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/75234/shell-to-sack-10000-workers-as-profits-plunge-by-80
Politics / How We Rigged Fayose Into Office – Ekiti PDP Scribe by todayng: 6:06pm On Jan 31, 2016
Secretary of the Ekiti state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Temitope Aluko, on Sunday opened a can of worms as he gave an insider account of how the military was used to rig the 2014 Ekiti State governor election that Ayo Fayose won under PDP.
Aluko, who was the Chief Returning Officer and signed the results for the election, also disclosed how former President Goodluck Jonathan, gave Fayose $37 million cash to prosecute the governorship election.
The embattled Secretary of the Ekiti state chapter of PDP, made the disclosure in Abuja, stressed that he was forced to come forward with the revelations because Fayose betrayed him and derailed from the original plan they had for the development of the state.
Aluko had also testified in camera before the military panel that investigated the role of the military in the Ekiti election.
According to Aluko, who said he was part Fayose’s inner cycle during the election, alleged that Jonathan initially gave the incumbent Ekiti governor a first tranche of $2 million in March 2014 for the primary election.
He noted that this cash was collected at the NNPC headquarters in Abuja and was taken to Fayose’s private house, in Abuja before it was moved to Ekiti.
“Immediately after the primary election, we collected. another $35 million from Jonathan on June 17, 2014. The money was brought to us by the former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
“We all assembled at the front office of Spotless Hotel, Ado Ekiti, owned by Fayose. Thereafter, the cash was taken to a Bureau De Change in Onitsha where it was converted to N4.7 billion”, Aluko added.
Aluko, further alleged that Fayose received about N3 billion cash from Sen. Buruji Kashamu in 2013 for revive the PDP in Ekiti State.
The Ekiti PDP scribe, also gave account on how the military was used to win the election.
Aluko said “the former President agreed with Fayose and summoned a security meeting at the Presidential Villa for the purpose of the election.
“Those at the meeting were the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh; then Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Kenneth Minimmah; and former National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.
“Others included Fayose, Senator Iyiola Omisore, then Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan and Obanikoro.
“At that meeting, the former President made it clear to the ex Chief of Defence Staff that Fayose would stand for him (as Commander-In-Chief) in terms of providing security for the election”.
Aluko alleged that Fayose, relying on Jonathan’s directive, approached the former Commander of the Army Brigade in Akure, Brig. Gen. Dikko to take charge of the election for the PDP, who refused to cooperate and was replaced after a petition was filed against him.
“But Gen. Dikko did not give us audience. He stated bluntly that he would not be available for such operation. So Fayose sponsored a petition against him which led to his replacement with Brig. Gen. Aliyu Momoh who was amenable to our plans”.
Aluko alleged that a total of 64 PDP stalwarts were picked, who had knowledge of their local governors were picked to help with information on opposition members.
“They gave detailed information regarding names and locations of opposition members in all the local governments, the various routes, areas of strength and weaknesses of the PDP in the 16 local governments.
“Today, most of these 64 hatchet men are members of the Senate, House of Representatives, state House of Assembly, commissioners, local government chairmen, special advisers and the rest”, Aluko said.
He continued, “We went into the election with 1040 recognised soldiers and another batch of 400 unrecognised soldiers brought from Enugu by Sen. Andy Uba.
“In addition, we raised 44 special strike teams brought in Toyota Hilux buses from Abuja and Onistah. We made special stickers for the vehicles that conveyed members of the strike team and black hand bands for each of them.
“Each strike team was made up of 10 members headed by a soldier and comprising soldiers, policemen, DSS operatives and Civil Defence corps. They were detailed to attack and arrest prominent APC chieftains in all the local governments.
“We set up anchorage, mainly residential houses, in every local government where the strike team members collected their welfare and other allowances.
“To encourage the strike team members, we gave them orders to share money and other valuables they could lay their hands on in the houses of APC chieftains they raided.
“Then we set up detention camps, mainly in primary schools where most of the APC chieftains were detained. Others were detained in police stations where the DPOs were friendly with us. We let them off after the election was over.
“A day to the election, we used the military to block all routes in the local governments and prevented APC chieftains, including former Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi from coming into Ekiti.
“So we ensured that no APC chieftain was insight on election. We provided polling agents for the APC in most of the polling units so we had no problem getting them to sign election results in the units.
“All these local and foreign observers that described the election free and fair only witnessed the voting exercise on election day without knowing what transpired before the voting”.
Explains why he was coming up with the revelations, Aluko said “Before the election, Fayose, Femi Bamishile and I jointly swore with the Holy Bible on a sharing formula after we must have won the election. We agreed that Fayose would be governor, Bamishile his deputy and I Chief of Staff.
“But the moment he got into office, Fayose reneged on the agreement and left me in the lurch. More worrisome is the fact that Fayose has derailed from the original Ekiti project we envisaged”.
https://www.today.ng/politics/73579/how-we-rigged-fayose-into-office-ekiti-pdp-scribe
Politics / Arms Deal: Account Manager Confirms Metuh’s Coy Received N400m From Dasuki by todayng: 9:10pm On Jan 27, 2016
Iniobong Effiong, a staff member of Diamond Bank, on Wednesday testified against Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Effiong, who managed the account of Metuh’s Destra Investment Limited at Diamond Bank, claimed that Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), paid a sum of N400m into the company’s account on November 24, 2014.
She claimed that prior to the deposit of the sum by the former NSA, the company’s account balance was N6, 636, 576.
Earlier Okon Abang, justice of the federal high court, Abuja, had delivered a bench ruling admitting some documents tendered by Tahir Sylvanus, the prosecution counsel, as evidence against Metuh.
Emeka Etiaba, counsel to Metuh, had asked the court to dismiss some correspondence between Diamond Bank and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as evidence against his client.
But Abang overruled his application for lacking in merit. He therefore admitted, in evidence, a letter from Diamond Bank to the EFCC containing the statement of account, account opening document and certificate of identification of Destra Investment Limited.
He also admitted, in evidence, a letter from the EFCC to Diamond Bank asking for the bank details of the company.
Effiong is the fourth witness to testify against Metuh.
On Monday, Nicole Ararume, another witness, had claimed she received $2m from Metuh, which she converted into naira and transferred to the PDP spokesman’s account.
On Tuesday, Bali Ndam, a legal officer at the office of the national security officer (NSA), had also claimed that the former NSA paid N400m into Metuh’s Destra Investment Limited account without an award for any contract.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/71890/arms-deal-account-manager-confirms-metuhs-coy-received-n400m-from-dasuki
Business / Naira Slides Further, Sells At N297 To Dollar At Parallel Market by todayng: 7:47am On Jan 19, 2016
Naira on Monday depreciated further at the parallel market amid growing shortage of the currency.
The Naira lost N5 to exchange at N297 to the dollar, representing a depreciation of 1.7 per cent.
It traded previously for N292 to the dollar over the weekend and at the official interbank window, the dollar remained at N197.
Traders at the market expressed concerns at the widening gap between the price of foreign exchange at the official interbank window and that at the parallel market.
They were, however, hopeful that the directive of the apex bank to money deposit banks to reopen domiciliary accounts could redress the shortage of dollars.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/67890/naira-slides-further-sells-at-n297-to-dollar-at-parallel-market
Politics / EFCC Arrests Army Colonel Over Alleged Involvement In Arms Deal Scandal by todayng: 10:30am On Jan 01, 2016
Abuja — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Monday night, arrested a serving colonel in the Nigerian Army over his alleged involvement in the sharing of money from the office of the National Security Adviser under Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
The arrest saw the anti-graft agency deploying over two truckloads of armed security personnel, who cordoned off the residence of the colonel in the Apo district of the Federal Capital Territory where the operatives had to bring down the fence to gain entrance into the sprawling complex.
It was gathered that the colonel (names withheld) served as a Special Assistant to the former National Security Adviser in charge of liaison with the Nigerian Army.
It was further gathered that upon arrival at the complex, the army officer locked himself up in one of the buildings while the EFCC operatives laid siege until about 10pm when he was moved to the EFCC headquarters for interrogation.
Although the serving army officer had earlier been arrested by the EFCC and questioned, it appeared he was released on bail before he was picked up again and detained by the anti-graft agency.
It was gathered that when operatives of the EFCC went back to the house to effect a search on the property, the officer resisted and barricaded the gate, forcing the operatives to bring it down before taking him away again to their facility for detention.
On Wednesday evening, the officer was again taken to his house where a search was reportedly conducted. But when the officer was asked to open one of the safes in the house, he refused to oblige, forcing the operatives to force it open before taking away some vital documents.
A senior official of the commission, who declined to be named, confirmed the arrest of the army colonel, saying the arrest was in connection with the on-going investigation into arms deal by the former NSA, Sambo Dasuki.
“Yes, we have in our custody a serving army colonel who was a Special Assistant to the former NSA. His name featured in several deals and want to find out his role in the arms funds. He is still in our custody,” the source said.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/59860/efcc-arrests-army-colonel-over-alleged-involvement-in-arms-deal-scandal
Politics / Before TSA, NNPC, Military Operated 115 Accounts – Buhari by todayng: 7:57pm On Dec 31, 2015
President Muhammadu Buhari revealed yesterday that under the immediate past administration, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) operated about 45 bank accounts while the Ministry of Defence had 70 accounts.
The president said it was for this reason that his government introduced the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
Responding to questions from a team of media executives, the president said, “The (economic) situation now is aggravated by the downturn in the petroleum industry. It is now $39 per barrel and we have debt servicing of about N1.5 trillion and we have commitments on the ground.
“We had to reorganise the NNPC. We had to introduce the TSA. There were 45 accounts in the NNPC alone. Ministry of Defence had about 70 accounts. We have got about N1.5 trillion through the TSA.
“The oil downturn is very unfortunate for this government. Check previous records. Over 90 per cent (of the budget) was for recurrent expenditure. No country can develop without capital projects. We were in very bad shape”.
Buhari further said government parastatals would be realigned in view of the lesser number of ministries the country now has.
“The process of government agencies earning monies and spending them and giving government change will have to stop. All government monies have to be paid to the Federation Account and a budget submitted for their operations,” he added.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/59310/before-tsa-nnpc-military-operated-115-accounts-buhari

