₦airaland Forum

The voice of Jacob, the hands of Esau.

Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko announced on Thursday that the State government is “broke” and therefore cannot afford to pay the striking civil servants’ their salaries.

Mr. Mimiko announced this while addressing the protesting workers, explaining that the State treasury is empty and that the government is struggling to survive.

“So, we can no longer pay salaries, even when they are due,” the embattled governor said to the workers.

The protesting workers in a deliberate action had earlier shut down the entrance to the government house to prevent Mr. Mimiko and his convoy from entering the building.

“The protesting workers disallowed him [Mimiko] entry into the government house and forced his convoy to stop at a meter to the main gate of the now ‘abandoned’ compound.

“Their real plan was to compel the governor to alight personally from his vehicle and publicly address them over their demands.

“Addressing them, Mimiko convincingly told the protesting civil servants to buckle up for a financial crash, as the State is broke,” our correspondent reported.

However, irritated by the action of some protesting workers who continuously hurled abuses on his government in a rude manner, the governor threatened to sack them from the services of his government.

“If you continue in this manner, I will sack you from the services of this State government, you can bet me! Because I am still your employer,” he said.

SaharaReporters learned that the workers are demanding the payment of their accumulated salaries from December and January till date.

In January 2016, Mr. Mimiko advised civil servants in the workforce of his government to engage in subsistence farming due to the declining economy of Ondo State and Nigeria at large.

This was as a result of a drastic drop in oil derivation funds from the international market, our correspondent further reported.

“You can do this at the backyard or front of your compound because I can’t guarantee the financial status of this State any longer,” Mr. Mimiko said when he attended a program at the State event center.

During Thursday’s protest, Mr. Mimiko spoke further and explained that the State monthly wage bill including pensions is N3.9 billion, adding that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) still stands at about one third of the wage bill.

“Our monthly wage bill is still N3. 9 billion, and all the funds we are collecting from Abuja [federal allocation], oil derivation funds, Value Added Tax, Internally Generated Revenue put together is N1. 3 billion,” the governor told the protesting workers.

Mr. Mimiko begged the government employees to resume work for the sake of dying and sick patients in the government clinic, arguing that the strike is taking a toll on the health sector of the State.

“I am begging you because the continuation of this strike will not bring us any money,” he said.

On the strike, the organized labor leaders also held a meeting with traditional rulers in the State led by a monarch from Mr. Mimiko’s hometown, the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Victor Kiladejo, but it ended in a stalemate.

Bosede Daramola, the embattled chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Ondo State, disclosed that the protesting workers are gradually dying of hunger and cannot continue to work on empty stomachs.

Mr. Daramola also declared that the strike would continue until the workers are paid their salaries

http://saharareporters.com/2016/06/10/ondo-state-broke-i-can%E2%80%99t-pay-workers-mimiko-says

The immigration officers are supposed to be in charge of our various porous borders, they will be mounting road blocks and extorting motorists by asking for 'custom papers'.

The picture nah scam

Good

Diego Maradona hailed his old rival Pele as an “icon” as the pair were reunited for a “match of friendship” on Thursday.

The 75-year-old Brazil great and 55-year-old Argentine legend even embraced during the five-a-side exhibition game in a sign that they have drawn a line under their long-running feud.

“I want to thank Pele, we know who he is and who he will always be. We need icons like him,” said Maradona, who starred in Argentina’s 1986 World Cup triumph.

Pele, a three-time world champion, also struck a conciliatory tone in response.

“The most important is the message of peace. Many thanks to my friend Maradona for this opportunity and a big round of applause to the players who have been here today,” said Pele.

“This is a moment of peace.”

It was a far cry from the acrimony between them when FIFA was trying to decide the player of the 20th Century in 2000.

The world body organised an online vote which Maradona easily won. But FIFA thought the online users at the time were too young and so the vote was skewed in Maradona’s favour.

It then organised a vote by readers of the FIFA magazine and cast by an international jury. This time Pele won by a landslide.

FIFA decided to split the award and named Pele and Maradona as the two greatest players of all time.