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Politics / Refineries To Operate Full Capacity In 3 Months – Kachikwu by todayng: 12:53pm On Dec 28, 2015
Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu yesterday announced that Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri refineries will be in full capacity in first quarter of 2016.
He said Kaduna refinery is already producing about 1.5 million litres a day, while Port Harcourt will commence production of about 2 million litres a day by next week, while Warri is expected to start full production early next year.
He also debunked speculations that the refineries are obsolete, saying they are up to date and only need some refurbishment in order to make them to produce at full capacity.
According to him, Nigerian refineries are not up to 40 years, while in the United States of America there are oil refineries that are 60 years old and still functioning.
The minister who disclosed this while in Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) on oversight visit, said by next year the refineries are expected to produce 10 million liters a day.
He also pointed out that, despite the refineries full capacity production the country will continue importing fuel.
“We are still going to be importing, even if you are in hundred percent capacity, production of about four hundred and forty five thousand barrels capacity for the plant, you will still be doing less than two million litres, consumption is even at best with all we have done moving it from fifty to forty, it is still 50 percent.
”So until we begin to get individuals who can co-relocate new refineries within the premises of existing refineries to expand the capacity, that’s the best way to go. And that is the only way we are going to be committed to it.
“We are looking for investors who have the capacity, the speed and the time to be able to accomplish on that. But until we do that, we are going to be doing a mixture.
“Best case situation is a twenty five to forty percent of local production and the rest being imported, worst case situation is what we have seen in the last few months of hundred percent importation.”, he said.
The minister also said that he directed the refineries to look at the commercial view of their plants in order to use every arm of the refinery to generate profit.
“A typical refinery will look at their looms, the petrochemical areas, will look at their power areas and see how they can probably expand the value chain and the potentials, that’s certainly what we are looking at”, he said.
On the disappearance of queues in filling stations across the country, Kachikwu expressed confidence that the queues in the filling stations will end in the next two weeks.
“Some of these factors are not in anybody’s control, one of the things i want people to understand is that NNPC is not setup to be a hundred percent importer for the country.
“We are a last intervention force, that is what we are and this business should be run by marketers who make money out of it, bringing their products, selling their stations. It is not the business of NNPC really to be providing them hundred percent capacity, but because there was over one year delay in payment subsidy.
“Because of the excess challenges that marketers have had, NNPC had to wrap up on the forty percent to about eighty capacities right now. And with that comes also with the responsibility in terms of distribution, in terms of clearing and other related issues.
“And bad pipeline are not exactly helping matters so it been huge amount of work we have to do in the last nine weeks just keeping people on the roads, I personally never had window of three hours to sleep over that period. Now we have been able to clear some of them but there is still a lot more work to be done. “, he explained.
He also denied insinuation that there are plans to sell the countries refines, saying there was no such plan by the government.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/58045/refineries-to-operate-full-capacity-in-3-months-kachikwu
Politics / Arms Deal: Convicts’ll Forfeit Property To FG – Buhari by todayng: 12:03pm On Dec 28, 2015
Amid concerns over the dwin­dling fortunes of the economy, President Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend assured that de­spite the fall in oil price, mea­sures taken to block revenue leakages would ensure enough cash to fund the 2016 N6 trillion budget.
The President presented the national budget to the joint session of the National Assem­bly last Tuesday in Abuja.
He said anybody convicted in the $2.1billion arms deal would forfeit his/her property to the Federal Government.
According to him, Nigeria is not poor but noted that the prob­lem had been leadership which did not take seriously the need to curb corruption.
Speaking on BBC Hausa ser­vice on Christmas eve, he said by the time his government blocks all the leakages, there would be enough fund to run the country despite the fall in oil price.
His words: “Remember dur­ing the campaigns, we said Ni­geria is facing three things and nobody disputed that assertion. Firstly; there was widespread insecurity, war in the North- East, while the country’s oil was being stolen at random in the South. Secondly, there is mas­sive unemployment, 62 per cent of the nation’s population are youth from the age of 35 years downward; most of them are un­employed, including those who went to school and those who did not, that is a serious problem.
“Therefore, it has become necessary to restore peace and create employment. That is why we are returning to agriculture and mineral resources. Thirdly, bribery and corruption are basi­cally suffocating the country. If we don’t kill these monsters, this country would go down.
“That is why those who stole monies meant for arms pro­curement and shared the fund among themselves are being arrested and are being shown documents, so that they would be asked to refund the money or face prosecution; we would use those documents to prove what they stole, collect all the assets acquired from the proceeds and then jail them,” he said.
He regretted that his govern­ment inherited N1.5 trillion do­mestic debt, saying that when foreign debt is added, it totals about N2.2 trillion.
“It is generally believed that a fish begins to rot from the head; once the head is rotten, the whole body is also rotten. We have tried to remove all the heads of the organisations, and most of the lieutenants have been changed.
“A lot is happening in this government that people do not appear to understand; many per­manent secretaries of ministries have been changed; we used to have 42 ministers, now we have 36 because the Constitution re­quires that each state of the fed­eration must have a minister; we used to have 42 ministries, now we have 24.
“Everybody knows Nigeria is not a poor country, we are rich, and we have human resources, the problem had been that lead­ership did not take seriously, curbing corrupt tendencies,” he said.
On the N5,000 the All Pro­gressives Congress (APC) -led government promised to pay the poor and vulnerable people, he said it is not possible for every­body to benefit from the gesture.
He explained that the Federal Government will collaborate with the states and local govern­ments in effecting the execution of the programme.
“At the local government level, almost everyone knows each other. It would be easy to identify those to give who would go into trading and how to get it back. It would be like a cooperative and we all know how it operates.
“Also, state governments would identify those who have capacity to employ more people and all we need to do is to em­power them. Our people already know how to go about imple­menting these modalities to create employment for the citi­zens”, he said.
On the December deadline for defeating Boko Haram, President Buhari said his gov­ernment may not achieve full success at the end of the month, but noted that if people would be fair, they would know that the Nigerian Army has basically met the deadline and are win­ning the war.
He said: “I want people to un­derstand that after I settled down and got good grasp of what the country is going through, we removed all the service chiefs and appointed new ones. We also undertook an investigation and found out how the monies meant for arms procurement were diverted and shared by officials in the last administra­tion,” the President noted.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/58082/arms-deal-convictsll-forfeit-property-to-fg-buhari
Politics / Re-electing Jonathan Would Have Ruined Nigeria’s Future – Tinubu by todayng: 7:57am On Dec 19, 2015
National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday commended Nigerians for voting former President Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of power.
Asiwaju, who stated this in his keynote address at the 10th memorial anniversary of the late Bala Usman, a politician and former lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in Kaduna yesterday, also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the subsidy on fuel without any further delay.
Asiwaju told the gathering that the curtain would have been lowered on the nation’s future if the people had made the mistake of re-electing the Jonathan administration.
He noted that “the last (Jonathan’s) government had become threadbare of ideas. Its reaction to our challenges was more of biased reflex than of careful thought. They intended to rope the people to mast of austerity then command that we ride out the storm.
Tinubu, who observed that Nigeria needed economic liberation, said “before we can free our economy, we must free ourselves of the economic myths consigning us to our current predicament.
“To achieve this objective, we must return to Dr. Bala Usman. Confronted by the harsh realities of dwindling national revenue occasioned by crashing oil prices, saddled with collapsed infrastructure and an abused and wary citizenry, Nigeria demands a new paradigm.
“Here, I must give the Nigerian people their due. They had a stark and important choice to make during the 2015 election. They could have re-elected the government in place. This would have been the easier thing to do.
“In matters of state, the easier thing to do is rarely the better one. Reelecting that administration would have lowered the curtain on our future.”
He described President Buhari as an earnest leader who seeks to give Nigerians the lives they deserve by giving them a vibrant economy and security.
“My faith in his commitment to help the people is deep and abiding,” he said. “I believe he is on the right path and will continue to follow it.
“The task before us is grave and daunting. With oil prices having declined so steeply, the question becomes how must the federal government shape fiscal policy so that we achieve optimal economic production and employment under the given circumstance?
“The voices of old conservative mainstream economists will try to convince us that there is but one way to go: austerity now, austerity forever. They will state that the people must tighten their belts then lift themselves by their own bootstraps.
“However, they do not realise that the people will choke should they tighten that belt any tighter and that most of them cannot pull themselves up alone because they could never afford to buy any boots to strap.
“This austerity advice might be right for another time and place. However, it is the wrong medicine for Nigeria here and now.”
He recalled that last year, he published an open letter he wrote to then President Jonathan, saying: My critique of his economic policies was informed by the fact that the Nigerian economy had entered a critical stage. His government was set to foist austerity on the people. This equated to taking the lash to their economic future.
“Although, we were in the throes of an election, I thought it vital that we offer even our opponent the best advice we could give because he was our president at the time and our overall welfare was in the balance. His failure would be our deepening poverty.
“The positions I held then remain relevant. Let me recall my opening statement. I said, ‘No matter who is in power, we must do whatever is in our capacity to do to steer the nation away from economic woe. The people have suffered too much hardship already.’
“I submitted that Nigeria’s economy was as if in chronic depression. ‘After viewing the statistics, most objective economists would conclude Nigeria is mired in a long-term, secular depression. Forget the rosy GDP numbers. They signify a great economic and financial segregation between those who have and others who have not.
‘If we continue with the policy preferences of the current (Jonathan’s) administration, the haves shall become the “have–mores” and the “have-nots” shall become the “have even less….
‘The vast majority of the claimed GDP growth has fallen into the laps of those who are already enjoying obvious luxury. The rest of the people are left to gaze at the enormity of the income and wealth chasm separating them from the cabal orchestrating the discordant political economy.
‘While a small group flourishes, the rest of the nation subsidises their economic bounty. A tight confederacy rides an economic sky-rocket while the bulk of the people languish in the swamp. For one group, the economy is effervescent. For the other, it is catatonic. Nigeria is one nation with two economies,’ ” he recalled.
Tinubu explained that he opposed austerity because it would compound, not alleviate, the economic weakness.
“Indeed, as best exemplified in the Euro zone since the 2009 global financial crisis, austerity has not solved the dire economic weakness of the nations that employed this sickening remedy at a time when economic demand has already slackened.
“Austerity weakens aggregate demand, deflating an economy already fatigued and against the ropes… Jobs and commerce disappear. Debt climbs. Deflation turns a noble but poor household and neighbourhood into a committee of beggars and street urchins….
“Austerity undermines our economic pillars and breaks the spirit of the people… If you desire a nation of thralls, by all means continue this bleak path. If we want a nation of prosperity and economic justice, a different course is our due.”
Tinubu also noted that there are too many demons in the subsidy system for the hell to be turned into heaven. “It is better that we remove it,” he declared.
The APC national leader said if Bala Usman were alive, he would also call for immediate removal of the subsidy, adding, “What I have said here is more than talk. It is a call to action.”
Bala Usman was the Head of Department (HOD), history, at ABU in the early 70s, and was later appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG) under the administration of former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa in the late 70s.
Tinubu said, “In a perfect world, I wish we could sanitise the subsidy regime and thus continue with it.
“However, I have reached the conclusion that there are too many demons in the system for that hell to be turned into heaven.
“It is better that we remove it, not for the austere purpose of saving money but to use the money more wisely that we might better save the people. Let us begin a process of a thoughtful, but decisive subsidy phase-out.
“While this is occurring, we should simultaneously phase in social programmes benefiting the poorest, most vulnerable among us. Programmes such as transportation subsidies, school feeding, improved basic medical care and coverage for the poor, and potable water projects are some of the things that can be done with the same funds.
“This way we can undertake this massive expenditure, confident that the fruits will go to the hungry, not the already too well fed.
“End the fuel subsidy. Subsidize the people instead – Subsidize the people instead!”.
E?arlier in his welcome address, Malam Nasir El-Rufai extolled the late historian, saying, “He cared about ordinary people and spent his life fighting for the common man.
“He gave everything he had, his intellect, his resources to advance the life of the downtrodden in Nigeria, this is why we are very proud of him,” he said.
Present at the occasion were Governors Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, among other dignitaries.
https://www.today.ng/politics/54070/re-electing-jonathan-would-have-ruined-nigerias-future-tinubu