“I had the vote of the people, Pele won by forfeit,” said Maradona, who walked out of a Rome gala so he did not see the Brazilian collect his award.

Maradona later accused Pele of letting his former Brazil teammate Garrincha “die in misery”. Pele responded that Maradona was “sick”.

Maradona thrilled the crowd at the Palais Royal with a cameo appearance in the 30-minute five-a-side contest. Pele, still recovering from a hip operation in January, remained in his coaching role on the touchline.

The event, organised by a Swiss watchmaker with UEFA, featured the likes of former France striker David Trezeguet, Italy goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi and Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf.

Ex-Brazil forward Bebeto, a 1994 World Cup winner, also took part alongside Rio Ferdinand, Dida, Hernan Crespo and Fernando Hierro as the match finished in a diplomatic 8-8 drahttp://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/06/09/long-time-rivals-pele-and-maradona-seek-peace/

OK

Ambassador Wengerjay

RIP

Hmmmm

Bank job?

eleojo23:
For GTBank: *737*6*1# then enter the last four digits on your ATM card.

#10 is always charged for checking balance.

Wearing the Yoruba traditional brown and white stripped costume, Mohammed Ali was greeted by a crowd of youngsters on a trip to Lagos, Nigeria on June 01,1964.

ederal Government on Friday directed banks, insurance and financial institutions to suspend the on-going retrenchment in the sector.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and made available to newsmen in Abuja.

“Following spate of petitions and complaints from stakeholders in the banking, insurance and financial institutions, I hereby direct the suspension of the on-going retrenchment pending the outcome of the conciliatory meetings in the industry.

“This is as a result of the apprehension by my office of the various disputes in the sector in accordance and in compliance with the provisions of the labour laws of Nigeria,’’ it said.

The statement said that the decision was further predicated on the fact that the continued retrenchment and redundancy by the sector were jeopardising the outcome of the reconciliatory and mediatory processes undertaken by the ministry.

“In this wise, all the retrenchments and redundancies done in the last four months and all proposed ones should be put on hold.

“Pending the outcome of the proposed stakeholders’ summit for the banking, insurance and financial institutions’ employers and employees, slated for the first week of July 2,’’ the statement read in part.

However, Ngige advised all parties in the interest of industrial peace and harmony to maintain the status-quo ante-belumhttp://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/06/03/govt-orders-banks-to-stop-retrenching-workers/

Omo olomo la hun ran nise de torutoru

A total sum of N2.33trn was allocated to the Presidency, National Assembly and the Judiciary within the last 10 years, figures obtained from the Budget Office of the Federation have revealed.

This is based on the allocations approved in the budget by the National Assembly within the 2007 and 2016 fiscal periods.

An analysis of the allocation showed that the National Assembly got a huge chunk of the N2.33trn with a total sum of N1.23trn representing about 52.7 per cent of the total budgetary allocation.

This was followed by the presidency with N343.2bn representing about 14.7 per cent while the judiciary got N758bn within the ten-year period.

A breakdown of the N1.23tn for the National Assembly showed that the parliament got N66bn in 2007 while N104.82bn, N106.6bn, N154.2bn and N112.2bn were allocated in 2008,2009,2010 and 2011 fiscal periods respectively.

Between 2012 and 2014, findings showed that N150bn was allocated to the National Assembly each year while 2015 and 2016 had N120bn and N115bn respectively.

For the presidency, the budget documents showed that N53.54bn was allocated in 2007 while 2008,2009,2010 and 2011 fiscal periods had N26.93bn, N26.87bn,N28.7bn and N26.6bn appropriated respectively.

Similarly, the allocation increased to N40.08bn in 2012 before dropping in 2013 and 2014 fiscal periods to N36.36bn and N36.1bn respectively.

For 2015 and 2016, the document stated that N23.4bn and N44.68bn were appropriated respectively.