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Politics / Nigeria’ll Need Foreign Loans To Finance 2016 Budget – Minister by todayng: 6:11am On Dec 19, 2015
Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has said the Federal Government will borrow internationally and locally to finance the deficit in the 2016 budget.
The minister told an online publication that the development was as a result of dwindling oil prices which are putting pressure on the economy.
According to Mrs Adeosun, “the deficits in the 2016 budget – which I based on an oil price of $38 per barrel – will more than double to N2.2 trillion.”
Nigeria has a debt-to-GDP ratio of 12 per cent, compared with 57 per cent for Angola and 48 per cent for South Africa, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This feat is expected to assist the country in borrowing internationally.
On what role the MTN fine would play in budget financing, she said the fine, which has been reduced to N780 billion which is over 10 per cent of the budget, has nothing to do with its funding.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) late this year fined the telecoms giant N1.04 trillion – more than 12 per cent of the 2016 budget – for its failure to disconnect over five million unregistered lines.
“We need to stimulate the economy because we cannot afford this downturn to be excessively prolonged.
“We think we have the headroom to borrow. We’re going to mix it between local and foreign debts. We’re talking to multilateral agencies already and we’re at an advanced stage. Then, we’ll look at the foreign capital markets. The budget will not include income from regulatory fines, such as the $3.9 billion levied on MTN Group,” the minister noted.
Adeosun said Nigeria expects to boost non-oil revenue by N1.6 trillion in 2016 to help make up for the shortfall in earnings from crude exports.
She said about N1 trillion would come from government agencies and ministries, which “have always not been remitting funds generated”.
The 48-year-old minister spoke on the need to audit recurrent expenditure, which is up to N1.7 trillion in payroll alone.
“If you’re spending that amount on something, you should be auditing and reviewing it. That’s a process we are just about to finalise,” she said.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/53721/nigeriall-need-foreign-loans-to-finance-2016-budget-minister
Politics / Nigeria Yet To Decide On Joining Saudi-led Anti-islamic-state Alliance by todayng: 12:36pm On Dec 18, 2015
Nigeria has yet to decide whether to join a Saudi-led alliance to fight the militant group Islamic State, a spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia announced a 34-nation Islamic military coalition, a move welcomed by the United States, which has been urging greater regional efforts to push back Islamic State, now in control of large parts of Iraq and Syria.
However, there has been confusion over the initiative, with some of the countries named as members of the coalition caught unawares by the announcement.
A list published by the Saudi state news agency included Nigeria, which, with other West African states, is battling homegrown militants in the form of Boko Haram, a group that like Islamic State wants to carve out a territory ruled by Islamic law.
“Nigeria has been formally invited to be a member of the alliance and President Buhari is looking into it,” Buhari’s spokesman Garuba Shehu told Reuters, in the first official comment from Abuja.
“A decision to join has not been taken yet. Nigeria is not in or out.”
https://www.today.ng/news/national/53761/nigeria-yet-to-decide-on-joining-saudi-led-anti-islamic-state-alliance
Career / NNPC Set To Sack 1,100 Staff by todayng: 10:16am On Dec 18, 2015
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, yesterday, stated that he had received the Presidency’s approval to commence the final phase of the restructuring of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which would see the Corporation unbundled into four components, while about 1,100 of NNPC headquarters’ staff would be disengaged.
He also stated that the country no longer has the resources to fund its oil and gas industry, and it is, therefore, considering and developing new models of financing for the industry in the days ahead.
Kachikwu, who spoke at a town-hall meeting in Abuja, yesterday, disclosed that in January 2016, the final decision on the fate of the country’s refineries would likely be made. He also stated that arrangements have been concluded to adopt a price modulation mechanism that would see the corporation setting a price ceiling of between N87 and N97 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol.
Kachikwu, who doubles as the Group Managing Director of NNPC said, “Financing is going to be a key component of our goal because new models of financing would have to emerge. The country does not have the sort of resources to continue to fund the oil industry. As we go upstream, we are going to begin to see a lot of innovative financing mechanism to provide funding for the oil industry.”
“My dream, if I achieve it, is that by the end of 2016, we would completely exit cash calls and be able to find our funds one way to help support our business and get a lot more autonomy in terms of running the industry and report, basically, profit to the Federal Government.”
On the unbundling process, Kachikwu said the NNPC would be broken into four key components, namely: the upstream company, downstream company, the midstream company, which is gas and power marketing, and the refining group holding company.
According to him, one of the major restructuring efforts would be in making the headquarters operations cost effective, hence, about more than half of its 2,200 core headquarters staff would be whittled down, with a lot of the affected staff assigned to the subsidiaries to help make the units more efficient and profitable.
Kachikwu said, come January 2016, strategic decisions would be made in terms of what areas of the country’s refineries would be closed to allow for full re-kitting before reopening them for operations while it would also be considering the best-operating model for the refineries.
“Ultimately, technical support, technical services, and technical joint venturing would also be models we would be looking at and reviewing in terms of the refineries. The whole idea is to find the funds, find the right skills that you need, support the skills that you have and try to give out, real-time, above 90 per cent consistent performance in refining.”
On the issue of fuel subsidy removal and subsequent hike in the price of PMS (Petrol), Kachikwu stated that, “One thing we are very committed to next year, is to reduce the level of Federal Government subsidy, if any, to the industry, so that the industry can grow on its own strength. We can do that without the mechanism of saying subsidy is being removed or whatever but have a benchmark approach to setting prices. We are going to see a lot more quarterly type analysis of what prices would go for the downstream industry, relative to the price of crude oil,” he stated.
“The report that fuel is going to sell for 97 was not a correct. I did not say refined products will sell for N97. I said that between a band of N87 and N97 per litre, we are going to be looking at prices. Today, the prices are largely close to N87, so there might be no need to change prices,” he added.
The minister also disclosed that the Federal Government was considering allocating a number of marginal oil fields to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), if it performs creditably, so as to help it increase its crude oil reserves base.
He also disclosed that a much more focused audit would be conducted on the operations and activities of the NPDC, to ascertain its asset base and also determine whether it is increasing or depleting its reserves.
Speaking on NNPC’s financials, he said: “Most of the management accounts up to 2014 are fairly finished; we are now looking at external audits. Audits were last done in 2010. We have brought the management accounts up to current; the external audits are ongoing; the 2012 to 2014 audits we expect would be done by March next year, which would bring us likely current.”
According to Kachikwu, the focus of the Federal Government is to get the NNPC back to profitability to ensure the sustenance of the company, while it is also targeting an increase of Nigeria crude oil production to 2.4 million per day in 2016.
“For upstream there are some key essentials, average production for most of last year was 2.19 million barrels per day, while we think we ought to be able to move forward a little bit to 2.4 million barrels in 2016. To do that there are key things that need to be looked at.”
https://www.today.ng/news/national/53706/nnpc-set-to-sack-1100-staff

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Politics / Stallion Group MD Arrested Over N1.3bn Payment To Yuguda, Dasuki by todayng: 10:30pm On Dec 17, 2015
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Managing Director of Stallion Group, Harprrie Singh, for allegedly making N1.3billion ‘questionable payment’ to a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, according to Premium Times.
The Nigerian conglomerate, owned by the Vaswani brothers, is one of the major companies currently being questioned by the EFCC as part of the ongoing investigation into the messy arm procurement scandal in the office of a former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
A source at the Commission disclosed to the online medium that Stallion’s name cropped up when investigators scrutinizing transactions carried out by the former NSA with Jabbama Company, a bureau de change operator, stumbled on evidence that Stallion Group also paid N1.375billion to the company, although N100million of the money was later returned, leaving a balance of N1.275billion.
It was further gathered that Jabbama converted the money into United States Dollars ($114,750,000) and handed it to Mr. Yuguda, former minister of state for finance, who is already being prosecuted on multiple charges of fraud and money laundering.
Mr. Yuguda was said to have explained to EFCC interrogators that the N1.175billion received from the Stallion Group was at the instance of former NSA, Dasuki, for political purposes.
In the statement he volunteered to interrogators, EFCC sources said, Mr. Singh claimed his company had a $170million contract with the ONSA to supply some vehicles and that, he had already supplied the first batch of 50 vehicles since November 2014 for which he was yet to be paid.
Additionally, he confessed that the money he gave to Mr. Yuguda was at the request of both Messrs Dasuki and Yuguda, to support their party.
Detectives at the EFCC say they are trying to understand why a corporate organisation would, instead of making donation to any political cause through the relevant political parties, route the fund through the NSA.
They are also trying to understand whether the money was an inducement for a contract awarded to the company by the NSA.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/53516/stallion-group-md-arrested-over-n1-3bn-payment-to-yuguda-dasuki