In terms of the allocation to the judiciary, the budget document showed that it got N43bn in 2007, N78bn for each of 2009 and 2010 before the allocation rose to N91bn and N95bn in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

For the 2013,2014, 2015 and 2016 fiscal periods, the government allocated a total of N67bn, N73bn, N73bn and N70bn to the judiciary in that order.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission received a total budgetary allocation of N509.56bn to fund its operations in 10 years, figures obtained from the Budget Office of the Federation have revealed.

Although a full breakdown of the activities which the funds were used to finance was not included in the budget document, findings showed that the commission’s allocations during the period of general elections were huge.

For instance in the 2007, 2011 and 2015 fiscal periods when the country held its general elections, the commission’s budgetary allocation as obtained from the budget office were N82bn, N122.9bn and N62bn respectively.

Further analysis showed that the Federal Government appropriated N55bn, N11.3bn, N18.29bn and N36bn in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012 respectively.

For the 2013, 2014 and 2016 fiscal periods, the commission got budgetary allocations of N32.07bn, N45bn and N45bn respectivelyhttp://punchng.com/presidency-nass-judiciary-got-n2-3trn-10-years/

Nigeria has lost over N38tn through mismanagement, embezzlement and money laundering under successive administrations since democracy returned in 1999, estimates made by SUNDAY PUNCH have shown.

The figures were drawn from findings by anti-graft agencies and investigative panel reports on major economic scandals and financial crimes in the country in the last 17 years.

The investigation, which covered the Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan-led administrations, showed that most of the stolen funds have not been accounted for.

Of the over N39tn lost in the country’s economy, crude oil theft, official corruption and electoral campaign funding were responsible for a larger percentage of the loss.

The exchange rate of N130 to a dollar was used in the conversion of funds under the Obasanjo-led administration while N150 was adopted for those under the Jonathan-led administration, being the average official rates during the tenures.

N3tn – NNPC, NPDC unremitted funds

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, now the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, had written former President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation of failing to account for $49bn revenue, which should have been remitted to the Federation Account.

He recently said the corporation could only account for $29bn of the ‘missing’ fund. He said some oil companies paid taxes and royalties in oil, and the NNPC sold this oil on behalf of FIRS.

“No reasonable explanation for $20bn (NNPC); $6bn was with Nigerian Petroleum Development Company ( a subsidiary of NNPC) that had not got to the Federation Account to date,” Sanusi said.

These amounted to $20bn (N3tn) unremitted funds.

N2.3tn – Diverted arms procurement fund

In the course of investigating the alleged diversion of $2.1bn arms cash placed under the Office of the National Security Adviser, then headed by the immediate past NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had discovered that the total anti-Boko Baram insurgency money diverted by various personalities and agencies was over $15bn (N2.3tn).

Dasuki and several ex-military chiefs, including a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.); and a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.), had been quizzed and are currently standing trial on charges relating to the alleged fraud.

N30tn – Oil theft, waivers, others

A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo had in 2015 challenged the then Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to give account of the N30tn allegedly stolen under her watch.

The former apex bank boss had alleged that the nation was in for a chaotic time as the economy had been grossly mismanaged by the minister. He added that if the prices of crude oil in the international market failed to rebound, Nigeria would face an unprecedented level of economic crisis, with horrible attendant hardships for the citizenry.

“Our public finance is haemorrhaging to the point that estimated over N30tn is missing or stolen or unaccounted for or simply mismanaged,” Soludo said.

The ex-CBN chief in a piece entitled, ‘Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the missing trillions,’ explained how N30tn was allegedly stolen under Okonjo-Iweala’s watch.

He said, “My estimate, madam, is that probably more than N30tn has either been stolen or lost or unaccounted for or simply mismanaged under your watchful eyes in the past four years. Since you claimed to be in charge, Nigerians are right to ask you to account. Think about what this amount could mean for the 112 million poor Nigerians or for our schools, hospitals, roads, etc.

“Soon, you will start asking the citizens to pay this or that tax, while some faceless ‘thieves’ are pocketing over $40m per day from oil alone.”

A Federal High Court in Lagos had last week ordered Okonjo-Iweala to account for the N30tn which Soludo claimed went missing under her watch.