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Politics / FG Assures Payment Of Salaries Before Christmas by todayng: 7:51pm On Dec 17, 2015
The office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) says it is upgrading the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) to ensure payment of December salary before Christmas.
The Director of Funds in the office, Mr Mohammed Dikwa, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja on the sideline of a one-day workshop on the Treasury Single Account and e-payment/collection.
Dikwa said that the system would be shut down over the weekend for the upgrade.
“The essence of the shut down is for maintenance. Some people complained that they couldn’t have access over the last few weeks because of the queue management challenge.
“We want to upgrade the infrastructure that we have over the weekend so that by Monday next week all payments will go on smoothly.
“If you look at the trend, people find it difficult to have access easily because the infrastructure was not strong enough to effectively handle the queue management.
“But with the new improvement, the system will be easily accessed, there will be seamless transactions, and people will get their money before Christmas particularly salaries and other financial commitments of government.
“I want to assure all Federal civil servants that, God willing, they will get their salaries before Christmas because we will try as much as possible to pay the salaries before that time.
“We hope to have the Federation Account Allocation Committee meeting much more earlier and that will give us the room to have more money into the consolidated revenue of the federal government that will be used for the purpose of paying salaries and other commitments of government as far as this financial year is concerned.’’
Earlier at the workshop, Dikwa, who represented the AGF, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, said that the maintenance was to enhance the capability of the system to address the issue of queue management and other associated operational challenges.
NAN reports that GIFMIS is an information technology based system for budget management and accounting that is being implemented by the federal government.
The aim is to improve public expenditure management processes and to enhance greater accountability and transparency across ministries and agencies.
In her remarks at the workshop, the acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Wilnifred Oyo-Ita, said the workshop was an opportunity for stakeholders to deliberate on the challenges associated with the TSA implementation.
Oyo-Ita, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in her office, Mr Yemi Adelakun, said that the outcome of the workshop would provide the much needed feedback for policy evaluation and review.
NAN reports that the workshop was organised by Jk Consulting Company Limited in collaboration with the Office of the Account-General of the Federation.
Its participants included senior accounting officers and internal auditors of ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/53190/fg-assures-payment-of-salaries-before-christmas
Sports / Samuel Eto’o Named Interim Player-manager At Antalyaspor by todayng: 5:11pm On Dec 16, 2015
Former Cameroon captain Samuel Eto’o has been appointed interim player-manager at Turkish side Antalyaspor.
The 34-year-old striker, who joined the club on a three-year contract in June, has been given three matches to impress at the helm.
He takes over from Yusuf Simsek, whose contract was terminated by mutual consent on 7 December.
Antalyaspor will make a decision about whether to give Eto’o the role permanently after the winter break.
Eto’o will be guided and assisted by Mehmet Ugurlu, who is the club’s technical director, as the Cameroonian takes his first steps into management.
The move is an unexpected one the former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea player, who has been involved in a number of controversial and damaging disputes with his country’s football federation as well as with team-mates.
One of his former international team-mates, Patrick M’boma, admitted he was “surprised Eto’o has gone into management so soon”.
But he revealed Eto’o, who he played alongside in two Africa Cup of Nations-winning sides, has long-held ambitions in that area.
“I know it was in his plans to be a manager – he told me many years ago,” M’boma told BBC Sport.
“But from what I know he has no experience. I hope he will be a good manager but I do not know.
“He has the personality and the knowledge, but I am not sure he will have the patience. If he can improve on the areas where he is weak he could be a success.”
https://www.today.ng/sport/52664/samuel-etoo-named-interim-player-manager-at-antalyaspor
Business / Re: Forex Trading - Season 15 by todayng: 4:45pm On Dec 16, 2015
CBN bans street trading of forex from Jan. 1
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in its latest circular which sets out the new guidelines for the operations of Bureaux de Change (BDCs) operators, has said that hawking of foreign exchange on the streets, common in Lagos, Abuja, and Port-Harcourt, and which has endured for over three decades, surviving civilian and military administrations, will no longer be accommodated.
Though the circular did not outline how it will deal with hawkers, it stated that from January 1, 2016, street trading of the dollar is “non-permissible” and will be severely punished by the bank.
“Similarly, it shall be a ground for the revocation of licences should any street trader in foreign currencies be found to have any business relationship with a licenced BDC,” the guideline reads.
The circular, titled “Revised Operational Guidelines for Bureaux de Change in Nigeria,” prescribes that for a BDC to be considered valid in 2016, its must meet the financial requirement of depositing N71.45 million with the CBN.
Source: https://www.today.ng/business/52550/cbn-bans-street-trading-of-forex-from-jan-1
Business / CBN Bans Street Trading Of Forex From Jan. 1 by todayng: 4:41pm On Dec 16, 2015
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in its latest circular which sets out the new guidelines for the operations of Bureaux de Change (BDCs) operators, has said that hawking of foreign exchange on the streets, common in Lagos, Abuja, and Port-Harcourt, and which has endured for over three decades, surviving civilian and military administrations, will no longer be accommodated.
Though the circular did not outline how it will deal with hawkers, it stated that from January 1, 2016, street trading of the dollar is “non-permissible” and will be severely punished by the bank.

“Similarly, it shall be a ground for the revocation of licences should any street trader in foreign currencies be found to have any business relationship with a licenced BDC,” the guideline reads.
The circular, titled “Revised Operational Guidelines for Bureaux de Change in Nigeria,” prescribes that for a BDC to be considered valid in 2016, its must meet the financial requirement of depositing N71.45 million with the CBN.
https://www.today.ng/business/52550/cbn-bans-street-trading-of-forex-from-jan-1

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Politics / I Didn’t Receive $300,000 From Dasuki, Only Suvs – Buhari by todayng: 5:40pm On Dec 15, 2015
President Muhammadu Buhari has denied ever receiving cash of $300,000 from a former National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.

Buhari, who reacted to the claim by Dasuki in his statement to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that he gave him $300,000, said he did not receive a kobo from the former NSA.

Reacting to the development in an interview with The Eagle Online on behalf of his boss, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, said Buhari only received two Jeeps from the Presidency before his inauguration on May 29, 2015.

Adesina said the Jeep, one armoured and the other ordinary, were sent to Buhari shortly after the attack on his vehicles in Kaduna State by members of the Boko Haram sect.

He said the two Jeeps were Toyota Land Cruiser.
It would be recalled that Buhari was attacked in July 2014 by the Boko Haram terrorists on Ali Akilu Road, Kawo-Kaduna.

In a text message to The Eagle Online that further emphasised that Dasuki never gave a dime to his boss, Adesina wrote: “After the attack, he (Buhari) got two Land Cruiser SUVs, one armoured, the other not.
“No cash.”


Source: http://theeagleonline.com.ng/i-didnt-receive-300000-from-dasuki-only-suvs-buhari/

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Politics / Modification Of Varsity Curriculum Will Check Unemployment – Obasanjo by todayng: 4:41pm On Dec 15, 2015
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advocated modification of curriculum of Nigerian universities to include skills acquisition, as a way out of the high rate of graduates’ unemployment in the country.
Obasanjo made the suggestion on Tuesday in Makurdi during a private visit to the Vice- Chancellor, Benue State University ( BSU),Makurdi, Prof. Msugh Kembe.
Obasanjo lamented the high turnout of university graduates, while available jobs to accommodate them were getting slimmer by the years.
He recalled that since Nigeria had her first university in 1948 and now, the number of universities in the country had increased tremendously with millions of students graduating yearly.
Obasajo said the country had reached the stage where attention had to be focused on job creation to accommodate the large number of graduates that were coming out of universities and other tertiary institutions.
The former president advised the V-C to forge collaboration with other V-Cs for the purpose of wooing foreign investors into the country to expand the economic space.
He commended BSU for its doggedness in sustaining its College of Health Sciences in spite of the many financial challenges, which resulted to graduating its first batch of medical doctors in nine years.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the school was inaugurated by the former president in 2007 during his second tenure.
Receiving the ex-president in his office, Kembe said the visit was “auspicious” coming ” barely three weeks after the induction of the first batch of medical doctors from the college.’’
He appealed to the former president to use his influence within government circles to secure funds for the university to build hostels, the senate house and install needed facilities.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/52113/modification-of-varsity-curriculum-will-check-unemployment-obasanjo
Politics / CJN Accuses NASS Of Starving Judiciary Of Funds by todayng: 4:12pm On Dec 15, 2015
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, in Abuja accused the National Assembly of putting the judiciary and by extension, the nation in danger by appropriating miserable funds yearly for the judiciary.
The CJN who said this during the courtesy visit of members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters at the Supreme Court added that it was rather scandalous for National Assembly to appropriate less than one per cent of the nation’s budgeted funds to the judiciary.
A statement issued by the Media Aide to the CJN, Mr Ahuraka Isah, said the committee was led by Senator David Umaru and included Senators Akpabio, James Manager, Joshua Lidani, Chukwuka Utazi, and Abdullahi Adamu.
Other Supreme Court Justices that accompanied the CJN to receive the senators were Justices Walter Onnoghen, I. T. Muhammad, M. S. Muntaka-Coomassie, Suleiman Galadima, Bode Rhodes-Vivour, Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, Olukayode Ariwoola, Musa Dattijo Muhammad, Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, K. M. O. Kekere-Ekun, J. I. Okoro and Amiru Sanusi.
The CJN said: ‘’The current level of budgetary provision for the Judiciary is insufficient to meet the required standards of justice and the rates of case disposal that Nigeria needs in order to be a just and equitable society that makes our country an attractive destination for future foreign direct investments and job creation.
‘’Recently, at the opening ceremony of the 2015 All Nigeria Judges Conference, I alluded to the fact that the Judiciary was appropriated a total sum equivalent to less than 1 per cent of the total national budget of the government of the country. In many respects, the Judiciary has recently been left with the impression that it is being asked to carry the weight of Justice with one arm tied behind its back.
‘’To put the insufficiency of that sum into context, a frightening statistics that we would like you to debate upon is in regard to the presence of only 1,074 judges of superior courts in the entire Nigerian judiciary inclusive of the recent appointments made last month. This means that at our superior courts, there is one judge for appeal for 158,287 persons inclusive of Appeal Courts and the Supreme Court, based on conservative estimates.
‘’My distinguished senators, at the Court of Appeal, we now boast of one judge for 1,888, 888 appellants and one Justice of the Supreme Court for every ten million people (10, 000, 000.00: 1). As you can imagine, our dockets are swamped.’’
The CJN said despite the paucity of funds, the judges still had to face intermittent power supply, poor and inadequate court infrastructure, absenteeism of parties and an avalanche of frivolous cases.
“Our judges are insufficiently remunerated and benefits are sometimes not paid on time. In this situation, our judges face privations that would ordinarily lead lesser men to unscrupulous acts.
‘’I must remind you that the Judiciary is part of a chain of justice that includes other stakeholders. As such, we also call on the legislature to actively support the government in developing the criminal justice system and offices such as forensics laboratories, police ballisticians and other professionals, so as to increase crime detection and modernise our law enforcement structure’’.
‘’Mr. Chairman a major concern is the pace of justice and its negative effect on the ease of doing business in Nigeria. Indeed, the judiciary has no choice but to dispense justice quicker, in line with international business norms and conventions. However, this requires further reform of the constitution to remove the automatic right of appeal, which contributes immensely to delays in dispensation of justice. The aim of this, among other things, is to limit the possibility of vexatious interlocutory appeals, while ensuring that only novel and unique, constitutional questions of law are considered by the Supreme Court, in the interest of justice itself. Our laws are obsolete in many areas and penalties are out of sync with the current realities. I therefore call upon your committee to assist in passing such statutory instruments for reforms as would assist the courts in this regard.’’
The committee chairman, Senator David Umaru, said the courtesy visit which gave room for the interaction between the judiciary and legislators would go a long way in resolving the issues of constitutional amendment and appropriations for the judiciary.
He said: “We shall look into the Bill, which was not passed by the seventh Senate and ensure the constitution is amended to tackle some of the causes of weaknesses in our justice delivery system.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/52155/cjn-accuses-nass-of-starving-judiciary-of-funds
Sports / Messi Admits He Could Have Been A River Plate Player by todayng: 12:32pm On Dec 15, 2015
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi said there was the possibility that he could have been a River Plate player when he was younger.
Messi is in Japan as Barcelona prepare to face Guangzhou Evergrande in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup on Thursday.
Barcelona are favourites to go through to the final, where they could face South American champions River Plate.
And Messi has admitted that he could have been on the books of River as a youngster after having a trial at the Estadio Monumental in August of 2000.
“Yes, but that’s a very long time ago now,” Messi said.
“In the end it didn’t happen, but it is true that the possibility did come about, when I was very young.”
The Argentina international has only come up against a club from his homeland once in his professional career – in 2009 when Barcelona defeated Estudiantes 2-1 in the final of the Club World Cup.
On playing an Argentine club, Messi said: “It’s a strange feeling. In my whole career I’ve only played against an Argentinian club once, and it was that final against Estudiantes.
“It was a very tough game, one in which we were losing for a long period and managed to equalise right on full time, before going on to win it in extra time.
“But it’s also something that motivates me, because River are a big club on a global scale. I think that if we play against them it’ll be a good match.”
https://www.today.ng/sport/52109/messi-admits-he-could-have-been-a-river-plate-player
Politics / At Least 60 Shi’ites Killed In Zaria Clash With Soldiers – Hospital by todayng: 10:29am On Dec 15, 2015
At least 60 people were killed this weekend when the Nigerian army raided a Shi’ite sect and arrested its leader in the northern city of Zaria, the director of a local hospital said on Monday.
The army said the Islamic Movement was trying to assassinate the chief of army staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, when members of the sect blocked his convoy in Zaria on Saturday.
The sect was conducting an annual ritual to usher in the month of Maulud, the birth month of the Prophet Mohammed.
On Sunday, the army raided several buildings connected to the sect and the home of its leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky. They arrested him and killed key members of the group, including Zakzaky’s second-in-command and spokesman.
“As of yesterday, we had 60 corpses in our morgue,” Khalid Lawal, the chief medical director of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, told Reuters by phone.
Residents said they heard loud blasts during the raid. A Reuters reporter was barred entry to the cordoned-off area.
Most of Nigeria’s tens of millions of Muslims are Sunni, including the Boko Haram jihadist militants that have killed thousands in bombings and shootings, mainly in northeastern Nigeria, since 2009.
But there are also several thousand Shi’ites, mostly followers of Zakzaky, whose movement was inspired by the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Shi’ite Iran.
Iran condemned the attack on Monday and summoned Nigeria’s representative there, according to its state news agency. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on the Nigerian government to take “prompt and serious” action.
The Shi’ite sect claimed that hundreds of their members were killed. The army took most of the bodies away, making it impossible to verify the claim.
A similar altercation between the sect and the army occurred last year during a procession.
Zakzaky said that 30 followers and three of his children were killed.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/51934/at-least-60-shiites-killed-in-zaria-clash-with-soldiers-hospital
Politics / Iran Calls On Nigerian Authorities To Stop Crackdown On Shiites by todayng: 1:52pm On Dec 14, 2015
Following last Saturday’s violent clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Muslim sect, Shiite, in Zaria, Kaduna State, Iran has called on Nigerian authorities to respect religious figures and sites.
“Nigeria… is now dealing with problems arising from extremism and Takfiri terrorism and we hope that in these conditions preservation of calm and national unity in battling terrorism is prioritized while rash and unconstructive measures are avoided,” IRNA quoted Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber-Ansari as saying on Sunday.
Jaber-Ansari expressed sorrow over the recent bloody clashes, which broke out between Muslim worshipers and government troops, weekend.
Nigerian forces raided the home of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and arrested him after reportedly killing several of those protecting him, including one of the group’s senior leaders, its spokesman, son and wife.
Since El-Zakzaky was arrested by the Nigerian troops, his fate has remained unknown.
However, since Saturday’s violent clash, there has been war of words between the Nigerian Army and the sect, over who instigated the clash that led to the dead of members of the movement.
While the Army is accusing the Shiite followers of attempting to assassinate Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, the Islamic movement said soldiers simply decided to attack “defenseless people.”
A statement by the Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, said Shite members barricaded the road Mr. Buratai’s motorcade was passing to pay homage on the Emir of Zazzau, and also attend a review parade by 73 Regular Recruit Intake at the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria.
Usman said all entreaties to get the sect members to steer clear of the federal highway, met strong resistance.
But in a swift counter-reaction, the El-zakzaky-led Shiite sect, said the Army spokesperson was lying.
A statement signed by Isak K and posted on the website of the sect, said the claim that the COAS “narrowly escaped assassination as a result of attack from Muslim brothers and Sisters of the Islamic Movement is a blatant lie.”
The statement said Mr. Usman’s claim “raises series of questions in the mind of right thinking people.”
It said members of the movement who were unarmed were gathered for a ceremony at their Husainiyyah base, to change the flag on the dome of the building to herald the beginning of the month of Rabiul /Auwal- the birth month of the Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad.
“Any excuse given by the military as reason for besieging Hussainiyyah and firing for hours, leading to the death of yet to be specified number of people, is considered a lie of the decade,” the movement said.
https://www.today.ng/news/world/51661/iran-calls-on-nigerian-authorities-to-stop-crackdown-on-shiites
Politics / EFCC Investigates N6.7bn Transfer To Sambo Dasuki, Ita Ekpeyong After Poll by todayng: 1:02pm On Dec 14, 2015
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has begun a fresh investigation into what it described as a “curious” transfer of N6.7bn from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the Office of the National Security Adviser and two other agencies after the 2015 presidential election, The PUNCH is reporting.
A source in the EFCC said the commission had started investigation into reasons for the payments, which the office of the SGF said were for security services.