Okonjo-Iweala has repeatedly denied the allegations, claiming they are politically motivated.

N8.5bn, N2.6bn – NIMASA frauds

The EFCC is investigating the current Chief of Logistics, Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, for his alleged role in an N8.5bn scam involving the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

Atewe was, until last year, the Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The EFCC is also set to re-arraign a former Director-General of the NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi; Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuga, alleged to be Atewe’s co-conspirators.

Akpobolokemi is currently standing a separate trial before a Federal High Court in Lagos for an alleged fraud of N2.6bn.

N17.3bn, N23bn – Diezani’s bribes

The EFCC is currently investigating and prosecuting some bank chiefs for allegedly helping a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to launder $115m (N17.3bn) and another $153m (N23bn) during the build-up to the presidential election.

Some of the beneficiaries of the funds have been indentified, including politicians and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

N3bn– SURE-P scams

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has begun a probe into the activities of directors and senior officials of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.

The probe was in connection with N3bn fraud allegedly involving the Federal Ministry of Finance and the SURE-P Graduate Internship Scheme. The SURE-P GIS is a component of the SURE-P domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Finance.

The money, it was learnt, was meant to pay the allowances of 17,500 participants for eight months, which never got to them.

SURE-P was set up by the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan in February 2012 after nationwide protests followed the hike in the prices of petroleum products.

President Muhammadu Buhari scrapped the programme in November last year.

N56bn – Amount spent on COJA

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was alleged to have spent N56bn on the 8th All Africa Games held in 2003, according to a petition written against him to the EFCC by an anti-corruption group, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders.

In the petition, CACOL alleged that, “When the 8th All Africa Games was held in Abuja in 2003, it was discovered that most of the disbursements made did not deliberately follow the established due process. COJA did not have a ready book of accounts that could be reviewed. Throughout the games, COJA had no way of tracking its costs and encumbrances.

“Most of the contracts were found to be inflated, at an average of 500%. For example, boxing gloves cost US$20 in open market for a pair but COJA bought a pair for US$272. The wrestling mat (12 x 12) costs $8,000 but COJA bought it for $34,761, etc. At the end of the day, more than N56bn could not be accounted for by Obasanjo; his son, Gbenga; and Amos Adamu, the Executive Director of COJA.”

N2tn – Power sector revamp fund

The Obasanjo-led administration was alleged to have wasted the sum of $16bn (N2tn) on revamping the power sector. The Ndudi Elumelu-led House of Representatives’ Committee on Power, which investigated the government’s spending on the sector, noted that the amount spent did not yield “commensurate result.” The committee recommended that Obasanjo should be called to account for the money.

N300bn – ‘Missing’ fund from works ministry

One of Obasanjo’s close allies before they eventually fell out and ex-Minister of Works and Housing, Chief Tony Anenih, was indicted by the National Assembly for the sum of N300bn missing from his ministry. The missing money was widely believed to have been used to pay off 2003 election “expenses.”

In October 2009, a Senate committee issued a report on its investigation into the use of more than N300bn in the transport sector during Obasanjo’s administration. The committee recommended the prosecution of 13 former ministers, including Anenih, saying he allegedly awarded contracts without budgetary provision.

N56bn – Corruption in the NPA

There is also the Nigeria Ports Authority board scandal, which the EFCC investigated and unearthed a N56bn fraud by the former members of the board of directors. Obasanjo was accused of failing to institute any process towards recovering the alleged stolen money.

N33bn – Botched Lagos-Kano rail project

There was an alleged mismanagement of $250m (N33bn) initial payment in the rail system contract worth $8.3bn, which was awarded to a Chinese company, China Civil Engineering Construction Company, but has yet to take off. The project, which was expected to kick off in 2006 under a 25-year programme, was awarded by the government, while it had already paid for the first phase of the standard gauge line spanning over 1,315km from Lagos to Kano.

Stolen funds recovery

The Buhari-led administration has embarked on a mission to recover loot and assets kept in foreign lands. The government has also begun mass investigation of financial crimes and prosecution of suspects.

Indications had also emerged that the Central Bank of Nigeria was awaiting directive from the AGF before publishing the names of those that have looted the treasury.

A top official of the bank had hinted that the publication of the names of treasury looters was one matter the apex bank was approaching with caution owing to the litigation process involved.

The source said since the issue involved had litigation implications, there was no way the apex bank would publish the list of treasury looters without first securing a clearance from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

When asked if the CBN had formally written to the AGF for clearance, the official said “that is being handled at the highest level.”

But Buhari, in an interview he granted some journalists before he departed London where he attended an Anti-Corruption Summit organised by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, recently, promised to disclose to Nigerians the amount his government has so far recovered from those who looted the nation’s treasury on May 29 (today).

He said, “So far, what has come out; what has been recovered in whatever currency from each ministry, department and individual; I intend, on the 29th, to speak on this. This is because of all Nigerians are getting from the mass media; because of the number of people arrested either by the EFCC or DSS. But we want to make a comprehensive report on the 29th.”

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, had said the government of the United Kingdom had shown its commitment towards repatriating funds stolen from Nigeria.

Malami said the UK expressed commitment towards repatriating Nigeria’s looted funds during a bilateral meeting between the two nations.

He said though there was no estimate of how much of the Nigeria’s funds stashed in the UK, but “it has been compiled for certaintyhttp://punchng.com/democracy-rogues-politicians-civil-servants-generals-steal-n38tn-17-years/

OK

Seriously

nice

Kudos

Hours after Amina Ali, one of the Chibok girls rescued on Wednesday from the insurgents, met with President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Nigerian Army has announced the rescue of another of the girls this evening.

Although details of the rescue are yet to be released, Army spokesperson, Usman Sani Kukasheka, a Colonel, who confirmed the rescue, promised to provide more details later

Mr. Usman later confirmed the news to PREMIUM TIMES late Thursday.
“Yes, we have rescued another one of the Chibok girls but I am working on the details to be released later,” Mr. Usman said. The girl’s identity is not immediately known.
Amina Nkeki was reportedly rescued Wednesday and was received by President Muhammadu Buhari in a State House ceremony Thursday afternoon, with a four-month-old child she had reportedly given birth to while in captivity.
Amina was rescued by the civilian JTF close to the notorious Sambisa forest, over two years after her abduction by militants.

More than 200 girls are still believed to be held by the insurgents.

More to come …

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Monday declared that Lagos has officially joined the League of Oil Producing States in Nigeria following the discovery of crude oil by Tunde Folawiyo Petroleum Company Limited in Badagry, Lagos.

Governor Ambode, who made the declaration when the management of the company led by the Group Managing Director, Tunde Folawiyo, paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Ikeja, commended the firm for their doggedness to achieve the feat after 25 years of hard work, saying by the provision of Section 162 Sub-Section 2 of the Nigeria Constitution, Lagos has become an oil producing State.

“I want to thank you very much for this and I say it with all conviction,” Mr. Ambode said.

“Because I know that based on section 162 Sub-Section 2 of the Nigeria Constitution, Lagos becomes an oil producing state and by virtue of this, the 13 percent derivation that is due to oil producing states, Lagos will start to partake from it by your very good gesture.

“So we officially declare Lagos State an oil producing state, we also notify the Federal Government by this action that we would be sharing out of the 13 percent derivation. So all we need do is to apply and then we join.”

Mr. Ambode also said the feat has not only placed Lagos in the history books as the first state outside the Niger Delta to become an oil producing State, but has also opened up a new page for revenue generation in the State.

“It also means that by the additional revenue that is coming from this action, we would have more resources to provide infrastructure for Lagosians,” he said.

“And this is what we want other investors and businessmen to emulate, so that beyond the issue of profit, you are actually creating impact on people without them necessarily knowing that it is actually coming from a venture like this that you have embarked on.”

He said the resilience of Tunde Folawiyo Petroleum Company, an indigenous firm, has shown the possibilities and opportunities for investors and businessmen willing to commit their resources to boost local production.