The letter, which authorised the payments, was dated March 30, 2015, two days after the presidential election was held on March 28.
According to the document from the Office of the SGF, Special Services Office, other beneficiaries of the curious fund transfer were the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Ekpeyong Ita; and an agency simply referred to as MEA Research Library.

The letter, which was addressed to the Branch Controller, the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja Branch, read in part, “Please, credit the account(s) of the under-listed beneficiaries and debit our account number above with the sum of N6,076,834,131.00 (Six billion, seventy six million, eight hundred and thirty four thousand, one hundred and thirty-one naira only).”

It stated that N3.1bn should be transferred to the account of the DSS; MEA Research Library, N2.6bn, and the ONSA, N216.8m.
It was gathered that the EFCC would invite a few former public officers, including the former DSS boss, under whose tenure the payments were made.

The EFCC source stated, “Nobody has been indicted yet, but we are going to invite those involved for clarifications. I am talking about those who have not been indicted. The fact that the payments were made after the presidential poll made them curious.”
Fresh facts have also emerged on some transactions in the office of the former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

A staff Officer, Accountant 1 in the ONSA, Yazidu Ibrahim, in his statement of witness made to the EFCC, stated that under the former NSA, contracts were awarded without the input or approval of the tenders board and procurement unit.

He added that in the last five years, companies that were awarded contracts, did not pay withholding tax, saying the authority to award contracts resided in Dasuki.

The officer alleged that payments for contracts were, on several occasions, paid without accompanying documents.
Ibrahim stated, “To the best of my knowledge, there is no tenders board and procurement unit in the NSA 0ffice. The awarding authority for all contractors remained the NSA. All payments to contracts are based on directive from the DFA (Director of Finance and Administration). Sometimes, there were no accompanying documents. Most times, there are nothing except account details of contractors.”
“Many of the payments were related to the 2015 presidential election and not for national security. Many people in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party got huge sums of money like Attahiru Bafarawa, Chief Raymond Dokpesi and Chief Tony Anenih.”

In a related development, the Office of the National Security Adviser has called on all companies, who had contracts with or rendered services to the ONSA to appear before the Contract Verification Committee sitting in its premises between December 15 and December 23.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Principal General Staff Officer, ONSA on Sunday.

The ONSA asked the contractors to appear through accredited representatives of at least the status of a director.
It asked the contractors to come with the following documents, “Certificate of Incorporation, Particulars of Directors, Tax clearance certificate from 2011 till date, letter of award of contract, invoice for supplies or services, evidence of payments so far or outstanding balance, personal income tax clearance certificates of directors and any other documents considered relevant to the contract.”

https://www.today.ng/news/national/51626/efcc-investigates-n6-7bn-transfer-to-sambo-dasuki-ita-ekpeyong-after-poll

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Politics / SERAP Is A Compromised Civil Society, Group – Okonjo-iweala by todayng: 11:40am On Dec 01, 2015
The immediate-past Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, last night described the statement by a civil society organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), demanding her probe over the management of the Abacha loot as a politically-sponsored action by a compromised civil society organisation.
Reacting through her Media Adviser, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, the former minister said it was curious that “SERAP, ignoring more worthy issues, decided to embark on this fishing expedition of a 10-year-old process that was handled in an exemplary and transparent fashion,” adding that “this shows that neither the organisation nor its charges should be taken seriously.”
According to the statement, “the Okonjo-Iweala name is impregnable because it is built on impeccable personal and professional integrity.”
“The facts show that as Finance Minister under the Obasanjo and Jonathan administrations, she was was a force for good who managed the country’s finances transparently and with great competence,” she said.
The statement added that although SERAP said its allegations were based on a World Bank statement, it neglected to tell the world that the same World Bank actively collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Finance on a 2006 field report which analysed how the repatriated funds were used.
“It would be recalled that as part of the repatriation process, the Swiss government requested and the Nigerian government under President Obasanjo agreed that the World Bank should monitor the use of the repatriated Abacha funds,” the statement stressed.
According to the former minister, the field survey, released in 2006, is titled “Utilization of Repatriated Abacha loot: Results of the Field Monitoring Exercise”.
“It shows that specific funds were indeed transparently programmed and used to boost the budgets of specific target ministries in 2004 and 2005.
“The document also confirms that these funds were properly appropriated and channeled into roads, electricity, education, water and health across all six geo-political zones of Nigeria.
“The survey shows that as at 2006 when the report was issued, these projects were in place. The report also shows that credible civil society groups were part of the survey and that “all sampled projects exist and can be located on the ground”.
The former minister stated that these facts put paid to the lies of SERAP and its political sponsors.
“Against this background, the call by SERAP that Okonjo-Iweala be personally probed for a transparently conducted and publicly implemented decision of the Obasanjo government that she served under underscores the very political agenda of SERAP.
“To say the obvious, civil society groups play a very important role in putting positive pressure on government to remain focused on good governance in order to ensure that clear and measurable results are achieved. No country can manage governance to global standards without civil society groups.
“And Nigeria is no exception. Nigeria has many credible advocacy groups doing important work in many areas.
“It is therefore sad that SERAP which has made other false allegations against Okonjo-Iweala is hiding under the hallowed umbrella of civil society while acting as a tool for reprehensible, corrupt vested interests.
“No amount of sponsored propaganda can conceal the fact that the implementation of the agreement with the Swiss government was done transparently and the report was publicly issued. The entire process was properly managed and reviewed with the help of reputable international organisations.
“We advise SERAP to change its ways and stop wasting the time of Nigerians with fruitless and sponsored campaigns against innocent individuals,” the statement concluded.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/45639/serap-is-a-compromised-civil-society-group-okonjo-iweala
Sports / Ronaldo, Messi And Neymar To Contest 2015 Ballon D’or by todayng: 11:45pm On Nov 30, 2015
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar will contest the 2015 Ballon d’Or after they were named as final nominees.
La Liga star Ronaldo and Messi have dominated the prize awarded to the player deemed to be the world’s best for the last seven years as one of them has won each time.
They both face strong competition on this occasion, however, as Messi’s Barcelona team-mate Neymar is the other candidate on the final shortlist.
Ronaldo has claimed the last two Ballon d’Or prizes as he has edged his way towards becoming Read Madrid’s record goalscorer.
Messi had won the previous four editions of the award, the first of those given when it was known previously as the FIFA World Player of the Year prize.
He has also been runner-up to Ronaldo on the three occasions overall the Portuguese forward has won it, the first of those being in 2008.
The winners will be announced at FIFA’s Ballon d’Or Gala in Zurich on January 11, with four other prizes also on offer.
They are the Women’s World Player of the Year, the men’s and women’s World Coach of the Year and the FIFA Puskas Award, given to the goal judged to be the best in the world in the past year.
England women’s manager Mark Sampson – who led his team to third at the World Cup – is one of three candidates for the Women’s Coach of the Year accolade.
Elsewhere, a total of 55 players has been listed as nominees for the FIFA FIFPro World Team of the year and 10 of them play in the Premier League.
Wayne Rooney is one of them despite criticism of his form for Manchester United while John Terry is the only other Englishman.
David De Gea, Branislav Ivanovic, Vincent Kompany, Eden Hazard, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez are the others while Real Madrid’s Wales international Gareth Bale is also listed.
Fleetwood Town’s David Ball has seen his goal against Preston in March fail to make the final three-man shortlist for the Puskas Award having made the initial long list of 10.
https://www.today.ng/sport/45175/ronaldo-messi-and-neymar-to-contest-2015-ballon-dor
Politics / Sule Lamido: APC Dividing Nigeria Along Ethnic Lines by todayng: 10:37pm On Nov 30, 2015
Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has said that not only the government of the Peoples Democratic People, PDP, has divided the country, saying that the ruling APC government is deeply dividing Nigeria along ethnic and political divide.
Shortly after he received a certificate of award of excellent service in Kano, Lamido decried the desperation among the spokespersons of governments who couldn’t speak the truth to the electorates on the government’s wrongdoings and dividends of democracy.
He said, “I may sound a little different of what is today Nigeria. Because in today Nigeria, everything is politics and there are very strong divides.
“One is either here or there and even those who are arbiters or referees or monitors if stand on your own belief you will be accused by both sides. We are going through a very difficult political evolution with so many distortions and the 1999 Constitution is compounding Nigeria’s problem”.
“If one goes through the social media before the 2015 election, everything evil was PDP, that PDP was Boko Haram, PDP was fuel shortage, PDP was poverty, PDP was agony, PDP was fake and was dividing Nigeria, PDP was looting Nigeria, in fact, everything evil was PDP.”
He, however disclosed that the APC now represents the evils which the PDP was accused of in the past.
He said, “Everything PDP in the past is now with the present APC. PDP was throwing bombs, bombs are being thrown now, PDP was fuel shortage, there is fuel shortage now, PDP was killing Muslims, Muslims are being killed now, PDP was causing poverty and hunger, it is the same thing with the APC today. PDP was promoting ethnic politics, it is the same thing now with the APC.”
When contacted, the Secretary, Elders Committee of the Kano APC, Alhaji Saleh Jili, said Lamido’s comment should be ignored on the grounds that he is seeking for relevance, having lost out in the present political dispensation.
He added that the PDP has failed Nigerians in many respects, having enthroned poverty, unemployment, impunity and corruption, saying that the development prompted Nigerians to vote the party out of power.
https://www.today.ng/politics/45081/sule-lamido-apc-dividing-nigeria-along-ethnic-lines
Politics / Kaduna To Create 200,000 Jobs – El-rufai by todayng: 1:31pm On Nov 29, 2015
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has said the pro-poor programmes of his administration, which include school feeding, planting of economic trees, and waste collection, are expected to create 200,000 jobs.
Addressing stakeholders at the General Hassan Katsina House, Kaduna, on Saturday during the budget Town Hall meeting, el-rufai in his speech entitled ‘Putting the people first: Back to Budget Realism,’ said he would always put the people first in all his actions.
el-Rufai told the stakeholders that the meeting was held to deliberate on the proposed 2016 budget size of about N166bn, comprising N104bn capital and N62bn recurrent components before formal presentation to the state House of Assembly next month.
He said, “Major highlights of the budget proposals; the 2016 budget moves away from funding government to providing infrastructure and services to citizens. It restores the 60:40 ratio in favour of capital expenditure. This is in keeping with our agenda to expand access to education, health care, jobs and security.
“Our pro-poor programmes, including interventions in school feeding, planting of economic trees, and waste collection, are expected to create 200,000 jobs.”
https://www.today.ng/news/national/44698/kaduna-to-create-200000-jobs-el-rufai

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Politics / Army Deploys More Troops, Equipment To N’east Ahead Of Dec. Deadline On B’haram by todayng: 12:09pm On Nov 25, 2015
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, on Tuesday said more equipment and troops have been deployed to the northeast in a bid to meet President Muhammadu Buhari’s December deadline for stamping out Boko Haram sect from the region.

Addressing officers and men of 130 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Ogoja local government area of Cross River State, Buratai called for the commitment of the soldiers to achieve the target.

He said, “So far our operations in the northeast of the country are gathering momentum. They are doing very well and doing the Nigerian Army very proud. I am sure some of you have been in touch with them and some of you may still be going there in the future. The operation there is going very well.
“We have to keep focus on Mr. President’s mandate of keeping to the deadline. We have to work hard to make sure the operation succeeds and I believe we can do it. We have gotten more equipment and have deployed more troops to the northeast.”
He emphasized the need to collaborate with other security agencies.

“I want you to note that on internal security, you cannot operate alone. You must cooperate with other security agencies. You must have a strong collaboration with the police, civil defence, the DSS and others,” he said
Buratai said he visited to identify with the challenges of the soldiers.

He said, “I would find time to go to your individual units and formations. I am here to identify with your pressing challenges as it pertains to general administration and internal security.

“Here in the barracks we have taken steps to improve accommodation, we are renovating dilapidated structures. We are also looking at issues of medicals as well as your children’s education. Already I have set up a committee to go round the schools to check issues of high and arbitrary fees. We would address issues of your welfare properly.”
https://www.today.ng/news/national/42874/army-deploys-more-troops-equipment-to-neast-ahead-of-dec-deadline-on-bharam

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