“The Federal Government has always said that we all need to look back inwards and start to do things for ourselves,” said the govenor.

“Spending 25 years to be able to get to this stage and get something productive shows a lot about your belief, tenacity and doggedness and I want to recommend you to every other Nigerian investor that there is still greater hope for Nigeria and with the likes of you.

“I don’t see any reason why any Nigerian needs to be afraid because you have just shown by this indigenous discovery that anything is possible in Nigeria.”

Governor Ambode said the historic discovery means that the three senatorial districts, Lagos West, Lagos East and Lagos Central have all combined to open up the economic and investment potentials of the state.

“From the Lagos West axis, we have crude oil coming out of it, from the Lagos East axis, we have the petrochemical refinery factory coming from the Lagos Free Trade Zone by the Dangote Group which will come on board by 2018 and from the Lagos Central axis, it’s the financial district of Nigeria,” he said.

“We are likely to have three Sea Ports in Lagos in another two years; we have the Badagry Deep Sea Port and the Lekki Port and also the Apapa port.

“So, somehow, in some manner, some things are being put up that seems like a puzzle, but the future prosperity of Lagos is more than well assured and we are happy that we are part of that and this government is heavily committed to complement the efforts of business men like you.”

Earlier, Mr. Folawiyo said the discovery of crude oil in Lagos, which had taken over 25 years to achieve, has gone a long way to show the possibilities achievable if government continues to lend support to indigenous investors and companies.

“At so many points along the way, we could have given up because it was a very rough road, but the point is that only a Nigerian company would have continued to do what we did,” Mr. Folawiyo said.

“The main crux is that we need government and government needs us and where government supports assiduously, it can only be success.”

Mr. Folawiyo said the company spent about $400million dollars to achieve the feat.

He said the current status of the oil well has the capacity to produce at least 12,000 barrels per day, with a possibility to increase to 25,000 to 50,000 barrels per day in the nearest future.

Mr. Folawiyo also presented Governor Ambode with a sample of the crude oil discovered by his company in the state, a confirmation of Lagos becoming the first basin out of the Niger Delta to become an oil producing state.

Breathlessly beautiful
Beauty maketh a woman, bread(wads) maketh a man and not his look.

donvicky2007:
In God we trust, even if the price of a basket of tomatoes reach 20k, man must eat.

A basket is almost #40k.

The prices of tomatoes have gone up by 1,000 per cent in Jos and environs in Plateau, a market survey by NAN has shown.

Our correspondents, who visited some of the markets and other selling points on Thursday, found out that the commodity had gone beyond the reach of the average Nigerian.

At the Terminus Market in Jos, a small basket of the commodity, which used to be N350, was selling for N3,500.

NAN also found that a big basket of the commodity, which sold for N1,000 about two months ago, now costs N10,000.

The story was the same at the Tudun Wada Market in Jos North Local Government, where a medium basket of the commodity, which sold for N550 in March, was sold for N5,600.

NAN reports that prospective small buyers seeking N150 worth of the commodity, were turned back by the retailers, who said that they did not have any quantity for that little amount.

Speaking to NAN, one of the retailers of the commodity, Mrs. Nanret Abimu, said, “Honestly, I do not know one specific reason why the price is this high’’.

“The price changes every day. One day a basket is N5,000. The next day, you are told it is N10,000. It is a very tough situation,” she told NAN.

Investigation by NAN showed that the price increase was caused by seasonal changes, especially at the onset of the rains.

“This is generally a dry season for vegetables.

“Ẁhen heavy rains starts, the vegetable gets rotten on the farms, which generally affects supply.

“It means that many retailers or wholesalers could go directly to the farms but will not get much and may be forced to purchase at outrageous prices out of desperation.

“When that happens, the effect is on the buyer and the eventual consumer, which is what we have now,” she said.

Some consumers, who spoke with NAN on the situation, said that they had left out stew “for now”, in their daily menu.

A housewife, Mrs Nenkwat Joseph, said that she had tried to improvise by using pepper to spice up some dishes.

Another consumer, Miss Mishrap Aro, told NAN that she envisaged the rise in the price and prepared for it by buying in large quantities when the price was good.

“I bought tomatoes a long time; I cut each piece into two, dried it up and fetch it for use now anytime I need it.

“Normally, I soaked the dried tomatoes inside water and grind it; once that is done, it comes back as fresh tomatoes,” she told NAN.

Also speaking to NAN, a student, Micheal Ali said that he had resorted to tin or sachet tomato instead of the fresh varianthttp://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/05/05/n350-tomato-now-sells-for-n3500/

Badoo, Twoo

absence from work without official permission,perhaps the CMD is planning to issue queries to the dead Doctors.
This CMD has a case to answer.

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Teaching Hospital (FETH), Ido-Ekiti, Dr Lawrence Ayodele, has absolved himself of wrongdoing in the death of two doctors from the hospital who were among those that died in Kaduna last week.

Ayodele told reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital Monday, that those protesting against him are enemies of progress who believe they can thwart his reappointment for a second term because of his reform programme that has plugged many loopholes for corruption.

He also called on security agencies to put a stop to what he described as an act of ‘terrorizing the hospital community’ by the protesters.

Ayodele said those protesting against his administration were only using the death of the two doctors as a cover to achieve their aim of making the hospital ungovernable with the aim of preventing his reappointment for a second term.

The CMD, who gave details of his involvement in the treatment of the doctors, also revealed that the three doctors from FETHI who were among the seven doctors involved in the accident did not take permission for the journey from the hospital’s management.

Nonetheless, Ayodele said as soon as he was informed of the accident about 9:00 pm Sunday evening in Sokoto, he contacted all hospital heads around the area that could offer help in treating them. His efforts, he recalled, led to the mobilization of personnel and materials that rescued survivors.

In addition, Dr Ayodele said he made a presentation on the accident to the minister, Permanent Secretaries and other top government and professional officials the following day, after which he excused himself from the meeting and the conference to enable him return to Ekiti and attend to the situation.

He said seven doctors from the Ekiti State Hospital Management Board, Ekiti State Teaching Hospital and FETHI agreed to undertake the journey using a bus belonging to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ekiti State branch for the Sokoto NMA conference.

He said: “The seven doctors came together to take an NMA bus and driver. They did not involve our hospital. And the three of them from our hospital did not take permission for the conference.

“So, it is surprising to hear all the way from Sokoto that a group of people under the aegis of Senior Staff Association gathered in front of our hospital accusing the CMD of their death. As the sitting Chief Executive, I have no problem with the staff under me.”

Ayodele scribed the allegations being branded against him as untrue. On the allegation that 42 people died in his 42 months of leadership, the CMD said nothing can be farther from the truth because only five members of staff have died to his knowledge since the inception of his administration.

According to him, a medical doctor died of neurological disease, a nurse died of AIDS, a man collapsed due to diabetic coma while a young man died for his alleged involvement in diabolical activities and another young man died in an accident in Owo while returning from a meeting.

He pointed out: “These protesters are not protesting because of the accident. They are only using it as a cover.”

Ayodele described the act of closing down the hospital and sending out patients from the wards as acts of terrorism.

“They have beaten up a number of staff, vandalized Oba’s palace and stopping people from carrying out their duties. They are terrorizing the hospital staff. Security agencies must not allow these to continue because a few people cannot hijack a federal institution. These people should face the full weight of the law.

“They are trying to make the hospital ungovernable so that government will not renew my appointment.”

Staff of the hospital under three unions had closed the hospital while protesting the death of two doctors from the hospital who were in the team of seven doctors involved in the accident. They accused Ayodele of using juju to kill his colleagues.

They also called on the government to remove him and appoint another CMDhttp://thenationonlineng.net/fethi-cmd-absolves-self-ekiti-doctors-death/

Adieu DR ATOLANI JAMES ADENIYI AND MR AJIBOLA MOSES OLOWOOKERE.
THE YOUNG AND OLD IN OTUN EKITI ARE MOURNING YOU.
MAY YOUR SOULS REST IN PEACE.